ODDS ‘N’ BODS
MONTANA SEXTET is now as of this week in the shops flipped by Mick Clark’s new “vibes” (but not “sax”) remix, retitled ‘Heavy Heavy Vibes‘ — the eventual follow-up incidentally will be their older ‘Philly Hits Medley’, which failed to impress at the time on import . . . I Level’s commercial 12in tracks will not necessarily be as previously announced on extremely limited test-pressed promo, final selection having been due for decision on Monday . . . Jonny Chingas is being rushed out here in about a fortnight . . . Forrest ‘Rock The Boat’ literally exploded last weekend in London, thanks largely to Capital Radio’s Greg Edwards — though why jocks took so long to go on such an obvious pre-sold winner is a mystery . . . Holborn’s City Sounds based Greyhound label/distribution set-up is putting out the much sought legendary ‘In The Street’ LP by Prince Charles . . . Bronze has signed the Next Plateau label for UK release, debuting next week with C-Bank ‘One More Shot‘ — which, exciting intro apart, is not the most danceable of rhythms . . . RECORD MIRROR picked up the “Trade Publication” prize last Monday at the well attended Thames Valley Disc Jockeys Association’s Shownite ’83 in Hounslow — thanks for your votes . . . Hackney-based Peter Saunders launched his artsy multimedia dance/disco troupe Coruscation at Hounslow, prior to its first proper showcase this Saturday (29) at Birmingham’s Bourneville Club . . . August should see a “major sponsored fund raising event” in southern Scotland involving about 10 Scottish jocks — any wishing to participate (it’s likely to get national media coverage) should be prepared to do strenuous risky stunts like repeated parachute jumps, contact Neil Fincham or Raymond Tuzi at Edinburgh’s Mad Hatters (031-225 4343) . . . US Dance/Disco chart-toppers since Christmas have been Weather Girls, Thompson Twins ‘Lies‘, Michael Jackson LP, the top Block LP remaining Marvin Gaye, whose 10 week run with ‘Sexual Healing’ as top Black single was ended by Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney (no’s 2 & 3 last week being Sonny Charles and Tyrone Davis — classy soul still lives!) . . . Phyllis Hyman and now Dionne Warwick ‘Live From Her Majesty’s’ — and what a truly beautiful musical instrument Dionne’s voice is . . . Holland’s Dureco Benelux company say they’ll sue any unauthorised use of their Smurf characters, presumably in response to all the Smurf dance records (which surely don’t owe much to those petrol promoting little blue people?) . . . ‘E.T. Smurph Home’? . . . Rayners Lane Record & Disco Centre’s switched on salesperson Paul Mohamed threatens to supply us with regular male beauty hints, straight from his “macho counter”! . . . Atari’s excitingly realistic new Fuji Racetrack video game incorporates an electronically generated phrase which sounds just like the Buffalo Gals “oh that scratching is making me itch” . . . Steve Allen & Jerry Little kick off their new monthly Friday’s Club at Peterborough’s Fleet Centre this Friday (28) with a cheap drink happy hour between 8-9pm . . . Paul Hazelle starts this Saturday (29) alone at Guildford Newlands Corner’s Straceys, where he and Phil Jay plus guests still jazz-funk Fridays . . . Dave Smith & Darren Fogel at London’s Samantha’s in New Burlington Street (off Regent Street, next to the temporarily closed Rockerfellas late-nite eaterie) offer free admission to anyone carrying a copy of this Disco’s column next Monday and Wednesday (31, 2) . . . Phil Mitchell (Newcastle-upon-Tyne Julies) recommends local wine bar Legends, where John Myers plays nice mellow stuff in pre-nightclub hours . . . PM Dinnis — who wonders if he’s related to Exeter’s Chris Dinnis — souls Beckenham’s over-21’s only McCormacks at The Clockhouse, open Thurs-thru-Sunday . . . Tom Wilson returns to souling Edinburgh at the Northumberland Hotel on Thursdays . . . Flash Gordon (Keynsham 5557, that’s Keynsham — K-E-Y-N-S-H-A M), who’s been jocking successfully in Bristol and now Bath, fancies a move to the London area . . . London man-about-town hoaxster/Soul On Sound interviewer Chris Ellis (01-629 5897) is also after a regular club/bar jocking slot . . . Nic Wakefield (Sidmouth Carinas) picked up on the Ex Tras off Soul On Sound and it’s now exploded for him . . . I’m glad many other jocks, especially on radio, dislike Central Line’s remixed ‘Nature Boy’ intro — but in chart terms the general herd seem to have looked no further than the official A-side instead of flipping for the superior uncluttered original (’83 Mix) US version . . . Rockers Revenge ‘The Harder They Come’ could almost be another ‘Brown Girl In The Ring’, heaven forbid! . . . New York Citi Peech Boys didn’t hang around for long — who was that masked man? . . . I mentioned to Theo Loyla, whose departure from the Bridge Country Club near Canterbury must have been a bit traumatic, that the venue’s current jock Dave Stodart is sending us charts and Theo very magnanimously said the place is now packed . . . Nick Aravis now works alone, without Gary Kent, at Hornchurch Daniels (Monday under-18’s/Wednesday over-21’s — tough if you’re 19 or 20!), as well as Tuesdays at Leyton’s Lion & Key, Fri/Saturdays at Romford’s Tudor Lodge Wine Bar . . . Sandy Martin does a late night soul oldies session every Wednesday at Swindon’s Vadims Club . . . London’s gay faves the Trollettes are every Friday at Kings Cross’s Euston Tavern and Saturday at Stratford’s The Pigeons . . . Adrian (Bournemouth Adams) is experimenting with his own synthesizer and drum box to beef up various dated type records, like Scherrie Payne . . . Set The Tone’s ‘Let Loose‘ B-side as anticipated is getting gay play . . . Cori Josias and Spencer Jones’s “vibrant” ‘Garage Mix’ blend terrifically together . . . Prince Charles ‘The Jungle Stomp‘ goes great with Peech Boys ‘Don’t Make Me Wait’, says John Tracy (Manchester Hacienda Tues/Sat, Sheffield Pennys Wed, Sheffield Leadmill Stylus Videotheque Fri) . . . Bob Heather (Southampton Top Rank Ice Rink) says Xavier ‘Work The Sucker To Death’ mixes superbly out of the end of Set The Tone ‘Dance Sucker’ . . . John Cecchini & Pez tonight (Thursday 27) start funking the Golden Guinea weekly — I think that’s in Birkenhead, it’s certainly on the Wirral (I’m not clairvoyant) . . . Jinx Joynson (Wallasey) hasn’t a copy himself but has seen Bobby Nunn ‘She’s Just A Groupie‘ get such a good reaction he reckons it ought to be on more than just promo 12in — bit late now, though . . . I don’t appear to be receiving all the promos sent to me, something being wrong with the mail in my area, so apologies if records aren’t reviewed immediately . . . Anne Marie Bevan (Dublin), bad luck, but my Spandau Ballet card got thrown out after Christmas — sorry! . . . DO IT IN THE MIX!
THE BIZ are a carefully assembled glamorous British answer to Shalamar, though with the different sexual ratio of Yasmin Evans, Austin Howard and Suzette Smithson — almost a black Bucks Fizz! — whose debut 113bpm ‘Falling‘ 3-track 12in has already sold out on white label advantage pressing but is due this week again in its fully remixed final form from the new Midas label. If your club gets offered them for a PA, grab ’em — as we discovered at Gullivers last Saturday, they really do do “the biz”!
HOT VINYL
THE GAP BAND: ‘Outstanding’ (Total Experience TEX 001, via Phonogram).
Powerfully propelled by an ultra-infectious ‘Don’t Stop The Music’ beat (they mix), this dynamite nagging 99bpm 12in jiggly jogger has great soulful vocal work weaving through the insistent groove and, arguably the guys’ best ever, seems likely to be a huge hit what with their UK visit ‘n all.
THE S.O.S. BAND: ‘Groovin’ (That’s What We’re Doin’)’ (US Tabu 4Z9 03528).
Due here soon too, a great beefed up, remixed and lengthened 107 2/3bpm 12in version chorus chant, based unashamedly on Rodney Franklin’s original ‘Groove’.
THE BAND AKA II: ‘Joy’ (US Bouvier BO-0101-5).
Hailed by many as the best thing to happen in soul music since Bessie Smith, this shuffling 114bpm 12in side to side swinger in its present form seems flawed to me, the vocal side going on interminably without any variation while the marvellous sax which graced ‘Grace’ is only on the (to my mind) preferable instrumental-with-chorus flip. A remix combining the two — now, that would be a killer! Continue reading “January 29, 1983: Gap Band, S.O.S. Band, The Band AKA, Jazzy Dee, Pure Energy”
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