NME: BRATPACK '98

In what must have been one of the final cassette giveaways ever, this contained 10 tracks from 1997.

1. Deadweight - Beck

Taken from the soundtrack to Danny Boyle's A Life Less Ordinary, Beck released this as a single which acted as a neat stopgap between the release of Odelay and Mutations. The track, which hit #23 on the UK chart, can now be found on the re-issued deluxe edition of Odelay.

2. Meeting In The Aisle - Radiohead

Haunting instrumental taken from the Karma Police single in the UK and No Surprises in the USA. Now available on the OK Computer deluxe edition.

3. Smack My Bitch Up (Edit) - The Prodigy

Probably the most controversial single of the decade, Kool Keith's infamous sample lead to various accusations of misogyny towards Liam Howlett. The X-rated video didn't help the cause despite it's ending being anything but misogynistic. Most level-headed people didn't read anything sinister into the actual words; it was just a brutal sample. The single, which included this edit of the Fat Of The Land original, hit #8.

4. A Thousand Trees - Stereophonics

It's no wonder Stereophonics' debut Word Gets Around became so huge the amount of times they're featured on these FreeEPs. This was one of that album's defining tracks hitting #20 0n single release.

5. Dirt (New Radio Edit) - Death In Vegas

Two edits exist of this Dead Elvis track. A 4:11 edit featured on the original 1996 single release and the 1997 Slayer Edit, slightly shorter at 3:53 and featured here, featured on the reissue. This fared 27 places better than the original but still only managed to hit #61. This version is also available on DIV's Milk It compilation.

6. I'm Just A Killer For Your Love - Blur

From Blur's eponymous fifth album, this one defined the band's new lo-fi sound.

7. The World's Still Open - Mansun

Epic moment from Mansun's stand-alone seventh EP, Closed For Business. Now available again on the 3CD deluxe reissue of Attack Of The Grey Lantern, Paul Draper reveals, in the sleevenotes, that this should have been the EP's lead single instead of Closed For Business itself. It didn't stop the EP hitting #10 becoming Mansun's second Top 10 hit.

8. Why Is A Frog Too? - Bentley Rhythm Ace

Another act heavily featured on late 90s FreeEPs, this is from BRA's (ho-ho) eponymous debut.

9. 20 - Travis

Early B-side from the band's second Independiente single, All I Want To Do Is Rock, which reached #39 on release. Ironically, Travis only hit it big when Travis stopped rocking...

10. Round The Universe - The Seahorses

Total coincidence of course that The Seahorses is an anagram of 'He Hates Roses'. This is from the one and only album released by John Squire's post-Stone Roses group. Only one more stand-alone was released after this in 1998 and the end was nigh.

VROOOM! SELECT (1997)

"Motorcycle Loveliness" according to the spine. Oh dear.

1. Get Out Of Cities - Blur

Side 2 of Blur's #2 hit, Song 2. Not 2 shabby.

2. Ain't No Longer (The Lost Riff) - Dodgy

A remix by Jerome Di Pietro of Free Peace Sweet album track 'Ain't No Longer Asking'. Interestingly, the sleeve notes here state that this remix is from the forthcoming album 'FPS-2'. More well known for their 60s inflected power-pop and a comedy drummer, Dodgy always embraced the dance scene and remix culture, and as the title suggests, FPS-2 was the entire Free Peace Sweet album remixed by Di Pietro. The album was never released until after the band's original split and was then packaged as a bonus CD with greatest hits package Ace As & Killer Bs.

3. Behind The Clouds - Mantaray

A track from second album The Reds And The Blues from long forgotten Britpop/New Mod band who split up after a Bluetones support slot soon after the release of the album.

4. The Third Decade, Our Move - DJ Shadow

Hugely rare track, part of the Entropy suite, dating back to 1993 and taken from a split 12" single on the Solesides label with Asia Minor and DJ Shadow & The Groove Robbers, a good three years before the seminal Endtroducing. This is hip-hop's past, present and future encapsulated in 4 minutes. For a growing list of which tracks Entropy has sampled and who has in turn sampled Entropy click here: http://www.whosampled.com/search/samples/?q=entropy

5. Faces In A Dream - Hurricane #1

Post Ride, Andy Bell formed Hurricane #1. The post-Britpop trad-rockers were never really taken seriously as contenders and fell apart spectacularly after they allowed The Sun to use their biggest hit Only The Strongest Will Survive as a backdrop to their massive TV campaign. Their reputation in tatters, Bell went on to further humiliation when he joined Gay Dad as guitarist. His fortunes took a turn for the better when the Gallaghers soon came calling.

6. Millionaire Sweeper - Kenickie

Sunderland's finest introducing us to one Lauren Laverne. This blast of punk pop was released as a single in 1996 hitting #60. By the time their debut album At The Club was released less than a year later Lauren, along with Marie Du Santiago, Emmy Kate Montrose and, er, Johnny X, had become a pin up and they were in the Top 10. Pity it didn't last.... but Laverne's ubiquitous TV and radio career wasn't far away....

7. Six Million Dollar Goat - Toaster

Toaster were an experimental indie rock band from Scotland who sound a bit like a rubbish version of Mansun. They never got round to releasing anything until 2001 when they put out their sole album Signs And Wonder containing a new version of Six Million Dollar Goat.

8. Why Is A Frog Too? - Bentley Rhythm Ace

Always a favourite of late 90s free CD compilers, this is from BRA's eponymous debut.

9. Filmstar (Original Demo) - Suede

Filmstar was the 5th consecutive Top 10 hit from Suede's triumphant first post-Butler album Coming Up. Despite being 30 seconds longer than the original, and obviously lacking in production, this demo doesn't differ too much from the original but it's still exclusive to this CD so it's a must for Suede completists.

10. I Don't Think So - The Supernaturals

Indie also-rans best known for the nauseating 'Smile' which appeared on their Top 10 debut 'It Doesn't Matter Anymore' - as does this.

11. Cottonwool (Fila Brazilia Mix) - Lamb

A hidden remix on some copies of Manchester trip-hop duo's eponymous debut album.

12. Electricity - Spiritualized

Pretty much putting everything else here in the shade, this was a then exclusive preview of Spiritualized's all conquering Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space magnum opus. Electricity's garage rock was untypical of the album itself, a neo-psychedelic, space rock, ambient masterpiece, but was also served as the first single from the album hitting #32. The album itself even beat Radiohead's OK Computer to the Best Of '97 in various critics' polls.

13. Help Me (Quattro Edit) - The Candyskins

Oxford rock band whose third album Sunday Morning Fever rode on Britpop's coat-tails in 1997. They had one Top 40 hit, Monday Morning, before splitting a year later. This is an exclusive edit of a track from that album.

14. Looks Like Chaplin - Stereophonics

This is one of a batch of singles released by Stereophonics prior to the release of their debut album Word Gets Around in August 1997. The album, thanks to student friendly anthems such as Traffic, A Thousand Trees and Local Boy In The Photograph, went platinum and the band had another decade of hits.

15. Polydistortion - GusGus

Cult Icelandic electronic collective GusGus released seven albums in their decade long career. This is actually an edit of Polyesterday from their debut album.

16. Blood Chant - Gorky's Zygotic Mynci

Welsh psych-rockers Gorky's were the 90s most unlucky band hitting the Top 75 8 times, missing the big 40 each time. This is taken from their 1995 album Bwyd Time, which was their last release on the Ankst label before the majors and, well, kinda success, beckoned.

17. Bad Haircut - Silver Sun

Originally called ...Sun! before they were forced to change their name, Silver Sun were one of many hyped to death post-Britpop bands who died a death after a couple of moderately successful singles and album. The eponymous debut, containing this, hit #30.

18. Celebration On - Santa Cruz

Bristol band who released one album Way Out before fading away completely. Despite the sleeve notes declaring this to be on that album, it ended up as a B-side to their single Heaven Only Knows with an extra apostrophe and s on Celebration.

BSE BANGIN' SUMMER EXTRAVAGANZA: SELECT (1999)

1. Prologue To History - Manic Street Preachers

B-Side to the Manics' #1 single If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next and considered by some to be a lost classic. This also featured on the band's 2003 rarities compilation Lipstick Traces.

2. Organ Yn Dy Geg - Super Furry Animals

The first track on SFA's first EP, the spectacularly titled Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerchwryndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (In Space), this was omitted from their B-Side/rarities compilation Out Spaced and was a weclome addition to this freebie for completists who couldn't afford the pricey CD version of the EP.

3. Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp (Chemical Brothers Remix) -Mercury Rev

Relatively laid back remix from the Chems of the closing track on Mercury Rev's critically acclaimed Deserter's Songs album. This featured on the single for the track which peaked at #26.

4. Explode (Remixed) - The Cardigans

Alternative version of a track from the Gran Turismo album. This appeared on the Top 10 single Erase/Rewind.

5. Implement Yeah! - Suede

A homage to Mark E Smith, this was originally intended as a B side to the Filmstar single but subsequently dropped. A live version was released as a fan club only CD in 1997 but this studio version is an exclusive. The only time you'll ever hear Suede do The Fall.

6. She's So Strange - Travis

Taken from the mega-selling album The Man Who.

7. On Days Like Yours - Ben & Jason

This is from the London singer-songwriter duo's mini album Hello. They went their separate ways in 2003 - Ben stayed in the music industry whilst Jason went on to write for Viz

8. C'mon Cincinatti (M. Organs Village Mix) - Delakota

Short-lived indie-dance hybrid formed from the ashes of The Senseless Things. This remix is featured on the C'mon Cincinatti which hit #55 in 1998.

9. New Style - Orbital

Remix featured on the second CD single of Orbital's Top 20 single Style. The track was produced almost completely with a Stylophone hence the title. The original can be found on the Hartnoll brothers' album Middle Of Nowhere.

10. Jumbo (Jedi's Electro Dub Mix) - Underworld

Featured on the first CD single of the #21 single Jumbo, this is one of two mixes by Jedis. The glorious original is on the classic Beaucoup Fish.

11. Burn The Light - Cast

From Scousers' third under-achieving album Magic Hour.

12. Fame Thing - Ultrasound

This also appeared on NME's Spring Offensive compilation featured earlier so obviously this was the track used to lure people to buy their album Everything Picture. Didn't work.

13. (1903-70) - Idlewild

From the CD single to When I Argue I See Shapes, the band's commercial breakthrough. The song is a tribute to artist Mark Rothko, the title being his birth and death dates.

14. Madam, Your Carriage Awaits - Bentley Rhythm Ace

Probably hurrying the Pop Will Eat Itself reunion (see below), BRA's second album, For Your Ears Only, was released to little fanfare and bombed. This is an excerpt.

15. Lefturno - Scott 4

Named after Scott Walker's fourth album, Scott 4 were an indie country-rock band whose album Works Project met with huge critical acclaim in 1999. Commercial success eluded them, this single reaching #181, but they released two more independent albums in 2002 and 2005, the latter under the guise of the Scott 4 Free Rock Orchestra.

16. Raymond's Shop - Stereophonics

B-side to the early single More Life In A Tramp's Vest, released here presumably to show off their rare tracks after huge success with the Performance & Cocktails long player.

17. Paranoid People - 3 Colours Red

From their second album Revolt. Named after what most people did when they listened to 3CR probably.

NME: CLEAN SWEEP - LIVE AT THE LONDON ASTORIA (1998)

Note: All these tracks were, as the title suggests, recorded Live At The London Astoria between the 18th and 25th January 1998 on the NME/Miller Genuine Draft London Shows. These versions are all exclusive to this release.

1. Bad Behaviour - Super Furry Animals

SFA once said that they deliberately didn't release certain tracks as singles because they'd become too big a hit and overshadow the group. This stomper, from their 1996 debut album Fuzzy Logic, would surely have been one of those they had in mind... This version speeds up the song even further - it's a riot.

2. Traffic - Stereophonics

Stereophonics' first Top 20 hit - and from their debut 'Word Gets Around'.

3. Good Feeling - Travis

Title track from Travis' more upbeat Top 10 debut album.

4. Down Down Down - Warm Jets

Short-lived indie band whose lead singer Louis Jones became a brief tabloid fixture due to his dalliance with Zoe Ball. Their one and only album Future Signs hit #40 and contained two Top 40 hits. This was featured on their Move Away EP.

5. Radars - Dawn Of The Replicants

What were East West thinking signing Dawn Of The Replicants? Whatever they were on, I'll have some, please. One of the most inventive bands of their time, DOTR's wonky psych-rock was laden with hooks and a complete joy to behold. They were never going to hit the heights East West predicted and they retreated to indies after album number two. This was from their debut album One Head Two Arms Two Legs and originally the lead track on the Rhino Rays EP. In a parallel universe, they're probably huge.

6. You Just Have To Be Who You Are - Idlewild

Before Idlewild made it big with expansive and melodic rock inspired by REM amongst others, they were loud and fast with Roddy Woomble prone to screaming and rolling about on the stage in a rather worrying manner. This is clearly one of those moments. The track appeared on their debut mini-album Captain.

7. Ex Cowboy - Mogwai

Then unreleased track from post rock legends Mogwai, so this was a real incentive for fans to get a copy of this CD. The studio version didn't appear until a year later, on their album Come On Die Young.

8. One Man's Fear - Lo Fidelity Allstars

It's full title is actually One Man's Fear Another Man's High and appeared on their debut single Kool Rok Bass. Lumped in with the Big Beat crowd, Lo Fidelity Allstars were a much more complex beast taking in influences from funk, Northern Soul, electronica and early 90s indie. Their second single Disco Machine Gun famously got them into trouble after The Breeders complained that a sample from their Cannonball hadn't been cleared...all copies of the single had to be withdrawn with immediate effect and the sample was taken out, and the song renamed, for inclusion on their album. The original studio cut of One Man's Fear also included a sample that isn't present on this live version....of Jack and Vera Duckworth!

9. Come Taste My Mind - Earl Brutus

Knowingly chaotic indie rock band consisting of ex-World of Twist members Gordon King and the late Nick Sanderson and also Jamie (Martin's brother) Fry. This appeared on their album Tonight You Are The Special One, and, at about the same time as the release of this free CD, as a single in its own right where it became their biggest hit - charting at #88.

1o. My Own Summer (Shove It) - The Deftones

It wasn't just about British Indie music...the Deftones' US allternative metal also made an appearance on this NME tour. This was featured on their breakthrough album Around The Fur and appeared as a single in March 1998 hitting #29.

11. Assassin - Asian Dub Foundation

ADF's potent and politically charged mix of punk rock, ragga, dub and dancehall won many admirers and they became an incendiary live unit. This was featured on their Top 20 album Rafi's Revenge.

12. Running On The Spot - Bentley Rhythm Ace

Mistitled - this is Run On The Spot from BRA's eponymous debut album.

13. I Never Have Been Done - Theaudience

Every year, a band always emerged who were touted as the New Smiths. In '97 it was the turn of Theaudience. Only this time, this was the Smiths with a female at the front....none other than 18 year old Sophie Ellis Bextor. Whereas Theaudience called it a day after poor sales of their debut album, SEB fared slightly better.... To all fans of SEB expecting this to be a completely unreleased track - beware! Although this live version is exclusive, the track itself appeared on their album as 'You Get What You Deserve'.

14. Tightrope Walker - Therapy?

A track from Therapy?'s final major label album Semi-Detached. Soon after this, Therapy? retreated from the mainstream and have spent the last decade as a much rawer, exclusive concern.

15. Rocket USA - Spiritualized with Suicide

Saving the best till last, Spiritualized, fresh from the across-the-board acclaim given to their masterpiece Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space were joined on stage by hugely influential electronic punk band Suicide - Alan Vega and Martin Rev. This 10 minute live reworking of a track from Suicide's eponymous debut helped seal both band's status as past and present musical mavericks. Essential.

SELECT: THE DEEP END (2000)

1. Natural Blues (Mike D Remix) - Moby

Beastie Boy's remix of Moby's Top 20 hit from the Play album. This full length version hadn't been commercially released in the UK, though an edited version appeared on the Natural Blues CD single.

2. Ymaelodi A'r Ymylon - Super Furry Animals

From the best selling Welsh languge album ever, Mwng, this, one of the album's highights was released on this CD before the album release. The title translates as 'Joining The Periphery'.

3. T-Spot - Bentley Rhythm Ace

BRA's second album For Your Ears Only was ignored on release and more or less signalled the end of the big beat duo. This track was, again, released on the CD before the album. It turned up later on a Nik-Naks advert which probably earned them more royalties than the album itself...

4. Swastika Eyes (David Holmes Mix) - Primal Scream

Awesome Holmes remix of prime Scream Team from the classic XTRMNTR. Inexplicably only released on 12" promo, this is still the only official place to find this remix.

5. Everybody's Stalking (Demo Version) - Badly Drawn Boy

Another coup for Select. Back when BDB was the ultimate name-drop artist after a slew of EP releases, this rough cut preceded the album version on his Mercury Music Prize winning debut The Hour Of Bewilderbeast. It's still only available here.

6. The Sound Of Fear - Eels

Taken from E's third, Daisies Of The Galaxy.

7. Second Foot Stomp - Clinic

Another album trailer, this one preceding Clinic's debut Internal Wrangler.

8. Holy Calamity (Bear Witness II) - Handsome Boy Modeling School

A collaboration between De La Soul producer Prince Paul and Dan The Automator, this was lifted from the album So...How's Your Girl?

9. A Tribute To - The For Carnation

Post-rock from former Slint member Brian McMahan. This is taken from 2000's self titled second album.

10. The Distance From Her To There - Lambchop

A straight lift from the critics' favourite, 'Nixon'.

11. New Paths To Helicon (Part 1) - Mogwai

Rare Radio 1 Evening Session version of Mogwai's 1997 single recorded on March 10th 1999. Formerly exclusive to this release, it has since appeared on the BBC Sessions compilation Government Commissions.

12. Happiness - Elliott Smith

Another preview track - this time for Smith's album Figure 8.

But that's not all: this one is also a CD rom and contains the videos to Stereophonics' Hurry Up And Wait and Slipknot's Spit It Out UNCENSORED!! Woooh! NEXT.....