Silk [1980] - I Can't Stop (Turning You On) [PIR#ZS9 3730]

I'm in the process of trawling the 80s looking for lesser known or unknown top tunes.  I have to say it's hard work as musical style changed significantly throughout the decade as musicians were replaced by synthesisers and computers and funk and boogie and bland MOR ballads seemed to dominate.  However, I know of many diamonds in the rough, and hopefully will find some more.

I'll tag them as '80's Hidden Gems' so that they can be group together on the side bar links.

To kick things off here's one of only three 45s (all on Philadelphia International) released by Silk.  

Silk are a reincarnation of Ujima formed in 1972 in Richmond, VA who in 1976 became Anglo Saxon Brown.  As Silk they released a solitary album (Midnight Dancer) and 3 45s on Philadelphia International in 1979.  

The female lead, Debra Henry, released a couple of duets with Jerry Butler in 1980.  Nothing else was released by the group so I presume they split up in 1979/80 perhaps because Debra Henry wanted to go solo or perhaps she went solo because the group split, but other than the couple of releases with Jerry Butler I can find nothing else from her.

The version posted here is the slightly longer (4:00) album version reissued on 12" in 2003.

Who Is Gil Scott-Heron?

If James Brown is Godfather of Soul and Aretha Franklin the Queen of Soul then Gill Scott-Heron must be the Godfather of Rap/Hip-Hop, also portrayed as The Black Dylan!

His mother was an opera singer and his father (Gil Heron) was a Jamaican footballer who was the first black man to play for Celtic!

When you think Of Scott-Heron I guess the songs that immediately spring to mind are The Bottle, Johannesburg, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, Pieces Of A Man, Winter In America others include Lady Day And John Coltrane, Home Is Where The Hatred Is, Beg Your Pardon America, When You Are Who Are You Are or Inner City Blues.

If you're new to Scott-Heron's music then you couldn't do better than pick up a 3 CD compilation (also available on digital but not vinyl) The Revolution Begins (The Flying Dutchman Masters) which consists of his complete Flying Dutchman catalogue.

Here's a documentary film 'Who Is Gil Scott-Heron' by XL Recordings originally released to coincide with the 2010 release of his first album for 16 years 'I'm New Here' just a year before his death.  It has been re-released (2020) to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the album.

Gil Scott-Heron [1981] - "B" Movie [Arista #AS 0647]

Sadly, everything he says in this 'message' song from 1981 about the state of politics (Ronald Regan) is still true today.  Just imagine what he'd have written about Trump had he lived to see the day!