July 24, 1982: Kool & The Gang, Patrick Boothe, Keni Burke, Sharon Redd, Freddie James, first gay club chart

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

ROCKERS REVENGE has been snapped up by Phonogram for rush release on London, Satril picked up Dunn & Bruce Street . . . I’ve finally invested in a quartz locked deck, so all bpm’s will now be absolutely accurate (unless marked with c for circa — meaning they were done in a shop) . . . Steve Walsh (01-724 1559) is looking for a lighting and sound engineer, to learn the business from scratch if necessary, at one of the World’s major ballrooms (I wonder which one?!) . . . M Platts now — beat this! — says: “When between DJ jobs my charts are more accurate than half those working” . . . Russ Winstanley reintroduces Northern Soul allniters to Wigan at Tiffany’s the second Friday of every month from Friday August 13 (let’s hope that’s not an omen!), with all the old Casino jocks plus the prospect of Edwin Starr live in September — £2 for members, 1am-8am, 1,200 capacity, lotsa sweat! . . . Capital Radio’s open air Jazz Festival at Knebworth last weekend, at least, had great weather for once . . . Top Of The Pops recent ‘Soul Train’-like edition had its effect — look at the top end of the pop chart . . . I stopped playing ‘Fame’ after the fifth time at a mobile gig last Saturday — the TV series’ Erica Gimpel must be bitter that it’s not her version that hit here, as most people probably think they’re buying her . . . UK pressings of the ‘KISS Mastermixes’ double album, although identified by catalogue number and sleeve logo as on Epic, actually use the Prelude label on the actual records — a long overdue British identity for the hot American disco outlet . . . Whitehaven Whitehouse’s Phil Haslehurst sent me a tape of local Cumbrian band It Bites, whose ‘Ytopio’ is a very accomplished catchy fast flowing sax-led jazz instrumental . . . Gary Crowley could make a fortune doing gigs, to judge from the likely lad’s first live Tuesday broadcast from the Camden Palace recently on Capital . . . Alan Coulthard’s Solar mix got everyone talking who’d heard it on Luxembourg last Friday at 10.10pm — like a fool I forgot to hear it as I was out drinking with Peter Young! . . . OK, Keith, so Persis Kambata is not in the new ‘Star Trek’ flick, though it’s still subtitled ‘The Wrath Of Khan’ . . . Richard Allinson just did a brill segue from Ultravox ‘All Stood Still’ into the similar Sheena Easton ‘Machinery’ — what a way to start sitting in for Nicky Horne! . . . Rush Release’s Ian Titchener marries Clare soon, and invited the world to Harringay Lazers to celebrate this Tuesday just gone . . . Nicky Sands, once disco plugger for such as CBS and UA but now an area manager for Alfred Marks, finally made Joy an honest woman and honeymooned in New York where they caught all the many doo-wop shows, both live and on radio (check 101FM Sundays 7pm-midnight, and twiddle through AM frequencies Saturday 10am-2pm to locate Bobby Jay’s show) . . . Rick Holland kindly gave me a replacement Willie Tee ‘Walking Up A One Way Street‘ so Tuesdays at Le Beat Route are cool again! . . . Rick himself jocks at Tulse Hill’s Bonne Bonne (pronounced “Bon Bonnie”) where he alternates with Tom Nelson (The Admiral), and at Twickenham’s Winning Post . . . Bristol’s Martin Starr, thanks to a mention on this page, temporarily does Dave Beeching’s Level One club in Neasden shopping centre every Mon/Thursday . . . Mayfair Gullivers lets you drink yourself legless for free up until midnight every Tuesday, provided you pay £5 admission . . . Pigbag ‘Big Bean’ on 12in is 129-131-129-131bpm . . . I have seen the likely reality of the 21st century on Earth, in a preview of the hit US movie ‘Blade Runner’, and it is not a pretty sight — but the movie and its visionary effects are stunning . . . Abba’s ‘Lay All Your Love On Me’ was only on 12in here, but did indeed come out in the States on 7in . . . Ronnie Scott’s got a chef in his club who’s half black and half Japanese, so every December he attacks Pearl Bailey! . . . KEEP IT TIGHT!

DUTCH BAND Blue Feather, currently climbing the charts with ‘Let’s Funk Tonight’, play a string of dates starting this month.

They kick off by supporting Light Of The World at Hammersmith Odeon on July 31 followed by gigs in their own right at: Hitchin Regal August 5, Manchester Unity 7, Cardiff Top Rank September 3, Brighton Top Rank 10, London Venue 11.

More dates will be confirmed later.

UK NEWIES

KOOL & THE GANG: ‘Big Fun’ (De-Lite DEX 7).
‘Celebration’ meets ‘Get Down On It’ halfway at 116bpm — which really says it all — the 12in being flipped by the extended 110-111bpm remix of ‘Get Down On It’ previously only available for Walkman wearers on the ‘Dura-Dance’ cassette compilation.

PATRICK BOOTHE: ‘Never Knew Love Like This Before’ (Streetwave STR A13-2596).
The Richard Jones-produced track is so truly awesome this time that the sinister bass figure is likely to do damage to your speakers as this purposefully pushing 109bpm 12in jitterer unwinds, Earth Wind & Fire’s overworked Phoenix Horns yet again braying behind pent up Patrick (instrumental flip) — but, vital to Streetwave though this release is, I still have the nagging doubt that not enough of a song develops, despite the last minute insertion at my suggestion of more variety towards the end. However, its immediate impact is strong (especially on radio), and it should do much better than that last disaster.

KENI BURKE: ‘Risin’ To The Top’ (RCA RCAT 252).
Around for ages on album, this beautifully soulful classy cool unhurried (0 -)94bpm 12in jogger has been flipped for value by his set’s next hottest cut, the similarly cool drifting and rolling 111-112½bpm ‘Hang Tight‘. On both, it’s the man’s vocal quality that counts. Continue reading “July 24, 1982: Kool & The Gang, Patrick Boothe, Keni Burke, Sharon Redd, Freddie James, first gay club chart”

July 17, 1982: Jeffrey Osborne, Fonda Rae, Shep Pettibone’s Mastermixes, Leroy Hutson, Zapp

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

SUGARHILL GANG ‘The Lover In You‘ was co-produced/penned by our own Pete Wingfield following Sylvia’s borrowing of his ‘It’s Good To Be The King‘ tune, and Pete along with Tiny Duke, Craig Derry and the Sequence actually handle all the singing with the Gang only doing the rap, a rather different original mix by Pete being likely to show up in some form here . . . Sugarhill’s house engineer Steve Jerome is indeed the immensely fat veteran who with brother Bill Jerome was responsible for many old hits like Hot Butter, and is not to be confused with British singer Jerome . . . Alan Coulthard’s debut remix medley of Kool & The Gang material on Radio Luxembourg last Friday at 10.10pm was so staggeringly brilliant I nearly wet myself with excitement, no way had I expected it to be that good — Froggy can forget it! . . . “D” Train’s import version of ‘Keep On’ is reputedly yet another better remix with a new dub flip . . . Wham, yet to live up to expectations, have a US promo remix of ‘Wham Rap’ . . . Renee Geyer’s Australian smash version of ‘Say I Love You‘, which got radio play but missed out in discos to Lenny Zakatek’s more authentic version here, is now on belated 12in (Portrait PRT A13-2056) . . . Eyes & Ears are circulating a 3-track 12in promo of singles currently only on Motown 7in, Bobby Womack ‘So Many Sides Of You‘ a mellow but forceful fast 127bpm bounder, High Inergy ‘First Impressions‘ a tremulously trilled tripping 112bpm swayer, and Bettye Lavette ‘I Can’t Stop‘ a ponderous ebbing and flowing 116bpm strutter . . . Phonogram’s Jeff Young sent out a US promo 12in of Starpoint ‘Get Your Body Up‘, a basic repetitive 119bpm funk jolter, purely because he had some . . . A&M are likely to be speeding up their black US releases here soon, and to keep things current when they do so will not be issuing Howard Johnson ‘So Fine’ . . . Gap Band yo-yo back to US Black number one, Stevie Wonder is top Dance/Disco . . . Colin Hudd is looking for a professionally minded DJ with the same mental attitude as expressed last week by Flash Gordon (DJ Top 20) for one night a week at Dartford Flicks (which will now reopen in August) — write to Colin at the club, Flicks, Kent Road, Dartford, Kent . . . Cleveland Area DJ Assn is promoting itself in September with an Adrian Love-headed monster roadshow incorporating a DJ competition open only to DJF members and (if sponsors can be found) a disco dancing contest too, at Redcar Leisure Centre — details from Tees-valley Roadshow’s Graham Bond (0642-325112) . . . Rob Hartman (Roydon) has updated news on the rigorous tests that DJs have to pass in Czechoslovakia before they can then charge a fee, which is itself assessed according to how they fare in the following: a mammoth written exam on the history and development of pop music, another ditto on world politics, practical and written tests on both listening and dancing programmes, plus a six-part test for equipment, microphone voice, lighting, wiring etc — not surprisingly there’s no “cowboy” problem there! . . . M. Platts is still representing himself to record companies as playing to — get this! — 48,000 people a week (which is some average for three staff discos in five weeks), and confesses that although he told me he’d raised £8,500 by running up Snowdon with a 90lb pack on his back he actually didn’t raise anything . . . you could say he’s been dead clever conning so many record companies for so long, but whichever way, it’s been an interesting case of the Walter Mitty’s — and a lesson is to be learnt: DJs who write too much in their reaction reports obviously can’t be that busy or else they wouldn’t have the time, whereas unfortunately it’s the really busy jocks who can do most for record companies in promoting their product rather than those with the time to write back . . . Paul Major, how busy are you? . . . Edinburgh’s Paul Fabian, now minus a lucrative source of revenue following the cessation of record company mailouts to him, no longer represents Eyes & Ears in Scotland . . . South Wales veteran Alan Christo, most recently working in Porthcawl, is open to offers on Abercynon 741463 from clubs in the area . . . Derek Pierce every Thursday at Moles Cub in Bath is featuring a whole range of black music, including Afro, reggae, funk and rap . . . Brother To Brother are busy on Thursdays at Stanmore Limes Country Clubs Chevaliers, but are so packed on Fri/Saturdays you have to be there before 10.30pm not to be amongst the 200 or more regularly turned away . . . Pete Haigh & Frenchie’s jazz-funk regularly pulls around 500 every Monday to Blackpool’s Man Friday’s, where Southern punters point up the musical differences by requesting Oliver Sain who never hit in the North-West . . . Greg Wilson is leaving Wigan’s Pier on a resident basis to funk as a freelance, but will still be there Tuesdays, and at Manchester Legend on Wednesdays . . . Larry Foster, busy around East London with five residency nights a week plus mobile gigs, is currently also back at Ilford’s Room At The Top on Saturday/Tuesday to stand in for vacationing John Osbourne . . . Nigel Porter has left Leicester to become assistant manager at Exeter’s HMV Shop, and immediately reports favourably on Chris Dinnis’s jazz-funk Saturdays at Boxes, but wonders if there’s a real market for the music in Exeter as his shop at present doesn’t stock it — which he could rectify given encouragement . . . Davy King reports from Northern Ireland that bona fide DJs get 10 per cent discount from Ian McDowell at Ballymena’s Cameron’s record shop . . . Nick Davies (Watford New Penny/Reading Cavershams) returned from the South of France clutching a Canadian import Beatles medley mixer with all their best known rockers expertly dovetailed under added drums and bass (rather than a drum machine) . . . Oui magazine recently featured a nude spread on Phyllis Hyman — gangway! . . . Ritchie Family was once due here via Phonogram — what happened? . . . Linx are noticeably absent from London’s Top 30 disco sellers . . . Evelyn King/Howard Johnson producer Kashif is recording himself for an autumn debut on Arista . . . Odyssey/Slave producer Jimmy Douglass is working with GQ now . . . Herbie Hancock’s US 7in is ‘Gettin’ To The Good Part’ . . . Chris Britton (Watford Baileys) wants £1,850 for his S-reg/full MoT/low mileage/electric windows/sunroof/stereo/leather upholstered Peugeot 604 SL (“good nick” sez he) — call Chesham 0494-772977 . . . Rayners Lane’s Record & Disco Centre has a deck running a big 4bpm slow, I now discover, which means some of my short “circa” BPM calculations (despite adjustment) may be a little bit out! . . . Lindsay Wesker, thanx! . . . Rush Release seem to have serviced a whole lot of stuff that never reached me, hence I’ve no way of knowing what reviews may be missing . . . ‘Star Trek II’, with a now hirsute Persis Kambata still looking somewhat Morgan-like, is subtitled ‘The Wrath Of Khan’! . . . TV’s Robin Day, on leaving a table of friends at Soho’s L’Escargot brasserie (so convenient for Groove and Le Beat Route), took part in the following exchange: “Goodbye, Day” — “Sir Robin to you!” . . . KEEP IT TIGHT!

BROADWAY’S ‘DREAMGIRLS’ smash musical, about a Sixties black girlie group, now has its original cast album issued here (Geffen GEF 85578), off which the stunningly soulful Jennifer Holiday’s ‘And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going‘ is a top ten 7in in the US black singles chart and a must for all true soul fans to hear. The standout of the recently televised Tony Awards, her stage version has sadly been drastically shortened even on LP (the BPM is immaterial although 0-30/60-0r), the whole thing being an emotional tour de force in which overweight Jennifer protests to her manager, who’s also been her lover, that she won’t leave the otherwise svelte Dreams to make way for a slimline replacement. The actual singing style of the Dreams is nothing like that of the Supremes, incidentally.

HOT QUISINE last Saturday had to be the hardest working band in show business, driving down from Sheffield in the morning to do a PA at an alldayer in Tolworth (SW London) before playing live at The Venue and then doing six more club PA’s, only to drive straight back home to Sheffield as the cold grey light of dawn was breaking. All this was to promote their upcoming new 12in, already about on white label, ‘Keep That Same Old Feeling‘ (Kaleidoscope KRL A13-2560).

UK NEWIES

JEFFREY OSBORNE: ‘I Really Don’t Need No Light’ (A&M AMSX 8234).
Great deceptively strong lazily jogging 107bpm 12in tugger by LTD’s ex-lead singer does nothing spectacular but is just darned soulful, and terrific mixed between Fatback ‘Shining Star’ and Lamont Dozier ‘Roots’. Yeah, like Maze, you could call it the “new soul”. Let it seep into you!

FONDA RAE: ‘Over Like A Fat Rat’ (Vanguard VSL 5023).
Purposefully but quietly authoritative precisely smacking chick souled chunky 111bpm 12in thudder builds tension to become extremely powerful in accumulative effect, and should have been bigger on import.

VARIOUS: ‘98.7 KISS FM presents Shep Pettibone’s Mastermixes‘ LP (Epic EPC 22138).
The 1980’s equivalent of those ‘Good Guys’ oldies but goodies albums which every US radio station used to put out plastered (as is this) with their DJs signatures, the much discussed double album of Prelude remixes is currently hot amongst the mixing fraternity for the inevitable 120bpm “D” Train ‘You’re The One For Me‘, the wild and wonderful 113bpm Jeanette ‘Lady’ Day ‘Come Let Me Love You‘, 111bpm Sharon Redd ‘Can You Handle It‘, 112bpm France Joli ‘Gonna Get Over You‘, 121bpm Secret Weapon ‘Must Be The Music‘. The UK price of around £5.50 is reckoned to be cheap. Continue reading “July 17, 1982: Jeffrey Osborne, Fonda Rae, Shep Pettibone’s Mastermixes, Leroy Hutson, Zapp”

July 10, 1982: Thunderthumbs & The Toetsenman, D Train, Junior, Deodato, Bohannon

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

ALAN COULTHARD starts this Friday a weekly ten minute mixing spot on Tony Prince’s Radio Luxembourg disco show (9-11pm) — Froggy’d better watch his crown! . . . Blue Feather’s ‘Let’s Funk Tonight (Club Instrumental)‘, the “Young & Strong second edition” now as third track on their 12in, still has a snatch of vocal at the start and is at 119bpm just 1bpm faster than the plugside (which I hadn’t realized in the UK pressing has yet more vocal at the end, unlike the therefore still superior US version) . . . Ian Levine (Charing Cross Heaven) reminds us that the Broadway smash ‘Dreamgirls’ is extremely similar to the 1976 film ‘Sparkle’ starring ‘Fame’s Irene Cara, Lonette McKee and more as a Supremes-like girlie group called Sister And The Sisters, with Sixties-style score by Curtis Mayfield featuring Aretha Franklin on the soundtrack album — who’s got the UK rights? . . . Marvin Howell’s picked up the Boys Town Gang’s Dutch chart-topping ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’, but for ERC rather than his Project or System labels . . . Jonathan King’s slot on ‘Top Of The Pops’ has to be the biggest boost a foreign record can get here . . . David ‘Frantique’ Christie’s ‘Saddle Up’, evidently hitting all over the world, turns out to be the first product from Mike ‘Shout’ Collier’s new Joy label, leased to KR as a one-off . . . Cheri have been answered in the States by The Murphy’s ‘Murphy’s Jive Law‘ (US Venture) . . . Gap Band briefly hiccuped to number 1 in the US Black Singles chart (as Billboard now calls it) only for the Dazz Band to return after one week, but Gap are now top Black LP, while Sinnamon is top Dance/Disco . . . Illusion’s version of ‘Why Can’t We Live Together‘ is a US black hit on Sugarhill there . . . ‘Jive Rhythm Trax‘, instrumental rhythm track versions of various current hits, will soon be on Jive LP . . . Ken ‘B’ full-time instore DJ at Southampton’s Top Man/Top Shop (33-35 Above Bar), finds it increasingly difficult to get onto mailing lists yet says large stores like his are ideal for record promotion — maybe he should try radio rather than disco pluggers . . . West Surrey & Hants DJ Assn meet Monday (12) at 8pm in Guildford’s Stoke Hotel (details Chris on Cranleigh 2641 — and, er, make that XL blue!) . . . Capital never stop playing the Valentine Brothers following the belated enthusiasm of Gary Crowley — they obviously weren’t paying as much attention to Greg Edwards two months ago, or to Peter Young almost as long ago (Peter’s promos for last week’s ‘Best Disco In Town’ were incidentally amongst the funniest things I’ve ever heard — “Say hi South London, say hi North London, say hi Mum!”) . . . Shalamar’s Jeffrey Daniels, still body-poppin’ all over the place (and making a smash in the process), had his hair cut in Chelsea’s Kings Road . . . Dartford Flicks will reopen on a Friday later this month with Chris Hill and Colin Hudd holding a fireman’s fancy dress night in the revamped interior (just don’t let Colin near any matches!) . . . Bob Jones, still funk-jazzing Chelmsford’s Countryman Mon/Fridays, plays solid jazz every Tuesday at The Oddfellows pub in Chelmsford’s Springfield Road, where Gene Ammons ‘Jungle Strutt‘ is the boss biggie for Bob, who returns a “hi” to Mike Page (Telford Nell Gwynn) . . . Paul Rae reports from Manchester Legend that their Thursdays are “allsorts” nights, mixing Killing Joke/Bauhaus, German imports, funky electro-disco, reggae, Northern soul, Sixties oldies and sillies like Bucks Fizz or Boney M — in other words it sounds like a regular Wally gig (no insult intended!) and evidently surprised a visiting Clare Grogan . . . Paul also wonders why, with so much great sound equipment but no microphone, the Camden Palace doesn’t employ DJs who can mix? . . . hmm! . . . Tony ‘Soul On Sound’ Jenkins whispers that the place to be this Friday is . . . mumble, mumble, mumble . . . Paul Fabian, come in, your time is up! . . . Colin Cordrey (Edinburgh Madhatters Speakeasy), wait for ‘Soul On Sound’ . . . oh, yes, Laytons Cellars, under St Pancras Station in Midland Road, smart attire essential . . . Bee Gee Barry Gibb is currently producing (separately) Righteous Brother Bill Medley and Dionne Warwick, both of whom could well sound good given his style . . . Darryl Hayden has given up fire-eating and DJing to get a proper job as manager of West Kensington’s Sunset Club in North End Road . . . Glen Auld (Prestwick) would give his right arm for a copy of that Shep Pettibone remixed KISS version of Diana Ross ‘Mirror Mirror’ — now that is a record you will never own! . . . Polydor have re-released again the classic 1962 live recording of James Brown, now retitled ‘Live And Lowdown At The Apollo, Vol. 1’ (Polydor mid-price 2482 530), from the era that I must confess, turned me deeply onto soul — but it does sound strange hearing it now in stereo . . . I haven’t been mentioning my Sixties Soul nights every Tuesday at Soho Greek Street’s Le Beat Route (with Alex Getrry topping and tailing the evening) mainly because they are every week, and (touch wood) are going extremely well . . . Steve Durrell (Staines) didn’t know Chan Romero originated ‘Hippy Hippy Shake’ — that’s Association Of Stammerers 1, Disco nil! . . . ‘I Want Candy’, ‘Iko Iko’ now the Belle Stars have done ‘The Clapping Song’ — not to mention Bananarama reviving the Sixties girlie group sound — it’s just like 1965 all over again! . . . how long before someone unearths Bunker Hill ‘Hide And Go Seek‘? . . . DJs using the Light Of The World promo 4-track 12in presumably didn’t realise that ‘I Can’t Stop’ was flip of the group’s previous 12in, totally ignored then . . . is there something cryptic in the Jane Fonda Workout Record’s caption, ‘Can You Feel It’ — The Jacksons?! . . . KEEP IT TIGHT!

KID CREOLE’S new release on remixed 12in this week is ‘Stool Pigeon‘ (Ze 12WIP 6793), a jerkily rolling 108½bpm smacker with typically sassy low-life storyline after a long intro, flipped by the brand new and as yet unheard ‘Double On Back‘.

AT LAST! Here are the mysterious men behind top disco sellers Blue Feather and their mega club hit, ‘Lets Funk Tonight’. Blue Feather, who all come from Holland, have been together since 1976 and feature Ron and Ed Brouwer singing and playing guitar, Dirk Nusink on percussion, Rob Hoelen on guitar, Jan Willem Weeds singing and playing keyboards and Lex Nusink on drums.

CAUGHT ON THE HOP

MARTIN PLATTS, well opinionated scourge of the record companies in his voluminous weekly reaction reports, has after extensive detective work been exposed. He has been receiving free promotional records for several years without having a regular disc-jockeying job.

My own suspicions (as you may have noticed in several cryptic comments) were increased when his unending stories about his marathon charity running activities never mentioned where he was working.

The running probably isn’t genuine either, come to that!

DJ Federation chairman and secretary of the North West DJ Association, Maggie Parsons had tried to contact Blackburn based Platts’ telephone number and address printed on this page, thinking that such an active DJ in the area should be approached to join the Association, but the telephone was cut off and no written replies came.

After further attempts to trace him, the NWDJA then decided to check a big outdoor charity event he was evidently doing at Clitheroe Castle, only to discover that no such event was to take place. After yet more detective work, Maggie noted from this page that in a newsletter from independent plugger Theo Loyla early in June that Platts was reportedly working in North Wales at Butlin’s in Pwllheli, as he had told Theo, but not me.

Maggie rang Butlin’s and asked for the name of their DJ, “Keith” they said. Maggie then rang Theo to tell him of her suspicions and Theo informed her that Platts was indeed working at Butlin’s, as he had a copy of his staff number.

Maggie immediately rang the Butlin’s personnel officer and after establishing her credentials was informed that Martin Platts was a counter service hand in the retail sales department . . . which probably meant he was wiping tables in the cafe. When pressed, he claimed he was planning a staff disco at Butlin’s.

Further detective work amongst WEA’s Fred Dove and CBS’s Caroline Moore had thrown up other doubts and ideas about his supposed DJ work.

Certainly three years ago Martin Platts was a real live club DJ at Romeo & Juliet’s in Blackburn where he was seen by Theo Loyla.

Since then however, after losing his gig, it appears that he kept on the record companies’ books by concocting more and more outrageous fantasies about his activities and by supposedly running a panel of punters who took hours to deliberate about the accurate chart placing for all the promo records he played — this last effort being practised by Theo in the newsletter which was to prove his undoing.

When approached by RECORD MIRROR, Platts said he was working as a regular DJ at Butlin’s staff club, in five weeks he had worked there three times. At the moment he was a counter service hand, but he was hoping for a full time job as a DJ.

The last marathon he had run in was the Inter Service Championships at RAF Swinderby near Lincoln on April 26.

UK NEWIES

THUNDERTHUMBS AND THE TOETSENMAN: ‘Freedom’ (Polydor POSPX 480).
Level 42’s bassist Mark King and keyboardist Mike Lindup (Toetsenman is Dutch for keyboard) combine alone for a great smoothly harmonised but otherwise all happening joyously bright and lively 127-126-127bpm 12in racing rattling romp with Latin percussion, Al DiMeola-ish guitar and the whole shebang recorded in crystal clarity. Wow! Stay still to this if you can! The ‘Freedom A Go-Go‘ flip’s an instrumental treatment.

“D” TRAIN: ‘Keep On’ (Epic EPC A13-2543).
Always bigger for upfront jocks than ‘Walk On By’, this remixed Evelyn King-ish coolly tripping 116-0bpm burbler is modern disco perfection as it thumps along through many changes to a great chiming and rattling synth climax (don’t mix out of it early — play it all!), on 3-track 12in with his LP’s dub-like 120bpm ‘You’re The One For Me (Reprise)’ and less distinguished 124bpm ‘Love Vibrations’.

JUNIOR: ‘Too Late’ (Mercury MERX 112).
Ponderously jolting slow 104bpm 12in melodic roller — here is the Tee Scott remixed US promo version without the original LP’s doodling finish — distinguished by truly outstanding lyrics beautifully sung in a worrying pent-up whinny. Continue reading “July 10, 1982: Thunderthumbs & The Toetsenman, D Train, Junior, Deodato, Bohannon”

July 3, 1982: Patrice Rushen, Candela, Sinnamon, Booker T, Magic Lady

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

Kool’s new ‘Big Fun’ 12in is due here in a fortnight hopefully, with the ‘Get Down On It’ remix as probable flip, the Gang’s ‘Best Of’ double LP having been shelved temporarily . . . Roy Hamilton will be remixed on Excaliber . . . Linx and Rick James are both on picture disc 7in, Rick also being confirmed as a commercial 12in . . . Motown have a full length ‘Do I Do’ video which includes Dizzy Gillespie, but ‘Top Of The Pops’ obviously didn’t get that far! . . . “D” Train’s ‘Keep On’ 12in is a 3-tracker including ‘You’re The One For Me (Reprise)’, but somehow it hasn’t reached me yet— nor has the Rah Band’s new 3-tracker, ‘Hungry For Your Jungle Love’ / ‘Party Games’ / ‘Tears And Rain’ (TMT) . . . Donna Summer (ooh — let’s use a pic, quick!) has a US promo 12in that’s only the 40 seconds longer LP version, but a new Quincy Jones remix could be coming commercially . . . Deodato’s fast ‘Celebration’-ish new ‘Happy Hour‘ (127bpm US 12in promo / 126bpm UK 7in) is due here on 3-track 12in with the better more mellow 115-116bpm ‘Sweet Magic‘ and old 114bpm ‘Night Cruiser’ (Warner Bros) . . . Jeffrey Osborne ‘I Really Don’t Need No Light‘ is imminent here on 12in, Herbie Hancock’s rapid follow-up (7in so far) is ‘The Fun Tracks’ / ‘Give It All Your Heart’ . . . Billy Ocean’s empty 127bpm ‘I Can’t Stop’ UK 7in release is on promo 12in now . . . Saint Tropez have an import 4-track “mini-LP” with extended versions of the great ‘Femmes Fatales‘, ‘Belle De Jour’, ‘Love Stealers’, ‘One More Minute’ (US Destiny DTA-20001) . . . Odyssey are the pop number one in London and even Larry Graham’s at 29 (2 Disco) — Larry incidentally will be in town this Saturday, doing PA’s in Rayners Lane’s Record & Disco Centre at 2.30pm and Paddington’s Bluebird Records shop as well sometime . . . ever tried mixing to a muffled echo because (although requested) the monitors weren’t on, using a cue system which cuts off the PFL as soon as you start running the record in, with decks which won’t slip start when you try to chop mix? — that’s what it was like at Margate on Sunday, so apologies for any disappointment . . . Steve Walsh had the devil of a job trying to co-ordinate the all-dayer’s events, but at least there was a good crowd (poorly served by the atrocious sound system) and there was always the seafront sleaze as a counter-attraction . . . I called in on Nicky Peck at Bearsted’s Tudor whatsit on the way home, bumping into Tom Holland, and was interested to note that Nicky had a far better floor, once he switched from commercial to hard sounds — or was it just that the bar had closed and there was nothing else to do but dance?! . . . Tom really did celebrate his birthday at Leysdown Stage 3 last Saturday, but not his 21st — in fact, he’s (whisper whisper whisper) four years younger than me! . . . Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes were so superb (as if the ’70s had never existed) at Mayfair Gullivers last Wednesday that they came back on Friday as well, Wednesday’s audience having included Ben E King and Shalamar’s Jeffrey Daniel . . . Jeffrey was in fact much in evidence around London last week, doing his dance at Le Beat Route’s “every Monday is New Year’s Eve” night — which is amazingly good and busy, not only for a Monday but for any night . . . Slave are rumoured to be in line for a seaside gig in October — ouch, that’s me kneecaps! . . . Ernie Priestman, co-founder of Whitehaven’s legendary Whitehouse, has resurfaced with a new club in Blackpool opening this coming Tuesday (6), the Touchdown in Talbot Road, where Ernie himself and local lad Gary Hickson will handle the jocking (Chris & Carol, we’re invited up) . . . Nick Ratcliffe starts a freestyle dance championship at Camberley Ragamuffins on Tuesday (6) to run through August weekly, details on Camberley 24420 . . . Froggy does a Chris Hill and starts a Friday residency at Southend’s Zero 6 this month . . . Pete Tong has surrendered Fridays at the Barracuda to an electro night and is already funking Charing’s King Arthur’s Court instead . . . Cleveland Area DJ Association meet this Sunday (4) 7-10pm at Middlesbrough’s Post House with a special guest, DJF secretary Mike Hill, details from Teesvalley Roadshow’s Graham Bond (0642-325112) . . . Radio Cleveland’s Colin Bunion is inviting Cleveland area DJs to review new records ‘Round Table’ style on air, call him on Middlesbrough, 248491 . . . West Surrey & Hampshire DJ Assn’s Disco magazine is getting quite bulky — a cheque/PO for £3.60 (payable to the assn) will get ten issues mailed from Chris Cole, Brooklands Farm Bungalow, Pepperbox Lane, Bramley, Guildford, Surrey, GU5 0LW . . . SOS stands for ‘Soul On Sound’ and is an interesting new aural enterprise from Tony Jenkins, who’s got things taped . . . Tom Wilson (Edinburgh Oscars) reckons the Beeb are bigoted by not mentioning the black Deniece Williams and Ray Parker Jr in a recent US chart rundown on ‘Top Of The Pops’ — but at least ‘TOTP’ made up for it last week, looking at times more like ‘Soul Train’! . . . Yvonne Mobely’s Shep Pettibone interview on ‘Steppin’ Out’ was a waste of time, all typically American hot air telling one nothing about the technique of remixing records, and using bland American records as a demonstration instead of something recognizable here so that we could spot what had been done to change them . . . Jack Wood (Huddersfield Flix) does his own clever remixes which he puts on cassette, ‘You’re The One For Me’ being best that I’ve heard . . . those illegal remixes mentioned last week are going to be impossible to find, I fear, as the whistle’s really been blown on ’em . . . Mark Clark (Bracknell) is back from Rotterdam clutching some Canadian speed-up remixes of Imagination’s singles . . . Bobby McFerrin is obviously the macho name to put in your charts currently, his 134-128-0-(intro)-132/264bpm ‘Dance With Me‘ being undeniably brilliant and popular at a certain level — but a major floor-filler? . . . South Wales’s Phil Black is now Head of Music on Jersey for the Modern Hotels Group’s own internal radio station MHG Radio Channel 2 . . . Paul Macey, busy over the last two years since starting at Nodes Point holiday camp, has returned to the Isle Of Wight as full-time resident jock at the big screen video equipped Keats Inn in Shanklin, and would welcome any VHS promos (73 Downsview Road, St Helens, Ryde, IoW, PO33 1YD . . . Neil Midha & Billy Baker jazz-funk Kensington Muppets every Tuesday now with reduced £2 admission for non-members, free cocktails before 11pm and other inducements, because they say (and this is a real cri de coeur!), “We are funking sick of playing ‘Boogie Wonderland’ to wallies who think they’re dancing to jazz-funk and if I have to play ‘Ladies Night’ as a request for one more person I think I’ll give up being a jock and become a consultant for run down DJs” . . . Phil Jay’s jazz-funk activities now embrace Godalming’s Secrets club Sunday/Thursday, Guildford’s Royal Hotel Friday, West Byfleet’s Carafino pub Tuesday — all evidently doing well . . . Stockton’s Fiesta has closed briefly for a refit to become a top class disco . . . Rob Harknett (Harlow) finds that local bands are now copying the medley running order of his German Ariola 7in version of Saragossa Band ‘Saragossa On 45’ . . . Alan Costa (Brighton Kings Club) has a similar medley of Italian disco hits, Italian Stars ‘Italian Disco Stars‘ . . . Boys White Teeth from Hampshire are the first disco signing to Melksham’s TW label (now home of ex-CBS Jenni Nicholson), their ‘Prices (Will Be Quoted)‘ being due soon . . . Fatman Graham Canter jocked at Drifter Johnny Moore’s wedding recently, and says it was the funkiest gig he’s over done! . . . Teddy Pendergrass, while obviously not very fit, is reportedly not as bad as feared and could even be returning to the studios soon (which must please the ailing Philadelphia International) . . . Alan Donald (Rothesay Paddle Boat) has revived Nancy Wilson ‘I’ve Never Been To Me‘ (Capitol) . . . It seems a certain hot and bothered Edinburgh DJ has been dealing in the futures market — like flogging the rights to his future mail-outs from individual companies to other less fortunate jocks at a hundred quid a time . . . Earth Wind & Fire’s ever busy Phoenix Horns Esquire are on Genesis ‘Paperlate’ . . . Graham Gold (Mayfair Gullivers) surprised himself with a brilliant mix from Dunn & Bruce Street into A Taste of Honey, Eddie Gee (Loughborough Students Union Jazz-Funk Society) mixes Superior Movement ‘Wide Shot’ and the KISS remix Empress ‘Dyin’ To Be Dancin’ . . . Mike Anthony (Uxbridge) mixes Chic ‘Good Times’ clapping break into Cheri . . . I badly need lots more pix of good disco artistes to use in this expanded column, if record companies could oblige . . . Capital Radio’s Peter Young (who originally didn’t want a name check but has now changed his mind) is responsible for this current tag — KEEP IT TIGHT! (or right!) (pop-pickers!) (stay bright!) . . . AAH, SHUDDUP!

PHYLLIS HYMAN, star of the long running smash Tony Award Winning Broadway musical ‘Sophisticated Ladies’ built around the music of Duke Ellington, has had special leave of absence to appear as a guest singer at The Duke Ellington Sacred Concert this coming Wednesday (7) at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Any chance of some PAs too, cos over here she’s better known as a soul star?

UK NEWIES

PATRICE RUSHEN: ‘I Was Tired Of Being Alone’ (Elektra K 13184T).
Her album’s slow ‘Remind Me‘ would have given radio a better indication of Patrice’s staying power than this pale and so far insignificant 118bpm imitation of ‘Forget Me Nots’, BUT — it is on a 3-track 12in with an extended 115-114-115bpm version of the monster cool jazzy ‘Number One‘ instrumental and the older but now extremely useful soaringly stomping 113(intro)-115-116-118-115-116-118-115(break)-116bpm ‘The Funk Won’t Let You Down‘. Flip it!

CANDELA: ‘Love You Madly’ (Arista ARIST 12473).
‘Boogie Wonderland’ — introed strong vocal interplay driven lurching 117bpm 12in thudder with wailing chix, soulful guys and an exciting stereo synth break, combining to make an established import hit with possibly classic potential.

SINNAMON: ‘Thanks To You’ (Becket BKL 3).
Starting with a great abrasively scolding lady and timid guys “telephone” exchange over the basic beat, this import smash sparsely arranged ever changing chick squawked excellent drumkit prodded 118-119-118bpm 12in thudder is remarkably (and ultra-mixably) like Electrik Funk most of the time, especially on 2-track flipside 119bpm instrumental and Peech Boys-ish ‘Fierce Reprise‘ continuation. Continue reading “July 3, 1982: Patrice Rushen, Candela, Sinnamon, Booker T, Magic Lady”

June 26, 1982: Narada Michael Walden, Captain Sensible, Rick James, Plunky & The Oneness Of Juju, Stevie Wonder

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

BLUE FEATHER is evidently about to have an extra previously unavailable ‘Club Instrumental’ added to make ‘Let’s Funk Tonight’ a 3-track 12in, while mixers should note their ‘It’s Love’ and D’Llegance have the same bongos . . . “D” Train’s ‘You’re The One For Me’ KISS remix is on one-sided Dutch Rams Horn 12in (RAMS 12-3106), their ‘Keep On’ being due here already as follow-up to ‘Walk On By’ . . . US Motown now know, so Stevie’s 12in can be acknowledged . . . 12in copies of Dennis Brown have been hard to find, which hasn’t stopped him being one of London’s top sellers . . . Light Of The World’s July album has been preceded by a 4-track promo 12in (hissily cut), their future ‘No. 1 Girl‘ being a 0-89-0-129bpm jogger with nice sax which suddenly switches into a fast Latin finish (are the lyrics really about coming home to Mum?), ‘Soho‘ a jittery 118bpm smacker with ‘Wikka Wrap’ outro, and ‘(Everybody) Move‘ a brassy 114 bpm jiggler . . . Donna Summer’s Quincy-produced ‘Love Is In Control‘ 7in is 133bpm pop . . . Harringey’s Bolts gay club starts next Thursday (1) a National Gay Disco Dancing Championship which’ll also embrace Manchester Heroes, Nottingham Le Chic Part Two, Brighton Bolts (Sherrys), Southampton Magnum Club before finishing back in Harringey — details on 01-802 0303/5959 . . . Leeds Warehouse owner Mike Wiand donated £800 to Radio Luxembourg’s recent charity telethon, buying a future half hour show on the station for the club’s DJ Ian Dewhirst . . . Steve Walsh is busy this Friday (25), guesting on Dave Brown’s BBC Radio Medway soul show, then jocking at both Battersea Queens and Soho Gossips . . . Chris Hill will be resident on Fridays when Dartford Flicks reopens . . . Fatman Graham Canter’s now doing regular spots at Piccadilly’s flashy Xenon, which gives receipts for all your drinks— good for expense accounts? . . . DJ Federation individual membership charges have been halved for the rest of 1982, costing now £12.50 — enquiries to DJF(GB), 6 Apsley Street, Keighley, West Yorkshire . . . Maze’s New Orleans video is evidently to be released officially . . . Level 42’s next single will possibly either be live, or have a live flip, or a free live extra single — according to Mark King, talking to Bristol’s Nigel Halkes, who also says “I wonder if someone could tell Froggy not to shout so much when he’s on ‘Steppin’ Out’, he does yell a bit” tee hee! . . . Staines Jacksons Nightclub needs established club DJs to guest on Friday nights with Dave Collins — call Marc Carter on Staines 53193 / Henley 5430 . . . Neil Fincham (Edinburgh Mad Hatter’s Speakeasy) revisits his Ipswich birthplace early in August and would welcome some free jazz-funk guests spots — call him (weekends) on 0368 63606 . . . Mike Page, now slipping in some jazz-funk at Telford’s Nell Gwynn, used to jock in Essex at the Essex Barn and Countryman with Bob Jones, and says “hi” to him . . . ‘Murphy’s Law’ composer credits read as James Hunt! . . . TV’s version of ‘Fame’ is less snappily edited than the movie but will obviously bear watching as it explores the diameters in greater depth (I hope) . . . Gary Numan’s image is of course that of Herbert Lom in ‘The Ladykillers’ . . . Beggar & Co’s ears have been burning, with everyone talking about their dreadful new single . . . Chris Britton (Watford Baileys) recommends Modern Romance to any promoter following their week with him . . . Cindy Ecstasy, Soft Cell’s female “voice” has been staying round my mate Sparrow’s gaff . . . Nightclub pop dance chart has settled down to a regular 65 places long — It would be nice to hear from more jocks who buy their pop records . . . Change is 115(intro)-116bpm . . . Mark Clark, Paul Major and others, note: when calculating Beats Per Minute, the beat at the moment you hit your stopwatch is “0” and not “1” — I always wind my hand tally counter back to ‘9999″ so that it hits zero as soon as I start clicking off the beats . . . Greg Edwards recommends unattached young ladies to go up to strange men in bars and say “Why suck on a strawberry cocktail when you can suck on my lips?” . . . KEEP IT TIGHT!

UK NEWIES

NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN: ‘You Ought To Love Me’ (Atlantic K 11739T).
Sensational to mix (with Larry Graham, Second Image — hell, just about anything!), this tumblingly rattling and lurching 116bpm smacker really cuts naggingly through due to its great simple bubbling synth twiddles and is now on extra strong 3-track 12in with his old classic 117-116(start)-114-115 (break)-114bpm ‘I Shoulda Loved Ya’ and 125(very start)-121-120-125(clap/horns)-123-121bpm ‘Tonight I’m Alright’. DJs previously plugging his LP’s ‘Summer Lady’ will be switching in droves!

CAPTAIN SENSIBLE: ‘Happy Talk’ (A&M CAPP).
The madly jaunty ‘South Pacific’ ditty — apart from being a surefire silly summer smash in this carefully created 100/50-0-100-0bpm 12in revival — amazingly blends into a funk set thanks to its solid bass! Try vari-synching it between Ray Parker ‘Just Havin’ Fun‘ and then (before it pauses slowly) into Kid Creole ‘Wonderful Thing’ — brilliant!

RICK JAMES: ‘Money Talks’ (LP ‘Throwin’ Down’ Motown STML 12167).
Beautifully packaged totally typical Rick James funk set, this 120-121-122bpm smacker synching perfectly out of ‘Standing On The Top’ and now to my mind being better than the 123-124-123bpm ‘Dance Wit’ Me‘, others in similar mould being the 121bpm ‘Hard To Get‘, 126bpm ‘69 Times‘, 129bpm ‘Throwdown‘, while Teena Marie joins him on the dead slow ‘Happy’. Continue reading “June 26, 1982: Narada Michael Walden, Captain Sensible, Rick James, Plunky & The Oneness Of Juju, Stevie Wonder”

June 19, 1982: Dennis Brown, Blue Feather, A Taste Of Honey, Fatback, Majik

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

JENNIFER HOLLIDAY’S spine-tingling performance of ‘And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going’ from Broadway’s much awarded ‘Dreamgirls’ musical on last week’s televising of ‘The Tony Awards’ ceremony had to be the most truly soulful, gut wrenching song ever seen on British TV, and amazingly true of the ’60s from a 23 year old — Jennifer plays the “Florence Ballard” character whose weight problem gets her kicked out of the svelte Supremes-like ’60s girlie group The Dreams, and a shortened version of her showstopper from the cast album is currently halfway up the US soul chart (on Geffen) . . . Narada Michael Walden’s single, despite ‘Summer Lady’ getting by far the most DJ support, is apparently ‘You Ought To Love Me’ — flipped for comparison by ‘I Shoulda Loved Ya’! . . . Keni Burke’s LP review rather neglected the overall quality of the man’s voice even on the less immediately useful dance cuts, the whole set indeed hanging together very well for home listening, while such as the lovely 47/95-48/96bpm ‘One Minute More’, smoochy 31bpm ‘Who Do You Love’, jolting 111bpm ‘All Night’, bounding 126bpm ‘Can’t Get Enough’, and ‘Shakin’-style fast accelerating 134- 137bpm ‘Changes’ title track are certainly not without use (oh for a 30 hour day!) . . . Rose Royce’s LP similarly has created interest, albeit short lived, with the Chaka Khan-ish Ricci Benson-sung orchestrally sawing / vocally soaring (0-)123-122-124(jazzy piano)-123bpm ‘Still In Love‘, and to a lesser extent the fairly mundane 109-108bpm funky jiggler ‘Dance With Me‘ . . . B.T. Express’s album, apart from the already reviewed dynamite synth seared 106(start)-108-109-108bpm ‘Keep It Up‘ title track, includes the tunefully loping then emphatically cantering 120-121-122bpm ‘This Must Be The Night For Love’, chugging 109-110-111bpm ‘Let Yourself Go’, burbling 110-111-112-111bpm ‘Just Can’t Stop Dancin’, laser zapped throbbing 118-119-120bpm ‘Star Child’ and brassily accented 113- 114-115bpm ‘Dancin’ Dream’ — but ‘Keep It Up’ is the killer . . . Jessica Williams highly rated old frantically galloping gay 132bpm ‘Queen Of Fools‘ is about again on orange vinyl Mexican RCA 12in . . . ‘Every Way But Loose’ has had an instrumental remix with bass up / vigor down by Plunky & The Oneness of Juju (US Sutra SUD 007), while also on import 12in now are Michael Wycoff ‘Looking Up To You‘ (US RCA) and a remixed Chi-Lites ‘Try My Side (Of Love)’ (US 20th Century / Chi-Sound) . . . Mercury within a month release the US compiled ‘Platterama Medley’, edited together from snippets of the Platters original old hits ‘Only You / Harbor Lights / The Magic Touch / Twilight Time / The Great Pretender / My Prayer / Smoke Gets In Your Eyes’ . . . Derek Pierce (Bath Moles) infos that Bristol jazzers Groove Juice Special have a self-titled album on Bath’s Rival Records label containing Louis Jordan / Joe Jackson-type material . . . The McCrarys ‘Love On A Summer Night’ inexplicably dipped down out of the chart just as the weather got good, and just as it’s due on UK 12in — Alan Gaskell (St Helens) reckons it sounds like George Benson ‘Love X Love’, which mixes well . . . Funkapolitan ‘Run Run Run’ is evidently now on 3-track London 12in, which in common with some other recent mailouts has somehow eluded me . . . UK pressings spell in the singular, Blue Feather . . . New York District Attorneys are cracking down on bootleg “disco mixer” medleys, raiding retailers and distributors to seize copies of such as ‘Horizon One’ . . . Ernie Watts sax is on the Stones ‘Go Go’ . . . Tom Holland was first to turn most people onto Dennis Brown ‘Love Has Found Its Way’, but then Big Tom’s famous for finding ’em! . . . Bob Jones and Nicky Peck take a jazz boat around the Isle of Wight on Saturday afternoon, July 10th, £6 tickets from the jocks gigs beforehand or ring 01-723 1362 and ask for John . . . Gary Allan, Graham Carn, Terry Lennaine and guests attempt to bring a regular upfront music policy back into Liverpool every Thursday at McMillan’s — “Now it’s up to the punters”, sez Gaz . . . Gary also says another good ABC instrumental mix is with Alton Edwards ‘I Just Wanna’ instrumental . . . Bristol mafioso Martin Starr, while learning broadcasting up in London, wouldn’t mind some local gigs (offers on 01-286 5428) . . . ‘Cosmic’ Shiret, 18 year-old veteran of Zhivagos / Crocs / Quills / Westcliff Leisure Centre, spends about thirty quid a week on new releases to plug at his current Brentwood Lion And Lamb pub gig but can only afford so much, and would dearly love more consideration from mailing lists . . . New York’s Rockpool charges member DJs £31 per month for fortnightly record packages (labels aren’t charged but must supply product), while Rockamerica charges an annual £70 for their monthly hour long promotional video compilations — so UK jocks don’t know how lucky they are . . . America of course is a financially motivated country, and jocks actually get paid their worth . . . Paul Lewis (Neath), relax, Donna’s album will soon come . . . Ken Olsen (Manchester Pips) compiles from the previous weekend’s requests a Pips Disco 30 playlist chart to feature through the following week . . . Patrice loses one crown to regain another (check our two Disco / Nightclub charts) . . . Eyes & Ears certainly seem to be getting through to pop (Nightclub) jocks . . . Wham should be 114-115-118-117-118-117bpm, Congress 110-108-110bpm, Larry Graham 116bpm . . . Paul Major, what do you use to time your Beats Per Minute, a grandfather clock?! . . . WEA’s Rowdy Yeats currently sports an arm in plaster — he cracked a bone after taking on some kids at cricket . . . Rick James may be America’s biggest box office star right now, but only two years ago he was almost dropped from Motown for lack of hits — and was himself hustling New York disco DJs to play his current material (I saw him!) . . . Fatman neglected to say he needs so many records because he keeps scratching them! . . . Has a certain Phonogram man been getting his greens? . . . OK, so what’s a disco spider? — I dunno, ask ’em at the Record & Disco Centre in Rayners Lane! . . . Joe ‘Friend Of The Stars’ Adelman got me another Gene Chandler ‘Nothing Can Stop Me’, while amongst stuff uncovered during my marathon move I see my original copies of the Invitations ‘What’s Wrong With Me Baby’, Arthur Conley ‘I Can’t Stop’, Olympics ‘Secret Agents’ and Shorty Long ‘Chantilly Lace’ were lent to and never returned by a group called Neat Change way back in the ’60s — anyone any idea of their whereabouts now?! . . . Eric Fuller, our new Ed, could well be disco music’s best friend — overnight we’ve suddenly got almost a whole disco paper, this mainstream acceptance and treatment being just what disco needs to get it across at the same level as over-exposed rock ‘n’ pop . . . KEEP IT TIGHT!

UK NEWIES

DENNIS BROWN: ‘Love Has Found Its Way’ (A&M AMSX 8226).
My favourite record of the year so far, this incredibly beautiful smoothly flowing 98-100-101bpm soul-reggae swayer glides effortlessly into your mind and is now on smash-bound 3-track 12in with the good but less exceptional 73bpm ‘Why Baby Why‘ and 70bpm ‘I Couldn’t Stand Losing You‘, all from the compulsively play-it-again ‘Love Has Found Its Way’ LP (AMLH 64886), off which — if any have to be isolated — you could try the 75-76-77bpm ‘Halfway Up Halfway Down’, 77bpm ‘Weep & Moan’, 84bpm ‘Handwriting On The Wall’ and Chuck Jackson’s old 91-90-91bpm ‘Any Day Now’. Both single and album, incidentally, are rapidly climbing the US soul charts — something of a breakthrough there — while here the single won Capital Radio’s People’s Choice. Give your ears a treat, hear it!

BLUE FEATHER: ‘Let’s Funk Tonight’ (Mercury MERX 109).
This terrific mind-nagging sinuously weaving 118bpm 12in Dutch drifter starts out with weazling synth and some lightweight vocals which can be easily skipped, to toughen up about a third of the way through into a dynamite instrumental with jazzy solos from guitar, keyboards, scat, synth and percussion building the tension as it drives along (to an abrupt finish). UK pressings now have the very similar but less subtle 122bpm ‘It’s Love‘ as flip, which becomes another percussion rattled instrumental weaver once the initial vocals are over, and vari-mixes well out of the A-side.

A TASTE OF HONEY: ‘We’ve Got The Groove’ (LP ‘Ladies Of The Eighties’ Capital EST 12173).
Great jauntily jolting brassily braying 113bpm Latin-flavoured choppy rattler repeats the LP’s title line amidst much floor-filling jollity, while ‘Diamond Real‘ is a bassily thrusting 108-106bpm backbeat version of the Michael Wycoff-recorded song, the 7in-issued ‘I’ll Try Something New‘ a gorgeous tremulous ‘Sukiyaki’-style 50bpm revival of the Miracles 1962 slowie, and ‘Sayonara‘ a lurching 107bpm smacker. Continue reading “June 19, 1982: Dennis Brown, Blue Feather, A Taste Of Honey, Fatback, Majik”

June 12, 1982: Larry Graham, Rick James, Heatwave, Shep Pettibone’s Mastermixes, Billy Griffin

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

DARTFORD FLICKS caught fire a fortnight ago while Morrissey Mullen were playing, the fire spreading from a kitchen extraction unit and mainly damaging the roof, but thanks to proper fire drill and no punter panic (for which DJ Colin Hudd gives thanks) all 700 inside were outside in three minutes — no disasters so no national press coverage of a disco blaze that ended well, huh? — all of which means that Colin’s gigless and Flicks is closed for a couple of months until the revamped “space age” reopening . . . ‘Orange Grove‘ has appeared in the plural (‘Groves’) as by Ranson/McKenzie & Friends on finished label Smokey 12in (SMJD 005), the 131-132bpm jazz-funk flier having hit on white label as by Ransom, MacKenzie & Friends . . . other white labels about include Second Image ‘Star‘, a Roy Carter-produced cleanly striding 120-121bpm smacker (due next week on Polydor); Congress ‘You Gotta Get It Right‘, a Gonzalez associated chap-sung building 110-118-110bpm bumbling soul shuffler with “you can get it girl”-type whispering group refrains (Tooti Frooti); Linx ‘Plaything‘, disappointingly starts as a convincing beefy Walden-ish 0-120bpm smacker before dissipating in a sub-Jacksonian jumble of directions which so far have cleared floors fast (Chrysalis); Chris Hunter ‘Keep This One In Tune’, a jerkily bounding inconsequential 120bpm thudder with nice sax by sessioneer Chris but about as much actual vocal tune as Patrick Boothe (Polydor); plus there’s an extended 118-119bpm promo remix of Rose Royce ‘Best Love’ (Epic) . . . Dennis Brown and Change are evidently about on UK 12in now . . . First Light ‘Horse With No Name’ should be 129bpm . . . Incognito really blazed on their instrumentals at Gullivers recently, while last week Elixia lived up to all the raving that’s been going on in Essex, although their proposed ‘Changing Me Over’ debut single (on cassette) could be more adventurous and less typically Britfunk . . . Streetwave’s Morgan Khan has passed his driving test, so if you see a flash Cadillac behaving erratically, run for cover! . . . Bristol jazz-funk mafioso Martin Starr is on a production and presentation course at the National Broadcasting School in Soho’s Greek Street, so not surprisingly he, Superfly and myself met up outside Groove last week . . . Froggy’s evidently remixing releases on Record Shack . . . Neil Fincham (Edinburgh Mad Hatter’s Speakeasy) says Morrissey Mullen ‘Come And Get Me’ is great out of ABC ‘Part 2’, and recommends as a reliable source of imports in Scotland (to order only, 2-3 day delivery) Glasgow’s Disca’s at 1139 Pollockshaws Road . . . Kev Hill, just before quitting the now pop-orientated Basildon Sweeney’s, by chance got great revived action from Finished Touch ‘I Love To See You Dance’ (US Motown, 12in, c.1978) . . . Pete Davis (Derby) warns, re the Sharon Brown remix, “Ignore the sticker and listen first, ‘cos some copies were the original (that’s the swizz!)” . . . Martin Platts, now reputedly working in North Wales (has he really got a gig anywhere?) has been running up Snowdon with a 90lb pack on his back in an effort to raise another £10,000 for charity . . . Sunday 27th June’s National Soul Festival at Margate Winter Gardens features Shakatak and Second Image plus Steve Walsh, Dave Brown, Owen Washington, Ian Shaw, Dave Collins, CJ Carlos and, doing a mixing set, James Hamilton (who’s he?) — come and see how I compare with my 11 years old photo! . . . Tony Howard wonders whether there are any jazz-funk clubs in Worthing: well, Paul Clark does the Montague every Thursday, Tony . . . Nick Ratcliffe has swung Tuesday’s at Camberley Ragamuffins around to black funk, and moves Wed / Fridays to Basingstoke Martines . . . Tony Cochrane has opened the “modern dance” Club Feet in Dundee’s Tay Hotel with DJ Dancing Dick Dastardly on Fri / Saturdays (10pm-2am), plus Under-18s early evening Saturdays . . . Robb Jones’s soul show hit the Hereward Radio airwaves just as I dial tuned driving past Peterborough going home for Whitsun, fading away short of Newark, and sounded more soulful than disco (Saturdays 10pm-1am) . . . Diana Ross threw a wobbler because what she was singing didn’t make the audience boogie, amongst other reasons, and was full of tantrums on her opening Wembley gig — the fact that she got her act together on subsequent nights can’t have helped those original £20 ticket holders . . . ‘The Microphone Boom Of Laura Mars’? . . . Rayners Lane’s Record & Disco Centre, which gets hot imports fractionally early as they’re nearer Heathrow, both hires and sells a comprehensive range of equipment — look out for their special Disco Spiders, a snip at three for £42.90! . . . Martin Kent lost his Truro Penalty Spot gig as the club’s for sale minus one licence, so he’d welcome offers of work at 36 Malabar Road, Truro, Cornwall . . . Paul Major, who’ll need a Svenson himself if he keeps abusing his own hair so, is now nosing for a funky South-East / South Coast gig (who isn’t?), offers to 119 Higher Drive, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft, Suffolk . . . Martin Richards (Erith’s Phoenix mobiles) protests that mobile jocks, just because they give people a good time at MoR gigs, are not themselves (necessarily) Wallys, and I agree, being very much an MoR jock myself when doing parties . . . Tony St Michael (Finsbury Park) wonders whatever happened to — and then lists a thousand names: everyone’s a star for 15 minutes, although many he mentioned are still around . . . Nick Mahon, regrettably, “No” . . . There’s so much product about right now that most of it must, inevitably, get lost (however, maybe now my more recent reviews will finally appear!) . . . Pop Orientated Dance has become the Nightclubbing Chart but is still compiled as before, like the blacker Disco Chart, from DJ’s returns: to contribute, send your dancefloor reaction Top 20 (or more, preferably) to arrive by the Wednesday of the week prior to publication (remember this time lag if enclosing gig info) on your own paper addressed to James Hamilton, Record Mirror, 40 Long Acre, London WC2E 9JT . . . Level 42 as predicted are bigger Nightclub than Disco . . . KEEP IT TIGHT!

PATRICE RUSHEN, pretty as a picture, has finally been replaced after seven weeks by Odyssey as London’s best seller, but she’s still hanging on in our chart after a similar stretch during which not only was her single number one, but her album peaked at number two as well! Is this a record?

UK NEWIES

LARRY GRAHAM: ‘Sooner Or Later’ (Warner Bros K 17925T).
An immediate monster on promo white label, the sharply smacking simple semi-instrumental 116bpm synth swayer (with just the vocodered title line repeated to occasionally answering chix) is now rush released on 3-track 12in with the vigorously enunciated vocal version and dead slow lovely old 36bpm ‘One In A Million You’ smoocher (these last two alone on 7in). Likely to be vying with Odyssey at the top soon.

RICK JAMES: ‘Dance Wit’ Me’ (Motown TMG 1266).
Promoed on 3-track 12in (with short versions of ‘Give It To Me Baby’ and ‘Super Freak’) but so far commercially only on 7in, this typical though superior smacking 123-124-123bpm hunk of funk drives along with bags of bounce to reach (Pt.2 on 7in) a Roy Ayers vibes break and some searing sax. Try mixing ‘Standing On The Top’, his LP’s ‘Monkey Talks’, then this!

HEATWAVE: ‘Lettin’ It Loose’ (Epic EPC A13-24143).
Barry Blue / Johnnie Wilder-produced Rod Temperton-penned full bodied uncomplicated heavily thudding 109bpm 12in jolting thumper with raunchy rhythm and sleazy Bob James-ian touches, quite incredibly good before BLT’s ‘Tighten It Up’, flipped by the slow rolling 0-93/46bpm ‘Mind What You Find’. Continue reading “June 12, 1982: Larry Graham, Rick James, Heatwave, Shep Pettibone’s Mastermixes, Billy Griffin”

June 5, 1982: Stevie Wonder, Odyssey, Ernie Watts, Lisa Hill, Angela Clemmons

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

FRED DOVE’S promotional ploy with Larry Graham seems to be playing off, the pre-sale orders evidently are already higher than Patrice Rushen’s . . . Capitol have re-released the first two albums by Maze, 1977’s ‘Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly’ (CAPS 1839) and 1978’s ‘Golden Time Of Day’ (CAPS 1840) . . . Steve Collins, DJ on the in-store Radio Top Shop, says that as the radio stations in Oxford Circus’s Top Shop and the West One Shopping Centre are “going commercial” they need more full-time professional DJ’s with previous broadcasting experience, capable of running a programme and self-op commercials: apply with tape and CV to Sue Hutcheson, Personnel Manager at Top Shop, 214 Oxford St, London, W1A 2LP . . . Touch are available for PA’s, call Andy Sojke at Elite on 01-963 6385 . . . Fatman Graham Canter returns to Mayfair’s Gullivers weekly from next Friday (11), when he will be promoting his own ‘Fatman’s Fun House’ with his own sound and lighting installation downstairs — this will not affect Graham Gold and myself upstairs in the funk rooms . . . Graham Bond guests on Radio Tee’s ‘Morning Call’ programme this Friday (4) to discuss the DJ Federation . . . Nick Ratcliffe (Winkfield) raving about Level 42 live, says they announced their Guildford Civic Hall gig was being recorded for a live album . . . Sandy ‘Cardboard’ Martin (Swindon Brunel Rooms) raves about a recent appearance by Sticky Stuff, whose own self-penned jazz-funk material went down a storm . . . Pete Tong’s playlist for the Peter Powell soul show last week does look more tuneful and together than the last one I heard and commented on, much more the influential direction they should be heading . . . Dazz Band’s feat Rick James-ian ‘Let It Whip‘ is the US Soul number one and big Disco there too . . . Deodato has a 7in on import, but hang on there’s a 12in (and eventual album) coming here soon . . . Boney M freak Gary Andrews from Bawtry (which is where I go shopping in the market, when with my parents nearby!) recommends two “very danceable” German 12in releases ‘My Friend Jack‘ (Hansa 609 233-213) “faster than the British version with untypical horns and ‘Searching’ type inserts” and ‘Boney M For Dancin’ (Hansa 301 500 565) with terrific very valuable versions of ‘Felicidad‘ / ‘Children Of Paradise‘ . . . Chris Ellis reports from Athens that, fashion-wise, Greek leather goods are very good, as are woollens — although too mega-hot for them right now . . . I’ve been dieting again after accumulated “bloat bloat” excesses, and what with heavy house moving exertions and meat-only intake, I’m able to get into my summer clothes again after only ten days!

UK NEWIES

STEVIE WONDER: ‘Do I Do’ (Motown TMG 1289).
Dynamite old style happily swinging ever changing 114bpm groove with Dizzy Gillespie sitting in on trumpet. His hottest dancer for ages.

ODYSSEY: ‘Inside Out’ (RCA RCAT 226).
Remember Slave’s ‘Wait For Me‘? You will when you hear this pleasant loudly rolling 113-112bpm 12in jogger, their most musically and aesthetically “together” offering in a while, never stretching a muscle to achieve the effect, while the ‘Love’s Alright‘ flip’s another low-key 111bpm swayer that’s nice too if less distinctive.

ERNIE WATTS: ‘Chariots Of Fire’ (Qwest K 17958T).
Quincy-produced good subdued 111bpm 12in ‘Dance Version’ of the Vangelis movie smash by the super-session saxist, easier to synch for some good mixes than a first hearing might suggest, flipped by the 0-38bpm ‘Slow Version’. Continue reading “June 5, 1982: Stevie Wonder, Odyssey, Ernie Watts, Lisa Hill, Angela Clemmons”

May 29, 1982: Funkapolitan, Keni Burke, Mikey Dread, Rick James, Jean Carn

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

THE LUDICROUS situation has arisen that, because a well known black superstar’s US label doesn’t give official sanction for his material to be issued on 12in (not even as a promo), it now cannot be publicised or mentioned in any way that his long awaited new 114bpm marathon ever changing groove is in that format for the UK only (as well as on 7in) — hence all chart reference will remain as if for the full length LP version . . . Old Grey Whistle Test’s clip from the New Orleans concert has prompted a possible 50 minute TV special on Maze in August, while the Hammersmith ‘Joy And Pain’ will definitely be the flip at least of Maze’s next 12in . . . WEA’s Fred Dove is promoting Larry Graham in a novel way, sending a 12in white label of just the instrumental version of ‘Sooner Or Later’ to clubs four weeks ahead of UK release — it’s a swaying 116bpm synth smacker with vocodered title line repeated to occasionally answering chix . . . London Lyceum DJ Steve Walsh has become promotions head at Red Bus/Excaliber/R&B (handy as he only lives just over the road!), and info’s that the Jesse Green remix will soon come on Excaliber (Paul Major stop fretting!) . . . Theo Loyla’s now promoting Super-Vision’s range of exciting visual but silent videos for use in clubs to go with their own appropriate music, all legal and cleared for public showing, so beat the impending purge on clubs showing TV tapes and movies (strictly illegal) and call Theo on 01-548 2911 for a demonstration . . . Sinnamon, Fonda Rae are coming via PRT . . . A Taste Of Honey and Dramatics LPs are due 10th June, the Dramatics 12in here however being ‘I Can’t Stand It’ . . . Jeremy Thomas’s new Battersea label belatedly picked up Aurra and Instant Funk for 3-track 12in imminently . . . Sharon Brown evidently has a vocal remix flip on later copies — swizz! . . . Temptations featuring Rick James (on a raised podium behind them) have a good video of the edited single . . . Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney duet on Michael’s currently in-production (by Quincy Jones) next LP . . . Linx’s David Grant sits in for Robbie Vincent on Radio London this Saturday lunchtime . . . Peter Powell’s soul show somehow sounds rather dreary — can’t they choose more tuneful music from the abundance of strong stuff now out? — but at least Froggy’s mix was up to scratch last week, Narada ‘You Ought To Love Me’ into a combination of Sinnamon versions . . . Mike Shaft’s Piccadilly Radio soul show on Monday evenings is featuring a ‘Greg Wilson mix’ every fortnight or so . . . ABC were looking very Billy Fury on TOTP, and I see that the ‘Fame’ movie’s spin-off TV series starts on BBC 1 soon . . . Three Degrees choreography was breathtakingly tight on the 1982 British Beauty Championships . . . Neil Bogart, legendary label boss of Buddah, Casablanca and then Boardwalk, died of cancer aged 39 on 8th May — the musical tribute at his funeral featured a choir including organizer Carole Bayer Sager, her husband Burt Bacharach, Donna Summer, Richard ‘Dimples’ Fields, Gladys Knight & The Pips, the Isley Brothers, Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers, Neil Diamond, Marvin Hamlisch, members of Kiss and more . . . Streetwave’s Morgan Khan says “You were right” — but the backing track’s still great — all Patrick Boothe needs now is a song . . . Alton Edwards ‘I Just Wanna’ now joins his mate Richard Jon Smith in the US Soul chart . . . Cameo are surprisingly high in the US LP chart, while the Thompson Twins ‘In The Name Of Love‘ is now number 1 Disco (but Patrice is 2) . . . ‘That Girl‘ was Stevie Wonder’s biggest ever US soul hit, yet bombed badly here — wouldn’t it have done better if available on 12in? . . . ‘Keep On’ is ‘D’ Train’s single in the States . . . George Chandler is taking delight in confusing people, having shaved off his beard! . . . Gilles Moehrie, who’ll be broadcasting jazz-funk in South London every Tuesday evening come September, reckons Showstoppers should hold a straight jazz alldayer as, he says, “the recent Caister and Brighton jazz rooms were brilliant” . . . Gilles also info’s that North Cheam’s Blue Rondo Records (708 London Road) sell imports real cheap to regulars . . . Keith Barker-Main, ex-Earls Court Grafitti / Kensington Sombrero / Mayfair Napoleon / Paris Scaramouche, is looking (on 01-352 2301) for a gay/mixed venue to jock at, possibly as a relief or guest DJ rather than full time . . . Alan Gaskell’s packing four hundred plus into St Helens West Park Rugby Club every Sunday — not bad for a rugby club, or a Sunday, huh? . . . Graham Gold (Mayfair Gullivers) does an undiscernible mix between Electrik Funk and D’Llegance, Brian Brindle (Chelsea Alibi) and Alan Coulthard (Soho Le Beat Route) both say the rhythm ‘n’ rap bit of Sharon Brown goes like a bitch over Stevie Wonder’s cowbells bit, while Alan adds that ABC’s instrumental bass line synchs unbelievably with ‘D’ Train ‘You’re The One For Me’ . . . I’m really in the middle of the heavy record moving in my house switch, giving me less time this week, but that does not explain why so many reviews are late in getting printed — no space — nor why last week’s Imports were cunningly disguised as UK Newies! . . . DISCO IS BACK!

ASHFORD & SIMPSON first started recording as Valerie & Nick on the Glover label in 1964, when I saw them at Harlem’s Apollo (Valerie in tight bright pink spangled sheath!), before writing ‘Let’s Go Get Stoned’ for Ronnie Milsap in the days when he was a soul singer. Ray Charles then covered the song, and their career as songwriters was off and running. Their new ‘Street Opera’ LP (Capitol EST 12207) however is a lethargic down-tempo set on which their current ‘Street Corner‘ 12in cut is the only hard dancer.

UK NEWIES

FUNKAPOLITAN: ‘Run Run Run’ (LP ‘Funkapolitan’ London SH 8548).
Wherein which the amateurish August Darnell-produced Kid Creole clones run the full gamut from 121bpm to 124bpm, best being this (vocal only) 122bpm US 12in release, 121bpm ‘If Only‘, 122bpm ‘In The Crime Of Life‘, 122bpm ‘As The Time Goes By’, 123-121bpm ‘War’, 124bpm ‘Illusion’, 124bpm ‘There It Is Again’, only the 127bpm ‘Behold The Super Ace’ breaking the pattern. Maybe they’d do well with Rod Temperton, next?

KENI BURKE: ‘Shakin’ (RCA RCAT 223).
Disappointingly old fashioned “disco” chix squawked fast 135-133-135-133-135bpm 12in churner with some Prince influence and probably more gay/white boys than black appeal, from a far, far better album.

MIKEY DREAD: ‘Rocky Road’ (Dread At The Controls DUN IT 21).
Rather appealing nasally croaked 72bpm 12in reggae swayer (with dub second half) keeps lapsing into an adaptation of Brenton Wood’s ‘Gimme Little Sign’. Continue reading “May 29, 1982: Funkapolitan, Keni Burke, Mikey Dread, Rick James, Jean Carn”

May 22, 1982: Blue Feather, Candela, Dennis Brown, Valentine Brothers, Oliver Sain

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

ATLANTIC STARR’S ‘Circles’ is finally now on 116bpm UK 12in (A&M AMSP 8218) . . . Shakatak’s Crusaders ‘Street Life’-inspired ‘Streetwalkin’ and (on London) Change’s ‘The Very Best In You’ are due here in a fortnight . . . Fat Larry’s ‘Be My Lady’ has cropped up on Canadian 12in . . . Motown need more resident club DJs (especially with video facilities), so even if you’ve already applied, send up-dated details to Club Promotion List, Motown, c/o RCA Records, 1 Bedford Avenue, London WC1 . . . Soho’s celebrated Le Beat Route club has launched its own label and is conducting a national search for new acts to record and feature at its Thursday live nights — demo tapes to Le Beat Route Records, 2 Princes Street, London W1 . . . Thames Valley DJ Assn meet for their annual equipment jumble sale at noon this Sunday (23) in Iver’s Tower Arms, Thorney Lane South, and then next Sunday (30) have a riverboat shuffle aboard the Beta from Kingston-upon-Thames between 7.30 – 11.30pm — £5 tickets and further details on Ashford (Mx) 54714 or 42587 (lost CB-ers can home in on Channel 39 AM/FM on the respective days) . . . Chris Cole (Godalming Cobwebs) says that West Surrey & Hants DJA’s ‘Disco’ magazine is promoting the association so effectively by winning respect and interest from dealers and potential new members alike that he wonders why the DJF can’t do something similar for the nation’s “professionals” . . . Peter Powell may be torn up by the syrupy tones of his Radio 1 soul show’s New York contributor Yvonne Mobely, but in the States EVERY female on radio sounds exactly like her, and the accumulated result is cloying in the extreme — I’d rather hear less voice projection and more personality . . . US radio must be in a mess if the likes of Ray Parker Jr and Herbie Hancock have to go rock to get airplay — but then their new singles are getting hammered by UK radio too . . . St Tropez’s French-spoken ‘Femmes Fatales’ has hit the US soul chart — as have Queen’s ‘Body Language’ and the Thompson Twins ‘In The Name Of Love’ . . . Edgbaston’s Faces will be fighting to retain their Discotheque Of The Year award in their heat this Saturday (22) — mucho sweat from Steve Dennis, no doubt! . . . Bournemouth Soul Centre record shop promotes a jazz-funk alldayer on Whit Sunday (30) at Club Enfer with Mr Magic, Jaffa, Keith and more, having started a weekly night at Jensen’s that Thursday (27) — should you be planning a long weekend by the sea . . . Alan Shaler misinformed me: the Thursday jazz-funk gig he does with Invicta’s Andy Jackson is at Shuffles in the Lancaster Gate Hotel, Bayswater . . . John Sachs officially opens his Backstage club in Mayfair’s Green Street next Wednesday (26) . . . Mayfair’s Gullivers in Down Street now has specialist Afro nights on Sundays, and an additional African menu through the week, while Tom Wilson (Edinburgh Oscars) after a recent visit says his fiancee reckons Graham Gold “should be on radio with that incredible voice”! . . . Streetwave’s Morgan Khan was wheeling The Band AKA’s JJ Jarrett around London’s clubs last weekend, and has now put Patrick Boothe in a picture sleeve — what next, a picture disc, or free holidays in the Bahamas for every copy ordered?! . . . Third World’s LP is on picture disc now too . . . Wishy, funking Fridays at Bristol’s Princess Court club, is on no mailing lists and buys all his music from Julie at Soundsville in Bristol’s Gloucester Road, who stock all the latest imports . . . Steve Charles, ex-Port Talbot Troubador, has split for Spain with fellow Welsh DJ Mark Pearce to work respectively in Benidorm’s Beachcomber and Champions disco pubs, where the Dukes are number one, using Swindon’s Flashback Records to send out the newies weekly . . . Phil Blizzard (Stoke North Staffs Poly) reports from a working holiday in Ibiza the biggies there are Human League, Haircut 100 and Depeche Mode . . . Gene Latter is in the middle of recording a potential Eurodisco smash in the Ottawan vein . . . John Murray, doing the roller disco at Kirkcaldy Ice Rink — yes, that’s roller skating at the ice rink — finds the new Friday late night session so popular it’s been extended to 1am . . . Gary Allan (Liverpool McMillans) has a great roller skating record he picked up in the States for Mark Clark, when Mark gets back from Holland . . . Martin Platts (Blackburn El Khasi) raised £3000 for the blind in the London Marathon, and has totalled over £25,000 in eight months from sponsored runs — some going, huh? . . . Soho’s Record Shack are presumably enjoying the sweet “smell” of success . . . Derek Pierce (Bath Moles), who enjoyed my “Buzzz haven’t” remark, says the group were actually excellent at a recent live appearance . . . Nick Davies warns that a wow at his Watford New Penny futurist Sundays is Wham ‘Wham Rapp’, given to him by the band on white label but possibly due via CBS . . . Sandy Martin (Swindon Brunel Rooms) — oh, THAT bottle of scotch (I’d have preferred a cardboard pina colada)! . . . Dr Soul writes a personal letter not for publication only to see it appear in print two months later —thanks a lot, guys! . . . I must say moving to a coloured part of town has advantages, like hearing great music playing in all the local shops instead of Claire Rayner talking interminably to Michael Aspel on Capital . . . Vincent and Leroy Thomas arrive early Saturdays to decorate, which means I actually hear Robbie’s show now too . . . Kilburn’s fast food Potato Junction mixes its own fresh ice cream ingredients to order, and while avocado is interesting, the killer combinations are apple/walnut/cinnamon, peanut butter/salted peanuts, and milk chocolate/peppermint/hundreds & thousands — yum yum, bloat bloat! . . . Brother To Brother of Stanmore’s Chevaliers live in Carpenders Park — very ‘Tropic Of Ruislip’? . . . Kandidate found new vocalist Viscount Oliver on the London Underground, working as a guard . . . Roni Griffith could be the next Bananarama, try it between Giorgio’s ‘Chase’ and Sparks ‘Beat The Clock’ . . . Wow, look at Patrice go! . . . DISCO IS BACK!

UK NEWIES / IMPORTS

Note: there was no separate “Imports” section this week, but some imports were reviewed under the “UK Newies” banner.

BLUE FEATHER: ‘Let’s Funk Tonight’ (Canadian Siamese SIA 011).
Originally in the shop I only heard the very un-funky lightweight vocal start of this sinuously weaving 118bpm 12in loper, pleasant enough, but then — THEN! — it suddenly toughens up immeasurably to run through a series of dynamite jazzy instrumental solos with guitar and keyboards doin’ it to it over a terrific percussion underlay. Talk about hot! (DJs note: you don’t have to play the vocal start — that’s what headphones and PFL are for).

CANDELA: ‘Love You Madly’ (US Arista CP 715).
‘Boogie Wonderland’-introed sensationally strong vocal interplay driven lurching 117bpm 12in thudder with wailing chix, soulful guys, and an exciting stereo synth break — all wrapped up to make a compulsive dancer of classic proportions.

DENNIS BROWN: ‘Love Has Found Its Way’ LP (US A&M SP-4886).
At home I just cannot stop playing this truly beautiful reggae set — and normally I never play records just for relaxing — back to the start the stylus goes, every time. All the tracks are great, but total murderation is the simply glorious 98-99-101bpm soulful title track, which deserves UK 12in release and mega-smash success. Hear it, you’ll love it! (Interestingly, Dennis, like Third World, has revived a Chuck Jackson oldie, the 91-90-91bpm ‘Any Day Now‘ in this case). Continue reading “May 22, 1982: Blue Feather, Candela, Dennis Brown, Valentine Brothers, Oliver Sain”