Category Archives: Helen Love

400th post -STILL keeping it Peel

Posted on by
6

(John Peel in 2004. If it’s good enough for him…)

Well, seemingly just a couple of months after I did my 300th post, here is the 400th. There will be many more to come in the following few days, my interiew with Foxface, my review of Sons and Daughters/Black Kids/Broken Records’ gig…but to celebrate, some more music that made John Peel’s Festive Fifty:

First up, given that this blog has done its’ best to champion scots indie, one of Edinburgh’s top acts:

Ballboy -‘I gave up my eyes to a man who couldn’t see.’ mp3

This was actually only a b-side originally, to ‘True Faith’ but was later remixed and a hit in its own right in early 1995.

New Order -‘1963.’ mp3

I haven’t featured the Smiths so far on these Festive Fifty posts, not because I don’t love them – I do very much, but couldn’t decide what. Anyway, in the end it’s this one, very appropriate for the 400th post:

Smiths -‘I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish.’ mp3 (1987 Festive Fifty no.40)

This band weren’t on the c86 compilation, nor were they scottish, but it’s easy to understand how people might think they were both of these things. How this only reached no 50 is a mystery, but hey…

Talulah Gosh -‘Talulah Gosh.’ mp3
(1987 Festive Fifty no.50)

Pete Astor, who also recorded as The Wisdom Of Harry, and the Loft, is one of the greats of underground English indie:

Weather Prophets -‘Almost Prayed.’ mp3 (1986 Festive Fifty no.13)

These two tracks were ones I had never heard of before I did research into the Festive Fifty…but I’m glad I did:

Membranes -‘Spike Milligan’s Tape Recorder.’ mp3 (1984 Festive Fifty no.6)

Frank Chickens -‘Blue Canary.’ mp3 (1984 Festive Forty no.42)

…and another goodie from 1984. A bad year politically in so many ways, but a great year for music:

Propaganda -‘Dr. Mabuse.’ mp3 (1984 Festive Fifty no.31)

Welsh act melys topped the Festive Fifty in 2001 with ‘Chinese Whispers’ but they had some other entries including this excellent track the same year:

Melys -‘I Don’t Believe In You.’ mp3 (2001 Festive Fifty no.35)

And another welsh act to finish:

Helen Love -‘Girl About Town.’ mp3 (1996 Festive Fifty no.10)

Thanks to all my readers for support and comments, here’s to the next…?

Peel Festive Fifty Favourites Volume ??

Posted on by
16

John Peel with Laura Cantrell, 2004

I’ve got to say, I’ve been very impressed with the amount of feedback I’ve been getting over the last few weeks since I started doing the Peel Festive Fifty posts. It’s great, and I just wish that when I posted about new music I got the same response (did no-one like the Vampire Weekend tracks?)

Anyway, here are another ten;

Gregory Isaacs -‘Nightnurse.’ mp3 (1982 Festive Fifty no.52)

Butthole Surfers -’22 Going On 23.’ mp3 (1987 Festive Fifty no.44)

Public Enemy -‘Night Of the Living Baseheads.’ mp3 (1988 Festive Fifty no.50)

Mighty Lemon Drops -‘Like An Angel.’ mp3 (1986 Festive Fifty no.34)

Helen Love -‘Does Your Heart Go Boom.’ mp3 (1997 Festive Fifty no.3)

White Town -‘Your Woman.’ mp3 (1996 Festive Fifty no.31)

Marine Research -‘Parallel Horizontal.’ mp3 (1999 Festive Fifty no.47)

Nina Nastasia -‘Ugly Face.’ mp3 (2002 Festive Fifty no.4)

Aztec Camera -‘Oblivious.’ mp3 (1983 Festive Fifty no.29)

Massive Attack -‘Teardrop.’ mp3 (1998 Festive Fifty no.21)

Hope you like them, and leave feedback!

Edx

Ten more from John Peel’s Festive Fifty

Posted on by
8

John Peel with Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley in 1999.

Yup, kids, just like it says, ten more tracks that made John Peel’s Festive Fifty, and I’ve tried to go for even less predictable stuff this time…

Gang Of Four -‘Damaged Goods.’ mp3 (1979 Festive Fifty no.23, 1980 Festive Fifty no.50)

Bluetones -‘Slight Return.’ mp3 (1995 Festive Fifty no.21)

Detroit Cobras -‘Shout Bama Lama.’ mp3 (2001 Festive Fifty no.21)

Dead Kennedys -‘California Uber Alles.’ mp3 (1979 Festive Fifty no.33 , 1980 Festive Fifty no.31, 1981 Festive Fifty no. 42)

Soup Dragons -‘Whole Wide world.’ mp3 (1986 Festive Fifty no.25)

Camper Van Beethoven -‘Take The Skinheads Bowling.’ mp3 (1986 Festive Fifty no.47)

PJ Harvey -‘Dress.’mp3 (1991 Festive Fifty no.2)

Melt Banana -‘Stimulus for Revolting Virus.’ mp3 (1998 Festive Fifty no.37)

Helen Love -‘Long Live The UK Music Scene.’ mp3 (1998 Festive Fifty no.10)

Broadcast -‘Come On Let’s Go.’ mp3 (2000 Festive Fifty no.5)

As always, if you want to find out more about John Peel start here and for more music featured in his annual Festive Fifties, an excellent place to start is the Teenage Kicks blogspot, especially for music long since deleted.