Month: June 1979

Disco News

Diana Ross ‘The Boss’, reviewed on import last week, is now on UK 12in (Motown 12TMG 1150) while Smokey Robinson ‘Get Ready’ follows next week (12TMG 1152) . . . Gino Soccio ‘Dance To Dance’ is indeed on 12in as Warner Bros held back some of their ‘Dancer’ pressings to make its original flipside now the A-side . . . Kiss ‘I Was Made For Loving You’ is also on 7:54 12in (Casablanca CANL 152), while Telex ‘Moskow Disko’ and Amii Stewart ‘Light My Fire’ are now on belated 12in and Bette Midler ‘Married Men’ is due on promo 12in only . . . Real Thing’s ‘Boogie Down (Get Funky Now)’ newie has been delayed for a John Luongo remix and will not sound like the acetate promo that’s been floating about . . . David Williams ‘Come On Down Boogie People’ (AVI AVIL 105) is due imminently – only 12 months late! – while up-coming are Uncle Louie ‘Full Tilt Boogie’ (TK), Black Ivory ‘Mainline’ (Buddah), Phyllis Hyman ‘Living Inside Your Love’ / ‘Loving You Losing You’ (Buddah), and a 3-track 12in by Miracle’s new Japanese disco acts called – wait for it! – ‘Nippon To The Dance Floor’ . . . Mike Morgan, calling his Confunction mobile the Atomic Wally Roadshow just for the night, holds a UN Year Of The Child charity disco at Ingatestone’s Anglo European School in Essex on July 7th, and would welcome record companies (or anyone) sending spare promo copies for use as prised to him at 281 Main Road, Broomfield, Chelmsford CMI 5AU . . . Jimmy Mack, funking Rotherham Adam & Eve’s hen party night from this Thursday (28), is jocking from noon to midnight this Saturday (30) for a disco dancing marathon on Sheffield hospital station Northern Radio in the Northern General Hospital, where all are welcome – especially dancers! . . . Preston Clouds re-opens next Thursday (5), while London Global Village has evidently NOT yet closed for conversion into a plush gay club (sorry about the goof) . . . Jason West’s Agency is looking to represent more big professional roadshows with something out of the ordinary to offer and able to travel long distances, so send details to him at 65 Argyle Street, Cambridge . . . Ken Briskham (Slough 35814) is handling the UK end of a 10 day Christmas/New Year UK disco tour by 30 members of a USA singles club, and would like to hear from any club which would like to be included – especially a Scottish club for Hogmanay! . . . Groove Records and their recently publicized Fast Lane mail-order service at 52 Greek Street, London W1, now charge £2.90 for 12in and £5.25 for LP imports, p&p as before . . . Larry Foster funks Fridays and Neil Darren souls Saturdays at the Mildmay Tavern in Balls Pond Road, Islington (to complete last week’s enigmatic misprint!) . . . Rob Harknett (Roydon 027 979 2339) offers for free a 3ft pile of Music Week back-numbers . . . Ian Williams, Danish-based and currently resident at the Diskotek Hestostalden in Varde’s Central Hotel, says that Record Mirror costs 49p in Denmark, but it’s worth the cost and the wait . . . Pye’s new disco promotion manager, Morgan Khan, must have unearthed a 50’s beatnik phrasebook, to judge from his newsletters’ hip (?) jivetalk!

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UK Newies

CHANTAL CURTIS: Get Another Love’ (Pye 12P 5003) (BNDA debut 6/23/79)
Here it is, the French gal who sounds like Donna Summer singing to War’s backing, on 8:50 12in! The lovely intensifying 120-124-125bpm tripping swirler has harmonica behind her somewhat deadpan vocal and a busily building long instrumental break. A sure-fire smash.

CHIC: ‘Good Times’ (Atlantic K 11310T) (BNDA debut 6/23/79)
Rushed out here within a week of the imports coming in, but for Britain it’s been speeded up quite noticeably from 113bpm to 118bpm, altering its attack to a considerable degree. As stated last week, the 12in has a long plonking instrumental section after the ‘I Want Your Love’-like vocal part and will be huge.

DONNA SUMMER: ‘Bad Girls’ (Casablanca CANL 155) (BNDA debut 4/21/79)
Smoothly thumping 122bpm LP title track now on 4:55 12in and likely to be hotter than ‘Hot Stuff’ thanks to a catchy “toot toot beep beep’’ bit (which continues acappella at the end of great mixing potential – try it into Chic!).  Continue reading “June 30, 1979: Chantal Curtis, Chic, Donna Summer, Olympic Runners, Five Special”

Disco News

Chantal Curtis ‘Get Another Love’ will be out here on Pye, while Chantal herself (who turns out to be French – not so surprisingly when you consider all the French label credits) is due here this week for a whistle-stop PA tour of discos . . . Island’s future 12in releases will be at 33 rpm, starting with the Gibson Brothers ‘Ooh! What A Life’, the idea being that import-orientated jocks will find them more compatible with the US 12in speed . . . Teena Marie ‘I’m A Sucker For Your Love’ (Motown) does indeed have the sax-led instrumental version on the UK 12in B-side . . . 16 year-old Mark Turnbull from Redcar hopes for a Guinness Book Of Records mention when he jocks non-stop on Birmingham Hospital Broadcasting Service for seven days next month – not long, as records go, but then Mark is blind, and is currently getting the feel of things doing gigs with the Teesvalley Roadshow . . . Colin Hudd, now head of entertainments as well as jock at Dartford Flicks, is looking for other jocks capable of doing an 8 to 14 year-old kids’ lunchtime disco session and an over-30s night, so call him on Dartford 22423 (afternoons) . . . North Midlands Association of Disc Jockeys hold a disco forum on Wednesday, July 11th, at Hoyland’s Turf pub near Barnsley, and request all area jocks to call Sheffield 874280 as soon as possible . . . Preston Clouds has closed temporarily for the most lavish re-fit yet in a Rank Leisure services venue, with £70,000 of new furnishings and £80,000 of sound and lighting being installed . . . Tony Jenkins’s ‘Anthony’s’ soul club re-locates on Tuesday nights to the plush Denham Country Club, where swimming pool, barbecues, record promotions, party nights and regular appearances by Playboy Bunny Girls should make the funk extra fun – hmm, think I’ll look in myself, too! . . . Stevie Glover and Jez take turns to funk Sneaky Pete’s in Bournemouth’s Stateside Center, where – amazingly – it’s all import jazz-funk/soul/reggae every night, with the yellow-clad Sneakers funk brigade holding their own Juke Box Jury every Thursday when a National Funk Panel vote new releases as either “Funk” or “Junk” . . . Tony Pascoe’s Galactic Roadshow holds a DJ talent competition on Friday, July 6th, at Leyton Assembly Hall – details on 01-531 5319 (evenings) . . . Polystar’s Boogie Bus Dancers this week strut their stuff at Plymouth Fiesta (Thursday), Gt. Yarmouth Tiffanys (Friday) – that’s a seven hour drive, at least! – and Gary Hirst’s Jewish teenage club at London Sundown (Sunday) . . . John Douglas jazz-funks Tonight In Town at Braintree Weavers every Tuesday with an EMI Disco Dancing Competition running there for the next few weeks . . . Rossiter, funking Margate Atlantis every Saturday, would love some London gigs and is on 0843-26406 . . . Kate Corbin says that even if Steve Wiggins of Barry Rugby Club infamy is too busy to dress up in his sexy black undies and suspenders, he’s always got time to show her his 12in!

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UK Newies

GONZALEZ: ‘Move It To The Music’ (Sidewalk 12YSID 108)
Mainly instrumental jaggedly jumping 133bpm funk filer on 7:36 12in features some female vocal with the guys and keeps the dominating rhythm thinly fleshed this time, minus any whistling Latin party atmosphere to clutter the hard exciting drive.

LIGHT OF THE WORLD: ‘Midnight Groovin’’ (Ensign ENY 2912)
‘Swingin’ – Part 2’ leaps along at 134bpm, but this Chris Hill-remixed 7:19 12in misses out the LP version’s mixable quiet intro – thus emphasising the similarity to their last one even more (although the 3:25 7in version introduces some piano halfway for airplay-aimed variety).

L.A.X.: ‘Dancin’ At The Disco’ (Pye 12P 5002) (BNDA debut 6/2/79)
Jauntily chugging chunky 131-129bpm thumper on up-coming 12in, big already on import, with funkier instrumental flip.  Continue reading “June 23, 1979: Gonzalez, Light Of The World, L.A.X, Nightfall, Patti Boulaye”

Disco News

Joe Thomas of ‘Make Your Move’ and ‘Plato’s Retreat’ fame, as reported by members of the Floaters, was senselessly shot and killed while leaving a Detroit nightclub recently . . . Detroit Spinners ‘Are You Ready For Love’ (Atlantic K 11286) is indeed on commercial UK 12in, while Eddy Grant ‘Frontline’ is now only on full 12in-length 7in . . . Five Special 12in is due imminently, but – as suspected – Hilary ‘Do It’ was scrapped . . . Miracle Records’ new 12in sleeves have a nice ‘30s comic book-type design . . . Switch ‘Best Beat In Town’ is coupled on US 12in with their older ‘We Like To Party . . . Come On’ (US Motown M 00025 D1) . . . Olympic Runners ‘The Bitch’ / ‘Energy Beam’ is due on 12in early July, while Pete Winfield has left the group to concentrate on sessions and his solo career . . . Sally Ormsby has split from Roger St Pierre’s South London-based PR firm to set up her own more centrally located company . . . Fatman Graham Canter hosts David Simmons’s Soul ’79 show on Radio London tonight (Thursday) and next week, 8:30-10pm . . . Robin Nash takes Frenchies to Wales when he opens a Sunday funk night at Cardiff’s Lloyd’s Club in Great Western Lane on June 24th . . . DJs Mark Wesley, Rob Jones & Tony Prince take the Radio Luxembourg 1979 Summer Roadshow around Britain’s major seaside resorts for the next six weeks, with fun and games including a Disco DJ contest . . . Liverpool’s Mr George (stage name – not being formal!), says the recent Plas Coch DJ competition on Anglesey was very entertaining – but then he was the winner! . . . Radio One’s Simon Bates and Capital’s Kerry Juby have summer residencies at Bournemouth New York New York on Thursdays and Tuesdays respectively . . . Mike Tarbuck (Blackburn Galligreaves Hotel) and Franklin Sinclair (Prestwich) both sit for their law finals in the next few days – if they then get together we could see the first firm of soliciting DJ’s (dee jaying solicitors?)! . . . Tony Green (Ainsdale Tiffanys) discovered a slow-spin by accident when playing Brainstorm ‘Don’t Let Me Catch You With Your Groove Down’ (the 45rpm UK Tabu 12in flip) at 33rpm, only realising halfway he was wrong but infinitely preferring the resultant heavy 96bpm funk . . . Tom Wilson (Edinburgh Rutland) says mixing Theo Vaness into Patrick Hernandez and vice-versa works well – I’m sure it does, dear we’ve all heard of Theo FitzPatrick and his friend Patrick FitzTheo! . . . Donald (Rothesay) encloses a magazine clipping about a new clothing company called – wait for it – Wally Leisurewear Ltd! . . . Brighton Metro seems to have something called the Sweat Shirt Shop Disco Dancing Championships ’79 on June 20th, which hardly sounds like haute couture (alright, John Lewis, I know the “no jeans” policy doesn’t apply during the summer!) . . . Bob Jones seems short of funk gigs yet again, so the “four-eyed funky soul spinner of some twelve years’ standing” wants work on Chelmsford 62924 (he obviously doesn’t lie down on the job!) . . . Dave T-C now spins funk and New York disco at Billy’s on Meard Street, Soho . . . Scott Wilson (Edinburgh Euro Disco) manages a shop called Asylum Records with its own brand new Asylum Roadshow comprising Citronic stereo mixer, four Cerwin Vega 200W speakers and 10,000 Watts of lighting, and asks “who is Froggy?” – answer, someone with rather more equipment than that! . . . anyway, like I always say (and this is serious), it isn’t what ya got it’s the way that you use it.

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UK Newies

DENIECE WILLIAMS: ‘I’ve Got The Next Dance’ (CBS 13-7399) (BNDA debut 6/16/79)
Hit-bound fabulous happily springing and smacking 124bpm strutter backed by Earth, Wind & Fire on 6:21 12in (in a new CBS sleeve design that’s oddly upside down). Of course, ‘Boogie Wonderland’ chops perfectly out of it.

EARTH, WIND & FIRE: ‘I Am’ LP (CBS 88084) (‘Boogie Wonderland’ BNDA debut 6/2/79)
Dazzling set of goodies, sure to be hits of the future, the songs dividing into lurching slowies – ‘Wait’ (70bpm), ‘You And I’ (85/42bpm); jerky strutters – ‘In The Stone’ (113bpm), ‘Rock That!’ (126bpm), ‘Boogie Wonderland’ (129-131bpm, but only 4:49 here); a squeakily-sung rolling tripper like, er, a soulful Bee Gees – ‘Star’ (103bpm); and a dead slow then 33/66bpm ‘After The Love Is Gone’ from which doodling sax bridges into the false start of ‘Let Your Feelings Show’, a 121-126bpm full-tilt strutter that together with the also 126bpm ‘Can’t Let Go’ is likely to be the biggest new dancer.

THE JONES GIRLS: ‘You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else’ (Philadelphia Int’l PIR 18-7361) (BNDA debut 5/12/79)
Gamble & Huff-prod/penned insistently jiggling 106-107bpm jitterer accumulates a nagging hypnotic power on 8:08 12in as the squeakily wailing chix rhythm with beefy bass patterns pushing along underneath it all. Although only 5:17 on their US import ‘Jones Girls’ LP (JZ 35757), this also has a beautiful easy paced 55/111-114bpm ‘Life Goes On’, popular too.  Continue reading “June 16, 1979: Deniece Williams, Earth Wind & Fire, The Jones Girls, Amii Stewart, Cheryl Lynn”

Disco News

Global Village under London’s Charing Cross Station has been bought by the Embassy’s owners, is now closed, and reopens mid-September as “the World’s biggest and plushest gay club” . . . Al Matthews of ‘Chimes’, ‘Fool’ and ‘Sloosh’ fame now jocks BBC Radio One’s Discovatin’ show and Chris Jones gets the Radio One soul slot in place of Robbie Vincent, while Greg Edwards becomes permanent host this Friday of Capital Radio’s Best Disco In Town . . . Morgan Khan replaces Sue Winter in Pye’s disco team, which still includes Roan Wynter and boss Dave McAleer, and Phonogram’s John Wailer is now assisted by Orin Cozier . . . Phonogram incidentally have run out of Kool ‘Boogie Vibes’ promos so don’t ask! . . . Theo Loyla, what do you expect us to do with just one RSO slipmat?! . . . Motown’s Les Spaine, once Liverpool’s Godfather of Punk, has bought a luxury bungalow near his hometown . . . WEA’s Fred Dove, upset at having to cut his mailing list back, is faced with 400 new applicants and only 250 places – which include the best of his original 350 jocks . . . War ‘Good Good Feelin’’ is being re-promoted by MCA with a special promo-only ‘Evolution Of War’ LP featuring the group’s members rapping between their oldies . . . Alton McClain ‘It Must Be Love’ and David Naughton ‘Makin’ It’ are on promo 12in here, but ELO ‘Shine A Little Love’ (Jet 12 144) is on white vinyl commercial 12in . . . Direct Current’s follow-up could be ‘Rock Around The Clock’ done disco! . . . James E Myers (pen-name Jimmy DeKnight), composer of the aforementioned, would welcome a copy of Merrick Farran Concert Orchestra ‘Rock Around The Clock – Symphonic Variations on a Rock ‘n Roll Theme’ (Melodisc LP), out in the early ‘60s, so let me know if a miracle happens . . . Rosebud ‘Have A Cigar’, from their 1977 disco variation on a Pink Floyd theme, is now hitting US discos! . . . Ian Turner (Colwyn Bay) reports the recent Anglesey “four day disco extravaganza” at Plas Coch Disco ranked lower than a museum visit on the entertainment scale, their DJ competition being particularly poor . . . Rob Grose says Truro Hospital Radio is short of sounds so could generous record companies contact him at 32 Kenwyn Street (Truro 77950)? . . . Paul Clark (Brighton 698699) wants a new Friday night home for his import funk and many South Coast followers . . . Super Shaft Danny spins reggae ‘n’ funk on Friday nights at the Phoenix in London’s Cavendish Square, where recently he had three separate sound systems set up and seguing one from the other in rotation for an amazing effect! . . . Stuart Swann now hits Bolton Rockerfellas early week Mon-Wednesdays . . . Steve Walsh (London Lyceum) speed spins Nino Tempo ‘Ronan’s Road’ (US A&M 12in B-side) at 45rpm, but varied down a bit . . . Tony Jenkins (Uxbridge Anthonys), recent Hot Vinyl contributor, is piqued at being misprinted “Perkins”! . . . Neil Fincham (Dunbar Goldenstones) says that in his part of Scotland, wallies means dentures! . . . “Nytro Express? That’ll do fine, sir.”

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UK Newies

VARIOUS: ‘Turn On The Tap’ (Tappan Zee CBS 13-7333)
Finally, here it is – a four-track 12in EP for £1.99 containing four jazz-funk classics! RICHARD TEE ‘First Love’ is a gorgeous ultra-catchy 122-125bpm piano skipper (it and the similarly happy 121bpm ‘Strokin’’ are also on his LP (CBS 83339), which here fades to a segue into the long-awaited WILBERT LONGMIRE ‘Black Is The Colour’ import smash from last autumn, a naggingly catchy 125bpm jazz driver with sizzling cymbal offbeat – one of the classiest disco hits ever. BOB JAMES ‘Touchdown’ is a melodic comes-and-goes 118/59bpm jazzy jogger, followed by MONGO SANTAMARIA ‘Watermelon Man’, a forcefully rattling and stamping 133bpm remake of his infectiously happy 1963 Latin hit. Go get ‘em!

GREG DIAMOND BIONIC BOOGIE: ‘Chains’ (Polydor POSPX 50) (BNDA debut 11/11/78)
Brilliantly produced exciting powerful 116bpm chugger on remixed noise-filled 6:47 12in with wailing guys and not a gap unfilled – much better than I remembered it, and it always was my favourite LP track. Check the amazing break near the end!

TEENA MARIE: ‘I’m A Sucker For Your Love’ (from LP ‘Wild And Peaceful’, Motown STML 12109)
Rick James prod/penned and largely sung great raunchily rolling, thumping and bumping 116bpm funk burbler, due next week also on 5:54 12in (12 TMG 1146) . . . although I’m unsure if it’ll feature the US 12in mainly instrumental sax-led flip (US Motown M 00024 D1), which many jocks now prefer. Thanks to this 12in, it’s overtaken the originally hotter strutting and stamping 110bpm ‘Don’t Look Back’, the LP’s other main attraction.  Continue reading “June 9, 1979: Turn On The Tap EP, Gregg Diamond Bionic Boogie, Teena Marie, Richard Evans, GQ”

Disco News

Amii Stewart ‘Light My Fire’ is due imminently on Atlantic 12in and picture-disc 7in despite ‘Knock On Wood’ riding high still . . . Sylvester ‘Stars’ is on Fantasy 12in next week with ‘Body Strong’ flip or on pink vinyl 7in with different coupling, while Gino Soccio ‘Dance To Dance’ follows-up ‘Dancer’ as it was only the 12in flip before . . . Paul Brett ‘1999’ should be promoed prior to RCA 12in late June – a Sea Level-meets-Ian Dury 105bpm jazz-funk instrumental, it’s worth looking out for . . . Five Special and Dee Dee Bridgewater are due soon on Elektra 12in . . . Sandy Mercer ‘Now That You’re In’ has been remixed for UK 12in via Phonogram in July . . . Nytro ‘Nytro Express’ is now on freshly edited 8:00 US 12in that’s evidently tighter than the longer original . . . Gabor Szabo is currently recording for Atlantic . . . Brainstorm and Anita Ward 12in reviews last week should have had the £1.99-indicating 13- prefix, while of course Eddy Grant is 140/70bpm and Hot Chocolate is 118bpm (and not as printed!) . . . Pointer Sisters ‘Happiness’ turns out to be on clear red vinyl 12in packaged like Kleeer was . . . NRG ‘Get It Right’, reviewed last week, is also on 12in (MCA PSLP 288) . . . Mick Jackson ‘Married Men’ (Atlantic) is rivalled by Bette Midler (US Atlantic 12in) and Bonnie Tyler (RCA), but while Bette’s sounds good I still haven’t heard Bonnie (how about it, RCA?) . . . Mecca have the first-ever “Ladies Only” disco dancing competition starting at Hinckley Bubbles this Saturday (2), with further heats on June 8th, 14th, 18th and grand final on Monday 25th, the one prize of £100 for the overall winner . . . Ilford Room At The Top actually lost its Music and Dancing Licence appeal but can carry on pending a further appeal to the Crown Court . . . BADEM’s disco equipment exhibition at London’s Bloomsbury Centre Hotel during September 11-18th this year seems likely to coincide with a nearby DJF forum plus a lavish DJ Gala night at the Cafe Royal . . . Roger Squire’s Glasgow Disco Centre has a travelling disco exhibition currently visiting various Scottish hotel venues, advertised in RM’s Disco Scene last week (and this?) . . . Sandy Martin, voted Tayside’s top DJ two years running, has left Dundee Bloomers to start this last Monday at Swindon Brunel Rooms (thinks: at last, a chart contributor in that area!) . . . Chris Brown, Sean French, Jeff Young, Robin Nash and Pete Tong have a “funky pirates” voyage around the Isle Of Wight on Sunday, July 22nd, limited £5 tickets (plus SAE) from Outfront ‘78, c/o 153 Praed Street, London W2 . . . Chris Brown’s recent Tuesday opening night at Slough Blues in Cippenham saw the triumphant return of appalling dancer Ian Moore (mobbed by a screaming crowd!) and a flooded dance floor for Aqua Boogie water sports (not intentional but much appreciated by Let’s Get Wet fans!)

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UK Newies

JOE THOMAS: ‘Make Your Move’ (TK TKR 13-7544)
Dynamite 6:56 Brass Construction-ish churner suddenly hits an ear-splittingly compressed and phased 130bpm clapping percussion break that’s great on its own, and terrific fun for mixers. Huge on import for ages, it’s now a 12in and could really explode.

HI-TENSION: ‘Latin Inspiration’ (Island 12XWIP 6489)
Totally rhythm orientated 131bpm instrumental throbber on 5:02 12in (and that’s all – no 7in!) is actually the B-side but looks like being much bigger with dancers than the monotonously repetitive jittery 128bpm ‘Funktified’ charter, which is in their expected but less exciting than usual style.

JACKIE MCLEAN: ‘Doctor Jackyll And Mister Funk’ (RCA PC 1575)
Stolidly thumping 116bpm driver remixed for 6:00 12in features wailing jazz sax with guys ‘n gals chanting through the first half, and again for much of the jazzier second part after a rattling break. A personal fave, it’s great in front of Richard Evans ‘Burning Spear’.  Continue reading “June 2, 1979: Joe Thomas, Hi-Tension, Jackie McLean, Third World, Dynasty”