Recorded for Kid Jensen BBC Radio 1 session 15/04/1982
Seminal post-punk funk band Maximum Joy are set to release a 5-track EP of a selection of tracks recorded in 1982 from two
excluve live sessions for BBC radio legends John Peel and Kid Jensen. Newly remastered, corrected and cleaned for the exact
tempo and optimum listening experience, the ‘BBC Radio 1 Sessions’ includes the popular tracks ‘Searching for a Feeling’ and
‘Silent Street’ and is set for release on the 6 th May via London Field Recordings.
“We discovered the existing Radio 1 session ‘tapes’ had suffered and decayed in quality and specifically were all running too slow
and not true to the originals. These are restored to the original sound and recording quality,” says Janine Rainforth, Maximum Joy
founder and vocalist.
Mixing punk, reggae, funk, jazz and hip-hop grooves with wild improvisation and attitude, Maximum Joy rose up from the fertile
Bristol scene of the late 70’s/early 80’s. Fuelled by Thatcherism, inner city race riots and growing protest amongst young and old,
Maximum Joy’s songs and melodies were about getting conscious and waking up to life and immediately took their place on the
rosters of influential labels like Y and 99. Their one and only album, the Adrian Sherwood-produced ‘Station MXJY’ was released in
1982 with the band disbanding the following year.
“From the start John Peel took to Maximum Joy and championed us, like he did so many bands and musicians. I had so much
respect for him and we’d listened to his late evening Radio 1 show avidly – his wide influence on the music scene was seemingly all
pervasive. So being invited to do a John Peel Radio 1 session – and then to do a second within a few months was so exciting - an
honour and a joy,” says Rainforth. She adds, “The Kid Jensen session was for daytime play Radio 1. We had huge respect for Kid
Jensen – his daytime show was buzzing and influential - it was a shift in direction for Maximum Joy. Listening to that session now I
love the energy we bought to it. We were gigging and touring a lot – so we were primed to make this a good one.”
credits
from The BBCR1 Sessions -,
released May 6, 2022
Kid Jensen BBC Radio 1 session recorded 15/04/1982 (C)
Transmission date - 27/04/1982
• BBC Producer - John Sparrow
• BBC Engineer - Mike Robinson
• BBC Studio - Maida Vale 5
• Re-mastered and cleaned 2021 –
• Sound Engineer – David McEwen @ LAB 215
LINE UP
• Janine Rainforth (Vocals, Violin)
• Tony Wrafter (Saxophone, Trumpet)
• John Waddington (Guitar)
• Charlie Llewellin (Drums)
• Kevin Evans (Bass)
WRITER - Wrafter
MUSIC - Maximum Joy
Artwork by LFR/
Front photograph of Janine Rainforth by Geraldine Ewer
All tracks (p) 1982 BBC
"If you can only pick one jazz-influenced post-punk band to listen to, make sure it is Maximum Joy"
Maximum Joy is the
brainchild of vocalist Janine Rainforth and Tony Wafter, who were joined by ex-Pop Group members John Waddington, Dan Catsis & ex- Glaxo Babies drummer Charlie Llewellin. Kev Evans then joined as bassist, alongside Nellee Hooper, Jeremy Hirsch. Rainforth reformed the band 2015....more
Original founder of Maximum Joy, Janine Rainforth made a return to performing her music after an absence of more than two decades. This, her first solo release came out in May 2015. More coming soon! Maximum Joy
supported by 7 fans who also own “Silent Street (BBC R1 Session)”
Like so many others, this came like a bolt out of the blue and, even though it's well before payday, I had to have this astonishing album on vinyl to prove it exists. The feel of the tunes makes me feel like the Impressions do, Curtis Mayfield, the big spaces and instinctive horns and stuff drifting in and out. Great grooves and I can see lots of ghosts nodding along to this with big smiles on their faces. At last! Anthony Cottrell