About this item

A stunning mix of Northern Soul, machine-like beats, electroclash, slogans and agitpop, Age of Chance were one of the most exciting groups to emerge during the C86 era. They certainly didn’t sound like anybody else, that’s for sure.

An uncompromising live act, Age of Chance were frantic and frenetic – and they even dallied with the mainstream via their version of Prince’s 'Kiss'. Janglepop this is not.

Now, not before time, their three sessions for BBC Radio 1 are collected by Precious Recordings of London as part of the label’s ongoing series. And for good measure, we’ve included both sides of their first two incredible groundbreaking singles – 'Motorcity' and 'Bible Of The Beats', both unavailable in any form for decades.

“That time was so exciting,” recalls frontman Steve Elvidge. “From the moment Peel played 'Motorcity' the day after he received it, to working up 'Kiss' specially for the second session. We all loved it and danced to it, but we wanted it to have our sound – the guitars, the hip-hop beats. I wished we’d recorded 'How The West Was Won' on the first LP. It’s still one of the best things we’ve done.”

Guitarist Neil Howson described the progression of the BBC recordings, saying: “In the first session we’d focussed on a percussive and rhythmic sound, and into the second, we’d developed a broader scope, added open chords, harmonics and dynamic breaks. That informed 'From Now On', 'This Will Be Your God', which we wrote for C86; we wanted to experiment and try something more extreme than just a pop song.

STAFF COMMENTS

Laura says: This collection of Age of Chance's four Peel Sessions spans just a couple of years, and captures the band's rapid evolution: from the punchy, percussion-heavy rumble of their early recordings to their later electro-infused sound. Naturally their legendary cover of Prince's "Kiss" makes an appearance! The early 1980s was a period when musical boundaries were dissolving: indie kids were listening to hip hop, electro, reggae, soul, and dub and like many of their contemporaries (including Manc favourites bIG flAME), Age of Chance drew these diverse influences into their own distinctive sound.

TRACK LISTING

1. Mob! Hut!!
2. The Going Going Gone Man
3. Morning After The Sixties
4. I Don't Know And I Don't Care
5. Motorcity
6. Everlasting Yeah!
7. Bible Of The Beats
8. Liquid Jungle
9. Kiss
10. How The West Was Won
11. Be Fast Be Clean Be Cheap
12. From Now On This Will Ne Your God
13. Shut Up And Listen
14. Hold On
15. Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Noise?