Duran Duran - Eiffel Tower - 2016

I end the year with my favorite band of all time.  Although I have been disappointed in about 70% of the material they've released since Arcadia and Powerstation, I still stand loyally at their side, forever a champion of their work regardless.....    Well, for the most part.

These last 12 years since they've reunited and released Astronaut, they have had quite a few great tracks.  Some of them weren't discovered as GREAT until they had been reworked by someone else.  A lot of times, a different perspective can help realize gems that had been previously merely adequate.  These are some re-interpretations of a few of those tracks that I have really taken a liking to.

Despite being music covered from the last decade, Johnson Somerset have been the best at mixing D2's singles into works of art.  I have most of their D2 mixes here, plus a few other great mixes by others.  They are all updated mixes to sound so fresh and current, you would think they were brand new songs.  Nothing dated here.  I don't generally like mixes like that, but these really REALLY work well.

I wrapped it up with Simon's newest track, Eiffel Tower.  It's a beauty.  Although his style is different than a D2 track, it's still a pleasure to listen to his voice.  This is a wonderful disc to close the year out...

SO, that's it!  No more posts this year!  Wow!  This has been an interesting and rewarding adventure for me so far.  I feel that I've made some great friends, and I'm happy to be able share my opinion on my favorite subject - music.  I want to thank you all for your support, and for coming religiously every day.  I know that at times I can be aggravating in the selections that I post, but you all have shown some great loyalty, and it is great to know that there are so many of you out there that like the same types of music I do.

I've got all of January and February scheduled out (but only covers through the 22nd of January.  I better get to work!) so you have me for at least that long.  I still have a lot of great ideas ahead, with still some older favorites left, but also newly discovered tunes from the 80s that I'm sure you will enjoy.  Stay with me, and we'll have a blast!

Thanks, again and we will see you in January!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Duran Duran - Eiffel Tower - 2016

Police - Reggatta de Blanc - 1979

 When this album came out, I was 7, almost 8.  I wasn't even into music yet.  I was too busy playing with my Star Wars figures, watching Battlestar Galactica, and riding my bike.  Yes, my parents listened to FM Pop Radio in the car, so I'm sure I heard some of these songs back when they were popular, but I don't remember.  When I got their Greatest Hits in 1985, I already knew most of the songs, but I didn't own an actual Police album other than that.

I finally got this one sometime in 1989-1990 (would be my guess).  I know that when I bought it, I was still in High School, but also living in the midwest, after leaving Chicago in 1988.  I graduated in 1990.  ANYWAY...   I got it at a used record store called Recycled Sounds for about 3.00 on scratched vinyl and scruffed-up cover.  I learned most of these songs with the hiss and pop of an old record.  I almost prefer it that way.

This would be my second favorite Police album behind Synchronicity.  There is a little Power Pop, a little Punk, a little Reggae, a little New Wave and a little Rock.  It showed the true diversity in their style, and the melodies are some of their best, despite what Wikipedia says.  Lyrically, meh.  Sting has done better.  But the music is quality.....

I added the b-sides, and since there weren't any actual Police remixes, I added two fan mixes that sound as if they could be actual period mixes.  They are great!

I still don't understand why they would name their album THAT, though. It seems a tad racist...

Police - Reggatta de Blanc - 1979

I got some questions....

Is it just me, or are any of you having problems downloading from Mega.nz?  I can't seem to get any of the files I've tried to download more than halfway done, and they say that they are too big (more than 1GB) even though they aren't any more than 500MB.  Sucks. Sucks. and more Sucks.

Also, what do you all do with what I give you when you download?  Do any of you actually print up the covers and burn discs and make your own CDs?  Do you embed the cover graphics in the Mp3 files?  What do you do?  I'm sure that 95% of the material I post is stuff you already have, so really it would only be the covers, then.  I don't know. 

What answers do you have for me?

Pet Shop Boys - Behavior - 1990

This was actually the first PSB album I ever purchased.  I did it at the behest of my best friend, who said it was the BEST ALBUM EVER.  Only knowing the few tracks (that now make up their Discography compilation disc), I bought it with high expectations, even though I wasn't really the biggest fan at the time.

I'm sorry.  This album was a bummer the first time I listened to it.  In fact, I only listened to it a couple times before I filed it away as a waste of money.  Can you believe it?

So, then Discography came out, and I got that, and enjoyed it.  Then Very came out, and I was fixed.  THEN, the chain record store in the mall (it's name was 3 letters, I can't remember what it was called...) and they kept getting in all of these sleeved singles (from a variety of groups, but) of the PSB material from West End Girls all the way through Behavior.  Suddenly, I had almost two dozen PSB CD singles, and I knew that I was in it for the long haul.  I finally found Very Relentless at that same record store, and I was in seventh heaven.

After getting all these singles, I decided to go back and actually listen to all of their previous albums, including Behavior.  It was as if my eyes had suddenly been opened, and I was hearing it for the very first time.  With the mixes and the b-sides, I found this album to be essential PSB material from beginning to end.  It's not my favorite PSB album, but it is one of their albums that you must include if you are talking about the volume of their work.

On my version, all of the b-sides are included.  I added in Miserablism, as this is where it rightfully belongs.  I also replaced the two songs with excessively long names with versions that I found preferable to the album mixes.  I had made this cover probably 3 years ago, without knowing I was going to eventually post it, so the versions I replaced aren't noted on the cover, unfortunately.  The track files are, though, so if you don't like the mixes I put in the set, you can easily replace them with the originals without fucking up the album art.

I have a disc of remixes that I've aptly entitled "Excellent Behavior", but I haven't made a cover for it yet.  I dropped it in a folder for Feb 14th, so you'll get it then.  Until that time, enjoy this wonderful album!

Pet Shop Boys - Behavior - 1990

George Michael - A Different Corner

I couldn't get back to my computer until just now, and I don't have any album prepared to celebrate his life, so I'll just remember him here, with this.  He was a great artist, and it saddens me to know that he is gone.  Some of his music was essential to me in my life, and I guess I will never see Listening Without Prejudice Volume II.  His style is something I will always admire, and we are definitely at a loss without him...

Goodbye, George.  You will be missed.

Erasure - Crackers International - 1988

I want everyone to know that this is probably my least favorite Erasure album/EP from the 80s and 90s.  I think the lead singles, Stop and Knocking On Your Door are freeking obnoxious.  Of course, the other 3 tracks on the EP are great. The Christmas songs and Hardest Part are really true sounding Erasure tracks.  I'd put them on a GH album any time.  But those other two....  ugh!  They grate on my nerves! The remixes really save the day, though.  Mark Saunders, one of my top 10 remixers, really pulls both of them out of the mire for me.  The other mixes aren't bad either....

I wanted to post this album, though, because of the Christmas theme.  This is my last post until the 28th, as I'll be out of town for the holiday, and I wanted to wish all of you a happy holiday.  Merry Christmas, folks.  I hope you all are able to spend time with the ones you love, eat to your heart's content, and keep the peace and remember HIS gift.  That's all I've got for you, have a great weekend!

Erasure - Crackers International - 1988

Depeche Mode - Black Celebration Remixes - 1986

The first Depeche Mode album I ever bought was Music For the Masses.  Then I bought Martin Gore's first Counterfeit EP.  Then it was A Broken Frame, then Some Great Reward, THEN Black Celebration... followed a very short time later by the Personal Jesus single right before Violator came out.  So, that's the order I heard their music.  When you do it that way, you start to compare their progression as a band, and it's easier to see where they were then, and where they are now.  A Black Celebration was a unique one for me, and it's one I really think was a turning point for their sound. Was it Martin's turmoiled relationship that affected it?  Who knows.  But I feel that starting with this album, their music took a dramatic turn darker than their previous albums.

It's unfortunate that the two "unreleased tracks" Violence and I Feel No Guilt weren't actually DM songs, as the b-sides for the actual album were minimal.  The best of the additional material for this album was the remixes, which is what I've compiled here.  I know that I've left a couple mixes out (didn't I say that with INXS yesterday?) but I think the ones I've put on here are the best.  With the exception of the exceptional Dreamtime Mix of But Not Tonight, these are all official remixes.  Flood's mixes are obviously the best, but all of them really hit the mark.  This is a wonderful companion disc to the original album...  Good stuff!

Depeche Mode - Black Celebration Remixes - 1986

INXS - Kick - the Remixes - 1988

My original post for the Kick album can be found way back HERE.  You can read that to find out exactly what that album means to me when I listen to it.  A pure teen-angst melodrama that left it's marks on my soul for life.  After reading all my posts about loves lost, I begin to wonder if my whole life has been one continuous chain of longing and pining for women that left me hanging due to my own inability to act on my feelings.  I let them come and go without so much as a fight.  It's a wonder how I ever found my wife and kept her long enough to marry me....  But, I digress.

I saw these guys the summer of 1988 in Chicago with a bunch of friends from work.  It was an indoor show, but still packed out about 20-30,000 screaming people.  It was the second time in my sheltered life that I saw (and smelled) people smoking pot in public, and I was more surprised to see that no one cared about it, too. (The first time was the Def Leppard concert, but I was too ignorant to know what it was, what it smelled like.  I thought it was just cigarettes...)

It was a great show, although I didn't know half the songs because I only knew this album.  I had a blast, anyway.  I had been to Def Leppard's Hysteria tour earlier that summer, but this time was probably the best.  The kids I was with were hyped, and the crowd seemed really upbeat, compared with the headbangers at the Leppard concert.  Everyone was having a great time.

After the show, we tried to go downtown and eat at Ed Debevic's Restaurant, but by the time we made it there, the place had closed, as it was shortly after midnight.  Big dummies that we were, we fucked around downtown until about 230am before the cops chased us down and threatened to bring us in for breaking curfew.  We were lucky no one tried to jump us being young and foolish in a big city.

I don't think we actually got back to my friend's house until about 430 or 5am.  Fortunately, his parents weren't as strict and controlling as mine, so staying out all night wasn't a big deal to them.  I had told my parents I was spending the night at his house after the show, had they known I was out so late in the city, they would've flipped out.

That next week I sported my kick-ass (no pun intended) concert t-shirt.  I loved that shirt so much.  I still own it today, and would love to wear it.  Alas, I weigh about 100lbs more now than I did then, so I look like a big, misshapen bag of mashed potatoes if I try and wear it.  And, I don't want to stretch it out and ruin it.  I've seen it on ebay a couple times going for about 200.00, but I don't think I could ever part with it.

Not all the mixes are on here.  I filled up one disc, and pitched the worst.  If you're looking for any that aren't on this set, let me know, and I'll see if I can get them to you.

In March I'm planning to do a "Live Week", and I have a recording of one of their shows from this album.  I'll be posting that, then....

INXS - Kick - the Remixes - 1988

Frazier Chorus - Sue - 1989

SO, is this Indie Pop or is this Synthpop or can it be categorized at all?  I hear bits of both, plus some Jazz, and remnants of 80s Pop...  What is it?

As I've said in their previous post, Ray , I really took a liking to this band, enough to name the blog after a line from one of their songs.  This album really does remind me of an 80s leftover, that set the stage for the 90s Britpop scene.  The good thing is, is that it makes me feel good...  It's mellow, relaxing, a little happy and a little sad.  It's a solid balance of emotion without being boring.  Best track is Sloppy Heart.  Reminds me of Dream Academy a little.  I also really like their cover of Anarchy In the UK.

Wikipedia -
Frazier Chorus were a pop group from Brighton, England. A pop group without the usual guitarist, bassist or drummer; they instead utilized flute, clarinet, bongos and hushed vocals.  Originally a four-piece, they signed to British indie record label 4AD and released the single "Sloppy Heart" in 1987. Shortly afterwards they moved to Virgin Records, and achieved reasonable chart success with a string of melodic pop songs about Dream Kitchens, Living Rooms, Happy Eaters and Little Chefs, all taken from their 1989 debut album, Sue.

As I began compiling and arranging all of the tracks, I realized after I had finished that my version is identical to the 2008 re-issue, only the b-sides were arranged differently at the end.  So, if you already have the 2008 version, you aren't missing anything, that's all of it.  Regardless, I still think I have a much neater cover.

Frazier Chorus - Sue - 1989 

REM - Automatic For the People II - 1992

And now for something completely different...  Talk about a change of gears, I took it from 3rd gear and slammed it into reverse.

No need for extensive posts on this one, we all know who REM is, and what Automatic For the People was in their career.  Quite honestly, their best album ever, backed by what would become a fast slide into mediocrity.  In fact, I may have been satisfied with mediocrity, but the rest of their catalog from here on out was crap, as far as I'm concerned.  It's unfortunate, really, that they got as big as they did.  It's when they became gods that they hit that peak and started into irrelevancy.  I saw their Monster tour, and I must say that I walked away feeling as if they sold out.

I do remember being thrilled when this one came out.  I got it the same time I got Enya's Shepard's Moon album, and I think also Suzanne Vega's 99.9 album....

This toasty collection brings together all of the b-sides, fan club tracks, and unreleased material from the AFtP sessions.  I decided to post it this week, as it has a few Christmas tracks on it that you all should like.

I never really did get into their instrumentals, though.  They seemed incomplete and half-baked.  I couldn't feel any heart in them.  Makes you wonder what sort of role Stipe's voice played in making sure their songs exuded passion and emotion. 

REM - Automatic For the People II - 1992

808 State - Ninety & Utd. State 90 - 1990

I discovered and fell in love with 808 when I purchased their Ex:El album in1991.  I had to have it once I heard the Bernard Sumner guest vocals on it.  As I listened to the album, learned the history behind the band and it's association with this new music called Techno, I soon became an avid follower, buying all the vinyl I could of their releases.

From Discogs -
Manchester’s techno pioneers were formed in 1988 when Martin Price, owner of the city’s seminal Eastern Bloc underground record store, teamed up with Graham Massey, formerly of Factory Records’ Biting Tongues and more recently renowned as a producer. The debut EP, Newbuild was cut in collaboration with fellow Mancunian Gerald Simpson. The trio were also responsible for mixing tracks for local artists, including Inspiral Carpets. In 1989 Simpson departed to launch his own vehicle, A Guy Called Gerald, and DJ duo the Spinmasters (Andrew Barker and Darren Partington) were drafted into 808 State.
The new quartet cut the Quadrastate EP, a huge club hit, and the single Pacific which crossed over into the national top ten at the tail end of 1989. The timing of their rise to prominence worked in their favour, as the Madchester explosion began dominating the UK music and style press. 808 State were cast alongside the likes of the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays which aroused interest from the rock world and broke down barriers between the indie and dance factions. 808 State signed to ZTT in 1990 and delivered the classic 808:90, which was immediately adopted by the rave generation as a soundtrack to post-gig chill out sessions, as well as becoming a favourite with DJs and rock concert audiences.

From Wikipedia -

Ninety is the second full-length album and first on ZTT Records by British electronic music group 808 State, released in 1989 and featuring the single "Pacific State" which reached number 10 in the UK Singles Chart on November 1989. It was released in the US as Utd. State 90, without "The Fat Shadow (Pointy Head Mix)," but with other bonus tracks.
Slant Magazine listed the album at number 54 on its list of the "Best Albums of the 1980s" saying "A thrilling expansion of the possibilities for acid house and arguably the best LP ever produced in the style".

For my version, I combined 90 and Utd State 90, plus the relevant mixes.  I additionally added the mixes that they did for other artists from the same time period.  I specifically left the Quadrastate tracks separate, as I will include those on my Newbuild version, along with the Blue Monday mix.  I tried to hold true to the art from the original album cover, while adding my own style.  I hope it looks legit...

I'll see you all tomorrow, back to normal.

808 State - Disc One      808 State - Disc Two

A Guy Called Gerald - Automanikk - 1990

From Discogs -

Since the '80s, Manchester, UK native, A Guy Called Gerald, born Gerald Simpson, has proven to be among the most innovative modern music figures. His influence is international, and through his versatility he has spawned genres and generations of music culture. From his early experimentation with techno and acid house to his groundbreaking contributions to drum & bass music, AGCG’s art and craft has perpetually evolved regardless of his individual successes in each of those genres. 

From Wikipedia -
Greg Wilson, an influential Northern UK DJ and music writer explains on his blog: "A Guy Called Gerald provides the perfect analogy for what happened in Manchester. Most people would assume that he went to The Haçienda, heard this incredible House music for the first time, had an epiphany, and then went home and set to work on the era defining single ‘Voodoo Ray’ (which he wrote with Foot Patrol in mind, visualising how they might dance to it). The reality, of course, is that Gerald and his contemporaries were those very kids from Hulme and Moss Side, who brought House music into The Haçienda in the first place. Gerald had already been on the black scene for many years, dancing to Jazz-Funk, then Electro, before starting out with the Scratch Beatmasters as a Hip Hop DJ (MC Tunes rapping). ‘Voodoo Ray’ isn’t an orthodox House track, but a culmination of his influences – The Haçienda providing the perfect setting in which to unleash this quintessential British dance track. Inadvertently bestowing Gerald with his name was Stu Allan – prior to ‘Voodoo Ray’, on playing a track he’d been given on tape by a local newcomer, he told his Piccadilly listeners that it was by a guy called Gerald from Hulme.'' 

And there you have it.  Not really a personal release for me, but one that definitely had influence on the type of music I became attracted to in the 90s.  I learned of him only through 808 State, and I'll have them in my next post....

Almost a direct translation of his original release, I kept the same cover and added Specific Hate and a remix of FX.  Good stuff, well worth the download and a fine addition to any classic Manchester Sound collection.... 

A Guy Called Gerald - Automanikk - 1990 

Carl Cox - At the End of the Cliche - 1996

As I said in the Earl Grey post, I was unaware of Carl Cox's own label Worldwide Ultimatum.  I had been searching for his mixes, as I had always been a fan of them while collecting other artists tracks.  Little did I know, he had a 5-year label with some really wonderful sounding material.  This collects his entire first album, and the mixes that go with it.  The covers, also by Me Company are some of the finest looking covers they produced, in my honest opinion.

That pretty much sums up Techno week.  I'm sure most of you are rather glad it's over.  I understand.  As I said to Mr P. Randy, it's not everyone's cup of tea.  I have one more post tomorrow that I like to lump in with Techno, and you all can tell me whether it is or not.  We'll see.

No more special weeks, though, until mid-January.  I will have 5 more posts starting tomorrow, then take time off for Christmas.  Then, I'll be back for 3 more posts, then off for the New Year.  I hope you all stick around for some more fun....

Carl Cox - At the End of the Cliche - 1996

Carl Cox - At the End of the Remixes - 1996 

Earl Grey - The Flavour - 1997

While I was digging through the back history of a lot of Techno labels, looking for material I remembered, liked or wanted, I came across Carl Cox's label called Worldwide Ultimatum.  It existed for roughly five years until 2000, and produced the work of five talented artists, including Earl Grey.

Before this little search, I had not heard of Earl Grey.  But, upon discovering his work, along with the beautiful Me Company artwork, it didn't take long for me to take a liking to it.  A slick D&B duo with a tinge of Jazz.  This is a collection of the Work released for the EP, along with some of the best material from their first album Purveyors of the New Groove.  Not a complete collection of their material, because it was all purloined from online, and it's difficult to find it all....

Earl Grey - The Flavour - 1997

Outer Rhythm - A Compilation

I can tell by the number of page views, and the lack of comments, that this week isn't quite as popular as I thought it would be.  I'm sorry.  Just hold on, only two more days after tonight, & I promise Sunday night will be worth it, for realz.

This was another label that I really liked, and I think it was their logo that initially drew me to them.  What a cool head!  I love it!  But, unlike Warp, not all of their tracks were great, starting off.  So, I picked and chose some of my favorites and dropped them on two discs.  There's a lot of fun stuff on there, including the Joey Beltram mix of Dominator, a big hit from back then.

Again, a custom cover using only the head logo primarily.  The background was a graphic pulled from the web. 

See you tomorrow night for some more....

Disc One        Disc Two

Warp Records - 1991-1992

Back in the day....  Warp used to be one of my favorite labels for Techno.  Yeah, yeah, yeah, they weren't that good.  But, I loved them anyway.  I put a short synopsis on the cover of this comp, so you'll forever be able to know who they were, and what they produced.

This is a nice little comp of their first singles.  I started at the beginning of their catalog, and worked my way up until I ran out of space for a single CD.  It's a good listen, with a few bands you may recall, just starting out.

Warp Records - 1991-1992

Mr C - Hectic Times - 2004

I can't remember a time during my "Techno" years when I didn't listen to the Shamen.  I liked them so much, my love for them carried on throughout the 90s, and well into today.  It's unfortunate they went the route that they did, and eventually dissolved, because if they were still making music today, I would still be listening to it.

I understand the problems they had with their label and with the public and with their producers.  They were pushed into a style that I'm sure wasn't right for the direction they wanted to go.  And I know that a lot of people dismissed them as bubble-gum pop and trendy, which they were.  But, I didn't care.  I loved them anyway.  I loved their sound, their style, their subject matter, their remixes (Beatmasters rock), all of it.  But, I really listened to hear the rapping of Mr C.  He was incredible.

As you are all well aware, Shamen's last album really sucked bad.  It was a cataclysmic disappointment for me.  I still continued to follow Mr. C, though.  His work beyond the Shamen has proven to be quite mature, relevant and appealing.  His albums weren't too bad, but it was his singles that really showcased his talent.

Listening to these once again, I can still hear remnants of the Shamen tucked down into the melodies of the tracks.  I can still hear some of the same bleeps and bloops that made the Shamen so fantastic.  I can also hear his own style growing and turning into something all it's own and more.  If the Shamen were still working together, I think that this is what they would sound like, and I wish it were still the case.  But, alas, this is as close as we'll get.  It's enough, though.

He never had any cover art for his singles, so I took these tilt-shift pics of NYC and laid some cool font effects over the top.  Hectic Times is the title to twelfth track in this comp, and it suits the comp well.  I know it's not from the era of early Techno, but it still holds a lot of the same heart that it did back then.

Thanks, Mr C!  You're definitely the Main Geezer!

Mr C - Hectic Times - 2004 - Part 1

Mr C - Hectic Times - 2004 - Part 2 

 

RaC - The 12-Inch Singles - 1992-1994

I wrote about the history on the back of the sleeve I made for these guys.  They didn't have much if anything for graphics for any of their singles, so I created my own, and tried to keep it in the style of the early 90s Techno albums.

Richard and Chris were an awesome duo who released quite a few singles on the Nucleus and Warp labels.  When I was actively collecting vinyl in the 90s, I had three of these singles, and really took a liking to their style.  But, as I've said in previous posts, when my interest in that early 90s stuff started to wane, I ended up selling them all in a large stack of vinyl that I had taken to a record store in the late 90s.  Back then, though, I was moving around a lot, so hauling close to 8000 comic books, 600-700 action figures, 400 novels - hardcover & paperback, 3000 CDs and close to 800 records became quite a chore.  Hobbies can sometimes be a burden.  SO, I sold them off.  (funny now that I talk about it, I have close to 80,000 comics, 25,000 albums and 3-4000 novels all on 3 external hard drives.  My, how things change!)

Now, I never had all of their stuff, just those 3 singles.  So, while compiling their material from Nucleus and Warp, I've found a lot of stuff I'd never even heard before now.  As I listened to it while making the cover, and as I listen to it now, I'm sure that I will get a lot of airplay out of it.  It brings back some great memories, and is very digestible even now.  THIS was the style of Techno that I really enjoyed back then.  Minimal vocals, lots of beats, and a real lack of that Soul/Hip Hop/R&B sound that a lot of the Techno had back then.  I can't stand the Techno that has all that stuff.  Drives me nuts.

Again, as I collected these singles together for one disc, I came across a lot of material I'd never heard before.  And not just from RAC, but from a lot of other Techno outfits as well.  I'll probably be making more of these artist comps in the future, if you guys like them.  And if you don't, well, I might just make them anyway because they're a lot of fun to put together.

I hope you like this as much as I do...

RaC - The 12-Inch Singles - 1992-1994

 

React 2 Rhythm - Whatever You Dream - 1992

This album followed the exact same history with the Guerilla Label and with me as the previous DOP album, so I am literally cutting and pasting my last entry for this album as well.........

William Orbit started his own dance label in the early 90s called Guerilla Records that produced and released House music.  Along with his own band of Bass~O~Matic, there were a variety of other bands including this one, React 2 Rhythm.  Although nothing super special about the release, I had listened to it a lot as I was a fan of William Orbit, and I loved the cover art.

I once had a great copy of this on CD.  In the early 2000s, I traded it in to a CD store for hard fast cash.  Now, I kick myself for letting it go.  All I have now is the tracks downloaded individually from a variety of sources.  Some are CD rips, there are also some vinyl rips in there, as well.  That being said, the best way to listen to these tracks would be to burn them on disc and have your burning program normalize all the tracks to one level.  Otherwise, you'll get a loud one and a quiet one, and it will piss you off.

If anyone can get me a hard, normalized rip of the original disc, I would forever be in your debt.

Disc One 

Disc Two 

D.O.P. - Musicians Of the Mind - 1992

William Orbit started his own dance label in the early 90s called Guerilla Records that produced and released House music.  Along with his own band of Bass~O~Matic, there were a variety of other bands including this one, D.O.P.  Although nothing super special about the release, I had listened to it a lot as I was a fan of William Orbit, and I loved the cover art.

I once had a great copy of this on CD.  In the early 2000s, I traded it in to a CD store for hard fast cash.  Now, I kick myself for letting it go.  All I have now is the tracks downloaded individually from a variety of sources.  Some are CD rips, there are also some vinyl rips in there, as well.  That being said, the best way to listen to these tracks would be to burn them on disc and have your burning program normalize all the tracks to one level.  Otherwise, you'll get a loud one and a quiet one, and it will piss you off.

If anyone can get me a hard, normalized rip of the original disc, I would forever be in your debt.

Disc One

Disc Two

Mijk Van Dijk - The Future Is Now - 1992-1993

One of the other MFS discs I purchased that one lucky day, was a disc by an artist called Mind Gear.  I loved that disc, great stuff!  I then learned of another artist, at a different time and place, called Loopzone, from the same label.  Great!  I got that one on vinyl.  THEN, I found another tasty slice of vinyl by an artist called Microglobe, on the same MFS label.  SWEET!  I knew then I loved MFS.  All these great artists making great music.

Then, old school Techno faded, and I moved on to other music....  Time passes.....

So, when I decided to do Techno Rave Week, I said "Hey! I should do a MFS comp of all these great artists!"  So, I started doing the research and homework....  What's this?  Mind Gear is by someone named Mijk Van Dijk.  Why does that name sound familiar?  Hold on, now!  the same guy is also responsible for Loopzone!  Holy cow!  So I researched Mijk Van Dijk only to find out that he was actually all three of those "artists" that I had enjoyed listening to in the 90s, plus a hell of a lot more.

This is a compilation of some of MVD's best works for MFS in the 90s.  He did some great stuff, and is also a definitive slice of German Techno.  Listen up....

Mijk Van Dijk - The Future Is Now - 1992-1993

 

Cosmic Baby - Transcendental Overdrive - 1992

In 1993 I was actively looking for Techno music wherever I could find it.  Our local music store chain, Pickles Music, had it's own little section entitled "Techno" that I would pour over every time I went into one.  I remember specifically finding four different absolutely gorgeous CD singles by MFS one day, and bought every one of them.  There was Neutron 9000, Mind Gear, True Love and this one, Cosmic Baby.  They all sounded great, but Cosmic Baby consistently stood out as my favorite of the bunch (followed quickly by Neutron 9000).

MFS Trance Dance was a German label that put out some incredible music.  According to Discogs, this is where Paul Van Dyk got his start.  I got one or two of their compilations during the nineties to pair with my four wonderful singles.  But, now 20 years after the fact, those four singles are all that I have left from my original MFS discs.

On this one, I bolstered the disc from a mere 6 tracks, all the way to 13, including some of the additional single material released from the same year.  My scanner doesn't work (plus I'm too lazy) so I had to rely on the images I could find online. I then had to erase literally everything on the back cover, with the exception of the picture and the base design, so I could list all of the tracks.   I had to erase the logo on the front cover and retype it.  I used to make fonts for fun back in the 90s, and the very first font I made was a font emulating the type from this single cover.  If you google Chaos Fonts, you will find this one in my library on almost every font aggregator on the internet. Check these links - http://www.fontspace.com/chaos-fonts - http://www.1001freefonts.com/designer-chaos-fonts-fontlisting.php - http://www.dafont.com/chaosfonts.d335

This is great stuff, out of the mainstream, and a fine example of pure German Techno.  Hope you enjoy...

Cosmic Baby - Transcendental Overdrive - 1992

Techno Rave Week - Day One

 

 I've tried hard these past couple of months in preparation of this, to remember when I first heard "Techno".  I had always been a fan of remixes from various bands and artists, and the more synths and beats they added, the better.  I would see names on discs, of mixers that I liked, and try and find other material by them.  This might be where I got some of my interests and inclinations.  I do know that by the time I purchased Moby's first album and the Shamen's En-Tact, I was pretty much into it.  I remember picking up compilation after compilation of artists on discs by Network and XL.  I remember actively seeking out as many different vinyl singles as I could lay my hands on.  BUT, I don't really remember when I started saying "I listen to Techno" or "This is Techno".

It always amazed me the number of artists that suddenly sprung up in the early 90s.  Thousands of new bands, labels, artists and individuals.  Funny thing is, when you research it, there were a lot of individuals who would release work under dozens of different monikers.  I remember once buying a compilation with two discs and 25 songs, supposedly by 25 different bands.  Once I did my research, I realized that only 3 different INDIVIDUALS actually made all of the music.  Crazy.

As time went by, I gravitated more toward the album-oriented groups, like Shamen, Prodigy and Moby at first, but then adding on Underworld, Orb, Orbital, and Chemical Brothers.  I still prefer that.  The one-off singles by unknowns have become a thing of the past, to me.  SO MUCH of the Electronica genre sounds so similar and so repetitive, it's hard to find any creativity left in any of it.

But, there are still a few songs out there from my past that I remember and love,  some of it good, some of it shitty, most of it dated and corny.  This should be a fun week, and I hope that there are some of you out there that still remember it fondly.  I was in college at the time, so I look back on it as a time of self-discovery and independence.  Back then, I was one of the many kids on campus walking from class to class with my sunglasses and some big fucking fat headphones on, jamming away in my own little electro-world.

As for the classification of what is or is not Techno, let's explore the many sub-genres, shall we?  Techno. Jungle. Tribal. Drum & Bass. House.  Hardcore/Hardstyle. Hi-NRG. Trance. Dub. Ambient. Breakbeat.  Did I miss any?  Probably.  But, who cares?  I think that after 1988, Detroit Techno and House influenced rock music permanently and forever.  Even the stalwarts of "our type" of music couldn't avoid it.  Erasure and Pet Shop Boys most definitely succumbed to it, and I also believe that it caused the death of New Order.  So, as far as people deciding whether or not something is or isn't Techno, is an irrelevant point.  Anything released after 1993 that used synthesizers or keyboards in a dance style manner can be considered in one form or another to be or be influenced by Techno.

Anyone disagree?  Thoughts and opinions are definitely encouraged.

So, this week you are going to see some albums and compilations of some great artists.  But, I wanted to start with a double-disc set of one-off tracks that really stand out in my mind from when I listened to this genre of music religiously.  These were often in regular circulation on my stereo when I was in college, along with hundreds of others.  Although the cover is 100% original, with the exception of the photo, it was definitely influenced by the compilations of the time, mostly by React (another fucking fantastic label).  I wanted a traditional early 90s feel, and I think I got it.  Let me know what you think...

Volume One

Volume Two

Rezillos - Can't Stand the Rezillos - 1978

Straight from Wikipedia ----

"The Rezillos are a punk/new wave band formed in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1976. Although emerging at the same time as other bands in the punk rock movement, the Rezillos did not share the nihilism or social commentary of their contemporaries, but instead took a more light-hearted approach to their songs, preferring to describe themselves at the time as "a New Wave beat group".^[1] Their songs are heavily influenced by 1950s rock and roll, 1960s English beat music and garage rock, early 1970s glam rock, and recurring lyrical themes of science fiction and B movies, influences that mirrored those of US bands the Cramps, the B-52s, and X who were starting out at the same time. The Rezillos' biggest hit in their home country was the UK Top 20 single "Top of the Pops" in 1978, but they are best known outside the UK for their cover version of "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight", which featured on the soundtrack to Jackass: The Movie in 2002. Since the Rezillos recorded it, the song has been covered by other punk bands, including Youth Brigade and Murphy's Law.
Released in July 1978, the Rezillos' first studio album Can't Stand the Rezillos is now considered a classic album of the first wave of British punk, but the group split up four months after its release, following internal arguments about their future direction. After the Rezillos split the band's guitarist and principal songwriter Jo Callis briefly joined a couple of unsuccessful Edinburgh post-punk groups, before being invited to join The Human League. He went on to co-write some of The Human League's best known songs during their most successful period, including their biggest worldwide hit, "Don't You Want Me". The Rezillos' vocalists Eugene Reynolds and Fay Fife formed the Revillos, a group with an ever-changing line-up that continued where the Rezillos left off. The Revillos split up in 1985, briefly reforming in 1994 for a tour of Japan, and again in 1996 for a UK tour. In 2001 the Rezillos reformed after being invited to play at Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations, and have continued to play live ever since, as well as releasing new singles occasionally."

I chose to do it this way tonight, as I don't have a personal connection to the album other than I think it's a great album and essential to any punk collection.

Plus, my wife and I are still switching our family rooms and living rooms around.  We've got furniture, electronics, pillows, dishes and kitchen furniture everywhere.  I can't find my kitchen counter right now to make supper.  And, I'm lucky that I was even able to get my computer hooked up to post this.  So, now that it's up, time to go back to work, before the work week.

The things we do to prepare for Christmas.....

 Rezillos - Can't Stand the Rezillos - 1978

Cure - Faith - 1981

SO, nothing completely unique or spectacular about this post.  Just doing what's right for the album.  On their deluxe disc set, disc two was almost entirely unnecessary as the few tracks that were actually needed, could have fit on the first disc.  And, I eliminated Carnage Visors from this release, as well.  There are a couple tracks from the deluxe disc that needed to be added, and the b-sides to the singles.  I put Charlotte Sometimes on it for good measure, to give the single a home.

To me, this is an essential Cure album, but it is also something that is not necessarily breath-taking or earth-shattering.  It's just another Post Punk/Gothic staple that has several great tracks, with great performances by all.  What more could you want?

Anyway, rearranging the living room tonight with the wife, so I'm lucky I had the time to post this.  And remember...  Techno/Rave Week starts on Monday!!!!!!!!

Cure - Faith - 1981

Visage - Visage - 1980

As I became more involved with music blogs and torrents and the beloved Discogs.com, I discovered an entire slew of bands and artists that I had never heard before, and that's if I had even heard OF them at all.  Visage was one of those bands.

I heard Visage for the first time probably in the late aughts as I began to rapidly explore the music landscape in detail.  My favorite bands were waning.  The time between albums, which used to be a year, suddenly became two years, three years or more.  And, I was getting old and having trouble getting into the "new" music being released.  I had to hearken back to my past.  There, I found thousands of releases, just waiting to be relished by the likes of me.

When compared to Classix Nouveaux or Ultravox, I always found Visage to be the sinister one of the three.  I would put them more in a category with darker bands like the Associates and the like.  Their style is different than their contemporaries, bordering on experimental, but they've still got that New Wave edge that hooks in a lot of their tracks.

I'm not a fan of all of their albums, but this one is one that I still listen to a lot, and keep as a regular for my New Wave moods that I slip into a couple times a year. (I hate to admit it, but right now I'm in an Exotica/Latin/Lounge mood.  Lots of Les Baxter and Esquivel playing at my house right now.)  And, in my highlights of 80s essential albums, you'll find this as well.

Pretty much a cut and dry cover, nothing extraordinary, and I added the remixes and b-sides, as usual.  I'll see you tomorrow...

Visage - Visage - 1980

Iggy Pop - Instinct - 1988

It's been a rough night, so I'm going to keep this one short and sweet.

I bought this album because it has a fucking kick ass cover.  When I bought it, I didn't know who Iggy Pop was, nor his past career.  I listened to it, and liked it, but I mainly played it in my car as a kid so people would think I was tough.  I also recently bought a t-shirt with this cover on it, so people will think I'm a tough-as-nails middle-age rocker, too.  I have problems, you see....

It's not Iggy's best, but as I said I really dig the cover.  You might like it too, so give it a shot.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Iggy Pop - Instinct - 1988

Electric Light Orchestra - Balance Of Power - 1986

I was never a real fan of ELO until I started listening to the Beatles on a regular basis.  When I heard that Jeff Lynne wanted "to pick up rock music where the Beatles left off", I thought I'd give them a listen....

Electric Light Orchestra is actually a very good band.  They wrote a lot of really good music.  But, I really haven't been a avid collector of their 70s material.  But, starting with Xanadu, Time, Secret Messages, and finally Balance Of Power, I really took a liking to their sound.  Basically, because it sounds like great 80s music.

Balance Of Power is my favorite album probably because they stripped all of their classical instrumentation out, and replaced it with keyboards and synths.  It, along with George Harrison's Cloud Nine, The Traveling Wilburys and Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever really captured what was left of that Classic Rock sound from the 70s and turned it into something relevant and in great quality.  I know that the Moody Blues and the Grateful Dead also released more material during that time, but I wasn't to fond of any of it.

I know that ELO officially released this collection nearly 10 years ago.  But, they left off one of the b-sides A Matter Of Fact.  I also didn't care for how they arranged the bonus material, as they had alternates and demos intermixed before and with the b-sides and unreleased tracks.  That's a no-no in my book.  I always include the b-sides in with the album proper before I start including demos and remixes.  So, with the inclusion of the one extra track and rearranging, that's all I did.

I would like to point out that the melody of the songs Caught In A Trap and In For the Kill are EXACTLY the same.  No difference AT ALL.  But, the lyrics are completely different, and the subject matter is different as well.  It's cool how they were trying to find the best lyrics, and then settled for Caught In A Trap as the official b-side.  Listen to the two and compare....

Electric Light Orchestra - Balance Of Power - 1986

Mock Turtles - Turtle Soup - 1990

Nothing special tonight.  Just another one of the many quality bands out there that got caught up in the quagmire that was the trendy Madchester sound.  A lot of these groups had the potential to be so much more than they were, and I don't know what happened to them.  If you look at all the bands that made it big during the late 80s and early 90s due to the fad of Mad, how many have continued past those few years?  Yes, the Charlatans UK and Jesus Jones made a few albums into the late 90s and early 00s, but other than that, what do you have?  Not a lot.

You wonder if it was the bands that couldn't produce more than that first album, or if it was the record labels that abandoned them for Britrock and Grunge.  The Inspiral Carpets, the Happy Mondays, the Blue Aeroplanes, EMF and the Farm really tried, but they really couldn't break out of the style after it died down in popularity.  And some of the groups barely made it past their first albums....

But, this is a nice little album.  It's nothing special, just something period to listen to if you're nostalgic for the era.

I made two covers for this one.  The first cover I made was the bottom one.  I sorta liked it, but my wife said it was too unlike the original cover, and she didn't like the font.  So, I made the second cover, the top one, that was more like the original cover.  You decide which one you like more, and use it, it doesn't matter which.

Mock Turtles - Turtle Soup - 1990

Go-Go's - Beauty & the Beat - 1981

So, I've had this one ready to go for about 5 weeks now, and as I post it, I still can't believe I decided to make this post.  I know that I've had a secret crush on Belinda Carlisle ever since I was a kid, but that doesn't excuse me from posting something like this.

Maybe, it's because they started off as a Power Pop/Pseudo-Punk band with a little bit of swagger.  Maybe it's because they were initially picked up by Stiff Records.  Maybe because deep down in the sub-tricuspidal regions of my heart I might actually like listening to this music sometimes.  I don't know.  We'll have to see about that.

I do know that it's rather difficult to piece together an early 80s compilation without including at least one Go-Gos song.  Especially Our Lips Are Sealed.  Even McDoc the remix maestro took the effort to remix one of their songs.  So, at least it's not just me.

My sister used to have this tape, and when she'd play it, we'd make fun of the song Skidmarks On My Heart, and call it "Skidmarks From A Fart".  I think that version sounds better.  Don't you?

Regardless, after using the promo-art from their first album and changing up the font for the title and the songs, I think the cover looks spectacular.  This is one of my favorites, and I don't even like pink.

Go-Go's - Beauty & the Beat - 1981

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Crush - 1985

Probably my favorite OMD album second only to Architecture & Morality.  I think that Crush is probably one of the most underrated Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark albums yet also one of their most influential.  The style and sound of this album help to not only set the stage for all of their future work, but also helped define the sound of Post Punk/Synth-pop from the 80s.

The album opens with my 3rd favorite OMD song, So In Love.  The best, followed shortly by Secret, one of my top 10 OMD songs.  The rest of the album plays terrifically, keeping with a lot of their warm yet experimental songs, and does it without becoming boring. As Architecture & Morality was developing OMD's definitive sound, Crush finds them in their writing prime, fully comfortable with the style they'd created for themselves. 

Also, OMD has a way with the saxophone that makes it sound as acceptable today as it did back then.  Usually I cringe when a band whips out the sax and starts tooting away.  Not OMD.  It's perfect.

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Crush - 1985

M83 - Saturdays=Youth - 2008

This is the fourth and final post in my "WTF?" posts for the weekend...

I must apologize for the late post tonight.  My wife has been out of work, and life around our house has been stressful, to be expected.  So, tonight I cooked supper for the family.  I usually do, but tonight I made it extra special with a fine set table and restaurant quality Italian food.  Then, we cleaned up the kitchen, and all four of us came into the family room and watched Forrest Gump.  My wife and I knew that our 15-year-old was mature enough and would watch it, especially because he hadn't seen it before.  But, we were unsure about the 5-year-old.  Surprisingly, though, he sat and watched the entire movie without interruption, and even had some insightful commentary to go along.  Needless to say, we were pleasantly surprised.  BUT, there were two bedroom scenes (which we fast-forwarded through), two F-Bombs, 4 or 5 shits and asses, and so many GDs, we couldn't keep track.  But, if we didn't draw attention to it, he didn't even notice.  He probably didn't even know what they were saying or what it meant.  Anyway, we all set through the entire film and really enjoyed it.  I haven't seen the movie in so long, it was nice to watch it again, and it really lifted our spirits.  We then sat around the kitchen drinking juice and having cookies for bedtime snack, and now they are all off to bed.  Families are wonderful....

ANYWAY - On to tonight's post....

To be honest, I really shouldn't call this a "WTF?" post, as there's nothing odd or different about it compared to the other three.  Honestly, looking back, the other three weren't that bad anyway.  I now would probably classify this in my "pleasantly surprised" category instead.

I first heard  Kim & Jenny from this album on a NME Sampler disc that I got from Barnes & Nobles one time.  I occasionally, in the past, liked to sample the discs that came with those magazines, before I discovered Blogspot searches, Pandora, and the other various sources that I now frequent to try out new stuff.  I almost instantly fell in love with the song.

It's funny to discover bands that you think must be new, only to find out that you're only discovering them on their 3rd or 4th albums.  You suddenly start to realize that you aren't quite as hip and pioneering as you thought you were, joining the crowd so late in the game.  Regardless, I wasn't going to let that change my mind.  

So, after acquiring M83's Saturday = Youth album, I listened and seemed to find myself lost in an album that felt like I was being held in 1985 once again.  But, although it sounds "retro", if that's what you want to call it, I don't know why it does.  There's really nothing about the instrumentation that would make me think that, the melodies don't seem dated, and vocally the whispery breathy sighs that they used weren't commonly used in the 80s, either.  They might MIGHT be reminiscent of MAYBE Dream Academy, but that's about the best comparison that I can come up with.  My only assumption is that it must be the lyrics that compel me to think it's an 80s thing.  I don't know.  If any of you reading this have a theory or opinion about it, please comment below, so we can compare notes and pinpoint this feeling....  It'll drive me nuts until I can say "So, THAT'S why it reminds me of the 80s!"

Although all of the songs are performed with delicacy and grace, the album opens powerfully and strong, and doesn't peter out at all.  It stays solid right through to the last song.  It's really impressive.  I can listen to the first 5 or 6 tracks without even skipping a beat, and finishing the album out is never a task, like a lot of albums of this Indie genre tend to be.

The second disc is obviously the remix disc, and it adds an Indie Electro element to the mix.  To me, it harkens back to pre-House/Techno remixes of the 80s, but with definite 2010s overtones.  We even get a touch of Dubstep in there, and it works great without overdoing it.  Unfortunately, I didn't get all of the mixes on the disc, as there wasn't enough to split the mixes into 2 discs.  Plus, all of the mixes I left out are the less favorite mixes of We Own the Sky.  I mean, how many mixes of that same song do we need, anyway?  Plus, I wanted to get the M83 mixes of  the Maps, Fires Of Rome and Midnight Juggernauts' songs on there as well.  Their mixes of other artists songs really capture the essence of those songs and leave a definitive imprint of their own style as well.

So, enjoy these albums, and please let me know your opinion as to why these sound 80s, but don't.  I'd really like to know!

M83 - Saturdays=Youth - 2008 

M83 - Youth=Remixes - 2008 

PS - I said mix, remix or mixes 10 times in that last paragraph.  Wow. 

Danielle Dax - Blast the Human Flower - 1990

Post #3 in my 4-part "WTF?" posts....

I had to go to Wikipedia, Allmusic and Entertainment Weekly to read a bit about the album and it's reception and production, because shy of owning the album, liking it, and posting it here, I really don't know a whole lot about Ms Dax.

I bought this album when it came out, probably because of the Sire label and it's awesome cover, maybe because I heard it on the college station, and also to try something different, as I was more apt to experiment with new material back then.  It turned out to be a great album, and a solid purchase, as I still have that original disc that I purchased back in 1990.

Without going into what you can learn from the articles above that I mentioned, I did try and listen to some of her other material throughout years past, and I found it too hard to grasp, as it's rather experimental and probably an acquired taste.  I do know from articles I've read elsewhere that she used to put on quite a fantastic 'stripped down' live show, if you catch my drift.  That would be interesting, to say the least.  I will also mention that I had already felt that her sound on this album was more accessible possibly due to Stephen Street's production, which has really been confirmed via my investigations prior to this post.

All of the songs have their own style and feel, their own pluses and minuses.  My favorites really have to be the Beatles' Tomorrow Never Knows,  Big Blue 82, and Jehovah's Precious Stone.  Great songs that fit in well with a lot of the Post Punk/Indie music from the years around the time this was released.  But, all of them each have something that makes them special, it's up to you to find out what you like about them...

Danielle Dax - Blast the Human Flower - 1990