The First Modern Remixes: Donna Summer - I Feel Love (Patrick Cowley MegaMix) & Yazoo - Situation (François Kervorkian US Mix)

And while we're on the subject ... a quick mention of the Patrick Cowley Mega Mix (nothing to do with the later 80s concept of a medley!) of Donna's I Feel Love. Alongside François Kervorkian's remix of Yazoo's Situation it defined the modern idea of the remix as a radical reworking of a tune primarily for dancefloor rotation.

San Francisco producer Patrick (famed for his work with Sylvester) produced this 15 minute reworking in 1980 for the DJ only subscription service Disconet where it was an underground sensation. The multiple breakdowns, proto-acid house synth and toughened up rhythm track made the original Disconet 12" a must-have for progressive DJs and an instant collectors item. The great man and creator of the track Giorgio Moroder was also said to have loved Cowley's new treatment.

In 1982, Donna's label Casablanca gave this ground-breaking remix a richly-deserved full release making IFL a hit all over again, an edited version making no. 21 in the UK charts.

Sadly Patrick died of AIDS soon after the release of this incredible game-changing mix.




In 1982, another remix was released which was to have a similar effect on electronic dance music: Francois Kervorkian's legendary US Remix of Yazoo's Situation.

Starting off life as the B side to Yazoo's debut hit Only You, Situation, the track was earmarked for remix by music industry icon Seymour Stein head of Mute US licencee label Sire Records. He was aware of NYC-based French DJ François Kervorkian exemplary remix work for New York dance label Prelude and suggested to Mute boss Daniel Miller that FK gave Situation a more club-orientated mix.

The result was the sensational US remix and its accompanying Dub Mix (which appears on Elektro Diskow)  which their distinctive breakdowns, synth strings and use of cut up vocal stabs (Alison Moyet's laugh motif along with almost every other part of the track, would end up being some of the biggest samples of all-time). The track would take Yazoo and Mute firmly in to the clubs both in Europe and North America. The mix was a one of the top 50 records at Larry Levan's Paradise Garage New York, the band even playing a rare club gig there while it was also a key record in both Chicago and Detroit. Illuminaries such as Larry Heard and Derrick May (Derrick's Nude Photo includes a sample of the famous laugh) have declared it a huge influence.

For more on the remix and Yazoo's appearance at the Paradise Garage please have a read of our recent (and exclusive!) interview with Daniel Miller.

Arthur Baker - Pet Shop Boys - In the Night Extended Mix & NYC Remix Culture

In the early 80s the culture of the producer/remixer truly exploded. Following on from the ground breaking work of the likes of Tom Moulton, Walter Gibbons and John Luongo in the 70s, labels and artists would go to the hottest underground DJs and producers to ensure their latest records would hit hard in the charts and the clubs.

New York was the epicentre of club culture in this period. Shep Pettibone who later would become the world's top remixer during the mid 80s eventually working with Madonna in the early 90s on Vogue and Erotica, started off putting together his groundbreaking mastermixes on Kiss FM. John "Jellybean" Benitez was a DJ at the legendary Funhouse club producing Madonna's early hits Borderline and Holiday who then became the go-to guy for dance mixes of pop hits (Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney's Say, Say, Say and Irene Cara's Flashdance to name but 2). Larry Levan was the king of the Paradise Garage (who we have previously profiled!)whose remixes of Grace Jones' Pull Up To the Bumper and Gwen Guthrie's Nothin' Goin' On But The Rent rocked clubs worldwide.

One its most innovative figures was Boston-born Arthur Baker. Arthur arrived in the Big Apple in 81 just as clubland was exploding. His first single Tee's Happy (recorded as Northend) was a smash in Manhattan and led to him working with Tommy Boy Records boss Tom Silverman on one of the landmark elektro releases, Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force's Planet Rock. This planet-shaking single fused the hip hop sound of the Bronx with the electronic melody and beats of Kraftwerk's Trans-Europe Express to devastating effect. He followed this up with the dancefloor smash Walking On Sunshine as Rocker's Revenge - another global club classic.


New Order were so smitten with cutting edge New York dance culture that they not only imported the look and feel of the Funhouse, Danceteria, Roxy and Paradise Garage clubs back to the UK in the shape of Manchester's Hacienda, but they also teamed up with its top producer, Arthur Baker on 1983's Confusion. Indeed Confusion's video actually features NO visiting the Funhouse.

When Hall & Oates were looking to update their sound in 84, Arthur was the man they called to produce their album Big Bam Boom which featured the dance and pop hits Out Of Touch and Method Of Modern Love.

He was an in-demand remixer throughout the 80s with rock gods like Bruce Springsteen and Fleetwood Mac receiving Baker's magic dancefloor touch. He also produced the definitive mix of Pet Shop Boys' In The Night (featured on Disc 2 of Elektro Diskow and on their excellent Disco album) among many fine re-rubs during that period.  His production work continued through the 90s and 00s as future generations discovered and re-discovered his vastly influential back catalogue.

Remembering Larry Levan - The Jimi Hendrix Of Dance Music (via NPR Music)

Great piece on NPR Music on the importance of Larry Levan (and the Paradise Garage) to dance culture. It includes fascinating interviews with Danny Tenaglia (DJ, producer and Paradise Garage regular) and the founder of the Ministry Of Sound nightclub and dance music empire Justin Berkmann.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2011/12/06/143205414/remembering-larry-levan-the-jimi-hendrix-of-dance-music

Maestro: Larry Levan & Early DJ culture

A fantastic and long (9 part but so worth it!) documentary chronicling the development of club culture from its beginnings in New York. From the earliest days at David Mancuso's Loft through to Studio 54 and the 80s heyday of the Paradise Garage, Danceteria and the Roxy, NYC was at the forefront of shaping the idea of clubbing and the nightclub.

Legendary figures like Frankie Knuckles give insights into the genesis of New York clubland, whose influence is still felt today. Central to this was the eclecticism of both playlist and clientele with DJing colossi such as Larry Levan and Jellybean weaving the latest European electronic sounds in alongside Disco in its post and mutant forms. For more on the legacy of Larry Levan and the Garage, have a look at the Going Back To My Roots blog's excellent post on LL.