New Spins
KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND: ‘(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty’ (Jay Boy BOY 110) (mentioned in Billboard column 7/17/76, Billboard chart debut 7/31/76)
Immediately recognisable Casey sound and rhythm, and that’s the way we like it, uh-huh!
DAVID DUNDAS: ‘Jeans On’ (AIR CHS 2094)
An obvious smash, the Brutus telly tune has a perky thumping bounce and catchy “taha-taha” hook.
STRUTT: ‘Front Row Romeo’ (Brunswick B 35) (mentioned in Billboard column 4/3/76, Billboard chart debut 4/10/76)
In fact the flip of the smoothly grooving ‘Time Moves On‘, this Brass Construction-type funky jumper is already huge here as an import.
THE DREADNAUGHTS: ‘Al Capone ’76’ (Sonet SON 2090)
Prince Bustee’s classic blue-beater (known to some by Emperor Rosko) here gets a strong instrumental treatment by Judge Dread’s band.
BEE GEES: ‘You Should Be Dancing’ (RSO 2090195) (Billboard chart debut 7/10/76)
Now the Gibb boys shake it down in “disco” style to huge New York acclaim. The ‘Subway’ flip has more of the same.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: ‘Here We Go Again’ (Philadelphia Int’l PIR 4410) (Billboard chart debut 6/19/76)
Mixing well with the Bee Gees, this hustling instrumental has in fact repeated its New York success here too.
STEVE HARLEY & COCKNEY REBEL: ‘Here Comes The Sun’ (EMI 2505)
Rain FX intro and the Harrison song from ‘Abbey Road’ gets Queen-ish before the rhythm chatters and clever Steve returns to Hitsville.
THE BOONES: ‘My Guy’ (Tamla Motown TMG 1030)
The Boone brood are Pat’s gals, impersonating Mary Wells on a soundalike that’s just different enough to be interesting.
LAURIE ANDREW: ‘Singing The Blues’ (Arista 62)
The Marty Robbins/Guy Mitchell/Tommy Steele oldie gets a street busker-type bounce and singalong treatment that could break MoR.
DAVID BOWIE: ‘Suffragette City’ (RCA 2726)
One of his best rockers (though the live version’s even better), flipped with the sparsely funky ‘Stay‘ from ‘Station To Station’.
RAMONES: ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ (Sire 6078601)
Effective if totally dumb, here’s two sides of blatantly noisy Punk-Rock raunchiness.
HAWKWIND: ‘Honky Dorky’ (Charisma CS 289)
Possibly stronger disco fare at first hearing than the ‘Kerb Crawler‘ A-side, this faces in as a good follow-on to any number of hairy ravers.
HEATWAVE: ‘Ain’t No Half Steppin” (GTO GT 59)
An attractive jiggly rhythm slow funker that’s evidently just right for all those hot ‘n sweaty summer nights.
THE SWEET HANDS: ‘Live Show’ (Creole Cr 125)
A whiter shade of Vado Via, and not too clean if you could but hear the words! Very slow to get going, though worth it for the groans at the end.
5000 VOLTS: ‘Thunderfire’ (Philips 6006533)
Flip of ‘Dr. Kiss Kiss’, this slowish funky changer could be another BT Express.
FIREFALL: ‘It Doesn’t Matter’ (Atlantic K 10798)
Pulsating cool crooner in the Steely Dan/Eagles style, could be good.
NEW EDITION: ‘Sunshine Saturday’ (Epic EPC 4346)
Mike Batt’s telly theme for ’76 is a breezy thudder with Jr. Walker and Drifters bits.
GRAHAM PARKER & THE RUMOUR: ‘Soul Shoes’ (Vertigo 6059147)
Stones-like chugger.
TODD RUNDGREN: ‘Good Vibrations’ (Bearsville K 15524)
A near BBs soundalike to confuse the punters!
UK Disco Top 20 – July 17, 1976
01 01 Candi Staton – Young Hearts Run Free – Warner Bros.
02 02 Real Thing – You To Me Are Everything – Pye
03 03 Bryan Ferry – Let’s Stick Together – Island
04 06 War – Me And Baby Brother – Island
05 NE Elton John & Kiki Dee – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Rocket
06 08 Hundred Ton & A Feather – It Only Takes A Minute – UK
07 05 Archie Bell & The Drells – Soul City Walk – Philadelphia Int’l
08 04 Melba Moore – This Is It – Buddah
09 07 Lee Garrett – You’re My Everything – Chrysalis
10 16 Manhattans – Kiss And Say Goodbye – CBS
11 10 Rod Stewart – Tonight’s The Night – Riva
12 NE Walter Murphy & Big Apple Band – California Strut – Private Stock
13 11 Thin Lizzy – The Boys Are Back In Town – Vertigo
14 NE Dr. Hook – A Little Bit More – Capitol
15 19 Mistura feat. Lloyd Michels – The Flasher – Route
16 NE Tavares – Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel – Capitol
17 15 T. Rex – I Love To Boogie – EMI
18 NE Ohio Players – Who’d She Coo – Mercury
19 RE Osibisa – Dance The Body Music – Bronze
20 17 Marlena Shaw – Better Than Walking Out – Blue Note
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (Billboard chart debut 4/17/76)
#2 (Billboard chart debut 11/6/76)
#7 (Billboard chart debut 11/29/75)
#8 (mentioned in Billboard column 3/13/76, Billboard chart debut 4/3/76)
#12 (Billboard chart debut 5/1/76)
#16 (mentioned in Billboard column 5/15/76, Billboard chart debut 5/22/76)
#18 (Billboard chart debut 9/18/76)
#20 (mentioned in Billboard column 4/3/76, Billboard chart debut 6/5/76)
Songs mentioned in “DJ Hotline”:
PHIZZ: ‘Caribbean Queen’ (RSO)
T. REX: ‘I Love To Boogie’ (EMI)
STATUS QUO: ‘Mystery Song’ (Vertigo)
THE RICHMOND STRING ORCHESTRA: ‘Boots And Saddles’ (Ronco)
LOU RAWLS: ‘You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine’ (Philadelphia Int’l) (Billboard chart debut 5/22/76)
FOXY: ‘Get Off Your Aaahh! And Dance’ (Jay Boy) (mentioned in Billboard column 3/27/76, Billboard chart debut 4/17/76)
BROTHERS JOHNSON: ‘I’ll Be Good To You’ (A&M)
JIMMY JAMES & THE VAGABONDS: ‘Now Is The Time’ (Pye)
JAMES BROWN: ‘Get Up Offa That Thing’ (Polydor) (Billboard chart debut 9/4/76)
James Hamilton's Disco Page 