Month: July 1989

BEATS & PIECES

DON’T FORGET we’ve moved, all charts should go to Alan Jones/James Hamilton at rm, Punch Publications Ltd, Ludgate House, 245 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 9UZ (Fax number 01-928 5158) … ‘Batdance’ is not heard in any form during the movie of ‘Batman’, the incidental music and orchestral opening title theme being by Danny Elfman while Prince contributes ‘The Future’, ‘Vicki Waiting’, ‘Electric Chair’, ‘Partyman’, ‘Trust’ and the closing credits’ ‘Scandalous’ (not that it seems that many), most being played on ghettoblasters as party music or the like (the film is good fun if very violent, with Jack Nicholson’s gloriously over the top performance as the Joker a standout to relish) — the music you’re most likely to go home whistling, however, is the old ‘Beautiful Dreamer‘ as featured repeatedly by Hill Bowen & Orchestra (CBS)! … Gordon Mac points out that KISS/fm’s much criticised demo cassette was not a necessary part of the station’s submission for the London incremental FM licence, the rest of the application being totally professional: furthermore, had the station succeeded, its daytime shows would have been presented by veteran broadcasters while the more amateur but knowledgeable presenters would have been heard only in the evenings … CBS have followed the US-style ‘Stronger Together’ seven inch demo by the Chimes with now a separate 12 inch promo, ‘1-2-3 (The Silent Club Dub)‘, a soulfully pent-up girl wailed 110¼bpm chunkily lurching jiggly production by Jazzie B & Nellee Hooper no less, who also have produced the currently ffrr promoed wriggly tapping 111½bpm huskily semi-spoken unhurried ‘Blind Faith‘ by Diana Brown & Barrie K Sharpe … Atlantic have promoed Steve Hurley “DJ’s on the box” stuttering jerkily episodic exciting hip house-ish 122⅘pm ‘Work It Out‘ … ‘In Motion’ remains the title of the Precious track here, as previously reviewed, largely because that is what it was called when sent to MCA Records from its Big Beat US label … Inner City’s gatefold sleeve housed remixes, detailed last week, will not in fact be out until July 31 and August 7 … The Blow Monkeys featuring Sylvia Tella ‘Choice? (Re-remix)‘ (RCA PT 42958), sounding like a fault although apparently intentional, is an oddball 116⅖-116⅕bpm revamp overlaid by a wowing and wobbling rhythm as if the tape is slipping, coupled though by also new 116⅖bpm Magic Juan, so-called Electro, and 116⅕bpm Short Mixes, all driven to differing degrees by the ‘Think (About It)’ drumbeat … Longsy D’s latest creation, ‘Rude Boyz Gettin Funky’ is actually by L.D.Jam Inc! … ‘I Feel The Earth Move’ turns out to have been withdrawn to make way for ‘Blame It On The Boogie (PWL Remix)‘ by Big Fun, a sibilant hissing cymbal swamped effete 117⅖-117⅕-117⅖-117⅕bpm remake of Mick Jackson’s 1978 Jacksons oldie (recent inspiration of course for Norman Cook’s ‘Blame It On The Bassline’) … AVM Records here have a partnership with the Sound Of Belgium label and will be releasing Fax Yourself ‘Sunshine ’89’ on July 31 … Milton Keynes’ Jolly Roger is the latest DJ to record Timmy Thomas’s ‘Why Can’t We Live Together’, for August 14 release … Newport Pagnell’s Les Adams celebrated his homecoming from hospital by buying a CD Jukebox … South-West Devon was my sun scorched destination last week — BUT NOT FOR LONG!

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HOT VINYL

THE BEATMASTERS featuring MC Betty Boo ‘Hey DJ/I Can’t Dance To That Music You’re Playing’ (Rhythm King LEFT 34T)
Switching between the Claudia Fontaine sung chorus of Martha Reeves & The Vandellas’ 1968 US hit ‘I Can’t Dance To That Music You’re Playing‘ and the modern Monie Love-ish rap of MC Betty Boo (also apparently known as Alison), this aggressive 120⅗-0bpm hip house jitterer is yet another in a rapidly overcrowding field, while the AA-side’s authentically shanking and jumping, Luke Tunney trumpet brayed and Jum Jum chanted, Sixties style (apart from a few acidic squiggles) 0-123⅘bpm ‘Ska Train‘ is more ska than sk’ouse and sounds like a fresher hit to me.

LIL LOUIS ‘French Kiss’ (ffrr FX 115)
Much hyped and massive, this mesmerically repetitive (0-)123⅖-123⅗-123⅘-0-124-0-bpm house instrumental gradually decelerates and accelerates through an orgasmic tempo-less break about two-thirds through, subsequent pressings being due to have other new mixes but the promo at least retains as flip the import’s twittery 0-121⅗bpm ‘Jupiter‘ and clanging (0-)125⅖-125⅘-126bpm ‘Wargames (Remix)‘.

BLACK BOX ‘Ride On Time (Massive Mix)’ (de/Construction PT 43056)
This Loleatta Holloway sampling gospel-ish girl roared exciting Italian house canterer is here in the same mixes as on import but with new UK names, this 119-118½(break)-119bpm original A-side, the (0-)118⅖-118⅘bpm Epsom Mix (Garage Trip) and 118½bpm Ascot Mix (Piano Version). A hit by any name! Continue reading “July 29, 1989: The Beatmasters featuring Betty Boo, Lil Louis, Black Box, Raven Maize, Odyssey”

BEATS & PIECES

NOTE NOW that we have moved, making the new address for all charts and other communications — as of last week, so this really is important! — rm, Punch Publications Ltd, Ludgate House, 245 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 9UZ (Fax number for charts, addressed like envelopes for the attention of Alan Jones/James Hamilton, is 01-928 5158) … I currently have a deadline so early on Thursday that unless record companies have ensured bike delivery of their product to my home address by Wednesday afternoon, they stand no chance of it being considered for review the following week (The Club Chart however will continue to reflect records’ activity up to the weekend immediately preceding publication) … London Jazz Radio, with backers including Michael Caine, Humphrey Lyttleton, Cleo Laine, Johnny Dankworth, Miles Kington, Bill Oddie, Brian Rix, Andre Deutsch and several MPs, won the London incremental FM radio licence — which won’t be bad, as the professionally run station promises a range of programming embracing all types of jazz plus soul, R&B and blues, influenced very probably by the way in which US jazz stations operate … KISS-fm’s hopeful backers meanwhile are described as being “choked”, but, although undeniably popular when operating as a pirate, their shoddy presentation just was not professional and tight enough to deserve to win: however, they were apparently one of the runners-up, and, depending on whose report you believe, further FM airspace may or may not be made available in London for the best two runners-up … Capital Radio’s Los Angeles recorded new jingles feature Philip Ingram, no less … BBC2-tv finally shows the drastically edited highlights of the Technics World DJ Mixing Championships Royal Albert Hall stage show this coming Monday (24) between 6.30-7pm … Les Adams celebrated the LA Mix single’s entry into the Top 20 by somehow getting pneumonia, but (against the advice of two doctors and, for what it was worth, myself) he nevertheless drove down from Newport Pagnell to Hammersmith for the Bobby Bland/Johnnie Taylor/Denise LaSalle show, but was in such pain on arriving that he checked in instead to the luckily nearby Charing Cross Hospital — where, following the show, Emma Freilich, Peter Young (“PY The Pink Tie” as he’s now known!) and MC Jammy Hammy found him sitting in just his underpants on a trolley with nobody looking after him, it taking us three hours then to get him properly admitted and tucked up in bed (which at the time of writing is where he seems likely to stay for some time yet) … West London’s Record & Disco Centre has been short of staff after the opening of a new sandwich bar, as within two days’ at least 25 people went down with food poisoning, including the shop’s Jerry Green, Sheridan Jules and Barvin Patel! … Brixton’s Red Records, having branched successfully into Soho, has just opened another new store in Peckham, at Rye Lane’s Aylesham Centre (described as a high street location without the usual high street compromises!) … Lil Louis ‘French Kiss’ has been promoed by ffrr, initial UK pressings being flipped by the import’s ‘Wargames’ and ‘Jupiter’ although vocal versions are yet to come — meanwhile, though, Simon Harris has recorded a cover version under the name Big Louis, which his own Living Beat Records will release on August 7, a fortnight after the original in a gentleman’s agreement with ffrr (for whom, of course, to complicate things, he records under his own name!) … Unyque Artists have split away totally from The Dance Yard Recording Corporation as an independent label, distributed by Spartan still … ‘Ska Train‘, so hot on promo, will after all now be a double A side on the Beatmasters’ next single … CBS have promoed on US-style seven inch the Soul II Soul/Loose Ends-ish jogging 95⅓bpm ‘Stronger Together (Demo Version)’ by The Chimes, flipped by the less good brassily jolting 0-94⅓bpm ‘Bodyrock‘ … I regret my new deadline left no time to review (on import) the girl wailed James Bratton & Kelly Charles created garage Franda Robertson ‘Think‘ (Micmac); aggressively snarled pumping hip house White Knight ‘Keep It Movin’‘ (Jive); afro rhythm flavoured jiggly Italian Landro & Co ‘Belo E Sambar‘ (New Music); anxious guy wailed vigorously bounding The Fascination ‘Serious‘ (Play House Records); Randy Muller penned swingbeat Skyy ‘Love All The Way‘ (Atlantic); Frankie Bones and Lenny Dee created typical acid, hip house and even rock eight-track ‘Looney Tunes‘ EP (Nugroove); War accompanied slow gruff rap Ice-T ‘Heartbeat (Remix)‘ (Sire); MC Jammy Hammy “get off” sampling murkily volume pumping Italian St Andrew’s Gang ‘The Family House’ (Discomagic); swingbeat-ish one side and slow soul t’other Babyface ‘Tender Lover’ (Solar LP); and (out here) totally Les Adams remade breezily chugging Viola Wills ‘Gonna Get Along Without You Now‘ (Music Man); Teddy Riley produced and Timmy Regisford remixed whompingly buoyant swingbeat Déjà ‘Goin’ Crazy‘ (10 Records); girls sung bass pumped cantering Biddu Orchestra featuring Erica ‘Foundation Of Love‘ (Trax); Yazoo ‘Don’t Go’ based (rather than the Yazz you might here expect) jittery Euro house Two Without Hats ‘Try Yazz‘ (Music Man); DC Lee led ethereal “yay yay yeah” background girls chanted catchy sparse wriggly striding Slam Slam ‘Move (Dance All Night)‘ (MCA Records) … Koxo Club Band ‘Paradhouse Remix’ in its A-side German remix is 117⅘-117⅗bpm, while similarly Doug Lazy ‘Let It Roll’ on Atlantic is also only 117⅘bpm, Dee Major ‘Rock My Rhyme’ is 0-111⅘bpm and Steady B ‘Nasty Girls (Extended Version)’ is 122 bpm (none with “changing girls”, or “chanting chix” for that matter!) … Donnie Elbert, the distinctively high piercing pitched falsetto revivalist in the early Seventies of ‘Where Did Our Love Go’ and ‘I Can’t Help Myself’, has died aged 52 in Philadelphia — his searingly intense 1957 US hit slowie ‘What Can I Do‘ became something of a standard that was much covered subsequently by Jamaican singers, while the song for which he will probably be best remembered (his Motown revival pop hits notwithstanding) is the ‘Can I Get A Witness’ tempoed mid-Sixties mod anthem, ‘A Little Piece Of Leather‘ … Overlord X heads a big rap/funk/raga jam this Saturday (22) at Ipswich’s ICA in Woodbridge Road … Mark Richards spins upfront house/hip hop and soul classics at Reading’s After Dark Club on Thursdays, Sundays and Under 18 Saturday lunchtimes … Arista labelmates Aretha Franklin & Whitney Houston’s upcoming ‘It Isn’t, It Wasn’t, It Ain’t Never Gonna Be’ duet has been remixed by Clivilles & Cole, hopefully a good sign … Sonia’s pop smash strikes me now as being reminiscent, in pitch and atmosphere if not actual chords, of Sheena Easton’s debut hits … BCM Records’ all-star funk fest in Berlin is fast becoming THE place to be over the August bank holiday, although before then we are in danger of being regaled by tall stories from everyone currently in New York at the New Music Seminar (of course I’m not there, with my deadlines I haven’t time to go anywhere!) … I’m outta here, BUT NOT FOR LONG!

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HOT VINYL

JODY WATLEY with Eric B. & Rakim ‘Friends (Extended Version)’ (MCA Records MCAT 1352)
The Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler and Paul Shabazz remixed fidgety bouncing and bumping ultra-jittery (0-)100⅙bpm swingbeat jolter with Rakim’s guest rap was surprisingly slow to take off on import but is so rhythm packed it’s sure to hit here, flipped (instrumental too) by the similarly Andre Cymone produced more plaintively jittering 102⅙bpm ‘Private Life’.

ADEVA ‘Warning’ (Cooltempo COOLX 185)
Promoed at any rate in two alternative double A side mixes, Adeva plummily gurgles and wails through this terrifically powerful garage newie, which may not have the benefit of already familiar lyrics like ‘Respect’ but is instantly catchy, in Paul Simpson’s rumbling and tumbling 0-119⅕bpm High On Hope Mix and Tony Humphries’ nervily jerking (0-)119-118⅘bpm Zanzibar Mix (the latter with more angular Chic-ish guitar and “D” Train-type synth). Watch it explode!

THE 28th ST. CREW ‘I Need A Rhythm (Vocal Club Mix)’ (US Vendetta Records VE-7023)
The Clivilles & Cole created “group” album’s title track is now 12-inched, a girls sung samples woven jittery 0-125-125⅖bpm house canterer echoing the likes of Jomanda ‘Make My Body Rock’, Maurice ‘This Is Acid’ and Adeva ‘R-E-S-P-E-C-T’ in a smoother variation of the Todd Terry style, flipped by new Dubs numbers 1 and 2 — which, when this is out here soon in identical form (Breakout USAT 666), will be designated as the juddery tripping 125⅕-0bpm Dub Style and more interestingly episodic lurching 123⅕-0-123⅗-0bpm alternative Dub. Continue reading “July 22, 1989: Jody Watley with Eric B. & Rakim, Adeva, The 28th St. Crew, Smokin’ Gang, Fax Yourself”

BEATS & PIECES

SOUL II SOUL ‘Keep On Movin’’, having already topped the US Club Play chart in Billboard, last week was still number one in 12-Inch Single Sales and also hit number one in the overall Hot Black Singles chart (healthily as the top seller, rather than through radio play), although by now UK imports of ‘Back To Life’ are currently hotter than hot in the New York City — their follow-up here will couple re-recorded versions of the album’s ‘Holdin’ On (Bambelela)’ and ‘Jazzie’s Groove’ … Clivilles & Cole’s remix of ‘Clouds’ — surely the best track on her oldies album? — will be Chaka Khan’s follow up … ffrr’s UK pressing of Lil Louis ‘French Kiss’ will include two new local versions, presumably to give radio something easier to play … Teddy Riley is being sued by Jive/Zomba for allegedly wriggling out of a five year production and writing contract by crediting the more recent of his own creations to colleague Gene Griffin (also named in the suit), his remixing and arranging work obviously not being covered by the contract — Teddy, for instance, “arranged” the current Redhead Kingpin hit, co-penned/produced (as pointed out in its review) by a mysterious and so far unidentified Markell Riley … Bob Masters has moved from Supreme Records to become promotions manager at Sleeping Bag Records … Island — in the USA, at least — have launched a 4th + B’way sister label called Great Jones for what is considered there to be the more “underground” types of dance music, y’know, like rap and house! … Heavy D & The Boyz ‘We Got Our Own Thang’ — to judge from the national chart! — would appear to have been released here on the quiet (MCA Records MCAT 23942) … Kiara’s promo twinpack is now commercially available … Raul featuring J. Bonell ‘Guitarra’ has had its full commercial release delayed to coincide with BBC1-tv’s new Saturday morning ‘Up 2 U’ kids’ show, for which its various mixes are being used as theme music — meanwhile, the also Spanish guitar strumming Gipsy Kings have had a slight hiccup while their label A1 Records switches distribution from the defunct PRT to BMG/The Total Record Company, the same arrangement made also by Touchtone Records for the current Princess single … Milli Vanilli ‘Blame It On The Rain’ in its commercial 12 inch form has its (0-)97⅓bpm Club Mix flipped by a gentler (0-)97bpm Radio Mix and Pink Floyd cash till effects sampling jerky 123⅕bpm ‘Money (Remix)‘… Liz Torres ‘Payback Is A Bitch’, reviewed off better value import in all six of its mixes, has been promoed here in just its Club Mix and Spanish Version but the commercial release will couple first on July 24 the Club Mix, Bassy Bitch Mix and Radio Edit, followed on August 7 (Gallup chart rules permitting) by the Spanish Version, Edward ‘Get Down’ Crosby Mix and Lugo Dub Mix … Norman Cook’s video for ‘Blame It On The Bassline’ is great fun, a real game of spot the DJs, Norman sharing the decks with Streets Ahead while others cavort on the sidelines — his hit was originally promoed as a single side 12 inch with just the clubs aimed ‘Bassline’, the side its obviously been selling for but commercial pressings turn out to be A-sided by the supposedly more radio orientated (though not very), semi-falsetto title repeating jiggly calm walking bass burbled 0-105⅔bpm ‘Won’t Talk About It‘ featuring Billy Bragg, while the MC Wildski rapped ‘Blame It On The Bassline’ is also now in a DJ Streets Ahead scratched twittery hip house (0-)120½bpm Remix (Go Beat GODXR 33) … Mark Moore of S’Express and William Orbit have done wonders remixing Prince ‘Batdance’ (which I haven’t had time to BPM yet), making a fast but funkily driving coherent Batmix out of the uptempo ingredients and a separate Vicki Vale Mix out of the slower passage’s elements … Blacksmith’s long awaited Swing Beat Club Mix of their own ‘Get Back To Love’ is also about at last … LA Mix’s upcoming remix of ‘Get Loose’ replaces its Atmosfear break beat with a “harder” original groove … US imports I’ve had not time to review yet include the Clivilles & Cole created Maurice ‘This Is Acid’ and Jomanda ‘Make My Body Rock’ sampling (with two new dubs as flip) The 28th St. Crew ‘I Need A Rhythm‘ (Vendetta Records); twittery acidic hip house Smokin’ Gang featuring DJ Jack Boy, Rapper ‘Just Rock (Rap House Anthem)‘ (Hot Mix 5 Inc Records); breathily hushed muttering (by a guy previously spelt as Jerry) subdued loping house Jere McAllister ‘What I Do‘ (D.J. International Records); typical dated Todd Terry created “yo yo get funky” samples woven jittery lurching Royal House ‘Get Funky‘ (Idlers); samples studded jerky monotonous The Break Boys ‘Give Us A Break (Boyee)‘ (Fourth Floor Records) … I was instead driving along the sundrenched Devon and Dorset border last Tuesday afternoon listening to a Motown oldies show on BBC Radio Bristol when surprisingly the jingle appeared to identify its presenter as former SOLAR-fm supremo Tony Monson — but later investigation revealed him to be Tony Moxon (the “real” Mr Monson is currently back on Essex Radio presenting Saturday night’s 10pm-2am ‘Essex Mayhem’ soul show!) … London’s incremental FM licence winning station was due to have been informed of its success last Saturday … Adrian Allen (‘Little Chunky’), as last week’s mention was meant to read, has graduated on Metro Radio’s Teeside based TFM to hosting not only Saturday’s 5-8pm soul show but also the weekday 2.30-4.30pm afternoon show, while his colleague Tim Smith at Tyneside’s Metro FM sister station handles weekday 4.30-7pm “drive time” as well as Sunday’s 2-4pm soul slot … Greg Edwards is trying to syndicate his ‘Soul Spectrum’ show … Pete Tong (who surely can’t be slipping?) is amazingly in no direct way behind the currently exploding Italian scam! … London’s Charing Cross Road Busbys is where the Special Branch has returned to Doo it again every Friday with Nicky Holloway, Pete Tong and (upstairs) Gilles Peterson, Chris Bangs, Simon Dunmore — just like old times again! … Paul O Wain and Steve Poulton need no plugs for their Thursday at Rock City but are trying also to build up a harder house/garage/hip hop/funk/soul Monday scene at Nottingham’s Hippo … Upnorth Promotions’ fifth so-called “Blackpool” weekender — highly praised as being much more soulful that the others, always — actually moves up the coast to Morecambe on October 20/21/22, full details and £48 inclusive tickets on 091-389 0317 … Rhythim Is Rhythim ‘Sinister‘, about which Tim Jeffery raved in his Cool Cuts chart last week, has been out several times already in various combinations, including on a UK issued Jack Trax album … Tim Taylor has returned from a refreshing experience jocking for two nights in Brazil at Sao Paulo’s Nation, where he played a lot of latin hip hop/free-style but the mainly gay crowd (who were happy to dance to anything new) really got off on the likes of Ralphi Rosario, 2 In A Room, Double Trouble, Bang – The Party, Bones Breaks, WestBam, ABC, Voodoo Doll, A Guy Called Gerald, and indeed acid and techno in general (wot, no sambas!!) … Stephen Plant of Kings Norton raves about a “totally outrageous and over the top” Acid Remix of Petula Clark’s already recently rejigged ‘Downtown’, this newer treatment only being out in France on Clever Records … Hithouse turns out apparently to be a direct translation of Dutch producer/mixer Peter Slaghuis’s surname — certainly “slag” is Dutch for “cream”, as I’ve pointed out in the past, so maybe there’s an element of slang or poetic licence involved? … Sybil’s full name turns out to be Sybil Lunch! … KAOS is Simianne Joy, a Birmingham (West Midlands, not Alabama) singer for whom Kevin Saunderson created ‘Definition Of Love’ after she’d auditioned for him in London a year ago … Final Cut (whose ‘You Can’t Deny The Bass‘ was reviewed recently) are Detroit DJ Jeff ‘The Wizard’ Mills with Tony Srock (sic), accompanied by True Faith in the form of vocalist Jeanette Sellers … George Benson has finally been allowed to do what he wants to do, his new ‘Tenderly’ album being straight jazz in cocktail/easy listening style (apparently considered to be so uncommercial by Warner Bros that it has had hardly any promotion) … Greedy Beat Records’ marketing methods are beyond understanding: despite my encouraging reviews (and a supposed April 24 release date), their last batch of rather good singles still appear never to have reached either DJs or shops – and now they’re pushing out some new ones! … ‘Batman’ has a very clever logo — how many of you realised instantly that it was a bat shape, rather than the prominent front teeth (or Mouseketeer ears!) that its glittery surround initially suggests? … I’m outta here — BUT NOT FOR LONG!

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HOT VINYL

PET SHOP BOYS ‘It’s Alright (The D.J. International Mixes)’ (Parlophone 12RX 6220)
Their ‘Introspective’ album’s Sterling Void cover version has been long awaited on single, a Frankie Knuckles remix once being rumoured, finally hitting the pop chart last week in a throbbingly frantic then typically vocal frisky flying (0-)124-0-123⅘bpm Extended Version (Parlophone 12R 6220), but this week it’s going to hit The Club Chart in the form of these authentic house remixes, The Tyree Mix being a thudding and twittering hard (0-)123¼-123½bpm acidic instrumental with just Tessa Niles & Sally Bradshaw’s background vocals while (remixed by the tune’s originator along with Rocky Jones) The Sterling Void Mix is an also twittery although actually much softer and poppier 123½bpm full Pet Shop Boys vocal.

STARLIGHT ‘Numero Uno’ (CityBeat CBE 1242)
Originally credited as being by Starlight Invention Group when on Italy’s Dee Jay Lelewel label, one of the biggest and best DJ created volume pumping contenders to follow Cappella in the suddenly much hyped “Italian house” trend is this brightly jumping 123-123⅕-0bpm jitterer sampling Hi-Tension’s “bless the funk”, James Brown grunts and a whole host more over jauntily jangling piano and driving beats, with a synth buzzed less “vocal” 123-0bpm Alternative Mix flip. While nothing new, it’s so simple and instantly infectious it’s sure to smash when out here fully on July 31.

KOXO CLUB BAND ‘Paradhouse Remix’ (CityBeat CBE 1240)
Already raved over on import many months back, this long established Balearic smash has been deservedly huge at certain venues for over a year, a superb Spanish guitar picked and girls muttered disco-flamenco bounder along the lines of the Gipsy Kings and Raul featuring J. Bonnell with bursts of ‘Tequila’ and other party rousers in the previously reviewed 127⅘-117⅗bpm German remix by Bob One, Enzo Persueder and Sunny, who actually combined the Spanish ‘La Maranza’ with — coupled now for the first time on the same record — the piano jangled more mundane but beefily driven good house-ish chugging 119bpm Original Mix and instrumental 118⅘bpm Piano Mix which, without any Spanish influence, were in fact the creation of yet another Italian DJ, Mario Tomasoni (who recently quit Rimini’s The Yellow Flag club to enter the priesthood!). Continue reading “July 15, 1989: Pet Shop Boys, Starlight, Koxo Club Band, Black Box, Skipworth & Turner”

BEATS & PIECES

Pete Tong, it comes as no surprise to learn, has snapped up Lil Louis’ ‘French Kiss’ for ffrr release here! … RePublic Records picked up Raven Maize ‘Forever Together’, and will replace the import’s dubs with two brand new remixes … Fourth & Broadway, rather than BCM Records, have ended up winning NWA here … Huddersfield/Bradford DJ group the Unique 3’s limited local pressing (reviewed last year) of their acidic ‘The Theme’ has become the most eagerly sought and hottest dance hit in Newcastle upon Tyne specifically and up North generally, but now 10 Records, having signed the group, are getting them to re-record an acid-less new version for release in about five weeks … Champion meanwhile have been delaying release of Razette ‘Ready 4 Love’ until July 17 (which seems sad to me even if it is a political move), when Farley Jackmaster presents Precious Red ‘Think’ is now also due, Sybil ‘Don’t Make Me Over’ having been brought forward to next Monday (July 10) and Chubb Rock with Howie Tee ‘Ya Bad Chubbs’ put back until July 31 … ‘Do You Love What You Feel’ is indeed the next Inner City single, on July 17, in an odd hip house tempoed Mike ‘Hitman’ Wilson remix … Darren Ensom of the now obviously defunct Nite Shift promotion department at PRT wants to express through this column his sincere thanks to all the DJs who helped make the company’s distribution set-up so successful in the black music field … Bobby Brown, literally leaping from side to side of the stage when he wasn’t dry humping it, was crudely sexual (and crowd pleasing, despite poor sound) at Wembley Arena, his dancing being as excitingly intense as anticipated, but what really impressed was the way he boosted rap music, as if an ambassador for it, impersonating Doug E Fresh’s human beat box style, dancing to Big Daddy Kane and actually performing De La Soul’s ‘Me Myself And I’ … David Peaston’s hot import album (reviewed last week) is out here next week, ‘Introducing … David Peaston’ (Geffen Records K9242281), followed by his single on July 17, while also out next week is Ten City ‘Where Do We Go?’ (the Earl Young’s Revenge mix of which does indeed feature live drums by the self same legendary Trammps drummer) … Richie Rich’s album due on Gee Street next week has already been successfully preceded by a mailing list promo sampler containing its MC Rumble rapped strong P’funky 109⅗bpm ‘I Can Make You Dance’ title track, Sugar Bear rapped murky dull 101½bpm ‘Coming From London’, Sylvia multi-tracked jerkily tripping deep house 0-120bpm ‘Set Yourself Free’, and yet another subtle piano plinked (0-)120bpm remix of ‘Salsa House’ (not the one on ‘ffrr – Silver On Black’) … UK newies I have yet to review in full include the funky drummered (0-)116⅕bpm chunkily burbling jerky tense garage-ish The Blow Monkeys featuring Sylvia Tella ‘Choice?’ (RCA); sinuously soulful strolling Skipworth & Turner ‘Cash’ (Fourth & Broadway); Spanish guitar picked Balearic smash Koxo Club Band ‘Paradhouse (Remix)’ (CityBeat); Randy Muller created (and spiced up for the UK!) spine tingling girl squalled bubbly sparse shuffling Funk Deluxe ‘I Surrender’ (Tam Tam); Grace Jones ‘Pull Up To The Bumper’ based angry Brooklyn rap The Together Brothers ‘Movin’ On Up’ (Blue Chip); West Country DJ Simon Power created samples woven lively acidically striding wriggly Urban Nature ‘Get On The Floor!’ (Moles Records); samples studded slippery fast lurching hip house tempo The Moody Boys ‘First National Rapper’ (CityBeat); loosely produced fusion of some sk’ouse trappings with lots of Cliff Nobles & Co’s 1968 classic ‘The Horse’ instrumental Soul Brothers Inc ‘Ska Soul’ (Blue Chip); nasal Lisa Cousins crooned wriggly latin house Federal State ‘Deeper In Love’ (Warrior Records); newly remixed sinuous jiggly jogging Womack & Womack ‘MPB (Missin’ Persons Bureau)’ (Fourth & Broadway); Samantha Fox answering jerky fast rap Steady B ‘Nasty Girls’ (Jive) … Too Nice ‘I Git Minze’ has been re-edited here in new 119⅔bpm Extended and Single Versions (due July 31) to emphasise the catchy “say jump, jump, jump, jump” line … UK pressings of Boogie Down Productions ‘Why Is That?’ (Jive JIVE T 210), reviewed last week on import, are 95⅚bpm and replace ‘Who Protects Us From You?’ with the ragamuffin rap 88½bpm ‘Hip Hop Rules’ … Kool & The Gang ‘Raindrops’ will be speeded up by Blaze for UK release, with the import version as flip … ‘You’ve Got To Love Me’ is now the official title line of the ‘Can’t Mess Around’ track (crossed out on import labels) on the Intense ‘Garage Movement’ EP, this Sonja Rogers wailed bounder and at least also ‘Let The Rain Come Down’ having been picked up from it by Champion for UK release, although when that will be is anybody’s guess! … LA Mix featuring Jazzi P and MC Jammy Hammy travelled, as did many London based club pluggers, all the way to Newcastle upon Tyne’s Walkers last Tuesday after being led to believe that a black and soul awards night was being held there, which was far from the case, the industry figures practically outnumbering the 20 punters who had turned up (Fourth & Broadway had even had special videos made of Mica Paris and Will Downing just for the event) … ‘Sex Dwarf’ Adrian Allen, now known as ‘Little Chunky’ (short – the operative word – for ‘Chunky But Funky’!) has graduated on Metro FM sister station handles weekday 4.30-7pm drive time as well as Sunday’s 2-4pm soul slot … Bobby Bland, Johnnie Taylor, Denise LaSalle, Mosley & Johnson plus the Muscle Shoals Horns represent the Malaco all-star blues blast (unfortunately Little Milton had to withdraw) at London’s Hammersmith Odeon this Saturday (8), a must for soul traditionalists … Peabo Bryson together with Chapter 8 and Lavine Hudson will be at the same venue next Saturday (July 15) … Mark Moore and Tim Simenon are among the DJs who Stunn and Algonquin in Mayfair’s Horseshoe Yard every Thursday, when Eon Irving plus guests and live bands funk the nearby Wall Street in Bruton Place (calling it The Revolution, which was the club’s name back in the late Sixties) … Seth Gibbard’s serious hip hop night at Liverpool’s Mardi Gras is proving so serious it’s moved up to Friday now! … Pressure Zone PA at Rainham’s Berwick Mansions this Saturday (8) … Kev Brennan gets upfront Sundays at Preston’s Winckleys on the Square … Mike Shawe, spinning modern soul and boogie every Saturday at Bath’s Players (where Deli G and DJ Lynx from Smith & Mighty play Fridays), points out that Centre Field Assignment ‘Mi Casa’ is the house record sampled in Twin Hype ‘Do It To The Crowd’ … Top Billin’s first single through a Phonogram distribution deal will feature PP Arnold and be ‘My Thing’, with no ‘Set It Off’ connections now! … Big Shot have expanded into larger Toronto offices to become “a proper record company” … Viceroy Records seem likely to give Hardrock Soul Movement their own label, Dave VJ and Max LX calling themselves just Hardrock for hip hop and Soul Movement for street soul in future … Chad Jackson is also featured (if you can catch him amongst the fast cutting mayhem) in the LA Mix video, my own frighteningly close up cameo appearance unfortunately showing me to be as fat and tired as I felt, having been awake as usual for about 48 hours! … I’m outta here,  BUT NOT FOR LONG!

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HOT VINYL

TEDDY RILEY featuring GUY ‘My Fantasy (Extended Version)’ (US Motown MOT-4643)
Fast becoming a living legend for his swingbeat productions and now stepping out front, Teddy (the one without specs!) has remixed his group’s major contribution to the hot ‘Do The Right Thing’ soundtrack, an ‘Atomic Dog’-ishly starting, Bobby Byrd “I’m comin’” punctuated, at times Stevie Wonder accented, chunkily strutting 0-114⅖bpm infectious P’funky trotter, flipped by a more conversational (0-)114⅖bpm Rap Version and bumpy 114⅖bpm Bonus Beats. The identical UK pressing, due commercially July 24 (MCA Records MCAT 1353), is 0-114bpm with 113⅘bpm flip.

BOBBY BROWN ‘On Our Own (Extended Club Version)’ (MCA Records MCAT 1350)
Rush released, his ‘Ghostbusters II’ featured lurching here 102⅓bpm LA & Babyface created swingbeat jiggler is revealed as having a catchy wordless “ahh ahh wah-oh” backing harmony that really cuts through, the partly rapped lyrics actually mentioning “Ghostbusters” several times to commercial effect (102½bpm Radio Edit and Instrumental flip), so allied to his currently high profile it is sure to be big!

SHA-LOR ‘I’m In Love (Remix)’ (RCA D 003)
Originally a real “sleeper” as an import on the Gertie label, big in Manchester from last autumn but not hitting (then only modestly) The Club Chart until February, this now UK released and remixed steadily striding sparse haunting 121-0bpm garage tripper coolly crooned by Sharmelle and Lorrie — Sha-Lor, geddit? — would have hit again last week on promo sales way ahead of July 31 commercial release but I didn’t dare chart it in case anyone thought I was the only person who had a copy (heavy sarcasm directed at certain people who know who they are!), the UK remix seemingly re-edited from bits of the import’s Caught Up, Conservative and Sweat It Versions, with in fact the Conservative Version now retitled as the flip’s 120½bpm Classic mix and a new instrumental 120⅘bpm Harmonic Mix. Continue reading “July 8, 1989: Teddy Riley featuring Guy, Bobby Brown, Sha-Lor, Beastie Boys, Company 2”

BEATS & PIECES

“MENTAL HOUSE” is fast becoming this summer’s replacement for “acid house”, with (as in the Manic MCs) “mental” the new “acieed” chant … PRT’s abrupt closure has caused consternation and upheaval in the dance music business, its distribution wing having handled perhaps more independent dance labels than any other, these now suddenly finding themselves with no way of marketing their product … Peter Edge has moved from Cooltempo, which he set up at Chrysalis, to start a similar though more “left field” artist orientated black music label (untitled so far but for probable August launch) at WEA, as a UK collaboration with specifically US Warner Bros, working in association with the latter’s Benny Medina, vice president of black music (and a demon dancer!) … Rhythm King have promoed on 12 inch off The Beatmasters’ album their very derivative (but no less powerful for that) storming 0-123½bpm ‘Ska Train‘, authentically Sixties style ska with just a few token modern twitters so hardly sk’ouse/sk’acid, amazingly not scheduled as the next single although sure to hit The Club Chart … Precious ‘In Motion’, as the lead review last week should have read, is nowhere near as strong as the now UK flip relegated similar though much chunkier 119⅗-119⅘bpm A Definition Of A Rap and superb struttingly swinging dry bass driven instrumental (0-)119⅘-120⅕bpm A Definition Of A Track (these tracks now of course being due as the A-side after all!) … Motown’s hot soundtrack compilation album from Spike Lee’s new movie is now out here following full review on import, ‘Music from “Do The Right Thing”‘ (Motown ZL 72665), as is LL Cool J ‘Walking With A Panther’ (Def Jam 465112 1) … KISS-fm’s bid for the Greater London FM incremental radio licence will hopefully not have been harmed by a dreadfully amateurish cassette demo of the station’s presenters (on which, incidentally, Bob Jones sounded exactly like Pete Tong!), it being the cassette’s production that was at fault rather than many of the actual jocks, sounding as if all the worst bits had been slung together … Solar Records’ new association with Epic will be kicked off by solo product from Babyface … David Morales’ percussively throbbing 121⅓bpm The Classic Remix of Frankie Knuckles presents Satoshi Tomiie ‘Tears’ (ffrr FXR 108) has a couple more new 121⅓-0bpm mixes as flip although only one Classic Remix Dub is labelled … Champion’s rapidly promoed UK pressing of Chubb Rock ‘Ya Bad Chubbs’ (CHAMP 12-215) has the here 108bpm Chubb Club, 107½bpm Instrumental, 118¼bpm Crib Mix and 107⅓-0bpm Howie’s Beat (retitled as a Remix) versions … Leotis alleges that his friend Miki Howard, who sang on Side Effect’s ‘Always There’, is to be heard also on CharVoni’s current version! … Lindsay Wesker points out that Corporation Of One’s ‘Vanessa Del Rio‘, apart from its ‘Break 4 Love’ influence, is based on the Police’s ‘When The World Is Running Down (You Make The Best Of What’s Still Around)‘ … Limahl’s comeback album on Arista (one everyone’s sure to be waiting for!) will include a Shaun Imrei-penned house track produced by Kevin Saunderson, called ‘Life Must Go On’ … Graeme Park turns out not to have had any involvement in Kicking Back’s ‘Keep On Trying’ on Submission … Chris Phillips & Paul Bennun are joined by Prince’s official UK fan club The Revolution at a massive Minnea-P-Funk party in Exeter’s Warehouse this Thursday (29) for their latest GOD (Get On Down) night, which next Thursday (July 6) moves to Southampton’s Escape Club for a W.E.F.U.N.K. one-off … Norman Jay gets ‘High On Hope’ by the sea this Friday (30) with the likes of Norman Cook, Carl Cox and Streets Ahead at Brighton’s newly revamped Zap Club … Stu Allan brings his funky stuff to Blackpool’s Adam & Eve’s opposite the central pier every Wednesday through the summer, with a wear what you like policy … Tim Westwood and Lindon T throwdown Thursdays at Paddington’s Starlight in Praed Street … Lonnie Gordon maybe should consider changing her name, the number of times she ends up misprinted as “Lennie” (incidentally, the close proximity of “t” and “g” on typesetting keyboards probably makes it inevitable that “chanting” will often end up in print as “changing”)! … Scotland, sweltering early last week on my quick four day tour, apparently is getting fewer American visitors this year just because that unfortunate airliner was blown up over Lockerbie … I’m outta here — BUT NOT FOR LONG!

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JITTERY JIGGLERS

I know that for the casual reader, there may appear to be a puzzling repetition of adjectives, adverbs and verbs in my reviews of records. While these reviews are there for all to read, they are actually written for the professional users of records, DJs — who hopefully by now understand what’s going on! Every descriptive word has been repeated consistently for years as near as possible within the same context, to describe specific elements in the structure of records, with the result that regular readers should in theory be able to tell exactly what something is going to sound like. From the feedback I’ve had over the years, this thankfully would appear to be the case. As for the repetition — have you had to listen to all these records? A lot of them sound the same, so, using this style of consistently descriptive reviewing, repetition is inevitable! Once it used to be “hi-hat hissed hustlers”, “funkily bumping chuggers”, “juddery hip hop jolters”, “rolling soulful joggers”, “bounding house fliers”, “twittery acidic sizzlers”; right now I am swamped by, and am consequently churning out in turn, “jittery swingbeat jigglers” — can anyone who has to listen to them deny that they all jitter and jiggle? Unfortunately, Roget’s Thesaurus does not suggest any more appropriate descriptive alternatives. Personally, I still yearn for that long past era when everything came with “chanting chix”!! (Personally, I certainly don’t — Ed.)

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HOT VINYL

L.A. MIX FEATURING JAZZI P ‘Get Loose (Not For Long Mix)’ (Breakout USAT 659)
Plaintively rapping Jazzi Pauline joins (I to r) Emma Freilich, Les Adams and Mike Stevens for the first single from their variety packed upcoming ‘On The Side’ LP, an Atmosfear ‘Dancing In Outer Space’ break beat based (by permission) frantically wordy hip house flier, 127-127⅕-127bpm now that the Aleem originated “get loose” line has been re-recorded for this commercial pressing, flipped by Mike’s 0-127-0bpm Atmospheric Sax Dub and a Chad Jay (Jackson) scratched less frenetic 0- 127bpm Rock To The Hardcore Mix (Jazzipella too). Oh yes, your own MC Jammy Hammy provides the pivotal male sample of “But not for long” — which may explain a few things!

SYBIL ‘Don’t Make Me Over’ (Champion CHAMP 12-213)
One of the few long delayed pre-release promo strategies that have worked for the label, as massive already on DJs’ play alone and still not due commercially until July 17, this Bacharach & David penned Dionne Warwick launching 1963 classic has been revived with a sweetly simple street soul vocal and attractive tinkling arrangement set — here’s the commercial clincher! — to a gently jogging 96⅓bpm swingbeat rhythm (fully vocal so-called Dub Mix and 96½-0bpm 3.29 Mix too). Thanks to a combination of the sweet treatment and the song’s familiarity, it’ll possibly have wide enough appeal even to top the pop chart!

LIL LOUIS ‘French Kiss’ (US Diamond Records LL-01)
Although accurately described by Pete Tong as “to house music what ‘The 900 Number’ was to hip hop”, this moronically repetitive (0-)123⅖-123⅗-123⅘-0-124-0bpm instrumental driver does modulate through several changes of emphasis during its 10 minutes, most notably a gradual deceleration and acceleration into and out of an orgasmic girl groaned tempoless passage about two-thirds through, the mesmeric result creating dancefloor mayhem for the lucky few who managed to find one of the four-tracker’s initially limited pressings, coupled by the sheet metal clanging tumblingly swaying (0-)125⅖-125⅘-126bpm ‘Wargames (Remix)‘, percolating 124bpm ‘New York‘, twittery 0-121⅗bpm ‘Jupiter‘. Continue reading “July 1, 1989: L.A. Mix featuring Jazzi P & MC Jammy Hammy, Sybil, Lil Louis, Rufus & Chaka Khan, “Jittery Jigglers””