March 5, 1983: Chill Fac-torr, The Band A.K.A., Kashif, Jerry Knight, Glenn Jones

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

THIS YEAR’S World Disco Dancing Championship, for the first time sponsored by Malibu (coconut flavoured rum), will begin with 82 heats throughout Britain during April-June before culminating with no fewer than eight nationally televised shows on Channel 4 directed by Mike Mansfield, including the internationally shown hour-long World final, all the dancing being to actual records with some heavy involvement by London DJ Steve Walsh — and there are still some venues needed for the preliminary heats, interested club managers/DJs wishing their club to be considered should contact either Steve Walsh or Jon Osborne at Concorde Management on 01-735 8171 . . . Greg Edwards may be in radio limbo at the moment but he certainly left a legacy in Forrest, which he alone broke (and which CBS seemed to have run out of last week!) . . . JFM’s Dave Collins has turned up in the pre-breakfast slot on Capital for a trial run . . . UK acts are breaking so big via video on TV in the States (where the comatose audience must have been waiting for just such a new excitement) that in fact maybe “urban contemporary” radio will soon stop playing them, to make some difference in format from ‘Top 40’ . . . I’ll be interested to see if the new Compact Disc laser-tracked digital audio system will include split-second dubbing and vari speed facilities! . . . Extra T’s ‘E.T. Boogie’ is now belatedly about on somewhat less expensive continental import, in picture sleeve . . . Harry Ray ‘Love Is A Game’ has been remixed for UK 12in . . . Earth Wind & Fire ‘Spread Your Love’ will only be on 7in, although DJs are being mailed the same version on 12in promo . . . Spencer Jones’ undeservedly ignored ‘How High‘ is hitting the US Dance/Disco chart on Next Plateau, while Culture Club ‘Do You Really Want To Hurt Me’ is a Black US hit . . . Soul On Sound’s current issue is running late, as suggested lest week, but should be about by now, my preview mix as promised finally catching up with some of the faster electrophonic stuff (I actually did the last part first this time, to be sure of getting ’em in!), comprising: Fatback/Steve Arrington ‘You Meet My Approval’/Wish/Whispers/Kashif/Salsoul Orch/Visual/C-Brand/Micronawts/The System ‘Sweat’/Aural Exciters/Tyrone (Tystick) Brunson/Attitude ‘We Got The Juice’/ . . . Soulsonic Force/World’s Supreme Team Show/Contact-U/Jonzun Crew ‘Pack Jam’/Coco Du Jour ‘Dancin’ In The Darkness’/Quadrant Six ‘Body Mechanic’/Klein & MBO ‘Wonderful’/Jonzun Crew ‘Space Is The Place’/Reggie Griffin & Technofunk/Orbit/Instant Funk ‘No Stoppin’/Ray Slyy ‘Hey You’/Thrust ‘Can’t Wait To Get To You’/Prince Charles ‘In The Streets’/“D” Train ‘”D” Train Dub’ . . . SOS’s Epping Forest alldayer this Sunday (6) is advance ticket only, no admission at the door, so if in a flap call 01-629 5897(11am-6pm) for details . . . Capital’s four hour long New Year’s Eve party show is still valid as the records were chosen for a timeless, general, appeal . . . Prince Charles’s ‘Gang War (or the Acid Funk Syndrome)’ is fine, it’s side one’s 121 bpm ‘Rise’ and similar 121 bpm ‘Move Your Feet (To The Beat)’ that are less substantial . . . Percy Sledge’s ‘Percy!’ LP is all new, Percy being the ’60s soulster of ‘When A Man Loves A Woman’ fame . . . Stevie ‘CJ’ Craven is the Edinburgh Annabel’s jock, and Tim Arnold the DevonAir soul show host . . . Record Mirror’s soul/funk orientated Disco chart is as up-front as possible bearing in mind the national spread of our DJ contributors, while the Nightclub chart is possibly bogged down by having most contributors of all, but for real upfront reaction you can’t beat the Boys Town Disco listing as that is compiled from only a handful of influential venues, several contacted by phone every weekend and currently including: Charing Cross Heaven, Earls Court Copacabana, Mayfair Napoleons, Mile End Benjys, Haringey Bolts, various Dicks Inns, Manchester Heroes, Liverpool McMillans, Bournemouth Adams . . . Rawle James at Toronto’s Rooneys is a Canadian reader of these pages, but apart from expatriate Brits have we any US-based readers? . . . Carl Kingston, now home in Hull at Mecca’s Peppermint Park, always used our Disco reviews for buying records unheard from Britain while working all over Europe for the IDEA agency, and says “I have never been disappointed” . . . Nicky Holloway, still going strong with guest soul DJs every Monday at Bermondsey’s Swan & Sugarloaf (in Dockhead), asked for some oldies in this column and got ’em the very day the paper came out — “It pays to write to you”, sez Nicky . . . Mark Summers of Hackney’s Flappers (01-590 1825) is after McFadden & Whitehead ‘Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now’ on 12in, to buy or swap for Peter Brown ‘Can’t Be Love — Do It To Me Anyway’ — this latter he’ll sell for £1.99, and it’s also offered for sale by Anthony Godden of 23 Redcliffe Square, London SW 10 . . . Mile End’s Disco Music has shifted its stock of thousands of soul/disco oldies (12in/7in) to the basement of 18 Newport Court, just off the Charing Cross Road behind Leicester Square tube station, which should be convenient for a rummage even by out-of-town visitors to London . . . Bensons Of Henley is the new name for Wheelers, at Remenhan Hill in Henley On Thames . . . Cloud play at Stanmore Chevaliers this Saturday (5) . . . George Alexander funks Harrow Weald’s Middlesex & Herts Country Club every Tuesday now Lyndon “T” currently funks Peckham Kisses (Fri/Sat), Slough Studio 1’s Club Creole (Thurs), ladies night at Soho Fooberts (Wed) . . . Kool ‘Ladies Night’ is a killer, as suspected, out of the vocal version of Wish ‘Mr DJ’! . . . Charlie Brown, mobile from Walton On-Thames, joins Phil Jay for a jazz-soul oldies spot on Sundays at Byfleet Carafino . . . Robbie Collins funks Saturdays at Watford New Penny . . . Neil Fincham, Steve Martin & Ray West have established a late night (’til 3am) Sunday Soul Night at Edinburgh Mad Hatters — where the new term for “punters” is “hillmans” (Hillman Hunter, punter!) . . . whaddya mean, you’re too young to know what a Hillman Hunter was?! . . . Stateside reports suggest the O’Jays are so broke after two years without a record out and only a few gigs that they couldn’t come up with the cash for a court action . . . JoBoxers current pop hit is nothing less than Northern Soul thinly disguised . . . Paul Major (Lincoln Cinderella Rockerfella’s) raves that Cori Josias ‘Takin’ It Straight (Dub)‘ mixes superbly with Donna Summer ‘I Feel Love’, Space ‘Magic Fly’, Sharon Redd ‘Beat The Street’, Electrik Funk ‘On A Journey’, LOTW ‘Time’ . . . Adrian (Bournemouth Adams) finds Yarbrough & Peoples ‘Heartbeats‘ synchs perfectly through the Vincent Price outro of Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’ . . . Davy D’s decks on his recent Top Of The Pops appearance were supplied by EMI Music’s Rob Sawyer, who does weddings and bar mitzvahs on the side! . . . Modern Romance should note that I’d review their records (the early ones of which I used to champion) if only I received them before they’d hit the pop chart — in fact I’m still waiting for a 12in of ‘Cherry Pink’! . . . Mark Herstell (Knutsford) is trying to identify a chick-sung song that goes “that’s life, c’est la vie, mon cherie” — it certainly looks familiar, any ideas? . . . Dick James Music seem to have started a magazine supplement — or am I wrong? . . . Al Matthews denies he’s offering a prize for anyone who accurately counts the number of times he goes “mmm-hmmm” on Capital’s soul show? . . . YES INDEEDY!

HOT VINYL

CHILL FAC-TORR: ‘Twist (Round ‘N’ Round)’ (US Philly World PWR-2010)
Already selling like crazy although tricky to introduce to dancers at first, this is nothing so much as a brilliant adaptation of Hank Ballard’s Chubby Checker popularised ‘The Twist’ (appropriately again on a Philadelphia label), stretched and spaced out into a still twist tempoed (and dead difficult to mix!) cool 183/91½bpm 12in jazz-funk framework, with the slow acappella started vocal side and instrumental flip both featuring some superb duetting saxes soaring, honking and squealing in stereo. A novelty pop smash if released here, it’s another haunting Johnny Chingas!

THE BAND A.K.A.: ‘Joy’ (Epic Streetwave EPC A13-3145)
Catchy enough singalong (and along and along) 114bpm 12in soul swayer takes a while before finally reaching the band’s strong point, their great sax, which for me makes the more instrumental flip a better bet — but, this now is followed by a horrendously clumsy segue (beats going all over the place!) into their old ‘Grace’. Truly awful, a simple edit from sax to sax would have been better — but then Streetwave’s Morgan Khan couldn’t care now as the label’s leaving CBS/Epic (Contd. next week).

KASHIF: ‘I Just Got To Have You (Lover Turn Me On)’ (Arista ARIST 12521)
Super producer Kashif actually has some vocal support from Evelyn King herself as they struggle valiantly not to sing the words of ‘Love Come Down’ to this spacious 117½bpm 12in cool burbler (instrumental flip), which sounds just as you’d expect. Continue reading “March 5, 1983: Chill Fac-torr, The Band A.K.A., Kashif, Jerry Knight, Glenn Jones”

February 26, 1983: Forrest, Prince Charles & The City Beat Band, Sunfire, Steve Arrington’s Hall Of Fame

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

GOOD NEWS for admirers of the now deceased Record Business trade paper’s disco coverage, its disco sales chart transfers uninterrupted to Music Week as of this week . . . Polydor picked up Man Parrish ‘Hip Hop’ for UK release in a fortnight (pity not sooner as surprisingly it’s slipping now) . . . PRT’s ‘It’s In The Mix‘ compilation LP due early March will include the great US-only remix of Imagination ‘Changes’, along with other obvious recent stuff from their various labels like Indeep, Brenda Taylor, William De Vaughn . . . Sandy Martin (Swindon Brunel Rooms) had the word from Imagination’s Errol Kennedy that still ‘Heart And Soul’ is unscheduled for singles release — don’t they want to get out of their rut, or what? . . . Phonogram have revived the major Eddy Grant oldies on 3-track 12in (Mercury MERX 135), with the 123bpm ‘Do You Feel My Love?’, 137bpm ‘Living On The Frontline’, 137-138-0bpm ‘Frontline Symphony’ . . . Dick Morrissey’s new solo ‘After Dark’ LP (Coda CODA 2), a freewheeling jazz sax set recommended for listening (though I wish he hadn’t mucked up the theme from ‘Lou Grant’, which I’d dearly love someone to record straight), has in its cassette form been combined onto a single tape with his former sideman pianist John Critchinson’s ‘Summer Afternoon’, two sets for the price of one (Coda being the “acoustic jazz” outlet for Beggars Banquet) . . . Percy Sledge, ’60s ‘Percy!’ set on US Monument, as has his contemporary William Bell with a ‘Bad Time To Break Up‘ 7in on US Kat Family, both well soulful (as is the newer Lanier & Co’s set on US Larc), while also well worth checking by ’60s nostalgists is organist Jimmy McGriff’s swinging ‘The Groove’ LP on US Jam . . . Spandau Ballet manager Steve Dagger was recently telling me how New York City’s leading “urban contemporary” radio station, the black orientated WBLS, now concentrates on playing UK recorded electro-dance music (Human League/Yaz(oo)/ABC) and even has Chris Hill, against his better judgement, contributing features about this type of material — so it’s no wonder that all the black US acts are having to scramble aboard the electro bandwagon in order to survive . . . I have the theory that what’s caused ‘the split amongst funk fans’ here into electro and soul camps, black and white (although not of course as clearly defined as that), is a need to appear different: if the white fans were to get into electrophonic phunk there would not be enough musical difference to give them a tribal identity set apart from the herd who do follow Human League/Yazoo/ABC, hence they’ve turned back to traditional soul, whereas the black fans are different anyway as all can see, couldn’t give a damn, and are happy to get heavily into electrophonics — any comments? . . . Class Action’s featured vocalist Christine Wiltshire also sang the original version of ‘Weekend‘ by Patrick Adams Phreek . . . Level 42 fly out the Stateside way next week to record their next album produced by Earth, Wind & Fire’s Verdine White & Larry Dunn — is this necessarily a good move, we ask ourselves? . . . Elite and Challenge Records Andy Sojka is compiling a brand new mailing list of DJs playing any type of music: send him full details at 262 Holloway Road, London N7 (01-609 0168) . . . Greg Parrott has taken over as resident DJ/promotions manager at Oxford’s Boodles, trying to make Thursdays as upfront as possible and hoping to start a members only jazz-funk club on future Wednesdays, for which he’d like DJs with the right records to contact him on Oxford 730529 . . . Studiotek 2000 is a fully equipped DJ studio, also offering music mixdown facilities as well as a basic training course for mobile DJs, situated at 85 Alexandra Road in Farnborough (0252-519931) — studio time’s only £5 an hour for the next few weeks as an introductory offer . . . Donald ‘Shuggy’ Hughes (031-556 1836 days/031-228 3252 nights) is after promotions and artiste PAs for Edinburgh’s Coasters/Outer Limits . . . Soul On Sound’s Epping Forest Country Club alldayer on Sunday 6th March has admission by advance tickets at SOS-stocking record shops (SOS’s current issue came out a week late, incidentally this hiccup in my fortnightly preview mix schedule meaning that private engagements have prevented me thus far from recording the next issue’s mix, which I should have been doing even as I write at this moment) . . . Dr Soul’s Passion Pit downstairs at Mayfair’s Gullivers every Friday isn’t exactly the intended wall-to-wall “erection section” yet, but the barman’s been having trouble standing upright, anyway! . . . Frenchie & Colin Curtis didn’t start jazz-souling Blackpool Barons on the Friday they’d announced, but do start for sure this week (25) — and is it the declaration by Frenchie’s erstwhile partner, the now mixing-mad Pete Haigh (doing it Sundays at Caton’s Scarthwaite Hotel near Lancaster), that “Jazz-funk is dead — long live dance music!” which has hurried on the duo’s unexpected split? . . . Chris Hill & Colin Hudd’s “special” this Friday (25) is St Trinian’s fancy dress, while the following night (26) Tom Felton has a fancy dress Hollywood Ball at Leysdown Stage 3 . . . Chris Hill then starts his weekly “Sundays in the country” (27) at the Music Room in Sheffield Green’s Sheffield Arms, off the A275 in Sussex . . . Alan ‘Gibbo’ Gibson’s successor at Edgbaston’s Faces French, Jon Alsop has elbowed his predecessor’s gay-orientated music to concentrate more on futurist slanted electro and electrophonic phunk . . . Les Knott, at Harlow Bennys on Saturdays and packing Sundays at Old Harlow Josephs playing laid back jazz-soul, has his own weekly music column in the Harlow Gazette, which includes the area’s disco chart . . . Bill Robertson determinedly jazz-funks Fri/Sats at Bathgate Quincys, where a new light and sound system should just about be fitted by now, to prove that there’s soul in Central Scotland yet (ahh, but is there a Gallup chart return shop in Bathgate?) . . . Dave Rawlings has left Reading Rebecca’s for Saturdays at Basingstoke Martines and Tuesdays at Hook Gorse Cottage Country Club’s Gaslight Club . . . Phil Jay now funks Thursdays as well as Sundays at West Byfleet’s Carafino wine bar, plus Fridays at Guildford Staceys and Mondays at Godalming Carls wine bar . . . Gary Oldis, still based at Aycliffe Bee Jays, also funks Mondays at Darlington Bee Jays . . . Flash Gordon has returned to Bristol at the Princess Court Club and also does Thursdays at Reeves in the Brunel Suite, the latter as his own promotion . . . Martin Starr, back in Bristol too, funks Thurs/Fri/Sat with Nigel Hanson at Lourdes in Fairfax Street, Saturdays being most upfront . . . Loughborough Students Union Jazz-Funk Society stalwart Eddie Gee is doing fortnightly Thursdays at that town’s Adam & Eve club, tonight (24) should be the current one . . . Andy Hunter & Eon Irving funk Soho Ronnie Scott’s Maze on Thursdays . . . Liverpool’s ever willing Mike Davidson, another to criticize that city’s less than upfront radio soul shows, funks Cagneys Thurs-thru-Sun, the Mandarin Club Mon, the Dove Tues/Wed (doubling Tues at the Venue) — busy lad! . . . Ian Reading, still joined by Froggy on Fridays, advises you come early on Saturdays to Southend Zero 6 as it’s packed by 10.15pm . . . John ‘Nick’ Osborne, whose Ilford Room At The Top chart not surprisingly includes Marlena Shaw ‘More Room At The Top‘, is after a Wednesday night gig preferably outside the Ilford area (01-595 9549 days/01-478 5588 nights) . . . Atevis ‘CJ’ Craven, resident Fri/Sat at Edinburgh Annabels Rivera Suite, is after possibly another two or three nights playing anything, but soul/funk preferred (031-664 6795 early evenings) . . . Graham ‘Funky Scot’ Hunter and his Firefly Roadshow’s electronics technician partner V. Gregory (Basingstoke 770776 evenings) are looking for an agency handling both local and national gigs . . . Cosmic (Rayleigh Croc’s) recommends the band New Shoes, who play Sea Level/Spyro Gyra/Band AKA-type material, while Lance Nuttall (manager of Sayers Common Cinderellas) “strongly recommends” Animal Nightlife as a first rate live band . . . John Clancy (Gillingham), thrilled by the recent TVDJA night in Hounslow, writes: “It may sound daft, but as mobile jocks living outside London never get to meet the ‘big boys’, we only get to read about them” — and what with the likes of Steve Walsh, Graham Canter, Frank Smith (and myself!), there certainly were a few ‘big boys’ about that night! . . . Tressbonn Trashmore (Hythe Hotel Imperial every Saturday) was chuffed to hear Michael Aspel’s recently featured expert on names in some confusion over his own! . . . Al Dupres (Cardiff) has revived Earth, Wind & Fire ‘Fantasy’ because following its inclusion in the recently screened ‘Private Lessons’ flick it’s being regarded as a newie again . . . Mickey Lee, formerly of New Brighton Penny Farthing, Liverpool Odd Spot and most recently Whitehaven Village Inn, splits these shores next week for sunny Crete and the Bora Bora discotheque with his new protege Laura B, “one of the best female mixers in the business” (if Kenwood made a female mixer, could I have one for Christmas?!) . . . Fat Larry’s Band are this week at Watford Baileys . . . Madonna PA-ed at Charing Cross Heaven and were “wonderful”, to quote Ian Levine . . . West Surrey & Hants DJ Association have officially withdrawn from the DJ Federation, but can’t actually locate the DJF to tell them (WSHDJA membership details on 0483 68397), while one-time DJF big cheese Theo Loyla has surfaced as president of the Cleveland Area DJ Association (an honorary post of course — DJs in the North-East should still contact Graham Murray at 30 Pilkington Street, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough) . . . Theo Loyla, whose old Bridge Country Club residency was always packed (I never meant to suggest otherwise), has an interesting gimmick at his Charing Country Club gigs, his pre-’74 soul Mondays feature food in the restaurant at pre-’74 prices — and this policy now covers Fridays there as well, when he plays modern . . . I received a piece of wedding cake from someone in Romford — could that be from Mr & Mrs Howlett? . . . Larry & Mandy Foster (Ilford) recently had a baby Jade Holly Foster, Alan & Jill Taylor (Rhyl) had a second little son (bit tricky that one actually — though Jill’s fit now) . . . Steve Allen’s Discoasis record shop in Peterborough now supplies its disco sales chart to Hereward Radio . . . Rayners Lane Record & Disco Centre’s Andy Mann reports he was inundated with phone calls following my mention of the shop’s stock of Stone ‘Time’! . . . Nick Aravis (Romford Tudor Lodge/Hornchurch Daniels) recommends Chadwell Heath’s Jifs Records (the retitled old Tape Stop, opposite Whalebone Lane Library) for imports and cutouts . . . Kev Hill (Brentwood) finds the old Willis Beaver Hale ‘Let The Good Times Roll‘ from ’74 slots nicely between the likes of Goodie and the Gap Band (Phonogram’s Jeff Young incidently reports some DJs are finding the Gap Band too slow — are they crazy?) . . . Wuf Ticket ‘Ya Mama‘ as suspected works a treat out of ‘Outstanding’ (why more jocks haven’t picked up on it is a mystery), and Wish ‘Mr DJ (Instrumental)’ is indeed a killer out of Mahogany . . . YES INDEEDY!

MEZZOFORTE, THE jazz-funkers from Iceland, are now getting the sort of daytime radio play that should make their ‘Garden Party‘ dancefloor winner into a crossover hit. On their ‘Surprise Surprise’ LP (Steinar Ste LP02, via Pinnacle) they exhibit many influences — not so surprisingly, considering where they live — but the sheer quality of their musicianship allied to this familiarity is already making the set a big sell with the Shakatak market. More for listening rather than dancing, except in specialist jazz clubs, the album’s version of ‘Garden Party’ is preceded by the loosely starting then jaggedly explosive but brief 126-0bpm ‘Surprise‘ as a sort of introduction, seguing on out of a 33 second doodling lull into the hit track.

HOT VINYL

FORREST: ‘Rock The Boat’ (CBS A13-3163).
Already massive on import and now all set to go national in a huge way, this speeded up but in most respects very similar 114½bpm 12in remake of the Hues Corporation’s (106-107bpm) 1974 classic has a powerful pounding percussion break and all the pep that’s needed for pop crossover success. Initial CBS pressings sold out immediately last week, and in fact I’ve yet to get mine.

PRINCE CHARLES & THE CITY BEAT BAND: ‘Gang War’ LP (Greyhound Record Productions GRP LP 101).
The pretentious poser’s fave funk name of the moment, this Boston-based P-funker’s very George Clinton influenced debut set surfaced originally on import at a time when fast funk was out of favour here (although in the States then Michael Henderson ‘Wide Receiver‘ was a big black hit), after which its legendary status was built up by simple scarcity value as only a few were ever pressed by the subsequently defunct Solid Platinum label. Good but not THAT good, without all the anticipation this would be nowhere near so fashionable now, although certainly the whole of side two flows nicely through (most legendary of all) the 126-128bpm ‘In The Streets’, (now possibly stronger) 123bpm ‘Tight Jeans‘ and 124-123bpm ‘Gang War (or the Acid Funk syndrome)‘ being less substantial. Oh, there are some dirty(-ish) words too.

SUNFIRE: ‘Young, Free And Single’ (Warner Bros W 9897T).
Now not in fact coupled by ‘Step In The Light‘ (get ‘Street Sounds Edition 2’ for that!), this gently tugging soulful slow 90bpm yearner could possibly get daytime radio play following on from Billy Griffin’s breakthrough, and is on 3-track 12in with the heavy funk 102bpm ‘Feet‘ and less distinguished 119bpm ‘Shake Your Body‘. Continue reading “February 26, 1983: Forrest, Prince Charles & The City Beat Band, Sunfire, Steve Arrington’s Hall Of Fame”

February 19, 1983: Whispers, Wish, Jimmy Young, Chocolate Milk, Maxine Singleton

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

AMAZINGLY, ARIOLA in Britain passed on Forrest, letting CBS snap it up for rush release . . . PRT should consider editing all the phonetic countdown from Disco Connection ‘Rock Your Baby‘ and re-pushing it alongside the very similar ‘Rock The Boat’ . . . JFM and London’s other soul pirate stations are in their way delighted that they have one less legitimate rival on the air now that Greg Edwards has quit Capital (to be replaced by Al Matthews), though Robbie Vincent is less than happy about the way in which his Saturday lunchtime Radio London soul show is now thus shouldering alone the responsibility of previewing the weekend’s hot new tunes . . . I jocked at last Thursday’s British Record Industry Awards bash (never underestimate the hipness of record biz people — they finally got going to Eddy Grant, ‘Fame’ and all the wally wedding faves!), where Michael Jackson drew screams when accepting on behalf of Barbra Streisand, and Kim Wilde was charmingly tongue-tied (she later confessed to me a liking for Marvin Gaye while we were chatting) . . . Mayfair’s Gullivers downstairs every Friday is now Dr Soul’s Passion Pit — I’m playing wall to wall soul smoochers and mellow oldies, from Dinah Washington & Nat ‘King’ Cole to Major Harris & Barry White! . . . Morgan Khan’s renewed independent ambitions (details when the ink has dried!) have put back the zing in his thing and got his strut out the rut — yeah, ya gotta have panache to talk that trash! . . . Pete Stringfellow plans for his new venue at the old Talk Of The Town to feature a sort of electronic age update of the star-studded package tour stage show idea, plus spectacular lighting — to reveal more would only give other less visionary (and rich) club owners ideas . . . Nic Wakefield (Sidmouth Carina’s) now has a 20 minute spot playing import newies and a quick mix on Tom Arnold’s Devonair soul show, every Saturday 6-8pm 450/314m MW . . . Chris Dinnis (Exeter Boxes) reckons John Critchinson titled ‘La Pigalle’ after a Torquay club where he used to play . . . Paul Clark (Brighton Busbys) says apparently he was the first person at Holborn’s City Sounds record shop to buy Billy Griffin’s LP, on 6th June 1982 . . . Chris Hill & Colin Hudd kick off a series of special weekly events at Dartford Flicks this Friday with Fred Dove’s WEA video party . . . America’s snow storms stopped shipment of some expected imports last week, and delayed Luther Vandross’s flight to London by a day . . . Evelyn King, not only a ‘Coronation Street’ fan, seems healthily sexy! . . . DUB TIME!

HOT VINYL

WHISPERS: ‘Tonight’ (US Solar 0-67930).
Well worth the wait, a dynamite Jerry Knight-penned thrummingly resonant bass synth burbled see-sawing 114bpm 12in lurcher with very much a Kashif style of vocal melody (although identifiably still sung by the Whispers), an immediate monster floor filler!

WISH: ‘Mr. D.J.’ (US Blue 10013).
Not as gimmicky as Indeep but with similar hit prospects, the chix ‘n’ chaps sung sinuous 109-108-109bpm 12in thudder’s vocal side has that old ‘Ladies Night’ bass line behind a plea to play a song again (“I don’t remember what the name of it is”): however, good though that is, the absolute hard core killer is the 109bpm instrumental flip with great sax and a more exciting arrangement (likely to work well out of Mahogany).

JIMMY YOUNG: ‘Times Are Tight’ (US Delirium DM 922).
No, not Radio 2’s crooning DJ! The American Mr Young’s “hard times” vocal is perfectly acceptable but it’s the 120bpm 12in instrumental flip that’s the sizzler, a terrific solidly trucking jittery flowing groove along similar lines to some of the old classics of the “jazz-funk” era, designed to worm its way into your brain and make you work, baby, work! Continue reading “February 19, 1983: Whispers, Wish, Jimmy Young, Chocolate Milk, Maxine Singleton”

February 12, 1983: Imagination, Johnny Chingas, C-Brand, Inner Life, Kashif

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

DAVID JOSEPH, thanks to moody white labels, has overnight become London’s biggest disco seller — and was even used as musical accompaniment for Jackie Genova’s aerobic dancing session on TV-AM’s Saturday ‘Good Morning Britain’! . . . David PA’s at Mayfair’s Gullivers this Saturday (12), where your own James Hamilton starts reviving class soul oldies in the downstairs room every Friday . . . Streetwave’s version of the Band AKA II will just be the vocal version as already available, flipped by the instrumental but seguing at the end into ‘Grace’ — what a wasted opportunity . . . Sunfire ‘Young Free & Single’ / ‘Step In The Light’ will be on UK 12in soon . . . Chris Hill has talked Atlantic into editing together both parts of Beginning Of The End ‘Funky Nassau’ for 12in . . . Jerry Knight ‘She’s Got To Be (A Dancer)‘ / ‘Fire‘ is now on US 12in (A&M SP-12056), but ‘I’m Down For That‘ has come through here as his LP’s monster . . . Cloud has been snapped up by Silvertown from its original Rygel label . . . RCA seems to have the revived Laurie label here, so can Jazzy Dee be far from UK release? . . . Chi-Lites (including Eugene Record) are now on Larc, which looks like joining HighRise, HCRC and Beverly Glen Music among the new breed of consistent US soul labels . . . Morgan Khan, with an independent air, has let Orin Cozier leave Streetwave to form his own video firm — incidentally, ‘Street Sounds — Edition 2‘ is “as advertised on TV” (several spots during ‘The Tube’) . . . Edgbaston Faces Alan ‘Gibbo’ Gibson has joined the Bacchus DJ team to take over at Oslo’s Leopard from Alan James Jewell, who in turn writes from his own new Bangkok Oriental Hotel’s Dianna’s residency that the temperature’s 95 degrees and he’s got everyone in the club dancing on the speakers, bar and even amp rack! . . . Davy D is rumoured to be scratching for real after his UK visit! . . . Robbie Vincent’s Saturday lunchtime Radio London soul show could well become even more influential in the imminent future . . . The Gap Band, like bespangled ANZAC refugees from Gallipoli, had sound problems at Hammersmith but were especially good on slower material — and couldn’t tempt Michael Jackson from his heavily disguised position amidst the audience! . . . Mayfair’s Gullivers, full anyway, then got bursting when the entire apres gig Total Experience crowd crammed into the club, making some people so excited that even Lenny Henry was being asked for autographs! . . . John ‘Nick’ Osborne’s Tuesday jazz-funk sessions at Ilford’s Room At The Top next week (15) start a season of appearances by Jeff Young alternating with Steve Walsh . . . Greg Edwards & Froggy celebrate Valentine’s night on Monday (14) at Epping Forest Country Club near Abridge . . . Chris Paul & George Alexander have Valentine’s a day late on Tuesday (15) at South Harrow Bogarts, then on Wednesday (16) start fusion funking Southall Barbarella’s weekly . . . Steve Jackson lets in ladies for free before 11pm at Soho Whisky A Go Go’s Friday funk club . . . Simon Scott (Mile End Benjy’s) infos that Sharon Redd’s debut oldie, Front Page ‘Love Insurance‘, is about on a bootleg . . . Adrian (Bournemouth Adams) vari-mixes Motion ‘Don’t Stop’ and Sylvester ‘Don’t Stop’ so nobody notices the difference . . . Rayners Lane’s Record & Disco Centre is suddenly selling Stone’s old ‘Time‘ by the box load — wonder why? . . . Hot Chocolate have gone into motor racing, sponsoring a Van Deiman ’83 Formula Ford driven by “most promising” Tony Chambers . . . Elaine Paige? — I thought ‘Live From Her Majesty’s’ was meant to be a starring showcase exclusively for black ladies! . . . Mahogany is 109-108½-108-108½-108bpm, Ellis Hall Jr 0-32/64½bpm, The Biz Instrumental 113-112½bpm, Walter Jackson 106½/53-107bpm, Cloud 121-119-121 119-121-119-lull-119-124-123bpm, and Lionel Richie is ‘Hill Street Blues’-ish! . . . Liverpool’s Gary Allan says, “Gis a promo, go on, I can play that, give us one!” . . . DUB TIME!

HOT VINYL

IMAGINATION: ‘Changes’ (US MCA-13962).
Dynamic 112bpm 12in remix with an excellent new extended intro full of fresh teasing impact, plus a previously unavailable instrumental flip in similarly new format.

JOHNNY CHINGAS: ‘Phone Home’ (CBS A13-3121).
Immediately monstrous on import though still sometimes tricky to slot in, this superior ‘E.T.’ tune starts atmospherically with night time sounds of the forest before jazzy synth and Timmy Thomas-type rhythm box weave a subtle 117½bpm 12in intensity through “phone home” groans, soft vocal bursts and some acid guitar (instrumental flip). Once on radio it’ll be a smash!

C-BRAND: ‘Wired For Games’ (US Spring SP D 408).
Atmosphere laden gradually building great subtle jittery pushing 116-114½bpm 12in groove with clanking guitar and resonant tones behind eventual muttering and crooning fellahs interspersed by Smurf-type gibbering: the Astronawts synch out perfectly — but this is not itself electrophonic at all, and as if to emphasise the human involvement it’s flipped not by an instrumental but by the soulfully doodling slow 89/44½bpm ‘Plenty Of Love’. (Do not confuse with C-Bank!). Continue reading “February 12, 1983: Imagination, Johnny Chingas, C-Brand, Inner Life, Kashif”

February 5, 1983: Mahogany, S.O.S. Band, David Joseph, Ellis Hall Jr., Maxine Singleton

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

RECORD MIRROR for the fifth time running since 1979 has had a massive majority lead at the top of a poll conducted by Theo Loyla with 320 DJs to establish their music paper reading habits — RM polled 79 per cent, the next best (DI) only getting 45 per cent . . . The Band AKA II ‘Joy‘ will be remixed combining both vocal and instrumental sides for Streetwave release here — hurrah! . . . Morgan Khan’s latest ‘StreetSounds’ LP compilation, due this weekend, includes the recent hits by Gwen McCrea, Whodini, First Light, Sunfire, Montana Sextet, Melle Mel & Duke Bootee, Rocket & Nairobi — pity you bought ’em all already, huh?! . . . Arista has given America’s West End label its own logo identity here . . . Leonard Chin (featuring Alan Weeks on the dominant guitar) has been repressed with a new ‘Dance Mix ’83’ version as flip . . . Steve Arrington’s forthcoming LP will be on Atlantic, the Whispers overdue set should materialize in March now (strongly ballad orientated evidently, though with three dancers) . . . Maurice White has been producing Jennifer Holliday’s first proper solo LP for Geffen release soon . . . Patti Austin & James Ingram’s single is now on 3-track 12in . . . Ashford & Simpson have an hour long video spectacular through EMI Music Videos . . . Prince ‘1999’ maybe doesn’t mean that much in black clubs, but he does have a dynamite video of it on the current AB See compilation (Month 13), along with Eddy Grant, Central Line, Chic and Yarbrough & Peoples — if your club wants to subscribe to this monthly changing service call 01-734 9072 . . . Soul On Sound 012 has possibly the most satisfying soulful preview mix yet (I’m really a bit proud of this one!), all actually done with tape edits this time, comprising Peabo Bryson ‘We Don’t Have To Talk’/Instant Funk ‘Smack Dab’/Ellis Hall Jr ‘Every Little Bit’/Gail Grier/Lanier & Co ‘After I Cry’/Goodie ‘You & I’/Leonard Chin/Kadenza/SOS Band/Smokey Robinson ‘Touch The Sky’/Band AKA II/Forrest/Disco Connection ‘Rock Your Baby’/The Biz/Pure Energy/Jerry Knight ‘I’m Down For That’/Glenn Jones/Flowchart/David Joseph/Jazzy Dee/Maxine Singleton/George Howard ‘The Preacher’/Chic/The Joneses/Con Funk Shun/Ellis Hall Jr ‘Back It Up’ (intro only) — it cooks! . . . Froggy’s mum actually came up to him at his own wedding and — this is the honest truth — said “Isn’t it time you got them all dancing?”! . . . Froggy & Sue must have had their wedding cake on sale or return, as they still hadn’t cut it by the party’s end . . . Kurtis Blow dropped into Mayfair’s Gullivers on Friday along with his scratcher, Davy D, the two of them then taking over the decks for an incredible demonstration of rapping and scratching that had the packed club jumping and also Graham Gold & James Hamilton wishing they hadn’t given up their day jobs! . . . Davy D tips, regarding more orthodox ways of mixing, “Wait for the break before you mix — everybody’s expecting to hear that break” . . . Graham Gold came up with a killer mix: Toney Lee dub/Prince Charles ‘Jungle Stomp’/Bohannon ‘Let’s Start II Dance Again’, while I discovered while fitting in a request that Shalamar ‘Night To Remember’ varied up by a whopping c.7 per cent runs perfectly (if squeakily — but who cares about Shalamar?!) over Michael Jackson ‘Billie Jean’ . . . West Yorkshire Assn of DJs meets the first Sunday every month (so this Sunday presumably) at Huddersfield’s Ridings Squash Club in Queen Street, ring Gary Williamson on Elland 76063 for full membership details (open to any bona fide DJ anywhere in the UK) . . . North West DJ Assn plans its first disco exhibition, aimed at mobile operators, on Sunday 12th June in Stockport’s Belgrade Hotel — contact Paul King at 12 Leicester Avenue, Salford M7 0HA for full display details . . . Robert Blenman is now a radio plugger at PRT . . . Mike Shaft’s ‘TCOB North Of Watford’ mag seems to be admitting defeat before it begins by getting Ralph Tee of Groove Weekly fame to contribute a column about London happenings . . . ‘Last Night A DJ Saved My Life’ has been adopted by PRT into personalised jingles for many individual radio DJs — I must confess at my suggestion . . . Tongy & Jonesy kick off Fridays this week (4) at the Music Room in the Sheffield Arms, Sheffield Park, on the A275 near Uckfield . . . Pete Haigh, Frenchie & Colin Curtis start souling Fridays at Blackpool Central Promenade’s Barons, too . . . The Biz PA with Steve Walsh on Saturday (5) at Leysdown’s Stage 3 . . . Phyllis Hyman, Dionne Warwick and now Gladys Knight & The Pips, ‘Live From Her Majesty’s’ — who’s on this week, Aretha Franklin? . . . Billy Fury was a pioneer admirer in the UK of uptown US soul, covering in the very early ’60s material by Gladys Knight, Jerry Butler and more . . . Don Costa also died recently — best known maybe for producing the same songs with both Paul Anka and then several generations later with Donny Osmond, his own DCP label in the mid-’60s was home for Little Anthony & The Imperials . . . I can only assume that old allegiances die hard, as what else explains Level 42’s current success in the black ‘soul’ disco chart with an out-and-out pop song which wouldn’t disgrace the likes of ABC? . . . DUB TIME!

HOT VINYL

MAHOGANY: ‘Ride On The Rhythm’ (West End ARIST 12517, via Arista).
Excellent truly solid slinkily socking 109-108½-108-109-108bpm 12in thudder grooves mightily with wailing Bernice Watkins weaving through great searing sax and simple little licks, all permeated by the very essence of bluesy funk. One of the monster sounds of the moment, not to be missed.

THE S.O.S. BAND: ‘Groovin’ (That’s What We’re Doin’)’ (Tabu TBU A13-3120).
Absolutely dynamite beefed-up, remixed and lengthened 107 2/3bpm 12in version of their LP’s chart-busting jazzy instrumental with catchy vocal chorus chant, pounding unabashedly along Rodney Franklin’s original ‘Groove’, the UK pressing being flipped by their old urgent chix chanted tinkling 119bpm ‘Take Your Time (Do It Right)‘ from 1980.

DAVID JOSEPH: ‘You Can’t Hide Your Love’ (Island 12IS 101).
Not due officially in the shops for over a week but already busted wide open by judiciously circulated very limited advance white label pressings, the former lead singer with Hi Tension rides effortlessly complete with some pretty staccato scatting amongst his vocal variety over a shuffling jittery 117bpm 12in complex time signature (great out of the Trammps), the acappella-introed instrumental flip being 118bpm. Ideal for the hard core crowd though otherwise not that widely commercial, I fear. Continue reading “February 5, 1983: Mahogany, S.O.S. Band, David Joseph, Ellis Hall Jr., Maxine Singleton”

January 29, 1983: Gap Band, S.O.S. Band, The Band AKA, Jazzy Dee, Pure Energy

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

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

THE BIZ are a carefully assembled glamorous British answer to Shalamar, though with the different sexual ratio of Yasmin Evans, Austin Howard and Suzette Smithson — almost a black Bucks Fizz! — whose debut 113bpm ‘Falling‘ 3-track 12in has already sold out on white label advantage pressing but is due this week again in its fully remixed final form from the new Midas label. If your club gets offered them for a PA, grab ’em — as we discovered at Gullivers last Saturday, they really do do “the biz”!

HOT VINYL

THE GAP BAND: ‘Outstanding’ (Total Experience TEX 001, via Phonogram).
Powerfully propelled by an ultra-infectious ‘Don’t Stop The Music’ beat (they mix), this dynamite nagging 99bpm 12in jiggly jogger has great soulful vocal work weaving through the insistent groove and, arguably the guys’ best ever, seems likely to be a huge hit what with their UK visit ‘n all.

THE S.O.S. BAND: ‘Groovin’ (That’s What We’re Doin’)’ (US Tabu 4Z9 03528).
Due here soon too, a great beefed up, remixed and lengthened 107 2/3bpm 12in version chorus chant, based unashamedly on Rodney Franklin’s original ‘Groove’.

THE BAND AKA II: ‘Joy’ (US Bouvier BO-0101-5).
Hailed by many as the best thing to happen in soul music since Bessie Smith, this shuffling 114bpm 12in side to side swinger in its present form seems flawed to me, the vocal side going on interminably without any variation while the marvellous sax which graced ‘Grace’ is only on the (to my mind) preferable instrumental-with-chorus flip. A remix combining the two — now, that would be a killer! Continue reading “January 29, 1983: Gap Band, S.O.S. Band, The Band AKA, Jazzy Dee, Pure Energy”

January 22, 1983: Indeep, Rockers Revenge, Michael Jackson (Billie Jean), Kadenza, Jerry Knight

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

‘E.T. Boogie‘ can hardly be in short supply now — according to one sales chart it is suddenly the nation’s top disco seller, and certainly such as London’s Oxford Street Virgin Megastore have plenty left in stock (the Ex Tras are apparently London’s current best seller) . . . Jonny Chingas ‘Phone Home‘ has taken off like a rocket — try it synched out of Tyrone Brunson . . . Britain’s funk fans really do seem to be splitting, if not segregating, black kids getting heavily into electrophonic phunk while for many the white taste is pure soul music . . . TMT release a Toney Lee remix this week, I Level’s UK newie next week couples ‘Teacher‘ / ‘Number 4’ / ‘Give Me (US Remix)’, Goodie will have a 4-track 12in when he visits with the Gap Band and Yarbrough & Peoples for February dates at Hammersmith (5) and Birmingham (7) Odeons . . . EWF’s LP is not due here until next month, along with a new War set . . . Kabbala’s labels were reversed on many copies, mine included, the faster more immediate dance track indeed being ‘Ashewo Ara’ . . . Sharon Redd, at her much enjoyed reception last week, confirmed that veteran record producer/arranger Gene Redd Jr is her brother — obviously a lot older than her! . . . Greg Wilson (Wigan Pier) won the Imagination medley-mix contest, Alan Coulthard coming second out of 105 entries, some of which were “awful” (to quote a Red Bus spokesman) . . . Greg Edwards is planning to give up his Capital Radio-broadcast ‘Best Disco In Town’, and all other gigs bar Tuesdays at the Old Kent Road’s Dun Cow, in an effort to mellow out in his old age — and hopefully return to acting, maybe . . . Philadelphia International has evidently folded quietly in the States . . . Ensign is moving from RCA to Island for distribution . . . Phyllis Hyman was stunning on Sunday night’s ‘Live From Her Majesty’s’ ITV show, in an abruptly curtailed excerpt from the Broadway smash ‘Sophisticated Ladies’ Duke Ellington musical — which’ll be coming here in May . . . Channel 4’s ‘The Tube’ is filming this Saturday (22) at Canvey Island’s Goldmine (part 1 / part 2 / part 3), where Miles Davis ‘Milestones‘ is Chris Hill’s current rave revival . . . Goldmine owning Stan & Jayne Barrett’s new venue, The Music Room at the Sheffield Arms, Sheffield Park (off the A275 near Uckfield, East Sussex), officially opens on 4th February with Tongy, Youngy & Jonesy operating a rota every Friday and Hilly starting Sundays later that month . . . Jon Williams’s Merseyside fanzine ‘Soulblowin’ (inc. Jay D’s Boogie)’ even in its “test pressing” stage is full of surprisingly up-front news and, dare I say, makes a meatier read than the more ambitious ‘TCOB NOW’ . . . Ric-Tic label legends from the ’60s Edwin Starr, JJ Barnes, Laura Lee, Al Kent, Pat Lewis & Lou Ragland all appear (on stage 5-7pm) this Sunday (23) at Manchester’s Ritz Ballroom alldayer — worth seeing by all old soul freaks . . . Gregg Parker, the London visiting musician currently happy to be thought of as either brother or cousin of Ray Parker Jr, turns out to be neither — he was conclusively caught out by Eyes & Ears Karen Spreadbury when he failed to recognise a photo of Ray (which doesn’t detract from any musical ability he may have) . . . Walt Disney Productions deny signing Steve Walsh to be their latest cartoon character! . . . Martin Prescott (Chelsea Click) has just opened his own Martin Sound & Light equipment shop at 70a Blackstock Road, London N4 . . . Al Dupres, who does a weekly soul show on Hospital Radio Glamorgan, recommends the three Cardiff branches of Odyssey Records for their DJ discounts . . . Andy, Mel, Julian & Sarah at Pitts in Exeter High Street are keen for the locals to know they now stock ‘Soul On Sound’, my preview mix on issue 11 featuring Galaxy-TU Orch/Gap Band/Mahogany/NYC Peech Boys/Dwayne Omarr/Funkacise Gang/Sweet Ecstacy/Charades/Rockers Revenge/Man Parrish/Fresh Face/Trammps/Sunfire ‘Step’/Harry Ray ‘Love’/Mezzoforte/EWF/Futura/Jonny Chingas/C-Bank/Cori Josias/Spencer Jones/Angela Bofill ‘Tough’/Kabbala/Boy Katindig ‘Midnight Lady’, all crammed into 20:58 while this time it was SOS’s engineering adviser Richard Facey who was snoring on the floor! . . . Melba Moore was so pleased with her earlier experience of co-hosting an issue of SOS that she has particularly stipulated she’d like to do another on her latest UK visit, while all the Soul On Sound team (including Tony Jenkins, Graham Gold, Kev Edwards, Ralph Tee and myself) will be doing an alldayer at Epping Forest Country Club on Sunday 6th March — by coincidence just about my 20th anniversary as a DJ . . . Froggy marries glamorous Sue next Wednesday . . . Tony Jenkins, the only DJ to get divorced before he’s even been married?! . . . Nicky Peck, pounding out a different beat? . . . Alan ‘Gibbo’ Gibson (021-472 4670) reckons he’s taken his successful formula of new music as far as he can at Edgbaston’s Faces French and is now looking for fresh venues to conquer . . . Andy Baker (0745-591 135) similarly fancies the fresh challenge of, preferably, a soul/funk venue in London/Manchester/Birmingham but will settle for playing anything, anywhere (just so long as it’s not North Wales, huh?) . . . Watford New Penny’s Mr Harris (Watford 22003 after 9pm Wed-Sun) is yet again looking for DJs — can’t he keep them? . . . Steve Glover is delighted to have left Faradays completely for Bournemouth’s Club Enfer, where everyone boogies down . . . Gary Allan still does the gay nights at McMillan’s but has moved over to Liverpool’s The Warehouse for Fri/Saturdays . . . Dave Thomas jazz-funks Shrewsbury Tiffanys Crystal Goblet every Wednesday, Wayne Everett (better known to the Chingford Funkaholics as ‘Tackleman’) jazz-funks Edmonton Angel’s The Globe every Sat/Sunday pub hours . . . Sean French & George Alexander jazz-soul Harrow Leisure Centre this Saturday (22), Morrissey Mullen play Catford Saxon Tavern Panthers the same night and West Kensington Sunset Club on Sunday (23) . . . Nicky Holloway, whose Monday jazz-soul guests at the Swan & Sugarloaf in Dockhead (near London’s Tower Bridge) are Sean French (24) and Jeff Young (31), is looking for Loleatta Holloway ‘Hit ‘N’ Run‘ and Sonny Stitt ‘Slick Eddie‘ (offers on 01-458 1551) . . . Larry Foster (Flat 4, 216 Romford Road, London E7 9HY) wants a replacement Banbarra ‘Shack Up‘ . . . London Piccadilly’s plush Xenon amongst its stage side shows includes the eccentric spectacle of two Russian dwarfs fighting, but after five minutes “they” suddenly straighten up in the amazing revelation that it’s just been one man, bent double! . . . Ian Levine (Charing Cross Heaven) has Bobby Nunn ‘Never Seen Anything Like You‘ (Motown 12in promo flip) as his gay chart-topper, Chris Lucas (Earls Court Copacabana) is into Key Of Dreams ‘Africa (Dub Mix)‘ (Italian Key Of Dreams 12in) . . . Lindsay Wesker seems surprised Bunny Mack ‘Let Me Love You‘ still gets rave reaction, when it’s a true black classic (in London at least) . . . Christmas did not for once see a new Whispers set on Solar import . . . George Clinton ‘Atomic Dog’ is on US Capitol 12in now . . . Trevor John Hughes (Telford 592648) will provide bona fide DJs with tape demos and PAs by new new synth ‘n’ sax electro group Cadre Cadance . . . Rob Harknett (027-979 2329) once again has a pile of ’81/’82 Music Week trade papers free for the collection from Harlow . . . DJ/entertainer Geoff D has left his third season in Jersey to try working in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates — evidently the first to do so . . . Alan Donald (Rothesay) sensibly revives Umberto Tozzi ‘Gloria‘ (CBS 12in) . . . Ned Fincham (Edinburgh Madhatters Speakeasy — not to be confused with Steve Martin upstairs at Madhatters) has split from long time partner Colin Cordrey . . . I only just saw the Hammy Awards issue of RM and should clarify the ”Runners Up (Poodle Cut And Brush Up)” related to “Haircut Of The Year”! . . . Gordy Gordy Hallelujah? . . . Paul Savory (Oxford Coven Club) wants BPMs incorporated into the disco charts — this would be cumbersome and space wasting, but why don’t you copy so many RM-reading DJs and make a file of these pages, referring back to the BPM in the review when you eventually get a record, writing the BPM on it or its sleeve and then boxing the records you use in rough BPM order? . . . Billy Griffin took his time but finally justified our faith, thanks though to radio . . . Gallup are getting it right . . . THERE’S NOTHING SILLY ABOUT THAT!

BLACKPOOL SOUL DJ team, Pete Haigh & Frenchie kindly sent me a digital watch-cum-ballpoint pen for Christmas, which shouldn’t be thought of as a bribe for listing the guys current gigs. Frenchie (real name Chris Tittley) has just started souling Thursdays with Kev Edwards at the Sandpiper in Whalley (how’s that pronounced?!) near Blackburn, and alone still souls Wednesdays at Oscars in Bamber Bridge’s Pear Tree Hotel near Preston, while Pete Haigh on his own has returned to soul Sundays at Caton’s Scarthwaite Hall near Lancaster, and the two of them will begin souling Fridays at Blackpool Central Promenade’s Barons on February 4.

PAPA SIMEON was the youthful and previously unheard of winner from Gloucester of the recent reggae toasting DJ/MC contest at Bristol’s Spencers, hosted by Superfly, David Rodigan and Papa Face, which turned out to be a huge success with people hanging from the rafters but not a glass broken or bag stolen. Second came sly-eyed Striker, who is now already recording radio jingles for all the reggae/soul shows in the South-West.

HOT VINYL

INDEEP: ‘Last Night A DJ Saved My Life’ (Sound Of New York SNYL 1, via PRT).
Fantastic compulsive simple chick-sung chugger with ringing phone, skidding tyres and flushing loo effects, culminating in a rapping DJ who “can do it in the mix”, on multi-banded 12in with various dub versions and the sound effects usefully on their own. If this doesn’t go to the Top 20 I’ll be very surprised.

ROCKERS REVENGE featuring DONNIE CALVIN: ‘The Harder They Come’ (London LONX 18).
Relying more on the strength of the song (which actually cuts through extremely catchily) this immediately familiar 0-114bpm 12in Jimmy Cliff update could just as a result become an even bigger pop hit than their very similar though more gimmicky ‘Walking On Sunshine’, of which the much imported 114½bpm ‘Sunshine Partytime (Rap)‘ version (here possibly retitled ‘Rapping In Sunshine’?) makes a 2-track flip alongside the new song’s short 114½bpm instrumental.

MICHAEL JACKSON: ‘Billie Jean’ (Epic A13-3084).
Nothing to do with tennis this sparsely thrumming purposeful precise 116bpm 12in tripper does in its remixed form now make excellent sense as the album’s first single, his het-up jerky vocalese counterpointing the groove beautifully, with an instrumental version and the old spurting 53/105bpm ‘It’s The Falling In Love’ as flip. Continue reading “January 22, 1983: Indeep, Rockers Revenge, Michael Jackson (Billie Jean), Kadenza, Jerry Knight”

January 15, 1983: Trammps, Galaxy-Tu Orchestra, Jonny Chingas, Bobby M, Mezzoforte

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

ROCKERS REVENGE’S imminent adaptation of Jimmy Cliff’s ‘The Harder They Come’ is immediately recognisable as them (on exclusive 114bpm acetate promo) but not as excitingly special as was ‘Walking On Sunshine’ . . . Piccadilly Radio’s soul jock Mike Shaft, with support from Spin Inn Records Kev Edwards and the rest of the Manchester mafia, has launched a slightly skimpy (so far) but glossily printed magazine called — you’ll never believe this — ‘TCOB NOW’, the first part being of course ‘Taking Care Of Business’, but are you ready for ‘North Of Watford’!? (details on 061-434 6362) . . . Showstoppers South Of France trip to a fully equipped hotel and club site in the SW of France rather than at St Tropez) with Chris Hill, Froggy, Tongy, Youngy, Collinsy, Jonesy jocking is offered in two overlapping lengths, May 20-June 5 (£175)/May 27-June 5 (£150), full details from lovely Kim on 01-886 1426 . . . Thames Valley DJ Association’s big ‘Shownite 83’ is this Monday (17) at Hounslow’s Red Lion Hotel 8pm-2am, £3 a ticket, with awards, video displays, the Cold Hand Band live and much more . . . ‘Kibbitzing’ Joe Adelman (Friend of the Stars) does one hour spots nightly except Friday at the revamped Studio Valbonne in Soho’s Kingly Street, where a good lighting operator is needed . . . Gary Oldis (Aycliffe Bee-Jays) is desperate for a copy of Paulette Reeves ‘Jazz Freak‘ — call Darlington 82134 anytime in the next 50 years, after 10am! . . . Gillingham-based John Clancy (0634 53992) specializes in MoR work but can’t find enough gigs, club work especially . . . Cleveland Area DJ Assn’s new number is Middlesbrough 244700, c/o Graham Murray of the Teesvalley Roadshow still . . . ‘Be Mine Tonight‘ is the Jammers biggest track, not as printed last week . . . ‘I’ll Be Around’ hit in ’72, as students of maths probably worked out . . . Capital’s David Rodigan is having fun using snippets of ‘Last Night A DJ Saved My Life’ as carted stabs between reggae tracks . . . Lenny Henry, whose Break Wind & Fire and Buck Cherry were brilliant last Saturday, ate so much at the Ponderosa while appearing at Watford Baileys he couldn’t move on stage! . . . I had just got to the words ‘Steve Wright’ while reading RM in the library at Capital Radio last week when in walked my favourite DJ with someone I didn’t recognize: Peter Young was, by incredible coincidence, with Steve Wright himself — it turns out his crack about a vocabulary of ten words was aimed at all the imitators of Roger Scott rather than at Rog himself! . . . Kev Hill at a New Year’s gig in Wanstead relayed Big Ben from my Capital four hour continuous party music show and immediately got sucked into the following mixes — it was 20 minutes before he could get back into his own records! . . . Imagination’s Santa Claus outfits for their Hammersmith “carol service” cost a cool £2,000 — they obviously don’t shop at Roger Squire’s . . . Nigel Halkes (Portishead) ensured a namecheck by sending me the first Christmas card of 1983 — but would have rated a mention anyway for info-ing that one Bristol DJ had to return ‘Buffalo Gals’ because it was scratched! . . . SCRATCH ON!

HOT VINYL

THE TRAMMPS: ‘Up On The Hill (Mt. U)’ (US Venture VD-5024).
What a monster! Driven by an incredibly powerful sparse bass and simple clapping 116bpm 12in beat, the guys soulfully chuckle, rasp, wail and ramble on about “Mount You”, with an equally impressive bass emphasizing instrumental flip.

THE GALAXY-TU ORCHESTRA: ‘Always And Forever’ (US Moonglow MGW 107).
I nearly got writer’s cramp from giving out the details last Saturday at Gullivers while playing this fabulously “yukky” 51-0bpm 12in knee trembler, an instrumental chix chorused version of Heatwave’s classic smoocher overlaid with a gorgeously corny “wedding vows” rap by Rosko — not the Emperor, but the veteran US jock whose schtick always was heavy mysticism — the flip being the same again with a ‘Desiderata’ rap.

JONNY CHINGAS: ‘Phone Home’ (US Columbia 44-03480).
Another superior ‘E.T.’-er, starting atmospherically with night-time sounds of the forest before naggingly pitched jazzy synth and 117½bpm 12in rhythm box beats weave through “phone home” groans, soft bursts of vocal, and acid guitar, all building an extremely unusual subtle intensity that’s gonna be huge once it’s been heard a few times (instrumental flip).

BOBBY M: ‘Let’s Stay Together’ (Glory TMGT 1288).
Lovely faithful 101bpm 12in revival of Al Green’s smoocher by white saxist Bobby Militello with superb soulfully aching vocal by Jean Carn, flipped by Bobby’s instrumental jazzy flute tootled 117bpm ‘Charlie’s Backbeat‘. Continue reading “January 15, 1983: Trammps, Galaxy-Tu Orchestra, Jonny Chingas, Bobby M, Mezzoforte”

January 8, 1983: The Jammers, Mahogany, New York Citi Peech Boys, C-Bank, Fresh Face

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

THIS YEAR all disco record reviews come under the new heading of Hot Vinyl, so that no matter what the space/time situation, at least you’ll get to read about the week’s best releases regardless of where they come from — which should stop the “swings and roundabouts” situation! . . . Virgin’s Mick Clark was back from Philadelphia just before Christmas clutching a new Montana Sextet remix he’d created while there, but at the time he was undecided about any release for it . . . Morgan Khan snapped up Masurrati & Huey Harris for Streetwave release, PRT picked up the brilliant smash-bound Indeep . . . Ex Tras actually turn out to include the same Miami-based musicians as the Extra T’s, ‘Haven’t Been Funked Enough‘ now being due on full release this month on TMT (TMTT 1) . . . Motown’s two decades old US label Gordy gets its own identity here at last, debuting with the Bobby M album and ‘Let’s Stay Together‘ single . . . Steve Jerome is being produced by London-domiciled Isaac Hayes . . . Marvin Gaye’s follow-up as you’ve seen is not as previously advised (thanks so much, Greg!) . . . Margie Joseph ‘Knockout’ is now about as a remix . . . UK visitors over the next two months should include Rockers Revenge, Nairobi, Robert ‘Goodie’ Whitfield, Gap Band, Yarbrough & Peoples . . . Jon Williams is after local contributors to help with a planned new weekly soul fanzine for the Merseyside area — contact Jay D’s Boogie, 16 Waring Avenue, Birkenhead. Merseyside L42 6QH . . . Ilford Room At The Top’s John ‘Nick’ Osborne needs someone already running a successful gay night to help start one on Wednesdays, call him on 01 478 5588 Tues-Sat 9pm-2am (his jazz-funk night is back to Tuesdays) . . . Hotline ‘Fantasy’, highest new entry in the Boys Town Chart, is yet another Bobby “O” Orlando production . . . Sharon Redd’s ‘In The Name Of Love’ is actually nothing less than a discotized tango! . . . Ian Dewhirst, packing Leeds Warehouse six nights a week playing a total mixture of almost every type of music “as long as it’s great, new, trendy or absolutely classic”, points out it was he who originated the first Shalamar group’s debut ‘Uptown Festival’ Motown medley hit, co-produced by Simon Soussan (using session singers such as Rinder & Lewis of El Coco fame) — something that current histories of the present group conveniently forget . . . Feel’s ‘I’d Like To’ instrumental is such a sensational synch out of Indeep that I continually forget to fade the other record! . . . MoR jocks should note that Kids From Fame ‘Hi-Fidelity’ is a killer out of Human League ‘Mirror Man’, and also that Dire Straits ‘Sultans Of Swing’ is due on Vertigo 12in . . . Chad (Liverpool Cagneys) says Toney Lee’s acappella intro is brill over ‘Heavy Vibes’ Adrian D (Bournemouth Adams) revives Jackie Moore ‘This Time Baby’ (CBS 12in) and Suzi Lane ‘Harmony’ (Elektra 12in) at his gay venue — actually, he’d welcome offers of a London residency (not necessarily Boys Town) at 53 Markham Road, Winton, Bournemouth, Dorset . . . Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’, with its Van Halen guitar, has predictably got US ‘AOR’ rock radio raving (it was serviced on special promo-only 12in), except some stations are still so tightly segregated — sorry — formatted — that not all have dared “add” it yet . . . ABC ‘The Look Of Love (Remix)’ replaced Prince ‘1999’ as top US Dance/Disco hit, but in most respects our own various disco charts are way ahead of Billboard’s . . . Wallasey Jock Pez presents an in-store radio show on Saturdays to shoppers at Top Man (which side of the Mersey he doesn’t clarify), adding it makes a certain local radio DJ’s ‘Keep On Truckin’ sound like ‘All Our Yesterdays’! . . . I’d just like to point out (not necessarily to Pez) that any idiot can play all the brand new releases but that doesn’t automatically make him a good DJ . . . BBC Radio One’s Steve Wright should note that ten well chosen words are worth more than any amount of mindless Radio One chatter . . . Brian ‘Bazzer’ Mason’s Fridays funking Harrow Bobby Magees are going so well the doors have to be closed as early as 11pm to combat a residents late noise petition . . . Cosmic funks Basildon’s New Yorker on Wednesdays now, John Rush still doing Fri/Sats . . . Nick Aravis now gets help from Gary Kent not only funking Wednesdays but also doing Under-18 Mondays at Hornchurch Daniels . . . Larry Foster as well as funking Fridays has added party night Thursdays at Ilford Gants Hill Villa . . . Kishan, mobile around Harrow as All Jets Sound, has been resident at Swiss Cottage Finchley Road’s Les Elites Club (now redecorated) ever since Alan James Jewell departed for foreign climes (AJJ should be in Bangkok by now) . . . John DeSade’s moved into Central London on Fri/Sats at the Xclusiv . . . Chris Cole’s Fridays at Cranleigh’s Cranley Hotel are being enlivened by a giant new video . . . Chester Browton (Selsey) says that other Spanish holiday hit was probably Lime ‘Babe We’re Gonna Love Tonight’ (Canadian Uniwave/Matra/US Prism/German Polydor) . . . Showstoppers Adrian Webb hasn’t been masquerading on the quiet as Renato, has he?! . . . Tyrone Brunson and Whodini did well to hit amongst all the seasonal oldies/oddities in the Christmas week pop chart . . . now its welcome to the Gallup era . . . Mark Clark (Marylebone Cine Citta) says, some DJs use the rhythm method, others just SCRATCH IT!

HOT VINYL

THE JAMMERS: ‘Be Mine Tonight (Instrumental)’ (US Salsoul SG 388).
Slow acoustic piano introed and then totally restructured sensational new 119bpm 12in instrumental treatment of the current smash, with two vocal remixes as well! If you love the original you won’t be happy without these . . . that’s a warning!

MAHOGANY: ‘Ride On The Rhythm’ (US West End WES 22150).
Truly solid sounding excellent slinkily grooving 109-108½-108-108½-108bpm 12in thudder with wailing chick weaving through great searing sax and simple little licks. Get it!

NEW YORK CITI PEECH BOYS: ‘Life Is Something Special’ (US Island 0-9928).
Heard best at volume out on the floor, which it fills (in the good clubs, anyway!), this disjointedly starting 110bpm 12in Larry Levan creation is very different from ‘Don’t Make Me Wait’ building remorseless intensity through War-like tribal ‘Roots’ chanting over a throbbing non-electronic rhythm — the ‘Special Edition‘ being less vocal and more subduedly electronic. Continue reading “January 8, 1983: The Jammers, Mahogany, New York Citi Peech Boys, C-Bank, Fresh Face”

January 1, 1983: The Hammy Awards 1982 / 1982 Year End Disco Chart

And now the moment you’ve been waiting for . . .

THE HAMMY AWARDS 1982

1982 was a year in which music fans split into more different cliques than ever before, and controversy raged within the strictly soul camp about the merits or otherwise of the electrophonic influence.

With so many tastes to be catered for it is not surprising that the overall sales of every type of music suffered, but as the year drew to a close it appeared that disco was going through one of its periodic bursts of pop chart acceptance.

The mass of the general public obviously only want to dance to the records they know, and if they listen to the radio that means a very limited choice, but luckily during 1982 the media began to think of disco as being hip again, resulting in the widespread acceptance of such freak breakthroughs as Grandmaster Flash and Rockers Revenge.

Every few months there was the regulation crossover hit by a black lady, whether it be by the flavour of the summer, Patrice Rushen, or more often Evelyn King, plus the Sharons Redd and Brown, Raw Silk, Vicky “D”, Melba Moore, while a black Anglophile Los Angelean’s Kings Road trip to the barber’s gave Shalamar the key to superstardom.

Disco music wasn’t just about dancing in 1982, as a hefty dollop of real soul was returning to many of the hits too. However, more than anything else, it was undoubtedly the year of fierce electronics — and electrophonic phunk.

HIT OF THE YEAR: “D” Train – ‘You’re The One For Me’ (Prelude) — eight weeks at number one and, followed most importantly by the Peech Boys and Rockers Revenge, the most influential record of the year.

LABEL OF THE YEAR: Prelude, for the second year running.

RECORD COMPANY OF THE YEAR: CBS — the hits being (in ranked order) on Prelude, Streetwave, Epic, CBS, Tabu, Philadelphia International.

RUNNERS-UP (similarly ranked): 2) RCA (Motown/RCA/KR/Carrere/Ensign/Salsoul), 3) WEA (Elektra/Warner Bros/Solar/Atlantic), 4) Phonogram (Mercury/London/De-Lite), 5) Virgin (WMOT/Virgin/SAM), 6) EMI (Capitol/Liberty/EMI America/UA), 7) PRT (Sugarhill/Buddha/R&B/Excaliber/Becket), 8) A&M (Funk A&Merica/A&M), 9) Arista (Arista/GRP/Ariola), 10) Island (Ze/Island).

12in OF THE YEAR: Rockers Revenge – ‘Walking On Sunshine’ (London).

IMPORT OF THE YEAR: Extra T’s – ‘E.T. Boogie’ (US Sunnyview). Continue reading “January 1, 1983: The Hammy Awards 1982 / 1982 Year End Disco Chart”