If you're an old techno head, you know Chain Reaction very well. In the 90's, Basic Channel duo (Moritz Von Oswald and Mark Ernestus) began a label to release as many dub techno club tracks as possible. Acts such as Monolake, Vladislav Delay and Porter Ricks became icons in the undeground. My favorite release was always Fluxion's 'Bipolar Defect' and now, thanks to TYPE, I finally have Fluxion's 1999 compilation 'Vibrant Forms' on vinyl. These are sprawling 4x4 cuts knee deep in a viscous and esoteric head trip. Beautiful epic minimal music for those who like to mentally cut a rug alone in their bedrooms.
Czechoslovakia ceases to exist when it splits into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Bill Clinton is sworn is as the 42nd President of the United States.
Six people are killed at the World Trade Center in New York City when a bomb in a van explodes in a parking garage.
The Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas is raided by agents of the Bureaus of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. The raid was intended to arrest Branch Davidian leader David Koresh on firearm charges. In the botched raid 5 Davidians and 4 BATF agents die. It leads to a 51 day standoff.
President Clinton announces his "Don't ask, don't tell" policy about gays in the military.
Lorena Bobbitt cuts off the penis of her husband John Bobbitt in Manassas, Virginia.
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin shakes hands with PLO leader Yasser Arafat in Washington, DC after signing a peace agreement.
I can't believe that was twenty years ago. A lot of pretty significant world events occurred. What did I care? It was the summer of my 18th year. I was finally hanging out with girls and I was completely obsessed with music. I spent Sunday nights hanging out watching MTV's '120 Minutes' as Lewis Largent rambled on, feeding my brain with all the useless information I am now known for caring too much about.
So without further ado, here is my soundtrack to that summer. First is a list of the songs (in no particular order), then a youtube playlist of all of them. Clean your house to this mix. I'm sure there will be a moment in which you'll stop, suddenly overwhelmed by a particular memory. Enjoy:
Bjork - Human Behavior
Tool - Prison Sex
Nirvana - Heart-shaped Box
The Posies - Dream All Day
Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen
Mazzy Star - Fade Into You
Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock
Slowdive - When the Sun Hits
James - Laid
Morphine - Cure for Pain
Type O Negative - Summer Breeze
Cracker - Low
Digable Planets - Rebirth of Slick
Janet Jackson - That's the Way Love Goes
Wu Tang Clan - Method Man
Ice Cube - It Was a Good Day
Radiohead - Stop Whispering
Frank Black - Los Angeles
Catherine Wheel - Crank
Seefeel - Moodswing
