The Passmore Sisters are a British Indie band who formed in Bradford, England in 1984. In 1986 the band relocated to Manchester with guitarist Peter Richardson leaving to be replaced by Brian E Roberts. Drummer Adrian Lee left in 1987 to be replaced by Robert Grace, joining Martin Sadofski (vocals) and Howard Taylor (bass) to complete the line up. They recorded three sessions for BBC Radio 1, two for John Peel (1985 and 1986) and one for Janice Long (1987). In 1988, they split up, but reformed in the late 2010's.
Links to Peel[]
In an interview with the Backseat Mafia website in 2021, drummer, Adrian Lee mentioned how Peel discovered their band:
"I was round at Martin’s watching a video when my brother rang up. A mate of his had been listening to John Peel who’d said that he’d been wading through a sea of demos but hadn’t found anything that was quite right when ‘an impossibly handsome youth’ had given him a cassette at a Top of the Pops recording – and it was just what he wanted … ‘so if any of the Passmore Sisters are listening – get in touch.’
A quick call to directory enquiries later and I was on the phone to the Beeb. A receptionist put me through to the studio and, as I mouthed silently to Martin, “it’s John fucking Peel”.
I don’t remember much about the call – presumably he asked us to ring back the next day and book a session date. I do remember him saying ‘I’ve got to go now – the record’s finishing’.
Credit where it’s due: the impossibly handsome youth was our manager Andy Winters who was also in a band called the Cabinet, Gawd bless yer, Andy." [1]
After Peel revealed that the Passmore Sisters split on his 03 May 1988 show, he rarely revisited them in later years on his programmes.
Sessions[]
THE PASSMORE SISTERS John Peel 28th July 1985
1. Recorded: 1985-07-28. First Broadcast: 05 August 1985. Repeated: 21 August 1985, 17 September 1985
- Shatter / Story Of A Working Man / Goodbye To The Girl / Red
2. Recorded: 1986-10-05. First Broadcast: 11 November 1986. Repeated: 26 November 1986
- Strong For Europe / Sally Why? / Goodbye Billy Wild / Hit The Ground
Other Shows Played[]
- 1985
- 30 October 1985: Dance The House Down (7" - Three Love Songs) Sharp
- Peel 020 (BFBS): 'Strong For Europe (Compilation LP-Systembeattwo)' (1 in 12)
- 04 November 1985 (BBC World Service): Dance This House Down (7" - Three Love Songs) Sharp
- 09 November 1985 (BFBS) / Peel 021 (BFBS): 'Dance This House Down (7"-Three Love Songs)' (Sharp)
- 07 December 1985 (BFBS): Dance This House Down (7" EP - Three Love Songs) Sharp CAL 3
- 09 December 1985 (BBC World Service): Dance The House Down (7" - Three Love Songs) Sharp
- 28 December 1985 (BFBS) / Peel 025 (BFBS): 'Shatter (7"-Three Love Songs)' (Sharp)
- 1986
- 09 January 1986 (BFBS): Dance This House Down (7" EP - Three Love Songs) Sharp CAL 3
- 02 September 1986: Pretty But Hollow (EP - Violent Blue) Sharp
- 10 September 1986: Love Songs For Ever (12" EP - Violent Blue) Sharp CAL 4
- 20 September 1986 (BFBS): Love Songs For Ever (12" EP - Violent Blue) Sharp CAL 4
- 07 October 1986: Admission (v/a LP - Imminent 4) Food
- October 1986 (BBC World Service): Violent Blue (12" ) Sharp
- 11 May 1987: Every Child In Heaven (7") Sharp
- 27 May 1987: Every Child In Heaven (7") Sharp
- 16 June 1987: Every Child In Heaven (7") Sharp
- 23 June 1987: Every Child In Heaven (7") Sharp
- June (No. 3) 1987 (BBC World Service): Every Child In Heaven (7") Sharp
- 08 July 1987: Difficult (v/a LP - Let's Try Another Ideal Guest House) Backs
- 17 July 1987 (Radio Bremen): Difficult (v/a album - Lets Try Another Ideal Guest House) Backs
- 28 July 1987: Difficult (v/a LP - Lets Try Another Ideal Guest House) Shelter
- 09 November 1987: All I Need Is Change (7" - A Safe Place To Hide) Sharp
- 1988
- 15 August 1988: Sally Why (LP - First Love, Last Rites) Sharp
- 22 August 1988: Every Child In Heaven (LP - First Love, Last Rites) Sharp
- 26 September 1988: Difficult (LP - First Love, Last Rites) Sharp