The Last Days Of Dance Rock....

[markydefad]

I was reminded of how much I loved the "dance rock" era of the 1980's when I compiled a couple tapes last weekend. I picked up a 12" single that some person here had left at a local record store for Nicky. The 12" single was "Hold On" by Pride N Politix from 1991. It immediately made me think of how I loved the music that was about to end courtesy of the "GRUNGE" movement led by Nirvana. Dance rock disappeared overnight...replaced by howling dirges or screaming speed-metal nightmares. The "good beat" songs became as extinct as Johnny Carson on TV.

Anyhoo, I wanted to record the "Hold On" tracks on tape for posterity...so I went through my collection to find some other dance rock goodies from the early 1990's.

Here's what I came up with:

Tape 1 (Regular CD cuts)

Side A:
1) MYSTERIOUS WAYS - U2 (4:04)
2) CRAZY - Seal (5:56)
3) RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW - Jesus Jones (3:08 )
4) UNBELIEVABLE - EMF (3:29)
5) I TOUCH MYSELF - Divinyls (3:46)
6) I THINK I LOVE YOU - Voice Of The Beehive (3:12)
7) ALL TOGETHER NOW - The Farm (4:22)
8. SOUND + VISION - Book Of Love (3:45)
9) GET THE MESSAGE - Electronic (5:18 )
10) THE GLOBE - Big Audio Dynamite (6:04)
11) POLICY OF TRUTH - Depeche Mode (5:11)
12) WALKING ON BROKEN GLASS - Annie Lennox (4:12)
13) THE PATIENCE OF A SAINT - Electronic (4:09)

Side B:
1) KILLER - Seal (6:20)
2) HOLD ON - Pride 'N Politix (5:26)
3) GIRLS & BOYS - Blur (4:51)
4) LOVE TO HATE YOU - Erasure (3:54)
5) BEING BORING - Pet Shop Boys (4:48 )
6) REALITY - Electronic (5:39)
7) LITTLE BIRD - Annie Lennox (4:48 )
8. TRACY JACKS - Blur (4:20)
9). THE BEGINNING - Seal (5:40)
10) SEE THE LIGHTS - Simple Minds (4:22)
11) GETTING AWAY WITH IT - Electronic (5:12)
12) REGRET (Dub Mix) - New Order (to fill up rest of tape)

TAPE 2 (REMIXES):

Side A:
1) HORIZON - Culture Beat (Instrumental) (9:09)
2) CRAZY (Dance Mix) - Seal (6:24)
3) UNBELIEVABLE (Extended 12" mix) EMF (6:30)
4) RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW (12" Extended Mix) - Jesus Jones (5:47)
5) ALL TOGETHER NOW (12" Mix) - The Farm (5:39)
6) WALKING ON BROKEN GLASS (Danny Morales Mix) - Annie Lennox (6:09)
7) BITTER TEARS (12" mix) - Inxs (6:35)
8. HOLD ON (Extended Mix) - Pride 'N Politix (7:51)
9) CHERRY LIPS (Instrumental)- Culture Beat (fade out)

Side B:
1) HOLD ON (Instrumental Bonus Mix) - Pride 'N Politix (6:07)
2) LOVE TO HATE YOU (Bruce Forest Mix) - Erasure (7:36)
3) PEOPLE ARE STILL HAVING SEX (LP Mix) - Latour (5:15)
4) WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME/ CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU (12" Dance Mix) - Pet Shop Boys (7:35)
5) DISAPPEAR (Extended 12" Dance Mix) - Inxs (6:50)
6) WORLD (THE PRICE OF LOVE) (Perfecto Mix) - New Order (7:27)
7) ALWAYS (Microbots Trance Dance Mix) - Erasure (4:33)
8. REGRET ( Fire Island Mix) - New Order (7:10)
9) REGRET (Junior Dub Mix) -New Order (to fill end of tape)

Some good memories here. But that was yesterday...AND YESTERDAY'S GONE!!!!!

See anything you like????

[Bernie]

Marky,

Those tunes bring back some really great memories. I look at this period just as I do the Disco era. It's timeless. At least we still have the records.

[BrunoRepublic]

Marky,

Actually, I have quite a few of these myself.... these take me back to when I was doing my serious clubbing. I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks the music industry went to hell in 1992.

[Nano]

Nice selection, Marky.
In fact, if you take a second look at the list you'll find most of your choices are British acts. That music didn't die, it just was taken off the USA airwaves by American "grunge" bands like Nirvana.
The Manchester scene -which then evolved into the "brit pop" scene- had many good "dance rock" numbers, even in the 90's.

[markydefad]

Thanks for the comments, guys.

Nano, give me some more titles in this vein pleeeeeeaasse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D



Just curious as to what to look for.

BTW, I didn't hate Nivana. I liked some of their stuff. It was the likes of Alice In Chains, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam that grated on my nerves. :evil:

[Nano]

OK Marky, here's a list... I'm sure you know most of these names anyway, but of course I hear the U.S. market tends to be less receptive to British rock than we anglophile "porteños" here in Buenos Aires...

Some 80's stuff:

RHEINGOLD - Tridimensional dimensions
THE THE - Uncertain smile
OXO - Whirly girl
OMD - So in love
RUSS BALLARD - Voices
PREFAB SPROUT - The King of rock 'n roll
PREFAB SPROUT - Hey Manhattan! (Marky: if you don't know PS go get as much stuff as you can. They're great)
THE STYLE COUNCIL - Shout to the top
TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY - Wishing well
BLOW MONKEYS - Digging your scene
BRYAN FERRY - Bete noire, I put a spell on you
SWING OUT SISTER - Breakout, You on my mind, Where in the world (and the Living Return album, from 1994)
LOVE AND MONEY - Hallelujah man
SCRITTI POLITTI - Perfect way
FRANCE GALL - Elle é lá
GENE LOVES JEZEBEL - Desire
GENE LOVES JEZEBEL - The motion of love
THE BOLSHOI - Sunday morning
DISSIDENTEN - Fata Morgana

and of course Fine Young Cannibals, Housemartins (now known as Fatboy Slim former band ), Lisa Stansfield...

Now for the 90's stuff:

INSPIRAL CARPETS - Please be cruel
THE SOUP DRAGONS - Free
STEREO MC'S - Connected
HAPPY MONDAYS - Step on
PULP - Disco 2000
EDWYN COLLINS - A girl like you
FUN LOVIN' CRIMINALS - Scooby snacks
SUPERGRASS - Alright
ELASTICA - Connection
REPUBLICA - Ready to go
PRIMAL SCREAM - Come together (and all the Screamadelica album)
THE BREEDERS - Cannonball
MANO NEGRA - Señor Matanza
MANO NEGRA - King Kong Five
LOUISE VERTIGO - Oui est la femme
LONDONBEAT - I've been thinking about you
CHARLES & EDDIE - Would I lie to you?

You mentioned "Always", from Erasure's "I say I say I say" CD. Did you try a track from that one called "Man on the moon"? And did you hear Blur's "Parklife" in its entirety? It's probably their best album. Their first, "Leisure" has a nice Manchester-like hit called "There's no other way" (all Blur is OK and way better than Oasis).

(About Nirvana: it's funny but I was re-listening to "Nevermind" a few weeks ago, and came to the conclusion that it's a really good album. The grunge fuzz let me cold at that time... but that's stuff for another thread.)

[efunk_adelic]

I like a lot of the choices ... but special mention to "Nano's" choice-----> Cannonball ... I still love that song..

as far as Nirvana goes... I still play "Smells Like Teen Spirit, In Bloom, Come As You Are...

I also like Alice In Chains ----> Jar Of Flies (EP)

Pearl Jam ----> Animal (LP)

[K-Bee]

I never though i'd post anything in this "Rock" forum but I'll have to mention two tracks that qualifies as Dance Rock, I guess.

Steve Winwood - "Higher Love"
John Farnham - "Presure Down"

the 12" versions of these two songs are guaranteed floorfillers every time :D

[Nano]

Hi efunkadelic,

incredibly The Breeders played a concert in Buenos Aires two weeks ago (now for monetary reasons, very few bands come here). Only Kim Deal & her "ex con" twin sister Kelley survive from the original band. They played "Cannonball" and even some Pixies classics at a small concert bar. I couldn't go, but people say they still sounded pretty good.
However, I listened to Kim Deal in an interview on a local station and she certainly sounded a bit "out of there". Her only theme of conversation was how she fought to do an analogic recording on their last album and all sound engineers did only digital! :o

[efunk_adelic]

Yeah, I used to work in a record store back during that time... we played that CD almost everyday for about 6 months... so it kinda grew on me. I learned to like some of the alternative stuff because of this one girl who i was very close to... Our common song together to go along with that one was "U Don't Hear Me Tho" Rodney O & Joe Cooley... lol what a pair we were. :D

[SandraDee]

Nano, I'm totally with you regarding 'Hey Manhattan' by Prefab Sprout. This track deserves the description 'classic' IMO. The production levels are always so high on PS's stuff & their lyrics rival the Pet Shop Boys for ironic cleverness. Very classy music.
Marky, can I just mention a group also in this vein called Kissing The Pink who made brilliant, classy & under-rated records too. They are very much in the style of New order & Scritti polotti.

[markydefad]

Thanks for the input, guys!!! :D

Lessee, on Nano's first list...I don't know much about Prefab Sprout, Rheengold, Russ Ballard, France Gall, The Bolshoi or Dissidenten. I have stuff by the others.

On the 90's list, I DO HAVE Stereo MC's ( LOVED "Elevate My Mind" & "Connected"), Edwyn Collins, Pulp, Elastica, Londonbeat and Charles & Eddie ("Would I Lie To You" is one of my faves from the 1990's such a nice throwback to '70's soul).

I recall having something by Kissing The Pink...but I'll have to check and see what it is.

I guess the group I gotta check out first is Prefab Sprout. Thanks for the suggestions!!! :D

[Joshua B]

Hi all. This is my first post. I started checking this web site about two years ago and really enjoyed the audio shows that were available.

My favorite styles of dance music are deep house (both instrumental and soulful vocal) and Jamaican music.

I think I have something to contribute to this topic. Last weekend I made the mix I that had been in my head for years. I call it Manchester Anthems 1989-1992. When you see the track list you'll notice obviously not all the bands are from Manchester, England, but I hope you see the niche club style I was going for.

1. The Farm - Groovy Train
2. The Wolfgang Press - Mama Told Me Not to Come
3. Definition of Sound - Wear Your Love Like Heaven
4. Inspiral Carpets - Commercial Rain
5. 808 State - Lift
6. The Pop Will Eat Itself - Cicciolina
7. St. Etienne - Only Love Can Break Your Heart
8. Single Gun Theory - Surrender
9. Primal Scream - Come Together
10. The Farm - All Together Now
11. The Pop Will Eat Itself - X Y & Zee
12. Electronic - Get the Message
13. Blur - There's No Other Way
14. My Bloody Valentine - Soon
15. Stone Roses - Fools Gold
16. Jesus Jones - International Bright Young Thing
17. Charlatans UK - The Only One I Know
18. The Sugarcubes - Hit
19. Stone Roses - One Love
20. Ian McCulloch - Close Your Eyes
21. James - Born of Frustration
22. EMF - Unbelievable
23. Chapterhouse - Falling Down
24. U2 - The Fly
25. Jesus Jones - Right Here Right Now
26. Soupdragons - I'm Free
27. Happy Mondays - Step On
28. Cocteau Twins - Iceblink Luck
29. Ride - Leave them all Behind
30. Lush - Etherial
31. The Cure - Fascination Street
32. The Cure - Never Enough
33. The The - Jealous of Youth
34. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Kiss them for Me
35. Chapterhouse - Pearl
36. Primal Scream - Loaded
37. Candyflip - Strawberry Fields Forever
38. Stereo MCs - Connected

A friend is hosting a download page here.

Would love to hear your comments.

[SandraDee]

I do love St.Etienne & 808 State. I think the early 90's threw up some interesting sounds in dance/pop & the UK was on a roll for a couple of years. What the hell happened from '94 onwards? :-?

[markydefad]

Steely Dan & Nano:

I went out shopping (looking for that Jimmy Ross & Hi-Tension). Didn't find either...BUT I did find a Prefab Sprout compilation: "The Collection"

1. Lions in My Own Garden
2. Don't Sing (McAloon)
3. Couldn't Bear to Be Special (McAloon)
4. When Love Breaks Down (McAloon)
5. Faron Young (McAloon)
6. Appetite (McAloon)
7. Johnny Johnny
8. Cars And Girls (McAloon)
9. King of Rock & Roll (McAloon)
10. Hey Manhattan! (McAloon)
11. I Remember That (McAloon)
12. The Golden Calf
13. Looking For Atlantis (McAloon)
14. We Let the Stars Go (McAloon)
15. Carnival 2000 (McAloon)
16. The Sound of Crying (McAloon)
17. If You Don't Love Me (McAloon)
18. Life of Surprises (McAloon)
19. Prisoner of the Past
20. Electric Guitars
21. Cue Fanfare (McAloon)
22. Cruel (McAloon)
23. Bonny
24. Movin' the River
25. Desire As
26. Horsin' Around
27. Pearly Gates
28. Til the Cows Come Home
29. Enchanted
30. Nightingales
31. Jordan: the Comeback (McAloon)
32. All the World Loves Lovers (McAloon)
33. Jesse James Bolero (McAloon)
34. Doo-Wop in Harlem (McAloon)
35. Life's a Miracle
36. Swans
37. Andromeda Heights
38. Where the Heart Is

Also got a UK pressing of any early recommended LP "Steve McQueen" (retitled "Two Wheels Good" in the U.S.)

Haven't listened yet. ( So what's new??) :roll: