One Down


One Down is a 1982 album by the New York based music group Material. The album finds Material moving away from their noisy no wave roots towards funk and R&B. The album was self-produced by Material, and was recorded by Martin Bisi in Brooklyn and Robert Musso in Manhattan. The album sees the band reduced to a duo of keyboardist Michael Beinhorn and bassist Bill Laswell, collaborating with different musicians and singers on each track. Whitney Houston made her recording debut as a lead vocalist on this album, for a version of the song "Memories".

Song background

"Let Me Have It All" is a cover from Sly and the Family Stone's 1973 album Fresh.
"Memories" featured vocals by Whitney Houston accompanied by Archie Shepp on tenor saxophone. The track marks Houston's first appearance on record as a lead vocalist on an album, prior to her own albums and would be performed at select dates during her first major tour in 1986, The Greatest Love World Tour. The song's keyboard player, Raymond Jones, co-wrote "Someone for Me" on her debut album, and drummer J.T. Lewis also contributed to the recording. The song was written by Hugh Hopper and originally recorded by The Wilde Flowers with vocals by Robert Wyatt.
A dance mix by John Luongo of "I'm the One"/"Don't Lose Control" was released as a 12" single in 1982. Mixes of "Time Out" was released as a 12" single in 1983.

Track listing

  1. "Take a Chance" – 4:31
  2. "I'm the One" – 5:25
  3. "Time Out" – 4:52
  4. "Let Me Have It All" – 5:23
  5. "Come Down" – 4:43
  6. "Holding On" – 4:40
  7. "Memories" – 3:58
  8. "Don't Lose Control" – 4:18

    CD bonus track

  10. "Bustin' Out" – 8:03

    Personnel

;Material
;vocalists
  • Nona Hendryx – vocals
  • B.J. Nelson – vocals
  • R. Bernard Fowler – vocals
  • Thi-Linh Le – voice
  • Noris Night – voice
  • Whitney Houston – vocals
  • Jean Karakos – voice
;musicians
  • Nile Rodgers – guitar
  • Fred Frith – guitar
  • Nicky Skopelitis – guitar
  • Ronny Drayton – guitar
  • J.T. Lewis – drums
  • Yogi Horton – drums
  • Tony Thompson – drums
  • Fred Maher – drums
  • Nicky Marrero – percussion
  • Daniel Ponce – bongos
  • Oliver Lake – tenor and alto saxophone
  • Archie Shepp – tenor saxophone
  • Raymond Jones – Yamaha CP-70B electric grand piano

    Production

  • Produced by Material
  • Recorded at O.A.O Studio by Martin Bisi and at RPM Sound Studio by Robert Musso

    Release history

  • 1982 – Celluloid / Vogue, CEL 541003
  • 1982 – Elektra, 60206
  • 1982 – Celluloid, CELCD 5504
  • 1983 – CBS / Sony, 25 AP 2754
  • 1992 – Metronome / Restless, 7 72654-2
  • 1992 – Demon / MauMau, MauCD 624
  • 1992 – Jimco, Jp., JICK 89047
  • 1997 – Movie Play Gold, MPG 74047
  • 2005 – Golden Stars, GSS 5406