Death Is Not The End

Having heard Green Man (Rum & Black Mix) on XL Recordings: The Third Chapter, and in various other remixes in clubs etc., it was with some confusion that I contemplated this CD whilst standing in yet another charity shop.

The reason for this confusion? I did not have my iPod with me, so I was not sure if this was the Shut Up & Dance that I thought it was; this combined with the odd album title, even odder cover artwork, and even odder still the inner sleeve shot (see below) which made me think that this could be some sort of jazz-funk nightmare or the like.



Having taken the chance, I'm glad I did because:

a) They are the Shut Up & Dance I thought they were.
b) It's a really interesting mix of dance, rap and hard to describe music.

It's hard to pick out favourites here because it's so eclectic, so it depends on what mood you're in. So, based on my mood at the time of posting, I'd recommend Here Comes A Different Type Of Rap Track, Not The Usual 4 Bar Loop Crap and Down The Barrel Of A Gun.

Java Bass will suit you whatever your state of mind, great bass line...

1. Death Is Not The End
2. Raving I'm Raving (Remix)
3. Autobiography Of A Crackhead (Acoustic Version)
4. Cape Fear
5. Here Comes A Different Type Of Rap Track, Not The Usual 4 Bar Loop Crap
6. The Green Man
7. Java Bass
8. So What You Smoking?
9. Runaways
10. Blue Colour Climax
11. Pure White Black Life
12. The Art Of Moving Butts
13. Down The Barrel Of A Gun
14. My C-Lab Crashed & Did This

Download

Way In My Brain (Remix)/Drumbeats

Another CD single acquired in Swindon, but at a different time and in a different shop to On A Ragga Tip.

Apart from track 3, the others sounds somewhat dated, and dare I say it formulaic?

Anyway, this one is dedicated to Musical Coco Basket, who has, apparently, had to sell music for food in the past. Hope this fills your stomach...

1. Way In My Brain (Remix Edit)
2. Drumbeats
3. Aftershock
4. S.L.Ectro

Download

On A Ragga Tip

Having posted XL Recordings: The Third Chapter, thought I'd see what I've got by any artists that were on it, and it turns out to be not much.

The one exception to that is The Prodigy, but it's not as if millions of others haven't posted on Liam and co., so I'll not bother.

The second exception is SL2. Although I'm not personally a huge fan, nor do I normally post anything but vinyl rips, wanted to post this CD single (picked up in a charity shop in Swindon of all places) for The Double K, in recognition of his kind comments.

For my money both tracks 2 and 3 are better than the title tracks - maybe that's just because I've heard On A Ragga Tip too many times.

Here it is:

1. On A Ragga Tip (Edit)
2. Pleasure (Original Mix)
3. Changing Trax (Original Mix)
4. On A Ragga Tip (Original Mix)

Download

Kingdom

This is the last of the vinyl that I have which was purchased as a result of my original Live At The Brain acquisitions. As mentioned earlier, I thought there was more, but if there was I don't know where it's gone.

I really (and I mean really) like British Summertime, a true classic if ever there was. The album it's from (Every Man & Woman Is A Star) is pretty damn good too, and I bought the album as a result of hearing British Summertime on Live At The Brain 2.

I applied the same logic to this purchase, but sadly the results do not compare. I know that Nolan Micron feels this is a ground-breaking piece of work, and I have to admit that I am not overly familiar with the 'folktronic' movement.

However, in my humble opinion, this is a piece of over-indulgent, pretentious, up-its-own backside piece of work if ever there was.

So, having given you every reason to not bother checking it out, here it is.

Utter tosh, but posted for completeness...

A1 Kingdom

B1 Goldcrest
B2 Kingdom (Extended Mix)

Download

Truly Ashamed...

...it's been over two months since my last post.

Got the turntable back on it's feet, so will post in the next day or two...

Due To Unforeseen Circumstances...

...currently unable to post vinyl at present, due to the fact that an unknown individual in my household has separated my Numark TTUSB turntable's tone arm from its stylus. With extreme prejudice.

Anyway, conscious that I have been a bit quiet of late, and that recent posts have been more driven by squaring the Live At The Brain circle than by quality, thought I would share a discovery.

As you can see from earlier posts, I am more than a little keen on Pop Will Eat Itself. Whilst searching for the same, came across Castles In Space, which is a real blast from the past. Very keen on Nolan Micron's musical tastes, in particular The Orb, The KLF, Orbital and System 7.

Strongly suggest you check out Nolan's musings. If Nolan keeps up the prodigious posting rate, we should all be in for a treat...

Power/Knowledge

Looking back at my earlier posts, I may have given the impression that I had quite a number of 12"'s by the artists that appeared on Live At The Brain Volumes 1 & 2.

I honestly thought I did, but having stared my vinyl collection squarely in the eye, it appears my memory is not what it used to be.

In fact, the only three are this, Catch-22 and Kingdom by Ultramarine (of which more in the next post).

There can be no doubting that these four tunes come from the same hands as Inflating Plastic Explodable on Live At The Brain, with a number of samples/tracks seemingly re-used here. The less charitable amongst us might conclude that Mr. Monday could have done with a larger collection of vinyl; the more generous of nature simply that he had some favourite tunes which needed to be repeatedly shared with the wider world.

Given his track record, and not being a DJ, I fall into the latter category...

Ironically, I think the strongest track here is on the B-side: Listen 'N' Weep. I Can't Breath When I Look At You is definitely B-side material; filler not killer. Still can't make my mind up about the A-side:

A1 Busy Going Crazy
A2 Daybreak

B1 Listen 'N' Weep
B2 I Can't Breath When I Look At You

Download

XL Recordings: The Third Chapter

The only one of the four original chapters that I own, and probably the second best. Really like XL Recordings: The First Chapter best - sweet house, rather than this more techno-centric release.

After The First Chapter, XL helpfully started putting descriptions of what you would find on the enclosed vinyl, so XL Recordings: The Second Chapter was sub-titled "Hardcore European Dance Music"; this one was "Breakbeat House"; but for XL Recordings: The Fourth Chapter they returned to the mystery approach, and no sub-title was forthcoming. By this time though, most punters knew what they would be getting, and the artists weren't exactly unknown either, containing the likes of Underworld, The Prodigy, Liquid etc.

The highlights here for me are Smokin' and Hoovers & Spraycans:

A1 Sweet Harmony (Liquid)
A2 Green Man (Rum & Black Mix) (Shut Up & Dance)
A3 Uptempo (Reese Mix) (Tronikhouse)

B1 On A Ragga Tip (SL2)
B2 Smokin’ (Project One)
B3 Keep The Fire Burning (The House Crew)

C1 Everybody In The Place (Fairground Mix) (The Prodigy)
C2 Hard Times (Nu-Matic)
C3 Right Before (First Project)

D1 The Bouncer (Housequake Mix) (Kicks Like A Mule)
D2 DJs Take Control (DJ Seduction Mix) (SL2)
D3 Hoovers & Spraycans (Mark One)

Download

Pop Will Eat Itself: Post Script...

Well, the last six posts cover all the non-album vinyl I have by P.W.E.I.

Thought I would round off these posts by thanking a few bloggers who have provided me with other P.W.E.I. odds and sods:

Madchester Rave On:
92°
Get The Girl! Kill The Baddies!
X Y & Zee

Moody Places:
Karmadrome

Musical Coco Box
There Is No Love Between Us Anymore (Specially Extended Dance Mix)

Retro In The Perfect Sence Of The Sentence:
Def. Con. One

Bulletproof Mixes!

When P.W.E.I. first posed the question "Is Everybody Happy?" my answer was an unconditional yes.

I thought I had died and gone to heaven - my two most favourite things in the musical firmament, namely P.W.E.I. and On-U Sound (in the god-like incarnation of Sir Adrian of Sherwood) coming together in what could only be an immaculate union.

Sadly the truth, and my expectation, were somewhat at odds with each other. By quite some distance. My disappointment was palpable. How could they do this to me, after such unstinting support on my part?

In fairness, I already knew that the version from The Looks Or The Lifestyle? hadn't exactly set the world alight, but surely Adrian's musical Midas-touch would save the day?

It appears not:

A1 Bulletproof! (The Mile High Mix)

B1 Bulletproof! (No Half Measures Mix)

Download

X Y & Zee

Another quality tune from Cure For Sanity. Actually one of the most 'poppy' tunes they've done, but still very good.

For the sample-centric this one contains the great "no pop, no style" line from Althea & Donna's classic Up Town Top Ranking.

If there's any criticism due, it's that there's not a lot of difference in the three mixes, and I'm pretty sure (despite a slight track length difference) that B1 is in fact the album version, which is a bit cheap.

Judge for yourself:

A1 X Y & Zee (The Intergalactic Mix)
A2 X Y & Zee (The Electric Sunshine Mix)

B1 X Y & Zee (Sensory Amplification Mix)

Download

Karmadrome/Eat Me, Drink Me, Love Me, Kill Me 12"

Title track (and the other three variations on a theme) on this one taken from The Looks Or The Lifestyle? album, which does not quite measure up to its predecessors, but does score serious brownie points by having a song called Harry Dean Stanton (aah, Alien, Escape From New York, Repo Man etc.).

Thank goodness I have to go to bed or I would end up tying myself up in knots by muttering about the links between P.W.E.I. and Colourbox (e.g. P.W.E.I. recorded a song called Harry Dean Stanton; H.D.S. appeared in Escape From New York, Colourbox's Baby I Love You So features an Ernest Borgnine sample: "Nobody gets to meet the Duke, you meet him once then you're dead" from Escape From New York and so forth).

Oh, why do I have to work when this is so much more fun?

Hey ho:

A1 Karmadrome
A2 Dread Alert In The Karmadrome

B1 Eat Me, Drink Me, Love Me, Kill Me
B2 Eat Me, Drink Me, Dub Me, Kill Me

Download

Dance Of The Mad

Right, now we're cooking on gas...

For me, P.W.E.I. were at the height of their powers with the This Is The Day...This Is The Hour...This Is This! (from which the Preaching To The Perverted track is taken) and the subsequent Cure For Sanity (from which the title track mixes are taken) albums.

This is also around the time they hit the jackpot with their affiliation with The Designers Republic, about which much has been written (made more money from merchandise than the music blah, blah, blah) and upon which I won't dwell. That said, despite being old enough to know better, still think the artwork is pretty cool... if George at Asda started selling Poppies t-shirts I would be sorely tempted.

Enough of my sad musings, here's the tunes:

A1 Dance Of The Mad ... Feet On Heat

B1 Dance Of The Mad ... Seven
B2 Preaching To The Perverted Remixed

Download

Love Missile F1-11 (The Covers E.P.)

Although this was released before There Is No Love Between Us Anymore, I purchased this later (another Record & Tape Exchange acquisition I think). At the time I was quite excited - I liked the title track by Sigue Sigue Sputnik (whose picture appears in the illustrated dictionary above the phrase "style over substance"), but now realise the error of my ways.

In truth it's a pretty shabby piece of vinyl (and only posted for completeness really), the only track worth a mention is Orgone Accumulator, but the quality has more to do with Hawkwind than P.W.E.I. sadly.

A1 Love Missile F1-11 (covers Sigue Sigue Sputnik)

B1 Orgone Accumulator (covers Hawkwind)
B2 Everything That Rises (covers Shriekback)
B3 Like An Angel (covers The Mighty Lemon Drops)

Download

There Is No Love Between Us Anymore

As promised, the first of a few P.W.E.I. posts.

This one's taken from the Box Frenzy album, and if I'm honest it's not the best of their output, but at the time it blew me away.

There wasn't anything else that sounded like them back then (even now, I guess), and they grabbed all the best bits of the genres I liked (metal, rock, hip hop, dance etc.). I'm not going to try and describe why they are so great, plenty of others have done so, and have done a better job than me. They just are.

A1 There Is No Love Between Us Anymore
A2 Picnic In The Sky

B1 "...On The Razor's Edge..."
B2 Kiss That Girl

Download

Pop Will Eat Itself

As I alluded to in my first post, I have a long standing relationship with P.W.E.I.

I remember very clearly how this began - I saw the video for Sweet Sweet Pie on T.V. (Old Grey Whistle Test I think, but not sure). Went out very shortly afterwards and purchased the 7", and never looked back.

Over the course of the next few days will post all the 12"'s I have. Not going to post albums as these are pretty much all still available.

As they themselves say, The Poppies Are Crap...

Catch-22

Following on from my (all too delayed) Live At The Brain posts, and Dalston Shopper's kind comments, thought I'd continue in a similar vein, at least for the time being.

I think I went on a bit of a mission at the Record & Tape Exchange after I discovered the two Live At The Brain albums, as I seem to have amassed a number of 12"'s by artists that were on them. For some reason, my memory of these purchases seems to be mysteriously vague...

Anyhow, to this end, see below for a Sheep On Drugs 12", which isn't at all bad. Actually, it's pretty damn good, though sadly it does not quite reach the heights of Out Come The Freaks:

A1 Catch-22

B1 Drug Music

Download

Live At The Brain 2

Hot(ish) on the heels of Live At The Brain, here's the second (and last) in the series.

To my mind, this is not quite as polished overall as the first, but Out Come The Freaks and Triangle are excellent.

A1 Container (Nexus 21)
A2 Out Come The Freaks (Sheep On Drugs)
A3 JP233 (Hi-Ryze)
A4 Robotu Okoku (Man Machine)

B1 British Summertime (Ultramarine)
B2 Triangle (The Purple Room)
B3 Sbassed (Lunarci)
B4 Kersnipp (Doi-Oing)

Download

Live At The Brain

Well, at long last as promised, here's Live At The Brain. Having finally got my USB turntable (a Numark TTUSB, which I have to say I am very impressed with), it has to be said that I am gazing at my old vinyl longingly... I had expected a certain frisson, but not quite this level of anticipation.

For me the stand out tracks on this one are Inflating Plastic Explodable and Massif. Enjoy...

A1 Inflating Plastic Explodable (Mr. Monday)
A2 My Body Like Heaven (Funtopia)
A3 8 Track Mind (Eye)
A4 Son Of Chime (Orbital)

B1 Massif (Ramjac)
B2 Saturday's Angels (Technoed Up By Mr. Monday) (If?)
B3 Attack (11 Wardour St. Mix) (Audio One)
B4 You (Bliss)

Download

At last...

... got myself together and have ordered a USB turntable. Gave up on getting the Rega Planar 2 up and running.

Aaah, I can feel the vinyl beckoning me as we speak...

First on my list, as promised, will be Live At The Brain Volumes 1 & 2, along with XL Recordings: The Third Chapter.

After that, who know what horrors my vinyl collection will throw up...

There's nothing like a prolific blogger...

... and I'm nothing like one.

Have, however, managed to make a bit of progress, mainly around trying to get my turntable up and running. To this end, I managed to find a manual to help me get my Rega Planar 2 back on its feet, which others may find useful:

Rega Planar 2 Instructions

I have also scanned my original Rega Planar 2 'protractor' (as mentioned in the Rega Planar 2 Instructions above) which amazingly I still have:



In case anyone wants to use it, the original size is 113mm wide x 169mm high.

Finally...

... got myself together and posted, although sadly not a lot to say. First question I asked myself is should I reveal what I am really like, or try to give a false impression? Decided that the latter was the way to go, at least for the time being...

Anyway, first something truthful: my tastes are eclectic, although tending towards reggae, rap, ambient dub and a near-obsession with On-U Sound.

Oops, forgot to mention that for my (all too limited) money Pop Will Eat Itself are going to be hard to improve upon; shame that Clint Mansell has moved onwards and upwards and does not want to revel in his grebo-ness any longer.

I hope to return the kindness shown by others by posting some stuff that, as far as I know, is only available to those that own it - in other words tunes that the record labels have chosen not to re-release (e.g. Live At The Brain Volumes 1 & 2). Once I get my turntable fixed that is; it's only been 10 years since I last used it...