New Spins
SILVER CONVENTION: ‘Discotheque Volume 2’ LP (Magnet MAG 5011) (LP mentioned in Billboard column 3/27/76, Billboard chart debut 4/17/76)
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) (LP mentioned in Billboard column 3/6/76, Billboard chart debut 3/20/76)
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) (mentioned in Billboard column 11/8/75, Billboard chart debut 11/22/75)
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) (Billboard chart debut 4/17/76)
Singalong chorus pulls Candi’s melodic hustler out of the rut.
B.C.G.: ‘Street Talk’ (20th Century BTC 2271) (mentioned in Billboard column 1/24/76, Billboard chart debut 1/31/76)
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) (Billboard chart debut 10/11/75)
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
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (Billboard chart debut 3/13/76)
#3 (Billboard chart debut 4/3/76)
#4 (mentioned in Billboard column 2/14/76, Billboard chart debut 3/13/76)
#5 (mentioned in Billboard column 1/17/76, Billboard chart debut 1/24/76)
#9 (Billboard chart debut 3/13/76)
#10 (mentioned in Billboard column 1/3/76, Billboard chart debut 1/17/76)
#12 (Billboard chart debut 1/24/76)
#17 (mentioned in Billboard column 11/8/75, Billboard chart debut 2/14/76)
Songs mentioned in “DJ Hot Line”:
TED HEATH: ‘Opus 1’ (Decca)
LOUIS JORDAN: ‘Choo Choo Ch’ Boogie’ (MCA)
ROYAL SHOWBAND: ‘Hucklebuck’ (EMI)
THE CHARLES RANDOLPH GREAN SOUNDE: ‘Star Trek’ (UK) (Billboard chart debut 11/29/75)
ARMADA ORCHESTRA: ‘The Hustle’ (Contempo)
CHUBBY CHECKER: ‘Dancing Party’ (London)
GARY DAVIS & THE VENDORS: ‘Funk Machine’ (20th Century – US import)
CHAMPS BOYS: ‘Tubular Bells’ (Philips) (mentioned in Billboard column 4/3/76, Billboard chart debut 4/24/76)
JOHNNIE TAYLOR: ‘Disco Lady’ (Columbia) (Billboard chart debut 3/20/76)
DENNIS COFFEY: ‘Finger Lickin’ Good’ (Westbound – US import) (mentioned in Billboard column 12/13/75, Billboard chart debut 3/27/76)
MOMENTS & RIMSHOTS: ‘Soul Peeper’ (Phonogram – 12” single) [Hammy mentions that British DJs’ response to 12” singles has been decidedly negative thus far]
CAMEO: ‘Find My Way’ (Chocolate City – US import) (mentioned in Billboard column 11/15/75, Billboard chart debut 12/6/75)
HARPO: ‘Movie Star’ (DJM)
BETTE MIDLER: ‘Strangers In The Night’ (Atlantic) (Billboard chart debut 2/14/76)
SMALL FACES: ‘Lazy Sunday’ (Immediate)
MAXINE NIGHTINGALE: ‘Gotta Be The One’ (UA)
SOUL CHILDREN: ‘Finders Keepers’ (Epic)
Next week: Hammy addresses the recent influx of non-danceable records on the chart!
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