"Wake up, indie-kids" (Metalheads et al in MM )

 

January 30 1993 - and I made "Terminator" one of the singles of the week - the first time Metalheads / Goldie get single of the week, but not the last time... 

What leaps out now is that assessment "not especially innovative" which is of course dead wrong, but I was still getting to grips with the scene / sound, had yet to formulate the concept of rhythmic psychedelia (copyright me, yes that's right me) (Still I can't complain about "sampling" really can I now, since "chaste, hideous rapture" is stolen from Lautreamont and was probably the fourth - and far from last time -  I borrowed the phrase.)

Also notable about this singles column is the rave review for Satin Storm, which I believe I've mistitled (based on what was scrawled on the white label  I bought) and is better known now as "Think I'm Going Out of My Head"

I wish I had made Satin Storm single of the week instead of The Drum Club tune which is not that great - certainly not as good as their previous 'U Make Me Feel So Good".

And then Metalheads score again in August of '93 with "Angel" - and this time we have a picture of Goldie. It's even worse than the photo of me I think! That strange perpendicular finger... 

Also notable about this August '93 column - see below -  I make Foul Play "Open Your Mind (Foul Play Remix") Single of the Week (or rather, say I would have, but we didn't have a photo of the group. Not that this stopped us with "Terminator", mind) . 

Origin Unknown "Long Dark Tunnel" - better known as "Valley of Shadows" - is reviewed off of hearing it on pirate radio. (Or was it on a CD compilation? I don't think so). I'm not sure how I knew the name of the label, but I know I didn't own the vinyl at that point - bought it much, much later. Also worthy of Single of the Week status.

Aha - and then there's reviews for Omni Trio (yet another SOTW contender surely) while Goldie gets another review with the Rufige Cru "Ghosts". Well now I wish I had made that the second single of the week (or third, or fourth, or fifth)  and mentioned the remix of "Terminator" - "Terminator 2".

                                  The very tune that germinated the concept of rhythmic psychedelia in my brain? It has backwards                                                                      drums and phased breaks, see... 

Ray Keith is misattributed as the author of the Wot's My Code tune rather than remixer  - easy mistake to make as his name was massive on the front record sleeve.

Also this large claim on the label kinda invites confusion

Who's this Knookie chappie then? 

oh dread

This tune gives me feelings I cannot put into words

And that vocal lick at the start - oh dread, indeed

Would listen mesmerized, in our narrow little Belsize Park kitchen as the pirates played it to death in early '94 - disbelieving that music this incredible could exist.

Surprised - delighted - to hear the same vocal lick appear on this tune by the mysterious Wots My Code (as previously posted about)



The usually infallible Whosampled.com is completely unable to tell me who the ragga gentleman is

Wots My Code 'The Dub Plate' was one of the very early hardcore junglizm 12 inches I bought - back when my collection numbered in the single figures.

I particularly liked the fireworks sound.

But I didn't have the original EP and in fact only this week realised it existed. I had the bright yellow pic sleeve one that came out later with all the remixes by Ray Keith (with Nookie engineering).

Understandably for quite some time I labored under the impression that the group's name was XLR 8








The bassline sounded very PiL to my startled ears  - "Home Is Where the Heart Is" to be precise.



"Dubplate" samples a different dancehall dude than "Bachelor Rock"  - Eek-A-Mouse "Wa-Do-Dem", plus flavour from a Revolutionaries tune and some Harder They Come dialogue ("I tell the deejay what to play seen" etc).

Ooh look yet another remix by  Ray Keith of "Dubplate" - recycling reverse-cymbal smears from his remix of DJ Mayhem "Inesse" and the Amens from "Terrorist" - ooh and the B-line and collapsy breaks bit from "Inesse". A Frankenstein composite of all his top tunes and remixes.



How much you wanna bet Total Science totally wank it up?



Actually, it's not bad at all - a bit itchy with technicality - but the bass and the fireworks are in there, and the beats are pretty ruff. Pretty good actually.

Total Science are from Oxford - the Blackbird Leys estate. Is that where Wots My Code hail from, also?




They really caned the roots reggae thing.



"Brian Can Bogle" is not out there, but this is natty Xmas tune is



The frenetic flustered Dominator Euro vibe does not suit their skill set.

this is what yalla been waiting for

this is what i been waiting for - waiting a bloody long time to identify this long-tantalising mystery tune offa my pirate tapes

stumbled upon its identity quite by chance a few days ago

"The Most High" is on the same EP as this classic



more on the elusive Wots My Code in a post to come...