June 7, 1986: Skyy, Archie Bell & The Drells, Pieces Of A Dream, Jimmy McGriff, Colors

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

PHYLLIS HYMAN’s continued unavailability (some say it’s chickenpox) has forced complete cancellation of July 26/27’s New York Jazz Explosion — but worry not, as surely an even bigger attraction has been booked into the Hammersmith Odeon on those same dates as solo replacement, Anita Baker! (original tickets will be refunded or exchanged at point of purchase) . . . Important Records are reissuing Fatback ‘I Found Lovin’, which seems logical, flipped by ‘Is This The Future?’, which seems good value . . . Willie Hutch ‘Easy Does It‘, an old Whitfield-released B-side, is the latest Northern Soul — sorry, London oldie to be touted as a biggie that all the DJs must have . . . Bluebird/10’s commercial copies of the Matthew David ‘Don’t Let Love Get You Down‘ cover version crazily don’t have its usefully promoed instrumental version as flip, negating any advantage left in the face of Archie Bell’s original: already the label has plans to rectify this . . . CBS have reissued on 12 inch The O’Jays ‘Love Train’/’I Love Music’/’Backstabbers’ (Portrait TA 7235) and The Isley Brothers ‘Harvest For The World’/’Summer Breeze’/’That Lady’ (Epic TA 7234), all easily available in other forms, like on Streetwave/StreetSounds, and in fact the outlet now starts its systematic plundering of the ‘CBS Club Classics’ LPs by coupling Wilbert Longmire ‘Black Is The Color’, MFSB ‘Mysteries Of The World’ (Streetwave Limited Edition SWAVE 8) . . . Motown have released as a mid-price double album the Kudu-recorded 1977 Grover Washington Jr ‘Live At The Bijou’ (WL72267(2)), containing ‘Sausalito‘, ‘Summer Song‘, ‘Mr Magic‘ . . . WEA have already rushed UK release of the Bob James/David Sanborn ‘Double Vision’ LP (Warner Bros 925 393-1) . . . Hanson & Davis’ review last week should have mentioned the label (US Fresh Records FRE-5EP) . . . Champion are rushing out Spyder-D’s Nu Shooz rap . . . Thomas + Taylor have a re-edit due with added harmonica . . . Haywoode ‘Roses’ (CBS TA 7224) has been reissued as a rockier, more choppily thunderthumbed aggressive 114¾bpm Bert Bevans remix (promoed to DJs as a 10 inch) . . . Lisson Records (catalogue number prefix DOLEQ) was named by Tilly Rutherford and his partner Pete Waterman after the dole office where he and other redundant PRT employees had to sign on, in London’s Lisson Grove — where there’s also the fashionable Seashell fish ‘n’ chips shop, in which naturally enough the label’s launch lunch was held this Tuesday! . . . Sandra Edwards is first artiste on the Pinnacle distributed new label Soul Town 45, a DJ mailing list being complied by Nik Miles on 01-802 7605 . . . Max LX and Dave VJ of Hardrock Soul Movement are after a rapping lady DJ to join them — send photo and tape, if possible, to (Roger’s sister) Nikki Tovell at Elite Records, 41 Eton Avenue, Wembley, Middlesex HA0 3AZ . . . I can’t tell at this stage how useful it might be here, but the Key West, Florida based monthly $20 subscription Harmonic Keys dance music programming service lists all the disco records applicable to its US market not only by beats per minute but also by musical key, breaking down all changes in tempo and modulation — full details from Stuart Soroka on 010-1-305-294-4491 . . . Alan Coulthard, nearing completion of his law studies, has resigned from Disco Mix Club and severed management connections with its co-founder Tony Prince due to “personal differences” — a shame . . . London’s much loved legendary club DJ from the Sixties (amongst other claims to fame he taught Lulu how to dance), Al Needles sadly died of a heart attack two weekends ago . . . Newcastle-upon-Tyne’s Walkers club was robbed of the bank holiday takings in a shotgun raid, no joke . . . Dardanella Braxton is Dhar’s real name, before the spelling got gimmicky . . . South Eastern Discotheque Association’s annual disco equipment exhibition SEDA 86 is this Sunday (8) afternoon at Gravesend’s Woodville Halls, opened by the Cool Notes . . . Graeme Park spins upfront dance hits Tues/Fri/Sat at Nottingham’s trendily named The Garage — yup, he plays “garage”, too! — as well as Wed at Leicester’s Fan club and this Thursday (5) at Derby’s Glint club in the Blue Note . . . Colin Curtis guests at Manchester Cloud Nine’s modern soul night this Friday (6), and Chris Hill souls Bristol Sanborn’s Sunday (8) . . . Peterborough’s Hereward Radio rather unexpectedly was the clearest station on MW when I spent a sybaritic night near Bala in North Wales at the Pale Hall hotel! . . . Timmy Regisford, following his Colonel Abrams remix, has “done a Sergio Munzibai” and become MCA Records’ New York A&R man . . . Steven Winwood’s next single will be a duet with Chaka Khan . . . Hit Numbers will return next issue, following Bank Holiday disruptions, with a bumper edition three weeks worth of beats per minute for all you pop pickers . . . Disco chart-returning DJs, if you aren’t mailing us your chart on Monday (to arrive by Wednesday), please do so if at all possible — we are of course grateful whenever it’s received, but somehow always just the same few DJs manage to send theirs late, making much more work . . . RELEASE THE TENSION!

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HOT VINYL

SKYY: ‘From The Left Side’ LP (US Capitol ST-12448)
Still sounding something like Michael Jackson backed by Brass Construction, the Randy Muller and Solomon Roberts Jr-produced group give out from the left side, the heart, their usual good grooves on the (0-)117bpm ‘Non-Stop’, 115½bpm ‘Love Attack‘, 114½bpm ‘Jealousitis‘, 101½bpm ‘Love Illogical‘, 113¾-0bpm ‘Big Fun‘, 112½bpm ‘Rock It‘, and of course 113bpm ‘Givin’ It (To You)‘, slowing down soulfully for the 0-51½/25¾bpm ‘Song Song’, 38bpm ‘Tell Her You Care’. If they did they’d come here and tour as planned.

ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS: ‘Don’t Let Love Get You Down’ (Portrait TA 7254)
In the vanguard of London’s current Northern Soul-like Seventies “rare soul” revival since first boosted last year, this much sought gently yet grittily weaving singalong 92¼-94¼bpm sleazy swayer is finally out on 12 inch for all to buy, flipped by the much more dated though possibly Tavares-compatible 127½-126½-125½-126½-125-127bpm ‘Soul City Walk‘ and (0-)117-119-117-116½-116bpm ‘Where Will You Go When The Party’s Over?‘.

PIECES OF A DREAM: ‘Say La La’ (US Manhattan V-56022)
Designed for partying under starry skies all night long (all night), the young jazzers’ languid 99bpm vocal jogger combines gently go go-ish beats, a summery lilt, simple “la la la” chorus and distinctive solos (in three mixes) Hot hot hot!

JIMMY McGRIFF: ‘Hip Hop Bebop’ (US Milestone D-261)
Gradually being discovered as flip of the looser and less effective 120bpm ‘New Wave Blues’, the veteran jazz organist’s Lonnie Smith-penned mellow modern chugging 113¼bpm groove (far from hip hop in fact) is causing a sensation wherever it’s played, so get on the case!

COLORS: ‘Pay Me Back My Love’ (US Prelude PRL D702)
The guys’ timelessly soulful, with just a hint of modern Vandross maybe, marvellously supple lightly shuffling 115bpm side-to-side wriggly swinger bubbles along full of understated class (in three mixes), selling fast.

LOU RAWLS: ‘Stop Me From Starting This Feeling’ (LP ‘Love All Your Blues Away’ Epic EPC 26809)
So far only spasmodically played by disco DJs off the otherwise rather aggressive side one (two is all smoochers), but due soon as a single here, this easily loping 113/56½-113½bpm swayer in his classic late-Seventies style has shot like a rocket up Capital Radio’s listeners-voted Hitline on John Sachs’ essential afternoon show — where London’s hottest hits break first.

FAT BOYS: ‘Sex Machine’ (WEA U8674T)
Likely to get widespread play now it’s out here, this 0-98½bpm James Brown remake is both faithfully yet intriguingly different with many personal new touches, the dub flip here adding their LP’s hot frantic beat box spluttered, vocodered and rapped 0-122½-0bpm ‘Beat Box Is Rockin‘ for extra value.

ANTIONETTE: ‘Get Off The Track’ (US King Davis Records KD-72)
Is she really spelt that way? This lightly bubbling 119bpm fluid canterer (in three mixes) has a rhythm and sound seemingly from around six or seven years ago, which ought to create interest right now. Back then it would have been thought of as jazz-funk, now it’s more like garage.

YARBROUGH & PEOPLES: ‘I Wouldn’t Lie’ (Total Experience FT 49842)
Although people are comparing this insistently rolling 110¼bpm pusher with the Change/SOS Band sound, that sound was of course originated by Yarbrough & Peoples’ ‘Don’t Stop The Music’, this merely being their latest continuation of it (in three versions, one live and faster, plus the similar (0-)110¾bpm ‘I’ll Be There‘).

THE TTED ALL STARS featuring Kooly Kool the DJ: ‘All Wrapped Up In One’ (US TTED Records Inc TDE 3017)
As the title suggests, this infectious 99¼-100-101¼-99¾-101-102bpm medley at least name-checks all the go go hits it doesn’t actually quote at fuller length, so many of the latter longer excerpts being from Chuck Brown’s ‘Go-Go Swing’ that its almost a cover version (in three mixes). Beware some beat-losing “bleeps” near the end.

AYRE RAYDE: ‘Sock It To Me’ (be*bop & Fresh 12DANCE 2, via Pinnacle)
Jaunty go go with a catchy “hey doll baby” hook and zesty zing made up of the usual chants, brass and percussion, in 0-107¾-105¾-107-106-0bpm Full and tighter 107¼-104¾-106¼-106¾-107-106-0bpm Raydeo Versions (dub flip).

MICHAEL JEFFRIES: ‘Razzle Dazzle’ (Warner Bros W8681T)
Big at Bognor and for some soul jocks as a promo but never much of an actual seller, this Hawk Wolinski co-prod/penned jittery doom-laden (0-)110¼bpm jiggly wriggler isn’t another ‘Plane Love’ (dub too).

KOPPER: ‘Velocity’ (US KMA Records KMA-12-008)
The somewhat Madonna-pitched black blonde’s 115¼bpm lurching backbeat basher (in just long and instrumental versions despite the sleeve and label listing) is so catchy in a dumb sort of way I just had to have it. Incidentally, there never was room to review her earlier B-side ‘Funky Bunch Of Characters‘ (KMA-12-003), a repetitive 113½bpm choppy chant bumped along by a beefy bass.

SHAWN CHRISTOPHER: ‘People Of All Nations’ (US DJ International Records DJ-778)
Check the battery and step on the gas, we’re going to a garage party tonight! You know the label — this one’s a female Colonel Abrams for a change, at 119½bpm in four mixes.

JULIAN JONAH: ‘Hot To Touch’ (Total Control Records 12TOCO 8, via EMI)
Lightweight 123bpm instrumental ludicrously like ‘Rain Forest’.

ASWAD: ‘Haul And Pull Up’ (Simba 12SIM 103, via Jet Star)
The lickwood posse’s throbbing and clanking convoluted 76¼bpm bubbler lacks the wide impact of ‘Bubblin’.

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DISCO TOP 100 – June 7, 1986

01 02 EXPANSIONS ’86, Chris Paul featuring David Joseph, Fourth & Broadway 12in
02 03 JUMP BACK (SET ME FREE), Dhar Braxton, Fourth & Broadway 12in
03 05 I CAN’T WAIT (DUTCH MIX), Nu Shooz, Atlantic 12in
04 04 MINE ALL MINE/PARTY FREAK (LATIN RASCAL EDIT), Cashflow, Club 12in
05 01 (YOU ARE MY) ALL AND ALL/MANTRONIK MEGA MIX, Joyce Sims, London 12in
06 08 LOVE’S GONNA GET YOU, Modern-nique featuring Larry Woo, 10 Records 12in
07 10 YOU AND ME TONIGHT, Aurra, 10 Records 12in
08 07 YOU CAN’T BLAME LOVE, Thomas & Taylor, Cooltempo 12in
09 06 THE FINEST, The SOS Band, Tabu 12in
10 13 BASS LINE (STRETCHED)/LADIES (REVIVED), Mantronix, 10 Records 12in
11 24 HEADLINES, Midnight Star, US Solar 12in/UK promo/German LP
12 23 YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE (M&M REMIX), Candi Staton, Warner Bros 12in
13 09 WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY (REMIX), Janet Jackson, A&M 12in
14 19 GIVIN’ IT (TO YOU), Skyy, Capitol 12in
15 16 MINE ALL MINE (MARK BERRY REMIXES), Cashflow, Club 12in
16 12 ON MY OWN, Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald, MCA Records 12in
17 11 LESSONS IN LOVE/SOMETHING ABOUT YOU (US REMIX), Level 42, Polydor 12in
18 18 DESTINY, D.S.M., Elite 12in
19 20 AMITYVILLE (THE HOUSE ON THE HILL), Lovebug Starski Epic 12in
20 15 SET ME FREE, Jaki Graham, EMI 12in
21 22 SET FIRE TO ME/INFERNO DUB, Willie Colon, US A&M 12in
22 17 I’LL KEEP ON LOVING YOU, Princess, Supreme Records 12in
23 32 MIDAS TOUCH/CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, Midnight Star, German Solar LP
24 71 NASTY (REMIX), Janet Jackson, A&M 12in
25 33 DIAL MY NUMBER, Paul Carman, CBS 12in
26 14 DO FRIES GO WITH THAT SHAKE, George Clinton, Capitol 12in
27 21 YOU AND ME TONIGHT (MIDNIGHT MIX), Aurra, 10 Records 12in
28 28 S.O.S., Oliver Cheatham, Champion 12in
29 49 COMPUTER LOVE (REMIXES), Zapp, Warner Bros 12in
30 29 WHAT YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT (REMIX), Total Contrast, London 12in
31 25 NOVELA DAS NOVE (SPIDER WOMAN), Wally Badarou, Fourth & Broadway 12in
32 26 STAY, The Controllers, MCA Records 12in
33 50 BANG ZOOM (LET’S GO-GO)/HOWIE’S TEED OFF, The Real Roxanne with Hitman Howie Tee, US Select Records 12in/Cooltempo promo
34 53 BROOKLYN’S IN THE HOUSE/REMIX, Cut Master D.C., be*bop & Fresh 12in
35 46 WHERE YOU GONNA BE TONIGHT?, Willie Collins, Capitol LP/12in promo
36 43 ONE FOR THE MONEY, Sleeque, US Easy Street 12in
37 36 STYLE (PETER GUNN THEME), Grandmaster Flash, Elektra 12in
38 35 TENDER LOVE, Force MD’s, Tommy Boy/Island 12in
39 89 SET ME FREE (MARK BERRY REMIX) (103¾bpm), Jaki Graham, EMI 12in
40 57 RAZZLE DAZZLE, Michael Jeffries, Warner Bros 12in
41 44 I CAN’T WAIT (TO ROCK THE MIKE), Spyder-D (featuring DJ Doc), US Profile 12in
42 55 BORROWED LOVE/NOTHING BUT THE BEST/EVEN WHEN YOU SLEEP, The SOS Band, Tabu LP
43 38 HUNGRY FOR YOUR LOVE/TAKE YOU ON, Hanson & Davis, US Fresh Records 12in
44 30 CAN’T GET BY WITHOUT YOU (REMIX), Real Thing, PRT 12in
45 31 A NIGHT TO REMEMBER (M&M REMIX), Shalamar, MCA Records 12in
46 27 SERIOUS, Serious Intention, London/Pow Wow Records Inc 12in
47 41 OPEN YOUR DOOR, Guinn, Motown 12in
40 GO-GO SWING/HERE WE GO AGAIN, Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers, US Future 12in
47 CAUGHT UP IN THE RAPTURE/MYSTERY/WATCH YOUR STEP/BEEN SO LONG, Anita Baker, Elektra LP
48 40 GO-GO SWING/HERE WE GO AGAIN, Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers, US Future 12in
49 47 CAUGHT UP IN THE RAPTURE/MYSTERY/WATCH YOUR STEP/BEEN SO LONG, Anita Baker, Elektra LP
50 58 CAPTURED, Dexter Wanzel featuring The Jones Girls, 10 Records 12in
51 42 NO WAY BACK, Adonis, US Trax 12in
52 — SAY LA LA/NEW YORK STREET MIX, Pieces Of A Dream, US Manhattan 12in
53 34 CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE, Five Star, Tent 12in
54 80 DON’T LET LOVE GET YOU DOWN, Archie Bell & The Drells, Portrait 12in promo
55 60 WHEN I THINK OF YOU, Janet Jackson, A&M LP
56 52 MY ADIDAS, Run-D.M.C., US Profile 12in
57 39 BURNIN’ LOVE, Con Funk Shun, US Mercury 12in
58 72 ONE BODY, Marc Reed, 20/20 Records 12in
59 77 MAKE ME THE ONE (LES ADAMS REMIX), Crown Heights Affair, CityBeat 12in
60 68 DANCING IN THE STREET (DANCE MIX), Matt Bianco, WEA 12in
61 37 PRISONER OF LOVE (UK RE-EDIT), Millie Scott, Fourth & Broadway 12in
62 67 TAKE A PIECE OF ME, Booker Newberry III, Omni 12in
63 45 THROUGH THE NIGHT, Blue Moderne, US Roll Records 12in
64 59 PEE-WEE’S DANCE, Joeski Love, US Vintertainment 12in
65 62 I’LL KEEP ON LOVING YOU (DUB & SCRATCH REMIXES), Princess, Supreme Records 12in
66 83 HOT TO TOUCH, Julian Jonah, Total Control Records 12in promo
67 79 STAY A LITTLE WHILE, CHILD, Loose Ends, Virgin 12in
68 66 BREATHLESS, Mtume, Epic 12in
69 54 GOTTA FIND A WAY/INSTRUMENTAL, Russ Brown, 10 Records 12in
70 re FOOL’S PARADISE, Meli’sa Morgan, Capitol LP
71 56 TROW THE DICK/TROW THE D./DUB MIX, Ghetto Style with 2 Live Crew, US Luke Skyy Walker Records 12in
72 — PAY ME BACK MY LOVE, Colors, US Prelude 12in
73 48 IT ONLY TAKES A MINUTE (BEN LIEBRAND REMIX), Tavares, Capitol 12in
74 — HIT IT RUN (0-97)/IS IT LIVE (96¾)PERFECTION (0-85¼-0)/YOU BE ILLIN’ (127¾-0)/DUMB GIRL (0-95½)/SON OF BYFORD — PROUD TO BE BLACK (0-81-85)/WALK THIS WAY (105½)/IT’S TRICKY (127¾)/RAISING HELL (0-84½bpm), Run-D.M.C., US Profile LP
75 64 SHADOWS OF YOUR LOVE, J.M. Silk, US DJ International Records 12in
76 — IF YOUR HEART ISN’T IN IT, Atlantic Starr, A&M 12in
77 63 MY SECRET FANTASY/BREAK OUT THE LOVE, The Controllers, US MCA Records LP
78 re BYE-BYE, Janice, US 4th & B’way 12in
79 — HIP HOP BEBOP, Jimmy McGriff, US Milestone 12in
80 75 NOBODY’S BUSINESS (INSTRUMENTAL CLUB MIX), Billie, US Fleetwood 12in
81 97 DOMINOES (LIVE), Donald Byrd, Streetwave 12in
82 51 GIVE ME UP, Beau Williams, US Capitol 12in
83 76 (SOLUTION TO) THE PROBLEM, Masquerade, Streetwave 12in promo
84 91 PRAYIN’ (GOSPEL MIX), Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, Stateside 12in
85 re WHAT’S MISSING (REMIX), Alexander O’Neal, Tabu 12in
86 94 TELL ME IT’S TRUE, Ian Foster, MCA Records 12in
87 — STOP ME FROM STARTING THIS FEELING, Lou Rawls, Epic LP
88 — NO NEWS IS NEWS – REMIX (0-113¼-113-112½bpm), Kreamcicle, US New Image 12in
89 — SHOW ME THE WAY (GRAND GROOVE)/(NO DEREK), Any Day Now, A&M 12in
90 61 MAPUTO, Bob James/David Sanborn, Warner Bros LP
91 86 SECRETS, Linda Tillery, US 411 Records LP
92 87 CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE, James Cobbin & Prime Cut, Lovebeat International 12in
93 — ALL WRAPPED UP IN ONE, The TTED All Stars, US TTED Records Inc 12in
94 89 OFF THE HOOK, C.M. Dance, US Midnight Sun 12in
95 70 MY LATIN LOVER, Q-Pid Featuring Nikki Q, US Sunnyview 12in
96 — NON-STOP/BIG FUN, Skyy, US Capitol 12in
97 90 FINE YOUNG TENDER/MORE THAN A MILLION/LOVE’S ON FIRE/DANCE TO THE GROOVE, Aleem featuring Leroy Burgess, Atlantic LP
98 82 MAIN THING/MAIN DUB, Shot featuring Kim Marsh, US Easy Street 12in
99 — I LOVE MUSIC (0-124¾-125-0bpm), Terry M, French Magnetic Records 12in
100=78 DONT LET LOVE GET YOU DOWN, Matthew David, Bluebird/10 12in
100= — I MISS YOUR LOVE (112¾bpm), Petria, US Romil Records 12in
100= — GET OFF THE TRACK, Antionette, US King Davis Records 12in

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EUROBEAT

01 01 REFLEX ACTION, Louise Thomas, R&B 12in
02 02 RUNNING AWAY FROM LOVE, Astaire, Passion LP bonus 12in
03 08 IN THE HEAT OF A PASSIONATE MOMENT, Princess, Supreme Records LP
04 — YOU’RE GONNA BE MINE, Novo Band, German Ariola 12in
05 03 OH L’AMOUR (REMIX)/GIMME GIMME GIMME, Erasure, Mute 12in
06 09 I’M YOUR MAN (REMIX), Barry Manilow, RCA 12in
07 15 VENUS, Bananarama, London 12in
08 — CAN’T LIVE, Suzy Q, Belgian ARS 12in
09 05 ANOTHER DAY COMES (ANOTHER DAY GOES) (NIGHTMARE MIX), Kiki Dee, Columbia 12in
10 07 MALE STRIPPER, Man 2 Man meet Man Parrish, US Recan 12in
11 13 AGAIN, Do Piano, French EMI 12in
12 — ANGEL IN MY POCKET, One To One, German Ariola LP
13 — HANDS UP, Kelly Marie, Passion 12in white label
14 04 YOU’RE A BEAT, Eastbound Expressway, Passion 12in
15 12 THIRD TIME LUCKY, Pearly Gates, Funkin’ Marvellous 12in
16 10 AMERICAN LOVE, Rose Laurens, German WEA 12in
17 — HOW MANY HEARTS, Evelyn Thomas, Record Shack 12in promo
18 17 DISENCHANTED, The Communards, London 12in
19 22 HUMANOID INVASION, Laser Dance, Dutch Hot Sound 12in
20 16 GET OUT OF MY LIFE, Lady Lily, Italian Papagayo 12in
21 re SHY SHY SUGARMAN, Jack’s Project, German Ariola 12in
22 — YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE (M&M REMIX), Candi Staton, Warner Bros 12in
23 — GOING HOME, Tony Gabriel, French AA Music 12in
24 — LIGHT A LIGHT, Peppermint, US RJM 12in
25 19 IRRESISTIBLE, Stephanie, Carrere 12in
26 18 I LOVE MY RADIO (MIDNIGHT RADIO) (US REMIX), Taffy, US Emergency 12in
27 — BAND OF GOLD, Bonnie Tyler, CBS 12in/US Disconet LP
28 — NOBODY’S BUSINESS (EXTENDED RADIO), Billie, US Fleetwood 12in
29 20 ROCK IT DOWN TO MIDNIGHT, Diebold & Co, US Nightwave 12in
30=21 NOTHING IN COMMON, Wagner, Italian Best 12in
30=11 LIKE A TIGER, Michael Zager, US Mosaic 12in