Disco News
Radio Luxembourg’s first Celebrity DJ’s in the new Sunday morning 1-2 am spot have been Chessington’s Ambrose Harcourt, Gloucester’s Mike Longely, Canada’s Nick Carson and Teeside’s Peter Quest, while this week’s are Lux’s own David Sarsfield and Cambridge’s Steve Collins, ex-Voice Of Peace . . . Les Spaine has quit jocking at Liverpool Timepiece to become London-based assistant promotion manager at Motown, covering both disco and radio: call him on 01-486 7144 to try for his mailing list . . . John Waller has replaced Yvonne Marvill in the disco dept at Phonogram, where the current DJ list will stand though actual files are being updated. John’s been a DJ here and in Denmark since 1970, but most recently was in Marketing at Phonogram.
New Spins
BEE GEES: ‘Night Fever’ (RSO 002) (BNDA debut 1/7/78)
By now typical frothy disco pop, from you know which movie.
RIPPLE: ‘The Beat Goes On And On’ (Salsoul SSOL 105) (BNDA debut 1/28/78)
Monstrous as an import 12in, the catchy driving zinger’s been edited for 7in only here. What a pity.
PETER BROWN: ‘Dance With Me’ (TK TKR 0027) (BNDA debut 1/7/78)
Brilliant funky burbler, now on full 5:18-long 7in!
3 OUNCES OF LOVE: ‘Star Love’ (Motown TMG 1105)
Emotions-style exciting girlie group jogger from the Commodores’ stable.
DONNA SUMMER: ‘Back In Love Again’ (GTO GT 117)
Laid-back Supremes-style loper, on lavish 12in with (at last!) the edited ‘Try Me I Know We Can Make It’ and bubbly ‘Wasted’ as flip.
GRAHAM PARKER & THE RUMOUR: ‘Hey Lord Don’t Ask Me Questions’ (Vertigo PARK 002)
Terrific skipping rhythm builds into an incredibly catchy chorus chant.
ALAN PRICE: ‘Just For You’ (Jet UP 36358)
Gorgeous sophisticated smoocher, lightly rhythmic and ideal as classy MoR.
JIMMY BO HORNE: ‘Dance Across The Floor’ (TK TKR 6028)
Jittery brassy clapper, repetitive and simple, his strongest since ‘Gimme Some’.
KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND: ‘Boogie Shoes’ (TK TKR 6025)
Old US chart-topper, lesser UK hit, re-issued as it’s in “that” movie.
THE JACKSONS: ‘Music’s Takin’ Over’ (Epic EPC 6263) (BNDA debut 12/3/77)
Norman Whitfield-type funky clapper.
VILLAGE PEOPLE: ‘Macho Man’ / ‘In Hollywood’ (DJM DJS 10856) (BNDA debut 3/18/78)
‘San Francisco’-type pounding title to their forthcoming LP (which has better tracks), flipped for value by their last LP’s other disco hit.
DIAMONDS: ‘Sweet Lady’ (Virgin VS 208)
Alternative reggae jiggler with strong Marley/Lindsay appeal.
ELTON JOHN: ‘Ego’ (Rocket ROKN 538)
Jaggedly spurting rhythm racer, a bit stop-go, but good pop.
IAM GOMM: ‘Come On’ (Albion ION 1)
Subtle slinky Chuck Berry revamp, good for Ian Dury fans.
SPITBALLS: ‘Telstar’ (Berserkley BZZ 10)
Tornadoes classic revived true to its original spirit!
BEACH BOYS: ‘Little Deuce Coupe’ (Capitol CL 15969)
’63 classic with great new stereo dragster intro.
PLEASERS: ‘The Kids Are Alright’ (Arista ARIST 180)
Great hit-bound Beatles-type Who remake.
JOLT: ‘What’cha Gonna Do About It’ (Polydor 2059008)
Aggressively authentic ‘60s-style Small Faces remake.
DANNY WILD: ‘Mean Evil Daddy’ / ‘Old Bill Boogie’ (Raw 12)
Good UK rockabilly boppers.
EDDIE MONEY: Baby Hold On’ (CBS 6080)
Epitome of great American pop, lazy tempoed but packing an emotional punch in with the beat.
RONNIE SESSIONS: ‘I Like To Be With You’ (MCA 341)
Ray Stevens-ish ‘Misty’ type catchy MoR swayer.
MARTY MITCHELL: ‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life’ (MC 7001)
MC is Motown Country, and this is a happy country MoR treatment like a faster ‘Misty’.
SWEET SUBSTITUTE: ‘Top Hat White Tie And Tails’ / ‘Rockin’ In Rhythm’ (Decca F 13768)
‘30s classics given a gay vintage-sounding Boswell Sisters treatment.
REGGIE & THE ORCHIDS: ‘Take Five’ (Electric WOT 20)
Catchy little pop reggae instrumental, with panting chix and jaunty sax.
CULTURE: ‘Jah Pretty Face’ (Lightning LIG 515)
Currently hot reggae swayer, great old-fashioned slow flip.
I-ROY: ‘Fire Stick’ (Virgin Front Line FLS 101)
Pulsating rhythm-riding skank goodie.
GEORGE FAITH: ‘I’ve Got The Groove’ (Island WIP 6424)
Hypnotically throbbing slow reggae.
RUDDY THOMAS: ‘Loving Pauper’ (Lightning LIG 526)
Sweetly soulful slow Impressions-ish reggae jiggler.
JAH LLOYD THE BLACK LION: ‘This Ya Sound’ (Virgin Front Line FLS 103)
Freakily clanking dub with ‘‘I and I’’ toasting.
REVOLUTIONARIES: ‘Revolutionary Dub’ (Jama JA 0037)
Wild and woolly dub with jangling piano reverb.
Hot Vinyl
Graham Canter (Mayfair Gullivers) rightly raves about the sensational side-long gospel-disco medley of ROBERTA KELLY ‘Oh Happy Day’ / ‘To My Father’s House’ / ‘My Sweet Lord’ (US Casablanca LP cuts) (BNDA debut 4/8/78) and the punchy blend of old ska and modern disco on MAYTALS ‘Disco Reggae’ (State 12”). His other hotsies are:
JAMES BROWN: ‘Nature’ / ‘The Spank’ (US Polydor LP cuts)
SHOTGUN: ‘Good Bad And Funky’ (US ABC LP cut)
LINDA CLIFFORD: ‘Runaway Love’ / ‘If My Friends Could See Me Now’ / ‘You Are You Are’ (US Curtom LP cuts) (BNDA debut 3/25/78)
CHERYL BARNES: ‘Save And Spend’ (US Millennium 12”)
ALLEN TOUSSAINT: ‘Night People’ (US Warner Bros. LP cut)
SMOKEY ROBINSON: ‘Madame X’ / ‘Why Do You Wanna See My Bad Side’ (US Tamla LP cuts)
HEPTONES: ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling’ (Sensation Sounds 12”)
UK Disco Top 90 – April 8, 1978
01 01 Michael Zager Band – Let’s All Chant / Love Express – Private Stock 7″/12″
02 02 Eruption – I Can’t Stand The Rain – Atlantic 7″
03 03 Bob Marley & The Wailers – Is This Love – Island 7″
04 05 Manu Dibango – Big Blow – Decca 7″/French Fiesta 12″
05 04 Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive – RSO 7″/LP
06 06 Blondie – Denis (Denee) – Chrysalis 7″
07 14 Chic – Everybody Dance – Atlantic 7″/LP/US 12″
08 08 Donna Summer – Rumour Has It – Casablanca 7″
09 09 Stargard – Which Way Is Up – MCA 7″/LP/12″
10 07 Earth, Wind & Fire – Fantasy – CBS 7″
11 28 Hi-Tension – Hi-Tension – Island 12″
12 20 Cameo – It’s Serious – Casablanca 7″/12″/LP
13 15 Cerrone – Supernature – Atlantic 7″/LP
14 23 Ripple – The Beat Goes On And On – US Salsoul 12″
15 12 Sheila & B. Devotion – Singin’ In The Rain – Carrere 7″/12″
16 26 Ashford & Simpson – Don’t Cost You Nothin’ – Warner Bros. 7″/12″
17 19 Francine McGee – Delirium / Feelin’ Good – RCA 12″
18 13 Roy Ayers – Freaky Deaky – Polydor 7″/LP
19 16 Hot Chocolate – Every 1’s A Winner – Rak 7″
20 29 Gene Page – Close Encounters Of The Third Kind – Arista 7″/12″
21 21 Tavares – The Ghost Of Love / Bein’ With You – Capitol 7″/promo 12″
22 27 Real Thing – Whenever You Want My Love – Pye 7″
23 33 Charo – Dance A Little Bit Closer – Salsoul 7″/US 12″
24 10 Rose Royce – Wishing On A Star – Whitfield 7″
25 17 Raydio – Jack And Jill / Get Down – Arista 7″/LP
26 25 Jimmy Lindsay – Easy – Island/Black Swan 12″
27 53 O’Jays – I Love Music / Love Train – Philadelphia Int’l 12″
28 38 Nick Lowe – I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass – Radar 7″
29 30 Andrea True Connection – What’s Your Name, What’s Your Number – Buddah 7″/US 12″
30 22 Gene Farrow – Move Your Body – Magnet 12″
31 32 Earth, Wind & Fire – Magic Mind / Jupiter / Love’s Holiday – CBS LP
32 11 Darts – Come Back My Love – Magnet 7″
33 24 Free – All Right Now – Island EP
34 NE Voyage – From East To West / Point Zero / Orient Express – GTO LP
35 31 Kellee Patterson – If It Don’t Fit Don’t Force It – EMI Int’l 7″
36 RE Olympic Runners – Solar Heat – RCA LP
37 40 Peter Brown – Dance With Me – TK LP
38 46 Evelyn “Champagne” King – Shame – US RCA 12″
39 64 Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams – Emotions / Too Much, Too Little, Too Late – CBS 7″
40 69 Bee Gees – Night Fever – RSO 7″/LP/US 12″
41 18 ABBA – Take A Chance On Me – Epic 7″
42 NE Sun – Sun Is Here – US Capitol LP
43 NE Cleveland Eaton – Bama Boogie Woogie – US Ovation 12″
44 35 Joe Sample – There Are Many Stops Along The Way – US ABC LP
45 59 Diana Ross – Your Love Is So Good For Me – Motown LP/US promo 12″
46 44 Gil Scott-Heron – The Bottle / Hello Sunday! Hello Road! – Arista 12″
47 48 Steel Pulse – Ku Klux Klan – Island 7″/12″
48 56 Gerry Rafferty – Baker Street – UA 7″
49 NE Tina Charles – I’ll Go Where Your Music Takes Me – CBS 7″
50 34 Commodores – Brick House / I Feel Sanctified – Motown LP/promo 12″
51 RE Showaddywaddy – I Wonder Why – Arista 7″
52 NE Dexter Wansel – All Night Long / Solutions – US Philadelphia Int’l LP
53 42 George Benson – On Broadway – Warner Bros. 7″/12″/LP
54 41 Brass Construction – We – UA 7″
55 36 War – Galaxy – MCA 7″/12″
56 NE Roy Ayers – When Is Real Real / Sweet Tears – Polydor LP
57 43 Commodores – Too Hot Ta Trot / Zoom – Motown 7″/12″
58 NE Metropolis – I Love New York – US Salsoul 12″
59 60 Bar-Kays – Let’s Have Some Fun – Mercury 7″/LP
60 NE Regal Dewy – Love Music – RCA 7″
61 39 Lonnie Smith – Funk Reaction – TK 7″
62 68 Al Hudson – If You Feel Like Dancin’ – ABC 7″/12″
63 66 Kay-Gees – Kilowatt Invasion – US De-Lite LP
64 RE Ubiquity – Midnight After Dark / Starbooty – US Elektra LP
65 47 Mary Wells – My Guy – Motown 7″
66 45 Kate Bush – Wuthering Heights – EMI 7″
67 58 Brooklyn Dreams – Music, Harmony And Rhythm – RCA 7″/promo 12″
68 62 Bionic Boogie – Risky Changes – US Polydor 7″/12″/LP
69 RE Samantha Sang – Emotion – Private Stock 7″
70 63 Raffaella Carra – Do It, Do It Again – Epic 7″
71 57 Meco – Close Encounters – RCA 7″
72 NE Elvis Costello – I Don’t Want To Go To Chelsea – Radar 7″
73 37 Yellow Dog – Just One More Night – Virgin 7″
74 NE Suzi Quatro – If You Can’t Give Me Love – Rak 7″
75 RE Players Association – Disco Inferno / I Like It – Vanguard 7″/12″
76 RE Electric Light Orchestra – Mr. Blue Sky – Jet 7″
77 NE Billy Preston – Wide Stride – A&M 7″/US 12″
78 RE 5th Dimension – You Are The Reason – Motown 7″
79 NE Parliament – Flash Light – Casablanca 7″/LP/US 12″
80 65 Tee Cees – Disco Love Bite – DJM 7″/LP
81 RE Uncle Sam – Oh Pretty Woman – Ariola 7″
82 RE Sine – Just Let Me Do My Thing / Chimi – US Prelude LP
83 NE Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – Bad Luck – Philadelphia Int’l LP
84 NE Michele – Disco Dance – US West End 12″
85 54 Montana – A Dance Fantasy / Warp Factor II – US Atlantic 12″
86 49 Grover Washington Jr. – Sausalito – Kudu LP
87 51 Eastside Connection – You’re So Right For Me – Creole 7″/12″
88 55 Bionic Boogie – Dance Little Dreamer – Polydor 7″
89 NE Carl Perkins – Blue Suede Shoes – Charly 7″
90 NE Whirlwind – Hang Loose – Chiswick 7″
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (BNDA debut 1/14/78) / #2 (BNDA debut 2/4/78) / #5 (BNDA debut 1/7/78)
#7 (BNDA debut 12/3/77) / #8 (BNDA debut 11/12/77) / #9 (BNDA debut 1/7/78)
#12 (BNDA debut 2/18/78) / #13 (BNDA debut 11/26/77) / #14 (BNDA debut 1/28/78)
#15 (BNDA debut 2/11/78) / #16 (BNDA debut 1/28/78) / #23 (BNDA debut 11/19/77)
#29 (BNDA debut 11/12/77) / #34 (BNDA debut 2/11/78) / #37 (BNDA debut 1/7/78)
#38 (BNDA debut 10/1/77) / #40 (BNDA debut 1/7/78) / #45 (BNDA debut 10/15/77)
#50 (BNDA debut 4/16/77) / #54 (BNDA debut 12/3/77) / #55 (BNDA debut 1/14/78)
#58 (BNDA debut 4/1/78) / #67 (BNDA debut 4/8/78) / #68 (BNDA debut 12/17/77)
#71 (BNDA debut 1/28/78) / #84 (BNDA debut 11/5/77) / #85 (BNDA debut 2/18/78)
#87 (BNDA debut 11/12/77) / #88 (BNDA debut 12/17/77)
Songs mentioned in DJ Hotline:
SAMUEL JONATHAN: ‘You’ (US Columbia LP cut)
USA-EUROPEAN CONNECTION: ‘Come Into My Heart’ (US TK LP cut) (BNDA debut 2/11/78)
VILLAGE PEOPLE: ‘I’m Just A Gigolo’ (DJM LP cut)
CARL BEAN: ‘I Was Born This Way’ (US Motown 12”) (BNDA debut 1/28/78)
GARY CRISS: ‘Rio De Janeiro’ (US Salsoul 12”) (BNDA debut 3/25/78)
BOILING POINT: ‘Let’s Get Funktified’ (US Bullet 7”)
PLATINUM HOOK: ‘Gotta Find A Woman’ (US Motown LP cut)
BRAINSTORM: ‘Wake Up And Be Somebody’ (US RCA 12”)
JAMES T: ‘Beggin’’ (US Reid’s World 7”)
AMADEO: ‘Moving like A Superstar’ (Rampage 12”)
ELTON JOHN: ‘Ego’ (Rocket 7”)
T-CONNECTION: ‘Let Yourself Go’ (TK LP cut) (BNDA debut 4/22/78)
LIPSTIQUE: ‘Venus’ (Ensign 7”)
PLEASERS: ‘The Kids Are Alright’ (Arista 7”)
WATSON INSTITUTE: ‘Master Funk’ (DJM LP cut)
GEORGE DUKE: ‘Reach For It’ (Epic 7”)
EL COCO: ‘I’m Mad As Hell’ (Pye 12”) (BNDA debut 8/20/77)