January 12, 1991: Kenny Thomas, C&C Music Factory, A Tribe Called Quest, v.i.m., Mariah Carey

BEATS & PIECES

THE MAIN EVENT is the new North Wales weekender that completely replaces LiveWire’s already discontinued Prestatyn series, now only seven weeks away on March 1/2/3 (instead of over Easter as before), with a change of location a further 70 or so miles through scenic Snowdonia to Pwllheli’s far superior Starcoast World where the funfair rides, boomerang roller coaster and sub-tropical Water World are all included in the £55, £60 or £65 ticket cost (according to different accommodation grades, booking details on 081-364 1212), four separately themed music venues each having their own live concerts (acts yet to be confirmed), PAs, and DJ teams, with Frankie Knuckles, David Morales, Pete Tong, Paul Oakenfold, Graeme Park, Dave Dorrell, Nicky Holloway, Dean Thatcher, Orde Mickle, Stuart McMillan and Marvin Connor jocking in the Red Zone, Chris Hill, Bob Jones, Bob Masters, Simon Dunmore, Chris Brown and Gary Dennis in The Soul Mine, Tim Westwood, Soul II Soul DJs, Martin Collins, Madhatter Trevor, CJ Mackintosh, Stu Allan, Froggy, Ian Reading, Jeff Thomas, Eddie Gordon, Kev Hill and Chris Forbes in The Fun House, and Gilles Peterson, Patrick Forge, Sylvester, Norman Jay, Kevin Beadle, Brother Marco, Tin Tin and Craig & Marcus in the talkin Loud Jazz Club . . . Allied Breweries are promoting their Hobec bier by sponsoring a Hobec Hot Wax recording competition and club tour (during which entrants’ tapes will be played for preliminary judging), the competition being open to over-18s not already signed to a record company — the prize is a contract with RCA — who should submit their own fully original dance music creations (on non-returnable tapes labelled with name and address) no later than February 15 to Brooks Senior, 142-144 New Cavendish Street, London W1M 7FG, the tour starting at Saltcoats’s Metropolis this Saturday (Jan 12), then visiting Newcastle upon Tyne’s Walkers (Friday, Jan 18), Manchester’s Man Alive (Wednesday, Jan 23), Sheffield’s The Palais (Wednesday, Jan 30), Nottingham’s Venus (Tuesday, Feb 5), Birmingham’s Coast To Coast (Friday, Feb 15), with the final at London’s Subterania (Friday, Feb 22), where judges should include the likes of Norman Jay, Derek B, Dave Dorrell and Barrie K. Sharpe . . . Subterania DJ Danny Gee (Griffiths) calls himself G Double E on ‘Fire When Ready‘ (129½bpm), ragga rapped frantic funky hip house flipped by the moodier deep house ‘Why Does It Hurt‘ (122½bpm) and Deee-Lite influenced thundering breakbeat ‘Gee Theme‘ (127½bpm), out commercially in a fortnight (Jumpin’ & Pumpin’ 12TOT 10, via Pinnacle Recuts) . . . Bologna based but Guadeloupe born Jean Claude ‘MC’ Killiam, Rimini based but London born Sharon Blythe and Turin based native Italian Roberto Fontolan make up the oddly named Wiston Office, who accompany Parma based Italian club DJ Francesco Pini as Frank “K” featuring Wiston Office on the hot ‘Everybody Let’s Somebody Love‘, already reviewed (and promoed here) as an Italian Unknown pressing ahead of UK release next week on Urban (URBX 66) . . . Izit’s again ‘Stories’-like old fashioned daintily but funkily half-steppin’ ‘Make Way For The Originals‘ (96½bpm), with a mellower instrumental ‘Make Way For The Solos‘ (95¼bpm) flip, was warm before Christmas on Pig & Trumpet Records (PT 002) but apparently is due on Optimism Records . . . Ralph Tresvant’s self-titled album, recently reviewed on import, is now out here (MCA Records MCG 6120), and his ‘Sensitivity‘ import single is due too . . . CJ Mackintosh’s Extended Club Mix (98bpm) of Three Times Dope (3xD)’s ‘Mr Sandman’ (CityBeat CBE 1258), out next week, is introed and interspersed by a snatch of the Four Aces’ 1954 version of the Chordettes’ similar vintage ‘Mr Sandman’ smash, not heard though in his other three remixes . . . D-Shake’s droning industrial raver ‘My Heart, The Beat‘ (122¾bpm) — not quite as remorselessly brutal as ‘Yaaaaaaaaaahl — is flipped (both at 123bpm) by its 7″ Edit and a much lighter jerkily bounding house-type ‘Dance The Night Away‘ variation (Cooltempo COOLX 228) . . . Adonte’s languid rollingly lurching ‘Feel It’ (RePublic Records LICT 041) is in soulful Carlotta wailed K.M.A.P.H. Mix and husky Akeef rapped Jazz-Dub Stylee versions (105¾bpm), coupled by the funkily drummed wrigglier ‘Good Times (Obzokey Mix)’ (118½bpm) . . . Pitstop has moved with his DJ mailing list from London to Manchester, where his address is now Pitstop Promotions, c/o Jellystreet, Grosvenor House, 94-96 Grosvenor Street, All Saints, Manchester M1 7HL (telephone 061-273 6522/6592) . . . DJ Tat, following up some successful Bassment Beats underground nights, presents dec-a-dan-ce (dress how ya like, but no visible Y-fronts!) every second Wednesday (this week, January 9, included) in Chesterfield’s La Mont Martre nightclub, with a cross section of old and new house, hip hop, ragga and soul to get away from the continuous bleep sessions that apparently pass for entertainment elsewhere in his area . . . Andrew ‘Madhatter’ Holmes has ‘bleep free’ non-stop garage and classic Eighties dance Keep The Fire Burning Mondays at Manchester’s Precinct 13, where he’s joined by hip hop DJs Kwartz for Intimate Connection Fridays and First Priority Sound for Wild Pitch Saturdays . . . DJs Phil C, CJ, Jazz T, Prone and Bucks launch the rap, swing and ragga Intelligence — motto ‘Intelligent Music, Intelligent DJs, Intelligent People’ — this Friday at Farnborough Recreation Centre (off the A325, two roundabouts south of Farnborough Station, on Meudon Road then right on Westmead) . . . Alyson Williams meanwhile appears this Friday (11) at Brixton’s The Fridge . . . DAMN RIGHT!

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HOT VINYL

KENNY THOMAS ‘Outstanding (The More Beef Mix)’ (102¾bpm) (Cooltempo COOLXR 215)
An ‘I Found Lovin”-like enduring ‘sleeper’ for first its originators the Gap Band during the early Eighties and more recently (since way back last June) London-based Kenny, neither act’s versions ever having made much pop chart impact despite their repeatedly proven dancefloor popularity, this naggingly grooving groin grinder still can’t quite rival the Gaps’ original for sheer power but is now much improved by this appropriately beefier bassily jogging remix, flipped by an also new, acappella and bass introed, sparsely jiggling Bust A Cone Mix (105½bpm).

C&C MUSIC FACTORY (featuring Freedom Williams) ‘Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) (Cole 1991 Hip House Club Mix)’ (122bpm) (CBS 656454 5)
Now making the pace in the sales race, this less Snap-like much thinned out and sometimes siren punctuated remix has an odd booming heartbeat outro, flipped by jiggly stark episodic The 1991 House Dub/Music Beats (122bpm) and punchily leaping The 1991 Radio Remix (121½bpm) versions, also new to Britain.

A TRIBE CALLED QUEST ‘Can I Kick It? (Extended Boilerhouse Mix)’ (96½bpm) (Jive JIVE T 265)
Already reviewed as a single sided promo, the Boilerhouse boys’ Ed Rudy commentary (about The Beatles’ first US visit) introed remix of this ‘Walk On The Wild Side’ bassed lethargically rolling muttered rap is now slightly faster and out commercially coupled by the import’s LP Version (96¼bpm) and totally different Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band ‘Fried Okra’ backed Phase 5 Mix (101bpm), plus the Afrika Baby Bam guesting slinky jazz organ backed wordily drawled ‘If The Papes Come (Remix)‘ (95¼bpm) — except now also there is yet another, strictly limited, single sided promo containing a real “do-re-mi-x”, a ‘The Sound Of Music’ dialogue interspersed ‘Can I Kick It? (The Von Trapp Mix)‘ (96½bpm) (Jive QUEST 1), very clever and witty, and not likely to be on commercial release!

v.i.m. ‘Maggie’s Last Party’ (BOZ Records 12-BOZ 1)
Already plugged so much on Kiss 100 fm that it’s sure to be a novelty hit in London at least, and a likely national smash, this cleverly splices together formerly separate samples of Margaret Thatcher to make a continuous ‘hip hop’ rap in which she apparently rabbits on all about having an acid party! Maggie’s rap is actually much stronger than the thrumming, lurching and bleeping A-side’s musically undistinguished Club Mix (120bpm), but there are better more mellow chugging Radio Mix (120bpm) and jaunty percussive Beats + Bass Mix (123bpm) alternative versions as flip — although people will be dancing to the words, mainly.

MARIAH CAREY ‘Someday’ (110bpm) (CBS 656583 6)
Reinforcing the claim made by many that she’s ‘the new’ Whitney Houston, Mariah forsakes her ballad style in favour of this very Whitneyesque sturdy wailer, not perhaps the strongest of songs but interestingly remixed by Shep Pettibone in piano plonked calmly striding 12-inch House, staccato wriggling jiggly 12-inch Jackswing, and self descriptive Pianoapercaloopapella (think percapella!) Mixes, here however without the import’s early Eighties style New Seven-inch Straight version and smoochy ‘Alone In Love’ (69bpm).

ALEXANDER O’NEAL ‘All True Man’ (104¾bpm) (Tabu 656571 6)
Due to have been released on Christmas Eve (not that this marketing ploy appears to have helped it, if indeed it was out then!), this now very fast selling Jam & Lewis created pleasant plaintively growled and vibes tinkled mellow thumping loper is coupled by the Barry White-ish mumbling tender ‘Hang On‘ (74½/37¼bpm), and flipped rather boringly by Rita Liebrand’s old ‘The Official Bootleg Megamix (12-inch Version)’ of ‘(What Can I Say) To Make You Love Me/Never Knew Love Like This/Fake/Hearsay/Criticize/Innocent’ (114¾-116bpm), already a pop hit in its own right just over a year ago.

THE SOUND VANDALS ‘Extasy (What Is It?)’ (124¾bpm) (US Nugroove NG 066)
Created by How & Little (Howie How & Little Carlos), this whisperingily questioning “Do you like ecstasy?” girls and male “yeah” (minus the normally preceding “ah”!) prodded tinkling frisky flutterer has Rough and only slightly different shorter Body & Soul Mixes, coupled with the jangling piano and honking sax started and finished, ‘Billie Jean’-ishly chugging ‘Feel It (Concept Mix)‘ (121¾bpm).

KEYS & TRONICS ENSEMBLE ‘You X Me’ (Italian IRMA casadiprimordine ICP 016)
Created by Kekko Montefiori & Umbi Damiani as another offshoot of Kekkotronics, this vamping piano and organ chorded, cooing girl wailed cool tapper only builds into a latin finale in its First Mind Version (114bpm) but is jauntily latin right from the start of its Montuno-Salsa Version (117bpm), with more soulfully jolting attractive Slow Latin, Radio Short, and vibes tinkled instrumental First Slow Versions (110bpm), worth checking.

SPECTRUM ‘Spectrum’ (Belgian R & S Records RS 920)
A Ghent recorded rave four-tracker created by David Morley and Renaat VDP (which doubtless stands for Van Den something), this has the “work your body” and whistles prodded, powerful reedy organ chorded chugging ‘Brazil’ (120½bpm) and throbbing blippy ‘The Incrowd‘ (122¼bpm) on the Black side (AA according to the etched matrix numbers, which don’t match the otherwise correctly printed label), coupled on This side (A) by the fiercely thumping and bleeping, synth snarled ‘Spectral‘ (122¼bpm) and more buzzingly blippy socking ‘Amplification‘ (121½bpm).

NEUTRAL ZONE ‘Outer Space’ (125bpm) (Optimism Records OPT 12011)
With an oddly slowed down “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1” intro, this thrumming and surging spacey bleeper is washed by ethereal ambient-type synth tones but has rave-style whistle blasts too — and, in spurts, a more percussively thrashed flipside variation.

THE RHYTHM MASTERS ‘The Original Trip-Out Break EP -Volume Three’ (US Requestline Records RR-563)
Produced by Ray Love and co-mixed by Frankie ‘Bones’, this acidic ‘washing machine’ tones bleeped six-tracker has the simple ‘drain’ and drumbeat combining ‘Sending Out An S.O.S.’ (122bpm), nervy title repeating ‘Think I’m Gonna Loose Control‘ (125¾bpm), galloping likewise repetitive ‘Dance, You Got The Chance‘ (123¼bpm), Joey Beltram dedicated fluttering ‘This One’s For Joey‘ (124¼bpm), distant shouts punctuated tapping ‘They Are Wrong‘ (120¼bpm), and — the only non-bleeper —Robert Plant prodded Madchester-ish wriggly lurching ‘You Need Paradise (Tina’s Tripp Mix)‘ (119¾bpm).

DOGGY ‘Psyche’ (124¾bpm) (Rham! Records RS 9010, via Pinnacle)
Called “the sound of young Asian Birmingham”, apparently recorded in his bedroom by a 16-year-old, this simple sparse percolating bleeper shifts up a gear when it adds a smacking backbeat after burbling about for a while (this edit point could throw your rhythm if you’ve been mixing on the earlier slippery bass beat, beware), flipped by the more beefily striding although disjointedly surging ‘Dog’s Dinner‘ (121¾bpm).

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THE CLUB CHART – January 12, 1991

COMPILED BY ALAN JONES FROM A SAMPLE OF OVER 500 DJ RETURNS AND SHOP SALES. THIS WEEK’S SHOPS: CRASH (LEEDS) GROOVE (LONDON), REPLAY (BRISTOL), 23R0 PRECINCT (GLASGOW), TRAX (LONDON) AND VINYL ZONE (LONDON).

01 01 GONNA MAKE YOU SWEAT (SLAMMIN’ VOCAL CLUB MIX) C&C Music Factory (featuring Freedom Williams), Columbia 12in
02 11 I CAN’T TAKE THE POWER (RIVA MIX) Off-Shore, Columbia 12in
03 27 (I WANNA GIVE YOU) DEVOTION (ORIGINAL MIX) Nomad featuring MC Mikee Freedom/(SOUL MIX) Nomad featuring MC Mikee Freedom & Sharon Dee Clarke, Rumour 12in
04 10 CAN I KICK IT? (EXTENDED BOILERHOUSE MIX) A Tribe Called Quest, Jive 12in promo
05 07 EVERYBODY LET’S SOMEBODY LOVE (CLUB MIX) Frank “K” featuring Wiston Office, Italian Unknown 12in/Urban 12in promo
06 56 MY HEART, THE BEAT D-Shake, Cooltempo 12in promo
07 49 OUTSTANDING (THE MORE BEEF MIX) Kenny Thomas, Cooltempo 12in promo
08 05 WHERE LOVE LIVES (RED ZONE MIX) Alison Limerick, Arista 12in
09 08 A MATTER OF FACT (CLASSIC MIX) Innocence, Cooltempo 12in
10 — KID GET HYPED (VOCAL MIX) Deskee, Big One 12in promo
11 — YOU GOT THE LOVE The Source featuring Candi Staton, Truelove 12in white label
12 21 HOMICIDE/EXORCIST Shades Of Rhythm, ZTT 12in white label
13 02 DOWN TO EARTH (TOUCH DOWN MIX) Monie Love, Cooltempo 12in
14 06 FEEL THE GROOVE (MIX 1) Cartouche, Brothers Organisation 12in
15 04 FOUND LOVE (CAIPIRINA MIX) Double Dee (featuring Dany), Epic 12in
16 19 WHERE HAS ALL THE LOVE GONE (ROCKHOUSE LOVE ODYSSEY MIX) Maureen, Urban 12in
17 24 RELEASE ME (STEVE ANDERSON REMIX) Fatman featuring Stella Mae, Cue/ffrr 12in
18 re MUST BEE THE MUSIC (CLUB MIX) King Bee featuring Michele, Columbia 12in promo
19 83 SCANDAL The Basement Boys present Ultra Naté, Eternal 12in promo
20 90 JOHNNY PANIC & THE BIBLE OF DREAMS (MIX ONE) Johnny Panic, Fontana 12in promo
21 13 THE GONZO Lost, Perfecto 12in
22 — REPORT TO THE DANCEFLOOR (FULL ALERT MIX)/(ELECTRO MIX)/LIKE DIS (FULL DREAD MIX) Energize, Network 12in promo
23 — KEEP YOUR LOVE (CHERRY PIE MIX) New Life, A&M PM 12in promo
24 03 LOVE COME DOWN (NORMAN NORMAL MIX) Eve Gallagher, More Protein 12in
25 — SUMMERS MAGIC (UNIT MIX) Mark Summers, 4 +B’way 12in promo
26 — SOMEDAY (12in JACKSWING MIX)/(12in HOUSE MIX) Mariah Carey, Columbia 12in promo
27 17 MARY HAD A LITTLE BOY Snap, Arista 12in
28 66 FEEL IT (K.M.A.P.H. MIX) Adonte, Republic 12in
29 25 HELPING HANDS (INCISIVE REMIX) Arthur Miles, ffrr 12in
30 48 BORN TO LOVE YA Rozala, Pulse-8 12in
31 54 FAMILY OF PEOPLE (EXTENDED FAMILY MIX) Quest For Excellence, Republic 12in
32 — INTENSITY/FILO FUNK Mystic Knights, W.A.U./Mr. Modo 12in
33 34 CRAZY (MIXES) Seal, ZTT 12in
34 — IN YER FACE (IN YER FACE MIX) 808 State, ZTT 12in promo
35 16 SUPERFICIAL PEOPLE (SUPERFICIALITY REMIX) Ten City, Atlantic/East West 12in
36 — TINGLE (HARD BOPPIN’ MIX) T.P.E. (That Petrol Emotion), Virgin 12in promo
37 43 FREEDOM (PRISONER MIX) A Homeboy, A Hippie & A Funki Dredd, Tam Tam 12in
38 14 MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT (12-inch REMIX) L.L. Cool J, Def Jam 12in
39 — DEREK WENT MAD (REMIX) Shut Up And Dance, Shut Up And Dance 12in promo
40 33 JUSTIFY MY LOVE (MIXES) Madonna, Sire 12in
41 15 THE TOTAL MIX/I DON’T KNOW ANYBODY ELSE (STEVE HURLEY MIX) Black Box, de/Construction 12in
42 44 SADNESS Enigma, Virgin 12in
43 53 THE BEE The Scientist, Kickin 12in
44 65 SENSITIVITY (EXTENDED VERSION) Ralph Tresvant, MCA 12in
45 — LOVE SO TRUE Bomb The Bass, Rhythm King 12in promo
46 12 MISSING YOU (THUMPIN’ BASS MIX) Soul II Soul/Kym Mazelle, Ten 12in
47 57 EASE ON BY (MIXES) Bass-O-Matic, Guerilla 12in
48 — ONE DAY WE’LL ALL BE FREE Dr. Umbardi, Noise 12in
49 — HYPNOTIC (FEATURING 2 SUPREME) Hypnotone, Creation 12in promo
50 42 ICE ICE BABY Vanilla Ice, SKB 12in
51 30 3 A.M. ETERNAL (LOVE AT THE S.S.L.) The KLF, KLF 12in promo
52 67 LOVE, PEACE AND HARMONY (ORIGINAL MIX) Dream Frequency, Citybeat 12in
53 — FEEEL THE POWER Tekno Too, D-Zone 12in white label
54 09 WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT? Run-DMC, Profile 12in
55 — MIDNIGHT EXPRESS/BOPULATE Xon, Network 12in promo
56 — MORE THAN I KNOW/NOT FORGOTTEN (REMIX) Leftfield, Outer Rhythm 12in promo
57 52 JAZZ IT UP (JAZZ MIX) CFM Band, US Underworld 12in
58 — SPACEFACE Sub-Sub ,12in white label
59 — OUTER LIMITS (ANDROMEDA MIX) The Predator, Industrial 12in
60 70 I WANNA BE THE ONE Pinky, First Bass 12in promo
61 77 NIGHT & DAY (TWILIGHT REMIX) U2, Island 12in promo
62 — GET INTO THE MUSIC DJ’s Rule, Hi Bias 12in EP
63 50 SUBSONIC BLEEPS SAMPLER: OFFWORLD Microphobia/20Hz AND FOLLOWING Distraction/SOUND OF INDUSTRY Heat/ROOM 68.08.24, Upfront 12in promo
64 35 SOUTH OF THE RIVER (UPSO MIX) Mica Paris, 4+ B’way 12in
65 — WIGGLE IT (THE CLUB MIX) 2 In A Room, US Cutting 12in
66 78 BACK ON THE BLOCK (MELLOW RADIO MIX) Quincy Jones, Qwest 12in
67 29 SELF HYPNOSIS (MR WHIPPY REMIX) Nexus 21, Network 12in EP
68 20 ALL TOGETHER NOW (ORIGINAL MIX) The Farm, Produce 12in
69 re KLONK Sweet Exorcist, W.A.R.P. 12in
70 61 CLOSE ENCOUNTERS (CLUB MIX) Bassix, Champion 12in
71 100= WHAT’S IT GONNA BE (EXCELLENT ADVENTURE MIX) Jellybean, East West 12in
72 — MAGIC STYLE (AROUNDABOUT MIX) The Badman, Citybeat 12in
73 38 SPICE Eon, Vinyl Solution 12in
74 95 SCHOOL OF THE WORLD/SINGLE MINDED PEOPLE Nicolette, Shut Up And Dance 12in
75 — COMPARED TO WHAT (THE UPRISE MIX) Fresh 4 featuring Lizz E, Ten 12in
76 — FLIGHT X (SCHOOL MIX) Paul Haig, Circa 12in promo
77 — THE GIRL I USED TO KNOW (STRESS MIX) Brother Beyond, Parlophone 12in
78 28 CULTURE (DANCEHALL MIX)/COMIN’ ON STRONG Rebel MC, Desire 12in
79 22 LOVE’S GOT ME (EXTENDED VERSION) Loose Ends, Ten 12in
80 — ECHO MY HEART (GRAND CANYON MIX) Lindy Layton, Arista 12in
81 — (YOU’RE PUTTIN’) A RUSH ON ME Technomania featuring Emma Haywoode, Rumour 12in
82 — LUV DANCIN The Underground Solution, Strictly Rhythm 12in
83 re MANIFESTATION Di-Magnify, Tam Tam 12in
84 23 CELEBRATE (CLUB MIX) Double Trouble’s Collective Effort, Desire 12in
85 re SHARE Jomanda, Giant 12in
86 18 SITUATION (AGGRESSIVE ATTITUDE MIX BY YOUTH) Yazoo, Mute 12in
87 — MR. SANDMAN (EXTENDED CLUB MIX) Three Times Dope, Citybeat 12in
88 99 NOW IS TOMORROW (EXPERIMENTS IN SOUND PART 1) Definition Of Sound, Circa 12in
89 47 SOLID GOLD (VERSION) Ashley & Jackson, DFM Big Life 12in
90 — IT’S TOO LATE Quartz, Mercury 12in white label
91 84 THE MODEL Dance Robots, German WEA 12in
92 — PAY THE PRICE (GOSPEL DANCE MIX) The Creations featuring Debbie Sharp, Loco 12in
93 — DIRTY GAMES (CLUB MIX) Tom Tall, Low Spirit 12in
94 36 STILL FEEL THE RAIN Stex, Some Bizarre 12in
95 — I AM THE FUTURE The Mad Bastard, Strictly Underground 12in white label
96 100= EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL (EVERY FOOLS 12-inch MIX) Bassix, East West 12in promo
97 89 ALLELUIA Prayers, WEA 12in
98 64 CAN YOU FEEL ME Incognito, Talking Loud 12in
99 — HIPPYCHICK (REMIX) (STEVE PROCTOR MIX) Soho, S&M 12in promo
100 32 H.O.U.S.E. (BENADEF MIX) Doug Lazy, East West 12in promo