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!
★ JH PICK
BIDDU ORCHESTRA: ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ / ‘Jump For Joy’ (Epic EPC 3708)
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.
★ JH PICK
NAT KING COLE: ‘Unforgettable’ / ‘Smile’ (Capitol CL 15837)
One of the classic late night smoochers, plus another lush slowie now used as a film theme, from Natalie’s late daddy.
★ JH PICK
ARTHUR BROWN: ‘Fire!’ / THUNDERCLAP NEWMAN: ‘Something In The Air’ (Track 2004017)
Two old number ones back-to-back. I haven’t heard the new pressing yet myself, but Rod “King” Schell reckons that ‘Something”s side has been remixed.
★ JH PICK
TOMMY ROE: ‘Dizzy’ (ABC 4033)
And another old number one.
★ JH PICK
CANNED HEAT: ‘On The Road Again’ (UA UP 36001)
Edited slightly differently than the original 1968 single.
★ JH PICK
JUDY GEE & THE CLASSMATES: ‘Let Me In’ (Route RT 20)
Good recreation of the Yvonne Baker & The Sensations original, which was one of THE disco hits of 1962, this shrill and punchy twister makes a great substitute if you can’t find the Pye/Argo oldie.
★ JH PICK
T.G. SHEPPARD: ‘I Can’t Help Myself’ (Mowest MW 3031)
One of Motown’s new country stars does the Four Tops classic in a way that sounds like it could follow ‘Misty’ kinda nicely. It’s in fact the flip to ‘Another Woman’.
★ JH PICK
WIZZARD: ‘Rattlesnake Roll’ (Jet 758)
Boogie-woogie piano intro, then Roy Wood does another ‘Are You Ready To Rock’ that jumps and hops along with great gusto. Brilliantly conceived and fun for influence spotters, but hopefully not too clever for the masses. He’s in danger of completing the Spector cycle.
★ JH PICK
SIMBA: ‘Africa’ (EMI 2364)
British cover of the Italian slowie by Son Of Albatros, this is useful as the flip’s an instrumental version that augurs well to prolong the atmospheric mood.
★ JH PICK
SNAFU: ‘Lock And Key’ (Capitol CL 15838)
Archetypal white blues noises delivered with enough drive and impact to work well first time out for rock audiences.
★ JH PICK
SYDNEY THOMPSON: ‘Rock Around The Clock’ (from the LP ‘Take Your Partners’, BBC REB 316)
Lunacy that works! If you can imagine a ‘Come Dancing’ version of this, then you’ve got it in one. Yes – ghastly, but great fun! There’s also tangos n’ stuff like that.
★ JH PICK
DANIEL BOONE: ‘I Think Of You’ (Penny Farthing PEN 897)
Beautiful Garfunkel-type version of the Merseybeat oldie, sung by its writer to shimmering strings and aaahhing voices. Even if doesn’t hit, this slowie’s worth plugging.
★ JH PICK
BILLY CONNOLLY: ‘D.I.V.O.R.C.E.’ (Polydor 2058652)
Good short-term novelty.
★ JH PICK
LAUREL & HARDY: ‘The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine’ (UA UP 36026)
From the actual soundtrack of 1937’s ‘Way Out West’, Stan & Ollie join The Avalon Boys and Chill Wills for a Don Estelle & Windsor Davies-type bit of silliness. Great fun for attentive nostalgia-prone audiences!
★ JH PICK
Reggae Mix
JOHNNY CLARKE: ‘No Woman, No Cry’ (Grounation GRO 2003)
Complete with crying chick, this is much more ethnic than Marley, and actually sounds like reggae rather than Dylan. As for the flipside version, it’s a total mind messer!
★ JH PICK
JOHNNY CLARKE: ‘I’m Gonna Put It On’ (Vulcan VUL 1001)
Already very popular, this brassy bouncer has ska-type backing (re-used from something else, I think) and a great rhythm. Dub flip.
★ JH PICK
I ROY: ‘Straight To Derrick Morgan’s Head’ (Total Sounds – import from Jamaica)
Mind-blowing shouting intro, then laughter, as the backing begins and I Roy phases in and out of the beat with all his old skill. Incredible! Dub flip.
★ JH PICK
DAVE & ANSELL COLLINS: ‘Single Barrel’ (Klik KL 602)
Pop-slanted synthetic sounds on an instrumental that’s extremely reminiscent of something . . . ‘I’m Your Puppet’, maybe? It’s good enough to stir up interest outside ethnic circles.
ANDY’S ALLSTARS: ‘Banjo Serenade’ (Bullet BU 552)
Actually my fave of the week, this freaky dub version of I Roy’s ‘Step Right Up’ (on the A-side) has a banjo as the lead instrument amongst all the throbbing bass and clanking echo. Strangely fascinating to my jaded ears!
SONS OF JAH: ‘Nyah Chant’ (Bullet BU 557)
Atmospheric relaxed chant of enduring Rasta faith, with good stereo effects.
RONNIE DAVIS: ‘That’s Life’ (Dip DL 5099)
Fairly ordinary backing made most interesting by Ronny’s brilliant vocal control – he phrases and uses his voice like a sax.
T. ROSS: ‘Last Date’ (Lucky DL 5104)
White chick doing a vocal reggae-fication of Floyd Cramer’s oldie. It’s popular already, and oddly effective.
CARLTON PATTERSON: ‘Dread Locks Power’ (Ocean OC 006)
Old ska brass line, with Carlton’s Rasta lyrics echoed by another almost falsetto voice. Nice.
Segue to do it?
THERE’S been a great response to all the the info about oldies on this page, which is most gratifying.
In particular, a lot of you have been asking for more examples of the special sequences of records that I use at MoR gigs. OK, so here goes:-
Starting at vocal, BOBBY DARIN: Mack The Knife (London, from 1959), tight segue into LOUIS ARMSTRONG: Hello Dolly (MCA, reissued 1970), tight segue Into EYDIE GORME: Yes My Darling Daughter (CBS, 1962).
Ideally this should segue too, but if the dancers are flagging you may need to cut into it, with DOROTHY PROVINE: Don’t Bring Lulu (Warner Bros, 1962).
To build the pace I often cut into this too, although it segues perfectly, with WARREN COVINGTON & HIS JAZZ BAND: Twelfth Street Rag (Brunswick 1965, flip of Whipped Cream).
This latter is great, and cuts beautifully Into all sorts of other things that need a lift – it also segues spectacularly out of BOBBY CRUSH: The Entertainer / Sting (Philips).
During the Eydie Gorme, if I’m feeling energetic, I sometimes cut in (with deft slip-mat action) just the title lines from the KING BROTHERS: Mais Oui and Si Si Si (both Parlophone 1960, the latter being flip to Doll House).
This whole sequence builds and builds, and always works well with older age groups.
(Technical note: the term “segue” – pronounced “segway” – refers to one record following another, either with no gap or with an overlap).
If you have asked for a list of oldies shops I hope you won’t mind waiting until more of you – as invited to do last week – have sent in details of good oldies sources in your own areas.
dj hot line
VAN McCOY’s newie gets spilt plays – which is the best side? JR Bindle (Bindlestiff Discos, Hulbridge) and Paul Anthony (Walsall) say Good Night Baby, while the official A-side of Change With The Times gets support from DOUGALL DJ (Glasgow), Jon Taylor (Crocker’s, Norwich) and Mark Rymann (South Wales clubs).
Jon and Mark are joined by Colin King (Sale), Les Aron (Life Discos, Bognor Regis), and Bob Sampson (Burgess Hill) in tipping GLORIA GAYNOR: (If You Want It) Do It Yourself (MGM).
Bob starts another chain in digging MAXINE NIGHTINGALE: Right Back Where We Started From (UA), along with Peter Greig (Route 66 Discos, Plympton), Doctor John (Newport, Salop) and Anthony Allan (Speakeasy, Wakefield).
Meanwhile. JR Bindle also tips EBB TIDE: Give Me Your Best Shot Baby (Polydor), Country-singing Dixie Dance King DON WILLIAMS: You’re My Best Friend (ABC), and FRANKIE MILLER: A Fool In Love (Chrysalis).
GEORGE “BAD” BENSON: Super Ship (CTI) a smash for many, including Steve Carter (Carlton Club, Torquay), who infos in all seriousness that an ace sexy smoocher is MIKE REID: That’s Who (Pye) – flip of The King’s New Clothes!
Alan Gold (Brighton), Doug “The Mug” Forbes (Klouds, Warwick) and Steve Ingram (DJ Enterprises, Weybridge) all find J.A.L.N BAND: Street Dance (Magnet) a good substitute for unavailable FATBACK BAND original.
Continuing our Twisting revival, Alex Henderson (Victoria Bars, Weymouth) now adds THE MARCELS: Blue Moon (Pye) – which of course segues like a dream with JOHNNY CYMBAL: Mr Bass Man (London) – while Geoff Bailey (Colyton, Devon) reports that “The kids really go for the Twist sound, and they know how to do it!”
re MFSB: TLC (Phila Int), Steve Day (Chingford) has found it’s loved by all Glen Miller fans!
Great comedy response for imported DICKIE GOODMAN: Mr Jaws (US Cash) sez Dave Wilson (Horwich Leisure Centre, Bolton).
Next Wednesday, October 29 I go all the way back to 1958 at the Lord Nelson in London’s Holloway Road, which should be good, so come on by!
star tip
THIS WEEK’S Star Tip comes from JR Bindle (Hullbridge, Essex), who warns that careful thought should go into the choice of a name.
He lumbered himself with “Bindlestiff” – 1930s’ US slang for traveller or hobo – which may be fine at the Kursaal (where he supports Rock bands) but doesn’t endear him to prospective brides’ mums when he’s after a wedding reception gig!
I myself began with the name “Soulsational Sounds”, which I soon dropped when I discovered – as has JR – that people will refer to you by your own name anyway once you’re established.
A fancy name makes sense if you’re running several units, whereas your own name or a nom-de-plume can only help since it has the personal touch.
UK Disco Top 20 – October 25, 1975
01 01 David Essex – Hold Me Close – CBS
02 09 Four Seasons – Who Loves You – Warner Bros.
03 02 Drifters – There Goes My First Love – Bell
04 04 Dee Clark – Ride A Wild Horse – Chelsea
05 07 Natalie Cole – This Will Be – Capitol
06 05 Esther Phillips – What A Diff’rence A Day Makes – Kudu
07 15 Roxy Music – Love Is The Drug – Island
08 06 5000 Volts – I’m On Fire – Philips
09 08 Fatback Band – Yum Yum (Gimme Some) – Polydor
10 11 People’s Choice – Do It Anyway You Wanna – Philadelphia Int’l
11 16 Trammps – Hold Back The Night – Buddah
12 — George Benson – Supership – CTI
13 — George McCrae – I Ain’t Lyin’ – Jay Boy
14 — Art Garfunkel – I Only Have Eyes For You – CBS
15 12 George Baker – Paloma Blanca – Warner Bros.
16 03 KC & The Sunshine Band – That’s The Way (I Like It) – Jay Boy
17 10 Bob Marley & The Wailers – No Woman, No Cry – Island
18 re Leo Sayer – Moonlighting – Chrysalis
19 — Mud – L-L-Lucy – Private Stock
20 re Jasper Carrott – Magic Roundabout – DJM
james’ top ten
1 I LOVE TO DANCE LIKE THEY USED TO DANCE Bing Crosby (UA)
2 I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU Art Garfunkel (CBS)
3 LOVE IS THE DRUG Roxy Music (Island)
4 IN THE MOOD Joe Bob’s Nashville Sound Company (US Capitol)
5 LOOKS, LOOKS, LOOKS Sparks (Island)
6 FEELINGS Morris Albert (Decca)
7 I’M ON FIRE 5000 Volts(Philips)
8 I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU Dick Powell (UA LP)
9 TRUE LOVE Harvey Smith (Handkerchief)
10 ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK Sydney Thompson (BBC LP)
BREAKERS
1 I COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT Biddu (Epic)
2 SUPER SHIP George “Bad” Benson (CTI)
3 I AIN’T LYIN’ George McCrae (Jay Boy)
James Hamilton's Disco Page 