45worlds - Stereobitch

Stereobitch

3 Points / Joined 16 Aug 2013

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Member	Item		Review/Comment
Stereobitch 16th Aug 2013		12" Single Gonzalez - Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet	A UK production and track and was released by EMI as the first title on their new but not very long lasting dance-suedo USA style discotheque imprint of Sidewalk. Gonzarles had actually been there with EMI since the launch of the genric EMI label. Naturally Capitol were shipped tapes and paperwork and they didn't start dancing yet! It's kinda cheesy now and slots in with other safe non edgy bland I remember this one stuff, Dance Yourself Dizzy, Dancing Tight, I was made for Dancing, Ring My Bell, Now Is The Time, all "nice productions" but of their time, and just do not cut the mustard or credabilty. Great Jackie Compilation CD fodder. It's too nice, too euro, too camp, too catchy too annoying. I have only kept my copy as it's a promo and is sidewalk 1 and the sleeve and flyer have been autographed when they did a PA.
Stereobitch 16th Aug 2013		12" Single Discotheque - Intro-Disco By Discotheque	Sorry but you mean floor clearer possibly the worst waste of PVC pellets and the worst ever pressed record to have come out of the factory. Absolute flop and absoulute garbage! The only thing good about it are the two birds on the sleeve, wonder what the satins are, I'm sorry BUT who ever was in charge of Mercury A&R at Phonogram at that time should have been taken outside and shot! When this was mailed out, I think this was the only record from Phonogram I ever sent back, so it actually cost me money! Heaven's above thank god, Crown Heights Affair, Charles Erland, and Ranni Harris were just around the corner.
Stereobitch 16th Aug 2013		12" Single Miquel Brown - Symphony Of Love	Ahh that sleeve the first Steppin' Out's Grey scale on thin white paper ! The Original home to and sleeve of Roy Ayres Running Away (7" die-cut sleeve too) GG I Will Survive (7" die-cut sleeve too,) JB Sex Machine (1st 12" release) (the 7" of this was a bit before the Steppin' Out campaign so was a standard red generic polydor die-cut) I
Stereobitch 16th Aug 2013		12" Single The Brothers Johnson - STOMP!	This 12" release (pressed for A&M by CBS Aston-Clinton Aylesbury Bucks) was never shipped or came with a white die-cut paper inner-sleeve. The pressing/Run came with the Custom design A side labels (sadly a small unobtrusive 45 in red would have been nice touch. (Nothing at all is better than some idiot's thick black marker pen 45 RPM as I saw written on a tatty copy at a recent Car Boot, ) The 12" custom art sleeves were double die-cut in two runs at the printers with each cut punched out off true centre of the sleeve and at seperate angle/positions, The effect was clever easy to do and very effective. A&M were very inavitive with their releases, the 12" singles often came as limited editions in coloured vinyls virgin clear vinyl 10" editions custom artwork labels shaped discs etc. The biggest mistake their Marketing dpet made with the BJ's was NOT having the UK pressing of Strawberry Letter in a run of Strawberry red vinyl , both the USA Promo and Commercial 12"s came in red vinyl. This release would have really hit the spot in a matching red-pink vinyl, (would really be nice to know what CBS's rates were for coloured vinyls, bearing in mind that the regular vinyl used is carbon-black which in it's self is a colour "Carbon" being the key word, Virgin and original vinyl pellets are clear, ANY PVC that is NOT clear has had a colour/pigment added. A picture disc is virgin un-coloured vinyl with a double side printed 12" die cut paper design sandwiched in the middle of two clear cakes/bisquits/pucks. The actual track is an absolute classic club floor filler. great track, great vocalists, produced by a serious legend and with the helpful writing tallents of the UK's very own ex-Heatwave member Rod Temperton, who, along with Mr "Soul Bossa-Nova" Jones would team up with Michael "before the damage" Jackson. Enough said.
Stereobitch 16th Aug 2013		12" Single Hamilton Bohannon - Let's Start To Dance Again	Review This was a very signifcant and important and very sad release from "London" Polygram had bought out the rappidly fading Decca Record Company just weeks before it's previous owner and master Sir Edward Lewis died in his bed in his home in Chelsea across the river and oposite his beloved Decca House on the Albert Enbankment. Polygram had sadly been pressing Decca's product for quite sometime, This release represents the final genuine original UK London imprint title and shares it's UK parentage and legacy with Decca Records and all things London right from 1948 and that shared USA and UK 10" shellac title from of all people Universal Pictures. Now as UMG and owners of Polygram and the world! the rather late in proceedings vinyl launch day for the Decca Record Co, The stereo records launch day for Decca Records in 1959 specally including 4 exclusive stereo titles on the London imprint. The end of Decca's tri-centres, the end of shellacs, right they way through. This was Polygrams final original London imprint title a very reflective take on an icon the silver tops. The sleeve was the same as previous Polygram London 12" title cheap and rather shabby a buck standard Polygram white thin card 12" die-cut (what is a centre holed??? the record?) The same white 12" die-cut sleeves used to house all those Polygram pressed label blanks over printed in blacks with an animated 1 and 2 as pairs. These die-cuts just over printed with red ink with the scripted london logo. (these being the 2nd "Generic" die-cut London sleeves). The pressing also shared the london past of those titles that came out as the labels changed from silver on black scripted logo to the equally revered and loved silver tops" of having a second label, just as the change from all black and text to the silver tops was dramatic and really classic so the new Polygram London label would be, (nothing could ever be as dull as Decca's 1967 boxed logos! Not only was the label striking and a really excellent take on what the London brand was and incorporating Decca's FFRR ear logo trade mark, the London logo now re encased in the 1950's retail record shop advertising and promotional sign boards that utalised a take on a coffin shape box . and the FFRR roundal at the top centre, all sent on top of a maroon coloured inverted triangle, with the whole design set on top of three horizontal silver grey bars. They indeed looked stunning and look fantastic revolving at 45rpm on a turntable. Effort was also put in to the matching generic die-cut sleeves using the maroon and grey and large London coffin boxed logo at the bottom with a large weged box with an animated12" in white text., a blank white 2" band across the top for over printing of artist and titles and mixes. Polygram also did a 7" generic die-cut of this sleeve.both in the maroon and grey and as a very touching acknoledgement and reminder of vinyl day for London in 1954 with a sea-green over the silver grey. (Sea Green was the base colour of the first London 45 sleeves, the sea reverence clearly to the Atlantic and USA. The only really tradgic part of Polygram's relaunch of London and the new LON and LONX for 12"s and the final few HL+ releases as this one was that ALL the 7" pressings were IEP's (Integral Embossed & Painted) paited with silver paint. Luckly there were to my knowledge NO Polygram IEP 12" pressings from the mainland plants shipped and sold in the UK I have yet to see one. To ANY London lover collector BOTH this retired label pressing and the new design are essential, only bother with the 7" if you are a compleatist. The representation of the silver tops made an actual and very welcome re-appearence on the 12" Sugarbabes release AND wonderfuly the promo pressing was a 7" only, however the real absoilute gem of this project was that it was not only a silver top label but also dinked with a cutting head leaving a legendary and iconic Decca Record Company UK 3pin tri-centre. The commercial 12" could have, but did not carry a printed representation of a Tri. This was the second "take" that HB had done to "Le's Start the Dance" the 1st version also came out via Polygram but on the Mercury imprint of Phonogram. HB in all did 3 "takes" on his very very catchy 4 bar melody. The various elements and vocals and raps do vairy between the 3 productions. stand out call for me is " Bohannon! Make It Funky!! which this pounding chugging ditty is. Roll back the carpet and start the dance! 1 person found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?