POLL : FAVOURITE RECORD SHACK RELEASE

[motobiker]

I think Chap2Power was referring to the similar keyboard hooks, that "Relax" and "High Energy" were built around.

I see... and apologise (I was only half awake when i posted that - never a good idea :icon_eek:)

Miss Levine was never known for his originality!!

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Miss Levine was never known for his originality!!

Maybe so... But I'll defend Ian by saying that his greatest crime has always been "not knowing when to stop". Most obvious example...? NIGHTMARE Records, creatively, spun out-of-control, within mere months of it's inception. And NIGHTMARE Gold (a release venue for all the product that UA and AVI didn't want to release, years earlier...), just never should have happened. It was all, simply, too much product, too fast!

It's no news that he rubbed quite a few people, the wrong way... But to me, personally, he was always a kind, generous and (probably a bit too) enthusiastic promoter.

As a Hi-End Club DJ and NRG Reporter, at that time, I'll opine that the worldwide, cross-over success of Evelyn Thomas' "High Energy", marked the floodgates of Disco being allowed to re-open. (That he, then, proceeded to beat that poor sequencer keyboard into-the-ground, is another story. But, hell! Everyone else in the UK was getting mileage out of his schtick. Why wouldn't he try to, as well?) And, like it, or not... Weston's 'Record Shack' label made history.

Ian's late 70's work for United Artists Records (with Danny Raye Leake, Paul David Wilson and Pip Williams), retains classic status. Barbara Pennington's "24 Hours A Day" and Doris Jones' "No Way Out" are still two of the consumate Disco records of that era. And the James Wells LP, "My Claim To Fame", that he did with Fiachra Trench for AVI (granted, the 12" versions were far superior to the LP mixes), remains a major collector's item. (But, as with Record Shack, he proceeded to take that successful sound for AVI, and beat it into-the-ground.)

Lastly, remember that it was Ian's remixes of The Pet Shop Boys' "It's A Sin", Hazell Dean's "Searchin'", Kim Wilde's "You Keep Me Hangin' On", Eria Fachin's "Savin' Myself" and the early productions of Ian Anthony Stevens (just to name a few...), that took them to worldwide success.

I know a lot of people have their complaints about Ian Levine, and I'll agree, most-all of them are valid. But you can't dismiss the major role he played in the history of Disco and Hi-NRG. Unfortunately (through no one's fault, but his own), his successes will always be overshadowed by his excesses.

[Chap2Power]

Maybe so... But I'll defend Ian by saying that his greatest crime has always been "not knowing when to stop". Most obvious example...? NIGHTMARE Records, creatively, spun out-of-control, within mere months of it's inception. And NIGHTMARE Gold (a release venue for all the product that UA and AVI didn't want to release, years earlier...), just never should have happened. It was all, simply, too much product, too fast!

It's no news that he rubbed quite a few people, the wrong way... But to me, personally, he was always a kind, generous and (probably a bit too) enthusiastic promoter.

As a Hi-End Club DJ and NRG Reporter, at that time, I'll opine that the worldwide, cross-over success of Evelyn Thomas' "High Energy", marked the floodgates of Disco being allowed to re-open. (That he, then, proceeded to beat that poor sequencer keyboard into-the-ground, is another story. But, hell! Everyone else in the UK was getting mileage out of his schtick. Why wouldn't he try to, as well?) And, like it, or not... Weston's 'Record Shack' label made history.

Ian's late 70's work for United Artists Records (with Danny Raye Leake, Paul David Wilson and Pip Williams), retains classic status. Barbara Pennington's "24 Hours A Day" and Doris Jones' "No Way Out" are still two of the consumate Disco records of that era. And the James Wells LP, "My Claim To Fame", that he did with Fiachra Trench for AVI (granted, the 12" versions were far superior to the LP mixes), remains a major collector's item. (But, as with Record Shack, he proceeded to take that successful sound for AVI, and beat it into-the-ground.)

Lastly, remember that it was Ian's remixes of The Pet Shop Boys' "It's A Sin", Hazell Dean's "Searchin'", Kim Wilde's "You Keep Me Hangin' On", Eria Fachin's "Savin' Myself" and the early productions of Ian Anthony Stevens (just to name a few...), that took them to worldwide success.

I know a lot of people have their complaints about Ian Levine, and I'll agree, most-all of them are valid. But you can't dismiss the major role he played in the history of Disco and Hi-NRG. Unfortunately (through no one's fault, but his own), his successes will always be overshadowed by his excesses.

I am a big Stephen Freeman fan and he's my friend, but I would contest with a smile, that Ian's mix of "Savin' Myself" took it to worldwide success. What his remix did was extended the life of a record that I produced and mixed not once, but on two separate releases.

It was the Blaster mix that brought not only Ian, but Critique to the table as well as DJM in Spain. The record had hit # 1 on the HiNRG chart in the UK without the benefit of Ian's mix. As for the US, we had charted prior to the US release on DMR and imports gave us a Billboard # to boot. It was then that Ian's mix was initially released to US audiences thereafter, giving it a bigger boost and quite honestly, it was used as a vehicle to stop parallel imports from Canada and the UK.

My original mix was a little bit dirty and very much a production in its youth. But on that Blaster Mix, my friends David Platt who did all the programming and our engineer Angelo Civiero brought out things in me as a producer and this track, a converted country pop song that I never knew possible. Without those elements and the excitement created previously, there would have been no reason for anyone to get excited at all.

One trivia point is that the original breakdown in the song was played by Mike Alyanak (RIP) on a drum machine that would not midi up. So he played it live and it stuck. Mike was one of the brain childs behind Harlow and he owned the studio where the original mix was done.

Many DJ's played more than one version of "Savin'", and Ian's mix ensured many during that era would continue to do so. But worldwide success ? Well, I don't think so :).

On the other hand, I DO think that "It's A Sin" and "You Keep Me Hangin' On" are two of Ian's masterworks, with the Pet Shop Boys in particular benefiting from his brilliance.

As for Ian's previous work, I always thought "24 Hours A Day" was not only an amazing record, but as well, what Eminem or his braintrust had to listen to before they did "Without Me". There sure is some similar love there trackwise.

Steven, you put the rest of his works in perspective so eloquently, that it caps it off just perfectly.

Vince

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

I was one of the DJ's playing those, original mixes of Eria and 'Crystal In The Pink' (PDX76 AND 78), on POWER.
(GAWD!!! How I LOVED playing those 2, back-to-back. Was there any other way???)
Then came Barbara Doust, and I simply ruined a perfectly good blouse, with the saliva stains.

But... More importantly...

My sincerest apologies, Vince. I never intended the statement to give Ian complete credit. Nor, for it to come across that way.:icon_eek:

Quite honestly, I'd been working on that entry for about an hour, already. I was trying to wrap-it-up and get out of the house, to work.

That sentence came as I was staring at a wall of records, thinking... "Quick! What were his biggest???"

***And, when I think of the song, that Saturday Records label automatically pops into my brain. (With the catalogue #: "STD 1"! That's funny! :icon_lol:) The Blaster Mix is on the flip-side of that pressing. I'd even forgotten that it was released on Critique.:icon_redface: By then, I'd already burned through 3 different pressings of it.


P.S. Thanks for acknowledging (the rest of) my "take" on Ian's work. I appreciate it and am very flattered.
You know what a huge fan I am of yours, as well!
After all, you did salvage a piece of my, personal, Disco legacy.

[kdavid13]

It was the Blaster mix that brought not only Ian, but Critique to the table as well as DJM in Spain. The record had hit # 1 on the HiNRG chart in the UK without the benefit of Ian's mix. As for the US, we had charted prior to the US release on DMR and imports gave us a Billboard # to boot. It was then that Ian's mix was initially released to US audiences thereafter, giving it a bigger boost and quite honestly, it was used as a vehicle to stop parallel imports from Canada and the UK.

The blaster mix of "Saving Myself" will forever be my favorite...despite my being a huge Levine fan.Part of the fun was seeing this Canadian hit become an international success.

And what about the "will it be remixed or not ?" excitement that surfaced when we all fell in love with "Eria's Aria/I hear a symphony" off the My name is Eria Fachin album ?

I wonder what you think of the Almighty mix of Savin' Myself that surfaced in 96/97 ??

Being from Canada ; I always had a deep affection for anything on the Power label. Quality HiNRG coming from the homeland.(I even remember reading your STREETSOUND interview in which you discuss your youth and the way you got into music.)

Who can forget Vanelle,Patrick L Myles [R.I.P.] and Karen Silver's I don't wanna fall in love again ???

But my all-time favorite Vince DeGiorgio mix has got to be Sylve's I've only got you to blame.

That one is in my all-time top 5.

You made us proud my friend.

[tstempfley]

I voted for Earlene Bentley's 'Caught In The Act' but my very favourite has to be Eastbound Expressway's 'Primitive Desire'.

Totally agree, Primitive desire is the best--
But, I had to vote for the "Boys come to Town" as the only one on the list that rates....!!

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Totally agree, Primitive desire is the best--
But, I had to vote for the "Boys come to Town" as the only one on the list that rates....!!

If you ever come across a copy of this mix, of "Primitive Desire", buy it!
http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/5901_0_2_0_C/

[the disco kid]

I voted for "Close To Perfection" Miguel Brown, what a gorgeous piece of morning music, done in samba style rhythm. And lyricly it about as Gay as it gets, Broadway shows and rainbows being mentioned as well as a nod to her first "hit" "Symphony Of Love".
I remember dancing to this at the Saint in New York with 1500 other men and it was just a beautiful experience.

[JussiK]

Totally agree, Primitive desire is the best

Amen to that - one of those rare multicultural/genre-defying 80's boogie tunes like "Aqua de Coco" by Mark Kamins. It's not as harsh on the ears as many sharply electronic hi-nrg tracks, either. Timeless. Spinned it at a party a couple of months back, it works.

[Chap2Power]

I was one of the DJ's playing those, original mixes of Eria and 'Crystal In The Pink' (PDX76 AND 78), on POWER.
(GAWD!!! How I LOVED playing those 2, back-to-back. Was there any other way???)
Then came Barbara Doust, and I simply ruined a perfectly good blouse, with the saliva stains.

But... More importantly...

My sincerest apologies, Vince. I never intended the statement to give Ian complete credit. Nor, for it to come across that way.:icon_eek:

Quite honestly, I'd been working on that entry for about an hour, already. I was trying to wrap-it-up and get out of the house, to work.

That sentence came as I was staring at a wall of records, thinking... "Quick! What were his biggest???"

***And, when I think of the song, that Saturday Records label automatically pops into my brain. (With the catalogue #: "STD 1"! That's funny! :icon_lol:) The Blaster Mix is on the flip-side of that pressing. I'd even forgotten that it was released on Critique.:icon_redface: By then, I'd already burned through 3 different pressings of it.


P.S. Thanks for acknowledging (the rest of) my "take" on Ian's work. I appreciate it and am very flattered.
You know what a huge fan I am of yours, as well!
After all, you did salvage a piece of my, personal, Disco legacy.

Haha...no worries Steven ! I just thought I'd add my two cents. The biggest problem it seems, is remembering everything about these productions. And slowly, it all comes back to me..

Vince

[Chap2Power]

The blaster mix of "Saving Myself" will forever be my favorite...despite my being a huge Levine fan.Part of the fun was seeing this Canadian hit become an international success.

And what about the "will it be remixed or not ?" excitement that surfaced when we all fell in love with "Eria's Aria/I hear a symphony" off the My name is Eria Fachin album ?

I wonder what you think of the Almighty mix of Savin' Myself that surfaced in 96/97 ??

Being from Canada ; I always had a deep affection for anything on the Power label. Quality HiNRG coming from the homeland.(I even remember reading your STREETSOUND interview in which you discuss your youth and the way you got into music.)

Who can forget Vanelle,Patrick L Myles [R.I.P.] and Karen Silver's I don't wanna fall in love again ???

But my all-time favorite Vince DeGiorgio mix has got to be Sylve's I've only got you to blame.

That one is in my all-time top 5.

You made us proud my friend.

Thanks so much for the kind words Kris. I am truly flattered.

To answer your questions, I really liked what Martyn and the Almighty team did to Savin' Myself. There is an also an ACE Remix from Australia that is more of an edit, but again, quite good. All of the mixes will be forthcoming on iTunes shortly.

With regards to Eria's album, it was a very difficult album to make. I always wanted "Only A Hope" to be the 2nd single. Originally, it was an Italian pop song that Eria (RIP) and her husband Lou Bartolomucci wrote called "Sole Espanza". The compromise was to release "Your Love Just Came Too Late". John Luongo also re-produced a version of it as well. So after two decades, I'm going in to listen to the tapes on "Remember Me" (first recorded by Jackie Quartz as "Vivre Ailleurs" in French) and "Hope", and looking for remix them for 2009.

Vanelle is now a mother of two, and in my mind was a true trailblazer. She knew more aboout production than anyone we hired to work with her. I truly believe she was a much better writer than even the songs we recorded showed. On "Set Me Free", Patrick L Myles and Barbara Doust are doing the backing vocals. She is my co-writer on "I Don't Wanna Fall In Love Again" as well.

Patrick, we lost way too soon. "My Heart's On Fire" was an obvious homage to Michael Bow's "Love And Devotion". It was another 'deal' made because he was certain that "Superman" was a hit. He was American, from Oklahoma and was brought to us by Toronto DJ Bob Currer.

In closing (and sorry for hijacking this section), my favourite mix was also Sylve's record, mostly because of its simplicity. Brian Perry, Streetsound's HI NRG editor charted the single at # 1, loved it also..

We now return you to our regularly scheduled thread....

Vince