cats rockin it out on the scene, 1982. :poplocks:

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

YOUR AWESOME !!! watched this all the time !!!

"Sharevari" by A Number of Names (on Capriccio)

A Number of Names was the short-lived group responsible for one of the first techno releases that came from Detroit. Thanks to their lone release, the Italo disco inspired "Sharevari" b/w "Skitso," it could be said that A Number of Names, along with Juan Atkins' and Rick Davis' Cybotron, the outfit that released "Alleys of Your Mind" around the same time as "Sharevari" in 1981, were proto-techno as much as the Stooges and MC5 were proto-punk. Both techno and punk took roughly the same amount of time to become fully realized styles after the appearance of their forebears. Coincidentally, each of these forebears came from Detroit and the area surrounding it.

In 1981, high schoolers Paul Lesley and Sterling Jones decided to finalize their long-brewing plans to form a music group. Inspired by Capriccio, the posh and clique-ish party club that they belonged to (one of many at that time in Detroit), the duo recorded "Sharevari" during the summer of the group's year of formation with the help of several others. While Lesley contributed the lead vocals and bass synth and Jones wrote the lyrics, the song was arranged by Judson Powell and Robert Taylor. Taylor also provided the vocals on the chorus, which were mutated by synth effects. Roderick Simpson, who also received a songwriting credit, played the main melody. Sheila Wheaton and Ira Cash provided the backup vocals that followed the chorus in a quasi-call-and-response manner.

"Sharevari," as a song title, was a play on the name of another Detroit party club, Charivari. Additionally, the club Charivari took its name from a chain of upscale clothing shops, so Lesley and Jones opted to alter the spelling of their song in order to sidestep any possible legal issues. They took an unfinished version of the song into one of the Charivari parties, had it played by DJ Darryl Shannon, and -- judging from the crowd's reaction -- discovered that they had something big on their hands. Legendary radio jock the Electrifying Mojo was in attendance at the party and invited the unnamed group that was responsible for the song to WGPR to join him in the booth for one of his shows. The group obliged, and while they were in the studio with Mojo, they talked about not knowing what to call themselves. Mojo suggested A Number of Names. The moniker stuck.

After the final version of "Sharevari" was completed, the group had 12" singles pressed up (with "Skitso" as the B-side) and released it on their own label, dubbed Capriccio. Not ones to miss the opportunity for a good reference, the group assigned the catalog number 928 to the release, 928 being the model of Porsche driven by the protagonist in "Sharevari." Thanks to the support of the Electrifying Mojo and party DJs, the song became an instant classic and a source of inspiration that has lasted decades, not just for Detroit producers, but for many scattered across the globe as well.

http://www.answers.com/to...r-of-names

DAMN, I WAS JUST THIKIN ABOUT THE SCENE LAST NIGHT! YOU HAVE MADE MY DAY WITH THIS THROWBACK! AND TO SEE FAST FREDDY AGAIN HE WAS THE ONE WHO TOOK OFF HIS JACKET AND THROW IT IN THE CROWD, AND ONE TIME THEY THREW IT BACK IN HIS FACE


AHHH, MEMORIES

IDEJJD said:

i wish shows like that were still on teevee, man. i'd watch it religiously.

Wow! Well if it aint Detroit's THE SCENE! I guess I was 2 or 3 when this episode aired originally but I certainly remember THE SCENE as well as The New Dance Show. THE SCENE was 10x funkier than SOUL TRAIN. I wish I had some episodes on DVD.

WGPR-TV was the first television station in the world that was black owned and operated. Theres a little bit of Detroit trivia for u! It is now owned by CBS/Viacom.

word!

GangstaFam said:

You know this chit, Detroit boy?

BUMP!!~!!!!

OH SHIT!!!

"Sugar is sugar... salt is salt...if you didn't get off this time...it's not our fault!!"

That was my show!! Thanks, Dansa! Talk about memories!

I wanted to get on that show sooooo bad but by the time I was old enough, the party was over.

I saw Fast Freddy not too long ago, he was giving Hustle and Ballroom lessons at a club on the Eastside.
[Edited 1/12/07 20:04pm]

That was the "newer" Scene. . .we'd been watching that since the mid-late 70's--my whole time in high school. Those dancers were like superstars. . .we'd see them walking around Northland Mall and it was pandemonium. Me and my buddies kept swearing we'd go on the show, but only one of us did (not me). And she only went once.

Well, thank ya for that one! Brought back great memories.

found another bit about the scene on youtube...here's a news report about it.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

GIRL!

I had to get my husband 'round the computer for THAT one!

I don't believe it, the blocks are off the computer tonight and I can see the video. That was great. We had a local dance show like that too. The local shows are much better than "Soul Train" because they had a whole nation to please. With a local show, they really get down and play some of the hardest funk that is popular in the area.....unless you live somewhere like Idaho or something.

That was great too. I love the ending song. You would never hear a jam like "We Are The Jonzun Crew" on "Soul Train".

OH MY GOD!
DANSA
I loved The Scene! The dance line...The Count...How did you know about it?! They always played the COOLEST music and the dancers were so awesome! Later it turned into something calle "The New Dance Show" which had a new host and was never as cool. My friends and I get nostalgic about this show...I'm gonna share this with them!


http://www.thescenedetroi...62792.html

applekisses said:

i remember hearing some of ya'll detroit orgers talking about the scene...then a couple days ago, a friend of mine posted that youtube video link on their livejournal page. i watched it and was like "hot dayum, man!" i hadn't seen anyone else link to that here yet, so i decided to post it just for you guys.

I miss My Home Detroit Rocks

Thank for posting this handclaps. You just don't know how much this means to me. I grew up watching The Scene, as it was a staple show in most households in Detroit back in the day.
[Edited 1/14/07 11:06am]

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Thanks, honey! I showed it to my ex boyfriend and he found some links to the New Dance Show!

http://www.youtube.com/wa...ed&search=

There were several local business that had commercials on during the show including a sleezy strip clup called Watts Club Mozambique. They had the CRAZIEST names for their dancers!

http://www.youtube.com/wa...ZdeS7mc&NR

There was also a regular on there who would dress up in all black and a cape...he called himself "The Count"

The music was sooooo good...pure Detroit Techno muscle...Club Mtv had NO-THING on The New Dance Show!

http://www.youtube.com/wa...ed&search=
(big ups for Inner City!!! )


http://www.youtube.com/wa...ed&search=

http://www.youtube.com/wa...ed&search=

http://www.youtube.com/wa...ed&search=

This just takes me back...to listening to the Electrifying Mojo on WJLB late at night...weekend evenings on the Boblo boat coming back from the Island with techno DJs pumping "Egyptian Lover" and people filling up the floors dancing. Ahhh...the memories

Look at that spastic dude rockin the white suit. aw lawd..hehe

Did anyone else here go to The Majestic Theater from about 1989 to 1991 for the Techno/House/Acid House/Industrial/Punk nights?

Apples, I'd take you there in a short dress, show you off..smile.

2freaky4church1 said:

Awesome. I love seeing people just have fun with it.

This is a tiny bit before my time, though. I'm more familiar with "The New Dance Show." There were A LOT of characters on that show. It was comedy for me. My cousin was one of the dancers,too.

lameless said:

Oh, lord. My husband just reminded me that he used to dance on "The New Dance Show" in the early 90's (we were friends at the time). I remember because I used to tell him he was too old for that show. Boy, if any of the episodes show up on YouTube. . .BLACKMAIL!! HAHAHA!!

lameless said:

Same here...the characters made that show! But, the music WAS hot.

NuPwr319 said:

Your husband didn't know "The Count" did he?