ODDS ‘N’ BODS
Rare groove fans must be feeling very sheepish – the supposedly bootleg import called ‘Roadblock’ turns out to have been purpose built for that market by none other than Stock Aitken Waterman, not only as producers but as the thus far unnamed artists too! … King Enri, now back in South London (Deptford Champs Fridays/Sidcup Danielles Saturdays), has been jocking in Florida where record stores are much slower than ours to stock US newies, American record companies apparently now exporting disco material to England for initial reaction before letting Florida’s shops have their product, by then of course over-stickered as ‘UK Club Hit’! … Birmingham mixer Scooby Swift’s UK remix of Denise Motto ‘IMNXTC’ is evidently Chicago’s hottest import … Jack ‘N’ Chill ‘The Jack That House Built’ is now in a frenetically edited and stun-gunned 126bpm Demolition Mix (10 Records TENR 174), and Liaz ‘Mission Impossible’ is in a slightly beefier 121bpm The Impossible 12″ Mix (Kool Kat KOOL TR4) … Freddie Bastone has been allowed by Motown to create a totally restructured and overdubbed real remix of the Temptations’ ‘Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone’ … Pete Waterman will be remixing Disco Aid ‘Give Give Give’ for this year’s November 21 charity night … Cooltempo will be marketing the more exciting jack track-ish US Grooveline-released Def Mix of its ‘original’ 2 Puerto Ricans A Blackman And A Dominican in a week or two, and has snapped up Kid ‘N Play for rush release … LL Cool J ‘I’m Bad’ evidently is due to be flipped by a remix of ‘Rock The Bells’ … BADJ, the newly formed Bristol Association of Disc Jockeys, holds its first meeting at Kingswood’s Chase Suite on Monday (June 29) at 8pm, further info on 0454-317070 … Tony Griffin points out that these days there is no funk scene at all in Bristol, where he’s resident jock at The Parkside (which Tristan Bolitho left because of the commercial music policy), but there is a funk scene in Cheltenham, where Tony lives! … Jerry Hipkiss is slipping in as much soul as possible while temporarily sitting in on Severn Sound’s nightly 2-6am slot … Deptford Champs (formerly Cheeks) also has Capital Radio’s Chris Forbes and King Enri on Thursdays for a new ‘hardcore’ Night Train session … Saturday (June 27) Chris Hill and Steve Wren join Gordon G at Walthamstow’s Racers, while Pete Tong, Nicky Holloway, Eddie Gordon, Maggot and more move ‘n’ groove The Slammer at Northfleet’s Red Lion … Paul Clark souls and rare grooves Sunday evenings at Hove’s Palmeira, plus this Saturday (June 27) joins Tony Fernandez at Cambridge’s De-Freville Arms, and on Monday (June 29) helps open Horley’s brand new Davinchis in Consort Way’s Victoria House with a ‘Brickhouse Special’ … Tuesday (June 30), and every fourth Tuesday, Steve Walsh joins Les Adams at Norbury’s Sussex Tavern for a ‘Two Tons Of Funk’ night! … James Lewis is joined at Bridgend Astons next Tuesday (June 30) by David Grant, and the following week (July 7) by Dancin’ Danny D for a Cooltempo promotion night … London’s Simon Goffe has really crossed the track to trek up to Newcastle-upon-Tyne for a soul night at Zoots every Wednesday … Bruce ‘The Juice’ Edward is the soul jock at the Rooftops pub club in Sheffield’s brand new Charlie Parkers complex, on Charles Street … Barry Island’s Butlins camp has in fact reopened under the new ownership of Majestic Holidays which plans a new million pound up-market club complex … Shaun Sullivan (0922-27307) is after good PAs for his new Friday soul-funk-house night with Adrian John at Walsall’s Three Crowns in Sutton Road … Colonel Abrams’ long-awaited next album appears to be scheduled in the US for August release … ‘Bellvue Patient‘, title track of the otherwise lacklustre rap LP by Funk Master Wizard Wiz (US Tuff City), uses Bill Withers ‘Use Me’ bass line … Castle Communications’ new label Blatant has issued a double LP ‘Genius Of Rap‘ (BLAT LP 1), chronicling the Sugarhill story through such obvious oldies as ‘Rapper’s Delight’, ‘White Lines’, ‘Drop The Bomb’ and eight more … Ian Levine has re-recorded ‘Needle In A Haystack’ with the original four Velvelettes … Morgan Khan, whose Rumors hip hop newsletter will merely be one photo-copied sheet without any advertising, has finally given up looking for Britain’s Michael Jackson — he’s now after another Prince or Madonna! … LAH DEE DAH DEE!
RALPH TEE is behind the Arista Masters reissue series which has just resurrected ‘How Could You Break My Heart‘ by Bobby Womack, seen here with him, while soon to follow are Jeff Perry ‘Love Don’t Come No Stronger‘, General Johnson ‘Don’t Walk Away‘, Tom Browne ‘Funkin’ For Jamaica’, Debbie Taylor ‘Just Don’t Pay‘ and a Don Blackman four-tracker. Ralph’s also supplying soul gossip for Martin Collins’ Chiltern Radio show on Wednesdays at 8pm, and has started a Sunday soul residency at Belmonts near Sutton in Surrey.
HOT VINYL
FEEDBACK ‘Simply Magic’ (Production House PNT 007)
A bit too digitally stuttered at the start, this Lillo Thomas/Kashif-ish wriggly pushing 0-112bpm roller has a pent-up lead bursting out of the hushed though gently insistent lurching choruses (dub flip), a fine follow-up to ‘So Fine’.
SPOONIE GEE ‘The Godfather’ (US Tuff City TUF 128019)
As the title suggests, this Marley Mari-mixed 103⅔bpm rap uses a rolling jiggly rhythm by the godfather of soul, the hardest workIn’ man in showbusiness, Mr Please Please himself, James Brown (inst/dub flip), so of course it’s just made for London’s clubs today!
FIRST CHOICE ‘Let No Man Put Asunder’ (Serious Records OUS 3)
This Roshelle Fleming-led Philadelphia girl group’s disjointedly rambling 0-118⅔-118-118½-119½-121½-121-120⅔-119¾bpm disco oldie was a major influence on Chicago’s house music (compare the bass line with ‘Jack Your Body’!), although the rhythm is far from house as we now envisage it — and neither is the flip’s much remixed more instrumental beefier 119⅓-117½-118⅔-121¼-120⅔bpm House Mix ’87, which, beware, turns out not to be Rutger ‘RuTTI’ Kroese’s imported Special Dutch House Mix after all.
JELLYBEAN featuring Elisa Fiorillo ‘Who Found Who’ (US Chrysalis 4V9 43089)
Jellybean of course produced and assembled this Paul Gurvitz-penned bright — would you believe? — Madonna-ish breezy 118bpm canterer (two differently emphasised dubs as well), while soul jocks are flipping for the bass burbled and snare drummed building 0-114¼-114½-0bpm ‘The Real Thing, Part II (Instrumental)‘, which actually has some Pandy/Abrams-ish vocal and ends up quite house-like.
WAS (NOT WAS) ‘Spy In The House Of Love’ (Fontana WAS 212)
Gruffly wailed easily loping instantly familiar seeming catchy soul canterer, given a house tinge by its lyrics and vocal timbre even in its 0-118bpm Single Mix, but especially in Jeff Young’s cheeky Maceo & The Macks-introed ‘jack’-ified main 0-118-0bpm Jeffrey B Young & Dangerous Mix, and ‘chipmunk’-ed 0-118bpm In House Mix. Nice, incidentally, to see Phonogram resurrect the old Fontana label for this.
MEL & KIM ‘FLM’ (Supreme Records UPET 113)
Stock Aitken Waterman-created zingily hustling guitar-chinked racer in an instrumentally started 122bpm Mega Club Version or brighter more instantaneous 121¾bpm Alternative Version, which latter deserves to be the A- rather than AA-side.
THE SYSTEM ‘Don’t Disturb This Groove (Extended Remix)’ (Atlantic A9241T)
A real sleeper since it appeared in January, this deceptively downtempo chunkily rolling 80½bpm attractive naggingly impassioned slowie (in three mixes plus the amorphous gentle 115bpm ‘Save Me‘) has been drummed into Londoners’ skulls by repeated radio play —which also obviously helped it to be huge in the US.
ERNESTA DUNBAR ‘Checking Out’ (US World Records WR-004)
Time honoured Philly sounds permeate this wailingly souled busily churning and jiggling 119¾bpm backbeat chugger, bright and frisky in three mixes reminiscent somehow of Candi Staton — plus there’s the really excellent gorgeous soulfully swaying 100¾-0bpm ‘You’, even better and well worth finding.
THE NIGHT WRITERS ‘Let The Music (Use You)’ (US Danica Records DAN-1610)
Rather good Frankie Knuckles-produced cowbell and hi-hat sizzled smoothly flowing fast 124½bpm pulsating house racer with a slippery bass line and some soulful Darryl Pandy-ish vocal punctuation (in three mixes).
CHICAGO TRAX ‘Megamix’ (German BCM/Trax Records TX 33-5003-45)
Much better than ‘Mic Mac’ Meyers’ last house megamixes, these excellent ones created from Trax material include a useful House Master Boyz-remixing (0-)120bpm ‘House Nation Beat Box’, a (0-)119⅔-119½-119¾-119⅔-119¾-120bpm ‘Floor Smoker Mix‘, and 0-118⅔-118½-118⅔bpm ‘Chicago Hot Mix‘ plus its 0-118¼-118⅔bpm Radio Edit.
VARIOUS ‘Rob Olson’s Chicago Jackbeat Vol Two‘ LP (Rhythm King LEFT LP2)
The latest budget priced collection has the James Brown-cutting 120bpm DUANE & CO ‘Hard Core (On The One) (JB Traxx II)’, soulfully taunting 123¾bpm MG² ‘My House Is Bigger Than Your House‘, jerkily spurting 121⅔-0bpm MATT WARREN ‘Bang The Box (Jack Beat Remix)‘, hi-hat hissed simple 121½bpm KEVIN IRVING ‘Ride The Rhythm (Remix)‘, synth-washed yelping 0-119¼-0bpm RAGTYME: FEATURING BYRON STINGILY ‘Can’t Stay Away‘, muttering 126¾bpm DENISE MOTTO ‘Tell Jack (Jack The House)‘.
WAYNE FERNANDEZ ‘Let Me Call You Angel (Heaven’s Own Mix)’ (Epic WAYNE T1)
Epic obviously sees this quavery voiced soulster as another Terence Trent D’Arby/Paul Johnson, to judge from the push behind his debut Rod Temperton/Barry Blue-penned jittery swaying 101⅓bpm lilting jogger, with a familiarly catchy chorus which not even Barry’s over-busy production can obscure.
LUTHER VANDROSS ‘I Really Didn’t Mean It (12″ Mix)’ (Epic LUTH T3)
His current album’s other UK floor-filler has been remixed in Jam & Lewis-ish style (by Bruce & Marcus Miller) to become a quivering and tapping lightly lurching 114bpm trotter that’s spoilt by some gimmicky digital edits (in three mixes), not as good as it could have been.
D.J. SLICE ‘Slice It Up’ (US Jam City Records/Erika Records Inc ERJ-1001)
Hidden as flip to the drily chatting 98bpm KOOL ROCK JAY ‘Check It Out‘ (instrumental too), this exciting jittery fierce 117½-117¾-118-0bpm rap ‘n’ scratch cuts in ‘One Nation Under A Groove’, ‘The Smurf’ and many more, at a tempo that could be useful for house mixers too!
THE ISLEY BROTHERS ‘Smooth Sailin’ Tonight (Extended Version)’ (US Warner Bros 0-20675)
Lovely relaxed tranquil gently rolling 76⅔-76⅓bpm slow swayer in typical vocal style, despite there only being two brothers left, Ronald and Rudolph, helped now by writer/co-producer Angela Winbush of René & Angela (dub flip).
FREDDIE McGREGOR ‘Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely’ (Germain Records DGT 24, via Jet Star)
Soulfully sung lovely rolling 85½bpm lovers’ rock revival of the Main Ingredient oldie (dub/version too).
TONGUE IN CHEEK ‘Don’t Stop The Love’ (Criminal Records BUST 4, via Jet Star)
Girl-led Loose Ends-type pleasant 92bpm rolling slow purposeful jitterer with cooing choruses and some scratchy sax (dub/edit flip).
PHUTURE ‘Acid Tracks’ (US Trax Records TX 142)
Marshall Jefferson-produced odd long drily thumping then throbbing 119¼-119-118¾-118½-118¼-118bpm windswept instrumental overlaid with naggingly wheezling and chirping squiggly synth, interestingly unusual, flipped by the separate pulsing 119⅔-118¼bpm ‘Phuture Jacks‘ and anti-cocaine 117½-117bpm ‘Your Only Friend‘.
BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS ‘Poetry’ (LP ‘Criminal Minded’ US B Boy Records BB4787)
A strong rap ‘n’ scratch set by DJ Scott La Rock and Blastmaster KRS One, with this hot James Brown-cutting 95bpm jiggler, the reggae-accented 82⅓bpm ‘9mm Goes Bang‘ and 90-0bpm ‘The P Is Free (Remake)‘, starkly jolting 95½bpm ‘South Bronx‘ and similarly territorial 90bpm ‘The Bridge Is Over‘, purposeful rock guitared 89bpm ‘Dope Beat‘, jaunty sexually bragging 0-96bpm ‘Scott La Rock Had Them All (Super Hoe)‘, scratching (0-)96bpm ‘A Word From Our Sponsor‘, 99bpm ‘Elementary‘, 0-90½bpm title track.
SCHOOLLY-D ‘B-Boy Rhyme & Riddle’ (LP ‘Saturday Night! The Album’ Flame Records MELT LP-2)
Good if stark jerky rap ‘n’ scratch set, this interesting 96½bpm jolter having a distinctive organ break, while the percussively patterning 93bpm ‘Dedication To All B-Boys‘ has also had more reaction than the aggressively juddering 93⅙bpm ‘We Get Ill‘, monotonous instrumental (0-)105⅓bpm ‘It’s Crack‘, cutting 92⅚bpm ‘Get “n” Paid‘, older 99½bpm ‘Saturday Night’ single and its ‘Who’s Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf’-cutting 103⅔bpm ‘Do It Do It’ flip.
UK DISCO TOP 100 – June 27, 1987
01 02 LIFETIME LOVE (JAZZY BEAT/DEF BEAT/DEF DUB/JAZZY DUB) Joyce Sims, London 12in
02 02 DO IT PROPERLY (NO WAY BACK) Adonis (featuring 2 Puerto Ricans A Blackman And A Dominican)/NO WAY BACK Adonis, London 12in
03 03 CROSS THE TRACK (EXTENDED)/SOUL POWER 74 Maceo & The Macks, Urban 12in
04 04 FAKE Alexander O’Neal, Tabu 12in
05 05 ROCK STEADY The Whispers, MCA Records 12in
06 21 I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES (EXTENDED MIX) Jackson Sisters, Urban 12in
07 07 LET YOURSELF GO (CLUB/PARADISE MIXES) Sybil, Champion 12in
08 06 I KNOW YOU GOT SOUL Eric B and Rakim, Cooltempo 12in
09 40 I’M IN LOVE (REMIX) Lillo Thomas, Capitol 12in
10 23 I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (WHO LOVES ME) (REMIX) Whitney Houston, Arista 12in
11 36 DANCING IN THE NIGHT Lanier & Co, Syncopate 12in
12 12 SERIOUS/BAD LOVE Donna Allen, Portrait 12in
13 16 FUNKY NASSAU Black Britain, 10 Records 12in
14 10 LOOKING FOR A NEW LOVE Jody Watley, MCA Records 12in
15 28 THE JACK THAT HOUSE BUILT/DUB Jack ‘N’ Chill, 10 Records 12in
16 27 I’M BAD/GET DOWN LL Cool J, Def Jam 12in
17 39 LAST NIGHT Kid ‘N Play, US Select 12in/Cooltempo promo
18 08 BACK AND FORTH (EXTENDED REMIX/DUB VERSION) Cameo, Club 12in
19 14 HARD CORE (ON THE ONE) (AT THE ORGAN/JB IN HEAT/LOWDOWN ‘N’ FUNKY/JB TRAXX II) Duane & Co, US Dance Mania Records 12in
20 11 HOUSE NATION The House Master Boyz and The Rude Boy Of House, Magnetic Dance 12in
21 24 THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE (SHEP PETTIBONE REMIX/DUB) Janet Jackson, Breakout 12in
22 17 OUTLAW (THE BANDIT MIX) Strafe, Breakout 12in
23 56 DO IT PROPERLY (FIERCE CLUB MIX) 2 Puerto Ricans A Blackman And A Dominican, Cooltempo 12in
24 22 CAN U DANCE/CAN U JACK Kenny ‘Jammin’ Jason with ‘Fast’ Eddie Smith, Champion 12in
25 44 SCREAM (PRIMAL SCREAM) Mantronix, 10 Records 12in
26 13 DOUBLE-X-POSURE/POUR IT ON Mason, Elektra 12in
27 45 ALWAYS (LP VERSION)/I’M IN LOVE Atlantic Starr, Warner Brothers 12in
28 15 DIAMONDS (DANCE MIX) Herb Alpert, Breakout 12in
29 49 CARINO T-Coy, deConstruction Records 12in
30 54 JAZZ IT UP Kool Chip featuring Toni Smith, Fourth & Broadway 12in
31 19 A TOUCH OF JAZZ (COLLAPSED IN THE STREET/EXTENDED RE-TOUCH) Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince, Champion 12in
32 35 MAKOSSA ’87 (BIG BLOW) Manu Dibango, Urban 12in
33 20 ROCK THIS HOUSE/DUB MIX Hotline, Rhythm King 12in
34 25 CHICAGO SONG (REMIX) David Sanborn, Warner Brothers 12in
35 09 I’M IN LOVE (LONGER LOVE MIX) Lillo Thomas, Capitol 12in
36 42 FOR THE LOVE OF YOU/JUST THE LONELY TALKING AGAIN/LOVE WILL SAVE THE DAY/WHERE DO BROKEN HEARTS GO Whitney Houston, Arista LP
37 38 STRAIGHT FROM THE JUNGLE/JUST GIVE THE DJ A BREAK, Dynamix II, US Bass Station Records 12in
38 18 I AIN’T INTO THAT The Rappin’ Reverend (C Dexter Wise III), Cooltempo 12in
39 37 NEW GENERATION The Classical Two, Jive 12in
40 62 HAVE A NICE DAY Roxanne Shanté, US Cold Chillin’ 12in
41 53 I’LL RETURN 52nd Street, 10 Records 12in
42 89 FUNKY NASSAU (REMIX) Black Britain, 10 Records 12in
43 80 DON’T DISTURB THIS GROOVE (REMIX) The System, US Atlantic 12in
44 32 LET NO MAN PUT ASUNDER (SPECIAL DUTCH HOUSE MIX) First Choice, Dutch Rams Horn 12in
45 — WOMAN OF PRINCIPLE Trouble Funk, Fourth & Broadway 12in
46 — LET NO MAN PUT ASUNDER (ORIGINAL MIX/HOUSE MIX) First Choice, Serious Records 12in
47 — SHOW ME THE WAY Regina Belle, CBS 12in
48 30 THIS IS THE NIGHT (PROGRESSIVE MIX) Sweet Heat, Champion 12in
49 — ROK DA HOUSE The Beatmasters featuring The Cookie Crew, Rhythm King 12in
50 75 DIAMONDS (COOL SUMMER MIX) Herb Alpert, Breakout 12in
51 47 ROCK-A-LOTT (REMIX) Aretha Franklin, Arista 12in
52 46 LET’S BEGIN/STEPHEN’S OVERTURE Turntable Terror Trax Vol 2, Bluebird 12in
53 26 EVERYTHING BAMBOO (“BAM BOO”) Lenny D & Tommy Musto, Magnetic Dance 12in
54 — THE GODFATHER Spoonie Gee, US Tuff City 12in
55 41 PLEASE BE MINE/SO MANY TEARS/TAKE YOUR LOVE AWAY Regina Belle, US Columbia LP
56 58 DON’T LOOK ANY FURTHER (ORIGINAL REMIX/NEW REMIX/INSTRUMENTAL) Dennis Edwards featuring Siedah Garrett, Gordy 12in
57 — THE JACK THAT HOUSE BUILT (DEMOLITION MIX) Jack ‘N’ Chill, 10 Records 12in
58 — IF YOU WERE MINE (DANCE MIX) Cheryl Lynn, US Manhattan 12in
59 48 BOOPS (CJ SCRATCH REMIX) Sly & Robbie, Fourth & Broadway 12in
60 52 ROCK THE BEAT Derek B, Music Of Life 12in
61 65 SUCKER FOR CANDY (THE HOT CANDY KISS MIX) Rozlyn Sorrell, US Atlantic 12in
62 31 MIRACLE WORKER (EXTENDED MIX) First Circle, EMI America 12in
63 79 TAKE SOME TIME OUT (CLUB/DUB) Arnold Jarvis, US Fourth Floor Records 12in
64 93 MAKE IT FUNKY (CLUB MIX) Ice-T, US Sire 12in
65 74 PICKS ME UP (YOUR LOVE) Point 3 FM, Hardcore 12in
66 57 SKRATCH FEVER/JUNGLE FEVER (MEGAMIX) Kinkina, Champion 12in
67 90 SPECIAL FX/IN THE MOOD/GIVE IT TO ME/NO PAIN NO GAIN/I WANT YOU The Whispers, Solar LP
68 78 IT’S TRICKY (SHEP PETTIBONE CLUB MIX) Run-DMC, London 12in
69 60 FASCINATED (CLUB MIX) Company B, Bluebird Records 12in
70 72 LET THE SUN IN/ONE LOVER AT A TIME/DON’T TAKE ME FOR GRANTED Atlantic Starr, Warner Bros LP
71 66 FUNKY NASSAU (EXTENDED VERSION) The Beginning Of The End, Atlantic 12in
72 55 GO CUT CREATOR GO/THE DO WOP/THE BREAKTHROUGH/KANDAY/THE BRISTOL HOTEL/I NEED LOVE LL Cool J, Def Jam LP
73 92 IF YOU ONLY KNEW Robert Brookins, MCA Records 12in
74 — SPY IN THE HOUSE OF LOVE (JEFFREY B YOUNG & DANGEROUS MIX) Was (Not Was), Fontana 12in
75 83 AM I THE SAME GIRL/LOVE MAKES A WOMAN Barbara Acklin, Debut 12in
76 81 IF I WAS YOUR GIRLFRIEND Prince, Paisley Park 12in
77 61 NO SLEEP TILL BROOKLYN/BRASS MONKEY Beastie Boys, Def Jam 12in
78 97 DO IT PROPERLY (DAVID MORALES DEF MIX) 2 Puerto Ricans A Blackman And A Dominican, US Grooveline 12in
79 82 SHY GIRL (DUB/VOCAL) Lachandra, Syncopate 12in
80 — COOLIN OUT Private Joy, Champion 12in
81 — GOOD FRIENDS Faze One, Westside Records 12in
82 64 IT’S NOT UNUSUAL/EXTENDED VERSION/LIVE MEDLEY Tom Jones, Decca 12in
83 67 LATELY/FOLLOW YOUR HEART/TRYING TO KEEP MY HEAD Ronnie McNeir, Expansion Records LP
84 — I REALLY DIDN’T MEAN IT (12” MIX) Luther Vandross, Epic 12in
85 51 ROCK THE HOUSE (MEDLEY) (PTS I & II) Mr K Mix by Special K, US TD Records Inc 12in
86 34 SOUTHERN FREEEZ ’87 Freeez, Total Control Records 12in
87 69 HOUSE NATION BEAT BOX/CHICAGO HOT MIX/FLOOR SMOKER MIX Chicago Trax Megamix by ‘Mic Mac’ Meyers, German BCM/Trax Records 12in
88 — SONGBIRD (EXTENDED VERSION) Kenny G, Arista 12in
89 84 ROADBLOCK Stock Aitken Waterman, US Lynx Records 12in
90 re THE JACKIN’ NATIONAL ANTHEM/HOUSEBROKEN Ramos, US Hot Mix 5 12in
91 — I REALLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU (SUMMER SOUL MIX) Rick Clarke & Emma, RCA 12in
92 59 SWEETHEART (MIAMI MIX) Lee Prentiss, Funkin’ Marvellous Records 12in
93 95 HOW COULD YOU BREAK MY HEART Bobby Womack, Arista 12in
94 — (IF YOU) LOVE ME JUST A LITTLE La La, Arista 12in
95 — TAKE MY LOVE/GOTTA FIND A WAY (1987 EDIT) Russ Brown, US Jump Street 12in
96 — SLICE IT UP DJ Slice, US Jam City Records/Erika Records Inc 12in
97 — WHEN YOU GONNA (THE BOROUGH ANARCHY MIX) Rick and Lisa, RCA 12in
98 re YOU USED TO HOLD ME Ralphi Rosario featuring Xavier Gold, US Hot Mix 5 12in
99 85 WHAT YOU WON’T DO FOR LOVE/DOWN FOR THE THIRD TIME Bobby Caldwell, Magnetic Dance 12in
100= 100= — CABBAGE PATCH The World Class Wreckin Cru, US Kru-Cut Records/Macola Record Co 12in
100= — HAPPY (CLUB VERSION) Camelot II, US Jam-Kru 12in
100= — JACK IT ALL NIGHT LONG Bad Boy Bill, US DJ International Records 12in
HI-NRG
01 01 ELECTRICA SALSA/REMIX Off, Sonet 12in
02 04 ARMED ROBBERY Seventh Avenue, Nightmare 12in
03 05 FASCINATED Company B, Bluebird 12in
04 03 HEARTBEAT Vivien Vee, Italian X-Energy 12in
05 02 LOVE CHILD Jamie Dean, Uptown Records 12in
06 07 I NEED A MAN/ENERGY IS EUROBEAT Man To Man, Bolts 12in
07 06 CALL ME Spagna, CBS 12in
08 14 GET READY (EXTENDED REMIX) Carol Hitchcock, A&M 12in
09 29 VICTIM OF LOVE Erasure, Mute 12in
10 11 PAPER MONEY Helena, Arista 12in
11 30 I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (WHO LOVES ME) (REMIX) Whitney Houston, Arista 12in
12 10 SIGNAL YOUR INTENTION Kim Weston, Nightmare 12in
13 15 PANINARO (REMIX) Pet Shop Boys, Italian Parlophone 12in
14 12 NOTHING’S GONNA STOP ME NOW Samantha Fox, Jive 12in
15 16 PUT MY LOVE ON THE LINE Darryl Pandy, Nightmare 12in
16 08 DON’T GET MAD, GET EVEN Mary Wilson, Nightmare 12in
17 17 THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND/LANDSLIDE Angie Gold, Passion 12in
18 22 PERFECT OPPORTUNITY Rob Keane, Nightmare 12in
19 13 RAINSTORM (REMIX) Eastbound Expressway, US Vinylmania 12in
20 — GIMME THE LIGHT Solid Strangers, German ZYX 12in
21 — ALWAYS DOESN’T MEAN FOREVER (MY-AMI MIX) Hazell Dean, EMI 12in
22 21 RECONCILIATE Le Page, US Prism 12in
23 09 IN LOVE WITH LOVE Debbie Harry, Chrysalis 12in
24 — BACKTRACK Shezwae Powell, Nightmare 12in
25 25 I’M A MAN Damian Davey, Passion 12in
26 — MY HANDS ARE TIED Susan Wells, Nightmare 12in
27 — TOY BOY Sinitta, Fanfare 12in
28 20 STEP BY STEP Off, German ZYX 12in
29 18 NIGHT CITY Secret Service, German Teldec 12in
30 23 THE BIG BANG Fantasy Ten, German ZYX 12in
It’s not the first acid house track to feature in these pages – Sleezy D’s “I’ve Lost Control” was reviewed in June 1986, and you could perhaps make a plausible case for Mr Fingers “Washing Machine” at the start of the year – but Phuture’s “Acid Trax” (a remix of a 1985 track called “In Your Mind”) marks the true starting point for the genre, and gives it its title.
Elsewhere, Ragtyme (featuring Byron Stingily) are an early incarnation of the fantastic Ten City, who we’ll be hearing a lot more of in the fullness of time.
Some of the Ralph Tee Arista reissues that James mentions didn’t actually make it to vinyl after all, but it’s a very well-curated selection: Jeff Perry’s glorious “Love Don’t Come No Stronger” remains a big tune on the Northern circuit to this day, and the General Johnson and especially the Debbie Taylor tracks are great finds.
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So we’re still waiting for the first mention of Gregg Diamond’s ‘Hot Butterfly’ which to me seemed to make up (along with ‘Cross The Tracks’ and ‘Miracles’) the triumvirate of biggest rare groove tunes which you’d hear all over London in 1987. By their positions of the first two in the Club chart the must have been popular records all over the country and not just the capital.
And a review of the Nightwriters ‘Let The Music Use You’ which I now remember mostly from the remixed instrumental rave version with the weird and atmospheric break in the middle which was a big club and dance radio hit in about 1992 and which I really liked.
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D’you know, I’ve never knowingly heard Gregg Diamond’s ‘Hot Butterfly’ before – it must have been a London thing – but it’s a lovely track. And the Nightwriters track – a stone cold classic in my book – has arrived much earlier than I was expecting; it’s linked in my mind to early 1988.
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