The effects of the FREESTYLE ELECTRO boom principally coming out of the New York City area in the 1980's are still being felt today. The invention of the 'scratching technique" by GRAND WIZZARD THEODORE in the Bronx caught on throughout the New York area before it took the world wide discotheque industry to new heights. New York offered a wealth of creative talents that slowly converted patterns in certain KRAFTWERK and YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA tracks into a highly contagious group of local styles like FREESTYLE ELECTRO. This show features some of the records identified as such including many of the challenging DUBS which many sources have suggested are some of the précurseurs to THE BREAKS, UK HARDCORE, even certain styles of GABBER and HARDSTYLE.
| HERBIE HANCOCK
If you haven't heard "Rockit", you might be from another planet. It was the smash 1983 hit for the American Jazz musician HERBIE HANCOCK. It was HERBIE HANCOCK's collaboration with MATERIAL that literally changed the whole disco medium. The effects of which are still profoundly influencing popular music even today! It took GRAND WIZZARD THEODORE's invention of scratching to a whole new level. The scratching became an essential part of the composition promoting a sense of new freedom and energy. "Rock It" was available on a major label. What that mean't, especially in 1983, is that it ended available to anybody. HERBIE HANCOCK has, and continues to release amazing music, some of which is good AMERICAN DISCO and FUNK. All that said, for tens of millions, he's only known for "Rock It". No other record has done more to promote and suggest experimentation. It started a road in the discotheque industry that would lead to turntablism, mixology, and BREAKS records. That road goes to a place where the deejay and producers can openly manipulate the medium. |
| ROCKIT (LONG/ALBUM VERSION) HERBIE HANCOCK - 12" - COLUMBIA |
| CUTTIN' HERBIE THE B-BOYS - 12" - VINTERTAINMENT |
| Z-ROCK
The Z-ROCK series of "Scratch Party" MEGAMIXES were just some of dozens of "bootleg" or "illegal" mixes that flooded record shops in the 1980's. They gave dj's access to snippets of many New York area releases often mixed with early dj theatrics. |
| SCRATCH PARTY #1 (various) - 12" - Z-ROCK |
| OFF THE HOOK (DUB MIX) C.M. DANCE - 12" - MIDNIGHT SUN |
| GIVE ME TONIGHT (EXTENDED EDIT) SHANNON - DISCONET VOLUME 6, PROGRAM 9 (LP) - DISCONET PROGRAM SERVICE |
| HONEY TO A BEE (DUB VERSION) TINA B. - 12" - VINYLMANIA |
| FUNKY SOUL MAKOSSA NAIROBI - 12" - STREETWISE |
| WE GOT THE JAZZ FREEEZ - 12" - BEGGARS BANQUET |
| BREAK MACHINE
In 1981 KEITH RODGERS had a radio show on the old WHBI FM in New York called "Bon Rock Live". While doing the radio show he recorded "Searching Rap" under the name BON ROCK which was released on the Staten Island label 'Reelin' and Rockin'. Also released in France and Spain, that early New York HIPHOP record featured a very popular instrumental entitled "Searching To Find The One" In 1982 he recorded "Junior Wants to play" again as BON ROCK, but with the artist COTTON CANDY, an early Tommy Boy release. The success of those records led to a deal with Can't Stop Productions who had THE VILLAGE PEOPLE and RITCHIE FAMILY. There he worked with famed AMERICAN DISCO producer Jacques Morali, his production partner Henri Belolo, and Fred Zarr. The result was the record "Street Dance" under the name of 'BREAK MACHINE' It sold millions of copies worldwide. |
| STREET DANCE BREAK MACHINE - 12" - METRONOME |
| PAUL HARDCASTLE
British composer, musician, producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist PAUL HARDCASTLE started as the keyboardist for the BRITISH FUNK band DIRECT DRIVE in the early 1980's. DIRECT DRIVE had a minor hit in 1982 with the song "Don't Depend On Me". After that release PAUL HARDCASTLE and the lead vocalist of DIRECT DRIVE 'Derek Green' left and formed the duo FIRST LIGHT. FIRST LIGHT released many good BRITISH FUNK records with the 1983 song "Explain The Reasons (18 Minutes Of First Light)" becoming very popular in European discotheques. When PAUL HARDCASTLE went solo in 1984, the results were spectacular! His 1985 tracks "Rainforest" and the flip "Soundchaser" were FREESTYLE ELECTRO with a very jazzy flair. Both were heavily programmed by dj's throughout the United States and Britain. Yet just as HERBIE HANCOCK is known by tens of millions for his "Rockit" only, PAUL HARDCASTLE is known by tens of millions for his next 1985 single called "19" only, even though he has released a multitude of recordings. It is a classic example of ELECTRO using spoken word as a dominant source of vocals. Usually dj's at the time could only play examples of FREESTYLE ELECTRO mixed with spoken word on illegal mix records like the previously mentioned Z-ROCK "Scratch" records. The spoken word was generous samples from the 1982 ABC television documentary "Vietnam Requiem". It was simply amazing. The recording had emotionally gripping commentary from the late Peter Thomas along with bits of interviews from actual Vietnam war veterans. It quickly became one of the most popular recordings in the world, being released in 22 countries. It was reportedly the first FREESTYLE ELECTRO record ever released in Zimbabwe. Some sources claim it sold in excess of 3 and a half million copies worldwide. It actually got awards for sales, generally unheard of for 12" singles. |
| 19 (EXTENDED VERSION) PAUL HARDCASTLE - 12" - CHRYSALIS |
| BREAK DANCIN' - ELECTRIC BOOGIE WEST STREET MOB - 12" - SUGAR HILL |
| NOCERA
Lulu Maria Nocera (known professionally as NOCERA) was born and raised in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, before emigrating to the United States. As a unique singer she found success in the FREESTYLE ELECTRO market in New York on the fashionable Sleeping Bag label. By far the most successful example was the MANTRONIK produced "Summertime Summertime". NOCERA cowrote and coproduced the song which offered a dreamy escapism. The most popular mix on the 12" single was the "Hard Summer Dub" which was included on various dj megamix records. It has been played here on The Groove over 115 times over the years! |
| SUMMERTIME, SUMMERTIME (HARD SUMMER DUB) NOCERA - 12" - SLEEPING BAG |
| THE ART OF NOISE
THE ART OF NOISE (also known as ART OF NOISE) were a British group that many sources considered to be one of the best DISCO groups in the world at the time. Their influence on popular music was profound for a while. Some sources call them a avant-garde synth-pop group. Formed in early 1983 by engineer and producer Gary Langan, programmer J. J. Jeczalik, keyboardist and arranger Anne Dudley, producer Trevor Horn, and the music journalist Paul Morley, the group put out an E.P. that was intellectually intriguing, challenging yet extremely useful to experimenting dj's. Some sources have suggested that it was the first MIXOLOGY tool. The included track "Beat Box" proved especially useful for FREESTYLE ELECTRO dj's! THE ART OF NOISE would release various other records with over 20 international hits that popularized the clean ELECTRONIC sound. The most notable of which is their cover-version of the PRINCE hit "Kiss" featuring TOM JONES. |
| BEAT BOX THE ART OF NOISE - INTO BATTLE WITH THE ART OF NOISE (EP) - ZTT |
| BOBBY BROOM
BOBBY BROOM is an American jazz guitarist and composer who was born and raised in New York City. Hearing FREESTYLE ELECTRO in the streets and discotheques in the New York City area, he got inspired to record a unique ELECTRO track called "Beat Freak". Ahead of it's time, the David Spradley and Ted Currier produced "Beat Freak" is like deep bass driven physical track that many sources suggested was "Its own unique style of music". It did extremely well and has proven to be an influential record especially among BREAKS artists in the 1990's. |
| BEAT FREAK BOBBY BROOM - 12" - ARISTA |
| ALEEM
TAHARQA ALEEM and the late TUNDE RA ALEEM were twins who were very good friends with the legendary JIMI HENDRIX. They provided back up vocals on various JIMI HENDRIX recordings like "Dolly Dagger". After releasing and recording some AMERICAN DISCO under the names THE FANTASTIC ALEEMS and also HIGH FREQUENCY, the twins got involved with producing and promoting early New York area HIPHOP artists like DR. JECKYLL & MR. HYDE. With the name ALEEM they released, on their own label 'NIA', a FREESTYLE ELECTRO siren which really underlined their vocal talents! It became their most popular recording and a must "to be played" for thousands of dj's. |
| RELEASE YOURSELF ALEEM - 12" - NIA |
| GIVE ME BACK MY HEART (EXTENDED CLUB MIX) CORINA - 12" - CUTTING |
| DON'T BREAK MY HEART (HOT MIX) SAFIRE - 12" - CUTTING |
| I WON'T STOP LOVING YOU (DUB) C-BANK featuring DIAMOND EYES - 12" - NEXT PLATEAU |
| HOOKED ON YOU (DIAMOND DUB VERSION) SWEET SENSATION - 12" - 10 |
| I NEVER LOVED YOU (DUB VERSION) SORAYA - 12" - SUBCULTURE |
| I WANT IT TO BE REAL JOHN ROCCA - 12" - BEGGARS BANQUET |
| BREAKER'S REVENGE ARTHUR BAKER - 12" - ATLANTIC |
| HERE COMES THAT SOUND (PERFECT BEAT MIX) SIMON HARRIS - 12" - LONDON |
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10:30 PM, November 29th, 2024