Following my pleas for DJ reaction to the number of singles I reviewed each week, I am again cutting back to just those I personally would consider using – not only in my own mobile DJ but also as a club DJ.
To quote from contributing DJ Mark Rymann (Porthcawl), “I have to play records which I reckon can be easily accepted or else there’s an empty floor.”
New Spins
ELTON JOHN: ‘Island Girl’ (DJM DJS 610)
At last, another good fast dancer from Elt, who may be extremely popular but does tend to do too many dead slowies. Now maybe ‘Crocodile Rock’ can take a rest!
SPARKS: ‘Looks, Looks, Looks’ (Island WIP 6249)
Unlikely source for the new Hurricane Smith, but that’s what this brassy big-band swinger could easily be! Reminiscent of Manhattan Transfer, whose slower ‘Tuxedo Junction’ is even more MoR.
As I did last week, I’m reviewing everything that’s come out this week which has any bearing on the disco scene. And as last week, I’m still wondering whether that’s what DJ’s want, or whether you’d be happy to let me exercise my critical judgment. Please write and tell me what you think.
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS: ‘No Woman, No Cry’ (Island WIP 6244)
Recorded live at their Lyceum gig, Bob and the boys’ mournful slowie is almost Dylanesque – which may help explain its enormous appeal to Capital Radio’s listeners, who have voted it up to No. 1 in the Capital Hit Line. More rock than reggae, so those unfamiliar with reggae have nothing to fear. Pity it fades early (3:50), though doubtless the LP cut’ll be longer.
JACK ASHFORD & THE SOUND OF NEW DETROIT: ‘Do The Choo-Choo’ (Parts 1 & 2) (London HLA 10507)
Archetypal disco sounds of the Hamilton Bohannon type, just made to be danced to. Basically instrumental, nothing to do with Archie Bell (or Little Eva).
For every Jack there’s a Jill, or so the saying goes, and it seems to me as though for every record (no matter how duff) there’s a DJ prepared to play it.
My principle, when reviewing records, has always been to try and weed out the ones my critical faculties told me were duff, and only mention the ones which were halfway decent – or, at least, of interest and usable.
Furthermore, when this page started, I set out only to mention the records that I considered were likely to cut through a crowded room and make dancers pay attention on the very first hearing.
Now I find myself getting paranoid about the way in which so many things that I never mentioned keep cropping up in our contributing DJs’ weekly chart returns. By no means are all the things I missed out in the duff category, but enough of them are to make me wonder whether perhaps I ought to mention absolutely everything that comes out, just in case I miss a future disco monster by personally thinking it the biggest load of cobblers.
Would you please write in and let me know whether you are happy to let me exercise my critical judgment? Or whether, like this week, I should give blanket coverage of just about everything issued that’s got any sort of beat? (But where would that have placed ‘Magic Roundabout’, huh?!)
I’ve always reckoned I have a pretty good set of ears when it comes to running my own discotheque so please don’t shatter my confidence now!
LP Trax
Dooley Exclusive!
DOOLEY SILVERSPOON: ‘Dooley Silverspoon’ (Seville SEL 1).
It’s not just the fact that I was the first person anywhere in the world to be given a copy of this that makes me enthusiastic. But also the fact that Dooley’s debut album is produced by Sonny Casella, the man who made Jeanne Burton’s incredible ‘Nobody Loves Me Like You Do‘ and the fact that there’s much of the same great sound on many of these tracks . . . now do you understand?
My fave is the one most like Jeanne, the ultra-long ‘Let Me Be The No. 1 (Love Of Your Life)’, although even better for dancing is the full, long version of Dooley’s new single, ‘As Long As You Know (Who You Are)‘, and the combined parts 1 & 2 of ‘Bump Me Baby‘. Strings, shrieking, pretty melodies and ever-hustling hi-hats are the main elements of this Miami-influenced New York Sound. That’s the way I like it, uh-huh!
B.T. EXPRESS: ‘Non-Stop’ (EMI International INA 1501)
The BTE’s first LP thru EMI is, as the title says, non-stop all the way except for a truly awful slow attempt at ‘Close To You‘ on Side 2.
To tell the truth I find the result a bit monotonous and the tracks too similar to differentiate between them. However, my own fave is the last cut of all, ‘Whatcha Think About That’, while in the US the two most popular are the first two, ‘Peace Pipe‘ and ‘Give It What You Got‘.
This page is a special service to the many readers of Record Mirror & Disc who are either full or part-time DJs. We hope it’ll also be interesting to the general disco-goer. If you have any queries, please write.
Who wins the battle of the bum -bums?
CARL MALCOLM: Fattie Bum-Bum (UK 108) vs. THE DIVERSIONS: Fattie Bum-Bum (Gull GULS I8).
Story of a hit in the making: Randy’s Records in Jamaica sent Pepe Rush in London a single labelled MAX ROMEO We Are Jamaican (Who Are You). Pepe took to Capital Radio’s Tommy Vance, who played it on his Saturday night reggae show.
The label was obviously wrong as the song was Fattie Bum-Bum, and the singer was eventually discovered to be Carl Malcolm.
Dave Cash dug the silly ditty and started playing it on his lunchtime show, whereupon the phones lit up and listeners requested the record into being number 2 on the Capital Hit line.
At this stage UK label boss Jo King got Interested, as did the newly Caribbean-orientated Gull label. The upshot was that UK got the original and Gull rushed through an identical cover, produced perchance by Pepe.
Now, by nature I normally prefer original versions, but in this case, purely from a disco angle, the cover is probably better as it has much more heavy bass in the cut, which Jo King unfortunately lost in the transition from the Jamaican pressing.
Despite all this, Carl Malcolm will doubtless have the hit he deserves (his flip has SKIN FLESH & BONES: Bum-Bum Situation, which is equally good), but the Diversions do have the advantage of being in the Gull tradition, white and available.
The two records really are indistinguishable from each other, except that, in its UK pressing, Carl Malcolm does not sound as good for discos as either his original Jamaican pressing or the Diversions’ cover version. Let battle begin!
You never know, it could be another Crispy & Co vs. Ritchie Family.
See us at Disco 75
DISCO 75, the second DJ Convention and Exhibition to be run by the National Association of Disc-Jockeys, takes place this very Monday and Tuesday (see page 25 for details).
The show opens at midday, on Monday, when Capital Radio’s celebrated Kenny Everett performs a grand inaugural ceremony. On Tuesday Capital Radio’s Dave Cash broadcasts his Cash On Delivery programme live from the Capital stand.
Film shows of recording artists in action and ether such goodies will be taking place on the stands of such record companies as Atlantic and Island, while demonstrations of sound and lighting equipment will be the hlghspots of most manufacturers’ exhibits.
To tell the truth, I’m none too sure of just what ether excitements there will be, but I am sure there will be plenty. One thing, there are bound to be lots of freebies being handed out, with Capital’s free flimsy disc full of radio jingles being a star attraction along with our own info-packed Disco Supplement
So come on by, say Hi, y’all!
RECORD MIRROR & DISC will be among the many famous exhibitors at Disco 75. We’ll be on hand in give out copies of our special DISCO MIRROR, hear your point of view, and generally let it be known that we’re the brightest and best pop weekly.
States Picks
Z. Z. HILL: ‘I Created A Monster’ / ‘Steppin’ In The Shoes Of A Fool’ (UA UA-XW631-X)
Penned/produced by none other than Lamont Dozier, Zee Zee’s new R&B hit couples a heavily thumping, slow funker with an incredibly subtle bright jogger. The hit side is extremely powerful sounding and has some great stereo effects, but the flip is artistically in a far superior league, starting with very few elements meshing to do a lot and finishing with a lot doing something that sounds very simple. Maybe if UA get hip they’ll put this out here in a hurry, then you can hear what I mean.
PERSUASIONS: ‘One Thing On My Mind’ / ‘Darlin’’ (A&M 1698-8)
No longer singing acapella, the soulful Persuasions harmonize and emote to a Tymes-type backbeat and slick 1975 arrangement which doesn’t detract from their superb vocal interplay even if it does depersonalize them somewhat. Surprisingly, they manage to make the flip less soulful than the Beach Boys’ original, though.
RAY CHARLES: ‘Living For The City’ (Crossover 981)
It’s come full circle when Ray Charles feels he has to sing Stevie Wonder to gain credibility, as Little Stevie began his career by recording a tribute album to Ray. The result, an R&B hit, presents us with the interesting experience of hearing Ray duetting with himself in stereo, and delivering a raspingly breathed sermon-style rap about the roaches in the city. It’s kinda good, but why couldn’t he have written something comparable himself? Continue reading “September 6, 1975: Z.Z. Hill, Persuasions, Ray Charles, Ray Stevens, Jim Reeves”
James Hamilton's Disco Page 