Category: Playlists

I first became aware of Talk Talk in 1990 when the re-release of ‘It’s My Life’, a single from their 1984 LP of the same name broke into the UK Top 20. This became my song of that summer and I bought the accompanying best of compilation album, ‘Natural History (The Very Best Of Talk Talk)’ as soon as I could afford it. Slowly but surely, I bought all of the albums the band had released up to that point. You could see the progression as time went on. ‘The Party’s Over’, their 1982 debut is very much an album of its time with its New Wave vibe and it did lead to comparisons with Duran Duran, especially as the same producer worked with both bands at the time. 

The follow up album, ‘It’s My Life’ moved away from its predecessors synth sound, most probably due two reasonable hit singles and a good chart placing for the debut album meaning recording budgets could increase. This LP would also see the beginnings of front man Mark Hollis’ anti commercial stance came to the fore, especially with the filming of the video for the single ‘It’s My Life’. It consists of stock footage of wildlife interspersed with Hollis in a zoo refusing to mime. EMI, the bands record label ordered a re-shoot. This had the band doing the complete opposite of the original video with some over the top miming. The original video was the one that did the rounds in 1990 and I didn’t know about the second effort until writing this piece. Both, at the time of writing are available on YouTube. 

The synth pop style disappeared completely for their third album, ‘The Colour Of Spring’. This included their biggest single to date, ‘Life’s What You Make It’. Follow up single, ‘Living In Another World’ was a sizeable hit in many of the major markets, except for the UK. The parent album sold in enough quantities that the band were afforded an unlimited budget for their next album. EMI were most probably expecting ‘The Colour Of Spring Pt.2’. What they got was ‘Spirit Of Eden’. Taking over a year to record, the sessions comprised of playing in a darkened studio, lit only by candles and oil lamps. The music were based on improvising over the basic song structures with Hollis’s lyrics dealing with spiritual and religious subjects sprinkled over the top. It sounded like nothing before it, and on reflection, there isn’t that much that has sounded like it since. This was a truly original piece of work and the record company were initially reluctant to put it out. However, Hollis would not deviate from his vision and the LP came out as it was conceived. 

The band and EMI entered into a period of conflict. Talk Talk wanted out of their contract and felt that the label had not taken up the option to extend it in time. EMI thought they had and the case went to court. The band eventually won and proceeded to sign with Verve. The band were once again given carte blanche to record what they wanted to and after working within a similar recording environment to what they had had with ‘Spirit of Eden’, they delivered ‘Laughing Stock’. It was another uncommercial record that Verve struggled to market. The band then silently disbanded and apart from one solo album in 1998, Mark Hollis effectively retired from the music industry until his untimely death in 2019. 

With ‘Spirit Of Eden’ and ‘Laughing Stock’, I felt that these were two heads of the same beast and when replaying them again recently, I wondered if there was a way of sequencing the songs so they could create a new whole. I also played the ‘Missing Pieces’ album, which contained songs from the ‘Laughing Stock’ sessions. ‘The Colour Of Spring’ might have contained their most successful singles but pieces such as ‘Chameleon Day’ did point the way to what was coming on ‘Spirit Of Eden’. 

After, I thought, completing this collection, I played Mark Hollis’ only solo album. What I didn’t release until compiling this is that this was originally going to be released under the Talk Talk name, even though only Hollis was the only member left. The band moniker was dropped, but not before some CD-rs had been produced. This solo album continues in the same vein as the last two Talk Talk albums so I wanted to see if I could mix any left over tracks not used on Disc 1 could be utilised with the solo album to make a second disc. Well, there was as well as a couple of songs from ‘The Colour of Spring’ sessions, including a couple of single B-Side.

Disc 1

1. The Rainbow (Spirit Of Eden)
2. Eden (Spirit Of Eden)
3. Desire (Spirit Of Eden)
4. After The Flood (Laughing Stock)
5. I Believe In You (Spirit Of Eden)
6. Ascension Day (Laughing Stock)
7. Myrrhman (Laughing Stock)
8. New Grass (Laughing Stock)
9. Wealth (Spirit Of Eden)
10. Inheritance (Spirit Of Eden)
11. April 5th (The Colour Of Spring)

Disc 2

1. Chameleon Day (The Colour Of Spring)
2. Taphead (Laughing Stock)
3. Inside Looking Out (Mark Hollis)
4. The Gift (Mark Hollis)
5. The Daily Planet (Mark Hollis)
6. A Life (1895-1915) (Mark Hollis)
7. Runeii (Laughing Stock)
8. A New Jerusalem (Mark Hollis)
9. Westward Bound (Mark Hollis)
10. The Watershed (Mark Hollis)
11. It’s Getting Late In The Evening (B-Side ‘Life’s What You Make It’ single)
12. John Cope (B-Side ‘I Believe In You’ single)
13. The Colour Of Spring (Mark Hollis)

Unlike the majority of playlists I produce, this one is not designed to fit on to an LP. The cover art is taken from James Marsh’s website. Marsh was the artist on all of Talk Talk’s discography and it was only fitting that some of his artwork was used as the cover. The title is taken from the one proposed for Hollis’ only solo album, when it was originally going to be released under the Talk Talk banner. This was abandoned when the album was released as under Hollis’ name.

The second disc could not be reproduced on Spotify due to one or more songs not being available on that platform. 

I decided against not cutting out the silence at the end of ‘ A New Jerusalem’ as it worked nicely with the fade in used on the song that followed it. 

Put links to both videos in the website.

Video 1st Attempt – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFH5JgyZK1I

Video 2nd Attempt – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtEy0BHxNhQ

Back in July, I posted a Beach Box 1964 box set looking at the recordings the band made that year. I did note back then get I would have a dedicated post for the Christmas recordings made in that year, so here it is.

As with most recordings made for the festive season, these took place in the summer. More specifically, June of 1964. That is, except for the ‘Little Saint Nick’ single (along with its B-Side, ’The Lords Prayer’) which was recorded in 1963, and therefore, is not be included here. The original album came out on 9th November 1964, but I moved it back a month to be closer to the festive season. 

I have included a different version of ‘Little Saint Nick’. Called ‘Little Saint Nick’s Drive-In”, it has the lyrics of ‘Little Saint Nick’ but over the tune of ‘Drive-In’ from the ‘All Summer Long’ album. It was not clear if this was recorded in 1963 or 1964, so I have gone with the latter. 

Some for the songs on this compilation were not released at the time and are from later reissues. These tend to be released mixed in stereo only. The takes for the song ‘Christmas Day’ are a bit confusing as to their numbers, but this what the studio engineer seems to be saying on the sessions tracks and what they were listed as on the sleeves on the records. 

Merry Christmas everyone. 

1 – Complete Christmas Album Era Sessions (Bootleg)

2 – Christmas Sessions (Bootleg)

3 – The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album

4 – The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album (1991 Reissue)

5 – Keep an Eye On Summer: The Beach Boys Sessions 1964

6 – Ultimate Christmas

Disc 1

1. Little Saint Nick – Drive In Version (Backing Vocal Overdub) – 1
2. Little Saint Nick – Drive In Version (Vocal Take 1b) – 2 
3. Little Saint Nick – Drive In Version (Vocal Take 3b) – 2
4. Little Saint Nick – Drive In Version (Vocal Take 4b) – 2
5. Little Saint Nick – Drive In Version (Stereo) – 4
6. The Man With All The Toys (Backing Track) – 2
7. The Man With All The Toys (Instrumental Overdub) – 2
8. The Man With All The Toys (Vocal Overdub) – 2
9. The Man With All The Toys (Mono) – 3
10. The Man With All The Toys (Stereo) – 3
11. Santa’s Beard (Instrumental Takes 1-13) – 2
12. Santa’s Beard (Instrumental Takes 14 & 15) – 2
13. Santa’s Beard (Instrumental Takes 16-21) – 2 
14. Santa’s Beard (Instrumental Unknown Take) – 2
15. Santa’s Beard (Stereo Mix) – 2 
16. Santa’s Beard (Vocal Overdub) – 2
17. Santa’s Beard (Mono) – 3
18. Santa’s Beard (Stereo) – 3
19. Merry Christmas, Baby (Instrumental Takes 1-6) – 2
20. Merry Christmas, Baby (Instrumental Takes 7, 8 & 9) – 2
21. Merry Christmas, Baby (Instrumental Take 10) – 2
22. Merry Christmas, Baby (1st Vocal Overdub) – 2
23. Merry Christmas, Baby (2nd Vocal Overdub) – 2
24. Merry Christmas, Baby (Mono) – 3
25. Merry Christmas, Baby (Stereo) – 3
26. I’ll Be Home For Christmas (Vocal Overdub) – 2
27. I’ll Be Home For Christmas (Mono) – 3
28. I’ll Be Home For Christmas (Stereo) – 3
29. Jingle Bells (Instrumental Mix Take 1) – 5
30. Jingle Bells (Instrumental Take 4) – 2
31. Jingle Bells (Inner Cuts 1 & 2, Take 4) – 2

Disc 2

1. Christmas Day (Try-Out Takes 12-18) – 2
2. Christmas Day (Try Out Takes 19-24) – 2
3. Christmas Day (Instrumental Takes 1 & 2) – 2
4. Christmas Day (Instrumental Takes 3-8) – 2
5. Christmas Day (Instrumental Take 1) – 2
6. Christmas Day (Instrumental Takes 2-6) – 2
7. Christmas Day (Instrumental Take 7) – 2
8. Christmas Day (Instrumental Overdub Take 7) – 2
9. Christmas Day (Vocal Overdub Take 7) – 2
10. Christmas Day (Vocal Overdub 1a) – 2
11. Christmas Day (Vocal Overdub 3a) – 2
12. Christmas Day (Vocal Overdub 4a) – 2
13. Christmas Day (Vocal Overdub 6a) – 2
14. Christmas Day (Vocal Overdub 7a) – 2
15. Christmas Day (Vocal Overdub 8a) – 2
16. Christmas Day (Vocal Overdub 9a) – 2
17. Christmas Day (Vocal Overdub 10a) – 2
18. Christmas Day (Vocal Mix) – 2
19. Christmas Day (Mono) – 3
20. Christmas Day (Stereo) -3
21. Frosty The Snowman (1st Vocal Overdub) – 2
22. Frosty The Snowman (2nd Vocal Overdub) – 2
23. Frosty The Snowman (Mono) – 3
24. Frosty The Snowman (Stereo) – 3
25. Blue Christmas (Instrumental Takes 2 & 3) – 2
26. Blue Christmas (1st Vocal Overdub Take 4a) – 2
27. Blue Christmas (1st Vocal Overdub Takes 5a, 6a & 7a) – 2
28. Blue Christmas (1st Vocal Overdub Take 8a) – 2
29. Blue Christmas (2nd Vocal Overdub) – 2
30. Blue Christmas (Mono) – 3
31. Blue Christmas (Stereo) – 3
32. Christmas Eve (Instrumental Mix) – 5

Disc 3 

1. We Three Kings Of Orient Are (1st Vocal Overdub Takes 1, 2 & 3) – 2
2. We Three Kings Of Orient Are (1st Vocal Overdub Take 6) – 2
3. We Three Kings Of Orient Are (2nd Vocal Overdub Takes 1a, 2a, 3a & 4a) – 2
4. We Three Kings Of Orient Are (Vocal Inner Cut 1) – 2
5. We Three Kings Of Orient Are (Vocal Inner Cut 2 Take 4) – 2
6. We Three Kings Of Orient Are (Vocal Inner Cut 2 Takes 5 & 6) – 2
7. We Three Kings Of Orient Are (Mono) – 3
8. We Three Kings Of Orient Are (Stereo) – 3
9. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Intro Take 1) – 2
10. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Intro Takes 4 & 5) – 2
11. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Alternate Intro Takes 1-7) – 2
12. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Alternate Intro Takes 10-18) – 2
13. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Alternate Intro Takes 20-24) – 2
14. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Vocal Overdub Take 3a) – 2
15. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Vocal Overdub Take 4a) – 2
16. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Mono) – 3
17. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Stereo) – 3
18. White Christmas (Instrumental Takes 2 & 3) – 2
19. White Christmas (1st Vocal Overdub) – 2
20. White Christmas (2nd Vocal Overdub) – 2
21. White Christmas (3rd Vocal Overdub) – 2
22. White Christmas (4th Vocal Overdub) – 2
23. White Christmas (Mono) – 3
24. White Christmas (Stereo) – 3
25. Auld Lang Syne (Session) – 2
26. Auld Lang Syne (Undubbed) – 2
27. Auld Lang Syne (Vocal Stereo Overdub) – 2
28. Auld Lang Syne (Alternate Take – No Narration) – 4
29. Auld Lang Syne (Alternate Version) – 6
30. Auld Lang Syne (Mono) – 3
31. Auld Lang Syne (Stereo) -3

Please follow the link to see the post from July – https://www.thesquirepresents.co.uk/the-beach-boys-1964/

So this is it, the last Britpop related playlist in my year of Bristol memories. As noted last month, Britpop had ran out of steam by 1997 with the big players in the movement moving in a new musical direction, suffering from burnout, splitting up or just seeing further sales diminish. Blur released a self titled album which took its influence from the American lo-fi scene. Pulp released ‘This Is Hardcore’, which sounded like morning after the night before. Oasis released ‘Be Here Now’ which was an overproduced bloated mess. 

Bands that followed on from this took elements that had inspired the Britpop bands, but looked to make music that would appeal to a wider audience. There was less focus on Britain, the lyrics became more introspective and there was a greater attempt to appeal to the American market.

Many of the bands that made up the Post-Britpop era started during the Britpop years. Radiohead and The Verve predated it but found critical acclaim with their ‘OK Computer’ and ‘Urban Hymns’ albums respectively. Coldplay became one of the biggest selling bands of the era with their first two albums going multi platinum. Travis, Catatonia and Snow Patrol also shifted plenty of records at this time. As with any movement, this also ran out of steam by 2002 when bands such as The White Stripes, The Strokes and The Hives came along with each being hailed as the saviours of rock and roll.

Like ‘The Britpop Years’ compilations from the last few months, there are a number of artists that would not normally be associated with the Post Britpop years. Once again, the compilations look at the years the music was produced in, not necessarily sticking to what would be considered Post Britpop as that would mean artists from outside the UK could not be included. 

Disc 1

1. D’you Know What I Mean – Oasis
2. Paranoid Android – Radiohead
3. Feel Good Hit Of The Summer – Queens Of The Stone Age
4. Cochise – Audioslave
5. You & Me On The Run – theaudience
6. Hazels Hob (Radio Edit) – Hardbody
7. We Are All Made Of Stars – Moby
8. Love Unlimited (Album Version) – Fun Lovin’ Criminals
9. Whippin’ Piccadilly – Gomez
10. Driftwood – Travis
11. Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth – The Dandy Warhols
12. Flagpole Sitta – Harvey Danger
13. Sex & Candy – Marcy Playground
14. El President – Drugstore
15. Be There (Radio Edit) – UNKLE (Feat. Ian Brown)
16. What’s It’s Like – Everlast
17. Get Myself Arrested – Gomez
18. Teardrop – Massive Attack
19. Let Down – Radiohead

This disc could not be reproduced on Spotify due to one more songs not being available on that platform.

Disc 2

1. Woman I Know – Bernard Butler
2. Tom The Model – Beth Gibbons & Rustin’ Man
3. Tsunami – Manic Street Preachers
4. London – Noonday Underground
5. Jerk It Out – Caesars 
6. Asphalt Road – Sue Garner & Rick Brown
7. New Slang – The Shins
8. So You Say You Lost Your Baby – Death In Vegas
9. Get Off – The Dandy Warhols
10. Delicious – Catherine Wheel
11. Elements – Lemon Jelly
12. Sunday Morning Call – Oasis
13. I Can’t Comfort You Any More – Michael J Sheehy
14. No Surprises – Radiohead
15. The Rock – Delakota
16. Opus 40 – Mercury Rev
17. Reach For The Sun – The Polyphonic Spree
18. My Weakness – Moby

This disc could not be reproduced on Spotify due to one more songs not being available on that platform.

Back in August and September, I posted a couple of playlists which covered the years 1994 to 1997. For my money, these are the years of Britpop. However, there is a school of thought that says Britpop started a year earlier. I didn’t think I would be able to produce a playlist looking at non Britpop songs from that year as I had to cover two years per disc for 1994-1997. Well, it would seem that I could. 

1. Round Here – Counting Crows
2. Sooner Or Later – World Party
3. She Wants To Share Her Magic – Stephen Duffy
4. Feed The Tree – Belly
5. Kite – Nick Hayward
6. Disarm – Smashing Pumpkins
7. Going Down (Single Version) – Sun Dial
8. Cannonball – The Breeders
9. Are You Gonna Go My Way? – Lenny Kravitz
10. Puss – The Jesus Lizard
11. Sunflower – Paul Weller
12. You’re In A Bad Way – Saint Etienne
13. Tuesday Morning – The Pogues
14. If I Were A Carpenter – Robert Plant
15. My Darling – The Juliana Hatfield Three
16. 4th  Of July – Aimee Mann
17. In Those Days – Beverley Craven
18. Into Dust – Muzzy Star
19. Sappy – Nirvana
20. Private Universe – Crowded House

Being as this was a one year compilation and not for two, I decided to use a different piece of art. Once again, I used the Virgin Records logo because they were the ones who were releasing compilations I liked during the 1990s. 

Now, It’s Not What I Would Call Britpop (1994-1995) – https://www.thesquirepresents.co.uk/various-artists-now-its-not-what-i-would-call-britpop-1994-1995/

Now, It’s Not What I Would Call Britpop (1996-1997) – https://www.thesquirepresents.co.uk/various-artists-now-its-not-what-i-would-call-britpop-1996-1997/

Britpop ran out of steam by 1997 with the big players in the movement moving in a new musical direction, suffering from burnout, splitting up or just seeing further sales diminish. Blur released a self titled album which took its influence from the American lo-fi scene. Pulp released ‘This Is Hardcore’, which sounded like morning after the night before. Oasis released ‘Be Here Now’ which was an overproduced bloated mess. 

Bands that followed on from this took elements that had inspired the Britpop bands, but looked to make music that would appeal to a wider audience. There was less focus on Britain, the lyrics became more introspective and there was a greater attempt to appeal to the American market.

Many of the bands that made up the Post-Britpop era started during the Britpop years. Radiohead and The Verve predated it but found critical acclaim with their ‘OK Computer’ and ‘Urban Hymns’ albums respectively. Coldplay became one of the biggest selling bands of the era with their first two albums going multi platinum. Travis, Catatonia and Snow Patrol also shifted a good deal of units at this time. As with any movement, this also ran out of steam by 2002 when bands such as The White Stripes, The Strokes and The Hives were hailed as the saviours of rock and roll.

Like ‘The Britpop Years’ compilations from the last few months, there are a number of artists that would not normally be associated with the Post Britpop years. Once again, the compilations look at the years the music was produced in, not necessarily sticking to what would be considered Post Britpop as that would mean artists from outside the UK could be included. 

Disc 1

1. Holes – Mercury Rev
2. Hundred Mile High City – Ocean Colour Scene
3. Porcelain – Moby
4. Don’t Falter – Mint Royal (with Lauren Laverne)
5. 78 Stone Wobble – Gomez
6. Praise You (Radio Edit) – Fatboy Slim
7. Boys Better – The Dandy Warhols
8. Jesus Says – Ash
9. Clint Eastwood – Gorillaz
10. Prologue To History – Manic Street Preachers
11. Cement Mixer – Clinic
12. Tequila (Mint Royal Shot Mix) – Terrorvision
13. Korean Bodega – Fun Lovin’ Criminals
14. Pure Morning – Placebo
15. Dolphins Were Monkeys (UNKLE Remix) – Ian Brown
16. Rising Sign – Hurricane #1
17. Shining Light – Ash

Disc 2

1. My Star – Ian Brown
2. Scar Tissue – Red Hot Chilli Peppers
3. Go Let it Out – Oasis
4. You Stole The Sun From My Heart – Manic Street Preachers
5. Celebrity Skin – Hole
6. Whatever Happened To My Rock & Roll – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
7. Denise – Fountains Of Wayne
8. Subterranean Homesick Alien – Radiohead
9. Walk Like A Panther (7” Version) – The All Seeing I
10. Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad – Moby
11. Brimful Of Asha (Single Version) – Cornershop
12. Underdog (Save Me) – Turin Brakes
13. Pipe Dreams – Travis
14. To You – I Am Kloot
15. Great Divide – The Cardigans
16. Wishing Stone – Dot Allison
17. Come Back To What You Know – Embrace
18. Morning Afterglow – Electrasy
19. All I Want – Puressence
20. Delta Bottleneck Stomp – Mercury Rev
21. Interlude – Blur

The front cover, which is pretty much the same for all of the volumes, was adapted from a compilation released many moon ago and I have no idea what it was.

This disc could not be reproduced on Spotify due to one more songs not being available on that platform. 

Last month, I posted a what-if compilation of The Beatles and what could have been their LP release of 1969, with additional singles. They were one of the bands mentioned by multiple artists during the Britpop era as a major influence. They even got back together (sort of) to release two new(six) songs during the mid 90s. So, wouldn’t it be interesting to put together a compilation of artists that were an influence on that period so this is what I put together. 

Britpop was a harking back to the great British song book of the 60s, 70s and 80s. It was also a rejection of American grunge music, so many of the songs writers from this period looked to write about Britishness in their lyrics. The 60s influences (especially Blur) ranged from The Kinks (especially when they were banned from the USA and their songs became more British in their lyrical content), The Beatles, and Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd. From the 70s, Noel Gallagher took inspiration from Slade. Art rockers such as Roxy Music were an influence on Suede. Bands from the late 70s such as The Strangers and Wire were such an influence on Elastica that the band lost plagiarism court cases due to the similarity of their songs to those of these earlier bands records. The indie scene of the 80s and very early 90s played a part in creating Britpop. The Madchester Scene where bands such as the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays played a part, incorporating dance beats and jangly guitars into their sound. With all this thrown into the mix, Britpop emerged. 

Whilst not all of these songs were the most inspirational in terms of Britpop, with The La’s and the song ‘There She Goes’ being called by Rolling Stone magazine, the foundation of Britpop, I did not want to use songs that were used on other compilations I have put together for this years celebration. If this compilation had actually been released back in the 90s, and I am surprised nothing like this was, then The Beatles and Pink Floyd would have been nowhere near it with those bands and/or record labels would not have released these songs for a compilation such as this. I also feel that compilers back in the day would have picked a Beatles song by John Lennon,  but I went with ‘The Inner Light’, a George Harrison number as I needed to have something with an Indian influence to cover Kula Shaker. 

Disc 1

1. My Generation (Mono) – The Who
2. The Last Time – Andrew Oldham Orchestra
3. Arnold Layne – Pink Floyd
4. The Inner Light – The Beatles
5. Autumn Almanac – The Kinks
6. Lazy Sunday – Small Faces
7. Street Fighting Man (Single Mono Mix) – The Rolling Stones
8. Starman (Single Mono Mix) – David Bowie
9. Cum On Feel The Noize – Slade
10. Do The Strand – Roxy Music
11. 20th Century Boy – T.Rex
12. No More Heroes – The Stranglers
13. Take My I’m Yours – Squeeze
14. Radio, Radio – Elvis Costello & The Attractions
15. I Am The Fly (Single Version) – Wire
16. Groovy Times – The Clash
17. Cleopatra – Adam & The Ants
18. Harmony In The Head – The Buzzcocks

Disc 2

1. The Eton Rifles – The Jam
2. Bloody Revolutions – Crass
3. Treason – The Teardrop Explodes
4. Do Nothing (Single Version) – The Specials (feat. Rico & the Ice Rink String Sounds)
5. Senses Working Overtime (Single Edit) – XTC
6. Our House (Radio Edit) – Madness
7. The Cutter – Echo & The Bunnynmen
8. This Charming Man – The Smiths
9. 24 Hour Party People – Happy Mondays
10. I Wanna Be Adored (Single Version) – Stone Roses
11. Brassneck – The Wedding Present
12. Def Con One – Pop Will Eat Itself
13. Timeless Melody – The La’s
14. Dragging Me Down – Inspired Carpets
15. L.S.I. – The Shamen
16. Cut Your Head – Pavement

Disc 2 could not be reproduced on Spotify due to one or more songs not being available.

The front cover images is adapted from pinterest user, Tim Benson. Virgin Records released several compilations during this era so I used their logo here. 

As I noted last month, I did spend the mid 90s listening to a lot of what we would now call Britpop, but that was not all that made its way onto my record player. There was a lot of other good music being produced at that time that was not Britpop and I thought I would put together another compilation of songs that reflected the period. Like last month, I could not produce a compilation for 1996 or 1997 individually so I have combined these years not a CD length playlist.

1. Premiers Symptômes (Modular Mix) – Air
2. Remember Me (Original 12” Version) – Blue Boy
3. Drinking In L.A. – Bran Van 3000
4. Where Have All The Cowboys Gone? – Paula Cole
5. Who Do You Think You Are? – Spice Girls
6. Mint Car – The Cure
7. Oh Marie – Sheryl Cole
8. Rotterdam (Or Anywhere) – The Beautiful South
9. Someone’s Daughter (Single Version) – Beth Orton
10. Black Eyed Boy – Texas
11. The Bright Light – Tanya Donelly
12. Don’t Speak – No Doubt
13. Have You Seen Mary? – Sponge
14. Kiss Me – Sixpence None The Richer
15. Real Love – The Beatles
16. Miss Misery – Elliott Smith
17. My Love – Mark One
18. Simple Beautiful – Briana Corrigan
19. Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space – Spiritualised

I did spend the mid 90s listening to a lot of what we would now call Britpop, but that was not all that made its way onto my record player. There was a lot of other good music being produced at that time that was not Britpop and I thought I would put together a compilation of songs that reflected the period. I did try producing a compilation that would cover one year, but this proved to be a bit difficult. Therefore, both this and next months entry cover two years each. On reflection, this is a real mixed bag.

1. Bizarre Love Triangle – Frente!
2. Cornflake Girl (Edit) – Tori Amos
3. Missing (Todd Terry Remix) – Everything But The Girl
4. Stay (I Missed You) – Lisa Loeb
5. Turn On Turn In Cop Out – Freak Power
6. All I Wanna Do – Sheryl Crow
7. Sense – Terry Hall
8. Patience Of Angels  – Eddi Reader
9. Change – The Lightning Seeds
10. Inside – Stiltskin
11. Ode To Billy Joe – Sinead O’Connor
12. Hallo Spaceboy – David Bowie
13. Tongue – R.E.M.
14. Streets Of Philadelphia – Bruce Springsteen
15. Take It Back (Edit) – Pink Floyd
16. ’74-’75 – The Connels
17. Black Gold – Soul Asylum
18. One Of US – Joan Osborne 
19. Blackhole – Beck

Unlike the majority of my compilations, I have made this fit onto a CD with no vinyl equivalent. I also chose the title as it was a nice play on the ‘Now That’s What I Call Music’ compilations that were also a mixed bag of genres, depending on what was selling that particular month.

I added the Virgin Records logo as they seemed to be kings of the compilation i the mid 90s if what I have in my record collection is anything to go by.

This playlist could not recreated on Spotify due to one or more of the songs not being available.

In compiling the playlists I have been posting since the beginning of the year, I have listened to a lot of what could be considered Britpop. Even though the term was an invention of the media to describe the musical landscape of the mid 90s, a lot of the bands that featured in it shared a few characteristics. These included being influenced by British music of the 60s and 70s, distancing themselves (at least initially) from US grunge music, championing the working class and for the most part, were guitar bands. 

However, not all was what it would seem and delving into the murky depths of the B-Sides revealed there was an attempt to appeal to clubbers and dance music. Not everyone got in on the act with Oasis being one such act who avoided a dance remix. This did not stop most of the others joining in, including Suede who enlisted Brian Eno to remix their song ‘Introducing The Band’, but as this was included on the ‘Lost Lullabies’ compilation from a few months back, I decided to not put it here as well. There are also a couple of acts that would not be described as Britpop (e.g. Paul Weller and Portishead) but all of these recordings came out in the era so, like the other volumes in the Britpop Years series, I feel that they can have a home here.  

Disc 1

1. Wide Open Space (Perfecto Remix) – Mansun
2. Govinda (Monkey Mafia Ten To Ten) – Kula Shaker
3. The Man Don’t Give A Fuck (Howard Marks Mix)
4. He’s On The Phone (Motif 8 Remix) – St Etienne
5. Nighthood (Freaky Aspirin Remix) – Space
6. Daydreamer (Dubdreamer) – Menswear
7. Sun Hits The Sky (Bentley Rhythm Ace Remix) – Supergrass
8. I Don’t Get Enough (PMFF Lite) (Went Down to ‘Frisco Just for the Disco Mix) – Theaudience
9. Sleeper (The Mr Scruff Mix) – Audioweb
10. Found You (Underground Excursion Mix) – Dodgy

Disc 2

1. Jailbird (Sweeney 2 Mix) – Primal Scream
2. You Showed Me (Attica Blues Vocal Mix) – The Lightning Seeds
3. Begging You (Chic Mix) – The Stone Roses
4. Girls & Boys (Pet Shop Boys 7” Remix) – Blur
5. Science (Lynch Mob Remix) – Paul Weller
6. Sour Times (Airbus Reconstruction) – Portishead
7. Hallo Spaceboy (Pet Shop Boys Remix) – David Bowie
8. Wog (Witchmann Alternative Mix) – Cornershop
9. Mulder & Scully (The Ex-Files) – Catatonia
10. Kelly’s Heroes (The Milky Bar Kid Mix) – Black Grape
11. Here Comes the Big Rush (Midfield General Vocal Remix) – Echobelly
12. Everything Is Sorrow (Granby Remix) – The Boo Radleys

The seventh and final instalment of the Britpop Year. With this edition, more obscure bands get an airing as well as album tracks and B-Sides.

1. Joyriders – Pulp
2. Sandstorm – Cast
3. 500 (Shake Baby Shake) – Lush
4. Rise & Shine – The Cardigans
5. Car Song – Elastica
6. London Girls – Duffy
7. Perverts Servant – Elcka
8. Another Flavour – The Sundays
9. Guest List – Eels
10. On Your Own – Blur
11. Small Flowers That Grown In The Sky – Manic Street Preachers
12. You Showed Me – The Lightning Seeds
13. Statuesque – Sleeper
14. Underground – Ben Folds Five
15. Nosebleed – Chest
16. No Time – Whiteout
17. Uncle Pat – Ash
18. Twinkle – Whipping Boy
19. Download – Super Furry Animals
20. Married With Children  – Oasis

Disc 2

1. Haunted By You – Gene
2. Come Back Brighter – Reef
3. Hope Street – the Levellers
4. Removables – Manic Street  Preachers
5. Good Intentions – Livingstone
6. Hypocrite – Lush
7. Evening Angels – Space
8. So Let Me Go Far (Remix) – Dodgy
9. 20th Century Gods – Powder
10. Sleeper – Audioweb
11. Elevator Song – Dubstar
12. Post Modern Sleaze (Album Version) – Sneaker Pimps
13. Back Street Luv – Salad
14. Marquis – Linoleum
15. Violent Men – Marion
16. Miss Modular – Stereolab
17. Chasing Rainbows – Shed Seven
18. A Million Miles – The Gyres
19. I Got The Wherewithal – theaudiecne
20. Mountain People – Super Fury Animals
21. Dark Therapy (Single Version) – Echobelly