One of the best musical institutions on Earth, Solid Steel, has just released this mixtape of storied sets from the early days of Coldcut — aka the founders of Ninja Tune Records and Solid Steel itself. The mixtape is culled from the last mixes that Matt Black and Jon More — the duo behind the Coldcut moniker — played at Kiss FM, the legendary London pirate radio station. They explain below:
On the pirate station Kiss FM in the mid to late eighties Matt Black and Jon More both had separate shows, we hear clips from both and then as they joined forces in 1988 prior to Kiss shutting down whilst applying for legal status at the end of the year.
To start with we scan the airwaves through various London Pirate Stations of the time, landing at Kiss 94 FM to hear Matt Black’s Mastermix Dance Party dropping exclusive Coldcut tracks for the first time and music from the emerging House scene. Jon More takes over with the Meltdown Party playing ‘new’ releases from The Beastie Boys, Eric B & Rakim and Adrian Sherwood plus the original version of ‘The Only Way Is Up’ that they later covered with Yazz and took to the top of the charts.
Then we hear them together for their last show on the Pirate Kiss 94 FM whilst waiting for a licence. Music comes from Kraftwerk plus a Todd Terry workout and, as they say goodbye, we hear a farewell from Kiss founder Gordon Mac and the announcement of a new commercial station for London…
Stream Coldcut’s Solid Steel Radio 25th Anniversary “Pirate Kiss 94FM mixtape below. If you’d like to know a bit more about the legendary KISS FM pirate radio, check out Radical Radio — a documentary about Kiss FM from its pirate roots through applying to become a legal station, to its official non-clandestine launch — below that.
Full Tracklisting for the Solid Steel Radio “Pirate Kiss 94FM” mixtape after the Jump…
Matt Black – Mastermix Dance Party 1988
Mongo Santamaria _ Cold Sweat _ Columbia
Floormaster Squeeze _ Kick out the James (Spend version) _ Ahead Of Our Time
Kool and the gang _ Who’s gonna take the weight _ De-Lite
James Brown _ The Payback Mix (Coldcut Meets The Godfather) _ Urban
Marshall Jefferson Presents Truth _ Open Our Eyes _ Big Beat
Rick “Hollywood” Pagan _ Make them sweat _ Music Village
Bam Bam _ Where’s Your Child? _ Desire Records
Jon More – Meltdown Party 1986/87
Vicki Anderson _ Message From The Soul Sisters _ King
Ray Baretto _ Soul drummer _ Fania
Beastie Boys _ Brass monkey _ Def Jam
Age of chance _ Kisspower _ White
Tackhead _ The Game (You’ll Never Walk Alone) (Dub) _ 4th & Broadway
Eric B & Rakim _ I ain’t no joke _ 4th & Broadway
Percussion Allstars _ Percussion _ Modern Records
Prince buster _ Ride A Donkey _ Fab
Lola _ Wax the van _ Jump Street
Manu Dibango _ Abele Dance _ Celluloid
Housemaster Boys _ House nation _ Dance Mania
Papa Noel _ Bel ami _ Industrie Africaine Du Disque
Otis Clay _ The only way is up _ Blues R&B
Coldcut – Solid Steel 1988
Royal House _ Can you party? _ Idlers
Black Riot _ A day in the life _ Fourth Floor
Todd Terry _ Just Wanna Dance _ Sleeping Bag
Swan Lake _ The dream _ Bad Boy Records
Kevin Sanderson _ The sound _ KMS
Todd Terry _ Weekend _ Sleeping Bag
Masters at work _ Dum Dum Cry _ Fourth Floor
Kraftwerk _ Numbers _ EMI
