OLD SKOOL RAVE/DANCE/TECHNO

Thought I’d start with a mix of Hardcore classics, including some tunes from an array of labels that formed the building blocks of the whole UK dance music scene. Some tunes are more playable than others and some clearly need to be mixed, but this is where it all began…take a look in the Old Skool Rave/Dance/Techno section.

SON’Z OF A LOOP DA LOOP ERA – Far Out

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Artist: Son’z of a Loop Da Loop Era
Track: Far Out
Label: Suburban Base Records
Catalog#: Sub Base 008
Format: Vinyl, 12”
Country: UK
Released: 1991
Credits: Written & Scratched by Danny Break’z, Produced by Danny Break’z & Austin

Another classic straight outta Romford, Essex! The capital of hardcore. The vocal ‘Give yourself to me’ is sampled from 'I Need You Now' by Sinnamon.

RAGGA TWINS – Hooligan 69

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Artist: Ragga Twins
Track: Hooligan 69
Label: Shut Up & Dance
Catalog#: SUAD 5
Format: Vinyl, 12”
Country: UK
Released: 1990
Credits: Produced by Shut Up & Dance, Executive Producers, Smiley and PJ.

Ragga Twins consist of Flinty Badman (Trevor Destouche) and Deman Rocker (David Destouche). Both were respected MC's who starting out in a North London sound system called Unity, before forming the Ragga Twins in early 1990.

Shut Up & Dance, PJ & Smiley's pioneering dance label, was established in 1989 and operated out of 53 Belgrade Rd, Stoke Newington, London, N16. I may have to petition English Heritage to slam a blue plaque on this address.

ORBITAL – Impact U.S.A.

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Artist: Orbital
Track: Impact U.S.A.
Label: ffrr
Catalog#: 697 120 013
Format: Vinyl, 12”
Country: UK
Released: 1993
Credits: Produced by Paul Hartnoll & Phil Hartnoll.

Techno brothers, Paul and Phil Hartnoll, deliver a fine slab of sophisticated, early breakbeat – a far cry from the early days of using their father’s four-track and mastering directly onto cassette.

MI 7 – Rocking Down The House

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Artist: MI 7
Track: Rockin’ Down The House
Label: Chill
Catalog#: TUV 20
Format: Vinyl, 12”
Country: UK
Released: 1991
Credits: Produced, arranged and written by Unlimited Source,

The vocal sample is taken from Adonis, ‘We’re Rocking Down The House’ (Trax Records, 1986). Apparently when Adonis wrote the original, he wanted to make clubbers feel like they were literally ‘rocking down the house’ as they collectively danced to his record. MI 7 clearly retained this vision in their 1991 anthemic recording, ‘Rocking Down The House’. Check it.

BITIN’ BACK – She’s Breaking Up

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Artist: Bitin’ Back
Track: She’s Breaking Up
Label: Fokus
Catalog#: FK002
Format: Vinyl, 12”
Country: US
Released: 1991
Credits: Created by Mickey Finn, Programming & Additional Keyboards, Andy Whitmore.

The intro sample, ‘She's breaking up, she’s breaking up…. Steve Austin, a man barely alive…’ is taken from the opening credits of the cult 70’s American TV series, ‘The Six Million Dollar Man’ – played by Lee Majors. ‘She’s Breaking Up’ is my favourite record from this era.

BLAME – Music Takes You

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Artist: Blame
Track: Music Takes You (original version)
Label: Moving Shadow
Catalog#: Shadow 11
Format: Vinyl, 12”
Country: UK
Released: 1992
Credits: Written by Conrad Shafie, Produced by Rob Playford

The original white label release of ‘Music Takes You’ sampled ‘The Beginning’ by Seal and if I remember correctly, Seal’s lawyers got involved preventing the use of his material for the official Moving Shadow release. What an arse, Seal should have just OK'd the vocal sample, which would have in-turn ingrained him firmly in the minds of thousands of highly 'impressionable' (cough) hardcore ravers, thus boosting his career and record sales. I mean, where is he now?

ZERO B - 'Lock Up'

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Artist: Zero B
Track: Lock Up (monolith mix)
Label: ffrreedom (a sister label of FFRR and a division of London Records)
Catalog#: TABX 102
Format: Vinyl, 12”, EP
Country: UK
Released: 1992
Credits: Written, Produced and Arranged by Zero B

SATIN STORM – ‘Satin Storm 1999’

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Artist: Satin Storm
Track: Satin Storm 1999
Label: Satin Storm
Catalog#: SSP 2 01
Format: Vinyl, 12”
Country: UK
Released: 1991
Credits: Written by Travis Edwards

Satin Storm was an independent label releasing music by... yes, you've guessed it... Satin Storm ... a label no doubt set up and run by Mr. Travis Edwards himself. 'Satin Storm 1999' is another classic that was a refreshing change at the time. This was/is breakbeat (not hardcore), except at the time there was not enough music like this around for the need to coin a new genre. As programming diversified, this obviously changed and the likes of Drum & Bass and Breakbeat emerged...

NATION 12 – ‘Listen To The Drummer’

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Artist: Nation 12
Track: Listen To The Drummer (B-Side to Remember)
Label: Rhythm King Records
Catalog#: EBU 1
Format: Vinyl, 12”
Country: UK
Released: 1990
Credits: Written by Tim Simenon/Foxx.

Nation 12 were comprised of Dennis Leigh, Kurt Rogers, Simon Rogers and Tim Simenon. 'Listen To The Drummer' samples ‘Welcome To The Terrordome’ by Public Enemy and ‘Human Beat Box’ by Fat Boys. I'm not going to go into boring muzo detail about the significance of this record, but it was truly ahead of its time and will remain a hardcore favourite of mine.

THE CLEPTO-MANIACS – ‘Positive Feedback’

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Artist: The Clepto-Maniacs
Track: Positive Feedback (climax mix – taken from The Positive Feedback EP)
Label: Fokus U.K.
Catalog#: FKUK 008
Format: Vinyl, 12”
Country: UK
Released: 1992
Credits: Created, mixed and arranged by Toby Grafty-Smith & Tin Tin. Programmed and Engineered at MNT Studios, Executive Producer D.A.D. THE CLEPTO-MANIACS – ‘Positive Feedback’

SL2 – ‘The Noise’

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Artist: SL2
Track: The Noise (Original version)
Label: XL
Catalog#: XLT-24
Format: Vinyl, 12”
Country: UK
Released: 1991
Credits: Written, produced and mixed by Slipmatt and Lime (real names Matthew Edward Nelson & John Fernandez). Engineered by Alan Zipper of New Age Productions.

Top tune! SL2 are apparently back – check http://www.myspace.com/thesl2

TIMEBASE feat. Kromozone – ‘Fireball’

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Artist: Timebase feat. Kromozone
Track: Fireball
Label: Boogie Times Records
Catalog#: B003
Format: Vinyl, 12”, Promo
Country: UK
Released: 1990
Credits: Written and produced by Mr. Time and DJ Krome. Recorded and mixed at SubBase studios.

A track with an unmistakable wicked sample; "No one can compete, coz I heat like a fireball!" – bring it... makes me want to stick my head in a base bin!

LENNY DE ICE – ‘We are I.E’

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Artist: Lenny De Ice
Track: We are I.E.
Label: I.E Records
Catalog#: I.E. 001 - RTOR
Format: Vinyl, 12”, white label, stamped
Country: UK
Released: 1991
Credits: Stamped with phone number 0850-327 336.

'We are I.E.' is on occasion mis-credited to Reel II Reel (real name John Aymer) when in fact Reel II Reel were largely responsible for putting out the first release of Lennie De Ice's seminal dance record. (I.E. Records was a Reel II Reel label).

THE PRODIGY - 'Android'

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Artist: The Prodigy
Track: Android
Label: XL Recordings
Catalog#: XLT-17
Format: Vinyl,12”
Country: UK
Released: 1991
Credits: Written, Produced & Mixed by Liam Howlett

The Prodigy started out as a solo outfit fronted by talented producer, Liam Howlett (then aged only 19) and this was The Prodigy's first excursion onto vinyl. The Prodigy official line-up eventually became Liam on keyboards and Leeroy Thornhill, Keith Flint and Sharky as dancers. Maxim was recruited at short notice to MC their debut gig at Labrynth in Dalston, East London. Sharky (dancer) left the group in 1990 after they got their record deal with XL, as she didn't want to devote more time to the band. The Prodigy briefly used the pseudonym Earthbound (6) (named after Liam's studio) for the original white-label releases of One Love in the summer of 1993. Leeroy (dancer) left the band in 2000.

The tracks on this EP – 'Android', 'Everybody In The Place' and 'What Evil Lurks' – became massive rave anthems and typify the tough sound emanating from Essex at the time. (Reference; N-Joi, Fantasy U.F.O, D Zone Records etc). Back in 1991, whilst exploring Thailand as a fresh faced teenager, just outta school, I was lucky enough to DJ at a Full Moon Party on Sunset beach, Koh Pa Ngan. There were no turntables, we all made do with tape decks and cassettes and one of the tracks I had the pleasure of dropping was ‘Android’.

Approximately 7,000 copies of the original were pressed. Due to high demand, a lot of bootlegs are in circulation. The official release comes in a typical silver and black XL Recording's house sleeve. All original copies have 'THE EXCHANGE' engraving in the run out groove of the vinyl. If this is not engraved, I’m afraid to say, it’s a fake record (even if it comes in an original sleeve). The EP has been officially reissued to commemorate the15th Anniversary of XL Recordings and I think it’s seriously worth tracking down a copy.

SYMPHONY SOUND - 'Pennywise'

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Artist: Symphony Sound
Track: Pennywise
Label: Symphony Sound Records
Catalog#: SYM003
Format: Vinyl,12”
Country: UK
Released: 1992
Credits: Mastered by Porky, Mixed/Produced by Neuromancer

An absolute classic of the pirates and raves from 1992. Check the broader than Broadway bass drop halfway though the record. I think the vocal sample, "they all float down here", is taken from Stephen King’s horror movie, IT (featuring a clown called Pennywise). Coulrophobia sufferers, watch out.

THE HOUSE CREW - 'Keep The Fire Burning'

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Artist: The House Crew
Track: Keep The Fire Burning
Label: Production House
Catalog#: PNT 029A
Format: Vinyl,12”
Country: UK
Released: 1991
Credits:

Track samples; "cut the midrange, drop the bass" is taken from 'All We Wanna Do Is Dance' (The Message) by The House Crew. "Got to keep the fire burning" is lifted from 'Day Dreaming' by Baby D (both Production House tracks). Also "why don't you move, dammit?" is sampled from 'Ring My Bell' by Monie Love vs Adeva. At first, The House Crew was just the pseudonym for the label's own in-house production team. After the success of 'Keep The Fire Burning', Floyd Dyce settled on the House Crew alias and had more hits with 'We Are Hardcore' (a collaboration with Acen) and 'The Theme'. Original member and frontman, Nino, went on to write, produce and remix hits for Baby D, Eternal, Peter Andre, Darkman, D.M.S., Sarah Cracknell (from Saint Etienne), X-static and Acen.

DJ EDGE - 'Compnded'

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Artist: DJ Edge
Track: Compnded
Label: Edge Records
Catalog#: EDGE 01
Format: Vinyl,12”
Country: UK
Released: 1992

DJ Edge (real name Gordon Matthewman) is still going strong as a renowned House Producer, DJ and Trumpet player. www.gordonedge.com www.myspace.com/djgordonedge
DJ Edge is not credited on the record. Re-presses of this record have an 0171 telephone number on the label. Absolute classic, still getting licensed today!

4 HERO - 'Mr. Kirk's Nightmare'

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Artist: 4 Hero
Track: Mr. Kirks Nightmare (from Combat Dancin’ EP)
Label: Reinforced
Catalog#: RIVET 1202
Format: Vinyl, Limited Edition EP, 12”
Country: UK
Released: 1991
Credits: Arranged by Mark Mac, Mastered by Reinforced Gus, Producer, 4 Hero, Written by Rebel, The, D. McFarlane, Reinforced Gus, Mark Mac

4 Hero (real names; Mark Clair & Dennis McFarlane) formed in 1989 in Dollis Hill, London, United Kingdom. Part of the scene from the very beginning, also founded the label Reinforced (amongst others). The ‘Give The Drummer Some’ sample is from 'Get Into Something' by The Isley Brothers. ‘Mr. Kirk... your son is dead...’ is lifted from 'Once You Understand' by Think.