Month: August 1978

Disco News

CBS Records and other labels they press like WEA and A&M are being effected by a go-slow at the CBS pressing plant . . . Barry Manilow is now on commercial 12in while Tyrone David ‘Mind Blowing Decisions’ scales down to 7in (D-Roy PF 009) . . . upcoming on 12in soon are Solar Flare, El Coco, Players’ Association, Carrie Lucas and a Gladys Knight newie, while LP’s include Michael Henderson and Renzo Fraiese . . . SEDA members meet at 8 pm on Sunday (27) in Tunbridge Wells’s Robin Hood, Sandhurst Road, to learn about record manufacturing while Clyde Coast DJ Assn members participate in an all-dayer at Ayr’s Darlington Hotel also on Sunday. Association secretaries are: South Eastern DA, Brian Davies (0342-832 559); Clyde Coast DJA, John Andrews (Darvel 21988) . . . Nikkie Peck and Roger Yarwood share a Disco Review spot on BBC Radio Medway’s Rod Lucas Show every Wednesday between 8:10-9:00pm, while one of our Edinburgh contributors broadcasts illegally as Martin Davis every Sunday on Radio Telstar International on 222m MW between 10:00pm-midnight!

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New Spins

STARGARD: ‘What You Waitin’ For’ (MCA 12MCA 382)
Absolutely dynamite Rose Royce-type funky bubbler, already exploding, on 3:37 7in or what I’m told is sensational six-minute 12in. I’ll believe it!

AL HUDSON & THE SOUL PARTNERS: ‘How Do You Do’ (ABC 4229)
Terrific thundering funky chugger with useful applause intro, huge on import, hits a James Brown-style groove that don’t quit for 5:49 of 12in!

LENNY WILLIAMS: ‘You Got Me Running’ (ABC 4228) (BNDA debut 7/29/78)
Great deceptively fast funky flier’s long been hitting on LP and now makes full 7:45 12in or edited 3:52 7in.  Continue reading “August 26, 1978: Stargard, Al Hudson, Lenny Williams, Brothers Johnson, Jeff Wayne”

Disco News

Thames Valley DJ Association, truly flourishing, now has over 100 members – making it the country’s largest (yet youngest)! They meet again this Sunday (20) at noon in Newbury’s Henwick on Ashmore Green Road, Thatcham, where legal advice will be given about setting up in business. Membership details from Mark Anthony on Bourne End 24171 . . . Sylvester, ‘You Make Me Feel’ and Nigel Martinez ‘Better Things To Come’ have been 12-inched, the latter also on extended remix 12in promo . . . Constellation Orchestra, Wayne Henderson and Kebekelektrik imports are all due out here early September, and remember that the special CBS £2.99 offer on certain disco LP’s expires August 31st . . . Charly Records are launching a new “Double Headed Monsters” series of back-to-back oldies next week, coupling the likes of Shangri-Las / Ad Libs, Hank Mizell / Warren Smith, Jerry Lee Lewis / Warren Smith and Curtis Lee / Roy Orbison, all titles of interest to oldies jocks . . . Southgate Royalty are promoting a funk all-niter at Edmonton Picketts Lock on Friday, October 6th, with Rick James live on stage plus Chris Hill, Robbie Vincent, Froggy and more – now that DOES sound hot!

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New Spins

GATO BARBIERI: ‘Poinciana (Song Of the Tree)’ (from LP ‘Tropico’, A&M AMLH 64710)
Superb slow 7:48 instrumental funk-jazz jogger builds through snappy bass bumps into his braying sax sound and some chanting chix.

CALVIN DAVIS: ‘Train Ride To Nowhere’ (Bulldog BD 18)
Frantic funky filer gets a bit zingy but should work with EWF/Martinez.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: ‘Take Me I’m Yours’ (Buddah BDS 477)
Strong smoochy slow soul jogger for funk fans.  Continue reading “August 19, 1978: Gato Barbieri, Calvin Davies, Michael Henderson, Dexter Wansel, 777 European Music Authority”

Disco News

Next Tuesday (15) Thames TV shows at 6pm a half-hour documentary, ‘Good Times’, about a Saturday night in the life of Capital Radio’s Greg Edwards and seven of his London fans, so get home early! . . . Chris Hill returns to Canvey Island’s Gold Mine every Saturday starting on August 26th with a grand fancy dress relaunching night (prizes for first 25 fancy dressers through the door), and he also starts a Friday night residency at Southgate Royalty on September 1st . . . Revolta-dancing Ian Moore’s been to the movies again so that now his big night at Gravesend’s Wings is Friday, when (thank god) he rolls on the floor quite appallingly! . . . Tuesday (15) the DJ Federation hold their annual general meeting at London’s Ski Club at 10:30am. The DJF (GB)’s secretary is Chris Archer, 1 Low Jason Cottages, Drayton, Norwich NR8 6RR . . . A&M Records launch in a fortnight a new Funk America label series with 12in Bros Johnson, LTD and Atlantic Starr. Quincy Jones is now already on 12in, while next week Gap Mangione ‘Time of The Season’ / ‘Mellow Out’ will be on 7in only. Gull Records finally issue Cleveland Eaton ‘Bama Boogie Woogie’ on September 1st, as a blue vinyl 12in! . . . Creole Records invite DJ’s to apply for new mailing list, so write to Creole’s Disco Dept, 91-98 High Street, Harlesden, London NW10 . . . Rob Harknett (Harlow) follows up his recent MoR LP Top 10 with info that Northern Dance Services of 20 Commercial Street, Shipley, West Yorkshire, do a 25p (approx.) catalogue listing most tunes available in ballroom tempo, and have a series of their own strict tempo EP’s.

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New Spins

CROWN HEIGHTS AFFAIR: ‘Galaxy Of Love’ (Mercury 9199332)
Enormous frighteningly freak tempo-switching funky flier (in every sense!), with superb brass, catchy chant and great air stewardess announcements, horribly edited for 3:26 7in (6168801) but in all its essential 5:48 glory on 12in.

HAMILTON BOHANNON: ‘Let’s Start The Dance’ (Mercury 9199330) (BNDA debut 7/22/78)
Incredibly exciting disco smash rhythm romper finally out on weedily edited 3:25 7in (6167700) or full 5:30 12in.

MASS PRODUCTION: ‘Just Wanna Make A Dream Come True’ (from LP ‘Three Miles High’, Cotillion K 50510)
Big on import for ages, the jittery fast 5:33 brassy burbler has a great powerful clapping counterpart rhythm, while other hotsies are the Brass Construction-ish fast racing ‘Watch Me Do It’, spikily skittering fast ‘Scarey Love’ and mid-tempo bumping ‘Sky High’.  Continue reading “August 12, 1978: Crown Heights Affair, Hamilton Bohannon, Mass Production, Charles Earland, Frankie Valli”

Disco News

Brighton area resident jocks have their own Assn of Professional Discotheque & Night Club DJ’s of Brighton (APDNCDJB? – gulp!), totally divorced from the more mobile-orientated Sussex DJ Assn. Details from John Lewis on 0272 561220 . . . Glasgow area jocks have the DJF affiliated Strathclyde DJ Assn. Details from Bob Bennett, 6 Creswell Street, Hillhead, Glasgow (041-334 7679) – OK, John Hill of Bathgate? . . . how many disco dancers are doing the Child Disco Smooch, snigger snigger?!

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New Spins

HI-TENSION: ‘British Hustle’ (Island 12 WIP 6446)
Eagerly awaited infectious fast funky galloper with added Evelyn King-type handclaps (try mixing halfway into ‘Shame’!), on full 6:37 12in for first 10,000 copies, then 3:30 7in.

KAREN YOUNG: ‘Hot Shot’ (Atlantic K 11180) (BNDA debut 6/17/78)
Madly catchy import smash leaper, edited three different ways for UK 12in and 7in, the vocal side being only 3:18 on both . . . odd! Personally, I’m sticking to the full US 12in version.

HERBIE HANCOCK: ‘I Thought It Was You’ (CBS 12 6530)
Superbly, deceptively fast but delicate-sounding funk-jazz smash, now on full LP-length 8:54 12in for just 99p!  Continue reading “August 5, 1978: Hi-Tension, Karen Young, Herbie Hancock, Sylvester, Real Thing”