Eddie Gordon (born Edmund Richard Gordon; 9 February 1959 in

Biggin Hill Biggin Hill is a settlement on the south-eastern outskirts of Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Kent, prior to 1965 it was also in the administrative county of Kent. I ...

, Farnborough, Kent) is an English music journalist,

producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...

, DJ and music business

personality Personality is the characteristic sets of behaviors, cognitions, and emotional patterns that are formed from biological and environmental factors, and which change over time. While there is no generally agreed-upon definition of personality, mos ...

Early and personal life

Born in

, Gordon was raised in

Gravesend, Kent Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the south bank of the River Thames and opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Rochester, it is t ...

. He was educated at Cecil Road Infant and Primary school in

Northfleet, Kent Northfleet is a town in the borough of Gravesham in Kent, England. It is located immediately west of Gravesend, and on the border with the Borough of Dartford. Northfleet has its own railway station on the North Kent Line, just east of Ebbs ...

and Northfleet School for Boys. He then attended

Gravesend Technical College North Kent College is a college of Further and Higher Education located across campuses in Dartford and Gravesend and Tonbridge in Kent, England, with Partner College status with the University of Greenwich, particularly the Greenwich Maritime ...

to study Advanced Level English language and literature. Gordon is married, and lives in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

Early life

As a young lad Gordon passionately collected 45 single records of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, buying them with his

secondary school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...

dinner money from his school friends Mum's who "had a box of old singles from their younger days", he immersed himself in the different styles of songs A and B sides from the UK and the USA. Aged 13, first brand new 7" (45rpm) he bought was

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

of Bill Withers hit '' Ain't No Sunshine'', released in the UK in May 1972. Playing his collection at home on a

Dansette Dansette was a British brand of record players, radiograms, tape recorders, and radio sets, manufactured by the London firm of J & A Margolin Ltd, Record player The first Dansette record player was manufactured in 1952 and at least one million w ...

record player, Gordon was fascinated by the song's, themes and lyrics of love; ability to paint virtual pictures; and how they resultantly engaged with the listener. Gordon's first DJing was in 1974 at the age of 15 in a Northfleet Church hall and later at 16 selecting music at friends parties

Early Working life

At 16 years old Gordon completed his secondary education at Northfleet School for Boys in June 1975, employed full-time immediately at Cosy Glide in Northfleet, an aluminium Door and Window manufacturer. December 1975 Gordon left Cosy Glide to take up a previously held position as a Laboratory Assistant for the aircraft paint manufacturing company Dufay Titanine before moving in 1977 to work as a Laboratory Assistant for Britannia Refining Metals. Early 1980 Gordon was employed by the Royal Mail and stationed at the main Post Office in High Holborn, London WC1, Gordon's last 'normal' job until taking up DJing full-time in 1982. From 1977 to 1980 Gordon took evening classes at Gravesend Technical College to study O Level then Advanced level in English Language and English Literature. A period of his life that gave Gordon the necessary education to later write weekly newspaper columns.

Music Journalist

Starting out as a DJ and music journalist in 1982 in his hometown Gravesend, Eddie Gordon wrote a weekly column for the ''Gravesend and Dartford Reporter'' and Kent Extra before being invited to write a weekly music page for Kent's major county newspaper the ''

Kent Messenger The ''Kent Messenger'' is a weekly newspaper serving the mid-Kent area. It is published in three editions - Maidstone, Malling, and the Weald. It is owned by the KM Group and is published on Thursdays. History The ''Kent Messenger'' grew from ...

'', a position he held from 1982 to 1991. Nine years of weekly Gordon "Sound Spot" columns writing about artists from all genres of music to fully cater for the very diverse Kent readership. The ''Kent Messenger'' won the Weekly Newspaper of the Year title in the Regional Press Awards for 1988 and then went on to collect the title of overall regional newspaper. It's one of the highest accolades for a paid-for weekly paper in the UK.

DJ career

From 1984 through to 1988 Eddie was regularly booked by major London event promoters as the support DJ for

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...

DJs and Capital Radio DJs working in the big towns and cities of South East of England. This was a rich period for Eddie Gordon's DJ career with various awards ''Gravesend and Dartford Reporter'' 'DJ of the Year 1984–1985',

Radio Kent BBC Radio Kent is the BBC's local radio station serving the county of Kent. It broadcasts on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at The Great Hall in Tunbridge Wells. According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience o ...

'1986 Club of the Year' with The Slammer, ''

Kent Evening Post Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

'' '1986 Club of the Year' with The Slammer, ''Kent Evening Post'' 1987 Kent Club of the Year with The Sleeze and in 1989 Eddie Gordon was Kent 'Music Man of the Year' – ''Kent Evening Post''. Throughout the 1980s Eddie Gordon was responsible for introducing the music for the Frank Warren Boxing Shows on the ITV channel with the boxers emerging from the dressing room to a fanfare of music to arouse the audience, which is now a regular part of all world championship televised boxing. The events held at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

, London, were major ITV programmes of the era. Also from the mid to the late 1980s Eddie spotted and supported the emerging DJ talents of Tim Westwood

Trevor Nelson Trevor Ricardo Nelson, MBE (born 7 January 1964) is an English DJ and presenter. Early life Born in the London Borough of Hackney to a family of St Lucian heritage, Nelson attended Central Foundation Boys' Grammar School (now known as Central ...

MBE

, Gilles Peterson

Norman Jay Norman Jay MBE (born Norman Bernard Joseph on 6 November 1957) is a British club, radio and sound system DJ. He first came to prominence playing unlicensed "warehouse" parties in the early 1980s, and through his involvement with the then-pira ...

MBE, CJ Macintosh and Paul Oakenfold at his Gravesend club night The Slammer and in his weekly music column Sounds Spot in the county newspaper the ''Kent Messenger''.

DJ Agency

In 1985, a local Gravesend DJ

Pete Tong Peter Michael Tong, (born 30 July 1960) is an English disc jockey who works for BBC Radio 1. He is the host of programmes such as ''Essential Mix'' and ''Essential Selection'' on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio stre ...

personally requested to be added to Eddie Gordon's DJ Management/Agency roster which included

BBC Radio London BBC Radio London is the Local BBC Radio, BBC's local radio station serving Greater London and its surrounding areas. The station broadcasts across the area and beyond, on the 94.9 FM broadcasting, FM frequency, Digital Audio Broadcasting, DAB, ...

Jeff Young Jeffrey "Jeff" Young (born March 31, 1962) is an American guitarist. He graduated from Musicians Institute in 1985, and is best known for his time with the thrash metal band Megadeth, appearing on the 1988 album '' So Far, So Good... So What! ...

's Rod Lucas and the UK Club DJ of the Year Colin Hudd. Eddie's Agency was the first of its kind in the UK devoted to Radio DJs playing Dance music. Eddie managed Pete Tong of BBC Radio 1 for 20 years from 1984 to 2004 and Jeff Young of BBC Radio 1 from 1985 to 1992. in 1999 Eddie set up the DJ Agency IMD Ltd with DJs Pete Tong and

Carl Cox Carl Cox (born 29 July 1962) is a British house and techno club DJ, as well as radio DJ and record producer. He is based in Hove, Sussex, England. Cox has won and been nominated for numerous awards. He has performed at numerous clubs and ele ...

heading the roster with a vision of the worldwide stage for Pete Tong.

The digital era/USA ''Billboard'' panels

21 September 2002 Eddie Gordon was invited by USA ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' magazine as the only European representative to co-chair a closed-room key discussion at the ''Billboard'' Summit in New York to discuss the threat of the new world technology to the traditional music business with 69 heads of America's record labels. Eddie opened and closed his participation in this unique meeting by predicting that

digital delivery Digital distribution, also referred to as content delivery, online distribution, or electronic software distribution, among others, is the delivery or distribution of digital media content such as audio, video, e-books, video games, and other so ...

would be 'the future' of the world's music business.

USA Billboard Magazine Dance Music Summit 2006 –
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
Wrapup Eddie Gordon (Music 2 Mix) predicted this on a DMS panel more than five years ago to an almost dismissive audience, stressing the importance of building an audience. A vision confirmed 7 months later by the unveiling of Apple's
iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
in March 2003, which is now largest music retailer in the USA. 4 Apr 2008. iTunes 'biggest US music seller' group Wal-Mart to become the largest music retailer in the US, an independent study has said...

Eddie has moderated The Future of Digital Distribution at USA ''Billboard'' Summit in New York in 2003, attended panels as a speaker in 2004 and 2005 including a keynote speech at the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) – MP3 the Future of Music Promotion in Holland. USA ''Billboard'' magazine DMS 2003 – The (Internet) Revolution will be Televised Eddie Gordon said that the 5 majors are concerned about marketshares, but they have to get on the internet and dance with the kids or die. Winter Music Conference 2004 – Other Parties Future Music. Michael Paoletta,. Derek Graves, Seven. Eddie Gordon, Debra Eriksen. PlexiPR Party. Steve Porter. Betty Kang. Hed Kandi Party. Eddie moderated a panel at the first USA Billboard Magazine Summit in Las Vegas 20 September 2006 titled 'Across The Pond' "The iPod is the Elvis revolution but the iPod plus the phone will be the Beatles revolution." EG quote at Billboard Magazine Conference, Las Vegas. Sep 2006

DJ In The Mix in London to KINGS of Spins Los Angeles, USA

June 2003 Eddie Gordon launched the world's first online digital promotion system for DJs with DJinTheMix which had an exclusive link to the then newly formed

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...

from

Apple Inc Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, United States. Apple is the largest technology company by revenue (totaling in 2021) and, as of June 2022, is the world's biggest company ...

. The following year ''DJinTheMix'' was nominated as a finalist in the Orange New Business Ventures in London and IMEA at Popkomm in Berlin, Germany. By the turn of 2005 Eddie Gordon introduced a new digital marketing service to radio stations worldwide with M2M and in April 2008 launched ''Media 2 Radio'' in the USA. The promotional work of DJITM to KINGS of Spins has helped to bring awareness and attention to over 5'000 new releases for artists plus record labels from around the world

The Grammy Awards. Hollywood

From 2010 to 2017, Gordon was invited to be a member of the

Electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to r ...

/ Dance

Grammys The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

Screening committee in Los Angeles by the chairman of the panel to assist the selection process for the year's best dance releases.

The British Broadcasting Corporation

Gordon joined

as a freelance producer in the early 1990, and introduced a host of new programming ideas and DJ talent including

, Danny Rampling,

Judge Jules Julius O'Riordan (born 1966), better known by his stage name Judge Jules, is a British dance music DJ, record producer and entertainment lawyer. He is known for his DJ activities, music production and long-running radio show which achieved glob ...

Seb Fontaine Seb Fontaine (born Jean-Sebastien Douglas Fontaine; 14 July 1970) is an English electronic music producer and DJ. Biography Fontaine had his first DJ gig at Crazy Larry's on the Kings Road, London, but he soon progressed to residency at the Frid ...

, Fergie and

. For two years from 1995 to 1997 Gordon co-produced the Danny Rampling's Saturday evening BBC Radio 1 show ''The Love Groove Dance Party'' on alternate weekends with Jeff Young.

BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix

From the early 1992, Gordon had been receiving weekly two-hour long mixes on cassette from DJ's Tony Humphries on New York's Hot 96, and

Frankie Knuckles Francis Warren Nicholls, Jr. (January 18, 1955 – March 31, 2014), better known as Frankie Knuckles, was an American DJ, record producer and remixer. He played an important role in developing and popularizing house music in Chicago during the 1 ...

at KISS 100. Gordon pitched the idea of a UK based electronic dance music show, with an emphasis on

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

, that show-cased different DJs and styles of music to offer an outlet for UK dance music. With voice-overs by

, the first show was broadcast in 1994, produced by Gordon and airing from 01.00am to 03.00am. The show was subject to scheduling adjustments over the subsequent fifteen years, varying in duration from 2 hours to 3.5 hours, broadcast within the time frame from 01.00am to 06.00am. The show was the first BBC production to broadcast live from

Ibiza Ibiza (natively and officially in ca, Eivissa, ) is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea off the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is from the city of Valencia. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, in Spain. Its l ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. In addition, a one-hour Sunday edition of the programme was broadcast at 7.00pm from April 1992 to April 1993, called "The Essential Selection - Part 2". In 1997

IPC IPC may refer to: Computing * Infrastructure protection centre or information security operations center * Instructions per cycle or instructions per clock, an aspect of central-processing performance * Inter-process communication, the sharin ...

-produced magazine Muzik Mag named the show Radio Show of the Year in 1997, and a Sony Silver Award in 1997 for the

Goa Mix ''The Goa Mix'' (also known as ''Goa Mix'') is a two-hour DJ mix by British musician and DJ Paul Oakenfold. It was originally broadcast on BBC Radio 1 as an ''Essential Mix'' on 18 December 1994 after the producer of the show, Eddie Gordon, cho ...

presented by DJ Paul Oakenfold. Gordon left the show in 2004, when it changed to a different production company. The ''Essential Mix'' is presently the longest running Radio Mix show in the world. "The Essential Mix Changed My Life"

BBC Radio 1 and Ibiza

Gordon took the ''Essential Mix'' to

in 1995, the first BBC produced show to air live from the noted club-scene holiday island, by recording an ''Essential Mix'' show set of DJ

Nicky Holloway Nicky Holloway (born 12 June 1963) is an English DJ and record producer, who rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s, and has been called "a prototype of the superstar DJ". Biography Nicholas Holloway was born in Isleworth, London. He began play ...

at the Ku club (now Privilege). The following year, Gordon persuaded the station's Managing Director

Andy Parfitt Andrew John Parfitt (born 24 September 1958, Bristol) is the Executive Director of Talent for ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi. He was the Controller of BBC Radio 1 in the United Kingdom, and held that role from 1998–2011, taking over from Matthew ...

to broadcast the "Essential Selection" show live from the Café del Mar and the ''Essential Mix'' from Amnesia in Ibiza; in 1998 when playing a set there for the ''Essential Mix''. DJ

's first ever live recording on the infamous Terrace for BBC Radio 1, produced by Gordon, won two awards in 1998, BBC Radio 1 ''Essential Mix'' Show of the Year and '' Muzik Mags BBC Radio 1 ''Essential Mix'' Show of the Year. Gordon was at the forefront of the

Balearic beat Balearic beat, also known as Balearic house, Balearic, Ibiza house or Ibizan chillout, is an eclectic blend of DJ-led dance music that emerged in the mid-1980s. It later became the name of a more specific style of electronic dance music that wa ...

worldwide explosion, and in celebration in 2005 BBC Radio 1 celebrated 10 years of broadcasting from Ibiza, followed by even more high profile 20 year celebrations in 2015.

BBC Radio 1 Millennium

From 1998-2000 Gordon was responsible for innovating and delivering his vision of the BBC Radio 1 ''One World

Millennium A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (ini ...

'' year 2000 celebration show. Starting with Carl Cox from

Bondi Beach Bondi Beach is a popular beach and the name of the surrounding suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Bondi Beach is located east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council, in the Easter ...

Sydney, Australia Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and List of cities in Oceania by population, Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metro ...

, followed by: Danny Rampling in

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

;

Dave Pearce David Alistair Pearce (born 14 June 1963) is an English dance DJ, EDM producer and broadcaster, who has performed across the United Kingdom and the world. He previously presented ''Dance Anthems'' on BBC Radio 1 for ten years. He is renowned f ...

from

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, Scotland; Pete Tong from

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

; Junior Vasquez from

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. Cox and Gordon then took a 9 hour flight westward across the

International Date Line The International Date Line (IDL) is an internationally accepted demarcation on the surface of Earth, running between the South and North Poles and serving as the boundary between one calendar day and the next. It passes through the Pacific O ...

(IDL) from Sydney at 4am 1 January 2000, landing at 8pm Friday 31 December 1999 in Honolulu to produce final leg of the Millennium celebration at the

Kakaako Waterfront Park Kakaʻako Waterfront Park, also known as "Point Panic Park", is a public park in Kakaʻako, south of downtown Honolulu, just off Ala Moana Boulevard at the end of Cooke Street. It was opened in November 1992 on the site of a former municipal l ...

Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

. This allowed Cox and Gordon to both open and close the broadcast.

BBC 6 Music

From 18 to 23 July 2011, Gordon produced and co-presented a 10-hour radio documentary '' A Piece of Paradise'' for the

BBC 6 Music BBC Radio 6 Music is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC, specialising primarily in alternative music. BBC 6 Music was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years. It is available onl ...

on the legendary Manhattan, New York nightclub Paradise Garage and its DJ

Larry Levan Larry Levan (; born Lawrence Philpot, July 20, 1954 – November 8, 1992) was an American DJ best known for his decade-long residency at the New York City night club Paradise Garage, which has been described as the prototype of the modern da ...

. The shows were aired in one hour series Monday to Friday at midnight and a special 5-hour show on Saturday featuring a recorded live broadcast from inside the 'Garage in 1979. The show has been repeated by BBC 6 Music three times in entirety.

Internet radio

In 2000 Gordon saw the potential of dual-broadcasting shows via both the radio and the

internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...

, with live audio and video camera images being beamed around the planet on the

World Wide Web The World Wide Web (WWW), commonly known as the Web, is an information system enabling documents and other web resources to be accessed over the Internet. Documents and downloadable media are made available to the network through web se ...

. Starting in 2000 under his own management and broadcasting from

Café Mambo Café Mambo is a bar located in Sant Antoni de Portmany, Ibiza. It is known for being the official pre party point for Pacha Ibiza, and hosting internationally known DJs such as John Digweed, Carl Cox, Erick Morillo, Benny Benassi, Paul van Dyk, ...

in Ibiza, from 2003 BBC Radio 1 took over the venture, and continue to this day.

Record labels

MCA Records-Universal 1988 Gordon was appointed, by

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wit ...

UK Head of Dance A&R Adrian Sykes, as

' Club Promotion Dance A&R. Together they scored 10

UK Top 40 The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

hit records from the R&B urban/dance division; In September 1988 Eddie Gordon remixed Bobby Brown's " Don't Be Cruel" record with

Timmy Regisford DJ Timmy Regisford is an American DJ and producer. After working at the WBLS radio station in New York and as an A&R Director at Atlantic Records and MCA Records, he became Vice President of A&R at Motown Records, then Vice President of A&R at ...

in New York for MCA Records UK, helping Bobby Brown to achieve his first Top 20 UK hit record off his debut album which sold in excess of 300,000 copies in the UK. *

The Mac Band The Mac Band was an American Contemporary R&B, R&B musical ensemble, group from Flint, Michigan, Flint, Michigan, formed by four sibling, brothers as the primary singing, vocalists. They are best remembered for their 1988 hit "Roses Are Red (The ...

– Roses Are Red – UK No. 8 * Pebbles –

Girlfriend A girlfriend is a female friend, acquaintance or partner, usually a female companion with whom one is platonically, romantically, or sexually involved. In a romantic context, this normally signifies a committed relationship where the indi ...

– UK No. 8 *

Rose Royce Rose Royce is an American soul and R&B group. They are best known for several hit singles during the 1970s including "Car Wash", " I Wanna Get Next to You", " I'm Going Down", "Wishing on a Star", and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore". Career Th ...

–

Carwash A car wash, carwash, or auto wash is a facility used to clean the exterior, and in some cases the interior of motor vehicles. Car washes can be self-service, full-service (with attendants who wash the vehicle), or fully automated (possi ...

– UK No. 8 * Eric B & Rakim – Follow The Leader – UK No. 21 * Pebbles –

Mercedes Boy "Mercedes Boy" is a song by American singer Pebbles from her 1987 self-titled debut studio album. The song was written by the singer and produced by Charlie Wilson, with additional production from Pebbles. "Mercedes Boy" was released as the albu ...

– UK No. 40 * Bobby Brown – Don't Be Cruel – UK No. 13 * Bobby Brown –

My Prerogative "My Prerogative" is a song by American singer Bobby Brown from his second studio album, ''Don't Be Cruel (album), Don't Be Cruel'' (1988). It was released on October 11, 1988, as the second single from the album. After recording sessions were ...

– UK No. 6 * Bobby Brown –

Every Little Step "Every Little Step" is a 1989 single by American singer Bobby Brown, written by L.A. Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and released by MCA Records. Released as the fourth single on his second album ''Don't Be Cruel'' it reached number three on ...

– UK No. 4 * Kraze – The Party – UK No. 29 *

–

Stalemate Stalemate is a situation in the game of chess where the player whose turn it is to move is not in check and has no legal move. Stalemate results in a draw. During the endgame, stalemate is a resource that can enable the player with the inferior ...

– UK No. 40 * Funky Worm – The Hustle – UK No. 13 * Sheena Easton – The Lover in Me – UK No. 15 Motown Records, RCA Records, Arista Records 1989

BMG BMG may refer to: Organizations * Music publishing companies: ** Bertelsmann Music Group, a 1987–2008 division of Bertelsmann that was purchased by Sony on October 1, 2008 *** Sony BMG, a 2004–2008 joint venture of Bertelsmann and Sony that wa ...

Eddie Gordon was appointed as the Head of Dance Music for the labels

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...

Arista Records Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertainmen ...

Motown Records Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmant ...

and Deconstruction Records. Eddie Gordon promoted 10 hit records into the

UK Top 40 Hit Records Chart The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

in this 12-month period including the record by Black Box called "

Ride On Time Ride may refer to: People * MC Ride, a member of Death Grips * Sally Ride (1951–2012), American astronaut * William Ride (19262011), Australian zoologist Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Ride'' (1998 film), a 1998 comedy by Millicent ...

", a ground breaking No. 1 UK hit record for 6 weeks,

Lisa Stansfield Lisa Jane Stansfield (born 11 April 1966) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. Her career began in 1980 when she won the singing competition ''Search for a Star''. After appearances in various television shows and releasing her first ...

– " All Around The World", also a No. 1 hit record and Public Enemy with

Fight The Power Fight the Power may refer to: * "Fight the Power (Part 1 & 2)", a 1975 song by the Isley Brothers * "Fight the Power" (Public Enemy song) (1989) * '' Fight the Power... Live!'', a 1989 music video compilation by Public Enemy * '' Fight the Power: G ...

from the

Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...

movie ''

Do The Right Thing ''Do the Right Thing'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film produced, written, and directed by Spike Lee. It stars Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, and Samuel L. Jackson, a ...

''. In the studio in 1989 Gordon remixed hit records for Lisa Stansfield with " This Is The Right Time" and " All Around The World" both on Arista Records as well as hit records for

The Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...

with " All I Want From You" and the Gerald Alston song " Activated" both on

The Blow Monkeys The Blow Monkeys are a British new wave/sophisti-pop band that formed in 1981. The first single, "Live Today Love Tomorrow," was released in 1982. They subsequently enjoyed a successful career with several hit singles and albums across the 1 ...

' hit records "

This Is Your Life This Is Your Life may refer to: Television * ''This Is Your Life'' (American franchise), an American radio and television documentary biography series hosted by Ralph Edwards * ''This Is Your Life'' (Australian TV series), the Australian versio ...

" and " Choice" plus the Alisha Warren song "Touch Me" all on

. Eddie Gordon also edited the UK radio version of the

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...

and

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...

hit record " It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be" giving the US company Arista Records their only successful campaign outside of North America with that recording. Atlantic Records 1990 Gordon is signed to Warner Brothers, Elektra, Atlantic Records and was responsible for breaking the USA act

En Vogue En Vogue is an American vocal girl group whose original lineup consisted of singers Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. Formed in Oakland, California, in 1989, En Vogue reached No. 2 on the US Hot 100 with the single "Hol ...

with the record " Hold On", from the million selling album '' Born to Sing'' and the

Family Stand Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideal ...

classic record " Ghetto Heaven" both for

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...

plus having hits with the Atlantic Records House Music giants Ten City with '' Whatever Makes You Happy'' and Superficial People whilst on

Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American Film studio, film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, Califo ...

Eddie enjoyed successful campaigns with Ultra Naté and "It's Over Now", A Way of Life and "Tripping on Your Love", and with

The Jungle Brothers Jungle Brothers are an American hip hop trio composed of Michael Small (Mike Gee), Nathaniel Hall (Afrika Baby Bam), and Sammy Burwell (DJ Sammy B). Known as the pioneers of the fusion of jazz, hip-hop, and house music, they were the first hi ...

' "What U Waitin' 4?" and "Doing Our Own Dang". In the studio Eddie Gordon and CJ Mackintosh remixed the

Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...

produced Portrait of A Masterpiece for

The D.O.C Tracy Lynn Curry (born June 10, 1968), better known as The D.O.C., is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. In addition to a solo career, he was a member of the Southern hip hop group Fila Fresh Crew and later collaborated with gan ...

. Polydor/Urban Records 1991 Gordon is appointed Head of the Urban Division of

Polydor Records Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...

covering the labels

Polydor Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...

, M&G, Slamm,

Raiders Raider(s) may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Paul Revere & the Raiders, an American rock band * "Raider", a track from the 1969 album ''Farewell Aldebaran'', by Judy Henske and Jerry Yester * "Raiders", a track from the 1987 album ''Young an ...

and

Love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...

where he went on to help secure hit records for Tony! Toni! Toné! with " It Never Rains in Southern California", Cathy Dennis with " Touch Me (All Night Long)",

Just A Little Time ''Just a Little Time'' is an album by Lynsey de Paul. It was originally released on 30 September 1994 on the Music Deluxe (catalogue number MSCD9) label but has since been released on the Tring International PLC label (catalogue number JHD128) ...

and Everybody Move on

, Love Inc – Love Is the Message on Love Records as well as Zoé

Sunshine on a Rainy Day "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" is a song by British pop singer and songwriter Zoë, released as the first single from her debut album, ''Scarlet Red and Blue'' (1991). The song received positive reviews from music critics, reaching number four on ...

for M&G Records plus scoring Record Mirror Club No. 1 records for D'Bora Dream and the James Taylor Quartet – Love The Life You Live. PWL-Sanctuary Records Late 1992 Gordon was invited into the world-famous recording studios known as The Hit Factory by Pete Waterman and together they produced the UK Single No. 3 hit record, West End feat.

Sybil Sibyls were oracular women believed to possess prophetic powers in ancient Greece. Sybil or Sibyl may also refer to: Films * ''Sybil'' (1921 film) * ''Sybil'' (1976 film), a film starring Sally Field * ''Sybil'' (2007 film), a remake of the 19 ...

The Love I Lost "The Love I Lost" is a song by American R&B group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. Originally written as a ballad by Philly soul songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the song was transformed into a disco song and features drummer Earl Young. I ...

for Sanctuary Records. The song also stayed at No. 1 in the UK Club Charts for 4 weeks. Eddie's imprint for PWL, Sanctuary Records, also enjoyed No. 1 UK Club Chart positions with Wag Ya Tail – Xpand Ya Mind,

Key West Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it cons ...

– Looks Like I'm in Love Again and Club Z – I Wanna Be Someone. Song & Dance Music Promotion 1993 Gordon forms a music promotion company called Song & Dance Promotions, achieving numerous No. 1 positions in the UK Club Charts for artistes including Whigfield, D-Mob, Lulu,

Jon Secada Juan Francisco Secada Ramírez (born October 4, 1961), better known as Jon Secada, is a Cuban-born American singer. He has won two Grammy Awards and sold 15 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists. His music fus ...

, Dina Carroll, CeCe Peniston, Judy Cheeks,

Eternal Eternal(s) or The Eternal may refer to: * Eternity, an infinite amount of time, or a timeless state * Immortality or eternal life * God, the supreme being, creator deity, and principal object of faith in monotheism Comics, film and television * ...

Donna Summer LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the " Queen of Disco", while her mus ...

, Yazz and KWS. Manifesto Records October 1994 Eddie Gordon founded the

Manifesto A manifesto is a published declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party or government. A manifesto usually accepts a previously published opinion or public consensus or promotes a ...

label for

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...

UK. Along with Judge Jules, their first 14 Manifesto Records releases were all

Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...

UK hit records. Manifesto Records was ''

Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...

'''s Dance Label of the Year 1995, 1996 and 1997. Eddie's 1995 signing of the '' Café del Mar – Ibiza Chill Out'' CD series for the world made Manifesto Records one of the UK's most successful dance labels of all time with the sales of the Café del Mar albums going over 15 million and they are still selling every summer 15 years later. The success of which created an entire genre of music called

Chill-Out Chill-out (shortened as chill; also typeset as chillout or chill out) is a loosely defined form of popular music characterized by slow tempos and relaxed moods. The definition of "chill-out music" has evolved throughout the decades, and generally ...

Lounge Lounge may refer to: Architecture * Lounge, the living room of a dwelling * Lounge, a public waiting area in a hotel's lobby * Lounge, a style of commercial alcohol- bar * Airport lounge, or train lounge (e.g., AMTRAK's Acela Lounge), a premium ...

. Another of Eddie's signings, Jose Padilla went on to be Nominated for a USA Latin Grammy with his second album '' Horizons''. Manifesto Records scored nine #1's in the UK ''Record Mirror'' Chart to win the ''Music Week'' magazine's dance music label of 1996. One signing, Josh Wink –

Higher State of Consciousness "Higher State of Consciousness" is a song by American DJ Josh Wink. It was first released in March 1995. In 2022, ''Rolling Stone'' ranked it number 128 in their list of ''200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time''. Background The song was initially ...

, actually hit the UK Top 10 twice at # 7 in consecutive years 1995 and 1996. A feat never to be repeated for an underground techno dance record. Eddie left Manifesto Records in 1997 suffering from exhaustion and feeling that

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a t ...

were not totally supportive of the artists or projects signed to the label. Five years later in 2002,

Lucian Grainge Sir Lucian Charles Grainge (born 29 February 1960) is the chairman and chief executive officer of Universal Music Group. Grainge has worked in the music business for his entire career. ''Billboard'' magazine named Grainge as the most powerful ...

the chairman and chief executive of Universal Music Group International congratulated Eddie personally for saving Mercury Records UK with the success of the signings to Manifesto Records in-particular the ''Café del Mar – Ibiza Chill'' Out CD series which

Lucian Lucian of Samosata, '; la, Lucianus Samosatensis ( 125 – after 180) was a Hellenized Syrian satirist, rhetorician and pamphleteer Pamphleteer is a historical term for someone who creates or distributes pamphlets, unbound (and therefore ...

compared to signing a smaller version of U2, the rock band, due to the income it generated for the company with its multi-million worldwide sales. * Gusto – Disco's Revenge – UK Club Chart No. 1 *

–

State of Independence "State of Independence" is a song written by Jon Anderson and Vangelis. Originally recorded by Jon and Vangelis for their 1981 album ''The Friends of Mr Cairo'', "State of Independence" was released as a single the same year but did not chart. T ...

– UK Club Chart No. 1 *

Todd Terry Todd Norton Terry (born April 18, 1967) is an American DJ, record producer and remixer in the genre of house music. Musical career Todd Terry was influential in moving House music beyond the early Chicago house sound of 1984–86. He crossed ...

– Keep on Jumpin' – UK Club Chart No. 1 * Josh Wink –

– UK Club Chart No. 1 * Dina Carroll –

Mind Body & Soul ''Mind Body & Soul'' is the second studio album by English singer and songwriter Joss Stone, released on 15 September 2004 by S-Curve Records. The album received generally favourable reviews from music critics and earned Stone three Grammy Awa ...

– UK Club Chart No. 1 *

David Morales David Morales (; born August 21, 1962) is an American disc jockey (DJ) and record producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is also a remixer. David Morales has remixed and produced over 500 releases for artists including Ma ...

& The Bad Yard Club – In Da Ghetto – UK Club Chart No. 1 * Boris Dlugosch – Keep Pushin On – UK Club Chart No. 1 *

Byron Stingily Byron Stingily is an American R&B and house-music singer born in Chicago, Illinois, known for his falsetto voice. He is now a part-time principal at a school in Chicago while still performing. Career Stingily had several hit records in the 1 ...

– Get Up Everybody – UK Club Chart No. 1 * Gusto –

Let's All Chant "Let's All Chant" is a song written by American record producer and composer Michael Zager and Alvin Fields, and performed by the Michael Zager Band. It was based on an idea originally suggested by former head of A&R Jerry Love after he visited ...

– UK Club Chart No. 1 Neo Records 1998 Eddie started his independent label, Neo Records, succeeding with the biggest selling dance record of the year 2000 with Sandstorm by Darude, licensed for the world and hitting No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart. Another Neo Records signing

Ann Lee Ann Lee (29 February 1736 – 8 September 1784), commonly known as Mother Ann Lee, was the founding leader of the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, or the Shakers. After nearly two decades of participation in a re ...

2 Times "2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...

went one place better at No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart.

Producer/Artist: remixes, production and aliases

In an extension to his previous work at the record labels, from 1988 to 1996 Gordon became at first a producer and freelance remixer of various artistes records, and then an artist - as a front man producer and the hub of any "band" - in his own right. The function of both producer and artist was fulfilled under a series of aliases, including: WestEnd; EG; Ed-Did-It; and EGor. Under these alias labels, Gordon remixed over 75 records for various labels and record companies for mainly the UK, European club scene and North America. This included six records off one album for

from their debut album '' Always & Forever'' the songs " Stay", "

Crazy Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person or persons becoming a danger to themselves or t ...

", " Just a Step from Heaven", " Sweet Funky Thing", " Save Our Love", and " So Good", all of which went to No. 1 in the UK Club Charts and helped the

album sell 3 million copies. ''West End'' (not to be confused with the

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

n Eurovision Song Contest entry of 1983), also enjoyed Club Chart Number 1 success with Dina Carroll "

Here Here is an adverb that means "in, on, or at this place". It may also refer to: Software * Here Technologies, a mapping company * Here WeGo (formerly Here Maps), a mobile app and map website by Here Television * Here TV (formerly "here!"), a TV ...

", "

Ain't No Man Ain't No Man may refer to: * Ain't No Man (SWV song), 2015 * Ain't No Man (Dina Carroll song), 1992 * Ain't No Man, a song by The Avett Brothers from True Sadness ''True Sadness'' is the ninth studio album by American folk rock band The Avett B ...

" and "

Express Express or EXPRESS may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * '' Express: Aisle to Glory'', a 1998 comedy short film featuring Kal Penn * '' The Express: The Ernie Davis Story'', a 2008 film starring Dennis Quaid Music * ''Express'' ...

" Melody of Love" and Toni Braxton "

Breathe Again "Breathe Again" is a song by American R&B singer Toni Braxton. It was written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and produced by Edmonds, L.A. Reid, and Daryl Simmons for Braxton's self-titled debut album (1993). Its lyrics evokes a sense of nostal ...

Awards

Aside from numerous record label awards with Manifest Records and Neo Records, plus awards for the Essential Mix Radio 1 show, Gordon's enjoyed a successful DJ career with various awards ''Gravesend and Dartford Reporter'' 'DJ of the Year 1984-1985',

'1986 Club of the Year' with The Slammer, ''

'' '1986 Club of the Year' with The Slammer, ''Kent Evening Post'' 1987 Kent Club of the Year with The Sleeze and in 1989 Eddie Gordon was Kent 'Music Man of the Year' - ''Kent Evening Post''. 2014 Gordon was made a Founding Member of the Chicago-based American DJ Hall Of Fame for his Excellence in the Advancement, Expansion and Acceptance of Dance Music around the World.

Discography and West End Remixes plus productions

From 1988 to 1998 Eddie Gordon, using the names "West End", "Ed-Did-It" or "EGor", remixed over 75 records for various labels and record companies in the UK music business including six records off one album for

from their debut album '' Always & Forever'' the songs " Stay", "

", " Just a Step from Heaven", " Sweet Funky Thing", " Save Our Love", and " So Good", all of which went to No. 1 in the UK Club Charts and helped the

album sell 3 million copies. The UK music charts love affair with girl groups was created from this success. West End also enjoyed Club Chart Number 1 success with Dina Carroll "

", "

" and "

" Melody of Love" and Toni Braxton "

". Further information in the discography below.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, Eddie 1959 births Living people English male journalists English record producers British music industry executives A&R people People from Gravesend, Kent British club DJs DJs from London British remixers English radio personalities English electronic dance music DJs