Sunday 17 February 2013

Oh the joy of dance music, sampling and sharing!!

One of the great joys of dance music is all the sampling and sharing/pinching of snippets from earlier classics, then re-using them and creating new tracks which in turn become club classics.
Many, many PCC tracks (I won't say all, but it's not far off) are culminations of samples and snippets from earlier classics, whether it's using vocals, riffs or catchy melodies.
The number of tracks that contain vocals sampled from classic diva vocalists like Loleatta Holloway, Aretha Franklin, Rochelle Fleming, Martha Wash etc. etc is astounding, there are literally thousands.
Here's a great example of several club classics which have all pulled and pinched from two classic tracks and created some great tracks in the process.
This will be a long post, so stay with me.
To start it off here is an acapella of "Aretha Franklin - Rock-A-Lott".
This was produced in 1986 and it is simply amazing.
Just listen to the power of her voice, her vocals are absolutely sensational.
Right can you hear where the key bit of "DJ H featuring Stefi - Think About" came from?
The "rock" and "oh yeah" bits.
It also draws inspiration from another Aretha Franklin track called "Think", which is where the "Think About"      title comes from.
The "DJ H featuring Stefi - I Think About" track was absolutely massive in clubs and was hammered by every DJ going at the time. It was a biggie hammered by Sasha and I remember great nights in Leeds Warehouse in 1991 when it just used to absolutely lift the roof off. It was one of those tracks that everyone just used to go totally radio rental to. Looking back I bet we all looked crackers, but it was just one of those tracks which caused dancefloor mayhem. Happy Days!!
Moving on....
Ok next up, listen to the "Aretha Franklin - Rock-A-Lott" acapella again and you'll hear another few tracks which used those vocals.
First up, is the "49er's - Touch Me" which was a big track back in 1989. It sounds a little cheesy now, but it was a great track at the time.
That track took not only samples from the Aretha track, but also took lyrics from the Alisha Warren house classic "Touch Me" which came out in 1989. Which is a great house track.
I particularly love the vocals and lyrics in this track and of course, it also then produced the foundations for one of my favorite PCCs.
Do the lyrics
"Cold chill down my spine" 
"Don't walk away show me you're mine"
mean anything too you?
Well to anyone who was clubbing in the heady days of 1991 they certainly will.
The "Joy and Joyce - Babe Babe" track was absolutely huge and one those tracks which had everyone in a total state of ecstatic delirium with the impromptu "hands in the air".
Everywhere was full of smiley faces and and head nodding as we sang along to the lyrics and then launched into the chorus.
"Baby, baby, why can't we just stay together".
This bonafide PCC was then copied by Corona in 1995 and although it was very cheesy and very commercial, there were a couple of good mixes and hence I've included the Dancing Divaz mix and also the "Robyx Piano remix". Both mixes have some cracking piano.
Right I think that now concludes the connections, but there are probably some others which I'm unaware of, (if so give me a shout).
However, within this little lot there are 4 bonafide PCCs in the 49er's, Alisha Warren, Joy and Joyce and DJ H featuring Stefy tracks.
Enjoy!!!

Aretha Franklin - Rock-A-Lott
(Acapella Mix)



DJ H Featuring Stefy - Think About
(12" Mix)



49er's - Touch Me
(Sexual Version)




Alisha Warren - Touch Me
(The Amore Mix)




Joy & Joyce - Babe Babe
(Extended Version)



Corona - Baby Baby
(Dancing Divaz Club Mix)



Corona - Baby Baby
(Robyx Piano Remix)

Saturday 16 February 2013

You like Piano Tunes??

Well if you do you'll like this.
Massive respect to Davos.
This really did bring a tear to my eye when I first heard/saw it and I just had to share it with you.
If you've ever wondered what it is like to play all those great piano riffs that we all know and love from all the great classic tracks, well here it is.
Here's 20 great classic piano tunes mashed up in 8 minutes of fun.
It just makes you wish that you could play the piano like that doesn't it?
I bet he'd be great to hire for a party, you wouldn't need any music, just get him to play all the piano riffs.
Top class - much respect fella!!
Enjoy people, I know I certainly did.
Full track listing below (or even better ignore the track listing and see how many of the tracks you can name/remember).
1. Davos - Jazzy Jam 2. NJoi - Anthem 3. Rhythm is Rhythm - Strings of Life 4. Let Me Be Your Fantasy - Baby D 5 You're gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone -Turntable Orchestra 6. Jinny - Keep Me Warm 7. Electric Choc - Shock the Beat 8. Soft House Company - What You Need 9. Sterling Void - Runaway Girl mashed with 10. K-Klass - Show Me love 11. Prodigy - Your Love 12. Selector - Move Your Body mashed with 13. Kaos - Definition of Love. 14. CeCe Rogers - Someday. 15. Kinetic - Golden Girls. 16. Gat Decor - Passion. 17. Jason Joy - Free Your Body .18. T-Coy - Carino. 19. Baby D - reprise



A total killer track!!

I've always been a big Killers fan and they are one of the few groups who've come out of the US who I actually like.
However, they've never been particularly club friendly.
This though is a great remix which not only keeps all the power and quality of the original track, but gives it a lovely atmospheric dance feel.
It's one of those tracks which I just play over and over again and it always feels great.
Totally love the guitar that comes in near the end as well. Superb!!
A killer track indeed!!
Enjoy!!

The Killers - Mr Brightside
(Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke Mix)


Saturday 9 February 2013

Can you feel it.... oooh yeah!!!

Time for a bit of legendary house music.
There are some tracks which are so obvious that I've often overlooked posting and this is one of them.
It is widely recognised as one of the most famous house records and I bet that there isnt anyone who was around in the late 80's who hasn't heard this.
It is of course the work of the genius that is Todd Terry.
I know I've mentioned it before on the blog, that the music he produced always has really crisp crunchy beats that are so infectious.
The whole track is just immense from the sirens at beginning to the jammin groove and all the vocal snippets
"Check this out"
 "Too blind"
"Oh shucks"
Anybody used to sing along "f**k off, f**k off" on another of the vocal bits or was that just me?Lol.
All in all  - one of the great house tracks of all time.
It still sounds amazing even though it's 25 years old.
Party on!!

Royal House - Can You Party
(Club Mix)

Saturday 2 February 2013

Could this be.....Love???

Well I certainly love this track.
Here's two superb but very different remixes of this track.
The Chameleon mix (aka D.O.P.) is a brilliant atmospheric old skool trancer which just oozes class.
It's a very addictive track and is one I just love playing over and over again.
It seems to get better every time you play it.
The Night Fever Mix version is very energetic, much more vocal and also more overground, but still very good.
I haven't got the D.O.P. Spookie Billie Ray Mix, if someone would be as kind to send me a link to that, it'd be very much appreciated.
In the mean time sit back and enjoy these two terrific tracks.
Let there be love!!!

Kerry Shaw - Could This Be Love
(The Chameleon Mix)




Kerry Shaw - Could This Be Love
(Night Fever Mix)