Original Pirate Material: The Streets seminal debut LP at twenty years old

Born out of the industrial suburbs of Birmingham, little did Mike Skinner and members of The Streets know at the time just how much of an impact their DIY project, 2002's Original Pirate Material would go on to have on music and audiences in the UK.

Twenty years on from the release of their game-changing garage record and it's quite remarkable to see the continued influence it still has over a diverse mix of contemporary acts today - from BRIT-award winning rapper, Little Simz, to punk acts, Slaves and IDLES, and even the likes of English pop group, The 1975.

Recorded in the bedroom of Skinner's Brixton flat using basic Casio keyboards, loop machines and a makeshift duvet-padded vocal booth, the fourteen-track long player very unexpectedly became one of the most important cultural artefacts of the twentieth century. A poetic ode to a heady adolescence spent among the dreary streets and familiar high-rise tower blocks that feature so frequently in towns and cities across Britain, the record clearly struck a note with millions of us music fans upon its release, with the album breaking into the UK top ten. 

From beginning to end, the album plays out like a journey through the genres which make up the DNA of the quintessential British sound. Sound system dub, reggae, punk, new wave and house can be heard in bouts, merged with the stylings of American hip hop greats, the Wu-Tang Clan, Raekwon and Nas, to name a few. Symphonic and expansive in places, humorous and dark in others - it's a masterpiece which is as relevant today as it was when it first hit the airwaves two decades ago.

In celebration of its twentieth anniversary this week, we've listed our top five singles, in no particular order, from the seminal record. Listen to and watch the videos for our selections below, whilst reading our assessments on each.

 

 

Has It Come To This?

Those infamous opening lines - 'Original Pirate Material, you're listening to The streets, knock down your aerial' - set the tone for this anthemic garage classic. The twitchy sounds of the percussive instruments paired with the earthy reggae-inspired bass lines, emotive piano loop and the genius of Skinner's lyricism make this track a necessary addition to anyones top five. A masterstroke from the group. 

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Don't Mug Yourself

This cheeky and playful banger details the dealings of a modern-day courtship in an archetypal British way. A conversation between a bunch of friends in a greasy spoon cafeteria, the morning after the night before. Debates about how Skinner should go about approaching a new love prospect can be heard back and forth across the bouncy, high energy two-minute track. Relatable and completely engrossing. 

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Turn The Page

The opener of the LP and what a statement of intent it is. Cast your mind back to the first listen of this album, all those years ago... The low hum of the orchestral string sample, the introduction of the snappy breakbeat and then the highs of the violin loop - awe-inspiring. You have our attention, Skinner.

Confidently addressing the nation and those operating in the hip hop and garage scene at the time, his choice of words tells of conquering album to come, consisting of many styles and influences - 'I’m 45th-generation Roman, but I don’t know ‘em or care when I’m spitting'.

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Let's Push Things Forward

A nod to the British two-tone and reggae-ska scene, 'Let's Push Things Forward' contains all the hallmarks, from the off beat organ to the trumpet fanfare, with a lacing of hard garage beats and melodies thrown in for good measure. Lyrically, it's a jibe at the mundanity of mainstream music at the time with Skinner offering a new sound and ethos with The Streets - 'Cult classic, not best-seller'. 

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Weak Become Heroes

An afterparty special. If you haven't ever found yourself in a random kitchen at an unholy hour listening to this pearler, you haven't experienced this track, or the rest of the album for that matter, in what we consider it's true intended setting. The soundtrack to many now-retired ravers weekends, 'Weak Become Heroes' perfectly encapsulates that inimitable feeling of going out clubbing with friends and all the memories that come with it. An incredible piece of music. 

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Unsurprisingly, picking out just five records from what is undoubtedly one of the greatest albums of our time was no easy task. We could have picked any from the fourteen on offer, literally. Will we ever see another album in the garage scene as influential as this one? One things is for sure, it would have to be something special to knock this off its perch.  

To keep up to date with the latest from The Streets - including announcements of upcoming dates - head to their artist profile by clicking or tapping - HERE. 

 

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Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.