ODDS ‘N’ BODS
PAUL HARDCASTLE’S third and definitely last ’19’ mix (“so NOT another Frankie Goes To Woolworths”, he tells me!), a partly re-recorded ‘19 The — Final Story‘ (Chrysalis CHS 322860) brings out the commentary with sharper emphasis and less “song” in two following parts, 117¾-0f . . . 0f/0-118-0bpm, due imminently flipped for real value by ‘King Tut (Remix)’, and evidently ’19 (Destruction Mix)’ as replacement for ‘Rain Forest (Remix)’ which Bluebird barred, causing the originally pressed B-side to be scrapped . . . Chrysalis in the States have rushed out ’19’ after all, to the anticipated controversial reaction, interviews with Paul Hardcastle being televised simultaneously nationwide by both ABC and NBC news, the latter network banning parts of his Vietnam actuality video as “too harrowing”, while evidently ’19’ was adopted as the theme song (?) for parading ‘Nam veterans in New York (doubtless some heavy plugging involved there!) . . . Colin Hudd in his ‘Apocalypse Now’ video mix actually underpins all the early action with the promo flip’s rhythm track before starting ’19’ (original 12in) as detailed last week . . . Disco Mix Club’s New York visit has changed dates yet again, to the cooler September 22-29, as the New Music Seminar with which it’s set to coincide has had to reschedule back by seven weeks due to its planned venue not being built in time . . . Roy Ayers’ vibes help give depth and de-sweeten Loose Ends ‘Magic Touch (The Vibes Version)‘ (Virgin VS 76113), on 114½bpm one-sided promo but selling in shops now . . . Skipworth & Turner ‘Thinking About Your Love’ is now in its inevitable 106¼-0bpm remix, more mellow with a drawn out less forceful intro . . . Bruce Weeden has cleaned up Joanna Gardner ‘Watching You’ into a much beefier and better 107¼bpm Extended Remix, due soon . . . Change ‘Let’s Go Together (Paul Hardcastle Remix)‘ should be their current 12in flip within a fortnight, the follow-up being a Nick Martinelli remix of ‘Mutual Attraction’, while Cooltempo have also picked up the next BB&Q Band LP . . . 10 Records managed to win Gloria D. Brown for release next week, to be followed with a limited edition remix by Jocelyn Brown/Jenny Burton producers McFarlane & George (funny, as I originally likened Gloria to their class!), plus the label picked up The Affair featuring Alyson as well as the Conway Brothers, the latter featuring a remix from the start — talk about hot! . . . Mick Clark, responsible for these signings, must have pulled some fast strokes as until recently he’d been hospitalized for ages having his wisdom teeth out — and that’s not all his news, as Dexter Wansel is cutting a solo album for 10 featuring the Jones Girls and a ‘Life On Mars 85’! . . . Eugene Wilde for his follow-up has completely re-recorded and rewritten ‘Che Che Kule‘ as a sort of medley with new lyrics about “let’s celebrate”, making a totally different song . . . Polydor are reissuing on 12in EP the same four James Brown oldies mentioned recently, but this time in full-length versions . . . EMI’s new double LP ‘Now Dance‘ (NOD 1) containing full 12in versions of 20 current or recent disco smashes (the pop stuff sensibly restricted on just one side), should at about £6.99 be good value for impoverished mobile jocks, and similarly (although edited versions) Virgin’s album of recent reggae hits ‘Massive 1‘ (V 2346) contains 12 cool grinders — doubtless inspired by Jet stars success? . . . Pennye Ford, whose LP ‘Pennye’ (Total Experience FL89449) is finally out here, is a little poppet, far cuter in the flesh than in photos: sadly, she tells me her and Sharon Redd’s half-brother Gene Redd Jr. died of pneumonia last month — a veteran producer, working with James Brown amongst many, he was Kool & The Gang’s original mentor . . . Pennye’s chaperon, Rudy Taylor of the Gap Band, tells me that ‘I Found My Baby‘ is so like ‘Outstanding’ in a deliberate attempt (which seems to have worked) to win back their black audience after recent lightweight recordings . . . The Team ‘Wicki Wacky House Party’ only cost Gee Bello £500 to make, and in fact the very first take would have been the best had not the tape spewed all over the floor! . . . Gee Bello actually has a solo single (and LP) out in the States on Capitol, ‘International Lover‘, described by Billboard as “MoR-disco, mid-’70s style” . . . Go Go Promotions (01-771 1761) are looking for DJs with and without their own mobile gear in South London . . . Dave Gregory of Essex Radio rang me for a marathon chat to hint, without making any official announcement yet, that next month will find even more soul on the South-East’s legal airwaves . . . JFM will be back on air in the autumn and seem quietly confident, after playing it by the book, that they could be a legal station then . . . Tony Monson should soon be using the Dartford Tunnel rather more than he is at present . . . Les Adams has mixed a Maze medley which despite Solar FM’s claims is definitely not due for release: meanwhile, in further “scathing attacks” on Solar, Disco Gary Van Den Busche is easily their most relaxed and listenable late night jock on the Thursday dawn shift, whereas Graham Gold is shouting now even more than Froggy used to! . . . London’s pirates need the money so I’m delighted they’re pulling in so many commercials, but the tiresome saturation these have reached could well prompt listeners to dial hop — and with Solar, Horizon, LWR and commercial-free Radio London to choose from, they really should now tighten up their programming . . . Dave Treharne features ‘The Girl Groups’ on his Friday 8-10pm DevonAir R&B show this week (24) . . . Edwin Starr sounded good sitting in for an ailing Greg Edwards on Capital last Saturday . . . Edinburgh soul jock Tom Wilson is amongst those made redundant at Radio Forth due to needletime caused cutbacks . . . Stringfellows jock Peter Anthony, recently back from his first stint on Radio Luxembourg, quips about Frizzby Fox’s ‘The Future Now’ Thursdays at the Hippodrome “see tomorrow’s haircut today” . . . 1983 World Disco Dancing champion Jay Janani had his brand new 450 Mercedes Sport vandalised and smashed right outside his house last weekend, just before he was due to dance at the Princess of Wales’ brother Viscount Althorpe’s birthday party on Monday — hard parmesan . . . 6.20 Soul Train this Friday has Loose Ends, Mai Tai, Village People, Pennye Ford, Ike & Tina Turner, Rose Royce . . . Prince, although originally no single was scheduled, is releasing ‘Raspberry Beret’ in the States whereas we get the Lennonesque 106bpm ‘Paisley Park’ . . . Sister Sledge must be feeling sick that everyone here (except for pop radio) is ignoring their lightweight new 165bpm perky pop single ‘Frankie’ (Atlantic A9547T) in favour of the recreation of their old sound by Mai Tai! . . . Phil Fearon’s ‘You Don’t Need A Reason‘ is his poppiest bounder yet at 126½bpm, due soon . . . The Darts adopt a fast 172½bpm Prince beat for their Roy Carter-produced new ‘Blow Away‘ (Choice Cuts PIG 907, via PRT), but the flip’s squeaky Donnie Elbert-ish dated 128-130bpm ‘Hold Me Down‘ sounds far more interesting — with possible “rare soul” appeal? . . . Marvin Gaye’s next album, in 1986, may well be made up of easy listening standards from tapes given to his mother: however, both CBS and Motown have similar material, so a battle could result . . . David Grant’s album has met with on oddly cool response so far . . . DJ Atkin (Morpeth), one of many to praise my recent piece about Radio One (thanks), questions the RM Disco Chart’s claim to be “on the streets on Wednesday” — well, it is, in Central London, distribution delaying the paper until Thursday elsewhere . . . The Cool Notes’ ‘Spend The Night’ actually ended up a bigger pop hit than Loose Ends’ ‘Hangin’ On A String’, although this wasn’t reflected in the Disco chart as unfortunate timing by then had pitted it against Steve Arrington — and now it’s just as tough for Curtis Hairston, who normally could have expected to be number one (both Steve and Curtis have done far, far worse back in the USA even in the black charts than they have here) . . . Kool & The Gang ‘Fresh’ topped US Black 45s and 12in Sales, Tears For Fears Club Play . . . Cashmere should worry, even R&B columnist Nelson George in US trade paper Billboard thinks they’re a British act! . . . Mad Marx and his soul brothers have moved from Tues to Thurs at Westcliff On Sea Swag, and Kevin Hawkins (whose Brentwood Elliotts beach party is this Friday) corrects that Fat Sam’s Grand Slam bar is at Basildon’s Crest Hotel (most upfront Wed) — I do wish DJs could get things right before they go into print . . . Rick Robinson funks Leysdown Stage 3 this Friday (24), although normally he’d be at Brentwood Bugatti’s (where Mike Morgan souls Thurs) . . . Cacique and 3-D’s visit Harlow Whispers Saturday (25), Hereward’s Steve Allen, Jonathon and more funk Peterborough Rinaldo’s 6pm all-eveninger Sunday (26); Brass Construction start a week at Watford Baileys Monday (27) and play London’s Dominion Sunday June 2; Cool Notes play live at Preston Clouds Wednesday (29) with Colin Curtis and (a long way from his Peterborough La Scala residency) Wayne Fitzgerald . . . 400 Blows ‘Movin‘ is so good I played it solidly for a whole afternoon the day I got it! . . . Carol ties the knot with Chris Hill next Wednesday, and could it be 19 Tubular Bells for Ralph Tee and his Los Angeles companion Maggie Williams? . . . 1, 2, 4, 5 and a good third of the chart made up of “our” music last week — now we’ve got ’em on the run, LET’S KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON!
400 BLOWS may seem an unlikely source for a remake of Brass Construction’s classic ‘Movin’, but their excitingly sizzling 122¾bpm treatment is densely driven by relentless rhythms through braying brass and some clipped chicks (soul venues may prefer the instrumental, only on advance white label) in a surprisingly faithful clarification of the original’s sound, sure to be huge when released commercially in three weeks time by Illuminated (ILL 6112, via Pinnacle). First ‘Wicky Wacky’, now this — what next, ‘Shack Up’?
HOT VINYL
ONE WAY: ‘Let’s Talk’ (USA MCA Records MCA-23545)
“Let’s talk about sex!” chant the enthusiastic chaps, with female comments chipping in, rather as if Fatback’s ‘Girl’s On My Mind’ had been set to The System’s ‘Sweat’ at a steady 114bpm for an extra-long P’funk workout (excellent stark dub, and chorusing inst). Hard!
BRIDGE: ‘Baby Don’t Hold Your Love Back’ (US Atlantic 0-86892)
Classiest soul smash of the week, a creamily swaying fidgety 112bpm traditional male vocal group worrier full of agonised interplay ending acappella (inst/edit flip), probably too specialist for the pop chart though not unlike Grant & Graham/Detroit Spinners.
FREDDIE JACKSON: ‘Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)’ (Capitol 12CL 358)
Despite his album having other now hotter contenders, this has a video already and anyway remains a superb knee trembling slow 72bpm soul smoocher aimed right at the ladies where they’ll feel it most (inst/edit flip), another ‘Sexual Healing’. Continue reading “May 25, 1985: One Way, Bridge, Freddie Jackson, Merc & Monk, Carl Anderson”
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