ODDS ‘N’ BODS
Jay Hoggard makes an exclusive UK appearance next Saturday (15) at Jaffa’s in London’s Tottenham Court Road Horseshoe, while the double-billed Crusaders and BB King for five nights from September 9th at the Royal Festival Hall sounds like another not to miss, too . . . Diana Ross & The Supremes ‘Supremes Medley’ (Tamla Motown 12TMG 1180) has been reissued to capitalize on the current medleymania (surely 1981’s equivalent of Boney M? – now there’s an idea for a medley!), the next in the pipeline to follow the easy hit formula unbelievably being ‘Stars on ’78’ – really! – made up of Glen Miller-type big band nostalgia classics . . . Donald Byrd has an un-jazzy acetate of new material in very limited circulation, the bland 114bpm ‘Love Has Come Around’ being set as his next single although the much beefier 120bpm ‘Love For Sale’ mixes nicely out of Commodores ‘Lady’ . . . Margo Michaels Atco-distributed US LP was released before producers Holland-Dozier-Holland had approved the mix and indeed it has been withdrawn in the States for an imminent remixed relaunch, but too late to prevent naff copies hitting these shores . . . Linda Taylor got credited with being the artiste instead of Cayenne in my review of ‘Roberto Who..?’ thanks to the confusing label design and my haste in typing . . . Chris Palmer confesses to being so upset at the Beeb only having an 8-track studio mixer when he recorded Cayenne for the Peter Powell/Froggy soul show that with his mind on other things he accidentally smashed a drumkit case through a glass front door at BBC’s Langham House . . . Soho’s Groove Records gets glimpsed in the street scene background of Spandau’s great Le Beat Route video . . . Robert and L.A. – once the main attraction in Shock, turned up on Top Of The Pops as Tight Fit . . . Debbie Harry has really blown it, her harsh voice being totally at odds with the Chic-produced material on her new LP, all of it sounding incredibly ugly . . . Excaliber’s hurriedly botched Wish ‘Nice And Soft’ remix has caused the ludicrous spectacle of people queuing for copies of the original US 12in, muttering that they don’t want the remix even if it is copied with both US versions! . . . EMI’s David Rose has re-opened his DJ mailing list and will send application forms on receipt of an SAE (David Rose, EMI Records (UK), 20 Manchester Square, London W1A 1ES) – he’s especially interested in clubs with video facilities – plus Stiff’s Sonnie Rae is attempting to compile a list for obviously more rock-orientated product, so send full DJ work details to her at Stiff Records, 9-11 Woodfield Road, London, W9 . . . Anthony Bernach, jock at Sutton Wallaby’s, says this “hideaway club for secret people” is putting out 500 copies of a silly 7in recorded live at the club. ‘I’m A Marsupial’ on (surprise, surprise!) the Pouch label, sung (if that’s not an exaggeration) by all the regulars . . . Flash Gordon (Bristol Sinatra’s) adds that Talisman’s recently mentioned reggae single is on Recreation (SPORT 14), produced in France by Bristol’s Revolver record shop . . . Graham Gold (01-908 2224) is looking for a good experienced MoR mobile to do a friend’s wedding party in Richmond on Friday 4th September . . . Southend and Bognor Regis are both seaside towns but maybe Sean French needs a road map to tell them apart? . . . Southampton Barbarella’s is getting good and funky again following the arrival of a new manager who’s actually into jazz-funk . . . Bristol based Superfly moans that the scene in the West is dead – but maybe Ray Edwards can help rejuvenate things when he joins Dave Cash at the up-coming Radio West? . . . David Rodigan adds so many “oink” and other great effects off cartridge to the records on his Capital reggae show that shops complain they can’t sell the unadorned originals! . . . Marshal King (Sunderland Mayfair) finds the digital mix on SOS Band ‘Do It Now’ too shrill to be subdued by the normal treble controls at the venues he works . . . Frenchie (Blackpool) says Prince ‘Sexy Dancer’ synchs sensationally over Modern Romance . . . Soft Cell turns out to be a duo led by Marc Almond, who in the early ’70s had an eponymously named group playing rather nice jazzy rock in the Steely Dan style . . . ITV won the battle of The Wedding, but then anything that didn’t have Angela Rippon looking pleased with herself had to be better . . . Barry Dean (0733-43931), currently at Peterborough’s La Scala most nights with Kris Stevens (I went to the opening of that place), has a complete mobile disco and one ton trailer to sell . . . Gerry Cullen (Glasgow French Quarter), reckons his area’s punters will be straining at the leash when they hear that the Flirtations 1975 ‘Mr Universe‘ will be reissued in November on RCA Golden Grooves . . . Alan Costa (Brighton Kings Club/Kings II) reckons UA could reissue the Marvels ‘Sh-Boom‘ judging from current reaction to it . . . Donna Summer’s old ‘I Remember Yesterday’ was inspired by Kid Creole’s earlier brainchild Dr Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band-remember?! . . . Funktion’s current London club venues are Clowns (Mon), Heaven (Tues), Bennett (Wed/Thurs), Barracuda (Fri/Sat), Embassy (Sun), but I can’t vouch for the music actually played on those nights (details 01-946 2433) . . . Fatman Graham Canter (Soho Le Beat Route) wonders whether you heard the one about the Irish rock ‘n’ roll band – Shillelagh & His Comets?! . . . Polydor’s Theo Loyla has been spreading scandal recently alleging that amongst his fellow disco pluggers Loraine Trent wears falsies, Morgan Kahn strangles moles, Orin Cozier is a pervert, David Rose is deaf, Ian Titchener is an illegal immigrant, David Yeats won’t give records to girls, and Noreen Allen has athletes foot . . . Morgan who? . . . OINK!
STUNNING SOULSTRESS Phyllis Hyman has her recently reviewed ‘Can’t We Fall In Love Again’ album out here now (Arista SPART 1154), plus a 3-track 12in. Philadelphia born but Pittsburgh raised, she had a cameo role in the film ‘Lenny’ before Norman Connors spotted her in New York and featured her on his ‘You Are My Starship’ LP. Her subsequent solo sets are equally renowned, but possibly less well known here is her award-winning appearance on Broadway in the smash musical ‘Sophisticated Ladies’ (based on Duke Ellington’s music). Lovely to look at, Phyllis has also done extensive promotion work for such cosmetic lines as Revlon, Clairol and Fashion Fair. How long before we too can see her in the flesh?
FREEBIE JEEBIES
WEA’S MAILING list jocks responded in different ways to my recent comment that they don’t keep the records they receive in their charts for very long. Mark Clark (Bracknell) said he gets so many new records a week, bought and sent, that he can’t list them all in the Top 15 he sends us. Dennis Brynner (Southampton) hit the nail on the head with “We’re in the business of keeping our dance floors full and our charts strictly reflect this” – he sends a Top 30 plus slowies, pop and futurist Top 10’s. However, this still doesn’t resolve the problem of why certain records only appear in some DJs listings on the week of receipt. If they don’t work then at a floor level why list them, or if they do, why not keep playing them and chart them properly for as long as they last? Stargard’s album is a case in point, steaming into the chart at number 40, a position which would normally denote a monster in the making, only to drop dramatically during the following five weeks until now it’s good and gone. Neither a stinker nor a monster, but a good workable set, it deserved neither that inflatedly high debut, nor rapid descent. DJs, don’t chart stuff just because it’s been sent to you in the mail (no matter how tyrannical certain disco pluggers may sometimes seem!). It doesn’t help anyone in the long run as the reason for the chart is to reflect actual dancefloor popularity. Early indication of this, if founded on fantasy rather than fact, could lead to a record company wasting money in further promotion of something that doesn’t actually warrant it. Be hip, wise up! I’d still rather hear from jocks who buy their own material, as with a financial commitment involved, those are obviously the records they really believe in. Thanks to all though for the effort and expense of sending in charts of any type, they’re widely appreciated as I’m sure you’re aware.
UK NEWIES
RAFAEL CAMERON: ‘Funtown U.S.A.’ (Salsoul SALT 10).
Sensationally strong bass thundered synth spiked ultra happy catchy 0-118-120-121-0bpm 12in jittery funk explosion should now at last realise the full potential of the smash status its enjoyed with all who’ve used it on import, even though here it’s officially flip to the radio-aimed blander but pleasantly Shalamar-ish 0-119bpm ‘All That’s Good To Me‘, which has nice soulful ingredients strung together by a steadily tripping beat.
IMAGINATION: ‘In And Out Of Love’ (R&B RBL 202).
Widely circulated on white label although not fully available for a fortnight, this 83-84bpm 12in hypnotic swayer sounds at first to be merely lots more just like before, but then soon sounds so nice ya gotta play it twice! With the exact same structure (and BPM!), it has even prettier piano, tinkling vibes, Stylistics-style wailing, and adds up to more of a gorgeous ethereal atmosphere than an actual song.
NINA DECOSTA: ‘Don’t Want To Lose You’ (Rokel ROK 16).
Akie Dean-produced simply superb infectious little 0-76bpm 12in lovers rock swayer with lovely soulful singing, a great “biya” scatting and jazzy guitar central section, pretty construction and usefully distinctive intro – in other words as you’ve probably guessed, I rate it highly! Do check this one out, and listen right through to the tensely pent-up finish.
SYLVESTER: ‘Give It Up (Don’t Make Me Wait)’ (Fantasy FTCT 197).
Absolutely excellent ever progressing slinky soulful 12in thudder with chanting chix and jazzy sax before Sylvester finally gets a look in, the intro being terrific out of Sharon Redd’s remix and the whole thing clocking in at 112(intro)-110 (chix)-109(sax/rhythm)-110(“give it up”) -109-111(Sylvester)bpm – however, be warned, a few copies of the LP version were pressed by mistake, so make sure you get the proper extended remix, and don’t ignore the gorgeous 42/83bpm ‘Here Is My Love‘ duet on what could actually be the official A-side.
IMPRESSIONS: ‘Fan The Fire’ (20th Century-Fox TCD 2500).
At last on long awaited 12in, this doodlingly introed creamily rolling subduedly smacking lovely 57/115-116-118-119bpm soul swayer has catchy kazoo, cop sirens and a beefy bass break, adding up to a slow burner that should now explode.
LOVE UNLIMITED ORCHESTRA: ‘Lift Your Voice And Say (United We Can Live In Peace Today)’ (Unlimited Gold ULG A13-1496).
Bumpily chugging rhythm riff eventually reaches a unison harmonised message lyric mixed well back in this surprisingly powerful 0-115-116-115(bass)-116bpm 12in beefy simple semi-smacking swayer, prod/penned by Barry White & Webster Lewis.
FRANKIE SMITH: ‘Double Dutch Bus’ (WMOT WMOTL 104).
Not to be confused with the original nearly year old US 12in flip’s ‘Double Dutch’, issued here on its own with instrumental flip, this more cornily catchy bubbling 119-120bpm 12in great silly rapper has just finally hit the top of the US soul chart and is now also out here on its own with a useful 120-119bpm instrumental flip.
RANDY CRAWFORD: ‘Rainy Night In Georgia’ (Warner Bros K 17840).
Beautiful tender tranquil 37bpm 7in smash-bound smooching of Brook Benton’s classic.
BOYS TOWN GANG: ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough/Remember Me’ (Moby Dick DICK 1T, via WEA).
There’s a subtle rearrangement of the title for this edited 12in version of the 0-128bpm Diana Ross soundalike medley, which is sure to pull pop buyers, while everyone in the know will want the full unexpurgated ‘Cruisin’ The Streets‘ flipside 123bpm chugger which is only available as title track of their LP (BTG 231). This reaches a quite mind-boggling gay but hilariously filthy last part (censored from 12in and 7in formats) with the sound effects of guys picking each other up, gettin’ it on in an alley, being watched by a hooker and ultimately getting put up against the wall by some horny cops. And the final line’s a killer! (Incidentally, mixers should try synching the juicy bits over Gino Soccio ‘Dancer’!).
IVOR BIGGUN AND THE D. KUPS: ‘Bras On 45 (Dirty Gertie Version)’ (Dead Badger BOP 6T, via WEA).
Remember ‘The Winker Song (Misprint)’? Well, here’s a similarly schoolboy humoured 121bpm 12in smutty send-up of the ‘Stars On 45’ concept, actually sung as “Bra Size 45”, with bits of ‘Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick’ and ‘Boobs Up Side My Head’ loosely woven into the Northern-accented narrative.
SILHOUETTES: ‘Hot Licks’ (MCA 740).
Accurate 131bpm 7in medley of the Shadows classics with the now usual disco beat added. Shadows – Silhouettes, geddit? This one will go.
ENIGMA: ‘I Love Music’ (Creole CR 14).
Another, although this time rather rushed medley like before on 7in seems to be around 129bpm – fuller review if and when a 12in arrives.
SHAMPOO: ‘Everlasting’ (Arrival PIK 5, via Pinnacle).
Crass phonetically sung dated 120bpm 7in Eurodisco medley of assorted oldies, also on 12in.
WISH: ‘Nice And Soft’ (Excaliber EXCL 511).
Fairly asinine title-chanting chix-wailed monotonous jiggling groove of the ‘Body Music’ sort, here with the 126bpm ‘Uptown’ and 127bpm ‘Downtown‘ versions cut rather too soft (in volume) as they’re side by side to make room on 3-track 12in for a hastily assembled and horrendously achieved so-called ‘Special Disco Mixer‘ of the two combined. Do yourself a favour, if at this late stage you still want a copy, and get the US original instead.
FUNKAPOLITAN: ‘As The Time Goes By’ (London LON X001).
UK-recorded (in an interesting twist for the London label) bass-tugged sparse 123-122-123bpm 12in clopper with ragged chanting reminiscent of Hi-Tension, with a rap version on 2-track flip.
VILLAGE PEOPLE: ‘Do You Wanna Spend The Night’ (Mercury MERX 75).
Strangely subdued and datedly soulful 115-118bpm 12in shuffler bows in their new “Renaissance’ image . . . with notable lack of success so far.
PHYLLIS HYMAN: ‘You Sure Look Good To Me’ (Arista ARIST 12424).
Well performed smoothly sung infectious enough but overly staccato jerky 127bpm jolter on 3-track 12in with the much hotter bass thrummed rolling and tumbling 114bpm ‘Tonight You And Me‘, and Odyssey’s tensely swaying 84bpm ‘Don’t Tell Me Tell Her‘. Get her album for a fuller treat.
PATTI AUSTIN: ‘Do You Love Me?’ (Qwest K 17838).
Disappointingly gutless and fast 128bpm Rod Temperton-penned slick speeder makes a fine pair for the Bros Johnson, flipped initially on 7in by the scatting jazzily Latin 123bpm ‘Solero‘ instrumental. Despite misleading press releases, Patti is not Quincy Jones’s daughter.
BROTHERS JOHNSON: ‘The Real Thing’ (A&M AMSX 8149).
Fast slick 128bpm speeder (which charted surprisingly quickly considering soul fans’ widely held poor opinion of their current self-produced set), flipped on 3-track 12in by the jolting slow 0-35/71bpm ‘I Want You’ and older gutsily jerky 123bpm ‘This Had To Be’.
HERB ALPERT: ‘Magic Man’ (A&M AMSX 8151).
Purposefully plodding ‘Rise’-style 83bpm instrumental trumpet tootler usefully within range of Imagination, flipped on polythene-packed 3-track 12in by the pretty 0-62/124bpm ‘Fantasy Island’ and indeed by ‘Rise‘ itself, that 100bpm originator of so many other thudding bass-emphasising slow clappers.
DAVID SANBORN: ‘Let’s Just Say Goodbye’ (Warner Bros LV46).
Attractively loping mid-tempo 112bpm jazz sax instrumental on good value 4-track 12in with the convolutedly snapping 101bpm ‘Run For Cover‘, plus his ‘Hideaway’ set’s squealing slinky slow 61/31-63bpm ‘The Seduction’ and tripping 128-130bpm ‘Anything You Want’.
HUMAN LEAGUE: ‘Hard Times/Love Action (I Believe In Love)’ (Virgin / Red VS435-12).
The piercing synth and vocals of this segued 122bpm 12in are perhaps too determinedly futurist to be truly compatible, but the mainly instrumental B-side version has some dynamite rhythm bits (especially halfway through ‘Hard Times’) worth mixing in on its own.
DURAN DURAN: ‘Girls On Film (Night Version)’ (EMI 12EMI 5206).
Completely remade 134bpm 12in version, virtually instrumental, which Tantra fans should find useful.
SCANDAL featuring LEE GENESIS: ‘Love Either Grows Or Goes’ (Creole CR 12-10).
Slow starting then clapping jiggly swaying 0-112-111bpm 12in soul croaker bumbles nicely along, the extremely Al Hudson / Leon Haywood / Kool-like 105bpm ‘I Wanna Do It‘ official A-side being good fun to vari-mix ‘Ladies Night’ out of.
MIDNIGHT STAR: ‘I’ve Been Watching You’ (Solar K 12545T).
Overly contrived jerkily lurching staccato 112-111bpm 12in lumbering smacker is too hung up on its own artifice to be soulfully involving, but the chick wailed jolting slow 44/88bpm ‘Open Up To Love‘ B-side does have soul.
IMPORTS
No import reviews this week.
UK Disco Top 90 – August 8, 1981
01 02 Evelyn King – I’m In Love – RCA 12”
02 03 Spandau Ballet – Chant No.1 / Feel The Chant – Reformation 12”
03 01 Odyssey – Going Back To My Roots – RCA 12”
04 16 Carl Carlton – She’s A Bad Mama Jama – 20th Century-Fox 12”
05 04 Starsound – Stars On 45 Volume 2 – CBS 12”
06 08 Imagination – Body Talk – R&B 12”
07 05 Quincy Jones – Razzamatazz – A&M 12”
08 06 Third World – Dancing On The Floor – CBS 12”
09 13 BB&Q Band – On The Beat – Capitol 12”
10 25 Modern Romance – Everybody Salsa/Salsa Rappsody – WEA 12”
11 07 Thelma Houston – If You Feel It – RCA 12”
12 10 Tom Tom Club – Wordy Rappinghood – Island 12”
13 11 Rick James – Give It To Me Baby / Ghetto Life / Make Love To Me / Mr Policeman – Motown LP/12”
14 20 Jacksons – Walk Right Now – Epic 12”
15 27 Stevie Wonder – Happy Birthday – Motown LP/12” promo
16 14 Gino Soccio – Try It Out – Atlantic 12”
17 15 Grace Jones – Pull Up To The Bumper – Island 12”
18 32 Tight Fit – Back To The 60’s – Jive 12”
19 09 Coati Mundi – Que Pasa/Me No Pop I – Ze 12”
20 24 Commodores – Lady (You Bring Me Up) – Motown 12”
21 22 Abba – Lay All Your Love On Me / On And On And On – Epic 12”
22 12 Evasions – Wikka Rap – Groove Production 12”
23 36 Cheryl Lynn – Shake It Up Tonight – CBS 12”
24 21 Hi-Gloss – You’ll Never Know / I’m Totally Yours – Epic 12”
25 51 Central Line – Walking Into Sunshine – Mercury 12”
26 19 Strikers – Body Music – Epic 12”
27 17 Keni Burke – Let Somebody Love You – RCA 12”
28 42 Morrissey Mullen – Do Like You / Badness – Beggars Banquet 12”
29 18 Kool & The Gang – Take It To The Top / Celebremos – De-Lite 12”
30 68 Voggue – Dancin’ The Night Away – Mercury 12”
31 26 Shakatak – Brazilian Dawn – Polydor 12”
32 43 Richard ‘Dimples’ Fields – I Like Your Lovin’ / She’s Got Papers On Me – US Boardwalk LP
33 38 Bobby Broom – Saturday Night / Clean Sweep / Remember When / Share My Love – US Arista GRP LP
34 30 Sharon Redd – Can You Handle It (Remix) – US Prelude 12”
35 48 Cayenne – Roberto Who…? – Groove Production 12”
36 46 Raydio – Still In The Groove / A Woman Needs Love / So Into You – Arista 12”
37 61 Shalamar – Uptown Festival – RCA Golden Grooves 12”
38 29 War – Cinco De Mayo- US LAX 12”
39 49 Evelyn King – If You Want My Lovin’ – US RCA LP
40 34 Strikers – Inch By Inch / Hold Onto The Feeling – US Prelude LP
41 64 Teena Marie – Square Biz / Instrumental – Motown 12”
42 NE Eddy Grant – I Love You Yes I Love You – Ensign
43 41 Bob Marley – No Woman No Cry / Jamming (Live) – Island 12”
44 37 Material – Bustin’ Out – Ze 12”
45 55 Black Slate – Live A Life / Reggae Feeling – Ensign 12”
46 31 Bobby Thurston – Very Last Drop – Epic 12”
47 44 Wish – Nice And Soft – Excaliber 12”
48 50 Spaces – Song For Jeremy / Try Some Of This – US Arista LP
49 60 Level 42 – Turn It On – Polydor 12”
50 54 Stacy Lattisaw – Feel My Love Tonight / Young Girl / Love On A Two Way Street / Baby I Love You / Spotlight / Screamin’ Off The Top – US Cotillion LP
51 45 Rafael Cameron – Funtown USA / All That’s Good To Me – Salsoul 12”
52 28 Linx – Throw Away The Key – Chrysalis 12”
53 59 Lobo – The Caribbean Disco Show – Polydor 12”
54 74 Candido – Jingo / Dancin’ & Prancin’ – Excaliber 12”
55 65 Boys Town Gang – Cruisin’ The Streets / Remember Me/Ain’t No Mountain High Enough Suite – US Moby Dick 12”
56 63 Rene & Angela – Wall To Wall / Wanna Be Close To You / I Love You More – US Capitol LP
57 80 Pig Bag – Papa’s Got A Brand New Pig Bag – Y
58 47 Morrissey Mullen – Slipstream / Stay A While – Beggars Banquet LP
59 NE Brick – Sweat (‘Til You Get Wet) – US Bang 12”
60 33 Tantra – Hills Of Katmandu / Wishbone – Automatic 12”
61 57 Tee Mac – Sound Of the Universe – Ensign 12”
62 76 Randy Crawford – Rainy Night In Georgia – Warner Bros LP
63 35 Michael Jackson – One Day In Your Life – Motown
64 79 Avonn – Everybody Get Down – US RBL 12”
65 40 Lamont Dozier – Going Back To My Roots – Warner Bros 12”/LP
66 NE Dynasty – Here I Am – Solar 12”
67 NE Yellowjackets – Sittin’ In It / The Hornet / Matinee Idol – US Warner Bros LP
68 89 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Hooked On Classics – RCA 12”
69 62 Love Unlimited Orchestra – Lift Your Voice And Say – US Unlimited Gold 12”
70 75 France Joli – Gonna Get Over You – US Prelude 12”
71 53 Teena Marie – It Must Be Magic / Portuguese Love – US Gordy LP
72 69 Carol Jiani – The Woman In Me / Hit ‘N’ Run Lover (Remix) – Canadian Matra LP
73 83 Cayenne – Little Sunflower / Kensal Sunrise / Fiesta Cubana – Groove Prod LP
74 73 Was (Not Was) – Wheel Me Out – Ze LP/US Antilles 12”
75 52 Randy Crawford – You Might Need Somebody – Warner Bros 12”
76 NE Frankie Smith – Double Dutch Bus / Instrumental – WMOT 12”
77 85 Dave Valentin – Pied Piper / Sambiando – US Arista GRP LP
78 77 Maze – Joy And Pain / Changing Times – Capitol LP
79 58 Cameo – Freaky Dancin’ / The Sound Table – US Chocolate City LP
80 88 Unlimited Touch – Searching To Find The One – Epic 12”
81 87 Genji Sawai & Bacon Egg – What Comes Next? / Hand And Foot / Skipjack – Japanese Electric Bird LP
82 NE Roy Ayers – There’s A Master Plan / Destination Motherland / Land Of Fruit And Honey / Africa Center Of The World – US Polydor LP
83 NE Brothers Johnson – The Real Thing – A&M 12”
84 NE Eddie Russ – Zaius / See The Light – US Monument LP
85 82 Hi-Tek – Car Tune – Original 12”
86 78 Sylvester – Give it Up / Here Is My Love – US Fantasy LP/12” promo
87 72 Kid Creole – Going Places / Gina Gina / Table Manners – Ze LP
88 NE Lee Oskar – Song For My Son – US Elektra LP
89 NE Phyllis Hyman – Tonight You And Me / You Sure Look Good To Me – Arista 12”
90 NE Jean Carn – We Got Some Catchin’ Up To Do / Bet Your Lucky Star US TSOP LP
BREAKERS
BUBBLING UNDER the UK Disco 90 with increased support are:
Change: ‘Paradise’ (WEA 12in)
General Saint & Clint Eastwood: ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ (Greensleeves 12in)
Woods Empire: ‘Sweet Delight’ (US Tabu 12in)
Suzy Q: ‘Get On Up And Do It Again’ (Canadian JC 12in)
Real Thing: ‘I Believe In You’ (Calibre 12in)
Bobby King: ‘A Fool And His Love’ / ‘Having A Party’ / ‘Heart To Heart’ / ‘Fool For The Night’ (US Warner Bros LP)
Lamont Dozier: ‘Cool Me Out’ (CBS)
Smokey Robinson: ‘You Are Forever’ (Motown)
Startrax: ‘Startrax Club Disco’ (Picksy 12in)
Patti Austin: ‘Do You Love Me’ (Qwest)
Imagination: ‘In And Out Of Love’ (R&B 12in promo)
Bill Withers: ‘I Want To Spend The Night’ (CBS)
Roberta Flack: ‘Qual E Malindrinho’ (US MCA LP)
Inversions: ‘Loco-Moto’ (Groove Production 12in)
Pointer Sisters: ‘Slow Hand’ (Planet)
Sowell Radics: ‘All Nite Jammin’ (Dread At The Controls 12in)
Ramsey Lewis / Marlena Shaw: ‘Wade in The Water’ (Chess 12in)
Love Unlimited Orchestra / Webster Lewis: ‘Welcome Abroad’ (US Unlimited Gold LP)
Stephanie Mills: ‘Top Of My List’ (20th Century-Fox 12in)
Vin Zee: ‘Funky Bebop’ (Belgian Spice 7 12in)
Herbie Mann: ‘Cinnamon Flower’ / ‘Bend Down Low’ (US Atlantic LP)
Grace Kennedy: ‘Missing You’ (DJM)
Lee Ritenour: ‘Is It You’ (Elektra 12in)
Dr. York: ‘Shake-n-Skate’ (Dutch Jungle Jam 12in)
Supremes: ‘Supremes Medley’ (Motown 12in)
DORC (Disco Featured Pop Hits)
THE DORC – Dance Orientated Rock Chart is now exactly what it says it is, combining pop chart hits and those listed by DJs under a futurist heading. In other words, anything that’s evidently being played cheek by jowl alongside the out-and-out “disco” material but which lacks that indefinable compatibility factor necessary to make it of interest to the traditional disco market. Bad Manners would have been at 29 and the next nine places in this week’s DORC would have qualified for the Disco 90, but as they’re all national pop hits would their inclusion have either reflected their true standing in pop orientated venues or added to our understanding of specialist disco music? I think not. The one danger in opening up the DORC to more than just established hits, which I have previously tried to avoid, is that the lower reaches are likely merely to show whatever’s been serviced recently to DJs by Rush Release. A stronger return of charts from pop type jocks could help overcome this, of course. Normally in abbreviated form to save space, here in full is this week’s Dance Orientated Rock Chart:
1. Can Can – Bad Manners – Magnet
2. New Life / Shout – Depeche Mode – Mute 12in
3. Ghost Town – Specials – Chrysalis 12in
4. Green Door – Shakin’ Stevens – Epic
5. The Sound Of The Crowd – Human League – Red 12in
6. The Model / Computer Love – Kraftwerk – EMI 12in
7. All Stood Still – Ultravox – Chrysalis 12in
8. Visage – Visage – Polydor 12in
9. Girls On Film – Duran Duran – EMI 12in
10. Beach Boy Gold – Gidea Park – Stone 12in
11. Going Left Right – Department S – Stiff 12in
12. Marilyn Dreams – B-Movie – Deram 12in
13. Party Out Of Bounds / Etc. – B-52’s – Island LP
14. Backfired – Debbie Harry – Chrysalis
15. Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go – Soft Cell – Some Bizzare 12in
16. Lines – Eddie Maelov & Sunshine Patteson- Human 12in
17. Skin Deep – Passions – Polydor 12in
18. Lawnchairs – Our Daughter’s Wedding – EMI America
19. The Jezebel Spirit – Brian Eno / David Byrne – EG 12in
20. We Can Get It Together – Icehouse – Chrysalis 10in
21. Thunderbirds Theme – Barry Gray Orchestra – PRT
22. Passion Of Lovers – Bauhaus – Beggars Banquet 12in
23. Romance – Bim – Swerve 12in
24. Charm – Positive Noise – Statik 12in
25. I’ve Seen That Face Before (Libertango) – Grace Jones – Island
DJ TOP TEN
DAVE RAWLINGS still plays lots of slowies at Reading Rebecca’s, for which he has been nicknamed “Dr Romance” . . . but now he thinks that this could be misleading, following the New Romantics movement! Current hot clinch smoochers Dave finds are these…
1. She’s Got Papers On Me – Richard ‘Dimples’ Fields – US Boardwalk LP
2. Rainy Night In Georgia – Randy Crawford – Warner Bros
3. A Fool And His Love – Bobby King – US Warner Bros LP
4. I Wanna Spend The Night – Bill Withers – CBS
5. Love On A Two Way Street – Stacy Lattisaw – US Cotillion LP
6. You Are Forever – Smokey Robinson – Motown
7. One Way Love Affair – Sadane – Warner Bros 12in
8. Yearning For Your Love – Gap Band – Mercury 12in
9. Just One Love – Stargard – Warner Bros LP
10. Remember Me – Richie Rome – Elektra LP
James Hamilton's Disco Page 