Monday, December 9, 2019

knickerless parsons




When I embarked on my Hardcore Heroes series, which only got to #5 when it was intended to go deep into double figures, Satin Storm were on the list.

But the Hero status is mostly for this one so-so-peculiar tune that entranced me when I heard it on the pirates in '92 - wobbling like some strange manatee-on-rollerskates creature

One of the first where I really grokked the Frankenstein aesthetic of ardkore, the way tracks were crudely sutured together out of portions of pop and whatnot



Had it on one of those Kickin' comps for years and then picked up the vinyl in the 1995-onwards scrabble-to-trawl-up-recent-history frenzy of old skool buying. Along with a bunch of other Satin Storm 12's, then going cheap and cheerful

I do like the Satin Storm logo




What else did they do that gets anywhere close to the "nicholas parsons nicholas parsons" tune then?


Or did he do, as it seems to be really Travis Edwards

(BTW I do know the sample is not saying "Nicholas Parson" but it was a widespread belief or perhaps a humorous wish that it be so - see this discogs comment:

"I was lucky enough to get a 12' original coy of this in Brighton once. It had 'Nicholas Parsons' written on the sleeve...."

This earlier EP has some good tunes on it






They appear to have been a performing unit, playing at raves presumably - with a whole troupe of dancers, judging by the label info here. Ten "Satin Storm Dancers"!





Apparently Travis Edwards was also a rave dancer - he would come onstage, with his girlfriend, when Break The Limits did PA's


This one is quite interesting, a little "intelligent"



The earliest stuff is more or less bleep



The uuurv requires a proper inventory, but for now, tips welcomed.

13 comments:

Charlie W said...

Let's Get Together is also a great , messy (as in it's a literal mess production wise)tune. Watch Goldie unleash it on a boat here

https://youtu.be/zcyGf6jdx1Q


Think you also need to do a Hardcore Hero about Bodysnatch as well.

Charlie w said...

If you want to see some beautiful yet haunting images check out the Club Labyrinth page on Facebook. Joe Wiezcorek has posted loads of photos from the early days at the 4 Aces and they are a bit special.

SIMON REYNOLDS said...

yeah Bodysnatch were on the list - mostly for "Euphony (just 4 u london)" and "Revenge of the Punter" although the other stuff is cool.

i don't know anything about them

still many tales untold, figures who faded away

ooh will look at Labyrnth pix

Charlie w said...

Sadly, I believe this is Travis Edwards from Satin Storm

https://www.barkinganddagenhampost.co.uk/news/missing-61-year-old-could-be-in-dagenham-1-4489549

SIMON REYNOLDS said...

shit, for real?

if he was 61 in 2016, he would have been 36 in 1991 which is quite old for a rave producer - but who knows, maybe you're right

charlie w said...

He had history going back to the Crackers soul funk scene as a dancer with the UK's first all male, all black dance group Torso. I found this out from Mc Mc who i'm a fb friend with.

SIMON REYNOLDS said...

no way! amazing

MC MC - always loved that name

Charlie w said...

Cos his name is Maurice Capillaire!
Mc GQ? Cos he liked mens' style mags!
Not sure about Moose tbh.

SIMON REYNOLDS said...

the Maurice Capillaire thing is funny (sounds like a chansonnier in post-war France

- although i quite liked the idea that it was a deliberate redundancy, = ideally there should have been a DJ DJ and then MC MC could have been his partner

funny about GQ

i wonder if LTJ Bukem and Dr S Gachet ever had second thoughts about the probably quite arbitrary and impulsive name choices then they had to stick with

i used to find those names very mysterious when i heard them on rave line ups in pirate adverts

Fabio and Grooverider are quite naff names really - almost Smashy and Nicey

Unknown said...

I've just come across this after doing a quick search for Travis. I was shocked to see the report of his disappearance! I knew him in the late 80s when he managed Kick studios in Goodmayes. He worked on lots of other stuff at the time including the famous 'Tainted Love' by Impedance. I remember Maurice too. I was always at the studios, hanging around and contributing to tracks, usually writing lyrics. Travis was an incredible dancer. I lost touch before he formed Satin Storm so nice to hear this stuff. I hope he was found safe and well!

mediaeasier said...

I was good mates with Travis through the '90s. He was born in 1955, was prevalent on the dance scene in the 70s, and was still podium dancing well into his late 40 in clubs across the UK. Check out this advert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7RFYEe42VI at 10 seconds that Travis! I'd love a babysham.
Travis lived for music, played by ear, would hear a tune, and could instantly play it back. His musical and dance talent naturally led him to the rave scene, 90's then the house n garage in the noughties.
He married Miss Croatia, Ivona Brnelic, in the mid 90's then split after 5 or 6 years. Travis was a huge hit with the ladies. He never bragged but told me on the quiet that slept with over 2000 women during the '70s and '80s!
He remarried 2003 to a wealthy woman in Essex and we lost contact.

We had some crazy good times over the years, Travis was a proper character, some of the things he got up to and involved in would make amazing movie scenes today.

SIMON REYNOLDS said...

wow thanks Unknown and Mediaeasier
sounds like a fascinating story and quite a character
would love if it someone managed to capture it in an interview
amazing to think of his life arc cutting across all those dance scenes
Satin Storm does sound a bit like a name that a soul or funk or jazz-funk band might have

Anonymous said...

What's with the American accent in the Babysham ad? He was an Essex boy through and through.
I'm one of the many thousand's, so it seems, from 1986. I met him at Charlie Chans night club in Walthamstow, when he was just a dancer and model. We went out for a few months... a very cool dude! I smile when I think back on those times :)