Critical Maas

An hour of Timo Maas' turn of the century remixes to get your pulse racing.

When I think of dance music in the early 2000s, Timo Maas was everywhere, but seemed to be particularly appealing to guitar noiseniks looking to get a piece of club action. Case in point: Muse, Placebo and Garbage. 

Timo also gave the magic touch to electronic music stalwarts Depeche Mode, Moby, and Rick Simmons and Steve Jones, recording here as Lustral but also known for their releases as The Space Brothers and Chakra.

Topping and tailing the selection from the poppier end of the spectrum, Jamiroquai and Kelis, both songs that were okay(ish) in their original form, but really come alive when put through the Maas mixer.

And I couldn't resist including this photo, taken in Gloucester covered market last month and possibly the saddest looking use of a vacant stall that I've seen. A critical mess, if you will.

1) Feels Just Like It Should (Timo Maas Mix): Jamiroquai (2005)

2) Enjoy The Silence (Timo Maas Extended Remix): Depeche Mode (2004)

3) Sunburn (Timo Maas' Sunstroke Remix): Muse (2000)

4) Special K (Timo Maas Remix): Placebo (2001)

5) We Are All Made Of Stars (Timo Maas Dub Mix): Moby (2002)

6) Everytime (Timo Maas Vocal Mix): Lustral ft. Tracy Ackerman (1999)

7) Breaking Up The Girl (Timo Maas Remix): Garbage (2002)

8) Young, Fresh & New (Timo Maas Remix) (Full Vocal): Kelis (2001)

Critical Maas (1:03:28) (GD) (M)

Cool As The Deep Blue Ocean

Happy birthday to Shirley Manson, born 26th August 1966.

I bought the 12" single of Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie's eponymous 1988 single, on the back of hearing their previous single The Rattler on The Chart Show. As with all of their singles on Capitol Records, it was released in a lovely (but not doubt costly to the band) gatefold sleeve and it was there that I saw my future wife. 

Unfortunately, that didn't come to pass though to be fair it was largely down to my not writing, phoning or even buying all that many Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie records after their debut album. Oh, and Shirley's complete ignorance of my existence. I think it's fair to say that Shirley got over the disappointment and got on with her life. Fortunately for me, so did I and I had the great fortune to meet Mrs. K some years later.

 

Whilst I can't say that I've followed Garbage closely beyond the first two albums, I've always admired Shirley's no-holds-barred approach to handling the music business and being a positive role model, cutting through the bullshit about age and gender particularly. 

 

And her voice is out of this world as this 15-song Garbage selection amply illustrates. It inevitably draws heavily on the debut album, but I've included a few B-sides, remixes and later period tunes, though even the most recent song in my collection is over a decade old. A return visit is overdue to see what Shirley and the band have been up to.

 

Here's raising a glass to you, Shirley.

 

1) Automatic Systematic Habit (Album Version) (2012)

2) It's All Over But The Crying (Remix) (2007)

3) Vow (Album Version) (1995)

4) Witness To Your Love (Original Version) (2008)

5) Only Happy When It Rains (Album Version) (1995)

6) Alien Sex Fiend (1996)

7) Supervixen (1995)

8) Androgyny (The Neptunes Remix By Pharrell Williams & Chad Hugo) (2001)

9) Stupid Girl (Album Version) (1995)

10) I Think I'm Paranoid (Album Version) (1998)

11) You Look So Fine (Album Version) (1998)

12) Shut Your Mouth (Album Version) (2001)

13) Space Can Come Through Anyone (2005)

14) Milk (D Mix By Massive Attack) (#2) (1996)

15) Queer (The Most Beautiful Woman In Town Mix By Martin Gore, Gareth Jones & Paul Freegard) (1995)

 

1995: Garbage: 3, 5, 7, 9

1995: Queer EP: 15

1996: Milk (Massive Attack Remixes) EP (promo 12"): 14

1996: Stupid Girl EP: 6

1998: Version 2.0: 10, 11

2001: Androgyny EP: 8

2001: Beautiful Garbage: 12

2005: Why Do You Love Me EP: 13

2007: Absolute Garbage: 2 

2008: Give Listen Help: 4

2012: Not Your Kind Of People: 1

 

Cool As The Deep Blue Ocean (1:01:00) (KF) (Mega) 

 

Today's cover art is a modified photo by Kathryna Hancock, one of a number of fantastic images of Shirley shot to accompany an interview with Ladygunn magazine last year. A fascinating read.

You Gotta Fight The Power

Dreadzone celebrate their 30th anniversary this year. Initially a duo of Greg Roberts (Big Audio Dynamite) and Tim Bran (who I knew of from his work with Julian Cope as Branno Of Gwernsey), Greg has remained the constant through three decades, along with former BAD bassist Leo Williams, who joined early on. 

The Dreadzone collective has seen an impressive number of people over the years, some briefly, some for a longer journey: Earl Sixteen, Alison Goldfrapp, MC Spee as well as former BAD compadres Dan Donovan, Mick Jones and Don Letts. The current line up for the 30th anniversary live shows is Greg Roberts, Leo Williams, Earl Sixteen, Bazil aka James Bainbridge and Blake Roberts (Greg's son).

 

I saw Dreadzone at the Bristol Community Festival aka Ashton Court Festival in July 1995. Sadly, none of the dates on their recent "Part 1" tour were relatively nearby but I'd be tempted to see them if "Part 2" offers up some accessible locations.

A new album will be landing this year. In the meantime, here's an hour-long selection of Dreadzone tracks and remixes to whet your appetite.

Older and Dubwiser indeed.

 

1) Zion Youth (Dreadzone Mix): Dreadzone (1995)

2) Gangster (She Is Danger Remix By Lena Cullen & Maya Jane Coles): Dreadzone (2010)

3) Lookee Here (Dreadzone Remix): Transglobal Underground ft. Natacha Atlas & Heitham Al-Sayed (1994)

4) The Good The Bad And The Dread (The Bad) (Remix By Tim Bran): Dreadzone ft. Alison Goldfrapp (1993)

5) Video Games (Lana Dub Rey) (Dreadzone Remix): Lana Del Rey (2012)

6) Stupid Girl (Dreadzone Dub Version): Garbage (1996)

7) Africa (Single Version): Dreadzone (1993)

8) Brazen 'Weep' (Dreadzone's Instrumental Mix): Skunk Anansie (1997)

9) Fight The Power 95: Dreadzone (1995)

You Gotta Fight The Power (1:00:41) (KF) (Mega)

I Love You Siouxsie

Garbage have released a cover version of Cities In Dust by Siouxsie & The Banshees, included on an EP to tie in with Record Store Day and their recent Anthology compilation.

It's an interesting take, scuzzy electronic squalls, ominous piano chords and programmed beats replacing the original's more nuanced instrumentation whilst remaining a largely faithful version. At 4:10, Shirley utters "I Love You Siouxsie", bringing the song to a satisfying conclusion.

Aside from the RSD 12", Cities in Dust is also available digitally as part of a 4-track EP. Lead song Witness To Your Love originally snuck out on an Urban Outfitters/Filter Magazine charity CD in the USA in 2008 whilst Garbage were on hiatus. The other two songs are outtakes from their last album, 2021's No Gods No Masters.

Cities In Dust is a good if inessential version but it does it's job in taking you back to the original song. A much loved single, I bought the 12" version back in 1985 though didn't bother with parent album Tinderbox until it's re-release as an expanded CD edition in 2009. 

The video's quite a treat, an amusingly literal take on the Pompeii story and Siousxie naturally owns every moment that she's on screen.

 

Mrs. K and I were privileged to see Pompeii for ourselves in 2007 and it was a fascinating, sobering experience. And bloody hot, as Italy was in the midst of a heatwave, taking temperatures past 40 degrees. That day, I could appreciate the irony of taking shelter inside from the burning heat outside.