It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

I thought since this week Orbital released there first album in eight years it was as good a time as any and look back at where it all started for probably the finest live techno act ever. I have always been amazed at the atmosphere being created by 2 guys and a wall of technology.

The groundbreaking Chime was first released on Oh'Zone Records in 1989 but was quickly picked up by FFRR,  reached number 17 in the UK charts which earned them an appearance on Top Of The Pops and the rest as they say is history.

This still sounds as good now as it did twenty two, yes twenty, fucking two years ago.

Have a good Easter weekend people.


Orbital - Chime

It's Friday . . Let's Dance

A few weeks ago I mentioned for me anyway, the long player really didn't work for dance music that it wasn't designed for listening to 10 -14 tracks in a row by the same artist and that I tended to lose interest after maybe four or five tracks. There are the odd exceptions but as a whole I stand by those thoughts.

Another realm where for me dance collectives, duos,  whatever are at their least effective is the live environment. This again is a personal opinion and again their are exceptions.  I can hear people saying  " you're talking shite Drew I saw the Chems, Leftfield or whoever and they were absolutely brilliant " and they probably were but on the whole I get bored watching a few guys behind sequencers, keyboards and laptops producing dance music while the occasional guest vocalist takes to the stage to sing a couple of numbers and head off again.

There is one duo who nailed the live experience with dance music and that is the follically challenged brothers with the light up specs, Orbital. For me, live they are as exciting as any band can be. It has a lot to do with the crowd who are perpetually on a high when Orbital come on and some of it is to do with the light show but without tunes with the power of Chime or Are We Here or the beauty of Belfast the experience would not be there.

A few years ago they released a double cd/dvd set of their legendary Glastonbury performances which although the sound quality is less than perfect in parts on it is as good an illustration of them live as you are ever likely to get without actually being there.

Here is a track from that set which was recorded in 2002.

Orbital - Funny Break (Weekend Ravers)

Glastonbury?

I've never understood the appeal of Glastonbury. Why would you want to fork out a fortune to spend a weekend, filthy, under canvas and see some bands, some of whom formed this century, from half a mile away do half a set?

Sure, in the mid eighties I was up for it but that was because it was still a CND festival and that was the main point, seeing Billy Bragg and others was just incidental. A mate and I even planned our route to Shepton Mallet but decided against it when we realized it would take us about 3 weeks to get their avoiding motorways, 2s up on a Vespa PX125.

Only twice have I ever wished that I had been there. Once was when I heard the Orbital track Impact (live from Glastonbury) on a tape given away free with Select magazine and the second time was when, sitting watching the coverage live on the beeb a few years ago the Chemical Brothers performed The Private Psychedelic Reel.

So good luck to anybody who is there and I wish you godspeed home on Monday hung over and stinking. I will be watching "live" on the beeb with my gin in the cupboard and my ice in the fridge.

Orbital - Impact (The World Is Burning)

The Chemical Brothers - The Private Psychedelic Reel

Dad, Sure Them Cidermen Aren't Real?

A great day was had by all but alas no Rose Tyler. M was particularly scared of the Daleks but was happy that he got to see his favorites, the Sontaran. I don't think that it was the full exhibition though, there was no finale as Mondo mentioned in the previous comments.

I even got to go to Fopp and Oxfam Music.

BBC Radiophonic Workshop - Dr Who Theme

BBC Radiophonic Workshop - Dr Who Theme ( Unreleased U.N.K.L.E Reconstruction)

Orbital - Dr Who

A Break In Transmission

There will be no opinionated rubbish spouted from me for the next few days as I'm off across the water with work for one of my frequent visits to Belfast.

Normal service will resume on Friday.

Until then the finest export from Belfast with a live version recorded at the Glasgow Barrowlands (more of which in the next couple of weeks) of the second single I ever bought. Predictable but what the hell it is an amazing track

Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster

and even more obvious

Orbital - Belfast