August 1982 – James Hamilton's Disco Page

August 28, 1982: “Some are born rappers, some are born mixers, some are born party ravers”

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

DARTFORD FLICKS now looks like a very pretty spacious ice cream parlour all in pale pink and blue, although the effect is more green thanks to the lighting — the suspended central lighting grid now includes a spinning multi-directional ‘Close Encounters’ UFO effect and dangling “jelly-fish” — but how the hell is anyone other than a midget meant to fit in the restaurant’s fixed chairs, which are almost as excruciating as the red Julienas wine!? . . . Sharon Redd’s UK single will now be ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ next week, while London has picked up Patrick Cowley/Sylvester for imminent release . . . Morgan Khan’s latest “bitch”, due on Streetwave in a fortnight, the Hudsons ‘Show Me You Care‘ turns out to be a tentatively sung blandly “pleasant” mid-tempo 111bpm shuffling side-to-side swayer with semi-scat harmonies and an easy sophistication — well made but nothing you haven’t heard before, and hardly the potential pop hit crossover material Morgan must be badly in need of right now (why doesn’t he grab some white girls and record them chanting over a jungle rhythm, like everyone else does to get a hit these days) . . . Grand Master Flash UK 12in pressings are still the same “pissing” version, though doubtless the delayed 7in version will be different for radio . . . Melba Moore ‘Love’s Comin’ At Ya‘ and the similarly Paul Lawrence Jones III-prod/penned Evelyn King ‘I Can’t Stand It‘ album track are to all extents and purposes (especially for mixers) the exact same record! . . . Eddy Grant’s original ‘Walking On Sunshine’ has been reissued in the States on Epic with a bit of ‘Sunshine Jam’ added to extend the intro . . . Larry ‘Peech Boy’ Levan has completely remixed Gwen Guthrie’s ‘It Should Have Been You’ on US promo . . . Froggy says he’s a working jock and doesn’t have five days in which to assemble an Alan Coulthard-type mix, and anyway Radio One policy evidently is against that sort of thing . . . I know what he means, having spent 20 hours assembling the next Soul On Sound preview mix, which even if I say so myself is — given the usual restrictions — as close to perfection as anyone could get it, and at £1.50, better than most boots that would cost £8 or more . . . I’m all too aware that although it’s only a neat way of combining short segments of new releases for review purposes, everyone’s expecting a fully fledged mixer medley: well, now you’ve really got one! . . . Soul on Sound cassettes seem much in demand with our lads in the South Atlantic, incidentally . . . Tony Jenkins takes over funking Epping Forest Country Club every Thurs/Fri/Saturday in October . . . Pete Tong can’t have been studying our Disco chart during June/July, when over a six week run the 12.6.82 reviewed Billy Griffin ‘Hold Me Tighter In The Rain’ (US Columbia LP) peaked at 65 — not a monster maybe, but surely hard for most other people to miss? . . . Zapp ‘Dance Floor‘ is now top US Black Single with Grand Master Flash climbing fast, while Yazoo ‘Situation (Remix)‘ tops the US Dance chart — which is currently very dull, our own being much hotter . . . Romanelli ‘Chain Reaction‘ (21 Records 12in) is top new add for Ian Levine at London’s gay Heaven . . . Tony Walton (Blackpool 0253-24562), 10 year veteran DJ, first of the ballroom and most recently the Continental circuits, can really mix to judge from a cassette made at his last Munich Club New York gig, where much of the material he used would make him suitable for gay venue work: however, he’s not specifying that, but would like the high quality UK residency his skill so obviously warrants . . . Greg Wilson has started mixing funk/soul/jazz on Thursdays at Huddersfield Stars Bar and Saturdays at Liverpool Rotters Scene 2, in addition to Tuesdays at Wigan Pier and Wednesdays at Manchester Legend, and by all accounts has built up quite a following (all heavily into handclaps, huh?!) . . . Neil Fincham and Colin Cordrey, still at Edinburgh Mad Hatters Speakeasy, now take turns with Roy Menzies so that one of the three funks Whitburn’s Mainstreet club every Thurs/Fri/Saturday — and they do mean “funk”! . . . Chris Britton says Watford Baileys is leaving behind its old image and will be THE leading venue for upfront quality music both UK and US (he then adds he’s just become press and publicity manager too!) . . . Peterborough’s Sunday Slickers soul club returns to the Cresset in Bretton on September 26 . . . Tomorrow’s Edition ‘Walk On The Wild Side’ is not of course the mistaken composer credited Lou Reed song but the old movie-theme (previously souled by Brook Benton/Marvin Gaye, jazzed by Jimmy Smith), now given a vintage vocal group treatment . . . Patrick Boothe has already had his “badger” hairstyle chopped off! . . . Wonder Dog ‘Ruff Mix’ was created by one H. Trumann — presumably that’s Harry . . . Buzzz . . . still haven’t . . . who’s the speed king in the Sound 2000 disco Transit who tried to cut me up north of Aylesbury on Saturday evening? . . . I could only afford 14 of the week’s unusually strong batch of 12in imports — with so much useful material about and so few chances for DJs to get it across, there is going to be an awful lot that’ll get lost, making the market for this type of music almost exclusively made up of the DJs themselves, I should think . . . many of today’s Wally hits were yesterday’s hip imports, but they’re still the same records so why give up on them when nothing about them has changed? . . . next you’ll be sneering at Rockers Revenge . . . DO IT DO IT . . . HEY . . . DO IT DO IT!

Techni-Colah!

THE COLAHS are real live triplets — and how many of them have you heard of in the music biz? Classically trained from an early age, James now plays keyboards, Marke bass and Peter guitar, and as youngsters they wrote an experimental rock ballet before appearing in the Young Jazz Musician Of The Year competition, their career together being nipped in the bud by Peter’s incapacitating car crash in 1978.

Now regrouped, the Colahs have been gigging at such as Ronnie Scott’s Club and debut on 7in with ‘Hesitation’ (Epic EPC A2642), an Earth Wind & Fire influenced brassy lurching 119bpm blue-eyed chanter with many familiar ingredients, which is getting disco attention as a promo-only 12in.

Pain and passion

SHARON BROWN’S stunning grey-eyed features are worth seeing any time, even if her new Virgin 12in is causing disappointment in many quarters.

Titled ‘Love Don’t Hurt People’, the song makes out that it’s not love but “people who hurt people” — which is often true, but what about those people in love with the concept of being in love? Their partners can’t be blamed when the bubble bursts. Anyway, that’s enough heavy philosophising! You could find the record (reviewed last week) grows on you, and if it does to the extent that it sells well, we could then be graced by a visit from New York-based Sharon. Hmmm, it’s a hit!

GAZ ANDERSON currently jocks virtually every night at the swank Fred & Gingers in Mayfair’s Old Burlington Street, where he continuously mixes upfront music with no speech at all save for important announcements — which sounds familiar! Gaz reckons this could be the coming trend for clubs in major cities, although he snidely suggests it’ll take a while for most DJs to “mix” rather then just “patch” rhythms together, citing as a superb example of a real mixer Pelter Rommer at Xenon and casting libellous aspersions about patching in the direction of certain green skinned persona. Hey, as long as it keeps ’em dancing, let’s just do what we do do best! Some are born rappers, some are born mixers, some are born party ravers, some are multi-talented, and everyone should try developing their capabilities, but once these have been established don’t go forcing yourself into a hole you don’t fit, just because someone else is good at it.

IMPORTS

LACK OF sleep and subsequently time means that I can only list the new releases this week — but as everyone says that what they really like are the Odds ‘N’ Bods, I doubt if anyone will worry! Next week’s deadline being early on account of the Bank Holiday, I am going to have a lot of extra work cut out this way too, but that’s not the reason. BPM’s listed as “c” have only been roughly calculated at this stage. The following are all on import: Continue reading “August 28, 1982: “Some are born rappers, some are born mixers, some are born party ravers””

August 21, 1982: Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Howard Johnson, Evelyn King, Mike & Brenda Sutton, Melba Moore

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

CANADA’S SCORPIO label catalogue including Jay W McGee should by now have been picked up for Britain by Ensign Records . . . American jazz label Inner City has reportedly gone bust, Bob Jones (Chelmsford) suggesting that someone with the cash could buy up their entire back catalogue as there’s always a market for it amongst jazz punters here . . . Real Thing have signed with EMI, their Nigel Martinez-produced ‘Seen To Smile‘ being due now . . . Sweet Pea Atkinson’s ‘Dance Or Die’, reviewed last week on import will here be flip to ‘Don’t Walk Away‘, a gruff tumblingly dragging 102bpm jiggly jogger (Ze 12WIP 6808) . . . Jimmy Cliff’s debut album for CBS (CBS 85878), the very listenable ‘Special’, includes a “special offer” for all purchasers to then send off for a free 12in copy of his included new single, the gently reggae 79½bpm ‘Roots Radical‘ (much played on radio) . . . MCA appear to have reactivated their DJ mailings, under Paul Bunting . . . John Sachs’ Backstage club didn’t last long, the Mayfair premises in Green Street now reverting to the Greenstreet name under the new ownership of lovely model Beverley Knock, reopening this Friday — although Beverley emphasises that it isn’t a disco as such, the dancefloor being too small! . . . Greenford’s Barbarellas is looking for an established soul-funk DJ to do Fridays and Saturdays, no time-wasters . . . Chris Kaye, funking a busy round of regular gigs in West Kent, would like to be offered one-off guest spots in superior venues in the North or Scotland — anywhere but the South-East, for a change, sez he! — so managers/promoters, call Chris on 0892-45023 . . . Howard Johnson ‘So Fine’ now tops the US Dance Disco chart, Jennifer Holliday is still top US Black single and climbing Pop . . . Hi Voltage ‘Let’s Get Horny‘ makes a surprisingly late and unexpected chart debut here, considering the mixer-orientated 124½bpm fierce-ish track first appeared at the start of May . . . Bobby “O” is selling really well as a result of my mix with it on the first Soul On Sound, according to Rayners Lane’s Record & Disco Centre — incidentally, one problem with listening to “fierce” electro-funk at Rayners Lane is you can never be sure if what you’re hearing is on the record or off their ever-busy video games! . . . Peterborough’s Discoasis shop in Cross Street sells import LPs at £6.49, 12in £3.99, DJs getting a special discount . . . George Andrew (Salford Mister Shifters mobile) thanks Stockport’s Grove Records (in London Road, Hazel Grove) for their support at the otherwise largely unsponsored recent Bramhall Festival . . . Adrian, of Bournemouth’s gay orientated Adams bar/disco, recommends Carnival Records in Ashley Road, Bournemouth, for extremely cheap disco 12in prices . . . I’m surprised such a straight MoR record as the Boys Town Gang is getting so much evident “soul” disco play . . . Mark Clark (Bracknell) hopes record companies wouldn’t pounce on any DJs who happen to sell old promos at “car boot” sales in aid of the South Atlantic Fund — probably not, Mark, as long as all future rights to their mailouts aren’t included in the sale! . . . Neil Fincham & Colin Cordrey (Edinburgh Mad Hatters Speakeasy), recently pictured with Junior, claim to be the longest DJ team in the country — total height 12′ 8½” if laid end to end in bare feet (which wouldn’t surprise me) — and challenge all comers . . . I can’t compete, being partnered by Graham Gold, despite my 6’ 8” . . . Watford’s Ponderosa is all very well, but the trouble with unlimited um-yum is it’s too darned fattening! . . . OK, Roger Dynamite, you work at Tiffanys in Gt Yarmouth (we’re not mind readers you know) . . . Sandy Martin reckons after the introduction at Swindon Brunel Rooms of Angus the Angry Bull that women make the best bucking riders thanks to their thigh power — cor, slobbers Sandy, there were some on Angus that could turn an “all nighter” into a “weekender”! . . . thank you Sandy, we get your drift, now tell it to Spare Rib . . . ‘The Day The Music Died’, now published here, is a novelisation (and gripping read) of the development of black music within rock ‘n’ roll from ’56 to ’63, written by Joseph C Smith who under the name Sonny Knight scored the original hit with ‘Confidential’ in 1956, well worth finding and full of thinly disguised characters from the music business — if you’re into your history, read it . . . Cliff Dawson; with a soul listening set on US Boardwalk currently being imported, is from New York but used to be in our own Chosen Few . . . Mezzoforte, the Icelandic jazz-funkers, have rivals in the form of a Nottingham white boys group recording under the same name . . . Capital’s Phil Allen, whose Sunday morning 1.45am London funk chart I never miss hearing, mentioned “a heavy dew” and Peter Young in the same breath — brilliant! . . . Larry Foster, well busy at such East London venues as Reflections, Lamps, The Villa and the Albion pub, left between gigs for a brief holiday in the Lake District to return to London for the following weekend, only to drive back to the Lakes on Monday and repeat it again the next weekend — this doesn’t beat me however: years ago at midsummer I did four consecutive mobile gigs all in different areas, then drove hell for leather to the very North-West of Scotland just to see the midnight dusk, saw it, dug it (though it rained!), and then turned right round again to head back for two more gigs in the South just three days after the last one . . . Tom Wilson (Edinburgh Oscars) says also about his holiday at Salou in Spain that the jock in a club called Shalako mixed the Police ‘Roxanne’ over the break in Soft Cell ‘Tainted Love’ to great effect . . . Mad Marx at Clacton Butlins in his redcoat role had to extemporize when the bingo machine broke down in front of 200 old age pensioners, so he rapidly turned to the record decks and proceeded to rap over ‘You’re The One For Me’ — which was such a hit with the OAPs he now raps every night! . . . (Mad Marx now wonders, who the hell told him that?) . . . Nick Ratcliffe (Winkfield) and others should note that our two Disco and Nightclub Charts are compiled quite simply like this: DJs returns which only and obviously relate to soul/funk/jazz/black material are used for Disco, while any charts which include more than the odd few non-black pop-type titles go towards Nightclub, the orientation of the venues being easy to spot by these means (and neither being considered superior to the other) . . . that said, and although I know how dancers these days seem depressingly keen on oldies, is there any chance we could get some DJ contributors for our Nightclub chart who play something more recent than last month’s hits? . . . DO IT DO IT . . . HEY . . . DO IT DO IT!

DUNN & BRUCE STREET, whose ‘Shout For Joy‘ is chuckling up the chart on Satril, turn out to be two Philly Sound veterans with an interesting past. Dunn Pearson Jr has racked up extensive arranger credits especially with the O’Jays, as well as Wild Cherry, M’Lady, Patrice ‘Choc-let’ Banks, Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass, Stephanie Mills and the Detroit Spinners, while his partner Bruce Gray with a similar background co-wrote the theme for US TV’s ‘Soul Train’ show and arranged the Trammps ‘Disco Inferno’. Continuing the Philly link, their hit in the States is on former O’Jay Bobby Massey’s Devaki label.

BRIAN “BAZZER” MASON, cueing up records at his Friday residency in South Harrow’s Bobby Magee’s, is kept busy also at Watford’s New Penny on Saturday’s (have you eaten at the Ponderosa yet?) and at Southgate’s Pink Elephant (the old Royalty) on Mon/Tues/Wednesdays. Thursday’s he sleeps!

CROWN HEIGHTS AFFAIR, after their past brilliances, have really disappointed with the UK release of their latest 12in, ‘Somebody Tell Me What To Do‘ (De-Lite DEX 8), a competent enough but scarcely exceptional pedestrian lurching 112bpm chanter flipped by the sweet soul slow 0-37/74-38/76bpm ‘Heart Upside Down’ both from an imminent new LP of which we must hope for better. At least they’re in commendably soulful voice, but all trace of dazzle and flash is sadly lacking.

UK NEWIES

GRAND MASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE: ‘The Message’ (Sugarhill SHL 117).
Truly an overnight sensation, this reality rooted 100bpm 12in message is rapped in a mixture of conversational and beat binding voices with a sound-effect ‘Living For The City’-like street bust as climax of the mesmerizing simple repetitive rhythm riff. Dig the message — “its like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I keep from going under” —and look out for (I’m told) “kissing” instead of “pissing” on UK pressings!

HOWARD JOHNSON: ‘So Fine’ (Funk A&Merica USAF 1221).
Funnily enough I freaked on first hearing this but then tempered my original import review with caution, thinking “Nah, it’s too carefully controlled.” Doo-wop acappella introed insistently rolling smooth 113bpm 12in smacker with great vocal work by the ex-Niteflyte singer, officially flip here to the creamily jogging “new soul” slow aching 102bpm ‘Keepin’ Love New‘.

EVELYN KING: ‘Get Loose’ LP (RCA RCALP 3093).
From the production team who bring you Howard Johnson and Melba Moore (joke!), this beautifully packaged set is out here ahead of the States and is full of immediately familiar stuff at a tempo you know and love. Best possibly are the steadily smacking 114-115bpm ‘I Can’t Stand It’, sinuously weaving 115bpm ‘Back To Love‘ and 114bpm title track, plus there’s the 113½bpm ‘Stop That‘, 117bpm ‘Get Up Off Your Love‘, 108bpm ‘Betcha She Don’t Love You‘. Continue reading “August 21, 1982: Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Howard Johnson, Evelyn King, Mike & Brenda Sutton, Melba Moore”

August 14, 1982: Rockers Revenge, Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force, Galaxy, Wanda, Jay W. McGee

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

IMAGINATION, after doing backing vocals for Kelly Marie’s Crusaders- produced track, hint they weren’t exactly impressed despite the Crusaders’ twenty years of musical experience — “the guys are fantastic but they need to utilize what’s happening now, though we did learn a lot from them,” hastily adds Leee . . . Leee also says, “I can’t wait to get a flop, then we’ll know who the real people are in the music business” . . . Italy meanwhile has Imagination’s ‘Just An Illusion’ at 4 and ‘Body Talk’ at 10 in the chart, Belgium has ‘Music And Lights’ at 12, and in Canada ‘Just An Illusion’ has sold enough to go “double gold” . . . Dartford’s futuristically revamped Flicks reopens next week with a preview night party on Thursday (19) and a fireman’s fancy dress ball on Friday (20), when Chris Hill joins Colin Hood, and already the enquiries have been so heavy that the club has had to install an answerphone to handle reopening details on Dartford 25520 . . . Canvey’s Goldmine, on the first week of its tenth anniversary celebrations, had kids queueing outside at 10 in the morning last Saturday! . . . Orin Cozier is now deservedly the Streetwave label’s full time national radio plugger and artist liaison manager, Morgan Khan meanwhile is now hyping himself up on new singings, the Hudson Brothers . . . Howard Johnson ‘So Fine‘, which hasn’t stopped climbing since the news got about it wouldn’t be on UK release, will be out here after all, but as flip to ‘Keepin’ Love New’ (now watch the hipper than hip drop it fast!), spearheading the relaunch next week A&M’s Funk A&Merica series along with Magic Lady ‘Sexy Body’ / ‘Get Off’ (wot not ‘Give It Up’?), Jeffrey Osborne ‘Eenie Meenie’ / ‘You Were Made To Love’, Atlantic Starr ‘Love Me Down’ / ‘You’re The One’ . . . Britain’s first video pool, A. B. SEE provides a monthly one hour compilation of current hot promotional videos at £50 + VAT per month, initially sending two tapes so that the older one can be replaced after the first month thus leaving you always with two to rotate, and the service is already much used by London Clubs (I can vouch for the videos at Le Beat Route) although A. B. SEE’s Roz Bea would like to hear from more provincial clubs with video facilities — contact her at Albion Leisure Services, 147 Oxford Street, London W1 (01-734 9072) . . . Peter Powell’s Steppin’ Out soul show on Radio One (Mondays 6.10pm) would surely be of most benefit if it left all the brand new pre-release exclusives to the local radio specialist shows, which have more time available, and instead concentrated its 50 minutes on consolidating those soul disco hits which, with just a little bit more national airplay, could possibly cross over into the pop chart . . . Industry sources estimate that 5000 sales are needed to break even on a disco hit, many not getting anywhere near that despite apparent chart popularity, while with luck an average disco chart topper which also hits the bottom end of the pop chart can possibly sell around 30,000 after a lot of hard graft . . . Froggy’s Steppin’ Out mixes really should be more ambitious and busier — its no fun waiting right through a record just to hear one segue, especially now that young Alan Coulthard on Radio Luxembourg zaps you with something incredible every few seconds on his megamix masterworks (provided radio reception lets you hear it) . . . Martin Collins Soul Seekin’ show on Chiltern Radio (c.792 MW) every Sunday 3-6pm can be picked up in London, and I’m glad to hear he’s more than lived up to his earlier praised potential . . . Jeff Young is sitting in for Robbie Vincent on Radio London’s Saturday lunchtime soul show for the next few weeks . . . Capital’s recently absent reggae jock David Rodigan has grown a muff around his mouth, to go with the second star lead role he’s been off filming in Greenland for BBC TV’s ‘Shackleton’ series, due on our screens next spring . . . Tony Jenkins Soul On Sound cassette magazine got off to a great start, shops already reporting that my preview mix medley has brought people back in to buy records featured — remember, I can’t use more than a short excerpt (to comply with copyright laws) and so will never be able to do an ideal mix by waiting for all the optimum mix points, but I think you’ll find this week’s edition is even neater . . . Ambiance drummer Mike Parkinson stuck it out giving helpful nods while Tony Jenkins dozed off during the marathon all night session it took to end up with the new medley! . . . Technics digital readout adjustments to achieve the Rockers Revenge/Sharon Redd ‘Beat The Street’/Bobby “O” mix (during which I’m still not sure what bits belong to what records!) are +2.1/0.0/–3.7 . . . Bobby “O” (for Orlando) produced the Flirts ‘Passion‘ gay synth hit, a c.120bpm 12in remix of which is now on Canadian Unidisc (UNI-1086) . . . Graham Gold moves downstairs on Friday nights at Mayfair’s Gullivers in Down Street, leaving me to funk the whole night upstairs on my own (no hardship in itself!) . . . Wham’s glamorous platinum blonde dancer Shirlie Holliman gets nothing from gigs and so earns her keep, not working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, but as one of the remarkably friendly girls at Watford’s Ponderosa — the UK’s first truly authentic American restaurant which is so good I’ve travelled there from London twice in four days to gorge on dirt cheap steak with shrimp, unlimited help yourself salad, unlimited soft drink refills, unlimited um-yum! . . . Harringay Bolts national gay disco dancing championship was won by 20 year old masseur David Beard . . . Ian Levine (Charing Cross Heaven) has Sharon Redd ‘In The Name Of Love‘ at the top of the gay venue’s chart and reminds me that Stephanie Mills ‘I Can’t Give Back The Love I Feel For You‘ was of course originally Syreeta’s debut single when called Rita Wright . . . CBS conned a lot of jocks by disguising the Goombay Dance Band as the GD Band on white label 12in promos of ‘Rain’ . . . Marvin Howell’s ERC label (hot with the Boys Town Gang, whose ‘Signed Sealed And Delivered‘ revival will be the next single pulled off their September-issued LP) is now clarified as being the outlet for product licensed from the US, with acts going on Marvin’s Project label System being phased out (Pino D’Angio possibly being transferred to ERC later in the summer) . . . Adrian reports from Bournemouth’s gay Adams Disco in the Maison Royale complex that Carol Jiani ‘Hit ‘N Run Lover’ megamix is still Bournemouth’s biggest hit, the Fri/Sat/Sun/Tuesday club being busiest on the cabaret Tuesday nights . . . Tony St Michael’s nights at Islington’s Hemingford Arms pub have changed from funk to gay, Sundays for women, Mondays for men . . . Tony de Vit compiles a gay disco chart at Birmingham’s Nightingale Club which he then features on his Beacon Radio show, without identifying the fact that it’s gay, and supplies to listeners by post . . . Paul Parker ‘Right On Target‘ (US Megatone 12in) is top of the US Dance/Disco chart, although Ian Levine prefers the ‘Pushin’ Too Hard‘ flip . . . Laura Branigan ‘Gloria’ is now on UK 12in (Atlantic K 11759T) . . . Gibbo is playing so much material normally associated only with gay discos that I had difficulty in stopping our chart compiler Alan Jones from classifying Edgbaston Faces French Club Jardine as gay! . . . Tricky Dicky Richard Scanes in his Disco Music shop at 391C Mile End Road, London E3, offers UK 12in at £1.90 and US 12in at £3.50 to our gay chart readers, the same discount as for DJs, adding “If you’re gay and a DJ you get an extra special kiss!” . . . yeuchh! . . . Eddie Murphy, whose ‘Boogie In Your Butt‘ was intended as a disco parody but is in fact one of the best funk cuts this year, is a sort of American equivalent to Lenny Henry on TV there . . . Keni Burke, selling well on UK 12in, appears to have been around too long for jocks to stick with him . . . I don’t understand the evident rush to buy Glass — the girls are out of tune, dammit! — nor the surprisingly short lived peak reached by the incredibly good Redd Hott ‘Ecstasy‘ . . . A&M in America have started an AyM label series for strictly Latin music (of the ethnic Mexican/South American variety) . . . Gunch appears probably to be some new illegally ingested substance . . . Al Green is taking time off from his Memphis church to play the type-cast role of a minister alongside Patti LaBelle on Broadway in a new adaptation of the gospel musical ‘Your Arm’s Too Short To Box With God’, set for an eight week run starting in a month at the Alvin Theatre . . . Teddy P, many doctors agree, may never walk again — so I’m sorry about last week’s comment, based on earlier more optimistic reports — although he is already in other respects more mobile than the even more unfortunate Johnnie Wilder . . . Nigel Halkes (Portishead) reminds us that the flip of Shalamar’s ‘Make That Move’ was ‘The Pop Along Kid‘, all about body popping . . . Teesside jocks Cleveland Area DJ Association is now affiliated with the DJF, details from Graham Murray, 7 Crossbeck Way, Ormesby, Middlesbrough, Cleveland . . . Theo Loyla has returned to Mecca after 12 years, joining Dave Munday on Saturday’s at Guildford’s Cinderella Rockerfellas . . . Suzie Halls, remembered by many DJs as Fred Dove’s assistant a while back, now works just along the road from me in Willesden at Jive . . . Brian ‘Bazzer’ Mason jocks Mon/Tues/Wednesday upstairs at Southgate’s Pink Elephant (ex-Royalty) . . . Dion Schoun of Copenhagen’s Tattersall (Tatters Disco) recommends the Ding Dong record shop at Silkegade 3, behind the Illum warehouse, in Copenhagen as a hot source of imported US and UK material . . . Kev James is now permanently based in Denmark (this month at Skagen’s Disco Admiralen), where he says Rick James is king and Falco’s original ‘Der Kommisar‘ is classed as funk . . . Mark Clark (Bracknell) on a recent return to Rotterdam spent a weekend coaching Blue Feather to speaka de English, so now you know who to blame if you encounter them here . . . Rob Harknett (Roydon 027979 2329) had an expensive narrow escape (literally) from Czechoslovakia after his young son came out with measles (silly taking him there really), Rob only managing one gig behind the Iron Curtain but at least he was greeted by the crowd like a superstar — now he needs a copy of the 24.4.82 Record Mirror as the copy he sent his Czech chum was lost . . . Tom Wilson (Edinburgh) writes from Salou near Tarragona that Kasso ‘Kasso‘ seems big in Spain . . . Nick Ratcliffe (Winkfield) says the taverns in Corfu all wind up with a selection of terrible Eurodisco, the ‘Stars On 45’ singles and ‘Disco Bouzouki’, but it’s all good fun (apart from the other bloody foreigners)! . . . Mark Summers, resident at Hackney’s recently opened luxurious 1920s-styled Flappers in Temple Mills Lane, regularly gets visited by local tribe the Hymen Bursters! . . . Donna Summer’s recording sessions with Quincy Jones were more of a strain than originally anticipated, according to a good report in the LA Times, Donna being preoccupied by her unexpected pregnancy — and did you spot it on TV, but because of this her current video makes extensive use of a slimline cardboard cutout of her! . . . Mike Page (Shifnal Nell Gwynn), who’s always being told he’s too expensive, asks on behalf of himself and several other local jocks, who the hell is Trevor Hughes? (OK guys, meet at noon on main street) . . . Frenchie’s sweat dripped onto his close talk mike while he was fiddling with the badly earthed lighting controller the other Wednesday at Kirkham Charlie Max’s and — ZAPP! – instant hair straightener . . . Chris Cole (Cranleigh Cranley Hotel), please note that although provincial reaction comes via the mail, London’s contribution to the Disco 90 includes bang up to date verbal reports . . . Eddy James (Walthamstow Royal Standard) reckons BPM should now become CPM, for Claps Per Minute . . . WEA’s Fred Dove opines “There are too many DJs asking for free records because they can’t afford to buy them, not because they want to promote them” (think about it, there’s a subtle difference!) . . . Alfred McCrarys says “Absolutely!” . . . Delbert says “KEEP IT CRUCIAL!”

UK NEWIES

ROCKERS REVENGE featuring DONNIE CALVIN: ‘Walking On Sunshine ’82’ (London LONX 11).
Along with “D” Train’s ‘You’re The One For Me’, likely in retrospect to be 1982’s most influential disco record, this brilliant 115bpm 4-track 12in restructuring of the Eddy Grant song is already deservedly the hottest sound in the nation and an absolute delight for mixers. Try overdubbing its own acappella version (get two copies!). Aretha Franklin’s acappella intro, the US ‘Keep On’ B-side’s acappella intro, the Peech Boys acappella 7in, or synch for sensational effect as much of Sharon Redd’s ‘Beat The Street’ as you can manage. If you’re one of the few who haven’t yet heard it, look out for all the sneaky bits nicked from “D” Train and others. It’s a hit-bound cross fertilisation of culture, owing as much to the Human League as to funk. What a blast!

AFRIKA BAMBAATAA & THE SOUL SONIC FORCE: ‘Planet Rock’ (21 Records POPX 497, via Polydor).
People either love or loathe this blatant pinch of Kraftwerk’s ‘Trans Europe Express’ speeded up on 126bpm 12in as either an instrumental flip (big for many) or with a freaky US smash rap as the main side. Either way it’s big and getting bigger all the time, with lots of pop appeal.

GALAXY: ‘Head Over Heels’ (Ensign ENYT 229, via RCA).
Not widely available just yet but already eagerly sought on red label promo following weeks of teasing radio play by Robbie Vincent, this Phil (Kandidate) Fearon-penned/sung Quincy Jones-ish slick creamy 117bpm 12in roller was produced by the currently hot Pete Wingfield, whose own gorgeous piano playing on the jazzier instrumental flip is making that the most danced to side, although both develop beautifully as they flow along. Continue reading “August 14, 1982: Rockers Revenge, Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force, Galaxy, Wanda, Jay W. McGee”

August 7, 1982: Aretha Franklin, Dunn & Bruce Street, Teddy Pendergrass, Grandmaster Flash, Jermaine Jackson

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

SHOWSTOPPER PROMOTIONS next year will keep a huge marquee disco running for three months right through the summer season at St Tropez after their return ten day jazz-funk special has finished . . . Southgate Royalty meanwhile is packing ’em in six nights a week in its new guise of the Pink Elephant Fun House, with two separate discos, lotsa fun and sideshows, dirt cheap admission . . . Canvey Island’s legendary Goldmine celebrates its tenth anniversary all this month with a different musical theme each Saturday, this week’s finding Chris Hill and Jeff Young reviving ten years of jazz (including Chris’s “swing thing”) . . . Chris Hill, if he and Carol have been to the movies recently, is doubtless saying “MISTER Porky, to you!” . . . Capital Radio’s bright young blood, Gary Crowley starts a weekly Saturday lunchtime shindig this week (7) at London’s Charing Cross Road Busbys, 11.30am-2.30pm, soft drinks only, aided by ‘Motorway Mick’ Brown and PA’s by Buzz and Wham . . . ‘Reggae On It’ is indeed by Freddie McGregor and will be out here on Erskine Thompson’s new Intense label segued out of ‘Follow This Ya Sound’ as a 3-track 12in flipped by the ‘Big Ship’ remix . . . Narada Michael Walden’s US 12in of ‘Summer Lady’ is a new improved remix and will be out here imminently . . . ‘Chanson D’Llegance‘ in an 11½ minute remix is on the new Disconet . . . Sharon Redd’s ‘Can You Handle It’ in probably the KISS remix version (although it seems slower at c.109bpm) is on US Prelude 12in (PRD-1005) flipped by Muslque ’82 ‘Keep On Jumpin’ (remixed) and ‘In The Bush’ (one version or another), both c.132bpm . . . Holland’s enterprising Rams Horn label is sadly reported to be going broke, which will dry up a strong source of remixes . . . Soul Sonic Force may soon come here on Polydor-distributed 21 Records, Fatback ‘She’s My Shining Star’ is evidently now on UK 12in, Zapp ‘Dance Floor is due too . . . MCA are re-releasing the Crusaders ‘Street Life’ on 12in (MCAT 513), Motown revive Smokey Robinson’s 1979 US smash ‘Cruisin’ . . . Patrick Boothe had a close encounter with a paint sprayer, or is his new hairstyle the “badger” look?! . . . ‘School’s Out’, huh, David and Ji? . . . KEEP IT TIGHT!

Laura ‘n’ Order

LAURA BRANIGAN is shooting up the gay charts in the States and now here with her version of Umberto Tozzi’s storming Euro-hit of 1979 (covered by Jonathan King), the Donna Summer-ish driving 130½bpm ‘Gloria‘ (US Atlantic DM 4835) which is already getting so much pop radio play in Britain that the import 12in has been joined by a UK 7in (K 11759). Born and bread in Brewater, a small upstate New York town, Laura moved to New York City for a drama school course before singing behind Leonard Cohen on his 1977 European tour as part of The Army.

Level Crossing

I LEVEL, whose now released ‘Give Me‘ debut on Virgin has got everyone talking, are Duncan Bridgeman, Sam Jones and Joe Dworniak. Lead vocalist Sam, who used to sing with reggae group Brimstone, wrote the record while Duncan and Joe are co-owners of the Moody demo studios which they financed from past involvements, Duncan with Shake Shake and bassist Joe with BEF. Both have backed John Foxx. This variety of backgrounds is obvious in their work now, giving ‘Give Me’ a very strong wide appeal and freshness of approach which should make it a monster crossover hit.

UK NEWIES

ARETHA FRANKLIN: ‘Jump To It’ (Arista ARIST 12479).
Luther Vandross-produced/co-penned feminist angering (0-)119-120-120½bpm 12in bumper starts with some skippable acappella wailing and a bit of talking before the beat bubbles up and Lady Soul gets down to moaning and searing her way through the supporting chix with some incredible soaring “shabadoodledaweeda” scatting that’ll make your neck hairs bristle!

DUNN & BRUCE STREET: ‘Shout For Joy’ (Satril 12SAT 5OO).
With a name play on Dun & Bradstreet, the guys chuckle in Terry Wogan style and tell us to “have a good time” as this quietly infectious languidly smacking 111(start)-113bpm 12in bumper winds along to an effective gap in the backing rhythm towards the end. An immediate monster for those few jocks initially on it, it’s been surprisingly slow to spread considering how good it is (especially with Howard Johnson, and try A Taste of Honey out of it).

TEDDY PENDERGRASS: ‘Now Tell Me That You Love Me’ (LP ‘This One’s For You’ Philadelphia PIR 85937).
Gamble & Huff-prod/penned absolutely gorgeous familiar 37bpm smoocher with a Dexter Wansel-arranged catchy little twiddle in the backing (did he sing this at Hammersmith?), while other nice slowies on a typical set are the Ashford & Simpson-prod/penned 37-75bpm ‘Only To You‘ and synthetically burbling steadily rolling 0-98-101bpm ‘I Can’t Win For Losing‘. If he had a funny way of walking before his accident, what’ll it be like now? Continue reading “August 7, 1982: Aretha Franklin, Dunn & Bruce Street, Teddy Pendergrass, Grandmaster Flash, Jermaine Jackson”