New Spins
DIANA ROSS: ‘Baby It’s Me’ LP (Motown STMA 8031) (BNDA debut 10/15/77)
Sensational album, with at least five strong disco cuts – take your pick!
KENNY EVERETT & MIKE VICKERS: ‘Captain Kremmen (Retribution)’ (DJM DJS 10810)
Capital’s star is right on target with freaky stereo and a catchy semi-slow synthesizer melody.
MUNICH MACHINE: ‘Get On The Funk Train’ (from LP ‘Munich Machine’, Oasis OASLP 502) (BNDA debut 6/11/77)
Cerrone-type side-long thumper from Giorgio and the gang, and it’s disco dynamite!
LE PAMPLEMOUSSE: ‘Get Your Boom Boom Around The Room’ (Barclay BAR 702) (BNDA debut 3/26/77)
Great bouncy bumper, big for months as an import.
ROY AYERS UBIQUITY: ‘Running Away’ (Polydor 2066842) (BNDA debut 9/24/77)
Madly infectious funky leaper, at last on 45.
LAURENT VOULZY: ‘Rockollection Pts. 1 & 2’ (RCA PB 8067)
The Continental holiday smash of the year, sung in French like a laid back Trini Lopez doing a guided tour of the Sixties, with English excerpts from ‘Locomotion’, ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, ‘I Get Around’, ‘Gloria’, ‘Satisfaction’ and more on the flip. Forget it’s French and give it a try!
DBM: ‘Discobeatlemania’ (Atlantic K 11027)
The 12in disco medley idea gets silly but it’ll be good for Xmas parties! Look out for Cafe Creme’s similar Beatle medley on Harvest next week too.
TAVARES WITH FREDA PAYNE: ‘I Wanna See You Soon’ (Captol CL 15945)
Happy fast galloper with a pretty lilt.
MASS PRODUCTION: ‘I Believe In Music’ / ‘Cosmic Lust’ (Cotillion D 11021) (BNDA debut 8/6/77)
All-happening topside and strong instrumental flip. Funky faves for ages.
PATTI LABELLE: ‘Dan Swit Me’ (from LP ‘Patti LaBelle’, Epic EPC 8226) (BNDA debut 9/24/77)
Terrific energetic joyful funky pounder.
EARTH, WIND & FIRE: ‘Serpentine Fire’ (CBS 5778)
Herky jerky staccato funker.
GRACE JONES: ‘La Vie En Rose’ (Island IPR 2004, 12in) (BNDA debut 10/15/77)
Edith Piaf’s French classic becomes an unusual gay number floated on limited 12in. It’s 7:27 but the flip’s ‘I Need A Man’ is sadly only the short 3:22 vocal version.
RUBY WINTERS: ‘I Will’ (Creole CR 141)
Sombre soul smoocher with hit prospects.
DENIECE WILLIAMS: ‘Baby, Baby My Love’s All For You’ (CBS 5779)
Perky little rhythm tripper.
JJ BARNES: ‘How Long’ (Contempo CS 2123)
Ace’s oldie goes northern and comes out here at last.
BILLY PAUL: ‘Only The Strong Survive’ (Philadelphia Int’l PIR 5699)
Jerry Butler’s oldie becomes a buoyant whomper stomper.
DOLPHIN: ‘Imagination Dancing’ (Private Stock PVT 122)
Cool soft rock swayer, rather nice.
SKEETS BOLIVER: ‘Moonlight In Jeopardy’ (Thunderbird THE 117)
Mexican-flavored happy pop shuffler, long anticipated by Dundee’s Brian Massie.
REAL THING: ‘Lightning Strikes Again’ (Pye 7N 16025)
Sergio Mendes-type subtle semi-slowie.
HIGH INERGY: ‘You Can’t Turn Me Off’ (Motown TMG 1087)
Disjointed slow-starting girlie group floater.
MAXINE NIGHTINGALE: ‘Didn’t I’ (UA UP 36320)
Delfonics smoocher loses its old sweet soulfulness.
IAN WHITCOMB: ‘You Do Something To Me’ (Warner Bros. K 17018)
Gently pounding gay revamp of Cole Porter.
ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK: ‘Lover’s Holiday’ (EMI 2707)
Classily sophisticated MoR gay smoocher, surprisingly good.
DEREK OWEN: ‘Disco 2000’ (Smack 2)
Tornados-type dated “disco” instrumental from Liverpool.
RICE & BEANS ORCHESTRA: ‘Disco Dancing’ (Contempo CS 2125)
Slick hustler.
Hot Vinyl
Graham Canter, the Fat Man from Gullivers (London), import tips:
GARY TOMS EMPIRE: ‘Turn It Out’ (MCA 12”)
ANTHONY WHITE: ‘I Can’t Turn You Loose’ (Salsoul 12”) (BNDA debut 9/24/77)
L.T.D.: ‘Back In Love Again’ (A&M) (BNDA debut 10/22/77)
PLEASURE: ‘Let’s Dance’ (Fantasy)
EASTSIDE CONNECTION: ‘You’re So Right For Me’ (Rampart 12” – poor treble, advises Graham) (BNDA debut 11/12/77)
and revives ARETHA FRANKLIN: ‘The Thrill Is Gone’ (Atlantic)
UK Disco Top 50 – October 22, 1977
01 03 Belle Epoque – Black Is Black – Harvest (12″)
02 04 Meco – Star Wars Theme – RCA
03 01 Emotions – Best Of My Love – CBS
04 02 Rose Royce – Do Your Dance – Whitfield (12″)
05 06 Baccara – Yes Sir I Can Boogie – RCA
06 08 Commodores – Brick House / Sweet Love – Motown
07 07 Giorgio Moroder – From Here To Eternity / Too Hot To Handle – Oasis
08 10 Donna Summer – I Remember Yesterday – GTO
09 15 Lenny Williams – Shoo Doo Fu Fu Ooh – ABC
10 11 Smokey Robinson – Theme From Big Time – Motown
11 12 Olympic Runners – Keep It Up – RCA (12″)
12 NE Santa Esmeralda – Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – Philips
13 26 Whispers – Make It With You – Soul Train (12″)
14 05 Space – Magic Fly – Pye
15 13 Patsy Gallant – From New York To L.A. – EMI
16 NE Status Quo – Rockin’ All Over The World – Vertigo
17 18 Brothers Johnson – Right On Time – A&M (12″)
18 09 Donna Summer – Deep Down Inside – Casablanca
19 30 Barry White – It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me – 20th Century
20 28 Eddie Henderson – Say You Will / Funk Surgeon – Capitol
21 14 Dooleys – I Think I’m Gonna Fall In Love With You – GTO
22 24 Idris Muhammad – Turn This Mutha Out / Could Heaven Ever Be Like This – Kudu
23 29 Inner City Express – Dance And Shake Your Funky Tambourine – Ebony
24 25 Tina Charles – Love Bug / Sweets For My Sweet – CBS (12″)
25 17 Celi Bee & The Buzzy Bunch – One Love – TK (12″)
26 31 Donna Summer – Love’s Unkind – GTO (LP)
27 45 LaSo – LaSo Square – MCA
28 27 Marvin Hamlisch – Bond ’77 – UA
29 16 Rose Royce – It Makes You Feel Like Dancin’ – Whitfield (LP)
30 19 Leo Sayer – Thunder In My Heart – Chrysalis
31 36 Rokotto – Boogie On Up – State (12″)
32 20 Ram Jam – Black Betty – Epic
33 23 Stevie Wonder – Another Star – Motown
34 50 Camouflage – Bee Sting – State (12″)
35 33 People’s Choice – Jam, Jam, Jam – Philadelphia Int’l (LP)
36 35 Mass Production – I Believe In Music – Cotillion (LP)
37 47 Stranglers – No More Heroes – UA
38 44 Archie Bell & The Drells – On The Radio – Philadelphia Int’l (LP)
39 NE David Bowie – Heroes – RCA
40 49 Pratt & McClain – Happy Days – Reprise
41 39 Ohio Players – O-H-I-O – Mercury
42 NE Jacksons – Goin’ Places – Epic
43 42 Boney M – Belfast – Atlantic
44 RE Ronnie Jones – Soul Sister – Mercury
45 NE Peter Blake – Lipsmackin’ Rock ‘N Rollin’ – UA
46 NE Brick – Dusic – Bang
47 NE Darts – Daddy Cool – Magnet (12″)
48 NE Smokie – Needles And Pins – Rak
49 RE Hamilton Bohannon – Bohannon Disco Symphony – Mercury
50 NE Lou Rawls – See You When I Git There – Philadelphia Int’l
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
All titles are 7” singles unless noted otherwise
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (BNDA debut 6/18/77) / #2 (BNDA debut 7/23/77) / #3 (BNDA debut 6/11/77)
#4 (BNDA debut 9/24/77) / #6 (BNDA debut 4/16/77) / #7 (BNDA debut 8/6/77)
#8 (BNDA debut 5/28/77) / #10 (BNDA debut 8/6/77) / #11 (BNDA debut 11/12/77)
#12 (BNDA debut 9/3/77) / #13 (BNDA debut 7/23/77) / #14 (BNDA debut 6/4/77)
#18 (BNDA debut 7/2/77) / #19 (BNDA debut 8/27/77) / #25 (BNDA debut 4/9/77)
#26 (BNDA debut 5/28/77) / #27 (BNDA debut 6/11/77) / #29 (BNDA debut 9/24/77)
#30 (BNDA debut 12/10/77) / #33 (BNDA debut 10/23/76) / #36 (BNDA debut 8/6/77)
#42 (BNDA debut 12/3/77) / #44 (BNDA debut 3/25/78)
Breakers:
1 CERRONE: ‘Cerrone’s Paradise’ (Atlantic) (BNDA debut 6/4/77)
2 MUNICH MACHINE: ‘Get On The Funk Train’ (Oasis LP cut) (BNDA debut 6/11/77)
3 FAT LARRY’S BAND: ‘Fascination’ (WMOT) (BNDA debut 1/22/77)
4 KENNY WILLIAMS: ‘(You’re) Fabulous Babe’ (Decca)
5 SHOWDOWN: ‘Keep Doin’ It, Pts. 1 & 2’ (State)
Songs mentioned in “DJ Hotline”:
IN CROWD: ‘We Like Reggae’ (Cactus)
STEEL PULSE: ‘Nyah Luv’ (Anchor)
JJ BARNES: ‘How Long’ (Contempo)
LINDA CLIFFORD: ‘From Now On’ (Curtom LP cut – US import) (BNDA debut 12/10/77)
MOMENTS: ‘I Don’t Wanna Go’ (All Platinum)
XTC: ‘Science Friction’ (Virgin)
WARREN SMITH: ‘Rock & Roll Ruby’ (Charly)
BRICK: ‘Ain’t Gonna Hurt Nobody’ (Bang LP cut – US import)
WAR: ‘War Is Coming’ (Island LP cut)
DIZZY GILLESPIE: ‘Unicorn’ (Pablo LP cut)
LE PAMPLEMOUSSE: ‘Get Your Boom Boom (Around The Room Room)’ (Barclay) (BNDA debut 3/26/77)
ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS: ‘Disco Showdown’ (Philadelphia Int’l)
CRUSADERS: ‘Free As The Wind’ (ABC LP cut)
QUINT: ‘It’s Much Better Now’ (UA)
PIONEERS: ‘My Good Friend James’ (Mercury)
SANFORD-TOWNSEND BAND: ‘Smoke From A Distant Fire’ (Warner Bros.)
VICKI SUE ROBINSON: ‘Hold Tight’ (RCA 12” – US import) (BNDA debut 7/9/77)
BONEY M: ‘Love For Sale’ / ‘Have You Ever Seen The Rain’ (Atlantic LP cuts)
BOB MARLEY: ‘Roots’ (Island)
LEO SAYER: ‘Fool In Love’ (Chrysalis LP cut)
BROTHER TO BROTHER: ‘In The Bottle’ (Philips)
BRECKER BROTHERS: ‘Finger Lickin’ Good’ (Arista)
AL MATTHEWS: ‘It’s Only True’ (Mercury)
YOUNGHEARTS: ‘Number One Attraction’ (ABC)
DD SOUND: ‘Shopping Baby’ (Mercury) (BNDA debut 7/16/77)
MAZE: ‘Lady Of Magic’ (Capitol)
JONATHAN RICHMAN: ‘Egyptian Reggae’ (Beserkley)
LEIF GARRETT: ‘Surfin’ USA’ (Atlantic)
IGGY POP: ‘Tonight’ (RCA LP cut)
TED NUGENT: ‘Cat Scratch Fever’ (Epic)