Banderas - She Sells (1991)

To commemorate the passing of the game changing Brexit in the UK (whether you are in favour or not), here is the remixes of the second single by British female synth-pop duo and Isle postees Banderas  The song itself almost hit the UK Top 40, reaching a frustrating #41.  The remixes are done by electronic rock group Apollo 440 and change the song up considerably, increasing the tempo and adding harder techno and house flourishes.  Much better than the original, IMO.

Here is the video for the original She Sells

Download She Sells

1 She Sells (Apollo 440 Edit)
2 She Sells (Digital Hardcore Mix)
3 She Sells (Alternative 7" Mix)
4 Why Aren't You In Love With Me?

The Zummos - An Obsession (Over You) (1985)

I just did a post on the Zummos on The Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars, so head over there for more info.  All I need to say here is that this was their only single, a fun dance-pop number, and it was David Morales' first major remix.  Enjoy!






Download An Obsession (Over You)

1 An Obsession (Over You) (Remixed Version)
2 An Obsession (Over You) (Dub Version)

Nancy Martinez ‎– Crazy Love (1986)

I recently posted a mega-post on Nancy Martinez on The Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars, and thought I would share one of her lesser-known singles.  "Crazy Love" was produced by Lost Pop Treasures fave Teneen Ali, and co-produced by John Morales and Sergio Munzibai (who also worked with Isle postees Denise Lopez, Candi, and Carrie McDowell, among other bigger pop acts). It was much more pop-oriented than her previous work and was not a hit.  But it's definitely a fun pop track!



Download Crazy Love

1	Crazy Love (Extended Mix)
2	Crazy Love (Dub Mix)
3	Crazy Love (Instrumental)

Carole Pope - Nothing But A Heartache / I'm Not Blind (1988)

There's really not much I need to tell you about Carole Pope that you can't find on the internet.  Simply put, she's a Canadian icon, originally one half of new wave hit-makers Rough Trade (hits include "High School Confidential" and "Crimes Of Passion") and an ex-lover of Dusty Springfield.  But after leaving Rough Trade, her solo career was very sporadic.  This was her first (and only?) solo single, released independently.  "Nothing But A Heartache", a remake of the Flirtations classic, is a synth-rock song, and "I'm Not Blind" is a lovely ballad.  Seven years later, in 1995, she finally released the mini-album Radiate on her own label Le Petite Mort Records.  She wouldn't release another album, Transcend, until 2005, also on her label.  She also released a collection of remixes of the album the same year, and finally released another album, Landfall, in 2011.  These later albums are much more electro-based and are quite tasty.  You can get them, and other albums, on her website.  But for now enjoy this rarity from a true legend.

Download Nothing But A Heartache / I'm Not Blind

1		Heartache (Repomix)
2		I'm Not Blind (Radio Mix)
3		Heartache (Remix)
4		I'm Not Blind (Acoustic Mix)
5		Heartache (Heat Mix)

Never...But Always - Tonight (Love Is Gonna Change You) (1988)

Well, it took awhile, but I'm back again with a few gems (thanks to Jeremy Kay for putting fire under my ass. LOL).  The first is a synthpop Hi-NRG number by the Canadian duo of brothers Steve & Kevin Dafoe, with some early assistance by Massimo Rosati.  Rosati was a prolific producer of Hi-NRG songs in Canada in the 1980s.  As Never...But Always (formerly known, interestingly, as En Vogue), the duo released three singles: "Never Enough" in 1986, this track in 1988, and "Too Good To Be True" in 1990.  This track was produced by Vincent Degiorgio, who worked with many other acts posted on this blog and the Isle blog, including Kim Esty, Eria Fachin, Fire & Ice, Patrick L. Myles, Pressure Point, Karen Silver and Fausta Monaco. The version of "Tonight" I'm posting was remixed by Barry Harris, then one half of synthpop duo Kon Kan, and later better known a remixer Thunderpuss.  "Tonight" sounds a lot like a Kon Kan song, and is reminiscent of similar synth boy duos of the time like Bros or Blue Mercedes.  It's an amazing dance song.  Enjoy!

Download Tonight (Love Is Gonna Change You)

1		Tonight (Love Is Gonna Change You) (The Barry Harris Remix)
2		Tonight (Love Is Gonna Change You) (The Edit)
3		Tonight (Love Is Gonna Change You) (Music For Your Feet Mix)

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)

Nightcat - #1 House Rule (1991)

This single is one that reminds me why I enjoy doing these blogs. You just never know what you're going to find out about these artists! I thought this was just a random one off single by some pop tart, but instead Nightcat was a creation of Marvel Comics! Marvel creator Stan Lee wanted to develop a female superhero who crossed over into the real world. Like Dazzler, this hero was also a rock singer. So they released an issue of the Nightcat comic book and hired actress/singer Jacqueline Tavarez to embody Nightcat in real life. They recorded an entire album simply titled Nightcat. This was the only single. Both the comic and album bombed and Jacqueline was fired, she claims because she appeared in a music video by Long Island Lolita Amy Fisher's ex-lover Joey Buttafuoco!! She has since appeared nude in the film Tromeo And Juliet and that's about it. For more on the Nightcat story, go HERE. I would have died for this had I known it existed back in the day, as I was both a music and comic book fiend! As for this song, it's actually a really good dance pop track (like something from Pajama Party, whose 'ghost' vocalist Nikki Gregoroff also has credits on the Nightcat album and is likely the one actually singing this), and the remixes give it a tasty house edge. Apparently the rest of the album is very rock oriented, but I would still LOVE to get my hands on it!

Download #1 House Rule

1		#1 House Rule (12" House Mix)
2		#1 House Rule (12" House Dub)
3		#1 House Rule (7" Radio Version)
4		#1 House Rule (Nightcat Mix)
5		#1 House Rule (Rock The Dub Mix)
6		#1 House Rule (7" Mix)

April Wayne - The Bigger They Come, The Harder They Fall (1989)

April Wayne was a bikini model and occasional actress in the 80s, and this was her only single. It was produced by the people behind Stacey Q and Bardeux, and while the original is poppy fun, the remixes make it a house scorcher.





Download The Bigger They Come, The Harder They Fall

1		The Bigger They Come, The Harder They Fall (Passion Mix)
2		The Bigger They Come, The Harder They Fall (The Big Shot Mix)
3		The Bigger They Come, The Harder They Fall (The Original Mix)
4		The Bigger They Come, The Harder They Fall (The Invasion Of The Hippie Zombie Guys)

Kerry Shaw - Could This Be Love? (1993)

Brit Kerry Shaw released this one single, an upbeat techno-house number which never became a hit. She later became part of indie-pop band Whistler with former EMF member Ian Dench. They released two albums at the end of the 1990s and then split. No idea what she's up to now, but it's a shame she didn't release more singles like this one.



Download Could This Be Love?

1		Could This Be Love? (Night Fever Mix)
2		Could This Be Love? (Diss-Cuss Vocal Mix)
3		Could This Be Love? (The Chameleon Mix)

Louie Louie - The Girl Who Seduced The World (1987)

This was the first single released by Louie Louie, the boy who was Madonna's love interest in the "Borderline" video and whose two albums I featured on The Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars. It is a remake of a Jon St. James track and was also produced by St. James (of Bardeux and Stacey Q fame). It's a fun synth-pop, almost freestyle track.




Download The Girl Who Seduced The World

1		The Girl Who Seduced The World (Dance Club Mix)
2		The Girl Who Seduced The World (Radio Edit)
3		The Girl Who Seduced The World (Instrumental)