Archive for the ‘remixes’ Category

Pet Shop Fever

Monday, August 29th, 2011

San Francisco finds continue! Or is it rather obvious given tonight’s selection?

Pet Shop Boys
Before (Danny Tenaglia’s After Mix)
Before (Classic Paradise Mix)
Before (Joey Negro’s Hed Boys Mix)
Before (Joey Negro’s Hed Boys Before Dub)
Before (Danny Tenaglia’s Underground Mix)
Before (Danny Tenaglia’s Bonus Beats)
Before (Danny Tenaglia’s Twilo Dub)
Before (Danny Tenaglia’s Bonus Dub) 
I’ve been using Discogs for a while now to catalog my collection, something I deemed neccessary once I hit 1,000 records. It’s a pretty great site, the only downfall being when you find you have something that isn’t in their massive system. Thankfully if you stick to pop, dance and rock like I do, it’s not a problem you’ll come across that often.

My favorite thing about Discogs is that it allows you to discover stuff about your collection you might not realize. For example: I found out I own 35 Pet Shop Boys singles. Furthermore, I figured out that I own multiple versions of several singles; I have two different versions of “So Hard”, “New York City Boy”, and “Before”; and three different versions of “I Don’t Know What You Want But I Can’t Give It Anymore.” What’s more terrifying is that by using Discogs I found out about twice as many Pet Shops Boys singles that I don’t have (As well as this. Oh. My. God. It’s. So. Fabulous.).

I started using Discogs so I could look up my collection on my phone while record shopping, after I accidentally bought the same Erasure single four times in one month. It certainly came in handy during the San Francisco trip, because I would have never bought this CD single of “Before” without first checking to see if it was the version I already owned. It wasn’t, so I snagged it up. Good thing too, these mixes are excellent. Danny Tenaglia knows his shit. They’re long too, this is nearly an hour of “Before” goodness. Get ready for some disco dancing!

Madonna
Bad Girl (Extended Mix)
Fever (Extended 12″)
Fever (Shep’s Remedy Dub)
Fever (Murk Boys Miami Mix)
Fever (Murk Boys Deep South Mix)
Fever (Oscar G’s Dope Mix)
I love “Bad Girl.” It’s one of my favorite Madonna tracks. I even gushed about it in a previous post. So finding the 12″ single at Amoeba was a big deal for me. I was especially happy that I found the 12″ and not any of the CD singles too, since the 12″ is the only one that contains the extended mix. Sure, it’s not that different than the album cut, and it’s not even that extended (just a minute longer) but it gives me an excuse to post the song, and that makes me pretty damn happy. It also gives me a chance to post a link to the amazing video by David Fincher, which I suggest you all watch if you haven’t.

Of course, for many I’m burying the lead here, since the “Bad Girl” single comes with five remixes of the much bigger hit “Fever.” Meh. I like “Fever” a lot, don’t get me wrong, but there’s not much to that song in my opinion, no matter who is singing it. These remixes are good club mixes though, and if you like the track you should dig them.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I have 30 Madonna singles. No repeats, all unique releases. One day I will have the 12″ for all her singles. Oh yes. They will be mine.

Next post: More Madonna, more Pet Shop Boys. Maybe more of other stuff too.

Eight YouTube Concert Videos where you can See the Back of my Head – music by David Bowie and The Orb

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

Presented in chronological order.

 

Lollapalooza 2008 – Octopus Project

Far right side with the towel on my head. I was rocking out with a fever at the time and didn’t know it, this was the year Lollapalooza almost killed me.

 

Lollapalooza 2010 – Foxy Shazam

About one second in, with the stupid looking red bandanna on (hey, it beats a sunburned scalp). Blink and you’ll miss me.

 

Lollapalooza 2010 – Band of Skulls

On the right side for pretty much the entirety of the video.

 

Ultra 2011 – Hybrid

Okay, this one is easy. I’m so prominent here that the video should be titled “Footage of the back of a guy’s head with some Hybrid in the background.”

 

Outside Lands 2011 – The Joy Formidable

In this one I’m a little harder to pick out, but you can see me. Right side, taking a lot of pictures.

 

Outside Lands 2011 – Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah

Center-right, quietly enjoying myself while saving energy for Big Audio Dynamite.

 

Outside Lands 2011 – Big Audio Dynamite

We’ve already covered this one. I’m front and center, rocking out like a mofo.

 

Outside Lands 2011 – tUnE-yArDs

Once again, right in the front and almost ruining this poor person’s video. Sorry! I can’t help being a giant!

Ah memories. Anyways, it’s time for a reeeeeeeeeeemiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiix!

Sorry.

David Bowie
Dead Man Walking (House Mix)
Dead Man Walking (This One’s Not Dead Yet Mix)
When I was in high school I used to hang out at a grease pit called Rudy’s Hot Dogs. They had a jukebox where you could play five songs for a buck. My friend Bryan would always walk in with two bucks. He would put the first buck in right when we sat down and play “Dead Man Walking” five times. By the time the fifth play was winding down we would be ready to head out. Then, as we were leaving he would put the second buck in, and do a fiver of Hanson’s “Mmmbop.”

My friend Bryan is kind of a dick.

These mixes are from a CD single. Unlike most of the “Dead Man Walking” remixes from the time, they weren’t on the recent 2CD re-issue of Earthling. Both are pretty good. The “House Mix” is a little too house for me (I know, what did I expect?) but I’m really digging the second one, it’s much more low-key.

The Orb
Toxygene [Fila Brazillia Mix]
Toxygene [Toxic Genes Mix]
Toxygene (Kris Needs Up for a Fortnight Mix)
Delta MKII (Dal Vivo a Roma)
Rose Tinted
When engaging in record buying sprees, I know I have to take a time out when I start buying multiple versions of the same single just for different remixes/B-sides, which was the case with the single(s) for The Orb’s “Toxygene.” I bought both the 12″ vinyl single as well as the CD-single import. What’s worse, I bought them both at the same store, at the same time. Sometimes I think I have OCRD (Obsessive Compulsive Remix Disorder). I treat remixes like Pokemon, I gotta get ’em all. In case you were wondering, “Rose Tinted,” and the first two remixes are from the CD-single, while the “Kris Needs Up for a Fortnight Mix” and the mix of “Delta MKII” are from the 12″.

“Toxygene” is a groovy tune. The original version (not included here since you can get it easily online) is a classic example of The Orb’s blissfully mellow ambient house style. while the “Fila Brazillia Mix” and the “Toxic Genes Mix” were obviously made for club play and are less ambient and more house. They both get pretty intense and fast-paced in parts, but both pale in comparison to the The “Kris Needs Up for a Fortnight” mix, which is 10 minutes of old-school acid house. Crank that shit and piss off your roommate, that’s what I’m doing right now. The remix of “Delta MKII” is crazy, with some odd industrial-type sounds thrown in, and some creepy random vocal samples will disturb the hell out of you.

On the other end of the spectrum is “Rose Tinted,” a great ambient B-side that should go on your “it’s just starting to kick in” playlist. Trippy shit.

Sigue Sigue Something

Thursday, August 4th, 2011

If you pick up on an overwhelming feeling of despair in this post, it’s because I’m writing it in Toledo. It has that effect on things.

This will be my last post for the week. Usually I’m busy during the first week of August because I’m heading to Chicago for Lollapalooza. However, I don’t get to go to Lolla this year because of reasons that I can’t even begin to get in to.

HOWEVER, I will be going to the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco next weekend. It doesn’t look as great as Lolla (too many jam bands for my taste), but I think I’ll still enjoy it.

I also plan on doing some record shopping while in San Fran (and by “some record shopping” I mean I’m going to buy ALL THE RECORDS). Anyone want to recommend some good SF record stores? I already know about Amoeba.

Since I’ll be spending most of next week in the homeland of Rice-a-roni, only expect one post. Don’t worry. It will be Big and full of great Audio. Seriously, it’s going to by Dynamite.

Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Massive Retaliation (The Super Massive UK Remix)
Massive Retaliation (Shut Up Dub Remix)
I don’t know what to say about this song. Even for a Sigue Sigue Sputnik song, it’s freaking weird. There’s not much to it aside from a sparse beat, a simple bassline, a sample of Beethoven’s Fifth, and completely nonsensical lyrics such as “Hong Kong hit back!”

Hit back who? Who hit them first? I’m so confused!

I’m a fairly big fan of SSS’s 80s albums. Both “Success” and “Sex Bomb Boogie” have earned themselves permanent spots on my workout mix, but I’m still on the fence with these remixes. I hope you all dig them tho.

Curve
Horror Head (Remix)
Falling Free
Mission From God
Today Is Not The Day
If you’re from England then you might have a vague recollection of Curve, as they were moderately popular in the 90s. If you’re from America then you probably thought that I was typing “The Cure” for a second.

If you might recognize this song though. Although maybe you might be more familiar with this remix, as it was in this trailer.

Curve never broke through in the states, which is weird. They had a really good, radio-friendly sound that should have played over great in the Alternative Nation of the early-90s. I really can’t believe that “Horror  Head” never hit it big here. That song is beautiful. I can’t tell you how different this remix is from the original, as I am currently on my laptop, which does not have the original on it. But if I recall, they’re pretty similar. Shit this “remix” might just be the original, but the 12″ I got called it a remix, so I’m sticking with that. The other songs are great too.

 

What exactly would a Mothdoom be?

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Sometimes I come up with themed-post ideas that are so easy to write that my fingers can barely keep up with my thoughts. Other times they’re like this one and are like pulling teeth while trapped underwater.

My next post is going to be as random as shit.

Torch Song
Don’t Look Now (U.K. Mix)
Can’t Find My Way Home (U.K. Mix)
Mothdoom Ecstasy
Torch Song was William Orbit’s band that he formed in the mid-80s along with one Laurie Mayer and Grant Gilbert. From what I could find online, Gilbert later left the group and was replaced by Rico Cunning Conning.

The group never had much success in either Europe nor the states though. They released a few albums, even one in the 1990s well after Orbit’s solo career was established, but none of them ever took off like Orbit’s solo stuff eventually did.

At least some of the other members of Torch Song have found a measure of success outside the group. According to Laurie Mayer’s MySpace (hey, MySpace!) page she continues to sing, and has released at least one solo album since Torch Song disbanded in the 1990s. She also works as a photographer. Rico Conning has fared even better, and has contributed remix work for artists like Depeche Mode and Erasure. As for Gilbert Grant…well your guess is as good as mine. I could not find any information on him online.

To me, William Orbit’s material with Torch Song is far superior to his solo work from the same time period. “Don’t Look Now” and “Can’t Find My Way Home” are both great, cute little pop tunes, while “Mothdoom Ecstasy” is an amazing sprawling tune with excellent guitar work and some super-sexy vocals by Mayer. It’s certainly better than anything off of Orbit’s first album or the early Strange Cargo releases, that’s for sure.

William Orbit
Feel Like Jumping (One Jump Beyond)
Blue Street (Extended Edit)
But don’t take my word for it! Compare and contrast! These songs are fine, but I started this post on Saturday, it’s Monday now and I’ve already forgotten what these songs sound like. Meanwhile, “Don’t Look Now” and “Mothdoom Ecstasy” are each stuck in my head at the same time.

Wilburied Alive

Monday, July 25th, 2011

I planned a super-big, in-depth post tonight, but I’m in physical pain (read on for details) so instead here are some random scraps of awesomeness. Hopefully I’ll be less disabled in a few days.

The Traveling Wilburys
Handle With Care (Extended Version)
End Of The Line (Extended Version)
Not Alone Any More (Remix)
It’s weird to me that the Traveling Wilburys aren’t more fondly remembered, or remembered much at all for that matter. I mean, this was a band with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Roy Orbison (…and Jeff Lynne) but they’re rarely mentioned when people talk about the best music of the 80s. Never mind that their first album is one of the finest examples of pop-rock to come out of the decade.

Well, maybe it’s because their music was out of print for so long. It’s hard for people to discover a band when no one can get a hold of the damn music. In 2007 both of their fantastic albums were finally re-released in a super-convenient  2CD set, and I highly recommend picking it up if you have not. There  even re-issued them in a vinyl box set which I finally picked up this weekend while I was trapped in Toledo. It’s funny, I recall that store trying to sell a used copy of the Wilburys’ first release for over $100 when it was out of print, but I scored the LP box set for a measly $45.

The LP box set sounds great, comes with a bunch of cool books, posters and other nifty stuff, and also includes an exclusive 12″ with bonus tracks and B-sides. Most of these tracks are also on the CD set, but the remixes I’m posting tonight are exclusive to the vinyl-only set.

Sadly, there was no extended dance mix of “Tweeter and the Monkey Man” as that only exists in my dreams.

The Stone Roses
Fools Gold (Rabbit In The Moon’s Message To The Majors)
Fools Gold (Rabbit In The Moon’s Straight Beat Pyrite Dub)
Fools Gold (Grooverider’s Mix)
Today I was working out, doing leg lifts, when I heard something crack in my side. That’s never a good thing. Turns out I sprained a ligament in my ribcage. This happened to me once before, during an aquarium-moving mishap, and you know what? It fucking hurts like hell. I went to the doctor today, hoping to at least get some hardcore painkillers out of the ordeal, but he denied me.

And man, these remixes of “Fools Gold” would totally sound awesome if I was on one pain meds right now, but vodka and V8 are just going to have to do I guess.

These are taken from a 12″ single. The “Grooverider’s Mix” is on a Stone Roses remix compilation, but that version isn’t the same as this version, so I’m including it here.

In A Big Funky

Thursday, July 7th, 2011

Apparently there’s this awesome music site called turntable.fm.

I run a website called Lost Turntable.

Who the hell do I have to talk to get a damn invite to that place? Seems like a travesty of justice to me if I ever heard one.

Big Country
In A Big Country (Live)
I found this on a strange record called Vertigo Sampler. It’s a 2LP sampler, with one label each getting a side. Phonogram got the A-side, Beggars Banquet the B-side, Polygram the C-side and 4AD rounding out the collection with the D-side. That means you get an album with Colourbox, Mark Knopfler, Big Country, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, ABC and The Cult all together. And the whole thing originally cost the price of a 12″ single.

It was probably a great way to expose music fans to new artists they might not hear otherwise, so it’s a safe bet that record companies today would never try it.

According to the linear notes, this live version was recorded in Austin, Texas on March 22nd, 1984.

Herbie Hancock
Chameleon (Special ’83 Dance Remix)
This shit is funky with a capital UNKY.

Okay, so that didn’t make much sense. But that’s how good this jam is, it destroys your ability to form complete sentences. It’s a 14-minute funkgasm that will have you funking the funky night away until you can’t funk no more. If case you were wondering where this funksplosion came from, I found it off of a super-funky 12′ single for “Autodrive.”

Funk.

Belinda Carlisle
Band of Gold (Extended Mix)
Band of Gold (Dub Mix)
Band of Gold (Single Mix)
Most upbeat song about a downbeat topic ever? I think so.

While I get the basic gist of this tune, does anyone know what the hell this song is actually about? I’ve heard two prevailing theories. One, put forth by original singer Freda Payne, is that the woman singing the song is “frigid” and unwilling to consummate the romance on the couple’s wedding night. However, I’ve also heard another theory that it’s about the how the husband is either impotent or gay, and that’s why they can’t get it on. Either way, that’s a weird topic for a disco classic.

These remixes from from a 12″ single, and the also feature Freda Payne as a ringer on backup vocals.

Because 66.5 Days is a Shitty Name for a Movie

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

Thanks everyone for the blog suggestions, as you may notice, the blogroll to the right has been vastly updated and improved tremendously.

And thanks to everyone who recommended Burning The Ground. Now I have blog envy.

John Taylor
I Do What I Do…(Theme For 9 1/2 Weeks) (Film Mix)
I Do What I Do…(Theme For 9 1/2 Weeks) (Extended Club Mix)
Jazz
“I Do What I Do…(Theme For 9 1/2 Weeks)” was nominated for a Razzie (the “awards” for the worst in film) when it came out. And sure, this song isn’t a classic, but worst song from a movie in 1986? It’s not even close. I just think that they wanted to shit all over John Taylor (the bass player from Duran Duran, by the way) because they were jealous of his fabulous hair.

In case you were wondering, the “winner” that year was Prince’s “Love Or Money” from Under The Cherry Moon, while the other nominees included George Harrison’s “Shanghai Surprise” from Shanghai Surprise, “Life in a Looking Glass by Henry Mancini for That’s Life! and Thomas Dolby’s “Howard The Duck” from…Howard The Duck (duh, although wouldn’t have it been awesome if that song was from Maximum Overdrive?).

Okay, first of all, “Howard The Duck” is an awesome track from an even more awesome movie (that’s right, I said it) so the Razzies can go fuck themselves based on that alone.

Secondly, I do recall that Michael Mann’s Manhunter (wow, when you say it like that it sounds really weird) came out that year, and that soundtrack was more than worthy of a Razzie or twenty. Other songs that should have been up for nomination include any non-Queen track from the Iron Eagle soundtrack and any song that was in The Golden Child strictly because of guilt by association.

Anyways, these remixes (as well as the B-side “Jazz”) are from two 12″ singles for the song. I enjoy them in all their cheesy splendor. If nothing else they’re certainly better than the film 9 1/2 Weeks.

Then again, most things are.

Nitzer Ebb
I Give To You (Wilder Mix Full Version)
I Give To You (Elemental)
I Give To You (Pestilence)
Holy shit on a dumptruck this is a great track. Why don’t I own more Nitzer Ebb? I need to fix that. These are all from a 12″ single.

In A Huge Big Country Post

Saturday, June 25th, 2011

Five posts in one week, just like I promised. Let’s end it with a bang.

Big Country
In A Big Country (Pure Mix)
Chance (12 Inch Version)
Fields Of Fire (400 Miles) (Alternative Mix)
The Tracks Of My Tears (Live)
Balcony
Flag Of Nations (Swimming)
Just A Shadow (Extended Mix)
Just A Shadow (7″ Version)
Winter Sky
One Great Thing (Boston Mix)
Song Of The South
One Great Thing (Big Baad Country Mix)
Look Away (Outlaw Mix)
Giant
Wonderland (Extended Mix)
Heart And Soul
Lost Patrol (Live)
Man, that’s a lot of Big Country. Some of these are reposts, but I recently recorded them with better equipment, so if you did download them in the past I still suggest downloading them again. The majority are new, however, recent finds by me when someone sold their entire Big Country collection at Jerry’s Records last week.

Now, let me break these down. The first four tracks are from the Japanese EP of “Fields Of Fire.” The live version of “The Tracks Of My Tears” is not the same version that’s on one of Big Country’s live albums.

The two B-sides “Balcony” and “Flag Of Nations (Swimming)” are from the “Harvest Home” 12″ single. The two versions of “Just a Shadow” are from that song’s 12″ single, as is the B-side “Winter Sky.” I have two different versions of the single to “One Great Thing” which is where I grabbed those remixes, as well as “Song Of The South” and the “Look Away (Outlaw Mix).”

“Giant” is from the UK version of the “Wonderland” single, and it’s basically an instrumental version of the album cut “All Fall Together.” The final three tracks are from the Japanese version of the “Wonderland” single.

Enjoy and I’ll see you all next week.

The 80s Were Kind of Fucked Up

Thursday, June 23rd, 2011

The next time I promise to do five posts in one week I’m going to stick to stupid dance music that I can talk about in 100 words or less.

The Bunburys
Fight (No Matter How Long)
This is the kind of weird, stupid shit I can only find at Jerry’s Records. I got this track off of a 12″ promo single. The single had no art, just a label that read the following:

“In the tradition of famous pseudonyms like Dr. Winston O’Boogie, George Harrysong, Klark Kent, The Glimmer Twins, Suzy and The Red Stripes, Lord Chocice, and The Barbusters comes The Bunburys. The lead vocalist and guitarist on this track is a core artist on rock radio, who is currently at a crossroads at his career. One listen and the mystery will be solved.”

Oooh! So mysterious! That label is right though, as soon as you start playing this record it’s more than obvious that the singer/guitarist in question is none other than Eric Clapton (as if the whole “Crossroads” reference on the label wasn’t hint enough).

What’s weird about this is that the label makes no mention of the other artists who make up The Bunburys. This was actually not a side-project or pseudonym for Clapton, he’s just a guest on the track. Actually, The Bunburys was a pseudonym for The Bee Gees.

Details on how and why the Bee Gees decided to record as The Bunburys are a little hard to come by, although this site fills in the details good enough. Apparently it was their manager David English’s idea. He was working on a children’s cartoon that taught the importance of teamwork and…um…cricket to impressionable young Britons and he had The Bee Gees created a theme song for the show. That track, “We Are The Bunburys,” was was released as a single in 1986.

Now, what I can’t find out is how/why they decided to re-release the single in 1988, with this decidedly non-children’s song as the B-side. I also cannot find out how the hell Eric Clapton got involved, and I certainly can’t decipher exactly how or why this track ended up on the soundtrack to the 1988 Olympics.

I’m just going to chalk it all up to “wtf 80s” and be done with it. I can’t think about this stuff too much, it makes my brain hurt.

Wall Of Voodoo
Do It Again (Extended Mix)
Do It Again (Bonus Beats)
Do It Again (Single Version)
Do It Again (Dub Mix)
Further proof of my “wtf 80s” hypothesis.

This is a cover of a Beach Boys song by Wall Of Voodoo, or at least the band that was calling themselves Wall of Voodoo in the late 80s (lead singer Stan Ridgway and two other members of the classic line-up had left the band by this point). I was a child in the 80s, and while I do recall a prevailing theme of 1950s nostalgia throughout the entire decade, even that can’t explain how something as batshit crazy as this manages to will itself into existence.

Even more out there, Brian fucking Wilson from the Beach Boys appeared in the video, which is so freaky and trippy that I’m surprised it didn’t make the poor bastard relapse into another psychotic episode.

Radio Friendly Pop Music

Monday, June 20th, 2011

It is day two of “Mavs Victory Lap” week at Lost Turntable, where I post almost everyday in celebration of LeBron James’ lack of a four quarter.

Today, music that one would never associate with professional sports.

Squarepusher
4026 Melt 1
4026 Melt 3
4026 Melt 4
4026 Melt 5
4026 Melt 6
Die-hard Squarepusher fans have my utmost respect, because that dude changes genres more often than I change clothes. He’s done acid house, acid jazz, IDM, drum and bass, glitch, ambient and industrial/noise – sometimes all on the same album, or even the same song. Shit, he even has an album that’s nothing but electronic bass solos. Appropriately enough, said album is called Solo Electric Bass 1, (the “1” is somewhat troubling).

One of his more critically-acclaimed and somewhat more accessible records was his 2006 release Hello Everything. Some versions of this record included a bonus 3″ CD EP called Vacuum Tracks, which is where the above songs originally appeared.

Now, while Hello Everything is a diverse and at times very melodic album, Vacuum Tracks is not. Do you like drone? Well then, you’ll be in monotone heaven with these five cuts. If you like, oh I don’t know, melody, notes, beats, anything resmbling something that might be considered music one would enjoy listening to on a regular basis, then you might want to pass on these oddities. (I listened to this EP once, I don’t think I ever will again.) Still, someone out there loves this shit, and for that person – I am here.

Björk
Where Is The Line (Fantômas Mix)
Where Is The Line (Matmos Rubber Band Remix)
Where Is The Line (Soft Pink Truth Glow Stick Museum Remix)
Who Is It (Vitalic Mix)
One of my friends is moving and she’s trying to unload some of her records (blasphemy!). When anyone I know (and several people I don’t know) attempt this, I am usually called in to go through the lot and determine if they have anything of value. Most of her records, while totally fucking awesome, weren’t of note to serious collectors.

But near the back of her crate were two white-label Björk 12″ with no identifying markers. These weren’t for sale, but she wanted me to record them. After noting that the singles consisted mostly of “Where Is The Line” remixes, I was able to use their running times to figure out the song titles. These remixes were never “officially” released outside of these 12″ singles, which were limited to about 400 copies each. Now, my friend is not a die-hard record collector like me, so I had to ask her where she found these records. Her response: “fucking Iceland.”

So the moral of this story is that if you want crazy rare Björk, then you have to go to the source.

Side note: the Fantômas mix is by Mike Patton and fucking sounds like it, so adjust your volume accordingly.