Disco News
Manu Dibango ‘Sun Explosion’ is due on Decca 12in any day (GFR 13810), while La Bionda ‘One For You, One For Me’ is finally on full-length 12in now (Mercury 9199895) . . . following last week’s wail, Curtis Mayfield ‘No Goodbyes’ probably will be out here after all! . . . Grey & Hanks ‘You Fooled Me’ is on RCA 7in next week . . . Rumours confirmed, Radio Luxembourg is indeed broadcasting a Disco Format already, with Tony Prince’s Disco Top 30 going out on Sundays from 9-11pm and forming the playlist base – although other musical styles get plenty of slots too . . . Pinnacle Records needs new disco-type acts to record, so send audition tapes to Paul Lynton at Pinnacle, 62 Grosvenor Street, London W1 (that’s musical acts, not DJ’s, dummy!) . . . Roger Squire’s London Disco Centre at 176 Junction Road, Tufnell Park, is running a big clearance sale on certain equipment lines, so call Nigel Morris on 01-272 8463 for up-to-date details . . . Disco Power of Newport, South Wales, are expanding into larger factory premises so that their sound and lighting lines can be distributed in bulk by a larger dealer network, rather than just selling locally in their South Wales Disco Centre shop . . . also in that area, the South Wales DJ Assn application form is even more complicated than RCA’s Disco Direction booklet! . . . Martin Starr of Bristol has teamed up with fellow funk jocks Malc Haynes and Larry Speed to form the solidly funky US Soul Roadshow (Bristol 694156), with plans for a local soul club to open soon and also the need of a venue for a soul all-dayer – any offers? . . . I told you Crown Heights Affair would be good, and at Hammersmith their ‘Say A Prayer For Two’ was the most gospel-wailing, soul-searing thing I’ve heard for ages – but from that point on their energy level went into overkill and my mind went numb after a while! . . . In Brighton last week after the Crusaders gig, I tried visiting DJ John Lewis at Metro but was barred as my photographer was wearing denim jeans (pressed with knife-edge creases though!). I wonder how Metro will cope with the Grease promotion due there on the 25th! Would Travolta be barred too?
New Spins
DAN HARTMAN: ‘Instant Replay’ (Blue Sky SKY 6706) (BNDA debut 8/19/78)
Rocket countdown to disco dynamite at its utmost with the ex-Edgar Winter rocker shrieking like Sylvester as the sax soars, however, the brilliant US 12in will ludicrously NOT be out here although it contains all the main power. Whatever you do, get the import if you can, as at 3:25 this is silly in comparison!
MUSIQUE: ‘In The Bush’ (from LP ‘Keep On Jumpin’’, CBS 83173) (BNDA debut 7/29/78)
Out here at last, the mindlessly metronomic import smash is a dead simple 8:20 girlie group jumper that builds into a catchy “push push, in the bush” chorus, with a rhythm that locks perfectly onto Dan Hartman. Zingier but similar title track is useful too.
SYLVESTER: ‘Dance (Disco Heat)’ (from LP ‘Step II’, Fantasy FT 549) (BNDA debut 7/8/78)
Exciting 5:50 stormer spurts into a series of short gaps containing freaky effects, but it and the 6:30 ‘You Make Me Feel’ are not the US 12in mix.
ASHFORD & SIMPSON: ‘It Seems To Hang On’ (Warner Bros. K 17237)
Gorgeous mellow swayer packs more of a rhythmic punch than you might think, and is already a dance floor monster.
TEDDY PENDERGRASS: ‘Only You’ / ‘Close The Door’ (Philadelphia Int’l PIR 12-6713)
Huge for months on LP and now in this 7:58 remix 12in form, the grittily galloping chugger has this lovely recent soul slowie as 5:27 double-A coupling.
JOE THOMAS: ‘Plato’s Retreat’ (TK TKR 6049) (BNDA debut 8/12/78)
Punchily pounding funky hustler with lots of catchy pop appeal, about a modern-day ‘Daddy G’s’ where the freakers meet, sadly only on 4:46 7in here.
MARSHA HUNT: ‘The Other Side Of Midnight’ (Magnet 12MAG 130) (BNDA debut 1/14/78)
Happily leaping oogie oogie romper produced with nice little electronic touches by Pete Bellotte, on 4:47 12in or 4:00 7in, so simple it could be huge.
GAP MANGIONE: ‘Time Of The Season’ / ‘Mellow Out’ (Funk A&Merica AMSP 7377)
Lovely 4:45 piano-led jazzy bumper builds up brassily before subsiding again, and goes beautifully with Herbie Hancock. Fast flip is like the Crusaders’ ‘Put It Where You Want It’ played on wheezy synthesizer, and is big too. One same-length 12in and 7in.
CAROL DOUGLAS: ‘Burnin’’ (Midsong BURN 12) (BNDA debut 9/9/78)
Powerful simple rhythm-rattling thudder with a good intro for mixing on 12in, which I’ve yet to receive and time.
BETTYE LAVETTE: ‘Doin’ The Best That I Can’ (Atlantic K 11198) (BNDA debut 8/12/78)
12in zingy squawker with frothy gay rhythm and catchy clapping bits eventually hits a useful long rhythm break on the longer 7:43 side (the edited flip’s a 3:10 version).
CARRIE LUCAS: ‘Tic Toc’ / ‘Street Corner Symphony’ (RCA FC 1310)
Dreamy Dr Buzzard-ish 5:00 12in conga kicker with Copacabana appeal may be easier at first than the zingy remixed 6:57 A-side medley of great doo-wop oldies, which takes time to “shoobedoowah” into rhythmic overdrive.
DONNA SUMMER: ‘MacArthur Park Suite’ (from LP ‘Live And More’, Casablanca CALD 5006) (BNDA debut 9/23/78)
Long slow start to a gaily romping 17:34 side-long segue through several typical tracks which comprise the studio-recorded suite, thankfully edited down to 3:59 of the one song for the hit single.
OLYMPIC RUNNERS: ‘Get It While You Can’ (Polydor RUN 012)
Logical successor to their other disco biggies, but rather disappointing, the over-frantic messy leaper’s got everything bar the kitchen sink on 5:15 12in or 3:30 7in.
ALLEN TOUSSAINT: ‘Motion’ / ‘Night People’ (Island IPR 2031)
Gorgeous 6:01 smoocher and sinister slinky 4:16 slow thudder, remixed for Island 12in from his Warner Bros. LP in a deal that’s possibly unique.
BURNING SPEAR: ‘Social Living’ / ‘Civilised Reggae’ (Island IPR 2027)
Great ethnic reggae 12in, both powerful 7-minute-plus sides end up as dubs. Worth checking if you can use real reggae.
PULSE: ‘The Warrior’ (Ipi Tombi IPT 13)
Quite exciting fast new 6:28 12in disco version of the Ipi Tombi rhythm-rattling afro chanter, flipped by the more ethnic 6:12 original cast version.
MARILYN MCCOO & BILLY DAVIS JR: ‘Shine On Silver Moon’ (CBS 6684) (BNDA debut 1/27/79)
Madly catchy fast thumping hustler with a distinctive vocal sound from the two, already big on radio.
LAURIN RINDER & W. MICHAEL LEWIS: ‘Envy (Animal Fire)’ / ‘Lust’ (Pye 7NL 25779) (BNDA debut 4/8/78)
Loping fast synthesizer pounder now on 9:54 12in with the atmospherically starting 7:09 guitar-led flip. If only Hot Gossip had danced to this on TV!
COLORADO: ‘California Dreaming’ (Pinnacle Firebird PIN 67)
Santa Esmeralda-copying “flamisco” (“dismenco”?) Europop massacre of the Mamas & Papas classic, really ruined by the awful phonetic vocals more than the music, on 4:48 blue vinyl 12in or 3:30 black 7in.
QUINCY JONES: ‘Love I Never Had It So Good’ (Funk A&Merica AMSP 7385)
Lush mid-tempo jiggler overshadowed by the flip’s heavy slow funk ‘I Heard That’ from ’76 and 1974’s slow slinky ‘Body Heat’, on 12in or 7in.
GARY BARTZ: ‘Shake Your Body’ (Capitol Tower 12CL 15999)
Good but unfashionable (in the South) heavy slow Bootsy-style funk jiggler now on 6:15 12in, could click around Merseyside.
JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON: ‘Miss Frisco (Queen Of The Disco)’ (DJM DJS 10881)
Slow typically bluesy guitar build-up into a jittery thundering bass jiggler on 5:00 12in or 4:01 7in.
Mix Master
Graham Canter (Mayfair Gullivers) did a great spontaneous segue sequence last Thursday that worked so well I just had to jot it down: Manu Dibango ‘Sun Explosion’ (Decca 12in), Wilbert Longmire ‘Black Is The Colour’ (US Tappan Zee LP), Chanson ‘I Can Tell’ (US Ariola LP), Afro-Cuban Band ‘Rhythm Of Life’ (Arista LP), Howard Kenney ‘Save Some For The Children’ (US Warner Bros. LP), Roy Ayers ‘Running Away’ (US Polydor 12in). You’ll have to feel the mixing points for yourselves, but basically do it by instinct, like Graham did.
UK Disco Top 90 – October 14, 1978
01 01 Sylvester – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) – Fantasy 7″/12″/LP
02 02 Hi-Tension – British Hustle / Peace On Earth – Island 7″/12″
03 05 Third World – Now That We Found Love – Island 7″/12″
04 08 Rose Royce – Love Don’t Live Here Anymore – Whitfield 7″
05 03 Crown Heights Affair – Galaxy Of Love – Mercury 12″/LP
06 07 Herbie Hancock – I Thought It Was You – CBS 12″/LP
07 45 Boney M. – Rasputin – Atlantic 7″/12″/LP
08 18 Frankie Valli – Grease – RSO 7″
09 11 Stargard – What You Waitin’ For – MCA 7″/12″
10 38 John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – Summer Nights – RSO 7″
11 16 Dan Hartman – Instant Replay – Blue Sky 7″/US 12″
12 17 Eddie Henderson – Prance On – Capitol 12″/Tower LP
13 23 Phil Hurtt – Giving It Back – Fantasy LP/US 12″
14 06 Karen Young – Hot Shot – Atlantic 7″/12″/US West End 12″
15 36 Ashford & Simpson – It Seems To Hang On – Warner Bros. 7″/US 12″
16 15 Roy Ayers – Can’t You See Me – Polydor LP
17 12 Cerrone – Supernature – Atlantic 7″/12″/LP
18 31 Sylvester – Dance (Disco Heat) – Fantasy LP/US 12″
19 04 Commodores – Three Times A Lady – Motown 7″/LP
20 50 The Jacksons – Blame It On The Boogie – Epic 7″/12″
21 30 Cleveland Eaton – Bama Boogie Woogie – Gull 7″/12″
22 10 Hamilton Bohannon – Let’s Start The Dance – Mercury 12″
23 13 10cc – Dreadlock Holiday – Mercury 7″
24 09 A Taste Of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie – Capitol 7″/12″/LP
25 20 Musique – Keep On Jumpin’ / In The Bush – CBS LP
26 22 Wilbert Longmire – Black Is The Color – US Tappan Zee LP
27 14 Brothers Johnson – Ain’t We Funkin’ Now – A&M 7″/12″
28 33 Mick Jackson – Blame It On The Boogie – Atlantic 7″
29 19 Charles Earland – Let The Music Play / Over And Over – Mercury 12″/US LP
30 25 Al Hudson – How Do You Do / Dance, Get Down – ABC 7″/12″/US LP
31 24 Curtis Mayfield – No Goodbyes – US Curtom LP
32 35 Joe Thomas – Plato’s Retreat – TK 7″/US 12″
33 43 Sugar Cane – Montego Bay – Ariola Hansa 7″/12″
34 37 Stanley Turrentine – Disco Dancin’ – US Fantasy LP/12″ promo
35 66 Shalamar – Take That To The Bank – US Solar LP
36 26 Nigel Martinez – Better Things To Come – State 7″/12″
37 27 Sweet Thunder – Everybody’s Singin’ Love Songs – US Fantasy/WMOT 12″
38 40 Samuel Jonathan Johnson – You – US Columbia 12″ remix
39 44 Teddy Pendergrass – Only You – US Philadelphia Int’l 12″ remix
40 29 Patrick Juvet – Got A Feeling – Casablanca 7″/12″
41 21 Quincy Jones – Stuff Like That – A&M 7″/12″/LP
42 42 Atlantic Starr – Gimme Your Lovin’ – A&M 7″/12″
43 54 Heatwave – Mind Blowing Decisions – US Epic 12″ remix
44 46 Howard Kenney – Save Some For The Children – US Warner Bros. LP
45 71 Manu Dibango – Sun Explosion – French Fiesta LP
46 41 Atlantic Starr – Stand Up – A&M LP/US 12″ remix
47 77 Gap Mangione – Mellow Out / Time Of The Season – A&M 7″/12″/LP
48 51 La Bionda – One For You, One For Me – Mercury 7″/12″
49 65 Goody Goody – #1 Dee Jay / Superjock – US Atlantic 12″/LP
50 60 Solar Flare – Boogie Fund – RCA 12″
51 56 Jimmy McGriff – Outside Looking In / Playland / Midnight Boogie / Tapioca – US LRC LP
52 NE Roy Ayers – Get On Up, Get On Down – Polydor 12″
53 52 Crown Heights Affair – Say A Prayer For Two / I Love You / Dream World – Mercury LP
54 NE Rahni Harris – Six Million Steps – US Inspirational Sounds 12″
55 NE Rose Royce – I’m In Love / First Come, First Serve – Whitfield LP
56 34 Lenny Williams – You Got Me Running – ABC 12″/LP
57 57 Bobby Caldwell – Down For The Third Time – US Clouds LP
58 55 Blair – Night Life – US Solar Sound LP
59 72 O’Jays – Brandy – Philadelphia Int’l 7″
60 88 Patrick Juvet – I Love America – Casablanca LP/US 12″ promo
61 47 Cissy Houston – Think It Over – Private Stock 7″/12″
62 59 Gregg Diamond – Starcruisin’ / Fancy Dancer – US Marlin LP
63 39 Raydio – Honey I’m Rich – Arista 7″
64 68 ABBA – Summer Night City – Epic 7″
65 32 L.T.D. – Holding On / It’s Time To Be Real – A&M 12″/LP
66 NE Ronnie Jones – Groovin’ / Gimme Little Sign / Me And Myself – Lollipop LP
67 64 Alicia Bridges – I Love The Nightlife – Polydor 7″/US 12″
68 58 Pockets – Take It On Up – US Columbia 7″/12″ promo
69 73 Nina Simone – Baltimore – CTI 7″/LP
70 49 Rick James – You And I – Motown 7″/12″/LP
71 53 Brothers Johnson – Ride-O-Rocket / Streetwave / Mista Cool – A&M LP
72 NE Dean Friedman & Denise Marsa – Lucky Stars – Lifesong 7″
73 NE Eddie Horan – Turn My World Back Around – US HDM LP
74 NE Grover Washington Jr. – Do Dat / Steppin’ Thru / Santa Cruzin’ – Motown LP
75 76 Candi Staton – Victim – Warner Bros. 7″/LP/US 12″ promo remix
76 NE Donna Summer – MacArthur Park – Casablanca 7″/LP
77 NE Three Degrees – Giving Up, Giving In – Ariola 7″/12″
78 63 Foxy – Get Off – TK 7″/US 12″ remix
79 RE Earth, Wind & Fire – Got To Get You Into My Life – CBS 7″
80 48 Evelyn “Champagne” King – Shame – RCA 7″/12″
81 69 Teri DeSario – Ain’t Nothing Gonna Keep Me From You – Casablanca 7″
82 82 Millie Jackson – Sweet Music Man – Spring 7″
83 RE Passport – Loco-Motive – US Atlantic 12″
84 NE Peter Brown – You Should Do It – TK 7″
85 NE Supermax – World Of Today – Atlantic 7″
86 NE Gladys Knight & The Pips – It’s A Better Than Good Time – Buddah 7″/12″
87 75 Kandidate – Don’t Wanna Say Goodnight – Rak 7″/12″
88 NE Ramsey Lewis – All The Way / Don’t Look Back / Moogin’ On – US Columbia LP
89 78 Jimmy Ponder – All Things Beautiful (all cuts) – US LRC LP
90 RE Funkadelic – One Nation Under A Groove – US Warner Bros. 7″/LP
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (BNDA debut 7/8/78) / #11 (BNDA debut 8/19/78) / #14 (BNDA debut 6/17/78)
#17 (BNDA debut 11/26/77) / #18 (BNDA debut 7/8/78) / #20 (BNDA debut 1/6/79)
#22 (BNDA debut 7/22/78) / #24 (BNDA debut 5/27/78) / #25 (BNDA debut 7/29/78)
#31 (BNDA debut 9/9/78) / #32 (BNDA debut 8/12/78) / #40 (BNDA debut 6/3/78)
#46 (BNDA debut 10/7/78) / #49 (BNDA debut 9/9/78) / #50 (BNDA debut 9/9/78)
#56 (BNDA debut 7/29/78) / #60 (BNDA debut 6/3/78) / #61 (BNDA debut 7/22/78)
#62 (BNDA debut 9/2/78) / #67 (BNDA debut 9/16/78) / #70 (BNDA debut 5/13/78)
#75 (BNDA debut 8/12/78) / #76 (BNDA debut 9/23/78) / #77 (BNDA debut 11/4/78)
#78 (BNDA debut 5/6/78) / #80 (BNDA debut 10/1/77) / #90 (BNDA debut 11/11/78)
Bubbling Under the Top 90 (Domestic):
JONATHAN KING: ‘One For You, One For Me’ (GTO 12”)
VOYAGE: ‘Point Zero’ (GTO 7”) (BNDA debut 2/11/78)
LORD KITCHENER: ‘Sugar Bum Bum’ (Ice 12”)
LEN BOONE: ‘Love Won’t Be Denied’ (Chrysalis 12”) (BNDA debut 8/12/78)
ROBERT PALMER: ‘Best Of Both Worlds’ (Island 12”)
EL COCO: ‘Love In Your Life’ / ‘Dancing In Paradise’ (Pye 12”) (BNDA debut 7/15/78)
JEFF WAYNE: ‘The Eve Of The War’ (CBS 7”) (BNDA debut 2/16/80)
D.C. LARUE: ‘Let Them Dance’ (Pye 12”) (BNDA debut 6/10/78)
WAYNE HENDERSON: ‘Hot Stuff’ (Polydor 7”)
GERRI GRANGER: ‘I Go To Pieces’ (Casino Classics 7”)
AMII STEWART: ‘You Really Touched My Heart’ (Atlantic 12” promo remix)
TONY ORLANDO: ‘Don’t Let Go’ (Elektra 12”) (BNDA debut 8/5/78)
KEBEKELEKTRIK: ‘War Dance’ (Epic 7”) (BNDA debut 6/24/78)
Bubbling Under the Top 90 (Imports):
KOOL & THE GANG: ‘Everybody’s Dancin’’ (US De-Lite LP)
JOE FARRELL: ‘Night Dancing’ (US Warner Bros. LP)
RAY BARRETTO: ‘Can You Feel It’ (US Atlantic LP)
WILLIE HUTCH: ‘And All Hell Broke Loose’ / ‘Easy Does It’ (US Whitfield LP)
ASHFORD & SIMPSON: ‘Stand Up And Do Something’ (US Warner Bros. LP)
CLOUD ONE: ‘Happy Music’ (US Queen Constance 12”)
WILLIE BOBO: ‘Always There’ / ‘Keep That Same Old Feeling’ (US Columbia LP)
LA BIONDA: ‘Sandstorm’ (US Polydor LP)
LUV YOU MADLY ORCHESTRA: ‘Rocket Rock’ (US Salsoul 12”)
PRIME TIME: ‘Good Times’ / ‘Soul Train’ (US Motown 12” promo)
METROPOLIS: ‘New York Is My Kind Of Town’ (US Salsoul LP) (BNDA debut 10/7/78)
AQUARIAN DREAM: ‘You’re A Star’ (US Elektra LP)
JORGE SANTANA: ‘Seychelles’ / ‘Love The Way’ (US Tomato LP)
CHANSON: ‘Don’t Hold Back’ (US Ariola LP) (BNDA debut 10/14/78)
CHAKA KHAN: ‘I’m Every Woman’ (US Warner Bros. 12” promo) (BNDA debut 12/2/78)
LOVE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: ‘Let Me Be Your Fantasy’ (US Penthouse LP)
MFSB: ‘Dance With Me Tonight’ / ‘To Be In Love’ / ‘Let’s Party Down’ (US Philadelphia Int’l LP)
JEAN CARN: ‘Don’t Let It Go To Your Head’ (US Philadelphia Int’l LP)
CLAUDJA BARRY & RONNIE JONES: ‘It Takes Two’ (US Salsoul 12”)
EDDIE DANIELS: ‘Preparation F’ (US Marlin LP)
RITCHIE FAMILY: ‘American Generation’ (US Marlin LP) (BNDA debut 7/22/78)
LEON HAYWOOD: ‘Party’ (US MCA 7”)
RODNEY FRANKLIN: ‘I Like The Music Make It Hot’ / ‘On The Path’ (US Columbia LP)
MELBA MOORE: ‘You Stepped Into My Life’ (US Epic 12”) (BNDA debut 10/28/78)
GREY & HANKS: ‘You Fooled Me’ (US RCA 12”)
MAYNARD FERGUSON: ‘Fantasy’ (US Columbia LP)
QUAZAR: ‘Funk ‘N Roll’ (US Arista 7”)
PHYREWORK: ‘My Funk’ / ‘Put Your Hands Up’ (US Mercury LP)
GRAHAM CENTRAL STATION: ‘My Radio Sure Sounds Good To Me’ (US Warner Bros. LP)
OLLIE BABA: ‘Stomp Your Feet’ / ‘Give Me A Break’ / ‘Do It Good’ (US Polydor LP)
SYLVERS: ‘Don’t Stop Get Off’ (US Casablanca LP)
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY: ‘I May Not Be There When You Want Me’ (US Gold Mind 12”) (BNDA debut 9/23/78)
LAURA TAYLOR: ‘Dancing In My Feet’ (US TK 12”) (BNDA debut 9/23/78)
VILLAGE PEOPLE: ‘YMCA’ (US Casablanca 7”) (BNDA debut 10/21/78)
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