Tell me why?

Date: Thursday 25th February 2010
Found: Cancer Research Charity Shop, West Ealing, London
Price: £1

The Sindecut - Tell Me Why?
Virgin Records, 1990

A
1. Tell Me Why?

B
1. Tell Me Why? (LP Version)
2. Wisdom

Another one of those "I haven't got a clue what this is but I'm gonna buy it anyway" records that turns out to be pretty awesome. I had never heard of The Sindecut before but it turns out they were pretty big around the early 90s. A UK based hip hop and soul group of DJs, rappers and vocalists including MC Crazy Noddy, DJ Fingers, Louise Francis, Lyn E Lyn, Don't Ramp and Spikey Tee.

After a few listens to this song I was hooked, the rap ain't so good but it makes up for it with sweet vocals and a great bassline. Enjoy!

Airport '89

Date: Thursday 25th February 2010
Found: Families Relief Charity Shop, West Ealing, London
Price: £1

Classic early rave tune from the 80s here - actually thought to be one of the first - Wood Allen was also a pseudonym (of many) of Black Box! The club version here is the one everyone will remember with it's classic rave sounding synths all over the show, cut up vocal snippets and chugging bassline. The radio version, which I'm still in two minds about, eschews the rave synths for a rather sinister sounding piano. The bonus with this vinyl is the scratch samples on the second track of the B-Side, result!

Wood Allen - Airport '89
BCM Recordsl, 1989

A
1. Airport '89 (Club Mix)

B
1. Airport '89 (Radio Version)
2. Sound and Freq. Scratching

Bobby Bonus

Date: Thursday 25th February 2010

Found: Families Relief Charity Shop, West Ealing, London
Price: £1 each

Some poor soul was silly enough to give away a prize selection of Bobby Brown records and I am lucky enough to be the new (and rightful) owner of these gems:

Bobby Brown - My Prerogative
MCA Records, 1988

A
1. My Prerogative (Extended Mix)

B
1. Girl Next Door (Extended Version)
2. My Prerogative (Instrumental)

*

Bobby Brown - Don't Be Cruel

MCA Records, 1988

A

1. Don't Be Cruel (Extended Version)

B

1. Don't Be Cruel (Radio Edit)

2. Don't Be Cruel (Accapella)

*

Bobby Brown - Roni

MCA Records, 1989

A

1. Roni (Extended Version)

B

1. The 'Every Little Hit' Mix

- Every Little Step

- On Our Own

- Don't Be Cruel

- *My Prerogative

She Drives Me Crazy

Date: Thursday 25th February 2010
Found: PDSA Charity Shop, West Ealing, London
Price: 80p

FYC (Fine Young Cannibals) - She Drives Me Crazy
FFRR Records Ltd, 1988

A
1. She Drives Me Crazy (The Monie Love Remix)

B
1. Pull The Sucker Off
2. She Drives Me Crazy

When I picked this record up I didn't know that FYC = Fine Young Cannibals, I only saw "Monie Love Remix" and thought this could either be really awful or amazing. I was pleasantly surprised (and confused) when I played it and realised what it was. It's basically a mash-up of the fine Young Cannibals' She Drives Me Crazy and Monie Love's I'll Drive You Crazy which makes perfect sense as they were released the same year and have similar titles. It sounds like it could be a total cheesefest but it's not, it's done really well and to great effect.

I've posted the video with the 12" Mix as I couldn't find a video with the Monie Love remix, and anyway it's better than the original version. I have also put up the original version of I'll Drive You Crazy by Monie Love so maybe if you listen to both at the same time with your eyes closed your brain could do some really special maths.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T

Date: Thursday 25th February 2010
Found: Cancer Research Charity Shop, West Ealing, London
Price: £1

Adeva - Respect
Cooltempo, 1988

A
1. Respect (extended version)

B
1. Respect (Rough Mix)
2. Respect (Dub Version)

I was excited to come across this record in my local charity shop this afternoon after reading about it on the Legendary Children blog just last night, coincidence?
Adeva's strong, soulful vocals work wonderfully with this garage house version of the classic Respect, made famous by Aretha Franklin 20 years earlier in 1967.

Have a look below for the video where Adeva struts her stuff in a rather unusual take on Construction worker chic (complete with handcuffs... I'm guessing that if you don't show her the respect she deserves you could find yourself attached to a scaffold indefinitely!)

Extended Version:

Chanelle

Date: Thursday 25th February 2007
Found: Families Relief Charity Shop, West Ealing, London
Price: £1

Chanelle - One Man
Cooltempo, 1988

A
1. One Man (One Mix)

B
1. One Man (Dope Mix)
2. One Ma (Intense Mix)

I bought this record with very little to go on except for the fact that it was from the Cooltempo record label, had very similar artwork to the Adeva record in the next post and the words "Frankie" and "Knuckles" in very small writing on the label. My detective work paid off as this is not a bad record at all - having listened to it, I certainly think it has the potential to grow on me. It's a real feel good song with cheerful piano and gospel backing vocals.

Melting Pot

Date: Wednesday 17th February 2010
Found: Red Cross Charity Shop, Lewisham, London
Price: £1.50

Booker T & The M.G.'s - Melting Pot LP

Stax, 1971

A
1. Melting Pot

2. Back Home

3. Chicken Pox

4. Fuquawi

B
1. Kinda Easy Like

2. Hi Ride

3. L.A. Jazz Song

4. Sunny Monday

I was really chuffed with finding this original pressing in the Red Cross Shop last week. Fair enough the sleeve is a bit tatty (kinda expected for a 29 year old record!), but the vinyl is absolutely mint with barely any audible crackle. I picked up on it due to the title track 'Melting Pot' being an original Hip Hop break from the late 70s and me being a wannabe breaker when I was about 16 years old. Funk really doesn't get any better with it's organs, rolling bassline and incredible breakdown in the middle - proper 2am, tiny sweaty basement stuff. I did try to pick out some highlights, but the whole album is incredible, so below is the title track. I did want to post L.A. Jazz song, but can't find it on youtube, although you can hear it here if you have itunes.

Grandpa's Party

Date: 25th December 2009
Found: Wrapping paper, Somerset
Price: £0

Monie Love - Grandpa's Party

Cooltempo, 1989

A
1. Grandpa's Party (The Love II Love Remix)

B
1. Grandpa's Party (Music Mix)
2. I'm Driving You Crazy

So we haven't posted much recently due to a lack of trips to charity shops/ a lack of decent vinyl available in the charity shops we do go to/ Pac having a saturday job = no Deptford Market/ a lack of money to spend on records. Therefore I have decided to write about the Records that Pac got me for Christmas to tide you over!

This first record is a song that I wrote about previously as it was on the Monie Love album Down To Earth that I bought a few months ago. However the problem with buying albums is that the playback is often quieter and not quite the full quality you'd get with a 12" single. Plus you get a couple of remixes thrown in that can open up a whole new side to a much loved song.

So knowing how much I love Grandpa's Party, you can only imagine how overjoyed I was to find this in my pile of presents on Jesus' Birthday!

I'm not going bore you by repeating what I wrote about the Love II Love Remix which also appears on the album. However the vinyl includes the Music Mix, that I hadn't heard before by Richie Ferme who also remixed Doin' Our Own Dang. I think I prefer this remix as it has a much more house-y feel to it.

New Jack Swing Mastercuts Volume 1

Date: Friday 27th November
Found: Music & Goods Exchange, Notting Hill
Price: £3

New Jack Swing Mastercuts Volume 1

Mastercuts, 1992

A
1. Rub You The Right Way (Original Extended Hype 12" Mix) - Johnny Gill
2. Her (Original 12" Mix) - Guy

3. I Got The Feeling (Original 12" Mix) - Today

B
1. New Jack Swing (Original 12" Mix) - Wrecks-N-Effects
2. She's Got That Vibe (Original 12" Mix) - R Kelly & Public Annoucement

3. Do Me Right (Original 12" Vocal Remix) - Guy

C

1. Sensitivity (Original 7" Radio Mix) - Ralph Tresvant

2. So You Like What You See (Original Extended Album Mix) - Samuelle

3. Poison (Original 12" Mix) - Bell Biv Devoe

D

1. Treat Them Like They Want To Be Treated (Original 12" Mix) - Father MC

2. Another Like My Lover (Original Hip Hop 12" Remix) - Jasmine Guy

3. Mama Told Me (Original Full CD Mix) - Keisha Jackson

I know this record was £3, but I had to post it here as I love the Mastercut series for so many reasons. Partly because they only feature the extended or 12" versions, but also the quality of the songs they choose and the quality of vinyl they use to press makes them amazing for DJs. Particularly if you are just getting into a genre that's relatively unknown to you or are starting out as a vinyl DJ, and there library and range of genres is pretty comprehensive - check the full list here.

Anyway back to New Jack Swing Volume 1 - every tune is a banger, although my fav (other than the more obvious choices) is definitely 'I Got The Feeling', with it's reverse reverbed drums (I love reverse reverb) and rolling disco-esque bassline.

The House Sound of Chicago

Date: Tuesday 17th November 2009

Found: Cancer Research Charity Shop, West Ealing
Price: £2

The House Sound Of Chicago

DJ International, 1986

A
1. Jack Your Body - Steve 'Silk' Hurley
2. Mystery of Love - Fingers Inc.

3. Shadows of Your Love - J M Silk

4. Like This - Chip E Inc. featuring K Joy

B
1. Love Can't Turn Around - Farley Jackmaster Funk featuring Daryl Pandy

2. Music Is The Key - J M Silk

3. Move Your Body (The House Music Anthem) - Marshall Jefferson

I was pretty chuffed when I picked this up a couple of months ago, especially as I now have the version of 'Move Your Body' with the extra bassy synth in the intro, that's been eluding me for a couple of years. The other highlight for me was 'Like This' by Chip E, which I'd never heard prior to this! Treat!