This CD captures the essence of something very specailly, and if for no other reason than as a slice of history it is an essential addition to any collection.
The mixing is not flawless and the mix is eclectic, a genre buster, a redifiner a true reflection of back in the day. A great collection of the tunes that were the floor fillers. This collection even includes a couple of soul II soul specials, the precursors of that monumental, landmark, all time top ten anthem album "Club Classics Volume 1".
Back in the early 80's there was the start of what was to become a global phenomenom. Since the 60's when Brit bands like the stones and the cream had taken underground USA r 'n' b and shipped back in a package that was more commercial to middle america. british artists have been adept at hearing, nurturing and creating from the underground of the USA.
The early 80's where were the soundsytems, family function, shankenfingerpop, nicky holloway and ofcourse Soul II Soul to name a select few, operated at grass roots level and began what would become known as "dance" or "rave" culture.
This was when Pete Tong, Coldcut and Gilles Peterson were just starting. This was when Kiss FM was a pirate station from fridays - sundays (and had more listeners than Capital). Those days were special days - the summer seemed to last the whole year.
You would be at the Notting Hill Carnival (yep Good Times is a must too), At Warehouses on Lots Rd. in Chelsea, the Electric Ballroom in Campden and, ofcourse, the Africa Centre, unfortunately too many years of abuse means that at this time i can only remember these, but, if you were there you'll know what i mean and if you weren't by this CD and go chat to some 30 something.
This was just before Acid House, this was when the clubs would play an eclectic mix of Hip Hop (Double D & Steinski - The Lessons 1,2 & 3), soul, disco, funk, reggae, even pop... I remember one night where the DJ mixed Stevie Wonder's I Wish with Janet Jackson's Nasty Boys... Bliss, pure bliss. Boundaries where being broken, new alliegances where being formed. The music was slamming... When back to life was the anthem of the summer, when you didnt need to "drop" to be able to endure 8 hours of the same 160bpm (not that thats such a bad thing).
This was the beginning of the revival of that reknowned vibe in 1967 that through music, tolerance and love we could change the world. hahahaha, how naive we sound! and then the government put in place that law about gatherings and repetitive beats that outlawed raves!!!
one million homeless in London and they outlaw raves!!! go figure!!!
This was a time of discovery and a coming of age, this was the time that laid the routes for everything to follow - all those other summers of love. This is where cafe del mar started, this is where global underground started. This is the fusion. So go grab your old skool sneakers, pull back the rug, and go back, back to life, back to reality.......