Tune Tag #54 with PeDupre of "The Twelve Inch": Dishwalla, Bruce Springsteen, Elkin & Nelson, Arthur Baker, Brenda K. Starr, Spiral Starecase, Joe Roberts
The PVC is real at the Tune Tag Battle of the 12-Inch Vinyls! It's albums vs. Disco Singles, Remixes & Extendeds! Which will win? It's Brad vs. Pe in the Attack of the Tonearms! Styli up, gents!
Wag Tag Sweet Tune Tag! You’re IT, Pe!
Tune Tag is proud to welcome of The Twelve Inch!
My name is Pe Dupre, and I write a weekly newsletter on the history of dance music from 1975 to 1995—the exact period when the “twelve-inch” was a leading format in the music industry. Each episode, I zoom in on one song, discussing its (re)mix and placing it within the broader context of what was happening both on and off the dance floor at the time.
I uncover the story behind the song and the artist, exploring why they created what we hear today, and how it ties into the larger history of dance music. These are fascinating and often unexpected stories!
Join me every Friday at midday, CET, for a new episode!
Last week, we were pleased to have of The Record Store Years join us:
Next week, be with us for of Kiss Me, Son of Blog, who writes about the songs of They Might Be Giants!
Pe’s song #1 sent to Brad: Elkin & Nelson, “Jibaro,” 1974
Pe’s rationale: I’m a proud child of the eighties. I grew up in an era when disco had lost its popularity, but I adored it. Despite being in the minority among my peers (yes, I was a difficult and contrarian child, just ask my mom!), disco became my gateway to exploring the rich diversity of dance music.
My first tune is one on the forefront of disco, when it was still called “danceable R&B”: “Jibaro” by Colombian brothers, Elkin & Nelson (Elkin, real name, Javier Marin Velez, with his brother Nelson, real name, Leon Marin Velez). It’s a 1974 track that exemplifies the critical role of Latin music in shaping the twelve-inch format and disco itself. Without the Latin percussion, we wouldn't have the disco break, the twelve-inch format, or maybe even disco.
Brad: Speaking of the history of disco (at least in the U.S.), FR&B brought the receipts, recently, on the “first disco song,” as well as where and when it all happened:
Back to Pe: “Jibaro” never surpassed the underground scene. Elkin & Nelson made only two albums, and “Jibaro” comes from their second album, Angeles y Demonios. Their limited success led to “Jibaro” fading into obscurity until it was rediscovered by the Ibiza Balearic Beat Scene in the late eighties. That’s when I found this gem. During 1988-89, when New Beat was popular in Belgium, I relished playing “Jibaro” to break away from the commercial scene.
Brad’s response: E&N….The Spanish Sparks?
Mael Pattern Boldness: Bonus video, two years before MTV debuted! Overlooking the admittedly primitive production values on this, a perfectly danceable 1979 “La Dolce Vita” video from the bros! Ron and Russell Mael co-wrote this with European disco kingpin, Giorgio Moroder (now 84), who also produced the song, along with its parent album, No. 1 in Heaven (released on Elektra Records/U.S., Virgin/UK):
Brad’s song #1 sent to Pe: Dishwalla, “Angels or Devils,” 2002
Pe’s response: Discovering this song was a great revelation for me, and it would have definitely made it onto my playlist if I had known about it back then! At the time of its release, I was mostly tuned into rock radio [Brad:😱]. Unfortunately, as far as I know, Dishwalla never made it into the European markets. It’s a shame because this song has all the qualities to have been a hit on the radio playlists of that era.
Brad’s rationale: Pe’s first song, “Jibaro,” originally released in 1974, came from the Elkin & Nelson album, Angeles Y Demonios (en espanol…en ingles: “Angels & Demons,” hence this Dishwalla tune, produced by Gregg Wattenberg).
As for Pe’s wondering if Opaline (shown above….and its “Angels & Devils” song) ever landed in Europe in 2002, no it didn’t, Pe! Released on Immergent Records, it received virtually worldwide release (N. America, Japan, and Australia), everywhere but Europe!
Pe’s song #2: Bruce Springsteen, “Dancing In The Dark” (12” Blaster Mix), 1984
Brad’s response: Pe sent a note with this: “I’m curious if you find the connection.” To put your curiosity at ease, Pe, the answer’s a resounding “no”. Bruce is from Jersey, and Dishwalla’s from Santa Barbara, CA. Between songs? Nothing. The session players, I don’t see a link, nor with the tech staff. I do know who mixed this 12” Extended Blaster Mix, and that gent will fuel my next song choice!
Pe’s rationale: There’s no title or lyrical connection between Dishwalla and my second song, the Blaster Mix of “Dancing In The Dark” by Bruce Springsteen. The link is Chris Lord-Alge, who mixed both the Dishwalla track and “Dancing In The Dark.” Chris is a master of dynamic compression—the art of making a song sound great on FM radio and over small speakers.
The Twelve Inch episode 122 focuses on “Dancing In The Dark,” and explores why ‘80s rock succeeded in embracing the dance floor, unlike ‘70s rock. Arthur Baker remixed “Dancing In The Dark,” but he couldn’t stray too far from the original, as Bruce was in the studio during the remix, and Chris Lord-Alge was likely there to keep it radio-friendly. Despite these constraints, “Dancing In The Dark” became the best-selling twelve-inch single of 1984, and set the benchmark for other ‘80s pop and rock artists.
Brad butts in: Pe is bang-on, of course, as history so clearly reflects, just as it pulls back on that notion after just a short time. It, apparently, was inevitable: Per Caryn Rose for NPR, July 2, 2024: “[Rock and dance:] A melding of genres that widened the horizon for artists and music fans.
“That vista seemed to vanish a year or two later, and with it, the kind of broad acceptance and understanding of cross-genre pollination that made the presence of a Springsteen song on the dance chart feel different, sure, but also cool as hell. But, once that horizon closed, even the very existence of the remixes as part of Springsteen’s history seemed to vanish.”
More Caryn Rose: “When Columbia (namely Al Teller, the label’s highest-ranking exec at the time) suggested enlisting a producer to create a 12” dance remix of ‘Dancing in the Dark,’ Springsteen agreed, and was given a list of names to choose from. The idea of something disco-adjacent was still, at this point, uncharted territory for an artist so deeply rooted in rock and roll, but it was absolutely a destination of choice and not a random decision on the part of the label to which the artist had no input.
“Arthur Baker was the name Springsteen chose from that list of potential remixers. Baker grew up as a rock and roll kid in Boston — he’d even seen early Springsteen shows there — and after studying record production and working as a DJ, had made a name for himself as a producer and remixer in hip-hop.”
Rose continues: “[Baker’s 1983 ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ remix for Cyndi Lauper] is what got Baker the nod for ‘Dancing in the Dark.’ Born in the U.S.A. co-producer, Chuck Plotkin, told Billboard in 1985 that what Team Springsteen had liked about it was, ‘It was adventuresome enough to constitute something new, but also kept in mind the meaning of the original.’
“Speaking to NPR this spring, Baker says that when it came to the Springsteen assignment, he didn’t want to rob the remixes of their origins as rock and roll songs. ‘I use[d] his guitar solo on it, it sounds amazing,’ he says of ‘Dancing in the Dark.’ ‘To me, it doesn’t sound like a dance mix. I didn’t put a house beat underneath it or anything, I did try to stay organic with it.’ Springsteen was actually in the studio with Baker, watching him work during the ‘Dancing in the Dark’ remix sessions, and Baker tells the story of Bruce going out for a beer run when they temporarily lost power.
“If you heard it in the summer of 1984, the first thing you’d notice in Baker’s remix is how the rhythm track completely envelops you before you get any clues as to what the song is. The keyboard intro hits later, with the delay making the first few lines more impactful.
“The remix makes the song larger; it’s not just a bright pop tune any more, and it’s just barely hugging the border with rock and roll — it’s still on the edges, but could make a break for it at any second. And Springsteen’s vocals in the original beautifully convey frustration and exasperation up front, but you physically, tangibly feel the distance in the remix. Baker engineered the feeling of a larger room, a more vast expanse — which, for a song that’s about isolation and alienation, is an essential reading.”
Back to Pe: I love this song, and Arthur Baker is my favorite remixer. However, at the time, I couldn’t use it in any of my sets—anything above 125 BPM wasn’t really appreciated. Belgians aren’t the best dancers in the world! [Brad: May I quote you?!]
In a recent interview with Mike Duquette of TheSecondDisc.com, Baker revealed: “I thought it was a really good song, and I thought it was really underproduced, almost like a demo. Usually [Bruce’s] songs had a lot of overdubs and arrangement; this was very sparse. I figured I could add some more music, some sweetening, going more in the Phil Spector approach that some of his earlier records had [like ‘Born to Run’]. If you’re gonna call it ‘Dancing in the Dark,’ you better make sure it’s a good dance record!”
Brad’s song #2: Arthur Baker, “Last Thing on My Mind” (vocals: John Warren, Karen Stickney), 1989 (DMZ remix)
Pe’s response: I was kind of expecting a song from Arthur Baker’s 1989 album, Merge, and you didn’t disappoint me, Brad! Merge (A&M Records in the U.S.) is a bit of a mixed bag—Baker tried a bit too hard to create something trendy. Collaborating with many different (and well-known) vocalists rarely results in a coherent album.
However, it does contain a few gems, like “The Message Is Love” with Al Green and the song you chose, “Last Thing on My Mind” with John Warren. John did three songs on the album, and in retrospect, it would have been better if he had done them all.
Brad’s rationale: Arthur Baker executed the Springsteen “Dancing in the Dark” remix. In 1989, Baker recorded and produced a powerhouse album featuring the likes of Al Green, Martin Fry of ABC, Jimmy Somerville, and a host of others! Here, John Warren is featured, as is Karen Stickney, on a should-a-been-a-hit, “Last Thing on My Mind,” written by Baker and Richard Scher.
Our recent deep dive into Baker’s Merge album:
Pe’s song #3: Robert Owens, “I’ll Be Your Friend,” 1991
Brad’s response: Eric Kupper! Keyboardist was one of two to play on this 1991 song, released on domestic (U.S.) RCA. Kupper has also worked with Arthur Baker!
Pe’s rationale: It would have been easy to take the escape route by choosing another of Arthur Baker’s remixes, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, I’ve jumped to another track from the Merge album, and one sung by Robert Owens: “Silly Games.” Robert started as the singer for the famous early house act, Fingers Inc., but it’s his solo repertoire and vocal work for others that cemented his place as one of the greatest voices of the genre!
“I’ll Be Your Friend” (recorded by Owens 2 years after Baker’s Merge album) is a prime example of how a great combination of talents can really make a difference: The song was written by Owens, David Morales and Satoshi Tomiie—the latter two, a couple of the greatest DJs and remixers of the genre. Eric Kupper, another big DJ name, played keyboards, and they even had a keen eye for marketing by making Judith Weinstein the executive producer.
Judy (shown above, reading an industry trade publication), was one of the power brokers in the New York dance industry, even serving as remix consultant for PolyGram, A&M, and MCA Records. “I’ll Be Your Friend” topped the dance charts upon release and remains a staple in many house sets today.
Brad’s song #3: Joe Roberts, “Back in My Life,” 1993
Pe’s response: I almost completely forgot about this record, and I have to say, expert move, Brad! You must have thought, “Try to get out of this one!” Joe Roberts is a fantastic singer. It’s unbelievable that he didn’t do more or have a bigger career!
Brad’s rationale: David Morales produced, mixed, and arranged the Robert Owens track Pe sent. Morales was also the co-producer and mixer for this Joe Roberts track.
Pe’s song #4: Brenda K. Starr, “Pickin’ Up Pieces,” 1985
Brad’s response: Don’t see a direct line from my Joe Roberts drop to this rather blatant Madonna-ish turn by Brenda K. Starr, now 57. If Pe is revisiting Arthur Baker with this, he’ll get no complaint from me. Baker produced, exec-produced (likely ponying up the dough for the studio time), and co-wrote this with frequent collaborator, Lotti Golden.
Pe’s rationale: I had to dig deep to find a connection to what would become my fourth Tune Tag track: “Pickin’ Up Pieces” by Brenda K. Starr. The link lies with the two background vocalists on both records: Danny Madden (shown above) and Will Downing (shown below). Danny is a close associate of Arthur Baker, who produced “Pickin’ Up Pieces” and Brenda K. Starr’s debut album.
This neatly brings us to another of my favorite sub-genres: Latin hip-hop or freestyle. Freestyle was a logical progression from the experimentation with electro in the early-’80s, and became massive in the second half of the decade. During this period, there was a significant divide between the music scenes in the U.S. and Europe. While freestyle was extremely popular stateside, Europe leaned more towards early house and New Beat—much to my chagrin, because I was a big fan of freestyle. The technical brilliance of artists and remixers like Jellybean, Latin Rascals, and Arthur Baker was particularly appealing to me.
However, much like ‘70s disco, as freestyle became more mainstream, it started to lose its edge. Most of the freestyle from late 1988-89 is almost unplayable today, but the early work remains timeless. “Pickin’ Up Pieces,” released in 1985, is a perfect example and a fitting fourth track.
Brad’s song #4: Spiral Starecase, “More Today Than Yesterday,” 1969
Pe’s response: A great song to end with! I wasn’t aware of the connection, but then again, I never did a deep dive into her career. Brenda would lose her Sony contract after 1991’s By Heart, her third album.
Fun Fact #1: There is a new generation, waiting in the wings: One of Brenda K. Starr’s children, Gianna Isabella (born March 30, 2000, and shown above), was a recent finalist on Season 15’s American Idol in 2016. Fun fact #2: It was Brenda who connected Sony with her backing vocalist, a lady named Mariah Carey. In fact, Mariah is the godmother of Brenda’s eldest daughter, Kayla.
Let’s listen in for a minute as the two divas dish, in 1998, on their early days when Brenda wanted to hear a couple demos Mariah had prepared for her Sony audition:
Brad’s rationale: I audibly gasped when I saw this connection! Brenda K. Starr is the daughter of Spiral Starecase organist, Harvey Kaye! I’m guessing Brenda kept her last initial as part of her name, and used her married name as her professional last name, or just liked the optimistic sound of it!
Pat Upton was the group’s lead singer, and also wrote the song. Before his passing in 2016 at 75, Upton told Rebeatmag.com: “I’d had the title ‘More Today than Yesterday’ for a couple of years before I ever wrote the song.
“I was jamming with a friend, and he showed me a passing chord that I loved. I knew I would never use that chord with the stuff we were doing at the time, and decided the only way was to write a song and use it, and I did. When the chorus came around, those words ‘I love you more today than yesterday’ just fell right into place.”
Pat, just after the turn of the century and in his 60s, still hittin’ the high notes:
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Hahahaha.. I'm glad I did surprise you Brad, with my revelation that, at the time of the release of Dishwalla, I was mostly tuned in to rock radio. This was really a lot of fun. Thanks for inviting me !
This was sooo great. Can I just say, and as I commented on one of his posts recently, that Pe’s knowledge of disco is simply incredible. The passion comes through every single time.
And what never ceases to amaze me, Brad, is how comfortable you are in pretty much every single genre! To start with, the fact you let your guests break the ice and “set the tone” is not just testament to your generosity, but also, it proves that really there is no ball one could throw at you that you wouldn’t be able to catch!
I enjoyed the tracks, and loved seeing some Morales in there (I know him more than the other producers you guys mentioned, as he worked with Mariah quite a lot on her remixes).
I also love Will Downing, especially his first album. By the way, and sorry I digress, but did you guys know he (fairly) recently released an album in memory of/as a tribute to his late daughter, who tragically passed not too long ago? The album is great, a lot less gloomy than one would expect, but still very heartfelt.
Loved seeing that Brenda + MC clip (from MC’s 1998 Around the World home video). They’re still in touch, I believe, although they grew distant at some point for some misunderstanding involving some bags of popcorn (which Mariah sent to Brenda, and Brenda got offended… I dunno… stuff that happens, I guess!).
Anyway, I’m digressing a lot. Excellent work, guys. I learned a lot and, importantly, you got me rocking some moves! When are we going raving, the three of us? 🕺🕺