Smart E's - Sesame's Treet (1992)

Surprise!!  Finally, a new post after forever.  Luckily I have a spare moment, and thought you all deserved a little Valentine's Day "treet".  While most of you likely remember the theme to the children's show Sesame Street, how many of you remember the rave remix by Smart E's? In 1992 their song "Sesame's Treet" hit #2 on the UK charts and managed to hit #60 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying in the charts for 16 weeks. The group was formed by DJs Christopher Howell (aka Luna-C) and Tom Orton (aka Mr. Tom) and producer Nick Arnold.  The three were heavily into breakbeat hardcore music, the music of choice at raves, which were huge at the time.  The boys decided to take samples from the film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and put them over a breakbeat track, releasing "Bogus Adventure," backed with "Fuck The Law", which took samples from the film Nightbreed.  "Bogus Adventure" caught the attention of local DJs and this encouraged the trio to record another sampled novelty track, this time using the theme from Sesame Street.  This was one of the first "happy hardcore" tunes, which focused on upbeat and childlike themes and samples, which appealed to the drug fueled rave crowds.  The song quickly caught fire and ended up debuting at #2 on the British charts, which was a first at that time.  The boys were snatched up by Big Beat Records and quickly put together an album.  Most of the album maintained a similar vibe to their previous tracks, using fast techno beats and many samples.  They also enlisted vocalist Jayde to add diva vocals on some tracks, including the next single "Loo's Control". The album failed to capitalize on "Sesame's Treet"'s success, however, and it was largely panned by critics as garbage.  It also led to many copycat acts who used samples from various child-centric sources, and the influx of similar tracks is said to have hurt the rave scene as a whole.  They did release one other song from the album, "Love Is Blind," though this was released under the moniker Echora, likely to distance themselves from the Smart E's name.  Also, the track was quite different from the rest of the album, as it was a straight-forward house number featuring the soulful vocals of Jayde.  It was also given many R&B remixes to appeal to the urban market.  It didn't do well on the charts, however.  The group split after this and all went their separate ways, though they all continued to release their own spin on dance music.  Howell probably had the most success, both with his solo music as well as numerous releases under different aliases, and also ran his own record labels.  Arnold released music under several aliases as well, the most successful likely being the happy hardcore group Bang!, who released two albums.  Initially Orton assisted with Bang! and then also went on to release tracks under different aliases and as part of various groups.  But they will all likely best be remembered for "Sesame's Treet," for better or for worse.

Video for Sesame's Treet

Video for Loo's Control

Download Sesame's Treet

1 Apollo (Lunar Mix)
2 Magnificent
3 Make It Happen
4 Sesame's Treet
5 Love Is Blind
6 The Law
7 Charlie
8 Loo's Control
9 A Most Excellent Choon
10 Intruder Alert
11 Bizzarely Odd
12 Time Out
13 Beautiful Noises

Goddess Of Destruction - Goddess Of Love (2005)

Pretty much all I need to say about Goddess Of Destruction was already said in my Darling Nikkie post, since the woman behind both is the one and only Nikkie Van Lierop. I made my adoration for her and her work known there, and Goddess Of Destruction is no exception.  I must again thank Konstantin for sharing this with me awhile back. Goddess Of Destruction was marketed as a band, but Nikkie is clearly the star of the show here, though she uses the moniker Max RedStone to downplay her past and make the project seem fresh and new.  After testing the waters of light, alterna-pop-rock as Darling Nikkie - to minimal success - Nikkie went back to her roots of techno, but this time pushing it harder, adding many industrial elements to the mix, a sound she explored as part of Lords Of Acid.  Goddess Of Destruction is even more rock-based, and Nikkie goes into it full throttle.  From what I gather, the album was only released in Belgium, and no official singles were released, though a video for "To The Limit" was made, which is great as it's my fave song from the album.  If you're like me and have a taste for hard music, this rarity is for you.

Video for To The Limit

Download Goddess Of Destruction

1 I Am
2 Goddess Of Love
3 Addicted To Sin
4 Warrior
5 The Wrongers
6 Goddess Of Sexxx
7 Howling To The Moon
8 Soulmate
9 Goddess Of Insanity
10 Desperation
11 To The Limit
12 That's How I Play
13 Love Or Leave
14 Behind Smiles

Bizarre Inc - Energique (1992) & Surprise (1996) DOUBLE POST!!

Bizarre Inc. began as a duo in 1989 that helped bridge the gap between the existing acid house and the emerging techno sound. Composed of Brit DJs Dean Meredith and Mark Archer, they recorded some 12" singles and an EP for an indie label. Archer left early on and was replaced by two more DJs, Andrew Meecham and Carl Turner. The trio released a 12" single on another indie with the tracks "Bizarre Theme" and "X-Static", songs which appealed to the rave crowd. They then released the song "Playing With Knives" in 1991 and their career blew up. The track almost hit the British top 40 and was a dance hit around the world. After their next single, "Such A Feeling", hit the Brit top 20, "Playing With Knives" was re-released to even greater success, hitting the British top 10. This attracted interest from major labels. At the same time, Blue Pearl, who are also featured on the Isle, released "Can You Feel The Passion", which was based on "Playing With Knives", to great success (the single is posted on my sister blog Lost Pop Treasures ;). Perhaps Blue Pearl's version convinced the trio that their music was even better with original vocals, because they hooked up with soulful British singer Angie Brown and released a more mainstream house single, "I'm Gonna Get You". The combination proved to be explosive and the song made the Brit top 3. Columbia Records noted this success and snatched the group up for international distribution. "I'm Gonna Get You" became an international hit, almost reaching the Billboard Top 40 and hitting number one on the dance charts. This was followed with another song featuring Angie Brown, "Took My Love", which also reached number one on the dance charts, and an album. The third single, "Love In Motion", featuring singer Yvonne Yanney, also managed to hit the dance charts, but the momentum was dying. The rest of the album consisted of mostly instrumental or sampled tracks, which wasn't what the fans expected after hearing the big hits. It took the trio three more years after their last single from Energique to release another album. Realizing that their great success came with the introduction of Angie Brown and vocals, the album was much more vocal-based. They hired Brown on full time, and she was more involved with the songwriting. Unfortunately for Bizarre Inc, the time away from the scene wasn't to their benefit, as their sound changed drastically from edgy techno-laced house to a more soulful, pop sound. Though the three singles, "Surprise", "Get Up (Sunshine Street)" and "Keep The Music Strong", all dented the British charts, the rest of the world largely ignored them and the group ceased to be. A few years later, however, Meecham and Meredith reemerged under the name Chicken Lips and have released successful and edgy house and electro music. And their muse Angie Brown also kept recording as a featured vocalist on many dance hits, capitalizing on the success that Bizarre Inc afforded her.

Live performance of Playing With Knives

Video for I'm Gonna Get You

Video for Took My Love

Video for Such A Feeling

Download Energique

01		Raise Me (Ascension Mix)
02		X-Static (Adult Mix)
03		Playing With Knives (Quadrant Mix)
04		Plutonic
05		Dangerous Women
06		I'm Gonna Get You (Original Flavour Mix)
07		Love Will Save The Day
08		Took My Love
09		Love In Motion
10		Agroovin'
11		Delicious Minds

Video for Keep The Music Strong

Download Surprise

1		Keep The Music Strong (Radio Mix)
2		The Feel Is Real
3		Surprise
4		Get Up (Sunshine Street)
5		Never Give You Up
6		Love Groove
7		Soul Fire
8		Porcelain Cafe
9		Breakaway
10		Miracle
11		Take A Look
12		Shout It Out

Candyflip - Madstock... (1990)

Candyflip, which consisted of Brits Danny Spencer and Ric Peet, is yet another group that had a huge hit but couldn't maintain the momentum, mostly because that hit was a remake of a very popular song and it was not particularly exemplary of their sound. Originally known as Yin Yang, they came out of the ravey acid-house and 'Madchester' scenes that spawned more renowned groups like Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses and The Soup Dragons. Their name was slang for mixing the drugs LCD and Ecstasy, so they were definitely into the scene. Though they had a bit of the Madchester sound, their sound was much more like synth-dance groups like The Beloved and The Pet Shop Boys. Their version of the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" became a huge hit in the UK, and got attention overseas as well, where it was a big hit on the Modern Rock and dance charts. This was likely due to the song's familiarity, and it's lyrics and psychedelia were fitting for the druggy rave scene. But their other singles "Space", "This Can Be Real", "Love Is Life" and "Redhills Road" failed to reach those heights. They still managed to keep a fairly high profile in the UK thanks to the popularity of the rave scene, but they only managed one more non-album single in 1991, "Keep The Faith", before they called it quits. Of course their careers didn't end there. Danny Spencer went on to record in many different dance oriented groups, the most successful being Sure Is Pure, who did many well-regarded remixes, and Soul Mekanik, who produced several tracks on Robbie Williams' (underrated, IMO) Rudebox album. Ric Peet continued on as a producer, with his greatest success being producing Brit sensations The Charlatans. It's unlikely the two will join forces as Candyflip again, however, mostly because there is another group from the US that now goes by that moniker.

Video for Strawberry Fields Forever

Video for This Can Be Real

Video for Space

Video for Redhills Road

Download Madstock...

1		Love Is Life
2		Strawberry Fields Forever
3		Wonderland
4		This Can Be Real
5		Madstock
6		Redhills Road
7		See The Lights
8		Theme
9		Space
10		Ask Why
11		Strawberry Fields Forever (Raspberry Ripple Remix)
12		Space (Funny Mix)

Melleny Melody + The Pop Machine - Super Happy Darkness (2001)

Melleny Melody first became known in her native Toronto as an eclectic fashionista who traveled around the city in her oddly decorated car. She was also a huge dance music fan, and in the mid-1990s, thanks to her local celebrity, she helped form indie electronic label Play Records, which would put her unique musical persona on record. They also started Gay Records to launch their more pop-oriented music, and Melleny Melody + The Pop Machine was born. The "Pop Machine" were a couple of her friends who handled some production and instrumental duties. They released a couple singles in 1999, "Fashion Victim" and "Honey Pill / E-Me", but their album didn't appear until 2001, along with two more singles, "Doin' Dishes" and "Loveshower". Their music incorporates everything from lounge to drum 'n' bass to techno to electro to house, all pulled together by her girlish voice and lyrics. They remained a very underground act, and I'm sure they never imagined being anything more. Their last release was "Bad Girl / 8 Inch Pumps", and then The Pop Machine was no more. Melleny did collaborate with composer and arranger John Henry Nyenhuis to produce the strange Cartoon Songs To Drive You Crazy, but otherwise stayed out of the music spotlight. Then, in 2006, Melleny reemerged as Mellee Fresh and appeared with popular Canadian electronic house wizard Deadmau5 on "Cocktail Queen" and "After Hours", both underground club hits that also helped make Play Records a bigger success. Over the next couple of years they collaborated on more singles, with her Mellee persona being more a spoken word artist, a la Peaches, than a singer. This year, with their song "Attention Whore", they finally hit the big time, hitting number 10 on the Billboard Club Play charts, and the song is still charting there. Obviously Melleny's new persona has garnered her a broader audience, and there's no telling how far she'll go. To explore here Melleny Melody persona, go HERE. For her Mellee Fresh persona, go HERE.

Video for Doin' Dishes

Animated video for Doin' Dishes

Video for Loveshower

Download Super Happy Darkness

1		Doin' Dishes
2		I'm Already There
3		Bad Girl
4		Love Shower
5		Eight Inch Pumps
6		Cocktail Time
7		401
8		Honey Pill
9		Fashion Victim
10		E-Me

Sister Soleil - Soularium (1998)

Almost two years ago now (!!) I posted the brilliant pop album from 2001 by aspiring pop starlet Stella Soleil aka Stella Katsoudas. Unfortunately, her solo attempt at mainstream pop stardom never caught on despite great songs. I kept forgetting, until now, to post her debut musical foray as part of group (though really it was mostly her baby) Sister Soleil. According to legend, the Chicago native recorded a 7 track demo EP, and after getting no reaction from labels, created her own label Katharis and acted as her own A&R rep, eventually releasing the EP as Drown Me In You. Universal Records were impressed and signed her, re-recording some tracks from Drown Me In You and releasing them as part of a full album. She got a band together and though they had some underground success, they failed to catch on. As I mentioned previously, the music was very rock-oriented, with large doses of techno and industrial, reminiscent of Garbage or previous Isle postees like Transister. It was even less accessible than those groups, IMO, and remained an acquired taste, with the singles "Torch", "Blind" (which utilizes vocal "inspiration" from Peter Gabriel) and "Butterfly" relegated to late night alt-rock radio. Stella took some time off to reassess her career and 'Stella Soleil' was born a couple years later. After the failure of the Stella Soleil project, she made some guest vocal appearances and formed the rock group Whorse in 2002. They released one self-titled album in 2003 and then split. Eventually Stella reclaimed the name and sound of Sister Soleil. A few demos as Sister Soleil and an EP as Stella Soleil later appeared but that project once again ended when she formed an experimental rock group with Slipknot percussionist Shawn Crahan in 2009 called Dirty Little Rabbits, who released an album in 2009. But Stella was drawn back to the Sister Soleil project and they most recently independently released a mini-album in 2011 entitled Eskimo, focusing on a more accessible sound. Check out the first video for "Water".

UPDATE: I just found a link to Dirty Little Rabbits' debut album! It's a very strange trip indeed! Go HERE.

Video for Torch

Download Soularium

1		Feel My Love
2		Red
3		HB's Dream In Red
4		Torch
5		Chair
6		Stella's Obsession With Satie
7		AOL
8		Dial Up
9		Hit Me
10		Little Girl
11		Blind
12		"Alright"
13		Liar
14		Strength
15		Lounge Lizard
16		Jacquie And The Bob-Elvis
17		Butterfly

Blue Pearl - Blue Pearl (1990)

Chances are that you have heard Blue Pearl's brilliant debut single "Naked In The Rain", as it was a top ten dance hit on Billboard's dance chart and a top ten pop hit in the UK and Australia. It's gurgling techno-house sound combined with Durga McBroom's deep and soulful vocals was one of the highlights of dance music in the early 1990s. McBroom was an American singer whose biggest success was as a back-up singer for Pink Floyd, both on their later albums and on tour. She hooked up with famed Brit producer Youth (aka Martin Glover) who, up until then, had been part of Stock-Aitken-Waterman pop group Brilliant and had produced many artists, the most successful being Yazz. They originally released "Naked In The Rain" as Rubin Red, but soon changed their name to the more pleasing Blue Pearl. The success of the track led to a self-titled album, known as Naked in the UK, on Big Life (also Yazz' label). Together they created a unique sound which incorporated the techno elements popular at the time, but was also infused with soul. Most of the tracks are mid-tempo and also utilize hip hop elements throughout, but there are also deep house moments, such as "Naked In The Rain" and their remake of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill". Unfortunately the follow-up singles "Little Brother" and "Alive", and the album itself, failed on the charts, probably because they were much more downtempo than their exciting first single. All was not lost, however, as a brand new track, "(Can You) Feel The Passion" (which was basically a vocal version of the Bizarre Inc. techno rave hit "Playing With Knives") brought them to the top of the Billboard dance charts a year later. Only one more less successful single, "Mother Dawn", was released by the duo, however, and a second album never came. Other than that, McBroom used the name while doing lead vocals on track by Jungle High in 1993, and a successful remix of "Naked In The Rain" was released in 1998, and that was it. Youth would go on to great success working with acts like The Orb, Bananarama, Billy Idol, Killing Joke and Client, while McBroom did some acting and continued to tour and record with Pink Floyd. The two briefly reformed as Blue Lotus in the late 1990s/early 2000s for a couple tracks, so perhaps we haven't seen the end of this union quite yet...

UPDATE: Durga McBroom herself just wrote and schooled me on Blue Pearl's history! Sorry I got some of it wrong, Durga, but when I posted this there was much less info available on the internet than there is now. I'm thrilled that you visited and took the time to correct this entry! Can't wait for more new music, especially your work with another Isle postee, Annabella! (And FYI, I got the Rubin Red reference from an entry on Discogs. ;) Here is Durga's message:

"This is Durga McBroom. While I appreciate the kudos, you have gotten a lot of this wrong. Allow me to make some clarifications . . .

1. Youth was originally known for being the bass player for Killing Joke, an influential punk band. Shortly thereafter he had a stint with Brilliant. This part is correct.

Where you got the idea we released "Naked In The Rain" initially as Rubin Red is baffling to me. I came up with the name Blue Pearl from my spiritual beliefs, and Youth agreed. I bought the rights to the name, which is why I can still use it. WAU Mr. Modo di put it out first, and then Big Life Records bought it.

The second album WAS recorded, and "Can You Feel The Passion" was intended to be the kick-off single. Due to artistic differences and budget restraints, the CD was never released. I asked for and was granted a release from my contract from Big Life.

Since then, I have done one film I think (Phoenix Point - small independent film), and I was the one who worked with Billy Idol on "Cyberpunk", including a duet of "Mother Dawn". I have since recorded new Blue Pearl tracks and expect to slam you with some blinding stuff this year (2011). Watch for a duet with me and Annabella Lwin (Bow Wow Wow), coming out SOON."

(For the maxi-single of their non-album track "(Can You) Feel The Passion", please visit my sister blog HERE.)

Video for Naked In The Rain

Video for Alive

Video for Little Brother

Download Blue Pearl

1		Naked In The Rain
2		Down To You
3		Chemical Thing
4		I Never Knew
5		Running Up That Hill
6		Little Brother
7		Alive
8		Rollover
9		Without Love
10		Over You
11		Chemical Thing (Ambient Mix)
12		Rollover (Acapella)

Móa - Universal (1999)

Móa (full name Moeidur Juniusdottir) is another artist who no one would have expected to have a massive pop career. Her music is too eclectic. But no doubt her label Tommy Boy noticed the huge following that Bjork had and they snatched up this equally eccentric Icelander in the hopes that they could snatch some of that audience. Móa began her music career focusing on jazz music, releasing a jazz/lounge album locally in Iceland in 1993 entitled 'Syngur Login Vid Vinnuna'. But she also gained a love for electronic and dance music along the way, and in 1994 released an album as half of industrial/techno duo Bong with Eythor Arnalds. They were apparantly quite successful in Iceland, but Móa had other ideas. She wanted to merge the electronics with the jazz, and thus 'Univeral' was born. It was actually originally released in 1997 as 'Cool, As In Hot', but only in limited countries and soon grabbed the attention of Tommy Boy, who released it with some song changes and remixes. But the album was lost in the influx of eclectic electronic music that was being released at the time, and Móa remained relatively unknown. And the album is an acquired taste, despite the production by primarily pop producers (as well as Eythor Arnalds). More than anything, her voice was likely challenging to some. If you know and like Helicopter Girl or Nicolette, then you'll love this. If not, maybe you won't. Whatever the case, Móa's very Uma Thurman-like looks attracted Calvin Klein, who used her in a campaign, and she later went on to form the synth-pop/new wave group Lace.

Video for Joy & Pain

Download Universal

1		Joy & Pain
2		Toy
3		Memory Cloud
4		Rockets
5		Can't Forget You
6		Tenderly
7		Declaration
8		Raining in My Heart
9		Forever
10		Overcome
11		Virtual Affair
12		Raining in My Heart (Remix)

Cherrie Blue - Chemical Messiah (2002)

Here is an artist who has been involved with two of my fave bands ever, Lords Of Acid and My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, both raunchy techno-meets-industrial-meets-disco-meets-pop-meets- the-kitchen-sink geniuses. Cherrie Blue is the stage name of Ruth McArdle, who has also used the stage name Lady Galore. Her first taste of fame was as the vocalist on Lords Of Acid's album Voodoo U, as well as on the Voodoo U tour. The group toured with My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult (I would have KILLED to see this concert!) and Cherrie defected from the band to join the Kult's female entourage The Bomb Gang Girlz. While with the Kult she collaborated with their mastermind Buzz McCoy, and the result was this album, which was released on the Kult's own label, Sleazebox Records. The music here is very reminiscent of both the Lords and the Kult, with perhaps a more female influence. Danceable house, techno and rock grooves combine to make a very strange and fun musical journey. Obviously this was not made to appeal to a mass audience, which makes it all the better. According to her Myspace site, Cherrie is working on a new album, Shamaness Warrior Princess, with a new producer, and I, for one, can't wait! And expect to see more from the Lords and Kult camps in the future, and check out the work of those two groups. If you like this, you'll like them, and they are an Isle MUST!!!

Video for Psycho Bitch Sister

Download Chemical Messiah

1		Psycho Bitch Sister
2		Kultural Thermostat Theory
3		Mama's Sugar
4		Psychedelic Professor
5		Chemical Messiah
6		Not Like Me
7		Cyber Sex Man
8		V.R. Skyways
9		The Ritual
10		Spirit
11		Reality Distortion

David Burrill - Bump Da Booty Blue (1993) and Sinner (1998) DOUBLE POST!!

In celebration of my ranking on Pop Trash Addicts Best Blogs of 2008, I offer you another juicy double post! This time I'm featuring a male vocalist (there are too few on here, I know) who also had an illustrious career in gay porn!! In fact, David used his porn work to boost his profile and thus garner adoration in gay clubs everywhere, where his dance music no doubt went down very well. He is said to be straight, and despite the provocative titles of his albums and some of his songs, this is likely true, as he did 'solo work' in the movies he was featured in. ;) He also posed nude for several magazines, including Playgirl. This gave him enough of a profile to pursue his first love, music. Apparently he released an album called Cover Boy in the early 1990's, but this album is impossible to find. Then he released Bump Da Booty Blue on the Macola label in 1993. It was self-produced, and the music is primarily house, with traces of techno, not unlike Snap! or Technotronic. In 1994 he teamed up with another hottie, Chad Spikes, and they released an album together as DV8 called Who's Normal, also on Macola (an early version of the Sinner track "Let The Walls Fall" is featured on it). It featured Isle postee Susie K on backing vocals, and they later produced her debut album. It took David five years to release his next solo album, Sinner, which was also self-produced and was on another indie label. This time the music was much more electro, with heavy traces of freestyle and house (and it includes an electro remake of Prince's "Little Red Corvette"). It was hoped to help him cross over into the mainstream, but it didn't. Overall his music is better than expected, well-produced and well-sung, especially on Sinner. His attempts at rap on Bump Da Booty Blue are more Marky Mark than 50 Cent, but they surprisingly work. He has not recorded anything since, as far as I can tell, and there is no info on his current whereabouts on the internet. But with the success of Colton Ford, there is obviously an audience for an aging male gay porn star, so he should strike while the iron is hot!

UPDATE: Leave it to Consolecharlie to dig up the latest info! David is the founder and lead producer for the Sample Factory recording studio in Raleigh, North Carolina. Go to their website for more info and recent pics of David.

UPDATE 2:  Just got an e-mail from David himself and he wanted to me to direct you to his other businesses, FMBChopperParts and FMBSportBikeParts which obviously sell motorcycle and bike parts.  He's keeping busy! And thanks for visiting, David!

A performance on The Joan Rivers Show of Face In Your Place

Download Bump Da Booty Blue

1		Bump Da Booty Blue
2		Face In Your Place
3		Stay With Me
4		Do It With Me
5		Make A Little Love
6		Do The Dance (Ext)
7		Lost Without You
8		Face In Your Place (Ext)
9		David's Dub

Download Sinner

1		Jump The Rump
2		40 Days & 40 Nights
3		Little Red Corvette
4		Let The Walls Fall
5		Show Me Now
6		Let It Go
7		Maria's Eyes
8		Need No Loving
9		Out Of My Life
10		Make A Little Love
11		Boom Boom (Sound Of The Rhythm)
12		Sinner
13		Jump The Rump (Giuseppe D.'s Ironbound Sound Radio Edit)

Fem 2 Fem - Woman To Woman (1993) & Animus (1995) DOUBLE POST!!

Happy New Year, everyone! I'm back! And to make up for my absence, I have a double dose of pop cheese for you (also, it's my b-day and I'm feeling generous. ;) Here we have Fem 2 Fem. They were formed primarily by producer and songwriter Peter Rafelson after he got the idea to create a female pop group that promoted open sexuality, and thus appealed to both a hetero and homosexual audience. The ladies got quite a bit of press with the release of their first album, mainly due to the fact that some of the members were lesbian or bisexual, and their videos and stage shows were suggestive and controversial. I saw them interviewed on a talk show at the time and was very intrigued by them, their vision and their music, which was primarily techno-house. They presented themselves very provocatively and got the attention of Playboy. They posed for the magazine the same year, though half of them refused to pose nude, claiming that the vision of the group was changing. They had a minor Billboard Dance hit with "Obsession" and toured with Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson. Soon after they began work on their second album, though by it's release a few members had left, due mostly to the sexier direction the group was going. They were accused of changing from an expression of gay and lesbian acceptance and positivity to more of an exploitation of a straight man's lesbian fantasy. And indeed, their London stage show, Voyeurz, featured the ladies in various states of undress and sexual scenarios, all while being made up like strippers. Their second album featured some songs from the show, and the music was poppier and more euro-house. Again they had a minor hit on the Billboard Dance charts with "Where Did Love Go". But the album garnered even less attention than it's predecessor (probably because the initial shock wore off), and the group split. Since there were so many revolving members, I've updated their entries as much as I could on Discogs, so you can all find out more on the individual members and their whereabouts if you'd like. (One particular note of interest - Ali Navarro aka Alitzah Wiener of Nobody's Angel, who are also featured here, was once a member!) Let's face it, at that time, the public wasn't ready for a sexy 'lesbian' pop band, though years later Tatu would take the idea to the bank...

(For the CD maxi-single of "Where Did Love Go", go to my sister blog HERE.)

Video for Switch

Video for Obsession

Download Woman To Woman

1		Switch
2		Obsession
3		Woman To Woman
4		All About Eve
5		I Lose Myself
6		Coming Out
7		Waiting In Tangier
8		Charmed
9		Freedom Of Choice
10		Switch (Erotic Trance Mix)
11		Woman To Woman (Extended Mix)

Download Animus

1		Animus
2		Sin
3		Insatiable
4		Naked Heart
5		Swing
6		Compulsive Jane
7		Where Did Love Go
8		Cruel & Unusual
9		Make Me Love U
10		Scream Queen
11		Worship
12		Animus Reprise
13		Where Did Love Go (Bak2BASSiks Remix)
14		Take Control

Dog Won't Bite - Schplatterfunk (1993)

Dog Won't Bite consisted of Canadian singer / drummer / producer Leon Stevenson and bassist / singer Sandy Horne. Sandy was once a member of successful Canadian new wave group Spoons, who had several hits in Canada in the 1980's, most notably "Nova Heart". Both of their groups were signed to the same indie label at the time (Leon was in the new wave/ska group The Extras), and with the dissolution of both groups, they decided to team up and explore a different type of music. What they came up with was a hybrid of synth-pop, funk, and techno. They alternate vocals and use tons of samples. Some of the tracks are instrumental, and "Out Of Limits" is essentially a techno remix of The Markett's 60's surf rock hit. Obviously they were well-regarded, as they were picked up by MCA Records, a surprise considering how experimental their music was. And it would appear MCA's gamble didn't pay off, as the album came and went with little fanfare. Stevenson has continued making and producing music. So has Horne, as Spoons reunited in 2011 and released the album Static In Transmission, and have been performing gigs across Canada ever since.

Download Schplatterfunk

1		Bell Bottoms
2		Out Of Limits
3		Sweet Lies
4		Witness
5		X-Ploding Frogs
6		Fear
7		Sleeper
8		Sacrifice
9		My Husband Sells Roses
10		Trans-X

Red Red Groovy - 25 (1993)

Red Red Groovy was another band who incorporated a more alternative sound into what is essentially pop music. The creation of Minneapolis DJ Brett Edgar, the group's goal was to "combine '60s-minded psychedelic rock with club/dance music". He had created a bunch of songs on his own that got label interest, so he had to pull a group together to tour and record a proper album. He enlisted singer Lori Larson and guitarist Mike Hill. They were signed to MCA offshoot Continuum. Their first single, "Another Kind Of Find", was a hit on the Billboard Dance Chart. The second single, "Come To Me, Ecstasy", did even better. A third single, "Burning Like The Sun", also hit the dance charts, only not as high. Despite this dance chart and club success, the group failed to reach the pop charts. Their sound, which really did incorporate psychedelic rock, pop, techno, house and even ambient moments, was certainly infectious but probably too adventurous for most. The fact that Continuum folded soon after, which prohibited them from releasing new music, didn't help, and the group disbanded. According to a site dedicated to the group, Edgar still records as Red Red Groovy. Visitor Tonservo3Alt wrote to let us know that Lori Larson recorded a solo album, Buoyancy, in 2003, which explored a more adult contemporary, new age sound.  (She should not be confused with the new age singer with the same but differently spelled name, Laurie Larson.) And they also shared a true rarity, a song Red Red Groovy recorded with 60's oddity and one hit wonder Tiny Tim in 1996, entitled "We Love You Billy Budd".  Odd indeed, but certainly in keeping with the psychedelic sounds of both artists.

Video for Another Kind Of Find

Download 25

1		The Footprint Of Memory
2		View (The Universe)
3		Ibiza Bar
4		25
5		Come To Me, Ecstacy
6		The Time Has Come (To Go Out Of Your Mind)
7		Another Kind Of Find
8		Euphorigin
9		A Flower
10		Suspicion
11		The Fabric Of Space
12		The Two Eternities
13		Burning Like The Sun
14		Divergence Of Now
15		The Vision
16		Is This Heaven?
17		Beginnings Of Sorrow

Jane Jensen - Comic Book Whore (1996), Burner (2002) & My Rockabye (2007) TRIPLE POST!!!

Now for something a little different, pop with a heavier edge. Jane Jensen was part of odd, alt-trance industrial group Oxygiene 23 when Nine Inch Nails eventually blew up. Major labels scrambled for any act that had even the remotest similarity to NIN, their prerequisite being basically synthy, danceable, melodic hard rock (see Dink, Filter, Marilyn Manson, Gravity Kills, Garbage, etc.). Jane appeared to be the female answer to NIN's Trent Reznor. She had experience in and a taste for synth-edged pop rock with a hint of industrial bombast, and wrote catchy melodies. Nine Inch Nails' label Interscope snatched her up and released this, her only major label album. The first single "More Than I Can" got some play on alternative radio and the video was also in rotation, showcasing her pretty, innocent-looking image. The song merged Jane's girlish vocals and pop sensibility with a crunchy synth backbeat, leaving a sweet AND sour taste. Her next single and video "Luv Song", which was even poppier, failed to get the same attention, especially in a market that now seemed over-saturated with these industrial pop acts. She began recording her follow-up, Burner, with the label, but ended up releasing it on her own label, Autozen, in 2000. In 2007 she released another more old-school pop-rock album titled My Rockabye on her label, and continues to pursue her passion for music.















Video for More Than I Can

Video for Luv Song

Download Comic Book Whore

1 More Than I Can
2 Luv Song
3 King
4 Cowboy
5 Highway 90
6 Listen
7 Blank Sugar
8 Dream Ridiculous Implausible
9 Clumsy
10 Superstar
11 Be Just Sound

Download Burner

1 Fast Girl U.S.A.
2 Burner
3 Miss You
4 Candy & Razor Blades
5 Happiness
6 Rock That
7 Save The World
8 Illuminate
9 Sick Of Losing
10 Immortal
11 Perfect
12 Angel

Download My Rockabye

1 Bee
2 Bedtime Baby
3 Junkyard
4 Jim Jones
5 Lovers
6 Sweet Child
7 Rollin' In
8 New Love
9 Divorce
10 Last Dance
11 Okay Children Gather Around
12 Saturday Night

Traci Lords - 1,000 Fires (1995)

Yes indeed, it is THE Traci Lords, porn queen extraordinaire. During her rise to fame as a porn goddess, many music producers and labels tried to cash in on her notoriety, wanting to make her into a rock goddess a la Lita Ford or Lee Aaron. But Traci, even through her drug induced haze, knew that was not the direction that she wanted to go in. She did not make music during her porn career, and it wasn't until after, when she was being recognized for legitimate acting roles in Melrose Place and Cry Baby, that she decided to finally make her mark in the music world. But she chose to record a full on techno album, thanks to her love of dance music, a very risky proposition considering the style was dominated by men. But with the help of techno god Juno Reactor and the reborn Thompson Twins, as Babble, she succeeded in recording a very impressive dance album. Her voice isn't exactly perfect, but it works over the dark, dancey beats that permeate the album, and her girlish voice works especially well on the trippier, moodier tracks, especially the shocking "Father's Field". Of course, such a risky album was not exactly made to garner success on the pop charts, and it didn't. But it became a critical success, perhaps the first in Traci's career. She has recorded a bit since, and I, for one, long for her next musical masterpiece.

Video for Control

Video for Fallen Angel

An alternate, rock version of Fallen Angel

Download 1,000 Fires

1		Control
2		Fallen Angel
3		Good 'N' Evil
4		Fly
5		Distant Land
6		Outlaw Lover
7		I Want You
8		Say Something
9		Father's Field
10		Okey Dokey

Ana Voog - anavoog.com (1998)

My entry on this artist on Discogs: "When she was known by her real name, Rachael Olson, Ana Voog was a member of Minneapolis art-pop band The Blue Up?. After she went solo, she changed her name and became a provocative performance artist, which culminated in her creation of the first hugely successful webcam site, www.anacam.com." Indeed, the name of this album clearly indicates where Ana Voog found her fame. With The Blue Up?, she performed odd, Tori Amos-ish alt-pop-rock. For her solo endeavor she kept The Blue Up? producer and Isle postee Bobby Z (former member of Prince's Revolution), but drastically changed her sound. The album is a very electronic affair, still strange but somewhat more accessible (though there are still incredibly odd moments like "I Was Waving At You" with one of my faves and next up, Ingrid Chavez). Among the standout tracks is a remake of Yoko Ono's "Ask The Dragon", which should indicate just how leftfield this album is. She released the most 'pop' song "Hollywood", but to little appreciation. Her web fame didn't translate to pop success, but her website still thrives.

Live performance of Please God

Download anavoog.com 

1		Telepathic You
2		Angelsnakedance
3		Beautiful Accident
4		Ask The Dragon
5		Backwards
6		Please God
7		Hollywood
8		Terrified
9		Gone
10		Mother Anorexia
11		La Mama Diva
12		(Shine On)
13		I Was Waving At You
14		Please God (Dirty Version)

Artificial Joy Club – Melt (1997)

Like Sister Soleil, Artificial Joy Club emerged with the rise of Garbage. But the main members of AJC were hardly new on the scene. Lead singer Sal (aka Louise Reny) and producer Leslie Howe had long been a part of the pop music world, especially in Canada. They were once known as synth-pop and then pop-rock duo One 2 One, who had several Canadian hits. They then formed a band and tried an unsuccessful hard rock transformation as Sal’s Birdland before changing their name to AJC. And perhaps most importantly, Howe produced Alanis’ first two teen pop albums, before Jagged Little Pill, while Louise served as Alanis’ muse, with Alanis taking on her vocal stylings. AJC was their attempt to ride the pop mainstream. It’s ‘alternative’ pop rock, with lots of synths thrown in. And it failed pretty badly, but is not without it’s merits. Not much has been heard from the duo since, but don’t be surprised if they reinvent themselves once again, like a phoenix rising from the flames of failure. And I’ll be first in line to buy their album!

Video for Sick & Beautiful

Video for Spaceman

Download Melt

1		Psychic Man
2		Skywriting
3		Sick & Beautiful
4		Spaceman
5		No Shame
6		I Say
7		You're Too Good To Me
8		Crawl
9		Cheeky Monkey
10		Garbage Cans

Tekla - Somebody Else (1999)

What's in a name? In the case of Tekla, it seems her name almost defines her music. Released on Nettwerk Records in 1999, this album is sort of techno-folk, following very closely in the footsteps of Madonna' acoustic-electro moments on her Ray Of Light and Music albums. In fact, the title track (a semi-successful dance "hit") sounds like a Madonna left-over, a "Ray Of Light" companion piece with Tekla even sounding like Madge in places. The rest of the album follows it's lead, with mostly mid-tempo techno-lite tracks. Tekla's voice is very Nordic (indeed, she released two albums in Swedish before this), which means melodic and Abba-esque. She's like a tamer version of fellow former Nettwerk signee Bertine Zetlitz. Unfortunately, like Bertine, Tekla garnered little attention in North America, but unlike Bertine, she also seems to have faded into obscurity even in her homeland. Nothing much can be found about her now, a shame as she was one potential pop-star who showed promise.

(For the maxi-single of "Somebody Else", please visit my sister blog HERE.)

Download Somebody Else

1		Somebody Else
2		Like No One Else
3		One Day
4		Two Persons
5		Wasted
6		Hide Behind My Pride
7		Run Over By A Car
8		Better Than Reality
9		Even Cactuses Bloom
10		Always Running
11		So It's Over Now
12		Somebody Else (Precision Edit Mix)