New Spins
D.C. LARUE: ‘Ca-The-Drals’ LP (Pye NSPL 28225) (Billboard chart debut 5/8/76)
The full long version, with better volume response than the single.
MIROSLAV VITOUS: ‘New York City’ (from LP ‘Magical Shepherd’, Warner Bros. B 56219) (Billboard chart debut 5/15/76)
Available since the summer, this great freaky funker causes problems for some but sounds terrific mixed in between ‘Movin” and ‘Disco Connection’ – try it and see!
BUMBLEBEE UNLIMITED: ‘Love Bug’ (Sky 1004) (Billboard chart debut 9/18/76)
Hot US disco hit from Canada, not quite another ‘Disco Duck’ but close.
WALTER MURPHY BAND: ‘Flight ’76’ (Private Stock PVT 82)
The Bumble Bee flies again, but bumpily this year!
EARTH, WIND & FIRE: ‘Biyo’ (from LP ‘Spirit’, CBS 81451)
Funkily jumping fast BT Express-type instrumental.
GERRY SHURY: ‘Good King Wenceslas’ (State STAT 35)
Great, fast funky instrumental hustler, the surprisingly strong flip to Laurie Lingo’s latest.
NANCY & FRANK SINATRA: ‘Somethin’ Stupid’ (from EP ‘Nancy Sinatra’, Private Stock PVT 79)
The easy listening classic’s joined by other Nancy faves ‘Jackson’, ‘Did You Ever’ and ‘These Boots’.
ANDREW GOLD: ‘Do Wah Diddy’ (Asylum K 13688)
Good enough Pop revival.
BETTY WRIGHT: ‘Rock On Baby, Rock On’ (RCA 2765)
Infectious Miami dancer with jolly calypso rhythm.
KONKERS: ‘You Can Do It Better With Me’ (Sonet SON 2092)
Derivative TK-type thudder, quite bright.
GEORGE BENSON: ‘This Masquerade’ (Warner Bros. K 16853) (Billboard chart debut 9/4/76)
Luscious jazzy vocal slowie, already big for many.
D.J. ROGERS: ‘On The Road Again’ (RCA 2755)
Powerfully soulful slowie, distinctively arranged.
WHISKY GALORE: ‘One For The Road’ (Magnet MAG 82)
Jaunty march tempo instrumental that tries hard to sound like ‘Colonel Bogey’.
BONEY M.: ‘Take The Heat Off Me’ LP (Atlantic K 50314) (mentioned in Billboard column 10/9/76, Billboard chart debut 11/27/76)
Strong Munich updates of ‘Sunny’ and ‘Fever’ join the already popular ‘No Woman No Cry‘ and ‘Daddy Cool‘, a funky leaper with Northern appeal.
VICKI SUE ROBINSON: ‘Daylight’ (from LP ‘Vicki Sue Robinson’, RCA RS 1095) (mentioned in Billboard column 8/28/76, Billboard chart debut 9/25/76)
Her full-length version with many more rhythm breaks. She also turns the beat around on a ‘Should I Say’/’I Won’t Let You Go’ medley.
THE WHISPERS: ‘One For The Money’ LP (Soul Train BVL1 1450) (mentioned in Billboard column 6/19/76, Billboard chart debut 6/26/76)
With a good long rhythm track outro, the full 5:13 vocal group bumper joins two exciting fast soul rompers also worth trying (especially up North), ‘Put Me In The News‘ and ‘I’ve Got A Feeling‘.
JOHN VALENTI: ‘Anything You Want’ (Ariola America AA 108)
Mid-tempo white Stevie Wonder soundalike swayer.
THE FEMININE TOUCH: ‘You Can Make It Come Alive’ (Paladin PAL 11)
Haunting hustler with Eurodisco sound.
MONTY PYTHON: ‘The Lumberjack Song’ (from EP ‘Python On Song’, Charisma MP 001)
Try mixing the main bit of this with Mike Oldfield’s ‘Portsmouth’ and spot the similarity!
BILL HALEY: ‘Shake Rattle & Roll’ / ‘Razzle Dazzle’ / ‘Rock A Beatin’ Boogie’ (MCA 263)
Vital maxi companion to his other recent re-issues.
GILBERT O’SULLIVAN: ‘Matrimony’ (MAM 155)
Five years late, his huge continental smash is still enormously popular MoR.
ELVIS PRESLEY: ‘Suspicion’ (RCA 2768)
Great old rocka-cha-cha lilter for MoR gigs.
RINGO STARR: ‘Hey Baby’ (Polydor 2001699)
Beery singalong for party fun.
PAUL NICHOLAS: ‘Grandma’s Party’ (RSO 2090216)
The Captain meets ‘Bend Me Shape Me’ for some perky Pop fun, and the frantic ‘Flat Foot Floyd‘ EP coupling is equally derivative.
SEX PISTOLS: ‘Anarchy In The UK’ (EMI 2566)
Noisy bubblegum chugger.
Mix-master
Harry Park, who runs Dirty Harry’s Quick Flash roadshow from Walker, Newcastle-On-Tyne, notes the acceptance of new wave British R&B by young kids in his area, but suggests a soulful way to mix it in more easily. His segue goes: STEVIE WONDER ‘Isn’t She Lovely?’ into ‘I Was Made To Love Her’ (both Motown), into MR. BLOE ‘Groovin’ With Mr. Bloe’ (DJM), DR. FEELGOOD ‘Roxette’ (UA), STEVIE WONDER ‘Uptight’ and back into ‘Isn’t She Lovely?’. Good and creative, that one!
UK Disco Top 20 – December 4, 1976
01 02 Leo Sayer – You Make Me Feel Like Dancing – Chrysalis
02 03 Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music – Epic
03 01 Tavares – Don’t Take Away The Music – Capitol
04 05 Stevie Wonder – Isn’t She Lovely – Motown
05 04 Chicago – If You Leave Me Now – CBS
06 08 Showaddywaddy – Under The Moon Of Love – Bell
07 19 Rod Stewart – Get Back – Riva
08 09 Lalo Schifrin – Jaws – CTI
09 RE Boney M. – Daddy Cool – Atlantic
10 RE Climax Blues Band – Couldn’t Get It Right – BTM
11 06 Paul Nicholas – Dancing With The Captain – RSO
12 14 Barry White – Don’t Make Me Wait Too Long – 20th Century
13 RE Rose Royce – Car Wash – MCA [Imp]
14 13 Steve Miller Band – Rock ‘N Me – Mercury
15 NE Rose Royce – Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is – MCA
16 12 Ritchie Family – Best Disco In Town – Polydor
17 NE ABBA – Money, Money, Money – Epic
18 07 Detroit Spinners – Rubberband Man – Atlantic
19 NE KC & The Sunshine Band – Keep It Comin’ Love – Jay Boy
20 11 Boz Scaggs – Lowdown – CBS
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (Billboard chart debut 12/18/76)
#2 (Billboard chart debut 9/4/76)
#3 (mentioned in Billboard column 6/5/76, Billboard chart debut 6/19/76)
#4 (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
#8 (mentioned in Billboard column 6/12/76, Billboard chart debut 7/17/76)
#9 (mentioned in Billboard column 9/25/76, Billboard chart debut 11/20/76)
#12 (Billboard chart debut 11/13/76)
#13 (Billboard chart debut 10/2/76)
#15 (Billboard chart debut 12/25/76)
#16 (Billboard chart debut 7/10/76)
#18 (Billboard chart debut 8/7/76)
#19 (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
#20 (mentioned in Billboard column 4/3/76, Billboard chart debut 5/29/76)
Songs mentioned in “DJ Hotline”:
MIAMI: ‘Kill That Roach’ (Jay Boy) (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
HOT BLOOD: ‘Soul Dracula’ (Creole)
SALSOUL ORCHESTRA: ‘Salsoul 3001’ (Salsoul LP cut) (mentioned in Billboard column 8/7/76, Billboard chart debut 9/18/76)
OLYMPIC RUNNERS: ‘Hot To Trot’ LP (Chipping Norton)
LEO SAYER: ‘Endless Flight’ LP (Chrysalis)
ROY AYERS: ‘Hey Uh, What You Say Come On’ (Polydor – US import)
CASANOVAS: ‘Love Connection’ (Mercury)
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA: ‘Livin’ Thing’ (Jet)
DR. BUZZARD’S ORIGINAL SAVANNAH BAND: ‘I’ll Play The Fool’ (RCA) (Billboard chart debut 6/26/76)
HANK BURNETTE: ‘Spinning Rock Boogie’ (Sonet)
WILLIE MITCHELL: ‘The Champion, Pts. 1 & 2’ (London)
LONE STAR: ‘She Said She Said’ (Epic)
CANDI STATON: ‘Run To Me’ (Warner Bros.) (mentioned in Billboard column 6/26/76, Billboard chart debut 7/4/76)
JO JO GUNNE: ‘Run Run Run’ (Asylum)
SUTHERLAND BROTHERS & QUIVER: ‘Secrets’ (CBS)
ELTON JOHN: ‘Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word’ (Rocket)
GIORGIO: ‘I Wanna Funk With You Tonite’ (GTO) (Billboard chart debut 7/31/76)
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