Wire

:(This page is about the British band. For the music magazine of the same name, see Wire(2)).
thumb|300px|right|Map Ref. 41ºN 93ºW
Wire are an English rock band, formed in London in October 1976 by Colin Newman (vocals, guitar), Graham Lewis (bass, vocals), Bruce Gilbert (guitar), and Robert Gotobed (drums). They were originally associated with the punk rock scene, appearing on the Live at the Roxy WC2 album—a key early document of the scene—and were later central to the development of post-punk (read more at Wikipedia)
== Links To Peel ==
Peel was a strong supporter of Wire, particularly during the band's initial run of three groundbreaking LPs on Harvest between 1977 and 1979, which coincided with their first three sessions for his show. The third session, featuring a single abstract piece called 'Crazy About Love', stood out as a landmark in Wire's rapid evolution away from their early punk sound, as Colin Newman later recalled:
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“Instead of the usual four songs of three minutes, we did a 12-minute song, which was the antithesis of everything the Peel show was about: short, punky, unpretentious. A rumour reached us that he wasn't pleased, but fair play to him, he played it – twice."(Mick Wall, John Peel, p92)
Peel continued to play releases featuring band members during Wire's subsequent hiatus, with Lewis and Gilbert being booked for a session, but appears to have largely ignored the band's return in the second half of the 1980s, apart from a further session in 1988. Following a second extended spell of inactivity, Wire again featured on his shows in the early 2000s, including a fifth session, recorded 14 years and 4 months after their previous visit to Maida Vale.
Widely viewed as one of the leading bands of the post-punk era, Wire were a major influence on many outfits played by Peel in later years. Britpop band Elastica eventually reached an out of court settlement over similarities between their 1994 single 'Connection' and the Wire track 'Three Girl Rumba'.
Peel, together with many other artists and music celebrities of the time, makes a 'cameo' appearance in the video for the group's 1989 single Eardrum Buzz.
== Festive Fifty Entries ==
*2002 Festive Fifty: 99.9 #34
*2017 Festive Fifty: Short Elevated Period #31
== Sessions ==
Five sessions, plus one by Lewis & Gilbert. Official releases:
- 'Crazy About Love" from #3 on Crazy About Love, 12", 1983 (Rough Trade ‎RT T123)
- #1 on The Peel Sessions EP 12"/CD, 1987 (Strange Fruit SFPS041)
- #1, #2, #3 on The Peel Sessions Album LP/CD, 1990 (Strange Fruit, SFRLP108/SFRCD108)
- #4 on Coatings 2xCD, 1997 (WMO, WMO 14CD)
-'I Am The Fly' from #1 on Various Artists: Mixed Peel Cassette, 1987 (New Musical Express NME 033)
-'I Am The Fly' from #1 on Various Artists: Best Of Peel Sessions (Par Bernard Lenoir) CD/LP, 1990 (Franc Music FC1)
-'The Other Window' from #2 on Various Artists: Movement: BBC Radio 1 Peel Sessions 1977-1979 2xCD, 2011 (EMI ‎– CDPEEL 7779)
1. Recorded 1978-01-18. First broadcast 31 January 1978. Repeated 17 February 1978, 21 February 1980, 19 August 1986
*Practice Makes Perfect / I Am The Fly / Culture Vultures / 106 Beats That
2. Recorded 1978-09-20. First broadcast 03 October 1978. Repeated 31 October 1978
*The Other Window / Mutual Friend / On Returning / Indirect Enquiries
3. Recorded 1979-09-11. First broadcast 18 September 1979. Repeated 24 October 1979
* Crazy About Love
4. Recorded 1988-04-24. First broadcast 10 May 1988. Repeated: 01 June 1988
*German Shepherds / Boiling Boy / Drill
5. Recorded 2002-07-21. First broadcast 17 September 2002
*Spent / I Don't Understand / 1st Fast / 99.9
;G Lewis & BC Gilbert
1. Recorded 1980-09-11. First broadcast 07 October 1980. Available on Pacific/Specific (In a Different Place) CD, 1995 (WMO, WMO 3CD).
*Anchors / Norde / Quicken Your Step
== Live ==
*1. Broadcast: 11 April 2000. Recorded: All Tomorrow's Parties, Camber Sands.
#Boiling Boy
#Lowdown
*2. Broadcast: 25 April 2002. Recorded: All Tomorrow's Parties, Camber Sands, 19-21 April 2002
#Ten Years After
#Lowdown
== Featured in shows ==
The list below was researched only from the database of this site, Lorcan's Tracklistings Archive and Ken Garner's Peel Sessions (pg219). It is almost certainly incomplete. Please add further information if known.
;1977
*25 November 1977: Mannequin (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
*30 November 1977: Brazil (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
*30 November 1977: It's So Obvious (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
*30 November 1977: Surgeon's Girl (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
*30 November 1977: Pink Flag (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
*01 December 1977: Reuters (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
*01 December 1977: Low Down (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
*01 December 1977: Start To Move (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
;1978
*04 January 1978: Feeling Called Love (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
*23 January 1978: Brazil (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
*23 January 1978: It's So Obvious (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
*23 January 1978: Surgeon's Girl (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
*21 February 1978: I Am The Fly (7") Harvest HAR 5151
*29 June 1978: Options R (7" - Dot Dash) Harvest
*14 July 1978: Dot Dash (single) Harvest
*16 August 1978: Dot Dash (7") Harvest HAR 5161
*31 August 1978: Practice Makes Perfect (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*31 August 1978: French Film Blurred (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*31 August 1978: Another The Letter (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*31 August 1978: Men 2nd (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*11 September 1978: Mercy (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*11 September 1978: Outdoor Miner (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*11 September 1978: I Am The Fly (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*14 September 1978: Practice Makes Perfect (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*14 September 1978: ? (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*14 September 1978: ? (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*18 September 1978: I Feel Mysterious Today (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*18 September 1978: From The Nursery (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*25 September 1978: Practice Makes Perfect (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*26 September 1978: Another The Letter (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*28 September 1978: French Film Blurred (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*19 October 1978: 'Marooned (LP-Chairs Missing)' (Harvest)
*19 October 1978: 'Sand In My Joints (LP-Chairs Missing)' (Harvest)
*19 October 1978: 'Being Sucked In Again (LP-Chairs Missing)' (Harvest)
*November 1978 (BFBS) (1): Mercy (album - Chairs Missing) Harvest SHSP 4093
*21 December 1978: unknown (LP - unknown)
;1979
*04 January 1979: Practice Makes Perfect (7" - Outdoor Miner) Harvest
*08 January 1979: Outdoor Miner (LP - Chairs Missing) Harvest
*11 January 1979: Outdoor Miner (7”) Harvest
*18 January 1979: Outdoor Miner (7”) Harvest
*18 April 1979: Dot Dash (7") Harvest HAR 5161
*11 June 1979: A Question Of Degree (single) Harvest
*18 June 1979: A Question Of Degree (single) Harvest
*23 June 1979 (BFBS): A Question Of Degree (7") Harvest 
*23 June 1979 (BFBS): Former Airline (7" - A Question Of Degree) Harvest 
*28 June 1979: A Question Of Degree (single) Harvest
*17 September 1979: On Returning
*18 September 1979: I Should Have Known Better (LP - 154) Harvest
*27 September 1979: The 15th (album - 154) Harvest
*29 September 1979 (BFBS): Map Ref. 41ºN 93ºW (LP - 154) Harvest
*11 October 1979: On Returning (LP – 154) Harvest
*17 October 1979: unknown
*20 October 1979 (BFBS): Map Ref. 41ºN 93ºW (album - 154) Harvest SHSP 4105
*22 October 1979: Map Ref. 41ºN 93ºW (single) Harvest
*30 October 1979: The Other Window (LP – 154) Harvest
*05 December 1979: Map Ref. 41°N 93°W (single) Harvest
;1980s
*08 March 1980 (BFBS): 12XU
*12 May 1980: Lowdown (LP various artists - The Roxy London WC2 Jan-Apr 77) EMI
*12 May 1980: 1 2 X U (LP various artists - The Roxy London WC2 Jan-Apr 77) EMI
*05 July 1980 (BFBS) (as Cupol): Like This For Ages (12") 4AD BAD 9
*12 July 1980 (BFBS) (as Cupol): Like This For Ages (12") 4AD BAD 9
*04 February 1981: Practice Makes Perfect (7" b-side Outdoor Miner) Harvest
*08 February 1981 (BFBS): Practice Makes Perfect (7" b-side Outdoor Miner) Harvest
*22 February 1981 (BFBS): I Am The Fly
*06 May 1981: Our Swimmer (7") Rough Trade RTO-79
*21 May 1981 (BFBS): Our Swimmer (7") Rough Trade RTO-79
*04 June 1981 (BFBS): Our Swimmer (7") Rough Trade RTO-79
*18 June 1981 (BFBS): Our Swimmer (7") Rough Trade RTO-79
*25 October 1981 (BFBS): Reuters (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
*04 April 1982 (BFBS): Pink Flag (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
*29 April 1982: 12XU (album - Pink Flag) Harvest SHSP 4076
*02 May 1982 (BFBS): 12XU
*13 July 1982: Outdoor Miner (single, 1978) Harvest
*24 January 1983: I Am The Fly (7") Harvest
*18 May 1983: Second Length (Our Swimmer) (12" - Crazy About Love) Rough Trade RT T123
*09 June 1983: Outdoor Miner (7") Harvest HAR 5172
*12 June 1983 (BFBS): Outdoor Miner (7") Harvest HAR 5172
*28 October 1985: Map Ref. 41ºN 93ºW (album - 154) Harvest
*17 February 1986: I Am The Fly (7") Harvest
*05 March 1986: Dot Dash (LP - Wire Plays Pop) Pink Label
*11 March 1986: Map Ref 41°N 93°W (LP - Wire Play Pop) The Pink Label
*08 April 1986: Outdoor Miner (LP - Wire Play Pop) The Pink Label
*12 November 1986: "A Serious Of Snakes" (12" - Snakedrill) Mute
*01 December 1986: A Serious Of Snakes (EP - Snakedrill) Mute
*13 December 1986 (BFBS) (Peel 047 (BFBS)): 'Advantage In Height (12"-Snakedrill)' (Mute)
*06 January 1987: Drill (12" EP - Snakedrill) Mute
*20 January 1987: Advantage In Height (12" - Snakedrill) Mute
*23 January 1987 (BFBS): Drill (12" EP - Snakedrill) Mute
*30 January 1987 (BFBS) (Peel 047 (BFBS)): 'Advantage In Height (12"-Snakedrill)' (Mute)
*09 March 1987: Ahead (12") Mute
*31 March 1987: Ahead (7") Mute
*10 April 1987 (BFBS) (Peel 057 (BFBS)): 'Ahead (12")' (Mute)
*18 November 1987: Culture Vultures (12" - The Peel Sessions) Strange Fruit
*04 December 1987 (BFBS) (Peel 075 (BFBS)): 'Culture Vultures (12"-The Peel Sessions)' (Strange Fruit)
*08 January 1988 (BFBS) (Peel 077 (BFBS)): 'I Am The Fly (12"-The Peel Sessions)' (Strange Fruit)
*01 March 1988: Kidney Bingos (7") Mute
*08 March 1988: Kidney Bingos (7") Mute
*18 March 1988 (BFBS) (Peel 082 (BFBS)): Kidney Bingos (7")' (Mute)
*22 March 1988: Kidney Bingos (7") Mute MUTE 67
*18 May 1988: Silk Skin Paws (LP - A Bell Is A Cup... Until It Is Struck) Mute
*28 May 1988 (Radio Bremen): The Queen Of Ur And The King Of Um (album - A Bell Is A Cup... Until It Is Struck) Mute
*28 June 1988: Silk Skin Paws (LP - A Bell Is A Cup... Until It Is Struck) Mute
*02 May 1989: Eardrum Buzz (12" Mute 12 MUTE 87
;1990s
*24 January 1990: I Am The Fly (LP - The Peel Sessions Album) Strange Fruit
*17 March 1995: 'Outdoor Miner (7 inch white vinyl)' Harvest
*14 April 1995: I Am The Fly (single) Harvest
*08 June 1996: Culture Vultures (CD - The Peel Sessions) Strange Fruit
*16 December 1996: I Am The Fly (session) (John Peel's Classic Sessions)
*05 May 1997: I Am The Fly (single) Harvest
;2000s
*16 March 2000: Pink Flag/2 (CD – The Wire Trappers No.5 ) The Wire
*23 March 2000 (Radio Eins): Pink Flag/2 (v/aCD – The Wire Trappers No.5) Wire Magazine
*07 May 2002: In The Art Of Stopping (EP – Read & Burn 01) Pinkflag
*09 May 2002: Germ Ship (EP – Read & Burn 01) Pinkflag
*23 May 2002 (Radio Eins): In The Art Of Stopping (CD EP - Read & Burn 01) Pinkflag PF4
*23 May 2002 (BBC World Service): In The Art Of Stopping (EP - Read & Burn 01) Pinkflag
*05 June 2002: Comet (EP - Read & Burn 01) Pinkflag
*12 September 2002: Culture Vultures (EP- The Peel Sessions) Strange Fruit
*26 December 2002: 99.9 (session) F50 #34
;Post Peel
*24 November 2004 (Rob Da Bank): ‘I Am The Fly’ (LP- Peel Sessions) - (Strange Fruit)
;SOLO / COLLABORATIONS
;Dome (Lewis & Gilbert)
*15 May 1980: Say Again (LP – Dome) Dome
*28 May 1980: And Then …. (LP – Dome) Dome
*26 February 1981: The Red Tent I (album - Dome 2) Dome DOME 2
*John Peel - Fire Engines: Ritual View (LP-Dome 2)
*02 April 1981: Ritual View (LP - Dome 2) Dome
;Cupol (Lewis & Gilbert)
*01 July 1980: Like This For Ages (12") 4AD
*09 July 1980: Like This For Ages (12”) 4AD
;Duet Emmo (Lewis & Gilbert)
*22 August 1983: Friano (LP - Or So It Seems) Mute
*27 August 1983 (BFBS): Friano (LP - Or So It Seems) Mute
*19 September 1983 (BBC World Service): The First Person (album - Or So It Seems) Mute STUMM 11
;He Said (Graham Lewis)
*28 October 1985: Only One I (7") Mute 
*02 November 1985 (BFBS): Only One I (7") Mute 
*10 May 1986 (BFBS): Pump (7") Mute 7 MUTE 43
*13 September 1992 (BFBS): Only One I (7") Mute
;Colin Newman
*22 February 1982: 1, 2, 3, Beep Beep (LP-Not To) 4AD
*22 June 1982: Not To (version) (7" - We Means We Starts / Not To) 4AD
== See Also ==
* Indie Charts
* Record Collector
* 1978 Top Twenty Albums
* NME Singles Reviews: Peel reviews single by Wir (Wire without Robert Gotobed)
*May 2002 (Peel's Record Box)
*Gigography 2004 
== Links ==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
*Official
Category:Artists