A Very Avery Dozen

I'm constantly fascinated by and drawn to Daniel Avery's music, whether his own creations or his reworkings of other artists. Daniel is experiencing a particularly productive period with the latter of late, so much so that it's hard to keep track of it all. 

Last week's release of Out Of My Reach by Jehnny Beth was the latest addition to a dizzying and varied collection of Daniel Avery remixes. 

So, as a post-cum-shopping list, here are twelve remixes from the last couple of years, and mostly from the last 12 months. Many of them are available to buy in digital format, but I've also included links to the artist's own store or Bandcamp page so you can have a rummage around their catalogue whilst you're there. 

1) Out Of My Reach (Daniel Avery Remix): Jehnny Beth

2) Atom Bomb (Daniel Avery Nuclear Summer Remix Edit): Fluke

3) The World’s Biggest Paving Slab (Daniel Avery Remix): English Teacher

4) DRONE:NODRONE (Daniel Avery Remix): The Cure

5) Wait And Wait (Daniel Avery Remix): MOTO SOLO

6) Hallelujah (Daniel Avery Remix): Happy Mondays

7) Be Enough (Daniel Avery Remix): Acopia

8) Powerless (Daniel Avery Remix): Woomb

9) Endless Deathless (Daniel Avery Remix): Just Mustard

10) Carry The Blame (Daniel Avery Remix): Demise Of Love

11) kisses (Daniel Avery Remix): Slowdive

12) Weak In Your Light (Daniel Avery Remix): Nation Of Language

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

À La Mode

I still haven't made up my mind whether I like Nouvelle Vague's cover of Enjoy The Silence by Depeche Mode. 

On paper, the pairing of Skye Edwards from Morcheeba and Larry Love from Alabama 3 is inspired and yet, after a few listens, it's just not doing it for me. The prospect of an entire album of covers - A Date With Depeche Mode - therefore doesn't immediately appeal.

However, it inevitably sent me down a rabbit hole of other Depeche Mode reinterpretations from the well-known and relatively obscure. 

If you can make it to the end without skipping, you're in for a treat: my online search uncovered the fabulously named Skapeche Mode, who cover the Basildon boys in a - you guessed it - ska style. 

From the live clip, it's definitely more about the entertainment value than the note perfect performance, but when the brass section are sporting angels wings and the lead singer is dressed as Mork from Ork, how can you not have a good time? 

Messrs. Gahan and Gore, take note.

1) Enjoy The Silence: Nouvelle Vague ft. Skye Edwards & Larry Love (2026)

2) I Feel You: Palm Skin Productions (2025)

3) Never Let Me Down Again: The Smashing Pumpkins (1994)

4) It's No Good: Dee Madden (2016)

5) Somebody: Veruca Salt (1998)

6) Stripped: Duncan Sheik (2020)

7) Just Can't Get Enough: The Wannadies (1995)

8) See You: Marsheaux (2015)

9) World In My Eyes: The Cure (1998)

10) People Are People: Skapeche Mode (2014)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#StandaloneSingles

The end of another month and the end of another music challenge on BlueSky, hosted by @tansleyjames.bsky.social.

The challenge? "Throughout February choose 28 of your favourite standalone singles. Post one per day, ranked or unranked. Lead tracks on EPs and singles tagged on to Best Of compilations can be selected, the main criteria is that they aren’t on an artist’s studio album."

I jumped in with an 'unranked and random' selection, initially making it up as a I went along, eventually stockpiling songs that I wanted to use, but using the 'shuffle' function to maintain the random nature of my daily picks. Just two exceptions: my pick for Valentine's Day had to be a song with 'love' in the title, and my penultimate pick, inspired by Swiss Adam, also timed to coincide with the release date of a timely cover version.

I've created two Dubhed selections for your listening pleasure today, a first stand and a last stand, covering picks 1-14 and 15-28 respectively. Amazingly, despite the lack of planning and sequencing, both come in at a smidge over 60 minutes and actually don't jar as much as I might have expected.

The only place today that you're likely to hear Bee Gees followed by Orbital, The Shirelles paired with David Holmes, Stevie Wonder rubbing shoulders with A Certain Ratio and Ellen Beth Abdi, and samples of ABC, Bad Manners and Mazzy Star liberally sprinkled throughout.

I've tweaked and adapted the original BlueSky posts to provide a track-by-track 'sleeve note' for your added entertainment.

I've Gotta Get A Message To You by Bee Gees was The Brothers Gibb's 2nd #1 in the UK and a standalone single, although it was added to the US edition of 3rd album Idea when the song cracked the Top 10 there.

From the Brothers Gibb to the Brothers Hartnoll, it's a testament to how many good tunes Orbital had that Omen didn't make their debut album. And if you can remember this rave, you weren't there...

Young Parisians, the debut single by Adam & The Ants, flopped when released in October 1978. By 3rd February 1981, it was enjoying a 2nd week at #9 in the UK, during the height of Antmania. La deuxième fois sera la bonne!

Again, I Wait For The World was recorded for Blancmange's greatest hits compilation in 2024, the song is every bit as good as their peak period pieces.

As a lifelong DMs wearer, My Docs by Kiss AMC was an easy pick for me. Top production from Greg Wilson and getting guest spots from Noddy Holder and Frank Sidebottom in the video was a genius move.

New year, new HANN. Titchiest Kitchen In Britain is the latest in a line of fab standalone singles, with a cheeky DIY video to boot. "Not enough room to tickle a kitten" indeed!

From '26 to '62, with It's Love That Really Counts (In The Long Run) by The Shirelles, a shivering classic written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

Johnny Favourite by David Holmes would also be a dead cert for a debut singles challenge. Strap in, I've included the 15+ min Exploding Plastic Inevitable Mix by David, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns in today's selection. Stunning.

Fast forward three decades from 1994 to 2024 and Real Magnificent by Fluke featuring Leah Cleaver. Comeback of the decade and rarely a more apt title for a song. 

I have loved Seconds Too Late by Cabaret Voltaire since my brother bought The Golden Moments Of Cabaret Voltaire CD in the late 80s then included the track on a mixtape for me.

A more recent love is Nzaumi by Ndalani 77 Brothers. Eternal thanks to Ernie Goggins creator and curator of the superb 27 Leggies blog for introducing me to this late 70s Kenyan classic a couple of years ago, during his African Odyssey. Funky as hell!

The original of That's What Friends Are For by Deniece Williams was a UK #8 in 1977, but Janet Kay's cover the same year is the definitive version for me. 

Always ahead of the game, I suspect that Sparks released the Madder! EP in 2025 just so they could appear in the #StandaloneSingles series :-)  I've chosen opening song Porcupine, which comes with a typically fab video, starring the equally fab Self Esteem.

For Valentine's Day, I picked a song for all the lovers out there.  What else, but Laser Love by T. Rex? How on earth did this single stall outside the UK Top 40 in 1976?!

(deep breath, then on with the second half...)

I think Never Change by MC Buzz B got withdrawn from release in 1991 as Bruce Hornsby wasn't happy with the sample of The Way It Is, inspired though it was. 

I was cheating a bit with this pick as Never Change appeared on MC Buzz B's album Words Escape Me! However, the song was stripped of the offending Hornsby sample, which changed the song completely (and to it's detriment) in my book!

MC Buzz B later fronted a clutch of classics by Lionrock aka Justin Robertson. 

Iron Lion Zion was an unreleased Bob Marley song, recorded circa 1973, discovered in the vaults nearly two decades later, then remixed, released and a UK #5 hit in 1992.

When my friend John wanted to educate me in the brilliance of Belle & Sebastian, Dog On Wheels was one of the songs that he chose. It worked.

Face To Face by Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie is a harrowing account of rape and it's aftermath, including the failure of the legal system. Three decades on, rape, sexual assault and domestic abuse remain hugely under reported crimes with shamefully low conviction rates for those that make it to court.

Weakness is track 2 of the Island Head E.P. by Inspiral Carpets and one of their finest songs, full stop.

The Cure's 1980s singles pop up frequently in others' #StandaloneSingles picks (and rightly so). Wrong Number is an underrated gem, released to promote the Galore singles compilation in 1997. As always, The Cure also deliver a rather wonderful video.

My next choice is Can't Stop Jumping by Bim Sherman and Dub Syndicate from 1983, specifically the 10" version produced by Adrian Sherwood and featuring Dr. Pablo. The single was a double A-side with Keep You Dancing, equally wonderful.

My Sahel was an all-star, one-off single to promote the My Sahel initiative mysahel.org in 2023.  Credited to Vieux Farka Touré, Amadou & Mariam and OMG Oumy Gueye, featuring Bassekou Kouyaté, Songhoy Blues and Tal National.

Originally a one-off digital single by The The in 2007, Mrs Mac reached a new audience in 2023 as the 7" B-side of $1 One Vote! One of Matt Johnson's deepest, darkest songs.

Stevie Wonder was 17 years old when he co-wrote and recorded I'm Wondering in 1967. I'll just leave that fact there.

When A Certain Ratio and Ellen Beth Abdi get together, magic is guaranteed. Day By Day is the opening track of the superb 4-track 2023 EP.

I was a fan of The Dream Academy but not so much their 1985 standalone single, a cover of The Smiths' Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want. Thanks to John Hughes' used of the song in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, it grew on me!

The 12" of Tarantula was the first Colourbox single I bought and it remains my favourite song of theirs, but the cover by This Mortal Coil was the first version that I heard, in 1986. 

There are several other varied and fine covers out there including Beck (2019), Diane Birch & The Phenomenal Handclap Band (2010), Maria Usbeck (2016) and, released just yesterday, Darkinari & Pandit Pam Pam (with thanks to Swiss Adam at Bagging Area for the heads up on the latter).

And, to close...

Four Tet released Into Dust (Still Falling) last June. It's Kieran Hebden at his best, with an aching hint of Hope Sandoval/Mazzy Star to melt your heart.

First Stand

1) I've Gotta Get A Message To You: Bee Gees (1968)

2) Omen (12"): Orbital (1990)

3) Young Parisians (Single Version): Adam & The Ants (1978)

4) Again, I Wait For The World: Blancmange (2024)

5) My Docs (7" Mix): Kiss AMC (1990)

6) Titchiest Kitchen in Britain: HANN (2026)

7) It's Love That Really Counts (In The Long Run): The Shirelles (1962)

8) Johnny Favourite (Exploding Plastic Inevitable Mix): David Holmes (1994)

9) Real Magnificent (Single Version): Fluke ft. Leah Cleaver (2024)

10) Seconds Too Late: Cabaret Voltaire (1980)

11) Nzaumi: Ndalani 77 Brothers (1977)

12) That's What Friends Are For (Single Version) (Cover of Deniece Williams): Janet Kay (1977)

13) Porcupine: Sparks (2025)

14) Laser Love: T. Rex (1976)

Last Stand

1) Never Change (7" Mix): MC Buzz B (1991)

2) Iron Lion Zion (7" Mix): Bob Marley (1992)

3) Dog On Wheels: Belle & Sebastian (1997)

4) Face To Face (Single Version): Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie (1987)

5) Weakness (Single Version): Inspiral Carpets (1990)

6) Wrong Number (P2P Mix): The Cure (1997)

7) Can't Stop Jumping (10" Version): Bim Sherman / Dub Syndicate (1983)

8) My Sahel: Vieux Farka Touré, Amadou & Mariam, OMG Oumy Gueye ft. Bassekou Kouyaté, Songhoy Blues & Tal National (2023)

9) Mrs Mac: The The (2007)

10) I'm Wondering: Stevie Wonder (1967)

11) Day By Day: A Certain Ratio ft. Ellen Beth Abdi (2023)

12) Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (Single Version) (Cover of The Smiths): The Dream Academy (1985)

13) Tarantula (Second Version) (12"): Colourbox (1983)

14) Into Dust (Still Falling): Four Tet (2025)

First Stand (1:05:02) (GD) (M)

Last Stand (1:02:13) (GD) (M)

L'art De La Discothèque, Volume 1

A 90 minute master class in the art of the remix, courtesy of François Kevorkian. 

Monsieur K is now his sixth decade (!) as a remixer, producer and DJ and although his work rate is proportionately smaller than in preceding years, if you collected his credited work alone, you would have a pretty large music collection.

It would harder to list the artists that François hasn't worked with, than the other way around and, particularly in the 1980s, it seemed that no 12" single was complete without a Kevorkian remix.

So, where to start with a Dubhed selection? I've picked a dozen remixes, spanning 1982 to 2021, taking in Yazoo and Depeche Mode, Arthur Baker and Arthur Russell (as Dinosaur L), GusGus and Underworld, The Cure and Echo & The Bunnymen, Kraftwerk and Coldplay, Perry Farrell and Jimmy Cliff.

As eclectic as it sounds, what binds the music together is the man at the controls, a master at work, quality running through like writing in a stick of rock.

And yes, "Volume 1"...

1) Jumbo (Rob Rives & François Kevorkian Main Dish): Underworld (1999)

2) Lips Like Sugar (12" Mix By François Kevorkian & Michael Hutchinson): Echo & The Bunnymen (1987)

3) Enjoy The Silence (Bass Line) (Remix By François Kevorkian): Depeche Mode (1990)

4) On A Mission (FK 12" Mix By François Kevorkian): Arthur Baker & Rockers Revenge (2018)

5) Hot Hot Hot!!! (Extended Remix By François Kevorkian & Ron St. Germain): The Cure (1988)

6) Tour De France (Remix By François Kevorkian): Kraftwerk (1983)

7) #5 Go Bang! (Mixed By François Kevorkian): Dinosaur L (1982)

8) Roots Radical (12" Version By François Kevorkian): Jimmy Cliff (1983)

9) Very Important People (François K Vocal Mix By François Kevorkian & Rob Rives) (Full Length): GusGus (1999)

10) Talk (François Kevorkian Remix): Coldplay (2006)

11) The Solutionists (François K Brave Vocal Mix By François Kevorkian): Perry Farrell's Satellite Party (2021)

12) Situation (U.S. 12" Mix By François Kevorkian): Yazoo (1982)

L'art De La Discothèque, Volume 1 (1:30:06) (GD) (M)

A Bob Hoskins Inspired Compilation Of Crime Fuelled Carnage

I rarely do requests but in an effort to assuage George's disappointment following Friday's post, here's a Bob Hoskins inspired compilation of crime fuelled carnage.

A 13-song, 46-minute trawl through Bob's formidable film and television CV, with namesake songs from some heavyweight artists. 

A few notable omissions, however. I was unable to find any songs named after Who Framed Roger Rabbit? or Super Mario Brothers. 

I also left off A Prayer For The Dying for three reasons:

1) I only had one song in my collection and that was by Seal;

2) The lead actor, Mickey Rourke, has been getting more screen time in the past week than he deserves;

3) The film is utter shite.

Whilst at least one of Bob's films name checked here is a classic crime drama, at least one is arguably a crime that it was ever committed to celluloid. I'll leave you to decide which is which. 

1) Mona Lisa: Grant Lee Phillips (2004)

2) Brazil: Lloyd Cole (2003)

3) Play For Today (Black Sand Extension): The Cure (2010)

4) Kate (Cover of 'You Put Me Here (Sure as Your Name’s Kate)' by Rex Allen): Johnny Cash (1972)

5) Performance: Japan (1978)

6) Hook (4-Track Demo): PJ Harvey (1992)

7) Shoulder To Shoulder: Pete Wylie (1987)

8) Outlaw: Alan Vega (1981)

9) Thick As Thieves: The Jam (1979)

10) Last Orders (Live @ Electric Circus, Manchester): The Fall (1977) 

11) Full House: Kate Bush (1978)

12) Inner Circle: The Frowning Clouds (2014)

13) Mermaids: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (2013)

1972: A Thing Called Love: 4

1978: Adolescent Sex: 5

1978: Lionheart: 11

1978: Short Circuit: Live At The Electric Circus: 10

1979: Setting Sons: 9

1981: Collision Drive: 8

1987: Sinful: 7

1993: 4-Track Demos: 6

2003: Music In A Foreign Language: 2

2004: Virginia Creeper: 1

2010: Extensions Volume 1: A Collection Of New Wave Remixes By Black Sand (bootleg MP3): 3

2013: Push The Sky Away: 13

2014: Legalize Everything: 12

A Bob Hoskins Inspired Compilation Of Crime Fuelled Carnage (46:20) (KF) (Mega)

When I'm By Myself...

Side 1 of a cassette compilation, recorded May 1992.

 

A bit of an oddity in my collection, this one, as it was never recorded by me or for me, but by my brother's then-fiancée. Both the relationship and the cassette were subsequently discarded and, if memory serves, I rescued this and a few other tapes that my brother had binned and intended for landfill.

I think I was curious about this collection in particular because it contains lots of singer/songwriter heavyweights that I recognised by name but was largely ignorant of. So, it was a good opportunity to dip my toe into the waters.

I'd like to say that this was my springboard into the worlds of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne. It wasn't, but it opened my eyes and ears and eventually I started dipping into Bob, Joni and Jackson's respective back catalogues. Although I've yet to own a Sting album and I'm in no particular rush to do so.

 

The collection opens with 80s Dylan, but it's okay, it's one of the good ones. I'm not familiar enough with Joni Mitchell's vast body of work to know if there are similarly certain periods and/or album that should come with their own "enter at your own risk" warning, but Hejira presents no such threat.

On paper, The Cure's debut B-side seems the errant choice, nestled between Sting and Sinéad, but it fits right in and still hits the same sweet spot as it did when I first heard on the double play greatest hits cassette, Standing On A Beach: The Singles (And Unavailable B-Sides), in 1986.

 

My Special Child was a standalone single by Sinéad O'Connor, peaking at #42 in the UK in June 1991. I was still travelling around Australia at the time, which probably explains why I had no recollection of the song. It's an okay song, though with that voice, Sinéad's 'okay' is still way above many other artist's 'excellent'.

The original compilation featured the album version of Airwaves by Thomas Dolby from his 1982 debut, The Golden Age Of Wireless. I've swapped it out here for the earlier demo version, which appeared on the 1980 cassette From Brussels With Love, on the now-legendary label Les Disques Du Crépuscule. I love this pared down, less tech-y version, which sits better with the warmer, organic sounds infusing this collection.

I know The Beautiful South were big back in the day, and had lots of hit records. Even so, I still don't think Paul Heaton gets the level of recognition and appreciation he should, as one of the finest singers and songwriters to emerge in the 1980s. I don't listen to his music as often as I should. Hearing a song like Let Love Speak Up Itself makes me question why.

I heard Cowboy Junkies' cover of Powderfinger before I heard the song as written and recorded by Neil Young. it followed the achingly slow template of the Trinity Sessions album and remains the definitive version for me. 

 

The same month that my brother's girlfriend put I'd Rather Go Blind by Chicken Shack, I also acquired the song via Vox magazine's cover mounted cassette freebie, Radio Daze (The John Peel Sessions). The fact that the opening song was 10.15 Saturday Night makes me think that she included both songs from the very same compilation. 

 

I'd Rather Go Blind is another example where I was deeply immersed in the cover long before I heard the original version, in this case Etta James in 1967. The song has been covered many, many times since by the likes of Rod Stewart, Ruby Turner, Janet Kay, Paul Weller, Beyoncé and Dua Lipa. Chicken Shack's version is hard to beat, not least for the sublime vocals by Christine Perfect aka the much-missed Christine McVie.

The Road by Jackson Browne is a bit of an oddity. Taken from his 1977 album Running On Empty, according to Iffypedia, "the entire album was recorded on tour, either live on stage, or in locations associated with touring, such as backstage, on tour buses, or in hotel rooms".

The song itself is a prime example. The first half was recorded in room 301 of the Cross Keys Inn in Columbia, Maryland on 27th August 1977. The second half switches to a live recording at the Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey on 7th September 1977. The latter pretty much sounds like an entirely different song to the sparse acoustic section that preceded it.

Rounding off the collection is The Manish Boys featuring one David Jones who, like Christine Perfect, changed their name and enjoyed slightly more success as... David Bowie. The session guitar player also went on to greater things, a young whippersnapper by the name of Jimmy Page.

Today's headline photo, nicked from t'internet, is a contemporary photo (April 1992) of the Redcliffe flyover and the George Railway Hotel near Temple Meads station in Bristol. The flyover was a narrow, single-track curved bridge opened as a temporary measure in 1968...which ended up staying there until 1998. As a kid sitting in the back seat of my parents' car, a journey into the city centre via the flyover was the equivalent of a free rollercoaster. Without seat belts. Fearless times, eh?

1) Man In The Long Black Coat: Bob Dylan (1989)  

2) Mad About You: Sting (1991) 

3) 10:15 Saturday Night (Single Version): The Cure (1978)

4) My Special Child: Sinéad O'Connor (1991)

5) Airwaves (Demo): Thomas Dolby (1980)

6) Let Love Speak Up Itself (Album Version): The Beautiful South (1990)

7) Powderfinger (Cover of Neil Young): Cowboy Junkies (1990)

8) Coyote: Joni Mitchell (1976)

9) I'd Rather Go Blind (Cover of Etta James): Chicken Shack (1969)

10) The Road (Cover of Danny O'Keefe): Jackson Browne (1977)

11) I Pity The Fool (Cover of Bobby 'Blue' Bland): The Manish Boys (1965)

1965: I Pity The Fool EP: 11

1969: I'd Rather Go Blind EP: 9

1976: Hejira: 8

1977: Running On Empty: 10

1978: Killing An Arab EP: 3

1980: From Brussels With Love (Les Disques Du Crépuscule): 5

1989: Oh Mercy: 1

1990: Choke: 6 

1990: The Caution Horses: 7

1991: My Special Child EP: 4

1991: The Soul Cages: 2

Side 1 (46:56) (KF) (Mega)

The End Of The End Of Year Lists

In my final post of 2024, I have taken another look at the Dubhed Top 20 most popular posts. As with 2023's list, these are in descending order to manufacture some countdown tension, again with a few video inserts at various points. Or you can scroll down the page to see what's at #1...

The spread is more uneven is more uneven this year - January and October are the most popular months, April not far behind. March, June to August and, perhaps less surprisingly, December don't even get a look in at the Top 20. My Dubhed selections feature in just over half of the Top 20, which is good to see.

January's birthday nod to Susanna Hoffs hit the mark and was well inside the Top 10 for most of the year, only dipping out when posts from the last few months starting climbing up. Jesse Fahnestock also scores a triple whammy, with Jezebell and 10:40 respectively.

 

Sadly, too many obituaries this year, the tributes to J. Saul Kane, Chris Cross of Ultravox and Keith LeBlanc being particularly well received, even though the news of their passing wasn’t.

 

And two comebacks also attracted a lot of attention, one very welcome (The Cure, crashing into the Top 10 in October) and one very much the opposite (#15 in November).

 

I'm delighted that this year's #1 featured what for me is the best album of the year, in any category or genre.

In case you missed them first time around, click on the titles for the original post. Dubhed selection links have also been restored, where appropriate. When you get to #1, go and read my review of the album, posted shortly after I played it for the first time, then you'll understand why there was never any doubt in my mind. Happily, as the most visited post in 2024, it seems that you all agree.

Thanks so much for your support this year. I love writing this blog, but your comments, suggestions and gentle editing corrections give me the motivation to keep writing, keep wanting to do better and, in simple terms, give a shout out for all those talented people whose passion to create music inspires me every day.

Have a great New Year's Eve and best wishes for a brilliant 2025. I'll be here as usual tomorrow.

 

20) Roll With Me 'Til The Sun Dips Low (Khruangbin) (18th October)

19) Swallow It Up (Lee 'Scratch' Perry) (1st October)

18) If Ever The Devil Was Born Without A Pair Of Horns, It Was You Jezebell, It Was You (Jezebell) (5th May)

17) I'm On Fire, Boss! (Bruce Springsteen covers) (19th January)

16) These Things That Stir Me Will Not Deter Me (Jo Bartlett) (7th February)

 

15) Who Is More Fascist? The Fascist? Or The Fascist Who Follows Him? (7th November)

14) Les Disques Du Crépuscule En Sept Sélections Pour Sept, er, Quid (2nd May)

13) Citizen Kane (J. Saul Kane) (19th November)

12) Unplug The Jukebox (Adam & The Ants) (15th January)

11) Be Still My Beating Heart (Susanna Hoffs) (17th January)

 

10) Dubcamp Friday (4th October)

9) Name After Name After Name (Chris Cross / Ultravox) (2nd April)

8) Summer Alone (The Cure) (8th October)

7) Clues To The Edit (Jezebell) (22nd September)

6) ACT 1.5 (Massive Attack) (2nd September)

 

5) Sub Dub (African Head Charge) (20th October)

4) LeBlanc Beats (Keith LeBlanc) (5th April)

3) Chart History (Top 20 UK singles) (20th January)

2) Thousand (Dubhed's 1,000th post) (6th January)   

1) A Gift (Sounds From The Flightpath Estate) (6th April)     

When I posted the Dubhed 2023 Top 20 on 2nd January, John Medd was quick to respond with a suggestion:

 

"I know it would be like knitting fog 

but have you thought of condensing the year down 

not just into 20 posts, but 20 tracks 

- segued into a 60/70/80 minute megagmix? 

Push the boat out, 

make two sides of 40/45 mins 

and whack it out as a C90!"

I replied, filed it away and then pulled it back out of the drawer when I started this post. 21/22 tracks segued into an 85-minute mix. You can split it in half and fit onto a C90, if you don't mind some spooling at the end of Side 2. 

This selection is dedicated to John Medd (thanks for the suggestion, hope you're doing well) and Swiss Adam (not least for his contribution to this year's #1). 

 

And to everyone else, whether you're a fellow blogger (active or lapsed), commenter or silent visitor - not forgetting those lovely bots in China and South Korea - thank you again!

1) Three Rings: 10:40 ft. Emilia Harmony (2024)

2) 1000 Fahrenheit (Welsh Version): The Wedding Present (2014)

3) Camouflage (Single Version): Campbell / Mallinder / Benge (2021)

4) A Love International (Album Version): Khruangbin (2024)

5) Roll Away The Stone: Mott The Hoople (1974)

6) Hymn (Album Version): African Head Charge (1990)

7) Mega Mix (Remix By Grimm Death aka J. Saul Kane): Bomb The Bass (1988)

8) Donkey: Jezebell (2024)

9) Young Savage: Ultravox (1977)

10) Alone (Live @ BBC Radio Theatre, Broadcasting House, London): The Cure (2024)

11) ID (Unreleased early version of 'Eutopia'): Massive Attack x Young Fathers (2020)

12) (I Want To) Kill Somebody (Keith LeBlanc Mix): S*M*A*S*H (1994)

13) 100lbs Of Summer (Tricky Remix): Lee 'Scratch' Perry ft. Greentea Peng (2023)

14) Tuff Gong: Creation Rockers (2012)

15) They Don't Know (Cover of Kirsty MacColl): Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs (2013)

16) A.N.T.S.: Adam & The Ants (1981)

17) We All Need (Jezebell's Ghost Train Mix): A Certain Ratio (2024)

18) All You Fascists (Cover of 'All You Fascists Bound To Lose' by Woody Guthrie): Broken Chanter (2024)

19) I'm On Fire (Cover of Bruce Springsteen): Anna Ternheim (2023)

20) Drawing A Line (Ghost Tape No.2): Jo Bartlett (2024)

21) Smokebelch II (Khayem's Second Cut Won't Hurt At All): Andy Bell & The Sabres Of Paradise (2024)

The End Of The End Of Year Lists (1:24:50) (KF) (Mega)

(Sleeve) Notes: 

 

1) The songs by The Wedding Present, Broken Chanter and Anna Ternheim didn't respectively feature in the original posts #2, 15 and 17 but would have if I'd had the songs at the time!

 

2) Same for J. Saul Kane's brilliant Bomb The Bass megamix from 1988.

 

3) I still haven't actually bought or listened to The Cure's new album from start to finish, but I have dipped into the concert for BBC Radio 2. Isn't it wonderful?

4) You'll quickly twig that A.N.T.S. by Adam & The Ants is set to the tune of Y.M.C.A. by The Village People. And why not?

 

5) Jesse Fahnestock is not paying me to get maximum exposure in the annual Dubhed Top 20, honest.

 

6) Jesse's contribution as 10:40 to Sounds From The Flightpath Estate was released as a standalone single in the summer, which is why it's included here. The album in general was only available as a limited edition double vinyl, which sold out in (excuse the pun) record time.

7) In March 2020, during the COVID lockdown, Andy Bell was taking song requests to perform and post on YouTube. Andrew Weatherall had passed mere weeks before, and @supawide45 suggested Andy have a go at Smokebelch II in tribute to The Guv'nor. Which he did, commenting, "Makes me want to actually record an acoustic arrangement of it!"

In March 2024, after a close-to-the-wire completion and submission, Andy's recorded version of Smokebelch II was released as the closing song on Songs From The Flightpath Estate. As it was perhaps always meant to be.

I've not included Andy's 2024 version, as it's place is on the album that Swiss Adam and his Flightpath Estate colleagues poured their hearts and souls into creating. 

 

Instead, I've taken Andy's lockdown sketch, itself barely half a minute, looped and re-edited it a bit, then spliced with a section of Andrew, Jagz and Gary's Beatless Mix of Smokebelch II from 1993. It's an amateurish edit, but I think it (just about) works.