Disco News
EMI’s Licensed Repertoire Division’s disco department are holding a series of presentation evenings for record shops and DJ’s this month: already held this week have been nights in London, Birmingham and Liverpool, while all DJ’s are welcome to turn up between 8:40pm for Bristol Romeo’s & Juliet’s tonight (Thursday 9), Hull Romeo’s & Juliet’s next Wednesday (15), Newcastle Julie’s next Thursday (16) and Glasgow Rialto the following Monday (20) . . . Crown Heights Affair’s review last week was truncated: the full 6:27 12in ‘Say A Prayer For Two’ / 4:29 ‘I’m Gonna Love You Forever’ is on Mercury 9199918, while the edited 7in is 6168803 . . . Steel Pulse ‘Prediction’ is also on 4:52 12in (Island 12WIP 6461) . . . Ariola are rushing Chanson ‘Don’t Hold Back’ on 7in with a 12in later, and plan for Winners and Deborah Washington in January . . . Ronnie Jones ‘Groovin’’ is due soon on single, while Village People ‘YMCA’ is on both 7in and 12in next week . . . North East Essex DJ Assn challenge Colchester Embassy Suite to a charity football match this Sunday (12) at 2:30 on Shrub End Playing Field – NEEDJA need ya there! They’ve already got 34 members (contact Lew Wells, 51 Cowdray Avenue, Colchester) . . . Steve Allen starts a new Thursday funk night at Peterborough’s Cresset Leisure Centre, Bretton, tonight (9) . . . Tom Wilson (Edinburgh Rutland) suggests a “slow spin” instead of the speed thing – evidently Alicia Bridges’s 7in at 33 1/3 rpm sounds a bit like the O’Jays! . . . I did a gig last week opposite Barry Neal of the Simon King Disco (01-330 3709): he’s got a good line in chat and spins the hits . . . DJs or groups needing cheap transport hire, or record companies wanting a mailing house and printing service, could well try CJ Ryman Management of 18 Broughton Street, London SW8 (01-622 2484), who hope especially to help the disco side of the business . . . Pye Records’ new disco plugger is June Wood, promoted to the position in house, so there may be hope for some of you yet! . . . Paul Clark now import funks Hove’s Inn Bar, Oriental Place, till late (2:00am) on Mon/Wed/Fridays while Gary Allan spins hits at Liverpool’s McMillians in Concert Street (by Comet, halfway up Bond Street), which is usually full by 11pm but he wants it known he’s there Thur/Fri/Saturdays . . . Manchester-based Dave Eagar “Beaver” is filling in the 4-6pm slot on Manx Radio, which with increased power on 219m MW now reaches parts of Scotland, Lancashire, Wales and Ireland . . . King Enri Yori (Peckham Red Bull) now informs that Third World’s import 12in is fetching £5 while the UK original gets £20 or more: however, Rus Phillips at Manor Park Broadway’s ‘Ere For Music (Saturdays) does the import for £2.99 . . . hello, Roger St. Pierre!
New Spins
SYLVESTER: ‘Dance (Disco Heat)’ (Fantasy FTC 163) (BNDA debut 7/8/78)
3:51 7in edit of the dynamite US 12in misses most of the latter’s best last part, when the rhythm pauses for freaky effects, but it still storms along.
MUSIQUE: ‘In The Bush’ (CBS 6791) (BNDA debut 7/29/78)
3:32 edit of the catchy fast LP pounder, with a new and considerably different 6:44 disco remix on the flip.
ROD STEWART: ‘Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?’ (Riva 17) (BNDA debut 1/20/79)
Anything Bowie can do Rod can do too? It’s an excellent easy-paced mellotron-backed 5:28 disco chugger, bound to explode.
ATLANTIC STARR: ‘Stand Up’ (Funk A&Merica AMSP 7401) (BNDA debut 10/7/78)
Powerfully stamping funk jumper, huge on LP for ages and now on remixed 6:24 12in or 4:29 7in.
CHAKA KHAN: ‘I’m Every Woman’ (Warner Bros. K 17269) (BNDA debut 12/2/78)
Superb strings-backed smooth soul chugger pushed along with subtle power, rather like the current Ashford & Simpson, huge already on same-length promo 12in.
SARAH BRIGHTMAN & HOT GOSSIP: ‘I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper’ (Ariola Hansa AHAD 527-12)
‘2001’ intro to a jolly but fairly crass Euro-style 12in romper, full of appropriate space effects which’ll help sell it to pop crowds.
COMMODORES: ‘Just To Be Close To You’ (Motown TMG 1127)
Great soulfully-lurching 1976 smoocher deservedly out again . . . and this one really is soul!
BLONDIE: ‘Hanging On The Telephone’ (Chrysalis CHS 2286)
Telephone intro to a good new wave disco thrasher, should be useable.
ROCKY SHARPE & THE REPLAYS: ‘Rama Lama Ding Dong’ (Chiswick CHIS 104)
Edsels’ doo-wop rocker revived Darts-style, with low bass vocals by Olympic Runner Pete Wingfield.
GATO BARBIERI: ‘Poinciana’ (A&M AMS 7387)
At last, the sax tootler’s lovely jazz-funk instrumental swayer is edited to 5:14 for 7in.
JAMES BROWN: ‘Nature, Parts 1 & 2’ (Polydor 2066984)
Great funky chicken scratcher with a brass riff that’s pinched straight from Rufus Thomas. Do that dog!
FINISHED TOUCH: ‘I Love To See You Dance’ (Motown TMG 1126)
Jittery fast but slick hustler, now on 3:43 7in with catchy Chic-like chix going “dance dance dance, ooh ooh ooh” behind squeaky soul guys.
VOYAGE: ‘Souvenirs’ (GTO 12 241) (BNDA debut 12/2/78)
Gradually building bossa nova – well almost! – with chanting Euro chix and chattering rhythm behind the smooth surface sound on 12in and 7in, flipped by their last LP’s funkily leaping ‘Lady America’.
VARIOUS ARTISTS: ‘Hot Disco Night, Vol. 1’ (Pye NSPL 28271)
Laurin Rinder & W. Michael Lewis-produced LP of past successes, most with their hot rhythm and cool synthesizer sound. The Afro-type title track was used as a rhythm break for mixing into other records by US jocks and works well like that . . . but how many UK DJs are into that type of cleverness? Other known tracks include the full 6:35 El Coco ‘Let’s Get It Together’, ‘Mondo Disco’, Le Pamplemousse ‘Le Spank’ and the producers’ own 3:42 ‘Lust’.
EL COCO: ‘Coco Kane’ (from LP ‘Dancing In Paradise’, Pye NSPL 28268)
Jauntily jumping girl-sung 5:06 flier with whizzing synthetic strings and freaky stereo effects, plus the already known title track and its ‘Love In Your Life’ 12in coupling.
SHAMPOO: ‘Harlem Hustle’ (Ensign ENY 1812)
Lush but lively disco clopper with cooing chix and lotsa syndrums, remixed by Chris Hill for the flipside version on 12in and 7in. Anyone for a Martini?!
GONZALEZ: ‘Just Let It Lay’ (EMI 2868)
Sleazy laid-back throaty drawler with staccato chix and lazily funky but full-bodied mid tempo backbeat – could be a grower.
EDWIN STARR: ‘I’m So Into You’ (20th Century BTC 2389)
Huskily souled lilting slow jogger creeps up on ya most effectively.
DELROY WILSON: ‘Consider Yourself’ (Cactus CT 119)
Impressions-inspired soulful reggae with great 60s-style guitar chords and humming.
MELBA MOORE: ‘You Stepped Into My Life’ (Epic EPC 6811) (BNDA debut 10/28/78)
Already hitting on US 12in, it’s a pleasant lightly funky version of – ulp! – a Bee Gees song.
M.A.3.: ‘Bee Gees Mania’ (Polydor 2001830)
As if they don’t get played enough, here’s a Euro-style US medley of Bee Gees biggies, squeaky vocals ‘n all. Ugh!
ANDY GIBB: ‘Why’ (RSO 22)
Yet more effete whimpering.
PAUL JABARA: ‘Pleasure Island’ (from LP ‘Keeping ‘Time’, Casablanca CAL 2029) (BNDA debut 8/26/78)
Gradually building marathon disco “symphony” goes through several emphasis shifts and actually gets quite rhythmically exciting for the instrumental last half, with overlaid sound effects.
CRISTINA: ‘Disco Clone’ (Island WIP 6466)
Gruff guy and squeaky chick do a zingy fast disco ‘Come Outside’, possibly a contender for Robbie Vincent’s bottom five (but does have a naive charm), also on 12in (ZE 12ZE 001).
BOB MARLEY: ‘War’ / ‘No More Trouble’ / ‘Exodus’ (Island IPR 2026)
Live recorded limited 2000-copies-only 12in, the A-side reggae’s a bit dull but the B-side version goes like the clappers and is possibly too fast!
STEVE KHAN: ‘Some Down Time’ (from LP ‘The Blue Man’, CBS 83146)
Specialist jazz-funk skipper with biting Khan guitar and Brecker/Sanborn brass.
CHUCK MANGIONE: ‘Children of Sanchez’ (A&M AMS 7389)
Angrily growling brassy intro to a subtle Spanish-tinged jazz instrumental with military drumming.
PLATINUM HOOK: ‘Gotta Find A Woman’ / ‘Hooked For Life’ (Motown TMG 1128)
Lightweight little jogger, heavier funk flip, but nothing very special.
GINO VANNELLI: ‘I Just Wanna Stop’ (A&M AMS 7397)
Gentle blue-eyed smoocher.
SERGE GAINSBOURG: ‘Sea, Sex and Sun’ (Philips 6042412)
Fast electronic Europop frolic with Jane Birkin’s fella talking gruff sexy sweet nothings over gasping girls.
LARRY PAGE ORCHESTRA: ‘Thunderstruck’ / ‘Slinky Thighs’ (Rampage DS RAM 12)
Rah Band-style simple bouncy instrumental with thunderclaps on 4:40 12in or 3:30 7in, while the blander but more strictly “disco” 6:25 flip has slinky femme vocals on the 3:18 7in version only.
SWITCH: ‘There’ll Never Be’ (Motown 12TMG 1123)
Their LP’s extremely Platinum Hook-like ‘We Like To Party . . . Come On’ (STML 12096) is so far the disco fave, but now this sinuous sweet slow soul smoocher is on 12in.
PETER SKELLERN: ‘Love Is The Sweetest Thing’ (Mercury 6008603)
A hit already, it’s one of the year’s best MoR dancers for mobile jocks.
MIDNITE FOLLIES ORCHESTRA: ‘No Strings’ (EMI Odeon ODO 101)
Really useful ‘30s-style Pasadena-type MoR quickstepper, lovely and jolly for old folks.
GINGER ROGERS: ‘Isn’t This A Lovely Day’ (EMI Odeon ODO 102)
Beautiful MoR lilter, ditto as above!
MADLEEN KANE: ‘C’Est Si Bon’ (Decca FR 13805)
Breathy slow slinky smoocher, possibly best for gay and continental crowds.
METROPOLIS: ‘New York Is My Kind Of Town’ (Salsoul SSOL 112) (BNDA debut 10/7/78)
Tranquil intro builds into a low volume 7:14 zingy girlie group galloper, bigger with jocks than the A-side’s even frothier ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’.
TONY MIDDLETON: ‘Paris Blues’ (Grapevine GRP 115)
My old mate from the Willows with a methodically soulful ‘60s mid-tempo Northern stomper, dubbed from disc.
RAY GODFREY: ‘Come And Get These Memories’ (Grapevine GRP 111)
Northern-aimed carbon copy of the old Vandellas classic.
Mix Master
Last Friday these worked like a dream for me at Gullivers: start (optional) with a synchronised mix out of Hamilton Bohannon ‘Let’s Start The Dance’ (Mercury 12in) during the second rhythm break, into Atlantic Starr ‘Stand Up’ (Funk A&Merica 12in remix), into Chic ‘Le Freak’ (US Atlantic 12in), mixing halfway into the first rhythm break of Funkadelic ‘One Nation Under A Groove’ (US Warner Bros. 12in promo remix) – which you can mix in and out of Chic continually (thanks, Chris Hill!) – then do a long running mix out of a rhythm break into Donald Byrd ‘Have You Heard The News’ (US Elektra LP) speeded right up.
UK Disco Top 90 – November 11, 1978
01 02 Dan Hartman – Instant Replay – Blue Sky 7″/CBS promo LP/US 12″
02 01 Sylvester – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) – Fantasy 7″/12″/LP
03 04 Boney M. – Rasputin – Atlantic 7″/12″/LP
04 03 Third World – Now That We Found Love – Island 7″/12″
05 06 The Jacksons – Blame It On The Boogie – Epic 7″/12″
06 10 Donna Summer – MacArthur Park – Casablanca 7″/LP/12″ promo
07 07 Roy Ayers – Get On Up, Get On Down – Polydor 7″/12″/LP
08 11 Eddie Henderson – Prance On / Cyclops / Butterfly / Say You Will – Capitol 12″/LP
09 15 Manu Dibango – Sun Explosion / Big Blow / Motapo – Decca 12″/French Fiesta 12″
10 05 Rose Royce – Love Don’t Live Here Anymore / Do It Do It – Whitfield 7″
11 12 Ashford & Simpson – It Seems To Hang On – Warner Bros. 7″/US 12″/LP
12 16 Rahni Harris – Six Million Steps – US Inspirational Sounds 12″
13 09 Sylvester – Dance (Disco Heat) – Fantasy LP/US 12″
14 13 Phil Hurtt – Giving It Back – Fantasy 12″
15 08 Hi-Tension – British Hustle – Island 7″/12″
16 19 Teddy Pendergrass – Only You / Close The Door – Philadelphia Int’l 12″
17 17 Olympic Runners – Get It While You Can – Polydor 7″/12″
18 14 John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – Summer Nights – RSO 7″
19 20 Musique – Keep On Jumpin’ / In The Bush – CBS 7″/LP
20 24 Joe Thomas – Plato’s Retreat – TK 7″/US 12″
21 27 Three Degrees – Giving Up, Giving In – Ariola 7″/12″
22 22 Shalamar – Take That To The Bank – US Solar 7″/LP
23 30 Patrick Juvet – I Love America – Casablanca 7″/12″/LP
24 26 Stanley Turrentine – Disco Dancin’ – Fantasy 12″/US LP
25 18 Frankie Valli – Grease – RSO 7″
26 29 Mick Jackson – Blame It On The Boogie – Atlantic 7″/US 12″
27 25 Roy Ayers – Can’t You See Me / You Send Me – Polydor LP
28 23 Cleveland Eaton – Bama Boogie Woogie / Funky Cello – Gull 7″/12″
29 34 Joe Farrell – Night Dancing – US Warner Bros. LP/12″ promo
30 36 Heatwave – Mind Blowing Decisions / Always And Forever – GTO 12″
31 31 Goody Goody – #1 Dee Jay – US Atlantic 12″/LP
32 32 La Bionda – One For You, One For Me – Mercury 7″/12″
33 51 Chic – Le Freak – US Atlantic 12″
34 33 Funkadelic – One Nation Under A Groove – US Warner Bros. 7″/12″/LP
35 35 Afro-Cuban Band – Rhythm Of Life – Arista 7″/12″
36 28 Karen Young – Hot Shot – Atlantic 7″/12″/US West End 12″
37 38 Wilbert Longmire – Black Is The Color – CBS promo LP/US Tappan Zee LP
38 43 Aquarian Dream – You’re A Star / Fantasy – US Elektra LP
39 42 Crown Heights Affair – Say A Prayer For Two / I Love You / Dream World – Mercury 7″/12″/LP
40 37 Sugar Cane – Montego Bay – Ariola Hansa 7″/12″
41 47 Dean Friedman & Denise Marsa – Lucky Stars – Lifesong 7″
42 21 Crown Heights Affair – Galaxy Of Love – Mercury 12″/LP
43 84 Dennis Coffey – Calling Planet Earth / Gimme That Funk – US Westbound LP/12″ promo
44 53 Alicia Bridges – I Love The Nightlife – Polydor 7″/12″
45 48 Curtis Mayfield – No Goodbyes – US Curtom LP/12″ promo
46 52 Howard Kenney – Save Some For The Children – US Warner Bros. LP
47 55 Jonathan King – One For You, One For Me – GTO 7″/12″
48 57 Gregg Diamond – Starcruisin’ / Fancy Dancer / This Side Of Midnight – CBS promo LP/US Marlin LP
49 45 Brothers Johnson – Ride-O-Rocket – A&M 7″/12″
50 46 Solar Flare – Boogie Fund – RCA 12″
51 39 Evelyn “Champagne” King – Shame – RCA 7″/12″
52 56 Chaka Khan – I’m Every Woman – Warner Bros. 7″/US 12″ promo
53 62 Peter Tosh & Mick Jagger – (You Gotta Walk) Don’t Look Back – EMI 7″/12″
54 40 Stargard – What You Waitin’ For – MCA 7″/12″
55 49 A Taste Of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie – Capitol 7″/12″/LP
56 44 Eddie Horan – Turn My World Back Around – US HDM LP
57 70 Ronnie Foster – Happy Song / Why Don’t You Look Inside – US Columbia LP
58 41 Candi Staton – Victim – Warner Bros. 7″/LP/US 12″ promo remix
59 76 Carol Douglas – Burnin’ – Midsong 12″
60 61 O’Jays – Brandy – Philadelphia Int’l 7″
61 63 Earth, Wind & Fire – Got To Get You Into My Life – CBS 7″
62 74 Colorado – California Dreaming / Space Lady Love – Pinnacle 7″/12″
63 73 Bettye LaVette – Doin’ The Best That I Can – Atlantic 12″
64 72 Ramsey Lewis – All The Way / Don’t Look Back / Moogin’ On – US Columbia LP
65 68 Village People – YMCA – US Casablanca 7″/12″/LP
66 NE Tasha Thomas – Shoot Me With Your Love – US Orbit 12″
67 69 Rose Royce – I’m In Love / First Come, First Serve – Whitfield LP
68 67 Samuel Jonathan Johnson – You – US Columbia 12″ remix
69 88 John Travolta – Sandy – Midsong 7″
70 NE Brecker Brothers – East River – Arista 7″
71 71 Jimmy McGriff – Outside Looking In / Playland / Midnight Boogie / Tapioca – US LRC LP
72 NE Damon Harris – It’s Music – US Fantasy/WMOT 12″
73 50 Herbie Hancock – I Thought It Was You – CBS 12″/LP
74 60 Gap Mangione – Mellow Out / Time Of The Season – A&M 7″/12″/LP
75 77 Ronnie Jones – Groovin’ / Gimme Little Sign / Me And Myself – Lollipop LP
76 65 Linda Clifford – Gypsy Lady / If My Friends Could See Me Now – Curtom LP/US 12″ remix
77 NE Donald Byrd – Thank You For Funking Up My Life / Have You Heard The News – US Elektra LP
78 58 Al Hudson – How Do You Do / Dance, Get Down – ABC 7″/12″
79 66 Pulse – The Warrior – Ipi Tombi 7″/12″
80 78 Atlantic Starr – Stand Up – A&M LP/US 12″ remix
81 89 Timmy Thomas – Freak In Freak Out – TK 7″/US 12″ remix
82 82 Grover Washington Jr. – Do Dat / Steppin’ Thru / Santa Cruzin’ – US Motown LP
83 79 Melba Moore – You Stepped Into My Life – Epic 7″/US 12″
84 NE Willie Bobo – Always There / Keep That Same Old Feeling – US Columbia LP
85 NE Marsha Hunt – The Other Side Of Midnight – Magnet 12″
86 NE Ollie Baba – Stomp Your Feet / Give Me A Break – US Polydor LP
87 NE Rodney Franklin – I Like The Music Make It Hot – US Columbia LP
88 NE Family Affair – Love Hustle – Pye 7″
89 75 Finished Touch – I Love To See You Dance / Need To Know You Better – Motown 7″/LP/US 12″ promo remix
90 RE Chanter Sisters – Can’t Stop Dancing – Safari 7″
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (BNDA debut 8/19/78) / #2 (BNDA debut 7/8/78) / #5 (BNDA debut 1/6/79)
#6 (BNDA debut 9/23/78) / #13 (BNDA debut 7/8/78) / #19 (BNDA debut 7/29/78)
#20 (BNDA debut 8/12/78) / #21 (BNDA debut 11/4/78) / #23 (BNDA debut 6/3/78)
#31 (BNDA debut 9/9/78) / #33 (BNDA debut 10/21/78) / #34 (BNDA debut 11/11/78)
#35 (BNDA debut 9/2/78) / #36 (BNDA debut 6/17/78) / #44 (BNDA debut 9/16/78)
#45 (BNDA debut 9/9/78) / #48 (BNDA debut 9/2/78) / #50 (BNDA debut 9/9/78)
#51 (BNDA debut 10/1/77) / #52 (BNDA debut 12/2/78) / #55 (BNDA debut 5/27/78)
#58 (BNDA debut 8/12/78) / #59 (BNDA debut 9/9/78) / #63 (BNDA debut 8/12/78)
#65 (BNDA debut 10/21/78) / #66 (BNDA debut 11/4/78) / #76 (BNDA debut 3/25/78)
#80 (BNDA debut 10/7/78) / #83 (BNDA debut 10/28/78) / #85 (BNDA debut 1/14/78)
No Bubbling Under titles this week.
James Hamilton's Disco Page 