Shout To The Top

This came out earlier this month, but it was put on my radar by the ever brilliant The Vinyl Villian music blog. JC's post highlights Hifi Sean, perhaps better known by people of a certain age and musical persuastion as Sean Dickson, lead singer with The Soup Dragons. This time around, he's completely rebuilt and remixed a cover version of The Style Council 80s classic, originally released by Fire Island in 1998 and featuring disco diva Loleatta Holloway (also infamous for the belting sample that drove 1989's Ride On Time by Black Box).

 

When you've got Paul Weller, Pete Heller & Terry Farley (Boy's Own), Loleatta Holloway and Hifi Sean in the mix, you really can't go wrong. There are three Hifi Sean mixes, all on YouTube and all worth a listen to brighten up your day.

 

I'd highly recommend checking out Hifi Sean's other music too, especially his 2016 album Ft., which is truly brilliant. Big thanks to JC @ The Vinyl Villian for opening my ears.

 

Hifi Sean on Bandcamp

Fire Island / Farley & Heller on Bandcamp

 

Hawkesbury Upton Top Ranking

I posted this homemade, slipshod DJ Mix on my Mixcloud page just over a year ago, in the early weeks of the first UK lockdown. We're currently in the latter stages of lockdown #3, and starting to re-engage with the world. Seems like a good time to give this another airing...

 

1.1) Is That You Mo-Dean? (Harpapella) (Remix By Moby): The B-52’s (1992)
1.2) Constancy: The The (2017)
1.3) A Long Hard Lazy Apprenticeship: The The (2017)
2) She's A Rainbow (Right Foot Yellow Mix By Fluke): World Of Twist (1991)
3) The Happy Song (Radio Edit): The Aliens (2007)
4) Children Of The Revolution: T.Rex (1972)
5) Ball Of Confusion (7” Mix): Love & Rockets (1987)
6) Triple Rhythm Stick (Beastie Boys vs. Ian Dury & The Blockheads): Go Home Productions (2006)
7) Lucky Number (Slavic Dance Version/Khayem Re-Edit): Lene Lovich (1978)
8) Good Times (Acapella): Chic (1979)
9) Rock With You (Feel That Heat) (Luxxury Edit): Michael Jackson (2016)
10) Everyday People: Sly & The Family Stone (1969)
11) Hey Mug (Outkast vs. The Streets): IDC (2005)
12) Elegant Chaos: Julian Cope (1984)
13.1) From Gardens Where We Feel Secure: Virginia Astley (1983)
13.2) Dub Be Good To Me (Acapella): Beats International (1990)
14) For A Reason (Single Mix): Dreadzone (2008)
15) Snobbery And Decay (That's Entertainment!): Act (1987)
16) My Own Way (Short Version): Duran Duran (1981)
17.1) Avril 14th (Album Version): Aphex Twin (2001)
17.2) I’m Not Tired: The The (2017)
17.3) Lying On My Side: The The (2017)
18) Be Thankful For What You've Got (Perfecto Mix By Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne) (ft. Tony Bryan): Massive Attack (1992)
19) Happiness (Quiet Village Remix By Matt Edwards & Joel Martin): Jonathan Jeremiah (2009)
20) Easter Song (Album Version): A Man Called Adam (1998)

 

And these were the inspirations for the mix title:

 

Hawkesbury Upton  

Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Ranking (1977)

I'm A Believer In A Different Way

I'm a fan of Ladyhawke's retro/modern rock/pop anyway, but this collaboration with Broods has been a playlist regular since it came out on March 4th. Great video by Lula Cucchiara, too.

 

 

 

Happy Land

From 1993, Ultramarine with Robert Wyatt on vocals and lyrics adapted from a parody of the popular patriotic Victorian song of the same name.

My favourite version is the remix by Aswad's drummer & founding member Angus Gaye aka Drummie Zeb, with it's vocal and dub halves. You'll find it on the Barefoot EP from 1994 and 2011's expanded digital version of the United Kingdoms albums.

Happy Sunday!

 

Ultramarine - Happy Land (promo video) 

Ultramarine - Happy Land (Remix By Drummie Zeb)

heartbeatincreasingheartbeat

Side 2 of a mixtape cassette, recorded 25th September 1991.

More melancholy than jolly, possibly reflecting my mood at the time, back in Bristol living with my parents after a year in Australia. You can almost hear the angst and pretension in the virtual cassette hiss between songs.

1) Theme For Great Cities: Simple Minds (1981)
2) Scarlet: Lush (1989)
3) Annexe: John Foxx (1983)
4) California Earthquake: Mama Cass Elliot (1968)
5) Broken Hearted And Beautiful: Marc Almond (1986)
6) The Democratic Circus: Talking Heads (1988)
7) Love Is Just A Word: Gavin Friday & The Man Seezer (1989)
8) World Weary: The Go-Betweens (1981)
9) Nevers End: Lloyd Cole & The Commotions (1985)
10) Head Hang Low: Julian Cope (1984)
11) The Bed: Lou Reed (1972)
12) September Song: The Young Gods (1991)

Side Two (46:37)

Barbed Doll Live 1992-2016

A little under an hour of PJ Harvey brilliance live in concert, for Matt and Stuart.

 

1) I Think I’m A Mother (Live @ Summer Tent Festival, Wiesen, Austria, 19 August 1998)

2) Pocket Knife (Live @ Royal Albert Hall, London, England, 30 October 2011)

3) 50ft Queenie (Live @ Black Session, Paris, France, 14 September 1998)

4) Man-Size (Live @ La Cigale, Paris, France, 05 November 1992)

5) (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (Live @ BRIT Awards, London, England, 14 February 1994) (Björk & PJ Harvey)

6) The Words That Maketh Murder (Live @ Harvest Of Art Festival, Vienna, 08 July 2016)

7) Meet Ze Monsta (Live @ Glastonbury Festival, England, 25 June 2004)

8) The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore (Live @ Big Day Out Festival, Melbourne, Australia, 28 January 2001)

9) You Said Something (Live @ Big Day Out Festival, Melbourne, Australia, 28 January 2001)

10) Good Fortune (Live @ Glastonbury Festival, England, 25 June 2004)

11) Send His Love To Me (Live @ Improv Theatre, London, England, 01 April 1999)

12) C’mon Billy (Live @ State Theatre, Sydney, Australia, 19 January 2012)

13) Teclo (Live @ Improv Theatre, London, England, 01 April 1999)

14) To Bring You My Love (Live @ Glastonbury Festival, England, 25 June 2004)

 

Barbed Doll Live 1992-2016 (56:25) (KF) (Mega)

Thirty Years Ago In The Land Of Oz...

Three decades ago, I was part way through my year living, working and traveling in Australia. On 28th February 1991, I was sharing an apartment in Perth with a Japanese guy called Ken. I'd finished my job as a kitchen hand at the Swan Brewery and I was a few weeks away from setting out on my travels around the country. This particular day (a Thursday) seemed relatively insignificant, other than I received a mail from my family, including a 'talking letter' from my brother, a mix of chat, music and samples of his university audio projects on a C90 cassette. I've still got the tape, boxed up somewhere in the attic. I noted in my diary that "it was good to hear his voice again, despite his tacky American accent for most of the tape" (we're both from South West England) and one of the featured songs was I Wish I Was A Girl by Wasted Youth, from 1981:

 

I also made a habit of recording in my diary the UK & Australia Top 10 at the end of each month. When I left England in 1990, the singles charts were in a pretty sorry state. Things hadn't greatly improved by early 1991, though there were some glimmers of hope:

 

UK Top 10, February 1991

1) Do The Bartman: The Simpsons

2) (I Wanna Give You) Devotion: Nomad

3) Get Here: Oleta Adams

4) You Got The Love: Source ft. Candi Staton

5) 3am Eternal (Live At The SSL): The KLF

6) G.L.A.D.: Kim Appleby

7) All Right Now: Free

8) In Yer Face: 808 State

9) Crazy For You: Madonna

10) Only You: Praise

 

Australia Top 10, February 1991

1) I've Been Thinking About You: Londonbeat

2) I Touch Myself: Divinyls

3) Do The Bartman: The Simpsons

4) Fantasy: Black Box

5) Gonna Make You Sweat: C+C Music Factory

6) Wiggle It: 2 In A Room

7) Tingles EP: Ratcat

8) Ice Ice Baby: Vanilla Ice

9) I'm Free: The Soup Dragons

10) I'll Be Your Baby Tonight: Robert Palmer & UB40

 

Ratcat were an Australian band who I'd seen supporting Ramones at the Silver Jubilee Pavilion in Perth a few weeks before. The immediate influences were clear and unapologetic, but Ratcat were a brilliantly fun band live. That Ain't Bad was the lead/breakthrough single from the Tingles EP and a staple of MTV playlists at the time.

The Originator

Ewart Beckford aka U-Roy, 21 September 1942 – 17 February 2021

Touched By The Hand Of Andrew Weatherall

Celebrating Andrew Weatherall, 6th April 1963 to 17th February 2020.

Fail We May, Mix We Must (A Tribute To Andrew Weatherall, 17 February 2021)

1) Floatation (Subsonic Grid Mix By Dave Ball, Richard Norris & Andrew Weatherall): The Grid (1990)

2) Slutloop (intro): Two Lone Swordsmen (1998)

3) Direct Action (Andrew Weatherall Remix): Radical Majik (2009)

4) The World According To Sly & Lovechild (Soul Of Europe Mix) (intro): Sly & Lovechild (1990)

5) Death Of A Rude Boy (Remix By Andrew Weatherall): Madness (2012)

6) Perpetual Dawn (Ultrabass II) (Remix By Andrew Weatherall): The Orb ft. Jeffrey Nelson & Jah Wobble (1991)

7) Abandon (Boy's Own Mix) (intro): That Petrol Emotion (1990)

8) Bubble And Slide (Nightmares On Wax Mix): The Sabres Of Paradise (1995)

9) Darlin' (Andrew Weatherall Remix): XX Teens (2007)

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

11) Fail We May, Sail We Must: Andrew Weatherall (2009)

12) "H" Friend (Andrew Weatherall Remix): Black Devil Disco Club (2016)

13) One Day (Endorphin Mix By The Sabres Of Paradise): Björk (1994)

14) The Moton 5: Andrew Weatherall (2020)

15) One Minute's Silence (Wooden Shjips Remix) (intro): The Asphodells (2013)

16) Rico's Helly (Retailored By Nourizadeh & Teasdale): Two Lone Swordsmen (1996)

17) St Anthony: An Ode To Anthony H Wilson (Andrew Weatherall Remix): Mike Garry & Joe Duddell (2015)

18) Come Together (Remix By Andrew Weatherall & Hugo Nicolson): Primal Scream (1990)

 

Imperfect Mix (A Tribute To Andrew Weatherall, 19 February 2020) 

 

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

2) Spine Bubbles (Ellis Island Sound Remix): Two Lone Swordsmen (1999)

3) Centre Of The World (The Potless Mix By Andrew Weatherall): The Moody Boys (1992)

4) Only Love Can Break Your Heart (A Mix Of Two Halves By Andrew Weatherall): Saint Etienne ft. Moira Lambert (1990)

5) Higher Than The Sun (A Dub Symphony In Two Parts) (Remix By Andrew Weatherall & Hugo Nicolson): Primal Scream ft. Jah Wobble) (1991)

6) Imperfect List (Rimming Elvis The Andrew Weatherall Way #2): Big Hard Excellent Fish (1990)

7) Cliche (Andrew Weatherall Remix) The Shoes ft. cocknbullkid (2011)

8) Crying Blood (Andrew Weatherall Remix): VV Brown (2008)

9) Peeled Apples (Andrew Weatherall Remix): Manic Street Preachers (2009)

10) Soon (The Andrew Weatherall Remix): My Bloody Valentine (1990)

11) Nothing Is Perfect (Andrew Weatherall Remix): Field Of Dreams (2018)

12) Shack 54 (Album Version): Two Lone Swordsmen (2007)

13) Uptown (Long After The Disco Is Over Mix By Andrew Weatherall): Primal Scream (2008)

14) Wilmot (Full Length Version): The Sabres Of Paradise (1994)

 

Fail We May, Mix We Must (1:07:18) (KF) (Mega)

Imperfect Mix (53:47) (KF) (Mega)

What I Used To Be Will Pass Away

My friend John posted a mixtape to me in 1999/2000 and introduced me to Elliott Smith via XO and Either/Or. This is a random selection of songs, including a couple of personal favourites.  

 

Side One (16:12)

1) Waltz #2 (XO) (1998)

2) Miss Misery (Early Version) (1997)

3) Ballad Of Big Nothing (1997)

4) Pretty Mary K (Other Version) (1996)

5) Memory Lane (2004)

Side Two (17:27)

1) Baby Britain (1998)

2) Pictures Of Me (1997)

3) Amity (1998)

4) A Fond Farewell (2004)

5) Happiness (2000)

1997: Either/Or: A3, B2

1998: XO: A1, B1, B3

2000: Figure 8: B5

2004: From A Basement On The Hill: A5, B4

2007: New Moon: A2, A4

Side One (16:12) (GD) (M)

Side Two (17:27) (GD) (M)