Hi Rich. Thanks for your comments. I'm pleased you feel the new album stands up alongside our older material.
I'll definitely look into your idea of putting some of our lyrics up on the site. Thanks for that suggestion & for your kind words.
All the best, Pete
Hi Pete. Like Mick I must also compliment your speed of CD delivery - puts Amazon to shame.
It's been great this afternoon re-acquainting myself with old favourites from the 83-87 best of collection. Given that my only previous recordings of SP&J were made on a mono tape recorder held next to the speaker of a mono radio tuned to medium wave, I'd not been in a position to appreciate the subtlties of your music and Sophie's singing.
I was really hoping the new album would be up to the same standard as the old songs and am really pleased to say it hasn't disappointed as far as I'm concerned.
By the way, do you have any plans to publish the lyrics on this site? There's some great lines in your songs.
Cheers Mick! Glad you like the CD & thanks very much for your kind words. See you at the CD launch,
Pete
Hi Pete ,The best of arrived yesterday with amazingly fast delivery as with the last CD (You possibly have a side line in courier dispatch work i think)What can i say that ain't been said before. great songs ,cool programming ,a must for all and the die hard synthy brigade who like songs not 8bar loops(If it ain't in your CD collection and your reading this you need to buy it NOW)Oh on listening i can understand why you might have liked to work with Mr Jolley and Mr Swain there a definite likeness would have been interesting to hear the results, and with any of the others you mention come to that ,any way looking forward to the launch bye for now Mick.
Hi Pete must draw your attention to my last correspondence,it should have read must stop babbling not gambling and after reality puppets there should have been a full stop.bye mick
Hi Pete, Thanks for that its really great to get an insight as to how it all came together ,I totally agree with the Trevor Horn thing.He was definitely responsible for some fantastic production but who wants to be the next TH experiment ,I aways admired the brilliant work done on a secret wish and it goes with out saying martin rushent + the human league totally got me hooked on electronics there were many that i would later hear yearned to meet and gain there knowledge also your good self once i became aware of you both ,its great that this part of music history heralds from the north east ,Newcastle was a very depressing place in the early 80s so the fact you were putting out what you did was truly amazing no doom and gloom in sight just catchy clever stuff and very nice programming which when listened to now still sounds great lots of brilliant hooks to draw us in ,Sorry Sophie not forgetting all the work you must have put into the vocals again so not as if it were from the north east brilliant harmonies no north east accent i think for me the essence of a great record r the ones i cant suss out the ones who's sounds that i could not emulate with my gear so i guess you guys fall into this category again so pleased the north had you guys sorry pet shops the great pretenders stealing all your glory maybe this new CD will prick up the jaded ears of this now terribly bland industry its about time for a shake up me thinks no more reality puppets, real musicians or diys or the avant garde brigade need only apply must stop gambling this is not a vent your spleen column again Pete thanks for your reply bet trevor horn would not have done so as quickly if at all cheers mick
Thanks Grant & ta for pointing out the jools/jules website error!
Mick, Mike Howlett was (is) a lovely guy, very unassuming, easy to get along with and diligent. We both liked him a lot. An outside producer was brought in on the insistence of WEA who wanted us to re-record TV Satellite for it to be a single but with someone other than me producing. We went along with it, although technically we didn't have to, and chose him because (a) I loved 'Souvenir' by OMD which he produced and (b) because he was free at the time & up for it and (c) 'cos we got along well together & felt a kinship with his 'quiet maverick' attitude. He brought a more polished solid sound & production to a track whose freshness for me had long ago dissipated due to over familiarity. Yes the drums were triggered samples.
Me producing the album was part of the diy approach - I knew the sort of sound I was after & didn't want to relinquish control. This is why the deal with WEA via I-Major was set up as it was but having said that I would definitely have loved to have worked with Steve Lipson - I wrote to him with a tape & his wife (his manager) replied saying he very much liked what he heard but was tied up with Trevor Horn projects for the next 18 months or something so couldn't get involved. Like many others I was a big admirer of Trevor Horn's work but I'm not sure he'd have been right for us in that I feared we'd have become his kind of puppets/disposable playthings. ('Chance would be a fine thing' I hear you cry!)
We were suppoosed to meet Martin Rushent as the prize when we won the tape of the month in Electronics & Music Maker magazine back in October 1982 but that didn't materialize. He would certainly have been my no. 1 choice at that time. Other people I admired as producers in the 80s were Steve Jolley and Tony Swain, and Tim Friese-Green amonst others.
Cheers
Pete
Hi Pete
Just read through the bio section again just wanted to ask about the chances you had to work with different people in the music biz but declined ,Can you tell me for instance what Mike howlett brought to the new version of satellite sounds like it was virtually the same composition wise a bit more production (really love the drums for example was it samples or drum machine?)did you feel you achieved any thing working with him and why was the rest of the album done with yourself as producer was this part of the diy approach ,If you could have picked anyone back then would you have chosen the likes of Steve lipson or Martin rushent Trevor horn or any of those type of producers or is there someone you would have killed for to work with ,Also just wondered how much say these guys have when it gets down to final mixes and things And do they really have loads of artistic influence on the records they produce ,sorry for going on but there are about another million and one things id love to ask but wont as your probably sick to the back teeth of these type of questions would love to read your slant on all this bye for now mick.
Hi Pete
Just listened to the new album for the first time today while driving into work. Great stuff and such a unique sound. On another subject your link for Jools Holland's website does not go quite to where you intended - I think you meant http://www.joolsholland.com.
I noticed there's a quote on Jool's website by BB King that (very nearly) name checks you :-)
Keep up the good work and great to see you and Sophie back.
Just stumbled accross this website. So delighted to hear about the new album and the re-issue of older material. I remember the first Peel session as being one of the most sublime things I've ever heard. I missed the second session (busy starting at Uni or something). I tracked down a vinyl copy of the excellent first LP at a record sale a few years back and am looking forward to your "best of" material when your computer allows. Hope the launch goes well. Have you contacted the Scottish Press? There's bound to be some 40 something media types that would remember you.
Great to hear your music again. No idea what prompted me to search on YouTube for Sophie & Peter Johnston this evening but I'm so pleased I did as I found 'Paradise' again and this site. All the best with the new album.
New cd arrived today, I'm sitting here working on a laptop with it playing on my 'phones. Bliss!! Well done. Really hope you go ahead with the London gig, I'll do my utmost to be there! (Folkestone would be even better for me!!).
Hi again Mick. Glad you like the new album. We recorded it on a laptop with virtual synths & drumboxes so I guess you could say we've embraced the new technology which is, I think, amazing in many ways but like yourself I have a big soft spot for the older gear especially vintage analogue synths which to me, at the risk of over romanticising, somehow have more soul & character & quirkiness about them than the software versions. I certainly wouldn't rule out going back to using 'old fashioned' gear again in the future. Look forward to meeting you at the CD launch.
All the best,
Pete.
Hi again thank you for your thoughts on the large consoles, I will probably go for a jade which i will use with a studer a827 if i can find a decent one ,It will be a benefit to have a desk with all of its features some thing i couldn't have had back in my youth, also reading your kit list past has it changed much have you embraced the new technology ,i still love me tape machines drum boxes and synths any how must stop babbling hope the album shifts bucket loads for you both i look forward very much to the launch of this cd and hearing you live take care mick.
Hi just received and listened to the new CD which i thoroughly enjoyed ,fave track first run is track 10 ,
Hey! I didn't know you two were back. I'm so pleased. I still remember "Television Satellite" and the album with fondness which I still play every now and then. Your "bedroom pop" ideal was encouraging as I was a struggling "bedroomy" with my mate at the time. Colours like moving pictures! Welcome back.
Hi Mick
Re big mixing consoles, I would say it's worth considering carefully what features you envisage needing and then choosing a desk that most closely matches your requirements within your price range. The 3 you mention are all potentially very good quality as far as I know depending on their second hand condition. The Jade has automated faders I think which could be useful but speaking from biased personal experience I had a Souncraft 1600 in the 80s and really loved it not just the sound but the clarity, logicality & simplicity of the layout. It was also, for me anyway, very reliable. Hope this is of some help.
Cheers
Pete
P.S. Thanks for buying the new album!
Hello to you both again ,Pete i wanted to pick your brains ,basically the big consoles are down in price recording onto a 24trk tape machine i want to use 1 soundtracs jade 2 dda dmr12 or 3 soundcraft 6000 is it worth considering any of these as an option your helps appreciated cheers mick .ps just purchased the new album look forward to receiving it ,
Pete, Just played the new CD. Well up to standard. It's like you guys have never been away.Thanks for the note by the way. Nice one.
That's what sets you apart from all the other comtemporary performer/writers. You always take the time to reply personally to those with a genuine interest in your music.
What a class act. Hope to see you and Sophie performing in London soon.
Cheers.
Mike.
hello
nice site yo
Hi Mike. Yes we are planning to play a gig in London some time in the next couple of months. Will post up details as soon as it's organised.
Cheers
Pete
Pete,Is their any chance you might do a promotional gig in London for your legion of southern followers after the cd launch in Newcastle?
I'm sure there would be loads of people who would like the chance to attend such an event who, for some reason or other, couldn't make it up to Newscastle for that date.
It would make sense with Sophie being based in London these days.
Cheers
Mike.
Please, everyone who likes Pete's music, go to Paul Rose's website and tap into the two podcasts he's made of Pete. Wonderful songs you've never heard before! Pete's voice is so beautiful and the music is out of this world!!! Pete, your voice is lush. xxx
Just listened to the new album tasters. Sounds brilliant. How do I love thee, let me count the ways... You have always reached my inner music-centre in an unfathomably pin-point manner. I am comforted in knowing that the space I shared with you when you put out your 80's music was not vacuous and fad-driven but somewhere wonderfully special. You had then and will aaalways have talent, sincerity and longevity. Loads of phrases come to mind after listening to the track samples: You can't keep a good man down...good things come to those who wait...only when it's dark enough can you see the stars... There's a real beauty about your music. It's kind of more than music, what you give out. xxx
Good luck with the launch - wish i was able to be there...loads of happy memories, thanks
:)
Thanks Grant,
I'll have a think about that one. I don't know about gems but there's certainly more electronic stuff sitting about in the archives.
I'll see what I can do over the coming months!
Cheers
Pete
Hi Pete,
Now that you've returned to a more 'electronic' sound for your latest album, how about making your excellent Spinning in Space CD available on the Shop page? I reckon most fans of your S&PJ output would jump at the chance to hear an album's worth of your quality electronica. Speaking of which, have you got any more gems gathering dust in the back of your wardobe? :-)
Excellent!
Thanks for your kind comments. Yeah 'City Boys' is most definitely ironic & satirical- you'd get that more clearly if you heard the rest of the words. (I thought it was a more palatable title than 'the greedy b*****ds'!) But it's also a bit ambiguous because the markets and all that, not that I'm any sort of economist, arguably prop up or are an integral part of the western economies & maybe we're all a little bit complicit in and kind of enmeshed in & somewhat dependent on their (sometimes hideous) activities... or something.
Anyway when Sophie came to sing it she said "hey I've got a couple of friends who work in the city, they're gonna be really offended if they hear this" and I thought 'okay, I'm feeling better about those lyrics already!'. (Sorry Soph!)
As regards the anthology, I'm afraid I've withdrawn it for the moment but there will be in the not too distant future appearing a kind of 'best of the early years' single CD distilled version of the anthology on sale via this site. The new album is a little slower in materializing than I would have hoped due to, as they say, circumstances beyond our control, but I'll be putting it up for sale on the site as soon as it's ready .
At the moment we're planning on having a CD launch party/gig type thing in Newcastle around mid November (watch this space for details) and although it will be a 'private event' anyone who wants to attend will be more than welcome.
That's about it for now!
Pete.
Just found your site!What a great surprise I stil hav all the John Peel tracks.I read most of the guest book and i feel like i missed the boat.Why are the anthology not on the website?or are they on a differnt website.Wel the new songs sound like the same style is still there. its easy to reconise because all the best song writers you can reconise straight away! Sophie's voice has got something richer like its got a mellow sound more than before. I must say congratulations for writing a new album. Also I dont think anyone mentioned happy together. that should have got to number one!Im looking forward to hearing the rest of the one called high ground(I already played it many times!)because the second strum has such a great sound then you cant believe the third strum is even more brilliant. Well done to both of you. jem
Wow the new songs are lovely!'City boys' sounds like a good cool, catchy pop song on first snippet-listening. Im totally assuming it is ironic! Your stuff has always been understated. Maybe that is why it was not full of itself enough to make it back then. And why us lot who remember it and love it feel a bit special. I still wish radio 1 would have even a day a month of brainwashing listeners with beautiful clever music like yours. So people go to bed humming, "A wave of information..." or "Paradise,any price" instead of "Umberella,ella,ella eh eh eh" and "Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me"!! Last week, I heard Tony Blackburn talking about how pop radio has changed and he was saying why can't they put out 4 thousand songs instead of 4 hundred? I personally think 40 would be enough if it was all S&PJ tracks! Sal x
Have just listened to the stunning and uplifting new tracks-sounding fantastic as I knew they would-can't wait for the CD release!It sounds to me as if youv'e never been away guys and the music is as emotionally powerful and beautiful as ever with an almost prophetic optimism evident,Sophie's pure tones sailing over a wash of cascading colour and light.I know John Peel would have loved to have heard your new 21st century material- good luck with it all and I really hope you get to reach as many old and new listeners as possible.....maybe just maybe it could happen for you!
Love the new tracks, it's so good to hear more of the classic S&PJ sound. Well done. Can't wait for the CD to be available to take pride of place alongside the Anthologies!
Thanks Hayley. I asked Celia my mother & she remembers you. She was pleased you'd remembered us - she obviously did a good PR job!
Mike, thanks for your comments. I use Steinberg Cubase SE3 at the moment.
Pete
Brilliant new sounding stuff guys....can't wait for the CD!
Tam
Hi Sophie and Peter -
Your mam used to teach me french - what a lovely lady! We used to always ask how you two were doing... she was so proud!
I bought your tape with 'torn open' on it (my personal favourite) and played the life out of it.
I hope you're both well and I'm pleased to hear you're going to release some new material. Best of luck with it!
Hayley Rodgers
Just checked the new songs out Pete. You know Sophie still has a cracking voice (Not literally of course) after all these years. I know she is partial to a ciggie or two but it dosn't seem to have affected the clarity of it at all by the sound of things.
Just out of interest, what sequencing software are you using now?
Regards
Mike.
Thanks Grant.
Mike, yeah as far as I know Rebecca is a professional singer down in London. That's right Tim did drum with Pauline Murray for a spell. He now teaches drums in schools in the Newcastle area & gigs with various jazz/pop working outfits. I've not got any plans at the moment to do any solo acoustic gigs but thanks for your appreciation! It took me a while but yes I remember that gig in Soho. Some kind of singer/songwriter 'showcase' evening when I was ploughing the solo furrow & yes there were a few family members there I seem to recall.
Pete
Hi Pete,
Just listened to the new tracks with a big smile on my face. Sounds good and Sophies voice is as great as ever. Looking forward to the official release.
Cheers
Grant
Thanks for that Pete. Rebecca has a really good voice.I wonder if she sings proffessionaly.I seem to remember Tim did some drumming for Pauline Murray. Is he still actively gigging? Also do you have any plans to do any accoustic dates in London to showcase some of your brilliant songs.If so be sure to let me know.I remember you did one at tailors bar in Soho some years ago and it went down a storm. I think Julia,Sophie,Kath and Tim were all there that night. Can you recall it?
P.S-The other tracks on the demo tape are titled "Up and down" Restless yearning" Slowly the day rolls by" "Empathy" "Things are gonna be just fine" "It's alright" "Do you remember" and "Be your own best friend"
All the best.
Mike.
Hi Mike, 'Can't Help Myself Over You' was sung by a singer called Rebecca Warne-Holland who I met through my brother Tim who is a jazz drummer. The other track title I'm afraid I don't recognise off the top of my head. Yes there's every chance that 'Empathy' may be released some time though probably not in the immediate future.
Cheers,
Pete
Pete, I've got an old demo tape of yours on cassette. can you tell me who you got to do the vocals on your 2 demos "The power of your love" & "Can't help myself over you". Excellent voices on both tracks. Also, any chance of releasing the instrumental song "empathy" on a future CD.
Cheers.
Mike.
wonderful. having been chewed up & spat out by the record industry myself, it's great to see that there's an arena for songwriting of this standard - too many great british bands got screwed by an industry looking for conformity rather than creativity.
a fragment of one song - a slow ballad - has been indelibly etched in my mind - only ever heard it once or twice thanks to Peel & all I can remember is the refrain 'over me - can't you see' and a line about hating flowers - any chance of this track re-emerging?
anton.x
I remember a bunch of uplifting splendid tunes laid in bed with giant headphones on in the 80s,,,but i could never remember your name. I would be grouting the bathroom and start whistling "television satelite", and remembering it as a tune from many moons ago---What were they called.When i first got the internet,--i would be on my second bottle of wine trying to find lost songs via John Peel information.Got there in the end.Thankyou for being splendid.You easily should have had at least 2 no. 1 singles.Best wishes-sw.
Hi to you both really enjoyed reading all the info 20+ years in half an hour great songs great noises .Now I'm away down to Spectro arts in Newcastle with me Moog source and 606 i wish ,PS funny seeing that huge kerb your sitting on at cedar rd the joys of the no 12 bus and oxleys chippie.Will be buying your stuff payday bye for now and best wishes Mick.
I echo the sentiments of many by saying your music impacted on me very much in my late teens back in the mid 80s. I have ordered the anthology and can't wait for it to arrive. I wish you all the best in your future endeavours and many, many thanks for creating some of the most fantastic music ever to see the light of day.
Dear Pete & Sophie,
So great to hear S&PJ tracks again after such a long time. My tape of the Peel session tracks basically kept the music alive, despite the low quality of the cassette. I even included "One Face", "Television/Satellite" and "Rain" on a compilation that I took around China in the late 80's, so hearing it brings me back to repeated listens on long train journeys and in cheap hotels. I think my favourite track is "One Face" with the excellent wall of electronic sound and Sophie's voice nicely mixed in. I can't believe it's more than 20 years ago...
Thanks also for creating this website - I am reading Peel's autobiography and just thought I'd search one more time for you - and there you were in your own website at last...and with several complete tracks to download and reminisce. Thank you for making several tracks available here. I'll be sending away for the CD after listening to the other tracks.
I think from the responses below, your music remains alive in many people's minds and lives and that was initially due to the Peel boost (who really championed your music) and, of course, the endurance of the music itself. Thanks for creating these wonderful pop songs that really should have "made it" (esp. when you compare your songs to some of the commercially successful but basically crap songs).
You can't imagine how happy these songs, and this website, have made me.........thanks, and please keep going!!
John Guest
HK
Woopdeedoo! A trip back in time. I can feel my baldy heid sprouting hair. The music is as good as I remember!
Just got to say that I bought the Torn Open single and played it until it nearly wore out!!! Wonderful production and one of the most underrated singles of the 80's - gives me a thrill to hear it every time, and there's not many songs I can say that about.
Brill news about recording some new Sophie/Peter stuff! Been enjoying the anthology so much. I kind of like no. 3 best and, here's the thing, some of my favourite tracks have PETE singing on them. 'Save us' is wonderful and I love Soph's voice on that and I REALLY believe that it could be re-recorded and be so widely-appreciated, but I LOVE 'Please', and the whole feel of it is a lot to do with Pete's gorgeous, breathy, earthy, emotional, vital vocals. 'Pick me up' is my favourite track on the CD and it's PETE singing and Soph kind of enhancing it all! That track is superb. I so hope you're gonna use a mixture of Sophie AND Peter singing. Just a thought! Good luck...well...this is not about luck is it. Thanks for hours of pure enjoyment.
Really excited about the new album, pleeeeease chuck in some remixes of the old classics too. Good luck with the recording. If you need some help with the design - that's what I do and I'd be happy to help.
Fantastic! I was just in the middle of compiling my own History of Electronica for my website and thought I'd just 'Google' your good selves - on the off chance and Hey-presto! You were gone but never forgotten - Your Peel sessions & 7" single have been prized posessions for many years - Can't wait to hear some new material
Cheers
Mat
www.hypnoticbeats.co.uk
A new album - fantastic news! There seems to be a resurgence of electronic 80's acts at the moment (Blancmange, OMD, Heaven 17). All very pleasing for an aging child of the 80s like myself :)
Hi guys
'Can't believe what I'm hearing'-a brand new album from Sophie and Peter in the pipeline!!! I can't wait-the music you made 20 odd years ago was so special and moving to more people than you think,and now we have the prospect of the new 21st century S&PJ....THERE IS A GOD AFTER ALL!!
Let all the world hear your beautiful music!
Tam J
Hi there!
Just wanted to say thanks so much for the anthology, it's been wonderful listening to your music all over again - it's like a little slice of heaven!
hi, just going through my old singles and come across a copy of television satellite, how rare is it its cat no is YZ 143 andit is a picture cover single
At last, after 23 years I can finally throw away my tapes of your two Peel Sessions.
That "Television Satellite" was decades ahead of its time lyrically.
Have got all 3 CDs and love them all.Going to get more as gifts for friends, what a fantastic present! Favourite songs include We are Not Blind, Promises, Torn Open, Eternal Circle, Happy Together,Take Me Home. Several tracks could be released as singles now I think, and do better than most of the tat in the charts! Thanks Peter and Sophie for the powereful and beautiful tunes. Would love more than anything to see you perform live sometime. What are the chances?
Cathy J.
Hi Pete
Listening to 'Losing You' on headphones.
Reminds me of Jax's flat on Hampstead Rd.
An absolutely great peice of music. I can listen to it over and over and it always sounds fresh and emotional. Proper music bro!!
Paul
Hello Pete, its been some time since i had a shiver down my spine from listening to music. Well tonight it happened :-))))) I just downloaded Open Eyes and Paradise and submerged myself in all that beautiful Roland analogeness. Don't you just love Arpeggiators and TR808's :-)
I still have a hissy Sony C60 cassette of the original sessions. Fortunately i took the measure of backing it up to Mini Disc a good few years ago. I also have the first album.
I came across this site tonight after Googling your names....the site doesnt doesnt come up in Yahoo!
Just about to order the first CD.
Best wishes
Ian.
Received the anthology this morning. Thanks a lot, Pete. Great value! Just put the first CD on. As they say on radio 1 and the likes, "I'm loving" 'Interstellar love' and of course the John Peel specials which float into the air like a rare, beautifully intoxicating incense. Excuse me, I must stop writing and concentrate on my listening...ahhh! that courageous 5-second break before the middle eight in 'Paradise' - genius!! Forgotten about that!
Jules xxx
I just heard some music from the Francis Campbell website. It's really good!!From Daisy
Thanks, Pete!
Mike,
The 1987 CD is available on ELI.com. Your chances of buying through a japanese distributor are strong too?
Hi David, the version of 'Television Satellite'in Peel's 1983 festive 50 was the one we recorded in session for his programme in February of that year. That version was never released as a single.We later recorded it as a single for I-Major records/WEA in about 1986 with Mike Howlett producing.
Does anybody know where i can get my hands on a cd of there 1987 album? I have it on 12" Lp but have no turntable!!! I use to live in Teesside but now reside in the usa
Was 'Television Satallite' first released as a single in 1983. I'm curious as to which version is featured on John Peel's festive 50 1983?
@ Nigel Harradine - in case you call back at the guestbook, are you my old mate from St. Marys Bay? If so I'm glad you also found the S&PJ site as we're both old fans! I won't leave my email address in plain view here, but you can find me via Folkestone Model Railway Club's web pages.
Pete - sorry, I don't want to turn this into Friends Reunited but I lost touch with Nigel (if it is him) probably 20 years ago!
Just dug out the rather crackly cassette of the 1983 JP session and it looks like I'm going to have to upgrade to the CD's - and reading the comments below, I'm not the only one. Do you ever see the Murphy's on Fenham Hall Drive (if they're still there)? That's where I last saw Sophie, but it was a long time ago.
Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We love you Auntie Sophie!!!! xxxxxxx
Hi Sophie and Pete, Happy Christmas and best wishes for the New Year!
I got a phone call from a friend telling me that he had found your web page. I couldnt believe it after years of searching the web, papers, record shops etc. you are finally back! My tape copy of the peel sessions is tired and worn and my records just keep going round sounding as fresh today as they did when you sent them. I have two copies of everything and an excellent single sided 12", a 7" single and several letters from you which I read now again. So when are you going to record the new album?
Please dont leave it to long, because now I know your out there I need my fresh fix of S&PJ. Oh well I will order the CDs and and live in Paradise for a while until the new album. Good luck.
Nigel
Praise the Lord (atheist leanings notwithstanding). My cassette of the legendary Peel sessions has degraded almost beyond the point where it’s still functional. Its loss would, without a doubt, have qualified as bereavement in my book. Tears may well have been shed.
Hearing, again, a recording of Peel introducing your joyous debut on his show brings back just how genuinely extraordinary it sounded at the time. Still does, really. The opening bars of ‘One Face’ literally stopped me in my clumsy teenage tracks, leaving me gaping, open-mouthed, at the radio like a gibbering simpleton; instantly transfixed by Sophie’s angelic tones and that hypnotic, slightly metallic, almost treacly, arpeggiated sound. I’m casually using ‘arpeggiated’, there, as if I know whether it’s a real word or not. Regardless, I can honestly say that very little music has ever had quite that immediate an effect on me, before or since.
Peel was right, of course. It was all far too precious to be allowed anywhere near the music industry’s A & R attack dogs. Tragic, really. Nurtured properly, it could have been the music that united nations. In a different future, Freddie Mercury would have been relegated to ‘also ran’ at Live Aid, resigned to watching a Geordie brother and sister duo steal the world’s collective heart. (That’s eminently plausible, by the way, and not just speculation driven loopy by the realisation that I can finally replace a battered but much-loved cassette). The Japanese seemed to understand that better than most, I vaguely recall, and took a modest shine to you. They also took a shine to Shampoo, though, so we may have to partially discount their wisdom.
I admit, the later stuff, as you finally made the big push for commercial success, often strayed a little too far into MOR territory for my fickle taste buds (which, by then, had been willingly corrupted by all sorts of sonic unpleasantness). But I never stopped crossing my fingers. Well, at least until the Spice Girls plopped into being. Then I promptly uncrossed them. The record buying public had clearly demonstrated itself to be unhinged.
I’m babbling. Look, if you’ve stumbled across this website by happy accident, do yourself a massive favour. Buy ‘Volume 1’ of the Johnstons’ life-affirming pop perfection. Play it to death. Die happy. But, before you do, tell your friends so that they, too, can experience true beauty in world filled with impostors. Impostors like The Feeling, for example, or The Kooks. Especially The Kooks.
Amen.
Good point Paul. I'm sure you're right. Thanks.
Nice to read the interview with Sophie. On the subject of why John Peel didn't release the sessions on 'his' Strange Fruit label, well he often claimed not to have any influence over which sessions were issued - and I'm not even sure if it's right to say it was his label (I think it was largely run by Clive Selwood). I always assumed that the reason the S&PJ sessions weren't released by Strange Fruit was another legal issue. Certainly, there must've been more demand for them than for some that WERE released... Bolt Thrower anyone..?
Hi Pete - you don't appear to have written-off any chance of a S&PJ comeback and judging from Sophie's closing comment in her interview, neither has she. So what are waiting for? Time to dust off those old synthesizers... :)
Thanks so much for the anthology cds, they're absolutely fantastic. Please do some new music with Sophie!!!
A big heartfelt thank you to everyone who's bought the anthology or/and the Peel sessions CD so far and for your positive, encouraging and generous feedback. Before the beginning of this year I was more or less gloomily resigned to S&PJ's apparent consignment to the 'forgotten/not known' dustbin of pop so it has been truly gratifying, revelatory and wonderful to have expeienced the response we've had. Thank you all from both of us. This is of course owing in no small part to the late and dreadfully missed granddaddy of the offbeat, unconventional & innovative in music, John Peel. Like many others we owe him a huge debt for his tireless enthusiasm for & his determined quest to find something new in music that surprised or delighted him and which he took great childlike joy in sharing with his listeners. Thank you John.
This weekend Sophie & I & the rest of our siblings together with partners & families are meeting up in Cumbria to celebrate both our Dad's 80th birthday and my parents 50th wedding anniversary so I'm sure you'll join me in wishing them both all the best. Also (sound of trumpet fanfare) Sophie has finally submitted to me her long awaited first contribution to the site which I'll be posting up shortly. Thanks Sophie. There's some interesting stuff in there and some of what she says even surprises me!
Once again thank you all and bye for now. Pete.
I am so loving the three CDs, it's a joy to finally have these tracks in crystal clear quality. If iPods could smile, mine would be beaming with tinkly electronic joy! Thanks for finally sharing these tracks Pete, and also the super-speedy delivery. How about some contemporary mixes to really make our day!?
Wow! What a brilliant website! Nice one, Pete!!
Dying to buy the anthologies now. Can't believe how undated most of the tracks sound - a tribute to the timeless nature of real genius, methinks.
Listening to your music and reading your story brought several tears to my eyes - not only triggered by the emotive power of your music, but by the agonising injustice of the music business. Your music should have been accessible to so many more people.
The Smash the Majors venture is a telling reflection of your prescience. If only you'd had the internet! Twenty years on, bands are only now achieving success without big record deals.
Sooooo glad you thought to make this mammoth effort to put your music out there again. Maybe this time?!!
Wonder why your website does not come up on a google search but does on Yahoo?
Respec! Julia x
Thanks for the CDs. Really enjoying the stuff I hadn't heard, and especially great to hear the Peel sessions in pristine quality for the first time. I was quite concerned that I might never get the opportunity to do so, so thanks for fulfilling this wish!
Now I just need to hear that Nick Drake Peel Session and I can die happy!
Just finished listening to the Athology. Great stuff, sound quality is excellent throughout (some minor hiss on the first few CD1 tracks but that's it) and not a single rough or duff track. There are some real gems up there with the Peel Sessions and album material. Haven't enjoyed listening to music so much for ages.
Thanks for the cd`s! They`ve brought back great memories. How about a proper re-release of the album?
Well, coming across this site was a big surprise tonight! I've treasured my "master" tape of the Feb '83 Peel session for all these years (later transferred to minidisc and still played frequently!). I'd always thought the fade-in at the beginning of "One Face" was my fault where I'd edited out the great John Peel, but listening to the "voice" download now I know it's geniune! Somehow I missed the 2nd Peel session? I have "Losing You" 7inch, "Torn Open" 7inch & 12inch + the S&PJ vinyl album. Your music inspired a mate and I to have a go with a couple of synths & a drum machine - nothing came of it but it was great fun! This is wonderful, I'll be sending in a cheque for the Anthologies very shortly!
Thanks Pete - that's good enough for me!
Re Paul Bevan comment
The versions of the Peel session tracks are from BBC archive CD-R.
The album tracks are from a japanese CD release of the album apart from a couple which are alternative versions from good quality cassette.
Where there existed reel to reel tape versions of tracks(of which there were a number)obviously these sources were used. Only where a track existed solely on cassette and where that version was deemed of reasonable enough quality were cassette versions used.
If you buy any of the anthology CDs and are not happy with them then you can return it/them and you'll receive a refund.
Quote: "A lot of the songs only existed on 20 odd year old cassette tapes but many have survived fairly well."
Does this include the Peel sessions? If so, surely the BBC has them on a higher quality format...
And what about the album tracks? Were these mastered from the master tapes?
It'd be useful to know which tracks were mastered from cassette before I splurge £25...
Better late than never! It took 23 years but at last a web site for one of the great unsung 'bloke playing keyboards with singer' duos of the 80's. Welcome back - here's to a 'difficult 2nd album' soon.
And about time too... The original album is one of my all time faves. What about a proper follow-up? But you have to promise to use those ultrabright 1980s keyboards!
After having hoped that some of my favourite recordings of all time would be released some day, It's an exciting month. I've always maintained that the Johnston's first Radio one session took music in a different direction. It's all about a good melody, too.
One does wonder what happended to Sophie..........
The Peel sessions remain some of the brightest, knowing, melodic tracks I have heard. Now I have more tracks to explore...........plainly fantastic.
This site is long overdue and very welcome. Well done Pete!!!!
way to go pete!