Football and Music

I’ve been banging on about this for a while now, you’ll be glad to know it’s finally here…

If you haven’t read anything about it, the idea is a simple one – chose a Peel Session song performed by your favourite artist and post it. Anywhere. If you are on Facebook or Twitter or have your own blog… It’s easy to find a track. Google is your best friend obviously, but so is You Tube – just do a search for Peel Session and select a song.

More info if you want to join in today. Go to:
» footballandmusic.co.uk/keepingitpeel/
» keepingitpeel.wordpress.com

I’ll be posting updates of everybody who will be #keepingitpeel on the above WordPress site. If you will be taking part leave a comment or Contact me here.

My contribution to #keepingitpeel obviously features a football and music connection and selecting the session tracks to featured has actually been a difficult task. I’ve changed my choices a number of times but eventually I gave up.

I didn’t want to post stuff recorded by The Fall, but I can’t help it… them along with Half Man Half Biscuit are footie & music. They are inseparable.

I’ve subtitled today, and you can turn it into a drinking game if you want: “Take a sip every time you spot a track by The Fall…”

Before I get to the actual music though, some footie memories about the man himself, and all these snippets come from the John Peel Wiki which is mostly curated by Steve from Teenage Kicks.

“I always say, rather flippantly, but it’s not a million miles from the truth, that football supplies many of the requirements that other people seek and find in religion, with the difference that you can actually see the truth of it being demonstrated on the pitch every Saturday afternoon, and that’s enormously satisfying.” – John Peel

“I find that football provides any number of useful analogies for life.” – John Peel

Listeners to John Peel’s radio shows were unlikely to miss his fanatical devotion to Liverpool football team, which went as far as wearing a red suit at his wedding and giving his four children names that included references to the Anfield club. Favourite players, such as Kenny Dalglish, also inspired something close to worship. As a fan, Peel attended many Liverpool matches – including three European Cup finals – and was deeply affected by the disasters of Heysel and Hillsborough. In later years he went to fewer games, mostly those involving Ipswich Town, his local side, but his on-air comments left little doubt that his heart remained firmly with the Merseyside club.

From a wider perspective, the DJ seemed heartened by the emergence of the new fan culture that grew up around the game from the late 1980s, epitomised by the emergence of football fanzines. Nevertheless, he remained distrustful of the increasing commercialism of the modern game, along the motives of those who ran it, drawing a parallel with music:

Although both are run by vulgarians with nothing but contempt for the paying customers, the product itself in both cases retains the capacity to play upon the emotions in a matter entirely beyond the understanding of said vulgarians.

In both football and music, Peel appeared reluctant to dwell too much on the past:

I’m more concerned about what Liverpool do next Saturday than what they’ve done in the past. Their past history, although matchless, isn’t of particular interest to me … It’s the same with the music, when I say I’m more concerned about those records that I have in the back of the car that I’ll listen to this weekend than I am really even in the ones I’ve played in this week’s programmes.

Peel also played football from an early age and frequently commented that the only unfulfilled ambition in his life was that he had not played for Liverpool. When asked to name a luxury as part of his contribution to Desert Island Discs, he chose a football and a wall to kick it against.

» Read the full entry including the Football and Music section.

John liked a kickabout himself and I found via Getty Images three photographs that Bob Thomas took in 1982. It is of Peel playing for a Radio 1 Team in a charity game: Pic 1, Pic 2, Pic 3. I believe the ground is Prenton Park (home of Tranmere Rovers) and I’m sure it was to John’s dismay that he had to play in a Derby County kit.

So to the music then and (take a few sips now) before the obvious ones – another Peel Session track recorded by the band who did his favourite song… I know this one isn’t actually about fitba, but because of the title and because I like it…

» The Undertones – When Saturday Comes (Peel Session)

» The Fall – Eat Y’self Fitter (Peel Session) » The Fall – Rebellious Jukebox (Peel Session) » The Fall – Theme From Sparta FC (Peel Session) I bet you’ll spot these track quite a few times today…

Previously posted…

Extra Time:

– As well as the above You Tube search for Peel Sessions, have a look (especially today) on The Hype Machine for them. Plus the previous items posted on F&M.

– A special final mention for Dandelion Radio who keep the spirit of Peel alive with their online radio station. Their policy is the same as the great man himself, by discovering and playing new music. but especially playing what they like.
Additionally they’ve also continued another John Peel tradition – the Festive Fifty – and you can submit your choices for the 2010 Festive 50 by going here.

Now you’ve read/listened to all that, get yourself over to:

keepingitpeel.wordpress.com

for lots lots more…