Swell Maps - The John Peel Sessions Swell Maps
Pickup currently unavailable at Dawson Street
CD - Remastered and available officially for the first time in over 40 years.
Swell Maps unveils the CD of The John Peel Sessions. This follows the release of the limited edition red vinyl for Record Store Day — remastered and available officially for the first time in over 40 years.
Noisy, chaotic, and defiantly experimental, Swell Maps may not have found commercial success in their time, but their impact on music is undeniable. An inspiration to bands such as R.E.M., Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Pavement and Nirvana, with Kurt Cobain famously being a fan and often seen sporting a Swell Maps T-Shirt. A democracy within the confines of punk’s anything is possible, members Biggles Books, Jowe Head and brothers Nikki Sudden and Epic Soundtracks—helped shape the landscape of post-punk and DIY music. Now, for the first time in over 40 years, The John Peel Sessions brings together all three of their recordings for John Peel, a figure instrumental in championing their sound.
Formed in the early ’70s and fully realised by 1976, Swell Maps embodied the DIY ethos, launching their own label and self-releasing the jagged, frenetic debut single ‘Read About Seymour’ in 1977. Peel was an early supporter, playing their record as soon as it landed on his desk—a moment the band described as one of disbelief and elation. His regular airplay of their music helped solidify their cult status, and these sessions capture the raw energy, off-kilter melodies, and boundary-pushing creativity that defined them.
The John Peel Sessions is a vital document of Swell Maps at their most unfiltered—three sessions of unpredictable, exhilarating noise.
==============================
This product is a RECORD STORE DAY 2025 title and not available to pre-order.
Available to buy in-store from 8am on Saturday, 12/04/2025 (Record Store Day).
Remaining copies will be available to buy online from 8pm on Monday 14/04/2025.
Swell Maps - The John Peel Sessions pressed on limited edition red vinyl for Record Store Day
Remastered and available officially for the first time in over 40 years. Noisy, chaotic, and defiantly experimental, Swell Maps may not have found commercial success in their time, but their impact on music is undeniable
An inspiration to bands such as R.E.M., Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Pavement and Nirvana, with Kurt Cobain famously being a fan and often seen sporting a Swell Maps T-Shirt
A democracy within the confines of punk's anything is possible, members Biggles Books, Jowe Head and brothers Nikki Sudden and Epic Soundtracks—helped shape the landscape of post-punk and DIY music
Now, for the first time in over 40 years, The John Peel Sessions brings together all three of their recordings for John Peel, a figure instrumental in championing their sound.
Track List
A1 International Rescue - 16/10/78
A2 Harmony in Your Bathroom - 16/10/78
A3 Read About Seymour - 16/10/78
A4 Another Song - 16/10/78
A5 Full Moon / Blam!! / Full Moon (Reprise) - 16/10/78
A6 Armadillo - 15/5/79
A7 Vertical Slum / Forest Fire - 15/5/79
B1 Midget Submarines - 15/5/79
B2 Bandits One Five - 15/5/79
B3 Big Empty Field - 18/3/80
B4 Bleep And Booster Come Round For Tea / Secret Island - 18/3/80
B5 Let's Buy a Bridge - 18/3/80
B6 Helicopter Spies / A Raincoat's Room - 18/3/80
Product information
Delivery Details
FREE REGISTERED POST FOR ORDERS OVER €75 WITHINROI*
*DOES NOT INCLUDE HI-FI or HARDWARE PRODUCTS-CHECK DELIVERY RATES FOR MORE DETAILS
Orders are normally dispatched within 12-48 hours of receipt of the order, and normal delivery times to your door are as follows
- Ireland 2-5 working days
- UK 5-7 working days
- Europe 10-14 working days
- U.S. & Rest of World 10-14 working days
Usually ready within 24-48 hours. Pre-order items available on day of Release
Any delays are normally due to the postal service. Orders placed on a Friday will be dispatched on Monday. No orders will be dispatched over the weekend. If you have not received your order within the time shown above, you can check the status of your order. Please email your query to info@towerrecords.ie
CLICK & COLLECT ORDERS:
The service is available via our Website. The collection point is located in Dawson Street only
For more information, contact us at 01 6719444 or email info@towerrecords.ie
Refund and Returns Policy
If the product is in its original condition and unopened, we will accept its return within fourteen days from the day you received the item. You will receive a full refund to the value of the item* *Applies to Online orders only
Refund and Returns Policy Faulty or defective items:
In the unlikely event you receive an item from us that is either defective or faulty, please let us know so we can arrange collection of the item and dispatch a replacement as soon as possible. Please email us at info@towerrecords.ie to arrange the return of a defective item. If goods are being returned due to being defective or an error on our behalf, we will refund delivery charges resulting from the return of the original order. If you still have the original envelope, simply reseal it and return the item to the Sender, stating the fault. FAO Returns Dept. Tower Records 7 Dawson Street Dublin 2 D02 X688
Non-defective items:
If, for some reason, a customer wishes to return an item that is not defective, we will accept the item and issue a refund within 14 days from the day you received the item. If, for some reason, a customer wishes to return an item that is not defective, your item must be unused and in the same “as new” condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging. To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase. Items such as games, CDs or DVDs (any recordable media) that require a security seal must be returned with the seal intact in order to qualify for a refund. In the interest of hygiene, headsets and earphones may not be returned unless unopened and intact in their original packaging. You will receive a full refund to the value of the item* *Applies to online sales ONLY. FAO Returns Dept. Tower Records 7 Dawson Street Dublin 2 D02 X688
To return an item:
Please wrap the item and the package securely and send them to the address below. We do not accept liability for goods which are returned in faulty packaging. We recommend that you use a recorded or registered delivery service. Please ensure that you have included a note giving full details of the problem, the order number, return notification number and any other details that may be helpful to us in order to track your order down quickly and efficiently. FAO Returns Dept. Tower Records 7 Dawson Street Dublin 2 D02 X688