You're My Chance

Here is a strong disco tinged boogie number from the much beloved by me NelWin Records / Silver Cloud records stable, with all of the Andrew Langston production hallmarks, great, slightly tribal percussive elements and ahead of their time synth hooks. I'm not too sure what the distinction between these two New York labels were, because they have the same production staff, address, similar labels, the same sound. I think Nelwin's releases are dated a little earlier.

I'd like to thank everyone that came out for the Beat Electric Dance Show this last Friday, it was intense. The film footage is being edited up now and will get posted up soon. I get the feeling that we will be taking this one on the road:

Brenda Watts - You're My Chance

Let's Talk About the Fly Ones

Sometimes we like to kick it smooth. This is a rare modern soul jam from around 1985 on Money Three Records. It has a bit of a vibe as if Janet Jackson's mom is singing it. Anyway, you are too smart to miss the epic party that Beat Electric is throwing this Friday. It is at Mezzanine and it is free if you RSVP, just follow the instructions and make sure to drink a lot once you are there so we can throw this party again.

Rose Davis - Too Smart For That

Video Freak x 2000

Some cuts I don't want to post for no other than the artist names and track titles are too long, don't fit in an ID3 v1 tag, are easily misspelled or are a pain to type with one finger. These selfish artists had no appreciation for the fact that I may want to post their work, for free, on the internet one day.

Trigger Finger And The Space Cadets' Defend It U (Video Freak) (The New York City Club Mix) was written by Tony Rose and Charles Alexander of Prince Charles And The City Beat Band fame. Watch out for the other couple of 12s and the handful of 45's that also came out on Solid Platinum Records, I have another somewhere and I swear it also starts with the same wolf howl sound. This isn't just a killer indie electro funk jam, its a poignant social commentary of the emerging impact video games were having on young people in 1982..under the guise of a killer rare indie electro funk jam..

Trigger Finger And The Space Cadets - Defend It U (Video Freak) (The New York City Club Mix)

The Key

Well let me start off and issue another apology for the lack of posts this summer. I have been a bit buried in the weeds as of late. This weekend I move to Los Angeles leaving all three Beat Electricians scattered across the California landscape. Not to worry, once I get settled in it will be back to business as usual. So if I can get Black Shag to come out of his morphine induced coma, this weekend we will pack up the moving van and head down to the sunny beaches of Southern California to seek out Sean Michael and his band of goth-model boogie warriors.

Anyhow, on to the music:

I believe we have probably posted more joints off of Prelude Records than any other label and that's fine by me. Don't worry I have some deeper shit on the horizon to satisfy the elitists, but I must say The Key by Wuf Ticket aka James Mason is solid gold and particularly the The Francois Kevorkian dub is a favorite from the Prelude catalog. Just avoid the groups first 12", a boogie-rap entitled Ya Mama. Not a good look.

Wuf Ticket - The Key (Instrumental)
Wuf Ticket - The Key

Radar Records

I was going through a box of sealed bankrupt stock CD's, flipping through post hair metal and euro dance summer anthem comps, when I came across a stack of funk discs. These dated from the deep funk revival of the early/mid nineties, great times, but amongst them was this Best Of Radar Records collection, claiming to be recorded from master tape, released in '95. Score.

Radar records was an early eighties electro funk label that had an limited run from '83 to '85, but in that time had several hits and was home to Tony Lee and Gary's gang for a minute. We have probably already posted up at least a couple of these tracks, Tony Lee's reach up is a standard but whats the harm in putting up a nice digital rip. I had been meaning to post Barbra Fowler's Come And Get My Lovin for a while now and this saves me the trouble, also Key-Matic's Breakin In Space was on my list of things to dust off and record, and that one can be considered done now too. Win all around.

The back of the CD booklet had a good write up of the history of Radar Records and I used some dodgy free online text recognition software to interpret the text from the scan I made of it. It didn't do so well with the commas, full stops, i's and l's, so excuse any spelling mistakes because as with all things in life, you get what you pay for, image recognition software and music blogs included:

The Radar Records story, or the Eric Matthew history lesson begins with Joe Tucci. He and a group ot his friends form a band to play weddings parties & bar mitzvahs in the New York area The band is a success and along with his partner Gary Turner they make a demo. Joe uses Eric Matthew as a showbiz name They catch the eye of SAM Records a small NY lable headed by Sam Weiss and a staple in the lndependent music scene. They get signed, release a couple of srngles and an ip but SAM Records is now drstnbuted by by grant CBS Records The Gary's Gang records are a hugh success Eno now starts to produce an array of artists for the NY ctub scene. He produces Sharon Redd for Prelude Sinnamon to Beckett. They all are hugh hits Joe decides its tame to form his own label thus Radar Records is born.

What better way to start the label than with a new Garys Gang record Knock Me Gut a sweet dance groove with that typical Garys Gang sound sweet harmonies and a great hook. Radar Records and company get lucky wlth the next release Tony Lee's Reach Up which quickly becomes the club anthem in 1982. On this comptlatlon you'll find all of the Radar gems All 3 Gary's Gang records Barbra Fowler (the lead vocalist on Sinnamon's hot ‘Thanks To You ) solo debut as welt as stompers from Status IV and Arnie's Love We also include Radar s venture into rap music ln 1984 break dancing was a hugw fad and Key Mattic's Breakin in Space was a

huge hit on WBLS a New York radio station So enjoy listening or dancing to the best of Radar Records.

Barbra Fowler - Come and Get My Lovin
Arnie's Love - I'm Out Of Your LIfe
Fast Radio - Under My Thumb
Gary's Gang - Knock Me Out
Gary's Gang - Makin Music
Gary's Gang - Runaway
Key-Matic - Breakin In Space
Richie Scotti - Breaker
Status IV - Lovin You
Status IV - You Ain't Really Down
Tony Lee - Reach Up

Ooh Wee Babe

Ron Richardson is thought of amongst diggers as a Canadian artist, but I think this is simply confusion due to the fact that his best known funk 12" grail, 1983's Ooh Wee Babe, came out on a Canadian imprint whilst he was working up there in the early eighties. A later 1987 vocal house release called Treat Me Better came out on the US based Herbert label. I think he is from the American East coast, or at the very least he lives in New York State somewhere now, from where he bases his touring rock'n'roll oldies revue, making the rounds of casinos, resorts and hotels and so on. Ron spent many years on the Vegas circuit as part of the Drifters, Coasters & Platters, Marvelettes show that ran for 10 years at the Sahara, I think it still probably runs. He can also be found credited on a Luthor Vandross CD from the nineties and some other popular gospel albums from that era. Book Ron for your event in the greater Tri State area today.

I saw an mp3 of Ooh Wee Babe floating around not too long ago, but the rip and quality did not do this rare dancefloor winner justice, so here is my attempt from the one of the best of the minty copies I have lying around being used as beer coasters in my ivory throne room.

Ron Richardson - Ooh Wee Babe

Do You Wanna Dance?

I long for the dog days of summer. It feels more like early spring in Northern California and San Francisco feel like, well, it feels like it always does. I guess that's why my ideal of a matinee rooftop pool disco party does not exits here. You have to go down to LA and have Blog Haus beaten into your head to enjoy that kind of party; or to Miami for some smooth Condo flavor. Enjoy this heavy Italo Electro tune from 1983 as you lament with me.

Mirage - Woman