March 18, 1989: “rm’s Hi-NRG Chart bites the dust this week — and it won’t be revived”

BEATS & PIECES

WHO WILL the surprise superstars be at the Royal Albert Hall tonight (Tuesday)? — photos and full details about the International DJ Convention and Technics World DJ Mixing finals next week! … Alyson Williams’ ‘Raw’ LP, reviewed in full on import last week, is inevitably now out here too (Def Jam 463293 1) … The 45 King’s The 900 Number’ has apparently spawned a new sliding and jumping dance dubbed the “chill” at Mr B’s in Southend-on-Sea — the same neck of the woods where “rowing” began to the Gap Band’s ‘Oops Up Side Your Head’, if you remember … Graham Gold, further to last week’s mention of his SOUL-fm bid, suspects that the move of former Capital Radio managing director and IBA director general John Whitney to the Really Useful Group as managing director is not unconnected with this Andrew Lloyd-Webber company’s upcoming bid for the solitary Greater London FM community radio licence, to run a classical music station — could well be, and isn’t that just like big business? … Inner City’s next single, due on April 3, is another Paris wailed jittery chugging techno smacker, with similarities but slower (circa 120bpm monitored off cassette) than their first two hits and actually mixed for A-side purposes by Duane Bradley, with though Kevin Saunderson and Juan Atkins mixes as flip … Kevin Saunderson’s faster House Mix turns out to be the A-side of the commercial 12 inch of Paula Abdul ‘Straight Up’ (Siren SRNX 111), flipped just by the Marley Marl mix … Wee Papa Girl Rappers’ commercial 12 inch leaves off the ‘Puff The House Down’ version, being A-sided by the Demolition Mix of ‘Blow The House Down’ (Jive JIVE X 197) … Blue Magic ‘Romeo And Juliet’, despite being on Def Jam in the States, really will launch that label’s new OBR “soul” logo when it’s released here … Severn Sound’s happy hippo Jerry Hipkiss points out that Jazzy Jason ‘M.U.S.I.C. (Use It)’ uses Paul Simpson’s 1983 import-only ‘Use Me, Lose Me’ over the riff from Colonel Abrams’ ‘Music Is The Answer’, as well as the beats from my remix of ‘The Smurf! … Malu Halasa last week mistakenly credited ‘I’m Into Something Good’ as having been originally by the Beach Boys, when in fact it was by Earl-Jean, soloing leader of popular girl group of the time (1964) the Cookies — I know only too well, as in a roundabout way that’s too embarrassing to explain, I was indirectly responsible for the song getting to Herman’s Hermits, whose leader Peter Noone has just re-recorded it! … Orchestra JB ‘On A Love Groove‘ (Metro Music) will be reissued imminently following the already reported resurgence of interest in it … Seventh Avenue has had such a fluid membership that it is impossible to categorise any individuals as being the main members, the boys now signed to Jive (for production by Marshall Jefferson) under the new name of Big Fun all being singers in their own right, I’m assured … Maxwells in Stirling needs DJs (not as exciting maybe as “Mars needs women”!), contact 0786-72619 during office hours, 0506-883608 evenings … Harrogate’s hobbyist mixer Tim Garbutt could have had time off work to go to Sheffield as a semi-finalist in the Technics UK DJ Mixing Championships but not to go to Leigh (past Manchester on the motorway over the Pennines) when the venue was switched to there, his slightly strange reason for being unable to compete! … Cash Money & Marvelous are touring at Rayleigh Pink Toothbrush Thursday (16), Northampton Roadmenders Friday, Norwich Arts Centre Sunday, Brixton Fridge Monday, Manchester Legends Wednesday (22), Bristol Bierkeller Thursday (23), Colchester University Friday (24), Tonbridge Angel Centre Saturday (25) … Simon Goffe brings upfront sounds to Soul On Ice in Dublin’s McGonagles on Saturday (18) … Gary J and Zippy pump upfront trax Wednesday at Club Jazzbo in Wrexham’s Mr C’s … Mark King has upfront Fridays at Burnham Beeches Henry’s near Slough … Steve Wren is funky downstairs, Bob Wilton soulful upstairs on Fridays at Gravesend’s famed The Slammer … DJ Le Carioca plays “Brazilian house” Saturdays at Café De Brazil in Manchester’s Precinct 13 … John Lengthorn has been given a month to establish Sunday as a “house” night at Bermondsey Old Kent Road’s Dunn Cow … ‘Night Network’ sadly going off the TV screens, will London at last get to see both parts of ‘The Hit Man And Her’? … Disco Mix Club master of ceremonies par excellence, John Saunderson surely isn’t touring with the Monkees under the guise of Davy Jones?… WOOO! YEAH!

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[Elsewhere in this week’s issue, Alan Jones writes as follows:]

rm’s Hi-NRG Chart bites the dust this week — and it won’t be revived.

We finally pulled the plug on a chart that both myself and James Hamilton have spent numerous hours compiling after a concerted attempt to manipulate it (partly successful) by an individual whose only aim would appear to be to boost his personal favourites to unrealistic heights.

Though we had been suspicious that this was the case for some time, we continued to put together the chart, believing that it was important to reflect what was happening in this particularly specialist area. But the recent history of the Hi-NRG chart has been a stormy one, with enormous amounts of flak flying in all directions.

We’ve had allegations that the chart is rigged by a prominent songwriter/producer who owns his own record label, that the SAW content of the chart is unrepresentatively high, that it is full of highly priced European imports placed there on the instructions of an import shop owner who had therefore a vested interest in giving these records a boost, and various other petty accusations.

Enough, we say. All we ever did was to compile the chart on the basis of specialist returns with scrupulous honesty.

Appearing in rm, the chart gave Hi-NRG (basically gay disco music) a visibility it has nowhere outside specialist publications. Its passing means that such charts will no longer get any prominence in the overground press. That is to no-one’s advantage, and all those who sought to distort the chart by making false claims on behalf of their own/friends’ records or by casting stones at others must share the guilt for its demise.

On a brighter note, though it was the most undynamic chart in history the Pop Dance Chart did mirror what was happening in thousands of clubs up and down the country, as well as helping our esteemed but hard-pressed Mr Hamilton decide what pop records he should review. As such, it served a purpose, and will be re-instated as from next week.

[As it turned out, the Pop Dance chart was not re-instated, and it did not appear in rm again.]

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HOT VINYL

NEW EDITION ‘Crucial (Dance Remix)’ (US MCA Records MCA-23934)
Jellybean Johnson, Spencer Bernard, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis together created this very uncharacteristic joltingly edited, funky bashing and jumping youthfully enthusiastic (0-)104⅙-104⅓-104⅙-104⅔-104⅙-0bpm P’funk-style jiggly remix — and maybe it’s a case of too many cooks, as the edits keep losing the beat (don’t these guys know how to measure the space between beats on tape?) — much livelier than the usual “swing beat” (104⅓bpm vocal dub and percapella too).

DJ DZIRE featuring JC 001 & Glory B ‘Bad Place To Get Hit’ (Furious Fish FFD002)
Rarely can there ever have been such a massive scratcherama as this four tracker, committed to vinyl by 18-year-old West London DJ Darren Galea from White City, with a flurry of flying fierce styli and toasting dread chat in the jittery exciting 113-115¼-114⅓bpm Freestyle, drier more staid dubwise 11 4bpm PA Mix and fast talking slithery 114-113¾-114¼bpm Sunday Night Live Mix (another that slips in my Tyrone Brunson/COD remix!), plus the slurring, rumbling and skanking 0-123⅔-124bpm ‘Rebel Sound Parts 1 & 2‘ (which fades halfway). Massive? Large!

kc FLIGHTT ‘Planet E’ (US RCA/Popular 8897-1-RD)
Although his last import, ‘Let’s Get Jazzy’/ ‘Dancin’ Machine’, sold steadily for months it never managed to hit The Club Chart, but this newie has instantly exploded! Sampling (by permission) the Talking Heads’ Once In A Lifetime’, it’s a hip house-ish leaping conversational rap that’s proving oddly hotter in its 121¼bpm percussive House and burbling Acid Drop Mixes than the more urgent 121⅛bpm actual Hip Hop Mix, coupled for added appeal with a bumpily pattering and twittering fiercer 123¾-124¼-124½-124⅔-124¼-123¾bpm Acid House Remix of that last single’s ‘Dancin’ Machine’.

CASANOVAS REVENGE ‘Let’s Work’ (US Invasion PAL-7248, via Profile)
It seems everyone is having “revenge” on Todd Terry these days, Charlie Casanova getting in on the act now with a blatantly Terry-type samples-crammed seven-tracker featuring this frantic LNR ‘Work It To The Bone’/Black Riot-ish leaper in 123½-123¾-0bpm Club Version 1 and 123½-123⅔-123½-0bpm Club Version 2 mixes, the also Black Riot-ish “woo”/”yeah” prodded 118¼-118-0bpm ‘Here We Go (R U Ready)‘, Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk-ish Serious Intention “oh oh oh” studded rapping hip house ‘I Can’t Take It’ in 122-122⅔-0bpm Chep’s Down, 0-122-121¾-0bpm Vocal and 122⅔-123bpm Chep’s Beat Junky Edits mixes, and the ‘Jack The Ripper’-ish 103⅓-0bpm ‘The Dope Jam‘.

BOBBY BROWN ‘Every Little Step (Extended Version)’ (US MCA Records MCA-23933)
Just as we get ‘Don’t Be Cruel’ again, here’s another LA & Babyface created and remixed juddery jogging 100⅓bpm “swing beat” jiggler, with infectious tongue twiddling phrasing and a rap break towards the end whipping up the enthusiasm (alternative 100⅓bpm Uptown Mix and Instrumental too), just as good as the others.

THE KLUB featuring Crystal Glass ‘Stand Up’ (US Smokin’ TAI 126613)
Glenn ‘Sweety-G’ Toby created brightly pop aimed girls chanted, Martin Luther King “free at last” introed, percussively Afro flavoured episodic excitingly leaping driver in 121bpm 12-Inch Vocal Mix, Zulu Mix, Zanzadub and 121-0bpm Glasshouse Dub, Garage Dub versions, likely to cross over when issued here.

A.O.K. ‘Shack it Up’ (US Profile PRO-7236)
The All Out Kings’ jazz-funk bass bubbled lurching jiggly 112½-0bpm rhythm riding rap has excellent crafty bursts of Isley Brothers ‘Shout’ scratching (“shack” replacing the word “shout”, so you “make me wanna shack”), with a strong 112⅓-0bpm Instrumental and Acappella, flipped by the choppy percussive break beats backed 109⅙bpm ‘The Signal‘ (Dub too).

M.C. MELL ‘O’ with D.E.T.T. Inc ‘Comin’ Correct’ (RePublic Records LICT 007, via Rough Trade)
Determination Endeavour Total Triumph are the initialled motto and watchword of Cutmaster Swift, Monie Love, No Parking MC’s, Trouble, Rodie Rok, DJ Pogo, DJ Biznizz, Sparki and MC Mell ‘O’, the last four of whom are involved in the various mixes on this four-track, due fully on March 20, with the Vibrettes ‘Humpty Dump’-based angrily rapped jittery 108⅓-109bpm title track and its alternative 108⅓-108⅔-0bpm Ruff Nheck Sparki Mix, funky drummered fast talking 108bpm ‘Wize‘ and more frantically scrubbing 116½-116¼bpm ‘Bizzie Rhymin‘. Hardcore and hot, but rather overshadowed in the homeboy stakes by DJ Dzire.

M.C. BUZZ B featuring Shorn ‘How Sleep The Brave’ (Play Hard Records DEC 15, via Nine Mile/The Cartel)
Manchester hip hoppers, associated with kitchen sink scratching DJ Johnny J, setting up a ‘Twilight’-ish bubbling DSM-style 101⅚-0bpm jazzy groove before an eventually chatting rap (101⅔-0bpm Instrumental too) on the Out To Distress-produced Jazz Mix A-side, or angrily jittering some bumpy old funk on the more instantly rapping Rock The House-produced 110⅕bpm 70’s Funk Mix flip (110⅓bpm Instrumental too).

GALLIFRÉ featuring Mondée Oliver ‘Don’t Walk Out On Love’ (US Gherkin Records GKE 1053)
Larry Heard co-produced girl moaned, wailed and nagged wriggly light pulser in its 122½-121¾-121⅔-0bpm Club Vocal, more percussive in its vocally rambling 121½-121¼-120⅔-120¼bpm Let’s Vamp, vigorous in its pshta pshta hi-hatted instrumental 122¼-122bpm Dub, and mystical in its throbbing 121¾-121¼bpm Acid Mix versions. Beware — on my copy at least, the labels are reversed, so check the matrix number pressed into the vinyl to find the A-side “Pickle Side”!

CHARLES B ‘Lack Of Love (Garage Mix)’ (Desire WANT x 13R)
Seemingly the week’s only remix (but then deadlines are early at the moment), the now no longer so acid moaning Adonis production is on a new four-track in this thumpingly striding 121¾bpm revamp and jittery 121⅔bpm Garage Dub Mix by Smack Productions’ Mike Cameron & Troy Patterson, flipped though by Adonis’s more acidic 122bpm House Mix and Mark Saunders’ truly twittering 122½-0bpm Club Mix.

ICE-T ‘High Rollers (Remix)’ (Sire W7574T)
Reduced here to a three tracker (but including, if you’re lucky, a free poster plus of course the original eye-poppingly sexist sleeve!), this drily talked slinkily jiggling 101⅔bpm morality rap remains the A-side whereas the flip’s siren backed frantic nervy “hip house”-style 123bpm ‘The Hunted Child (Remix)‘ has so far proved far hotter (and surely more commercial?), ‘Power’ here being replaced by the Simon Harris remixed muttering 102⅚bpm ‘Drama (Hi-Tech Mix)‘, not for airplay.

MFM ORCHESTRA ‘Love Is The Message’ (US Music For Money Records MFM-19)
Philadelphia’s MFSB (Mother Father Sister Brother, to give the initials their cleaner meaning!) originated the underground New York nightclub anthem of the same name on which this is obviously based, although cheekily the MFM Orchestra claim composership for themselves (their initials, as the label reveals, showing where they stand!), this familiar jazzily bubbling bounder pulsing along with some girls-cooed title lines and breathily muttering male rap in its basically instrumental (0-)123-0bpm Club Mix and 123bpm House Instra, Bass In Your Face, and NYC Dub Mixes.

GREG LEE ‘I Got U On My Mind’ (US Bigshot Records BR-130035)
Nick Anthony & Michael Ova created good simple jittery pumping canterer in a general all purpose house/garage/disco style, spread with variations across the 121¼-121½-122bpm Mona Mixx, 0-121¼bpm Komix Dub, 0-121-120⅔-0bpm Garage City Mix, more electro (0-)124bpm Deep Dub and 124bpm Free House Mix.

THE MACK featuring KYSIA BOSTIC ‘I Want You’ (US Quark QKO15)
Al Mack-created strange thinly compressed, growling girl wailed, snappily jittering and scrubbing electro shuffler, in (0-)120⅙-0bpm Club, (0-)120-0bpm Radio, and freakily stuttering arabic-style (0-)119⅘-0bpm ‘I Want You (Badly)’ Sex Import Mixes, causing a stir in New York but maybe not widely available here just yet.

10dB ‘I Second That Emotion (Big Twelve Mix)’ (Crush ONE6604)
San Diego-born Stanley ‘Gerard’ Thermond and Philadelphia-born Audrey ‘Paris’ Hollis, both now LA-based sessioneers, revive Smokey Robinson & the Miracles’ classic in jerkily jiggling 99⅓bm modern style, too busy to be truly “swing beat” but in that bag (dub flip).

RAGTYME featuring T.C. Roper ‘Fix It Man’ (US Bright Star Records BR-006)
Originally reviewed in October 1987, this Byron Stingily & Byron Burke created mildly amusing double entendre-stuffed house bubbler has the fix it man drawling “here I stand, with my tool swingin’ in my hand” — got the idea?! — in Byron Burke’s 125bpm Radio and Build A House Mixes, and Marshall Jefferson’s 124⅔bpm Vocal Mix, attracting more attention now than when new alongside the group’s more typical ‘I Can’t Stay Away’ revival, despite being much less like Ten City.

FRESHSKI DAMES ‘Kicking It Live’ (Mango Street 12IS 407)
Overlord X-produced, Public Enemy-inspired screeching “noise” scratching jittery 0-104bpm East London rap by stridently scolding young ladies Sphinx, Misty D and Indiana Jane, flipped perhaps even more interestingly by SUPER T & SIR PREME TEE ‘Mission Accomplished’, a jauntily chiming, scrubbing and jumping, samples and scratches scrambling 117⅕bpm instrumental.

2 LIVE CREW ‘Yakety Yak’ (US WTG Records 41 68168)
From the Arnold Schwarzenegger/Danny DeVito movie ‘Twins’, this Luke Skywalker produced jumpy crazed remake of the Coasters’ 1958 “don’t talk back” classic is like a much hipper Fat Boys, in scratching introed rapping 0-123¼bpm Bass and 7″ Radio, bounding instrumental 121¾bpm Dirty House Mixes, and rapping sparse jerky 119¾bpm House Version, promoted on import ahead of Epic release here next month.

UNIQUE 3 and the MAD MUSICIAN ‘Only The Beginning’ (Chill Records DB786)
Bradford’s Mixmaster Edzy, DJ Cool Cutz, MC JMP and Deadly “D” launch onto vinyl with a “live” introed washing machine-style ethereal pulsing and sizzlingly simple 0-123½-122¾bpm house instrumental, dated but none the worse for that, flipped by its basic stylophone piped (0-)122⅔-121¾bpm ‘The Theme’ variation (which has had more attention so far), both pretty primitive.

SOUND ASSASSINS ‘Paarty! (Mayhem)’ (AnXious Records NERVT 002, via PRT)
Gruff then strangulated “let me hear you say paarty” repeating noisily churning, throbbing and surging 120¼bpm basic bassy thudder (dubwise flip).

4TH GENERATION ‘Ain’t Nobody’ (JDP JD PD 014, via Hand On Heart Co-op, 01-985 1512)
Amateurish cheaply produced empty 104⅔bpm remake of Rufus & Chaka Khan’s 1983 classic, nicely enough wailed by the group’s three girls but adding no new slant to the far better made, enduring original, so rather pointless for all but the most ardent of street soul fans (instrumental flip).

SKINNY BOYS ‘Skinny (They Can’t Get Enough)’ (Jive HIP 73)
Weeks following its brief chart appearance, hopefully now there is room to document in passing this solid enough rap set by the lean trio, with the already 12-inch 108⅔bpm ‘Set The Pace’ (Say Yeah)’, 105⅔bpm ‘Stylin’‘, 112bpm ‘Get Pepped‘, and Wee Papa Girl Rappers-duetted 105⅔bpm ‘Free Your Mind‘, Flavour Flav-arranged 99⅔-0bpm ‘Stop Cryin’‘, Chuck Chill Out arranged 96⅔bpm ‘Cause We’re Getting Ours‘, 104⅔bpm title track, 106⅔bpm ‘Straight To The Dome’, 0- 96⅓bpm ‘Skinny Groove’, 108⅔bpm ‘I Think It’s Time’, 105⅔bpm ‘On’, 98⅔bpm ‘Every Kid’s Dream’, 88⅚bpm ‘Mystery’.

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POP DANCE

MADONNA ‘Like A Prayer’ (Sire W75397), still like a virgin, Madonna appears to be identifying with her namesake, the Virgin Mary, on this eagerly awaited and much publicised, Pepsi plugging, rather Abba-ish chorally supported jiggly surger, in Shep Pettibone’s bright but stop-start jerkily spurting 0-112-0-112-0-112-0bpm 12″ Extended Remix and Bill Bottrell’s much more useable interestingly sombre and dense, really quite funky, (0-)112¾-0bpm 12″ Club Version, relegated to the flip though not to be overlooked;

SHEENA EASTON ‘Days Like This (Extended Version)’ (MCA Records MCAT 1325), LA & Babyface created, Louil Silas Jr & Jeff Lorber remixed, juddery plaintive 107bpm lurcher in the prevailing US “urban” pop style;

NEW ORDER ‘Round & Round’ (Factory Fac263), very efficient if not particularly infectious slickly wriggling (0-)129¼-0bpm galloper, instrumental for ages before becoming rather Pet Shop Boys-ishly vocal, due soon in various “techno” type remixes too (hint, hint), & flipped already by the funkier beat box tapped more house-ish 126-0bpm synthetic strings washed instrumental ‘Best & Marsh‘;

FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS ‘Good Thing (Nothing Like The Single Mix)’ (London LONX 218), David Z remixed jitteringly percussive scrubbing and jumping choppy 122bpm husky chanter (instrumental too), without much of a song going on — and, as the title says, nothing even remotely like the flip’s 7-inch Mix, which is a 1964/5 vintage Motown styled 0-164⅓bpm leaper!;

CANDI ‘Under Your Spell’ (IRS Records EIRST 101), Madonna-esque squeakily plaintive M&M mixed 115⅓-0bpm jiggling chugger by a Canadian group (fronted confusingly by an Italian-Canadian girl called Candy, with a “y”), recently big in US clubs;

THE FLIRTATIONS ‘Back On My Feet Again’ (Nightmare MARE 86), ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ tempo 178½-0bpm frantic spirited flier by the reunited (for the first time in 16 years) Earnestine & Shirley Pearce and Pearly Gates;

HERNANDEZ ‘All My Love (Extended Version)’ (Epic HER T1), Wayne’s now just surnamed newie is a juddery jiggling ponderous 93½bpm “swing beat” roller in the current US style, with Milli Vanilli-ish touches and quite catchy choral chants;

VANESSA WILLIAMS ‘Dreamin’’ (Wing Records WINGX 4, via Polydor), attractive lush 0-42/84bpm smoocher by the ex-beauty queen, obviously good for radio as it topped the US Black Singles chart recently;

PAUL JOHNSON ‘No More Tomorrows (Extended Version)’ (CBS PJOHN T7), dated early Eighties-style smoothly souled lurchingly clopping 119bpm canterer, created by Imagination’s old producers Swain & Jolley (no relation), now also in Lee Hamblin’s emptily jolting 117bpm dull The 24 Hours Late Mix (CBS PJOHN Q7);

FLASH AND THE PAN Waiting For A Train’ (Cha Cha Records CHATT1, via PRT), Vanda & Young’s vocally clipped synth washed 1983 hit in a sparsely cantering 0-133½bpm remix by Germany’s DJ KK;

LOVE AND MONEY ‘Jocelyn Square’ (Fontana MON 712), Wet Wet Wet-ish pleasant lazily drawled and yowling guitar nagged rolling 97⅔bpm blue eyed swayer (perhaps limited by a lyric that states “now it’s November” so long after its apparent sell-by date!), flipped by the Shep Pettibone mixed thuddingly lurching guitar snarled rockily chanting 104⅔bpm ‘Candybar Express’ from 1986;

SANDEE ‘Notice Me’ (Ton Son Ton SONL 10, via Sonet), Minnie Riperton-ishly introed but then routine early electro style jittery Latin hip hop (0-)116½-0bpm plaintive wailer with stuttery effects and some catchy “oh wee oh” backing chants, flipped by a Spanish muttered totally different smoothly striding 122⅓-0bpm alternative dub treatment;

2-KUT featuring Anna ‘Beat Boy (Club Side)’ (Deutschland Strike Back SBR 22T, via Rough Trade/The Cartel), Berlin recorded clomping dated (0-)118bpm volume pumper with Tarzan yells, disjointed Yello-ish chatter and eventually some French talk by Anna;

2 BRAVE ‘After Midnight (The Strong Mix)’ (London LONX 221), Shep Pettibone remixed ponderously jolting breathy (0-)100bpm stark dull jitterer by a pair of Norwegian pretty boys, the flip’s alternative 100bpm Extra Long Mint Version adding some walking bass but being just as production heavy;

DAVID ESSEX ‘Rock On (Shep Pettibone Remix)’ (Lamplight Records 12 LAMP 5, via Priority/BMG), starkly lurching (0-)82bpm total remake of his 1973 debut hit, too disjointed and slow to be a likely floorfiller despite Shep’s involvement;

THE WONDER STUFF ‘Who Wants To Be The Disco King?’ (Polydor/The Far Out Recording Company GONEX 6), raucously shouted 140-0bpm punk guitar thrash aimed at, and by, spotty herberts too shy to go out with the lads, get pissed and pull birds down the disco (sideswiping by inference Stock Aitken Waterman’s mechanical productions though they do, this also must use some computerised artifice to maintain its steady tempo!);

JESUS JONES ‘Info Freako’ (Food Ltd 12J 1), Johnny Rotten meets John Lennon on a magical mystery tour for a strainingly screeched angry spurting (0-)125⅓-0bpm indie thumper.

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HI-NRG

SANDRA ‘Heaven Can Wait (Extended Version)’ (Siren SRNT 104), jittery jolting small voiced (0-)118bpm Eurodisco chugger produced by her husband, Michael Cretu, in the old Madonna style;

SHEILA STEWART ‘It’s You’ (Loading Bay Records LBAY-1, via PRT), Holland recorded plaintive Abba-ish steadily loping and stuttering 109bpm Eurobeat chugger, big in Birmingham since last June and a Hi-NRG chart fixture on import since December, launching in fact a Birmingham (Selly Oak) based label;

CLAUDIA T ‘Dance With Me’ (Loading Bay Records LBAY-2), like Sheila Stewart licensed from Holland’s Made Up Records, but in this case a blatantly uptempo recent Hi-NRG chart-topping squeaky SAW-style pounding rinky tinky 128¾-0bpm galloper;

CELENA DUNCAN ‘Running For The Moon’ (Nightmare MARE 75, via PRT), Levine & Wagner created impassionedly wailing 126¼-0bpm jittery galloper (for some reason the label credits it as being 128bpm, and the sleeve 130bpm!);

SCHERRIE PAYNE ‘Pure Energy’ (Nightmare MARE 85), Yazz-ish emphatic 122½-0bpm jerky galloper, actually co-penned by Freda’s sister with Ian Levine & Steven Wagner (who produced, along with LA’s Rick Gianatos);

DANCE ADDICTION ‘Don’t Stop (Perpetual Mix)’ (Bolts NUTSX 101), untidily amateurish jumbled 122½-0bpm jitterer, the best bit being an early Chic quote, squeakily prodded by the Brown twins, Sarah and Angela (who don’t have much to do).

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THE CLUB CHART – March 18, 1989

01 05 KEEP ON MOVIN’ (CLUB MIX) Soul II Soul (featuring Caron Wheeler), 10 Records 12in
02 01 ONE MAN (ONE MIX/DOPE DUB/INTENSE MIX) Chanelle, Cooltempo 12in
03 03 SLEEP TALK Alyson Williams, Def Jam 12in
04 02 TURN UP THE BASS (REMIXES) Tyree featuring Kool Rock Steady, ffrr 12in
05 23 MUSICAL FREEDOM (FREE AT LAST) (EXTENDED FREEDOM MIX/THE ORIGINAL/SIMPSON TREATMENT) Paul Simpson featuring Adeva and introducing Carmen Marie, Cooltempo 12in
06 06 SATISFACTION/YOU MUST BE THE ONE/SUSPICIOUS/WHERE DO WE GO?/FOR YOU/CLOSE AND SLOW Ten City, Atlantic LP
07 09 THIS IS SKA/THINGS JUST DON’T MAKE SENSE Longsy D’s House Sound, Big One 12in
08 07 YO YO GET FUNKY (MIXES) Fast Eddie, DJ International Records 12in
09 45 SAY NO GO/ME MYSELF AND I/EYE KNOW/BUDDY/GHETTO THANG/POTHOLES IN MY LAWN De La Soul, US Tommy Boy LP
10 04 THAT’S THE WAY LOVE IS (ACIEED/UNDERGROUND MIXES) Ten City, Atlantic 12in
11 16 ADDING ON (CLUB TRACK)/FIRST IN EXISTENCE/BLACK IS BACK/PURE RIGHTEOUSNESS/ALL TRUE AND LIVING/GETTING FIERCE Lakim Shabazz, US Tuff City LP
12 63 PEOPLE HOLD ON (MIXES) Coldcut featuring Lisa Stansfield, Ahead Of Our Time 12in
13 12 MY LOVE IS MAGIC (LES ADAMS’ BIG BÄS DRUM REMIX) Bäs Noir, 10 Records 12in
14 17 THE 900 NUMBER The 45 King, Doctor Beat 12in
15 34 WANNA BE GOOD TONIGHT (TOP CAT/CANDI MIXES) Candi McKenzie, Cooltempo 12in
16 27 NOT GONNA DO IT (BAM BAM HOUSE REMIX) Vicky Martin, MCA Records 12in pre-release
17 11 TOUCH ME (LOVE ME TONIGHT) (MIXES) Brian Keith, CityBeat 12in
18 37 I’M RIFFIN (ENGLISH RASTA) MC Duke, Music Of Life 12in
19 55 GOT TO KEEP ON (B BOY MIX/12” VERSION)/PICK UP ON THIS Cookie Crew, ffrr 12in
20 33 REACHIN’ (BROTHERHOOD/LATIN WORKOUT MIXES)/IT’S A MYSTERY (MYSTERY II U/ORIGINAL MYSTERY MIXES) Phase II, RePublic Records 12in pre-release
21 96 THE REAL LIFE Corporation Of One, US Smokin’ 12in/Desire promo
22 52 BLACK IS BLACK (ULTIMATUM MIX)/STRAIGHT OUT THE JUNGLE (REMIX) Jungle Brothers, Gee Street 12in
23 14 SELF-DESTRUCTION (MIXES) The Stop The Violence Movement, Jive 12in
24 18 SECRET RENDEZVOUS (AFTER HOUR MIX) Karyn White, Warner Bros 12in
25 25 JOY AND PAIN (REMIXES) Donna Allen, US Oceana 12in
26 10 I CAN DO THIS (UPTOWN/DOWNTOWN MIXES) Monie Love, Cooltempo 12in
27 28 PLANET E (MIXES)/DANCIN’ MACHINE (ACID HOUSE REMIX) kc Flightt, US RCA 12in
28 39 THE REAL LIFE (OPPY MIX)/SO WHERE ARE YOU (MIXES) Corporation Of One, US Smokin’ 12in
29 21 PROMISED LAND (MIXES) Joe Smooth featuring Anthony Thomas, DJ International Records 12in
30 — SOMETHING SPECIAL (MAGIC JUAN MIX/INSTRUMENTAL/LP VERSION) Sharon Dee Clarke, Urban 12in pre-release
31 92 ROMEO AND JULIET (VOCAL REMIX) Blue Magic, US Def Jam 12in/OBR promo
32 67 JUST A LITTLE MORE/AM I THE ONE? Deluxe, Unyque Artists/The Dance Yard Recording Corporation 12in
33 20 LOC’ED AFTER DARK/WILD THING Tone Loc, Fourth & Broadway 12in
34 58 YOU WERE THE ONE (HOUSE MIX/SHAMEEK’S HOUSE MIX) Deniz, Urban 12in
35 26 LOVE’S GOT 2 BE STRONG (MIXES) Keyman Edwards, US Sound Pak 12in
36 29 M.U.S.I.C. (USE IT)/FASTER THAN FAST! (HIP HOUSE VER.)/MAKE THE FLOOR BURN (BONUS DUB) The Dynamic Guv’nors present Jazzy Jason, Blapps! Records 12in
37 24 MY LOVE IS SO RAW/NOT ON THE OUTSIDE/I NEED YOUR LOVIN’/WE’RE GONNA MAKE IT/ON THE ROCKS/JUST CALL MY NAME/I LOOKED INTO YOUR EYES/MASQUERADE/STILL MY NO. 1 Alyson Williams, US Def Jam LP
38 82 MAKE MY BODY ROCK (FEEL IT) (MIXES) Jomanda, US Big Beat 12in
39 44 I WANT YOU/SHE SAY KUFF (MIXES) Massive Sounds, US nugroove 12in
40 38 ONE STEP AT A TIME (MIXES) Naisha, US Sutra/Anything Goes Records 12in
41 53 LET’S WORK (VERSIONS)/HERE WE GO (R U READY)/I CAN’T TAKE IT (MIXES)/THE DOPE JAM Casanova’s Revenge, US Invasion 12in
42 64 I NEED SOMEBDOY (MARSHALL JEFFERSON/BLAZE/FLY GUYS MIXES) Kechia Jenkins, CityBeat 12in
43 47 SERIOUS (CEEREEUS BDP REMIX) Steady B, US Jive 12in/UK promo
44 62 DON’T BE CRUEL (EXTENDED VERSION/RAPACIOUS MIXES) Bobby Brown, MCA Records 12in
45 99= CRUCIAL (DANCE REMIX) New Edition, US MCA Records 12in
46 48 IT’S A MYSTERY (OF LOVE) (REMIXES) Phase II, RePublic Records 12in limited edition
47 69 ACTIVATED (TIMMY REGISFORD REMIX) Gerald Alston, Motown 12in
48 57 FREE YOUR SELF/BETTER DAYS (MIXES) Jimi Polo, Urban 12in
49 08 MY PREROGATIVE (EXTENDED REMIX) Bobby Brown, MCA Records 12in
50 51 SEX 4 DAZE (I WANT IT, YOU CAN GET IT) (MIXES) Lake Eerie, US nugroove 12in
51 — BLACK AND PROUD!/SKRUM (AND THEN SOME!) Dismasters, US Urban Rock Records 12in
52 15 PROMISED LAND (LONGER VERSION)/CAN YOU STILL LOVE ME? The Style Council, Polydor 12in
53 19 RUNAWAY GIRL/IT’S ALL RIGHT (MIXES) Sterling Void, ffrr 12in
54 70 BAD ATTITUDE (EXTENDED MIX) Heather Austyn, Urban 12in pre-release
55 74 SHACK IT UP A.O.K., US Profile 12in
56 90 SPEND THE NIGHT (BAM BAM’S “HOUSE” REMIX/MIKE DUNN DUB MIX) Bam Bam, Desire 12in
57 42 GIRL I GOT MY EYES ON YOU (TIMMY REGISFORD REMIX) Today, Motown 12in
58 — WHY CAN’T YOU (BELIEVE IN ME) Marc Sadane/YOU CAN DO IT (IT’S SO EASY) Dino Terrell/I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S OVER Darryl Payne featuring Will Downing/CAN YOU LOVE ME Billy Strick/TOUCH ME (LOVE ME TONITE) Brian Keith/IT’S ALRIGHT NV/I NEED YOU NOW Sinnamon/DANCING IN THE STREET Kreamcicle featuring Barbara Harris (‘Darryl Payne: Past, Present & Future’), Graphic Records LP
59 54 HELYOM HALIB (ACID ACID ACID/ACID MIX) Cappella, Italian Media Record 12in
60 43 SEDUCTION (MIXES)/EVERYBODY “JUMP” Seduction, Breakout 12in
61 — WHO’S IN THE HOUSE (THE HIP HOUSE ANTHEM/AFTER EIGHT DUB) The Beatmasters with Merlin, Rhythm King 12in pre-release
62 60 DON’T WALK OUT ON LOVE (MIXES) Gallifré featuring Mondée Oliver, US Gherkin Records 12in
63 46 THE COURT IS NOW IN SESSION/LET THE WORDS FLOW Chill Rob G, US Wild Pitch 12in
64 — REAL LOVE (EXTENDED VERSION) Jody Watley, US MCA Records 12in/UK promo twinpack
65 87 HARD CORE HIP HOUSE/OH YEA HEY NO Tyree/ENERGY Robot DJs/MY MELODY Fast Eddie (‘Acid II’), US Underground LP
66 36 THE HUNTED CHILD/HIGH ROLLERS (REMIXES) Ice-T, Sire 12in
67 72 DAYS LIKE THIS (EXTENDED VERSION) Sheena Easton, MCA Records 12in
68 35 YOYO GET FUNKY/HIP HOUSE/I CAN DANCE/FUNK MAKES YOU MOVE The DJ Fast Eddie, DJ International Records LP
69 99= OK, ALRIGHT (MIXES) The Minutemen, US Smokin’ 12in
70 49 ALL PRAISE/LET ME MAKE LOVE TO YOU (CLUB MIX) Prince Lover Dalu, Breakout 12in
71 re ROAD TO THE RICHES Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, US Cold Chillin’ 12in
72 — START OF A ROMANCE (EXTENDED VERSION) Skyy, US Atlantic 12in
73 89 THE BASS GIRL/VOICES IN MY HOUSE (MIXES) Hardhouse, US Easy Street 12in
74 83 MONKEY SAY, MONKEY DO (GERMAN BEAT REMIX) WestBam, Doctor Beat 12in
75 99= EVERY LITTLE STEP (EXTENDED VERSION/UPTOWN MIX) Bobby Brown, US MCA Records 12in
76 — LET IT LOOSE (E.Z. MIX/LOOSE CLUB/LOOSE DUB/HOT 7 INCH MIX) Amy Jackson, US Bigshot Records 12in
77 — TIME MARCHES ON (STRAIGHT UP MIX/JUST RIGHT MIX/STRAIGHT UP DUB/JUST RIGHT DUB/JUST IN TIME MIX) Jungle Wonz, Breakout 12in pre-release
78 95 COMIN’ CORRECT/(RUFF NHECK SPARKI MIX)/WIZE/BIZZIE RHYMIN MC Mell’O’ with DETT Inc, RePublic Records 12in pre-release
79 85 EASE BACK/GIVE THE DRUMMER SOME/WATCH ME NOW Ultramagnetic MC’s, ffrr 12in sampler
80 re  I’M HOUSIN (REMIX) EPMD, Sleeping Bag Records 12in
81 re DON’T SAY GOODBYE (MIXES) Anthony Thomas, US Next Plateau Records Inc 12in
82 66 EIN, ZWEI, DREI, VIER (VERSIONS) Aufnahme, Italian Meet Record 12in
83 59 WALK ON… (LONG VERSION/REMIX/R&R MIX) Smith & Mighty featuring Jackie Jackson, Three Stripe Records 12in
84 — GOT TO GET YOU BACK (THE GROOVY PIANO MIX) Kym Mazelle, Syncopate 12in
85 — CAN YOU FEEL THIS (THE PEOPLES MIX PART SIX)/DANCE TO THE MUSIC)/CIRCUS ACID/ACID BREAK/FREESTYLE ACID BAND/I CALL IT ACIEED!/MIAMI BASS/JAMMIN BREAKDOWN)/FRANKIE’S SEDUCTION Frankie “Bones” presents Bonesbreaks Volume 3, US UnderWorld Records 12in
86 32 I FEEL FINE (12” REMIX) Positiv Noize, Urban 12in
87 — SOMEBODY IN THE HOUSE SAY YEAH! (CLUB HOUSE MIX/ACID MIX)/A PASSING THOUGHT (12″ REMIX/LP VERSION) 2 In A Room, US Cutting Records 12in
88 re PARTY AND DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT (INSTRUMENTAL) New Jersey Queens & Friends, Base Line 12in
89 — BAD PLACE TO GET HIT (MIXES)/REBEL SOUND (PARTS 1 & 2) DJ Dzire featuring JC 001 & Glory B, Furious Fish 12in
90 81 ON THE REAL TIP/GIVE IT HERE Def Jef, Delicious Vinyl/Fourth & Broadway 12in
91 80 FLESH (REMIX/ORIGINAL VERSION) A Split Second, ffrr 12in
92 — KICKING IT LIVE Fresh Ski Dames/MISSION ACCOMPLISHED Super T & Sir Preme Tee, Mango Street 12in
93 re I’M IN LOVE (MIXES) Sha-Lor, US Gertie 12in
94 re I’LL MAKE YOU DANCE Kool Rock Steady (‘Rap Trax Volume One’), US Trax Records LP
95 88 GOT U ON MY MIND (MIXES) Greg Lee, US Bigshot Records 12in
96 71 LET’S GO (REMIXES) Fast Eddie, US DJ International Records 12in
97 — THE STRUT House Sarge/THE CURLY TRACK The Party Boy/EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE/GROOVIN’ Mike Dunn (‘On The Loose’), Desire 12in EP promo
98 re LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY (THE FUTURE MIX) Bali, Circa Records 12in
99 — EXPRESS YOURSELF/GANGSTA GANGSTA/STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON/I AIN’T THA I/____ THA POLICE/COMPTON’S IN THE HOUSE (REMIX)/QUIET ON THA SET/PARENTAL DISCRETION IZ ADVISED/IF IT AIN’T RUFF/DOPEMAN (REMIX) N.W.A., US Ruthless Records LP
100 — RHYTHM IS THE MASTER/(INSTRUMENTAL)/TIME TO RHYME/(DUB) DJ Chuck Chillout and Kool Chip, US Mercury 12in