NORWAY’S NORMAL?
LOTS OF jocks get gigs in Scandinavia, so here’s a bit of info from someone who’s over there now.
Peter Brown (Seasons Disco, Wembley, Middlesex) is spending some of the Summer working at the Hawk Club in Bergen, Norway, and from what he says it seems the Norwegians are fairly normal if just a wee bit behind the times. He writes: “My favourite music is soul . . . however, over here you have to play some really weird disco music. For instance, MAX BYGRAVES Tulips From Amsterdam (Decca) goes down tremendously, and GLENN MILLER always works a treat! You wouldn’t hear many other than mobile discos playing those in England, I’ll bet!” And more’s the pity, say I.
That’s not the only way in which Peter finds the Norwegians lagging behind the times. “Norway is slow in catching on to new records. The Norwegian Top Twenty still has GEORGE McCRAE’s Rock Your Baby in it, along with I Can Help by BILLY SWAN which if a vote was taken would probably be their new National Anthem!”
HOT TIP
FROM Peter Greig (Route 88 Discos, Plymouth, Devon): To make your own slip mats, get two coloured felt off-cuts (usually sold in one foot squares by remnant shops) and cut them to turntable size using a suitable plate as a pattern. Fold each in half and then quarter and nip the inner point with scissors. Stick them onto your turntables with some small dabs of glue and – presto! – you have a pair of perfect slip mats for professional cueing in.
New Spins
DWEAM DWEAM DWEAM!
THE NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND: (All I Have To Do is) Dream (WA UP 35875)
Yes, despite the brackets, the Everlys’ cocos commercial oldie . . . given a Misty-style updating full of twinkling banjos and mildly bouncy subdued jollity, Dreamy MoR, could be a smash.
JEANNE BURTON: Nobody Loves Me Like You Do (Seville SEV 1010) Incredibly exciting shrilly screaming gallop paced hustler by a chick who combines Gloria Gaynor and the Queen Of Clubs to produce a sound that’ll send shivers up your spine. Make it a hit!
STEELY DAN: Do it Again (ABC 4075)
and again and again and again. Maybe this time?
AL WILSON: The Snake (Bell 1436)
Al’s 1968 classic, recently revived by Kevin King Lear, in all its original glory plus stereo. I thought Oscar Brown Jr penned, so why the John Fogerty credit?
ROD STEWART: Stone Cold Sober (Warner Bros K-16600)
Marked B-side on his new single, basic boogie thump thump. If it pails, you can always switch the turntable off!
ROGER DALTREY: Walking The Dog (Polydor 2058628)
Fade-in intro is a bore, but otherwise this is an amazingly fresh and spry reworking of the Rufus Thomas classic.
LEROY BROWN: One Woman Man (EMI 2320)
Grow-on-you Gerry Shury-arranged UK Soul with effective semi-slow thump tempo. Instrumental version flip.
MIKE HARPER: I’m Crying (Retreat RTS 264)
My fave UK Soul sound since Fool, this slow-to-build smooth dancer has me wailing along with the chorus every time. Pity there’s not more impact at the intro, as it’s a grower.
SUSAN MAUGHAN: El Bimbo (Ember EMBS 343)
I wanna be Bimbo’s girl! Susan does a Sylvia.
THE GLITTER BAND: Love In The Sun (Bell 1437)
I actually won’t mind playing this surprisingly competent Beach Boys rip-off when it’s a hit.
BROTHERHOOD OF MAN: Kiss Me, Kiss Your Baby (Dawn DNS 1111) Powerfully chugging Drifters-ish Barry Blue song, should be good. Pop if it hits.
FAMILY PLANN: Sexy Summer / Can You Get Into The Music (President PT 441)
Herky jerky funky stuff, and the flip’s fine too.
WILLIE & ANTHONY: Sugar, Sugar, Sugar / It’s Never Too Late (Jay Boy BOY 94)
Bouncy old fashioned Sam & Dave style Soul, with a blues-drenched slow flip in the Stax/Volt tradition . . . tho’ actually from TK.
MR FLOOD’S PARTY: Compared To What (Bulldog BD 6)
The Les McCann/Eddie Harris classic from Swiss Movement given a good less jazzy treatment which would be even better as an instrumental.
THE CROW: Your Autumn Of Tomorrow / Uncle Funk (Right On! RO 101)
First on Dave Godin’s new label is a message-type brassy funker of less than overwhelming impact. I prefer the instrumental flip (dedicated to Dave?!), which has a Packers party spirit and lotsa organ.
LA COSTA: The Best Of My Love (Capitol CL 15830)
The gentle Eagles slowie done beautifully by a Country Karen Carpenter.
RONNIE McNEIR: Wendy Is Gone (London HLA 10494).
Lovely lilter by soulful Ronnie.
BRYN HAWORTH: Give All You’ve Got To Give (Island WIP 6240)
Nice semi-slowie for stereo Rock discos.
HELLO: New York Groove (Bell 1438)
Powerfully pounding purposeful slow thump beat, derivative tune.
CARMOL TAYLOR: Back In The USA (Elektra K 12182)
Authentic 1975 Rock-A-Billy for vintage boppers.
Straight from the States
GEORGE “BAD” BENSON: Supership (CTI OJ25F)
The jazz guitarist goes vocal on a steadily lurching chunky thumper with Sea Cruise ship’s hooters and girlie group support for Hustlers. Soopah!
JESSE JAMES: If You Want A Love Affair (20th Century TC 2201)
The Oakland Soulster nicked the delicately sexy boy/girl intro from Joe Stubbs and it’s still a bitch! Medium tempo swayer.
LOVE CHILDS AFRO CUBAN BLUES BAND: Life And Death In G&A / Bang Bang (Roulette R 7172)
Sly Stone’s Abaco Dream oldie given a brassy Salsoul treatment with Hustle chix and thundering bass. Joe Cuba’s flip is more Latin.
ESTHER PHILLIPS: What A Diff’rence A Day Makes (Kudu KU 925)
Much raved about US disco monster may die the death here if it ever comes out. Fast wukkawuk thump tempo allied to sophisticated warbling doesn’t sound like Britain but sure has class. Who knows?
JAMES BROWN: Hustle!!! (Dead On It) (Polydor PD 14281)
Spur of the moment cash-in, this crass abomination is the worst thing that Brown has ever done. Be warned! As mindless funk it works though.
UK Disco Top 20 – August 9, 1975
01 01 Typically Tropical – Barbados – Gull
02 02 Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony – The Hustle – Avco
03 03 Hamilton Bohannon – Foot Stompin’ Music – Brunswick
04 07 Linda Lewis – It’s In His Kiss – Arista
05 10 Bimbo Jet – El Bimbo – EMI (Import)
06 RE Moments – Dolly My Love – All Platinum
07 NE Stylistics – Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love) – Avco
08 04 Linda Carr & The Love Squad – Highwire – Chelsea
09 09 Bee Gees – Jive Talkin’ – RSO
10 17 George McCrae – It’s Been So Long – Jay Boy
11 11 Gary Toms Empire – 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Blow Your Whistle – Epic
12 08 Pete Wingfield – Eighteen With A Bullet – Island
13 NE KC & The Sunshine Band – That’s The Way (I Like It) – Jay Boy
14 20 Crystal Grass – Crystal World – Philips
15 NE Calendar – Hypertension – Pi Kappa
16 06 Rimshots – 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Blow Your Whistle – All Platinum
17 NE Gloria Gaynor – All I Need Is Your Sweet Lovin’ – MGM
18 12 Chi-Lites – Have You Seen Her – Brunswick
19 19 Judge Dread – Je T’aime – Cactus
20 13 David Bowie – Fame – RCA
Breakers:
Chandelles – Runaway – Black Magic
Ian Hunter – Who Do You Love – CBS
Black Blood – Aiea M’Wana – Bradleys
Hamilton’s Disco Top 10
1 Clive Baldwin – Now It’s Paul McCartney etc. – Mercury
2 Ritchie Family – Brazil – Polydor
3 Ray Stevens – Misty – Janus
4 Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – All I Have To Do Is Dream – United Artists
5 Bimbo Jet – El Bimbo – Columbia
6 Sensational Alex Harvey Band – Delilah – Vertigo
7 Rod Stewart – Stone Cold Sober – Warners
8 Hustler – Little People – A & M
9 James Taylor – How Sweet It Is – Warners
10 KC & The Sunshine Band – That’s The Way (I Like It) – Jay Boy
No Breakers this week.
DJ HOT LINE
. . . breathless Jon Taylor (Crockers, Norwich) pants that RITCHIE FAMILY Brazil (Polydor) has taken the club by storm in three days flat . . . Capital Radio’s Roger Scott had to play it four times on the first night he tried it at London’s Global Village . . . Mark Rymann (Porthcawl, Mid-Glam) has amazing but true info: touted as Afro-Funk, BLACK BLOOD A.I.E. (A Mwana) (Bradleys) is in reality a reworking of the 1971 YAMASUKI’S B-side to Yamasuki (UK), originally called A-I-E-A-O-A and then supposedly Japanese! ! ! . . . Colin King (Sale, Cheshire) has flipped for GEORGE McCRAE You Got To Know (Jay Boy) . . . “I hate Northern Soul am Funky and am Proud!” sez Les “Godfather” Spaine (Time Piece, Liverpool), and goes on to tip OLYMPIC RUNNERS 100 Yard Dash (London), OHIO PLAYERS It Ain’t Skin Tight (Mercury), FUNKADELIC Get Off Your Ass And Jam (Westbound), PEOPLE’S CHOICE Do It Anyway You Want To Do It (TSOP) just to prove his point . . . ISLEY BROS Fight The Power (Epic) and DIANA ROSS & MARVIN GAYE Don’t Knock My Love (Tamla) do it to it for Brian Hooper (Tenby, Wales) . . . maybe it’s thoughts of the Valley, but Cardiff’s Phil Black is driving ’em wild with JOHNNY RIVERS Help Me Rhondda (Epic) . . . The Proops 12 volt, 50 watt quartz iodine projector, mentioned last week, does include a liquid wheel in the asking price of £19.95 . . . heartfelt plea for suggestions from Alex Henderson (Victoria Bars, Weymouth), wondering how to liven up the no–dancing-allowed Sunday sessions . . . HOWEEFEEL The Devil’s On The Run (Contempo) and 20th CENTURY STEEL BAND Endless Vibrations (UA) currently biggies for Doctor John (Newport, Salop) . . . Theo Loyla (Banana Power Discos, Bridge, Kent) picks THE COMMODORES The Bump (Tamla) . . . hustling Gary Bowen (Bath, Somerset) suggests in-store promos with your disco plugging albums and dog biscuits alike as a good Saturday afternoon gig, so why not check out your local Woolies manager now? . . . Les Aron (Life Discos and Bali Hai, Bognor Regis, Sussex) is trying DENNIS NEAL Cara Mia (Charisma) and CHARLIE WHITEHEAD (Shu-Doo-Pa-Poo-Poop) Love Being Your Fool (UA) . . .
James Hamilton's Disco Page 
Al Wilson’s Northern Soul classic “The Snake” is reviewed this week. It would be a top 40 hit. Sadly this great song has been hi-jacked by one Donald J Trump to denigrate immigrants to the US when he “performs” it at his rallies. Esther Phillips “What a Difference” and George Benson “Supership” are also reviewed. The Benson track has NEVER appeared on any of Benson’s albums or hit compilations for some strange reason and only recently has appeared on a best of CTI records compilation CD for the very first time. Interesting to see Jenny Burton appear on Seville records a few years before her club classic “Bad Habit”. So much MOR dross reviewed – the column was obviously aimed at mobile jocks! The “new” Brotherhood of Man line up are unleashed on the UK a year prior to their domination of the charts! The truly awful Typically Tropical Barbados STILL sits at No1 on the chart! Linda Lewis disco version of “It’s In His Kiss” has been lost in the mists of time- obliterated by Cher’s 90s cover
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