Soda – Britpop Band Collectible Westside Slave Reel #1 – Very Good w/ Studio Label & Track Timing

Condition Details: Please check all photos of the item carefully, as they form part of the description of the condition of the item. This vintage 3M reel from Westside Studios is in very good condition, with intact tape and a clearly labeled box. Dated 26th September 1995, it was recorded for Mercury Records and marked as a Slave Reel with Dolby noise reduction and a +7 level at 30 ips. The reel has been professionally stored and remains in excellent archival shape.

What's Included: This listing includes the Original Tape Box with Westside Studios label and handwritten session notes. The reel contains three tracks: One Track Mind (00:16), Sun Come Around (4:35), and Inside (7:35). The reel is labeled “Slave Reel 1,” recorded in Studio One, and marked as a master copy. These tracks represent core material from Soda’s mid-90s sessions and are ideal for collectors seeking early mix references or alternate stems.

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.