Beggars Arkive is excited to release Once Upon A Time in N.Y.C. - a collection of pioneering proto-electro and house music made by in NYC (and London) by Freeez founder John Rocca between 1982-1987 on splattered orange vinyl. The LP contains six tracks, and another two, one of which is the international hit “I.O.U.”, are included on a bonus marbled grey 7”.

John Rocca led Freeez, a pioneering early-80s band from North London. They had several massive hits, “I.O.U” being the biggest, having hit Number 1 in the Billboard Dance/Club Play chart. More recently, the track has been sampled by many artists including Jamie xx, Burial, Brandy, Coolio, Cheryl Cole and more.
Once Upon A Time In N.Y.C. is a sonic document of Rocca’s musical and geographical adventures between 1982 and 1987. It is the sound of the bold maneuvers he made in club culture, both in America and the UK. John Rocca was there, every step of the way, and this brilliant new compilation is the proof.

“The era is not “I.O.U.’ on its own,” he concludes. “It’s broader, and it grows and evolves. I felt I wanted to capture that.” It’s about a window in time,” says Rocca of the album. “It’s about an era.”

Tracklist:
A1. I Dub U (Freeez feat. John Rocca)
A2. Once Upon A Dub (John Rocca)
A3. I Want It To Be Real (Instrumental)(John Rocca)
B1. Englishman In New York (Extended)(John Rocca)
B2. Move (Extended Mix)(John Rocca)
B3. The Dream (Radio Edit)(John Rocca)

7”
A. I.O.U. (7” version remastered)(Freeez)
B. I Want It To Be Real (John Rocca)