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Classic Album: Leftfield's Leftism

Leftfield's 1995 debut Leftism is 6 Music's Classic Album of the Day, and Steve marks its 22nd birthday by talking to Neil Barnes.

Leftfield's 1995 debut Leftism is 6 Music's Classic Album of the Day and Steve marks its 22nd birthday by talking to Neil Barnes.

Neil remembers bonding over bongos (and congas) with Paul Daley; the advent of affordable technology in the 90s; night owl recording sessions; getting John Lydon into the studio for Open Up; trying to tell a cohesive story through a dance music album (that's not too long); and playing so loudly that plaster fell off the ceiling at London's Brixton Academy.

The album (released by Columbia Records) peaked at no. 3 in the UK Album Charts and was certified double platinum.

3 hours

Last on

Wed 17 May 2017 16:00

Music Played

  • Rocket From the Crypt

    On A Rope

    • Polygram TV.
  • Jane Weaver

    Slow Motion

    • Fire Records.
  • Kursaal Flyers

    Cruisin' For Love

    • UK RECORDS.
  • DJ Shadow & Nas

    Systematic

    • Mass Appeal.
  • Eddie Floyd

    Knock On Wood

    • Warner Bros.
  • The National

    The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness

    • 4ad.
  • Ibibio Sound Machine

    The Chant (Iquo Isang)

    • Merge Records.
  • The Anchoress

    Popular (The Great Escape Festival, 20 May 2016)

  • The Psychedelic Furs

    Heaven

    • CBS.
  • Nadine Shah

    Out The Way

    • 1965 Records.
  • Ho99o9

    City Rejects

    • Caroline.
  • Underworld

    Scribble

    • CD SINGLE.
    • COOKING VINYL.
    • 1.
  • Cigarettes After Sex

    Apocalypse

    • Partisan Records.
  • Marika Hackman

    My Lover Cindy

    • AMF Records.
  • Don McLean

    Castles In The Air

    • Don McLean-American Pie/Greatest Hits.
    • EMI.
  • The Only Ones

    Another Girl, Another Planet

    • Virgin.
  • The Districts

    Ordinary Day

    • Fat Possum.
  • The Verve

    Bitter Sweet Symphony

    • Hut Music.
  • Milburn

    Take Me Home

    • Sony Red.
  • Stevie Wonder

    Sir Duke

    • Motown.
  • Mr Jukes

    Angels / Your Love (feat. BJ the Chicago Kid)

    • Island Records.
  • Beth Ditto

    Fire

    • Virgin EMI.
  • The Animals

    Outcast

    • Interesting Life.
    • 10.
  • The Perfect English Weather

    Spirited Away

    • Isobar Blues.
    • Matinee Recordings.
    • 6.
  • Aldous Harding

    I'm So Sorry

    • party.
    • 4ad.
  • Al Barry & The Cimarons

    Morning Sun

    • Trojan.
  • Big Audio Dynamite

    E=MC2

    • Alternative Eighties (Various Artists).
    • Sony Music TV.
  • Leftfield

    Release The Pressure

  • Throwing Muses

    Not Too Soon

    • NOT TOO SOON.
    • 4 A.D..
  • Goldfrapp

    Systemagic

    • Mute Records.
  • The Fits

    Achilles' Heel

  • Mantronix

    King Of The Beats

    • Virgin.
  • Julie Byrne

    Sleepwalker

    • Not Even Happiness.
    • Basin Rock.
    • 2.
  • The Shimmer Band

    What Is Mine?

    • Komplex.

Broadcast

  • Wed 17 May 2017 16:00