December 8, 1990: Madonna, Ceybil, P.K.A., C&C Music Factory/Freedom Williams, C.F.M. Band

BEATS & PIECES

4 HERO, despite already having the biggest selling house hit, hope also to see off a sudden rash of rival cash-ins by totally revamping their own ‘Mr. Kirk’s Nightmare’ as an alternative bassier drum fluttered ‘Kirk’s Back‘ remix, now with less emphatic integration of the actual “Mr Kirk” dialogue (the source of which they’re keeping secret!), this remix like the original being debuted as a Kiss 100 fm exclusive on Steve ‘Jacko’ Jackson’s house show . . . Roots # Soul’s untitled canterer on the flip of ‘Mr Kirk vs The Real Bassline’, reviewed last week, is 124½bpm — the lack of a title to put the Beats Per Minute figure behind made me forget it! . . . Graeme Park is now revealed as having created Black Box’s ‘The Total Mix’ (reviewed last week, out this), and Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley the flip’s ‘I Don’t Know Anybody Else’ US remix . . . Francois Kevorkian’s smash-bound bleeping and striding ‘Situation ’90‘ remix (118½bpm) of 1982’s Alison Moyet wailed classic Yazoo ‘Situation’ (Mute YAZ 4) — with a video that just consists of a psychedelic lightshow! — has his old 1982 US Remix (118½bpm) too plus Youth’s alternative new fluttery tumbling The Aggressive Attitude Mix (119¼bpm), and Paul DaKeyne’s synth burbled ‘State Farm (Play-Doh Dub)‘ (119½bpm) . . . Chris Peat & Mark Archer, Stafford’s C&M Connection, follow their recent success as Altern 8 by reverting to their best known Nexus 21 identity for the 33⅓rpm ‘Progressive Logic EP’ (Network NWKT 15), hottest for a bassily thrummed Mr Whippy Remix (126¼bpm) of their kinda ice cream van chimed ‘Self Hypnosis’ proto bleeper — its more breezily bleeping original (124¾bpm), from a ‘biorhythm’ compilation album, was only ever 12-inched as a much sought after promo (Network 810 DJ1) flipped by their Paris Grey ‘Don’t Lead Me (2001 Version)‘ remix (121¾bpm) — the new four track EP also having the girl cooed Rhythim Is Rhythim ‘Wiggin’ sampling jerky washing machine style ‘Real Love (Obsession)‘ (125¼bpm), twittery scampering ‘Together‘ (125bpm), and piano jangled then jittery bleeping ‘Techno Symphony‘ (122bpm) . . . Eternal has promoed The Basement Boys present Ultra Naté ‘Scandal‘ (119½bpm), a jaunty garage skipper that has already built a buzz in New York from club play by Tony Humphries but is not due commercially here until January 28, when it will make up just one “underground” side of her next single, flipped however until then by its instrumental Hump Mix plus the steadily decelerating old Piano Mix of ‘It’s Over Now’ (118¼-116bpm) . . . A&M has signed up Jam & Lewis’s label Flyte Tyme and all its acts, plus possibly the Tabu logo too in the future, but excluding Cherrelle and Alexander O’Neal for the time being . . . South London rapper Einstein has been recruited to join Technotronic, along with new girl Melissa, both replacing the now solo MC Eric and temporarily pregnant Ya Kid K . . . POP Promotions are flogging off (for only a fiver, full details on 081-968 8459) a few original US pressings of 1986’s Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk mixed The Source featuring Candi Staton ‘You Got The Love‘, original inspiration behind Paul Simpson’s ‘Musical Freedom’, ahead of full legal release (with remixes) in the new year of the marriage between its a cappella version and Frankie Knuckles’ Your Love’ that was previously white labelled as “Truelove” . . . Graham Gold is following The Video Pool’s lead by also listing the Beats Per Minute (calculated likewise off the finished video) on his monthly ‘Club Clips’ video compilations, which have always been sequenced in BPM running order anyway, the latest just completed edition being particularly up to date, he claims — subscription details for bona fide disco operators from Diamond Time on 071-433 3355 . . . Brian Mason is looking for an enthusiastic female DJ to warm up for him Fri/Saturdays at Cricklewood’s Ashtons (low pay but useful experience) — contact Mike Byrne at the venue on 081-452 1415 . . . Jeff Young’s very last live DJ-ing gig (unless something else crops up before Christmas, he says!) looks like having been his guest spot last Monday at Swansea’s Martha’s Vineyard, a night to remember after 18 years of jocking — from now on, he’ll be getting some sleep the better to concentrate on his “proper job” at A&M! — while the day after his very last BBC Radio 1 show on December 28 he’s off to India for a tiger hunt (only shooting film!) . . . Tim Westwood, in addition to his long established Saturday evening 8-10pm rap show on London’s Capital FM, earlier on Saturday morning (really, Friday night) from midnight to 4am also hosts what he reckons is an even more kickin’ four hour rap and ragga jam with live guests and scratch mixing, in the studio with him this week being Shabba Ranks and Nigel Benn . . . Adelaide, Australia, club DJ Jim Hadzantonis is desperate (on 010-61-8 298 4182) to trace Princess for an interview on his Radio 5MMM soul show — if anyone knows her, or brother Don Heslop, please put them in touch . . . Dave Haslam, following his dramatic resignation from the Hacienda in October after four and a half years, has started his own Freedom Saturdays at Manchester’s Boardwalk, presenting eclectic upfront music with positively no “summer of love” nostalgia . . . Kamikazee One 85 maybe should cover ‘Death Of The Kamikazeel . . . Laura Palmer’s murderer is finally revealed only during a dream, thus leaving it open for a further series of ‘Twin Peaks’ . . . DAMN’ FINE!

HOT VINYL

MADONNA ‘Justify My Love (Remix)’ (99½bpm) (Sire/Warner Bros W9000T)
With an intro on 12-inch that’s definitely not for airplay (naughty girl, just like at Wembley!), William Orbit’s remix, probably the first here of several, is a mumbling, groaning and panting steamy judderer that’s very different from the Lenny Kravitz created original less slinkily jogging 7″ Edit, joined on the flip by Shep Pettibone’s twittery lurching ‘Express Yourself (Shep’s ‘spressin’ Himself Re-Remix)‘ (115½bpm).

CEYBIL ‘Love So Special’ (Atlantic A7779T)
By a nasally wailing lady pronounced “Say-bill” (although her real name is Sybil Jeffries), this “spec-special” repeating guy and piping organ chords prodded terrific madly jaunty little R&B jumper is finally out here — after being promoed for the last two months just in Tony Humphries’ Original Underground Club Mix (121½bpm), which now surprisingly is only available on seven inch as B-side to the Remix Edit! — on 12 inch in Tony’s Extended Remix and instrumental Funky Bass Mix (119¾bpm), and Original Underground Club Dub (120¾bpm) versions. It should be a smash, but, at this time of year, who knows?

P.K.A. ‘Let Me Hear You (Say Yeah)’ (120bpm) (PKA 1)
Massive in Manchester already as a single-sided white label, this ambient synth introed then jaunty bleeps jittered chugging and surging electro skipper has bursts of title line call and answer, “right here right now” repeating girls, jangling piano, throbbing bass and even some rock guitar, and is sure to be huge when fully released soon on Stress Records (with an unheard flip called ‘Blipsync‘). Continue reading “December 8, 1990: Madonna, Ceybil, P.K.A., C&C Music Factory/Freedom Williams, C.F.M. Band”

December 1, 1990: KC Flightt, 4 Hero, Cyclone, Seal, Innocence

BEATS & PIECES

THIS COLUMN was the first to reveal back in October 1988, after I’d met him in Hamburg, that the rapping on ‘Girl You Know It’s True’ was actually by Charles Edward Shaw (from Houston, Texas, although based since 1978 in Mannheim, Germany), who is currently being named as one of the anonymous real vocalists behind Milli Vanilli now that their producer Frank Farian finally has confessed what has been suspected for the last two years, that prettily dreadlocked Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan. despite fronting the group with their fancy dance steps, never in fact sang a single note on any of their recordings — Farian reportedly said he was forced to disclose the deception when the duo insisted on singing their next single . . . Nomad featuring MC Mikee Freedom’s terrifically infectious ‘(I Wanna Give You) Devotion‘ has been deleted already after only two weeks of full release, but is scheduled for early January reissue in additional new mixes, Rumour Records reckoning that — despite rave reaction for the original — it was getting buried by the seasonal build-up of big name, disco megamix, and gimmick hits (new promos should be due before Christmas) . . . Double Dee featuring Dany’s ultra catchily galloping ‘Found Love’, now it’s out here (Epic 656376 6), is in its US released vigorously thumping Caipirina and slow starting more soulful MoZ-Art Remixes (123¾bpm), friskily leaping percussive International Mix (125bpm), plus the original Italian pressing’s retitled sparsely thundering Found Dub (124¼bpm) . . . Champion owner Mel Medalie obviously read the message to A&R men etched in the actual vinyl of D-Zone Records’ pressing, because he has snapped up and already rushed out Bassix’s ‘Close Encounters‘ (CHAMP 12-270), as before in Club, Bassix and Dub Mixes (now all 124¼bpm) . . . Massonix’s recently reviewed ‘Just A Little Bit More‘, now it’s out commercially (Noise Records NNR 512, via Rough Trade), is in speeded up more beefily remixed Denise Johnson Vocal (95½bpm) and Radio (93½bpm) Mixes, plus its original Electro Instrumental Mix (93¼bpm), coupled (without any Barrington Stewart) by the wukka-wukked jaggedly jangling instrumental ‘R.O.2.R.’ (121bpm) . . . Less Stress’s ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’ seems naggingly familiar because of course it was originally a hit by Crowded House . . . Steve Wolfe has taken over club promotion at A&M, as well as dance music A&R there, now that Bob Masters just handles radio promotion . . . Maria Whittaker has been signed by Slamm Records (one of Urban/Polydor’s new dance labels), which may be why she was checkin’ the scene at the Prestatyn weekender! . . . Teddy Riley, apparently now no longer partnered by Gene Griffin, is starting his own The Future label . . . Network/Kool Kat owner Neil Rushton has opened a recording studio and office complex on Hudson Street in New York, base also of the new Hudson Street Productions who have already signed Pandella, Keia Weiss, and the cleverly named 2-NYC (“too nice”) . . . Lenny D, currently in London for a couple of weeks, during which he’ll be jocking at (amongst others) Soho’s Brain this Friday (Nov 30) and Colchester’s The Institute this Saturday (Dec 1), is open for remixing offers at Orinoco Mix on 071-232 0008 . . . Nexus 21 in turn tour the US during January, playing in New York, Detroit, Chicago. Dallas and Los Angeles . . . Capital FM presenter Mick Brown reports that as Mick & Pat’s ‘Use It Up And Wear It Out’ is currently at number four on a Boston radio station, it could become a US hit . . . Starpoint (Weekend) Radio this weekend celebrates its fifth birthday before closing down soon on 93.2fm to campaign instead for a legal black music radio licence in the Windsor, Slough and Maidenhead area . . . Eastern Bloc have defected, or, rather, moved as of this Wednesday (28) into two new side by side shops at 5/6 Central Buildings in Oldham Street, Manchester, one stocking all types of dance and the other both UK and US indie material . . . Max and Dave (not the Hardrock Soul Movement!) are running a branch of Rayners Lane’s Record & Disco Centre from an outdoor stall every Saturday in Ealing Broadway Market (behind the Cannon cinema), stocking upfront newies and exclusive rarities . . . Rocky & Diesel, Steve Lee and Brandon Block this Thursday (29) Break Free! at the Basement on Shepherds Bush Green . . . The Farm play live with Terry Farley, Johnny Walker and Phil Perry at Nottingham’s Venus this Friday (30) . . . Soul II Soul have left their residency at Brixton’s The Fridge, where instead Rose Windross and Ralph Chillin co-host Fridays as of this week . . . Soul II Soul, Rebel MC, Loose Ends, Deee-Lite, Unique 3, MA.C., Donna Gardier, Blue Pearl and T.D.C. all have remixes out . . . David Lynch & Angelo Badalamenti’s haunting smoochy ‘Twin Peaks Theme‘, the preferable instrumental flip of Julee Cruise’s ‘Falling‘ (Warner Bros W9544T), at around 36bpm might synch nicely over a 71¾bpm funky drummer track if such exists but in any case is real ambient — how long before someone does get around to recording it with an added rhythm? . . . DAMN’ FINE!

THE YOUNG ONE RETIRES

Jeff Young, who presents Radio 1’s The Big Beat show every Friday, is to retire from DJ-ing completely at the end of the year to concentrate on his role as Head of A&R for A&M Records. Jeff has presented The Big Beat, the only national dance music programme, since it began three years ago, establishing it as essential listening for dance fans across the country. Pete Tong, who for the past three years has presented Capital Radio’s The Session show, has been appointed to take over presentation of The Big Beat from the beginning of January.

HOT VINYL
Reviewed by Graeme Park and James Hamilton

SIKE ‘Hit ‘Em Wit Dat’ / ‘Merge’ / ‘Intrigue’ / ‘Miditrip’
SNAP ‘Mary Had A Little Boy’
KENYATTA ‘I Wanna Do Something Freaky For You’ / ‘Good Vibes’
BELOVED Blissed Out EP: ‘Up Up And Away (Happy Sexy Mix)’ / ‘Wake Up Soon (Something To Believe In)’ / ‘Pablo (Special K Dub)’
DR TIMOTHY LEARY MEETS THE GRID ‘Origins Of Dance’
NEXUS 21 ‘Self Hypnosis’ / ‘Real Love’ / ‘Together’ / ‘Techno Symphony’
TEN CITY ‘Superficial People (Superficiality Remix)’
THE TODD TERRY PROJECT ‘If You Wanna Ride Kick Another Dope Rhyme’
YAZOO ‘Situation (Aggressive Attitude Mix)’ (Youth) / ‘Situation ‘90’ (Remix)’ (Francis Kevorkian) / ‘Situation (1982 US Remix)’ / ‘State Farm (Play-Doh Dub)’ (Paul Dakeyne)
TEST DEPARTMENT ‘Pax Americana’
PET SHOP BOYS ‘Being Boring (Remix)’ (Marshall Jefferson) / ‘We All Feel Better In The Dark (After Hours Climax)’ (Brothers In Rhythm)

KC FLIGHTT ‘Jump For Joy’ (US RCA/Popular 2629-1-RD)
The hip house pioneering rapper returns with this frenetically scurrying nervy galloper in Club Mix, Underground Dub (125½bpm) and Airwave Mix (125¾bpm), coupled also by the (surely older?) girls prodded wrigglier then sultry reggae dubwise halftempo ‘Hot Days Of Summer’ (126bpm).

4 HERO ‘Combat Dancin” (Reinforced RIVET 1203, via Pacific)
Introed and punctuated by chilling “Mr Kirk?” “Yes” “Your son is dead” “Dead? H-h-how?” “He died of an overdose, come down to the station house” dialogue that I can remember already having detailed in full several years ago (but of course I cannot remember now what it was from then!), the instant smash from this three tracker is the bleeping and booming ‘Mr. Kirk’s Nightmare’ (123½bpm), an obvious attention grabber that has exploded following Kiss 100 fm play, flipped by the bass farted funky drummered rapping ‘Move Wid The House Groove‘ (113bpm), and samples woven derivative sparse disjointed jittery ‘Combat Dance‘ (121½bpm). Meanwhile, there’s already a rival frequency response test introed then “Mr Kirk” dialogue repeating, bleeps and low frequencies filled

ROOTS # SOUL ‘Mr Kirk vs The Real Bassline’ (119¾bpm) (SBP 003),
white labelled with an untitled good bleeps and bass farts woven light tuneful instrumental canterer as flip. Continue reading “December 1, 1990: KC Flightt, 4 Hero, Cyclone, Seal, Innocence”

November 24, 1990: Earth People, Cartouche, Bobby McFerrin, Rum & Black, Eon

BEATS & PIECES

KAMIKAZE ONE 85 featuring The Beatles’ The Beatles Juice E.P.’, the record containing the funky drummer remix of ‘Yesterday’ that was reviewed two weeks ago, arrived on my doormat having been sent from I know not whom nor where, but it does exist and is being sold (probably under the counter!) by a select few specialist dance music record shops which you will have to locate for yourselves — please stop calling me about it, as I know no more than I’ve said! . . . fbi, the label on which Ben Liebrand’s remix of Dimples D ‘Sucker DJ’ appears here, is in fact the Disco Mix Club’s new commercial logo — the remix started out on July’s edition of the DMC subscription service, off which it was bootlegged in Italy before DMC had even obtained the rights to release it commercially, which they now of course have done, licensing it in the process to Media Records in Italy where it’s now both large and legal! . . . Snap’s next single is their album’s nursery rhyme adapting ‘Mary Had A Little Boy’, promoed in its Club Edit (121¼-120¾bpm), while Ten City’s will be the lurchingly loping ‘Superficial People’, promoed as a single-sider in Simon Law’s Superficiality Remix (104¾bpm) ahead of full release in a fortnight . . . Soul II Soul’s ‘Missing You’ on seven inch — completists note — is in a sexually healing The Healer Mix (93bpm), matched on the flip by its The Healer Instrumental, this latter being the only Healer version on 12 inch . . . P-X-U’s ‘The Scheme’, reviewed off white label last week, was indeed co-produced by Dave Lee and Mark Ryder, but with its Sheffield based performers, Mark McCormack and William Goring, who have a self-produced ‘Steel City’ EP due soon too . . . Alison Limerick’s jangling piano started then sparsely percussive pulsing attractive Knuckles & Morales Mix (122-121¾bpm) of ‘Where Love Lives’ is reputedly the last that Frankie & Dave will be doing together, flipped by their individual instrumental lush strings backed Knuckles and dry electro Red Zone Mixes (121¾bpm) . . . Monie Love’s A-side Touch Down Mix of ‘Down To Earth’ turns out to be the work of Cooltempo dance supremo Simon Dunmore, the flip’s mixes being by Pete Lorimer and John Wadell respectively . . . N.W.A.’s album, following their notorious ‘100 Miles And Runnin” EP, will be called ‘Efil Rof Zaggin’ (spell it backwards, with attitude!) . . . Rhyme ‘n’ Reason’s rapper Lex scratches up a storm on Orbital’s next single, ‘Satan‘ . . . Shades Of Rhythm, whose ‘Frequency Frequency’ album was hard to find on their own limited SOR Recordings private pressing back in July, have now signed to ZTT and both the LP and new remixes of its tracks ‘The Exorcist’ and ‘Homicide’ will be out properly come January . . . Soul II Soul recording engineers Howie Bernstein and Dobie Campbell have signed to 4th + B’way as recording act Nomad Soul . . . Blip label owner Eric Gooden and his Manchester colleague Melanie Williams, following respective production and vocal experience in Detroit, have formed their own group Temper Temper on Ten Records, for launch in the new year . . . Phil Wells of local shop The Record Basement (40 Station Hill) starts a weekly Nitrous rave at Reading’s Irish Club in Chatham Street this Thursday (22) . . . Run-D.M.C. headline a Kiss 100 fm soul night out this Friday (23) at Brixton’s Academy supported by Innocence, Donna Gardier, Double Trouble’s Collective Effort, MC Duke, N-Joi plus DJs Coldcut, Paul ‘Trouble Those Decks’ Anderson, MC Pugwash and more . . . UK mixing champ DJ Reckless guests at Welling’s The Station this Sunday (25) with resident Doug Hughes, who has a Wednesday guest night there too . . . Jeff Thomas celebrates an 8th Anniversary Party at Swansea’s Martha’s Vineyard next Monday (26) with a return visit by Jeff Young plus PAs by Kariya and more . . . The Sindecut guest the same night at Unique 3 DJs Cutz & Edzy’s Monday 10pm-2am Phase 3 night in Bradford’s Wall Street, with deep house, hard hip hop and selected grooves . . . Dave Charnley is joined at Blackpool’s Hackett’s on Central Drive by Bedrock DJs Sasha and Marcus on Tuesdays, the same plus John J. on packed rave Fridays, and by Paul Oakenfold alternating every other week with Sasha on Saturdays . . . Virgin in a fortnight releases a ‘Dance Energy‘ double album compilation, from various labels, featuring hits by 32 of the acts appearing on BBC2-tv’s series of the same name . . . Chris Brown wonders when the Pasadenas will do a Philly flavoured cover of Kylie Minogue’s ‘Step Back In Time’?! . . . DAMN’ FINE!

HOT VINYL

EARTH PEOPLE ‘Dance’ (Champion CHAMP R12-258)
Still included on the flip in its original Club Mix (124bpm), this ‘Pal Joey’ Longo created wickedly catchy Chic ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’ quoting sax tootled summer floorfiller is now out here again as a Party Remix (122bpm) which, from the recently reviewed ‘DJ Breaks Classics Vol. 3’ US Underworld Records EP, is actually Reynald ‘Crazy Frenchman’ Deschamps’ excellent ‘Earth People Dance Party Mix’ (kicked off by a typically declaimed introduction to Pal Joey by James Brown’s valet Danny Ray), plus Reynald’s alternative here edited Party Remix Instrumental (122bpm), while the flip also features for added, already great, value the older jiggly snapping ‘Reach Up To Mars‘ (121bpm), the rhythm of which is used in the above remixes.

CARTOUCHE ‘Feel The Groove’ (123bpm) (The Brothers Organisation 12 BORG 21, via BMG)
Rushed out here hard on the heels of its fast selling Dutch import pressing, this Serge Ramaekers created tribute to a club called Cartouche is a simple Myrelle Tholen (daughter of R&B band leader Johnny Otis) chanted and piano pounded frantic Italo house type whomper punctuated by all sorts of familiar exhortations, with an Instrumental in which Jean Paul Visser’s vocoder snarled refrain shows up more, plus a new sparser thrumming B-side dub (123½bpm) that wasn’t on the import.

BOBBY McFERRIN ‘I’m Crazy About Your Body’ (97½bpm)
Apparently created by the team who also combined ‘The Power Of Human Nature’ back in the summer, this totally blank (apart from an etched “It wasn’t us your honour”!) label-less bootleg brilliantly sets Bobby’s original of his Cadbury’s commercial tune to funkily burbling beats woven from several sources, flipped by a terrific jazzy piano instrumental over the same rhythm track (97¾bpm), plus that rhythm in unadorned dubwise form.

RUM & BLACK ‘F*** The Legal Stations’ (123¾bpm) (Shut Up And Dance Records SUAD 8)
Repeatedly punctuated by a “Turn off that motherf***in’ radio” comment borrowed from Ice Cube’s ‘AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted’ album, which seems likely to get it banned like N.W.A. at many stores, this acid guitar looping angrily churning and scrubbing instrumental rumbler is already flying out of specialist dance music stockists, flipped by the bleeped and boomed frantically throbbing ‘I’m Not In Love‘ (127¼bpm) with an occasionally repeated female title line. Continue reading “November 24, 1990: Earth People, Cartouche, Bobby McFerrin, Rum & Black, Eon”

November 17, 1990: Frances Nero, Johnny Bristol, 808 State, Nomad/M.C. Mikee Freedom, Dimples D

BEATS & PIECES

KISS 100 FM broadcasts a non-stop ‘Master-Mix’ show in London every Saturday 9-11 pm, in the New York style, totally megamixed without interruption for the whole of its two hours by a roster of DJs that includes Paul ‘Trouble Those Decks’ Anderson, Kid Batchelor, Judge Jules, Graeme Park, Richie Rich, Danny Rampling, Colin Dale, DJ Pogo, KC, CJ Mackintosh, Mike Pickering, Fabio . . . Brian Mason (081-440 4172), by coincidence, is looking for a mixing DJ to produce regular tapes of continuous upfront soul and dance music for a wine bar he’s opening . . . A Homeboy, A Hippie And A Funki Dredd’s ‘Total Confusion’ apparently was built up from a master tape originally created by Casper for producer Ian Levine . . . Turntable Overload’s ‘T.T.O.’ started out as ‘TTO’ by TTO on a mystery black label reviewed back in August, this “original” actually being a Dave Lee remixed dub of a still unreleased US remake by the Turntable Orchestra of — would you believe? — the Bee Gees’ ‘You Should Be Dancing’, stripped down by Dave around the time that LFO’s ‘LFO’ was breaking and so retitled as a joke, its current completely revamped re-remixes by Dave and, as had become obvious, Mark Ryder being out fully now on the RePublic Records associated Made On Earth label . . . African Business’s four mixes of ‘In Zaire’, promoed across two separate pressings, are all together on the single 33⅓rpm commercial 12 inch (Urban URBX 64) . . . King For A Day’s ‘Kick That Rhythm’, despite being promoed on Crucial Dance, proves to be out commercially on PWL Records (PWLT 67) . . . L.A. Mix’s ‘Mysteries Of Love’, reviewed last week, now looks like not being out commercially until December 8, or even after Christmas . . . Creation’s dazedly galloping Black Box ‘Ride On Time’-type ‘Give It Up’ turns out to be a UK creation by Barry Leng & Duncan Hannant . . . Eve Gallagher, statuesque and tall with a silver streak in her hair like a character from ‘Superman III’, is actually from Sunderland although she does indeed live in Switzerland (“It’s a long story!”, she laughs) . . . Ragga Twins’ ‘Spliffhead‘ appeared to be the track most played by Prestatyn punters at their own chalet parties . . . Andrew Beer is updating the DJ mailing list at Warrior Records, PO Box 775, London EC1A 4LB (‘phone 071-490 5475, fax 071-490 7920) . . . Moz Morris is building a mailing list of DJs who can use Hi-NRG and pop dance (like Lisa’s recent gay hit ‘Stand Up And Sing‘ and German act Ultramatix’s new dance version of Elton John’s ‘Sacrifice‘) at Manic Records, 10 Park Road, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 4HT (enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope with your application) . . . Emily Leggatt and Ian Gotts’ correct telephone number at Power Promotions is 071-482 0728, and not as misinformed last week, so adjust your files accordingly . . . Kiss 100 fm breakfast show co-presenter Graham Gold has — for obvious reasons like sleep! — had to give up his full time nightclub residency at Soho’s Gullivers (only three months short of 10 years there, possibly a record for an unbroken soul residency in London?), but returns for one night only this Saturday (Nov 17), while he manages to jock with Jon ‘Gummo’ Jules every Wednesday at Ealing’s Broadway Boulevard, and is to be found over the next few Fridays guesting at Kingston upon Thames’s Options (23), Hackney’s Shenolas (30), Grays’ P’Zaz Nightclub (Dec 7) . . . Donna Gardier’s ‘I’ll Be There’ video is the living embodiment of the word “slinky” — phworr! . . . DAMN’ FINE!

PRESTATYN 8

PRESTATYN 8 had a noticeably lower turnout than usual, mainly because of counter attraction weekenders like its promoter LiveWire’s own recent Kaos rave, and suffered from the last minute cancellation of En Vogue’s concert, but seemed to be retrenching its tradition with an increased emphasis by the DJs on slower soul amidst the house and rap. Innocence featuring Gee Morris (pictured below) were perhaps the most popular of the PAs, while a long live set by the specially reformed Light Of The World rivalled Public Enemy’s live show for many. To my mind the best PAs were by the dominatrix-like Eve Gallagher, oozing sensuality, and the excellent Master Ace, who was accompanied by scratching DJ Steady Pace and two tubby dancers, dressed and acting like winos to begin their act. Al B. Sure! (with a complete dance troupe) didn’t realise his US hit material was unknown here, other appearances being by pluckily swooping acappella Tammy Payne, tightly choreographed Alison Limerick, disappointing Diana Brown & Barrie K. Sharpe, Kenny Thomas, Bass-O-Matic, Unique 3, Sindecut, Ashley & Jackson, New Life, and Carlton. Not a classic maybe, but not bad. Prestatyn 9 next Easter is rumoured to be the last of this type of weekender at the present site, the soul event possibly moving elsewhere with a rave replacing it there.

HOT VINYL

FRANCES NERO ‘Footsteps Following Me’ (104¾bpm) (Motorcity MOTC 24, via Pacific)
About for some time but now building support, this Sister Sledge ‘Thinking Of You’ inspired beefily pushing slinky soul roller, by an obscure ex-Motown artiste (she had one single on the associated Soul label) who was tracked down in Detroit by producer Ian Levine, could yet end up absolutely massive given the chance (Instrumental flip).

JOHNNY BRISTOL ‘Man Up In The Sky’ (102½bpm) (Motorcity MOTC 21, via Pacific)
Dating from last year but easily the anthem in the “chillout” real soul/jazz room at Prestatyn, this Ian Levine produced lovely late Seventies-style soulful swayer always was a soul boy fave and really proved itself, causing massed formation dancing and crowd demanded repeat plays (Instrumental flip).

808 STATE ‘Cübik’ (ZTT ZANG 5T)
Finally checked on 12 inch, this distinctive fruity fart tones and ‘Dr Who’-type spacey synth prodded instrumental hit is in its previously UK B-sided Jimi Hendrix-like guitar introed and freaky effects outroed jerky Original Mix (123¾bpm) plus a much more smoothly shuffling Pan Am Mix (123½bpm), as its hotter import’s Pan American Excursion becomes, flipped by the friskily flowing synthed and bleeped melodic house ‘Olympic’ (as the previously promoed ‘Olympic State’ is now called) in its jumpily driving Euro Bass Mix (122¼bpm), as the promo’s Heavy Bass Euromix becomes, plus a new attractive bell tinkling Flutey Mix (122½bpm). Continue reading “November 17, 1990: Frances Nero, Johnny Bristol, 808 State, Nomad/M.C. Mikee Freedom, Dimples D”

November 10, 1990: Deee-Lite, Kamikaze One 85/The Beatles, L.A. Mix, Dimples D, Cartouche

BEATS & PIECES

BIRMINGHAM’S NETWORK label set out to test its growing “underground” reputation by deliberately not sending out promos of the Altern 8 EP to see whether, if released without either promotion or advertising, it could hold its own alongside imports on such cult US labels as Nugroove — which it did so successfully that it has already sold around 10,000 copies, more than respectable considering the lower sales that are currently general! . . . Altern 8, as previously noted, is a side project of Nexus 21, whose ‘Progressive Logic’ EP is due next week with as main track a new remix of ‘Self Hypnosis’ — the original of which was recently bootlegged here, along with Psyche’s ‘Elements‘ from Network’s house pioneering parent Kool Kat label, whose early releases by the likes of Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May have also been much pirated of late . . . Rave 2001’s almost year old ‘Seduce Me‘ has likewise been remixed for re-release after being bootlegged in Italy (where it’s flipped by Tyree’s ‘My Melody’), a US pirate pressing also having appeared . . . Avenue Records are releasing a ‘Rap Declares War‘ double album (AVENL 1, via Rough Trade) with an interesting compilation concept, every track (by such as Mellow Man Ace, Beastie Boys, Dream Team, Kwame, Poor Righteous Teachers. The 7A3, Tony D and many more) either sampling or being based on an original by War — an advance white label promo EP featuring the ‘Heartbeat’ based Ice-T ‘Heartbeat‘ (88½bpm), ‘Slippin’ Into Darkness’ based Mantronix ‘Join Me Please (Home Boys Make Some Noise)‘ (94¾bpm), ‘Magic Mountain’ based De La Soul ‘Potholes In My Lawn‘ (92¾bpm) and ‘Get Down’ based Wrecks ‘n’ Effect ‘New Jack Swing‘ (106½bpm) has been circulated by Full Effect Promotions (whose Peter Malski is building a DJ mailing list at 100 Portland Road, Rushden, Northants NN10 ODP; ‘phone 081 743 1333, fax 081 749 0751) . . . Power Promotions (32 Holmes Road, Kentish Town, London NW5 3AB; ‘phone 071 482 0729, fax 071 482 0881) are adding to their already flourishing club and press promotion services with the introduction of radio promotion run by Emily Leggatt (who wants to hear from both licensed and unlicensed radio — NOT club — DJs), plus a personal appearance agency run by Ian Gotts to supply fee paying club PAs . . . The Video Pool’s latest, November, edition lists all of the 30 included videos’ Beats Per Minute calculated from the actual finished tape (rather than the records) for complete programming accuracy — monthly subscription details (available to UK based disco operators only) from Roz Bea, 170a Holland Park Avenue, London W11 4UH; ‘phone 071 602 5935, fax 071 602 4338 . . . Gang Starr have been signed by Cooltempo for future UK releases . . . Musto & Bones’ ‘Dangerous On The Dancefloor (Club Remix)‘ (121½bpm) (CityBeat CBE 1253), a jauntily jittering hip house chugger all about a dirty dancer called Rita (a real crowd pleaser!), is rapped by Brooklyn’s P.C.P., while Stacey Parris slinkily sings the flip’s undulating ‘Time Is Running Out (Club Remix)‘ (94½bpm) . . . Carleen Anderson, vocalist on the Young Disciples’ Get Yourself Together’, is the daughter of James Brown’s former Famous Flames sidekick Bobby Byrd and Vicki Anderson . . . Kickin/GTi Records’ new act The Kick Squad appears to be The Scientist again, joined by a couple of cronies . . . Eve Gallagher’s ‘Love Come Down’ (More Protein PROT 612), fully reviewed a fortnight ago, as suspected is not out commercially until November 19, while Johnetta Alston’s ‘Keep The Fire Burning (The Slamming Club Mix)’ (Global Village NORX 1), reviewed three weeks ago, is just out now . . . 2 In A Room’s infectiously jumpy ‘Wiggle It‘ (reviewed w/e Aug 25) always deserved more attention here and indeed has topped the US Club Play chart in Billboard . . . N.W.A.’s amusingly smutty ‘Just Don’t Bite It‘ appears to have so outraged most of the main, middle of the road, UK record retailing chains that they have refused to stock the ‘100 Miles And Runnin” EP which contains it — with slightly warped logic (when you think about it), the group has officially responded to the ban by stating, “If people don’t like it, they can s*** my d***!” . . . Massivo member Jon Jules has had to have nine teeth extracted —ouch! . . . Cleveland Area DJ Association’s now national Disc Jockey Kidney Machine Trust Fund is only a few hundred pounds short of its £7,000 target, thanks most recently to donations from Cliff Richard and many others at the Light Sound Show ’90 . . . A Homeboy, A Hippie And A Funki Dredd PA this Thursday (Nov 8) at Brixton’s The Fridge . . . Chris Brown starts The Fire underground dance music night for dressed up over-21s this Friday (9) at Masquerade in Bracknell’s The Point . . . Blackburn’s Ian ‘DJ IMC’ McIntyre starts jocking this Friday and Saturday, with upfront Thursday from next week too, at Whalley’s brand new Club Rendezvous . . . Mark Kavanagh is joined by Chris Lovechild presenting a strictly upfront Hype! night 11pm until late every Tuesday in Dublin’s Judge Roy Bean’s, and by other guest DJs for an uptempo Rave Central! night 8pm until late every Thursday in Dunlaoghaire’s The Pirates’ Den . . . Jeff Thomas is back on the track with a no dress restriction upfront Friday Thang again, as well as Mondays, at Swansea’s Martha’s Vineyard . . . Jerry Hipkiss, now in charge of music programming at Severn Sound FM, has restarted at Cheltenham’s Gas playing the more soulful good stuff Fridays and Saturdays . . . Edinburgh’s Donny Hughes, formerly world famous as club jock DJ Shuggy (well, he had his photo on this page once!), is now the weekday mid-afternoon presenter on Radio Forth and was really chuffed when Phonogram flew him down to London and back just for an Oleta Adams reception . . . cellnet’s jaunty TV jingle, the 1948 recorded Blossom Dearie/Betty Boop-type artfully “little girl” voiced and lightly quickstepping piano trio backed Rose Murphy ‘Busy Line‘ (around 99¾/199½bpm) has been seven inched by RCA (PB 44087) and could be useful fun for more adventurous jocks . . . DAMN’ FINE!

HOT VINYL

DEEE-LITE ‘Power Of Love (Sampladelic Remix)’ (121½bpm) (Elektra EKR117T)
One of the many house tracks from their LP, this episodically surging breezy leaper rambles around loosely spurting off in different directions while following perhaps too rigidly the conventions of its pure house style, without adding enough of the zany individuality that made ‘Groove Is In The Heart’ such a standout delight — which is not to mean that it won’t be some sort of an automatic crossover hit as follow-up, now that it’s finally out this week, more that were it by anyone else it would likely remain a specialist underground seller. Maybe in recognition of this, (with a tempoless Loveapella too) it’s coupled by both the samples woven short but ultra funky rumbling ‘Deee-Lite Theme (Global Village Mix)‘ (99bpm), and instrumental bumpily bounding bright ‘Build A Bridge (Cross Cultural Mix)‘ (120-120¼bpm), neither on vinyl before.

KAMIKAZE ONE 85 featuring THE BEATLES ‘The Beatles Juice E.P.’ (Parlophone 12R6272)
Don’t bother trying to order it from EMI because, despite the supposed label and catalogue number (and nice cartoon cover illustration), this — as exclusively warned five weeks ago — is the Beatles bootleg, adding the usual funky drummer beat to the studio out-take chatter introed ‘Yesterday’ (96¾bpm), with its new Instrumental (97bpm), coupled by an “ignition sequence” countdown introed but then more drearily tempoed ‘Because’ (78¾bpm), with its Instrumental (78½bpm) too. Collectors, of course, will kill for it!

L.A. MIX ‘Mysteries Of Love’ (101bpm) (A&M/PM AMYDJ 707)
Promoed ahead of commercial release in three weeks, Les & Emma Adams’ follow-up to the distinctly street cred ‘Coming Back For More’ is a possibly even more street cred gorgeous sinuous jogger soulfully wailed by Chaka Khan backing singer Beverly Brown through an attractively weaving arrangement, punctuated by some oddly enunciated D Marcus C rap (almost phonetic sounding although he’s from Eltham!), in Premier, Tougher, Instrumental and 7″ Version Mixes, another London radio smash!

DIMPLES D ‘A Witch For Love (Sucker DJ)’ (107¾bpm) (Italian Baia Degli Angell BDA 001)
Possibly bootlegged in Italy as on both sides of the record in the same so called Strega Mix, this Ben Liebrand remixed girl rapper’s madly jaunty ‘I Dream Of Jeannie’ TV theme backed bouncing early Eighties-type leaper is in fact due out here as ‘Sucker DJ’ (fbi FBI 11T, via Spartan), serviced only on seven inch so far, and is so catchy it has to be an instant crossover smash! Continue reading “November 10, 1990: Deee-Lite, Kamikaze One 85/The Beatles, L.A. Mix, Dimples D, Cartouche”

November 3, 1990: Hypersonic, Mental Cube, Red Bandit, Rebel M.C., Caveman

BEATS & PIECES

PHONOGRAPHIC PERFORMANCE LIMITED (PPL), according to their officer Rehan Khan, have terminated the Disco Mix Club’s ‘dubbing’ licence and issued a writ in the latest stage of a continuing dispute about the terms of the licence — a blanket royalty agreement which was originally conceived, at a rate of 15 per cent of revenue, for firms who compile and copy existing records onto cassette (perhaps to make background music-type programmes) for rental only, but which has been adapted into a special ‘mixing’ licence at a slightly higher 17½ per cent of their revenue for services like the DMC who in return are enabled to supply subscribers with remixes and megamixes on vinyl (having first also obtained individual clearances from the record companies concerned for the tracks used). The situation now, while PPL registered companies wait for the pending litigation to be resolved, means that the club is limited to using only non-PPL labels’ material in its mixes, which will appear this coming month without interruption according to the DMC’s Tony Prince, who, in a letter circulated to the record industry, says “More than anything, I hope you will appreciate better than the people who do not know us, that our integrity is not in question” . . . 808 State have combined both ‘Cübik’ and ‘Olympic State’ for their UK newie, confusingly labelled as ‘CübikOlympic808State’ (ZTT ZANG 5T), only received so far as a seven inch but due to have the fruity fart tones and ‘Dr Who’-type spacey synth prodded ‘Cübik’ in its Jimi Hendrix-like guitar introed and freaky effects outroed jerky Original Mix (123¾bpm) plus a Pan Am Mix (presumably the hot import Pan American Excursion version, which was a smoother 124¼bpm), flipped by the friskily melodic bleeping ‘Olympic State’ in a new attractive bell tinkled light Flutey Mix (122½bpm) plus a Euro Bass Mix (presumably the original promo’s driving house-ier Heavy Bass Euromix, 122¾bpm) . . . Prince ‘New Power Generation (LP Version)‘ (110¾-112bpm) (Paisley Park Records W9525T), the latest single from his ‘Graffiti Bridge’ album, has also only arrived on seven inch so far but is a good funkily lurching chantalong stomper, fluctuating in tempo — and if, as seems likely, the raucous Pt II (112¼-113¼bpm) is continuous, it climaxes even faster (with a ragged slow finish) . . . 2 Tuff ‘Slow Down‘ (96¾bpm) (eastwest YZ542T), the unhurried husky rap that combines ‘Hold On’ and ‘Ghetto Heaven’ among its familiar main elements and pays ’nuff respect to Soul II Soul for helping slow down dance rhythms again, was originally promoed back in June (with limited availability later) on an Intrigue pressing intended primarily for export to meet demand in Italy and Germany for its then B-side, ‘Tribute‘, a drily chatted plea for unity among rappers, included here in just its “whoo/yeah” prodded slinkily jaunty old reggae beats underpinned “Ska” Remix (106¾bpm), both now newly flipped by the Jazzie B-style rapped and girls cooed attractive sinuously pulsing ‘Elevate Your Mind‘ (101¼bpm) . . . Teena Marie’s ‘Since Day One (Remix)‘ (97bpm) (Epic 656429 6) is a perfect example of the type of quality soul that Kiss 100 fm is returning to popular prominence in London, usefully just as Teena returns to her typically wailing and scatting superb soul style of old, this Jazzie B produced track from her ‘Ivory’ album being a naggingly catchy gorgeous swooping and searing slinky jogger underpinned by Barry White’s ‘I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby’ bass and piano at times, out this week but promoed as a twinpack with its Instrumental (96¾bpm) on the other disc . . . Bristol’s FTP incremental radio station is now linked financially with the Chiltern Radio Network, whose lessons learnt in particular at black music orientated Horizon Radio and Choice FM seem likely to be passed on . . . Caroline Pead in a fortnight leaves Phonogram to handle dance music A&R and set up a DJ mailing list at the actual Virgin label, as opposed to the Associated Virgin Labels (AVL) division . . . Gwen Guthrie ‘Miss My Love’ (Reprise W9763), reviewed on import w/e September 22 and promoed as a US white label, is now out here . . . Nightmares On Wax’s fast selling ‘Aftermath’ is due also now in a remix by L.F.O. . . . Steve Eusebe is the featured vocalist with not only Sound Of Shoom but also Mr Monday, on the latter’s good ‘Pushing‘ B-side . . . Mr Monday actually is the debut release on DJs Judge Jules and Roy the Roach’s own label, Elevation Inc. . . . London’s Brown’s club, formerly Blitz, really has been blitzed — or at least apparently burnt out in a fire . . . Brian Gardner changes the pace with D.Stress Tuesdays starting this week (Oct 30) at Soho’s Wag Club, promising plenty of rare groove, soul, swingbeat and other slinky stuff but positively no house . . . Dean Thatcher, Mark Doyle, Normski and guests celebrate the second birthday of Freestyle this Thursday (Nov 1) at Ealing’s Haven Stables, where you’re likely to hear everything from Bruce Hornsby & The Range, Zoe, Young Disciples and the Soup Dragons to Tommy Roe’s ‘Dizzy’ (not forgetting The Aloof, eh Dean?!) . . . Paul Major promises a totally terrifying ‘Tunnel Of Horror’ leading all the way upstairs to Lowestoft’s Bluenotes II for his Hallowe’en party this Thursday (1), half price entry and cash prizes for fancy dressers . . . London’s gay Bolts has returned with DJ Norman Scott on Fridays to its old home, formerly Lazers but now called the Arena in Haringey’s Green Lanes, where stars like George Michael used to be regulars . . . Total Kaos with all sorts of fun, including fireworks and foghorns, is promised by DJ Sy, Micky Finn, DJ SS, MJP, DJ Chipie, Formation 5, Hardcore Trio, Yorkie and DJ Tony this Friday {2) at Leicester’s Spectrum “round the corner from the Helsinki”, while rather confusingly Johnny Walker reckons he’s headlining a Spectrum allniter this Saturday (3) at Leicester’s Oasis . . . The Scientist’s follow-up will be ‘The Bee‘, with a buzzzzzzing bee effect making the ultimate bleep! . . . DAMN’ FINE!

HOT VINYL
Reviewed by DJ Streets Ahead and James Hamilton

GALLIANO ‘Welcome To The Story’
OLETA ADAMS ‘Rhythm Of Life’ (Rhythm Dub/Full Remix)
MUSTO AND BONES ‘Dangerous On The Dancefloor (Club Remix)’
ROZALLA ‘Born To Love Ya’
FATBACK BAND ‘Bus Stop (Remix)’
ALISON LIMERICK ‘Where Love Lives’ (Knuckles and Morales Mix/Red Zone Mix/Knuckles Mix)
DADDY FREDDY ‘Respect’
KINGS OF SWING ‘Nod Your Head To This (Norman Cook Remix)’
THE LIGHTNING SEEDS ‘Lightning Beats’ [All I Want (Extended Mix)]
2 FOR JOY ‘In A State (Juno Latuno Mix)’

HYPERSONIC ‘Dance-Tones’ (D-Zone Records DANCE 001, via 0708 727029)
Lacking details like the same label’s N-R Gee Posse/Ree-Venge promo double-sider, this fully released instant fast seller from Dance Zone Records is a “3,000 cycles per second” tone introed then thrumming and bleeping unhurried techno instrumental (124¼bpm), ending with another test tone that continues right around the run-out groove, while on the ‘Cübik’ prodded flip are slightly more hip house tempoed (124¾bpm) and fiercer siren filled (124¼bpm) treatments of the same tune, the siren again continuing through the run-out groove. The next big bleeper?

MENTAL CUBE ‘Chile Of The Bass Generation’ (118bpm) (Debut DEBTX 3104)
Driven by a thrashing drum and repetitively looped flute squawk, this variety filled funkily driving instrumental is underpinned by ever shifting bursts of rumbling and yowling low frequency oscillation as it builds through organ and wah wah guitar, making it refreshingly different and very fresh, flipped by the less essential blippy chugging ‘Q’ (119¼bpm) and short frantic ‘Dope Module‘ (138bpm).

RED BANDIT ‘I’m Back (Funk Mix)’ (99¾bpm) (Motown ZT 44138)
Starting with an amusingly (and misleadingly!) sexy answering machine greeting before mumbling rapper James Bowman leaves his message, which amounts to the song that follows, this P’funkily rumbling and slithering judderer is in fact his answer version to Lisa Stansfield’s ‘All Around The World’, and not only is addressed to Lisa in the lyrics but also actually samples brief phrases by her amidst the tumbling beats (less confused in its ‘Atomic Dog’-ish Funk Instrumental), the sparser pleasant gently wriggling Single Version (99½bpm) having more of Lisa herself. Continue reading “November 3, 1990: Hypersonic, Mental Cube, Red Bandit, Rebel M.C., Caveman”

October 27, 1990: The Emotions, Black Box, Life On Earth, Kylie Minogue, Massivo/Jackie Rawe

BEATS & PIECES

PUBLIC ENEMY, as hinted last week, can now be confirmed as the new star live attraction at the November 2/3/4 Prestatyn weekender, where other final additions to the already detailed bill are Al B. Sure!, Samuelle, Innocence and possibly Blue Pearl, with Tim Westwood rejoining the DJ line-up to introduce P.E. (who appear on Saturday afternoon so they can get to their London Arena gig later that night) — last call for late bookings on 081-364 1212 . . . 2 Tuffs ‘Hold On’ and ‘Ghetto Heaven’ grooves combining ‘Slow Down‘, reviewed w/e August 18 when originally pressed on Intrigue for export only, is due here commercially now on eastwest (YZ542T) . . . Ceybil (a nasally wailing lady pronounced “Say-bill”) has her whispering guy and piping organ chords prodded jauntily jumping ‘Love So Special’ currently on US Atlantic import but it’s been promoed here as a single sider in just its B-side Tony Humphries mixed Original Underground Club Mix (121½bpm) (Atlantic A7818T) . . . Pal Joey has remixed his own (as it is confirmed) ‘Runaway‘, with added instrumentation over the Roy Ayers Ubiquity ‘Runnin’ Away’ riff, for upcoming UK release on Champion . . . D-Shake’s ‘Techno Trance’, not G.T.O.’s ‘Pure’ (right label, wrong tune!), is of course what ‘Industrial Bass’ by Project “86” sounds quite like . . . Danny Rampling’s soulfully skipping gruff Steve Eusebe moaned Sound Of Shoom ‘I Hate Hate (Southwark St. Mix)‘ (109¾bpm), as oldies fan Jay Strongman surprisingly didn’t point out last week, is of course a remake of Razzy’s mid-Seventies message song (a much played favourite then of Greg Edwards on Capital Radio) . . . Djum Djum’s somewhat European sounding ‘Difference’ proves to be a London recording created by the group with Leftfield and Mat Clark . . . Fluke’s ‘PhiIly’ on commercial 12-inch turns out indeed to be in Jamorphous and Jamoeba Mixes, with a squeaky strings stabbed fractionally slower new Jameteur Mix too (all still around 117½bpm) . . . N-Joi’s ‘Anthem’ (125bpm) on commercial 12-inch is now coupled only by ‘Manic’ and ‘Techno Gangsters’, despite being promoed in its original EP form with ‘Jah Heaven’ too . . . Pressure Zone are releasing their own total creation ‘That Moon‘, as by Paul Rutherford & Pressure Zone featuring Tammy Payne, on their own label Beat Farm Recordings from their own The Beat Farm studio, soon . . . Inner City’s additional mixes from their US ‘That Man (He’s All Mine)’ 12 inch are now out here as a separate Remix pressing, other remixes with no room for review being of Fantasy UFO, Mica Paris, Pet Shop Boys, and The Sindecut (again) . . . ‘Thunder‘ ( 119½-119¼bpm), a violent bass thundered galloper with silky strings playing what sounds like ‘The Good Life’ amongst the many episodic quotes as it rampages along, is the only really exciting dance track on not only Renegade SoundWave’s limited edition ‘R.S.W In Dub’ sampler EP but also their whole double LP of the same name, and will be remixed for commercial 12-inch anyway . . . Status Quo’s rockin’ & rollin’ ‘Anniversary Waltz’ is obviously great for Jive Bunny playing party jocks, who might find useful the fact that Part One medleys together ‘Let’s Dance’ (173)/’Red River Rock’ (173½)/’No Particular Place To Go’ (130)/’The Wanderer’ (128¾)/’I Hear You Knocking’ (128½)/’Lucille’ (138)/’Great Balls Of Fire’ (169-175½bpm), and Part Two ‘Rock ‘n Roll Music’ (174½-173½)/’Lover Please’ (174½)/’That’ll Be The Day’ (131½)/’Singing The Blues’ (131½)/’When Will I Be Loved’ (132¼)/’Let’s Work Together’ (127½)/’You Keep A Knockin” (173½-175) /’Long Tall Sally’ (176bpm), approximately! . . . “BPM” in giant red letters dominated the set of BBC2-tv’s first ‘Def II: Dance Energy’ (Mondays, circa 6.25-6.50pm, with a chart update Wednesdays 6.50-7pm), which did well to open with a live rap by the ever positive, never negative, KRS-One — a pity though that the studio sound and atmosphere weren’t punchier, but the filmed US rap reports made up for much . . . Jonathan Ross began as a researcher for Channel 4’s faster moving old UK version of ‘Soul Train’, with which comparisons must inevitably be made, so one wonders whether anyone from ‘Dance Energy’ will go on to similar heights?! . . . Brixton’s The Fridge and Capital FM combine for 95.8 At The Fridge next Monday (29) with DJs Pete Tong, Mick Brown, Dave Dorrell, and Ben & Andy (the Boilerhouse boys) . . .

HOT VINYL
Reviewed by Graeme Park and James Hamilton

OHM Heady Volts Sensation EP (Shake/Wire Me Up/Catch A Wave/Lol Mix/Challenger)
TIM HUTTON ‘Third Star’
SIMON SED ‘Wigged’/‘Criminal’
TOMOWAKI ‘Past, Present, Future’
2 TUFF ‘Slow Down’/‘Tribute’/‘Elevate Your Mind’
CEYBIL ‘Love So Special’
THE FAMILY STAND ‘Sweet Liberation’ (Jazzie B mixes/original/Bonus Beats)
HAKEEM X ‘Hip Hop Reborn’
BLOOD BROTHERS ‘Transfusion’
LESS STRESS featuring KATHARINE WOOD/YOUNGER YOUTH ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’
DEEE-LITE ‘Power Of Love (Sampla-Delic Remix)’/‘Deee-Lite Theme (Global Village Mix)’/‘Build The Bridge (Cross Cultural Mix)’
OFFSHORE ‘Can’t Take The Power’
ELECTRIBE 101 ‘Inside Out’/‘Electribal Memories’
INCOGNITO ‘Can You Feel Me’
LOUISE BAILEY ‘Do It Now (Bruce Forrest remix)’
TEENA MARIE ‘Since Day One (Jazzie B remix)’

THE EMOTIONS ‘Flowers’ (CBS 656360 6)
Taken from CBS’s upcoming ‘Dance Masters Vol 1‘ double LP, the sweetly soaring squeaky girls’ Earth Wind & Fire created 1976 classic has been remixed here by Gaz Anderson & Tony Thorpe with a perhaps inevitable though effective funky drummer jiggling gently through their Wizdom 12″ Mix (109½bpm), or chugging more chunkily through their Sun Mix (110bpm). (My stopwatch clocks in both as being steady, but puzzlingly an electronic BPM counter I’m currently roadtesting suggests they sometimes fluctuate fractionally downwards.) To judge from the buzz that’s already built up, this should be a smash!

BLACK BOX ‘Fantasy’ (97 bpm) (de/Construction Records PT 43896)
The hottest track from their album back in the spring now finally out here as a single this week, the waves and whispering introed then bouncily jiggling Herb Alpert ‘Rise’ tempoed (clomping the last beat of every bar) Earth Wind & Fire revival is powerfully wailed through a richly eventful arrangement with some especially attractive piano, flipped by its guy rapped different ‘Get Down‘ treatment (98¾bpm) and good wordy hip hop Rapcapella (98½bpm).

LIFE ON EARTH ‘Can’t Give You Up’ (120bpm) (RePublic Records LICT031, via Rough Trade)
Heavily plugged on Kiss 100 fm for some time already, so likely to be big around London at any rate, Andrew Livingstone & Pat Leacock’s very pleasant coolly ticking jazz-funk/house revamp of Mystic Merlin’s ‘Just Can’t Give You Up’ 1980 classic is in Full Club and more jerkily cantering Skankin’ Mixes, coupled by a Winston Marvaya and girls sung jiggly slow weaving remake of Roy Ayers’ ‘Sunshine’ (92bpm) in Jungle Bass and hi-hat hissed juddery Dread Mixes. Continue reading “October 27, 1990: The Emotions, Black Box, Life On Earth, Kylie Minogue, Massivo/Jackie Rawe”

October 20, 1990: Kool Skool, Maureen, Janet Jackson, Djum Djum, Cathy Dennis

BEATS & PIECES

EN VOGUE apparently can no longer leave their US tour supporting MC Hammer, despite prior arrangement to fulfil their commitments here next month, which means that all their UK concerts have been cancelled, including two sold out Hammersmith Odeon shows and their appearance at the PresJam 8 weekender — where, however, some of the big stars mentioned last week as “strong possibilities” will indeed appear live to fill the breach, so all is not lost! . . . RePublic Records have promoed back to back the early rap classics T-Ski Valley ‘!Catch The Beat!‘ and Fatback featuring King Tim III ‘Personality Jock‘, both due commercially on a ‘Back To The Old School‘ double album along with Younger Generation ‘We Rap More Mellow‘ (at last!), amongst others . . . 4 For Money’s “naggingly familiar” catchy piano riff in ‘A Moment In Time‘ sounds of course like a speeded up adaptation of the piano from the Rolling Stones’ ‘We Love You‘, a song of support (complete with prison sound effects) for Mick Jagger while he was briefly gaoled in 1967, never one of their major hits — except right now its influence seems to be turning up quite regularly! . . . Ce Ce Rogers’ ‘All Join Hands‘, reviewed as an import, has slipped out here on the quiet (Atlantic A7888T) . . . Unique 3 (featuring Karin)’s weird wailing and bleeping ‘Rhythm Takes Control‘ (out next week) is 125¾bpm, Steve Harvey’s mournful calmly striding ‘I’m The One (Extended Version)‘ (out in a fortnight) is 109bpm, while Ruby Turner’s lovely slinkily jiggling ‘It’s A Cryin’ Shame (UK Remix)‘ is 106¾bpm . . . Janette Shaw is building a DJ mailing list for Optimism Records and MTR Records, on 081-442 4248 . . . Graham Gold, in his Diamond Time video compiling rather than Kiss 100 fm breakfast DJing role, is surprised that so far there are only 40 subscribers to his monthly Club Clips service, offering the 20 best available current “hard toon” dance videos with brief gaps between them (rather than in the excellent smoothly segued continuous style of the firm’s more pop slanted DiscEyes programmes, with which existing subscribers are presumably well satisfied, perhaps explaining their resistance to the non-continuous compilation style?), the latest Club Clips edition from a couple of weeks back having for instance videos of the most recent hits by Gang Starr, LL Cool J, Lalah Hathaway, Caron Wheeler, Bass-O-Matic, Mica Paris, Titiyo, Snap, Monie Love, Curtis Mayfield & Ice T, Bell Biv DeVoe, Basic Black, The Chimes, Londonbeat, Paula Abdul, the adventures of Stevie V, Adamski, Orbital, The Grid, and MC Tunes versus 808 State, not a bad and still very current selection — full subscription details, for bona fide disco operators only, from Diamond Time Ltd, 16/26 Rosemont Road, London NW3 6NE (telephone 071-433 3355, fax 071-794 8383) . . . Reachin’ Records are looking for someone — preferably either another record company or a promotions/PR company — to share their office space in Acton, contact Thomas Foley on 081-749 8619 . . . Motown authority Karen Spreadbury, as she’s known in the world of PR, as usual has used the pen-name Sharon Davis for her latest book about black music, ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’, a biography of her friend Marvin Gaye, due to be published on November 15 in nice time for Christmas (Mainstream Publishing, £11.99 hardback) . . . Stevie B, Javed Mirza and Butch (grrr!) take over Kingston on Thames Options for a Tuesday XFADE heavy duty dance night starting this week . . . Andy, Femi and guests have replaced the late lamented Sub Club with fortnightly (this week, October 18) Azucar Thursdays at Westbourne Park’s Woody’s in Woodfield Road . . . Friday (19) finds a One World rave with DJs David O’Grady, Paul McCourt, Keith Connolly and Alan Ferris in the Mandela Hall at Queen’s University Belfast . . . David Dyer (1 York Street, Canton, Cardiff CF5 1NB) has been appointed DJ at Cardiff’s University Hall, where three discos a week are held for up to 2,500 students — but last term over 15,000 records amassed by the students since 1966 were stolen, and David optimistically hopes that maybe if record companies would add him to their mailing lists he could begin to build back up to this amount again . . . Loaded, a new label, are looking for upfront DJs who play hardcore house for their exclusive mailing list. Work details and some recent chart returns showing the music you play should be sent to: Loaded, The Studio. 27 Ship Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1AD . . . Decca has serviced DJs with a seven inch of Carreras/Domingo/Pavarotti’s operatic reading of ‘O Sole Mio’ because reputedly some bright spark played it over a house instrumental at a rave — and it worked! . . . BOOMIN’!

HOT VINYL
Reviewed by Jay Strongman and James Hamilton

KOOL SKOOL ‘You Can’t Buy My Love’ (102½bpm) (US Capitol V-15604)
Not a misprinted Beatles oldie, this is a Jesse Johnson & Keith Lewis created deadly infectious heavily juddering and pattering choppy new jack swing jiggler, conversationally rapped between sweet title chanting girls with some jazzily picked Benson-ish guitar halfway, powerful stuff that could go far, in raw James Brown funk climaxed 12-inch Version, Instrumental, Radio Edit, and slower more starkly snapping 7-inch Edit (101bpm) mixes, plus the jittery smacking ‘Make Up Your Mind (LP Version)‘ (114¾bpm).

DEEPSTATE II ‘Everybody Get Down’/Tribal Chant Mix
DEFINITION OF SOUND ‘Now Is Tomorrow’/‘Moira Jane’s Café’
PAPA SAN ‘Dancehall Good To We’
MAIN SOURCE ‘Looking At The Front Door’
SOUND OF SHOOM ‘I Hate Hate’
DOUG LAZY ‘H.O.U.S.E.’
PUNCHY ANDERSON ‘I Need The Green’
SHINEHEAD ‘The Real Rock’
TURBO ‘Freedom’
TOO SHORT ‘The Ghetto’

MAUREEN ‘It’s My Life (Boilerhouse Mix)’ (103¾bpm) (Urban URBX 62)
Maureen Walsh reverts to just her first name for this Ben Wolff & Andy Dean (the Boilerhouse boys) mixed superb Soul II Soul-ish jittery tripping soulful swayer, attractively arranged with sinuously bumping acoustic-type bass, swirling strings, tinkling piano and jazzy sax gradually building up an infectious swingbeat jiggle, flipped by their Boilerhouse 7″ Edit and rivals Rockhouse’s much rawer Meltdown Mix.

JANET JACKSON ‘Love Will Never Do (Without You)’ (A&M AMY 700)
Yet another single from the ‘Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814’ album, timed to coincide with her UK gigs next week, this Jam & Lewis created bright jittery lurcher is in Shep Pettibone’s snappily surging new jack swing-ish Shep’s “Work It Out” Mix and starkly jolting The “Work It Out” Dub (102¾bpm), plus CJ Mackintosh’s lush acappella harmonies started then “too bad” prodded jauntily rolling UK Funky Mix (103bpm). Continue reading “October 20, 1990: Kool Skool, Maureen, Janet Jackson, Djum Djum, Cathy Dennis”

October 13, 1990: Young Disciples, J.B. MC, Catch, Loose Ends, Pebbles

BEATS & PIECES

PRESJAM 8, the eighth Prestatyn weekender, fast approaching on November 2/3/4, will feature not only full live concerts by En Vogue and Light Of The World, as previously announced, but also PAs by the likes of Loose Ends, Diana Brown & Barrie K. Sharpe, Bass-O-Matic, Master Ace, Unique 3, The Sindecut, Carlton, Martay-N-DBM plus the strong possibility of Monie Love, Jungle Brothers, LL Cool J, Innocence, the Chimes and even Public Enemy (confirmation of these and more to follow), while Robbie Vincent will be making a welcome return to the regular DJ team — £60 tickets from LiveWire Promotions on 081-364 1212, but hurry as only a few are left . . . BBC2-tv next Monday (October 15) in the ‘Def II’ slot (repeated the following Sunday) starts a series of ten 40 minute ‘Dance Energy’ shows, all pretty up to date as recorded the previous Thursday and featuring three live acts, various video promos, charts, Euro reports and guest DJ presenters — meanwhile, Channel 4’s rival ‘Dance Daze’ series, recently recorded at Brixton’s Academy, is not due to start until November 9 . . . The Video Pool’s latest October ’90 edition, No. 76, includes for the first time (approximate) Beats Per Minute information to help those DJs who might want to sequence the videos smoothly within their musical programme (whether they attempt running mixes with actual records is up to them) — full details of this monthly video clip compilation service, available to bona fide disco operators only, from Roz Bea at 170a Holland Park Avenue, London W1 1 4UH (071-602 5935) . . . Simon Walsh still has a few places to fill on various DJ mailing lists (like upfront, commercial, Hi-NRG) at Music Enterprises, who have just celebrated their fifth anniversary with a move to Elysium Gate, 126-128 New Kings Road, London SW6 4LZ (telephone 071-371 5005, fax 071-371 0160) . . . WEA is now known as Warner Music International — how long before it’s WMI, or “Wammie” for short?! . . . Record Mirror Club Chart topper Monie Love has been signed by Spike Lee to appear in his next film, ‘Jungle Fever’, and also looks like becoming a cast member of a new US TV sitcom series — here, her ‘Down To Earth’ album has been preceded by a 45rpm 12-inch promo (Cooltempo CTLPP 14) featuring four volume boosted tracks from it, the original chugging ‘It’s A Shame (My Sister)‘ (108bpm), George Clinton-ish lurching P’funky ‘Don’t Funk Wid The Mo‘ (108¾bpm), lunar countdown and old Roy Ayers “hey uhh what you say come on” chant started frantic hip house ‘Down To Earth‘ (123¼bpm), and Anita Ward oldie adapting Ultra Naté duetted ‘Ring My Bell‘ (121¾bpm) . . . Paul Mulholland presents a Saturday 7-8pm dance music show on Glasgow’s first community station, East End Radio 103.5fm . . . 23-year-old Californian Samuelle was lead singer with Club Nouveau on their ‘Lean On Me’ hit, his own previously reviewed ‘So You Like What You See’ (much plugged by Kiss 100 fm in London) being out here now . . . Adamski’s ‘Killer’ singer, a guy called Seal has signed solo to ZTT . . . M.I.C. ‘Oobe 1’/’Oobe 2’, previously reviewed on Slippy Gimbo Records, has been picked up by the new Planet Pacific label for wider release next month . . . Gwen Guthrie’s ‘Miss My Love’ is due for UK release on October 29, when Deee-Lite’s ‘Power Of Love’ is out . . . Neneh Cherry’s ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ has been slickly remixed by Blacksmith in a jazzy keyboard and strings backed Brixton Bass Mix (Circa Records YRTX 53), with nice Gato Barbieri-ish sax, usefully flipped by its Brixton Bass Instrumental Mix plus their very different alternative stark old fashioned funk jittered Upso Mix (all 103½bpm, precisely) . . . Titiyo’s ‘Flowers’, now it’s out commercially, is also in some fully labelled Remixes (Arista 613 213), with Frankie Foncette’s excellent sparsely sinuous Uptown Mix (105bpm), Magnus Frykberg & StoneBridge’s ‘Theme from Shaft’-ish cymbal tapped Overload and Mike Stevens & Aadil’s funky drummered Hip-Hopappella Mixes (104¾bpm) . . . Orbital are at The Fridge in Brixton this Thursday (October 11) . . . DJ Harry J’s live guests are the James Taylor Quartet this Friday (12) in The Strongroom at Windsor’s The Old Trout (Barry Avenue), where a fortnight later (Friday 26) Big H is joined by Jeff Young for the Harry’s House night . . . Jerry Dammers is special opening night guest this Saturday (13) at the first fortnightly Downbeat in Coventry’s Tic Toc club, with resident DJs Lof and Fresh E scratching and sampling slow beats, grooves, rap and ragga . . . Bedford based Forbidden Fruit Inc. is donating to local medical-type charities 30 per cent of all admission profits from its new Thursday night at Bedford’s Sweetings II nightclub, alternate weeks featuring either (like this week) the old and new soul, mellow grooves, jazz and ragga Blak Is Blak or (next week) the more house, rap, upfront soul Urban Jungle, with DJs including Bejan ‘Nutty B’ Huggins, John ‘Jon Boy’ Eagles, Neil ‘The Raider’, Mikie V, Richard ‘Rochie’ Rochester, DJ Louis, South River Crew, DJ Lethargic, Loft Groover, Colin Dale and guests (further details from Rochie on 0860 793540 or 0234 262773, who would welcome offers of PAs too) — meanwhile, both these nights’ musical styles are combined for The Word on Saturdays at Castaways, slightly closer to Rushden than Bedford on the A6, near the appropriately named Souldrop (a genuine village!) . . . BOOMIN’!

HOT VINYL

YOUNG DISCIPLES ‘Get Yourself Together’ (99¾bpm) (Talkin Loud TLK3, via Phonogram)
London jazz-funk DJs Femi & Marco’s classily subtle recording act debuted with the Outlaw Posse rapped slinkily rare grooving ‘Step Right On’ (93bpm), only available commercially as a track on the Gilles Peterson helmed new label’s ‘Talkin Loud’ compilation LP despite being promoed with vocal and instrumental Dubs too as a 12 inch (Talkin Loud TLKDJ2), while now on commercial 12 inch and selling massively in London at least (following deserved Kiss 100 fm plugs) is this excellent likewise rare grooving jigglier jogger sweetly wailed by their soulful new member Carleen Anderson, with similarly jiggling but MC Mell’o’ rapped ‘Young Disciples (Theme)‘ and ‘Mo’ Beats’ B-side variations both giving some gentle flute enough room to breathe.

J.B. MC ‘Reality’ (102¾bpm) (Rhyme ‘n’ Reason Records 12 RNR 9)
Produced by the intriguingly named Three Thieves And A Liar, this surprisingly attractive gently jiggling Soul II Soul-ish melodic swayer is lispingly chatted between soulful girl group choruses, with an Instrumental Vocal Mix flip, probably catchy enough to end up quite big.

CATCH ‘Free (C’mon)’ (124bpm) (ffrr FXDJ 147)
Another presumably Northern dancer designed for raves but naggingly commercial enough to cross over, this spasmodically ‘Popcorn’-like bleeping sparse jaunty simple old style electro instrumental (with occasional Roger Daltrey-ish “I’m free — yay, yay, yeah-heh” and “a-c’mon, c’mon, c’mon” punctuations) has been promoed just in To The Point and slow starting Fullest Mixes, getting enthusiastic response. Continue reading “October 13, 1990: Young Disciples, J.B. MC, Catch, Loose Ends, Pebbles”

October 6, 1990: Omar, Ital Rockers, 4 For Money, Brenda Russell, Ten City

BEATS & PIECES

THE BEATLES’ ‘Yesterday’ followed by John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ are hotly rumoured to be due as the next big bootleg remixes in funky drummer stylee — inevitably, someone had to do it . . . D.N.A. (totally unconnected with the foregoing, so don’t read between the lines), despite now realising they would have ended up making much more money had they left ‘Tom’s Diner’ as a bootleg, have also remixed ‘Rusted Pipe’ from Suzanne Vega’s most recent album — except A&M in the States appear reluctant to allow its release as they don’t want her to become too established in people’s minds as a disco artiste! — plus The The’s ‘Armageddon Days‘, Tongue ‘N’ Cheek’s remake of Patrice Rushen’s ‘Forget Me Nots‘, and Ryuichi Sakamoto’s remake (with Mike Love of the Beach Boys on lead vocal) of the Rolling Stones’ We Love You’, while their own follow-up to ‘La Serenissima’ will be a remake of David Bowie’s ‘Rebel Rebel’ with a house beat (but no “wooh yeah”!) . . . ‘Everybody’ turns out here to be credited on commercial pressings to The Criminal Element Orchestra featuring Wendell Williams, in just two mixes now (both 121¾bpm), the A-side’s Rap being a bowdlerized version of the import’s (Everybody) Rap Your Body minus its possibly controversial “Michael Jackson yelps” (if you get my meaning), flipped by a similar brand new Doesn’t Rap instrumental which was neither previously promoed nor on import . . . Peter Harris, head of GTi/Kickin Records, had niggling superstitious misgivings about the catalogue number of The Scientist’s ‘The Exorcist’ and so changed it from GTI 013T to KICK 1T on the printed label, but the unlucky “13” remained as the matrix number stamped in the vinyl — which may or may not have jinxed the first commercial pressing to be faulty and need scrapping, the at last loaded distributor’s van to catch fire, and finally the then contracted national courier’s lorry containing most of the successfully pressed copies (amongst other valuables) to be hi-jacked from outside King’s Cross station last Sunday night, with the consequence that as of last week the majority of shops still had not received the much in demand single (which, one trusts without hitch, is being repressed yet again)! . . . Raw Bass Records (who have licensed Ashford & Simpson’s in demand ‘Love Or Physical‘ Capitol LP track from last year for singles release here) are planning a series of talent showcasing separate soul, techno, and rap compilation albums each containing eight new tunes by various otherwise unsigned UK artists, who will get royalties and the chance of attracting major label attention — send cassettes for consideration to Henry Yori, 99 Budleigh Crescent, Welling, Kent DA16 1DP . . . Music Factory Mastermixes, the monthly subscription megamix service for DJs only, having been founded in July 1986 by the folks who went on to create Jive Bunny, is currently celebrating its 50th issue with a triple LP pack containing eight megamixes (including the hits of Madonna, Technotronic, WestBam and various recent release medleys), a remix of Dennis Edwards’ ‘Don’t Look Any Further’ plus Part 21 of the regular ‘DJ Toolkit’ of useful samples and drop-ins, instead of the usual just two LPs — subscribers also receive a newsletter, a copy of ‘Jocks’, occasional promos (including all Music Factory Dance releases) and discounts on certain disco equipment, the UK subscription rate ranging from £15 per month to £165 a year with one-off trial copies of this or previous month’s issues being available (apply first for a membership agreement form to Music Factory Mastermixes, Hawthorne House, 5/7 Fitzwilliam Street, Parkgate, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S62 6EP, telephone 0709 710022, fax 0709 523141) . . . Alex Kerr-Wilson, manager of Tom Astor’s famous Orinoco studios (as immortalised in Enya’s ‘Orinoco Flow’), has for some time also been running an agency now formally known as Orinoco Mix which handles (on 071-232 0008) a specialist team of studio experienced remixers comprised so far of DJs Steve Proctor, Noel Watson, Carl Cox, Tommy D and engineer Ian Tregonin, all with impressive individual track records . . . Dancin’ Danny D — currently so massive in the States following the US pop success of D Mob that ironically he got mobbed just while out shopping for clothes there! — has produced two tracks for a “dance album” by movie star Kim Basinger, while here he has signed Juliet Roberts to a Slam Jam Productions/Eternal deal that kicks off with a reportedly excellent revival of Nat ‘King’ Cole’s ‘Again’ . . . Xpansions’ ‘Elevation’ has in fact been picked up by Arista (613 683), rather than de/Construction, but remains with an Optimism Records label . . . Nightmares On Wax’s previously reviewed promo (out fully in a fortnight) is indeed called ‘Aftermath’, flipped by ‘I’m For Real’ . . . Angel C’s calmly rapped though powerfully pushing ‘Impossible Dream’ (C.T. Records CTT 14), reviewed rather early six weeks ago as a promo, is only now just out commercially following club and Kiss 100 fm support by the likes of Jay Strongman and Danny Rampling . . . Tami Carrington, formerly at Motown and BMG, is a recent recruit to independent club pluggers Power Promotions (071-482 0728), where in particular — reflecting her own personal interest — she is building a specialist rap DJ mailing list . . . Backstreet Promotions are updating their mailing list for DJs in the London area, on 081-459 5545 . . . Hi Tek 3 featuring Ya Kid K’s ‘Spin That Wheel (Turtles Get Real)’ is merely a newly subtitled UK reissue of a single that happened to be included on the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ soundtrack album, while the official follow-up to the Partners In Kryme ‘Turtle Power’ chart-topper will be a percussively smacking Italo house-type Music Factory remix/remake of Orchestra On A Half Shell’s ‘Turtle Rhapsody’, out in early November at the same time as the film . . . Soft Cell’s old material is getting the updated remix treatment . . . Paul ‘Trouble Those Decks’ Anderson has been remixing Blaze’s ‘Get Up’ . . . The Grid’s ‘A Beat Called Love’ has had its superior 7″ Mix promoed on an exaggeratedly hi-fi eastwest Transcription Broadcast Service 12 inch test pressing, which looks very impressive but the detailed technical data included could just be satirical gobbledygook! . . . George Benson’s latest album, ‘Big Boss Band’, is a big band jazz set largely accompanied by the Count Basie Band (now led by saxophonist Frank Foster), first planned with the Count while he was still alive . . . DJ Lof, having last Thursday started the weekly Crosstown Traffic upstairs at Coventry’s Park Lane, this and the first Thursday of every month incorporates a Dress Up Before You Mess Up club night especially for fashion and art students to parade their creations — and on this week’s launch night (October 4) BBC-tv’s ‘The Clothes Show’ will be filming, among other attractions (details on Coventry 403984 after 6pm) . . . Swanley’s Hickorys has gone rootsy with Kym Daniels’ classy soul music Saturdays . . . Spalding DJ Johnny Corcoran has just started writing a monthly Disco page in Lincolnshire’s ‘South Holland Times’ . . . Italy’s big dance craze this summer was the sega (pronounced “ceegar”), apparently not unlike the lambada, so how long before cash-in records reach us? . . . BOOMIN’!

HOT VINYL
Reviewed by James Hamilton and Streets Ahead

THE DYNAMIC GUV’NORS ‘I Can’t Live Without You’/‘I Know My Task’/‘These Guys Are Doper Than Dope’
PRESSURE DROP ‘Back To Back’
SINDECUT ‘Tell Me Why’/LP version/‘Wisdom’
NINJAMAN and FLOURGON ‘Zig It Up (The Main Attraction Remix)’
HI TEK featuring YA KID K ‘Spin That Wheel (Turtles Get Real)’
TODAY ‘I Got The Feeling’
STEVE HARVEY ‘I’m The One’
QUEEN MOTHER RAGE ‘Slipping Into Darkness’
STYLE ‘The Assassinator (Paralysing Mix/Killer Mix)’
RUBY TURNER ‘It’s A Cryin’ Shame (UK Remix)’

OMAR ‘There’s Nothing Like This’ (72bpm) (Kongo Dance DPST 7, via 081-453 0638)
Selling fast as causing a huge stir on radio (and probably hearth rugs!), if not yet dance floors, this lovely sensuous Al Jarreau-ish jogger is lifted from the jazzy Herne Bay soulster’s Jazz FM plugged hit album (further proof that the new incremental stations have the power to bring subtle mid- and down-tempo black music back to popular prominence), flipped by its Radio Mix and the sparse jiggly half-steppin’ ‘Don’t Mean A Thing‘ (95¾bpm).

ITAL ROCKERS ‘Ital’s Anthem (Trebledown-Bassup Mix)’ (125bpm) (Bass-ic BASS 3T, via Rough Trade)
Leeds based busily productive Bass-ic Records’ third release in almost as many weeks looks like their most successful to date, an amazing reggae/bleep fusion with “featuring strictly rockers” and “ryddim” ragga samples punctuating the piping and booming electro oscillations, flipped by the more traditional ‘washing machine’-type low frequency squidged ‘Science (First Bass Mix)‘ (122bpm). Possibly, massive.

4 FOR MONEY ‘A Moment In Time’ (Tam Tam Records TTT 030)
Much plugged on Kiss 100 fm and climbing fast now it’s finally out here, this catchy Italo house chugger (actually from Italy) has repetitive gruff vocal punctuations and a naggingly familiar piano riff in its Raw (119½bpm) and thumpingly started janglier Original (120bpm) Mixes, or a longer totally different percussively shuffling and pulsing piano-less Rising High Dub (123¾bpm). Continue reading “October 6, 1990: Omar, Ital Rockers, 4 For Money, Brenda Russell, Ten City”