The flood of 12-inch singles continues as more and more record companies realise that the initial sales spurt generated at small cost by a limited number of these “big 45’s” is enough to make the single show up on the national charts. Hence, incidentally, the reason why many 12-inchers bear the same catalogue number as the ordinary 7-inch version!
Feelings among DJ’s are still mixed about the 12-inch phenomenon. Personally, I find myself using more albums now that I’ve mixed up the 12-inchers with them in my LP boxes – others find the 12-inchers too bulky to carry. Again, I prefer them at 33 1/3rpm, finding that the slower speed produces less friction from the slip-mat and makes them easier to cue. However, the majority now prefer them at 45rpm, as the speed then doesn’t need changing by DJ’s who don’t normally use many albums.
Dave Porter of Liverpool’s Oscar club has written in with his views: “The US and UK disco charts are now dominated by 12-inch products – how long before the record companies send out everything in that form? I can see the supposed advantages – different mix, longer version, eye-catching appeal – but will they still be special when and if that happens?”
“They are already on sale to the public before there has been any standardisation of playing speed, so that DJ’s and customers alike are confused by the often unmarked difference of speeds. They are neither LP’s nor singles, but take up the space of the former. I tend to forget about them, as I find the 7-inchers much handier to use and remember.”
Those are Dave’s thoughts: what are yours? Let me know, both DJ’s and general public.
This week’s 12-inch releases are JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON ‘A Real Mother For Ya’ (DJM DJT 10762) – a semi-slowie with not much disco appeal – of which 5,000 commercially-available copies have been pressed, and CAROL WOODS ‘I’m In Wonderland’ (RCA PB 5012 DJ) – a 7:14 Northern squawker with a long instrumental break from Ian Levine – of which only 800 promotional copies were made.
New Spins
BILLY PAUL: ‘Let ‘Em In’ (Philadelphia Int’l PIR 5143) (Billboard chart debut 1/22/77)
The LP version’s longer and better (PIR 81695). McCartney’s hit becomes a compulsive classy jogger with inserts from speeches by Martin Luther King and others. Dynamite!
JIMMY RUFFIN: ‘Fallin’ In Love With You’ (Epic EPC 5052) (mentioned in Billboard column 1/29/77, Billboard chart debut 3/12/77)
Bright and breezy rhythm jiggler, instrumental flip.
GEORGIE FAME: ‘Daylight’ (Island WIP 6384)
Much-plugged mellow reading, sadly minus the 12-incher’s instrumental flip.
WILD CHERRY: ‘I Feel Sanctified’ (Epic EPC 5135) (Billboard chart debut 9/25/76)
Simple stomping copy of Commodores oldie.
FLEETWOOD MAC: ‘Don’t Stop’ (Warner Bros. K 16930)
Powerfully pounding buoyant beater.
WALTER EGAN: ‘Only The Lucky’ (UA UP 36245)
Another pounder with F. Mac connections.
RANDY EDELMAN: ‘The Night Has A Thousand Eyes’ (20th Century BTC 1031)
Sophisticated MoR.
MANHATTANS: ‘It’s You’ (CBS 5093)
Swinging clippy-clopper.
MINNIE RIPERTON: ‘Stick Together, Pts. 1 & 2’ (Epic EPC 5032) (Billboard chart debut 3/26/77)
Drearily clomping hustler, getting tips.
JENNIFER: ‘Do It For Me’ (Motown TMG 1067) (Billboard chart debut 6/4/77)
Amour in C minor.
GENO WASHINGTON: ‘Soothe Me Baby’ (DJM DJS 10761)
Whomping stomper with hand claps.
TONY GREGORY: ‘Rock On (Dance On)’ (Contempo CS 2113)
Trendy disco rhythms, not bad.
BARBARA PENNINGTON: ‘You Are The Music Within Me’ (UA UP 36234) (Billboard chart debut 8/13/77)
Only the first 250 12-inchers were the long versions of this fast beater, now out on 7-inch.
OFANCHI: ‘Don’t Pity Me’ (Pye 7N 45684)
Happy fast hustler.
CAROL WILLIAMS: ‘Love Is You’ (Salsoul SZ 2021) (Billboard chart debut 1/29/77)
Derivative hustler.
JOHNNY WAKELIN: ‘Doctor Frankenstein’s Disco Party’ (Pye 7N 45686)
Good intro loses impact before the chug beat begins.
HOLLYWOOD STARS: ‘All The Kids On The Street’ (Arista 103)
Slade-like dated raunch.
SHERBET: ‘Dancer’ (Epic EPC 5030)
Staccato chugger getting tips.
Hot Vinyl
Luckily Les Spaine’s vinyl didn’t melt in the Liverpool Timepiece fire, so he’s able to tip:
MONSUIRE: ‘I Want To Do It With You’ (Music Monster) [I’ve been unable to find any information regarding this song, artist, or label]
FREEDOM MACHINE: ‘Bionic Booty’ (Alarm)
CROWN HEIGHTS AFFAIR: ‘Far Out‘ (De-Lite LP cut) (Billboard chart debut 11/6/76)
LAKESIDE: ‘Taboo‘ (ABC LP cut)
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY: ‘Hit And Run‘ (Gold Mind) (Billboard chart debut 1/15/77)
SLY & THE FAMILY STONE: ‘What Was I Thinkin’ In My Head‘ (Epic)
Mix-Master
Alan Farmer and his Bogart Disco’s team of DJ’s play to nearly 13,000 skaters at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Ice Rink each week, using most types of music, while the Bogart Roadshow units are exclusively Soul.
Alan has several interesting current segue sequences for different times of the evening, his Master Mix for the beginning of the show being: SALSOUL ORCHESTRA ‘Salsoul 3001’ (Salsoul 12″), mixing at descending guitar note into UNDISPUTED TRUTH ‘You + Me = Love, Pt. 2’ (Whitfield 12″), mix at clapping into ACADEMICALS ‘Time Is Tight’ (Electric), into LALO SCHIFRIN ‘Theme From Most Wanted’ (CTI).
Alan’s midway 9pm Rock Mix is: ROUTERS ‘Let’s Go’ (Warner Bros.), DAVE CLARK 5 ‘Bits And Pieces‘ (Columbia), HONEYCOMBS ‘Have I The Right’ (Pye), SANDY NELSON ‘Let There Be Drums’ (UA).
His 10pm Pop Mix is: LOVE AFFAIR ‘Everlasting Love’ (CBS), CRYSTALS ‘Da Doo Ron Ron’ (Spector), ARCHIES ‘Sugar Sugar’ (RCA), TURTLES ‘She’d Rather Be With Me’ (Philips), SHABBY TIGER ‘Slow Down‘ (RCA), all mixing at instrumental break.
UK Disco Top 20 – April 9, 1977
01 01 Heatwave – Boogie Nights – GTO
02 02 David Bowie – Sound And Vision – RCA
03 08 Brendon – Gimme Some – Magnet
04 07 Showaddywaddy – When – Arista
05 04 ABBA – Knowing Me, Knowing You – Epic
06 03 Manhattan Transfer – Chanson D’Amour – Atlantic
07 05 Boney M – Sunny – Atlantic
08 10 Thelma Houston – Don’t Leave Me This Way – Motown
09 RE Dead End Kids – Have I The Right – CBS
10 NE Graham Parker & The Rumour – Hold Back The Night – Vertigo
11 06 Cerrone – Love In C Minor – Atlantic
12 NE Van McCoy – The Shuffle – H&L
13 16 Rose Royce – Car Wash – MCA
14 09 Earth, Wind & Fire – Saturday Night – CBS
15 17 Bryan Ferry – This Is Tomorrow – Polydor
16 NE Boney M – No Woman, No Cry – Atlantic
17 RE Boney M – Daddy Cool – Atlantic
18 RE Boz Scaggs – What Can I Say – CBS
19 RE Trammps – Disco Inferno – Atlantic
20 13 Maxine Nightingale – Love Hit Me – UA
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (Billboard chart debut 4/23/77)
#7 (mentioned in Billboard column 10/9/76, Billboard chart debut 11/20/76)
#8 (mentioned in Billboard column 11/20/76, Billboard chart debut 11/27/76)
#11 (Billboard chart debut 1/15/77)
#13 (Billboard chart debut 10/2/76)
#16 (mentioned in Billboard column 10/9/76)
#17 (mentioned in Billboard column 9/25/76, Billboard chart debut 11/20/76)
#18 (mentioned in Billboard column 4/3/76)
#19 (mentioned in Billboard column 12/25/76, Billboard chart debut 1/15/77)
Songs mentioned in “DJ Hotline”:
JOE TEX: ‘Ain’t Gonna Bump No More’ (Epic) (Billboard chart debut 4/2/77)
TONY ETORIA: ‘I Can Prove It’ (GTO)
RAH BAND: ‘The Crunch’ (Good Earth)
LAW: ‘Shelter Of Your Arms’ (MCA)
J.A.L.N. BAND: ‘Nothing Ever Comes That Easy’ (Magnet)
JAMES AND BOBBY PURIFY: ‘Get Closer’ (Mercury)
DENIECE WILLIAMS: ‘Free’ (CBS)
ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION: ‘So In To You’ (Polydor)
James Hamilton's Disco Page 