Loaded

[Maximus]

This month we are going for a Prodigy hour.
Although I have never been a massive fan they have been important to the scene that I am very much part of now, his Firestarter image has been used on at least one of our old flyers a very 90's image.

The suicide of someone of a similar age has bothered me, and It only seems fitting to have some sort of tribute. Even if it is just to say "I'm here if anyone needs me"

However the biggest news is that we have just been booked to play the Pride march after party in June, I love a bit gay disco and really looking forward to mixing some cheese in with some normal material

Keener on gay disco than The Prodigy.

There are a couple of really good books on the history of dance music by Bill Brewster & Frank Broughton: 'Last Night A DJ Saved My Life' and particularly 'The Record Players' which feature lists of records played by the most influential DJ's. I'm having fun just now going through my library and making up the playlists as best I can and, as I've mentioned before, it's interesting how similar the music played in gay clubs was to mainstream club music - the cheese came later.

See also Ian Levine who was the first to introduce early disco to the northern soul scene and ended up producing HiNRG records.

[Undie]

Keener on gay disco than The Prodigy.

Oh me too, it's like a dream come true.

I love a bit of gay disco but as a straight man the last thing I want to come across is patronising with the set choice. It's going to be one that I have a long hard think about. Not every gay person wants to hear Sylvester or Small Town Boy. Even if they are great.

[Maximus]

Keener on gay disco than The Prodigy.

Oh me too, it's like a dream come true.

I love a bit of gay disco but as a straight man the last thing I want to come across is patronising with the set choice. It's going to be one that I have a long hard think about. Not every gay person wants to hear Sylvester or Small Town Boy. Even if they are great.

Some clues here - I like Horse Meat Disco a lot and they've done a few decent comps:

Horse Meat Disco’s favourite tracks

It's difficult to know what to suggest (not that you were asking for suggestions) without knowing what you've got in the library.

I guess it's pointless getting too obscure. 'I Feel Love' is always a floor-filler. 'Over and Over' as mentioned in the link is a good Sylvester alternative to 'Mighty Real' and 'In The Bush' and other classics like 'Young Hearts Run Free' are worth a go, as well as lots of Philly and even the B-52's (obviously 'Love Shack' or 'Dance This Mess Around') as a disco alternative. Your NY classics could be good - 'There But For The Grace Of God...' for example.

Personally I'd chuck this in there at some stage - one of my desert island discs (assuming the desert island had a mirrorball):

Dan Hartman - Vertigo.. Relight My Fire!!

[Maximus]

I'd always play this too, another for mirrorball island - this is the long version:

MFSB featuring The Three Degrees - Love Is The Message (12" Version)

[Undie]

I will take loads and judge the crowd to decide. Young hearts and I feel Love are a given.
I am not sure whether Get Your Hands Off of my Man is too camp ?

Oh I am very much after suggestions and having a library is much easier now we use an mp3 controller. If I haven't got it, I can either buy it or get a version somehow

[Maximus]

I will take loads and judge the crowd to decide. Young hearts and I feel Love are a given.
I am not sure whether Get Your Hands Off of my Man is too camp ?

Oh I am very much after suggestions and having a library is much easier now we use an mp3 controller. If I haven't got it, I can either buy it or get a version somehow

OK, I'll have a think and come up with a few.

[Maximus]

I will take loads and judge the crowd to decide. Young hearts and I feel Love are a given.
I am not sure whether Get Your Hands Off of my Man is too camp ?

Oh I am very much after suggestions and having a library is much easier now we use an mp3 controller. If I haven't got it, I can either buy it or get a version somehow

No, I don't think it's too camp provided you slot it into the right place

Couple of others you might consider, mostly old school:

Double Exposure - Ten Per Cent

Gwen Guthrie - It Should Have Been You (1982)

Geraldine Hunt - Can't Fake The Feeling

Sharon Redd - Can You Handle It

Candido - Thousand Finger Man

TAKE THAT TO THE BANK / SHALAMAR

Teddy Pendergrass You can't hide from yourself

Loleatta Holloway - Love Sensation

[Undie]

Thanks, I don't think I know any of them. I will get back to you.


The prodigy night seems to have a will of its own. We have gone from our FB having around 60 followers (early days) to having a little promotion and Keith's death being felt around here to 136 in just a few days. The event has been shared 47 times and hardly any by us.
Currently the event has 378 "coming or interested" the pub holds 100 maybe a best, they won't all turn up but what a response. We have even been in touch with local branch of Mind who are going to let us have some buckets to raise a few quid for local mental health resources

[Maximus]

Thanks, I don't think I know any of them. I will get back to you.


The prodigy night seems to have a will of its own. We have gone from our FB having around 60 followers (early days) to having a little promotion and Keith's death being felt around here to 136 in just a few days. The event has been shared 47 times and hardly any by us.
Currently the event has 378 "coming or interested" the pub holds 100 maybe a best, they won't all turn up but what a response. We have even been in touch with local branch of Mind who are going to let us have some buckets to raise a few quid for local mental health resources

Well done - great idea.

You'll know the last one which was ripped off for a #1 single.

[Maximus]

Just a thought on your gay night.

I don't know when you're finishing the set or whether you're playing to the end but there is a tradition going back to the NYC clubs of playing the night out with a subset of 'sleaze' or 'morning music' which is a combination of coming down and/or copping off tunes.

Usually mid-slow tempo and a bit like the Cafe Del Mar balearic vibe with a mix of emotional disco as well as pop and even rock if it fits.

Here's a little classic selection:

Dusty and Trevor Horn:

Dusty Springfield - Baby Blue (Disco Version)

A slightly punk-funk remake of Talking Heads' Born Under Punches - I can imagine you liking this:

Fuzz Against Junk - Born Under Punches (Harvey's Punch Drunk Mix)

Rare Viola Wills and great in a strange way:

Viola Wills - Somebody's eyes

Pre Weather Girls Two Tons Of Fun:

Two Tons O' Fun - Just Us

And their mentor (although it's not them on this) - very unlike his usual output but really great:

Sylvester Featuring Jeanie Tracy - Give It Up (don't make me wait) (12'' version)

[Undie]

Thanks again, I don't know the Talking heads or that version, I will have a listen.

Just typed Sylvester feat, to get to give it up in Spotify and came across this one

Do you wanna funk - Patrick Cowley feat Sylvester
The more I hear of Cowley the more I like him

[Undie]

You'll know the last one which was ripped off for a #1 single.

Arrr yes I recognise that bit

I've put my set of Prodigy stuff together, had a bit of a practise and am ok with it. Me and my oppo do 30 minutes about normally and we decided that the hour needed to finish on Firestarter (we'll intro it with Crazy world of arthur brown fire) I do the first 30, he the second. A good mix of their back catalogue in there. Seemed easier than I expected to put together.

The biggest problem I have is what do I follow an hour of prodigy with that won't kill the dancefloor (rhetorical question) they do seem to cross genre's like not many other bands do. Too much rock with clear the dance music folk off, too much dance gets rid of the indie rock. We've got a license until 3 if we are busy, of not 2. I want the floor full as long as possible.

Favourites
Beastie Boys

House of Pain

Chemical Bros

Them Again

Fatboy Slim

or some old faithfuls like I Feel Love, Atomic or Blue Monday

[Maximus]

All of those look good for keeping that vibe going.

Groove is in the Heart and Love Shack always hit the rock/dance spot.

Personally I'd always sneak this funky one in:

Apparently Nothin' - Young Disciples (1991)

[Undie]

Beastie Boys

House of Pain

Chemical Bros

Them Again

Fatboy Slim

or some old faithfuls like I Feel Love, Atomic or Blue Monday

Pretty much played every track on here at some point, there is a local grafitti artist that put up a mural of keith around here that has gone viral as they say. We got chatting and he did a A3 print of the same picture to sell off.
It made £980 with a few quid that we made on the night we are extremely happy about it and the reception we have got.


Always a downside though.
The venue and the people who own the kit and booked us have fallen out. This leaves us in a bit of a pickle as the venue have been extremely supportive and booked us for Pride, however the others were there from the beginning and are looking for another venue (maybe as close as next door) along with another night that runs at the original place.
I thought the venue might have called by now to see where we stand and that might make us think about staying, that hasn't happened yet makes us think they might not. It won't be good for the venue if they have lost all of their nights in one fail swoop.

handbags at dawn

[Maximus]

That’s a bugger Undi.

Do you have any preference (i.e. venue or promotor)? It might be an idea be proactive and give them both a call.

[Claude Balls]

On the one hand, that's a delicate situation.

On the other, you now have a seller's market for your services.

[Maximus]

On the one hand, that's a delicate situation.

On the other, you now have a seller's market for your services.

or not...

[Claude Balls]

On the one hand, that's a delicate situation.

On the other, you now have a seller's market for your services.

or not...

Bloody lefty...

[Undie]

We were drawn slightly towards promoter as it would appear he has something lined up that may suit us better than it does them (dance night and Soul/funk/disco night) but didn't want to burn any bridges.

The decision has been put out of our hands overnight as the venue has decided not to do open nights any more and just hire out, which maybe allow us to play one offs there but nothing regular. We were asked if we wanted to do our usual slot at the end of the month but decided that the last one was big enough to finish on, now just waiting to hear about Pride (which I still want to do) and a regular slot

[Maximus]

Just to understand, might you still get a regular night with the promoter?

The other thought is whether the demand is there to put your night on independently charging entry, either hiring the venue or doing the classic ‘gate money/bar takings’ split with the venue.