I learned about Urban Dance Squad (UDS) in the late 1980s and immediately gravitated to the sound: funk, soul, hip hop, and rock—all in one package. They hit MTV semi-fame with Deeper Shade of Soul (mostly just on 120 Minutes), but they put out a solid record and landed a sticker spot on my floor tom.

They sound like a cross between Rage Against the Machine, Beastie Boys, and early Red Hot Chili Peppers—although I believe they were as influential on those bands as the others were on them. Really, this was a great band with catchy hooks and a sound that could be fresher than a mullet in the 80s or right now (un-ironically).

Dig it: