Raze (house music group)
Encyclopedia
Raze was an American
electronic dance music
group, assembled by the multi-instrumentalist
and producer
, Vaughan Mason. Mason had previously released the hit single
, "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll", for Brunswick Records
in 1979. Raze also contained the vocalist, Keith Thompson. They released a number of records in the U.S.A., which were then licensed to several US and UK record labels.
Early releases included "Jack the Groove" and "Let the Music Move U", both in 1986. "Jack the Groove" was one of the first house music
hits in the UK
, entering the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart
in January 1987. Along with Steve "Silk" Hurley's "Jack Your Body
", a UK #1 the same month, it presaged the popularity of the genre in the UK in the late 1980s.
Raze hit #1 on the US
Hot Dance Club Play chart
in 1988 with "Break 4 Love
". The song also crossed over to urban radio station
s, where it became a moderate hit. "Break 4 Love" hit #1 on the US dance chart again in 2001, when it was covered
by Peter Rauhofer
and the Pet Shop Boys
, under the name The Collaboration.
In October 2004, "Break 4 Love" appeared in the popular videogame, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
, playing on the house music radio station, SF-UR.
† - Raze presents Doug Lazy
‡ - Raze featuring Lady J and Secretary of Entertainment
¶ - Raze / Championship Legend ("Can You Feel It" by Championship Legend was a montage of six Raze tracks)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
electronic dance music
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
group, assembled by the multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, Vaughan Mason. Mason had previously released the hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
, "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll", for Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. The label is currently distributed by E1 Entertainment.-From 1916:Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company...
in 1979. Raze also contained the vocalist, Keith Thompson. They released a number of records in the U.S.A., which were then licensed to several US and UK record labels.
Early releases included "Jack the Groove" and "Let the Music Move U", both in 1986. "Jack the Groove" was one of the first house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
hits in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, entering the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in January 1987. Along with Steve "Silk" Hurley's "Jack Your Body
Jack Your Body
Jack Your Body is a popular song by Steve 'Silk' Hurley, which was featured on the only J.M. Silk album, Hold on to Your Dream, released in 1987....
", a UK #1 the same month, it presaged the popularity of the genre in the UK in the late 1980s.
Raze hit #1 on the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Hot Dance Club Play chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
in 1988 with "Break 4 Love
Break 4 Love
"Break 4 Love" is a song written, produced and recorded by house-music group Raze. The song, the group's only significant U.S. hit, featured vocals by Keith Thompson. The single peaked at number 28 in the UK Singles Chart and it topped the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1988...
". The song also crossed over to urban radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s, where it became a moderate hit. "Break 4 Love" hit #1 on the US dance chart again in 2001, when it was covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by Peter Rauhofer
Peter Rauhofer
Peter Rauhofer is a DJ, remixer and producer who formerly went under the moniker Club 69 as well as Size Queen. A native of Vienna, Austria, he is famous for his remixes of a number of Madonna's songs including "Nothing Really Matters", "American Life", "Nothing Fails, "Nobody Knows Me", "Get...
and the Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
, under the name The Collaboration.
In October 2004, "Break 4 Love" appeared in the popular videogame, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
, playing on the house music radio station, SF-UR.
Single discography
- "Jack the Groove" (1986) - UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#20 - Originally release in the US by Traxx Records - "Let the Music Move U" (1987) - UK #57
- "Break 4 Love" (1988) - USUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Hot Dance Club Play; UK #28 - "Let It Roll" (1989) - UK #27 † - Originally release in the US and licensed to the UK Label
- "All 4 Love (Break 4 Love 1990) (1990) - UK #30 ‡ - Originally release in the US and licensed to the UK Label
- "Can You Feel It" / "Can You Feel It" (1990) - UK #62 ¶ - Originally release in the US by WarLoc Records
- "Break 4 Love" (remixRemixA remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
) (1994) - UK #44 - Originally release in the US and licensed to the UK Label - "Break 4 Love" (second remix) (2003) - UK #64 - Originally release in the US and licensed to the UK Label
† - Raze presents Doug Lazy
Doug Lazy
Doug Lazy is an American hip hop and dance music producer and DJ from Washington, D.C. Lazy scored a number of hip house hits in the late 1980s and early 1990s on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, including three #1s: "Let It Roll", "Let the Rhythm Pump", and "H.O.U.S.E." In 1990, Ben E...
‡ - Raze featuring Lady J and Secretary of Entertainment
¶ - Raze / Championship Legend ("Can You Feel It" by Championship Legend was a montage of six Raze tracks)