London Lee supplied a link to this via Twitter the other day. It is very funky. A Youtube commenter has cast doubt on whether the 70s Soul Train audience are actually dancing to Banbarra's Shack Up or another song entirely but, y'know, whatever.
Shack Up is best known in these parts as an A Certain Ratio song. It's a cover obviously. There was an ACR singles compilation with the Shack Up 7" in a sleeve glued to the front of the album (The Old And The New, Fac 135, from 1986, which is where I have it from). It was also released as a single on Factory Benelux- bet you're glad I'm here to clear these things up aren't you? Singer Simon Topping left the band in 1983 to join Mike Pickering in Quando Quango. He went off singing, much to Tony Wilson's annoyance. Like Joy Division but better dressed, according to 'Tony' in the film Twenty Four Hour Party People.
There's a tense northern whiteness to ACR's version.
By 1990 ACR had left Factory and were in danger of crossing over (they didn't). Their MCR album is a house influenced beauty. Here they perform Shack Up for MTV with Denise Johnson on vocals. Martin Moscrop's guitar work is particularly good.
properly trainspottery. Like it. On which note, I only have the 1990 A&M release and the 1994 Creation release of this.
ReplyDeleteI have it on the 12" of 'Do The Du' (with a terrific P. Saville sleeve)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=42567
Ive got the 1994 version. Had forgotten about that one. Bernard Sumner remix on it isn't there?
ReplyDeleteand it's better than the original
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SA that "Burnhard" Sumner remix kills me...infact I wish he had never touched any of ACR's music. Talk about taking things to the bland side... I am a dyed in the fractured funk ACR fan, there is little of their output that I don't have and I have stuck with them through thick and the very thin... MCR and the lead up singles were wonderful (except for the guest 'remixing' of Sumner and Cook IMHO) and the robsrecords era was a way back from the aborted major label attempt at breaking through. Their return to form with the Mind Made Up release was a joy! I hope we may get more music sometime soon from Kerr, Johnson and Moscrop
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