On 13th January the great Ronnie Ronalde died aged 91. The man that John Peel described as “one of the great British entertainers” made his name through his uncanny ability to whistle like a bird – a somewhat archaic talent these days but still more impressive than anything Ed Sheeran has ever done. Roy Rogers once complained to him that his whistling made his horse,Trigger urinate involuntarily. The three tracks from his 2002 John Peel session included in this week’s When Big Joan Sets Up may well have the same effect on you.

When Big Joan Sets Up 30th January – J Rocc by Phil Cope on Mixcloud

Napalm Death – “Metaphorically,Screw You” (LP – “Apex Predator: Easy Meat”) (Century Media)
Plastikman – “EXplore (Recondite Remix)” (EP – “EX Club Mixes”) (Mute)
The Twerps – “Stranger” (LP – “Range Anxiety”) (Merge)
Ronnie Ronalde – “Greensleeves” (John Peel Session 2002) (Download from http://lifehassurfacenoise.blogspot.co.uk)
Sorrow – “Munscroft” (EP – “Search of the Miraculous”) (Inspected)
The Merseys – “Sorrow” (7″) (Fontana)
J-Rocc -“The Rhythm or The Beat” (LP – “Beats on Tap(e)”) (Stones Throw)
J-Rocc -“Strings Turnt Up” (LP – “Beats on Tap(e)”) (Stones Throw)
J-Rocc -“You’ll Never” (LP – “Beats on Tap(e)”) (Stones Throw)
J-Rocc -“Fire Dancer” (LP – “Beats on Tap(e)”) (Stones Throw)
J-Rocc -“A High Sunrise” (LP – “Beats on Tap(e)”) (Stones Throw)
J-Rocc -“I Wonder” (LP – “Beats on Tap(e)”) (Stones Throw)
J-Rocc -“Jetsetting” (LP – “Beats on Tap(e)”) (Stones Throw)
J-Rocc -“Ya Whole Block” (LP – “Beats on Tap(e)”) (Stones Throw)
J-Rocc -“Dark Streets” (LP – “Beats on Tap(e)”) (Stones Throw)
J-Rocc -“In Converstions With Parts I & II” (LP – “Beats on Tap(e)”) (Stones Throw)
Ronnie Ronalde – “O Sole Mio” (John Peel Session 2002) (Download from http://lifehassurfacenoise.blogspot.co.uk)
Luciano – “Sounds of The Ghetto” (LP – “Dub Showcase Luciano at Ariwa Sounds”) (Ariwa)
Love Cuts – “Window of Opportunity” (Split Cassette s/w Burnt Palms) (Lost Sound Tapes)
Aphex Twin – “diskhat 1” (EP – “Computer Controlled Acoustic Sounds Pt 2”) (Warp)
Ronnie Ronalde – “Mockingbird Hill” (John Peel Session 2002) (Download from http://lifehassurfacenoise.blogspot.co.uk)
Skeptikal – “Playground Chat Back” (EP – “Imperial”) (Exit)

Sixteen years after making Pete Waterman go all red-faced and angry for beating Steps at the Brits Belle and Sebastian are one of the great British ,er sorry Scottish bands of our times. Their new LP “Girls and Peacetime Want To Dance” was featured on this week’s Big Joan.

When Big Joan Sets Up 23rd January – Belle and Sebastian by Phil Cope on Mixcloud

Constant Mongrel – “New Shapes” (7″) (RIP Society)
Funkadelic – “Old Fool” (LP – “First Ya Gotta Shake The Gate”) (The C Kunspyruhzy)
Cronische – “Noisebreak” (LP – “Noisebreak Remix”) (Bandcamp)
Belle and Sebastian – “Perfect Couples” (LP – “Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance”) (Matador)
Jacob Miller and Inner Circle – “Tenement Yard” (LP – “Tenement Yard”) (Island)
Jacob Miller and Chronixx – “Tenement Yard” (Download single) (Dubshot)
David Shrigley and Malcom Middleton – “Dear Brain” (LP – “Music And Words”) (Melodic)
Deft – “Blue Jasmine” (EP – “Blue Jasmine”) (Project Mooncircle)
Belle and Sebastian – “The Cat With The Cream” (LP – “Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance”) (Matador)
Napalm Death – “Cesspits” (LP – “Apex Predator:Easy Meat”) (Century Media)
DJ Pound – “Thought Machine” (LP – “Thought Machine”) (Saturate!)
Milk Dick – “Girls Have Needs” (EP – “Cash Now”) (Bandcamp)
The Bonzo Dog Band – “Canyons Of Your Mind” (Download EP – “Top Gear Session”) (BBC Recordings)
Belle and Sebastian – “Ever Had A Little Faith” (LP – “Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance”) (Matador)
Sly and Robbie – “Satan Fall” (LP – “Dub Rising”) (Funky Gemini)

Everybody loves a bit of VFM especially in January and so with that in mind two featured LP’s on this week’s programme one from Shrapnel which is impossible to describe in mere words and one from future of hardcore Gas Rag that has a willy on the cover. Bargain!

When Big Joan Sets Up 16th Jan – Shrapnel/Gas Rag by Phil Cope on Mixcloud

Belle and Sebastian – “Nobody’s Empire” (Download single) (Matador)
Kid Autumn – “White Wrapperz” (LP -“#1”) (Bandcamp)
Rupie Edwards – “Irie Feelings” (V/A LP – “20 Reggae Greats Volume 4”) (Trojan)
Shrapnel – “Ice Hat” (LP – “Tobacco Dreams”) (Tenth Court)
Sleater Kinney – “Surface Envy” (LP – “No Cities To Love”) (Sub Pop)
Scott Brown – “War” (Download) (Evolution)
Gas Rag – “Drugs and Violence” (LP – “..Beats Off”) (Beach Impediment)
Gas Rag – “Annihilation” (LP – “..Beats Off”) (Beach Impediment)
Gas Rag – “The Clock” (LP – “..Beats Off”) (Beach Impediment)
Gas Rag – “Criminal Gas” (LP – “..Beats Off”) (Beach Impediment)
Gas Rag – “Body Bags” (LP – “..Beats Off”) (Beach Impediment)
Assassin – “Different Ting” (V/A LP “Wow Riddim”) (Biggy Music)
Shrapnel – “Hickford One” (LP – “Tobacco Dreams”) (Tenth Court)
Aesop Rock – “Bug Zapper” (Download single) (Rhymesayers)
Legendary Wings – “Leaving Home” (LP – “Do You See?”
Commodo – “Good Grief” (V/A LP – “Off The Hook”) (Hotline)
The Rolling Stones – “Off The Hook” (LP – “Rolling Stones No.2”) (Decca)
Shrapnel – “Wet Whistle” (LP – “Tobacco Dreams”) (Tenth Court)
Dead Sound – “Lose Your Rights” (EP – “Forced”) (Decoy)