ODDS ‘N’ BODS
IMPORTANT RECORDS are about to circulate a DJ limited edition 12in with four of their eight different Fatback ‘Is This The Future?’ mixes (including M&M’s), the proven favourite then also being released commercially . . . ‘StreetSounds 14‘ includes Frankie Kelly and Gardenia already, along with current hits by Ready For The World, Three Degrees, Collage, Five Star and Tramaine, plus 12in imports by Bernard Wright, Jeff Tyzik and Starpoint — however, the label’s Gilles Peterson-complied ‘Jazz Juice‘ amongst other Latin-slanted goodies will have Quartette Tres Bien’s ‘Boss Tres Bien‘, which should cause much gnashing of teeth for those few jocks who paid fortunes for the few rare copies to be tracked down on US Decca LP! . . . Maze have repeated their ‘Live In New Orleans’ video and album concept (a double LP with three sides live, one new), except this time they were live in LA, not for release until March . . . Jaki Graham & David Grant reunite for the Todd Rundgren-penned poppily rolling heartily duetted brightly noisy 105-0bpm ‘Mated‘ (EMI 12JAKI 6), due next Monday . . . Streetwave have promoed, a fortnight before release to coincide with her current visit, 17 years old New Yorker Leisa Dove’s lurching 109bpm ‘I Wish That I Were Older‘, soulfully enough squalled to belie her age (but then she’s a product of the ‘Fame’ School Of The Performing Arts) . . . Grace Jones is backed by The TTED All Stars comprised of members from not only EU but also Slug-go and Redds & The Boys, it being the latter who are confirmed as the subject of studio attention from Dexter Wansel, Verdine White and now Kenny Gamble in an effort to expand their go go sound . . . TTED boss Maxx Kidd is planning a definitive four-LP ‘Anthology Of Go Go‘ . . . Lifesighs agreed with my review before even seeing it last week, and have already remixed ‘Get Serious‘ to soften the beats . . . Island told me Sly & Robbie ‘Make ‘Em Move’ was faster on promo 12in, but it always was 114bpm . . . Formtronic Audio have organised a stand-crammed Southern Disco ’85 equipment exhibition primarily for the mobile market next Sunday (17) noon-6pm at Rochester’s Crest Hotel in Maidstone Road . . . Gary Raymond & Cino’s ‘Best Of British Funk 85’ night at Epping Forest Country Club last Tuesday was packed with people to see Haywoode, Julie Roberts, Total Contrast, Lifesighs, Princess, Odyssey, Sonique, Peter Royer, Claudia and Shi Shi Ha Ha (three pretty white girls looking for a deal) — wot, no Cool Notes?! . . . Princess threw DJ at that particular moment Peter Davis into a tizzy when instead of singing her cued-up newie she launched into an acappella ‘Say I’m Your No. 1’, which he didn’t even have out, but then when she carried on into ‘Ain’t Nobody’ he got the idea and was able to relax . . . Haywoode is suffering from nodules on her throat, so she’ll either be a lot quieter or else croaking when she unavoidably has to make a promotional visit to plug ‘Roses’ in the States . . . Julie Roberts carries on singing very soulfully when the record ends at PAs, given the chance, which she didn’t get at Essex Radio’s Soul Night Special last Friday at Braintree’s crammed and steaming Barn (if it’s that hot in winter what’s it like in summer?) . . . Johnny Nash, The Team, LW5, Josie James and Rick Clarke were others enduring the steam, while main presenter Dave Gregory was badly let down by the unprofessional attitude of some in his technical team allowing records and tapes to miscue very sloppily — the guy crusades for soul on the station and these outside broadcasts are already successful enough for syndication to be discussed, so he deserves better support from those around him however grudgingly given . . . Radio London’s Soul Night Out back at Luton’s Pink Elephant this Thursday is totally sold out . . . Nick Ratcliffe has taken over the Saturday 6-8pm soul show on Guildford’s County Sound 96.6FM — nice one! . . . Steve Collins at last is back unearthing (wittingly or not) great new non-needletime soul Sundays 1-5am on Capital Radio 95.8FM — where Greg Edwards last Saturday in his weekly philosophy slot, “the bathroom call”, could surely have produced a more convincingly unanswerable argument than merely to tell all rioters, looters and muggers that they’re “arseholes”? . . . Johnny S is disappointed my wavelength-sweeping digital radio tuner has never locked onto North London’s Contrast Radio 90FM, broadcasting between violent busts since January and due back soon (possibly under another name) . . . Northern Ireland’s recent Radiothon raised £55,000 for children’s charities, with 41 out of the country’s 50 discotheques contributing their own raffle proceeds . . . South Shields Chelsea Cat’s resident jock Adrian Allen presents a ten minute ‘Pop File’ slot every Thursday night on Radio Tees, and would welcome inside info from record companies on Boldon 364895 to help keep it as upfront as possible . . . Peter Anthony as originally tipped has settled in at Radio Luxembourg, leaving London’s Stringfellows with two girl DJs, Marie Thompson and Tigrr (sic ’em) . . . SEDA meets Sunday (3) at 8pm in Canterbury’s Coach And Horses pub, but check first with Roger Eagleton on 0795-89436 (potential new members always welcome) . . . BBC-1’s ‘Songs Of Praise’ from Detroit last Sunday showed a glimpse of Winans Gospel Record Shop, surely too coincidental not to be connected with The Winans (who are pronounced “Whynans”) . . . El DeBarge with DeBarge ‘You Wear It Well‘, only a quick flash here, topped US Club Play in Billboard . . . Aleem ‘Confusion‘ is now on US Atlantic . . . Segue Steve Goddard (Gants Hill The Villa) confirms my suspicion that Rene & Angela’s ‘Secret Rendezvous’ always was on 12in, in fact as flip to its present B-side ‘Bangin’ The Boogie’ . . . Thursday (31) predictably sees nearly every club having a Halloween night, Colin Hudd’s at Dartford Flicks being a Bride Of Frankenstein variation, Mike Allen & Brian Mason’s at Cricklewood Ashtons being free for fancydressers, as is Dave Rawlings (before 10.30pm) at Kensington The Park, Dave also celebrating late at Basingstoke Martines Saturday (2) . . . Gloria Gaynor does her reputedly first-ever UK club PA at Charing Cross Heaven Friday (1) . . . Saturday (2) Donald Banks PAs with Chad Jackson & Andrew Holmes at Manchester Hacienda, jazzy Chris Brown joins Paul Oakenfold & Trevor Fung at Croydon Scarletts, the Cool Notes join Jan Allen & Paul Wernham at Eastbourne Winter Garden — Jan also souls nearby Oscars wine bar usually on Saturdays, and for other larger venues can always use good PAs on 0323-23835 . . . Fridays at Rayleigh’s Pink Toothbrush have gone drastically upfront with a DJ roster including Chris Hill, Froggy, Pete Tong, Jeff Young, Tom Holland and John Dean, the latter’s Sunday at Hastings JR’s having similar guests weekly while on Mondays John joins Froggy at Canning Town Bentleys . . . Double “B” soul sound’s jocks Tony B, Chas, Eddie & Frank spin upfront funk in London at Euston Road Tulips Sun, Orchard Street Blitz Fri/Sat, and more commercial Lower Richmond Road Caines Sat too, while they’re due to start laid back jazz-soul at Warren Street, Jeaves wine bar . . . Mike Sullivan (Portsmouth Ritzy Tues/Wed/Thurs, Leigh Park Frenchie L’Amours Fri) reports that Mecca’s new fun pub Central Park opens at the Ritzy Nov 29 but the lighting rig’s already working and as of now the music policy is completely upfront — though compared to what? . . . Lance Nuttall manages Brighton’s fairly new seafront Club Savannah (48 hour advance membership and admission free), and is more likely to get the desired PAs if his letterhead has a ‘phone number! . . . Keith Valle, still six nights a week at Bristol Bibas, wonders how many other jocks have been solidly at it for over 20 years . . . John Clancy (Medway 53992), a hospital radio and mobile disco veteran of 15 years, is keen finally to cross over into club work (less lugging to do!) . . . Stuart Murray reckons the only clubs making an effort on the Isle of Wight are Ryde Patsy’s (where, wouldn’t you know, he does Fridays) and Sandown Court Jester — punters are ruled by Radio One, but he promises to play more funk than others . . . Disco Gary Van Den Bussche finds big demand for Stacy Lattisaw’s old ‘Jump To The Beat’ as it sounds like Madonna . . . King Enri (Sidcup Danielles) wonders what happened to Second Image’s prize pilot TV show after winning Freddie Starr’s Showcase, why in ‘EastEnders’ is Miquel Brown always on in the background, and when is Luther Vandross actually touring here? . . . Mark Barker (Brighton Secrets) says it’s all very well Bobby O borrowing from other records, Ian Levine has used the same tune with just different words on at least twelve Hi-NRG hits! . . . Keith Sterling, playing a wide range of music at Taunton Kingstons, Southampton Riverside and Bournemouth Shunters, doesn’t appreciate Island dictating the limited range suitable for inclusion in his disco chart returns — fear not, our man Alan Jones keeps promising the more applicable Nightclub chart will be back soon . . . The Team appear to be only a “mailing list hit”, without the strength of sales their Disco chart placing might suggest . . . Franklin Sinclair (Manchester Playpen) in thinking it isn’t fair that our disco charts list all remixes separately, when combined they could put a record much higher, completely misses the previously stated point: all mixes are listed separately precisely to minimise that sort of “creative marketing” advantage, and to discourage the now thankfully less widespread practice of multiple mix releases . . . SET IT OFF!
HOT VINYL
TYRONE: ‘I’m Gonna Make You Love Me’ (Total Control 12TOCO 4, via EMI)
Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations’ 1969 MoR classic sounds comfortable and comforting enough to be hitbound again in this 63½(intro)-90-91-91½bpm lovers rock revival shared by Tyrone with the unbilled but equally featured Yasmine James, who sticks to Di’s original vocal line until after a nice brass break (inst flip).
SERIOUS INTENTION: ‘You Don’t Know (Special Remix)’ (Important Records TANT 8)
This loosely skittering (0-)116½-0bpm instrumental third remix of an old Paul Simpson-produced track has a chiming melody and dubbily washing vocals to make it another ‘Set It Off’ (two acappellas sandwich the flip’s tighter 116bpm Live/Extramental mix) . . . except all of a sudden it’s got strong competition.
DSM: ‘Warrior Groove’ (Elite DAZZ 45)
Not due fully for a fortnight but too hot to hold, Danny D and chums have shameless fun combining the best bits from ‘Set It Off’ and ‘Twilight’ to make a powerful cymbal-shushed 0-111¼-0bpm groove with Tyzik-ish trumpet toots, scratching, gibberish, chicks ‘n’ whistles that like its influences will — and already does in London — drive dancefloors wild!
BRASS CONSTRUCTION: ‘Give And Take’ (Capitol 12CL 377)
Duetted by Randy Muller with Lisa Fischer, this long overdue superb pent-up 103½bpm chugger has all the crossover appeal of Ashford & Simpson’s ‘Solid’ and deserves to be massive — it’s already winning radio soul polls — flipped (dub too) by a disappointingly jerky and messy John Morales-mixed ‘Vintage Brass Medley’ which any UK disco DJ with years of practice at mixing this material could have blended more smoothly for our market. Continue reading “November 2, 1985: Tyrone, Serious Intention, DSM, Brass Construction, The Concept, hip hop review special”
