Tuesday 28 July 2020

4 albums from high school


If a vanity challenge goes down on the 'net, I want in. Bit unfair for us Brits to whittle this particular challenge down to a quartet of albums when high school lasts for half a decade in the U.K, but this is a accurate reflection of my first four years of secondary education. Let's party like it's 1988 to 1992!





I can't think of any British albums which were the shit to me during high school. I can, however, think of a shitload of British singles which ruled my high school years. Official faves:

Bomb The Bass - Megablast (1988)
Soul II Soul - Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) (1989)
Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus (1989)
Silver Bullet - 20 Seconds To Comply (1989)
Monie Love ft. True Image - It's A Shame (1990)
Adamski ft. Seal - Killer (1990)
808 State - In Yer Face (1991)
Caveman - I'm Ready (1991)
Stereo MC's - Connected (radio edit) (1992)
SL2 - On A Ragga Tip (1992)
London Posse - How's Life In London? (1993)

There's no point in playin' this parlour game if you're gonna pretend you were too cool for high school. Me, I was too young and dumb to appreciate some of the G.O.A.T British dance singles which dropped during my high school years even though they were chart hits: 808 State's Pacific 707 and A Guy Called Gerald's Voodoo Ray in 1989, LFO's LFO in 1990, and Future Sound Of London's Papua New Guinea in 1991.

49 comments:

  1. In case anyone pipes up: I know Kick dropped in 1987, but it was late 1987 and didn't blow up in the U.K until 1988.

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  2. Cypress Hill - Black Sunday
    Snoop - Doggystyle
    Tha Alkaholiks - Coast II Coast
    2pac - All Eyez On Me

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  3. DJ Quik & Kurupt - Blaqkout
    Miguel - Kaleidoscope Dream
    The-Dream - Love Hate
    Starlito - Renaissance Gangster

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  4. Had to sneak this one in ...... Diddy-Dirty Money - Last Train to Paris

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  5. New AZ verse https://youtu.be/y3Lulbnk_B4

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  6. Cheers, anom.

    Damn, jmil - you're so young... and I'm so old.

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  7. Megablast aka the Xenon 2 theme lol

    I'd choose the first 4 P.E albums.

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  8. Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory
    Non Phixion - The Future Is Now
    The Game - The Documentary
    50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Trying

    Linkin Park definitely represents my earlier high school music memories (which can last anywhere between 4 and 6 years in the Netherlands, 6 for me). Looking back with great sadness, I can say I listened to Non Phixion way more than I dare to admit 15 years after the fact. I credit Illmatic to bringing me back into the fold somewhere in 2006, which was at the tail end of high school for me, so I can't rate it.

    50 Cent and The Game were ubiquitous at the time and even though I went through a bit of a 'underground/edgy hip-hop' phase (mostly confined to the earlier mentioned Non Phixion and some loosies) back then, these albums still did get a fair amount of plays from me.

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  9. Linkin Park were definitely your generation's equivalent of Faith No More. Can't trust any top 4 high school albums by fellow crackers which doesn't contain at least 1 rock/pop album.

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  10. Only Brit album I had in heavy rotation during my high school years was The Stone Roses debut.

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  11. Only Madchester-band song I liked enough to buy was Kinky Afro by the Happy Mondays.

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  12. Slim Thug - Already Platinum
    TI - KING
    Kanye - Late Registration

    I think I remember listening to the above three albums the most during my junior and senior year - at least as far as full albums go. Lots of singles here and there. My freshman and sophomore year (I had two sophomore years, whoops) though are harder to pin down.

    The Game - The Documentary
    Get Rich or Die Trying was kinda 8th grade but also listened to it all through high school too?
    Kanye - College Dropout

    IDK - this is hard. Def Linkin Park in there during freshman year and my first sophomore year.

    G-Unit really had things locked down from 2003-2007.

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  13. honorable mention would be Young Gunz - Tough Luv idk why i was obsessed with that album.

    Juelz - From me to U as well.

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  14. London Posse Gangster Chronicle
    Hijack The Horns of Jericho
    De la soul 3 feet high and rising
    Ice Cube Death Certificate
    If "highschool" means both GCSE and A-level days, that's seven years.

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  15. If Highschool is just 6th form/college days:
    Snoop Doggy Dogg "Doggystyle"
    Wu Tang Clan "enter...."
    Jeru The Damaja "The sunr rises in the East"
    Judgment Night OST

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  16. Been waitin' for someone to rep for the Judgement Night OST.

    I didn't even consider sixth form expanding high school to 7 years (my school didn't do it.) Although, I've never understood why anyone would wanna stay at school for another 2 years rather than go college.

    50 and Game's Aftermath debuts proving to be big hitters for 90s babys. Need a 70's baby to come through and rep for Appetite For Destruction.

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  17. Miguel - “Adorn” is definitely the best single of my high school years and an absolute classic.

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  18. REM - Out of time
    Nirvana - Never Mind
    Kevin Bloody Wilson - Kev's Back (The return of the Yobbo)
    Victor Lewis Smith - Tested on humans for irritancy.

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  19. Uh i can do first n second yr

    Limp Bizkit - Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavoured Water
    36 Chambers
    Eazy-E Str8 Off Tha Muthaphuckin Streetz Of Compton
    Marshall Mathers LP

    I def banged hybrid theory, korn, pantera, deftones, offspring, smattering of tony hawkscore but thats more like primary school i think

    80s baby but appetite for destruction was one of my first cds. Im not rly suitable for this, i was one of them lames that you see now in the youtube comments claiming their generations musics bad. Tbf id be bumping Business As Usual or w e while most the contemporary music I listened to was desperate shite like dilated peoples, jurrassic 5 n uk hip hop so i wasnt wrong there. Also theres def a divide In my era between kids whos family had/knew a mate who had a pc w internet etc cos i think my first rap cd was a cd-r of dre 2001

    Radio/mtv base hits - mark ronson ghostface ohh wee, ludacris whats your fantasy, sean paul - like glue, any luda rly, twista overnight celebrity, jadakiss - why, nore - nothin, mystikal shake ya ass/danger, nelly country grammar, d12 purple hills, mop cold as ice, i still luv gravel pit idgaf

    Later in school its like
    Gang starr moment of truth
    Speakerboxx
    D’angelo brown sugar
    Miles davis kind of blue s/o the free cds from the library

    dishonorable mention to College Dropout i loved that shit. Rly the yr i left school i started fucking w blogs rap magazines etc n iirc broadband came in. internet golden era thats the wonder years our, fuck teenagers

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  20. Sean Price-Monkey Barz
    T.I.-Urban Legend
    Beanie Sigel-The B.Coming
    Z-Ro-Life of Joseph W.Mckvay

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  21. Donal - I'm glad to see you didn't have a Mike "The Streets" Skinner phase.

    Surprised to see nobody reppin' for a Red Hot Chilli Peppers album yet. The one with Give It Away and Under The Bridge was big at my school. Stop yer frontin', lads 😄

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  22. Mother's Milk by RHCP was big with us at the time.

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  23. Lad on the left hand side of the pic up top was the resident Funk-Metal fan in our circle. He's wearing a Mordred tee in the pic.

    Tbf, Every Day's A Holiday was a legit jam.

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  24. Blackalicious — Melodica
    Dre Dog — Conversations W/A Devil
    S.O.D. — Toxicity
    Atmosphere — Sad Clown Bad Dub 2

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  25. Clawfinger "Deaf Dumb Blind"
    Gunshot "Patriot Games"
    Cypress Hill "Black Sunday"
    Oasis "Definitely maybe"

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  26. Where is the love for Ugly Kid Joe?

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  27. Beastie Boys-Hello Nasty
    Rage Against the Machine-Battle of Los Angeles
    Blink 182-Enema of the State
    P.O.D.-Satellite

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  28. Hüsker Dü - Zen Arcade
    Einstürzende Neubauten - ½ Mensch
    Mano Negra - Amerika Perdida
    Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique



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  29. ^^ Einstürzende Neubauten albums in high school?

    Pull the other one! You were really listening to Brothers In Arms by Dire Straits 😄

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  30. Fuck these comments are ringing bells, Californication/rhcp was prob the biggest one I can't fathom now, Rage Against The Machine like jamiriquoi n limp bizkit still get some earnest luv idgaf n yeh Mike the streets Skinner was also on deck what can I say the beats were good imho. Beastie Boys in general is a huge omission, bridge between skater warped tour core nmn rap music for a ton of ppl esp Check Your Head/I'll Communication

    These ppl w their Wire magazine selections are having a giraffe ffs

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  31. I refuse to believe this many ppl had good taste in school

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  32. At least nobody has said The Libertines yet. Gotta uphold some standards in here.

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  33. Tryna think what my albums from junior school would have been.

    Various - Now That's What I Call Music 1985
    Various - Rocky 4 OST
    Beastie Boys - Licensed To Ill

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  34. Rebel MC - Rebel Music
    Transvision Vamp - Velvetine
    Guns n Roses - Appetite for destruction
    808 State - 80890

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  35. Hehe Blixa Bargeld did hang out with my older brother so he was my hero then

    remembering dire straits "so far away" thinking it was german "gsuffa! hey!"

    "brother in arms" was terribly depressing

    I did had a single signed by Kylie miogue, though. The "Locomotion"



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  36. ^^^ Still in the Neighbours royalty phase of her career.

    I never heard the Transvision Vamp album but did buy I Want Your Love on 7". Anthem.

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  37. Primary school:
    Neneh Cherry - Raw like sushi
    Run DMC - Raising Hell
    Now #14
    Guns N Roses - Appetite for destruction

    High school:
    Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy - Hypocrisy is the greatest luxury
    Mariah Carey - Emotions
    En Vogue - Funky Divas
    Nirvana - Never mind

    College:
    Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle
    Cypress Hill - Black Sunday
    Urban Species - Listen
    Nice & Smooth - Jewel of the nile

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  38. Good call on Raising Hill. That and Licensed To Ill were the first 2 rap albums I had. Otherwise it was purely singles which were top 40 hits:

    Doug & Rick - The Show
    Whistle - (Nothin' Serious) Just Buggin'
    Lovebug Starski - Amityville (House On The Hill)
    Salt-N-Pepa - Push It
    Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince - Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble
    Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full Coldcut remix

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  39. This will be strange, and prolly not particularly accurate having certain albums to cover genres. Each genre was sold off to feed the next phase:

    Sepultura - Chaos AD
    Penny wise - whole discography at the time.
    Los Crudos - Viviendo Asperamente
    Hard Floor - Home Run
    The Advent - Elements Of Life
    Orbital - Insides
    Busta Rhymes - The Coming
    Mobb Deep, - Infamous / and everything else on Loud
    Gangstarr- Moment of Truth
    GZA - Liquid Swords

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  40. High school is usually 3 years in France, 4 for me cause I had to double one year.

    Nate Dogg - Music And Me
    Eminem - The Marshall Mather LP
    Offspring - Americana
    Slipknot - Slipknot

    Dr Dre - Chronic 2011 and OutKast - Stankonia were 2 of the biggest releases around that time, but my friends and me had almost a fetish for Music And Me, it’s probably the rap album I’ve heard the most around 2001-2. There’s a few other albums in different genres I could add to the list, but it’s usually easier to do those list without thinking too much about it.

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  41. I Got Love is one of my fave songs ever. Love Concrete Streets too.

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  42. I feel like I should add summat from 1993 to my Brit singles list since that was my last year at school. So I added London Posse's How's Life In London?

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  43. INXS was huge in our house throughout the 80's as my brother was friends with Michael Hutchence wee brother and he got free promos. He came to our house a lot before I can remember. I got great hilarity when my mum said 'such a shame what happened to that handsome boy Mike' and I replied 'what the Aussie Junkie who strangle wanked himself to death?' lmao

    Cosign O.G. and Faith No More in a major way (no E-40).

    There were some terrible music choices made in my formative years along with the good stuff I still enjoy.

    What about these stinkers I tipexed on my army bag? A lot of dog on strings, para boot from the Army Navy stores, microdots in the park crusty joints:

    Carter U.S.M
    Neds Atomic Dustbin
    Senseless Things
    P.W.E.I
    Swervedriver
    Hoodlum Priest (hahahaha Bladerunner samples though)

    Fuckin ell typing those gave me shivers

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  44. I don't remember Hoodlum Priest. I do remember Mega City Four tho. Pure Snub TV grebo-core.

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  45. FFS I had washed them from my memory. My mate had a tape of theirs with a Heironymous Bosch painting on the cover.

    Likely got smashed for being shite by one of the harder lads in the common room.

    Rap tapes were universally liked in the Senior common Room.

    These got played to death.

    Cypress Hill s/t
    Ice Cube - Death Certificate
    Souls Of Mischief
    People Instinctive Travels

    Madchester albums (everyone had a ubiquitous longsleeve Inspiral Carpets tshirt), Breakbeat and Happy Hardcore tapes from Rezerection and decent Indie / Grunge as well.

    Being Scotland everyone liked Teenage Fanclub and Nirvana of course.

    L7 were popular for constantly getting their bloody minges out.

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  46. Donita Sparks from L7 ❤ I still fux with their Bricks Are Heavy album.

    There'd always be a Jehovah's Witness kid who'd grass to the teachers when we'd play Gangsta Rap on the common room stereo. Fucking Gideon the grassing Jovo.

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  47. hahaha grassing bastard.

    I forgot Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine and Fugazi - Repeater

    These were essential morose material for a hormonal spotty teenager with curtains.

    A lot of older bothers and sisters were clubbing so Techno and House were also huge as well as remnants of the Rare Groove/Acid Jazz scenes. Aphex Twin, Prodigy and Jamiroquai

    Days when the NME would actually have something decent to read in it.

    Lot of crossover of genres, Disposable Heroes mentioned above I loved but its un-listenable nowadays.

    hahah I could bore people to death banging on about this stuff for hours.

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  48. Every indie drip had a James Sit Down t-shirt.

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