00:00:00 1 Pet Shop Boys – My October Symphony (Live – Performance) 00:05:50 2 808 State – Spanish Heart 00:09:24 3 400 Blows – Let The Drums Speak (Live Mix) 00:12:11 4 Bomb The Bass – Understand This 00:16:59 5 Black Radical MKII – Sign Of The Beast 00:20:54 6 HardNoise – Mice in the Presence of the Lion, Pt. 1 00:24:53 7 Gunshot – Interception Squad 00:28:11 8 Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy (Instrumental) 00:32:07 9 Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy 00:36:39 10 Wolfman – Consciousness (Rob Davis Mix) 00:41:02 11 Electronic – The Patience Of A Saint 00:45:05 12 Chapter & The Verse – Stealth (Fixed Wing Mix) 00:49:17 13 Pet Shop Boys – DJ Culture (Extended Mix) 00:55:44 14 Caveman – You Can’t Take It 01:00:33 15 Rebel MC – Afrikan 01:02:40 16 Mark Samson featuring Sharon – Love Come Down (Big Beat Mix) 01:07:54 17 Chapter & The Verse – Miss You 01:11:48 18 Gunshot – No Sell Out 01:16:22 19 Silver Bullet – Guns of Mind Alone 01:22:42 20 Nation 12 – Electrofear (Shemsijo Mix) 01:26:02 21 Altern 8 – Real Time Status (Hand Of God Remix) 01:30:13 22 Shut Up And Dance – On A Street Level 01:34:20 23 The Sindecut – Panic Stricken 01:37:03 24 Shut Up And Dance – Rest In Peace (Rap Will Never) 01:40:35 25 Metronome – In My Mind (Vocal mix) 01:47:05 26 Cabaret Voltaire – Alright 01:52:03 27 Raphel – Latino 01:55:51 28 Jesus Loves You – After The Love (Prophets Of Doom Mix) 02:01:20 29 Orbital – Midnight (Original 12″ Mix) 02:07:32 30 Shoot The Moon – Sax Machine (Mix One) 02:13:48 31 Primal Scream – Don’t Fight It, Feel It (Scat Mix) 02:20:46 32 Primal Scream – Don’t Fight It, Feel It 02:26:53 33 Hijack – The Contract (ft. Shaka Shazam, The Icepick & Huntkillbury Finn) 02:31:13 34 Plaid – Scoobs in Columbia 02:36:05 35 Rebel MC – Rebel Music (From The Soul Mix)
00:00:00 1 Eon – B Cool #1 (8AM Mix) 00:04:03 2 Andromeda – Dance Everybody Dance 00:08:48 3 Julie Stapleton – Where’s Your Love Gone (Remix) 00:13:56 4 808 State – Ooops (Mellow Birds Mix) 00:17:29 5 House Fusion – Ceaseless Motion (6am mix) 00:23:18 6 Rebel MC – Soul Sister 00:26:55 7 The Ragga Twins – Tan So Back 00:30:40 8 Automation – Eat The Bee 00:33:59 9 Mr Selfish – Gonna Make It 00:39:16 10 Holy Ghost Inc. – Stealth 00:43:26 11 MC Buzz B – Never Change (Sparse) 00:49:26 12 Language – Tranquility Bass 00:54:04 13 The Ultimate Dance Banger – Untitled 00:59:27 14 Ministers Of Dance – Tiny’s First Journey 01:02:22 15 Euphoria – I’m Going To Explode 01:05:39 16 Cabaret Voltaire – No Resistance 01:10:44 17 Return Of The Living Acid – Twin Tub 01:16:03 18 The Step – Yeah You (Robert’s Dub #2) 01:19:57 19 The Step – Yeah You (Robert’s Remix) 01:25:04 20 The Step – Yeah You 01:30:27 21 Subsonic 2 – Addicted To Music (The Nightmares On Wax Mix) 01:34:19 22 XON – Midnight Express 01:40:11 23 The Wolfgang Press – Time 01:46:18 24 Phuture Assassins – Africans Must Be Free 01:50:16 25 A Guy Called Gerald – Wonderful World 01:54:53 26 Satin Storm – Chill Out 02:00:51 27 2001 – Weighless Condition 02:07:46 28 Animal Magic – Animal Magic – Turn To West Ham 02:11:43 29 Epitome Of Hype – Let The Freak (Vital Remix) 02:17:02 30 Watt Noize – Baby Be Good to Me 02:21:08 31 Parralax – Deep Frieze 02:25:16 32 Gems For Jem – We’re On The Move (Peak Energy Mix) 02:29:51 33 The Sindecut – Simple Jealousy (12 Mix) 02:36:07 34 WBI Red Ninja – Bad Piece (A Short Tune About Killing) 02:40:51 35 Carl Cox – Let The Bass Kick
00:00:00 1 400 Blows – Play Like A Human (Ambient Mix) 00:03:37 2 Cabaret Voltaire – Jazz The Computer (Part 1) 00:08:08 3 Son Of Noise – Master Of Menace 00:10:56 4 Bomb The Bass – You See Me In 3D (Remix) 00:14:28 5 Fantasy UFO feat. Jay Groove – Mind, Body, Soul (24″ Melt the Speaker Mix) 00:17:46 6 Plaid – Slice of Cheese 00:23:06 7 Earth Leakage Trip – Psychotronic 00:27:50 8 Automation – Comedown (Extended) 00:32:55 9 Ultraviolet – I Wish That (Radical Mix) 00:39:39 10 Cabaret Voltaire – Shout 00:44:35 11 V.I.M. – Maggie’s Last Party (Club Mix) 00:50:12 12 Earth Leakage Trip – No Idea 00:55:33 13 Earth Leakage Trip – Over 92 00:58:44 14 Cabaret Voltaire – What is Real (Virtual Reality mix) 01:04:46 15 Cabaret Voltaire – What is Real 01:10:30 16 Kings Of Peace – 1000 (Album Mix) 01:15:05 17 4 Hero – Put Your Thinkin’ Caps On 01:16:20 18 Cabaret Voltaire – Keep On Pushin’ 01:20:35 19 Cabaret Voltaire – Don’t Walk Away 01:25:33 20 Cabaret Voltaire – Smooth 01:30:37 21 808 State – Lift (7″ Mix) 01:33:19 22 Shades Of Rhythm – Sweet Sensation 01:37:52 23 Andromeda – Simple 01:40:08 24 Tomas – Mind Song 01:45:01 25 Cabaret Voltaire – Jazz The Computer (Part 2) 01:49:44 26 Desired State – Work My Body (Over) 01:54:56 27 Andromeda – Savage 01:57:41 28 Tuff Little Unit – Join The Future 02:02:09 29 The Wizzard – Millennium (Genesis Mix) 02:09:21 30 Outrage – Religious B-Boy 02:12:35 31 Shut Up And Dance – Because Of My Vocals 02:15:59 32 Hooligan X – The Sound 02:21:46 33 Tomas – African Dream 02:26:25 34 Body Base 2 – Clan Terminology 02:31:27 35 Coco Steel And Lovebomb – Feel It (Original Mix) 02:38:10 36 Attitude – Attitude – Some You Win, Some You Lose (Instrumental) 02:42:41 37 Attitude – Attitude – Some You Win, Some You Lose 02:47:47 38 Coco, Steel And Lovebomb – Discodub (After Hours Mix) 02:53:18 39 Coco, Steel And Lovebomb – Discotechno – 1991 02:59:10 40 Andromeda – Control 03:03:34 41 Caveman – Pages and Pages 03:08:44 42 Bassix – Close Encounters (Bassix Mix) 03:12:48 43 Bassix – Close Encounters (Club Mix) 03:17:09 44 Bassix – Close Encounters (Acid Dub) 03:21:41 45 Temple Of Life – EDP 03:26:56 46 Tomas – Architecture 03:32:42 47 Beat Club – Dreams Were Made To Be Broken (Beat Mix) 03:38:13 48 R. Solution – Skinny Long Git (Mix 1) 03:42:13 49 808 State – Techno Bell 03:46:51 50 Feedback Max feat T.T. – Cheeni Ek Chammach
00:00:00 1 The Art Of Noise – Love Beat 00:05:14 2 The Art Of Noise – The Spring Flowers 00:06:59 3 The Art Of Noise – (Three Fingers Of) Love 00:11:21 4 The Art Of Noise – Love Beat 00:15:25 5 The Art Of Noise – Love Beat 00:16:22 6 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – The Ballad Of 32 (Alternate Mix) 00:26:57 7 Pet Shop Boys – Luna Park 00:31:58 8 Cher – The Gunman 00:37:03 9 Pet Shop Boys – Numb 00:41:26 10 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – The Power Of Love (Instrumental Mix ”…Best Listened to By Lovers”) 00:45:31 11 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – The Power Of Love (Instrumental Mix ”Singlette”) 00:48:00 12 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – The Power Of Love (Instrumental Mix ”Album”) 00:53:12 13 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – The Power Of Love (Twelve Inches Mix ”Leave The Rest To The Lazy”) 01:01:57 14 Pet Shop Boys – Indefinite Leave To Remain 01:05:05 15 The Art Of Noise – Moments In Love 01:06:18 16 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – ”Who Than Devised The Torment” 01:06:47 17 The Art Of Noise – Moments In Love 01:21:43 18 The Art Of Noise – Moments In Love (7″ Master Rejected) 01:25:19 19 The Art Of Noise – Moments In Love 01:34:51 20 The Art Of Noise – Moments In Love (Beaten) 01:41:28 21 The Art Of Noise – One Finger Of Love 01:41:35 22 The Art Of Noise – Approximate Mood Swing No: 2 01:43:47 23 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – My Uncle Is A Monster 01:44:21 24 The Art Of Noise – The Autumn Leaves 01:46:42 25 Pet Shop Boys – I Made My Excuses and Left 01:51:12 26 The Art Of Noise – Momento 01:53:13 27 The Art Of Noise – Damn It All! 01:54:08 28 Marc Almond – Trois Chansons de Bilitis – Extract 01:54:41 29 Propaganda – Dream Within A Dream (Within A Dream) 01:59:20 30 Propaganda – Dream Within A Dream 02:08:09 31 Malcolm McLaren – Legba 02:11:45 32 The Art Of Noise – In The Balance (Across The Century) 02:15:19 33 The Art Of Noise – Rapt: In the Evening Air 02:19:11 34 The Korgis – Don’t Look Back 02:23:34 35 Grace Jones – Jones the Rhythm 02:28:53 36 Grace Jones – The Frog & the Princess 02:32:13 37 Dollar – Videotheque (Alternative Trevor Horn 1982 Mix) 02:35:25 38 Mint Juleps – Girl (Instrumental) 02:40:07 39 t.A.T.u. – All the Things She Said 02:43:01 40 MC Tunes – Pressing On 02:48:33 41 Malcolm McLaren – Soweto 02:51:47 42 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Ferry Cross The Mersey (And Here I’ll Stay) 02:55:50 43 MC Tunes – Exactly What You Made Me 02:59:48 44 Bryan Ferry – Dance With Life (The Brilliant Light) (Full Version) 03:05:41 45 Propaganda – Femme Fatale (The Orchid) 03:09:16 46 Propaganda – Femme Fatale (The Woman With The Orchid) 03:12:01 47 Anne Pigalle – Hé Stranger (Parts I, II and III) 03:19:10 48 The Art Of Noise – And What Have You Done With My Body, God? 03:22:28 49 MC Tunes – Style Is Poetry 03:26:09 50 Philip Jap – Brain Dance 03:29:35 51 Malcolm McLaren – El San Juanera 03:31:11 52 Tom Marshall – Film Star 03:34:42 53 The Buggles – We Can Fly from Here – Part 2 03:38:52 54 Chromium – Castaway 03:42:13 55 Chromium – Star To Star
00:00:00 Marc Almond – Prelude 00:00:22 Marc Almond – My Hand Over My Heart (Grit And Glitter Mix) 00:07:36 The Mint Juleps – Madness Magic 00:11:12 The Mint Juleps – Every Kinda People (12″ Version ) 00:17:20 The Buggles – Inner City 00:20:25 Grace Jones – The Fashion Show 00:23:52 Grace Jones – Ladies And Gentlemen – Miss Grace Jones 00:28:43 The Art of Noise – Metaforce 00:32:04 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Two Tribes (Introduced Via The Piano Of Anne Dudley) 00:32:43 The Art Of Noise – Bored On A Sunday 00:37:08 Pet Shop Boys – Casanova in Hell 00:39:51 Godley & Creme – Cry (Extended Remix) 00:46:21 Spandau Ballet – Steal 00:50:59 The Art Of Noise – A Time To Fear (Who’s Afraid) 00:55:01 The Art of Noise – The Movement Of Desire 00:56:44 Dusty Springfield – Baby Blue (12″ Version) 01:01:57 John Howard – I Can Breathe Again 01:04:52 Marc Almond – The Days of Pearly Spencer 01:09:10 MC Tunes – Tunes Blues 01:13:01 The Art Of Noise – (St)art Of Noise 01:13:53 Propaganda – The Last Word (Strength To Dream) 01:16:40 Propaganda – Dr. Mabuse 01:26:47 Propaganda – Dr. Mabuse (Abuse) 01:29:57 Propaganda – The Lesson 01:34:02 The Art Of Noise – Close (To The Edit) 01:39:20 The Art Of Noise – Close (To The Edge) (12″ Mix) 01:44:32 The Art Of Noise – Close Up 01:51:57 The World’s Famous Supreme Tea – World’s Famous (Radio I.D.) 01:54:45 Malcolm McLaren – World’s Famous 01:55:36 Malcolm McLaren – Buffalo Love 01:59:17 Act – Absolutely Immune II (Trevor’s Twelve Inch Mix) 02:04:13 The Art Of Noise – The Reflection Of A Reflection 02:08:09 The Art Of Noise – Motive 02:12:38 Trevor Horn – In Chaos And Confusion 02:15:18 Propaganda – P-Machinery (The Voiceless Beta Wraparound Edit) 02:19:14 Propaganda – (The Beta Wrap Around Of) p:Machinery 02:23:04 The Art Of Noise – ‘To The Death… For Life’ 02:24:15 The Buggles – On TV 02:26:56 Malcolm McLaren – Buffalo Gals 02:31:18 The Art Of Noise – Beat Box (Diversion One) 02:39:11 The Art Of Noise – Beat Box 02:43:23 The Art Of Noise – Diversions 5 02:46:37 The Art Of Noise – Donna 02:47:51 Propaganda – Im Stahlnetz des Mabuse 02:50:50 The Art Of Noise – The Ambassadors Reel: Oobly 02:51:34 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – War (”World War! III” Mix-05-84) 03:00:33 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – War (…And Hide) 03:05:43 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Rage Hard (Young Person’s Guide Into The 12 Inch Mix Version) 03:17:44 Propaganda – Sorry for Laughing (12″ Mix) 03:23:28 MC Tunes – Five Minutes In Paradise 03:28:03 The Art Of Noise – A Time To Hear (We’re Listening!) 03:29:02 The Art Of Noise – Snapshot 03:30:07 The Art Of Noise – Sign Of Relief 03:31:08 The Pretenders – I’m Not In Love
00:00:00 1 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – History (Excerpt) 00:00:50 2 Cher – The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore (Trevor Horn Remix) 00:04:25 3 Propaganda – (Echo Of) Frozen Faces 00:14:27 4 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasuredome (Urban Mix) 00:16:56 5 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasuredome 00:29:14 6 Propaganda – Testament Two 00:29:23 7 Propaganda – The Murder Of Love 00:34:38 8 Malcolm McLaren – Punk It Up 00:38:13 9 Malcolm Mclaren – First Couple Out 00:45:23 10 Malcolm McLaren – Duck Rock Cheer 00:52:33 11 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Watusi Love Juicy 00:56:00 12 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Relax (Sex Mix 2) 01:03:44 13 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Relax (Sex Mix 3) 01:11:14 14 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Relax (Sex Mix ”From Dry To Moist”) 01:26:38 15 Pet Shop Boys – Miracles 01:30:02 16 MC Tunes – Me And Baby Brother 01:33:38 17 MC Tunes – Step Back For The Maniac 01:36:16 18 Mint Juleps – Docklands (12″ Version) 01:40:48 19 The World’s Famous Supreme Team – D’Ya Like Scratchin’? (Special Version) 01:44:01 20 ABC – Tears Are Not Enough 01:47:21 21 MC Tunes – Juice Box 01:51:34 22 MC Tunes – Damage By Stereo 01:54:40 23 The Art Of Noise – Realization 01:56:15 24 Anne Pigalle – Why Does It Have To Be This Way? 02:00:23 25 ABC – Date Stamp 02:03:48 26 Dollar – Hand Held in Black and White (Alternative Trevor Horn 1981 Mix) 02:06:53 27 The Art Of Noise – Who’s Afraid Of Scale? 02:11:35 28 The Art Of Noise – Who’s Afraid (Of The Art Of Noise) 02:15:22 29 Propaganda – The Chase (The Goodnight Mix) 02:19:12 30 Pet Shop Boys – It’s Alright 02:28:02 31 Malcolm McLaren – Double Dutch 02:32:25 32 MC Tunes – Dance Yourself to Death (Radio Edit) 02:35:13 33 ABC – All Of My Heart 02:41:10 34 Marc Almond – What Is Love? 02:44:32 35 Paul McCartney – Ou Est Le Soleil 02:48:28 36 The Art of Noise – The Uncertainty Of Syrup 02:49:13 37 ABC – The Look Of Love, Pt.4 02:50:00 38 ABC – The Look Of Love, Pt.1 02:53:27 39 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Black Night White Light 02:56:52 40 ABC – Show Me 03:00:54 41 The Buggles – I Am A Camera 03:04:59 42 Chromium – Time Traveler 03:08:23 43 The Art Of Noise – Un Tendre Et Triste Regret 03:10:55 44 ABC – Overture 03:14:46 45 The Art Of Noise – How To Kill 03:17:57 46 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Including The Last Voice 03:18:48 47 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – The World Is My Oyster (Scrapped) 03:20:29 48 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – The World Is My Oyster Snatch Of Fury (Stay) 03:22:17 49 Propaganda – Testament Three 03:22:39 50 Propaganda – Before You Start You Already Bleed (Testament Four) 03:23:09 51 Grace Jones – The Crossing (Ooh the Action…)
00:00:00 1 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Bang 00:01:14 2 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – (For The Victims Of Ravishment)) 00:01:44 3 Propaganda – Testament Eight 00:03:44 4 Spandau Ballet – Instinction (Edit) 00:06:53 5 ABC – Poison Arrow (Jazz Mix) 00:14:11 6 808 State – Plan 9 (Radio Edit by Trevor Horn) 00:16:44 7 Barry Manilow – Could It Be Magic (Trevor Horn Dance Mix) 00:21:36 8 Pet Shop Boys – It’s Alright (Extended Version) 00:29:27 9 MC Tunes versus 808 State – The Only Rhyme That Bites (7″ Version) 00:32:51 10 ABC – 4 Ever 2 Gether 00:38:04 11 Spandau Ballet – Soul Boy (1980 Mix) 00:41:43 12 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Happy Hi! (All In The Body) 00:42:38 13 ABC – Poison Arrow 00:45:52 14 ABC – Valentine’s Day 00:49:58 15 Pet Shop Boys – Left To My Own Devices 00:57:16 16 Pet Shop Boys – Left To My Own Devices (Disco Mix) 01:08:41 17 Marc Almond – Jacky 01:13:07 18 Propaganda – Thought Part I 01:14:50 19 Pet Shop Boys – The Sound Of The Atom Splitting 01:20:16 20 Chromium – Caribbean Air Control 01:23:19 21 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – One February Friday (The Last Voice Of Brothers) 01:24:17 22 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Two Tribes “Lovers and Haters” (Annihilation) 01:33:13 23 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Two Tribes (Carnage Mix) 01:40:27 24 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Two Tribes (Hibakusha) 01:47:14 25 ABC – Many Happy Returns 01:50:45 26 Chromium – Beam On 01:56:08 27 Chromium – Fly On UFO 02:00:03 28 The Buggles – Video Killed The Radio Star 02:04:22 29 Pet Shop Boys – God Willing 02:05:21 30 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Disneyland 02:08:53 31 Trevor Horn – Peace in Blue 02:09:43 32 t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us 02:13:37 33 The Art Of Noise – This is Your Life (Tk. – Tch Vox) 02:15:21 34 Dollar – Give Me Back My Heart (Alternative Trevor Horn 1982 Mix) 02:20:29 35 The Art Of Noise – Dreaming In Colour 02:24:42 36 The Art Of Noise – Dreaming In Colour (Wet Dream) 02:30:22 37 The Art Of Noise – Dreaming In Colour (Wet Dream) (feat. David’s Daughters) 02:36:09 38 Chromium – Forces Of Light 02:38:23 39 The Buggles – Elstree 02:42:35 40 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – The Only Star In Heaven 02:46:33 41 Lisa Stansfield – When Love Breaks Down (Alternate Version) 02:50:41 42 Trevor Horn – Future Boyfriends 02:54:29 43 Dollar – Mirror Mirror (Mon Amour) (Alternative Trevor Horn 1981 Mix) 02:57:56 44 Spandau Ballet – This Is The Love 03:01:33 45 Interplay – Pretty Face (Zizi Jeanmaire) 03:04:05 46 The Buggles – The Plastic Age 03:08:25 47 The Buggles – Astroboy (And The Proles On Parade) 03:12:40 48 Malcolm McLaren – Jive My Baby 03:18:17 49 Philip Jap – Save Us 03:21:09 50 Chromium – Radar Angels 03:25:01 51 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Krisco Kisses 03:27:54 52 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Wish (The Lads Were Here) 03:30:37 53 Propaganda – Duel (Bitter Sweet) 03:38:02 54 Malcolm McLaren – Obatala 03:41:17 55 Malcolm McLaren – Merengue 03:45:24 56 The Buggles – Technopop 03:49:32 57 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – San Jose (The Way) 03:52:16 58 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Born To Run 03:56:03 59 The Art Of Noise – Born On A Sunday 04:00:28 60 The Art Of Noise – Driving Rain Plus 04:06:45 61 The Buggles – I Love You (Miss Robot) 04:11:17 62 The Art Of Noise – Man And Boy 04:16:02 63 The Buggles – Johnny On The Monorail 04:21:01 64 The Art Of Noise – Identity Crisis 04:26:28 65 The Art Of Noise – Dans Le Style D’une Sarabande, Mais Sans Rigeur 04:33:45 66 The Art Of Noise – The Holy Egoism of Genius
1990 was still a transitional year for UK breakbeat music, but on another scale than 1989. The direct connection to acid house started to fade, yet the prototypes of the previous year were developed further. The breakbeats became more varied and complex, there were more bleeps and bass and more pianos, more rave, more techno, gradually more tempo but also generally more diversity. And as you can see with the number of mixes I recorded for this year, there were far more releases as well. And they sounded more refined, as the nights they were played at got bigger and the sounds followed suit.
00:00:00 1 The Source Featuring Candi Staton – You Got The Love (Erens Bootleg Mix) 00:07:37 2 Mr. Fingers – Mr. Fingers – What About This Love (Even Deeper Mix) 00:13:18 3 The Stone Roses – Fools Gold (A Guy Called Gerald remix) 00:20:02 4 4 Hero – Move Wid The House Groove 00:25:00 5 The Sindecut – Demanding Cycle – Of A Word Bound Hammerhead 00:29:57 6 M.N.D.J – Stop The World (Instrumental) 00:33:11 7 Moody Boys – Jammin (Ital Mix) 00:37:40 8 A Certain Ratio – Won’t Stop Loving You (Sumner Mix) 00:41:56 9 Rebel MC – Comin’ On Strong (Ruff Neck Mix) 00:48:31 10 The James Taylor Quartet – Killing Time 00:53:05 11 Fresh Four – Compared To What (Dub) (feat. Lizz.E) 00:57:15 12 Nomad featuring MC Mikee Freed – (I Wanna Give You) Devotion (Instrumental) 01:03:11 13 Mr. Fingers vs. Rockers Revenge – Feel The Sunshine 01:08:15 14 A – L.A. Star – Wondrous Dream (Mix 1) 01:13:50 15 Psychotropic – Only For The Headstrong 01:21:00 16 Baby Ford – Change (Quick St. Break Mix) 01:25:56 17 Baby Ford – Change (Konrad Cadet Mix 1) 01:30:45 18 Jesus Loves You – Generations Of Love (Future Dub) 01:35:44 19 Jesus Loves You – Generations Of Love (Land Of OZ 12″ Mix) 01:41:54 20 Renegade Soundwave – Women Respond to Bass 01:45:14 21 A.R. Kane – A Love from Outer Space (Venusian dub) 01:51:42 22 A.R. Kane – A Love from Outer Space (Solar Equinox mix) 01:55:10 23 A.R. Kane – A Love from Outer Space (Lunar Eclipse mix) 02:00:47 24 The Sindecut – To The Heart 02:04:59 25 The Sindecut – Having 02:08:31 26 Psychotropic – Hypnosis 02:16:24 27 Logic Control MCs – High Pursuit 02:19:35 28 Mental Cube – Chile Of The Bass Generation 02:23:14 29 808 State – In Yer Face (Mancunian Delight) 02:27:57 30 A Certain Ratio – Spirit Dance 02:32:04 31 Orbital – Omen (The Tower) 02:34:32 32 Shades Of Rhythm – Exorcist 02:39:07 33 Newington Heights – Reach 02:44:11 34 Hardcore – Get A Little Stupid (Backroom Mix) 02:50:39 35 The Moody Boys – Funky Zulu (You’re So Fresh) (Chapter 1) 02:55:14 36 Mc Wildski – Warrior (The Art Of Fighting Without Fighting Mix) 02:59:04 37 Renegade Soundwave – Thunder II 03:03:42 38 Jolly Roger – Music Is The Weapon Of The Future (Dub) 03:09:02 39 MC Buzz B – Never Change 03:12:22 40 Mental Cube – Q 03:16:30 41 A Man Called Adam – Barefoot In The Head
00:00:00 1 Orbital – Chime (JZJ Oh Ya Mix) 00:06:18 2 Plutonic – Amen 00:11:17 3 Unique 3 – Phase 3 00:15:23 4 Excel D – The Blur 00:18:52 5 Westworld – The Slam 00:24:04 6 Hypnotone – SBX 00:28:20 7 A1 – I Like Techno 00:31:25 8 Unknown Artist – Untitled 00:34:46 9 DJ Mad A & Dr. Stevie The Ambient Guru – Levitating Pharaohs (Full Frontal Spacehead Ambient mix) 00:38:38 10 Baby Ford – Let’s Talk It Over (12″ Full Version) 00:43:35 11 No Smoke – Oh Yes (Freedom) 00:48:11 12 Language – Renegade (The Energy mix) 00:52:34 13 Language – Renegade (The Cryptic mix) 00:57:01 14 Bang the Party – Rubbadubb 01:00:18 15 Turntable Overload – T T O 01:05:01 16 Unique 3 – Pattern 12 01:09:36 17 Orbital – Omen (12″ Version) 01:15:52 18 Logarhythm – Jungle (Nightmares On Wax Mix) 01:19:39 19 The Black Dog – Apt 01:23:38 20 Synchro – Synchro-Bass – Mystic Voyage 01:29:29 21 Pet Shop Boys – Being Boring (Extended Version) 01:38:50 22 Adé – Free The Soul 01:42:11 23 2 In A Rhythm – Magic Machine (Ruff Rhythm Mix) 01:45:59 24 2 In A Rhythm – Magic Machine (Time For Action Rap) 01:49:41 25 2 In A Rhythm – Bionic Boogie (Work Da Rhythm Mix) 01:53:24 26 2 In A Rhythm – Bionic Boogie (Ride The Groove Mix) 01:57:28 27 Holy Ghost Inc – Hi-Speed (Pirate DJ Club Mix) 02:01:29 28 Freshtrax & Ace II With Pressure Zone – Destruction (War Zone Mix) 02:06:32 29 Andromeda – Control (Control of the dance floor) 02:11:01 30 Shut Up And Dance – A Change Soon Come (Instrumental) 02:14:51 31 Shut Up And Dance – A Change Soon Come 02:19:10 32 Sudden Impact – Game Of Love (Original Mix) 02:25:04 33 Sudden Impact – Game Of Love (Remix) 02:30:41 34 Adamski – Adamski – Killer (Remix) 02:36:56 35 Sike – Intrigue
00:00:00 1 Baby Ford – The World Is In Love (Dub) 00:05:00 2 Midi Rain – The Crack Train (Dub 1) 00:09:20 3 Midi Rain – The Crack Train (Vocal) 00:13:48 4 Circuit – Shelter Me (Helter Skelter Mix) 00:19:33 5 T.A.S. (The Altered State) – Make Some Noise (Def Mix) 00:22:45 6 HardNoise – Untitled (Instrumental) 00:24:56 7 HardNoise – Untitled (Vocal) 00:28:15 8 4 Hero – Rising Son (Inst.) 00:33:28 9 4 Hero – Rising Son 00:38:28 10 Genaside II – The Motiv (Who Da F@??$! You Calling Fat? Mix) 00:42:33 11 The Dynamic Guv’nors – These Guys Are Doper Than Dope 00:48:15 12 MC Duke – MC Duke – I’m Riffin’ (1990 Remix) 00:51:29 13 The V.F.T – Fenland Bass 00:56:31 14 Exocet – Shogun Assassin 01:01:58 15 Synchro-Bass – Dark Star 01:07:32 16 Unique 3 – Weight For The Bass 01:12:04 17 Marine Boy – Laura Laura 01:17:23 18 DJ Mink – Hey! Hey! Can U Relate (Sunshine Dub Instrumental) 01:23:56 19 DJ Mink – Hey! Hey! Can U Relate (Deep Space Mix) 01:28:41 20 Infamix – A Walk In The Park 01:33:41 21 Satin Storm – Satin Storm 01:38:17 22 Butcher Sam – Piano Passions 01:43:23 23 Bogus Order – Zen Bones 01:47:21 24 FXU – FXU – The Dark Side 01:51:24 25 C + M Connection – Bio Rhythms 01:57:11 26 Westworld – Dreamworld 02:03:28 27 Altern 8 – Reel Time Status 02:07:24 28 Demonik – Labyrinthe 02:12:52 29 Doggy – Dog Food 02:17:31 30 G.F.X. – Eternal (Mix 2) 02:19:37 31 Amber – X-Logic 02:26:18 32 Greed – Give Me (Bleep Mix) 02:31:52 33 KCC – Def 02:34:22 34 Confidential – Jam The Frequency 02:40:45 35 A Guy Called Gerald – Untitled
Another year, another mix project! This is something I wanted to do for a long time: a series of mixes that build a retrospective of UK breakbeat music from 1989 to 1999.
The series has to start in 1989. This was the year where breakbeats began to seep into the club soundtrack on a wider scale, and you could notice there was something different and new going on. It was a transitional year. The acid house boom had just waned a bit, but it had provided so much fun and change, it simply could not all be a fad, and a lot of DJs and producers where trying keep the momentum up with fresh ideas. The still nascent house sound absorbed a lot of other influences, like hip hop, techno and dub and particularly in the UK it set a sound in motion that was was both using the clues from the US and continental scene and its own pioneering achievements and its roots in sound system culture.
As you can hear, the beats were still comparatively slow to what was soon to emerge, and mostly derived from fast paced hip hop and electro. But you can also hear that this year provided blueprints and prototypes that are still being referenced, early rave signals, different usages of low and high frequencies, yet unused sample material, and generally new grooves.
00:00:00 1 Fine Young Cannibals – I’m Not the Man I Used to Be 00:04:16 2 De La Soul – Say No Go (House of Love Mix) 00:09:26 3 Stereo Mc’s – Bring It On 00:13:52 4 MC Buzz B – The Sequal 00:18:47 5 M.C. Mell’o – Bizzie Rhymin’ 00:24:38 6 MC Tunes vs. 808 State – Dance Yourself To Death 00:28:54 7 A Guy Called Gerald – FX (Elevation Mix) 00:35:38 8 N.A.D. – Spheres 00:40:33 9 A.R. Kane – Love From Outer Space 00:45:30 10 The Black Dog – The Weight (Liposuction Mix) 00:49:58 11 Baby Ford – Children Of The Revolution (Full 12” Version) 00:56:23 12 Quartz – Meltdown (Original Mix) 01:01:23 13 Candy Flip – Evolution 01:06:42 14 Jesus Loves You – After the Love (Ten Glorious Years mix) 01:14:02 15 The Moody Boys – Funky Zulu (Your So Fresh) (Refreshing Extended Mix) 01:19:19 16 Renegade Soundwave – Ozone Breakdown 01:24:59 17 Renegade Soundwave – Ozone Breakdown (90 Uprising Mix) 01:29:36 18 The Dynamic Guv’nors Present: Jazzy Jason – Faster Than Fast (Hip House Ver.) 01:35:11 19 The Dynamic Guv’nors Present: Jazzy Jason – Make The Floor Burn (Bonus Dub) 01:36:59 20 No Smoke – Koro-Koro 01:40:43 21 Bang The Party – Bang Bang You’re Mine (Full Instrumental Remix) 01:47:25 22 Melancholy Man – Jealous Guy (Dub Mix) 01:52:43 23 Richie Rich – Set Yourself Free 01:56:22 24 Humanoid – Tonight 02:01:08 25 808 State – Magical Dream (Instrumental) 02:05:57 26 808 State – Magical Dream
00:00:00 1 Silver Bullet – Bring Forth The Guillotine (Darksidemix) 00:05:26 2 Silver Bullet – Bring Forth The Guillotine (DJ Beats Mix) 00:10:48 3 Unique 3 – The Theme (Unique Mix) 00:17:05 4 T.D.P. – Ladies (Lets Go) Club Mix 00:22:58 5 Adventures of Stevie V – Dirty Cash (Money Talks) (Dime & Dollar mix) (12″ edit) 00:28:02 6 Nemesis – After The Storm 00:31:56 7 Baby Ford – The World Is In Love 00:36:33 8 A Guy Called Gerald – Specific Hate 00:43:38 9 Impedance – Tainted Love (Underground Mix) 00:46:40 10 Renegade Soundwave – The Phantom 00:50:30 11 Renegade Soundwave – The Phantom (Remix) 00:54:55 12 Kiss AMC – A Bit Of.. (12” Mix) 00:59:41 13 DJ Mink – Hey! Hey! Can U Relate (Hard Rap feat. The K.I.D & Carruthers) 01:04:08 14 Stereo Mc’s – On 33 01:08:37 15 Addis Posse – Let The Warriors Dance (Funky Funky Drum Drum Mix) 01:13:48 16 SL Troopers – Movement 01:17:37 17 MC Martay & D.J. D.B.M. – Beyond Control 01:22:57 18 Jamaica Mean Time Featuring D. – I’m Not Doing It Again (Bombay Mix) 01:26:38 19 Baby Ford – Let’s Talk It Over 01:31:29 20 No Smoke – Africa 01:35:56 21 Needlework – What I Need 01:41:05 22 808 State – Pacific State 01:46:57 23 The Black Dog – Age Of Slack 01:52:56 24 Nightmares On Wax – Dextrous 01:56:08 25 Ten City – Devotion (The Voice Of Paradise Mix) 02:00:50 26 Renegade Soundwave – Probably A Robbery (12 Gauge Turbo) 02:05:42 27 Stereo Mc’s – Toe To Toe 02:10:27 28 The Beatmasters – Ska Train (12″ Mix) 02:14:38 29 Longsy D’s House Sound – This Is Ska (Skacid & Dub Mix) 02:24:12 30 Merlin – Bust Da Move 02:27:32 31 Ester B – Pleasure Of The Music (Remix) 02:32:41 32 Nexus 21 – Real Love 02:37:39 33 Sweet Exorcist – Testone 02:44:13 34 Mad Musician – Jazz Out 02:49:19 35 N.A.D. – Distant Drums
00:00:00 1 Jamaica Mean Time Featuring D. – Rock To Dis (Hip Hop Mix) (feat. DJ Maxi Jazz) 00:06:06 2 The Beatmasters – Don’t Stop The Beat 00:12:41 3 Humanoid – Stakker Humanoid (Snowman Mix) 00:16:31 4 Meat Beat Manifesto – Radio Babylon (Originally Recorded 89) 00:22:31 5 Meat Beat Manifesto – I Got the Fear (Part 1) 00:28:06 6 The Mixbuster Featuring Liaison II – Dance Floor Justice (Dance Floor Justice Inst.) 00:33:17 7 The Mixbuster Featuring Liaison II – Dance Floor Justice (Club Vocal) 00:38:30 8 Jazzy Jason Presents The Mixtress – People Of The Universe 00:43:51 9 Baby Ford – Wigan 00:49:54 10 808 State – Fire Cracker 00:53:39 11 The Orb – A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules From The Centre Of The Ultraworld (Bucket & Spade Mix) 00:57:52 12 The Black Dog – Tactile 01:02:49 13 Yin Yang – Oh-One (Oh-Too Mix) 01:07:55 14 Exocet – Sweet Talk 01:11:09 15 Forgemasters – Track With No Name 01:15:34 16 Nightmares On Wax – Let It Roll 01:18:38 17 MC Untouchable – Cold House 3D Mix (D’s Devastating Dubbb) 01:20:51 18 Silver Bullet – 20 Seconds To Comply (The Omen Mix) 01:26:28 19 Silver Bullet – 20 Seconds To Comply (The Final Conflict) 01:32:08 20 Nexus 21 – Still Life Keeps Moving (Mental Dub Mix) 01:37:07 21 The Black Dog – Virtual 01:46:03 22 Bizarre Inc – To the Rhythm 01:50:35 23 Meat Beat Manifesto – Strap Down (Part 1) 01:55:40 24 Nexus 21 – Detroit B Boy 01:58:39 25 Cookie Crew – Got To Keep On (12inch Version) 02:03:12 26 Bisca – Learn (Suspiria Mix) 02:08:40 27 Mad Musician – Braek Out
When
the first Unit club opened in Hamburg in 1989, it was embraced as an
alternative to other places that ran on tighter curfews and were
often in less central locations. Unlike Front, the pioneering club
that introduced house music to Germany—and arguably continental
dance floors—, the first Unit at Talstrasse was right in the middle
of one of one of Europe’s biggest entertainment areas, notorious red
light district around Reeperbahn, and because of this its parties
could last longer.
At
first, the music at Unit was no different to what was played
elsewhere around town—a typical post-acid house boom mix. Soon
though, the resident DJs like Gary D, Tobias Lampe and Henry, and the
booked national and international guest DJs, shifted towards techno
and later trance, and Unit became a leading light in establishing and
pushing these sounds further alongside other national mainstays in
Berlin and Frankfurt.
The
first Unit space had to close in 1994 due to increased crime in the
area, but it reopened the same year as Unit II in a temporary
location also close to Reeperbahn, before Unit III settled in an old
factory space in another district. But as the club grew bigger in
size and ambition, the crowds did not follow suit, and Unit closed
for good in 1999. We asked DJ Tobias Lampe for a list of records that
made the first Unit incarnation and his and Henry’s residency,
called Pure Energy, such a lasting memory.
A
Homeboy, A Hippie & A Funki Dredd, “Total Confusion (Heavenly
Mix)” (Tam Tam Records 1990)
“This
is one of the early anthems at the club, which I think was also
already heavily played by the first Unit DJs Pari D and Double UMF.
The early years were actually very open minded. They played a mixture
of house, hip hop, techno, even downtempo beats and a style called
hip house. And it mirrors pretty much how it was working in the UK as
well, this period when nobody at the rave had bad feelings about
having 808 State, Snap, Frankie Bones, Orbital and Guru Josh all on
the same stage.”
Foremost
Poets, “Extended Sight Version (Foresight Version)” (Nu Groove
1990)
“I
guess I first heard this magic piece when Boris Dlugosch played it at
the Front club. Hard to explain why, but it certainly always created
this magical, intense atmosphere, both at Front and at Pure Energy on
Fridays, where Henry and me played this track nearly every week. Few
other tracks can capture the feeling of the time so intensely—back
then it was led by house and techno music from London, New York City,
Chicago and Detroit. Front club was immensely influential, as well as
the Friday shopping trip to the Container Records store, which
imported all the music directly. As Boris Dlugosch played less and
less techno at Front, we tried to play and represent all facets of it
at Pure Energy, and especially techno from Detroit.”
Mental
Mayhem, “Joey’s Riot” (Atmosphere Records 1990)
“Particularly
in New York City, labels like Nu Groove and others were releasing
music that sounded like both house and techno. We celebrated exactly
these hybrid sounds and in hindsight this may have been what Hamburg
was always about. Always open-minded and somehow in between. We were
obviously trying out all kinds of sounds at that time. We played
pretty hard banging techno and early trance, but at the core of what
we played was always what we called tech-house. This prime goose bump
example of the tech-house sound we loved was produced by Joey
Beltram, who for us was one of the leading New York producers in this
field.”
Format,
“Solid Session” (ESP Records 1991)
“This
Orlando Voorn one was a what we called a Voll-Brett.
Brett means plank, it’s a term used for particularly efficient
floor fillers—we adopted this language from the Frankfurt scene.
It’s a sure shot that always makes happy faces in the club. It was
one of the obvious anthems, at least for our nights.”
The
Hypnotist, “Pioneers Of The Warped Groove” (Rising High 1991)
“We
organized bus trips from Hamburg to the first Mayday festival and
Love Parades. I still remember we spent three days setting up the
first Break The Limits Rave at Kasematten/Deichtorhallen in Hamburg,
and after we were done partying, we took down everything and then
headed towards Berlin for Mayday in a bus packed with Hamburg ravers.
Henry
and I were so exhausted that we had to cancel our Pure Energy gig
there, and instead we partied on as best as we still could. And then,
at some point, The Hypnotist got on stage, and they threw hundreds of
green glow sticks into the crowd. The lights and fog did the rest.
The
scenery at Halle Weissensee was magical, and then the music came on.
It simply blew me away how many musical influences they could bring
together. Trance was not a musical term for us then, but if you apply
it to a state of mind The Hypnotist probably was the act that nailed
it down best, particularly at that gig. Of course, we couldn’t help
it, and felt the urge to celebrate these tracks at Unit, ideally from
4 a.m. onwards.”
Ramirez,
“La Musika Tremenda (La Tormenta Mix)” (DFC 1991)
“Ramirez
produced at least two masterpieces of early tech-trance (which is
what we later called this style), and this is one of them. I do not
know how to describe it precisely, but the track had this subliminal
dirty touch, and when I hear it, I will forever think of
sweat-drenched ravers, flickering strobe lights, thick fog and the
experience of walking out into broad daylight after partying. This
track was always the one to mobilize the last reserves.”
Golden
Girls, “Kinetic (Frank De Wulf Remix)” (R&S Records 1992)
“In
this list, I’m also trying to illustrate how a lot of different
scenes and circles from different parts of the world created this
magical universe of sound we enjoyed at that time. This is a perfect
example of the influence of the Belgian sound. I still think that
Belgian and Dutch music’s influence has always been under rated.
This one was a huge and surefire banger at Unit.”
Vainqueur,
“Lyot (Maurizio Mix)” (Maurizio 1992)
“This
track is emblematic of the influences of Berlin and Detroit to our
sound. The Berlin/Detroit axis was in early progress at that time,
and we took pilgrimages to Berlin to find this sound at Hard Wax and
Delirium. We partied to it at Tresor, Teknozid and Planet, but also
at Hamburg’s Front club, before the first Unit opened. For us,
Basic Channel’s discography offered the first serious releases from
Berlin, even in terms of techno. I think we also believed Maurizio
was someone from Detroit. The minimalistic, dubbed out and darker
aspects of techno, tinged with some references to EBM, played an
important role at Unit. Actually my first night at Unit was on a
Wednesday and it was called Tekkno Club, with two k, of course. It
was more dedicated to EBM, Dark Wave and Acid, and then it opened up
to the influences from over the pond, UK, Berlin and Frankfurt.
Vapourspace,
“Gravitational Arch Of 10” (Plus 8 Records 1993)
“I
cannot recall where I first heard this, but I remember how blown away
I was. Since then, I wanted to share this feeling, and it was played
at least twice a night. I also remember we played around with
switching out the lights out and blasting the fog machine before the
kick drum came in, and it always led to incredible screams from the
dance floor. Not much later, Henry and I promoted the Plus 8 night
with Vapourspace live alongside DJ sets by Richie Hawtin and John
Acquaviva. We were pretty amazed by his analogue live set
extravaganza.”
Marmion,
“Schöneberg“ (Superstition 1993)
“Henry and I were doing the Pure Energy night every Friday at Unit. We hosted probably all the relevant names at that time, from Derrick May to Sven Väth. It was such a small scene in a few German cities in those days that we all felt a bit like family. Early friends from our rave travels to Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich were, for example, Mijk van Dijk and Marcos Lopez, who gave me this Berlin production as a demo a few days after a gig at Unit. This EP and track actually became one of the milestones of Superstition Recordings, the label I just had founded three releases ago. Especially this fourth release earned the label and both producers a huge international following. And the track is what I call a perfect combination of house and techno elements; it’s a real techno house classic.
Although acid house exports provided the sound blueprints for Second
Summer of Love in the late 80s, the rawness of the US originals often
did not really match the ecstasy fuelled day-glo hedonism that was
sweeping UK clubland. Of course the pioneering tracks from Chicago,
Detroit and New York had the same huge impact in English clubs as
they had in Continental Europe, and the American originators brought
music that was informed by no less aspiring ambitions, but it was
also often produced on the equipment that you could afford in
problematic social environments, and its initial target group was
more local, and on another street level than the almost proverbial
MDMA hugs between football hooligans or other thugs and the dancers
they were previously beating up. But UK pop and club culture had
interpreted outside influences into something more pop before and
sent it back, as it had happened with the British Invasion in the 60s
and lovers rock in the 70s, and house, and particularly acid house,
was no exception. In the UK, some clever people not only heard a
difference, they also understood that it had potential far beyond
that. Just a new, small and dedicated scene at first, but maybe more.
Or even much more.
Baby
Ford seemed to have a very clear vision of what was missing for the
music to really cross over and reach such potential, and with his
first promising releases from 1988 up to his first album „Fordtrax“
he brilliantly merged inspirations from Larry Heard, Derrick May or
Todd Terry with a knowledgeable pop sensibility. But in contrast to
other successful London cohorts of the Rhythm King label like Bomb
The Bass, S‘Express, The Beatmasters, and Coldcut on their label
Ahead Of Our Time, he did not succumb almost entirely to the charms
of the wild days of sampling, instead aiming more for his own
musicianship than a wild collage of references with a beat. And in
contrast to Manchester artists like 808 State and A Guy Called
Gerald, who achieved a similarly distinctive sound, he was ready,
willing and able to sing as well, and he implied his sense of humour.
Be it „Ooochy Koochy“ or „Chikki Chikki Aah Aah“, his music
was catchy and smart, but instrumental gems like „Fordtrax“
already proved that he knew how to arrange and set a mood. He seemed
to make fine use of his influences as much as he made them his own,
and he established a mini-canon of his own work in which his ideas
naturally referred to each other.
Already a year later his second album „’Ooo’ The World Of Baby
Ford“ aimed considerably higher. There are variations of „Fordtrax“
material but in a different, more mellow mood („Milky Tres / Chikki
Chikki Aah Aah“). Which is perfectly ok if your source material is
good enough to be reinterpreted in such a short time. Other tracks
like „Let‘s Talk It Over“ or „The World Is In Love“ have a
similar mood, somehow as urban as pastoral, sublime and full of hope.
„Beach Bump“ or „A Place Of Dreams & Magic“ are more over
the top, reviving the camp fun of „Oochy Koochy“ and other
livelier tracks he made before. And then there are tracks that hint
at the idea of this album as a continuation of gone but yet still
lasting UK youth cultures. In terms of music „Poem For Wigan“ and
„Wigan“ have not much in common with the 70s northern soul haven
Wigan Casino (or the Jazz Funk and later Electro played at Wigan Pier
club by its resident DJ Greg Wilson), but Baby Ford grew up near
Wigan and experienced what happened there, and both tracks have a
sentiment true to the inspiration. You may now flock to other clubs
and dance to other sounds, but the spirit is the same. Else the cover
version of T.Rex‘s „Children Of The Revolution“ is more
obvious, putting the 70s glam rock anthem into the context of the
acid house movement, whose children won‘t be fooled either. It is
time again for the UK youth to rise up against it, and this is how it
sounds. And then the according modern grooves also meet the
modernized version of the hippie era aesthetics that the tabloids and
authorities directly diverted to blame and prosecution. Where there
are loved up messages and melodies, psychedelic colours and a quest
for an alternative way of living, there must be something for society
to fight back, regardless of what you are afraid of in the 60s, 70s,
80s, or the decades to come. Us against them, forever irreconcilable.
This
album captured the revolutionary spirit and joy of that time
perfectly, and it indirectly predicted why it could not last. It was
not widely perceived as a defining statement and Baby Ford did not
become the defining pop star, and he seemed to abandon his bright
ideas soon after. First with the subsequent 1992 album „BFORD9“,
which still had some traces of his prior optimism left, but which
also confrontationally displayed disillusionment, darker topics and
harder sounds, until he reduced his persona and sound more and more,
albeit still with consistently great creative results. Either way,
Baby Ford‘s world may have not been big enough, but you still think
‚Ooo‘ when you think of it.
There are not many DJs who can look back on such a long and successful career as the 54 year old New Yorker Danny Tenaglia. Towards the end of last year he confirmed his extraordinary status once again during a rare visit to Germany where he played at Berlin’s Panorama Bar and Berghain on the same weekend. His enduring popularity can certainly be attributed to his often several hours long sets which still are packed with the most relevant new records of the current day. After all these years, Tenaglia still has his eyes on the future instead of the past. For this interview, though, he made an exception and looks back to the beginnings of his career.
Apparently you got hooked on dance music at a very young age. What led you into it? Were you coming from a musical household, or did you learn by yourself, by listening to the radio for example?
Growing up in the 1960s and 70s, we (mom, dad and four brothers) had always been around all kinds of music especially during big family gatherings, which were quite often. It was mostly my mom’s side as she was one of nine children. My dad only had one sister and his side was very reserved. All of my mom’s siblings were married and they all had children except for one aunt. This brought me 20 cousins, ten boys and ten girls, and when we all gathered together it was like an army! (laughs) We also had many second relatives and we were all born and raised in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which is extremely popular these days since it is very close to Manhattan. Back then, Williamsburg was like a big version of Little Italy. When I visit Naples, Italy, it always reminds me so much of my childhood since Naples still looks exactly the same as it did 50 years ago. I can relate so well to the people there and on the island of Ischia as well.
I truly consider that this all started for me when I was only just a tiny fetus inside of what I call: “The Boom Womb Room!“ I guess I was always paying attention to beats, rhythms and melodies long before I knew what they even were. There was always music in my childhood. My mom’s younger sister Nancy was unable to have children of her own. However, she wound up becoming the most influential person in our entire family and had a wonderfully gifted voice. She always had music on. She bought records very often as there was coincidentally a record store right on our block. She even taught herself how to play piano and guitar by ear and this was initially how I learned to play as well.
Our family often had good reason to celebrate events like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, family picnics, local catholic church festivals from the schools we all attended. I grew up listening to a lot of typical music that elderly Italian people would listen and dance to. Besides the obvious traditional music for dancing like the Tarantellas and the big band Benny Goodman swing music, there was plenty of the 50’s Doo Wop music as that’s what was big for them during this era. So I had no choice but too hear it all. Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, The Beatles, Bossanovas and lots of soul music as well, Motown records particularly. Sometimes I think maybe my family were the ones to have invented karaoke? (laughs) There were many relatives who would love to take turns and sing their hearts out. And to end this deep question, it was most definitely my very dear aunt and godmother Nancy who taught me (and many of us) how to fully appreciate God’s gift of music, how to “feel it deep down in your soul“ and how by the changing of one simple chord that could be played with „great emotion“, it could bring upon unexplainable goose-bumps and quite often – even tears!
Were you aware that the music of those years was extraordinarily important, or was it just what was around then?
I definitely knew in my soul that it was meaningful. But I don’t think I realized how important it all was for me until I passed the age of ten and was realizing what type of music I was loving the most and only wanted to hear music I liked, as I was becoming sick and tired of the Frank Sinatra music and I was not a big fan of ballads and slow music until I eventually got heavily into soul music. I knew that I had possessed an incredibly deep passion for music since birth as relatives and friends would always make it obvious to my parents by saying things like: „One way or another this kid is going to be in the music business when he grows up“, because it basically was the only thing I displayed interest in. I had all kinds of little instruments and child record players, even reel to reel tape machines for kids. However, it did not truly hit me until I was about eleven or twelve when I was quickly finished with some music lessons because I was very young and did not like the discipline and how strict they were with me. They first took me for piano and then guitar lessons. I even attempted saxophone in seventh grade.
I had a great ear for music and which melodies worked together and which ones did not. Unfortunately, I did not posses „the gift“ of mastering an instrument, but I guess that ultimately it was a DJ mixer that became my main instrument of choice that I am stilling playing with today nearly 40 years later.
When you were still a kid, you got to know the prolific DJ Paul Casella, who played a part in turning you onto the profession. Can you tell how that shaped your decision to pursue a career in DJing?
Well, this is where I had then realized instantly at the mere age of twelve years old upon hearing an eight-track tape mixed continuously by Paul that I was somewhat mesmerized by because when I expected a song would end, then another would blend in. Sometimes harmonically on key and sometimes so perfectly that I kept asking my cousin who made this tape and how did he do this and how did he do that? Long story short, I called the telephone number on the 8-Track tape and Paul Casella happened to be nearby and came to our families grocery store and he brought us more 8-Track tapes. He wanted to meet me as he was amazed some little “little kid” was so impressed with him and the art of DJ-ing. I guess it was right around then in 1973 that I never showed much interest in anything else, including sports. I was not interested in any subjects in school, I was only interested in music, becoming a DJ, getting professional DJ equipment and getting gigs in big nightclubs and eventually this obviously led to my second career by nature which was producing music of my own, collecting synths, drum machines and various studio gear.
As you loved the music and heard about what was going down in the seminal clubs of that era, I guess you could not wait until you were old enough to go there yourself. Was it like you had imagined it to be? What kind of clubs could you already go to?
I was barely a teenager, so nightclubs were still a long way for me. But I can recall the anxiety and being extremely envious of my two older brothers, because they would go out often. But their interest was mainly to drink with their friends, meet girls and do what most guys from Brooklyn were doing in 1975. It wasn’t much different than what you can see in the movie Saturday Night Fever, including the fighting! However, when I was about 16 or 17 my older brothers would sometimes sneak me in to a few places which I will remember forever, and then they and other mature relatives and friends would basically chaperone me when I got my first job in a corner bar called The Miami Lounge in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It was just a few blocks away from our house and the nights were starting at 9 pm, but my parents wanted me home by 1 am. The lounge is still there and it’s walking distance from the new and already famous club Output. The lounge looks exactly the same as it did in the 1970s but it’s now also a restaurant as well. I’m not sure of it’s current name, though.
You then had the privilege to witness some of the most celebrated clubs and DJs in New York like the Loft and the Paradise Garage and numerous others. Are the first impressions of those nights still vivid? Was it every bit as outstanding as it is described up to this day?
Yes, yes and yes! The Paradise Garage, The Loft, Inferno, Better Days, Starship Discovery 1, The Saint, Crisco Disco and many, many more that had come but now are sadly all gone! It’s a shame we don’t have much footage or even great photos of so many of these nostalgic parties and venues. There were so many options back then from all the way in Downtown Manhattan up to 57th Street and from East to West, seven nights a week. We had big venues, small venues, raw underground parties with no decor at all and obvious mega places like Studio 54 and Xenon. Then as the 80s came around we saw lots of changes with all kinds of theme parties at places like The Limelight, Area, Roxy and others. Read the rest of this entry »
In discussion with Justin Strauss on “Computer World” by Kraftwerk (1981).
Can you still remember the first time you ever heard Kraftwerk?
Yes. I think the first time I heard them I was 17 years old, in England, recording an album for Island Records with the band I was in at the time, Milk n Cookies. I heard the song “Autobahn” on the radio there and remember thinking how different and cool it sounded than anything else out there. I bought a copy of the 7″ while I was there.
What made you decide for “Computer World” out of the many legendary albums? Do you agree with many critics and fans that they were at there creative peak with this?
Although I love all their albums, “Computer World” for me was just the best. Perfect in every way. I totally agree that this was their “masterpiece”.
In discussion with Bill Brewster on “Sextet” by A Certain Ratio (1982).
What is your personal history with this particular album? How and when was your first encounter with it?
I bought it the week it came out. I had just moved back to Grimsby (my hometown) after working in London and Switzerland as a chef for five years. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life but I knew I didn’t want to spend the rest of it sweating in a kitchen. I’d met some new people who were trying to do cool stuff with music. We’d all been punks in 1976 and 1977 but got bored of how musically limited it all was. We were searching for something new. We had a musical mentor, a guy who ran a musical instrument shop with a few boxes of records in the back, called Roy Bainton. He was 15 years older than us and knew loads about music, everything from Mike Westbrook and Carla Bley to Graham Central Station and, in particular, the blues. We were listening to all this brilliant old stuff that was new to us and also discovering bands like A Certain Ratio and 23 Skidoo who, like us, were also groping towards something different. We were in the process of forming a band when this album came out.
What made you decide for „Sextet“ instead of other of their albums?
They toured to promote this album and we went to see them at this bizarre wine bar in Leeds. I went with all the guys who were in my band. The venue was brightly lit, chrome-plated, horrible. And it was nearly empty, but they didn’t give a fuck: they were astonishing, really tight (helped somewhat by Donald Johnson’s prowess behind the traps). I suppose what “„Sextet“” represents to me is a crossroads of where I had arrived and where they were headed; a sort of Robert Johnson involving trams, drizzle and Northern misery. What is interesting about „Sextet“, listening back now, is that they’d reached a certain competence on their instruments but they still had a thirst for wayward and interesting song ideas and arrangements. Later on, when they were recording stuff like “Don’t You Worry Bout A Thing”, they ended up sounding like those pale Britfunk imitations of the real deal, whereas what makes „Sextet“ endearing is that they sound like nothing and no-one else. The world they inhabited then, it seemed to me, was hermetically sealed from outside influences. I imagined them living together in a big house in Whalley Range, a bit like the Monkees, except with acid and analogue instruments. Read the rest of this entry »
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