Month: January 1984

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

Gary Crowley on Capital last Sunday spun GLOBE & Whiz Kid ‘Play That Beat Mr DJ’ in a brilliant new ‘Master Mix’ version incorporating cuts from electro, rock ‘n roll and even Humphrey Bogart’s plea for Sam to “play it” (Gal never did start his much publicised Gravesend gig, the venue had a bust before he got there) . . . Motown are rushing ‘Somebody’s Watching Me’ this week, the “British”-accented raps being by Rockwell himself (who’s rumoured to have a “famous relative”) while the Michael Jackson pitch of his fellow singer shouldn’t be so surprising as evidently whisper whisper whisper – yeah, the very same, moonlighting on his old label! Wot a little thriller! . . . Michael’s ‘Thriller’ video does indeed go on a tiny bit longer than shown on The Tube, ending with more dancing, three body poppers and a gruesome face . . . Korova picked up Cargo ‘Tender Touch’ the slick 7in edit of which is getting much radio play now while New York’s WBLS is plugging it heavily ahead of US release, and Total Contrast has now been re-pressed . . . Shannon has been re-promoted, a promo-only remix going to jocks, ‘Joanna’/’You Can Do It’/’Tonight’ being Kool & The Gang’s 3-track 12in next week . . . Bryan Loren is coming here on Virgin (serviced by E.T. from Hot Licks), Lefturno will be on MCA, and CBS are relatively rushing Damaris (the record that Luther should have made with Dionne?) . . . Afrika Bambaataa is a long time coming on import, or are 21 Records holding it back so as not to spoil UK release? . . . J. Blackfoot ‘Taxi’ has rightly exploded, helped by general availability of a 7in . . . Lionel Richie ‘Running With The Night’ was recently twin-packed on the QT with a cassette of his ‘All Night Long (All Night)’ instrumental – sneaky! . . . I can’t help thinking that vinyl starvation over Xmas has resulted in some rather indiscriminate buying now there’s new stuff about . . . ‘Trommeltanz’ translates as ‘Drum Dance’ and derives from a drum solo encore of Berliner George Kranz, whose original version was recorded in November ’82 – the current remix now tops the US Dance/Disco chart (and Patti LaBelle’s slow ‘If You Only Knew’ is top US Black single) . . . Willi Morrison & Ian Guenther appear to have finished the final production of Hazell Dean ‘Evergreen’, to give credit where it’s due . . . Laura Pallas, who must be glad the snow is finally here, got conveniently married the other day . . . Alton Edwards is back under the wing of Morgan Khan signed direct to Streetwave now – as are Hi-Tension too . . . I wasn’t too impressed by Special-T ‘It’s Your Love’ (US Next Plateau), not knowing it’s penned/produced and even sung by Jive’s own Suzie Halls – oops, it’s marvellous, dear! . . . I’m amazed Art Of Noise ‘Beat Box’ didn’t break here sooner – Mastermind were on it from the start but it needed a visit from Whiz Kid to bring home its US success (try it with Pumpkin!) . . . Break Machine’s whistling hip hop instrumental side really is compulsive frisky dynamite (forget the vocal), a terrific electro mixer especially with Charles Earland, I.R.T. and Two Sisters ‘High Noon (Remix)’ (try the latter out of it!) . . . Adrian Dunbar reports that hip hop/electro, the tuneful ones like Xena & Shannon, is now getting big with the younger “trendier” boys at Southampton’s Warehouse . . . The Standard’s Ad Lib column reports that choreographers are moving in on break dancing with a view to staging it at Las Vegas – a sure sign of the death knell, sadly . . . Northern mixer Greg Wilson is rumoured to be concentrating more on studio work now, having just done CBS’s ‘Dance Mix Dance Hits 3’ . . . Steve Dennis is chuffed that his increased BRMB radio role will add yet another dance show to the station, playing disco/funk 7-9pm every Friday from Feb 10 . . . South-East London’s 7 days a week 6am-midnight Skyline Radio 103.6FM/212MW has been going strong for five weeks now and adds Froggy every Sunday 12-3pm . . . Carl Kingston (0482-42169) jocks aboard Radio Caroline four weeks on/four weeks off, and is after club gigs especially within its reception area . . . SEDA (South Eastern Disco Assn), the first association founded, celebrate their 10th anniversary at 8pm this Sunday (29) in their original meeting place, Tunbridge Wells’ Kelsey Arms in St Johns Road (details Theo Loyla 022-786 604) . . . Thames Valley DJ Assn meet for their AGM at noon the same day in Iver’s Tower Arms, Ritchings Park . . . John Mayoh with new Friday Hi-NRG partner Leo Stanley celebrated the rapid £75,000 refit at Bolton’s Cinderella’s/Rockafella’s last week with a Wobbly Bottom Cabaret Show – he promises photos! . . . Brian Mason (whose mum really is Barbara Mason – not that one!) is running a weekly talent contest every Tuesday at The Adelaide, Adelaide Street, St Albans, Herts (write him there) and needs all acts from novelties, dance troupes to bands, but not DJs, for weekly prizes and an eventual Continental holiday . . . Colin Hudd’s surprise top hit at Dartford Flicks is Laid Back ‘White Horse’ (Creole – flip of ‘Sunshine Reggae’), which despite Boney M-type blokes does have an 123bpm ’76-ish feel – Colin’s guest is Chris Hill this Friday (27), when Robbie Vincent souls Tottenham Eltons, Steve Walsh funks Fleet Country Club (to promote a residency starting there next Thursday (Feb 2) when Second Image will PA) . . . Pete Haigh and Richard Searling revive the Mecca’s Highland Room era at Blackpool’s Baskervilles this Friday (27), while diagonally across country Roger Dynamite has another expanded ‘60s night at Gt Yarmouth Tiffanys . . . Sunday (29) sees Steve Walsh, Brother Louie, and Morrissey Mullen live at Dunstable Tiffanys, while Leeds Tiffanys’ 3pm alldayer has a predictable DJ crew including sometime chart returners Steve Allen, Simon Walsh, Baz Maleady & Eddie Gee . . . Bob Jones jazzily jocks Upstairs At Eric’s in Bournemouth’s busy Glenfern Road this Monday (30) . . . Tom Holland revives the Lacy Lady era again at the White Swan in East London’s Commercial Road on Wednesday (1), when Steve ‘Dover’ Day funks Folkestone’s Soundhouse on the Canterbury Road weekly, and Peter Lee is usually with Stuart Hamilton at Liverpool’s New Coconut Grove . . . Mirage unexpectedly dropped right out of our chart despite strong sales – what happened, are jocks doing their own chopped medley of George Benson oldies, as suggested? . . . Rick James’s help from Smokey Robinson may be tremendous, but more to the point it’s “tremulous”! . . . I often don’t receive record packets sent in the mail but the current Russian roulette delivery situation means that any product unreviewed may not have reached me (though there’s probably a funky postman somewhere) . . . DIN DAA DAA!

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HOT VINYL

MEL BROOKS: ‘To Be Or Not To Be (The Hitler Rap)’ (Island Visual Arts 12IS 158)
Again with musical help from our own Pete Wingfield, the zany film maker raps some more in typically bad taste about one of his favourite topics, the Nazi Paar-tay! If his gruff vocals can cut through on the floor, this ‘The Crown’-style 105bpm 12in (inst flip) could just be an early springtime hit for Hitler. Say “Heil!”

TYRONE BRUNSON: ‘Fresh’ (US Believe In a Dream 4Z9 04951)
Well over a year after his electro trail blazing ‘The Smurf’, Tyrone’s finally returned with a vengeance – obviously fuelled by Herbie Hancock’s success – the A-side of this jittery driving 113bpm 12in instrumental having nicely varied texture including string section effects and tuneful moments, the immediate smash though being the starker ‘scratch mix’ flip (“serious scratchin’” by Elai Tubo) which smacks up a less varied hip hop storm (Charles Earland’s an ace mix!). Rock it!

KENNY G: ‘Hi, How Ya Doin’?’ (LP ‘G Force’ US Arista AL8-8192)
Although produced by Wayne Brathwaite the stamp of executive producer Kashif is all over the synthesized rhythm arrangement of the white saxist’s second solo set (soulful vocals by Barry ‘Sunjohn’ Johnson), this acappella-introed 113bpm jiggly shuffler (good with ‘Serious’) already hitting on US single while just about every cut could click here – most are instrumental with jazzy sax and strong beat, and include the 0-117½bpm ‘I’ve Been Missin’ You’, 107bpm ‘Tribeca’, 107bpm ‘G Force’, 115bpm ‘Do Me Right’, 116bpm ‘I Wanna Be Yours’, 106bpm ‘Help Yourself To My Love’. Cool tootin’. Continue reading “January 28, 1984: Mel Brooks, Tyrone Brunson, Kenny G, Tony Joe White, King Short Shirt”

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

Ian Anthony Stephens confirms he produced ‘Evergreen’ by Hazell Dean in September purely as a promo for Proto, who rejected it, so Passion then asked him to cut a budget version for them by Fantasia, after the release of which Proto then tidied up and rushed Hazell without consulting Stephens (whose next project is Paul Parker) . . . Tricky Dicky Scanes (London’s Dicks Inn) says “I can’t bring myself to chart either version of the insipid ‘Evergreen’ until demand makes me – so far the punters aren’t bothered” (it hit number one Boys Town without him!) . . . Hazell Dean meanwhile will be singing her own co-penned “Stay In My Life” for A Song For Europe . . . Earls Court Copacabana DJ Chris Lucas is chuffed to have co-mixed Mimi ‘The Man’s So Real’ (due on Challenge next month), his first venture into the studio . . . Gary Allan at Liverpool’s Concert Street has had so many requests for the video of local lads Frankie Goes To Hollywood that he’s now after any other Hi-NRG/Alternative promo videos which companies can send him . . . Disco Dave Singleton (Newton-Le-Willows 6018) is after DJs to act as agents to get his video juke boxes installed in venues from Ipswich to Carlisle and Southport to Hull, on £100 commission per machine . . . Steve Jason moans he’s not on major mailing lists yet nobody in Peterborough plays to more people 18-25 than him (he says): his gigs include the Gordon Arms (Sun), The Gables (Mon/Fri), and just started on Tuesdays with Paul Douglas at La Scala where there are excellent PA/video facilities (Total Contrast visited this week) . . . Frank Samms has finished working mobile to be full time at Egham’s The Victoria in Albert’s Music Room, which he himself equipped with a DJ booth and customised sound system . . . Nick Ratcliffe’s Thursdays at Portsmouth Ritzy are packed – maybe it’s because punters pay a penny at the door and get a pound voucher to spend at the bar – but Saturdays are even fuller, and they’re surprisingly “into” the music too, sez Nick . . . Pete Richards shares Thursday ladies’ night with Terry Winters at Greenford Barbarella’s, soloing Saturday and Sunday, the latter pub prices jazz/soul oldies night (so how about some charts?) . . . Froggy rejoins Ian Reading at Southend Zero 6 this Friday (20), when Carroll Thompson PAs with Steve ‘Dover’ Day and Sheerness Woody’s, and Fred Dove graciously permits Dartford Flicks to show his WEA videos . . . Sheffield body-pop/break dancers Smac 19 strut their stuff for George Power at Peckham Kisses on Sunday (22) . . . Julian Palmer at Lewisham’s Paradise Garage plays an interesting range of current funk, Northern Soul, Hi-NRG and old jazz, while Aaron Lewison-White at Brooksie’s (formerly Martines) near Chichester joins the trend of adding Hi-NRG to recent pop-soul . . . Colin Gibson at the basically funk ‘n soul orientated Stripes in Tamworth is nevertheless raving about how useful some pop-electro tracks by Sparks can be, citing several cuts from their ‘Terminal Jive’, ‘Whomp That Sucker’ and ‘In Outer Space’ LPs, which work so well the club’s even had a special Sparks night recently (well, it makes a change from Roxy/Bowie!) . . . Nige Kerr & Dave Nash of the on-base disco at RAF Machrihanish (near the Mull on Kintyre) welcome the locals to honorary membership (apply in writing) and are now slipping lots of funk into the pop . . . Lee Taylor sits in for the rest of this month at London Piccadilly’s Tokyo Joe’s but is still after permanent gigs on 01-385 4345-6 (days) . . . M.A. Bird, calling himself Tony StMichael, but with the daytime contact name of Mr. P Thorogood on 01-609 3851, wants Boys Town gigs or guest spots specifically in East Anglia, the North, East London or Scotland – talk about a split personality! . . . Status IV is of course only 113bpm . . . Trans-Lux may work best minus the annoying early pause if started at the ‘Rockit’ bit, while Man Parrish ‘Hip Hop Be Bop’ starts synching superbly during ‘White Lines’ so the following ‘Let The Music Play’ vocal runs through it . . . Lionel Richie ‘All Night Long’/World Premiere/Circle City Band/Status IV/West Phillips/Charles Earland/IRT/Break Machine inst/Tara inst/The System ‘Sweat’/Rick James ‘Cold Blooded’/Rockwell/Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’ was my hottest mix sequence of last Saturday at Mayfair Gullivers, while a Friday electro-funk set kicked off well with Warp 9/Malcolm X/Pumpkin/K-9 Corp ‘Dog Talk’/Sun . . . Kool & The Gang ‘Joanna’ is now top US Black single and rising fast Pop there too . . . Seattle-printed US soul fanzine Beat Street is quite an interesting read (although it promises increased rock coverage to come), available here at 50p per issue plus 30p postage from Max Rees, 114 High Street, Cherryhinton, Cambridge, Cambs . . . Graham ‘Disco Kid’ Cambridge, still after ABC’s ‘Poison Arrow’ remix, wants DJs to send him an all-time Top 20 chart for him to compile into a Top 500 for comparison with a similar punters’ list already done – he’s at 4 Dane Avenue, Acomb, York YO2 5EX (0904 790686) . . . Michael Jackson, for all his current mega-stardom, couldn’t manage higher than number 51 in Capital Radio’s latest listeners’ Top 500 – and that was with ‘Ben’ (he had another 11 lesser entries, mainly slowies) – while even more staggering was Stevie Wonder’s best effort at 150 with ‘Lately’ (he only managed another 5) . . . RCA sent jocks an Evelyn Champagne King ‘Action’ slip mat (just the one) – to get “behind the groove”? – while Island impressively kitted me out with a giant size David Joseph anorak! . . . DIN DAA DAA!

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HOT VINYL

RICK JAMES AND FRIEND: ‘Ebony Eyes’ (Gordy TMGT 1327)
The “friend” being Smokey Robinson, this tremendously luscious 70/35bpm smoocher deserves to break Rick on radio here at last now it’s on 3-track 12in, flipped by the frantically skittering 129bpm ‘1, 2, 3 (You Her And Me)’ and Temptations-led old 119(start)-120-122bpm ‘Standing On The Top’.

WORLD PREMIERE: ‘Share The Night’ (Epic TA 4133)
Looking like the next disco chart-topper even had it stayed on import and a sure fire pop crossover success now it’s out here, this effects introed sinuously weaving 0-108bpm 12in shuffling chugger builds through stereo drumbeats to throaty butch vocal interaction lightened by some Bee Gees harmony, ‘Galaxy Of Love’ jetstream, and a yowling synth break, all very sneakily exciting (two useful instrumental breakdowns as flip).

THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER: ‘Spice Of Life’ (Atlantic A 9728T)
Co-penned by Rod Temperton much as if ‘Off The Wall’ had been arranged by Bob James during his ‘Sign Of The Times’ session, this superb chick-sung catchily slinking 110bpm little tripper has a burst of Stevie Wonder harmonica topping off its compulsive melody and first exploded on New York radio in September, but has had to wait until now for 12in release despite initial success off import LP last year. Continue reading “January 21, 1984: Rick James And Friend, World Premiere, Manhattan Transfer, Damaris, Girls Can’t Help It”

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

Steve Dennis is now combining his annual DJ Convention with the Disco Mix Club’s 1st anniversary party at London’s Hippodrome on Sunday 11th March, including six top international jocks in a “battle of the mixers” during the buffet supper – £15 tickets (£10 evening entertainment only) from DMC, PO Box 89, Slough, Berks SL1 8NA . . . Alan Coulthard’s current DMC megamix is of Culture Club (and a bit undynamic for dancers?), pride of place going to “new boy” Les Adams with three neat medleys on the cassette, including one comprised of well known breaks and bridges . . . Derek Laurence (Southall) overheard a Brixton Briefcase blasting what sounded like a megamix of Freeez ‘IOU’ with beats from Sharon Redd ‘Beat The Street’, Visual ‘The Music Got Me’, and John Rocca’s voice treated like the tones from ‘Close Encounters’ – what the hell was that?! . . . Sharon Redd’s 12in now seems to be ‘You’re A Winner’, Girls Can’t Help It is due here again on Virgin, Katie Kissoon has covered ‘Penny Lover’, Kool & The Gang ‘Straight Ahead’ has been repressed in a longer version (don’t all rush!) . . . US dollars being so strong against sterling, imports have taken a price hike in most shops to around £7.20 LP, £4.20 12in – ouch! . . . Steve Arrington’s Hall Of Fame have preceded their new album with the zappy c121½bpm ‘Hump To The Bump’ on 7in (US Atlantic 7-89715), building to good vibes . . . Tony Joe White’s Dutch CBS LP is worth checking, his c102bpm revival of Ruby & The Romantics’ ‘Our Day Will Come’ being great with Lionel Richie ‘Love Will Find A Way’, while Dave Pike’s US Muse ‘Moon Bird’ has a lovely jazzy ‘Love For Sale’ . . . BBC-1’s 1983 Team Disco Dance Championships last Wednesday may only have been youth club members dancing to a live group but at least the music was as funky as they wanted (dodgy vocals apart) and rooted in reality, as were many of the dance routines – however, the East Anglian winners pranced about with umbrellas to ‘Dead Giveaway’ (the only fast pop tune), beating the best actual disco routine by Gloucester’s team into second place . . . Peter Powell (who breakfasts apres-gig at Mayfair’s Rockafellas) has stopped his Monday Steppin’ Out soul slot in favour of Radio 1’s new Sunday night Robbie Vincent show – a disastrous move for soul (no disrespect to Robbie), hiding it away again in the minority appeal ghetto . . . Radio 1 also evidently appeared to copy my New Year’s Eve four hour party music show, 10 til 2 just like on Capital! . . . I did well after Xmas, fell over in the gutter (on the rooftop car park at Doncaster’s Arndale Centre, of all romantic locations!) and strained a ligament in my ankle, which resulted in a relaxing week with my leg up! . . . Ian Anthony Stephens produced Hazell Dean’s ‘Evergreen’ for Proto but evidently fell out with the label and rapidly re-recorded it by Fantasia for Passion, Proto then rush-releasing their superior original amidst all sorts of bad feeling . . . Shakatak’s recent recruit Norma Lewis seems a busy girl, lending her voice to many other Hi-NRG names but not to her “own” record? . . . Yvonne Gidden, who didn’t work out on ‘Skiing In The Snow’, is now reviving Joy Lovejoy’s ‘In Orbit’ for producer/veteran Northern Soul jock Kev Roberts . . . Ian Levine is mixing a duet by Jimmy Ruffin & Jackson Moore (the Boys Town Gang girl) on ERC . . . Norman Scott at Haringey Bolts is entering his 25th year as a DJ (“thank heavens for Max Factor and very clever lighting” quoth he!), a biggie at his Thursday Stepping Back Club being Fontella Bass ‘Rescue Me’ while due soon on Proto is the ancient Petula Clark ‘Sailor’ – really? . . . Danny Searle now electro-souls Thurs as well as Sat at Southsea’s Vagabonds in Goldsmith Avenue . . . Cosmic happily soul-funks Fridays again at Basildon New Yorker, and wonders if any major companies might now reconsider him for their mailing lists? . . . Lenny Henry cabarets Chippenham Goldiggers this Friday the 13th (oo-er!), when Froggy funks Dartford Flicks . . . Gary Oldis is trying to establish pure funk ‘n soul Saturdays at Scarborough Victorias . . . Colin Curtis, Shaun Williams, Roger Tovell, Ralph Randell and others do the Birmingham Powerhouse 3pm alldayer this Sunday (15), when Big Al Mayfield & John ‘Nick’ Osborne start weekly under-18s at Streatham Cat’s Whiskers . . . Larry Foster’s 2nd Motown night is at Gants Hill Villa Tuesday (17), Richard Searling & Mike Shaft start weekly at Blackburn’s The Club Wednesday (18), Ian Reading has a toga party at Southend Zero 6 Thursday (19) . . . Ken ‘B’ Brudenell has quit Southampton’s Topshop/Topman instore “radio” after 2½ years to take over Poole’s Mariners Wharf from Dave Van Seiger (now at Southampton Mayfair), funking Tues/Thurs/Sat – the latter with Andy Bianchi, who does Wed/Fri alone (so how about some charts, guys?) . . . Jeff Thomas is back from Norway at Pontardawe Mamma Mia’s near Swansea (Wed-Sun) . . . Alan ‘Gibbo’ Gibson after three months in Norway, seven in Bangkok, two in Germany, is just off to Canada now for Bacchus International, while Rudi ‘Rapper’ Gilpin is in South Africa . . . Alan James Jewell’s Xmas chart-topper at Hong Kong’s incredibly swank Hollywood Boulevard was Toni Basil ‘Over My Head (Remix)’ (US Chrysalis 12in) – thanks for the kimono, Wal! . . . Graham Murray sent a kind “drink” before leaving Teeside for Salzgitter’s Hotel Just and Langelsheim’s Beat Club in West Germany, but a whole “Jereboam” was too generous of Pete Haigh (Blackpool Bananas Tues/Standis Cassinelli’s Thurs/Caton Scarthwaite Hotel Sun)! . . . Weybridge expatriate Steve Ingham now calls himself Steve Stuart after 2½ years in Lincolnshire at Boston’s Elizabethan Club (Lizzy’s) – wouldn’t “Tudor” be more appropriate? . . . Steve Ogley’s gig at Lowestoft Snaps is closed for refurbishment, while South London’s famous Dun Cow in the Old Kent Road closes next week for a fortnight to be refitted with yet more elaborate video, laser and lights – once re-opened in February with a 2am licence, Ron ‘Spider’ Baker will be joined Thursdays by Capital’s Mike Allen, Greg Edwards still funking Tuesday . . . Lionel Richie’s ‘Running With The Night’ video is very “Kid Creole” . . . Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ video is rumoured to be longer than as shown on The Tube . . . Mac ‘n Jack’s ‘Say Say Say’ has been a US chart-topper but Paul McCartney’s album has been his smallest US seller ever – which shows whose fans have been buying the single, huh, kids? . . . The hills are alive with The Sound Of Muzak . . . DIN DAA DAA!

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Alexis Korner

A shortage of commercials on telly this last week could have been caused by the sad death of the voice in so many of them, Alexis Korner, undisputed father of British R&B. Anyone familiar with his distinctive croaking smokey vocal will not be surprised that a cancerous lung finally felled him.

Of mixed East European parentage, Alexis in the ‘50s played guitar in trad jazz band leader Chris Barber’s pioneering blues splinter group (which Lonnie Donegan left to popularize skiffle as a home grown hybrid).

By the early ‘60s Alexis had teamed with tubby mouthed harpist Cyril Davies to form the incredibly influential Blues Incorporated, instituting Thursday R&B sessions at London’s Marquee Club when it was still a jazz venue under the Academy Cinema in Oxford Street.

It was Alexis’s enthusiasm for then current sounds that led to a split in the group, as he liked playing ‘Green Onions’ (etc) in amongst the Chicago bar room standards, Davies talking singer Long John Baldry into his own group while Alexis recruited the black Ronnie ‘US Air Force’ Jones. A Thursday regular at the Marquee from October ’62, I nevertheless remember the best set ever being fronted by Ronnie in his uniform up at La Discotheque in Wardour Street.

The first star I ever got to know, Alexis subsequently mentioned several times on his occasional radio series (where he played a range of obscure delights) how it was I who first turned him onto Otis Redding. By coincidence, that was exactly 20 years ago. Now they’re both gone, but their influence will linger on . . . if only in the Rolling Stones.

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HOT VINYL

GEORGE KRANZ: ‘Din Daa Daa (Trommeltanz)’ (Fourth & Broadway 12 BRW 2, via Island)
A mindblowing monster of silly gibberish gimmickry given an epic Wagnerian production, this fabulously exciting 0-123-0-123-aca-122⅓bpm 12in amalgamation of doo-wop, scat, nonsense and noise builds ever upwards to an acappella break (try chopping Hot Streak minus intro out of it), and although far from electro it’s perfect mixed with Hashim (less dense 121bpm original and ditto accapella-ish dub flip). From Germany, it’s now huge in the States and could be another ‘Underwater’ here.

STATUS IV: Lovin’ You (Radar RDR-12010)
Hottest import smash since Christmas (welcomed with open arms by vinyl-starved junkies – oops, jocks!), this Eric Matthew-produced excellent creamily bumping very soulfully harmonised mellow 113bpm 12in jogger has some superb wailing horns halfway (inst dub flip), and mixes perfectly between Circle City Band and Lefturno.

DONNA SUMMER: ‘Stop Look And Listen’ (Mercury DONNA 312)
Although nominally A-side, this quite beefily textured choppily lurching 124bpm 12in thudder is likely to be overtaken by its really lovely and actually very soulful 93bpm ‘Tokyo’ flip, which could be huge and is certainly worthy of “summer tempo” play (appropriate, what?!). Continue reading “January 14, 1984: George Kranz, Status IV, Donna Summer, O.C. Miller, Tara”

Editor’s Note:
From James’s January 14th Odds ‘N’ Bods column:

I did well after Xmas, fell over in the gutter (on the rooftop car park at Doncaster’s Arndale Centre, of all romantic locations!) and strained a ligament in my ankle, which resulted in a relaxing week with my leg up!

This would explain the absence of reviews and Odds ‘N’ Bods this week…

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DISCO TOP 85 – DECEMBER 31, 1983

Rated by the country’s top DJ’s as the most up-front disco chart in the UK, compiled on Monday, on the street on Wednesday

01 02 The Sound Of Music – Dayton – Capitol 12”
02 03 Holiday – Madonna – Sire 12”
03 01 Thriller – Michael Jackson – Epic 12”
04 04 Crazy Cuts – Grandmixer D.ST. – Island 12”
05 06 Let The Music Play (Dub) / (Vocal) – Shannon – Club 12”
06 08 Al-Naafiysh (The Soul) – Hashim – Streetwave 12”
07 09 On The Upside – Xena – Streetwave 12”
08 07 Another Man / Rap – Barbara Mason – Streetwave 12”
09 05 All Night Long (All Night) – Lionel Richie – Motown LP remix
10 18 Cuttin’ Herbie/Rock The House/Two Three Break – The B Boys – Streetwave 12”
11 11 I’m Out Of Your Life – Arnie’s Love – Streetwave 12”
12 10 Love How You Feel / Dub – Sharon Redd – Prelude 12”
13 15 Share The Night – World Premiere – US Easy Street 12”
14 14 Serious – Billy Griffin – CBS 12”
15 23 Magic – Circle City Band – US Circle City Records 12”
16 12 Ain’t Nobody – Rufus & Chaka Khan – Warner Bros 12”
17 22 Let’s Stay Together – Tina Turner – Capitol 12”
18 30 Straight Ahead – Kool & The Gang – De-Lite 12”
19 31 Where Is My Man – Eartha Kitt – Record Shack 12”
20 25 Out Of Sight – Lefturno – US Ascot 12”
21 16 Happiness Is Just Around The Bend – Cuba Gooding – London 12”
22 20 Joys Of Life – David Joseph – Island LP
23 32 Inside Love (So Personal) (Vocal) – George Benson – Warner Bros 12”
24 26 Love Will Find A Way – Lionel Richie – Motown LP
25 21 Get It On – Spence – Arista 12”
26 47 Watch The Closing Doors / Dub – I.R.T. – US RCA 12”
27 19 I Wanna Be With You – Armenta – Savoir Faire 12”
28 24 Somebody Save The Night / You’re A Winner / Activate / Got Ya’ Where I Want – Sharon Redd – Prelude LP
29 17 Love Is The Message – Hi Voltage – KRP 12”
30 13 White Lines – Grandmaster & Melle Mel – Sugarhill 12”
31 29 Scratch Break (Glove Style) – Motor City Crew – Motown 12”
32 33 Just Can’t Let You Go – Ronnie McNeir & Instant Groove – US Crossroad Entertainment Corp 12”
33 52 I Wanted Your Love / For The Sweetness Of Your Love / Busy Body – Luther Vandross – US Epic LP

34 — Big Apple Noise – Trans-Lux – US Master Mix 12”
35 50 Just Can’t Get Enough / Don’t Give Up Your Dream – Lew Kirton – Epic 12”
36 41 B-Boys Beware / B-Boys B-Dubbed – Two Sisters – US Sugarscoop 12”
37 37 Make Mine Guarana – Azymuth – US Milestone LP
38 27 Single Handed – Haywoode – CBS 12”
39 34 Fo-Fi-Fo / Tell Me A Bedtime Story – Pieces Of A Dream – German Elektra LP
40 28 Don’t You – Second Image – MCA 12”
41 42 Running With The Night (Remix) – Lionel Richie – Motown 12”
42 51 No Sell Out – Malcolm X / Keith LeBlanc – US Tommy Boy 12”
43 40 My Guy – Mary Wells – US Allegiance 12”
44 49 Baby I’m Scared Of You / T.K.O. – Womack & Womack – German Elektra LP
45 38 Crotona Park – Dave Valentin – US GRP LP
46 56 You Ain’t Got No Money – Jaime Lynn – US Salsoul 12”
47 36 All My Life – Major Harris – London 12”
48 44 It’s Really Love / Got To Have Your Love / Never Say Never – Melba Moore – Capitol LP
49 68 This Love Is For Real – Ron Banks – US CBS Associated Records LP
50 43 Dressing Up! – Street Angels – Street Beat 12”
51 46 All Night Long (All Night) (Instrumental) – Lionel Richie – US Motown 12”
52 53 Baby Doll (Remix) – Girls Can’t Help It – US Sire 12”
53 35 So Different – Kinky Foxx – Sound Of New York 12”
54 54 (Whatever Happened To) The Party Groove / ‘Jellybean’ Remix – The Walkers – London 12”
55 65 Beat Wave – Warp 9 – US Prism 12”
56 39 Cavern – Liquid Liquid – US 99 12” EP
57 71 I’ll Let You Slide – Luther Vandross – Epic 12”
58 62 It’s Your Turn – Delegation – CBS 12”
59 73 A Night In New York – Elbow Bones & The Racketeers – EMI America 12”
60 70 Deeper – Gerry Trew – Bluebird 12”
61 63 King Of Soul Medley – Soul Kings – US Pandisc 12”
62 61 Time For Some Fun – Central Line – Mercury 12”

63 — Radio Activity Syndrome – Arcade Gang – US Rappers Rapp Disco Co 12”
64 64 Red Hot – Herb Alpert – A&M 12” re-remix/LP remix
65 66 (Just Because) You’ll Be Mine – Instant Funk – US Salsoul 12”
66 — (I’m Just A) Sucker For A Pretty Face – West Phillips – Canadian Quality 12”
67 69 You And Me Right Now / I Want My Baby Back – Teddy Pendergrass – Philadelphia International LP
68 59 Stay With Me Tonight (Remix) – Jeffrey Osborne – A&M 12”
69 78 Love Is Still Waiting – Al Jarreau – WEA 12”
70 76 Tell Me If You Still Care – The SOS Band – Tabu 12”
71 55 Bigger Than Life – Lamont Dozier – Demon LP
72 72 Bad Times – Captain Rapp – US Saturn/Becket 12”
73 79 Summer Breeze – Baiser – Canadian Celsius 12”
74 — Give Me The Night (Medley) – Mirage – Passion 12”
75 81 What’s Going On / I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Remix) – Marvin Gaye – Motown 12”
76 48 Give Me Your Love (Remix) – Active Force – US A&M 12”
77 — Electric Boogie (Remix) / (Long Version) – Marcia Griffiths – Island 12”
78 57 Copy Cat – P.Funk All-Stars – US Uncle Jam LP
79 — How Can I Love Again – O.C. Miller – Orbitone 12”
80 77 You Are Beautiful / Believer / You Got Some Love For Me – Chic – US Atlantic LP
81 58 Yah Mo B There – James Ingram – German Qwest LP
82 — Let’s Take Time Out – Howard Johnson – A&M 12”/US remix
83 — Encore – Cheryl Lynn – CBS LP/US Columbia 12”
84 — The Good Times – Stanley Clarke/George Duke – Epic LP
85 — ‘Lectric Ziggee Groove – Ziggee Toir – US TSOM 12”

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Continue reading “January 7, 1984: charts only.”