Ambient Andrew Again

Another sixty (one) minute selection of Andrew Weatherall's ambient excursions which, unsurprisingly, take the listener down the less trodden path.

If you caught last Sunday's post, you'll know that this was created from the same shortlist as Volume 1, but to be clear this is no 'leftovers' compilation. 

A slight shift by twelve months, too. Whereas Volume 1 spanned 1991 to 2016, Volume 2 covers 1992 to 2017. A complete accident, but I like it.

As before, there's room for Andrew's solo work, The Sabres Of Paradise and Two Lone Swordsmen, plus a second collaboration with Keith Tenniswood from the 2003 release Still My World.

Woodleigh Research Facility and Nina Walsh from Volume 1 are swapped for The Asphodells and Timothy J. Fairplay in Volume 2. There are also remixes by Being, Group Rhoda and In The Nursery as well as reworks of Scorn, James, Death In Vegas and Red Snapper.

It's such a privilege and a pleasure approaching each and every Andrew Weatherall selection. His generosity of spirit embues his music, making for some unusual but natural sequencing. Any bumps or clunks in the transition are entirely down to me, hopefully offset by the magic of the music itself. 

1) Azzolini And The Branch Brothers Meet Being (Remix By Being aka Dave Paton): Two Lone Swordsmen (1996)

2) Exodus (Sabres Of Paradise Mix 1 By Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns): Scorn (1992)

3) The Crescents: Andrew Weatherall & Keith Tenniswood (2003)

4) Another Heady Cocktail: Two Lone Swordsmen (1997)

5) Jam J (Phase 2: Amphetamine Pulsate) (Remix By Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns): James vs. The Sabres Of Paradise (1994)

6) Another Lonely City (Group Rhoda Remix By Mara Barenbaum): The Asphodells (2013)

7) Glenn Street Assault Squad (In The Nursery Visit Glenn Street) (Remix By Klive Humberstone & Nigel Humberstone): Two Lone Swordsmen (1996)

8) Soft Estates: Andrew Weatherall (2017)

9) Rekkit (Vega Sintro) (Remix by Two Lone Swordsmen aka Andrew Weatherall & Keith Tenniswood): Death In Vegas (1997)

10) Bogeyman (Two Lone Swordsmen Blue Jam Cologne Mix By Andrew Weatherall & Keith Tenniswood): Red Snapper (1998)

1992: Deliverance EP: 2

1994: Jam J EP: 5

1996: Swimming Not Skimming: 1, 7

1997: Rekkit: Death By A Thousand Cuts EP: 9

1997: Stockwell Steppas: 4

1998: Bogeyman EP: 10

2003: Still My World: 3

2013: The Asphodells Remixed: 6

2017: Qualia: 8

Ambient Andrew Vol. 2 (1:01:38) (GD) (M)

Ambient Andrew

The 'Andrew' of course being Andrew Weatherall, the 'Ambient' a little misleading perhaps, but this is the nearest you'll get, a combination of chilled and chilling to get you through this mad, mad, mad world.

I've dug deep, going into Andrew's work with Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns as The Sabres Of Paradise, Keith Tenniswood as Two Lone Swordsmen, and Nina Walsh as Woodleigh Research Facility. 

There's also his remix and production work with all of the above, plus Hugo Nicolson with Primal Scream, Peter Hook adding a bassline to The Limiñanas' Garden Of Love that calls to mind The Times' 1990 classic Manchester, and Utah Saints' I Want You transformed beyond all recognition. Oh, and vocals too, from Marie Limiñana, Nina Walsh and, to close, The Guv'nor himself.

The thing is, trawling through my collection for compilation candidates, i ended up with enough for two hour-long mixtapes. So, Vol.2 will be here soon, probably next weekend.

For now though, sit back with a brew, and immerse yourself in Weatherall's world for sixty minutes. 

1) Kicking In Part 4: Two Lone Swordsmen (1997)

2) Garden Of Love (Lundi Mouillé Mix By Andrew Weatherall & Nina Walsh): The Limiñanas ft. Peter Hook (2016)

3) Flight Path Estate: The Sabres Of Paradise (1994)

4) Tiny Reminder No. 1 (C-Pij Remix Vocal) (Remix By Nina Walsh): Two Lone Swordsmen (2001)

5) I Want You (Sabres 110) (Remix By The Sabres Of Paradise aka Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns): Utah Saints (1993)

6) Akwalek: Two Lone Swordsmen (2000)

7) Theme 4: The Sabres Of Paradise (1994)

8) Emancipation Garage: Woodleigh Research Facility (2015)

9) Still My World: Andrew Weatherall & Keith Tenniswood (2003)

10) Chapel Street Market 9am: The Sabres Of Paradise (1994)

11) Inner Flight (Album Version By Andrew Weatherall & Hugo Nicolson): Primal Scream (1991)

12) Ghosts Again (Album Version By Andrew Weatherall & Nina Walsh): Andrew Weatherall (2016)

1991: Screamadelica: 11

1993: I Want You EP: 5

1994: Haunted Dancehall: 3, 7, 10

1997: Stockwell Steppas: 1

2000: Tiny Reminders: 6

2001: Further Reminders: 4

2003: Still My World: 9

2015: The Phoenix Suburb (And Other Stories): 8

2016: Convenanza: 12

2016: Garden Of Love EP: 2

Ambient Andrew Vol. 1 (59:45) (GD) (M)

This Film's Crap

How can it be that David Holmes' debut album is over 30 years old?!

This Film's Crap Let's Slash The Seats managed two weeks in the UK album charts in July 1995, peaking in its first week at #51. That said, not bad for a largely instrumental album, soundtracking imaginary movies that you may think twice before watching anyway.

The singles were no less uncompromising: Minus 61 In Detroit coming in at over nine minutes and album opener No Mans Land pushing the envelope even further, twelve minutes and forty five seconds of nerve tapping twitchiness.

Like Johnny Favourite, the non-album single that preceded them, neither single managed to break out of the Top 80 in their 1-2 week stay in the charts.

Record label Go! Beat played what I guess they thought was their trump card by following up with a third and final single the following April, with Gone. Another lengthy album track at just over eight minutes, Gone at least got a radio edit for the single release, although whether it could be described as 'radio friendly' is another matter.

Propelled by bass, guitar (courtesy of Keith Tenniswood) and a shuffling percussion, the key selling point is the guest vocal from Sarah Cracknell of Saint Etienne.

The lyrics are confined to a mere eighteen words

I'm gonna hide

She don't even know

I'm gonna run away

And you can never go on anymore

And you can never go on anymore

...although I'd always heard that final refrain as 

And you can never go home anymore

...which I prefer, but what do I know?

Gone fared slightly better than the previous three singles, although by 'better' I mean that it managed a single week in the chart at #75. 

Not that David appeared bothered in the least. Six months later, he was back with My Mate Paul, his first Top 40 hit, and a second album (Let's Get Killed) the following year, which did the same. And then he got properly into soundtracks, which was a game changer.

This Film's Crap Let's Slash The Seats is the David Holmes album I revisit the least, not because it's not much good but more that I need to be in a certain mood/frame of mind to listen to it. 

At the weekend, to mark a re-release of the album for Record Store Day, a video (and radio edit!) emerged of the kind-of-title-track Slash The Seats.

As a reminder of David's first album, and Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns' first major (co)production project following the part of The Sabres Of Paradise, it's an astonishing piece of music that still hits hard, three decades on.

Gun Fire

Whilst I try to keep up with the wealth of new music and new artists coming out - and spectacularly fail to do so - I also try to keep a steady rotation of albums in my collection.

On the digital decks this week is The Fire Of Love, the 1981 debut from The Gun Club.

I knew of the band via bassist Patricia Morrison's subsequent stint with The Sisters Of Mercy, although she joined later, Rob Ritter aka Rob Graves being in the line-up that recorded this album. 

Another member who missed out on the recording was co-founder Kid Congo Powers, having temporarily joined The Cramps at the time The Gun Club entered the studio to record The Fire Of Love. but has a co-writing credit on one of the songs.

Otherwise, all songs are written by frontperson Jeffrey Lee Pierce, and I've picked the three fire-themed songs, including the title track. All live performances, all varying recording quality and camera angles, all fizzing with the same energy and excitement that listening to the album brings.

 

In 2004, Andrew Weatherall and Keith Tenniswood recorded a cover version of The Fire Of Love's opening song, Sex Beat, which was released as a single and included on the Two Lone Swordsmen album, From The Double Gone Chapel.

As a bonus, a live performance of Sex Beat by The Gun Club, still on fire after all these years...

 

Pure Water

I haven't listened to Leftield's second album Rhythm And Stealth in quite a while. Swords was the third and final single and in fact proved to be their last single/new song for a decade and a half, when Universal Everything signalled Leftfield's return in 2015.

I bought Swords in June 2000, opting for just one of the CD singles offered as part of the typical multi-format deal that prevailed at the time. I was surprised to find out when prepping this post that Swords apparently failed to crack the UK singles chart. 

An unusual choice for a single perhaps, menacing, downtempo, Nicole Willis' vocals down in the mix, but I think it's a standout song.

I've never seen the video before, the song itself almost relegated to a soundtrack of an engrossing series of car (and one motorbike) based vignettes. I've picked the 'long version' which extends the narrative by a further minute which accentuates to sense of unease and tension amongst the ensemble cast. It's brilliant.

It will be no surprise to regular visitors that my choice of the two CD singles on offer was the one featuring a remix by Andrew Weatherall and Keith Tenniswood aka Two Lone Swordsmen. Not the first time Lord Sabre had remixed Leftfield, but with a song title like Swords, it would have been foolish not to ask, right?

Vocals removed, electro beats added, it's very much akin to what Two Lone Swordsmen were releasing under their own name at this time, yet retaining the spirit of the Leftfield original. This is what remixes are all about.

Leftield's return in 2015 (albeit Neil Barnes without co-founder Paul Daley) included a session for Lauren Laverne's Radio 6 at Maida Vale, where a spectacular 8-minute version of Swords was performed, fronted by singer Ofei. Well worth your attention.

As it's the first Bandcamp Friday of 2026 tomorrow, I've managed to find two 21st Century 'bootleg' remixes of Swords, both available as a Name Your Price purchase. 

Nothing radical about either, more a layering of beats and a slight tinkering, which Swords is more than capable of handling. Nebulist aka Baz Popiolek goes for "hard and deep" breakbeats, whilst Moth Equals captures a "trip hop" vibe. Both worth your pennies, if you like the song in the first place.

 

 

You're Off Your Bleedin' Rocker

I occasionally take requests, and Mike was itching for a Fujiya & Miyagi selection, so here I am with the proverbial scratch, 45 minutes of Brighton beach motorik.

Not that I'm in any way, shape or form an expert on their music, as today's selection will demonstrate, but what I know, I like very much. 

Formed at the start of the 21st Century, Fujiya & Miyagi released nine albums between 2002 and 2022. According to their agent bio the band is "currently working on their new record which will be released in 2025."

The fact that it's not yet out at least gives me some breathing space to catch up. I missed out on debut Electro Karaoke In The Negative Style and it's companion album Remixes (and have struggled to locate a copy since), coming on board via my friend Stuart's recommendation of Transparent Things in 2006.

I got the following two albums - Lightbulbs (2008) and Ventriloquizzing (2011) - which I think are great, though that's where the trail runs cold for me. 

Therefore, this 11-song selection draws three from each of these albums, a remix by Andrew Weatherall and Keith Tenniswood as Two Lone Swordsmen, plus a brave cover of New Order recorded for a Mojo magazine cover mounted CD around the time of Ventriloquizzing.

As a measure of the consistency and quality of their music, Photocopier, a personal favourite and the lyrical inspiration for the post and selection title, didn't even make the final eleven!

Creating this mixtape has reminded what I enjoy so much about Fujiya & Miyagi and whet my appetite for more. If you're in a similar position of not keeping up with their music, then I hope today's selection has the same effect.

Most of Fujiya & Miyagi's album back catalogue, together with sessions, remixes and one-off tracks, can be found on their Bandcamp page.

1) Hundreds & Thousands (2008)

2) Pterodactyls (2008)

3) Electro Karaoke (Two Lone Swordsmen Remix) (2003)

4) Cylinders (2006)

5) Lightbulbs (2008)

6) Tinsel & Glitter (2011)

7) Ankle Injuries (2006)

8) Your Silent Face (Cover of New Order) (2011)

9) Cat Got Your Tongue (2011)

10) Collarbone (2006)

11) Sixteen Shades Of Black & Blue (2011)

2003: Remixes Sampler EP: 3

2006: Transparent Things: 4, 7, 10

2008: Lightbulbs: 1, 2, 5

2011: Power Corruption & Lies Covered (Mojo magazine promo CD): 8

2011: Ventriloquizzing: 6, 9, 12

You're Off Your Bleedin' Rocker (45:19) (GD) (M)

So Hurried, So Tomorrow, No Today...I Can't Keep Up

As we're heading to the last Bandcamp Friday of 2025, I'm going to spotlight an A-Z of artist releases from this year that are at least on my shopping list, even if they don't quite make it final check out.

Today covers artists A-F, namely

Alex Kassian x Spooky x Placid Angles

Burial

Coyote

Deeply Armed remixed by Andrew Innes & Brendan Lynch and Keith Tenniswood

Eddie Chacon

Fatboy Slim vs. The Rolling Stones

Alex Kassian has taken Orange Coloured Liquid, a lush, languid track from Spooky's 1993 debut album Gargantuan, on a trip through time. Part I is upbeat, Part II is closer to the shimmering original, whilst Placid Angels aka John Beltran lands somewhere between the two. You also get Spooky's version to round out a satisfying EP.

 

Burial returned in August with the 2-track single Comafields / Imaginary Festival. As usual, I find both tracks simultaneously soothing and disconcerting, which are even more effective as I listen to this on a cold, dark, wet November morning...thankfully, not alone at Casa K.

Coyote aka Richard Hampson and Timm Sure have been successfully creating an immersive Balearic environment for many years now, and it shows no sign of running out of space to grow. This year has so far seen a trio of releases: 6-track EP/mini-album Wailing To The Yellow Dawn in April, one-off track Battle Weary in October; today's pick, also October, is the 3-track Escape Pattern EP.

Deeply Armed is Belfast trio Michael McKeown (vocals, guitar, synth, percussion), Aaron O’Neill (electronics, synth, engineering), and Kenny Whaley (bass, synth). 

The Healing is the first song that I've (knowingly) heard by them and there's a real David Holmes vibe, circa The Holy Pictures. No surprise that he and Andrew Weatherall were early supporters. Andrew Innes and Brendan Lynch offer a rousing 3-minute remix that sounds like (good) Primal Scream, but the pick of the bunch is Keith Tenniswood's down low mix that sounds like you're listening to the party next door, ear pressed up against the wall, wishing you there. Great stuff.

Eddie Chacon's solo catalogue has been a revelation. Lay Low is I think Eddie's third album, released at the end of January this year. The previous two were made with John Carroll Kirby; this time Eddie has collaborated with Nick Hakim and the results are phenomenal.

I could have picked any of the eight songs so, if you like Let The Devil In, you will love Lay Low.

Back in 2003, Fatboy Slim aka Norman Cook remixed The Rolling Stones' classic Sympathy For The Devil. Fast forward twenty two years, and this time he's mashed up (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (1965) with his own The Rockafeller Skank (1998)... and it works for me.

 

 

More tomorrow.

Tell Me A Thousand Times

Happy, happy, happy birthday to Sarah Cracknell, born 12th April 1967.

Chanteuse, songwriter, mother, wife and all round fabulous person, today's selection celebrates Sarah's 58th with 58 minutes of Sarah singing. What could be better than that?

It's mostly Saint Etienne, with a couple of songs from Sarah's solo catalogue and collaborations with David Holmes and Mark Brown. 

There are also mixes from Masters At Work, Kid Loco, Richard X, Two Lone Swordsmen aka Andrew Weatherall and Keith Tenniswood, as well as Andrew's former compadres in The Sabres Of Paradise, Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns. All very different styles and approaches, though Sarah's voice shines through.

Here's to you, Sarah, hiope you have a good one.

1) Aussie Soap Girl: Sarah Cracknell (1997)

2) Method Of Modern Love (Radio Edit By Richard X & Pete Hofmann): Saint Etienne (2009)

3) Nothing Can Stop Us (Masters At Work Dub) (Remix By Kenny 'Dope' Gonzalez & 'Little' Louie Vega): Saint Etienne (1992)

4) Goodnight Jack: Saint Etienne (1998)

5) Message In A Bottle: Saint Etienne (1995)

6) Stop And Think It Over (Kid Loco Mix): Saint Etienne (2002)

7) Penlop (Album Version By Pete Wiggs): Saint Etienne (2021)

8) Some Place Else: Saint Etienne (1992)

9) Gone (Edit By David Holmes, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns): David Holmes ft. Sarah Cracknell (1995)

10) I Threw It All Away: Saint Etienne (2012)

11) Sleepytown: Sarah Cracknell (2015)

12) Like A Motorway (Japanese Version): Saint Etienne (1994)

13) The Journey Continues (Vocal Radio Edit): Mark Brown ft. Sarah Cracknell (2007)

14) Andersen Unbound: Saint Etienne (2002)

15) Heart Failed (In The Back Of A Taxi) (Two Lone Swordsmen Mix By Andrew Weatherall & Keith Tenniswood): Saint Etienne (2000)

1992: Avenue EP: 8

1992: Nothing Can Stop Us EP: 3

1995: Gone EP: 9

1995: Xmas 95 EP: 5

1997: Goldie EP: 1

1998: Good Humor: 4

2000: Heart Failed (In The Back Of A Taxi) EP: 15

2002: Action EP: 14

2007: The Journey Continues EP: 13

2009: Method Of Modern Love EP: 2

2009: Now 4 EP: 12

2010: Finisterre (Deluxe Edition) (2x CD): 6

2012: Words And Music By Saint Etienne: 10

2015: Take The Silver EP: 11

2021: I've Been Trying To Tell You: 7

Tell Me A Thousand Times (58:22) (KF) (Mega)

If that's left you hungry for more Sarah, I've resurrected my 1997 Saint Etienne C90 side which I posted last year. You can find it here.

Decadance IV: 1997

Side 2 of my sojourn through the 1990s, skidding to a halt in 1997.

The year that Labour ousted the Tories from government in a landslide general election result. The year that Princess Diana died in a car crash, attempting to escape the paparazzi. The year that The Notorious B.I.G. was murdered. The year that we got a glimpse of the comet Hale–Bopp passing by our tiny planet. The year that South Park debuted on TV.  

It was also the year of the mud, at least if you were at Glastonbury that summer.  If that wasn't disappointing enough, Neil Young pulled out of a headline slot, to be replaced by Kula Shaker. No refunds on your £75 ticket.

At a glance, 1997 may seem like a dire year for music. Candle In The Wind by Elton John was the year's biggest seller by a long chalk, released the weekend following Princess Diana's funeral. The rest of the Top 5 was made up of Aqua, Puff Daddy and Faith Evans, and the 'various artists' patchwork cover of Perfect Day by Lou Reed. Oh, and Teletubbies.  

Sadly, Bristol-born actor and comedian Dave Thompson couldn't enjoy the latter's #1 success in December 1997 as five months previously he'd been given the boot as Tinky Winky (the purple one, I had to look it up). Apparently, BBC bosses deemed that Dave's "interpretation of the role was not acceptable". 

No such comment from the BBC about Katrina & The Waves' performance at the Eurovision Song Contest, representing the United Kingdom. Surprisingly, they won it. Less surprisingly, 1997 remains the last time that the UK have won it. 

There was lots of great music in 1997 too, so don't despair. I've sifted through and found a dozen nuggets that haven't lost their shine in the last three decades.

Remember Indie Kylie? Kylie Minogue's sixth album Impossible Princess underwent a swift swap to an untitled/eponymous UK release in 1997, following Diana's death (the original title reinstated in 2003). 

Kylie co-wrote the album, mostly with Brothers In Rhythm, Dave Ball and Ingo Vauk. A couple of songs were written with Manic Street Preachers, including the rather fab Some Kind Of Bliss. These were the days when Kylie wasn't guaranteed a #1 with every single but even so, #22 was a bit harsh.  

I've surprised myself by upping 1996's brace of UK #1s with a hat-trick today. First up is You're Not Alone, originally a #42 hit for Olive in September 1996, then re-released and hitting the top spot in May 1997. Olive never really bettered this song. 

Likewise, White Town whose single Your Woman gained traction on Radio 1 thanks to Mark Radcliffe and became a global hit. Your Woman proved to be a lightning-in-a-bottle moment for Jyoti Mishra, and neither the B-sides, album or subsequent music could hope to match the inspired brilliance of this song. 

Block Rockin' Beats was The Chemical Brothers' second #1 and also proved to be their last, although Tom and Ed enjoyed a further ten Top 20 hits between 1997 and 2007. 

A second appearance for Suede, with the final single from third album Coming Up. Feeling sidelined and dismissed by the music press, who were lathering over Blur, Oasis and Pulp, Brett Anderson determined to "write a straightforward pop album. Just ten hits." And he was half right, in as much as Suede's label released five of the ten songs as singles in the UK, every one of them cracking the Top 10. 

When I first settled on the track listing for 1997 (from the usual shortlist of nearly 50 songs), I'd expected quite a few of them to have been minor hits, outside the Top 40 at least. I was surprised to find that only two fit that particular bill.

Today's Mandatory Andrew Weatherall song is Touch Me With Your Love by Beth Orton, which peaked at 60 in January 1997. Touch Me With Your Love was released as a standalone single and, according to the credits, reproduced rather than remixed by Weatherall and his fellow lone swordsman Keith Tenniswood. 

Death In Vegas, led by Richard Fearless, would go onto greater things in 2000s but I was a huge fan of debut album, Dead Elvis. Rocco only got to #51 but it's a cracking single, with it's sampled refrain of "Gonna die if sweetness should pass me by" inspiring the name of a mixtape I made for my brother.

Other first-timers which I happily discovered all made a dent in the Top 40 are My Life Story, Tindersticks and Monaco, the latest venture from Peter Hook. In What Do You Want From Me?, Hooky created one of the best New Order singles that New Order never made.

An honorable mention to Blue Boy aka Lex Blackmore. Like You're Not Alone, Remember Me was released as a single the year before, but a remix by Sure Is Pure in 1997 rocketed the song to #8. Like Olive, Blue Boy are pretty much only remembered for Remember Me (see what I did there?). Trivia fans may be thrilled to know that this is Lex Blackmore's second appearance in the Decadance series. Way back in 1990, Lex accompanied The Shamen on Make It Mine as one half of rap duo Rhyme & Reason.

Last but not least, Daft Punk with a catchy little tune called Da Funk. The song first came out in 1995 and I first heard it on Annie Nightingale's late night Radio 1 show sometime in 1996. Da Funk was edited and packaged as a double A-side with Musique, giving the French robots a #7 hit in February 1997. The rest is history. Well, of course it is!

Next weekend sees the final two installments of the Decadance series, as I take a long hard look at 1998 and 1999, trying to decide whether to party like Prince or try to back up all my computer files ahead of the inevitable crash caused by the Millennium Bug, dragging society as we know it back into The Dark Ages.

1) Some Kind Of Bliss (Radio Edit): Kylie Minogue 

2) Filmstar (Original Demo): Suede 

3) Strumpet (Album Version): My Life Story 

4) What Do You Want From Me? (Edit): Monaco 

5) Remember Me (Sure Is Pure 7” Edit): Blue Boy ft. Marlena Shaw 

6) Touch Me With Your Love (Radio Edit): Beth Orton 

7) Bathtime (Single Remix): Tindersticks 

8) You're Not Alone (Radio Edit): Olive 

9) Rocco (DRVRSLZ Edit): Death In Vegas 

10) Block Rockin' Beats (Radio Edit): The Chemical Brothers ft. Schoolly D 

11) Da Funk (Radio Edit): Daft Punk 

12) Your Woman (Album Version): White Town 

19th January 1997: Women In Technology (#1): 12 

26th January 1997: Touch Me With Your Love EP (#60): 6 

9th February 1997: Remember Me EP (#8): 5 

16th February 1997: Da Funk/Musique EP (#7): 11 

9th March 1997: What Do You Want From Me? (#11): 4 

30th March 1997: Block Rockin' Beats EP (#1): 10 

11th May 1997: The Golden Mile (#27): 3 

11th May 1997: You're Not Alone EP (#1): 8 

1st June 1997: Bathtime EP (#38): 7 

17th August 1997: Filmstar EP (#9): 2 

14th September 1997: Some Kind Of Bliss EP  (#22): 1 

26th October 1997: Rocco EP  (#51): 9 

Side Two (46:09) (GD) (M)

Side One here

Jesus Wept

I even surprised myself with this one.

 

A loose JC theme for today's selection, whether in the title, lyrics...or artist's initials. A forty-five minute variety show featuring some (ir)reverential tunes by several Dubhed favourites and a few first-timers.

No Christmas Day selection would be complete without Andrew Weatherall and Julian Cope. 

 

Andrew teams up with Keith Tenniswood as Two Lone Swordsmen for a brilliantly titled track from their 1999 album A Virus With Shoes. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, I've...well, basically, I've just played it in reverse. If you're a lover or hater, it'll be proof that Weatherall's music either sounds fantastic or shit, whichever direction it's played. Naturally, I'm in the former camp.

Julian gets as close as he ever will to a Christmas song with a B-side from 1988's Charlotte Anne EP and typically one of the best things he's ever written and recorded. But then, I would say that, wouldn't I?

Forget About Jesus by Swell blew me away when I first heard it on the John Peel show in 1994. For it's 30th anniversary, I've spliced together sections from the two versions that featured on the CD single back in the day to create a six-and-a-half minute extended version. Dean Kirkpatrick is co-founder Sean's dad and provides the opening and closing spoken word sections.

Add to the above, liberal helpings of The Jesus & Mary Chain, Ash, The Birthday Party and The The amongst others, and you have a treat that you can enjoy between meals without spoiling your appetite.

 

Have a great day everyone, whether you're celebrating, commiserating, isolating or entertaining. With especially big love for all those working today and tomorrow, putting others before themselves.

Thanks for dropping by, be sure to drop by tomorrow for a Boxing Day special.

 

1) Jesus Says (Album Version): Ash (1998)

2) Jesus H Christ On A Surfboard: Gary Cassin (2024)

3) Christ On A Stick: Creamboy (2020)

4) Cloned Christ On A Hover Donkey (Be Thankful) (Khayem's Crunching The Reverse Gear): Two Lone Swordsmen (2024)

5) Reverence (Album Version): The Jesus & Mary Chain (1992)

6) Forget About Jesus (Khayem's Reinterred Vocal Re-Edit): Swell ft. Dean Kirkpatrick (2024)

7) Christ Alive: The Sea Nymphs (1995)

8) The Cult Of Lord Jesus H. Christ: Alex G (2015)

9) Jesus Built My Hotrod (Short, Pusillanimous, So-They-Can-Fit-More-Commercials-On-The-Radio Edit): Ministry (1991)

10) Christ On A Bike: Thingdom (2024)

11) Big Jesus Trash Can: The Birthday Party (1982)

12) Angels Of Deception (Album Version): The The (1986)

13) Christmas Mourning (Single Version): Julian Cope (1988)

Jesus Wept (45:45) (GD) (M)

Can You See The Rockets?

Today's selection turns the spotlight on Nina Walsh, composer, performer, engineer, producer, supreme talent and looong overdue a Dubhed selection. I say that a lot, but I really mean it.

Sundays are often reserved for something a little bit more downtempo, a little bit more relaxed and this is no exception, although being Nina, this is more Cabaret Voltaire than Cafe Del Mar ambience.

That said, things start off with the beautiful and delicate original version of Borderland, featuring Sarah Sarhandi on viola, by Woodleigh Research Facility. Initially a joint project with Andrew Weatherall, since his death in 2020 Nina has continued to release music as WRF. Nina and Andrew's connection goes way back: previously romantically involved, the pair also founded and ran the Sabres Of Paradise and Sabrettes labels in the early 1990s, which is how I first became of Nina's work. Here's a photo the pair by John Barnett circa 2016.

 

Borderland was originally recorded in 2019 and was finally released as volume 4 in the Apparently Solo series of EPs. I had to include the original here as it was such a strikingly obvious opener, but the EP includes a pair of remixes, one of Andrew's last, the other by uber-producer (and former Sabre) Jagz Kooner in 2021.

 

 

The rest of the selection takes in Nina's further collaborations as Slab with Lol Hammond (Drum Club), with Alex Paterson/The Orb and solo as C-Pij, with a rare A-side and couple of remixes for Andrew Weatherall and Keith Tenniswood aka Two Lone Swordsmen.

Bringing things bang up to date is an epic remix earlier this year of In A Wonderland from Steve Queralt and Michael Smith's brilliant companion to the equally excellent Sun Moon Town album. 

 

Nina provides vocals on several songs, not least the closing track, Slab's cover of Mazzy Star's 1993 song Fade Into You. The original may be definitive, but I really love this cover and there's something about Nina's voice here that really gets me. It's a wonderful way to bring things to an end.

Although what is the end? A couple of weeks ago, Nina released a Woodleigh Research Facility album, Phonox Nights. Her final WRF recordings with Andrew Weatherall, it's a stunning collection, tinged with sadness and loss and yet imbued with a positivity and joie de vivre, the latter seemingly typifying their working relationship. Joe Muggs had a superb interview with the pair for Fact magazine in 2016 which captures this wonderfully.

 

Nina continues to make music and I think is receiving (over)due credit for her immense talent. Head over to Nina's website for links to her solo, WRF and other releases and immerse yourself in some incredible music.

 

1) Borderland (Original Version): Woodleigh Research Facility ft. Sarah Sarhandi (2019)

2) Mental Ground Zero: Slab ft. Younger Youth (1999)

3) Big Clapper (C-Pij Remix By Nina Walsh): Two Lone Swordsmen (1999)

4) Rabbit's Moon (Squelch Mix aka Lateral Lagomorph Mix By Lol Hammond & Nina Walsh): Slab (1997)

5) Primitive.... (Orbtij Mix By The Orb & C-Pij aka Alex Paterson & Nina Walsh): D-Kiku (1999)

6) Nostik: C-Pij (2000)

7) Aeronauts The Next Phase: Woodleigh Research Facility (2015)

8) Taste Of Our Flames: Two Lone Swordsmen ft. Nina Walsh (2004)

9) In A Wonderland (Wonk On The Gnosis Mix By Nina Walsh): Steve Queralt & Michael Smith (2023)

10) Cosmo: Slab (1999)

11) Tiny Reminder No. 1 (C-Pij Remix Vocal) (Remix By Nina Walsh): Two Lone Swordsmen (2001)

12) Plum Island (Flat Mix By Nina Walsh & Andy Sheriff): The Orb (2001)

13) Fade Into You (Single Version) (Cover of Mazzy Star): Slab (1999)

Can You See The Rockets? (1:18:26) (KF) (Mega)