The Human League - Peel Session 1978

[@elenaeraw]

big up my dad !!(martyn ware) we're in the process of his autobiography -- stay tuned! :)

[@Vibracobra23_Original]

Give your dad my best wishes Elena. My uncle was in The Future with him about a year before this was recorded, so I met him a few times back in the day. Your dad came to one of my uncle's gigs at the Leadmill in 1980 and I remember him and Ian telling me that they'd just come back from the USA and about a programme on TV called The Gong Show.

[@johnedwards6694]

Please do tell your dad from me that he is absolutely brilliant. :)

[@bmullooly]

elena ware k, sign me up for this.

[@antonioskoutsoyiannis5319]

Me too.

[@josephdevlin7528]

Your Dad is one of 20th Century's great music pioneers. What an amazing achievement and legacy. Looking forward to the autobiography.

[@cryptotrader2779]

Yes, this was the very moment I was left literally stunned and speechless by synth music. I was a very young lad laying in my sleeping bag in a caravan awning as my parents were sleeping inside our caravan in Wales for summer holidays, and I had my tiny radio/cassette under the sheets listening to Peel and then I heard this. Hit record on my tape player and my musical life was never the same again. This was just so far beyond f**king epic back in those days. Literally 20 years ahead of their time. Beyond futuristic even. The sound hit me like a ton of bricks. I can't even begin to describe how this made me feel back then, and still sounds amazing today. One of my defining moments in life that I wish I could re-live.

[@written12]

CryptoTrader Wonderful, moving description of your epiphany Peel-sent.

[@cryptotrader2779]

@@written12 Thanks. Peel was a one-off for sure. Wish he was still around because we need him more than ever with todays "music" !

[@christopherbrookfield4785]

I can recall a similar moment of speechlessness, the first time I heard The Smiths, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, from Meat Is Murder, on the John Peel show one night, on earphones, walking through my parents house, in the dark, late one night, after everyone else had gone to bed. Fantastic. 💖

[@sturdeehouse]

Yes right with you on that. I was 10 and this blew me away. I recorded it, took it into school and lent it to my mate Paul Jeckyll. He wouldn't return it for ages and finally when he did........the tape was broken......I was gutted. He didn't even tell me, aw man, I was so annoyed. Anyway....I was ahead of my time and all alone it felt in loving this.......

[@cryptotrader2779]

@@christopherbrookfield4785 I remember hearing the Smiths on a Peel session too, especially being a Manchester lad and my Mum actually worked with Johnny Marr's Mum at the time. I must admit that I didn't like The Smiths at all on first hearing, but grew to love them after a while.

[@jontyutd]

When i hear this. I see dark and dingy skies. 70's concrete high rise estates. Its my youth. Nobody will ever take this away from me. The best time of my life.

[@SRDhain]

No time' became 'The 'World Before Last' on Reproduction. It's great to hear this version. The MK1 Human League were a revelation to me when i first heard them via the 'sounds of the 70s' show on BBC2 or BBC4 . Soon after watching that segment on t.v, I bought both their albums, and played them a heck of a lot, trying to figure out what synths they were using. Years later, I eventually added a full Roland System 100 (that's what Ian Marsh bought & and used for drums, leads etc) to my setup. I still own and use one to this day. I can also remember meeting and chatting with Martyn Ware at the ICA years ago. He was very approachable & knowledgeable.

[@antonhoward9027]

I was 12 in '79 and don't even know where I discovered the Human League. I'm 55 now and I've just made room in my studio for the 13th synth in my armoury. These sounds have never left my body.

[@kamelhamlaoui9983]

Hi just discovered this one… love it. Could you tell me the gear the used here? ☔️☔️☔️☔️💕😉😎

[@MrMusicbyMartin]

I’m the same age and have the same affliction - a room full of Moogs and Roland gear and a lifelong love affair with electronic drone music.

[@gungeIigung]

@@kamelhamlaoui9983 synthesizers.

[@iamyourfuture808]

Roland system 100 & lkorg 700s. ​@@kamelhamlaoui9983

[@starburst539]

All these Peel Sessions are fantastic!

[@matthewmccalvin2062]

The Swell Maps session is excellent

[@davidlyon1899]

love the swell maps.a special band.

[@fleurdelis6835]

I am very happy, that I am not the only one who love this kind of music. I dont know other HL fans.

[@wishawweather5421]

The version of Blind youth on this demo is the best version I've heard. No wonder Peel had his eyes opened. Incredible to think a band from Sheffield was doing this in the summer of 1978. Beyond cutting edge for it's time.

[@darrenparker4897]

Well ahead of their time!Wish they'd have done Circus of death.

[@colddaze6680]

Fair enough but Kraftwerk were doing synth music far back as early 70s

[@pressureworks]

Have you not heard Cabaret Voltaire's excellent work from the same time period ?

[@neilgardner2583]

The Cabs were there as well as Adi Newton

[@465marko]

He definitely had his eyes Peeled!!! Eh? Get it?

[@josephdevlin7528]

This still sounds really vital. This is nearly 40 years old!

[@monjesenal7477]

Joseph Devlin índeed!

[@matthewmccalvin2062]

Fully agreed, this is a pivotal point in history..

[@philipcurnow7990]

It is 40 years old now! Blimey.

[@written12]

Does that mean that those of us who were alive then are 40 years older now?

[@robcol800]

@@written12 Yes! 🤔😰😭😭😭😅

[@brhodes7659]

It never gets old..

[@pabloimireia]

Travelogue and Reproduction..two underrated masterpieces.

[@bencullis8879]

Not in my household!

[@karenhendry7686]

Totally agree!

[@fleurdelis6835]

Same!!!!

[@radi2449]

The only Human League albums I hear ✌️

[@peterlove4868]

Saw Heaven 17 doing the League early albums in Sheffield. Absolutely fantastic night. Glenn and Martyn were on top form.

[@tjarskoye]

Human League used in this era synthesizers Korg 700 (1973) and Roland System 100 (1975)

[@simonirvine2174]

Jupiter 4 (1978) as well

[@ringolevio5921]

The whidstum 13 -3 12 too I heard

[@rebeccastevelloyd9729]

Still fantastic,I love all the early Human League stuff..brilliant

[@kikkirow]

Ah man some of those deep, rich analogue synth sounds

[@darrenparker4897]

Absolutely fantastic sound and the band so ahead of their time.Gary Numan who became the leader of the electronic/synth scene was still playing the punk/guitar based Tubeway Army stuff at this time so would have to play catch up,how did Human League and John Foxx slip through the net to become also rans?

[@ten10strips85]

@@darrenparker4897 Are you American? I ask because from what I remember, Human League and Ultravox weren't widely known until MTV, so '81, '82, by which time I reckon they had become very different bands, "Don't You Want Me" and "Vienna." Those chicks and Ure. I was just a kid though, maybe they were popular on college radio or something, I wouldn't have known. This and the Ultravox! Peel Sessions were a revelation to me.

[@t3chnod3lic]

Analogue synths are eons better than digital!

[@richardpennington5445]

@@ten10strips85 the first Ultravox album with Ure was still class.

[@kriskairn3715]

They take much patience and used to be so expensive. A korg MS 20 was over 500 quid n a MS 10 £395.

[@timczifrik7715]

This is awesome..!!! I was NEVER into this band before. I liked about 3 radio songs ... But THIS is great..!!! Glad I found it..!!

[@DeepakKumar-lv4te]

brilliant stuff, bleeding edge too (edge, geddit ??). Shame Oakey lost patience with them because he wanted to be more pop oriented but it's understandable. Most folks like easy listening pop rather than more exploratory stuff. Travelogue and Reproduction remain 2 of my most fave albums ever. Love listening to them, no one else seems to though!! Thanks for posting, and of course RIP John Peel.

[@ajs41]

It wasn't long before Heaven 17 embraced pop as well.

[@marciusnery4065]

Still sounds amazing after all this years.

[@kriskairn3715]

I saw Human League in Eric's Liverpool it was an awesome experience. I was 17 and in awe just mesmerizing and cool 😎

[@martmako1]

superb stuff, the original pioneers Oakey, Marsh and Ware, many thanks

[@midysteve]

Just saw the human league performing this song yesterday ! Goosebumps all over again!😉

[@stevengn7245]

Ya can't beat early Human League. Remember listening to their first two albums on my CD walkman while I was a kid driving in the back of my family car in a city at nighttime and feeling very sophisticated...

[@Sphat90]

This version of The Word Before Last (No Time) is synth heaven. I like all versions of the song but it is noticeably the most lush, they used the stereo field very well.

[@r.l.lawrencejr.6283]

THE LEAGUE CERTAINLY NEW ABOUT DEPTH VARIANCES, AND BIG BASS. INCREDIBLELY SO MUCH IN THE FRONT OF THE PACK. TRAINED AND SERIOUS AND GOT ON W/IT. SUPERB. THANKS TO THE LEAGUE, CHEERS! B.L.

[@juliegibson9182]

Fundamental creativity. I adore it.

[@roberthaines9404]

Wonderful👍synths held together with duct tape and raw talent

[@anaranjadisimo]

`i`ll give you a thousand likes if i could.

[@jamesward7721]

Top comment.

[@PabloDeModeOfficial]

A true masterpiece!

[@herbertrichard614]

Blip music for people on drugs. Is that what you are on about.

[@TobcioccLeyton]

This is bloody brilliant

[@CatoMinor]

No time (The word before last) is simply marvellous.

[@markwillans1831]

Raw .... and sounds .... great.... no over production....

[@pigknickers2975]

I've been into the League since 79. To me their first two albums define that period, even more so than Gary Numan or other huge new wave acts. Phil is a great singer though untrained, his wisdom and humanity always adding depth to the bleak Yorkshire synths. To those that experienced this very special time, where anything was open and anything was possible, I think we got really lucky.

[@resonator23]

@@herbertrichard614 thanks for that priceless piece of information

[@resonator23]

@@herbertrichard614 i don't know what you're on about, nor am I interested in what you have to say, so why waste your time?

[@jandromaria351]

@@herbertrichard614 Because this is not Pop music, dude!

[@RebeccaTurner-ny1xx]

"bleak Yorkshire synths"... not sure that Roland or Korg was ever based in God's Own Country.

[@pigknickers2975]

@@RebeccaTurner-ny1xx If they were played in Yorkshire they are Yorkshire synths.

[@1970BOROMIR]

UNA DE MIS BANDAS DESDE SIEMPRE... DESDE QUE CRECÍ EN LOS LEJANOS AÑOS 80... CREATIVIDAD Y CORAZÓN....

[@MrMusicbyMartin]

An important fact to be considered is the precise time at which the original Human League split - it happened at eleven seventeen. They would have carried on, but none of them were in the Moog.

[@RebeccaTurner-ny1xx]

Ba-boom!

[@philipgolding3672]

The Travelogue version' of Being Boiled is by far the best ' but all peel sessions are brilliant for their rawness'

[@chap666ish]

Why have I never heard this before??? Years spent listening to John Peel as a teenager and I missed this gem. Thanks for posting.

[@jts400hp]

LocumRex " the more things change the more they stay the same"

[@sulky_grrrl]

wow. amazing SYNTH SOUND!

[@thomasjones6025]

Sounds of the future………. Still……. ❤

[@MarcS4R]

this sounds so raw and so good

[@gerryrodden1983]

i remember listen to this we were living in the back of our transit van for 9 months in Hounslow after basing ourselves Fire Exit there . love them .

[@BioDieselEstate]

Not that the ultra-pop was bad. Just SO different to what I had come to think of as Human League. Thanks to the person who posted this. Phil Oakey actually has one of the best voices of his generation. Wouldn't it be good to think that all good things go to those who deserve? If only...

[@whooligan1000]

Dehumanisation. It's such a big word. It's been around since Richard III

[@BioDieselEstate]

Always been the best of Human League. Hands up who was totally weirded out when HL got mega with ultra-pop?

[@johnlynch8042]

They changed from our Kraftwerk to our Abba and we loved them both I think.

[@davidmacdonald7679]

Phil had always wanted them to be Abba

[@pigknickers2975]

I'll never really get over it haha Dare was ok, brilliant in a way, but the heart of the first two albums is where it's at for me.

[@pdlawson-venusloon359]

Holiday ‘80 was a precursor to the metamorphosis…..loved it mind you….

[@stringer-ik1pc]

We wouldn't be her discussing this had it not been for the success of Phil oakey and the HL mk2.

[@matthewjones7916]

so lucky to have been alive throughout this era.

[@68telekon]

so brilliant! love these versions

[@ozoz5829]

Just superb... No words to describe... 👏👏👏👏👏

[@billtol930]

The perfect sound ladies and gentlemen

[@dronespace]

Incredible sound!

[@thebmxband1t]

Blimey!!! This is MINT❤️

[@FFM0594]

Vibracobra has the best YT channel, IMO.

[@Pleasure_Victim]

FFM0594 So true!

[@edgar6532]

Great upload, always seemed to be a spooky one. Remember this from around 1975

[@banyera]

78 , not 75 !!

[@edgar6532]

@@banyera Yep. I was miles away. I'll blame it on the Polish lager.

[@banyera]

@@edgar6532 Best Excuse - mine would be Whisky !!!🤣🤣

[@MrMusicbyMartin]

If Phil had been willing to continue on this path instead of becoming ABBA, they would have scaled even greater heights but very few people would have heard of them. They’d be like Cabaret Voltaire or Throbbing Gristle.

[@davidtownsend9306]

Ground breaking music that's totally underated

[@garrylee999]

Awesome! Some amazing Peel sessions over the years. Thanks for posting :)

[@jimskea224]

I saw them, just once, in Glasgow before they turned all poppy., I think it was on the Travelogue tour. Great gig.

[@jaggass]

The Human League was probably the first British synthpop band on the scene.

[@robertommundsen9155]

And ultravox

[@NapFloridian]

Yazoo, Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, Visage...

[@OnlyGoodMusic_]

@@NapFloridian yazoo????? yazoo was 4 years after this, nothing to see here! almost the same with soft cell and depeche mode... Visage was formed in 1978 that is true and they already released material in 1979

[@mrhbsaucepunkrocknewwavevi7946]

Always loved that early stuff, breaking new ground.

[@jetboy8404]

Wonderful

[@mcguigan54]

Jet Boy

[@alejandrourrego3306]

Los amo!

[@daveshaw1514]

just perfect .better than the crap today.

[@Accidentinparadiable]

I beg to differ Dave Shaw !! There is many many many great bands in 2020. And any other year you care to extricate !! You just need an open mind, and most of all, open ears. Which is what we should have always had. From our youth, and forever. If you liked the Human League in 78. Why not also appreciate anything from that time until now. I still appreciate anything that I am open minded about.

[@contact7273]

Excellent

[@LarzGustafsson]

Great stuff.

[@globalturfwar]

Darkest version of Loving Feeling ever. Brill

[@pennyscottwarner]

Listen to the voice of Buddha Saying stop your sericulture Little people like your offspring Boiled alive for some Gods stocking Buddha's watching, Buddha's waiting

[@zenbudhism]

The best song ever about the death of silkworms ☹️

[@shmujew4791]

HAVENT HEARD THIS VERSION OF BEING BOILED BEFORE , BUT I LOVE IT , USED TO OWN MUTANT POP BACK IN THE DAY

[@kdw712]

40 odd years too late to this party - how come i have never heard this session before

[@strappaplank6017]

Big thanks for this, some corking stuff on your channel

[@dorritfredrikaholm3320]

I like Philip Oakey and his voice.

[@farmyardflavours]

yes, his voice is fantastic !!

[@LFOVCF]

I met Martyn Ware, really nice fella!

[@glenjarnold]

LFOVCF Same and agreed!

[@LFOVCF]

@@glenjarnold Back again! Saw him again in concert. sadly couldn't get near him this time, but i did get a close up pic of his original synth. The roadie lifted it down for me, i couldn't believe my luck!

[@robcol800]

Christ this is good!!!

[@lazlokovacs2263]

You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling, most impressive version.

[@radi2449]

still my fav cover song

[@skintrader100]

Brilliant vocals with humming synths in the background. Was eargasm for me.

[@markdoyle8203]

Raw and earthy the best

[@kriskairn3715]

This band inspired me to start my own band in 79.

[@lanslater]

thanks for this

[@Ranjeef]

fantastico

[@davidlyon1899]

wow,just wow.

[@norab3251]

I was 15...

[@factoryfactory7142]

Its amazing what you can do on a stylofone!

[@ZOOTSUITBEATNICK1]

being boiled yeah

[@gazlee3208]

Just after this Phil met a couple of birds in a cocktail bar who we're waitress's i believe.

[@mossyhaych8227]

that much is true

[@davidmacdonald7679]

Not exactly “just after”

[@SCORPIO2011]

Gaz Lee Joan and Susan both joined in October 1980 and officially joined after their Euro tour in December 1980

[@hazelwray5307]

They were dancing in a Sheffield nightclub. They were both fans of Gary Numan.

[@markdobson3740]

@@hazelwray5307 ...and Showaddywaddy too!

[@iconicshrubbery]

Love Phil's voice.And is that an....anorak? Iconic.

[@andycolourbox6461]

+iconicshrubbery That's a Parker...very popular in the 70's

[@devinthierault]

+Andy ColourBox Parkas can be called anoraks.

[@iconicshrubbery]

Cultural Note ."anorak "insinuates nerdishness rather than "parker"mod-ishness.The HL definitely the former,as they were such computer geeks.

[@ChasD]

Apart from Phil, as he was the epitome of avant garde coolness.

[@jamesward7721]

It's a great pic

[@Wearenotreallyhere]

Saw 'em soon after at The Factory.

[@dolmanf]

classic stuff

[@thewotsit]

John Peel, the definition of Plato's cave.

[@keltyk]

HL rescued synth from the flared trouser era by finding a sweet spot within the Post Punk period

[@pangrac1]

Mazing!!!

[@paisleybuddie5096]

All of the Sheffield electronic bands would have been nowhere without the influence of Cabaret Voltaire.

[@davorjakara]

sereš

[@pigknickers2975]

very true, something special happened there in latter part of the 70s and it was CV that got it going..

[@skintrader100]

Martin Ware said CV mentored them.

[@kriskairn3715]

Cabaret Voltaire true innovators .

[@buserror1]

Harder than hardcore, more metal than metal.

[@Analog32]

Nice rough recording. Takes me back to when I was a young lad.

[@kristineszymkowiak5939]

Tuned up

[@newsounds638]

un canto hipnótico en la primer canción.

[@pressureworks]

Meanwhile over at WesternWorks, 3 Sheffield lads were busy churning out some cool sounds as well.

[@MMulcair]

Imagine hearing this sound for the first time in 1978.....

[@AsPrecesDoVigario]

Brutal! Thanks VibraCobra23!

[@satyros2]

THANK YOU

[@scatrrr]

The Juan Maclean appropriated Being Boiled for their track, No Time, which appears on the album, The Future Will Come.

[@wasiuuu1]

no future they say.... it must be ... perfect dialog for todays times

[@stephenwilliams1854]

Was this ever released on vinyl.Have looked for it without success.Amazing raw synths.So primitive!

[@cornflower9258]

Phil was sooo attractive. Look at that pic of him.

[@banyera]

Without re-listening to it , I am sure these tracks are on the "Boys in Darkness " bootleg - yep have it !!! + the Taverner Tapes !!

[@crot10]

Love there is zero production on this

[@David-j9h9g]

aaah..the REAL Human League!!!!!