Groove Production

Last updated
Groove Production
Founded1980
FounderChris Palmer
StatusDefunct
Distributor(s) Pinnacle, PRT
GenreDisco, funk
Country of originEngland
LocationLondon

Groove Production was a record label formed by Chris Palmer. The majority of recordings were in the dance and disco genre. Artists to have their material released on the label include Bunny Brown, Cayenne, T. C. Curtis, The Evasions, K.I.D., Morrissey-Mullen, Surface Noise, and Linda Taylor. Hits that came though the label include "Body Shake", "(You're) In The Pocket", "You and Me Just Started", "Roberto Who?" and "Wikka Wrap" etc.

Contents

Background

The founder of the label was Chris Palmer the owner of Groove Records in Soho's Greek Street. [1]

Following what was described by Record Business as the runaway indie success of the song "Wikka Wrap", the label issued their first album in mid-1981 which was Roberto Who? by Cayenne. [2]

The Groove Production recording artist Surface Noise was a pseudonym for Chris Palmer. The track "The Scratch" which is credited to his pseudonym is listed at no. 12 on the Classic Pop Top 20 80s pop instrumentals list in 2022. [3] This was Palmer's first production for the label and he played most of the instruments on the recording. [4]

History

1980

Surface Noise's "The Scratch" was released on Groove Production GP 101 in May 1980. It was reviewed in the May 24, 1980 issue of Record Mirror . The prediction was that it was going to be huge. [5] And on that week it had moved up from no. 84 to no. 50 in the Disco Top 90 chart. [6]

It was noted by Record Mirror in the August 16 issue that Surface Noise's "Dancin' On a Wire" bw "Love Groove" was a breaker. [7]

Bunny Brown recorded "Strawberry Letter 23" which was released in 12" vinyl format on Groove Production GP 103 in 1980. [8]

1981

The Roberto Who? album by Cayenne was released on Groove Production GPLP 30 in June 1981. It featured Linda Taylor on vocals. [9] [10] Cayenne's single "Roberto Who?", credited to Cayenne featuring Linda Taylor debuted no. 30 in the Record Business Disco Top 50 chart on the week of July 20. [11]

Music trade magazine Record Business had published their quarterly survey in their July 20, 1981 issue. The single "Wikka Wrap" was at no. 3 in the Top Disco / Soul Singles and no. 27 in the Top 30 Indie Singles. [12]

Linda Taylor recorded the song "(You're) In The Pocket" which was released on a 12" single on Groove Production GP 109. [13] It debuted at no. 48 in the Record Business Disco Top 50 chart on the week of September 21. On the week of October 5, it had moved up to no. 31. [14] [15]

1982

"Body Shake" by T. C. Curtis made its debut at no. 14 on the Record Business Twelve Inchers chart on the week of January 11. [16] It was also at its fourth week in the magazine's Disco Top 50 chart and had moved up from no. 45 to no. 23. [17]

It was noted in the February 8, 1982 issue of Record Business that Chris Palmer had returned to the UK from Midem where he had set up world-wide licensing deals for Linda Taylor's new album Taylor Made which hadn't yet been completed. [18]

It was reported in the April 19, 1982, issue of Record Business that Groove Productions formerly known as Groove Records had stopped using Pinnacle as their distributor and were now using PRT. The first album to come through the new distributor for the 23rd of that month was the Taylor Made album. [19]

Linda Taylor's "You and Me Just Started" did well for the label. It peaked at no. 8 in the Record Business Disco Top 50 on the week of May 24. [20] [21] It also peaked at no. 5 in the Twelve Inchers chart that week, [22] It spent a total of eleven weeks in the Disco Top 50. [23] [24] It was also a success in the United States on the Dance / Disco Top 80 chart, spending a total of fourteen weeks on the chart, [25] where it peaked at no. 13. [26] [27]

According to James Hamilton in the September 28 issue of Record Mirror, The Evasions were following up on their previous release with "The Passage". [28] It was reviewed in the October 16 issue of Record Mirror. It was released on Groove Production GP 114 T in 12" format. [29]

Related Research Articles

<i>Duran Duran</i> (1981 album) 1981 studio album by Duran Duran

Duran Duran is the debut studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 15 June 1981 through EMI. Produced by Colin Thurston, it was recorded in London and Oxfordshire between December 1980 and January 1981. The instrumental tracks were recorded quickly, but vocalist Simon Le Bon initially struggled to sing in the studio, leading to discussions about replacing him before EMI employee Dave Ambrose intervened.

All Platinum Records was a record company started in 1967 by singer/writer/producer Sylvia Robinson and her husband, businessman Joe Robinson, who had previously worked in the recording industry.

Record Mirror was a British weekly music newspaper published between 1954 and 1991, aimed at pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after New Musical Express, it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in Record Mirror in 1956, and during the 1980s it was the only consumer music paper to carry the official UK singles and UK albums charts used by the BBC for Radio 1 and Top of the Pops, as well as the USA's Billboard charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)</span> 1979 song

"No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" is a 1979 song recorded by American singers Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer. It was written by Paul Jabara and Bruce Roberts, and produced by Giorgio Moroder and Gary Klein. The song was recorded for Streisand's Wet album and also as a new track for Summer's compilation double album On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II. The full-length version was found on Streisand's album, while a longer 11-minute edit (the 12" version) was featured on Summer's album. The longer 12" version features additional production by frequent collaborator Harold Faltermeyer, and incorporates a harder rock edge.

Endgames were a Scottish pop band active during the 1980s. They released two albums on Virgin Records, but failed to achieve significant commercial success.

<i>Double Fun</i> 1978 studio album by Robert Palmer

Double Fun is the fourth solo album by Robert Palmer, released in 1978. Self-produced, this pop album is influenced by multiple genres including blue-eyed soul, disco and heavy rock but maintains an overall consistency of production which holds it all together. The album peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart in 1978, his highest rank up to that point, and includes a top 20 hit, "Every Kinda People".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Groove</span> 1981 single by Earth, Wind & Fire

"Let's Groove" is a song by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released as the first single from their eleventh studio album, Raise! (1981). It is written by Maurice White and Wayne Vaughn, and produced by White. The song was a commercial success, and was the band's highest-charting single in various territories. It peaked inside the top 20 in countries including the United States, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada and other component charts in America. In 1979 and the early 1980s, there was a severe backlash against disco music. In spite of this, the band decided to revive the disco sound that was included on their previous works and later records. Musically, "Let's Groove" is post-disco, pop and funk which includes instrumentation of synthesizers and keyboards along with live electric guitars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)</span> 1996 single by Coolio

"1, 2, 3, 4 " is a song by American rapper Coolio. It was the third single released from his second studio album, Gangsta's Paradise (1995), in February 1996. Initially entitled "Sumpin' New", the song uses a sample from "Thighs High ", recorded in 1981 by American jazz trumpeter Tom Browne, and also includes a vocal sample from "Wikka Wrap" by the Evasions, from 1981. The song achieved success in several countries, including the United States, France, Iceland, and New Zealand, where it was a top-10 hit.

Shadow was a music group in the funk-soul genre that was a spin-off from the Ohio Players. They released three albums on the Elektra label. They were Love Lite in 1979, Shadow in 1980, and Shadows in the Street in 1981. They also released a number of singles over the period from 1979 to 1981. There seems to be a degree of mystery as to who the actual members of the group were.

"Sending Out An S.O.S." is a 1975 song for singer Retta Young. It charted in the US on the Billboard and Cash Box charts. It charted also in the UK where it did better. It is considered a classic disco song and appears on a multitude of compilations.

Paul Kyser is an American promoter, record label owner, singer, songwriter, record producer and arranger. He wrote and co-produced the hit "Dawning of Love" with Tom Vetri for Devotion. He also wrote "Body and Soul " for the group Soul Generation and "Where Were You " for Jimmy Briscoe and the Little Beavers. Along with Leon Stuckey he co-wrote "Just How Sweet Is Your Love" for Rhyze, which appears on the Boogie's Gonna Getcha: '80s New York Boogie compilation album. He co-wrote "Be My #2" which appears on the R. Kelly Untitled album. He is also credited with discovering Jimmy Briscoe & The Little Beavers.

Judd Douglas Hamilton is an American musician, former band leader, writer, film producer, actor, inventor. He recorded for the Dolton, Liberty, American International, United Artists and RCA Victor labels. He contributed to the music of California, and to surf music from his involvement with the T-Bones and 1960s surf groups, the Avantis and the Ventures. During the 1960s, he was part of the groups Judd Hamilton & the Furys, The Marketts and The T-Bones. As a film and television producer, he was the executive producer and co-screenwriter for the films Maniac and The Last Horror Film, and the executive producer for The 7th Annual Sci-Fi Awards, a 90-minute TV special. His brother was Dan Hamilton. He was married to English actress Caroline Munro for some years.

Hilltak records was a Californian Independent record label that was formed in the late 1970s. Artists that produced hits for the label include 9th Creation, Patti Hendrix, Broadway, Dalton & Dubarri, and The Guess Who. The label started out as a subsidiary of Atlantic Records but terminated the relationship some time later.

"Just How Sweet Is Your Love" was a single for the group Rhyze. It charted on both the Billboard Hot Dance/Disco chart and on the Black Singles chart.

Linda Taylor is a performing singer, recording artist and songwriter. She had success with her hits with "(You're) in the Pocket", "You and Me Just Started" and "Every Waking Hour". She also sang lead on the hit "Roberto Who?" which was credited to Cayenne featuring Linda Taylor. She was once a member of Gonzalez. She is also one of the UK's top session singers. Her career has seen her working with acts such as Morrissey–Mullen.

"You and Me Just Started" is a song by English singer Linda Taylor. It became a hit single for her in the UK in 1982 as well as in the US.

<i>Taylor Made</i> (album) 1982 studio album by Linda Taylor

Taylor Made was the 1982 debut album for English singer Linda Taylor. It got into the disco top ten in the UK. It also included her hit singles, "(You're) In the Pocket" and "You and Me Just Started".

Body Shake aka "Bodyshake" was a 1981 single for T. C. Curtis. It was released on the Groove Production label in the UK and was a hit for Curtis early in the following year.

T. C. Curtis is UK based singer who had a string of chart hits during the 1980s. He is most likely remembered for his hits "Body Shake" and "You Should Have Known Better". In addition to his national hits on the UK singles chart chart, he has also had other hits on the dance, R&B, club and disco charts.

Roberto Who..? is a song by the British band Cayenne. Released on the Groove Production label, it was a hit in the UK in 1981, charting on both the Record Business Top 50 Disco chart and the Twelve Inchers chart.

References

  1. ↑ James Hamilton's Disco Page, May 24, 1980 - May 24, 1980: Surface Noise, Gene Chandler, Randy Crawford, Gayle Adams, Frank Hooker & Positive People
  2. ↑ Record Business , July 6, 1981 Volume Three Number 16 - Page 16 Disco Dealer
  3. ↑ Classic Pop, January 31, 2022 - Top 20 80s pop instrumentals By Matthew Rudd
  4. ↑ Record Mirror, June 21, 1980 - Page 33 DISCOS By JAMES HAMILTON, BREAKERS
  5. ↑ Record Mirror, May 24, 1980 - Page 41 DISCOS By JAMES HAMILTON, UK NEWIES, NOISE; 'The Scratch'
  6. ↑ Record Mirror, May 24, 1980 - Page 47 DISCO, 5o 84 THE SCRATCH, Surface Noise
  7. ↑ Record Mirror, August 16, 1980 - Page 33 DISCOS By James Hamilton BREAKERS
  8. ↑ Roots Vinyl Guide - Bunny Brown Strawberry Letter 23 Funk Soul Disco 12” SINGLE VINYL RECORD
  9. ↑ Discogs - Cayenne – Roberto Who..?
  10. ↑ Black Music & Jazz Review Volume 4 - Pages 13 & 34
  11. ↑ Record Business, July 20, 1981 - Page 12 Disco Top 50, 30, _
  12. ↑ Record Business, July 20, 1981 Volume Four Number 18 - Page 8 Quarterly Survey
  13. ↑ Music & Video Week, October 10, 1981 - Page 17 12" SINGLES CHART + NEW RELEASES, NEW RELEASES
  14. ↑ Record Business, September 21, 1981 - Page 12 Disco Top 50, 48 _, (YOU'RE), IN THE POCKET LINDA TAYLOR
  15. ↑ Record Business, October 5, 1981 - Page 12 Disco Top 50, 31, 33, (YOU'RE) IN THE POCKET LINDA TAYLOR
  16. ↑ Record Buisiness, January 11, 1982 - Page 4 DISCO, 12 Inchers, 14 _ BODYSHAKE T.C. Curtis Groove
  17. ↑ Record Business, January 11, 1982 - Pages 10 - 11 Disco Top 50 23 45 4 BODYSHAKE
  18. ↑ Record Business, February 8, 1982 Volume Four Number 45 - Page 5 MIDEM, Taylor LP deal
  19. ↑ Record Business, April 19, 1982 Volume Five Number Four - Page 12 Briefs, Groove switches to PRT distribution
  20. ↑ Record Business, May 24, 1982 - Page 10 Disco Top 50, 8, 13, 4, YOU AND ME JUST STARTED
  21. ↑ Record Business, May 31, 1982 - Page 10 Disco Top 50, 10, 8, 5, YOU AND ME JUST STARTED
  22. ↑ Record Business, May 24, 1982 - Page 13 DiscoTwelve Inchers, 5, 11 YOU AND ME JUST STARTED
  23. ↑ Record Business, July 12, 1982 - Page 10 Disco Top 50, 33, 27, 11, YOU AND ME JUST STARTED
  24. ↑ Record Business, July 19, 1982 - Disco Top 50
  25. ↑ Billboard, September 18, 1982 - Page 47 Billboard Dance/ Disco Top 80, This Week 73, Last Week 44, Weeks on Chart 14
  26. ↑ Billboard, August 28, 1982 - Page 28 Billboard Dance/ Disco Top 80, This Week 13, Last Week 13, Weeks on Chart 11
  27. ↑ Billboard, September 4, 1982 - Page 48 Billboard Dance/ Disco Top 80, This Week 20, Last Week 13, Weeks on Chart 12
  28. ↑ Record Mirror, September 25, 1982 - Page 27 Discos, ODDS 'N' BODS, JAMES HAMILTON at the controls
  29. ↑ Record Mirror, October 16, 1982 - Page 32 DiscosFrom Page 31
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.