Soda – Britpop Band Collectible “Westside Studio Master Side 2” on Ampex 456 Reel – Very Good w/ Box & Studio Log

Condition Details: Please check all photos of the item carefully, as they form part of the description of the condition of the item. This Ampex 456 Studio Mastering Tape is in very good condition, professionally handled and stored. It shows minimal signs of wear and retains excellent fidelity, ready to deliver the authentic sound of Soda’s 1996 studio sessions.

What's Included: This listing includes the Original Box and the Westside Recording Studios Log Sheet dated 22nd March 1996. The session was commissioned by Mercury Records and produced by Langer and Winstanley, with engineering by Alan Winstanley. The reel is marked as a master and includes five tracks from the band’s Britpop-era catalogue: Dragging You Into My Dreams, Inside, Sun Come Around, The Young Own the Town, When Does My Life Begin. These are labeled as “SIDE 2” on the studio documentation, suggesting a companion reel may exist.

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.