Pop: Riffs

The First and Last Records Bought By the Shamen's mr c

First record

Dan Hartman:

"Instant Replay"

A CHEESY disco tune from the seventies, that cost 50p from Chapel Street Market in Islington. It wasn't dear to me, though I recall it played at school discos. At 13, I went through a big disco stage and would go to pubs along Hackney Road. I was into everything from Earth Wind & Fire to electro. Garage is exactly the same as disco, only it uses modern technology. The first important crossover record was "Cutting Herbie" on VEntertainment; it sampled Herbie Hancock's "Rockit", a year or so after it came out. I was a body popper, but when it moved to breakdancing, I decided to pick up the microphone to become an MC.

Last record

Andy Roberts: "Mr Roberts' Neighbourhood" (Aquarius Records)

WHENEVER I go record shopping, I buy a load. I listen to the records, go to the distributors. This record starts off with a nice bell noise on a fast drum loop. Then the track breaks down to just bells for 32 bars. It holds you until the bass kicks in, with nice chord stabs, very nice melodies. It's quite a beautiful number. I don't like techno to be minimal and bland. This is quite deep. I would play it late in the night; it is not one to jump about to, but it has got sophistication and trippiness.