The Fall: The Complete Peel Sessions 1978–2004

The Complete Peel Sessions 1978–2004 is a compilation box set by English post-punk band the Fall. It was released in 2005 by record label Castle.

The Complete Peel Sessions 1978–2004
Box set by The Fall
Released	2005
Recorded	1978–2004
Genre	Post-punk
Length	7:04:24
Label	Castle
Producer	various
The Fall compilation album chronology
50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong (2004) The Complete Peel Sessions 1978–2004 (2005)
The Fall chronology
50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong (2004) The Complete Peel Sessions 1978–2004 (2005) Fall Heads Roll (2005)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Mojo	[2]
Pitchfork	9.3/10[3]

Content

The Complete Peel Sessions comprises each of the twenty-four sessions the group recorded for John Peel's radio show. Peel was an avid supporter of the group from early in their career, and The Fall recorded more sessions for Peel's programmes than any other artist. The set was in the process of being compiled when Peel died in October 2004. The set charts almost all of the group's musical phases up until 2004.

Reception

It was met with some of the most positive reviews of their career. The set prompted Mojo magazine to present Mark E. Smith, the group's sole constant, with their "Catalogue Release of the Year" award (besting releases from The Clash, Jeff Buckley, The Mamas & the Papas, The Kinks and Jack Nitzsche).[4] The Sunday Times wrote: "There are now more Fall compilations and collections out there than Mark E. Smith himself can keep track of, but if you buy only one, make it this one."[5]

Track listing and personnel

Some tracks appear under different titles to their single/album incarnations. Although most differences are slight, the tracks are listed by the titles they were given at the relevant session.

Disc one Session 1, 30 May 1978 No. Title Length 1. "Futures and Pasts"   2. "Mother-Sister!"   3. "Rebellious Jukebox"   4. "Industrial Estate"   Session 2, 27 November 1978 No. Title Length 5. "Put Away"   6. "Mess of My"   7. "No Xmas for John Quays"   8. "Like to Blow"   Session 3, 16 September 1980 No. Title Length 9. "Container Drivers"   10. "Jawbone and the Air-Rifle"   11. "New Puritan"   12. "New Face in Hell"   Session 4, 24 March 1981 No. Title Length 13. "Middlemass"   14. "Lie Dream of a Casino Soul"   15. "Hip Priest"   16. "C'n'C – Hassle Schmuck"   Disc two Session 5, 26 August 1981 No. Title Length 1. "Deer Park"   2. "Look, Know"   3. "Winter"   4. "Who Makes the Nazis?"   Session 6, 21 March 1983 No. Title Length 5. "Smile"   6. "Garden"   7. "Hexen Definitive – Strife Knot"   8. "Eat Y'Self Fitter"   Session 7, 12 December 1983 No. Title Length 9. "Pat Trip Dispenser"   10. "2 × 4"   11. "Words of Expectation"   12. "C.R.E.E.P."   Disc three Session 8, 14 May 1985 No. Title Length 1. "Cruiser's Creek"   2. "Couldn't Get Ahead"   3. "Spoilt Victorian Child"   4. "Gut of the Quantifier"   Session 9, 29 September 1985 No. Title Length 5. "L.A."   6. "The Man Whose Head Expanded"   7. "What You Need"   8. "Faust Banana"   Session 10, 29 June 1986 No. Title Length 9. "Hot Aftershave Bop"   10. "R.O.D."   11. "Gross Chapel – GB Grenadiers"   12. "US 80's-90's"   Session 11, 28 April 1987 No. Title Length 13. "Athlete Cured"   14. "Australians in Europe"   15. "Twister"   16. "Guest Informant"

Disc four Session 12, 25 October 1988 No. Title Length 1. "Deadbeat Descendant"   2. "Cab It Up"   3. "Squid Lord"   4. "Kurious Oranj"   Session 13, 17 December 1989 No. Title Length 5. "Chicago Now"   6. "Black Monk Theme"   7. "Hilary"   8. "Whizz Bang" (this track was not broadcast)   Session 14, 5 March 1991 No. Title Length 9. "The War Against Intelligence"   10. "Idiot Joy Showland"   11. "A Lot of Wind"   12. "The Mixer"   Session 15, 19 January 1992 No. Title Length 13. "Free Range"   14. "Kimble" (Lee "Scratch" Perry cover)   15. "Immortality"   16. "Return"   Disc five Session 16, 28 February 1993 No. Title Length 1. "Ladybird (Green Grass)"   2. "Strychnine" (The Sonics cover)   3. "Service"   4. "Paranoia Man in Cheap Sh*t Room"   Session 17, 2 December 1993 No. Title Length 5. "M5"   6. "Behind the Counter"   7. "Reckoning"   8. "Hey! Student"   Session 18, 20 November 1994 No. Title Length 9. "Glam Racket – Star"   10. "Jingle Bell Rock" (with substantially different lyrics to the original 1957 song)   11. "Hark the Herald Angels Sing"   12. "Numb at the Lodge"   Session 19, 7 December 1995 No. Title Length 13. "He Pep!"   14. "Oleano"   15. "Chilinist"   16. "The City Never Sleeps"   Session 20, 30 June 1996 No. Title Length 17. "D.I.Y. Meat"   18. "Spinetrak"   19. "Spencer"   20. "Beatle Bones 'N' Smokin' Stones" (Captain Beefheart cover)   Disc six Session 21, 3 February 1998 No. Title Length 1. "Calendar"   2. "Touch Sensitive"   3. "Masquerade"   4. "Jungle Rock"   Session 22, 18 October 1998 No. Title Length 5. "Bound Soul One"   6. "Antidotes"   7. "Shake-Off"   8. "This Perfect Day"   Session 23, 19 February 2003 No. Title Length 9. "Theme From Sparta F.C."   10. "Contraflow"   11. "Groovin' With Mr. Bloe – Green-Eyed Loco Man"   12. "Mere Pseud Mag. Ed."   Session 24, 4 August 2004 No. Title Length 13. "Clasp Hands"   14. "Blindness"   15. "What About Us?"   16. "Wrong Place, Right Time"/"I Can Hear the Grass Grow"   17. "Job Search" (bonus track; recorded during Session 24 but not broadcast. It was pressed onto an acetate (coupled with a similarly exclusive track by Half Man Half Biscuit) and given to John Peel for his 65th Birthday on 31 August 2004. Peel played the track on air that night, making it the final track by the group to debut on his show)

Personnel

Session 1, 30 May 1978 Mark E. Smith – vocals Martin Bramah – guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals Yvonne Pawlett – keyboards Karl Burns – drums Steve Davies – congas Tony Wilson – production Session 2, 27 November 1978 Mark E. Smith – vocals Martin Brahah – guitar, backing vocals Yvonne Pawlett – keyboards Karl Burns – drums Marc Riley – bass guitar Bob Sargeant – production Session 3, 16 September 1980 Mark E. Smith – vocals, keyboards, kazoo, guitar Marc Riley – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Craig Scanlon – guitar, backing vocals Steve Hanley – bass guitar Paul Hanley – drums John Sparrow – production Session 4, 24 March 1981 Mark E. Smith – vocals Marc Riley – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals Craig Scanlon – guitar, backing vocals Steve Hanley – bass Paul Hanley – drums Dave Tucker – clarinet Dale Griffin – production Session 5, 26 August 1981 Mark E. Smith – vocals, tapes Marc Riley – guitar, keyboards Craig Scanlon – guitar Steve Hanley – bass, toy guitar, voice Paul Hanley – drums Dale Griffin – production Session 6, 21 March 1983 Mark E. Smith – vocals, keyboards Craig Scanlon – guitar, backing vocals Steve Hanley – bass, backing vocals Paul Hanley – drums, backing vocals Karl Burns – drums, bass, backing vocals John Porter – production Session 7, 12 December 1983 Mark E. Smith – vocals, tapes Craig Scanlon – guitar Steve Hanley – bass Paul Hanley – drums, keyboards Karl Burns – drums, bass Brix Smith – guitar, vocals Tony Wilson – production Session 8, 14 May 1985 Mark E. Smith – vocals Brix Smith – guitar, vocals Craig Scanlon – guitar, backing vocals Steve Hanley – bass, backing vocals Karl Burns – drums Simon Rogers – guitar, keyboards Mark Radcliffe – production Session 9, 29 September 1985 Mark E. Smith – vocals Brix Smith – guitar, keyboards, vocals Craig Scanlon – guitar Steve Hanley – bass, xylophone Karl Burns – drums Simon Rogers – guitar, keyboards Dale Griffin – production Session 10, 29 June 1986 Mark E. Smith – vocals Brix Smith – guitar Craig Scanlon – guitar, backing vocals Steve Hanley – bass, backing vocals Simon Rogers – guitar, keyboards Simon Wolstencroft – drums Dale Griffin – production Session 11, 28 April 1987 Mark E. Smith – vocals Brix Smith – guitar, vocals Craig Scanlon – guitar Steve Hanley – bass, backing vocals Simon Rogers – keyboards, guitar Simon Wolstencroft – drums Session 12, 25 October 1988 Mark E. Smith – vocals, tapes Brix Smith – guitar Craig Scanlon – guitar Steve Hanley – bass Simon Wolstencroft – drums Marcia Schofield – keyboards, backing vocals Mike Robinson – production

Session 13, 17 December 1989 Mark E. Smith – vocals Craig Scanlon – guitar Steve Hanley – bass Simon Wolstencroft – drums Marcia Schofield – keyboards Martin Bramah – guitar Kenny Brady – fiddle Dale Griffin – production Session 14, 5 March 1991 Mark E. Smith – vocals Craig Scanlon – guitar Steve Hanley – bass Simon Wolstencroft – drums Kenny Brady – fiddle Mike Robinson – production Session 15, 19 January 1992 Mark E. Smith – vocals, tapes Craig Scanlon – guitar Steve Hanley – bass Simon Wolstencroft – drums Dave Bush – keyboards Dale Griffin – production Session 16, 28 February 1993 Mark E. Smith – vocals Craig Scanlon – guitar Steve Hanley – bass Simon Wolstencroft – drums Dave Bush – keyboards Session 17, 2 December 1993 Mark E. Smith – vocals Craig Scanlon – guitar Steve Hanley – bass Simon Wolstencroft – drums Dave Bush – keyboards Karl Burns – drums, guitar Nick Gomm – production Session 18, 20 November 1994 Mark E. Smith – vocals Brix Smith – guitar, vocals Craig Scanlon – guitar Steve Hanley – bass Simon Wolstencroft – drums Dave Bush – keyboards Lucy Rimmer – vocals James Birtwistle – production Session 19, 7 December 1995 Mark E. Smith – vocals Brix Smith – guitar, vocals Steve Hanley – bass Simon Wolstencroft – drums Julia Nagle – keyboards, guitar Lucy Rimmer – vocals Nick Gomm – production Session 20, 30 June 1996 Mark E. Smith – vocals Brix Smith – guitar, vocals Steve Hanley – bass Simon Wolstencroft – drums Julia Nagle – keyboards, guitar Ted de Bono – production Session 21, 3 February 1998 Mark E. Smith – vocals, guitar Julia Nagle – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Steve Hanley – bass Karl Burns – drums, backing vocals John Rolleson - backing vocals Mike Robinson – production Session 22, 18 October 1998 Mark E. Smith – vocals, keyboards, bass Julia Nagle – guitar, keyboards Tom Head – drums Elspeth Hughes – special effects Mike Engels – production Session 23, 19 February 2003 Mark E. Smith – vocals Ben Pritchard – guitar, backing vocals Jim Watts – bass guitar, backing vocals Dave Milner – drums, backing vocals Elena Poulou – keyboards, backing vocals Mick Middles – backing vocals Louise Kattenhorn – production Session 24, 4 August 2004 Mark E. Smith – vocals, percussion Ben Pritchard – guitar, backing vocals Elena Poulou – keyboards, backing vocals Jim Watts – guitar, bass guitar Steve Trafford – bass guitar, guitar Spencer Birtwistle – drums Ed Blaney – guitar Jerry Smith – production

References

1. Jeffries, David. "The Complete Peel Sessions 1978–2004 – The Fall | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
2. Harrison, Ian. "[The Fall: The Complete Sessions 1978–2004 review]". Mojo. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
3. Tangari, Joe (12 June 2004). "The Fall: The Complete Peel Sessions, 1978–2004 | Album Reviews | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
4. http://www.visi.com/fall/news/05jul26.html
5. "The Fall" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.