New Spins
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)!
BONEY M: ‘Ma Baker’ (Atlantic K 10965) (Billboard chart debut 8/6/77)
Mummy Cool’s as jauntily commercial as you’d expect.
CELI BEE & THE BUZZY BUNCH: ‘Superman’ (TK XB 2185) (mentioned in Billboard column 3/5/77, Billboard chart debut 3/26/77)
Munich-style disco biggie which most folk mistake for Boney M/Silver Convention.
JOE TEX: ‘Ain’t Gonna Bump No More’ (from LP ‘Bumps And Bruises’, Epic EPC 81931) (Billboard chart debut 4/2/77)
Dull album, but the full long 8:45 version is a must!
BOB MARLEY: ‘Exodus’ (from LP ‘Exodus’, Island ILPS 9498)
Hypnotically chugging rhythm, like a reggae Marvin Gaye, and great.
FAT LARRY’S BAND: ‘Center City’ (WMOT K 10951) (mentioned in Billboard column 12/11/76, Billboard chart debut 1/15/77)
Big for ages, the infectiously romping funky fave is the short LP length, minus the long import 12-incher’s traffic noise intro.
EQUALS: ‘Irma La Douce’ (Mercury 6007139)
Lovely happy singalong blue-beater.
DONNA SUMMER: ‘I Feel Love’ (from LP ‘I Remember Yesterday’ GTO GTLP 025) (Billboard chart debut 5/28/77)
‘Love To Love’ meets ‘Autobahn’ – an odd pairing with freaky Kraftwerk electronic rhythm that’s a gas! Side 1’s continuous ‘Yesterday’ concept means she segues through copies of (“tributes” to?) Dr. Buzzard, Ronettes, Supremes and back to Buzzard again.
ELTON JOHN: ‘Bite Your Lip’ (Rocket RU 1) (Billboard chart debut 1/15/77)
His disco romper remixed by Tom Moulton and 12-inched (20,000 copies at 99p), with Kiki Dee’s ‘Chicago‘ as double A-side.
LATIMORE: ‘Somethin’ ‘Bout ‘Cha’ (TK XB 2151)
Gorgeous sensuous groin-grinder, on 45 at last.
FACTS OF LIFE: ‘Sometimes’ (TK XB 2180)
Superbly soulful smash smoocher from the US charts.
BURTON CUMMINGS: ‘You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet’ (from LP ‘Burton Cummings’, Portrait PRT 81573)
Never a 45, this sophisticated bluesy big band smoocher is still worth catching up on.
MUSCLE SHOALS HORNS: ‘Born To Get Down’ LP (Bang SHOT 001) (mentioned in Billboard column 3/13/76)
Great freaky synthesiser break in the title track, while other goodies are ‘Bump De Bump Yo Boodie‘, ‘Break Down‘ and many more in a strong LP.
DENNIS COFFEY: ‘Free Spirit’ / ‘Boogie Magic‘ / ‘Wings Of Fire‘ (from LP ‘Back Home’, Atlantic K 50371) (mentioned in Billboard column 5/28/77, Billboard chart debut 6/18/77)
Good value, with three strong funkily bouncing jazzy guitar rompers, worth checking.
WILD CHERRY: ‘Hot To Trot’ (from LP ‘Electrified Funk’, Epic EPC 81846)
Jiggly gruff thudding US hit, while ‘Dancin’ Music Band‘, ‘Are You Boogieing‘ and ‘It’s All Up To You‘ are faster or KC-ish, and good.
D-R-U-M: ‘Lalabye’ (Ensign ENY 2)
Continental-type naggingly simple disco fodder, 12-inched for jocks.
JIMMY SMITH: ‘Can’t Hide Love’ (from LP ‘Sit On It’, Mercury 6338781)
The old organ maestro gently funks a pretty humming hustler for hip clubs.
DEETTA LITTLE & NELSON PIGFORD: ‘You Take My Heart Away’ (from LP ‘Rocky’, UA UAS 30039)
Hardly heard in the movie but much plugged here on radio, it’s a lovely soaring slowie, full of class.
TEDDY PENDERGRASS: ‘I Don’t Love You Anymore’ (from LP ‘Teddy Pendergrass’, Philadelphia Int’l PIR 81756) (Billboard chart debut 3/19/77)
His current US hit is an urgent percussive chugger, while ‘You Can’t Hide From Yourself‘ is good chunky Philly.
CHARTREUSE: ‘You Really Got Me’ (Klik KL 634)
Kinks klassik beefed up for stompers.
SPIRIT: ‘All Along The Watchtower’ (Mercury 6167519)
Freaky TV soundtrack, noises over the easy-rocking old riff – interesting.
DORIS JONES: ‘No Way Out, Pts. 1 & 2’ (UA UP 36259)
Northern, incredible arrangement but murky vocal.
MIRACLES: ‘Women (Make The World Go ‘Round)’ (CBS 5200)
Ponderous slow throbber, 12-inched commercially.
JIGSAW: ‘If I Have To Go Away’ (Splash CP 11)
Stylistics-style smoocher.
FOSTER BROTHERS: ‘Count Me Out’ (Rocket ROKN 524)
Cool soft-rocker.
O.K. CHORALE: ‘Britannia Rules OK’ (Sonet SON 2095)
Stomping singalong jollity.
Hot Vinyl
Graham Canter (London Gulliver’s) import tips:
JOHNNY JOHNSON & LIFESTYLE: ‘Katrina’ (MCA LP cut) (Billboard chart debut 4/30/77)
LAMONT DOZIER: ‘Going Back To My Roots‘ (Warner Bros. LP cut) (Billboard chart debut 5/28/77)
SMOGGS: ‘Have A Little Talk With The Peanut Man, Pt. 2‘ (Event)
NCCU: ‘Bull City Party‘ (UA)
DYNAMIC SUPERIORS: ‘Nowhere To Run‘ (Motown LP cut) (Billboard chart debut 6/18/77)
CERRONE: ‘Cerrone’s Paradise‘ (Malligator LP cut – French import) (Billboard chart debut 6/4/77)
CAMEO: ‘Funk Funk‘ (Chocolate City LP cut)
BEN E. KING & AWB: ‘Get It Up‘ (Atlantic)
WILLIE HUTCH: ‘Willie’s Boogie‘ (Motown LP cut)
JERRY BUTLER & THELMA HOUSTON: ‘If You Leave Me Now / Love So Right (Medley)‘ (Motown LP cut)
UK Disco Top 40 – June 11, 1977
Chart freaks can console themselves as, although our regular charts are not able to be included in this Jubilee week’s issue, here is a specially compiled UK Disco Top 40 – for this week only!
01 02 Joe Tex – Ain’t Gonna Bump No More – Epic
02 01 Shalamar – Uptown Festival – Soul Train
03 04 Marvin Gaye – Got To Give It Up – Motown
04 06 Trammps – Disco Inferno – Atlantic
05 03 Van McCoy – The Shuffle – H&L
06 05 Stevie Wonder – Sir Duke – Motown
07 NE Garnet Mimms – What It Is – Arista (12″)
08 10 Tony Etoria – I Can Prove It – GTO
09 NE 10cc – Good Morning Judge – Mercury
10 16 John Miles – Slow Down – Decca (12″)
11 18 Bryan Ferry – Tokyo Joe – Polydor
12 15 Heatwave – Too Hot To Handle – GTO
13 NE Ruth Davis & Bo Kirkland – You’re Gonna Get Next To Me – EMI
14 12 Gladys Knight – Baby Don’t Change Your Mind – Buddah
15 NE Detroit Emeralds – Feel The Need In Me – Atlantic
16 NE Jacksons – Show You The Way To Go – Epic
17 13 Blue – Gonna Capture Your Heart – Rocket
18 NE Ramones – Sheena Is A Punk Rocker – Sire (12″)
19 11 Boz Scaggs – Lido Shuffle – CBS
20 NE Stranglers – Peaches – UA
21 NE Manhattan Transfer – Don’t Let Go – Atlantic
22 NE Carole Bayer Sager – You’re Moving Out Today – Elektra
23 07 Tavares – Whodunnit – Capitol
24 NE Slave – Slide / Son Of Slide – Cotillion (LP)
25 RE KC & The Sunshine Band – I’m Your Boogie Man – TK
26 RE Rod Stewart – First Cut Is The Deepest – Riva
27 NE Cloud One – Atmosphere Strut – Contempo
28 RE Honky – Join The Party – Creole (12″)
29 NE Sex Pistols – God Save The Queen – Virgin
30 NE Jesse Green – Come With Me – EMI
31 NE Lovers – Discomania – Marlin (Imp)
32 NE People’s Choice – If You Gonna Do It – Philadelphia Int’l
33 09 Rod Stewart – I Don’t Want To Talk About It – Riva
34 19 Delegation – Where Is The Love – State
35 RE Billy Paul – Let ‘Em In – Philadelphia Int’l
36 NE Touch Of Class – I’m In Heaven – GTO
37 NE T-Connection – Do What You Wanna Do – TK (12″)
38 NE Jimmy Bo Horne – Get Happy – TK
39 NE Chosen Few – Thank You – Polydor (12″)
40 NE Archie Bell & The Drells – Everybody Have A Good Time – Philadelphia Int’l (12″)
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (Billboard chart debut 4/2/77)
#2 (Billboard chart debut 1/29/77)
#3 (Billboard chart debut 4/2/77)
#4 (mentioned in Billboard column 12/25/76, Billboard chart debut 1/15/77)
#6 (mentioned in Billboard column 10/16/76, Billboard chart debut 10/23/76)
#7 (Billboard chart debut 3/26/77)
#10 (Billboard chart debut 3/12/77)
#15 (mentioned in Billboard column 8/7/76, Billboard chart debut 4/30/77)
#16 (Billboard chart debut 12/25/76)
#25 (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
#27 (Billboard chart debut 10/9/76)
#31 (mentioned in Billboard column 5/7/77, Billboard chart debut 5/14/77)
#35 (Billboard chart debut 1/22/77)
#36 (mentioned in Billboard column 8/9/75, Billboard chart debut 10/11/75)
#37 (mentioned in Billboard column 2/19/77, Billboard chart debut 2/26/77)
#38 (Billboard chart debut 3/19/77)
Songs mentioned in “DJ Hotline”:
SILVETTI: ‘Spring Rain’ (Salsoul – US import) (mentioned in Billboard column 11/13/76, Billboard chart debut 12/11/76)
PLAYERS ASSOCIATION: ‘Love Hangover’ (Vanguard – US import) (Billboard chart debut 2/26/77)
LONNIE YOUNGBLOOD: ‘Gonna Fly Now’ (All Platinum)
BRAINSTORM: ‘Wake Up And Be Somebody’ (RCA) (Billboard chart debut 2/26/77)
MOMENT OF TRUTH: ‘You Got Me Hummin” (Salsoul)
GAP BAND: ‘Out Of The Blue’ (Tattoo)
AQUARIAN DREAM: ‘Phoenix’ (Buddah) (mentioned in Billboard column 10/2/76)
SUN: ‘We’re So Hot’ (Capitol – US import) (Billboard chart debut 4/30/77)
TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD: ‘Shotgun Boogie’ (Capitol)
NILS LOFGREN: ‘I Came To Dance’ (A&M LP cut)
GARY WRIGHT: ‘Are You Weepin” (Warner Bros.)
DR. HOOK: ‘Walk Right In’ (Capitol)
J. VINCENT EDWARDS: ‘Too Hot To Handle’ (Pye)
COMMODORES: ‘Easy’ (Motown)
J.J. CALE: ‘After Midnight’ (Shelter)
DOOLEY SILVERPOON AND JEANNE BURTON: ‘Am I Losing You, Pt. 2’ (Seville)
IKE & TURNER KORNER: ‘Longest Running Disco In The World’ (Big Bear)
RICHARD HEWSON ORCHESTRA: ‘Love Bite’ (Splash) (Billboard chart debut 9/11/76)
BACHMAN TURNER OVERDRIVE: ‘My Wheels Won’t Turn’ (Mercury)
SEX O’CLOCK USA: ‘Baby Come On’ (Decca) (Billboard chart debut 2/5/77)
ERNIE MARESCA: ‘Shout Shout’ (Seville)
James Hamilton's Disco Page 