Trouble Funk - Drop The Bomb b/w Pump Me Up
Macattack - The Art Of Drums
Junkyard - The Word b/w Sardines
Go-Go from Washington DC went almost as soon as it had arrived in the UK, maybe that's because white boy disco in mid-eighties middle England was late on the scene, and before we knew it house music from Chicago IL had taken over. In truth the original US scene developed alongside rap and the earliest singles were released in 1980. By 1988 Go-Go had all but gone from the British music scene, though its pleasing to know that it still survives today in the US.
I still have three of my original 12" singles leftover from back then, and all still sound as good as they did all those years ago, though they do show signs of considerable wear.
I was lucky enough to see Trouble Funk live and they were immense, such a pity they fractured and tried to diversify into the mainstream as part of an Island Records deal, oh and then there was that tepid movie, Good To Go which is best avoided.
Macattack's The Art Of Drums was a cult dance hit back in 1986, mainly as the consequence of obscure white labels and bootlegs "imported" from the US. Eventually London-based dance label BAAD Records picked it up, this time with additional rap remixes. Connoisseurs of the track would always point you to the original instrumental featured on the the flip-side. I must apologise that the quality of the rip isn't my best, time has taken it's toll on my copy.
Def Jam picked up street kids The Junkyard Band, who offered the wonderful Sardines, and their own comment on the US political scene at the time in The Word. all set to a hard and funky go-go beat. They are all grown up these days but evidence exists that Junkyard still perform in Washington these days. I've ripped all three singles to lossless flac.
