Many of the Solid Steel shows doing the rounds over the past few years as MP3s have mostly come from the mid-nineties onwards. While there have been some outstanding shows from that time, they don’t really reflect the early days of Solid Steel. And by early, we’re talking the eighties! Back when every radio show didn’t have an website or was instantly ripped and uploaded on to the Internet for the masses to get hold of. No podcasts, no ‘listen again’ option - unless you were sat patiently by your hi-fi stereo, finger poised over the RECORD button on the tapedeck, of course. Fortunately, the ever-dilligent archivists of sound Coldcut did the job for you, as this show from 1988 with Juan Atkins proves. The following words by Strictly Kev.

TX : 02/12/88

Way back at the tail end of 1988 - December 2nd to be precise - Coldcut invited Detroit techno pioneer and Metroplex label head Juan Atkins into the studio for a chat and live mix. They kick off the show by segueing the ‘News at Ten’ theme into Big Apple Productions’ ‘Genius at Work part 1′ intro with it’s radio tuning and ‘in other news’ sample. The interview with Juan begins with Inner City’s ‘Good Life’, just as it was about to be huge, but frustratingly the tape we have runs out just as they start chatting, only to resume some place later. Further in, Coldcut soundtrack a GI Joe spoken word story called ‘Secret of the Mummy’s Tomb’ over a version of ‘Love Is The Message’. In part 3 Juan steps up to the decks and throws down a wobbly live mix for 18 minutes and we are treated to an unknown Coldcut acid track acetate later which is briefly played on the wrong speed. As Matt says, “Live and direct…”

At this point Matt and Jon had joined forces by combining their separate shows - The ‘Matt Black Mastermix Party’ and Jon’s ‘Meltdown’ - to become Coldcut (or the Coldcut Brothers as they refer to themselves occasionally). The slot they occupied was Friday afternoon 4 - 6pm, preceded by Danny Rampling (referred to as Rampo by Jon at the handover) and followed by Judge Jules. It becomes apparent as the show nears it’s end that Jules hasn’t arrived and Coldcut are filling in for him. We’re not sure exactly how long they overran but they are heard quoting the time as being seven minutes past six near the end - pirate radio, eh?

All this was when KISS FM was still a pirate station and were about to go off the air to make a bid for a legal license, which they lost to Jazz FM but eventually gained on September 1st 1990. This show includes many ads for gigs, clubs and raves happening at the time with some truly amazing line ups that reflect the times. One gig - actually happening the day after this broadcast - consists of: Ritchie Rich, Coldcut, Manassah, Norman Jay, Judge Jules, Stereo MCs, Derek B, Soul II Soul plus visuals from Don Letts and the Mutoid Waste Company. Some of the ads have been edited out as they are repeated throughout the programme but we’ve left most in as a snapshot of what was going on in London at the end of ‘88.

This broadcast was sourced from two 60 minute cassettes taped from the radio so please excuse the quality and occasional radio interference. They came from a massive stash of Coldcut’s past work circa the mid-to-late 80’s into the 90’s. Many treats were discovered and the best will be made available in the coming months.

Strictly Kev

[Coldcut Meet Juan Atkins - Parts 3+4] (54mins, 74MB)