Saturday, February 16, 2008

More Festive Fifty delights




My 399th post, and I'm pleased that people are still reading.

So, ten more tracks for today and I'll do a special post tomorrow...watch this space...

First up, the first UK punk record.

Damned -'New Rose.' mp3 (Deep breath: 1978 Festive Fifty no.13, 1979 Festive Fifty no.10, 1980 Festive Fifty no.8, 1981 Festive fifty no.12, 1982 all-time Festive Fifty no.13)

Northern Ireland's top two bands of the punk-era (there seems to be quite a political tone to today's post BTW)

Stiff Little Fingers -'Alternative Ulster.' mp3 (Another deep breath: 1978 Festive Fifty no.11, 1979 Festive Fifty no.6, 1980 Festive Fifty no.9, 1981 Festive fifty no.16, 1982 all-time Festive Fifty no.16)

Undertones -' You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It?).' mp3 (1979 Festive Fifty no.29)

I know next to nothing about this band, again, info etc.. etc..

Red Guitars -'Good Technology.' mp3 (1983 Festive Fifty no.11)

With the emphasis on Red (very much the colour of their politics) things were not getting any better in 1984.

Redskins -'Keep On Keeping On.' mp3(1984 Festive Fifty no.10)

By 1986, Britain's 'special relationship' with the USA (ha, bloody ha) lead to commenting in two tracks that year about this being the 51st state of America. This was one of them, can you name the other? (Not in the Festive fifty, but by a band hat Peel did champion)

The The -'Heartland.' mp3 (1986 Festive Fifty no.32)

My all-time favourite song:

Joy Division -'Atmosphere.' mp3 (1980 Festive Fifty no.2, 1981 Festive Fifty no.1, 1982 All-time festive Fifty no.2, 2000 Millennium Chart no.1)

Mr. Peel's favourite band EVER. This wasn't political per se, though the Pharmacist in question may not have been dealing in over the counter medicine...

Fall -'Mr. Pharmacist.' mp3 (1986 Festive Fifty no.3)

Two Peel favoured artists I'm just discovering and loving:

Nina Nastasia -'You, Her and Me.' mp3 (2003 Festive Fifty no.13)

Laura Cantrell -'Queen Of The Coast.' mp3 (2000 Festive fifty no.42)

There will be more music tomorrow.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

real great !!! thks for six by seven. I 've always thought this band was great but nobody here has never really believed me... First time I've heard "atmosphere" I nearly cried but I did cause boys don't cry... We are making a good cover of "love will tear us apart" with my band.

Ed said...

Hi again jalal

glad you're enjoying the blog.

Six By seven were and are a great band, feel a bit guilty that I have neglected them in the last few years.

Don't feel bad about Atmosphere making you cry, if it doesn't move you it is time to worry.

Ed

Mike said...

Good Post! Alternative Ulster is my favourite punk track, I think.

Anonymous said...

another great post, i'm guessing the tune were alluding to would be 51st state by new model army
A.J

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the Peel posts - keep sending me digging out stuff i've not heard for years like the Redskins.

Some excellent photos of John as well

Matt

Ed said...

Mike and Matt -sounds like a result to me

A.J. -you're right, it was indeed new model Army

Unknown said...

Red Guitars - from Hull. Saw them support The Smiths in 1983. Good Technology remains one of the great long-lost singles of the 80s.

Anonymous said...

New Model Army. Talk about a band neglected in the blogosphere. Released a cracking album last year and still put on a fantastic live show. (Not to mention, Justin Sullivan's solo release earlier in the decade'Navigating By The Stars- - definitely a desert island disc for yours truly.}

Ed, great posts. I wonder how incredible it must feel to discover some of these tracks for the first time some 25-30 years after many of them were first released. Similar I suppose to me first discovering 'Forever Changes' in the last 1980's.

Ed said...

JC - thank you once again, will have to keep digging

Mikeb - I still have a deep affection for NMA, who have a big following still, even if they were treated very badly by the music press (did a post on here last year about Thunder and consolation). Glad you like the posts.

Ed

Anonymous said...

i concur, new model army's last album was their best for a while, haven't been to see them for a few years, do their followers still carry giant military kit bags with them?
A.J

Anonymous said...

NMA were indeed great, I had the good fortune to be living in Bradford in the early 80s and seeing them at least a dozen times leading up to their first album.

Whatever happened to Stuart Morrow, their original bassist? He was awesome, and I think they lost something when he left.

Cheers Ed!


Craig

Matt said...

I love Laura Cantrell. 'Two Seconds' was a Peel favourite....sigh..those were the days

Ed said...

A.J. -saw NMA once in London in 2000, didn't see the kit bags but their followers still did the human pyramid. Also saw Justin do a solo gig in Edinburgh in 2002 which was great. Also a big fan of his partner Joolz, who is an amazing writer.

Craig -not sure what becoame of him, though the lineup does seem to have remained fairly consistent in the last few years as I understand it
May be time for an NMA post?

matt -like I say i'm just discovering laura Cantrell, i can understand why she made such a big impact on peelie.