THE BAR-KAYS

SEXOMATIC
(ORIGINAL EXTENDED 12" VERSION)
(ORIGINAL 12" DUB VERSION)

The Bar-Kays are a soul, R&B, and funk group who began performing in 1966 and continue to perform today, although with only one original member. They began in Memphis, Tennessee as a favorite recording studio session musician group, backing major artists at Stax Records. They were chosen in 1967 by Otis Redding to play as his backing band.

On December 10, 1967, Redding, his manager, and four of the original band members died in a plane crash in Lake Monona while on their way to a performance in Madison, Wisconsin. Trumpeter Ben Cauley (who survived the crash) and bassist James Alexander (who missed the flight due to returning a rental car) rebuilt the group. The reformed band backed dozens of major Stax artists on recordings afterwards, including on Isaac Hayes' Hot Buttered Soul album, and changed direction in the 1970s to have a successful funk music career on Mercury Records.

In 1984 the group decided to take another new musical path and released the Electro inspired album Dangerous. The single Sexomatic which was released some 17 years on from their first hit Soul Finger in 1967, is pure Electro-Funk and is especially effective on the Dub Version. The track rewarded the group with a #12 U.S. R’n’B chart hit in late 1984.

SEXOMATIC
(ORIGINAL EXTENDED 12" VERSION)

SEXOMATIC
(ORIGINAL 12" DUB VERSION)

WANG CHUNG

TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A.
(ORIGINAL EXTENDED 12" VERSION)

The To Live and Die in L.A. soundtrack is Wang Chung's third album and second on Geffen Records. Instead of following up on the success that their previous album Points on the Curve landed them, Wang Chung switched gears to produce an original motion picture soundtrack. The switch allowed for them to experiment with different styles of music from the conventional pop music on their previous album.

According to William Friedkin, director of the film To Live and Die in L.A., the main reason he chose Wang Chung to compose the soundtrack was because the band "stands out from the rest of contemporary music... What they finally recorded has not only enhanced the film, it has given it a deeper, more powerful dimension."Every song on the soundtrack, excluding the title song and "Wait", was written and recorded within a two-week period. Only after Wang Chung saw a rough draft of the film did they produce the title song.

The soundtrack's title song, To Live and Die in L.A. was the only single from the album and was released in September 1985. The track rose quickly up the Billboard Hot 100, until it hit its climax at #41.

On the To Live and Die in L.A. DVD audio commentary, director William Friedkin stated to Wang Chung that he “didn’t want a theme song for To Live and Die in L.A.” One day, though, Jack Hues & Nick Feldman gave Friedkin a copy of "To Live and Die in L.A." (to his dismay). Surprisingly, Friedkin was impressed and decided to keep the song as part of the movie and the soundtrack.

A big thank you to mojowkn for this ultra rare 12" gem!

TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A.
(ORIGINAL EXTENDED 12" VERSION)

NASH THE SLASH

DANCE AFTER CURFEW
(ORIGINAL 12" DANCE MIX)

Nash the Slash is a Canadian progressive rock, classical, and alternative musician. He was a member of the band FM in the 1970s, before launching a solo career in 1978, producing an audiovisual collaboration with artist Robert Vanderhorst which continues to this day.

Nash's music is a complex blend of new wave, new age and punk rock, using electric mandolins, violins, drums machines and an arsenal of effects and sonic devices. He has written, played and produced almost all of the material on his solo albums by himself.

Since 1979 Nash has always performed with surgical bandages covering his face. Born Jeff Plewman, he has attempted to keep his true identity the subject of some speculation. In a 1981 interview with the UK magazine Smash Hits, Nash's response to a question about his real name was "Nashville Thebodiah Slasher". By never officially confirming or denying his name, some fans came to believe Nash to be an alter ego of Ben Mink, who replaced him as FM's violinist in 1978. This is a common misconception but he has been photographed onstage with Ben Mink. While in the UK, he was rumoured to be Billy Currie of Ultravox fame.

In 1980 and 1981 Nash was personally invited by Gary Numan to tour the UK as his support act, and also toured Europe with The Tubes. He was signed to Richard Branson's DinDisc (Virgin) label and in 1980 he released the album Children of the Night in Europe. Returning to Toronto in spring 1981, Nash followed up the success of Children of the Night with the album And You Thought You Were Normal. This included the track and later single Dance After Curfew on which a then relatively unknown Daniel Lanois took the production helm. The single proved to be a favourite in the dance clubs at the time and also has the distinction of being a club and radio hit in Poland, which was then still behind the iron curtain.

DANCE AFTER CURFEW
(ORIGINAL 12" DANCE MIX)

ALTERED IMAGES

I COULD BE HAPPY
(ORIGINAL EXTENDED 12" DANCE MIX)

Altered Images were a Scottish new wave band whose members were ex-school friends with an equal interest in the UK post-punk scene. After being championed by legendary DJ John Peel, they quickly garnered enough attention to be offered a deal with Epic Records, but mainstream success was not immediate; their first two singles failed to reach the top 40.

After the band's 1981 success of their first album, Happy Birthday, and an equally successful tour, they released their 1982 album Pinky Blue. The album showed them following a more pop route. The lead off single, I Could Be Happy, went to #7 in the UK with the album reaching #12, making it more successful than their previous effort. Despite this success many critics who supported them previously began to turn sour.

I COULD BE HAPPY
(ORIGINAL EXTENDED 12" DANCE MIX)

HAIRCUT ONE HUNDRED

FAVOURITE SHIRTS (BOY MEETS GIRL)

(ORIGINAL EXTENDED 12" VERSION)

Although Haircut One Hundred only lasted a few years they were successful right away after they began performing. Their first album, Pelican West went straight to #2 with the lead off single, Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl), going to #4 in the UK charts back in 1981. The album also produced 3 more singles, one of which, Love Plus One, was featured on an earlier post on Born Again '80s. Great tune!

FAVOURITE SHIRTS (BOY MEETS GIRL)
(ORIGINAL EXTENDED 12" VERSION)

ROMEO VOID

NEVER SAY NEVER
(ORIGINAL EXTENDED 12" VERSION)

Romeo Void were a New Wave band from San Francisco, California who were active from 1979 to 1985. Their popularity was primarily in alternative and college radio, and as a dynamic performing act. The original band members met at the San Francisco Art Institute. Most of the band members were also visual artists and did their own album art.

Never Say Never was first released in 1982 as a self titled 12" E.P. which was co-produced by Ric Ocasek of The Cars. The track was later included on the band's second studio album Benefactor that same year but as a shorter clean edit more suitable for general radio broadcast. The track was a favourite on early MTV.

NEVER SAY NEVER (ORIGINAL EXTENDED 12" VERSION)

VAN HALEN

WHY CAN'T THIS BE LOVE
(ORIGINAL EXTENDED 12" MIX)

Why Can't This Be Love was the initial single from Van Halen's 7th album 5150, released in March of 1986. The album was the band's first with lead singer Sammy Hagar, who had replaced founding member David Lee Roth in late 1985. The song, driven by bouncy lead keyboard work from Eddie Van Halen, rose to #3 on the Billboard singles chart, and helped 5150 reach the #1 slot on the album chart, a first for the band. During the 5150 tours, Eddie Van Halen played the keyboard parts while Hagar played the guitar parts and the solo. Why Can't This Be Love was also the very first Van Halen track to get an official Extended Mix treatment.

WHY CAN'T THIS BE LOVE (ORIGINAL EXTENDED 12 " MIX)