When a random email drops into your inbox from Gary Crowley, you don’t hang around letting it fester in ‘un reads’ for long and Joe was thrilled to be asked to contribute a memory of what he also remembered of that time.
“I remember the 80’s as musical sunshine in Funk and Soul from the USA, which led to the distinctive rise of Britfunk. Positivity and innovation was everywhere, the digital Era was on the way and working with analogue tape and limited outboard gear meant you had to be inventive in the studio … nothing came easy!”
This was the first in a series of Box Sets from the wonderfully infectious broadcaster, TV presenter and BBC London DJ. A collection of 63 (4 CD’s) rare, diverse and eclectic tracks from 1980 – 87, compiled by Gary Crowley and released through The Demon Music Group in 2019.
The US mix of Give Me by iLEVEL had been selected by Gary and he said … “Oh how we rocked this on my radio show and club nights back in the early 80’s. Born out of the ashes of Shake Shake, iLEVEL were voted the ‘most promising newcomers’ by the readers of Blues & soul in 1982 exactly because of gems like this which perfectly exemplifies their cool, fresh shounding, modern pop-funk. Taking a uniquely British slant on American fund/soul, Duncan Bridgeman and Joe Dworniak provided the groove and production whilst Sam Jones’s killer voice was the all important cherry on the cake.”