Compiled from his record lists of the time
As played at Wigan Pier, Legend (Manchester) & The Hacienda (Manchester).
Listen to the full rundown here:
1. (-) Hot Streak ‘Body Work’ (Instrumental)
Written by Curtis Hudson
Produced by Curtis Hudson & Lisa Stevens
Co-Produced & Mixed by John ‘Jellybean’ Benitez
US Easy Street 12”
2. (-) West Street Mob ‘Break Dance – Electric Boogie’
Written by Jerry Lordan
Produced by Joey Robinson, Jr. & Lealand Robinson
Engineered & Mixed by Shameek Gonsalvez
US Sugar Hill Records
3.(-) Capt. Rock ‘The Return Of Capt. Rock (Instrumental)
Written by T. Aleem / T. Aleem / Dre Jeckyll & Mr Hyde
Produced by The Fantasic Aleema
US Nia 12”
4. (8) Unique ‘What I Got Is What You Need’ (Dub)
Written by D.J. Smith / D. Henry / M. Norris
Produced by Deems J. Smith
Mixed by David Todd & Nick Martinelli
US Prelude 12”
5. (-) The Packman ‘I’m The Packman (Eat Everything I Can)’ (Instrumental)
Written by Bobby Robinson
Produced by Bobby Robinson
US Enjoy 12”
6. (5) Time Zone ‘The Wildstyle’ (Long Version)
Written by Bambaataa / Henderson
Produced by Afrika Bambaataa & Bernard Zekri
US Celluloid 12”
7. (-) Candido ‘Jingo Breakdown’
Written by M. Olatunji
Produced by Joe Cain
Mixed by Shep Pettibone
US Salsoul 12”
8. (-) Gary’s Gang ‘Makin’ Music’ (Dub Mix)
Written by E. Matthew
Produced & Mixed by Eric Matthew
US Radar 12”
9. (-) New Order ‘Confused Beats’
Written by New Order & Arthur Baker
Produced by Arthur Baker & New Order
Mixed by Arthur Baker & John ‘Jellybean’ Benitez
UK Factory 12”
10. (-) The B Boys ‘Two, Three, Break’
Written by V. Davis
Produced by Vincent Davis
Mixed by Mark Mandelbaum & Vincent Davis
US Vintertainment 12”
Other big tunes this month:
Stockingcap ‘Wave Craze’ 12” – Wuf Ticket ‘The Key’ 12” – Herbie Hancock ‘Autodrive’ LP – Two Sisters ‘High Noon (Part 2)’ 12” – Arcade Funk ‘Search And Destroy’ 12” – Quando Quango ‘Love Tempo’ (Remix) 12” – K-9 Corp ‘Dog Talk’ 12” – Chilltown ‘Rock The Beat’ (Instrumental) 12” – Cybotron ‘Clear’ 12” – Lafleur ‘Boogie Nights’ (Instrumental) 12” – Dimples D ‘Marley Marl’s Sucker Dub’ 12” – G Force ‘Feel The Force’ (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, September 2013
