"Hot City" by Shadow
A forgotten '80s disco-funk party essential by three ex members of the Ohio Players.
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In 1979 three former members of the legendary group the Ohio Players formed Shadow: William "Billy" Beck (keys), James "Diamond" Williams (percussion), and Chet Willis (guitar). They released three stellar albums in three years through their record label Elektra, Love Lite (1979), Shadow (1980), and Shadows in the Streets (1981). All three are currently available on streaming.
Interestingly, the group’s true identity was mysterious, which seems to have been at least partially intentional. Beck, Williams, and Willis, all have writing credits on the Love Lite. However, according to Allmusic, Beck and Willis might’ve not played on the record. The album credits are loaded with heavy hitters, including saxophonist Azar Lawrence and trombonist Fred Wesley. The ex-Ohio Players trio served as co-producers along with the esteemed Don Mizell.
Even Elektra’s press release for Love Lite was opaque. It says, “Who are the players on Love Lite? Only Shadow knows!”
Perhaps Shadow’s confidence in disclosing their identity was solidified when they dropped their Leon Ware-produced sophomore effort Shadow the following year. The group’s faces are somewhat obscured on the front cover and visible on the back of the record.
Running eight songs and just shy of 35 minutes in length, Shadow is loaded with highlights. The arrangement, production, and vocals on the record hold up nicely. Though it doesn’t contain any mega-hits, it does boast the two Billboad-charting singles “Hot City” and “Mystery Dancer.” There are also softer, understated moments like “You Can Do It.”
Then there are more uptempo, energetic cuts like “Hot City.” This is one very catchy tune. The simple, repetitive, and expertly sung vocals alongside a memorable chorus and pitch-perfect Leon Ware production make it a standout. This song could connect with modern listeners in a major way if a few high-profile DJs include it in their throwback sets.
If you’re looking for great, underappreciated late-‘70s and early-‘80s records to connect with, Shadow’s three-disc resume should keep you busy for a little while. I also want to give a shoutout to NICKFRESH for schooling me on some of the band’s history on Twitter a little while back. He’s an excellent person to follow on Spotify, Twitter, YouTube, etc. for great mixes and insight into music.
Listen to “Hot City” on any platform here. Make sure to check out Less Than 1,000 Spins on Spotify and YouTube. You can also check out Formerly On Less Than 1,000 Spins on Spotify and YouTube.
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