Following on from BBR’s re-issues of Eruption’s first two releases, Hot Shot Records are proud to present the expanded and re-mastered edition of On The Race Track by Precious Wilson.

Complete with extensive liner notes and several extended disco versions of the classic Eruption singles this is a must have for all R&B, Disco, Dance and Pop fans.

Precious Wilson started out as a backing singer for the all-male group Eruption. The group enjoyed their first minor success when they won a talent competition in 1975, and then went on to record the song "Let Me Take You Back in Time".

Shortly after, the lead singer left the group, and Precious Wilson stepped forward to front the band.

The group then relocated to Germany in 1976, and the following year in 1977, while on the road touring in Germany, Eruption was introduced to German producer Frank Farian who booked them to work with Boney M as their backing band, and as their support act on Boney M's first European tour.

Frank Farian then went on to sign them to Boney M.'s label, Hansa Records, Farian released the single "Party Party" but it was their disco cover version of Ann Peebles' "I Can't Stand the Rain" from their first album which broke big, giving them a UK #5 hit and a US #18 hit.

After a second album and another hit single with Neil Sedaka's "One Way Ticket" (UK #9), Precious Wilson left the group to pursue her solo career.

Wilson's debut single as a solo artist was a cover version of Sam & Dave's "Hold On I'm Coming", released in August 1979. Produced by Frank Farian and set to a funky disco-beat, the single reached #45 in the Dutch charts.

The song was also included in Boney M.'s No. 1 album Oceans of Fantasy which also yielded a guest performance by Wilson on the opening track "Let It All Be Music".

She co-wrote the title song of her debut album "We Are On the Race Track", also produced by Farian, was completed during 1980 on Hansa Records. It was released in October, heralded by the single "Cry to Me" which Wilson performed on TV, backed by the band that she created called Sky Train.

In October 1981, she released a cover version of "I Need You" which peaked at #6 in Switzerland where her popularity was strong. In Germany, it reached #39.

In the summer of 1982, the electro-pop track "I Don't Know" was released, followed by her second album "All Coloured in Love". The album was released with a different track selection in the UK, Italy and France under the name Red Light followed by several different single releases in the various territories.

Hot on the heels of the then Aerobic craze and Farian's success with its current album Aerobic Fitness Dancing, the theme song "Let's Move Aerobic (Move Your Body)" was rush-released with Wilson's vocals in March '83.

Her third album "Funky Fingers" (December 1983), consisting of two side-long medleys of soul standards, was released with minimal support. In 1985, she signed with Jive Records and teamed up with multiple producer teams for the album, including American songwriter, Monte Moir, a musician and song-writer, best known as a member of Prince Rogers Nelson's band, The Time.

The following year Precious Wilson released several singles; launching "I'll Be Your Friend" (a U.S. Top 40 R&B hit), the theme song from the Michael Douglas movie "The Jewel of the Nile",( which was the sequel to the movie "Romancing The Stone"), and "Nice Girls Don't Last" ("Love Can't Wait" in the U.S.).

1. WE ARE ON THE RACE TRACK
2. CRY TO ME
3. STOP RUNNIN’
4. STAY BY MY SIDE
5. YOU AIN’T GOT LOVE
6. IF I LOVED YOU LESS
7. TOGETHER FOREVER
8. MR. PILOT MAN
9. FUNKY DANCER
10. KILLING ME SOFTLY

BONUS TRACKS:
11.HOLD ON, I’M COMING (Single Version)
12.I CAN’T STAND THE RAIN* (12” Long Version)
13.ONE WAY TICKET* (12” Disco Version)

* ERUPTION featuring PRECIOUS WILSON

Released in 1980 her debut album maintained the singer’s popularity, especially across mainland Europe. First single "Cry To Me", a disco-fied cover of the Solomon Burke R&B hit from ’62, ideal for Wilson’s rich voice, reached number 3 in Switzerland and the album's second single, "We Are on the Race Track", reached #11 there in early 1981.

Indeed, the title track and second single, co-written by Wilson, "We Are On The Race Track", is about negotiating the so called Rat Race. A mid-tempo dancer with a light, Caribbean feel and complete with race car engine effects just missed out on the Swiss top ten.

Listening to each track again today on this wonderful re-release, it's hard to fathom where the years have gone - and why music doesn't sound as good, as polished, as incredibly well sung as these tracks all do.

For me, the highlights amongst the gems would be "If I Loved You Less", "Stop Runnin'", "Stay By My Side" and a stunning rendition of the Roberta Flack classic, "Killing Me Softly" rounding out the original album.

The three expanded edition tracks are lovely to hear also, but more so the two 12" versions of both "I Can't Stand The Rain" and "One Way Ticket". Precious' stand alone vocals combined with the smooth, timeless even production values of this album make On The Race Track as delightful to hear today as I'm sure it was back when it first came out.

www.preciouswilson.com

www.cherryred.co.uk