Mindfck

Disco Monk · B2B (Mindfck Remix)

I Want You / Fever

I don't normally remix Madonna much but this one was calling my name upon hearing recently her mid 90's compilation CD  of ballads "Something To Remember".  Her cover of Marvin Gay's "I Want You" wasn't so bad and  I'm pleased how it's holds up pretty well thus this remix segueing into her other famous cover of "Fever".

Enjoy,

Disco Monk · I Want You Fever (Glamjack's Harlem Nights Remix)- Madonna

Vogue

I released this experimental take on "Vogue" on the eve of Madonna's birthday on my sound could page and couldn't think of a better image than this incredible portrait of Bette Davis! Enjoy

Why Don't We Live Together

.....Baby why don't we live together.... I just been re-discovering Pet Shop Boys on vinyl and it has re-energized some great parts that I failed to hear on their other plethora of different format releases. Not to mentioned that Neil Tennant's book recent release of 100 Lyrics and a Poem has brought forth his amazing lyric writing and put these songs into a different orbit.  This synth pop crooner This one is a total ironic ode to Madonna's "Into The Groove and as matter of fact was actually written with her in mind.  So here "Why Don't We Live Together" gets the Disco Monk treatment with two versions a dramatic  and twisted string version and another more sync piano focused.  Enjoy!

Disco Flyer: The Red Parrot

Here is a new series of postings titled Disco Flyer. It will feature some interesting flyers and other ephemera inspired by them. Enjoy!

Spacer Woman: Physical Attraction

Here is another one I just cooked up. Enjoy!

Vogue Ballrooms

Here is a homage to the Voguing Ballrooms. Enjoy!

Disco Photography: Madonna and Jellybean

Sidewalk Talk: The Terra Perma Experience

I was in Canada this past week to be one with nature and re-connect with some dear friends of mine that are close to my heart. I went to visit Terra Perma which is located two hours north of Montreal. It's a beautiful growing residential and eco entrepreneur permaculture community in the heart of the Laourentians, located in the Mont-Tremblant region. There are 800 beautiful acres of land set to be preserved and promote sustainable developments. It was an amazing, unique and invigorating experience where I got to relax and learn a lot about myself and the land.  I did some canoeing at the lake, slept in a yurt, did some meditation, yoga, swimming, some fun tie dying and painting projects and ate some delicious vegetables from the land.  Also, I got to meet some quite amazing people who are working hard and putting their hearts and souls in making this project a reality.

Terra Perma, Lake Green

To get there,  there was some time spending traveling by car and got to listen to Quebec radio which is quite amazing. While driving around this beautiful land full of luscious scenery "Sidewalk Talk" by Jellybean feat. Madonna came on the radio which had nothing to do with nature and more to do with city living.  While listening to it, it dawned on me that I probably haven't heard it since it's release in 1984! This was a collaborative project between Madonna and Jellybean Benitez when they were a couple trying to make their mark in NYC.  I simply love the rawness of it and to top it all, once the song ended, the disc jockey did something quite clever, he left the needle of the record continue bumping with it's scratchy noise making a point that we were listening to vinyl. Yes, vinyl on the radio! A true Canadian experience that I will never forget with some amazing company. Thank you Alfonso Tarazona and Philippe Leclerc for making this past week beautiful and memorable.

Sidewalk Talk - Jellybean Benitez feat. Madonna

Peter Rauhofer

So sad to hear the shocking news of the passing of DJ extraordinaire Peter Rauhofer! Every remix this amazing Austrian Dj and producer put his hands on became big room anthems and took the dancer into an intense journey on the dance floor.  His residency at the Roxy was legendary as he re-defined late '90s dance music and pretty much ended it when the famous space closed it's doors during the mid '00s.  His moniker Club 69 and Size Queen became essential during any big space club event as well.  He won a Grammy for remixing Cher's "Believe" and the list of artists he worked with was top notch including, Madonna, Janet Jackson,  Pet Shop Boys, Adele, Rihanna, Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera, Yoko Ono,  Pink, Tori Amos, Mariah Carey and many more.   Although I was not a big fun of the lengths of some of his re-mixes and a few of the hard house stuff he did, I understood it and appreciated it whenever I would go to the Roxy.  He was brilliant and I will never forget how his passion spread like wild fire of on that dance floor.  Here are two songs that show the spectrum of his brilliance. His recent  remix of Adele's "Skyfall" epitomizes his unique trademark and my favorite by him, the Pet Shop Boys amazing collaboration for bringing the house classic "Break 4 Love" into new form.  You will be missed and your legacy will never be forgotten.  You are probably turning it out up there in the cosmos!  RIP.

Break For Love - The Collaboration - Pet Shop Boys and Peter Rauhofer 

Skyfall (Peter Rauhofer Big Room Anthem Remix - Adele

Everybody

Madonna at the Lower East Side of Manhattan, 1982

The song that jump started her career.  It was 1982 and  DJ/Producer Mark Kamins who sadly passed away recently of a heart attack,  produced it and brought it to Sire Records president to sign her a two song deal this yet unknown dancer.  Madonna performed live during his residency at legendary seminal club Danceteria .  It became huge at the clubs, it used live drums and keyboard and her vocals were not as polished  and yet the sense of urgency in her voice put a spell on the dance floor. "Everybody"  t had an amazing R&B infused beat, it was raw and you couldn't escape it! Here is the Dub version. Enjoy

It was decided not to put her on the cover wanting to create a mystery and sell copies to the black/r&b market.

Everybody (Dub Version) - Madonna

A March '12 Mix

Happy March! It has been quite a while since I haven't made a mix so here it is.  As part of the Glamjack mix series this is a very eclectic mix that was compiled with love with some music I've been listening lately edited in way that reflects a certain mood that goes back and forth between moody and happy.  It starts really slow and gentle then bang it goes house then some pop and dance classics.  The overall mix has also a very melting pop feel with a blend of world music from Brazil, Jamaica, Algeria, France, Germany and America, with some jazz, house, hip pop and pioneering techno from Kraftwerk whom by the way are having a huge retrospective at the MoMa with some performances included. I am trying to get tickets since I heard there are no more available.  Anyhow,  I am very pleased with the mix and I hope you enjoy it!

March '12 Mix - DJ Glamjack

Track List

  1.   Mark Isham - Surface and Symbol

  2.   Ait Meslayene - Yemma

  3.   Nina Simone - African Mailman

  4.   Kyze - Stomp Move Jump Jack Your Body

  5.   John Talabot - Sunshine (Original Mix)

  6.   Kink & Neville Wats - Blueprint

  7.   Big Bass

  8.   Clip from Matias Aguayo Mix

  9.   John Talabot - Leave Me

10.   Rose Rouge - St. Germain

11.   Manu Dibango - Reggae Makossa

12.   Madonna - Secret (The Apple Scruffs Edit)

13.   Strafe - Set It Off (Instrumental)

14.   Elizeth Cardoso - Manha De Carnaval

15.   Kraftwerk - Metal On Metal

16.   Antonio Ocasio - Fenix Fantasy

March '12 Mix by Dj Glamjack on Mixcloud

Get It Up For Love by Tata Vega

Here is a very nice late '70s Disco "Get It Up For Love" by Tata Vega.  This was the single from here 1978 LP Try My Love.  Ms Vega was born Carmen Rosa Vega in Queens, New York, here career spans theater, film and a variety of musical genres.  She began her singing career in 1969 with the Los Angeles production of Hair, then she joined the group Pollution and then became a member of the group Earthquire, which released an album in 1973 on Motown.  Following her stint with the group she released four solo albums: Full Speed Ahead, Totally Tata, Try My Love and Givin' All My Love.  These albums feature a diverse range of genres, including classic motown soul, country or southern soul, disco, jazz, funk, country, Latin, doo-woop, and gospel.  She has had an active career as a back up singer, working with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Andrae Crouch, Lou Rawls, Chaka Kahn, Patti LaBelle, Michael Jackson, and Madonna.  She also worked in film, performing the voice of Shug Avery in the Color Purple and she is featured on four songs on the 1986 soundtrack album, one of which,  the sow stopper "Miss Celie's Blues (Sister)" was nominated for an Academy Award in Best Song category. The lady sure does know how to sing also knows how to work the dance floor with this gem of a song.  Enjoy

Get It Up For Love - Tata Vega

September in the Big Apple Mix

Here is the September 2011 mix titled "In The Big Apple".  The inspiration here is New York city during late September when goals are renewed bringing the spirit of change.  A time when the wheels start to move forward full speed and so much activity is happening simultaneously, left and right, front and back. A city that is shallow yet dense, humble and arrogant  that never fails to deliver delivering euphoria, energy and contemplation.  It is beautiful and ugly, rich and poor, crazy and sane, high and low where cultures comes to the front and  clashing loudly.  A city filled with extremes leading one in search of much needed balance in order to survive.  Always forcing to question our identities and our essence. Visceral in nature and designed to face our demons head on but never boring and always exciting!  

Track List

     

  1. Big Apple '75 - Loudon Wainwright III

  2. Intergalactic (Deep Sound Design Remix)  - Beastie Boys

  3. Blues City - Toomy

  4. Just To See - Soho 808

  5. Kill the Pig (Pig Mix) - The Blow Monkeys

  6. Fujiya & Madge (Greg Wilson mash-up) - Fujiya & Miyagi & Madonna

  7. Love is in control (Finger on the triger) - Donna Summer

  8. Sex - Virgo Four

  9. Make You MIine - Autodeep

10. Don't Beat Around The Bush - The Salsoul  Orchestra

11. By The Way You Dance - Bunny Sigler

12. Right in the socket - Shalamar

13. Sinning - Grace Jones

14. A.M. (Ewan Pearson Re-Edit) - Flowers and Sea Creatures

15. King Of Rome - Pet Shop Boys

September in the Big Apple Mix by Dj Glamjack on Mixcloud

A Homage to Malcolm McLaren

How sad I am to hear the news that Malcolm McLaren passed away yesterday from complications from a rare cancer. A music and fashion visionary who revolutionized both worlds. He was married to one my favorite British designers, Vivienne Westwood and together changed the face of British fashion forever. Then became the manager of The Sex Pistols and The New York Dolls, discovered Bow Wow Wow, Adam Ants and Boy George. "Without him the punk era would never have been the kind of focus that it did become" according to BBC's creative director Alan Yentob. "Malcolm was a man of ideas really - he was fascinated by ideas. He was always thinking about the next one. He was always ready to say something provocative". As far a music concerns, most of his releases where prolific, quirky, imaginative/left field collaborations with other musicians that were mostly concept records that are now considered timeless seminal footprints for other musicians and new musical genres. His first forays were into the field of hip-hop. Duck Rock, produced by Trevor Horn and featuring the rapping World's Famous Supreme Team was a vanguard album in the new music/rap crossover movement. It offered vignettes of hip-hop, Appalachian music, African music and merengue. Instead of assimilating the forms and reconstructing them, McLaren puts his actual source material on vinyl. He was totally ahead of his time here. "Buffalo Gals" sets a square dance call over a hip-hop scratch track. This song has been sampled to death from Nene Cherry, Eminem and in countless of mixes designed for break dancing. Next came Fans in 1984, one of my 80's dance favorites! I remember wearing a skirt and dancing to this LP during my first legal clubbing experience at a place called Xantus in Baton Rouge, LA. The single, "Madame Butterfly" fed us classic opera into a hip-hop blender that worked sweetly for dancing at any new wave club. In 1989, Waltz Darling was a funk/disco/vogue inspired album way before Madonna picked up on such trends. He incorporated elements of his former albums such as spoken verses, string arrangements and eclectic mix of genres. I remember dancing to "Deep In Vogue" at the New Orleans's Parade club and discovering the art of vogueing for the first time. Last, in 1994, he released Paris which included French artists such as Catherine Deneuve, Francoise Hardy and fashion icon Sonia Rykiel. A high-style travelogue that mixed strains of dance, pop, jazz, African and movie soundtrack music with an absurd amount of name dropping. The album managed a seductive appeal with my favorites song in it being "Paris Sept" (Listen here) the instrumental version is totally chic! Thank you Malcolm for your vision, ideas, creativity and genius. R.I.P.

Buffalo Girls - Malcolm McLaren & The World's Famous Supreme Team

Madame Butterfly - Malcolm McLaren

Deep In Vogue - Malcolm McLaren & The Bootzilla Orchestra

Paris Sept - Malcolm McLaren