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Armand Van Helden
Back in 1996 Dutch DJ Armand Van Helden created a record based around a few samples from
the Tori Amos track Professional Widow. That mix caused such a stir that it came to the
attention of Tori herself who gave it her blessing to be released officuially, albeit with
Amos' record company insisting that it was credited to her alone. Upon its second UK
release Professional Widow became a surprise Number One single in January 1997. The brains
behind it, Armand Van Helden was still a relative unknown, even if he did reach Number 38
with The Funk Phenomenon a few months later. Two years down the line and the man is back
once more with a track that first appeared in the clubs at the back end of last year, was
at the top of many DJs best of the year lists and now gets a commercial release. The
single is similar in style to many Thomas Bangalter productions, fusing classic disco
sounds with European funk rhythms. In this case the influences are obvious as the single
samples heavily from the string figure of McFadden and Whitehead's Ain't No Stopping Us
Now. After just a week on release it shoots to Number One and continues the
record-breaking turnover of chart-topping singles - the ninth different single to top the
charts in as many weeks. Having been denied an artist credit the last time one of his
singles toppped the charts Armand Van Helden can finally go down in the record books as
the fourth Dutch act to have a UK Number One single, following in the footsteps of
Pussycat, 2 Unlimited and er, Doop.
Source: www.dotmusic.com -
UK Singles Chart Commentary from James Masterton: January 31, 1999
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