New Spins
ERNIE MARESCA: ‘Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out)’ (Seville SEV 1019)
Ernie’s classic Twist-tempo rocker has grown in stature since ’62, until now there can be few who won’t recognize it. An all-time disco great, it goes perfectly with Dion, ‘At The Hop’, and the other hit revivals. Try it and see!
HANK C BURNETTE: ‘Spinning Rock Boogie’ (Sonet SON 2094)
The most frantic guitar instrumental ever, full of freaky effects, this Swedish rocker has already caused a stir in London after Capital Radio play. Literally incredible!
TAVARES: ‘Don’t Take Away The Music’ (Capitol CL 15886) (mentioned in Billboard column 6/5/76, Billboard chart debut 6/19/76)
Faster than ‘Heaven’, with skipping rhythm, catchy clapping hook (especially on Part 2) and much Northern appeal.
THE WHISPERS: ‘One For The Money’ (Soul Train RCA 2747) (mentioned in Billboard column 6/19/76, Billboard chart debut 6/26/76)
Good intro to a big US thumper that gets better and better until on Part 2 it cooks itself into an extended rhythm workout.
LOVE UNLIMITED ORCHESTRA: ‘My Sweet Summer Suite’ (20th Century BTC 2301) (Billboard chart debut 8/21/76)
Sweetly slick hustler, with percussion intro and rattling up-front drums. Try singing Real Thing songs to it!
ROBERTA KELLY: ‘Trouble-Maker’ (GTO GT 71) (Billboard chart debut 6/5/76)
This eight-minute marathon from Munich plays at 33 1/3 rpm and is like Donna Summer’s ‘Try Me, I Know We Can Make It’, with a stereo rhythm break.
ARTHUR AND ALIKI: ‘Ooh, It Takes Two To Tango’ (Electric WOT 7)
Fabulously funky bounce and fun back-chat between Aliki Ashman and Arthur Brown, who’s far from ‘Fire’ but a gas just the same.
THE AVALON BOYS: ‘At The Ball, That’s All’ (UA UP 36164)
Subtitled “The Laurel And Hardy Two-Step” and again from 1937’s “Way Out West” movie, this yodeling ragtime romp could be good for MoR jocks.
OSIBISA: ”The Coffee Song’ (Bronze BRO 31)
Terrifically happy new treatment of the happy old standard, now a bouncy conga tempo with brass and chants.
THE REBELS: ‘Rhodesia’ (Black Wax WAX 16)
Great atmospheric slow reggae organ instrumental with ambiguously lively beat and Version flip.
DANDELION: ‘What’s The Matter Baby’ (Virgin VS 156)
Freddie Notes or Greyhound by any other name, the reggae group do a Real Thing on an appealing semi-slowie.
EXILE: ‘Try It On’ (Rak 242)
Simple jiggling Pop swayer with a naggingly catchy drum sound, kinda like ‘Jeans On’.
BONEY M.: ‘Daddy Cool’ (Atlantic K 10827) (mentioned in Billboard column 9/25/76, Billboard chart debut 11/20/76)
As recently mentioned, this slow-starting follow-up to ‘Baby Do You Wanna Bump’ is huge in German discos and could go well up North here.
CHICAGO: ‘If You Leave Me Now’ (CBS 4603)
Gorgeous harmony smoocher that could be another ‘I’m Not In Love’.
AVERAGE WHITE BAND: ‘Queen Of My Soul’ (Atlantic K 10825)
Lazily building rhythmic semi-slowie, already very popular.
JOHN EDWARDS: ‘Baby, Hold On To Me’ (Cotillion K 10817)
Dead slow and deeply soulful.
ASHA PUTHLI: ‘The Devil Is Loose’ (CBS 4623) (‘Space Talk’ mentioned in column 8/28/76)
Inconclusive but haunting slowie, and a Donna Summer-type ‘Space Talk‘ flip.
MILT JACKSON: ‘Feelings’ (Pablo 2018002)
Jazzy slow vibes version of the sexy smoocher.
LYNN ELLIS: ‘Give Me Love’ (Bradley’s BRAD 7617)
Modestly attractive hustler, instrumental Part 2.
PAUL JABARA: ‘Dance’ (A&M AMS 7256) (Billboard chart debut 9/11/76)
Ultra-fast hustler, a US disco hit.
BILLY OCEAN: ‘Stop Me (If You’ve Heard It All Before)’ (GTO GT 72)
Stop! It’s his finest Drifters sound on a fast and facile romper.
UK Disco Top 20 – October 2, 1976
01 01 ABBA – Dancing Queen – Epic
02 04 Real Thing – Can’t Get By Without You – Pye
03 05 Rick Dees – Disco Duck – RSO
04 07 Ritchie Family – Best Disco In Town – Polydor
05 06 Tina Charles – Dance Little Lady Dance – CBS
06 02 Bee Gees – You Should Be Dancing – RSO
07 08 Jesse Green – Nice And Slow – EMI
08 03 Chi-Lites – You Don’t Have To Go – Brunswick
09 12 Tavares – Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel – Capitol
10 18 J.A.L.N. Band – Disco Music – Magnet
11 13 Barry White – Baby We Better Try To Get It Together – 20th Century
12 15 Detroit Spinners – Rubberband Man – Atlantic
13 RE Can – I Want More – Virgin
14 16 Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – Blinded By The Light – Bronze
15 RE James Brown – Get Up Offa That Thing – Polydor
16 10 Bryan Ferry – Extended Play (all cuts) – Island (EP)
17 NE Charlie Rasp – Randy Rooster – EMI
18 RE Tommy Hunt – Loving On The Losing Side – Spark
19 11 Hot Chocolate – Heaven Is In The Back Seat Of My Cadillac – Rak
20 NE Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music – Epic
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (mentioned in Billboard column 12/11/76)
#3 (Billboard chart debut 9/11/76)
#4 (Billboard chart debut 7/10/76)
#5 (Billboard chart debut 10/23/76)
#6 (Billboard chart debut 7/10/76)
#7 (mentioned in Billboard column 4/24/76, Billboard chart debut 5/1/76)
#9 (mentioned in Billboard column 5/15/76, Billboard chart debut 5/22/76)
#12 (Billboard chart debut 8/7/76)
#15 (Billboard chart debut 9/4/76)
#20 (Billboard chart debut 9/4/76)
Songs mentioned in “DJ Hotline”:
TOWER OF POWER: ‘You Ought To Be Havin’ Fun’ (Columbia)
SPORTY: ‘Reggae Rock Road’ (Konduko)
BROTHER TO BROTHER: ‘Chance With You’ (Turbo) (mentioned in Billboard column 3/27/76)
SALSOUL ORCHESTRA: ‘Nice & Naasty’ (Salsoul) (Billboard chart debut 8/21/76)
FUNKADELIC: ‘Get Off Your Ass And Jam’ (Westbound) (Billboard chart debut 10/18/75)
ARETHA FRANKLIN: ‘Jump’ (Atlantic)
JOHN HANDY: ‘Hard Work’ (Impulse)
CRUSADERS: ‘Put It Where You Want It’ (ABC)
RACING CARS: ‘They Shoot Horses, Don’t They’ (Chrysalis LP cut)
PENNY MCLEAN: ‘Lady Bump’ (EMI) (mentioned in Billboard column 11/8/75, Billboard chart debut 11/15/75)
JOE LOSS: ‘Hokey Cokey’ (MFP LP cut)
Next week: James debuts a new section in his column, featuring mixes suggested by DJs.
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