ODDS ‘N’ BODS
EMI AMERICA here are indeed now going to release Jellybean ‘Was Dog A Doughnut?‘ out in January with promos sooner . . . Doug E. Fresh and The Get Fresh Crew ‘The Show’ (the latest black hit to take Radio One by surprise!) has two new remixes, the more instrumental Doctor D v Necam 7 mix (101½bpm on acetate) and restructured UK Gadget Mix (100½bpm plus ‘La-Di-Da-Di’ has been cleaned up into a non-explicit version . . . CBS on December 9 rush release Full Force, whose B-side ‘Bang Zoom‘ dirty monologue version was inspired by the Jackie Gleason/Art Carney vintage US TV series ‘The Honeymooners’ — prior to producing UTFO last year, their 1979 debut ‘Turn You On‘ (US Dazz Records) was the only thing Full Force had done . . . New York TV’s Channel 5 WNEW shows the ‘Inspector Gadget’ cartoon series every weekday morning for half on hour at 7am, so there must be a lot of early rising hip hoppers there! . . . Caprice ‘100%’ is due here on new label Lovebeat International (via Lightning/Spartan), and Streetwave picked up B.T. Express plus Aleem ‘Get Loose’ . . . Supreme Records worked out something with Wally Badarou so that the Princess “Bad” mix could come out — mind you, most clubs I’ve visited only seem to play the first two minutes before the singing starts, as an alternative to poor Wally whose ‘Chief Inspector’ it of course now copies! . . . Masquerade’s PAs are indeed being fronted by Streetwave boss Morgan Khan, leading the dancers — but then you never could keep him still (can your pussy do the dog, indeed)! . . . DSM may stand for Devastating Street Music but it’s also the first name initials of vocalist/producer Danny ‘Daniels’ Poku, scratcher Shaun Williams, DJ Mambo, as suspected . . . Cherrelle’s album track import smash is confusing many shoppers, who ask for the Alexander O’Neal newie instead . . . Cameo’s luxuriously packaged 12in “twofer” looks like selling out fast . . . Aretha Franklin’s 12in certainly adds a dub mix this week, but there’s confusion over whether its publicised new Dance Mix will be any different from the available one already billed as that . . . Kashif ‘Condition Of The Heart’ LP (Arista 207 426) is now out here . . . Glenn Jones’ album tracks ‘Everlasting Love‘/’Meet Me Half Way There‘ make up his new US RCA 12in . . . Eurobeat seems to be catching on fast amongst gay DJs as an alternative and now more accurate description of the Hi-NRG music they play, so, although I’m not convinced it’s as snappy a name, that’s what the relevant RM chart is now called — incidentally, Fantasy ‘He’s Number One‘ is number one in more gay charts than anything else, although not in enough to be number one nationally, yet . . . Tricky Dicky Scanes left London’s Spats after nine years amidst a blaze of publicity . . . Dave Gregory, soulling Saturdays at the now Keith Giles-owned Canvey Island Goldmine, returns well rested to Essex Radio this week on Fridays 9pm-1am and Saturdays 6-9pm, plus he’ll still be running the station’s Soul Night Specials (the next at Southend Zero 6 Friday the 13th), the other reprieved soul shows being presented by Disco John Leech Mon-Fri 6-9pm and Tony Monson Sat 9pm-1am — Essex funkers can breathe again! . . . Segue Steve Goddard defends the appearance of TKO on Solar’s old wavelength by pointing out that even if the latter does get a community radio licence there won’t be room in its restricted legal form for all its old 37 DJs to broadcast, which is why some are now on air again taking the law in their own hands . . . US radio stations when they put records onto cartridge tape (most use carts rather than vinyl singles) unbelievably have to hire an American Federation of Musicians’ union member musician to put the stylus on the record before the tape can roll! . . . Aretha Franklin and now Sheila E topped US Club Play, Phyllis Nelson ‘I Like You‘ 12in Sales in Billboard, whose dance charts are always what amounts to nearly a fortnight out of date being compiled by Monday of the week before the one in which they appear — what’s more, US record companies can evidently control the impact of their albums’ entry in the LP charts by getting Billboard not to include them until they’ve reached a more favourably high debut position! . . . Whitney Houston on account of her earlier credits partnering Teddy Pendergrass and Jermaine Jackson is ridiculously ineligible for the Grammy Award category that everyone expected her to win, Best New Artist — but can’t she aim for Best Female Vocal? . . . The Isley Brothers switched labels to Warner Bros and are in the process of suing Epic for allegedly enticing Isley Jasper Isley away from the family in what appears to be a very sad and unbrotherly squabble . . . Michael Praed of ‘Dynasty’ has covered Michael St. James’ ‘There Is Only One Love’ on US Columbia . . . Samantha Fox interviewed Steve Walsh on last Friday’s ‘The Six O’Clock Show’ on TV about how he turns down all the offers of free sex at his gigs! . . . Mayfair’s late nite eaterie Rockafella’s has finally reopened but under new management and as the flashy neon lit Rocky’s, serving unlimited “buffet” breakfasts after 4am . . . Reggie could well pinch the title from skinny Haywoode as best legs in the biz — she shakes ass, too! . . . Friday (29) David Grant visits Towyn Mirrors near Rhyl, and Eon Irving funks Kensington Roof Gardens . . . Saturday (30) LW5 PA — and Monday week (9) play live — at Harlow Whispers . . . Cameo headline Nottingham Rock City’s Sunday (1) 3pm alldayer . . . Belfast’s co-operative Belfast Soul Club meets next Thursday (5) at Skipper Street’s Crow’s Nest playing soul, funk, jazz, electro with freebies for all new members (£1 admission), details from Terry Corr on Belfast 661761 after 6pm . . . Baz Fe Jazz & Andy McConnell jazz, latin, Afro-Cuban, R&B and boogie woogie London Charlotte Street’s Sol Y Sombre Tuesdays . . . Paul Lambert plays really danceable soul at Brighton seafront Zap Club’s Wednesday The Hothouse . . . Chris Kaye welcomes well dressed upfront South Londoners at Wrotham Stocks Saturdays, and funks Tonbridge free admission fun pubs Harveys Mon, Loggers Tues . . . Colin Hudd at Dartford Flicks amongst other more usual James Brown stuff is reviving 1962’s ‘Night Train’, to get ’em all twistin’! . . . Steinski tipped me off in New York about the Music Factory shop in Times Square at 1476 Broadway (between 42nd and 43rd) as being good for “beats”, and sure enough that’s where I found for $5.99 some of the 6-track 12in ‘Break Beats’ series of essential cut ‘n scratch throwdown break rhythms (mentioned last week by Jay Strongman), Vol 3 including Herman Kelly ‘Dance To The Drummer’s Beat‘ (119¼-118-116¾-116½-117-118bpm), Incredible Bongo Band ‘Apache‘, Cheryl Lynn ‘Got To Be Real’ — not that the artists are mentioned, or indeed the titles printed properly, it being one of those dodgy sort of records (I’d previously picked up an ‘Apache’ boot at Downstairs Records in 1979!) . . . Go West’s current 12in includes an 114¼bpm Horizontal Mix of their US urban contemporary hit ‘Eye To Eye‘, except it’s nowhere near as mellow and soulful (in admittedly Hall & Oates-ish style) as the version I was hearing on New York radio — that one could cause a surprise if ever out here . . . Pete Townsend’s 204½bpm ‘Face The Face‘ although slightly slower should be good for pop jocks in the 219-220bpm Katrina And The Waves ‘Walking On Sunshine’/The Sweet ‘Ballroom Blitz’ mix — now all it needs is to be a hit! . . . Brian Chin, my counterpart in US trade paper Billboard, has as mentioned been visiting London and slipped me many of the bits in this week’s column, if you hadn’t guessed . . . Clarence Carter returns to the Disco Chart once again purely on mailing list DJs plays, so how long will they keep him there this time? . . . I reckon those record pluggers who regularly tour the country visiting clubs must be in the best position to judge how DJs rate against each other nationally, so within the next week or so could they please let me have a list, in complete confidence, of who they honestly think technically, musically, floor and vibe-wise, are the jocks worth not only a detour but the journey itself to see — if they’re fair about it, the results could be interesting indeed (and don’t forget the annual Hammy Awards loom closer!) . . . SET IT OFF!
• Latest product from the hot Waterman-Stock-Aitken team is O’CHI BROWN: ‘Whenever You Need Somebody’ (Magnet MAGI 288), a friskily wriggling 113½bpm bounder with many of their usual trademarks plus the fashionable “psha” cymbal beat. Although yet to hit the Hi-NRG/Eurobeat chart, it actually broke first in gay clubs, which may give some idea of its infectious jollity.
HOT VINYL
THE CONCEPT: ‘Mr D.J.’ (4th + B’way 12BRW 40)
Los Angeles radio jock Eric ‘Rico’ Reed of KJLH makes out instead he’s on WONE (“where you’re on the one”) as he fields dumb phone-in requests and gives out the weather (“purple rain forecast out of Minnesota — we’re talking forty days and forty nights here gang”!), all just slightly satirical — or is it? — and set to an innocuous 122bpm backing (inst flip). We’re talking a pick to click here gang, like monstrous!
THE TEMPTATIONS: ‘Touch Me’ LP (US Gordy 6164 GL)
Selling equally for its slowies (reviewed in full next week), this lovely set’s best dancers are the Sam Cooke-ish gently 0-102½bpm ‘I’m Fascinated’, weaving 105½bpm ‘Oh Lover‘, nagging 0-104¾bpm ‘Givehersomeattention‘ (sic), while that really is Luther V making his usual noises on ‘Do You Really Love Your Baby‘! Just to keep you posted about other current import LPs, the throatily jolting EWF-ish 103¾bpm ‘Very Real Way‘ is best dancer on the soulful gospel listening THE WINANS: ‘Let My People Go’ (US Qwest 1-25344), the slinky 0-93½bpm ‘All Fired Up‘ is creating some interest on the disappointing BRANDI WELLS: ’21st Century Fox’ (US Omni Records 90489-1), while the terrific soulful 90bpm ‘How Can I Get Next To You‘ is shaping up as a real classic on the previously mentioned CHAPTER 8: ‘This Love’s For Real’ (Beverly Glen Music BG 10007). The latter’s essential!
STEVIE WONDER: ‘Go Home (Remix)’ (Motown ZT 40502)
Stevie delivered, better late than never: replacing previous pressings, he’s remixed, toughened and extended this now much modified 119¼bpm light loper with new instrumental emphasis and bursts of electronic effects (new inst flip too) although whether it’s destined to be a future classic seems still in doubt. Continue reading “November 30, 1985: The Concept, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Ester, Loose Ends”