Decadance II: 1992

Side 1 of a mixtape mockery, focusing on the 1990s and today in particular, 1992. It's also Dubhed post number 1,400, whatever that's worth.

 

1992 was a weird year in that, after a few years working and travelling, I decided to go back to college. I originally went to college straight from school, had a really crap time, dropped out half way through and vowed 'never again'. How fickle we human beings are, eh?

 

It was slightly better the second time around, although my outsider status was maintained by being older than the majority of my fellows, though I would hesitate to describe myself as a 'mature student'. Mature I most definitely was not. 

 

I wasn't even the oldest student there. That dubious honour was reserved for a forty-something woman in my English Literature class who frequently expressed her frustration at the juvenile antics of her peers.

 

I wouldn't say that I had the time of my life, but I enjoyed the classes, liked most of the people, fell in love with a girl, and got to make some horrendous fashion choices on a daily basis. Oh, and I had a part-time job so that I could afford to run a car and have a social life. Critical, considering that I was back home living with my parents out in the sticks.

 

Music-wise, I was out of sync with my contemporaries. The college jukebox was great, but invariably had Nirvana, Soundgarden or Pearl effing Jam on constant rotation. Whenever I got the opportunity, I would stick on Don't Fight It, Feel It by Primal Scream, the 7 minute Andrew Weatherall Scat Mix on the B-side, naturally, Denise Johnson's voice resounding around the room to general indifference. Philistines!

 

Today's eclectic selection reflects the times and my tastes. I was still leaning heavily into dance music (literally, on some club nights when I'd been at it for hours without a break) but I was still knocked for six by a new indie tune. I was just as inclined to listen to Pete Tong's Essential Selection as I was John Peel or Annie Nightingale's Request Show.

 

Opening song, the Kate Bush-sampling Something Good by Utah Saints is the only one from 1992's Top 40 best-selling UK singles, scraping in at #36. 

 

Another sacrilegious sample carries Messiah's Temple Of Dreams, it's shameless lift of This Mortal Coil's cover of Song To The Siren giving Elizabeth Fraser an unexpected (and uncredited) #20 hit in June 1992.

 

Less contentious is Orbital's use of Kirsty Hawkshaw's la la la's from Opus III's It's A Fine Day on the sublime Halcyon. The dictionary definition "denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful" is in keeping with the tone of the tune. However, the song is dedicated to Phil and Paul Hartnoll's mother, who was addicted to the tranquilliser Halcion (Triazolam) for many years.

 

A couple of songs were technically contenders for the previous year. Lithium first appeared on Nirvana's gargantuan album Nevermind in 1991, but wasn't released as a single until the following July. 

 

Hit by The Sugarcubes was officially on sale as a single on 30th December 1991, though it's prophetic (optimistic?) title was fulfilled a couple of weeks later, in January 1992.

 

Whilst you are thankfully spared big hitters (is that a typo?) by Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men, Jimmy Nail, Wet Wet Wet and Billy Ray Cyrus, a ridiculously big shortlist means that R.E.M., Beastie Boys, PJ Harvey, Suede and Neneh Cherry also failed to make the final dozen.

I had to find a place for Julian Cope, though. The Arch Drude released his magnum opus Jehovahkill in 1992, and lead/sole single Fear Loves This Place is as good a single as Julian's released at any point in his career. 

1992's MAW (Mandatory Andrew Weatherall) is Papua New Guinea by The Future Sound Of London, a ground breaking song in it's own right, transformed into an 11-minute aural odyssey by Mr. W. As with Finitribe last week, even the 3-minute edit featured here (found on the B-side of the 7" single) is epic.

 

Representing indie discos were a couple of absolute classics, the minute they burst onto the airwaves. Weirdo by The Charlatans, with it's juddering intro that sounded like the noise my car made, trying to get it started on a cold morning, remains one of my favourites by Tim and the band. 

 

As for The Auteurs, what better song than Showgirl as a statement of intent. How was this not a huge hit in 1992?!

 

Rounding things up, The Age Of Love released their eponymous single multiple times though it was another five years before it became a UK hit. 1992 however saw the debut of the superb remixes by Jam & Spoon, which for me remain the definitive versions of the song.

 

Bassheads burned briefly but brightly, and I thought they were great. A clutch of singles, an album and a handful of remixes and that was it. Back To The Old School is itself now old school, yet still gets the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. And when the beat kicks in... perfection.

More Nineties nonsense tomorrow. Who will win? Who will lose? And which Weatherall shall I choose?

1) Something Good (7-Inch): Utah Saints ft. Doctor Douglas
2) Weirdo (Album Version By Flood): The Charlatans
3) Hit (Album Version): The Sugarcubes
4) Showgirl (Single Version): The Auteurs
5) Back To The Old School (Edit): Bassheads

6) Temple Of Dreams (U.S. Edit By Messiah & Ralph P. Ruppert): Messiah

7) Halcyon (Edit): Orbital

8) Papua New Guinea (Andrew Weatherall Mix) (7" Edit): The Future Sound Of London

9) The Age Of Love (Jam & Spoon Radio Edit): The Age Of Love

10) Lithium (Album Version): Nirvana

11) Fear Loves This Place (Album Version): Julian Cope

12) Hallelujah (Leftfield Edit): Inner City

19th January 1992: Stick Around For Joy (#17): 3

19th March 1992: Weirdo EP (#19): 2

5th April 1992: Hallelujah '92 EP (#22): 12

24th May 1992: Papua New Guinea EP (#22): 8

31st May 1992: Back To The Old School EP (#12): 5

21st June 1992: Something Good EP (#4): 1

28th June 1992: Temple Of Dreams EP (#20): 6 

26th July 1992: Nevermind (#11): 10

27th July 1992: The Age Of Love EP (# n/a): 9

20th September 1992: Radiccio EP (#37): 7

18th October 1992: Jehovahkill (#42): 11

November 1992: Showgirl EP (# n/a): 4

Side One (46:09) (KF) (Mega) 

Roots 'n' Culture, Thirty Years Later

Side 2 of a mixtape recorded sometime around September 1995. 

 

Whereas yesterday's selection was a tape from my brother's former girlfriend, today's is a cassette that I made for a girlfriend that I lived with in the second half of the 1990s. 

 

1995 was the height of Britpop and the dance/indie crossover, both of which was reflected in the mightily impressive line-up for Bristol Sound City '95 running from 17th to 23rd April that year. 

 

Pulp! Radiohead! The Prodigy! Suede! Supergrass! Orbital! Sleeper! Gene! The Chemical Brothers! Teenage Fanclub! Skunk Anansie! The Orb! Elastica! The Bluetones! Utah Saints! Ash! dEUS! Dreadzone! Reef! Marion! and er, Menswe@r!

 

Not that I went to any of these gigs, or was paying that much attention, judging by my track listing over the two sides of C90. The only Sound City '95 act to make the cut was The Jesus & Mary Chain, and nearly half of Side 2 stuck in 1992, with only Björk and Gavin Friday representing releases in 1995.

For all that, I really like this compilation. Both sides kick off with an instrumental, Barry Adamson on Side 1 and the timeless (and beatless) Smokebelch II by The Sabres Of Paradise aka Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns. 

A fair few cover versions on this side too, from The Fall, Björk and Vegas, the short-lived partnership of David A. Stewart and Terry Hall.

The LFO track first appeared on the book/CD series Volume Three in 1992, although I didn't get to hear it until I bought the two 2CD 'Best Of Volume' compilations that emerged in 1995. Slow Down Speedy appeared on the first, entitled Wasted, but both are worth tracking down.

And Julian Cope makes a brief cameo, right at the end of the selection, as only he can.

 

This particular love story didn't have a happy ending, but the music never let us down. 

 

1) Smokebelch II (Beatless Mix): The Sabres Of Paradise (1993)

2) Lost In Music (Single Version) (Cover of Sister Sledge): The Fall (1993)

3) Bonita Mañana (Gang Starr Vocal Mix): Espiritu (1994)

4) Deee-Lite Theme (Global Village Mix): Deee-Lite (1991)

5) Phorever People (D's Mellow Dub): The Shamen ft. Jhelisa Anderson (1992)

6) Honey Power (Single Version + Instrumental Coda): My Bloody Valentine (1991)

7) It's Oh So Quiet (Album Version) (Cover of Betty Hutton): Björk (1995)

8) Slow Down Speedy: LFO (1992)

9) Showgirl (Single Version): The Auteurs (1992)

10) Trance Of Hatred: Barry Adamson ft. Maria Zastrow (1992)

11) She (Disco Mix) (Cover of Charles Aznavour): Vegas (1992)

12) Angel (7" Edit): Gavin Friday (1995)

13) Cool Hand Flute (Original Mix): Fluke (1989)

14) Peggy Suicide is Missing...: Julian Cope (1992)

 

1989: Thumper / Cool Hand Flute EP: 13

1991: Power Of Love EP: 4

1991: Tremolo EP: 6 

1992: Jehovahkill: 14

1992: Phorever People EP: 5 

1992: She EP: 11

1992: Showgirl EP: 9

1992: Soul Murder: 10

1992: Volume Three: 8

1993: Sabresonic: 1

1993: Why Are People Grudgeful? EP: 2

1994: Bonita Mañana EP: 3 

1995: Angel EP: 12

1995: Post: 7

Side Two (46:39) (KF) (Mega)

 

And for those of you who weren't here 993 days ago when I posted Side 1, you can find it here.

Peel The Layers

Watching late night BBC4 recently offered up Top Of The Pops presented by John Peel and Janice Long.

As good an excuse as any then to collate a selection of John Peel sessions and repost my tribute to Janice Long from December 2021.

Only a couple of crossovers with The Fall and Julian Cope, with the John Peel selection focusing in more on the alternative/indie side of things and keeping under forty-five minutes. 

 

Good times.

 

1) Cut Dead: The Jesus & Mary Chain (29th October 1985) 

2) Ladybird (Green Grass): The Fall (13th March 1993)

3) DoubtBeat: Scritti Politti (13th December 1978)

4) Через Річку, Через (Cherez Richku, Cherez Hai): The Wedding Present (15th May 1989)

5) Turn The Heater On (Cover of Keith Hudson): New Order (1st June 1982)

6) The Sin Of Pride: The Undertones (7th December 1982)

7) The Awful Flute Song (First Part): The Bambi Slam (1st March 1987)

8) Suffer The Children: Tears For Fears (10th October 1982)

9) Suicide High Lie: Big In Japan (12th February 1979)

10) Oh Lucinda (Love Becomes A Habit): The Only Ones (2nd June 1980)

11) After Murder Park: The Auteurs (8th March 1996)

12) Search Party: Julian Cope (11th June 1984)

13) Waves: Blancmange (13th February 1982)

Peel The Layers (44:14) (KF) (Mega)

Not intentionally trying to be contrary, but whilst the recording dates were listed for each of the songs on the Janice Long selection, the dates for the John Peel sessions relate to when the songs were first broadcast...I think!

Recorded By Steve Albini

Celebrating Steve Albini, 22nd July 1962 to 7th May 2024.

I was hours behind everyone with the unwelcome news, only chancing upon it because I checked my phone just before I put my head down for the night. There was no doubt waking up this morning that I'd focus today's post on the merest hint of Steve's genius. He didn't like to be labelled as a producer, frequently credited as 'recorded by' but he was obviously so, so much more, which is clear from the transformative effect his presence in the studio has had on the hundreds of artists he has worked with. 

 

There are already many thousands of words out there paying tribute to his hugely important and influential career, his kindness and generosity, side-by-side with a no-bullshit attitude and a lifetime dedicated to music and being authentic, an overused term but you'll know what I mean when applied to Steve Albini.

 

Steve was only 61. Gone far too soon.

 

The limited time I've had to pull this selection together (I'm already at risk of being late for work but priorities, right?) means that there's so much more that I could say yet can't include in today's post. However, pop over to The Vinyl Villain as JC pulled a late shift last night to hold the presses and post an incredible Imaginary Compilation Album with superlative sleeve notes. I'm expecting more tributes to follow in this corner of the blogosphere, given how much Steve Albini has populated our respective record collections these past four decades.

At first, I was tempted to exclude all of the more obvious choices of artists, and whilst I managed to drop Nirvana, in all conscience I couldn't ignore The Wedding Present, PJ Harvey or Pixies, whose Surfer Rosa was the first time I'd heard an album recorded by Steve Albini.

I've also tried to include some more unusual song selections and possibly one or two artists that you may not have realised Steve worked with, such as Nina Nastasia and Anni Rossi. 

Cosmia by Joanna Newsom is a bit of a cheat: Steve 'just' recorded the vocals and harp, the other constituent parts worked on by Van Dyke Parks, Jim O'Rourke and Joanna; however, it sits beautifully between Low and Songs: Ohia and couldn't be left out.

 

The selection ends, as it probably should, with a song from PJ Harvey's 1993 album Rid Of Me. Man-Size was - and remains - a hugely important song, but the decision to include two versions on the album was a bold one. I've opted for Man-Size Sextet here as it demonstrated a different side to Polly's and Steve's work that I'd been familiar with up to that point.

 

Rest (and record) in power, Steve, you've left us with so much to treasure.

 

1) We Are The Snare: Spare Snare (2018)

2) Santa Ana Winds: The Wedding Present (2008)

3) Everything You Say Will Destroy You: The Auteurs (1996)

4) Bang On: The Breeders (2008)

5) Where Is My Mind?: Pixies (1988)

6) Quick, Before It Melts: Cinerama (2002)

7) Weight Of Water: Low (1999)

8) Cosmia: Joanna Newsom (2006)

9) Farewell Transmission: Songs: Ohia (2003)

10) Fuckingsong: Jarvis Cocker (2009)

11) Our Day Trip: Nina Nastasia (2006)

12) Leave Me Alone So I Can Rock Again: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (1999)

13) Ecology: Anni Rossi (2009)

14) Man-Size Sextet: PJ Harvey (1993)

1988: Surfer Rosa: 5

1993: Rid Of Me: 14

1996: After Murder Park: 3

1999: Acme-Plus: 12 

1999: Secret Name: 7

2002: Quick, Before It Melts EP: 6 

2003: The Magnolia Electric Co: 9 

2006: On Leaving: 11

2006: Ys: 8

2008: El Rey: 2

2008: Mountain Battles: 4

2009: Further Complications: 10

2009: Rockwell: 13

2018: 'Sounds' Recorded By Steve Albini: 1

Recorded By Steve Albini (50:52) (KF) (Mega)

I've No Prescription For Compromised Solution

The long (jubilee) weekend's over, it's Monday, it's bucketing with rain and I've a long day at work ahead of me. Quite why this made me think of The Auteurs, I have no idea.

 

In 1994, Hut Recordings released The Auteurs vs µ-Ziq EP, where Mike Paradinas took four songs from second album Now I'm A Cowboy and warped the crap out of them. He must have particularly disliked Lenny Valentino, as it was done over three times.

 

Luke Haines reportedly considered The Auteurs vs µ-Ziq his version of Metal Machine Music by Lou Reed, i.e. unlistenable and designed to piss off his label, and mocked the music journalists that gave the EP favourable reviews.

 

Ironically, it was the first 'album' by The Auteurs that I actually bought on first release and I loved it.

 

Underground Movies is a standout on both records, so it makes sense that I'd eventually splice the two together, right? Starting off with the µ-Ziq bastardisation, it jumps into a re-edited intro to an alternative mix that (I think) was released as a promo single in France, before a reprise of the µ-Ziq remix to close, just over nine minutes in all.

 

Underground Movies (Tunnel Vision Re-Edit By Khayem): The Auteurs vs µ-Ziq (2022)

I Know What You Did Last Sombre

Side 1 of a mix CD-R, burned on 4th December 2006. This was originally compiled for my brother, who was living overseas at the time so in an uncharacteristic feat of organisation, I had this and a clutch of other gifts ready in time for the last airmail posting date for Christmas.

 

The mix runs for the maximum burn time, just under 80 minutes, with a split into two 'sides'. I'd loosely describe this as the 'downtempo side'. The title itself is both a twist on the popular horror film franchise and perhaps a comment on the winter chill surrounding me as, on the other side of the world, my brother was experiencing a seasonal opposite. 

 

In the summer of 2005, my wife and I also travelled to stay with my brother and his wife for a week, I think the first time we'd seen each other in person for nearly six years, so the title is probably a nod to the sadness of separation, 18 months on. Ho ho ho and festive cheer, indeed. Bloody hell, I should have sent a jangly pop compilation, in retrospect...!

Glancing at this tracklist, you'd be forgiven for thinking that I only bought one album in 2006, although if that had been the case, it still would have been White Bread Black Beer by Scritti Politti. The rest of the collection is made up of songs from the previous 5 years, a couple of which I had discovered in the bargain bins of Virgin Megastore in Bristol.

 

On such discovery was Your Love Means Everything by Faultline aka David Kosten. I was drawn in by the photo of a wrench on the cover and the list of guest vocalists on the back cover: Michael Stipe, Jacob Golden and Wayne Coyne. Okay, Chris Martin also pops up on a couple of tracks, but I didn't let that stop me from shelling out a couple of quid for what turned out to be a good record. I was surprised to find that this was the second and final (to date) Faultline album. Even more surprisingly, The Colossal Gray Sunshine was released as a promo single in 2004, with a remix by Paul Oakenfold, Apart from a one-off cover of Send In The Clowns featuring Lisa Hannigan in 2017, David Kosten seems to be largely working as a producer and programmer these days, with the likes of Bat For Lashes, Keane and Steven Wilson.

 

Another favourite at the time was Pony Club, not to be confused with New Young Pony Club. Much as I'm loathe to admit it, Pony Club first came to my attention in 2004 via cover mounted CD with NME, curated by the Manchester Racist. The track in question was from the debut Pony Club album, 2002's Home Truths, and I was sufficiently intrigued to pick up a copy, again troubling the bargain bins in the local megastore. Pony Club is essentially a vehicle for Mark Cullen and Home Truths is a claustrophobic and cutting depiction of a life trapped in housing estates and martial discord. Cullen also co-wrote a number of songs with Ian Broudie for Lightning Seeds, which is about as diametrically opposed as you can get.

 

Amongst the other sombre gems are Daníel Ágúst, on his first solo detour from GusGus, the much-missed Anita Lane, a Calexico rarity, a classic from former Voodoo Queen Anjali and Jah Wobble dropping his trademark bass into a remix of Norwegian Sami musician Mari Boine's 1994 song, Ĉuovgi Liekkas. Luke Haines resurrected The Auteurs in 2003 to air a combination of new songs and re-recordings on the excellent Das Capital, whilst The Go-Betweens returned for what would sadly prove to be their final album of new material, Oceans Apart, which is also one of their finest.

 

Likewise, Scritti Politti. Hard to believe - or accept - that it's now been sixteen years since White Bread Black Beer, with no immediate prospect of a further album. This is the third outing for Petrococadollar on the Dubhed blog, following it's appearance in my opening series 50@50 in December 2020 and again as part of a Scritti Politti selection in October 2021. I make no apologies, it's an exceptional song, even by Green Gartside's standards.

1) The Gray (Album Version): Daníel Ágúst (2005)

2) The Next Man That I See (Album Version By Mick Harvey): Anita Lane (2001) 

3) Ballad Of Cable Hogue (Version Française): Calexico ft. Marianne Dissard (2000)

4) The Colossal Gray Sunshine (Album Version): Faultline ft. Wayne Coyne & Steven Drozd (2002)

5) Lazy Lagoon (Album Version): Anjali (2000)

6) No Reason To Cry: The Go-Betweens (2005)

7) Satan Wants Me (Album Version): Luke Haines & The Auteurs (2003)

8) Ĉuovgi Liekkas (Jah Wobble Remix II): Mari Boine (2001)

9) CCTV: Pony Club (2002)

10) Petrococadollar: Scritti Politti (2006)

2000: Ballad Of Cable Hogue EP (French promo CD single): 3

2000: Lazy Lagoon EP / Anjali: 5 

2001: Remixed / Oðða Hámis: 8 

2001: Sex o'Clock: 2

2002: Home Truths: 9

2002: Your Love Means Everything: 4

2003: Das Capital: The Songwriting Genius Of Luke Haines & The Auteurs: 7

2005: Oceans Apart: 6

2005: Swallowed A Star: 1

2006: White Bread Black Beer: 10

Side One (38:36) (KF) (Mega)

These Things Elevate Me Above Animals

A headlong rush from 1958-1998, 10 songs, all two minutes or less, lyrically brilliant.

 

1) Adda Lee: Frank Black (1993)

"And the lake sings and the dogs don't, they are quiet for Adda Lee"

2) Phasers On Stun (Single Version): Urusei Yatsura (1996)

"I went walking under the streetlights with my sneakers filled up with snow"

3) Being A Girl (Part One) (Single Version): Mansun (1998)

"I'm so boring my clothes wanna keep someone else warm"

4) My Beautiful Leah: PJ Harvey (1998)

"If I don't find it this time, then I'm better off dead"

5) The King Of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 1: Neutral Milk Hotel (1998)

"I sank into your soul, into that secret place where no one dares to go"

6) Summertime Blues: Eddie Cochran (1958)

"I'm gonna take my problem to the United Nations"

7) Talking In The Dark: Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1978)

"We can talk like we're in love or we can talk above it"

8) Breakdown: Buzzcocks (1977)

"I feel me brain like porridge coming out of me ears"

9) Windout (Outtake): R.E.M. (1984)

"Tick tock time to clock my band"

10) Unsolved Child Murder (Demo): The Auteurs (1996)

"Sod this town and people's pity, let's get on with the nitty gritty"

These Things Elevate Me Above Animals (19:36)

Years & Years & Years

Nothing clever or sophisticated about today's post, just a mix of 'year' song titles, in chronological order. I've taken a liberal attitude to the song's actual meaning: I mean, 1234 by Feist could be a paean to the Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty if you stretch your imagination, couldn't it? I'll also make no apologies for including the bowel-troubling Moby remix of The Smashing Pumpkins' 1979 over the original version for the simple reason that there's less Billy Corgan in it. Some are irreplaceable - The Clash, New Order, Prince - but hopefully a few surprises along the way. No surprise that Julian Cope and Andrew Weatherall have snuck their way into yet another playlist, of course.
 
2,111 years, 25 songs, 2 hours, done.
 
1) 1234 (Album Version): Feist (2007)
2) 1300 (12" Version): Putsch '79 (2003)
3) 1517 (Album Version): The Whitest Boy Alive (2009)
4) 1901 (Album Version): Phoenix (2009)
5) 1917: David Bowie (1999)
6) 1959: Patti Smith (1997)
7) 1963 (Single Version): New Order (1987)
8) 1967: The Auteurs (1999)
9) 1969: The Sisters Of Mercy (1983)
10) 1973: The Glimmers (2009)
11) 1977: The Clash (1977)
12) 1979 (Moby Mix): The Smashing Pumpkins (1996)
13) 1981: Public Image Ltd. (1984)
14) 1984 (Summer Of Lovefingers Mix): Lovefingers vs. John Martyn (2008)
15) 1987 (Prins Thomas Diskomiks): diskJokke (2010)
16) 1993: Dananananaykroyd (2008)
17) 1995 (Album Version): Julian Cope (1995)
18) 1997 (Doctor Rosen Rosen Remix): Department Of Eagles (2008)
19) 1999 (Edit): Prince (1982)
20) 2000 (Original Version): RPM (1994)
21) 2001 (12" Remix By Donald Ross Skinner & Hugo Nicolson): Melissa Etheridge (1992)
22) 2012: Gossip (2009)
23) 2013 (Andrew Weatherall Remix): Primal Scream (2013)
24) 2080 (Brenmar Remix): Yeasayer (2009)
25) 3345 (GHP Whole Lotta Velvet Mix By Mark Vidler): The Black Velvets (2005)

Years & Years & Years (1:55:22)