40 Years Ago: THE 4-SKINS record a Peel Session

Daily Noise - / 2021

40 Years Ago: THE 4-SKINS record a Peel Session

THE 4-SKINS recorded a session for the John Peel programme on this day in 1981.

It never aired.

Peel, who had played "1984" (from Strength Thru Oi!) that May, typically aired sessions a few weeks after recording. On 4 July a gig at the Hambrough Tavern, Southall with THE LAST RESORT and THE BUSINESS ended in a riot. 110 people hospitalised, the venue was petrol bombed.

The BBC Nationwide clip below, from August 1981, covers the riot and aftermath.

This session never aired, likely due to the riot, but the tapes were saved and released on a compilation, The Secret Life of The 4-Skins.

The Hambrough Tavernt riot brought attention to the Oi! scene for all the wrong reasons. The shelved session was only part of a general boycott including record shops and venues. For the reality of the events there's a series of recollections from those that attended at Subcultz.