OWD012 (2020)
Digipak CD/digital EP
CD SOLD OUT
or buy digital files via BANDCAMP
Late 1990’s lo-fi Liverpudlian John Peel favourites Rooney (not the US band who ripped their name off later) went along to Maida Vale in 1999, their first and only visit to a professional recording studio, to record their first and only John Peel session. After BBC6 Music repeated the session recently we were reminded of its unique charms and decided to make it available on disc for the twentieth anniversary of its first broadcast. In the session, the electro-lo-fi of Rooney’s three albums (rooney1.bandcamp.com) is translated into an understated post-punk skewed-pop, and serves as the only evidence of how the live band (Colin Cromer, Ian S Jackson and Paul Rooney) sounded. All of the tracks showcase the particular drolly disquieting Rooney lyric approach, focussing on the hyper-mundane minutiae of modern life: paintwork jamming windows shut, curtains letting in sunlight, standing at a distance from bus stops. This release is to herald the fact that Owd Scrat will be putting out some more unreleased Rooney material during the coming year or two.
1. Used to It 03:43
2. Time of Day 04:58
3. A Friend Who Forgot/Birdsong 03:39
4. Touts (Leith) 04:52
“The one Peel session… Rooney made in 1999, and it sounds as good as ever…” Mark Whitby (Dandelion Radio). Feb. 2020.
“…recorded for a John Peel session… now getting a well deserved release on Owd Scrat…” Rocker (Dandelion Radio). Feb. 2020.
“…Rooney’s one and only Peel session… great stuff…” Rocker (Dandelion Radio). Jan. 2020.
“That’s a great thing, and you can find that EP on Owd Scrat…” Michael Fenton (Fenny), On the Wire (BBC Radio Lancashire). 25/1/2020.
“Rooney and Used to It from their Peel session of October 1999, and that Peel session is now available on Owd Scrat Records.” Gideon Coe (BBC 6 Music). 15/01/2020.
“Not many of you might know what Rooney actually sounded like, that was them, on a John Peel session in 1999…” Zaph Mann, In Memory of John Peel Show (KFFP Radio, Portland and podcast). 11/01/2020.
“…something really exciting from Paul Rooney… that was by Rooney from a Peel session dating from 1999.” George Maund, The Popular Music Show (BBC Radio Merseyside). 06/01/2020.
“…Peel session recorded in May 1999 by Rooney… this requested a few times over but here it is and rather good I think…” Gideon Coe (BBC 6 Music). 20/04/2016.
“Rooney in session, and that’s called Birdsong… and sorry about calling them Rodney. The thing is I always think, Liverpool, and I always think in terms of Rodney Street, which is where I used to go to the dentist when I was a lad! Does that make any sense? Probably not.” John Peel (BBC Radio 1). 13/10/1999.
