Established under the group's thriving Big Break Records label, Hot Shot's mission, according to its Facebook page, is "to breathe life back into a variety of smart pop, dance gems and hidden treasures." From its outset, it looks like the label is looking to make a mark with forgotten gems of the 1980s - the first title, available to order now, is an expansion of Like Gangbusters, the 1983 debut by JoBoxers which yielded U.K. Top 10 hit "Just Got Lucky." The disc includes the remastered 10-track album with another 10 B-sides and remixes - the usual par for the course from Cherry Red's discography.
And future titles, announced through Facebook, indicate a continuation of the British New Wave/soul of the decade, with planned expansions of 'Til Tuesday's thrilling debut Voices Carry (1985) and New York at Dawn (1983), the sole album by Elbow Bones and The Racketeers, a big band/disco-inspired outfit overseen by August Darnell, best known by his Latin-flavored alter ego Kid Creole.
Best of luck to Cherry Red with their new venture, which you can partake in by getting your copy of the expanded Like Gangbusters after the jump.
JoBoxers, Like Gangbusters: Expanded Edition (Hot Shot Records CDHSR0001 (U.K.), 2012)
- Boxerbeat
- Crosstown Walk Up
- Fully Booked
- Not My Night
- Just Got Lucky
- She's Got Sex
- Curious George
- Hide Nor Hair
- Crime of Passion
- Johnny Friendly
- Boxerbeat (Single Mix)
- Just Got Lucky (Single Mix)
- Johnny Friendly (Single Mix)
- Jealous Love (12" Mix)
- She's Got Sex (12" Mix)
- Let's Talk About Love
- Forget Me Love
- Why Don't You Do Right (Get Me Some Money Too) (Live)
- Just Got Lucky (12" Mix)
- Johnny Friendly (12" Mix)
Tracks 1-10 released as RCA LP PL-70001 (U.K.)/AFL1-4847 (U.S.), 1983
Tracks 11 and 16 released as RCA 7" BOXX 1 (U.K.), 1983
Tracks 12 and 17 released as RCA 7" BOXX 2 (U.K.)/12" PD-13581 (U.S.), 1983
Tracks 13 and 18 released as RCA 7" BOXX 3 (U.K.), 1983
Tracks 14-15 released as RCA 12" BOXT 4 (U.K.), 1984
Track 19 released on RCA 12" BOXT 2 (U.K.), 1983
Track 20 released on RCA 12" BOXT 3 (U.K.), 1983
Til Tuesday is (was) a U.S. band!!
I hope they find a demo of Voices Carry that has the original female lyrics (when it was "she said shut up" instead of the label-preferred "he said shut up"). I've heard it live, and assume they must have made a few demo versions of it. The song makes sense when it was a woman trying to hide her relationship with another woman, and a lot less sense after it was changed.
Hot Shot Records UK wrote: "Will, I'm afraid we were not able to get any demos but we do have all three single remixes as bonus tracks. Cheers, W."
A welcome release. I will pay out for this one. someone asked for Boxer Beat at our company Christmas party. I was more than happy to play it. Stomping single.
Has anyone heard anything regarding reissues of the Hue & Cry catalogue? Or, here's one, the debut album by Hipsway? There's loads of material out there, for the latter especially.
Hipsway took 4 singles (only one hit though) from their eponymous album, most of them released in multiple formats, each re-released couple of times, with live b-sides and remixes, even a dub version of The Broken Years, which i found on one of those mad maxi single sites. You know the kind right, fans of the old 12 inch vinyl who post all the original mixes and the rare as hens teeth exclusive b-sides. God bless them all.
The holy grail, as far as Hipsway is concerned, is the short film they made for Ask The Lord. Remember buying a double 7 Inch pack which had 'stills' from the movie and something like a 'theme' from Ask The Lord.
I will keep dreaming I guess
garyc