Co-founder of A&M Records, 3 times Grammy winner and list of musicians he has collaborated with longer than a bowel, Herb Alpert sure needs no further introduction.
Rotation has always been my favourite track of his funky and smart and of course with his number one instrument: the trumpet.
A great track to fill chosensperms with life again as I urgently feel the need to share great tracks with the world. Hope you are all well.
P
The Peech Boys, also known as the New York Citi Peech Boys or NYC Peech Boys, was a band that comprised of Bernard Fowler, Steven Brown, Robert Kasper, Darryl Short, Larry Levan and Michael de Benedictus. The group formed at the Paradise Garage, being influenced by Larry Levan. They only released 4 12"s with On a Journey peaking at 56 in the 1983 R & B Billboard chart. However, they are most known for their 1982 song Don't Make Me Wait which was one of the early hits in the New York house/garage scene, due to Larry Levan's playing of it at the Paradise Garage. They were signed to the West End Label and split up in 1983.
Peech Boys - Don't Make Me Wait 1982
Since the beginning of the 1980s Juan Atkins stands out as one of the main protagonists of (early) Detroit techno, if not producer of one the first ever techno/electro tracks (Cybotron - Clear). Inspired by Alvin Toffler's book 'The Third Wave', Kraftwerk's visionary productions and Electrifying Mojo's Radio Show he created timeless masterpieces and blueprints to the Genre under the names Cybotron, Infiniti and (the here featured) Model 500.
No UFO's was the first release on his own legendary label Metroplex founded in 1985.
Derrick May another figure in early Detroit scene, who was living in Chicago at that time invited Juan over and told him to bring his records. The duo sold thousands of copies and No UFO's soon became a hit with Chicago mix shows like Hot Mix Five.
Later Metroplex singles like "Night Drive," "Interference" and "The Chase" also sold well and set the template for Detroit techno: moody and sublime machine music, inspired by the drone of automated factories and trips down the I-96 freeway late at night.
MODEL 500 - NO UFO'S 1985
I feel so bad posting hits, but I can't prevent doing it and there might be someone who never heard this before, really? So when John "Jellybean" Benitez, John Rocca and Arthur Baker got together to create this hit of hits it sure was a milestone in the history of dance music - This is some serious shit !
Freeez - I.O.U. 1982
Denise Matthews, Brenda Bennett and Susan Moonsey made up this girl group put together by Prince in the early 1980s. They Only released one album, and scored a dance club hit with Nasty Girl. Frontwoman Denise Matthews left the group to pursue a solo career just before filming began for Purple Rain, so her role in the film (as well as the single "Sex Shooter") were passed along to Apollonia and Apollonia 6 appeared in the film instead of this group.
Vanity 6 - Nasty Girl 1982
New Yorker Vaughn Mason's most famous song was the disco/funk single "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll," credited to Vaughan Mason & Crew. Released on Brunswick, it hit the top five of the U.S. R&B charts in 1980 and became the title track of the group's first and only album. The single also became sample fodder for several rap songs, including:
Digital Underground's "Doowutchyalike"
Heavy D's "Black Coffee"
De La Soul's "Cool Breeze on the Rocks"
Redman's "Slide and Rock On."
Vaughan Mason & Crew - Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll
Shallow and deep at the same time this italo record sure is difficult to get for people still young enough to get offended by this kind of cheesiness. But there is a lot to miss if filtered out too early like the tech-trancy delayed synth lines and the superb break, whether you like horses or not - a good and cheap to find record.
Flexi Cowboys - Sexy Movie 1984
In 1984 when the rouge president's dad was vice president and during a time when the USA were far away from excepting even a black presidential candidate, the band Martha and the Muffins changed their name to M&M and recorded the hit Black Stations/White Stations. It nearly made #1 on the American Billboard's Dance Chart only hold of from Prince's When Doves Cry. It didn't change much at the time but the songs stays timeless.
M&M - Black Stations/White Stations 1984
Dear Reader,
all apologies for my bad behaviour in the last month. I wont even start with excuses and leave you with a disco classic anyone should be happy to know.
Yours sincerely
TheChosenSperm
Foxy - Get Off 1978
Not long to go until christmas I felt like sharing a close friendship without any kind of possession until this day. Wanting to write some info on it I stumbled on a 12" release of this and one of my recent posts put together on one record. For sure being a sign of trying to get me up from winter sleeping and fill the lack of continuity in this blog. Also very interesting as I loved both - so different songs equally throughout time never had them face to face in my felt-order for someone else having it too.
Electra feat. Tara Butler - Feels Good
DJ Tee Scott had been a role model troughout the seventies to all those stars with names everybody still knows about: Larry Levan, Frankie Knuckles or Ron Hardy and the legendary clubs like The Garage (NY), The Warehouse (Chicago/NY) and The Music Box (Chicago) sure based their success on grounds prepared by the likes of Tee Scott.
After a while behind the decks he turned towards studio work to become a renowned Mixer on only a few, but therefore cutting-edge productions. This one was produced by Arthur Baker and friends and also Michael Jonzun.
A kind of 303 Acid bassline before Arthur's characteristical guitar harmonies and a super light disco groove and a xylophone - just the way I like it
Northend - Happy Days (Tee Scott Club Mix)
The foundation of techno music is a room with many doors. From african trance drumming, early 20th century 12 tone music to Kraftwerk many things made up the soil for something new to grow on. The importance of legendary radio DJ Electrifying Mojo from Detroit can not be disregarded aswell, as he like anybody who really loves music (just maybe a little earlier) saw the close link between many different styles in his radioshow on WGPR, 107.5 FM in the beginning of the 80's, by the only real definition of good and bad. He played anything he liked from Motown and Funkadelic to experimental music but also the european stuff that had interpreted the in the USA already stopping disco train to create new sounds and easier rhythm structures. Two enigmatic teenagers Sterling Jones and Paul Lesley formed alliance to produce their form of music they were hearing over the airwaves. Electrifying Mojo along with Detroit staff writer Jim McFarlin named the group A Number of Names. Released as early as 1981 the dark feel and the minimalistic structure of sharivari must definitly be included in the search for the first ever real techno track. It became a worldwide underground hit on the dancefloors and didn't loose any of it`s weight in 26 years.
A NUMBER OF NAMES - SHARIVARI 1981
French Kiss has always been a precious early (pop) house tune hard to believe from the present time that it climed so high in various charts worldwide when it came out. This is the 2nd place in my Lil' Louis ranking list - trackname shows what you get.
LIL' LOUIS & THE WORLD - NYCE & SLOW (EDIT)
One of my favourite student jobs was being a limodriver for record companies` top acts around 2003 when they still had enough money for such a way of getting around Berlin. Once it was Placebo who I didn`t really put much attention to before apart from the inescapable chart hits they had and their gothic look. They are really nice people though the only track I ever digged was that with the "friend in need is a friend indeed a friend with weed is better". They had to give autographs at the famous Saturn electronics store and were given the chance by the owner to pick out as many cds hey wanted - but didn`t want to dive in the masses of similar dressed fans. So I started to run around the shop picking up albums I would like to have and as they liked what I got I had to get each copy four times - three for them and one for me. (I walked out with about 20!) That again showed me that there is only good and bad music and taste despite all styles. One was the at moment fresh release of Aphex Twin`s 26 remixes for cash which I probably would never have bought having to pay for it. Here I bring you my still favourited track from this concept album.
This is the most complicated and highly emotional post to date. Clearing out the cellar I picked out an Eastpak school rucksack a lot of us have been running and biking around with near the millenium and back in the days (right?), cause it still today is the safest way to carry around a laptop but stylewise comprehends a suicide. Anyway it wasn`s empty: Inside I found the only and last copies of four of my live mixes I did around that time. Badly mixed it consists of mostly classics with a few ongoing tracks of the time I liked. Okay this wouldn`t be so special if not 80 % percent of the featured records got stolen from me and probably burnt up to warm the gypsy gang`s cave in Praha. Still I did not get em all back and also far more expensive as these 80s dance records are more sought after than ten years ago. I am very much enjoying to share this one with the world now. Feel free to add a playlist if you like.
MEIN PLATTENSCHRANK VOLUME II
I just got back from a warming start to this winter in the south of Europe: Andalucia & Marokko. The north african country still is one of my favourite holiday destinations as it offers great history, people, culture and in addition to comfortable climate, a divers nature and cheap hascheesh. Could easily apply for EU if you ask me?
Well just another of my 1983 greaties as I am having power supply troubles. Well done Apple
THE CATCH - 25 YEARS (SPECIAL DISCO VERSION)
------------------------------------------------ (not Leroy Burgess)
THE Man from Harlem who brought us so many memorable moments as a producer, arranger and singer. After a few albums with his first and rather slow and souly project Black Ivory thorughout the 70s Leroy turned towards the groove to become one of the most influential producers in early dance music. Choosing differnet names for his studio bands he brought us hits like Convertion - Sweet Thing and Phreek - Weekend (which should later be remixed by Bob Blank & also Larry Levan, then called Class Action to reach even greater hights) etc.
Not to forget that he was just as successful as a lead singer for the fantastic Aleems on bombs like Release Yourself and until this day involved in numerous productions with even more pseudonyms in just as many styles of music.
Another just studio working project from the disco era was Logg who had another hit called You Got That Something.
LOGG - I KNOW YOU WILL (LARRY LEVAN 12" MIX)
Having been hunting after this 12" for a long period of time I finally managed to get myself a copy of this classic house tune on Trax Records. Robert Owens outstanding voice which surely is still in everybody`s ears since last years brilliant Henrik Schwarz remix on "Coldcut`s - Walk A Mile" does it here again/before produced by no other than Larry Heard.
Shout out to my friend Eric D. Clark who put me on this again which probably hasn`t left his recordbag since its time of release.
ROBERT OWENS - BRING DOWN THE WALLS 1986
Radio Dj in the late 80s on WBMX in Chicago bringing turntableism into house music and a immensly long list of remixes, Steve "Silk" Hurley also brought the genre its first #1 Chart Hit in the UK in the beginning of 1987. "Jack Your Body" hasn`t in 20years lost much of its intensity with its at the time unheard cut up vocal sample. Starting this week on The Chosen Sperms.
STEVE "SILK" HURLEY - JACK YOUR BODY (DUB) 1986
And the winner is: Cymande!
One of the best breaks ever and a very thoughtafter compostition puts a UK band on top of my this week`s defintion of funk. As it seems not so many liked the funky intermezzo - I will sure do one again in the future.
A shame this band only existed from 1971-1974 seeing how easily these eight autodidacts created beautifully complex though reduced music not giving the slightest fuck on crossing styles or genres.
The combination of the warm funk bassline and african rythms giving this irresistable groove and then these killer horns far away in the distance - "but its allright!" A trip has started one cannot elude from anymore. . .
Brothers on the slide is a far more slow & sexy groove like the american tracks of the time. Nevertheless absolutely brilliant.
CYMANDE -BRA 1973
CYMANDE - BROTHERS ON THE SLIDE 1974
"Come a little closer" as we`re getting closer to the end and the top places of this funky week. This song is by far the coolest girl number I know by lyrics and groove that it has not to avoid the challenge with male dominated funk cuts from the mid/late seventies. Just not made it to win but a solid 2nd place suits it well.
Taken from first side of Donny Hathaway`s 1972 Live album. It was recorded at two concerts: side one at The Troubadour in Hollywood, and side two at the The Bitter End in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. It features only one song written by Hathaway, "The Ghetto", with the rest of the set consisting of cover songs. The album features some tradition soul anthems, such as Marvin Gaye's 1971 hit "What's Going On", but also Carole King's folk standard "You've Got a Friend" and John Lennon`s "Jealous Guy". Try to take yourself these 12minutes of your time over the course of the weekend. It is if you don`t already know -worth it.
This is of the 1974 album called "Open Your Eyes" which started the commercial breakthrough being their first top 30 in the pop charts - the rest is history.
Philly goes diggin` deeper. Evolution is one of these funky warm hardcore soul weapons.
What a record!! Even if you cannot sing at all join in to make this party :
"Evo-lu-tion what a so-lu-tion ?"
Funk Week without James Brown? this is as close as it will get to him. Next to being member of several of his bands and even the band leader to this (JB) project, the renowned Jazz trombonist Fred Wesley was fortunate and good enough to have also played with George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic and other grandeurs like Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton, Randy Crawford and many more in his long career.
A classic funky dance monster with flying wahwahs, a highend horn section and an amazing drumsound doing its part to get people down on the dancefloor.
I don`t have to think twice when I claim the 1974 Rejuvenation from the Meters to be my over all favourite Funk LP.
I could have picked every song here to represent this masterpiece not only in terms of melodies, grooves, vocals, instrumentation, arrangements and songwriting they also were the tightest playing guys on the planet. The link between these musicians can be heard on numerous of their productions and especially on this mindblowing 12min jam I always favourited even to such Über-Hits like "Just Kissed My Baby" or "People Say" .
the Meters to me are (this is no joke) the best studio and live band of all times
PS: Thanx to my mentor PURE for introducing this to me when I was a little boy.
(FUNKWEEK EXCEPTION)
Fatbacks biggest hit is and was "Spanish Hustle" which marks their musical turning point away from mid tempo funk grooves towards their disco and later even rather boring pop future.
A track with emotional ups and downs the steady pushing Roy Ayer`s like groove comes riding in bringing the track to life and fortunately staying till the end. But there is also a needed healing relief from the love boat harmonies in form of a spacey synth line showing the songs borderline syndrome.
The Blackbyrds were founded in the early seventies by the famous Jazz musician and trumpet player Donald Byrd who before becoming a professor in Ethnomusicology at New York Academy of Performing Arts and Howard University in Washington DC had been playing with illustriousnesses like Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Max Roach and John Coltrane.
When he started to look for musicians for this project wanting to combine funk and soul elements with jazz he had to choose within his students because people his age were sniggering at his idea.
After already releasing the album "Flying Start" in 1973 and track on the "Cornbread Earl & Me" soundtrack in 1975 they put out
"City Life" that featured the outstanding song: "Rock Creek Park" an hommage to the biggest park in Washington.
The song became (and still is) a popular local anthem, not to mention that it's still part of every hot selection at b-boys' parties.
It is the most sampled blackbyrds track:
Ol' Dirty Bastard and Coolio in (In the park)
NWA (Quiet on tha set)
Big Daddy Kane ("Raw '91")
Eric B & Rakim ("The R")
UTFO ("Doin' It)
Ice Cube ("I wanna kill Sam")
De la Soul ("Ghetto thang")
FUNKY WEEKS START ON TUESDAYS
Will be posting some of my favourite classic funk tunes this week - starting with the soulful "I don`t know what it is sure its funky now" of Ripple`s selftitled album from 1973. Many times heard, used and sampled in HipHop for instance Special ED's "I got it Made" and Kid-N-Play's "Rollin", which doesn`t make the original loose anything of its greatness.
Of America`s debut album a song I always loved and shure did Elliot Smith whose vocal harmonies seemed to taken over where their good phase left off some 20 years later.
How lovely can be re-organizing records at home when you stumble across such a goodie. Still don`t know why I ever put it in the I-might-never-play this hiphop record again section : Well,
This was the Electrobeat labels first release and its still a good example for how great Rap-Music was before it got eaten up completely towards the end of the last century. The Hookline together with the cool running bass has even got a lot of deepness to offer if you ask me, quite extraordinary for this raw meant style of music.
"Cold Blooded & Down Right Funky" is a fairly underated Philly-Funk Dancefloorweapon. Great 1/16th cowbell give it that bounce that even electric guitars cannot destroy. Their previous album "Boogie Down USA" from 1975 already had a great mix of philly soul pieces and these highly dance infective Uptempo Funk cuts like "Do It Anyway You Wanna".
Just thinking if I should take "Here We Go Again" from the 2nd album aswell - feel happy if I did so=essentials (Sorry I am ill)
P.`s Ch. - Cold Blooded & Down Right Funky
P.`s Ch. - Here We Go Again
There is no real necessary information on why to drop "Temper`s No Favors" from 1984, But the Dub version is better than the original.
This is supposed to be a blog to share my definiton of pop history. But I don`t see a a problem of putting a smile on some of your faces with this: Also a stronghold in pop culture. As the days get shorter and colder a direct working antidepressive.
At a time when disco already had a tough time facing new sounds and easier rythm structures coming over from Europe that would change the face of Dance Music, Bohannon still was releasing records in a classic disco manner. And he had always been one of the best doing it. Heavy Rhythms, funky shuffle stuff, an amazing talent to pick unique vocalists and his Motown trained arranging skills make his records always interesting and still very dancable. This song was if I am right his most successful one but it was also released in several different versions always with Caroline Crawford`s outstanding vocals - one I had once stolen from me in Praha was a fantastic kind of remix- or semidub- version which didn`t in fact have Dr. Perri Johnson raps but with a stronger emphasis of the clavinet chords, lovely. PLEASE RETURN TO ME
Bombers were one of the many successful canadian disco groups in the late seventies. They released two albums on Westend Records called "Bombers" in 1978 and "Bombers 2" the following year. Even though I prefer their first one because it was far more on the spacey side, I picked their most succesful "(Everybody) Get Dancing" from the also on 2x 12 inch released second album. Prelude had invented this kind of releasing strategy for DJ use which made sales increase immensly. Bombers 2 stayed the bands last release and also the frontsingers Tamara Lorincz and Mack "BC" Jones last conjoint.
This is Mike Theodore`s first solo achievement after he had been working together with the also very famous Dennis Coffey on numerous Hit records under the name of Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band. Both originated from Detroit, Michigan where Dennis was highly credited in the late 60s and early 70s as a guitarist for illustrious Motown figures like Marvin Gaye and Martha Reeves. Mike instead was far more renowned for his producing, arranging and mixing skills so it was not surprising he quickly became an important character in the newly evolving field of disco which was to become the first mainly producer driven type of music. In the year 1977 Mike Theodore was the producer of two of my alltime favourite records that combine disco and Detroit Soul: C.J. & Co. - Devil's Gun and the now here featured Mike Theodore Orchetstra - Cosmic Wind which were both released on Westbound Records (The Label with the truck) and as one can hear mixed by Tom Moulton. These two records mark the start of success for Westbound as Mike was featured the following year on top selling artists like Fantastic Four, King Errisson and the Detroit Emeralds.
Mike Theodore Orchestra - Moon Track
Mike Theodore Orchestra - The Bull
As promised more of this legendary figure in the history of dance music. A superb unreleased lenghtend mix of `Hall & Oates - Maneater` an already perfect and much beloved evergreen gets the maestro`s retouch - done late in his career. Plus a scantily early ninetees London Kiss FM Interview hosted by the the pretentious and badly informed Radio Dj, Judge Jules. "Does he really ask about a belgium-hard-beat-house wave coming out of New York influencing Larry at the time"?
Well, to hear this influential and inspiring guest talk and his sweet selection is worth enough a listen.
"Only Classics survive the modes of time."
Hall & Oates - Maneater (Larry Levan - Extended Mix
Larry Levan Kiss Fm Interview
The biographies of these two exceptionally talented musicians, producers, songwriters, stylecreators etc. from california who have been reinventing themselves more than once in their long carrier are great statements for peoples dedication to music. They had been taking part in numerous professional productions and projects from early childhood and had both sucess and being participants in making music history in very different styles even before they met. This is an appreciation for the time they worked together producing disco with an ouput forcing them to create aliases like El Coco and Le Pamplemousse before acclaiming under their real names. These two tracks show the variety in which they even managed to play disco in.
`One of them SuperGroups`
Rinder & Lewis - Gluttony 1978
Le Pamplemousse - Love Every Minute 1980
Been wanting to post this for a long time - Äh, sorry going just under two months but it feels like I never did anything else sure will keep on going for my fanbase. Could call it a fan too but adding -base sounds bigger and might even attract more to make `em feel like being part of something great. Advance seemingly put out no other song than this there was one released a few years later called "Take It To The Top" which I have never had a listen too, but as names do not differ much I expect it to be close to the original. Nevertheless this song is fantastic with its surplus vocals, groovy synth lines, dreamy pads and classic muted guitars it for sure is one of my all time favourites. And if not reminded by some `music theoreticians` and that it was produced by Alvaro Ugolini and Dario Raimondi I would have never subsumed it under the term Italo Disco, but hey lets compromise: An All Time Dance Classic
One of my forevermore party classics with this inescapable groove that still gets the biggest disco hater and dancemuffel moving. Released on the bands peak in 1983 when the founders and brothers Reginald and Vincent Calloway were still in control - also worth checking out is their track Operator. Being dissed by my friends in the mid ninetees Hip Hop times (when I first found out about this song) it stands for my revolutionary style battle with my coeval fellowmen. But I know now why I loved and still love a lot of music from exactly that time is cause they called it R&B. What the FUCK happened to this genre?
Original Video:
A mix a day keeps the doctor away.
Photo by the georgeous Edda. (Berlin, Wedding)
One of Detroits constants Blake Baxter has been around for far more than two decades providing the dancefloors with his perception of finest house and techno tunes. After a world tour with the Underground Resistance he spent some time during the long gone great times in Berlin where he produced songs like "One more time", the here featured "Brothers gonna work it out" and for Tresor Records the album “Dream Sequence one thru three”.
The vocals of "bgwio" were later sampled by the Chemical Brothers for their “Brothers Gonna Work it Out”.
E2-E4 is said to be one of the most influential electronic albums of all times. First released in 1984 after Manuel had recorded it three years earlier the vinyl version consists of the nearly 60 min track cut up into two pieces. It`s been used and referred to plenty of times in the recent past as it celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. The track was sampled in 1989 by the italian producers DFC and released under the name Sueno Latino which brought it the most circulation up to then in an acid robe.
After I already had the pleasure to see Manuel at the end of last year performing this famous album solo at the great Berghain here in Berlin he showed yesterday night in the course of his 55th birthday party toghether with Elliott Sharp (NY) and White (China) at Watergate in a kind of acoustic though amplified version. Followed up by Joe Claussell, Marc Schneider, My My, Artur8 and Dixon.
Enjoy this piece of footage:
Paul Hardcastle`s most famous song which brought him acclaim and chart success was of course `19` where he mixed samples from a television documentary about vietnam veterans who suffered from psychosomatic disorders. That song wasn`t supposed to be released he just put it together to convince his record company to let him record and mix at his home studio.
You`re the one for me was a cover originally by D-Train combined with two of his own compositions (Daybreak and A.M.) sung by Kevin Henry.
An absolute classic early eighties disco track straight from my party bag into your arms. Extremly cool
Just a quick one as I am really tired and should be sleeping already.
To Egypt born Greek Demis Roussos brought us many wonderful pieces of music having included a great deal of cultural variety to form his definition of Jazz. The album `Magic` from the original to this lovely edit was produced by Vangelis whom he had joined with in the late 60s to initiate the goup Aphrodite's Child.
Will be playing some rare disco classics and dance gems for all of you in Berlin
tonite wednesday, September 5th at Lining.
11pm Entry € 0,00 - so no excuses!
Time for Johnny Guitar Watson and his Watsonian Institute. I do love a lot of his work
but the two albums he reorded under this name 78/79 with a bunch of other greatly
talented Musicians do suit me the most. When improvising on the guitar he sometimes
took it too far tooteling. But the same thing on a Moog, these great synthie basslines were a great addendum to his indispensible blues guitar Soli - Real Dance/Speed-Funk
Bobbi Humphrey was only 23 years old when she recorded her already second album
as a solo artist in 1973 called blacks and blues. Kowing that she wanted to become a flutist
from the first moment she heard Peter and the Wolfe being a little girl in first grade.
For me this is her best track as it combines a much stronger damn funky groove to her jazzy way of playing featuring on
drums the also very famous Harvey Mason.
Carol Kenyon has been working on numerous productions as a lead and
backround singer in her still ongoing career. Some of which were Heaven 17,
Vangelis/Demis Roussos, Paul Hardcastle and Mike Oldfield.
At the moment she is touring with Roger Waters on his Dark Side of the moon tour.
This one is produced by Stephen Lipson. I like that it takes quite some in the song for the vocals to set in.
Greg Wilson influential DJ from Manchester with his take on Switzerlands best export hit
next to DJ Bobo: Yello. Probably best known for their amazingly fast rapped Bostich Yello
were far ahead of their time. Also a definite buy recommendation as especially in Europe Yello records can be shot for little money. The lost again one I found for amazingly cheap € 1 from an East-Berliner library selling out its vinyls - Interesting as they had a lot of western records even from pre wall-down times.
Another one in the line of first-rate classics. This 12" pressing is so loud, powerful
and rife with soul that anyone who calls this track from The Romantics just a one hit wonder
should be subducted their right of speech. There are songs that can cure blues better than
love, success or any kind of short time satisfaction - Talking in your sleep is high up on my list for that purpose. I end up dancing and singing around the place everytime I put it on.
The Pet Shop Boys and I got one thing in common - exclusively one thing. We admire the exceptionial productions of Bobby Orlando. You might disagree but "West End Girls" is in in my book the only piece of music these two Brits ever were involved in and it was off course produced by Bobby O.
Divine`s shake it up is not my favourite Orlando production but it shows how visionary this man was in terms of combining a show momentum with his gayish disco hits - ironically he was greatly homophobic.
Born as Harris Glenn Milstead Divine was a famous transvestide starring as an actor in movies like Pink Flamingos where the name Divine was first used.
More Orlando stuff here on chosensperms in the near future for now this track
+ an appearance in Tony Wilsons Hacienda/Manchester who unfortunately passed away just a few weeks ago
+ a tribute to this special man and his vision of a club
RIP Anthony Howard Wilson 20 February 1950 – 10 August 2007
Yes I am an arrogant guy. I am a proud owner of an original copy of Westend Records first release.
It is actually a rap record - without raps. Its not really a dance record but it is so important for what came afterwards and the great bass can still compete after more than 30 years since this copy was pressed. If this record would have flopped Mel Cheren Westend Co-Founder might never have got Tom Moulton to mix their following releases, he might never have met up with Michael Brody to originate Paradise Garage and get Larry Levan to dj there and so on and so on and so on. This world would not be as bright as it is (in terms of club culture) without Sessomatto THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU
- mp3 uploaded again through to clipping on old one. So just get it again.
Thanx to MTRBRT
Something for the weekend. Turn up your fucking bose-docking stations and let yourself go with this fabulous deep
though still clever arranged Dance Anthem.
I know its not the freshest one but I don`t feel like posting just released tracks so they can go
through the system (clubs, media, street) first to achieve historical permanence.
But hey its still around so grap yourself a copy and/or check out pantha`s other work
a very talented fellow from Berlin.
Sorry for the short gap, but it was quite busy and my girlfriends birthday on tuesday. Back to normality.
This brazilian Band started their career in the early seventies under the name Grupo Seleção with a tribute album
for their fellow citizen and famous formula One race driver Emerson Fittipaldi.
This LP contained the song Jazz Carnival which was later released as a twelve inch on
milestone records. Its an instrumental disco/jazz piece that can easily be played on 33 R.P.M to be
included into your dj-set, with then still 117bpm it will more easily reach a consensus of your crowd.
Oh your ipod cant`t define that kind of speed - I dropped you both tempi.
Azymuth - Jazz Carnival 45rpm
Azymuth - Jazz Carnival 33rpm
Next to having commercial chart success in the early 80s The Human League has eternalised itself
in 1982 through being the first group/artist to release a complete remix lp in pop history.
Released under the name The League Unlimited Orchestra, Love And Dancing contained instrumental versions of
previously released HL songs put togehter by Martin Rushent their producer at the time.
This is the piece to know - knowing it will have you sensitised of well this can be placed in a contemporary party set.
Written and produced by Ish Ledesma former Foxy band member this is Company B`s No.1 Dance Hit.
The three Girls used to stage wearing white wings like the great Who Made Who doing it nowadays.
No doubt a timeless Dance classic.
JDC Records Owner Jim Callon Founded The Glass Family as a studio project wanting to make a disco album.
It was also co-written and produced by him and he managed to get Taka Boom (the famous Chaka Khan`s little sister) for lead vocals on this track, which should became their only real hit. Taka Boom who in 1975 already stared on Undisputed Truth`s hit `Me + You = Love` did not participate on the follow up and final album `Crazy` which was one of the reasons this did not attract so much interest.
A DJ`s effect on female/male listeners was apparently not different then today - What still makes this a great Job, right?!
Oh I wish I could grow a moustache like Paul Parker. He is not the best dancer the world has ever seen, but in combination with the excellent production of no one less than Patrick Cowley it really didn`t matter.
Greetings to Let It Grow.
Some people still think Italo Disco was music with cheesy vocals, listened and produced only by
slimy north italian philanderers, and would not survive the of so many detested 80s.
Well this one is for sure still alive. It is an instrumental song and can easily fit in any minimal set of this millenium.
Ron Grainers famous Dr Who TV Show Theme. But of course the funky Disco Version.
a bit ver-crakled, wa?
Helge Schneider one of Germanys best comedians and Jazz Musicians with his one and only techno track.
Helge seems to have been inspired to this by the untsylish dresscodes and beahavior of western ravers in the 90s. But he definitely also appreciates the musical value of the genre.
Knowing now how close Jazz- and Technomusic can be linked "Klapperstrauß" is in our point of view not far away from Moodyman productions, formerly known as Kenny Dixon jr.
Thanx to my friend Carlos for his support and reminding me of this hidden piece in my collection. (one of only 200 copies!)
Digging for Records can be a rewarding hobby - but if you`re in a shop with no chance of listening to a potential gem you picked out, there are a some more or less superstition driven reasons for ending up actually buying it.
One pretty obvious one, but often misleading, could be the cover. (well if that goes wrong you still have a nice piece of visual art to look at??)
Another pretty dull one I developed (and allready dropped again) is buying records released within a certain period. In my case that was the time of birth 1979.
As I never really cared about a covers condition (vg++ etc.) and the record still looked pretty okay for where I found it horizontally underneath a box I had to take out to give it a closer look. It is only the 7" - version i shot that day for economically accaptable € 0,50 but its also just over 3 minutes long - so if YOU are a proud owner of the 8min 12" version of one of the few greatgreat british disco producers Alan Hawkshaw, I am happy to exchange the files on here or trade a doublet with one of my double copies. For now enjoy this teaser
A bit of spaced out funk. Cane & Able were one of the many groups that came out of the collective surrounding the Lafayette Afro-Rock Band. Some of their work is right now available at grooveprovider.
"Don't Knock My Love" Is a great cover originally by Wilson Pickett.
Featuring a part of James Browns` brass section: Tony Lytle (Trombone) and Hasan Tayratira (Trumpet) this song is taken from their selfentitled debut album.
A must for Your funky side.
Carsten Jost in the past more known for his also great but far more technotic tracks brings Berlin considerably close to Chicago on the map. A phan`fuckin`tastic piece being far up on the list of best Chicago House tunes of all Times. Including the vocal line "If house is a nation, I wanna be president . . . " set out to be and stay a veritable masterpiece for this Genre and with high recognition value, if needed by a crowd.
This rounds up this weekends posts for the club, so bring your nutrition in balance and put on your favourite clothes, even though they might get busted its saturday!
Something fresh from two guys from - of course: Detroit. From the Past, the Present and the Future. Fits just fine to warm up for panorama bar.
Hosting tonite the fabulous Jesse Rose and tomorrow afternoon Dixon and Markus Worgull.
"Berlin, Baby!"
Achtung Hit !
The Best ever recorded Wonder Track and musically as well as textual still the greatest homage to Bobby Marley who spend quite some time that year being on tour with Stevie.
Its one of those songs you can listen to over and over again and I assure You not to get bored until the end of Your fantastic life.
He can do anything if you show him where.
1960s Drum Solo
An Exclusive chosensperms mixtape.
Length 41:16
Tracklisting:
Kent Schneider - There`s A Church Within Us Oh Lord
Tony Allen with Afrika 70 - Afro-Disco-Beat
Junior Boys - The Equalizer (Morgan Geists Graphic Mix)
Bumblebee Unlimited - Lady Bug
Marcus Mixx - The Spell (Ron Hardy Mix)
Sylvia - Automatic Lover
International Music System - Dancing Therapy (12" Mix)
Aleem - Release Yourself
Carmen - Time To Move
And again A fabulous piece of Dance Music to rank up for Eternity.
Produced by The Muldrow Brothers sent out to touch You where You like it the most.
Girlz Boyz get together and do it who with whatever !lol
I feel like partying. See you at Weekend tonite, Loco Dice is playing.
Invariable my favourite Newcleus track and original to the German techno-pop veterans.
No not scooter: Snap of course and their well adapted sample in Rythm is a dancer.
Automan is pretty slow and the vocal A-side not quite match peoples listening habits on todays
dancefloors. But as I hope this gets passed around one can play this outstanding piece of music to a crowd again.
Please love it as I do !
I am speechless. From the the first moment I heard this.
If You`re at a party where this song is not working leave it now and always do so in the future!!
"Ladies and Gentelmen: A true classic Breakers anthem!
Enjoy this pre miamibase rap-less electro classic!
Yes You hear correctly, more electro than what alot
of shit covers itself in today with this warming word.
Do some headspinns, for fucks sake !"
If there`s just the slightest bit of heart left in Your chest you gotta fall in love with this song
immediately.
Produced by the relatively unknown Daisy Earnest this all womens project should have done muchmuch more - Time to move is unfortunately the only one I came across.
If anyone of You knows more please contact me philigran@web.de
Something to dance to on nice and warm Sunnday afternoon. I wish they would have afterhours here in Berlin playing other than Minimal my Ass...(Sorry to All of You not having anywhere to go to during the day)
But as long as this reality is happening I will be posting songs like this to keep me of the streets.
Larry Levan, famous and never forgotten Dj,Remixer,audiophile clubhost and mastermind of clubculture with a lovely remix on this one. Together with Bumblebee Unlimited`s, Lady Bug and Class Action`s, Weekend this is one of my favourite Levan Mixes.
Its been re-released on Mango/Island Records so grab a copy if You see it.
Dani Krivit`s Edit of this already timeless Masterpiece tops it and is an everlasting Statement for the genius of Arthur Russell who died in 1992 much too early at the age of 40 years. Its even longer than the original but respectful.
. . .
And yet another Disco Classic. This blog is definitely not intended to stay "just" for this genre, but I have the strong drive to begin with the pieces that had the most effect on me and in my humble opinion where immensly important for so many contemporary dancefloor smashers making the (quality-)kids go crazy all over the world.
It is also a coincidence that Tamiko`s greatest hit was produced in the year 1979 this blogs causer was to see the light of day.
1945 born Barbara Tamiko Ferguson began her career as a jazz singer during the early `60s, when she originally called herself Timiko. After changing to Tamiko she worked with people like Herbie Mann and Solomon Burke.
`Cant live without your love` though, is the record she is probably best known for.
I love it for its feel, the timeless synthie-string pads and and a lot of stereo effects that are going on.
Another song of hers worth checking out is Tamiko`s Groove that is right now available on the great dilatechoonz.
There is not much I can write about this post people apart from the fact that I bought this record about 5 years ago in an antique record shop in West-Berlin. The shop is really fantastic as its packed up to the roof (that`s so germish) with records and the guy who runs it is far in his seventies. He also has a very unique way of archiving his vinyl. When I first discovered it I found myself in there for a whole day and after the guy realised I was mostly looking for disco records he showed me the room he stored the stuff he assembles as "black" . Well It definitely was and maybe still is a place to dig, cause I just recently read an article in Berlin`s biggest city magazine praising it to be so. It might be childish but after that, I thought I would not go there anymore -we`ll see as one can change. If you had told me years ago I would share my trophies like this I would have called him crazy.
Ah, Radioactivity might be too cheesy to some ears and it certainly drags on, but I miss out the way vocals could grovenize a track in a great amount of nowadays music and I see a lot of cue points for You digital Djs out there.
Oo Im starting to enjoy this a lot.
Here we have a disco track that for me really has it all. From cammanding string arrangements, bongo fills, a smooth synthie bass to lesbian vocoder backing vocals and off course cowbells. Unfortunately just under 4 minutes this track definetly has a strong endevour to be timeless popsong. Produced by the genius`of Michael Lewis and Laurin Rinder (amongst others: Le Pamplemousse, In Search Of Orchestra, El Coco, Tuxedo Junction), who will for shure get more space and time here in the future. After jumping on the disco train in the late 70`s these oustanding producers had always picked changing singers for their project ST. TROPEZ so I can not really tell with certainty who lent their voices for this one. Bye the way it is taken from the 1982 and last LP "Hot and Nasty"
Seems like I managed to get myself a blog (wasn`t that difficult). Thanx to the great blogs and also the bad ones for giving me the inspiration to finally realise one and I`m looking forward to seeing more and more peoples starting to share their emotions in this vein (not having in mind any more vacuous politicans).
So, my first post comes from the (to this day) blond-moustached-alpine-dweller Kurt Hauenstein. His formation SUPERMAX brought out the album "fly with me" in 1979. After his most famous 1977 album "world of today" (including the all time classic and often re-released Lovemachine), this one hasn`t in my point of view ever reached its deserved attention. Aint gonna feel is one of the coolest down tempo disco tracks I`ve ever come across and not even Falco a good ten years later ever managed to bring an austrian accent to shine in such way.
