Dub '96

An hour of dub not dub today, with a 10-song selection of remixes circa 1996.

Dub '96 follows the tradition of previous Dubhed excursions to 1983 and 1985 (twice), with a varied (re)mix of indie and electronic music, all put through the club/dub filter.

Everything But The Girl were partying like it was, er, 1999, teaming up with Spring Hill Jack for the drum and bass-infused title track of their Walking Wounded album. 

Dubstar called Mother... no, not theirs, the DJ/producer duo of Jools Brettle & Lee Fisher... to take their single Stars into space, a dub oddity if you will.

18 Wheeler on the other hand stayed on terra firma, getting Greg Hunter in to dub their single, transforming it into Beyond The Valley Of The Hours And The Times, in homage to Russ Meyer's 1970 film Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls.

Inspired by Dubstar, The Beloved were visited by one half of Deep Dish, the fortuitously named Dubfire (Ali to his ioved ones) to go even further with Three Steps To Heaven. Unfortunately, the record label didn't approve and the remix remained unreleased for many years.

Alter Ego proposed getting out of their heads on Mescal, or should that be Mezcal? You may be interested to know that all tequila is a type of mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila. Two Lone Swordsmen create a suitably out of body dub.

From out of their heads to Out Of This World by Republica. This remix was originally released as a promo 12" in 1994, back when The Chemical Brothers were still blagging it as The Dust Brothers, until The Dust Brothers found out and told them to stop. The dub remix turned up on a single in 1996... at least that's what it said on the sleeve. Turns out it was actually April 1997. Ooops!

Grace was a project for Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne, who recorded Not Over Yet in 1993. It wasn't a major hit until 1995, by which time original vocalist Patti Low had departed. Subsequent singles were led by Dominique Atkins, although it was "all over" for Grace by 1997.

Innerzone Orchestra is a collective pulled together by electronic music pioneer Carl Craig. Bug In The Bassbin is perhaps their most well-known track, with a slew of remixes. I only released after I'd completed this selection that the Graphic Dub included here is supposed to be 5 minutes long. My CD rip is a smidge over 1 minute. Ooops!

It's that guy Steve Osborne again, this time remixing indie legends Lush. Again, another quirk in my digital music collection. The original running time was listed as 10:51, until I realised that the file was corrupted. One refresh later and the track is 6:31 as it should be. Housekeeping, eh?

To finish, The Big Man And The Scream Team Meet The Barmy Army Uptown, Primal Scream teaming up with Denise Johnson and Irvine Welsh, for one of the best football related songs of all. This dub is about as close to the dub genre as you'll get today, no surprise when it's Adrian Sherwood at the controls.

Continuing the tradition of the previous Dub '80s posts, I've resurrected my shameless rip off of Rol's far more inspired Saturday morning quiz over at My Top Ten.

The only prize for participating is the knowledge that somehow you have made it to the end of the five questions (and this post) with your sanity intact. 

Answers will be posted in the Comments below on Monday morning.

1) Which band member, now an acclaimed author, denounced The Beatles as “the absolute curse of modern Indie music”, citing their favourite Beatle as Yoko Ono?

2) When asked what they would do when their music career slowed down, who said that they would take a 6-month course in dry stone walling and set up a 24-hour emergency repair service, using a 3-wheeled motor trike?

3) Whose autobiography is titled Patient?

4) Which song had three videos made, one in a disused swimming pool in Hackney, another in Badwater Basin in Death Valley, California, and the third and final one in a London studio, for it's re-release as a single?

5) Who appeared in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice whilst still in the womb?

1) Walking Wounded (Spring Heel Jack Dub Mix By Ashley Wales & John Coxon): Everything But The Girl (Walking Wounded EP)

2) Stars (Mother Dub Mix By Jools Brettle & Lee Fisher) (Extended Album Version): Dubstar (Disgraceful/The Mixes (Expanded 2CD Edition))

3) Beyond The Valley Of The Hours And The Times (Greg Hunter In Dub Mix): 18 Wheeler (The Hours And The Times EP)

4) Three Steps To Heaven (Dubfire's Paradise Dub) (Remix By Ali Shirazinia): The Beloved (X Remixed (unreleased promo mixes))

5) Mescal (2 Lone Swordsmen Dub) (Remix By Andrew Weatherall & Keith Tenniswood) (Full Length): Alter Ego (Peppered With Spastic Magic: A Collection Of Two Lone Swordsmen Remixes)

6) Out Of This World (Chemical Brothers Dub) (Remix By Ed Simons & Tom Rowlands): Republica (Drop Dead Gorgeous EP)

7) Not Over Yet (BT's Peyote Dub) (Remix By Brian Transeau): Grace (Not Over Yet EP)

8) Bug In The Bassbin (Graphic Dub) (Remix By Claude Young): Innerzone Orchestra (Bug In The Bassbin EP)

9) Last Night (Hexadecimal Dub Mix By Steve Osborne): Lush (Last Night EP)

10) The Big Man And The Scream Team Meet The Barmy Army Uptown (Full Strength Fortified Dub) (Remix By Adrian Sherwood): Primal Scream ft. Denise Johnson & Irvine Welsh (The Big Man And The Scream Team Meet The Barmy Army Uptown EP)

Dub '96 (1:01:38) (GD) (M)

And if that's not enough dub for one day, here are my three '80s dub selections to date:

Dub '83 (September 2023)

Dub '85 (January 2025)

Double Dub '85 (April 2025)

What Do You Mean, This Music Has Needs?

An hour of music created or remixed by Kris Needs, topped and tailed with his collaboration with Wonder Schneider as Secret Knowledge and Delta Lady.

[Apology: I'm currently experiencing technical issues, more sleeve notes to follow!]

1) Sugar Daddy (Original Full Length Version By Kris Needs, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns): Secret Knowledge (1993)

2) Anything You Want (Volume Vocal Mix By Kris Needs & Leftfield): Delta Lady (1993)

3) Rockers Dub (Remix od 'Rocks' By Kris Needs): Primal Scream (1994)

4) Toxygene (Kris Needs Up For A Fortnight Mix) (Full Length): The Orb (1997)

5) King Of My Castle (Beef Injection Mix By Kris Needs & Matt Schwartz): Wamdue Project ft. Gaelle Adisson (1998)

6) Now Is The Time (Secret Knowledge Overkill Mix By Kris Needs): The Crystal Method (1996)

7) Swamp Fever (Delta Scream Mix By Primal Scream): Delta Lady (1993)

8) Ooh Baby (Vocals Mix By Kris Needs & Ben Watkins): Secret Knowledge (1993)

This Music Has Needs (59:27) (GD) (M)

And if this doesn't quite fulfil your needs, then dive into Side 1 and Side 2 of my 1996 Secret Knowledge mixtape.

"What I Did On My Summer Holidays" By Khayem, Age 35 ½

I have a much-needed week off work next week. No plans, other than to have some fun... well, apart from the long 'to do' list of chores pinned to the wall...! But mostly fun.

In that spirit, I came across this dusty old post, recounting a similar week off, twenty years ago. What was floating my boat in July 2006? Read on!

Saturday 15th July 2006

I attempted to paint a couple of coffee tables in my back garden, with primer that had the consistency of tar thanks to the excessive heat. 

Why do I ever decide to do these jobs? 

I’m crap at DIY!

Sunday 16th July 2006

Mrs. K and I tried and failed to rent Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl – or anything else for that matter – on DVD. Spent an inordinate amount of time in The Lounge café bar, getting drunk instead.

[2026 P.S. in July 2006, The Lounge was singiular, a cosy little place in a former opticians, less then 5 mins walk from our home. These days, there are approx. 250 Lounge bars across England and Wales]

Monday 17th July 2006

Left England, entered Wales, left Wales, re-entered England. Arrived at Mallards Pike Lake, the Forest of Dean, to Go Ape in the treetops. 

Severe doubts about my judgement kicked in when I saw people thirty feet up flinging themselves onto cargo nets, balancing on precarious platforms and screaming as they descended the ‘zip slides’ (hey, we know they’re really called ‘death slides’!). 

A faltering start at the briefing session as I put the harness on inside out, but I was determined to show both the slew of hyperactive teens and the inconceivably elderly gent in our group that I had what it takes. I felt adrenalin hitting hitherto unexplored parts of my bloodsystem… as I travelled the ten-foot practice zip slide, a few feet above ground level. 

Three hours later, Mrs. K and I completed our final ‘death slide’ descent, pumped up and ready to take on the world! That said, it’s unlikely that next month I’ll be writing of rap jumping down the side of a skyscraper. Small steps, small steps... 

We stopped off at the appropriately named The Gr(ape) in Chepstow for a bite to eat. Mrs. K ordered feta and vine tomato salad, which was lovely despite the fact that the feta became brie, the vine tomatoes were clearly the common-or-garden variety and the salad was largely conspicuous by it’s absence. 

My choice – black pudding and chorizo on a bed of rocket – uncovered the AWOL vine tomatoes, though the rocket seemed to have launched into the stratosphere, in pursuit of Mrs. K’s salad. However, the combination of meats was surprisingly effective, and ably assisted by full-bodied local beer, the Reverend James.

[2026 P.S. The Grape is sadly no more] 

Tuesday 18th July 2006

Mrs. K and I joined our close friend Jason at the local mutiplex to see Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest 

A tad overlong, but great fun. If you’ve not seen the first film, no problem: as there’s no ‘plot’ to speak of, there’s no chance of feeling ill informed. Bill Nighy delivers a star turn, despite having an octopus for a head throughout; likewise, barnacles proved no obstacle to Geoffrey Rush’s sterling performance. 

It’s easy to understand that Johnny Depp has been likened to Keith Richards in this film, but I’ll admit to a slight disappointment that Depp didn’t fully realise this by taking a tumble from a coconut tree. 

We’re both looking forward to Pirates 3, and may even get around to seeing the first one someday…

Wednesday 19th July 2006

I received an outline of my pre-job interview assignment: to prepare a briefing paper for a presentation/discussion with a panel. 

I successfully avoided soiling myself and dealt with my nervous anxiety by spending the day clothes shopping at Cribbs Causeway with Mrs. K.

[2026 P.S. Twenty years later, the self-proclaimed "South West's premier shopping centre" has dropped 'Causeway', settling for the mononym 'Cribbs'] 

Thursday 20th July 2006

A lazy day at The Relaxation Centre in Clifton, a first-time experience for the two of us. 

We sampled the outdoor hot tub, steam room, the indoor hot tub, sauna and floatation room and felt unbelievably great afterwards. 

I then blew it all that evening as my oldest friend Stuart was in town (check out his film Outlaw in 2007). Mandatory ale quaffing in The Three Sugar Loaves and The White Lion ensued, including pints of the prophetically named Doom.

Friday 21st July 2006

The hangover from hell, accompanied by the obligatory depression and lack of motivation. 

Mrs. K and I started watching a fascinating documentary on Blondie but I passed out before they’d even reached ‘The Tide Is High’ era.

Saturday 22nd July 2006

I spent the morning sitting in Queen Square whilst Mrs. K was having her hair styled by either Toni or Guy, I’m not sure which. I wrote some prep notes for my interview briefing paper, some of them even forming coherent comments. And that was about it.

Sunday 23rd July 2006

As it was a blazingly hot day, we put off going to the Ashton Court Festival until the last minute. 

I remember my earliest visits, when it was a sprawling, seemingly shambolic free community festival. Overflowing with pub bands, cheap lager, variations on goat curry and spicy noodles, and volunteers circulating with buckets to collect money for the following year’s event, the stumble out of the estate grounds in pitch blackness was a veritable rite of passage. 

How things have changed. 

Now, the entire event has been fenced in, lit up and corralled into submission. The £9.00 per day entry fee now offers you the likes of Simple Minds, The Go! Team and Dreadzone, though ‘pub bands’ still dominate. 

The latter two had headlined the previous day, so Mrs. K and I experienced the mighty ‘Juan’ Kerr and co. I only recognised about half of Simple Minds’ songs and those that I did – Don’t You Forget About Me, a dire cover of Van Morrison’s Gloria and the closing third encore (!) of Alive And Kicking - were little more than extended karaoke tracks, with Kerr preferring the audience to do the work on the choruses. 

The sole redeeming moment was a rendition of New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) seemingly inspired by Utah Saints’ rousing mid-1990s cover version. Apart from that, neither of us were sorry to see Simple Minds return to the ‘where are they now?’ file. 

Still, the walk home was fun, as we dove into the stream of human traffic heading south of the river. Along the way, pockets of inebriated male violence broke out, causing the occasional log jam. Perhaps the festival is still a rites of passage for some, but my feelings towards Ashton Court were aptly personified by Jim Kerr: over priced, over the hill, out of touch and with an inflated sense of self-importance.

[2026 P.S. Bit harsh, eh? I've a lot of love for Simple Minds' first few albums and they have admittedly come back stronger with some good songs in the last twenty years. But this still ranks as one of the worst gigs I have ever experienced.]

Holiday Reading:

Feeding Frenzy: Will Self (2002)

Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid On Earth: Chris Ware (2000)

Black Hole: Charles Burns (2005)

Planet Karen: Karen Ellis (2006)

Holiday Music:

Time Boom X De Devil Dead: Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry + Dub Syndicate (1987)

Live In London: The Go-Betweens (2004)

Scary Monsters ('Sound + Vision' Expanded Edition): David Bowie (1980/1992)

Pure: The Times (1991)

69 Love Songs: The Magnetic Fields (1999)

Riot City Blues: Primal Scream (2006)

The Infotainment Scan (Expanded Edition): The Fall (1993/2006)

Holiday TV:

Lost

Big Brother’s Big Mouth

Saxondale

Nathan Barley

Grumpy Old Holidays

Dog The Bounty Hunter

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)

Mani Memories

Celebrating Mani aka Gary Mounfield, 16th November 1962 to 20th November 2025.

There have been so many wonderfully written and heartfelt tributes to Mani in the past few days that there's not a lot that I can add. Unlike many of my blogosphere peers, my life wasn't transformed by The Stone Roses. 

My friend Stu had the album and I liked it, but not enough to buy anything more than the standalone single Fools Gold / What The World Is Waiting For, which I loved. 

When The Stone Roses played at The Bierkeller in Bristol in the summer of 1989, I was either skint or otherwise occupied. My live picks for that year included Pixies, Inspiral Carpets and, er, The Monkees.

For all that, I thought they were great, and had a particular fondness for Mani, so when he joined Primal Scream following The Stone Roses' end, it was a very good thing.

In the tributes, there is an overwhelming sense of what a decent, down to earth person Mani was. Even from my ignorant distance, what stands out is his loyalty; Mani stuck with The Stone Roses., gave 15 years to Primal Scream and then heeded the call to get the old band back together.

There was also Freebass, the supergroup with Peter Hook and Andy Rourke, though other extra curricular activity was rare: a couple of songs on Bryan Ferry's 2010 album Olympia, two live rehearsal tracks with The Racketeers circa 2004, another couple with Aziz Ibrahim in 2000, and that's all I have.

What ties them all together is Mani's superlative bass. In compiling today's tribute, I found a 1983 demo by The Waterfront, a precursor to The Stone Roses, and Mani's talent shines through from the start.

At the end, I've pulled together a 10-song tribute to Mani, spanning all of the above. I won't pretend to be an expert, and my picks for The Stone Roses and Primal Scream may be obvious choices, but I hope the selection overall does Mani justice.

Man, could Mani play bass.

In preparing this post, I received an email from my friend Mike:

Hi Khayem,

sad news about Mani today. 

I'm not sure my 'review' is appropriate in its entirety but:

1) Its a reminder for me about how I felt 30 years ago and 

2) it does help me reflect on how good Mani was in a live setting.

Feel free to just read or take a bit of the essence

Regards,

Mike

I'm sharing Mike's entire item, unedited.

The Stone Roses – Great Hall Exeter University 5th December 1995

On a cold Tuesday night nigh on 30 years ago my mate Chris and I travelled down the M5 to see a band that many felt were the greatest of that era.

We both didn’t know Exeter at all and tried to find a car park that was ‘central’ before trudging off to find the University. Once entering the venue we realised it was packed to the rafters with students and blokes in their early 20’s hoping to have their ‘Spike Island’ moment. From memory it wasn’t long until the band took to the stage and a long intro started. The sound was good and the first thing you noticed was how good Reni and Mani sounded together. It didn’t take long until John Squires started to unleash his trademark riffs and all was good with the world. And then Ian Brown started singing…

I’ve often thought about this gig and looked at people reminiscing about going to see the Stone Roses in the late 1980’s-mid 1990’s. Were Reni and Mani the best rhythm section of our lifetime? A bold statement yes but I think one that could be argued. Was John Squire one of the best lead guitarists to come out of the UK? Again I think that is something that has good evidence behind it. However my issue always was the lead singer. I remember on the night trying to go to different parts of the Hall to see if it was a dodgy speaker or just where I was stood. The final track was ‘I am the Resurrection’ and I just thought at the time would I ever hear a better bassline played live in my lifetime and now that Mani has passed I think I can honestly say probably not.

We drove home through the snow agreeing on one thing – that when it was down to the musicians in the band they were faultless – Mani, Reni, John we salute you. If only you had let your lead singer go then they could have been one of the greatest live bands ever 

RIP Mani.

Many thanks, Mike, wonderfully expressed. And now for some music.

1) BF Bass (Ode To Olympia) (Album Version): Bryan Ferry (2010)

2) Breaking Into Heaven (Album Version): The Stone Roses (1994)

3) Can't Go Back (Album Version): Primal Scream (2008)

4) Nuts For You (Live Rehearsal Track): The Racketeers (Wayne Kramer & Brian James) (2004)

5) You Don't Know (This About Me) (EP Version): Freebass ft. Tim Burgess (2010)

6) Where The Wind Blows: The Waterfront (1983)

7) I Am The Resurrection (Album Version): The Stone Roses (1989)

8) If They Move, Kill 'Em (Album Version): Primal Scream (1997)

9) Middle Road (Aziz Album Mix): Aziz ft. Paul Weller (2000)

10) The Milky Way Is Our Playground (EP Version): Freebass ft. Pete Wylie (2010)

Mani Memories (51:43) (GD) (M)

Decayed I: 2000

Side 1 of a faux FX Super Ferric C90 cassette, properly kicking off a new series of mixtapes that never were, and a follow on from my previous runs through the 1980s and 1990s.

There was a thirty five year gap between Decade and its sequel, Decadance (sic). A mere eight months' wait this time!

The 2000s was a significant decade for me: I became a house owner, a husband, a father; I changed jobs; I got a home computer (with dial up internet!); I went to more comedy gigs than music gigs; I finally went to Japan with Mrs. K, and we had an unforgettable month there.

I also listened to music, lots of music, but even that was changing. Whereas the move from the 1980s to the 1990s had seen a shift from vinyl to CDs, as the 2000s progressed, there was a further shift from CDs to MP3s.

Entering the decade, I was still making mixtapes, though that shifted quickly to CD-Rs as soon as Casa K had a computer and printer set up at home. Times were changing, and I was trying to keep up.

I was no longer keeping up with Top Of The Pops or the UK charts, though. The former had pretty much lost me in the previous decade, with the predominance of bland bands that were visually and aurally uninteresting. 

Likewise, the stupid marketing of the early 2000s saw a smaller number of songs spread across an increasing number of formats. The chances of getting a decent, value-for-money EP were a thing of the past and instead, completists would be forced to buy the two or three CD singles, possibly a DVD and/or a 12" vinyl, to get a mere 5 or 6 songs.

First week promos and multi-buy deals meant that the chances of singles getting to #1 in the UK were pretty good; staying at #1 (or even remaining in the Top 10) by week two less so. According to Iffypedia, there were 274 UK #1 singles in the 2000s, 11 of those by Westshite, which illustrates better than anything how bad things were.

And yet... despite my expectation that this series would highlight a yawning chasm between music I enjoyed and chart success, I've been surprised by the consistent hits across this series. Starting with today's selection, there are a fair number of songs that either didn't chart or failed to crack the Top 30, but there are more Top 5s than I was expecting, too.

Enough of my yakking, let's get into things with the year 2000.

Last Sunday's Decayed Prelude revealed a number of artists that failed to make the cut for any of the ten upcoming selections. Likewise, many in the next five weeks will make just one appearance, including today's opening act, Primal Scream.

When I 'reviewed' their XTRMNTR album for the back page of an A5 DIY comic zine that I was selling in Forbidden Planet for 50p, it amounted to one word: FLLR. My opinion hasn't significantly shifted in the quarter century since: it's a good (imaginary) compilation of mixes and B-sides, but didn't and doesn't hang together for me as a proper album.  

Much as I love Kill All Hippies with it's samples of Linda Manz from Dennis Hopper's 1980 film Out Of The Blue and one of the filthiest basslines ever, it didn't (excuse the pun) scream 'single!" to me. Yet it was, I bought it, and it got to #24.

All Saints were also enjoying continuing success by association with a film, albeit a contemporary release. I revisit the soundtrack to The Beach more often than the film itself, due to the spot-on choice of artists. 

I wasn't a fan of All Saints, but I was a sucker for William Orbit's bleeps and bloops and on Pure Shores, it was a perfect pairing. The record buying public agreed, and it scored All Saints their fourth UK #1.

Other Top 5 hits include Kids by Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue, a pop song so good that they both included it on their albums released that year. The single was held off the top spot by U2 (Beautiful Day), though both were supplanted by Steps and the Baha Men the following week.

Porcelain was about the 500th single from Moby's mega-successful Play (an achievement in itself, given that there are only 18 songs on the album). The single peaked at #5, the most successful of the Play singles released here. 

Moloko are the third and final Top 5 contender this time, with the sublime The Time Is Now and my personal favourite of everything that Róisín Murphy and Mark Brydon wrote and recorded together. You've got Melanie C and Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes to thank for keeping this cracker off the top spot, as they released Never Be The Same Again the same week. Prophetic words, as Westshite had evicted them a week later.

Apart from Primal Scream, other Top 30 artists featured here include Black Box Recorder and Finley Quaye, whilst The Dandy Warhols just missed out on the Top 40 this time around with Bohemian Like You. However, they returned with a vengeance (and the same song) the following year, thanks to its use in a Vodafone advert.

Given that I ditched Groovejet by Spiller and Sophie Ellis-Bextor from my 2000 shortlist, the inclusion of obscure Australian electronic act Gerling may be a surprise. What was a surprise to me was that their single Enter Spacecapsule actually made it to #33. I picked it up on spec from the bargain bin at Replay Records in Bristol at the time and immediately fell in love with it. I had a similar reaction to the Mekon single guest starring 80s legend Roxanne Shanté. Bring it on!

Likewise with the lush combo of strings and beats, courtesy of ex-Voodoo Queen, Anjali. Lazy Lagoon was one of the very first MP3s I downloaded (for free) from the Wiiija Records website in 2000. Took bloody ages thanks to my ultra slow dial-up internet connection, though it was worth it. The single failed to chart - I bought the CD single a while later, dirt cheap - but it and the eponymous debut album that homes it, comes highly recommended.

Shocking to think now that Lovely Head, the debut single by Goldfrapp, also failed to chart back in the day. I've pretty much lost track of what Alison Goldfrapp is up to these days, though her work with Will Gregory still has the power to thrill and this song in particular had it all from the start. Excellent whistling, too.

As with the previous series, the info nerd in me has insisted on including info at the end, listing each single's peak (UK) chart placing and date, and the relevant album it sprung from (or EP if it was a standalone single).

Sunday, as it must, will take a long, hard look at 2001. Space odyssey or space oddity? I'll leave you to decide.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the next 45 minutes of sounds from 2000!

And, if you want even more nostalgia, I've reactivated the previous selections for 1980 and 1990.

1) Kill All Hippies (Brendan Lynch Edit): Primal Scream ft. Linda Manz

2) Pure Shores (The Beach Life Mix By William Orbit): All Saints

3) Kids (Album Version): Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue

4) Porcelain (Single Version): Moby

5) Enter Spacecapsule (Radio Disko Remix): Gerling

6) Lazy Lagoon (Album Version): Anjali

7) The Facts Of Life (Radio Edit): Black Box Recorder

8) Lovely Head (Album Version): Goldfrapp

9) The Time Is Now (Edit): Moloko

10) Spiritualized (Album Version): Finley Quaye

11) What's Going On? (Edit): Mekon ft. Roxanne Shanté

12) Bohemian Like You (Album Version): The Dandy Warhols

20th February 2000: Saints & Sinners / The Beach (Motion Picture Soundtrack) (#1): 2

26th March 2000: XTRMNTR (#24): 1

26th March 2000: Things To Make And Do (#2): 9

16th April 2000: The Facts Of Life (#20): 7

5th June 2000: Felt Mountain (# n/a): 8 *

18th June 2000: Play (#5): 4

25th June 2000: Enter Spacecapsule EP (#33): 5

3rd September 2000: Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia (#42): 12 **

17th September 2000: Vanguard (#26): 10

17th September 2000: Relax With Mekon (#43): 11

15th October 2000: Sing When You're Winning / Light Years (#2): 3

22nd October 2000: Anjali (# n/a): 6

Side One (45:31) (GD) (M)

* Lovely Head had a second bite of the (black) cherry when it was re-released as a double A-side with Pilots (On A Star), peaking at #68 the week of 11th November 2001.

** Likewise, a re-release of Bohemian Like You rocketed the single to #5 in the week of 4th November 2001.

Optimum Space To Twitch

Celebrating Keith McIvor aka JD Twitch aka one half of the mighty Optimo, following news of his passing on Friday 19th September 2025 at the age of 57.

Last month, it was revealed that Keith had an untreatable brain tumour and funds were raised to support round-the-clock care. And now he is gone. My thoughts and best wishes go to Keith's family, friends and loved ones.

Keith was a legend in music for two reasons: his solo work as DJ and producer JD Twitch; then there was Optimo, or Optimo (Espacio).

The latter had two separate and distinct identities. Optimo (Espacio) was a club night that ran in The Sub Club in Glasgow from 1997 to 2010, a partnership between long-time pals Keith and Jonnie Wilkes. 

Optimo, or Optimo (Espacio) was also a remix and production duo of Keith with Dave Clark, and which provides a heavy contribution to today's selection. The pair have released countless remixes over the years and it's a testament to the quality of their work that this is just as much about what I had to leave out than what I included.

And Keith's remixes as JD Twitch kept the bar very high, as today's picks will attest.

But that wasn't my first experience of Keith's music, though I found this out much, much later. 

In my first forays into downloading MP3s from music sites in 2000 and 2001, I was introduced to Mount Florida via the Matador Records label. I knew next to nothing about, but were subsequently revealed to be a partnership between Keith McIvor and Mike Lancaster. Just five releases between 1997 and 2001 - a 12" of untitled dubs, three EPs and an album, Arrived Phoenix - all excellent.

Today's selection is a tribute to Keith's formidable skills at the controls, redefining trance music for the 21st Century and creating remixes that frequently surpassed the original source song.

I could have gone on and on, but I've restricted my selection to 13 songs and just under 90 minutes. It's not enough, though it manages to span Keith's end of the century excursions with Mount Florida right up to this year's rerub of Primal Scream.

If you're a fan of Keith's music, I hope this serves him well. If you're less familiar with his work, then I hope it inspires you to go looking for more, it's every bit as good as what you'll find here.

Rest well, Keith, you have left so much to savour and remember you by.

1) Life Magazine (An Optimo (Espacio) Mix): Cold Cave (2010)

2) No Social (Optimo Espacio Remix): The Shortwave Set (2008)

3) In Sintesi (JD Twitch Optimo Mix): Róisín Murphy (2014)

4) Buzz In (Optimo Remix): Boris (2009)

5) 18 Hours (Of Love) (An Optimo (Espacio) Remix): K-X-P (2018)

6) Circus Of Life (A JD Twitch Remix): Primal Scream (2025)

7) Autonomia (A JD Twitch Optimo Total Destruction): Mark Stewart vs Primal Scream (2012)

8) G-Twang! (Single Version): Mount Florida (1999)

9) Greater Reward (Piano Power Edit By JD Twitch): Severed Heads (2015)

10) Infected (A JD Twitch Optimo Mix) (Cover Of The The): David Shaw And The Beat (2012)

11) White Rooms And People (A JD Twitch Mix): Working Men's Club (2020)

12) Lost In Satie (Single Version): Mount Florida (1999)

13) Bedjem Mebok (JD Twitch Remix): 10LEC6 (2017)

1999: Stealth EP: 12

1999: Strut EP: 8

2008: No Social EP: 2

2009: Buzz In: Remix Project EP: 4

2010: Life Magazine EP: 1

2012: Autonomia EP: 7

2012: Infected EP: 10

2014: Mi Senti Remixed EP: 3

2015: Big Saints Reward (88-90 Dubs) EP: 9

2017: Bedjem Mebok EP: 13

2018: 18 Hours (Of Love) / Tears (Extended Interlude) EP: 5

2025: Come Ahead: The Remixes Volume One: Vocals: 6

2025: JD Twitch: Heavenly Remixes EP: 11

Optimum Space To Twitch (1:28:51) (GD) (M)

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)

Dear Annie

Celebrating Annie Nightingale, 1st April 1940 to 11th January 2024.

When I heard the sad news that Annie had passed at the age of 83 following a short illness, I didn't immediately post about it. To be honest, it was a real shock, I'd admittedly not followed Annie's continuing broadcasts in recent years but she seemed like she was immortal, that husky voice continuing to emanate over the airwaves forever. 

I was floored by Janice Long's death in December 2021 and Annie's has also hit me hard. When reflecting on Janice at the time, I wrote that "I probably listened to [her] more than John Peel on Radio 1 as a teen, mainly because her evening show slot usually coincided with doing homework or otherwise avoiding my family in my bedroom." This was even more applicable to Annie, whose request show followed the Top 40 countdown on Sunday nights.

I continued to listen to Annie as the powers that be moved her time slot further and further back, so that (at least, as far as I recall), her show became essential post-club listening.

I discovered so much music, new and old, via Annie Nightingale and I think my eclectic collection is testament to her own unabated passion for new genres and styles. Annie was also a reason to watch The Old Grey Whistle Test on BBC2. Bands that might otherwise have stuck two fingers up to the show and presenter Whispering Bob Harris were more amenable to appear when she was presenting.

 

As with Janice Long, this is another of those selections that doesn't begin to do justice to the breadth of Annie Nightingale's indefatigable love of music. More so, given that her career spanned six decades. 

I've cheekily lifted some of Annie's OGWT intros to link some of the music on this selection. The opening extract was from the show broadcast on 14th February 1981, featuring The Sound (well, it was them or Camel) and a three-song set including the magnificent Sense Of Purpose, included here.

 

I should say that only one song, by The Selecter, is an actual performance from The Old Grey Whistle Test. The rest are album and single versions, a remix here and there including one by Annie herself and some deep cuts from The Teardrop Explodes, The Crystal Method, Public Image Ltd., T.Power and Primal Scream remixed by Andrew Weatherall.

 

Big In Japan by Alphaville made the cut as it was the first song on a request show from 1985 that TSKC1984 taped off the radio and posted on You Tube. You can listen to the entire show in all it's hissy glory here, with another from Hollowe'en 1984 here.

 

I've also drawn inspiration from the three albums that Annie compiled in 1996, 2007 and 2015: Annie On One, Annie Nightingale Presents Y4K and Masterpiece. My selection ends, as Annie On One does, with Flowered Up's magnum opus and finest moment, Weekender, which I first heard on her show in 1992. 

I'll happily confess that I was in love with Annie: that voice; the effortless cool that set her miles apart from her contemporary (male) DJs on TV; the sheer rock 'n' roll-ness of her being. Actually, scratch 'was' for 'am'. 

 

In the many, many tributes in the past few days, Annie Nightingale has been rightly described as a trailblazer, a pioneer, one-of-a-kind. Annie was all of that to me. She was also a wonderful person and my favourite radio DJ ever.

Thank you, Annie, you were the best.

 

1) Old Grey Whistle Test (BBC2 Continuity Announcement & Introduction): Annie Nightingale (1981) 

2) Sense Of Purpose: The Sound (1981)

3) Liberation (12" Version): T.Power (1995)

4) Old Grey Whistle Test (Introduction: The Teardrop Explodes): Annie Nightingale (1982) 

5) Colours Fly Away (Live @ Club Zoo, Liverpool): The Teardrop Explodes (1981)

6) This Was The Sound (Adam Freeland & Sebi Spanks Remix): K-Swing + Beber (2007)

7) Come Back Clean (Annie Nightingale + Far Too Loud Remix): The Crystal Method ft. Emily Haines (2009)

8) Big In Japan (7" Version): Alphaville (1984)

9) Old Grey Whistle Test (Introduction: Japan): Annie Nightingale (1982) 

10) Ghosts (Single Version): Japan (1982)

11) Old Grey Whistle Test (Introduction: Public Image Ltd.): Annie Nightingale (1980)

12) Poptones (John Peel Session): Public Image Ltd. (1979)

13) Don't Fight It, Feel It (Scat Mix By Andrew Weatherall & Hugo Nicolson): Primal Scream ft. Denise Johnson (1991)

14) Duel (Album Version): Propaganda (1985)

15) Old Grey Whistle Test (Introduction: The Selecter): Annie Nightingale (1980)

16) Murder (Live on Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC2 TV): The Selecter (1980)

17) Cheft El Khof: Orange Blossom (2004)

18) Grey Clouds: The Orb ft. Alan Parker, Urban Warrior (2007)

19) Weekender (Full Length Version): Flowered Up (1992)

Dear Annie (1:15:17) (KF) (Mega)