Greetings music lovers! This week at Kimkattia, DJ Katt brings you another in her "Retro Rundown" series of great 80s inspired tunes. She has some more great extended-12" mixes on the turntable ready to tickle your ears with! So, you younger folks might be asking "What is a 12" single?"
The 12" single extended mix is a format of vinyl record that was introduced in the mid-1970s. It featured a longer version of a single song, typically around 6-10 minutes in length, as opposed to the 3-4 minute versions that were common on 7" singles. The 12" format was originally developed for disco clubs, where DJs needed longer tracks to keep the dance floor moving.
The first commercially available 12-inch single with extended dance mixes was Ten Percent by the disco band Double Exposure, originally released in November 1976 by Salsoul Records. The single was a huge success, and helped to popularize the 12" format.
In the 1980s, the 12" single extended mix became a staple of the electronic music scene. Artists like Kraftwerk, New Order, and The Human League released some of their most iconic songs in 12" format, with extended mixes that featured extended instrumental sections, new sound effects, and remixes by leading DJs.
The 12" single extended mix also played an important role in the development of hip hop music. In the early days of hip hop, DJs would often use 12" singles to create their own mixes, by blending together different tracks and adding new samples. This helped to create the distinctive sound of hip hop, and many of the most famous hip hop tracks were originally released in 12" format.
The 12" single extended mix is a versatile format that has been used by a wide range of artists. It has helped to shape the sound of disco, electronic music, and hip hop, and it continues to be a popular format for dance music today.
Here are some of the key milestones in the history of the 12" single extended mix:
1975: Tom Moulton creates the first 12" single extended mix for Bobby Moore's "(Call Me Your) Anything Man".
1976: Ten Percent by Double Exposure is released, the first commercially available 12" single with extended dance mixes.
1980: Kraftwerk release their album The Model, which features several extended mixes.
1981: New Order release their single "Blue Monday", which becomes one of the best-selling 12" singles of all time.
1982: The Human League release their album Dare, which features several extended mixes, including "Don't You Want Me".
1983: Hip hop group Run-DMC release their single "Sucker MC's", which is one of the first hip hop tracks to be released in 12" format.
The 12" single extended mix is a fascinating format with a rich history. It has played an important role in the development of dance music, and it continues to be a popular format today.