Sardonicus reviews a bunch of old 45s (4 Viewers)

VIBEOLOGY
Now you ask, what does it mean?
Why it’s the study of the chemistry
Between YOU and ME

OW!
 
I don’t know about you girls, but I’m STARTING THE DAY in a FUNKY WAY :disco:

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Curtis Stigers - I Wonder Why b/w Nobody Loves You Like I Do (1992)

UK chart peak - Number 5

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OH NO. Interrupting the HOT VIBEOLOGY CHAT with another misery arsed blue eyed soul tosser. Although listening to it again as a PALLETE CLEANSER after this has again revealed that VIBEOLOGY>>>>>LIFE ITSELF :disco: :disco: :disco:

Thankfully we're back to more :disco: CONCERNS again after this one. I'm struggling to recall what exactly encouraged me to part with my Christmas money as a child for this one - it's as AOR AS YOU CAN GET. Maybe another example of the stagnant 1992 market. I'd also forgotten that OUR CURT tootles away on the saxophone 🎷 throughout. My memory might be failing me, but I feel like his run of hits might have been the LAST HURRAH before the saxophone became DREADFULLY UNFASHIONABLE & FAR TOO 80s for the rest of the decade. It also reached the US Top 10, but like numerous other American artists at this time, Curtis found greater success on EUROPEAN SHORES rather than at home with the follow-ups.

While it's not a song that inspires hatred or anything, the earnest loverboy lyrics, dramatic backing vocals & parping sax place "I Wonder Why" firmly in a musical background of a few years before 1992. Possibly people went for it as it sounded like a THROWBACK & there was a GAP IN THE MARKET. All this "love is an anger that burns up inside" CLAPTRAP though just makes me want to give him a GOOD SHAKE. It reminds me vividly of the ITV Chart Show, for some reason - they must have shown the video ON THE REGULAR.

B side "Nobody Loves You Like I Do" treads similar ground, as OUR CURT professes his love for some CONNIVING TROLLOP who's got lovers on the coast, at work, amongst friends, but not to worry because he loves her the most anyway. GET A GRIP YOU HATCHET FACED DRIP.

After his 1992 successes got him an appearance on "The Bodyguard" soundtrack at the end of the year, the world then seemed to collectively forget Curtis Stigers ever EXISTED. Wikipedia tells me he had a top 30 hit in 1995 which I've no memory of & has continued releasing albums since, but this was really his only year of ACTUAL FAME. He seemed a little passè even then.
 
To be fair, I don't mind the first two Curtis Stigers hits, although he was obviously VERY NAFF. You're All That Matters To Me I liked a lot more than this, but they were both alright in a "songs your Mum like" kind of way.
 
I always filed Curtis alongside Jon Secada- technically good looking but obviously so vanilla it’s not worth the bother.
 
BoysForSeles said:
Interesting that Paula blamed her leotard rather than live performance for the irreparable downward turn of her career.
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I remember all the commotion around the video for Promise Of A New Day because they stretched the image so she looked “tall and skinny” and then this performance of Vibeology when all they talked about after was how breathless and fat she was. She really couldn’t win in this era.
 
It really is shocking that PAULA ABDUL of all people was getting fat shamed so badly at the time. As bad as things still are today in many ways, I doubt we'd have perfectly normal if not actively pint-sized pop stars being subjected to shit like this:

 
Yeah I’m not sure how it was elsewhere but here in the States it was non stop on the tabloid news shows and late night jokes.
 
Degrees Of Motion featuring Biti - Shine On (Radiant Edit b/w Original Edit) (1994)

UK chart peak - Number 8

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Back to the DISCO :disco:

Degrees Of Motion appear to be as obscure as fellow faceless dance act Positive Gang. The only HOT POP FACT I can dredge up is they all have the :disco: names of Biti, Kit, Bali & Mariposa. They're also in the unusual position of having one hit three times over & this one hitting the charts twice. Although I could see no evidence of any US chart activity, not even Hot Dance Club Play, & I think even I've topped that chart :basil:

Anyway, I've just found out that their other hit, "Do You Want It Right Now", is actually a cover of an old Siedah Garrett song. AGOG :o It reached the top 40 in 1992, then a remix in 1994 as a follow-up to this hit the top 30, then it hit the top 10 FINALLY in 1996 as part of a mash-up with Gat Decor's 1992 floor filler "Passion". This is by far the version that lasted, it was played around clubland for DONKEY'S YEARS & is an ESTABLISHED CLUB CLASSIC, but it was only credited to Gat Decor for some unknown reason, leaving Degrees Of Motion in the odd & annoying position of having their best known song being considered entirely the work of another act.

"Shine On" just missed the top 40 in 1992 (the original is included here) before a remix BUBBLED UP to the top 10 in spring 1994. I'm not entirely sure how or why it got GIVEN ANOTHER GO, but it absolutely should have been a hit the first time around & maybe the record company realised that. I can only think it got LOST IN THE CROWD in the dance & rave heavy year of 1992. The original version is full of that FEELGOOD early 90s piano house, while the remix ESCHEWS that in favour of a :disco: BURBLING SYNTH.

I'll assume that's Biti on the lead vocals & she has a pretty decent voice with the rest of the group providing AMPLE SUPPORT trilling "shine on" in the background. I've not heard it in FOREVER & with fresher ears I've realised just how GOSPEL INFLUENCED the whole thing is. In fact the lyrics could well be about PRAISING THE LORD, but are ambiguous enough that she might also just be singing about wanting someone to THROW ONE UP HER.

OFF THEY POPPED after the 1996 remix (possibly even before - I've no idea if it was all the idea of Gat Decor) but they did leave us with 2 classic dance tracks so FAIR DO'S. If any of them are reading, COME JOIN US! Tell us about your BRIEF STARDOM, plus you all have awesome names :disco:
 
Degrees Of Motion really TREATED us with two of the biggest dance songs of the 90s.

It was only very recently however that I discovered that "Do You Want It Right Now" is a cover, which is feel the need to reference here as I'm reminded of the CAMP! single cover featuring a gym-ready Seidah Garrett

 
I didn't realise that the Gat Decor mashup charted in 1996. The original is coming up soon in my 90s thread so it must be from 91/92. I'm generally more of a vocal dance guy, but I do prefer the original instrumental Gat Decor. It's so well produced it works fine on its own. The mashup is good enough though I guess. It works.



 
Also both of these songs deserve a lot of credit for being early HANDBAG. That sound didn't really take off until about 1995... there was a lot of diva dance music at this time, but these were peak floor fillers. They scream mid 90s Garlands to me :D :disco:
 
funky said:
Degrees Of Motion really TREATED us with two of the biggest dance songs of the 90s.

It was only very recently however that I discovered that "Do You Want It Right Now" is a cover, which is feel the need to reference here as I'm reminded of the CAMP! single cover featuring a gym-ready Seidah Garrett

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I only found it out an hour ago & I'm astonished!
funky said:
I didn't realise that the Gat Decor mashup charted in 1996. The original is coming up soon in my 90s thread so it must be from 91/92. I'm generally more of a vocal dance guy, but I do prefer the original instrumental Gat Decor. It's so well produced it works fine on its own. The mashup is good enough though I guess. It works.



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The original is 1992 - I agree it works in both versions but also have a PREFERENCE for the original.
 
Do we all know Taylor Dayne did Do You Want It Right Now? on her debut album in between the two versions mentioned?
 
Yes that Taylor Dayne debut album is very enjoyable bar a couple of the drippy ballads and Do You Want It Right Now was a standout.
 
I never liked it spliced with PASSION, which is just super on its own THANKYOUVERYMUCH
 
BoysForSeles said:
Yes that Taylor Dayne debut album is very enjoyable bar a couple of the drippy ballads and Do You Want It Right Now was a standout.
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I love that Taylor Dayne album. Wall to wall goodness. I was so obsessed and NEEDED Prove Your Love that it is one of the very few albums I bought on cassette as they didn't have the LP in the store I went to with (I think) my EASTER MONEY :D

GONNA PUT IT IN THE WANT ADS :disco:
 
I didn't know she did a version of THAT! I don't know if I dare listen...
 
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