Cloud 8 - Frazier Chorus

Paul Oakenfold was born on August 30, 1963 in Greenhithe, Kent (UK). His music career started in the late Seventies, when he started playing soul music in a Covent Garden wine bar. In 1985 he celebrated his birthday by going to Ibiza for a week. It was during this time that Oakenfold demonstrated the trance sound that he would later become known for. By the end of the Eighties, Oakenfold had started Perfecto Records and had gotten into remixing tracks for Massive Attack and the Happy Mondays.

Frazier Chorus were also remixed by Oakenfold. This 12" single features two remixes of 'Cloud 8', a hit for the band in the summer of 1990. Personally, I prefer the 'Future mix' to the 'Raid mix'.

My collection: 12" single no. 289
Found: Record Exchange, London, 1996
Cost: 30p
Tracks: 'Cloud 8 (Raid mix)' / 'Cloud 8 (Future mix)'

Nothing (Chad Jackson remixes) - Frazier Chorus

Frazier Chorus changed track in 1990 when they released their second album 'Ray'. They positioned themselves as an act that had a certain danceability to them. The singles were remixed by prominent DJ's such as Paul Oakenfold and Chad Jackson.

This 12" single featuring three versions of a remix by Chad Jackson was an interesting find when I got it. I'd bought the single 'Nothing' during a holiday in London and thought it was one of their better singles. This remix appealed less to me, but I was still glad that I was able to find it. After all, Frazier Chorus were completely unknown in the Netherlands.

My collection: 12" single no. 110

Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, 1993

Cost: 6,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Nothing (has been proved mix)' / 'Nothing (Instrumental)', 'Nothing (beats mix 2)'

Walking on air - Frazier Chorus

To strengthen their image as a dance-oriented band, Frazier Chorus released two different 12" singles of the track, of which this was the second. It contains three remixes of the track: a 12" version, the 'Maharishi Yogi mix' and an instrumental remix called '18 hole doc marten mix'.

This second 12" single contains a calendar poster for the year 1991. Judging from the state of the poster, the one I bought as a second hand copy was actually used by someone.

My collection: 12" single no. 179
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 1993
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Walking on air', 'Walking on air (Marahishi Yogi mix)' / 'Walking on air (18 hole doc marten mix)'

Walking on air - Frazier Chorus

To strengthen their image as a dance-oriented band, Frazier Chorus released two different 12" singles of the track, of which this was the first. It contained the extended mix of 'Walking on air' (which also appeared on the cd-single format), plus an exclusive dub instrumental. Both tracks were remixed by Youth.

My collection: 12" single no. 178

Found: Record exchange, London, October 1993

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Walking on air (extended mix)' / 'Walking on air (dub instrumental)'

Walking on air - Frazier Chorus

Continuing the Easter theme, this is the sleeve of the last single by Frazier Chorus, released in 1990. The single version of 'Walking on air' was remixed by Youth and continued Frazier Chorus's move towards more dance-oriented music.

Sounding a lot like other bands around at the time, Frazier Chorus lost the thing that made them 'different', their identity. And so this was their last release.

My collection: 7" single no. 2525

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, November 1, 1995

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Walking on air' / 'Walking on air (album version)'

Heaven - Frazier Chorus

I saw the Pope today, speaking about life after death and all that malarkey. To use the words of Frazier Chorus' 1990 single: 'It seems our eternal reward / is to hang out in heaven, eternally bored'. Since it's Easter today, I thought this sleeve was a fitting tribute: after all, Easter is not about religion but about eggs. As we all know.

My collection: 7" single no. 2760

Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 29, 1996

Cost: 50p

Tracks: 'Heaven' / 'Heaven (God like edit)'

Cloud eight - Frazier Chorus

Frazier Chorus followed up their single 'Nothing' with 'Cloud eight'. You could say it was equally successful, as it peaked at number 52 in the UK singles chart. But things were looking a bit grim for the band: with no chart success to speak of, the inspiration to go on began to wane too. Two more singles would follow before the band broke up.

Still, 'Cloud eight' is an inspired piece of breezy pop. I bought a quartet of Frazier Chorus singles on the day I bought this one, and I like every one of them a lot.

My collection: 7"single no. 2522
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, November 1, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Cloud eight' / 'Le change est magnifique'

Typical! - Frazier Chorus

Not only do I have the 10" single of 'Typical!', I've got the 7" single too. It contains the title track plus the B-side 'String'.

I bought this single in Beanos, the big second hand record shop in East Croydon, London, along with three other singles by Frazier Chorus. I'd discovered the band a few years earlier, but it was only when I bought a cd ('Sue') that I realised I had to have all the singles, and not just 'Dream kitchen'.

My collection: 7" single no. 2523

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, November 1, 1995

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Typical!' / 'String'

Download: here

Sloppy heart - Frazier Chorus

Frazier Chorus released the single 'Sloppy heart' twice: their debut single in 1987 on 4AD records, and as their fourth single on Virgin Records in 1989. This is the latter. It features an edited version of the track on their debut album 'Sue'. The single reached number 73 in the UK singles chart.

The real treat of this single is the B-side: a cover of the Sex Pistols' 'Anarchy in the UK'. You would think that song doesn't lend itself to a ballad version, until you hear this.

My collection: 7" single no. 2524

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, November 1, 1995

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Sloppy heart' / 'Anarchy in the UK'

Download: here

Nothing - Frazier Chorus

When the pop landscape changed in 1990, Frazier Chorus adapted their music to conform to the newly set standard. Their single 'Nothing', taken from their second album 'Ray', was remixed by Paul Oakenfold and had a firm dance beat, just like bands like The Beloved. It didn't mean that they suddenly got a lot more commercial appeal: the single stalled at number 51, just like previous single releases.

At the time that I bought 'Nothing', I only knew the previously bought single 'Dream kitchen'. I was really surprised at their new sound, but at the same time I liked this track so much that I started to become very interested in this band.

My collection: 7" single no. 1324

Found: Virgin Megastore, London, October 16, 1990

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Nothing' / 'Little piece of hell'

Download: here

Dream kitchen - Frazier Chorus

Frazier Chorus were an unconventional band, as they didn't have a drummer, guitarist and bassist. Tim Freeman, who wrote most of the songs, semi-whispered the vocals, Kate Holmes played the flute, Chris Taplin played clarinet and keyboards and Michele Allardyce played the bongos. Still, they made very danceable music, as evidenced in this single, 'Dream kitchen', released in the first week of 1989.

I don't remember it, but I must have seen the video of this song. I wouldn't know why I bought this single in October of 1989. It's a purchase I never regretted, because I bought lots of Frazier Chorus records since then.

My collection: 7" single no. 1081

Found: Record Exchange, London, October 19, 1989

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Dream kitchen' / 'Down'

Download: here

Typical! - Frazier Chorus

'Typical!' was Frazier Chorus's second single to make the UK Singles chart, and it peaked at no. 53. That's pretty much where all their singles ended up: Frazier Chorus never became known for their mass commercial appeal. But they appealed to me, for their melodic pop and rather clever lyrics.

It is important to note that 'Typical!' is one of a handful of 10" singles I own. They were never classified and numbered like my 7" and 12" singles were. 10" singles were never a very widespread format, which makes them all the more interesting. Especially when, like in this case, they contain extra bonus tracks.

My collection: 10" single (unnumbered)

Found: House of Rhythm, London

Cost: 3,2 pounds

Tracks: 'Typical!', 'String' / 'Storm (live mix)', 'Typical! (live mix)'

Download: here