In the year 2000 the internet had not yet become the new messiah. I would often cross the Channel by ferry on my way to London where I would spend the weekend going out and hunting for records, especially those that were impossible to find in Belgium.
As soon as I set foot in a record shop, then under the influence of labels like Rephlex, Warp and Planet Mu, I would rush like a gold digger, head down in the racks that mentioned these labels, to try and find the piece I was missing or the latest release not yet distributed in Belgium. The artists that obviously haunted me the most at the time were Aphex Twin and Squarepusher.
During one of my visits to the record shop “Sister Ray”, I was, as was often the case, deep in the Squarepusher rack. And there, I find a record that I do not yet know, an LP entitled Ceephax Acid Quakers 1000, on the fantastic label “Lo Recording” ! Without hesitation and without further investigation I rush to buy it, convinced that I am holding the new Holy Grail from Squarepusher.
Back in Brussels, I listen to this mysterious LP straight away and I discover a completely different album from what I was expecting. More audacious than what Squarepusher had produced in the past and which was more in line with the sound I was looking for at the time. I had to look hard at the record sleeve to understand this new approach. “Produced by Andy Jenkinson… but no, it’s Tom Jenkinson….there must be a mistake?”
Knowing the record shops of Brussels well, here I was on my way with the record under my arm to get more info. A record shop owner in the city centre tells me that this “Andy” is Tom’s little brother, and that if I’m interested, he just brought in another record by this artist who calls himself “Ceephax“… Of course I’m interested! Icing on the cake, it is on a Belgian label, and moreover, provided with a cassette.
I had to meet the guys who were behind this impressive “First Cask” label. I don’t know by what magic I managed to meet Gaël, one of the two founders, but what is sure is that since that day he has become more than a friend and he arranged for me to get in touch not with Squarepusher but with Andy.
Two historical albums united in a superb gatefold !
