Pete Waterman is opening up the PWL vaults for a brand new series of releases documenting the label’s legendary 12” mixes.
‘PWL Extended: Big Hits And Surprises Vols. 1+2’ collects 24 recordings from across the ‘80s and early ‘90s, featuring classics from Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Rick Astley, along with buries treasures from Lonnie Gordon, Carol Hitchcock and Boy Krazy.
Also included are mixes from the wider-PWL repertoire, including The Blow Monkeys’ Digging Your Scene, Shooting Party’s Safe In The Arms Of Love and Sigue Sigue Sputnik’s Success, along with the first-ever Stock Aitken Waterman collaboration, Agents Aren’t Aeroplanes’ The Upstroke.
Speaking about the series, Waterman says: “When I launched PWL back in 1984, my eyes – and ears – were very firmly focussed on the dancefloor. After years of being a DJ, I was always thrilled to see the reaction from a crowd when I played a particular song – but all too soon that track would end and I would have to look around in my box of singles to find another one to play.
“From its early roots in reggae dub mixes, through to its development during the disco years of the 1970s, the use of the extended mix helped working DJs like me keep the music going and ensure the dancefloor was always full.”
When working on tracks, SAW would begin with an extended version before editing it down to create a shorter single or radio mix from. “This way of working clearly shows how important we felt the 12” mix was,” he adds. “Although in the early days, 12” singles were primarily seen by major record companies as promotional tools and hence didn’t really pay for sales on that format, I was able to negotiate deals on some early extended mixes which gave me enough royalties to help build my first recording studio.”
With the first two editions arriving on November 17 – coinciding with the launch of the Stock Aitken Waterman musical ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ – Waterman’s keen for the catalogue reissues to encourage fans to revisit the PWL repertoire with fresh ears.
“To those of you who only know the Kylie, Jason and Rick releases, I hope that after hearing these sometimes overlooked tracks you will be encouraged to dig deeper into the PWL catalogue as there is a mine rich in gems just like these waiting to be unearthed and enjoyed again,” he smiles.
“Of course, the true testament to the success of these extended mixes is to see if they still do what they were first made for; namely to get your toes tapping and your body moving. I’ll see you on the dance floor!”
