July 26, 1980: George Benson, Queen, Jean Carn, Hiroshi Fukumura, Loleatta Holloway

Odds ‘N Bods

Morgan Khan is the “brat from PRAT” no more, the atmosphere of the Pye/RCA RATCRAP merger making it a logical step for him to resign last week (amidst an evident outcry from PRAT’s R&B licensors), but unlike others in this currently troubled time he has some sensational plans (really) which should result in a giant leap for black music before very long when all can be revealed – although it’s safe to say now that his enthusiastic devotion to hard work will be earning respect rather than resentment in the future . . . Surface Noise’s new ‘Dancin’ On A Wire’ was not in fact completed by last weekend so the anticipated acetates obviously didn’t appear then . . . Al Jarreau ‘Distracted’ turns out to be on full UK 12in . . . Fatback ‘Backstrokin’ is due on UK 12in this week . . . Stacy Lattisaw’s next will be ‘Dynamite’ early next month . . . Teena Marie’s I’m A Sucker’ remix is only the flip of her 12in, the 7in being ‘Aladdin’s Lamp’ . . . MCA’s current 12in releases presumably do exist as I haven’t actually seen ‘em myself yet (Ray Still please note) . . . Aurra ‘When I Come Home’ has had a killer bass-heavy remix by Larry Levan (US Dream DG 705), and Community People ‘Education Wrap’ has re-emerged in basically instrumental form as ‘Education Rock’ (US Delmar Int’l) . . . Camberley Frenchies’ Robin Nash and Paul Wheeler open their club Jacksons in Staines soon, with pure jazz Thurs/Fri/Saturdays and a Sunday Californian ‘Cruising’ oldies format, aimed up-market (but of course!) . . . Steve Dee’s regular Brix residency near High Wycombe was completely destroyed by fire recently, he then went to check a venue he was due to appear at in the autumn and the next day – well, you all know what happened to that, it was Alexandra Palace! – and so now Steve’s sunning in the Canaries and hoping his answering machine (0494 443508) will be full of much needed bookings on his return . . . Chris Britton is touring the East Coast’s disco pubs, clubs and holiday camps with the Pernod Summer Road Show next month, when similarly Stuart Gensian promotes Crocodillo sparkling wine in slightly swankier spots around East Anglia . . . Martin Collins, despite happy funkateers, was ordered to play more commercial music at Ware Beckets and told the management that maybe they needed a commercial DJ instead – still, he had fun filling in for Froggy at the Royalty last Saturday . . . Froggy had fun buying records at New York’s Downstairs Records last Saturday at just about the time Martin was depping for him . . . Nicky “The Zit” McKenzie has a new position under Cuddles Canter – jocking downstairs at Mayfair Gullivers, that is! . . . Tom Browne was evidently good value doing club PA’s here, playing along on his horn . . . New York’s black disco-goers were a disappointment as they seem to have forgotten what good music is although they greeted Raydio and the Gap Band with excited whoops . . . Chris Hill, now back from his US travels, sent a postcard saying “in four weeks in the US you learn to live without a lot of things, but I’ve got a real Jones for your RM page – WHATZ HAPPENIN’? I saw the June 28 copy and I know it by heart!!”

UK Newies

GEORGE BENSON: ‘Give Me The Night’ (Warner Bros. LV40) (BNDA debut 7/12/80)
Smash-bound 110bpm monster like a slower ‘Stomp’ now on 3-track 12in with the old lovely stop-start 0-115-113-0-116-119-0-119(first vocal)-0-120-119-0-120-123-0bpm treatment of War’s spurting ‘The World Is A Ghetto’ with George scatting over his guitar, and the gorgeous prettily jogging delicate 82-81bpm ‘Breezin’’ instrumental guitar picker.

QUEEN: ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ (from LP ‘The Game’, EMI EMA 795) (BNDA debut 8/9/80)
New York’s hottest disco newie last week thanks to a US Elektra 12in promo circulated to key jocks, this you may misguidedly dismiss as DOR until hearing that amazingly it’s a bass-heavy ‘Good Times’-structured, 110bpm funk bumper compatible with many current disco hits – I kept hearing it played very loud and mixed with Raydio ‘For Those Who Like To Groove’, for instance! Check it.

JEAN CARN: ‘Was That All It Was’ (Philadelphia Int’l PIR 13-8840) (BNDA debut 12/22/79)
Loosely structured somewhat doodling yet tension-filled languidly smacking superb subtly building strangulated 114-116bpm 12in wailer speeds up only towards the end and, while passionately loved by its fans, never got as big on import as it deserved to be.  Continue reading “July 26, 1980: George Benson, Queen, Jean Carn, Hiroshi Fukumura, Loleatta Holloway”

July 19, 1980: George Benson, Jermaine Jackson, Baby ‘O, Teena Marie, Narada Michael Walden

Odds ‘N Bods

Surface Noise’s next will be ‘Dancin’ On A Wire’ – expect acetate promo reaction by the weekend! . . . PRAT are rushing Flakes ‘Sugar Frosted Lover’ . . . Locksmith’s UK 12in due imminently is ‘Unlock The Funk’ / ‘Far Beyond’ / ‘Blackjack’ – whew! . . . Johnny Hammond’s 1975 cut ‘Los Conquistadores Chocolates’ off the deleted US Milestone ‘Gears’ LP runs 0-120-122-124-126bpm and is grabbing jazz jocks . . . CBS’s Loraine Trent (who’s bet Ilford Room At The Top’s Terry Hooper £5 that the Manhattans go Top 50 pop) says DJ association secretaries requiring the fortnightly CBS New Releases info sheet should call her on 01-734 8161 . . . US Philadelphia International have reactivated their TSOP label, transferring to it the O’Jays, McFadden & Whitehead, Jean Carn, MFSB and adding the Stylistics . . . Graham Dene dropped out to go to Nice instead, while Morgan Khan & Dave McAleer stayed behind to bite their nails during the RATCRAP merger, leaving Froggy, his roadie Owen, Mike Childs and myself to fly out last Sunday on Air India to New York . . . Froggy’s so keen to get back into Studio 54 he’s hired grey morning suits complete with toppers to make Owen and himself look suitably “freaky”! . . . Noel Wright (Ware Beckets on Fri/Sat), just returned, says disco isn’t dead in New York but from what they’re playing it might just as well be . . . I’m more interested in Broadway this trip, actually . . . Mass Production & Bobby Thurston plus lotsa jox are the attraction at Skegness National Funk Day on August Bank Holiday Monday . . . Pete Haigh & Frenchie (Caton Scarthwaite on Mondays) take a “funk cruise” on Ullswater on Thursday 31st . . . Colin Day, currently playing a vastly varied range of music at the Royal Bugatti in Luxembourg (which he says is even more of a DJ’s paradise than Switzerland), returns to the Birmingham area for the month of September and wants some funky gigs then (UK agent 0905 423842) . . . Mark Tarna & Martin King both run video-featuring roadshows giving a TOTP effect with cameras on the audience as well as live hit clips, available via Tony Rivers’ Hove-based Spectrum agency (0273 776642) who also book such regular HM names as Wild Walt Brown, Honey Bee Benson, Stuart Hughes and Southern Counties National Roadshow . . . Nikki Peck funks Sittingbourne Marteen’s for over-21s on Thurs/Fridays and under-18s on Tuesdays – presumably it’s tough luck if you’re 19 or 20? . . . Steve Dennis (Edgbaston Faces), disappointed so far by the standard of his Wednesday world hula-hoop championship competitors, will be fronting the Peter Stuyvesant Disco Roadshow touring major cities with a 12-strong dancing troupe named Body Talk . . . Gary Oldis & Dave Weir now share the week at Aycliffe Gretna Green . . . Gary Hirst (Mayfair Samanthas) gave regular club visitor Marvin Gaye and his band each a flashing “disco visor” and got tickets in return for Marvin’s Venue show – where they all wore the visors on stage . . . JJ Jackson of ‘60s ‘But It’s Alright’ fame is recording again with some of Marvin’s band backing him . . . CJ Carlos (Soho Hombre De Bahia) was asked if he’d sell his Odyssey LP there and then by yet another bozo foreigner, who handed over 10 quid and then literally went to take the record off while it was still playing! . . . Capital Radio’s Peter Young obviously got the soul bug sitting in for Greg Edwards, as his Saturday night midnight-4am show now follows Mike Allen’s audience-grabbing jazzier forerunner by being extremely funky . . . Mike incidentally says unequivocally that this page is “a fact of life”! . . . Kev Hill (Brentwood) reports that Brick ‘Push Push’ is good for rowing, and he’s noticed a resurgence of what was called “the dog” – perhaps “shirtlifter shuffle” would be better now?! . . . Andy Greg (Loughton), whose punters are very particular about what they dance to and shun jazz-funk or reggae, nevertheless has a game where ten “funkateers” stand in the middle of the floor doing a tricky arm movement to the intro of ‘Oops Up Side Your Head’, the best getting a request played (most popular being Frank Hooker) . . . I’m sorry, I’ll read that again . . . Frenchies celebrated its 3rd anniversary at Camberley Cambridge Hotel last Sunday . . . Cuddles Canter has discovered the first band to play Mayfair Gullivers after he started there in ‘76, the Du Blanc Orchestra/Starfire, included now present members of Shalamar, Lakeside & Dynasty – and they were good then too . . . Cuddles’ companion Nicky McKenzie has an everlasting zit (ouch, that hurt Nicky!) . . . Paul “Wiggy” Wiall (Liverpool Oscars) wants the world to know that Merseyside jocks don’t necessarily play Liquid Gold, Nolans or even Kelly Marie (ugh!) . . . Russell “Arbie” Burtonshaw (Retford MAYC) says as surely Liquid Gold is disco for most it should therefore at least be allowed into the Disco 90: well, if it had been included it would have peaked last week at 43 and now ties at 56 – so surely its DORC position better reflects its true stature? . . . Billboard’s Disco Top 100 now features a lot of new wave/DOR titles at the bottom end – of the nineteen last week none got higher than 40 (the Clash ‘London Calling’) and most being below 70, this latter being where our DORC entries would figure if incorporated into the UK Disco 90, so isn’t it still better to separate ‘em out? . . . Theo Loyla should note that as a 12 year veteran of mobile gigs I don’t need his advice, the sad fact being that today’s pop hits have a narrower appeal than say five or more years ago, making MoR mobiles less easy to do using current records (hence the occasional change of “rock” to “rubbish” in DOAC!) . . . Britain interestingly seems to be returning to the once dated-seeming though still popular in the US heavy funk soul sound, what with Tom Browne, Cameo, BT Express and Gap Band being so big here . . . 2-Tone’s decline and the lack of TOTP has reaffirmed the steady sales power of black music, making the chart funkier than when disco was “alive”! . . . UK record companies are such sheep, slavishly following every trend – be it disco, mod, heavy metal; right now they’re all into sacking people . . . Nick Bardeil (Buckdefl) says, yes, he does write a good paraphrase! . . . Gullivers had its best night ever with record entry and takings last Friday – who said disco was dead? . . . KEEP IT FUNKY!

UK Newies

It’s been an “excruciatingly dull” week for imports, to quote Groove’s Chris Palmer, with nothing new worthy of review, but meanwhile back in Britain . . .

GEORGE BENSON: ‘Give Me The Night’ LP (Warner Bros. K56823) (‘Give Me The Night’ BNDA debut 7/12/80)
Quincy Jones-produced sensational set, largely penned by Rod Temperton and featuring Lee Ritenour on second guitar, the monster 110bpm title track (like a slower ‘Stomp!’) being due on 12in next week, others being the subduedly angry 124bpm ‘Off Broadway’ instrumental skipper, lushly jogging 114/57bpm ‘Love X Love’, scatting 118bpm ‘Dinorah Dinorah’ instrumental, lovely 30/60bpm smooching of King Pleasure’s classic ‘Moody’s Mood’, AWB-ish 51/103bpm ‘What’s On Your Mind’ slowie, swaying 39/79bpm ‘Midnight Love Affair, and a brace of atmospheric old Heatwave smoochers, the 0-22-44-bpm ‘Star Of A Story (X)’ and 37bpm ‘Turn Out The Lamplight’.

JERMAINE JACKSON: ‘Burnin’ Hot’ (Motown 12TMG 1194) (BNDA debut 4/5/80)
Simpler than ‘Serious’, this powerfully smacking 119bpm 12in smash has as you surely know been huge on LP for months.

BABY ’O: ‘In The Forest’ (Calibre CABL 505) (BNDA debut 4/26/80)
Thunderously rattling and jumping 126bpm 12in Latin party leaper is already huge on import and should be another Odyssey as it’s well established especially with MoR and Wally crowds.  Continue reading “July 19, 1980: George Benson, Jermaine Jackson, Baby ‘O, Teena Marie, Narada Michael Walden”

July 12, 1980: One Way ft Al Hudson, Shakatak, Level 42, William De Vaughn, Dynasty

Odds ‘N Bods

Surface Noise’s Chris Palmer of Soho Greek Street’s Groove record shop is now compiling Radio Luxembourg’s import chart show (Fridays 9-11pm), which should give it more credibility . . . EMI’s disco dept (ie Gof Abbey) and lots more personnel have been made redundant from the end of the month, and Motown will move back to EMI’s Manchester Square offices . . . Jermaine Jackson ‘Burnin’ Hot’ is due on 12in this week . . . George Benson’s 12in LV B-side will be ‘The World Is A Ghetto’ / ‘Breezin’’ – is that hot or is that hot?! . . . Herb Alpert ‘Beyond’ on 12in evidently should indeed be printed 33 1/3rpm, making it 126-127-126bpm after all, though I think the B-side is at 45rpm . . . Isaac Hayes ‘I Ain’t Never’ is due again with original flip on UK 12in but now in its US promo extended 125-126-125(“go head”)-127bpm 10:26 remix . . . Narada Michael Walden ‘I Don’t Want Nobody Else’ / ‘You’re Soo Good’, Mass Production ‘Cosmic Lust’ / ‘Gonna Make You Love Me’, Sun ‘Space Ranger’ / ‘Hot Spot’ / ‘Quest’ will be on UK 12in ere long . . . Sadao Watanabe featuring Dave Grusin & Eric Gale is the latest Japanese digital recording to create a stir on JVC’s Flying Disk label . . . Herbie Hancock’s US 12in of ‘Go For It’ (US Columbia 43-11310) has a much extended ‘Stars In Your Eyes’ as flip . . . Ariola’s Erskine T has reserviced Delegation ‘Put A Little Love On Me’ from last Xmas, while EMI jocks have had a US Capitol promo 12in of Helen Reddy ‘Take What You Find’, a cool chugging 111bpm DOR thudder like Blondie singing current Cliff Richard . . . Motown’s 20th Anniversary is celebrated by the September 5th release of a special box set (which you’d better order now as it’s for immediate deletion) containing 20 double-sided Top 40 hit singles (40 titles), a badge plus the hitherto unreleased Marvelettes ‘Finders Keepers Losers Weepers’ (is that the Nella Dodds song?) c/w Kim Weston ‘Do Like I Do’ . . . PEEL’s latest sponsor-disc development is a flimsy 7in radio commercial advertising a cinema programme – but surely DJs would find it even more useful without backing music so that they could run the message over an instrumental break of their own? . . . Capital Radio’s Graham Dene and his producer Mike Childs are now travelling with me to New York on Sunday (I’m going more for fun than the forum, if Blackburn’s Martin Platts doesn’t object) – and did you catch the hysterical tape on Capital that put Graham and a stumbling lady phone-in contestant to the backing of ‘Je T’Aime’ with amazingly pornographic results?! . . . Alan Jewell (Finchley Road Les Elites) would have come to New York but will lose his day job if he does – oddly enough at Elite Motors (no relation) . . . Tony Jenkins (Mayfair Playboy) will be auditioning DJs for a new central London club, apply to him at 55 Greenacres Avenue, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middlesex . . . Richard Lofthouse, 8 years a DJ at such Newcastle-upon-Tyne clubs as Julies, Playground & Grobs, is going mobile again with his jazz-funk Lofty’s Roadshow (Newcastle 681913/775401) . . . Kev James of au-pair fame is mobile on Wednesdays (such a busy night of the week) through PSD agency (01-267 7534), and says that as Mondays at Golders Green Great Expectations will soon be a Doctors & Nurses night (for real), he’ll give free tickets to any genuine nurses (and au-pairs) who can supply proof with an SAE at the 911 Finchley Road club . . . Iain Goodkind at Hendon’s Groove Line record shop now does Wed/Fri/Saturdays at Finchley Road’s redecorated Purple Pussycat (in Lithos Road), and reports Chic’s latest is a real floor-clearer . . . Kelly returns to jazz-funk Wigan Pier next Tuesday, flying up from Brighton Sherrys, his Mon-Saturday residency now which is getting a massive refit by Bacchus . . . John DeSade seems to be at Gravesend Wings every Thurs/Friday and Sheerness Woodys on Tuesdays . . . Northern club-owning Pete Stringfellow’s new plush Stringfellows next to Peppermint Park in St Martins Lane evidently has a jacket & tie policy, which may prove too provincial for the type of smart fashion-conscious Londoners it might otherwise attract . . . Wild Walt Brown (Surbiton) of the zany DJ style can be seen in the odd High Street on the back of a Ford Ranchero playing hillbilly music and extolling the virtues of Kentucky Fried Chicken, much to people’s amazement! . . . Sean “Slimline” French celebrated his birthday at the Royalty last Saturday, then with Tom “No Buns Please” Holland and Martin Collins (who’s skinny anyway) came to Gullivers to see James “Thin Man” Hamilton and Fatman Graham “Call Me Cuddles” Canter (who let the side down rather) . . . Jo Field, now helping on Glen Olds’ import stall in Hemel Hempstead and Hatfield markets, warns Sean French that eggs on toast are fattening!

UK Newies

ONE WAY FEATURING AL HUDSON: ‘Pop It’ (MCA MCAT 619) (‘Do Your Thang’ BNDA debut 6/28/80)
Skippable freaky phone ringing intro to a great sparsely smacking perky 113-114bpm heavy bass thumper that works well out of Tom Browne and ‘Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll’ before mixing on perfectly into Denise LaSalle ‘I’m So Hot’, amazingly on 3-track 12in flipped by the previously 7-inched but now full 115-114-115-116bpm ‘Do Your Thang’ and 110-112-114bpm ‘Copy This’ – the import album’s three hottest tracks!

SHAKATAK: ‘Steppin’’ (enquiries to Les McCutcheon, 0602-410055)
On unidentified moody white label and well worth finding, this lovely lazily swaying classy instrumental 99bpm 12in jazz piano jogger obviously has ‘The Groove’ in mind as though much slower it unnecessarily keeps stopping almost too often for comfort. Similar quality jazz (nothing amateur about these) are the flip’s two tracks, the skipping 131-130bpm ‘Killing Time’ and atmospheric dead slow 31bpm ‘Lumiere’. Are they British or American?

LEVEL 42: ‘Love Meeting Love’ (Elite DAZZ 5)
UK-recorded musically ambitious if naggingly derivative mellow flowing and swaying 99-95-100-101bpm 12in vocal jogger with bubbling synth ‘Rise’-like beat at times and jazzy piano intensity building from the break, sax taking the lead on the flip’s longer 100-99-100-101-102-101bpm instrumental love version – the whole effect being rather Lonnie Liston Smith meets Gato Barbieri. Early crackly pressings are being recut so there aren’t many copies about yet.  Continue reading “July 12, 1980: One Way ft Al Hudson, Shakatak, Level 42, William De Vaughn, Dynasty”

July 5, 1980: George Duke, Gladys Knight & The Pips, B.T. Express, Locksmith, Rick James

Odds ‘N Bods

George Benson ‘Give Me The Night’ will be on 12in LV here (the year’s last LV, says WEA’s Fred Dove somewhat cryptically) . . . Gayle Adams ‘Stretch’ In Out / ‘Plain Out Of Luck’ is on UK 12in next week, followed later in the month by Rhyze, Jean Carn . . . Diana Ross ‘Upside Down’ will be remixed for UK 12in (but will it be the original Chic mix?) . . . Stanley Clarke’s UK 12in in a fortnight features ‘We Supply’ / ‘More Hot Fun’ / ‘Together Again’ . . . Ben E King ‘You’ve Only Got One Chance To Be Young’ official A-side, which noticeably nobody is playing, is being re-pressed with a brighter new cut . . . Rokel’s next hit after Bunny Mack should be Jimmy Senyah ‘Weakness For Your Sweetness’, a great mid-teens BPM scatting jazzy chugger with Edwin Starr-arranged brass, due in three weeks . . . Rick Clarke ‘Potion’ is the latest UK-recorded moody white label 12in, and possibly the worst to date – some people will play anything! . . . RCA’s merger with PRAT makes for interesting possibilities – somehow the “brat from RATCRAP” has a better ring than “CARPART”! . . . Liverpool would seem to have an import stockist at last, Eric Hearn reporting that all the records he plays at the Timepiece and Cagneys being available from Rumbelows in Whitechapel . . . Paul Clark (Brighton Mr K’s every Thursday – where T-shirts but no jeans are allowed) says Brighton’s HMV store has ‘Live At The Roxy’ for £2.60 . . . Catford & Lewisham’s Chequers record shops are distributing a South London/North Kent-orientated ‘Disco News’ broadsheet put together by Steve Cane (Catford Governor General on Fridays), Robert Sawyer (Beckenham Tites/Bromley Road Squire) & King Enri (Lewisham/various) . . . Billboard’s latest Disco Forum VIII is at New York’s Sheraton Centre Hotel from Monday 14 to Thursday 17th July, the depleted British contingent so far as I can tell being Froggy, Morgan Khan, Leeds Warehouse owner Mike Wiand and most probably myself – yes, it IS worth going over for, for the fun and not the forum itself (why else would I keep going?) . . . I’m not sure I’ll go to any New York discos with Morgan Khan though! . . . Norman Scott says London’s Charing Cross Road Sundown is finally getting a full US-style lighting set-up costing £30,000, a motorised full-size cinema screen already being in place . . . Chris Duke returns next month from Germany, where he founded the British Forces DJ Assn (he’ll start a British branch here), and is looking for suitable potential club premises in the Peterborough area and would also like to hear from East Midlands jocks – so, Steve Allen and others, write to him c/o Armoury flight, RAF Gutersloh, BFPO 47 . . . Chris also nicknamed his top six DJs in Germany “the NAAFIA”! . . . Leeds-based black group Clique were rather good at Gullivers last week, with an interesting mixture of 2-Tone-type twinned saxes, Hi-Tension rhythm, reggae numbers, excellent extrovert showmanship and the best amplified sound I’ve heard in that club – but their own material could be stronger . . . Stephanie Mills married Shalamar’s Jeffrey Daniels recently, with gospel’s James Cleveland officiating . . . I hope all soul fans with a sense of history saw last Thurday’s superb BBC2 film about veteran tapdancers Bunny Briggs, Howard “Sandman” Sims and – especially Chuck Green (of legendary Chuck & Chuckles), shot at Harlem’s Smalls Paradise and outside the Apollo (my old stamping grounds in ‘64), it was literally nostalgia on legs! . . . Colchester Embassy Suite has a jazz-funk weekender next Sat/Sunday (12/13) with John Douglas, Gary Soul, Chris Tyler, Andy Starr, Bob Jones plus Sean French (Sat) & Chris Brown (Sun), tickets £2 per day or £3.50 for both . . . Alan Donald does Rothesay Paddle Boat every weekend, and amazingly reports that Donna Summer is not in his chart! . . . Mike Allin, now jazz-funking Hemel Hempstead Scamps on Fri/Saturdays, says Mario Viola does a great Eddie Waring – this is true! . . . Kev Hill (Brentwood 0277 221309/0268 703625) wants more jazz-funk work, especially in clubs . . . Rudy “Rapper” Gilpin is now mixing at Chelsea Click (ex-Country Cousins) . . . Edgbaston Faces gives free entry before 10pm to anyone wearing a Faces Funky Profile badge, which must be good business . . . Ian Hay and twenty dancers had a sponsored 25 hour marathon disco in aid of handicapped children at Cleethorpes Clouds last weekend . . . Mark Clark & Tony Barton’s Back Chat roadshow did Playboy chief Victor Lownes’ marathon party last Sunday . . . Paul Gough funks Hartlepool Gemini and due to pressure of work has actually given up his day job – he’d like to thank record companies who have helped, and also says Prince Philip Mitchell’s old ‘I’m So Happy’ (US Atlantic LP) is el monstro . . . Gary Allan now calls Liverpool McMillans the “home of the gnomes” following his appeal for people to take their garden gnomes out for the night . . . Andy Greg and the Loughton locals in Essex think Liquid Gold are great . . . Kev Rousell (Margate Sounds Sensational mobile) finds that early Boney M and Village People hits are still his saviour when confronted with a totally non-funky crowd who don’t even dance to Top 40 hits . . . I‘ve somehow managed to avoid playing anything by Boney M except for the instrumental intro to the ‘Rasputin’ 12in! I actually did a party for A&M’s foreign executives last week, which didn’t take off until I hit a ‘60s soul groove – though Jerry Moss (the M of A&M) dug the doo-wops having started by promoting the Crests’ ‘16 Candles’! – anyway, one disco segue worked well with the Wallys: Chic ‘Le Freak’ into Donna Summer ‘Bad Girls’, synching outro into Lipps Inc. ‘Funkytown’, second break into Baby ‘O ‘In The Forest’ into Odyssey ‘Use It Or Lose It’, chopping into (surprisingly) Lonnie Liston Smith ‘Give Peace A Chance’ . . . Alan Jewel (Finchley Road Les Elites) mixes Odyssey out of Philly Cream ‘No Time Like Now’ . . . Frenchie sez to look out for Bishop’s Head Ensemble ‘Samba Of The Semen’, big in the North-West . . . Fatman Graham Canter (Mayfair Gullivers), drooling over the Dells’ forthcoming ‘I Touched A Dream’ smoocher (US 20th Century), says “all my ladies prefer me fat and cuddly” – however he seems envious of my lean meat and water diet’s rapid result . . . Nick Bardell (Buckden) writes a good paraphrase doesn’t he? . . . Millie Jackson’s ‘Not On Your Life’ ends with a nice line to startle people with as a stab – try it and see! . . . KEEP IT FUNKY, STAY SLIM!

UK Newies

GEORGE DUKE: ‘Brazilian Love Affair’ (Epic EPC 13-8751)
Monster left-field jazz-funk smash in the Azymuth tradition, this rattling and tapping Brazilian bounder builds on slightly slower 12in through 61/123-125-126bpm to a terrific exciting 127-131bpm bass, percussion and piano last half.

GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS: ‘Taste Of Bitter Love’ (from LP ‘About Love’, CBS 84178) (BNDA debut 6/14/80)
Absolute killer of a credibility-restoring 108-110-108bpm pent-up jogging smacker in the Roberta & Donny style has been huge for mafiosi and will eventually be on remixed 12in – but get this now!

B.T. EXPRESS: ‘Give Up The Funk (Let’s Dance)’ (Calibre 503) (BNDA debut 4/19/80)
4-track 12in containing two songs in different versions, this great funkily burbling chugger in a slightly fast 116bpm “original” and much slower 112(intro)-113bpm longer “remix”, the jauntily pushing variety-filled ‘Does It Feel Good’ staying at 117bpm for both editions.  Continue reading “July 5, 1980: George Duke, Gladys Knight & The Pips, B.T. Express, Locksmith, Rick James”

June 28, 1980: Cecil Parker, Rolling Stones, SOS Band, Crusaders, George Benson

Odds ‘N Bods

One Way & Al Hudson ‘Pop It’ / ‘Do Your Thang’ / ‘Copy This’ will be on UK 3-track 12in next week, as will John Hardy ‘Hard Work’, followed by a 4-tracker featuring Merry Clayton ‘Emotion’ / Dramatics ‘Music Is The People’s Choice’ / Heat ‘Just Like You’ / Love Committee ‘Boogie Papers’, all via MCA! . . . PRAT have picked up Baby ‘O ‘In The Forest’ for UK . . . Aurra ‘When I Come Home’ is being saved as a longer US remix which is already overdue . . . Taste Of Honey ‘Boogie Oogie Oogie’ will be B-side of their next 12in here and is not actually out again yet . . . Stanley Clarke’s disappointingly rock-orientated ‘Rocks, Pebbles, And Sand’ album (Epic) will be sold here with a free promo 12in of ‘We Supply’ for the first 10,000 copies . . . Phyllis Hyman’s longer largely 93 then 94-95-96-97bpm ‘Kiss You All Over’ remix is now alone as one double-A side of her still 99p 3-track 12in, ‘Under Your Spell’ and ‘Hold On’ being bunged up together on the other side this time . . . Tom Browne’s full US title is ‘Funkin’ For Jamaica (NY)’ – Jamaica being part of the New York borough of Queens on Long Island (in fact it’s where Kennedy Airport is situated) – this localized bit of title presumably, and probably rightly, being deemed confusing for Britain . . . Heatwave record their next Rod Temperton-penned LP in London over the next two months, Johnnie Wilder possibly producing . . . Winston Grant of Leeds won the Sheffield Top Rank-held national final of the Carling Black Label Lager disco dancer contest, getting £750 . . . Teesvalley Roadshow’s Graham Bond, a pirate radio freak, is publishing a quarterly ‘Disco Radio Review’ magazine which, though modest in concept (and the spelling could be better!), contains some sensible info for DJs – 40p (p&p included) from Invicta Promotions, 7 Crossbeck Way, Ormesby, Middlesbrough, Cleveland . . . Thames Valley DJ Assn members meet for a fire-fighting lecture and ICE Electrics demonstration at Reading Fire Station this Sunday (29) lunchtime . . . Terry Lennaine, whose next Merseyside bus to Gullivers is on August 9, together with Tony Morgan opens his own club The Zoo in New Brighton next Friday (4) . . . Peter Shauns has come down from the North to jazz-funk Folkestone Tobys nightly . . . Dave Van Sieger & Dennis Brynner both now have shows on Southampton University’s campus-restricted Radio Glen (312m MW), having been brought together by this page! . . . Graham Gold (01 951 3285) is “getting back into it and looking for a bit of work”, funky preferred . . . Richard Witcombe & Dave Higgins (Stratton-On-The-Fosse 232837/Shepton Mallet 3851), playing whatever’s popular, both want extra weekly bookings . . . Tom Holland, Sean French and myself are only amongst a growing number of DJs on diets – mine is certainly working, but will Fatman ever join us? . . . Froggy the fantom farter says the added sub-woofers at Southgate Royalty really make your eyelids flutter when Tom Browne’s bass comes on – and that’s not all that flutters when Froggy lets one go! . . . Phonogram’s John Waller’s missus says that Chris Brown’s new haircut makes him look like Len Fairclough . . . CJ Carlos (Soho Hombre De Bahia) was once actually playing the record he was then asked for by some bozo and yet totally befuddled answered, “yes, OK, in just a minute!” . . . Steve Wiggins (Barry Freddie’s Bar – which has a beach party this Friday) says “brat froth PRAT” Morgan Khan can try his line anytime, he’s got the best pantie selection in Wales . . . Steve Day (Chingford), freshly back from San Francisco, says virtually the only music heard on Northern California radio is Country-Rock . . . Peter Young is doing Greg Edwards’ Capital Radio soul show, it’s Mike Allen on the Best Disco broadcast of course . . . Chris Klopper (Goudhurst) is using Denise LaSalle ‘May The Funk Be With You’ as his theme tune . . . Bob Jones & Chris Hill have both independently revived Ingram ‘Mi Sebrina Tequana (My Sister’s Daughter)’ (US H&L LP), other oldies for Hill being The Whole Darn Family ‘Seven Minutes Of Funk’ (US Soul Int’l 12in), Pleasure ‘Ghettos Of Your Mind’ (Fantasy LP), while Steve “‘Im Again” Allen (Peterborough) has pulled out 1976’s Tommy Stewart ‘Practice What You Preach’ / ‘Make Happy Music’ (US Abraxus LP) . . . Bootzilla (Chesham Gatsbys/JR’s) mega-mixes these jazz-funk oldies: Mandrill ‘Funky Monkey’ (Arista 12in), Atmosfear ‘Dancin’ In Outer Space’ (MCA 12in), Mass Production ‘Cosmic Lust’ (Atlantic 12in), Lonnie Liston Smith ‘Expansions’ (RCA 12in), Wilbert Longmire ‘Black Is The Colour’ (Tappan Zee 12in), Mongo Santamaria ‘Watermelon Man’ (Tappan Zee 12in), Lonnie Liston Smith ‘Space Princess’ (CBS 12in) . . . Megamix’s own current killer is Cameron ‘Let’s Get It Off’ synching the very last part in to the slightly varied-up Flakes ‘Sugar Frosted Lover’ for a superb long running mix, while BT Express ‘Give Up The Funk’ synchs claps nicely out of the central part of Lakeside ‘From 9:00 Until’ . . . Ralph Treuhaft, aka Ralph Tee of Groove Weekly, recommends Camden Town’s Playback Records at 3 Buck Street for jazz-funk oldies, while Soho’s Groove Records itself closes the “list the most titles containing the word ‘groove’” competition next week – so hurry, hurry! . . . it seems crazy that specialist disco shops often can’t get UK 12in releases because these don’t get circulated to the one-stops they deal with (chart-return shops being their destination), as after all it’s the specialist shops who built demand for the 12in in the first place . . . also, when it’s relatively easy to break a disco hit ¡f the record’s right, it’s amazing how many people in the record business haven’t got a clue and do it all wrong – I’ve nothing specific in mind, but have merely been listening to a pile of no-hopers . . . Greg Davies (Stevenage Bo Jangles) sez “KEEP IT TIGHT!”

UK Newies

CECIL PARKER: ‘Really Really Love You’ (EMI 12EMI 5086)
Terrific bassily booming soulful 110-111-112-113bpm 12in jogger in the ‘Back Together Again’ bag (slower now than the US 12in) with tootling sax and husky rap, huge for the Mafia.

ROLLING STONES: ‘Emotional Rescue’ (Rolling Stones RSR 105) (BNDA debut 7/19/80)
Great slinky spare 112-113-115-114-116-117-119bpm 7in strutter squeakily sung in somewhat Frederic Knight-like style, giving it strong crossover disco appeal.

THE S.O.S. BAND: ‘Take Your Time (Do It Right)’ (Tabu TBU 134564) (BNDA debut 4/12/80)
US smash simple repetitive chix-chanted 119-120-119bpm pop-slanted pure “disco” jolter finally on deserved UK 12in in all its intensity-building length.  Continue reading “June 28, 1980: Cecil Parker, Rolling Stones, SOS Band, Crusaders, George Benson”

June 21, 1980: Cameo, Whispers, Kool & The Gang, Patti Austin, Charanga 76

Odds ‘N Bods

Detroit Spinners ‘Cupid’ is also on 12in, while Bob Marley’s 12in flip includes the bonus 63bpm ‘Ride Natty Ride’ . . . Dave Grusin’s direct-cut Japanese import LP on JVC is getting big for jazz jocks, but I’ve yet to hear it as Groove don’t demonstrate direct-cuts as they’re so expensive! . . . Whitehaven Whitehouse got their Sunday licence back and celebrate with an all-dayer on August 3rd starring Chris Hill, Jeff Young, Pete Haigh, Frenchie and the resident jocks – see you there! . . . Jeff Young starts a weekly live jazz night this Sunday (22) at Dartford Flicks, starring Reg Webb’s Fusion . . . Flicks’ VE night last week was fun, but Robbie Vincent’s fascinating World War II tape did seem to last a week! . . . Erskine T (Thompson) is now Arista’s disco plugger, at 01-491 3870 on Mon/Tuesday Pete Haigh & Frenchie, rapidly expanding their activities from Caton Scarthwaite, are now part of a Northern funk mafia known as The Team and including Eric Hearn (Liverpool), Billy (Standish Cassinellis), Neil Neile (Stoke/Nottingham), Pete Girtley (Sheffield) and the Rumours funk night jocks . . . Darryl Hayden claims Yellow Magic Orchestra broke first at February’s Slough allniter and thanks the Richmond Cheekee, Pete’s “funk invaders” for first adopting it as their theme tune – however Mark Cotgrove writes from Southend to say “although I’m ashamed to admit it, I started the Zero 6 “space invader” dance (damn it)!” – anyone else for instant fame? . . . Colin Curtis thinks there were about a thousand Northerners at Knebworth and says the alldayer that he and John Grant returned for was down in numbers noticeably by 500 or so . . . Kev Hill funks – and he really does mean funks – a barbeque at the South Weald Flower Festival in Brentwood next Saturday (28) and advises £2.50 tickets covering food as well are available from him (send SAE) at 65 London Road, Brentwood CM14 4NN . . . Chris Britton is selling some rare disco 12in promos and pop collectors items, lists from him at 16 Portland House, Arnison Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks . . . Ralph Tea, Marious Cee & Nigel RA See work in Fleet Street and in their spare time have put together a regular and rather hip jazz-funk fanzine called Groove Weekly which though skimpy is well worth seeing – Ralph also runs a jazz-funk disco around Watford, so for more details call him on Rickmansworth 77774 (presumably evenings) . . . Arbie is back at Retford MAYC, cos the wally jock who replaced him evidently lost over half the audience! . . . Pete Tong, whose West Kingsdown Hilltop jazz-funk night is every Monday, joins Dave Brown on BBC Radio Medway this Friday (20) from 7-8pm . . . Martin Collins now can be found behind the counter at Groove . . . Gary Oldis reports that Geordies are chanting “why aye” to Cameo’s ‘On The One’ at Aycliffe Gretna Green . . . Steve Dennis says that the alternations at Edgbaston Profile Suite will double the size and update his room . . . Sammy DeHavilland whispers that Halesowen Libertys manager Steve Lefearve was wearing a Saturday Night Fever badge! . . . SEDA have a little wine and cheese party in Chilham next Sunday, which could be pleasant if the weather’s good . . . Diana Ross’s remix of her Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards-produced LP‘s far from their own original version, which had a fuller-fleshed Chic texture – and its thinness is indeed annoyingly evident if you mix it out of something beefier . . . Teena Marie’s 7in might just as well be a different record, amazingly leaving out all the most distinctive features of the full version! . . . One Way ‘Pop It’ is another good mix out of Tom Browne ‘Funkin’ For Jamaica’ . . . Brian Brindle (Chelsea Alibi) sez that Change ‘Searching’ isn’t difficult to get into, he merely wacks up the volume on the intro and for all those who leave the floor, double enter it . . . DJ Donald seems to be getting less rock and more disco-orientated up in the Berwick/SE Scotland area, and probably starts a local paper review column soon . . . Paul “Wiggy” Wignall (Liverpool Oscars) is the latest Merseysider to complain at the lack of a proper import outlet there . . . Chart contributors and potential contributors, please note that our deadline is Wednesday/Thursday, so get ‘em in by then if possible (on your own paper – there are no printed forms) to James Hamilton, Record Mirror, 40 Longacre, London WC2 . . . KEEP IT FUNKY!

UK Newies

CAMEO: ‘On The One’ (Casablanca CANL 199)
Great jittery lurching 115bpm 12in funk smacker with infectious “wah oh” chanting that’s already become one of the big call and answer shouts (in fact possibly making it the biggest record at Knebworth), flipped by the similar but even heavier bass-pulverised 116-115bpm ‘Cameosis’ for read double sided value.

WHISPERS: ‘My Girl’ (Solar SO 12-8)
Teasingly started and interrupted by tapping and rattling percussion spliced in amongst the familiar Temptations bass line, this 116(intro)-118-119-118-120-119-116bpm 12in revival should be a pop smash – and in fact was instantly but briefly even bigger than ‘And The Beat Goes On’ around Christmas!

KOOL & THE GANG: ‘Hangin’ Out’ (De-Lite KOOL 912) (BNDA debut 9/8/79)
Powerfully remixed spurting 117(intro)-118-120-122-120-123-121-124bpm 12in “rock” smacker now flipped by the full version of 1976’s brassily galloping 117(intro)-121bpm ‘Open Sesame’, complete with good rattling break and bags of bounce. Continue reading “June 21, 1980: Cameo, Whispers, Kool & The Gang, Patti Austin, Charanga 76”

June 14, 1980: Tom Browne, Change, Ben E. King, Flakes, One Way ft Al Hudson

Odds ‘N Bods

Diana Ross’ new “Chic” LP, reviewed last week on import, is now out here (Motown STMA 8033) but add 1bpm to my original estimates (and the Temptations ‘Power’ on UK 12in is 126bpm) – in fact BPM differences caused simply by voltage variations between the times of doing them is giving me problems at the moment! . . . Johnny Guitar Watson’s B-side (on 7in anyway) is the slow ‘Jet Plane’ . . . BT Express and Cameo are both due now next week, but Cameo will be preceded for jocks by promo-only extra “special” versions . . . Invisible Man’s Band compared with the US original is so much brighter (even though 2bpm slower) that it sounds like a smash . . . George Duke’s rapid rather left-field rise is reminiscent of Azymuth . . . The Mexicano joins the “who shot JR” race with a 114bpm rapper called ‘Dallas’ . . . PEEL’s latest 4-track Sponsor-Disc finally has a disco-orientated jingle thanks to Foster Grant (the sunglasses one on telly) . . . Dartford Flicks’ VE Night wartime fancy dress party this Thursday (12) stars General Robbie Vincent, Catering Cpl Jeff Young, a real WWII searchlight outside, nostalgia on tape and guest surprises, the whole lot being videoed for showing again next week – now, where’s my gas mask?! . . . August Bank Holiday Saturday sees a 7000-capacity marquee going up at Skegness to house two major US jazz-funk acts (Colin Curtis tells me the Brothers Johnson are under negotiation) – what an original idea! . . . Mike Allen takes over Greg Edwards’ Capital soul show for a few weeks this Saturday . . . Ilford Room At The Top wants an experienced local club-orientated jock for extra work there, no time wasters, call Terry Hooper on 01-478 5588 (club hours) . . . Rob Harknett’s Danish DJ friend needs a British jock with “crazy” chat who’ll get room and evening meal as well as a good wage, send demo tape to White Corner, 7700 Thisted, Denmark . . . Chris Britton’s drink/record company-subsidised promotional disco tour still has a few vacant dates, call 0494-451797 and be amazed at the low asking price . . . Fatman’s jockette friend Nicky Mackenzie wants more London club work three nights a week (01-351 1624) while her flatmate had a mystery visitor – no, say no more! . . . Chris Klopper, whose Funkannection show works around West/Mid-Kent, wants to get up-front funk gigs slightly further afield (Goudhurst 211229 evenings) . . . Gordon Hart & Colin Dalton plead for more hip funksters so they can improve the music at Charing Cross Griffin Tavern’s dive bar in Villiers Street, Tues-thru-Fridays . . . Sammy DeHavilland reports a healthy clan scene growing at Halesowen Libertys on the jazz-funk Fridays, saying any Black Country funksters needing transport should contact him on 021-444 6593/7919 . . . Terry Lennaine’s recent busload of Merseysiders at Mayfair Gullivers was a lot of fun (they say they’ll be back regularly) – special hello’s to DJs John Hazelhurst & Steve Murphy, my tall friend Flora, and to Phil, Collette, Alan & Norman . . . Alan Jewell, chauffeur and dining companion of the stars, now mixes alongside Des Hill on Sat/Sundays at Finchley Road’s really lavishly redecorated Les Elites, where Terry Prince still does the other nights . . . BT Express ‘Funk Theory’ was of course originally a hit for Rokotto, who had a good laugh when they heard it recently! . . . Franklin Sinclair (Stretford) points out that Collins & Collins ‘You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good’ was originally on Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes’ ‘Wake Up Everybody’ LP . . . Larry Foster (Ilford Room At The Top) and Steve Wiggins (Barry Freddies Bar) both do a dance to ‘The Scratch’ in a fairly self-explanatory way, while Kev Hill (Brentwood) says the BT Express ‘Give Up The Funk’ “space invaders” dance (surely only a variation on the old Funky robot?) was being done in ‘74 to War’s ‘Me And Baby Brother’ – as Chris Hill says, if you look hard enough you’ll find Egyptian pyramid carvings that show every step ever invented! . . . Gary Oldis is delighted that he’s swung back to funk at Aycliffe Gretna Green club . . . Ashley Woods (Sleaford) says his pet python Clyde nearly escaped from his cage after getting into Breakwater ‘Release The Beast’! . . . Northampton Cinderella Rockerfella’s Jason Maine, aka Colin Prime, has had to find a painful new position so I’m told – for jocking, that is! . . . Mecca’s “mole”, Tina Lee should have been in her boxer shorts at the Stevenage forum . . . Steve Allen (Peterborough) asks, “wot about the Steve Allen of the ‘Benny Goodman Story’ fame?” . . . Phonogram’s Orin Cozier now says he’s “anyone’s man”, while the brat from PRAT confesses to being a pantie stealer – which seems highly likely! . . . Rod Bolam (Stevenage) recommends Manchester-based funkers the Reality Band and similarly Stevie Glover (Bournemouth) sez the local Blackwater Gold are dynamite, like a cross between Surface Noise and Hi-Tension (African Music Machine’s old ‘Blackwater Gold’ being their theme tune) – you can catch the latter every Sunday from July 6th at Bournemouth Maison Royale . . . Paul Lofthouse is the third DJ in Southampton’s Virgin spinning team . . . Mark Clark’s big Back Chat Roadshow backs the 208 jocks in Middlesbrough’s Albert Park this weekend . . . ‘And Justice For All’, a harrowing black comedy that’s not in itself an incredibly good movie, has a great jazz-funk score by Dave Grusin that should be on record . . . King Enri (Catford) has formed a rival mafia for fat DJs, the Flabby Fat Funkers DJA! . . . I’m on a diet! . . . Southampton University Bootsies points out the huge revival of disco in the charts, Erik-Jack (Bognor Regis) adding “disco is alive and well, it’s the record companies that are dead” . . . KEEP IT FUNKY!

UK Newies

TOM BROWNE: ‘Funkin’ For Jamaica’ (Arista ARIST 12357) (BNDA debut 8/23/80)
A 2½ bar trumpet note followed by chattering chaps intro this dynamite 112bpm 12in heavy funk clapper that explodes with the dirtiest and loudest bass you’ve ever heard! Out here ahead of the US, it’s causing a sensation for lucky acetate-serviced Mafiosi and mixes perfectly on into ‘Bounce Rock Skate Roll (Pt 2)’ . . . if you can synch the latter’s claps! The more normal 48/96-98 bpm ‘Her Silent Smile’ jazz trumpet jogger is flip.

CHANGE: ‘A Lover’s Holiday’ (WEA K 79141T) (BNDA debut 3/29/80)
Bass-snapped chix chanted simple steady 117 bpm 12in thudder not unlike Gino Soccio’s ‘Dancer’, flipped by the Chic-influenced fluidly melodic chap-sung gay 119 bpm ‘The Glow Of Love’ which many now prefer.

BEN E. KING: ‘Music Trance’ (Atlantic K 11495T) (BNDA debut 3/1/80)
Long established great jauntily bubbling 109(intro)-108-110-109 bpm funk chugger finally (and probably too late) on speeded-up commercial 12in as the flip to the similarly speeded but badly mixed and nowhere as strong blandly romping 118-117-120(“one chance”)-119(break)-120-119 bpm ‘You’ve Only Got One Chance To Be Young’ swinger.  Continue reading “June 14, 1980: Tom Browne, Change, Ben E. King, Flakes, One Way ft Al Hudson”