Just Have Fun. Smile. And Keep Putting On Lipstick.

Celebrating Diane Keaton (née Hall), 5th January 1946 to 11th October 2025.

I adored Diane Keaton in spite of, not because of, her association with Woody Allen and was a huge fan of her films throughout the 1970s and 1980s. I started losing track of her appearances in the latter part of the 1990s and into the 21st century, and in some cases Diane was the sole saving grace of some otherwise bland movies. 

I knew that Diane had also stepped behind the camera to direct, but not that this included a season 2 episode of Twin Peaks and several videos for Belinda Carlisle, including arguably her best known song, Heaven Is A Place On Earth.

Throughout her life, Diane always carried a deceptively simple yet striking image, be it a penchant for pants (trousers), wide brimmed hats or gloves. And always that incredible smile.

Diane has occasionally committed her voice to vinyl: I Don't Want To Play In Your Yard featured in the 1981 film Reds, and was released as a single in the USA.

However, for today's selection, I've fallen back on the tried and tested approach of a 12-song, 45-minute compilation of songs that (more or less) match the titles of films from Diane's extensive CV.

There were a few also-rans: if Lloyd Cole had only moved upstairs, he could have been a shoo-in for 5 Flights Up. Similarly, Anne Clark is kicking herself that Woody Allen never got around to making a sequel to his 1973 hit, and calling it Sleeper In Metropolis.

I've also taken a few liberties: Something's Gotta Give is replaced with a more grammatically satisfying B-side by The Comsat Angels. And Akron/Family drop the 'And' for So It Goes, but it's close enough for me.

Kicking off the second half of this mixtape, it was too good an opportunity to pass up a reference to Because I Said So, not least 'cause it's sonic equivalent was recorded by The Godfathers, a wonderfully unsubtle reference to the fact that Diane played Kay Adams in all of Francis Ford Coppola's legendary trilogy.

Aside from all that, I think it's an eclectic but entertaining selection, which is a (very) simple way of summing up Diane's film career. If you're in the mood for a Diane Keaton marathan, then click on any of the titles for more info (courtesy of IMDb) and fill your boots.

I'm going to end with a quote from Diane, which inspired today's title and is something we could all do more of.

Don't give up on yourself. 

So you make a mistake here and there; 

you do too much or you do too little. 

Just have fun. 

Smile. 

And keep putting on lipstick.

Thanks, Diane, you were - and will always be - wonderful.

1) Morning Glory (Edit): Chairmen Of The Board (1974)

2) Northern Lights (The Freelance Hellraiser Mix): Ian Brown (2002)

3) Something's Got To Give: The Comsat Angels (1986)

4) Sleeper: Espiritu (1997)

5) Manhattan: Cinerama (2000)

6) So It Goes: Akron/Family (2011)

7) 'Cause I Said So: The Godfathers (1988)

8) Mama's Boy (Album Version): Ramones (1984)

9) Hampstead (Demo): Adam & The Ants (1977)

10) Interiors (Song For Willem De Kooning) (Album Version): Manic Street Preachers (1996)

11) Love And Death (Re-Recorded Version): Ebo Taylor (2009)

12) Plan B (Single Version): Dexy's Midnight Runners (1981)

1974: Skin I'm In: 1

1981: Plan B EP: 12

1984: Too Tough To Die: 8

1986: The Cutting Edge EP: 3

1988: Birth, School, Work, Death: 7

1996: Everything Must Go: 10

1997: Another Life: 4

2000: Antbox: 9

2000: Manhattan EP: 5

2002: Remixes Of The Spheres: 2

2010: Love And Death: 11

2011: S/T II: The Cosmic Birth And Journey Of Shinju TNT: 6

Just Have Fun. Smile. And Keep Putting On Lipstick. (44:42) (GD) (M)

After All These Years, Audrey Is Still A Little Bit Partial

Side 1 of an Andrew Weatherall compilation, recorded 8th December 1996.

Dusting off and representing Dubhed selections yesterday brought the sobering revelation that I posted Side 2 of the Audrey Is A Little Bit Partial mixtape on 17th February 2022 and then promptly forgot to follow up with the other side.

So, three years and two days later, here's the opening side to complete the set.

Given the year of recording, this C90 is very firmly rooted in the early to mid-1990s, with a heavy emphasis on Andrew's music with Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns as The Sabres Of Paradise. 

Four of the five tracks on this side are remixes of other artists, with a solitary Sabres song to round things off. Edge 6 was originally a B-side on the Theme EP, getting a promotion when Sabresonic II, a substantial overhaul of The Sabres Of Paradise's debut album, was released in 1995.

The remixes take the original songs on a long journey, the destination largely unrecognisable from the starting point. 

I first discovered the remix of Give Me Some Love by Love Corporation, aka Edward Ball of The Times, on a Creation label compilation and it's ten minutes of chiming chug-before-chug is one of Andrew's finest moments. 

Always delivering value for money, Andrew, Jagz and Gary delivered three remixes of Conquistador to Espiritu in 1993. I've gone for Mix No. 2, at just under eight minutes the shortest of the lot, but not lesser in any other respect. This one is from vinyl and the only one of the three not to get a CD/digital release, as far as I'm aware, so please excuse the added crackles and pops.

I'd never heard anything by Irish band Bumble before - or, to be honest, after - I picked up a 12" of their single West In Motion for the sole reason that the label stated that it included an Andrew Weatherall mix (one of two, in fact, with a different remix on the CD single). The other mixes on the 12" are so-so but Weatherall's is worth the price alone, twelve minutes of shivery, spooky spaced out grooves.

I've featured The Sabres Of Paradise remix of Brixton by Renegade Soundwave before, when I created a Dubhed selection of their own music. I love RSW's original and dub versions, but this is the business: nine minutes of incessant, propulsive loops built around a sample of Gary Asquith stating, "I'm checking out her rhythms". Great stuff.

1) Give Me Some Love (Remix By Andrew Weatherall): Love Corporation (1991)
2) Conquistador (Sabres Of Paradise Mix No. 2): Espiritu (1993)

3) West In Motion (Andrew Weatherall Mix): Bumble (1992)

4) Brixton (Sabres Of Paradise Mix): Renegade Soundwave (1995)

5) Edge 6: The Sabres Of Paradise (1994)

Side One (45:40) (KF) (Mega)

Side Two here

Roots 'n' Culture, Thirty Years Later

Side 2 of a mixtape recorded sometime around September 1995. 

 

Whereas yesterday's selection was a tape from my brother's former girlfriend, today's is a cassette that I made for a girlfriend that I lived with in the second half of the 1990s. 

 

1995 was the height of Britpop and the dance/indie crossover, both of which was reflected in the mightily impressive line-up for Bristol Sound City '95 running from 17th to 23rd April that year. 

 

Pulp! Radiohead! The Prodigy! Suede! Supergrass! Orbital! Sleeper! Gene! The Chemical Brothers! Teenage Fanclub! Skunk Anansie! The Orb! Elastica! The Bluetones! Utah Saints! Ash! dEUS! Dreadzone! Reef! Marion! and er, Menswe@r!

 

Not that I went to any of these gigs, or was paying that much attention, judging by my track listing over the two sides of C90. The only Sound City '95 act to make the cut was The Jesus & Mary Chain, and nearly half of Side 2 stuck in 1992, with only Björk and Gavin Friday representing releases in 1995.

For all that, I really like this compilation. Both sides kick off with an instrumental, Barry Adamson on Side 1 and the timeless (and beatless) Smokebelch II by The Sabres Of Paradise aka Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns. 

A fair few cover versions on this side too, from The Fall, Björk and Vegas, the short-lived partnership of David A. Stewart and Terry Hall.

The LFO track first appeared on the book/CD series Volume Three in 1992, although I didn't get to hear it until I bought the two 2CD 'Best Of Volume' compilations that emerged in 1995. Slow Down Speedy appeared on the first, entitled Wasted, but both are worth tracking down.

And Julian Cope makes a brief cameo, right at the end of the selection, as only he can.

 

This particular love story didn't have a happy ending, but the music never let us down. 

 

1) Smokebelch II (Beatless Mix): The Sabres Of Paradise (1993)

2) Lost In Music (Single Version) (Cover of Sister Sledge): The Fall (1993)

3) Bonita Mañana (Gang Starr Vocal Mix): Espiritu (1994)

4) Deee-Lite Theme (Global Village Mix): Deee-Lite (1991)

5) Phorever People (D's Mellow Dub): The Shamen ft. Jhelisa Anderson (1992)

6) Honey Power (Single Version + Instrumental Coda): My Bloody Valentine (1991)

7) It's Oh So Quiet (Album Version) (Cover of Betty Hutton): Björk (1995)

8) Slow Down Speedy: LFO (1992)

9) Showgirl (Single Version): The Auteurs (1992)

10) Trance Of Hatred: Barry Adamson ft. Maria Zastrow (1992)

11) She (Disco Mix) (Cover of Charles Aznavour): Vegas (1992)

12) Angel (7" Edit): Gavin Friday (1995)

13) Cool Hand Flute (Original Mix): Fluke (1989)

14) Peggy Suicide is Missing...: Julian Cope (1992)

 

1989: Thumper / Cool Hand Flute EP: 13

1991: Power Of Love EP: 4

1991: Tremolo EP: 6 

1992: Jehovahkill: 14

1992: Phorever People EP: 5 

1992: She EP: 11

1992: Showgirl EP: 9

1992: Soul Murder: 10

1992: Volume Three: 8

1993: Sabresonic: 1

1993: Why Are People Grudgeful? EP: 2

1994: Bonita Mañana EP: 3 

1995: Angel EP: 12

1995: Post: 7

Side Two (46:39) (KF) (Mega)

 

And for those of you who weren't here 993 days ago when I posted Side 1, you can find it here.

There's Still Something Going Round Inside My Head

Side 1 of a cassette compilation, recorded 23rd July 1994.

 

First of all, welcome to Alex from Germany, who has just started a music blog called Bamboo Temple Garden. On Thursday, Alex commented on my previous posting of side 2 of this mixtape which reminded me (a) how much I liked this particular cassette and (b) that over a year later I hadn't got around to posting side 1. Where does the time go?!

The determination to make this Saturday's post coincided with the completely unexpected but very welcome news on Friday (via Swiss Adam) that the mighty Fluke has reunited and have a new single out on Monday. Incredibly good timing as Fluke kick off this side with their own remix of 1993 single Bubble, which was originally only available on the vinyl 12" single. To say that I'm thrilled that they're back is an understatement.

Next up is another legend, Fabio Paras, operating under the Smells Like Heaven alias with Londres Strutt. I love this song, especially the remix here by Boomshanka, but it also used to cause my girlfriend at the time no end of amusement over a misheard lyric. Once you hear the sampled refrain "bassline kicking" as "baste my chicken", there's no going back, I'm afraid...

Dave Lee was at the forefront of the 1990s disco revival and the singles and remixes around his solo album Universe Of Love set the template for the rest of the decade. Believing his own name to be lacking the fizz and pop needed for his musical output, Dave merged the names of two US artists, Pal Joey and J Walter Negro, to create Joey Negro. Dave continued to use the name for three decades until in July 2020, he recognised that it was not acceptable and the alias was permanently shelved. Whilst the name may have been ill advised, the music is and has always been brilliant.

Which I could also say about A Man Called Adam, who have continued to produce great music in each decade from the (late) 1980s to the 2020s and show no sign of running short on inspiration. Bread, Love And Dreams is a much-loved single from their debut album, with a memorable cover image of Sally Rodgers' bum... I'm still not sure that I've connected that image with the lyrical themes of the song, but I guess it stood out on the record shop racks at the time. What also stood out was the quality of the mixes, not least their own but those by Slam and, included here, Graeme Park.

I only need mention the Sabres Of Paradise or the names Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns and you know you're in for a treat. This is their epic remix (one of three) of Conquistador by Espiritu aka Vanessa Quiñones and Chris Taplin. It's a 12-minute propulsive house monster, not a typical Sabres mix in many respects but proof that when they wanted to go there, they could lead the way every time. 

Who else to follow Andrew Weatherall than David Holmes? David sealed his reputation with an equally epic remix of Smokebelch II by Sabres Of Paradise, but this remix of should've-been-huge Freaky Realistic predates that milestone. Named after the now-legendary Belfast club that David and Iain McCready ran at the time, the two Sugarsweet mixes of Koochie Ryder take the song into a much different (head) space and will be a pleasant surprise if you're only familiar with David's later work.

And to close side 1 (and bridge to side 2, as it happens), The Grid aka Dave Ball and Richard Norris bring their own remix of Crystal Clear. This single came as a seemingly unbeatable remix package featuring Justin Robertson and The Orb. Both excellent but The Grid are more than up to the challenge, the Trimar Mix adding female vocals and an energy that elevates it even higher than the original album version. And it's all achieved in under five minutes. Great stuff.

 

If that doesn't have you smiling and grooving wherever you are, check your pulse, you may need medical attention... 

 

1) Bubble (Braillebubble): Fluke (1993)

2) Londres Strutt (Boomshanka Remix By Ben Mitchell & Steven Harper): Smells Like Heaven (1993)

3) Do What You Feel (Dum Dum Vocal Edit By Dave Lee): Joey Negro ft. Debbie French (1991)

4) Bread, Love And Dreams (Parkside Mix By Graeme Park): A Man Called Adam (1992)

5) Conquistador (Sabres Of Paradise Mix No. 3 By Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns): Espiritu (1993)

6) Koochie Ryder (Sugarsweet Mix Part 2 By David Holmes & Iain McCready): Freaky Realistic (1993)

7) Crystal Clear (Trimar Mix By Dave Ball & Richard Norris): The Grid (1993)

Side One (45:30) (KF) (Mega)

Side Two here

With A Dream In Your Heart You're Never Alone

Celebrating Burt Bacharach, 12th May 1928 to 8th February 2023.

Burt Bacharach has been a huge part of my life lived through music, even when I was largely ignorant of this fact until I got to my teens and started paying more attention to the people behind the songs. Falling in love, falling out of love, Burt Bacharach captured the musical mood and, with Hal David, nailed the thoughts, feelings and dilemmas that listeners could relate to.

My initial 'shortlist' for this selection was ridiculously long, so I've ruthlessly cut it to ten songs and a little over half an hour. In the 1990s, I bought a budget compilation called The Burt Bacharach Songbook, a 23-track silver disc of solid gold songs. I could easily have just picked the ten from that alone and it would have been great. A few have made the cut here but I've interspersed them with some more contemporary cover versions from BMX Bandits, Terry Hall, Kevin Rowland, Espiritu aka Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones and Richard X featuring the unique talent that is The Flying Lizards' Deborah Evans-Stickland.

Given Bacharach and David's long and fruitful collaboration with Dionne Warwick, it would have been remiss of me not to start the selection with one of her songs, with three more covers along the way. The selection closes with my favorite cover of I'll Never Fall In Love Again, by Bobbie Gentry. 

Lots more for a future part two and part three, but this is a brisk reminder of Burt Bacaharch's brilliance with a tune that hits all the emotional sweet spots. Thanks for all the music, Burt.

1) Do You Know The Way To San Jose: Dionne Warwick (1968)

2) It Doesn't Matter Anymore (Cover of Ricky Nelson): BMX Bandits (1998)

3) Close To You (Cover of '(They Long To Be) Close To You' by Richard Chamberlain): Terry Hall (1997)

4) Anyone... (Edit By Rob Smith & Ray Mighty) (Cover of 'Anyone Who Had A Heart' by Dionne Warwick): Smith & Mighty ft. Jackie Jackson (1988)

5) You'll Never Get To Heaven (If You Break My Heart) (Cover of Dionne Warwick): The Stylistics (1976)

6) Walk On By (Cover of Dionne Warwick): Richard X ft. Deborah Evans-Stickland (2003)

7) Always Something There To Remind Me (Radio Version By Phil Bodger) (Cover of Sandie Shaw): Espiritu (1994)

8) This Guy's In Love With You (Cover of Danny Williams): Kevin Rowland (1999)

9) Only Love Can Break A Heart (Cover of Gene Pitney): Timi Yuro (1981)

10) I'll Never Fall In Love Again (Cover of Jill O'Hara & Jerry Orbach): Bobbie Gentry (1969)

A Dream In Your Heart (32:28) (Box) (Mega)

El Dia De Los Muertos

Side 1 of a cassette compilation featuring Espiritu, recorded 27th July 1997, with Saint Etienne on Side 2.

Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones was the subject of my third ever contribution to the Imaginary Compilation Album series at The Vinyl Villain, posted on 26th November 2020. The ICA focused on Vanessa's wider career, but all of the Espiritu songs featured there appear on this selection too. I'll skip the Espiritu bio as it's pretty much covered in the ICA.

This compilation of singles, B-sides and remixes was pretty hot off the press; the single You Don't Get Me, which provides the closing two songs here, was released on 7th July 1997.

 

Vanessa's had an interesting and varied career since, not least with Vanessa & The O's (with James Iha of The Smashing Pumpkins) and as a solo artist, her 2020 album Voodoo Girl providing some welcome sunshine during lockdown and making an appearance in my end of year 'best of'.

1) Man Don't Cry (Album Version) (1997)

2) Bonita Mañana (7" Version) (1994)

3) Always Awake (Back To Mono Mix By Espiritu) (1997)

4) Conquistador (7" Radio Edit By Phil Harding & Ian Curnow) (1993)

5) Manifesto #1 (Single Version) (1993)

6) Baby I Wanna Live (Album Version) (1997)

7) No Crèo Mas (Demo) (1993)

8) Los Americanos (Single Version) (1993)

9) Francisca (Original Mix) (1992)

10) Another Life (Album Version) (1997)

11) You Don't Get Me (Album Version) (1997)

1992: Francisca EP: 9

1993: Conquistador EP: 4, 7

1993: Los Americanos EP: 5, 8

1994: Bonita Mañana EP: 2

1997: Another Life: 1, 6, 10, 11

1997: You Don't Get Me EP: 3, 10, 11

El Dia De Los Muertos (46:32) (KF) (Mega)

Concocting A Rhythm That You Could Get Lost In... (Again)

Side 2 of a mixtape, compiled 5th September 1993, rounding up some musical suspects from 1991 to 1992. A couple of Justin Robertson's finest early 90s remixes here, for Sly & Lovechild and Finitribe. New Atlantic's sole UK Top 20 hit, I Know, is included in it's definitive Love Decade remix, with a pitched up Candi Staton vocal sample giving the song its title. Leftfield and William Orbit were both hitting their stride as remixers du jour and deliver prime examples of why they were in such demand at the time. Youth contributes a pair of remixes, beefing up Frazier Chorus to great effect and obliterating The Psychedelic Furs' original vocals and instruments to the extent that, if this were a white label, you wouldn't have a clue it was them. The original mixtape featured the instrumental version of Espiritu's Francisca from the 12" single, which I haven't yet ripped, so I've swapped out for the equally good dub mix from the CD, pushing the C90 running time waaay into the red.

 

1) Spirit Of Destiny (Justin Robertson Mix): Sly & Lovechild (1992)

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

3) Ace Love Deuce (Justin Robertson Mix) (Single Edit): Finitribe (1991)

4) Francisca (Dub Mix): Espiritu (1992)

5) Back To Front (The Rub It Vocal Mix By Leftfield): Adamski ft. Ricky Lyte (1992)

6) Walking On Air (Remix By Youth): Frazier Chorus (1991)

7) Treaty (Djulpan / Seven Sisters Mix By William Orbit): Yothu Yindi (1992)

8) Don't Be A Girl (Dancehall On Fire) (Remix By Youth): The Psychedelic Furs (1991)

Side Two (47:11) (Box) (Mega)

Side One here

Mother's Day

So, if I was a little more organised and planned these blog posts way in advance, I might well have held over last Sunday's Cleo Sol selection for today. After all, Cleo is a mother, her most recent album is called Mother and her sounds are perfectly suited to a loved up Sunday.

But I'm not and I didn't. So, instead I've taken things quite literally and gone back to the 1990s for the pumped up club sounds of Mother aka Jools Brettle and Lee Fisher.

In my defence, the clocks went forward in the UK, signalling the start of British Summertime but in reality meaning that we've all lost an hour's sleep. Ergo, I think some phat beats and uptempo tunes are exactly what's needed to get everybody in the mood. Oh, hang on a mo, I can hear someone calling me...

"What's that?"

"You're trying to sleep?"

"Can I turn that racket down?"

Sigh, back to the drawing board...

 

1) Funk Bomb (Zero Tolerance Club Mix): Mother (1998)

2) Get Back (E-Lustrious Mix By Daniel Bennett & Michael Kirwin): Mother (1994)

3) I Like it (Mother Vocal Mix): D:Ream (1993)

4) All Funked Up (Mothers Favourite Mix By Jools Brettle, Lee Fisher & Joe Stevens): Mother ft. Denise Johnson (1993)

5) Vehicle (Mother's Vor Sprung Durch Tech Mix): Secret Life (1996)

6) Los Americanos (Mother Mix): Espiritu (1993)

7) Generations Of Love (Mother's Vocal Mix): Jesus Loves You (1998)

8) Stars (Mother Dub Mix) ('Disgraceful' Extended Album Version): Dubstar (1996)

9) Near The Black Forest (Mother's Quality Time Mix): Vanessa Daou (1995)

Mother's Day (59:51)

Heavenly Weatherall

I returned late from work to find this pair of beauties dropped through my letter box: the Heavenly Remixes collection, volumes 1-4 on CD, 41 tracks in all for a bargain price. 

 

Volumes 1&2 provide a brief history of Heavenly remixes 1990-2020, from Moonflowers' Get Higher/Get Dubber to Graham Massey's remix of Working Men's Club.

Volumes 3&4 follows pretty much the same timeline, subtitled Andrew Weatherall Volume 1&2, featuring 16 of The Guv'nor's finest, from Heavenly's very first release The World According To Sly & Lovechild  through to 2019's remix of Devils Angels by Unloved (aka David Holmes and friends.

 

Each volume is also available as double vinyl set; great value but at nearly £100 for the lot, a little out of my reach. Several of the tracks are available for the first time in each respective format, so a tempting offer whichever format you prefer.

I've not had a chance to fully absorb each set or upload the fresh digital versions, so today's selection is a sampler from both, using (in some cases inferior quality) versions that I already own. Needless to say, the parent collections will be dominating this weekend's playlist.

 

1) Finally (Time & Space Machine Re-Edit By Richard Norris) (Cover of Ce Ce Peniston): Cherry Ghost (2010)

2) Gandhi (Andy Weatherall Remix II): Le Corps Mince De Françoise (2010)

3) Los Americanos (Mother Mix): Espiritu (1993)

4) Out The Window (Andrew Weatherall Remix): Confidence Man (2018)

5) Filthy (Monkey Mafia Vocal Mix By Jon Carter): Saint Etienne ft. Q-Tee (1996)

6) Compulsion (Andrew Weatherall Remix): Doves (2008)

Heavenly Weatherall (43:12)
 

Buy Heavenly Remixes volumes 1-4 on Bandcamp

Beautiful Morning

After what seems like weeks of constant rain, I've woken up to a bright, beautiful morning, misty air mixing with the sleep dust in my eyes to create a hazy, lazy start to the day with the promise of a fantastic day ahead. What else in that case to celebrate the dawn but Espiritu's Bonita Mañana? Okay, I'm in rural Gloucestershire, not Brazil, but you get the gist.

 

I am a big fan of Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones, who has gone on to release some fabulous French pop albums, including one of 2020's highlights, Voodoo Girl. Vanessa's Facebook page contains a great Bio strapline, which translates as "Two ways of seeing your life. One to be blind to everything and the other to be awakened to the great All." I think we can all get with that.

 

Here's a cheeky little re-edit of Bonita Mañana that I gaffa taped together over a cup of camomile tea this morning. Nothing fancy, just keeps the vibe going a little bit longer. Happy Sunday everyone, particularly those kicking a ball around a football pitch this evening.

 

Bonita Mañana (Dormida En Brasil Re-Edit By Khayem) (2021)