New Spins
SPACE: ‘Magic Fly’ (Pye 7N 25746) (Billboard chart debut 6/4/77)
Donna Summer-like (though less shrill sounding) synthetic instrumental pounder, rushed out to beat import sales.
BLONDE ON BLONDE: ‘Subway’ (Chrysalis CHS 2158)
Pretty page 3 duo do the Bee Gees hustler surprisingly well – worth checking.
PETER GABRIEL: ‘Modern Love’ (Charisma CB 302)
Great chunky white rock funker, should go well with Bad Co, Roxy & Co.
YELLOW DOG: ‘Stood Up’ (Virgin VS 183)
Brilliantly arranged big beat pop hustler.
FOUR SEASONS: ‘Down The Hall’ (Warner Bros. K 16982)
Catchily bouncing thumper.
DELEGATION: ‘Baby You’re My Mystery’ (State STAT 55)
Lovely little happy harmony skipper, hidden as flip to another slow Real Thing rip-off.
DYNAMIC SUPERIORS: ‘Nowhere To Run, Pts. 1 & 2’ (Motown TMG 1077) (Billboard chart debut 6/18/77)
Vandella’s classic northern stomper now goes down to love town, with a great long DJ promo 12-inch (on LP too soon).
TEDDY PENDERGRASS: ‘I Don’t Love You Anymore’ (Philadelphia Int’l PIR 5444) (Billboard chart debut 3/19/77)
Frenetic US hit rhythm rattler with dated “soul” feel.
BONEY M: ‘Love For Sale’ LP (Atlantic K 50385)
Fast discotization of Cole Porter’s title track, typical ‘Gloria Can You Waddle‘ and ‘A Woman Can Change A Man’, slinky ‘Silent Lover‘, controversial ‘Belfast‘, and more.
PETERS & LEE: ‘Smile’ (Philips 6006579)
Ulp! Papa Don-prod sweetly hustling update of the Jerry Butler & Betty Everett classic.
CHRIS WHITE: ‘Don’t Worry Baby’ (Charisma CB 303)
Smooth old Beach Boys soother.
RAMONES: ‘Pinhead’ (Sire 6078607)
Pogo beat and gabba gabba lyrics plus a punk ‘Let’s Dance‘.
CHAMPS: ‘Midnighter’ (from LP ‘Beat Of The Champs’, London ZGH 141)
Big rock ‘n bop instrumental, together with ‘Tequila‘ etc.
J.A.L.N. BAND: ‘I Got To Sing’ (Magnet MAG 97)
Heavily promoted over-busy bounder, 12-inch in longer form at 75p.
TRAMMPS: ‘Trammps Disco Theme’ (Philadelphia Int’l PIR 5452) (Billboard chart debut 4/5/75)
Quite melodic thundering old instrumental, flipped by ‘Love Epidemic‘.
CCS: ‘Brother’ (Rak RR 7)
Radio One’s Top 20 theme, an obviously good DJ talk-over intro.
JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON: ‘The Real Deal’ / ‘Tarzan‘ (DJM DJT 10790)
More sexy slow 12-inch slinkiness, with powerful sparse instrumentation.
AVERAGE WHITE BAND & BEN E. KING: ‘Benny And Us’ LP (Atlantic K 50384)
Disappointingly downtempo set with thudding slow ‘Get It Up For Love’ US hit, similarly re-made ‘What Is Soul‘ and long 7:01 version of the UK single, ‘A Star In The Ghetto‘ (K 10977).
MEMPHIS HORNS: ‘Get Up And Dance’ (RCA PB 0836) (mentioned in Billboard column 1/15/77, Billboard chart debut 2/26/77)
Funky jiggler.
Hot Vinyl
Tony Clark (Newcastle Julie’s) found time before splitting to Antigua to import tip:
D.J. ROGERS: ‘Love Will Make It Better’ (RCA LP cut)
HANK CRAWFORD: ‘Tico Rico‘ (Kudu LP cut)
GARLAND GREEN: ‘Shake Your Shaker’ (RCA)
KITTY & THE HAYWOODS: ‘Love Shock‘ (Mercury)
LIQUID BLUE: ‘Ain’t That What You Want‘ (HDM)
LINDA HOPKINS: ‘In Your Blood‘ (Columbia) (Billboard chart debut 12/3/77)
CLEVELAND EATON: ‘Funky Cello‘ (Columbia 12″)
UK Disco Top 20 – July 23, 1977
01 06 Donna Summer – I Feel Love – GTO
02 01 Hot Chocolate – So You Win Again – Rak
03 02 Boney M – Ma Baker – Atlantic
04 04 Jacksons – Show You The Way To Go – Epic
05 12 Gladys Knight – Baby Don’t Change Your Mind – Buddah
06 03 T-Connection – Do What You Wanna Do – TK
07 05 John Miles – Slow Down – Decca
08 07 Detroit Emeralds – Feel The Need In Me – Atlantic
09 10 Ruth Davis & Bo Kirkland – You’re Gonna Get Next To Me – EMI
10 08 C.J. & Company – Devil’s Gun – Atlantic
11 13 Tony Etoria – I Can Prove It – GTO
12 NE Danny Williams – Dancing Easy – Ensign
13 NE Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Fanfare For The Common Man – Atlantic
14 20 Shalamar – Uptown Festival – Soul Train
15 11 Joe Tex – Ain’t Gonna Bump No More – Epic
16 NE Peter Brown – Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me – TK
17 NE Lovers – Discomania – Epic
18 NE Sex Pistols – Pretty Vacant – Virgin
19 RE Carole Bayer Sager – You’re Moving Out Today – Elektra
20 NE Philadelphia All-Stars – Let’s Clean Up The Ghetto – Philadelphia Int’l
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (Billboard chart debut 5/28/77)
#3 (Billboard chart debut 8/6/77)
#4 (Billboard chart debut 12/25/76)
#6 (mentioned in Billboard column 2/19/77, Billboard chart debut 2/26/77)
#7 (Billboard chart debut 3/12/77)
#8 (mentioned in Billboard column 8/7/76, Billboard chart debut 4/30/77)
#10 (mentioned in Billboard column 10/23/76, Billboard chart debut 4/23/77)
#14 (Billboard chart debut 1/29/77)
#15 (Billboard chart debut 4/2/77)
#16 (Billboard chart debut 4/9/77)
#17 (mentioned in Billboard column 5/7/77, Billboard chart debut 5/14/77)
#20 (Billboard chart debut 7/23/77)
Songs mentioned in “DJ Hotline”:
FLOATERS: ‘Float On’ (ABC)
SMOKEY ROBINSON: ‘Vitamin U’ (Motown) (Billboard chart debut 2/12/77)
BIDDU ORCHESTRA: ‘Soul Coaxing’ (Epic 12″)
CAMEO: ‘Rigor Mortis’ (Casablanca) (Billboard chart debut 2/19/77)
NEW YORK PORT AUTHORITY: ‘I Got It’ (Invictus) (mentioned in Billboard column 5/7/77)
RAH BAND: ‘The Crunch’ (Good Earth)
SPACE: ‘Magic Fly’ (Pye) (Billboard chart debut 6/4/77)
DENNIS COFFEY: ‘Wings Of Fire’ (Atlantic LP cut) (mentioned in Billboard column 5/28/77, Billboard chart debut 6/18/77)
RAMSEY LEWIS: ‘Spring High’ (CBS LP cut)
NCCU: ‘Bull City Party’ (UA)
21ST CREATION: ‘Mr. Disco Radio’ (Motown)
DELLS: ‘Our Love’ (Mercury) (mentioned in Billboard column 4/2/77, Billboard chart debut 4/30/77)
CANDI STATON: ‘Nights On Broadway’ (Warner Bros.) (mentioned in Billboard column 7/2/77)
RICHARD HEWSON ORCHESTRA: ‘What Shall We Do When The Disco’s Over’ (Splash) (Billboard chart debut 3/4/78)
CELI BEE & THE BUZZY BUNCH: ‘Superman’ (TK) (mentioned in Billboard column 3/5/77, Billboard chart debut 3/26/77)
G. BAND: ‘She Was Alright’ (CBS EP cut)
COMMODORES: ‘Easy’ (Motown)
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY: ‘Hit And Run’ (Gold Mind – US import) (Billboard chart debut 1/15/77)
JESSE GREEN: ‘Come With Me’ (EMI 12″)
CARRIE LUCAS: ‘I Gotta Keep Dancin” (Soul Train) (Billboard chart debut 3/19/77)
GARY GLITTER: ‘A Little Boogie Woogie In The Back Of My Mind’ (Arista)
21ST CREATION: ‘Tailgate’ (Motown 12″) (Billboard chart debut 5/7/77)
FAT LARRY’S BAND: ‘Centre City’ (WMOT 12″ – US import) (mentioned in Billboard column 10/30/76, Billboard chart debut 12/25/76)
James Hamilton's Disco Page 