The Best 40 Crossover Tracks (16 – 14) – Kevin, A Hairy Chimp of A Man

Johnny and I never did get to DJ at a trendy London club, which was probably for the best because we were terrible and would have just got drunk and pissed about too much and never been invited back again.  Still we didn’t need the bright lights of London because one autumnal evening Johnny and I reached the pinnacle of our DJing careers – we got asked if we would DJ at a youth club – by a mature student who ran it in his spare time.  

So on a Friday evening about three weeks before Christmas, we rocked up, girlfriends in tow, to this youth club in a run down part of Guildford town centre, where were met by a bearded chap who smoked a proper pipe despite being aged in his late twenties.  He showed us to the decks, where some youths were messing around and generally playing as much hip hop with swearwords in it as they could.  They definitely played this for instance, whilst the beard hid in a small office.

A to the K- Cypress Hill (1993, Ruffhouse Records)

“Help yourselves to drinks from the bar” said the beard.  At the word “Bar” Johnny ears pricked up, sadly that bar served Sprite, Tango and Coke only, this being a youth club.  We had a look around and counted 15 people in the place.  It was 7.30 in the evening.   Of course we should be grateful because nowadays due to government cuts, youths aged between 13 and 18 are encouraged to become part of a County Line instead of going to an alcohol free disco where two DJS were literally the lamest thing in a five mile radius (and I’m including the beard in that statement).  Our girlfriends by the way had gone to a decent bar around the corner.

So at round a quarter eight to a crowd of about twelve (ten boys, two girls), Johnny and I started our set.  At and nine thirty to a crowd of about twenty (a few more girls turned up about eight thirty, laughed at the sadness of all it and then left), we finished it, and not one person danced to a single song that we played.  It was without doubt one of the strangest nights of my life.  Even stranger was the fact that the Beard shook us warmly by the hands and told us we were great and invited back next week.  We glanced at the look of abject horror in the eyes of the kids who clearly wanted to play five a side football and sniff glue in the toilets more than they wanted to listen to a Chemical Brothers mix of a Bomb the Bass track, and told the beard we were busy.

16 – Bug Powder Dust (Chemical Brothers Mix) – Bomb the Bass (1994, 4^th and Broadway Records)

See Also Beat Dis – Bomb the Bass (1988, Mister Ron Records)

Talking of Bomb the Bass, the Chemical Brothers Mix (might have been the Dust Brothers) was one of the first records I ever played as a DJ in the student union.  It was relatively early on in the evening, because back then Kevin, a hairy chimp of a man used to close the night with his ‘rock set’ – his last ever set was brought to a premature end when Johnny set the fire alarm off to stop him playing something by Poison.  It wasn’t supposed to be his last ever set, but he realised that there was very little love for his soft rock sessions. 

15 – Chime (12 inch version) – Orbital (1990, FFRR Records)

See Also – Satan – Orbital (1991, FFRR Records)

Back to our friend Del again.  He loved ‘Chime’ and used to say that it was “The moment dance music started taking itself seriously again”.   He had ‘Chime’ on 12 inch, which occasionally if he remembered he would leave in the booth for me to borrow – he had a habit of forgetting his records though – one time he played the 12 inch version of ‘Chime’ in all its twelve minute glory, but this being Del he didn’t just let it play like I would have – I would have (and often did) stick it on and go to the bar, pop home to do some ironing and then come back to fade it out – Del managed to weave a mix of about five songs around it, seamlessly bringing the chiming synth back in when it mattered and seamlessly making it sound like an entirely different song.  

Talking of massively long tracks here’s another couple

Inner City Life (Nookie Mix) – Goldie (1994, FFRR Records)

See Also (kind of) I Am The Black Gold of the Sun (4Hero Mix) – Nuyorican Soul (1997, Island Records)

‘Inner City Life’ is often described by some critics as being the ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ of jungle music, which I suppose it sort of is – or perhaps the ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ you can dance to, regardless, its ace full of bass heavy beats, some wonderful vocals that float in and out over the top of spectral sounding strings.  A proper masterpiece, joyful one minute and furiously intense the next.   Thank the lord that the Nookie Mix of it became available fairly quickly because the original version rocks in at nearly twenty minutes or so. 

50 Twelve Inches #26

6 Underground – Sneaker Pimps (1996, Clean Up Records)

To set the finger of fate moving today I have had to dig myself out from underneath a mound of sparkly bent up plastic and untangle my hands from about a kilometre of lights, which in around an hour’s time I will untangle again before tangling them all up again as I attempt to make a Christmas tree look “pretty”.  I also realise that by the time I actually get round to publishing this, Christmas will have been and then packed away again for another year.

Talking of which, last night when my daughter went to bed – I spent an hour – an hour – trying to find somewhere in my house where I could hide my daughters Christmas present – which sounds like I am rubbish at hiding things – but you see, she is getting a bike for Christmas – and they don’t quite fit in behind the wardrobe and I can’t quite get it under the bed.  In the end after a lot of swearing and bruising of shins, I squeeze the bike in the spare bathroom (which isn’t being used because I have been fitting a shower for the last eight months or so) and chuck an old blanket over it, in the hope that she doesn’t enter the spare bathroom.  The thought of wrapping the thing fills me with utter dread.

Anyway, the “STOP” command is bellowed alongside a mouthful of mince pie – which has been taken as a mid decorating snack and means that my finger comes to rest on the spine of a promo copy of ‘6 Underground’ by Hartlepool indie trip hop crossover act Sneaker Pimps.   Which isn’t a bad way to start a Sunday morning.   For once it is a track that is liked by the whole household and isn’t met with snorts of derision by my wife.

My sources tell me that this isn’t the original twelve inch of ‘6 Underground’ but a reissue.  The original track I have on CD single and I didn’t get the twelve inch sent to me until a good year later.  The reason for the reissue, was (apart from the fact that it is a rollickingly good track and deserves to be a hit) down to it appearing in the Hollywood remake of The Saint – which came packed with an indie dancefloor friendly soundtrack – which also contained this,

The Saint  – Orbital (1997, FFRR Records)

And a nine minute version of this,

Pearl’s Girl – Underworld (1996, Junior Boys Own Records)

‘6 Underground’ was for some reason the song that was playing when the hero ‘Simon Templar’ – (Played by the man responsible for utterly ruining Batman – Val Kilmer)– oh go on then,

Simon Templer – Splodgenessabounds (1980, Deram Records)

Got down and dirty with the films love interest Emma Russell (played Elisabeth Shue).  It is a bizarre choice for a love scene, probably not the most bizarre, but all the same, anyway, it helped to propel ‘6 Underground’ into the Top 10.  The 1996 original reached number 15.

The twelve inch came with a bunch of remixes. The pick of the bunch was done by remix kings Perfecto Records, which puts an almost jangly guitar over the top the track, and its rather marvellous.

6 Underground (Perfecto Mix) – Sneaker Pimps (1997, Clean Up Records)

There was also this jumpy little affair on the flip side

6 Underground (Attica’s Puma States Remix) – Sneaker Pimps (1997, Clean Up Records)

Before they arrived though a natty Two Lone Swordsmen mix was already in circulation

6 Underground (Two Lone Swordsmen Vocal Mix) – Sneaker Pimps (1996, Clean Up Records)

Here is No More Than Five Words Review, although I think she might be talking about the mince pies “Pastry is a bit soft”.

And here if you can bear it this weeks eleven year old recommendation – its more autotune hell by the way.  I’m going to stop her going to that youth club.

Run for the hills – Tate McRae (2023, RCA Records)

Your Tune #4 – Dawn, and Leon (and Leon’s Dad, Craig)

The phrase “All good things must come to an end….”, is very possibly overused.  My brother, for instance, once used it in a letter to a girl he met on a ferry.  A girl whose hand he held as the sun rose over Portsmouth and of whom he spoke of little else for a good two weeks later.   In what was only his second letter to he told her, in all seriousness, one suspects, that the two hours that he spent in her company was “a beautiful thing” but all good things must come to an end.  This was largely because he lived in Medway and she lived in Wrexham and as such any form of relationship was difficult, that and he was only 15 and only had a Raleigh bike to get around on. 

But come to an end, good things must, and on that, welcome to the fourth and final instalment of the Wrong and Boats takeover.  Normal service will be resumed on this blog tomorrow.

Satan – Orbital and Kirk Hammett (1997, Sony Records, Taken from ‘Spawn OST’)

Dawn never meant to sleep with Leon’s dad.  It just happened. He’d given her lift home one night, after Leon had passed out on the sofa after drinking too much tequila at Ian White’s party.  It wasn’t far to her house to be honest, she could have walked, but it was a bit nippy outside, but Julia, Leon’s mum insisted that his dad, Craig, drove her home, whilst Julia threw Leon in the shower.

At first it was innocent enough, they sat and chatted outside her parents house and as the talk turned to flirting, one thing led to another and then behind her parents house in the small garage block, three and a half minutes of magic happened.   It was her first time and it was pretty much how she’d dreamt it, without of course, the rain, the seatbelt case sticking in her back, and the discarded Strawberry Chewit stuck to her thigh.

Pull Out – Death From Above 1979 (2004, Last Gang Records, Taken from ‘You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine’)

Dawn told herself that it was a one off, but she knew deep down in her heart that it probably wasn’t, that few minutes with Craig had meant something, something special that her and Leon didn’t have.  It wasn’t that she didn’t like Leon, she did, it was just that he was, well, a bit dull.  His interests were trains, the TV Programme, Minder, and the music of Chris Rea.  He also wore slippers.  He was 17 and wore slippers. 

There was an awkwardness the next time Dawn saw Craig, her family and Leon’s meet up at the Frowning Clown, for a carvery a few weeks later, Craig looked really cool in a Ted Baker jumper, whilst Leon was wearing his blue cardigan that he thought made him look like Graham Coxon from Blur (even though he hates Blur), but actually made him look more like a trainspotter, particular when he wore his glasses, but Dawn never said anything.

What’ll It Take – Graham Coxon (2012, Parlophone Records, Taken from ‘A+E’)

Two days later, whilst Leon was at college, and Julia was at work, it all happened again (and again) in various rooms of Craig’s house.  That was, she told Craig, the last time, but secretly she hoped it wouldn’t be.  It was as it happens, the last time, because four hours later, Julia found a bracelet that Dawn had left behind, in Craigs underwear drawer, whilst she was putting away some socks of his.

Through the Hosiery – Crystal Castles (2008, Play It Again Sam Records, Taken from ‘Crystal Castles’)

There was of course, a scene, Julia chucked Craig out and then went round to Dawn’s house and smashed up Dawn’s dad’s Vauxhall Corsa up with a piece of old fence that was lying on the ground and the police had to be called.  Julia spent two months ‘resting’ in a special hospital.   Leon has never spoke to Dawn since that fateful evening.  Dawn had said sorry on the phone, in person (well through the letterbox) and in several letters.

All this of course happened a few years ago, and time has passed but Dawn hasn’t been able to move on.  There is, she thinks, something missing in her life.  She has since that time stumbled from relationship to relationship, she deliberately picked guys whose fathers were ugly as well.  It was last Wednesday when after seeing a blue cardigan in a local charity shop that she realised that she hadn’t been really happy since she was with Leon.

So, Leon, if you are reading, Dawn wants you to know that she is sorry, truly sorry, and wants you and your mum to forgive her.  She is, and she has underlined this bit in red, so it must be true, definitely not interested in your dad, and wants us to play you a song.  She has asked for to play ‘Auberge’ by Chris Rea, for you, and asks you to remember those good times, especially Ian White’s party.

Sadly, we don’t have anything by Chris Rea in our record bags today – but we have something very similar that we think you will both love.

Father and Sons – TV Priest (2021, Sub Pop Records, Taken from ‘Uppers’)

The best 44 4th Albums of All Time – #38

In Sides – Orbital (1996, FFRR Records)

“__________”

Points 44

Highest Rank  2^nd

The Box (part 2) – Orbital (1996, FFRR Records)

There are two schools of thought about ‘Insides’ by Orbital.  You have the view of some who think it is Orbital’s finest album – like MJM 15 – who gushed : –

“In Sides’ is easily THE best album by Orbital.  Its only really flaw is that it perhaps pushes the whole ‘Intelligent techno’ too far, because its full of weird sounds, but if you persist with it then in becomes genius”.

He has a point – it is full of strange and weird sounds – including some strange chanting style vocals from (at the time) the mysterious ‘Auntie’, on the track ‘Dwr Budr’ – which can be a little disconcerting, if you are listening to it for the first time. 

Dwr Budr – Orbital (1996, FFRR Records)

Incidentally, the vocals on ‘In Sides’ were all performed by this Auntie character, and she turned out not to be Paul and Phil’s actual Auntie, but a thinly disguised Alison Goldfrapp.  The vocals of ‘Dwr Budr’ were recorded and then looped back on themselves to make them sound deliberately odd.

MJM 12 would disagree with MJM 15 – and to be fair it would probably be quite a good punch up to see who would be eventually be right (MJM 12 has a dodgy knee MJM15 so aim the crow bar there).  MJM12 didn’t put this on his vote return but I know exactly what he would say

“It’s great but it’s not the Brown Album”

Which is about fair I would say (so if did come to fist fight, I’d probably be cheering on MJM12 – sorry MJM 15).  It is a great record, the way those strange and (a little) creepy synths mix successfully with the dance beats really works.  If I didn’t know better, I’d say this was an album influenced by the Aphex Twin (more of him later). 

‘In Sides’ starts brilliantly, with ‘The Girl with the Sun in Her Head’ which is a ten minute blast of techno greatness.  A track which sent about 70,000 ravers loopy when the Hartnoll brothers played it at Glastonbury 2000 as the sun went down behind the Tor.

The Girl with the Sun in Her Head – Orbital (1996, FFRR Records)

Other highlights include ‘Adnans’ which is one of my favourite Orbital tracks, which bobs and weaves alongside a bouncy bass and some twinkling synths, it builds, fades away and then comes back at you with synths sounding even more twinkly.

Adnans – Orbital (1996, FFRR Records)

The only real criticism I have of ‘In Sides’ is that some of the songs are slightly overlong.  The album closer, ‘Out There Somewhere (Part 2)’ clocks in at nearly fourteen minutes, and whilst its pretty bloody good, it could lose three minutes, and I doubt you’d even notice (a later release of ‘In Sides’ included a version of ‘The Box’ which runs to 28 minutes, 17 of which are totally unnecessary – your Orbital not The Orb, behave yourselves.).

Out There Somewhere (part 2) – Orbital (1996, FFRR Records)

Here is tomorrows lyrical clue “Insulation In my circulation”

A Month Curated by A Ten Year Old #15

Teardrop – Massive Attack (1998, Circa Records, Taken from ‘Mezzanine’)

Pretty much every time the shuffle button has been pressed during this series and my daughter has been present when it has happened she has tutted.  She has tutted because the playlist didn’t throw up an Air song (and there are like ten Air songs on this playlist so it is strange that none have come up yet).  Usually the tut is followed by something like “This isn’t as good as Air” or “Can we just choose Air please”.

Not this time though. 

Sitting just below Air in the Greatest Band in the World Competition are Massive Attack, a band that I think my daughter only asked about because she saw a gig advert posted on the fence of a park in Bristol on her way to SS Great Britain about four years ago. 

In terms of the best albums in the world, after ‘Moon Safari’ by Air, ‘1989’ by Taylor Swift and very possibly the Willy Wonka and Chocolate Factory Soundtrack

(I’ve Got a) Golden Ticket – Jack Albertson and Peter Ostrum (1971, Geffen Records, Taken from ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory OST’) (which is on this playlist as well )

Sits ‘Mezzanine’ by Massive Attack.

Not you know the more accessible Massive Attack albums, like ‘Blue Lines’ with its sweeping orchestral moments and its jaw dropping vocals, or ‘Protection’ with its slightly pop music edge, but ‘Mezzanine’. The brilliant but dark and broody masterpiece that is (in my opinion at least) one of the most post punk records that there is.  Saying that the only song she really listens to from it ‘Teardrop’ which is understandable because its ace, but then again so is this.

Man Next Door – Massive Attack (1998, Circa Records, Taken from ‘Mezzanine’)

Talking of ace, here’s what’s next on the shuffle, frankly we are spoiling you today.

Belfast (David Holmes Mix) – Orbital (2022, Orbital Records, Taken from ’30 Something’)

I mean just ‘Belfast’ on its own would have been good enough. 

In 2021, David Holmes decided to remix Orbital’s seminal techno track ‘Belfast’ in a sort of tribute to his home city (but also so it could feature on a new 30 year, three hour Orbital retrospective that dropped last year – which is marvellous folks).  The result is a twelve minute laid back techno blast.  The main elements of the original are still there, but Holmes messes with some of spectral vocals and whips them around and adds some other effects and its astonishingly good.  The deep bass of the original has been laced with a euphoric almost Balearic beat, the keyboard sound is looped on top of itself and it is all just utterly absorbing.   

I sat in my daughters room – the two of us in almost silence as this played out.  I tell my daughter that this song and this remix is incredible. I mention that somehow David Holmes, the utter genius that he is, has taken ‘Belfast’ twisted it, straightened it out again, twisted it again, ironed it flat and made it even better than it was originally.

“Its ok, it’s a bit long, Alexa played it when I asked it for ‘relaxing music’ – I do like the twinkly bit that sounds like the noise that stars make when they coming out at night”.

Tomorrow Morcheeba

Someone Else’s Nearly Perfect Albums – #10 – Orbital 2

You know that mate of yours.  The one you always drag to gigs with you.  The one you always message with a link to a new track by a band that you have just heard for the first time and think that they will love just because you do.  Yes, him (or her, but him, I strongly suspect). 

Well then meet Mr L, Martin to his wife and friends, he is that mate to me.  He has, whilst sitting on a sunbed in Turkey, drinking cold beer, surrounded by half eaten dolmade’s, kebabs and erm, Turkish Delight (other slightly racist stereotypes are available, he was for instance possibly wearing a fez, whilst he did the kebab thing) written this week’s entry for a Nearly Perfect Album and I am honoured that he has because I really didn’t think he would.  His chosen album is The Brown Album, the second album by techno rave pioneers Orbital.

Take it away mate.

“It’s like… like a cry for survival. A cry for survival. For their survival and for our survival!”

Orbitals second album, also known as The Brown Album, was released in May 1993 and elevated the Hartnoll brothers from Sevenoaks bedroom electronic rave pioneers, into Glastonbury legends within a short period of time.

‘The Brown Album’ changed the electronic dance music scene, as Rave or Techno artist/acts didn’t release conventional albums, just 12” and EP mostly. The first album known as ‘Green Album’ gave us a hint of things to come and gave the electronic dance music scene two classics tracks with ‘Chime’ & ‘Belfast’. Although the ‘Green Album’ is pretty good, it felt like individual tracks just thrown together, as I’m sure their record label FFRR wanted to try and cash in on the early chart success of ‘Chime’.

The start of the album ‘Time Becomes’ is Orbital playing a Star Trek sample looped. Both brothers are massive TV Sci-Fi fans, with other TV Sci-Fi treats in the years to come, with the Dr Who inspired track Doctor? On The Altogether Album in 2001.

The first two albums start exactly the same, with the same loop. I loved the idea that when you bought the second album and brought it home and then the same voice starts up… ‘time becomes a loop’, Orbital are trying to trick you into thinking you were playing the first album still! Anyway, who starts an album with a 1:50 sampled loop with no beats, Orbital do! Let’s Move on.

Track 2 ‘Planet of the Shapes’ or if you bought the album on cassette back in those days, it was called ‘Planet of the Tapes’, nice touch boys. ‘Planet of the Shapes’, which kicks the Brown Album off proper – with a little help from an infamous Withnail & I quote, which is a classic British film by the way, that I love “even a stopped clock, tells the right time twice a day”. More Orbital humour & messing with the format of making something that sounded like an old, scratched record at the start, while knowing it would be mostly played on the newish format of CD mostly! It takes another minute before the first beats kick in & then we are off with ‘Planet of the Shapes’ starting to gently take you on a journey. It’s a great track, that sets up the next phase of four tracks without a break Perfectly.

Planet of the Shapes – Orbital (1993, FFRR Records)

What made this album standout from the rest at this time was the albums four tracks 2-5, that flowed into each track, making it feel more like a rave/club experience sound, of seamless sound. Other electronic pioneers of the era like The Prodigy, LFO, The Shamen, Leftfield & The Future Sound of London had all released excellent & successful albums around the same time, but none had tried to blended beats & tracks together, to get that rave/club night feeling at home. I have seen all the above acts live around this time and on stage they did blend some tracks together, but Orbital were the first to do it on an actual album.

Orbital started to recreate on the ‘Brown Album’ their legendary live shows feeling & sound, which had sections with tracks flowing into each other, with only 3 or 4 gaps, to get your breath back in the whole set. My first Orbital experience live was at Brixton Academy Megadog NYE 1993 Party with Underworld, Drum Club & DJ Evil Eddie Richard’s supporting, what a night!

Anyway, back to tracks 3 & 4 The Lush Suite aka Lush 3:1 & 3:2. I don’t have words that do these tracks justice, but soaring beats & swirling melodies, that just sound Flippin amazing, sorry Lush! Lush 3:2 has slightly harder beats, but still has a sense of beautifulness.

Lush 3.2 – Orbital (1993, FFRR Records)

A little fact, according to the band – “Lush was named by my friend Clive coming into the room and stating loudly while I was writing it, ‘that’s lush, that is’,” as the brothers stated a few years ago.

Well, the lush suite flows into track 5 ‘Impact (The Earth Is Burning)’ One of the few vocals, to make it onto the album, the “cry for survival” phrase was sourced from a “French film dubbed into English, which is why it was so clear”, according to the brothers.

It is hard to pick a favourite track, but if I was pushed for an answer, it would be ‘Impact’. The track is now over 30 years old and both at home and live, it just still gets me going every single time. It’s a killer track with many different sections, but the final sections with “cry for survival” is just utterly superb.

I was lucky enough to catch Orbital live at The PrintWorks London, just before Covid lockdown, ‘Impact’ landed in the middle of 2-hour set, & rocked the mixed young & old crowd, making this outstanding venue shake!

Impact – Orbital (1993, FFRR Records)

Then onto track 6 ‘Remind’ which picks up from ‘Impact’ and rams it home brilliantly. In total, roughly 28 minutes of glorious EDM flowed/blended together into the best home or club experience you will find anywhere!

It’s the heart of the album & what makes it stand the test of time.   Track 7 ‘Walk Now’, a hidden gem in the middle. Any track after that 28 mins of EDM heaven, has a tough task, but ‘Walk Now’ delivers. I do love a didgeridoo on any EDM Track, such as ‘Didgeridoo’ from another EDM pioneer Aphex Twin released in 1992.

Walk Now – Orbital (1993, FFRR Records)

‘Walk Now’ builds to triumphant finish with elements of acid so what’s not to love about this track!

Well Track 8 ‘Monday’.

When SWC asked would I do a Nearly Perfect album review on an Orbital album, I said yes, but the Brown album is perfect I stated! I reflected on this statement and being truly honest with myself, ‘Monday’ is still very good & a calming suggestion of more perfectness coming in track 9, but it’s the only track, I might skip if playing, so the Brown album is not perfect, but Monday’ is still a very good track & takes us nicely into track 9 ‘ Halcyon + On + On’.

It was inspired by Paul and Phil’s mother & originally released in 1992 on the Radiccio EP, which is a perfect EP, with four amazing tracks.  Halcyon was dedicated to the Hartnolls’ mother, who was addicted to the prescription tranquilliser when they were young.

Another fact the Opus 3 sample at the track’s core, was given to the brothers for free by Pete Waterman, for the price of free lunch with Pete Tog, aka FFRR record label boss. 

Halcyon is just another utterly brilliant example of what Orbital do better than anyone else. Lush vocals, over lush hard & soft beats, swirling up lifting melodies, that are a joy on my old ears any day of the week. This 10-minute track just makes me happy.

Halcyon – Orbital (1993, FFRR Records)

Track 10 ‘Input’ is a 2-minute beatless looped sample, to end the journey suitably.

The One Word Countdown – #24

A record that cost less than £1 to make….

Chime (Live) – Orbital (1991, FFRR Records, Taken from ‘Orbital (Green)’)

Points 124

Whenever a set of votes dropped into my inbox from one the Musical Jury ^TM  I tried to guess which act would come out on top.  Some of them did surprise me (Walter for one, with his leftfield pick of ‘Revolution’ by Spacemen 3), some of them didn’t (Hey JC).  I knew before I’d even opened the email which track would top the votes of Jury Member Number 2.

That track was ‘Chime’ by Orbital and it is a song that I have waxed lyrical about on here before.  It was of course recorded in a home made studio for about 70p, and when it charted the band were invited to perform it live on Top of the Pops.  Frustrated by not being able to perform live the brothers Hartnoll stood on stage chatting to each other, occasionally twiddling a knob or two, whilst a dancer strutted away on a podium distractedly.  It is one of the all time best Top of the Pops performances.  It annoyed the BBC so much that it was six year before the band were invited back onto the programme again.

If ‘Chime’ hadn’t been on the list of songs to vote for, I think that Jury Member 2 would have simply scrawled it onto the top of the list regardless such is his love for this track. 

There are of course various different versions of ‘Chime’.  The ‘live’ version which is above is taken from the bands seminal ‘Green Album’ and at six minutes is probably the most accessible version.  The extended version clocks in at well over ten minutes but if you want to get a party going (because my readership is all about ten minute rave anthems) and you have it to hand then its worth sticking on.

Chime (Extended Version) – Orbital (1990, OhZone Records, Taken from 12”)

I’m also quite partial to the Octave One Mix

There were several other Orbital songs that could have made the list but I very much doubt that they would have done as well as ‘Chime’

Satan – Orbital (1990, FFRR Records, Taken from ‘Orbital III EP’) – which whilst we are here contains a sample from this

Monday – Orbital (1993, FFRR Records, Taken from ‘Orbital (Brown)’)

The Ramshackle Brilliance of the Chart Show Indie Chart #2

This week 24th September 1994

I said last time that the Indie Chart was ramshackle and brilliant, and it was most of the time. However, on occasions the choices of music were baffling and frustrating and I think probably hinted that various record companies or promotional companies had their fingers in various pies.

The chart from September 24th 1994 is a really good example of this. It adopted the usual format, ten songs, counted down, brief snippets of eight songs were played and two songs got extended plays. Yet despite having some brilliant tracks in that Top Ten, The Chart Show choose to play two songs by bands that look and sound almost exactly the same. I’ll explain.

Back in September 1994, indie music was I think enjoying a bit of boom, Britpop had arrived and bands like Oasis and Blur had just started making guitar music relatively interesting again. It had however, led to the creation of about a hundred identikit bands, who all looked the same and sounded the same, basically white boys with guitars. A bandwagon that the Chart Show gleefully supported in it’s selected choices.

On this weeks chart the two songs it choose to give extended clips of were the songs at number 8 and at Number 1.

Number 8 was ‘Detroit’ by Scottish glam rock enthusiasts Whiteout. ‘Detroit’ is awful, the very epitome of landfill indie. Next to Whiteout at the bottom of the landfill indie pile, trying to shove Molly Half Head off of them are These Animal Men, who somehow, inexplicably are at Number One, so the Chart Show dutifully play it.

This is the sound of youth – These Animal Men (1994, Hut Records)

This, by the way, is what it replaced at the top of the chart

We Are The Pigs – Suede (1994, Nude Records)

(and Songwhip, mercifully, can’t find anything by Whiteout, its so awful even the Internet doesn’t want to hear it)

Now, if you put Whiteout and These Animal Men in a room together, I’m pretty sure that even the managers of Whiteout and These Animal Men would struggle to pick them out if they were asked to.

There were of course, eight other tracks that were in the Top Ten, none of which were played by the Chart Show, but all of them are better than the two that were played. I understand the show having to play These Animal Men what with them being Number One and all – but below are the tracks going up or staying put, which they might have played instead.

Hi Fi Killers – Sammy (1994, Fire Records) (number 9) – which I had never heard before today. Sounds a lot like ‘Bossanova’ era Pixies if they were fronted by Lou Reed, which is a good thing I suppose. I suspect that the Chart Show didn’t play this video because after about twenty seconds, it will give you a headache. The next two at seven and six were both of which were going up the chart and would have been better choices.

Starcrossed – Drugstore (1994, Honey Records) (number 7) – Let’s have some context, there is more inspiration and emotion in the first twenty seconds of ‘Starcrossed’ than there is in the entire careers of Whiteout and These Animal Men combined.

Are We Here? – Orbital (1994, FFRR records) (number 6) – Orbital I think had just headlined Glastonbury and were one of the biggest bands in the UK at the time.

Everythings Cool – Pop Will Eat Itself (1994, Infectious Records) (Number 3) – yup even the third single from the sixth(?) PWEI album would have been a better choice.