a CD Single Man

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Well... 

"When the flag's coming down and the Last Post sounds, just like a love song for the way I feel about you.  Paradise's not lost, it's in you." 

No, don't worry, I'm not going back to the start of the alphabet to begin again.  It's just that there's been a last minute addition to my CD singles.  When Blur announced the release of new material earlier this year, hardcore fans petitioned EMI for it to be released on CD.  For once, the record company listened and agreed to put out a limited CD single. 

I couldn't pass up the chance to buy Under The Westway - one of the most beautiful tracks of the year - on the format that I love.  My pre-ordered copy turned up this week, just in time to close my blog series.  It's breaking my own rules going right back to the letter B.  I can't think of a better way to finish, or a more fitting track. 

If this actually turns out to be the last CD single that I ever buy, I'll be happy.  But I really frigging hope it isn't.  It's been an absolute pleasure to have shared such an important part of my record collection, my life and all my experiences; emotional, cathartic, bitter sweet at times, but an amazingly enjoyable musical journey. 

I've been a CD Single Man, this is my final track. 

Goodnight xx 

[acdsingleman]

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Battlecreek III, released on Illicit Recordings in 2002, is the final of my Various Artists CD singles (but not quite my last post...).  

As a lifelong Star Wars fan, it was the cover that first appealed to me, then the inclusion of a track by The Nextmen that convinced me to buy it.  The epic, sample-strewn slice of big beat turntablism Theme From 17 from Kings Of The Wild Frontier (about whom I can tell you very little) was the stand-out track for me once I listened to it though. 

Despite the opening sample of this track, I'll forever associate the CD single with moving to, and getting to know, the city of Bristol (indeed, Battlecreek III also included a track by Bristol's own Boca 45).  The increase in my disposable income at that time, along with access to some excellent record shops (all now sadly closed) meant that my collection of CD singles, as well as the breadth of my musical taste, underwent another rapid expansion that I'll forever associate with the city.  I'm very proud to have called Bristol my home ever since.

[acdsingleman]

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I'm not sure why I didn't select an Interpol track when I was back at my Is, but this is as good an opportunity so here goes... 

Originally on Interpol's incredibly rare Precipitate EP, Song Seven was also selected for Fierce Panda Records' appallingly-named compilation Clooney Tunes.  Released in the summer of 2000 as a sample of 6 hotly-tipped North American acts, Interpol's was arguably the stand-out track on this CD single, and of all the acts, they've probably been the most successful too. 

"Here I wish I could just see it, the love, the hate, the things that separate."

[acdsingleman]

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Fierce Panda Records' irregular series of 6 track compilations make up the majority of the CD singles that I have filed under Various Artists. 

From 1999's Otter Than July, this track Sugar is exactly one sixth of the entire recorded output of the Kenickie-offshoot band Rosita.  It's looking this series may (eventually) end on a bit of an indie tip...

[acdsingleman]

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I didn't start this blog series with an act beginning with A so I'm certainly not going to let it finish at the letter Z.  At the end of my collection were those CD singles made up of multiple artists that didn't comfortably sit anywhere else.  I had mine filed roughly in chronological order, starting with the Help EP from 1995. 

Recorded in 24 hours and released within a week to raise money for the charity Warchild, the Help album was the high watermark of Britpop (especially set against the misery of Blur vs Oasis).  It was released the day I moved out of my parents' house, originally for higher education but, as it turned out, for good.  I bought the album en route to my new lodgings, listening to it for the first time as I unpacked what was then a rather meagre CD collection. 

The quality of material is still overwhelmingly high 17 years on, but its release was poignant to me as it featured the first new recording of Manic Street Preachers since the disappearance of Richey Edwards, as well as brand new tracks by Blur, Suede and Radiohead.  It's the latter's Lucky (Warchild) that featured on the Help EP.  Despite also including new versions of tracks by PJ Harvey and Guru, as well an exclusive instrumental from Portishead, I'm still appalled by how few copies of this CD single were actually bought.

[acdsingleman]

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With all due respect to Adam and Johnny Blake, it would be fitting if I brought my musical journey to a close with a track by an act that not only includes Stuart Price as a member, but one which he has then expertly remixed too. 

Under his various pseudonyms, Stuart's featured throughout my CD singles as I've ripped and shared them with the world this last year.  I must have gone on about him enough already as my friends who recently got married bought me the above pictured t-shirt (amazing!). 

Whether Grey Day (Paper Faces Remix) is the last ever track that I post does remain to be seen (clue: it probably isn't) so I'll just end with the succinct list of acts beginning with Z who I own CD singles by: Zombie Nation and Zoot Woman.

[acdsingleman]

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I may have half as many acts filed under Z than both X and Y but I'm going to be posting twice as many tracks (and, *spoiler alert*, they're both by Zoot Woman). 

In just under 12 months, I've posted 225 incredibly subjective blog posts and almost as many dubiously selected tracks.  I've had countless plays and reblogs, gained a fair few followers, and it's all ending with a pair of tracks by a trio from Reading.  That just happen to one of my favourite acts. 

Living In A Magazine is, for me, where Zoot Woman went from idle curiosity to full-on pop genius and I've made it my duty to share them with the world ever since.  It also consolidated the importance of Stuart Price in my record collection, but more on that tomorrow… 

"Find yourself between the lines, understand the change in you. Keep a smile with fame in your eye.  Paper faces for a paper girl."

[acdsingleman]

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You don't get many CD singles with bonus or secret tracks, so it's delightful to find tucked away as a sneaky, unlisted, track 5 on Yo La Tengo's Little Honda EP a rather splendid live version of the Hoboken band's Beach Boys cover. 

There are slightly more Y acts in my collection than there were Xs: Yeah Yeah Yeahs; Yellow Magic Orchestra; Yo La Tengo; Young Heart Attack & Younger Younger 28s.

[acdsingleman]

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X-Ecutioners' It's Goin' Down (featuring Mike Shinoda and Mr. Hahn of Linkin Park no less!) may not have dated that well.  Tucked away on its b-side however, was the turntablists' take on the timeless electro classic Play That Beat, rather finely remixed by a CD Single Man favourites Lo-Fidelity All Stars. 

I have more acts filed under X than I remember, being able to choose today's track from CD singles released by: Richard X featuring Kelis; X-Ecutioners; J. Xaverre; X-Press 2 & Xzibit.

[acdsingleman]

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Even though yesterday's Triumph had a bee-buzzing Clean Version, releasing a 6 minute CD single with no chorus from a double album was pretty hardcore.  And very 1997 Wu-Tang Clan. 

When the group re-emerged in 2000, the infectious poppiness of Gravel Pit was a surprise, but a very welcome one.  From their still amazing sounding album The W, it's also the last track of my Ws, which all together were: Andrew W.K.; The Walkmen; The Wannadies; Justin Warfield; Warren Suicide; Jeremy Walmsley; Andrew Weatherall; Way Out West; Jane Weaver; Weezer; Kanye West; Whale; When They Know You They Will Run; Whipping Boy; White Light Motorcade; The White Stripes; Whitey; WigWam; Wildchild; Wiley; Will Haven; Robbie Williams; Wilt; Nicky Wire; The Wiseguys; Patrick Wolf; Wolf & Cub & Wu-Tang Clan.

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I'm very proud to say that I didn't actually buy this CD single.  Back in 1997, one of my greatest achievements (or triumph, if you will) was getting through to BBC Radio 1's Evening Session and correctly answering their daily lyrics question (I identified that "Wandering where we can do what we please" was from Massive Attack's Sly). 

When my prize finally turned up, it was the Triumph promo CD single, the new Wu-Tang Forever album (without its slipcase), their début Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) signed by most of the group (including Ol' Dirty!) and the above pictured white GZA sweatshirt that I still treasure to this day.  I was already a Wu-Tang convert then, so to say  I was pretty chuffed would be a slight understatement. 

As with the version of Ghostface Killah's Daytona 500 that I posted last year, the RZA makes this radio-friendly 'Clean Version' somewhat entertaining, but the gestalt of Wu-Tang is clearly evident.

[acdsingleman]

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This is more the sort of thing I envisaged when I first began this blog: a random track from a random CD single by a random band that (with all due respect) a lot of people I know may not have heard. 

Instead, I seem to have focused on quite a lot of obvious A-sides by more popular acts.  I don't know whether that's a reflection on the quality of my record collection and how my tastes have changed, or an insight into the subjectivity of memory and benefit of hindsight, but in order to make some last ditch attempt to bring things back in line with my original vision, here's Intro, a B-side from Wolf & Cub's also rather amazing Steal Their Gold CD single.  Lovely.

[acdsingleman]

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"It's time to live!" 

Patrick Wolf's The Magic Position is song that I think perfectly encapsulates that amazing feeling of being in love with someone and how they make you more happy than you ever thought possible (it was the beautifully fitting first dance at my friends' recent wedding); a sonic tribute to how glorious life can be. 

It might be also be about something else, I'll leave that up to you to decide…

[acdsingleman]

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It may be because I'm reaching the end of the alphabet that I'm feeling compelled to share as many tracks from my CD singles as I can.  Weezer's are filed immediately after Jane Weaver's, who immediately followed Andrew Weatherall, almost like I'm rinsing out every opportunity from every last act.  Or it could just be that the Ws are where it's at, and I'll probably skip over a few acts before settling on tomorrow's track. 

We Are All On Drugs is not the best Weezer single.  It's not even the best of their CD singles that I own (that'll be Hash Pipe).  But it is a lot of fun. 

"Give it to me!"

[acdsingleman]

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Released on Manchester Records (a label run by Factory Records co-founder and Joy Division/New Order manager Rob Gretton before his untimely death in 1999), the Everyone Knows Everyone Else EP found Jane Weaver collaborating with a pre-Lost Souls Doves and Manchester renaissance man Andy Votel (who Jane would go on to marry). 

But it's the bleaker You're Not The Only Person That I Used To Know, a track that Jane performs solo, that's the most evocative on this CD single.  Like Kristin Hersh covering Kurt Cobain, only from the North of England.

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It's odd, given that he's responsible for some of the most amazing and influential music from the last 25 years, that the only records of original material released by Andrew Weatherall under just his own named are The Bullet Catcher's Apprentice EP (which I have filed under CD singles) and the album A Pox On The Pioneers. 

What's odder is that this may only be Andrew's second mention on a CD Single Man.  But rather annoyingly, he occupies that area between albums and singles: of remix and white label 12"s, compilations and mix albums, what's become known as the blogosphere.  So this will probably his last mention too, at least until I decide how to follow up this series... 

From the aforementioned CD single, the tracks Feathers and You Can't Do Disco Without A Strat were the stand-outs for me.  Feathers ended up being featured on a Volkswagen advert, so even if you don't think you know it, you probably heard it.  I'm therefore sharing the latter.

[acdsingleman]

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Cult film Withnail & I is a particular favourite of a CD Single Man and his friends, for so many reasons, but especially its featured music.  However; possibly due to the estate of a certain Jimi Hendrix, the full original soundtrack has been out print since the film's original release. 

The original score by David Dundas & Rick Wentworth was eventually re-released as part of special edition DVD (a must have for any fan) a few years back.  In the mid 1990s though, the closest you could get to hearing it - outside of watching the actual film - was a cheekily sublime progressive-house reworking by Way Out West, entitled Blue for some reason.

This 'Club Mix' from the CD single is a slightly more poppers o'clock version of the original album version, just to warn you...