Forget your digitally remastered CDs and 180g vinyl - this is what punk really sounded like at the time.
These John Peel sessions were recorded in 1977 from a tinny transistor radio onto the cheapest Boots C60 tape using a budget microphone and a portable cassette player.
As a 13/14 year old, this was the only affordable way to hear much of this stuff, and many of the songs were yet to be released officially.
The sound quality is dreadful - loads of wow, flutter, hiss and distortion - but that's the way we heard these tunes back then.
Full tracklisting at https://twitter.com/Birmingham_81/status/760185547671371776

Peel Sessions 77

Punk & New Wave  1977 - John Peel Sessions from cheap Boots Audio C60

Burn The Citadel Down by Pinkie And His Band - taken from a very obscure Fluffy records 7" released in 1984 - lovely vocals by Angie Henry and Donna Martin - echoes of early Strawberry Switchblade and Young Marble Giants

Fluffy Records

Burn The Citadel Down by Pinkie and his Band

Side 1 of rare 1983 Souled Out compilation cassette from Kitchenware Records - features demos, sessions and live recordings from Prefab Sprout, Hurrah!, The Daintees, & The Kane Gang. Tracklist at https://twitter.com/Birmingham_81/status/771780176854315010

Souled Out Cassette - Side 1

Kitchenware Records - Souled Out Cassette - Side 1

Interview

Echo and The Bunnymen Interview on Radio 1 in Sept 1980

Salvaged from an old cassette - John Peel talking about the Futurama 2 Festival in Leeds in Sept 1980. Brilliant roll call of UK post-punk bands. Lots of love for Echo & The Bunnymen and Altered Images. Less impressed by U2!

Futurama

John Peel previews and reviews Futurama 2 in Sept 1980

Broadcast on London's Capital Radio & Jamaica's JBC on 23 Feb 85, just as the Sleng Teng riddim was taking off - loads of exclusive dubplates

Capital Radio 23 Feb 85

David Rodigan vs Barry G - Reggae Soundclash

Top tune from David Gamson who went on to do great work with Scritti Politti and many others. It was originally released 1982, but only appeared on two compilations - Sex Sweat Blood and the NME Jive Wire cassette. A Fat Camp re-edit later featured on a few Ze Records releases around 2009/2010

Birmingham 81

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