Rocker's Revenge feat. Donnie Calvin – Walking On Sunshine (Yard Act Remix / Junior Vasquez Remix) [IMPORT] – New 12"

Originally a breakout hit in the summer of 1982, “Walking on Sunshine” captured the spirit of a generation and took the UK + US by storm. Penned by the legendary Eddy Grant, this electrifying remake by Rockers Revenge, fronted by the vocals of Donnie Calvin, was born out of visits to the hallowed halls of Paradise Garage in New York — shaped in Brooklyn’s Music Factory Record Store, fine-tuned at Intergalactic Studios in Manhattan, and then completed at the iconic Blank Tape Studio by Bob Blank, Jellybean Benitez, and pioneering producer Arthur Baker. The single exploded out of the gate, selling 50,000 copies in its first week in the UK alone, according to Tracey Bennett of London Records — who signed the record after witnessing its dancefloor magic during an impromptu booze cruise up the Hudson River with his father. Over the years, “Walking on Sunshine” has remained a staple in the crates of top DJs — with the likes of Damian Lazarus, Dimitri from Paris, Mousse T., Louie Vega, and Groove Armada keeping the sunshine alive on dancefloors worldwide.



Now, the track returns — reimagined by Yard Act, Leeds’ genre-defying favorites. Introduced to the track by Remi Kabaka of Gorillaz during production on their second album, Yard Act not only remixes the classic but James Smith from the band also contributes fresh vocals to this bold new version. Notably, Arthur Baker also contributed a remix to Yard Act’s Trench Coat Museum - a full-circle moment of mutual inspiration.
On the B-side is a previously unreleased gem: a 1988 house remix by the legendary Junior Vasquez, unearthed from the archives and sounding as forward-thinking today as it did then.  With Rockers Revenge still actively recording and a long-awaited documentary in post-production — set to premiere at film festivals and release by the end of 2025 — the legacy of this seminal group continues to shine bright.

Support from BBC 6 Music - x 4 plays by Lauren Laverne + Chris Hawkins , Tim Sweeney,
The Glimmers - "New version is good good good, but the junior version , don't get me started..Thank you, thank you, thank you.."
Marcia Carr - "Always love this Eddy Grant gem and still drop the vinyl occasionally. This revamp is sublime, particularly Junior Vasquez's remix."
Rainer Trueby - "Enjoying this!"
Graeme Park / Long Live House Radio Show - "Whaaaat?!!! They dare to mess with a stone cold classic? An Arthur Baker production too? Thankfully this actually works. So, thank you."
Lars Behrenroth / Deeper Shades Of House - "Junior's mix all the way."
Robert Luis / Totally Wired Radio - "Sounding good.
Kate Wildblood / 1BTN / Brighton - "Feeling that funk x.."