Your Love Is Cyanide To Me Baby

My main man Black Shag has dropped several of his top ten boogie joints in the last couple of weeks so I feel motivated to throw a few entries into the fire as well. Whilst Mr. Shag has been focusing on his country of origin, the United Kingdom, my next few entries will feature heat from my hometown of Milwaukee, WI as well as my adopted home, the San Francisco Bay Area.

Hailing from across the bay in Oakland, CA Carol Shinnette cut her first 7" in 1984 on the private Zilko label. Backed up by the aptly named Concrete Band, "Cyanide Love" was recorded at Beggars Banquet Recording Studio in Santa Rosa, CA. Co-written with Shinnette and produced by the mysterious W.P. Guidry, "Cyanide Love" is a mammoth cut and an easy contender for my personal boogie top ten list.


Shinnette went on to release a rare modern soul LP (The Expressions of Carol Shinnette) and a handful of 45's on the obscure Optune label out of Oakland in 1985. Optune also went on to repress a very small run of "Cyanide Love" picture sleeve seven inches in 1986.



I tried calling the phone number on this picture sleeve and a serious thug answered the line. Sadly, he didn't seem too interested in discussing Carol Shinnette or Optune Records but he did manage to throw a few idle threats my way.

Cyanide love was Shinnette's first and finest recording.

Carol Shinnette with the Concrete Band - Cyanide Love