Your Favorite Unsung Club Groups

[juicefree20]

Stephanie's thread about Dance Divas got me to thinking about some of the lesser-discussed artists who made some damn fine tunes. I'll have a list later, but this song here rates very highly on my list & was one that I played VERY OFTEN at the rink back in the day. The only thing wrong with this record is that it was just too short for my taste...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Osr9a...eature=related

Delegation & the criminally under-discussed Darlin' I Think About You. This song is a thing of beauty!

[juicefree20]

My introduction to this group came in 1979, which was one of my favorite years for Disco music. Unlike their next LP, this song featured a male/female lead & in retrospect, not as good as their next hit, which for my money is one of the best of the dance music era.

The group is L.A.X. & their debut is Dancin' At The Disco":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAuQSbwbySI

The classic that I'm still crazy about after all these years is All My Love from 1980:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quEBOto2eEU

Another cut from their second LP is a down-tempo, somewhat funky cut named Possessed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvK87...eature=related

[juicefree20]

As I recall it, this song came out in late 76 near the holidays & man, this song had me open. To my way of thinking, this was & is one of the best of the Disco grooves ever, Cloud One & Atmosphere Strutt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScMA9...eature=related

Just be sure that you NEVER PLAY THE VOCAL VERSION!!! To me, the vocals feel forced & simply detracts from what makes this song special.

They came out with their LP in 1977 & as far as Disco went, it was a good effort. They had some very nice cuts such as

Disco Juice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8eJo0uD03s

Charleston Hopscotch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avYA6HHTOMA

Spaced Out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfR3_Z23awA

And the very mellow Dust To Dust
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7KAY...eature=related

Beyond that LP they gave us cuts such as
Don't Let This Rainbow Pass Me By
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXetP...eature=related

Stomp Your Feet And Dance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAHPD...eature=related

And Patty Duke, which was used as the basis for one of Raps most popular hits in late 1979just about this time, Spoonin' Rap by Spoonie Gee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSRaC...eature=related

[paladin]

Here you go Bro' Me........they have a shortened video on you tube but the sound sucked so I opted for this.........oh yeah kool aids great......

[juicefree20]

As should be obvious from their synth-laden music, Cloud One was directly tied to another group, The Universal Robot Band.

This was their first shot across the bow, Dance & Shake Your Tambourine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0zKWIkKNN8

Doing Anything Tonight had one hell of a groove...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHDB2...eature=related

Save Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-Akz...feature=artist

Freak With Me was pretty big in the clubs in 1978 & had a groove
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89CIWV1Rct0

1981 brought us Let's Get This Thing Together, fronted by Debbie Hayes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qCX_...eature=related

Still later came Barely Breaking Even which is a N.Y.C. club classic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE82nH8MAtQ

[juicefree20]

Paladin,

Now THAT was a HUGE club hit here in N.Y.C!

GOOD ONE!

[roger]

Hey Juice ..

I loved all those PATRICK ADAMS productions like CLOUD ONE and UNIVERSAL ROBOT BAND as well ..

Somebody over her in Britain came up with the term "Mad Moog Music" to describe his sound, which seemed to sum it all up perfectly ..

Another one to look out for in the same style [[and probaby the same musicians too?) is this ..

SAMMY GORDON & THE HIP HUGGERS .. "Making Love" ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzos_B1PcQE

A better known PATRICK ADAMS project was SINE .. their "Just Let Me Do My Thing" even made the UK Top 40 back in 1978 ..

This is their hit ..

SINE .. "Just Let Me Do My Thing" ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrIQ2i9sTc8

And a goodie from their "Happy Is The Only Way" LP ..

SINE .. "Chimi" ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liPY-GgGw5A

Roger

PS .. still love "All My Love" by LAX!!

[juicefree20]

Roger,

"Mad Moog Music", huh

Thanks for that Sammy Gordon link. The next time I see Leroy Burgess, I'l ask him to ask Patrick. I met Patrick last year & I believe that I have his e-mail address. I'll try to find it & if I do, I'll ask him about it.

Believe it or not, I posted Chimi in the "Rare Joints" thread. Oh yeah...

31 years [[wow! has it really been THAT long?), I still love All My Love too!

[stephanie]

Darn Paladin I was just getting ready to post Skipworth and Turner and you beat me to it! I guess great minds think alike, I used to play that record to death and watch the video over and over on Video Soul it really caught my attention when I first heard it [[thank God for youtube). Here is one that Im sure someone is thinking of which I consider to be unsung as well and forgotten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XZ7gi1VRwU

Yarborought and Peebles - Dont Stop the Music. I would put Brainstorm up here but they have been discussed so many times already.

[stephanie]

Here is one of my faves that Raynoma Gordy discovered Mr Sherrick ...Call Me!
Juice you are pulling no punches those are some obscure jams I only remember two of them but the rest are good just the same.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kia26...eature=related

[roger]

Believe it or not, I posted Chimi in the "Rare Joints" thread. Oh yeah...

Yes Juice I noticed when I eventually looked at that thread!! I bought the LP back in 1978 [[though it subsequently "disappeared") and "Chimi" was my favourite track .. today when I found it on You-Tube it was the first time I'd heard it in at least 20 years!!

Here are some one offs from the early '80s .. cool vocal harmony stuff ..

RHYZE .. "Just How Sweet Is Your Love"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlQpW4baZp8

NEW JERSEY CONNECTION - "My Love Don't Come Easy"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aC7NrkGr8I

LEPRECHAUN - "Lok It Up"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3BZadetv-g



Roger

[paladin]

Darn Paladin I was just getting ready to post Skipworth and Turner and you beat me to it! I guess great minds think alike, I used to play that record to death and watch the video over and over on Video Soul it really caught my attention when I first heard it [[thank God for youtube). Here is one that Im sure someone is thinking of which I consider to be unsung as well and forgotten

It was the first one that came to mind........lol

[paladin]

No words are necessary !!!!!

[paladin]

But this record right here.....oh my goodness, it has a distinct NY Flavor but was as big in Chicago as anywhere.....Lord Hav Mercy ........!!!!

[juicefree20]

I'll be back later to respond to you guys, but before I forget, i just wanted to post this next song. This song was absolutely slamming & I pick this one because on the strength of this one song, I was hoping to hear so much more from this artist. This song is a stone groove & to my way of thinking simply doesn't receive the kind of notice that it so richly deserves. I present to you

[daddyacey]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AE9mSbfM7f8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This is the original version Larry Levan played at the GARAGE

[mellow_q]

"Tell Me How to Win Your Love" was the mutha back in the summer of 1986. I remember how everyone thought that Spencer Jones was a female until the picture sleeve fro the song came out.

[juicefree20]

Marc,

That's true. Even today I see people refer to "her" so often that it almost made me believe that I was wrong!

[paladin]

"Tell Me How to Win Your Love" was the mutha back in the summer of 1986. I remember how everyone thought that Spencer Jones was a female until the picture sleeve fro the song came out.

I barely remember this song and I always thought it was a woman.......

[juicefree20]

Paladin,

I can't speak for anywhere else but it was a big club hit here in N.Y. I don't know how far the song traveled outside of N.Y. but it was big here.

[mellow_q]

This is the full-length version, complete with Spencer Jones' his mug piece

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5_4Iy_NuRY

[juicefree20]

Marc,

Thanks for that partner, Much appreciated!

[mellow_q]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned "You Got Something Special" by Lemmelle [[1982) yet.

I hit up Cindy Mizell [[the lead singer) on FB and she was shocked that someone remembered the song

[juicefree20]

Are you kidding?

I still have my 12'' of "You Got Something Special" & it's always been one of my favorites. I must admit that I didn't know that Cindy sang lead on that, so thanks for that info! Can you confirm it Carol Williams sang as Komiko on "Feel Alright"?

[juicefree20]

Here are a couple more club favorites...

The Limit - "She's So Devine"


and with Gwen Guthrie on background, The Limit & "Say Yeah"...

[juicefree20]

Roger,

In between my club & skating rink gigs, "Just How Sweet Is Your Love" came out & was one of my favorites. I didn't play the other two & learned about them much later.

Paladin,

I didn't put any of James' music down because he was just HUGE here on the club scene. I saw my Brooklyn homeboy James about a month ago & James is still out here doing his thing!

Now as for AM-FM, you're talking about a song which I used to play like crazy back at the rink. That song was definitely fierce! Here's a clip of them performing this song live on a tv show & oh, those colors! The keyboardist, Mike died a few years ago. I don't know what lead singer Cleveland Battle is doing these days, but he appeared on a Go-Go show in Washington a few years back. This one brings back a lot of good memories for me!

[juicefree20]

Back then, this was also a song that I liked a bit...

[juicefree20]

Now these brothers came out with some smoking jams on their sole LP & while getting a lot of plays back in the day, are tragically overlooked & underplayed today

This was their first shot across the bow...


This one's got to be my favorite


And this one was hot too...


Didn't like this one as much as the other 3, but I got my share of requests for this one...


Though not one that I played, these were also a bit popular from that LP...

[juicefree20]

Though it doesn't exactly wear too well, this was also a favorite of mine back then. I guess that it didn't hurt that the lead singer & I shared a name...


But I liked this one much more...

[juicefree20]

Now if we're talking about 80s club classics, then there's no way that we can leave this one off of the list...



And the follow-up was pretty damn good too...


Though it's an edit version, this is the version which comes closest to the version that we used to play here in N.Y.C., not that version that they have plastered all over youtube.


Still more...







And from Chi-Town, one of my sho'nuff favorites...


And this one was obviously influenced by the Philly Sound...


This one was hot...


This one was smoldering!


More House madness...






Known by most as Vaughan Mason of "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll" fame, he reinvented himself as Raze on this club classic...




And a truly great one from the Disco era...


This one too...

[mellow_q]

Juice, I just pulled out the Ohio Players issue of AToCS. According to Carol Williams, she and Carol Douglas are Kokimo.

[juicefree20]

Thanks Marc.

I know that you interviewed both & have the interviews that you did with them. I have my issues safely stored in an airtight container & couldn't easily reach them. But I thought that I remembered that being said.

Thanks again!

[paladin]

Thanks Juice, I'd never seen them before........that was nice.........

[paladin]

Here's a nice little triple play.......I used to rock the party with these jams........

[juicefree20]

Paladin,

Anytime at all bro!!

You see, now you're talking! The N.Y.C. Peech Boys! It's been said that they actually caught some flak for their name, as it was a little too close to The Beach Boys. I was going to post that song, a song ironically that all too many people have erroneously labeled as the beginning of House Music, a statement which automatically tells me that the people saying that simply wasn't there.

Its amazing how huge that record with it's minimalism truly was in N.Y.C. back then. This song was so hot that you could simply play the a capella & people would go nuts!

Good pick there pal o' mine!

As for Jimmy Ross, that bass line was ridiculous, as was this one...


And here's a 2011 remix that's not too shabby...


Speaking of Mr. "Bo" Horne, back in 1981, this one was red hot at my rink...

[daddyacey]

This is major....major Dejavu. You guys are stirring up a compulsion that I have been repressing, to fire up #1 and 2, and go deep into the 12' archives. An activity not advised to be delt with unless its on the weekend , at least for the neighbors sake. It's like a meeting of "THE ORDER OF THE ORIGINAL EX DJ's". I mean my hands are shaking ,my ears are ringing, my mind is racing.
Thoughts of the sounds of LOOSE JOINT's- IS IT ALL OVER MY FACE , MELODIES --MADE IN U.S.A. [[the 12' version), anything that LEROY BURGESS had anything to do with, BUSTIN LOOSE--CHUCK BROWN, THE GRAINGERS--SHINE YOUR LIGHT, EMPRESS--TAKE A RISK, JEANETTE LADY DAY--COME LET ME LOVE YOU-- GAYLE ADAMS,--GWEN GUTHRIE--PADLOCK ,JIMMY BO HORN--IS IT IN...........the 1's and 2's are callin to me like the pipe was calling to RICHARD.... and it's only MONDAY night.......

[juicefree20]

Daddy,

I hear you on that brother!

Every now & then, I get that feeling & one night about a month ago, I did like a simulated mix of songs that I would have played back in the day, as well as commented about why I made my choices.

I've been thinking about messing around a little, but am not sure if I still have the attention span or desire to do so on a regular basis. But thinking back to those days is sure a lot of fun. And you actually brought up one of my favorite & most played songs from 1981, "Shine Your Light" by The Graingers! Well I see your Graingers & raise you one "Fade To Grey by Visage, as well as one "Dyin' To Be Dancin'" by said Empress.

I'll also take your Loose Jointz, so long as it's not that male vocal, because those brothers were pretty horrible at the mic!

[juicefree20]

See now, you done started somethin'. You taking Jerome WAYYYY BACK, got him catchin' feelin's & what not. Now check these my dance music brethren...

It may be hard to believe today, but back in the day, some brothers used to mix this with "Love Is
The Message", bringing in "The Message" from the break, at the part where they sing "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"...


And an expanded edit of the break that had so many DJs so open back then...


And following up on a song that they used during this remix. Those of you whom are easily offended, please skip this link, but this song was a monster at the block parties back in the day. If ever there were a song screaming out for an extended remix it's this one because this song was & still is a stone groove...


Around 1978, this sucker was another hot one in The Apple...


In the deep, DEEP underground is where this cut lived, mixed by the legendary Jim Burgess. This sucker was just so smooth & no, it's not George & Andrew...


Now this one from the Summer of 1979 was my favorite mix of this cut, this remix courtesy of DJ Bobby Guttadaro. Given all of the Salsoul & Rams Horn issues of this song, this mix seemed to have disappeared from most folks consciousness. Thankfully, I've never forgotten it & although my original 12s were stolen, thanks to ebay, I reacquired my 2 precious gems. While I wish that this upload had less artifacts, I'm glad to see it out there again for all to enjoy. Tell me that that intro isn't kicking & that break says more than I need to about it. You can only imagine the fun that I had mixing this one...


This sucker was hot back in 1978 & thqt break was slamming. Unfortunately, the intro guitar lick & a few beats have been snipped & the only other one that I could find was noisier that a kindergarten class during recess. But for our purposes, I want you to check from about 3:21 onwards because this break is doing some serious grooving right here. With those hi-hats sizzling, can't you just hear "Love Is The message" riding right alongside it? But be careful because there are some tempo changes to be aware of, as this song just build & builds & has some giddy-up at it goes along,..


Now this was a fairly decent hit but this song is so great that it simply doesn't get its just due. This song just doesn't get played enough for my taste & as it goes along, tell me that you can't hear this breakdown blending quite nicely with the break of "Love Hangover". This song is AWESOME...


Just too smooth for words...


And her other one which was remade a few years later by Jocelyn Brown & Inner Life...


Lord, the memories! Gotta stop this for awhile!

[daddyacey]

Daddy,

I hear you on that brother!

Every now & then, I get that feeling & one night about a month ago, I did like a simulated mix of songs that I would have played back in the day, as well as commented about why I made my choices.

I've been thinking about messing around a little, but am not sure if I still have the attention span or desire to do so on a regular basis. But thinking back to those days is sure a lot of fun. And you actually brought up one of my favorite & most played songs from 1981, "Shine Your Light" by The Graingers! Well I see your Graingers & raise you one "Fade To Grey by Visage, as well as one "Dyin' To Be Dancin'" by said Empress.

I'll also take your Loose Jointz, so long as it's not that male vocal, because those brothers were pretty horrible at the mic!

Who said anything about attention span or desire to do so on a regular basis. Shii , we are like JEDI's ,masters of a lost art and what we do for personal enjoyment is our business. We know what it is to go through the crate , pull out that pretty black piece of plastic, put the needle to the record and watch that sucker spin and MIX. Wouldn't trade that feeling for nothin in the world. In 2011 if you can't cue up two or three turntables or turntables and a CD and mix by hand and sight ,then you ain't said caa caa ...................[[female Loose Joint's , what else was there???)

[juicefree20]

I hear that Daddy.

As for the Loose Ends, my original West End 12'' has one side with the female vocal & the flip has a gang of fellas singing so off-key that you wouldn't believe it. As it was, the female vocal by Ms. Melvina Woods was errrr...different, to be charitable about it. But the fellas version simply made no sense at all & they sang it as though they were trying to see who could sing it the worse, the lady or them.

THEY WON!

They sang exactly like what their name might indicate a bunch of no-singers imbibing might sound like after indulging in a few hits of their name. Which most likely was the origin of their name! Actually, I found the male vocal which doesn't sound as way out as I recall it sounding back then. Someone put it on youtube as the original version of the male vocal, but it sure doesn't sound like the one which I remember hearing one that I got on the day that this song was released. The vocals here seem to be toned WAYYYYY down. Here's this so-called "original" version which Ill have to check to see if it's the flip of the original 12''. I just remember it sounding a whole lot crazier back then...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNKwr...eature=related

And here's a more recent one for you, House style...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEh5G...eature=related

I never so much as allow this side of the vinyl to rub against any of my other records, placing a piece of wood betwen them, but here it is...

[juicefree20]

I knew damn good & well that that wasn't the song that I remembered. After much digging, I've found the flip of my original 12'' & its just as bad as I remembered it to be & as I said the UNRELEASED so-called original version that's been posted on youtube is just that...the UNRELEASED version of the male vocal.

Here, in all of it's unvarnished badness, is the ORIGINAL male vocal, as appears on the ORIGINAL 12"...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xat...sic#rel-page-1

You'll have to endure a short ad but that will prove to far less painful than listening to these vocals could ever be. Prepare yourself for a sound that is sure to shock your aural cavities! To call this "BAD" is to be most complimentary. These vocals are so bad that they're painful!

[paladin]

Who said anything about attention span or desire to do so on a regular basis. Shii , we are like JEDI's ,masters of a lost art and what we do for personal enjoyment is our business. We know what it is to go through the crate , pull out that pretty black piece of plastic, put the needle to the record and watch that sucker spin and MIX. Wouldn't trade that feeling for nothin in the world.

Awwww Man...Lenny Williams.........yes Lord one of my all time favorites....oooh....ohhhh.........breaking out the vinyl today....like DA I cant take much more of this........you guys have mentioned songs I aint never even heard........be back at ya'll later ...........