"I often bore friends about 1983 being a pivotal year in music, with the development of technology having a huge influence on the sounds of the time" Makersmark tells us. The proof is in the pudding... and it’s a tasty one this week!
Having just read ‘Let The Music Play - How R&B Fell in love with 80s Synths’ by Steven Vass, Mark felt compelled to record a special FTRS which hopefully showcases some of the best productions created at the time. As he states in the introduction:
“When anyone talks about the history of electronic music, it’s usually a very lopsided version: almost no black artists. Yet, in reality, there were black synth pioneers all over the place. They were getting started in the 1960s, experimenting heavily in the 1970s and so entrenched by the mid-1980s that traditional instruments were hardly being used at all.
So in the interests of telling a different story… welcome to some cracking tunes that sound as vital today as they did 40 years ago”.
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Comments
Three hours of absolute brilliance (as always), Mark. Thank you!
Very kind Karl. Glad you enjoyed it… always a pleasure 🤘
Excellent show mate. Highly informative and funky at the same time. Unfortunately I can no longer hear Axel F without hearing it in the voice of Peter Griffin
There was certainly a risk playing some of the more well known synth ‘classics’ - this was one of them. ‘19’ was another, which I had to cut short. With everything going on currently, it didn’t sit well. Got to say though, I really enjoyed putting the whole show together, I was fully immersed in synths for weeks!
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I mean, you can't go wrong with a double dose of Herbie Hancock!
The Twighlight Clone was new to me, I must admit - lovely.
Great Show Mark! All bangers, no mash
I know how you like your 80s Oliver 🤘
Track list:
Zapp - More Bounce to the Ounce
Yarborough & Peoples - Don’t Stop the Music
Herbie Hancock - The Twighlight Clone
Aurra - Make Up Your Mind
Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing (Club Mix)
George Clinton - Atomic Dog
The System - You Are In My System
Man Parrish - Hip Hop, Be Bop (Don't Stop) - Pt 1 & 2
Herbie Hancock - Rockit
S.O.S. Band - Just Be Good To Me
The Whispers - Keep On Loving’ Me
Midnight Star - Freak-A-Zoid
Peech Boys - Life is Something Special (Special Edition)
The Deele - Body Talk
52nd Street - Cool As Ice (Restructured by John ‘Jellybean’ Benitez)
Mtume - Juicy Fruit
Kashif - I Just Gotta Have You (Lover Turn Me On)
David Joseph - You Can't Hide (Your Love From Me)
Kleeer - Tonight
Barbara Mason - Another Man (instrumental)
Harold Faltermeyer - Axel F (Extended mix)
Paul Hardcastle - 19
Sade - The Sweetest Taboo
Rene & Angela - I'll Be Good
Total Contrast - Takes a Little Time (US Dub)
André Cymone - The Dance Electric
Oran 'Juice' Jones - The Rain
Colonel Abrams - I'm Not Gonna Let You (Extended Dub)
Nu Shooz - I Can't Wait
Donna Allen - Sweet Somebody