Decadance I: 1990

Side 1 of a mock cassette compilation, kicking off a new series of mixtapes that never were, and a sequel of sorts to one that I posted last August and September.

As 1989 turned into 1990 I had the idea of creating a themed series of cassette compilations, looking back at the previous decade and inspiringly titled Decade. Five C90s, one year per side, 12 songs apiece. 

I recorded the first volume on 3rd February 1990. Thirty five years later, I've finally got around to the follow up.

Decadance (sic) was originally the title of a planned companion to the Decade series, featuring selected 12" versions of 80s songs. I've appropriated it for this series instead, intentional misspelling and all, starting obviously with 1990.

The next five weekends will feature each year of the 90s, sticking with the same format of a dozen songs that dip into my record collection, which grew exponentially during the decade as I got a regular wage and a increasing addiction to music.

This was a bloody tough one to begin with. My 'shortlist' ran to over 50 songs. I decided quite early on that 1990 was going to be limited to more dance-oriented music. Although I still buying lots of guitar-based and indie records, the songs here are more reflective of what I was leaning into and hearing when I was out and about.

So, that immediately relegated Pixies, Lush, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Mazzy Star, Inspiral Carpets and, reluctantly, World Of Twist. Being in the list of 1990s biggest sellers was no guarantee either, as Sinéad O'Connor, Maria McKee, Madonna found out to their cost. 

And Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer and especially Turtle Power by Partners In Kryme were proof if needed that being in the Top 15 best-selling singles of 1990 does not mean that the record buying public was right. Although I agonised longer than perhaps I should have about whether to include Infinity (1990's...Time For The Guru) by Guru Josh (RIP).

That said, two-thirds of today's selection were Top 40, and I've even managed to include two #1's with Beats International and Adamski (who naughtily didn't co-headline with Seal) although I would have sworn that there were three.

In fact, Groove Is In The Heart by Deee-Lite didn't hit the top spot. It was kept at #2 for two weeks by the re-release of The Joker by The Steve Miller Band, before Maria McKee came in with Show Me Heaven and ruined it for both of them.

Before I'd picked any of the other songs, I knew 1990 would begin with Renegade Soundwave, simply because I loved their singles and debut album, Soundclash.  Andrew Weatherall's game changing overhaul of Primal Scream with Loaded was a strong contender but inevitably was the only way to end the selection.

In between, there are perhaps some obvious choices, with The KLF, EMF and The Beloved but hopefully a few pleasant surprises too. 

Of the singles that stalled outside the Top 50, The Fall's inspired collaboration with Coldcut was huge for me, as was The Shamen's game changing album En-Tact. The single version of Make It MIne is a different mix, but the version with the rap by Rhyme & Reason that was so cheesy it was cool is the definitive in my opinion.

As well as samples aplenty, a couple of used another song as the entire foundation of their own, to startling effect. Beats International's cover of Just Be Good To Me by The S.O.S. Band laid Lindy Layton's vocals over the rhythm of Guns Of Brixton by The Clash, with a re-recorded verse lifted from Johnny Dynell & New York 88's Jam Hot was just inspired. 

As was A Tribe Called Quest's debut Top 50 hit, Bonita Applebum, whose pairing with Carly Simon & Chic 1982 hit Why? elevated both songs to another level entirely.

Although never in the same league as Andrew Weatherall, I liked Paul Oakenfold's remixes and whilst he's represented here, you may be scratching your heads wondering why I've left off his frankly brilliant remix of Step On by Happy Mondays (#5 in April 1990) for his arguably lesser known remix of Nothing by Frazier Chorus (#51 in August 1990).

Despite Step On coming out earlier in the year, I actually bought the 12" singles of Cloud 8 and Nothing first. Both featured Oakenfold remixes (I'd also recommend the limited edition Chad Jackson reworks of Nothing) and both were a surprising and pleasing departure for Frazier Chorus. Not that it helped them in the commercial sense, unfortunately,  but look what success did to Happy Mondays...

As an added bonus, this time around, I've included info at the end on when each single's peak (UK) chart placing and date, and the respective EP or album the featured version is lifted from. Well, it keeps me occupied and off the streets.

It will come as no surprise that Sunday will take a look at 1991. 

The Top 10 best selling singles of that year included Bryan Adams, Queen, The Simpsons, Chesney Hawkes and Color Me Badd. You may be relieved to know that none of them will be showing up here.

1) Probably A Robbery (7" Remix By Daniel Miller & Rico Conning): Renegade Soundwave
2) Telephone Thing (Album Version By Coldcut): The Fall
3) Unbelievable (Album Version By Ralph Jezzard): EMF
4) Make It Mine (V2.5) (Remix By The Shamen & 'Evil' Eddie Richards): The Shamen ft. Rhyme & Reason
5) Hello (Album Version By Martyn Phillips): The Beloved
6) What Time Is Love? (Live At Trancentral) (7" Version): The KLF ft. MC Bello & The Children Of The Revolution

7) Dub Be Good To Me (Album Version By Norman Cook): Beats International ft. Lindy Layton

8) Bonita Applebum (7" Why? Edit By CJ Mackintosh & Robin Hancock): A Tribe Called Quest

9) Groove Is In The Heart (LP Version By Deee-Lite & Mike Rogers): Deee-Lite ft. Bootsy Collins & Q-Tip

10) Nothing (7" Edit By Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne): Frazier Chorus

11) Killer (Edit By Adamski & Mike 'Spike' Drake): Adamski ft. Seal

12) Loaded (Andrew Weatherall Mix) (7" Version): Primal Scream

27th Jan 1990: Extricate (#58): 2

11th Feb 1990: Happiness (#19): 5

18th Feb 1990: Probably A Robbery EP (#38): 1

25th Feb 1990: Dub Be Good To Me EP (#1): 7

18th Mar 1990: Loaded EP (#16): 12

6th May 1990: Killer EP (#1): 11

12th Aug 1990: Bonita Applebum EP (#47): 8

26th Aug 1990: Nothing EP (#51): 10

9th Sep 1990: World Clique (#2): 9

9th Sep 1990: What Time Is Love? EP (#5): 6

22nd Sep 1990: En-Tact (#42): 4

25th Nov 1990: Schubert Dip (#3): 3

Side One (47:24) (GD) (M)

Tryna' Keep Cool

Today I'm in the mood for rap, rhymes and beats. Spanning 1986 to 2023, ten blistering tracks covering old school greats, stone cold classics, genre-mashing, effing and jeffing and a chunk of words and music that I've only discovered in the last few years. And enough spare tape on the C90 to add your own favourites to the mixtape.

 

1) I Don't Know Nothin 'Bout Daisies: Definition Of Sound (1991)

2) Dedicated To The City (Album Version): Subsonic 2 (1991)

3) Moment Of Clarity: Jay-Z (2003)

4) Summer Nights: Statik ft. Tom Paddington, Ears & Scorcher (2007)

5) GOB (David Andrew Sitek Remix): Dels ft. Jack Davey (2011)

6) Bite Back: Algiers ft. Billy Woods & Backxwash (2023)

7) Kids...: A Tribe Called Quest ft. André 3000 (2016)

8) Rollin Stone (Live @ Mary Anne Hobbs, BBC 6Music): Little Simz (2021)

9) Paul Revere (Vocal) (Remix By Rick Rubin): Beastie Boys (1986)

10) Brain Washed Follower (Single Version): De La Soul (1989)

1986: It's The New Style EP: 9

1989: Me Myself And I EP: 10

1991: Include Me Out: 2

1991: Wear Your Love Like Heaven EP: 1

2003: The Black Album: 3

2007: Love Music, Hate Racism (NME promo CD+MP3): 4

2011: GOB EP: 5

2016: We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service: 7

2021: Live, Mary Anne Hobbs, BBC 6Music, 15 June 2021: 8

2023: Shook: 6

Tryna' Keep Cool (38:00) (KF) (Mega)

Rollin Stone (BBC6 'Clean' Version) by Little Simz

I was in São Paulo
Eatin' palm hearts and I couldn't believe my surroundings (no)
True, I got the Ends in me, listenin' to Headie
Gettin' gassed in the mountains (yeah)
No time for the thirst trap, I'm quenched
I drink from a different fountain (sip)
Hard food when I serve that
All these likkle fish get fried and your yam get pounded (pounded yam)

 

Mm, might be a brat for a bit 

Want my farm and I want my chicks
Want my suit tailored by Gucci
First-class to Shibuya for the sushi
Give me my cheques and give me my plaques
Want breakdowns and I want my stats, pronto (now, now)

 
Yеah, yeah, God flow
Make you wanna dance all day likе Alfonso (move your body)
Wanna talk about P's, wanna talk about wage, 

but can you do the job though? (can you?)
I can't vouch for a man that ain't got the talent and business combo (no)
It's all a sport, flow on archery, don't get hit with the crossbow

 

Stayed to myself, been true to the core (stay to myself, man, I stay to myself)
I was always the illest, there's never been no cure (no medication)
Callin' shots like I call in favours, facts (true)
My fellas got me if I ever need that

Still, there's things I'm faced with
Stormz' ain't lyin', man, these fools audacious (yeah)
Might demonstrate frustration
Tryna' keep cool, but I'm losin' patience (ayy)
Hmm, no cap, we hate snakes and we hate rats
You can have opinions, just don't mislead the youth in your raps 

(please, please, please, please, please)

 

Mummy handled business, Papa was a rollin' stone
I'm a mix of both, there ain't no snitch-boy in my bones
Coming for this dough like say it's pizza
You can't get in Italia, Fashion Week, huh
Shut down Milan down to Rome

Lookin' like the future, got you fearin' the unknown
I got stories regardin' your chick I won't disclose
Picture perfect, nothing picture perfect here, I know
All illusion, why the world confusing? I don't know

You can't diss me three-time, pull up behind, you'll never see I
I'm probably the reason why your bosses has had to resign
They all follow my step, read about me like I'm Eli
I just book a flight only to land and have some me-time
Let me be, I'm (let me be, I'm)
Takin' time out, hold my spot, go through your time now (hey)

 

Huh, pull up at your spot, they're throwin' roses at my feet, yeah, yeah
What do you mean? In the presence of a queen
Bad, say that she wanna know what's underneath
I could show you things in private, know I hate to cause a scene, yeah

Range black just to match the colour of my skin
Last year, pen was crazy, this year tougher with the ink (yeah)
Know the people miss me, they like, "Where the hell you been?" (yeah)
Counted all my losses, manifested all my wins (yeah)

Can't believe it's Simbi here that's had you listenin'
Well, that chick for now, you didn't know she had a twin (yeah)
I've been in my zone, movin' lowkey in Berlin, ah
You can get the smoke, yeah yeah, das ist kein Problem, ah
Where do I begin? ah
You might just find out real soon, go through your time now

 

Rollin' stone
Rollin' stone
Rollin' stone
Rollin' stone

I Took One Toke, Yo, I Almost Choked

Time for some midweek hip hop, courtesy of A Tribe Called Quest.

I've only recently been taking a deeper dive into the Tribe's treasure trove of albums, EPs, bootlegs and compilations so much of their output (and there's a lot) is still unfamiliar to me. 

 

Here then is a ten-track sampler that spans my first - and for many years, only - ATCQ purchase, 1990's Bonita Applebum single, through to 2016's sixth and final album We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service.

 

A Tribe Called Quest's founding core was Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Q-Tip aka Kamaal Fareed, Phife Dawg aka Malik Taylor (who died from complications due to diabetes in March 2016) and Jarobi White (who left after their debut album and returned for their swansong). A formidable quartet whose questing spirit left a impressive legacy.

 

1) Stressed Out (Raphael Saadiq's Remix ft. Faith Evans) (1996)

2) Mr. Muhammad (1990)

3) Common Ground (Get It Goin' On) (1998)

4) Who Got Da Funk (ft. Science Of Sound & Godfather) (2002) 

5) Jam (Single Edit) (1997)

6) Everything Is Fair (Instrumental) (1991)

7) Oh My God (Organ Mix By CJ Mackintosh) (1994)

8) Whateva Will Be (2016)

9) Vivrant Thing (1999)

10) Bonita Applebum (12" Boys Mix By CJ Mackintosh & Robin Hancock) (1990)

 

1990: Bonita Applebum EP: 10

1990: Peoples Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm: 2 

1994: Oh My God EP: 7

1996: Stressed Out EP: 1 

1997: The Jam EP: 5

1998: The Love Movement: 3

1999: The Anthology: 9

2002: Native Tongues: Unreleased & Unleashed (bootleg): 4

2009: Rare And Unreleased Instrumentals Vol. 1 (promo): 6

2016: We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service: 8

 

One Toke (42:23) (Box) (Mega)

The (Not So) New Creation

Side 2 of a loved up cassette compilation, recorded 7th September 1997.

Rounding up the rest of a mixtape that brings together a bunch of my favourite songs from that glorious period from 1989 to 1991 when the indie/dance crossover really was on fire.

 

Looking back, it was such an exciting time for music and whilst at the ridiculous end of the spectrum, there was a lot of bandwagon jumping with lots of mediocre artists having a funky drummer sample strapped onto their MOR dirge in an attempt to get with it, it was also a period of rebirth and reinvention for many other artists.

Side 2 starts off with one such example, Zodiac Youth being Youth and Mark Manning. At the time, Youth aka Martin Glover was the former bassist with Killing Joke who had carved out a new reputation as a remixer and producer. Mark Manning was better known as the front person of Zodiac Mindwarp & The Love Reaction. Fast Forward The Future is an exhilarating collaboration featuring rapper T-Love and riding on a sample from Faith Healer by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band. 

 

Stephen Duffy, an 80s pop star as Tin Tin, found a new path with The Lilac Time, forging a more pastoral, folk-infused path whilst retaining the wonderful wordplay of his finest songs. Stephen was reportedly quite dismissive of Creation label mate Hypnotone aka Tony Martin's remixes of Dreaming. Whilst Hypnotone's remix of Sheer Taft's Cascades is the high water mark, personally I think this one comes pretty close.

Pleasure* was a duo of Barry Maguire and Steven Gallifent, signed to David A. Stewart's Anxious Records. They released a single, self-titled album in 1989 and Please was the fourth and final single to be lifted, with a trio of remixes by Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne. The CD single was beautifully designed, with a card sleeve housed in an outer red plastic sleeve with button and stenciled logo, the cost of which alone likely landed them in even greater debt when the single didn't achieve global success. It's a shame, as the mixes are pretty good.

Bonita Applebum was my introduction to A Tribe Called Quest, specifically the 7" and 12" mixes built around the sample of Why? by Carly Simon. CJ Mackintosh was the go-to remixer for labels seeking to open up US hip-hop and rap to a wider UK audience and you can see why on the strength of this track. Blew me away at the time and still does, to be honest.

Both New Atlantic and Love Decade shone very briefly in the early 1990s but neither bettered I Know. This collaborative effort samples the Candi Staton vocal used in full - and to brilliant effect - by The Source on You Got The Love several times, including 1991 when I Know was also riding the charts. Add some further pan pipe samples, Italo piano chords and propulsive beats and the remix had hit written all over it.

According to the small print on the cassette sleeve, the original mixtape used the Loved Up remix of Paris Angels' Perfume from the 1991 reissue. I haven't been able to track down the CD single in question so I've used the 1990 single version. It's pretty much the same running time and there may be little difference apart from a slight remix and buff up for the second go ahead. Either way, it's an absolute classic of the period and genre. The original, full length All On You version is the essential but this'll do very nicely, thank you.

I'm not a big fan of The Farm, and seeing them live on stage supporting Madness last year didn't change that drastically, but I do like their cover of The Monkees' Stepping Stone, particularly the 12" version. Continuing the theme of reinvention and rebirth, Madness legend Suggs was managing The Farm at the time and joined Terry Farley for the remix. 

 

Also on a break from his main job at the time was INXS front person Michael Hutchence, here with old pal Ollie Olsen as Max Q. Just the one self-titled album in 1989, with a couple of singles with remixes from Todd Terry, though less dance-oriented than you'd expect. The 12" single(s) to go for featured Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne, the Land Of Oz mix featured here being the standout.

1) Fast Forward The Future (Witch-Hunt Mix By Youth & Mark 'Spike' Stent): Zodiac Youth ft. T-Love (1991)

2) Dreaming (12" Mix By Hypnotone): The Lilac Time (1991)

3) Please (Future Mix By Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne): Pleasure* (1990)

4) Bonita Applebum (7" Why? Edit By CJ Mackintosh & Robin Hancock): A Tribe Called Quest (1990)

5) I Know (Love Decade Remix 12"): New Atlantic (1991)

6) Perfume (Single Version): Paris Angels (1990)

7) Stepping Stone (Ghost Dance Mix By Terry Farley & Mr. Suggs) (12" Version) (Cover of '(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone' by The Monkees): The Farm (1991)

8) Sometimes (Land Of Oz Mix By Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne): Max Q (1989)

 

Side Two (46:22) (Box) (Mega)

Side One here

P.S. If you visited the Dot Allison post yesterday, you may be interested to know that I’ve since added a link to the hour-long Dubhed selection I originally posted in October 2022.

What’s Ya Flava, Flavor Flav?!

Mix CD from April 2003, compiled for my friend Paul. A hip-hop/rap/dancefloor sample-heavy mish-mash.

1) American Household (Front Hug Mix By Her Space Holiday): Logic (2001)

2) 1,2 Mic Check: Smith & Mighty ft. Kelz (2002)

3) Television, The Drug Of The Nation (Ultimatum Remix By The Stereo MC's): The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy (1991)

4) Never Again (Extended Mix): JC-001 (1993)

5) The Worst MC: Gonzales (2000)

6) Killer Inside Me (Killer Long Version): MC 900 Ft. Jesus (1991)

7) Pick It Up Y'all (Dust Brothers Vocal Mix By The Chemical Brothers): Justin Warfield (1994)

8) Concrete Schoolyard (Album Version): Jurassic 5 (1998)

9) Mr. Wendal (Perfecto Mix By Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne): Arrested Development (1992)

10) Stoned Island Estate (Les Rythmes Digitales Remix By Stuart Price): Glamorous Hooligan (1998)

11) What Time Is Love? (Live At Trancentral) (12" Version): The KLF ft. MC Bello & The Children Of The Revolution (1990)

12) World Tour Sessions (Album Version): Public Enemy ft. Kyle Jason (1999)

13) Bashment Boogie (Shadowless Tomz Remix): Roots Manuva (2002)

14) Bug Powder Dust (Radio Mix): Bomb The Bass ft. Justin Warfield (1994)

15) New New York: Tes (2003)

16) Bonita Applebum (12" Why? Edit By CJ Mackintosh): A Tribe Called Quest (1990)

What’s Ya Flava, Flavor Flav?! (1:20:34)
 

Slip Into Something More Comfortable...

June 2015 mix, re-posted on my Mixcloud page in 2020, which includes the Hannes Fischer remix of Summertime Sadness that I mentioned in Sunday's post. Starting with Christopher Guest as Spinal Tap's Nigel Tufnell and finishing with John Thaw as The Sweeney's Jack Regan, and slipping in a few of my amateur edits along the way. Simplesmente is a simple splice of two Tom Middleton mixes. I like the Edie Sedgwick/Nightmares On Wax mash-up and I think the Shift K3y/Lana Del Rey segue works well although in retrospect I maybe should have extended the intro of the latter. And, of course, any excuse to shoehorn in a Julian Cope song...

 

1) "This one goes to 11…”: Spinal Tap (1984)
2) Slip Into Something More Comfortable (Original Instrumental Version): Kinobe (2000)
3) Edie Sedgwick Bleu My Mind (Khayem Mash-Up): Nightmares On Wax ft. Edie Sedgwick, Andy Warhol & Merv Griffin (2015)
4) Irganda (Red Snapper Remix): Songhoy Blues (2015)
5) Once In A Lifetime (Luxxury Edit): Talking Heads (2015)
6) Simplesmente (Tom Middleton Balearic Cosmos Remix) (Khayem Re-Edit): Bebel Gilberto (2015)
7) “Let’s face it Roger, that dress is you”: Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder & Christopher Hewett (1967)
8) Get Lucky (Live Medley @ MTV Awards): Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers & Stevie Wonder (2014)
9) Not Into It (Original Mix): Shift K3Y (2014)
10) Summertime Sadness (Hannes Fischer Radio Edit): Lana Del Rey (2013)
11) Au Pays Des Merveilles De Juliet (Psychemagik Tour De Force Remix): Yves Simon (2014)
12) I Left My Wallet In El Segundo (Independence Mix By Norman Cook): A Tribe Called Quest (1990)
13) Rhythm & Blues World Service: Alexis Korner (1967)
14) State Of Independence (Long Version By Quincy Jones): Donna Summer (1982)
15) The Forest (Richard Norris Remix): Black Rivers (2015)
16) Wonderwall (Liam Gallagher & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra IDC Mix): Oasis (2014)
17) Let Me Down Gently (Prins Thomas Diskomiks): La Roux (2014)
18) Burning Disaster (Groove Armada Bedtime Story Mix): Language Lab (1999)
19) Sunspots (Album Version): Julian Cope (1984)
20) “Get your trousers on, you’re nicked”: John Thaw (1975)

 

Slip Into Something More Comfortable... (1:21:11)