Philadelphia International and me

Philadelphia International Records to give it  its full title has always been a part of my life ever since I just I turned 8 years old and as regular readers know I wrote an entry a good year or so back on the O'Jays on of this labels most famous acts.

If you haven't read it just click on the 'music' topic index and you'll find it in that search.
First of though earlier this year a special 4 cd box set was issued entitled "Philadelphia International Classics - the Tom Moulton remixes". 

Tom Moulton was a DJ who understood earlier than many the importance of the longer discotheque mix extending the 'groove' for dancing and sometimes simplifying the sound just for that audience by taking off special effects.

 He got involved with the label doing these remixes for the funk act Peoples Choice and the song "Do iI any Way you Wanna" from 1974 and in 1977 Philadelphia International issued a lp long deleted of some of his remixes of them and other artists.

This set has all those tracks plus some brand new remixes including that great early 80's song "Nights Over Egypt" by the Jones Girls done in the same style (no added echo, synthesized drums) extended and remixed from the session masters for really good quality.

If you love 12" remixes you'd love this set on England's Harmless  records (HURTXCD 112).

Another act I liked around this time was The Intruders who had several hits such as Cowboys to Girls, Love Is Like A Baseball Game, (win, place or show) She's A Winner and I'll Always Love My Mama and i had for a long time the cd version of 1973 "Super Hits" compilation of theirs.

I was able to find a copy of the 1996 "Cowboy to Girls-the best of" which has a lot more songs on it which was part of Sony's Blues & Soul legacy series which was really well mastered a lot more detailed compare to that older disc

Finally back to those O'Jay's.
Prior to them signing to this label they were signed to another - Neptune- and issued an lp called "In Philadelphia" back in 1969 which had been out of print for absolutely ages.
In truth this is mainly cover versions of popular songs of that era however it's the arrangements that clearly show what was to come on that classic album "Backstabbers" famous for "Love train" and "992 Arguments" that remain a gem.

It was briefly issued in 1994 in the states on cd but even that can be hard to find so, as resourceful as ever, I found a copy in Germany cheaply and pay for it to be shipped over, completing at long last my O'Jay's collection on cd.