Q – I recently came across a couple of 80’s compilation albums which had 12″ mixes of My Bag and Brand New Friend. I’d be interested to know were you involved in their production and what you thought of them?
Personally I think they work quite well and would also like to know what newer songs (if any) you would have liked to give the 12″ remix treatment to.
A – 99% of 80’s 12″ remixes were crap, our only good one being My Bag, by my old NYC friend Francois. Our involvement was little or none, most of the time, we basically OK’d who was to do it.. and I certainly was not excited about the idea. As I recall, the extended mix of Cut Me Down is one of the worst things I ever heard, by anyone. I’m glad the concept no longer exists (making non dance songs danceable..) and remixes are more about the remixers. Adam Peters’ remix of Butterfly was so good I ended up working with him, on and off, for several years.