Wednesday 14 September 2022

Spin On Your Back Then Spin On Your Knees, Spin On Your Hands And Then Freeze

Breakdance - Electric Boogie by West Street Mob shuffled up during my commute to work, which prompted me to track down this video by 80s breaker Marco Real The "Wizard" on YouTube.

Even in an age of a constant stream of high-stakes, high energy dance routines flowing through TV talent shows, there's something special about seeing this again. Whilst I have no shame in admitting that I couldn't follow any of those instructions now, to be honest I couldn't really do any of it as a teenager either. My sartorial tastes didn't extend to Sergio Tacchini and Kappa but I loved the music.
 
This song is so ingrained my consciousness now that I forgot that it wasn't a big hit in the UK singles chart, peaking at #64 in October 1983. 
 
In 1999, I picked up a couple of excellent compilations: Sugar Hill Classics, a 2CD set which includes the full length version of Breakdance - Electric Boogie, alongside Rapper's Delight, The Message and White Lines, alongside other greats from Spoonie Gee, Trouble Funk and Funky 4+1. The other 2CD collection was Still/The Joint, featuring remixes of Sugar Hill classics by Roots Manuva, Nightmares On Wax, Red Snapper, Andrew Weatherall/Two Lone Swordsmen and Coldcut. Both are recommended and you can currently pick them up on shiny disc for peanuts on Discogs.
 
Breakdance - Electric Boogie gets the remix treatment by Junior Cartier aka Jon Carter (aka Monkey Mafia) and was released as a single, managing to dent the UK chart at #85 for one week in November 1999.

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