July 26, 1980: George Benson, Queen, Jean Carn, Hiroshi Fukumura, Loleatta Holloway

Odds ‘N Bods

Morgan Khan is the “brat from PRAT” no more, the atmosphere of the Pye/RCA RATCRAP merger making it a logical step for him to resign last week (amidst an evident outcry from PRAT’s R&B licensors), but unlike others in this currently troubled time he has some sensational plans (really) which should result in a giant leap for black music before very long when all can be revealed – although it’s safe to say now that his enthusiastic devotion to hard work will be earning respect rather than resentment in the future . . . Surface Noise’s new ‘Dancin’ On A Wire’ was not in fact completed by last weekend so the anticipated acetates obviously didn’t appear then . . . Al Jarreau ‘Distracted’ turns out to be on full UK 12in . . . Fatback ‘Backstrokin’ is due on UK 12in this week . . . Stacy Lattisaw’s next will be ‘Dynamite’ early next month . . . Teena Marie’s I’m A Sucker’ remix is only the flip of her 12in, the 7in being ‘Aladdin’s Lamp’ . . . MCA’s current 12in releases presumably do exist as I haven’t actually seen ‘em myself yet (Ray Still please note) . . . Aurra ‘When I Come Home’ has had a killer bass-heavy remix by Larry Levan (US Dream DG 705), and Community People ‘Education Wrap’ has re-emerged in basically instrumental form as ‘Education Rock’ (US Delmar Int’l) . . . Camberley Frenchies’ Robin Nash and Paul Wheeler open their club Jacksons in Staines soon, with pure jazz Thurs/Fri/Saturdays and a Sunday Californian ‘Cruising’ oldies format, aimed up-market (but of course!) . . . Steve Dee’s regular Brix residency near High Wycombe was completely destroyed by fire recently, he then went to check a venue he was due to appear at in the autumn and the next day – well, you all know what happened to that, it was Alexandra Palace! – and so now Steve’s sunning in the Canaries and hoping his answering machine (0494 443508) will be full of much needed bookings on his return . . . Chris Britton is touring the East Coast’s disco pubs, clubs and holiday camps with the Pernod Summer Road Show next month, when similarly Stuart Gensian promotes Crocodillo sparkling wine in slightly swankier spots around East Anglia . . . Martin Collins, despite happy funkateers, was ordered to play more commercial music at Ware Beckets and told the management that maybe they needed a commercial DJ instead – still, he had fun filling in for Froggy at the Royalty last Saturday . . . Froggy had fun buying records at New York’s Downstairs Records last Saturday at just about the time Martin was depping for him . . . Nicky “The Zit” McKenzie has a new position under Cuddles Canter – jocking downstairs at Mayfair Gullivers, that is! . . . Tom Browne was evidently good value doing club PA’s here, playing along on his horn . . . New York’s black disco-goers were a disappointment as they seem to have forgotten what good music is although they greeted Raydio and the Gap Band with excited whoops . . . Chris Hill, now back from his US travels, sent a postcard saying “in four weeks in the US you learn to live without a lot of things, but I’ve got a real Jones for your RM page – WHATZ HAPPENIN’? I saw the June 28 copy and I know it by heart!!”

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UK Newies

GEORGE BENSON: ‘Give Me The Night’ (Warner Bros. LV40) (BNDA debut 7/12/80)
Smash-bound 110bpm monster like a slower ‘Stomp’ now on 3-track 12in with the old lovely stop-start 0-115-113-0-116-119-0-119(first vocal)-0-120-119-0-120-123-0bpm treatment of War’s spurting ‘The World Is A Ghetto’ with George scatting over his guitar, and the gorgeous prettily jogging delicate 82-81bpm ‘Breezin’’ instrumental guitar picker.

QUEEN: ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ (from LP ‘The Game’, EMI EMA 795) (BNDA debut 8/9/80)
New York’s hottest disco newie last week thanks to a US Elektra 12in promo circulated to key jocks, this you may misguidedly dismiss as DOR until hearing that amazingly it’s a bass-heavy ‘Good Times’-structured, 110bpm funk bumper compatible with many current disco hits – I kept hearing it played very loud and mixed with Raydio ‘For Those Who Like To Groove’, for instance! Check it.

JEAN CARN: ‘Was That All It Was’ (Philadelphia Int’l PIR 13-8840) (BNDA debut 12/22/79)
Loosely structured somewhat doodling yet tension-filled languidly smacking superb subtly building strangulated 114-116bpm 12in wailer speeds up only towards the end and, while passionately loved by its fans, never got as big on import as it deserved to be. 

Imports

HIROSHI FUKUMURA: ‘Hunt Up Wind’ LP (US Inner City C 6067)
Recorded two years ago and just recently surfaced on expensive Japanese JVC LP, this Nipponese trombonist’s jazz set featuring a Don Grusin/Mason/Da Costa/Rainey/Dupree/Watanabe session line-up is now on cheaper US label, the punchy coherent jiggly jogging 113-118-116-117-118-119bpm title track being a straightforward series of good strong brassy solos while ‘Captain Caribe’ turns up as a skipping 120-122bpm romper.

LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY: ‘Love Sensation’ LP (US Gold Mind GA 9506) (BNDA debut 7/26/80)
Truly the sensation of Billboard’s live disco forum entertainment with a rapping, wailing and preaching set that made the 60s come alive again (before she joined Dan Hartman to duet their still much played ‘Relight My Fire’), Loleatta also wowed New York’s clubs with the deceptively startling 117bpm soul searer which spurts and shrieks over a bubbly backing.

7TH WONDER: ‘The Tilt’ (from LP ‘Thunder’, US Chocolate City CCLP 2012) (BNDA debut 8/23/80)
Leon Sylvers-produced simple smacking and rolling 111-110bpm funk chugger with yowling synth and bumbling bass, that in its title line and beat is like a slower ‘Stomp’ crossed with ‘And The Beat Goes On’.

DON COVAY: ‘Badd Boy’ (US Newman N 5001)
Heavy bass-pushed funky 111-112-111bpm 12in rapper with “freaky deaky” chanting and lots of variety, especially on the probably preferable rap-less instrumental flip, is actually much better than might be expected and builds strongly in the second half.

STEVE ARRINGTON: ‘Special Effects From Mars’ (US Salsoul SG 332)
Repetitive heavy bass-burbled 120-121-122-123-124bpm 12in stamper with appropriate synthetic FX doesn’t really go anywhere but pounds a solid P-funk beat all the way there and back.

LOOSE JOINTS: ‘Is It All Over My Face’ (US West End WES 22129) (BNDA debut 8/16/80)
Heavily thudding jiggly strange 119(intro)-117-119(vocal)-122-121-122-121-122bpm 12in plodder with stark simple vocal, much used in NY mixes, the even odder unstructured flip veering around 124-123bpm.

RITZ: ‘I Wanna Get With You’ (US Posse POS 1201) (BNDA debut 8/16/80)
Spring’s new sister label kicks off with a brassy flourish into a bass-bumped 118-119bpm 12in loper that builds with synthetics and smoothly chanting chaps to a jazzy piano fade but is never more than merely slick.

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UK Disco Top 90 – July 26, 1980

01 01 Stacy Lattisaw – Jump To The Beat – Atlantic 12″
02 04 Odyssey – Use It Up And Wear It Out – RCA 12″
03 02 Teena Marie – Behind The Groove / You’re All The Boogie I Need – Motown 12″
04 05 Tom Browne – Funkin’ For Jamaica – Arista 12″
05 12 Change – A Lover’s Holiday / The Glow Of Love – WEA 12″
06 03 Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway – Back Together Again – Atlantic 12″
07 07 George Duke – Brazilian Love Affair – Epic 12″
08 09 Frank Hooker & Positive People – This Feelin’ – DJM 12″
09 06 Jermaine Jackson – Let’s Get Serious – Motown 12″
10 10 Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown / All Night Dancing – Casablanca 12″
11 17 S.O.S. Band – Take Your Time (Do It Right) – Tabu 12″
12 15 George Benson – Give Me The Night (all cuts) – Warner Bros. LP
13 13 Cameo – On The One / Cameosis – Casablanca 12″
14 14 Baby’O – In The Forest – Calibre 12″
15 11 Crown Heights Affair – Use Your Body & Soul / You Gave Me Love – De-Lite 12″
16 08 Surface Noise – The Scratch – WEA 12″
17 18 Cecil Parker – Really Really Love You – EMI 12″
18 22 Bob Marley & The Wailers – Could You Be Loved – Island 12″
19 19 B.T. Express – Give Up The Funk / Does It Feel Good – Calibre 12″
20 23 Jermaine Jackson – Burnin’ Hot – Motown 12″
21 30 Detroit Spinners – Cupid/I’ve Loved You For A Long Time – Atlantic 12″
22 21 Yellow Magic Orchestra – Firecracker – A&M 12″
23 39 Diana Ross – Upside Down – Motown 12″
24 24 Gap Band – I Don’t Believe You Want To Get Up And Dance – Mercury 12″
25 37 Locksmith – Unlock The Funk (all cuts) – US Arista LP
26 26 Cameron – Let’s Get It Off / Magic Of You / Funkdown – US Salsoul LP
27 20 Bobby Thurston – You Got What It Takes – Epic 12″
28 27 Rene & Angela – Free And Easy – Capitol 12″
29 28 Kool & The Gang – Hangin’ Out / Open Sesame – De-Lite 12″
30 29 One Way feat. Al Hudson – Do Your Thang / Copy This / Pop It – MCA 12″
31 31 Stacy Lattisaw – Don’t You Want To Feel It / Dynamite! / You Know I Like It / Let Me Be Your Angel – Cotillion LP
32 16 Freeez – Keep In Touch – Calibre 12″
33 33 Gladys Knight & The Pips – Taste Of Bitter Love – CBS LP
34 35 Aurra – When I Come Home / In The Mood – Salsoul 7″/US Dream 12″
35 34 Gene Chandler – Does She Have A Friend – 20th Century 12″
36 36 Starship Orchestra – You’re A Star / New York New York / All Those Things – US Columbia LP
37 38 Narada Michael Walden – I Shoulda Loved Ya – Atlantic 12″
38 54 Flakes – Sugar Frosted Lover – US Magic Disc 12″
39 64 Kelly Marie – Feels Like I’m In Love – Calibre Plus 12″
40 25 Average White Band – Let’s Go Round Again – RCA 12″
41 51 Sun – Space Ranger / Hot Spot / Fancy Feet / Quest / Spread The Feeling – US Capitol LP
42 40 Mystic Merlin – Just Can’t Give You Up – Capitol 12″
43 53 Mexicano – Dallas – Mercury 12″
44 59 Change – Searching / It’s A Girl’s Affair – US RFC LP
45 43 Gary Bartz – Music – Arista 12″
46 49 Lonnie Liston Smith – Give Peace A Chance / Space Princess / Sunburst / A Song For The Children – CBS 12″
47 32 Brothers Johnson – Light Up The Night – A&M 12″
48 52 Invisible Man’s Band – All Night Thing – Island 12″
49 44 Dave Grusin – Rag Bag / Friends And Strangers / City Nights – Japanese JVC LP
50 46 Mark Soskin – Walk Tall / Colossus – Prestige 12″
51 60 Donald Byrd – Dominoes (live at the Roxy) – US Blue Note LP
52 50 John Handy – Hard Work – MCA 12″
53 48 Raydio – For Those Who Like To Groove / Two Places At The Same Time / Until The Morning Comes – Arista 12″
54 73 William DeVaughn – Be Thankful For What You’ve Got – US TEC LP
55 77 Shakatak – Steppin’ – White label 12″
56 NE Crusaders – Soul Shadows – MCA 12″
57 56 Al Di Meola – Roller Jubilee – CBS LP
58 68 Gayle Adams – Stretch’ In Out / Plain Out Of Luck – Epic 12″/LP
59 62 Dynasty – I’ve Just Begun To Love You – US Solar 12″
60 47 Randy Crawford – Last Night In Danceland / Tender Falls The Rain – Warner Bros. 12″
61 41 Johnny Guitar Watson – Booty Ooty – DJM 12″
62 57 Phyllis Hyman – Under Your Spell / Kiss You All Over – Arista 12″
63 55 Young & Company – I Like (What You’re Doing To Me) – US Brunswick 12″
64 69 Rick James – Big Time – US Gordy 7″/LP
65 61 Ozone – Walk On – Motown 7″
66 NE Level 42 – Love Meeting Love – Elite 12″
67 65 Bob James – H (all cuts) – Tappan Zee LP
68 45 Crusaders – Last Call / Honky Tonk Struttin’ / Rhapsody And Blues – MCA LP
69 83 Stanley Clarke – We Supply – Epic 12″
70 NE Dynasty – Do Me Right / Day And Night / Groove Control – US Solar LP
71 66 Diana Ross – I’m Coming Out / Have Fun (Again) / My Old Piano / Now That You’re Gone / Give Up / Tenderness – Motown LP
72 75 Isaac Hayes – I Ain’t Never – Polydor 12″
73 63 Philly Cream – No Time Like Now – Calibre 12″
74 72 Donna Summer – Sunset People / Our Love – Casablanca 12″
75 85 Gladys Knight & The Pips – Landlord / Bourgie Bourgie – CBS 12″
76 71 Junior Murvin – Police And Thieves – Island 12″
77 NE Gibson Brothers – Mariana – Island 7″
78 76 Al Jarreau – Distracted / Love Is Real – Warner Bros. 12″
79 NE Shalamar – I Owe You One – US Solar 12″
80 80 Whispers – My Girl – Solar 12″
81 90 Kleeer – Winners / Open Your Mind – Atlantic 12″
82 81 Deodato – Whistle Bump – Warner Bros. 12″
83 RE Rhyze – Just How Sweet Is Your Love – Epic 12″
84 87 Patti Austin – I Can’t Stop / Body Language / People In Love / He’s Killing Me – US CTI LP
85 79 Temptations – Power – Motown 12″
86 NE Sadao Watanabe – Samba Do Marcos / Down East / Morning Island / We Are The One – Japanese Flying Disk LP
87 70 Richard Tee – Natural Ingredients (all cuts) – Tappan Zee LP
88 82 Leon Haywood – If You’re Lookin’ For A Night Of Fun – 20th Century 12″
89 78 Two Tons ‘O Fun – Just Us / Got The Feeling – Fantasy 12″
90 RE Chico Hamilton – Strut / Magic Fingers / Mysterious Maiden – Elektra 12″
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry

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Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (BNDA debut 5/17/80) / #2 (BNDA debut 4/5/80) / #3 (BNDA debut 3/29/80)
#4 (BNDA debut 8/23/80) / #5 (BNDA debut 3/29/80) / #6 (BNDA debut 4/5/80)
#8 (BNDA debut 5/17/80) / #9 (BNDA debut 4/5/80) / #10 (BNDA debut 1/26/80)
#11 (BNDA debut 4/12/80) / #12 (BNDA debut 7/12/80) / #14 (BNDA debut 4/26/80)
#15 (BNDA debut 3/22/80) / #18 (BNDA debut 10/4/80) / #19 (BNDA debut 4/19/80)
#20 (BNDA debut 4/5/80) / #21 (BNDA debut 5/31/80) / #23 (BNDA debut 6/28/80)
#24 (BNDA debut 3/8/80) / #25 (BNDA debut 9/6/80) / #26 (BNDA debut 6/28/80)
#27 (BNDA debut 3/1/80) / #29 (BNDA debut 9/8/79) / #30 (BNDA debut 6/28/80)
#31 (BNDA debut 5/17/80) / #33 (BNDA debut 6/14/80) / #34 (BNDA debut 5/17/80)
#37 (BNDA debut 12/22/79) / #38 (BNDA debut 6/28/80) / #39 (BNDA debut 11/22/80)
#40 (BNDA debut 7/12/80) / #44 (BNDA debut 3/29/80) / #48 (BNDA debut 1/26/80)
#53 (BNDA debut 5/17/80) / #54 (BNDA debut 8/16/80) / #58 (BNDA debut 5/24/80)
#59 (BNDA debut 6/28/80) / #62 (BNDA debut 4/14/79) / #63 (BNDA debut 6/14/80)
#64 (BNDA debut 8/23/80) / #70 (BNDA debut 6/28/80) / #71 (BNDA debut 6/28/80)
#72 (BNDA debut 6/7/80) / #74 (BNDA debut 4/21/79) / #75 (BNDA debut 6/14/80)
#81 (BNDA debut 4/5/80) / #82 (BNDA debut 5/27/78) / #83 (BNDA debut 5/10/80)
#85 (BNDA debut 5/17/80) / #89 (BNDA debut 3/8/80)

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Bubbling under the UK Disco Top 90:

TOM BROWNE: ‘Forever More’ / ‘Martha’ (Arista LP)
FATBACK: ‘Backstrokin’’ (Spring 12”) (BNDA debut 8/9/80)
HIROSHI FUKUMURA: ‘Hunt Up Wind’ (US Inner City LP)
DETROIT SPINNERS: ‘Split Decision’ / ‘Now That You’re Mine Again’ (Atlantic LP)
MICHAEL JACKSON: ‘Girlfriend’ (Epic 7”)
PETER BROWN: ‘Can’t Be Love – Do It To Me Anyway’ (TK 12”) (BNDA debut 5/10/80)
JEAN CARN: ‘Was That All It Was’ (Philadelphia Int’l 12”) (BNDA debut 12/22/79)
HERB ALPERT: ‘Beyond’ (A&M 12”) (BNDA debut 7/12/80)
PURE ENERGY: ‘Party On’ (US Prism 12”) (BNDA debut 6/28/80)
MANHATTANS: ‘Shining Star’ (CBS 7”)
STARPOINT: ‘I Just Wanna Dance With You’ (US Chocolate City 12”) (BNDA debut 8/9/80)
INVISIBLE MAN’S BAND: ‘Love Can’t Come/Love Has Come’ (Island LP)
DELEGATION: ‘Put A Little Love On Me’ (Ariola 12”)
ONE WAY & AL HUDSON: ‘Let’s Go Out Tonite’ / ‘I Wanna Be With You’ (US MCA LP)
NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN: ‘I Don’t Want Nobody Else (To Dance With You)’ / ‘You’re Soo Good’ (Atlantic 12”) (BNDA debut 4/14/79)
A TASTE OF HONEY: ‘Rescue Me’ (US Capitol 7”) (BNDA debut 9/20/80)
CARRIE LUCAS: ‘Keep Smilin’’ (US Solar 12”) (BNDA debut 6/14/80)
ASHFORD & SIMPSON: ‘Love Don’t Make It Right’ (US Warner Bros. 7”) (BNDA debut 7/19/80)
VIOLA WILLS: ‘Up On The Roof’ (Ariola Hansa 12”)
MICHAEL HENDERSON: ‘Wide Receiver’ (US Buddah 12” promo) (BNDA debut 10/18/80)
ROD: ‘Shake It Up (Do The Boogaloo)’ (US Prelude 12”) (BNDA debut 7/5/80)
FRANCE JOLI: ‘Feel Like Dancing’ (US Prelude LP) (BNDA debut 6/14/80)
EVERLIFE: ‘Superhero’s Theme’ (US CRC 12”)
KANO: ‘I’m Ready’ (US Emergency 12”) (BNDA debut 5/10/80)
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY: ‘Love Sensation’ / ‘I’ve Been Loving You Too Long’ (US Gold Mind LP) (BNDA debut 7/26/80)

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DORC

1 (1) Liquid Gold, 2 (2) Roxy Music, 3 (3) Rolling Stones, 4 (4) Olivia Newton-John & ELO, 5 (6) UB40, 6 (7) Don McLean, 7 (-) Hot Chocolate ‘Are You Getting Enough’, 8 (5) Hot Chocolate ‘No Doubt About It’, 9 (9) Korgis, 10 (13) Police ‘The Bed’s Too Big’, 11 (8) ELO, 12 (10) B.A. Robertson, 13 (17) Splodgenessabounds, 14 (-) Dexy’s Midnight Runners ‘There, There, My Dear’, 15 (-) Saxon ‘747’, 16 (-) Barron Knights ‘We Know Who Done It’, 17 (-) AC/DC, 18 (18) Leo Sayer, 19 (14) Hall & Oates, 20 (-) Joan Armatrading.

Liquid Gold would have been at 39 in the Disco 90, and only the top 4 would have hit that chart.