As If All This Would Do, When All We Want To Have Is Fun

A double celebration today, and an excuse (not that any is needed) for an hour of Andrew Weatherall.

Lady K will see this as further evidence of my ongoing stumble into irrelevance and decrepitude, but somehow another year has passed and I enter my 54th year on this swirling, twirling, constantly confounding and exciting plane of existence. 

 

Also, a slightly belated cheer for this here blog, which first emerged blinking into the artificial light of the blogoverse on 7th December 2020. Thanks to all those who have joined the ride along the way, and continue to inspire and encourage me. 

I've created loads of Andrew Weatherall selections in the past four years, and yet there's so much to choose from that it's still relatively easy to come up with a mix of music (or versions) that hasn't featured on this blog before. In fact, I was convinced that several of today's tracks had appeared here, but with one very deliberate exception, as far as I can tell, it's first time for all of the rest.

All eight songs are Andrew remixing other artists, not quite going back to the very beginning but starting relatively early in 1991 and going right to one of the very last remixes that he produced, before his passing in 2020. 

By accident not design, I've inadvertantly skipped any of the remixes Andrew did with Keith Tenniswood as Two Lone Swordsmen or Timothy J. Fairplay as The Asphodells, but there are other collaborations here: The Sabres Of Paradise (of course) with Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns, plus David Harrow and Hugo Nicolson.

 

David Holmes is another inevitable inclusion; the instrumental mix of I Heard Wonders has previously appeared, here is Weatherall's full vocal version. Holmes has been a key figure in keeping the Weatherall flame burning and embodying the same spirit of curiosity, adventure and inclusion that typified The Guv'nor's approach to his craft.

 

Andrew previously remixed Jungle Bill by Yello in the early 1990s, and returned over twenty years later to refashion Frautonium. 

 

It was common for Andrew to deliver multiple versions in one go: Ohm's Tribal Tone got three, Sleeper by Audioweb got two, as did Son Sur Son by The Venetians. Value for money would be an understatement, none of the remixes were ever 'dialled in' and each has a character of their own.

 

One Dove and Andrew Weatherall were inextricably linked on their early singles and monumental debut, Morning Dove White. There are lots of mixes of Fallen, but the Nancy & Lee Mix was so epic that it was adapted for inclusion on the album.

 

I started this blog in 2020 with 50@50, a series of Dubhed selections, charting key songs from 1970 to 2020, each 'side' covering roughly 5 years. Andrew Weatherall dominated the 1990-1994 selection, with 3 of the 5 tracks being his remixes of Primal Scream, Finitribe and the Nancy & Lee Mix of Fallen by One Dove.

 

On 11th December 2020, I pulled all of the sides together and sequenced them together into an epic four-hour selection. So, to celebrate four years to the day since Fallen (Nancy & Lee Mix) by One Dove and Andrew Weatherall appeared on this blog, here it is again to close out today's selection.

 

Less self-promotion and more (of the usual) nonsense tomorrow.

1) The Drum (12" Mix By Andrew Weatherall & Hugo Nicolson) (Cover of Slapp Happy): The Impossibles (1991)

2) Tribal Tone (Sabres Mix #1 By Sabres Of Paradise aka Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns): Ohm (1993)

3) I Heard Wonders (Andrew Weatherall Vocal Mix): David Holmes (2008)

4) Frautonium (Battery) (Remix by Andrew Weatherall): Yello (2017)

5) Sleeper (Emissions No.5) (Remix By Andrew Weatherall & David Harrow): Audioweb (1995)

6) Son Sur Son (A.W. Edition Due) (Remix By Andrew Weatherall): The Venetians (2020)

7) Sweet Love For Planet Earth (Andrew Weatherall Remix): Fuck Buttons (2008)

8) Fallen (Nancy & Lee Mix By Andrew Weatherall & One Dove): One Dove (1992) 

 

All We Want To Have Is Fun (58:54) (KF) (Mega)

The Fake History Of Dub Muzik

An hour long selection of Dub Pistols remixes, to bring the (big) beat back into your life and banish the blues of another working week. This one's dedicated to Mooz, creator of the awe-inspiring Moozler Music site, a repository of some frankly quite brilliant, genre-defying mixes.

Three weeks ago, I enthused about Dub Pistols' ninth and current album, Frontline. Mooz commented that he was new to Dub Pistols, bar a couple of remixes, and I made a note to self that I would trawl through my admittedly meagre collection of same to create a future selection and post. Typically, said post can take months, if not years, to appear so the fact that a mere two weeks have passed since I made that vague promise is bordering on the incredible.

Anyway, these pretty much cover a two year period in the late 1990s, when Big Beat was all the rage and Barry Ashworth's crew were one of the finest examples of this. The dub and dancehall influences are still in there but these mixes are all about giving it some welly in a nightclub and flicking that sweat all over the shop as you bust your moves. Or something like that.

Of the two remixes that Mooz mentioned, of Audioweb and DJ Spooky, I only own the former but the mix of Faker is superb so I had to include it. I'd argue that Hurricane #1, Bush and Limp Bizkit only sounded half decent when remixed and reworked to within an inch of their lives. I'd probably press 'skip' on the original versions of all of the songs featured here, but the Dub Pistols remixes elevate them to another level. Likewise, Moby's cover of the James Bond theme, unrecognisable as such here.

As for Korn, the All Mixed Up EP is the only release of theirs that I own and is likely to remain that way. Potty mouth precautions for this one is you have sensitive ears in proximity to your speakers. By contrast, we also have Natalie Imbruglia. So there.

I've had the Danmass single knocking about for ages but I've only just realised that it's Dan Carey and Massimo Bonaddio. I won't pretend I know anything about the latter, but Dan Carey is all over my record collection, not least for his work with Emilíana Torrini, Kylie, Róisín Murphy, Franz Ferdinand and Warmduscher, to name a (very) few.

Dub Pistols originally remixed Dust Junkys' Nothin' Personal in 1998. The version here, also known as Hooligan (Dub Pistols x Vega Remix), was re-edited and released by Vince Vega in 2016. One of Dust Junkys' founder members is Nicky Lockett, perhaps better known to you and I as MC Tunes.

 

In other undercover news, Girl Eats Boy is/was an alias for Lol Hammond (Drum Club, Slab). I discovered this one on a US compilation called Funk Off..! Vol. 1, which is an interesting curio of big beat and drum 'n' bass sounds from the UK. I don't think there was a Vol. 2.

Pop Muzik is an all-time classic and a fertile ground for remix artists. Dub Pistols first had a go in 2000, when Robin Scott (aka M) reworked and re-released the song as Pop Y2K. I'm not 100% sure but I think that the remix that appeared on the 30th anniversary celebration compilation in 2009 was an entirely new version.

 

I'm sticking with the late 1990s for tomorrow's Wednesday's* post.

 

1) Faces In A Dream (Dub Pistols Tornado Mix): Hurricane #1 (1999)

2) Napalm In Bohemia (Dub Pistols Mix) (Edit): Girl Eats Boy (1998)

3) James Bond Theme (Moby's Re-Version) (Dub Pistols Remix) (Cover of John Barry & Orchestra): Moby (1997)

4) Smoke (Dub Pistols Vocal): Natalie Imbruglia (1998)

5) Gotta Learn (Dub Pistols Sick Junkey Remix): Danmass (1998)

6) Good God (Dub Pistols Mix): Korn (1999)

7) My Way (Pistols' Dancehall Dub) (Remix By Dub Pistols): Limp Bizkit (2001)

8) Nothin' Personal (Dub Pistols Hooligan Riot Remix) (Re-Edit By Vince Vega): Dust Junkys ft. The Collective (2016)

9) Faker (The Dub Pistols Mix): Audioweb (1997)

10) History (Dub Pistols Mix): Bush (1997)

11) Pop Muzik (Dub Pistols/U2 Remix): M (2009)

 

1997: Deconstructed: 10

1997: Faker EP: 9

1997: James Bond Theme (Moby's Re-Version) EP: 3

1998: Smoke EP: 4

1998: The Woman I Love EP: 5

1999: All Mixed Up EP: 6

1999: Funk Off..! Vol. 1: 2

1999: Only The Strongest Will Survive EP: 1 

2001: My Way EP / New Old Songs: 7

2009: Pop Muzik: The Remix Album (iTunes Edition): 11

2016: Appropriation EP: 8

 

The Fake History Of Dub Muzik (1:01:07) (KF) (Mega)

 

* I changed my mind whilst drafting another post for this week, bringing it forward to Tuesday, for reasons which will become clear.

Never Hurt Nobody

On 8th August 1980, The Clash released the single Bankrobber. It was a standalone release bridging the albums London Calling and Sandanista! and their second biggest UK chart single (peaking at #12), after the title track of the former which got one place higher in 1979.

 

The above is Don Letts' official video for Bankrobber, mainly showing Joe, Mick, Paul, Topper and Mikey Dread in the studio and on stage and intercut with a loose narrative of a bank job. The heist was filmed in Lewisham and stars Clash roadies Barry 'The Baker' Auguste and Johnny Green. Both were reportedly stopped and questioned by police during filming, who clearly thought they were genuinely up to no good!

 

In 1996, Audioweb's self-titled debut album contained their own version of Bankrobber. It too was released as a single (featuring Half Pint aka Lindon Roberts) and provided their biggest hit and sole UK Top 20 in February 1997. Directors GobTV provide some interesting background to the making of the video to accompany the YouTube clip.

 

The CD single that I bought at the time additionally contains a live version and a couple of remixes, which you can also find in it's entirety on YouTube. 

 

Mikey Dread was at the controls for the original recording of Bankrobber. He also delivered an alternative version, Rockers Galore...U.K. Tour, which appeared on the B-side of the 7" single and subsequently on 1993's Super Black Market Clash compilation. Here's Mikey performing a cover of Bankrobber as a tribute to Joe Strummer at Glastonbury in 2004.

Fast forward to 2005 and Chumbawamba included a short and sweet a capella version of Bankrobber on their album A Singsong And A Scrap. I've not heard this before and I like it a lot.

 

A decade later Combat Cancer, a fundraising tribute to The Clash featured a couple of versions of Bankrobber, closing with this 'live 'n' loose' take by Nick Welsh and Susan Cadogan. A good cause and lovely to hear the latter, but not a version that I'm likely to return to repeatedly.

In July 2020, Dub Pistols - perhaps unsurprisingly - took on the challenge, with vocals by head man Barry Ashworth and guest Seanie T. It was released on 7" vinyl with the King Yoof Dub version on the flip side, which is equally pleasing.

 

Speaking of dubs, back in 1980 Mikey Dread produced a version of Bankrobber intended for the single. Inexplicably, the record label decided not to release a 12" single of Bankrobber but it did pop up later that year as a combined edit on Black Market Clash, a 10" compilation available in the USA and Canada only. To bring things full circle and to a fitting close, here's Bankrobber/Robber Dub in it's full glory.

 

This post is dedicated as an early happy birthday to Joe Strummer, who would have turned 71 on 21st August.

Hanging On

Gosh, these weekends seem to be coming around quickly...! Here's another uptempo mix to round off the week and usher in a couple of days' respite from what has been a rather full on seven days.

The typically loose theme of today's selection is guest appearances galore. Where else are you likely to find Pharrell Williams rubbing shoulders with Steve Ignorant, Half Pint, Billie Ray Martin, John Grant, Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones, Peter Murphy, Emma Pollock, Zip Rapper, Alison Goldfrapp, KC Flightt, not to mention Carry On film legend Sid James and yesterday's birthday boy Greg Dulli?

The music is largely rooted in the 21st Century, with the occasional dip back into the 1990s, with a smattering of cover versions of Pink Floyd, The Clash and Julee Cruise.

Now all I need is a black coffee and some damn fine cherry pie...

1) A.D.D. S.U.V. (Armand Van Helden Vocal Remix): Uffie ft. Pharrell Williams (2010)

2) Diablo (The Devil Rides Out Mix By Dave Ball & Richard Norris): The Grid ft. Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones (1995)

3) I Try To Talk To You (Ha-Ze Factory's Mucho Elegante Rework): Hercules & Love Affair ft. John Grant (2012)

4) Falling (Log Lady Mix - Short Version By Kjeld Tolstrup & Per Holm) (Cover of Julee Cruise): One-Eyed Jacks ft. Zip Rapper (1991)

5) Somebody Needs You: Lo Fidelity Allstars ft. Greg Dulli (2002)

6) Heavy Game (Night Excursion): Hifi Sean ft. Billie Ray Martin (2017)

7) Front 2 Back (Todd Terry Unreleased Mix): Playgroup ft. KC Flightt (2006)

8) Bike (Steve James Mix) (Cover of Pink Floyd): Fortran 5 ft. Sid James (1991)

9) Paper (AXOR Remix By Sam Barker): Starless ft. Emma Pollock (2020)

10) Bankrobber (Cellar Mix) (Cover of The Clash): Audioweb ft. Half Pint (1996)

11) Are We Here? (Industry Standard?): Orbital ft. Alison Goldfrapp (1994)

12) Who D'You Think You're Talking To?: Buscemi ft. Steve Ignorant (2021)

13) We Dive: Rambient ft. Peter Murphy (2001)

 

Hanging On (1:02:47) (Box) (Mega)

You Can Touch It But It Will Not Fade

Side 1 of a mixtape, compiled 11th January 1998.

Following on from yesterday's post, this selection remains in the 1990s and features eight remixes that I was unlikely to ever hear down the local indie disco, but which in their own way, kick ass. What better way then to usher in the weekend?

 

In order to squeeze all the tracks onto a side of a C90 cassette, I originally cut Cornershop's Jullandar Shere in half with an early fade. For today's selection, I've kept the remix by Richard Norris (The Grid) and Choque Hosein (Black Star Liner) in all it's full, joyous glory. 

 

Conversely, I think the edit of Ain't No Longer (The Lost Riff) is possibly unique to a Select magazine cover-mounted CD. The full length version was intended for FPS-2, a remix companion to Dodgy's third album Free Peace Sweet, which was never released. FPS-2 was eventually snuck out on 1999's Ace A's + Killer B's compilation as a limited edition bonus disc and reappeared earlier this year on the gargantuan 8CD box set The A&M Years. Ain't No Longer (The Lost Riff) was also one of four tracks on a promo 12" of FPS-2 released in 1996, but I'm not heard it so I'm unsure if it's the edit or full length version.

Fans of Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon (which originated in 1994) will be disappointed to find that the titular Hollywood actor is not responsible for track 5's Audioweb remix. This Kevin Bacon is the former Comsat Angels bass player who teamed up with Floy Joy's touring keyboard player Jonathan Quarmby to form a successful production duo.

Without doing a disservice to Primal Scream, Fluke and Natacha Atlas, the final mention goes to Andy Bell, who delivers a remix (possibly his first?) of Ride that takes the original, Rolling Stones-indebted song to the moon and back. A precursor to his future music as GLOK, Andy Bell has also continued to record and release music with Ride and as a solo artist, including one of 2022's best albums so far, the majestic Flicker. I really must get an Andy Bell selection up here soon...

 

Wherever you are and whatever you're doing, have a rocktastic weekend, everyone. More tomorrow.

1) Jailbird (The Toxic Trio Stay Free Mix By Kris Needs & Bent Recknagel): Primal Scream (1994)

2) Familus Horribilus (Mega Wob 1) (Remix By Jah Wobble): Pop Will Eat Itself (1993)

3) Jullandar Shere (Jeh Jeh Mix By Richard Norris & Choque Hosein): Cornershop (1996)

4) Absurd (Headrillaz Vox): Fluke (1997)

5) Faker (I, Mental Mix By Manna aka Kevin Bacon & Jonathan Quarmby): Audioweb (1997)

6) Ain't No Longer (The Lost Riff) (Remix By Jerome De Pietro) (Edit): Dodgy (1997)

7) I Don't Know Where It Comes From (Apollo 11 Mix By Andy Bell): Ride ft. The Christchurch Cathedral School Choir (1994)

8) Yalla Chant (The Lesson Four Edit By Youth): Natacha Atlas (1995)

 

1993: Familus Horribilus / RSVP EP: 2 

1994: I Don't Know Where It Comes From EP: 7

1994: Jailbird EP: 1 

1995: Yalla Chant EP: 8

1996: Jullandar Shere EP: 3

1997: Absurd EP: 4

1997: Faker EP: 5

1997: Vrooom! Motorcycle Loveliness (Select magazine promo CD): 6

Side One (50:36) (KF) (Mega)