Go North Young Jock
SPECIAL DEMONSTRATIONS of video for discos will be amongst the star attractions at the NADJ-run Disco North exhibition in Liverpool this Monday and Tuesday, March 22/23.
TVL Distributors Ltd will be showing the CV3 “Super-Screen” video projection system, which beams giant colour television images onto the equivalent of a cinema screen – the type of system that was such a success at the recent Disco Forum In New York.
Disco North is being held at the Liverpool Centre Hotel, Lord Nelson Street, Liverpool L3 5UQ, and will be open between midday and 9.00 pm (9.30 pm on Tuesday), entrance is free to NADJ members and by pro gramme at 50p to the general public.
The grand opening ceremony will be performed at 1.00 pm on Monday by Phil Easton. DJ with Radio City, and other personalities from the Liverpool commercial station will be visiting the show (it is still uncertain if Radio City will be broadcasting live from their stand).
As well as the many major equipment manufacturers and suppliers who will be exhibiting their wares, most disco orientated record companies will be represented by their promotion people. Although only Atlantic and Creole have taken stands, the other companies’ pluggers will be making themselves conspicuous amongst the crowds and will be on the lookout for DJs on (and off?) their mailing lists.
Disco Mirror and Record Mirror & Disc will also have a stand, where I hope to be able to press flesh with anyone mug enough to come by and say “Hi”! So, see you there!
New Spins
BIDDU ORCHESTRA: ‘Rain Forest’ (Epic EPC 4084) (mentioned in Billboard column 4/17/76, Billboard chart debut 4/24/76)
Lushly arranged with sweeping strings and prodding brass, this beautiful almost Santana-ish rhythm throbber is an ever-evolving delight. I’ve been having great fun making it even longer by mixing two copies together. The flip will please many too, as its the much-demanded ‘Exodus’, an archetypal “disco” sound.
DISCO PICK
MICHAEL ZAGER & THE MOON BAND: ‘Do It With Feeling’ (London HLM 10521) (mentioned in Billboard column 11/22/75, Billboard chart debut 11/29/75)
Ex-Ten Wheel Drive, Zager gets a great funky chant thing going with a big bouncy beat.
GEORGE & GWEN MCCRAE: ‘Let’s Dance, Dance, Dance’ (President PR 451)
Standout cut from their album, this exuberant fast happy dancer is a stone gas that ends up by quoting from other disco hits.
ANDREA TRUE CONNECTION: ‘More, More, More’ (Buddah BD 442) (mentioned in Billboard column 1/3/76, Billboard chart debut 1/17/76)
At last starting to chart in the States, this monotonously nagging US disco smash by a deadpan-voiced New York actress has a rhythm that’s just one notch of variable turntable speed above Donna Summer. A Tom Moulton mix, of course!
TED HEATH: ‘Opus 1’ (Decca 13629)
Coupled with the catchy clapping ‘Hot Toddy‘ from ’53, this brash and brassy 1957 treatment of the tune currently out by the Mills Brothers is an adrenaline rush of excitement. Oh yeah!
JITTERBUG PICK
SYD LAWRENCE ORCHESTRA: ‘Pennsylvania 6-5000’ (Philips 6006510)
Nice clean recreation of the Glenn Miller hit, and ditto for the ‘String Of Pearls‘ flip.
SAILOR: ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’ (Epic EPC 3858)
Jolly street busker sound.
POP PICK
COMMODORES, JACKSON 5, EDDIE KENDRICKS, ETC: ‘Motown DiscoTech 2’ LP (Tamla Motown STML 12019)
Third [?!?] in their DiscoTech line, this album segues (very well) a mixture of Motown material from ’73/74/75 by those named plus Undisputed Truth, Temptations, Yvonne Fair, Miracles, Marvin and Diana and others, including the LP-length versions of ‘Keep On Truckin” and ‘Forever Came Today‘. Excellent for DJs who want a slow pint!
DISCO PICK
HARPTONES, 5 SATINS, PARAGONS, DUBS, ETC: ‘Doowop Doowop’ (LP DJM DJSLM 2026)
Never before on one UK LP have so many true classics of this ’50s vocal group style been available. One outstanding rarity is the Rainbows’ ‘Mary Lee’ – the 1955 group included Marvin Gaye, Billy Stewart and Don Covay, and man do they wail! Not normal disco fodder maybe, but try a track instead of the Stylistics in your smooch spot.
BLOODSTONE: ‘Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall In Love)’ (Decca F 13628)
The soul group go MoR on a usefully straight version of Cole Porter’s wittily naughty “Lithuanians and Letts do it” ditty. Ella Fitzgerald does it more slyly though!
DIANA ROSS: ‘Love Hangover’ (from LP ‘Diana Ross’, Tamla Motown STML 12022) (Billboard chart debut 2/28/76)
After a slower first few minutes actually sung by Di, the 7:48 track suddenly perks up into a bubblingly beaty instrumental disco romp that’s all the rage in New York and Canvey Island.
JOHN PAUL YOUNG: ‘Yesterday’s Hero’ (Private Stock PVT 49)
Out here months ago before its US success, this beefy Australian pop stomper will be good if it’s a hit this time, and may have Northern appeal.
JONA LEWIE: ‘Piggy Back Sue’ (Sonet SON 2048)
Louisiana-loving Lewie throws the lot plus all he’s got into this great piano rockin’ boogie. Fantastic full sound, bopping rhythm.
JR. WALKER: ‘Don’t Lose What You Got’ (from LP ‘Hot Shot’, Tamla Motown STML 12018)
Holland Bros instrumental with a terrific modern bouncy rhythm pushed along by some great synthetic noises and Walker’s wailing sax.
BRECKER BROTHERS BAND: ‘Keep It Steady (Brecker Bump)’ / ‘Grease Piece‘ / ‘If You Wanna Boogie . . . Forget It‘ (from LP ‘Back To Back’, Arista ARTY 128)
A hustler, a bouncy-funker, and a tricksy slower vocal funker from the brassy band’s US hit album, which I find a bit boring.
JOE SIMON: ‘I Need You, You Need Me’ (Polydor 2066649) (mentioned in Billboard column 12/20/75)
Stomping semi-hustler.
TYRONE DAVIS: ‘Turning Point’ (Brunswick BR 31)
Great Beat for black clubs.
THE TYMES: ‘Only Your Love’ (RCA 2658) (Billboard chart debut 2/21/76)
Slickly skipping hustler.
Import Picks
PETER FRAMPTON: ‘Show Me The Way’ (A&M AM 1795)
Taken from his States-shaking ‘Frampton Comes Alive’ LP, this is one of the numbers on which he bends the guitar notes by using a Talkbox connected to his mouth. An incredibly effective sound results, which dominates the otherwise normally sung happy toe-tapper.
GRAHAM CENTRAL STATION: ‘The Jam’ (Warner Bros. WBS 8175)
Burbling organ-driven rhythm and plenty of complicated convoluted funk, with only scant vocals in funny accents.
James’ Top Ten
1 RADIO Medium Wave Band (Spark)
2 LIVIN’ IN THE SUNLIGHT Geoff Muldaur (Reprise)
3 STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT Bette Midler ( Atlantic)
4 YOU SEE THE TROUBLE WITH ME Barry White (20th)
5 BUMP BOUNCE BOOGIE Asleep At The Wheel (Capitol)
6 OPUS No. 1 Mills Brothers (MCA)
7 TWISTIN’ THE MOOD Joe Loss (Deleted HMV)
8 THE HUCKLEBUCK Royal Showband (Irish EMI)
9 THERE’S A KIND OF HUSH Carpenters (A&M)
10 I’LL BE SEEING YOU Jeff Evans (US Grandstand)
BREAKERS
1 I’VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN Frank Sinatra (Reprise)
2 MIGHTY HIGH Mighty Clouds Of Joy (ABC)
3 BAD LUCK Atlanta Disco Band (US Scorpio)
Star Tip
Party time hints from Ron Wylie ( Road Runner Discos, Grimsby): after a mixture of Twist, Conga, Gay Gordons, ‘Simon Says’, ‘Y Viva Espana’, Hokey Cokey and Knees Up, Ron asks if everyone’s hot – “Yes!” – then he says he’s going to play something special to help ’em cool off . . . going straight into ‘The Stripper’! (David Rose’s version (MGM) is best – two copies are useful to keep it going, while Shirley Bassey’s ‘Big Spender’ (UA) Is a great follow-on.) Alternatively, Ron says that only clever people can do the next dance, which needs all the geniuses to form a large circle holding hands. He then plays ‘Ring A Ring A Roses’ (from a kiddies’ disc) amidst roars of jolly laughter. Ho ho ho!
UK Disco Top 20 – March 20, 1976
01 01 Tina Charles – I Love To Love – CBS
02 02 Four Seasons – December 1963 – Warner Bros.
03 03 Fatback Band – Spanish Hustle – Polydor
04 05 Stylistics – Funky Weekend – Avco
05 04 Billy Ocean – Love Really Hurts Without You – GTO
06 06 O’Jays – I Love Music – Philadelphia Int’l
07 08 M. & O. Band – Let’s Do The Latin Hustle – Creole
08 09 Glitter Band – People Like You – Bell
09 12 20th Century Steel Band – We’ve Got To Work To Stay Together – UA
10 NE Barry White – You See The Trouble With Me – 20th Century
11 07 Status Quo – Rain – Vertigo
12 NE Sassafras – Wheelin’ ‘N Dealin’ – Chrysalis
13 11 Gallagher & Lyle – I Wanna Stay With You – A&M
14 RE Brass Construction – Movin’ / Changin’ – UA
15 NE Linda Thompson – Ooh What A Night – Magnet
16 NE Trammps – Where The Happy People Go – Atlantic
17 RE Small Faces – Itchycoo Park – NEMS
18 NE John Kongos – I No. 7 (Only Wants To Get To Heaven) – A&M
19 NE Parliament – Give Up The Funk – Casablanca [Imp]
20 NE Pink Floyd – Money – Harvest
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
No “DJ Hot Line” this week.
Next week: Tina holds on to the top spot for a fifth week, and, figuring John’s ‘Imagine’ did well enough, British DJs spin Paul’s best-known slow song!
James Hamilton's Disco Page 