Thursday 7 October 2021

The World Keeps Spinning

Side 1 of a mixtape, originally compiled 10th August 1994 and featuring remixes of Sparks, One Dove and Flowered Up. All three were purchased on 12" vinyl during a brief period living in Derby. My main job during this time was working a 2-10pm shift in the distribution warehouse at Joseph Mason Paints, co-ordinating the cross-country delivery runs. Crappy job and hours, but it did mean that after-work clubbing was a regular thing and I had cash to squeeze more vinyl & CDs into my pokey, damp bedsit.

There were loads of great record shops in Derby city centre at the time. The only name that I recall with any real clarity was Way Ahead, but I can at least remember that I didn't get any of these 12" singles from there. The Sparks one was a surprise discovery at the time as I'd kind of lost touch with their output in the 1980s and suddenly, here was this 2-track 12" with remixes from the Finitribe stable. I bought it without having heard it, confident that it would be great and I was right. Similarly, the limited edition remix 12" of One Dove was a must buy as soon as I saw it. Secret Knowledge aka Kris Needs delivered the A side, following a brace of epic remixes of previous single Breakdown, but the Underworld remix on the flip is even better, nearly 15 minutes of rolling beats and increasingly urgent synths. And what better way to finish Side 1 than the second of two epic remixes from the Weatherall's Weekender 12" by Flowered Up? Nearly three decades on, this sequence of music gives me a thrill and takes me back to the happy moments in Derby, listening to these before going clubbing, or through headphones whilst out and about, shaking off a heavy one or rekindling the vibe of the night before.

1) National Crime Awareness Week (13 Minutes In Heaven) (Remix By Finiflex aka John Vick & Fred Parsons): Sparks (1993)
2) Why Don't You Take Me (Underworld Up 2 Down Remix): One Dove (1993)
3) Weekender (Audrey Is A Little Bit More Partial Mix By The Sabres Of Paradise aka Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns): Flowered Up (1992)
 

2 comments:

  1. Sadly there are no records shops left in Derby city centre today ( except HMV), I didn't move to Derby until the mid 90's, when the best record shop was Reveal Records which went on to release many records most well known being 'Joan As Police Women' - Middle Aged Man

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    1. Thanks, Middle Aged Man. I was aware of Reveal, not just through Joan As Police Woman, but Boo Hewerdine and Lau/Kris Drever. Your comment prompted me to revisit the Reveal website and from there, the story of Tom Rose's journey from record shop worker to label founder. Fascinating and inspiring.

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