Gat Decor

Gat Decor
Genres Progressive house
Years active 1992–1997
Website www.gatdecor.com
Members Simon Slater, Lawrence Nelson, Simon Hanson

Gat Decor (or Gat Décor) is the a house music production team best known for the 1992 song "Passion". The song is considered to be one of the best-known works of the early progressive house genre.

The main contributor of the team is the British DJ and producer, Simon Slater with Lawrence Nelson and Simon Hanson.[1] The name 'Gat Decor' was derived from an anagram of 'Tag Records', a record store based in Soho, London.

Although Gat Decor does not have an extensive catalog (two proper singles and a handful of remixes), the act and "Passion" are widely considered influential to dance music in the early 1990s; and Slater still operates a Gat Decor website and continues to license "Passion".

"Passion"

Original 1992 12-inch single cover
"Passion" (Original radio edit)
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"Passion" is Gat Decor's best-known work. Originally released in 1992 on Effective Records, the 12-inch single contained the original, instrumental version (The Naked Mix) along with Darren Emerson's remix on the B-side. This was Emerson's first remix. The 1992 release was an immediate success in underground dance clubs, and eventually became a hit on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 29.[2] "Passion" is notably one of the first songs to be referred to as "progressive house", utilizing a heavy bassline and a distinctive "piano-house" progression in its second half. The piano line was played by a session musician.[1] The Roland TB-303 is also used. Nick Warren has described the single as one of the first to create a distinctive British house sound.[1]

Since its original release, "Passion" has been officially and unofficially re-issued several times. Remixed by East London DJ Mervyn Victor after playing it live in the mix for several years he finally put out a few DJ only copies in 1994 on vinyl calling it "Degrees of Passion". This was a version of the 1992 seven-minute instrumental with a mixed in vocal from "Do You Want It Right Now?" by Degrees of Motion featuring Biti. The vocal used from Degrees of Motion was sang by Biti Strauchn[3] At the time nearly every major DJ in the UK jumped on it making it a cult hit. In 1996 a four minute version subtitled the "Do You Want It Right Now Mix", featured a new version of the "Do You Want It Right Now" vocal recorded by Beverley Skeete peaked at number six in the UK.[2]

As of 2008, countless bootlegs have been released, consisting of remixes and other mash-ups. The track has appeared on an abundance of compilation albums and DJ-mix sets (both official and unofficial). Other producers who have mixed the song throughout the years include Junior Vasquez and DJ Chus.

In 1996, Mixmag magazine ranked the 1992 single number 33 on their list of the "50 Most Influential Records of All Time". In addition, Mixmag (and their readers) ranked "Passion" number 22 on Mixmag's list of "100 Best Dance Singles of All Time".

The track, in both its original and various bootleg forms, is still widely played in nightclubs to this day.

Discography

Singles

Remixes

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Phillips, Dom (2009). Superstar DJs Here We Go!: The Rise and Fall of the Superstar DJ. Random House. p. 122. ISBN 1-4070-2695-X. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 222. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. ↑ Biti Strauchn Discography. Discogs. Retrieved on 4 March 2012.

External links