It's 1989. The first time I hear Soul II Soul, it's this beat coming out of the stereo - it's a beat that launched a thousand imitators, with that bicycle bell sound, and the percussion and bongos panning all over the place. It's so damn funky (in a laid back kind of way) that I'm held rapt. Then these epic piano riffs start rolling, and suddenly this beautiful voice is singing "however do you want me, however do you need me". The bassline kicks in, and for the next seven minutes I'm in heaven. It's a remarkably minimal tune - the beat and bass, some piano, a few string fills and the delicious voice of Caron Wheeler. It's a testament to the strength of the song, so catchy, so soulful. Back in the day everybody I played it to loved it - even people who ordinarily wouldn't be having it smiled and were seduced by Jazzie B and his crew's sunny positivity and multi-culti funkiness. The ensuing album Club Classics Vol.1 AKA Keep On Moving was played to death - next single Keep On Moving is also pretty close to perfect - and though they had a few choice moments after it they never quite reached the greatness of their debut. Anyway, here is the 12" version (remixed by Nellee Hooper and Jazzie B) of Back To Life, seven and something minutes of funky Friday goodness.
NEWS! - Siouxsie! - Go!Team - Tom Verlaine!
Siouxsie & The Banshees' back catalogue gets the remastered and expanded treatment - it's about time! Can't wait to get my hands on these - just look at the second disc of stuff on The Scream - 16 tracks!
The Go! Team signs with Columbia Records. They will be reissuing their spectacular debut Thunder, Lightning, Strike on September 27th with bonus tracks of course - jeez, don't you just hate that!?! I splurged on the import too.
Tom Verlaine signs with Thrill Jockey records, gets set to release two records - one instrumental, one vocal. These should be pretty interesting...
2 comments:
I knew you'd be psyched about that - I'm with you on the Siouxsie kickin' more than The Cure too, altho' I do loves me a bit of the old Cure now and again.
Thanks for posting the Soul II Soul. That was a nice trip down memory lane for me. I remember having that album on cassette some years ago, and playing it 'til it popped.
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