February 1, 1986: Jellybean, Tavares, Billy Ocean, William Bell, Smokey Robinson

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

MADONNA soundalike (and old running mate) Regina’s name, she admits on the sleeve of her ‘Baby Love‘, is derived from the Latin word for queen which also symbolises the Virgin Mary — or the Madonna! … 10 Records beat off Chrysalis and Island to win Mantronix ‘Ladies‘, hopefully not too late as although still hot it’s fast being overtaken by the more exciting similar (same BPM and rhythm) double def Whistle ‘Just Buggin’‘, which Champion are already rushing out here! … Streetwave snapped up Viola Wills ‘Dare To Dream‘ flipped here by a remix instead of ‘Both Sides Now‘ … Ian Levine encapsulated Hi-NRG with Evelyn Thomas’s ‘High Energy’ and seems set to do the same for Eurobeat with Eastbound Expressway’s upcoming ‘You’re A Beat‘ – clever, nest ce pas? … Afrika Bambaataa is reviving MC5’s ‘Kick Out The Jams‘ in blatant rock style but refuses to repeat its notorious ‘mother’ line, although he does add the shout, “This ain’t no go go this is rock ‘n roll”, in what can best be described as a Gary Glitter break — Bam’s also answered George Clinton’s ‘Atomic Dog’ with ‘Bionic Kats‘, and really lets rip on the infectious go go ‘Funk Jam Party‘ (all from his upcoming album) … Soulsonic Force meanwhile have teamed with Trouble Funk for the somewhat simplistic ‘Go Go Pop‘ … Daryl Hall is cutting a solo album in London, with drums programmed by Steve Harvey — who’s also busy producing his own material when not hanging about in studios waiting for Total Contrast! … M&M have more percussively (and slowly) remixed the now doom-laden 111½-111⅔-111¼-111½bpm The Winans ‘Let My People Go‘ (Qwest W8874TX, still with the Raw Instrumental flip), and the now less vocal 124½bpm Ready For The World ‘Oh Sheila‘ (MCA Records MCAX 1005) … The Isley Brothers ‘Colder Are My Nights‘ has been speeded up on a promo to 102bpm (short)/101¼bpm (long)/102⅙bpm (inst), other current promos including Shirley Murdock’s ‘Billie Jean’-ish semi-whispered 121bpm ‘Truth Or Dare‘ (Elektra), Funk Masters’ 120bpm re-make of ‘Love Money‘ with a jazzier ‘Fort Knox‘ version flip (Tai Wan) … Sheila E ‘A Love Bizarre’, as warned, is indeed now also the B-side of an unnecessary new 130-128⅔-113½bpm ‘medley’ of ‘The Glamorous Life/Sister Fate/A Love Bizarre’ (Warner Bros W8890TX) … DJs seem predictably to be using only the first slower half of the Grace Jones Musclemix … Les Adams himself made sure I heard his January Disco Mix Club funk megamix, his most brilliant yet incorporating perfectly timed dialogue from gangster movies — while Paris DJ Dimitri Yerasimos sent me some excellent mixes in the hope of getting a London gig, so any offers? … The 1986 Technics DJ Mixing Championships hold their regional heats at Birmingham Millionaire Tues (4), Croydon Easy Street Thur (6), Newcastle Walkers Tues (11), Edinburgh Electric Circus Thur (13), Wakefield Casanovas Wed (19), Bristol Papillon Thur (20) – I hope to be a judge at all but Edinburgh — DJs possibly still being able to enter if they call 06286-67276 TODAY! … Bootleggers nightclub owner and generous friend of the many stars who frequent it, Mark Raymond was killed last week when he rolled his Rolls Royce on the Hendon Way – London’s nightlifers will miss him … Dionne & Friends topped US Black 45s, Jocelyn Brown both 12 inch Sales and Club Play in Billboard … Melba Moore’s own sitcom ‘Melba’ is on US TV Tuesday nights … Essex Radio’s Easter soul cruise to Holland is so over-subscribed that extra spaces have had to be found, the superior boat having a three-tier purpose-built disco showcase complete with stage … Nicky Holloway’s soul week in Ibiza is set for May 17-24, with apartment accommodation and DJs Chris Brown, Martin Collins, Trevor Fung, Paul Clark, Gilles Peterson, Johnnie Walker, Chris Bangs and Nicky himself spread across at least five venues (£135, booking details on 01-853 1953) … Wolverhampton’s redecorated Eve’s opens again with Steve Dennis on Tuesday (4) … Orin Cozier is the newly created dance music development manager at RCA … Marie Birch is starting a Sound Promotions club mailing list at Spartan Records, London Road, Wembley HA9 7HQ … Tululah Moon’s label Beauty and The Beat belongs to ‘The Message’ writer Ed Fletcher … Nina Simone’s new US VPI Records LP includes the frisky ‘Jazz Freak’-like ‘Touching And Caring‘ … Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis have started to be adopted by hit-hungry white popsters, producing Human League’s next LP – can Mick Jagger be far behind in the queue?! … Phil Spector’s classic lead singer Darlene Love is recording again for CBS … Paul Hardcastle’s current 12in on white label has stamped between the run-out grooves the message “Morgan who?” … GET LOOSE!

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STEVE WALSH unveiled his Soul Set (very Sixties, that name) at London’s packed Hippodrome last week. This amounted to a dozen PAs by the likes of Masquerade featuring Morgan Khan, Sophia George, Aswad, Precious Wilson, Ladies Choice and of course the Cool Notes, all of whom one would have seen at Tony Jenkins’ similar Private Funktion nights when they used to be there, but this time held together by big Stevie baby from a mobile disco rig positioned stage centre. This may have been to spare us the sight of his backside, as the venue’s own console faces away from the audience! A celebration of the familiar (yes, he played Dennis Edwards, Fatback and Cheryl Lynn), the night was not for those hoping to hear upfront newies — although Manchester megamixer Chad Jackson later took over for a more serious selection — everyone encountered, however, confessing they’d enjoyed it. Another is set for March 5. Anything more regular could seriously undermine Radio London’s Soul Night Out.

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HOT VINYL

JELLYBEAN ‘Sidewalk Talk’ (EMI America 12EA 210)
Catherine Buchanan sings lead, but the fact that this 115⅓bpm jittery pop disco leaper features Madonna on backups and composer credits seems to be attracting rather more attention! Funksters anyway will flip for the barking introed tense jiggly 0-98⅓bpm ‘Was Dog A Doughnut’ instrumental, originally by Cat Stevens and like a Wally Badarou-ish slowed down ‘Axel F’, burning up select floors since last summer.

TAVARES ‘Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel’ (Capitol 12TAV 1)
Ben Liebrand’s long awaited Dutch remixes add skittery surface rhythm to this 117-115¼-114bpm nominal A-side and the even zingier (0-)128-127½bpm ‘Don’t Take Away The Music‘, both aimed at pop play, although of the 12 inch single’s three revived ex-hits the one that meant least to soul jocks in 1977 is now hottest as it’s surprisingly similar to the Wally Badarou beat the 97-96-97bpm ‘Whodunit’.

BILLY OCEAN ‘When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going’ (Jive JIVE T 114)
Here we get this tautly striding infectious crossover smash (0-)121¾bpm Change ‘Searching’-ish roller in only three mixes, the better value ‘banned’ four-track import’s Club Mix presumably being left off for creative marketing later. If Warner Bros can give us all four mixes on Rochelle’s UK 12 inch, why can’t Jive?

WILLIAM BELL ‘Headline News’ (LP ‘Passion’ US Wilbe Recording Corporation WIL-3001)
Sixties Stax veteran William has found a convincing modern mood on this lovely gently weaving 96½bpm drifter with almost more cooing chix than his own soulful moaning. As well as several good slowies, the lightly bounding Oliver Cheatham-ish 120bpm ‘That’s What You Get‘, 124½bpm title track and 120½bpm ‘Let Him Pay The Band‘ will please the traditionally minded too.

SMOKEY ROBINSON ‘Hold On To Your Love’ (Motown ZT40554)
Sounding much as you’d imagine a song co-penned by Smokey with Stevie Wonder to sound, this pleasant bubbly 109bpm shuffler has probably more radio than floor appeal, at first anyway.

DONALD DEE ‘Don’t Cha Go Nowhere’ (US Sutra SUD 041)
Downcast Donald mournfully moans a tugging jiggly 94½bpm lament that seems at odds with its restrainedly jaunty Wally Badarou-ish beat and Instant Funk-ish chanting chorus (inst flip), resulting in good soulful tension.

THE STYLISTICS ‘Special’ (LP ‘A Special Style’ US Streetwise SW 330S)
Maurice Starr lays off the electronix as he again produces the veteran soul group, most chunkily on this pleasant 108bpm swayer and the Detroit Spinners-ish 111bpm ‘Love Is Serious‘, Russell Thompkins Jr squeaking as usual on the many typical smoochers.

EDDIE TOWNS (E.T.) ‘Best Friends … CraZy MiXx’ (US Total Experience TEDI-2631)
Slightly Cameo-ish spaciously mixed perkily wriggling 117¼bpm jitterer with tinkling harp and jerky edits (Super Mix!!! flip), nothing revolutionary though well made.

EFFECTRON ‘Don’t Stop That Go Go Beat’ (Night Beat Records NBR1 via Virgin)
Building a buzz for a while on white label, this authentic sounding burbling 111½bpm go go jiggler is actually home grown here in England, with all the Washington DC clichés.

THE CHICAGO BEARS SHUFFLIN’ CREW ‘The Super Bowl Shuffle’ (US Red Label V-70060)
Britain’s football teams were never as def as the Super Bowl-bound Chicago Bears, whose members rap ‘n chant a bragging 105½bpm dance ditty (in three mixes) that’s a massive near-million seller in their hometown area! Good job they won on Sunday!

EARL TURNER ‘Love Caught You By Surprise’ (Fourth & Broadway 12BRW 39)
A flop originally on both import and promo, this urgently jittery 121bpm old fashioned soul surger (with a more boxily mixed 122⅓bpm dub) is nevertheless finally out here.

ANDREW BARRAX ‘I Just Can’t Seem To Forget’ (US Bama B-30001)
Hot a while for those few soul jocks who could find it, this huskily crooned and worried satisfying 111½bpm mellow roller appears only to be on 7 inch (inst flip).

BARBARA CARR ‘Good Woman Go Bad’ (US Bar-Car BC-002-45, via Record Corner 01-673 1066)
Grittily lamenting 85¾-86⅔-88-89bpm undulating Memphis-style soul with brassy stabs and guitar solo, only on 7inch, so timelessly old fashioned that the BPM indicates a relatively mid-tempo swayer.

ROSHELLE FLEMING ‘Love Itch’ (US Prelude PRL D700)
Formerly of First Choice, Roshelle (note the spelling) really wails and scats the acappella intro to her disjointed spurting 120½bpm bubbly jitterer (in four mixes), rather like Jocelyn Brown singing ‘I.O.U.’

AUDREY WHEELER ‘Your Love Is Serious’ (US Prelude PRL D696)
Audrey wails well but her straightforward datedly familiar 113½bpm disco lurcher wanders rather aimlessly after a tight start.

MYSTERY ASSIGNMENT ‘Cloud Nine’ (US Metropolis MET 350)
Due here on Virgin, the Temptations’ 1968 ‘psyche-soul’ oldie remains largely unchanged, complete with Edwin Starr-ish acappella intro, apart from the 119bpm rhythm now being tightly electronic (dub/edit flip).

EDDIE MURPHY ‘Party All The Time’ (CBS TA 4457)
Paul Gambaccini had to keep playing this Rick James-prod/penned 135bpm mindless fast chugger because it stuck at number two for weeks (selling enough to go number one in an unsegregated chart). Soul fans here prefer to remember his real vocal debut on ‘Boogie In Your Butt‘, instead.

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HIT NUMBERS

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

Madonna (0-)119⅓f swaying MoR pop, Billy Ocean (0-)122f hot black pop, James Brown 114c timeless funky stormer, Whitney Houston 119f Pointers-ish pop strutter, Ladies Choice (MTM) 98⅓f squeaky soul judderer, Ruby Turner 97½f MoR Staples revival, Audrey Hall 91f sweet MoR lovers rock, Double 97/48½f attractive haunting slowie, Arcadia 0-116¾f video pop, Stevie Nicks (0-)125¼f Bonnie Tyler-ish pop, Amii Stewart/Deon Estus 0-101⅙ trickily starting remake, Alisha 114⅓f Madonna soundalike, Diana Ross 127½f Sixties Supreme-ish MoR, Teddy Pendergrass with Whitney Houston 0/30-60½f slushy smoocher, Zapp (0-)118f sharp funk.

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UK DISCO TOP 100 – February 1, 1986

01 01 ALICE I WANT YOU JUST FOR ME!, Full Force, CBS 12in
02 03 IF I RULED THE WORLD, Kurtis Blow, Club 12in
03 05 MY MAGIC MAN, Rochelle, Warner Bros 12in
04 02 SATURDAY LOVE, Cherrelle with Alexander O’Neal, Tabu 12in
05 04 WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO, Aretha Franklin, Arista 12in
06 08 SATURDAY LOVE (EXTENDED REMIX), Cherrelle with Alexander O’Neal, Tabu 12in
07 07 LIVING IN AMERICA, James Brown, Scotti Brothers 12in
08 17 BABY TALK, Alisha, Total Control 12in
09 25 I’M NOT GONNA LET YOU (REMIX), Colonel Abrams, MCA Records 12in promo
10 30 PULL UP TO THE BUMPER (REMIX)/GRACE JONES MUSCLEMIX/LA VIE EN ROSE, Grace Jones, Island 12in
11 06 SHE’S STRANGE/LES ADAMS MEGAMIX/ROOM 123, Cameo, Club 12in twin-pack
12 09 NEW YORK EYES, Nicole (with Timmy Thomas), Portrait 12in
13 27 BABY LOVE, Regina, Funkin’ Marvellous Records 12in
14 13 ONE NATION (DEF MIX), Masquerade, Streetwave 12in
15 11 LADIES/BASSLINE, Mantronix, US Sleeping Bag Records LP
16 22 DON’T WASTE MY TIME, Paul Hardcastle, Chrysalis 12in
17 20 WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN, Prince Charles, US Electric Ice 12in
18 32 IT DOESN’T MATTER (REMIX), Zapp, Warner Bros 12in
19 21 FUNKY SENSATION, Ladies Choice, Sure Delight 12in
20 10 MR DJ, The Concept, 4th + B’way 12in
21 14 AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE (‘BAD’ MIX), Princess, Supreme Records 12in
22 28 COLD SHOULDER, Evelyn Thomas, Record Shack 12in
23 12 GET LOOSE, Aleem (featuring Leroy Burgess), Streetwave 12in
24 59 A LOVE BIZARRE, PARTS I AND II, Sheila E, Warner Bros/Paisley Park 12in
25 41 WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING, Billy Ocean, Jive 12in
26 15 SUGAR FREE (DEO/REMIXES)/BAD BOY, Juicy, US Private I Records 12in
27 29 WHENEVER YOU NEED SOMEBODY (PULL IT OFF MIX), O’chi Brown, Magnet 12in
28 19 DARE TO DREAM, Viola Wills, US Wide Angle 12in
29 16 UPTOWN EXPRESS, BT Express, Streetwave 12in
30 33 SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU, Whitney Houston, Arista 12in
31 37 (NOTHING SERIOUS) JUST BUGGIN’, Whistle, US Select Records 12in
32 24 YOUR PERSONAL TOUCH, Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King, RCA 12in
33 — HEAVEN MUST BE MISSING AN ANGEL/DON’T TAKE AWAY THE MUSIC/WHODUNIT (BEN LIEBRAND REMIXES), Tavares, Capitol 12in promo
34 55 PAIN, Betty Wright, Cooltempo 12in white label
35 31 GUILTY, Yarbrough And Peoples, Total Experience 12in
36 23 WARRIOR GROOVE, DSM, 10 Records 12in
37 47 IF YOU’RE READY (COME GO WITH ME), Ruby Turner, Jive 12in
38 71 HOW WILL I KNOW (JELLYBEAN REMIX), Whitney Houston, Arista 12in
39 re SIDEWALK TALK/WAS DOG A DOUGHNUT, Jellybean, EMI America 12in
40 35 IF YOU WANT LOVE, Tululah Moon, US Beauty and The Beat 12in
41 18 ONE NATION (STREET MIX), Masquerade, Streetwave 12in
42 58 YOU’RE MY LAST CHANCE/REPRIEVED MIXES/I’M AVAILABLE, 52nd Street, 10 Records twin-pack
43 40 DO ME BABY, Meli’sa Morgan, Capitol 12in
44 66 HOW TO WIN YOUR LOVE, Spencer Jones, Champion 12in
45 46 GIRLIE GIRLIE, Sophia George, Winner 12in
46 38 LET MY PEOPLE GO/RAW INSTRUMENTAL, The Winans, Qwest 12in
47 26 MUSIC IS THE ANSWER/DUB MIX, Colonel Abrams, PRT 12in
48 61 THE OAK TREE, Morris Day, Warner Bros 12in
49 36 THE THINGS THAT MEN DO, Krystol, US Epic 12in
50 44 NEW YORK EYES (REMIX), Nicole with Timmy Thomas, Portrait 12in
51 51 AFTER THE DUB HAS GONE/AFTER THE LOVE HAS GO-GO GONE, Princess, Supreme 12in
52 52 KEEP ON, Bobby Mardis, US Profile 12in/Bluebird/10 promo
53 re COLDER ARE MY NIGHTS, The Isley Brothers, Warner Bros 12in
54 34 YOU DON’T KNOW (SPECIAL REMIX), Serious Intention, Important Records 12in
55 48 LOVE’S GONNA GET YOU, Jocelyn Brown, US Warner Bros/Jellybean 12in
56 39 HOW CAN I GET NEXT TO YOU/IT’S MY TURN, Chapter 8, US Beverly Glen Music LP
57 86 IN THE MORNING TIME, Tramaine, US A&M 12in
58 90 ALL I WANT IS MY BABY, Roberta Gillam, US Sutra 12in
59 63 WILL YOU SATISFY?/ARTIFICIAL HEART/HIGH PRIORITY, Cherrelle, US Tabu LP
60 72 FIRE, Fire Fox, Atlantic 12in
61 50 MY MIND IS MADE UP, Keith Sweat, US Stadium 12in
62 68 HOT (REMIX), Roy Ayers, US Columbia 12in
63 49 FREAK IN ME, Danté, US Panoramic 12in
64 43 100%, Caprice, Lovebeat International 12in
65 83 PASSION, Bata Drum, Champion 12in
66 84 HEADLINE NEWS, William Bell, US Wilbe Recording Corporation LP
67 70 HOLD ME, Teddy Pendergrass (with Whitney Houston), Asylum 12in
68 89 SYSTEM ADDICT (M&M REMIX), Five Star, Tent 12in
69 97 IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, Taka Boom, Boiling Point 12in
70 re LOVE CAUGHT YOU BY SURPRISE, Earl Turner, 4th + B’Way 12in
71 57 DON’T STOP THAT GO GO BEAT, Effectron, Nightbeat 12in white label
72 42 WHO DO YOU LOVE, Bernard Wright, US Manhattan 12in
73 45 TOO TOUGH (REMIX), Lonnie Reaves, US Qwest 12in
74 76 BABY DON’T STOP ME, Quest For Life, US SeaBright 12in
75 64 SET IT OFF, Harleqiun Four’s, US Jus Born Prod 12in
76 — TOUCHING AND CARING (126¼bpm)/IT’S COLD OUT HERE/ANOTHER LOVER, Nina Simone, US VPI Records LP
77 60 WE GOT THE FUNK, Positive Force, Streetwave 12in
78 — $UCCE$$ IS THE WORD, 12:41, US Fresh Records 12in
79 re BOSS TRES BIEN, Quartette Tres Bien/TOQUE DE CUICA, Airto/CUBANA CHANT, Art Blakey/MARACATU ATOMICO, Gilberto Gil/MAS QUE NADA, Sergio Mendes, StreetSounds ‘Jazz Juice/ LP
80 82 OBJECT OF MY DESIRE, Starpoint, Elektra 12in
81 54 THE HEAT OF HEAT, Patti Austin, Qwest LP
82 62 WHAT’S MISSING, Alexander O’Neal, Tabu LP
83 — DON’T CHA GO NOWHERE, Donald Dee, US Sutra 12in
84 81 SKIPS A BEAT, Warp 9, US Motown 12in
85 56 TELL ME (HOW IT FEELS), 52nd Street, 10 Records 12in
86 100= I’LL BE YOUR FRIEND (REMIX), Precious Wilson, Jive 12in
87 — BEST FRIENDS . . . CRAZY MIXX, Eddie Towns (E.T.), US Total Experience 12in
88 69 DO YOU REALLY LOVE YOUR BABY, The Temptations, Motown 12in
89 78 HOLD ME TIGHT, Robert White, Calibre 12in
90 98 I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT MY RADIO, L.L. Cool J, CBS/Def Jam 12in
91 65 IF YOU SHOULD EVER BE LONELY (STREET MIX), Val Young, US Gordy 12in
92 73 ROCK THE BELLS, LL Cool J, US Def Jam LP
93 85 SPECIAL/LOVE IS SERIOUS, The Stylistics, US Streetwise 12in
94 — CURIOSITY, The Jets, MCA Records 12in promo
95 91 FOREVER AND EVER/NOBODY BUT YOU, Juicy, US Private l Records LP
96 79 WORLD MACHINE/LEAVING ME NOW, Level 42, Polydor 12in promo
97 67 MAKE ‘EM MOVE (REMIX), Sly And Robbie, Island 12in
98 100= LOVE SO FINE, Sahara, Elite 12in
99 100= EVERYBODY’S SINGING LOVE SONGS, Sweet Thunder, Streetwave 12in
100 93 MY DOWNTOWN LADY, Reaction, US Strawberry Records Unltd. 12in

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EUROBEAT

As we do not have a copy of this week’s chart, places have been calculated from the “last week” positions in the following week’s chart.

01 01 LOVE’S GONE MAD, Seventh Avenue, Record Shack 12in
02 05 PISTOL IN MY POCKET, Lana Pellay, Sublime 12in
03 03 HIT THAT PERFECT BEAT (REMIX), Bronski Beat, London 12in
04 06 MAGIC, Brian Soares, US Night Wave 12in
05 02 BOTH SIDES NOW, Viola Wills, US Wide Angle 12in
06 04 HE’S NUMBER ONE, Fantasy, US Spring 12in
07 08 CUBA LIBRE (REMIX), Modern Rocketry featuring Jo-Lo, US Megatone 12in
08 09 SHOCKWAVE, David Knopfler, makingwaves 12in
09 12 STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND/RUNNING AROUND IN CIRCLES, Pamala Stanley & Paul Parker, US TSR 12in
10 13 I’M THE ONE YOU WANT, Les Lee, US Mega Bolt 12in
11 07 DANCE, Joy St James, US Pink Glove 12in
12 10 CHARLESTON, Den Harrow, Italian Baby 12in
13 unknown
14 14 DON’T YOU WANT MY LOVE (REMIX), Nicole, US Portrait 12in
15 11 WHENEVER YOU NEED SOMEBODY (PULL IT OFF MIX), O’chi Brown, Magnet 12in
16 17 FLY TO ME, Aleph, Italian Disco Magic 12in
17 unknown
18 22 LET US DANCE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, Secret Service, German Sonet 12in
19 19 CASANOVA ACTION, Latin Lover, Dutch Sound Shop 12in
20 — YOU THINK YOU’RE A MEDLEY, Divine, Proto 12in white label
21 21 FAIRY TALE, Rose, Italian Disco Magic 12in
22 unknown
23 20 BORN TO BE ALIVE, Kelly Marie, Passion 12in
24 24 FOR YOUR SWEET INFORMATION, P.J. Marcus, Italian Cruisin’ 12in
25 unknown
26 — TONIGHT, Ken Laszlo, Italian MEM 12in
27 to 30 unknown