I start this show with Nitro Deluxe “Let’s get brutal” from 1986 on Cutting Records, this was the 2nd house record I bought and surprisingly it has remained intact for all this time having been played to death in my early years. I prefer this mix, the “rule with the melody” hook on it rocks. Next up is Royal House with “Better way” from 1989. This was such a big tune in ‘89; it takes me back to that first summer of love here in the UK. Track 3 is “Going thru life” by Virgo, which is from the Album. Virgo made some of the best deep Chicago house at the time, it was always a winner on the dance floor at 2XS the club I was running at the time, especially if you dropped it later in the night/morning, usually about 6am when only the real house heads stuck it out till the end. It was tracks like this that made 2XS stand out from other house nights, we could play the deepest darkest house/techno and the crowd loved it, which is probably why we never closed before 10am, but when you have an icon like Leigh Bowery rolling around the dance floor why would you want to stop the music. Track 4 comes from Ce Ce Rogers with “Someday”; a Marshall Jefferson production from 1987. I read something interesting on the net about this track; apparently Ce Ce’s manager wanted him to record a house track and hooked him up with Marshall, while Ce Ce was doing his vocal warm up Marshall decided to record this, after listening back Ce Ce wanted to go for another take, which he did but the warm up vocals were the preferred take for Marshall and that’s what was used on this track. Another interesting fact about Ce Ce is he worked on the soundtrack to Sister Act the movie. Go figure girl. Track 5 is by Adonis with “Cool & Dry”. The 303 acid riff in this has been used on a few tracks; “acid man” by Jolly Roger and “The Whoop” also. It’s very simple but very effective. Track 6 is another simple but very effective track, “String free” by Pfortune. This is in my top 5 all time house classics list, drums, bass and piano at its best. I think it holds a special place in my heart as I remember proper losing my mind to this in Amnesia, Ibiza in 1989. Amnesia had no roof back then and it played some of the best house music I’d ever heard. It was far less commercial than it is today. Farley Jackmaster Funk is up next in the mix with a track entitled “Farley knows house” from 1986, and Farley certainly does know house! Farley has always been my Godfather of house, rather than Marshall. I’m sorry if anyone disagrees with that, but Farley has made some of the best house EVER! This track was another late night number which got much praise on the dance floor of 2XS; it is the perfect track to get those party favours running through your system again. Track 7 is from 1988 on Big shot Records, Canada. I love their sound. Jillian Mendez’s “Get up” was one of those tracks that converted people over to the house side at a time when most didn’t get the house sound. Next is another Virgo track called “Take me higher” from 1989, and the clue is in the title, over the years this track has certainly taken me higher. Check out the white noise whoosh and take flight. Track 9 is “Jailbait” by Ben Mays; I always loved this track but never knew the artist name. It has taken nearly 20 years of searching to find a copy on vinyl. Released in 1987 on Sunset Records inc. This has some of the sickest lyrics I’ve heard. Seriously perverted, but right up my street. We move on to Mr Fingers next, a Larry Heard production for those who don’t know “Distant Planet” is one of the better tracks he did with Robert Owens on vocals. This is such a smooth dreamy track. Love it! Lastly in this viewing is A Guy Called Gerald with “Voodoo Ray” which I’m sure most people are aware of, if you haven’t heard it before, where have you been hiding? MARS!
Contact: djdavidgeorge@live.co.uk