Van Morrison


 * "A short man with a face like a member of the post-war Labour Government, all unforgiving eyes and down-turned mouth, radiating solemn purpose." 

George Ivan "Van" Morrison, OBE (born 31 August 1945) is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. Known as "Van the Man" to his fans, Morrison started his professional career when, as a teenager in the late 1950s, he played a variety of instruments including guitar, harmonica, keyboards and saxophone for various Irish showbands covering the popular hits of the day. He rose to prominence in the mid-1960s as the lead singer of the Northern Irish R&B band Them. His solo career began under the pop-hit oriented guidance of Bert Berns with the release of the hit single "Brown Eyed Girl" in 1967. After Berns' death, Warner Bros. Records bought out his contract and allowed him three sessions to record Astral Weeks in 1968. Even though this album would gradually garner high praise, it was initially a poor seller; however, the next one, Moondance, established Morrison as a major artist, and throughout the 1970s he built on his reputation with a series of critically acclaimed albums and live performances. Morrison continues to record and tour, producing albums and live performances that sell well, sometimes collaborating with other artists, such as Georgie Fame and The Chieftains. In 2008 he performed Astral Weeks live for the first time since 1968.

Links To Peel
Peel knew of Van Morrison's old band Them in the 60's when he saw them perform in 1966 at the Whiskey A-Go-Go in Hollywood along with support act Captain Beefheart. However Peel was more eager to see the latter when interviewed in 1987 for Peeling Back The Years 2 (Transcript):


 * "I went to see Them playing at the Whisky A Go-Go on the Sunset Strip. And Van Morrison was still with them I think at that time. But the main reason I’d gone was to see the support band"

Throughout the late 60's and 70's, Peel would often play solo tracks from Van Morrison on his show and exclusive album tracks. On the Sounds music newspaper in 1974, Peel proclaimed Van Morrison's Veedon Fleece album as one of his 1974 Top Ten Albums. Many of his listeners voted Madame George as their Festive Fifty favourites in the late 70's. In the 80's, Peel rarely played Morrison's later material, whose songs were more AOR as the decade developed than his traditional blues and garage rock roots. At the end of the 90's, Morrison collaborated with one of Peel's favourite singers Lonnie Donegan to produce Muleskinner Blues, which the DJ on 07 January 1999 proclaimed:


 * "I never imagined I'd hear such a thing"

Van Morrison later in the year wanted to perform numerous numbers with Lonnie Donegan when he was touring with Half Man Half Biscuit, but his management was apparently unhappy with him appearing on the show if HMHB were on the bill, which Peel couldn't give tickets as competition give aways for the tour on 28 September 1999. Peel on his show from 01 June 2004 mentioned that he'll be "rather inexpertly" compering a Lonnie Donegan tribute night at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday 21st June. Amongst those set to appear were Billy Bragg and Van Morrison. As later revealed on 22 June 2004, Peel was unable to attend the event due to delays returning from the Sonar festival in Barcelona.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * 1976 Festive Fifty: Madame George #21
 * 1978 Festive Fifty: Madame George #21

Shows Played
1969 1970
 * 18 May 1969: Sweet Thing (LP: Astral Weeks) Warner Bros.
 * 07 March 1970: Come Running (LP - Moondance) Warner Bros.


 * 04 April 1970: And It Stoned Me (LP - Moondance) Warner Bros.
 * 09 May 1970: Into The Mystic (LP – Moondance) Warner Bros.
 * 05 December 1970: Domino (single) Warner Bros.

1972 1973
 * 19 December 1970: Domino (single) Warner Bros.
 * 28 July 1972: Saint Dominic’s Preview / Redwood Free (LP – Saint Dominic’s Preview) Warner Bros.
 * 29 August 1972: Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile) (LP - Saint Dominic's Preview) Warner Brothers
 * 05 September 1972: Gypsy (LP - Saint Dominic's Preview) Warner Brothers
 * 22 May 1973: Warm Love (single) Warner Bros.
 * 17 July 1973: Sweet Thing (LP: Astral Weeks) Warner Bros.


 * 24 July 1973: The Great Deception (LP: Hard Nose The Highway) Warner Bros.
 * 26 July 1973: 'Wild Children (LP-Hard Nose The Highway)' (Warner Bros.)

1976 1977 1978
 * 02 August 1973: 'Hard Nose The Highway (LP-Hard Nose The Highway)' (Warner Bros.)
 * 29 December 1976: 'Madame George (LP-Astral Weeks)' (Warner) FF #21 (JP: 'I remember how mad me and me mates went on that when it first came out. As you can hear, it's been played quite a lot. Sorry about that.')
 * 25 April 1977: "On tonight's programme, sessions from Kevin Coyne and then a classic from March 1974 from Robin Trower, and records by among others the Rolling Stones, the Stranglers, Radio Stars, Nic Jones, Big Youth, Van Morrison, Garland Jeffries, the Faces and Frankie Miller. We'll also be opening our complaints desk and I shall be looking for a little bit of sympathy."
 * 13 July 1977: 'Joyous Sound (7")' (Warner Bros.)
 * 03 October 1977: Into The Mystic (12", Album: Moondance) Warner Bros.
 * 04 October 1977: Domino (12", Album: His Band And The Street Choir) Warner Bros.
 * 07 September 1978 (Paul Gambaccini): Wavelength (7”) Warner Bros.


 * 14 September 1978: 'Checkin' It Out (7"-Wavelength)' (Warner Bros.)

1979 1982 1983 1988 1993 1999 2004
 * 03 October 1978: Kingdom Hall / Natalia / Venice USA / Lifetimes (LP - Wavelength) Warner Bros.
 * 13 October 1978: “Well, tonight’s programme is an all-record programme, my beauties, and we have not one, not two but three Penetrations, and four Wires – make what you will of that. We also have three from the Gang Of Four and three from Lena Lovich. We’ve also got the Ramones, Johnny Thunders, the Temple City Kazoo Orchestra – back by popular request – Shriekpot Sam & The Hightones – probably not heard of them – Van Morrison, and as a special treat a Belgian rocker who can’t speak a word of English and is taught the lyrics of his songs phonetically. And didn’t I look gorgeous on television last night?”
 * 20 October 1978: 'Natalia (LP-Wavelength)' (Warner Bros.)
 * 25 October 1978: Wavelength (LP - Wavelength) Warner Bros.
 * 01 November 1978: Lifetime (LP – Wavelength) Warner Bros.
 * 13 November 1978: Santa Fe / Beautiful Obsession (album - Wavelength) Warner Bros.
 * 28 December 1978: 'Madame George (LP-Astral Weeks)' (Warner Bros.) FF #21
 * 17 July 1979: Wild Children (LP – Hard Nose The Highway) Warner Bros.
 * 06 September 1979: You Make Me Feel So Free (LP - Into The Music) Mercury
 * 22 February 1982: 'Dweller On The Threshold (LP-Beautiful Vision)' (Mercury)
 * Karl's Tape March 1983: Celtic Swing
 * 27 September 1988: Bulbs (7") Warner Brothers
 * Glastonbury 1993: St Dominic's Preview (live)
 * 07 January 1999: 'Muleskinner Blues (CD-Muleskinner Blues)' (Capo) (JP: 'I never imagined I'd hear such a thing.')
 * 31 October 2004 (Andy Kershaw): St Dominic's Preview (live)