When I was in Grade 6, I got the 45 for "Electric Avenue" at Sam The Record Man at Merivale Mall. Little did I know it would convert that kid into a lifelong fan. Just as important as the catchy A-side was "Time Warp" on the B-side, a futuristic blast of proto-house. Versions of this tune under the name "Nobody's Got Time" go back to 1975, evolving from a vocal funk song, to electronic disco released as The Coach House Rhythm Section. It still strikes me as odd. The instrumental (almost techno) version that was recorded somehow in 1977, perhaps on planet Earth, was then used as the flip for the 1982 single.
"Electric Avenue" took a while to hit it big and did so in 1983 thanks to MTV finally playing more Black artists, following the success of Michael Jackson. Kudos to David Bowie for calling out MTV for not playing videos by Black artists. https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-david-bowie-mtv-20160112-story.html And of course to Grant, for making such an accessible protest song, that references the race riots in Brixton (UK) in 1981, poverty and racism.
Today is Eddy Grant's 74th birthday. His catalogue is singular and vast, and on today's show you'll hear songs from 1967 to 2017: funk, rock, reggae, electronic, R&B, Afrobeat, psychedelic, soca, disco... in that unique Eddy Grant way.
| Hour one |
| Living On The Front Line Eddy Grant - Walking On Sunshine - ICE - 1978 |
| Funky Like A Train The Equals - Born Ya! - ICE - 1976 |
| I'm The One Eddy Grant - Plaisance - ICE - 2017 |
| Rough Rider The Four Gees - 7" - President - 1967 |
| Race Hate Eddy Grant - Message Man - ICE - 1977 |
| Psychedelic Dream Sundae Times - Us Coloured Kids - Joy - 1969 |
| Nobody's Got Time Eddy Grant - Eddy Grant - Torpedo - 1975 |
| Time Warp The Coach House Rhythm Section - 12" - ICE - 1977 |
| Electric Avenue Eddy Grant - Killer On The Rampage - ICE - 1982 |
| Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys The Equals - 7" - President - 1970 |
| Umbayao Eddy Grant - Soca Baptism - ICE - 1993 |
| Village Life Eddy Grant - Born Tuff - ICE - 1985 |
| Do You Feel My Love Eddy Grant - Can't Get Enough - ICE - 1981 |
| Belgrade Eddy Grant - Hearts And Diamonds - Košava / ICE - 1999 |
| Sweet Jam Zappatta Schmidt - It's Gonna Get You - President - 1971 |
| Hour two |
| Slave Trade 90° Inclusive - 90° Inclusive - Vertigo / ICE - 1976 |
| Mystic Syster The Equals - Mystic Syster - ICE - 1978 |
| Walking On Sunshine Eddy Grant - Walking On Sunshine - ICE - 1978 |
| The Struggle Eddy Grant - Reparation - ICE - 2005 |
| Baby Come Back The Equals - 7" - President - 1967 |
| Papa's Land Sonny Okosuns & the Ozziddi - Sonny Okosun In 1980 - Radic - 1979 |
| No Such Thing The Coach House Rhythm Section - 12" - ICE - 1980 |
| Away You Go 32nd Turn Off - 32nd Turn Off - Jay Boy - 1969 |
| Funky Funky The Equals - 7" - President - 1971 |
| Nobody's Got Time Eddy Grant - Love In Exile - ICE - 1980 |
| Romancing The Stone Eddy Grant - Going For Broke - ICE - 1984 |
| Gimme Hope Jo'anna Eddy Grant - File Under Rock - Parlophone - 1988 |
| Curfew Eddy Grant - Live At Notting Hill - ICE - 1981 |
| War Party Eddy Grant - Killer On The Rampage - ICE - 1982 |
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8:12 PM, March 5th, 2022