Dance Hits From 1986

Clockwise: Grace Jones; Gwen Guthrie; Dead Or Alive; and E. G. Daily.

There was some interesting music coming out in 1986, including in the clubs. With names like Dionne Warwick, Lionel Richie, Klymaxx, Patti Labelle, Michael McDonald, Mr. Mister, Whitney Houston, Eddie Murphy, Survivor, and Robert Palmer making the Pop Top 10, you know the dance floor was delivering some great stuff as well. A prime example is the song that was #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart for the week of February 1, 1986. It was the incredible Grace Jones singing her brilliant song, "Slave To Rhythm". Jones was a model-turned-celebrity-turned-icon, and had some great music and amazing visual imagery to go along with them.



Some might recognize our next entry. Last season, she appeared on NBC's 'The Voice', and managed to stick around for a few weeks. But back 30 years or so, actress E.G. Daily set her sights on more than just dialogue. The pretty blond wanted to pursue a career in music, and after several years of working, including a role in the cult classic 'Valley Girl' featuring a young Nicholas Cage, E.G. was signed to A&M Records. She was soon working with Jellybean Benitez and Stephen Bray. The pair were already working with another young talent who was a breakout star by this point. Yes, I am talking about Madonna. And on May 17, E.G. had the #1 song on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart with "Say It, Say It".



Our next entry is a dance anthem that sat on top of the Club charts for two weeks at the end of August. It was probably the best known song by R&B Diva Gwen Guthrie, and it caused quite a stir, and not just because it was a hit. "Ain't Nothing Goin' On But The Rent" took the attitude that the man must be a Sugar Daddy, ready to pay for the privilege of dating Gwen. Some men got hurt feelings, others in the Village bars like myself just loved to dance to the song. Guthrie also had a songwriting career, co-writing songs for acts like Ben E. King, Sister Sledge, and Roberta Flack.



The band Dead Or Alive was one I loved the very first time I heard/saw them in a video. Late in 1984, I fell for the New Wave band and their frenetic hit "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)". I was enchanted by the voice of singer Pete Burns, whose androgynous look was perfect for the time. He had such charisma, he was almost hypnotic to watch. For two weeks early in December of 1986, Dead Or Alive topped the Dance chart with "Brand New Lover".



In recent years, Burns become a controversial figure in the British media, with his extravagant cross-dressing and unusual relationships. Although androgynous in appearance, and known to date men, he also married a woman for 28 years. He said he was bisexual, but also went public with a relationship and subsequent civil union to a man, only to see it come apart. He later said in an interview that gay marriages could not work, and it was easier for him to be married to a woman. But he since reunited with his partner, Michael Simpson. He also had issues with plastic surgery, including botched treatments on his lips that he has said cost him his life's savings to fix. Controversies like this have fueled his career in the last decade or so, including a season of the UK's 'Celebrity Big Brother', and some time as a . But in the 1980s and 90s, he made some amazing music.

Dead Or Alive Revisited

There are few bands that could raise the roof quite like Dead Or Alive, in every sense of the words. First, there was no bigger drag queen on the scene in the 80s than lead singer Pete Burns. At that time, the music industry called it gender-bending, but we all knew what they meant. Some of the glam rockers like David Bowie, Iggy Pop and other might have experimented a bit, but some of the New Wave kids took it to a new level. Like Boy George, Pete was riding the "New Wave" of music, only Burns took it to an edgier extreme, while George went more on the Pop route. Burns certainly enjoyed the Gothic side of music, and it came out in the songs.



Their journey began in 1981, when Dead Or Alive released some non-album songs that didn't really have an impact in the States. In 1984, Pete Burns, Mike Percy, Tim Lever, Steve Coy, and Wayne Hussey were the lineup for the band. That same year, they released the first album, Sophisticated Boom Boom. The first single, "Misty Circles", went to #4 on the US Billboard Dance Charts. As you can see in this video, Boy George and Pete Burns shared that club kid look, although they would soon be taking different stylistic directions.



In 1985, Dead Or Alive released their second album, Youthquake. Well, it certainly had as great an impact as many quakes, for the first single the went to #! on the US Dance chart, and #11 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Soon, everyone was singing "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" everywhere, and loving every minute of it. Check out the video for the song.



That was followed up by "Lover Come Back To Me". The song, when made it to #13 on the US Dance chart, certainly wasn't as big a winner as the first, but I loved the song, and adored the video. Burns had this deadpan deliver that was too fantastic.



One of my personal favorites was also on the album, "Brand New Love". The song rocketed to the top of the US Dance chart, and soared to #15 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Pete continued to deliver a video performance that seemed like a tired Supreme, so totally over the whole thing, one eye-roll away from yawning. This was so contrasting the feeling of the song, you just had to smile.



I remember hearing them in the clubs and dancing up a storm! There was so much energy and life in their music, you wanted to be on the dance floor with them. n 1989, they were once again riding on top of the US Dance chart with the song "Come Home With Me Baby". It did not do as well in the Pop arena, for many thought the cavalier attitude toward sex at a time when AIDS was widely discussed by many citizens (although no one in the Republican Party). But check out the video for "Come Home With Me Baby".



As the years went on, controversy continued to surround the band. While their time in the spotlight was brief, Pete continues to maintain the attention of the public, and not always in positive ways. His issues with cosmetic surgeons hit the courts, with Burn winning settlements for bad work. Pete also made headlines when he divorced his wife of many years to marry his boyfriend. That didn't ever come to be, and Pete made more headlines distancing himself from gay marriage. Pete also appeared in the British version of the TV show Big Brother. You can purchase the album Evolution: The Hits, a collection of their hit songs, on iTunes and Amazon. To find out more about the band and Pete Burns, visit their official website.

Olympic Dancing 101

Clockwise: Pet Shop Boys; Anthony Callea; SIRPAUL; The Young Professionals; and Pete Burns.

In keeping with the spirit of the 2012 London Olympic Games, I thought I would go a bit international with tonight's dance music. In fact, I looked to international members of the LGBT community for some music to get you up and dancing. And in tribute to London, I will begin with a song from British icons Pet Shop Boys. The band began in a record store in London, when Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe met. That was over thirty years ago, and they are still making great music. And it seems like "Winner" is just perfect for anyone performing in the Olympic games.



You can purchase "Winner" from iTunes and Amazon. Now we travel to the land down under and remember how much I love the music of Anthony Callea. At the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012, Anthony was busy singing his new music, including the wonder "Oh Oh Oh Oh". I love this song, and it certainly keeps me moving.



You can purchase "Oh Oh oh Oh" from iTunes and Amazon. On the next stop on the international tour, I decided on a trip to New York City and the brilliant SIRPAUL. This spring SIRPAUL released a new album, and the lead single featured a bright up-and-coming star in Loco Ninja. Together, they make some magic on "Body Connection".



You can purchase "Body Connection" from iTunes and Amazon. Because it is the host country, I return to England for another great song. I first came across the music of Pete Burns when he was the lead singer for the 1980s band, Dead Or Alive. Yes, he was the one told us to "spin right round, baby, right round, like a record player." Recently, he has appeared on British reality television, and struggled with some bad plastic surgery. More recently, he warned us all to "Never Marry An Icon". This is a 2012 NANSIM! REMIX, so enjoy.



You can purchase "Never Marry An Icon" from iTunes and Amazon. For our final stop on this trip, I am going to Israel and a band featuring one of my favorite musicians. At the beginning of the year, Ivri Lider teamed up with Johnny Goldstein to form The Young Professionals. They put out the great album with the tricky name, 9AM to 5PM - 5PM to Whenever. There were several great cuts on it, but they also released an EP that included a cover of the Lana Del Rey song, "Video Games".



You can purchase "Video Games" from iTunes and Amazon.

Worth Another Listen - Dead Or Alive

Well, there was no bigger drag queen on the scene in the 80s than Pete Burns, lead singer for Dead or Alive. At that time, the music industry called it gender-bending, but we all knew what they meant.

Anyway, Dead or Alive had a couple of hits, with this song and Lover Come Back To Me and Sex Drive. I remember hearing them in the clubs and dancing up a storm! Controversy seem to surround the band, and their time in the spotlight was brief, although Pete continues to try to extend it, going so far as to appear in the British version of the TV show Big Brother.

To find out more about the band and Pete Burns, click here for Wikipedia.