As The Time Goes By

This week has gone so fast in grand New York style and here is a song that reflects that mood.  "As The Time Goes By" is a song by British blue-eyed funk band Funkapolitan.  Following on the footsteps of  bands such as Haircut 1000,  A Certain Ratio and The Hollies during the '80s, this eight-man band, made some amazing dance/pop/funk songs that were loved by the dance world.  Produced by August Darnell who is famously known as Kid Creole, this band incorporated a healthy blend of many styles ranging from Latin grooves to synthesizers to funk elements.  This song was a Paradise Garage classic and Larry Levan would drop this during his peak hours as a testament of his wide spectrum of music styles that made him a star DJ.  The cover art is brilliant! I heard this is a hard to fine vinyl and I'm loving this song, specially during those hard winter days "as the time goes by"wishing for the new season to break soon! In the meantime just enjoy this gem and dance along.

As The Time Goes By - Funkapolitan - London Records

Shack Up!

The rain continues in NYC and it's time to continue to shack up so I dedicate this to those who are shaking up with their love ones. A lot of people probably have heard the 1980's cover version by post-punkers A Certain Ratio. The original was recorded by Washington DC funk band Banbarra in 1975 and wasn't a hit but did get a lot of play in Northern Soul clubs which is where A Certain Ratio, being from Manchester, probably heard it. Banbarra themselves seem to be the very definition of "obscure". This song is a classic and it's composed of two parts, Part one being more vocal with a brilliant bit of rough and tough funk with a floor shaking bass line with some hard thumps. With it's scratchy guitar and raw vocals it actually sounds more "alternative" than the cover version. Part two has more of an instrumental feel. Enjoy

Shack Up (Part 1) - Banbarra