Legendary US record producer Tom Moulton was probably one of the prime movers in developing 12-inch releases, he had discovered that the 12-inch had vastly superior sound quality, producing grooves perfect for the discotheque. It was music for hedonistic dancers – for metronomic beats, fewer vocals, stripped back instrumentation, slow-fading echo effects, sustains, slow builds in pace and intensity to maximum peaks.
I personally first became fascinated with them back in my late pre-teens, having been an avid record collector from the age of 4 (Thanks Bay City Rollers…) I believe one of my first was probably the 12″ of Tainted Love/Where did Your Love Go, also being a budding DJ during the early 80s and the 90s my appreciation grew for these time extended, more danceable spinners.
Originally intended to give the DJ a chance to go for a pee during long hours at night clubs like the (in)famous Studio 54 during the Disco phase of the 70s, their stature grew and grew. The mid-late 80s saw possibly the apogee of the Art of the 12″ with multiple releases of Trevor Horn et al’s record label ZTT with tracks from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Propoganda etc being released on several formats, with some 12″ records extending out to 16 minute mixes (Relax anybody?) and even 20 minute mixes on cassette (Propoganda’s Duel). It got to the stage that in the late 80s the Record Charts had to change their entry criteria to cope.
Anyway, enough of the history. What Have I Done to Deserve This drivel I hear you ask? Well, partly inspired by all these Facebook posts about “Show your top 10 albums, but don’t bother saying anything about them” (and partly by being bored because of all the Covid stuff) I thought I would expand a bit, and actually show my top (insert figure) records, together with (if available) a video of the track, and actually give some background and cohesion to them. If the idea bores you, please go elsewhere and amuse yourself, but if it’s exciting enough for you, please stick around for my list. I won’t promise to update it daily, but will do my best to get at least 5 videos a week.
Rules of Engagement
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I’ve made some rules which I will endeavour to stick to (but again, it’s my party, so I can break the rules as well)…
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1. Specific tracks/remixes will be specified. This is important as often different mixes for the same song vary in both quality and importance.
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2. Only tracks from the 1980s are eligible
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3. The tracks should have been originally released on a 12″ Vinyl Single (not necessarily the “lead” track
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4. If I can I will post a video of the exact original mix. If I can’t find it on YouTube I might have to get creative.
The Top 50 in Full
#50 1984
#49 1983
#48 1987
#47 1983
#46 1980
#45 1985
#44 1984
#43 1981
#42 1982
#41 1987
#40 1985
#39 1989
#38 1982
#37 1985
#36 1986
#35 1988
#34 1986
#33 1982
#32 1984
#31 1986
#30 1982
Indeep – Last Night a DJ Saved My Life (12″ Version)
Music has the power to move us, to make us feel alive, and to transport us to a different place and time. This is especially true when it comes to dance music, which is designed to get our bodies moving and our hearts pumping. And no song captures the transformative power of music quite like “Last Night a DJ Saved My Life” by Indeep.
Eddy and the Soul Band – Theme from Shaft (Boss Extended Version)
One of the reasons that the “Theme from Shaft” has endured as a classic piece of music is its ability to capture the essence of the era in which it was created. The 1970s was a time of great social and cultural change in the United States, marked by the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War, and the rise of funk and soul music.
#29 1985
#28 1984
Giorgio Moroder with Philip Oakey – Together In Electric Dreams (Extended)
As I sit down to write this blog post, I am transported back in time to the mid-80s when the synthpop hit “Together in Electric Dreams” was released. I remember the excitement I felt when I first heard the song on the radio, at the time I was in Germany on an exchange visit, and managed to get the 12″ version of the record from a local mall.
Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy (Extended)
In 1984, the British synth-pop band Bronski Beat released their debut single “Smalltown Boy,” a song that would become an iconic anthem for the LGBTQ+ community. The lyrics of the song describe the experiences of a young gay man growing up in a small town, facing discrimination and prejudice from his community. The chorus of the song, featuring the memorable line “Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away,” has become a rallying cry for those who have felt the need to escape their small town and find acceptance elsewhere.
#27 1984
#26 1985
#25 1989
#24 1983
Honourable Mentions The ones that didn't quite make the cut
#00 1984
#00 1986
#00 1984
#00 1982
#00 1985
Sly Fox – Let’s Go All The Way (Multimix), featuring Queen and Boogie Boys
A true Mastermix Masterclass by Les “Mastermix” Adams.
