Fictitious Fiction

 

The Sabres of Paradise are a Dub-influenced leftfield electronic trio comprising the late Andrew Weatherall, Gary Burns, & Jagz Kooner, established in 1992. Although the group released their own original material starting in 1993, they are best known for the numerous remixes of other artists under the Sabres name.

The Actual Fictional Dancehall

Bubble & Slide
     "...it was pissing down, running through the gutters, banging out metallic bongo patterns in McGuire’s head, rhythms from the basement he’d just left. Squinting from left to right, the days course plotted."

Bubble & Slide II
     "...McGuire steps were solid over Battersea Bridge. London bridges at dawn, fuckin' magic, who needs fuckin' India or somewhere...no toilet paper and loads of poncey beatnik types."

Duke of Earlsfield
     "...The taxi stopped at the junction of Earlsfield Road and Garret Lane. McGuire mumbled 'Fascist Wanker' under his breath, refused to give a tip, and walked up to his front door. Once inside, the cherry on the cake had to be Jazzbo or Stitt."

Flight Path Estate
     "...Mcguire's rooms were immaculate. No way was he going to be 'Re-settled' by the Council on some fuckin' new estate underneath some fuckin' new airport"

Planet D
     "...The only way to avoid the Flight Path Estate scenario was to get a bit cosmic. 'Not too fuckin' cosmic, mind'. He'd once told me 'This planet's Martian enough without contemplating the whole universe'."

Wilmot
     "...It was the trumpet line that did it. Nevermind chasing after ethereal angels or earthly skirts. Chase that tone, scour the shacks, pester the sound boys."

Tow Truck
     "Noel's cutting room was a short walk from Borough tube station. It was the engine stoking the boilers of many a South London sound system. Outside stood his Chevy Stepside."

Theme & Theme 4
     "...McGuire pressed his ear to the wall and imagined the scenes within the Lant Street laboratory."

Return to Planet D
     "...No joy in Borough. On went the lightbulb above McGuire's head. 'You can dance to sweet music, sweat it out under a hot trumpet, or even play a nice game of billiards.' As Mr. Samuels was fond of saying about his beloved Soho."

Ballad of Nicky McGuire
     "...the trouble with Soho apart from the 'High-ups with an office on the spot and the low downs translating affairs on street corners.' (Another one of Mr. Samuel's), was that it reminded him of her. The café on the corner of Peter Street, Berwick Street Market, Sir Lee's coffe bar on Bateman Street. Fuck, even the strip joint on Dean Street."

Jacob Street 7am
     "...Stumbling from a Charing Cross Road drinker, two hours kip and off to work. Dawn over Rotherhithe...could be worse."

Chapel Street Market 9am
     "...As the hammer hit his thumb, the name of an importer stamped itself on the front of McGuire's brain with equally painful clarity. He had some money stashed to get through the summer with aplomb, dash, bag load's of tunes, and anyway Ray the Bugle, Mac, & The Major all those boys understood totally."

Haunted Dancehall
     "...Then he heard it. Pushing past early morning commuters and the market stall workers, he found himself standing outside a boarded up café. Wrenching the planks from what was once the front door, McGuire stepped inside..."
          The Haunted Dancehall by James Woodbourne. 

 

The Sabres of Paradise - Haunted Dancehall, Warp Records WARPCD26, 1994.
decryption code in comments

Bubble & Slide    
Bubble & Slide II    
Duke of Earlsfield    
Flight Path Estate    
Planet D
Wilmot
Tow Truck    
Theme
Theme 4    
Return to Planet D    
Ballad of Nicky McGuire    
Jacob Street 7am    
Chapel Street Market 9am    
Haunted Dancehall

Enjoy,
NØ