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Spooky Season Spins continues with a little-known 1984 electro gem that has just the right amount of darkness, mystery, and electronic weirdness for Halloween. “Take A Bite” by Eve Electro is one of those records that may have slipped past mainstream audiences but found a welcome home in underground dance clubs on both sides of the Atlantic.
Released in 1984, “Take A Bite” was the work of a New York-based electro project featuring vocalist Deborah Pell North, also known as Deb North, alongside producers Ian North and Craig Bevan. Gary Pini served as executive producer. The single originally appeared in the United States on the independent Black Suit Records label before receiving a German release through Bellaphon Records.
One of the more interesting names behind the project is Ian North, an American musician whose career stretched across several different musical styles. During the 1970s, North was a founding member of the cult power-pop band Milk ‘N’ Cookies, which became associated with New York’s emerging punk and new wave scene. After relocating to England, he formed the band Neo before returning to New York, where he became increasingly interested in synthesizers and electronic recording. His involvement with Eve Electro represented another unexpected turn in an already varied musical career.
Musically, “Take A Bite” is a fascinating example of the early 1980s electro sound. Built around a steady, mechanical dance beat, rubbery electronic basslines, quirky synthesizer melodies, and processed vocals, the track sits somewhere between electro-funk, synth-pop, and the more experimental side of new wave. There’s an offbeat quality to the production that gives the record an almost futuristic, slightly unsettling atmosphere.
That unusual combination makes it an especially fun selection for Spooky Season Spins. While “Take A Bite” wasn’t necessarily intended as a Halloween record, its suggestive title, robotic vocal effects, and strange electronic textures certainly make it feel right at home during October.
Despite its underground character, the record managed to attract attention from American club DJs. “Take A Bite” reached No. 35 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Disco chart in 1984, an impressive showing for a relatively obscure independent release. The single also found an audience in European clubs, particularly in Germany, where electro, synth-pop, and Italo-disco were becoming increasingly popular.
In fact, “Take A Bite” can be found on a surviving Christmas 1984 DJ tape from Frankfurt’s legendary Dorian Gray nightclub, where it appeared alongside records by Dominatrix, Newcleus, Ministry, and other electronic dance acts of the period. It’s an interesting reminder that the record was part of the actual club scene rather than simply an obscure collector’s curiosity.
The track has continued to attract attention from electro enthusiasts over the years. It was later included on the compilation Welcome To The Robots, Volume One: The Electro Pioneers, alongside influential electronic recordings by artists such as Koto, Yello, Hashim, and Alexander Robotnick.
For today’s post, we have the original 1984 German 12″ maxi-single released on Bellaphon Records. The A-side features “Take A Bite,” while the flip contains the longer companion track “Bite,” giving listeners another helping of the record’s unusual electronic sound.
Sometimes the most interesting discoveries are the records that never became household names. “Take A Bite” is a perfect example of the creativity and experimentation taking place in the early 1980s underground dance scene, when synthesizers, drum machines, and a little imagination could produce something wonderfully strange.
So, as we head into another October weekend, here’s something a little different for your Halloween playlist. Turn down the lights, turn up the volume, and let Eve Electro take a bite!
SIDE A:
A. Take A Bite 4:05
SIDE B:
B. Bite 5:06
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Bellaphon – 120·07·131
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single, Stereo
Country: Germany
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Electro
CREDITS:
- Lacquer Cut By – SST (8)
- Producer – Craig Bevan, Gary Pini, Ian North
- Written-By – C. Bevan*, I. North*
NOTES:
Licensed by Black Suit Records
Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2
Phono Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
Audio Interface: MOTU M4
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Cleaning Solution: Turgikleen Record Cleaning Solution
Scanner: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
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