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John Peel
30 Aug 1939 – 25 Oct 2004

 I loved John Peel (wiki) for his cynicism and self-effacing sense of humour as much as for his choice of music. In fact during his difficult phase where he championed the anti-music of heavy Post-Punk, Industrial, Thrash Metal and Music Concrete, it was only his dry wit and charm that kept me and probably thousands of others tuning in.

Of course I had been Peel-aware for years. He was the grown-up voice on Radio 1, but it wasn't until my college years in the mid-eighties that he became such a central feature in my life. His weeknight shows were a source of inspiration for my changing musical tastes, leading me towards The Smiths, The Cocteau Twins, The Cure, The Levellers, New Model Army, Billy Bragg, Linton Kwesi Johnson, and much, much more as they say. His festive fifties in the 80s (samples below) were like a catalogue of my music collection.
Later on I suppose he became a bit of a caricature of himself on Home Truths, his Saturday morning show on Radio 4, as well as The Grumpy Old Men thing, but he always seemed pretty genuine. A genuine caricature.

And not to forget his annual pilgrimage to Glastonbury where he gradually aged into this Buddha-like figure, up in a series of bizarre temporary studios where he was often more interesting than what was going on in the mud outside, but looking like he'd rather be at home in his slippers with a mug of Horlicks.

The listings below are an echo of my student days - even seeing the bands and titles gives a Proustian rush... And the fact that so many of these tracks are on YouTube is testament to something, though maybe not to their lasting quality.
Some Festive Fifties

John Peel's Festive Fifty
- Nineteen Eighty -
  1. Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
  2. Joy Division - Atmosphere
  3. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
  4. Jam - Down in the Tube Station at Midnight
  5. Clash - White Man in Hammersmith Palais
  6. Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia
  7. Undertones - Teenage Kicks
  8. Damned - New Rose
  9. Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster
  10. Joy Division - Transmission
  11. Public Image Ltd - Public Image
  12. Sex Pistols - Holidays in the Sun
  13. Jam - Going Underground
  14. Joy Division - Decades
  15. Clash - Complete Control
  16. Stiff Little Fingers - Johnny Was
  17. Undertones - Get Over You
  18. Cure - A Forest
  19. Ruts - In a Rut
  20. Joy Division - New Dawn Fades
  21. The Fall - Totally Wired
  22. Joy Division - She’s Lost Control
  23. Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
  24. Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device
  25. Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen
  26. The Fall - How I Wrote `Elastic Man’
  27. Stiff Little Fingers - Wasted life
  28. Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet
  29. Damned - Love song
  30. Adam and the Ants - Kings of the wild frontier
  31. Dead Kennedys - California Uber Alles
  32. Specials - Gangsters
  33. Public Image Ltd - Poptones
  34. Public Image Ltd - Careering
  35. Killing Joke - Requiem
  36. Killing Joke - Psyche
  37. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Jigsaw Feeling
  38. The Fall - Fiery Jack
  39. Clash - Armagideon Time
  40. Spizz Energi - Where’s Captain Kirk
  41. Joy Division - Twenty-Four Hours
  42. Damned - Smash it up
  43. Teardrop Explodes - Treason
  44. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Switch
  45. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Icon
  46. Clash - Bankrobber
  47. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Hong Kong Garden
  48. Clash - White Riot
  49. The Fall - Rowche Rumble
  50. Gang of Four - Damaged Goods
  51. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Love in a void
  52. Killing Joke - Wardance
  53. Adam and the Ants - Dog Eat Dog
  54. Ruts - West One (Shine on me)
  55. Who - My generation
  56. Mo-dettes - White Mice
  57. Stiff Little FIngers - Tin Soldiers
  58. Stranglers - No More Heroes
  59. Jam - Eton Rifles
  60. Pink Floyd - Shine on you crazy diamond
  61. Magazine - Shot by both sides
  62. Public Image Ltd - Death disco
  63. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to heaven
  64. Joy Division - Dead souls
  65. Wah! Heat - Better Scream

John Peel's Festive Fifty
- Nineteen Eighty One -
  1. Joy Division - Atmosphere
  2. Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
  3. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
  4. New Order - Ceremony
  5. Joy Division - New Dawn Fades
  6. Undertones - Teenage Kicks
  7. Joy Division - Decades
  8. Cure - A Forest
  9. Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia
  10. Clash - White Man in Hammersmith Palais
  11. Joy Division - Dead Souls
  12. Damned - New Rose
  13. Jam - Down in the Tube Station at Midnight
  14. Joy Division - Transmission
  15. Altered Images - Dead Pop-Stars
  16. Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster
  17. Sex Pistols - Holidays in the Sun
  18. Clash - Complete Control
  19. Birthday Party - Release the Bats
  20. Undertones - Get Over You
  21. Specials - Ghost Town
  22. Scritti Politti - The `Sweetest’ Girl
  23. Jam - Going Underground
  24. Stiff Little Fingers - Johnny Was
  25. Theatre of Hate - Legion
  26. Public Image Ltd - Public Image
  27. Killing Joke - Requiem
  28. Killing Joke - Follow the Leaders
  29. Heaven 17 - No Fascist Groove Thang
  30. The Fall - Fiery Jack
  31. Ruts - In a Rut
  32. Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device
  33. The Fall - How I Wrote `Elastic Man’
  34. Laurie Anderson - O Superman
  35. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Jigsaw Feeling
  36. B-Movie - Remembrance Day
  37. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Israel
  38. Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen
  39. Pigbag - Papa’s Got a Brand-New Pigbag
  40. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Icon
  41. Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet
  42. Dead Kennedys - California Uber Alles
  43. Joy Division - Twenty-Four Hours
  44. Joy Division - Isolation
  45. Killing Joke - Psyche
  46. Echo and the Bunnymen - Over the Wall
  47. The Fall - Lie Dream of a Casino Soul
  48. New Order - Procession
  49. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Switch
  50. Altered Images - Happy Birthday
  51. Joy Division - She’s Lost Control
  52. Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi’s Dead
  53. Magazine - Shot by Both Sides
  54. New Order - In a Lonely Place
  55. Anti-Pasti - No Government
  56. The Fall - Totally Wired
  57. Specials - Gangsters
  58. Fire Engines - Candy Skin
  59. Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
  60. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Hong Kong Garden

John Peel’s Festive Fifties of 1982
1982 was a dual Festive Fifty year Peel broadcast a listeners all time favourite 50 listing as well as listing of 50 favourites of the year Here’s a listing of both!


John Peel's Festive Fifty
- Nineteen Eighty Two -
  1. New Order - Temptation
  2. Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding
  3. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 - The Message
  4. Echo and the Bunnymen - The Back of Love
  5. Tears for Fears - Mad World
  6. The Clash - Straight to Hell
  7. Wah! - The Story of the Blues
  8. Theatre of Hate - Do You Believe in the West World
  9. Artery - Into the Garden
  10. Wild Swans - Revolutionary Spirit
  11. The Jam - Town Called Malice
  12. Yazoo - Only You
  13. Scritti Politti - Faithless
  14. Associates - Party Fears Two
  15. Bauhaus - Ziggy Stardust
  16. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Fireworks
  17. New Order - Hurt
  18. Scritti Politti - Asylums in Jerusalem
  19. Dexys Midnight Runners - Come on Eileen
  20. Killing Joke - Empire Song
  21. The Farmers Boys - Whatever is he like?
  22. China Crisis - African and White
  23. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Slow Dive
  24. Aztec Camera - Pillar to Post
  25. The Cure - The Hanging Garden
  26. The Clash - Should I Stay or Should I Go?
  27. The Clash - Know Your Rights
  28. The Cure - The Figurehead
  29. Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way
  30. Simple Minds - Promised You a Miracle
  31. Redskins - Peasant Army
  32. Simple Minds - Someone Somewhere (in summertime)
  33. The Cure - A Strange Day
  34. Blancmange - Living on the Ceiling
  35. Blancmange - Feel Me
  36. Musical Youth - Pass the Dutchie
  37. Cocteau Twins - Wax and Wane
  38. Serious Drinking - Love on the Terraces
  39. The Jam - The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow)
  40. The Clash - Rock the Casbah
  41. The Passage - XOYO
  42. The Chameleons - In Shreds
  43. Weekend - A View From Her Room
  44. Shambeko! Say Wah! - Remember
  45. Simple Minds - Glittering Prize
  46. Bauhaus - Third Uncle
  47. The Higsons - Conspiracy
  48. Action Pact - Suicide Bag
  49. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Melt
  50. The Farmers Boys - I Think I Need Help
  51. Stranglers - Strange Little Girl
  52. Josef K - The Missionary
  53. Gregory Isaacs - Night Nurse
  54. Everything But The Girl - Night and Day
  55. Associates - Club Country
  56. Stranglers - Golden Brown
  57. Theatre of Hate - The Hop
  58. The Fall - Look/Know
  59. Captain Sensible - Happy Talk
  60. Yazoo - Don’t Go

John Peel's All-Time Festive Fifty
- Nineteen Eighty Two -
  1. Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
  2. Joy Division - Atmosphere
  3. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
  4. Joy Division - New Dawn Fades
  5. The Cure - A Forest
  6. New Order - Ceremony
  7. Joy Division - Decades
  8. Undertones - Teenage Kicks
  9. Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi’s Dead
  10. The Clash - White Man in Hammersmith Palais
  11. Jam - Down in the Tube Station at Midnight
  12. Joy Division - Dead Souls
  13. Damned - New Rose
  14. Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia
  15. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Israel
  16. Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster
  17. Jam - Going Underground
  18. New Order - Temptation
  19. The Clash - Complete Control
  20. Public Image Limited - Public Image
  21. Altered Images - Dead Pop-Stars
  22. Echo and the Bunnymen - Over the Wall
  23. Joy Division - Twenty-Four Hours
  24. Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet
  25. Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen
  26. Joy Division - Transmission
  27. Scritti Politti - The `Sweetest’ Girl
  28. Birthday Party - Release the Bats
  29. Stiff Little Fingers - Johnny Was
  30. New Order - Procession
  31. Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device
  32. Killing Joke - Requiem
  33. Theatre of Hate - Legion
  34. Killing Joke - Psyche
  35. Ruts - In a Rut
  36. Undertones - Get Over You
  37. Sex Pistols - Holidays in the Sun
  38. Joy Division - Isolation
  39. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Jigsaw Feeling
  40. The Clash - Armagideon Time
  41. Joy Division - She’s Lost Control
  42. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Switch
  43. Specials - Ghost Town
  44. Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
  45. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Icon
  46. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Hong Kong Garden
  47. Magazine - Shot by Both Sides
  48. Joy Division - The Eternal
  49. Laurie Anderson - O Superman
  50. Damned - Love Song

John Peel's Festive Fifty
- Nineteen Eighty Three -
  1. New Order - Blue Monday
  2. Smiths - This Charming Man
  3. New Order - Age Of Consent
  4. This Mortal Coil - Song To The Siren
  5. Cocteau Twins - Musette and Drums
  6. Smiths - Reel Around The Fountain
  7. Billy Bragg - A New England
  8. The Fall - Eat Y’self Fitter
  9. Smiths - Hand In Glove
  10. Naturalites and the Mystics - Picture On The Wall
  11. Red Guitars - Good Technology
  12. P.I.L - This Is Not A Lovesong
  13. X-Mal Deutchland - Incubus Succubus
  14. Cocteau Twins - Sugar Hiccup
  15. Cure - Lovecats
  16. Cocteau Twins - From the Flagstones
  17. Echo and the Bunnymen - Never Stop
  18. New Order - Your Silent Face
  19. Sisters of Mercy - Temple of Love
  20. Siouxie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence
  21. The Fall - The Man Whose Head Expanded
  22. Echo and the Bunnymen - The Cutter
  23. The Assembly - Never Never
  24. The Imposter - Pills and Soap
  25. New Order - Leave Me Alone
  26. 10000 Maniacs - My Mother The War
  27. Sisters of Mercy - Alice
  28. Cocteau Twins - Peppermint Pig
  29. Aztec Camera - Oblivious
  30. Redskins - Lean on Me
  31. Chameleons - Second Skin
  32. X-Mal Deutchland - Qual
  33. Smiths - Handsome Devil
  34. Tools You Can Trust - Working and Shopping
  35. The Fall - Kicker Conspiracy
  36. Luddites - Doppleganger
  37. Sophie and Peter Johnson - Television
  38. Cocteau Twins - Hithertoo
  39. S.P.K - Metal Dance
  40. The Fall - Wings
  41. U2 - New Years Day
  42. Danse Society - Somewhere
  43. Birthday Party - Deep in the Woods
  44. Caberet Voltaire - Fascination
  45. New Order - The Village
  46. Birthday Party - Sonny’s Burning
  47. Strawberry Switchblade - Trees and Flowers
  48. Elvis Costello - Shipbuilding
  49. Cure - The Walk
  50. Tom Robinson - War Baby

John Peel's Festive Fifty
- Nineteen Eighty Four -
  1. Smiths - How Soon Is Now
  2. Cocteau Twins - Pearly Dewdrops Drop
  3. The Men They Couldn’t Hang - Green Fields of France
  4. Cocteau Twins - Spangle Maker
  5. The Mighty Wah - Come Back
  6. Membranes - Spike Milligans Tape Recorder
  7. New Order - Thieves Like Us
  8. Sisters of Mercy - Walk Away
  9. The Fall - Lay of the Land
  10. Redskins - Keep On Keepin’ On
  11. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - St Huck
  12. New Order - Lonesome Tonight
  13. Billy Bragg - Between The Wars
  14. Smiths - Nowhere Fast
  15. Sisters of Mercy - Emma
  16. Cocteau Twins - Ivo
  17. Smiths - What Difference Does It Make
  18. The Fall - Creep
  19. Echo and the Bunnymen - The Killing Moon
  20. New Order - Murder
  21. This Mortal Coil - Kangaroo
  22. Cocteau Twins - Donimo
  23. Smiths - William It Was Really Nothing
  24. Smiths - Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now
  25. Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Two Tribes
  26. Unknown Cases - Masimbabele
  27. Very Things - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes
  28. Smiths - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
  29. Billy Bragg - The Saturday Boy
  30. The Cult - Spiritwalker
  31. Propoganda - Dr Mabuse
  32. Yeah Yeah No - Biased Binding
  33. This Mortal Coil - Another Day
  34. Berntholer - My Suiter
  35. Robert Wyatt - Biko
  36. Smiths - Reel Around The Fountain
  37. Jesus and Mary Chain - Upside Down
  38. Cocteau Twins - Pandora
  39. Flesh For Lulu - Subterraneans
  40. Cocteau Twins - Beatrix
  41. Special AKA - Nelson Mandela
  42. Frank Chickens - Blue Canary
  43. New Model Army - Vengence
  44. The Fall - No Bulbs
  45. Pogues - Dark Streets of London
  46. Hard Corps - Dirty
  47. Echo and the Bunnymen - Thorn of Crowns
  48. Bronski Beat - Small Town Boy
  49. Cocteau Twins - Pepper Tree
  50. Working Week - Venceramos

John Peel's Festive Fifty
- Nineteen Eighty Five -
  1. Jesus and Mary Chain - Never Understand
  2. Jesus and Mary Chain - Just Like Honey
  3. The Fall - Cruiser’s Creek
  4. Cult - She sells sanctuary
  5. Cocteau Twins - Aikea-Guinea
  6. Chumbawamba - Revolution
  7. Felt - Primitive Painters
  8. Smiths - The boy with the thorn in his side
  9. New Order - Perfect Kiss
  10. Housemartins - Flag Day
  11. The Men They Couldn’t Hang - Ironmasters
  12. Jesus and Mary Chain - You trip me up
  13. Pogues - Sally Maclennane
  14. Three Johns - Death of the European
  15. Wedding Present - Go out and get ‘em boy!
  16. New Order - Love Vigilantes
  17. Shop Assistants - All that ever mattered
  18. New Order - Sub-culture
  19. Woodentops - Move me
  20. Pogues - A pair of brown eyes
  21. Echo and the Bunnymen - Bring on the dancing horses
  22. That Petrol Emotion - V2
  23. The Fall - Spoilt Victorian Child
  24. New Order - Sunrise
  25. Pogues - I’m a man you don’t meet every day
  26. Rose of Avalanche - L.A
  27. Cure - InBetween Days
  28. James - Hymn from a Village
  29. Smiths - The Headmaster Ritual
  30. Age of Chance - Motor City
  31. Smiths - That joke isn’t funny anymore
  32. Smiths - Meat is Murder
  33. The Fall - Gut of the Quantifier
  34. Beloved - 100 Words
  35. Nick Cave/Bad Seeds - Tupelo
  36. Sisters of Mercy - Marian
  37. Vibes - I’m in Pittsburg and it’s raining
  38. Prefab Sprout - Faron Young
  39. The Fall - Couldn’t get ahead
  40. Billy Bragg - Between the Wars
  41. Smiths - Well I wonder
  42. The Fall - L.A
  43. Sisters of Mercy - Some Kind of Stranger
  44. Primal Scream - It happens
  45. New Order - Face up
  46. Husker Du - Makes no sense at all
  47. Robert Wyatt - The Wind of Change
  48. Woodentops - Well well well
  49. One Thousand Violins - Like One Thousand Violins
  50. Shop Assistants - All day long
  51. James - If things were perfect
  52. Del Amitri - Hammering heart
  53. Conflict - Mighty and Superior
  54. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Cities in dust
  55. The Fall - Rolling Dany
  56. Billy Bragg - Days like these
  57. Smiths - Barbarism begins at home
  58. Big Flame - All the Irish must go to heaven
  59. 10000 Maniacs - Can’t ignore the train
  60. Cabaret Voltaire - I want you
  61. Smiths - Shakespeare’s Sister
  62. Big Flame - Man of few syllables
  63. Cocteau Twins - Quisquose
  64. Pogues - The band played Waltzing Matilda
  65. Bogshed - Hand me down father
  66. New Model Army - No rest
  67. Cure - Close to me
  68. Triffids - Field of Glass
  69. 10000 Maniacs - Just as the tide was a-flowing
  70. That Petrol Emotion - Keen

John Peel's Festive Fifty
- Nineteen Eighty Six -
  1. Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
  2. Age of Chance - Kiss
  3. The Fall - Mr Pharmacist
  4. Primal Scream - Velocity Girl
  5. Smiths - Panic
  6. Smiths - I Know It’s Over
  7. Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
  8. Shop Assistants - Safety Net
  9. Jesus and Mary Chain - Some Candy Talking
  10. The Fall - US Eighties - Nineties
  11. Smiths - Ask
  12. Smiths - Bigmouth Strikes Again
  13. Weather Prophets - Almost Prayed
  14. Half Man, Half Biscuit - Trumpton Riots
  15. The Fall - Living Too Late
  16. Wedding Present - Once More
  17. Soup Dragons - Hang Ten!
  18. Wedding Present - This Boy Can Wait
  19. Bodines - Therese
  20. The Fall - Bournemouth Runner
  21. Cocteau Twins - Love’s Easy tears
  22. Primitives - Really Stupid
  23. Pastels - Truck Train Tractor
  24. Billy Bragg - Levi Stubbs’ Tears
  25. Soup Dragons - Whole Wide World
  26. The Fall - Realm of Dusk
  27. Age of Chance - Bible Of The Beats
  28. Wedding Present - You Should Always Keep In Touch With Your Friends
  29. That Petrol Emotion - It’s a Good Thing
  30. Very things - This is Motortown
  31. We’ve Got a Fuzzbox - Rules and Regulations
  32. The The - Heartland
  33. Freiwillige Selbstokontrolle - I Wish I Could Sprechen Sie Deutsch
  34. Mighty Lemon Drops - Like An Angel
  35. Smiths - Cemetry Gates
  36. Wedding Present - Felicity
  37. The Fall - Lucifer Over Lancashire
  38. Cocteau Twins - Those Eyes, That Mouth
  39. Half Man, Half Biscuit - Dickie Davies Eyes
  40. Elvis Costello - I Want You
  41. Billy Bragg - Greetings To The New Brunette
  42. Flatmates - I Could Be In Heaven
  43. Shop Assistants - I Don’t Want To Be Friends With You
  44. Mighty Mighty - Is There Anyone Out There?
  45. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - By The Time I Get To Phoenix
  46. Colourbox - The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme
  47. Camper van Beethoven - Take The Skinheads Bowling
  48. The Fall - Dktr Faustus
  49. Mission - Serpent’s Kiss
  50. Pogues - The Body of an American

John Peel's Festive Fifty
- Nineteen Eighty Seven -
  1. Sugarcubes - Birthday
  2. The Fall - Australians In Europe
  3. Wedding Present - Everyone Thinks He looks Daft
  4. That Petrol Emotion - Big Decision
  5. Smiths - Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me
  6. Wedding Present - My Favourite Dress
  7. New Order - True Faith
  8. Wedding Present - A Million Miles
  9. The Fall - Hit the North
  10. Wedding Present - Anyone Can Make a Mistake
  11. I, Ludicrous - Preposterous Tales
  12. Smiths - Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before
  13. Sonic Youth - Schizophrenia
  14. Public Enemy - Rebel Without a Pause
  15. Smiths - Girlfriend in a Coma
  16. Jesus and Mary Chain - April Skies
  17. Barmy Army - Sharp as a Needle
  18. Big Black - Colombian Necktie
  19. Primitives - Stop Killing Me
  20. Cud - You Sexy Thing
  21. Smiths - Paint a Vulgar Picture
  22. Motorcycle Boy - Big Rock Candy Mountain
  23. Smiths - Sweet and Tender Hooligan
  24. Smiths - Half a Person
  25. Smiths - Death of a Disco Dancer
  26. The Fall - Athlete Cured
  27. Eric B and Rakim - Paid In Full
  28. Railway Children - Brighter
  29. Smiths - I Won’t Share You
  30. Bhundu Boys - My Foolish Heart
  31. Wedding Present - Getting Nowhere Fast
  32. Prince - Sign o’ the Times
  33. James Taylor Quartet - Blow Up
  34. Smiths - Sheila Take a Bow
  35. McCarthy - Frans Hals
  36. Eric B and Rakim - I Know You Got Soul
  37. Sonic Youth - (I got a) Catholic Block
  38. Public Enemy - You’re Gonna Get Yours
  39. Jesus and Mary Chain - Kill Surf City
  40. Smiths - I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish
  41. Jesus and Mary Chain - Nine Million Rainy Days
  42. Big Black - L Dopa
  43. New Order - 1963
  44. Butthole Surfers - 22 Going On 23
  45. Smiths - Shoplifters of the World Unite
  46. M/A/R/R/S - Pump Up the Volume
  47. Colorblind James Experience - Considering a Move to Memphis
  48. Gun Club - The Breaking Hands
  49. Beatmaster/Cookie Crew - Rok Da House
  50. Talulah Gosh - Talulah Gosh

JOHN PEEL considers his Festive 50 (1987)

THE FESTIVE 50, you will recall, is a chart lovingly handcrafted from the votes of my Radio 1 listeners for their three favourite tracks of the year. In 1986, as may have slipped your memory, the Festive 50 was made faintly ridiculous by the inclusion of seven tracks by the Smiths, seven by the Fall, and four from relative newcomers, the Wedding Present.

This year the Smiths have 11 entries, including all but three tracks from their `Strangeways, Here We Come' LP, giving me as a compiler of the chart, perhaps the only reason for celebrating the sundering of the group. It will be interesting in passing, to see how long Smiths completists continue to collect records to which guitarist Johnny Marr makes a contribution. The first solo efforts of Morrissey, made for night-time Radio 1 but no, at the singers request, broadcast, were inevitably somewhat tentative.

The Fall, in an LP-less year - there is a new album due at the end of February - have but three entries, two derived from a BBC session. The Wedding Present continue to advance apace, not only placing four of their five entries in the top 10, but also scoring with a selection of Ukrainian and Russian folk tunes, one of the most applauded sessions of the year. Their LP, `George Best', should not, despite it's title, be overlooked.

Whilst acknowledging that the Festive 50 is hardly indicative of nationwide movement towards a more robust form of pop, I was pleased to see Sonic Youth and the disestablished Big Black on the list for the first time. Also a cause for modest celebration is the appearance of hop-hop, rap or whatever we are calling it this week, and my recent policy of writing begging letters to those artists whose independent releases are enthused over in the pages of Maximum Rock `n' Roll, Options, Flipside, and other transatlantic publications has paid off, albeit modestly, with the inclusion of the Colourblind James Experience.

Other Less known American bands - the Donner Party, Expando Brain, White Zombie - were not far off the money. Finally, note at 17 what must surely be the best football record yet. Coupled with `England 2 Yugoslavia 0', `Sharp as a Needle' is a tribute by the visionary producer Adrian Sherwood, a West Ham supporter himself, to Kenny Dalglish. I hope that Sherwood is even now working on a John Barnes song.

John Peel.


John Peel's Festive Fifty
- Nineteen Eighty Eight -
  1. House of Love - Destroy The Heart
  2. Wedding Present - Nobody’s Twisting Your Arm
  3. Jesus and Mary Chain - Sidewalking
  4. Wedding Present - Take Me (I’m Yours)
  5. Dinosaur Jr - Freak Scene
  6. My Bloody Valentine - You Made Me Realise
  7. Pixies - Gigantic
  8. Wedding Present - Why Are You Being So Reasonable Now?
  9. House of Love - Christine
  10. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - The Mercy Seat
  11. Inspiral Carpets - Keep The Circle Around
  12. Morrissey - Everyday Is Like Sunday
  13. Morrissey - Suedehead
  14. The Fall - Cab It Up
  15. Wedding Present - I’m Not Always So Stupid
  16. The Fall - Bremen Nacht
  17. My Bloody Valentine - Feed Me With Your Kiss
  18. House of Love - Love In A Car
  19. Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot
  20. Sugarcubes - Deus
  21. Robert Floyd and The New Four Seasons - Something Nice
  22. Morrissey - Late Night Maudlin Street
  23. Morrissey - Disappointed
  24. The Fall - Big New Prinz
  25. Billy Bragg - Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards
  26. Cocteau Twins - Carolyn’s Fingers
  27. The Fall - Kurious Oranj
  28. Overlord X - 14 Days In May
  29. Sonic Youth - Silver Rocket
  30. Pixies - Where Is My Mind
  31. Mudhoney - Sweet Young Thing Ain’t Sweet No More
  32. Spit - Road Pizza
  33. James - What For
  34. Pooh Sticks - On Tape
  35. Stump - Charlton Heston
  36. The Fall - Jerusalem
  37. Shalawambe - Samora Machel
  38. McCarthy - Should The Bible Be Banned
  39. Pixies - River Euphrates
  40. The Fall - Guest Informant
  41. Loop - Collision
  42. Flatmates - Shimmer
  43. Mega City 4 - Miles Apart
  44. New Order - Fine Time
  45. Pixies - Bone Machine
  46. Primitives - Crash
  47. Darling Buds - Shame On You
  48. Happy Mondays - Wrote For Luck
  49. Wedding Present - Don’t Laugh
  50. Public Enemy - Night Of The Living Baseheads

John Peel's Festive Fifty
- Nineteen Eighty Nine -
  1. Sundays - Can’t Be Sure
  2. Wedding Present - Kennedy
  3. Pixies - Debaser
  4. Happy Mondays - WFL
  5. Pixies - Monkey Gone To Heaven
  6. Stone Roses - I Am The Resurrection
  7. Stone Roses - She Bangs the Drums
  8. James - Sit Down
  9. Inspiral Carpets - Joe
  10. House of Love - I Don’t Know Why I Love You
  11. Pale saints - Sight of you
  12. Dinosaur Jr - Just Like Heaven
  13. Jesus and Mary Chain - Blues From A Gun
  14. Wedding Present - Take Me
  15. Cud - Only A Prawn In Whitby
  16. Mudhoney - You got it (Keep It Outta My Face)
  17. Stone Roses - Made Of Stone
  18. Morrissey - Last of the Famous International Playboys
  19. Wedding Present - Brassneck
  20. Morrissey - Ouija Board, Ouija Board
  21. Inspiral Carpets - Find Out Why
  22. 808 State - Pacific State
  23. Stone Roses - Fools Gold
  24. Wedding Present - Bewitched
  25. Pale Saints - She Rides the Waves
  26. Field Mice - Sensitive
  27. New Order - Vanishing Point
  28. Birdland - Hollow Heart
  29. Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored
  30. Telescopes - Perfect Needle
  31. Bob - Convienience
  32. Jesus Jones - Info Freako
  33. Spacemen 3 - Hypnotised
  34. De la Soul - Eye Know
  35. Inspiral Carpets - So This Is How It Feels
  36. Pixies - Wave of Mutilation
  37. Pixies - Here Comes Your Man
  38. The Fall - Dead Beat Descendant
  39. DubSex - Swerve
  40. Birdland - Paradise
  41. Galaxie 500 - Don’t Let Our Youth Go To Waste
  42. Senseless Things - Too much Kissing
  43. Pixies - Dead
  44. Snuff - Not Listening
  45. Wedding Present - What have I said now?
  46. Popguns - Landslide
  47. Morrissey - Interesting Drug
  48. Family Cat - Tom Verlaine
  49. Inspiral Carpets - Directing Traffik
  50. Inspiral Carpets - She Comes In The Fall