Prolapse - Peel Sessions 20.08.94 and 08.04.97

  by Fiona Hutchings

published: 8 / 9 / 2022

Label: Precious Recordings of London
Format: N/A

intro

In our 'Re:View' section, in which we look at albums from the past, Fiona HUtchings checks out two Peel Sessions EPs from Leicester indie band Prolapse, which have been released by Precious Recordings of London for the first time on vinyl.

Prolapse chose a name they’d hoped would conjure something undesirable or unpleasant. They succeeded. They also eventually realised most people associate that with arses. At best. You mean that wasn’t the plan? Then you have John Peel, who was never known for sounding upbeat or enthusiastic. Putting the two together risks causing some kind of apathetic tear in the space time continuum surely? Well, they might have set up with the express intention of being “the most depressing band ever” who reckoned they would “rival Joy Division in morbidity” but Prolapse failed. Their most caustic lyrics still sound so hypnotic and bouncy you’ll either be too busy pogoing or trying to decipher every word to feel depressed. It’s been a while since I have cooed for want of a better word when unwrapping a promos parcel. This issue from Precious Recordings of London is a bit special though. Across four 7”s we have eight tracks taken from two separate John Peel sessions. The first dated 20.08.94 features 'Serpico,' 'Doorstop Rhythmic Bloc', 'When Space Invaders Were Big' and 'Broken Cormorant' . The second from three years later was broadcast on the Peel show 08.04.97 and includes 'Slash/Oblique', 'Deanshanger', 'Outside Of It' and 'Place Called Clock'. They are both presented in a gatefold cover. The outside design is clean and clear: band photo, band name, John Peel Session and date. The back lists tracks, the band members, the producer and engineer. Inside is where the cooing really started. For the record I don’t coo a lot but I can’t think of a better word, so here we are. The clear, clean design continues inside. Session one has co-vocalist Mick Derrick's musings on how they got to their first Peel session. Linda Steelyard. the band's other vocalist, takes over for 1997 and explains how the death of a princess saved the band from the “mind-bending weirdness of being micro-popular for 15 seconds.” All the information required by fans and music writers is there, and the sleeve notes are concise but paint a picture of a time, place and attitude so clearly. Four added postcards are a nice extra touch. This is a band who have only ever played by their own rules, so, of course, Peel loved them. They’re both effortlessly cool because they genuinely don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks, They really didn’t want to appear on 'Top Of The Pops', and making up songs on the spot is what they do, whether they are in a pub in Leicester or being recorded for the BBC. It is fair to say the audio quality on the latter is far superior though. 'Doorstop Rhythmic Block' is excellently bonkers. Linda Steelyard sounds angelic. which is a delicious contrast with the angry shouts of Mick Derrick about the pyramids of Giza. The previously unreleased 'Broken Cormorant' is an uncomfortable break-up song. She demands an explanation of where his feelings have disappeared to and he mumbles apologies, and meanwhile the band provide a soundtrack to the conversation which by turns is beautifully melodic and feedback clashes of noise. When Peel commented, “I know what you’re thinking - sounds like two records played at the same time", I am pretty sure he meant this track. Derrick himself heaps on the discomfort in his inner notes. He had actually broken up with Steelyard a few weeks prior. The reason it sounds so authentic is because it is. Oh, and they made it up on the spot. They seem to have a habit of doing that, and managing to make the brand new songs sound as polished as the more established numbers. They had a reputation for both verbal and physical on stage fights. Maybe it was all that unrestrained emotion flying around that meant there was nowhere they wouldn’t go in the moment. 'Slash/Oblique' bounces between Steelyard needing her head examined and Derrick's hundred words a second vocals… whatever it is he’s saying. My brain can’t process anywhere near quickly enough to pull individual words out. But then I don’t really care, I am impressed enough that he doesn’t seem to stumble once. The whole set is worth it for 'Deanshanger' alone. So many things are crap, crap in the 1990s and crap now. I am not saying I came up with an alternative list to drop in to Derrick's list. But I am not saying I didn’t either. If you missed Prolapse first time around in the overwhelming tide of UK indie/Britpop that flooded the airwaves for most of the 1990s, you can atone for your sins by grabbing this now. Just be prepared for the possibility of some crossed wires if your significant other asks why you’re so excited and you start extolling the virtues of (a band called) Prolapse….

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