Track-By-Track: O/B #16 (Guest post by Prosumer)
Today's guest post comes from one of my all-time favourite DJs, Prosumer.
This record transports my mind right back to being in my early teens at the funfair. In lieu of having access to a ‘Disco’, the fair was the next best thing.
In 1976, when my mum was pregnant with me, producer Frank Farian was being awarded his first golden record. He had invited the press to his Discotheque ‘Rendezvous’, a few minutes from my parents' home. As entertainment, his latest project, Boney M, performed ‘Daddy Cool’. Largely ignored until then, the single then started its rise to the top.
I had a strong fascination with everything ‘Discotheque’ from an early age and throughout my childhood. When we walked into town, we would pass the ‘Rendezvous’. Inside, it was like what I had seen on TV shows – at least in my head. Probably I assumed that Boney M would hang out in there all the time. I knew that the guy behind Boney M owned this place and also had his studio in my home town. I remember that one day when I was a small kid, during some kind of town fair, I was allowed to take a look inside this Disco. I remember mirrors and lights. It was a great canvas for my dreams but not a place accessible to a kid.
But the funfair was! I loved the rides and what was best about them was the music! It was mainly the selection of tunes being played that decided if I liked a ride or not. The ones I approved of were the two ‘Musikexpress’ (Caterpillar-style ride), the ‘Spinne’ (Spider) and one of the ‘Autoscooter’ (Bumper cars). Additions in later years like the ‘Taiga Jet’ were further variations on the theme and run by the same families, Spangenberger & Sartorio.
They all focussed on danceable music and played the extended versions that I wouldn’t get to hear on the radio. I remember the autumn when 'Desire' by Roni Griffith was one of the biggest hits at the fair and that the Autoscooter and Spinne were playing lots of similar sounding records that I really liked - in hindsight: Bobby Orlando productions.
I remember a 7 year old me having strong opinions about one of the Musikexpress playing 'I Just Called To Say I Love You' way too many times. The other one was much better anyways. They had the better light effects, a strobe and even a smoke machine! It was just like the Disco on TV! There were wooden cutouts of dancers mounted on the walls with motors attached to the hips, making them dance and grind to the music.
There are songs that will forever be connected to these rides in my memory. 'Everything Counts', 'Self Control' (Laura Branigan version on one Musikexpress, Raf version on the other) 'Woodpeckers From Space', Valerie Dore 'The Night', Janet Jackson’s 'Control’ album. The joy of the full-stop breakdown in the 'IOU Megamix' by Freeez, complete with all lights being turned off on the ride!
And then 'We Call It Acieed', 'Big Fun', 'The Only Way Is Up' and 'Rock To The Beat’. The second summer of love, Acid and Hip House – their strongest manifestation in my smalltown boy life was at the funfair. There are many records from that period that I am sure I first encountered with the smell of cotton candy and popcorn in the air. My appreciation for the art of the extended mix and the dub started there. For how to play music in a way that keeps people engaged for another round.
I have no idea if I ever heard 'Are You Ready' in this context. Probably not, in my mind, I see those wooden silhouettes grinding their hips whenever I hear it!
Dance Society - Are You Ready? (Heavy House Mix) (Panther, 1989)
(Discogs)
Note: this is an entry in the Track-By-Track series for my mix for O/B.
Track-By-Track is a series that looks back at records you will have heard in my mixes, one by one in the order they were played. Who made them, and when? How did I come across them? And what do they make me feel?