Desert Island Disco - October

13th October 2017

Today’s Castaway is Wrong Tom who's here to celebrate the 18th birthday of the Brighton based record label Tru Thoughts. On Saturday 21st October, Soundcrash and London’s Roundhouse team up with Tru Thoughts for an all day festival celebrating the label’s 18th birthday, featuring the likes of Quantic (DJ set), Hot 8 Brass Band, Alice Russell and Rodney P alongside brand new artists Rhi and Flowdan. It’s Tru Thoughts’ biggest event yet and a cracking Desert Island Disco for us.

Featuring

1. Ann Sexton - You're Losing Me

2. Har-You Percussion Group - Welcome To The Party

3. Harry Belafonte - Jump In The Line

4. Smiley Culture - Shan A Shan

5. Madonna - Get Into The Groove (You Can Dance version)

I didn't want to over think this list so I've tried to pick the first 20 which sprang to mind wherever possible. I've played out every one of these records at some point over the years, and I've danced to them all at some point whether on a packed dance floor or on my own in front of the mirror when I was 10 (or last week).

1. Ann Sexton - You're Losing Me

Most people that know my music will probably be expecting a straight up reggae selection but I'm far from a purist, and it was actually all about funk and soul when I first started clubbing. There are countless records I could pick here but "You're Losing Me" is still a firm favourite.

2. The Sindecut - Simple Jealousy

This is a maddeningly overlooked record, perhaps because it never quite fitted with any scene when it came out in 1991. It's a soul record but at rave tempo using the same Lalo Schifrin sample as big beat classic "Ooh La La" which shot The Wiseguys to fame 7 years later. I love The Sindecut with all my heart.

3. Nicolette - Single Minded People

I was never a big raver but I loved those dark pre-jungle tunes by the likes of The Scientist, Genaside II and Shut Up & Dance. In the middle of all this was the surreal jazz chanteuse Nicolette who started her career singing in a Billie Holiday style over Shut Up & Dance's rugged breaks.

4. George Kranz - Trommeltanz (Din Daa Daa)

It's rare that I find an opportunity to play this one out these days but when I do, expect some shameless air drumming behind the decks. I once saw Theo Parrish drop this to a bunch of chin strokers at Plastic People, they weren't impressed with my air drumming one bit.

5. Har-You Percussion Group - Welcome To The Party

I played this record at my first ever gig at The Blue Note on Hoxton Square back in '95 and, if I'm not doing a straight up reggae set, it's always in my box still.

6. Harry Belafonte - Jump In The Line

When I was really little my dad used to play me calypso records. I still love it. I guess I could have picked something much deeper but Jump In The Line is a wonderfully ridiculous record, made even more so by the end sequence of Beetlejuice.

7. Art Ensemble Of Chicago - Theme De Yoyo

Again, this is a bit of an obvious choice but as a big free-jazz fan it's rare that I get a chance to play any to more than a handful of nervous bearded men. This however is top-drawer dance floor jazz with some brief but tasty free-jazz refrains.

8. Prince & The Revolution - New Position

Almost impossible to pick just one Prince tune - I own almost everything from his early days to 1995 - but "New Position" has it all for me: loose funk backing, smooth yet desperate vocal harmonies and a very rare outing for Prince on steel pan drum.

9. Vanity 6 - Nasty Girl

Ok, I'm essentially picking two Prince tracks with this one but that's not to say Vanity and her cohorts didn't have their own merits. I'd like to make a biopic about Denise "Vanity" Matthews one of these days.

10. Violent Femmes - Prove My Love To You

Suddenly realised there wasn't any rock music on this list so how about a bit of skiffle-punk from Milwaukee degenerates Violent Femmes? I love how timeless their first album sounds and I find it impossible to not dance when it comes on even if I'm on my own.

11. Men Without Hats - Safety Dance

Speaking of which, sometimes I put this on when I hit the wall in the studio. Nothing blows out the cobwebs quite like a bit of S-A-F-E-T-Y DANCE.

12. Beyonce - End Of Time

I love RnB, particularly that sweet spot in the early 00s which brought us gems like "What About Us" by Brandy and "Try Again" by Aaliyah. Beyonce rarely sets a foot wrong, whatever era we're looking at. This one is just perfect.

13. Madonna - Get Into The Groove (You Can Dance version)

I have fond memories of taking the 7" of this over to my neighbour Jim's house and dancing around his living room to it. It's a fascinating record, made even more so by the remixed and dubbed version which appeared on her You Can Dance LP.

14. Talking Heads - Slippery People

Another band I struggled to pick one track from - and it was hard to not just say "to hell with it, make it Genius Of Love by Tom Tom Club" but I persevered and settled on the jacking gospel splendour of Slippery People. I almost definitely play out Once In A Lifetime more than this but for me Slippery People is perfection.

15. Smiley Culture - Shan A Shan

Another perfect record which Chris Lane who produced it told me he just hears all the flaws now. I think he's mad, I've been trying to ape this style for years.

16. Lil Mama - Sausage

If you ever catch me and my friend J-Felix doing one of our Tru Thoughts disco sets, there's a strong chance you'll hear me drop this at some point. It's insane.

17. Elephant Man & Harry Toddler - Many Many

I love the extremities of dancehall. This one is based around what sounds like a Status Quo riff and features lyrics pilfered from Woo Ha by Busta Rhymes and how many pics by Fugees yet somehow works.

18. Bob & Marcia - I Don't Care

This is my all time favourite record, I'm not sure why, it just is. I own the multi tracks and have been threatening to do a remix for years now but it's a daunting prospect. I don't know if it's everyone's cup of tea but it's my party and I'll cry if I want to.

19. Sexual Harassment - If I Gave You A Party

I think I want this record played at my funeral.

20. Martha Bass, Fontella Bass, David Peaston - God Has Smiled On Me

I'm not a religious person at all but I love the energy and conviction in great gospel records. This one has the added bonus of being made by some of Art Ensemble Of Chicago with Fontella Bass alongside her brother and mum! I've closed quite a few sets with this over the past couple of decades and the vocal breakdown and lock groove never fail to make me dance like a lunatic.

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