Technology behind Synth Funk Band Midnight Star.

Well, the Vocoder definetly played a major part. What brand they used is anyones guess, but for the record "No Parking On The Dance Floor" is the main reason I got my wife and folks to Xmas me a Korg MS2000 (with 16-band vocoder) like 2 years ago.

I'd guess they used the Korg VC-20 (I might have fucked that up, it's been a while since I've perused my Vintage Synthesizer (from the editors of Keyboard Magazine) book) vocoder and some various Arp and Moog stuff. Maybe a roland 808 drum machine.

yes, startrekman is back with another synth question!

"No Parking on the Dance Floor" is easily one of my favorite songs of that era

startrekman forgot "Wet My Whistle". For shame.

No Parking on the Dance Floor was such an incredible record. It's really impossible to overstate how massive it was, at least in southeastern Michigan where I grew up. Among the first tapes I ever bought. the Electrifying Mojo used to .. what's that term again .. oh yeah, CANE this record..

"Freak-A-Zoid" was a life-changing recording. I couldn't get enough of it. It sounded so alien and heavy. That bridge where the backing completely changes into that minimal, descending tom-tom drum pattern .. the vocoder bit: "we. are. Midnight Star. we're gonna etc. etc." Massive.

"Freak-A-Zoid" got Apu laid once. Never had he partied so hardy.

oh forgot, What about "Wet my whistle"

there might have been some OBX OB-Xa and Ob-8 usage somewhere.

come on and wire me up - i that the right lyrics?

I have a very clear memory of weird white trash kids at my YMCA summer camp doing a breakdance to "Freak-a-Zoid" at the Camp Piomingo talent show when this album first came out. Parachute pants n bandanas + mullets and roach clips = Kentuckiana electroboogie fashion disaster

the proto-Rodan (and June of 44, and Rachel's) band King Kid International did an amazing Slint/Midnight Star medley in which they covered "Geraldine" AND "No Parking On the Dancefloor". Hearing Tara Jane O'Neil whisper "it's so easy, it's so nice" is awesome, and the cover totally works.

"if you don't get a move on that body, I'll be forced to give you a ticket . . . SO GET WITH IT"

I have always wondered the exact same thing. A lot of other similar sort've electro-funk bands from the same time used one certain characteristic synth that I love but don't know the name of (the one with vibrato in it). Chromeo uses it too in a blatant rip-off/shoutout.

come on and wire me up - i that the right lyrics?

-- beatboy (hithta...), November 22nd, 2004

It's

I'll be your freakazoid
come on and wind me up!

It's one of the Oberheim synths I now know, even if I can't get any Oberheim-emulating program to make the same exact sound.

I found a preset in Sonik Synth 2 that sounds just right for the oberheim OB line sound!

holy shit, drew you went to camp piomingo too?!?!?!????