Remembering 1996: March

One of the most popular TV shows in 1996 was "The X-Files". I really tried to get into it myself but I didn't think much of it to be honest. It's popularity meant the theme tune by Mark Snow got to number 2 in the charts.

It was kept off the top spot by the comeback single by The Prodigy, "Firestarter". I was listening to the Evening Session on Radio 1 the evening it made it's premiere on the show. As someone who loved the first two albums I was looking forward to this but when I head it I was massively disappointed. I guess the issue was I'd gone from a rock music fan to a rave purist whereas this tune saw The Prodigy gravitating more towards rock music.

Speaking of Radio 1, it was around this time that Status Quo sued the station for refusing to play their latest single "Fun Fun Fun" with the Beach Boys.

It wasn't just Status Quo whose music was banned by Radio 1. The Beatles had what was to be their final single with "Real Love" which was using some John Lennon recordings for the remaining 3 members to work with and had Jeff Lynne produce the song. Despite not being playlisted it still made a respectable number 4 in the charts.

The Prodigy weren't the only 1991 rave act making a comeback with a different sound. Bizarre Inc had a comeback single with "Keep The Music Strong" which couldn't be any more different than "Playing With Knives". Again I didn't take to kindly to this new sound but it did grow on me eventually.

There was also a return to the Top 40 in the same week for 2 of the biggest name DJs of the early 90s. Carl Cox had the "Two Paintings And A Drum EP" where the lead track was "Phoebus Apollo". He had taken a new direction in music the previous year which was seen as a gamble but the techno he went on to do was quite groundbreaking.

Sasha returned with "Be As One" which had vocals from Maria Nayler and was the progressive house sound he'd become well known for. Also in the same week we had a remix of "Passion" by Gat Decor chart. The original in 1992 is credited with kicking off the progressive house sound.

One of the big Dutch techno records of 1995 found it's way into the Top 40 in Mar 96. "Access" by DJ Misjah & DJ Tim was very much an underground record that got popular.

Another underground record getting commercial success came from Ken-Doh. The record "Nakasaki" had been doing the rounds since 1994 but for its commercial release they added vocals and named it "Nakasaki (I Need A Lover Tonight)". I prefer the instrumental but the vocals do work on this record.

There was a happy hardcore record that appeared on TOTP2 but never made the Top 40. "I Kiss Your Lips" by Tokyo Ghetto Pussy gave the impression this was Japanese but it was actually an alias of German producers Jam & Spoon.

St Patrick's Day saw the tragic death of Dreamscape promoter Murray Beetson in a car crash. They were arguably the biggest rave promoter at the time and Dreamscape 22 was scheduled for April but cancelled out of respect.