Disco News
This Saturday (4) at Edmonton’s Picketts Lock Sport Centre in North London there’s an all-day Teenage Soul Festival with lots of jolly attractions including Robbie Vincent, Greg Edwards, Roger Scott, Barry Lee Martin, Andy Bear and Froggy’s Roadshow, dance competitions and a soul walking contest, from 2 to 10:30 pm – details on 01 302 0815 . . . Chris Hill opens the new Whistles venue at Fleet Country Club this Sunday (5), returning every third week or so in rotation with other funksters . . . Steve Young spins brand new import funk every Friday at South Normanton’s Storthfield Country Club (M1 exit 28), with free admission and first drink for the next month to all Record Mirror carriers; he’s already getting a good crowd and would like to hear from disco acts into doing a PA there for promotion (call 01 455 6409) . . . Funk Wars: Owen Washington and Pete Tong walked into a minority-caused battle at Tunbridge Wells Elizabethan Barn the other Friday, which had been a good funk gig but will never see them again, while Chris Brown got attacked by a gang in the carpark near Southampton’s new Statline Disco Diner just after its opening and is now far from fit . . . I hear that other venues with a pack-‘em-in-regardless policy have been having aggro from non-funksters too . . . Happier scenes: Gary Hirst and Paul Kassell are having amazing success by packing the London Sundown in Charing Cross Road every Sunday with a special Jewish Teenage Sunday Club and then spinning terrific sounds . . . Andy Stinton, regular Sundown DJ for over three years and ex-disco plugger for Creole and DJM, packed his bags and split to Canada on Monday to jock at Toronto’s Harbour Castle Hilton prior to helping expand Bacchus International’s interests there; his Sundown replacement is Greg Gregory, disco plugger for Satril Records, with help on Saturdays from Phil Bishop . . . Fatman Graham Canter at Mayfair Gullivers has a warm-up jock now, Rudy Gilpin, who’d never jocked before but is now hotter than us on running New York-style mixes! . . . Nikki Peck is so busy now doubling at Chatham’s Pentagon Centre’s Van Dammes and Scamps that he needs a fill-in jazz-funk jock to give him nights off, and he’s also selling his £2,000 roadshow, so call him on Medway 573040.
New Spins
MANKIND: ‘Dr Who’ (Motor MTR 001/12)
The telly theme with a happily skipping fast Cerrone-style disco beat builds up the excitement nicely on 7:00 see-through vinyl 12in, or 4:15 7in.
MECO: ‘Themes From The Wizard Of Oz’ (RCA XB 1057) (BNDA debut 10/14/78)
‘Star Wars’-style pounding melody of ‘Over The Rainbow’, etc. – it’s certainly obvious enough!
DIANA ROSS & MICHAEL JACKSON: ‘Ease On Down The Road’ (MCA 396)
Over anxious and frantic treatment of Consumer Rapport’s old ‘Wiz’ song, overshadowed for many by the great instrumental Quincy Jones jazz-funk ‘Poppy Girls’ flip with an oh-so-familiar bass line!
DONNA MCGHEE: ‘Do As I Do’ (Anchor ANC 1061)
Phew, almost too much to stand, this Sylvia-style sexily squealing and panting little throbber keeps it up with mainly wordless eroticism for a massive 10:20 12in or less potent 3:14 7in. So realistic it hurts!
CROWN HEIGHTS AFFAIR: ‘I’m Gonna Love You Forever’ / ‘Say A Prayer For Two’ (Mercury 9199918)
Catchily nagging “I can’t stop” hookline and sharp scat singing spark the thunderingly thudding fast radio A-side, while their LP’s other cream cut has been remixed for the flip’s more purposefully chugging disco-aimed side – which I actually prefer in its original form.
LEON HAYWOOD: ‘Party’ (MCA 12MCA 390)
Stargard-type US-style slow funky “paaarty” thudder with whoop-whoops, on 5:45 12in or 3:24 7in, already big in the North-West.
BRECKER BROTHERS: ‘East River’ (Arista ARIST 211)
Exciting extremely heavy crashing, chanting and blasting slow funk pounder, reminiscent of old King Curtis/Eric Clapton collaborations.
IKE & TINA TURNER: ‘Nutbush City Limits’ (UA 12UP 35582)
Still immensely popular disco classic (try synchronising it out of Maxine Nightingale’s old hit), now on limited 12in reissue.
MACHO: ‘I’m A Man’ (EMI 2882) (BNDA debut 9/16/78)
Spencer Davis/Chicago classic given a frantic electronic and hollering galloping gay treatment, already big for pop venues on import.
GENE FARROW: ‘Dance With Me’ / ‘Do It Again’ (Magnet MAG 138)
Cleverly – if not fiendishly – catchy thumping pop rompers should keep the wally crowd happy for a while!
FATBACK: ‘I’m Fired Up’ (Spring 2066975)
Whistle and timbales open a happily jumping chanter that was big a while back on LP, and used to mix well out of Nigel Martinez.
STEEL PULSE: ‘Prediction’ (Island WIP 6461)
Dynamite flamenco-starting subtle reggae throbber, really unusual and worth checking.
RICHARD ACE: ‘Stayin’ Alive’ (Blue Inc INC 2)
Bee Gees go reggae most usefully on 7:09 12in (10,000 at 90p) or 3:15 7in, both with a dub last part and similar 6:19 ‘If I Can’t Have You’ flip.
THE WARLORD: ‘The Ultimate Warlord’ (Birds Nest BN 106)
Ominously drumming electronic pulsator with freaky Kraftwerk-type voice sound, very effective and much plugged on Lux.
M: ‘Moderate Man’ (MCA 298)
Extremely exciting new-wave stormer with thundering great electronic-type beat.
FLYING LIZARDS: ‘Summertime Blues’ (Virgin VS 230)
Stupendous minimalistic paring-down of Eddie Cochran’s rocker to its bare essentials, totally different for the adventurous among you!
MILLIE JACKSON: ‘Go Out And Get Some (Get It Outcha System)’ (Spring POSP 013)
Tension-building dramatic brassy intro lurches into an aggressively meaty, sultry groin grinder.
LINDA RONSTADT: ‘Ooh Baby Baby’ (Asylum K 13139)
Beautiful version of Smokey Robinson’s slowie, with great Donnie Elbert-type sax that slots into soul segues even.
BUNNY MALONEY: ‘Baby I’ve Been Missing You’ (Gull GULS 65)
Independents’ old soul slowie makes a great reggae grinder, already big on pre.
FINISHED TOUCH: ‘I Love To See You Dance’ (from LP ‘Need To Know You Better’, Motown STML 12095)
Delicately harmonised mid-tempo jazzy title track has been a bit of a funk hit on import, but now thanks to a 12in promo this more obvious frothy hustler is getting the action.
DAVID BOYDELL: ‘City Music’ (Electric HWOT 26)
Madly happy frantic leaper has some jazz-funk Manu Dibango drive with squeaky pop vocals but works quite well, on 5:38 off-white vinyl 12in.
MARTYN FORD: ‘Happy People’ (Mountain TOP 43)
Jittery fast UK revival of Temptations’ oldie, on limited 5:32 12in or 3:48 7in.
TIMMY THOMAS: ‘Freak In, Freak Out’ (TK TKR 7505)
Peter Brown-type jolting hustler, with a better long intro in its US 12in form.
TELEX: ‘Twist A Saint Tropez’ (Sire SIR 4006)
Speedy Euro electronics, like a much faster and more usable Kraftwerk.
UK Disco Top 90 – November 4, 1978
01 01 Sylvester – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) – Fantasy 7″/12″/LP
02 05 Dan Hartman – Instant Replay – Blue Sky 7″/US 12″
03 02 Third World – Now That We Found Love – Island 7″/12″
04 03 Boney M. – Rasputin – Atlantic 7″/12″/LP
05 04 Rose Royce – Love Don’t Live Here Anymore – Whitfield 7″
06 07 The Jacksons – Blame It On The Boogie – Epic 7″/12″
07 17 Roy Ayers – Get On Up, Get On Down – Polydor 12″/LP
08 06 Hi-Tension – British Hustle – Island 7″/12″
09 14 Sylvester – Dance (Disco Heat) – Fantasy LP/US 12″
10 16 Donna Summer – MacArthur Park – Casablanca 7″/LP/12″ promo
11 11 Eddie Henderson – Prance On / Cyclops / Butterfly / Say You Will – Capitol 12″/LP
12 12 Ashford & Simpson – It Seems To Hang On – Warner Bros. 7″/US 12″/LP
13 13 Phil Hurtt – Giving It Back – Fantasy 12″
14 08 John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – Summer Nights – RSO 7″
15 23 Manu Dibango – Sun Explosion / Big Blow / Motapo – Decca 12″/French Fiesta 12″
16 21 Rahni Harris – Six Million Steps – US Inspirational Sounds 12″
17 24 Olympic Runners – Get It While You Can – Polydor 12″
18 10 Frankie Valli – Grease – RSO 7″
19 30 Teddy Pendergrass – Only You / Close The Door – Philadelphia Int’l 12″
20 19 Musique – Keep On Jumpin’ / In The Bush – CBS LP
21 09 Crown Heights Affair – Galaxy Of Love – Mercury 12″/LP
22 22 Shalamar – Take That To The Bank – US Solar 7″/LP
23 15 Cleveland Eaton – Bama Boogie Woogie / Funky Cello – Gull 7″/12″
24 28 Joe Thomas – Plato’s Retreat – TK 7″/US 12″
25 20 Roy Ayers – Can’t You See Me – Polydor LP
26 26 Stanley Turrentine – Disco Dancin’ – Fantasy 12″/US LP
27 42 Three Degrees – Giving Up, Giving In – Ariola 7″/12″
28 18 Karen Young – Hot Shot – Atlantic 7″/12″/US West End 12″
29 35 Mick Jackson – Blame It On The Boogie – Atlantic 7″/US 12″
30 41 Patrick Juvet – I Love America – Casablanca 7″/12″/LP
31 29 Goody Goody – #1 Dee Jay – US Atlantic 12″/LP
32 27 La Bionda – One For You, One For Me – Mercury 7″/12″
33 57 Funkadelic – One Nation Under A Groove – US Warner Bros. 7″/12″/LP
34 36 Joe Farrell – Night Dancing – US Warner Bros. LP/12″ promo
35 48 Afro-Cuban Band – Rhythm Of Life – Arista 7″/12″
36 44 Heatwave – Mind Blowing Decisions / Always And Forever – GTO 12″
37 33 Sugar Cane – Montego Bay – Ariola Hansa 7″/12″
38 39 Wilbert Longmire – Black Is The Color – CBS promo LP/US Tappan Zee LP
39 63 Evelyn “Champagne” King – Shame – RCA 7″/12″
40 31 Stargard – What You Waitin’ For – MCA 7″/12″
41 52 Candi Staton – Victim – Warner Bros. 7″/LP/US 12″ promo remix
42 49 Crown Heights Affair – Say A Prayer For Two / I Love You / Dream World – Mercury LP
43 72 Aquarian Dream – You’re A Star / Fantasy – US Elektra LP
44 50 Eddie Horan – Turn My World Back Around – US HDM LP
45 75 Brothers Johnson – Ride-O-Rocket – A&M 12″
46 40 Solar Flare – Boogie Fund – RCA 12″
47 38 Dean Friedman & Denise Marsa – Lucky Stars – Lifesong 7″
48 46 Curtis Mayfield – No Goodbyes – US Curtom LP
49 25 A Taste Of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie – Capitol 7″/12″/LP
50 34 Herbie Hancock – I Thought It Was You – CBS 12″/LP
51 NE Chic – Le Freak – US Atlantic 12″
52 56 Howard Kenney – Save Some For The Children – US Warner Bros. LP
53 59 Alicia Bridges – I Love The Nightlife – Polydor 7″/US 12″
54 32 Hamilton Bohannon – Let’s Start The Dance – Mercury 12″
55 53 Jonathan King – One For You, One For Me – GTO 7″/12″
56 NE Chaka Khan – I’m Every Woman – US Warner Bros. LP/12″ promo
57 61 Gregg Diamond – Starcruisin’ / Fancy Dancer / This Side Of Midnight – US Marlin LP
58 47 Al Hudson – How Do You Do / Dance, Get Down – ABC 7″/12″
59 69 Brothers Johnson – Ain’t We Funkin’ Now – A&M 7″/12″
60 43 Gap Mangione – Mellow Out / Time Of The Season – A&M 7″/12″/LP
61 64 O’Jays – Brandy – Philadelphia Int’l 7″
62 90 Peter Tosh & Mick Jagger – (You Gotta Walk) Don’t Look Back – EMI 7″/12″
63 58 Earth, Wind & Fire – Got To Get You Into My Life – CBS 7″
64 45 Cerrone – Supernature – Atlantic 7″/12″/LP
65 RE Linda Clifford – Gypsy Lady / If My Friends Could See Me Now – Curtom LP/US 12″ remix
66 NE Pulse – The Warrior – Ipi Tombi 7″/12″
67 51 Samuel Jonathan Johnson – You – US Columbia 12″ remix
68 NE Village People – YMCA – US Casablanca 7″/LP
69 55 Rose Royce – I’m In Love / First Come, First Serve – Whitfield LP
70 NE Ronnie Foster – Happy Song / Why Don’t You Look Inside – US Columbia LP
71 60 Jimmy McGriff – Outside Looking In / Playland / Midnight Boogie / Tapioca – US LRC LP
72 70 Ramsey Lewis – All The Way / Don’t Look Back / Moogin’ On – US Columbia LP
73 NE Bettye LaVette – Doin’ The Best That I Can – Atlantic 12″
74 89 Colorado – California Dreaming / Space Lady Love – Pinnacle 7″/12″
75 RE Finished Touch – I Love To See You Dance / Need To Know You Better – Motown LP/US 12″ promo remix
76 NE Carol Douglas – Burnin’ – Midsong 12″
77 65 Ronnie Jones – Groovin’ / Gimme Little Sign / Me And Myself – Lollipop LP
78 RE Atlantic Starr – Stand Up – A&M LP/US 12″ remix
79 NE Melba Moore – You Stepped Into My Life – US Epic 12″
80 NE Boney M. – Painter Man / Night Flight To Venus / King Of The Road – Atlantic LP
81 62 Goody Goody – Superjock – US Atlantic LP
82 71 Grover Washington Jr. – Do Dat / Steppin’ Thru / Santa Cruzin’ – US Motown LP
83 78 Charles Earland – Let The Music Play / Over And Over – Mercury 12″
84 87 Dennis Coffey – Calling Planet Earth / Gimme That Funk – US Westbound LP/12″ promo
85 67 Atlantic Starr – Gimme Your Lovin’ – A&M 7″/12″
86 76 Rick James – You And I – Motown 7″/12″/LP
87 66 Sweet Thunder – Everybody’s Singin’ Love Songs – US Fantasy/WMOT 12″
88 NE John Travolta – Sandy – Midsong 7″
89 NE Timmy Thomas – Freak In Freak Out – TK 7″/US 12″ remix
90 54 Commodores – Three Times A Lady – Motown 7″/LP/Dutch 12″
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (BNDA debut 7/8/78) / #2 (BNDA debut 8/19/78) / #6 (BNDA debut 1/6/79)
#9 (BNDA debut 7/8/78) / #10 (BNDA debut 9/23/78) / #20 (BNDA debut 7/29/78)
#24 (BNDA debut 8/12/78) / #27 (BNDA debut 11/4/78) / #28 (BNDA debut 6/17/78)
#30 (BNDA debut 6/3/78) / #31 (BNDA debut 9/9/78) / #33 (BNDA debut 11/11/78)
#35 (BNDA debut 9/2/78) / #39 (BNDA debut 10/1/77) / #41 (BNDA debut 8/12/78)
#46 (BNDA debut 9/9/78) / #48 (BNDA debut 9/9/78) / #49 (BNDA debut 5/27/78)
#51 (BNDA debut 10/21/78) / #53 (BNDA debut 9/16/78) / #54 (BNDA debut 7/22/78)
#56 (BNDA debut 12/2/78) / #57 (BNDA debut 9/2/78) / #64 (BNDA debut 11/26/77)
#65 (BNDA debut 3/25/78) / #68 (BNDA debut 10/21/78) / #73 (BNDA debut 8/12/78)
#76 (BNDA debut 9/9/78) / #78 (BNDA debut 10/7/78) / #79 (BNDA debut 10/28/78)
#81 (BNDA debut 9/9/78) / #86 (BNDA debut 5/13/78)
Bubbling Under the Top 90 (Domestic):
BRECKER BROTHERS: ‘East River’ (Arista 7”)
CHANTER SISTERS: ‘Can’t Stop Dancing’ (Safari 7”)
MARSHA HUNT: ‘The Other Side Of Midnight’ (Magnet 12”) (BNDA debut 1/14/78)
QUINCY JONES: ‘Love I Never Had It So Good’ (A&M 12”)
D.C. LARUE: ‘Let Them Dance’ (Pye 12”) (BNDA debut 6/10/78)
SWITCH: ‘We Like To Party . . . Come On’ (Motown LP)
CARRIE LUCAS: ‘Tic Toc’ / ‘Street Corner Symphony’ (RCA 12”)
SUPERMAX: ‘World Of Today’ (Atlantic 7”)
EL COCO: ‘Dancing In Paradise’ / ‘Coco Kane’ (Pye LP) (BNDA debut 7/15/78)
FOUR TOPS: ‘I Can’t Help Myself’ (Motown 7”)
VELVELETTES: ‘Needle In A Haystack’ (Motown 7”)
QUAZAR: ‘Funk ‘N Roll’ (Arista 7”)
LORD KITCHENER: ‘Sugar Bum Bum’ (Ice 12”)
RICK JAMES: ‘Mary Jane’ (Motown 7”)
LEON HAYWOOD: ‘Party’ (MCA 12”)
METROPOLIS: ‘New York Is My Kind Of Town’ (Salsoul 7”) (BNDA debut 10/7/78)
LUISA FERNANDEZ: ‘Lay Love On You’ (Warner Bros. 7”)
TYRONE DAVID: ‘Mind Blowing Decisions’ (D-Roy 12”)
QUARTZ: ‘Beyond The Clouds’ (Pye 12”) (BNDA debut 7/22/78)
Bubbling Under the Top 90 (Imports):
CHANSON: ‘Don’t Hold Back’ / ‘I Can Tell’ (US Ariola LP) (BNDA debut 10/14/78)
WILLIE HUTCH: ‘Easy Does It’ (US Whitfield LP)
LUV YOU MADLY ORCHESTRA: ‘Rocket Rock’ (US Salsoul 12”)
CAMEO: ‘Ugly Ego’ / ‘Insane’ (US Casablanca LP)
RODNEY FRANKLIN: ‘I Like The Music Make It Hot’ (US Columbia LP)
WILLIE BOBO: ‘Always There’ (US Columbia LP)
OLLIE BABA: ‘Stomp Your Feet’ / ‘Give Me A Break’ (US Polydor LP)
TASHA THOMAS: ‘Shoot Me With Your Love’ (US Orbit 12”) (BNDA debut 11/4/78)
LAURA TAYLOR: ‘Dancing In My Feet’ (US TK 12”) (BNDA debut 9/23/78)
MFSB: ‘Dance With Me Tonight’ / ‘To Be In Love’ / ‘Let’s Party Down’ (US Philadelphia Int’l LP)
LOVE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: ‘Let Me Be Your Fantasy’ (US Penthouse LP)
EROTIC DRUM BAND: ‘Love Disco Style’ / ‘Plug Me To Death’ (US Prism LP) (BNDA debut 10/14/78)
PRINCE: ‘Soft And Wet’ (US Warner Bros. 7”)
RICHARD GROOVE HOLMES: ‘Let’s Groove’ (US Versatile LP)
POCKETS: ‘Heaven Only Knows’ (US Columbia LP)
SYLVERS: ‘Don’t Stop Get Off’ (US Casablanca LP)
DAMON HARRIS: ‘It’s Music’ (US Fantasy 12”)
PEACHES & HERB: ‘Shake Your Groove Thing’ (US Polydor LP) (BNDA debut 10/28/78)
DONALD BYRD: ‘Have You Heard The News’ (US Elektra LP)
BRIDES OF FUNKENSTEIN: ‘Disco To Go’ (US Atlantic 7”)
JEFF LORBER FUSION: ‘Curtains’ / ‘Katherine’ (US Inner City LP)
CERRONE: ‘Je Suis Music’ (US Cotillion LP) (BNDA debut 11/4/78)
GENE CHANDLER: ‘Get Down’ (US Chi-Sound LP) (BNDA debut 11/18/78)
LEMON: ‘Freak On’ (US Salsoul 12”)
DAVID SIMMONS: ‘Will They Miss Me’ (US Fantasy/WMOT 12”)
BIONIC BOOGIE: ‘Cream’ (US Polydor LP) (BNDA debut 11/11/78)
GLORIA JONES: ‘Bring On The Love’ (US Capitol 12”)
SEA LEVEL: ‘Forty Four’ (US Cotillion LP)
NEIL LARSEN: ‘Sudden Samba’ (US Horizon LP)
PATRICE RUSHEN: ‘Hang It Up’ / ‘Let’s Sing A Song Of Love’ / ‘Play’ (US Elektra LP)
CREATIVE SOURCE: ‘Who Is He And What Is He To You’ (US Paul Winley 12”)
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