Delgados

The Delgados were a Scottish indie group formed in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire in 1995 after several of the members had been sacked from another local band, Bubblegum. Naming themselves after the cyclist Pedro Delgado, the group recorded a series of singles in widely varying styles for over 10 years, They also put out five studio LPs and one live album that showed their collective strengths as vocalists, instrumentalists and songwriters, with The Great Eastern (2000) being nominated for a Mercury Music Prize (losing out to Badly Drawn Boy). They began their own label, Chemikal Underground, to distribute their work (and that of other Scottish acts such as Arab Strap and Mogwai). However, their prolific output did not translate into commercial success, with none of their singles making the UK top 40 chart, and in 2005 they split after bassist Stewart Henderson left due to their lack of critical attention. The remaining four members continue to run their label and Emma Pollock and Alun Woodward have separate music careers.
Allmusic claims they "were in many respects the true epicenter of the contemporary Scottish pop renaissance." Their songs "rank among the most sublime pop experiences in recent memory, blossoming from the lo-fi simplicity of their earliest work to an increasingly ambitious palette defined by achingly beautiful melodies, soaring string arrangements, and intricate waltztime rhythms." Their collective writing ranged from the all-out punk force of Under Canvas Under Wraps to lyrical mood pieces that recalled the late 60s singer/songwriter era, Pull The Wires From The Wall, and they contributed to music by helping to kickstart several vital careers (even leaving their label almost broke by financing a Bis single). Their website states: "Our aspirations for (Chemikal Underground) when we started out were modest but ambitious all the same. That the label continues to release great music after sixteen years is a real source of pride, even if it is tempered with considerable disbelief." 
== Links to Peel ==
John was alerted to the band from their very first release, Monica Webster, which he began to play in January 1995, and from then every new release was guaranteed airplay on his show. They recorded eight sessions (all of which were released on The Complete BBC Sessions in 2006), of which John particularly commended them on the fifth, as all of the songs were cover versions. They had seven live sets aired on the show, and hit the Festive Fifty twelve times during Peel's lifetime (and had a further three entries afterwards). One of their songs, recorded for Peel before its official release (Pull The Wires From The Wall), hit the chart three times: once in its BBC version and twice on record, reaching number 1 in the 1998 Festive Fifty. It was even featured in the Peelenium 1997, meaning that Peel's listeners got to hear it in two different charts in the same programme.
The group quickly became assimilated into the fabric of John's musical universe. They played at Peel Acres in John's garden for Sheila's 50th birthday and the following year took JP to a pub quiz in Motherwell during Sounds Of The Suburbs. Shortly after his death. Alun said:
"John was a great guy. So much of the music that I have heard, I have heard it first on John Peel’s show. He is totally irreplaceable. It’s sad that he died for so many reasons." 
== Festive Fifty Entries ==
*1996 Festive Fifty: Under Canvas Under Wraps #3
*1997 Festive Fifty: Pull The Wires From The Wall (Peel Session) #27
*1998 Festive Fifty: Pull The Wires From The Wall #1
*1998 Festive Fifty: Everything Goes Around The Water #9
*1998 Festive Fifty: The Actress #38
*2000 Festive Fifty: Pull The Wires From The Wall AT#26
*2000 Festive Fifty: No Danger #9
*2000 Festive Fifty: American Trilogy #10
*2000 Festive Fifty: Accused Of Stealing #14
*2000 Festive Fifty: Witness #38
*2002 Festive Fifty: Mr Blue Sky #29
*2002 Festive Fifty: Coming In From The Cold #44
;Post-Peel
*2004 Festive Fifty: Everybody Come Down #6
*2004 Festive Fifty: I Fought The Angels #32
*2005 Festive Fifty: Girls Of Valour #37
== Peelenium ==
*Peelenium 1997: Pull The Wires From The Wall (Peel Session)
== Sessions ==
Eight sessions. All were released on The Complete Peel Sessions (Chemikal Underground, 2006).
1. (Beat Patrol session) Recorded: 1995-03-05. First broadcast 13 May 1995. Repeated 13 January 1996
*Lazar Walker / Blackwell / I've Only Just Started To Breathe / Primary Alternative
2. Recorded: 1996-04-23. First broadcast 12 May 1996. Repeated 08 September 1996
* Under Canvas Under Wraps / 4th Channel / Teen Elf / Sucrose
3. Recorded 1997-07-01. First broadcast 16 July 1997. Repeated 20 November 1997.
*Everything Goes Around the Water / The Arcane Model / Pull the Wires from the Wall / Mauron Chanson
4. Recorded: 1998-05-25. First broadcast 17 June 1998. Repeated 07 January 1999.
*Repeat Failure / Don't Stop / Blackpool / The Weaker Argument Defeats the Stronger
5. Recorded 2000-03-29. First broadcast 16 May 2000. Repeated 12 September 2000.
*No Danger / Make Your Move / Accused of Stealing / Aye Today
6. Recorded 2002-09-15. First broadcast 16 October 2002. Repeated? (A session of cover versions, a concept of which Peel firmly approved: "When these programmes started back in the reign of George IV, one of the ideas behind these sessions was that people should come in and do stuff which they might not normally do, whether it was the numbers that they played during soundchecks and things, or stuff that they were working on, or acoustic versions of tracks from the forthcoming LP. Rather than just coming on and doing fairly accurate covers of things that were going to be on the next record that they put out. So congratulations to and thanks to the Delgados for coming on and doing a whole series of covers for us.")
* Mr Blue Sky / California Uber Alles / Matthew And Son / Last Rose Of Summer
7. Recorded in artist's own studio, date unknown. First broadcast 23 January 2003 (Burns Night Special).
*Parcel of Rogues
8. Recorded 2004-09-02. First broadcast 23 September 2004.
* I Fought The Angels / Ballad of Accounting / Is This All That I Came For? / Everybody Come Down
== Live ==
*21 October 1995: Live at King Tut's Wah-Wah Hut, Glasgow. Recorded 1995-10-20.
#Brand New Car
#Under Canvas Under Wraps
#Cracks And Corners
#We Only Just Started To Breathe
#Blackwell
#Cinecenter
#Monika Webster
*19 October 1996 (Ten Day Weekend in Glasgow). Recorded 1996-10-15.
#4th Channel
#Sucrose
#Monica Webster
*10 November 1996 (Live from Soho)
#Monica Webster
#4th Channel
#Under Canvas Under Wraps
#Falling And Landing
#Strathcona Slung
#Friendly Conventions
#Thirteen Gliding Principles
#Big Business In Europe
#Akumulator
*01 October 1997: live set from the ICA. Peel 30 years at BBC special.
#Unknown
#Sucrose
#Unknown
#Unknown
#Your Honorary Friend
#Unknown
*01 July 1998. Recorded live same day at the Festival Hall today for Meltdown 98
#Clarinet
#Pull The Wires From The Wall
#Blackpool
#The Arcane Model
#13 Guiding Principles
#The Weaker Argument Defeats The Stronger
*26 May 1999: live from the Old Art School, Glasgow.
#The Actress
#Party Girl
#Everything Goes Around The Water
#Beside
#Pull The Wires From The Wall
#Don't Stop
#Russian Orthodox
#Aye Today
#The Weaker Argument Details The Stronger
#13 Guiding Principles
*14 March 2000. Live set from Chemikal Underground 5th birthday party. Recorded: 2000-03-12.
#Thirteen Gliding Principles
#Pull the Wires from the Wall
#American Trilogy
*04 July 2000: Live set from the Union Chapel, London. Recorded 2000-05-13. (Set details from BBC: Keeping It Peel.)
#Knowing When
#Everything Goes Around The Water
#Reasons For Silence
#No Danger
#Don't Stop
#Witness
#American Trilogy
#Accused Of Stealing
#Make Your Move
#Aye Today
#Pull The Wires From The Wall
#13 Gliding Principles
== Other Shows Played ==
(The list below was compiled only from the database of this site and Lorcan's Tracklistings Archive. Please add more information if known.)
;1995
*14 January 1995: Monica Webster (7”) Chemikal Underground
*24 February 1995: Brand New Car (7"-Monica Webster) Chemikal Underground
*04 March 1995 (BFBS): Brand New Car (7"-Monica Webster) Chemikal Underground
*29 July 1995: Laser Warp (7 inch - The Lazarwalker EP) Radar
*04 August 1995: Primary Alternative (EP) Radar
*12 August 1995 (BFBS): Primary Alternative (7" - The Lazarwalker EP) Radar
*18 August 1995: Blackwell (7" - The Lazarwalker EP) Radar
*19 August 1995: Primary Alternative (7" - The Lazarwalker EP) Radar
*20 August 1995 (BBC World Service): Primary Alternative (7" - The Lazarwalker E.P.) Radar
*26 August 1995 (BFBS): Primary Alternative (7"-The Lazarwalker EP) Radar
*22 September 1995: Primary Alternative (7 inch - The Lazarwalker EP) Radar
*20 October 1995 Monica Webster
*25 November 1995: I've Only Just Started To Breathe
*22 December 1995: I've Only Just Started To Breathe (2x7" - Che Trading Limited Presents... All Action Double Issue) Che Trading
;1996
*23 February 1996: 'Cinecentre (7")' (Chemikal Underground)
*02 March 1996 (BFBS): 'Cinecentre (7")' (Chemikal Underground)
*09 March 1996: Cinecentre (7") Chemikal Underground CHEM 004
*29 March 1996: 13 Gliding Principles (EP - Cinecentre) Chemikal Underground
*22 June 1996: Under Canvas Under Wraps (single) Chemikal Underground
*29 June 1996 (BFBS): Under Canvas Under Wraps (7") Chemikal Underground CHEM 006
*13 July 1996: Under Canvas Under Wraps (7") Chemikal Underground CHEM 006
*14 July 1996: Een Telf (7" - Under Canvas Under Wraps) Chemikal Underground
*20 July 1996: Under Canvas Under Wraps (7") Chemikal Underground CHEM 006
*20 July 1996 (BFBS): Under Canvas Under Wraps (7") Chemikal Underground CHEM 006
*28 September 1996: Tempered; Not Tamed (album – Domestiques) Chemikal Underground CHEM 009
*28 September 1996: Big Business In Europe (album – Domestiques) Chemikal Underground CHEM 009
*October 1996 (FSK): Pinky (CD - Domestiques) Chemikal Underground
*October 1996 (FSK): Big Business In Europe (CD - Domestiques) Chemikal Underground
*05 October 1996: Leaning On A Cane (album – Domestiques) Chemikal Underground CHEM 009
*06 October 1996: Strathcona Slung (album - Domestiques) Chemikal Underground
*06 October 1996 (BBC World Service): Sucrose (single) Chemikal Underground
*12 October 1996: Big Business In Europe (album – Domestiques) Chemikal Underground CHEM 009
*13 October 1996: Pinky (album – Domestiques) Chemikal Underground CHEM 009
*13 October 1996 (BBC World Service): Tempered; Not Tamed (album – Domestiques) Chemikal Underground CHEM 009
*14 October 1996: Sucrose (single) Chemikal Underground
*16 October 1996: Tempered; Not Tamed (album – Domestiques) Chemikal Underground CHEM 009
*27 October 1996 (BBC World Service): Big Business In Europe (album – Domestiques) Chemikal Underground CHEM 009
*29 December 1996: Under Canvas Under Wraps (CD-Domestiques) Chemikal Underground FF#3
;1997
* 04 March 1997: Sucrose (v/a CD - Little Darla Has A Treat For You Vol. 6, Spring 1997) Darla
*29 June 1997: Sacré Charlamagne (shared 7" with New Bad Things - Sacré Charlamagne / Down) Lissy's
*03 July 1997 (BFBS): 'Sacré Charlamagne (shared 7" with New Bad Things)' (Lissy's)
* 09 July 1997: Sacré Charlamagne (shared 7" with New Bad Things - Sacré Charlamagne / Down) Lissy's
*10 July 1997 (BFBS): 'Sacré Charlamagne (shared 7" with New Bad Things)' (Lissy's)
*16 September 1997: Friendly Conversations (album - BBCsessions) Strange Fruit
*18 September 1997: Sucrose (album - BBC Sessions) Strange Fruit SFRSCD037
*18 September 1997 (Radio Eins): Sucrose (album - BBC Sessions) Strange Fruit SFRSCD037
*25 September 1997 (BFBS): Under Canvas Under Wraps (album - BBC Sessions) Strange Fruit SFRSCD037
*14 October 1997: Teen Elf (album - BBC Sessions) Strange Fruit SFRSCD037
*16 October 1997: Tempered Not Tamed (album - BBC Sessions) Strange Fruit SFRSCD037
*22 October 1997: Friendly Conventions (album - BBC Sessions) Strange Fruit SFRSCD037
*23 October 1997 (BFBS): Under Canvas Under Wraps (album - BBC Sessions) Strange Fruit SFRSCD037
*31 October 1997 (BBC World Service): Tempered; Not Tamed (album - BBC Sessions) Strange Fruit SFRSCD037
*27 November 1997 (BFBS): Tempered, Not Tamed (album - BBC Sessions) Strange Fruit SFRSCD037
*23 December 1997: Pull The Wires From The Wall (Peel Session) FF#27 (JP: “That is wonderful, I think...the sooner that comes out on record, the happier I shall be.”)
;1998
*04 February 1998: Pull The Wires From The Wall (album sampler CD) Chemikal Underground
*05 February 1998: Pull The Wires From The Wall (album sampler CD) Chemikal Underground (JP: “Almost unbearably pretty, that, and it will get a lot of play at Peel Acres over the weekend and in these programmes again next week. But I've just noticed it actually comes from a sampler for the forthcoming LP which I think is as-yet untitled... and it says release date June 1998. So perhaps I shouldn't be playing it at all. But it is so great.”)
*10 February 1998: Everything Goes Around The Water (EP) Chemikal Underground
*11 February 1998: The Drowned & The Saved (EP - Everything Goes Around The Water) Chemikal Underground
*12 February 1998: And So The Talking Stopped (album sampler CD) Chemikal Underground
*17 February 1998: Pull The Wires From The Wall (album sampler CD) Chemikal Underground
*18 February 1998: Untitled (album sampler CD) Chemikal Underground
*20 February 1998 (BBC World Service): Everything Goes Around The Water (7") Chemikal Underground
*24 February 1998: Everything Goes Around The Water (EP) Chemikal Underground
*10 March 1998: Everything Goes Around The Water (EP) Chemikal Underground
*17 March 1998: And So The Talking Stopped (album sampler CD) Chemikal Underground
*02 April 1998: Pull The Wires From The Wall (CD single) Chemikal Underground
*23 April 1998: Pull The Wires From The Wall (CD single) Chemikal Underground
*14 May 1998: The Actress (CD – Peloton) Chemikal Underground
*19 May 1998: The Arcane Model (CD – Peloton) Chemikal Underground
*20 May 1998: Clarinet (CD – Peloton) Chemikal Underground
*27 May 1998: Clarinet (CD – Peloton) Chemikal Underground
*May 1998 (BBC World Service): Clarinet (LP - Peloton) Chemikal Underground
*04 June 1998: Repeat Failure (CD – Pelaton) Chemikal Underground
*26 August 1998: The Weaker Argument Defeats The Stronger (single) Chemikal Underground
*15 September 1998: A Very Cellular Song (single - The Weaker Argument Defeats The Stronger) Chemikal Underground
*01 November 1998 (BFBS): (John regrets that, due to having to be at Sound City in Newcastle, he will miss Sheila's birthday, so holds an impromptu wine tasting in tandem with recording the programme. Another compensatory factor is that the Delgados will be playing in his garden during the party the following weekend.) Smaller Mammals (CD-Domestiques) Chemikal Underground
*22 December 1998: The Actress (CD - Peloton) Chemikal Underground FF#38
*29 December 1998: (JP: “At number 9, a band that played in our garden for Sheila's 50th birthday party in October. We were honoured.”) Everything Goes Around The Water (CD single) Chemikal Underground FF#9 (JP: “We love 'em in our house, even my brother Francis, who doesn't like anything.”) 
:(JP: “While that was going on [the FF#3], the studio filled with merrymakers, people playing pool and opening bottles of champagne, including one that was given to us by the Delgados.”)
*29 December 1998: (JP: "To the number one record in this year's Festive Fifty. You probably won't be too surprised to discover what it is. Twice as many votes plus as the Mogwai record...this, quite rightly, I think, at number one.") Pull The Wires From The Wall (LP-Peloton) Chemikal Underground FF#1
;1999
*19 January 1999: The Weaker Argument Defeats The Stronger (LP - Peloton) Chemikal Underground
*31 August 1999: Pull The Wires From The Wall (Peel 60th birthday special)
*02 November 1999: Thirteen Gliding Principles (CD-BBCsessions) Strange Fruit
;2000
*13 January 2000: Pull The Wires From The Wall' (Peel Session) Peelenium 1997
*13 January 2000: Pull The Wires From The Wall (CD single) Chemikal Underground) ATFF#26 (JP: "Has this been the first time that the same song by the same band in two different versions has been featured in one programme? There will be people who know, but I'm not one of them.")
*February 2000 (FSK): American Trilogy (CD - The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*16 February 2000: American Trilogy (LP - The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*17 February 2000: Thirteen Gliding Principles (LP - The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*23 February 2000: Accused of Stealing (LP - The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*25 February 2000 (BBC World Service): American Trilogy (album - The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*26 February 2000 (BFBS): Witness (CD-The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*02 March 2000 (Radio Eins): Reasons For Silence (CD-The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*March 2000 (FSK): Knowing When To Run (CD - The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*07 March 2000: Knowing When To Run (CD single sampler from forthcoming album - The Great Eastern) Chemical Underground
*16 March 2000: American Trilogy (LP – The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*16 March 2000 (Radio Eins): Knowing Where To Run (CD single sampler from forthcoming album - The Great Eastern) Chemical Underground
*23 March 2000 (Radio Eins): Witness (CD - The Great Eastern) Chemical Underground
*30 March 2000: Make Your Move (CD - The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*02 April 2000 (BFBS): No Danger (CD-The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*05 April 2000: Witness (LP - The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*06 April 2000 (Radio Eins): Reasons For Silence (Ed's Song) (LP - The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*09 April 2000 (BFBS): Witness (CD-The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*12 April 2000: American Trilogy (LP – The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*13 April 2000 (Radio Eins): No Danger (LP – The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground
*27 July 2000: No Danger (Single) white label
*09 August 2000: No Danger (Single) Chemikal Underground
*07 November 2000: The Choices You've Made (Chemikal Underground)
*09 November 2000 (Radio Eins): The Choices You've Made (Chemikal Underground)
*23 November 2000: Don't Sleep (EP - No Danger) Chemikal Underground
*23 November 2000 (Radio Eins): Don't Sleep (EP - No Danger) Chemikal Underground
*26 December 2000: Witness (CD-The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground FF#38 (JP: 'Will we hear from them again in this year's Festive Fifty? I obviously know the answer to that, said he rather smugly. You'll have to listen tomorrow night and Thursday night to find out...)
*28 December 2000: Accused Of Stealing (CD-The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground #14
*28 December 2000: American Trilogy CD-The Great Eastern) Chemikal Underground FF#10
*28 December 2000: No Danger (Kid's Choir) (7 inch) Chemikal Underground FF#9
;2001
*12 September 2001: The Weaker Argument Defeats The Stronger (CD-Peloton) Chemikal Underground
;2002
*28 August 2002: Coming In From The Cold (CD Single) Mantra
*26 September 2002 (Radio Eins): Coming In From The Cold (album - Hate) Mantra
*October 2002 (FSK): Woke From Dreaming (CD - Hate) Mantra
*02 October 2002: Favours (LP - Hate) Mantra
*04 October 2002 (BBC World Service): Coming In From The Cold (CD Single) Mantra
*10 October 2002 (Radio Eins): Favours (album - Hate) Mantra
*15 October 2002: Favours (LP - Hate) Mantra
*17 October 2002 (Radio Eins): Woke From Dreaming (album - Hate) Mantra
*23 October 2002: The Light Before We Land (LP - Hate) Mantra
*14 November 2002: Woke From Dreaming (LP - Hate) Mantra
*26 December 2002: Coming In From The Cold (CD Single) Mantra FF#44
*26 December 2002: Mr Blue Sky' (Peel Session) FF#29
;2003
*05 February 2003: All You Need Is Hate (EP- All You Need is Hate) Mantra
*06 February 2003: Mad Drums (EP-All You Need Is Hate) Mantra
*18 February 2003: Mr Blue Sky (Peel session) (EP- All You Need Is Hate) Mantra
*21 February 2003 (BBC World Service): All You Need Is Hate (EP- All You Need is Hate) Mantra
;2004
*27 July 2004: Everybody Come Down (CDR) white label
*12 August 2004: Everybody Come Down (EP) Chemikal Underground
*20 August 2004 (BBC World Service): Everybody Come Down (EP) Chemikal Underground
*31 August 2004: I Fought The Angels (CD-Universal Audio) Chemikal Underground
*01 September 2004: Is This All I Came For? (LP- Universal Audio) Chemikal Underground
*02 September 2004: Everybody Come Down (EP - Universal Audio) Chemikal Underground
*04 September 2004 (BBC World Service): I Fought The Angels (LP - Universal Audio) Chemikal Underground
*07 September 2004: Sink or Swim (LP - Universal Audio) Chemikal Underground
*08 September 2004: I Fought The Angels (LP - Universal Audio) Chemikal Underground
*17 September 2004 (BBC World Service): Sink or Swim (LP - Universal Audio) Chemikal Underground
*21 September 2004: The City Consumes Us (LP - Universal Audio) Chemikal Underground
*30 September 2004: Girls Of Valour (LP – Universal Audio) Chemikal Underground
*September 2004 (FSK): Everybody Come Down (7") Chemikal Underground
*October 2004 (FSK): Girls Of Valour (CD - Universal Audio) Chemikal Underground
*01 October 2004 (BBC World Service): The City Consumes Us (LP - Universal Audio) Chemikal Underground
;Post-Peel
*26 October 2004 (tribute show): Mr. Blue Sky (Peel Session)
*29 December 2004 (Rob Da Bank): I Fought The Angels (CD-Universal Audio) Chemikal Underground FF#32
*30 December 2004 (Rob Da Bank): Everybody Come Down (CD-Universal Audio) Chemikal Underground FF#6
*John Peel's Scottish Sessions: (Emma Pollock of The Delgados describes the enthusiasm Peel had for the band.) Pull The Wires From The Wall (16/7/97 #3)
*John Peel's Scottish Sessions: (Stuart from the Delgados - story about a night out in Motherwell during filming of Sounds Of The Suburbs, doing a pub quiz together (Peel rubbish in music round!) - “an easy conversationalist.”)
== See Also ==
*Peel Sessions Releases
*Festive Fifty Number Ones
*John Peel: In Session Tonight
*Sounds Of The Suburbs
*Peel Sessions: The Best 125
*February 2000 (Peel's Record Box)
*March 2000 (Peel's Record Box)
*July 2000 (Peel's Record Box)
*August 2000 (Peel's Record Box)
*October 2002 (Peel's Record Box)
*February 2003 (Peel's Record Box)
*August 2004 (Peel's Record Box)
*Gigography 2000 
== External Links ==
*Wikipedia
* Official site
* Other
Category:Artists
Category:Featured Articles