This was huge news in Britain today. Last night we watched a totally surreal and hillarious interview (likely only available for a few more hours) with Mark E. Smith of The Fall, who were featured on his Peel Sessions 24 times, more than any other band.
I also just stumbled across this Overload interview which I thoroughly enjoyed, and seemed fitting for a re-post. I also found this info on his possible autobiography, which was underway, but seems up in the air at the moment.
Has any single man had a more profound and lasting impact on modern music than BBC’s John Peel? It’s unlikely anyone ever will. If you don’t know anything about him, this is a start, with many other links there and on the BBC Radio site. Just to give an indication of his brilliance, here’s a list of his latest and forthcoming guests from ‘Guest Week’ (while he was on holiday in Peru, where he died today of a heart attack):
Tue 19th October – Guest DJs: Underworld
Wed 20th October – Guest DJ: Siouxsie Sioux
Thu 21st October – Guest DJ: Robert Smith
…and
26/10 – Cure Peel Session 1978
27/10 – Happy Mondays Peel Session 1989
28/10 – New Order Peel Session 1982
For a distinctly British impression of his impact from one of the scenes he impacted most over his career, check this, to which I contributed the following meager commentarty:
How many radio DJs are ever heard of outside of their broadcast area, let alone their nation? Even Gilles Peterson has only a tiny following overseas, which never would have happened without the internet, yet Peel Session CDs were spreading innovative music around the world decades before this was possible. An amazing man. How many other neophite 65-year old people can you think of, let alone those who remain in the media spotlight for nearly 40 years?
But my favorite memory of him is second-hand, thinking of the Sonar 2003 set alongside an array of techno legends. Hannah’s told me more than a few times how she and some of our other mates were down the front, all cheering him on, while a bunch of confused Spaniards wondered who the hell he was – this 60 year old geezer playing a nosebleed cornupopia of Peeled onions.
We’ve had a few parties here called ‘Are Friends Eclectic’, which are very much in the spirit of Peel, each of us (DJs and otherwise) playing three zany tracks, each trying to out nostalgise or shock our compadres. This is the spirit he leaves us. He embodied everything a passion and committment to music can.
New mix, Eagle’s Trump added. Ambience, house, broken beat, synth pop, techno, electro and hip hop mooshed into a 2 hour 43 minute session. Encoded in 160 Kbps mp3. Recorded yesterday.
Tracklist
Krikark – Boulevard Rushchouard (B4) [Karat]
Savath & Savalas – Equipatge de Flors Seques [Warp]
Dani Siciliano – Same [!K7]
Umod – Just4Funksake [Sonar Kollektiv]
SpyMusic – Cloak [2000 Black]
Björk – Trimumph of a Heart [Wellhart]
The Songstress – See Line Woman [BBE]
Ron & Chez D – 054 (B2) [KMS]
Blake Baxter – Enjoy the Silence (P2: Inner Sight) [Mix Media]
Angora – Enchantment (Original Demo Mix) [Prescription]
4AM – Return of the Sea Trutle [Muzique Tropique]
4th Measure Men – The Need (MK’s Original Mix) [Area 10]
Maxwell – No One (AMG Remix) [AMG]
Osunlade present Nadirah Shakoor- Pride (Main mix) [Set]
Chateau Flight – Prism [Versatile]
Osunlade – Native Tongue (Miles Moore’s Foreign Tongue mix) [Got Soul]
Induceve – Time to Begin (Henrik Schwarz Remix) [Classic]
David Alvarado – Aqua [Yoshi Toshi]
Native Funk – Retro Elements (Scott Ferguson’s Detroit Elements) [Rhythmic-Deep]
Vangelis – Blade Runner Theme (Re-edit) [COW white]
Orgue Electronique Here I come (Vengo) [Creme Organiztion]
Lucky & Easy – Pimp Soul Blister (A1) [Ann Aimee]
Freeq Unique – Mind & Soul [Bitasweet]
Titonton – Jam Pony [Amalgama]
Dan Curtin – Theory of 3/4/ Alpha [Inzec]
Mathew Jonson – 911, How Can I Help You? [Arbutus]
Kirk DeGiorgio – Climbing the Waterfall [New Religion]
UR – Timeline [UR]
Shed – Opulence (B1) [Solo Action]
Analog Fingerprints – Re-format yourself [Final Frontier]
Electrofunk – Bounce [Electrofunk]
Track Ghost – Gator [Non Stop]
Afronaught Presenté Son de Batey – Carnaval (Misa Negra) [Goya]
Ultradyne – Lardossen Search Squad [Pi Gao Movement]
Autechre – Pen Expers [Warp]
Substance Abuse and MF Doom – Profitless Thought [Fat Beats]
Savath & Savalas – Interludio Inconcreto [Warp]
Madvillain – Accordion [Stones Throw]
Aceyalone & Madlib – K.O. Player [Okayplayer]
In case you missed it on the air, here’s the archive:
Tracklist
=========
808 State – Ride [Rephlex]
Umod – What Melody [Sonar Kollektiv]
DJ Rels – Don’t U Know [Stones Throw Records]
Omar S – Untitled AOS-002 A2 [FXHE Records]
Willis – Talk to Me (Brooks’ Linguist Remix) [679]
Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble – Running in the Streets (Charles Webster Mix One) [Deeper Soul]
Âme – Mifune [Sonar Kollektiv]
Horror Inc. – I Plead Guilty [Perlon]
Metro Area – Metro Area 5 [Environ]
Unkown Artist – It’s a Dawgs Life (Freestyle Man Old Skool Trance Mix) [Moodmusic Limited]
Mike L. & Lanoiraude – Mystic River (Charles Webster Remix) [Battle]
Impossible Beings – Too Late {Brooks’ Missed It Instrumental Mix) [End Recordings]
Karizma – Mornin (NuLife Edit) [Ricanstruction]
Thursday was fun! Really enjoyed myself once things got going and I worked through the week’s stress. I thought it was great to hear the early sets from Brendan and Guy. Unexpected selections and a great way to warm things up. Nick and I tagteamed for and hour and a half and it went really well I thought. Got to drop loads of new techno, and helped the dance floor lift off. It’s recorded, so possibly online before too long. Shawn Rudiman’s set was really cool, or at least what I remmeber of it. I think it was nice to hear each segment evolving into so much of a ‘song’, versus previous efforts which felt more like an endless transition. Both are cool, but it was amazing to see this different style of arrangement on the fly (assuming I’m not just imagining this). Wish I could remember more of Matt’s set.
More info on those records I been posting about.
Blake Baxter : Poetry And Rhythm – Session Two (Nice covers of Depeche Mode’s Enjoy the Silence)
Etiop: Sub + Sub (Recognition Poland) 12″: (Newcomer on Jacek Sienkiewicz’ Recognition label. ‘Mysticism’ has a kinda-acidic bassline, merged with detuned pads and slightly-clicky beats)
Solo Action: Opulence (Solo Action Germany) (*PROPER* techno. All three tracks killer)
Analog Fingerprints : Age of Hypocrisy (New Marco Passirani on Submerge-affiliated label, churning out classic Detroit and full-on rave sounds. All four track = detonation)
Kirk Degiorgio : EP3 – (Four tracks of kinda-slow Detroitiotechno)
Duplex 100 : Extrapoliert (MJ goes UR)
Horror Inc. : I Plead Guilty (Akufen goes deep dark piano)
Karizma : Strings Emotional EP (Interesting ‘deep burnt’-style strings with a kinda UR synth taking over the second half. A bit tracky, but good)
Sebo K : Changes EP (Drum ‘n bass producer doing acid and old school Chicago stuffs)
Ultradyne : The Privilege Of Sacrifice (Sinister stuff Alex! I totally scared a hungover friend with it Sunday morning. Some of the synths remind me a bit of Skinny Puppy, which is a big compliment in my book)
DJ Rels : Theme For A Broken Soul (Madlib and Peanut Butter Wolf go broken beat, and end up sounding something like Theo Parrish were he to do the same. A few gems on here, solid throughout)
Umod : Enter The Umod (Differently broken beats from Domu. ‘For Funk’s Sake’ and ‘What Melody’ are sick, particularly the latter, which has as much attention to detail as any track I’ve hear. Domu’s stil on a roll. The 12″ of ‘Tromboline’ is also worth getting for the flip)
Various Artists : Del Alma Sampler Vol.1 (New on Amalgama, featuring a tasty Titonton stuff that may be atyically broken enough to not scare away those who don’t usually feel broken beat stuff)
808 State : Prebuild (Ancient rarities unearthed on Rephlex. Particularly enjoying ‘The Ride’, ‘Sex Mechanic’ and ‘Automatic’)
Population One : Earth 2976 (Old Terrence Dixon reissue on Metroplex. All three tracks nice. Crappy recording or pressing but still playable)
Mike L & Lanoiraude : Mystic River EP (Sounds like a Charles Webster Remix.
It is a Charles Webster remix!)
Bjork : Medulla (Mostly acapella album featuring Icelandic choruses and Razell, formerly of The Roots. A must for fans)
Ame : Mifune / Shiro (Two excellent new tracks on Sonar Kollektiv, the first reminding me a bit of Attend 1 without being unoriginal)
Ethnic Heritage Ensemble : Running In The Streets (Another Charles Webster Remix. A slow builder. Really tasty if that’s your thing)
Saturday, October 16, 2004: 0100-0400 AM [GMT]
Friday, October 15, 2004: 2000-2300 [EST]
Chilled Out Passion with Dan Bean
Oxford’s Passion 107.9 FM.
Blake Baxter : Poetry And Rhythm – Session Two – 12″
The Godson : Soul Edge EP 2 – 12″
Pirahnahead : Dreams – 12″
Prince / Hawkeye / Vangelis : Kiss (Remix) / Born / Blade Runner (Re-edit) – 12″
Rhythm & Sound : The Versions – LP
Savath & Savalas : Manana – LP
ANANDA, Gabriel: Wegeschwindel (Trapez Germany) 12″: (TRAPEZ 23)
CURTIN, Dan: Shadow Locked (Inzec Germany) 12″: (INZEC 019)
ETIOP: Sub + Sub (Recognition Poland) 12″: (R-EP 010)
INDUCEVE: Time To Begin (remixes) (Classic) 12″: (CMC 15RMX)
LINDBLAD, Klas/ASSHOLE & GENTLEMAN/HENRIK SCHWARZ/GEORGE SPRUCE: Sunday 3 (Sunday Music Germany) 12″: (SMR 003)
SAMUEL, Jeff: Knob (remixes) (Trapez Germany) 12″: (TRAPEZ 28 )
SOLO ACTION: Opulence (Solo Action Germany) 12″: (SOA 1203)
UR: Millennium To Millennium (Underground Resistance US) 12″: (UR 2001)
WEI CHI: Faces & Places (Compost Germany) 12″: (COMP 164-1)
Panic in Detroit Sampler
Analog Fingerprints – Age of Hypocrisy
Native Funk – Retro Elements
DJ Bone – Physics
Afronaught Presente Son De Batey : Carnaval – 12″
Juan Atkins : Rebound – 12″
Declaime : Heavenbound – 12″
Kirk Degiorgio : EP3 – 12″
DJ Rels : Theme For A Broken Soul – LP
Duplex 100 : Extrapoliert (w/Mathew Jonson remix) – 12″
Horror Inc. : I Plead Guilty – 12″
Impossible Beings : Too Late (w/Brooks remixes )– 12″
Karizma : Strings Emotional EP – 12″
Metro Area : Metro Area 5 – 12″
Moodmusic Limited : Unreleased Vol.5 – 12″
Sebo K : Changes EP – 12″
Ultradyne : The Privilege Of Sacrifice – 12″
Umod : Enter The Umod – 2xLP
Various Artists : Del Alma Sampler Vol.1 – 12″
808 State : Prebuild – 2xLP (ancient rarities unearthed)
Population One : Earth 2976 – 12″ (Old Terrence Dixon reissue on Metroplex)
Mike L & Lanoiraude : Mystic River EP – 12″ (Charles Webster Remix)