The Brilliant Corners – in Session for John Peel – May 17, 1987 – BBC Radio 1 –
The Brilliant Corners tonight. Two nights ago I ran a session by Experimental Pop Band from 1997. I mentioned that they were initially made up of founding members of The Brilliant Corners.
So tonight, as a way of illustrating where bands come from, what they wind up doing and where they go and where they’ve been, direction-wise – I thought I would run this Peel session, recorded on May 17, 1987 for BBC Radio 1, to give you an idea where and how things evolved, if you don’t already know about this band.
Formed in 1983, The Brilliant Corners were more a Pop endeavor than Experimental was, and during their tenure had released some five studio albums, three compilation albums, nine singles and two eps. Their early material comprised of hook-laden musical gems which signaled the initial phase of Indie Pop and was one of the pivotal bands of the period.
This session puts them right in the middle of their popularity, with two singles in the top-20 and coming off the release of their Fruit Machine ep (from May of 1986) and their second mini-album, What’s In A Word which signaled a high point in the Indie Pop movement.
A good run for a band which went out on a high note in 1993 and became The Experimental Pop Band. I don’t recall any Brilliant Corners singles or albums issued in the U.S. which could explain why many people over here can’t place the band or the music.
Still, they were an important element in the evolution of Indie Pop in the mid-1980s, continuing into the 1990s. I would suggest, if you aren’t familiar with them, that this is a good starting place, along with a 1985 session I ran about two years ago here.
All good stuff – all good fun. Something to take your mind off things.
