Forget about Saturday Night Fever – it’s Bank Holiday Monday that gets funky fans feverish in the South-east at least! This Monday (May 1) sees three (if not more) major all-dayers within the general London area. In fact, since the proven success of the National Soul Festival in Purley just over a month ago, there have been so many promoters jumping on the all-dayer bandwagon that the bottom is likely to fall out of the market before too long . . . not before Chris Hill retires rich, though!
This Monday’s Purley Tiffanys do again star Chris Hill, Radio London’s Robble Vincent, Camberley Frenchies’ Chris Brown, Bognor Regis Dantes’ Sean French, Froggy’s (massive) roadshow and – live on stage – Hi-Tension. Easy to find on the Brighton Road a few miles south of Croydon, Tiffanys runs from 2 till 10:30pm.
Overlapping rather usefully, from 4pm to 2am, Camberley Frenchies has Robin Nash introducing Radio London’s Dave Simmons, Farnborough Gallaghers’ Johnnie Walker, Sutton Scamps’ Marc Damon, doubling-up Chris Brown, and PA visit from the Olympic Runners. Frenchies is an un-signposted part of the Cambridge Hotel, the first thing you see coming into Camberley from London on the A30.
Be warned, there is little point in turning up for either of the above if you don’t already have a ticket.
London Crackers, on the corner of Wardour and Oxford Streets, has a less well-published all-dayer from midday till midnight, with funky resident George Power, Chelmsford Dee Jays’ Bob Jones, and some more about whom (apologies) I’m not sure.
Meanwhile, the National Soul Festival promoters have also established a roving funk venue called Romans which features a rota of the Chrises Hill and Brown, Sean French and Owen Washington. Opening this Thursday (27) at Guildford’s Wooden Bridge, Romans’ other weekly gigs are Maidenhead’s Bell on Fridays, and Cockham’s Ferry on Sundays.
At a recent Harlow Tiffanys all-dayer, the ubiquitous Chris Hill instituted a fake “Olympics”, which could well be repeated at Purley. Teams in emblazoned tracksuits from such clubs as Dimloes and Candles literally competed in dry-land swimming, fake darts, high diving into the crowd and a three-legged moon race! Boobing became the obvious female equivalent of mooning, while funktry dancing (strike The Funky Willow, y’know?) and a new line dance called the Dimloes Shuffle went over big at Harlow. Not to mention the appalling “worst” John Travolta competition! All of which is a lot more fun than boring dancing, Saturday Night Fever-style. Some people do miss the point, don’t they?
Disco News
Tony “Shades” Valence is now joined by Roger St Pierre every Thursday for the first hour of his BBC Radio Medway soul show (8pm-midnight on 290m, MW/96.7 VHF), when they spin fifties/sixties classics in the ‘R&B Revival Hour’. Look out Radio Orwell, as the same format starts there next Saturday, too! . . . The new charity-aiding Omega Disco hopes to play for 52 hours non-stop over this weekend (28-30), to help the Silver Jubilee Appeal, at the NCB Halls in Sauchie, near Alloa, Scotland . . . Still ¡n Scotland, the Strathclyde DJ Assn has recently had a shake-up, with their new committee now comprising Mike McLean, Bob Bennett, John Gordon, Toni Capelko, Gary Muldoon, and Dougall DJ handling record company liaison.
New Spins
SOUNDTRACK: ‘Thank God It’s Friday’ LP (Casablanca TGIF 100) (BNDA debut 4/29/78)
Though not due for showing till August, the Casablanca/Motown disco movie’s music is out now as a double LP with an extra bonus single-sided 12in of Donna Summer doing an extraordinarily limp version of ‘Je T’Aime’. She has some other cynical schlurpers too, while there’s typical material from such as Santa Esmeralda, Love and Kisses, and Paul Jabara. The Commodores’ ‘Too Hot Ta Trot’ joins Cameo’s ‘Find My Way’ as the only known oldies, but star appeal is added by Diana Ross on an out-of-character fast zinger and Thelma Houston on a melodic fast flier. However, besides some not bad instrumental fillers, the best tracks are possibly Pattie Brooks’s ‘After Dark’, a strong steady rhythm tapper, and a madly happy fast instrumental Latin lilter by Marathon, ‘I Wanna Dance’. Many tracks segue almost continuously, while my US demo copy even gives the beats-per-minute (BPM) for each! All in all, fine for pop fans.
TAVARES: ‘More Than A Woman’ (Capitol CL 15977)
Yet more Bee Gees mania from that other movie, hitting already – and, actually, Tavares’ best in ages.
OLYMPIC RUNNERS WITH GEORGE CHANDLER: ‘Whatever It Takes’ / ‘Solar Heat’ (RCA PC 5078)
Slightly over-busy early on, the purpose-built fast funky 12in settles into an exciting groove, and is flipped for extra value by their current instrumental jazz-funk LP hit. Plus there’s a great cartoon sleeve for the disco in-crowd to enjoy!
EVELYN “CHAMPAGNE” KING: ‘Shame’ (RCA PB 1122) (BNDA debut 10/1/77)
Already huge on import (24 in the chart!), it’s a cool fast 12in clapper with a terrific jazzy instrumental break towards the end.
ISLEY BROTHERS: ‘Take Me To The Next Phase’ / ‘Livin’ The Life’ (Epic EPC 6292)
Powerful live heavy funk slowish bubbler, 5:10 on 12in or 3:20 on 7in, flipped in a masterstroke by their exciting fast clapper from last year – the same tempo as ‘Shame’!
J.R.T.: ‘Play It Again Sam’ (Electric LWOT 22)
Surprisingly good home-grown 12in disco medley of Sam Cooke classics, sung by Jimmy James amongst others, edited for 7in (WOT 22).
TINA CHARLES: ‘Fire Down Below’ (CBS 6272)
Ultra tuneful MoR hustler from ‘The Stud’.
T.C. JAMES & THE FIST ‘O’ FUNK ORCHESTRA: ‘Get Up On Your Feet (Keep On Dancing)’ (EMI 2779)
Subtle cool mid-tempo girlie group disco loper, edited from their US LP, has the Salsoul sound.
DARTS: ‘The Boy From New York City’ (Magnet MAG 116)
Darts do for the Ad-Libs as the Stones did for the Valentinos – fill out and slow up the original’s bounce.
XTC: ‘This Is Pop?’ (Virgin VS 209)
Really good chunky stamper, bit of a Roxy-type send-up!
SLY DUNBAR: ‘A Who Say’ / ‘Cocaine Cocaine’ (Front Line FLS 105)
Beautifully controlled reggae slinkers, worth checking, sniff sniff!
IN CROWD: ‘Back A Yard’ (Cactus CT 111)
Smoothly jaunty reggae lurcher, dub flip, rather good.
DENIECE WILLIAMS: ‘Season’ (CBS 6324)
Lovely lilting swayer with lots of soul in her singing.
B.T. EXPRESS: ‘Shout (Shout It Out)’ LP (EMI Int’l INS 3016)
Too late of course, but the fast leaping ‘Shake It Off’, catchily chanting title track and many others are still funky goodies worth trying.
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY: ‘Hit And Run’ (Salsoul SSOL 108) (BNDA debut 5/7/77)
Long awaited hit remix 12in soul chugger from last year, muddled in the vocal part but with good cookin’ rhythm section.
SHEILA B. DEVOTION: ‘Singin’ In The Rain’ LP (Carrere EMC 3236)
Mind-numbing collection of zingy Euro – er – stuff, all sounding just like the full 9:03 title track hit.
SEEBACH BAND: ‘Apache’ (EMI 2776)
Classic Shadows instrumental gets the Eurodisco treatment, a bit bland but OK.
RAMONES: ‘Do You Wanna Dance?’ (Sire 6078615)
Breakneck version of Bobby Freeman’s old rocker.
ERUPTION: ‘Let Me Take You Back In Time’ (RCA PE 5080)
Original line-up’s debut hustler from ‘75, on a maxi, still useful as an intro for oldies sets.
MR. BLOE: ‘Groovin’ With Mr. Bloe’ (Lightning Old Gold LIG 1002)
Chugging 1970 instrumental smash.
FRANK SINATRA: ‘Come Fly With Me’ / ‘Witchcraft’ (Capitol CL 15976)
Classic 1957 quicksteppers, but not his very best dancers of that vintage.
FRANKIE LYMON & THE TEENAGERS: ‘Why Do Fools Fall In Love’ (Pye 7N 25773)
Darts-type doo-wop classic from ‘56.
KRIS KRISTOFFERSON & RITA COOLIDGE: ‘I Fought The Law’ (A&M AMS 7352)
New pop version of Bobby Fuller Four’s ‘66 Crickets revival could just slot in after Blondie.
ROBERT PALMER: ‘Every Kinda People’ (Island WIP 6425)
Meandering slow swayer with grow-on-you appeal.
LINDA LEWIS: ‘Can’t We Just Sit Down And Talk It Over’ (Arista ARIST 170)
Dead, dead-slow smoocher, doing well for some.
DUNCAN MACKAY: ‘Sirius III’ (Pepper UP 36369)
Somewhat plodding synthesizer instrumental with fans up north.
CLIFFORD CURRY: ‘Movin’ In The Same Circles’ (Buddah BDS 465)
Lovely sophisticated sexy soul smoocher, out a while.
U-ROY: ‘Live At The Lyceum’ (Virgin VOLE 5)
Great 12in reggae maxi includes four hits done live in London.
U. BROWN: ‘Black Star Liner’ (Virgin VOLE 4)
Powerful ethnic reggae 12in.
TWINKLE BROTHERS: ‘Free Africa’ (Front Line FLS 104)
Jolly little reggae groover.
Mix Master
Steve Wiggins of Sounds Unlimited (Barry 735562) reflects South Wales’s bad case of Saturday Night Fever by mixing Bee Gees ‘Night Fever’ and ‘You Should Be Dancing’ (RSO) into Trammps ‘Disco Inferno’ (Atlantic 12”), Walter Murphy ‘Fifth Of Beethoven’ (Private Stock), Chic ‘Everybody Dance’ (Atlantic LP), mixing from rhythm break into Charo ‘Dance A Little Bit Closer’ (Salsoul) into Yvonne Elliman ‘If I Can’t Have You’ (RSO) and Bee Gees ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ (RSO). Get out on the floor, and do it some more!
Hot Vinyl
Bob Jones (Chelmsford Dee Jay’s on Mon/Fri for funk, Thurs for MoR soul) import tips:
PHILADELPHIA BRITE: ‘Never Leave Me’ (US Spector 12”)
WALTER BISHOP JR: ‘Soul Turnaround’ / ‘Philadelphia Bright’ / ‘Coral Keys’ (US Muse LP)
JOHN GIBBS STEEL ORCHESTRA: ‘Trinidad’ (US Jumbo Caribbean 12”)
JOHNNIE TAYLOR: ‘Keep On Dancing’ (US Columbia 12”)
MARK COLBY: ‘On And On’ / ‘Renegade’ (US Tappan Zee/Columbia LP)
LONNIE LISTON SMITH: ‘Sunburst’ / ‘Bright Moments’ / ‘Explorations’ (US Columbia LP)
DUNN PEARSON JR: ‘Groove On Down’ (US Shyrlden 12”)
O’JAYS: ‘Use Ta Be My Girl’ (US Philadelphia Int’l 7”)
KENNY DELT & PRANA: ‘Conquer All’ (US Mercury 7”) (BNDA debut 5/27/78)
PAULETTE REAVES: ‘Jazz Freak’ (US Blue Candle 7”)
R.B. HUDMON: ‘Cause You’re Mine Now’ (US Cotillion 7”)
Plus most of the currently charted imports.
UK Disco Top 90 – April 29, 1978
01 03 Bee Gees – Night Fever – RSO 7″/LP
02 01 Michael Zager Band – Let’s All Chant / Love Express – Private Stock 7″/12″
03 04 Hi-Tension – Hi-Tension – Island 7″/12″
04 02 Eruption – I Can’t Stand The Rain – Atlantic 7″/LP
05 07 Chic – Everybody Dance – Atlantic 7″/LP/US 12″
06 13 Sheila & B. Devotion – Singin’ In The Rain – Carrere 7″/12″
07 11 Ripple – The Beat Goes On And On – Salsoul 7/12″
08 10 Charo – Dance A Little Bit Closer – Salsoul 7″/LP/promo 12″
09 12 Ashford & Simpson – Don’t Cost You Nothin’ – Warner Bros. 7″/12″
10 14 Francine McGee – Delirium / Feelin’ Good – RCA 12″
11 08 Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive – RSO 7″/LP
12 05 Blondie – Denis (Denee) – Chrysalis 7″
13 06 Bob Marley & The Wailers – Is This Love – Island 7″
14 15 Raydio – Jack And Jill / Get Down – Arista 7″/LP
15 16 Stargard – Which Way Is Up / Love Is So Easy – MCA 12″
16 09 Manu Dibango – Big Blow – Decca 7″/French Fiesta 12″
17 32 Dee D. Jackson – Automatic Lover – Mercury 7″
18 18 Voyage – Voyage (all cuts) – GTO LP
19 17 Cameo – It’s Serious – Casablanca 7″/12″/LP
20 22 Peter Brown – Dance With Me – TK 7″
21 42 Donna Summer – Back In Love Again / Try Me I Know We Can Make It – GTO 12″
22 34 Steel Pulse – Ku Klux Klan – Island 7″/12″
23 21 O’Jays – I Love Music / Love Train – Philadelphia Int’l 12″
24 29 Evelyn “Champagne” King – Shame – RCA 12″
25 19 Gene Page – Close Encounters Of The Third Kind – Arista 7″/12″
26 28 Regal Dewy – Love Music – RCA 7″
27 38 Bee Gees – More Than A Woman / You Should Be Dancing – RSO LP
28 31 Metropolis – I Love New York – Salsoul 7/US 12″
29 27 War – Galaxy / Hey Senorita – MCA 12″
30 35 Samuel Jonathan – You – US Columbia LP
31 36 Showaddywaddy – I Wonder Why – Arista 7″
32 25 Hot Chocolate – Every 1’s A Winner – Rak 7″
33 71 Reggie & The Orchies – Take Five – Electric 7″
34 55 Andrew Gold – Never Let Her Slip Away – Asylum 7″
35 30 Cleveland Eaton – Bama Boogie Woogie – US Ovation 12″
36 73 Parliament – Flash Light – Casablanca 7″/LP/US 12″
37 20 Earth, Wind & Fire – Fantasy – CBS 7″
38 46 Olympic Runners – Solar Heat – RCA LP
39 62 Raffaella Carra – Do It, Do It Again / A Far L’Amore Comincia Tu – Epic 7″
40 39 Sun – Sun Is Here / Dance – Capitol/Tower LP
41 48 Linda Clifford – Runaway Love / Gypsy Lady / If My Friends Could See Me Now – US Curtom LP
42 44 Joe Sample – There Are Many Stops Along The Way – ABC LP
43 47 Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams – Too Much, Too Little, Too Late / Emotions – CBS 7″
44 33 Tavares – The Ghost Of Love / Bein’ With You – Capitol 7″/promo 12″
45 23 Cerrone – Supernature / Give Me Love – Atlantic 7″/LP
46 51 Village People – Macho Man – DJM 7″
47 78 KC & The Sunshine Band – Boogie Shoes – TK 7″
48 24 Donna Summer – Rumour Has It – Casablanca 7″
49 NE Squeeze – Take Me I’m Yours – A&M 7″
50 58 Boiling Point – Let’s Get Funktified – US Bullet 7″/12″
51 50 Suzi Quatro – If You Can’t Give Me Love – Rak 7″
52 NE Wings – With A Little Luck – Parlophone 7″
53 63 Lipstique – Venus – Ensign 7″
54 41 Gene Farrow – Move Your Body – Magnet 12″
55 59 Gary Criss – Rio De Janeiro – US Salsoul 12″
56 49 Sine – Just Let Me Do My Thing / Chimi – US Prelude LP
57 57 Amadeo – Moving Like A Superstar – Rampage 12″
58 72 Bunny Sigler – Let Me Party With You – Salsoul 12″
59 76 Players Association – Disco Inferno / I Like It – Vanguard 7″/12″
60 53 Billy Preston – Wide Stride – A&M 7″/US 12″
61 NE Boney M. – Rivers Of Babylon – Atlantic 7″
62 77 Elton John – Ego – Rocket 7″
63 RE Richard Myhill – It Takes Two To Tango – Mercury 7″
64 66 Diana Ross – Your Love Is So Good For Me – Motown 7″/LP/US promo 12″
65 54 Commodores – Brick House / Zoom (live) – Motown LP/promo 12″
66 37 Andrea True Connection – What’s Your Name, What’s Your Number – Buddah 7″/US 12″
67 52 Jimmy Lindsay – Easy – Island/Black Swan 12″
68 NE John Paul Young – Love Is In The Air – Ariola 7″
69 RE Earth, Wind & Fire – Jupiter – CBS 7″/LP
70 NE Jimmy Bo Horne – Dance Across The Floor – TK 7″
71 NE Andy Gibb – Shadow Dancing – RSO 7″
72 67 Dexter Wansel – All Night Long – US Philadelphia Int’l 7″/LP
73 61 Eastside Connection – You’re So Right For Me – Creole 7″/12″
74 70 Uncle Sam – Oh Pretty Woman – Ariola 7″
75 82 Bob Marley – Satisfy My Soul – Island LP
76 NE Deodato – Whistle Bump – US Warner Bros. LP
77 NE Heatwave – Put The Word Out / Mind Blowing Decisions – GTO LP
78 NE James Brown – Nature / Eyesight – US Polydor LP
79 NE Manhattan Transfer – Walk In Love – Atlantic 7″
80 RE Rose Royce – It Makes You Feel Like Dancin’ – Whitfield 7″/12″
81 NE Tower Of Power – Lovin’ You Is Gonna See Me Thru – US Columbia 7″/LP
82 NE Platinum Hook – Standing On The Verge – US Motown LP
83 83 Harvey Mason – What’s Goin’ On – US Arista LP
84 NE Saturday Night Band – Come On Dance Dance – US Prelude LP
85 85 Cheryl Barnes – Save And Spend – US Millennium 7″/12″
86 87 Salsoul Orchestra – West Side Story – US Salsoul 12″
87 RE Bar-Kays – Let’s Have Some Fun – Mercury 7″/LP
88 84 Tavares – More Than A Woman – Capitol 7″/RSO LP
89 NE Alec R. Costandinos – Romeo & Juliet – Lightning 7″/LP
90 75 Pleasers – The Kids Are Alright – Arista 7″
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (BNDA debut 1/7/78) / #2 (BNDA debut 1/14/78) / #4 (BNDA debut 2/4/78)
#5 (BNDA debut 12/3/77) / #6 (BNDA debut 2/11/78) / #7 (BNDA debut 1/28/78)
#8 (BNDA debut 11/19/77) / #9 (BNDA debut 1/28/78) / #11 (BNDA debut 1/7/78)
#15 (BNDA debut 1/7/78) / #18 (BNDA debut 2/11/78) / #19 (BNDA debut 2/18/78)
#20 (BNDA debut 1/7/78) / #24 (BNDA debut 10/1/77) / #27 (BNDA debut 8/28/76)
#28 (BNDA debut 4/1/78) / #29 (BNDA debut 1/14/78) / #41 (BNDA debut 3/25/78)
#45 (BNDA debut 11/26/77) / #46 (BNDA debut 3/18/78) / #48 (BNDA debut 11/12/77)
#55 (BNDA debut 3/25/78) / #58 (BNDA debut 1/14/78) / #64 (BNDA debut 10/15/77)
#65 (BNDA debut 4/16/77) / #66 (BNDA debut 11/12/77) / #73 (BNDA debut 11/12/77)
#76 (BNDA debut 5/27/78) / #80 (BNDA debut 9/24/77) / #84 (BNDA debut 4/15/78)
#86 (BNDA debut 3/18/78) / #89 (BNDA debut 2/4/78)
Songs mentioned in DJ Hotline:
DUNCAN MACKAY: ‘Sirius III’ (Pepper 7”)
GRAHAM PARKER & THE RUMOUR: ‘Hey Lord Don’t Ask Me Questions’ (Vertigo 7”)
3 OUNCES OF LOVE: ‘Star Love’ (Motown 7”)
FLOATERS: ‘Magic’ / ‘I Just Want To Be With You’ (ABC 12”)
ERUPTION: ‘Movin’’ (Atlantic LP)
DANIEL STONE: ‘The Point’ (US Finest 12”)
SARR BAND: ‘Double Action’ (Calendar 7”)
ORS: ‘Moon Boots’ (Salsoul 7”) (BNDA debut 11/19/77)
MARSIUS: ‘Suite For Lovers’ (Calendar 7”)
BABA & ROODY: ‘Hacka-Tacka Music’ (CBS 7”)
LINDA LEWIS: ‘Can’t We Just Sit Down’ (Arista 7”)
MAGGIE BELL: ‘Hazell’ (Swan Song 7”)
GLADIATORS: ‘Stick A Bush’ (Front Line 7”)
EL COCO: ‘I’m Mad As Hell’ (Pye 12”) (BNDA debut 8/20/77)
ANTHONY WHITE: ‘I Can’t Turn You Loose’ / ‘Block Party’ (Salsoul 7”) (BNDA debut 9/24/77)
ERIC CLAPTON: ‘Wonderful Tonight’ (RSO 7”)
RARE GEMS ODYSSEY: ‘What Is Funk’ (US Casablanca 7”)
TUXEDO JUNCTION: ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’ (US Butterfly LP) (BNDA debut 1/21/78)
LIPSTIQUE: ‘At The Discotheque’ (Ensign LP) (BNDA debut 4/15/78)
TRAMMPS: ‘Disco Inferno’ (Atlantic 12”) (BNDA debut 1/15/77)
BURUNDI STEPHENSON BLACK: ‘Burundi Black’ (Barclay 12”)
BIDDU ORCHESTRA: ‘Blacker The Berry’ (Epic 7”)
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