ELECTRO FUNK - GREG WILSON ARTICLE

[QUINNY]

Originally Posted by Greg Wilson

Quinny: You must have thought 'The Voice Of Q' had been made just for you! I'll never hear that record in quite the same way again!

Ah Greg, but not as much as 'The Mighty Quinn' by Manfred Mann, which I spliced up for a jingle in my early days (the late '60s). I just had to buy a record by 'Q' didn't I? Once I heard it, the music on the disc just begged to be played. It was great for mixing with virtually anything and everything, but Nunk by Warp 9 was also one of my real real favourites to mix in with things. Boy, that record really moved in the instrumental places. I hope you still like 'The Voice Of Q' and don't hold me against it. :lol:

[Greg Wilson]

Quinny: I'll always have a soft spot for 'The Voice Of Q', even you can't change that! Did you ever use it as your phone message? Apart from that and, as you pointed out, 'The Mighty Quinn', there's been a number of acts that might have named themselves in homage to you - Q-Bass, Q-Club, QFX, Q-Tee, Q-Tip, and another Q (who had a couple of hits in the 90's)!

'The Voice Of Q' and Warp 9's 'Nunk' were indeed like two peas in a pod, I'll always associate them with each other (both coming in on import in September 82 - a major month for Electro-Funk, which also included the arrival of big tracks by Klien & MBO, Extra T's, George Clinton, Tyrone Brunson and Planet Patrol). Out of interest, did you play the vocal versions of these tracks? The majority of the time I'd opt for the instrumental or dub mixes of Electro-Funk type releases.

[QUINNY]

Greg: I can't say I opted for any one side as a matter of course. It would depend what mood the audience were in, time in the evening etc, etc. Generally I thought dub versions were often a little self indulgent and didn't have enough of a 'tune' to carry them. I was never totally into rhythm for rhythm's sake if you get my drift, although I'm sure that my contempories in this area would say otherwise. Sure I might have the odd quarter of an hour or so when I'd really let things fly, but invariably the faces on the crowd became a little contorted. I wasn't working the right venues to get away with it and the venues were far more important than any of the jocks. Jock power only really started to kick in down here with the beginnings of House music, and that's when I finally bowed out.
The really funny thing is that once I'd packed up I went back to the last club I played at, when a new up and coming 'kid' was DJing. This guy could mix like a dream, scratch better than anyone else and had a real following. You could feel a real power to his DJing and a true sense of excitement among the punters there. Unfortunately, I felt absolutely bored out of my skull 'cos what he was doing (mixing with absolutely no talk) was pretty foreign, even to me. I felt it was all over indulgent, sorta one dimensional and brainless (even though I could appreciate the skill required) and it reinforced my decision to quit. I'm one of those guys who isn't at all comfortable with the status that DJs have reached now and I guess those days were the beginnings of it.
Although I worked in Spain, where I spun non stop without talking, that was back in '74 - 77, when there was a much bigger diversity to a disco's playlist. If anything, it was the only natural way to play in a disco 'cos not nearly as many people spoke English then and only the Spanish and South Americans (of which there were very few) spoke Spanish. I would often be accused by English punters of not being a real DJ 'cos I didn't talk. Of all the nationalities, I'd have to say that the Brits took least kindly to seguewaying, blending and non stop music. Funny how things work out.

[Greg Wilson]

Just looking through an old copy of Blues & Soul from April 1983 - the Poll Winners Edition. One of the sections is for the 'Most Annoying Single' of the previous year, and perfectly illustrates the anti-electronic feeling on the black music scene at the time. Remember, it was the readers of the magazine who voted.

Coming out on top (if that's the right way to put it) is Malcolm McLaren's 'Buffalo Gals', and other Electro-Funk inclusions are Rockers Revenge 'Walking On Sunshine', Indeep 'Last Night A DJ Saved My Life', Soul Sonic Force 'Planet Rock' and Extra T's 'E.T Boogie'. These tracks are listed alongside singles like Musical Youth 'Pass The Dutchie', Wham 'Young Guns', Cheri 'Murphy's Law', David Christie 'Saddle Up' and Stevie Wonder & Paul McCartney 'Ebony And Ivory'.

[QUINNY]

Greg: Blues & Soul says it all really. By '82/3 even more of a purist's magazine. It wasn't compulsive reading for me by then or many other jocks I knew.
Re: Buffalo Girls - I can't say I enjoyed playing that track. It was a huge 'cash in' and I couldn't trust Malcolm Maclaren's motives. It wasn't really Electro or Disco, was it? More at home in South Africa than anywhere, to my ears. I only played it 'cos it was a hit and got requested and dropped it as soon as I could. Maybe I was wrong in dismissing it, but I just couldn't really take it too seriously as a disco track. Pure Pop to me.
Indeep - A giant hit and pop disco as much as Electro. I loved it and played it and played it.
Rockers Revenge - Another giant pop hit. This really tore up the floors and the rule books.
Extra T's - Although I played this a lot it never gained huge status for me. I remember Johnny Chingas from about the same time? and that had more impact. Memory is a little vague.

[K-Bee]

Coming out on top (if that's the right way to put it) is Malcolm McLaren's 'Buffalo Gals', and other Electro-Funk inclusions are Rockers Revenge 'Walking On Sunshine', Indeep 'Last Night A DJ Saved My Life', Soul Sonic Force 'Planet Rock' and Extra T's 'E.T Boogie'.

It's funny realising what effect time has on the way we all look upon music. Amazing how "most annoying singles" can suddenly change into "genre defining moments".

BTW, Greg....when did B&S stop doing those "Most annoying singles" parts of their annual polls? I was an avid follower of the mag for many years, starting in 1987 but I never came across the annoying part.

[jazz_pilgrim]

Originally Posted by Greg Wilson

Just looking through an old copy of Blues & Soul from April 1983 - the Poll Winners Edition. One of the sections is for the 'Most Annoying Single' of the previous year, and perfectly illustrates the anti-electronic feeling on the black music scene at the time. Remember, it was the readers of the magazine who voted.

Coming out on top (if that's the right way to put it) is Malcolm McLaren's 'Buffalo Gals', and other Electro-Funk inclusions are Rockers Revenge 'Walking On Sunshine', Indeep 'Last Night A DJ Saved My Life', Soul Sonic Force 'Planet Rock' and Extra T's 'E.T Boogie'. These tracks are listed alongside singles like Musical Youth 'Pass The Dutchie', Wham 'Young Guns', Cheri 'Murphy's Law', David Christie 'Saddle Up' and Stevie Wonder & Paul McCartney 'Ebony And Ivory'.

I was probably one of those voters!!

I'll tell you a story about Rockers Revenge. I was out in Germany, coming up to the end of my year out there, and all I could hear was the buzz back from the UK on this record. A new direction. A new music. A stunning record. I used to pick up some of the music magazines from time to time (I spent the second half of my year working in a Bank, and I had contacts with the UK soldiers based in Osnabrück through working in the bank, so I used to able to get hold of the magazines) and I may have read about it.

But in Germany, I was unable to hear this record! Suffice to say, when I got back to the UK, straightaway I went and bought the record blind. And, you will not be surprised, Greg, to hear that I was very disappointed with the record. Another one I hated - what a purist I was in those days!! I enjoy it now though......

Regarding Indeep - Indeep's Last Night A DJ Saved My Life was one record I did like... Incidentally there was an excellent book out a couple of years ago called Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - an history of the DJ. There was a CD to go along with the book which contained amongst other important dance records the aforementiond Indeep record and Frankie Wilson's oft-mentioned Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)!! That probably goes to show, Greg, how your beloved electro-funk has now been accepted as an important part of the development of contemporary black music!! :)

BTW Bernie mentioned that Toney Lee track "Reach Up". I managed to dig it out and give a good listen to on Friday night. When I listened carefully to the dub version, I realized once again how good those crisp arrangements and dubs really were... And Bernie, I know Status IV's You Ain't Really Down very well - from Sammy's discomix!! :D

[Greg Wilson]

K-Bee: I stopped collecting B&S when I gave up deejaying back in 84, but I know that the 'Annoying Singles' section was definitely in the Poll the following year.

You're right about 82's annoying singles being 'genre defining moments'. They all represented change, which is often something people resist.

'Buffalo Gals' was an incredible record for a whole host of reasons. Apart from opening up NYC's Hip Hop movement to an unsuspecting British public (especially when the promo video blew our minds), 'Buffalo Gals' and the album it came from, 'Duck Rock', pre-dated Paul Simon's acclaimed cross-cultural experiments, drawing its influences not only from the Bronx, but also diverse areas like South Africa and even Hillbilly America. Producer Trevor Horn would take much from this experience and it would inspire his coming work with Frankie Goes To Hollywood and, on a more experimental level, The Art Of Noise. As for McLaren, he's one of those people you either love or hate. The hates say rip-off merchant, the loves say genius. I say that 'Duck Rock' was way ahead of the game, and that 'Buffalo Gals' is undoubtedly one of the defining moments of the 80's. Viva McLaren!

'Walking On Sunshine' also made the B&S list for single of the year (number 11), and was generally acknowledged as one of the biggest club tracks of 82. I remember at the time that I was really shocked that this had been voted into the 'annoying' catagory, as Donnie Calvin's soulful vocal had ensured it picked up plays by DJ's who were otherwise anti-Electro-Funk (i.e - they probably wouldn't have played it had it been an instrumental cut).

'Planet Rock' was hated by the black music establishment. I received much personal critisism (and ridicule) at the time for playing this record. It certainly set the cat amongst the pigeons.

I was playing the other two records, 'Last Night A DJ Saved My Life' and 'E.T Boogie', before they were being sold on import in the UK. The reason being that I was on the US mailing lists for the labels on which they appeared, Sound Of New York and Sunnyview, so I was mailed them at the same time that they were serviced to DJ's Stateside. 'Last Night A DJ Saved My Life' went on to become an all-time UK club classic, whereas 'E.T Boogie' remained an underground favourite.

Quinny: Johnny Chingas 'Phone Home' arrived on import in January 83, almost 4 months after 'E.T Boogie'. It was played by a number of Jazz-Funk DJ's who wouldn't have touched the 'more blatant' Electro-Funk with a bargepole, which probably accounts for it having more impact when it eventually reached the mainstream clubs. It certainly had a more widespread appeal than 'E.T Boogie', which was pretty much strictly for the Electroheads.

Jazz Pilgrim: I'll reply later.

[jazz_pilgrim]

Originally Posted by QUINNY

Greg: Blues & Soul says it all really. By '82/3 even more of a purist's magazine. It wasn't compulsive reading for me by then or many other jocks I knew.

I beg to differ on your view of Blues and Soul.

Blues and Soul was an enormously influential magazine and was essential reading every fortnight - from its inception in 1973 rIght up until the current day. Its articles were/are of excellent quality and you always got a good in-depth coverage of the black music scene. For me B&S was the bible for true soul brothers!! For the record I used to buy B&S and Echoes and Record Mirror religously every week/fortnight. Record Mirror only had a few pages on disco music, I recall, and didn't cover the whole scene. But it was definitely still worth buying. I admit it was probably more for you DJs as it had BPM's and stuff ....

In fact I still buy Blues and Soul and Echoes TODAY. And despite having the same editor as way back in the 70Ts, Bob Killbourn, B&S is still totally in touch with today's contemporary black music scene - as much as it ever was - with sections on house, hip hop, garage, jazz, r'n'b and even, heaven forbid!!, Northern Soul....

And to test how good Blues and Soul is today - Discodisk sent me a '73 copy of B&S and I forwarded copies of it on to Sammy/Blax/Zeca with a couple of other current B&S issues I had spare. And they really approved of the magazine and its articles.

It might not have been the top magazine for the DJs - but it definitely was for THE PUNTERS!! And where would the DJS have been without THE PUNTERS?? :lol: :lol:

[QUINNY]

Jazz: Although Record Mirror only had a couple of pages, for me it was the absolute bible. James Hamilton's reviews have been described as being not so good, but for me, he was on the same wavelength (most of the time). Once you'd read his reviews for any length of time, his adjectives became crystal clear in their meaning and although influenced by the London mafia DJs, he didn't totally hang on to their every whim and fancy. He had the knack of finding damned good dance records that were quite often unloved by the mafia jocks and wasn't afraid of going against the grain. There's very few records that I may of bought blind after reading his review, that didn't hit home.

In the early '70s Blues and Soul was just about the only knowledgable source of reading if you were a jock, but that was at a time when Soul was the de rigeur dance music (apart from chart hits). That all changed when Disco took over and it got left behind to some extent, because of its purist attitude. After 1977 I don't think I ever read another copy of it. Yeah, maybe that's my loss, but I could live without it by then.

Greg: I've been looking at your list once again. It's really quite interesting that almost a third of my personal top 30 Disco records of all time would come from it.
I absolutely loved:
Whodini - Magic's Wand (maybe one of the most underated records from the period. One of the Rap classics)
Herbie Hancock - Rockit (just about the tops)
Hot Streak - Body Work (a near perfect Disco record)
Captain Rapp - Bad Times (jeez this was such a hard sound)
Newcleus - Jam On Revenge (ditto above, but slightly popier)
Q - Voice Of Q (great for mixing, even a couple of years on).
Candido - Jingo Breakdown (an anthem)
Indeep - Last Night A DJ saved My Life (I still love this, even after hundreds of plays)
I know they were all big records, but to have these from such a short time frame is something else and proves that disco was alive and kicking back then.