Smash Hit Music Co.

photo by Chris Savas / 1983 / Danceteria / “Jam Hot”

When Nina Hagen sang “AM/PM, Pyramid, Roxy, Mudd Club, Danceteria” in her 1983 classic “New York New York” she could have been describing Johnny Dynell’s work week, as he played at them all, beginning at the seminal Mudd Club in 1980. Throughout the 80s he continued to DJ and record on Atlantic Records, collaborating with Arthur Baker, Malcolm McLaren, Larry Levan, Peter Rauhofer, Eric Kupper and David Morales. Dynell ended the decade in London recording the cult Voguing classic “Elements Of Vogue”.

In 1990 Johnny and his wife Chi Chi Valenti opened their own nightclub Jackie 60, an influential underground party that ran for the entire decade, and evolved into the full-time Meat Market venue Mother. Upon the club’s closing in late 2000, Dynell found his way back to his first love - spinning – and began writing dance music again, including the Pink Martini hit “Una Notte a Napoli”. As 2010 began, Johnny was DJing, remixing for artists including the B-52’s and Sia, and writing new material.

photo by Nick Egan

In 1983, while spinning at Danceteria, producer KENTON NIX (Heartbeat, Funky Sensation) and fellow DJ MARK KAMINS (who had just produced Madonna’s debut single) collaborated on Johnny’s first record JAM HOT. This quirky, infectious ditty about Graffiti kids and breakdancers was a radio breakout, cult classic and Dynell’s first outing as a songwriter/artist. Its refrain “Tank, Fly Boss, Walk, Jam, Nitty Gritty / Talkin’ ’bout the boys from the big bad city / this is Jam Hot” has been sampled in dozens of songs worldwide. In 2009 the term “Jam Hot” made it into the Urban Dictionary.

THE BIG THROWDOWN was Johnny’s followup to JAM HOT, produced by the same team at the same iconic studio BLANK TAPES. Throwdown’s gospel-apolylyptic lyrics and sound reflect a 1983 New York City, teetering on bankruptcy. This era of financial ruin was a Golden Age of creativity for downtown NYC, launching hundreds of niche genres, scenes and performers, including Dynell.

Now, SMASH HIT MUSIC CO assembles a dream roster of remixers and producers for the JOHNNY DYNELL JAM HOT/ BIG THROWDOWN REMIX PROJECT: TENSNAKE, 40 THIEVES, PETER RAUHOFER, MARK KAMINS, CLOUDED VISION, ELIJA RUDMAN and of course, Johnny.

johnnydynell.com

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