037|09:02:92|James 'Born Of Frustration'

 

This really was very Simple Minds influenced wasn't it? I don't think I ever noticed at the time. This was the lead track from the Seven album which was probably when they were at their peak in terms of popularity. They were one of my first steps into indie style music and so I guess began to shape my future musical taste.

 

UK Chart peak: #13

Do I still listen to it? Yes as part of their decent best of album.

Like many people I only really noticed James when Sit Down became a big hit. But I checked out their earlier material and it's really good. Always a good live band particularly when doing an acoustic set.

 

038|16:02:92|Shakespear's Sister 'Stay'

 

Huge single from 1992 and the time when Siobhan Fahey finally managed to eclipse anything she achieved with Bananarama. Marcella Detroit was actually just the backing singer in the band despite getting the main vocal on this track and I've always thought Siobhan seems slightly peed off that their biggest hit primarily featured someone other than herself. Still, at least she stole the video. That is until French and Saunders did their own take on it...

 

UK Chart peak: #1

Do I still listen to it? Yes. I've always thought this was very much a cut above most other long staying UK #1s.

038|16:02:92|Shakespear's Sister 'Stay'

 

Huge single from 1992 and the time when Siobhan Fahey finally managed to eclipse anything she achieved with Bananarama. Marcella Detroit was actually just the backing singer in the band despite getting the main vocal on this track and I've always thought Siobhan seems slightly peed off that their biggest hit primarily featured someone other than herself. Still, at least she stole the video. That is until French and Saunders did their own take on it...

 

UK Chart peak: #1

Do I still listen to it? Yes. I've always thought this was very much a cut above most other long staying UK #1s.

I always thought of this song as a perfect cure for insomnia. Sorry :(

Like many people I only really noticed James when Sit Down became a big hit. But I checked out their earlier material and it's really good. Always a good live band particularly when doing an acoustic set.

James Best Of with the flowers on the second album I ever bought, their early stuff was brilliant.

James Best Of with the flowers on the second album I ever bought, their 80s and 90s stuff was brilliant.

That's the one I bought too. Although I stuck to the single disc version for once as I thought I'd never listen to it if the best songs were spread over 2 cds, did I miss out then? :(

I have to add at this point that I'm really enjoying seeing Mark post, it's like old times. ^_^

James Best Of with the flowers on the second album I ever bought, their early stuff was brilliant.

Does that include songs like Hymn From A Village?

 

:wub:

 

Haha. You should make sure I'm drunk more often. I'd usually just lurk.

 

TWO WEEKS TIL UNI.

 

039|22:03:92|Erasure 'Breath Of Life'

 

No surprises here then... the final single from Chorus and possibly the best track on it, further emphasising their consistency in this era. I won't go into detail as I'm conscious that everyone else is probably bored of them appearing by now :blush:

 

UK Chart peak: #8

Do I still listen to it? NEVER... yes, of course I do.

Haha. You should make sure I'm drunk more often. I'd usually just lurk.

 

TWO WEEKS TIL UNI.

I'd forgotten you were still at uni actually, all your talk of work made me think you'd finished. :o

039|22:03:92|Erasure 'Breath Of Life'

 

No surprises here then... the final single from Chorus and possibly the best track on it, further emphasising their consistency in this era. I won't go into detail as I'm conscious that everyone else is probably bored of them appearing by now :blush:

 

UK Chart peak: #8

Do I still listen to it? NEVER... yes, of course I do.

Bored of Erasure? Certainly not.

 

040|12:04:92|L7 'Pretend We're Dead'

 

I'll finish this evening with this one as it flies in the face of everything else I used to listen to at the time, it still surprises me that I liked it so much back then. I guess this was me trying out more alternative music by this point although that still doesn't fully surface for another couple of years. This is one of those tracks I will always dance to on the rare occasion it gets played on a retro rock night.

 

UK Chart peak: #21

Do I still listen to it? Sometimes, it's an oddity as I say, heavier than virtually anything I've listened to before or since.

I'd forgotten you were still at uni actually, all your talk of work made me think you'd finished. :o

Placement year.

 

I got a final level warning, don't you know?

 

:(

 

Stupid company paying for nights out on a THURSDAY!

A final level warning? That's bad. :o :(

 

How did you manage that when you were doing so well? You imply it is drink related...

040|12:04:92|L7 'Pretend We're Dead'

 

I'll finish this evening with this one as it flies in the face of everything else I used to listen to at the time, it still surprises me that I liked it so much back then. I guess this was me trying out more alternative music by this point although that still doesn't fully surface for another couple of years. This is one of those tracks I will always dance to on the rare occasion it gets played on a retro rock night.

 

UK Chart peak: #21

Do I still listen to it? Sometimes, it's an oddity as I say, heavier than virtually anything I've listened to before or since.

I don't own it but it's a decent enough song.

A final level warning? That's bad. :o :(

 

How did you manage that when you were doing so well? You imply it is drink related...

 

 

Unfortunately, yes. It was paid for work night out on a Thursday (a Thursday - who does that?!) and there were quite a few of us out until the early hours (about half 3) and none of us spent anything as senior management were plying us with various drinks and cocktails. Me and my mate were doing the early shift that week so we had to be at work by 7. I live 5 miles away, he lives more than twice as far. We decided when we left a club that the best thing to do would be to sleep in the office reception as we'd got the keys to the office as neither of us were going to be in for 7. This was deemed worthy of being serious gross misconduct and we both got final level warnings, which stays on our record for a year, and during that time we're not allowed to apply for any jobs inside the organisation, and that anything else which wasn't good behaviour would cause us to be dismissed. Luckily I'm on a placement which finishes on September 10th, all I wanted was to not get fired as I'd have to tell my parents then!

 

I felt pretty $h!t about it after and do regret it, but at the same time I think the severity of it is pathetic. Everyone has heard about people sleeping in reception in the past, don't organise expenses paid for nights out on a Thursday, and don't let senior management pay over £500 on drinks for the night which they then claim back on expenses!

 

Since it happened I've had three bits of recognition sent to my boss who's sent them all to the boss of the office. My direct boss thinks it's ridiculous, the main boss would quite happily have got rid of us both, no one likes her anyway. I've definitely enjoyed working for a year, I've met some great friends and I'm definitely in a better position to find work after I graduate, I do think I'm very good at my job.

 

031|18:08:91|PM Dawn 'Set Adrift On Memory Bliss'

 

This was my introduction to what you could (very) loosely term as urban music and possibly my first realisation of sampling also. This track featured a sample from Spandau Ballet's 'True' and used it to good effect. I suspect I am probably the only person ever to keep a personal chart where PM Dawn actually have managed more than one #1 but they amazingly have... I almost suspect I'm one of the few people who could even name more than one track by them, nevermind about like them!

 

UK Chart peak: #2

Do I still listen to it? Not really but I do still quite like it.

This and Reality Used To Be A Friend OF Mine were popular round my way.

 

035|22:12:91|The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette 'Justified And Ancient (Stand By The Jams)'

 

God I adore this still. It's utterly bonkers but it remains one of my favourite singles of all time, annoyingly held from being #1 by that bloody Bohemian Rhapsody monstrosity (unpopular opinion, I know). The lovely Tammy was drafted in for this revised single version of one of the albums highlights and they changed the whole structure to suit her and had her coming in to save the Jams in some sort of mythical country and western saviour in an ice cream van. Just perfect, make mine a 99 indeed.

 

UK Chart peak: #2

Do I still listen to it? HELL YES. Every day if I could!

I miss my old KLF T-Shirt. They never released a bad single, even when they were sampling Whitney

 

040|12:04:92|L7 'Pretend We're Dead'

 

I'll finish this evening with this one as it flies in the face of everything else I used to listen to at the time, it still surprises me that I liked it so much back then. I guess this was me trying out more alternative music by this point although that still doesn't fully surface for another couple of years. This is one of those tracks I will always dance to on the rare occasion it gets played on a retro rock night.

 

UK Chart peak: #21

Do I still listen to it? Sometimes, it's an oddity as I say, heavier than virtually anything I've listened to before or since.

You're practically in my territory here :o

Genuinely suprised you went for this

I have to add at this point that I'm really enjoying seeing Mark post, it's like old times. ^_^

Ditto

Plus I like the fact he has his own thread in what is effectively the opposition :lol:

Edited September 5, 201015 yr by Severin