That's What I Like

The Frenetic Groove of "That's What I Like" by Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers

Oh man, if there's one track that captures the wild, medley-mad spirit of late '80s and early '90s pop, it's "That's What I Like" by Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers. Released in 1990, this isn't your typical one-hit wonder—it's more like a whirlwind party crasher that mashed up hits into a dancefloor frenzy. I remember spinning this on a dusty old turntable back in the day, and it always got everyone moving, no questions asked. Let's dive into its story, because there's something oddly addictive about how it came to be.

The Context of Creation: A Medley Mania in the Post-Disco Era

By 1990, the music world was shifting gears. House and techno were bubbling up, but medleys—those cheeky collages of old hits—were still riding high from the '80s revival wave. Enter Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers, the brainchild of British producer Andy Pickles and DJ Ian 'Hitman' Lee. They'd already stormed the charts with their novelty medleys like "Swing the Mood" in 1989, which sampled everything from Glenn Miller to modern pop. "That's What I Like" was their cheeky follow-up, born from a desire to keep the momentum going. Pickles and Lee wanted to blend '80s pop anthems into something fresh yet nostalgic, capturing that feel-good escapism as the decade closed. It was like they were saying, "Hey, let's remix the era before it fades away." The title itself nods to the infectious chorus of the Fine Young Cannibals' "She Drives Me Crazy," but the whole thing is a love letter to the upbeat side of '80s radio.

Recording Circumstances: Quick Cuts and Studio Magic

Recording this beast wasn't some drawn-out symphony; it was a fast-paced DJ session in a London studio. Pickles and Lee, working with session musicians and vocalists, layered samples from over a dozen tracks—think "She Drives Me Crazy," "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)" by Hi-Five, and bits of "Funky Cold Medina" by Tone Loc. They used early digital samplers and mixers to splice everything seamlessly, creating that signature Jive Bunny sound: high-energy transitions with a live band feel. Anecdotes from the sessions paint a picture of chaos and creativity—Lee once recalled burning through vinyl records to grab the perfect snippets, and there was this hilarious moment when a faulty sampler looped a wrong beat, turning a serious mix into an unintended comedy track. They wrapped it in just a few weeks, aiming for pure dancefloor dynamite rather than perfection. No big orchestra here, just clever editing that made it feel like a non-stop party.

Release and the Road to Chart Domination

Dropped in early 1990 on Telstar Records, "That's What I Like" hit UK shelves amid a sea of grunge whispers and hip-hop rises. It exploded fast, peaking at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart—not quite the monster "Swing the Mood" was, but it cracked the Top 30 in several European countries and even bubbled under in the US. Radio DJs loved it for its familiarity; clubs spun it relentlessly. The single's success was boosted by a goofy music video featuring the band in zany costumes, performing the medley like a live revue. Sales-wise, it moved hundreds of thousands of copies, proving medleys had legs beyond one summer smash. For Jive Bunny, though, this was the beginning of the end—their formula started feeling a tad formulaic, and by '91, the hits dried up.

Cultural and Musical Impact: A Nostalgic Footnote in Pop History

Culturally, "That's What I Like" embodied the tail-end of '80s excess, a bridge to the '90s' more introspective sounds. It reminded a generation of simpler times, when pop was about fun over angst, influencing later mash-up artists like Girl Talk or even modern DJ sets at weddings. Musically, it pushed sampling boundaries, showing how medleys could evolve into proto-remixes, paving the way for bootleg culture. Sure, it's not profound like a Dylan track, but its impact lingers in how it captured joy in a changing world—think of it as the upbeat counterpoint to Nirvana's gloom. And here's a fun anecdote: Pickles later admitted they almost scrapped the track after a bad initial mix, but a late-night playback convinced them it had "that spark." Thank goodness they did; it's the kind of song that still sneaks into playlists, making you grin and groove, even if just for a nostalgic minute.