Soda Media

Condition Details: Please check all photos of the item carefully, as they form part of the description of the condition of the item. This professionally labeled reel-to-reel tape from The Town House (a division of Virgin Records Ltd.) is in excellent condition, with intact reels and detailed handwritten notes. Dated 8th-9th September 1995, the reel documents multiple takes of The Young Own The Town, including master edits, tempo variations, and click-track references. It has been professionally stored and remains fully playable for archival or reference use.

What's Included: This listing includes the Original Studio Reel housed in a Town House box, featuring:

• Track Breakdown:

  1. The Young Own The Town - Take 1 (with click, approx. 170 bpm)

     • NEW MASTER with click - 9/9/95

     • Duration: 0:20-1:14

     • Edited FL/EL

  2. The Young Own The Town - Take 2 (approx. 174 bpm)

     • Duration: 4.50s / 3.26s

  3. The Young Own The Town - Take 4

     • OLD MASTER - not done to click (approx. 168-172 bpm)

  4. The Young Own The Town - Take 5 - 8/9/95

     • Duration: 12.45 / 16.00

     • FL/EL

• Technical Specs:

  • Format: Analogue (Ampex 456)

  • System: Studer A800 III

  • Speed: 30 ips

  • EQ: AES

  • Reel: 2

  • Studio: Two

  • Producer & Engineer: Paul Cokett

  • Assistant Engineer: Julie Gardner

  • Client: Mercury

  • Artist: Soda

This reel captures the full evolution of The Young Own The Town, from early takes to final master edits, with tempo shifts and click-track alignment. The FL/EL markings suggest EQ or filter settings used during mastering, and the presence of multiple durations indicates comping or alternate mix structures.

About the Item: Soda were a Britpop band from Hull, England, formed in 1994. They emerged during the height of the mid-1990s Britpop boom, blending melodic guitar pop with touches of punk and new wave. The group consisted of Ocean Reid (vocals), Liam Maloy (bass/vocals), Mike Milner (guitar), Chris Charlton (guitar), and Carl Lonsdale (drums).

Signed to Mercury/Fontana Records between 1995 and 1997, Soda released a few singles including The Young Own The Town (1995) and Inside (1996). Their debut album, Artificial Flavour, was recorded during this period but was shelved by their label and only officially released twenty years later in 2016.

Their music captured the bright, energetic sound of the Britpop era, with catchy choruses and jangly guitars comparable to acts like Ash, Sleeper, and Echobelly. Critics have described their songs as “a perfect time capsule of mid-90s guitar pop.” Despite strong material, Soda’s career was cut short by label setbacks and bad timing.

Today, the band enjoys cult status among Britpop enthusiasts, with their rediscovered debut gaining positive retrospective attention. Artificial Flavour stands as a snapshot of a band that could have been much bigger had things gone differently.