16/2/81: The sorry state of Soho (The Observer)

On Sunday 16 February 1981 The Observer featured an article lamenting the sorry state of the London district of Soho. The article by Patrick O'Donovan stated that the once "charming and graceful" area now has "more than 160 shops and establishments devoted to fringe sex and titillation".

pic.: Photoshot/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

O'Donovan goes on to blame the civic authorities such as Westminster City and the Greater London Council for the demise since they were the ones who licences the "massage parlours and saunas" and other "places of entertainment" in Soho.

On Valentine's Day 2006, a campaign was launched to drive business back into the heart of Soho. The campaign, called I Love Soho, was backed by the former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, the Soho Society, Westminster Council and Visit London.


source: Observer archive (guardian.com)


Also on this day:

BBC Radio 1 John Peel show:
- first play of The Human League's new single 'Boys and Girls'
- first transmission of New Order session
- first play of Simple Minds' new single 'Celebrate'

26/1/81: New Order record first John Peel session

On Monday 21 January 1981 Manchester band New Order recorded their first live session for the John Peel Show at the BBC studios in London.

New Order perform live in 1981. pic: thelocal.de

This was their first recorded work under the name of New Order. The band was formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook and Stephen Morris, the remaining members of post-punk group Joy Division, following the suicide of vocalist Ian Curtis. Morris' then girlfriend Gillian Gilbert also joined shortly afterwards. This session features four tracks - Truth, Senses, I.C.B., Dreams Never End - which would all appear on their debut album Movement released several months later. Neither the session nor the album however featured their debut single Ceremony, released in March.

New Order would go on to become one of the most successful independent acts of the 1980s, with a groundbreaking mix of indie rock, pop and electronic dance music as demonstrated on hits such as Blue Monday, Bizarre Love Triangle and True Faith. After various solo projects they have continued to record together although bassist Peter Hook has since left the band. Their latest album Music Complete was released in 2015.

The January 1981 session was eventually broadcast by John Peel on 16 February. It was not made publicly available as an official recorded release until 1987.

Source: Discogs, neworderonline.

12/1/81: Sheena Easton and John Peel

On the evening of Monday 12th January, 1981 Radio One DJ John Peel started his show by playing Sheena Easton's new single Take My Time, and asking the question, "is it too early to nominate an album of the year for 1981?", clearly referring to Easton's eponymous album which had just been released.

 

Peel's surprising admiration for the Scottish chanteuse was midway between genuine and tongue-in-cheek sarcastic, although in 1980 he had openly expressed his appreciation of Easton's 9 to 5 single, a stark contrast to his usual music tastes and choices. Peel is better known for championing punk and new-wave bands such as The Undertones, Altered Images, The Fall and Joy Division.

John Peel in 1982. Pic: Peel Wiki

Take My Time as a single only reached no. 44 in the UK charts although the album got to no. 17 in mid-February, its only week in the Top 20 album chart. Easton was more successful later in the year lending her vocal talents to the theme song to 1981 James Bond movie For Your Eyes only.

Sources: John Peel Wiki, Official Charts.