New Spins
LALO SCHIFRIN: ‘Jaws’ (CTI CTSP 005) (mentioned in Billboard column 6/12/76, Billboard chart debut 7/17/76)
The biggest import since Brass Construction, this monotonous discotization buries the frightening movie theme in booming bass, rattling rhythms and sundry synthetics. It’ll be a monster.
DR. BUZZARD’S ORIGINAL SAVANNAH BAND: ‘Cherchez La Femme’ / ‘Sour And Sweet‘ / ‘I’ll Play The Fool‘ (LP RCA RS 1072) (Billboard chart debut 6/26/76)
Huge in America, the long-awaited album’s a mixture of cooled-out Manhattan Transfer, big band and hustle sounds, very subtle and appealing. Will it go here, though? The last-named track’s a single (RCA 2736), with Thom Bell-type beat.
BONEY M.: ‘Baby Do You Wanna Bump’ (Creole CR 119)
Reactivated for all the Northern jocks who’ve latterly found this great ‘Al Capone’-like bumper, which is still big down South.
THE CRUSADERS: ‘Put It Where You Want It’ (ABC 4141)
Classic Jazz-Funk instrumental with a buoyantly bouncy beat, perfect of its type.
MIGHTY SPARROW: ‘Sol-Fish’ / ‘How You Jammin’ So?‘ (Dynamic DYN 113)
Double-sided calypso gem, big only for jocks brave enough to programme the bright brass and crazy rhythm sound that’s a delight for many.
THE CASANOVAS: ‘Love Connection’ (Mercury 6007116)
Reggae rhythms reveal the origin of this otherwise Silver Convention-like disco thumper that’s already created a buzz.
THIRD WORLD BAND: ‘Disco Hop’ (Creole CR 129) (mentioned in Billboard column 2/14/76, Billboard chart debut 2/21/76)
Lovely slowed-down ‘Tighten Up’-type rhythm number from the States, with cool harmonies, nagging melody and great brass.
PATRICK GAMMON: ‘Party Hardy’ (Galaxy GY 109)
Ike and Tina’s piano man on a Johnny “Guitar” Watson-type funky leaper with strong beat and Stevie Wonder-ful vocals.
WILLIE LINDO: ‘Samba Pa Ti’ (Klik KL 621)
The Santana classic goes reggae but otherwise stays true to the original – a good idea.
DAN MCCAFFERTY: ‘The Honky Tonk Downstairs’ (Mountain TOP 18)
Thin Lizzy-ish flavour to this solid stomper, spreading South now from Scotland.
ORIGINALS: ‘Down To Love Town’ (Tamla Motown TMG 1038) (Billboard chart debut 9/4/76)
Norman Whitfield touches on a derivative and indistinctive fast hustler.
HEATWAVE: ‘Super Soul Sister’ (GTO GT 68)
Complex funky rhythm jiggler by the much-admired UK group.
JERRY BUTLER: ‘The Devil In Mrs. Jones’ (Tamla Motown TMG 1039)
Ambiguous thud beat and Exorcist lyrics on a funky semi-slowie.
THE CHANTS: ‘I’ve Been Trying’ (Chipping Norton CHIP 2)
Mike and Richard Vernon’s new label debuts with a Liverpool soul slowie penned by the brothers Amoo. Nice, but not the Real Thing.
THE CHOSEN FEW: ‘Young And Foolish’ (Polydor 2058752)
And another by the two Amoos, a cool pretty vocal group hustler.
KRISTINE: ‘Pussycat Tiger’ / ‘Devil Woman‘ (Power Exchange PX 229)
Derivative Pop chugger with lotsa freaky FX, flipped by the original of Cliff’s US hit.
DANA: ‘Fairytale’ (GTO GT 66)
Perky Pop jiggler with growing disco support.
UK Disco Top 20 – September 25, 1976
01 02 ABBA – Dancing Queen – Epic
02 01 Bee Gees – You Should Be Dancing – RSO
03 03 Chi-Lites – You Don’t Have To Go – Brunswick
04 09 Real Thing – Can’t Get By Without You – Pye
05 16 Rick Dees – Disco Duck – RSO
06 11 Tina Charles – Dance Little Lady Dance – CBS
07 08 Ritchie Family – Best Disco In Town – Polydor
08 06 Jesse Green – Nice And Slow – EMI
09 04 Elton John & Kiki Dee – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Rocket
10 07 Bryan Ferry – Extended Play (all cuts) – Island (EP)
11 15 Hot Chocolate – Heaven Is In The Back Seat Of My Cadillac – Rak
12 05 Tavares – Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel – Capitol
13 10 Barry White – Baby We Better Try To Get It Together – 20th Century
14 18 David Dundas – Jeans On – Air
15 19 Detroit Spinners – Rubberband Man – Atlantic
16 NE Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – Blinded By The Light – Bronze
17 13 Johnny Wakelin – In Zaire – Pye
18 NE J.A.L.N. Band – Disco Music – Magnet
19 17 Wings – Let ‘Em In – Parlophone
20 NE Wurzels – I’m A Cider Drinker – EMI
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (mentioned in Billboard column 12/11/76)
#2 (Billboard chart debut 7/10/76)
#5 (Billboard chart debut 9/11/76)
#6 (Billboard chart debut 10/23/76)
#7 (Billboard chart debut 7/10/76)
#8 (mentioned in Billboard column 4/24/76, Billboard chart debut 5/1/76)
#12 (mentioned in Billboard column 5/15/76, Billboard chart debut 5/22/76)
#15 (Billboard chart debut 8/7/76)
#17 (Billboard chart debut 1/15/77)
Songs mentioned in “DJ Hotline”:
CHARLIE RASP: ‘Randy Rooster’ (EMI)
NATURE ZONE: ‘Porcupine’ (London) (Billboard chart debut 7/3/76)
SANGANAS FIVE: ‘Mama’ (EMI)
SILVER PONY: ‘The Lonely Ranger’ (EMI)
CLIMAX BLUES BAND: ‘Couldn’t Get It Right’ (BTM)
DONNA SUMMER: ‘Try Me, I Know We Can Make It’ (GTO LP cut) (mentioned in Billboard column 3/6/76, Billboard chart debut 3/20/76)
AFRIC SIMONE: ‘Ramaya’ (Galaxy)
FUNKADELIC: ‘Take Your Dead Ass Home’ (Westbound LP cut)
TOWER OF POWER: ‘You Ought To Be Havin’ Fun’ (Columbia)
BAR-KAYS: ‘Shake Your Rump To The Funk’ (Mercury) (Billboard chart debut 10/9/76)
PAUL NICHOLAS: ‘Dancing With The Captain’ (RSO)
REPARATA: ‘Captain Of Your Ship’ (Bell)
EL COCO: ‘Let’s Get It Together’ (AVI – US import) (Billboard chart debut 7/31/76)
THE DYNAMITES: ‘Play All Night’ (Dynamic)
AVERAGE WHITE BAND: ‘Queen Of My Soul’ (Atlantic)
BROTHERS JOHNSON: ‘Get The Funk Out Ma Face’ (A&M) (Billboard chart debut 5/15/76)
D. C. LARUE: ‘Cathedrals’ (Pyramid – US import) (Billboard chart debut 5/8/76)
DOUBLE EXPOSURE: ‘Ten Percent’ (Salsoul – US import) [doesn’t say if it’s the 12″, though] (mentioned in Billboard column 4/3/76, Billboard chart debut 5/1/76)
RALPH MACDONALD: ‘Calypso Breakdown’ / ‘The Only Time You Say You Love Me’ (Marlin LP cut – US import) (mentioned in Billboard column 8/21/76, Billboard chart debut 9/11/76)
ROSE ROYCE: ‘Car Wash’ (MCA – US import) (Billboard chart debut 10/2/76)
[the last four titles contributed by the famous (and deep-pocketed) Chris Hill, who always seems ahead of the curve]
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