Cranes tonight – their first session for John Peel at BBC Radio 1 – recorded on July 9, 1989.
Thanks to Post-Punk.com for this blurb via Frank Deserto:
“In mid-2023, one of the UK’s most beloved bands reactivated on social media, hinting at greater things to come. The band in question is Cranes, a legendary band formed by siblings Alison and Jim Shaw in Portsmouth, England in 1985. Over the course of their career, the band has carved out vast microcosms of sound, including flirting with avant-garde textures on their debut LP Self Non Self, embracing dark dream pop on 1991’s Wings of Joy and 1994’s Loved, and exploring delicate electronic lullabies throughout much of the 2000s. No matter what sound is on display, Cranes are unified by Alison’s trademark vocals, which soar high above their musical cacophony. Cranes’ vast body of work, which never fit comfortably in any particular genre, is timeless in itself, and the band has remained a forever favorite amongst their devoted fanbase. Their latest recording, a self-titled record, appeared in 2008, and the band continued to play shows until 2012. While Cranes had remained near-silent ever since, much-needed vinyl reissues of their earlier works appeared regularly via Music on Vinyl, including the first-ever vinyl pressing of 1997’s underrated Population Four LP and La Tragédie D’Oreste Et Électre, which was recorded in 1994, released in 1996, and saw the band returning to their experimental roots, taking deep inspiration from Jean-Paul Sartre’s works as well as the infamous Greek myths.
However, 2023 saw a flurry of new activity from Cranes, straight from the source. Firstly, the band released a string of radio sessions recorded for the late, great John Peel in 1989 and 1990, many of which had never been circulated previously. Additionally, the band announced two shows, one in hometown Portsmouth and the other in the heart of London, both of which sold out immediately. Both shows were meant to celebrate the 30th anniversary of 1993’s Forever, one of the band’s most beloved recordings that also earned them a slot opening for The Cure’s celebrated Wish tour, which alongside a single remix of “Jewel” remixed by Robert Smith himself, helped usher in a new legion of fans. These new gigs reunited the Shaws with original guitarist Mark Francombe as well as Paul Smith, who began recording with the band with 2001’s Future Songs album. These shows were special occasions through and through, with fans (including myself) traveling far and wide to attend. While the band was originally unsure what would be in store next, they seem to have rekindled the spark and reclaimed their stake in today’s robust scene. More live dates have been booked for 2024 in Leeds, London, Brussels, and Rotterdam, and a new reissue has been announced – this time unearthing Fuse, the band’s very first release and one of their deepest obscurities. Originally released on cassette in 1986 via Bite Back!, Fuse has been lovingly remastered at Abbey Road and will be reissued via the band’s own Dadaphonic imprint on April 5th of this year. Like the Peel Sessions release prior, this new edition of Fuse features artwork by Chris Bigg of V23, who originally helped design much of 4AD’s classic artwork over the years. To sweeten the pot, this beautiful new edition features “New Liberty,” a song recorded during these early sessions that has not been heard until now”.
Check out the rest of the article. There’s a great interview – bookmark this site anyway; good writing – you can never get too much.
Press play and witness their debut session.
