August 3, 1985: “This remix situation has gone beyond being a joke”

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

SHOWSTOPPER PROMOTIONS’ Knebworth jazz ‘n soul picnic has — shame! shame! — been postponed for the summer at least due to an accumulation of problems to do with its staging (refunds from point of purchase), but Pieces Of A Dream will be at Hammersmith Odeon as some consolation on Saturday August 17 instead . . . Grover Washington Jr now appears on the more instrumental new 114½bpm Philadephia Remix coupling of Five Star’s ‘Let Me Be The One’ , other less essential remixes (yawn!) including a rather thin (0-)106½bpm Maze ‘Twilight‘ (now with instrumental remixes of ‘Too Many Games’ and ‘Back In Stride’) when all they need to do is make it the A-side to have a smash, a very bassy 0-101½bpm Jaki Graham which even EMI admit has already blown two speaker systems, an unheard Pointer Sisters, and Alan Coulthard’s even more Hi-NRG 125bpm Pink Cadillac Mix (on pink vinyl) of Aretha Franklin, while waiting in the wings are Melba Moore and Peter Royer . . . I repeat that this remix situation has gone beyond being a joke, and earnestly implore you not to buy anything until you’ve waited to see what other mixes, whether better or worse, become available — it’s the only way to make record companies see sense and stop this stupid practice (maybe I shouldn’t review, or even put in the chart, anything until it’s been out for six weeks?) . . . Pete Tong rightly points out that the American system is fairest, where just one 12in can contain the LP Version, Club Mix, Radio Edit or Instrumental, Acappella and any other combination (the only justifiable remixes are where original LP versions or existing mixes really do need altering to sound better on the floor) . . . ‘Street Sounds 13‘ is hot hot hot with current hits by Steve Arrington, Atlantic Starr, Change, Cool Notes, BB&Q Band, One Way, Colonel Abrams, Skool Boyz, plus Cheryl Lynn ‘It’s Gonna Be Right’, Billy Griffin ‘Electrified’, Rodney Franklin ‘Fiesta’ (the cassette version also having Julius Brown ‘Sho Nuff’ and Intruders ‘It’s Alright’) — watch singles sales plummet! . . . Big Tom Holland lost his voice last Friday at Dartford Flicks awards night, where (the absent) Chris Hill’s wife Carol in Tina Turner wig and backless black lace was rivalled by (the very much present) Colin Hudd’s wife Carol in a backless white tight ruffly sort of Spanish parachute — yum-yum to both! . . . Larry Blackmon, also there, plans to stay in London through the autumn producing amongst others Black Britain for 10 Records and his own next Cameo album, along with a tour in October . . . Michael Lovesmith, signed by Berry Gordy Jr very much as a “test pilot” to experiment with new nuances and directions, originally wrote his old ‘Baby I Will‘ (rather than the more obviously soundalike ‘Break The Ice‘) for Marvin Gaye, and in candid conversation with Jeff Young on Radio London observed that in recent years at Motown “the new acts weren’t as committed (as the big veteran acts the label had lost) and the stamina had to be reintroduced into the Motown family”: it’s for you to judge the stamina of his own contributions over the last seven years . . . Adrian Allen (South Shields Chelsea Cat) citing the respective appearances of the Conway Brothers and Denise LaSalle on both ‘6.20 Soul Train’ and ‘Top Of The Pops‘, wonders whether the latter show now only accepts black acts as long as they wear “whitey” clothes? . . . Friday’s ‘6.20 Soul Train’ has Eugene Wilde, Princess, Sly & Robbie, Mai Tai, O’Jays, Stylistics . . . Solar intend applying for the South London community of interest VHF station’s licence, and with a view to sharing the frequency Tony Monson invites other possible applicants to contact him on 06-22350 (0689 22350 from outside London) . . . Otis Monson incidentally has been inundated with gigs now he’s on Essex Radio . . . Department of Trade & Industry Radio Investigation Service staff is being cut from 340 to 240, its reduced resources switching attention from the public’s problems with radio and TV reception to the more urgent elimination of “pollution to the radio spectrum” by unlicensed operators — in other words, pirate busting, so be warned . . . Tony Blackburn’s secretary Rosanne in her white-labelled recording debut may have a somewhat unfair advantage at Radio London but is now also being played on Capital Radio by Steve Collins . . . Tony should note instead of ‘Hill Street Blues’ it was BBC2’s fascinating ‘Blues Night’ that had me hooked last Saturday — especially that Bessie Smith “concept video” from the 1930s! . . . Chris Hill heads up to Newcastle-upon-Tyne to join Phil Mitchell at the soulfully steaming Walkers every second Monday, this week (5) being next . . . Friday (2) Steve Allen, Nick Graham & Andy Abbott start funking Wellingborough’s Tithe Barn weekly . . . Saturday (3) Robbie Vincent joins Chris Hill with Miquel Brown & David Grant at Sheffield Green Hilly’s in Sussex . . . Sunday (4) Leicester Super Bowl’s first all-dayer has coaches from Birmingham organised by Frenchie Quailey at Summit Records on 021-643 4494 . . . Dave Stuart souls Beckenham’s The Beckenham on Mondays with freebies . . . Pate Haigh joins Mark Grice souling Nelson Lacy’s every Tuesday, when the Wicked Pulse at London’s Cusbys with its various eclectic DJs and live percussionists has settled into a Street Funk format . . . Stevie Dee funking most nights at Gillingham King Charles Hotel in its Regency nightclub, takes over its Kings venue for Northern Soul on Thursday’s (over-18) . . . Shaun Williams & Mambo have settled on Sunday as soul night at Edgbaston Faces . . . Dan Air & Robert Day take their Flim Flam night onto the Thames from Greenwich Pier 1-5.30am next Saturday (10) — £5 ticket info on 01-320 0965/650 3978 . . . Gary Hickson at Blackburn’s redecorated Peppermint Palace is after the DC LaRue album containing ‘Cathedrals’ on 0253-66701 . . . Hardy Mattu of Starstruck Entertainments has opened the Disco & DJ Mix Store in Glasgow at 1175 Argyle Street (041-339 2461), and hopes to attract enough DJ customers to interest record pluggers . . . Le GoGo Promotions (01-771 1761), having successfully placed earlier applicants, are after yet more DJs with and without their own gear . . . Dante may have blown their credibility before they begin by warming up for Shirley Bassey at billionaire Adnan Khashoggi’s showbiz party in Marbella last week! . . . Disco 85 breakers include Precinct ‘Don’t Go’ (Calibre), Odyssey ‘(Joy) I Know It’ (Mirror), Miami Sound Machine ‘Conga’ (Epic), Sylvia Bennett ‘You’re My Fantasy’ (US The New York Music Company), Brass Construction ‘Give And Take’ (US Capitol), Barney Rachabane ‘Blow Barney Blow’ (Jive Afrika), Nat Augustin ‘All My Love’/’Summer Is Here Again’ (Debut), Aretha Franklin ‘Freeway Of Love (Rock Mix)’ (Arista), Collage ‘Romeo Where’s Juliet? (US MCA), Harleqiun Four’s ‘Set It Off’ (US Jus Born), and the superior old Valentine Brothers ‘Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)’ . . . Odyssey disappointingly don’t appear too popular in various radio stations’ listener polls — and I don’t understand why 9.9 isn’t bigger . . . Loose Ends can cover David Bowie if they like but the result seems to be suffering from sounding so muffled and dull (in the sense, un-bright) . . . Mark Barker (Brighton Secrets) alerts soul jocks to the ‘Rain Forest’ plus sax-like ‘Space Walk‘ hidden amidst the Hi-NRG on Modern Rocketry’s LP . . . Ian Levine (London Heaven) complains that Kelly Marie without even any intro let alone a break is impossible to mix . . . Mayfair’s late night eaterie Rockafella’s have been playing an impressive cassette mixed by Barry B at LWR, the only London soul station not recently (I daren’t say currently) on air: LWR’s Eddy James meanwhile (at London Old Kent Road’s Green Man Saturday’s) mixes Hi Tension ‘You Make Me Happy’ with Whodini ‘Friends’, Eon Irving (Chelsea Mainsqueeze) synchs Maze ‘Twilight’ with James Brown ‘Sex Machine’, Neil Fincham (Dunbar) revives Fatback ‘Is This The Future?’ mixed with Rene & Angela ‘I’ll Be Good’ . . . Billy Paul has moved label across country to Total Experience . . . Erskine Thompson now has not only Danny Daniels plugging for him at Hot Licks but also Big Al Mayfield . . . Forget about the remixes and the packaging, make it MUSIC FOR MUSIC’S SAKE!

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HOT VINYL

PETER ROYER: ‘Love Is In Season’ (Club JABX 17)
Sounding not unlike Phil Fearon, the ex-model and dancer for Loose Ends has been produced by that very group (with Jane Eugene and Julie Roberts on rather tentative backing vocals, plus — a big plus — Dexter Wansel’s tinkly piano on the instrumental dub flip) in a lovely just slightly reggaefied 103½bpm revival of the smoochy swayer, which already has a large lead over the now rapidly reissued DETROIT SPINNERS: ‘Love Is In Season’ (Atlantic A9648T) their gorgeous 101½bpm original having been huge on LP last spring but lost when released as a single months later, although now its 102½-105½bpm ‘Could It Be I’m Falling In Love’ flip will obviously be useful too. A shame there has to be a battle when both versions deserve to win.

NO ROOM and no time for full reviews and BPM’s this week, but I hope you’ll find the detailed report about Community Radio of adequate interest to compensate. However, if it’s any guide, the imports I bought last week were:

LUKK Featuring Felicia Collins: ‘On The One’ (US Easy Street),

MARK IV: ‘Rainy Days’ (US World Trade Records Inc),

COLLAGE: ‘Romeo Where’s Juliet?’ (US MCA),

HARLEQUIN FOUR’S: ‘Set It Off’ (US Jus Born),

GOODIE: ‘Special Lady’ (US Total Experience),

ANDRE CYMON: ‘The Dance Electric’ (US Columbia),

CURTIS MAYFIELD: ‘Baby It’s You’ (US CRC), all on 12in.

AURRA: ‘Like I Like It’ (German 10 Records), BILLY PAUL: ‘Lately’ (US Total Experience), FREDERICK: ‘Frederick’ (US Heat), on LP.

BOBBY WOMACK: ‘I Wish He Didn’t Trust Me So Much’ (US MCA),

ANTHONY WATSON: ‘Solid Love Affair’ (US SRO) on 7in.

Had it not been sent to me one week ahead of UK release I’d also have bought the new album by HOWARD JOHNSON: ‘The Vision’ (A&M), his ‘Stand Up’ 12in heading the list of UK releases (all on 12in) which include

UNIVERSAL ROBOT BAND: ‘Barely Breaking Even (’85 Club Mix)’ (Streetwave),

COLONEL ABRAMS: ‘Trapped’ (MCA),

ROCKIE ROBBINS: ‘I’ve Got Your Number (Remix)’ (MCA),

CHAKA KHAN: ‘Through The Fire’/’I’m Every Woman’ (Warner Bros),

SLY & ROBBIE BAND: ‘Get To This Get To That’ (Island),

MERCHANT: ‘Rock It’ (Hot Vinyl),

THELMA HOUSTON: ‘Fantasy And Heartbreak (Remix)’ (MCA), SCREAMIN’ TONY BAXTER: ‘Get Up Offa That Thing (Godfather II)‘ (4th + B’way), THE INTRUDERS: ‘Who Do You Love (’85 Mix)‘ (Streetwave), JEAN CARN: ‘Was That All It Was (US Remix)’/PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL ALL STARS: ‘Let’s Clean Up The Ghetto’ (Streetwave), COLORS: ‘L.O.S. (Love On Sight)‘ (4th + B’way), SHIRLEY BROWN: ‘Boyfriend’/’Looking For The Real Thing (Remix)’ (4th + B’way), THE WEATHER GIRLS: ‘No-One Can Love You More Than Me‘ (CBS), THE S.O.S. BAND: ‘Break Up (Remix)‘ (Tabu), DAZZ BAND: ‘Hot Spot‘ (Motown), DOLBY’S CUBE: ‘May The Cube Be With You‘ (Parlophone Odeon Series), GEORGE CLINTON: ‘Double Oh-Oh‘ (Capitol), MARY JANE GIRLS: ‘Wild And Crazy Love‘/’All Night Long’ (Gordy).

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DISCO TOP 85 – August 3, 1985

01 03 TWILIGHT, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Capitol 12in
02 02 ROUND AND AROUND, Jaki Graham, EMI 12in
03 01 TURN IT UP, Conway Brothers, 10 Records 12in
04 04 SILVER SHADOW, Atlantic Starr, A&M 12in
05 07 DANCIN’ IN THE KEY OF LIFE (REMIX), Steve Arrington, Atlantic 12in
06 06 ON A CROWDED STREET, Barbara Pennington, Record Shack 12in
07 05 GENIE, B B & Q Band, Cooltempo 12in
08 17 ATTACK ME WITH YOUR LOVE, Cameo, Club 12in
09 10 IN YOUR CAR, The Cool Notes, Abstract Dance 12in
10 30 SAY I’M YOUR NUMBER ONE, Princess, Supreme Records 12in
11 11 STRONGER TOGETHER, Shannon, Club 12in
12 24 INTO THE GROOVE, Madonna, Sire 12in
13 08 GLOW, Rick James, Gordy 12in
14 25 BREAK THE ICE, Michael Lovesmith, Motown 12in
15 19 LET’S TALK (ABOUT SEX)/DUB VERSION, One Way, MCA 12in
16 12 MOVIN’, 400 Blows, Illuminated 12in
17 23 MONEY’S TOO TIGHT (TO MENTION) (CUTBACK MIX), Simply Red, Elektra 12in
18 13 KEEP ON JAMMIN’/IN AND OUT, Willie Hutch, Motown 12in
19 18 HAPPY FEELING, Aurra, 10 Records 12in
20 22 LET ME BE THE ONE/ALL FALL DOWN (M&M DUB MIX), Five Star, Tent 12in
21 09 ALL OF ME FOR ALL OF YOU, 9.9, RCA 12in
22 20 MUTUAL ATTRACTION (REMIX), Change, Cooltempo 12in
23 33 BABY DON’T HOLD YOUR LOVE BACK, Bridge, Atlantic 12in
24 21 THIS KIND OF LOVE, Phil Fearon & Galaxy, Ensign 12in
25 32 FIDELITY, Cheryl Lynn, CBS 12in
26 15 AXEL F (M&M REMIX), Harold Faltermeyer, MCA 12in
27 80 TAKES A LITTLE TIME, Total Contrast, London 12in
28 38 CHEY CHEY KULE (UK REMIX), Eugene Wilde, 4th + B’way 12in
29 14 HISTORY, Mai Tai, Virgin/Hot Melt 12in
30 29 YOU’RE THE ONE FOR ME (PAUL HARDCASTLE REMIX), “D” Train, Prelude 12in
31 — IN YOUR CAR (LONDON MIX), The Cool Notes, Abstract Dance 12in
32 51 SINGLE LIFE/I’VE GOT YOUR IMAGE/URBAN WARRIOR, Cameo, Club LP
33 60 MAMA SAID, Oliver Cheatham, Move Records 12in
34 34 LAY YA DOWN EZ/NEVER CRY AGAIN/YOU GOT ME ROCKIN’/SEEEKRET, Kleeer, Atlantic LP
35 26 LONG TIME, Arrow, London 12in
36 40 LOVER UNDERCOVER, Fatback, Cotillion LP
37 45 SUPERFINE (FROM BEHIND), Skool Boyz, US Columbia 12in
38 16 SAVE YOUR LOVE (FOR #1), Rene & Angela, Club 12in
39 28 TAKE YOUR HEART AWAY, Kleeer, Atlantic 12in
40 — LET ME BE THE ONE (LONG HOT SOULFUL SUMMER MIX)/ (PHILADELPHIA REMIX), Five Star, Tent 12in
41 36 TRAPPED, Colonel Abrams, US MCA Records 12in
42 27 WICKI WACKY HOUSE PARTY (FUNK SUCCULA VAN HELMSINK HOMICIDE MIX), The Team, EMI 12in
43 47 AIN’T NOTHIN’ LIKE IT/YOU AIN’T BEEN LOVED RIGHT, Michael Lovesmith, US Motown LP
44 31 I’LL BE GOOD/WHO’S FOOLIN’ WHO, Rene & Angela, Mercury LP
45 73 STAND UP, Howard Johnson, A&M 12in white label
46 57 DARE ME, Pointer Sisters, RCA 12in
47 62 SHACK UP (REMIX), Banbarra, Stateside 12in
48 44 LONDON TOWN ’85, Light Of The World, Ensign 12in
49 35 FINESSE (REMIX VERSION), Glenn Jones, US RCA Victor 12in
50 61 TURN IT UP (THE FULL MONTY MIX), Conway Brothers, 10 Records 12in
51 37 LOVE IS JUST THE GREAT PRETENDER ’85, Animal Nightlife, Island 12in
52 52 LONG TIME (THE ‘HOT’ MIXTURE)/HOT HOT HOT (HOTTER MIX ’84), Arrow, London 12in
53 85 IF YOU WERE HERE TONIGHT/SOFT VERSION, Alexander O’Neal, Tabu 12in
54 70 I WONDER IF I TAKE YOU HOME, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force, CBS 12in
55 67 LET’S TALK (REMIX), Carl Anderson, Epic 12in
56 39 THE LOVER IN ME, September, 10 Records 12in
57 re TEQUILA (KNOCKOUT MIX), No Way Jose, Fourth & Broadway 12in
58 41 IF I EVER LOSE THIS HEAVEN/SERIOUS, Billy Griffin, CBS 12in
59 — LOVE IS IN SEASON/INSTRUMENTAL DUB, Peter Royer, Club 12in
60 49 MAIN ATTRACTION/ON THE SHELF, B B & Q Band, Cooltempo LP
61 43 ROCK ME TONIGHT, Freddie Jackson, Capitol 12in
62 66 WHEN YOU LOVE ME LIKE THIS (REMIX), Melba Moore, Capitol 12in
63 54 IT’S GONNA BE RIGHT/FADE TO BLACK, Cheryl Lynn, US Columbia LP
64 50 SYSTEMATIC/ELECTRIFIED, Billy Griffin, CBS LP
65 48 TREAT HER SWEETER, The Paul Simpson Connection, 10 Records 12in
66 re I CHOOSE YOU/YOU’VE GOT ALL NIGHT, North West Ten, Ensign 12in
67 63 IT’S OVER NOW (DANCE REMIX), Luther Vandross, Epic 12in
68 — ON THE ONE, Lukk featuring Felicia Collins, US Easy Street 12in
69 — CLOSE TO PERFECTION (REMIX) Miquel Brown, Record Shack 12in white label
70 — KNEES/SHOW ME HOW, Howard Johnson US A&M LP
71 42 FRANKIE/HE’S THE GREATEST DANCER (REMIX), Sister Sledge, Atlantic 12in
72 — YOU MAKE ME HAPPY (SHOP GIRL REMIX), Hi-Tension, Streetwave 12in
73 65 RIPE FOR THE PICKING (REMIX), LW5, Virgin 12in
74 68 GOLDEN YEARS (REMIX), Loose Ends, Virgin 12in
75 81 DISRESPECT (CLUB MIX), Gap Band, US Total Experience 12in
76 85 MY BABY LOVES ME, Harry Ray, US Panoramic 12in
77 — YOU CAN LAY YOUR HEAD ON MY SHOULDER, Conway & Temple, Jive 12in
78 69 THIS IS FOR YOU, The System, US Mirage LP
79 74 TAKE IT EASY. T.C. Curtis, Virgin/Hot Melt 12in
80 — PARTY PEOPLE, Danny D & Collusion, Elite 12in
81 — THE PLEASURE SEEKERS, The System, US Mirage 12in/Boiling Point promo
82 84 MUSIC OF PASSION/STRANGERS INTO LOVERS/I NEED TO SEE YOU AGAIN, Percy Larkins, Move Records LP
83 — RAINY DAYS, Mark IV, US World Trade Records Inc 12in
84 82 (I’LL BE A) FREAK FOR YOU, Royalle Delite, US Skyview 12in
85=— MERCY MERCY ME, Steve Sperling, Important Records 12in
85=75 GET LOOSE, Aleem (featuring Leroy Burgess), US NIA 12in
85=— BARELY BREAKING EVEN ’85 CLUB MIX), Universal Robot Band, Streetwave 12in white label

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HI-NRG DISCO

01 03 ENDLESS ROAD, Time Bandits, Dutch CBS 12in
02 01 HOMOSEXUALITY/THANK GOD FOR MEN/CUBA LIBRE, Modern Rocketry, US Megatone LP
03 04 CLOSE TO PERFECTION (REMIX), Miquel Brown, Record Shack 12in
04 02 ENDING UP ON A HIGH, Seventh Avenue, Record Shack 12in
05 05 THE EASY WAY OUT/ONE HUNDRED PERCENT, Miquel Brown, Record Shack LP
06 07 THEY SAY IT’S GONNA RAIN (REMIX), Kerry Delius, Arrival 12in
07 09 BIT BY BIT, Stephanie Mills, US MCA Records 12in
08 10 BLACK KISSES, Curtis & The Boom Box, Dutch RCA 12in
09 06 I BELIEVE IN DREAMS, Jackie Rowe, Fanfare 12in
10 11 DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY (SYLVESTER MIX), Jeanie Tracy, US Megatone 12in
11 18 TAKE ME TO FOREVER, Lydia Steinman, Long Island Sound 12in
12 08 UNEXPECTED LOVERS, Lime, Boiling Point 12in
13 15 LAW OF THE LAND, The Professionals, Belgian ARS 12in
14 19 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, Debbie Jacobs & Jolo, Fantasia 12in
15 14 BODY ROCK (REMIX), Maria Vidal, Dutch Chart 12in bootleg
16 16 FEELS LIKE LOVE/ONE WAY TICKET, Louise Thomas, Passion 12in
17 12 SORRY, WRONG NUMBER, Evelyn Thomas, Record Shack 12in
18 17 DON’T LET THE FLAME DIE OUT, Kelly Marie, Passion 12in
19 23 NO CREDIT CARD, Amanda Lear, German ZYX 12in
20 20 FREEWAY OF LOVE (LATIN RASCALS MIX), Aretha Franklin, US Arista 12in
21 24 NO WAR NO MORE, Mirage, Proto 12in
22 13 STRANGER IN DISGUISE, Marsha Raven, Record Shack 12in
23 30 THE BIG HURT (REMIX), Marianne, Fantasia 12in
24 21 SAY YOU WILL, Santana, US Columbia 12in Disconet remix
25 27 HARMONY, Slip, German Chateau 12in
26 26 FOTONOVELLA (INSTRUMENTAL), Ivan, Spanish CBS 12in
27 22 HUMAN NATURE, Gino Soccio, Canadian Celebration 12in
28 28 STREETFIGHTER, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, US Curb 12in
29 re SO MACHO/SHOWDOWN, Sinitta, Fanfare 12in
30=25 TWISTING THE NIGHT AWAY, Divine, Proto 12in
30=— MADONNA’S EYES, Jane Collins, German Hansa 12in

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HIT NUMBERS

Beats Per Minute for the last two week’s Top 75 entries on 7in (endings denoted by f/r/c for fade/resonant/cold):

Tina Turner 96½-0r, Five Star 114½f, Pointer Sisters 106¼f, The Cure 142-0r, Maze ‘T’ (0-)107½f/’TMG’ 110-111½-111¾f, Gary Moore 24½-49-0-98f, OMD 114½f, Aled Jones 0r, Shannon (0-)116½f, Phil Collins 59½f, Rebecca Storm 54/108f, “D” Train 120½f, Loose Ends 105½f, The Untouchables 145-146-0r, Phil Fearon 111½f, Prefab Sprout 241f.