Seeing as you all kept talking about it...

...here it is!

Future Sound Of London -'Papua New Guinea (Andrew Weatherall mix).' mp3

Enjoy...

Ravin' I'm raving

It seems pretty stupid, given that I wasn't too young to be part of it, that I missed out on a lot of dance culture. Silly me. In fact, I probably, like many indie kids, (and I mean that in the pre-Britpop sense of the phrase) was guilty of being snobby because it didn't have guitars in it. Oh, and because I really can't dance. The mad sweaty guy headbanging at the indie disco? That was your host. Working in a record shop changed a lot for me about what I listened to, and whilst an interest in 'dance/electronica' type stuff grew steadily throughout the nineties and noughties, it was my record shop clerk days that changed much of it for me.

XL Recordings on the other hand, seem to have come at it all from another direction, having started out putting out records by the likes of the Prodigy, SL2 and Kicks Like A Mule, but nowadays make records with the likes of Adele, the White Stripes and the Raconteurs, and for a time, Badly Drawn Boy. A recent compilation, The First Chapters collects much of this together. Now, while it took me years to 'get' The Prodigy, this was a track I loved at the time.

SL2 -'On A Ragga Tip (original 12" mix).'

This track was actually a hit several times for London-based producer Brian Dougans. I remember seeing this on Top of the pops, oddly enough.

Humanoid -'Stacker Humanoid (12" original).' mp3

I also am going to have to put my hand up at this point, and confess that it was only this evening I found out that Brian Dougans is part of Future Sound Of London. Oh well, at least I'm honest. And I've posted this before, but it is glorious. And this I did like at the time.

Future Sound Of London -'Papua New Guinea (7" original).' mp3

Enjoy...

A Festive Fifty Theme

First of all, thank you to everyone who has been in contact with details about new acts; I'm going to try and go through it carefully and give my considered opinion about what to post; so if you don't see yourselves posted immediately, don't take it personally!

I was considering posting some other stuff today, reflecting on what might make my Festive Fifty at the end of the year, and found my mind drifting to the great man of the Festive Fifty, John Peel.

So, with a big nod to Steve (and not Mike, as I mistakenly called him earlier!) over at the brilliant Teenage Kicks, a brilliant Peel-related blog, here are ten tracks that made John Peel's Festive Fifty over the years.

Given that he often got frustrated at some things being unadventurous, and there being 'too many white boys with guitars' I have tried not to fall into the same trap.

Bang Bang Machine -'Geek Love.' mp3 (No.1 1992 Festive Fifty)

We've Got A Fuzzbox and we're Gonna Use It -'Rules And Regulations.' mp3 (No. 31 1986 Festive Fifty)

Future Sound Of London -'Papau New Guinea.' mp3 (No.11 1992 Festive Fifty)

Half Man Half Biscuit -'The Trumpton Riots.' mp3 (No. 14 1986 Festive Fifty)

Althea & Donna -'Uptown Top Ranking.' mp3 (No. 2 1977 Festive Fifty)

Teenage Fanclub -'The Concept.' mp3 (No.6 1991 Festive Fifty*)

The Bhundu Boys -'Foolish Harp/Waerara.' mp3 (No.30 1987 Festive Fifty) (Steve from Teenage Kicks has got in touch and pointed out that it wasn't this version that made the chart. However, it is fabulous!)

Kenickie -'Come Out 2nite.' mp3 (No. 1 1996 Festive Fifty)

This Mortal Coil -'Song To the siren.' mp3 (No. 4 1983 Festive Fifty, No.10 2000 Millennium Chart)

The Delgados -'Mr. Blue Sky.' mp3 (No. 29 2002 Festive Fifty)

For more on John Peel and fansites start here

* 1991's Festive Fifty was known as the Phantom Fifty as John felt it was too predictable, topped as it was by Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and not featuring the dance sounds he'd been plugging that year. It was eventually unveiled, track by track over 1993).