Pigbag were a British post-punk instrumental band, active from 1980 to 1983. The group were formed in Cheltenham in late 1980 by Chris Hamlin, a fashion student at Cheltenham Art College. Hamlin recruited multi-instrumentalist Roger Freeman, an old friend from his hometown of Birmingham, along with Chris Lee on trumpet and James Johnstone, a guitarist, record shop assistant and newcomer to the alto sax, for initial jam sessions which would eventually evolve into Pigbag. The group would jam in parks and various other places, but their usual practice space was Hamlin's house, Beech House, which still stands on the corner of St James's Square and St George's Place in Cheltenham. (read more on wikipedia)
Links to Peel
The band did a session for Peel's show in 1981 and JP himself played their single Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag in 1981, which later peaked at number 3 in the UK singles chart in the spring of 1982. Pigbag were also linked to the Pop Group via Simon Underwood, a former member, and a band that Peel played in the late 70's. Also Pig was Peel's nickname for his wife, Sheila, which may have been one of the factors that brought Pigbag's attention to him.
