Central Cee has doubled his Top 40 count putting him clear at the top of the leaderboard with 4. Weeknd is still on 2 and the rest are all on 1.
The rap count is 13 out of 38 or 34% meaning it continues to be the leading genre.
Monday, 28 February 2022
25 Years Since....February 1997
Time to go back to 1997 to look at the record I was enjoying:
The BlueBoy - Remember Me
My one reservation about this record was it being too slow. It wouldn't have really worked as a fast tune though.
I remember this and "Your Woman" by White Town being out around the same sort of time. I guess there are similarities between the two.
The Orb - Toxygene
The Orb were one of the pioneers of ambient house which as the name suggests is generally slow. They turned up the tempo on this record though. Although nowhere near as quick as the rave music I was listening to at the time it was quick for an Orb record.
I also own the "Orblivion" album on which this appears.
Amen! UK - Passion
Amen! UK was one of many aliases of Paul Masterson who had previously charted as Candy Girls and Dorothy.
I loved the main riff to this, it made up for the fact it wasn't as fast as a typical tune I would listen to at the time.
Apollo 440 - Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Dub
I had no problem with the speed of this record, it was spot on. A reservation I did have though was seeing them on Top of the Pops with a drum kit. I was basically anti-instruments at the time and thought all good music should have programmed drums which were impossible to play on an actual drum kit.
It wasn't enough to stop me from liking the tune though, was definitely one of the best commercial records of its time.
SL2 - On A Ragga Tip '97
The main radio edit of this remix was by Goodfellos who were Tall Paul and Darren Stokes who was one half of Tin Tin Out. This was the version I listened to the least though, I preferred the Slipmatt remix and Force & Styles remix which both appeared on the single.
The original was also on the CD but by this point it sounded so slow in comparison to how the music had evolved.
Sunday, 27 February 2022
Top 30 in 1992 Reviewed: Week 9
Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 30 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Sunday.
Here is the Top 40 in full.Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.
Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.
So this is the top 30 from this week in 1992 with my verdict on each record:
One thing I do miss about listening to rave music in the 90s is knowing absolutely nothing about the people who made the records. Kicks Like A Mule was one of these, but I now know they were a duo of one of the founders of XL Records and the person who now runs the label. This means that the latter person is responsible for introducing the world to Adele. I can't let that fact get in the way of this being a good tune though.
Verdict - Good
When it comes to rap music of 1992 the first thing that springs to mind is Dr Dre's "The Chronic" album followed by other gangsta rap in general. In the UK Top 40 though we didn't have any of that, we had more positive rap music like this. Once upon a time I'd have seen that as a bad thing, but I can appreciate it a lot more now.
Verdict - Good
The second and final Top 40 hit for Julia Fordham which came 4 years after her first. This sounds like it should be a theme to a TV show. I'm not too far off with that, it's from the film "The Butchers Wife" and was written by Dean Pitchford and Tom Snow, the same people who composed "Let's Hear It For The Boy" by Deniece Williams which also came from a film, "Footloose". I guess the main reason it sounds like it should be a TV theme is because it's a bit bland.
Verdict - Rubbish
The lead track off this was "Hymn of the Big Wheel" which was the final track on the excellent "Blue Lines" album. It's a no brainer what my verdict on this record is, but just to add that the lyric that's always stood out to me is "one man struggles while another relaxes".
Verdict - Good
In the mid-90s I became a raver which introduced me to a bunch of DJs I'd never heard before. One of these was DJ Seduction. Then when I bought the latest British Hit Singles book I discovered that DJ Seduction had a couple of Top 40 hits in 1992 so wasn't as underground as I thought he was. When I heard "Hardcore Heaven" I recognised it too, just had no idea what it was up to that point. "Hardcore Heaven" was also the name of a rave DJ Seduction started putting on in the 90s and it's still going today, though Seduction sold it to Slammin Vinyl at the end of the 90s.
Verdict - Good / Good
This was the last Top 10 Kylie Minogue hit from the Stock, Aitken & Waterman era. It's a cover and quite predictably it sounds like a karaoke version.
Verdict - Rubbish
The penultimate Top 40 hit to date for Gary Moore who's Top 40 career began back in 1979. Although I'd known the name for a long time I was quite late in discovering his music. Once I did though I was pleasantly surprised find I quite like it.
Verdict - Good
Crowded House had several Top 40 hits but this was the only one to make the Top 10. It's quite a simple record, not trying to be anything out of the ordinary but catchy at the same time. It makes for a good record to have a singalong to round the camp fire to.
Verdict - Good
With Curtis Stigers now in the charts Michael Bolton had to remind the world he still existed so here he is with his 6th Top 40 hit. It does sound like a typical Michael Bolton record, but what's surprising is that his co-writer on this record is none other than Bob Dylan.
Verdict - Rubbish
Following the death of Freddie Mercury "Bohemian Rhapsody" returned to top the charts and became the first record to be Christmas number one twice. I've mentioned before on this blog that I don't consider it the masterpiece it's made out to be and I've heard it far too many times in my life, but it's not a bad record. The other side of this double a-side "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" was a new song and would have probably topped the charts without being aided by "Bohemian Rhapsody" given the circumstances. It's definitely the better of the two in my opinion.
Verdict - OK / Good
Everything But The Girl have had a strange Top 40 career. They came about in 1984 as part of the Sophisti-Pop movement and then did very little until they established themselves as part of the dance music scene in the mid to late 90s before abruptly disappearing. One thing they did do in between was this EP of covers with the lead track being "Love Is Strange". Just a pointless cover if you ask me.
Verdict - Rubbish
The follow up to "Where Love Lives" which had charted almost a year prior to this. It was the only Top 40 hit for Alison Limerick that she wrote herself and it was co-written by Steve Anderson from Brothers In Rhythm. I remember this being more dancey but I may have only heard a remix before. It's decent though and doesn't suffer from being overplayed.
Verdict - Good
18. New Atlantic - I Know (New)
I had the feeling New Atlantic were from the North West somewhere and I was right, they hail from Southport. I therefore wondered if this came out on All Around the World records. Turns out it didn't, but the version we all know is the Love Decade remix and Love Decade were on All Around the World. It's therefore a bit cheesy and commercial sounding, but I still like it.
Verdict - Good
This was the first Tears For Fears Top 40 hit after Curt Smith had left the group so it was now effectively a Roland Orzabal solo record. I do like Tears For Fears but I can't really get into this one. It might be the lack of Curt Smith or the fact it wasn't the 80s anymore. Incidentally I don't remember this record coming out but I do remember "Woman In Chains" being re-issued but have just discovered that didn't make the Top 40.
Verdict - OK
Now that Nirvana have made their Top 40 debut it was only a matter of time before fellow Seattle grunge band would make their debut, and here it is. I don't remember it being this soon after though obviously it never occurred to me when I first heard Nirvana that there would be another grunge band from Seattle called Pearl Jam coming soon. I did like this record at the time or later in 1992 if that was in fact when I first heard it. Doesn't have the same appeal now though.
Verdict - OK
When it comes to Madchester, Inspiral Carpets have tended to play second fiddle to Happy Mondays and Stone Roses. Whilst in 1992 Happy Mondays were bankrupting their record label and Stone Roses were fighting against theirs, Inspiral Carpets pressed on and released this which is their highest charting hit to date. It's also probably my favourite hit of theirs.
Verdict - Good
Another Top 40 hit from Rozalla and she wasn't finished yet. In a funny way this sounds both more pop and more rave than it's predecessors. As a result I prefer this record to it's predecessors.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut from Curtis Stigers who was a sort of Michael Bolton and Kenny G all in one i.e. a singer and saxophonist with long hair. I've since read that Curtis Stigers hair had only just grown when he broke through and then he cut it short straight after he toured his first album, but that's what he'll forever be remembered for. I have to admit though, I do quite like this song.
Verdict - Good
This ones nearly 30 minutes long as it's a mix. The title would suggest this was from a gig in Manchester but I've read that this was recorded in a studio and given a live effect. Whilst I would question why this was a single, it's a decent mix.
Verdict - Good
My dance music knowledge was virtually non-existent at the time. I do remember this being out around the same time as "Everybody In The Place" by The Prodigy and thinking of this record as being a poor mans Prodigy.
Verdict - Rubbish
The first of 3 Madness songs to be re-issued in 1992. This introduced Madness to a new generation i.e. my generation. I was aware that this was an old record being re-issued at the time but I didn't let that fact put me off and I liked it. Still do.
Verdict - Good
When Simply Red returned with the "Stars" album, Mick Hucknall's hair had got noticeably longer. It was around the time of this record that I found out Mick Hucknall's dad was a hairdresser. To the song, and it's not to the same level as "Something Got Me Started" or "Stars" but still pretty decent.
Verdict - Good
You wonder whether he's singing about his experience of spending 16 weeks at number one here. It was the fourth Top 40 hit from his "Waking Up the Neighbours" album and I feel we're now going into album filler territory. It just seems a very nothing song.
Verdict - Rubbish
Wet Wet Wet hadn't really been away, but this was their first Top 10 hit since 1989. Marti Pellow's hair had grown quite considerably in that time. Despite this being a chart topper I remember everyone hating this record at the time. I on the other hand liked it. This wasn't their big comeback though as they never made the Top 10 again until "Love Is All Around" in 1994.
Verdict - Good
Some will say Michael Jackson was a genius because of the way he could seamlessly transition from the rock sound of "Black Or White" to the new jack swing sound of this record. I would say the fact he had Mr New Jack Swing himself Teddy Riley co-write and produce this track had something to do with it. Maybe that was his genius, that he knew how to pick the right people.
Verdict - Good
The vocalist on this record is Kirsty Hawkshaw. She stated in an interview that she left the group because she thought they were too commercial. Then she went and sang for Tiesto, go figure. Anyway this is miles better than your average Tiesto record.
Verdict - Good
Ordinarily a British R&B group doing a pointless cover isn't a good thing. But I never knew that fact at the time, as far as I was concerned this was a Pasadenas tune and I loved it. Even when I started listening to this in the early days of YouTube I still didn't know it was a cover. A lot has to be said for hearing the cover before the original, it really does.
Verdict - Good
When it comes to 90s nostalgia you can't go wrong with this record. The wordless chorus gets you hooked but then you realise there's much more to it than that. Normally once I've listened to a tune I want to wait a while until I listen to it again, but with this one I'd happily give it another listen. In fact I might just do that.
Verdict - Good
When this was first released in 1965 it failed to reach the Top 40. It finally made it in 1992 thanks to its inclusion in the film of the same name. I had no idea this was an old record at the time, I just assumed it was made for the film. I love a bit of 60s soul music and this was probably the record that got my into it in the first place.
Verdict - Good
When Siobhan left Bananarama and formed Shakespear's Sister they had a Top 10 hit with "You're History" in 1989. By the end of 1991 it looked like they were history have failed to reach the Top 40 with any of their other singles. Then came this, which topped the charts and stayed there for what seemed like an eternity. I do think that the contrast between the vocals of Marcella and Siobhan is a good concept, but I've never been able to bring myself to like this record.
Verdict - Rubbish
If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 22/30, or 73%. Joint best week of the year.
Thursday, 24 February 2022
Vibealite @ Venue 44, Mansfield 24/02/1995
This week takes us to Venue 44 in Mansfield. Again this is a small town that I've never been to, but it's the fact Mansfield is a small town that made this venue attractive to promotors. Basically venues in big cities were having problems with gangs, but this was less likely to be an issue in a small town.
The event is Vibealite who are probably best remembered for holding events at this venue which was where they started and held the bulk of their events up to the end of 1995 when the venue closed down.
After 3 weeks of events which were hardcore only it's good to be at a mixed genre event again.
Tape wise, it's a somewhat strange but very welcome choice of what sets were recorded. They come from Vinylgroover, Fergus and Ned Ryder.
There's no argument that Vinylgroover was a big DJ of his time, but in early 1995 he was still a relatively new to the bigger events and this was his Vibealite debut. This was the happy hardcore set and there was one new for 95 tune that hadn't been heard on sets so far this year in "NRG" by DJ Hood.
At the end of the Vinylgroover tape came a couple of tunes from the DJ SY, one of which was "Pump Me Up" by Stu J which was also new for 95. DJ SY along with Brisk were arguably the biggest names playing that night but there appears to be no recording of their sets.
Fergus was one of the resident DJs of Vibealite along with Rush. His set was more of a hard techno one with Belgium and Germany dominating the tune selection. There were a number of new for 1995 records in there, though take with a pinch of salt given it's quite possible some were played in 1994 at raves overseas. These were:
Gamble 202 - Red Index
Black Acid - Stargate
Cortex Thrill - Deep Infinity
Technohead - Mary Jane
Technosis - Kaos
Ned Ryder was a jungle DJ, so we have a good mixture of genres tape wise. I've posted his mix mainly because of the lack of jungle we've had from the last 3 weeks. Unsurprisingly there's a handful of new for 95 records on this set which were:
Unknown Artist (Marvellous Cain) - Life Is Rollin'
Roni Size - Step Up
Cloud 9 - Jazzmin
Carlito - Carlito's Way
Northern Connexion - The Bounce
It would have been good to have had more tapes from this event, but what we do have is a good mixture. I feel this won't be the last trip to Vibealite in 1995 either.
UK Charts Best Year Search: 2018
Best Song: Juice Wrld - Lucid Dreams
This was the debut Top 40 hit for Juice Wrld. He died just less than 18 months later, shortly after his 21st birthday. It samples "Shape Of My Heart" by Sting, not the first time that record has been sampled but I do think it makes a good sample.
Worst Song: Rita Ora ft Cardi B & Bebe Rexha & Charli XCX - Girls
When I was doing my Top of the Pops posts I would give each record a listen as I was setting up the YouTube links. With this record though I remember finding it so dreadful that I couldn't listen to it until the end. I think this was the only one I ever abandoned early so I guess that makes it the worst record from the whole of 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Top 40 Review
It was 2018 when Liam Howlett said music was in a much better place now that EDM music was dead. It was towards the end of the year that he said that, but even from this particular Top 40 you could see he had a point.
He was also complimentary to the rap music which was coming out, that we were getting music from the streets rather than music for the radio. I count 16 records in this Top 40 which are rap and it's by far the biggest genre.
Of these 16 rap records, only 5 of them get a zero. These included records from Drake, The Carters (aka Jay-Z and Beyonce) and Nicki Minaj ft Ariana Grande i.e. music made for the radio rather than music from the streets.
However, for a record to get full marks it must be a record I actually like, one that I would happily listen to of my own accord. The bulk of these records are solid, but not really enough for me to really want to listen to and therefore get half marks.
An example is XXXtentacion, a rapper who had recently died and had 3 records in the Top 40. I listened to all 3 records thinking this isn't bad, but I'm now struggling to remember how any of those tunes went.
EDM wasn't dead though, it was the 2nd biggest genre in the Top 40 with both David Guetta and Calvin Harris still present. No Ed Sheeran in there but there's a couple of clones in George Ezra and Tom Walker. Everything outside of rap gets a zero.
The presence of rap music though means we get the highest score we've had in a while.
Score: 6.5
Table
Let's not get too carried away though, we still have a lower score than every year in the 20th century except 1962:
Tuesday, 22 February 2022
UK Number 40s: Manic Street Preachers - Stay Beautiful (1991)
Manic Street Preachers are the 44th act to have both a number 1 and a number 40 but with the more unusual way of having the number 40 first. This was their debut Top 40 hit which came 3 years after their first non-charting single "Suicide Alley".
The bands sound was a lot heavier back then to what we became used to them being. I also thought that having the lyrics "why don't you just fuck off" in the chorus may not have done the record any favours in getting radio airplay but it turns out the "fuck off" part was originally there but was edited out on the actually version.
It was the beginning of what was an almost 2 decade long Top 40 career with their final Top 40 hit to date coming in 2010.
Several hits followed in the early 90s and they became a well established band, but the disappearance of band member Richey Edwards made them even more famous.
This is reflected in their Top 40 career. Before Richey Edwards disappeared they had 14 Top 40 hits but only 1 had made the Top 10. Afterwards they had a further 20 Top 40 hits and 14 of these reached the Top 10 including 2 number ones.
Their total number number of Top 40 hits is therefore 34, but they haven't had a single Billboard 100 hit. Every other act to have at least 34 UK Top 40 hits has had at least one record in the Billboard 100.
Sunday, 20 February 2022
Top 30 in 1992 Reviewed: Week 8
Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 30 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Sunday.
Here is the Top 40 in full.Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.
Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.
So this is the top 30 from this week in 1992 with my verdict on each record:
As a kid I loved "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey", the film in which this record appears. However, I watched it again a couple of years ago and found it was nowhere near as good as I remember it. Fortunately this record hasn't suffered the same fate, still sounds decent now.
Verdict - Good
This record did appeal to me at the time but I now I really can't figure out why. Maybe it was the guitars. I thought maybe by listening to it I may rediscover the magic, but no it just sounds dreary.
Verdict - Rubbish
Gospel music in the UK Top 40 has been few and far between over the years. In the 90s though we had a few from The Sounds Of Blackness who mixed gospel with R&B. This was the first of these hits and was penned by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis along with Gary Hines. I do remember it at the time and didn't even realise it was a gospel record until later on. That's probably what helped it appeal to the mainstream.
Verdict - Good
In 1991 the Pet Shop Boys started a record label called "Spaghetti Records". The only Top 40 hit to come from that label was this. The dodgy Scottish rapping in the verses reminds me a bit of Bill Drummond rapping on "Kylie Said To Jason" by KLF which may explain why I'm finding myself liking the tune.
Verdict - Good
The lead track off this EP is "Movin' on Up". It was the final single from the "Screamadalica" album and the only one to be released after the album. Despite this it was the highest charting. It's perhaps a bit overplayed now, I'm pretty sure it was on an advert in recent times. I've always liked it though.
Verdict - Good
This was the first Tears For Fears Top 40 hit after Curt Smith had left the group so it was now effectively a Roland Orzabal solo record. I do like Tears For Fears but I can't really get into this one. It might be the lack of Curt Smith or the fact it wasn't the 80s anymore. Incidentally I don't remember this record coming out but I do remember "Woman In Chains" being re-issued but have just discovered that didn't make the Top 40.
Verdict - OK
The Top 40 debut for The Brand New Heavies which failed to chart when originally released in 1990. I love the funky guitar on this one, it's a great uplifting record. I can't help but think it would have been better as an instrumental, but you can't have everything.
Verdict - Good
I remember this record being out around the same time as "Fun Day" by Stevie Wonder. The history books tell my I'm not far off, the Stevie Wonder record came out in October 1991 but never made the Top 40. I liked it at the time and I guess I still do now even though it's a bit cheesy.
Verdict - Good
James will probably always be remembered for "Sit Down" which is a bit of a shame really. Particularly when just under a year later they released this record which is the best record I've heard from them.
Verdict - Good
Another Top 40 hit from Rozalla and she wasn't finished yet. In a funny way this sounds both more pop and more rave than it's predecessors. As a result I prefer this record to it's predecessors.
Verdict - Good
The second and final Top 40 hit for Julia Fordham which came 4 years after her first. This sounds like it should be a theme to a TV show. I'm not too far off with that, it's from the film "The Butchers Wife" and was written by Dean Pitchford and Tom Snow, the same people who composed "Let's Hear It For The Boy" by Deniece Williams which also came from a film, "Footloose". I guess the main reason it sounds like it should be a TV theme is because it's a bit bland.
Verdict - Rubbish
The Jesus And Mary Chain are one of those bands who I remember existing without really knowing any of their songs. I do know this song now but don't remember it at the time despite it making the Top 10. Turns out it was banned by the BBC which explains both why it made the Top 10 and why I don't remember it. Pretty dull record.
Verdict - Rubbish
Now that Nirvana have made their Top 40 debut it was only a matter of time before fellow Seattle grunge band would make their debut, and here it is. I don't remember it being this soon after though obviously it never occurred to me when I first heard Nirvana that there would be another grunge band from Seattle called Pearl Jam coming soon. I did like this record at the time or later in 1992 if that was in fact when I first heard it. Doesn't have the same appeal now though.
Verdict - OK
With Curtis Stigers now in the charts Michael Bolton had to remind the world he still existed so here he is with his 6th Top 40 hit. It does sound like a typical Michael Bolton record, but what's surprising is that his co-writer on this record is none other than Bob Dylan.
Verdict - Rubbish
One thing I do miss about listening to rave music in the 90s is knowing absolutely nothing about the people who made the records. Kicks Like A Mule was one of these, but I now know they were a duo of one of the founders of XL Records and the person who now runs the label. This means that the latter person is responsible for introducing the world to Adele. I can't let that fact get in the way of this being a good tune though.
Verdict - Good
15. Madness - It Must Be Love (New)
The first of 3 Madness songs to be re-issued in 1992. This introduced Madness to a new generation i.e. my generation. I was aware that this was an old record being re-issued at the time but I didn't let that fact put me off and I liked it. Still do.
Verdict - Good
This ones nearly 30 minutes long as it's a mix. The title would suggest this was from a gig in Manchester but I've read that this was recorded in a studio and given a live effect. Whilst I would question why this was a single, it's a decent mix.
Verdict - Good
Following the death of Freddie Mercury "Bohemian Rhapsody" returned to top the charts and became the first record to be Christmas number one twice. I've mentioned before on this blog that I don't consider it the masterpiece it's made out to be and I've heard it far too many times in my life, but it's not a bad record. The other side of this double a-side "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" was a new song and would have probably topped the charts without being aided by "Bohemian Rhapsody" given the circumstances. It's definitely the better of the two in my opinion.
Verdict - OK / Good
This was the last Top 10 Kylie Minogue hit from the Stock, Aitken & Waterman era. It's a cover and quite predictably it sounds like a karaoke version.
Verdict - Rubbish
You wonder whether he's singing about his experience of spending 16 weeks at number one here. It was the fourth Top 40 hit from his "Waking Up the Neighbours" album and I feel we're now going into album filler territory. It just seems a very nothing song.
Verdict - Rubbish
The vocalist on this record is Kirsty Hawkshaw. She stated in an interview that she left the group because she thought they were too commercial. Then she went and sang for Tiesto, go figure. Anyway this is miles better than your average Tiesto record.
Verdict - Good
When Simply Red returned with the "Stars" album, Mick Hucknall's hair had got noticeably longer. It was around the time of this record that I found out Mick Hucknall's dad was a hairdresser. To the song, and it's not to the same level as "Something Got Me Started" or "Stars" but still pretty decent.
Verdict - Good
My dance music knowledge was virtually non-existent at the time. I do remember this being out around the same time as "Everybody In The Place" by The Prodigy and thinking of this record as being a poor mans Prodigy.
Verdict - Rubbish
When it comes to 90s nostalgia you can't go wrong with this record. The wordless chorus gets you hooked but then you realise there's much more to it than that. Normally once I've listened to a tune I want to wait a while until I listen to it again, but with this one I'd happily give it another listen. In fact I might just do that.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut from Curtis Stigers who was a sort of Michael Bolton and Kenny G all in one i.e. a singer and saxophonist with long hair. I've since read that Curtis Stigers hair had only just grown when he broke through and then he cut it short straight after he toured his first album, but that's what he'll forever be remembered for. I have to admit though, I do quite like this song.
Verdict - Good
When this was first released in 1965 it failed to reach the Top 40. It finally made it in 1992 thanks to its inclusion in the film of the same name. I had no idea this was an old record at the time, I just assumed it was made for the film. I love a bit of 60s soul music and this was probably the record that got my into it in the first place.
Verdict - Good
Ordinarily a British R&B group doing a pointless cover isn't a good thing. But I never knew that fact at the time, as far as I was concerned this was a Pasadenas tune and I loved it. Even when I started listening to this in the early days of YouTube I still didn't know it was a cover. A lot has to be said for hearing the cover before the original, it really does.
Verdict - Good
Some will say Michael Jackson was a genius because of the way he could seamlessly transition from the rock sound of "Black Or White" to the new jack swing sound of this record. I would say the fact he had Mr New Jack Swing himself Teddy Riley co-write and produce this track had something to do with it. Maybe that was his genius, that he knew how to pick the right people.
Verdict - Good
Wet Wet Wet hadn't really been away, but this was their first Top 10 hit since 1989. Marti Pellow's hair had grown quite considerably in that time. Despite this being a chart topper I remember everyone hating this record at the time. I on the other hand liked it. This wasn't their big comeback though as they never made the Top 10 again until "Love Is All Around" in 1994.
Verdict - Good
When Siobhan left Bananarama and formed Shakespear's Sister they had a Top 10 hit with "You're History" in 1989. By the end of 1991 it looked like they were history have failed to reach the Top 40 with any of their other singles. Then came this, which topped the charts and stayed there for what seemed like an eternity. I do think that the contrast between the vocals of Marcella and Siobhan is a good concept, but I've never been able to bring myself to like this record.
Verdict - Rubbish
If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 21/30, or 70%. Slight drop from last week but still a good score.
Thursday, 17 February 2022
Doncaster Warehouse 18/02/1995
Carl Cox
This week sees us at a venue that still exists today. The reason for picking this particular rave this week though is with the benefit of hindsight.
It's pretty well known amongst the dance music community that Carl Cox was one of the biggest rave DJs in the early 90s but then in the mid-90s he decided he'd had enough and left it behind to start doing house and techno instead. At the time it was a big gamble, but proved to be a good decision as he would become one of the biggest DJs worldwide.
What hasn't been made explicitly clear anywhere I've seen on the internet though is when exactly he made this transition. After doing my own research though it's become apparent that this night was the night.
Basically this is the latest date I've seen him on a rave flyer. Also in an interview I saw with Gary Jaques, the promoter of Vibealite he said that one cold night after playing Doncaster Warehouse Carl Cox decided that was it.
Despite this there is one seemingly new for 1995 tune in there in "Pitch-Hiker" by Pilldriver. There are also 2 tunes in the set which haven't been identified anywhere I've found on the internet.
Like his Kinetic set a couple of weeks prior, there is very little in the way of known English records. The solitary English tune he played at Kinetic "I'm Alright" by Bush Brothers appears in this set along with his remix of "Let Me See You Move" by Visa.
Speaking of Visa, the man behind that name Stu Allan is the other DJ appearing at this event who has his set recorded. His set features a new for 1995 tune under his Visa alias called "Revenge".
The burning question though is what was the final tune Carl Cox played? Well assuming his set finished just after the recording did it's "Can You Feel It" by Charly Lownoise & Mental Theo.
UK Charts Best Year Search: 2017
Best Song: Future - Mask Off
Once again it's an easy decision to pick the best song for the Top 40, it's the only one to get full marks. Another similarity to 2016 is I've picked a rap record by a rapper I've never heard of.
Worst Song: Selena Gomez - Bad Liar
Selena Gomez is best known for being the ex girlfriend of Justin Bieber. Turns out she's sung a few songs too but this is so bad that I'd rather listen to Justin Bieber. In fact there are 3 Justin Bieber records in this particular Top 40 that I consider to be better.
Top 40 Review
It was 2017 when the chart rules changed thanks to Ed Sheeran having 16 records in the Top 20. One of those rules was a maximum of 3 records per artist therefore Ed Sheeran had 3 records in this Top 40, all crap.
The biggest of these Ed Sheeran records, "Shape Of You", seemingly brought about a new bunch of Ed Sheeran clones who this time were incorporating elements of dancehall into pop music. This included the number one record "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi ft Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber. The music is as dreadful as the description sounds.
Calvin Harris was another one adopting this dancehall pop sound with "Feels". David Guetta meanwhile collaborates with Justin Bieber on "2U", a record that can't really be described as dance because it never really gets going. The official genre for that record is future bass.
EDM along with deep/tropcial/future house is still in the charts though, as is electropop and Ed Sheeran clones in a more traditional sense. One such record is "Came Here For Love" by Sigala ft Ella Eyre which was a strong contender for worst song. I think it was around this time I went to see Pete Tong with his orchestra which was ruined by Ella Eyre singing on some records.
The only record other than "Mask Off" not to get zero marks is "Humble" by Kendrick Lamar which gets half marks. I count 5 rap records in this Top 40, I'm not keen on "Did You See" by J Hus and the other two feature Drake and Justin Bieber both of whom have never done record that's remotely good.
On a final note, I'd started to follow the charts again by 2017 after starting the Top of the Pops posts on this blog so I'm really not surprised at how bad the score is.
Score: 1.5
Table
At least 2017 wasn't as bad as 2012 I guess:
Tuesday, 15 February 2022
UK Number 40s: Technotronic featuring Reggie - Work (1991)
You wait over 30 years for a Belgian number 40 and then 2 come along at once. Following Quadrophonia's number 40, the next one to peak there came from fellow Belgians Technotronic.
They are of course best remembered for their debut hit "Pump Up The Jam" in late 1989. They were seemingly never out of the Top 40 in the year that followed clocking up 6 Top 40 hits by the end of 1990 including "Spin That Wheel" by Hi-Tek 3 which was an alias of theirs. To put that into perspective, there had only been 5 Top 40 hits by Belgian acts prior to "Pump Up The Jam".
In 1991 it was onto the 2nd album "Body to Body". Ya Kid K who had been their main vocalist was gone and in came new vocalist Reggie. She's a Congolese-American singer who had previously had a taste of the Top 40 as vocalist on "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life" by Indeep.
This was the 2nd Top 40 hit from that album, the first "Move That Body" had made number 12. By this point other Belgians had made their way into the Top 40, but much of it was linked. The main man in Technotronic was Jo Bogaert and the co-writer of this record alongside Jo Bogaert and Reggie was Patrick De Meyer who was a member of T99 who had a couple of Top 40 hits in 1991.
The other member of T99 was Olivier Abbeloos who was also a member of Quadrophonia alongside Lucien Foort, both of whom co-wrote a couple of tracks on the "Body to Body" album.
This is the final original Top 40 hit to date for Technotronic. With 8 Top 40 hits to their name including a remix of "Pump Up The Jam" vs The Dons or 9 including "Spin That Wheel", whatever way you look at it they've had more UK Top 40 hits than any other Belgian act.
Sunday, 13 February 2022
Top 30 in 1992 Reviewed: Week 7
Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 30 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Sunday.
Here is the Top 40 in full.Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.
Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.
So this is the top 30 from this week in 1992 with my verdict on each record:
Gospel music in the UK Top 40 has been few and far between over the years. In the 90s though we had a few from The Sounds Of Blackness who mixed gospel with R&B. This was the first of these hits and was penned by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis along with Gary Hines. I do remember it at the time and didn't even realise it was a gospel record until later on. That's probably what helped it appeal to the mainstream.
Verdict - Good
29. Tina Turner - Love Thing (New)
I could have sworn this was on a car advert back in the day but I can't find anything on the internet that says it was. Maybe it just sounds like it should be on a car advert, it does sound a bit like a driving record.
Verdict - Good
28. Europe - I'll Cry For You (New)
In 1991 Nirvana came along with their grunge sound and killed off 80s hair metal in the process. Someone forgot to tell Europe though as here they are in the Top 40 in 1992. To be fair I don't think too many people remember this record, I certainly don't. However this is actually better than the other records I've heard of theirs and yes I have heard other Europe records that aren't "The Final Countdown".
Verdict - Good
Diana Ross was someone who was frequently played in my household around this time and therefore I associate most of her back catalogue with this period. Yet I have no recollection of this record. It was written by Stevie Wonder and you can tell. Fortunately it sounds more like his 70s funk records than his cheesy 80s ones.
Verdict - Good
They started their Top 40 career by reviving "Toms Diner" by Suzanne Vega and they ended it by reviving another 80s tune, this time being "Can You Handle It?" by Sharon Redd. It's quite different from their other hits, this being more of an upbeat house record. I can date this song by the class I was in at school at the time so it must have had an impact. Sadly the comeback of Sharon Redd didn't last long as she died just 3 months later.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut for The Brand New Heavies which failed to chart when originally released in 1990. I love the funky guitar on this one, it's a great uplifting record. I can't help but think it would have been better as an instrumental, but you can't have everything.
Verdict - Good
24. Orbital - Mutations (EP) (New)
The lead track from this EP is "Chime Crime" which is a remix of their debut hit "Chime". If anything I'd say this tune illustrates how much the music had changed since the original came out so this gives them something that fits in more with the 1992 sound.
Verdict - Good
There had been quite a few rave records that had hit the Top 40 by this point so the rave sound was nothing new anymore. However, I do remember thinking this record was quite groundbreaking at the time. It was the 2nd Top 40 hit for The Prodigy and the follow up to "Charly" and it no doubt went a long way in showing people that they weren't a novelty "toytown techno" act.
Verdict - Good
The second and final Top 40 hit for Julia Fordham which came 4 years after her first. This sounds like it should be a theme to a TV show. I'm not too far off with that, it's from the film "The Butchers Wife" and was written by Dean Pitchford and Tom Snow, the same people who composed "Let's Hear It For The Boy" by Deniece Williams which also came from a film, "Footloose". I guess the main reason it sounds like it should be a TV theme is because it's a bit bland.
Verdict - Rubbish
With Curtis Stigers now in the charts Michael Bolton had to remind the world he still existed so here he is with his 6th Top 40 hit. It does sound like a typical Michael Bolton record, but what's surprising is that his co-writer on this record is none other than Bob Dylan.
Verdict - Rubbish
The 2nd of 12 Top 40 hits for The Wedding Present in 1992. This ones definitely a lot catchier than it's predecessor which is helped by the drumming on it. Still not good enough to get full marks though.
Verdict - OK
In 1991 the Pet Shop Boys started a record label called "Spaghetti Records". The only Top 40 hit to come from that label was this. The dodgy Scottish rapping in the verses reminds me a bit of Bill Drummond rapping on "Kylie Said To Jason" by KLF which may explain why I'm finding myself liking the tune.
Verdict - Good
James will probably always be remembered for "Sit Down" which is a bit of a shame really. Particularly when just under a year later they released this record which is the best record I've heard from them.
Verdict - Good
17. Pearl Jam - Alive (New)
Now that Nirvana have made their Top 40 debut it was only a matter of time before fellow Seattle grunge band would make their debut, and here it is. I don't remember it being this soon after though obviously it never occurred to me when I first heard Nirvana that there would be another grunge band from Seattle called Pearl Jam coming soon. I did like this record at the time or later in 1992 if that was in fact when I first heard it. Doesn't have the same appeal now though.
Verdict - OK
Following the death of Freddie Mercury "Bohemian Rhapsody" returned to top the charts and became the first record to be Christmas number one twice. I've mentioned before on this blog that I don't consider it the masterpiece it's made out to be and I've heard it far too many times in my life, but it's not a bad record. The other side of this double a-side "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" was a new song and would have probably topped the charts without being aided by "Bohemian Rhapsody" given the circumstances. It's definitely the better of the two in my opinion.
Verdict - OK / Good
I remember this record being out around the same time as "Fun Day" by Stevie Wonder. The history books tell my I'm not far off, the Stevie Wonder record came out in October 1991 but never made the Top 40. I liked it at the time and I guess I still do now even though it's a bit cheesy.
Verdict - Good
As a kid I loved "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey", the film in which this record appears. However, I watched it again a couple of years ago and found it was nowhere near as good as I remember it. Fortunately this record hasn't suffered the same fate, still sounds decent now.
Verdict - Good
13. The Temptations - My Girl (New)
When this was first released in 1965 it failed to reach the Top 40. It finally made it in 1992 thanks to its inclusion in the film of the same name. I had no idea this was an old record at the time, I just assumed it was made for the film. I love a bit of 60s soul music and this was probably the record that got my into it in the first place.
Verdict - Good
When Simply Red returned with the "Stars" album, Mick Hucknall's hair had got noticeably longer. It was around the time of this record that I found out Mick Hucknall's dad was a hairdresser. To the song, and it's not to the same level as "Something Got Me Started" or "Stars" but still pretty decent.
Verdict - Good
The lead track off this EP is "Movin' on Up". It was the final single from the "Screamadalica" album and the only one to be released after the album. Despite this it was the highest charting. It's perhaps a bit overplayed now, I'm pretty sure it was on an advert in recent times. I've always liked it though.
Verdict - Good
The Jesus And Mary Chain are one of those bands who I remember existing without really knowing any of their songs. I do know this song now but don't remember it at the time despite it making the Top 10. Turns out it was banned by the BBC which explains both why it made the Top 10 and why I don't remember it. Pretty dull record.
Verdict - Rubbish
This record did appeal to me at the time but I now I really can't figure out why. Maybe it was the guitars. I thought maybe by listening to it I may rediscover the magic, but no it just sounds dreary.
Verdict - Rubbish
One thing I do miss about listening to rave music in the 90s is knowing absolutely nothing about the people who made the records. Kicks Like A Mule was one of these, but I now know they were a duo of one of the founders of XL Records and the person who now runs the label. This means that the latter person is responsible for introducing the world to Adele. I can't let that fact get in the way of this being a good tune though.
Verdict - Good
This was the last Top 10 Kylie Minogue hit from the Stock, Aitken & Waterman era. It's a cover and quite predictably it sounds like a karaoke version.
Verdict - Rubbish
Some will say Michael Jackson was a genius because of the way he could seamlessly transition from the rock sound of "Black Or White" to the new jack swing sound of this record. I would say the fact he had Mr New Jack Swing himself Teddy Riley co-write and produce this track had something to do with it. Maybe that was his genius, that he knew how to pick the right people.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut from Curtis Stigers who was a sort of Michael Bolton and Kenny G all in one i.e. a singer and saxophonist with long hair. I've since read that Curtis Stigers hair had only just grown when he broke through and then he cut it short straight after he toured his first album, but that's what he'll forever be remembered for. I have to admit though, I do quite like this song.
Verdict - Good
Ordinarily a British R&B group doing a pointless cover isn't a good thing. But I never knew that fact at the time, as far as I was concerned this was a Pasadenas tune and I loved it. Even when I started listening to this in the early days of YouTube I still didn't know it was a cover. A lot has to be said for hearing the cover before the original, it really does.
Verdict - Good
My dance music knowledge was virtually non-existent at the time. I do remember this being out around the same time as "Everybody In The Place" by The Prodigy and thinking of this record as being a poor mans Prodigy.
Verdict - Rubbish
When Siobhan left Bananarama and formed Shakespear's Sister they had a Top 10 hit with "You're History" in 1989. By the end of 1991 it looked like they were history have failed to reach the Top 40 with any of their other singles. Then came this, which topped the charts and stayed there for what seemed like an eternity. I do think that the contrast between the vocals of Marcella and Siobhan is a good concept, but I've never been able to bring myself to like this record.
Verdict - Rubbish
Wet Wet Wet hadn't really been away, but this was their first Top 10 hit since 1989. Marti Pellow's hair had grown quite considerably in that time. Despite this being a chart topper I remember everyone hating this record at the time. I on the other hand liked it. This wasn't their big comeback though as they never made the Top 10 again until "Love Is All Around" in 1994.
Verdict - Good
If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 22/30, or 73%. The joint best week of the year so far.
Thursday, 10 February 2022
Hardcore Heaven @ The Rhythm Station, Aldershot 10/02/1995
DJ Vibes
Just 4 weeks after visiting The Rhythm Station in Aldershot for Tazzmania, here we are again but this time it's for Hardcore Heaven.
As the name suggests this was a hardcore only event though at their 2nd event they did have 3 jungle DJs play in Ellis Dee, Swanee and DJ SS but all their other events have featured no jungle DJs.
Hardcore Heaven was also the name of a tune by Seduction which made the Top 40 in 1992 and it was Seduction who started the event and ran it until the late 90s when it was taken over by Slammin Vinyl and the name still exists today.
This was their 5th event, all of which had been held at this venue, as would the remaining events in 1995.
There were 2 DJs who were also playing at last weeks event at Club Kinetic, Brisk and Slipmatt. The Brisk set is very similar to last week with just 4 of the 17 tracks on the tape not appearing in last weeks set. The Slipmatt set on the other hand is very different for a set that's just a week ago with nearly half the tunes in his set not appearing last week.
To illustrate this being a golden era in my mind, this line up includes Billy Bunter, Ramos and Druid. Had this been 2-3 years later the 3 of them would be playing trancecore which isn't my cup of tea.
Completely the line up for the tapes is Dougal, DJ Vibes and Seduction himself. Also appearing on the flyer but not on the tapes are DJ SY and Unknown.
There are 2 tunes who have the honour of being the most played this night, appearing on 4 sets each. They are "Pump This Party" by Paul Elstak and "I'm Gonna Get You" by Dougal & Eruption.
Despite Paul Elstak having one of the most played records this night, there is notably less Dutch or Scottish records appearing than last week. In fact the 4 sets that don't have the Paul Elstak tune don't have any Dutch or Scottish tunes in them which are the Billy Bunter, Dougal, Ramos and Seduction sets.
The Druid set has more Dutch and Scottish records than anything else, Brisk is around 50/50, Slipmatt has 3 tunes and DJ Vibes has 2.
In terms of new for 1995 tunes, just the one Scottish records which is "Head Like A Pacman" by Active Force and the rest are English. Here's the full list:
Happy Tunes - Rushing On Pink Champagne
Dougal & Mickey Skeedale - New Generation
Active Force - Head Like A Pacman
Happy Tunes - Pounding Beats
Sy & Unknown - Real Love
Different Vibe - Can You Feel It
Sy & Eruption - 12" Of Love
Sy & Eruption - Thunder
DJ Eruption - Pop, Bang, Lovely
DJ Seduction - Disco Hardcore
Force & The Evolution - Stampede
There's no guarantee of another visit to Hardcore Heaven in 1995 but I think another visit to The Rhythm Station is almost inevitable.
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