|
||||||||
Stock, Aitken & Waterman |
![]() |
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|
#1 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Sussex
Posts: 519
|
Stock, Aitken & Waterman
Anyone else a fan of their stuff? its a bit formulaic but its a proven format. The likes of Jason Donovan, Kylie Minogue, Mel & Kim etc, all great acts imo.
|
|
|
|
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
|
|
|
#2 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Kent
Posts: 1,171
|
I am! I can't help myself, as I was about five when Kylie launched her singing career and it seemed every little girl back then worshipped her by default.
There was also Sonia, and, a bit earlier on, Princess.I think Princess was the best singer they had on their label, with songs that still sound amazing today. She should have been a much bigger star than she was. |
|
|
|
|
|
#3 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,190
|
yep me too! I'm a massive kylie fan and some of my favourite songs of hers are from her SAW era (better the devil you know, never too late, what do i have to do)
I also really like Donna Summer 'this time i know it's for real' Sonia 'You'll never stop me from loving you' Brother Beyond 'the harder i try' Kim Appleby 'don't worry' |
|
|
|
|
|
#4 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sussex by the sea
Posts: 2,068
|
I don't think Kim's 'Don't Worry' was SAW, though it was certainly produced to sound LIKE them. Great track!
Lonnie Gordon's 'Happening All Over Again' was an SAW classic, though I think either S or A had left the team!! |
|
|
|
|
|
#5 |
|
Inactive Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,150
|
I download a S A & W greatest hits the other day
So many cheesetastic classics Dead or Alive's You Spin me Round being one of their best moments |
|
|
|
|
|
#6 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 75
|
This is definitely the best SAW collection around http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gold-Stock-A.../dp/B000BM7U0K It's one of my prized possessions.
Great feel-good music - Divine's You Think You're A Man, Sinitta's Toy Boy, Sam Fox, Donna Summer, even SAW Cliff Richard was great. |
|
|
|
|
#7 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Kent
Posts: 1,171
|
Quote:
Sam Fox
|
|
|
|
|
|
#8 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sussex by the sea
Posts: 2,068
|
Don't forget Big Fun!!!
Although many would like to....... |
|
|
|
|
|
#9 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 2,456
|
"Turn it into love" ( both the SAW Kylie and Hazel Dean versions ) are right up there on my cheese-fest list
|
|
|
|
|
|
#10 |
|
Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Beverley
Posts: 1,820
|
I love SAW!!!
Perfect singalong pop. I do a bit of Dj mixing and recently did 3 SAW megamixes which are fantastic even if I do say so myself. Best "obvious" track: Donna Summer - This Time I Know It's For Real. Best "less obvious" track: Sabrina -All Of Me |
|
|
|
|
|
#11 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: 1984
Posts: 7,109
|
SAW are what they are - some of those songs were epic and some not so much.
I always say to critics,if it was that easy to have so many hits,then why hasn't anyone else done it |
|
|
|
|
|
#12 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Suffolk, UK
Posts: 747
|
I'm actually a fan of their less successful or at least less well known stuff such as Brilliant - Love Is War (superb), Three Degrees, and the stuff they produced on Haywoode's LP.
Also PWL remixes of songs were often creative and gave a mundane track a fresh lick of paint. As mentioned already in this thread, Princess was always a fave. Mainstream stuff I liked includes Rick Astley (first time I heard NGGYU I thought it was Michael McDonald!) Mel And Kim, Donna Summer and probably loads more if I think hard enough. I think I can appreciate a lot of that stuff more now in the current context than I did back then. |
|
|
|
|
|
#13 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: derby
Posts: 14,765
|
oh lord wheres miles?.... lol
hate everything about them, their 'un'music music, cheap tacky repetitive rubbish that heralded the death of real pop music (as in pop music made by and performed by pop stars). manufactured pap is the lowest form of 'music' removing all artistry, creativity, from the 'artist' who is in effect nothing more then a figurehead for some old mans money making venture. pop music shouldnt be about that, it should be about successive generations creating their own style, not being nothing more then a karaoke singer for watermans pocket filling. |
|
|
|
|
|
#14 |
|
Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: inside the PS3
Posts: 1,080
|
SAW left there mark on the music industry and no matter how much people including myself hate manufactured pop, most people in that era no the words to i should be so lucky and never gonna give u up.
SAW had hits and had some terrible songs but cheesy pop isn't all bad, no matter what the old timers think |
|
|
|
|
|
#15 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Suffolk, UK
Posts: 747
|
Quote:
SAW had hits and had some terrible songs
Don't get me wrong I'm not a fan of everything they did (by far) but just because music is not made by 'real people playing real instruments' (*yawn*) doesn't make it any less legitimate or negate the value of the talent, or popularity of the end result. |
|
|
|
|
|
#16 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 7,613
|
SAW was my favourite era of pop, mid-late 80s. I also loved other artists from that era too i.e. Prince, Madonna, Michael Jackson etc but SAW's cheesy pop was so appealing to a child like myself who was Primary School age.
Yes the music was formulaic and predictable but there were some gems from them as well: Roadblock (their own hit), Say I'm Your Number One (Princess), You Spin Me Round (Dead Or Alive), Respectable & That's The Way It Is (Mel & Kim), What Do I Have To Do & Better The Devil You Know (Kylie). I believe there was one year (I think it was 1988) where they had at least one song in the Top 40 every week of that year. |
|
|
|
|
|
#17 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: London
Posts: 2,667
|
Prior to becoming mainstream pop act producers, they churned out some decent stuff which was in part aimed at the dance club's, Princess, Three Degrees, early Hazel Dean stuff like that.
There was occasional works of pop brilliance after this period, Donna Summer, Mel & Kim, the Rythm of Love period of Kylie, but most of it was chuff-1989 output being truly shocking. They did actually work with Mandy Smith, who had the relationship with Bill Wyman during their lets sign anyone who has a high profile in the media period-and the track although not a big commercial hit crossed over into the clubs and was a big Ibiza anthem. Of course its unsurprising given these type signings, that Waterman himself was responsible for moulding and mentoring the ultimate act of terror to hit the music industry-Simon Cowell. |
|
|
|
|
|
#18 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Lancs
Posts: 7,928
|
Quote:
Prior to becoming mainstream pop act producers, they churned out some decent stuff which was in part aimed at the dance club's, Princess, Three Degrees, early Hazel Dean stuff like that.
There was occasional works of pop brilliance after this period, Donna Summer, Mel & Kim, the Rythm of Love period of Kylie, but most of it was chuff-1989 output being truly shocking. They did actually work with Mandy Smith, who had the relationship with Bill Wyman during their lets sign anyone who has a high profile in the media period-and the track although not a big commercial hit crossed over into the clubs and was a big Ibiza anthem. Of course its unsurprising given these type signings, that Waterman himself was responsible for moulding and mentoring the ultimate act of terror to hit the music industry-Simon Cowell. It's not great but she makes a fair stab at "Duel" originally recorded by Propaganda. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF5JoDSyDLw SAW also recorded some material by Divine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd2Gzkkwe9Q although I think his Bobby Orlando material was better http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GvUp7bHa2M |
|
|
|
|
|
#19 |
|
Inactive Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,152
|
........ should be jailed for crimes against music
along with DJ Eric Pryzd.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#20 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: derby
Posts: 14,765
|
Quote:
SAW left there mark on the music industry and no matter how much people including myself hate manufactured pop, most people in that era no the words to i should be so lucky and never gonna give u up.
SAW had hits and had some terrible songs but cheesy pop isn't all bad, no matter what the old timers think Quote:
Prior to becoming mainstream pop act producers, they churned out some decent stuff which was in part aimed at the dance club's, Princess, Three Degrees, early Hazel Dean stuff like that.
There was occasional works of pop brilliance after this period, Donna Summer, Mel & Kim, the Rythm of Love period of Kylie, but most of it was chuff-1989 output being truly shocking. They did actually work with Mandy Smith, who had the relationship with Bill Wyman during their lets sign anyone who has a high profile in the media period-and the track although not a big commercial hit crossed over into the clubs and was a big Ibiza anthem. Of course its unsurprising given these type signings, that Waterman himself was responsible for moulding and mentoring the ultimate act of terror to hit the music industry-Simon Cowell. Quote:
........ should be jailed for crimes against music
along with DJ Eric Pryzd. |
|
|
|
|
|
#21 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 8,036
|
they were to the 80s what the x factor was to the 00s. the worst things to happen to music
|
|
|
|
|
|
#22 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: London
Posts: 2,667
|
I should have added, that apart from giving Cowell a break, they could have been arrested alone for the abomination that was the cover of 'Blame it on the Boogie'. Truly shocking that what was a joyous piece of music by the Jacksons, could be turned into an abomination 'by three Jason Donovan wannabes'-which in itself is a joke. (Still I should saw this coming when they remixed I Want You Back 12 months earlier.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#23 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 232
|
It also depends on the artists
Donna Summer's collaboration with SAW ('Another Place And Time') was a great album http://www.musicchartheaven.com/donn...otherplace.htm |
|
|
|
|
#24 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Holodeck 4
Posts: 21,476
|
Quote:
oh lord wheres miles?.... lol
hate everything about them, their 'un'music music, cheap tacky repetitive rubbish that heralded the death of real pop music (as in pop music made by and performed by pop stars). manufactured pap is the lowest form of 'music' removing all artistry, creativity, from the 'artist' who is in effect nothing more then a figurehead for some old mans money making venture. pop music shouldnt be about that, it should be about successive generations creating their own style, not being nothing more then a karaoke singer for watermans pocket filling. Couldn't agree more. I think perhaps pop music was heading into the black hole of talent oblivion anyway but SAW certainly pushed it right down there and slammed the lid shut. The beginnings of the Hit Factory was ground zero for modern cheesy, manufactured bubblegum pop and that would not necessarily have been a bad thing (cheesy manufactured pop has existed at least since the heyday of pop impresario and murderer Phil Spector) were it not for the fact that profit came before talent or anything else. Musicianship was pushed almost completely to the background - you have to pay musicians and songwriters, so forget about instrumentation and just use a cheap backbeat and synthesised rhythms. No-one will notice as long as there's a strong vocal and a simple melody to hook the kids with. Their legacy two decades on is a pop chart brimming with vocalists and barely any musical accompaniment to the songs, made as cheaply as possible for maximum profit. The SAW era sounded like a zero-effort enterprise because it was. To their credit they created some catchy tunes - they found a formula which the public liked and they stuck to it. Unfortunately it was the aural equivalent of a Big Mac. |
|
|
|
|
|
#25 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Lancs
Posts: 7,928
|
Quote:
+1
Couldn't agree more. I think perhaps pop music was heading into the black hole of talent oblivion anyway but SAW certainly pushed it right down there and slammed the lid shut. The beginnings of the Hit Factory was ground zero for modern cheesy, manufactured bubblegum pop and that would not necessarily have been a bad thing (cheesy manufactured pop has existed at least since the heyday of pop impresario and murderer Phil Spector) were it not for the fact that profit came before talent or anything else. Musicianship was pushed almost completely to the background - you have to pay musicians and songwriters, so forget about instrumentation and just use a cheap backbeat and synthesised rhythms. No-one will notice as long as there's a strong vocal and a simple melody to hook the kids with. Their legacy two decades on is a pop chart brimming with vocalists and barely any musical accompaniment to the songs, made as cheaply as possible for maximum profit. The SAW era sounded like a zero-effort enterprise because it was. To their credit they created some catchy tunes - they found a formula which the public liked and they stuck to it. Unfortunately it was the aural equivalent of a Big Mac. This Culture Club song is the last one I can think of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74LOcw-ap-g "Time (Clock Of The Heart)" I think the synthesized equivalents just sound cheap, but there's probably no going back. |
|
|
|
![]() |
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 15:10.




There was also Sonia, and, a bit earlier on, Princess.
along with DJ Eric Pryzd.