Backtracking 1983: Lost In Space by The Jonzun Crew and Candy Girl by New Edition

Back in 2014, inspired by a friend's posting of his favorite albums from 1983, I threw together a quick listing of my own favorites and a brief description of my life in 1983. As part of an ongoing series of sharing my personal history with family, friends, and the rest of the world, I've started writing up brief posts on many of those favorites from 1983. Come along on a nostalgic voyage...

Lost In Space was the first full-length album released on Tommy Boy Records, catalog #TBLP 1001. The Jonzun Crew were early pioneers of the emerging electro-funk scene that grew out of disco, characterized by the new sound of drum machines, in particular, the Roland TR-808. The six songs on Lost In Space (all mentioned as THE HITS on the alternate hype sticker at top of this here post) average six minutes in length and, I'm happy to report, still sound very cool (if maybe a little thin compared to today's recording technology) whether listening with headphones, through your home system or immersed in the environs of your car stereo system.

"Space Cowboy", the first Jonzun Crew song I ever recall hearing is still my favorite. Sure, it's cheesy and loopy with high-pitched sing-songy vocals and simple lyrics but that is exactly what many of the best songs of all time are made of. Three other singles from Lost In Space were released alongside "Space Cowboy". 

The album was released on vinyl and cassette in January 1983 with a 20th Anniversary Series digipak CD release following in 2001 featuring two bonus remix tracks. Lost In Space was reissued on bright yellow vinyl in 2021. The album is readily available to stream, download and purchase. For those of you living that Hi-Res life, the album is even available in 24bit/96kHz.

Jonzun Crew would go on to release two more albums: Down To Earth (1984) and Cosmic Love (1990). Group leader Michael Jonzun stepped out on Down To Earth, which is credited as Jonzun Crew featuring Michael Jonzun, before dropping a solo album in 1986, Money Isn't Everything. He also contributed to both of his brother Maurice Starr's (aka Larry Johnson) solo albums, Flaming Starr (1980) and Spacey Lady (1983).

I can enthusiastically state that both Michael aka Spaceman and Maurice aka The General were involved in yet another 1983 album (that's three albums in 1983 if you're keeping track) we hold in high regard here at The Hideaway: New Edition's debut album Candy Girl which we ranked #94 on our 100 Favorite Albums of 1983 just behind Lost In Space at #92. (It appears the former album was released two months after the latter.) It was impossible to know back in 1983 listening to this update of the Jackson 5-sound what the members of New Edition would go on to do after their debut. The group's 1984 eponymous album is also a treat for this listener. 

Michael and Maurice, along with Jonzun Crew alum Gordon "Gordo" Worthy, also contributed to 1984's Lights Out, Peter Wolf's first solo album after leaving the J. Geils Band. Michael Jonzun is all over the album, playing multiple instruments, co-writing eight of the songs, singing background vocals, co-arranging, and co-producing with Wolf. Michael has a lone co-writing credit on Wolf's follow-up album Come As You Are (1987).

the first in a series of posts about our favorite albums from 1983