- The iconic 1981 album remastered and expanded for the first time ever
- Bonus 12” mixes & rarities including two newly discovered, ultra-rare tracks from the original sessions, including a cover of the Gary Numan/Tubeway Army classic ‘Me! I Disconnect From You’
- Remastered from the original analogue tapes in New York
- Special Record Store Day 12” cut at Abbey Road Studios, London
- Gatefold 180gm double vinyl LP cut at Abbey Road Studios, London
- Deluxe CD, HD audio and Blu Ray audio DVD formats
Island Records / Universal Music Catalogue are delighted to announce the first ever deluxe edition of Grace Jones’ groundbreaking album ‘Nightclubbing’, celebrated in a variety of formats.
The international musical landscape of the last 30 plus years would be a markedly lacking and less colourful, had it not been for ‘Nightclubbing’. Its influence is inextricably woven into today’s rich tapestry of sounds.
In any number of current musical leaders, it’s impossible not to hear (and see) the influence of ‘Nighclubbing’; Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Kelela, Massive Attack, Gorillaz, Hercules and Love Affair, Satigold, Todd Terje, M.I.A., Rhianna, La Roux, Grimes, FKA Twigs, Lorde, Polica, Metronomy, Beyoncé, Solange, Rhianna, Yeah Yeah Yeas, Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem and La Roux are but a segment of artists indebted to Miss Jones.
‘Nightclubbing’ - Grace Jones’ fifth studio album, was released in May 1981 on Island Records. With its nine tracks including club and chart smash ‘Pull Up To The Bumper’, it was an immediate critical hit, with positive reviews on both sides of the Atlantic.
Not only a high landmark of the era it was produced in, but a classic in any period since, with Jones’ unique vocal magic and an incredible team working around her, they created something timeless, that still sounds fresh and remains a staple of discerning dancefloors, collections and playlists to this day.
Thanks to Grace’s voice and the crack team involved, despite the album being hugely varied in styles, influences, tempos and sounds, the whole thing hangs together as a perfect album. The steppers riddims of Flash & The Pan cover ‘Wakling In The Rain’ and her interpretation of Bill Withers ‘Use Me’, the upbeat club anthems (and Larry Levan favourites) ‘Pull Up To The Bumper and ‘Feel Up’ and her intimidating take on Iggy Pop’s ‘Nightclubbing’ are but a few colours in the album’s pallete. Torch song ‘Art Groupie’, Argentine tango mutation ‘I’ve Seen That Face Before’ avant-post-punk ‘Demolition Man’ and the reflective emotional rawness of ‘I’ve Done It Again’ highlight a further assortment of flavours.
It was Island Records founder Chris Blackwell who put together the Compass Point All-Stars for Jones’ sessions; keyboard player Wally Badarou, guitarists Mikey ‘Mao’ Chung and Barry ‘White’ Reynolds, percussionist Uziah ‘Sticky’ Thompson and the drum and bass powerhouse of Lowell ‘Sly’ Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. These players can arguably be seen as the final great rhythm section in a lineage of the Funk Brothers, Muscle Shoals, Phil Spector’s Wrecking Crew and the Chic Organization. Rolling Stone magazine was to suggest that Sly and Robbie leavened their “sprung riddims with a salty dash of funk, and hipped Jones to rock’s new wave.”
‘Nightclubbing’ took the angular punk funk template of bands like Gang Of Four and A Certain Ratio, and enriched it with a fuller, blacker, bottom-heavy sound.Jones made a strange, alien music; a fusion of reggae, funk, soul and new wave, which seemed radical yet chimed perfectly with the times - akin to a sleek panther treading wet streets in the glare of neon signs.
Continuing the selection of covers and originals that had formed such a remarkable template for her Compass Point debut, ‘Warm Leatherette’, Jones set to work on ‘Nightclubbing’, using leftovers from the previous sessions and recording new material. The sound was further bolstered by the occasional contributions of T-Connection guitarist Monte Browne, plus backing vocals were provided by Island artist Jess Roden, Tyrone Downie from the Wailers, and Masai Delon. Needless to say, the sessions exceeded expectations.
Ever an aesthetic and style icon, the sleeve for Grace’s ‘Nightclubbing’ became one of popular music’s most striking. Painted from a photograph taken by Jean Paul Goude, pop had been used to men dressing like women for a decade, but was less used to seeing women looking like men.
The body of work that Grace Jones made her own at Island Records in the early 80s is among the most startling in popular music. Beginning with ‘Warm Leatherette’ and concluding with ‘Living My Life’, the three albums Jones recorded between 1980 and 1982 at Compass Point Studios in Nassau in the Bahamas and produced by Alex Sadkin and Island records owner Chris Blackwell became benchmarks. Nestling in the middle of these records - the best of the best, is ‘Nightclubbing’, the album on which her musical legacy rests - a sophisticated mêlée of sound, astute A&Ring and a perfect example of artist and musicians working in complete accord.
The album is re-mastered for the very first time and will be available on 1CD, 2CD Deluxe Edition, 2LP 180g Deluxe Edition vinyl (cut at Abbey Road Studios), Blu Ray audio and Digital formats. The 1CD will feature the original album, the 2CD will be original album, plus 12” mixes, b sides, and two unreleased tracks. The double LP will come in a beautiful gatefold package with the first featuring the original album and a second with a selection of key 12” mixes. The 1 and 2CD editions will also be available in digital form.
There will also be a special 12” (cut at Abbey Road Studios) for Record Store Day 2014 featuring the previously unreleased Gary Numan/Tubeway Army cover ‘Me! I Disconnect From You’ plus ’Feel Up’ (Long Version).
A must for audiophiles, each format presents ‘Nightclubbing’ with the love and respect that it deserves, and is sure to cement the already lasting legacy of this fabulous album for many years to come.
Formats:
1CD // 2CD // 2LP (cut at Abbey Road Studios) // Digital Deluxe (exc iTunes) // Digital Standard (exc iTunes) // MFit Deluxe // MFit Standard HD // Blu Ray Audio // Record Store Day 12” ‘Me! I Disconnect From You’/’Feel Up’ ( Long Version) (cut at Abbey Road Studios)
Tracklists:
Standard / e Album / MFiT
1. Walking In The Rain 4.18
2. Pull Up To The Bumper 4.41
3. Use Me 5.04
4. Nightclubbing 5.06
5. Art Groupie 2.39
6. I’ve Seen That Face Before (Libertango) 4.30
7. Feel Up 4.03
8. Demolition Man 4.03
9. I’ve Done It Again 3.51
Deluxe CD /e Album / MFiT / HD/Blu Ray Audio
Disc 1
1 Walking In The Rain 4.18
2 Pull Up To The Bumper 4.41
3 Use Me 5.04
4 Nightclubbing 5.06
5 Art Groupie 2.39
6 I’ve Seen That Face Before (Libertango) 4.30
7 Feel Up 4.03
8 Demolition Man 4.03
9 I’ve Done It Again 3.51
Disc 2
1 Demolition Man (12” Version) 4.58 // Issued as A-side of 12” single 12 // WIP 6673, Feb 1981.
2 Pull Up To The Bumper (Long Version) 5.45 // Issued as A-side of 12” single // 12 WIP 6696, June 1981
3 Feel Up (Long Version) 6.14 // Issued as B-side of 12” single // 12 WIP 6696, June 1981
4 I’ve Seen That Face Before (Libertango) (12” Version) 5.32 // Issued as A-side of Dutch 12” // single 600.366, July 1981
5 Walking In The Rain (12” Version) 7.25 // Issued as A-side of 12” single // 12 WIP 6739, Oct 1981
6 Pull Up To The Bumper (Remixed Version) 7.15 // Issued as B-side of 12” single // 12 WIP 6739, Oct 1981
7 Use Me (Long Version) 6.10 // First issued on Private Life: The Compass Point Sessions
8 Pull Up To The Bumper (US Party Version) 5.00 // Issued as A-side of US promotional 12” single // PRO-A-936
9 Feel Up (Extended Version) 6.15 // Issued as A-side of US promotional 12” single // PRO-A-985
10 Pull Up To The Bumper (1985 Remix) 6.24 // Issued as A-side of cassette single // CIS 240
11 Peanut Butter (Pull Up To The Bumper Instrumental) 5.10 // Issued as B-side of cassette single // CIS 240
12 If You Wanna Be My Lover (previously unreleased) 8.00 approx
13 Me! I Disconnect From You (previously unreleased) 5.30 approx
14 Esta Cara Me Es Conocida (I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango) 4.32 // Issued as A-side of Spanish 7” single B-102.587
LP – Cut at Abbey Road Studios
Disc 1-Standard Album
Disc 2
1 Demolition Man (12” Version) 4.58 // Issued as A-side of 12” single 12 WIP 6673, Feb 1981.
2 I’ve Seen That Face Before (Libertango) (12” Version) 5.32 // Issued as A-side of Dutch 12” single // 600.366, July 1981
3 Walking In The Rain (12” Version) 7.25 // Issued as A-side of 12” single 12 // WIP 6739, Oct 1981
4 Use Me (Long Version) 6.10 // First issued on Private Life: The Compass Point Sessions
5 Pull Up To The Bumper (US Party Version) 5.00 // Issued as A-side of US promotional 12” single // PRO-A-936
6 Feel Up (Extended Version) 6.15 // Issued as A-side of US promotional 12” single // PRO-A-985
7 If You Wanna Be My Lover (previously unreleased) 8.00 approx
8 Me! I Disconnect From You (previously unreleased) 5.30 approx