Does it get much better than this? It's hard to believe that I recorded this cassette over 25 years ago, pulling together tunes that are now over three decades old. From the opening seconds of Farley and Heller's mix of Come Together, I'm transported and that feeling of euphoria continues for the next 45 minutes.
That wonderful moment when indie and dance came together and before the phrase "there's always been a dance element to our music" became something of a joke. Terry Farley and Paul Oakenfold are prominent on both sides of this mixtape, though it will be no surprise that Andrew Weatherall and Youth slightly had the edge for me.
Adam & Eve's remix of Your Love Takes Me Higher, from a freebie Record Mirror 7" single, is perhaps my favourite of the multiple mixes of the song. Adam & Eve are Jon and Helena Marsh, Helena joining Jon in The Beloved following Steve Waddington's departure.
The selection closes with World Of Twist covering The Rolling Stones, the second such cover on this selection. The explosion of the indie/dance crossover also meant plundering music history for songs to present to a new generation. The Beatles and The Stones were obvious go to bands, but artists from The Doors to The Monkees to Neil Young to T. Rex to Elvis Presley were all fair game, with variable results.
She's A Rainbow was first released as a double A-side with The Storm in November 1990 and scraped to #42 in the UK singles chart. The song was re-released as a standalone single in February 1992 with a pair of gorgeous remixes by Fluke but unfortunately only managed to get to #62. A much underrated band, much missed.
"The New Creation" isn't a nod to Alan McGee's label, although this compilation does feature a couple of Creation label mates (Primal Scream being one, the other's on Side 2). It's an ad-libbed phrase from one of the backing singers on I'm Free by The Soup Dragons. It's definitely there on the acapella version but I might have missed it listening back to the Terry Farley remix featured here. Either way, it felt like an apt title, capturing that feeling as the 1980s became the 1990s that something new and exciting was happening, musically speaking at least.
1) Come Together (12" Version By Terry Farley & Pete Heller): Primal Scream (1990)
2) I'm Free (Terry Farley Remix) (Cover of The Rolling Stones): The Soup Dragons ft. Junior Reid (1990)
3) Your Love Takes Me Higher (Depth & Desire Mix By Adam & Eve): The Beloved (1990)
4) The World According To Sly & Lovechild (Soul Of Europe Mix By Andrew Weatherall): Sly & Lovechild (1990)
5) Rave On (Club Mix By Paul Oakenfold & Terry Farley): Happy Mondays (1989)
6) Kiss Them For Me (Kathak Mix By Youth): Siouxsie & The Banshees (1991)
7) She's A Rainbow (7" Version By Martin Hannett & World Of Twist) (Cover of The Rolling Stones): World Of Twist (1990)
1989: Rave On EP: 5
1990: Come Together EP: 1
1990: I'm Free EP: 2
1990: The Fame And Fortune EP: 3
1990: The Storm / She's A Rainbow EP: 7
1990: The World According To Sly & Lovechild EP: 4
1991: Kiss Them For Me EP: 6
Brilliant selection Khayem.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, Adam!
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