Compiled from his record lists of the time
As played at Wigan Pier, Legend (Manchester) & Berties (Manchester).
Listen to the full rundown here:
1.(-) Freeez ‘I Dub U’
Written by A. Baker & J. Robie
Produced by Arthur Baker
Mixed by Arthur Baker / John ‘Jellybean’ Benitez / John Robie
US Streetwise 12”
2.(-) Weeks & Co. ‘If You’re Looking For Fun’ (Master Dub Version)
Written by Richie Weeks
Produced by Richie Weeks
Mixed by Shep Pettibone
US Salsoul 12”
3.(-) Midnight Star ‘Freak-A-Zoid’
Written by Vincent Calloway / Reggie Calloway / Bill Simmons
Produced by Reggie Calloway
US Solar 12”
4.(10) Mary Jane Girls ‘All Night Long’
From LP ‘Mary Jane Girls’
Written by Rick James
Produced by Rick James
US Gordy 12”
5.(-) Fearless Four ‘Just Rock’
Written by Gary Numan & D. L. Barksdale
Produced by The Fearless Four & W.K. Pearson
Mixed by Larry Levan
US Elektra 12”
6.(-) Shirley Lites ‘Heat You Up (Melt You Down)’ (Melt Down Mix)
Written by L. Parente / F. Fioravante / J. Parente
Produced by L. Parente / F. Fioravante / J. Parente
Mixed and Co-Produced by Nick Martinelli & David Todd
US West End 12”
7.(-) Sinnamon ‘I Need You Now’ (The Fierce Reprise)
Written by M. Cumberbatch / H. Brooks / M. Bailey
Produced by Darryl Payne & Stephen Cumberbatch
Mixed by Don Welch
US Jive 12”
8.(1) Brass Construction ‘Walkin’ The Line’
Written by Randy Muller
Produced by Randy Muller
US Capitol 12”
9.(-) Shawne Jackson ‘Loveline’ (Instrumental)
Written by Kashif
Produced by Willi Morrison & Ian Guenther
UK Loose End 12”
10.(7) Aurra ‘Baby Love’ (Instrumental)
Written by S. Washington / C. Jones / J. Ivory
Produced by Steve Washington
Mixed by Shep Pettibone
US Salsoul 12”
Other big tunes this month:
Rock Master Scott ‘It’s Life’ (Instrumental) 12” – Brutus ‘Excitation’ (Instrumental) 12” – Craig Peyton ‘Be Thankful’ (Instrumental) 12” – Status IV ‘You Ain’t Really Down’ (Instrumental) 12” – D Train ‘Music’ (Instrumental) 12” – First Choice ‘Let No Man Put Asunder’ 12” – Booker Newberry III ‘Love Town’ 12” – Pamela Nivens ‘It’s You I Love’ 12” – B Beat Girls ‘For The Same Man (Dub Version) 12” – Newtrament ‘London Bridge Is Falling Down’ (Dub Mix) 12” – Brass Construction ‘We Can Work It Out’ LP – Orlando Johnson ‘Turn The Music On’ 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, June 2013
