25 Years Since....December 1997

Time for one last visit back to 1997:

Sash! ft La Trec - Stay

I remember the intesting fact that "Encore Une Fois" was in French, "Ecuador" was in Spanish and "Stay" was in English but Sash! was German. Those first 2 hits were very commercial sounding and whilst I didn't mind them they weren't really my cup of tea.

I'm not going to pretend this is anything other than commercial dance, but its found the formula to appeal to me.

All Saints - Never Ever

When the All Saints first came about I was amazed to find that I liked their debut Top 40 hit. I was even more amazed to find I also liked this, their follow up. 

It's one of those records I'd felt I'd heard before but hadn't. As a result of me liking these first 2 singles I went on to do something I'd not done in a long time, bought an album that wasn't rave which was their debut album.

Janet Jackson - Together Again

I never thought I'd be featuring a Janet Jackson record in these posts until I was reminded of this record. It's a dance record so alligned with my music tastes, but to me liking a Janet Jackson dance record was the same as liking the god awful drum & bass record David Bowie had done earlier in the year.

A friend of mine who was into rap and drum & bass did buy this single as I recall, something I questioned why initially but I had to concede that I quite liked it.

Dreem Teem - The Theme

As 1997 was drawing to a close I remember thinking I should go out and get a speed garage compilation. This tune was going through my head when I went into town looking for one. I can picture speed garage compilations in Our Price, but for some reason I didn't buy one in the end.

As far as garage DJs went, I loved a Timmi Magic set and he was part of the Dreem Teem. I also didn't know until later that Mikee B from the Dreem Teem was previously in rave act Top Buzz. I'd become much more familiar with them when we entered the UK Garage era.

Red 5 - Lift Me Up

I think this record could have only been made in 1997 to truly appeal to me. It was really the last time I was young enough to have a idealistic view of the world, reality started to hit me thick and fast after that.

It's a well polished eurodance record from Germany complete with glamourous singers and dancers, an alternate reality that doesn't really exist.

Obviously EDM portrays a glamourous lifestyle these days, but it's one that has no appeal to me whatsoever.