1. The Endless Poker’s (Adonis) – The Poke (The After Poke Mix) 5:21
2. Phuture – Acid Tracks (12″ Version) 12:21
3. * Sleezy D. – I’ve Lost Control (Original 12″ Version) 11:37
4. Pierre’s Pfantasy Club – Dream Girl (Ralph Rosario Mix) 8:50
5. Fast Eddie – Acid Thunder (Fast Eddie Mix) 4:31
6. Charles B – Lack Of Love (Club Mix) 6:19
7. Laurent X – Machines (Apocalypse Mix) 6:47
8. Kevin Saunderson – The Groove That Won’t Stop (12″ Version) 7:38
9. Tyree – Acid Over (Piano ‚Matey‘ Mix) 5:05
10. Pierre’s Pfantasy Club – Fantasy Girl (Club Mix) 8:05
11. Armando – Land Of Confusion (Confusion Mix) 5:14
12. Mike Dunn – Magic Feet (12″ Version) 6:04

*= #3 Der Track von Sleezy D. ist nur auf der 2xLP erschienen.

Greetings,

welcome to the start of yet another Mastercuts year, and our 32nd release in the series….and we’ve still got SO MUCH ground to cover!

Last year we broke new moulds with Mastercuts Hip Hop, Reggae, Disco and Jap-Jazz, and still managed to bring you further mouth-watering volumes of the now well-established Mastercuts series of Funk, New Jack Swing and House. Thank you for all your support.

With such an avalanche of compilation dross coming out over the past year, it must seem so confusing for the lesser-informed to know what’s good and what’s crap!! It seems anyone can ‚do compilations‘. Not so. We believe and hope that da people can’t be fooled like that for too long, and we believe and hope you agree that Mastercuts is different.

Mastercuts is about getting hold of simply the best tracks – Classics – and making the full versions available to not only DJ’s (who will go to the ends of the Earth for these Mastercuts twelve’s), but to everyone who REALLY loves good music. Mastercuts is about celebrating and respecting the ever changing face of dance music, and making sure certain tunes are kept in the annuls of Mastercuts dance history forever. Mastercuts IS NOT about market share and brain-washing people with not-so-clever marketing devices. There. We needed to get that moan off our chests and document the ‚compilation overload‘ that we are experiencing here in the UK, cos’ it really makes us angry and judging by the letters we’ve received, we know it really pisses you off too!! But have no fear, the Mastercuts pledge remains strong, and the ever-growing support of the series confirms our faith in peoples’ ability to make a choice.
Cheers.

Now we’re off the MC soap-box let’s talk……ACID!!!

A genre that has been constantly requested, and has always been lined up, but, as ever, we’ve been waiting for the right time…..just wait and see the Acid bandwagon start up again with the Mastercuts release of these first 11 tracks. So let’s pave the way.

Cast your minds back to the hedonistic days when a motorway service station would be the mecca for Acid Gurus on a mission for that 303 sound, that vibe. When names like Shoom, Future, Clink Street, Spectrum, Hedonism, Trip, Sunrise, Biology, and Hacienda all meant hallucinogenic experiences with music and life-style. Hearing these tunes drop for the first time was quite simply, indescribable….

Starting on the underground club scene in Chicago, while the World were jacking their bodies to House, there emerged a new kind of House music – Acid house. A mind distorting sound that made the 303 a magic box full of ground-breaking tricks. The UK was quick to respond to this experimentation and a totally new genre of dance music was upon us. Unfortunately, with a provocative name such as Acid, it didn’t take long for ‘Acid fever’ to move right into the mainstream. Soon it seemed the whole damn World was wearing a f*cking Smiley T-shirt and making ‚joke‘ Acid records. Duck, here comes another bandwagon!

Reports on International television news stating ‘ACEEeed clubbers must be stopped’. As the genre went mainstream and the media had their fodder, the term ‘Acid’ was no longer cool in taste-making circles and so the music splintered. Despite this media murder, Acid and the 303 was the catalyst for the future. Acid was, and still is such an important part of the development of the killer tunes that drop today. And these first 11 choons will remind you of that fact (as if you need reminding!)

Now Mastercuts is about working with experts right? Well this guy is your man. Johnny Walker was one of the key DJ’s of the Acid House scene, a champion of these tunes coming out of Chicago and Detroit. As the scene grew Johnny continued to be in the forefront and pioneered all the Key Acid House tracks coming in from around the Globe. Now A&R Director at the successful Champion Records, Johnny has pulled out his most treasured acid tracks and delivered a slice of Mastercuts dance history. And this is only the first volume! Now we’ll hand over to Johnny, who’s gonna take you down the Acid path (and he CAN remember!).

So Johnny, it’s time to…..’get right on one matey‘

During the mid-eighties ‘House Music’ put Chicago firmly on the world music map, as the birth place of this new sound.

The Godfathers of House Frankie Knuckles, Ron Hardy, Farley Jackmaster Funk, Chip E, J.M. Silk and many others were spreading their message and uniting the World to dance as one HOUSE NATION. But while the International dance floor’s were jackin’ to the sound of the Windy City, something else was developing from the underground club scene in Chicago. Producers were experimenting with the deeper psychedelic sound of trippy synthesised sound waves from a silver box, the Roland 303 bassline machine gave birth to a second generation of Chicago House…..ACID HOUSE!!!

The U.K. club scene was quick to embrace this new trance-dance sound. During 1988-89 the liquid bassline of Acid House was being pioneered by the underground DJ’s like Jazzy M, who’s LWR pirate radio show “The Jackin’ Zone” did so much to bring forward this new sound, a true inspiration for many of us. Danny Ramplings’ “SHOOM” club pumped all night till six, to the hypnotic 303 acid line in a space filled with white smoke and tripped-out strobes. The era of the SMILEY FACE was all around, the feeling of being Luvdup, O’ happy daze. Paul Oakenfold’s clubs ‘Project’ and later ‘Future’ and ‘Spectrum’, took ecstatic dancers to a new high where the word ACID became a tribal chant for the 2,000 strong clubbers.ACEEeed!!

Colin Faver, Mr. C, Kid Batchelor, Eddie Richards, Trevor Fung kept the acid party rockin’ all night long at ‘Hedonism’, Clink Street (R.I.P)’, ‘Enter The Dragon’ to mention a few. Nicky Holloway hosted one of London’s biggest acid clubs ‘TRIP’ at Astoria, where thousands of clubbers would “GET RIGHT ON ONE MATEY” and would literally dance in the street, much to the puzzled look from the ‘Old Bill’.

Manchester’s Mike Pickering was converting his following at the legendary ‘Hacienda’ with Chicago’s acid sound, a pioneer DJ of that time, uniting the North and South into one big dance party.

Acid House fever gripped the nation, the club culture of the Smiley T-shirt, a tab and a bottle of water took to the fields, at events like ‘Sunrise’ and ‘Biology’ where tens of thousands of clubbers would dance the night away to the acid sounds of Laurent X – Machines. And so the sound of Acid was preached and has converted many. The early experience of the 303 has stayed with our dance culture through the 90’s it’s influence is evident in today’s techno scene, whether the music comes from Detroit or Germany, Japan or Australia, the psychedelic sound of the 303 is there to take you into another dimension, and once it does, nothing ever seem’s quite the same again.

Here is my DEFINITIVE choice of Classic Acid tracks that played a big influence on the British club scene…..

• One of the first acid tunes that I heard on LWR’s ‘Jackin’ Zone’ was The Endless Pokers – ‘The Poke’, produced by one of Chicago’s earliest House pioneer’s ‘Adonis’. This was played at every underground acid party during 88-89.
• Probably regarded as the ‘Acid Anthem’ was Phuture’s – ‘Acid Tracks’. Released in 1987, this 303 epic is produced by D.J. Pierre. It was always the top tune at FUTURE, SHOOM, SPECTRUM, TRIP, and the HACIENDA.
• D.J. Pierre was quite consistent with his acid productions, here his alter-ego Pierre’s Pfantasy Club – ‘Dream Girl’, gets the sexy remix treatment from Ralphi Rosario. This was released in the U.K. on Jack Trax. Dream Girl established a new sound with dreamy vocals and a 303 acid line.
• Another acid anthem from the Hedonistic day’s of Spectrum and Shoom, was Fast Eddie’s – ‘Acid Thunder’. Produced by Chicago’s king of Hip-House Fast Eddie.
• Busting out on the pirate stations and a top floor-filler at ‘Trip’ was Charles B’s – ‘Lack Of Love’. Recorded in the UK, but produced by Chicago’s Adonis, this combined a song with the acid sound and it was massive everywhere.
• The BIG acid choon around the day’s of the open-air raves like ‘Sunrise’ and ‘Biology’ had to be Laurent X – ‘Machines’, one of the most innovative sounds of it’s kind.
• The near-by city of Detroit was soon to pick up on the acid sound, one producer Kevin Saunderson produced this classic piece ‘The Groove That Won’t Stop’. Still very sought after by today’s techno DJ’s.
• Paul Oakenfold’s Monday nights at Spectrum was the influence for Tyree’s – ‘Acid Over’, released over here on London’s cutting edge ffrr label.
• D.J. Pierre continues to become more and more prolific with his trilogy of dreamy, sexy acid vocal choons with ‘Fantasy Girl’. This appeared on the very rare SRO label.
• The innovative ‘Land Of Confusion’ by Armando, appears here in it’s original Confusion Mix. Armando is one of the House pioneer’s that is still producing great music today, and often DJ’s with his partner Mike Dunn.
• Talkin’ of Mike Dunn, the concluding track to this CLASSIC collection is ‘Magic Feet’ which was released on Bam Barn’s Westbrook Records, later to be remixed for DJAX.

This album is dedicated to all DJ’s and music lovers who strive to break down the barrier’s and open our minds to a higher level, peace, love and unity…..Johnny Walker.

A tremendous thank you to Johnny for his killer selection, and hope all those Mastercuts people who have pleaded for Acid are now somewhat fulfilled. Please keep all those letters coming, you know we always want to hear what YOU have to say. Respect.

Music – the most healthy addiction in the World. MC HQ Outahere.

I would like to say a very SPECIAL thanks to Simon Clark who gave us the inspiration for this album.

Also, thanks to Johnny for all your hard work, Larry Sherman without whom…, Bam Bam, Daniele & D.J. International, Ita at Desire, Neil Rushten at Network, Mark Smedley at Kiss 100, Galaxy, Peter Gough & all at Lithogroove, Damont, Ablex, Phil at CMCS, all at Masterpiece, Ade at Sold Out, Richard Crowmains, Malachi…Everyone at Beechwood, Chet & Bee, Lisa, Rob, Timothy, Lezline, Henry, Dan, Nobby, Jo, Cutting Edge PR..Lewis & John, Flute boys…Goodluck Dave, Duncan & Nigel. Thanks again to everyone……Mel

Intro & Outro: Bee Selwood, February 1996
Text: Johnny Walker

1. Chris Rea – Josephine (La Version Francaise) 5:37
2. Sueño Latino – Sueño Latino (The Paradise Version) 10:35
3. Electribe 101 – Talking With Myself (Deep Dream Mix) 8:00
4. BBG ft. Dina Taylor – Snappiness (12″ Version) 6:20
5. The Blow Monkeys – La Passionara (12″ Version) 5:00
6. Tullio De Piscopo – Primavera (Stop Bajon) (12″ Version) 7:10
7. Lola – Wax The Van (Jon’s Dub) 7:11
8. Moodswings – Spiritual High (State Of Independence) 4:20
9. Sheer Taft – Cascades (Hypnotone Mix) 5:56
10. The Grid – Floatation (Subsonic Grid Mix) 7:07
11. * Voice Of Africa – Hoomba Hoomba (Instrumental Version) 7:20
12. A Man Called Adam – Barefoot In The Head (12″ Version) 8:30

*= #11 Der Track von Voice of Africa ist nur auf der 2xLP erschienen.

1. River Ocean ft. India – Love & Happiness (12″ Club Mix) 9:49
2. Mass Order – Take Me Away (Original Version) 7:20
3. Wall Of Sound – Critical (If You Only Knew) (Club Mix) 6:49
4. Blaze pres. Stardust – Love Will Find A Way (Sweet Embrace Mix) 5:35
5. Masters at Work pres. Nuyorican Soul – Nervous Track (Original Version) 6:25
6. 3 Dee ft. Michael Procter – Deliver Me (UBP Classic Mix) 10:24
7. Perception – Feed The Feeling (Club Mix) 4:10
8. Kim English – Nite Life (Original Ten City Mix) 4:25
9. Kym Mazelle – Got To Get You Back (Saturday Night Special) 6:10
10. Michael Procter – Direct Me (Joey Negro Disco Blend Mix) 6:50
11. Juliet Roberts – Free Love (Original Version) 3:39
12. Aly-Us – Follow Me (Original Version) 6:24

Welcome to Classic Garage Mastercuts. Here at MCHQ we have the pleasure of presenting you with our 41st release in this now legendary compilation series. We are all becoming a little emotional here because it is so satisfying to see that we have made it to such a massive landmark. After all, Mastercuts is primarily a high quality compilation series that brings together the all time classics as well as those tracks which were really special at the time. Compilations such as Mastercuts generally don’t survive long in today’s swamped market place which makes this release so important to us and other true independent record cornpanies. So lets give each other big slaps on the back for making it happen and believing in real music.
We couldn’t have done it without you! Also, we would like to thank you all for the great success of our last Mastercuts, Classic R&B which went down a storm with all you people out there. See we do live up to our reputation of delivering only the very finest tracklistings and albums that really do hit the spot every time.

So back to the real issue of today……CIassic Garage. This is a genre that fits so snug in to the rest of the Mastercuts collection as it is a genre which has had a massive impact on dance music and is still highly influential today. Mastercuts has a brilliant track record of getting the key names on the scene to step up to the compiling chair. For Classic Garage Mastercuts we have the pleasure of introducing Bobbi and Steve the dons of the UK Garage scene. If you need to know anything about garage then the guys to ask are Bobbi and Steve who have been constantly making it happen for garage in London and Ibiza through DJing on Kiss 100 and putting on the highly respected Garage City. Their credentials for compiling are beyond any doubt and they are connoisseurs of their specialist subject. Bobbi and Steve have entered the Mastercuts compilers hall of fame and have taken their seats alongside Jazzie B, Jeff Young, Robbie Vincent, Jasper The Vinyl Junkie, Lloyd Bradley and Paul ‚Trouble‘ Anderson to name but a few.

Right, let’s get down to business now & talk about the spiritual sound that is garage which originally took it’s name from the massive success of it’s principal early venue, Larry Levans‘ New York based Paradise Garage. From this legendary night the sound of garage spread like wild fire across the USA and then over to the UK. Junior Vasquez and David Morales accepted the torch after the death of Levan and garage became a mass movement as one of the defining musical genres. Classic Garage Mastercuts brings together all the timeless gems that have made garage the serious musical force that it is today.
So without further ado, over to Bobbi & Steve for their classic selection.

Hi there to all lovers of Mastercuts. Firstly we would like to thank all at MCHQ for letting us loose on compiling the definitive garage album. It has been a real honour which has kept us up to the small hours for weeks now deciding which twelve special cuts to include on this our very first collection for Mastercuts. Well let’s get down to business & jump straight in with River Ocean featuring India with „Love & Happiness (yemay ay ochun)“ which is without a doubt a really beautiful track. The first time we heard this cut was when Little ‚Louie‘ Vega played a gig in England and spun it out for the first time.
Music is such a universal language as the queen with the golden voice, India makes heaven right here on earth. Next up is Mass Order with „Take Me Away“. Take Me Away and keep me on cloud nine. That’s the feeling which we got when this record was played. We are talking about ultimate deepness with a solid pure groove that is one of our all time classics….
Next up is „Critical (If You Only Knew)“ by Wall Of Sound which must have been played around four times one night at Garage City and the crowds response would just explode, this is the true meaning of Soul. Again this cut is another true Bobbi & Steve record……,Our next track is a bit of an underground gem, released on Joey Negros‘ Republic label, Blaze Presents Stardust – „Love Will Find A Way“ was delivered back in 1989 and we think the world became a better place when the Zoo Boyz placed this on the wheels of steel. Juliet Roberts is like family to us. Musically speaking we’ve always supported her on the dance floors because she always delivers. „Free Love“ was a big anthem at our weekly resident night at Garage City and when she performed it live on stage, she took our breath away. Definitely one for the singalong posse.

Masters At Work presents Nu Yorican Soul – „Nervous Track“…. Now this track definately turned the tables and made the dance floors a better place. M.A.W proving why they are the Kings. No vocals required, just get into the groove. Once again another timeless piece of work!…..Here we go again with 3-Dee feat Michael Proctor and „Deliver Me“. These are two of our favourite producers out of Miami, Brian Tappert and Mark Pomeroy on their first ever productions as Jazz ’n‘ Groove with guest Michael Proctor. I remember the first time we heard this record, we just couldn’t control ourselves. The Emotion was just too much, this is a great song. This next track is a classic that still receives so much radio play today.
….“Feed The Feeling“ by Perception is another Zoo Classique. We used to play this on the hour every hour every Friday at Club Zoo in 1991-93 which was held at The Soho Theatre in London. The fantastic memories come flooding back every time we hear this record hit the decks, what a moment of brilliance. A true funky tune specially made for this night in mind (we think)… Next up we have Kim English with „Nite Life“ which was written and produced by the legendary Ten City. Nite Life was and still is a massive crowd pleaser. We all love the Nite Life with Kim English and Ten City, It’s what Life is all about. An appropriate title, with a geat singer and an excellent production….

One of the original divas Kym Mazelle took over our dance floors in a big way. With „Got To Get You Back“ her great strong voice and a slamming production from the original godfather of House Marshall Jefferson. The end product could only be a Garage classic. A big one in our box…. We just couldn’t get enough of „Direct Me“ by Reese Project. We gave it the Bobbi & Steve stamp of approval. It’s uplifting, cool and damn groovy from head to toe..lt’s definately a Zoo thang……
Last but not least we have „Follow Me“ by Aly-Us which has a simple hook with simple production. This stripped down simplicity is what really broke this track and makes it such a key tune in our box every time we are out. These are the twelve tracks that make up our definitive garage album, we hope you get as much enjoyment from Classic Garage Mastercuts as we have had putting it together. We will be back in the not too distant future to bring you another twelve gems from the garage vaults.

Many thanks to Bobbi & Steve for compiling such a great Mastercuts album and giving us their inside thoughts on all these brilliant cuts. Their selection of tracks is faultless and is a brilliant way for Mastercuts to kick off a brand new genre. All at MCHQ are taking a month off now after working so furiously on Classic Garage. All that is left to say is enjoy the grooves and take it easy. See ya!

MCHQ December 1998

Sleevenotes: Bobbie & Steve

Special Thanks to: Bobbi & Steve for all their enthusiasm & hard work. Also, Vinny & Jo @ PolyGram, Ellie @ EMI, Lucy & Allan @ Sony, Alex Kaplan @ Eightball Records, Phil Cheeseman @ Strictly Rhythm, Michael Weiss @ Nervous Records, Colin Smith @ Passion, Tee Alford @ Joint Ventures Group, Brian Tappert @ Soul Furic Recordings, Ed, Andy @ CMCS, CD Plant, Damont, Kate & Racheal in Cutting Edge PR, Rob And Jo in Magic Wand, All the sales team in BMD, All the warehouse ad Flute, Bee, Chet, Tim, Mel and the rest of the Beechwood massive.

Bobbi & Steve’s Special Thanks: Dez Parkes (for guiding us), Gordon Mac (for the break), Norman Jay (for taking us to the Paradise Gararge in 1987), Jim at Simpsons (Forestgate), Dapo, Fire, The Late Larry Levan, Lesley Doyle, Shep Pettibone, Ricky Morrison – Abbey & Jeremy Newell & Dave Drew from the late Catch A Groove, Paul Trouble Anderson, Booker T. Tony Humphries, Bee, Chet, Mel & all at Beechwood, to all who visited Club Zoo in 91 – 93 at the Soho Theatre, all the original & new Garage City crew, all the Laviniere family, Zoo Family Micky „The Boss“ Bulgin, Chrissy T, Rude Boy Rupert, Oli, Abigail, Kieren, Harlee Taylor Laviniere, Sylma – Alysha & Jordan Laviniere & everyone who love’s garage music around the world, may the groove be with you.