You Can Touch It But It Will Still Not Fade

Side 2 of a cassette compilation, recorded 11th January 1998.

When I posted Side 1 in July 2022, I described it as "eight remixes that I was unlikely to ever hear down the local indie disco, but which in their own way, kick ass." Side 2 is all that, and more.

 

If there's a duff remix of Planet Telex by Radiohead, I've yet to hear it. The UNKLE remix was possibly the first one that I heard, tucked away on one of the CD singles for Just, and it remains my favourite. 

 

Likewise, K-Klass took New Order's Ruined In A Day and elevated it to a higher plain, surpassing the original to the extent that I'm pretty sure that this was the version the band 'performed' when they appeared on Top Of The Pops. Or, at least if it's not true, that's how I prefer to remember it.

Arab Strap's reworking of Don't Die Just Yet by David Holmes has appeared here before, as well as in a guest post that I did in January 2021 for The Vinyl Villain. Again, a remarkably strong bundle of remixes from Mogwai, Delakota and Holmes himself and Messrs. Moffat and Middleton.

Mixed in are some trip hop beats from Attica Blues vs. Lightning Seeds, a bit of drum 'n' bass from Tamsin Elliott vs. Faithless and Lush taken on a gothtronica excursion by Spooky. And then there's Beck, put through the aural equivalent of a meat grinder by Aphex Twin and somehow surviving. 

 

Closing on a funky but rather more sedate pace is Jon Carter, shrugging off his Monkey Mafia mantle to mix the Manics. Phat beats and a trumpet, what more could you want?

 

1) Planet Telex (Karma Sunra Mix By UNKLE): Radiohead (1995)

2) You Showed Me (Attica Blues Vocal Mix) (Cover of The Turtles): Lightning Seeds (1997)

3) Richard's Hairpiece (Remix Of "Devil's Haircut" By Aphex Twin): Beck (1997)

4) Ruined In A Day (Reunited In A Day Remix By K-Klass): New Order (1993)

5) Reverence (Tamsin's Re-Fix By Tamsin Elliott): Faithless (1996) 

6) The Holiday Girl (Don't Die Just Yet) (Remixed By Arab Strap): David Holmes (1997)

7) Undertow (Spooky Remix By Charlie May & Duncan Forbes): Lush (1994)

8) Kevin Carter (Busts Loose) (Remixed By Jon Carter): Manic Street Preachers (1996)

 

1993: Ruined In A Day EP: 4 

1994: Hypocrite EP: 7

1995: Just EP: 1 

1996: Kevin Carter EP: 8

1996: Reverence / Irreverence (ltd 2x CD): 5 

1997: Don't Die Just Yet EP: 6

1997: The New Pollution EP: 3

1997: You Showed Me EP: 2

 

Side Two (46:02) (KF) (Mega)

Side One avaialble here

Return To The Acoustic Tent

This time last year in the post-Glastonbury comedown, I posted a 45-minute acoustic selection. Never one to claim any original thought whatsoever, here I am again with another 13-song selection for 2023.

None of the artists here featured in last year's selection and whilst some of the artists' acoustic turns may not be a surprise - I'm thinking particularly of Turin Brakes and The Pictish Trail - there are some playing against type, namely Dua Lipa*, Seal, Moby and A Man Called Adam.

Terry Hall sounds great in any musical setting, of course, but I think the version of Ballad Of A Landlord is an especially fine showcase for his wonderful voice and songwriting. His absence is still keenly felt.

 

Compared to 2022, I've been very slack in my Glastonbury viewing: so far, only Billy Nomates, Fever Ray, Los Bitchos and Working Men's Club; all excellent, but lots to catch up with before the BBC iPlayer axe falls. Then again, if the sun's shining... 

 

* You might guess from the song title acronym, but a potty mouth advisory for Ms. Lipa if you're playing this within range of sensitive ears.

1) Pure (Acoustic Version): Lightning Seeds (1995)

2) Pain Killer (RTL2 Acoustic Version): Turin Brakes (2003)

3) Lovely Daughter (Acoustic): Merz (2007)

4) IDGAF (Acoustic): Dua Lipa (2018)

5) Crazy (Acoustic Version): Seal (1991)

6) Acoustic Guitar: The Magnetic Fields ft. Claudia Gonson (1999)

7) Tell Me (Toronto Acoustic Version): Moby ft. Cold Specks (2013)

8) Jewel (Acoustic): Cranes (1996)

9) Barefoot In The Head (Acoustic Edit): A Man Called Adam (2004)

10) Nuclear Sunflower Swamp (Acoustic): The Pictish Trail (2022)

11) Ballad Of A Landlord (Acoustic Version): Terry Hall (1997)

12) Just Drive (Acoustic Version): It's Immaterial (2002)

13) Another Sinful Day (Acoustic): Little Axe (1995)

 

1994: Prayer For The Dying EP: 5 

1995: Another Sinful Day EP: 12

1996: WRAS 88.5 Presents: Radio Oddyssey: 8 

1997: Ballad Of A Landlord EP: 11

1999: 69 Love Songs: 6

2002: The Great Liverpool Acoustic Experiment: 12

2003: Ether Song (ltd 2x CD):: 2 

2004: Barefoot In The Head EP: 9

2006: The Very Best Of The Lightning Seeds: 1

2007: Merz (Expanded Edition) (2x CD): 3

2013: Amazon Artist Lounge EP: 7

2018: IDGAF EP: 4

2022: EarthPercent x Earth Day Compilation Album: 10

 

Return To The Acoustic Tent (46:16) (KF) (Mega) 

You can find last year's Acoustic Tent selection here

Now That's What I Still Call Jangly

Side 2 of a compilation tape, originally recorded for me by my girlfriend, circa 1996.

 

When I posted the first side of this mixtape in November last year, I mentioned that I hadn't heard several of these songs in over a decade. It's been a bit less of a gap for most of the songs on this side but even so, I'd forgotten what a great compilation this is. More of The Wedding Present and The Field Mice and a couple by The Jam at their finest. 

 

I had thought about swapping out the Manchester racist for another song by a different artist, but I've decided to leave the sequence as originally intended. The song plays from approx. 19:44 to 23:27 if you want to skip it.

 

I realised as I was recreating this side that several of the artists have recently been featured over at The Vinyl Villain: Kirsty MacColl, The Field Mice and Fade Into You by Mazzy Star; completely coincidental, I'd only really plumped for posting this side today because it featured The Sundays. Yes, that's really as sophisticated as my planning gets sometimes...

 

1) A Small Slice Of Heaven: Lightning Seeds (1992)

2) Tread Lightly: Kirsty MacColl (1989)

3) The Great Depression (Single Version): The Jam (1982)

4) Divine Hammer (Album Version): The Breeders (1992)

5) Sorrow (Album Version) (Cover of The McCoys): David Bowie (1973)

6) Think Of These Things: The Field Mice (1991)

7) Spring-Heeled Jim (Album Version): Morrissey (1994)

8) My Favourite Dress (Single Version): The Wedding Present (1987)

9) But I'm Different Now (Album Version): The Jam (1980)

10) Slide Away (Album Version): The Verve (1993)

11) Fade Into You (Album Version): Mazzy Star (1993)

12) You're Not The Only One I Know (Album Version): The Sundays (1990)

13) Beyond Belief: Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1982)

Side Two (44:44)

Side One here

Roots 'n' Culture

Side 1 of a mixtape compiled for my then-girlfriend, circa September 1995. I think we were living together by this point and this may have been recorded as an extra birthday present but, as Tears For Fears once sang, memories fade. 

 

This is another mixtape tracklist rescued from some papers boxed up in the attic, otherwise lost to the mists of time. No other info apart from the year I recorded the mixtape, but the inclusion of the opening track helped me to narrow down the period. Something Wicked This Way Comes was previewed on 180°: A Mute Records Compilation, a cover-mounted CD with The Wire magazine, dated October 1995. The song subsequently reappeared on Barry Adamson's 1996 album Oedipus Schmoedipus and (in edited form) the soundtrack to David Lynch's film Lost Highway the same year.

 

This is the same girlfriend who was heavily invested in indie music and later gifted me with the Now That's What I Call Jangly mixtape which I posted previously. My mixtape was obviously an attempt to satisfy some of those loves (Lightning Seeds, The Jesus & Mary Chain, The Boo Radleys), whilst also sneaking in some electronica and dance music (Global Communication, The Future Sound Of London, The Grid). 

 

Saint Etienne's excellent So Tough album is served by a mere 25-second snippet featuring Simon Price, who was a journalist with Melody Maker at the time as I recall.

 

The Colour Of My Love previously appeared on one of three Ed Ball/The Times compilations that I posted last year. Ed re-recorded the song (as Edward Ball) as Love Is Blue for his 1997 album Catholic Guilt and it also reached #59 in the UK singles chart. Personally, I think The Times' version wasn't bettered.

 

I've swapped out the single mix of Enjoy The Silence for an alternate version labelled 'cold end'. To these ears, it sounds like an earlier, pre-release mix but I think works better with the lead in to The Future Sound Of London track.

 

What can I say about Floatation? One of the greatest electronic pop singles of the 1990s, which is no surprise given the involvement of Andrew Weatherall, Richard Norris and Dave Ball. One sadly lost to us, the other two continuing to produce great music in 2022.

 

1) Something Wicked This Way Comes (Album Version): Barry Adamson (1995)

2) 15 Reasons: Lightning Seeds (1990)

3) Memo To Pricey: Saint Etienne (1993)

4) Leonard Nimoy (Extended Version): Freaky Realistic (1993)

5) Sometimes Always (Album Version): The Jesus & Mary Chain ft. Hope Sandoval (1994)

6) The Colour Of My Love: The Times ft. Jan Stevens (1993)

7) Funk In The Fridge: Global Communication (1994)

8) Enjoy The Silence (Single Mix/Cold End): Depeche Mode (1990)

9) Bring Me Home: The Future Sound Of London (1994)

10) Lazarus (Album Version): The Boo Radleys (1993)

11) Floatation (Subsonic Grid Mix By Andrew Weatherall, Richard Norris & Dave Ball) (7" Version): The Grid ft. Sacha Souter (1990)

 

1990: Enjoy The Silence EP: 8 

1990: Floatation EP: 11

1990: Gigantic! 2: 2 

1993: Baby Girl EP: 6 

1993: Giant Steps: 10

1993: Leonard Nimoy EP: 4

1993: So Tough: 3

1994: Maiden Voyage EP: 7 

1994: Signed Sealed Delivered 2: 9

1994: Stoned & Dethroned: 5

1995: 180°: A Mute Records Compilation: 1

1996: Oedipus Schmoedipus: 1

 

Side One (45:05) (KF) (Mega)