Rockers Revenge - Walking On Sunshine (12" Long Version)

Rockers Revenge - Walking On Sunshine (Long Version) / 12 Inch Extended Remix (HQ Audio)

Arthur Baker began DJing in his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts, in 1973, at the age of 18.

Some of his college friends were from New York, and Baker would sometimes travel back with them on weekends to visit record shops, nightclubs, and record labels, where he would introduce himself as a DJ from Boston to get free records.

Baker’s hustling didn’t end there. Back in Boston, he introduced himself at a local recording studio and asked to use the facility for free after hours to cut a record. He had been learning music production and wanted to put his new skills into practice.

Through his DJing and work in the Boston studio, Baker built up a solid contact list to go with his production skills, which meant he was able to call on musicians to play on his tracks.

He enjoyed his first commercial success with Happy Days by disco band North End, which reached number 9 on the US Disco Chart in 1981. Between recording Happy Days in 1979 and it becoming a hit, Baker relocated to New York to properly pursue his production career.

One of his first major projects was with Afrika Bambaataa, with whom he produced the groundbreaking Planet Rock. The track featured a Roland TR-808 drum machine and interpolated parts from Kraftwerk records alongside Bambaataa’s rap. Baker says he was aiming for something that club-goers, punk-rockers and hip-hop fans would all like.

Planet Rock's then-unique, tough electronic sound drew attention to Baker as an exciting new producer. In 1982, his profile grew further when he formed his own studio band, Rockers Revenge.

Rockers Revenge comprised Baker, Donnie Calvin (a reggae vocalist who worked in Baker’s local record store) Fred Zarr (who also played on Madonna’s early records) on bass and keyboards, Bashiri Johnson (who worked with Miles Davis, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, amongst others) on percussion, and Baker’s wife Tina B on backing vocals.

Calvin and Baker had heard Larry Levan playing Eddy Grant’s original version of Walking on Sunshine at New York’s legendary Paradise Garage nightclub, where it had become a crowd favourite.

Grant’s version had not been a hit when it was released in 1979, and Baker felt he could make a cover version that was more dancefloor-friendly as an extended 12-inch, and commercially viable as a 7-inch for radio.

He was right — particularly in the UK, where Rockers Revenge’s version of Walking on Sunshine spent five weeks in the top ten, peaking for two weeks at number four. It also reached number one on the US Dance chart.

“1981 to 1984 was the heyday for clubs in New York,” says Baker. “Looking back, the best were Paradise Garage with Larry Levan and The Funhouse with Jellybean. Back then, not so many people were making disco records, so you could try things and take the tapes down, and Jellybean might throw it on. Once you had the rep, you could get your stuff played pretty instantaneously.”

The combination of Baker’s ultra-cool Planet Rock production and his commercially successful Walking on Sunshine 12-inch meant he was suddenly in demand. Freeez and New Order were soon in touch, and Baker produced Top 20 hits for both.

As for Walking on Sunshine, Baker was grateful for Eddy Grant’s approval of the new version too.

“Yeah, Eddy and I are friends,” says Baker. “When he came to New York — I think it’s when he had Electric Avenue out — he played at the Ritz Club, and I went to the gig as his guest. He gave me an amazing shoutout from the stage, thanking me for doing Walking on Sunshine, and how much it hit in America.”

The 12-inch features four versions of the track: Walking on Sunshine, Acapella on Sunshine, Rockin’ on Sunshine, and the radio edit. Featured here is Walking on Sunshine — effectively the full-length original version — which clocks in at a disco-friendly 9'30", and which was produced by Baker, and mixed by Jellybean.

Year: 1982 Label: London Records Cat no: LONX11