Technotronic

Technotronic

Technotronic is a studio-based Belgian House Music project formed by Jo Bogaert (born Thomas De Quincey, 1954, Belgium) in 1988. Together with Ya Kid K (born Manuela Kamosi in 1973 in Zaire), he produced the hit single "Pump Up the Jam" which was originally intended as an instrumental. An image for the act was put together utilizing Zairian-born fashion model Felly as its album and single cover art and "singer" in the music video.

Discography

"Pump Up The Jam" became an unexpected international smash, eventually hitting #2 on the Hot 100 in late 1989/early 1990, becoming the first major house music record to break through to the pop mainstream. This success led to the debut of Pump Up The Jam - The Album, which featured tracks by Ya Kid K and MC Eric (born Eric Martin, Wales) as well as a live opening-act slot for Madonna and appearances on Saturday Night Live, The Arsenio Hall Show, and It's Showtime At The Apollo, among others. It was at this time that Kamosi stepped forward as Technotronic's real singer.

Two follow-up singles "Get Up! (Before The Night Is Over)" and "This Beat Is Technotronic" also hit the Top 10 in many countries, including the US, and the album eventually climbed into the Top 10 of the Billboard 200.

1990s pop hits

In 1990 Kamosi also rapped on the single "Spin That Wheel", as part of Technotronic's "side project" Hi Tek 3 for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie soundtrack.

A megamix was released compiling many of Technotronic's previous hits. Released as a single, it peaked at #6 in the UK and #1 on the Eurochart Hot 100.

Three years after their initial success, the song "Move This" (also featuring Kamosi) from their debut album became popularized via its use in a Revlon television commercial and became their third Top 10 hit in the United States. With renewed interest in the album, it was repackaged in 1992 with the same track listing, but this time featuring Ya Kid K on the cover.

Technotronic has sold approximately 14 million albums and singles worldwide.

Albums

• 1989 Pump Up the Jam: The Album
• 1990 Trip On This - the Remixes
• 1991 Body To Body
• 1993 Greatest Hits
• 1995 Recall

Singles

• 1988 "Technotronic" ("Pump Up The Jam" original instrumental version)
• 1989 "Pump Up The Jam" (as Technotronic featuring Felly) (UK #2, US Hot 100 #2, Dance/Club Play #1)
• 1990 "Get Up! (Before The Night Is Over)" (as Technotronic featuring Ya Kid K) (UK #2, Ireland #2, Hot 100 #7, Dance/Club Play #2)
• 1990 "This Beat Is Technotronic" (as Technotronic featuring MC Eric) (Ireland #5, UK #14, Dance/Club Play #3)
• 1990 "Spin That Wheel" (as Hi-Tek 3 featuring Ya Kid K) (Feb: UK #69; September re-release: UK #15)
• 1990 "Rockin' Over the Beat" (UK #9, Ireland #11, Hot 100 #95)
• 1990 "Megamix" By The Unity Mixers aka Patrick Samoy & Luc Rigaux number 1 in Europe, #6 UK
• 1990 "Turn It Up" (as Technotronic featuring Melissa and Einstein) (Ireland #26, UK #42, B #21)
• 1991 "Move That Body" (as Technotronic featuring Reggie) (Ireland #3, UK #12, CH #10)
• 1991 "Work" (as Technotronic featuring Reggie) (Ireland #12, UK #40, CH #24)
• 1991 "Money Makes The World Go Round" (as Technotronic featuring Reggie)
• 1991 "Voices"
• 1992 "Move This" (as Technotronic featuring Ya Kid K) (Hot 100 #6)
• 1993 "Hey Yoh, Here We Go" (as Technotronic featuring Ya Kid K)
• 1994 "One + One"
• 1994 "Move It To The Rhythm" (as Technotronic featuring Ya Kid K) (Hot 100 #83, Dance/Club Play #3)
• 1995 "Recall" (as Technotronic featuring Ya Kid K)
• 1995 "I Want You By My Side" (#31 B)
• 1996 "Pump Up The Jam--The Sequel" (UK #36)
• 1996 "Crazy"
• 1998 "Get Up--The '98 Sequel"
• 1998 "Pump Up The Jam" (as D.O.N.S. featuring Technotronic)
• 1999 "Like This" (as Technotronic featuring Monday Midnite)
• 2000 "The G. Train" (as Technotronic featuring Monday Midnite)
• 2000 "The Mariachi" (as Technotronic featuring Ya Kid K) (#1 MEX)
• 2001 "Runaway Blues"
• 2002 "The Circle Unbroken"
• 2005 "Pump Up The Jam 2005" (as D.O.N.S. featuring Technotronic) (UK #22; Ireland #25)

Technotronic tracks are featured on the soundtrack of the following films:

• 1990 3 Men and a Little Lady - "Get Up! (Before The Night Is Over)"
• 1993 The Meteor Man - "Move This"
• 1993 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III - "Rockin' Over The Beat"
• 1996 Space Jam - "Pump Up The Jam (Instrumental)"
• 2006 Let's Go To Prison - "Move This (Shake That Body)"

Trivia

• Patrick De Meyer, a well known Belgian Producer who had success with other bands including T99 and Jarvic 7, played additional synthesizers on Pump Up the Jam, as well as produced on other releases.¹

• German group MC B featuring Daisy Dee released a rival version of This Beat Is Technotronic on the Big One Records label. This was due to Technotronic's version being rapped by a male artist - Eric Martin

• In the season two Venture Bros. episode Victor. Echo. November., when a Stranger from the Guild of Calamitous Intent becomes convinced that Brock has killed him, heimplores Brock, "Sing a technotronic song maybe (cough) Pump Up the (cough) Jam... What about Move This? Do you know that one?" Brock begrudgingly begins to sing "Baby, let me--."

• "Weird Al" Yankovic did a polka version of "Pump Up The Jam". It is included in his 1992 medley "Polka Your Eyes Out".

• In a Season 2 episode of Roseanne, Dan catches his daughter Becky dancing to "Pump Up The Jam" with headphones on.

• Technotronic opened for Madonna on her 1990 Blonde Ambition Tour.

See also

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References

1. Pump Up the Jam: The Album Sleeve notes.

External links

1. Technotronic at Discogs