AOR DISCO

Stevie's Black Van - Toast Soundsystem

2012-01-27T01:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Chris Bithell at Toast Soundsystem for this exclusive in which Dreams by Fleetwood Mac meets Black Van by Yearning.

Download (Available until Sunday, 29th January)

Tonight's The Night - Raydio featuring Ray Parker Jnr

2012-01-25T10:08:00.000-08:00

The sound of seduction 1980 style, "Tonight's The Night" is a soul track that fits perfectly in a Westcoast / Yacht Rock set - as C.J. of Flashlites Productions showed on Ready 4 Airplay Volume 4. Co-written by Herbie Hancock, who plays keyboards here and who did a cover version on his Magic Windows album a year later, this track showcases the pure smoothness of Ray Parker Jnr. Especially towards the end of the song, after the marimba solo and before the squawks of jungle birds, when he sings: "So tell Thomas Edison / We don't want his lights /And remind Mr Bell / Not to ring this phone tonight..." Not even Michael McDonald could get away with that.

Download Raydio original / Buy the album Two Places at One Time / Download 1981 Herbie Hancock cover version

Urgent (Strutt's Not In Any Rush Mix) - Foreigner

2012-01-23T03:07:00.000-08:00

Download / Buy the 1981 original / Algy Strutt / Moscow Records

Foreigner - Urgent (Strutt's not in any rush mix) >>FREE WAV DOWNLOAD<< by Algy Strutt

For What It's Worth (Virgin Magnetic Material Remix) - Buffalo Springfield

2012-01-19T05:06:00.000-08:00

Following on from our recent conversation with Shai Vardi of Virgin Magnetic Material - and his exclusive Queen remix for us - here's Part Two of our interview.

The sound on your productions is extraordinarily good. What do you use in the studio?

“Thank you, I'm glad you think so, because sound is very important to me. My studio is quite modest, actually. I work on two computers, a PC and a Mac, and I produce most of the sounds using hundreds of different kinds of virtual instruments and plugins. I do have a few external, analog instruments that I like using, but the whole field of synths and virtual samplers amazes me and it doesn't stop evolving. There are so many companies such as Native Instrument and Arturia producing virtual versions of classic analog instruments, and they're doing it perfectly. Or Waves, an Israeli one, that does effects, compressors and recreations of old tube which warm up the cold and static sounds the computer produces. It's not an easy task to create the natural distortion and warm sound of the 2-inch recorder when using computers – and it's those little 'faults' that makes something human. Having a background in traditional studio recording helps achieve the sound I want.

Other than that I'm a freak for details. You'd probably be surprised to discover the level of particularities I delve into in order to achieve the result I'm interested in. For instance, in some of the remixes, especially those I wanted to have considerably lower BPMs like Rock the Casbah, Love Will Tear Us Apart or Owner Of A Lonely Heart, I don’t stretch the entire singing channel to the new slow tempo. Instead I cut each word or sometimes even each syllable and apply all the pieces onto the new tempo. It's painstaking, but it's important for me on the one hand not to harm the original singing sound, and on the other hand to create a perfect dynamic and groove.

I also make a point out of finding a clean and high-quality version of the original singing channel. It's the only way for me really to create something from scratch. Lots of producers take the entire song and not its channels. They can manipulate it and cut and reassemble and add details, and sometimes the result is beautiful. But I find it restrictive. Also, I always keep my Tobias bass close. In most cases I start thinking about the adaptation and the new groove with the bass in my hand, even if I don’t eventually record it. It's really important for me also to have two big, accurate monitors. I like to make a lot of noise and I have to hear everything as accurately as possible.”

Part Three of the interview coming soon / Buy the 1965 original

Buffalo Springfield – For What It's Worth (Virgin Magnetic Material Remix) by Virgin Magnetic Material

Gypsy (Gui Pimentel Rework) - Fleetwood Mac

2012-01-18T04:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Gui Pimentel from Sao Paulo in Brazil for this exclusive edit for AOR Disco, which follows his excellent rework of The Long Road by Eddie Vedder and Nusrat Feteh Ali Khan.

Download / Buy the 1983 original

Gypsy (Gui Pimentel Rework) - Fleetwood Mac by AOR DISCO

Rocket Man (Burn Boyz Refix) - Elton John

2012-01-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the Burn Boyz for this exclusive remix for AOR Disco. The Burn Boyz are a collaboration between DJs Bigg John and Travis Mac who run "SW Florida's ultra-lounge, pool party, country club and yacht club scene".

Download / Buy original version

Elton John Rocket Man (Burn Boyz Refix) by DJ Travis Mac

Wondrous Place (Mojo Filter Re-Imagination) - Billy Fury

2012-01-16T08:34:00.000-08:00

Download Mojo Filter Re-Imagination / Buy the 1960 original version / Buy AOR Disco Presents: The Mojo Filter Vintage Edits on WAV quality Limited Edition CD or 320kbps MP3

Billy Fury - Wondrous Place (Mojo Filter Re-Imagination) by Mojo Filter

Fire and Rain (B-Shakes Exclusive AOR Disco Version) - James Taylor

2012-01-16T04:03:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Bill Shakes for this exclusive edit of James Taylor's 1970 classic. There are actually two different versions: this AOR Disco Version, which is the dub mix; and the alternate version, which retains most of Taylor's vocal.

Download WAV of AOR Disco Version / Buy the original / Download These Days (B-Shakes Edit) by Glen Campbell

Fire & Rain (B-Shakes Exclusive AOR Disco Version) - James Taylor by AOR DISCO

Strawberry Fields Forever (Fear of Infiltration Re-work) - The Beatles

2012-01-12T07:56:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Mojo Filter and Fear of Theydon for this exclusive edit. Ben Zaven-Crane of Mojo Filter recently put together Vintage Edits, the first AOR Disco compilation CD (available on the top right hand side of this page) , and Julian Peck of Fear of Theydon has had numerous original tracks and remixes released on Rob Da Bank's Sunday Best label. This re-work of Strawberry Fields Forever is Ben and Julian's first collaboration and it features unused acapella and guitar parts from the 1967 recording.

Download MP3 and WAV/ Buy the original

Strawberry Fields (Fear of Infiltration Re-Work) - The Beatles by AOR DISCO

The Visitor - Paqua

2012-01-10T12:42:00.000-08:00

Another winner from Claremont 56, released at the end of February / Listen

Radio Ga Ga (Virgin Magnetic Material Remix) - Queen

2012-01-09T07:58:00.000-08:00

Many thanks for Shai Vardi of Virgin Magnetic Material for this exclusive remix for AOR Disco. Based in Tel Aviv, Shai is an outstanding producer and his classic rock and pop remixes have been getting an extraordinary reaction in the last few months. Here's part one of our interview with him.

Last year you remixed Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie, which was chosen in AOR Disco Picks 2011 series. What drew you back to Queen to kick-off 2012?

"I chose to remix "Radio Ga Ga" for a few reasons. Firstly, it's the perfect New Year song. Secondly, I love this song, obviously. And thirdly, for me, the meaning of it is, in so many ways, is exactly what AOR Disco does."

Tell us about how the Virgin Magnetic Material project started.

"I was walking around for quite a few years with this idea in my head, I even started on several pieces about three years ago but I never finished any of them. Not that I didn't like the results, I just have this problem with closure and releasing things. My creations are never prefect for me, I will always find faults and think of ways to improve. But I think that now it's easier for me to decide that something that I've created is whole. There was also the fact that my main interest lay elsewhere back then. I'm also a graphic artist and an illustrator. I was always doing music professionally, but the time I dedicated for creating music was relatively small.

About a year ago I decided to focus on music again, it is and always was my biggest love. I still create my art in other fields but music was always closer to me than anything else and this is what I want to do with my time. I have to say that finding SoundCloud pushed me toward this decision. I thought it was just perfect. These people created an ideal tool for everyone involved in the music industry. I totally felt it could be the right thing for me."

Where you originally a fan of rock who got into dance music? Or was it the other way around? Or have you always loved both?

"My parents gave me my first record player when I was two years old. At age four I started playing the piano and soon other instruments as well, I had hundreds of records as a child and I remember myself listening to almost every possible style — classical music, jazz, soul, funk, but I can also recall that what did it for me more than anything was a good rock or pop song. Stanza, chorus, the voice of the singer. Even more so if accompanied by strong groove of bass and drums. So in my teen years it could have been Matt Johnson or Nick Drake, but to the same extent Stevie Wonder, U2 or Depeche Mode.

In my twenties I worked as a label manager and A&R in a large Israeli record company. I managed for it some of the best English indie labels of the time - 4ad, Mute, Domino, Beggars Banquet, XL, Filter, Dorado. I was also a radio music editor and host. My taste and interest focused more on alternative music. I was on the one hand very into the music of Frank Black, Layne Staley, Mike Patton or Trent Reznor, but on the other hand I was very connected to electronic music and how it developed back then. I liked minimal techno and deep house and was always excited to find a combination of the power of a good rock or pop song with some serious grooves and electronic production. For instance, OK Computer was and still is a masterpiece for me, but when I heard Kid A I knew this is my direction as a musician and producer.

So the songs I choose to work on are in most cases those I truly love and was raised on. But it isn’t simple to start messing with your own holy cows. I start working on each song with tons of respect to the original song. I always make my best to get the singing sound as clear as possible, and also to add my own original interpretation in the production and get a result as moving and as powerful as the original. Quite often I discontinue my work if I don't think I can achieve this goal. It's also not my agenda to turn every song into a club hit. The most important thing for me is to serve the song in the best way possible. I do admit, though, to have this tendency to turn rock songs into electro-disco. It sounds reasonable to me to marry Jane's Addiction with a heavy electro groove. I guess I just want to hear such things myself."

The next two instalments of our interview with Shai Vardi will be posted over the next few days.

Download / Buy Queen's 1984 original

Radio Ga Ga (Virgin Magnetic Material Remix) - Queen by AOR DISCO

Waiting For The Man (Space Truckin' SFPV Edit) - Nazareth

2012-01-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

Often described as the Scottish AC/DC, Nazareth are best known for their hard rock covers of Joni Mitchell's This Flight Tonight and The Everly Brothers' Love Hurts, which were big hits in the mid-1970s. But our favourite moment in Nazareth's career is this track off their 1976 album Play 'n' the Game. The original version tells the manly story of Billy, Jed and Phil, "street corner people...drinkin' wine and gettin' crazy" and "shootin' our job to the local ladies" like "Fat Marie with the friendly eyes". This SFPV edit, which was first released in 2009, takes out most of the Dan McCafferty vocal though and moves the song further into cosmic funk-rock territory by concentrating on the bass-line and the warped guitar.

Buy Galactic Haulage Edits 3 by Space Truckin' on vinyl or MP3

Waiting For Da Man (SFPV edit) - Galactic Haulage Edits Vol 3 by Space Truckin'

Let's Put Our Love Back Together - Denne and Gold

2012-01-04T10:22:00.000-08:00

Time to go deep into the AOR Disco vaults with this lost track from 1977. Mickey Denne and Ken Gold were the writers behind The Real Thing's huge 1976 hit You To Me Are Everything and this (combined with their work with big leaguers like Elton John) must have made them feel confident about scoring a hit of their own when they stepped into the limelight and released an album under their own names. However, it was met with the rustle of tumbleweed and little else, even though this single with its Philly meets Westcoast sound is better than many similar but successful releases from this era.

It all went quiet on the song-writing front too for Denne and Gold for many years but they did eventually return to the charts in 1999 when their song Heartache No 9 (originally performed by Delegation) was sampled by Phats and Smalls.

Download

AOR Disco Picks 2011: Zak Hamburg

2012-01-03T05:44:00.000-08:00

Zak Hamburg is one of the best Balearic DJs at work today. He plays regularly at the Hamburg Beach Club and Sa Trinxa in Ibiza, and his latest exclusive mix for AOR Disco was featured last month. We asked him for ten of his best tunes of 2011.

1. dead men's bones - lose your soul (turbotito remix)
2. flossy - inflatable doll

3. luminodisco - too night
4. aikhi - samarkand (eddie c remix)
5. slow hands - rough patch
6. KZA - le troublant acid
7. bryan ferry - alphaville (leo zero remix)
8. agoria - speechless (radio slave remix)
9. free school - ranting & raving (the time and space machine third mix)
10. psychemagik - valley of paradise

Valley Of Paradise - Psychemagik (Clip) by Psychemagik

Big Business (Kompleks Edit) - David Byrne

2012-01-01T14:05:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Bojan and Nebojsa of Kompleks in Belgrade for our first exclusive edit of 2012. This is the fourth in a series of AOR Disco edits by Kompleks and it follows their interpretations of tracks by The Who, Led Zeppelin and The Clash.

Download / Buy the original version on the score of the 1981 Broadway dance show "The Catherine Wheel" / Watch live version by Talking Heads on Stop Making Sense / Buy the recently released hand-numbered 12" of the Kompleks remix of "Keep Believing (Can You Feel It)" by Far Out Monster Orchestra

Big Business (Kompleks Edit) - David Byrne by AOR DISCO

AOR Disco Picks 2011: Mojo Filter

2011-12-28T15:14:00.000-08:00

Ben Zaven-Crane of Mojo Filter is the man behind our first compilation CD - AOR Disco Presents The Mojo Filter Vintage Edits - which was released last month. The CD features his remixes of Supertramp, Neil Young and Johnny Cash, among many others, and can be ordered on the right hand side of this page. Ben also recently represented the site at Moog in Nottingham. Here are ten of his favourite tracks of the year.

1. Midnight City - M83
2. Motorik (Dub) - Fear of Theydon Cooperative
3. Connan Mockasin - Forever Dolphin Love
4. Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise You Can See
5. Mojo Filter Ft Jose Feliciano - California Dreamin'
6. Hyperion (Stimming Remix) - Romboy vs Bodzin
7. Langt Fra Afrika (Todd Terje Remix) - Bjørn Torske
8. Love Love - Ghost Society
9. Beirut - Santa Fe

and 10. Golden Years (Jeremy Sole Remix) - David Bowie

DAVID BOWIE - Golden Years (Jeremy Sole remix) by Jeremy Sole

AOR DISCO'S CASABLANCA RECORDS SEASON: Larger Than Life by KISS

2011-12-28T13:27:00.000-08:00

AOR Disco's favourite book over the Xmas period has to be And Party Every Day: The Inside Story of Casablanca Records by Larry Harris, the co-founder of the label. As the blurb says: "From 1974 to 1980, the landscape of American culture was a banquet of hedonism and self-indulgence, and no person or company in that era of narcissism and druggy gluttony was more emblematic of the times than Casablanca Records and its magnetic founder, Neil Bogart."

Casablanca are best known for launching some of the biggest names in rock, funk and disco in the US - such as KISS, Parliament, Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder and The Village People - and the resurgence of interest in the label will continue next year now that Justin Timberlake has signed up to play Neil Bogart in the new biopic Spinning Gold . We'll be featuring a number of Casablanca classics in the next few weeks and to start off with we've gone for "Larger Than Life" from KISS' legendary Alive 11 double-album from 1977. With its heavy break by drummer Peter Criss and some cheeky bass from Gene Simmons this track is possibly the band's funkiest moment.

Video / Buy

Broken Wings (New Found Land Edit) - Mr Mister

2011-12-26T14:47:00.000-08:00

There's an excellent new mix by Linus Strockis of New Found Land over at The Number Twenty. It features Strockis' edit of Cock Robin's The Promise You Made which appeared on Mindless Boogie 19, our favourite release in the series which came out in 2009. The EP also features remixes of Whitesnake's Is This Love? and Mr Mister's Broken Wings, an AOR classic of such immensity that we'd thought it was beyond improvement. However New Found Land's interpretation is possibly even more epic and spiritual than the 1985 original.

Download / Buy original version

AOR Disco Picks 2011: DJ Same

2011-12-26T13:18:00.000-08:00

One of our most popular mixes of the year came from Sam Edlin aka DJ Same. It was the AOR Disco Deeper Mix which was the 12th volume in Sam's series of exclusive mixes for us - and it showcased once again how well classic rock, house, soul and funk can work together in a single set. We asked Sam for his favourite tracks of 2011.

01. Paula Cole - Feelin' Love (Psychemagik Reem Edit)
02. The XX-Exile (Raymond and Hayes Bootleg)
03. Rayko - Broadway/ All Along The Watchtower
04. Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days (Psychemagik Leg Warmer Edit)
05. Charles Bradley - No Time For Dreaming (Scratchandsniff Re-rub)
06. Dean Sunshine Smith - Angel of Mercy
07. Late Nite Tuff Guy - One Night In The Disco
08. Crystal Fighters - Champion Sound (Psychemagik Remix)
09. Electronic 'Getting Away With It' (Greg Wilson Edit)

...and 10. Queen and David Bowie - Under Pressure (Virgin Magnetic Material Edit)

Queen and David Bowie - Under Pressure (Virgin Magnetic Material Edit) by Virgin Magnetic Material

We're Flyin' High (Abel's Aegean Sea Edit) - Smokie

2011-12-23T12:08:00.000-08:00

Limited Edition 12" out of stock / Buy 1975 original version

A – Aegean Sea by Noncollective

These Days (B-Shakes Edit) - Glen Campbell

2011-12-22T17:19:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Bill Shakes and Matt Garlick for this edit of Glen Campbell's 2008 cover version of the Jackson Browne classic, originally performed by Nico in 1967.

Download

Glen Campbell - These Days (B-Shakes Edit) by Bill Shakes

AOR Disco Vinyl Picks 2011: Steve Lee

2011-12-21T13:13:00.000-08:00

In 2011 Steve Lee did superb sets for us at the Mixmag party in September and at Big In Japan last month. Steve is one of the best producers around and his collaboration with Andrew Slim Black in The Project Club and his label Above Machine are ones to watch in 2012. We asked him for his top ten vinyl releases of the year.

1. White Elephant - Sir John
2. Psychemagik - Valley Of Paradise
3. Non Collective - Agean Sea
4. Brian Protheroe - Pinball (Ashley Beedle Edit)
5. The Project Club - "El Mar Y La Luna" (Lovefingers Remix)
6. Heroes Of The Gallion Trade - Neptunes Last Stand / Winter Island Romance
7. Pacific Horizons - Beaches Of The Black Sea
8. Wild Rumpus - Tickety Boo / Cloudhopping
9. Everything by the Seahawks, Almunia, Begin, Golf Channel and Claremont 56

...and 10. Paul Weller - Starlight (D-Pulse Remix)

Paul Weller - Starlite (D-Pulse remix) by D-Pulse

2011 AOR BALEARIC XXXMAS MIX BY ZAK HAMBURG

2011-12-19T12:52:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Zak Hamburg for his latest exclusive mix for AOR Disco. "This is not about red nosed reindeers or jingle bells," says Zak, who DJs at the Hamburg Beach Club and Sa Trinxa in Ibiza. "Just a few of tracks I mixed for my own winter season. Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year."

1. joy division - love will tear us apart (virgin magnetic material remix)
2. aikhi - samarkand (original mix)
3. simon & garfunkel - sound of silence (the two mamarrachos edit)
4. alin aeromaschine crihan - serenades for simple brains (deep cut)
5. led zeppelin - whole lotta love (V's dub edit)
6. leon haywood - keep it in the family (funky jaws long beat edit)
7. bee gees - love you inside out (the pinches edit of the cole medina version)
8. little roy - come as you are
9. psychemagik - wake up everybody
10. roy buchanan - keep what you got (ole smokey's all for one edit)
11. steve lee - trans am (steve lee's balearica re - edit)
12. peter green - for you (the two mamarrachos edit)
13. lucio battisti - soli (luca trevisi edit)
14. the rapture - let me hear that song (appo remix)

Download

2011 AOR BALEARIC XXXMAS MIX BY ZAK HAMBURG by AOR DISCO

AOR Disco Vinyl Picks 2011: Graeme Fisher

2011-12-18T12:51:00.000-08:00

Graeme Fisher's Ibiza 1976ish Mix Part Two is a contender for the best mix featured on AOR Disco this year. We asked him about his highlights of 2011. "Player of the Year goes to Psychemagik and my favourite track is Jungle Magic (Sofrito Edit) by Benis Cletin," he says. "And off the top of my head the next ten vinyl releases

that I really liked in no particular order (and I've already thought of loads more that should be in there) are:

Quintes Project - Night Flight
Psychemagik - Wake Up Everybody
White Label - Stolen Voices LP
Lovebirds - Running Backwards
White Elephant - Sir John
Toro Y Moi - Still Sounds (Voodoo Bear Mix)
Try To Find Me Vol 3. (Golf Channel 12")
Leonid Nevermind - The Unexplored Land Of Love
Various - After The Void (Light Sounds Dark/Psychemagik compilation)

...and The Project Club - El Mar Y La Luna (Lovefingers Remix)."

El Mar Y La Luna ~ Lovefingers Remix **Snippet** by The Project Club

Love Will Tear Us Apart (Virgin Magnetic Material Remix) - Joy Division

2011-12-17T16:53:00.000-08:00

Although AOR Disco is the antidote to complaint rock in all its guises (alternative, indie, post-punk, etc), we just can't resist making an exception with this remix of Joy Division's bleak 1980 hit by Virgin Magnetic Material. Is it better than the original? We think so.

Download unavailable

Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart (Virgin Magnetic Material Remix) by Virgin Magnetic Material

Groove Is In The Art by Haydn Jay

2011-12-17T15:22:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Haydn Jay for this exclusive mix. Based in Ibiza, Haydn plays regularly at Pacha and Space, and earlier this year he went on his first Australian tour and scored a hit on Beatport with his remix of "Wax On" by Jonny Scratch. "I have tried to include as much of a variety of styles as possible to try to represent that eclectic 'AOR Groove', from funk through to soft rock with a constant groove throughout," says Haydn. "It has been an absolute joy to be invited to do this guest mix for AOR Disco and hope that I have done the site proud. Hope you enjoy!"

1 - Nightshift (Remix) - Commodores

2 - I Can't Stand The Rain (Rayko Edit) - The Pointer Sisters

3 - Owner Of A Lonely Heart (Virgin Magnetic Material Remix) - Yes
4 - Higher Love (Dimitri From Paris Re-Edit) - Steve Winwood
5 - Keep Your Eye On Me (Disco Syndicate's XXL Version) - Herb Alpert
6- Dance Hall Days (Psychemagik Leg Warmer Edit) - Wang Chung
7 - Dunks Got the Answer (Dr Dunks Edit) - Disco Deviance
8 - Do It Anyway You Want It (Rayko Edit) - Rayko
9 - Love Light (Edit) - Soul Clap
10 - Forever Man (Nelue Re-edit) - Eric Clapton
11 - Possessed - Rayko

Download

Haydn Jay AorDisco Redux 'Guest mix' (Xmas 2011) by HaydnJay

You Can Do It (DJ Supermarkt Edit) - Evie Sands

2011-12-14T10:18:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Marcus Liesenfeld aka DJ Supermarkt for this edit of Evie Sand's single from 1977. Marcus's classic soft rock mixes Nite-Flyte, Too Slow To Disco and Laurel Canyon have been a big inspiration to us and we'll be featuring a number of his edits in the coming weeks.

Download / Buy original version

Evie Sands - You can do it (dj supermarkt's silky edit) by dj supermarkt

Raspberry Beret (Mojo Filter Work It Re-Fix) - Prince and The Revolution

2011-12-13T10:24:00.000-08:00

Recently played out by Psychemagik and many others, Ben Zaven-Crane's twisted remix of Raspberry Beret is one of the tracks off our first limited edition and WAV quality compilation CD - "AOR Disco presents The Mojo Filter Vintage Edits" - which you can buy on the right hand side of this page. Alternatively the download is available at the Mojo Filter Record Store.

Prince & The Revolution - Raspberry Beret (Mojo Filter Work It Re-Fix) by Mojo Filter

Ready 4 Airplay Volume 7 by Flashlites Productions

2011-12-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

Thanks to C.J. of Flashlites Productions for this latest mix of deep AOR/Westcoast tracks, forgotten pop hits and original FM radio samples. This time C.J. moves the series into 1985-86 and the songs by Journey, Lou Gramm, Survivor and Michael MacDonald in particular belong in AOR Disco's pantheon of greatness. Coming soon - Volume 8 covering 1986-87.

01.David & David – Welcome To The Boomtown

02.Marillion – Kayleigh

03.Howard Jones – No One Is to Blame

04.Eurythmics – Missionary Man

05.Daryl Hall – Dreamtime

06.DeBarge - Who's Holding Donna Now

07.Go West - One Way Street

08.John Taylor – I Do What I Do

09.Michael McDonald - No Lookin' Back

10.Journey - Girl Can't Help It

11.Survivor - How Much Love

12.Starship – Sara

13.The Outfield - I Don't Want to Lose Your Love Tonight

14.Lou Gramm - Midnight Blue

15.Colin Hay - Can I Hold You

16.John Parr - Running The Endless Mile

17.Clarence Clemons & Jackson Browne - You're A Friend Of Mine

18.Steve Miller Band - I Want To Make The World Turn Around

Download

Ready 4 Airplay Vol.VII by FlashlitesProductions

Underwater Where by Seahawks

2011-12-09T09:15:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Seahawks for this exclusive mix for AOR Disco.

Seahawks are the artist Pete Fowler (well-known for his work with Super Furry Animals and for his creations on Monsterism Island) and John Tye (who runs Lo Recordings). They've been "on the waves since 2009, sailing on solar winds, cooking up their catches and beachcombing for discarded, unwanted and buried treasures. Sometimes too covered in thick tar for most to notice."

We first came across Seahawks in October 2010, when they released the outstanding 12" Is This It? /Oh Baby, which took two smooth late 1970s FM radio standards and turned them into eerie, hypnotic epics. This was psychedelic yacht rock at its finest. All the limited edition Seahawks releases, illustrated by Fowler and often on picture disc, tend to sell out fast despite low-key promotion.

Seahawks have recently released an excellent new album called Invisible Sunrise and you can hear them DJ at the Big Chill Bar in London on Wednesday, 14th December.

Siren Shallows - Iasos

Barracuda - Quantum Jump

I Hear You Now - Jon & Vangelis

Help Me - Joni Mitchell

Clarear - Roupa Nova

No More Raindrops - Seahawks

Spatial Reggae - Arpadys

Keep On Cruising - Lucio Battisti

In Alto Mare - Loredana Bertè

Love In A Sleeper - Silver Convention

Who Said the World Was Fair - Daryl Hall & John Oates

Je Suis un Rock Star -B ill Wyman

Dont-Be-Foolish - Vangelis

Ethereal Mood - Jean-Luc Ponty

Aries - Iasos

Download Mix and Big Chill Bar Flyer / Visit Seahawks on Soundcloud

Underwater Where by Seahawks by AOR DISCO

The House of the Flying Eyeball presents The Good News Blues

2011-12-07T02:54:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Dundee's John Burns for this exclusive mix for AOR Disco. This is the second big 1980s set John has done for us (the first was Hometown Hi-Fi's Ain't No Trouble) and few DJs can capture this era whilst making the mix sound dynamic and current as well as he can. So welcome to the The House of the Flying Eyeball.

"I love the art form of the mix tape and believe it ought to tell a story. I hope I've been able to do that here," says John. "Highlights include the fantastic Rio mix of Shout by Depeche Mode, the Black Sand Remix of Relax plus a unfinished version of my own rework of U2's God Part II. Big thanks to the Duncs, the Karens, Matthew, Papa, Jon, Sami and the rest of the eyeballers for the inspiration for this mix."

1. Down the Rabbit Hole Intro
2.Area Code – Stone Cold Chase.

3.Talk Talk – Happiness is Easy

4.Big Audio Dynamite - Contact

5.Depeche Mode – Shout (Rio mix)

6.Yazoo – Situation (Jayz Eyeball Extension mix)

7.Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Relax (The Black Sand Remix)

8.Heaven 17 – Let Me Go

9.Wang Chung – Dance Hall Days

10.David Byrne – Dance on Vaseline

11.Peter Gabriel – Big Time

12.The Style Council - Confessions Of a Pop Group

13.Figures on a Beach – You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet

14.INXS – Elegantly Wasted

15.U2 – God Part II (The Rubber Ring Rework)

Download The Good News Blues and the complete version of U2 – God Part II (The Rubber Ring Rework)

AOR DISCO Exclusive - The House of the Flying Eyeball presents... The Good News Blues... by the flying eyeball

AOR DISCO LIVE with Steve Lee and Graeme Fisher

2011-12-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

Recorded at Big In Japan at The Book Club in London on Friday, November 25th, this two hour set sees Steve Lee and Graeme Fisher join forces under the AOR Disco banner for the first time. Highlights include Psychemagik's carnival-style reworking of "I Believe In Love" by Kenny Loggins, as well as new interpretations of classics by Toto, Bryan Ferry and Fleetwood Mac, and numerous superb new disco tracks.

The audio file here sounds like an old bootleg ("Apologies," says Steve. "We recorded it to a C120 Monochrome Cassette") and it features an unusual amount of flanging ("Apologies again," says Steve. "I was celebrating my birthday and was a little drunk and over-excited and managed to flange the f*ck out of every other record played") but the mix shows what an outstanding combination Steve and Graeme are live. Two records on, two records off ~ Steve kicks off the party...

Photos by Mark Hucks / Download AOR Disco Live

Steve Lee & Graeme Fisher (AOR DISCO) live at "Big In Japan" ~ 25.11.11 by The Project Club

Born With The Moon In Virgo - Michael Franks

2011-12-01T06:41:00.000-08:00

Sunrise is the latest mix by Psychemagik in their series for Test Pressing and it features a range of excellent soft rock tracks, many of which will be unfamiliar to even the most learned beard-stroker. Country Comfort, Howard Wales, Junip, Rob Mehl, and Alex Oriental Experience anyone? A couple of forgotten tracks by vaguely well-known acts such as The James Gang appear too - as does this unexpectedly dynamic song from smooth groover Michael Franks, which brings to mind The Who's Pinball Wizard crossed with I Came To Dance era Nils Lofgren.

Download / Buy the album Previously Unreleased

Another Green World (The Blue Realm Remix) - Brian Eno

2011-11-30T07:48:00.000-08:00

Today's selection from AOR Disco's new compilation CD originally appeared on Brian Eno's third studio album which was released in 1975. Mojo Filter's Blue Realm version of this track appears alongside other remastered WAVs of remixes of classic artists such as Neil Young, The Small Faces, Prince, and Supertramp. The CD's release has been limited to 100 copies only and it can be ordered on the right hand column of this site.

Another Green World (The Blue Realm Remix) - Brian Eno by AOR DISCO

Travelling Light by Martin Brew

2011-11-30T05:14:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Martin Brew for his latest exclusive mix for us.

INTRO
CLIVE TANAKA Y SU ORQUESTA : the fourth magi
KEYBOARD MASHER : feelings of ecstacy
BRIAN PROTHEROE : pinball (ashley beedle's tripped rework)
ZOMBI : oscillations
THE SUPERIMPOSERS : seeing is believing (martin brew's dub)
THE QUINTUS PROJECT : night flight
MARCOS VALLE : nordest
PACIFIC HORIZONS : jack parson's laboratory
TORN SAIL : birds
40 THIEVES : crystal mountain thunderfuck
GREG FOAT GROUP : bright is the sun
CLIVE TANAKA Y SU ORQUESTA : skinjob
INCARNATIONS : sunset on punta paloma

Download Travelling Light and Martin's other AOR Disco mixes Summer Solstice, Under The Gaslight, Nooks and Crannies and Cherry Blossom Fall

Travelling Light by Martin Brew

AOR DISCO PRESENTS THE MOJO FILTER VINTAGE EDITS (LIMITED EDITION CD)

2011-11-29T03:58:00.000-08:00

AOR Disco's first compilation CD features the remastered WAVs of Mojo Filter's remixes of classic artists such as Neil Young, The Small Faces, Brian Eno, Prince, Supertramp and many others. We'll be featuring a few selections from the CD over the next week and today we've got the opening track, a reworking of Sweet Jane by The Cowboy Junkies (itself a cover version of The Velvet Underground original).

The CD can be ordered on the right hand column of this site.

Sweet Jane (Mojo Filter Re-Love) Cowboy Junkies 5:41
Captain Kennedy (Mojo Filter N.A.S.A Edit) Neil Young 7:12
Running Home (Mojo Filter's Won Edit) - Bert Jansch
Ghost Riders In the Sky (Mojo Filter Red-Eyed Remix) Johnny Cash 4:53
California Dreamin' (Ambient Forest Re-Love) Mojo Filter ft. José Feliciano 7:50
Another Green World (The Blue Realm remix) Mojo Filter ft. Brian Eno 9:04
The Logical Song (Chaos Theorum Solution remix) Mojo Filter ft. Supertramp 8:34
Deep Inside The Rainbow - Mojo Filter ft. Small Faces 7:12
Nitty Gritty Cotton Pickin' - Mojo Filter ft. Earl Scruggs 6:58
Ain't Too Proud To Beg (Pinot Vs Mojo Filter Vintage Re-Love) The Temptations 6:26
Raspberry Beret (Mojo Filter Work It Re-Fix) Prince & The Revolution 7:34

AOR DISCO EXCLUSIVE #49: Sweet Jane (Mojo Filter Junkie Re-Love) - Cowboy Junkies by AOR DISCO

Isn't It About Time? - Manassas

2011-11-25T10:22:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the writer Tom Cox for alerting us to this 1977 Rolling Stone interview with Stephen Stills. "The following opinions pretty much confirm Stills as my personal deity," says Cox. "Everything that's ever been right and wrong about music is summed up in eight short reviews."

In the late 1970s it was rumoured that Stills (best known for his work in Crosby, Stills and Nash with songs such as the yacht rock classic Dark Star, and for solo hits such as Love The One You're With) had a bodyguard to protect him from members of the Clash, the Ramones and other bands. What did Stills do that made these punks hate him so much?

According to Scharpling and Wurster, it was all down to a series in Rolling Stone magazine called Rock Star Rate-A-Record. "The concept was simple: sit a rocker down with a handful of current releases and let them give mini-reviews. And nothing illustrated the chasm between the new punk upstarts and the older rock establishment better than the June, 4 1977 Rate-A-Record session with Stills (whose comments are in italics)."

Ramones –“Sheena is a Punk Rocker”:

This is that punk shit everyone’s going nuts over? Sounds like four 6-year-olds picking up instruments for the first time. This sucks.

The Clash –“White Riot”:

This is worse than the one you just played me. Whatever happened to singing? Is this some kind of pro-KKK thing? This is what we marched against back in the sixties!

Fleetwood Mac –“Dreams”:

Now that’s more like it. This is a monster record by a great band. Listen to that groove my man Mick is laying down. Oh, Stevie, you are my number one gypsy goddess.

Sex Pistols –“God Save the Queen”:

Johnny ‘Rotten’ is right. What a crock of shit this band is. They think they’re dangerous? They’ve never seen Crosby when the burgers and beers run out.

The Eagles –“Hotel California”:

Wow. This could be the best thing these cats have ever done. And that is saying something. Joe Walsh is killing it on that solo, too. A+

Patti Smith –“Hey Joe”:

First question: is this a guy or a chick? Second question: How much do I have to pay him/her to never ruin another classic rock song again?

Foreigner –“Feels Like the First Time”:

Now THIS is what the new rock and roll should sound like. The guitar is loud and dirty but also tasteful. And this guy can sing. Hey, Clash…school’s in session…and Foreigner is your teacher!

Inspired by these wise words we decided to dig out a few classics from the Stills back catalogue and rediscovered "Isn't It About Time?", an underrated song by Stills' early 1970s supergroup Manassas. Although their self-titled first album is the one to get, this track opens their second album Down The Road and its shambolic Southern groove is up there with Stills' finest moments.

Download

Cosmic Cowboy by John Morgan

2011-11-24T10:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks to John Morgan for this exclusive mix for AOR Disco, the follow-up to his superb El Eternauta set for us last summer.

“Last week some friends and I drove out to Joshua Tree from Los Angeles to camp," he says. "There was a meteor shower going on. The journey actually began with the sunset and led deep and far into the night. The stars, the rocks, the open spaces. There's obviously something mystical, mysterious and delirious going on out there - just ask Jim Sullivan. Cowboy troubadours know this feeling well and I tried to capture some of that here with a nod to my hometown Los Angeles which is tied to the desert in so many ways.”

Aside from Sullivan's "Highways", the mix features tracks by Buckingham Nicks, Townes Van Zandt, Silver Apples, Tim Love Lee, Smith and Mudd, The Waterboys, Gram Rabbit, The Doors, Brian Eno and a number of lost country-rock classics from the 1970s together with spoken word samples by David Lynch, Jeff Bridges and Clint Eastwood.

Download MP3 or AIFF

Cosmic Cowboy by thoughtfilms

Owner of a Lonely Heart (Virgin Magnetic Material Remix) - Yes

2011-11-24T08:34:00.000-08:00

AOR Disco's interview with Shai Vardi of Virgin Magnetic Material is coming soon / Buy the original version on Yes' immense 1983 comeback album 90125

Yes - Owner Of A Lonely Heart (Virgin Magnetic Material Remix) by Virgin Magnetic Material

Whole Lotta Love (V's Dub Edit) - Led Zeppelin

2011-11-23T08:52:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Valique from Moscow, Russia

Download / Buy the 1969 original

Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta (V's dub edit) by valique

75 Minutes On The Good Foot by Coyote

2011-11-23T05:07:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Timm Sure of Coyote, Is It Balearic? Recordings and Magic Wand for this exclusive mix.

Nobuyuki Nakajima - Thinking of You
Incarnations - Let Love Find you
Jonathan Wilson - Ballad of the Pines
Barclay James Harvest - In My Life
Spike - Magic table
Abel - 7th of April
Donna Summer - State of Independence (New Bass Mix)
Cashier No.9 - Make You Feel Better
Vetiver - Can't You Tell (Bings Slim For Summer Dub)
Quintus Project - Night Flight (Original Mix)
Tiedye - Fisherman's Bend (Original Mix)
Yse Saint Laurent - Slow Joe
Skylevel - Like a Mighty Storm
The Lotus Eaters - First Picture of You

Download 75 Minutes on the Good Foot and Drowning In a Sea of Love

75 Minutes On The Good Foot by Coyote by AOR DISCO

Hollywood Seven (Disconet Dilemma Extended Edit) - Alides Hidding

2011-11-18T08:14:00.001-08:00

In 1974 Gloria Sklerov, a prolific songwriter who now specialises in wedding music, was asked to write an "urban story song" for Terry Jacks who needed a follow-up to the hit single Seasons in the Sun. "On the way home on the freeway one night I passed a motel called Hollywood Eight which intrigued me. I started to think about who might be checking in there. We decided to change the name to 'Hollywood Seven' because it 'sang' better. We then plotted the story and it all came out like it was meant to. Unfortunately the Terry Jacks deal fell though but we were thrilled when we heard the recording by Jon English. It used some of the synth riffs we had used in the demo and I was very proud of this version."

However it's the 1980 cover version of Hollywood Seven by Dutch singer Alides Hidding which has been "rescued from the depths of dollar bin obscurity" by DJs Mike Simonetti and Johnny Jewel. Recently released by Perseo Records (with other rare covers such as the German one with psychedelic guitar) Simonetti and Jewel's extended edit "clocks in at 6.51 and is mastered with extremely heavy drums."

Download / Buy the 12"

HOLLYWOOD SEVEN (Disconet Dilemma Extended Edit) by PERSEO RECORDS

Just Some Old Fashioned Love Songs by Travis Mac

2011-11-16T10:04:00.000-08:00

Travis Mac has been an open format club DJ since the mid 1990s. He is currently the Entertainment Director and resident DJ at Burn by Rocky Patel in Naples, Florida. This mix was recorded live at Burn on the 6th November 2011.

Three Dog Night - Just an Old Fashioned Love Song

Bronski Beat - Small Town Boy (Appo Remix)

Tony Joe White - Thing About You Baby (Psychemagik Love-Dub Edit)

Exile - Kiss You All Over (Tony Johns Version)

Kajagoogoo - Too Shy (Extended Mix)

Thomas Dolby - I Scare Myself (Disco Syndicate Ease the Pain Resuscitate Edit)

Joe Satriani - Always With You Always With Me (Live Version)

Pink Floyd - Breathe (Appo Remix)

Fleetwood Mac - Hypnotized (4am Rework)

Paula Cole - Feelin' Love (Psychemagik Reem Mix)

Deep Mind - True (Original Remix)

When In Rome - The Promise (Coliseum Mix)

Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now (Dynamicron Romanticron Edit)

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes - Wake Up Everybody (Psychemagik Edit)

Download

Just Some Old Fashioned Love Songs - Live at Burn 11/6/11 by DJ Travis Mac

AOR DISCO PRESENTS THE MOJO FILTER VINTAGE EDITS

2011-11-15T04:56:00.000-08:00

Limited edition CD coming soon, featuring remastered versions of California Dreamin' and many others.

Can't Trust Love (Space Duke Edit) - Suzi Quatro

2011-11-11T08:49:00.000-08:00

Thanks to J.J. Thomas aka Space Duke, "the man behind: Locomia, Tamara, Falete, and almost all the Latin Techno Samba bands in the last 20 years in Spain." He has also spent the last few years developing a new dance style - "Latin Techtonik" - which he teaches to clubbers in Madrid. He has residencies at Evaristo and Azucar and believes that "headphones and mixers are overvalued". So he plays his DJ sets with "a laserdisc and his old motorola 8700 phone (without cover)."

Download / Buy the original version on Suzi Quatro's 1975 album Your Mama Won't Like Me

AOR DISCO T-SHIRTS

2011-11-11T07:28:00.000-08:00

A reprint of 30 AOR Disco T-shirts designed by Will Webb has just arrived from the printers. The logo is screen printed on an off-white American Apparel T-shirt and it comes in four different sizes. It can be ordered from the right-hand column of this site.

All Right Now (Bobby Spice Edit) - Free

2011-11-10T08:41:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Bobby Spice from Oslo, Norway for this edit of Free's outtake version of their 1970 classic.

Download

Free - alright now (bobby spice edit) by Bobby Spice

Cello Song (Emtrails Edit) - Nick Drake

2011-11-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Chronic Youth from Newtown, Australia.

Download / Buy original version

Nick Drake - Cello Song (Emtrails Edit) by chronic youth

Sound of Silence (T2MM Edit) - Simon and Garfunkel

2011-11-09T04:04:00.000-08:00

Download / AOR Disco's Interview With The Two Mamarrachos / A Short T2MM Mixtape / Buy the original version

The Sounds of Silence- T2MM edit by The two mamarrachos

AOR Disco Deeper Mix by DJ Same

2011-11-08T03:59:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Sam Edlin aka DJ Same for this 12th volume in his series of mixes for us. As with Rock Edits and others, this Deeper Mix sees Sam continuing to explore the AOR genre and then blending it with soul, funk and house in a way that few DJs can do as successfully. Opening with a sample from AOR Disco's recent interview with Lauren Laverne on BBC6 Music, this mix combines reinventions of classics by soft rock warriors Mr Mister, Whitesnake, Fleetwood Mac, and Heart with tracks by soulful types such as The Temptations, Al Green, Oliver Cheatham and, last but not least, Le Pamplemousse. Full track-list to follow.

Download

AOR Disco Deeper Mix by DJ Same by AOR DISCO

AOR DISCO AT BIG IN JAPAN

2011-11-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

Following his AOR Disco set at the recent Mixmag party, Steve Lee of The Project Club will be representing the site at Big In Japan at The Book Club in London on Friday November 25th - and this time he'll be DJing with fellow Balearica resident Graeme Fisher whose exclusive Ibiza 1976ish Part Two mix for us has been one of the highlights of the year. Also on the bill is Leftside Wobble whose many remixes include this classic one of Tomorrow Never Knows by The Beatles.

T2MM Edits: A Short Mixtape For AOR Disco by The Two Mamarrachos (New Upload)

2011-11-04T03:54:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Borja Campion Bordenave and Jaime Sagastibelza for this exclusive mix of their classic AOR Disco edits.

Download /

AOR Disco's Interview With The Two Mammarchos Featuring the T2MM Edit of "Just For You" by Peter Green

T2MM Edits: A Short Mixtape For AOR Disco by The Two Mamarrachos by AOR DISCO

EXCLUSIVE WINTER WARM UP MIX FOR AOR DISCO BY MUSICA HERMOSA

2011-11-03T07:55:00.000-07:00

"Unlike most DJs I love doing the warm up," says Paul Doherty of Musica Hermosa. "It gives you free reign to play across the board and build the tempo to coax people onto the dancefloor." Most of the tracks here have been tweaked, edited or embellished for the mix (by Musica Hermosa, Kompleks, Space Duke, and others). Original artists include AOR legends such as America and Fleetwood Mac, an obscure beardy '70s French act called Cortex, and even a couple of bands you might not expect to find on this site, such as forgotten indie-merchants The Sundays. Full track-list to follow.

Download Mix and Musica Hermosa's exclusive edit of Van Nuys Blvd

EXCLUSIVE WINTER WARM UP MIX FOR AOR DISCO BY MUSICA HERMOSA by AOR DISCO

That's Love (Special Extended Party Dad Version) - Jim Capaldi

2011-11-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

"Before digging this record out of a pile of 45s that showed up in my local record shop a couple of years ago, the only things I'd heard from Jim Capaldi were his excellent 1979 disco classic Shoe Shine and his drumming in the band Traffic, " says Tay McNabb of Party Dad. "This song is quite a bit different from either, though. Super laid-back synth-heavy AOR grooves perfect for driving around on a cloudy day or shuffling across a dancefloor in the wee hours of the morning. That's Love was co-produced by Capaldi's former Traffic bandmate Steve Winwood, whose keyboard work on the track harkens back to his 1980 album Arc Of A Diver, an essential record for anyone's Balearic crate."

Download / Buy the 1983 original

Jim Capaldi - That's Love (Special Extended Party Dad Version) by Party Dad

New Genesis Blood - Peter Gabriel vs Phil Collins

2011-10-31T10:26:00.000-07:00

In Too Deep by Genesis meets San Jacinto (New Blood Edition) by Peter Gabriel. Spoken words sampled by Colatron from the movie Cry of the Owl. Thanks to Fred Kempf - aka Fissunix - from Metz in France.

Download / Buy original versions here and here

New Genesis Blood by Fissunix

Captain Kennedy (Mojo Filter N.A.S.A Edit) - Neil Young

2011-10-27T11:18:00.000-07:00

"A gem from the little-known Chrome Dreams - Rust Edition bootleg from 1976 (later released as part of Hawks and Doves)," says Ben Zaven-Crane of Mojo Filter. "Thanks to BFD for the drums and Nicholas Jaar for his unique inspiration."

Download / Buy original

Neil Young - Captain Kennedy (Mojo Filter N.A.S.A Edit) by Mojo Filter

Rhiannon (Flying White Dots Diskomiks) - Fleetwood Mac

2011-10-26T05:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Bryan Whellams of Flying White Dots for this "laidback, dreamy eight-minute disco edit inspired by Psychemagik and Prins Thomas."

Download MP3 or WAV / Buy the 1976 original

Fleetwood Mac - Rhiannon (Flying White Dots Diskomiks) by FlyingWhiteDots

Ready 4 Airplay Volume 6 by Flashlites Productions

2011-10-25T09:41:00.000-07:00

"Volume 5 was meant to have been the final mix in the series of Westcoast/AOR rarities," says C.J. of Flashlites Productions. "But by popular demand and because it gives me a special enjoyment the series continues. So here it is ... the usual, unusual...u know. Thanks to DJ Supermarkt for inspiration and La Bible de la Westcoast for information."

Nielsen & Pearson – Too Good To Last (1983)

Robben Ford – Standing On The Outside (1983)

Hall & Oates – Open All Night (1982)

Patrick Simmons – Sue Sad (1983)

Michael James Murphy – Living Again (1983)

Finis Henderson – Blame It On The Night (1983)

Giorgio Moroder & Joe Esposito – A Love Affair (1983)

Shandi – He’s A Dream (1983)

Motels – Suddenly Last Summer (1983)

Patti Austin & James Ingram – Baby Come To Me (1983)

Bobby Martin – Don’t Give Up (1983)

Michael McDonald – Love Lies (1982)

Marilyn Scott – First Time (1983)

The Boys Band – Think About It (1982)

Eddie Rabbit & Chrystal Gayle – Just You And I (1983)

Michael Sembello – Lay Back (1983)

Dakota – Over And Over (1984)

Frank Stallone – Love is Like A Light (1984)

Elton John – Too Low For Zero (1983)

Roby Duke – Come Let Us Reason (1984)

Download

Ready 4 Airplay Vol.VI by FlashlitesProductions

Just For You (T2MM Rainy Autumn Day Edit) - Peter Green

2011-10-24T14:26:00.000-07:00

Following their superb edits of America's Muskrat Love, Tim Buckley's Cafe and many others, The Two Mammarachos return with this revamp of a track from Peter Green's 1979 album In The Skies. The Two Mamarrachos are two DJs from San Sebastian in Spain - Borja Campion and Jaime Sagastibeltza - and we spoke to them last week.

When did you decide to work together as The Two Mamarrachos?

Borja: We've known each other for 20 years. Jaime came and approached my cousin, and he now has two children with her (laughs). After DJing at various clubs such as Amnesia and KU he became involved in production (as Dr. Beat from San Sebastian, he composed Mediterrano) and I was obsessed with DJing. I used to spend all my money buying vinyl (10,000 in the collection so far) and going to play him the new sounds. I was also interested in learning production skills so in 2004 we joined forces.
Jaime: Borja keeps me fresh about the latest styles and trends. A real visionary - and a real showman in the DJ box. He's a stage animal!

Have you always listened 1970s soft rock? Or did you discover it recently?

Borja: At first we were more into electronic dance music but we have always had a weakness for guitars. And ever since the acid house era began we have mixed rock music in our sets.
Jaime: I grew up hearing soft rock in the house. My father was a hippy in the 1970's - and still is (laughs) He gave me a tape of songs by America when I was six years old. My mother used to listen Paco de Lucia, Pink Floyd and Kraftwerk. So that's a good foundation, I think.

Will you be doing any edits of tracks from the 1980s?

Borja: '80s music was wonderful. It was in the '80s when they began to use production techniques that we all want to emulate today.The music of the 70s is like a diamond in the rough. A diamond can be polished, but editing a song from the '80s - which is so smooth already - just seems tacky and sacrilegious.

What are T2MM planning next?

We releasing single with our edits of "Deep Purple - Keep on Moving" and "America - Muskrat Love" on Jolly Jams (Berlin) before Christmas. And "Tim Buckley - Cafe" is going to be be included in Volume 4 of Coyote's magnificent Magic Wand series.We are very comfortable playing and producing AOR music. Our goal is to continue to release only on vinyl, and we will create our own label if necessary. Also - we are currently looking for an agent who'll getus out there, but not just any agent: we want play AOR only to the public that appreciates it.

Download Just For You and A Short Mixtape For AOR Disco

Just For You (T2MM Rainy Autumn Day Edit) - Peter Green by AOR DISCO

Drift Away (Mum's Old Vinyl Re-find) - The Rolling Stones

2011-10-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Mum's Old Vinyl and Ben Zaven-Crane of Mojo Filter. We continued our conversation with Ben by asking him about his approach to remixes and edits. Although he's kept the additional production light and minimal on Drift Away, Ben is best known for his highly involved and creative remixes, such as California Dreamin'.

"Well - as a producer I make stuff to play out," he says. "I did quite a few original tracks before but without familiar samples it's tricky to get the reaction I enjoy despite having some decent stuff. Although I've probably listened to my own music more than anyone else's, it can end up sounding way too off-the-wall. Working old faves is so enjoyable - and California Dreamin' was an obvious choice - it's seasonal and nostalgic. I wanted to complement the original and give it a beatnik. I really enjoy trying to make tracks sound as if they were made in a futuristic way many years ago - if you know what I mean."

Who have you enjoyed collaborating with recently?

"Having had Psychemagik productions dominate my sets, I found out who they were and phoned them and we clicked. I ducked into the stoods with them a few months back to start Nitty Gritty inspired by their take on Sonny Terry's Whoopin' The Blues, which has everything I love about re-edits. Their aural prowess is on another planet and they're up there with (and beyond) Stuart Price and have big things ahead of them. A real inspiration."

Part Three of our interview with Mojo Filter coming soon / Download Drift Away

Drift Away (Mum's Old Vinyl Re-find) - Rolling Stones by AOR DISCO

Foolish Heart (Genuine Fraud Edit) - Steve Perry

2011-10-21T07:44:00.000-07:00

Where to begin with the genius of Steve Perry? Mocked by the UK music press in the early 1980s ("You realize you sound like a duck when you sing?" was a typical question), Perry never managed to establish himself in the pantheon of greatness over here. In America however - as his presence alongside Springsteen, Dylan, Wonder, Jackson and many other legends who turned out for We Are The World in 1985 testifies - it was a different story and he was often simply called The Voice.

Although he is best loved for his epoch-defining time as the singer of Journey (whose AOR masterpieces include Escape, Frontiers and Raised On Radio), it is Street Talk, his solo record from 1984, which has attracted attention from modern day DJs and producers. First we had Red Ken's Resuscitated Edit of She's Mine and now Genuine Fraud from Texas has taken on the smooth yacht rock classic Foolish Heart. As with Red Ken's edit this is a great dub version which owes more to deep house than it does to AOR. The original Perry vocal version can bought here.

Download

Steve Perry - Foolish Heart (Genuine Fraud Edit) by Genuine Fraud II

Van Nuys Bvld (Musica Hermosa Edit Dub) by Ken Mansfield and Ron Wright

2011-10-18T10:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Paul Doherty of Musica Hermosa for this exclusive edit of a track from soundtrack of the 1979 movie Van Nuys Blvd (where "The Greatest Cruisin' In The Land Takes Place"). Aside from his edits and mixes Paul runs the excellent Musica Hermosa blog and we'll be featuring his latest DJ set later this month.

Download WAV

Van Nuys Bvld (Musica Hermosa's Edit Dub) - Ken Mansfield and Ron Wright by AOR DISCO

Heading For The Bayou by La Homage

2011-10-17T07:23:00.000-07:00

"Jump in the car, turn on the music and relax, as you drive the dusty back roads all the way through the Deep South from Georgia, through Alabama, Mississippi, and into Louisiana," says Mark Taylor. "Heading for the Bayou is the latest selection for AOR Disco, one of our favourite music blog pages. We've selected the usual 70s classic / obscure AOR tracks, as well as remixes from Neon Heights, Jimmy Michaels, a wonderful track from a friend of ours Mashed & Confused, a couple of edits from ourselves, and one from Ole Smokey(a Charles Stepney produced beauty). With a little bit of Christian Soul to compliment the Deep South journey, and even some new Folk to end the mix."

Thanks to Mark and Koh of La Homage. Other highly recommended exclusives for us include Heading For The Sun, Haze and Dazed and Marina Rock.

Download

Heading For The Bayou by La Homage by AOR DISCO

AOR Live Transmission Part 3: A Path Through The Ambient Forest by Mojo Filter

2011-10-11T04:16:00.000-07:00

Ben Zaven-Crane is one of the most original and exciting talents we've come across in the last two years. Recently he's been getting the recognition he deserves with his remixes of The Temptations (which got airplay on Rob Da Bank's Radio One Show), Brian Eno (which was recommended by Mixmag and The Guardian's Alexis Petrides) and Jose Feliciano (which will be reviewed in the December issue of Mixmag - and check our Soundcloud account for the extraordinary reaction to this track). So it's a real pleasure to be posting up Ben's latest exclusive mix for us and to talk to him about Mojo Filter.

Where did you get the name Mojo Filter from?

"It came about when I was working on a Beatles 'Come Together' cover and re-recording the lyrics when I noticed how uber-bizarre they were. One line was: 'He's got muddy water/ He one mojo filter.' Whammo! There it was - thank you Lennon."

You've described your style as 'psychedelic folk techno'. How did this mix of styles evolve? And how do your AOR Transmission sets compare to your other sets?

"Well, I used to love psytrance (eeek) and the fact you could go to an exotic festival and stay rooted dancing to heady tunes for days on end changed my perception of music. It used to be so fresh back then. No really. Unfortunately the music failed to evolve so I ventured-out and went for music that was still challenging but had a more inclusive feel. That way my folks could come along. Seriously. So I started to incorporate my roots in folk and festivals into my productions. 'White Rabbit' was born and I found a niche for old sounds in new dance productions.

Blogs like yours have actually given many producers some new direction by combining underground production values with familiar vibes. As a DJ foremost - this was so enthralling. So the sets I compose for AOR Disco are my favourites. I get to incorporate loads of my own stuff and some oddities too which are not strictly dancefloor. I do lots of techno/electro/warehouse gigs and thrash-out all the big tunes so don't often get to play my slo-mo fluff-stuff."

The next part of our interview with Ben Zaven-Crane will be posted later this week.

Download / AOR Live Transmission Volumes One and Two

AOR Live Transmission Pt. 3: A Path through the Ambient Forest by Mojo Filter

Sean Rowley presents "Soft Rock Disco" for Ministry of Sound Radio

2011-10-10T11:45:00.000-07:00

Regular visitors to this site might feel that Sean Rowley's new show for Ministry of Sound Radio has a familiar ring to it. It's called Soft Rock Disco and it "sails a course through the heart of the 70s and 80s...featuring classic tunes which have been remixed and re-edited for the now generation." Its launch last Sunday follows our interviews in September with Bill Brewster in Mixmag and Lauren Laverne on BBC6Music - and indeed the airing of Graeme Fisher presents "AOR Disco" for Ministry of Sound Radio last December - so Rowley's venture reveals a keen eye for a trend.

However he was one of the pioneers of the AOR revival and his compilations Guilty Pleasures and Guilty Pleasures Rides Again - as well as his long-running club nights - feature many of the best soft rock/easy listening standards. His new show also includes remixes by some of our favourite producers, such as Red Ken (whose exclusive and classic edit for us of Steve Perry's "She's Mine" gets a name check on the programme), Cousin Cole, Le Sale and the Seahawks. You can hear the next installment of Soft Rock Disco this Sunday.

Driver's Seat (The Starkiller's Night Drive Edit) - Sniff 'n' the Tears

2011-10-10T05:26:00.000-07:00

Download / Buy the original / Sniff 'n' the Tears on Top of the Pops in June 1979

Sniff 'n' the Tears - Driver's Seat (The Starkiller's Night Drive Edit) by The Starkiller

Running From Home (Mojo Filter's ὠδή Edit) - Bert Jansch

2011-10-08T15:11:00.000-07:00

In tribute to Bert Jansch who died last week.

Download / Buy original version / Read Guardian article on Bert Jansch by Pete Paphides / Thanks to Ben Zaven-Crane of Mojo Filter

Bert Jansch - Running, Running from Home (ὠδή Edit) by Mojo Filter

2011 Deckchair Memories by Zak Hamburg

2011-10-06T13:15:00.000-07:00

Another great mix by Hamburg City Beach Club resident and AOR Disco regular Zacharius Preen which clocks in at an epic one hour and forty-five minutes...

1. coyote feat. gavin gordon - el sueno oscuro

2. shadower - throwing snow

3. tricky - time to dance (maya jane coles remix)

4. the rapture - in the grace of your love

5. steve miller band - fly like an eagle (virgin magnetic material remix)

6. holy ghost! - some children

7. lusty zanzibar - feeling (fear of theydon downtempo mix)

8. beck - loser (the starkiller edit)

9. pink floyd / air - on the run vs alpha beta gaga (lulu rouge bootleg)

10. fear of theydon - he returns from the beyond

11. great lake swimmers - your rocky spine (mojo filter black rock remix)

12. little dragon - scribbled paper (fear of theydon remix)

13. wighnomy brothers - something for your mind(teleelekronicagrunch im diskodatschen rework)

14. daniel bortz - boyz 2 men (original mix)

15. guy gerber - time for a change

16. luca c & brigante, ali love - different morals (clockwork remix)

17. terranova - take my hand

18. coyote feat. gavin gordon - minamoto (dj steef remix)

Download

2011 DECKCHAIR MEMORIES by DJ ZAK HAMBURG

The Vibe of Vice by Flashlites Productions

2011-09-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

Over the last three years AOR Disco has focused on music from 1968-1982. There have been a few exceptions to this but the final years of the Golden Age of AOR have been neglected. The makers of Yacht Rock got it right when they ended the series in 1986 - the year which saw the release of Michael McDonald's last major hit, the break-up of Journey and the arrival of the poodle bands like Bon Jovi whose success led to the grunge backlash five years later which killed AOR off for good. So it's long-overdue that we feature a mix which captures the spirit of the mid-1980s, before it all went wrong, and who better to ask than CJ of Flashlites Productions whose five volume Ready 4 Airplay series has documented the progression of the classic American FM radio sound. For CJ the defining context for mid-80s AOR is Miami Vice so here it is: "The Vibe of Vice", featuring a mixture of original tracks and new edits, with samples from Miami Vice Season 1 and the Miami Vice Pepsi Ad from 1985.

Download

Exclusive for AOR Disco: Flashlites presents "The Vibe Of Vice" by FlashlitesProductions

California Dreamin' (Ambient Forest Re-Love) - Mojo Filter ft. José Feliciano

2011-09-27T05:30:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Ben Zaven-Crane of Mojo Filter for this exclusive rework. Ben's latest mix for us - AOR Live Transmission Part 3 - is outstanding and we'll be posting it with an interview with him later this week.

Track available on the forthcoming CD "AOR Disco Presents The Mojo Filter Vintage Edits"/ Buy the orginal version

California Dreamin' (Ambient Forest Re-Love) - Mojo Filter ft. José Feliciano by AOR DISCO

T2MM Edits: A Short Mixtape For AOR Disco by The Two Mamarrachos

2011-09-26T13:29:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Borja Campion Bordenave and Jaime Sagastibeltza of The Two Mamarrachos for this exclusive mix featuring their classic AOR Disco edits.

1. Another Sleep Song (T2MM Edit) - Crosby, Stills and Nash

2. Cafe (T2MM Edit) - Tim Buckley

3. Alone Again (T2MM Edit) - Gilbert O'Sullivan

4. Planet Caravan (T2MM Edit) - Black Sabbath

5. Light of Day (T2MM Beta Edit) - Little River Band

6. You Keep On Movin' (T2MM Edit) - Deep Purple

7. Muskrat Love (T2MM Edit) - America

Download

01 Set AOR DISCO T2MM Edits short mixtape by The two mamarrachos

Pagan Baby (The Starkiller's Pagan Ritual Rework) - Creedence Clearwater Revival

2011-09-25T13:55:00.000-07:00

Download / Other reworks by The Starkiller / Buy the original

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Pagan Baby (The Starkiller's Pagan Ritual Rework) by The Starkiller

Ibiza '76ish Mix Part One by Graeme Fisher

2011-09-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

Graeme Fisher's Ibiza '76ish Mix Part Two has had a great response this week. For anyone who missed Part One, which we originally posted in 2009 and which was an inspiration for starting AOR Disco in the first place, the download is available below.

After our conversation with Graeme about these two mixes, we asked how he would compare his DJing style now to - say - the 1990s? "I was lucky enough to play a vast cross section of music at some amazing clubs during that era," he said. "In the early days I was the token piano house DJ in the backroom of many a rave. I was Jose Padilla's resident for a summer at Pacha and Space and played at KU and Cafe Del Mar, I was also a resident for Tribal Gathering at the Complex in London playing on the bill with the likes of Juan Atkins, Andrew Weatherall and Derrick Carter so I had a great time and played to some ace dancfloors. But the best part for me was usually after the club and I spent many a lost weekend with the likes of Kelvin Andrews and Balearic Mike playing records that we wouldn't have played in the clubs well into a Monday morning. So in some respects it's very similar and a lot of the records that were discovered back then are still relevant now - but thankfully these days I'm never to be found surfing down the stairs on a tea tray."

We also asked him about his club night Balearica which he runs with Steve Lee of The Project Club. "Balearica's been amazing as I'd not had a regular gig for years and had pretty much given up DJing altogether. I met Steve through the now defunct Disco Not Disco group that was running on Facebook, which was the reason I'd started doing mixes again. I'd played at a couple of D'N'D nights and got on well with Steve so he very kindly asked me to be resident at Balearica. It's in a great, dirty, old East End boozer that’s filled with far cooler and younger dudes than me and who like getting down to some quality music. With regards to production, obviously Steve's got loads going on with The Project Club and now Above Machine and I’ve been meaning to do something for a while but never seem to get the time to finish anything. In fact the last thing I actually produced and released was a remix in 1994 that some years later made DJ magazines 'Top 10 Progressive House Records Ever'. I mean - how do you beat that?"

Download Part One / Other mixes by Graeme Fisher

Who Are You (Kompleks Edit) - The Who

2011-09-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Bojan and Nebojsa of Kompleks for this exclusive edit of The Who's 1978 classic.

Download / Other AOR Disco edits by Kompleks: Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin and Guns of Brixton by The Clash

Who Are You (Kompleks Edit) - The Who by AOR DISCO