25 Years Since....August 1999

Wow 25 years since the last year of the 20th century, these were the tunes I was enjoying then:

Dope Smugglaz - Double Double Dutch

The original Malcolm McLaren record was what we used to skip to in PE at school. I had no idea what it was at the time, but when this remake came out in 1999 the memories came back.

Nowadays this takes me back to student life, a time of optimism about the future with no idea how dreadful music would be in 25 years time.

Groove Armada - At The River

I could have sworn this was earlier in 1999 than August but then I guess we had quite a gap between first hearing a record and it being released as a single in those days. 

It's the ultimate chill out record really, a lot of us dance music fans liked a bit of chill out music but here we had one that really held its own.

Basement Jaxx - Rendez-Vu

This was the opening tune on the Pete Tong show on Radio 1 from Ibiza in the summer of 1999 that I taped off the radio and listened to a lot thereafter.

This is possibly the best record Basement Jaxx have made, and they've made lots of good tunes.

TLC - Unpretty

I first heard this record in the most unlikely of places, the Pete Tong show on Radio 1 on a Friday night. He would predominantly play dance music, but played the occasional non-dance record too.

The way that songwriter/producer Dallas Austin has mixed R&B with a rock element here is absolute genius. 

Binary Finary - 1999

This was a remix of "1998" and is yet another record that reminds me of Dave Pearce's Dance Anthems on Radio 1. It was also one I taped off the radio to work out to, I can still picture myself doing sit ups to it now even though I've not done that for 25 years.

Top 30 in 1997 Reviewed: Week 35

Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 27 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Friday.

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 1997 with my verdict on each record:

30. Peter Andre - All About Us

When Peter Andre came out of the wilderness in the 21st century a lot of people thought his only hit was "Mysterious Girl". I remembered him having other hits though and I'd point out he'd had 2 number ones and "Mysterious Girl" wasn't one of them. However even I don't remember this record and it reached number 3. 1997 continues to give us high charting hits nobody remembers.

Verdict - Rubbish

29. Livin' Joy - Deep In You

The final Top 40 hit for Livin Joy who were past their commercial peak by this point. They did change their sound slightly on this one presumably in an attempt to become relevant again, but it doesn't really work and still bears a resemblance to their older material but not as good.

Verdict - Rubbish

28. Sash! ft. Rodriguez - Ecuador

The 2nd Top 40 hit for Sash! and the 2nd to make number 2. Whilst it's predecessor was in French, this one was in Spanish. I always found this one a bit annoying, the shouting of the word "Ecuador" in particular.

Verdict - Rubbish

27. N-Trance - The Mind Of The Machine

Back when N-Trance did "Set You Free" it was a turning point in my life. It played a massive part in me converting from a grunger to a raver. Unfortunately the N-Trance records the followed immediately afterwards were a bit crap. With this record though they were back doing decent music again

Verdict - Good

26. Texas - Black Eyed Boy

The successful comeback for Texas continues in 1997 with this record. This is their attempt at making a Motown record. This is what I sense they are trying to do anyway, but the result is something that would no doubt get rejected on Motown.

Verdict - Rubbish

25. Symposium - Fairweather Friend (New)

The 3rd and final Top 40 hit to date for Symposium which peaked at the same position as their debut hit. They were the nearest the UK had to Green Day and The Offspring from a Top 40 perspective. It's not a bad record really, but perhaps a little polished.

Verdict - OK

24. Aaliyah - 4 Page Letter (New)

Another Top 40 hit for Aaliyah that was written by Timbaland and Missy Elliott. This ones a slower number but the weird sort of production that Timbaland does makes the record more interesting which in turn makes the record work.

Verdict - Good

23. Oasis - D'You Know What I Mean?

It had been over a year since Oasis had last been in the Top 40. In that time we had an Oasis tribute band plus many other acts try to make their own Oasis songs. They were so big that the record shops would open at midnight to enable people to buy this single. The actual record though is just a noise, the worst thing I'd heard Oasis do and that's really saying something.

Verdict - Rubbish

22. The Sneaker Pimps - Post Modern Sleaze (New)

The Sneaker Pimps has already had their big 2 hits in "6 Underground" and "Spin Spin Sugar". I would say the following YouTube comment sums this up nicely "I was so glad when Chris took over vocals. Kelli Ali's always sounded like she was singing something she didn't write or believe in".

Verdict - Rubbish

21. OTT - All Out Of Love

After reaching number 12 with a cover and then failing to reach the Top 20 with an original composition, OTT went back to doing a cover version for their 3rd Top 40 hit. Much like the Boyzone covers they've completely ruined it, but it did give them their joint highest charting Top 40 hit.

Verdict - Rubbish

20. Wet Wet Wet - Yesterday

This was the final Top 40 hit for the 90s for Wet Wet Wet before they split up and is a cover of The Beatles record. It meant they now had 3 Top 40 hits to their name that were Beatles covers. It just sounds lazy really, like they just did any old thing as they were on their way out anyway.

Verdict - Rubbish

19. Ultra Nate - Free

There was absolutely no avoiding this record at the time. I remember it appearing on Club Nation and then an advert for the single appeared in the advert break. It didn't take me too long to get absolutely sick of it. Not a bad record by any means but I thought this record was just alright in the first place and that's my view of it now.

Verdict - OK

18. Foo Fighters - Everlong (New)

This Top 40 hit for the Foo Fighters meant that their Top 40 career was now equal in length to Nirvana's but was one record behind Nirvana in terms of number of hits. They did have some memorable records around this point of their career I'll give them that, but that doesn't make it good.

Verdict - Rubbish

17. Boyzone - Picture Of You

This was the 9th Top 40 hit for Boyzone and just the 2nd that wasn't a ballad. It was from the Mr Bean movie so it would have been odd for them to do a ballad for a movie like that. Whilst a relief from the usual dreary rubbish they'd usually come out with, it's still crap.

Verdict - Rubbish

16. Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott - The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) (New)

Missy Elliott had been around for a few years and had already had Top 40 hits as a songwriter, but this was her first Top 40 hit as an artist. She is joined by her partner in crime Timbaland on songwriting duties for the this one. Not to my liking though.

Verdict - Rubbish

15. Coolio ft 40 Thevz - C U When U Get There

I was such a rave purist in 1997 that I specifically remember pretending to people at the time that I didn't like this record because it wasn't rave. In reality I loved this record and ended up buying the single. I just gets better as it goes on, I love the final verse to it.

Verdict - Good

14. UB40 - Tell Me Is It True (New)

This was the 34th of 40 Top 40 hits to date for UB40, but it would be their final hit to date that wasn't a cover. It's the usual UB40 that they'd been doing for nearly 2 decades by this point and it had worked well for them so why change it.

Verdict - Good

13. Mary J Blige - Everything

This was the 13th Top 40 hit for Mary J Blige but just her 2nd to make the Top 10 and was her highest charting hit to this point. It's another Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis composition which sampled "You Are Everything" and interpolates "Sukiyaki". That's a good thing in a way as I don't think a straight cover of either would have worked. 

Verdict - Good

12. Conner Reeves - My Father's Son (New)

This was the Top 40 debut for Conner Reeves which confused me somewhat because I was certain he'd featured in these posts before. Then I realised I was thinking about Brian Kennedy. Anyway its the same sort of bland forgettable nonsense that probably inspired Ed Sheeran and his clones in the modern era.

Verdict - Rubbish

11. Meredith Brooks - Bitch

This was a record that made an impact from it's title alone. It had all been done several times before though, first by the Rolling Stones with a song of the same title back in 1971. It sounds like it could be an Alanis Morissette record.

Verdict - Rubbish

10. Jon Bon Jovi - Queen Of New Orleans (New)

Jon Bon Jovi had been singing about Chelsea on his previous Top 40 hit. This time he's singing about New Orleans. Once again he's teamed up with Dave Stewart but this time we have a record that's more lively and as a result more listenable.

Verdict - OK

9. The Notorious BIG - Mo Money Mo Problems

This was the 2nd posthumous Top 40 hit for The Notorious BIG and became his biggest hit to this point. It samples "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross and I love the way it has been sampled. You could have literally any rapper rapping on this and it would still be a decent record. 

Verdict - Good

8. Backstreet Boys - Everybody (Backstreet's Back)

As the title might suggest, this was a comeback single for the Backstreet Boys even though it had been just 5 months since they'd last been in the Top 40. It was however the lead single from their 2nd album. I was written by Denniz Pop and Max Martin and the way the Backstreet Boys were marketing themselves in this record tells you what this was all about.

Verdict - Rubbish

7. Tina Moore - Never Gonna Let You Go (New)

This started off as and R&B record in 1995, but it was a Tuff Jam garage remix that got it into the UK Top 40. Now considered to be one of the garage classics and rightfully so. It may have inspired some other big garage remixes of R&B records.

Verdict - Good

6. Dannii Minogue - All I Wanna Do

Dannii Minogue had last been in the Top 40 in 1994. In the time in between she was presenting The Bigger Breakfast which was an extension of The Big Breakfast in the school holidays. That made me think she'd given up her singing career, but then came this which was her biggest Top 40 hit to date. I would call this an example of how sex sells.

Verdict - Rubbish

5. Gala - Freed From Desire

My biggest memory of this record was watching a TV show that I think was called "Holidays From Hell". It documented the holiday of 2 old ladies taking a holiday to Ibiza and their hotel was right in the middle of San Antonio amongst the Club 18-30 crowd and this was being blasted out repeatedly to the point that one of them was pointing out it was that song again. To be fair as a youngster at the time I would have hated hearing this all the time as well as I've never liked it.

Verdict - Rubbish

4. Puff Daddy And Faith Evans - I'll Be Missing You

We've had the first posthumous hit for The Notorious BIG. Now we have the tribute record by his label boss and his widow. It interpolates "Every Breath You Take" by The Police. I would say this topped the charts because of what it was rather than how it sounds, it's a pretty poor record.

Verdict - Rubbish

3. Shola Ama - You're The One I Love (New)

This was the 2nd Top 40 hit for Shola Ama and her highest charting single to date. I thought that when S Club 7 did "Natural" it was a blatant rip off of this. Don't let that put you off though, the S club 7 record is just a really poor imitation of a decent record.

Verdict - Good

2. Chumbawamba - Tubthumping

Chumbawamba first formed back in 1982 but this was the first time they hit the Top 40. It sounds like the sort of record that would make the charts because of a major football tournament happening, but there wasn't. Maybe it was just compensating for the lack of major football tournament. 

Verdict - Rubbish

1. Will Smith - Men In Black

With Will Smith an established actor by this point and Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince now split up you would think Will Smith would have given up on the rapping. Unfortunately he was only just getting started as a solo artist with this being his Top 40 debut. 

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 9.5/30, or 32%. Same as last week.

2004: The Good Old Days? - December

Lets take a moment to recap. I considered 2005 to be the year that chart music truly went downhill so decided to look at the new entries month by month to pinpoint when it took a turn for the worst. It turned out October was the best month that year and the decline that followed was in the run up to Christmas where we would expect a decline anyway. Then I continued into 2006 which showed some pretty low percentages some months. This led to the question when will we reach a month where I don't like anything which happened in October 2007.

Opting to go no further in the knowledge the charts haven't recovered since one outstanding question was just how good were the charts before 2005? This is the start of my look back at the charts in the run up to 2005 with more of the same.

In the journey so far indie/garage rock has been the prominent genre most months. In December 2004 though there were more rap and R&B new entries than indie/garage rock.

Now I'm back in the days when I was into rap and R&B this is a good place to start. Perhaps the most pure rap record is from the Beastie Boys with "An Open Letter To NYC", a great record that gets full marks. On the more pop rap side of things we have decent records from Snoop Dogg with "Drop It Like It's Hot" and Ice Cube with "You Can Do It". Then we have rubbish from Nelly with "Tilt Ya Head Back" and Jay-Z ft Linkin Park with "Numb/Encore".

From the UK we have The Streets with "Could Well Be In" which is OK and we have some comedy rap from Goldie Lookin Chain with "You Knows I Loves You" which I can't say I'm a fan of.

The R&B is more of the pop variety but we have "Obsession (Si Es Amor)" by 3rd Wish which gets best record and I have it on CD courtesy of it featuring on their follow up single "I Am" which didn't chart and was actually the last CD single I bought. We also have "Right To Be Wrong" by Joss Stone which is crap.

On the dance side of things it's mostly cheese with the only decent records being "Rocker" by Alter Ego and "Stay With You" by Lemon Jelly.

Brian Wilson has a solo version of "Good Vibrations" which doesn't sound an awful lot different to the Beach Boys original which shouldn't be surprising given he was on it. That gets full marks. There's also "Thinking Of You" by Status Quo which sounds like 99% of their other songs but I don't mind it and it gets half marks.

This just leaves the worst record which goes to Geri Halliwell with "Ride It". It reminds me that the charts had lots of crap in the good old days including records from the Spice Girls and their respective solo careers.

Here's a list of the records with the best on top, worst at the bottom and the good ones in green, OK ones in amber and rubbish ones in red (and in no particular order):

Score: 17%

Here's a look at the chart:

Not the best start, it's worse than most months in 2005. Then again it is the Christmas slump so things should improve.

Top 30 in 1998 Reviewed: Week 35

Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 26 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Wednesday.

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 1998 with my verdict on each record:

30. Nicole ft Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott And Mocha - Make It Hot

Nicole is a different Nicole to the one who won the Eurovision song contest back in 1982. This Nicole was a protege of Missy Elliott who for some reason thought that she could sing. I find her a terrible singer, but then I once heard Missy Elliott being described as being super talented because she could sing and rap. She does both badly in my opinion.

Verdict - Rubbish

29. Billie Piper - Because We Want To

Billie Piper became the youngest person to debut at the top of the charts at just 15 when this record came out. It raises the question how does one manage to top the charts at such a young age. The answer is go to the Sylvia Young Theatre school like pretty much every other British pop singer seemed to do.

Verdict - Rubbish

28. Lovestation - Teardrops

The Top 40 debut for Lovestation who had been going since 1992. It's a cover of the Womack & Womack record done garage style. I recently said that I can't think of a bad garage record that had made the Top 40 at that point in time and that continues to be true with this record.

Verdict - Good

27. Leann Rimes - How Do I Live

The Top 40 debut for Leann Rimes. I once took part in a quiz where a question was who charted in 1997 with "How Do I Live" to which I confidently answered Leann Rimes. The answer was Trisha Yearwood who reached number 66 with it. Leann Rimes was in 1998 and is the better known version. Although not the first person younger than me to chart, I do recall a younger Leann Rimes charting making me start to think have I missed the boat already in my music career. 

Verdict - Rubbish

26. Lucid - I Can't Help Myself

When I was picking my record of the year for each year of the charts this record was my choice for 1998. It was big in the summer and one day I was listening and thinking wow what a tune. Once it stopped being played so much I'd ring up Dave Pearce's Dance Anthems on Radio 1 every Sunday night requesting this to be played. 

Verdict - Good

25. Jamiroquai - Deeper Underground

Jamiroquai had several well known hits but this was their only chart topper. Perhaps not the one you would guess, but the fact it was from a film and didn't appear on an album would have no doubt helped it. It's not your typical Jamiroquai record, but the funk is still there and that's what makes the record.

Verdict - Good

24. David Morales Presents The Face - Needin' U

David Morales had previous had a couple of hits in the lower reaches of the Top 40 but this was his big hit. He'd been around for a number of years by this point and was a well known figure in the dance music world. This has a great build up and a great piano line and I liked it enough to pick as the record to see in the new year with once. I can't remember which year though.

Verdict - Good

23. Placebo - Pure Morning

When a record that I don't remember being particularly big reaches a surprisingly high position it's usually because it's the lead single from the upcoming album from an established band. That's the case with this record which never seems to get started. 

Verdict - Rubbish

22. Will Smith - Just The Two Of Us

Here was an early sign about how in your face Will Smith and his family would be in years to come with this being written about his son. It's obviously a shit record, but it led to Eminem doing a bit of a pisstake on "97 Bonnie & Clyde" and the Dr Evil version in Austin Powers. 

Verdict - Rubbish

21. B*Witched - C'est La Vie

On May 31st 1998 we had the news that Geri Halliwell had left the Spice Girls. The same day B*witched topped the charts with this their debut single. They really couldn't have timed it any better. I immediately thought come back the Spice Girls all is forgiven. Actually I didn't because the Spice Girls weren't finished yet, but this is every bit as bad as your average Spice Girls record.

Verdict - Rubbish

20. Foo Fighters - Walking After You / Ween - Beacon Light (New)

This double a-side was for The X Files movie. In an era where guitar music was getting soft, the Foo Fighters had been bucking that trend but they've gone soft themselves with this record. It was the only Top 40 hit for Ween which is a psychedelic sort of effort but not very good.

Verdict - Rubbish / Rubbish

19. Ace Of Base - Life Is A Flower

It had been 2.5 years since Ace Of Base had been in the Top 40. Their previous hit was the dance record "Beautiful Life". This comeback single could simply be described as a pop single. It made sense given the music scene at the time and proof that it is possible to make a good pop song.

Verdict - Good

18. Eagle-Eye Cherry - Save Tonight

When I was reviewing the Finley Quaye hits coming into the Top 40 I thought Eagle-Eye Cherry would be just around the corner. Here he is with his Top 40 debut and best known hit. He's the brother of Neneh Cherry and his real name is Eagle-Eye believe it or not. The only positive thing I can say about this record is that's he's better than his sister, but that's not saying much.

Verdict - Rubbish

17. Another Level - Freak Me

Confession time. When I first came across this record my initial thought was questioning whether it was a cover of "Freek 'N You" by Jodeci having not heard that record for years. I soon realised that it was a completely different record but took a few years for me to find out this was a cover of a Silk record that topped the charts in America in 1993. Obviously the original is better, but having been familiar with this cover for a long time before I heard the original I do like it.

Verdict - Good

16. Apollo 440 - Lost In Space

This was the highest charting hit for Apollo 440 which came from the film of the same name. Being from a film obviously helped achieve that, but it's one of those records with lots of energy in it from the word go and that's what I love about it.

Verdict - Good

15. Brandy And Monica - The Boy Is Mine

One of the big songwriting teams in the R&B world is Rodney Jerkins, Fred Jerkins and LaShawn Daniels. This was their first Top 40 hit as songwriters. Both Brandy and Monica had only been in the lower reaches of the Top 40 prior to this. I remember hearing how great Brandy's "Never Say Never" album was supposed to be and given I liked this song I decided to buy it. This song aside it really wasn't that great and I ended up selling it.

Verdict - Good

14. Puff Daddy ft Jimmy Page - Come With Me

This was the only Top 10 hit in the 90s for Puff Daddy that wasn't his chart topper "I'll Be Missing You". It features Jimmy Page on the guitar doing the riff to "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin. You could therefore say this is a rap and rock crossover record but it's done in a very watered down way.

Verdict - Rubbish

13. Kavana - Special Kind Of Something (New)

Just when we thought that we'd seen the last of Kavana in the Top 40 he was back with a 2nd album. To be fair I'm not sure that many people noticed he was back. This was the lead single from that album and he had enough fans left to help get it to number 13.

Verdict - Rubbish

12. Simply Red - The Air That I Breathe

It had been over 18 months since Mick Hucknall was the Wanker of the Week on The Girlie Show, but I remember when this record came out I couldn't help but think of that fact. It wasn't clouding my judgement of the record though, it's a pretty decent cover.

Verdict - Good

11. Cleopatra - I Want You Back

I remember this being performed on Top of the Pops and thinking oh dear what a dreadful cover. The cover is of the Jackson Five record. It was the 3rd Top 40 hit for Cleopatra and final Top 10 if you exclude the Abba medley they did with everyone and everyone else the following year.

Verdict - Rubbish

10. Pras Michel ft ODB And Mya - Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)

The fist time I heard this record was on the radio one morning when I was half asleep and I remember later on that day thinking what was that good tune I heard on the radio earlier. I soon found out what it was. It was the solo Top 40 debut for Fugees member Pras so should really come as no surprise I'd like it given how good the Fugees were. 

Verdict - Good

9. Embrace - My Weakness is None Of Your Business (New)

When I reminisce about the good old days of the 90s before Coldplay had broken through I conveniently forget that we had Embrace. It turns out that Coldplay supported Embrace in their early days. That sounds like my idea of hell.

Verdict - Rubbish

8. Spice Girls - Viva Forever

Geri Halliwell had left the Spice Girls but this record had already been recorded and therefore featured her. The video was an animated one that also included Geri Halliwell. It was said to be delayed and poorly promoted but still topped the charts because of the brand. People also knew this would be the last Spice Girls single to feature Geri.

Verdict - Rubbish

7. Alda - Real Good Time (New)

I'd completely forgotten about Alda, the Icelandic singer who wasn't Bjork. This was the first of 2 Top 40 hits for her. 1998 was really the year of obscure two hit wonders, most of whom did well to score a second hit given how bad their first one was. This record fits that category.

Verdict - Rubbish

6. Sash! ft Tina Cousins - Mysterious Times

The first 3 Sash! Top 40 hits all made number 2 but then the 4th made number 3. It was back to number 2 with Top 40 hit number 5. I always felt there wasn't something quite there with this record. I seem to recall thinking it already sounded dated by the end of the year. 

Verdict - OK

5. Sweetbox - Everything's Gonna Be Alright

When I got into rap music one of the first questions I had about each rap act I came across was are they east coast or west coast. In the case of Sweetbox though it was neither, it was Germany. This is one of my all time favourite rap records, it would send me into my own little world when it came on. I also own the single.

Verdict - Good

4. Savage Garden - To The Moon And Back

One day in 1998 I got a lift from someone with a modified Ford Fiesta with a fancy stereo system. He turned it on and a tune with an electronic sounding intro came on. I was expecting it to turn into a dance record that you were likely to hear blasting out of these cars at the time, but no it was "To The Moon And Back" by Savage Garden. When "I Want You" by Savage Garden came on next it confirmed he was playing their album and not the radio. I found it hilarious, but at the same time I realised I actually quite like this record too.

Verdict - Good

3. The Corrs - What Can I Do (New)

I once purchased a love songs compilation on CD and recorded it onto tape to listen to in my car. I therefore decided to only include songs I actually liked from that compilation. This was the first song from the compilation I put onto tape. It is without doubt my favourite single by The Corrs. At the time it was released I was opening myself up to music that wasn't rave.

Verdict - Good

2. Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You

Few would argue that this was the biggest dance record of 1998. It was everywhere at the time. It was a one off side project by Daft Punks Thomas Bangalter along with Alan Braxe. I wasn't impressed when I first heard it, I thought it was too repetitive. It did manage to grow on me eventually though after hearing it for maybe the 100th time.

Verdict - Good

1. Boyzone - No Matter What

What this record now reminds me of was the time a friend of mine tortured me with it on the way home from a Nelly Furtado concert. He agreed to go to the concert without being familiar with Nelly Furtado and decided he didn't like it so I figure playing this repeatedly on the way home was his act of revenge. I do question why he had it on tape though, but then again his taste in music was very questionable.

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 14.5/30, or 48%. We get that same score again.