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.
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’.
CHARLES EARLAND: ‘Let The Music Play’ (Mercury 9199831)
Now slipping after being huge on import, the thudding fast funk-jazz skipper is on full 6:50 12in or edited 3:44 7in (6167703).
FRANKIE VALLI: ‘Grease’ (RSO 012)
Barry Gibb-prod/penned Bee Gees-type mid-tempo jogger from the forthcoming film hit with instrumental flip that’s already bigger for some.
DEE D. JACKSON: ‘Meteor Man’ (Mercury 6007182)
Fairly crass Europop pounder with sorta “stun gun” noises adding spurious excitement.
GRACE JONES: ‘Do Or Die’ (Island 12WIP 6450) (BNDA debut 6/17/78)
Thudding fast gay hit expends energy without really getting anywhere, on 6:15 12in initially before 3:19 7in issue.
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY & BUNNY SIGLER: ‘Only You’ (Salsoul SSOL 111)
Super-sexy soul smoocher (not the Platters song) with a toe-curling lovey-dovey intro! Ooh, I love it, I love it!
PLATINUM HOOK: ‘Standing On The Verge’ (Motown 12TMG 1115)
Big on LP for months, the scat-sung staccato funky driver’s now on full 5:55 12in or edited 3:57 7in.
SLAVE: ‘Stellar Fungk’ (from LP ‘The Concept’, Cotillion K 50512)
Gradually growing Brass Construction-ish 8:43 groove has lotsa voice-box and other exciting effects spread through it, so immediate impact at the start is less than when the whole length is known.
WAYNE ST JOHN: ‘Something’s Up’ (State STAT 83) (BNDA debut 1/14/78)
Briefly big on import last winter, the wukka-wukka rhythm rattler is on 6:56 12in (with instrumental flip), of which just the vocal last part makes up the edited 3:30 7in.
MOTORS: ‘Forget About You’ (Virgin VS 222)
Ridiculously catchy happy pop leaper, also on red vinyl 12in at £1.49 (VS 22212), could hit number one!
FLASH AND THE PAN: ‘And The Band Played On’ (Ensign ENY 16)
Charging pop jumper, sounds like a hit alongside the Motors’ newie.
SUGAR CANE: ‘Montego Bay’ (Ariola Hansa AHA 524)
Must be where the Rivers of Babylon reach the sea! Perky pop on 12in too.
EMOTIONS: ‘Smile’ (CBS 6537)
Frenetic fast squeaky stamper, lacking body beneath the surface excitement.
ALICIA BRIDGES: ‘I Love The Nightlife (Disco Round)’ (Polydor 2066936) (BNDA debut 9/16/78)
US hit creamy smooth tripping chugger with an Al Green-type sound (by a lady!), dated but worth checking.
UK Disco Top 90 – August 12, 1978
01 01 A Taste Of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie – Capitol 7″/12″/LP
02 02 Rick James – You And I – Motown 7″/12″/LP
03 03 Saturday Night Band – Come On Dance Dance – CBS 7″/12″/LP
04 04 John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – You’re The One That I Want – RSO 7″
05 13 Quincy Jones – Stuff Like That – A&M 7″/12″/LP
06 11 Crown Heights Affair – Galaxy Of Love – De-Lite LP/Mercury 12″
07 14 Karen Young – Hot Shot – Atlantic 7″/12″/US West End 12″
08 12 Raydio – Is This A Love Thing – Arista 7″/LP/12″ promo
09 05 O’Jays – Use Ta Be My Girl – Philadelphia Int’l 7″
10 19 Herbie Hancock – I Thought It Was You – CBS 7″/12″/LP
11 07 Voyage – Voyage (all cuts) – GTO LP
12 29 Sylvester – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) – Fantasy 7″/US 12″
13 18 Hamilton Bohannon – Let’s Start The Dance – Mercury 12″/US LP
14 09 Evelyn “Champagne” King – Shame – RCA 7″/12″
15 28 Carol Douglas – Night Fever – Gull 7″/12″
16 35 Commodores – Three Times A Lady – Motown 7″/LP
17 06 Hi-Tension – Hi-Tension – Island 7″/12″
18 15 Charles Earland – Let The Music Play / Over And Over – Mercury 12″/US LP
19 25 Sweet Thunder – Everybody’s Singin’ Love Songs – US Fantasy/WMOT 12″
20 22 Samona Cooke – One Night Affair – Mercury 7″/12″ promo
21 32 Teddy Pendergrass – Only You / Close The Door – Philadelphia Int’l LP
22 57 Brothers Johnson – Ain’t We Funkin’ Now / Mista Cool / Ride-O-Rocket / Streetwave – A&M LP
23 08 Bee Gees – Night Fever – RSO 7″/LP/12″ promo
24 10 Sine – Just Let Me Do My Thing – CBS 7″/12″/LP
25 44 Hi-Tension – British Hustle – Island 7″/12″
26 27 KC & The Sunshine Band – It’s The Same Old Song – TK 7″/12″
27 21 Deodato – Whistle Bump – Warner Bros. 7″/12″
28 30 Lenny Williams – You Got Me Running / Midnight Girl / I Still Reach Out / Cause I Love You – ABC LP
29 16 Trammps – Disco Inferno – Atlantic 7″/12″/RSO LP
30 31 Diana Ross – Lovin’, Livin’ And Givin’ – Motown 7″/Casablanca LP
31 26 Ronnie Jones – Me And Myself – Lollipop 7″/12″ promo
32 23 Linda Clifford – Runaway Love / Gypsy Lady / If My Friends Could See Me Now – Curtom 7″/12″/LP
33 20 Commodores – Flying High – Motown 7″/12″/LP
34 17 Boney M. – Rivers Of Babylon / Brown Girl In The Ring – Atlantic 7″/12″
35 46 Al Hudson – How Do You Do / Spread Love – US ABC LP
36 43 Cissy Houston – Think It Over – Private Stock 7″/12″
37 51 Gap Mangione – Mellow Out / Time Of The Season / Sister Jo – US A&M LP
38 71 Norma Jean – Saturday – Bearsville 7″/US 12″
39 47 Don Ray – Got To Have Loving – Polydor 7″/LP
40 81 War – Youngblood – US UA 7″/LP
41 48 Earth, Wind & Fire – Magic Mind – CBS 7″
42 24 Marshall Hain – Dancing In The City – Harvest 7″
43 45 Crusaders – Cosmic Reign / Snowflake / Fairy Tales – ABC LP
44 54 Whispers – Headlights / All The Way – RCA 7″/12″
45 33 Heatwave – Mind Blowing Decisions – GTO 7″
46 34 Idris Muhammad – Boogie To The Top / One With A Star / S-E-X – Kudu 7″/LP/12″ promo
47 37 Clout – Substitute – Carrere 7″
48 36 Norman Connors – Stella / Captain Connors – Buddah 7″/LP
49 52 Nigel Martinez – Better Things To Come – State 7″/LP
50 39 Fatback – I’m Fired Up / Snake – Spring LP
51 78 L.T.D. – Holding On / It’s Time To Be Real – A&M LP
52 72 Barry Manilow – Copacabana (At The Copa) – Arista 7″/US 12″
53 66 Foxy – Get Off – TK 7″
54 73 Donna Summer – Last Dance – Casablanca 7″/12″/LP
55 49 Kenny Delt & Prana – Conquer All – Mercury 7″/US 12″
56 84 Boney M. – Rasputin / Night Flight To Venus / Painter Man – Atlantic LP
57 NE Wilbert Longmire – Black Is The Color / Lovely Day – US Tappan Zee LP
58 41 Bee Gees – More Than A Woman – RSO LP/12″ promo
59 64 Patrick Juvet – I Love America / Got A Feeling – Casablanca LP
60 75 Gladys Knight & The Pips – Come Back And Finish What You Started – Buddah 7″
61 RE Cerrone – Supernature – Atlantic 7″/12″/LP
62 NE Tavares – Slow Train To Paradise – Capitol 7″/12″
63 83 Gilla – Bend Me Shape Me – Ariola Hansa 7″/12″
64 NE Sheila B. Devotion – You Light My Fire – Carrere 7″
65 40 J.A.L.N. Band – Get Up (& Let Yourself Go) – Magnet 7″/12″
66 RE Winners – Get On Up And Do It / Hey You / Get Ready For The Future – US UA/Roadshow LP
67 50 Cleveland Eaton – Bama Boogie Woogie – US Ovation 12″
68 42 Love & Kisses – Thank God It’s Friday – Casablanca 7″/12″/LP
69 RE Jimmy Bo Horne – Dance Across The Floor – TK 7″/12″
70 55 James Brown – Eyesight / The Spank – Polydor 7″/LP
71 76 Trade Mark – Days Of Pearly Spencer – RSO 7″/12″
72 NE Michael Zager Band – Music Fever – Private Stock 7″/12″
73 RE Cheryl Barnes – Save And Spend – RCA 7″/12″
74 RE Isley Brothers – Groove With You – Epic 7″
75 RE Prince – Just As Long As We’re Together – US Warner Bros. LP
76 59 Rare Earth – Warm Ride – Prodigal 7″/12″ promo
77 53 Sun – Sun Is Here – Capitol 7″/12″
78 NE Flirtations – Little Darling – Casino Classics 7″
79 RE Players Association – Disco Inferno – Vanguard 7″/12″
80 70 Van McCoy – My Favourite Fantasy – MCA 7″/12″
81 85 Double Exposure – Ten Percent – US Salsoul 12″
82 NE Roy Ayers – Can’t You See Me / Get On Up, Get On Down / You Send Me – US Polydor LP
83 82 MFSB – Use Ta Be My Guy – US Philadelphia Int’l 7″
84 74 Len Boone – Love Won’t Be Denied – Chrysalis 7″/12″
85 79 Samuel Jonathan – You – US Columbia LP
86 RE Constellation Orchestra – Perfect Love Affair / Funk Encounters – US Prelude LP
87 88 Sugar – Manhattan Fever – Power Exchange 7″/12″
88 NE Tyrone David – Mind Blowing Decisions – D-Roy 7″/12″
89 NE Nina Simone – Baltimore – CTI LP
90 RE Mass Production – Just Want To Make A Dream Come True / Watch Me Do It – Cotillion LP
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (BNDA debut 5/27/78) / #2 (BNDA debut 5/13/78) / #3 (BNDA debut 4/15/78)
#7 (BNDA debut 6/17/78) / #11 (BNDA debut 2/11/78) / #12 (BNDA debut 7/8/78)
#13 (BNDA debut 7/22/78) / #14 (BNDA debut 10/1/77) / #15 (BNDA debut 3/11/78)
#23 (BNDA debut 1/7/78) / #27 (BNDA debut 5/27/78) / #28 (BNDA debut 7/29/78)
#29 (BNDA debut 1/15/77) / #30 (BNDA debut 12/23/78) / #32 (BNDA debut 3/25/78)
#36 (BNDA debut 7/22/78) / #38 (BNDA debut 6/17/78) / #39 (BNDA debut 4/22/78)
#40 (BNDA debut 10/7/78) / #46 (BNDA debut 5/6/78) / #52 (BNDA debut 4/15/78)
#53 (BNDA debut 5/6/78) / #54 (BNDA debut 4/29/78) / #58 (BNDA debut 1/7/78)
#59 (BNDA debut 6/3/78) / #61 (BNDA debut 11/26/77) / #68 (BNDA debut 4/29/78)
#84 (BNDA debut 8/12/78) / #86 (BNDA debut 7/1/78)
Bubbling Under the Top 90:
DAVID WILLIAMS INNER CIRCLE: ‘Come On Down Boogie People’ (US AVI 12”)
CALIFORNIA: ‘I Can Hear Music’ (RSO 7”)
GRACE JONES: ‘Do Or Die’ (Island 12”) (BNDA debut 6/17/78)
DARTS: ‘It’s Raining’ (Magnet 7”)
EMOTIONS: ‘Smile’ (CBS 7”)
KANDIDATE: ‘Don’t Wanna Say Goodnight’ (Rak 12”)
ATLANTIC STARR: ‘Stand Up’ / ‘Give Me Your Love’ (US A&M LP) (BNDA debut 10/7/78)
INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT: ‘Slippin’ Away’ (US Polydor LP)
OHIO PLAYERS: ‘Jass-Ay-Lay-Dee’ / ‘Funk-O-Nots’ (US Mercury LP)
MATHIS & WILLIAMS: ‘You’re All I Need’ (CBS 7”)
WAYNE HENDERSON: ‘Hot Stuff’ (US Polydor LP)
CURTIS MAYFIELD: ‘No Goodbyes’ / ‘Do It All Night’ / ‘Party Party’ (US Curtom LP) (BNDA debut 9/9/78)
PHIL UPCHURCH: ‘Strawberry Letter 23’ (TK LP)
FRANKIE VALLI: ‘Grease’ (RSO LP)
ERNIE WATTS: ‘Alone At A Drive-In Movie’ (RSO LP)
GATO BARBIERI: ‘Poinciana’ (A&M LP)
GENE FARROW: ‘Don’t Stop Now’ (Magnet 12”)
SMOKEY ROBINSON: ‘Daylight & Darkness’ (Motown 7”)
LEE RITENOUR: ‘Sugarloaf Express’ (Elektra LP)
VILLAGE PEOPLE: ‘Just A Gigolo’ (DJM 7”)
ROBERT PALMER: ‘Best Of Both Worlds’ (Island 7”)
PLATINUM HOOK: ‘Standing On The Verge’ (Motown 12”)
GARY BARTZ: ‘Shake Your Body’ / ‘Giant Steps’ (Tower LP)
TERI DE SARIO: ‘Ain’t Nothing Gonna Keep Me From You’ (Casablanca 7”)
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