Jive Bunny & the Mastermixers

Intro

Imagine a time machine that takes 1950s jukebox classics and runs them through a 1980s dance floor processor. This is music designed for maximum accessibility, stripping away the grit of early rock and roll and replacing it with a relentless, quantized beat that keeps the momentum going without a single second of silence. It is bright, loud, and unapologetically cheerful.

What makes this project distinctive is the 'megamix' architecture. Unlike traditional cover bands, this is a DJ-led collage where Bill Haley, Little Richard, and Chubby Checker are re-edited into a seamless stream of consciousness. The production relies heavily on the 'Mastermix' style of the era, using instrumental themes like Hawaii Five-O or Glenn Miller as the glue between vocal hooks.

Start with 'Swing the Mood' to hear the formula at its peak. It is the definitive document of the late-80s novelty craze, perfect for any situation where the goal is to get people of all ages moving without thinking too hard about the playlist.

Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers are a British novelty pop music act from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. The face of the group was Jive Bunny, a cartoon rabbit who appeared in their music videos. Costumed actors also made promotional appearances as the character. Doncaster DJ and producer Les Hemstock created the original "Swing the Mood" mix for the Music Factory owned Mastermix DJ service. It was then taken from there and developed as a single release by father and son team John and Andrew Pickles. The name Jive Bunny was devised by Andy Pickles. Ian Morgan, a fellow DJ and co-producer, also engineered and mixed some of the early releases along with Andy Pickles. Morgan was replaced in the early 1990s by DJ and producer Mark "The Hitman" Smith. Jive Bunny's three number ones during 1989 were "Swing the Mood", "That's What I Like" and "Let's Party". All three songs used sampling and synthesisers to combine pop music from the early rock 'n' roll era together into a medley.

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