To answer your Qs: What's your favourite song from the album?
I always loved 'Disco 2000' very much. However, 'I Spy' is a song I've only come to appreciate since I got older. I used to commonly fastforward that one when I was a child as it was slow and faster music is probably more appealing to a child. But also I am not sure I understood what was going on in that song. Much like This is Hardcore, it didn't really click till I was an adult, was less optimistic, & perhaps more bitter & twisted ;) It's just a natural ageing process I guess. I don't wanna be on a downer though cos I agree with Jo Brand's summation of Jarvis's approach as being "life is basically shit *but it's ok*". We Love Life. I Love Life. But TIH and 'I Spy' appeal to me very much as an adult. I particularly like the line "take your year in Provence, shove it up your ass". It's more a case of haves against haven'ts. You think you'll be different & perhaps grow up with the notion that you'll break all the circles placed around you. It's the bitterness, the seething anger & all that looking at them & their possessions & their lifestyle. That's the way the song relates for me not really for the relationship part but you could take that to symbolise something else and apply it to your own life I suppose.
& *that* performance of 'I Spy' at Jools Holland 1995. Words can't convey how great it is. Lyrically and musically it's a hauntingly good track. Love it.
"I spy a chance to change the world, to change your world"
Do any of you have really specific memories attached to it?
The 'do, do, di, do' bit in 'Pencil Skirt' always feels very mid '90s for me. Can't really explain that unfortunately. I suppose when I listen to DC I'm just right back there in 1995 and 1996. A very exciting time musically in my life.
Just insignificant memories of sitting bowlegged on the floor watching the tape wind round. Hearing 'Feeling' for the first time.
The day that it was purchased in HMV.
I remember watching the Christmas TOTP and the 'Vive Le Revolution' sign. Thought that was very cool.
I have a memory and whether its real or not ... my mind tells me the video for 'Disco 2000' was shown on TV as early as January 1996.
Broader memories of the time are just of TOTP being a really big thing still. It was still important. Memories of 'Britpop'.
I had the record on a tape (and still have it... the tape was good...) and I've translated to portuguese all the lyrics from the album - knowing that I was doing wrong: "don't read the lyrics whilst listening to the music".
Anyway, recently I went to my parent's house and discovered that papers... It made me smile :)