New Spins
WAR: ‘Me And Baby Brother’ (Island WIP 6303)
Re-issued truly by public demand, War’s best-ever dancer has a hockey Conga-type Afro rhythm and bags of vitality. I even remember my Mum dancing to it on the first time around!
DONNIE ELBERT: ‘A Little Piece Of Leather’ (Klik KL 617)
Amazingly, this is the original version of Donnie’s mid-Sixties classic soul stomper, slightly stereo-fied. There’s even a remixed backing track instrumental version of his lovely ‘Who’s It Gonna Be’ for flip!
DANNY & THE JUNIORS: ‘At The Hop’ (ABC 4123)
The time is absolutely right for this all-time Rock ‘n Roller to hit again, what with some discos playing imports of it to please their bopping clients! It’s flipped by ‘Rock & Roll Is Here To Stay’, and is a must.
EDDIE COCHRAN: ‘C’mon Everybody’ (UA UP 36121)
Bang in the bumping groove, Eddie’s classic is another re-issue that’s timed just right.
T. REX: ‘I Love To Boogie’ (EMI MARC 14)
Living up to his nickname, the Bopping Elf has gone rockabilly and given his newie an authentically bopping backbeat that makes it his freshest dancer since his heyday.
EDDIE & THE HOT RODS: ‘Wooly Bully’ (Island WIP 6306)
Minus the countdown intro but otherwise much like the original, Sam The Sham’s classic makes a great vehicle for these hotter-than-a-pistol punks, who are ready ready Teddy to Rock ‘n Roll.
HANK MIZELL: ‘Kangaroo Rock’ (Charly CS 1011)
Useable if less than vital bopper, which surely should have been called ‘Kangaroo Hop’?
SCREAMING LORD SUTCH: ‘Rang-Tang-A-Lang’ (SRT SRTS 76361)
Creditably raunchy bopper that’ll be good for Rock ‘n Roll discos. I fear we wuz had over the ‘Monster Ball’ A-side, which is pretty dire.
RODGER COLLINS: ‘She’s Looking Good’ (Fantasy FTC 134)
A fave fast Soul screamer from the 60s, when he wore a short-sleeved Bermuda Suit, this was covered by Wilson Pickett but always remained far superior. Exciting stuff!
THE YETTIES: ‘She’ll Be Coming Round The Mountain’ (Decca F 13654)
Very silly and ultra-jolly treatment of the old folk song, probably just right for Wurzels fans!
BOB ROWE’S O.M.O.: ‘The Rio Convoy’ (Charisma CB 284)
A strange mixture of synthetics, party noises and snatches of conga rhythm, it’s already picking up DJ raves and should be good MoR-type fun.
PARLIAMENT: ‘Tear The Roof Off The Sucker (Give Up The Funk)’ (Casablanca CBX 518) (Billboard chart debut 9/18/76)
A huge funky import hit, this bouncy though purposeful mid-tempo chanter is destined to be a disco biggie. The much more complex gimmicky ‘P. Funk‘ flip has its fans too.
CROWN HEIGHTS AFFAIR: ‘Foxy Lady’ (Polydor 2001664) (Billboard chart debut 5/1/76)
Much remixed from their album version, this sizzling hustler with ‘Tubular Bells’ bits has the right beat to give CHA a hit here, although it’s not their best.
FOXY: ‘Get Off Your Aaahh! And Dance’ (Jay Boy BOY 109) (mentioned in Billboard column 3/27/76, Billboard chart debut 4/17/76)
A big hit New York hustler, typical of its kind but good of its type.
ISLEY BROTHERS: ‘Harvest For The World’ (Epic EPC 4369)
Pleasant finger snapping swayer, low on Pop appeal.
DOOLEY SILVERSPOON & JEANNE BURTON: ‘American Music’ (Seville SEV 1017)
Clever little Sonny Casella has produced a minor masterpiece in honour of the Bicentennial, teaming his two stars with a hustling rhythm that suddenly embraces such US styles as Bluegrass and Brass Bands!
HELLO: ‘Love Stealer’ (Bell 1482)
Another clomping stomper, it’s slightly disjointed before reaching top singalong gear.
BILLY OCEAN: ‘L.O.D. (Love On Delivery)’ (GTO GT 62)
Talented Billy borrows his song title from the Reflections and his singing style from the Four Tops. Anticipate the rest.
THE EXCITERS: ‘Swallow Your Pride’ (20th Century BTC 1019)
Ultrafast Northern stuff, which surely has been out before? Dunno though all these Ian Levine productions are beginning to blur!
PITTONS PARTY: ‘Pay Day! (Friday Night)’ (Riverdale RR 101)
Murkily mixed funky chanter with an exciting fast beat that’s clearer and more percussive on the instrumental Part 2.
LIMMIE: ‘Get It All Together’ (Pye 7N 45600)
The Family Cooking brother gets it together on funkily leaping flipside that should have been on top.
RON WALTON: ‘Soul Disco’ (Gull GULS 40)
Almost painfully distorted though soulful-voiced Ron sings trite material that seems like a custom-made for Soul Sam.
ATLANTA DISCO BAND: ‘Do What You Feel’ (Ariola America AA 103) (mentioned in Billboard column 12/27/75, Billboard chart debut 1/3/76)
Fairly ordinary funky chanter, edited from their LP.
GLAMOURPUSS: ‘Superman’ (Bus Stop BUS 1045)
Five lip-smacking yummies, big girls all, on a slab of shrill Euro-Disco type froth.
ASH: ‘Mediterranean Woman’ (EMI 2473)
Continental-style jollity, though English-made, which could be good MoR bounciness for holiday campers.
NORMAN BROWN: ‘Funky Reggaefied’ (CBS 4289)
. . . or then again, Reggae Funkyfied. Whatever, it’s picking up some DJ tips.
UK Disco Top 20 – June 12, 1976
01 03 Melba Moore – This Is It – Buddah
02 02 Andrea True Connection – More, More, More – Buddah
03 09 Bellamy Brothers – Let Your Love Flow – Warner Bros.
04 01 Silver Convention – Get Up And Boogie – Magnet
05 08 Wings – Silly Love Songs – EMI
06 05 Stylistics – Can’t Help Falling In Love – Avco
07 13 Lee Garrett – You’re My Everything – Chrysalis
08 10 Archie Bell & The Drells – Soul City Walk – Philadelphia Int’l
09 15 Mistura feat. Lloyd Michels – The Flasher – Route
10 07 Jimmy James – I’ll Go Where The Music Takes Me – Pye
11 12 Candi Staton – Young Hearts Run Free – Warner Bros.
12 NE Fatback Band – Party Time – Polydor
13 06 Tina Charles – Love Me Like A Lover – CBS
14 04 Diana Ross – Love Hangover – Tamla Motown
15 11 Hank Mizell – Jungle Rock – Charly
16 RE Trammps – Where The Happy People Go – Atlantic
17 NE Robin Starstedt – My Resistance Is Low – Decca
18 19 Mud – Shake It Down – Private Stock
19 NE Bryan Ferry – Let’s Stick Together – Island
20 NE Real Thing – You To Me Are Everything – Pye
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (mentioned in Billboard column 3/13/76, Billboard chart debut 4/3/76)
#2 (mentioned in Billboard column 1/3/76, Billboard chart debut 1/17/76)
#4 (mentioned in Billboard column 2/14/76, Billboard chart debut 3/13/76)
#8 (Billboard chart debut 11/29/75)
#10 (Billboard chart debut 4/17/76)
#11 (Billboard chart debut 4/17/76)
#12 (mentioned in Billboard column 12/20/75, Billboard chart debut 2/28/76)
#14 (Billboard chart debut 2/28/76)
#16 (mentioned in Billboard column 11/8/75, Billboard chart debut 2/14/76)
#18 (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
#20 (Billboard chart debut 11/6/76)
Songs mentioned in “DJ Hotline”:
LEE ELDRED: ‘How’s Your Love Life?’ (Mercury) (Billboard chart debut 6/12/76)
VICKI SUE ROBINSON: ‘Turn The Beat Around’ (RCA) (Billboard chart debut 2/14/76)
CANDI STATON: ‘I Know’ (Warner Bros.) (mentioned in Billboard column 6/26/76, Billboard chart debut 9/25/76)
WALTER MURPHY: ‘California Strut’ (Private Stock) (Billboard chart debut 5/1/76)
SANDY NELSON: ‘Let There Be Drums’ (UA)
James Hamilton's Disco Page 