Manchester music institution Eastern Bloc is celebrating its 30th anniversary this weekend at Band on the Wall so, to celebrate, the Bloc's Jim Spratling asked ex staff members to pick out the tunes that bring back happy memories of their time there.
Andro (AnD)
Robert Hood - 'Minimal Nation LP'
M Plant is a personal favourite! This album also represents the shops focus of techno purism over the years. One of the best techno albums and also a favourite of many E Bloc staff. Techno stripped as far as it can go in its purist form. Raw, funky and powerful!
Chris Fatboy
Uncut - 'Midnight' (Marcus Intalex & ST Files Remix)
Manchester took hold of d&b with this release. Played out now, but when it first dropped…
Jim Bane
Equinox - 'Acid Rain V.I.P.' (Breakage Final Chapter Mix)
Completely mind blowing jungle music and some of the most intense drum editing of the amen break ever to be released on vinyl. One of Breakage’s finest moments. This record is extremely experimental and requires a few listens. I chose this because we sold more than 200 of copies, it is not for everyone but made complete sense to E Bloc.
John 'Bingo' Berry
808 State - 'Pacific State'
The track just speaks of the shop at the height of our influence on the scene and of the peak of the Madchester period. A totally exciting time to be a part of…
Justin Robertson
Voltage Control - 'Force D’Inquisition'
So I’m going to go for ‘VOLTAGE CONTROL - FORCE D’INQUISITION', we all seemed to agree that New Beat and Euro techno was fabulous, where the shandy shuffler met the raver…
Karl Roscoe
Basic Channel 'Phylyps Trak II/II'
I'd say that is the perfect track. A mood and a groove that has become ingrained under every member of staffs' skin since its release.
Kerrie
Maurizio 'Domina' (Carl Craig’s Mind Mix)
One of the first records I bought when I started working at the shop. Both Maurizio and Carl Craig are pioneers and I think everyone that has or does work at shop would agree. Safe to say their music has influenced most of the artists we stock today at the shop in terms of techno and house. And not to forget the story about Carl Craig playing at an E Bloc instore - it was one for the history books, I've been told! Wish I had been around then.
Marcus Intalex
Subnation - 'Scotty'
PFM - 'The Western Tune'
I’m pretty useless with dates but I do recall us not being at E Bloc very long when we ordered a 100 copies of Subnation’s 'Scotty' to John's disbelief and sold them all in about ten days. Also PFM’s 'The Western' was pretty pivotal as we had just moved into our own department downstairs. That track amongst other Good Looking releases were entincing as many of the old house heads down there as our regular d'n'b heads. We were selling bucketloads of the stuff.
Mark 'Turbo' Turner
Paperclip People - 'Throw'
I remember when this came in to the shop, it blew my head off and still does to this very day. When a simple sample loop creates a whole new world.
Mark XTC
Da Intalex - 'What You Gonna Do'
Masters At Work - 'I Can’t Get No Sleep'
Both tunes changed a lot for me.
Martin McNasty
U.R. - 'Transition'
A tradition of appreciation for Detroit house and techno passes through all staff at the shop. Choosing a personal favourite was tough, but it is this one which gets my vote. Even today, 'Transition' is as devastating as ever. Playing it out is always amazing, as too was bugging out to it behind the shop counter.
Means&3rd
Erik & Fiedel - 'Grundig'
Distorted broken analogue goodness. It might not be as anthemic as other people's choices but it really sums up a time when I discovered a whole new world of techno, thanks to Andro who often handed me face-melting techno that half the time went back to him, but this somehow changed things and paved the way for many other purchases.
Simon Tonkinson
Pitched Black - 'The Road to Everywhere'
Heard this track for the first time in a club, played by Krysko at Sankeys Soap during some Redlight warm up set. Through that Phazon system, the low end rumble physically moved me. As the layers of keys come in, from the first to every lick, until that moment when you hear ‘YOU DONT KNOW…..You dont know!' A bonafide modern house masterpiece. Im sure my comrads at the store hold this track dear also. It was pretty much on repeat in the store and frequented most of our sets at some point. Let us pray for a repress.
Words: Jim Spratling