Thank the Lord

(Bet Che wouldn't have taken any crap from people purporting to represent artists and exploiting folk!)


A couple of days ago, I was deeply concerend when Steve at Teenage Kicks was going to pull the plug on his excellent John Peel-inspired blog.

To my intense relief, he has announced he will continue.

So in honour of Steve, and his immaculately researched blog, this is the Undertones' Teenage Kicks, (yes, John Peel's favourite ever song, I think we all know that now!)

This is not a long post from me, I've spent an hour and a half marking...

Undertones - 'Teenage Kicks.' mp3


By the way, this has appeared at Condemned to rock roll which makes for great reading.

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.

D'ye ken John Peel with his coat so grey?

John Peel in 1976

OK, slightly rubbish heading but I'm running out of funny original titles.

Anyway, it's been a few days since I did a post resting on John Peel's Festive Fifties, so here we go:

In recent years, it is increasingly being considered that John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten)'s post Sex Pistols band, Public Image Ltd (PiL) may, in fact, have been far more groundbreaking than the Sex Pistols. No kidding.

Public Image Ltd.- 'Public Image.' mp3 (1978 Festive Fifty no.9, 1979 Festive Fifty no.9, 1980 Festive Fifty no.11, 1981 Festive Fifty no.26, 1982 All-time Festive Fifty no.20)

Famously, John Peel's favourite ever song was this, the opening lines of which are now on his gravestone:

Undertones -'Teenage Kicks.' mp3 (1978 Festive Fifty no.10, 1979 Festive Fifty no.2, 1980 Festive Fifty no.7, 1981 Festive Fifty no.6, 1982 Alltime Festive fifty no.8, Millennium no.2)

There seems to be a bit of a link between teaching and rock'n'roll, despite the fact that the two might seem to be diametrically opposed. Step forward, in this case, Gordon MacIntyre and Katie Griffiths from Ballboy.

Ballboy -'All The Records On the Radio Are Shite.' mp3 (2002 Festive Fifty no.10)

There have been a number of cover versions making the Festive Fifty over the years, including this one (a fair bit of 'goth' made it onto the FF over the years):

Bauhaus -'Ziggy Stardust.' mp3 (1982 Festive Fifty no.14)

...and despite the accusations, it wasn't all white boys with guitars in the Festive fifty over the years either

Broadcast -'Echoes Answer.' mp3 (1999 Festive Fifty no.36)

Though some of those white boys with guitars did make some excellent records, though:

Pavement -'Range Life.' mp3 (1994 Festive Fifty no.14)

'At least once a week I drive a nail through my foot for not seeing them while I had the chance' said Peel of Big Black. Maybe I'm just afraid of pain. Main man Steve Albini went on to produce Nirvana, PJ Harvey, Low and the Wedding Present.

Big Black -'Colombian Necktie.' mp3 (1987 Festive Fifty no.18)

Finally, many thanks to Steve at Teenage Kicks for posting these, without whom I wouldn't be able to post these here:

Sabres Of Paradise -'Wilmot.' mp3 (1994 Festive Fifty no.

Ministry -'Jesus Built My Hot Rod.' mp3 (1992 Festive Fifty no.3)

Very Things -'The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes.' mp3 (1984 Festive fifty no.27)

Will be more music here over the weekend. Keep it tuned, so to speak. X