Mix Master
Having to use fixed-speed turntables for my mixes on Capital Radio’s Best Disco In Town (broadcast Fridays at 11pm) has really brought home how vital vari-speed decks are if you want any flexibility in your mixing. Although with a chop mix you can go up and down the BPM speed scale without having to worry about getting out of synch, when doing a running mix on fixed-speed decks you are limited to just those records with the same BPM (some however do mix out of BPM if they have a sufficiently poly-rhythmic backing) . . . and the BPMs have to be exactly right! Last week’s show featured a few mixes that are probably worth passing on – you’ll have to feel the best mixing points for your own floor situation, though. Produced by the same people, Chic ‘I Want Your Love’ and Sister Sledge ‘He’s The Greatest Dancer’ synch together perfectly during Chic’s instrumental part, then the strange strings bit two-thirds through Sister Sledge synchs nicely with Players Association ‘Turn The Music Up’ (the 12in seems to be 116bpm and not 120bpm as printed on label!) . . . the problem with this bit of cleverness being that you’re stuck with the same tempo for bloody ages! Chopping dramatically on the right beat, you can create far more excitement by going up and down the BPM scale in the sequence starting with Herbie Hancock ‘Tell Everybody’, FLB ‘Boogie Town’ (minus intro), Kleeer ‘Keep Your Body Workin’, pt. 2’, Narada Michael Walden ‘I Don’t Want Nobody Else’ (minus intro), Rick James ‘High On Your Love Suite’ (minus synthesizer intro), Real Thing ‘Can You Feel The Force’ (start after applause at the main fast beat) – you should spot the last three’s similarity of mixing points especially easily. With vari-speed decks, of course, you don’t have to worry about BPM at all.
The Disco Page will be back to normal next week.
UK Disco Top 90 – March 17, 1979
01 02 Gary’s Gang – Keep On Dancin’ / Do It At The Disco – CBS 12″
02 13 GQ – Disco Nights (Rock Freak) / Boogie Oogie Oogie – Arista 12″
03 07 Real Thing – Can You Feel The Force – Pye 12″
04 01 Edwin Starr – Contact – 20th Century 12″
05 03 Gene Chandler – Get Down – 20th Century 12″
06 06 Herbie Hancock – You Bet Your Love – CBS 12″
07 NE Players Association – Turn The Music Up – Vanguard 12″
08 10 Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive – Polydor 7″/12″
09 04 Instant Funk – I Got My Mind Made Up – Salsoul 12″/US 12″ remix
10 19 Inner Circle – Everything Is Great – Island 12″
11 18 Gaz – Sing Sing – Salsoul 12″
12 26 Chic – I Want Your Love / Chic Cheer – Atlantic 12″
13 12 Peaches & Herb – Shake Your Groove Thing – Polydor 12″
14 35 Fantastic Four – BYOF / Sexy Lady – Atlantic 12″
15 29 Bill Summers – Straight To The Bank – Prestige 12″
16 25 FLB – Boogie Town – Fantasy 12″
17 09 Blondie – Heart Of Glass – Chrysalis 7″/12″
18 17 Bee Gees – Tragedy – RSO 7″/US 12″ promo
19 20 Cheryl Lynn – Got To Be Real – CBS 12″
20 22 Mick Jackson – Weekend – Atlantic 7″/US 12″ promo
21 27 Sister Sledge – He’s The Greatest Dancer / We Are Family – Atlantic 12″/US Cotillion 12″
22 38 Herbie Hancock – Tell Everybody / Ready Or Not – CBS LP
23 51 Narada Michael Walden – I Don’t Want Nobody Else – US Atlantic 12″ promo
24 14 Players Association – Ride The Groove / Everybody Dance / The Closer I Get To You – Vanguard LP
25 28 T-Connection – At Midnight – TK 12″
26 78 Gibson Brothers – Cuba – Island 12″
27 36 Grey & Hanks – Dancin’ – RCA 12″
28 08 Village People – YMCA – Mercury 12″/US Casablanca 12″ remix
29 63 Dennis Brown – Money In My Pocket – Lightning 12″
30 37 Sea Level – Fifty Four – Capricorn 12″
31 05 Earth, Wind & Fire – September – CBS 7″
32 NE Kleeer – Keep Your Body Workin’ – US Atlantic 12″
33 RE Gonzalez – Haven’t Stopped Dancin’ Yet – Sidewalk 12″
34 15 Funkadelic – One Nation Under A Groove – Warner Bros. 12″
35 24 Leif Garrett – I Was Made For Dancin’ – Scotti Bros. 7″/US 12″
36 49 Mike Mandel – Peg / Jupiter Finger – Vanguard 12″
37 33 Lonnie Liston Smith – Space Princess – US Columbia 12″
38 42 Paradise Express – Dance – Fantasy 12″
39 53 Bombers – (Everybody) Get Dancin’ – US West End 12″
40 21 Two Man Sound – Que Tal America – Miracle 12″
41 11 Chic – Le Freak – Atlantic 12″
42 40 Carolyn Crawford – Coming On Strong / A Nice Feeling – Mercury 12″
43 48 Thelma Houston – Saturday Night, Sunday Morning – Motown 7″/12″ promo
44 39 Donald Byrd – Thank You For Funking Up My Life / Loving You – Elektra 12″
45 52 Bell & James – Livin’ It Up (Friday Night) – A&M 12″
46 16 Dan Hartman – Countdown / This Is It – Blue Sky 12″/US 12″
47 60 Rick James – High On Your Love / Bustin’ Out / Fool On The Street – Motown 12″/LP
48 RE Dennis Coffey – Gimme That Funk – Atlantic 12″
49 NE Sweet Talks – Do The Beat – US Mercury LP
50 47 Keith Barrow – Turn Me Up – US Columbia 12″
51 61 Breakwater – Work It Out / Feel Your Way / No Limit / Do It Till The Fluid Gets Hot – US Arista LP
52 43 Donna Summer – Heaven Knows – Casablanca 7″
53 23 Olympic Runners – Sir Dancealot – Polydor 12″
54 55 Dobie Gray – You Can Do It – Infinity 12″
55 67 Eddie Horan – Turn My World Back Around – London 12″
56 45 Bonnie Pointer – Heaven Must Have Sent You – Motown 12″
57 74 Mongo Santamaria – Watermelon Man – US Tappan Zee 12″
58 89 Wardell Piper – Captain Boogie – US Midsong 12″
59 NE Machine – There But For The Grace Of God Go I – RCA 12″
60 57 Herbie Mann – Superman – Atlantic 12″
61 72 T-Connection – Saturday Night – TK LP
62 30 Three Degrees – Woman In Love – Ariola 7″/12″ promo
63 NE Lamont Dozier – Boogie Business – US Warner Bros. LP
64 NE Joe Sample – Sunrise / Carmel / Cannery Row – ABC LP
65 71 Lonnie Smith – Do It / Sweet Honey Wine – US LRC LP
66 70 Phreek – Weekend / Have A Good Day – Atlantic 12″
67 31 Shalamar – Take That To The Bank – RCA 12″
68 62 Switch – We Like To Party . . . Come On – Motown 12″
69 RE Lemon – A-Freak-A / Chance To Dance – US Prelude 12″/LP
70 RE Boney M. – Painter Man – Atlantic 7″
71 NE Bar-Kays – Holy Ghost – Stax 12″ promo
72 NE Carrie Lucas – Dance With You – US Solar 12″
73 54 Village People – I’m A Cruiser / My Roommate / Hot Cop / Ups And Downs – Mercury LP
74 NE Doobie Brothers – What A Fool Believes – Warner Bros. 7″
75 56 Mantus – (Dance It) Freestyle Rhythm – Atlantic 12″
76 NE Gino Soccio – Dancer – US RFC LP
77 32 Ian Dury – Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick – Stiff 7″/12″
78 75 Wilton Felder – Let’s Dance Together – ABC 12″
79 NE Alton McClain & Destiny – It Must Be Love – US Polydor 12″/LP
80 NE Crown Heights Affair – Dance Lady Dance – US De-Lite 12″/LP
81 NE Willie Hutch – Come On And Dance With Me – Whitfield 12″
82 64 Arpeggio – Love And Desire / Let The Music Play – US Polydor 12″/LP
83 NE Dells – Face To Face / (You Bring Out) The Best In Me – US ABC LP
84 NE George Benson – Love Ballad / Unchained Melody – Warner Bros. 12″/LP
85 65 Ritchie Family – American Generation – Mercury 7″/12″
86 NE Kofi & Kiki – 24 Hours In A Disco – Bronze 12″
87 NE George Duke – I Am For Real / Funkin’ For The Thrill / Straight From The Heart / Party Down – Epic LP
88 NE Marvin Gaye – A Funky Space Reincarnation – Motown 12″
89 85 Aquarian Dream – You’re A Star – Elektra 12″
90 NE Evelyn “Champagne” King – I Don’t Know If It’s Right – RCA 7″/US 12″
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (BNDA debut 1/6/79) / #2 (BNDA debut 2/24/79) / #4 (BNDA debut 11/18/78)
#5 (BNDA debut 11/18/78) / #7 (BNDA debut 4/7/79) / #8 (BNDA debut 11/11/78)
#9 (BNDA debut 1/27/79) / #12 (BNDA debut 12/16/78) / #13 (BNDA debut 10/28/78)
#15 (BNDA debut 2/10/79) / #17 (BNDA debut 4/14/79) / #18 (BNDA debut 3/17/79)
#19 (BNDA debut 11/25/78) / #21 (BNDA debut 2/10/79) / #22 (BNDA debut 7/14/79)
#23 (BNDA debut 4/14/79) / #25 (BNDA debut 1/6/79) / #26 (BNDA debut 4/7/79)
#27 (BNDA debut 1/20/79) / #28 (BNDA debut 10/21/78) / #32 (BNDA debut 4/7/79)
#33 (BNDA debut 12/23/78) / #34 (BNDA debut 11/11/78) / #38 (BNDA debut 12/9/78)
#39 (BNDA debut 2/10/79) / #40 (BNDA debut 9/22/79) / #41 (BNDA debut 10/21/78)
#43 (BNDA debut 2/24/79) / #56 (BNDA debut 5/5/79) / #58 (BNDA debut 4/14/79)
#59 (BNDA debut 1/27/79) / #63 (BNDA debut 5/5/79) / #69 (BNDA debut 1/6/79)
#72 (BNDA debut 3/10/79) / #74 (BNDA debut 4/7/79) / #75 (BNDA debut 2/17/79)
#76 (BNDA debut 2/24/79) / #77 (BNDA debut 10/20/79) / #79 (BNDA debut 3/24/79)
#82 (BNDA debut 12/16/78) / #85 (BNDA debut 7/22/78) / #90 (BNDA debut 2/3/79)
Bubbling Under the Top 90 (Domestic):
MICHAEL ZAGER BAND: ‘Life’s A Party’ (Private Stock LP promo)
GENERAL JOHNSON: ‘Can’t Nobody Love Me Like You Do’ (Arista 12”)
MILLIE JACKSON: ‘My Man Is A Sweet Man’ / ‘All The Way Lover’ (Spring 12”)
DIANA ROSS: ‘What You Gave Me’ (Motown 12”) (BNDA debut 12/23/78)
HAMILTON BOHANNON: ‘Cut Loose’ (Mercury 12”)
TAVARES: ‘Never Had A Love Like This Before’ (US Capitol 12”)
MOTOWN SOUNDS: ‘Bad Mouthin’’ / ‘Groove Time’ (Motown LP)
BOBBY CALDWELL: ‘Down For The Third Time’ (TK 7”)
LORRAINE JOHNSON: ‘Feed The Flame’ (Epic 7”) (BNDA debut 11/25/78)
RICHARD MYHILL: ‘While London Dances’ (Utopia 12”)
VILLAGE PEOPLE: ‘In The Navy’ (Mercury 12”) (BNDA debut 4/7/79)
INSTANT FUNK: ‘Dark Vader’ / ‘Crying’ (Salsoul LP)
LIGHT OF THE WORLD: ‘Swingin’’ (Ensign 12” promo)
BETTYE LAVETTE: ‘Doin’ The Best That I Can’ (Atlantic 12”) (BNDA debut 8/12/78)
HOWARD KENNEY: ‘Save Some For The Children’ (Warner Bros. 12”)
WINNERS: ‘Get Ready For The Future’ (Ariola 12” promo)
HI-TENSION: ‘Power & Lightning’ / ‘Unspoken’ (Island 12” promo)
VILLAGE PEOPLE: ‘Just A Gigolo’ (DJM 7”) (BNDA debut 3/18/78)
LOVE DE-LUXE: ‘Here Comes That Sound Again’ (Atlantic 12”) (BNDA debut 6/30/79)
PATRICE RUSHEN: ‘Hang It Up’ (Elektra 12”)
DON RAY: ‘Got To Have Loving’ (Polydor 12”) (BNDA debut 4/22/78)
TINA CHARLES: ‘Boogie Round The Clock’ (CBS 12”)
NORMA JEAN: ‘Saturday’ (Bearsville 12”) (BNDA debut 6/17/78)
WILD FANTASY: ‘Jungle Drums’ (Magnet 12”)
KAREN YOUNG: ‘Hot Shot’ (Atlantic 12”) (BNDA debut 6/17/78)
CLAUDJA BARRY: ‘Boogie Woogie Dancin’ Shoes’ (Lollipop 12” promo) (BNDA debut 4/14/79)
SARAH DASH: ‘Sinner Man’ (Kirshner 12”) (BNDA debut 11/11/78)
SLAVE: ‘Stellar Fungk’ (Cotillion 12”)
Bubbling Under the Top 90 (Imports):
PETER JACQUES BAND: ‘Walking On Music’ / ‘Fire Night Dance’ (US Prelude LP) (BNDA debut 2/10/79)
HILARY: ‘Do It’ (US Columbia 12”)
TRAMMPS: ‘Soul Bones’ (US Atlantic 12”) (BNDA debut 1/13/79)
ORIGINALS: ‘Blue Moon’ (US Fantasy 12”)
HERBIE MANN: ‘Jisco Dazz’ / ‘Rock Freak’ (US Atlantic LP)
CRÈME D’COCOA: ‘Toe Jam’ (US Venture 12”)
MARILYN MCCOO & BILLY DAVIS JR: ‘Shine On Silver Moon’ (US Columbia 12”) (BNDA debut 1/27/79)
EDWIN BIRDSONG: ‘Phiss-Phizz’ / ‘Goldmine’ (US Philadelphia Int’l 12”)
BUNNY SIGLER: ‘By The Way You Dance’ (US Gold Mind 12”) (BNDA debut 3/10/79)
STICKY FINGERS: ‘Night Time’ / ‘Wastin’ My Love’ / ‘Party Song’ (US Prelude LP) (BNDA debut 3/3/79)
CRACKIN’: ‘Double Love’ (US Warner Bros. 12” promo)
WILBERT LONGMIRE: ‘Love’s Holiday’ / ‘Black Is The Color’ (US Tappan Zee 12”)
AIR POWER: ‘Be Yourself’ (US AVI 12”)
CHUCK BROWN: ‘Bustin’ Loose’ (US Source 12”)
BEACH BOYS: ‘Here Comes The Night’ (US Caribou 12”) (BNDA debut 4/7/79)
FATBACK: ‘Boogie Woogie’ (US Spring LP)
B. BAKER CHOCOLATE CO.: ‘Snow Blower’ (US LRC LP)
FREEDOM: ‘Dance Sing Along’ (US Malaco LP)
GARCIA’S SUPER FUNK: ‘I Didn’t Know That You Could Dance’ (US TK 12”)
TATA VEGA: ‘Get It Up For Love’ (US Motown LP) (BNDA debut 4/14/79)
RAINBOW: ‘I Like It’ (US Inner City LP)
SEVENTH AVENUE: ‘Midnight In Manhattan’ / ‘New York’s On Fire’ (US AVI LP)
7TH WONDER: ‘My Love Ain’t Never Been This Strong’ (US Parachute 12”)
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