CONCEPT CREATED - MIDDERHONZ
ARTWORK & MIX - planetmeech
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE MADE AWARE WHEN FUTURE PROJECTS BECOME AVAILABLE,
THEN PLEASE
THIS IS NOT A MONEY MAKING EXERCISE
IT HAS BEEN DONE PURELY FOR
THE LOVE OF MUSIC
AND WE ARE HAVING AN ABSOLUTE BLAST
BELOW YOU WILL FIND LINKS TO THE FEATURED ARTISTS ALONG WITH BASIC NOTES EXPLAINING MUSICAL CHOICES AND INSPIRATIONS
A journey through musical influences that have been a part of my life at certain times and remained with me throughout. With the Black Lives Matter movement hardly spending a day off our social media and news, now seems a good a time as any to share some inspirational, motivational and in some cases down right ridiculous Black inspired musical magic... dedicated to Toots Hibbert of Toots and The Maytals who passed away last week!!
I PUT A SPELL ON YOU - SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS
An absolute original RnB classic. Heard many different versions but this is the original and the best.. how he managed to produce such good music as well as having either 57 or 75 children is a mystery to me.
Many will say Shante (and of course I am a big fan) but for me MC Lyte is the Queen of female golden era Hip-Hop. Remember Westwood playing the video on the N-Sign Radio Rap show and from there my love for Lyte started.. even getting the “Lyte as a Rock” imported LP on vinyl from my Auntie Anne one Christmas and playing it non-stop - to the delight of my relatives!
My Mum was a massive musical influence on me, playing music all the time (which will become apparent later in the show) and Prince was always heavily featured.. I could have picked any ten to put on here but I went with Sexy MF.. not really sure why, not really his best work but It’s my show and I’ll play what I like...
LIVE AT THE BARBEQUE (FEAT. NAS) - MAIN SOURCE
“cos verbally, I’m iller than an aids patient” Nas absolute kills on this track. Main Source were massively under-rated in my opinion and never got the recognition they fully deserved but I can honestly say that this would feature in my all time top 10 rap records...
This song reminds me of going to clubs when I was under-age - it is up there with Sydney Youngblood and Cameo... massive tune!! Get those silver trousers and white loafers on.. we gonna have a party!!
EVERY 1'S A WINNER - HOT CHOCOLATE
A Dad classic!! My Old Man was an avid Hot Chocolate fan so I had to include at least 1 HC song for him... if I was ever to go on Stars In Their Eyes, I would’ve blacked up (probably not allowed these days) and sung this song... Tonight planetmeech, I’m gonna be Errol Brown!!
NEVER TOO MUCH - LUTHER VANDROSS
From Dad to Mum - and she will appear further down the playlist!! There was a Luther concert that was played late at night on BBC1 that my Mum recorded.. the man kills it, vocally and personality and this song is the killer song of that gig.. he ain’t just a Kentucky Friend Chicken eating mother fucker...
Keeping it soulful and mellow with Miss Cherry... bought the album from Asda when it was known as Carrefour and played it to death.. Manchild for me is the best tune on the album but again, could have picked 2 or 3 more!! She could’ve been Mrs Hansford but I kept dodging her calls...
FRIENDLY PRESSURE - JHELISA & SUNSHIP
Soul? Acid Jazz? A bit of both, but first heard this song on a mad Coldcut mix from the Journeys by DJ albums.. broke up the madness for a bit and bought the mix back down to earth... love it!!
Ah man... I love the Jungle Brothers and love this song on their second album!! No, it’s not their best work but listen to the words and the music - just flows nicely and sometimes that is all Rap music needs!!
BRIDGING THE GAP (FEAT. OLU DARA) - NAS
Nas is back!! Again a bit of old school RnB included from his Dad on this track. Nas is up there isn’t he? One of the best ever to take the mic... TUNE!
Another Night Network thank you here. Run DMC played this track live just before the UK release of Tougher Than Leather. I knew the original track by the Monkees (Aunty Mary) and just because of that it had to be included. Crazy mad, Hip Hop track…
Back to old VHS videos of concerts that my Mum used to play all the time. This one was almost porn for a young lad growing up in my house. The concert had Lee Johns (lead singer) and Sinitta gyrating and writhing on stage to this song, semi naked!! Was very erotic and made total sense of the song that Lee was singing…. Imagination were very under-rated…
One of the greatest voices ever to come out of the valleys. The sample was used by Public Enemy for the song, Harder Than You think – much used for the backdrop for the London Olympics in 2012, love that song but love the Bassey original more….
SHOOTING HOOPS - G. LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE
The inspiration behind this comes from a playlist that was given to me by my great friend Jason White – a massive musical influence in my most recent of years – The playlist was dedicated to a “gentleman’s” club in Wales called the Fantasy Lounge and featured a lot of tracks that reminded JW of being “entertained” after hours by the staff of the establishment – use your imagination as you listen!!!
ZUNGGUZUNGGUGUZUNGGUZENG - YELLOWMAN
4 Reggae in a row now – and I couldn’t have a black-inspired-playlist without featuring some classic Reggae/Dancehall. If you can say the name of this song, without pausing for breath or getting it wrong you’re a better man than me… Makes me feel all “Irie” and laid back when I listen to this – usually with a big smile on my big bald face!!!
54-46 WAS MY NUMBER - TOOTS & THE MAYTELS
A classic that for some reason I always knew of – definitely a go-to when it comes to listening to Reggae of any kind – a bit mainstream but who cares – it’s just good, good music!! R.I.P. Toots
A little bit of Two-Tone/Ska/Reggae/Mod – As mentioned in my previous edition, the Bird Aviary estate and Velmore was very Reggae/Mod orientated so you couldn’t help but be influenced by it.. remember The Selector being on TOTP and Pauline Black bouncing all over the stage…great stuff
UNDER ME SLENG TENG - WAYNE SMITH
My love for this song comes mainly from raving and dancing in sweat boxes up and down the country. SL2 sampled it for the classic “Way in my brain” tune and whilst I had never heard the original until probably in my 30s, I now absolutely love it… Under mi sleng ting….ting
Just a great House track – so many different tempos and BPM – gets overlooked when people talk about music from this ERA but reminds me of so many good nights and days out and about… Was a very popular choice on mix-albums in the early 90s and probably featured on most of the CDs that I shoplifted from HMV and Virgin during my employment with them… (I DO NOT CONDONE THIS BEHAVIOUR!! )
THE THEME (THE ORIGINAL REMIX) - UNIQUE 3
Bleeps, bass, UK Hip-Hop all mixed into one. I actually bought this on CD single from Pinpoint Music in Eastleigh. CD singles needed a rubber adaptor to ensure that they played correctly in the player… Such a classic piece of music that really represents the music of that ERA – If you can find a copy of it these days, check out the artwork on the cover –also FANTASTIC!!!
JUMPIN' JACK FLASH - ANANDA SHANKAR
ENJOY!!! The Rolling Stones on a sitar…. What a way to finish….
Thanks for listening....
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