Wednesday 5 August 2015

Oliver: John Peel Show - Radio Mafia [Finland] (Thursday 26 December 1991)

I've had to skip Peel's Radio 1 show on Sunday 22 December 1991 due to not finding a suitable file to listen to.  I nearly skipped this Boxing Day show which Peel recorded for Radio Mafia.  The main reason for this was, as a look at the tracklisting confirms, I'd heard and selected/rejected most of what Peel played in previous posts.  I actually ended up listening to the tracks I hadn't heard, on YouTube instead of listening to the broadcast.  I'm glad I did listen to it in the end though as it helped provide me with more context about the one selection I couldn't share:

Steroid Maximus - Life in the Greenhouse Effect - with its thumping samba drum patterns and blaring movie score brass, this effectively laid the ground for the work done by The Avalanches - cinematic, stylish, funky and the brainchild of someone that Peel freely admitted he hadn't been a fan of up to that point: Jim Thirlwell of Foetus.  Peel was able to pinpoint the reasons for why he liked Steroid Maximus's album, Quilombo "I think it works largely because at no stage is Jim tempted to sing". In its own notes, the record was referred to as "a film soundtrack for no film in particular.  Ancient music from the future.  Ethnic music for a civilisation yet to be invented. Aural LSD." 'Not that again!' Peel moaned.

Of other tracks, I Say Yeah by Pied Piper nearly made it in, but eventually I stuck to my guns and left it off.  However, the Pied Piper is destined for this blog soon.  If you can't wait that long, open your KP nuts and strew Quality Street wrappers everywhere and you too can get in the 1991 festive spirit.



Jim Thirwell sings as part of Foetus.  Who said Peel didn't care about technique and style.

Video courtesy of #Foetus.

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