Month: October 1975

New Spins

JOHN ASHER: ‘Let’s Twist Again’ (Creole CR 112)
Well!  As a direct result of this page’s speculation about a Twist revival, here’s the star of ATV Birmingham’s Tiswas show doing a perfectly acceptable revival of Chubby Checker’s original smash (which now belongs to Allan Klein’s Abko label in America).  Can a Twist craze really be on the way?  Stay tuned to ‘Record Mirror & Disc’!

BING CROSBY: ‘I Love To Dance Like They Used To Dance’ (UA UP 36025)
A gift for MOR DJ’s, this happy lilter has to be the best easy listening dancer since ‘Dance In The Old Fashioned Way’.  Thanx for making life a little easier, Bing!

BIDDU ORCHESTRA: ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ / ‘Jump For Joy’ (Epic EPC 3708) (Billboard chart debut 11/22/75)
Just made for the discos, with solidly thumping beat for kids and famous melody for oldsters – this could be bigger than ’42.  Afro-type rhythms on even more exciting flip, which many will prefer.  Continue reading “October 25, 1975: John Asher, Bing Crosby, Biddu Orchestra, Nat King Cole, Arthur Brown”

New Spins

EVERLY BROTHERS: ‘Walk Right Back’ (Warner Bros. K 16613)
The original strutting 1961 smash, in stereo, now comes across as ideal MOR.

TORNADOES: ‘Telstar’ (Decca F 11494)
The original 1962 smash, freaky intro and all. Probably best for older crowds now, but try mixing it with such as ‘Silver Machine’ for effect!

GOONS: ‘Bloodnok’s Rock ‘N Roll Call’ (Decca F 13609)
The ‘Ying Tong Song”s original flip in 1956, this craziness doesn’t sustain its dance beat, but played near the end of a gig can be lots of fun nevertheless.  Goons freaks will even mime to it!

HARVEY SMITH: ‘True Love’ (Handkerchief HANKY 3)
Slush, of obvious interest to horsey crowds, it needs pre-announcing for best effect. A sensation at my last gig, when I followed it with Bing singing ‘Take Me Back To My Boots And Saddle’!

VAN MCCOY: ‘Good Night, Baby’ (Avco 6105042)
A natural for the last smooch of the evening, this pretty slowie finds Van in fine voice. Why it isn’t the A-side instead of the awfully ordinary ‘Change With The Times’ I’ll never know.  Continue reading “October 18, 1975: The Everly Brothers, The Tornados, The Goons, Harvey Smith, Van McCoy”

New Spins

GEORGE MCCRAE: ‘I Ain’t Lyin’’ / ‘You Treat Me Good’ (Jay Boy BOY 105)
The rhythm section that rules the world does its thing as George soars and cut-price brass battles through the dominating drumkit. So simple, so effective. Cooled-out though still busy beat on the flip.

STRETCH: ‘Why Did You Do It’ (Anchor ANC 1021)
Heartily-compressed drum beats and Doobie-type guitar jiggling back gruff Elmer Cantry on a superbly-produced semi-slow thudder that’s kinda like Bad Company meeting the Ides of March. Sounds like a smash.

BUD FLANAGAN: ‘Who Do You Think You’re Kidding Mr. Hitler?’ (Pye 7N 45530)
I goofed by playing this (the Dad’s Army theme) once at a gig where evidently the German ambassador was a guest! Oh well, the point being that I use it all the time, especially as part of a routine where it leads into Glen Miller’s ‘In The Mood’. Great jolly MOR.

PAUL MELBA: ‘You’re The Cream In My Coffee’ (Pye 7N 45537)
Silliness, ideal for certain MOR gigs, hidden on the flip of an unsuccessful ‘Misty’-fication of ‘Tenderly’.

MAXINE NIGHTINGALE: ‘Right Back Where We Started From’ (UA UP 36015) (Billboard chart debut 4/3/76)
Here comes Pierre “Fool” Tubbs again, giving Al Matthews’s back-up singer an amazingly infectious clapalong bouncy beat and a dead simple catchy tune. She looks great, too! Continue reading “October 11, 1975: George McCrae, Stretch, Bud Flanagan, Paul Melba, Maxine Nightingale”

New Spins

JONESES: ‘Sugar Pie Guy’ (Mercury 6167223) (Billboard chart debut 10/26/74)
Remixed and re-issued, this goodie by the guys with the amazing “spudadoo spudadoo” bass man now has a disco flip that features an instrumental build-up to the “spudadoo”s and a long wukkawuk passage, broken into by some gruff joviality and repartee with a chick. If it worked before you’d better play it some more!

GEORGE BENSON: ‘Supership’ (CTI CT SP 002) (Billboard chart debut 5/17/75)
1975’s jumping bumpy rhythm re-write of ‘Sea Cruise’ (ship’s hooter and all) shows off George more on vocals than guitar, and should be a disco smash with ship’s bells on. Already breaking out as an import, it’s gotta be good.

BLACK ROCK: ‘New York City Bump’ (Seville SEV 1011) (mentioned in Billboard column 5/17/75, Billboard chart debut 9/20/75)
SONNY – the Sound Of New New York strikes again as Sonny Casella follows Jeanne Burton and Dooley Silverspoon with his most ambitious production yet. On the special effects B-side the entire chix-led Temptations-type relaxed bumper is backed by a montage of New York City street sounds as it takes us on a bus ride uptown . . . like ‘Living For The City’ gone mad! Heard in stereo it’s a mind-messer of awesome proportions.  Continue reading “October 4, 1975: The Joneses, George Benson, Black Rock, Roxy Music, T. Rex Disco Party”