Oxford's Samurai Seven formed in 1997 and made a splash at that year's Sound City festival. An appearance on Steve Lamacq's show live from the event led to a coveted John Peel session and a deal with local label Shifty Disco. Their 1998 power pop debut, 'Xeroxy Music', got some attention from the likes of the NME and Melody Maker, but a near-tragic incident when singer Simon Williams was hit in the eye by an airgun pellet meant that the band went on hiatus while he recovered. They eventually issued their belated debut album 'Le Sport' in 2002.
(Read more at BBC Keeping It Peel.)
Links To Peel[]
Samurai Seven provided the theme music of the Peel’s Sounds Of The Suburbs TV series in 1999, with a cover version of the classic Members song. The band also appeared, performing live at the Manor Club and interviewed at the old Oxford United ground, in the SOTS episode when the DJ visited their university city hometown.
Associated with the local Shifty Disco label, alongside Dustball and other session artists, Samurai Seven quickly emerged as Peel favorites with the release of debut single ‘Xeroxy Music’ (1998), which was later included on the JP tribute box set Kats Caravan.
Despite racking up five sessions for Peel between 1998 and 2002, including one devoted to cover versions, the band found it difficult to build on their early momentum, although the DJ did play tracks from their only album when it finally appeared. They split up in 2006.[1]
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- None
Sessions[]
The Samurai Seven - Abba Medley (peel session)
Five sessions. No known commercial release.
1. Recorded 1998-09-13. First broadcast 24 November 1998. Repeated 27 May 1999.
- Lois Lane / Amateur Photographer I've Lost That Loving Feeling / See You
2. Recorded 1999-11-28. First broadcast 26 January 2000.
- Bonnet / If You Only Knew / I Am Yours / Take On Me
3. Recorded: 2000-01-09. First broadcast 29 February 2000 (cover versions only)
- Don't Go Breaking My Heart / It's Different For Girls / I'm Telling You Now / Thank You For The Music/Mama Mia
4. Recorded: 2001-02-11. First broadcast 21 March 2001.
- Population You / Nunnery / What Have I Said Now / And Your Bird Can Sing
5. Recorded 2002-03-17. First broadcast 02 May 2002.
- Flaming Hell Blake / Lucky Pierre / Xeroxy Music / Wherewithal
Other Shows Played[]
- 1998
- June 1998 (FSK): Xeroxy Music (CD Single) Shifty Disco
- 10 June 1998: Xeroxy Music (7") Shifty Disco
- 18 June 1998: Xeroxy Music (CDS) Shifty Disco
- 27 June 1998: Xeroxy Music (CD single) Shifty Disco
- 30 June 1998: Bonnet
- Early July 1998 (BBC World Service): Xeroxy Music (CD Single) Shifty Disco
- 01 July 1998 (BFBS): Xeroxy Music (7") Shifty Disco
- 07 July 1998 (BFBS): Bonnet (CDS-Xeroxy Music) Shifty Disco
- 15 July 1998: Xeroxy Music (CD - Xeroxy Music) Shifty Disco
- 12 November 1998: Amateur Photographer (v/a 2x7” - The Joy Of Plecs) Fierce Panda
- 23 November 1998 (BFBS): Amateur Photographer (2x Compilation 7"-The Joy Of Plecs) Fierce Panda
- 03 December 1998: Amateur Photographer (v/a 2x7” - The Joy Of Plecs) Fierce Panda
- 22 December 1998: Amateur Photographer (v/a 2x7” - The Joy Of Plecs) Fierce Panda
- 1999
- 10 February 1999: The Sound Of The Suburbs (LP-John Peel's Sounds Of The Suburbs) Shifty Disco
- 20 February 1999 (BFBS): The Sound Of The Suburbs (Compilation CD-John Peel's Sounds Of The Suburbs) Shifty Disco
- 25 February 1999: Sound Of The Suburbs (v/a CD - John Peel's Sounds Of The Suburbs) Shifty Disco
- 04 March 1999 (Radio Eins): The Sound Of The Suburbs (v/a album - John Peel's Sounds Of The Suburbs) Shifty Disco
- 16 March 1999: Sound Of The Suburbs (v/a LP: John Peel's Sound Of The Suburbs) Shifty Disco
- 16 March 1999: Xeroxy Music (v/a LP: It's A Shifty Disco Thing - Volume Two) Shifty Disco
- 18 March 1999 (Radio Eins): The Sound Of The Suburbs (v/a album - John Peel's Sound Of The Suburbs) Shifty Disco
- 17 November 1999: What Have I Said Now? (2x compilation 7"-Oxford) Plastic Cowboy
- 2000
- 06 April 2000 (Radio Eins): Bonnet
- 15 November 2000: Xeroxy Music (Compilation CD-It's A Shifty Disco Thing - Volume Two) Shifty Disco
- 2002
- 30 January 2002: Xeroxy Music (Various Artists 5xCD - 0-60 In Five Years - The Complete Shifty Disco Singles Club Collection) Shifty Disco (Shifty Disco label 5th birthday special, same track is also covered live by Dustball in a Shifty Disco top five voted by fans)
- 28 February 2002 (Radio Eins): Xeroxy Music (0-60 In Five Years)
- 07 March 2002: To The Nth Degree (EP – Lucky Pierre) Rotator
- 11 April 2002 (Radio Eins): To The Nth. Degree (EP - Lucky Pierre)
- 16 April 2002: To The Nth Degree (CD single – Lucky Pierre) Rotator
- 18 April 2002 (Radio Eins): Lucky Pierre (EP - Lucky Pierre)
- 24 April 2002: Flaming Hell Blake (LP – Le Sport) Rotator
- 30 April 2002: If You Only Knew (LP – Le Sport) Rotator
- 28 May 2002: Flaming Hell Blake (LP – Le Sport) Rotator
- 30 May 2002 (Radio Mafia): If You Only Knew (Rotator)
- 04 July 2002: Been A Fool (LP - Le Sport) Rotator
- 12 June 2002: Amateur Photographer (Lp - Le Sport) Rotator
- 2003
- 02 April 2003: Dios Mio (White Label)
- 06 May 2003: Dios Mio (White Label)
See Also[]
- Peel Sessions: The Best 125
- Sounds Of The Suburbs
- Cover Versions
- March 2002 / April 2002 (Peel's Record Box)