Genuine Parts - I Don't Care For You (1987)

"I Don't Care For You" was the second single from freestyle act Genuine Parts, an act created by freestyle great Avy Gonzalez. Initially the act consisted of a duo of lovely ladies, Ivette and Diley. They released "Did It Feel Like Love" in 1986 and it became an instant freestyle classic. It even got them a deal with Atlantic Records. Despite its success, the two ladies were exchanged with a couple other singers, and a backup band was also included as part of the act.  "I Don't Care For You" and their other two singles, "Show Me (What To Do)" and "Start Our Love Again", were not as successful, and the band broke up.  I love this song, though it lacks the upbeat Latin tinge of "Did It Feel Like Love".

Download I Don't Care For You

1 I Don't Care For You (Club Mix)
2 I Don't Care For You (Radio Mix)
3 Give Me A Break (Dub)
4 I Don't Care For You (Original Mix)

Gabriella ‎– Bottom Line (1987)

I adore this track, and wish Gabriella had released more music.  I have no idea who exactly she is, so perhaps she did record music under another name.  Whatever the case, the song was produced in part by Lonnie Simmons, the man behind Total Experience Records, whose biggest acts were The Gap Band and Yarbrough & Peoples.  If you like the electro-funk of those groups, you'll love this track, though many also consider it a freestyle track.  Whatever it is classified, it is a classic!

Download Bottom Line

1 Bottom Line (Rock Bottom Mix)
2 Bottom Line (Radio Mix)
3 Bottom Line (Bonus Beat Box Mix)
4 Bottom Line (Instrumental)
5 Bottom Line (Acappella, Acappella)

Lola - Wax The Van (1987)

When digging through my records I came across this gem.  I had no idea I owned this and had never seen or heard it before!  But what a strange treat!  Lola is soul singer Lola Blank, with assistance from 'mutant-disco' legends Arthur Russell (Loose Joints) and her husband Bob Blank (Aural Exciters).  This track keeps up that mutant-disco vibe with a very odd yet horribly catchy club jam.  They released two more tracks as Lola - "I Need More" and "Work It".  I'm so glad I unearthed this unknown treasure in my collection!

Download Wax The Van

1	Wax The Van (Kenny's Club Version)
2	Wax The Van (Cherry's Club)
3	Wax The Van (Radio Edit)
4	Wax The Van (Jon's Dub)

Vanilla Mix - Easier Said Than Done (1987)

Here's another track that I don't know much about.  I have it on a double A-Side with Shari's "Stop If You Want My Lovin'", which was the track I originally bought it for, and it was originally released on my fave Canadian freestyle/hi-NRG label Sizzle, and originally mixed by the label head Teneen Ali.  It is an amazing Latin freestyle track with a lovely lead vocal, and haunting backing vocals.  Making it even better is that it was remixed by the amazing Robert Clivilles & David Cole, so while the Club Mix is pure freestyle, the Stardom Club Groove is a house stunner.

Download Easier Said Than Done

1		Easier Said Than Done (Club Mix)
2		Easier Said Than Done (Stardom Groove Club)

Suzie And The Cubans - I Feel It (1987)

Back again, finally. :)  I really don't know much about this track, other than that it was written by German-American dance producer extraordinaire Jurgen Korduletsch, Colombian-American freestyle producer extraordinaire Carlos Berrios and Brazilian-American remixer extraordinaire Tuta Aquino, with the A-Side being produced by Korduletsch and mixed by all three.  It is a classic house number, with "Suzie" repeating the title over a deep house beat and a piano riff.  The Makumba Mix and Double Dub add some chanting vocals repeating "Makumba a oh", which gives it a tribal feel.  However, the standout is the Construction Medley, whose production is credited to William Berrios (Carlos' brother?) and remixed by "The Cubans".  It removes the "Makumba"'s and instead samples bits of classic house songs, too many to mention here, but if you're a true house fan you should know many of them and dig this 10 minute entrancer.

Download I Feel It

1		I Feel It (Makumba Mix)
2		I Feel It (Double Dub)
3		I Feel It (Construction Medley)

Carrie McDowell - Casual Sex (1987)

So, I just featured Carrie McDowell's album on The Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars. Go there for all the details on Carrie. But I happen to have the original version of "Casual Sex", which isn't on the album. A bit different than the more popular remixed version on the album, before they thought to add the 'Uh Uh, No No' to the title. ;) It also includes the awesome funky non-album track "Prove It". Enjoy!



Download Casual Sex

1		Casual Sex (12" Mix)
2		Casual Sex (7" Version)
3		Casual Sex (Instrumental)
4		Prove It

Hi-Tyme - Fly Robin Fly (1987)

It's been awhile, I know, but I'm back with a few more gems. First up is this remake of the 1975 Silver Convention disco classic. It was released on Canada's Sizzle Records as a double A side with Natasha's freestyle song "Be Gentle With My Heart". Like that track, I suspect it was produced by the man behind most of Sizzle Records' releases, Teneen Ali (see previous post on Shari), though production is credited to the 'Sizzle Connection'. It is basically a straight-forward remake, with a little less disco and a little more synth.

Download Fly Robin Fly

1

Fly Robin Fly (Club Mix)

Pressure Point Featuring Ronit - Take Me Tonight (1987)

Here is a little-known Canadian freestyle/house track that really must be heard. It has a very similar vibe to the electro house songs produced by the Komix crew (which includes previous postee Jillian Mendez) but with a more freestyle flavour. It was produced by Tzvi Erez, who was partly responsible for previous postee Patrick L. Myles' big hit "My Heart's On Fire", which was also released on Vincent Degiorgio's Power label. Degiorgio and Erez wrote the track with singer Ronit Benyovits. Love this track!

Download Take Me Tonight

1		Take Me Tonight (The Extended "L.O.V." Mix)
2		Take Me Tonight (The Novox Mix - Instrumental)
3		Take Me Tonight (Edit)

Shari - Sugar Sugar (1987)

Thanks to a request from Jeff on Facebook, I offer you Shari's "Sugar Sugar". Shari, like previous postee Yasmine, is a one-named mystery girl who was produced by Canadian Hi-NRG and freestyle producer Teneen Ali. Also like Yasmine, Shari's single is a Hi-NRG remake, this time of The Archies classic. Unlike Yasmine, Shari did record at least one other single, the better known freestyle song "Stop If You Want My Lovin'", also produced by Teneen Ali, which you can download at Freestyle Rebirth. Thanks for the request, Jeff!

Download Sugar Sugar

1		Sugar Sugar
2		Sugar Sugar (Radio Mix)

Yasmine - Toda La Vida (1987)

Another mystery artist, this track by Yasmine came out on Canadian label Sizzle and was produced by Canadian Hi-NRG and freestyle maestro Teneen Ali, probably best known for his work with Nancy Martinez. It is an English, Hi-NRG remake of the Italian song "Tutta La Vita" originally recorded by Lucio Dalla in 1984, and then remade in Spanish in 1986 as "Toda La Vida" by two artists, Franco and Emmanuel. In fact, Emmanuel's version replaced Franco's version on top of Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks chart. I believe that this is Yasmine's only release.

Download Toda La Vida

1		Toda La Vida (Coco Loco Mix)
2		Toda La Vida (Radio Mix)

Denise Motto - Tell Jack (Jack The House) (1987)

I know nothing about Denise Motto. All I can tell you is that her first release was the double sided single "Miss Demeanor / IMNXTC" in 1986. While "Miss Demeanor" was a Bobby Orlando-ish Hi-NRG song which Denise sang the vocals on, "IMNXTC" was an acid house-ish track on which she spoke. It was such a huge hit in the clubs that she released it again a year later as "I M N X T C (Jack Your Body To The Beat)", as well as the track "Doing It Properly - Is XTC". This was at the height of the 'jack' craze (the most poppish example being the Reynolds Girls' "I'd Rather Jack"). "Tell Jack" was the next single and very much in the same vein. It is one of my fave house tracks. She released one more double sided single, "Totally Serious / Every Woman", before disappearing.

Download Tell Jack (Jack The House)

1		Tell Jack (Jack The House)
2		Tell Jack (Jack The House) (Dub)

Fire On Blonde - Bounce Back (1987)

As promised, here is another single from LA group Fire On Blonde. (I posted another single, "Stop And Think", awhile back HERE.) The song was later recorded by pop singer Alisha in 1990 and was a minor hit for her, but not for Fire On Blonde. (It was also recorded by Martika but never released.) The versions are virtually the same only with different vocals, which makes sense as both versions were produced by 80s and 90s pop maestro Michael Jay (as was the single "Wrong Number", which was also released by both acts).


Download Bounce Back

1		Bounce Back (12" Version)
2		Bounce Back (Radio Version)
3		Bounce Back (House Dub)
4		Bounce Back (7" Remix)
5		Bounce Back (Acapella)

Fire And Ice - Danger (1987)

Fire And Ice was one of the many monikers that Canadian HiNRG king Vincent Degiorgio used to release his numerous HiNRG tracks. This track is an almost exact remake of The Flirts' hit. The vocals are by Linda Hanchar, formerly of the Canadian disco group Harlow. While the vocals are better than The Flirts' version, I feel this version lacks the pep that the Flirts gave the song.



Download Danger

1		Danger
2		Danger (Instrumental)

Bubbles - The More I See You (1987)

Another Canadian single that I have no info on other than it was produced by Richard Buck, who has worked with other Canadian dance acts like Lime, Nancy Martinez and Trans-X. It is a hi-NRG remake of the song made famous first in 1945 by Dick Haymes and again in 1966 by Chris Montez, though it is most similar to the version by French artist Valli released a year earlier.



Download The More I See You

1		The More I See You
2		The More I See You (Edit)
3		Wanna Get To Know You Well

Kumari - Shake / Watch Out (1987)

Here's another Canadian rarity from 1987. According to the press release included with this, Kumari grew up in England and got her art degree, then hooked up with her brother Seri to make music. They moved to Canada to pursue a music career, making "a blend of British and American R&B sounds performed at a Techno pop level". I remember the video for "Shake" was played quite a bit on Canadian TV. Apparently only one other single and video, "Rock Your Baby", was released.


Download Shake / Watch Out

1

Shake (Dance Mix)

2		Watch Out (Radio Mix)
3		Watch Out (Dance Mix)

Odette Doiley - Comin' At You Boy (1987)

I have a bunch more Canadian singles from the 80s for you. This is one of my faves. I remember seeing the video on the old Muchmusic show Soul In The City, and I fell in love with this poppy electro funk song. I never really learned anything about Odette other than what is posted on the record cover. She did release another great track, "Love Walked (Out Of My Life)" as simply Odette, which I also posted here.

UPDATE: Yay, Odette found this post and wrote! She says she also released another single and video, "Just Can't Let You Go". I'd LOVE to get my hands on it! Please fill us in on your biography and current whereabouts if you get a chance, Odette! Love your music!

Here is the video.

Download Comin' At You Boy

A		Comin' At You Boy (Vocal)
B		Comin' At You Boy (Instrumental)

Louisa Florio - Love Attack (1987)

Louisa Florio is a Canadian singer, I believe from Toronto. Her best known single is arguably this track, which was a minor success locally. It was produced by Harry Hinde, who formerly worked with disco groups, but is more notorious for being the man who produced Shania Twain's pre-country music demos in the 1980s. Louisa also released a self-titled, Hinde-produced, dance-pop album as well as a follow-up album, Instant Reaction (both are featured now on The Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars) and several other singles. There are also videos of her performing other songs live on Youtube, though recent info on her is hard to come by.

Download Love Attack

1		Love Attack
2		Love Attack (Extended Dance Mix)

Starla - Bad News (1987)

Here is another Canadian mystery artist. I have absolutely no info on this artist or track other than that it was released on a Canadian label, and that it is a sort of Madonna-esque song with a very heavily accented vocal. The same track appeared on both sides of the 7" so I'm just posting one side.





Download Bad News

1

Bad News

Tina K. - Talk To Me (1987)

Here is another mystery artist from Canada. This Hi-NRG (and vaguely freestyle) track was written and produced by John Brenner, who worked out of Montreal and produced many Hi-NRG and disco songs throughout the 1980s. He also worked with Tina K. on her only other single, 1987's "All I Wanna Do (Is Make Love To You)", which is NOT a version of the Heart hit. It was released on the very indie Dance Plant label.

UPDATE:  No longer a mystery!  Tina K.'s real name is Tiziana Kutic. She was born in Montreal. She was part of the group Mannequin with Brenner, and they released "Boom Bam" in 1987. She also released the track "Heart In Two" in 1988.  In 1990 she moved to Belgium and in 1991 released the house track "Seduce Me" as Tiziana, and then released three eurohouse tracks in 1994 as Kontesa, "Skies Are Blue" and "Does Anybody Love This Girl?" backed with the awesome B-side "Kiss Me Deep".  She then moved to New York and worked with composer David Shea, whom she later married. She has continued to be active in the music scene in New York.  Who knew?  And Dance Plant Records is also still going strong, and has remastered, remixed and rereleased all three Tina K. singles.

Live Performance

Download Talk To Me

1		Talk To Me
2		Talk To Me (Instrumental)
3		Talk To Me (Radio Version)

Evans & Fisher - You Set My Heart On Fire (1987)

I believe that Evans & Fisher were an Italian act, said to consist of very non-Italian named Tommy Evans and Danny Fisher. This is their remake of the Tina Charles disco classic. I had actually never heard the song until I got my hands on this version, which has a very Italo-disco feel. They released a few other singles using this name as well, and also produced other acts and ran a record label. (The single edit is from a separate 7" and thus is of different quality.)


Download You Set My Heart On Fire

1		You Set My Heart On Fire
2		Heart On Fire (Instrumental)

3 You Set My Heart On Fire (Single Edit)