Paul Saville manages Adrian’s record shop in Wickford Shopping Hall in Essex, which stocks all current 12-inchers. To give a guide as to what’s happening with the big 45s, he’s sent a chart of their best sellers:
GEORGIE FAME: ‘Daylight’ (Island)
UNDISPUTED TRUTH: ‘You + Me = Love’ (Whitfield) (Billboard chart debut 7/24/76)
WILTON PLACE STREET BAND: ‘Disco Lucy’ (Island) (Billboard chart debut 12/18/76)
JACKSONS: ‘Enjoy Yourself’ (Epic) (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
TELEVISION: ‘Marquee Moon’ (Elektra)
JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON: ‘A Real Mother For Ya’ (DJM)
CERRONE: ‘Love In C Minor’ (Atlantic) (Billboard chart debut 1/15/77)
BONEY M: ‘No Woman, No Cry’ / ‘Daddy Cool’ (Atlantic) (mentioned in Billboard column 9/25/76, Billboard chart debut 11/20/76)
TAVARES: ‘Mighty Power Of Love’ (Capitol) (mentioned in Billboard column 6/5/76, Billboard chart debut 7/10/76)
EDDIE QUANSAH: ‘Che Che Kule’ (Island)
That last one’s a new one to me, too!
Most eagerly sought 12-incher of the moment must be the limited 300 copy pressing of MARVIN GAYE ‘Got To Give It Up’ / ‘Let’s Get It On’ / ‘I Want You’ (Motown PSLP 216). Another hot promotional number is a special 12-inch sampler with BONEY M ‘Fever’ / TRAMMPS ‘Disco Inferno’ / CERRONE ‘Love In C Minor’ / SLAVE ‘You And Me’ / TELEVISION ‘Friction’ / EAGLES ‘Hotel California’ (WEA Int’l SAM 78) – wow wow!! The commercial 12-inch is now out of the edited TRAMMPS ‘Disco Inferno’ (Atlantic K 10914), while the only strong track on the DETROIT SPINNERS 12-inch 70p EP is ‘Could It Be I’m Falling In Love’ (Atlantic K 10935). Finally, the prettiest in package and content (though not very disco) is the promotional HEART ‘Dreamboat Annie’ (Arista/Mushroom), which at just 2:10 and 33rpm is crammed onto the first inch of the record . . . which wastes the whole idea.
New Spins
DAVID & THE GIANTS: ‘Ten Miles High’ (Capitol CL 15915)
Terrific freakily phased Northern stormer from ’68, with ‘Judy In Disguise’ beat and hit sound.
ZZ TOP: ‘Arrested For Driving While Blind’ (London HLU 10547)
Great get-it-on boogie, mixes well with Steve Gibbons’s ‘Tulane’ and the Queen 45.
HEATWAVE: ‘Slip Your Disc To This’ (GTO GT 91)
Fine funky tight flip, but the official ‘Too Hot To Handle‘ A-side’s a messy, poor relation of ‘Boogie Nights’.
MOMENT OF TRUTH: ‘You Got Me Hummin” (Salsoul SZ 2025)
Infectious thumping soul churner.
ISLEY BROTHERS: ‘The Pride, Pts. 1 & 2’ (Epic EPC 5105) (Billboard chart debut 4/16/77)
Herky jerky funk clapper.
RICE & BEANS ORCHESTRA: ‘Rice And Beans Theme’ (Contempo CS 2116)
Much imported Latin hustler with trendy percussion.
D.C. LARUE: ‘O Ba Ba’ (from LP ‘Tea Dance’, Pye NSPL 28228) (Billboard chart debut 12/4/76)
Brazilian carnival rhythm is gay MoR, while ‘Overture‘, ‘Indiscreet‘, etc are NY disco hits.
PHOEBE SNOW: ‘Teach Me Tonight’ (CBS 5158)
Lovely slinky treatment of the ’54 DeCastro Sisters hit.
BIG DADDY & THE SUGARCANES: ‘Tomorrow Night’ (RCA PB 5025)
Distinctive, lush semi-reggae slowie.
ARTHUR PRYSOCK: ‘I Wantcha Baby’ (from LP ‘All My Life’, Polydor 2383441) (mentioned in Billboard column 1/15/77, Billboard chart debut 1/29/77)
This and ‘When Love Is New‘ are similar Gamble & Huff goodies on a consistently classy LP.
KEITH BARROW: ‘Mr. Magic Man’ (CBS 5141)
Urgent soul chugger from the ‘Precious’ man.
GRAMOPHONE REVIVAL: ‘Disco Carmen’ (RSO 2090225)
Munich mutation of Bizet!
SKEETS BOLIVER: ‘Skeethouse Door’ (Thunderbird THE 116)
Vulgar fun-filled blue-beater, huge in Dundee.
WISHBONE ASH: ‘Jailbait’ (MCA 291)
Classic get-it-on boogie from ’71, now 33rpm maxi-tracked.
BRETT MARVIN & THE THUNDERBOLTS: ‘Blow Me Down’ (Sonet SON 2053)
Exciting ‘Let’s Stick Together’ stuff.
OMAHA SHERIFF: ‘Come Hell Or Waters High’ (Good Earth GD 10)
Atmospheric pop smoocher with plugs aplenty.
PARLIAMENT: ‘Dr. Funkenstein’ / ‘Gamin’ On Ya’ (from LP ‘The Clones Of Dr. Funkenstein’, Casablanca CAL 2003)
Six months late, these downbeat funkers never were another ‘Tear The Roof’, though the LP’s good listening.
JIMMY RADCLIFFE: ‘Long After Tonight Is All Over’ (DJM DJS 10772)
Bacharach & David’s much-loved ’64 semi-slowie.
MISTY: ‘Someday’ (Polydor 2058826)
UK soul slowie.
WEATHER REPORT: ‘Birdland’ (CBS 5205)
Amazing ultra-hip intricate jazz-funk.
JACKSON HAWKE: ‘Into The Mystic’ (CBS 5034)
Busy disco treatment of Van Morrison’s classic.
SHAKIN’ STEVENS: ‘Never’ (Track 2094134)
Eddie Cochran ginger-snapper meets Showaddywaddy’s producer.
MIA MARTINI: ‘Libera (Freedom Is Today)’ (CBS 5178)
Italian sung beaty Euro-popper, could click.
Hot Vinyl
Chris Hill of Ilford’s Lacy Lady fame has opened a funky record shop in nearby Chadwell Heath, Essex, at 23 High Road. Called Chris Hill Plus Disco Two, it stocks all current imports and UK issues, 12-inchers, albums etc, with personal attention from Chris himself behind the counter on Fridays & Saturdays! His hot import tips are:
MARLENA SHAW: ‘Yu-Ma’ / ‘Go Away Little Boy’ (Columbia LP cuts – US import) (another potential ‘Free’, sez Chris) (LP Billboard chart debut 3/12/77)
SUN: ‘We’re So Hot‘ (Capitol LP cut – US import) (Billboard chart debut 4/30/77)
FRED WESLEY: ‘Up For The Down Stroke‘ (Atlantic LP cut – US import)
DEXTER WANSEL: ‘Disco Lights‘ (Philadelphia Int’l – US import) (mentioned in Billboard column 4/16/77, Billboard chart debut 5/7/77)
CELI BEE & THE BUZZY BUNCH: ‘Superman‘ (APA/TK LP cut – US import) (mentioned in Billboard column 3/5/77, Billboard chart debut 3/26/77)
CLEVELAND EATON: ‘Whammy Ommy‘ / ‘The Funky Cello‘ / ‘Bama Boogie Woogie‘ (Ovation LP cuts – US import)
UK Disco Top 20 – April 30, 1977
01 01 Boney M – Sunny – Atlantic
02 05 Brendon – Gimme Some – Magnet
03 06 Van McCoy – The Shuffle – H&L
04 02 Stevie Wonder – Sir Duke – Motown
05 NE Joe Tex – Ain’t Gonna Bump No More – Epic
06 03 Heatwave – Boogie Nights – GTO
07 04 David Bowie – Sound And Vision – RCA
08 07 ABBA – Knowing Me, Knowing You – Epic
09 NE Tony Etoria – I Can Prove It – GTO
10 08 Dead End Kids – Have I The Right – CBS
11 20 Tavares – Whodunnit – Capitol
12 11 Manhattan Transfer – Chanson D’Amour – Atlantic
13 NE Billy Ocean – Red Light Spells Danger – GTO
14 NE Marvin Gaye – Got To Give It Up – Motown
15 15 Leo Sayer – How Much Love – Chrysalis
16 NE Jacksons – Enjoy Yourself – Epic
17 NE Fleetwood Mac – Don’t Stop – Warner Bros.
18 12 Martyn Ford Orchestra – Let Your Body Go Downtown – Mountain
19 16 Showaddywaddy – When – Arista
20 NE KC & The Sunshine Band – I’m Your Boogie Man – TK
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (mentioned in Billboard column 10/9/76, Billboard chart debut 11/20/76)
#4 (mentioned in Billboard column 10/16/76, Billboard chart debut 10/23/76)
#5 (Billboard chart debut 4/2/77)
#6 (Billboard chart debut 4/23/77)
#14 (Billboard chart debut 4/2/77)
#16 (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
#20 (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
Songs mentioned in “DJ Hotline”:
KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND: ‘I’m Your Boogie Man’ (TK) (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
CAROL WOODS: ‘I’m In Wonderland’ (RCA 12″)
SHALAMAR: ‘Uptown Festival’ (Soul Train) (Billboard chart debut 1/29/77)
FIESTA: ‘Tina The Disco Queen’ (Chimneyville – US import)
CROWN HEIGHTS AFFAIR: ‘Dancin” (Contempo) (Billboard chart debut 11/6/76)
JIMMY RUFFIN: ‘Fallin’ In Love With You’ (Epic)
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: ‘Jam Jam Jam’ (Philadelphia Int’l LP cut)
J. VINCENT EDWARDS: ‘Too Hot To Handle’ (Pye)
ARTHUR PRYSOCK: ‘When Love Is New’ (Polydor) (mentioned in Billboard column 10/30/76, Billboard chart debut 11/20/76)
SHABBY TIGER ‘Slow Down’ (RCA)
BILLY PAUL: ‘Let ‘Em In’ (Philadelphia Int’l) (Billboard chart debut 1/22/77)
GEORGE BENSON: ‘Nature Boy’ (Warner Bros.)
EARL & THE STEAM TEAM: ‘Engine Of Love’ (MCA)
DENIECE WILLIAMS: ‘Free’ (CBS)
CHAPLIN BAND: ‘Let’s Have A Party’ (EMI 12″)
TEDDY PENDERGRASS: ‘Whole Town’s Laughing’ (Philadelphia Int’l)
RAH BAND: ‘The Crunch’ (Good Earth)
RONI HILL: ‘You Keep Me Hanging On / Stop! In The Name Of Love’ (Creole) (Billboard chart debut 12/11/76)
5000 VOLTS: ‘Walking On A Love Cloud’ (Philips)
James Hamilton's Disco Page 