Record Mirror Disco Charts: the podcast

In this new monthly podcast series, Greg Wilson, Mike Atkinson and a special guest discuss a randomly selected Record Mirror Disco Top 20, from any week between 1975 and 1982. These charts were compiled by dancefloor reaction reports, sent in by DJs from across the UK. We’ll also look at how they were reviewed at the time by James Hamilton, whose columns from this period have recently been published in book form as James Hamilton’s Disco Pages 1975-1982. Each episode comes with its own playlist, so that you can listen to all the tracks continuously.

Norman Cook joins us for the first episode, as we take a detailed look at what was happening on UK dancefloors in the week of 28th August 1982: a time of significant change, as the dominant post-disco sounds (retrospectively known as “boogie”) were starting to make way for groundbreaking – and divisive – electronic innovations. With underground import tracks rubbing shoulders with crossover pop hits, this particular Record Mirror Disco Top 20 offers a fascinating snapshot of the period.

Along the way, you’ll also hear about Norman’s beginnings as a DJ, and about the early influences that shaped his future career as Fatboy Slim. Meanwhile, as someone who was playing these tunes at the time, at major venues such as Wigan Pier and Legend in Manchester, Greg draws on his own experience and knowledge to place this music in its proper historical context.

Record Mirror Disco Charts is available on all the standard podcast platforms (Apple, Spotify, Amazon, Deezer etc), and it can also be streamed directly via this link.

To accompany this episode, you can listen to this entire Top 20 in full, or alternatively as a shorter medley of snippets.

Mike also hosts the podcast Which Decade Is Tops For Pops?