This is a 6+ hr DJ Afrika Bambaataa set list from tunes he would put down at the Roxy ( a roller disco) in NYC circa summer ’83 where the flyer proclaimed: No Skating! Just Dance Your pants Off Every Friday Night! – B There!
Hosted by Fab Five Freddy, with live Graf art provided by Futura 2000, while the Double Dutch Girls & Crazy Legs from the Rocksteady Crew would be Breakdancin’ down on the floor Jazzy Jay & Bambaataa would man the wheels of steel and a DJ battle featuring Grand Wizard Theodore vs Grandmaster D.S.T. ( made famous via Herbie Hancock’s Rockit) would soon be scratchin’ up a storm. To get a sense of the vibe, this clip posted below from the 1984 film “Beat Street” has a scene shot there featuring Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force performing their electro funk rap song “Same” with cameos from the Rock Steady Crew.
This 6 hr+ mega mix I have made available as a playlist on either Spotify or Amazon Music recreates the crate diggin’ sequences of contemporary music one might experience in a hot early 80’s club that kept beats pumpin’ until the sun came up. This old school tracklist featuring soul , electro funk, rock, new wave & early Hip-Hop faves of the day was compiled from archival playlist info provided by Bambaataa himself. The original posted mix included 80+ Songs, but rights holders have begun pulling catalog songs from shady silicon sucka streaming platforms, so results may vary on your music apps.
I listed all the O.G. 80’s club mix tracks below, whether currently available, for completists to seek out and so you can find out what you’re missing from artists as varied as Newcleus, Marley Marl, Strafe, Egyptian Lover, Reggie Griffin, Re-Flex, KRS One, The Fantastic Aleems ft Leroy Burgess and even Foreigner whose recordings may no longer can be found on Spotify.
link to the mix on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4SYtNMWGenQFyUhm7rbQRA
2009 pic of the Roxy in the old Meat Packing district on edge of Chelsea before it was demolished to make way for a modern residential highrise
Photo By Aloughman – https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7161708
Tracklist :
Billy Squier – The Big Beat
The Treacherous Three – Yes We Can-Can
Afrika Bambaataa – Jazzy Sensation – 12″ Remix
Shango – Zulu Groove (Edited Version)
Trouble Funk – Trouble Funk Express
Hashim – Al-Naafyish – Radio Edit
Strafe – Set it Off …
Afrika Bambaataa & Family – Bambaataa’s Theme (Assault On Precinct)
Malcolm McLaren – Buffalo Gals
Foghat – Slow Ride
Ram Jam – Black Betty
Queen – We Will Rock You – Remix Ruined By Rick Rubin
Rush – Tom Sawyer – Z-Trip Remix
Gary Numan – Cars – Live
Liquid Liquid – Cavern
Jimmy Spicer – The Bubble Bunch – Original Jellybean 12″ Mix
Cheikh Lô – Shakara/ Lady (Part One)
Love Childs Afro-Cuban Blue Band – Life and Death in G and A
Shirley Ellis – The Clapping Song
Larry Graham – Now Do-U-Wanta Dance
KRS-One – M.a.r.l.e.y. (skit)
Afrika Bambaataa Nation Soul Sonic Force – Zulu Nation Throwdown (Soul Sonic Force)
Malcolm McLaren – Double Dutch
ESG – Moody
The Flying Lizards – Money – Edit
Herman Kelly – Dance to the Drummer’s Beat
Defunkt – Razor’s Edge 12″ Version
The B-52’s – Mesopotamia
Culture Club – Time (Clock Of The Heart) – 2003 Mix
Sequence – Funk You Up – Long Version
Re-Flex – The Politics Of Dancing
Man Parrish – Hip Hop Be Bop (Original Version)
West Street Mob – Break Dance – Electric Boogie
Yazoo – Situation – Us 12″ Mix
The Pointer Sisters – Automatic (Album Version)
Michael Jackson – P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
New Edition – Candy Girl
Kool & The Gang – Jungle Boogie
The O’Jays – For the Love of Money
Prince – Controversy
Rick James – Super Freak
Talking Heads – Once in a Lifetime – 2003 Remaster
Run–D.M.C. – It’s Like That
George Clinton – Loopzilla – Broadcast Version; 2000 Digital Remaster
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – Mickey’s Monkey
Afrika Bambaataa – Renegades Of Funk
Blondie – Rapture
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock
Afrika Bambaataa – Funk Jam Party
Cameo – Flirt
Lyn Collins – Think (About It)
Grace Jones – My Jamaican Guy
Yellowman – Zungguzungguguzungguzung
Sister Nancy – Bam Bam
Michigan & Smiley – Diseases
Nicodemus – Boneman Connection
The Bus Boys – Did You See Me
The Rolling Stones – Start Me Up – Remastered
Steppenwolf – Magic Carpet Ride
Grand Funk Railroad – Inside Looking Out – Remastered
Billy Squier – Everybody Wants You – Live
Foreigner – Urgent – Radio mix
Madonna – Everybody
James Brown – Papa Don’t Take No Mess
The Fantastic Aleems – Release Yourself
Newcleus – Jam on Revenge (The Wikki-Wikki Song)
Kraftwerk – Numbers – 2009 Remaster
Reggie Griffin – Mirda Rock
Ronnie Hudson – West Coast Poplock
The Egyptian Lover – Egypt, Egypt
Shriekback – My Spine Is The Bassline
Tom Tom Club – Genius Of Love
James Brown – Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved – Pt. 1 & 2 / Mono
Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam – Head to Toe
Daryl Hall & John Oates – I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)
Re-Flex – The Politics Of Dancing – Extended Version
Donna Summer – I Feel Love – Edit
Bobby Byrd – I Know You Got Soul
Freeez – I.O.U. (12″ Version)
The Sequence – Funk You U
LIlMike.Me’s March Madness Mixcloud
Relish Our Random Retro Rambling Rockin’ Ravin’ Soul Patrol Across The Pond And Beyond…
Experience 2 Hours Of Streaming Music From The Meters To Motörhead
Acts brought to bear on this perfect playlist include Blues Project, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, Young MC, Pixies, Allen Toussaint, Willy DeVille, Irma Thomas, Buzzcocks, Hector Lavoe, Joan Jett, Siouxsie Sioux
and more, more, more
Tracklist Highlights
1. No Time Like The Right Time by Blues Project
2. Why? by The Byrds
3. Purple Haze Latin Mash by Jimi Hendrix
4. Know How (McSleazy Mash Up) by Young MC
5. Tame by Pixies
6. Zony Mash by The Meters
7. You Got To Fight by Clarence Reid
8. Koto Mata by Tali Bong
9, Family Affair by Veit Marvos Red Point Orchestra
10. Hurricane Suite: Storm Warning by Dr John
11. Natural Soul Brother by Danny White
12. Teasin’ You by Willy DeVille
13. Who’s Gonna Love You by Johnny Adams
14. Breakaway by Irma Thomas
15. Night People by Lee Dorsey
16, Dap Walk by Ernie & The Top Notes
17. You Got Me by Lee Calvin
18. Woncha Gone by Tommy Ridgely
19. Hollow Inside by Buzzcocks
20. On With The Show by The Get Up Kids
21. Love Is Like Oxygen (Demo) by Sweet
22. Back by The Zulus
23. Roll Away The Stone (Live 1990) by Fastbacks
24. You Got Me Floatin’ by Joan Jett
25. Omaha by Golden Palominos
26. Cause I Said So (Live 1989) by The Godfathers
27. Mi Gente [Louie Vega Remix] by Hector LaVoe
28. KISS by Señor Coconut
29. Rehab by Shawn Lee Ping Pong Orchestra
30. The World Is Gone by Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra
31. Sebastiana by Gal Costa
32. Can’t Get Blue Monday Out Of My Head (Live 2002) by Kylie Minogue
33. Ace of Spades (The CCN Remix) by Motörhead
34. Happy House (House Mix) by Siouxsie & the Banshees
35. Freakaholic by Egyptian Lover