This is a heavy cosmic disco track that is almost guaranteed to get you laid this Valentine's Day. Demis has had a long and storied career of swooning schmaltzy tunes but he put out a couple of great disco records. You can find another one of his tracks in the tags section. Also here is a slow jam to help you seal the deal.

Demis Roussos - L.O.V.E Got A Hold Of Me
Zapp - Computer Love

With its anthemic backing track and trippy sped up vocals, Lady Bug is considered by many to be a definitive disco banger. I have always been somewhat dubious of the chipmunk style vocals but Patrick Adams and Greg Carmichael's incredible production work definitely breaks through. There were many 12" versions pressed upon its release in 1978, including the original on Greg Carmichael's Red Greg and a later RCA pressing featuring remix work from two of New York City's hottest DJ's at the time: John Morales and Larry Levan. These were both very early remix gigs for Morales and Levan and in my humble opinion Morales's hypnotic dancefloor mix shines brighter than Levan's more sparse version. UK label BBE recently issued a stellar comp featuring classic Morales remixes and a bunch of unreleased M&M session mixes from the era.

Bumblebee Unlimited - Lady Bug (John Morales Mix)
Bumblebee Unlimited - Lady Bug (Larry Levan Mix)

These tracks may be a bit too smooth for some of you, but Valentines Day is coming up so all you foos better get with the program. Cecil and Linda Womack make up the husband and wife duo Womack & Womack. Linda Womack is the late Sam Cooke's daughter and Cecil's brother Bobby Womack is a well known R&B artist. There are quite a few scandals that surround the family and as it turns out, Linda is Cecil's niece through marriage.

Womack & Womack have a very unique sound that seems to blend modern soul, country, and pop seamlessly. There is a lot of Sam Cook influence in there as well. I first heard Conscience of My Conscience in the Henrik Schwarz DJ Kicks and it remains one of my favorite jamz. I picked up the Strange and Funny 12" a while back and I love its country soul vibe. Teardrops is a dancefloor ready tune that was recently covered (and surprisingly, not in an "ironic" indie way) by the xx.

Womack & Womack - Conscience Of My Conscience
Womack & Womack - Teardrops (Extended Remix)
Womack & Womack - Strange And Funny

This track needs little introduction. If you are a boogie nerd and dig that 1984 sound, then you probably know and love the lone Exquisite Taste 12" on NYC imprint Starlite Records.

Exquisite Taste - It's You That's Happening
Exquisite Taste - It's You That's Happening (Instrumental)
Exquisite Taste - It's You That's Happening (Acappella)

This release compiled and edited by Ron Hardy in 1989 showcased some of Frankie Knuckle's finest work on the groundbreaking Chicago label, Trax Records. From his time as the house DJ at Chicago's legendary Warehouse club circa '77-'82, Knuckles was at the forefront of the original and only legit American House music movement. Nowadays Knuckles has a fetish for chillin' out in his ample collection of Louis Vuitton gear. I scored his cell phone number from my friend who works in the LV call center but I haven't had the nerve yet to cold call him and fire up a conversation. Anyways, my apologies for the somewhat dicey quality of these recordings. I scored this LP sealed at a flea market but most Trax records were cheap shit and I think they forgot to master the recordings for the wax pressings. That said, I believe that was actually part of the label's charm.

This Plastic Bertrand edit by the late great Ron Hardy has a loop that you can listen to forever. It evokes a patient dance floor full of enchanted people. Here also is a mix is from Ron Hardy's own club in Chicago, the Music Box which was in the old home of the Powerplant. This mix really well represents his playful and eclectic mixing style.

Plastic Bertrand - Stop Ou Encore (Ron Hardy Re-Edit)

Playlist:
1. Nightlife Unlimited: Peaches & Prunes (edit)
2. Two of China: Los Niños Del Parque (Tormenta-Mix)
3. Virgo: Free Yourself
4. Frankie Knuckles: It’s A Cold World
5. Frankie Knuckles: Baby Wants to Ride
6. Tempest Trio: Do You Like The Way It Feels
7. Hercules: 7 Ways
8. The Originals: Down To Love Town (edit)
9. Parlet: Pleasure Principle
10. Sleeque: One for the Money
11. Carl Bean: I Was Born This Way (Better Days Version)
12. Billy Paul: Only the Strong Survive (edit)
13. Loleatta Holloway: Catch Me on the Rebound (Disco Madness Remix edit)
14. Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes: Don’t Leave Me This Way
15. Loose Joints: Is It All Over My Face (Male Version/Female Version)/reversed
16. Blue Magic: Welcome to the Club (edit)
17. Teddy Pendergrass: The More I Get, The More I Want (edit)

Ron Hardy - Live at the Music Box 1986

Beyond the fact that singer/guitarist Steve Shelto (or Mr. Class as he is now known) recorded an exceptional 12" for Sam records in 1983, he also managed to perform at Ronald Reagan's 2nd inauguration and the Queen of England's 60th birthday party. Not bad for a guy with one solo 12" and a only a couple of releases with his previous band Area Code (212). These days you can find Steve as an extra in the upcoming Will Ferrel film The Other Guys and performing with his band during tourist season in Naples, Florida. Nice one.

Steve Shelto - Don't You Give Your Love Away (Shep Pettibone Mix)
Steve Shelto -Don't You Give Your Love Away (Instrumental)

This lazer soul jam was released in 1985 on Genius Records, a Macola subsidiary. This track was born in the days of ultra slick modern soul production. It could have done without the guitar solo, but nevertheless, it would be a good track for a good old fashioned dance off.


Kristine - No One Can Tell Me (Long Vocal)

The not so aptly titled Wreckin' Crew formed in Chicago, Il. in the late 70's and you can read their bio here. At least regionally Found The Groove was a fairly well known boogie-funk cut that was released in 1981 on several different imprints including this 7" version on private Chicago label Starville. We received an email a while back requesting we post the b-side modern soul cut You Don't Care as it was included on the Funkacise mix LeBaron and I put out early last year. After giving it a listen the other nite I came to the conclusion that edits were in order for both sides of this 7". You Don't Care was a minor one, a bad horn solo desperately needed removal. Found the Groove on the other hand needed pretty major surgery. Some outdated P-Funk bits and a shit chorus made a potentially stellar track fall flat.

Wreckin Crew - Found The Groove (BT Magnum Edit)
Wreckin Crew - You Don't Care (Edit)

Happy New Year from B.E, I hope everyone enjoyed themselves to excess. I guess this is the first post of 2010, so to keep things in a jubilant, optimistic mood I'm going to post a feel good proto boogie number, yet again, from the West End stable.

I Get Lifted was written by H.W Casey and Rick Finch of K.C and the Sunshine Band fame, and comes with a mix by label owner Mel Cheren himself.

The Sweet Life - I Get Lifted

The late Ray Caviano was the A&R man for T.K. Records and its offshoot Marlin during the peak 70's disco era signing Voyage, Kat Mandu and a slew of other artists. Caviano left T.K. in 1978 to become the Executive Director of Disco (dream job) at Warner Brothers Records. Warner gave him his own imprint RFC Records titled after his initials. Caviano executive produced many LP's and 12"s in the late 70's/early 80's for Warner/Atlantic and struck up a partnership with Quality Records in Canada with some notable releases from Jimmy Ross and A Number of Names amongst others. Today I am posting a few jams from the RFC/Atlantic stable circa '81-'83. All told, if you are out hunting for disco or boogie 12's and see the RFC imprint it's quite likely you will have a pretty decent cut on your hands.

Tomorrow's Edition - U Turn Me On
Prestige - Cheating
Suzy Q - Get On Up Do It Again
Attitude - We Got The Juice
Change - This Is Your Time

Fela Kuti was a very accomplished Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and recording artist who was the founder of afrobeat and funk. His 1975 record Expensive Shit was ground breaking with its long and funky tracks. Here is one of my favorite jamz.

Fela Kuti - It's Not Possible

In keeping with the spirit of Black Shag's Africa post and Beat Electric's permanent ban on any Christmas related music, today we celebrate the African-American holiday Kwanzaa with this Hugh Masekela joint on the Jive Afrika imprint. Jive Afrika was created as a catalyst for Masekela's early 80's output which shifted towards electronic and boogie oriented sounds. The sub label never grew much beyond Masekela and a couple of other artists, but I like the idea behind it. I just wish they could have dug up more African boogie gems such as this one.

Hugh Masekela - Don't Go Lose It Baby (Stretch Mix)
Hugh Masekela - Don't Go Lose It Baby (Dub Mix)
Hugh Masekela - Don't Go Lose It Baby (BT Magnum Edit)

This track led to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis getting kicked out of The Time. The two band mates produced this record while on a brief hiatus when they were in Prince's group The Time. After this recording session, they got stuck in a blizzard and were stranded in Atlanta; unable to meet the band for their next tour date. Prince fired them. The subsequent success of this record launched their long production career.

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis had an amazing ability take an act that had disappeared into mediocrity and mold into a powerful force. The duo rescued the S.O.S. band from workout disco obscurity when they penned this jam that was released on Tabu in 1983. This track is the epitome of their lazer soul sound that went on change the face of R&B into the late 80's.

The S.O.S. Band - Just Be Good To Me (Long Version)

I am back from the dead and while it will be difficult to compete with Black Shag's Full Time post or his amazing edits of our dear friend Anonymous's rather deft comments, I do have a few tracks up my sleeve before I retire for good. We have gotten several emails as of late from some serious overachievers looking to be contributers on the blog. The clown committee will have a vote sometime in the coming months and a decision will be made as to who can be the lucky sucker because lord knows this is a thankless gig.

Anyways, on to the music.

You may know Silver Platinum and Gold from the mid 70's 12" Single Just Friends or its B-Side I Got a Thing which Dimitri from Paris edited and released on the Disco Forever II comp back in 2000. Released in 1981 Hollywood was SPG's second and final LP. The Silver, Platinum and Gold Theme was the lead track on an otherwise mediocre record, but damn does this one slam hard. I did a quick extended edit of this track as it's so good I simply did not want it to end.

Silver, Platinum and Gold - SPG Theme (Extended Edit)

This track makes me imagine a mid day street party in New York with people getting down everywhere. People thowin' down with fire hydrants splashing everywhere. Let's thow that party one of these days.

The Paul Simpson connection put out a couple of records in the early 80's. This one, from 1982 on Streetwise Records is about as proto-garage as you can get.

Paul Simpson Connection - Use Me, Lose Me

Circa 1984 comes deep cut Nervous from Leather on the Soft Winds imprint, a private press possibly out of Chicago. But that is about as far as I can go on this one as I have spoken with a few heads and no one seems to know much of anything about this record. It almost never turns up anywhere except goliath dealer Craig Moerer from Portland may be sitting on a few sealed copies if you want to shell out the cash.

Nevertheless, I quite like the feel of this record. It's got a sort of post thriller proto haunted house vibe to it that lights up a dancefloor rather nicely. Loads of electro toms and icey synth lines make this one a winner. I included Nervous on my recent Stimulation mix which has a direct link below if you haven't had a chance to grab it off of the Monorail blog yet.

Leather - Nervous
Leather - Nervous (Instrumental)
BT Magnum - Stimulation Mix

This is the perfect jam for the evening. I am still recovering from a week of excess food, booze, and family drama. I am settling into this jam before I slip into another leftover induced food coma. Spyce put out this record on the Brooklyn label Rota Enterprises, LTD in 1979. It is definitely an interesting track with a lot of Patrick Adams influence, a party vibe, and some cosmic synth. I will give this track an edit when I can figure out ho to use logic.

Spyce - Do It Rock Steady

We had a request for this a long time ago, but I never came good on it. Anyway, to make up for being tardy I'm going to post up the instrumental as well.

I would write more but I'm late for dinner. See a recurring theme? yes, you spotted it, I'm useless.

Greg Perry's It Takes Heart is part of the 80's soul funk cannon, but is a little hard to find. Its a real dancer, and watch for the synth breakdowns, amongst the heaviest the genre ever produced.

Greg Perry - It Takes Heart

Greg Perry - It Takes Heart (Instrumental)

It's Thanksgiving in the United States today and we have oh so much to be thankful for here. I for one am very thankful for Kashif, super producer and ace songwriter whose peak work was in the golden boogie era of US soul music. God bless Kashif.

Evelyn King - I'm In Love 1981
Evelyn King - Love Come Down (Instrumental) 1982
Kashif - I Just Got To Have You (Long Version) 1983
Kashif - Ooh Love (Instrumental) 1984

Over the years I had heard sound clips of this track and was aware that boogie collectors lit up a little bit when mentioning this 12" on the otherwise mediocre Zoo York label. A few weeks ago I found a minty copy in a thrift store and was excited to take it home and add it to my DJ crates. Wait, what the hell is that cheesy heavy metal guitar solo doing smack dab in the middle of all three 12" versions? And don't forget those vocal bits at the end that are terribly annoying. Ugh. So here is my edit of the long version, still vocal heavy but tighter and much more focused towards a linear dance floor set.

Leonard Seeley's Heritage - Feel It (BT Magnum Edit)

Juggling computer programs and interfaces is hard enough now, I can't imagine how things were done in the good old days. Ugg, a frustrating night indeed. Welcome to space, bitches. This track came out on the Canadian label P.B.I. Records in 1981. Jean Pierre Bernard Massiera, the producer also put out a record of the same title in 1978 as the group Herman's Rocket on a French Label. It sounds like R2D2 made a guest appearance on this cut.

Venus Gang - Space Woman

Here is a guest mix from SF's own DJ Hotthobo aka Randy Ellis. I had the pleasure of playing a gig with Ellis last month and I must say he is quite passionate about the Boogie and Disco sounds we so enjoy here at Beat Electric. This is a solid mix from start to finish and I recommend you check out Hotthobo's monthly Grow Up party in the Tenderloin.

And for a plethora of new disco oriented mixes, check out this excellent post on the Disco Delivery page.

The Tracklist:

1. Five Special - Your Body Heat
2. The Strangers - Stimulation
3. Kasso - Walkman
4. Dexter Wansel - It's Been Cool
5. Chic - I Want Your Love (Todd Terje Edit)
6. Eddie Craig - Funkin Up
7. Toba - Moving Up
8. Bernard Wright - Master Rocker
9. Asphalt Jungle - Freakin Time Pt.1
10. Voyage - I Love You Dancer
11. Loose Ends - Let's Rock
12. Raydio - Still In The Groove
13. Eddie Tour - Heartache (re-edit)
14. Rotciv - Do I Do
15. Paul Hardcastle - Forest Fire
16. Hypnosis - Bormaz (Todd Terje Edit)
17. Loose Shus - Leonhart
18. Up Front - Infatuation (Hotthobo Loooooong Edit)
19. Selection - Rebel On The Run (Remix)
20. O'Bryan - Lovelite
21. Breakwater - Do It Till The Fluid Gets Hot
22. D Train - Don't You Wanna Ride (The D Train)

DJ Hotthobo - Player Error

16 minutes of "soundscape disco" inspired by Close Encounters of the Third Kind. "A Dance Fantasy" is mixed by Tom Moulton, has vocals by Sister Sledge and among many other songwriters has a piece written by John Williams. I have no idea where this track would ever be played out (especially not the scratchy copy I have), but who cares. It's fantastic in the truest sense of the word.

Montana - A Dance Fantasy

Here is an interesting track by Funktion Freeks on Purple Reign Records, released in 1986. Wet dreams make for bizarre songwriting material, but maybe his bedroom looks like the one pictured above with 1937 Altec /Lansing/RCA horn system powered by a Marantz 8B. Lots of drum machine clatter in there and lots of jankeyness. It is definitely halfway between garage house and freestyle. It catches its stride in the final third.

Funktion Freeks - So Hard Up For Your Love

This cassette has been on repeat in my motor vehicle as of late. I love the fact that my car stereo is shit and this beat up tape from 1979 sounds like absolute crap. Sometimes its just better to go lo-fi in order to achieve the proper sonic experience.

Harvey Scales was once considered Milwaukee's "Godfather of Soul". I often used to pass up this Cassablanca release in the Milwaukee thrift stores as it looked sort of ridiculous (yet amazing) and I already had some of his earlier funk 45's which was more to my interest than glam disco at that particular time. I was fortunate enough to see Harvey play live at a few Bar Mitzvah's and Weddings back in the day, although I doubt I ever saw him perform this gem.

Harvey Scales - Keeps Getting Better

Here are some of my favorite Frankie Knuckles remixes. These are from an era of soulful deep house, before thick neck British blokes with shaved arms took over. Here is also a live mix from Gallery 21 in Chicago from 1987. Sorry for the marginal sound quality, please hit us up if you have any high quality mixes.

Frankie Knuckles Playlist:

1. K.I.D.: Hupendi Muziki Wangu?! (You Don’t Like My Music)
2. James Wells: True Love Is My Destiny
3. Exodus: Together Foreverr (Dub)
4. Change: Glow of Love
5. Ian Dury: Spasticus Autisticus
6. Mike T: Do It Any Way You Wanna
7. Don Ray: Standing In The Rain
8. General Johnson: Can’t Nobody Love Me Like You Do
9. Trussel: Love Injection

"Now's the time, forget your nine to five. Come on, have some funn."
Okay, I will thanks.

The Gunchback Boogie Band - Funn

I created an exclusive new DJ mix at the request of my friends Remy and Lamar aka Portland's Monorail Boys. These guys throw the best parties in Portland hands down and do a damn fine job on their blog as well. Indicative of my current DJ sets, this mix leans heavily on the boogie-funk tip with a bit of early house, italo and late era disco thrown in for good measure. As always its all live, hastily mixed at home after a long, shitty day a couple weeks back. Anyways, go to the Monorail blog, download the mix and take a look around. You will also find some other stellar mixes by the likes of Ulysses 82 and San Serac amongst other goodies.

I also have posted the Stimulation title track here on this blog. Stimulation is a semi rare and ultra heavy vocoder track by The Strangers from the Salsoul Records stable circa 1983.

Stimulation Tracklist:

Prestige - Cheating
Squirmin Herman - Move and Shake Your Body (Inst.)
The Strangers - Stimulation
Pleasure - Sending My Love (Inst.)
Aurra - Baby Love (Shep Pettibone's Mastermix)
Slave - Feel My Love
Wizardz - Boogie Slyde
Sinnamon - I Need You Now (The Fierce Reprise)
Jamie Principle - Your Love
Inner Life - (Knockout) Let's Go Another Round
Stephanie Mills - Put Your Body In It
Weeks and Co. - Go With The Flow (Inst.)
Leather - Nervous
Electrik Funk - On a Journey (Inst.)
Eazy - Project Funk (Inst.)
A Number of Names - Sharevari
Kano - Now Baby Now

BT Magnum - Stimulation Mix
The Strangers - Stimulation

I could tell you a few things about this song. Maybe you would like to know that it's written and produced by Arthur Russell. Or maybe that it is mixed by Larry Levan. Perhaps you would like to know how it's got amazing piano, horns and whistling. But really, you probably just want to listen to this track and get your ass up and dance around your room in your underwear. Or, is that just me?

Loose Joints - Tell you (Today) (Vocal)

This is a very nice upbeat track from Cleveland, OH based artist Frederick. Move On was buried on the B-Side of a throwaway ballad 12" entitled Gentle (Calling Your Name) released in 1984 on private label Time Trax and later reissued on LA Based Heat Records in 1985. I really like the sanguine gospel feel to this cut, reminds me of a less polished Leroy Burgess-Stan Lucas production. I apologize for the impurity of this rip, but I had to chop off the sliding piano line in the intro. It was just too cheesy and distracting to an otherwise great track.

Frederick - Move On

Here is something smooth for you to enjoy this Monday evening. Pieces of a Dream was produced by the late Grover Washington Jr. and they put out three albums. Their sound was very tame and smooth with polished production. While many of their tracks are a bit too smooth, this one has a nice poppy snap that is reminiscent of a Change record. Dexter Wansel helped pen this one.

Pieces Of A Dream - Fo-Fi-Fo

I should probably be building an arc right now because California is going to be washed away into the sea in a couple of hours. I have been practicing parting water, and I think I may have it figured out just in the nic of time.

Manu Dibango - New Bell

I have played this for a few people over time and I have gotten mixed responses, perhaps they were just not in the right mindset, or perhaps the heart felt, atonal, choppy English as a fourth language vocal put them off. Its a weird tune for sure, but I think maybe Lowell's No Matter is one of the unsung Italo greats, dark and brooding, with a touch of electro and soul, sang by a light Swiss version of Tina Turner circa 1985. Its not Italian, it is Swiss, and I think all of the recordings off of the short lived Tam Tam label were made in Switzerland. Extremely hard to find, often a little off color somehow.

Lowell - No Matter

I haven't been home much lately. I haven't posted much lately. I haven't been to the gym much lately. What I have done though is work, work, work.
But it's Friday, it's Fleet Week in SF and I finally remembered on the right day it is my time to post.
What I have this week is Edgar Winter's instrumental track "Above & Beyond". It's bad ass and full of amazing sonic ear candy. It's cosmic, it's weird and it is made Mr. Winter who looks as though winter landed all over him.
I scored this record, actually 2 copies of the white label, nicely filed in alphabetical order whilst digging at a record store. Talk about a score.
Enjoy.

Edgar Winter - Above & Beyond (Instrumental)

Thought I would switch it up for a change and post an 80's synth pop track from the legendary Factory Records stable. This cut from Section 25 was a staple of mine some years back when I incorporated quite a bit of new wave and post punk into my DJ sets. I dusted this record off in anticipation of the upcoming Section 25 show at Mezzanine in SF and it served to remind me that I still love this kind of stuff. The British in particular were damn good at making new wave/synth tracks. They tended to add a more soulful element that their American counterparts were not quite as adept at pulling off. Looking From a Hilltop was released in 1984 as the first single off of the From the Hip LP which was produced by Bernard Sumner of New Order.

Section 25 - Looking From a Hilltop (Restructure from FACT 90)

This was Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force's first record and was released in 1984. It was released on a European label as a single and was featured on the compilation album Breakdancing. In 1985, their first full length came out and it was a big success. LL&CG along with production by Full Force was a winning combination and led to the team dominating pop radio throughout the 80's.

Lisa Lisa And Cult Jam - I Wonder If I Take You Home
Lisa Lisa And Cult Jam - Ringtone

A seriously deep modern soul/synth boogie record here from San Francisco circa mid 80's. There is debate over the year of release as it is not listed on the sleeve. I would lean towards '87 if I had to make an estimate. One thing is for certain, everything about this LP from the crusty production to the sleeve is just so dusted and killer. If you live in the Bay Area and spend enough time in the thrift stores, you might just dig up this private press gem on Treasure Records. Here are a few of the LP's Highlights.

Prophet - Right On Time
Prophet - Stick Around
Prophet - You Really Turn Me On