DONNA SUMMER: ‘I Feel Love’ (GTO GT 100) (Billboard chart debut 5/28/77)
The disco sensation that’s sweeping the nation, this fantastic Kraftwerk-like synthetic burbler is now rushed out on single, ahead of schedule.
PETER BROWN: ‘Do Ya Wanna Get Funky With Me’ (TK XB 2183) (Billboard chart debut 4/9/77)
Spaced-out subtly thudding funky monster US disco smash – really different and good. Freaky long rhythm flip too!
Grapevine is a Northern-aimed new label set up by Kings Lynn importer John Anderson with RCA, and its first three releases are now out.
RICHARD “POPCORN” WYLIE ‘Rosemary What Happened’ (GRP 100) is an interesting near-muddle which keeps on driving through the clutter, and SOUL TWINS ‘Quick Change Artist’ (GRP 101) is a traditional Fred Smith/’Duck’-type stomper. Both are from ’67 and the Karen label, while STANLEY WOODRUFF & THE U.S. TRIO ‘What Took You So Long’ (GRP 102) is an attractive oddly-arranged churner of recent vintage. Cheers!
New Spins
SLAVE: ‘You And Me’ / ‘Son Of Slide’ (Cotillion K 10967)
Cleverly edited funky faves, like Brass Construction with added acid-rock guitar, both sides are big already.
C.J. & CO.: ‘Devil’s Gun’ (Atlantic K 10956) (mentioned in Billboard column 10/23/76, Billboard chart debut 4/23/77)
Incredibly powerful catchy fast jumper (originally by Great Expectations), an obvious disco smash and already the biggest in America. Some lucky jocks will get a longer 12-inch.
T-CONNECTION: ‘Do What You Wanna Do’ (TK XC 9109) (mentioned in Billboard column 2/19/77, Billboard chart debut 2/26/77)
Out at last, this first British TK Disco 12-incher (15,000 pressed, 99p each) is a classic rhythm rattler that’s been enormous on import. Try mixing into Karma’s ‘Funk De Mambo‘ (A&M)!
The Midlands have a large enough population to influence record sales, and the local disco DJ’s have in turn realised their own influence over the population.
Many of them are members of a record pool, undertaking to promote certain singles in a co-ordinated “power-play” push in return for free records from the companies involved. However, their influence remains local, and not national. Why, you may ask?
Well, for a start, you might have noticed the relative absence of Midlands contributors to this page’s DJ Hotline — and, consequently, to our Disco Chart. Unimportant though these may seem to insular Midlands jocks, think of the influence that these features could have if every week their “power-play” pick was made public.
Other DJ’s, not to mention record stores and radio stations, would then be encouraged to try the disc too.
Already many record companies recognise our importance by asking DJ mailing list applicants if they contribute to our chart, and the importance of the information gathered in this way is soon to increase.
The Midlands jocks purport to help record companies, but how whole-hearted is that help? Only by looking outside their own cosy circle can they make their influence known on the scale where it matters — nationally!
New Spins
JOHN MILES: ‘Slow Down’ (Decca F 13709) (Billboard chart debut 3/12/77)
Originally a blue-eyed soulster before he made ‘Music’, John’s now huge in US discos with this frantic ultra-fast funky galloper – 12-inched commercially here.
GARNET MIMMS & TRUCKIN’ COMPANY: ‘What It Is’ (Arista 12 ARISTA 109) (Billboard chart debut 3/26/77)
The Brass Construction-backed smash has been delayed so that now this commercial 12-inch can launch it hitwards!
James Hamilton's Disco Page 