The Lost Art of the 12 Inch Single

Listening again this weekend to the Eurobeat Style 12" Mix of Bananarama's "Love In The First Degree" made me think of how low-tech remixes in the 1980s used to be, and how much I loved the fact that they were so technologically lousy. How joyous it was to listen to a song build up layer upon layer (the beat, the bass, the synths) then fade out the same way. How exciting were those extra "piak piak" noises added to the beat, the thrilling way the instruments would suddenly cut out leaving the beat and the voice. Those were the days that you had only 1 or at most 2 remixes for each song, so that you would know your favourite remixes so well, you could even sing the beat and synth changes to your friends in mid-conversation.

These days, remixers take a song and make it their own. Sometimes only the bassline of the original remains, or a snatch of singing. The song melds into others and it becomes just another tune in a long string of unrecognisable songs in a DJ set. Anyway, the mix itself is one of 6 or 7 out that were commissioned and you can never remember which is which.

So in fond memory of years gone by, here is a list of my favourite "12 inch single moments", a list that will grow as I remember them:

1. "Bizarre Love Triangle", New Order
"Ting-ti-ting tong tong, ting-ti-ting tong tong... piak piak piak!! (drum roll noises).... piak piak piak!! (longer drum roll noises)"

2. "What Have I Done to Deserve This?", Pet Shop Boys
The Extended Mix starting with sublime "kish kash" banging-on-dustbin noises was on Side A, and the Disco Mix with slightly altered, groovier beat was on Side B. The difference was so subtle yet so obvious.

3. "Drama (Act 2)", Erasure
Lovely plinkety, twinkly synth noises extended... then suddenly a rush of everything playing at once all at the same time. Truly orgasmic when I first heard it at top volume on the 4th floor of Bukit Timah Shopping Centre. K.L. and I literally stopped in our tracks, looked at each other agape, then went into the shop to buy a copy each.

4. "The Reflex (Dance Mix)", Duran Duran
"Ta la la-la, duh-duh-duh-duh-duh reflex, Ta la la-la, duh-duh-duh-duh-duh reflex, duh reflex, duh reflex... FLEK-FLEK-FLEK-FLEK-FLEK!!!"



5. "The Sun Always Shines On TV (US Dance Mix)", A-ha
I first heard this (and the extra groovy percussive beat) on a super-thin 7-inch flexi disc that came free with the 29th March '86 issue of the English music magazine No. 1. Never found the 12", still looking. Still willing to have sex with someone really ugly for it.

6. "Gold (12" Mix)", Spandau Ballet
Oh, that extended intro it's so smooth it's like buttah. The wistful, jazzy piano, the bongo drums at 1:27...

7. "Castles In The Air (Extended Version)", The Colourfield
How do you improve on a thing of utter sadness and beauty? More melancholic guitar! Extended cello solo! Over-the-top string arrangement! "Why should a lonely person care? What can a lonely person share? A broken heart is much too hard to renovate, cos beauty never comes to those who wait..."

8. "I Beg Your Pardon (Club Mix)", Kon Kan
We don't want to hustle? Yes, that's right! Right, we don't want to salsa! Peep! Peep!



9. "Oh Patti (Extended)", Scritti Politti
This was a total sublime sensory experience. Oh the cover, oh the song... Oh the cover, oh the song.



10. "Shake The Disease (Remixed Extended Version)", Depeche Mode
Simply elegant. Still one of the very best Depeche Mode remixes, done at the very height of their career.