Lots of early west coast magic here but the tape that always stood out for me was Garth’s. This eclectic mix of acid house, progressive house, trance, deep house, and disco funk made a real impression on me. I very much appreciate that many styles are represented here and that, even for the time, he’s playing a mix of both new and vintage. I assume that this was the closing set, for on the second side of the tape (beginning 48:05) he brings the party into a really nice landing with some super tasty house and disco classics.

[download]

Tracklist
00:00 Underground Hop “Make It Without You”
04:30 Colm III “Take Me High” (Mansion Mix)
08:08 Brothers Love Dubs “Right Up There Forever”
12:04 DTR “How Many Times? (Unity)” (Time Wharp)
15:52 unknown
17:54 Twin Hype “Do It To The Crowd” (Instrumental)
21:28 unknown
24:28 Luther Vandross & Janet Jackson “The Best Things In Life Are Free” (C.J.’s Vinyl Zone Dub)
29:39 Ray Love “Holding Out In Lagos” (D.J Techno Remix)
32:10 Man Machine featuring Zen “Robot-To Okoku” (The Robot Kingdom)
36:05 Code 6 “C.O.D.E.S.”
39:06 Man Machine featuring Zen “Denkimi-Shakuhachi” (Electro-Shakuhachi)
43:08 Eden Transmission “I’m So High”
48:05 Peacetime “The Truth Will Set You Free” (Free Time Work Mix)
50:44 FM Inc. “Dub Me Anytime”
54:30 Lemon Interupt “Eclipse”
59:53 Code 718 “Equinox” (Total Eclipse Of The Dub)
1:02:49 How II House “Unlock The House” (Acid Mix)
1:05:49 Fierce Ruling Diva “You Gotta Believe” (Garage Version)
1:09:20 T. Rodzo “Make It Right”
1:12:44 Kevin Irving “Children Of The Night”
1:17:11 Colonel Abrams “Music Is The Answer”
1:20:35 Wood Allen “Sound and Freq. Scratching”
1:20:55 Stone “Time” (Instrumental)
1:25:05 Unfinished Business “Out Of My Hands” (Club Mix)
1:32:13 Stone “Girl I Like The Way That You Move” (Dub Mix)

Thanks for your help with the tracklist: Dope Jams, Overload, Tee Kay, Coop.

The first side of this tape is certainly Jeno (of San Francisco’s legendary Wicked Crew) but I’m not sure who’s on the second side (beginning 44:50). It seems to me that the sides are not contiguous; that is, the second side could be a recording from another time in the night. The second dj does a bit of scratching and my first thought was this might be Overload, but upon hearing it Shawn confirmed this was not him. So, that leaves another mystery open to the trainspotters.

[download]

Tracklist
00:00 Sultans of Swing “Move It To The Left” (3rd Level Banji Mix)
03:08 Sax “Give Yourself To Me” (Rubber Dub)
06:30 Rio Rhythm Band “Carnival Da Casa” (which mix?)
10:27 unknown
12:20 Bad Boy Orchestra “Hip Hop Salsa” (Dub Mix)
15:15 2 Guys On Acid “House Music All Night Long” (Call It Acid Dub)
18:30 The Dynamic Duo “In The Pocket” (Hip House Mix)
21:12 TC 1992 “Funky Guitar” (which mix?)
24:37 Eagles Prey “Tonto’s Drum”
27:19 unknown
30:20 Original Rockers “Rockers to Rockers” (Come Again)
35:18 unknown
39:14 M-D-Emm “Get Angelic”
42:12 Drum And Bass “Claw Acieeed!”
Second side is another DJ, but who? I’m inclined to guess Onionz as well.
42:49 unknown
47:20 Coco Steel & Lovebomb “You Can’t Stop The Groove”
50:25 unknown
53:46 Mix Masters “In The Mix” (Fast Eddie’s Mix)
55:55 unknown
59:29 Bizarre Inc. “I’m Gonna Get You” (Todd’s Rubber Dub)
1:02:11 unknown
1:05:36 unknown
1:08:54 unknown (vocal samples: “I just can’t it I just lose control”, “I need a rhythm”)
1:12:12 MK Feat. Alana “Burning” (Underground Vibe Mix)
1:15:42 Leftfield “Not Forgotten” (Hard Hands Mix)
1:18:32 Tricky Disco “Tricky Disco”
1:22:46 Armando “We’re On The Move” (which mix?)
1:25:23 unknown

 

This was the first New England party I can remember having a strong New York influence. Seems it was the first to sell tickets in NY and New Jersey, work with promoters there to publicize the event and organize buses, and to hire a large contingent of NY djs. Primary knew that to throw an event of this magnitude they’d have to “unite the tribes.” Up to this point, New England parties (especially those in Maine) had a very different vibe than was found in NYC, Baltimore, DC, and Philly. Up north it was more innocent and carefree; in NYC and south it was a lot more serious. When the crowds came together I think it made for a great mix, though with the NYC crowd came a darker, shadier element. As time went on this shady, “hoody” element became synonymous with Connecticut events and could be found often in Massachusetts but for the most part the beloved Maine vibe was spared.

The best part about the event of course was the music. Here we have a recording of back-to-back sets by a couple of really talented UK DJs, Tin Tin and Bob Bentley. It has to be said that Tin Tin was a total douche and his support in New England ended six months later at Independance when he decided he deserved more money and punched out Kris Clark, a sweet guy who was responsible for not only the first raves in New England, but a long string of extremely memorable ones that gave Portland, ME, the reputation for having the best vibe in New England. That said, Tin Tin does an amazing job here, throwing acapellas here and there on top of the biggest trance and progressive house jams of the time. The highlight for me is his transition into progressive house using the acapella of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” (starting at 44:40). The magic happens at 47:24 when he takes the dance track out completely and lets the acapella ride on it’s own for a couple of bars before dropping the Steve Anderson remix of Paul McCartney’s “Deliverance”. The key changes from major to minor and the mood created by the two records together is something profound.

Two interesting things to note about this recording: first, these DJs have their records pitched up much faster than you could play them on conventional Technics. They were able to maintain such an energetic tempo because the decks they were using had been modified to support +/- 16% pitch control; a modification necessary for the hardcore djs who played earlier in the night.

Second, a puzzle for the trainspotters. This recording was digitized from a cassette tape. I’ve glued the recordings of the two sides of the tape into one mp3 file. The first side of the tape begins with one of my all-time favorite records, “Mantra” by CJ Bolland. There is a possible change of DJs at 07:14 when “Age of Love” is faded out and new track starts from the beginning. The first side ends fading out at 39:09 on another all-time fav, Gat Decor’s “Passion” (Naked Mix). The second side begins with “Passion” being cut suddenly and the acapella of “Fever Called Love” possibly starting a new dj set (pretty sure it’s Tin Tin starting the progressive portion of his set). At 1:05:30 Tin Tin ends his set and Bob Bentley begins (hard to miss thanks to Frankie Bones, who could never get off the mic soon enough for me). Here’s where it gets tricky: the second side ends with “Mantra”. It was common in those days for songs to be played several times in a night (it’s sad that this practice has since become frowned upon but then there aren’t as many memorable anthems being played, either). In essence, the first side begins with the same song as the second side ends, and the first side ends with the same song as the second side begins. So the question is, who is playing on the first side? Does the first side actually come chronologically after the second? It wouldn’t be the first tape I have like this.) My guess is that, based on the use of acapellas, the tape is in correct chronological order, and the first side is Tin Tin. If that is the case, who played before Tin Tin (ending with “Age of Love”)? Amusing coincidence…

Hope you enjoy this as much as I continue to.

[download]

Tracklist
00:00 CJ Bolland “Mantra”
01:04 unknown
03:37 The Age Of Love “Age Of Love” (Watch Out For Stella Club Mix) fade out
07:14 unknown
10:26 Mukkaa “Buruchacca” (Dub Mix)
14:39 Leftfield “Song of Life”
18:32 LaTour “Blue” (Underground Ice Pick Mix)
21:43 Ege Bam Yasi “Bubble” (Active Ingredients Mix)
25:34 unknown
27:38 unknown
31:29 Pamela Fernandez “Kickin’ In The Beat” (Acapella)
32:59 unknown
37:00 Gat Decor “Passion” (Naked Mix) (acapella unknown)
39:09 tape flips. Gat Decor “Passion” (Naked Mix) record cuts out
39:37 unknown (some beatless remix of Rising High Collective “Fever Called Love”?)
43:07 unknown
43:50 unknown
47:24 Whitney Houston “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” (A Capella)
47:53 Paul McCartney “Deliverance” (Steve Anderson Remix)
53:36 Spooky “Land Of Oz” (Emerald City Mix)
55:45 Sister Sledge “We Are Family” (Sure Is Pure Remix)
1:00:38 Dina Carrol “Ain’t No Man” (Brothers In Rhythm Remix)
1:05:43 Frankie Bones announces end of Tin Tin, beginning of Bob Bentley
1:05:55 unknown
1:09:11 React 2 Rhythm “Intoxication” (Dubfield Mix)
1:12:37 unknown (sample: “I get so restless…”)
1:15:36 unknown
1:19:24 CJ Bolland “Mantra”

Thanks for your help with the tracklist: Overload, DJ ERX