2001
Below is an email sent out to all subscribers of the band's mailing list following the band's brief reunion in 2001 for a Sonic Youth tv show. tv news Just had a note from Channel 4 this morning that the Sonic Youth Pioneers thing that Ride reunited for last month is going to be shown next week! There was me thinking that we had loads of time to get a video clip and a sound clip up on the site before the expected transmission date in January... Anyway, the programme is on on 5th December at around 00:20 (I suppose technically that means that it's actually on 6th December - Mark's 32nd birthday as it happens!) and there'll be an interview with Mark and Andy and footage and sound from the 2 hour jamming session in London last month. We're still going through the camcorder footage and the sound recording that we made of the day and so we'll now see what Channel 4 show and then decide afterwards what to put up at rideox4.com. The sound recording runs to about 35 minutes in total and we're toying with the idea of making it available in some limited form. No fixed ideas yet but it would be cool to get it out into the world in some shape or form. Any ideas welcomed. Post them on the guestbook on the site. Other news includes a cover of Dreams Burn Down by Oxford alt-country popsters, Goldrush, this week on their Steve Lamacq session on Radio 1. It's probably going to be in Thursday's show. The missing interview questions from Steve on the ox4 site should be going live soon too. Also the Box Set is now available once more in the stores of the land. The re-pressing has arrived and you can get it off the shelf or off the web via the shop on the Ride website. Unless there is further substantial demand this will probably be the final processing of the box set. Most of the old stock of t-shirts have now gone. There are a few left of the Going Blank Again design and the Reading Festival design. Demand has been very high over the past few months and we're thinking of producing a new T-shirt for early next year featuring the Ride record-sleeve collage logo that is the header on the site. We'll keep you posted of course. Thanks also for joining up to this list. Would you actually believe that it is now larger than the list was back in 1994!
Below is an email sent out to all subscribers of the band's mailing list when the band briefly reunited in 2001 for a tv show. yesterday's moment of surreality So yesterday at the John Henry rehearsal complex in North London, Andy, Mark, Steve and Loz all turned up, set-up, plugged-in and put together about an hour's worth of un-rehearsed sonic jamming to accompany the forthcoming series of Channel 4's Pioneers. The show is about the influence of Sonic Youth and is effectively "presented" by Andy and Mark. They talk about Sonic Youth's influence generally to 90's music and specifically the influence on the then-fledgling Ride. As part of the idea for the show, the producer had asked Mark and Andy to play 10-15 minutes of guitar-based feedback which they wanted to film and use as a backdrop to the programme. It was Andy's idea that if he and Mark were going to get together to talk about Sonic Youth's influence on Ride then any "performance" to accompany the programme should feature all 4 ex-Ride members. Mark flew in from France for the day, Andy delayed his return to Sweden after the Oasis tour for a day and both Loz and Steve managed to juggle their existing commitments to make way for the day's filming. Everyone arrived about 11 and everything was set-up and ready to roll about Midday. Once the TV people had sorted their sound and camera positions out, the band started to work on a loose jam that they'd put together on the spot. It was a simple recording - one stereo mic for the drums, one bass mic and one each for Andy's and Mark's guitars. No vocals. It was truly amazing how quickly the whole sound slotted into place, that old adage about riding a bicycle was never more appropriate. There was a break while the sound levels and the overall mix were checked: and also while the lighting team sorted out their part of the equation. After a spot of lunch the band started playing about 1:30 with the cameras and the tape rolling until it came to it's natural conclusion about 2:15. Mark and Andy then filmed the interview and they all packed up and went their separate ways - Mark and Andy off to Heathrow for their respective flights, Steve back to Oxford and Loz back across London. It was very strange to witness how natural the whole event was and also how enjoyable and inspirational it was too. They talked about whether to base the jam on perhaps Grasshopper or even the middle section of Drive Blind but in the end a completely new piece of music came out of the day. There will some snaps of the day and maybe some camcorder footage up on the Ride site in the next couple of weeks or so - don't touch that dial.
Channel 4 broadcast a show dedicated to Sonic Youth on December 12th 2001 in the UK. The show was part of a series of 10 minute documentaries about pioneering artists. Ride reunited just for the recording of the show on October 16th 2001. Prior to the recording of the show NME ran a news story that stated the following: RIDE are to reform to appear on a forthcoming CHANNEL 4 television series. A spokesperson for the programme, ‘Pioneers’, told NME.COM that the original Ride line-up, which features current Oasis bassist Andy Bell, will perform one of their “classic songs” in the forthcoming series. Each episode of ‘Pioneers’ lasts 15 minutes, and profiles seminal bands or moments in music. The broadcasts are likely to start at 12.45am on December 12, according to a spokesperson for Channel 4, and the show presented by Ride is to be about the influence of Sonic Youth. Following the recording of the show Ride released their performance as a cd called Coming Up For Air. You can listen to the release below.
Below is an email sent out to all subscribers of the band's mailing list following the release of OX4. hello this is just a quick note to say that the web shop that sits next to my office here in Oxford has just had it's stock in of the Box Set, the CD and Vinyl Best Of plus all the catalogue albums. It's the same web shop where we've been selling the remaining Ride T-shirts that had been filling up my garage for the past few years. There are only about 40 T-shirts left now and after those have gone that will be it, I'm afraid. So go off shopping to www.oxfordmusic.net if there's any gaps that you still need to fill. Also you've probably seen some of the reviews and interviews that have been going on around the release. Conveniently the Ticket To Ride site (linked from www.rideox4.com) and the www.creation-records.com/ride site (a fan's creation records site) have got a full list of all the recent activity with links and downloads of sound files so that you don't miss anything. Thanks to all of you who've signed up to the Ride email-list, it has been quite frantic both on the list and on the website guestbook. Things have been selling well: the Box Set, Nowhere, Going Blank Again and the Single Best Of CD have all had to be re-pressed already. It's been really exciting to walk into record shops and see the "ride" sections full once more. That's all from me but since I'm sat here with Andy at the moment I thought it only right and proper to leave him with the last word. Dave Newton Dear all: YARBLES!!! with love Andy Bell p.s. look out for the secret track!
Below is an email sent out to all subscribers of the band's mailing list to celebrate the release of OX4. today's the day... ...and so after three years of maybes and maybe-nots, the Best Of and accompanying Box Set finally make their way into the stores today. we have been overwhelmed by the reaction so far of people to the release and especially to all of you who have put such kind thoughts up on the OX4 website. the press reviews have been really encouraging and hopefully they'll be lots more to come. we think that the Radio 1 feature is on tonight on Steve Lamacq and there's interviews appearing here there and everywhere (nme.com, worldpop.com, dotmusic.com, coppernob, teletext, creation-records.com, TTROL). andy and mark are on xfm studio 68 this week (wednesday) and there's various club nights going on at the moment to support the release. hopefully something on TOTP2 soon too. so get down that record store and let's see that Best Of in the charts on Sunday. bye
Back in 2001 when I was running the Creation Records fansite I interviewed Steve Queralt upon the release of the OX4 Best of_ boxset. Below is the accompanying guide Steve wrote about the Firing Blanks album which has been lost in cyberspace for many years, until now.... What's your favourite track? Tongue Tied or Something's Burning? Something's Burning - During the summer of 1993 we recorded two sessions at Courtyard Studios in Oxford as preparation for "Carnival Of Light". Sadly this song, whilst good enough to have been included was dropped along with various other potential tunes. Just too many songs knocking around at that time. Chelsea Girl (4 track demo) - This is Andy and Me demoing tunes during 1988 in my bedroom. I had a four track machine which we used for all sorts of ideas in the early days before we had a proper band. In later months we managed to demo a lot of early songs squeezing the whole band into bedrooms or living rooms much to the neighbours disgust. Blue & Everybody Knows - Written by Loz, these were originally included in the tracklisting for Going Blank Again. Unfortunately they were dropped along with 'Tongue Tied' on the advice of both record companies who were insisting that the album was way too long. I think they had a point. Dreams Burn Down dub - Again we made Creation very nervous when we played them this saying that we had re-thought the whole concept of the song. Although it would be difficult to top the real version, I think this is a fantastic alternative offering an even darker atmosphere. She's So Fine - It took three years for this song to finally make it on to Tarantula. This is the original version recorded back in 1993, another song left by the wayside in preparation for Going Blank Again. We demoed it again in Cornwall with John Leckie, this time looping a 4 bar sample which never made it to the vocal stage. New Age - The only cover on the CD. Recorded at Abbey Road as a potential b-side for 'How Does It Feel To Feel' but later superseded by some instrumental nonsense from me and Loz in the shape of 'Walkabout'. God knows why! Tongue Tied - This in my opinion is the best unreleased track that we ever recorded. I think this is one of the few occasions where the intensity and beauty of Ride was captured perfectly on tape, everything fits together perfectly. Unfortunately it was dropped as a way of reducing the length of Going Blank Again. Why it never turned up on a b-side I don't know. Dropped and forgotten. I'm Fine Thanks - Another song from the early days. It was originally titled 'Why' and demoed several times on the four track before we took it into our first proper recording session at Union St. Studios in Oxford where we recorded Drive Blind. An early live favourite. Xmas Song - Absolutely nothing to do with Christmas. A sign of cabin fever setting in during the Going Blank Again sessions. King Bullshit - Yet another piece of music that could have been included on Going Blank Again. The full version is over 8 minutes long and was edited down to about 60 seconds to bridge a couple of songs on the album instead. This version uses all the best bits without having to endure the full horror of Me and Loz going on and on and on... Smile (4-track version) - We had to work hard to clean this version up as every other demo fell short of the danger that appears here. Again another song that worked really well live but never sounded right in the studio, hence this hissy mess that captures Andy's speakers giving up half way through the outro. Welcome To Paradise - Recorded and mixed for Tarantula but cut from the final tracklisting. In A Different Place (differently) - This is included as it has something that the Nowhere version failed to capture. Andy's lead guitar is way over the top and the rest of us are playing all sorts of bum notes but for some reason it remains the best take we ever did. BarneyS - This is what happens when you're trying to record an album but your singer is still in bed at 3 in the afternoon. It's a tribute (or blatant rip off) to New order that gradually built throughout the day looping Loz's fills and Andy's riffs onto my backing track. However as soon as Mark arrived with axe in hand, normal Ride business was resumed.
Ignition Records CD - IGN CD13C (available as part of box set only) Leave Them All Behind Taste Not Fazed Sennen Like A Daydream Twisterella Time Of Her Time Nowhere Vapour Trail Seagull Close My Eyes Mouse Trap All songs Ride Recorded live at Reading Festival 29.8.92 by Fleetwood Mobiles Mixed at Konk Studios, London by Alan Moulder and Mark Gardener Mastered at Abbey Road, London by Nick Webb Distributed by 3MV/Pinnacle Design & Art Direction by Tourist, London The initial intention was to release 'Reading' as a DVD rather than audio CD, as the entire gig was filmed by Fuji TV in Japan. However, the video tapes have subsequently been misplaced. 'Making Judy Smle' and 'I Don't Want To Be A Soldier' were also played and recorded, but were deemed not good enough for inclusion on this disc. '..Soldier' was released inittialy on the 'NME Mutha Of Creation' cassette and then appeared on the 'Just Say Roe' compilation CD. Both tracks have since been made available for download via ridemusic.net
Ignition Records CD - IGN CD13B (available as part of box set only) Something's Burning Chelsea Girl (4 track demo) Blue Dreams Burn Down Dub She's So Fine New Age Tongue Tied Everybody Knows I'm Fine Thanks Xmas Song King Bullshit Smile (4 track demo) Welcome To Paradise In A Different Place (differently) BarneyS All songs Ride except 1 Gardener, 5 Bell, 6 Reed, 13 words Gardener/Rieley. music: Gardener 1,2,4,5,9,10,12,13,14 & 15 produced by Ride. 3,7,8 & 11 produced by Alan Moulder. 6 produced by John Lecie 1 &5 recorded and mixed at Courtyard Studios, Oxfordshire. 2 & 12 recorded and mixed in Steve's bedroom. 3,7,8 & 11 recorded at Chipping Norton Studios by Alan Moulder and at Black Barn Studios, Ripley by Matt Oliver. Mixed at The Church Studios, London by Alan Moulder. 4 recorded and mixed at Blackwing Studois, London by Marc Waterman. 6 recorded and mixed at Abbey Road, London by John Leckie and Chris Brown. 9 recorded and mixed at Union Studios, Oxford. 10 & 15 recorded and mixed at Black Barn Studios, Ripley by Matt Oliver. 13 recorded at Matrix Stdios, London - engineered at Richard Digby Smith and Paul Motion. Mixed at Matrix Studios by Mark Freegard fo 140db. 14 recorded and mixed in London somewhere. Mastered at Abbey Road, London by Nick Webb Compiled by Steve Queralt Distributed by 3MV/Pinnacle Cover Photograph by Reza Estakhrian Band Photographs by Jayne Houghton & Joe Dillworth Photographs, Design & Art Direction by Tourist, London
Ignition Records CD - IGN CD13A (available as part of box set only) CD - IGN CD14 LP - IGN LP14 Chelsea Girl Drive Blind Like A Daydream Taste Dreams Burn Down Vapour Trail Unfamiliar Leave Them All Behind Twisterella OX4 Birdman From Time To Time How Does It Feel To Feel? I Don't Know Where It Comes From Black Nite Crash Mastered at Abbey Road, London by Nick Webb Distributed by 3MV/Pinnacle Cover Photograph by Reza Estakhrian Band Photographs by Jayne Houghton & Joe Dillworth Design & Art Direction by Tourist, London Jewel Case CD (IGN CD14) All tracks are original, full versions, except 'From Time To Time' (missing Sleeper Creeper II outro) and 'I Don't Know Where I Comes From', which is the single version. Liner Notes (the OX4) by Andy Perry CD Also available (in digi-pack version) as part of the Box Set (IGN CD13A)
Ignition Records 3 x CD (Box Set) (IGN CD13) CD1 OX4_The Best Of Ride (IGN CD13A) CD2 Firing Blanks_Unreleased Ride Recordings 1988-95 (IGN CD13B) CD3 Live_Reading Festival 1992 (IGN CD13C) Mastered at Abbey Road, London by Nick Webb. Distributed by 3MV/Pinnacle. Design & Art Direction by Tourist and Laurence Colbert 3 digi-pack CDs, with booklet, in cardboard slip case
Below is an email that was sent to all subscribers of the maling list following the launch of the new RIDE website to promote the OX4 Box Set. "Well you lot have been busy. There are loads of you now on the re-vamped mailing list and here's a little bit of news to keep you posted of what's going on. The reviews of the Best Of are starting to roll in. So far a 4/5 in Uncut and the same in Rocksound. And even a 5/5 in Record Buyer Magazine. The re-mastered etc. catalogue is now out in the shops in the UK (and I trust available on all reputable web retailers) and the Best Of and Box Set will hit the racks on Monday week (24/09). We're still working on a release outside of the UK but realistically this won't be until the New Year at the earliest. There are some articles coming up in The Guardian and the Sunday Times and also a piece soon in MOJO magazine. There's also going to be an interview up on NME.com imminently and both Mark and Steve have promised to finish their Q&A for the rideox4 website very very soon. The various club nights around the UK that are featuring the Best Of on special Ride nights are all listed on the website and we're hoping to run a competition soon on the site so that you can win free tickets to these events. Steve Lamacq has got an interview with Andy and Mark on his Radio 1 show next Monday and they'll also be loads of other radio and press bits and bobs around the release (maybe even a re-run on Top Of The Pops 2 on the telly). There's a feature on Ride on the www.creation-records.com site with exclusive interviews with the various ex-members and do always keep an eye on the Ticket To Ride Online site too - www.mareasub.it/ride. Please keep posting stuff on the guest book, as you will see Loz has posted there himself and all the band will try and answer any questions up there whenever they can. Must go."
