Soda – Britpop Band Collectible Westside Outtake Reels #1 & #2 – Very Good w/ Handwritten Studio Notes

Condition Details: Please check all photos of the item carefully, as they form part of the description of the condition of the item. These two vintage 3M reels from Westside Studios are in very good condition, with intact tape and clearly labeled boxes. Dated 6th and 7th February 1996, they are marked as Outtake Reels and contain unreleased tracks, fills, and demos from Soda’s Mercury sessions. Both reels were recorded at 30 ips and stored securely, retaining excellent fidelity for archival use.

What's Included: This listing includes two Original Tape Boxes with Westside Studios labels and handwritten track notes:

• Outtake Reel 1 (6-2-96):

  • The Animal Boy

  • Dumb

  • Fill A

  • Fill A (1)

  • Fill A (2)

• Outtake Reel 2 (7-2-96):

  • Clive Langer Dead 2

  • [Illegible title]

  • The Soul One

  • Clive Langer Demo 1

These reels appear to contain alternate takes, studio fills, and demo material, possibly produced or overseen by Clive Langer. The presence of multiple “Fill A” entries suggests instrumental or vocal placeholders, while “Dead 2” and “Demo 1” may reflect early mixdowns or abandoned arrangements.

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.