REMASTERED AND AVAILABLE OFFICIALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS
OUT NOW ON VINYL, CD & DIGITALLY
“This collection captures these bedroom dreamers let loose in the VIP area.” – Reissue of the month MOJO 4/5
“The joy and thrill in the music is absolutely palpable”
Reissue of the Month Uncut 9/10
Swell Maps’ The John Peel Sessions, is out now on vinyl, CD and digitally, the first official release of the album in 40 years, via Mute.
Noisy, chaotic, and defiantly experimental, Swell Maps may not have found commercial success in their time, but their impact on music is undeniable, they went on to be an inspiration to bands such as R.E.M., Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Pavement, The Pastels, Stereolab, and Nirvana (Kurt Cobain was often seen sporting a Swell Maps t-shirt).
A democracy within the confines of punk’s “anything is possible” maxim, members Biggles Books, Jowe Head and brothers Nikki Sudden and Epic Soundtracks, helped shape the landscape of post-punk and DIY music.
Formed in the early ’70s and fully realised by 1976, Swell Maps embodied the DIY ethos, launching their own label and self-releasing the jagged, frenetic debut single ‘Read About Seymour’ in 1978. Peel was an early supporter, playing their record as soon as it landed on his desk – a moment the band described as one of disbelief and elation. His regular airplay of their music helped solidify their cult status, and these sessions capture the raw energy, off-kilter melodies, and boundary-pushing creativity that defined them.
The John Peel Sessions brings together all three of their recordings for John Peel’s sessions – from October ’78, May ’79, and March ’80 – that were originally broadcast on his show on BBC Radio 1, a vital document of Swell Maps at their most unfiltered – three sessions of unpredictable, exhilarating noise.
