The Rock Steady Crew - (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew (12" Extended Mix)

In the late 1970s, The New York Times called the Rock Steady Crew the “foremost breakdancing group in the world”.

Breakdancers were also known as b-girls or b-boys (the "b" being short for break). The term encompasses those involved in the broader hip-hop culture, including DJs, graffiti artists, and MCs.

In 1977, b-boys Joe-Joe, Easy Mike, Jimmy Dee, and Jimmy Lee formed the Untouchable Four B-Boys in the Bronx, New York City. Dee and Lee later expanded the group into a collective with an ever-changing lineup and a new name: the Rock Steady Crew.

Another b-boy ‒ Crazy Legs ‒ formed a Manhattan branch in 1979. This branch began exploring music production, led by their talent manager Kool Lady Blue and member Budd “Blue Soldier” Dixon, who served as their songwriter.

(Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew is credited to Kool Lady Blue, Blue Soldier, and a young Stephen Hague, who went on to great success in the 1980s as producer of many hits including West End Girls by Pet Shop Boys and True Faith by New Order.

Hague was fascinated by emerging synth, drum machine, and sampling technology, and was an early owner of now-classic gear such as the Yamaha CS-80. He played live in a band called Three Polar Bears, who supported Peter Gabriel on his first solo tour.

Gabriel and Hague hit it off, and Gabriel introduced him to his label, Charisma Records, who then offered Hague the opportunity to work with Rock Steady Crew on their debut track.

"Drum machines were just starting and I loved all that," says Hague. "I got the call through a Peter Gabriel connection. I’m sure Charisma Records could have found somebody else, but I was in America and fairly cheap, and I guess they thought let’s give this guy a try."

Hague also describes the unusual process of working with a collective: "They were kids, but there was an older brother involved (Blue Soldier), and he was quite ambitious and quite together. He and I wrote this stuff. He was a talented guy. We made (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew and Charisma dug that and put it out. Then we went ahead and finished the album."

He recalls the sessions as a free-for-all: he'd set up for group vocals and a different set of kids would come in each day ‒ so much so that he had to check it was actually the Rock Steady Crew who had turned up.

The Rock Steady Crew continued to grow and has had around 500 members in total ‒ with many memorable names, including DJ Cucumber Slice, Big Balls, and Ken Swift.

The lead vocal on the track is by the crew's youngest member, Baby Love (real name Daisy Castro Cutajar). She was also the only female member of the crew for three years. "I started in early 1983," she says. "I just watched my brother and his friends breakdance, and I started to copy the footwork and any move that I could do… since I was tiny.”

"I remember going to school and coming up the subway stairs on 50th and Broadway and passing a newsstand, and I heard (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew on the radio and I was like 'Oh my god, that's my record.' And then to see the video with all my wonderful friends that I grew up with..."

(Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew reached number 6 in the UK singles chart, and also made the top 10 in West Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Ireland, and Austria. It was a number one single in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Featured here is the 12-inch extended mix from the UK 12-inch single, which also includes an extended instrumental on the B-side.

Year: 1983 Label: Charisma Cat no: RSC 1-12