VOLUME 4 · PROGRAM 12
Joe Hickman remixes Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough." Plastic Bertrand with "Stop Ou Encore."
Joe Hickman has done for Depeche Mode what Raul did for The Human League a few Disconets ago (Volume 4, Program 10.) Joe has taken exquisite, precise tracks with pleasing and meaningful vocals, and has shaped them for your dance floor to drive your crowd crazy. Depeche Mode and Daniel Miller produced "Just Can't Get Enough" for Mute in the UK and Sire in the US.
Joe plays at Probe in Los Angeles, and did the Disconet mix at Warner Brothers' Amigo Studios in Burbank engineered by Rudy. Special thanks to Craig Kostich for arranging this, and to Alex Huley for that hot shot of Joe shown below which includes Mystery Woman peering around the amplifier stack (if you have X-ray vision.)
Plastic Bertrand is next with a special extended version of "Stop Ou Encore" from RKM in Belgium. Plastic Bertrand has been quite popular throughout Europe and Canada, and "Stop Ou Encore" seems to have a special, summery sleezed to please feeling for the hotter months ahead. And you won't have to understand a word of French to get carried away in the tracks.
SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Side A runs 15:01, beginning at 129 BPM with Depeche Mode and twisting into 95 BPM after Joe's special oscillator sounds.
Midnight Powers' "Dance, It's My Life" with vocals for the summer.
The original instrumental version is on the "Prime Cuts 1" double album from Importe/12, and here's the vocal version so nicely produced by Masaharu Yoshioka and co-produced by Haruo Amamoto for Early Bird. For anyone who loves to dance, here's over nine minutes of energy with very lush strings and some hot percussion.
SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Side B runs 9:15 at 128 BPM.
Howard Merritt remixes Eloise Whitaker's "Don't Turn Your Back On Love." Casey Jones raps with Sylvia and "It's Good To Be The Queen."
Eloise Whitaker began singing in grade school near Saugus, California, and won a college scholarship to UCLA. She toured with various groups and became part of St. Tropez (remember that mesmorizing "One More Minute"?) Eloise's debut album for Destiny was produced by Laurin Rinder, who with his partner, Michael Lewis, has been making hit songs that are great to dance to since the first megawatt club system was invented.
Howard Merritt has done a special remix of "Don't Turn Your Back On Love" for Disconet, with a longer intro and some very hot breaks along the way. Howard has been living in New York lately, and can be heard regularly at various clubs including Studio 54. Howard has been a fan of Eloise since her initial 3 minute 12" was released, and this new 7+ minute version is packed with solid action all the way.
Next, it's Sugarhill's Sylvia with a surprise duet with Casey Jones doing his own "cover of the cover." Is the world ready for a very inspirational West Texas rap? Give it a few plays, as there's quite a bit of message and inspiration in Casey's words (which are inside this DJ NEWS so you can rap along if you wish!) Casey used the instrumental side of Sylvia's "It's Good To Be The Queen", which was produced by Sylvia, Inc. and Jigsaw Productions for the people who invented modern rap records, Sugarhill. "Queen" is a great answer song to Mel Brooks' "It's Good To Be The King", and now with Casey's version, no one can doubt that royalty is really in style.
SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Bonus Side 1 runs 16:15, beginning at 123 BPM (beats per minute) and ending at a rappin' 108.
Casey Jones' Eurodance Medley 2 with Secret Service, Toni Basil, Risque and Ronny. Dance music lives in Europe!
In addition to rapping with Sylvia on Bonus Side 1, Casey Jones knows how to string songs together. He plays at The River Club in New York and will be heading up The Ice Palace on Fire Island this summer (joined by Lou Goyette.) Casey's EuroDance Medley 1 almost two years ago on Disconet turned some heads but foretold the shape of much of today's music.
Casey's new medley starts with Secret Service's "Flash In The Night", produced and co-written by Ola Hakansson for Sonet in Sweden. Leif Garrett couldn't do better! Next is Toni Basil with "You Gotta Problem." Toni has worked with Devo, David Bowie, Talking Heads, and Bette Midler, and this song was produced by Greg Mathieson with Trevor Veitch for Radialchoice Records in the UK. One of the hottest selling 12" imports follows - Risque's "The Girls Are Back In Town" produced by J. Tilly and C. Bais for Polydor in The Netherlands. Ronny concludes the set with "To Have And Have Not", produced by Peter Goodwin and Georg Kajanus for Polydor in the UK.
All of Casey's selections are available in the US as 12" imports, and some may be released here depending upon your feedback.
SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Bonus Side 2 runs 19:10, from 128 BPM to 126 BPM. Enjoy!
David La Salle wins the LCD chronograph. David plays at Pipeline in Boston, and his pressing serial number on Program 10 matched the lucky winning number for that program (#911.) We've sent David a deluxe Bulova that does just about anything. David's favorite selections on Program 10 were "Thank God For Music" by Patrick Cowley, Raul 's "Don't You Want Me" Human League remix, "Don't Turn Your Back On Me" by Nanette Garcia, and "World Class Lover" by Prissy. To win the watch, be sure to return the feedback card and enter your Side A/B pressing number shown on the upper right hand corner of the record jacket.
Casey Jones - The new poet laureate of the dance floor.
"Come on", I know you'll say
What good could come from this?
A rhymin' simon wasp ofay!"
Well, this is what it is.
I'm a gentile country squire
From down West Texas way.
And these raps I've heard are tired
But I've got some things to say.
You're out there fussin', fast and mad
There's more than cussin' if you think you're bad.
Now's a new start to get about
Make up your mind and move on out.
You wait all day 'til dark descends
Night's twelve more hours when daylight ends.
You're late to work if even you show
Don't ask when's the chance for you to grow?
Intelligence don't come to all.
Plain simple smarts won't make ya fall!
But certain as I rap this rhyme
The date is late so find the time.
Another face on welfare street
Ain't such a way to go.
So make it happen and keep this beat
Rock steady with the flow.
What many take for granted
You've got all that to lose.
The scales are set up slanted
In a world of pick and choose.
Given strength in numbers
They counquer first and then divide.
I've got a lot of street savvy
To hip the world on urban pride!
Walk forward through the city
A big stick at your side.
Don't stop to get their pity
Keep your head held high!
Kings and rulers who are known
Their sense of strengths unfold
The city, 'tho your battleground
Can be paved high in gold.
Motivation, can't you see
Is working toward a goal.
Doing what they say you can't
Your victory unfolds.
Make your place in society
The elements are there.
The gives and takes we guarantee
When you begin to share.
The formula is simple:
Engage yourself in basic tasks.
The work, both hard and mental
Results in fame for which you ask.
Modern days have modern ways
But still strong virtues are a must!
You keep on keeping on, you say
But if you're caught, you pay the bust.
"Deliverance from evil…
The men in cloth profess
Take stock in their delivery
You'll be among the best.
Forbidden pleasures of the skin
Have you saying grace.
Committment to a world of sin
Temptation leads to waste.
"You're okay", your friends have said
You've proved the test of time.
You have no ego-swollen head
To shorten your life's prime.
I've settled in with pen in hand
To jot these thoughts on down.
It's up to you'all - the master plan
Or falter to the ground.
So listen-up to those who know
We've seen it all before.
We've heard them tell downtrodden woes
The people on the floor.
A spiritual transfusion
Ain't just a Sunday thing.
You've heard in prayer - envision
Eternal life's a someday dream.
Enough right now on future
Your present state's at hand.
You've got the message picture
So build for your promised land.
Develop your direction
In love and work and play'
No chocolate confection's
As sweet as a winning way!
Keep up that sense of right and wrong
And know there is a difference.
Your house built on rocks so strong
Waves won't fell your resistance.
Able bodied, of sound mind
Capable of work -
Your duty as a citizen
You can't, in conscience, shirk.
You're king of your mountain
Title you'll maintain.
You've earned respect in life
More than gold is your gain.
If you like my thinking
Let me see you'all smile.
I've got a cab out waiting
To take me home in style.
Counting up my blessings
Y'all al make one for sure!
Dabblin' with this rapping
Hope my style has allure.
The meter's turning over
The cabbie's getting mad.
I've got my rap, I'll go on home
If not be good, be bad-d-d-d-d!