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

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