Newcleus

Brooklyn trio Newcleus were the definitive Electro act.  Though they only released two full albums.  They had a nice string of seminal electro/freestyle hits. Block party favorites they originally started in 1977 as Jam-On Productions.

I'm surprised that I haven't blogged about them before because I was so into them.  Their sound really touched my soul.  I'm kind of surprised that they weren't much huger chart successes then they were because it seemed to me that their music was so ever-present at the time.  The idea that they had to speed their vocals to resemble the Chipmunks in parts was definitely part of the magic.  Their biggest pop hit "Jam on It" took it up to #56 on the U.S. Top 100.  Though several of their songs made the R and B Top 40.

I also think that their sound has held up very well.  It certainly makes me want to shake my tail in 2017.

Their first release Jam on Revenge was in 1983 which I've mentioned before is the legendary year for me and my going to the disco youth.  Their sound certainly mixed in very well with the Italo Disco which I hold so close to my heart and for which most of my blog is dedicated.

But with a vocoder and Jonathan Fearing on the mix how could they go wrong anyway?

Their songs have also been used in a few video games including Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX, Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 2 and DJ Hero 2, the latter even featured a newly re-recorded version.

By the mid 80's they still had a few releases but their sound was sort of on the decline as that hot new genre "house music" was making for the greatest impact on the dance floors.  I will thank my friend DJ Chris Baron for turning me on to Cyborg Dance and Space is the Place.  He even did a genius edit of Cyborg Dance.  In 1985 I was in D.C. and heard an awful lot of Hi Nrg and early House so progressive Electro like this wasn't on my radar and my trips to New York City were few and far between because I was studying.

A FEW OF THE BEST NUCLEUS TRACKS
Cyborg Dance and Space is the Place
The debut single Jam on Revenge

I have to admit I also love this sound because it reminds me of Shaun of the Dead, a film I really love and featured Electro obsessed characters.

THIS IS HOT PAMALA STANLEY a disco memory

It was the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of high school.  My parents decided that I should spend some time with my cousins in Brooklyn.  They were cool, typical guido types, and they loved their disco.  98.7 KISS WRKS was the #1 radio station in N.Y.C. that summer.  So I said to my cousins "take me to Brooklyn, I'm going to KISS and they're going to give me records."

They thought I was crazy but sort of drove me into Manhattan on a dare.  I got the address out of the phone book.  Just barely a teen I went right into the building and up to the floor where the radio station was.  I explained to the receptionist that I had a public access t.v. show in Connecticut about music called Music Corner.  And that it was always handy for me to have promo records to write about and feature on the program.  She smiled at me and went to talk to someone.  I think it was the program director.  He took me into another room and walked me up to a metal cabinet.  He opened it and pointed to a huge pile and said "take those."

They were all new disco promo records and on the top of the pile was this l.p. by a new singer I'd never heard of called Pamala Stanley.  My copy, like this one had the hole punch going through it.  Later in the week when I got back to Danbury I put this l.p. on my stereo and instantly loved it.  From the first notes of This is Hot to the hypnotic beat of Hey Mr. Magic.  It eventually became a minor hit peaking at #16 on the Billboard Disco charts.  I remember hearing it a few times on WBLS.

Someone put Pamala's This is Hot into a video of one of the dance scenes from Prom Night.  It wasn't actually in the film but it works really well in the video.  Fun movie if you enjoy slasher films, and has a great rare disco soundtrack.

A few years later Pamala reinvented herself as a HI NRG diva.  By then I was down in Washington, D.C. a Freshman at The American University and a new disco memory was formed.  Coming out of Hiding though it only made it to #4 on the Billboard Dance Charts was one of those songs you couldn't get away from.  It was massive.  I'd have to guess because the song was so embraced by the gay community.  It was like an anthem about coming out and just being yourself.

She only had a few more minor HI NRG hits after that.  But in any case Pamala Stanley remains a disco diva that holds memories for me.

A LITTLE PAMALA ZIP

ALISHA not just Baby Talk

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. April 16, 1968, Alisha Ann Itkin in art ALISHA came onto the scene in 1984.  With a sound truly influenced by Madonna yet with the pulse on the N.Y. underground ELECTRO scene she had her moment.  Unfortunately her career peaked before even hitting the age of 20.

Though she had three albums one in 1985, one in 1987 and the last in 1990 to me it was all about that debut album.  With both Mark Berry and Shep Pettibone on her team how could she lose?  An impressive 5 twelve inch singles were released off an album with only 6 songs!  How's that for working the marketing to the fullest?  She was also one of the few NON latino artists embraced by the FREESTYLE community.

In December 1985 she had her biggest hit when Baby Talk went to #1 on the Billboard Dance Chart.  But I think my favorite was Stargazin' because it was the least played out and I really love the lyrics.  Just a few years older then Alisha I too had stars in my eyes at the time.  But I guess I just had to content myself with being one of the most fashion forward and in your face kids on The American University quad.  AN ALISHA ZIP

PEOPLE MAGAZINE FLUFF PIECE FROM 1986

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FREESTYLE and ELECTRO in my EBAY store new stuff added regularly