Archive for the ‘Grace Jones’ Category

Grace Jones and dope electro beats

Monday, March 19th, 2018

I’ve listened to I don’t know how many records this week and have added well over a hundred songs to my music library as a result. I bought so many Moog albums it was ridiculous. I’m actually working on something about Moog albums for my other site that I hope you’ll find interesting.

I was going to write a guide to Osaka record stores, but I just didn’t have enough time to really dig into that place. I don’t want to half-ass it. I’m going to try and re-visit that city sometime soon, hopefully with a couple of visits under my belt I’ll be able to piece something together. There are a lot of amazing stores there, but also a lot of crap stores as well. Fortunately, most of the worst stores looked relatively new, so hopefully they’ll get their shit together or go out of business before they sully the good name of that wonderful city.

Now electro.

 

Grace Jones
Party Girl (Extended Remix)
Party Girl (Dub)
This was the one track by a mainstream artist that I found while shopping for records in Osaka. While my interest in crate digging for 12″ singles has waned in recent years (mostly because I literally have nearly every 12″ single I could ever want), I’m always on the lookout for more epicness by her majesty Grace Jones. In what turned out to be a theme for tonight’s post, “Party Girl” is a sparse electronic dance jam, very typical of Grace’s awesome 80s work. It was produced by Nile Rodgers, so yeah, it’s good.

Mya & The Mirror – Hesitation
Gina & The Flex – I Wanna Believe
I found both of these excellent tracks on a compilation called Fuzz Dance. The 12″ had four tracks in total, the other two being “Problemes d’Amour” by the legendary Alexander Robotnick and the absolutely brilliant “Check-Out Five” by Naif Orchestra. Both of those tracks have been re-issued many times over and are actually in-print at several digital storefronts, so I suggest checking them out.

These tracks haven’t had the same fortune, and have fallen into an even greater level of obscurity than the other ones. And that’s a shame, they’re dope electro/italo-disco cuts from the mid-80s that really exemplify how fun and wonderful that genre can be. Super upbeat, great grooves, amazing production, these tracks are tight as hell. I miss this type of dance music, it’s one of the reasons I’ve fallen hard off of the current EDM scene. It’s so big and the beats are overpowering. I feel that dance audiences today feel like they need a constant BOOM BOOM BOOM beat in order to dance. But they don’t! Minimal tracks like this prove that sometimes less is more. You just need a groove, man. I wonder if any gay dance clubs in Tokyo have a retro night…

Both of these acts didn’t really exist. They were manufactured names for producers. Mya & The Mirror is actually producer Maurizio Dami, featuring vocals by Mya Fracassini. Dami’s done a shitload of stuff over the years, while it appears that Mya went on to work in opera. The people being Gina & The Flexix were Gianni Sangalli, Marzio Benelli, and Giancarlo Bigazzi. Like Dami, they all produced, wrote and worked on dozens of dance tracks under countless aliases an in countless group projects.

Posted in Grace Jones, remixes | No Comments »

Dance remixes to rip your jaw off to

Sunday, April 9th, 2017

I updated the Tokyo record store guide over at Mostly-Retro to add information on the excellent General Record Store and the new HMV in Kichijoji. I’ll try to update it again next week for another new store I found that was exceptionally odd. I’m also working on an abridged “best of” guide to record stores in Tokyo that might be a bit more practical than the 22,000 word opus I have up there right now. Other projects in the works include the next part of the YMO guide. That’s about halfway done, but it’s still going to take some time because it covers the proteges and associate acts, and there are a ton of those. Hopefully I’ll have another edition of the Game Music Revue up in the meantime. I really want to put something up about a stupid album I recently bought.

Here are random remixes of dance tunes.

Grace Jones
Amado Mio (The 28th Street Crew Club Mix)
Amado Mio (The 28th Street Crew Dub Mix)
This is a cover of a song from the film Gilda, which I hear is great but I have not yet seen. I know it’s a film noir classic of sorts, I just haven’t gotten around to it.

Right now the boyfriend and I have been devouring British horror and sci-fi. We’ve made our way through nearly every single Hammer flick and are now exploring the wonderful world of Amicus and other lesser-known studios. It’s been a fun ride. You know who’s dope as fuck? Peter Fucking Cushing. I’d watch that dude read a phone book. I’m sure he’d do it with the same foppish outrage he brought to every role in his career. For those looking to dive into the wonderful world of the Peter Cushing filmography, I highly recommend Corruption, The Skull, Captain Klegg (AKA Night Creatures) and the Dracula sequel Brides of Dracula, which features far more of Cushing being dope as fuck than the original Dracula does. But really, you can’t go wrong with any of his work at Hammer. From Dracula to Frankenstein to the lesser-known stuff in between. It’s all great.

Basically what I’m saying is that I don’t have much to say about this song, despite liking it quite a bit.

Shelia E.
Sex Cymbal (12″ Mix)
Sex Cymbal (Jungle Groove)
Sex Cymbal (4 On The Floor)
Bass Base (Instrumental)
I can’t decide if this is the worst pun or the best pun. I’m edging toward worst.

I mean, yikes.

Sure, it’s kind of clever. Shelia E. is sexy, she plays drums, ergo…”sex cymbal.” But it’s just so fucking stupid. And when I hear “sex cymbal” I don’t think, “hey there sexy drummer,” I think “hey there sexy drum kit.” Because let’s be real here, there ain’t no such thing as a sexy drummer. Don’t get me wrong, I have mad respect for anyone who can play drums at even a halfway decent level, but it’s not an inherently sexy act. If someone looks sexy while playing the drums, it’s in spite of that, not because of it. Shelia E. aside, can anyone out there name a sexy drummer of either sex? I sure as hell can’t.

The song “Sex Cymbal” is good enough I suppose, but the instrumental b-side “Bass Base” is the real highlight. Some crazy electro-funk.

Posted in Grace Jones, Shelia E | 2 Comments »

That Club Must Be a Fire Hazard

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

This is one of the most retarded posts I’ve put up in a very long time. So…enjoy?

Annabel Lamb
<s>Riders On The Storm (Specially Remixed Dance Version)
Riders On The Storm (Dub Version)</s>
So, an early 80s dance remake of a Doors song? Yeah. If anyone wants to explain this one to me I’d appreciate it very much.

Grace Jones
<s>Love On Top Of Love – Killer Kiss (The Funky Dred Club Mix)
Love On Top Of Love – Killer Kiss (The Funky Dred Dub Mix)
Love On Top Of Love – Killer Kiss (Grace’s Swing Mix)</s>
The “Funky Dred Club Mix” is awesome because it samples the same bells beat that was in Run DMC’s “Peter Piper.” This single annoyed me though, because in addition to these three mixes it has a mix by Cole and Clivilles, which is so fucked up and scratched it won’t play. If anyone is sitting that one hook me up.

Rock Master Scott and The Dynamic Three
<s>The Roof Is On Fire
The Roof Is On Fire (Scratchin’)
The Roof Is On Fire (Jivin’)</s>
Yes, this is the original “The roof! The roof! The Roof is on fire!” song. It’s also the source for the “Hey Girl! Hey Boy!” sample in the (awful) Chemical Brothers song of the same name. It also has the line “and if you’re not a square from Delaware then throw your hands up in the air.” Sorry all you Delawarians. You got another reason to hate life.

Posted in Annabel Lee, Grace Jones, Rock Master Scott and the Dynamic Three, We don't need no water let the motherfucker burn | 6 Comments »

Funking up your Thanksgiving

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

This is the only post for the week, as I am heading to the wastelands of northwest Ohio to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Ever been to Toledo? It’s kind of like Fallout 3, but with more mutants and worse radio stations. I will be surviving the trip by alternating between Slayer’s new album, the debut from Them Crooked Vultures and Harpo Marx’s classical harp record Harpo Marx in High Fidelity.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with delicious turkey and minimal family dysfunction. Unless you’re reading this in a country other than the US, then have a good Thursday.

Grace Jones
I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Perfect For You) (The Perfectly Extended remix)
If you want hours of entertainment just go a Google image search for Grace Jones (really not work safe). I remember when she was banned from Disney World for flashing her chest at a crowd. Disney said that was inappropriate, I say it’s Grace fucking Jones, they’re lucky she didn’t grab her staff and fight an orc to the death (go see Conan the Destroyer kids…on second thought – don’t).

Side note: Grace Jones is still recording music, still kicking ass and she’s apparently still batfuck insane. Thank god.

Pete Shelley
Waiting for Love (12” Remix)
The drums in the beginning of this are a little funky for a second, but it’s not a skip – I think it’s a mistake that’s on the actual record. Aside from that this is an excellent track, although I’m told that the album it’s from , 1986’s Heaven And the Sea, is one of his weaker efforts. It’s definitely not as amazing (or gay) as “Homosapien” and that’s a shame. If Adam Lambert really wants to gay it up the dude should cover that tune.

George Clinton
If Anybody Gets Funked Up (It’s Gonna Be You) (Colin Wolfe Mix)
Fact: George Clinton is god. I got nothing else to say about him. This is from a 12” single. It had other mixes, but they were all torn and scratched to shit, sorry.

Erasure
Supernature (Daniel Miller/Phil Legg Mix)
Supernature (Mark Saunders Mix)
You Surround Me (Gareth Jones Mix)
I don’t know how I didn’t get around to posting these tracks sooner, I’ve had this single sitting by my computer for about a year now. I’d see it in my pile and think “oh yeah, I should listen to that.” Finally put it on today and I’m a big fat idiot for not doing that sooner. “Supernature” kicks ASS – totally fabulous in every sense of the word. The first mix is the best, but the second is quite good as well. “You Surround Me” is pretty awesome too. These are all from a 12” inch single.

Posted in Erasure, George Clinton, Grace Jones, Pete Shelley, remixes | 4 Comments »

The Final (Re)Post

Saturday, March 21st, 2009

Well this is it…for reposts anyways. Don’t worry, it takes more than a fucking DMCA for me to go away. However, a shitload of work and an unforgiving deadline will cut down on my productivity, as was the case this week.

As for the DMCA notice, I still don’t know what exactly was the offender, so until I do find out I’m withholding comment. You can bet that once I do get the facts I’ll have something to fucking say about it though. For those of you who like my rants, stay tuned, this motherfucker is going to be epic.

Now, I know I didn’t get to everyone’s reposts. I tried to hit as many peopleas I could, but a lot of my old stuff really sounds like shit, in fact I was so unhappy with a lot of stuff that I deleted them and I haven’t gotten around to re-recording it. Some of the ones I’m puting up tonight don’t sound too hot either, but it’s better than nothing right? Sorry if you feel snubbed but to quote the best movie of all time “Life is pain, get used to it.” If you still really want something then email me and offer me something in return. Shit ain’t always free.

Wang Chung
Dance Hall Days (Extended Remix)
Kind of awesome.

Seal
Killer (William Orbit Remix)
Kind of stupid.

Grace Jones
She’s Lost Control (Long Version)
Kind of…no, scratch that….fucking terrifying.

Robert Plant
Tall Cool One (Extended Version)
Ditto.

Ministry
Work For Love (Extended Version)
Fake British accents are awesome.

Kate Bush
Sexual Healing
Ditto for Kate Bush

The Crystal Method
You Know It’s Hard (Koma & Bones Gaping Axe Wound Remix)
Hehe, they said “hard.”

Siouxsie & the Banshees
Cities In Dust (Extended Eruption Mix)
Insert inappropriate “hard” joke here.

Pixies
Born In Chicago
The rarest Pixies song in the world.

P.M. Dawn
Set Adrift On Memory Bliss (Extended Version)
A Watcher’s Point Of View (Don’t ‘Cha Think) (Youth Extended Mix)
Man…anyone got any weed?

See you next week. And if you like The Sugarcubes get ready to be so happy that you’ll shit…which now that I think about it sounds kind of fucked up.

Posted in B-sides, Grace Jones, Kate Bush, Ministry, P.M. Dawn, remixes, Robert Plant, Siouxsie and The Banshees, The Crystal Method, The PIxies, Wang Chung | 9 Comments »