It’s fair to say I was no fan of Britpop. Yes I accept it was a ‘thing’, it’s true you couldn’t go anywhere in Manchester without hearing Oasis blaring out of every shop/pub – I saw them live supporting The Boo Radleys(!) and they were very good but I soon tired of them (unlike The Boos who are due a reappraisal sometime). I’ve no great nostalgia for the mid 90s. It annoys the feck out of me every time I hear certain music hacks of the era going on about what a great time it was and how we were all coked off our noggins at the Good Mixer listening to Blur, Pulp, Oasis, Ocean Colour Scene, Sleeper, Mensw@ar and *nothing else* – I don’t know about you but I wasn’t listening to any of that stuff by choice. I got talking to a mate the other day about what we were listening to while studiously avoiding Powder or indeed anything Chris Evans was ‘bigging up’ and I’ve made a playlist of what I can remember circa 1994 to 1997 – so what were you listening to?
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Bladderman says
I loved Supergrass record ‘In it for the money’ which I guess was Britpop.. great hummable times with good lyrics from Britain. I also loved ‘Radar’ by Earthling which was Brittriphop.. & The Lemonheads & Aimee Mann who were Yankpop I suppose
andielou says
In It For The Money is one of my favourite albums of all time. Still sounds brilliant today.
Pessoa says
I heartily agree, and a great Spotify list (which I can’t play in this country, alas). Peak-era Stereolab were consistently great, although always excluded from the Britpop line-up.
I’d add Flying Saucer Attack and Movietone from the Bristol ‘space rock’ scene, and Labradford and Azusa Plane as US counterparts. Assorted drum and bass as well, as these were the heroic years of the genre, e.g. LTJ Bukem’s ‘Music’. Excuse these links, but I won’t clog up the thread with loads.
The Good Doctor says
Tune. Yeah I nearly put some LaBradford on there too. Saw them a couple of times supporting High Llamas…that was an odd pairing.
MC Escher says
I’m not sure if these qualify, but they are great. Just the first few results from a quick trawl through MediaMonkey for mid Nineties gives some good results:
Moon Safari – Air
New Wave – Auteurs
Beta Band
peak Cocteau Twins
Brown Sugar – d’Angelo
Outisde – the Dame
Elliott Smith
It’s not my favourite music period. I think it’s the first period in pop – notwithstanding the Glam era’s slight fixation with the 50’s – which looked over its shoulder at the past. Even so the good stuff is there if you look for it.
ganglesprocket says
Underworld, Tricky, Massive Attack, New Kingdom, Aphex Twin, Nirvana, Coldcut, Prodigy, Pavement are the first bands that spring to mind. And Bjork! Who could forget her…
I loathed Britpop. Even at the time. I remember being as Glastonbury in either 1996 or 1997 and Cast were on. A mate remarked “I had no idea one band did all these songs that I hate.”
welshbenny says
How old were you at the time? I was 19 when Oasis/Blur ‘broke’ with Supersonic and Girls and Boys respectively. I found those early throes genuinely exciting.
The Good Doctor says
I was 21. The early Oasis stuff was good but I remember someone playing me the 2nd album and thinking ‘nah, they’ve lost it there’
ganglesprocket says
I was 20 when Oasis kicked off. Still at Uni when Blur and Oasis had their tiff. …
Kid Dynamite says
This thread is giving me warm memories of Select magazine.
This one should be on any good mid-nineties playlist. It is the mother of all bangers.
Bingo Little says
If the 90s had produced this record and nothing else, it would all still have been worthwhile. Absolutely magic.
mrxsg says
I bloody love this track.
Leicester Bangs says
This one always gets my blood up…
On edit: oops, this might be too early for the thread, but in my defence, it was about 1995 that I got into it. This, Hijack, Gunshot etc.
Gary says
Smokers Delight
Jackthebiscuit says
Any excuse to post this.
Moose the Mooche says
Yesterday I played Take Me To God for the first time in a coupla years. I enjoyed it so much I just let it come round again.
Simonl says
I loved it all. Mid 90s, guitar bands, all sorts of electronic music bleeping away, hip hop and rnb were entering another great era, lots and lots of bass everywhere. The mass of influences rising up all across genres that suddenly made me realise there were loads of people listening to the same things as me. Film soundtracks,early 70s funk, Mod revival stuff, old psychedelic stuff, T Rex, punk. It was all in there. I was in a band, it felt like a really exciting time, good bands brilliant nights out clubbing. For me the 90s were my 60s.
pawsforthought says
“I just lie back and let the big beat lead me.”
See also DJ Shadow. Great time for music, despite Cast. I seem to remember being at a festival in ’95 which was equal parts Britpop and Trip Hop. And Dr. V is absolutely correct about the Boo Radleys.
Carl says
The mid nineties was the time I really began my love affair with (shhh…whisper it quietly.. Americana).
Key albums from this era were Mary-Chapin Carpenter’s Shooting Straight In The Dark, Rosanne Cash’s Interiors, Steve Earle’s Train A Comin’ Lucinda Williams’s Sweet Old World, Kim Richey’s Bitter Sweet, John Hiatt’s Walk On and Emmylou’s Wrecking Ball.
A Christmas gift of Johnny Rogan’s Timeless Flight Revisited also led to me exploring and buying (not in one go, I hasten to add) the entire Byrds catalogue and down the paths that led to the realisation that the real genius in The Byrds was the late Gene Clark.
dai says
Not sure it was a “thing” just a media invention. But UK bands like Blur, Pulp, Radiohead, Supergrass, Manics, Oasis etc all made excellent records in the mid 90s, nothing to rise up against. Pretty amazing really.
Moose the Mooche says
I listened to this a hell of a lot in 1995. As not heard on TFI Friday.
Vincent says
1996. That’ll have been Frank Zappa, Steely Dan, Pat Metheny, and the Porcupine Tree for me – I always was cutting edge.
BigJimBob says
Favourite tracks i was listening to from bands that emerged around the Britpop era:
Libido:
Geneva:
BigJimBob says
Oh and, of course, Kings of Convenience:
Arthur Cowslip says
1996 – 1997 was the last time I ever remember feeling actually CURRENT with my music taste. I was 26-27 and for a brief moment my taste aligned with a slightly left of centre zeitgeist.
For me, the greatest run of new release albums I ever experienced was:
DJ Shadow – Endtroducing
Beck – Odelay
Spiritualized – Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Radiohead – OK Computer.
Were Radiohead britpop? I never thought of them as that at the time.
I always disliked Oasis, Cast, Menswear, all that stuff. Blur were sporadically great – Girls and Boys, Song Two, On Your Own – but (for me) never made a wholly cohesive album.
The other stuff that bubbled under for me has already been mentioned above: Massive Attack, Portishead, Stereolab, etc.
monsignorbonehead says
As a young fella at the time, I loved Britpop. Of course, some of it was rubbish but there was just so much good popular British music being churned out, and it led to others who were outside of the scene getting plenty of radio play and hits. I know Edwyn Collins would be horrified at being lumped in with Britpop, but I would argue that the resurgence of guitar music led to A Girl Like You becoming as big a hit. Similarly, would the Boo Radleys have had a hit without Britpop? Would Teenage Fanclub have had a top 3 album?
And I stilll think the Blur, Pulp and Suede albums stand up, along with some of the earlier Oasis stuff that hasn’t been played to death – see Slide Away.
Bingo Little says
Britpop was – what – 94 to 96?
It probably started when Blur released Girls and Boys in April 1994 (I know a lot of people point to the Select cover a year earlier, but what were the great Britpop records of 93?). It was definitely over by the time Radiohead released Paranoid Android in May 1997. It definitely didn’t span the whole of the 90s.
My memories align with those of Simonl above; I don’t think I knew anyone back then who was listening to Britpop and nothing else. The whole point of that glorious era was that the youth tribes sort of dissolved into one another – you could listen to hip hop and house music alongside your metal and your indie rock. Or you could listen to the Beastie Boys and get half those genres all in the same place.
My own personal mid 90s was lot and lots of drum & bass (kudos for the LTJ Bukem shout above – Good Looking records were on an absolute tear in this era), all the early Wu Tang albums (Liquid Swords – November 1995, slap bang in the middle of Britpop), anything that could be played at the Heavenly Social, lots of Mo Wax/Ninja Tune and then as much guitar music as I liked. “Britpop” spawned a lot of second rate copyist bands, but if you were 15/16 years old when it released, that first Oasis record was about as exciting and glorious as music can get.
Oh, and Menswear – yeah, they were almost completely awful, but this came on the family stereo yesterday morning and brought back a ton of happy memories.
The period I really look back on with fondness, and which largely coincided with Britpop, is July 1993 to November 1995. A little over two years, in which the following albums were released:
Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream (July 93)
Bjork – Debut (July 93)
Cypress Hill – Black Sunday (July 93)
Boo Radleys – Giant Steps (August 93)
Nirvana – In Utero (September 93)
Pearl Jam – Vs (October 93)
Wu Tang Clan – Enter the 36 Chambers (November 93)
Underworld – Dubnobasswithmyheadman (January 94)
NIN – The Downward Spiral (March 94)
Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works (March 94)
Johnny Cash – American Recordings (April 94)
Pulp – His’n’Hers (April 94)
Nas – Illmatic (April 94)
Beastie Boys – Ill Communication (May 94)
Weezer – Weezer (May 94)
Prodigy – Music for the Jilted Generation (July 94)
Jeff Buckley – Grace (August 94)
Oasis – Definitely Maybe (August 94)
Gravediggaz – 6 Feet Deep (August 94)
Manic Street Preachers – The Holy Bible (August 94)
Portishead – Dummy (August 94)
Notorious B.I.G – Ready to Die (September 94)
Massive Attack – Protection (September 94)
Pulp Fiction Soundtrack (September 94)
R.E.M – Monster (September 94)
Nirvana – MTV Unplugged (November 94)
Method Man – Tical (November 94)
Leftfield – Leftism (January 95)
Tricky – Maxinquaye (February 95)
Spiritualised – Pure Phase (March 95)
Mobb Deep – The Infamous (May 95)
Supergrass – I Should Coco (May 95)
Scott Walker – Tilt (May 95)
The Verve – A Northern Soul (June 95)
Fugazi – Red Medicine (June 95)
Bjork – Post (June 95)
The Chemical Brothers – Exit Planet Dust (June 95)
D’Angelo – Brown Sugar (July 95)
Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (August 95)
Emmylou Harris – Wrecking Ball (September 95)
Goldie – Timeless (September 95)
A huge range of great music, with classic records being released across multiple genres on an almost month to month basis. And that’s without even looking at the great single releases and mix albums which also emerged in that period.
On which note, here’s a personal favourite from 1994. In what probably sums up the era far better than any post I can write, I remember being at a house party and the playlist jumping from Live Forever to this, and the whole place just absolutely detonating. Those different styles rubbing shoulders together was the really exciting thing about the whole period, so I’ve never seen much value in pigeonholing things as “Britpop” or otherwise; it seems an anathema to the prevailing spirit of those times.
Gary says
An interesting list, Bing. Only a few of them I was listening to at the time. Most notably Dummy. I remember I was listening a lot to Ben Harper’s first two albums back then (Welcome To The Cruel World and, especially, Fight For Your Mind).
Tiggerlion says
Great to have you posting on the blog again, Bingo. Your calm, rational thinking, especially with regard to music from the eighties onwards, has been sorely missed.
You overlooked PJ Harvey, Rid Of Me (May, 1993) and To Bring You My Love (February, 1995), Shara Nelson What Silence Knows (September, 1993) the first two Suede albums (March, 1993 & October, 1994) and Elastica’s first (March, 1995), Black Grape It’s Great When You’re Straight…Yeah (August, 1995).
I think of this era as drawing to a close with The Help Album, a various artist compilation in aid of War Child (September, 1995).
Bingo Little says
Thanks, Tiggs.
Rid of Me is fractionally out of scope for my chosen time frame (by a couple of months), but you could easily start the list in 92 and run it to later in 95 and net a slew of other great albums.
There were a few more I left off, simply because they weren’t that significant for me: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (Pavement), Doggystyle (Snoop Dogg), Midnight Marauders (ATCC), The Bends (Radiohead), Me Against the World (Tupac), CrazySexyCool (TLC), Where You Been (Dinosaur Jr), Dookie (Green Day), Superunknown (Soundgarden), Dog Man Star (Suede), Vauxhall & I (Morrissey), Give Out, But Don’t Give Up (Primal Scream) What’s the Story Morning Glory (Oasis), Parklife (Blur), Stanley Road (Paul Weller), Mellow Gold (Beck).
I also omitted a handful of records which I loved then, and hold a small candle for now, but which may not stand up to latter day scrutiny, namely The Second Coming, SMASH (Offspring), and Come On Feel The Lemonheads, Trailer (Ash) and Homegrown (Dodgy).
I know this is all a bit Hepworth, but it was a really enjoyable time to be listening to music with an open mind; there were lots of new sounds to be heard and you could listen broadly without fear of censure. It didn’t matter when a record was made, or whether the artist dressed or looked like you.
I think you’re spot on re: the Warchild album. That was probably the ideal full stop.
Here’s another tune that doesn’t come from an album off the list(s) above, but which I rotated heavily in 95:
I think ultimately it comes down to what you’re looking for. For all the suggestion that this was a derivative/conservative period for music, I’m not sure that was the case – quite the opposite, in fact.
Basically, if you were looking for high quality facsimile’s of your favourite 60s/70s rock and prog records, this was probably a god awful period for you. If, on the other hand, you enjoyed listening to a cocktail of different music types, weren’t afraid of a bit of rap and electronic music (albeit that latter descriptor had yet to find currency), and liked the idea of different genres starting to mesh, with sometimes wildly unpredictable results, then there was a really great time to be had.
Tiggerlion says
It was indeed. I also think that, for all its faults, TFI Friday added to the excitement. It contributed to the feeling that something was happening. There hasn’t been a TV programme like it since and I doubt there ever will be. Everything has gone a bit Radio 2 as far as music TV is concerned.
Sewer Robot says
Decent list. Now get of yer arse and write the review of the Frank Ocean album we’ve all been waiting for, surfer dude..
Bingo Little says
Oh man – I’m crap at reviews, especially of new releases. It took me about three years to fully get my head round Channel Orange.
What I will say is that Nikes is one of the best things I heard all year, and that the moment where Ocean sings “RIP Trayvon: that nigger look just like me” felt infinitely more powerful, poignant and redolent of “the struggle” than anything on To Pimp A Butterfly, from where I’m sat, at least. Sometimes a light touch is more effective.
The lyric (basically – drunk, high and trying to talk home a girl in a nightclub) is basically the one Kanye’s been writing for the last 15 years, only done right, with a woozy grace and vulnerability. “I may be younger, but I’ll look after you, we’re not in love, but I’ll make love to you”. Brilliant.
I also really like White Ferrari, which is just about the most “Frank Ocean” name for a track there’s ever been, and Self Control. What a tune Self Control is.
I’ll probably have some proper thoughts on the rest by early 2018. It’s a thumbs up so far though.
Gary says
I really like it. And Endless too. Mostly slow and atmospheric. My favourite songs are Solo (on Blonde) and his cover of The Isley Brothers’ At Your Best on Endless.
Sewer Robot says
Hey, thanks for responding! (And for your thoughts Gary). I was just yanking your chain. I’ve just found it frustrating that Mr Bingo went a bit quiet more or less exactly when the FO record dropped and I wanted to hear his thoughts AND Poppy dropped off the edge just before the De La Soul record came out and I was dying to hear what she made of it..
(Also, while my own thoughts are very clear on the DLS album – ace! – every time I play the Frank Ocean record it just drifts through my brain leaving no real impression like a neutrino, with the exception of a couple of tunes which you and Gary have identified..)
Bingo Little says
As one of my mates said to me re; Blonde – “this’ll probably sound lovely once it’s finished”.
If there’s one thing you’re not likely to get from an FO album, it’s immediacy. It took me ages to wrap my head round Channel Orange – it was a real slow burn. This one feels very very similar: some immediate stand-outs, a lot of stuff that drifts past you and then a new find every other time you listen to it. The songs are so fragmented and unpredictable that it’s just not possible to take them all in properly. It’s what I love about these records, the knowledge I’ll still be getting more from them even months and years down the line.
Kid Dynamite says
I was listening to the Kuedo album the other day, and found myself wondering what Poppy would have made of it.
Bingo Little says
Ah, that cover is aces, isn’t it? Really enjoying Endless as well. Can’t think of anyone I’m more excited to hear new music from right now, so this has all been a bit of a treat.
pawsforthought says
Oh, I forgot about Mellow Gold. Great record of its time, as was dEUS’ ‘worst case scenario.’
MC Escher says
This may sound a stupid question but has the FO album had a physical (i.e CD) release yet? If so, where (I refuse to do itunes, Bee Tee Dubs – it’s probably the onset of old-git-refusing-to-get-in-the-now disease).
Bingo Little says
I don’t really “do” physical, but I don’t think Blonde has a distribution deal, so no CDs or vinyl as yet (bar the limited run promo CDs which will set you back £500). There are rumours this may change in the New Year.
It’s on Spotify now, if that helps.
MC Escher says
Ah thanks BL, time to dust off Spotify then.
atcf says
I recently got round to ripping all of my mid-90’s CD singles and reacquainted myself with these gems which were largely unnoticed:
Rigid Digit says
1994 to 1997?
Fully entrenched in all things Brit and Pop – all the names you mention form the backbone of the collection at the time.
Spacehog were great for one album, as were Stereophonics (OK, maybe another half an album after that too).
Can I Stick a vote in for The Wildhearts (or maybe we’re still in Britpop territory?)
Rigid Digit says
This came in 1998 (probably still just in the window)
Neutral Milk Hotel – King Of Carrot Flowers
Kid Dynamite says
I bloody loved Silver Sun, I did. Frantic punky guitars, big choruses, boys who sounded a lot like girls, harmonies all over the place….
Kid Dynamite says
another one to file under ‘should have been massive’
Kid Dynamite says
Select magazine has been retrospectivey branded the house magazine of Britpop, probably becuase of that cover, but it was a lot more forward thinking than that reputation suggests. I played the hell out of this tape.
Kid Dynamite says
the b-side (ask yer grandad, kids)
ganglesprocket says
Journeys By DJ? If were on a 90s trip here then Journeys By DJ- Coldcut, 70 Minutes Of Madness surely has to be in the running for being one of the greatest albums of that decade?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbJvkMpMovk
Twang says
I had and didn’t mind the Oasis albums but I was mainly on a New Country jag, Steve Earle, Vince Gill, Gretchen Peters, Kim Richey, Joy Lynn White, Martina McBride, Patty Loveless, Carleen Carter, Kathy Mattea, even Garth Brooks.
Hamlet says
I’m ambivalent about the Britpop era. I was 16 when the second Oasis album came out – the middling reviews were pretty accurate, I thought. However – and I know it’s partly nostalgia for sixth form and a slim waist – it was an exciting time. There was a movement, of sorts, and ‘indie’ music suddenly felt very mainstream. I remember people queuing to buy the Oasis album; yesterday, I saw youngsters queuing outside a shoe shop for the latest pair of trainers.
It’s funny, looking back, as everything that felt free and exciting then was actually incredibly narrow and homogenised. The NME was in the last throes of relevance, but every band had to have cool hair and the same right-on politics. For all they’re worshipped now, Morrissey and Bowie were deeply uncool then (too old, music your dad liked, etc.).