"I'll Do Anything For You" written & produced by Bert Reid. I first noticed Bert in 1974 as a member of Crown Heights Affair, who not only played trumpet & sang, but also co-wrote a number of their best jams, "Say A Prayer For Two", "You Gave Me Love","Far Out", "You've Been Gone" & "I See The Light". One night In the booth of the Garage, Larry introduced him to me & we quickly became close friends. Bert was also producing & writing a lot on his own, for groups like Unlimited Touch, The Jamaica Girls, Raw Silk, Abdul Tariq, Denroy Morgan, a few for himself & even a remix of a song called "Must Be The Music".
In 1980 he was really on fire, with multiple tracks regularly being pumped at the Garage, especially that year with a pre-release of Unlimited Touch. Francois K had given Larry a copy of his "I Hear Music In The Streets" remix a good 6 months before anyone else had it. I just couldn't get enough of that song, & as much as I loved the Garage... after many a long night of DJing, then dragging my many crates of records home... no hand truck... to a 4 floor walk up... I was done!... But to hear that song, I had to pick myself up & get over to the Garage, even specifically just to hear that song. Of course once I was there I was just happy I came, but the power of that song tilted the scale.
Bert would often mix his sessions at Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland studio on West 8th St, walking distance to the Garage... but only 2 blocks from my house. Bert would often stop by my house right after a session to get my reaction to what he was working on. In the summer of 1980 Bert stopped by my place with a small boombox to play me a few tracks he was working on. First was Unlimited Touch "Searching To Find The One". I said "wow, that's great!". Then he played a couple of raw tracks on his boombox & casually sang along some almost finished lyrics of... "Do It To The Music" & "I'll Do Anything For You". Of course Larry got the exclusive way in advance copies of "Searching To Find The One" & "Do It To The Music". But Bert knew I was playing for roller skaters at Roxy & made a 2nd Acetate of "I'll Do Anything For You" for me a good 6 months before it's release. I wore that Acetate into the ground.& finally when the record came out I had 2 copies to play with, & eventually made an edit of what I used to do with it
I'll Do Anything For You (Edit By Mr. K)
Bert, may he rest in peace is no longer with us, but kept his hand in great music right to the end. All those songs are still incredible & have very special meaning to me,
Danny
