Gotta Tape I Wanna Play

This has been a staple in my sets for years. Now Greg Wilson's giving away a wav on his Soundcloud...

Equip

 Back in 2007 or 2008, Dave Tat gave me a copy of this reissue for my birthday & lately I've been considering posting it. I'm glad I waited, because Greg Wilson just posted a fresh wav file! Equip consisted of Wilson, Magazine's Martin Jackson & A Certain Ratio's Andy Connell. Get the scoop from the 12"s liner notes below:

In 1984 Street Sounds released the experimental ‘UK Electro’ album as part of their now legendary Electro series. All but one of the tracks on this ‘compilation’ were written and produced by the same nucleus of people, although the labels owner, Morgan Khan, came up with an array of fictitious names for the album credits, giving the impression of a thriving British Electro movement.

The trio behind the lion’s share of ‘UK Electro’ were Greg Wilson, a pioneering DJ who’d championed Electro via his cutting-edge nights at venues including Wigan Pier and Manchester clubs, Legend and The Hacienda, Martin Jackson, formerly a drummer with the band Magazine, and Andy Connell, the keyboard player with A Certain Ratio (Connell and Jackson would later go on to chart success, having formed Swing Out Sister).

‘UK Electro’ would reach the highly creditable position of number 60 on the album chart and is nowadays regarded as a cult-classic, having been an inspiration for the oncoming generation of homegrown dance producers, who’d make such an impact later in the decade. Much was made at the time about a British DJ being involved in making, rather than playing records, although this would become the norm a few years down the line.

One track from the sessions the ‘UK Electro’ collaborators worked on that never made the LP was ‘XXXO’ by Equip, which Morgan Khan didn’t deem strong enough for inclusion, perhaps due to its straighter 4/4 beat. It was recorded as a demo at Manchester’s Drone Studio in December 1983, along with another track that did appear on the album, ‘Real Time (Retrospective Dub)’ by Zer-o.

Issued for the first time, as a limited edition 12”,‘XXXO’ is a slice of British dance history, which has been described, in hindsight, as ‘Proto Acid House’. By complete accident, Wilson, Jackson and Connell had anticipated the direction that dance music was destined to take, but the track would never see the light of day, with only record company and DJ contacts, along with friends and family, getting to hear the demo back then.

When, in the early 90’s, Greg Wilson featured it on a promo cassette compilation of his work, a number of people expressed surprise that it actually pre-dated the early Chicago House releases, having assumed that this was the source of the tracks inspiration. More recently, Wilson included it on a CD he put together, originally for members of the Electro Empire website, which included an alternative version of ‘UK Electro’. It’s from these CD’s that the interest in ‘XXXO’ has built, resulting in the decision to finally make it available all these years on.

Safari

Contrary to his usual style, Greg Wilson actually shortened the instrumental a bit with this edit. In his own words:

Previously limited vinyl only 2008

This edit (peppered with additional spins and samples) first appeared on Ruff Edits #2 as ‘Scandinavian Safari’ - the original, ‘Safari’ by Modern Sound Corporation, being a track I used to play at my hometown club, New Brighton’s Golden Guinea, back in 1979. For my edit, I placed the emphasis on the superior instrumental ‘Pt 2′ version, which found favour in UK Jazz-Funk circles at the time, its unique combination of African and Caribbean flavours setting it apart as a dubbed-up percussion driven Disco hybrid.

Arriving on import via TK’s Sunshine Sound label, prior to its UK release on Epic, it was assumed that this was hot out of Miami – but there was a strange but true twist to the tale, as it turned out to be of Swedish origin, having first surfaced in this unlikely location the previous year. It was, however, remixed by Florida’s finest, Harry Wayne Casey & Richard Finch, from KC & The Sunshine Band.

Modern Sound Corporation 'Safari' (greg wilson edit) by gregwilson

Cathedrals

Greg Wilson recently decided to share a wav of his instrumental edit of Cathedrals, previously only available on the first Disco Deviance 12".

D.C. LaRue 'Cathedrals' (greg wilson edit) by gregwilson

Eclectic Circus Wireless Show

I'm a big fan of the Eclectic Circus radio program. The hosts, Paul Hughes and Adey Luvdup, describe the program like this:

Thursday night is Eclectic Circus Wireless Show night with Paul Hughes and Adey Luvdup from 10pm on Salford City Radio - laugh, cry and possibly feel a little queasy as you listen to two semi-retired Acid Housers who simply refuse to let go as they grow old disgracefully on air...They also happen to play some bloody good music into the bargain.

The most recent edition sadly has no voice over, but it's packed full of summer groove rarities and presented uncut on soundcloud, 20 minutes longer than it's original air length. The banter between the two hosts is almost as good as the music itself - chock full or arguments and choice accents.

The Eclectic Circus UNCUT Bunga Bunga BBQ Mix - Limited Download by The Eclectic Circus

Check out their soundcloud page to hear special guest mixes on the program from Greg Wilson and Tom Moulton (yes, the Tom Moulton) and make sure you follow them!

Year of the Edit will be back this week, so I'll see you soon!

You Can't Hide

A straight up classic for your Valentine's Day. Files of the vocal 12" version aren't too difficult to find, but the instrumental is more of a challenge. I finally found a copy of the 12" at Tequila Sunrise last summer and ripped the elusive side. Though I enjoy David's vocals on the track, I think the instrumental has it's place too.

David Joseph - You Can't Hide (Your Love From Me)
Zshare | YSI | 320 kbps

David Joseph - You Can't Hide (Your Love From Me) Instrumental
Zshare | YSI | 320 kbps

Also, if you have a couple minutes, here's Greg Wilson doing some tricks with it on TV in '83: