One To One (One 2 One) - Forward Your Emotions (1985), 1-2-1 (1988) & Imagine It (1992) TRIPLE POST!!!

There isn't much more that I can say about One To One than I already have in my posts about Sal's Birdland and Artificial Joy Club, the groups they became after their poppy phase as One To On. So go to those posts for more details.  I will add that the duo or Louise Reny and Leslie Howe came from Ottawa, Canada's capital, and were very involved in Alanis Morrisette's dance-pop phase before Jagged Little Pill. Alanis even does backing vocals on the song "Friends" from Imagine It.  Forward Your Emotions was very much new-wave and synth-pop, a popular sound in 1985.  Their first single, "There Was A Time", reached #14 in the Canadian Top 40. The next, "Angel in My Pocket", only reached #24 there, but it also hit the Billboard Hot 100, reaching #92. The third single, "Black On White", only managed to squeak into the end of the Canadian Top 100. Their next album, 1-2-1, was a lot less new wave and a lot more straight up pop.  The first single, "Hold Me Now", reached #25 on the Canadian charts, while the next three singles hit the Canadian Top 100 - "Love Child"(#43), "Do You Believe" (#34) & "We've Got the Power" (#90). In 1992, they changed their name slightly to One 2 One, which was likely to differentiate their new folky, pop rock sound. They had their biggest Canadian hit with the single "Peace of Mind (Love Goes On)", which reached  #11, which also hit #95 on the Billboard Hot 100. The following two singles, "Memory Lane" and "Friends", hit the Canadian Top 40 and reached #34 and #36, respectively.  After that, they formed Sal's Birdland, which eventually became Artificial Joy Club, and delved into much harder rock. I realized it was due time to post their albums, so enjoy!










Video for There Was A Time

Video for Angel In My Pocket

Download Forward Your Emotions

1 Don't Call It Love
2 Angel In My Pocket
3 Hearts And Diamonds
4 Where's The Answer
5 Forward Your Emotions
6 There Was A Time
7 Black On White
8 Love Is Blind
9 Boys Will Be Boys
10 Tell Me Straight

Video for Hold Me Now

Download 1-2-1

1 Hold Me Now
2 Love Child
3 We've Got The Power
4 Do You Believe
5 Heading For Zero
6 Inside These Eyes
7 Victorious
8 Voices Cry
9 Life Is So Easy
10 Not A Love Song

Video for Peace Of Mind (Love Goes On)

Download Imagine It

1 Peace Of Mind (Love Goes On)
2 Memory Lane
3 Keeping Faith
4 Friends
5 Big On Emotion
6 Tough To Tame
7 I'll Walk Away
8 Big Hush
9 Gypsy Girl
10 World Without Love

Goddess Of Destruction - Goddess Of Love (2005)

Pretty much all I need to say about Goddess Of Destruction was already said in my Darling Nikkie post, since the woman behind both is the one and only Nikkie Van Lierop. I made my adoration for her and her work known there, and Goddess Of Destruction is no exception.  I must again thank Konstantin for sharing this with me awhile back. Goddess Of Destruction was marketed as a band, but Nikkie is clearly the star of the show here, though she uses the moniker Max RedStone to downplay her past and make the project seem fresh and new.  After testing the waters of light, alterna-pop-rock as Darling Nikkie - to minimal success - Nikkie went back to her roots of techno, but this time pushing it harder, adding many industrial elements to the mix, a sound she explored as part of Lords Of Acid.  Goddess Of Destruction is even more rock-based, and Nikkie goes into it full throttle.  From what I gather, the album was only released in Belgium, and no official singles were released, though a video for "To The Limit" was made, which is great as it's my fave song from the album.  If you're like me and have a taste for hard music, this rarity is for you.

Video for To The Limit

Download Goddess Of Destruction

1 I Am
2 Goddess Of Love
3 Addicted To Sin
4 Warrior
5 The Wrongers
6 Goddess Of Sexxx
7 Howling To The Moon
8 Soulmate
9 Goddess Of Insanity
10 Desperation
11 To The Limit
12 That's How I Play
13 Love Or Leave
14 Behind Smiles

The Zummos - Modern Marriage (1985)

Oh dear, are we already 5 months into 2015 and I haven't posted anything?  I must say I don't have the time or desire that I used to, but I figure I should add a little something to keep you all interested. Isle fan Raymond generously sent me this awhile back, as it was on my wishlist after I heard about them when researching for my David Morales post (their single was his first major remix).  It is definitely fit for the Isle.  New York native Vinnie Zummo grew up in a musical family and taught himself how to play guitar. He got his big break when he met established British new wave/power pop artist Joe Jackson in 1983.  Joe asked him to play on his 1984 album Body And Soul and he ended up playing with Joe for the next five years. With Joe's help, Vinnie managed to get an album deal with Joe's label A&M, after enlisting his wife, singer Janice, to form the pop duo The Zummos. Their album was produced by the Zummos along with Joe Jackson, and it was similar to Joe's pop/new wave sound, though perhaps a little more bubblegum, thanks mainly to Janice's perky vocals.  "An Obsession (Over You)" was the first and only single, likely chosen for it's very upbeat dance-pop groove. The rest of the album is varied, from straight up new wave to retro '60s.  Overall it is a happy, fun listen.  "An Obsession (Over You)" was not a hit, though it did have some dance club attention thanks to the aforementioned David Morales remix, which really didn't alter the song too much. (You can download the remix on Lost Pop Treasures.) The duo was soon dropped, though Vinnie continued to record with Joe Jackson until 1989, and then went on to play with other artists.  He hooked up with Joe again in 2012 for his album The Duke.  That same year he and Janice released their second album together, Jazz Album, which obviously delved into their love of jazz music.  They still perform together to this day, and Vinnie has released several retro guitar-based albums which explore many genres, with Janice doing vocal duties, the most recent being A Retro Cool Mixed Bag Christmas in 2014.

Download Modern Marriage

1	'Scusa Mi Please
2	An Obsession (Over You)
3	Do It Again
4	Nightmare
5	Please Stop Dancing
6	Fool For You
7	Leopards In Love
8	Modern Marriage
9	Jaguar
10	No More Goodbyes

Arthur Baker And The Backbeat Disciples - Merge (1989) & Give In To The Rhythm (1991) DOUBLE POST!!

Arthur Baker is a legendary producer and remixer.  He was born in Boston and began his career in music as a DJ, but soon tired of it and chose to pursue music production.  He produced several unsuccessful soul and electro tracks in the late 70s and early 80s, and thought a move to New York might help to elevate his career, which happened when he got a job with Tommy Boy Records.  As part of Northend, he had his first major success in 1981 with their second disco single "Happy Days". (The song would be heavily sampled in P.J. aka Paul Jacob's "Happy Days", which was a dance hit in both 1997 and 1999.) The following year he had even bigger success with the number one dance hit "Walkin' On Sunshine" by Rockers Revenge, which also featured his future wife and Isle postee Tina B..  That same year he became a hip hop and freestyle pioneer by producing Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force's seminal "Planet Rock".  From there his career exploded, and he was in demand as a producer and remixer, working on future hits with huge and diverse acts like New Edition, Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Holliday, Carly Simon, Bob Dylan, Suzanne Vega, New Order, Hall & Oates (with whom he'd have a close production relationship), and even Billy Crystal, as well as several Isle postees. He was also part of acts like Wally Jump Jr & The Criminal Element and Criminal Element Orchestra. But aside from the 1984 club hit "Breaker's Revenge", he didn't release anything under his own name. Until 1989, that is, when A&M Records gave him an album deal.  He recruited a band and dubbed them "The Backbeat Disciples", which consisted of John Warren, Tiny Valentine, Mac Quayle, Bobby Khozouri, Philip Damien and Cevin Fisher (Quayle, Fisher and Damien would go on to become huge producers and remixers themselves). The album consisted mostly of dance pop, with some more adult contemporary and hi-NRG tracks thrown in. Along with Warren and Valentine, he recruited several other vocalists, including legendary soul singer Al Green, ABC frontman Martin Fry, half of OMD, Andy McClusky, Jimmy Sommerville of Bronski Beat and The Communards, popular French singer Etienne Daho, future house legend Robert Owens, and Isle postee Shirley Lewis.  He released seven singles from the album, the biggest hit being "The Message Is Love" featuring Green, which made the UK top 40 and top 10 in several other countries.  "It's Your Time", featuring Lewis, made the UK top 100, but "Talk It Over," "2 x 1," "Mythical Girl," "Silly Games," and "Last Thing On My Mind" were far less successful, and his deal with A&M ended.  But he was soon snapped up by RCA, and his second album appeared two years later.  Though he kept the name, the Backbeat Disciples were no longer with him, and some releases of the album appeared under his name only.  Again he recruited a bevy of amazing singers, including Leee John of Imagination, diva Tata Vega, newcomers Nikeeta and Wanda Nash, Kate Ceberano, lead singer of Isle postees I'm Talking, fellow Isle postee Adele Bertei, and Green once again.  This time Baker explored the more club-ready genres of house and trance.  He also had greater success in the US, with "Let There Be Love" reaching the top 20 on the Billboard dance chart, "Kiss The Ground (You Walk On)" also hitting that chart, "Leave The Guns At Home" a minor Billboard R&B hit, and "I O U", a remake of the dance smash he wrote and produced for pop group Freeez in 1983, just squeaking into the Billboard Hot 100.  Since then, Baker has continued to release singles under his own name and also continues to produce and remix, and he is deservedly considered a legend by most of the new breed of producers and remixers, his influence obvious in their work.

Video for The Message Is Love

Video for It's Your Time

Download Merge

1	Talk It Over (Featuring John Warren)
2	Willin' To Be Chillin' (Featuring Tiny Valentine)
3	Last Thing On My Mind (Featuring John Warren)
4	Mythical Girl (Featuring Martin Fry)
5	I Believe In Love (Featuring Jimmy Sommerville)
6	The Message Is Love (Featuring Al Green)
7	Walk Away (Featuring Andy McCluskey)
8	It's Your Time (Featuring Shirley Lewis)
9	Count To Ten (Featuring John Warren)
10	2 x 1 (Featuring Tiny Valentine)
11	All I Ever Wanted (Featuring Mac Quayle)
12	Silly Games (Featuring Robert Owens)
13	Paris Sens Interdit (Featuring Ettienne Daho)

Video for Let There Be Love

Video for Leave The Guns At Home

Download Give In To The Rhythm

1	Let There Be Love (Featuring Leee John & Tata Vega)
2	Leave The Guns At Home (Featuring Al Green)
3	I.O.U. (Featuring Nikeeta)
4	(Rock Me) In The House Of Love (Featuring Wanda Nash)
5	Feels Like The First Time (Featuring Nikeeta)
6	Inspiration (Featuring Leee John & Tata Vega)
7	C'mon C'mon (Featuring Leee John)
8	If Love Had A Heart (Featuring Leee John)
9	2 Can Play This Game (Featuring Wanda Nash)
10	Let's Start From Scratch (Featuring Nikeeta)
11	Surrender (Trance Like Us) (Featuring Adele Bertei)
12	Kiss The Ground (You Walk On) (Featuring Adele Bertei)
13	Meaning Of Life (Featuring Kate Ceberano)

Gloo Girls - Attention Shoppers (1993)

Time for a change of pace - a little punk pop, and a rarity at that.  Everything you need to know about Gloo Girls you can find on their Facebook page.  The edited version is as follows:  The band was formed in 1991 in New York City's East Village by Beatrice “Patty Gloo” Giovaniello and Karen “Sage LeWho?” LeSage.  Patty owned a clothing store called Gloo People and Sage, a clothing designer, collaborated with her on fashion.  They were dubbed Gloo Girls and soon moved towards music.  Patty played bass and Karen played guitar, but she soon learned to play drums instead, and they recruited Georgia "Miss Georgia Peach" Connelly to play guitar.  In 1992 they released the single "Yo Blondie / Barbie U.S.A." on an indie punk label out of California.  Soon after, Georgia split and the ever-ambitious Patty and Sage moved their business to Soho, where they also began selling vintage furniture and running an all-female moving company, Amazon Movers.  The moving company, along with their glamorous 50s/60s inspired look, got them media attention (they were even featured in the National Enquirer and on American Journal).  They became a sensation in New York and finally recorded and released an album in 1993 on pioneering label Celluloid.  After going through a slew of guitar players, all christened "Guitara", they found one that stuck, Nicole "Guitara Seven" Kennedy, and they toured the US for some time before eventually calling it quits.  Since they split, Beatrice has worked as an interior designer in New York, Karen is an artist in Connecticut, and Nicole teaches and records music in Estonia(!!).  Though they were influenced by other punky pop groups like Lunachicks and Redd Kross, their sound was uniquely their own, very 60s girl group meets surfer rock, with an edge.  The sound would be revived in the late 90s/early 00s by groups like Chicks On Speed and Le Tigre, though with a more electronic flavour.  In fact, it was my love for those groups that made me seek out Gloo Girls, and I'm glad that I found them.  I think you will be too.  

Video for Barbie U.S.A.

Live performance at the Lions Den, NYC 

Download Attention Shoppers

1	Witch Is Witch
2	X-Con
3	On The Avenue
4	Meow
5	Hi Ya
6	Do The Gloo
7	Damn Hippies
8	Yo Blondie
9	Barbie U.S.A.
10	Don't Eat My Planet

Nancy Martinez - Lay It Down (1983), Not Just The Girl Next Door (1986), Unpredictable (1989) & Bird's In The House (1997) QUADRUPLE POST!!!!

I'm sure anyone who visits this blog is aware of the powerhouse vocal talent of Nancy Martinez.  Indeed, she has had a long and successful career in pop music, but she hasn't been in the spotlight for some time.  While I have seen a couple of her albums posted in other places on the internet, I haven't seen all of her English pop albums in one place, so I decided to feature them in my second quadruple post of the year!  There are plenty of places on the internet that discuss her career, but I'll still give a (not so) brief synopsis.  Nancy grew up Montreal and had an interest in music at a young age, thanks to her musical parents.  As a child she attended music school as a pianist and started taking vocal lessons.  In high school she moved from singing at small local gigs to recording jingles and performing background vocals for popular French-Canadian artists like Nathalie and René Simard.  During a session with disco artist Kat Mandu, Nancy was approached by the label to sign as a solo artist.  Nancy was initially uncomfortable with being in the spotlight and asked that they not use her real name.  She released two euro-disco singles in 1982, "I'm Gonna Get Your Love" as Jade, and "Can't Believe" as Nancy Martin (note that in the video clip of the "live" performance, a model is lip-synching, since Nancy did not want to appear in promotions for the single).  Both were international club hits, and Nancy released two more singles under the monikers the next year, "Who Cares" as Jade, and "Hold Your Horses Baby" as Nancy Martin.  With this success it was time to step into the spotlight, and Nancy signed an album deal with Matra Records using her real name.  She released her first single as Nancy Martinez, "So Excited", also in 1983.  Her album, Lay It Down, soon followed, as did her next single, "Take It Slowly".  Thanks to the production of successful Canadian disco/hiNRG producer Joe La Greca (who later produced the albums by Isle postees Natasha and Pobi), the tracks were successes in clubs.  She released two last, non-album singles in 1984 for Matra: "Number Two In Love" and the medley "Sunshine Reggae / La Vie En Rose", the former a remake of the Laid Back song, which was a duet with her then-husband Allen Harris, and the latter a remake of the Edith Piaf classic.  "Sunshine Reggae" became her biggest hit in Canada thus far.  It was time for Nancy to pursue international success now that she was more comfortable in the spotlight, and she signed with Atlantic Records for worldwide distribution.  This time working with hiNRG/freestyle producer Teneen Ali, she updated her sound, and her first single, "For Tonight", became a huge hit and an instant freestyle classic in 1986.  The song even hit #32 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the dance chart.  Her album Not Just The Girl Next Door followed, and her follow-up single, "Move Out", managed to hit #12 on the dance chart.  The third single, the much more traditional pop track "Crazy Love", failed to chart, however.  There were plans to release the freestyle song "It Happens All The Time", but the original group L.I.F.E. released it first.  And though the non-album Atlantic single "Can't Wait" hit #17 on the Billboard dance chart in 1987, her contract with Atlantic ended.  Luckily A&M sublabel Vendetta snatched her up, and again working with Teneen Ali, she crafted another dance album, Unpredictable, released in 1989.  Unfortunately none of the singles - the poppy "You've Got Me On Fire", the hiNRG "Save Your Love For Me", or the ballad "Everlasting" - found much success, though the remixed "(Fire) You've Got Me On Fire" was a minor dance hit.  No longer with Vendetta, Nancy decided to sign with Canadian label ISBA and record her first French album, the self-titled Nancy Martinez, released in 1990, which included the single "Tomber Sous Les Mots".  She released her second and last French album for ISBA, Pourquoi Tu Pars?, in 1993, which was produced by legendary Canadian rocker Aldo Nova, who had long admired her and even asked her to sing the demo of the song "I Love You", which would eventually be recorded by Céline Dion on her Falling Into You album (on which Nancy did prominent backing vocals on the song "Your Light" - and Isle fans will also be interested to know that she also did backing vocals in 1988 on Isle postee Sequal's track "Took Another Chance").  Her biggest French single was "La Maîtresse De Tes Rêve", which Isle fans will also be interested to know is a cover of Isle postee West End Girls' "Anything To Make You Mine".  Over the following years Nancy kept a much lower profile, occasionally doing guest vocals.  Then, in 1997, she returned with an independently released English album, Bird's In The House.  Though I adore Nancy's dance music past, this album is by far my fave, and it's very rare so I had to share.  She switched to pop-rock and was much more involved in the writing, and the album was produced by John Farley, who also worked with Isle postees Sonia Papp and Pobi.  The album is pure perfection from start to finish.  She released the singles "Jack", "Fire" and "I'm In Heat", and though none were major hits, it was great having her back in the spotlight.  She soon again faded from the public eye, but in 2000, Nancy returned to dance music with the Europe-only release "For The First Time".  Four years later she surprised everyone by switching direction again and releasing the jazz standards album Downtown, and also featured on the K-Maro hip-hop track "Crazy".  She followed it up the next year with Live At The House Of Jazz, and also released the reggae influenced French single "Laisse-moi Te Donner" and a duet with Denis Ducharme, "Wouldn't It Be Nice". In 2005 she returned to dance music as the featured vocalist on MC Mario's "Not Guilty".  Since then Nancy has kept busy doing guest vocals, performing locally, and teaching music and voice.  Luckily she finally emerged on Facebook, where you can keep up to date on her current goings-on and view amazing rare clips.  This bodes well for some new and amazing material from one of the best and most diverse voices in the business.

Download Lay It Down

1	Take It Slowly
2	Lay It Down
3	We Got The Real Thing
4	So Excited
5	Right Here By My Side
6	The Love You Made Me Feel

Video for For Tonight

Live performance of Move Out

Download Not Just The Girl Next Door

1	For Tonight
2	Move Out
3	It Happens All The Time
4	I'll Be There
5	In The Heat Of The Night
6	Hurt Me Twice (Shame On You)
7	Crazy Love
8	Without You
9	Rhythm Of Your Heart

 
Download Unpredictable

1	You've Got Me On Fire
2	Save Your Love For Me
3	Unpredictable
4	Make A Move On Me
5	First Impression
6	Everlasting
7	I Will Make It Up
8	I Believe In You & Me
9	How Many Times
10	Got Something On My Mind

Video for Fire

Download Bird's In The House

1	I Can't Wait
2	It Ain't Right
3	Jack
4	Fire
5	Getting Over You
6	How Low Can You Go
7	Don't You Call Me Anymore
8	Looking For A Rainbow
9	I'm In Heat
10	Highway
11	Without You
12	Living In The Gray

Sara Craig - E.P. (1991), Sweet Exhaust (1994) & Miss Rocket (1997) TRIPLE POST!!!

Out of the blue Sara Craig popped into my head this morning, and it occurred to me that she would be a perfect artist to feature on the Isle.  She is another of those artists that seem to have disappeared and are impossible to find any new info on on the internet, which is what makes her perfect for this blog.  Plus her music really should be heard, especially outside of her native Canada, as it is unusual and haunting.  If you like theatrical artists like Feist, Kate Bush, Sinead O'Connor, Jane Siberry or Tori Amos, but with a bit of a darker yet poppier edge (she sites influences like Eartha Kitt and Tina Turner), then Sara's for you.  Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, Sara boldly posted an ad in a Toronto magazine in 1987 looking for musicians to work with, even though she had no experience.  After working with cover bands and as a session musician, she moved to the thriving music scene of Toronto, where she independently recorded and released her solo E.P. (which was reissued four years later by her label Attic after her success), which became an indie hit in Canada and even spawned a minor hit single in "Bike".  She was soon signed to Attic Records and released her major label debut three years later.  The album was produced by John Punter, a long-time producer who had previously worked with huge acts like Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry, John Cougar and Slade, and it was recorded in a local church. The first single, "Thank You (Very Much)", was a charting Canadian hit, and its success was obviously helped by the success at the time of groups like Nine Inch Nails, whose "Closer" was like a companion piece to the dark song.  (Even more amazing is that it contains a brief sample from Isle postee Ingrid Chavez's first single, "Elephant Box".)  It was followed by "Cry Baby", and Sara was nominated for a Juno for Best New Solo Artist.  She took a few more years to record her next album, choosing to pursue a poppier and less dark sound to reflect her changing mood.  This time she recorded in London, England, with British producer Chris Tsangarides, who had his greatest successes with Concrete Blonde and The Tragically Hip.  The result was a much lighter affair, which was reflected in the singles "Miss Rocket" and "Mr. Right".  The album wasn't as successful, however, perhaps due to the change in musical direction, and it was the last anyone would hear from Sara, apparently.  A pity.  Unless anyone out there can shed some light on what became of this talented lady?  Till then, enjoy the work of a very unique artiste.

Download E.P.

1		Aspiring To
2		Bike
3		Tik Tok
4		Is It The Mind
5		Broomstik

Download Sweet Exhaust

1		Cry Baby
2		Thank You (Very Much)
3		I Thrive
4		Liar
5		Wakerlife Waltz
6		Sparks Fly
7		Sitting On A Fence
8		Souless Cage
9		Close To You
10		Bombarde Me
11		Wow
12		Sweet Exhaust
13		Elastic

Video for Mr. Right

Download Miss Rocket

1		Mister Right
2		My Sky Too
3		Breakwall
4		Hey Beauties
5		Pushing You Away
6		Who Are You
7		Keep On Driving
8		Miss Rocket
9		You Make Me Happy
10		You're Fine