STEPHEN ALLKINS (Love Tattoo) @ SPIRIT OF HOUSE Jul 25 | 1980's - 90's House, Garage Vibes | SOS#428
Stephen Allkins (Love Tattoo) Live at SPIRIT OF HOUSE Tribute July 6, 2025 | SOUL OF SYDNEY #428
Sydney legend in full effect! For fans of Feel-Good Funk, House, Garage & Disco, here’s a special live recording from Stephen Allkins—the original “Mr. Disco” and mastermind behind [Love] Tattoo. Clocking in at two hours, this set captures a deep dive into the soulful heart of Sydney dance culture, recorded live on the Greenwood dancefloor at our beloved SPIRIT OF HOUSE tribute.
A massive THANK YOU to everyone who came down to the SPIRIT OF HOUSE jam. This beautiful community is what makes these parties so special. We’re proud to share the first of our live recordings from the event—a set from a true Sydney original, Stephen Allkins, also known as Love Tattoo.
Stephen’s legacy is woven through decades of Australian club culture. Starting his journey in 1978, he played a crucial role in bringing disco—and later house music—to Sydney’s underground. Affectionately called “Mr. Disco,” his legendary record collection, adventurous selections, and pioneering sets broke new ground across the city’s gay clubs, warehouse parties, and iconic venues, inspiring generations of selectors and dancers alike.
As a producer, Stephen’s releases as Love Tattoo pushed Australian dance music onto the international map. His single “History of Disco” was an instant classic, and “Bass Has Got Me Movin’” in 2001 earned ARIA nominations and global attention for its soulful, modern spin on house and disco. With a career spanning over 40 years, his contribution to the evolution of disco and house music in this city is unmatched.
This two-hour mix, recorded on the fly at Greenwood Hotel for the SPIRIT OF HOUSE tribute party, dives deep into early house, uplifting garage, and those soulful, grooving disco vibes that have come to define Sydney’s dancefloors.
Track Listing (incomplete):
1. Juliet Roberts – Caught in the Middle (David Morales Def Classic 12″ Mix), Cooltempo, 1994
2. Unknown – Never Giving Up on Love, Unknown Label, Unknown Year
3. Grace Jones – Feel Up (Danny Tenaglia Remix), Island Records, \~1994
4. Roxy – Love to Do It (Danny Tenaglia Mix), Unknown Label, Unknown Year
5. Inner City – Good Life (Steve “Silk” Hurley Remix), 10 Records/Virgin, 1988
6. Nicole McCloud – Rock the House, Oceana Records, 1989
7. A Guy Called Gerald – Voodoo Ray, Rham! Records, 1988
8. River Ocean feat. India – Love and Happiness (Yemaya y Ochun – 12″ Remix), Strictly Rhythm, 1994
9. Funky Green Dogs – Reach for Me, Murk/Tribal America, 1992
10. Unknown – Let There Be Love (In Your Life), Unknown Label, Unknown Year
11. Eileen Flores – Gotta Have Your Love (Remix), Sleeping Bag Records, 1987
12. Blaze – If You Should Need a Friend (Friendship Mix), Quark/Debut, 1987
13. The Absolute feat. Suzanne Palmer – There Will Come a Day (Epic Gospel Remix), Tribal America/UK, 1995
14. George Morel – This Is My Party (Bitch Get Out – Sound Factory Remix), Strictly Rhythm, 1994
15. MD X‑Spress – God Made Me Phunky, Hi-Life Recordings, 1994
16. Lorimer, Mijangos & Vision – What You Doing to Me, Cutting Records, 1996
17. Mariah Carey – Dreamlover (Def Club Mix), Columbia Records, 1993
18. Sunkids feat. Chance – Rise Up (Rework), Soundmen on Wax, 1999
19. The Two Tons – I Got the Feeling, Fantasy Records, 1980
20. George Morel – A Groove Thang, Groovilicious, 1996
21. Voices – Voices in My Mind (CJ Mackintosh Mix), Sound of Ministry, 1994
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Recorded at SPIRIT OF HOUSE TRIBUTE PARTY (A Celebration of 30+ Years of House Music & Its Disco Roots) \ Updates at the nex party > Info at www.soulofsydney.org/spiritofhouse
#disco #soul #jazz #stephenallkins #garagehouse #protohouse
Australia