January 25, 1986: Whistle, Juicy, Colonel Abrams, Betty Wright, Sheila E

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

ANOTHER VISIT for concerts in about six weeks will find Cherrelle and Alexander O’Neal both doing solo sets and then combining for their hit duet: meanwhile ‘What’s Missing‘ must wait, as instead of that much demanded album track the new O’Neal single on Feb 10 will be a reissue of ‘If You Were Here Tonight‘ (the across-the-board smooch appeal of which was always obvious to everyone except the CBS sales team!) … Cherrelle’s US remix is now out here as well (Tabu QTA 6829), excluding the original UK 12in hit version even though its ‘I Didn’t Mean To Turn You On’ flip is on both, while other remixes include Nicole (Portrait QTA 6805) with an intelligently extended centre featuring sax and electronic “scat”, 52nd Street (10 Records TEND 8912) with a twin-packed bonus disc of the much slicker more punchily percussive 111⅓bpm ‘Reprieved Version‘ and excellent Dub remixed Stateside by Timmy Regisford, and reputedly the 98⅔bpm Precious Wilson ‘I’ll Be Your Friend’ (Jive JIVE T 105) … Princess in yet another (yawn) ‘After The Love Has Go-Go Gone‘ 98⅔bpm remix (Supreme SUPE TG103) has a dreadful unconvincing male rap and better 98½bpm instrumental Dub flip … Masquerade featuring Dina Carroll (their previously uncredited lead female) are about to have the original versions of ‘Set It Off’ and ‘One Nation’ back-to-back on 12in (Streetwave MKHAT 59), while Ladies Choice ‘Funky Sensation’ is now fully released on Sure Delight (SDT001, via Jet Star/EMI) … Thames Valley DJ Association’s expanded 2nd Disco Exhibition is at Sunbury on Thames’ Kempton Park racecourse this Sunday afternoon, followed in the evening at Windsor’s Blazers by the Shownite 86 awards dinner for which previously announced advance tickets are, I believe, necessary … Showstopper Promotions’ April 18-20 Caister Soul Weekend has snapped up headlining Martin Collins, backed up by a club-orientated DJ team of Graham Gold, Chris Bangs, Mark Webster, Jonathon More, Paul Clark, Kev Ashman, Tony Fernandez, Mervyn Anthony, Bob Masters, Joe Field & Paul Morrisey (details 01-886 8141) … Essex Radio host a Soul Cruise to Holland on Easter Sunday/Monday from Harwich (for £19.99) with the station’s Dave Gregory, John Leech, Tony Monson plus live and miming stars – their latest Soul Night Special is this Friday (24) at Westcliff s 1600 capacity Cliffs Pavilion … Radio London’s “Giant Haystacks”, Steve Walsh steps into previous private funktions’ shoes with his own night of star PAs at London’s Hippodrome this Wednesday (22) … Froggy is currently sitting in on Capital Radio for Steve Collins’s Sunday 1-5am soul slot – please don’t shout! … Def Jam’s invitation only UK launch party will be at The Embassy on Wednesday 29 – will hip hoppers Jam Old Bond Street? … US LPs by The Stylistics and William Bell show both returning in fine style, for review next week … GET LOOSE!

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LUTHER VANDROSS has three broken ribs and facial lacerations following a car crash in which he lost control on a winding hill in Los Angeles. More seriously, his passenger Larry Salavimini was killed. Larry is the brother of Jimmy Salavimini, the ‘Junior Search For A Star’ TV talent show winner who Luther has been producing. Under Californian law the driver of a car in collision with oncoming traffic can evidently be charged with manslaughter when a death results, and at first it was believed that Luther had thus been charged, but now it seems no other vehicle was involved. Initial rumours of a drugs connection were rapidly denied, with no further explanation being given for the accident. Teddy Pendergrass, now Luther Vandross … Freddie Jackson had better start wearing a seat belt!

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HOT VINYL

WHISTLE ‘(Nothing Serious) Just Buggin’’ (US Select Records FMS 62267)
Brilliantly cutting the word “bug” so it becomes a continuous musical melody in itself, this Kangol Kid and Howie Tee-produced tightly knit 0-102-0bpm jiggly rap ‘n’ scratch really is the business and very exciting (percussive go go-ish ‘Buggin’ Much Hard‘ instrumental flip). New wave hip hop, for sure!

JUICY ‘Sugar Free’ (US Private I Records 4Z9 05337)
Playing on the resonance of their group name, Katreese and brother Jerry Barnes borrowed the slinky ‘Juicy Fruit’ style for their Eumir Deodato-produced album’s hottest cut, and now the sinuous (0-)92bpm groin grinder seems set to sizzle in two new Deo/Super Dance and Deo/Radio remixes (Deo as in Dato?). Their older catchy deliberate 105bpm ‘Bad Boy’ is included too.

COLONEL ABRAMS ‘I’m Not Gonna Let You’ (MCA Records MCAT 1031)
Teasingly introed, the newly extended 117bpm joyously bounding nervy skitterer is his album’s hottest dancer and rapidly replaces ‘The Truth’ as the true follow-up to ‘Trapped’ (Dub and percussive Percapella Mix flip). As he sings “l’m not gonna let, let you” throughout, I still favour his LP sleeve’s version of the title, minus the ‘You’ that the LP label and now this single maybe more grammatically add.

SHEILA E. ‘A Love Bizarre, Parts I And II’ (Warner Bros/Paisley Park W8890T)
The glamorous one’s jauntily churning 113⅓bpm monotonous choogler chugs remorselessly on through a spaced out repetitive Prince-duetted chant with answering sax, and has been much delayed on 12in here — but wait a while longer, as evidently it’s also due to be coupled with a Sheila E. medley!

BETTY WRIGHT ‘Pain’ (Cooltempo COOLX 117)
The ‘Shoorah Shoorah’ girl has matured into an impressive soulstress, this self-penned attractively weaving 84⅓bpm biting domestic commentary having all the haunting hallmarks of a timeless soul classic (with a rap for the ladies halfway through one side’s version). Hear it!

PAUL HARDCASTLE ‘Don’t Waste My Time’ (Chrysalis PAULX 1)
Lenny Henry’s opening “turn it up” exhortation is the only gimmick this time in a Carol Kenyon-sung straightforward 101⅓bpm bright shuffly jiggler with typical Hardcastle synthetics bubbling up a Jocelyn Brown-cum-go go beat … so will it get past number 40? The bland 0-108bpm ‘Moonhopper‘ and urgent 121¼bpm ‘Loitering With Intent‘ instrumentals are flip.

12:41 ‘$ucceSS I$ The Word’ (US Fresh Records FRE-004X)
Kicking off from a Pink Floyd ‘Money’ intro, this MC poppin’ 0-99½-0bpm Mantronik mix is slap bang in the bouncy new wave hip hop groove of Full Force, Kurtis Blow etc. in four versions with human beat box starting the tight dub.

BOBBY MARDIS ‘Keep On’ (Bluebird/10 BRT 20)
Finally out here, this Kashif co-penned snappily lurching (0-)117⅓-117⅔-118bpm plaintive burbler (inst/edit flip) is being teasingly promoted with a reference to its singer also acting in ‘Dynasty’. Really?

THE ISLEY BROTHERS ‘Colder Are My Nights’ (Warner Bros W8860T)
Big brothers Ronald, Rudolph and O’Kelly revert to their original 1950s lineup on a grittily wriggling 98½bpm pent-up pusher cloaked in deceptively gentle trappings (inst/edit flip).

THIRD WORLD ‘One More Time (US Remix)’ (CBS TA 6854)
Further than ever from their reggae roots, the guys nag away at a mournfully pitched (0-) 114½bpm throbbing builder with mesmeric power and a climatic rap (dub flip).

AUDREY HALL ‘One Dance Won’t Do’ (Germain Records DGT7, via Jet Star)
Large in London and breaking pop already, this hauntingly sweet 91bpm lovers rock melody has tinges of the ‘Tennessee Waltz’ and is a song, rather than a Sophia George-like gimmick.

RUBY TURNER ‘If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me)’ (Jive JIVE T 109)
Produced by Billy Ocean, Ruby lets her time on the rock club circuit show in her somewhat Tina Turner-ish 97⅔bpm treatment of the Staples’ classic, classily though with some scat. Only the sax squalled Carole King-ish 94⅔ibpm ‘Still On My Mind‘ is also solid enough for club play on this radio-aimed, lavishly gatefolded “EP”.

WARP 9 ‘Skips A Beat’ (US Motown 4555MG)
Moving from Prism to Motown, the erstwhile electrophonic phunkers now join the crowd of Colonel Abrams copyists with a 112½bpm jittery bounder (in four M&M mixes).

TRAMAINE ‘In The Morning Time’ (US A&M SP-12166)
Edwin Hawkins’ sister sings again in praise of the Lord to a more funkily jolting 106½bpm slightly staid and dated jerky beat with brittle trumpet tootling through the sparse mix (in three versions plus acappella). Livelier syncopation would help.

WHITNEY HOUSTON ‘How Will I Know’ (Arista ARIST 12 656)
Although not exactly a disco smash, far more in tune with her new UK audience’s expectations is a rival release of Whitney’s slushy slow 30¼- 60½bpm duet on the reissued TEDDY PENDERGRASS ‘Hold Me‘ (Asylum EKR 32T), whereas this official follow-up is a Jellybean-remixed raucous 119bpm Pointer Sisters-style shouter (flipped by the old Alan Coulthard-remixed 123¾bpm ‘Someone For Me‘).

TAKA BOOM ‘In The Middle Of The Night’ (Boiling Point POSPX 763)
Chaka Khan’s slimmer kid sister Yvonne Stevens, ex-Undisputed Truth, finally gets full UK release for this bright 0-119¼-118¾-119 ¼-0bpm pop disco thudder originally promoed last autumn (dub flip).

STIMULATION ‘Stimulation’ (US Twin Tower Records TT-1002)
Yet another rumbling skittery 120½bpm lurcher inspired by Colonel Abrams, but flip the dreadful vocal for the far better Ronald Reagan-introed instrumental, which is a bit Serious Intention-ish too.

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HIT NUMBERS

BEATS PER MINUTE for last week’s top 75 entries on 7in (f/c/r for fade/cold/resonant ends):

The Alarm 0-123-0r wordy guitar rock, AC/DC 0-121-123-124-0r strangulated metal, Grace Jones 110-108⅔-110⅔-110-110⅓ superior unremixed funk classic, Talk Talk 92f sombre pop dragger, Billy Bragg 0r tempoless protest song. Lloyd Cole 106⅓f subdued pop swayer, Belouis Some 107(intro)-108-109f hot Bowiesque pusher, Twisted Sister 0-128/64f superfluous straight Shangri-La’s revival, Masquerade (Def Mix) 112⅔f ‘Rappers Delight’-ish good funk, Ray Parker Jr 118¾f ‘Ghostbusters’-ish pop, Kurtis Blow 97f new wave hip hop, ABC 61r mannered slowie, Marc Almond 0-107-0c fan fodder, Suzanne Vega 32-0r acoustic delicacy, Eric Clapton 65-0r moody TV theme, John Parr 115-116f jerky pop rock with prospects, Latin Quarter 68½f sombre pop reggae.

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UK DISCO TOP 100 – January 25, 1986

01 01 ALICE I WANT YOU JUST FOR ME!, Full Force, CBS 12in
02 02 SATURDAY LOVE, Cherrelle with Alexander O’Neal, Tabu 12in
03 03 IF I RULED THE WORLD, Kurtis Blow, Club 12in
04 08 WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO, Aretha Franklin, Arista 12in
05 05 MY MAGIC MAN, Rochelle, US Warner Bros 12in
06 04 SHE’S STRANGE/LES ADAMS MEGAMIX/ROOM 123, Cameo, Club 12in twin-pack
07 09 LIVING IN AMERICA, James Brown, Scotti Brothers 12in
08 18 SATURDAY LOVE (EXTENDED REMIX), Cherrelle with Alexander O’Neal, Tabu 12in
09 07 NEW YORK EYES, Nicole (with Timmy Thomas), Portrait 12in
10 06 MR DJ, The Concept, 4th + B’way 12in
11 14 LADIES/BASSLINE, Mantronix, US Sleeping Bag Records LP
12 15 GET LOOSE, Aleem (featuring Leroy Burgess), Streetwave 12in
13 16 ONE NATION (DEF MIX), Masquerade, Streetwave 12in
14 10 AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE (‘BAD’ MIX), Princess, Supreme Records 12in
15 — SUGAR FREE (DEO/REMIXES)/BAD BOY, Juicy, US Private I Records 12in
16 13 UPTOWN EXPRESS, BT Express, Streetwave 12in
17 30 BABY TALK, Alisha, Total Control 12in
18 12 ONE NATION (STREET MIX), Masquerade, Streetwave 12in
19 48 DARE TO DREAM, Viola Wills, US Wide Angle 12in
20 35 WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN, Prince Charles, US Electric Ice 12in
21 31 FUNKY SENSATION, Ladies Choice, Sure Delight 12in
22 47 DON’T WASTE MY TIME, Paul Hardcastle, Chrysalis 12in
23 29 WARRIOR GROOVE, DSM, 10 Records 12in
24 17 YOUR PERSONAL TOUCH, Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King, RCA 12in
25 — I’M NOT GONNA LET YOU (REMIX), Colonel Abrams, MCA Records 12in promo
26 19 MUSIC IS THE ANSWER/DUB MIX, Colonel Abrams, PRT 12in
27 27 BABY LOVE, Regina, US West 78th Street Records Inc 12in
28 42 COLD SHOULDER, Evelyn Thomas, Record Shack 12in white label
29 20 WHENEVER YOU NEED SOMEBODY (PULL IT OFF MIX), O’chi Brown, Magnet 12in
30 59 PULL UP TO THE BUMPER (REMIX)/LA VIE EN ROSE, Grace Jones, Island 12in
31 21 GUILTY, Yarbrough And Peoples, Total Experience 12in
32 39 IT DOESN’T MATTER (REMIX), Zapp, Warner Bros 12in
33 11 SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU/ALL AT ONCE/GREATEST LOVE OF ALL, Whitney Houston, Arista 12in
34 38 YOU DON’T KNOW (SPECIAL REMIX), Serious Intention, Important Records 12in
35 58 IF YOU WANT LOVE, Tululah Moon, US Beauty and The Beat 12in
36 36 THE THINGS THAT MEN DO, Krystol, US Epic 12in
37 — (NOTHING SERIOUS) JUST BUGGIN’, Whistle, US Select Records 12in
38 26 LET MY PEOPLE GO/RAW INSTRUMENTAL, The Winans, Qwest 12in
39 53 HOW CAN I GET NEXT TO YOU/IT’S MY TURN, Chapter 8, US Beverly Glen Music LP
40 25 DO ME BABY, Meli’sa Morgan, Capitol 12in
41 57 WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING, Billy Ocean, Jive 12in
42 32 WHO DO YOU LOVE, Bernard Wright, US Manhattan 12in
43 40 100%, Caprice, Lovebeat International 12in
44 — NEW YORK EYES (REMIX), Nicole with Timmy Thomas, Portrait 12in
45 45 TOO TOUGH (REMIX), Lonnie Reaves, US Qwest 12in
46 28 GIRLIE GIRLIE, Sophia George, Winner 12in
47 63 IF YOU’RE READY (COME GO WITH ME), Ruby Turner, Jive 12in
48 24 LOVE’S GONNA GET YOU, Jocelyn Brown, US Warner Bros/Jellybean 12in
49 52 FREAK IN ME, Danté, US Panoramic 12in
50 44 MY MIND IS MADE UP, Keith Sweat, US Stadium 12in
51 — AFTER THE DUB HAS GONE/AFTER THE LOVE HAS GO-GO GONE, Princess, Supreme 12in
52 80 KEEP ON, Bobby Mardis, US Profile 12in/Bluebird/10 promo
53 22 SPECULATION/I’M NOT GONNA LET/TABLE FOR TWO, Colonel Abrams, MCA Records LP
54 70 THE HEAT OF HEAT/ONLY A BREATH AWAY, Patti Austin, Qwest LP
55 83 PAIN, Betty Wright, Cooltempo 12in white label
56 51 TELL ME (HOW IT FEELS), 52nd Street, 10 Records 12in
57 — DON’T STOP THAT GO GO BEAT, Effectron, Nightbeat 12in white label
58 65 YOU’RE MY LAST CHANCE (REPRIEVED VERSION)/(REPRIEVED DUB), 52nd Street, 10 Records twin-pack
59 re A LOVE BIZARRE, PARTS I AND II, Sheila E, Warner Bros/Paisley Park white label
60 41 WE GOT THE FUNK, Positive Force, Streetwave 12in
61 98 THE OAK TREE, Morris Day, Warner Bros 12in
62 re WHAT’S MISSING, Alexander O’Neal, Tabu LP
63 37 WILL YOU SATISFY?/ARTIFICIAL HEART/HIGH PRIORITY, Cherrelle, US Tabu LP
64 69 SET IT OFF, Harleqiun Four’s, US Jus Born Prod 12in
65 67 IF YOU SHOULD EVER BE LONELY (STREET MIX), Val Young, US Gordy 12in
66 72 HOW TO WIN YOUR LOVE, Spencer Jones, Dutch Injection 12in/Champion white label
67 78 MAKE ‘EM MOVE (REMIX), Sly And Robbie, Island 12in
68 re HOT (REMIX), Roy Ayers, US Columbia 12in
69 23 DO YOU REALLY LOVE YOUR BABY, The Temptations, Motown 12in
70 — HOLD ME, Teddy Pendergrass (with Whitney Houston), Asylum 12in
71 — HOW WILL I KNOW (JELLYBEAN REMIX), Whitney Houston, Arista 12in
72 re FIRE, Fire Fox, Atlantic 12in
73 87 ROCK THE BELLS, LL Cool J, US Def Jam LP
74 96 WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO (US REMIXES), Aretha Franklin, Arista 12in
75 — GRACE JONES MUSCLEMIX/PULL UP TO THE BUMPER (REMIX), Grace Jones, Island 12in
76 79 BABY DON’T STOP ME, Quest For Life, US SeaBright 12in
77 99 OFF THE WALL (RADIO VERSION)/(ACE MIX), Paul Scott, US Ace Beat 12in
78 71 HOLD ME TIGHT, Robert White, Calibre 12in
79 56 DREAM WORLD/LEAVING ME NOW/I SLEEP ON MY HEART (REMIX), Level 42, Polydor 12in promo
80 60 YOU’RE MY LAST CHANCE (US REMIX), 52nd Street, 10 Records twin-pack
81 90 SKIPS A BEAT, Warp 9, US Motown 12in
82 76 OBJECT OF MY DESIRE, Starpoint, Elektra 12in
83 100 PASSION, Bata Drum, Champion 12in
84 — HEADLINE NEWS, William Bell, US Wilbe Recording Corporation LP
85 — SPECIAL, The Stylistics, US Streetwise LP
86 — IN THE MORNING TIME, Tramaine, US A&M 12in
87 43 HIGH HORSE/CHEMISTRY OF LOVE, Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King, RCA LP
88 46 MATED, David Grant And Jaki Graham, EMI 12in
89 — SYSTEM ADDICT (M&M REMIX), Five Star, Tent 12in
90 re ALL I WANT IS MY BABY, Roberta Gillam, US Sutra 12in
91 34 FOREVER AND EVER/SUGAR FREE/NOBODY BUT YOU, Juicy, US Private l Records LP
92 93 SHE’S SO GOOD TO ME, Luther Vandross (‘The Goonies’), Epic LP
93 75 MY DOWNTOWN LADY, Reaction, US Strawberry Records Unltd. 12in
94 74 NEPENTHE/LET ME DOWN EASY, Skipworth And Turner, 4th + B’way 12in
95 81 SPEND A LITTLE TIME WITH ME, Royalle Delite, Streetwave 12in promo
96 89 AFTER LOVING YOU, Omari, Recent Future Records 12in
97 re IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, Taka Boom, Boiling Point 12in
98 re I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT MY RADIO, L.L. Cool J, CBS/Def Jam 12in
99 — I WANT TO BE WITH YOU/I’M MUCH TOO SHY, Desi, Certain Records 12in
100= 64 LOVE SO FINE, Sahara, Elite 12in
100= — I’LL BE YOUR FRIEND (REMIX), Precious Wilson, Jive 12in
100= 54 EVERYBODY’S SINGING LOVE SONGS, Sweet Thunder/SPACE BASS, Slick, Streetwave 12in

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EUROBEAT

01 01 LOVE’S GONE MAD, Seventh Avenue, Record Shack 12in white label
02 03 BOTH SIDES NOW, Viola Wills, US Wide Angle 12in
03 04 HIT THAT PERFECT BEAT (REMIX), Bronski Beat, London 12in
04 02 HE’S NUMBER ONE, Fantasy, US Spring 12in
05 08 PISTOL IN MY POCKET, Lana Pellay, Sublime 12in white label
06 05 MAGIC, Brian Soares, US Night Wave 12in
07 09 DANCE, Joy St James, US Pink Glove 12in
08 07 CUBA LIBRE (REMIX), Modern Rocketry featuring Jo-Lo, US Megatone 12in
09 06 SHOCKWAVE, David Knopfler, makingwaves 12in
10 10 CHARLESTON, Den Harrow, Italian Baby 12in
11 16 WHENEVER YOU NEED SOMEBODY (PULL IT OFF MIX), O’chi Brown, Magnet 12in
12 14 STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND/RUNNING AROUND IN CIRCLES, Pamala Stanley & Paul Parker, US TSR 12in
13 12 I’M THE ONE YOU WANT, Les Lee, US Mega Bolt 12in
14 — DON’T YOU WANT MY LOVE (REMIX), Nicole, US Portrait 12in
15 20 NO FRILLS LOVE (REMIX), Jennifer Holliday, Geffen Records 12in
16 17 SATISFY/DUB, Soif De La Vie, German Uff Zick 12in
17 — FLY TO ME, Aleph, Italian Disco Magic 12in
18 — RESCUE ME, Tracy Carmen, InfraStructure 12in
19 18 CASANOVA ACTION, Latin Lover, Dutch Sound Shop 12in
20 15 BORN TO BE ALIVE/ARE YOU READY FOR LOVE, Kelly Marie, Passion 12in
21 11 FAIRY TALE, Rose, Italian Disco Magic 12in
22 25 LET US DANCE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, Secret Service, German Sonet 12in
23 29 ANOTHER BOY IN TOWN, Two Girls, US Popular 12in
24 — FOR YOUR SWEET INFORMATION, P.J. Marcus, Italian Cruisin’ 12in
25 22 IN BLUE, Data, Proto 12in white label
26 21 WOMAN, Techno Lust, US Pantera 12in
27 27 ORIENTAL EYES, Rewind, German Bellaphon 12in
28 re DON’T TAKE AWAY THE MUSIC (REMIX), Tavares, Dutch Capitol 12in
29 19 SHANGHAI, Lee Marrow, German Chic 12in
30 13 WITH YOU I COULD HAVE IT ALL, Cissy Houston, Glitter 12in