- End of the Road to Hell: Orbital's Last Ever Gig - July, 2004

Orbital were the brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll, whose career as electronic pioneers lasted from 1989 through to 2004. They took their name from Greater London's orbital motorway, the M25, which was central to the early rave scene and party network in the South East during the early days of acid house. One of the biggest names in British electronica during the 1990s, Orbital achieved the rare distinction of being both critically and commercially successful.

I have to say that they were a band that I admired rather than loved, and that they never repeated the majesty of their first success. Legend has it that Orbital recorded the track Chime on their father's cassette deck. The track became an all-time classic, despite only reaching number 17 in the UK charts at the time (after you download the show, forward to the last ten-ish minutes if you can’t wait to listen to the live rendition). The band had what can only be described as a tremendous 1990s, including a headline slot at Glastonbury in ’94 and being regarded as one of the 50 bands you need to see live before you die.

Orbital do 'Chime' at Glastonbury, 2004

Orbital split up in 2004 after playing a triumphant final series of festival gigs from June to July 2004, concluding with this live Peel Session gig at Maida Vale Studios in London on 28 July, 2004, which you’re about to download.

Click below for downloading pleasure...



File size: 123 mb
Length: 1 and a half hours or so

- A ghost at the feast: The Magic Band at Maida Vale, 7th July, 2004

You wait for ages then two posts come along at once. By the way, it's my youngest son Ozan's first birthday today, so leave a comment or he'll be very grizzly.

A bunch of old men in 2004

Does Ludwig Van have to be conducting to make a performance of his music valid? Does he bollocks, although we’d all rather have Captain Beefheart singing these songs, naturally. Having said that, this is a belter of a performance which yielded 2 festive fifty entries for 2004.

Legend has it that Peel was initially sceptical about this reformed Magic Band but, having played a live recording of the band recorded at an All Tomorrows Parties festival on his show some time in 2003, he found himself so overcome with emotion that couldn't speak and had to play a record to regain his composure. A year or so later the band did a live session for Peel.

Track list:

Diddy wah diddy
Circumstances
Hit a man
Rockette Morton bass solo
Steal softly through sunshine
Abba zabba
My human gets me blues
Alice in blunderland
Hair pie bake 4
The evening bell
Electricity
The floppy boot stomp
Mirror man
Moonlight on Vermont
Bug* eyed beans from Venus

Glaring errors to be rectified, as ever, in the comments section below.


Length: 63 mins
File size: 76 mb

*As noted on the BBC website which is absolutely jam-packed with lack of information.