New York was on fire in the early 80s, club scene was off the hook. DJs spinnin records on rooftops in the Bronx.....
Funhouse NYC, LIMELIGHT, Tunnel...
Attended a cookout this weekend and everybody was having a ball eating and socializing then SET IT OFF came on and you would’ve thought someone said it’s a 3 Alarm Fire
The OG 12” of this actually has Strafe’s phone number (from the time) printed on the label. So when I heard this at El Paso Cantina in Long Beach in the mid ‘80s I went straight to the DJ, wrote down “Strafe Set it Off” but of course wrote down the phone number too!
The next day instead of going to the record store to buy the 12” I called the number and I’ll be damned, Strafe answered! He asked me if I was a DJ or a producer or whatever, and I just told him I heard the song in a club and thought it was the bomb! I told him the truth. That I was a fan and avid dancer and loved the song. So without me even asking if I could have a record, he took it upon himself to write my address down and then sent a 12” to me for free!!! I still have it too!
I will never ever forget his generosity. He was obviously someone trying to make it in the business and as far as I could tell he just figured any good publicity can’t hurt. I mean why else would he send me the 12”?
Anyway, one thing is for sure. Any time I got a chance to sing Strafe’s praises, you better believe I did!