NME EXCLUSIVES (2001)

OK not from the FreeEPs era but this one deserves a mention...so here's the pick of the bunch.

Another No One (Live) - Suede

Originally a B side to Suede Mk2's comeback single Trash, this is the only place you'll find this live version, recorded in Los Angeles  in May 1997. The original was also included on Suede's B side compilation Sci Fi Lullabies as well as the recent re-release of the album Coming Up as part of the band's reformation-celebrating reissue extravaganza.

Shotgun - The Charlatans

You can only be that well worn cliche - a 'survivor' - in the music world if you're prepared to move on and try something new but still have a sound you can call your own. This is why the likes of Manic Street Preachers, Primal Scream and indeed The Charlatans are still with us, Northern Uproar are not and why Cast's attempt at Blaxploitation funk failed dismally. Dismissed as Stone Roses copyists at their inception, Tim Burgess et al soon shed the burden of Brown and Baggy and ventured into classic rock territory, something they took a step further by embracing soul and funk sounds, complete with Burgess' new falsetto, on their seventh album Wonderland in 2001 whilst still retaining their indie rock groove. The new sound was most emphasised in this track omitted from the UK version and becoming what British fans loath the most - the Japanese bonus track. The only place to get this without forking out a small fortune was this compilation...until it became a bonus track on their next single A Man Needs To Be Told. The band have moved on since, further albums incorporating reggae, dub and New Order leanings...and they're something of a national indie institution.

Tides Of The Moon (Live) - Mercury Rev

A Mercury Rev Song On Compilation Not From Deserter's Songs Shocker! Mercury Rev took the Deserter's Songs template and took it to new lush, cinematic lengths for their next single All Is Dream. Some found it a bit too sweet but it remains another high watermark for the band. This live version of the album track found its way onto the Dark Is Rising single package. It was recorded live at the 2001 Reading Fesival

Party Hard (Live) - Pulp

Recorded live in Switzerland nearly exactly ten years ago in July 2001, this remains an exclusive 6 minute version of the This Is Hardcore album track and single from 1998. Although a band who refused to stand still musically, no-one could blame Pulp for calling it a day in 2002....huge success followed a torturous 13 year rise to fame, from there followed Jarvis Cocker's meltdown and the dark Hardcore album completely at odds with the more anthemic nature of their breakthrough material. Alienating the kids, their final, hugely undervalued album We Love Life was met with shrugs by the masses and the end was nigh. Nearly ten years later, they're back!  Party Hard reached #29 in 1998.

Fever (Live Acoustic) - Starsailor

This is the only place you'll find this take of Starsailor's top 20 debut single, recorded for Nemone in the Radio 1 Live Lounge. One of the many post-Britpop bands to be hyped and flounder with half a decade, Starsailor are currently on the dreaded "hiatus" after each of their albums has steadily fared worse than the previous one. Despite this, Wigan's second most successful band have had ten Top 40 hits in the UK.

Coming Second (Live) - Elbow

And another live exclusive for Elbow completists, of which there are many after five straight both commercially and critically acclaimed albums. This was featured on their first, Asleep In The Back and was released as the fourth single from the album as a AA side along with the then-new track also called Asleep In The Back which was added to later editions of the parent album. It charted at #19 and remains their joint highest charting single to date along with Fallen Angel and Grounds For Divorce. Oddly, despite being used in every television programme ever made in the last few years and spending 35 weeks in the UK Chart, their most famous record One Day Like This has never made it past #35.

The other tracks on this EP are: Woah! - So Solid Crew, Dreamy Days (Lotek  Bonanza Relick) - Roots Manuva, Rock N Roll Star (Live) - Oasis, Avril 14th - Aphex Twin, New Instrumental (Live) - The Music, Saigin Disco (Live) - ARE Weapons, Ride Wit' Us (Remix) - Kurupt, Shadows Fall - The Coral, Drop The Hate (Laid Remix) - Fatboy Slim, Right Here (Club Mix) - Stanton Warriors

SELECT: REVOLUTIONS 02 (2000)

1. Ashamed - Muse

Early B-side from Devon's soon to be huge prog-rock behemoths' Top 30 single 'Sunburn'. The track has historic status as one of the eleven tracks on Muse's original demo cassette, albeit in rough demo form.

2. Valley - Doves

Another early B-side, this one from Doves' Top 40 hit Catch The Sun. This has showed up since on their 2003 B Side compilation 'Lost Sides'.

3. Supersonic Waves (Coke N Smoke) (Syntax Vox Mix) - Regular Fries Feat Kool Keith

Just known as Coke N Smoke on the album 'War On Plastic Plants', the slight alteration of the title to Supersonic Waves (Coke N Smoke) was presumably to avoid any controversy. They needn't have bothered - much like all this underrated psych-space rock band's releases, this single was ignored by the public despite featuring legendary Ultramagnetic MCs rapper Kool Keith and a remix from Manic Street Preachers' James Dean Bradfield. This remix, by Syntax, is exclusive to this CD and remains so to this day.

4. Get Enuff (Radio Edit) - Wookie

A preview of rising garage star's follow up single to the Top 10 hit 'Battle'. The single, and self-titled album, failed to crack the Top 75 resulting in Wookie retreating back to the underground.

5. Open The Airwaves - Lowgold

A preview of Indie next-big-things' album Just Backward Of Square. Despite Top 40 success for the album, the St Albans band soon faded into obscurity although have managed to release three more albums.

6. Delinquency - V-Twin

Preview of this single and the album Free The Twin. This leftfield big-beat is notable for it's Jagz Kooner production.

7. Poke 'Er 'Ole - Add N To [X]

Preview of Mute post-rock electronic signings' fourth album 'Add Insult To Injury'

8. Song 1 - David Holmes

Not just an exclusive - a "World Exclusive" for Select according to the sleeve notes. It's worth the boast; DJ Holmes' Bow Down To The Exit Sign was one of the critical successes of 2000 and, when he's not raking in the royalties from his numerous film soundtracks, arguably the peak of his career, so this was a coup. It's an out-take from the Bow Down sessions and remains unreleased anuwhere else to this day.

9. We Dug A Hole - Kathryn Williams

A straight lift from Williams' Mercury Music prize nominated alt-folk album Little Black Numbers.

10. Oxygen (Original Demo Version) - JJ72

Briefly the band most-likely-to, JJ72 scored 3 Top 40 hits from their Gold eponymous debut, including this, their most well known track. This demo is exclusive to this release.

11. Mark David Chapman - ...And You Wil Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead

Intense art-rock from Texas. This is taken from the previous year's 'Madonna' album and predates the universal critical acclaim that was to come with the 'Sources, Tags & Codes' album a year later.

12. Ubik (The Breakz) (Original Mix) - Timo Maas

Ubik was released on the Perfecto label shortly after Maas' remix of Azzido Da Bass' 'Dooms' Night' propelled him to mainstream success. This version was released on the single.

13. Club News - Chris Morris' Blue Jam

Post-The Day Today and Brass Eye, Blue Jam was Chris Morris' dark and uncompromising radio sketch series. Although only broadcast in the early hours on Radio 1, it gained a huge cult following and a compilation of sketches was picked up for album release by Warp Records. An equally surreal TV series, Jam, followed.

14. Da Virus (Latin 2-Step Mix) - Stanton Warriors

Remix of then-current 12" single from now internationally renowned breakbeat duo.

15. Eyeless - Slipknot

Slipknot's iconic debut was released in the summer of 1999; the fact that tracks from the album were still being issued on these CDs over a year later shows how ubiquitious they were on the nu-metal and alternative scene.