Decadance I: 1990

Side 1 of a mock cassette compilation, kicking off a new series of mixtapes that never were, and a sequel of sorts to one that I posted last August and September.

As 1989 turned into 1990 I had the idea of creating a themed series of cassette compilations, looking back at the previous decade and inspiringly titled Decade. Five C90s, one year per side, 12 songs apiece. 

I recorded the first volume on 3rd February 1990. Thirty five years later, I've finally got around to the follow up.

Decadance (sic) was originally the title of a planned companion to the Decade series, featuring selected 12" versions of 80s songs. I've appropriated it for this series instead, intentional misspelling and all, starting obviously with 1990.

The next five weekends will feature each year of the 90s, sticking with the same format of a dozen songs that dip into my record collection, which grew exponentially during the decade as I got a regular wage and a increasing addiction to music.

This was a bloody tough one to begin with. My 'shortlist' ran to over 50 songs. I decided quite early on that 1990 was going to be limited to more dance-oriented music. Although I still buying lots of guitar-based and indie records, the songs here are more reflective of what I was leaning into and hearing when I was out and about.

So, that immediately relegated Pixies, Lush, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Mazzy Star, Inspiral Carpets and, reluctantly, World Of Twist. Being in the list of 1990s biggest sellers was no guarantee either, as Sinéad O'Connor, Maria McKee, Madonna found out to their cost. 

And Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer and especially Turtle Power by Partners In Kryme were proof if needed that being in the Top 15 best-selling singles of 1990 does not mean that the record buying public was right. Although I agonised longer than perhaps I should have about whether to include Infinity (1990's...Time For The Guru) by Guru Josh (RIP).

That said, two-thirds of today's selection were Top 40, and I've even managed to include two #1's with Beats International and Adamski (who naughtily didn't co-headline with Seal) although I would have sworn that there were three.

In fact, Groove Is In The Heart by Deee-Lite didn't hit the top spot. It was kept at #2 for two weeks by the re-release of The Joker by The Steve Miller Band, before Maria McKee came in with Show Me Heaven and ruined it for both of them.

Before I'd picked any of the other songs, I knew 1990 would begin with Renegade Soundwave, simply because I loved their singles and debut album, Soundclash.  Andrew Weatherall's game changing overhaul of Primal Scream with Loaded was a strong contender but inevitably was the only way to end the selection.

In between, there are perhaps some obvious choices, with The KLF, EMF and The Beloved but hopefully a few pleasant surprises too. 

Of the singles that stalled outside the Top 50, The Fall's inspired collaboration with Coldcut was huge for me, as was The Shamen's game changing album En-Tact. The single version of Make It MIne is a different mix, but the version with the rap by Rhyme & Reason that was so cheesy it was cool is the definitive in my opinion.

As well as samples aplenty, a couple of used another song as the entire foundation of their own, to startling effect. Beats International's cover of Just Be Good To Me by The S.O.S. Band laid Lindy Layton's vocals over the rhythm of Guns Of Brixton by The Clash, with a re-recorded verse lifted from Johnny Dynell & New York 88's Jam Hot was just inspired. 

As was A Tribe Called Quest's debut Top 50 hit, Bonita Applebum, whose pairing with Carly Simon & Chic 1982 hit Why? elevated both songs to another level entirely.

Although never in the same league as Andrew Weatherall, I liked Paul Oakenfold's remixes and whilst he's represented here, you may be scratching your heads wondering why I've left off his frankly brilliant remix of Step On by Happy Mondays (#5 in April 1990) for his arguably lesser known remix of Nothing by Frazier Chorus (#51 in August 1990).

Despite Step On coming out earlier in the year, I actually bought the 12" singles of Cloud 8 and Nothing first. Both featured Oakenfold remixes (I'd also recommend the limited edition Chad Jackson reworks of Nothing) and both were a surprising and pleasing departure for Frazier Chorus. Not that it helped them in the commercial sense, unfortunately,  but look what success did to Happy Mondays...

As an added bonus, this time around, I've included info at the end on when each single's peak (UK) chart placing and date, and the respective EP or album the featured version is lifted from. Well, it keeps me occupied and off the streets.

It will come as no surprise that Sunday will take a look at 1991. 

The Top 10 best selling singles of that year included Bryan Adams, Queen, The Simpsons, Chesney Hawkes and Color Me Badd. You may be relieved to know that none of them will be showing up here.

1) Probably A Robbery (7" Remix By Daniel Miller & Rico Conning): Renegade Soundwave
2) Telephone Thing (Album Version By Coldcut): The Fall
3) Unbelievable (Album Version By Ralph Jezzard): EMF
4) Make It Mine (V2.5) (Remix By The Shamen & 'Evil' Eddie Richards): The Shamen ft. Rhyme & Reason
5) Hello (Album Version By Martyn Phillips): The Beloved
6) What Time Is Love? (Live At Trancentral) (7" Version): The KLF ft. MC Bello & The Children Of The Revolution

7) Dub Be Good To Me (Album Version By Norman Cook): Beats International ft. Lindy Layton

8) Bonita Applebum (7" Why? Edit By CJ Mackintosh & Robin Hancock): A Tribe Called Quest

9) Groove Is In The Heart (LP Version By Deee-Lite & Mike Rogers): Deee-Lite ft. Bootsy Collins & Q-Tip

10) Nothing (7" Edit By Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne): Frazier Chorus

11) Killer (Edit By Adamski & Mike 'Spike' Drake): Adamski ft. Seal

12) Loaded (Andrew Weatherall Mix) (7" Version): Primal Scream

27th Jan 1990: Extricate (#58): 2

11th Feb 1990: Happiness (#19): 5

18th Feb 1990: Probably A Robbery EP (#38): 1

25th Feb 1990: Dub Be Good To Me EP (#1): 7

18th Mar 1990: Loaded EP (#16): 12

6th May 1990: Killer EP (#1): 11

12th Aug 1990: Bonita Applebum EP (#47): 8

26th Aug 1990: Nothing EP (#51): 10

9th Sep 1990: World Clique (#2): 9

9th Sep 1990: What Time Is Love? EP (#5): 6

22nd Sep 1990: En-Tact (#42): 4

25th Nov 1990: Schubert Dip (#3): 3

Side One (47:24) (GD) (M)

She Was More Like A Beauty Queen With An M16

When March was promising a far better summer than we actually ending up having in the UK, Dub Pistols offered up the perfect (festival) soundtrack.

 

Frontline is Dub Pistols' 9th album in 25 years but the first that I've owned. Better late than never? Too right!

 

Formed by Barry Ashworth in 1996, Dub Pistols appeared on my radar with third single Westway and their remix of Faker by Audioweb, both in 1997. I have the grand total of three singles in my collection: Westway, Cyclone (1998) and Official Chemical (2004) plus a smattering of radio edits, album cuts and a handful of other remixes, up to 2015.

Since then, Dub Pistols have released four albums and, on my first listen, the immediate reaction is that the past quarter century has seen a refining rather than a reinventing of their sound. If you enjoyed Dub Pistols music in 1996/1997, then you are unlikely to be disappointed by Frontline. The album is a dozen tracks of precision-tooled and tried and tested tunes, examples of an act that has developed an inherent knowledge of what will please the crowd on the live circuit and fit seamlessly into a set list.

That's not to say that the music on Frontline is perfunctory and soulless, far from it. Barry knows his stuff and the melting pot of dub, reggae, dancehall, ska & drum n bass is enhanced by the selection of vocalists, many of whom have been regular gunslingers on previous albums. 

Listened to in it's entirety, Frontline brings a smile to my face and an urge to jump up and down in party style, the latter not advisable when driving it has to be said. To give you a flavour, I've picked half a dozen examples, the first three with accompanying videos on YouTube, the latter trio with audio links courtesy of Bandcamp. 

Nice Up, featuring Freestylers and Horseman

 

Moving On, featuring Natty Campbell joining Barry on lead vocals

Soundboy Killa, bringing back Freestylers and Natty Campbell

 

Better Has Come, featuring the sweet sounds of Lindy Layton

 

Jump On It, with yet more Freestylers, joined this time by Top Cat and a cheeky homage to The Shadows' Apache all to great effect

 

M16 brings back previous collaborators The Ragga Twins, Flinty Badman and Deman Rocker aka Trevor Destouche and David Destouche). In case it ever pops up unexpectedly in a pub quiz, Trevor and David are brothers, not twins. The song not only provides today's post title but takes liberties with Michael Jackson's #1 single from 1983, Billie Jean and samples Ennio Morricone's The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. Great stuff.

 

Frontline was another chance purchase but Dub Pistols has proved to be a staple of this year's summer, lousy though it was for the most part, weather-wise. I've every intention of venturing back into the Dub Pistols' back catalogue, most likely starting with 2007's Speakers And Tweeters if only because it heavily features the much-missed Terry Hall.

 

Aside from the usual channels and outlets, you can also buy Frontline via the official Dub Pistols website, on vinyl (black or red) or CD alongside T-shirt, bandana and poster or various combinations of the lot.