The Brief: In the northern hemisphere the official first day of summer will be June 21 however, in the US the traditional beginning of the summer season is the Memorial Day holiday weekend coming up next week. You guys have already “met” the motley crew of folks that have joined in on the blog as guest [...]
Posted in Dino, FWV 
Tags: 12 Inch, 1988, 4th & B'Way Records, Pop, Promo, R&B, Thomas Demman 
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The Brief: In 1983 and 1985, Talking Heads released ‘Speaking In Tongues’ and ‘Little Creatures’, two great albums from start to finish that attained sales of over a million copies each. ‘Creatures’ was certified Double Platinum noting sales of over 2 million copies. In 1986, a David Byrne film entitled True Stories was released and a [...]
The Brief: Depending on your musical taste, the concept album that served as a soundtrack for the musical stage production Chess, was one god-awful messy hodge-podge of crap with a few gems thrown in or a dazzling score that covers nearly all the pop bases. Either way, the worldwide hit “One Night In Bangkok” was part [...]
The Brief: There always seems to be a warm welcome here for S.O.S. Band records so, I hope this one isn’t an exception. The title track from 1984′s ‘Just The Way You Like It’ LP was the lead off single and the highest charting of the 4 singles released. The song was one of 4 [...]
The Brief: As with yesterday’s 7″ single, today’s shaves a little over 2 minutes off of the LP version to get the song down to a more radio friendly under 4 minutes track time. O’Bryan Burnette II was approximately 18 years old when his first album hit the streets on Capitol Records in 1982. O’Bryan was [...]
The Brief: It may sound strange to hear on a blog primarily full of 12″ singles featuring extended and remixed versions of songs that are generally several minutes longer than the album versions but, sometimes a good 7″ edited version is a welcome change to the seemingly endless jam that some album versions are. Case [...]
The Brief: The sons of Eddie Levert, Sean and Gerald, along with Marc Gordon made up the group Levert which released its first album in 1985. Eddie, a native of Bessemer, Alabama, formed the O’Jays with Walter Williams, Bill Isles, Bobby Massey, and William Powell in 1958. In 1966 his son Gerald was born and [...]
Posted in FWV, Levert Tags: 12 Inch, 1987, Atlantic Records, R&B, Reggie Calloway, Steve Beltran, Vincent Calloway 12 Comments »
The Brief: At the outset, the Calloway brothers break away from Midnight Star appeared to be a wildly successful move as the duo racked up a #2 hit on the Billboard and Cash Box pop charts and #5 on the R&B charts. That great start quickly fizzled out and their “solo” career went downhill from [...]
The Brief: Our final Midnight Star record of the week is the title track from the 1986 ‘Headlines’ LP. ‘Headlines’ was the third album in a row for the band that was certified Gold, following the double Platinum success of ‘No Parking On The Dance Floor’ and the Gold certification of ‘Planetary Invasion’. It would, [...]
The Brief: The last appearance on Billboard’s Hot 100 that Midnight Star made was in 1986 with this single, “Midas Touch”. It was from the LP ‘Headlines’ which was the last album from the group with Reggie and Vincent Calloway as members. The song just missed the Top 40 in the US but did reach [...]
The Brief: By sheer coincidence, I posted 3 Midnight Star 12 inchers almost exactly a year ago. And, this week I have 3 more lined up along with a couple of related records. I am still on the theme of the “Uptown” music from my teen years and Midnight Star was definitely one of those [...]
Posted in FWV, Midnight Star Tags: 12 Inch, 1988, R&B, Timmy Regisford, Unidisc Records 19 Comments »
The Brief: Love Tractor is considered, along with The B-52′s and R.E.M., as one of the founders of the Athens, GA alternative music scene. The band formed in 1980 and began life as an instrumental outfit, only adding a vocalist with the release of their second album in 1983. Their 3rd album came in 1986 with [...]
The Brief: In 1988 The Gap Band along with Four Tops, Jermaine Jackson, Curtis Mayfield and others contributed songs to the blaxploitation parody movie I’m Gonna Git You Sucka which was directed by and starred Keenen Ivory Wayans. The movie featured a large cast of characters including some veterans of the blaxploitation genre such as [...]
The Brief: In 1987 the 3rd and final sequel to the 1979 blaxploitation movie Penintentiary was released. The soundtrack to the movie featured songs from such artists as Freda Payne, Yarbrough & Peoples, Midnight Star and The Gap Band. “Sweeter Than Candy” was The Gap Band’s contribution to the soundtrack and the song also appeared on [...]
The Brief: Oh man, start a discussion about outdated songs and this one would have to be in the conversation! Although kind of cool and humorous when released, this one certainly has not stood the test of time. The basic story line is about a guy who can’t ever get in touch with his girl, [...]
The Brief: The Gap Band came roaring down the tracks for the release of their 7th studio album entitled ‘Gap Band V: Jammin’ with the leadoff single “Party Train”. Surprisingly, after all the success with the previous album, the band failed to continue the momentum with the single falling short of #1 on the R&B charts and the [...]
The Brief: The 3rd and final single from ‘The Gap Band IV’ album was “Outstanding”. The single was the band’s last appearance on Billboard’s Hot 100, peaking at #51. On the postivie side, it became their 3rd #1 on the R&B charts and has been sampled numerous times by other R&B and hip-hop artists, no [...]
The Brief: One would think that after reaching the Top 25 of the pop charts with their first Top 40 single that The Gap Band and Total Experience Records would be eager to get the next single out and capitalize on the success. One would think… “Early In The Morning” was released in April of 1982, [...]
The Brief: After concquering the R&B charts with 2 Top 5 singles from ‘The Gap Band III’ album, the Wilson brothers now set their sights on the pop charts. In my opinion, ‘The Gap Band IV’ album was the the strongest and most consistent album the band ever released. Drop the needle on track one [...]
The Brief: “16 Tons of coal and whadda ya get?” This song definitely grooves and the lyrics thrown around throughout the song are quite clever and humorous. ”You get a hump in ya back, sucker”. This was the second of 3 singles from the ‘Gap Band III’ LP of 1980. My copy of “Humpin’” is a promo [...]
The Brief: From Tulsa Oklahoma, originally called the Greenwood, Archer and Pine Street Band, the Gap Band have been making funky music since 1967. At the very beginning the band consisted of Ronnie Wilson, Roscoe Smith, Chris Clayton and Tuck Andress who later formed the jazz duo Tuck & Patti with Patti Cathcart. A few [...]
The Brief: The final installment of Record Store Day week is a limited edition ABBA 12″ released last year. Tomorrow is the day, please go out and support your local independent record store tomorrow and any other day during the year. A complete list of releases for the day is available on Record Store Day‘s [...]
The Brief: Today’s Record Store Day goodie is a Side by Side offering from Warner Bros. Records featuring Run-D.M.C. and Carolina Chocolate Drops. The record actually has the labels applied to the wrong sides, that’s been corrected in today’s post… This limited edition, Record Store Day Exclusive colored vinyl 7″ features the Carolina Chocolate Drops [...]
Posted in FWV, Run-D.M.C. Tags: 2012, 7 Inch, Country, Rap, Record Store Day, Warner Brothers Records No Comments »
The Brief: For day 3 of Record Store Day week, we shift gears, throw on our pointy boots and our ten-gallon hats for the traditional country sounds of the late, great Buck Owens… Buck Sings Eagles Available in record stores only on Record Store Day/Black Friday, November 23, 2012 Unique 10″ vinyl EP in a [...]
Posted in Buck Owens, FWV Tags: 10 Inch, 2012, Country, Omnivore Recordings, Record Store Day 2 Comments »
The Brief: On day 2 of our look at Record Store Day goodies we have The Clash’s “London Calling 2012″. Here’s a brief promotional item announcing the release: THE CLASH TO RELEASE LIMITED EDITION ‘LONDON CALLING’ SINGLE FOR RECORD STORE DAY THE CLASH will release a limited-edition 7″ single to mark Record Store Day on [...]
The Brief: Coming this Saturday, April 20th, is Record Store Day 2013. This week we will take a look at some of the records I picked up at previous Record Store Days and Record Store Day’s Black Fridays in November. Here’s the press release announcing today’s record: Universal Music Group has announced that The Rolling [...]
Posted in FWV, Rolling Stones Tags: 2011, 7 Inch, A&M Records, Record Store Day, Rock, Rolling Stones Records 2 Comments »
The Brief: One more Bar-Kays connected record to close out a week of Uptown Music. I’m not really sure who all the members of Focus were but, Bar-Kays alumni are all over the credits of this record. The song was written by Mark Bynum and Howard Redmond, Jr, both were members of the band in the 80s. [...]
The Brief: Another band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, like the Bar-Kays, was Chocolate Milk who released 8 albums between 1975 to 1982. The last LP to bear their name was ‘Friction’ and it contained the single “Who’s Getting It Now” which was produced by Allen A Jones, the producer and manager for the Bar-Kays. He produced [...]
The Brief: By the late 80s the Bar-Kays had been been performing for 20 years, the band survived tragedy and lineup changes and reinvented itself numerous times. But, by 1988 they had begun to run out of steam and the 1988 ‘Animal’ LP was the last original studio album put out by the band in [...]
Posted in Bar-Kays, FWV Tags: 12 Inch, 1988, Dave Ogrin, Mark Berry, Mercury Records, R&B 5 Comments »
The Brief: I turned 16 years old in May of 1981, finally able to drive and go places on my own. The summer before, Prince released the LP ‘Dirty Mind’ and one of the tracks on that album was entitled “Uptown”. Now, I really can’t say if that is what gave us the phrase but, [...]
The Brief: I passed up buying this record for many years because I did not realize it was a remix. This song comes from the Bar-Kays 1982 LP ‘Propositions’ which I have had since it was released. The track time on the album is listed at 6:02 and this 12″ lists it at 6:19. Since [...]
Posted in Bar-Kays, FWV Tags: 12 Inch, 1982, Mercury Records, R&B, Thompson and Barbiero 16 Comments »
The Brief: After 1985′s LP ‘Vive Le Rock’, Adam Ant rarely played live and did not enter the studio again until 1989. Ant was concentrating on his acting career during that time taking roles in various commercials, TV shows and feature films. The ’89 studio sessions resulted in ‘Manners & Physique’ which, by Ant’s own [...]
The Brief: I purposely scheduled this record right after George Michael because listening to this song always brought to my mind the Wham! sound from ‘Make It Big’. I never paid much attention to this duo other than knowing this song and was curious what I would find out about them when I looked them up [...]
Posted in FWV, Waterfront Tags: 12 Inch, 1988, Bruce Forest, Gail “Sky” King, Polydor Records, Pop 4 Comments »
The Brief: Guest Blogger: Ernest L Sewell, IV Proprietor of: www.ErnestRadioNetwork.com I’ve long said, and still say, that George Michael is still one of the top five voices in the industry alive today. People look forward to Michael’s smooth & heart-centered emotional ballads as much as they crave his dance songs. His unabashed truth telling [...]
The Brief: This promo 12″ contains remixes not issued on the commercial platter (note to self: find a copy of the commercial 12″). This was the third and final single released from Robbie’s debut album. Which is kind of surprising considering that considering that Robbie hit #2, #14 and #10 in that order. How do [...]
Posted in FWV, Robbie Nevil Tags: 12 Inch, 1986, Gail “Sky” King, Keith Cohen, Manhattan Records, Pop 4 Comments »
The Brief: If you are a parent of young children or ‘tweeners, I think they call them, you have probably heard a lot of Robbie Nevil’s recent work. With collaborator Matthew Gerrard, Robbie has been writing for Disney projects The Cheetah Girls, High School Musical, and Hannah Montana. Before he was behind the scenes on [...]
Posted in FWV, Robbie Nevil Tags: 12 Inch, 1986, Arthur Baker, Latin Rascals, Manhattan Records, Pop 2 Comments »
The Brief: I could pretty much copy and paste here what I said yesterday. But, I won’t. But, what I said pretty much applies to this record, too. The A Side: Off The Wall (Enjoy Yourself Mix) 5:39 Off The Wall (Perfect Phase Remix) 5:52 The B Side: Off The Wall (Pussy 2000 Club Mix) 7:24 The [...]
Posted in FWV, Wisdome Tags: 12 Inch, 2000, Perfect Phase, Pop, Positiva Records, Pussy 2000 No Comments »
The Brief: I’ve said it before and I will say it again, I shouldn’t buy remixes done after the early 90s. They never sound like the original song and they just go on and on with seemingly no purpose. The standard radio version of this song is a really good song. These remixes alter the song [...]
Posted in DJ Rap, FWV Tags: 12 Inch, 1999, Columbia Records, Johnny Vicious, Pop, The Dronez 14 Comments »
The Brief: Guest Blogger: Chris “Break Dancin’-Electric Boogie” was released in 1983 on Sugar Hill Records and was the fifth and penultimate single by West Street Mob, an American hip-hop group consisting of Joey Robinson, Jr., Bill McGee and Sabrina Gillison. It reached #37, #52 and #64 on the U.S. R&B, U.S. Dance and U.K. [...]
The Brief: Sylvia Robinson founded Sugar Hill Records in 1979 with her husband Joe. The label was named after the Sugar Hill area of Harlem and numerous recordings for the label were made at Sugar Hill Studios in Englewood NJ. That studio burned down in 2002 destroying a significant landmark from the early days of [...]
The Brief: In early 1980, Lipps, Inc. made a huge splash on the music charts with their Hot 100 #1 smash “Funkytown”. The group was formed and based in Minneapolis, Minnesota and was one of the revolving doors of talent in the Minneapolis music scene. Several members who were with Lipps, Inc., over the group’s period of [...]
The Brief: I’ve often mentioned my college radio station WABR in previous posts, and I have often griped about our Program Director and his darned ink stamp. Well, this record brings to my mind my favorite and longest story I have about DJ’ing at the station (well, except for the night that Selena came to [...]