A Million Different People Still In Here

Side 2 of an end of year 'best of' C90 cassette, recorded 27th December 1997.

It was a great year for singles, wasn't it?

Side 1 featured UK Top 40 hits by Björk, James, Edwyn Collins (surprisingly) and Howie B. (even more surprisingly), plus lesser or non-charting singles by Gold Blade, Lionrock, OP8 ft. Lisa Germano, Mulu, The Aloof and Wubble-U. Oh, and a ubiquitous #1 by Tori Amos, thanks to an Armand Van Helden remix.

Side 2 is packed with hits, no #1s this time, all but 2 of the 11 songs cracking the Top 30. 

Remember Me by Blue Boy has recently had a new lease of life thanks to a car advert, but was itself a flop single first time around. It was the remix by Sure Is Pure (featuring one half of Candy Flip, fact fans) that boosted the single to #8 in February 1997.

The Saint starring Val Kilmer was Hollywood's attempt to replicate the success of similar 60s TV on-screen revival Mission: Impossible, starring Tom Cruise. I'll admit, I've never seen the film so I can't compare, but it didn't make it to a sequel. However, Orbital did a cracking version of the theme tune, charting at #3 for a week in April.

I thought Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve had at least reached the top spot, not so, it transpires. Still sounds magnificent, nearly thirty years on. Nice that The Rolling Stones eventually relinquished their royalties claim.

As does Help The Aged by Pulp. It was bold move to have this as a lead single. Then again, it became swiftly apparent that This Is Hardcore was not a straight follow up to the wildly successful Different Class. I think it's my favourite Pulp album.

And yes, I resisted the temptation to place Song 2 as track 2 on Side 2. Blur follow neatly on from Pulp and sets up beautifully for The Sunday's glorious comeback single Summertime, ironically a #15 hit in autumn 1997.

To close, AIR provide what for me is the definitive version of Depeche Mode's single Home, one of a relatively few sung by Martin Gore rather than Dave Gahan. The Gore singles never seemed to chart quite as well as the rest, though this managed a respectable #23. Those that didn't buy it missed out on some fab reworks, not least AIR's 'Around The Golf' remix.

I've reposted the link to Side 1, so that you can enjoy the full 90+ minute 1997 experience.

 

1) Remember Me (Sure Is Pure (7" Edit)): Blue Boy ft. Marlena Shaw (Remember Me EP) (#8, 09 February 1997)

2) The Saint (Single Version) (Cover of The Les Reed Brass): Orbital (The Saint OST) (#3, 13 April 1997)

3) The New Pollution (Album Version): Beck (Odelay) (#14, 02 March 1997)

4) Miss Modular (Single Version): Stereolab (Miss Modular EP) (#60, 07 September 1997)

5) Gritty Shaker (Main Mix): David Holmes (Gritty Shaker EP) (#53, 17 August 1997)

6) Bruise Pristine (Single Remix): Placebo (Bachelorette EP) (#14, 18 May 1997)

7) Bitter Sweet Symphony (Album Version): The Verve (Urban Hymns) (#2, 22 June 1997)

8) Help The Aged (Album Version): Pulp (This Is Hardcore) (#8, 16 November 1997)

9) Song 2 (Album Version): Blur (Blur) (#2, 13 April 1997)

10) Summertime (Album Version): The Sundays (Static & Silence) (#15, 14 September 1997)

11) Home (AIR 'Around The Golf' Remix): Depeche Mode (Home EP) (#23, 22 June 1997)

 

Side Two (45:52) (GD) (M)

Side One here 

Live It Well

Not a lot of chat today as I've been plagued by power cuts whilst composing this post and it's accompanying selection. Only brief ones, but they've knocked out the PC every time and it's taken increasingly longer to get everything up and running again. And it's raining again.

"Arse!" as Father Jack was inclined to say, well, shout.

In that spirit, here's some joie de vivre courtesy of a dozen songs that have already brightened up my 2026; some only just so as they were released for Bandcamp Friday.

Again, I've found myself with an embarrassment of riches and have compiled 12 of them for your listening pleasure today, and this weekend.

Spare Snare's cover of Say My Name by Destiny's Child has been knocking around since 2001, but it's just reappeared on brand new compilation, Love Your Later Stuff, so it gets in on a technicality. That, and it segues beautifully into the dub of Jezebell's Turn It Yes by Justin Robertson's Five Green Moons.

It was a chance check in with the official Gavin Friday website that led me to the David Holmes remix of The Church Of Love, which snuck out earlier this year. 

And if you enjoy the song by Al MacKenzie (D:Ream) which gives today's post it's title (well, half of it at least) I will be coming back to the Evil Acid Barons album, which is an early contender for compilation of the year... and only a handful of tracks have been released so far.

1) Protector: SAULT (Chapter 1)

2) Life Is Short, Live It Well (Vocal Mix): Al MacKenzie (Evil Acid Barons)

3) Program 70: Pye Corner Audio (Program 70 EP)

4) Love To Watch U: A_M_B_O_S_S (Machine X Human EP)

5) Nothing Ever (Tom Sharkett Remix): GLOK / Timothy Clerkin (Alliance Remixed)

6) Surrounded By Spies (Richard Norris Dub): Placebo (Surrounded By Spies EP)

7) Song Of Siraba (Cosmikuro Remix): A Space Age Freak Out (Song Of Siraba EP)

8) My Electric Dreams (Airsine Remix): Pete Bones (My Electric Dreams EP)

9) The Church Of Love (David Holmes Remix): Gavin Friday (The Church Of Love And Dancing EP)

10) Say My Name (Cover of Destiny's Child): Spare Snare (2001) (Love Your Later Stuff)

11) Turn It Yes (Justin Robertson's Five Green Moons Dub): Jezebell (Turn It Yes Remixes Vol. 1 EP)

12) Môgôya (BOM Nation Remix): Namian Sidibé (Remix EP)

Live It Well (1:07:07) (GD) (M)

Critical Maas

An hour of Timo Maas' turn of the century remixes to get your pulse racing.

When I think of dance music in the early 2000s, Timo Maas was everywhere, but seemed to be particularly appealing to guitar noiseniks looking to get a piece of club action. Case in point: Muse, Placebo and Garbage. 

Timo also gave the magic touch to electronic music stalwarts Depeche Mode, Moby, and Rick Simmons and Steve Jones, recording here as Lustral but also known for their releases as The Space Brothers and Chakra.

Topping and tailing the selection from the poppier end of the spectrum, Jamiroquai and Kelis, both songs that were okay(ish) in their original form, but really come alive when put through the Maas mixer.

And I couldn't resist including this photo, taken in Gloucester covered market last month and possibly the saddest looking use of a vacant stall that I've seen. A critical mess, if you will.

1) Feels Just Like It Should (Timo Maas Mix): Jamiroquai (2005)

2) Enjoy The Silence (Timo Maas Extended Remix): Depeche Mode (2004)

3) Sunburn (Timo Maas' Sunstroke Remix): Muse (2000)

4) Special K (Timo Maas Remix): Placebo (2001)

5) We Are All Made Of Stars (Timo Maas Dub Mix): Moby (2002)

6) Everytime (Timo Maas Vocal Mix): Lustral ft. Tracy Ackerman (1999)

7) Breaking Up The Girl (Timo Maas Remix): Garbage (2002)

8) Young, Fresh & New (Timo Maas Remix) (Full Vocal): Kelis (2001)

Critical Maas (1:03:28) (GD) (M)