CHRIS HILL: ‘Renta Santa’ (Philips 6006491)
With a stroke of manic genius, the Canvey Island DJ has done a Dickie Goodman, cutting snippets out of hits by such Phonogram stars as the Stylistics, Moments, Alex Harvey, Ray Stevens, 10cc and 5000 Volts, and inserting them as the humorous answers to questions he asks of such as George Best, Edward Heath and tax exile Rod Bleep (the bleep is to prevent law suits, as the funniest part of the record concerns the mysterious rock star, Rod). Being British, this is far more topical than the unavailable US hits by Dickie Goodman, and it should be the novelty smash of the season. Oh yes, at the end he yells “oy, you bust me record” – and the “record – record – record” keeps repeating as it makes up the run-out groove!
★ JH PICK
Strong intro impact and lotsa frantic freakiness on the A-side, but I prefer the slower flip, the incredibly sexy opening of which is totally toe-curling and useable on its own.
★ JH PICK
DOOLEY SILVERSPOON: ‘Let Me Be The No. 1 (Love Of Your Life)’ (Parts 1 & 2) (Seville SEV 1020)
By far the strongest disco cut from his superb hustling LP, this romping and swirling Sonny Casella-produced example of the Sound Of New New York is hopefully the one to break him here like it’s doing in the States. If you dig this, get the even better Jeanne Burton: ‘Nobody Loves Me Like You Do’ (SEV 1010), which is what alerted me to S.O.N.N.Y. in the first place.
★ JH PICK
BAY CITY ROLLERS: ‘Money Honey’ (Bell 1461)
Heavy guitar, pounding disco rhythm and police-siren type noises make this their most useable to date.
★ JH PICK
What with Christmas and party time coming, there suddenly seem to be a lot of hits-crammed compilation albums being released. This should be good news, especially to newer jocks who may be short of material.
‘Atlantic Black Gold Volume 2’ (Atlantic K 50164) has recent disco hits by the Average White Band, Jimmy Castor, Ben E. King, Herbie Mann, Eddie Harris and Gene Page amongst its many goodies.
‘Golden Hour Of Stax Hits’ (Golden Hour GH 841) ranges from the full LP version of Isaac Hayes’s ‘Walk On By’ and ‘Theme From Shaft’ via the Dramatics’ ‘In The Rain’ and ‘Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get’ to Johnnie Taylor’s ‘Who’s Making Love’ and William Bell & Judy Clay’s ‘Private Number’. Some snip at Golden Hour prices, when you consider that also included are big ‘uns by Jean Knight, Booker T & The MGs, Frederick Knight and Mel & Tim!
‘Get Down With Spring – 14 Hunks Of Funk’ (Polydor 2482271) is a collection of material from the US Spring label, which may not have as strong an identity as the others – until maybe I mention some of the artists, that is? How’s about the Fatback Band (‘Yum Yum’, ‘Wicki Wacky’, ‘Keep On Steppin’’ included), Joe Simon, Garland Green and Millie Jackson? Less consistent in content, but that little lot deliver the goods.
The killer set for most will of course be the incredible ‘Motown Gold’ (Tamla Motown STML 12003), which ought to make big bread for the ailing company, even if it does only contain about half of the subtitled 18 greatest hits. With hits included like Marvin Gaye’s ‘Grapevine’, Four Tops’ ‘Reach Out’, Supremes’ ‘Baby Love’, Miracles’ ‘Tears Of A Clown’, Temptations’ ‘Just My Imagination’ and Stevie’s ‘Yester-Me’, who’s to quibble about Syreeta’s ‘Your Kiss Is Sweet’, Commodores’ ‘Machine Gun’ and Ross/Gaye’s ‘You Are Everything’ being less than the greatest? They’re about the only modern things, bar Mr. Wonder, that they’ve broken here in ages! Oh, and there’s more by such as Gladys Knight, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Jimmy Ruffin, Jr. Walker and Martha Reeves! Too much!
Add to these the superbly annotated and chronologically compiled double-LP of all the Stones’ Decca hits, ‘Rolled Gold – The Very Best Of The Rolling Stones’ (Decca ROST 1/2, out next week), and groaning ‘Barry White’s Greatest Hits’ (20th Century BTH 8000), then you should have enough to make DJ’s jump for joy!
New Spins
ROD STEWART: ‘This Old Heart Of Mine’ (Riva 1)
Slowed to an Al Green tempo and then huskily sung, the Isleys’ oldie makes a much better bet for discos than ‘Sailing’. Good for most audiences, too.
★ JH PICK
ANDY FAIRWEATHER LOW: ‘Wide Eyed And Legless’ (A&M AMS 7202)
Beautifully subtle swaying sophisticated semi-slowie, my own fave of the week, and hopefully ideal for those more romantic moments!
★ JH PICK
JUAN CARLOS CALDERON: ‘Bandolero’ (CBS 2726)
From last year like ‘El Bimbo’ and now re-issued after European and US success, this semi-hustling instrumental has a catchy melody and paradoxically fashionable sound – plus some Spanish guitar to snare the oldsters. Useful, and could click.
★ JH PICK
JOHN ASHER: ‘Let’s Twist Again’ (Creole CR 112)
Well! As a direct result of this page’s speculation about a Twist revival, here’s the star of ATV Birmingham’s Tiswas show doing a perfectly acceptable revival of Chubby Checker’s original smash (which now belongs to Allan Klein’s Abko label in America). Can a Twist craze really be on the way? Stay tuned to Record Mirror & Disc!
BING CROSBY: ‘I Love To Dance Like They Used To Dance’ (UA UP 36025)
A gift for MoR DJ’s, this happy lilter has to be the best easy listening dancer since ‘Dance In The Old Fashioned Way’. Thanx for making life a little easier, Bing!
★ JH PICK
EVERLY BROTHERS: ‘Walk Right Back’ (Warner Bros. K 16613)
The original strutting 1961 smash, in stereo, now comes across as ideal MoR.
★ JH PICK
TORNADOS: ‘Telstar’ (Decca F 11494)
The original 1962 smash, freaky intro and all. Probably best for older crowds now, but try mixing it with such as ‘Silver Machine’ for effect!
★ JH PICK
GOONS: ‘Bloodnok’s Rock ‘N Roll Call’ (Decca F 13609)
The ‘Ying Tong Song”s original flip in 1956, this craziness doesn’t sustain its dance beat, but played near the end of a gig can be lots of fun nevertheless. Goons freaks will even mime to it!
★ JH PICK
HARVEY SMITH: ‘True Love’ (Handkerchief HANKY 3)
Slush, of obvious interest to horsey crowds, it needs pre-announcing for best effect. A sensation at my last gig, when I followed it with Bing singing ‘Take Me Back To My Boots And Saddle’!
★ JH PICK
Starting this week, I will be giving a “JH PICK” to the records reviewed that I personally intend to carry on my mobile disco dates. These will be records which seem to me to be useful regardless of their hit potential. Be warned: despite my own taste, the disco is biased MOR / white rather than funky / black.
GEORGE MCCRAE: ‘I Ain’t Lyin’’ / ‘You Treat Me Good’ (Jay Boy BOY 105)
The rhythm section that rules the world does its thing as George soars and cut-price brass battles through the dominating drumkit. So simple, so effective. Cooled-out though still busy beat on the flip.
★ JH PICK
STRETCH: ‘Why Did You Do It’ (Anchor ANC 1021)
Heartily-compressed drum beats and Doobie-type guitar jiggling back gruff Elmer Cantry on a superbly-produced semi-slow thudder that’s kinda like Bad Company meeting the Ides of March. Sounds like a smash.
★ JH PICK
BUD FLANAGAN: ‘Who Do You Think You’re Kidding Mr. Hitler?’ (Pye 7N 45530)
I goofed by playing this (the Dad’s Army theme) once at a gig where evidently the German ambassador was a guest! Oh well, the point being that I use it all the time, especially as part of a routine where it leads into Glen Miller’s ‘In The Mood’. Great jolly MOR.
★ JH PICK
PAUL MELBA: ‘You’re The Cream In My Coffee’ (Pye 7N 45537)
Silliness, ideal for certain MOR gigs, hidden on the flip of an unsuccessful ‘Misty’-fication of ‘Tenderly’.
★ JH PICK
WEDDINGS AND other suchlike parties where there are very mixed age groups tend to provide many mobile DJs with their bread and butter business – they certainly do with me.
As I said some time ago, I have deliberately worked up a range of music and a style of presentation designed with just that sort of mixed age gig in mind.
In case it’s of use to other mobile DJs, here is how I got the dancing going at the big wedding reception I did last Saturday. It worked a treat for me, but obviously it needs to be moulded to each different audience.
(A word of warning: many of these records are going to be hard to find but worth the search.)
Out of the speeches with The Wedding March (Decca), cross-fading into BILLY COTTON: Get Me To The Church On Time (Columbia), at which point bride and groom took to the floor, so cross-fade into The Blue Danube (Parlophone), cutting in just the “Oh how we danced on the night we were wed” line from AL JOLSON: Anniversary Song (Coral).
Cut out of Blue Danube into the waltz section of Gaitie Parisienne (Golden Guinea), cross-fading into GENE KELLY: Singin’ In The Rain (MGM), skipping the intro.
After that play just the first two lines of MAURICE CHEVALIER: Thank Heaven For Little Girls (MGM) before cross-fading into DORIS DAY: Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Philips).
Tight segue Into DANNY KAYE: Wonderful Copenhagen (MCA Coral), then follow with FRANK SINATRA & CELESTE HOLM: Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (Capitol).
At this stage I forget exactly what I did next but pretty soon after it was a segue that was made in heaven, It’s so perfect! BENNY GOODMAN: Don’t Be That Way (US RCA 447-0879), SPARKS: Looks, Looks, Looks (Island), and JOE BOB’S NASHVILLE SOUND COMPANY: In The Mood (US Capitol 4159).
In answer to many queries, I must emphasise that this latter, the Joe Bob, is an import and unavailable in ordinary record shops. It does just happen to be one of the best MoR records ever made, but as yet there’s no sign of its release here.
Another perfect segue using an import is between the GEORGE BAKER SELECTION: Paloma Bianca (Warners) and BUDDY ALAN: Another Saturday Night (US Capitol 4075) – if you get the changeover synchronised, the tempos are identical!
For the rest of the night the mixture was equally zany, with chart hits between the rock’n’roll, Scottish, thirties, soul, Charleston, rock, and smooch etc sequences.
My advice to mobile jocks is to use your imagination and look out for lively oddities with which you can pre-plan tightly edited and carefully rehearsed sets.
My own style revolves around this approach, to the extent that I only use Chart records to bridge from one “party piece” to another!
New Spins
Spudadoo, spudadoo!
JONESES: ‘Sugar Pie Guy’ (Mercury 6167223)
Remixed and re-issued, this goodie by the guys with the amazing “spudadoo spudadoo” bass man now has a disco flip that features an instrumental build-up to the “spudadoo”s and a long wukkawuk passage, broken into by some gruff joviality and repartee with a chick. If it worked before you’d better play it some more!
GEORGE BENSON: ‘Supership’ (CTI CT SP 002)
1975’s jumping bumpy rhythm re-write of ‘Sea Cruise’ (ship’s hooter and all) shows off George more on vocals than guitar, and should be a disco smash with ship’s bells on. Already breaking out as an import, it’s gotta be good.
BLACK ROCK: ‘New York City Bump’ (Seville SEV 1011)
SONNY – the Sound Of New New York strikes again as Sonny Casella follows Jeanne Burton and Dooley Silverspoon with his most ambitious production yet. On the special effects B-side the entire chix-led Temptations-type relaxed bumper is backed by a montage of New York City street sounds as it takes us on a bus ride uptown . . . like ‘Living For The City’ gone mad! Heard in stereo it’s a mind-messer of awesome proportions. Continue reading “October 4, 1975: The Joneses, George Benson, Black Rock, Roxy Music, T. Rex Disco Party”
Following my pleas for DJ reaction to the number of singles I reviewed each week, I am again cutting back to just those I personally would consider using – not only in my own mobile DJ but also as a club DJ.
To quote from contributing DJ Mark Rymann (Porthcawl), “I have to play records which I reckon can be easily accepted or else there’s an empty floor.”
New Spins
ELTON JOHN: ‘Island Girl’ (DJM DJS 610)
At last, another good fast dancer from Elt, who may be extremely popular but does tend to do too many dead slowies. Now maybe ‘Crocodile Rock’ can take a rest!
SPARKS: ‘Looks, Looks, Looks’ (Island WIP 6249)
Unlikely source for the new Hurricane Smith, but that’s what this brassy big-band swinger could easily be! Reminiscent of Manhattan Transfer, whose slower ‘Tuxedo Junction’ is even more MoR.
As I did last week, I’m reviewing everything that’s come out this week which has any bearing on the disco scene. And as last week, I’m still wondering whether that’s what DJ’s want, or whether you’d be happy to let me exercise my critical judgment. Please write and tell me what you think.
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS: ‘No Woman, No Cry’ (Island WIP 6244)
Recorded live at their Lyceum gig, Bob and the boys’ mournful slowie is almost Dylanesque – which may help explain its enormous appeal to Capital Radio’s listeners, who have voted it up to No. 1 in the Capital Hit Line. More rock than reggae, so those unfamiliar with reggae have nothing to fear. Pity it fades early (3:50), though doubtless the LP cut’ll be longer.
JACK ASHFORD & THE SOUND OF NEW DETROIT: ‘Do The Choo-Choo’ (Parts 1 & 2) (London HLA 10507)
Archetypal disco sounds of the Hamilton Bohannon type, just made to be danced to. Basically instrumental, nothing to do with Archie Bell (or Little Eva).
James Hamilton's Disco Page 