MELODY MAKER: THE BASEMENT TAPES VOLUME 2 (1997)

"All tracks are demo versions" so reads the legend on this free cassette given away by MM in 1997; not strictly true but there are some real rarities on this one:

1. For All The Cows (Live) - Foo Fighters

Reading Festival 1995 was Foo Fighters' first major show in the UK. This is a performance from that set. This version was broadcast live on Radio 1 and was included as an extra track on the Cows single which hit #28 in 1995.

2. Europe Is Our Playground (Alternative Mix) - Suede

Originally featured as a B-side to the Top 3 single Trash, this new version of Europe Is Our Playground turned up on superlative B-side compilation Sci Fi Lullabies. At the time, this was unique to this compilation until that album's release.

3. No One Speaks (Demo Version) - Geneva

The proto Keane. Geneva were tipped for huge things in 1997. Despite a Top 20 album and 4 Top 40 singles, the band never properly broke through. No One Speaks was their debut single and hit a respectable #32. This demo is unique to this cassette.

4. DJ Shadow's Theme (1990 Demo) - DJ Shadow

Shadow's Theme forms part of Joshua Davis' legendary Entropy set. This demo is impossibly rare and is unique to this cassette - at least in the UK. A Japanese collection entitled The 4 Track Era Collection 1990-1992 was released on Reconstruction in 2009 containing the 'Original Version' of DJ Shadow's Theme. Is this the same version?

5. Never Again (Campfire Version) - Dodgy

Never Again is featured on Dodgy's debut album, er, The Dodgy Album in 1993. This stripped back version was first included on the I Need Another EP the same year.

6. London - Sparklehorse

Early track from the late Mark Linkous. This dates from 1995 and was released a limited 7" single. It turned up again as an extra track on his Someday I Will Treat You Good single.

7. Love's Cradle (Demo Version) - 3 Colours Red

It's them again! This is a unique version of the Pure album track so is a must-get for both 3CR completists out there.

8. Dark Globe - Placebo

Brian Molko suggested he left a trail of blood and spunk across the country in the wake of Placebo's massive success with their debut album and Nancy Boy single. The band enjoyed their first taste of controversy however in July 1996 when the Chris Cunnigham directed video for single 36 Degrees was banned from daytime air play for showing the band playing underwater. Dark Globe was originally included as an extra track on the 36 Degrees single which hit #83 in the chart. Two singles later they were in the Top 5 and needed a wash.

NME: Annual Probe Volume 1 (1999)

1. This Is Yesterday (Live) - Manic Street Preachers

Completely exclusive live version of this 'Holy Bible' track recorded at the Cardiff International Arena on December 20th 1998. This CD is the only place you'll find this recording legitimately making this freebie an immediate collector's item. It's interesting to note that, especually as this CD was a round-up of 1998, that the compilers went with this track instead of one from their massive 'This Is My Truth...' album. Perhaps it was to boost sales of the Manics back catalogue, which is no bad thing...

2. Mezzannine - Massive Attack

Title track from Massive Attack's third album, and masterpiece.

3. Burger Queen - Placebo

Closing track from their second album 'Without You I'm Nothing'. This was released a single in France complete with the lyrics sung in full in French and titled Burger Queen Francais.

4. T Shirt Suntan (Live) - Sterephonics

This proved to be one of the first tasters of Stereophonics' soon to be evrywhere album 'Performance And Cocktails'. Recorded live at Cardiff Castle, this version predated the album release and studio version by a couple of months. It's still exclusive to this release.

5. Special/Blown It (Delete As Appropriate) - Mansun

Excerpt from Mansun's immense and ball-tripping second album 'Six'.

6. 78 Stone Wobble (Live) - Gomez

Another exclusive live track. The studio version had already been released as Gomez' debut single, just missing the Top 40, when this CD was given away. However, it predated the release of their debut album 'Brng It On' which eventually won the Mercury Music Prize in 1999. Although this is still remains an exclusive audio track, the performance at Temple Bar Music Centre in Dublin can be found on their compilation DVD 'Five Men In A Hut'.

7. Celestial Annihilation - UNKLE

UNKLE's first album ' Psyence Fiction' saw James Lavelle hook up with pioneer DJ Shadow. Although the album featured Mike D, Thom Yorke, Richard Ashcroft, Kool G Rap and Badly Drawn Boy, this is a Shadow instrumental.

8. Simultaneous - Chef

South Park's Chef remains one of the UK's most bizarre one hit wonders with 'Chocolate Salty Balls', nobody seeing fit to release any of his other contributions to the 'Chef Aid' album as singles, including this one. Chef of course, was voiced by the late, great Isaac Hayes.

9. Kelly Watch The Stars (Edit) - Air

This was included on the French Duo's album 'Moon Safari' and soundtracking just about every apartment with a stylish coffee table in 1998. This particular edit was available on the single which reached the Top 20 in the same year.

10. All My Time Is Gone - Fun Lovin' Criminals

Before Huey Morgan presented programmes about comedy dogs with Jimmy Tarbuck's daughter, FLC's blend of rock, hip hop, jazz, blues and funk was taken quite seriously. This is taken from their second album '100% Colombian'. Check out Youtube for Huey's interview with Jamie Theakston on the O Zone where he lies through his nose on kids TV about where that album title came from...

11. Numbskull - Ash

From Ash's second album proper 'Nu-Clear Sounds'. This track was released as non-chart eligible EP shortly after inclusion here, presumably to avoid a poor chart placing after a massive decline in sales. The track's video was also one of the most sexually explicit videos ever released by a mainstream band.

12. The Good Will Out (Live) - Embrace

Exclusive Radio 1 Evening Session version of the the title track to Embrace's No 1 debut album - again, you'll only find it on this CD. The original version was released as the final single from the album as a 12" only.

13. Soul Surfing - Fatboy Slim

From Norman Cook's ubiquitous second album as Fatboy Slim, 'You've Come A Long Way Baby'