One of the few punk bands I never got to see, Swell Maps still left a mark with their Peel sessions and two excellent albums of DIY punk experimentalism.

The group was formed in Solihull by the two teenage Godfrey brothers, Adrian and Kevin – aka Nikki Sudden and Epic Soundtracks. They were joined, variously, by Jowe Head (aka Stephen Bird), Biggles Books (Richard Scaldwell), Phones Sportsman (David Barrington), John ‘Golden’ Cockrill and Richard Earl.

Their 90-second debut single Read About Seymour was released on their own label, Rather Records, either late in 1977 or in early 1978. Then they broke up in April 1980, leaving two wonderfully titled albums of DIY experimentalism, A Trip To Marineville and Swell Maps In ‘Jane From Occupied Europe.’

They also recorded several Peel sessions, which I reckon find them at their best. This is the first of them, from October 1978, ending with that all-too-brief debut single.