Spreadin' Honey

The first time I heard this track was way back in 1995 when I would religiously tape Pete Tong's Essential Mix on a Saturday night, although I think I may have set the timer for the first half of this as it went out on my birthday and more likely than not I would have been in the pub. The track  was segued between Ray Charles and The Winston's in probably the most eclectic and possibly the second  best essential mix, I've ever heard. At the time the mix was credited to Portishead but I think in reality it would have been Andy Smith, who was responsible. If  you haven't heard it or just want to hear the mix again, it can be found here.

It would be a couple of months until I found out the name of the track, courtesy of MixMag, who in those days used to supply the track listings to essential mixes in handy cut out and keep cassette inlay card sized form.

Spreadin' Honey by Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band started life as a theme song for a DJ called Magnificent Montague, you couldn't make this stuff up. The track became so popular that LA producer and Keyman Records producer Fred Smith decided to release it as a single in 1967 under the moniker of the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm band, who would become established as a stable line-up the following year and would go on to release tracks such as Do Your Thang and Express Yourself.

Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - Spreadin' Honey