Don't Sing

After the runaway success* of my Senza Voce post back in September 2022, it's only taken 532 days for me to produce a sequel. Yep, as the title suggests, today's selection is 45 minutes of instrumental versions of songs you might not have been familiar with in the first place.

Shorn of the distraction of vocal workouts from the likes of Russell Mael, Billy MacKenzie, Boy George, Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, the songs are allowed to breathe and find their own space in the listener's consciousness. 

 

Well, that or the record label needed to pad out a single release and what better than karaoke versions. I mean, I don't know about you but there's nothing better I enjoy of an evening than standing in front of a mirror, hairbrush in hand, belting out Thompson Twins' greatest hits, pretending I'm Tom Bailey.

Oh. 

Just me, then.

 

1) The Rhythm Thief (Instrumental): Sparks (2002)

2) Only One In Your Love (Instrumental Remix): Botany 5 (1991)

3) Breakfast Alone (Instrumental Version): Associates (1985)

4) Komputer Pop (Inst.): Komputer (1998)

5) (Long) Beach Culture (Instrumental): Thompson Twins (1982)

6) Jungleland (Instrumental): Simple Minds (1986)

7) Shine A Light (Instrumental): Beady Eye (2013)

8) Il Adore (Instrumental): Boy George (1995)

 

1982: Lies EP: 5

1984: Breakfast EP: 3 

1986: Ghostdancing EP: 6

1991: Only One In Your Love EP: 2 

1995: Il Adore EP: 8

1998: Terminus EP: 4

2004: Lil' Beethoven (Deluxe Edition): 1

2013: BE Instrumentals (bootleg): 7

 

Don't Sing (45:49) (KF) (Mega) 

You can find Senza Voce here

* Well, Charity Chic and Middle Aged Man seemed to like it, anyway.

Let Loving Start

It's Thompson Twins ten track twelve inch time!

Slimmed down from what was at one point a seven-piece band, the trio of Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway enjoyed huge success between 1983 and 1985. I like the earlier incarnation too, but I've my focus on this particular period, lifting versions from the 12" singles, apart from opener Hold Me Now which is the extended album version.

There are a couple of later additions as well. Nothing In Common was on the soundtrack to the 1986 film of the same name, starring Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleeson. "It's a comedy. And a drama. Just like life." runs the tag line. It also stars Tom Hanks, which is generally a reason for me to skip a film.

In The Name Of Love was originally a single in 1982 by the expanded Thompson Twins line up and therefore out of the running. However, Shep Pettibone remixed the single for a greatest hits compilation in 1988 so I've snuck the extended version onto this selection.

Something I learned today when writing this post: Alannah Currie formed her first band the Unfuckables whilst living in a South London squat in the late 1970s. Around this time, she first met Jimmy Cauty (The Orb, The KLF, more recently Local Psycho & The Hurdy-Gurdy Orchestra). Life took them both in quite different directions, but they've been married since 2011 and have a "hive of mischief" a few tube stops from the South London squat. 

 

I like the circular nature of life sometimes.

 

1) Hold Me Now (Album Version) (1984)

2) Love On Your Side (Rap Boy Rap) (12" Extended Version) (1983)

3) We Are Detective (More Clues) (12" Version) (1983)

4) Doctor! Doctor! (Extended Version) (1984)

5) Desert Dancers (Remix of Breakaway) (1985)

6) Watching (You Watching Me) (12" Version) (1983)

7) Nothing In Common (Club Mix) (1986)

8) In The Name Of Love '88 (Extended Remix) (1988)

9) Dancersaurus (Even Large Reptiles Have Emotional Problems) (1983)

10) Lay Your Hands On Me (12" Remix) (1985)

1983: Love On Your Side EP: 2

1983: Watching (You Watching Me) EP: 6, 9

1983: We Are Detective EP: 3

1984: Doctor! Doctor! EP: 4

1984: Into The Gap: 1

1985: Here's To Future Days (ltd LP + 12"): 5

1985: Lay Your Hands On Me EP: 10

1986: Nothing In Common EP (US promo 12"): 7

1988: In The Name Of Love '88 EP: 8

Let Loving Start (1:03:21) (KF) (Mega)

Well It's Fun To Think That I'm Having The Time Of My Life

Torrential rain, an extremely laggy computer and a wailing cat have not been conducive to composing today's post, so I'll dispense with lengthy sleeve notes and offer up another 1980s selection, with one song from each year of that decade and veering towards the poppier end of the musical spectrum. 

 

Today's post and mix title are lifted from track 5 on this selection. Thanks, Mr. Tom Bailey! 

 

Photo is my own snap of graffiti adorning a building just around the corner from the Institut Valencià d'Art Modern, where Clan K spent an enjoyable couple of hours on our last day in Valencia, just over a week ago. It's a bit blurry as I was on the other side of the street, crossing the road and trying to get the shot in motion. The fact that there isn't a follow up photo of me wrapped around a lamppost or on the bonnet of a car still amazes me...

Happy Friday, everyone!

 

1) Let's Dance (Long Version By David Bowie, Nile Rodgers & Bob Clearmountain): David Bowie (1983)

2) If Only I Could (Extended Version By Claus Zundel): Sydney Youngblood (1989)

3) I'm Not Scared (Disco Mix By Pet Shop Boys & Phil Harding): Eighth Wonder (1988)

4) Strangelove (Pain Mix By Mix Master Phil Harding): Depeche Mode (1987)

5) In The Name Of Love (Big Value Version/New Super Synthesized Version By Tom Bailey): Thompson Twins (1982)

6) Ruby Red (Re-Edited And Re-Structured By Mike Hedges): Marc Almond (1986)

7) Mind Of A Toy (Dance Mix By Visage): Visage (1981)

8) Call Me (Theme From American Gigolo) (Album Version By Giorgio Moroder): Blondie (1980)

9) Cry (Extended Remix By J.J. Jeczalik): Godley & Creme (1985)

10) It's My Life (US Mix By Steve Thompson): Talk Talk (1984)

Fun To Think (1:13:14) (KF) (Mega)

Loop Da Loop

Side 2 of a mixtape, cobbled together in 1999, and capturing my love of rolling beats. Darren Emerson has produced a 2021 highlight with his remix of That Time Of Night by GLOK, which got me digging back into his excellent remixes from the late 1990s, presaging his departure from Underworld at the start of the 21st century. This was jumping on point for today's selection.

 

This selection opens with Ben Watkins aka Juno Reactor, with a single that I was surprised to discover actually made it to #45 in the UK singles chart back in February 1997. This song particularly appealed to me at the time as it sampled Watkins' previous band Sunsonic, who I also loved. The song in question, Kind Of Loving, only made it #83 when it was released in May 1990.

I won't pretend that I was a huge fan of Sasha at the time, although I vaguely recall seeing him DJ once at Renaissance at The Conservatory in Derby around 1994. However, I really liked his remix of Talk To Me by Hysterix and his own single Magic featuring Sam Mollison (a #32 UK hit single, no less).

 

By the 1992, Thompson Twins were finally down to the core duo of Tom Bailey & Alannah Currie and had 'gone dance'; the following year, they had teamed up with Keith Fearnley to become Babble. The Saint (#53 in January 1992) isn't bad, but I think I would have bought the single more for the David Morales mixes, which elevate the song considerably.

 

I love Everything But The Girl and Walking Wounded was a revelatory album when it came out in 1996. Before Today must have been the third or fourth single, managing a respectable #25 in March 1997. Darren Emerson did a couple of mixes and this is the best of the two, even at nearly 10 minutes, feeling too short. 

 

Go was Moby's global Twin Peaks-sampling smash, hitting #10 in the UK in July 1991. This remix, under his Barracuda alias, appeared in 1992 on The Ultimate Go EP, which I got a few years later on a German import CD single.

 

Age Of Love by Age Of Love first came out in 1990 but I don't think I would have become aware of it until I heard the Jam & Spoon remix around 1992. It eventually became a hit single in the UK in July 1997, peaking at #17, and has been remixed and re-released numerous times since. This version dates back to the original Belgian release and, at only a smidge over 5 minutes, feels like it should go on for at least twice as long.

1) Jungle High (Original Mix): Juno Reactor (1997)

2) Magic (Sasha's Voodoo Dub): Sasha ft. Sam Mollison (1994)

3) The Saint (8th Street Dub) (Remix By David Morales): Thompson Twins (1992)

4) Before Today (Darren Emerson Underwater Remix 1): Everything But The Girl (1997)

5) Go (Barracuda Mix): Moby (1992)

6) The Age Of Love (Boeing Mix By Roger Samijn): The Age Of Love (1990)

Side Two (45:52) (Box) (Mega)

From Conception To The Grave

Today's selection is a nod to the genre-hopping genius that is Dubmaster Dennis Bovell MBE. Lovers Rock, Dub, Post-Punk, Pop, Reggae, Poetry all threaded together by a singular talent.

 

Aside from his legendary work with Janet Kay, The Slits and The Pop Group, Dennis Bovell has been synonymous with Linton Kwesi Johnson's musical career. Another frequent collaborator has been Edwyn Collins, from Orange Juice to Collins solo, and taking in a shared guest spot on Trevor Jackson's Playgroup project along the way. 

 

In the summer, Dennis Bovell released a cover of What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. He has also recently dubbed up The Pop Group's 1979 debut album. Y In Dub is available via Bandcamp and various other outlets on 29th October.
 

1) Surrey With The Fringe On Top (Ska Be Doo Za): Black Beard (1978)

2) You'll Never Know (Dub) (Remix By Dennis Bovell): Edwyn Collins (2007)

3) Reality Poem (Album Version By Linton Kwesi Johnson & Dennis Bovell): Linton Kwesi Johnson (1979)

4) Feel No Way (Album Version By Dennis Bovell): Janet Kay (1980)

5) Forces Of Oppression (Edit By Dennis Bovell): The Pop Group (1980) 

6) Swanky Modes (Dennis Bovell DubMix): JARV IS... (2021)

7) 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (Album Version By Trevor Jackson & Mark 'Spike' Stent) (Cover of Paul Simon): Playgroup ft. Shinehead, Dennis Bovell & Edwyn Collins (2001)

8) Make Believe (Let's Pretend) (Special Extended Version By Dennis Bovell): Thompson Twins (1981)

9) Clichéd Dub Slave: Adrian Sherwood ft. Dennis Bovell (2007)

10) Flesh Of My Flesh (Long Version By Dennis Bovell): Orange Juice (1983)

11) Empire Road: Matumbi (1978)

12) Tell Tale Signs (Extended Version By Dennis Bovell): Bananarama (1983)

13) Dub Her In (Version By Dennis Bovell): Steve Mason (2011)

14) Love Und Romance (Album Version By Dennis Bovell): The Slits (1979)

15) Africa (Is Our Land) (12" Mix By Dennis Bovell): Joshua Moses (1978)

16) Silly Dub: Dennis Bovell ft. Janet Kay (1993)

From Conception To The Grave (1:03:41) (GD) (M)