Back to Awesome! - Summer ‘91: Johnny Kalifornia & Ian Wade

It’s summer 1991 and school’s out which means it’s time for your latest compilation! It was probably on cassette, possibly from your local high street and most definitely slotted straight into your parent’s car stereo for that sweet-fuelled, motorway exodus to the sun!

But WAIT!

After NOW 19’s release in the spring, the horizon isn’t delivering the nation’s favourite 20th variously compiled selection until NOVEMBER!

As the young set frantically scan the racks of Woolworths, Dad point-blankly refuses entry to the big cassette box entitled Deep Heat (turn that racket off!). 

However all is not lost - ladies, gentlemen, girl behind the counter - we give you AWESOME!

20 Massive Hits from the team at EMI that looks, very familiar indeed. Some may even say NOW-adjacent! Kerrr-ching! £6.99! A Snip!

Join friends of the show, Johnny Kalifornia and Ian Wade in this special summer edition of Back to Now. We explore the frankly bonkers compilation landscape of summer 1991 that gave us not one but TWO Awesome compilations (well, one came out in November too, but lets not split comp hairs) from our fab friends at NOW. 

But what was going on, I hear you ask?

Well, who knows? Ian, Johnny and I ruminate on the dance, indie, pop landscape of season 1990/91 and how the compilation market was reacting to the dayglo wonders such as Soho, PWEI, EMF, KLF. Could it be that our favourite compilation album was facing some ‘young scene’ competition? Were there wobbles at NOW HQ? Was it time for a rethink? 

Can I ask anymore questions?

As this is a summer ‘spesh’ expect much end of term chaos, diversions, and plenty of fun pop memories with Kalifornia and Wade as we weave our way among 40 ‘devastatin’ choons across two Awesome albums! And along the way we also share our favourites summer songs past and present, reveal some all-time favourite compilations, discover what ‘regional dance’ is and, AND, there’s a free poster included too! 

Dive into the Back to NOW Awesome summer supplement at your local newsagent now!

(poster offer ends 31 August 1991)

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