It's Immaterial

It's Immaterial are a post-punk band hailing from Liverpool, UK. Formed in 1980 they issued a number of singles on independent labels before finally releasing their debut album Life's Hard And Then You Die (1986), distributed and marketed by Virgin Records and featuring the hit single Driving Away From Home which reached no. 18 in April 1986. By that time the group had been reduced to the core-duo of John Campbell (vocals) and Jarvis Whitehead (keyboards and guitars). A re-release of earlier single "Ed's Funky Diner" failed to follow-up the chart success, and a follow-up album Song didn't see the light of day until 1990. The duo plan to release their 'lost and found' third album House For Sale via Pledge Music in Spring 2017. Read more on wikipedia.

Links to Peel
Peel had probably become aware of It's Immaterial via the thriving Liverpool music scene of the early 80s, and he played their debut single, the self released "Young Man (Seeks Interesting Job)" in September 1980. The city's Inevitable label, springboard also to other local acts China Crisis, Wah! Heat and Dead or Alive, released the follow-up single "A Gigantic Raft" (aka "A Giant Raft"), which Peel also played frequently on the show even into the nineties. The group recorded no less than four sessions for Peel, the last of which in 1985 featured tracks which would eventually appear their debut album a year later.

Festive Fifty entries

 * None

Sessions
Four sessions. Official release only for the four tracks of the final session on the bonus disc of the' Life's Hard And Then You Die' re-issue (2016) []

1. Recorded 1981-11-11. First broadcast 19 November 1981. Repeated 15 December 1981. 2. Recorded 1982-07-17. First broadcast 09 August 1982. 3. Recorded 1983-11-12. First broadcast 21 November 1983. Repeated 06 December 1983. 4. Recorded 1985-04-21. First broadcast 06 May 1985. Repeated 17 June 1985.
 * A Gigantic Raft / Imitate The Worm / White Man's Hut / Rake
 * Huzah Huzah Physic Stick / Life's My Favourite Instinct / Speak / Washing The Air
 * Let's Murder The Moonshine / Challo / White Man's Hut / The Worm Turns
 * Rope / Hang On Sleepy Town / Space / Festival Time

Other Shows Played

 * 1980
 * 03 September 1980: Young Man [Seeks Interesting Job] (7") The Hit Machine


 * 1981
 * 01 June 1981: A Gigantic Raft (In The Philippines) (7") Inevitable INEV 009
 * 14 July 1981: A Gigantic Raft (In The Philippines) (7") Inevitable INEV 009
 * 14 December 1981 Imitate The Worm (7") IHM
 * 1982
 * 15 March 1982: A Gigantic Raft (In The Philippines) (7") Inevitable INEV 009
 * 1983
 * You'll Never Walk Alone(2): A Gigantic Raft (In The Philippines) (7") Inevitable
 * 1984
 * 08 February 1984: A Gigantic Raft (In The Philippines) (7") Inevitable INEV 009
 * 1985
 * 18 March 1985: The Better Idea (Push the Boat Out) (12" - Fish Waltz) ARK / Situation Two DOVE 3
 * 28 October 1985 (BBC World Service): Ed's Funky Diner (7") Siren
 * 11 November 1985: Ed's Funky Diner (7") Siren
 * 1986
 * 01 April 1986: Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune) (7") Siren
 * 10 April 1986 (BFBS): Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune) (7") (Siren)
 * 18 March 1986: Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune) (7") (Siren)
 * 1991
 * 29 September 1991: A Gigantic Raft (In The Philippines) (7") Eternal JF4 249498-7
 * 1993
 * 07 April 1993 (John Peel Is Jakki Brambles): A Gigantic Raft (In The Philippines) (single)