This is our version of Hazell's biggest hit, which was inevitable, as I, myself mixed the twelve inch for the original release in 1983. And then in 2001, we got a chance to re-record all of Hazell Dean's numerous hits for Marathon Music and my friend Paul Savory. I had previously already re-recorded "They Say It's Gonna Rain" in the early 1990s, but had never recut " Searching" till then. A few years after that, in late 2007, I was privileged to record an all brand new album called "Disco 2008", which led to me being reunited once again with Hazell Dean. We cut a brand new retro disco high energy stomper, called "Trade Him For A Newer Model". I first worked with Hazell in 1983, when I remixed her High Energy monster hit, "Searching (I Gotta Find A Man)", which was commissioned by Barry Evangeli from Proto Records. It was one of the first ever twelve inch remixes where the record had additional production for the mix, and it charted in the pop charts at number six, earning me a nice gold disc. I then went on to remix a couple of tracks for her at EMI and then produced "You're My Rainbow", which also came out as a fantastic and much sought after Disconet remix, and we did a duet with House Music legend Darryl Pandy, of "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing". We have been friends for twenty five years, and in the early nineties, we completed a "Best Of Hazell Dean" CD for Hot Records, out of Miami. Now all these years later, Hazell came out of retirement to record "Trade Him For A Newer Model" for our fabulous new album, and I was so very proud to have her with us, and performing the song at our launch party on the 3rd December 2007. The Divas rule once again.

• published: 10 Jan 2009
• views: 586753