New Spins
SILVER CONVENTION: ‘Discotheque Volume 2’ LP (Magnet MAG 5011)
A predictable but effective disco formula makes ‘No No Joe’, ‘San Francisco Hustle‘ and ‘You’ve Got What It Takes‘ into dancefloor rivals for lead track ‘Get Up And Boogie’ in the States, while here the catchy clapping rhythm pattern of ‘Play Me Like A Yoyo’ could be bigger.
AC/DC: ‘It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘N Roll)’ / ‘Can I Sit Next To You Girl‘ (Atlantic K 10745)
Not to be missed by rock jocks, these Aussie youngsters boogie Stones/Elton John-style, with bagpipe noises yet! Yeah, they get it on — and possibly even more on the punkier flip.
DONNA SUMMER: ‘Love Trilogy’ LP (GTO GTLP 010)
Side one flows without a gap through ‘Try Me’, ‘I Know’, ‘We Can Make It’ and ‘Try Me I Know We Can Make It’. . . clever, huh? This time it’s all quite funky, fast and bouncy, with the energy level picking up at each shift in emphasis until the very last section, which is the only weak link.
THE MOMENTS: ‘Nine Times’ (All Platinum 6146313)
The guys get heat up ‘cos their girl’s phone was busy nine times, and the galloping rhythm pushes their sharp harmony along in exhilarating NY style.
ALAN WHITE: ‘Oooh Baby (Goin’ To Pieces)’ (Atlantic K 10747)
Flash-Rock meets Spanish Hustle! The result’s a bit cerebral, extremely fast, very exciting and surprisingly soulful.
MAJOR LANCE: ‘Follow The Leader’ (Pye 7N 25705)
Could be second time lucky for this great tightening-up rhythm jiggler with its zingy sound.
BILLY PAUL: ‘Let’s Make A Baby’ (Philadelphia Int’l PIR 4144)
A good segue with Chris Hill’s ‘Ride On’, Billy’s near-the-knuckle semi-slowie could be a monster.
BLACKBYRDS: ‘Happy Music’ (Fantasy FTC 129)
Long sinister intro to a funky bouncing snorter.
REUBEN WILSON: ‘Got To Get Your Own’ (Chess 6078700)
Long-awaited funky foot-hopper, the A-side edit being punchier than the disco flip.
AL MARTINO: ‘You Belong To Me’ (Capitol CL 15841)
Jo Stafford’s romantic oldie makes a lovely smoocher, much better than the earlier A-side, ‘Volare’.
MANHATTAN TRANSFER: ‘Blue Champagne’ (Atlantic K 10751).
Jimmy Dorsey’s wee-small-hours oldie isn’t another ‘Tuxedo Junction’, so it’s a pity that they haven’t put out ‘Gloria‘ on 45 — it could even start a Doo-Wop craze!
HUSH: ‘Glad All Over’ (Vertigo 6059136)
Old-fashioned enough to be dated but not dated enough to be fashionable, the messily heavy Aussie approach is still boogie-able.
THE J. GEILS BAND: ‘Where Did Our Love Go’ (Atlantic K 10744)
Unlike Vanilla Fudge, these rockers stick to the Supremes’ handclapping format for some attention-grabbing fun.
SNOBALL: ‘The House Is Rockin” (Chrysalis CHS 2088)
Quite attractive hustler, soulfully sung.
CANDI STATON: ‘Young Hearts Run Free’ (Warner Bros. K 16730)
Singalong chorus pulls Candi’s melodic hustler out of the rut.
B.C.G.: ‘Street Talk’ (20th Century BTC 2271)
Bob Crewe’s languid orchestral hustler, with voices, is merely pleasant despite various rhythm breaks.
S.S.O.: ‘Tonight’s The Night’ (Gull GULS 32)
Norman Whitfield-type strings and nice fruity brass on a mid-tempo Euro-Disco US hit.
BARBARA JONES: ‘Slim Boy’ (Attack ATT 8114)
Fatty Bum Bum accuses Slim Boy of being under-developed!
NORA DEAN: ‘Scorpion’ (Attack ATT 8126)
‘Barb Wire’ six years on; now he’s got a scorpion in his underpants.
TERRY WEBSTER: ‘I Want To See You Dancing’ (Satril SAT 102)
Sorta blue-eyed ‘Where The Happy People Go’, currently being heavily re-promoted.
GENERAL JOHNSON: ‘All In The Family’ (Arista 45)
Mildly bouncy thumper distinctively sold by the ex-CoB.
UK Disco Top 20 – April 24, 1976
01 01 Barry White – You See The Trouble With Me – 20th Century
02 08 Hank Mizell – Jungle Rock – Charly
03 02 Billy Ocean – Love Really Hurts Without You – GTO
04 07 Silver Convention – Get Up And Boogie – Magnet
05 04 Brass Construction – Movin’ / Changin’ – UA
06 03 Brotherhood Of Man – Save Your Kisses For Me – Pye
07 06 Hot Chocolate – Don’t Stop It Now – Rak
08 14 Sailor – Girls, Girls, Girls – Epic
09 05 Tina Charles – I Love To Love – CBS
10 19 Andrea True Connection – More, More, More – Buddah
11 NE Drifters – Hello Happiness – Bell
12 17 Isaac Hayes – Disco Connection – ABC
13 10 Roger Collins – You Sexy Sugar Plum – Fantasy
14 RE Stylistics – Funky Weekend – Avco
15 NE ABBA – Fernando – Epic
16 16 Pioneers – Feel The Rhythm – Mercury
17 13 Trammps – Where The Happy People Go – Atlantic
18 RE 10cc – I’m Mandy, Fly Me – Mercury
19 11 John Miles – Music – Decca
20 NE Bellamy Brothers – Let Your Love Flow – Warner Bros.
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
star tip
BANJO BARN DANCE!
CLIFF WILDING (Early Riser Disco Services, Walthamstow) has several interesting tips for MoR mobile DJs. For knees-up type occasions he recommends the GEOFF LOVE BANJOS ‘Sing-Along Banjo Party’ LP (EMI
Starilne SRS 5165), using ‘How Ya Gonna Keep ‘Em Down On The Farm’ and the applause-linked segue of ‘Strollin” and ‘Waiting For The Robert E. Lee’. For Country Dance and Barn Dance records he suggests trying the English Folk Dance & Song Society at Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regents Park Road, London NW1, whose helpful staff can supply ‘Community Dance Manuals – Vols 1 to 5’ for dance instructions, and records such as the EP ‘Three
Popular Folk Dances’ (EMI 7EG 8671), with music for the Virginia Reel and Princess Margarets Fancy! One of Cliff’s own disco units even goes out with a Square Dance caller, and evidently this sort of thing is getting very popular. Finally, Early Riser Disco Services also sell a comprehensive line in party hats, novelties, mask, streamers and carnival crazies to make your knees- up even more fun, so contact them for details at 74A Beulah Road, London E17 (01-520 3401).
dj hot line
The great TED HEATH ‘Opus One’ (Decca) is tipped by Tom Russell (Kirkintilloch) and Steve Day (Cricket Club, Chingford), while Theo Loyla also goes with LOUIS JORDAN ‘Choo Choo Ch’ Boogie’ (MCA) … who said Swing’s had it?! … good news for many, the ROYAL SHOWBAND ‘Hucklebuck’ will be out again on EMI in a fortnight! … CHARLES RANDOLPH GREAN SOUNDE ‘Star Trek’ (UK) adds admirers in the pointy eared shape of Ashley Eatly and Slate Day … Steve Lloyd (Llanelli) is hot for
ARMADA ORCHESTRA ‘The Hustle’ (Contempo), which is the flip of ‘Band of Gold’ and he’s also first onto CHUBBY CHECKER ‘Dancing Party’ (London) … Chris Hill (Goldmine, Canvey) tips GARY DAVIS & THE
VENDORS ‘Funk Machine’ (US 20th Century) and joins Jon Taylor (Crockers, Norwich) for CHAMPS BOYS ‘Tubular Bells’ (Philips) … Jon ties in with Big John (Lights Fantastic Disco, Plymouth) and Doctor John (Disco-Tech,
Telford) for CATE BROS ‘Union Man’ (Asylum) … funky Les “Godfather” Spaine (Timepiece, Liverpool), first to chart JOHNNIE TAYLOR ‘Disco Lady’ (CBS), tips THE J.B.’s ‘Everybody W ants To Get Funky One More Time, Parts 1 & 2’ (US People) and DENNIS COFFEY ‘Finger Lickin’ Good’ (US Westbound) … British DJs seem to be saying a great big ‘NO’ to US-style 12 inch demos, so it’s odd timing of Phonogram to couple MOMENTS / RIMSHOTS as a 12 inch ‘Soul Peeper’ … Anthony Allan (Speakeasy, Wakefield) has discovered the tasty CAMEO ‘Find My Way’ (US Chocolate City) … “King” Rod Schell (Twisted Wheel, Carlisle) seems peeved at lack of
recognition for jocks sticking with sleeper hits, citing his own faith In HARPO ‘Movie Star’ (DJ ) since last October … BETTE MIDLER ‘Strangers In The Night’ (Atlantic) rates raves from Colin McLean (Acas Club, Hamilton) … Dave MacRae (Primitive Disco, Seaham), with a busy round of weekly
gigs, finds Hartlepool a haven for hoppers digging HANK and VINCE … Powerful Pierre – that’s Peter Dunn to his mum – (Coppercoins, Haverfordwest), R. L Braley (Mr Bee’s Disco, Poole) and Peter Greig are still on SMALL FACES ‘Lazy Sunday’ (Immediate), and the last two tip MAXINE NIGHTINGALE ‘Gotta Be The One’ (UA) too … Mark Kymann’s showing faith in SOUL CHILDREN ‘Finders Keepers’ (Epic).
james’ top ten
1 L.A. WOMAN, The Doors (Elektra)
2 CAN I SIT NEXT TO YOU GIRL, AC/DC (Atlantic)
3 LOCOMOTIVE BREATH, Jethro Tull (US Chrysalis)
4 HE’S SO FINE, Jonathan King (UK)
5 YOU SEE THE TROUBLE WITH ME, Barry White (20th Century)
6 I’M MANDY, FLY ME, 10cc (Mercury)
7 YOUNG BLOOD, Bad Company (US Swan Song)
8 SHOW ME THE WAY, Peter Frampton (A&M)
9 I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND, Sparks (Island)
10 LET’S MAKE A BABY, Billy Paul (Philadelphia Int)
BREAKERS
1 PANAMA, Mandrill (UA)
2 LADBROKE GROOVE, Sugarcane Band (Alpine)
3 WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO, J. Geils Band (Atlantic)
James Hamilton's Disco Page 