July 29, 1978: Brothers Johnson, Foxy, Cissy Houston, Nigel Martinez, Michael Zager

Disco News

This Sunday (30) Greg James of London’s US-style Embassy Club teaches American mixing to the South-Eastern Disco Assn at the Robin Hood pub in Tunbridge Wells. Prospective members are welcome at this lunchtime meeting. Meanwhile, without any ballyhoo, Paul Nice continues his own American-style mixing counting the Beats-Per-Minute at Chadwell Heath’s Regency Suite . . . Heatwave are so impressed by Tyrone David’s great reggaefication of their ‘Mind Blowing Decisions’ (D-Roy FORCE 2012, 12in) that they’ve copied his version for US release! . . . Karen Young’s sizzling ‘Hot Shot’ will be out here next week on Atlantic 7in and 12in, but both will be different edits from the US hit. Other hotsies: Lenny Williams ‘You Got Me Running’ will be on ABC 12in on August 11th, Gilla ‘Bend Me Shape Me’ is due on Ariola Hansa 12in any day, Gary Criss ‘Rio De Janeiro’ is on UK Carrere 12in now, Crown Heights Affair ‘Galaxy Of Love’ (De-Lite), Hamilton Bohannon ‘Let’s Start The Dance’ and Charles Earland ‘Let The Music Play’ (Mercury), Frankie Valli ‘Grease’ (RSO) are all due on 45 within a week, while after heavy plugs on Kenny Everett’s TV show (those dancers – wow!) Cerrone’s ‘Supernature’ is revived on commercial Atlantic 12in now! . . . WEA’s Fred Dove points out to his mailing list DJs that he still has over a hundred copies of the US 12in remix ‘Whistle Bump’ that some jocks would ransom their grannies for!

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New Spins

BROTHERS JOHNSON: ‘Blam!!’ LP (A&M AMLH 64714)
Dynamite funky album full of goodies like the chugging 5:36 ‘Ain’t We Funkin’ Now’ with amazing beefy bass, jaunty ‘Ride-O-Rocket’, snappy ‘Mista Cool’, lurching slow ‘It’s You Girl’, jazzy ‘Streetwave’ and P-funky title track. Looks like another ‘All ‘N All’ in the making.

FOXY: ‘Get Off’ (TK TKR 8040) (BNDA debut 5/6/78)
Long-awaited “whoop-whoop” filled exciting sparse bumper on 3:30 7in, should now be huge (if not too late).

CISSY HOUSTON: ‘Think It Over’ (Private Stock PVDD 6) (BNDA debut 7/22/78)
Already big on import, the fast Michael Zager-produced flier’s on full 12in, or edited 7in (PVT 166). 

NIGEL MARTINEZ: ‘Better Things To Come’ (State STAT 81)
Lickety-split on 7in, the terrific 3:32 instrumental funk-jazz jumper could now be enormous.

MICHAEL ZAGER: ‘Music Fever’ (Private Stock PVDD 5)
Idiotically, this already hot and logical follow-up (featured in the ‘British Hustle’ movie soon) is hidden as flip to the naff ‘Soul To Soul’, but is at least on 12in and edited 7in (PVT 161).

NORMA JEAN: ‘Saturday’ (Bearsville K 15541) (BNDA debut 6/17/78)
Skittering smooth creamy thumper by the Chic chick, sadly edited for 3:24 UK 7in from the hot red vinyl 6:04 US promo 12in (another for collectors?!).

GARY BARTZ: ‘Shake Your Body’ (from LP ‘Love Affair’, Tower EST 11789)
P-funky happy 6:20 burbler – edited for 4:23 7in (Capitol CL 15999) – while John Coltrane’s ‘Giant Steps’ becomes a lovely leaping 6:01 jazz-funk bossa-nova that works well with Herbie Hancock.

RENZO FRAIESE: ‘12 Engle Street’ (Pye 7N 25788)
Great much-imported hot funk-jazz jumper, hidden as 3:52 flip to a dreary but “safe” ballad, ‘Angela’. The label spells him “Reno”!

PAUL JABARA: ‘Trapped In A Stairway’ (Casablanca TGIFS 3)
Bright and breezy romper from ‘Thank God It’s Friday’ by the pudgy chap who ends up like the title.

AMII STEWART: ‘You Really Touched My Heart’ (Atlantic K 11178)
Soulfully wailing cool thumper builds up the beat quite hypnotically.

LONNIE JORDAN: ‘Grey Rainy Days’ / ‘Nasty’ (MCA 380)
Lovely summery swayer with tapping Latin rhythm – like a new ‘Groovin’’ – and funky slow flip with wheezling synthetics, both with his War sound.

B.B. KING: ‘I Just Can’t Leave Your Love Alone’ (ABC 4226)
Great unusual jaunty 4:45 blues tripper with a dixieland backing for sophisticated fun.

SMOKEY ROBINSON: ‘Daylight & Darkness’ (Motown TMG 1114)
Beautiful lush smoocher, messy fast flip.

DARTS: ‘It’s Raining’ (Magnet MAG 126)
Temptations-type slowie sounds like a mid-’60s oldie but is actually new.

TAPPER ZUKIE: ‘Viego’ / ‘Archie The Rednose Reindeer’ (Mer 602)
Excitingly ethnic reggae, the flip could even go Uptown Top Ranking!

JANET KAY: ‘I Do Love You’ (D-Roy GUN 150)
Winsome reggae version of Billy Stewart’s classic swayer.

ROBERT PALMER: ‘Best Of Both Worlds’ (Island WIP 6446)
Label mix-ups made me review the lovely mis-titled flip recently, while this is a lively pushing reggae chugger.

GLADIATORS: ‘Dreadlocks The Time Is Now’ (Front Line FLS 111)
Quite fast ethnic reggae throbber, getting big.

ROY ALTON: ‘Disco Bongo’ (Tackle TAK 020)
Happy jumper doesn’t pull off the Hi-Tension funk-reggae fusion it attempts.

MADLEEN KANE: ‘Rough Diamond’ LP (Decca SKLR 5302) (BNDA debut 3/18/78)
Swedish-American model girl goes the deadpan disco route in typically cliched gay New York style. Title track (now nibbling here), ‘Let’s Make Love’ and the long ‘Fever’ are the fast ones.

VARIOUS: ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ LP (A&M AMLZ 66600)
Star-studded but disappointing double LP set, saved by Earth, Wind & Fire’s funky retread of ‘Got To Get You to My Life’ – but wait, it deserves to be a 45!

EDDIE REGAN: ‘Playin’ Hide And Seek’ / SAPPHIRES: ‘Gonna Be A Big Thing’ (ABC 4221)
Typical northern stompers, the really fast flip being a girlie group great.

LORRAINE SILVER: ‘Lost Summer Love’ (Casino Classics CC 2)
Dusty Springfield/Susan Maughan-type chick with typical northern-loved nostalgically bad ‘60s backing.

SMITH BROTHERS: ‘There Can Be A Better Way’ (Grapevine GRP 109)
Jack Ashford-produced but strictly northern old churner.

GAYLE MCCORMICK: ‘It’s A Cryin’ Shame’ / ‘Rescue Me’ (ABC 4222)
Old (though relatively recent) churners with northern appeal.

SPELLBOUND: ‘The Best Is Yet To Come’ (EMI America AMI 502)
Fairly routine soul vocal group thumper.

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UK Disco Top 90 – July 29, 1978

01 01 A Taste Of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie – Capitol 7″/12″/LP
02 05 Rick James – You And I – Motown 7″/12″/LP
03 03 John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – You’re The One That I Want – RSO 7″
04 07 Saturday Night Band – Come On Dance Dance – CBS 7″/12″/LP
05 02 Hi-Tension – Hi-Tension – Island 7″/12″
06 08 O’Jays – Use Ta Be My Girl – Philadelphia Int’l 7″
07 04 Bee Gees – Night Fever – RSO 7″/LP/12″ promo
08 10 Voyage – Voyage (all cuts) – GTO LP
09 06 Sine – Just Let Me Do My Thing – CBS 7″/12″/LP
10 11 Commodores – Flying High – Motown 7″/12″/LP
11 09 Evelyn “Champagne” King – Shame – RCA 7″/12″
12 15 Raydio – Is This A Love Thing – Arista 7″/LP/12″ promo
13 14 Trammps – Disco Inferno – Atlantic 7″/12″/RSO LP
14 20 Karen Young – Hot Shot – US West End 12″
15 17 Charles Earland – Let The Music Play / Over And Over – US Mercury LP
16 13 Boney M. – Rivers Of Babylon / Brown Girl In The Ring – Atlantic 7″/12″
17 27 Crown Heights Affair – Galaxy Of Love / Dream World – De-Lite LP
18 23 Marshall Hain – Dancing In The City – Harvest 7″
19 25 Quincy Jones – Stuff Like That – A&M 7″/LP
20 28 Herbie Hancock – I Thought It Was You – CBS LP
21 31 Samona Cooke – One Night Affair – Mercury 7″/12″ promo
22 24 Hamilton Bohannon – Let’s Start The Dance – US Mercury LP
23 12 Idris Muhammad – Boogie To The Top / One With A Star / S-E-X – Kudu 7″/LP/12″ promo
24 29 Sylvester – Dance (Disco Heat) / You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) – US Fantasy 12″
25 21 Deodato – Whistle Bump – Warner Bros. 7″/12″ promo
26 19 Heatwave – Mind Blowing Decisions – GTO 7″/LP
27 16 Linda Clifford – Runaway Love / Gypsy Lady / If My Friends Could See Me Now – Curtom 7″/12″/LP
28 47 Ronnie Jones – Me And Myself – Lollipop 7″/12″ promo
29 40 Bee Gees – More Than A Woman – RSO LP/12″ promo
30 90 KC & The Sunshine Band – It’s The Same Old Song – TK 7″/12″
31 69 Lenny Williams – You Got Me Running / Midnight Girl – ABC LP
32 50 Diana Ross – Lovin’, Livin’ And Givin’ – Motown 7″/Casablanca LP
33 32 Norman Connors – Stella / Captain Connors – Buddah 7″/LP
34 18 Rolling Stones – Miss You – EMI 7″/12″
35 62 Carol Douglas – Night Fever – Gull 7″/12″
36 26 J.A.L.N. Band – Get Up (& Let Yourself Go) – Magnet 7″/12″
37 22 Real Thing – Let’s Go Disco – Pye 7″
38 70 Sweet Thunder – Everybody’s Singin’ Love Songs – US Fantasy/WMOT 12″
39 35 Fatback – I’m Fired Up / Snake – Spring LP
40 86 Teddy Pendergrass – Only You – Philadelphia Int’l LP
41 30 Peter Brown – Dance With Me – TK 7″/12″
42 48 Commodores – Three Times A Lady – Motown LP/US 7″
43 42 James Brown – Eyesight / The Spank / Jam – Polydor 7″/LP
44 NE Crusaders – Cosmic Reign / Merry-Go-Round – ABC LP
45 34 Gap Mangione – Mellow Out / Time Of The Season / Sister Jo – US A&M LP
46 53 Love Committee – Law And Order – Salsoul 7″/LP
47 66 Don Ray – Got To Have Loving / Garden Of Love – Polydor 7″/LP
48 37 Kenny Delt & Prana – Conquer All – Mercury 7″/US 12″
49 36 Boiling Point – Let’s Get Funktified – Bang 7″/12″
50 41 Sun – Sun Is Here – Capitol 7″/12″
51 58 Trade Mark – Days Of Pearly Spencer – RSO 7″/12″
52 78 Clout – Substitute – Carrere 7″
53 51 Ubiquity – Midnight After Dark / Starbooty – Elektra 7″/12″
54 65 Donna Summer – Last Dance – Casablanca 7″/12″/LP
55 56 Luisa Fernandez – Lay Love On You – Warner Bros. 7″
56 44 Bob Marley & The Wailers – Satisfy My Soul – Island 7″/LP
57 46 Double Exposure – Ten Percent – US Salsoul 12″
58 61 Cleveland Eaton – Bama Boogie Woogie – US Ovation 12″
59 45 Samuel Jonathan – You / Just Us – US Columbia LP
60 63 Harvey Mason – What’s Going On / Till You Take My Love – Arista 7″/12″/LP
61 59 Metropolis – I Love New York – Salsoul 7″/US 12″
62 39 Tavares – More Than A Woman – Capitol 7″/RSO LP
63 43 Bionic Boogie – Risky Changes / Boogie Boo – Polydor 7″/LP
64 RE Earth, Wind & Fire – Magic Mind – CBS 7″
65 64 Rare Earth – Warm Ride – Prodigal 7″/12″ promo
66 NE Whispers – Headlights / All The Way – RCA 7″/12″
67 80 Cissy Houston – Think It Over – Private Stock 7″/12″
68 33 Rokotto – Funk Theory – State 7″/12″
69 84 Shirley Ellis – The Clapping Song – MCA 7″/12″
70 49 Various Artists – Thank God It’s Friday (all cuts except TGIF, Lovin’ etc, & Last Dance) – Casablanca LP
71 89 Bootsy’s Rubber Band – Bootzilla / Hollywood Squares – Warner Bros. 7″/12″
72 RE Gilla – Bend Me Shape Me – Ariola Hansa 7″
73 67 Gary Criss – Rio De Janeiro – Carrere 7″/12″
74 RE Love & Kisses – Thank God It’s Friday – Casablanca 7″/12″/LP
75 RE Michael Zager Moon Band – Do It With Feeling – Bang 7″
76 85 Walter Murphy – A Fifth Of Beethoven – Private Stock 12″/RSO LP
77 71 L.T.D. – Together Forever / Jam / Holding On / You Must Have Known I Needed Love – A&M LP
78 NE Showaddywaddy – A Little Bit Of Soap – Arista 7″
79 57 T-Connection – Let Yourself Go – TK 7″/12″
80 NE Van McCoy – My Favourite Fantasy – MCA 7″/12″
81 88 Gladys Knight & The Pips – Come Back And Finish What You Started – Buddah 7″
82 RE Cheryl Barnes – Save And Spend – US Millennium 7″/12″
83 75 Patrick Juvet – I Love America / Got A Feeling – Casablanca LP
84 NE Madleen Kane – Rough Diamond – Decca 7″/LP
85 NE Isley Brothers – Groove With You – Epic 7″
86 RE Cameo – It’s Serious – Casablanca 7″/12″/LP
87 RE Spyro Gyra – Shaker Song – US Amherst LP
88 RE Platinum Hook – Standing On The Verge – Motown LP
89 NE Al Hudson – How Do You Do – US ABC LP
90 NE Jackson Browne – Stay – Asylum 7″
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry

Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (BNDA debut 5/27/78) / #2 (BNDA debut 5/13/78) / #4 (BNDA debut 4/15/78)
#7 (BNDA debut 1/7/78) / #8 (BNDA debut 2/11/78) / #11 (BNDA debut 10/1/77)
#13 (BNDA debut 1/15/77) / #14 (BNDA debut 6/17/78) / #22 (BNDA debut 7/22/78)
#23 (BNDA debut 5/6/78) / #24 (BNDA debut 7/8/78) / #25 (BNDA debut 5/27/78)
#27 (BNDA debut 3/25/78) / #29 (BNDA debut 1/7/78) / #31 (BNDA debut 7/29/78)
#32 (BNDA debut 12/23/78) / #34 (BNDA debut 6/17/78) / #35 (BNDA debut 3/11/78)
#41 (BNDA debut 1/7/78) / #46 (BNDA debut 6/24/78) / #47 (BNDA debut 4/22/78)
#54 (BNDA debut 4/29/78) / #61 (BNDA debut 4/1/78) / #63 (BNDA debut 12/17/77)
#67 (BNDA debut 7/22/78) / #70 (BNDA debut 4/29/78) / #73 (BNDA debut 3/25/78)
#74 (BNDA debut 4/29/78) / #79 (BNDA debut 4/22/78) / #83 (BNDA debut 6/3/78)
#84 (BNDA debut 3/18/78) / #86 (BNDA debut 2/18/78)

Bubbling Under the Top 90:
FLIRTATIONS: ‘Little Darling’ (Casino Classics 7”)
SUGAR: ‘Manhattan Fever’ (Power Exchange 12”)
NORMA JEAN: ‘Saturday’ (US Bearsville 12”) (BNDA debut 6/17/78)
FOXY: ‘Get Off’ (US Dash LP) (BNDA debut 5/6/78)
LEN BOONE: ‘Love Won’t Be Denied’ (Chrysalis 12”) (BNDA debut 8/12/78)
ENCHANTMENT: ‘If You’re Ready (Here It Comes)’ (UA 7”)
MATHIS & WILLIAMS: ‘You’re All I Need’ (CBS 7”)
STEEL PULSE: ‘Prodigal Son’ (Island 7”)
BARRY MANILOW: ‘Copacabana (At The Copa)’ (Arista 7”) (BNDA debut 4/15/78)
TYRONE DAVID: ‘Mind Blowing Decisions’ (D-Roy 12”)
RAFFAELLA CARRA: ‘Tanti Auguri’ / ‘California’ (Epic 7”)
PHIL UPCHURCH: ‘Strawberry Letter 23’ (US Marlin LP)
WAR: ‘Youngblood’ (US UA 7”) (BNDA debut 10/7/78)
FRANKIE VALLI: ‘Grease’ (RSO LP)
AMANDA LEAR: ‘Follow Me’ (Ariola LP)
SILVER CONVENTION: ‘Spend The Night With Me’ (Magnet 7”) (BNDA debut 5/20/78)
GRACE JONES: ‘Do Or Die’ (US Island 12”) (BNDA debut 6/17/78)
HEATWAVE: ‘Central Heating’ LP (GTO LP)
GIORGIO & CHRIS: ‘Love’s In You (Love’s In Me)’ (Oasis 7”)
CLAUDJA BARRY: ‘Dancin’ Fever’ (Lollipop 12” promo) (BNDA debut 1/7/78)
BONEY M: ‘Rasputin’ (Atlantic LP)
NIGEL MARTINEZ: ‘Better Things To Come’ (State LP)
GLADIATORS: ‘Dreadlocks The Time Is Now’ (Front Line 7”)
BROTHERS JOHNSON: ‘Ain’t We Funkin’ Now’ (A&M LP)
DISCO BOUZOUKI BAND: ‘Disco Bouzouki’ (Decca 7”)