Disco News
Thames Valley DJ Assn members meet Phonogram’s John Weller and learn about disco administration on Sunday (25) at noon in Abingdon’s Railway Inn, Old Station Yard . . . CBS Disco Department’s new contact lady for DJ’s is lovely Loraine Trent, at 73 Newman Street, London W1 (01-580 8667), which will soon be Greg Lynn’s office too . . . Chrysalis northern area’s Ken Grunbaum needs more North-West DJ’s as they plan much more sustainable product: catch Ken at 74 Moss Lane, Bramhall, Cheshire (061-439 2134) . . . RCA’s Sally Ormsby has started a serious search for the best looking DJ – the winner will find out what the prize is! – so send photos and measurements to Sal at RCA House, 50 Curzon Street, London W1X 8EU . . . Colin Wheeler of 7 Robert Street, North Woolwich, London E16 2LZ (01-476 2794), compiles a weekly DJ Top 40 chart based on requests sent in from a panel of 37 other DJ’s, who then receive the completed chart to display at gigs: if you’d like to join in, let him know . . . Donald Murray, Glasgow winner of the last Tea Council DJ Search heat, had such strong competition from runners-up Forbes Robertson and Jay Jay Sawers that BBC Radio Scotland has awarded not only them, but all six competitors studio time to make audition tapes, useable anywhere . . . Hull University’s Phil Mitchell runs a thoroughly good University Soul Club with a newsletter, record offers, reviews and trips to soul shows in far-flung places like Manchester, so if you’ve passed your exams you could do worse than get a place at Hull!
New Spins
SUGAR: ‘Manhattan Fever’ (Power Exchange PX 275)
Deceptively simple purpose-built fast polyrhythmic funky pounder with lots of potential, should be big.
UBIQUITY: ‘Midnight After Dark’ / ‘Starbooty’ (Elektra K 12305)
Rose Royce-type choppy funky burbler on remixed 6:08 12in or 3:40 7in, already bigger than the trickier official 3:09 A-side.
LIMMIE: ‘Saturday Night’s The Night’ (Psycho P 2004)
Terrific unexpectedly sophisticated smooth bouncy rhythm ticker with an almost Friends Of Distinction vocal finesse – truly a surprise worth finding.
MICHAEL ZAGER & THE MOON BAND FEAT. PEABO BRYSON: ‘Do It With Feeling’ (Bang 007)
Great whomper stomper from early ’76, slightly remixed.
BONEY M: ‘Baby Do You Wanna Bump’ (Creole CR 12119)
Still good, the 1975 Frank Farian-produced ‘Al Capone’-type bumper’s now on 12in for extra impact.
SINE: ‘Happy Is The Only Way’ LP (CBS 82870)
Full 6:52 ‘Just Let Me Do My Thing’, and its wheezing synthesizer sound dominates the similarly cool 7:49 title track and 6:13 ‘Chimi’. Incidentally, this and other CBS disco LP’s only cost £2.99 until August 31st!
DETROIT EMERALDS: ‘Turn On Lady’ (Atlantic K 11153) (BNDA debut 3/25/78)
Ultra-fast flying pounder zaps along a bit blandly but could work well with other zingers.
JOHNNIE TAYLOR: ‘Ever Ready’ LP (CBS 82776)
As well as ‘Keep On Dancing’, the easily rolling 3:54 ‘Hey Mister Melody Maker’ churner has fans too.
SILVER CONVENTION: ‘Spend The Night With Me’ (Magnet MAG 122) (BNDA debut 5/20/78)
Attractive jaunty chugging mid-tempo Euro zinger.
GILLA: ‘Bend Me Shape Me’ (Ariola Hansa AHA 513)
American Breed/Amen Corner stomper gets the female Euro-pounding treatment.
GRAHAM BONNET: ‘Warm Ride’ (Ring-O POSP 002)
Bee Gees jogger, closer to them in sound than Rare Earth’s version, now reissued and remixed for longer 12in.
D.C. LARUE: ‘Do You Want The Real Thing’ / ‘You Can Always Tell A Lady’ (Pye 7N 25783)
Slinky slow grinder from ‘Thank God It’s Friday’ sneaks up on ya, thanks to a sexy bass line. Good fast zingy flip.
GLORIA GAYNOR: ‘This Love Affair’ (Polydor 2066923)
Quite sophisticated jiggling swayer with a chunky beat and pretty tune.
TEDDY PENDERGRASS: ‘Close The Door’ / ‘Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose’ (Philadelphia Int’l PIR 6417)
Super sexy sultry sophisticated soul smoocher, fast funky flip.
BARRY BIGGS: ‘Give Me A Call’ (Dynamic DYN 143)
Pleasant pop-reggae swayer with a catchy phone number bit.
PAULINE & THE BROWN SUGAR: ‘I Am So Proud’ (Studio 16 WE 706)
Gentle girlie group reggae 12in swayer eventually ends up as a dub. It’s a subtle goodie, and keeps reminding me of the Shirelles!
T.T. ROSS: ‘Imagine’ (Lover’s Rock LR 02)
This Miss Ross has Diana’s vocal tone for a lovely reggaefication of John Lennon’s old slowie, worth checking.
DENNIS BROWN: ‘Equal Rights’ (Lightning LIG 527)
Unusual reggae backbeater, very interesting, plus a great dub flip.
THE KRAUTS: ‘Holiday In Germany’ / ‘March Of The Crazy Krauts’ (RCA PB 5540)
Lunatic oompah-oompah holiday fun, great MoR!
CAN: ‘Can-Can’ (Lightning LIG 545)
Knees-up classic gets muddled by electronically rocking ravers.
STAINLESS STEAL: ‘Can-Can’ (EMI 2815)
Nearer the proper sound, but still discotized – why can’t someone do it straight?
NEIL INNES: ‘Protest Song’ (Warner Bros. K 17182)
Hilarious slow send-up of Bob Dylan, could be timely!
JOE WALSH: ‘Life’s Been Good’ (Asylum K 13129)
Dynamite slow chunky rock roller, destined to be a classic, even better in its full 8:04 LP version on ‘But Seriously Folks’ (K 53081).
BOB SEGER: ‘Still The Same’ (Capitol CL 15990)
Haunting soft-rock loper with catchily building momentum, much plugged on radio.
JACKSON BROWNE: ‘Stay’ (Asylum K 13128)
Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs sanitized for AOR . . . and soft-rock gigs.
CITY BOY: ‘5.7.0.5.’ (Vertigo 6059207)
US dialing tones and sharp Queen-type harmonies lurch into a powerful pop chugger.
Mix Master
Baby Bob (Robert Young to the taxman), resident Wed/Sat at Leicester’s newly decorated ultra-modern Palais De Dance gets one hell of a good boogie session by mixing Detroit Emeralds ‘Turn On Lady’ (Atlantic), Ubiquity ‘Starbooty’ (Elektra), Eumir Deodato ‘Whistle Bump’ (Warner Bros.), El Coco ‘Under Construction’ (Pye), Gary Criss ‘Rio De Janeiro’ (US Salsoul 12in), Rolling Stones ‘Miss You’ (EMI 12in). Who’s a booful baby, then?
DJ Top 10
South Africa may be a long way away, but someone in Johannesburg has kindly sent me a page from last week’s Family Radio & TV magazine, contained the up-to-date South African Disco Top 10. Alongside it there are other charts and articles, which show, surprisingly, that the Village People’s ‘Just A Gigolo’ is currently the biggest thing on South African radio. Pretty broad-minded, huh? I suppose they know it’s a racially mixed group of gays . . .
- BONEY M: ‘Rivers Of Babylon’ (Atlantic 7”)
- GENE FARROW: ‘Move Your Body’ (Magnet 7”)
- VILLAGE PEOPLE: ‘Macho Man’ (DJM 7”)
- TRAMMPS: ‘Disco Inferno’ (Atlantic 7”)
- VOYAGE: ‘Scots Machine’ (GTO 7”)
- LUISA FERNANDEZ: ‘Lay Love On You’ (Warner Bros. 7”)
- VILLAGE PEOPLE: ‘Just A Gigolo’ (DJM LP)
- BEE GEES: ‘Stayin’ Alive’ (RSO 7”)
- TUXEDO JUNCTION: ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’ (US Butterfly 7”)
(#10 was missing for some reason)
UK Disco Top 90 – June 24, 1978
01 01 Hi-Tension – Hi-Tension – Island 7″/12″
02 02 Bee Gees – Night Fever – RSO 7″/LP/12″ promo
03 03 Boney M. – Rivers Of Babylon – Atlantic 7″/12″
04 08 A Taste Of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie – Capitol 7″/LP
05 06 Evelyn “Champagne” King – Shame – RCA 7″/12″
06 05 Boiling Point – Let’s Get Funktified – Bang 7″/12″
07 04 Michael Zager Band – Let’s All Chant / Love Express – Private Stock 7″/12″
08 07 Yvonne Elliman – If I Can’t Have You – RSO 7″/LP/12″ promo
09 12 Rick James – You And I / Sexy Lady – Motown 7″/US Gordy 12″
10 15 Real Thing – Let’s Go Disco – Pye 7″
11 11 Voyage – Voyage (all cuts) – GTO LP
12 13 Rose Royce – It Makes You Feel Like Dancin’ – Whitfield 7″/12″
13 09 Tavares – More Than A Woman – Capitol 7″/RSO LP
14 23 John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – You’re The One That I Want – RSO 7″
15 17 Linda Clifford – Runaway Love / Gypsy Lady / If My Friends Could See Me Now – Curtom 7″/LP
16 29 Sine – Just Let Me Do My Thing – CBS 7″/12″/LP
17 14 Trammps – Disco Inferno – Atlantic 7″/12″/RSO LP
18 10 Olympic Runners – Whatever It Takes / Solar Heat – RCA 7″/12″
19 18 Bee Gees – More Than A Woman – RSO LP/12″ promo
20 19 Saturday Night Band – Come On Dance Dance – CBS 7″/US Prelude LP
21 36 Heatwave – Mind Blowing Decisions – GTO 7″/LP
22 28 O’Jays – Use Ta Be My Girl – Philadelphia Int’l 7″
23 30 Idris Muhammad – Boogie To The Top – Kudu 7″/LP/US 12″
24 16 Isley Brothers – Take To Me The Next Phase / Livin’ The Life – Epic 7″/12″
25 22 Metropolis – I Love New York – Salsoul 7″/US 12″
26 24 Sun – Sun Is Here / Dance – Capitol/Tower LP
27 33 James Brown – Eyesight – Polydor 7″/LP
28 21 Chic – Everybody Dance – Atlantic 7″/LP/US 12″
29 26 John Paul Young – Love Is In The Air – Ariola 7″
30 20 Darts – The Boy From New York City – Magnet 7″
31 41 Eddie Kendricks – Ain’t No Smoke Without Fire – Arista 7″/12″
32 71 J.A.L.N. Band – Get Up (& Let Yourself Go) – Magnet 7″/12″
33 45 Bob Marley & The Wailers – Satisfy My Soul – Island 7″/LP
34 27 Ripple – The Beat Goes On And On – Salsoul 7″/12″
35 35 Dexter Wansel – All Night Long / Disco Lights / Solutions – Philadelphia Int’l 7″/12″/LP
36 68 Donna Summer – Last Dance / With Your Love – Casablanca 7″/LP
37 60 T-Connection – Let Yourself Go – TK 7″/12″
38 44 Commodores – Flying High – Motown 7″/12″/LP
39 25 Maytals – Disco Reggae / Dub A Little Reggae – State 7″/12″/LP
40 48 Raydio – Jack And Jill / Get Down – Arista 7″/LP
41 38 Deodato – Whistle Bump – Warner Bros. 7″/US 12″
42 42 Samuel Jonathan – You / Just Us – US Columbia LP
43 43 Norman Connors – Stella / Captain Connors – US Arista LP
44 54 Double Exposure – Ten Percent – US Salsoul 12″
45 40 Love & Kisses – Thank God It’s Friday – Casablanca 7″/12″/LP
46 73 Marshall Hain – Dancing In The City – Harvest 7″
47 39 Tower Of Power – Lovin’ You Is Gonna See Me Thru – CBS 7″
48 52 Brass Construction – Celebrate – UA 7″
49 57 Demis Roussos – L.O.V.E. Got A Hold Of Me – Mercury 12″ promo
50 84 Rokotto – Funk Theory – State 7″/12″
51 46 Players Association – Disco Inferno / I Like It – Vanguard 7″/12″/LP
52 50 Peter Brown – Dance With Me – TK 7″/12″
53 37 Stanley Clarke – More Hot Fun – Epic 7″
54 87 Bionic Boogie – Risky Changes – Polydor 7″/LP/US 12″
55 56 Eddie Russ – Tea Leaves / Take A Look At Yourself – US Monument LP
56 51 Various Artists – Thank God It’s Friday (all cuts except TGIF & Last Dance) – Casablanca LP
57 31 Francine McGee – Delirium / Feelin’ Good – RCA 7″/12″
58 63 John Gibbs & US Steel Orchestra – Trinidad – US Jumbo Caribbean 12″
59 NE Rolling Stones – Miss You – EMI 7″/12″
60 32 KC & The Sunshine Band – Boogie Shoes – TK 7″/RSO LP
61 34 Cameo – It’s Serious – Casablanca 7″/12″/LP
62 75 Ubiquity – Midnight After Dark / Starbooty – Elektra 7″/US 12″
63 49 Cleveland Eaton – Bama Boogie Woogie – US Ovation 12″
64 47 Mastermind – Hustle Bus Stop – CBS 7″
65 67 Raydio – Is This A Love Thing / Honey I’m Rich – Arista LP
66 NE Loleatta Holloway – Hit And Run – Salsoul 12″
67 RE Alec R. Costandinos – Romeo & Juliet – Lightning 7″/LP
68 RE J.R.T. – Play It Again Sam – Electric 7″/12″
69 70 Raffaella Carra – Do It, Do It Again – Epic 7″
70 79 Plastic Bertrand – Ca Plane Pour Moi – Sire 7″
71 72 Earth, Wind & Fire – Jupiter – CBS 7″/LP
72 64 Rare Gems Odyssey – What Is Funk – Casablanca 7″/US LP
73 55 Parliament – Flash Light – Casablanca 7″/US 12″
74 86 Fatback – I’m Fired Up / Get Out On The Dance Floor / The Snake – US Spring LP
75 62 Prince – Just As Long As We’re Together – US Warner Bros. LP
76 76 Kay-Gees – Kilowatt / Kilowatt Invasion – US De-Lite 7″/LP
77 74 Spyro Gyra – Shaker Song – US Amherst 7″/LP
78 61 Kenny Delt & Prana – Conquer All – US Mercury 12″
79 80 Rinder & Lewis – Lust / Envy / Pride – Pye 7″/LP
80 53 Johnnie Taylor – Keep On Dancing – CBS 7″
81 58 Joe Sample – There Are Many Stops Along The Way – ABC LP
82 81 Gary Criss – Rio De Janeiro – US Salsoul 12″
83 NE Hamilton Bohannon – Let’s Start The Dance – US Mercury LP
84 RE Harvey Mason – What’s Going On / Till You Take My Love – Arista 7″/12″
85 RE Platinum Hook – Standing On The Verge – Motown LP
86 NE Blackwell – Put The Funk Back – US Butterfly LP
87 77 Andy Gibb – Shadow Dancing – RSO 7″
88 NE Charles Earland – Let The Music Play – US Mercury LP
89 NE Commodores – Three Times A Lady – Motown LP
90 NE USA-European Connection – Come Into My Heart – CBS 7″/LP
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#2 (BNDA debut 1/7/78) / #4 (BNDA debut 5/27/78) / #5 (BNDA debut 10/1/77)
#7 (BNDA debut 1/14/78) / #9 (BNDA debut 5/13/78) / #11 (BNDA debut 2/11/78)
#12 (BNDA debut 9/24/77) / #15 (BNDA debut 3/25/78) / #17 (BNDA debut 1/15/77)
#19 (BNDA debut 1/7/78) / #20 (BNDA debut 4/15/78) / #23 (BNDA debut 5/6/78)
#25 (BNDA debut 4/1/78) / #28 (BNDA debut 12/3/77) / #31 (BNDA debut 2/25/78)
#34 (BNDA debut 1/28/78) / #36 (BNDA debut 4/29/78) / #37 (BNDA debut 4/22/78)
#41 (BNDA debut 5/27/78) / #45 (BNDA debut 4/29/78) / #48 (BNDA debut 12/3/77)
#49 (BNDA debut 7/1/78) / #52 (BNDA debut 1/7/78) / #54 (BNDA debut 12/17/77)
#56 (BNDA debut 4/29/78) / #59 (BNDA debut 6/17/78) / #61 (BNDA debut 2/18/78)
#66 (BNDA debut 5/7/77) / #67 (BNDA debut 2/4/78) / #79 (BNDA debut 4/8/78)
#82 (BNDA debut 3/25/78) / #83 (BNDA debut 7/22/78) / #86 (BNDA debut 6/10/78)
#90 (BNDA debut 2/11/78)
Bubbling Under the Top 90 (Domestic):
VILLAGE PEOPLE: ‘Macho Man’ (DJM 7”) (BNDA debut 3/18/78)
ROBERTA KELLY: ‘Oh Happy Day’ / ‘To My Father’s House’ / ‘My Sweet Lord’ (Oasis LP) (BNDA debut 4/8/78)
RAUL DE SOUZA: ‘Daisy Mae’ (Tower LP)
SMOKIE: ‘Oh Carol’ (Rak 7”)
IAN DURY: ‘What A Waste’ (Stiff 7”)
CANDI STATON: ‘Honest I Do Love You’ (Warner Bros. 7”)
LUISA FERNANDEZ: ‘Lay Love On You’ (Warner Bros. 7”)
BOBBI HUMPHREY: ‘Sunset Burgundy’ (Epic 7”)
MICHAEL ZAGER BAND: ‘Do It With Feeling’ (Private Stock LP)
MOTORS: ‘Airport’ (Virgin 12”)
GIORGIO & CHRIS: ‘Love’s In You (Love’s In Me)’ (Oasis 7”)
RARE EARTH: ‘Warm Ride’ (Prodigal 12” promo)
LINDA LEWIS: ‘It’s Good’ (Arista 12”)
SIDE EFFECT: ‘Keep That Same Old Feeling’ / ‘It’s All In Your Mind’ (Fantasy 7”)
S.S.O.: ‘Disco Soul Roots’ (Polydor 7”)
TRADE MARK: ‘Days Of Pearly Spencer’ (RSO 7”)
ASHANTIS: ‘Disco Play’ (Calendar 7”)
KONGAS: ‘Gimme Some Lovin’’ (Polydor LP) (BNDA debut 1/14/78)
TEDDY PENDERGRASS: ‘Close The Door’ (Philadelphia Int’l 7”)
CELI BEE & THE BUZZY BUNCH: ‘Hold Your Horses, Babe’ (TK 12”)
Bubbling Under the Top 90 (Imports):
LEE RITENOUR: ‘Sugarloaf Express’ (US Elektra LP)
JACK ASHFORD: ‘Hotel Sheet’ (US Magic Disc LP)
MASS PRODUCTION: ‘Just Want To Make A Dream Come True’ (US Cotillion LP)
UNIVERSAL ROBOT BAND: ‘Freak With Me’ (US Red Greg 12”)
FAZE-O: ‘Riding High’ (US She LP)
WAYNE HENDERSON: ‘Hot Stuff’ (US Polydor LP)
DON RAY: ‘Got To Have Loving’ / ‘Standing In The Rain’ (US Malligator LP) (BNDA debut 4/22/78)
CONSTELLATION ORCHESTRA: ‘Perfect Love Affair’ (US Prelude LP) (BNDA debut 7/1/78)
CAROL DOUGLAS: ‘Night Fever’ (US Midsong 12”) (BNDA debut 3/11/78)
WHISPERS: ‘Headlights’ (US Solar LP)
BOMBERS: ‘Dance Dance Dance’ / ‘Super Max’ / ‘The Mexican’ (US West End LP)
SPECIAL DELIVERY: ‘Get Up And Express Yourself’ (US Shield LP)
WRITERS: ‘Hey Babe’ / ‘La La La’ (US Columbia LP)
QUINCY JONES: ‘Stuff Like That’ (A&M 7”)
MARC COLBY: ‘On And On’ (US Columbia LP)
TYRONE DAVIS: ‘Get On Up’ (US Columbia 7”)
SHORTNIN’: ‘Spread It On’ (US Shadybrook 7”)
HUES CORPORATION: ‘Get Up Off Your Backside’ (US Warner Bros. LP)
JIMMY MCGRIFF: ‘Tailgunner’ (US TK 12”)
WHAM: ‘Superslick’ (US GRT 7”) (BNDA debut 5/13/78)
James Hamilton's Disco Page 