Thursday, June 28, 2012

Don't Go Nowhere  



 Rock Candy Records was another small imprint out of New York that was putting out some funk and as the eighties progressed some early hip hop records. There isn't that much information out there on the company and I only have this one record by The Paragons but I know there are a handful of other 12"s off the label floating around out there. Rock Candy would go on to sponsor Scott La'Rock and KRS One, and there is a short mention of them in Brian Coleman's 'Oral History Of 80's Hip Hop' :

 Crossing the Willis Avenue Bridge, Scott found an ad in the newspaper for an upstart, do-everything entertainment company called Rock Candy Records and Filmworks. They fished through their pockets, found some change and a pay phone, and called. As Scott got directions to their office, Kris scribbled a B-boy character holding a radio. That sketch became the logo for B-Boy Records, the label Rock Candy entrusted them to found.

The Paragons who recorded this record might be the very same Paragon's who appeared on so many sweet male vocal group reggae 45's during the same period, I wouldn't be surprised, but can't say for sure as no names on this 12" release seem to match up, but elements of the production are the same even though this is a proto house tinged modern soul recording..

The Paragons with The Love Machine Orch. - Don't Go Nowhere 

Posted by Black Shag | 4 comments

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Messages From The Stars  


The RAH Band is the brainchild of studio musician and producer Richard A. Hewson who had previously worked with such acts as The Beatles, Diana Ross, and Supertramp. This track needs no introduction, especially since it has been gaining traction after being played on a Stones Throw podcast via none other than Dam Funk a while back. This is one of those songs that immediately grabs your attention and never lets go, and I totally lose my shit once the synth solo starts. This is classic 1983 greatness, enjoy this track while spaced out!

RAH Band-Messages From The Stars (Long Wave Mix)



I also have a special treat for all you boogie monsters out there! Snacking is one of my favorite past times, especially when those snacks come in the form of rare boogie tracks. This is a special mix put together by my man Eddy Funkster from L.A's Funkmosphere crew. From start to finish, this mix runs the gamut of hard to find songs and rarities. Per usual, this mix is all 45's and pure aural goodness! Track list will be up in the comments soon unless one of you is cavalier enough to provide it before I can.

Eddy Funkster-Boogie 45 Snacks Mix

Posted by Cosmic Champagne | 21 comments

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Monday, June 11, 2012

Starlite  


 Some euro trash in fluorescent green sunglasses surprised me by asking me about this record during our head to head poolside DJ set vs the Funkmosphere crew this weekend. His thick continental accent formed itself awkwardly around the California hip jive he had picked up so far on holiday, as he either asked me what I was playing, or why I was playing it. I couldn't quite penetrate the quasi Italian rap speak, so I chose to hear what I wanted to hear and told the poor fun loving soul everything I knew about The Batiste Band, which isn't much..

 Starlite was an early (perhaps first) self released 7" by the locally rated New Orlean deep funk act, they would go on to make a highly regarded a hard to find disco funk EP in the early eighties and would release a couple more electro funk 7"s on their own label all the way up until 1985, all on their own Dynasty Records imprint, mostly sold at their live shows on the deep south's soul circuit. This is the instrumental side, it has a touch of the starsky & hutch to it but the breakdowns are epic, slightly psychedelic and I very lament that this is the only 7" of theirs that I have. I wish I knew where I got it from..

Starlite - Batiste Band 

Posted by Black Shag | 0 comments