The Fall's final John Peel Session (2004)

This is the final Peel Session recorded by Peel's favourite band, The Fall.
Tracklist:
1. Clasp Hands
2. Blindness
3. What About Us?
4. Right Place, Wrong Time/I Can Hear The Grass Grow
The session wasn't on KZbin, so we uploaded it in full as part of our tribute to John Peel, where we chose this session as THE GREATEST JOHN PEEL SESSION - read why here: vapourtrailblog...
The session's uploaded as aid for musical criticism, which is fair use but it can be taken down if requested. We do not own this, all credits to relevant owners. R.I.P John Peel.

[@willy1957]

The Peel Sessions are all you need, most songs sound better than than the original studio versions. Peel's recording engineer was a genius.

[@tonysmyth4116]

willy vlyminck I agree with my heart, but you should know... Peel Sessions were actually the 'original'' original versions. The studio versions followed. - and if we were lucky we got a remix later on. That's what I tell my little brother anyway

[@ennbee2051]

'The Peel sessions are all you need'?! Wrong.

[@davepx1]

The magic was in being hands-off. The Cravats’ Svor Naan recalled that they "would all be slouching around, showing zero interest in the music and reading recording engineer magazines". So the bands got to do their music the way they wanted it! :)

[@jonathanward7987]

@@ennbee2051 place, right time!

[@TheIkaraCult]

I bought this boxset when it came out, best fucking investment in my musical life. It still sits with authority on my shelf.

[@vollsticks]

I know, I need to get it, definitely. I especially wish they'd reissue it as a luxury vinyl boxset, that would be amazing. Beyond amazing! Fall Heads Roll is a great LP, though. So good I bought it twice (I just really fucking coveted that white w/black splatter copy and I got it for a good price). Have you heard the one-LP UK pressing, by any chance? Without the flames on the lettering and "The Fall" underneath, not above the title?

[@anthonychappell9409]

The second best place for it. The first being in your player ;)

[@timheavyable]

My mates we're in a band called Wormhole back in 89- 94,had a loyal following,they were huge The fall ,mark e Smith fans and couldn't believe it when he saw them and told his manager he wanted them as support so they played 4 gigs with the fall,nme gave them a good write up.

[@mattballman5536]

RIP Mark E Smith

[@TheMimifur]

Can't believe he's gone.

[@dasomnitox3824]

The Fall, eine von John`s Lieblingsbands und auch mich hat er auf den Geschmack gebracht.Rest unforgotten and in peace Mr.Peel. o u a lot.

[@davidmulqueen8322]

The version of Blindness here is so good.

[@geneclark3600]

Peel sessions were religious back in the day....pure talent, every artist

[@palfab962ify]

Great stuff...never bettered...RIP MES..XX

[@normanjones7490]

I think 🤔 follow that !

[@tabbiesRred]

Thanks for this - my personal favorite Fall Peel Sessions selections - Clasp Hands, Blindness, What About Us - ; ]

[@davidrankin516]

The first time I heard the Fall in 78 my brother missed the show and I was so excited to tell him about what I had just heard. I had a hunch then that this Band would go on and on. How right I was. This is a great session

[@willcomrie2853]

I think this is the first thing by The Fall I ever heard. Was hooked immediately.

[@moei7880]

Clasp hands/Blindness/What about us/Wrong time right place/I can hear the grass grow

[@soulbass81]

This was a great line up! Saw them a couple of times. I have been to more fall gigs than any other band😁

[@viralinfo2185]

It's just wonderful. The version of What About Us is rough but excellent

[@ufcayr8120]

Love from Morocco 🙏✌️

[@zorbanongreco]

r.i.p. John Peel r.i.p. Mark E. Smith one a man with wisdom,taste,humility,good humour...etc.... the other - mad poet genius icon(a la Rimbaud - you read it here first folks!) Both true " National Treasures" 🐂💨

[@juliansanby9994]

No I didn't, MES was being compared to Rimbaud back in 1979, amongst others.

[@zorbanongreco]

Julian Sanby - ok, so please direct me to any articles that say it.

[@juliansanby9994]

I'll see what I can dredge up, in all honesty I can't specifically recall where/when I've read articles, etc that mention Rimbaud and I was probably being a bit contrary (again) the point being that in 40+ years of seeing and hearing MES and the many incarnations of The Fall I've heard him/them described as everything from virtual Gods to some, or talentless, tuneless charlatans for others and in their own minds they are correct, so even if I can't find anything specific I'll try anyway because I'm curious now and if I'm wrong I apologise in advance, though I rather suspect I'll find him compared to everything and more that either of us could come up with. It will be interesting nonetheless and what ever I might discover it matters little to me who is right and who wrong, I'm not going to war over a dead poet (although I might be persuaded if someone was to be dissing MES during a bad day at the office and wit/intelligent argument failed me). Are there any other mad poets/ genius icons you might refer to in future? If so I could keep an eye out and save the reference for the next time I feel like contradicting a post without having the proof of it to hand. Only kidding, but I'll post anything that might be of interest.

[@Eltagi]

That for me is the definitive version of What About Us.

[@meinholundermann]

excellent as usual!

[@normanjones7490]

I still think 🤔 to this day " mess of My" gud tune but mark maybe thought " not professional? ?? Lol

[@vollsticks]

Thanks for the upload, btw!

[@plathandpinter]

Thought i'd lost this box set, but found it last week. It'd had been in a box next to my guinea pig Bear's cage in the conservatory, with all my other Fall albums, and other delights. It's like having a new striker back from injury

[@leebritnell2405]

These sessions capture them at their best

[@terrypussypower]

Are you serious? This isn't a patch on "Grotesque/Slates/Hex/Perverted"-era Fall. But really everything they released from the start up to "Perverted By Language" is untouchable. They still managed some belters like "No Bulbs" for instance, but the percentage of belters to fillers slowly but surely veered towards the fillers the longer they went on.

[@leebritnell2405]

@@terrypussypower No,i meant all the Peel sessions over the years.My personal favourite is Garden,Mother/sister,What You Need.

[@seanocalaghan2225]

@@terrypussypower you reki extricate is class brah

[@terrypussypower]

@@seanocalaghan2225 Yeah, Extricate is probably the best of their later albums.

[@michaelstrauch8459]

Wow❤

[@zs3473]

Mark E Smith better not be resting in peace... hell would be empty without you

[@geliasr2562]

For Peel they (Smith) were (was) the best band of the world!

[@Himonsayne]

Bass . Guitar. Drums. Mark .

[@normanjones7490]

Marc, Reilly...t.v. presentation,karl drums faeces Hot

[@CharlieMessing]

and Eleni....

[@normanjones7490]

Gud n.soul sounds 🍳

[@jackl3586]

Yes, I knew him. He was bigger. just about every situation better than me! I was 4. He was 10.

[@lewissophiejane1176]

❤

[@Pazifal]

Helden sterben😢 The mighty Fall: im Nachtodlichen gibt es ein Wiedersehen mit JohnPeel!

[@stephenpowers51]

Great Wrong Place Right Time.

[@lotuseater7247]

I feel sad. Yes. A time

[@moz050384]

Fave version of Blindness :).

[@martynjones8560]

A great version for sure, but for me the change to the super-dirty bass sound on Heads Will Roll, and the subsequent aural orgasm it creates, will always be my favourite version.

[@s.k.393]

The religious bombast at the end of "Wrong Place, Right Time" is fucking spine-tingling. One of MES's finest bits of tapefuckery. Like the final track of the final studio album, the final Peel Session is so weirdly poignant, in a way only MES could do it. RIP to them both.

[@petergurney4714]

Kept my pecker up when I found myself teaching as a newly qualified teacher at a horrendous school.. I still hate the school and all who sailed in her.. I've moved on from that.... or have I??

[@1599maybole]

Love him or loathe him, he was Mark E.Smith, a one-off. There's a New Face in Hell !!!

[@normanjones7490]

With wings lolx

[@willyvlyminck138]

Not on iTunes and or Bandcamp

[@TheMattTempest]

Great session. Not to be a pedant, but Track 4's actual name is 'Wrong Place, Right Time". MES was a poet, and words matter - it's the chorus.

[@zorbanongreco]

😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

[@DaveAnchovies]

It's more clean and Smith gives it his all, but the original is from 1984, not as well recorded-- but not to be overlooked. They have so much great stuff it's a little hard to find a "best moment". That said, I can't get enough of 2004 Blindness.

[@LondonDada]

One sweet day someone will de-cypher the lyrics..

[@caudillo1]

Don't forget-uh Don't forget-uh You expected-uh Aristotle Onassis-uh but instead-uh you got-uh Mr. James Fennings from Prestwick, in Cumbriaaaa

[@adamcharlesdavies]

Down!

[@zetetick395]

Peel somehow always got the best outta The Fall imo

[@noddyholder79]

Like that Velvets groove on song 3

[@normanjones7490]

I never realized dat Nico = potter heid ,oi thought she alive int Edinburgh lol x

[@beelzebub240]

ELVES

[@roberthale6572]

The fall seduction You won't know until you're had How the thing has you You'll never get it The first time just may scare you Finding grooves so slack

[@jackl3586]

Hmnnn...

[@speeduser3597]

the fall putting in shame all those pseudo-intellectual well-dressed trendy new acts since 1976

[@BlueArcStreaming]

Elves in clasp hands huh

[@normanjones7490]

The fall changed apres t@ tune ...ithink x