Liam H ‘Back To Mine’ • 20th Anniversary
On 30 January 2006, the compilation Back To Mine was released, curated by Liam Howlett and made up of his favourite tracks from different years. The release also included the exclusive track Wake The Fuck Up, as well as 15 other tunes revealing the musical tastes of The Prodigy’s mastermind. Exactly 20 years after the premiere, the All Souvenirs team has prepared a detailed breakdown of the story behind the creation of this compilation.
The Back to Mine series, from the very beginning, ran somewhat counter to the usual logic of average club compilations. Launched in February 1999 by the DMC label under the slogan ‘A Personal Collection For After Hours Grooving’, it offered something different from yet another DJ mix. The concept was extremely simple and therefore brilliant: not music for the dancefloor at the peak of the party, but what an artist puts on afterwards — at home. A personal soundtrack for the afterparty, assembled without genre restrictions and without regard for format.
Within ‘Back to Mine’, DJs and musicians appeared not as music selectors, but as ordinary listeners with their own taste and personal history. Electronic music comfortably sat alongside rock, hip-hop, soul, or dub, and the compilations themselves often revealed more about their authors than any interviews ever could. It was precisely into this context that Liam Howlett’s ‘Back to Mine’ release fit perfectly, although he himself approached it in a way quite different from what many expected.
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Liam began work on his ‘Back to Mine’ release back in 2005, quite literally on the road — in parallel with the large-scale ‘Their Law’ tour. It was a period when The Prodigy were actively touring, re-evaluating their past and at the same time sketching out the contours of the future. Despite this, the compilation came together fairly quickly: by late 2005 the first promo CDs had already appeared and the final tracklist became known, while Liam himself commented rather modestly on the forthcoming release in interviews with Neko during its preparation.
Neko: “You’re confirmed to release a ‘Back To Mine’ compilation in January, have you got any special tracks planned for that?”
LH: “Yes, I can confirm, the ‘Wake The Fuck Up’ that will be the first track on that album. Basically, this album, don’t expect it to be like Dirtchamber, cause it’s not mixed. At some point there will be another mix album from me, but that will be after the new record, because that’s what I’m concentrating on at the moment. ‘Back to Mine’ is basically the shit I play when I’m at my house having a party. It’s a selection of tracks that mean something to me over the years, there’s lots of different shit. Some of it is obvious, but they are tracks I really like.”
As planned, the release came out in January 2006 — specifically on 30 January — and exclusively in CD format. Originally, ‘Back to Mine’ series were issued in two versions: CD and 2LP (with the vinyl edition presenting the tracks unmixed). However, by the mid-2000s, against the backdrop of a general decline in interest in vinyl, the 2LP format began to be phased out, and releases started appearing exclusively on CD. Liam’s release, unfortunately, fell exactly within this period.
Official Press Release: “Since The Prodigy’s humble beginnings in Braintree, Essex, England in 1990, this group helmed by Liam Howlett has gone on to sell over 15 million albums worldwide. Liam Howlett (The Prodigy) delivers an earth shattering mix for ‘Back to Mine’. Finding time out from touring in support of their greatest hits album ‘Their Law’, Liam Prodigy has delivered one of the best albums to grace the ‘Back to Mine’ decks, from the balls out rock of Queens of the Stone Age to the 2Tone beat of The Specials. This collection also includes ‘Wake The Fuck Up’, an exclusive new track from The Prodigy only available on ‘Back To Mine’.”
Interestingly, despite the reputation of the series as “mix-albums”, Liam’s ‘Back To Mine’ turned out to be a straightforward compilation — something Howlett himself also mentioned in interviews ahead of the release. It is more of a sequential playlist with neat transitions than a fully fledged DJ set. Such compilations are often described as a “partially mixed” CD. However, on closer listening, it is still possible to notice a small DJ mix by Howlett from vinyl closer to the end of the release.
- Meat Beat Manifesto – Radio Babylon
- Wood Allen – Airport ‘89
- Method Man – Release Yo’Delf (The Prodigy Mix)
- Noreaga – Nothing
- The Specials – A Message To You Rudy
The remaining tracks were sourced from various digital formats during the preparation of the final compilation. Despite this, the release received fairly positive feedback and reviews.
Incidentally, according to Liam himself, this was not music for “quiet late-night listening”, but rather tracks from his loud house parties — something Howlett mentioned within the compilation itself. So here too, the leader of The Prodigy went against the rules in his trademark manner.
“When I was asked to put this compilation together I thought it ain’t gonna be a bunch of trax to unwind to after a night out. It can’t be coz that isn’t what happens at mine. So here’s some of the songs that have meant something to me over the last 20 years and what you may hear shaking my windows when the sun goes down…”
In addition to this quote, the sleeve also contains short comments from Liam on each track selected for the compilation, which are perhaps worth focusing on separately — especially as we, too, have something to add.
WAKE THE FUCK UP
“A bit of shameless self promotion to kick it off. This track was written originally as an intro for when we play live.”
In an interview with Neko, Howlett also explained why this track would be released exclusively on the ‘Back To Mine’ compilation.
“It is a chop up, it’s a remix obviously of a few different tracks its got bits of ‘Wake Up’ in it, it’s got bits of ‘Spitfire’ in it, it’s not a track that has got any more development, do you know what I mean, it is what it is. It’s a track I love though, I love doing it live!”
In addition to the aforementioned ‘Wake Up Call’ and ‘Spitfire’ (more precisely, its Nightbreed remix), this jam also contains a brass sample from ‘Razor’, and a time-stretched vocal sample from ‘Action Radar’ was also added to its final studio version, which can be heard more clearly in the live “link” version (the very one we recently recreated).
Interestingly, in an early version of the track, which was regularly played at gigs before — and even after — the release of the studio version, this breakdown featured vocals by Shahin Badar instead of the time-stretched ‘Action Radar’ vocal. Shahin Badar is the very same iconic vocalist who performed the female part on ‘Smack My Bitch Up’ and also took part in the recording of ‘Get Up Get Off’.
As we have already mentioned in our dedicated article on the track ‘Get Up Get Off’, these short vocal chops by Shahin were taken from that very 2004 session she recorded during the preparation of ‘Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned’. The reason why Liam ultimately decided to remove her vocals from the track before the studio release was most likely purely commercial — to avoid paying additional royalties to co-authors, or alternatively for sampling.
By the way, a curious fact: if you look at the credits for the track ‘Wake The Fuck Up’ in the sleeve, you can unexpectedly find Kool Keith listed among the co-authors — the very same Ultramagnetic MCs’ raper from ‘Wake Up Call’! 🙂
However, he most likely ended up in the booklet by mistake, as the track was released on the compilation under licence from XL Recordings, who seemingly listed all co-authors of the original ‘Wake Up Call’ by default.
In addition to the version featuring Shahin’s vocals, there is also an even earlier rough mix of the track, which appeared in studio quality in the intro sequence of the ‘Their Law’ DVD.
This version differs in certain elements in the intro, as well as in its rougher mix. It appears to have been made sometime in mid-2005, during the DVD’s post-production stage.
In our characteristic manner, the All Souvenirs team decided to recreate this early version of ‘Wake The Fuck Up’ by combining the DVD-version with the live version featuring Shahin’s vocals, in order to fill yet another missing gap from 2005.
In addition, it is also worth mentioning the legendary bootleg drum & bass remix of ‘Wake The Fuck Up’ by Dave Clarke. Although it was never an official release, it certainly caused quite a stir at the time.
OTHER TRACKS
Queens Of The Stone Age ‘Feel Good Hit Of The Summer’
“Difficult to choose a best qotsa track coz I love them all. When I first heard this tune I just burst out laughing, it was my tune of that year… you can only listen to it loud.”
With the founder of this group, Josh Homme, Liam knocked out a cool remix of ‘Take Me To The Hospital’ in 2009, which in our opinion even surpassed the original!
Public Enemy ‘Welcome To The Terrordome’
“Punk rock meets hip hop in my opinion. When they came out with their first album, it changed everything in hip hop. It was such a powerful record. This tune is from their third album. When I was DJing in 2000 I always played this tune. Raw noise and beats-exactly what I like. Public enemy at their best.”
In addition to Liam regularly playing this track in his DJ sets between 1999 and 2000, it is also worth mentioning that this track formed the basis of that strange spontaneous live remix of Mindfields played once in 2008, which we have also successfully recreated!
The Third Bardo ‘I’m 5 Years Ahead’
“Primal Scream did a cover version but you can’t beat the original psychedelic monster. It wins just on the title.”
As many people know, the guitar sample from this track formed the basis of the legendary Heatwave 2006. Which we have also recreated!
Vatican DC ‘Smiling Dogs’
“One of my favourite new bands. They supported us on four and they write boss tunes. It was either this tune or ‘Antisocial’ so I flipped a coin. True new British punk rock.”
The guitar riff from this track was sampled in the track Piranha.
- Sample: guitar riff #1
- Sample source: Vatican DC – Smiling Dogs [We Carnival, 2005]
Dolly Parton ‘Jolene’
“Played to much confusion to my friends but sometimes you have to re-educate. Or not! Play it in between bass heavy tunes and you will see the effect.”
Liam Howlett for for Neko (2005): “Yeah, Dolly Parton – I freak my friends out when were at my house having a party. I stick that on and watch their faces. Its got no bass on it, no bass whatsoever, and her voice is just wicked. It had to go on there.”
Public Image Limited ‘Rise’
“One of my all time favourite tunes. Totally uplifting for me but still unhinged. Definitely one of the few musical highlights of the 80s.”
Max Romeo/Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry ‘I Chase The Devil’
“What a tune. I had to put this on. It’s only fair to give credit where credit is due. This tune could be on this album just on the production strength alone. Lee Perry is the man.”
This track hardly needs any commentary! 🙂 But you can read our detailed article about the track Out Of Space – theprodi.gy/outofspace
Meat Beat Manifesto ‘Radio Babylon’
“In 1989-1990 I was going out every weekend hearing this mad dub breakbeat tune. It took me ages to find out what it was. I’d asked loads of DJs and eventually cornered DJ Hype at Berwick Manor Essex. It was a big inspiration to me early on and still stands up today as the badass ware- house tune it is.”
As is well known, this track formed the basis for both single versions of the cult classic ‘Charly’, but in addition to ‘Charly’, the beat from this track was also used in tracks such as ‘Dream Frequency – Take Me (The Prodigy Mix)’ and ‘Invaders Must Die (Liam H Re-Amped Version)’.
DREAM FREQUENCY – TAKE ME THE PRODIGY MIX
- Sample: beat
- Sample source: Meat Beat Manifesto – Radio Babylon [Helter Skelter / Radio Babylon, 1990]
INVADERS MUST DIE LIAM H RE-AMPED VERSION
- Sample: beat
- Sample source: Meat Beat Manifesto – Helter Skelter [Helter Skelter / Radio Babylon, 1990]
Also a very small sample of the “shout” ended up in the track ‘Their Law’.
THEIR LAW FEATURING POP WILL EAT ITSELF
- Sample: shout (‘right!’)
- Sample source: Meat Beat Manifesto – Radio Babylon [Helter Skelter / Radio Babylon, 1990]
In addition to sampling, Liam also loved to play this track in his DJ sets. You can even find a video on the web where Howlett, as the warm-up DJ at Madonna’s concert in 2000, plays this very track!
Wood Allen ‘Airport ’89’
“This was the first tune I’d heard when I had taken my first trip. Never to be 4 gotten. The opening riff holds so many memories for me of summer 1989 with my friends. Please no-one remix this tune, it’s perfect the way it is.”
Method Man ‘Release Yo’ Delf (Prodigy Mix)’
“This tune is for me the best remix I have done. One time when the remix is better than the original! I wished I’d kept the music for myself.”
We recently published a detailed article about this remix. So, if you missed it, you are welcome to read it here.
N.O.R.E. ‘Nothin’’
“Hip hop lost something for me along the way in the late 90s but this tune is an obvious but sure fire head rocker. It’s Noreaga’s flow and of course Neptune’s production. We usually play this before we go on stage.”
Apparently, it was this track that inspired Liam to collaborate with Noreaga on the album ‘AONO’, or more precisely on their joint track Slang Technology, which has been gathering dust on the shelves of the archives since 2003. Incidentally, during his DJing days in 1999-2000, Liam often played Noreaga’s track ‘Superthug’ in his sets, a small sample of which later ended up in the track Phoenix.
- Sample: snare
- Sample source: Noreaga – Superthug (Original Instrumental) [Superthug, 1998]
The Specials ‘A Message To You Rudy’
“The most important group to me when I was growing up. When I saw the picture on the back of their album I wanted to be in that gang, I was thirteen. Their music was dance music to me coz that’s what it made me do. It sounds like a 60s Studio 1 production.”
In the mid-90s, Liam covered one of The Specials’ favourite tracks, Ghost Town. It was even performed live several times and later released officially, but without vocals. You can read more about this in our article dedicated to this cover – theprodi.gy/ghosttown
The Stranglers ‘Peaches’
“How much attitude can u put on a record? The stranglers were punk rock. My Nan used to sing the chorus it’s so catchy. Hopefully she didn’t know what it meant.”
The Jam ‘In The City’
“Keef always puts this on so this one is for him. His band he used to annoy his parents with! There you go brother.”
The Jam is one of Keith Flint’s favourite bands, and at one point The Prodigy even planned to record a cover of their track Eton Rifles. The cover never came to fruition, but we still found some interesting information about it, which we will soon publish for our readers!
Electric Light Orchestra ‘Living Thing’
“Listen to it and you will know why it’s on here.”
In 2008, the ‘Back To Mine’ series was discontinued altogether — the era of mixed CDs had come to an end with the spread of the internet, growing piracy and the emergence of digital streaming. But ten years have passed, and history has come full circle. In 2019, riding a wave of renewed interest in vinyl, ‘Back to Mine’ was relaunched in all formats, including 2LP. The updated series featured Fatboy Slim, Nightmares On Wax, Faithless and other big names, and the concept of after-party compilations proved popular once again. Against this backdrop, there is a growing feeling that some mid-2000s releases are long overdue for a vinyl reissue — and Liam Howlett’s ‘Back to Mine’ would be one of the most obvious candidates for a 2LP reissue.
Headmasters: SIXSHOT
Additional thanks to: Split, Break-D
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