Well, Get Up And Get With It!

Don't Get Mad ... Get Even! by Age Of Chance got to the dizzy heights of #90 in the UK Top 100 in October 1987, having debuted at #99 the week before.

Described as "a sonic collision of punk, hip hop, industrial rock and Northern soul', they were/are perhaps best known for their cover of Kiss by Prince, which peaked at #50 in January 1987, a mere ten months after the original (doing considerably better at #6).

Age Of Chance were also notable for their wardrobe, rocking the cyclist look decades before the proliferation of MAMILs (Middle Aged Men In Lycra) on our roads today.

In it's single form, Don't Get Mad ... Get Even! is a bit of a mess, the "sonic collision" perhaps being less favourably described as an aural car crash.

Yet, I had a bit of a soft spot for them and thought that they were fun and offering something different from some of the pop pap on Top Of The Pops. So, when a family holiday in Florida in February 1988 afforded an opportunity to spend a couple of hours browsing in a nearby record shop, one of the records I came away with was the 12" single of Don't Get Mad ... Get Even!

What particularly appealed was that this was the USA version, with six remixes by Bruce Forest and Frank Heller. Only three of these made it across the Atlantic the limited UK 12" featuring "The New York Remixes", including this one.

All six versions pare back the cacophony and present a more stripped back, club-friendly track, some dropping the vocals altogether. It's still in my collection, having survived numerous cash-strapped vinyl culls over the years.

There's an itch that you can't scratch

Like a monkey on your back

There's a world on your shoulder

And the world just keeps getting older

Well, you have got big plans

But no one understands

And you got a lot to say

But no one even looks your way

Now rise up and don't fight it

Well, get up and get excited

Now rise up and just live this

Well, get up and get with it

Don't get mad ... get even!

Don't get mad ... get even!

Don't get mad ... get even!

Don't get mad ... get even!

And you're longing to be free

But it just isn't helping

Well, you're wanting to die young

You end up like a Frankie Lymon

Rise up and don't fight it

Well, get up and get excited

Now rise up and just live this

Well, get up and get with it

Don't get mad ... get even!

Don't get mad ... get even!

Don't get mad ... get even!

Don't get mad ... get even!

Don't get mad ... get even!

Don't get mad ... get even!

Don't get mad ... get even!

Don't get mad ... get even!

Don't get mad ... get even!

Don't get mad ... get even!

Don't get mad ... get even!

Don't get mad ... get even!

Les Disques Du Crépuscule En Sept Sélections Pour Sept, er, Quid

Legendary label Les Disques Du Crépuscule have been steadily making their back catalogue available for sale via Bandcamp, including several classic albums with bonus tracks at a bargain price of £7.00 for a digital download. Many are also available on shiny disc.

Too many to mention in one post really, so I've selected seven as a sampler, namely

 

Clinker (+ 4 bonus remixes): Julie Campbell / Stephen Mallinder / Benge (2021)

Sorry For Laughing: Josef K (1981) (this is the shelved version; The Only Fun In Town is also available) 

Rhythm Of Life + New York Remix mini-album: Paul Haig (1983/1984)

Nice Mover (+ 6 bonus remixes): Gina X Performance (1979)

Nue Au Soleil (Complètement: Ludus (2024) (compilation previously released as an 11-track vinyl in 1987 and a 28-track 2CD in 2017; the digital version contains all 18 tracks from CD1 and the 4-song John Peel session from CD2)

Fidelity (+ 2 bonus tracks): The Durutti Column (1996) (The New Fidelity was originally issued on a Portuguese compilation in 1992) 

Moving Soundtracks: Various Artists (1983) (this appears to be the 2008 rejigged reissue, originally 20 tracks, here minus 2 songs by Be Music and Alan Rankine; I picked The Pale Fountains for today's selection)

 

Seminal compilation From Brussels With Love, the debut release on Les Disques Du Crépuscule in 1980 and featured in the headline photo, is also available as a digital download. That'll cost you a tenner but for 28 tracks a bargain. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time For Another Party!

I don't often post about an artist in quick succession, but I had unfinished business with Heaven 17. Wednesday's post of Heaven 17 12" mixes was originally intended as a single, 15-track, 90 minute behemoth. I just had one problem: much as I love and wanted to include This Is Mine, I've never been satisfied with any of the 12" versions. 

This Is Mine was originally released on 7", 12" (with fold out poster) and limited remix 12". Across the formats you'll find the Single Version, Extended Version, Mine (an instrumental version), Filmix and Cinemix. The version of the latter on the European 12" is nearly 3 minutes longer than it's UK counterpart, but none of them really do it for me. 

 

One of my early music blog discoveries in the early 2000s was Dreamtime, picking up the baton of Razormaid, Art Of Mix and their ilk and producing new, ultra-extended re-edits of 1980s classics. I liked the idea, even if the execution was often only as good as the variable source material. The blog was retired in 2012, the victim of numerous DMCA notices, but a few edits subsequently resurfaced on Dreamtime's Soundcloud page and various YouTube places, including this one.

The Dreamtime Mix of This Is Mine is nearly 10 minutes long and starts off brilliantly, switching between different mixes. Ultimately, it's let down by a couple of jarring changes in vinyl source and playing speed and it was far too long for this selection. I ended up creating a very simple edit of my own, essentially taking the Album Version and, inspired by the Dreamtime Mix, overlaying a couple of elements from the end of the Filmix to create a longer intro. In reverse, I also created a reprise to close this selection by taking the Album Version intro and splicing that with an offcut of the Filmix outro. I'm not going to pretend it's any better than the others, but I do at least get a version of This Is Mine that I like and a selection that more or less matches the C90-friendly run time of Wednesday's part 1.

Sandwiched between the coffee-fueled re-edits, you'll find another bunch of Heaven 17 favourites, including a few album tracks that received the remix treatment and appeared as 12" B-sides, as well as 1986's Endless compilation. 

 

Today's selection is dedicated to Mike and Echorich...East Side, West Side, the world moves on!

1) This Is Mine (Dream Within A Dreamtime Streamix Re-Edit By Khayem) (2022)

2) We Live So Fast (Special Dance Mix) (1983)

3) Play To Win (B.E.F. Disco Mix) (1981)

4) Who'll Stop The Rain (Special Dance Mix) (1983)

5) Penthouse And Pavement (12" Mix) (1981)

6) Trouble (U.S. Club Mix By Bruce Forest) (1987)

7) Let's All Make A Bomb (New Version) (1983)

8) This Is Mine (Filmix Reprise Re-Edit By Khayem) (2022)

 

1981: Penthouse And Pavement (12"): 5

1981: Play To Win (12"): 3 

1983: Come Live With Me (12"): 7

1983: Temptation (12"): 2, 4 

1987: Double Trouble (limited edition double pack 12"): 6

2022: This Is Mine (Khayem Re-Edits) (MP3): 1, 8

Time For Another Party! (44:53)

These Are Dangerous Times For Love

I'm not a particular fan of Culture Club, but I love Boy George. As an artist, he's arguably got better with each passing decade and I've an especial love for his brief diversion as Jesus Loves You. The sole album, The Martyr Mantras, remains much loved at Casa Khayem, and creatively it remains a high water mark. Here are the JLY highlights, condensed into (just over) an hour of loved up lyrics and blissed out beats. Damn, was it really three decades ago?!

 

1) Too Much Love (L.P. Mix By Mark Brydon) (1990)

2) Generations Of Love (Love Dub Mix By Terry Farley & Pete Heller) (ft. MC Kinky) (1990)

3) Sweet Toxic Love (Hootenanny Mix) (1992)

4) Am I Losing Control (Dizzy Tequila Mix By Hans 'Hands On' Grøttheim) (1992)

5) Bow Down Mister (Floating In The Ganges - Grid Mix By Dave Ball & Richard Norris) (1991)

6) Love Hurts (Yes It Doz U Blighter Mix By Bruce Forest) (1991)

7) One On One (Massive Attack Mix) (1990)

8) Love's Gonna Let U Down (Popcorn Mix By Mark Brydon) (1990)

9) After The Love (Prophets Of Doom Mix) (1991)

10) Siempre Te Amare (Mark Brydon Remix) (1990)

11) I Specialize In Loneliness (Album Version By Boy George & John Themis) (1990)

 

These Are Dangerous Times For Love (1:03:51)