February 3, 1979: Real Thing, Cheryl Lynn, Winners, James Brown, Donna Summer

Chris Browne (Elephant & Castle, Charlie Chaplins) thinks Beats Per Minute mixing is a fine idea with many possibilities, BUT . . . “in the wrong hands it could bore the arse off every discotheque patron in the land!” Chris continues, “I’ve always mixed by ear and by gut feel, which – I think – is the best method. BPM should be used more as a guide line than a strict rule. What happens, for instance, if a punter requests something that rates 130bpm and you’re playing at around 120bpm? ‘Sorry mate, I’m not playing that tempo at the moment . . .’ (broken nose, etc)! Let’s just hope that BPM doesn’t create a lot of ‘instant DJ’s’ with robotic formats.” Pretty much the message I’ve been trying to get across, Chris. Anyway, the result is that jocks have been practising their mixing whether the BPM’s or not, and here are some of their segue suggestions. First-time mixer Dave Middleton (Bletchley Peaches) tried ‘Instant Replay’ into ‘In The Bush’ into ‘I’m A Man’ into ‘Que Tal America’, and found it worked – look ma, no voice! More adventurous but also a beginner, Tony Green (Ainsdale Tiffanys) found percussion mixes easy regardless of different BPM speeds, and suggests mixing into and out of the percussion break of Lonnie Liston Smith, Gene Chandler, Lakeside, Village People (US 12in remix). Phil Mitchell (Hull University Soul Club) takes the tempo up in steps with Weather Report ‘River People’, Marvin Gaye ‘Funky Space Reincarnation’, Instant Funk, Olympic Runners ‘Sir Dancealot’, which builds you up nicely to any freak tempo disc. Veteran mixer Simon Greenwood (Esher & Bristol Le Village Discos) gets sophisticated with Caroline Crawford ‘Coming On Strong’, mixing Paradise Express ‘Dance’ (minus the first 20 secs) under Caroline’s accapella vocal break, which he whips out when she’s said her bit, then near the end of ‘Dance’ either chopping into Sylvester ‘Dance (Disco Heat)’ or mixing into Peaches & Herb ‘Groove Thing’ 12in. Finally, jazz-funker Chris Lee (Canvey Bardots) creates excitement with the crowd effects of Instant Funk ‘Wide World Of Sports’, mixing outro into Willie Bobo ‘Always There’, Rainbow ‘I Like It’, Sea Level ‘54’, Ayers & Henderson ‘Lovers Should Always Be Together’ (LP track at 45 rpm), all straightforward mixes at appropriate points towards the end of each.

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Disco News

Orville Sweeney switches his disco promotion desk from Anchor to RCA this week . . . Gary’s Gang is out on 12in next week! . . . Players Association and T-Connection LPs are due then too, with Bell & James, Joe Simon ‘Love Vibration’ and Krypton ‘Can You Read My Mind’ 12ins to follow mid-month . . . T-Connection indeed is, but Deborah Washington is however not on commercial 12in, and Bob Marley ‘Stir It Up’ isn’t even on 7in now as another is being chosen . . . Ariola launch special limited edition gold vinyl extended 7in versions this week of 3 Degrees, Chanson, Deborah Washington, Winners, John Paul Young, Sugar Cane ‘Valhevala’ and Linda Fletcher ‘Hush’, 10,000 of each . . . Love Symphony Orchestra is coming on Miracle, but will it be the Penthouse Pets sleeve?! . . . Gregg Diamond ‘Starcruiser’ is on 7:17 US 12in with 10:06 ‘This Side Of Midnight’ flip (thanx for info, Adrian Sykes, Tottenham) . . . WEA’s big 12in plans include simultaneous release in shoppers’ browser pack of twelve LV’s with an upped price of £1.79 – cheaper than imports still – to include such as Aquarian Dream, Howard Kenney and other recent biggies . . . Dave Rawlings (Basingstoke Maxwells) speed-spins Grover Washington Jr ‘Do Dat’ at about 130bpm by varying the 7in speed to halfway between 45 and 78rpm (funny decks you’ve got Dave!), at which it’s then a good jazz-funk flier . . . Dartford Flicks is gaining Studio 54-type queues and now not only have you got to look funky and freaky to get in but this Saturday DJ Cohn Hudd will be allowing in any funksters clutching copies of Record Mirror – but you gotta get there early to get in at all!

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New Spins

REAL THING: ‘Can You Feel The Force?’ (Pye 7NL 46147)
Long a fave on LP and now huge due to some timely 12in promos, this dynamite brassily leaping 132bpm “whup-whup-whoo-hoo” rhythm rattler has been remixed with added applause and a terrifically freaky ‘Star Wars’-style 53 second intro that’s great running through, say, ‘Que Tal America’ or the ‘Countdown/This Is It’ rhythm break. It’s all on 7:33 red vinyl 12in, and is a disco smash!

CHERYL LYNN: ‘Got To Be Real’ (CBS 12-6967) (BNDA debut 11/25/78)
Subtly powerful wailing 116bpm Emotions/Chaka Khan-style strutter is on full 5:10 12in complete with long but languid instrumental break – but, amazingly, though the US 7in is the same generous length, here the 7in is just the original LP version’s break-lacking 3:48. Bah!

WINNERS: ‘Get Ready For The Future’ (Ariola ARO 144)
Brass Construction-type 120bpm chugger, huge on import last summer, has a great freaky synthesizer break near the end – ideal for mixing – and is on longer promo 12in or gold vinyl 7in (AROE 144). 

JAMES BROWN: ‘For Goodness Sakes, Look At Those Cakes’ (Polydor POSPX 24)
Dull 126bpm rehash of past glories, but the big attraction is the double-A coupling on 12in of his classic 108bpm ‘Sex Machine’, although contrary to advance publicity it’s only 5:14.

DONNA SUMMER: ‘Heaven Knows’ (Casablanca CAN 141)
Melodic 132bpm pop loper, less exciting than the tempo suggests, will please her usual crowd.

TINA CHARLES: ‘Boogie Round The Clock’ (CBS 12-7024)
Sylvester-style (though less fully fleshed) 131bpm bright ‘n breezy racer spurts out of some deceptively tranquil lulls on 5:29 12in, with a nicely swinging 131bpm poor-man’s Dr Buzzard flip, ‘Do What You Wanna Do’.

JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON: ‘Gangster Of Love’ (DJM DJS 10890)
Bluesily rolling 108bpm revival of his nickname-giving oldie, nice but not very “disco” despite being on 8:39 12in.

KITTY & THE HAYWOODS: ‘Disco Fairyland’ (Capitol CL 16033)
Noisy shrill chix-sung 120bpm nursery rhyme nonsense, strictly for kids.

BONNIE POINTER: ‘Heaven Must Have Sent You’ (Motown 12TMG 1184) (BNDA debut 5/5/79)
Mid-tempo swinging 71/142bpm backbeat clapper (not really fast at all) revives the Elgins oldie in similar style but with an added dynamite growling gravelly-voiced Ella-sings-Satchmo scat break, on limited 5:10 12in!

WILTON FELDER: ‘Let’s Dance Together’ (ABC ABCT 4244)
Out on 5:57 12in just as it drops from the chart, the plopping 105bpm jazz-funk jogger works best speeded up, but slots nicely into the segue sequence of Ronnie Laws, WF, David Fathead Newman, Gene Chandler (into and out on rhythm breaks), Herbie Hancock.

ISAAC HAYES: ‘Zeke The Freak’ (Polydor POSPX 28)
Largely instrumental freak-tempo 124bpm clapper with an empty old Booker T-type sound, on 4:22 12in, always mixed well in front of Rahni Harris. Gloria Gaynor ‘I Will Survive’ is also on full-length 12in now, by the way.

CHIC: ‘Tres Chic’ LP (Atlantic K 50565) (BNDA debut 12/16/78)
Surprisingly downtempo set sparked by ‘Le Freak’ and their first two dance hits, as a subduedly Latin 113bpm ‘Chic Cheer’ with applause intro & outro – big in Manchester – and laid-back 115/57bpm future follow-up, ‘I Want Your Love’: however – STOP PRESS! – WEA’s lavish Boney M-style advertising build-up has been vetoed by the group and the LP is now withdrawn for remixing . . . though thousands are still about!

RITCHIE FAMILY: ‘American Generation’ (Mercury 6007199) (BNDA debut 7/22/78)
Beautiful bikini-clad threesome’s ultrapop 124bpm wall of sound has – horrors! – a mid-70s Glitter Band-type British feel . . . so should please pop punters.

BARBARA RANDOLPH: ‘I Got A Feeling’ (Tamla Motown PMG 1133)
Shrill 1967 classic with dragging 132bpm clapping backbeat, remixed on original label in original-style sleeve with a muddled ‘Can I Get A Witness’ and slow ‘You Got Me Hurtin’ All Over’.

THE JACKSONS: ‘Blame It On The Boogie’ (Epic EPC 12-6983) (BNDA debut 1/6/79)
Dirty tricks dept: to flog ‘Destiny’ and another non-disco track, Epic now finally couple them on 12in with a really rather good 7:00 remix of their last 114bpm hit.

PAM TODD & GOLD BULLION BAND: ‘Baise Moi’ (Epic EPC 6939) (BNDA debut 11/18/78)
Pop-slanted coolly churning 127bpm girlie group jogger with predatorily panting vocal and rattling percussion break, on 6:36 US 12in (Channel CD 102D), but here quite neatly compressed onto 3:56 7in with 5:02 instrumental flip.

CRISTINA: ‘Disco Clone’ (ZE 12ZE 001)
Cymbal-schlurping 126bpm hisser in the “singing” model-girl syndrome, remixed for 7:40 12in by Greg James, but the beefier 129bpm flip is like a 10:12 dub and more interesting.

BROTHERS JOHNSON: ‘It’s You Girl’ (Funk A&Merica AMSP 7410)
Pretty 54bpm slowie lurches into double time on the climaxes and is 12in maxied with the disjointedly funky 112bpm ‘Mista Cool’ and 110bpm ‘Brother Man’.

SANTANA: ‘One Chain (Don’t Make No Prison)’ (CBS 12-6998) (BNDA debut 5/5/79)
Four Tops oldie, now a steadily thudding 118bpm rock plodder with Latin percussion break, on 6:13 12in.

BOB SEGER: ‘We’ve Got Tonight’ (Capitol CL 16028)
Moody dead slow smash-bound pop smoocher, will obviously spill over into some slow spots.

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Hot Vinyl

Chris Hill (Canvey Goldmine/Southgate Royalty) returns this slot to its old guest DJ format with these hip import tips:

MARILYN MCCOO & BILLY DAVIS JR: ‘Shine On Silver Moon’ (US Columbia 12”) (BNDA debut 1/27/79)
7TH WONDER: ‘My Love Ain’t Never Been This Strong’ (US Parachute 12”)
LONNIE LISTON SMITH: ‘Magical Journey’ (US Columbia LP)
JOE SAMPLE: ‘Surprise’ / ‘Carmel’ / ‘Cannery Row’ (US ABC LP)
DANNY PEARSON: ‘Honey Please Can’t You See’ / ‘Walking In The Rain With The One I Love’ (US Unlimited Gold LP)
RICK JAMES: ‘High On Your Love’ / ‘Fool On The Street’ (US Gordy LP)
TONY VALOR: ‘Love Has Come My Way’ (US Paula 12”)
BOMBERS: ‘Get Dancin’’ (US West End 12”) (BNDA debut 2/10/79)
WONDERLAND DISCO BAND: ‘Thrill Me’ (US Roadshow 12”)

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UK Disco Top 90 – February 3, 1979

01 01 Village People – YMCA – Mercury 7″/12″/US Casablanca 12″ remix
02 02 Chic – Le Freak – Atlantic 7″/12″
03 03 Earth, Wind & Fire – September – CBS 7″
04 04 Funkadelic – One Nation Under A Groove – Warner Bros. 7″/12″/LP
05 05 Chaka Khan – I’m Every Woman – Warner Bros. 7″/12″
06 08 Instant Funk – I Got My Mind Made Up – US Salsoul 7″/12″/US 12″ remix
07 07 Dan Hartman – Countdown / This Is It – Blue Sky 7″/12″/LP/US 12″
08 06 Shalamar – Take That To The Bank – RCA 12″
09 10 Edwin Starr – Contact – 20th Century 12″
10 12 Ian Dury – Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick – Stiff 7″/12″
11 09 Musique – In The Bush / (remix) – CBS 7″/12″
12 14 Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson – Heat Of The Beat – Polydor 12″
13 11 Dan Hartman – Instant Replay – Blue Sky 7″/US 12″/LP
14 19 Peaches & Herb – Shake Your Groove Thing – Polydor 12″
15 18 Gary’s Gang – Keep On Dancin’ / Do It At The Disco – US Columbia 12″
16 15 Two Man Sound – Que Tal America – Miracle 12″
17 16 Gene Chandler – Get Down – 20th Century 12″
18 24 Olympic Runners – Sir Dancealot – Polydor 12″
19 27 Blondie – Heart Of Glass – Chrysalis 12″
20 17 Sylvester – Dance (Disco Heat) – Fantasy 7″/12″
21 13 Rahni Harris – Six Million Steps – Mercury 12″
22 21 Chanson – Don’t Hold Back – Ariola 12″
23 30 Herbie Hancock – You Bet Your Love – CBS 12″
24 23 Damon Harris – It’s Music – Fantasy 12″
25 20 Rod Stewart – Da Ya Think I’m Sexy – Riva 7″/12″ promo
26 32 Real Thing – Can You Feel The Force – Pye LP/12″ promo
27 25 Cerrone – Je Suis Music – CBS 12″
28 33 Bionic Boogie – Cream – Polydor 12″
29 29 FLB – Boogie Town – US Fantasy/WMOT 12″
30 39 Grey & Hanks – Dancin’ / You Fooled Me – US RCA 7″/12″/LP
31 36 Village People – I’m A Cruiser / My Roommate / The Women / Ups And Downs / Hot Cop – Mercury LP
32 22 Barry White – Just The Way You Are / Your Sweetness Is My Weakness – 20th Century 7″/12″
33 34 Gaz – Sing Sing / Boogie Woman – US Salsoul 12″/LP
34 26 Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip – Starship Trooper – Ariola Hansa 7″/12″
35 31 Donald Byrd – Thank You For Funking Up My Life / Have You Heard The News – Elektra 12″/LP
36 38 Lonnie Liston Smith – Space Princess / Quiet Moments – US Columbia 12″
37 40 Keith Barrow – Physical Attraction / Turn Me Up / Joyous Music – US Columbia LP/12″ remix
38 28 Lakeside – It’s All The Way Live – RCA 12″
39 35 Ronnie Jones – Groovin’ / Me And Myself – Lollipop 12″
40 41 Village People – Macho Man / San Francisco – DJM 12″
41 42 Racey – Lay Your Love On Me – Rak 7″
42 43 Sea Level – Fifty Four – US Capricorn 12″/LP
43 56 Three Degrees – Woman In Love – Ariola 7″/12″ promo
44 53 Leif Garrett – I Was Made For Dancin’ – Scotti Bros. 7″/US 12″
45 63 Dolly Parton – Baby I’m Burnin’ – RCA 12″
46 37 Alicia Bridges – I Love The Nightlife – Polydor 7″/12″
47 57 Tasha Thomas – Shoot Me With Your Love – Atlantic 12″
48 47 David Simmons – Will They Miss Me – Fantasy 12″
49 60 John Davis & The Monster Orch. – Ain’t That Enough For You – Miracle 12″
50 44 Goody Goody – #1 Dee Jay – Atlantic 12″
51 51 Third World – Cool Meditation – Island 7″/12″
52 49 Mankind – Dr. Who – Pinnacle 12″
53 46 Sylvester – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) – Fantasy 7″/12″/LP
54 73 Cheryl Lynn – Got To Be Real / Star Love – US Columbia 7″/12″/LP
55 85 Melba Moore – You Stepped Into My Life – Epic 12″
56 NE Thelma Houston – Saturday Night, Sunday Morning – Motown 7″/US 12″
57 NE Players Association – Turn The Music Up / Ride The Groove / The Closer I Get To You / Everybody Dance – US Vanguard LP/12″
58 55 Fantastic Four – BYOF – US Westbound LP
59 52 War – Youngblood – MCA 12″
60 45 Bee Gees – Too Much Heaven – RSO 7″
61 68 Mantus – (Dance It) Freestyle Rhythm – US SMI 12″
62 NE Ronnie Laws – All For You / Nothin’ ‘Bout Nothin’ – UA 12″
63 83 Foxy – Get Off – TK 12″
64 58 T-Connection – At Midnight / Saturday Night / Funkannection / Funky Lady – US TK 12″/Dash LP
65 62 Carolyn Crawford – Coming On Strong / A Nice Feeling – US Mercury 7″/12″/LP
66 70 Zulema – Change – London 12″
67 61 David Fathead Newman – Keep The Dream Alive – US Prestige LP
68 87 Mike Mandell – Just The Way You Are / Peg / Jupiter Finger – Vanguard LP
69 48 Heatwave – Mind Blowing Decisions / Always And Forever – GTO 7″/12″
70 64 Quazar – Funk ‘N Roll – Arista 7″/LP
71 NE Dobie Gray – You Can Do It – Infinity 12″
72 NE Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive – Polydor 7″/12″
73 NE Lonnie Smith – Do It – US LRC LP
74 84 Diana Ross & Michael Jackson – Ease On Down The Road – MCA 12″
75 50 Joe Farrell – Night Dancing – Warner Bros. 12″
76 RE Bobby Caldwell – Down For The Third Time – TK 7″
77 79 Eruption – Leave A Light – Atlantic 7″
78 NE Chic – I Want Your Love / Chic Cheer – Atlantic LP
79 74 Arpeggio – Love And Desire / Let The Music Play / Runaway – US Polydor LP
80 54 Willie Bobo – Always There – US Columbia 7″/LP/12″ remix
81 76 Bill Summers – Straight To The Bank – US Prestige 12″
82 72 Paradise Express – Dance / Poinciana – US Fantasy 12″
83 NE Bell & James – Livin’ It Up (Friday Night) – US A&M 12″
84 66 Macho – I’m A Man – EMI 12″
85 71 Al Hudson & The Soul Partners – Spread Love – ABC 12″
86 80 Philly Cream – Sly-Hi – US Fantasy/WMOT 12″
87 RE Rose Royce – I’m In Love – Whitfield 7″
88 NE Herbie Mann – Superman / Etagui – Atlantic 7″/US 12″
89 RE Phreek – I’m A Big Freak / Everybody Loves A Good Thing / Weekend / Much Too Much – US Atlantic LP
90 88 Miquel Brown – Symphony Of Love – Polydor 12″
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry

Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (BNDA debut 10/21/78) / #2 (BNDA debut 10/21/78) / #4 (BNDA debut 11/11/78)
#5 (BNDA debut 12/2/78) / #6 (BNDA debut 1/27/79) / #9 (BNDA debut 11/18/78)
#10 (BNDA debut 10/20/79) / #11 (BNDA debut 7/29/78) / #13 (BNDA debut 8/19/78)
#14 (BNDA debut 10/28/78) / #15 (BNDA debut 1/6/79) / #16 (BNDA debut 9/22/79)
#17 (BNDA debut 11/18/78) / #19 (BNDA debut 4/14/79) / #20 (BNDA debut 7/8/78)
#22 (BNDA debut 10/14/78) / #25 (BNDA debut 1/20/79) / #27 (BNDA debut 11/4/78)
#28 (BNDA debut 11/11/78) / #30 (BNDA debut 1/20/79) / #32 (BNDA debut 10/14/78)
#40 (BNDA debut 3/18/78) / #45 (BNDA debut 12/16/78) / #46 (BNDA debut 9/16/78)
#47 (BNDA debut 11/4/78) / #49 (BNDA debut 9/2/78) / #50 (BNDA debut 9/9/78)
#53 (BNDA debut 7/8/78) / #54 (BNDA debut 11/25/78) / #55 (BNDA debut 10/28/78)
#56 (BNDA debut 2/24/79) / #57 (BNDA debut 4/7/79) / #59 (BNDA debut 10/7/78)
#61 (BNDA debut 2/17/79) / #63 (BNDA debut 5/6/78) / #64 (BNDA debut 1/6/79)
#66 (BNDA debut 1/6/79) / #72 (BNDA debut 11/11/78) / #78 (BNDA debut 12/16/78)
#79 (BNDA debut 12/16/78) / #81 (BNDA debut 2/10/79) / #82 (BNDA debut 12/9/78)
#84 (BNDA debut 9/16/78) / #90 (BNDA debut 1/6/79)

Bubbling Under the Top 90 (Domestic):
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS: ‘Stir It Up’ (Island LP)
EDDIE HENDERSON: ‘Cyclops’ (Capitol 7”)
POINTER SISTERS: ‘Everybody Is A Star’ (Planet 7”)
MICK JACKSON: ‘Weekend’ (Atlantic 7”)
SWITCH: ‘We Like To Party . . . Come On’ (Motown 12”)
WEATHER REPORT: ‘River People’ (CBS 7”)
GIORGIO MORODER: ‘Chase’ (Casablanca LP) (BNDA debut 1/20/79)
GANYMED: ‘It Takes Me Higher’ (Creole 12”)
GONZALEZ: ‘Just Let It Lay’ (EMI 12”)
TOOTS & MAYTALS: ‘Famine’ (Island 7”)
FIRST CHOICE: ‘Hold Your Horses’ (Salsoul 7”) (BNDA debut 11/18/78)
WHITE HEAT: ‘Dancing Like A Superstar’ (MAM 12”)
KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND: ‘Who Do Ya Love?’ (TK 7”)
ROYAL RASSES: ‘Unconventional People’ / ‘Rhythm’ (Ballistic 12”)
BOB MCGILPIN: ‘Superstar’ (Ember 12”) (BNDA debut 8/26/78)
SANTANA: ‘One Chain’ (CBS 12”) (BNDA debut 5/5/79)
SUPERMAX: ‘Lovemachine’ (Atlantic 12”)
OLLIE BABA: ‘Stomp Your Feet’ (Polydor 12” promo)
EDDIE HORAN: ‘Turn My World Back Around’ (London 12”)
LENNY WHITE: ‘Lady Madonna’ / ‘Pooh Bear’ (Elektra LP)
BOBBY WOMACK: ‘I Can Understand It’ / ‘Harry Hippie’ (UA 12”)

Bubbling Under the Top 90 (Imports):
LEMON: ‘A-Freak-A’ / ‘Chance To Dance’ (US Prelude LP) (BNDA debut 1/6/79)
RAINBOW: ‘I Like It’ (US Inner City LP)
JIMMY BO HORNE: ‘Spank’ (US Sunshine Sound 12”) (BNDA debut 4/7/79)
GARCIA’S SUPER FUNK: ‘I Didn’t Know That You Could Dance’ (US TK 12”)
JO BISSO: ‘Play Me’ (French Jobis LP)
WILSON PICKETT: ‘Funky Situation’ / ‘She’s So Tight’ (US Atlantic 12”)
FEVER: ‘Standing In The Shadows Of Love’ (US Fantasy 12”) (BNDA debut 10/28/78)
RON LOUIS SMITH: ‘Party Freaks Come On’ (US Sunshine Sound 12”)
MARILYN MCCOO & BILLY DAVIS JR: ‘Shine On Silver Moon’ (US Columbia 12”) (BNDA debut 1/27/79)
AMANT: ‘If There’s Love’ (US TK 12”) (BNDA debut 11/25/78)
STANLEY COWELL: ‘The Stoker’ (US Galaxy LP)
KING SPORTY: ‘Fire Keep On Burning’ (US TK 12”)
GB EXPERIENCE: ‘Disco Extravaganza’ (US Atlantic 12”)
BLUE NOTES: ‘Disco Explosion’ (US Fantasy 12”)