hotdiscomix: Remix Services

VOLUME 3  ·  PROGRAM 13

Mike Lewis, Steve Algozino and Bob Logan give The Jacksons' "Can You Feel It" a whole new feel.

The Jacksons' "Triumph" album on Epic charted #1 in late 1980 thanks to several excellent selections.  One of the strongest dance floor cuts is "Can You Feel It", written by Michael and Jackie Jackson with lead vocals by Michael and Randy Jackson.

Mike Lewis, Steve Algozino and Bob Logan have extended the LP version almost two minutes while providing a structure more suitable for the dance floor.  With over 300 carefully crafted edits, the song has a more interesting intro with more suspense between the vocal sections.

Mike plays at Studio One and Probe in Los Angeles, and has been questing at Trocadero in San Francisco with all three clubs showing a great reaction to the remix.  Steve plays at Gregg's Blue Dot Lounge in Los Angeles (blue dots for sure shots?), and has also been questing at Probe.  Bob (who did the edits) should be out of the recovery ward soon (which you'll understand better once you hear what his razor can do!)

This new 7:43 special Disconet remix should keep the Jacksons at the top of the heap of your dance floor for weeks to come.

Loi sings "Body Contact."  Jamaican funk and talent via Canada.

Loi (pronounced "Low") is from Jamaica, and she recorded "Body Contact" with the sensual heat of the dance floor in mind.  Joe Richards produced and mixed the tracks for G-Clef in Canada.  They made a few demo pressings, and after you hear how Jack Supercutter Skinner has treated the very basic street bottom of the two-track masters, look for a label deal real soon.  This song should find almost instant acceptance on your floor… with additional cuts now being completed.

SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Side A runs 13:07, beginning with The Jacksons at 125 BPM and ending with Loi at a surprisingly energetic 116 BPM.

Mino's "Kama Sutra (Come And Play With Me) gets a special mix by Valapucci.

One of the sharpest production companies in Europe is RKM, which stands for Roland Kluger Music.  RKM gave us Elton Motello's "Jet Boy, Jet Girl", Telex, M and quite a few other hits.  Mino is one of their newest acts, and her French version of "Kama Sutra" (called "Assez Super" on the Vogue/France 12" and 7" single) is making waves in Europe right now.  Pietro and Jean-Pierre produced.

Mino has just completed an English version of this high-energy song called "Kama Sutra (Come And Play With Me.)"  It is being released on Attic/Canada in its original 4:50 version as a 12" single.

Valapucci was in town doing his annual Christmas shopping, and uses the initial 4:50 English version as the beginning of his extended 9:31 special Disconet mix.  And then, true to form for what his more intimate acquaintances in Milano call the wop that bops and just won't stop, he has created an additional 5 minutes using various portions of the French and English tracks.

Valapucci phases to amaze, and repeats to add heat.  This sounds great… even in French, mon ami.  And because RKM's production is so clean and precise, Mino should provide a happy meeting ground between traditional rock and roll (e.g. "My Sharona") and traditional disco (like the electronic treatment of the voices and instruments.)

Another asset these tracks have is great drumming.  At 162 BPM you can pogo to it, but regular use of every other beat makes it possible to sleeze to Mino at 81 BPM.  Try it both ways.

SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Side B runs 9:31 at 162 BPM.

Tantra' s "Wishbone" presents rhythm advances for the energy 1980s.

Tantra's "The Double Album" on Importe/12 contains eight cuts, including the side-long "Wishbone."  Denny O'Connor and T.Q. Featherstonshaw report excellent overlays exceeding 11 minutes between and among "Hills of Katmandu" and "Wishbone", thanks in large part to the precision and cleanliness of the percussion sections of each of these selections.

They can play together (as well as with quite a few other classic energy songs) because, in large part, their rhythm sections are fresh and interesting.  The bass drum on "Wishbone" is hardly noticeable, and two signals generated by a synthesizer carry the energy of the tempo… a higher frequency "click click" which appears twice per beat (or 268 times each minute)… and a lower frequency "goom, goom… goom-goom-goom" sound similar in many ways to Jellybean's remix of "Fear" by Easy Going.  "Wishbone" was mixed by Jurgen Koppers who has to get an Emmy for this as well as "Hills."  Quelli del Castello, who produced Tantra, and Celso Valli, who co-wrote the songs and arranged, will definitely be enshrined into the disco hall of fame with this double LP package.

There is a cueing band about two-thirds of the way in which brings you right into one of the most unusual drum breaks ever.  Talk about being slapped around and still enjoying it at the same time!

SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Bonus Side 1 runs 15:40 at 134 BPM.

Flashback: The 1978 Top Tune Medley.

Here's a great flashback to 34 of the songs Disconet subscribers voted amongst their best in 1978.  Bobby DJ Guttadaro produced, assisted by Captain Mike.  Barry Manilow starts it, and The Saturday Night Band provides the grand finale.  Perhaps your lighting man's favorite part… the "Come into my come" loop from USA-European Connection.

The songs (and credits) are shown below in the order in which they appear.

This is, perhaps, an even more effective 20 minute trip into nostaglia than it was when it was originally programmed on Disconet two years ago.  You'll find many common elements of 1978's best, especially as they contrast to more current releases.

SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Bonus Side 2 runs 20:02 building from 118 BPM to 135 BPM.

Jess Herrera wins the LCD chronograph.  Jess' serial number on Program 11 (#191) matched the lucky winning number.  He gave three cuts a "10" (Amy Bolton, Kat Mandu, Asha) and a "10+" to Trip Ringwaid and Will Crocker's remix of The Three Degrees "Set Me Free."  Jess plays at The Spike in Hollywood, and now he'll have no excuse for being late because the watch we've sent him has an alarm and runs on west coast sun power!

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