Who would've thought a Top 10 smash from 1983 by a rock group would make for a great club remix? DJ Russ Harris did, and it was with the encouragement of Huey Lewis & The News that he remixed their single "I Want A New Drug" for the club scene recently. Three sets of mixes are included on this remix package. The Original Filtered Mix was the first mix Russ produced, back in 2004, by filtering the album version. The idea came from the catchy sax hook in the song, and things took off from there.
After submitting it to the band, it met with much approval (as it was not every day that they received offers from a DJ remixing a two decade old song for the club scene!) After obtaining the a cappella, saxophone track, and various bits and pieces from the original masters, Russ put together the Hard Club Mix, which he presented to Huey Lewis & The News in person when he met them in Atlantic City later that year (again, with a welcome reception).
The Herbal Mix is a more radio-friendly and circuity, while the Hard Mix I'd call more on the electro-poppy side. Both are straightforward solid dance mixes that both Huey Lewis fans and dance remix fans alike should enjoy! Remix services such as Promo Only, TM Century, and even X-Mix have released various versions of these remixes, but this new batch of remixes is not currently being distributed on any particular record label.
Russ Harris, who enjoyed previous success with a white label remix for Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall" a few years back, is concentrating on future projects; while Huey Lewis & The News are no longer with their record label Chrysalis. So that makes it tough to say if and when this batch of remixes will be released commercially. Eighties covers are definitely in though currently, so look no further than "I Want A New Drug 2005" for your fix!
