March 1, 1986: Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King, Lonnie Hill, Alyson Williams, 52nd Street, Brilliant

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

JON DAVIS, from David Henry’s in Bude, Cornwall, is another serious contender for the Technics 1986 UK Mixing Championships (the final tonight Wednesday 26 at London’s Hippodrome), having won the Bristol heat with a brilliant mix started by The Jungle Book’s ‘Bare Necessities’ synched through Full Force ‘Alice’ — during which two girls came up to ask for a dedication! … Avtar Singh and Cardiff’s Martin Rogers were runners-up at Bristol’s Papillon, so plushly decorated that even the Gents is carpeted, where Jon’s Bude buddy Tristan Bolitho and super-cool New Yorker Don Bell also deserved credit. (The latter, as Dr D & Magic Man, with Kurtis Blow, Davy DMX and AJ Scratch at Warwick University on Thursday fortnight, 13) … Durell Coleman was in crowd pleasing great voice as opening act at snowbound Wakefield’s Casanovas the night before, where Hull’s Paul Dakeyne was the convincing winner, Halifax’s Dave ‘Hutchy’ Hutchinson being the only other mixer with any idea of what it was about (er, heard about the jock who thought the Technics turntable’s vari-speed slider was the volume control?!) … ‘Trapped’ and ‘Who’s Zoomin’ Who’ were latterly added to the judges’ hate list, and ‘Set It Off’ was still heard everywhere! … DJ Cheese is confirmed as competing for America at the International Mixing final on March 16 at the Disco Mix Club’s DJ Convention (he’ll be doing a short tour too), highlights of the convention and mixing to be broadcast on Robbie Vincent’s Radio One show the following Sunday (23) … Paul Hardcastle, showing off some fancy footwork on ‘Top Of The Pops’, has added lots of Lenny Henry in a remix, other remixes planned or due being Whistle and Colonel Abrams … Effectron ‘Don’t Stop That Go Go Beat’, now properly out on MDM Records (MDM 5-12), says on the label that it was recorded in Washington DC … Phil Black opens up Barry’s brand new Pebbles Night Spot this Friday (28), Mantronix play London’s Heaven Monday (3), Steve Walsh’s Soul Set returns to London’s Hippodrome Wednesday (5) … Johnny & The Roccos’ authentic Western Swing-style rockabilly 7in ‘I Hate The Disco‘ (Off Beat NS 113, via Ace), despite lyrics about “monkey music”, struck me as being so good that I checked the rock ‘n’ roll trio live last week, to find leader Bob Fish recreating all the old licks from Elvis Presley’s earliest recordings on the guitar they were first played on, Scotty Moore’s 1949 Gibson (which cost Bob only £2,000) – this may not mean much to most of you, apart maybe from jocks in Scandinavia where the group have had hits, but for me it was real goosebumps time! … Billy Ocean surely doesn’t sing “go and get stuffed”? … GET LOOSE!

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HOT VINYL

EVELYN ‘CHAMPAGNE’ KING ‘High Horse (Remix)’ (RCA PT49892)
Not out here fully until March 10 but due earlier on white label and import, this friskily wriggling 118½bpm skittery jitterer (remixed by its producers Allen George and Fred McFarlane) is flipped by her classic racing 132½-133-132-133½-134-134½-135¼-134¾bpm ‘Shame’ from 1978, and the brand new speedily bubbling 122¼bpm ‘Take A Chance‘. They’re all kinda fast.

LONNIE HILL ‘Galveston Bay’ (10 Records TEN 111-12)
Extended by some controversial intro-lengthening edits, this gorgeous lush mellow 96⅔-97¼-97½bpm surging soul crooner has wide, even MoR, appeal. Popular for many months on import LP, the 96½-97-97⅓bpm untampered original is on the flip anyway, with the Tex-Mex/Sam Cooke-ish 126½-127bpm ‘My Sweet Love’.

ALYSON WILLIAMS ‘Yes We Can Can’ (US Profile PRO-7090)
Produced by Def Jam’s Russell Simmons, mixed by Shep Pettibone, this solidly smacking powerhouse jittery 102⅙bpm revival of the Lee Dorsey/Pointer Sisters’ classic should prove well nigh irresistible combining as it does catchy familiar lyrics and happy rhythms (inst flip). Stay still if you can can!

52nd STREET ‘I Can’t Let You Go’ (10 Records TEN 114-12)
Nick Martinelli-produced pleasant meandering gentle (0-)102½-0bpm jazz-funk jogger with the title’s words each sweetly chimed on the beat (instrumental Jazz Version/edit flip).

BRILLIANT ‘Love Is War’ (WEA/Food 6T/248 797-0)
Those masters of the soundalike, producers Stock-Aitken-Waterman now copy Change’s ‘Change Of Heart’ for a purposefully pushing 107⅚bpm tense builder.

STEVIE WONDER ‘Overjoyed’ (Motown ZT40568)
Lovely gentle 83-0bpm smoocher now with a long instrumental start (vocal edit/inst flip), electronically treated lapping waves and tweeting birds providing a continuous part of the beat!

THE BLOW MONKEYS ‘Digging Your Scene’ (RCA PT40600)
Kinda like Marc Bolan attempting a tugging 103⅓bpm soul jogger, this Pet Shop Boys-ish potential pop smash has such haunting fascination it’s even a fave of mine at the moment! A pity the 12in mixes aren’t better.

DIRECT DRIVE ‘Oh Yeah!’ (DDR Records GOT 1)
Jazz saxist Stan Sultzman squeals and honks through a pleasant 0-93bpm instrumental jiggly jogger which — beware! — dies away before abruptly bridging into a skippable tricky double-time finale, with an even tempoed sparser Midnite Mix flip.

THE REAL THING ‘You To Me Are Everything (The Decade Remix 76-86)’ (PRT 12P 349)
Froggy and Simon Harris have remixed the 24-track master of this 10-year-old chart-topper, adding a 104bpm drum machine, long (eye-cued) acappella intro and other separate bits. The appeal remains nostalgic.

CABO FRIO ‘She’s The One’ (LP ‘Right On The Money’ US Zebra Records ZEB-5685)
Although on an otherwise brassy jazz-fusion instrumental set, some of which may have specialist appeal, the hot track is this Ronnie Leigh-sung loping relaxed 111bpm Luther-ish soul vocal, there also being a hip hop-ish 103½bpm ‘Working Out‘ rap.

NU SHOOZ ‘I Can’t Wait (“Dutch Mix”)’ (US Atlantic 0-86828)
A regional breakout last summer centred on Portland, Oregon (where recorded), this chix chanted 104⅙bpm bass plodded tugging nagger was remixed in Holland with an added chipmunk-ish emulator hook and re-imported (on Dutch Injection) to become a current club smash in New York! Give it a chance to get under your skin.

ARNIE’S LOVE ‘Natural High’ (US Profile PRO-7091)
Picked up here by PRT, this lovely faithful (0-)59⅕bpm revival of Bloodstone’s dreamy 1973 smoocher adds some stratospheric Dells flavour (inst flip) but stays basically the same, and so cool!

SHIRLEY MURDOCK ‘No More’ (US Elektra 0-66865)
Although the Roger Troutman-produced upcoming debut album’s lighter ‘Truth Or Dare’ has been promoed here ahead of remixed release next week, discerning jocks from the outset preferred this far more exciting soulfully wailed fast 120⅓bpm juddery wriggler with its repeated entreaties to “pick up the ‘phone”, and Stephanie Mills-ish keen cutting edge (inst/edit flip).

TAMMY LUCAS ‘Hey Boy’ (US SuperTronics RY-011)
Settling into a Colonel Abrams-ish 117¾bpm rhythm as it stretches out, this rambling wailing nervy skitterer (in four versions) gets better the longer it’s on and is definitely for those who like to sweat.

JIMMY SCOTT ‘The Hunt’ (Move MS9, via Charly)
This soulful 120-119-120bpm weaving choogler has a flowing series of interjections rather than proper song lyrics, making for a nicely old fashioned good, good feeling.

CARGO ‘Don’t Stop Your Love’ (Cargogold CG 1025)
Rumbling and rolling 105¼-105½bpm soul lurcher sung as usual by Dave Collins (minus Ansil) around Mike Carr’s keyboard solo, the nice more jazzily warbled and vibed 99⅓-101bpm ‘Cover Me‘ flip possibly being even better.

KABBALA ‘What Love Is’ (Cabal Records 12CBL002, via Spartan)
Brass Construction’s classic ‘Movin’’ given an Afro accent and 119¼-119⅔-121-120-121-121½bpm percussive drive — oh yes, and a new name!

RALPH MacDONALD ‘You Need More Calypso (Club Version)’ (US Polydor 883 753- 1)
Out here in a fortnight, this rather restrained — although it tries to be jolly — 115bpm jittery jumper is hampered by vocalist Dennis Collins’ lack of zest, whereas Phil Fearon for instance would have made it all far more fun (inst dub and subdued LP version flip).

COOL RUNNERS ‘I Shoulda Loved Ya’ (Streetwave MKHAN 65)
Raggedly sung pedestrian 112¾- 113¼bpm remake of Narada Michael Walden’s still far more potent 1980 classic, with a much better jolly 0-119½bpm, ‘Satellite Music’ soca flip.

SEPTEMBER ‘Slowly’ (10 Records TEN 68-12)
Thin voiced Juliett Jaimes and her relatives from Epping Forest aim for sophistication on a trickily jiggling 45⅓-90⅔bpm lush nagging swayer that could do with more of a song (inst and 111bpm Razormaid Mix of their old ‘The Lover In Me’).

THE THREE DEGREES ‘This Is The House (Where Our Love Died)’ (Supreme Records SUPET 104)
Fairly tedious jittery 110½bpm tripper with surging unison-sung choruses, doubtless destined for several more remixes, so why not wait?

FULL FORCE ‘Unselfish Lover (The ’86 Remix)’ (CBS TA 6929)
Remixed dull 103¼-0bpm breathily sung muffled judderer, not a patch on ‘Alice’, although helped by the better new 0-103¼-0bpm ‘So Unselfish (It’s Okay, It’s Okay)‘ flipside version’s conversational chat.

CAIRO ‘Dancing On The Nile’ (Champion CHAMP 12-7)
Bright speedily skittering (0-)122½bpm shuffler from that grey pop-funk area inhabited by Level 42, tentatively circulated on white label.

JUNIOR ‘Look What You’ve Done To Me’ (London LONX 84)
This the flip’s dreamily swaying (0-)103⅙bpm instrumental (his old 109¾bpm ‘Mama Used To Say (US Remix)’ is included too) has been more popular than the disjointed ugly jolting (0-)104⅓-104⅔bpm ‘Come On Over‘ A-side, with blaring rock guitar and other gimmicks.

THE JETS ‘Curiosity’ (MCA Records MCAT 1027)
The teenaged Wolfgramm family, originally from Tonga in the South seas, recorded in Minneapolis for an authentically “purple” approach to this lightweight 125¾bpm jerker in limp ‘Oh Sheila’ style (inst/edit flip).

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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):

Depeche Mode 0-45/90f dreary pop crawler, Tavares 117-114½f remixed familiar pop-soul oldie, Frank Sinatra 110-109-108-105-0-73-96c classic quickstepping party high kicker, Jim Diamond 0-127f Chris Andrews-ish ska-style jaunty TV theme, Billy Joel 0-29-29½-0r rippling dead slowie, Juicy (0-)92f gentle Mtume-ish swayer, Prince Charles 115f blandly burbling soul, Freddie Jackson 71¾f sizzling smoocher, Mantronix 102f Full Force-ish bouncy rap, Bryan Adams 126½-0r slick AoR, Aretha Franklin (0-)120f Tina Turner-ish surger different from 12in mix, Hipsway 112r jerky mannered pop.

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UK DISCO TOP 100 – March 1, 1986

01 01 MY MAGIC MAN, Rochelle, Warner Bros 12in
02 08 (NOTHING SERIOUS) JUST BUGGIN’, Whistle, Champion 12in
03 06 SUGAR FREE (DEO/REMIXES)/FOREVER AND EVER/BAD BOY, Juicy, Epic 12in
04 03 I’M NOT GONNA LET YOU (JOHN MORALES REMIX), Colonel Abrams, MCA Records 12in
05 05 LIVING IN AMERICA, James Brown, Scotti Brothers 12in
06 07 WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING, Billy Ocean, Jive 12in
07 04 LADIES, Mantronix, 10 Records 12in
08 02 IF I RULED THE WORLD, Kurtis Blow, Club 12in
09 20 DO YOU LOVE ME (REMIX), Durell Coleman, Fourth & Broadway 12in
10 11 DON’T WASTE MY TIME, Paul Hardcastle, Chrysalis 12in
11 17 IF YOU WERE HERE TONIGHT/WHAT’S MISSING, Alexander O’Neal, Tabu 12in
12 28 DARE TO DREAM (LONDON REMIX)/US MIX, Viola Wills, Streetwave 12in white label
13 15 WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN, Prince Charles and the City Beat Band, PRT 12in
14 16 HEAVEN MUST BE MISSING AN ANGEL/DON’T TAKE AWAY THE MUSIC/WHODUNIT (BEN LIEBRAND REMIXES), Tavares, Capitol 12in
15 26 THE RIVER (CLUB VERSION)/SUNSHINE (INSTRUMENTAL)/THE RIVER (DUB VERSION), Total Contrast, US London 12in
16 09 IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER (REMIX), Zapp, Warner Bros 12in
17 30 HOW WILL I KNOW (JELLYBEAN REMIX), Whitney Houston, Arista 12in
18 21 PAIN, Betty Wright, Cooltempo 12in
19 23 ROCK ME TONIGHT, Freddie Jackson, Capitol 12in
20 25 WHEN I THINK OF YOU/NASTY/WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY/CONTROL/FUNNY HOW TIME FLIES, Janet Jackson, US A&M LP
21 10 ALICE I WANT YOU JUST FOR ME!, Full Force, CBS 12in
22 33 HEADLINE NEWS, William Bell, US WRC LP
23 60 GOTTA FIND A WAY, Russ Brown, US Jump Street 12in
24 36 WILL YOU SATISFY?/YOU LOOK GOOD TO ME (REMIX), Cherrelle, Tabu 12in
25 38 RHYTHM OF YOUR LOVE, Isabell Roberts, Hot Vinyl 12in white label
26 34 PARTY FREAK (LATIN RASCAL EDIT), Cashflow, US Mercury 12in
27 12 SATURDAY LOVE, Cherrelle with Alexander O’Neal, Tabu 12in
28 19 SIDEWALK TALK/WAS DOG A DOUGHNUT, Jellybean, EMI America 12in
29 13 PULL UP TO THE BUMPER (REMIX)/GRACE JONES MUSCLEMIX, Grace Jones, Island 12in
30 18 FUNKY SENSATION, Ladies Choice, Sure Delight 12in
31 14 BABY LOVE, Regina, Funkin’ Marvellous Records 12in
32 48 YOU CAN DO IT (IT’S SO EASY), Dino Terrell, US New Image 12in
33 27 WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO, Aretha Franklin, Arista 12in
34 64 ANOTHER NIGHT (DANCE MIX), Aretha Franklin, Arista 12in
35 37 HEY DON’T WASTE MY TIME, The Walkers, Club 12in
36 68 STRUNG OUT (DANCE MIX), Paul Laurence, Capitol 12in
37 29 SKIPS A BEAT (CLUB MIX), Warp 9, Motown 12in
38 31 ALL I WANT IS MY BABY, Roberta Gillam, WEA 12in
39 32 COLD SHOULDER, Evelyn Thomas, Record Shack 12in
40 40 IF YOU SHOULD EVER BE LONELY (STREET MIX/CLUB MIX), Val Young, US Gordy 12in
41 24 A LOVE BIZARRE, PARTS I AND II, Sheila E, Warner Bros/Paisley Park 12in
42 44 WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY (REMIX), Janet Jackson, US A&M 12in
43 22 BABY TALK, Alisha, Total Control 12in
44 42 UPFRONT, Matt Bianco, WEA 12in
45 78 FUNKY SENSATION, Gwen McCrae, Atlantic 12in
46 41 HOW TO WIN YOUR LOVE, Spencer Jones, Champion 12in
47 — LOVE MONEY (REMIX 86)/FORT KNOX, Funk Masters, Tai Wan 12in
48 45 TURN YOUR LOVE (RIGHT AROUND), Projection, Elite 12in
49 49 SYSTEM ADDICT (M&M REMIX), Five Star, Tent 12in
50 94 GALVESTON BAY (EXTENDED RE-EDIT), Lonnie Hill, 10 Records 12in white label
51 — LOVE’S ON FIRE (116¾bpm), Aleem featuring Leroy Burgess, US Atlantic 12in
52 43 IF YOU’RE READY (COME GO WITH ME), Ruby Turner, Jive 12in
53 47 COLDER ARE MY NIGHTS, The Isley Brothers, Warner Bros 12in
54 46 $UCCE$$ IS THE WORD, 12:41, US Fresh Records 12in
55 59 HOLD ME, Teddy Pendergrass (with Whitney Houston), Asylum 12in
56 50 KEEP ON, Bobby Mardis, Bluebird/10 12in
57 53 FOOL’S PARADISE, Meli’sa Morgan, US Capitol LP
58 75 TRUTH OR DARE (LP VERSION), Shirley Murdock, Elektra 12in white label
59 80 CAN’T GET CLOSE TO YOU/CLOSE TO WHO?, Nicci, Debut 12in
60 — DON’T WASTE MY TIME (ESSENTIAL WELL-HARD CRUCIAL MIX), Paul Hardcastle, Capitol 12in
61 58 GET LOOSE, Aleem (featuring Leroy Burgess), Streetwave 12in
62 35 SATURDAY LOVE (REMIX), Cherrelle with Alexander O’Neal, Tabu 12in
63 39 ONE NATION (DEF MIX), Masquerade, Streetwave 12in
64 57 DOUBLE DEF FRESH, Hardrock Soul Movement, Elite 12in
65 73 IF YOU WANT LOVE, Tululah Moon, US Beauty and The Beat 12in
66 65 THIS IS THE HOUSE (GHETTO CONDO MINIMUM MIX), Three Degrees, Supreme Records 12in white label
67 52 LET MY PEOPLE GO (M&M REMIX), The Winans, Qwest 12in
68 — BABY LOVE (PICTURE DISC MIX), Regina (featuring David Sanborn), Funkin’ Marvellous Records 12in white label
69 51 THE THINGS THAT MEN DO, Krystol, US Epic 12in
70 56 DON’T STOP THAT GO GO BEAT, Effectron, MDM Records 12in
71 93 SHE’S THE ONE, Cabo Frio, US Zebra Records LP
72 86 LOVE ITCH, Roshelle Fleming, US Prelude 12in
73 100 TOUCHING AND CARING, Nina Simone, US VPI Records LP
74 — PRISONER OF LOVE (110¼bpm), Mildred Scott, US 4th + B’way 12in
75 71 DON’T CHA GO NOWHERE, Donald Dee, US Sutra 12in
76 67 YOU BLOW MY MIND, Stimulus featuring Milton Smith, US Roulette 12in
77 55 BASSLINE/NEEDLE TO THE GROOVE, Mantronix, US Sleeping Bag LP
78 — GAMES (104-104½-105½-104½-105½bpm), 94 East, US Hot Pink LP
79 63 (YOU ARE MY) ALL AND ALL, Joyce Sims, US Sleeping Bag Records 12in
80 54 BORDERLINE (JELLYBEAN REMIX), Madonna, Sire 12in
81 61 IN THE MORNING TIME, Tramaine, US A&M 12in
82 re I MISS YOU, Klymaxx, MCA Records 12in
83 97 IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, Taka Boom, Boiling Point 12in
84 re ROCK THE BELLS, L.L. Cool J, Def Jam/CBS LP
85 90 LOVE IS SERIOUS/LET’S GO ROCKIN’ (TONIGHT)/SPECIAL, The Stylistics, US Streetwise LP
86 66 BABY DON’T STOP ME, Quest For Life, US SeaBright 12in
87 — KING HOLIDAY (94⅓bpm), King Dream Chorus & Holiday Crew, US Mercury 12in promo
88 — ALWAYS THERE (0-113-0bpm), Paz featuring Marianne Davidson, Coda 12in
89 — CAN YOU FEEL IT? (0-100⅚bpm), Original Concept, US Def Jam 12in
90 — I LOVE ONLY YOU (108½bpm), Ruth Dawes, US Profile 12in
91 91 CLOUD NINE, Mystery Assignment, Virgin 12in
92 — I CAN’T STOP, Theresa Davies featuring Jerry Butler, US DJ 7in
93 70 FEMALE INTUITION, Mai Tai, Virgin/Hot Melt 12in
94 — I CAN’T LET YOU GO (REMIX), 52nd Street, 10 Records 12in
95 — CHAIN REACTION (DANCE MIX) (127½bpm), Diana Ross, Capitol 12in
96 — DON’T THROW AWAY YOUR LOVE (119¼bpm), One Touch, Sierra 12in
97 72 THE HEAT OF HEAT/ONLY A BREATH AWAY, Patti Austin, Qwest LP
98 — HEY BOY, Tammy Lucas, US Super Tronics 12in
99 81 ONE MORE TIME (US REMIX), Third World, CBS 12in
100 88 PASSION, Bata Drum, Champion 12in

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EUROBEAT

01 01 LOVE’S GONE MAD (EUROBEAT MIX), Seventh Avenue, Record Shack 12in
02 03 PISTOL IN MY POCKET, Lana Pellay, Sublime 12in
03 07 ANOTHER NIGHT (DANCE MIX), Aretha Franklin, Arista 12in
04 02 FLY TO ME, Aleph, Italian Disco Magic 12in
05 10 MIDNIGHT LOVER, People Like Us, Passion 12in white label
06 04 CHARLESTON, Den Harrow, Italian Baby 12in
07 05 BOTH SIDES NOW, Viola Wills, US Wide Angle 12in
08 06 ONE BITE (JOHN MORALES REMIX), Street Angels, Calibre 12in
09 — ALL PLAYED OUT, L.I.F.E., US Dance-Sing 12in
10 21 THIS IS MY LIFE, Eartha Kitt, Record Shack 12in
11 — PRISONER OF LOVE, Mildred Scott, US 4th + B’way 12in
12 — DANGER FOR LOVE, Deborah, German ZYX 12in
13 08 MIDNIGHT LOVER, Bernadette, German CBS 12in
14 09 LIFELINE DANCING, Pattie Brooks, US Easy Street 12in
15 — CHAIN REACTION (DANCE REMIX), Diana Ross, Capitol 12in
16 22 TONIGHT, Ken Laszlo, Italian MEM 12in
17 11 STRANGER, Linda Imperial, US Pink Glove 12in
18 15 OVERNIGHT SUCCESS, Teri DeSario, German Epic 12in/US Disconet remix
19 12 IF YOU SHOULD EVER BE LONELY (CLUB MIX), Val Young, US Gordy 12in
20 17 DIAL MY NUMBER, The Back Bag, German Transparent 12in
21 29 PEOPLE SAY IT’S IN THE AIR, The Herreys, Canadian Chateau 12in
22 16 BOLERO, Fancy, Swedish Mega 12in
23 — DEVIL ON MY SHOULDER, Angel Chorus, 10 Records 12in
24 14 I’M THE ONE YOU WANT, Les Lee, US Mega Bolt 12in
25 24 TAKE ME AND YOU’LL WIN, Kay Franzes, Dutch Injection 12in
26 — MOSKOW DISKO (1986 VERSION), Telex, German Rush 12in
27 13 SECLUSION, Shaun Benson, US TSR 12in
28 — THEME FROM ‘DYNASTY’/THE BREAK (’86 VERSION), Kat Mandu, Canadian Matra 12in
29 28 FIRE ME UP, Astaire, Passion 12in white label
30 — ROMANTIC VIDEO, New Romance, German Polydor 12in