Updating the NOW's - Now Eighties Dancefloor Disco & Electro

We've looked a bit a Now's, mainly from the Updating the Now's angle as the original Now That's What I Call Music series started in late 1983 so there was a period before of less good compilations and certainly a lack of Year based Greatest Hits sets so we've been going back so far in to 1973

The last Updating post was from June last year looking at Alt Rock.

Now these days is a massive brand when it comes to compilations so there are a few others on compact disc dotted about but one recently did come out on December 1st last year which does slot well within the vinyl Now collection here.

Now have a few vinyl only series releases and one series is Now Eighties Dancefloor which so far has two issues an another due at the end of February.

The main aim of the series is gather up 80's dance music within genre specific issues and for these they are either regular single or radio edits rather than 12" remixes.

This appealed as it has a high proportion of tracks I don't have on vinyl albums and covers a period where I used to make my own compilation tapes from singles.

Following the height of its’ popularity in the late 1970s, Disco in the early 1980s retained the irresistible melodies and beat but became primarily synth driven. 

The era saw some of the genres’ biggest hits including this collections’ opener ‘Flashdance…What A Feeling’ from Irene Cara – this theme from the film ‘Flashdance’ was not only a massive selling single, but the song also won multiple awards including an Academy Award. Lipps Inc. produced a timeless hit with ‘Funkytown’, and Shalamar with ‘A Night To Remember’, Odyssey with ‘Use It Up And Wear It Out’ and Indeep’s ‘Last Night A DJ Saved My Life’ were all huge commercial Disco hits.

Disco masters Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic feature here in their roles as producers and writers with Diana Ross’s massive hit ‘Upside Down’, ‘Why’ from Carly Simon, and the peerless ‘Spacer’ from Sheila & B. Devotion and in 1984 remixed Sister Sledge’s ‘Lost In Music’ which became a massive hit again and is included here in its full 12” version.

Amii Stewart’s classic version of ‘Knock On Wood’ was remixed too joining it, Donna Summer enjoyed huge success with ‘She Works Hard For The Money’ in 1983, and other established Disco superstars celebrated returns to the charts with an 80’s Disco sound including, and featured on this collection, KC & The Sunshine Band and Evelyn “Champagne” King.

The prevalence of the synth in the 1980s gave rise to new and exciting sounds and to tracks that were created with fusions of genres. 

One thing I liked about it was on this collection it celebrates ‘ELECTRO’ – a sub-genre of Electronic Dance music that combined elements of Disco, Funk and Hip-Hop and featuring a heavy synth backing, and the commercial Electro-Pop hits it produced. 

In 1984, Chaka Khan who had achieved huge success with the Disco classic ‘I’m Every Woman’, had a worldwide smash with a cover of Prince’s ‘I Feel For You’ which combined Disco, Funk, R&B, Synth-Pop and Hip-Hop – to stunning effect. 

In addition 1984 saw Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced a classic fusion of Disco, R&B, Funk and Synth-Pop for the S.O.S Band with ‘Just Be Good To Me’ and also included here are hugely influential Electro-Pop gems from Freeez, Rockers Revenge feat. Donnie Calvin, Malcolm McLaren, Break Machine, and Rock Steady Crew.

In the latter half of the 80s, Disco and Electro-Pop continued to evolve and fill dance-floors. Taking influences from both genres, Expose and Company B enjoyed ‘freestyle’ hits and DJ, remixer and producer Jellybean had a string of hits including ‘Just A Mirage’, and Whitney Houston became a global superstar. 

One of her signature tracks ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)’ serves as a stellar example of how Dance music had evolved through the decade and remained as vital and uplifting as ever.

This usefully expands upon my original NOW and HITS compilations and their Ronco and KTel predecessors.

Resting after a busy weekend

 Odd sort of a weekend that didn't start too well from feeling a bit rundown which I'm prone to through a whole lump of Grump craziness featuring a phone call that was obviously a scam, then a mad session hunting for one one of FOUR cellphones of the smart variety that he uses for banking which needless to say was missing.

We then enter the steam snorting mega rant mode rambling on about too much stuff about - pretty much all his one might add - before it appears on the couch in a pile not before I could sense my blood pressure rising in my arm and a miagraine coming on which hasn't quite left.

That confirmed what I said:Total scam with no personalization, no item details or anything relying on the dial 1 for exploitation routine.

On the other hand the sort of planned freezer replacement went better than expected with no nasty surprises like being wider than stated so it got through the front of house given the backdoor opens inward for some odd reason without much fuss.

Just the usual clean and tidy around the old before manhandling (or girlhandling?) it into place after unplugging and moving the other.

So yesterday I spent time with teddy reading comics and playing music resting a bit after all that activity before more storytime in the afternoon with Watership Down.

Preparations for being away

Plans are slowly coming together for Camp having worked on my direct contribution to events and got the prizes all sorted out but beyond clothes which probably be finalized a week or so before hand  given the somewhat variable and extreme weather we've been having of late with me specifically there are other things.

Because of what happened to me in the work place I have difficulties with both my hands although the right hand one is more affected which both limit in the absolute sense the amount of use in total from getting up through doing things across the day to getting myself changed for bed at night and that at least one needs to be be splints whenever it is being used.

That's to prevent actions that would cause further inflammation and injury and provide support around my wrist(s).

While physical therapists tend to say you should only wear them while undertaking things, reality is most of the day you just are from picking things up to attempting to get the washing up done so I usually take a spare for those sorts of activities.

Thus I needed to get a new one for less messy uses sorted so I needed to check my hand measurements as mine are more like a teenagers than an adults so they are a snug fit

The other thing is because of my migraines I need to keep a whole box or two with me in case any come on  to aid my recovery although a significant number of people misunderstand them and how they leave you, wanting you to pick up from where you left off focused more on the idea you let people down rather than you had a urgent medical need that needs appropriate treatment including recovery.

It's not midge season so there's usually stuff for them while it's not their season generally speaking and anti hystermines for other things like nettles

Erasure - Always

This week we're going to look at one present I had this christmas.

Sometimes although I may of liked an artist but for a variety of reasons I may not have an album solely by them and that can be for a variety of reasons such as during the mid to late 1980's  the decision buying may be influenced by what format it was issued in.

Then sometimes an album may of had different versions with either a twelve inch single added or as with one of this groups albums a remix album being added too and Erasure were a good example of that with many tracks on compilations and the odd single.

Erasure arrived in 1985 via Depeché Mode where Vince Clarke was a early member before forming Yazoo with Alison Moyet who knew Andy Bell and formed in London signing to Mute records who had signed the other bands.

From 1986 to 2007, they achieved 24 consecutive top-40 entries in the UK singles chart. By 2009, 34 of their 37 chart-eligible singles and EPs had made the UK top 40, including 17 climbing into the top 10. At the 1989 Brit Awards, Erasure won the Brit Award for Best British Group.

Erasures hits include "Oh L'amour", "Sometimes", "Victim of Love", "The Circus", "Ship of Fools", "Chains of Love", "A Little Respect", "Stop!", "Drama!", "Blue Savannah", "Star", "Chorus", "Love to Hate You", "Breath of Life", "Always" and "Run to the Sun". 

What this compilation, in reality a reduced version of the three cd set in record form issued in October 2015 that included remixes but issued on vinyl only recently does is just compile the hits you remember some from albums like Wild! and The Circus and others from single only releases in chronological order in fine fidelity.

It also is more up to date from 1992's Pop! The first twenty hits.

It doesn't just take you back in time but does feature some of the finest 80's and 90's synth pop in double gatefolded lp package.

The 2023 Review

As I type this I'll attempt to do a mini review of the year but today I'm feeling proper pawley, wasn't up around the usual time and running on just one cylinder.

 Last year had not started well well with Mom and I having really bad covid before she started to get extremely ill and I started going off my feet, being virtually unable to walk far and not at all using the stairs in this two storey property just that between two hospital visits I needed to attend to her being mainly bed-bound.

Unfortunately ten days after admittance for the second time she died from complications from Covid on some of her pre-existing conditions such as those affecting breathing although looking back there had been some signs of issues with memory retention and coping with varying temperatures for a few months before as we went through a spate of cancelled hairdressers appointments as things weren't just right for her to be out and she needed to reminded about anything involving longish sequencing

Much of the early part of the year was dominated by the impact of that.and the practicalities of arranging the funeral, dealing with effects not being helped by the poor communication between siblings and trouble making, me-me-me tendencies of one in particular.

We did eventually get all of that sorted albeit with frayed tempers and high levels of anxiety.

Some of the impact of that showed as with issues around numbers at Camp I wasn't able to go in the Winter although it would of helped a fair bit, when I did get to the GHS Easter event around April frankly I just wasn't there.

I'd emotionally shut down not been helped by the physical exhaustion that had left me too gone to even have a last moment with Mom.

As things had moved on I slowly started to recover although some issues with the Grump who was having massive mood swings didn't really help.

I started to see some people I'd know for a number of years here, renewing connections that lead to a few invites for coffee and the odd community based day trip just get a break from things apart from going out exploring which really helped with getting past some of the depression I was going through.

I did get to the first Ikklespace picnic in ages Sammy had laid on which did see things improve with me, being able to contribute more with the group and act more from the fun loving side rather than feeling a sad, lost child.

On the upside, I did redo much of my littles outfits to match more where in my head I am, however others may see it, were more of an emphasize on quality sometimes more tradition, other stuff more what modern school girls wear such as in sports wear.

I'm less interested in exact replication of a period so much as just being the little side of me taking the  benefits of the modern era, more in tune with the spirit of modern co-ed prep schools with the mix of ancient and modernity.

Not everything of the past was great although much is worth keeping if not defending.

Some of that was visible when much against the odds and with a bit of work from Jennifer and Katie I did actually get to Summer Camp where I felt the most relaxed for a long time just getting along with play, having fun and helping out a bit.

Eventually some of the clothes I'd bought for Winter 2022 camp actually got worn as some of the changes I had been going through over the last few years finally came together even if they may not be what some might as above all I just need to be me and not someone elses idea of what  littles is.

I continued to enjoy the women's soccer and their young following seeing girls going to the park for a kickabout tearing up the old gender divides.

I don't feel inclined to play by the rules of the past anymore than today's girls and that runs beyond groan up talk to littles life.

I hold with inclusiveness for all, girls and boys of all shades and tastes not being told what a girl should be or do either in the Big or Little worlds.

That's my take on this thing as show not just at Camp but the Halloween party from start to finish which I quite enjoyed not just with littles activities but socially too.

We did get Christmas sorted here and it worked well enough which is all that matters even if of course some things could never be the same.

This year has been very challenging and some and while obviously somethings cannot be the same and anniversaries are likely to bring back memories, I do feel I'm moving on, getting my life back being the eternal little I am.