The Complete Peel Sessions 1978–2004 is a 6 CD compilation album

Compilation album

A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...

 released by British avant-rock band The Fall in 2005. It comprises all 24 sessions the group recorded for the late John Peel

John Peel

John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...

's radio show. Peel was a fervent supporter of the group from early in their career, and The Fall recorded more sessions for Peel's programmes than any other artist. The set was in the process of being compiled when Peel died in October 2004. The set charts almost all of the group's musical phases up until 2004, and was met with some of the most positive reviews of their career. The set prompted Mojo

Mojo (magazine)

MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...

magazine to present Mark E. Smith

Mark E. Smith

Mark Edward Smith is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of the English post-punk band The Fall.-Early life:...

, the group's sole constant, with their "Catalogue Release of the Year" award

MOJO Awards

The MOJO Awards is an awards ceremony that began in 2004 by Mojo, a popular music magazine published monthly by Bauer in the United Kingdom...

 (beating releases from The Clash

The Clash

The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...

, Jeff Buckley

Jeff Buckley

Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley , raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the son of Tim Buckley, also a musician...

, The Mamas & the Papas

The Mamas & the Papas

The Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...

, The Kinks

The Kinks

The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...

 and Jack Nitzsche

Jack Nitzsche

Bernard Alfred "Jack" Nitzsche was an arranger, producer, songwriter, and film score composer. He first came to prominence in the late 1950s as the right-hand-man of producer Phil Spector, and went on to work with the Rolling Stones, Neil Young and others...

http://www.visi.com/fall/news/05jul26.html).

Tracklisting and personnel

As the line-up tends to change from one session to the next, it shall be given after the details for each session rather than at the end of the article. To avoid repetition, once a member's role has been stated once, it shall not be given again unless there is a change or addition. After their first mention, each member will be referred to only by their initials, unless returning after an absence. Some tracks appear under different titles to their single/album incarnations. Although most differences are slight, the tracks are listed by the titles they were given at the relevant session.

Disc one

• Session 1–30 May 1978 - produced by Tony Wilson

1. "Futures and Pasts"
2. "Mother-Sister!"
3. "Rebellious Jukebox"
4. "Industrial Estate"

Mark E. Smith

Mark E. Smith

Mark Edward Smith is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of the English post-punk band The Fall.-Early life:...

 - vocals

Singing

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...

, Martin Bramah

Martin Bramah

Martin Bramah is a British musician best known as a founder member of both The Fall, Blue Orchids and Factory Star....

 - guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

, bass guitar

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

, backing vocals, Yvonne Pawlett - keyboards

Keyboard instrument

A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

, Karl Burns

Karl Burns

Karl Burns is a British musician best known as drummer for The Fall, featuring in many incarnations of the band between 1977 and 1998....

 - drums

Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

, Steve Davis- congas

• Session 2–27 November 1978 - produced by Bob Sargeant

1. "Put Away"
2. "Mess of My"
3. "No Xmas for John Quays"
4. "Like to Blow"

MES, MB, YP, KB, Marc Riley

Marc Riley

Marc Riley is a British musician, alternative rock critic and radio DJ on BBC 6 Music. Formerly a member of The Fall, he had his own record label, In-Tape, and also worked as a record plugger...

 - bass guitar

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

• Session 3–16 September 1980 - produced by John Sparrow

1. "Container Drivers"
2. "Jawbone and the Air-Rifle"
3. "New Puritan"
4. "New Face In Hell"

MES, Marc Riley - guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

, Craig Scanlon

Craig Scanlon

Craig Scanlon is a British guitarist, best known as a member of The Fall between 1979 and 1995. During this period he co-wrote over 120 of the group's songs; Mark E. Smith excepted, this tally is unmatched by any other musician to have passed through the group.-Career:Scanlon joined the band...

 - guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

, Steve Hanley

Steve Hanley (musician)

Steve Hanley is an Irish-born English musician, based in Manchester. He is best known for playing bass guitar in The Fall from 1979 to 1998, and afterwards in The Lovers....

 - bass guitar

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

, Paul Hanley

Paul Hanley (musician)

Paul Hanley is an English musician, based in Manchester. He is best known for playing drums in The Fall and The Lovers.-Career:...

 - drums

Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

.

• Session 4–24 March 1981 - produced by Dale Griffin

1. "Middlemass"
2. "Lie Dream of a Casino Soul"
3. "Hip Priest"
4. "C'n'C - Hassle Schmuck"

MES, MR, CS, SH, PH, Dave Tucker - clarinet

Clarinet

The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...

Disc two

• Session 5–26 August 1981 - produced by Dale Griffin

1. "Deer Park"
2. "Look, Know"
3. "Winter"
4. "Who Makes the Nazis?"

MES, Marc Riley - guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

, keyboards

Keyboard instrument

A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

, CS, SH, PH.

• Session 6–21 March 1983 - produced by John Porter

1. "Smile"
2. "Garden"
3. "Hexen Definitive - Strife Knot"
4. "Eat Y'Self Fitter"

MES, CS, SH, PH, Karl Burns - drums

Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

.

• Session 7–12 December 1983 - produced by Tony Wilson

1. "Pat Trip Dispenser"
2. "2 × 4"
3. "Words of Expectation"
4. "C.R.E.E.P."

MES, CS, SH, Brix Smith

Brix Smith

Brix Smith-Start is an American singer, guitarist and television presenter, best known for being a member of post-punk band The Fall, and as lead singer and songwriter with The Adult Net.-Biography:Brix grew up in Los Angeles and Chicago...

 - guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

, vocals

Singing

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...

, Paul Hanley - drums

Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

, keyboards

Keyboard instrument

A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

, Karl Burns - drums

Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

, bass guitar

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

.

Disc three

• Session 8–14 May 1985 - produced by Mark Radcliffe
  Mark Radcliffe
  Mark Radcliffe is an English broadcaster who has worked in various roles for the BBC since the 1980s and remains one of Britain's most recognised DJs. He is currently a presenter on BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music, where he hosts an afternoon show five times a week alongside Stuart Maconie, called...
  
  

1. "Cruiser's Creek"
2. "Couldn't Get Ahead"
3. "Spoilt Victorian Child"
4. "Gut Of The Quantifier"

MES, BS, CS, SH, KB, Simon Rogers

Simon Rogers

Simon Rogers is a British musician and composer, notable for his chart success both as a musician and as a producer as well as for his considerable portfolio of television soundtrack work.-Biography:...

 - guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

, keyboards

Keyboard instrument

A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

• Session 9–29 September 1985 - produced by Dale Griffin

1. "L.A."
2. "The Man Whose Head Expanded"
3. "What You Need"
4. "Faust Banana"

MES, BS, CS, SH, SR, KB.

• Session 10–29 June 1986 - produced by Dale Griffin

1. "Hot Aftershave Bop"
2. "R.O.D."
3. "Gross Chapel - GB Grenadiers"
4. "US 80's-90's"

MES, BS, CS, SH, SR, Simon Wolstencroft

Simon Wolstencroft

Simon Wolstencroft is a musician from Manchester, England, best known for playing drums with The Fall between June 1986 and August 1997.Wolstencroft was a member of an early incarnation of The Stone Roses; having previously been a member of The Weeds and The Colourfield. He was also drummer for...

 - drums

Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

• Session 11–28 April 1987 - production details unknown

1. "Athlete Cured"
2. "Australians In Europe"
3. "Twister"
4. "Guest Informant"

MES, BS, CS, SH, SR, SW.

Disc four

• Session 12–25 October 1988 - produced by Mike Robinson

1. "Deadbeat Descendant"
2. "Cab It Up"
3. "Squid Lord"
4. "Kurious Oranj"

MES, BS, CS, SH, SW, Marcia Schofield - keyboards

Keyboard instrument

A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

, vocals

Singing

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...

• Session 13–17 December 1989 - produced by Dale Griffin

1. "Chicago Now"
2. "Black Monk Theme"
3. "Hilary"
4. "Whizz Bang" (this track was not broadcast)

MES, CS, SH, MS, SW, Martin Bramah - guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

• Session 14–5 March 1991 - produced by Mike Robinson

1. "The War Against Intelligence"
2. "Idiot Joy Showland"
3. "A Lot Of Wind"
4. "The Mixer"

MES, CS, SH, SW, Kenny Brady - fiddle

Fiddle

The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...

• Session 15–19 January 1992 - produced by Dale Griffin

1. "Free Range"
2. "Kimble"
3. "Immortality"
4. "Return"

MES, CS, SH, SW, Dave Bush - keyboards

Keyboard instrument

A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

Disc five

• Session 16–28 February 1993

1. "Ladybird (Green Grass)"
2. "Strychnine"
3. "Service"
4. "Paranoia Man In Cheap Sh*t Room"

MES, CS, SH, DB, SW

• Session 17–2 December 1993 - produced by Nick Gomm

1. "M5"
2. "Behind The Counter"
3. "Reckoning"
4. "Hey! Student"

MES, CS, SH, DB, SW

• Session 18–20 November 1994 - produced by James Birtwistle

1. "Glam Racket - Star"
2. "Jingle Bell Rock
   Jingle Bell Rock
   "Jingle Bell Rock" is the name of a popular Christmas song first released by Bobby Helms in 1957. It has received frequent airplay in the United States during every Christmas time since then. "Jingle Bell Rock" was composed by Joseph Carleton Beal , and James Ross Boothe...
   
   ", with substantially different lyrics to the original 1957 song
3. "Hark The Herald Angels Sing"
4. "Numb At The Lodge"

MES, CS, SH, DB, SW, Brix Smith - guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

, vocals

Singing

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...

, Karl Burns - drums

Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

• Session 19–7 December 1995 - produced by Nick Gomm

1. "He Pep!"
2. "Oleano"
3. "Chilinist"
4. "The City Never Sleeps"

MES, BS, SH, SW, KB, Julia Nagle - keyboards

Keyboard instrument

A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

, Lucy Rimmer - vocals

Singing

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...

• Session 20–30 June 1996 - produced by Ted de Bono

1. "D.I.Y. Meat"
2. "Spinetrak"
3. "Spencer"
4. "Beatle Bones 'N' Smokin' Stones" (Captain Beefheart
   Captain Beefheart
   Don Van Vliet January 15, 1941 December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter and artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians called The Magic Band, active between 1965 and 1982, with whom he recorded 12...
   
    cover)

MES, BS, SH, SW, KB, JN

Disc six

• Session 21–3 February 1998 - produced by Mike Robinson

1. "Calendar"
2. "Touch Senstive"
3. "Masquerade"
4. "Jungle Rock"

MES, Julia Nagle - guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

, keyboards

Keyboard instrument

A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

, SH, KB

• Session 22–18 October 1998 - produced by Mike Engels

1. "Bound Soul One"
2. "Antidotes"
3. "Shake-Off"
4. "This Perfect Day"

MES, JN, Neville Wilding - guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

, Karen Leatham - bass guitar

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

, keyboards

Keyboard instrument

A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

, Tom Head - drums

Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

, Elspeth Hughes - special effects.

• Session 23–19 February 2003 - produced by Louise Kattenhorn

1. "Theme From Sparta F.C."
2. "Contraflow"
3. "Groovin' With Mr Bloe - Green-Eyed Loco Man"
4. "Mere Pseud Mag. Ed."

MES, Ben Pritchard - guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

, backing vocals, Jim Watts - bass guitar

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

, backing vocals, Dave Milner - drums

Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

, backing vocals, Elena Poulou - keyboards

Keyboard instrument

A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

, backing vocals.

• Session 24–4 August 2004 - produced by Jerry Smith

1. "Clasp Hands"
2. "Blindness"
3. "What About Us?"
4. "Wrong Place, Right Time"/"I Can Hear The Grass Grow"

MES, BP, EP, Jim Watts - guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

, bass guitar

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

, Steve Trafford - bass guitar

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

, Spencer Birtwistle - drums

Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

, Ed Blaney - guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

, vocals

Singing

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...

• Bonus Track

1. "Job Search" - recorded during Session 24 but not broadcast. It was pressed onto an acetate (coupled with a similarly exclusive track by Half Man Half Biscuit
   Half Man Half Biscuit
   Half Man Half Biscuit, often "HMHB", are an English rock band from Birkenhead, Merseyside, active since the mid-1980s, known for satirical, sardonic, and sometimes surreal songs. The group comprises Nigel Blackwell , Neil Crossley , Ken Hancock , and Carl Henry...
   
   ) and given to John Peel for his 65th Birthday on 31 August 2004. Peel played the track on air that night, making it the final track by the group to debut on his show.