The 7-inch Series is now officially endorsed by Morrison! Morrison, for all your fine winter clothing and vinyls.
Two more singles from Wax Poetic’s Converse 45 Series, which I wasn’t even supposed to receive, as the singles were actually only meant for their US customers. But I got them anyway, so thank you WP!
Various Artists – Converse 45 Series #8
label: Wax Poetics
year: 2010
waxpoetics.com
side a: Syl Johnson – Everybody Needs Love
side b: Kendra Morris – Seaside
The Syl Johnson track was orignally released in 9171, as the B-side to “That’s Why”. The backing track is the same as his tune “I’m Talkin’ About Freedom”, written by Byron Bowie, who’s the older brother of Defunkt trombonist Joseph (Byron is a former member of Defunkt as well), and the younger brother of Lester, who was the co-founder of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago. Both songs are featured on the fantastic Complete Mythology box set released a few years ago on Numero Group.
The Kendra Morris track is taken from her self-titled EP, released by herself, before she got picked up by the good people of Wax Poetics. This year, her debut album Banshee came out, and the past couple of weeks she’s been giving away some surprising cover versions of tunes by Pink Floyd, Chris Isaak and J.Lo, among others.
Various Artists – Converse 45 Series #9
label: Wax Poetics
year: 2011
side a: Michael Soward & Shelby Hurns – He’s Alive
side b: Westwood & Cash – Psycho For Your Love
Michael Soward & Shelby Hurns’ “He’s Alive” is one for the Dam-Funk fans who like their eighties sounds pure. The 1985 tune is actually a Hurns affair, as it was he who suggested to stick it on the B-side of Soward’s EP Real Love. It was a ditty he had been working on, and he played all the instruments on it himself. I love this tune, and four and a half minutes is way too short as far as I’m concerned. “He’s Alive” was reissued on 7″ in 2011 by the fantastic People’s Potential Unlimited, with “Standing On The Top” and “What Are You Gonna Do?” on the flip. DJ Kon made an edit of the track, as featured on Recloose & Frank Booker‘s Hit It & Quit It Radio Revue Vol. 1.
Westwood & Cash was an alias used by the late Danan Potts, who also produced music under the names Potts and Superlife. The brilliant “Psycho For Your Love” and it’s B-side “Work Those Joints” are the only two tracks released under this moniker, and PPU recovered them for another fine reissue in 2011.