Grammy whining, Justice and injustice

The selection of Grammy nominees for 2008 seems fairer this time compared to last year. Or maybe the quality of music is for something, or maybe, for a change, they are more open to artists from abroad. How else can you explain that Justice is nominated for best album in the dance category, head to head with LCD Soundsystem and the Chemical Brothers. For this reason I will look forward to sit in front of the TV in the hope of seeing James Murphy or Justice pick up the trophy, I think Murphy will win. When most complain that some were not nominated crying and whining, let's be analytical.

Now for the injustice part that no one noticed... How come one can get a second chance, that is, get nominated for whatever after being nominated the previous year, even if the song has been released the previous year, even though it is clearly stated that this year's nominees are nominated ...

For recordings released during the Eligibility Year
October 1, 2006 through September 30, 2007

and for last year ...

For recordings released during the Eligibility Year
October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006

Justin Timberlake's Future Sex/Lovesound was nominated for album of the year and Best Pop Vocal Performance and SexyBack for best dance recording and "My Love" for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration last year, and this year, "What Goes Around…Comes Around" is nominated for Record Of The Year AND Best Male Pop Vocal Performance AND Best Dance Recording for "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows" all from from the Future Sex/Lovesound album.

Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous" from the album "Loose" was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Collaboration last year, "Say it right" also from the "Loose" album" is nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance this year.

Christina Aguilara for Best Pop Vocal performance for "Ain't no other man" from the "Back to Basics" album last year, and this year also nominated in the same category for "Candy Man" also from the "Back to Basics" album.

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Ring The Alarm" from the "B'Day" album also nominated Best Contemporary R&B Album for Beyoncé last year. This year Beyoncé is nominated again in the record of the year category for "Irreplaceable" also from the same "B'Day" album AND Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals for "Beautiful Liar".

Out of the five nominees for Record of The year this year, 2 of them are "old news", Beyonce and Justin head to head with Rihanna, Foo Fighters and Amy Winehouse. Amy or Rihanna should win this one.

Now you know where the real injustice lies.

Image source: Beyonce Live DVD at Amazon.com

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Disco deep and shirtless

Suss'd UK has recently unveiled Volume 2 of their "Deep Disco Culture" series, easily recognizable by its Studio 54 black and white photos featuring a topless model. The uncensored image graces the back cover. Did get my hands on the 12 inch vinyl sampler from Volume 1 and for some strange reasons, the sound was so distorted and screechy, I never played it again, since I had 2 of the 70s original, it was easy to see and hear by comparison that the fault was on the mastering of the sampler vinyl itself.

Tracklisting for Deep Disco Culture Volume 2 on CD is ... as followed:

1. Azoto - San Salvador (12" instrumental mix)
2. Buari - I'm Ready
3. Franky and Jamo - Set Me On Fire
4. Bumblebee Unlimited - Funk For Days
5. The Bean Brothers - Feel The Groove
6. Crosstown Traffic - Party People
7. Donna McGhee - I'm A Lovebug
8. Caress - I Can't Let You Walk Away
9. Eli's Second Coming - Love Chant (part 1)
10. Starzarus - Starship Love
11. Poopee and The NY Squirrels - Bust That Nut (Downtown mix)
12. Universal Robot Band - Doing Anything Tonight
13. Captain Dax - Dr Beezar
14. Holzer and Kamura - Pure Love
15. Oral Caress -"Charlies Angels (edit)
16. Rhythm Makers - Zone (remix)
17. Jimmy Handyman Jones - Handyman Back In Town
18. Kim Taylor - Stomp Your Feet and Dance (12" vocal mix)
19. Lee Porter - Can You Make Love To A Disco Beat (vocal mix)
20. Family - Music (Listen To The Music)
21. Ray Munnings - Let's Boogie
22. Sammy Gordon and The Hip Huggers - Making Love
23. Cloud One - Atmosphere Strut (1979 remix part 2)
24. Main Ingredient - Everything Man
25. Pam Todd and The Love Exchange - Can't Hold This Feeling
26. Sparkle - Disco Madness
27. Classy Dance Orchestra - New York Strut
28. Tantra - Hills Of Katmandu (Patrick Cowley mix)

On the subject of boobs in the clubs, some rather flash 'em behind the deck than on the dancefloor, especially when it's lucrative to do so and an entry to superstar dj status. One serious side effect to breast augmentation surgery is the urge to go topless on any occasions.

Deep Disco Culture Vol. 2 at Amazon.com

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Disco Book news: Out and Hypnotic

Bob Collacello has released a collection of Studio 54 photographs in the predictable black and white color so to speak in "OUT". I'm asking myself, how many black and white pics of disco era Studio 54 do we need to see, apparently, some can't get enough. Personally, as a child, remember the 70s in vivid colors, laser lights and neons. Can't connect or relate with black and white depiction of the 70s and 80s. Recommended for its stunning photos though, if you dig B&W ...

Another book with the word disco used in the title is "Disco Hypnotic", a book sold only through the Chicago Poetry website, a book about the power of the mind in reference to sound and the dancefloor. No disco history or facts there.

Bob Collacello "Out" at Amazon
Disco Hypnotic the book

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Sugarhill Gang, Kurtis Blow and Melle Mel to tour

Kurtis Blow announced that he, along with turntablist Grandwizard Theodore, Melle Mel of Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five and Sugarhill Gang's Wonder Mike, Master Gee, and Hendog will perform at various venues in Europe as part of the Hip Hop Anniversary Tour in January and February 2008, US dates are scheduled later for May and June 2008.

More about it at HipHopAnniversary.com

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Party @ The Ocean Funky House by Selin

Have you heard some good funky house lately? Not me. But I like being proven wrong and love surprises so when my friend Selin from the Netherlands sent me his compilation mix this Fall, was afraid to be deceived, so told him, got samples? Sure, he said.

Selin has his own label and company, he recently signed deep and Italian funky house meisters Harley & Muscles, "Deeper Love" with Guerideau on the vocals. One of ... his first release, "Funk Fan Radio" By Franky Sweetz was a favorite funky disco house track on our Nu Top 40 chart 2 years ago and a top 100 favorite for 2005.

Other than "You are the one for me" by Ocefunk with its chipmunk 78 rpm like vocals, the selection is varied and the mix is flawless, impressive considering a computer wasn't used. It was done in one take using a DAT recorder he says. Some tracks are his productions, others are by notable remixers/producers MoD (Juan Sunshine and Gee K) and the Monkey Brothers (Mike Pato and Felix Hopkins).

It goes smooth and funky at times, pumping hard and kickin' ass at others. It's definitely 2007 with layers of electro madness. Best moments are the title track "Party @ The Ocean" "Downtown Lady" and "Invisible".

Here's the tracklisting:

Party @ The Ocean mixed by Selin Coll on Playectra Records

1. Entree
2. You are the one for me - Ocefunk
3. Downtown lady - MoD (Ferry B mix)
4. Pizza Picanti Selin Coll
5. Alegria Musical - Jordan Rivera (Ospina & Oscar P remix)
6. Shake Da Ground - Franky Sweetz
7. Let's get down -Franky Sweetz
8. Night Fever - D'Varo
9. Let's get Down (sweet version) - Franky Sweets
10. Party @ The Ocean - Selin Coll
11. Invisible - Monkey Brothers
12. Tommy Largo - Masuku Monini

Party @ The Ocean at Juno UK (Also available at any good dj shops)
Visit Playectra.com
Selini Collaborations

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Can Brooks save Disco Kandi ...

Jason Brooks, original illustrator of the famed Hed Kandi artwork cover sleeves returned "home" last August '07 after a brief stint at Mark Doyle's Fierce Angel label.

About welcoming Jason back to the Hed Kandi family, the label's Manager, Dan Baxter, says, "Hed Kandi has always been about the perfect combination of stylish music and stylish imagery. Jason Brooks is extraordinarily talented and his work is a key part of our iconography and heritage. Nobody represents Hed Kandi better than Jason so his return means so much to us."

Jason Brooks says, "I'm naturally thrilled to be back on the team at Hed Kandi and am looking forward ... to evolving the brand imagery beyond anything I've done before."

Now I have no clue if their compilations are selling well or not, but what I do know is that haven't purchased much of them lately and neither did some of my friends. Disco House is dead nowadays, the formula has been bled to death, quality releases are too few, it's time to move on. Although their Nu Cool series and Twisted Disco ones aren't bad at all.

The illustrator maybe back but the Disco Kandi/Heaven compilations are crappy. Same ol' Fedde LeGrand and Fish go Deep, given a choice between spending cash for a Jason Brooks Hed Kandi poster and a Disco Kandi cd. I'd go for the first.

Disco Kandi at Amazon.com
View exquisite imagery of Jason Brooks on his website
Hed Kandi posters at Hed Kandi

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