The tape archives - January 1993

January 1993

1. Bandulu – Song
2. Irresisitible Force – Symphony in E
3. Apache Indian – Arranged marriage
4. Patti Smith – Pumpin'
5. Sylvia Hallett – Moths and tigers
6. Eric Aggiamon – Al mas semyi (?)
7. The Troggs – With a girl like you
8. Captain Beefheart & his magic band – Abba zabba
9. 808 State – Southern Cross
10. Lady G – Certain friends
11. Unidentified Soukous

Side 2
1. Hatfield and the North – Let’s eat real soon
2. Dislocated Hip – K.C.
3. Flight reaction – Warm, golden hours
4. Eden – Do you feel for me?
5. Magazine – About the weather
6. Sulphuric – The acid chamber
7. Truman’s water – habits are spirits
8. Eskimos & Egypt – Fall from grace
9. Wire – Dot dash
10. Danielle Dax – Yummer yummer man

Notes:
At the time, Bandulu seemed like the coolest music in the world. Funny how times change! Maybe in another ten years their 'Dub Techno' will be the dog's again, for now it seems best forgotten.
The Irresistible Force was one man - Mixmaster Morris. The 'Flying High' album from which Symphony in E is drawn was one of the best pieces of early 90s ambient music - playful as well as somnambulent. Go to sleep with a smile on your face.
Apache Indian probably suffered from being a cause celebre of liberal opinion: a British Asian making pop-dancehall records about arranged marriage, the music he made always seemed secondary to the breakthrough he represented.
Some great oldies on this tape: 'Safe as milk' era Beefheart, Patti Smith circa 'Radio Babylon' and the mighty Troggs. I've had the pleasure of seeing the latter two live since then, although in very different circumstances: The Troggs at a free feastival in Nottingham in 1997 and Patti Smith last March in a tribute to Arthur Rimbaud at Brussels' Palais des Beaux-Arts. Patti Smith was fabulous, while The Troggs, despite their straightened circumstances, still had plenty of the old swagger.
The 808 State track reminds me that I picked up the latest A Guy Called Gerald CD in London last week. It's good without hitting the heights of Voodoo Ray or the awesome Black Secret Technology (The best Jungle album, no question).
I don't remember anything about Certain Friends by Lady G, but a little research reveals that it was a piece of Jamaican dancehall that featured on the 'Greensleeves Sampler 7' album. Probably produced by Steely and Clevie.
With the TV adaptation of Jonathan Coe's The Rotter's Club having just been aired on BBC2, CDs by Hatfield and the North (who recorded the LP after which the book/series was named) are probably flying out of the shops. Or maybe not. Whatever, Let's eat real soon' is a cute piece of whimsical English prog rock. Very tasty.
The Dislocated Hip and Eden tracks were typical examples of the kind of Progressive House that Pete Tong and most other middle class raveheads favoured in 1992/93. Actually, both were good, functional floorfillers, if a little one dimensional.
Sulphuric was an alter ego of Kris Needs, the punk scribe turned E-culture DJ. This track was one of the first in the 'acid' (Roland TB303 bassline) revival of 1993 that culminated in Josh Wink's Higher State of Consciousness.
Eskimos & Egypt were like The Shamen (post 1988, pre Mr C) with a less finely developed pop sensibility. Perhaps fittingly then they were the support act when I saw Colin Angus and Will Sin at the Hacienda, Manchester on 1990's Synergy tour.
Truman's Water were another band I saw live (at Nottingham's Old Angel pub not long after this tape was recorded). Some critics dubbed their complex sound, with its lurches from one tempo to another, "Math rock". Certainly they were about as exciting as a maths lecture. Deservedly consigned to history.
Unlike Wire, who, despite never having a sniff of a hit, were a major influence on two of the best British groups of the last decade, Blur (c. 1993-95) and Franz Ferdinand. Dot Dash was a 1978 single.
Magazine was another great, but under-appreciated, British post-punk combo. About the Weather is taken from 1981's 'Magic, murder and the weather' LP.
For me Queen Goth Danielle Dax will forever be associated with watching Star Test on Channel 4 round my schoolfriend Jules's house in Cardiff in the summer of 1989. Yummer Yummer Man comes from 1988's 'Dark adapted eye' LP. Wonder what DD's doing now?
I have no information about Flight Reaction. Can anyone help?