Time for another post, finally. This time it's British house and soul group L.A. Mix. Luckily Wikipedia has done most of the research for me, so I'm going to use mainly their entry here. L.A. Mix (the L.A. stands for Les Adams) was comprised of husband-and-wife production team Les Adams & Emma Freilich, along with producer Mike Stevens. Their first hit was "
Don't Stop (Jammin')" in 1987, which was based on a simple 8-track demo that Adams had formed in his home studio, and it reached #47 on the UK Singles Chart. That record got L.A. Mix in trouble, as the bassline had been taken from the song "
Love is the Message" by MFSB, resulting in group member Vincent Montana attempting to take an injunction out on the group. But the single got them a record deal with A&M Records, though it was initially only for one single. But then Adams remixed Maurice Joshua's "
This Is Acid" by taking the vocals, adding a synth lead from Black Riot's "
A Day In The Life", using the rhythm synth from Inner City's "
Big Fun", sirens from some of Todd Terry's records and some assorted sexual screams of unknown origin from his collection. The result was "Check This Out", which was a UK #6 in 1988 and was their biggest hit. That also raised legal ire, this time of the then-owner of Easy Street Records as the song included a short sample of "
You Don't Know" by Serious Intention, and the owner of that label was one of New York's top lawyers. The matter was settled out of court for $15,000. Next, in 1989, they released "Get Loose", which featured rapping by Jazzi P and charted at #25. A fourth single, also released in 1989, "Love Together" featuring Kevin Henry, charted at #66. These four singles appeared on the album
On the Side, which was released in 1989. The album featured vocals by Isle postee
Juliet Roberts. In 1990, the first of three singles from L.A. Mix's second album were released. The album departed from the hip house and R&B flavour of the first album, with a more soulful sound. "Coming Back For More", also the title track of the new album, was released as a single. The song featured vocals from Franceso, and charted at #50. In 1991, "Mysteries of Love", featuring Beverlei Brown on lead vocals, D. Marcus C. on rap and co-production from Andy Whitmore, was released and made #46. Their final single, the ballad "We Shouldn't Hold Hands In The Dark", also featured vocals from Franceso but also from Juliet Roberts and charted at #69. Adams and Freilich also produced the track "Fools Paradise" for Isle postee
Ruth Joy, as well as Jazzi P's hit and only single "
Feel The Rhythm". They also produced two UK Top 40 hits (one of which was a top ten hit) for Dannii Minogue's 1991 album,
Love and Kisses: "
I Don't Wanna Take This Pain" and "
Jump To The Beat". Their output seems to have ended in the 1990s. Discogs indicates that Emma died in 2011, though I have not be able to find any more info regarding that, so who knows. Mike Stevens went on to produce a couple tracks from Juliet Roberts, as well as tracks for
Ruby Turner,
Fast Food Rockers,
Sugababes,
Annie Lennox and Take That, for whom he was also musical director, so clearly L.A. Mix was a stepping stone for his success.
Video for
Check This Out
Video for
Get Loose
Video for
Love Together
Download
On The Side
1
Get Loose
2
You Are The One
3
Breathe Deep
4
Don't Turn Away
5
Love Together
6
Just Waiting
7
Mellow Mellow (Right On)
8
Don't Stop ('89)
9
Check This Out
10
Get Loose (Definitely Def Remix)
Video for
Coming Back For More
Download
Coming Back For More
1
Coming Back For More
2
Miss My Love
3
Slap
4
One Love One Touch
5
We Shouldn't Hold Hands In The Dark
6
Mysteries Of Love
7
Love Thang
8
Live For Love
9
All Mine
10
Discover Reality
11
Breathe Deeper (Deeper Mix)
