Odds ‘N Bods
Teesvalley Roadshow’s Graham Murray, devoted Radio Caroline supporter, was the first to raise the alarm after hearing Mi Amigo’s coded distress signal up in Cleveland . . . Phillip Tan, EMI World Dancing finalist, managed to win the £700 first prize at Leysdown-On-Sea’s island with a terrific “robot” routine set to Yellow Magic Orchestra ‘Theme From The Invaders’ – which is now on longer yellow vinyl UK 12in . . . Ben E King, despite import buzz, has been on UK 7in since last year . . . Slave ‘Are You Ready For Love’, Prince ‘Sexy Dancer’, Kleeer ‘Close To You’ (or maybe ‘Winners’) c/w two oldies are all due on 12in, while the brat from PRAT plans 12in promos of Renzo Fraiese ‘12 Engle Street’, re-edited Phyllis Hyman ‘Loving You Losing You’, and a new 7in re-mix/make of Osibisa ‘Pata Pata’ . . . Mike Shaft was evidently the Piccadilly soul jock who didn’t ID himself . . . I bought a vicious-looking Armalite/M16-type air rifle up in the Lake District and now everyone who’s seen it wants one! . . . Gavin Breck did indeed and of course know who the Bros Johnson were, so apologies for casting doubt on his professionalism, it’s just he didn’t have their album with him so their manager got uptight . . . is Chris Britton happy in High Wycombe, or are there two Chris Brittons?! . . . Rus Phillips (East London) turned 21 and sent me a quid to celebrate, so – hic – thanksh! . . . Nicky Price’s lavish Lazers at the top Harringey end of Green Lanes managed to open after overnight £30,000 repairs to a petrol bomb attack’s damage – with excellent US-style lighting, the club lacks (so far) the sound to match . . . 1980’s word seems to be “groove”, and the dance is the Freeze! . . . Jackie Moore’s recently ignored ‘How’s Your Love Life Baby’ (US Columbia 12in) now works perfectly with Walden/Whispers-type smackers . . . Slim Tom Holland’s revived oldie tips are O’Donel Levy ‘Bad Bad Simba’ (1973 US Groove Merchant LP), Alphonse Mouzon ‘Snake Walk’ (Blue Note LP), while Bob Jones tips Gene Harris ‘A Minor’ (Blue Note LP), Doug Richardson ‘Salsa Mama’ (AVI LP) – jazz converts, get looking! . . . Brighton on Bank Holiday is one town I wouldn’t like to be in the year following ‘Quadrophenia’ . . . Steve Boley (Weston-Super-Mare) wonders whether Froggy’s roadies are called “toadies”? . . . KEEP IT FUNKY!
UK Newies
ROY AYERS: ‘Running Away’ / ‘Can’t You See Me’ (Polydor POSPX 135) (BNDA debut 9/24/77)
‘Best Of’-culled jumpy jazz-funk classics back-to-back and on UK 12in for the first time ever, both around 116bpm mixing well with Tony Rallo (LP version) during their vibes breaks.
BOBBY THURSTON: ‘You Got What It Takes’ LP (Epic EPC 84257) (BNDA debut 3/1/80)
Dynamite jittery long 118-119-120bpm title track with jazzy guitar and incredibly catchy chorus mixes dazzlingly out of Wilbert Longmire ‘Hawkeye’.
BRENDA RUSSELL: ‘In The Thick Of It’ (A&M AMS 7515)
Lovely slow starting/ending 52/104-107bpm 7in jogger, persistently rumoured to be due on 12in.
HUDSON PEOPLE: ‘Hudson Funked It This Time’ (Direction Discs 12-BP 350)
Zingy synthesizer swirled and bass bumped galloping 130-132-130-132-130-131bpm 12in instrumental of the disappointingly ‘YMCA’-styled trite 130-132-130-131bpm ‘Boy Scout’ A-side.
RAYDIO: ‘For Those Who Like To Groove’ (Arista ARIST 334) (BNDA debut 5/17/80)
Funkadelic-like good 116bpm 7in instrumental smacker.
RANDY BROWN: ‘The Next Best Thing To Being There’ (Casablanca CANL 190)
Superb sexy phonecall and thunder 31bpm soul smoocher and Lowrell-like 42/84bpm ‘We Ought To Be Doing It’ jolter on 4-track 12in with the older 45½bpm ‘I Wanna Make Love To You’ and 112bpm ‘You Make Me Happy’.
SKYY: ‘First Time Around’ (Salsoul SAL12-1)
‘Space Invader’-introed totally different brilliant 112-110-111-112bpm 12in remix, the ‘High’ A-side being a boring sub-‘Good Times’ 109-111-113-114bpm plodder.
BLONDIE: ‘Call Me’ (Chrysalis CHS 2414) (BNDA debut 3/8/80)
Edited 144bpm 7in pop pounder, surely due on 12in too?
MIDNIGHT STAR: ‘Make It Last’ (Solar SO12-5)
Jackson-ish jittery 117bpm 12in smacker with good break.
TEENA MARIE: ‘Behind The Groove’ (from LP ‘Lady T’, Motown STML 12130) (BNDA debut 3/29/80)
Bass thudding jiggly 116bpm semi-smacker.
GROVER WASHINGTON JR: ‘Skylarkin’’ LP (Motown STML 12131)
Alpert-influenced good instrumental jazz set, hottest being the 101-102-103-104bpm ‘I Can’t Help It’, 100bpm ‘Open Up Your Mind (Wide)’, 104(intro)-100-102-103-104-102-103bpm ‘Easy Loving You’ and 106-107bpm ‘Snake Eyes’.
DYNASTY: ‘Satisfied’ (Solar SO12-3) (BNDA debut 1/19/80)
Nagging 120bpm 12in soul chugger.
GREY & HANKS: ‘Now I’m Fine’ (RCA PC 1922) (BNDA debut 3/8/80)
Smoothly lurching creamy 122bpm 12in clomper.
GQ: ‘GQ Down’ (from LP ‘GQ Two’, Arista SPART 1116) (‘Standing Ovation’ BNDA debut 3/1/80)
Now rushed out here, the hits seem to be this 122-123bpm “rocker”, the cantering 120(bass)-125-126(break)-127bpm ‘Lies’ and ‘Standing Ovation’-like 124-125bpm ‘Is It Cool’.
BILLY OCEAN: ‘Stay The Night’ (GTO GT 12-271) (BNDA debut 4/11/81)
Steady bass plonked jittery 117bpm 12in plodder, the freakily-introed 106bpm ‘What You Doing To Me’ B-side bumper being better.
Imports
ISLEY BROS: ‘Go All The Way’ LP (US T-Neck FZ 36305) (BNDA debut 4/26/80)
Great gradually accelerating 124/5/6/7-128-129bpm solid title track smacker, ‘Pass It On’ being a rumbling 116bpm smacker and ‘Say You Will’ an 112/55bpm swayer. Fuller reviews next week.
LONNIE LISTON SMITH: ‘Give Peace A Chance’ (from LP ‘Love Is The Answer’, US Columbia JC 36373)
Powerful jiggly 121(intro)-119-118-119-120-119bpm thunderer with great long brassy organ break, also on edited 7in and still the best of a specialist set.
NDUGU & THE CHOCOLATE JAM CO.: ‘Give Your Love’ (from LP ‘Do I Make You Feel Better?’, US Epic JE 36377)
Ronnie Laws’ soprano sax-squealed jittery 110-111-112-110bpm jogger, the O’Jays-supported 120bpm ‘Shadow Dancing’ being ‘Stomp!’-like and ‘Send You My Love’ a gently starting 118bpm smacker.
PASSPORT: ‘Oceanliner’ LP (US Atlantic SD 19265)
Ship’s hooter introed thudding 107-108-106-107bpm jiggly title track plodder with vocoder and good jazz sax, ‘Rub-A-Dub’ being an exciting jittery 129bpm bass instrumental rattler.
ODYSSEY: ‘Use It Up And Wear It Out’ (from LP ‘Hang Together’, US RCA AFL1-3526) (BNDA debut 4/5/80)
Exciting though coolly sung 128-130bpm conga-kicking Afro rattler mixes sensationally out of Osibisa.
AL JOHNSON: ‘I’m Back For More’ (from LP ‘Back For More’, US Columbia NJC 36266)
Full version of the lovely Jean Carn-joined 45/90bpm Leo’s Sunshipp slowie, the datedly leaping 128(intro)-127-126bpm ‘School Of The Groove’ being a current Chris Hill fave.
SWITCH: ‘Keep Movin’ On’ (from LP ‘Reaching For Tomorrow’, US Gordy G8-99 3M1)
EWF-ish lively leaping 126bpm basher, the squeakily sung title track being a very jittery lurching 55/111(intro)-116-56/113-116-56/1 13-116-56/113-116-117bpm thudder, ‘My Friend In The Sky’ a slow smacking 40/80-38bpm swayer with strange strings outro, and ‘Power To Dance’ a heavy funk 130-129½bpm stormer with flashy rock guitar.
UK Disco Top 90 – April 5, 1980
01 02 Brothers Johnson – Stomp! – A&M 12″
02 01 Whispers – And The Beat Goes On – Solar 12″
03 04 Narada Michael Walden – Tonight I’m Alright – Atlantic 12″
04 03 Tony Rallo & The Midnite Band – Holdin’ On / Burnin’ Alive – Calibre 12″
05 07 Leon Haywood – Don’t Push It Don’t Force It – 20th Century 12″
06 05 Michael Jackson – Rock With You – Epic 12″
07 08 Gibson Brothers – Cuba / Better Do It Salsa – Island 12″
08 06 Phyllis Hyman – You Know How To Love Me – Arista 12″
09 09 Fern Kinney – Together We Are Beautiful – WEA 7″
10 18 Bobby Thurston – Check Out The Groove – Epic 12″
11 17 Liquid Gold – Dance Yourself Dizzy – Polo 12″
12 10 Trussel – Love Injection – Elektra 12″
13 28 Rodney Franklin – The Groove – US Columbia LP
14 19 Detroit Spinners – Working My Way Back To You / Disco Ride – Atlantic 12″
15 12 Jocko – Rhythm Talk – Philadelphia Int’l 12″
16 14 Slave – Just A Touch Of Love – Atlantic 12″
17 16 GQ – Standing Ovation – Arista 12″
18 13 Shalamar – Right In The Socket – Solar 12″
19 15 Patrice Rushen – Haven’t You Heard – Elektra 12″
20 11 Brass Construction – Shakit – UA 12″
21 27 Light Of The World – The Boys In Blue / This Is This – Ensign 12″
22 32 Mystic Merlin – Just Can’t Give You Up – US Capitol LP
23 23 Earth, Wind & Fire – In The Stone / Biyo – CBS 12″
24 25 Chuck Cissel – Cisselin’ Hot – Arista 12″
25 24 Ronnie Laws – Young Child – UA 12″
26 21 Narada Michael Walden – I Shoulda Loved Ya – Atlantic LP
27 35 Crown Heights Affair – Use Your Body & Soul / You Gave Me Love / You’ve Been Gone – US De-Lite 7″/12″ promo/LP
28 29 Blondie – Atomic – Chrysalis 12″
29 46 Bobby Thurston – You Got What It Takes – US Prelude 7″/LP
30 31 Ronnie Laws – O.T.B.A. Law (Outta Be A Law) / Every Generation – UA LP
31 26 War – The World Is A Ghetto – MCA 12″/LP
32 34 Atmosfear – Motivation / Extract – MCA 12″
33 36 Wilbert Longmire – Hawkeye – US Tappan Zee LP
34 56 Mass Production – Shante – US Cotillion LP
35 41 Players Association – The Get Down Mellow Sound – Vanguard 12″
36 37 Brothers Johnson – Light Up The Night – A&M LP
37 51 Dayton – Eyes On You / Livin’ For Today / Dank – US UA LP
38 39 Kleeer – Winners (all cuts) – US Atlantic LP
39 20 Positive Force – We Got The Funk – Sugarhill 12″
40 55 Ben E. King – Music Trance – Atlantic 7″/US 12″ promo
41 22 Players Association – We Got The Groove – Vanguard 12″
42 33 Kool & The Gang – Too Hot / Tonight’s The Night – Mercury 12″
43 30 Roy Ayers – Don’t Stop The Feeling – Polydor 12″
44 43 Gap Band – I Don’t Believe You Want To Get Up And Dance – Mercury 12″
45 38 Donna Summer – On The Radio – Casablanca 12″
46 67 Mandrill – Getting In The Mood (all cuts) – US Arista LP
47 49 Osibisa – Pata Pata – Pye 12″
48 48 Sharon Paige – Tonight’s The Night – US Source 12″
49 65 Bunny Mack – Love You Forever – Rokel 12″
50 59 Destination – Move On Up/Up, Up, Up – Butterfly 12″
51 40 Azymuth – Jazz Carnival – Milestone 12″
52 76 Chico Hamilton – Strut / Magic Fingers / Alekasam / Denise – US Elektra LP
53 42 Billy Ocean – Are You Ready – GTO 12″
54 68 Eugene Record – Fan The Fire – Warner Bros. LP
55 57 Grover Washington Jr. – I Can’t Help It / Open Up Your Mind (Wide) / Snake Eyes / Easy Loving You – Motown LP
56 54 Joe Bataan – Rap-O Clap-O – RCA 12″
57 44 Prince – I Wanna Be Your Lover – Warner Bros. 12″
58 45 La Pregunta – Chameleon – US GNP Crescendo 12″
59 78 Brass Construction – Movin’ / Changin’ – UA 12″
60 53 Shalamar – The Second Time Around – Solar 12″
61 52 Stop – I Can Feel It – Calibre 12″
62 61 Guardian Angel – Self Service Love – MR 12″
63 72 B.T. Express – Give Up The Funk – US Columbia 7″/LP
64 70 Givens Family – The Year Of The Child – US Venture 12″
65 RE One Way feat. Al Hudson – Now That I Found You – MCA 12″
66 58 Spyro Gyra – Catching The Sun / Percolator / Lovin’ You – MCA 12″
67 75 Al Johnson & Jean Carn – I’m Back For More / School Of The Groove – US Columbia 7″/LP
68 64 Bonnie Pointer – I Can’t Help Myself – Motown 7″/LP
69 63 Gordon’s War – Got To Fan The Flame / The Rock Is Gonna Get You – US Stan-Jay 12″
70 84 Leo’s Sunshipp – Give Me The Sunshine / I’m Back For More – US Lyon’s LP
71 62 Don Armando’s 2nd Avenue Rhumba Band – Deputy Of Love / I’m An Indian Too – ZE 12″
72 NE Jermaine Jackson – Let’s Get Serious / Burnin’ Hot – US Motown LP
73 NE Heath Brothers – For The Public – US Columbia LP
74 82 Teena Marie – Behind The Groove – Motown LP
75 NE Community People – Education Wrap – US Delmar Int’l 12″
76 79 Jan Akkerman – She’s So Divine / Stingray – Atlantic 7″/LP
77 88 Brenda Russell – In The Thick Of It – A&M 7″/LP
78 NE Rose Royce – Ooh Boy / What You Waitin’ For – Whitfield 12″
79 77 L.A. Boppers – Watching Life / Funk It Out / Life Is What You Make It – US Mercury LP
80 90 Blondie – Call Me – Chrysalis 7″/Polydor LP
81 NE Shalamar – Right In The Socket (remix) – US Solar 12″
82 NE James Brown – Don’t Stop The Funk / Regrets / Let The Funk Flow – US Polydor LP
83 71 Alton & Johnny – Hang On In There Baby – Polydor 7″
84 NE Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway – Back Together Again – US Atlantic LP
85 69 Modern Sound Corporation – Safari – Epic 12″
86 NE GQ – GQ Down / Lies / Is It Cool – Arista LP
87 87 Niteflyte – If You Want It – Ariola 12″
88 NE Smokey Robinson – Cruisin’ – Motown 7″
89 NE Raydio – For Those Who Like To Groove – Arista 7″/US LP
90 80 Randy Brown – The Next Best Thing To Being There / We Ought To Be Doin’ It – Casablanca 12″
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (BNDA debut 2/23/80) / #2 (BNDA debut 1/12/80) / #3 (BNDA debut 12/22/79)
#4 (BNDA debut 1/5/80) / #5 (BNDA debut 2/23/80) / #6 (BNDA debut 8/18/79)
#7 (BNDA debut 4/7/79 & 9/8/79) / #8 (BNDA debut 11/10/79) / #10 (BNDA debut 3/1/80)
#11 (BNDA debut 11/17/79) / #12 (BNDA debut 12/8/79) / #13 (BNDA debut 5/17/80)
#14 (BNDA debut 10/20/79) / #16 (BNDA debut 1/12/80) / #17 (BNDA debut 3/1/80)
#18 (BNDA debut 3/22/80) / #19 (BNDA debut 12/15/79) / #20 (BNDA debut 5/31/80)
#24 (BNDA debut 1/12/80) / #26 (BNDA debut 12/22/79) / #27 (BNDA debut 3/22/80)
#29 (BNDA debut 3/1/80) / #35 (BNDA debut 3/22/80) / #38 (BNDA debut 4/5/80)
#39 (BNDA debut 1/12/80) / #40 (BNDA debut 3/1/80) / #41 (BNDA debut 3/22/80)
#42 (BNDA debut 9/8/79) / #43 (BNDA debut 12/22/79) / #44 (BNDA debut 3/8/80)
#45 (BNDA debut 11/17/79) / #46 (BNDA debut 4/19/80) / #48 (BNDA debut 2/16/80)
#50 (BNDA debut 8/25/79) / #53 (BNDA debut 12/13/80) / #56 (BNDA debut 12/1/79)
#57 (BNDA debut 11/10/79) / #60 (BNDA debut 3/22/80) / #63 (BNDA debut 4/19/80)
#68 (BNDA debut 1/5/80) / #71 (BNDA debut 9/22/79) / #72 (BNDA debut 4/5/80)
#74 (BNDA debut 3/29/80) / #80 (BNDA debut 3/8/80) / #84 (BNDA debut 4/5/80)
#89 (BNDA debut 5/17/80)
Bubbling under the UK Disco Top 90 are:
HERBIE HANCOCK: ‘I Thought It Was You’ (Japanese CBS/Sony LP)
DONALD BYRD: ‘Dominoes’ (live at the Roxy) (US Blue Note LP)
CON FUNK SHUN: ‘Got To Be Enough’ (US Mercury LP) (BNDA debut 4/12/80)
HERB ALPERT: ‘Street Life’ (A&M 12”)
AVENUE B BOOGIE BAND: ‘Bumper To Bumper’ (US Salsoul 12”)
NDUGU & THE CHOCOLATE JAM CO.: ‘Give Your Love’ / ‘Shadow Dancing’ (US Columbia LP)
SISTER SLEDGE: ‘Reach Your Peak’ (Atlantic LP) (BNDA debut 1/26/80)
DYNASTY: ‘Satisfied’ (Solar 12”) (BNDA debut 1/19/80)
VARIOUS ARTISTS: ‘Calibre Cuts’ (Calibre 12” promo)
PASSPORT: ‘Ocean Liner’ / ‘Rub-A-Dub’ (US Atlantic LP)
MANU DIBANGO: ‘Goro City’ (Island LP)
THE WATERS: ‘Party People’ (US Arista LP)
FINAL EDITION: ‘No Limit’ (US VAP 12”)
HEAT: ‘Whatever It Is’ / ‘Just Like You’ (US MCA LP)
SKYY: ‘High’ (Salsoul 12”) (BNDA debut 3/8/80)
EDGAR WINTER: ‘Above And Beyond’ (Blue Sky 12”) (BNDA debut 2/16/80)
DORC
1 (1) Police, 2 (2) The Beat, 3 (7) Vapors, 4 (10) Muffins, 5 (3) Specials, 6 (5) Cliff Richard, 7 (-) Dooleys, 8 (4) Elvis Costello, 9 (11) Bad Manners, 10 (6) Tourists, 11 (17) Monkees, 12 (12) KC, 13 (20) Lambrettas, 14 (9) Marti Webb, 15 (8) Styx, 16 (-) Rainbow, 17 (-) Shakin’ Stevens, 18 (-) M, 19 (15) Bodysnatchers, 20 (14) Vangelis
James Hamilton's Disco Page 