MELODY MAKER: STEVE LAMACQ'S BOOTLEG SESSION VOLUME 3 (1999)

1. King Of Snake (Barking Mix) - Underworld

The only Underworld track to share a co-writing credit with Giorgio Moroder, thanks to its interpolation of Donna Summer's I Feel Love, King Of Snake was edited down from its full 9 and a half minute length from the Beaucoup Fish album into two separate single mixes,the Straight (Mate) Mix and this one. The third single from the album, it reached #17 in 1999. The title of the remix, a play on words referencing an insane state of mind and the place in Essex, was resurrected in 2010 for Underworld's most recent album - Barking.


2. Caught By The Fuzz - Supergrass

Exclusive version recorded for Lamacq's Evening Session in April 1999. The fact that this was recorded five years after its original release, whilst in the throws of promoting their third album, was testament to the song's enduring appeal. Caught By The Fuzz was released as Supergrass' first limited edition single on Backbeat Records in 1993 and released as their first single proper a year later. Despite narrowly missing a Top 40 place, the track became a modern day classic and helped turn debut album I Should Coco into a million seller.


3. Pyromaniax! - Arsonists
Underground hip hop from New York, this is taken from the rap crew's 1999 debut album As The World Burns. One more album, Date Of Birth, followed in 2001.


4. Paint Nothing - Idlewild

Before they found the folk, Idlewild were a pretty mean live proposition. Shambolic and messy live, Roddy Woomble spent half of their live sets crawling along the floor like a man possessed. This chaotic, yet compelling, start was captured in their debut mini-album Captain which gained not considerable support from Steve Lamacq himself to whom the band probably owe their entire career. Idlewild's rough edges were smoothed out more and more as the next 10 years unfolded, the first signs being their debut album Hope Is Important. Whilst not abandoning their edgy and angular sound completely, the album edged more towards a more commercial sound that would reap further rewards in later years. Paint Nothing is from that album.

5. Stuck On Me - Sukpatch

Electronic hip-hop from the Tie Down That Shiny Wave EP from the Beastie Boys' Grand Royale stable. Other Sukpatch releases were released on Sub Pop and Moshi Moshi amongst others.

6. Oi To The World - The Vandals

US pop punk band who formed in 1980 and have undergone various radical line up changes in their 30 year career despite an influence a new wave of 90s punk acts such as Green Day and The Offspring. Oi To The World was originally released in 1996 as part of the band's Christmas album of the same name. An album which contained a ditty entitled Christmas Time For My Penis of which we will say no more and move on - only to say this is an exclusive live session version so, Vandals completists everywhere, take note that man.

7. Bursting Off The Back Beat - Jacknife Lee

Early single from producer Jacknife 'Garret' Lee which reached #153 in the chart and taken from his debut album Muy Rico! Lee had modest success with subsequent albums, but much like his earlier incarnation as guitarist with the heavily hyped indie rockers Compulsion, his career failed to take off. Jacking in the solo albums, however, and concentrating on producing other artists seemed to do the trick though....his credits including recent output by U2, REM, Weezer, Snow Patrol and Kasabian.

8. Generator - Elastica

The build up and release of Elastica's 1995 eponymous album was huge and Justine Frischmann et al were seen as guiding lights in the thriving Britpop scene. Frischmann's relationship with Damon Albarn and the fact she was an ex-girlfriend of Brett Anderson, having once been a member of Suede, kept Elastica in the headlines. Despite accusations of plagiarism from both Wire and The Stranglers, the album reached #1. Then it all fell apart and the band disappeared, only to resurface in 1999 having undergone various line up changes. The result was a low key 6 track EP called, well. '6 Track EP' which acted as a document to what the band had been up to in their lost years prior to the release of their second, and final album, The Menace. The EP contained a Mark E Smith collaboration in How We Wrote Elastica Man and this, Generator. The version here is exclusive to this EP and was recorded  live at Reading in 1999. The track also featured in a re-recorded version on the second album.

9. Going Out - Vyvyan

Short-lived all girl indie group from the West Midlands who only released on single and one mini-album, Teenage Wannabes on the Sympathy  From The Record Industry imprint. They did have to time to record one evening session and this version of the album track is featured here.

10. Such A Rush - Coldplay

Hidden in the depths of this CD then are Coldplay whose Blue Room EP, featuring this track, was released to limited but widespread acclaim in 1999. The release gained support from Lamacq's Evening Session, hence their inclusion here,  and led to a co-headlining tour with Welsh band Terris, a set of dates heavily hyped by NME who proclaimed these two bands as the future of music in the 21st Century. Those who mock NME for making such a noise over Terris, who fell flat on their arse, seem to have forgotten that they had more success with their championing of Coldplay who went on to world domination. An early version of Such A Rush was included on Coldplay's debut Safety EP, currenty fetching a crazy £870.00 on Ebay. A copy of Terris' debut EP, The Time Is Now, described by NME as semi-legendary at the time, recently failed to sell on Ebay....for 49p. Better luck next time, lads.

11. Lamacqnaut 2000 - Frigid Vinegar

Novelty indie rap played to death on the Evening Session in 1999 under the original single release title, Dogmonaut 2000. This adapted version paying tribute to the host was performed on the Session and included here exclusively. Despite record label Rotator's website - still active - suggesting that Frigid Vinegar aka Alex Lusty, could soon be seen performing on CD:UK, it never quite happened...

12. Radio Beatbox - Hedrock Valley Beats

AKA D Declan McLaughlin who released several singles and 12"s under the Hedrock Valley Beats moniker at the start of the millenium. The sleeve notes here claim that it's taken from "the first release on Bright Star Records" in 1999. Was it also the last??

13. Sunburn (Session) - Muse

Another huge band making an early appearance. At the time of this evening session, August 1999, Muse had released 2 limited EPs one major single, Uno, which had scraped the Top 75 and their second, Cave, was just around the corner. Initially dismissed as the next set of Radiohead copyists to come and bite the dust, support for Muse grew and grew beyond their initial fanbase and, despite a slow start, their debut album Showbiz knocked up strong sales and produced three Top 40 hits including Sunburn, their first major hit when it hit #22 in early 2000. As Muse shed the Radiohead-lite sound of their debut and became louder, more progressive and more bombastic, they became one of the UK's biggest bands. This is the only place you'll legitimately find this version so it's essential for all Muse completists.

14. I Love Only You - Hefner

Perhaps the most indie of all late 90s indie bands, Hefner were active from 1997 -2002 and produced a raft of singles and EPs, four albums and a number of radio sessions, most notably for John Peel. Never destined for commercial success at any point, this is taken from their second album The Fidelity Wars which hit the Top 200 for a week at #165.

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.