John Peel Wiki

Changes to the look of John Peel Wiki will take place in the near future due to a new skin being rolled out over Oct/Nov across Wikia. Please see the Wikia Staff Blog for further details. On this site, the changes will affect the navigation from the left menu, as well as introduce a fixed page width with narrower content space. Please be patient while adjustments are made for the switch to the new system.

UPDATE: As the change is now in force for some users, I have switched the navigation to the simplified one for the new system. Please check Navigation in the Help section if you can't find things. I also initially made small adjustments to the front page layout, but have now reverted to the old look until all users are on the new system.

COUNTDOWN: Just a reminder for people still using Monaco that the final switch to the new skin is due on Nov. 3. After that, it will no longer be offered as an option. Sorry. Nothing to do with me.

Steve W

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John Peel Wiki
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Big Self

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Big Self

Big Self was an indie rock band from Northern Ireland formed in 1979, with the original line-up consisting of Bernard Tohill on vocals and guitar, Patmo Sheeran also on guitar, Jim Nicholl on bass, and Michael Morris on drums. They were all at university/art college when they got together, and being slightly older than many of the very young punk bands on the scene, their music had a wider and different set of influences such as The Doors, David Bowie, and Talking Heads.

Bernard and Patmo both came from the Falls Road, while Michael and Jim came from neighbouring areas of West Belfast. When Jim left the band temporarily for personal reasons in 1980, Brendan Donnelly joined on bass and played on the band’s first release, Snakes and Ladders, which featured on the Energy Records Room To Move EP released that year. (Brendan later played in the Trial with Gordy Blair, who joined Big Self on saxaphone after notable stints as bass player first with Rudi, and then The Outcasts).

Jim rejoined the band in ‘81, this time on guitar, with Patmo moving to bass. As well as playing at Northern venues such as The Harp, The Pound, Kellys of Portrush, the Devonshire Arms in Bangor and so on, Big Self played regularly in Dublin, and their early gigs at Dublin’s Magnet Bar on Pease Street (now the Widow Scallans) led to the band being invited to record a track in Dundalk for inclusion on the Nien-Teen-Eigth-Tease Boddis’ EP released in ‘81. The band’s set consisted of almost entirely original material from the beginning, with the inclusion of a couple of covers by the Doors and XTC.

(read more on Spit Records)

Links to Peel[]

BBC Radio One’s John Peel and David ‘Kid’ Jensen championed the band's early 80's releases; both DJ's invited the band to record sessions for their shows, which Big Self travelled to London to record in the same weekend in the summer of 1980. Further material from the group were played by Peel until 1985 on his radio programmes, including a session they recorded for his programme in 1982. Peel was at the Ulster Hall in Belfast in April 1982 on the night where Outcasts, Moondogs, Ruefrex, Rudi, and Big Self were performing.

Sessions[]

Big_Self_-_Peel_Session_1982

Big Self - Peel Session 1982

1. Recorded: 1982-01-16. First Broadcast: 01 February 1982. Repeated: 08 March 1982

  • When The Wind Blows / Don't Turn Around / You're Not Afraid / Supervisor

Other Shows Played[]

1980
  • 26 March 1980: Snakes And Ladders (Various Artists EP - Room To Move) Energy With Good Vibrations
  • 12 April 1980 (BFBS): Snakes And Ladders (v/a 7" - Room To Move) Energy
  • 28 April 1980: Snakes And Ladders (EP various artists - Room To Move) Energy
Surprise_Surprise

Surprise Surprise

1981
1982
1984
1985

See Also[]

External Links[]

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