I’m not sure if Tuff City Records plan on releasing a follow-up to the 33 1/3 Anniversary Box Set, but not long after the 1986 cut-off date of that collection is when things really got interesting, as the drum machine and repeated cartoon sample hooks gave way to the intricate drum chops and horn stabs of the Ced Gee and Paul C., who were brought in to update the sound of label veterans such as Grandmaster Caz, Funkmaster Wizard Wiz and Freddie B and the Mighty Mic Masters.
One of the highlights of this period was a solo shot from Mighty Mike Master Captain G. Whiz (try saying that after six pints!), featuring one of the most monstrous beats of the era, as ‘Rocket In The Pocket’ and Syl Johnson are squeezed through the SP-12 and shot-up with lethal dose of 808 bass for ‘Go G. Whiz’. It seems that the massive impact of this tune distracted everyone when it came time to design the label for the single, as one version lists this and ‘All The Way Live’ back to front, while another pressing has a third song, ‘It’s Hyped’, listed – however it’s not on there.
The good news is that it turned-up on a compilation LP on the same imprint named Slammin’ Jams, and more recently on the M.M.M. Main Event compilation, the not-so-great news is that we will likely never get the instrumental. This is what I like to imagine a house party, hosted by DJ Jazzy Jay in a cavern deep beneath the earth’s surface would sound like.