Compiled from his record lists of the time
As played at Wigan Pier, Legend (Manchester), The Exit (Manchester) & The Stars Bar (Huddersfield)
Listen to the full rundown here:
1.(6) Indeep ‘Last Night A DJ Saved My Life’
Written by Mike Cleveland
Produced by Mike Cleveland & Reggie Thompson
Mixed by Tony Humphries
US Sound Of New York 12”
2.(10)Man Parrish ‘Hip Hop Be-Bop (Don’t Stop)’ (Extended Edit)
Written by M. Parrish / J. Robie / R.A. Rodriguez
Produced by Raul A. Rodriguez & Man Parrish
Mixed by Jose ‘Animal’ Diaz
US Disconet DJ Only 12” (original label Importe / 12)
3.(-)Melle Mel & Duke Bootee ‘Message II (Survival)’
Written by S.Robinson / M.Glover / J. Robinson Jr
Produced by Sylvia Inc
US Sugarhill 12”
4.(-)The Webboes ‘Under The Wear’ (Webboe Mix)
Written by Andre P. Booth
Produced by Daniel Glass & Andre P. Booth
US Sam 12”
5.(7) Toney Lee ‘Reach Up’ (Dub Mix)
Written by E. Matthew / T. Lee
Produced by Eric Matthew
Mixed by Nick Chiusano
US Radar 12”
6.(-)Sandy Kerr ‘Thug Rock’ (Chimental Mix)
Written by George Kerr & Reggie Griffin
Produced & Arranged by George Kerr & Reggie Griffin
Mixed by Sergio Munzibai & John Morales
US Catawba 12”
7.(-)Rod ‘Just Keep On Walking’ (Instrumental)
Written by Roch Niangandoumou
Produced by Roy B
Mixed by François Kevorkian
US Prelude 12”
8.(-)Klein & MBO ‘Wonderful’ (Instrumental)
Written by M. Boncaldo & T. Carrasco
Produced by M. Boncaldo & T. Carrasco
Mixed by Mario Boncaldo
US Atlantic 12”
9.(-) Man Parrish ‘Techno Trax’
From LP ‘Man Parrish’
Written by M. Parrish
Produced by Raul A. Rodriguez
US Importe / 12
10.(-)Prince Charles & The City Beat Band ‘The Jungle Stomp’
Written by Tony Rose & Charles Alexander
Produced by T. Rose & C. Alexander
Mixed by Tony Rose & Prince Charles
US MJS 12”
Other big tunes this month:
Ex Tras ‘Haven’t Been Funked Enough’ 12” – I Level ‘Give Me’ (US Remix) 12” – Wreckin’ Crew ‘Chance To Dance’ 12” – Aurra ‘Such A Feeling (Parts 2 & 3) 12” – Central Line ‘Nature Boy’ 12” – Vanity 6 ‘Nasty, Nasty Girls’ 12” – Cashmere ‘Do It Anyway You Wanna’ 12” – The Jonzun Crew ‘Space Is The Place’ (Instrumental) – Reggie Griffin & Technofunk ‘Mirda Rock’ (Instrumental) 12” – Krome ‘Get On Up’ (Instrumental) – The System ‘You Are In My System’ 12” – Dr Jeckyll & Mr Hyde ‘The Challenge’ (Instrumental) 12”
GREG WILSON’S EARLY 80S FLOORFILLERS:
A fascinating insight on how the fading Jazz-Funk scene gave way to the emerging Electro-Funk movement in the early 80s, ‘Greg Wilson’s Early 80s Floorfillers’, marks the 30th anniversary of when these tracks first appeared. Compiled from his record lists of the time, and unfolding month by month, Greg Wilson counts down the Top 10 Floorfillers played at his venues during the key years of ’82 and ’83. Featured, most notably, on his Tuesday sessions at Wigan Pier and Wednesday gatherings at Legend in Manchester, the most cutting-edge weekly black music nights of the era, these were the clubs most associated with the evolving Electro-Funk sound.
The majority of music played on the black scene in the UK was initially only available on import, mainly out of New York during this period, with the club nights described as ‘upfront’, meaning that the DJ’s were way ahead of the curve – what they played now, others played later, or not at all. Without these DJ’s, many now classic dance tracks would never have become UK hits (many without enjoying similar crossover success in the US) – the reason they were released here in the first place was because these specialist DJ’s were breaking them via the underground.
Things would change in a big way during those 2 years; we were entering the hybrid age for dance music, and the oncoming House and Techno and Hip Hop directions would all owe a huge debt to this era of dance alchemy and groove experimentation.
© Greg Wilson, January 2013
