Rockin' over the beat - Technotronic

Technotronic finally managed to create one track which did not include rapping. The singing on this track was still pretty substandard, but at least it was a kindof decent tune. The lyric is another poetic masterpiece: 'Rockin' over the beat / Rollin' over the melody'.

The single reached number 9 in the UK singles chart and went top 20 all over Europe. In the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, the single managed to get to number 95. And this single concluded by Technotronic collection. Yes, it got out of hand a little.

My collection: 7" single no. 1280
Found: August 23, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Rockin' over the beat' / 'Raw'

Megamix - Technotronic

I don't know whether it was such a wise move for Technotronic to release a Megamix as a single in the summer of 1990, within months of their breakthrough. If anythnig, it showed how monotonous and interchangeable their track were. 'Pump up the jam', 'Get up' and 'This beat is Technotronic' are all here in the mix, and it's amazing how well they fit together. Or, rather, it's not amazing, it's rather obvious.

This megamix was put together by The Unity Mixers, a.k.a. Patrick Samoy and Luc Rigaux. The single peaked at number 6 in the UK, number 9 in Germany and number 26 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 1260
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, July 12, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Megamix' / 'Raw update (remix)'

This beat is Technotronic - Technotronic

I don't know exactly why it happened, but somehow I was still buying Technotronic singles when the joke was already wearing thin. The songs were all the same, the raps changed but I never liked rapping anyway. So sometimes even I can't figure out what I was thinking.

'This beat is Technotronic' was part three in the series of repetitive thumping tracks, this time showcasing the vocals of one MC Eric. The single reached number 14 in the UK singles chart and number 7 in the Dutch Top 40. It's quite amazing results for such bad music.

My collection: 7" single no. 1211
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, April 20, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'This beat is Technotronic' / 'This beat is Technotronic (Rap to beats)'

Get up! (Before the night is over) - Technotronic

Time for some intellectual music again. Back in 1990, I simply couldn't resist a track that had the great lyric 'Get up, get up, get busy do it / I wanna see you party'. It was the second single by Technotronic from their debut album 'Pump up the jam'. Somehow this single managed to hit the top 10 all over the world. It has to be because of the fact that people simply cannot resist a song with such beauty and depth.

The sheer vacuousness of it all is what drove me to buy this - and to use it as an example of what I simply cannot understand about other people's taste in music of course.

My collection: 7" single no. 1172
Found: Melody Maker, February 17, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Get up! (Before the night is over)' / 'Get up (Before the night is over) (instrumental)'

Pump up the jam - Technotronic

I've always been a fan of songs with a beautiful melody and deep, meaningful lyrics. I like to be touched by music, feel the passion and the warmth of the artist in it, that's also why I have a lot of singer/songwriters in my record collection. But every now and again, I have to buy a record because it does not fit the profile.

In the autumn of 1989, I was suddenly grabbed by the nonsensical track 'Pump up the jam' by Belgian producers act Technotronic. I suddenly felt the desire to write down the lyrics and take it all in. Until you do that, there's no way to pin down the utter vacuousness of it all. In the end, I bought the single because I laughed so hard at the track. It has been a top 10 hit around the world. Used to be a time when one had to actually be able to compose to achieve that. But in 1989, all you had to do was say 'Pump up the jam / Pump it pump it pump it pump it'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1178
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, February 17, 1990
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Pump up the jam' / 'Pump up the jam (original mix)'