Booty-full

You may be relieved to read that the post title is the one and only reference to Bernard Matthews, as I present my second selection collated from the #90sRumpShaker BlueSky challenge, hosted by @stevenh1974.bsky.social last month.

Ten tracks and (hopefully) not a single turkey amongst them. 

Utah Saints sample Phil Oakey to great effect on Believe In Me, Fortran 5 go one step further and get Neil Arthur in the studio for Persian Blues, whilst The Source resurrect a forgotten Candi Staton vocal for a second time, with similarly epic results. And Soho's appropriation of Johnny Marr's unforgettable guitar effect from How Soon Is Now? is the stuff of legend.

Bentley Rhythm Ace, Global Communication and Roni Size Reprazent brought fresh perspectives to dance music in the late 1990s, whilst respecting the past, and Temple Head by Transglobal Underground was, for me at least, one of the songs that defined the optimism of the (then new) decade, the hope of a better world. 

To close, arguably the most unlikely pairing of the decade, Traci Lords teaming up with Juno Reactor aka Ben Watkins and Johann Bley for music that is a little bit techno, a little bit trance, and never dull.

The third and final volume will be landing tomorrow. Hope to see you there!

1) Believe In Me (12-Inch Mix): Utah Saints (1993)

2) You Got The Love (Now Voyager Mix): The Source ft. Candi Staton (1996)

3) Release The Pressure (Album Version): Leftfield ft. Earl Sixteen & Papa Dee (1995)

4) Bentley's Gonna Sort You Out! (Full Version): Bentley Rhythm Ace (1997)

5) Hippychick (Extended): Soho (1990)

6) Persian Blues (3YE1270 Mix): Fortran 5 ft. Neil Arthur (1993)

7) The Way (Original Mix): Global Communication (1996)

8) Temple Head (Zenana Mix): Transglobal Underground (1991)

9) Share The Fall (Version): Roni Size Reprazent ft. Onallee (1997)

10) Control (Olympic 7" Edit): Traci Lords (1994)

#90sRumpShakersVolumeTwo (1:00:02) (GD) (M)

L'art De La Discothèque, Volume 2

A 90 minute revision class in the art of the remix, courtesy of François Kevorkian.

When compiling yesterday's "Volume 1", I'd used half of my shortlist of 24 songs. More by luck than planning, the remaining 12 also clocked in at an hour and a half, so sequencing a "Volume 2" seemed a no-brainer.

This selection has a tighter time period, focusing on 1983 to 2000, but no less a collection of top tunes for that. 

From this century (just), there are 9-minute mixes of Bent and Moloko, featuring the vocal talents of Zoё Johnston and Róisín Murphy respectively. From the 1990s, Soho and Yellow Magic Orchestra. The rest are from the 1980s, points along the spectrum including Cabaret Voltaire, Scritti Politti and That Petrol Emotion. 

Perhaps a surprise for some, but even Lou Reed and King Crimson got in on the extended 12" remix lark back in the day. Not sure how often these vinyl platters were tearing up dancefloors across the globe, but François Kevorkian does a good job with both.

More a production than a remix, Snake Charmer was the opening and title track of a 5-track EP/mini-album by Jah Wobble, The Edge and Holger Czukay in 1983.

Ol' Dave Evans pops up twice here, reuniting with his regular workmates in U2 for an FK remix of Wire the following year. This track originally appeared on the NME Readers' Poll Winners '84, a cover-mounted freebie 7" EP. And being the Celtic Dub Mix, those of you with allergies can rest assured that this version of Wire contains approx. 65% less Bono Vox.

Combined, the two volumes represent a fraction of François Kevorkian's prodigious output since an uncredited 12" remix of Happy Song by Rare Earth in 1975. 

It's inevitable that a Kevorkian remix will crop up on pretty much every 1980s 12" mix selection that I compile from here on, but I will come back to a bespoke FK mixtape or two in the future.

For now, revel in the brilliance.

1) Swollen (Francois K Vocal Mix By François Kevorkian & Eric Kupper): Bent ft. Zoё Johnston (2000)

2) Perfect Way (Way Perfect Mix By François Kevorkian, Alan Meyerson & Josh Abbey) (Full Length): Scritti Politti (1985)

3) Big Decision (Jet Fuel Mix By François Kevorkian): That Petrol Emotion (1987)

4) Snake Charmer (Full Length Version By François Kevorkian): Jah Wobble, The Edge & Holger Czukay (1983)

5) Here To Go (Extended Mix By François Kevorkian): Cabaret Voltaire (1987)

6) Nostalgia (Jeux De Mixage) (Remix By François Kevorkian & Goh Hotoda): Yellow Magic Orchestra (1993)

7) My Red Joystick (Remixed Version By François Kevorkian & Jay Mark): Lou Reed (1984)

8) Don't Look Any Further (Extended Mix By François Kevorkian, Alan Friedman & Alan Gregorie) (Cover of Dennis Edwards): The Kane Gang (1987)

9) The Time Is Now (Francois K Main Vocal Mix By François Kevorkian & Rob Rives): Moloko (2000)

10) Sleepless (Dance Mix By François Kevorkian & John Potoker): King Crimson (1984)

11) Freaky (Francois' Mix By François Kevorkian): Soho (1990)

12) Wire (Celtic Dub Mix By François Kevorkian): U2 (1984)

L'art De La Discothèque, Volume 2 (1:30:18) (GD) (M)

She's My Groovy Good Luck Friend

Celebrating Janice Long, 5th April 1955 to 25th December 2021.

 

This is a later-than-usual post, for obvious reasons. I had something else lined up for today but after reading the sad news last night of Janice's passing on Christmas Day, I wanted to pay tribute instead.

 

I probably listened to Janice Long 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. The sessions on her show were every bit as essential to my discovering new bands and artists, who have stuck with me for a lifetime. I haven't got as many Janice Long sessions in my collection as I thought, so there are some glaring anomalies (Primal Scream's Velocity Girl, for one) and this is another of those selections that doesn't begin to do justice to the breadth of Janice's shows and her passion for music.

Instead, this is quite alternative/indie-heavy and mainly focuses on 1984 to 1988, the period when I was a regular listener to her Radio 1 show. I've acquired a quite few songs retrospectively over the years, including quite a few that I didn't hear when originally broadcast (e.g. the Gold Blade track from the 1990s). I didn't follow Janice's move from Radio 1 and I've rarely listened to the radio from 2000 onwards, but it's clear from the tributes that her joy and enthusiasm for music remained undimmed. A genuine trailblazing DJ and presenter. Thank you, Janice.

 

1) Feminine Gender: Ranking Ann (4th August 1985)

2) Turkish Song Of The Damned: The Pogues (22nd October 1986)

3) Groovy Good Luck Friend: BMX Bandits (8th June 1986)

4) Christmas Mourning: Julian Cope (12th December 1984)

5) Home Is Where The Heart Is: The Chameleons (13th March 1985)

6) Ballad Of The Band: Felt (12th February 1986)

7) Winter Coat: The Bible (5th November 1986)

8) The Whole World Is Turning: Toots & The Maytals (19th August 1987)

9) Gave You My Love: Aswad (13th September 1984)

10) Ruthless: Cabaret Voltaire (10th October 1984)

11) Piece Of You: Soho (8th November 1987)

12) America: The Communards (13th October 1985)

13) Independence Day (Cover of Comsat Angels): Voice Of The Beehive (7th March 1988)

14) What Do You Mean?: The Blue Aeroplanes (15th February 1987)

15) Frenz: The Fall (13th May 1987)

16) Traumas Traumas Traumas: Marc Almond (16th January 1985)

17) Is This The Life: Cardiacs (29th November 1987)

18) The Word Around Town: David Westlake & The Go-Betweens (14th January 1987)

19) Ostrich: Danielle Dax (1st December 1985)

20) Football Hooligan: Tippa Irie (26th June 1985)

21) 5 True Believers: Gold Blade (17th March 1997)

22) Take Me To The Girl: Associates (8th September 1985)

She's My Groovy Good Luck Friend (1:22:01) (KF) (Mega)