If your only musical reference point to The System is “Don’t Disturb This Groove,” then, my friend, you have much to discover.
“Disturb,” which was a massive hit in early 1987, was actually the lead track from The System’s fourth album. The duo of David Frank & Mic Murphy were at the cutting edge of dance music. I actually remember David Frank as the first person I saw using a keytar, back on “Soul Train” in either the later part of 1982 or the early part of 1983. Murphy’s robust voice was an ideal match for Frank’s synth heroics.
“The Pleasure Seekers” was the title track to the duo’s third album. Released in the summer of 1985, I distinctly remember the video premiering on New York Hot Tracks. I may have only been 8, and I may have been kinda geeky, but I desperately wanted to be a bad-ass, and this video showed me what I wanted as my requisite bad-ass look. Leather jacket, big-ass hair. If Prince ever did a remake of “West Side Story,” Mic Murphy would’ve definitely had a role.
“Pleasure” added a bit of rock guitar to The System’s dance-pop attack, infusing the song with even more bad-assery. Despite not being as big a hit as “Don’t Disturb This Groove” (or “You Are In My System,” or the second single from the Pleasure Seekers album, “This Is For You,”) it’s still a stone cold jam.
Now, off to find that leather jacket…
3 comments
John says:
Feb 1, 2014
Mic had one of the most distinct voices in R&B and pop music in the 80s. It’s a shame they are considered a one-hit wonder.
MJ says:
Feb 1, 2014
It’s a by-product of being an R&B act during that era, I guess. You talk to a non-R&B fan and they’ll only remember “Don’t Disturb This Groove” (and maybe “You Are In My System” because of Robert Palmer’s cover.) Talk to an R&B (or dance music) fan and they had a decent-sized list of hits. Fucking crossover. Who thought that shit up?
Brent says:
Feb 6, 2014
YES!!!!