Peel Sessions Blonde Redhead

TRACKLISTING: 1. Where Is John? 2. Missile

OVERVIEW: On June 7, 2000 Blonde Redhead stepped into the BBC’s Radio 1 Yalding House studios for what would be their sole Peel Session, a setting particularly important as it inspired the namesake of one of this 7” single’s two songs. “Where is John?” a nervous producer asked again and again, pacing the room, unable to locate the revered radio host, as a warmed up Blonde Redhead waited patiently.

The trio’s affection for Peel dated to a very early tour in 1995, when they were lost among the tumbleweeds of a barren Texas landscape. As the band turned the crackling radio dial, the celebrated radio presenter’s Northern English accent suddenly piped through their van’s speakers with high praise for the track “Violent Life” from their recently released sophomore LP, La Mia Vita Violenta. This unexpected bit of encouragement from Peel helped give the young, extremely road weary and relatively unknown trio the confidence and validation to press on in what had proven to be an arduous road expedition. Five years later, the seasoned threesome eventually played live for Peel’s show, and it seemed only fitting that the they christen a brand new, yet-to-be-titled song after their only session with the man held deep in their collective heart.

Remastered and released here for the first time on vinyl, “Where is John?” b/w “Missile ++” speaks not only of a band in the prime of their celebrated sound, but also of the people who helped along the way.