Noel McKoy - Baby Mother, Baby Father 1995

Right Track Records RT 004

A couple of years after the splendid McKoy album, Full Circle, Noel McKoy released this solo work under his full name. It's still Right Track Records, still Hit & Run Music but Noel's name seems to be the only one involved.

As for the mixes, head straight for the B-Side and make your choice. Longsy D knocks up a soulfull shuffler but for me, KG's Naughty Boy mix with it's Doug E. Fresh sample works well and probably gets more plays.

• Solo Funk Mix
• Take Heed Club Mix
• Longsy D's Father Mix
• KG's Naughty Boy Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Noel McKoy 1995.rar Filesize: 28.09 MB

T-Empo - Saturday Night, Sunday Morning 1994

FFRR Records FCD 232

This superb update of the Thelma Houston classic hit in 1994 and tore up dancefloors everywhere. Loretta Johnson handles the vocals with confidence and the whole thing sounds very authentic. I still love the original but this works well too.

• T-Empo Radio Edit
• T-Empo Mix
• Madhatters R&B Mix
• Matthew Roberts Mix
• Scat-A-Day Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: T Empo 94.rar Filesize: 46.02 MB

Eric B & Rakim - Paid In Full (Promo) 1987

4th & Broadway 12 BRX 78

In 1987 when Eric B & Rakim could do no wrong, Coldcut was called upon to remix Paid In Full. Seven Minutes Of Madness turned out to be the most popular mix that year, from the dancefloor point of view at least. It was, quite deservedly, played to death! Eric B was not a happy man though, even though it must have doubled, if not quadrupled the sales of his album. He hated that remix, suggesting that Ofra Haza's Hebrew vocal sample from "Im Nin'Alu" could have been saying "Fuck You" for all we knew. The thing that probably irked him most was that he had no say about the remix and its release.

The real shame was that nobody else got a look in. This promo 12" (handed out at the DMC Convention if I remember rightly) is a remix created by South London's own Derek Boland. Boland had been a DJ on the pirate stations (LWR 92.5) for sometime where he created his own remixes for his show. This remix of Paid In Full uses a nice sample from John 'Cougar' Mellancamp's - Jack & Diane and a chunk of Chuck Brown's - We Need Some Money. That's Rock Music and Go-Go in this Hip-Hop mix. It's a great version and it deserved more airplay. Try it, you'll like it.

• Paid In Full (Derek B's Urban Respray)
• Paid In Full (Album Mix)
• Eric B Is On The Cut

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Eric B and Rakim.rar Filesize: 21.18 MB

Massivo - Take My Hand 1991

Debut Records DEBTX 3135

Produced by Jon Jules, Darren Pearce (Gems For Jem) & Steve McCutcheon (Undercover), engineered by Chris Laws and recorded at Skratch Studios, Chertsey. This Orr-Some production slipped into the dancefloor in 1991 with a wonderful uncredited male vocal.

On the flip is the Tracey Moore delivery of Lovin' You (Minnie Ripperton) remixed by DMC's Steve (Brothers In Rhythm) Anderson again. Not my cup of tea but it ain't a bad effort.

• Take My Hand (Subiaco Mix)
• Lovin' You (Summer Breeze Mix)
• Take My Hand (Claremont Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Massivo.rar Filesize: 29.59 MB

Mary Pearce - Legacy 1992

E.C.1 Records RNG001

A double header promo from Mary Pearce, produced by The Dark Knight himself, Tee Agbetu with a little help from Deluxe.

• Legacy
• Don't Break My Heart

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Mary Pearce.rar Filesize: 15.57 MB

Various Artists - The Cerrone Productions: The Best Of Disco 1980

Malligator Records 773 808



Back in 1977 when I got my driving licence, that was when I started my real clubbing era. My friends and I would travel to Canvey & Southend to vist the Bardots, Goldmine or the Zero 6. The Zero was really cool coz it had it's own record shop in the foyer. It used to sell all the latest imports which were very difficult to find back then. When Don Ray released Got To Have Loving I thought it was the best song ever (Hey, it was disco peaktime in '78!) and I bought a copy there and then, along with a couple of other 12"s (about 99p each, if I recall correctly). My mate Dave bought the album Garden Of Love and next day I was over his house listening to it.

The next week I tried to buy a copy but it was gone. I never did get a copy but I did get some of the tracks on vinyl. This album has Standing In The Rain which was one of my 'most wanted' tracks for many years. I've added a couple more to my CD version of the album and they're included.

The album has no year on it but it seems to be 1979, the tracks are all Cerrone productions and mostly French. Although it is called the Best of Disco there are some great tunes here, some strange ones too. Check out the oh-so-not-politically-correct Don't Refuse Me. Pado sings a love ballad, is that soulful. Hmmmm?

• Kongas: Africanism-Gimme Some Loving
• Pado & Co: Let's Have A Party
• Don Ray: Standing In The Rain
• Don Ray: Got To Have Loving
• Kongas: Tattoo Woman
• Revelacion: Crocos Dance
• Revelacion: The House Of The Rising Sun-Revelacion Suite
• Pado & Co: Don't Refuse Me
• Cristal: La Nuit Pour Nous
• B.O.F. Brigade Mondaine: Generique
• Max Berlin's: Dream Disco
• Five Letters: Disco Radio
• B.O.F. Brigade Mondaine: Phonic

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Cerrone.rar Filesize: 115.33 MB

Souled Out - In My Life 1992

Columbia Records 657836 2

1991 introduced those of us fortunate enough to be in the right place, to the wonderful vocals of Sarah Warwick singing Shine On for Souled Out. The following spring this beauty dropped and although our Sarah isn't credited, I've always assumed that she's singing In My Life too. The collective known as Souled Out (a.k.a. Sold Out) comprised of Alessandro Sommella, Domenico "GG" Canu, Ricky Rinaldi and Sergio Della Monica. You may be familiar with some of their later work on the global clubland dancefloors. Hondy (No Access) and the mighty Planetfunk (Chase The Sun) being the most well known to me.

The version of Shine On included here is a club mix by Joey Negro (a.k.a. Dave Lee) and although it's a credible club mix, the Andalucian Mix on my 12" is far superior IMHO. I'll post it when I come across it. Souled Out released an album 'Shine On' in 1992 which I have never been able to find.

"Produced for S.O. Productions. Special versions taken from the CD/MC/LP, "Shine On" LC 0162 MCPS/BIEM/STEMRA

1, 2, 3, ℗ 1992; 4, ℗ 1991 Sony Music Entertainment Italy (SPA) © 1992 Sony Music Entertainment (UK) LTD."

• In My Life (7" Remix)
• In My Life (12" Remix)
• In My Life (Dub Mix)
• Shine On (Joey Negro 12" Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Souled Out 1992.rar Filesize: 36.17 MB

Cool Down Zone - Heaven Knows 1990

10 Records TEN X 309


1990 saw the arrival of Cool Down Zone featuring the gorgeous vocals of Charlemagne. At this time she wasn't getting a special mention. The Remix 12" has exactly the same B-Side and one track on the A-Side which is a Steve 'Disco Mix Club' Anderson remix that in no way competes with the original, therefore I've simply added the track.

• Heaven Knows
• Come Be My Lover
• I Always Seem To Cry

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: CDZ 1990 Heaven Knows.rar Filesize: 52.09 MB




Heaven Knows (Remix)
10 Records TEN X 309

• Heaven Knows (Remix)
• Come Be My Lover
• I Always Seem To Cry
  

Sybil - Let Yourself Go 1987

Champion Records CHAMP 12-42

This is Sybil Lynch, the Sybil that done When I'm Good And Ready, etc. a few years later. This was the second release, of note, by Sybil and I actually bought this because it had a remix of her first release on the flip. Falling In Love was a great tune that I could not get hold of until Let Yourself Go arrived. As it turned out, I liked this even more. Hard to believe she went on to do all that cheesey dance fodder?

I could be rash here and say these James Bratton produced 'Next Plateau' recordings were the forebears to the original vocal house tunes, Chicago Jack Traxx had no soul. Of course, opinions are like arseholes, everybody's got one and, I 'm probably talkin' out of mine. Salsoul had already been there and done all that?

No, I never did get the original Falling In Love 12", sorry.

• Let Yourself Go (Club Mix)
• Let Yourself Go (Paradise Mix)
• Falling In Love (Remix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Sybil 1987.rar Filesize: 37.6 MB

Cool Down Zone - Lonely Hearts 1992

Maranza Recording Corporation SOBO5

The Cool Down Zone featuring Charlemagne first came to my attention via the gorgeous Heaven Knows (watch this space) released on 10 Records. Two years later this was released on an independent label, Maranza, which I guess means they didn't fare to well. Life sucks, I guess popular doesn't mean good?

My apologies for the 'eggs and bacon' on this one. I've tried to clean up as best I can without disturbing the original recording. You'll notice that despite there being four versions, only one is titled as a specific mix. A1 is credited as mixed by C.D.Z. and AA1 is titled the Uptown Mix but no credit (unless the names are the remixers?).

Trivia: The record is labeled 45RPM but plays at 33RPM.

• Mix 1
• Mix 2
• Uptown Mix
• Mix 4

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: 1992 Lonely Hearts.rar Filesize: 30.62 MB

Sybil Thomas - Rescue Me 1983

West End Records WEND 124

This is a gorgeous song that never fails to pull me in. If the vocal reminds you of Raw Silk then it's no surprise. Sybil Thomas was the vocalist for Raw Silk (remember Do It To The Music, how manyy times has that acc. been sampled?) and should not be confused with the other artists called simply Sybil, she is another artist altogether. You will also hear her voice all over Luther's 'Never Too Much' album.

So we have a great voice on this excellent song, we also have a great producer though. The great Nick Martinelli teams up with David Todd on this Watchout Production, to bring us a tune that sounds as good today as it did 25 years ago.

• Rescue Me (Vocal)
• Rescue Me (Instrumental)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Sybil Thomas.rar Filesize: 22.39 MB

Color Me Badd - Time & Chance 1993

Giant Records 74321 16899 2

Chances are, you hear Color Me Badd and think I Wanna Sex U Up.... Don't!

This is a great release, overlooked by many and a great loss IMHO. The maturity shown in this track emphasizes how much the group had progressed. Funk On A Skunk is the weapon of choice for me. How Deep is also a worthy stand-alone track and not just along for the ride. Enjoy!

• Time And Chance (Radio Edit)
• Time And Chance (Album Version)
• Time And Chance (Funk On A Skunk Mix)
• How Deep (Album Version)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: CMB - Time And Chance.rar Filesize: 23.03 MB