ODDS ‘N’ BODS
ALPHONSE MOUZON is now widely available and selling like hot cakes not only on US PAUSA but also German Metronome, and looks likely for UK release quite soon too . . . Marvin Gaye ‘Pride’ has been extensively remixed for UK 12in and a remix of ‘Flying High’ will be the Freeez follow up . . . RCA have picked up Sugar Minott ‘Good Thing Going’ and Excaliber add Leprechaun ‘Loc It Up’ . . . Firefly’s import hit in its original less good Italian ix on Mr Disco LP was titled ‘Love And Friendship’, while, not widely known, K.I.D. are from Italy too . . . Heatwave’s imminent 3-track 12in includes 1977’s previously unissued ‘Whack That Axe’, but only ‘Jitterbuggin’ and ‘Goin’ Crazy’ will be on the 7in . . . ‘Gangsters Of the Groove’ and the similarly Rod Temperton penned ‘Live in Me’ off Rufus’s old ‘Masterjam’ album are remarkably alike – and I see that at the time I said the latter was indeed slightly Heatwave like . . . WEA’s Fred Dove, consistent winner of my Hammy Award as disco plugger of the year, has decided that WEA can sell records without the help of this page and while the dubious logic behind this experiment must remain his prerogative, its very regrettably obvious that I in turn cannot review or mention records I haven’t been sent (whatever their label) – this strange situation having come about because of my liking the Freeez album which Fred doesn’t (mainly due to the way it charted when Grover Washington didn’t) and because this the disco page tends to concentrate on danceable music only . . . I hope the few jocks left on Fred’s mailing list are sufficiently influential to let the entire country know what records WEA currently have that are hot and on release and I’m only sorry I won’t be able to tell you about them myself – still there are plenty of other companies with product and if WEA can get along without us we can doubtless get along without WEA . . . Funktion are promoting an overnight coach trip to Paris’s dazzling Le Palace disco with hotel and sightseeing tour for £55 inclusive on Saturday 25th April, details from Funktion Ltd, 3 Crooked Billet, London SW19 (01 946 2433) . . . South Eastern Disco Assn’s ‘SEDA 81 Spring Disco Fair’ is at the Great Danes Hotel near Maidstone (end of M20) on Sunday 29th March afternoon, the previous night at the same venue being a SEDA disco party with Theo Loyla, Steve Maxted, Nikki Peck etc. SEDA details from 01-302 4590 . . . Billboard plan no further disco forums, which does away with a great excuse for visiting the States on business expenses . . . Chris Hill with myself, various Backstage Bitches and other companions, visits Whitehaven’s Whitehouse again this coming Wednesday (11) . . . A&M have started mailing promos again to selected jocks, but as they’ve no specific disco department they don’t want people ringing up . . . Donna Summer ‘I Feel Love’ has been issued by the US Disconet subscription service in an overdubbed re-orchestrated remix that’s reportedly dynamite, but beware of an inferior bootleg remix which is evidently atrocious . . . Barry Lee Martin (Maidstone 41607, evenings) is booking club work tor Kent based disco-funk group Pro-Fusion so that they can get experience prior to approaching record companies – they’re cheap to any offers? . . . Robbie Dee (Billercay 51540 between 4-6pm) would love some London funk gigs as he’s left Southend Quills due to frustration . . . Chris Britton has moved downstairs at Watford Baileys having successfully switched the Juliets room to jazz-funk, much to his regret as now Noel Wight is reaping the benefit! . . . Ian Turner (Colwyn Bay) is highly critical of EMI’s recent DJ auditions at Oldham Romeo & Juliets . . . Rob Harknett (Harlow) reckons he could have been the cause of a UFO sighting reported by the local paper – he was judging his new Tutor II’s beam strength by projecting a space fantasy wheel on to low mist at use time, two miles from the sighting point! . . . Erick -Jack (Bognor Regis) was checking out the disco scene recently in Athens, where the night he arrived it snowed – for the first time since 1954! (still it could have been an earthquake) . . . Larry Foster (Ilford Room At The Top) reckoned without Caister selling out, as now he plans to challenge Isle of Wight weekender tribes to a dancing showdown – so look out as the range of dances he can choose from includes the Neckache, Backache, Lurch and Son Of Lurch (er, whatever happened to my Transylvania Twist?) . . . Steve Goddard, resident at Stepney’s non dancing Old Rose pub slightly off the beaten track on the highway, recommends Boz Scaggs ‘Miss Sun‘ (CBS) as the epitome of the type of “disco plodder” he finds ideally suited to pubs . . . Steve Walsh is the bouncing father of a proud baby girl . . . Graham Gold (01-951 3285 afternoons) wants a buyer for the Rudi Gilpin-built deck unit from Champers with Citronic stereo mixer, graphics EQ, SP24 Mk IV decks and room for larger vari-speed units, at £250 ono . . . Peter Lee (Liverpool Indiana Club in Berry Street) has, like Graham and myself at Mayfair Gullivers, revived Uncle Louie ‘Full Tilt Boogie‘ (US TK 12in) . . . Tom Wilson (Edinburgh Oscars) wonders how many of our DJ readers have CBs, and what their handles are (that’s a big ten-four Supersoul!) . . . Sheena Easton really got clobbered by the flan flinger on TISWAS! . . . Jo Field (Hemel Hempstead) says Eddie Russ ‘Zaius’ mixes nicely out of Atmosfear ‘Dancing In Outer Space’ from the end of the latter’s central break . . . DORC has been extended to 30 places this week as so many pop hits are cropping up in disco charts now . . . DJ chart contributors remember, you’re doing nobody any favours in the long run by listing material you’ve merely received in the mail if it isn’t actually working on the floor — and as I’ve said before, I prefer to hear from DJs who actually go out to find their material rather than waiting for it to come through the letterbox . . . Ian Thomson (Melrose), who should try mail order for those hard to get imports (hard to get in Scotland that is) wonders how the UK Disco 90 is compiled: it is not a sales chart, but an “airplay” chart based on reaction from dancers as judged by the DJs — who may or may not be good judges of this but at least know what they’ve played that week and list it accordingly, and hopefully KEEP IT GOOD!
A FREEEZING SPELL
ONCE you’ve licked the label, it’s pretty hard to peel it off. It was Freeez themselves who called their music “new wave jazz funk”. Now they can cock one snook apiece at the people who’ve rushed off with preconceived ideas about that term, just by waving this week’s charts under their noses. They show that, as the “newer” soul scene in London continues to broaden, Freeez are floating confidently at the deep end.
John Rocca, percussionist, vocalist and producer with the band, had a thing or two to say over a (southern, unfrozen) pint in a Victoria pub. In particular about a bum review in another august journal: “they thought we should have had something saying ‘Margaret Thatcher is an old hag’ as a title, but it’s new wave as in new wave jazz funk.” Andy Stennet, keyboards player, was similarly annoyed. “Their criticism was that we shouldn’t be using tracks like ‘Caribbean Winter’ and ‘Sunset’ if we’re a new wave band. To me, what’s new wave about it is not the social side of it, necessarily, it’s the music side.”
‘Southern Freeez, speed 45, has already crossed over, under, sideways and down, and ‘Southern Freeez’, speed 33, has already established itself as one of the freshest, most authoritative LPs in the genre for a long time. It all comes as a distinct second chapter in the life of the band. Early last summer a spunky instrumental of theirs called ‘Keep In Touch’ flirted with the 50 for a week and scaled greater heights on the disco list. The band sold the single to Pye, who didn’t take up the option on the second release, and it went under.
In any case, the band were in some confusion. Rocca said: “We were going the wrong way, we were leaving Freeez and trying to make money.” In the first instance, the band’s formation had had a lot to do with Bluey, an ex-Light Of The World member. Andy Stennet had come and gone from the band too. He remembers: “We made a tape and went round a few companies. They were all saying ‘Jazz-funk is out’.” (“That was the year of disco is dead,” chipped in John). “So we walked out, me with me Wurlitzer on me back. I just thought things weren’t happening and got myself a regular job. I regretted it.”
John continued the story: “After we did the ‘Keep In Touch’ record, Bluey decided it wasn’t going right. By the time we got to the second single, we’d more or less split. We were using a different keyboards player at that time and he went off to finish his degree in France, We gave Andy a ring, and he came back.”
Disillusioned with Pye, the band finally came across, and got on swimmingly with Beggars Banquet, of whom they speak very highly. They sold them the album, pressed some pre-Christmas copies, and by the time we’d all woken up again in the New Year, the buzz was too loud to ignore.
These guys sound as excited as the people buying their record, because they know they’re part of a new feeling in funk but they don’t know exactly where It’ll lead them.
Andy: “It would be very nice to still provide the commercial side of it as well, but to really experiment, and get some sort of aggressive, hard playing. I look forward to that.” Us too, chaps; they’ll be gigging soon too and if you only know the single, just listen to them widen your ears. Freeez are set up for a long spell. PAUL SEXTON
MR WRIGHT
BERNARD WRIGHT, 16-year-old piano prodigy whose import ‘Nard’ album has just gone Top 30 in the disco chart, is like Tom Browne from the Jamaica neighbourhood of New York’s Queens borough on Long Island – and it was Tom Browne who brought him to the attention of GRP’s Fave Grusin and Larry Rosen when using him as an accompanist on his debut ‘Browne Sugar’ LP.
Bernard began aged four playing with toy musical instruments before his mother gave him a miniature Magnus organ and aged eight (presumably as long ago as 1972) he gave up the music lessons that were meant to teach him rudimentary music theory as he found them incompatible with his favourite Kool & The Gang funk, which is what he really wanted to play! Instead he became the youngest member of the pre-teen Junior Firebolts.
Aged 13 he toured with Lenny White, then played keyboards for a couple of theatrical productions, and now he has his own solo album reflecting a lifetime’s influences.
UK NEWIES
THE WHISPERS: ‘It’s A Love Thing’ (Solar SOT-16).
Skippable but distinctive synth tones intro this thunderously smacking 0 – 117 – 118 -119bpm 12in smash-bound chunderer with cheerful catchy vocals and, as has been proved beyond question, real grow-on-you appeal. Initially ignored in the South, it took Northern jocks to establish its potential before it swept throughout the land spearheading the currently re-emerged Solar groove along with Shalamar and Lakeside.
FIREFLY: ‘Love (Is Gonna Be On Your Side)’ (Excaliber EXCL 506).
Shopgirl aimed import smash simple ‘Good Times’ structured 114 – 113 – 114bpm 12in thudder starts with a bass bumped groove before filling out with Euro vocals and then dropping into a guitar scratched long break which builds back up (part of this break being tagged onto the start of the re-edited B-side version in typically tampering Morgan Khan style) . . . and it’s amazing how many jocks have picked up on my original mixing suggestion to synch it between KID and ‘Ain’t No Stoppin Us Now’. (This, Mystic Touch, some 7in Hit Numbers are 1bpm faster than anticipated, which could indicate voltage fluctuations somewhere).
FREE EXPRESSION: ‘Chill-Out!’ (Vanguard VSL 5019).
Terrific powerful bass synth boomed heavy slow driving 108 – 107 – 108bpm 12in funk thudder with some greasy jive talk between grunting beat emphasising chant and squealing sax.
SHALAMAR: ‘Make That Move’ (Solar SOT-17).
Typically well crafted 116 – 117 (break) – 116 – 117bpm 12in Solar smacker (now in a tougher new mix) reaches its most distinguished moment with an interestingly unusual chorded piano bridging between the break and title line chorus, the chunkily chugging 113 – 114bpm ‘Pop Along Kid‘ flip being slower than on LP.
SHIRLEY JAMES & DANNY RAY: ‘Why Don’t You Spend The Night?’ (Black Jack BJD 4509).
Extremely infectious winsomely duetted sweet 83/41bpm 12in lovers rock chugger, in yellow vinyl, bearing a strong resemblance to ‘Help Me Make It Through The Night’, and one of our very biggest hits (along with Sugar Minott) at Mayfair Gullivers.
MYSTIC TOUCH: ‘Get Yourself Together’ (Champagne FIZY 505).
Creamily clopping guys/gals-sung catchy 119 (intro) – 120 bpm 12in chugging swayer warm on import since Xmas, with nice “I know you thought about being a DJ on the radio” opening line that’ll grab a few young hopefuls, the Latin style 120bpm ‘Party People‘ flip being big for some too.
VISAGE: ‘We Move’ (Polydor POSPX 236).
Dynamite ‘Fashion’-type 116bpm heavy funker could be bassier but mixes convincingly even for black dancers between such as Funkadelic ‘Knee Deep’ or Raydio ‘For Those Who Like To Groove’ and Lakeside ‘From 9.00 Until’, on 3-track 12in with the precisely tapping 139bpm ‘Mind Of A Toy‘ electronic skipper and jaggedly jumping 143bpm ‘Frequency 7‘, which sounds like a video game gone beserk!
JUNIOR TUCKER: ‘The Kick (Rock On)’ (Island 12WIP 6675).
Jauntily jerky sprightly 138/69bpm 12in pop-reggae jumper with electronically sizzling break and hit prospects.
SYLVIA STRIPLIN: ‘Give Me Your Love’ (Champagne FIZY 504).
Ponderously plodding slow 110bpm 12in backbeat bumper with wailing squeakily doodling chick and distinctive catchy repeated instrumental twiddly bit similar to Leprechaun’s hook.
NEW MUSIK: ‘Luxury’ (GTO GT. 284).
Appropriately titled lush vocoder-sung silky synth 65/130bpm 7in swayer, now rather belatedly getting the futurist attention it deserves.
SCIENCE: ‘Tokyo’ (Rialto TREB 124).
Electronic tone and corny oriental plinky-plunks intro a terrific talked-sung futurist 0-124bpm 7in jolting loper that deserves radio attention.
LOVE OF LIFE ORCHESTRA: ‘Beginning Of The Heartbreak’ (Beggars Banquet TBET 2).
Electronically pulsating threateningly atmospheric ponderous 102/51bpm futurist instrumental throbber synching on 4-track 12in into the totally different rolling quite jazzy sax-played 127 – 0bpm ‘Don’t Don’t‘, flipped by the ramblingly honking long 123 – 126 – 124 – 125 – 126bpm ‘Extended Niceties‘ — all an interesting fusion of-styles if not compulsive dance material.
IMPORTS
No Imports reviewed this week.
UK Disco Top 90 – March 7, 1981
01 01 Freeez – Southern Freeez / Version – Beggars Banquet 12”
02 02 Yarbrough & Peoples – Don’t Stop The Music – Mercury 12”
03 03 Gap Band – Burn Rubber On Me – Mercury 12”
04 09 Sharon Redd – Can You Handle It – Epic 12”
05 07 Rah Band – Slide – DJM 12”
06 04 Heatwave – Gangsters Of The Groove – GTO 12”
07 05 Blondie – Rapture – Chrysalis 12”
08 06 MFSB – Mysteries Of The World – TSOP 12”
09 11 Beggar & Co – (Somebody) Help Me Out – Ensign 12”
10 10 Kleeer – Get Tough / De Kleeer Ting / Sippin’ & Kissin’ – US Atlantic LP
11 17 It’s A Love Thing – Whispers – Solar 12”
12 08 James Brown – Rapp Payback – RCA 12”/LP
13 14 Gil Scott-Heron/Brian Jackson – The Bottle – Vintage Champagne 12”
14 15 Fantasy – You’re Too Late – Epic 12”
15 13 T.S. Monk – Bon Bon Vie – Mirage 12”
16 24 K.I.D. – Don’t Stop – Groove/EMI 12”
17 21 Whispers – Imagination / I Can Make It Better / Up On Soul Train – Solar LP
18 16 Joe Sample – Burnin’ Up The Carnival – MCA 12”/LP
19 12 L.A.X. – All My Love – Epic 12”
20 35 Harry Thumann – Underwater – Decca 12”
21 18 Cloud – All Night Long / Take It To The Top – UK Champagne 12”
22 22 (New York) Skyy – Here’s To You – Excaliber 12”
23 25 T.S. Monk – Candidate For Love / House Of Music / Can’t Keep My Hands To Myself – Mirage LP
24 37 Breakfast Band – L.A.14 – Disc Empire 12”
25 23 Stevie Wonder – I Ain’t Gonna Stand For It – Motown 12”
26 19 Light Of The World – I Shot The Sheriff – Ensign 12”
27 20 Ned Doheny – To Prove My Love – CBS 12”
28 36 Bernard Wright – Bread Sandwiches / Just Chillin’ Out / Firebolt Hustle / Master Rocker – US Arista GRP LP
29 49 Second Image – Dance Dance Dance / The Jazzy Dancer – Polydor 12”
30 27 Kool & The Gang – Celebration – De-Lite 12”
31 31 Sheila Hylton – The Bed’s Too Big Without You – Island 12”
32 52 George Benson – What’s On Your Mind / Turn Out The Lamplight – Warner Bros 12”
33 29 Billy Ocean – Nights (Feel Like Getting Down) – GTO 12”
34 58 Ray Carless – Tarantula Walk / New Born Child – Ensign 12”
35 44 Jacksons – Can You Feel It – Epic 12”
36 30 Marvin Gaye – Heavy Love Affair / Praise / Love Party / Funk Me – Motown LP
37 26 Millie Jackson – I Had To Say It – Spring 12”
38 42 Sister Sledge – All American Girls – Atlantic 12”
39 86 Lakeside – Fantastic Voyage – Solar 12”
40 55 Gene Dunlap – Love Dancin’ / It’s Just The Way I Feel – Capitol 12”
41 32 Unlimited Touch – I Hear Music In The Streets / In The Middle – Epic 12”
42 63 Young & Company – Strut Your Stuff (Sexy Lady) / Waiting On Your Love – Excaliber 12”
43 48 Firefly – Love (Is Gonna Be On Your Side) – US Emergency 12”
44 57 Mystic Touch – Get Yourself Together / Party People – US Reflection 12”
45 NE Spandau Ballet – The Freeze – Reformation 12”
46 60 Alphonze Mouzon – By All Means / Do I Have To? / The Jogger / The Next Time We Love – US PAUSA/German Metronome LP
47 38 Odyssey – Hang Together – RCA 12”
48 67 Kool & The Gang – Jones Vs Jones / Summer Madness – De-Lite 12”
49 71 Linx – Intuition / Together We Can Shine – Chrysalis 12”
50 54 Spectrum – Taking It To The Top – Smokey 12”
51 33 Various – Bits & Pieces III – Canadian Special Disco Mixer 12”
52 46 Wilton Felder – Insight – MCA 12in
53 34 Funk Masters – Love Money – Tania Music 12”
54 59 Nick Straker Band – A Little Bit Of Jazz – CBS 12”
55 39 Ozone – Love Zone / Mighty-Mighty / Jump On It / Rock And Roll, Pop And Soul / Ozonic Bee Bop – US Motown LP
56 50 Altitude – Six Nine Shuffle – UK Champagne 12”
57 45 Inversions – Mr Mac / Passport – Groove Production 12”
58 66 Fuse One – Grand Prix / Double Steal – Japanese/German CTI LP
59 53 Hot Cuisine – All Fired Up / Dancin’ Me To Ecstacy – Kaleidoscope 12”
60 43 Lenny White/Twennynine – Fancy Dancer (Remix) – Elektra 12in promo
61 NE Rudy Grant – Lately – Ensign 12”
62 47 Central Line – (You Know) You Can Do It – Mercury 12”
63 NE Manu Dibango – Goro City / Happy Feeling – Island 12”
64 RE Earth Wind & Fire – And Love Goes On / Faces – CBS 12”
65 73 Tom Browne – Midnight Interlude / Magic – Arista GRP 12”
66 78 Blackbyrds – Rock Creek Park / Don’t Know What To Say – Fantasy 12”
67 87 Leprechaun – Loc-It-Up – US Citation 12”
68 56 Freda Payne – Band Of Gold – Vintage Champagne 12”
69 NE Shock – Angel Face / R.E.R.B. – RCA 12”
70 51 Level 42 – (Flying On The) Wings Of Love (Remix ’81) – Polydor 12”
71 62 Shalamar – Make That Move – Solar 12”
72 75 Freeez – Flying High / Mariposa (Butterfly) / Caribbean Winter / Sunset – Beggars Banquet LP
73 82 Shakatak – Living In The UK – Polydor 12”
74 NE Azoto – San Salvador – Dutch Rams Horn 12”
75 76 ConFunkShun – Too Tight / Play Widit – Mercury 12”
76 NE Alicia Myers – Spirit Of The Boogie / Don’t Stop What You’re Doin’ / I Want To Thank You – US MCA LP
77 70 Shalamar – Full Of Fire – US Solar 12”
78 79 Frank Hooker & Positive People – Ooh Suga Wooga / This Feelin’ (Remix) – US Panorama LP
79 72 Diana Ross – It’s My Turn – Motown
80 RE Frankie Valli – Soul – MCA 12”
81 NE Johnny Bristol – Love No Longer Has A Hold On Me (Remix) – Ariola Hansa 12”
82 90 Powerline – Journey / Double Journey – Elite 12”
83 77 Free Expression – Chill-Out! – Vanguard 12”
84 74 Heatwave – Turn Around / Jitterbuggin’ / Posin’ ‘Til Closin’ / Goin’ Crazy – GTO LP
85 69 Sylvia Striplin – Give Me Your Love – US Uno Melodic 12”
86 81 Denise LaSalle & Satisfaction – I’m Trippin’ On You – US MCA LP
87 85 Bar-Kays – Boogie Body Land – Mercury 12”
88 80 Sister Sledge – If You Really Want Me / Music Makes Me Feel Good / Don’t You Let Me Lose It – Atlantic LP
89 68 Stevie Wonder – Happy Birthday / Did I Hear You Say You Love Me – Motown LP
90 NE Delegation – Singing – Arista 12”
BREAKERS
BUBBLING UNDER the UK Disco 90 with increased support are:
Unlimited Touch: ‘Searching To Find The One’ / ‘Feel The Music’ / ‘Happy Ever After’ (US Prelude LP)
Eloise Laws: ‘You Are Everything’ / ‘Strength Of A Woman’ / ‘Almost All The Way To Love’ / ‘I’m Just Warmin’ Up’ (US Liberty LP)
Stevie Wonder: ‘Lately’ (Motown)
Quincy Jones: ‘Ai No Corrida’ (US A&M)
Eugene Paul: ‘Children Go To School’ (Ensign 12in)
Willie Mitchell: ‘Sparkle’ / ‘Reachin’ Out’ / ‘Give The World More Love’ (US Bearsville LP)
Willie Bobo: ‘Always There’ (US Columbia LP)
Arni Egilsson: ‘Howduz Disco?’ (US Inner City LP)
Sugar Minott: ‘Good Thing Going’ (Hawkeye 12in)
Me & You: ‘La La Means I Love You’ (Castro Brown 12in)
Not James Player: ‘Friends Again’ (Ultimate 12in)
Chi-Lites: ‘All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You’ / ‘Love Shock’ (20th Century-Fox 12in)
Dells: ‘Your Song’ (20th Century-Fox 12in)
One Way: ‘Push’ / ‘I Didn’t Mean To Break Your Heart’ (US MCA LP)
THE SHAPE . . .
TO CONTINUE and re-emphasize last week’s theme about the variety of music encompassed by the term ‘Futurist’ or ‘New Romanticism’, its chief exponents are determined that their music should forever change – and, following on from my mention that many of them have roots in soul, the new direction they seem to be taking is indeed towards heavy funk! Landscape’s Richard Burgess for instance intends to make his future productions with Spandau Ballet a lot funkier. Shock are already rehearsing Free Expression’s ‘Chill-Out!’ as a funk addition to their dance repertoire, add Rusty Egan has for a long time been mixing funk and jazz- funk (especially the breaks) between the more recognisably Futurist records. Rusty incidentally has just drummed on and arranged a new Futurist single for Phil Lynott. Richard Burgess in particular sees his music as a new branch or direct continuation of disco, and it’s in recognition of this plus the records compatibility with straight disco that this week Spandau Ballet ‘The Freeze’ and Shock ‘Angel Face’ have been crossed over from the DORC to the Disco 90. Landscape themselves were recently accused of cashing in on the Futurist bandwagon – which, as RCA’s Rowdy Yeats says, is akin to saying the Beatles cashed in on Merseybeat! Their ‘Einstein A Go Go’ has yet to get any DORC or Disco action but is doing well in the futurist Top 20, which is separately compiled only from specified “Futurist” charts and is worth comparing with the DORC to see how certain records are being received in each relative market.
01 01 The Freeze – Spandau Ballet – Reformation 12in
02 03 Fade To Grey – Visage – Polydor 12in
03 04 Planet Earth / Late Bar – Duran Duran – EMI 12in
04 11 Einstein A Go-Go – Landscape RCA 12in
05 02 Vienna / Passionate Reply – Ultravox – Chrysalis 12in
06 05 Angel Face / R.E.R.B. – Shock – RCA 12in
07 07 Once In A Lifetime – Talking Heads – Sire
08 NE Mind Of A Toy / We Move / Frequency 7 – Visage – Polydor 12in
09 08 The Model – Kraftwerk – Capitol LP
10 05 Tar / Blocks On Blocks / Moon Over Moscow / Visa-age – Visage – Polydor LP
11 14 All Stood Still – Ultravox – Chrysalis LP
12 09 Empire State Human – Human League – Virgin
13 NE Dead Man’s Curve – Nash The Slash – DinDisc
14 13 Seconds Too Late – Cabaret Voltaire – Rough Trade
15 17 She’s Lost Control – Joy Division – Factory 12in
16 15 Being Boiled / A Crow And A Baby / Only After Dark – Human League – Virgin LP
17 20 19th Nervous Breakdown – Nash The Slash DinDisc LP
18 NE Don’t Don’t / Extended Niceties / Beginning Of The Heartbreak – Love Of Life Orchestra – Beggars Banquet 12in
19 NE Demolition Man – Grace Jones – Island 12in
20 NE Luxury – New Musik -GTO
Contributors to this chart currently include Alan Gibson (Edgbaston Faces Profile Suite weekends), Kevin Wilson (Kingstanding Circle Community Centre’s Fashion — social this Friday 6th, disco Saturday 14th, details Birmingham 354 1984 mornings), Derek Pierce (Bath Moles every Wednesday), Robbie Collins (Richmond Cheekee Pete’s every Wednesday), Joey Coyne (Cheltenham Charles Club’s Blondz every other Tuesday), Phil Blizzard (Stoke-on-Trent North Staffs Poly), Jim Kershaw (Sheffield Dollars), Gary Allan (Liverpool McMillan’s), while Graham Grayoune starts this Thursday 5th another night in addition to Mondays at Jesters in Kingston-on-Thames Old Crown pub in Church Street. Incidentally, Rusty Egan and myself have been plotting how best to spread the futurist disco scene and are looking for good futurist DJs, so why not send me a demo cassette with your photo and full details in case we’ve got work for you? Let me know if you’re able to travel and what nights you’re free. Dartford Flicks is soon to be the first new venue for the Egan treatment on Monday nights, and more are sure to follow.
DORC (Disco Featured Pop Hits)
1(1) Adam ‘Antmusic’, 2(3) Visage, 3(4) Ultravox, 4(5) Lennon ‘Woman’, 5(10) Joe Dolce, 6(6) Susan Fassbender, 7(7) Barbara Jones, 8(9) Phil Collins, 9(8) The Look, 10(18) Rainbow, 11(-) Roxy Music, 12(21) Coast To Coast, 13(12) Madness, 14(20) Cliff Richard, 15(15) Bad Manners, 16(13) Gen X, 17(-) Dire Straits, 18(-) Sheena ‘Flan’ Easton, 19(17) Kelly Marie, 20(11) Lennon ‘Imagine’, 21(19) Slade, 22(14) Specials, 23(-) Stray Cats, 24(-) Pretenders, 25(-) Talking Heads, 26(25) XTC, 27(23) Spandau ‘Story’, 28(-) Boomtown Rats, 29(-) Jam, 30(24) Police ‘Voices’.
HIT NUMBERS
Beats Per Minute for last week’s pop chart entries on 7in are:
Status Quo 0 – 125f, Yoko Ono 121 – 120f, Jacksons 125 – 126f, Human League 87/174c, Sharon Redd 109f, Shakin’ Stevens 195/97f, KID 115f, Landscape 0 – 132f/c, Classix Nouveaux 162r/f, Sister Sledge 122f, Eddie Rabbitt 132/66f.
James Hamilton's Disco Page 