“It’s your record. You discovered it…You love it for the feelings it conjures…
Thirty years ago some now-forgotten musicians cut that record. Without them this brilliant song wouldn’t exist. But without you – a DJ – that record would be in a bent cardboard box in a basement…
This is the thrill, and the compulsion, of DJing. This need to share music, and to constantly find new music to excite people with, this is the primal force of DJing.”
Bill Brewster & Frank Broughton
The Record Players (DJ Revolutionaries)
Welcome to the Cookie-Dough Guest mix where we invite some of favourite DJ / Producers to answer a few questions and dig deep into their collections and put together a mix of records that have influenced them over the years.
For this episode we are lucky enough to have , DJ, Vinyl Junkie and producer DJ Paul Goodyear aka SanFranDisko.
With 20 years on the DJ circuit, a few hundred studio remixes and edits to his name and a forthcoming collaboration with disco legend John Luongo we are made up that Paul has taken time out of his busy schedule to put together a mix for us.
Nice one Brother SanFranDisko!
Ste & Terser
A few words from Paul…
Well what an honor it is to be asked to participate in Cookie Dough’s guest mix (alongside so many great dj’s and producers!) It was quite difficult trying to choose which musical delights I could fit into a 90 minute set that have influenced me.
My tastes have always varied but I must admit I am a Disco bunny deep down. What I have always loved about dance music is that it evolves and is continually reinventing itself drawing from many different musical genres and has been the sound track to my life. My motto is if it’s good it’s good! From Soul and funk to House, Hi-nrg and everything in between!
I started paying attention to music in the early 70’s. I remember that The Hollies “The air that I breathe” and David Bowie’s “Starman” are a couple of the very first songs I noticed.
By the late 70’s I knew I would be involved in music or I would become a chef as I love my food. Music won!
Some honorable mentions here that didn’t make it in the mix because of the time restraints- “The Hills of Katmandu” by Tantra, “Burn Rubber” by The Gap Band,
“In the name of love” by Sharon Redd,”Passion” by Gat Decor, “Keep the fire burning” by Gwen McRae and almost any production by David Morales and Frankie Knuckles.
After 32 years of clubbing and dj’ing I still love to go out and dance for without it I would wilt like a flower. I’m as passionate about it today as I have always been.
Technology now is so fantastic. It has enables me to reach a bigger and wider audience with my SanFranDisko mixes.
Now I give you 20 tracks that have helped shape me in many ways.
Love, Peace and always Disco!
Paul
1. Rock your Baby – George McRae 1974. I included this because it was the first disco track I ever heard on the radio. It’s also a big favourite of my wife Wilma. So it’s special for 2 reasons!
2. Love’s Theme – Barry White and the Love Unlimited Orchestra. This was the theme song on a TV music show called “Sounds” in Australia. The show ran for years so lot’s of early music memories with this piece. It’s also probably the most beautiful instrumental ever recorded and I just had to have it here!
3. Fernando – ABBA. Also one of the very first times I remember hearing music and paying attention to it. Plus my young hormones reacted whenever I saw Agnetha and Frida on TV!
4. You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine – Lou Rawles. One of my sisters had a double LP called “Disco fever” on K-Tel that this track was on.This song had a big impact on me and made me realise how much I loved Disco!
5. Groove Me – Fern Kinney. One of the very first 12″ singles I heard and was drawn to the hypnotic 3 min break in the middle. I still drag this sucker out! One of the sexiest dance records ever.
6. Are Friends Electric? – Tubeway Army. A friend of mine’s brother had the LP “Replicas” and it’s probably the first New Wave record I ever heard and was also drawn to Gary’s look. What a legend.
7. Images of Heaven – Peter Godwin. By 1982 I was well and truly into the New Wave and electronic sounds coming out of Europe. In recent years I have become friends with Peter Godwin. He has re-sung “Images of Heaven” for me so I am currently working on a brand new remix of it. How lucky am I?
8. Something – Shirley Bassey. The Diva of all Divas! Coming from an English family I grew up with my parents playing Shirley Bassey all the time. Pure class.
9. Downtown – Petula Clark. Sweet memories and one of the most perfect pop records ever.
10. Shaft – Isaac Hayes Probably the coolest soul record ever from one of the coolest artists ever. What a jam!
11. You make me (feel mighty real) – Sylvester The very first 12″ record I bought in ’79. I was lucky enough to see him live and meet him in 1986 and now have a cat named after him.
12. The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel – Grandmaster Flash. I used to hear this on a radio station in Australia called Triple J. This cut up is when I started paying a bit more attention to Rap and Hip Hop.
13. Native Love (Step by Step) – Divine. Bobby Orlando was one of my favorite producers in the 80’s and Divine was just hilariously outrageous. The sequencer bass in this track is just as fabulous as Donna Summer’s “I feel love” hypnotic bass line. The first time I took acid this was played at 5 am (on a dance floor with 8,000 people on it)
I will never forget the power of this record on a great sound system.
14. Hit ‘n run Lover – Carol Jiani. The first time I heard this I was drawn to Hi-Nrg and the production of Denis and Denise Lepage of Lime fame. I worked with Carol Jiani on a cover of Company B’s “Fascinated” in 2006 and it was released on a couple of compilations in Europe. We are still in touch and are planning something again for the near future.
15. Sea Hunt – Patrick Cowley. I love so much of Patrick’s work.This record is so haunting it gives me chills when I hear it. In my eyes it’s early Trance music.
16. Children – Robert Miles. While on the subject of Trance this is one of Trance’s best pieces and reminds me of lasers, good friends and being “loved up”:-)
17. Fired Up – Funky Green Dogs. NYC house producer Peter Rauhofer is one of my favorite producer / DJ’s ever. His remix of this song made me fall in love with the whole NY House scene and in so doing I discovered Junior Vasquez and Danny Tenaglia as well.
18. Time – Culture Club. Boy George not only is a brilliant artist but has been groundbreaking in so many ways. Beautiful song and the production on this with those live strings is really quite sensational.
19. Never Too Much – Luther Vandross. Luther is my favorite male vocalist ever. It was hard deciding whether to put this on or “the “Glow of love” Both classics!
20. One Day I’ll Fly Away – Randy Crawford. I’m a real sucker for gut wrenching heart felt songs that make you really feel something. This song conjures up all sorts of emotions for me and I hope it’s played at my funeral!
What was the first record you bought that made you realise that you wanted to be a DJ / Producer?
Probably “You make me feel (mighty real) in 1979. There were others that came long at that same time that reinforced that feeling “Dancer” – Gino Soccio, “Second time around” – Shalamar and “Stomp” by the Brothers Johnson should be noted here.
What record makes you most nostalgic?
I would have to say “Souvenirs” by Voyage. The first person I knew to die from AIDS was a great DJ named David Bodger. He died early 1988 and he loved this song so much. This was also a song so many friends loved that are now gone and the memories take me back to a more simple time in life where it was about friendships and music. I try not to dwell on the past but I think it’s great to have those nostalgic moments and be transported back to a time before social media, mobile phones and all of those “distractions” we have today!
What is your favourite end of night record?
Ooh there are a few but one that I play regularly is Change’s “The Glow of love” featuring Luther Vandross. For me it has everything. It’s soulful, funky, beautifully written and sung by a true legend.
Do you have a guilty pleasure record?
Ha ha!! I’m not embarrassed by anything I like really but I know what you are trying to say here. There are many records that are not “cool” to many out there but I believe we like what we like. There are some extremely funny novelty records that I love, like a rare disco track called “Drac’s back” by Andy Forey. There are some Stock, Aitken and Waterman records that I adore too.
What is your most treasured piece of vinyl?
My most treasured record would have to be some of my autographed copies of Sylvester’s LPs and 12″ from when I met him in 1986 (also some of my rare Disconet and Razormaid records)
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