Disco Poll Results
Talk about exciting! I was practically laying bets myself as the results unfolded with each new poll form. Would Stevie hold off Abba? (For a long time it was touch and go.) Wait a minute, here comes Candi! And look at Tavares go! Right up to the final form, the finish was still in doubt.
All in all, a total of 164 Disco DJ’s voted, of whom 13 failed to fill in the first general audience reaction section of the voting form. Luckily, a number of disco goers did fill in this section, with obvious knowledge and interest – many thanks to you all.
The first question, to discover the definitive disco hits of ’76, asked for three nominations in order of preference. First choice got 3 points, second got 2 points and third got 1. In all other sections the votes were scored as 1 for each answer, including the multiple answers possible from some questions.
DISCO HITS
1. Stevie Wonder – Isn’t She Lovely – Motown LP cut
2. Candi Staton – Young Hearts Run Free – Warner Bros.
3. Tavares – Don’t Take Away The Music – Capitol
4. Abba – Dancing Queen – Epic
5. Four Seasons – December ’63 – Warner Bros.
6. Tina Charles – I Love To Love – CBS
7. Tavares – Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel – Capitol
8. Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music – Epic
9. Ritchie Family – The Best Disco In Town – Polydor
10. (tie) Jesse Green – Nice And Slow – EMI
10. (tie) Elton John & Kiki Dee – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Rocket
12. (tie) Brass Construction – Movin’ – UA
12. (tie) O’Jays – I Love Music – Philadelphia Int’l
14. Trammps – Where The Happy People Go – Atlantic
15. (tie) Bee Gees – You Should Be Dancing – RSO
15. (tie) Lalo Schifrin – Jaws – CTI
17. (tie) Bryan Ferry – Let’s Stick Together – Island
17. (tie) Diana Ross – Love Hangover – Motown
17. (tie) Rose Royce – Car Wash – MCA
20. (tie) James Brown – Get Up Offa That Thing – Polydor
20. (tie) Pussycat – Mississippi – Sonet
20. (tie) Silver Convention – Get Up And Boogie – Magnet
23. (tie) Boney M – Daddy Cool – Atlantic
23. (tie) Chicago – If You Leave Me Now – CBS
23. (tie) Dr. Feelgood – Roxette – UA
23. (tie) Mistura – The Flasher – Route
23. (tie) Billy Ocean – Love Really Hurts Without You – GTO
23. (tie) Donna Summer – Try Me, I Know We Can Make It – GTO LP cut
29. (tie) Rick Dees – Disco Duck – RSO
29. (tie) Donna Summer – Could It Be Magic – GTO
29. (tie) Andrea True Connection – More, More, More – Buddah
SOLO SINGER
1. Tina Charles
2. Stevie Wonder
3. Donna Summer
4. Rod Stewart
5. (tie) James Brown
5. (tie) Jesse Green
5. (tie) Candi Staton
8. Paul Nicholas
9. (tie) Billy Ocean
9. (tie) Diana Ross
VOCAL GROUP
1. Tavares
2. Abba
3. Real Thing
4. Stylistics
5. Eagles
6. (tie) Four Seasons
6. (tie) Hot Chocolate
6. (tie) Silver Convention
6. (tie) Status Quo
DISCO BAND
1. J.A.L.N. Band
2. KC & The Sunshine Band
3. (tie) Fatback Band
3. (tie) Tavares
5. Brass Construction
6. Trammps
7. (tie) Hot Chocolate
7. (tie) Kool & The Gang
LIVE DISCO ACT
1. J.A.L.N. Band
2. (tie) Fatback Band
2. (tie) Tavares
4. Drifters
5. (tie) Heatwave
5. (tie) Real Thing
7. (tie) Tina Charles
7. (tie) Kool & The Gang
DISCO PRODUCER(S)
1. Biddu
2. Van McCoy
3. (tie) Gamble & Huff
3. (tie) Norman Whitfield
5. Tom Moulton
6. (tie) Hugo & Luigi
6. (tie) Freddie Perren
FAVOURITE DISCO MUSIC
1. Soul
2. Funk
3. Pop
4. Rock
5. (tie) All
5. (tie) Rock & Roll/Bop
7. Reggae
8. Northern Soul
9. Oldies
LEAST FAVOURITE DISCO MUSIC
1. Heavy Rock
2. Reggae
3. Northern Soul
4. Rock & Roll/Bop
5. Punk Rock
6. Pop
7. Funk
8. “Disco” Pop
9. Bay City Rollers
DISCO DJ SECTION
The first section outlines what the punters were into during 1976 – but what about the DJ’s who had to play it? As regards those who took part in this poll, the average jock is a part-time mobile DJ from the Southeast or Midlands, who probably enjoys a wider range of music than that which he plays in public. He wakes up to Noel Edmonds, resents the Sex Pistols, and buys his own records. A DJ for some years, he carries quite a few albums as well as singles, prefers 45rpm 12 inchers (if he uses them at all), has some way of playing the occasional jingle, and is equipped for weddings as long as he can slip in some soul too. All is revealed here . . .
TYPES OF MUSIC PLAYED
1. Soul
2. “All”
3. Pop
4. Funk
5. MoR
6. Various to suit
7. General “Disco”
8. Rock
9. Oldies
10. Rock & Roll/Bop
11. Reggae
FAVOURITE RADIO DJ
1. Noel Edmonds
2. Rosko
3. Dave Lee Travis
4. Roger Scott
5. Kenny Everett
6. (tie) Simon Bates
6. (tie) Tony Blackburn
6. (tie) David Hamilton
6. (tie) Robbie Vincent
6. (tie) Johnny Walker
11. (tie) Paul Burnett
11. (tie) Paul Gambacini
PERSONAL TASTE IN MUSIC
1. Soul
2. Varied
3. Funk
4. (tie) “Most”
4. (tie) Rock/Prog
6. Pop
7. Soft Rock
8. Rock & Roll/Bop
9. Country Rock/C&W
10. Jazz-Funk
MOST EFFICIENT PROMOTION SERVICE
1. WEA
2. MIF
3. Magnet
4. CBS
5. (tie) EMI
5. (tie) Phonogram
MOST RELIABLE EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS
1. Citronic (Melksham, Wilts)
2. DJ Electronics (Southend, Essex)
3. SAI (Coppull, Lancs)
4. Pulsar (Cambridge)
5. HH (Milton, Cambridge)
6. WEM (London, SW9)
7. (tie) FAL (Leeds)
7. (tie) Orange (London, WC2)
7. (tie) RSC Hi-Fi Centres (various)
10. (tie) Soundout (Surbiton, Surrey)
10. (tie) Roger Squire’s (London, N19)
MOST RELIABLE EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS
1. Roger Squire’s Disco Centres
2. DJ Electronics (Southend, Essex)
3. Discopower (Newport, Gwent)
4. (tie) Newham Audio (London, E15)
4. (tie) Pulsar (Cambridge)
4. (tie) RSC Hi-Fi Centres (various)
4. (tie) SAI (Coppull, Lancs)
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY (Disco hit that should have charted)
1. (tie) Jimmy Bo Horne – Gimme Some – RCA
1. (tie) Charlie Rasp – Randy Rooster – EMI
3. (tie) Banbarra – Shack Up – UA
3. (tie) Vicki Sue Robinson – Turn The Beat Around – RCA
5. (tie) Brothers Johnson – I’ll Be Good To You – A&M
5. (tie) Originals – Down To Love Town – Motown
5. (tie) Marlena Shaw – It’s Better Than Walking Out – Blue Note
PET PEEVE OF THE YEAR
1. Punk Rock/Sex Pistols
2. No response from record companies to mobiles
3. Radio One
4. Inflation
5. Stevie’s ‘Lovely’ not out as a single
6. ‘Cowboys’
DJ BREAKDOWN
Of the 164 participating DJ’s, 23 are Mobile, 41 Resident; 117 Part-Time, 47 Full-Time. Very roughly, the areas they’re from are: Southeast, 68; Midlands, 34; Southwest, 16; Northwest, 11; Northeast, 11; Scotland, 9; Wales, 11; Eire, 2; Jersey, 1; BAOR, 1. Some have been DJ’ing for a considerable time, put simply: 104 have over 3 years experience, 41 between 1 and 3 years, and 19 less than 1 year.
New Spins
Compiling the Disco Poll has taken so long that I haven’t had time to hear all the new releases this week, but here are two important ones out.
At last on 7 inch 45, the SALSOUL ORCHESTRA ‘Salsoul 3001’ (Salsoul) and VAN MCCOY ‘Soul Cha Cha’ (H&L 6105065) are, by coincidence, the perfect pair as they mix together beautifully. Both are rhythmically exhilarating, and both deserve to smash.
Another that hip MoR jocks might be able to use is also rhythmically happy, EXILE ONE ‘Viel Ou La’ (Barclay BAR 45). This French flipside is a Continental knees-up that should be good for anyone who picked up on my tips about Tabou Combo’s ‘New York City’ and Georges Moustaki’s ‘La Philosophie – Batucada’.
UK Disco Top 20 – January 29, 1977
01 01 Stevie Wonder – I Wish – Motown
02 03 Rose Royce – Car Wash – MCA
03 02 Boney M – Daddy Cool – Atlantic
04 05 Stevie Wonder – Isn’t She Lovely – Motown
05 07 KC & The Sunshine Band – Keep It Comin’ Love – Jay Boy
06 11 Jesse Green – Flip – EMI
07 NE Barry Biggs – Side Show – Dynamic
08 09 Drifters – You’re More Than A Number – Arista
09 06 Tina Charles – Dr. Love – CBS
10 NE Moments – Jack In The Box – All Platinum
11 08 Status Quo – Wild Side Of Life – Vertigo
12 NE Heatwave – Boogie Nights – GTO
13 15 David Soul – Don’t Give Up On Us – Private Stock
14 NE David Parton – Isn’t She Lovely – Pye
15 16 Eagles – New Kid In Town – Asylum
16 NE Julie Covington – Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina – MCA
17 17 Undisputed Truth – You + Me = Love – Warner Bros.
18 RE Rose Royce – Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is – MCA
19 NE James Brown – Body Heat – Polydor
20 RE Van McCoy – Soul Cha Cha – H&L
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (mentioned in Billboard column 10/16/76, Billboard chart debut 10/23/76)
#2 (Billboard chart debut 10/2/76)
#3 (mentioned in Billboard column 9/25/76, Billboard chart debut 11/20/76)
#4 (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
#5 (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
#6 (Billboard chart debut 2/5/77)
#12 (Billboard chart debut 4/23/77)
#17 (Billboard chart debut 7/24/76)
#18 (Billboard chart debut 12/25/76)
#19 (Billboard chart debut 1/29/77)
#20 (Billboard chart debut 11/20/76)
No “DJ Hotline” this week.
James Hamilton's Disco Page 