John Peel Sessions (1989-1990)

The first in a series of archival releases from Cranes, the band’s John Peel Sessions are collected for the first time.

Formed in mid-1980’s Portsmouth by the brother and sister duo of Jim Shaw (drummer, keyboardist, guitarist, programmer) and Alison Shaw (vocalist, guitarist, bassist), Cranes first appeared in 1986 with Fuse, a self-released and now highly sought-after cassette of demos. Their debut album Self-Non-Self followed in 1989, catching the attention of legendary DJ John Peel, who invited them to record two sessions for his show in 1989 and 1990, the second seeing Mark Francombe (guitarist, keyboardist, bassist) and Matt Cope (guitarist) join ranks to form the line-up who would go on to record multiple albums for Dedicated including the much-loved album, Forever, which enjoys it’s 30th anniversary this year.

Cranes now release John Peel Sessions (1989-1990) on their own Dadaphonic label. The first in a series of archival releases, this compilation features original artwork by fêted 4AD and  v23 sleeve designer Chris Bigg (Pixies, Cocteau Twins, The Breeders).