John Peel's Record Box 20-23, Cheeze to Cleveland Crochet

20. Cheeze - Dancin With The Dead - Dancin queen + Direwolf 1989 (BOB RECORDS) 1989I remember this as Peel used to play it a lot over the years. I actually have it on one of the shows I taped in the early 1990s. I'm actually a bit surprised to find that it is as early as '89. Anyway, there is precious little info on Cheeze anywhere, so I'll just try to add the little facts that I know. The A side IS the Abba tune,. Although on my returning to this version I was surprised how tame and well, even how tuneful it sounds nowadays, I always imagined it as a bold attempt to destroy the glossiness of the original. It works too, with some very abrasive guitar and a fuzzy production courtesy of Mr. Steve Albini. I guess this is collectable for being a fairly early Albini recording. B side 'Dire Wolf' is bleak post-hardcore with a unusually catchy chorus of "don't murder me, please don't murder me" and could easily pass for a less-metallic Therapy?

21. Clague - The stride + I wonder where (DANDELION) 1969
An odd one this, mainly because Clague isn't really what the band where known as. All their subsequent material was recorded under the name Siren, and this has appeared on a few compilations credited to Siren, or even more confusingly Clague (Siren). This is the second inclusion on John's own Dandelion label, and features (amongst others) Kevin Coyne and Dave Clague (ex-Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band). All the facts you need are on this excellent website. 'Stride' strikes me a fairly ordinary uptempo 60s blues/ boogie effort, and 'I Wonder Where' is a strange acoustic blues ballad which ends up with the narrator's wife being attacked. Another eccentric but very welcome inclusion which shows what John would have committed his time and money to.

22. Clefs of Lavender Hill - Stop! - Get a ticket + First tell me why (DATE) 1966
The A side is easy to find because it's on the excellent Nuggets box set. The only info I can find on the band is on Yahoo Music, but it's pretty conclusive. It seems the A + B sides were originally the other way, the slower 'First Tell Me Why' losing out to the catchier 'Stop Get A Ticket'. Think early psychedelic pop meets the British invasion sound and you'll have a good idea where this is coming from. Fans of Guided By Voices should enjoy it - although it is a bit light and fluffy. They were from Florida, and not Brixton by the way!

23. Cleveland Crochet - Sugar bee + Drunkards dream (GOLDBAND) 1961
I'm not hugely aware of Cajun music, but this sounds pretty typical of the genre. You can judge for yourself as the mp3 is streamed on this site - good biog on that page too. Yet another inclusion from the Goldband label. Cleveland Crochet was his real name which is kinda cool I guess.