The Aloof - Over Stimulated

A one-sided 7" which came as a freebie with gone-but-not-forgotten mag Herb Garden.

It sees Dean Thatcher and pals including the Sabres backroom boys in very heavy deep breaks mode, kinda like Theme by The Sabres Of Paradise, with a Red Snapper-style bass hook and some drug-related vocal samples. Very smoky, if you get my drift...

Now, what the fuck happened to Herb Garden magazine? It got away with all sorts of nonsense, including the classic front cover which consisted of a full-size open fanny with the text "what's going on inside my vagina?" spiralling inside it. I clocked this in WH Smiths in Argyle Street, in next to the other music mags. I think an unsuspecting newsagent eventually realised what was staring him in the face and it got pulled though... Another issue had a handy Pablo Escobar 'rack-em-out card' (you can see a picture of it on the bottom right corner of this later front cover), which got duly used for its intended purpose round my place.

Wish I still had my copies of that mag - it was a classic...



The Aloof - Over Stimulated

Buy it here

God Of The Machine - Nude Machinery

A nice wee EP on Mr C's Plink Plonk label, from 1996.

'God Of The Machine' is actually someone called Derrick Thompson, who's been quite prolific under his own name and as Drivetrain over the years.

Quite Detroit-y in sound, the A-side is a speedy, metallic percussive number. B1 slows it down a bit, and has lots of punchy metallic stabs before a flanged bit *yaaay* comes in at around the 4mins mark. B2 brings the pace down a bit more for a very Carl Craig-style melodic track which has some lush noises

It's one of those 'one side plays at 45, the other at 33' jobbies as well, which is nice...



God Of The Machine - Nude Machinery
A - Nude Machinery
B1 - The Mighty 4
B2 - Behind The Steel Curtain

Buy it here

Big Audio Dynamite II - Ally Pally Paradiso

I was always a massive fan of BAD, and always bought their stuff as soon as it came out, full price. Must have been one of the only cunts who did so, as their singles always ended up in the 90p box in my local record shop, and the albums were always in the sale. Criminally underrated in my opinion, pioneering the use of samples, hip-hop/dance beats and general dance/rock fusion.

This album was a freebie promo that involved buying a BAD II album and some copies of NME (I think) and was never released properly. It was part of a run of gigs by various bands at the Alexandra Palace (I can't remember the occasion), but I don't think the gig was particularly busy. They were always bigger in London than anywhere else in the UK, but by 1990 they were pushing it a bit, especially in the 'BAD II' incarnation once the likes of Don Letts, Leo Williams and Patsy Kensit's ex Dan Donovan had fucked off. They did feature Chris from Sigue Sigue Sputnik though, so it wasn't all bad.

At this time they were all Ibiza'd up (in the same way that New Order were for Technique), and BAD II's live show was big on between-song DJ action, so you'll hear bits of Loaded, Chime and various other hits of the time, alongside loads of dialogue samples between tunes - this makes it a bugger to separate the tracks so I've done it as a simple 'Side A' and 'Side B' on the rip.

Set-wise it's got stuff off each of the first four classic albums, Kool Aid/The Globe, and a couple of covers thrown in: City Lights by William Pitt, an 'Ibiza Classic' from back in the day apparently, and Prince's 1999 which they used to always do. Mick also chucks in ad-lib snatches of Aint Nothing Goin' On But The Rent ("aint nothing goin' on but BAD...") and Everybody's Talking off Midnight Cowboy.

The track titles are printed differently from how they appeared on their previous studio incarnations, so I've put them in brackets where applicable.

BAD? Better than The Clash by a country mile...



Big Audio Dynamite II - Ally Pally Paradiso

Side A
1 - Ritual Ideas (E=mc²)
2 - Babe (Baby Don't Apologise)
3 - Free
4 - Messiahs Of The Milk Bar (Hollywood Blvd.)
5 - City Lights

Side B
1 - Situation No Win (Rush)
2 - All St.'s Rd. (The Battle Of All Saints Road)
3 - I'm On The Right Track (Contact)
4 - 1999

Buy BAD stuff here

Envoy - Solitary Mission EP

A Detroit-tastic EP on Glasgow's own Soma label, from 1995.

I've always had a bit of a dislike of Slam (controversial!), despite breaking my clubbing cherry at the Arches way back in 1992. Don't get me wrong, they've done a lot for the Glasgow dance scene but I can pinpoint it down to one moment I was in Rub-A-Dub and Orde Meikle (one half of Slam) came in and was like, "what's this like?", holding up a copy of Red Planet - Stardancer to whoever was working at the time. Whit the fuck!?!?!? I thought every clubber in Glasgow would have known what that was, especially half of the most hyped up DJ duo in town. It had been doing the rounds (hammered to death!) at other clubs for at least a year beforehand. More like two years in fact. They always seemed to be a bit aloof as well, full of their own self-importance and up their own arses, unlike the Edinburgh based duo whose gaff I was frequenting by then...

Personalities aside, their Soma label has chucked out a few crackers over the years, and this one is no exception. A biography of the guy here reveals that he was briefly part of Bizarre Inc! After a nice wee intro on A1, we are treated to three tracks of genius emotional Detroit-style class.

Apologies to any Slam fans who are reading, but the above tale is not a word of a lie...



Envoy - Solitary Mission EP
A1 - Prologue (Envoy's Message)
A2 - Leave This World Behind
B1 - Soulmate
B2 - Heat Haze

Buy it here

Wayne Gardiner - Project 27

This is a Peacefrog EP from 1998, from someone I know very little about. It reminds me very much of the Glenn Underground stuff I've been putting up, and features a remix from Dan Curtin, as well as a 'cover' of sampled-to-fuck disco classic Spank, by Jimmy "Bo" Horne.

If Dan's reading this, hope you don't mind this upload but I've avoided your stuff ever since the email and this is only a remix of someone else's tune. Lemme know if you want this one taken down as well, no probs.

It's quite a quiet pressing (unusual for Peacefrog), so I've bumped the levels up and it seems to sound OK.

Track A1 is very GU, for the folk who have been digging those posts, but I go straight for the Curtin remix on A2, it's a but more up my avenue. It's got a mad distorted organ sound that takes over at some points which I fuckin love. It's that kinda snowball trippy, which was all but a distant memory back in 1998 *gets all wistful*...

The 'cover' on B1's a bit muffled at the start (going for that 'old skool' sound?) and only slightly recognisable, but I guess that's the nature of the beast.

B2? Well I dunno what happened to Pt 1 but Pt 2's a very nice melodic housey number that's well worth a punt. Go check it oot.

1998? that's nearly as close as you get before it all finishes (ie circa internet time). Tomorrow we'll go back, Back, BACK...



Wayne Gardiner - Project 27
A1 - To Be Free Again
A2 - To Be Free Again (Dan Curtin Remix)
B1 - Spank It
B2 - Rapid Winds Pt. 2

Buy it here

The Visions Of Shiva - How Much Can You Take?

A while back I stuck up some early trancey stuff and it seemed to go down OK, although I did get a well-deserved slagging in some of the comments. Early trance, mind (1993). Here's another one from the vaults, featuring Cosmic Baby and Paul Van Dyk's Visions Of Shiva project.

They released two 12"s - this one and Perfect Day (which is lurking about somewhere). I first came across this on the X-Mix 1 album, which was the first time I'd seen a 'mix album', ie on vinyl. For about 6 months I loved the MFS label and tried to pick up as many of the tracks on this as possible.

The names of the mixes here are quite appropriate, as the 'Physical' one's much clubbier in feel, but I still rate 'em both, despite the fact that the mere mention of Mr PvD is likely to send some of you running. Come back! Trust me on this one...



The Visions Of Shiva - How Much Can You Take?
A - How Much Can You Take? (Emotional)
AA - How Much Can You Take? (Physical)

Buy it here

The Corridor - Minimally Yours

So, went round to my mate's flat the other night and swapped a few old-for-new. Thought I'd posted all my Corridor/Conemelt 12"s but had forgotten about this one. This was a great find, a double-pack of minimal acid techno lo-fi madness from The (ever sinister) Corridor.

Track A is an 11-min lo-fi acid track that just slowly builds and builds to a massive in-yer-face climax at the end. A magnificent start to the EP.

B1 is a much quieter affair, lots of fluttering lo-fi percussive noises for about 5 mins, before it crashes straight into B2 (I've left it as the one track - no way of separating these). This is much more like it - B1 works as a nice low-key intro to B2, almost lulling you into a false sense of security. Then...

C starts off electro-tastic, with a machine-like vocal saying "greetings humanoids", in a similar kinda stylee to this UR record from before. A much quieter affair than the previous tracks. Lots of percussion and the occasional machine-vocal until some more sinister noises start creeping in (about the 6min mark - this is a LONG EP). The percussion gets a bit darker at about 10mins in. This track is very PWOG, now that I think about it. A kinda apt track title, as at the 17min mark(!) I had to check to see if it was indeed a lock groove, but nope - it goes on right till the 21 minute mark then fades out. Cheeky/sneaky bastards...

Track D finishes things off in suitably insane acid style, before synth and guitar(?) wash over the mix, a great finish to a great EP, and relatively short as well, coming at a measly 9 minutes...



The Corridor - Minimally Yours - A&B
A - Squidge
B1 - Headset
B2 - Solavox



The Corridor - Minimally Yours - C&D
C - Lock Groove
D - Optimus

Buy it here

Mark Broom / Baby Ford - Pure Plastic 03

This is a bit odd, two Mark Broom tracks and one Baby Ford track. You'd think they'd have got a side each, but Baby Ford's squeezed into the middle on track B1.

Two legends of minimal electronic music, but it wasn't always that way. Baby Ford started out as pure acid house, then went all minimal in about 1992, via labels like Ifach and Trelik. I've got some Ifach stuff somewhere but I'm fucked if I know where...

Here's a very 'enthusiastic' review from Discogs, courtesy of 'Pineider':

"Midsummer's night. Tomorrow morning holidays will start, a moment of peace is finally at the doors.
 Good vibes are growin'inside. 
Immediately after the sunset, when comin' back home from the last day of work fireflies are switchin' on millions of blinking spots along the fields and a fresh breeze is coming from the sea. Better lighting up a cig and waiting for the dawn to come, you won't sleep this time. On air, Blind Pew's 808 softly massages your DNA and even if you're lonely, don't worry: this time melancholy won't kill you. 
Ifach studios ratify the everlasting Passport to Heaven."

So there you go, sounds like the perfect cure for a Monday doesn't it? I'm off for a lie-down...



Mark Broom / Baby Ford - Pure Plastic 03
A - Mark Broom - Pyrion
B1 - Baby Ford - Blind Pew
B2 - Mark Broom - Chopper

Buy it here

Birdland - Live

Anyone remember this lot? They were the 'next big thing' for about a nanosecond in 1989 - four bleached mop-haired guys who briefly got the inky music press creaming their pants before the "build them up then knock 'em down" mantra kicked in to full effect. Then they dyed their hair and promptly vanished.

They were notorious for on/offstage antics, including the drummer getting a broken nose courtesy of an unhappy bouncer at one gig, and getting thrown off a Janes Addiction tour for their behaviour (which must have taken some doing). They first played a club in Glasgow (Fury Murrays) the same night as the Stone Roses played another club (Rooftops) up the road, and I know people who chose Birdland over the Roses. Me? I had the choice of both but opted for a school-related party much to my shame (I was a teenager and girls were involved - go figure).

The first time I ended up seeing them was at Glasgow QMU, where everyone got given this freebie one-sided live album (limited to 10,000 - as if that many punters would flock to see them on a tour of the nation's toilets). Half of them ended up being used as frisbees if I remember correctly. This ruse was paid for by the various McLaren-esque antics of their manager touting them round various majors if I remember correctly.

At a later gig I remember getting kicked in the chest by the guitarist after grabbing his mic to sing on their Television cover, See No Evil (there was no stage at the Gourock Bay Hotel). Think I ended up seeing them an unhealthy number of times before realising they were shite.

Anyways, stumbled across this record in a recent flick-thru and gave it a listen. It's actually pretty fuckin good - catching a band in its pre-notoriety infancy and they fly through their set in 25 mins. Definitely worth a listen - my introduction to Television and Patti Smith came after chasing up the originals of the two covers on this...



Birdland - Live
A1 - Paradise
A2 - White
A3 - See No Evil
A4 - Hollow Heart
A5 - Crystal Injection
A6 - Gotta Gettaway
A7 - Sugar Blood
A8 - Rock'n'Roll Nigger

Buy it here

Monotonix - Glasgow Stereo - 20 Aug 2009

So, my mate Andy said to me the other day, "you've got to come and see Monotonix on Thursday night - it'll be the most mental gig you've ever seen". That's quite a fuckin claim (recent memories of the old Revolting Cocks gig springing to mind amongst various others). When I asked what they were all about, he told me they were an insane Israeli three-piece punk/garage-rock band who ended up playing in the upstairs bar the last time he saw them (they began their set in the downstairs bar). Kinda went walkabout during the gig. Huh?

So - arrived at Stereo in time to see the magnificent Gummy Stumps (imagine a noisier, Glasgow version of The Fall). They played their gig on the stage - how traditional! Once they'd fucked off, a cymbal and drum stool got placed on the floor in front of the stage. The drummer then crawled his way across the top of the crowd before sitting and starting to play air drums (only a cymbal at this point remember). A guitarist then appeared and started to play this drawn out warped riff that went on for ages, before the singer appeared with other bits of the drum kit before they launched into this mad garage rock track. After each 'song' they relocated, at various points they were on the ridge at the side wall of the venue, on top of the bar, basically all over the place. At one point the singer motioned me forward to take a hold of a leg of a drum stool, so me and about four other guys held it up while he climbed up and started hitting a tomtom that other folk were holding in front of him. Totally fuckin nuts. All the while they were nicking drinks off the crowd and throwing them over themselves and each other.

Did I mention that they all looked like Frank Zappa, and were wearing only pants and trainers? The singer kept mooning at us, at one point right in front of me, so I chucked the remainder of my pint down the crack of his arse. He looked round and smiled at me approvingly. WTF!?!?

This show took audience participation to a whole new level, with everyone sitting down and 'standing up going mental' upon the singer's command at one point, as well as all the impromptu shifting of equipment. Fuck knows how long their leads were. Apparently this was a rare 'full set' as they often end up out in the street - not exactly flavour of the month with local bouncers/cops etc. No such problems at Stereo though, no-one gave a fuck!

I managed to blag a free MiniDisc recorder that was going to get chucked out at my work the other day, so attempted this as my first bootleg in about 20 years. Sounds pretty fuckin good, especially considering what the fuck was going on throughout the various parts of the venue. At some points I'm right in front of a cymbal, or a bass drum, or the singer, so the sound reflects this. You might hear me moaning about the drum stool hurting my hand at one point as well. BUT - if you were there, or have seen them, it should provide a nice wee souvenir of what was indeed the most mental gig of my life.

You can watch this Flickr slideshow to bring back the memories while listening to it (you can see my face holding the cunt up in the air at one point)...



Monotonix - Glasgow Stereo - 20 Aug 2009
Tracklisting? No fuckin idea...

Check their tour dates here

The Sabres Of Paradise - Smokebelch 2003

Seeing as how it's all gone a bit Weatherall round here again, here's a white label with a couple of well dodgy bootleg mixes (complete with female vocal!) that slipped out a few years ago. A couple of mixes which I couldn't NOT buy, but hated myself for doing so.

Hasn't exactly been played to death round at Ripped In Glasgow Towers but seeing as how I'm so generous I thought I'd let you give 'em a whirl.

I'm trying to work out just who they thought they were appealing to here: people who bought it first time round and just had to get another mix no matter how shit it was (ie me)? Day-glo trance kids? They'd missed the boat by 2003 surely - its bubble had well'n'truly burst by then. I don't know what sorts of establishments would have played this, but it certainly wasn't Optimo. Even for the genre that it's aiming for it's a bit shit is it not? No credits on the label or the run-out groove either, someone hiding in shame.

Go download it and listen to it - I dare you...



The Sabres Of Paradise - Smokebelch 2003
A - Smokebelch 2003 (Mix 1)
B - Smokebelch 2003 (Mix 2)

Buy it here if you're desperate

Andrew Weatherall - Back To Mine (Sean Rowley BBC London 2004)

Another day, another Weatherall exclusive, thanks to my new best pal David from down below.

This is a 1hr radio recording from the Sean Rowley show which went out on BBC London. I'm guessing that this must have been broadcast in early 2004 as the DJ starts off proper with 'The Lurch' off the Double Gone Chapel album. There's a good natter at the start about the TLS sound change from electronic to 'band' which is interesting (and funny - I could listen to the cunt all day), followed by some choice 'Back To Mine' style cuts selected by Audrey himself. Very rockabilly/rock'n'roll - not a dance track in sight.

After about 40 mins, it goes back for a big long chat about music, before finishing off with a couple of skankin' numbers. Fascinating stuff for any Weatherall freak, but maybe not what the doctor ordered if you're strictly into his production/remix jobbies.

Whatever happened to Sean Rowley? Oh aye, that's right. He ended up getting behind that tiresome 'Guilty Pleasures' nonsense that was mildly amusing for about 5 minutes a few years ago. There was a Guilty Pleasures arena at the Latitude Festival when I was there and it was a right haven for 'wacky' cunts.

Now - for your next challenge I request a copy of any material by 'The Other Side', Weatherall's old band from the early 80s...



Andrew Weatherall - Back To Mine (Sean Rowley BBC London 2004)

Pre-order the magnificent Andrew Weatherall album here

Cajmere - Underground Goodies Vol 4

Better late than never, especially for the guy who keeps requesting this EP. I'm working through the masses of vinyl in the flat with a view to swapping them with another load, and came across this wee gem again whilst doing so.

As well as the classic "Let Me Be" (already dealt with here), the other three tracks are all winners in their own right. Why the fuck did I not fire up the whole EP last time round? Dunno, but here you go...

A2 has a great kinda detuned piano riff with some great vocals and is everything I adore about Cajmere.

On the flip (South Side), B1 contains the "so simple it's great" vocal hook "tee-dum, diddly um-dum" repeated throughout, over various percussive noises. B2 is a lot more like how he introduced Green Velvet with the noises a bit harder this time. I remember being really shocked when I first heard the Preacher Man 12" but when you compare it back to stuff like this (from 1992) it kinda makes sense...



Cajmere - Underground Goodies Vol 4
A1 - Let Me Be
A2 - Believe In Me (Chit Chat Mix)
B1 - Tee Dum
B2 - Conflict

Buy it here

The Sabres Of Paradise - Peel Session - 13/3/1995

I couldn't believe it yesterday when in my slow-motion 'firing on about 1/4 of my cylinders' nick after the madness of the weekend an offer of THIS appeared in my inbox from 'David'.

After a nice wee compliment about the blog, he dropped this nugget: "If you're interested I have a copy of their Peel session somewhere. It's not the best quality but the nearest thing I've heard to a live set." YESSSSSS!!!!!

I replied instantly and came home today to find a linky for the set just sitting there. David - thanks a million, wherever you are. I've been after a 'live' recording for ages and according to the BBC blurb on it this looks like the real deal.

He's talking shite as well, cos the quality's magnificent for something which must have been transferred from old-skool audio tape. Three tracks which to my knowledge haven't appeared anywhere else in anything approaching this form.

Apparently Stanshall's Lament is a tribute to ex Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah band member (and a whole lot besides), Viv Stanshall.

I didn't realise that the Sabres were still doing new stuff in March 1995 - the only things that got released after that were the 'Versus' remixes and that rare-as-fuck Ysaebud single. It's all a bit puzzling.

Anyway - big thanks to David...



The Sabres Of Paradise - Peel Session - 13/3/1995
1 - Blackfriars Sunday
2 - Duke On Berwick
3 - Stanshall's Lament

Mothra - Insecticide

This is the second Sabrettes 12" which was sent by Mr Techtech2009, and a fine one it is, too. I remember this one from first time around as well, unbelievably.

Three colour-themed mixes to be getting on with, the green one being the most dancefloor-friendly. It's got a great bass/drum riff that goes on and on, with hi-range noises jumping in from time to time, a bit o'flange and some snatches of female vocal.

The yellow mix is much slower, it starts off a bit 'Artificial Intelligence'-style then moves into Kraftwerk territory. All very nice.

The final red mix is more similar to B1 than A, but features some eastern-sounding noises (or is it just me?) Interesting, nonetheless.

On further inspection, these seem to be the guys from Jack Of Swords - Sabres being as incestuous as ever...

A big thanks to Techtech2009 for supplying the high-quality rips (as always) and apologies for making it look as if I wasn't going to bother putting them up...



Mothra - Insecticide
A - Insecticide (Green Mix)
B1 - Insecticide (Yellow Mix)
B2 - Insecticide (Red Mix)

Buy it here

Pyrex Detox - Temple Trax EP

Back to earth with a bang (bang!?), back to work today and feeling pretty shitty so here's the first of three Sabres-related posts to make us all feel a bit better. Whilst doing a clearout of some stuff on my computer (these 320kbps files are pretty big - a load of movies can get tae fuck), I came across two Sabrettes EPs that that Mr Techtech2009 sent me a while back, as I seemed to be putting them up quite frequently at the time. They're ones I've not got as well, which there's not many of. After sending an email of thanks I promptly forgot about them until now, so here you go. I'm due another session of swapping records in this flat with the ones in storage at my mate's house so I'm sure that all the old favourites will return soon.

This EP was their second for Sabrettes, after this one. They only went on to do one more EP, for a different label a couple of years later and that was it.

Lots of muffled percussion with some nice hissing hi-hats and some squelchy noises that come right to the front of the mix, some flange creeping in as well (we love the flange).

The track title for B2's a bit off-putting, it's not an ambient track as such, but there's a good bit of guitar in there. Maybe I thought it was gonna be in the same vein as LAMF's Ambient Metal album but it's not...



Pyrex Detox - Temple Trax EP
A1 - Orbit-1
A2 - Quadrafunk
B1 - Alpha FX
B2 - Guitambience

Buy it here

Throbbing Gristle - Mutant TG

I've been a bit lazy this week what with one thing and another so here's a Saturday treat in the form of a double-pack of Throbbing Gristle remixes.

Carl Craig sets to work on a 9 minute epic version of classic Hot On The Heels Of Love on the A-side. The perfect balance between TG original and Craig's sprinkling of magic.

My first ever post was the first Sabres Of Paradise record, which was a Weatherall reworking of TG's United - two mixes which are still available to download (just right-click each link). The versions on here are completely different, having been done over 10 years later, and with Keith Tenniswood in tow. Astonishing - I'll be hammering the vocal mix tonight at the Bang Bang Club (12:30-5am at the Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh). I have a feeling things might get messy...

Track C1 sees original TG members Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti get their paws on both the above tracks to make HotHeelsUnited. This pair were VERY early on the acid scene and have continued to deliver top quality electronic music. They are on form here, with an outstanding pumping dance track.

On C2, Motor, who I recently saw supporting Depeche Mode, add their fucked up pulsing electronic touch to what was already a pretty fucked up track in the first place.

I can't quite believe who's in charge of the mix on side D - Ratcliffe, aka one half of Basement Jaxx. I'm no fan of them, in fact I'm in agreement with Mani & Bobby G here (classic car-crash pre-Glasto interview), but he turns in a very uplifting mix of Hot On The Heels Of Love. Uplifting? Throbbing Gristle? It wasn't suppoed to be so...

Anyway, this will be the last post before my first DJ gig in many a year at the Bang Bang Club. Don't expect anything tomorrow, might make it in on Monday but you never know...



Throbbing Gristle - Mutant TG
A - Hot On The Heels Of Love (Carl Craig Re-Version)
B1 - United (Two Lone Swordsmen Remix - Instrumental Version)
B1 - United (Two Lone Swordsmen Remix - Vocal Version)
C1 - HotHeelsUnited (Carter Tutti Remix)
C2 - Persuasion (Motor Remix)
D - Hot On The Heels Of Love (Ratcliffe Remix)

Buy it here

Dynamic Wave - Dynamic Wave

This is on the Italian Nature label, same as this post from earlier on. Five very different sounding tracks here, which are summed up very nicely by a reviewer on Discogs as thus:

"While relying on the same kind of sounds, the five tracks on this record manage to cover a wide spectrum of moods. On side B, Sick Birds Rage is made of rather happy breaks with warm synth lines; Spiritual Spasm is more on the intelligent-Acid tip over a slow pace broken beat; Cosmic Weather has a very maritime feel to it. On side A, the story is way different: dark distressing synth and Acid over industrial-tainted broken beats for Xinuxoid, dark vocals and nice synth on Krygenic that sound like dawn after a medieval battle."

So there you go - I hadn't listened to this for at least 10 years but was very glad to stick it on this afternoon. Any Aphex Twin fans in the house should dig this one...



Dyamic Wave - Dynamic Wave
A1 - Xinuxoid
A2 - Krygenic
B1 - Sick Bird's Rage
B2 - Spiritual Spasm
B3 - Cosmic Weather

Buy it here

Sunn O))) & Pan Sonic / Alan Vega / Stephen Burroughs - Che (Suicide Covers Series)

Here's the latest installment in the not-very-prolific Suicide covers 10" series. I kinda like that though, they keep changing their minds about what's coming up next. The latest one was supposed to be the Peaches one, or so I thought.

Another nod to the Bang Bang Club here - the perfect place to hear a Suicide tune or two (played by me tomorrow night). Tonight's club features volume 2/4 of Steven Severin's soundtracks to The Trials of Dr Caligari. Get yourself down if you're in the area - it kicks off at 12:30am and goes on till 5am - get home just in time for a nice brekkie...

The A-side sees US doom/drone merchants Sunn O))) team up with Finnish minimal electronic duo Pan Sonic to do one of my favourite Suicide tracks, Che. I remember seeing Pan Sonic back when they were Panasonic at a Pure/Optimo related thing and they were loud as hell. This track is drone-tastic and does the original proud.

B1 has the 70 year old(!) man himself recorded live only last year with the vocals as good as ever. Electronics are provided by a lady called Liz Lamere.

B2's an acoustic number by Stephen Burroughs from Head Of David - a cover of the Vega solo track "Goodbye Darling".

All in all a no bad 10", but I'm still hanging on for Mogwai, Julian Cope & Spiritualized's efforts.

The release has completely sold out so you can have it at the full 320kbps. Mine's a white vinyl btw...



Sunn O))) & Pan Sonic / Alan Vega / Stephen Burroughs - Che
A - Sunn O))) & Pan Sonic - Che
B1 - Alan Vega - 13 X Live
B2 - Stephen Burroughs - Goodbye Darling

Buy it here

Mogwai - The Sun Smells Too Loud

Only the one post today as I'm entertaining tonight, darlings, but this is the perfect hybrid of R-i-G and Bang Bang Club, the mighty Mogwai with a track from their last album which I'll certainly be playing on Saturday night.

Ever since main man Stuart managed to punt me a copy of their debut single, Tuner/Lower in Nice'n'Sleazys back in 1996 I've been a fan of their output, and they've been a great band to collect vinyl by over the years, especially for this sad cunt...

I posted them once before, with a perfect Sunday tune from the debut album, and this shows how much they've come on since then. Always good for a track title (a favourite recent one being "Stupid Prick Gets Chased By The Police And Loses His Slut Girlfriend" from last year's Batcat EP), this tune was recently played by a certain Mr Weatherall on a 6 Music show, on the dancey bit as well!

Give it a blast, especially if you're still one of the fuds who still just has them down as a loud/quiet/loud post-rock guitar band (© every lazy 'music' journalist ever).

You're getting this at 192kbps as it only came out recently and the CD/DVD pack's under a tenner on the link below.



Mogwai - The Sun Smells Too Loud

Buy the CD+DVD pack here

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - The Mercy Seat

Here's today's Bang Bang Club track - no guarantee that it'll get played on Saturday (I've got a huge ever-growing playlist), but it's certainly in fitting with the spirit of the club.

This 12" actually belongs to my girlfriend and she apologises for a few crackles but I reckon the tracks all just sound mighty fine (certainly better than a few of my abused 12"s). The A-side is the full-length Tender Prey album version in all it's big-grooved 45rpm glory, and it's backed by a strung-out non-album track and the 'video mix' on the flip. Not the most value-for-money 12" ever bought but he was big on the smack at this point so it was all for a good cause.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are one of the few bands who are now in my "can't miss 'em" league and over the years it's been a great old ride - he never disappoints (unlike Primal Scream who've had a few turkeys over the years). Go see 'em if they play near you.

A friend who stays in Brighton (Cave territory) has given me two recent Cave anecdotes: that Nick was in a badminton team with his boss, which is crazy enough, but he was then spotted at a Xmas panto with his kids starring none other than Chico (he of X-Factor 'fame'). At the finale of the show Nick Cave was clocked dancing about waving a massive foam hand singing along to "It's Chico Time". No photo I'm afraid, but I so want to believe it. You gotta love him...



Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - The Mercy Seat
A - The Mercy Seat (Full Length Version)
B1 - New Day
B2 - The Mercy Seat (Video Mix)

Buy Nick Cave goodness here

Armando - One Love One Future

No prizes for guessing that the reason for this purchase was the Cajmere mix, but fuck me - it's all killer nae filler round here.

A collection of mixes from the final album by one of dance music's true pioneers. He departed for the great disco in the sky the same year due to leukemia, yet the Bonos and Jim Davidsons of the world continue to plague us - there is no justice...

Cajmere's 'Vision' works along very happily with a deep-as-hell bass hook, but the acid line on the Armando Original is top dollar - takes me back to the old Pure days bouncing about on the stage...

Mike Dunn provides the mixes on the flip, and brings it down to a nice housey level, bit of piano but never entering cheese territory, you know the drill. A nice overall remix package...



Armando - One Love One Future
A1 - The Future (Cajmere's Vision)
A2 - The Future (Armando's Original)
B1 - Sweet Love (MDZ Hard Luv Dubb)
B2 - Sweet Love (MDZ Club Luv Mixx)

Buy it here

Depeche Mode - Behind The Wheel / Route 66

In an act of shameless self-promotion, each day this week I'm gonna post a track to reflect the kind of stuff I'll be playing at the Bang Bang Club on Saturday night. Read all about the kinda music they play here. Not mid 90s house/techno all night although I'm sure I'll be slinging a few in for good measure.

This is the 7" of Behind The Wheel, but I've ripped it to play the B-side which is a cover of the Bobby Troup classic, as covered by loads of different cunts over the years. According to my DM-daft friend Sergio, Bobby T said this is his favourite version of all time - easy to believe when you hear it. It morphs into the riff from Behind The Wheel and is quite simply magnificent - one of the best covers ever...



Depeche Mode - Behind The Wheel / Route 66
A - Behind The Wheel (Remix)
B - Route 66

Buy it here

Smooth Stan Smith - 2 Smooth

Who the fuck is Smooth Stan Smith, you might ask.

Well, track A1 tries to explain it with a female "ooh, he's so smooth" sample over a nice wee Chicago housey builder, before a "smooth, isn't he" male voice corroborates the story (actually maybe "smooth, isn't it" but could easily be mistaken for the former). He ain't lookin' too smooth here, not yer best picture for sure, Mr Smith. Bet he reckons he's a right fanny magnet, must do to give himself that moniker...

A great wee EP though, produced by Cajual/Relief favourite Paul Johnson - the only DJ I've ever seen spin from a wheelchair. I was going to call him the 'Timmy' of house music, but that might be a step (or spin?) too far...

Not exactly Mr Prolific, he only appears to have done one other record, again with Paul Johnson but this time he called himself Smooth Rage, maybe to show off his 'bad boy' image. Shame, as this EP gets better with every listen, especially track B2.

Maybe the record would sound a bit smoother if it wasn't a Dance Mania pressing - notoriously shite which is a pisser as it's responsible for hunners of classics over the years. Surely track B3's not meant to sound like THAT, but you never know with these old Chicago tracks...



Smooth Stan Smith - 2 Smooth
A1 - 2 Smooth
A2 - On My Own
B1 - U Flat
B2 - With You
B3 - Swing Side

Buy it here

PWOG - Kraak

Three untitled mixes here from the ever-mysterious Psychick Warriors Ov Gaia.

Track A1 sounds very like what I remember of their live show - subtle-as-hell changes through a percussive riff that sucks you right in before spitting you back out again. It actually says "all jammed by PWOG" on the sleeve so that kinda explains it.

A2 starts with a bump then goes much more stripped down and focuses on the noises rather than the percussion. Still quite an up'n'down kinda thing though.

B is over 12 mins of pure PWOG magic. An epic cut of the track which will blow your mind. I wish I have a recording of one of (ov?) their live shows. Can anyone help...?



PWOG - Kraak
A1 - Kraak 1
A2 - Kraak 2
B - Kraak 3

Buy it here

Finitribe - I Want More

A fab cover of the Can classic here, from one of Edinburgh's finest bands. A nice companion to the Devotion compliation from below.

Three great mixes, with B2 being a bit slower and darker than the other two. An anthem from back in the day at Glasgow Tech if I remember correctly, although my brain was always a bit pickled with snakebite and blackcurrant on those late 80s nights...

While we're on the subject of Edinburgh, it's now officially the 'annual tosspot migration' (read that article - funny as fuck) of the festival. Do not fear though, as afterhours respite is here in the form of the Bang Bang Club's magnificent looking residency at Teviot House for each Thurs-Sun beginning tonight with Steve Severin (Friday night resident!) creating a live soundtrack for four versions of The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari. Check oot the line-up here, paying particular attention to the cunt who's DJing on the 15th at the Big Ned show.



*EDIT* - now with added link. Put it down to the jetlag.

Finitribe - I Want More
A - I Want More (Row Row Row The Mix)
B1 - I Want More
B2 - Idiot Strength

Buy it here

Andrew Weatherall - 6 Mix - 1st August 2009

Hi folks - back on task again after a few weeks of madness. Expect plenty of blogging in the foreseeable future as I've got fuck-all money left to do anything else. Just had the holiday of a lifetime in Thailand though, so worth every penny (or baht).

Oh aye, Latitude festival was ace as well - musical highlights were Phoenix, Fever Ray, Spiritualized, Nick Cave and a mindblowing audio-visual experience from the Pet Shop Boys. Only slightly let down by the amount of "just out of private school and spending daddy's money getting pissed and annoying every other cunt at my first festival" fuds though...

NIN and Janes Addiction seems like a lifetime ago but both were fab (I preferred Janes Addiction though).

So - here's the latest Weatherall 6 mix that was on the other night. Is it sad as fuck that pretty much the first thing I did when I got off the plane after a 33hr round trip was to get the computer fired up and set it to rip this before heading to bed? Probably, but there you go. Just woke up after a marathon kip and here it is. Aint had a chance to listen to it yet but it's on just now and sounds not too shabby.

Got an email from the peeps at Rotters to say that his album's finally out on 21st September, titled "A Pox On The Pioneers". Check out the artwork below. Also - Anton over at Electronic Music Vector Logotypes has done a super high quality Sabres logo for you to download and get on t-shirts, mugs, mouse-mats or whatever the fuck you want. Magnificent!



Andrew Weatherall - 6 Mix - 1st August 2009
D Edwardson - Cutting the Funk
The Kickstands - Scrambler
Tom Allalone & the 78s - Crashland
Unknown Artist - Penny
Tav Falco - Real Cool Trash
Dex Romweber Duo feat .Jack White - Last Kind Word Blues
Reichmann - Titel
The Urban Voodoo Machine - Orphan's Lament
Terry Hall & Mushtaq - Ten Eleven
Blind Blake - John B. Sail
Tinariwen - Imdiwan Afrik Tendam
Brenda Ray - Starlight
Ian Hunter - Arms And Legs
Lotus Plaza - Quicksand
Paul Haig - Ghostrider
The Crestones - Motorcycle
Crocodiles - Flash Of Light
Detachments - Heard A Lie
Detachments - Heard A Lie (Weatherall Disco remix)

ANDREW'S SATURDAY NIGHT DISCO
The Glimmers - Est Si Esta No
Unknown - White Label
Mugwump - Tellakian Circles
D.A.F - Do You Love Me Too (Coko Carina edit)
Neville Watson - Time To Lose Control
Pressure System - The Voice From Planet Love
Andrew Weatherall - Liar With Wings (Ian Weatherall & Ian Carter remix)

Pre-order the album here