Delighted You Could Come

Last month, I travelled to London to see Scritti Politti at the Southbank Centre in London.

It almost didn't happen. Again. Long-time readers may recall my heartbroken post on Saturday 2nd October 2021, when I had to pass up the opportunity to see Scritti Politti perform Cupid & Psyche 85 in its entirety at the Shepherd's Bush Empire.

As in 2021, I'd bought multiple tickets, planning this as a Clan K excursion to The Big Smoke, maybe an overnight, taking in some other sights and sounds whilst we were there.

What helped was that Green Gartside's crew were playing two shows that day as part of a wider celebration of Rough Trade's 50th birthday. So, going for the matinee show was a no-brainer. A leisurely train journey to London, check in at a hotel, a spot of lunch, the show, then the evening as we pleased.

Of course it was never going to be that straightforward. In a real-life comedy of errors, obstacles began to converge, culminating in having to reschedule Mama K-in-Law's stay at Casa K so that it overlapped with our planned London excursion.

The upshot is that the family trip became a solo there-and-back-in-a-day journey. Even then, the fates seemed to be conspiring to prevent me getting to London at all.

I'd booked a return journey from Chippenham to Paddington but even allowing extra travel time, a horrendous succession of obstacles en route, from heavily laden tractors, to a motorist who can only have been moving their car by sticking their feet through the bottom, a la Fred Flintstone, meant that I arrived at the platform just in time to see my booked train departing on time. That last bit is important.

No problem, I thought, I'll just hop on the next one. Except the arrival time came and went with no update. And then it delayed by 5 minutes. Then 10 minutes. Then 15 minutes. Then just 'delayed'.

When the train eventually arrived, we all crammed on, standing room only. And then nothing. And then an announcement that the train was being held so that the police could attend a serious incident on board. And then a police officer walking determinedly though the train, checking to toilets next to us on the way. And then a few minutes later, a different police officer coming in the opposite direction, doing exactly the same thing.

Eventually, the train got on the move... only for an announcement that the service was now terminating at Reading and we'd all have to get off and hop on another London-bound service. At this point, I realised that I'd left my will to live back at Chippenham.

That was the worst of it, though. I made it to Reading, made it to Paddington and, a relatively short while later, I found myself exiting Waterloo tube station and a short walk from the Southbank Centre. Hallelujah!

Unfortunately, no time for the pre-gig lunch and leisurely amble that I had envisaged, it was a light jog to the Southbank Centre to get there in time for the start of the show. 

My first visit to Queen Elizabeth Hall and I found my 'rear stalls' seats a few rows down from the back of a steep, tiered theatre set up. One advantage of not being able to flog the unused Clan K tickets was that I now had three seats to myself and a pretty decent view of the stage.

The support was billed as "Tyler Ballgame Sings Rough Trade". I'd heard a little about Tyler, but not enough to have much of an opinion. That all changed with the opening moments of the opening song, The Beatles' Long, Long, Long accompanied by piano and (as it happened, for this song only) Tyler on acoustic guitar, and the voice of an angel.

From there, a sublime and spine-tingling cover of Fade Into You by Mazzy Star, followed by River Man, Tyler recounting that a shared love of Nick Drake at his first meeting with Geoff Travis and Jeanette Lee was the sign that Rough Trade was the label for him. (The Beatles was Jeanette's pick BTW).

Another Rough Trade classic, with Arthur Russell's Words Of Love, then a new song Lucky Ones and, to close, perhaps inevitably, with The Smiths' Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want.

Einschmarrnhalt has kindly posted the latter on YT. It was ten times better in the moment.

Suffice to say, I am now a full convert to Tyler Ballgame's musical magnificence. It was a fantastically wonderful start to the concert.

There wasn't long to wait before the main event at just after 4.00pm. Knowing that ‘doors open’ for the evening show was at 6.00pm, I'd come in expecting that Scritti Politti's set would be little more than an hour. When the back catalogue is full to bursting with bona fide classics, then how could I or anyone be disappointed with the setlist, whatever it turned out to be?

Even so, there was a tangible thrill when Green and the band took to the stage and the intro of The 'Sweetest Girl' kicked in. I was sufficiently far away that the band were a bit of a blur, but when Green started singing there is no way that this was a man who had celebrated his 71st birthday the previous month. It was like being a kid, hearing this song for the first time, all over again.

Apart from a relatively brief technical hitch with Green's guitar (and a "FFS!") and another moment when he was struggling to find the right key to start a song, until the keyboard player pointed out that he needed to swap guitars, all of Scritti Politti were super tight, especially given that this was their first gig in four years. 

Personally, I enjoy the occasional fluffs and fudges in a gig, it's what makes them unique and the outpouring of love from the audience to stage - frequent cries of "We love you, Green!" - mean that even a calamitous show would have been forgiven. No worries here though, the songs weren't just faithful reproductions of the studio versions - how could they be? - but they really came alive on stage.

As such, placing Skank Bloc Bologna between The Word Girl and Perfect Way didn't seem jarring at all. There was no attempt to smooth out the edges of the spiky 1978 single and yet it also sounded oddly contemporary, thanks to the skill of the band.

Green's introductory 'sleeve notes' for several songs also made entertaining insight into Scritti's early years, the quantum leap with Cupid & Psyche 85 and Green's frequently documented love of hip hop. This paved the way to the inclusion of the as-yet unreleased song, Trentavious White, the birth name of rapper Bankroll Fresh, shot dead in 2016 aged 28.

A slightly more reserved response to this song perhaps, compared to the others. Personally, I hope it sees the light of day on an official release.

Cupid & Psyche 85 is heavily represented, with Small Talk, Wood Beez and set closer Absolute joining the aforementioned The Word Girl and Perfect Way. All four studio albums were covered, sadly just the one from Anhomie & Bonhomie, but selecting Brushed With Oil Dusted With Powder was spot on.

Likewise, it was great to hear Asylums In Jerusalem, Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy) and The Boom Boom Bap, though the very best was saved to last.

Coming back on stage for a single encore, and a second song from White Bread Black Beer, Petrococadollar is one of the finest songs Green has ever written and by this time I was an emotional mess. The cheers and applause continued long after the band had left the stage.

The journey home was a doddle by comparison, helped by the fact that I was positively levitating with happiness pretty much all the way back. I'm sad that Mrs. K and Lady K weren't able to share the experience with me, but I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to see Scritti Politti live in concert a second time, and Tyler Ballgame the first.

On paper, at nearly £100 for the three tickets, plus train fare, this is one of the most expensive gigs I've been to. I don't regret a single penny and I would do it all over again, if I had to. Even the nightmare journey to get there.

One of those very special moments that will stay with me for a long, long, long time.

1) The 'Sweetest Girl' (Single Version ft. Robert Wyatt) (1981)

2) Small Talk (Album Version) (1985)

3) The Word Girl / Flesh & Blood (12" Version By Julian Mendelsohn ft. Ranking Ann) (1985)

4) Skank Bloc Bologna (Single Version) (1978)

5) Perfect Way (Single Version) (1985)

6) The Boom Boom Bap (Album Version) (2006)

7) Asylums In Jerusalem (Album Version) (1982)

8) Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy) (Album Version ft. Miles Davis) (1988)

9) Trentavious White (unreleased; not included in this selection)

10) Brushed With Oil Dusted With Powder (Album Version) (1999)

11) Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) (Single Version) (1985)

12) Absolute (Album Version) (1985)

13) Petrococadollar (Album Version) (2006)

Delighted You Could Come (52:09) (GD) (M)

There's plenty more Scritti Politti goodness available on this blog, with links below for your entertainment and listening pleasure.

Forever Green (August 2021)

I Recorded Them Once And I've Never Played Them Again (July 2021)

Forever Green But Not To Be Seen (October 2021)

Huge thanks for @birmingham81.bsky.social for the two gig photos of the full band and Green and Rhodri Marsden in close up. 

Sometimes, Life Is Full Of Surprises

Alexis Taylor's new single came out at the weekend. On A Whim is a lovely slice of funky electro pop, but the masterstroke is when the chorus comes in, and the dulcet tones of Green Gartside takes the song into the stratosphere.

Alexis co-wrote the song with Green and Oliver Bayston and it's just wonderful, even if it does raise the question of when - if ever - we might hear new music from Green / Scritti Politti again. 

In the meantime, we can content ourselves with Alexis' current album, Paris In The Spring, released last Friday, and a fresh 2026 remaster of Scritti Politti's 1982 debut Songs To Remember.

Sometimes, things are too painful

For you to focus on what is real

They pull apart at your life as it turns

And the day-to-day becomes tender with burns

Something can still cause you pain

Even when you don't understand it or want it

To be a part of your makeup and brain

It doesn′t help you, help you explain

 

What if (what if, what if) you need this pain?

What if you need this pain?

What if (what if, what if) there is no shame?

 

Sometimes, life is full of surprises

And it's hard not to derail your brain

There's no hope in compromises

It ain′t pretty, but it fucks you all the same

 

On a whim, in a daze, in a day, in a way

On a whim, I could throw, throw it all away

On a whim, in a daze, in a day, in a way

I could throw, throw it all, throw it all away

 

What if (what if, what if) you need this pain?

What if you need this pain?

What if (what if, what if) there is no shame?

 

On a whim, in a daze, in a day, in a way

On a whim, I could throw, throw it all away (to feel nothing)

On a whim, in a daze, in a day, in a way

I could throw, throw it all, throw it all away (to feel nothing)

On a whim, in a daze, in a day, in a way

On a whim, I could throw, throw it all away (to feel nothing)

On a whim, in a daze, in a day, in a way

I could throw, throw it all, throw it all away (to feel nothing)

 

To feel nothing

A Dive Into The Mystery

I confess that it took a while for me to get into Hot Chip on account of Alexis Taylor's vocals. 

Described elsewhere as "clear voiced", for me it was definitely one for the "acquired taste" category. Hot Chip's music was so irresistible though that I'm happy to say that I acquired said taste and, more importantly, grew to appreciate what a great songwriter Alexis is in his own right.

He's about to prove it all over again with his sixth solo album, Paris In This Spring, appropriately enough landing in March.

First out of the door is Out Of Phase, a collaboration with Lola Kirke, whose few songs I've heard to date have been quite definitely contemporary country, with the requisite vocal stylings, so this song seems quite a departure in terms of genre and singing style.

In short, it's a banger. 

In typical Alexis/Hot Chip fashion, rather than an in-your-face dancefloor directive, the passive but short of insidious beats get into your system and your feet may start moving in synch with the music without instruction from your brain. Alexis and Lola's voice complement one another nicely and I've found myself sticking this on repeat.

Great video too, directed by Will Kindrick, and likely to be appealing to John Medd.

Paris In The Spring sees further collaborations with artists ranging from The Avalanches to Air’s Nicolas Godin, Ewan Pearson to Étienne De Crécy, Pierre Rousseau (Paradis) to Pale Bllue's Elizabeth White. 

The one that's got me really excited though is a rare sighting in the wild by Alexis' long-time friend Green Gartside.

There's currently no preview of On A Whim - side 2, track 2 on the vinyl edition - but if their previous collaboration from nearly a decade ago is anything to go by, it'll be pretty wonderful.

 

Irie Irie

Confidence Man, coming on like it's 1991 with new single and video Real Move Touch, featuring Sweetie Irie.

Back in the actual 1991, Sweetie Irie was at it again for the first time (?), side by side with Green Gartside on Scritti Politti's dancehall cover of Gladys Knight & The Pips' 1967 classic Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me.

Sweetie Irie (Dean Bent to his mum) has been in demand throughout his career, working with everyone from Aswad to Ed Case to Gorillaz to Ian Brown to No Doubt to Roni Size.

Confidence Man chose wisely.

Unwrapped

After 2021's inaugural Boxing Day themed selection and 2022's even more tenuous link to gifts, I'm stretching credulity (and your patience) to the limit, with 14 wrap songs. That's wrap, not rap. And no, I've not hit the Harvey's Bristol Cream yet.

 

There are a couple of actual Christmassy songs in this selection, starting with Saint Etienne and a song from their fabulous festive album, A Glimpse Of Stocking. Randy Travis also makes a brief appearance, before Barry Adamson takes him around the back and duffs him up.

 

There's a bit of leftover mash (up) from Mark Vidler aka Go Home Productions - apart from The Police and Elvis Costello, how many other artists can you pick out? There's disco, Northern Soul, calypso (from O.M.D. no less), techno pop (for all you Amelia Fletcher fans out there) and some beautiful noise from The Delgados.

Green Gartside shares the mic with Annie Lennox, Idha (at least I think it's her) does the same with Edward Ball, whilst Gang Of Four clearly aren't sharing with anybody. There's a rare B-side from Sharkboy and to, ahem, wrap things up the single-that-nearly-was from XTC.

 

No refunds!

 

1) Unwrap Me: Saint Etienne (2010)

2) Shrinkwrapped: Gang Of Four (1995)

3) Wrap It Up: Eurythmics ft. Green Gartside (1982)

4) Wrapped Detective: Go Home Productions (2004)

5) Wrap My Arms Around Him: Amelia Fletcher (1991)

6) Wrap Your Arms Around Me: KC & The Sunshine Band (1976)

7) How Do I Wrap My Heart Up For Christmas: Randy Travis (1988)

8) Under Wraps: Barry Adamson (1989)

9) Gold Wrapper: Sharkboy (1993)

10) Wrapped, Tied And Tangled: LaVern Baker (1968)

11) All Wrapped Up: O.M.D. (1984)

12) Wrapped Up In Lonesome Blues: Edward Ball (1996)

13) Under Canvas Under Wraps: The Delgados (1996)

14) Wrapped In Grey: XTC (1992) 

 

Unwrapped (47:25) (KF) (Mega)

 

If you're a glutton for punishment, then click on the links at the top of the post for the previous selections from 2021 and 2022.

Forever Green But Not To Be Seen

If you've followed this blog for a while, you'll know that I love the music of Green Gartside and Scritti Politti. When it was announced in December 2020 that Scritti Politti would be playing Cupid & Psyche 85 in it's entirety live in concert for the first time, I got a pair of tickets for what was going to be my first live gig in over 2 years. I intentionally  went for the London date as a) it was at the weekend and b) being one of the last dates of the tour, in early October, surely it would be okay to go by then. Surely?

 

I should be sitting on a train to London, with growing excitement and anticipation at seeing Green Gartside/Scritti Politti performing live on a stage for the first time since June 2007. Sadly, I’ve had to pull out of this weekend’s trip. I have loved ones who are extremely vulnerable and, whilst we’d initially discussed my going solo to London, it was both a difficult and easy decision to make. Had it been a local gig in a spacious venue, it might have been okay. As the Scritti Politti experience would involve several hours on public transport to and from London, Tube travel, the gig itself plus an overnight stay, it just wasn't an option. 

 

It probably says a lot about the fragile normality we're all living in at the moment that I literally could not give the tickets away, despite various calls out to friends, friends of friends and the wider music loving community. Add to the mix a nationwide petrol panic and people are understandably reticent about a trip to or across The Big Smoke.

JC at The Vinyl Villain made it to the Glasgow gig on Monday and posted a brilliant and heartwarming review. It not only confirmed that Green Gartside remains possessed of one of the finest voices ever, but just how much it means to get out and enjoy live music with people again. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't gutted not to be seeing Scritti Politti tonight, but some very kind people have posted songs from the Glasgow & Cardiff concerts on YouTube: a few notes into each song and my heart lifts.

So, the tickets will now go into my collection of "gigs I got tickets for, but never made it to". The irony is that, having bought the Scritti Politti tickets for London, shortly after John Grant's postponed gig at Bath Forum was rescheduled for - you guessed it - 2nd October. I still can't make it to this gig either, but I'll have more to say about that in Sunday's post...

 

Anyway, why regret when there's so much beautiful music from Green Gartside to enjoy? Today's selection shares the same name as the Forever Green mixtape I posted back in August, but is by and large the Imaginary Compilation Album (#261, to be precise) that was my debut posting on The Vinyl Villain. At the time, I stuck rigidly to the 10 songs, 5 per side of (imaginary) vinyl format. In recreating it for today's post, I realised that that there was a real imbalance in the running times. I initially considered replacing the 12" mix of Boom! There She Was with the shorter album version. Instead, I've added two bonus songs to Side Two: B.E.F.'s cover of Stevie Wonder, featuring Green on vocals, and A Place We Both Belong, which was one of two new and exclusive songs on the 2011 compilation, Absolute. I think they slot in pretty well.

This post is a thank you to Green Gartside for getting back on stage with Scritti Politti and continuing to be an inspiration. I also read that the multi-talented Rhodri Marsden - and Scritti mainstay - celebrated his 50th birthday yesterday (1st October) with the gig at Brighton. A belated happy birthday, Rhodri! Sorry I missed you all this time, hopefully I'll see you again soon.

 

Side One (25:21)

1) Boom! There She Was (Sonic Property Mix By Steve Thompson & Michael Barbiero) (UK Edit): Scritti Politti ft. Roger Troutman (1988)

2) A Little Knowledge: Scritti Politti ft. B.J. Nelson (1985)

3) Petrococadollar: Scritti Politti (2006)

4) Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me (Nice Up The Area Mix By Green Gartside & Ian Craig Marsh) (Cover of Gladys Knight & The Pips): Scritti Politti ft. Sweetie Irie (1991)

5) Flesh & Blood (Version): Scritti Politti ft. Ranking Ann (1985)

 

Side Two (24:35) 

1) Confidence: Scritti Politti (1979)

2) Tinseltown To The Boogiedown (Album Version): Scritti Politti ft. Mos Def & Lee Majors (1999)

3) Wishing Well (Cover of Anne Briggs): Green Gartside (2020)

4) Gettin’, Havin’ And Holdin’: Scritti Politti (1982)

5) I Don’t Know Why I Love You (But I Love You) (Album Version) (Cover of Stevie Wonder): B.E.F. ft. Green Gartside & Billy Preston (1991)

6) A Place We Both Belong: Scritti Politti (2011)

7) Forgiven (Live Acoustic Version) (Charles Hazlewood, BBC Radio 2, 17 May 2007): Green Gartside (2007)

 

Side One (25:21) (GD) (M)

Side Two (24:35) (GD) (M)

 

Forever Green

On 27th August 2020, I had the privilege of having my first guest posting on The Vinyl Villain, part of the long-running and always excellent Imaginary Compilation Album series. I chose to feature Scritti Politti aka Green Gartside, in my opinion one of the finest voices and songwriters there is. The ICA featured 10 songs, spanning 1979-2020, plus a bonus EP with 4 Green Gartside collaborations and guest spots. 

 

To celebrate - and in growing excitement at the prospect of seeing Scritti Politti live in concert at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London in 5 weeks' time - here's both sides of a mixtape that I recorded on 24th April 2000. I'm pretty sure I did a previous version of this for a girlfriend in the early 1990s, with a fairly similar tracklist. The mixtape title is a play on Gartside's name but it would also have been inspired by the completely unrelated song by Finitribe. 

 

This selection focuses very squarely on the 'pop' period, covering the albums Songs To Remember (1982), Cupid & Psyche 85 (1985) and Provision (1988), plus a few 12" mixes thrown in for good measure. Several tracks have been taken from vinyl rips and earlier CD issues, so please excuse the variable quality across each side but turn up the volume and enjoy some perfect pop sounds for the next hour and a half.

Today's post is dedicated to JC, for his encouragement and positive feedback with each guest post, and The Vinyl Villain family, who have been a constant source of inspiration and motivation, particularly in the pandemic years, both on TVV and their own music blogs. Thank you!

 

Side One (46:23)

1) First Boy In This Town (Lovesick) (Extended Remix) (1988)

2) A Little Knowledge (Album Version ft. B.J. Nelson) (1985)

3) The 'Sweetest Girl' (Album Version ft. Robert Wyatt) (1982)

4) Sugar And Spice (1988)

5) Faithless (Triple Hep 'n' Blue) (Part I) (12" Edit) (1982)

6) Overnite (1988)

7) Philosophy Now (Album Version) (1988)

8) Perfect Way (Album Version) (1985)

9) Gettin', Havin' And Holdin' (1982)

Side Two (46:28)

1) Absolute (Version) (Remix By Gary Langan) (1984)

2) Best Thing Ever (Album Version) (1987)

3) Jacques Derrida (Extended Version) (1982)

4) Sex (1982)

5) Hypnotize (Long) (Remix By Gary Langan) (1984)

6) Asylums In Jerusalem (Album Version) (1982)

7) Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) (Album Version) (1985)

8) Boom! There She Was (Sonic Property Mix By Steve Thompson & Michael Barbiero) (UK Edit ft. Roger Troutman) (1988)

9) Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy) (12" Version ft. Miles Davis) (1988)

Side One (46:23) (GD) (M)

Side Two (46:28) (GD) (M)

If that's whetted your appetite for more Scritti Politti goodness, I posted another item in July, featuring a selection of radio sessions.

 

Scritti Politti's official website lists the upcoming UK tour dates in September and October and available tickets and (as yet) nothing else. In November, Scritti Politti will be supporting O.M.D. on 6 dates of their Architecture & More UK tour

I Recorded Them Once And I've Never Played Them Again

I was a little surprised to find that I've only featured Green Gartside/Scritti Politti on this blog three times. Criminal behaviour. Call myself a fan?!

 

To remedy this, here's a short but sweet mix of radio session performances from 2006-2007, featuring a few songs from the White Bread Black Beer album and a couple of beauties that have to date remained otherwise unreleased. Excuse the pun, but they're all absolutely wonderful.

 

1) Snow In Sun (Acoustic Version) (Live, Planet Claire (Radio Show), Paris, 10 May 2006)

2) Unfrozen (Live, Charles Hazlewood Show, BBC Radio 2, 16 May 2007)

3) Robin Hood (Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2, 23rd May 2006)

4) Forgiven (Live, Charles Hazlewood Show, BBC Radio 2, 16 May 2007)

5) Road To No Regret (Acoustic Version) (Live, Planet Claire (Radio Show), Paris, 10 May 2006)

Scritti Politti Radio Sessions (13:46) (GD) (M)

 

You can find the complete Charles Hazelwood session and interview on the very wonderful bibbly-o-tek blog

 

The full Planet Claire session, including a version of Robin Hood, is available on YouTube and (naturally) bibbly-o-tek.

 

Finally, bibbly-o-tek also has the full Mark Radcliffe session and interview, including versions of Snow In Sun and Road To No Regret.

 
 

Ed The Ball

Love Corporation : The Times : Edward Ball 

 

To round off this trilogy of tributes to The Times and the wonderful world of Ed Ball, I've sequenced a new mix pulling together rare remixes, extended versions and the more electronic-oriented sounds of Love Corporation. I've avoided some of the more obvious mixes, such as Palatial by Danny Rampling and the main mix of Give Me Some Love by Andrew Weatherall, because I think (hope) they are readily available elsewhere. In typically contrary fashion, I've also bookended the mix with the closing and opening tracks from Love Corporation's final album of new material, Intelligentsia, from 1994 and featuring the voice of the unique and much-missed Denise Johnson.

 

Put your headphones on and enjoy a little over an hour of Ed music...

 

1) Translucence: Love Corporation ft. Denise Johnson (from Intelligentsia, 1994) 

2) Your Mama Don't Dance And Your Daddy Don't Acid House (Ultra Living Mix): Love Corporation (from Dance Stance, 1997) 

3) Baby Girl (Album Version): The Times ft. Tippa Irie (from Alternative Commercial Crossover, 1993)

4) Septieme Ciel (Triple J Astral Projection Mix): The Times (Australian promo 12" single, 1990)*

5) A Beautiful Village Called England (Album Version): The Times ft. Angel Dust aka Cindy Lovecore (from Pure, 1991)

6) Lundi Bleu (Album Version): The Times (from Pure, 1991)

7) Palatial II (Remixed By Doug Martin): Love Corporation (12" single B-side, 1990)**

8) Give Me Some Love (Remix By Love Corporation & Andrew Weatherall): Love Corporation (12" single B-side, 1991)***

9) Translucent: Love Corporation ft. Denise Johnson (from Intelligentsia, 1994)

 

Ed The Ball (Love Corporation : The Times : Edward Ball) (1:02:37)

* This mix also appears on the The Times compilation Pink Ball, Brown Ball, Ed Ball from 1991, retitled I've Got All This And Heaven Too (Astral Projection Mix).

** On the Palatial 12" single sleeve, this version is credited to Doug Martin, on the label both mixes are attributed to Danny Rampling - I think it's the former. Palatial II also appeared on the 1990 Creation Records compilation, Do You Believe In Love?

*** This is the same as Give Me Some Love (Mix II), which appears on the promo 12" single.

Et Deux Créa Les Temps

Inspired by yesterday's response to The Times, I dove deep into the recesses of the attic and rediscovered a box of CD singles containing the 'missing' B-sides I needed to complete the mixtape.

Therefore, much sooner than planned, here is Side Two of a 1998 mixtape, this time dedicated to Brian and Swiss Adam. 

Brian, you may particularly enjoy track 5...

1) Pour Kylie (from Et Dieu Créa La Femme, 1990)

2) "...now what went wrong?" (from Alternative Commercial Crossover, 1993)

3) Soultight (ft. Jan Stevens) (from Finnegans Break EP, 1993)

4) A Girl Called Mersey (Album Version) (from Pure, 1991)

5) Baby Girl (Remix By Marius De Vries & Steve Sidelnyk) (ft. Tippa Irie) (from Baby Girl EP, 1993)

6) Heaven Sent Me An Angel (from Beat Torture, 1988)

7) Mash It Up (from Baby Girl EP, 1993)

8) Snow (Album Version) (from E For Edward, 1989)

9) Confiance (Album Version) (from Et Dieu Créa La Femme, 1990)

10) The Colour Of My Love (ft. Jan Stevens) (from Baby Girl EP, 1993)*

11) Sorry, I've Written A Melody (from Alternative Commercial Crossover, 1993) 

Side Two (44:57)

* This song was later re-recorded and released in 1997 as a single called Love Is Blue, and also featured on Edward Ball's album Catholic Guilt the previous year.

30 From 20

A selection of music that made 2020 that little bit brighter...

Scars III: The Affectionate Punch ft. The Vinyl Villain & The Additions

March Violets: Andrew Weatherall

Whole New Mess: Angel Olsen 

Maker (Acoustic Version): Anjimile 

Mariana Trench: Bright Eyes 

The Patron Saint Of The Lost Cause: Catherine Anne Davies & Bernard Butler 

Party 4 U: Charli XCX

Conquer Virus: David Harrow

Music Shall Live: Denise Sherwood ft. Lee 'Scratch' Perry

Boogie Removal Machine (The Cult vs. Earth, Wind & Fire vs. Madonna): Go Home Productions

Wishing Well: Green Gartside

The Crack: Goat Girl

That Ain't No Way To Make A Million: Julian Cope 

Remembering: Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith

Crystallise: Keleketla! ft. Yugen Blakrok & Tamar Osborn

Corner Of My Sky: Kelly Lee Owens ft. John Cale & Michael Sheen

Hydroharmonia (Episode 1): Kelsey Lu 

Song For Our Daughter (Tiny Desk (Home) Concert): Laura Marling 

Bittersweet (Tiny Desk (Home) Concert): Lianne La Havas

Flux: Luke Abbott 

Witness: Lyra Pramuk

Trust Fades: Nine Inch Nails

90% Of Me Is You: Prince Fatty ft. Shniece McMenamin & Monkey Jhayam

Don't Believe: The Psychedelic Furs 

Sudden Awareness Of Now: Rival Consoles

Murphy's Law (Acoustic) (Live @ Home): Róisín Murphy

Yankee And The Brave (Ep.4): Run The Jewels 

The Knife (Barry Adamson Mix): Saint Severin

All That (Live In Isolation): Sparks

99 Problems / Porcelina Of The Vast Oceans (Jay-Z vs. The Smashing Pumpkins): Spose

Voodoo Girl: Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones  

 

And here's a hour long slipshod mix featuring 20 of 'em:

20 From 20 (DJ Mix) (1:02:11)

50@50, Part Four: 2000-2010

Side One (25:24)

31) The Time Is Now (Full Length Version): Moloko (2000)

32) Paths (Future Sound Of London 'Cosmic Jukebox' Remix Edit): Robert Miles ft. Nina Miranda (2001)

33) Lessons Learned From Rocky I To Rocky III (Album Version): Cornershop (2002)

34) New New York: Tes (2003)

35) Shut Up, Let's Hook Up (GHP Pink Gees Unclean Mix By Go Home Productions): Jason Downs (2004)

36) No Reason To Cry: The Go-Betweens (2005)

Side Two (23:29)

37) Petrococadollar: Scritti Politti (2006)

38) Revival: Soulsavers ft. Mark Lanegan (2007)

39) I Heard Wonders (Album Version): David Holmes (2008)

40) Sunlamp Show (Disco Bloodbath Effect): The Aliens (2009)

41) Kiss Kiss Kiss (Acoustic Version): Martina Topley-Bird (2010)

Side One (25:24)

Side Two (23:29)

These days, I absolutely love Róisín Murphy, but I found it harder to love Moloko to begin with as they initially seemed to be jumping on the coat-tails of the trip hop movement. Sing It Back was the big hit, but The Time Is Now is the song that really changed it all for me. A fabulous slo-mo video and fantastic song. My then-girlfriend now-wife had the album and I was clearly thought it was better than she did as I insisted on sticking it on the CD player whenever I visited. I hated Robert Miles' big hit Children, but was blown away by FSOL's remix of Paths, which was effectively the transition to their current psychedelic incarnation of Amorphous Androgynous. Jockey Slut was an essential music mag in the 1990s and early 2000s and whilst the advent of cover-mounted CDs was a sign of the end, they introduced me to some great music, including Tes career high, sampling disco classic Shadow Dancing, written by the Bee Gees but given away to their brother Andy. And who would have thought that mash-ups would be so addictive? I never thought I needed to hear the Bee Gees spliced with Pink Floyd until Mark Vidler did it with his remix of one-hit wonder Jason Downs. Having belatedly discovered The Go-Betweens in 1990, after they had split, I was overjoyed when they reformed in the early 2000s and devastated when Grant McLennan's untimely death brought about their premature end. No Reason To Cry appeared on a mixtape CD that I compiled for my wife that Christmas. I have loved Scritti Politti since the early 1980s, was fortunate to see Green Gartside and band perform in 2007 and am looking forward to seeing Scritti Politti in 2021, performing Cupid + Psyche 85 in its entirety for the first time live. I've seen David Holmes many times, both DJing and with The Free Association, and his soundtrack work has been amazing, but The Holy Pictures was an incredible album in its own right. The Aliens are essentially The Beta Band minus Steve Mason, so (apart from Andrew Weatherall) the only artists to make multiple appearances in the 50@50 but this track is all about Disco Bloodbath aka Ben Rymer. And a wonderful closer from Martina Topley-Bird, who provided a critical counterpoint to Tricky on his early landmark albums, but who went on to create some incredible music in her own right.