February 22, 1986: Russ Brown, Janet Jackson, Funk Masters, Viola Wills, Dino Terrell

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

DES MITCHELL won Newcastle Walkers’ DJ Mixing heat and could actually give Birmingham winner Chad Jackson a fright at the final — funnily enough he entered after watching Chad in Brum, where he lives himself (jocking at Kingswinford’s Christopher’s American 2 and the Powerhouse all dayers) — best runner-up being Wakefield’s Keith Peters, local hopeful Keith Pringle suffering from nerves on the night … Edinburgh Electric Circus’s heat winner was Paisley’s George Little, with Jeff Cree and John Scott as runners up … Harleqiun Four’s ‘Set It Off’ has to be the record most used by competing mixers, others the judges are getting sick of including Whistle ‘Just Buggin’’, Tears For Fears ‘Shout’, the James Brown ‘Sex Machine’ intro, and dialogue from ‘Thunderbirds’! … The Technics DJ Mixing Championships’ UK final at London’s Hippodrome next Wednesday (26) has as first. prize a Citronic Trent 2 console incorporating two SL 1200 decks, the World champion on March 16 winning the Thom EMI Video Jockey Console with a year’s supply of video disc software worth over £6,600 – a purpose designed club video system, this has been on impressive display at all the heats … Thorn EMI Business Communications will in fact lease their VJC video mixing console to clubs for about £50 a week, projection and/or monitor screen systems adding relatively little to the total (the instantly cued VHD video disc programmes are specially made for professional purposes only and in monthly updated production, not to be confused with the more limited commercial type of video discs): for further details Ted Edgerton on 021-502 5152 — and remember, this gives you continuous video sequenced track by track in any running order you want, just like mixing records! … 10 Records have picked up (and needlessly rejiggled) Lonnie Hill ‘Galveston Bay’, Lovebeat International got Dino Terrell, EMI are remixing Roshelle Fleming (and forming a new dance label), while Warner Bros are finally releasing Jocelyn Brown in a fortnight — a pity she dropped off our chart this week! … Frankie Johnson Jnr ‘Whenever You Call Me‘, white labelled before Xmas, is now on Debut (DEBTX 3003) … Frank Sinatra’s high kicking 56/112-109-107-74-96-0bpm crowd rousing party classic ‘The Theme From “New York New York”’ is now on a hit-bound 4-track 12in (Reprise K14502T) along with a quickstepping live ‘My Kind Of Town’ … John Rocca’s new 105⅓bpm Hot Mix of Evelyn Thomas ‘Cold Shoulder’ (Record Shack SOHORT 60) replaces its subtle soul drive with a more basic blatant bounce for the pop market, while Alan Coulthard’s 112⅔bpm remix of Sister Sledge ‘When The Boys Meet The Girls’ (Atlantic A9486T) is jerkily stripped down, delayed and echoed … Les Adams’ Musclemix is being added to the Grace Jones album … Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King’s remixed ‘High Horse’ 12in in three weeks will include her classic ‘Shame’ … Hardrock have remixed Projection … Froggy & Simon Harris’s total remix with new added rhythm of the Real Thing’s 10 years old ‘You To Me Are Everything’ is imminent … Hot Chocolate ‘Heartache No 9‘ (Rak 12RAK 386) has a pattering 130½bpm rhythm reminiscent of Steely Dan ‘Do It Again’ and lyrics like Wilson Pickett ‘Engine Number 9’ … The Boss ‘Dancing In The USA (Medley)‘ (WEA X8838T) although a purpose built 119…142½-134½bpm Bruce Springsteen soundalike medley merely segues the songs together about as competently as a mobile jock could do using the originals … The Cool Notes are currently recording with Philadelphia producer Bobby Eli, while Dexter Wansel’s upcoming LP will feature two numbers by the Jones Girls, who are otherwise now defunct as a group … Taka Boom shakes ass, and anything else that waggles, to crowd pleasing effect at her PAs! … London’s legendary Fatman Graham Canter is back at Soho’s refurbished Le Beat Route, as “greeter” rather than DJ, with Change playing live this Sunday (23) plus an interesting California-style “slave market” on Thursdays (the winning bidder gets to take her prize hunk for a free dinner at L’Escargot!) … ‘The Real’ Chris Hill & Eddie Gordon start Skindeep Saturdays (22) at Dagenham AJ’s in Green Lane (where, when it was the Royal Oak, Chris began jocking!) … Birmingham Hi-NRG mixer Tony de Vit opens Boos opposite Shifnal railway station on Monday (24) … Tuesday (25) Vaughan Toulouse starts the partying Poppers at London Charing Cross Road Buzby’s … Essex Radio’s Tony Monson revives soul-jazz oldies Tuesdays at Rye Park’s Rye House Tavern near Hoddesden … Flash Gordon Joins Richard Dean seriously funking Bristol’s Reeves on Thursday … BBC2 ‘Arena’’s go go documentary was very disappointing, restricted as it was to Island-pacted acts, whereas the Def Jam-signed young Junk Yard Band for instance could have really rocked the house … Effectron ‘Don’t Stop That Go Go Beat‘ should be listened to alongside 1982’s Micki Jessup ‘Take It Easy When You Get Down‘ (US Starplex), hint hint, while Kevin Ashton (Chichester Hospital Radio) suggests Billy Ocean’s hit is kinda like Queen ‘Body Language’, and Felix Prince Jr (San Diego, California) reckons Total Contrast ‘The River’ is like Starpoint ‘Restless’ … Colonel Abrams’ LP topped US Club Play, Meli’sa Morgan Black 45s in Billboard … GET LOOSE

‘Just Buggin’‘ while they wait for their exciting debut single to hit the chart here, hip hoppers WHISTLE are (left to right) 21 year old writer/rapper KD, 17 year old composer Jazz and 20 year old cutmaster Silver Spinner, all from Brooklyn … and the latter, like so many other hip hoppers from that New York borough, being of Jamaican origin.

DURELL COLEMAN, in ‘Do You Love Me‘, has one of the month’s hottest soul singles, and he’s currently over here PAing up and down the country. In Roanoke, Virginia, as a child he started out singing in the High Street Baptist Church Choir — surprise, surprise! — before eventually heading west to Los Angeles for fame and fortune, which he found on retiring as undefeated champion after 13 straight weeks of winning US TV’s ‘Star Search’ talent show. Catch him if you can.

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HOT VINYL

RUSS BROWN ‘Gotta Find A Way’ (US Jump Street JS 1001)
The biggest blast since Whistle, although probably too subtle for mass acceptance, this mournfully sung monotonous nagging 112⅔bpm rambler builds mesmerically through rock guitar, plonking piano, and eventually — guess what — the ‘Set It Off’ cymbal beat, with a dynamite instrumental flip too. Jump to it!

JANET JACKSON ‘Control’ LP (US A&M SP-5106)
Michael’s kid sister is produced now by Jam & Lewis on an excellent set whose standouts are the jauntily jolting Vanity 6-ish sassy 103¾bpm ‘Nasty’, cooly attractive 0-116¼bpm ‘When I Think Of You‘, delightfully yelped 0-120½-0bpm ‘He Doesn’t Know I’m Alive‘, smoochy Jones Girls-ish 0-77¼-0bpm ‘Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun)‘, which isn’t to forget the strutting 0-114⅕bpm ‘What Have You Done For Me Lately‘ (remixed on 12in), 116¾bpm ‘The Pleasure Principle‘, 0-120-120½-0bpm title track, 114bpm ‘You Can Be Mine‘, 21½/43-0bpm ‘Let’s Wait Awhile‘. Superb singing and tight production, pure class.

FUNK MASTERS ‘Love Money (Remix 86)’ (Tai Wan TWD 1950)
Originally on Master Funk in 1981 but now remade, rather than remixed, this cleanly striding compulsive sprightly 120bpm instrumental has enough catchy twiddles to be another (faster) ‘Twilight’, with a jazzier possibly even better ‘Fort Knox’ version as double-A side flip.

VIOLA WILLS ‘Dare To Dream (London Remix)’ (Streetwave MKHAN 66)
Now starting with attractively doodling piano, which reappears especially during the improved tighter new mix’s tougher break, this lovely languidly drifting (0-)96½bpm swayer is flipped by the import’s original version and 132bpm Hi-NRG ‘Both Sides Now‘.

DINO TERRELL ‘You Can Do It (It’s So Easy)’ (US New Image NIR 1122)
Prod/penned by cult figure Leroy Burgess, so guaranteed to sell in London, this soulfully moaned though slightly untidy 105⅓-0bpm tugger is phrased in Luther style but with a sharper gospel accent (strong instrumental too).

PRINCE CHARLES and THE CITY BEAT BAND ‘We Can Make It Happen’ (PRT 12P 348)
Late Seventies-style sinuously 116½bpm exotic jungly jiggler with haunting spaghetti western-style whistling and breathy simple “everybody dance to the music” lyrics (plus three edited rhythm track variations).

ISABEL ROBERTS ‘Rhythm Of Your Love’ (Hot Vinyl HVD 018)
Pleasantly sung smoothly bubbling 115½bpm loper in classy US style (inst flip), taking off fast now it’s finally out after weeks of white label radio play.

MYSTERY ASSIGNMENT ‘Cloud Nine’ (Virgin VS-852-12)
The acappella started here 0-118bpm electronically backed though vocally faithful revival of the Temptations’ 1968 psyche-soul oldie (dub/edit flip) seems to have more pop than funk support so far.

THE WALKERS ‘Hey Don’t Waste My Time’ (Club JABX 27)
Produced in LA by Bill Wolfer, this trio from the original Torso dance troupe chant a singalong simple breezy 114¾bpm pop-disco jolter with a Wham!-style rap halfway (dub/edit flip), real shopgirl fodder.

JOYCE SIMS ‘(You Are My) All And All’ (US Sleeping Bag Records SLX-17)
Mantronik-produced jittery (0-)109⅔bpm electro backed soul, squeakily wailed against the beat to create interesting nagging tension (in four versions).

STEVE MYERS ‘Love’s Gonna Last’ (Pressure 12HAVE 6)
Nicely saxed and soulfully groaned relaxing 89½bpm swayer produced by Lifesighs, with a chix-chorused richer semi-instrumental Club Mix flip.

EDDIE “SKI” WHITE ‘Baby Be Mine’ (US Smokin’ TAI 121114)
Out last summer but now hotter than ever after a do at the zoo, this soulfully crooned rumbling languid 109¾-110½bpm roller has a deadly catchy little synth twiddle (inst and two (0-)110½bpm bonus beats).

PAUL LAURENCE ‘Strung Out (Remix)’ (Capitol 12CL 393)
On 12in here ahead of the US, his ‘Billie Jean’-ish sparsely ticking 114½bpm anti-drugs morality tale is thankfully now minus the album’s beat-jarring edit.

MAI TAI ‘Female Intuition’ (Virgin/Hot Melt VS 844-12)
The intriguingly cut up conversationally started 110¾bpm Intuition Mix is most striking except the other two 111bpm versions of this Chic/Sister Sledge-ish intense spurter are probably easier to use. Soul purists may scoff, but it’s really not bad.

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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):

Bangles 121⅔-0r Prince-penned Madonna-ish loper, ZZ Top 152⅓f frantic rock, Alexander O’Neal 81¼f hot smoocher, Mike The Mechanics 131/65½ pop swayer, Sting 62½-0r swirling ‘My Forgotten Man’-type melancholy, Drum Theatre 0-122½-123¼-123-0r video pop, Pat Benatar 126¼f rock disco, Mai Tai 111f Chic-ish pop disco.

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UK DISCO TOP 100 – February 22, 1986

01 02 MY MAGIC MAN, Rochelle, Warner Bros 12in
02 01 IF I RULED THE WORLD, Kurtis Blow, Club 12in
03 03 I’M NOT GONNA LET YOU (REMIX), Colonel Abrams, MCA Records 12in
04 14 LADIES/DUB INSTRUMENTAL, Mantronix, 10 Records 12in
05 04 LIVING IN AMERICA, James Brown, Scotti Brothers 12in
06 20 SUGAR FREE (DEO/REMIXES)/FOREVER AND EVER/BAD BOY, Juicy, Epic 12in
07 06 WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING/CLUB MIX, Billy Ocean, Jive 12in
08 17 (NOTHING SERIOUS) JUST BUGGIN’, Whistle, Champion 12in white label
09 09 IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER (REMIX), Zapp, Warner Bros 12in
10 05 ALICE I WANT YOU JUST FOR ME!, Full Force, CBS 12in
11 15 DON’T WASTE MY TIME, Paul Hardcastle, Chrysalis 12in
12 13 SATURDAY LOVE, Cherrelle with Alexander O’Neal, Tabu 12in
13 07 PULL UP TO THE BUMPER (REMIX)/GRACE JONES MUSCLEMIX/LA VIE EN ROSE, Grace Jones, Island 12in
14 11 BABY LOVE, Regina, Funkin’ Marvellous Records 12in
15 24 WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN, Prince Charles and the City Beat Band, PRT 12in
16 19 HEAVEN MUST BE MISSING AN ANGEL/DON’T TAKE AWAY THE MUSIC/WHODUNIT (BEN LIEBRAND REMIXES), Tavares, Capitol 12in
17 26 WHAT’S MISSING/IF YOU WERE HERE TONIGHT, Alexander O’Neal, Tabu 12in
18 16 FUNKY SENSATION, Ladies Choice, Sure Delight 12in
19 21 SIDEWALK TALK/WAS DOG A DOUGHNUT, Jellybean, EMI America 12in
20 43 DO YOU LOVE ME (REMIX), Durell Coleman, Fourth & Broadway 12in
21 27 PAIN, Betty Wright, Cooltempo 12in
22 10 BABY TALK, Alisha, Total Control 12in
23 re ROCK ME TONIGHT, Freddie Jackson, Capitol 12in
24 18 A LOVE BIZARRE, PARTS I AND II, Sheila E, Warner Bros/Paisley Park 12in
25 61 WHEN I THINK OF YOU/NASTY/FUNNY HOW TIME FLIES/THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE/HE DOESN’T KNOW I’M ALIVE, Janet Jackson, US A&M LP
26 48 THE RIVER (CLUB VERSION)/SUNSHINE (INSTRUMENTAL)/THE RIVER (DUB VERSION), Total Contrast, US London 12in
27 08 WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO, Aretha Franklin, Arista 12in
28 36 DARE TO DREAM, Viola Wills, US Wide Angle 12in/Streetwave promo remix
29 38 SKIPS A BEAT (CLUB MIX), Warp 9, Motown 12in
30 28 HOW WILL I KNOW (JELLYBEAN REMIX), Whitney Houston, Arista 12in
31 51 ALL I WANT IS MY BABY, Roberta Gillam, WEA 12in
32 22 COLD SHOULDER, Evelyn Thomas, Record Shack 12in
33 32 HEADLINE NEWS/PASSION/HEAVY ON THE LOVE SIDE, William Bell, US WRC LP
34 45 PARTY FREAK (LATIN RASCAL EDIT), Cashflow, US Mercury 12in
35 12 SATURDAY LOVE (REMIX), Cherrelle with Alexander O’Neal, Tabu 12in
36 — WILL YOU SATISFY?/WHEN YOU LOOK IN MY EYES/YOU LOOK GOOD TO ME (REMIX), Cherrelle, Tabu 12in
37 — HEY DON’T WASTE MY TIME, The Walkers, Club 12in
38 47 RHYTHM OF YOUR LOVE, Isabell Roberts, Hot Vinyl 12in white label
39 23 ONE NATION (DEF MIX), Masquerade, Streetwave 12in
40 41 IF YOU SHOULD EVER BE LONELY (STREET MIX)/CLUB MIX, Val Young, US Gordy 12in
41 31 HOW TO WIN YOUR LOVE, Spencer Jones, Champion 12in
42 — UPFRONT, Matt Bianco, WEA 12in
43 25 IF YOU’RE READY (COME GO WITH ME), Ruby Turner, Jive 12in
44 63 WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY, Janet Jackson, US A&M 12in
45 83 TURN YOUR LOVE (RIGHT AROUND), Projection, Elite 12in
46 62 $UCCE$$ IS THE WORD, 12:41, US Fresh Records 12in
47 33 COLDER ARE MY NIGHTS, The Isley Brothers, Warner Bros 12in
48 53 YOU CAN DO IT (IT’S SO EASY), Dino Terrell, US New Image 12in
49 35 SYSTEM ADDICT (M&M REMIX), Five Star, Tent 12in
50 30 KEEP ON, Bobby Mardis, Bluebird/10 12in
51 57 THE THINGS THAT MEN DO, Krystol, US Epic 12in
52 67 LET MY PEOPLE GO (M&M REMIX), The Winans, Qwest 12in promo
53 52 FOOL’S PARADISE, Meli’sa Morgan, US Capitol LP
54 40 BORDERLINE (JELLYBEAN REMIX), Madonna, Sire 12in
55 50 BASSLINE, Mantronix, US Sleeping Bag LP
56 59 DON’T STOP THAT GO GO BEAT, Effectron, Nightbeat 12in white label
57 75 DOUBLE DEF FRESH, Hardrock Soul Movement, Elite 12in
58 29 GET LOOSE, Aleem (featuring Leroy Burgess), Streetwave 12in
59 34 HOLD ME, Teddy Pendergrass (with Whitney Houston), Asylum 12in
60 85 GOTTA FIND A WAY, Russ Brown, US Jump Street 12in
61 55 IN THE MORNING TIME, Tramaine, US A&M 12in
62 39 NEW YORK EYES, Nicole (with Timmy Thomas), Portrait 12in
63 89 (YOU ARE MY) ALL AND ALL, Joyce Sims, US Sleeping Bag Records 12in
64 100= ANOTHER NIGHT (DANCE MIX), Aretha Franklin, Arista 12in
65 — THIS IS THE HOUSE (WHERE OUR LOVE DIED)/(FIRST MIX), Three Degrees, Supreme Records 12in white label
66 77 BABY DON’T STOP ME, Quest For Life, US SeaBright 12in
67 70 YOU BLOW MY MIND, Stimulus featuring Milton Smith, US Roulette 12in
68 — STRUNG OUT (DANCE MIX), Paul Laurence, Capitol 12in promo
69 87 SPECULATION/TABLE FOR TWO, Colonel Abrams, MCA Records LP
70 76 FEMALE INTUITION, Mai Tai, Virgin/Hot Melt 12in
71 71 DON’T CHA GO NOWHERE, Donald Dee, US Sutra 12in
72 re THE HEAT OF HEAT/ONLY A BREATH AWAY, Patti Austin, Qwest LP
73 54 IF YOU WANT LOVE, Tululah Moon, US Beauty and The Beat 12in
74 96 ONE DANCE WON’T DO, Audrey Hall, Germain Records 12in
75 — TRUTH OR DARE, Shirley Murdock, Elektra 12in promo
76 re MY DOWNTOWN LADY, Reaction, US Strawberry Records Unltd. 12in
77 91 BEST FRIENDS . . . CRAZY MIXX, Eddie Towns (E.T.), US Total Experience 12in
78 re FUNKY SENSATION (97⅓-99⅓-98-100½-99bpm), Gwen McCrae, Atlantic 12in
79 81 OH SHEILA (M&M REMIX), Ready For The World, MCA Records 12in
80 — CAN’T GET CLOSE TO YOU/CLOSE TO WHO?, Nicci, Debut 12in
81 69 ONE MORE TIME (US REMIX), Third World, CBS 12in
82 — I SHOULDA LOVED YA/SATELLITE MUSIC, Cool Runners, Streetwave 12in promo
83 84 HOW CAN I GET NEXT TO YOU, Chapter 8, US Beverly Glen Music LP
84 re LOVE CAUGHT YOU BY SURPRISE, Earl Turner, 4th + B’way 12in
85 — SO UNSELFISH (IT’S OKAY, IT’S OKAY) (0-103¼-0bpm), Full Force, CBS 12in
86 re LOVE ITCH, Roshelle Fleming, US Prelude 12in
87 92 NO SHOW, Symbolic Three featuring DJ Dr Shock, PRT 12in
88 80 PASSION, Bata Drum, Champion 12in
89 56 THE OAK TREE, Morris Day, Warner Bros 12in
90 re LOVE IS SERIOUS/SPECIAL/LET’S GO ROCKIN’ (TONIGHT), The Stylistics, US Streetwise LP
91 68 CLOUD NINE, Mystery Assignment, Virgin 12in
92 — INSATIABLE WOMAN, Isley Jasper Isley, Epic 12in
93 — SHE’S THE ONE (111bpm), Cabo Frio, US Zebra Records LP
94 — GALVESTON BAY (EXTENDED RE-EDIT) (96⅔-97-97½bpm), Lonnie Hill, 10 Records 12in white label
95 100= DANCING ON THE NILE, Cairo, Champion Records 12in white label
96 re SHE’S SO GOOD TO ME, Luther Vandross (‘The Goonies’), Epic LP
97 42 IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, Taka Boom, Boiling Point 12in
98 re GOT TO GO, Ester, US Studio Records 12in
99 93 MY MIND IS MADE UP, Keith Sweat, US Stadium 12in
100 re TOUCHING AND CARING, Nina Simone, US VPI Records LP

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EUROBEAT

01 01 LOVE’S GONE MAD (EUROBEAT MIX), Seventh Avenue, Record Shack 12in
02 08 FLY TO ME, Aleph, Italian Disco Magic 12in
03 02 PISTOL IN MY POCKET, Lana Pellay, Sublime 12in
04 03 CHARLESTON, Den Harrow, Italian Baby 12in
05 04 BOTH SIDES NOW, Viola Wills, US Wide Angle 12in
06 05 ONE BITE (JOHN MORALES REMIX), Street Angels, Calibre 12in
07 11 ANOTHER NIGHT (DANCE MIX), Aretha Franklin, Arista 12in
08 10 MIDNIGHT LOVER, Bernadette, German CBS 12in
09 — LIFELINE DANCING, Pattie Brooks, US Easy Street 12in
10 12 MIDNIGHT LOVER, People Like Us, Passion 12in white label
11 — STRANGER, Linda Imperial, US Pink Glove 12in
12 21 IF YOU SHOULD EVER BE LONELY (CLUB MIX), Val Young, US Gordy 12in
13 06 SECLUSION, Shaun Benson, US TSR 12in
14 07 I’M THE ONE YOU WANT, Les Lee, US Mega Bolt 12in
15 — OVERNIGHT SUCCESS, Teri DeSario, German Epic 12in/US Disconet remix
16 22 BOLERO, Fancy, Swedish Mega 12in
17 09 DIAL MY NUMBER, The Back Bag, German Transparent 12in
18 13 FOR YOUR SWEET INFORMATION, P.J. Marcus, Italian Cruisin’ 12in
19 — OCHO RIOS, Paul Jabara, US Warner Bros 12in
20 14 AMERICA, Cruisin’ Gang, Italian Cruisin’ 12in
21 16 THIS IS MY LIFE, Eartha Kitt, French Black Scorpio 12in
22 15 TONIGHT, Ken Laszlo, Italian MEM 12in
23 — MY DELIGHT, Solid Strangers, German ZYX 12in
24 17 TAKE ME AND YOU’LL WIN, Kay Franzes, Dutch Injection 12in
25 19 YOU THINK YOU’RE A MEDLEY, Divine, Proto 12in white label
26= — HIT THE STREETS TONIGHT, Patsy Gallant, Dutch High Fashion 12in
26= — NEVER GONNA SAY GOODBYE (BEN LIEBRAND REMIX), Poussez, Dutch High Fashion 12in
28 — FIRE ME UP, Astaire, Passion 12in white label
29 26 PEOPLE SAY IT’S IN THE AIR, The Herreys, Canadian Chateau 12in
30 30 PULL UP TO THE BUMPER (REMIX), Grace Jones, Island 12in