Candy Flip

Candy Flip were a British electronic dance band associated with the Madchester music scene in the early 1990s. They are best remembered for their cover version of The Beatles hit "Strawberry Fields Forever", which was a #3 hit in the UK Singles Chart.^[1]

Origins of name and formation

Candy Flip were named after candyflipping, the slang term for the practice of taking ecstasy and LSD at the same time. The band was formed in 1990 by Danny Spencer (vocals, keyboards) and Ric Peet (keyboards).^[2]

"Strawberry Fields Forever" and chart success

The band had a Top 10 UK hit single with an electronic cover of The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" in 1990. The track sampled the "Funky Drummer" drum beat from James Brown, overdubbing a hi hat and heavy reverb. It was initially a club hit on the rave scene before crossing over into the pop chart. The track is now considered a "rave classic" and was reissued on vinyl in 2005 on S12 Records. The UK DJ remix service Disco Mix Club remixed the Candy Flip version, removing the beat and added an interpolation of "Hey Jude" to the outro.

The B-side of the first 12" single contained another electronic track entitled "Can You Feel The Love". A second 12" single release featured the "Raspberry Ripple Remix" of the lead track backed by "Rhythim Of Love" (sic).

In 1991, Candy Flip released their first album, Madstock... The Continuing Adventures of Bubble Car Fish, which combined rave beats with synthpop, strongly influenced by bands such as the Pet Shop Boys, New Order and The Beloved. A further two singles were released, the first being "Space" which failed to make it into the UK Singles Chart and "This Can Be Real", which fared slightly better, reaching UK #60.^[1] Candy Flip split up in 1992.

Recent activity

Peet became a record producer and engineer, working with bands such as the Charlatans and Six By Seven.

Both Andrews and Spencer went on to form Sound 5, releasing the album No Illicit Dancing in 2000 on Gut Records, as well as providing remixes for other artists such as UK band Space.

More recently, Spencer and Kelvin Andrews (as Soul Mekanik) produced four songs on the Robbie Williams album, Rudebox (2006). Since then Soul Mekanik have continued to work with Williams being credited as Central Midfield on his 2009 album Reality Killed The Video Star, co-writing and co-producing ten of the tracks.^[3]

Singles

References