You Don't Know What You've Got 'Til It's Gone

Side 2 of a Fluke mixtape, compiled 8th May 1997. 

 

As mentioned when I previously posted Side 1, this is the second volume of Fluke cassettes, somewhat confusingly titled (Singles), with volume one being (Mixes). Both compilations are similar in that they're a bit of a free-for-all of single (re)mixes, album tracks and remixes for other artists.

Unlike Side 1, which only featured one Fluke single, Side 2 justifies the cassette compilation title slightly more, with four. There's an alternative remix of Philly from the 12" single, plus Bullet and Atom Bomb, which respectively reached #23 and #20 in the UK chart, the highest placing of any of their singles.

Side 2 starts off with another single, Joni, Fluke's wonderful tribute to Ms. Mitchell, sampling Big Yellow Taxi. This is the slightly more polished version from their debut album The Techno Rose Of Blighty.

 

Top Of The World and Wobbler are highlights from follow up albums, Six Wheels On My Wagon (1993) and Oto (1995), both of which sold respectively but just missed out on cracking the Top 40 UK albums.

The final track is a remix of an obscure Tears For Fears song, the B-side to Advice For The Young At Heart, released in March 1990 and peaking at #36. In February 1991, a pair of Fluke remixes of Johnny Panic And The Bible Of Dreams were released as a single in their own right. Tears For Fears were not explicitly labelled as the artist on the sleeve or label, although a peek at the small print credits would have given the game away. This wasn't an unusual practice in the early 1990s and although it's success as a single was limited - 2 weeks in the UK chart at #70 then #72 - it was another excellent calling card by Fluke.

Jon Fugler, Mike Bryant and Mike Tournier called it a day as Fluke in the early 2000s, apart from a one-off live performance in 2009. A hugely underrated and underappreciated act in my opinion, Fluke didn't enjoy the same level of acclaim as, say, The Chemical Brothers or Underworld, but in their singles, albums and remixes they perfectly captured that feeling of optimism, togetherness and unbridled, bouncy joy of the 1990s. 

1) Joni (Album Version): Fluke (1991)

2) Atom Bomb (Atomix 5): Fluke (1993) 

3) Top Of The World: Fluke (1993)

4) Bullet (Bitten): Fluke (1995)

5) Wobbler: Fluke (1995)

6) Philly (Jamoeba Mix): Fluke (1990)

7) Johnny Panic And The Bible Of Dreams (Mix One By Fluke): Tears For Fears ft. Biti Strauchn (1991)

1990: Philly EP: 6

1991: Johnny Panic And The Bible Of Dreams EP: 7

1991: The Techno Rose Of Blighty: 1

1993: Six Wheels On My Wagon: 3

1995: Bullet EP: 4

1995: Oto: 5

1996: Atom Bomb EP: 2

Side Two (46:05) (Box) (Mega)

Side One here