Terranova Featuring Manuel Goettsching - Tokyo Tower (AGV 015) 1997

Never really checked out much Terranova stuff, but this is a real gem. Remember this was quite limited at the time, although I believe it has been released on a compilation they stuck out. It features the mighty Manuel Goettsching, he formally of krautrock legends Ash Ra Temple. He lends his infinite guitar sound to both sides with a jazzy backdrop of shuffling brushes and walking bass lines over 2 pretty tripped out tracks. The man is selective in his collaborations and the two influences work really well here. It doesn’t seem like one of those corny tribute type guest appearance things (who said Alan Vega!) but a real collaboration. Another one I had forgotten about, I used to play ‘Tokyo Tower’ as my first track of the night. Sounds great really loud.

Despite the legend of Ash Ra Temple, it’s Goettsching’s solo ‘E2 E4’ that tops my list. A 45 minute trance groove in the proper sense of the word, it was famously sampled for the Balearic / acid house classic ‘Sueno Latino’ although Carl Crag was one of the many who used it. Distinctly remember the first time I heard it at one of those classic ‘back to mine’ moments after a club night. Until the turn of the 90’s I still had that anti prog rock thing that anyone growing up in the post punk generation did. Then the Orb and the likes came along and a rediscovery of Brian Eno, Krautrock and Dub, although I still despise ELP, Genesis and Yes. ‘E2 E4’ is the soundtrack to that memory. Not too sure where my vinyl copy is and when I find it and I will post it, although no guarantees on a time frame. In the meantime this will do.

A1 Tokyo Tower

B1 Clone

O'Neill - No Flies On Frank (ART16) 1998

Now get this – a collaboration between O’Neill, formally of The Undertones and the mighty Kevin Shields of leftfield soundtracky trip hop released on an underground French house music label!!!

Always been perplexed why those obsessive My Bloody Valentine collectors haven’t picked up on this, because even though it has O’Neill’s name, the music has Shield’s name written all over it. In hindsight if you listen to that little 7” they gave out with ‘Isn’t Anything’ with the hip hop groove and then this, you will see a similarity. However this also has a John Barry feel to the whole EP, kind of what Barry would do nowadays to a James Bond soundtrack, as opposed to the unoriginal rehashes of David Arnold.

Not too sure what to make of My Bloody Valentine in 2009 / 2010. Although they were one of those life changing bands for me and I saw them tons ‘back in the day’, this whole reformation is just a pay check day as it is for everyone else on the circuit now. I hope I am wrong but I doubt that a new album will appear, probably just a much needed compilation with a few unreleased moments. Good luck to them anyway. Don’t think that they made much money on Creation and they don’t seem to get on too well with their old label boss McGee now, but does any ex Creation artists?

There is little to no info on the web about this 4 track EP. You may see more Kevin Shields remixes on Afrotronica. Really loved a lot of his remix work in the late 90’s, and some seem to have been long forgotten, a bit like this.

Big ups to the Artefact label too. Over the years they have always pushed the boat out more than most dance labels with the likes of the aforementioned EP as well as afrobeat and ambient releases.

A1 Early Morning Surprise
A2 Moon Tide
B1 Spook
B2 Creme Fraiche

Rhys Chatham & Martin Wheeler – Neon (NTONE 15) 1997

Now this is a strange record, but wonderfully so. Released on short lived Ninja Tune offshoot in a silver foil sleeve, I'm sure I picked this up in the now defunct Stereo 1 records in Paisley. Back then I worked in the newspaper business and was mainly based in Paisley. There were 4 independent record shops to choose from, including the newly established Rub A Dub. Where Rub A Dub stocked the rarest of techno, Stereo 1 was big on the original progressive house sound but had loads of unusual experimental and ambient rarities that GlasgowGlasgow now. stores couldn't compete with. It goes without saying that all these shops are gone now, although Rub A Dub is firmly established in

Anyway, back to the rip. A very unusual collaboration with Martin Wheeler (later of electro-housers Vector Lovers) and legendary New York No Wave guitarist Rhys Chatham. Chatham worked with the likes of La Monte Young in his early years, moving onto running legendary leftfield music space The Kitchen before being a key member of the post no wave scene that included Glen Branca and Sonic Youth. Saw him in the mid 90's at Glasgow's Kings Theatre with his 100 guitarist performance. Quite a surreal night with a concerto based around an orchestra of 100 guitarists (all picked locally) taking place in a venue normally associated with pantomimes and light entertainment. There were 99 male guitarists and 1 female and she got pride of place at the front. The music I remember was amazing - despite the size of the orchestra there were tranquil pieces as well as moments that recalled the aforementioned Sonic Youth. Bit proggy in places too - a touch of King Crimson. Would love to get hold of a recording from that night. Anyone?

Despite that big waffle, this rip is on a completely different tip. Rhys is also a trumpet player and on this collaboration he goes for that mid 70's Miles funky wah wah sound over electronic grooves. Way too leftfield to be considered trip-hop at the time and with strong world music rhythms, its closest comparison is the mighty 'My Life in A Bush Of Ghosts'. Somebody told me there was an album release later on, but this is all I’ve seen.

A1 Charm 5:21

A2 Hornithology 4:28

B1 Ramatek 5:52

B2 Neon 6:33