The original 12″ from 1985 and far better than the remix that appeared in 1990.
Co-produced by David M Allan this has some great dubby effects and a bass-line to die for. It has extra brass, very jazzy…….nice!!
B-side “Stop Dead” was produced by Aussie Howard Grey who later formed Apollo 440 via Age Of Chance. Quite keyboard led with electronic precussion and like a lot of their B-sides could of been an A-side. Other B-side “Man Inside My Mouth” has a deliberate, ambivalent message and a sound going back to the old days with that driving bass.
Ahhhh! The Thompson Twins…..was it live or Memorex? Err, I think it was Tom Bailey.
From 1984 and slightly over the peak and descending into the valley of mediocre this was da Twins at the height of their marketability. All The latest sounds and helped by long time cohort Alex Sadkin with more of a nod to Peter Gabriel in terms of subject matter. All Marimba’s and chimes and not the rocky and dreadful version by Nile Rodgers that appeared in the US. B-side is an instrumental version complete with sampled Car ignitions, still quirky.
For strictly 80’s fan’s of British Soul this was electronified by Colin Thurston with a typical 80’s 12 inch. The original band were pioneers of the British Funk movement of the late 70’s early 80’s (think Lynx and Central Line) but this was the final incarnation with ‘Gee’ Bello, (percussion, vocals) Paul “Tubbs” Williams (bass) and Nat Augustin (guitar, vocals) and given a very electronic make over by renowned producers Colin Thurston and Ian Curnow. The B-side “Stranger” is more typical of the bands sound, with a soulful reflection of feeling alone in modern society. Quite rare and obscure a fusion between synth pop and soul.
Amazingly I’ve never put this up before, the original from 1983!! Three tracks, all from “The Luxury Gap” and given the remix treatment to their benefit, although “Temptation” isn’t that different.
Assisted by Greg Walsh and the newly acquired Synclavier this was cutting edge at the time.
This contains my favourite track by them “We Live So Fast (Dance Mix) ” and many a time I’ve had a laugh with my mates at the “Bullshit , Bullshit!” misheard lyric.
For Prince a breakthrough track off a breakthrough album. Prince shared lead vocals on the track with members of his band The Revolution, namely Dez Dickerson, Lisa Coleman and Jill Jones and they appear in the saucy video.
Originally from 1982, this was a 12″ that was given away with copies of “When Does Cry” and contains the super funky B-side “D.M.S.R.” (Dance Music Sex Romance)
After numerous rereleases it remains a bit of New Year’s Eve Party classic.
Finally a bit of a party tune from 1990 and from the long forgotten genre of Hip-House. Twenty 4 Seven, featuring the pony tailed Captain Hollywood, had a huge hit and here is the Club Mix by DMC’s Bruce Forest and Mike Ging featuring a heavy slice of Kraftwerk’s “The Robots” , uncredited.
Seemingly made in a laboratory a la Milli Vanilli , Twenty 4 Seven were the brain child of Dutch producer/DJ, Ruud van Rijen.
Some German Techno from legendary duo, Phenomania with their “soft and delicate” techno track asking “Who Is Elvis?” On the Italian label , Flying International, this was by German DJ Jens Lissat and producer Ramon Zenker. This is the original version which continues to pound the ear drums after all these years and was the first Worldwide Techno hit. “Floor Burn” is a more simplified techno, with the “Modu Lator Mix” errr modulating all over the show.
Raving before Christmas with some Techno from the Netherlands !From 1991 and a 4 tracker, one side by Ray El Lungo (Erik Van Vliet) and Mike Loucas (Michiel van der Kuy) it is all quite hardcore stuff, all pounding drums and Stukka Dive Bombers, the only lighter track being the piano led House of “Your Turn” The stand out track is Lungo’s “Sweep On Both Sides” classic , Warehouse Rave fodder.
Still from Manchester and a bit of Ravey Techno from Eskimos & Egypt. Chris O’Hare & Co produced a slice of crossover Indie-techno that does sound a little dated now, but it was “of its time” (1991) and so it should be give the benefit of the doubt. Rave sirens and it sounds a bit Pop Will Eat Itself with the guitar licks. Four quality mixes with the “live” mix having a bit of a housey-piano feel to it.
More Dance stuff from 1990 and Manchester’s own 808 State. I had the album “90” on cassette so it was nice to reacquaint myself with these 2 remixes of my favourite album tracks by Ren Swan. “Ancodia” has extra scratches on it, using Thelma Houston’s ” You used to hold me so tight.” as the main sample. The “Cobra Bora” mix is great, lots of added effects and squelches, better than the original.
The original 12″ from 1985 and far better than the remix that appeared in 1990.
