1991 spawned Fluke's debut album The Techno Rose of Blighty. Now, with five albums to their credit, including the amazing Six Wheels On My Wagon and the '95 hit OTO, and a host of singles that blazed through clubland, Fluke (Jon Fugler, Mike Bryant and Mike Tournier) are surprisingly still unknown in the world of dance music. Is it their refusal to blow their own trumpets and respond to the media hype?...i'm not sure, although vocalist and frontman Jon Fugler understandably expresses his concern about being touted as the 'next big things' or being too closely identified with specific scenes. However, they are on the brink of reaching the dizzy heights of fame that the likes of Underworld and The Prodigy currently boast, thanks to the chart hitting singles Bullet and Tosh late in '95, and then the global success of Atom Bomb in '96. Also being touted as Bjork collaborators, remixing Big Time Sensuality and Violently Happy, has added to their ever increasing fame.

Promo 12" : Thumper!

Track Listing: Thumper Thumper Cool Hand Flute

Released 1989. The 12" of Thumper (which later featured on The Peel Sessions), appeared as a white label vinyl with track details stenciled in black ink, in a black sleeve with a sticker (as shown here) sporting some graphics. Note the catalogue number [FLUKE 1] is the same as the album OUT. The 12" has a total of 3 tracks, two versions of Thumper (the title of the mixes is unknown) and a track called Cool Hand Flute which is the same version that can be found on The Techno Rose of Blighty. It was originally written for a wine bar gig and became Fluke's first white label single, a record which Melody Maker described as "a triumph of enthusiasm over ignorance".
A remix 12" of Thumper was also pressed which came in a white sleeve in 1990. The tracks names have been hand written on the 12" label (in red pen) and the inner sleeve has some doodles on it(?!?). Tracklisting: Percussive Electro Mix,Cool Flute Mix and Extended Flute Mix.

12": Joni/Taxi

Track Listing: Joni Taxi

Released in 1990. This is a very early, rare Fluke 12" of Joni and Taxi. As far as I can make out the two tracks are the same as those that feature on the Techno Rose of Blighty and The Peal Sessions, respectively.

Single : Philly

Track Listing: CD: Philly Philly - Jamorphous Mix Philly - Jamoeba Mix 12: CD: Philly - Jameteur Mix Philly - Jamorphous Mix Philly - Jamoeba Mix

Released 1990 on Creation Records. As far as I can make out, this is Fluke's first official CD single, taken from the album The Techno Rose of Blighty. It's a very early sounding Fluke, not quite as deep and spacey as the recent material. All three mixes are very similar with bongo's playing throughout, bouncy rhythms, poppy vocals - i'm not sure that I will ever play this much. The mix on the Techno Rose album is far superior to these mixes, and as for the Fluke fans of today, I suggest only the completionist buy this one. However, if you like the early albums Techno Rose and Out then you'll no doubt like this.

Album: The Techno Rose of Blighty

Track Listing: Philly Glorious Cool Hand Flute Joni Easy Peasy Phin

Released in 1991 on Creation Records. This is the debut album from Fluke which has a bit of a misleading title since this is anything but techno music, but I think this was Flukes' little joke about the music scene at the time.

Single: The Bells - The Peel Sessions

Track Listing: The Bells (5.51) The Bells (5.31) The Bells (5.36)

This was an early (1991) promo 12", which came about after Fluke signed to CIRCA records. It was also released on CD too [FLPCD1] with the same tracklisting as the vinyl release, but I've never seen this - thanks to Andy Heggs for the CD info. This is one of the very early Fluke tracks that sounds in-between the Techno Rose era and the Six Wheels era, with dreamy spacey vocals gliding over tubular bells. The different mixes all have highly imaginative titles (not!), two of which are very similar to the versions that appeared on the 1994 Peel Sessions album and OUT (in Essence). The third mix has a lot more added percussion, which gives the track that extra bit of bongo driven bounce.

Album: OUT (in Essence)

Track Listing: Pan Am Into Philly Pearls of Wisdom The Bells Heresy The Garden of Blighty

Released in 1991. This was a recording of a live gig that Fluke did at a new moon party. The above track listing is that of the vinyl edition. Apparently, the CD version has a different track listing, with track 4 listed as Heresy and the Garden of Blighty, and track 5 as Philly (Techno Rose mix). Thanks to Eric Larson for that information. And just to add to the confusion, Brain McGee comments that the CD release of Out [FLUKD1] has the same track listing as the vinyl, and comes in a cardboard sleeve with fold out pictures (presumably from the gig), whilst the CD with Philly (Techno Rose Mix) is the official US release from Circa/Virgin.

Single: Slid

Track Listing: CD: Slid - Glid Edit (3.46) Slid - No Guitars (7.41) Slid - Glidub (7.01) Slid - PDFMONE (7.41) Slid - Scat and Sax Edit (7.09) 12: Slid - Glid Slid - No Guitars Slid - Glidub Slid - PDFMIX Slid - Scat and Sax Frenzy

Released 1993 on Circa Records. The first single to be released on Circa and with a change of direction it was the first that really hit home. The best from this single is already found on the album Six Wheels..., but there is a bonus cheeky little mix from Justin Robertson, aka LionRock, in the shape and form of the Scat and Sax Edit. The vinyl version features the full Glid version compared to Glid Edit on the CD single. The PDFMONE and PDFMIX that feature on the vinyl and CD single, respectively, are actually the same track and only differ in title. The PDFMONE mix from the CD single is probably a mis-spelling though, since it differes slightly from the album version. Also, the Scat and Sax Frenzy is actually shorter on the vinyl version than the Scat and Sax Edit on the CD single. Slid has been remixed (9/97) and released on the single Squirt.

Track Listing: CD [YRCD 104]: Electric Guitar - Humbucker (7.33) Electric Guitar - Vibrochamp (7.39) Electric Guitar - Headstock (5.35) Electric Guitar - Sunburst (6.52) Electric Guitar - Hot Tube (6.38) 12 [YRT 104]: Electric Guitar - Humbucker Electric Guitar - Sunburst Electric Guitar - Headstock 12 [YRTX 104]: Electric Guitar - Vibrochamp Electric Guitar - Hot Tube Electric Guitar - Superwound

Released 1993 on Circa Records. Addtional Mix engineering on the Vibrochamp mix by Electro Joe. This has got to be my favourite Fluke track ever - it chugs, it bounces, it stomps and its cheeky in all the right places. All the above mixes apart from the Superwound mix are on the CD single, but the vinyl version has the mixes spread across two separate 12"s. Probably very difficult to get hold of these days, so if you see it, grab it! All the mixes are corking, some of which are far better than the Humbucker album version.

Track Listing: CD: Groovy Feeling - Toni Bell's Single Scoop (4.03) Groovy Feeling - Make Mine a 99 (7.46) Groovy Feeling - Lolly Gobble Choc Bomb (6.53) Groovy Feeling - Nutty Chip Cornet (5.34) Groovy Feeling - Mr Whippy (6.56) Groovy Feeling - Thick N Creamy (4.02) 12": Groovy Feeling - Lolly Gobble Choc Bomb (6.53) Groovy Feeling - Nutty Chip Cornet (5.34) Groovy Feeling - Thick N Creamy (4.02) Groovy Feeling - Make Mine a 99 (7.50) Groovy Feeling - Screwball (7.13)

Released 1993 on Circa Records. This was the main single release to promote the album Six Wheels.... Bit of a dodgy cover though (!), but as they say, never judge a CD by its cover. Deliciously dreamy vocals wash over a bouncy beat which is almost good enough to eat. The CD features an additional single edit and the Mr Whippy version which is remixed by Atlas. The vinyl version features the Screwball version, which is also remixed by Atlas.

Album: Six Wheels On My Wagon

Track Listing: Groovy Feeling - Make Mine a 99 Mix Letters Glidub Electric Guitar - Humbucker Mix Top of the World Slid - Pdfmone Mix Slowmotion Spacey (Catch 22 Dub) Astrosapiens Oh Yeah Eko Life Support

Released 1993 on Circa Records. Undoubtably this was Fluke at their best. Six Wheels is a must for anybody into electronica, with tracks containing that chugging, jigging, bouncy fluke beat and spacey vocals that make that unique Fluke sound. From the dreamy Groovy Feeling (also a CD single/12") through Glidub (on the CD single/12" Slid) and Letters where we come across what I consider the highlight of this album, Electric Guitar. This track is a stormer, a big hit at Whirl-Y-Gig (check out the CD single/12" of Electric Guitar as this contains a few different mixes, some of which are equally as good, if not better than the album 'Humbucker' version.) Slid chuggs along at a pleasant pace (CD single/12", containing Glidub as well as an interesting little mix from LionRocker Justin Robertson.) The rest of the album just plods along, but in a very Flukey kind of way. Wicked stuff.

The first CD and LP releases of Six Wheels came with a bonus CD and vinyl, respectively, featuring the Techno Rose of Blighty plus the three bonus tracks: Coolest (a remix of Cool Hand Flute), Taxi and Jig. Taxi and Jig are different versions from the Peel Sessions. Thanks to Brian McGee for this additional piece of information.

Album: Six Wheels On My Wagon Lmt. Ed.

Track Listing: Disc 1: Groovy Feeling - Make Mine a 99 Mix Letters Glidub Electric Guitar - Humbucker Mix Top of the World Slid - Pdfmone Mix Slowmotion Spacey (Catch 22 Dub) Astrosapiens Oh Yeah Eko Life Support Disc 2: Philly Glorious Cool Hand Flute Joni Easy Peasy Phin Jig Taxi Coolest

Limited edition, released 1993 on Circa Records. The first CD and LP releases of Six Wheels came with a bonus CD and vinyl, respectively, featuring the Techno Rose of Blighty plus the three bonus tracks: Coolest (a remix of Cool Hand Flute), Taxi and Jig. Taxi and Jig are different versions from the Peel Sessions. Thanks to Brian McGee and Jesse Keller for this additional information.

Single: Bubble

Track Listing: CD: Bubble - Speechbubble (6.40) Bubble - Stuntbubble (7.40) Bubble - Burstbubble (7.28) 12: Bubble - Speechbubble (6.40) Bubble - Stuntbubble (7.40) Bubble - Burstbubble (7.28) Bubble - Braillebubble

Released 1993 on Circa Records. Bubble was released shortly after the 'Six Wheels...' album. Both the Stunt and Burst mixes are real chunky chugging tracks, over which Fuglars now-trademark spoken vocals are added in the Speechbubble version. The 12" of Bubble has an extra mix on it called BrailleBubble, which is yet another excellent mix of this track and raises the question of why its not on the CD single?!?

Album: The Peel Sessions

Track Listing: Thumper Taxi Jig Our Definition of Jazz The Bells The Allotment of Blighty Time Keeper

Recorded live in 1994 on the 'Peel Sessions' (Radio 1 U.K) and released on Strange Fruit Records, this short album reflects the early years of Fluke. Thumper opens the session, probably one of the stronger tracks on the album, funky, fluky, 'happy'(as the lyrics say)... Taxi is a bouncy guitar number (a bit cheesy) with plenty of percussion. The intro to Jig reminds me a bit of Glide (from the album 6 Wheels..), the rest of the track is very lively, bongo's keep the rhythm flowing. Definition of Jazz, is, as the title suggests a bit jazzy...naff and annoying...The Bells gets back to the real Fluke sound, dreamy vocals, gliding sound effects and tubular bells. The Allotment of Blighty is a funky little number and Time Keeper sounding like Fluke gone Hawaiian, again a little on the cheesey side, ties up the album. All in all its a little on the weak side, but you have to remember that this is the old sound of Fluke, so its quite interesting to compare this to the Fluke of today. The tracks are all a little on the short side as well, all approx. 4 minutes long. Like i said before, interesting but not amazing, especially when compared to 6 Wheels... and OTO.