April 3, 1982: Maze, Brass Construction, Stone, The McCrarys, Judy Roberts

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

UNDERGROUND SOUL truly surfaced to confound the overground media last week when Maze sold out two terrific nights at Hammersmith Odeon after just one plug on Robbie Vincent’s Radio London show . . . Maze refresh the parts that mere boogie bands miss — by going back to gospel roots, disguised by a web of rhythm that’s far from traditional, they use subtly shifting simple repetition and Frankie Beverly’s superb sinuous vocal gymnastics to cut right through to the soul (it can be no coincidence his favourite singer is Sam Cooke) . . . Monday’s show was evidently recorded live, so maybe we can expect London’s very own version of ‘Joy And Pain’, the final encore of which was continued in acappella unison for a full two minutes by the audience (in fact it was only the band returning to wave goodbye which stopped it), to start up again spontaneously as people drifted out through the foyer — and then minutes later, Capital Radio’s John Sachs played the record … magic! . . . Funktion’s Peter Byfield obviously knew something we didn’t when he referred to himself as “the Freddie Laker of jazz-funk” — Funktion folded last week, leaving the future of their Barracuda club in some doubt (now then, who claims to be the “Tiny Rowlands of jazz-funk”?!) . . . Lenny Henry has rapidly recorded his ‘Katanga Rap’ . . . RCA picked up Stone ‘Time’ . . . KR reissue in a fortnight Lloyd Charmers superb lovers rock reading of Phil Collins ‘If Leaving Me Is Easy’ . . . Phonogram dropped Janet Kay . . . Bob James ‘Angela (Theme from Taxi)’ is due on 3-track 12in, Star Sound’s follow-up is (yawn) a Rolling Stones medley (how many of them have there been?), while in a fortnight after Easter there’s a new 12in by Herbie Hancock and also “D” Train’s revival of Dionne Warwick’s ‘Walk On By’ . . . Rick James has cancelled his UK visit next week . . . SEDA ’82 Spring Fair at Hollingbourne’s Great Danes Hotel a few miles east of Maidstone starts this Saturday afternoon with a record fair, followed by Froggy’s disco in the evening, then Sunday (4) there’s the equipment exhibition, followed by an annual dinner and cabaret . . . Froggy will again be Radio One’s jazz-funk mouthpiece as well as doing some nifty mixes when Peter Powell’s summer soul show returns . . . Thames Valley DJ Assn secretary Frank Smith is currently on a computer programming course so he can cope with the new Sinclair ZX 81 now installed at TVDJA HQ to handle membership data . . . Tom Amigo (Barry) is also settling into his new day job computer programming . . . London’s Organisation of DJs (LODJ) is after more members — call Ralph on 01-805 8211 . . . Burnley’s Martin Platts, typically, this Saturday runs up the highest point in Lancashire with a 40lb pack on his back to raise funds for a hospice, starting at 11am at Darwen Circus (there’ll be a disco 800 feet up at the summit!) . . . Alan Taylor, 26 Terence Avenue, Rhyl, Clwyd, North Wales, LL18 1DD, has a US VHS 1½hr video of roller disco and invites Mark Clarke to drop him a line for a list of song titles used . . . Rob Harknett (Harlow) has a DIY tip for people wanting to paint their lamp bulbs: ‘Instalead’ comes in many colours and handy £1.05 tins from good class shops . . . Chris Kaye, 36 Dudley Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1LH, has a secure but boring day job writing for a technical mag on frozen foods when he’s not DJing, but would prefer an interesting creative position in the music biz (so would lots of people who used to be in the music biz) . . . Staines Fusion Few and the Grooving Gropers both stayed away from Caister in protest at the banning by Showstoppers of Groove Weekly, who evidently had the temerity to print some letters criticising the previous Caister and other Sho-Pro gigs . . . Kevin James (Golders Green Great Expectations/various London pubs) was asked by a Greek accented young lady for some ballet music — no, not Swan Lake — “Belly dance music. I’m a belly dancer!” . . . Kev Hill (Basildon Sweeney’s) loved his trip to see Earth Wind & Fire: someone nicked his sweatshirt, while outside his car was broken into with superglue squirted all over his locks and the CB radio taken, and then his exhaust blew on the way home . . . I encountered a thief at Le Beat Route: some swine stole my original copies of Gene Chandler ‘Nothing Can Stop Me’, Tyrone Davis ‘Can I Change My Mind’, Willie Tee ‘Thank You John’ / ‘Walking Up A One Way Street’ and ‘Teasin’ You’ — offers of replacements would be appreciated . . . Steve Wiggins (Barry) has his own woes, a dose of glandular fever . . . Paul Major now funks Gt Yarmouth’s Brunswick (Regency Suite) every Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday when its the Country Bumpkins Club . . . Eddie Gee of the 150-strong Loughborough University Jazz-Funk Society has a campus radio soul show called ‘The Sounds Of Underground Loughborough’, and goes mobile with Rohail Banduri in the Mastermind Roadshow . . . Robbie Collins now jazz-funks Ilford Lords on Fridays and has a teenage soul disco there on Mondays . . . Shalamar ‘I Can Make You Feel Good’ actually sounds insidiously catchy on radio . . . Voggue ‘Love Buzz’ is 122-121-122bpm . . . Roger Ames — I didn’t know Junior Giscombe was a white non-“disco” performer! . . . I must emphasise that the purpose of DJs sending us charts is not to hype records received in the mail but to reflect true floor reaction to your current playlist, thus giving the lower end of both the UK Disco 90 and POD more stability, and enabling companies to advertise their disco hits with more confidence — instead of, as was the recent case, watching their record drop right out again after an initial high entry — hyping helps nobody if you aren’t getting genuine audience reaction — and if you really are playing all the rubbish received in the mail, the last person it’s helping is you . . . KEEP IT GOOD!

UK NEWIES

MAZE featuring FRANKIE BEVERLY: ‘Joy And Pain’ (Capitol 12CL 211).
With nothing to stop it being a pop smash as it’s rhythmically similar to ‘Roots’ (out of which it mixes superbly), this live-recorded terrific jittery soulful subtle 106-105bpm anthem has an acappella singalong finish and should break wide open now following their sensational shows here, especially on 3-track clear vinyl 12in, flipped by the lovely gentle 38½-0bpm ‘Happy Feelin’s’ and older equally lovely mellow 49bpm ‘Golden Time Of Day’. To continue your education, get the parent ‘Live In New Orleans’ album (EST-12156), with the full length ‘Joy And Pain’, chugging 105-106-105bpm ‘Southern Girl‘, hustling 118½-119-120bpm ‘Changing Times‘ and similarly sinuous long 97-98-100-101-99bpm ‘Feel That You’re Feelin‘ and 95-94-96-0bpm ‘The Look In Your Eyes‘. THE sound of ’80s soul, not to be missed.

BRASS CONSTRUCTION: ‘Can You See The Light’ (Liberty 12UP 652).
Randy Muller in an overdue style change has created a dynamite ultra-infectious skipping little 116-117-116-115-116bpm 12in smacker with a nagging simple synth riff and catchy “na na na” chants which explode into the title line, all of which the funk fans are lapping up even if some stick-in-the-mud jazzers are groaning, while it’s breezy enough to hit pop fans too.

STONE: ‘Time’ (Carrere CART 236).
Blatantly modelled on the Strikers ‘Body Music’ and synching like a bitch with “D” Train, this tick-tocking alarm clock introed 123(very start)-121-123-121-123bpm 12in shrill chix/gruff guys prodded synth grumbler is so dead simple it’s the right side of moronic to have wide appeal, the shorter 121-123bpm instrumental flip being useful for mixing too. Continue reading “April 3, 1982: Maze, Brass Construction, Stone, The McCrarys, Judy Roberts”

March 27, 1982: Quincy Jones, Was (Not Was), The Cage ft Nona Hendryx, Patrice Rushen, Fat Larry’s Band, Frankie Beverly interview

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

NOT ONLY all of Maze but four from Earth Wind & Fire spent last Saturday at Mayfair’s Gullivers, helping create the best vibe Graham Gold and myself have enjoyed for ages — In fact, Maze’s Frankie Beverly said he didn’t like discos and would only stay for half an hour, but was still in the club half an hour after we’d closed . . . Ray Shell & The Street Angels, live at Gully’s all the rest of last week, have improved enormously and are now well worth seeing . . . Showstoppers’ ninth Caister weekender this Fri/Sat/Sunday includes Chris Hill & Robbie Vincent’s “alternative” appalling talent contest, so prospective contestants should go prepared — and don’t forget an FM radio, towels, matches, bog paper and all the usual necessities (sadly I have to stay home so my new flat can be measured for carpets!) . . . Caister being early this Spring, to accommodate Showstoppers’ St Tropez trip in May (21-30), another rival weekender over the May Day holiday (Friday 30 April-Monday 3 May) could be an attraction too — run by Concorde Entertainments, it stars Shakatak, Morrissey Mullen, Steve Walsh, Mike Allen and many more, at Camber Sands Pontins camp near Rye . . . The Old Grey Whistle Test on Saturday 3rd April relays live a Rick James concert as it happens in Germany — so clubs with videos, be prepared (Rick himself will be in town the following week) . . . Marvin Gaye as long speculated has indeed signed with CBS . . . Brandi Wells will tour here in May, an excellent 114bpm Nick Martinelli remix of ‘What Goes Around Comes Around‘ with new muted trumpet being due in three weeks but on promo sooner . . . Alton Edwards, lost by Morgan Khan’s Streetwave label to Epic, has been handing out a few unfinished acetates of his upcoming ‘Strange Woman’, a sneaky not immediately exciting but subtly growing 108bpm slinker with strong catchy tune and more of that great bass synth . . . Sharon Brown has been snapped up by Mick Clark for Virgin release in a fortnight, when Fat Larry’s Band will be on 3-track 12in too, while Linda Taylor ‘You And Me Just Started’ is due on Groove Production next week with a percussive “New York disco” remix flip (incidentally, there’ll be one of those New York radio remixes of Sharon Brown for a select few) . . . Chas Jankel’s US disco chart-topping ‘Glad To Know You’ is due here now, but will it be the Disconet version? . . . Edgbaston Faces French has a plant filled garden decor in its redesigned Club Jardine, which presumably they named to be French for Garden, so why the superfluous “e”? . . . Discoscene ’82, the fifth successive annual Midlands exhibition for both club and mobile equipment, will be on Sunday 9th May at Solihull’s St John’s Hotel, noon to 7pm, details from Merlin Management’s Terry Lees on 021-707 1925 (including evenings) . . . Rush Release move imminently to 65 Bedford Hill, London SW12 . . . Medway Rain Forest Missionaries finally got their tribal fanzine ‘Woah Cry and Young Soul’dier’ out for Christmas in February, and it really is an impressive one with quite a few good in-joke belly laughs (there’s an even newer Caister edition promised too) . . . Frenchie (Blackpool) says that Universal Robot Band are in fact most of Logg, whose Dutch Rams Horn 12in remix of ‘Dancing Into The Stars‘ is massive in Bristol, according to Martin Starr (I’ve yet to encounter it) . . . Gary Oldis, packing ’em in Fri/Sat/Sundays at Aycliffe Bee Jays Country Club, revives Al Hudson ‘Spread Love‘ . . . Roger Dynamite did a live link up with Radio Luxembourg from Yarmouth Tiffany’s last Thursday . . . Liverpool McMillans Gary Allan (7 Gatley Drive, Maghull, Near Liverpool, L31 3DH / phone 051-526 5407) needs to buy a full set of the last three months’ Music Week . . . Peter Lewis obviously reads Billboard! . . . Watford Baileys Chris Britton (16 Portland House, Arnison Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks) has 12in rarities and albums for sale (send SAE) . . . Brian ‘Bazzer’ Mason got that Watford New Penny gig, and will be swinging Saturdays around to a more soulful mix . . . King Enri (ta for the quid!) wants George Power and any jazz-funk-soul bands who’d like a gig at Catford’s Saxon Tavern to ring him office hours on 01-761 1109 . . . Alan Costa says Brighton Kings II now has live jazz bands every Thursday for members and their guests . . . Nick Ratcliffe finds fast instrumentals are what the funk fans like at Egham Olivers (Sat), Hasiemere Good Knight Country Club (Fri/Sun), Camberley Ragamuffins (Tues), and more futuristic Reading Rebecca’s (Thurs) — busy lad! . . . Kasso ‘Kasso‘ is Tricky Dicky’s big numero uno at all five of his London gay venues — Euston Tavern/Spats (Fri/Sat), Stratford Pigeons (Sat), Camberwell Union Tavern (Tues/Thurs), Tottenham Eltons (Wed) . . . Flash Gordon (Bristol Misty’s) can’t identify a reggae version of ‘Some Guys Have All The Luck’ listed as from the ‘Crucial Reggae’ LP on an Island promo LP from autumn ’80 — any ideas? . . . Craig Dawson (Edinburgh Road Runner mobiles), full of info about Holland, says Dutch radio Hilversum 3 and even TV feature a lot of disco and funk, TV devoting nearly a quarter of its airtime to music shows . . . Nina Simone is a Capital Climber this week — and Morrissey Mullen must be non-needletime now, to judge from the amount it’s been played on Capital recently! . . . Tommy ‘Hi-Heel Sneakers’ Tucker died in January from inhaling carbon tetrachloride fumes while re-varnishing his floors . . . Ernie Maresca’s 1962 ‘Shout Shout’, which for years I’ve been saying could be a rock ‘n’ roll revivalist group hit now, has finally been done (and performed on ‘OTT’) by Rocky Sharpe & The Replays . . . Eagle ain’t what it was . . . Xavier ‘Rock Me Sock Me’ needs a less bassy remix (incidentally, ‘Love Is On The One’ is way out ahead of ‘Sucker’, popularity-wise) . . . Hot Quisine is 122bpm . . . Irakere ‘Chekere Son‘ is my massive number one — chopped into at the baritone sax, it’s dynamite in all sorts of ways but try it out of Bros Johnson ‘Stomp’ bass break, then follow by chopping to ‘Fungi Mama’ . . . One Way ‘Give Me One More Chance’ / Hall & Oates / Gangsters ‘Strung Out On The Boogie’ vari-synch well, as do Patrice Rushen / Atlantic Starr / Maxine Singleton . . . I’ve now heard of at least eight people who’ve been threatened with violence by a certain wig wearer! . . . to quote Bobby Marchan’s 1965 ‘Get Down With It’: “If you can’t let your hair down — TAKE IT OFF!”

PHOENIX HORNS ESQUIRE, Earth Wind & Fire’s brass section, took time out between their London shows last week to lay down the blasts and honks on the awesome tracks Richard Jones has been producing for a Streetwave release by Patrick Boothe, white labels being optimistically expected this week of Patrick’s brassily loping 112½bpm ‘(I Just Wanna) Dance All Night With You‘ (which should mix nicely with George Benson’s ‘Give Me The Night’ and ‘Never Give Up On A Good Thing’ as it’s very similar), his slower ‘Never Knew Love Like This Before‘ being held back for follow-up release.

UK NEWIES

QUINCY JONES: ‘The Dude’ (A&M AMSX 8207).
Finally the Grammy-winning superb slinky Bob James-ish Rod Temperton co-penned James Ingram/vocoder/chix-sung subtle Stevie Wonder-synthesized 96bpm groove appears on 12in with Ingram’s US hit dead slow ‘Just Once’ and 45bpm ‘One Hundred Ways’ as 2-track flip.

WAS (NOT WAS): ‘Tell Me That I’m Dreaming’ (Ze 12WIP 6776).
Jauntily tongue in cheek infectious driving 118bpm 12in funk smacker with gals/guys interplaying chant lines interrupted by some comic cut-ups of Ronald Reagan saying “Can we who man the ship of state deny it is somewhat out of control”, the flip’s instrumental version chop seguing into a 124bpm smacking dub of ‘Out Come The Freaks’.

THE CAGE featuring NONA HENDRYX: ‘Do What Ya Wanna Do’ (Metropolis 12WIP 6769, via Island).
Rusty Egan’s synthetically smacking energy charged 127bpm T-Connection remake is wailed by the ex-LaBelle lady or to my mind even better in the “Hum A Luongo Dance Mix’ instrumental dub version, on 3-track 12in with the almost jazz-funky choppily jittering brass and guitar instrumental 128-123-127-129bpm ‘The Slammer‘.  Continue reading “March 27, 1982: Quincy Jones, Was (Not Was), The Cage ft Nona Hendryx, Patrice Rushen, Fat Larry’s Band, Frankie Beverly interview”

March 20, 1982: Nina Simone, Michael Wycoff, War, Gangsters, Charles Earland

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

GARRY BLACKBURN at Island warns us of a renewed push on black product by the label, led by the upcoming Gwen Guthrie ‘It Should’ve Been You‘, a nice jauntily bubbling simple little 118-119-120bpm smacker still only on acetate, and the more imminent ‘Genius Of Rap‘ LP featuring Twennynine, T-Ski Valley, Dr Jeckyll & Mr Hyde. Jazzy 5, Grandmaster Flash, Bon Rock, twin-packed with an already promoed extra 12in of “rap-along” instrumentals of ‘Genius Of Love’ and ‘Pull Up To The Bumper’ . . . Capitol are re-promoting Maze ‘Joy And Pain’ (edited live version) on 12in (12CL 211), now also in a limited clear vinyl edition, plus the original excellent ‘Joy And Pain’ LP (EST 12087) . . . Rusty Egan’s 127bpm vocal and dub reworking of T-Connection’s ‘Do What You Wanna Do’ by his own group The Cage featuring Nona Hendryx will be on 3-track Metropolis 12in but has been promoed already minus the extra cut . . . KR picked up the Rah Band ‘Perfumed Garden’ / ‘Funk Me Down To Rio’ (but not ‘Winter Love’) for 12in next week, while Breakfast Band ‘Tokyo Shuffle’ / ‘Broadside Rhumba’ (Breakfast Music 12BM 101) is due on 12in now . . . Breakfast Band, Cayenne and the Inversions are together tonight (Thursday 18) at the Camden Jazz Festival in Chalk Farm’s Roundhouse . . . Jimmie Lunceford’s 1930s big band originated ‘It Ain’t What You Chew It’s The Way How You Chews It’ (OK, Theo?) . . . Norman Scott is so busy with his gay Bolts venues that he and Bangs have split after six years — Bolts operating at Harringay Lazers every Thurs/Fri/Saturday, at Brighton Sherry’s on Sundays, and Westend Bolts starts at Leicester Square’s Maximus in April . . . Steven Fay (Darwen) reports that Tracy Weber of ‘Sure Shot’ fame was killed during a Harlem bank raid recently . . . Sheffield DJ Jim Kershaw — “with a chilling resemblance to the mass killer” (to quote The Star) — has been approached to play Peter Sutcliffe in a proposed US TV film about the Yorkshire Ripper . . . Oxford DJ Pete Alex, working in Skien, Norway, at a club which changed names to ‘Alexandra’ in his honour (hope he lives up to it!), is now marketing a ‘Bad Words Tape’ to teach Norwegians all the English phrases not taught in school! . . . Finland, hardly a large market for any type of music let alone disco, nevertheless boasts a DJ-distributed advertising financed bi-monthly professional magazine called ‘Diskosusi’ (Discowolf) with a circulation of 10,000 – trouble is, it’s written in Finnish, but details and further fax can be had from Taito Gromov (DJ name Tate Groove Move!), Lansikatu 18 as 121, 80110 Joensuu 11, Finland . . . Danish DJ Kenneth Baker asks, what means Katanga Katanga? . . . Ian Shaw (Richmond Mr Moustache) wonders if anyone has listed ‘Katanga! Katanga!’ as a Japanese import yet! . . . Chris Dinnis (Exeter Boxes) already has it on white label — no, seriously Kenneth, it’s a catchphrase originated by comedian Lenny Henry on the Saturday night ‘OTT’ television show, which usually features girls with huge naked knockers (that bird last week — cor!) . . . what means knockers? . . . West Surrey & Hampshire DJ Assn are looking for contributors to their promising little regular magazine as well as for more members, contact Chris Cole (Cranleigh 2641) . . . Gary Allan (Liverpool McMillan’s) is trying to identify an unlabelled old promo 12in from around two years ago but currently hot for him, catalogue number PSLP 307, the chick sung hookline going “I don’t wanna let you go” — any ideas? . . . Rob Harknett (1 Parkfields, Roydon, Harlow, Essex CM19 5JA) offers to make jingles for anyone wanting a voice other than their own (he doesn’t sing), so send script, cassette and SAE . . . Brian Godson is chuffed to be funking York’s Alpine Bar in The Windmill, Blossom Street, with good music every Fri/Saturday . . . Nigel Halkes & Andy Smith do schoolkid mobiles (surely pop’s target age?) and wonder if kind hearted pluggers could send product to Nigel at 270 Down Road, Portishead, Bristol BS20 8HZ . . . Nick Roberts, who until 18 months ago DJ-ed as Nick Rogers, would love to keep his hand in helping out at the odd gig using your records (Richmond 01-948 4000) . . . Alan Donald (Rothesay) during a Motown oldies session heard someone wonder what the intro to the Isleys ‘This Old Heart Of Mine’ was, which caused him to reach for the Grecian 2000 (but why should they know, Al, could you identify a Tommy Dorsey intro?) . . . TVS’s ‘Radio’ series produced the quote of the week “If you want a life of unruffled tedium, what the hell are you doing running a radio station?” . . . Tony St Michael (Flnsbury Park) sent a quid to celebrate Michael Bird’s birthday (whoops!) . . . Nigel Porter (Leicester) reckons Eno’s version of ‘The Lion Steeps Tonight’ could be a futurist pop hit . . . Buzzz haven’t, despite all . . . Mayfair Gullivers Graham Gold is getting a dog called Segue, to rhyme with Hart To Hart’s Freeway! . . . Tom Wilson (Edinburgh Oscars) reckons Rick James’s video would be perfect for ‘OTT’, while Martin Platts (Burnley) would love to get his lips around the black girl on ‘OTT’ . . . whadaya mean, you work Saturday nights — get a video! . . . The Saturday snooker replaced ‘OTT’, so I and some chums got well and truly lost exploring the Barbican Centre instead, with security guards (strangers there themselves) plotting our progress on their walkie-talkies! . . . KINDA LINGERS.

CENTRAL LINE recently looked in at Swindon’s Brunel Rooms during a Friday soul session, where Linton told DJ Sandy Martin to “expect some live gigs next month” while Lipson struggled to find the ‘Breaking Point’ on a bottle of champagne. Sandy’s sporting some Adam-style sideburns these days, it seems.

UK NEWIES

NINA SIMONE: ‘My Baby Just Cares For Me’ (Charly CYX 201).
This late ’50s piano prodded 117-119-118-0bpm subtle classy swinger has been one of the true all-time greats right through from such ’60s West Indian haunts as the Roaring Twenties and ‘Q’, to 70s jazz-funk clubs like the Goldmine, and now it crosses the board at soul revival, beatnik, and indeed every type of gig. Always in demand but only ever surfacing from time to time on LP, here it is on a 4-track 10in EP that is very likely to be a huge chart smash.

MICHAEL WYCOFF: ‘Still Got The Magic (Sweet Delight)’ (RCA RCAT 209).
Terrific powerful buoyantly booming ultra funky 107-109bpm 12in jiggly rhythm filled thudder souled in Al Green-ish style with answering chix, ‘Get Down On it’ chopping or ‘Ladies Night’ synching superbly out of it.

WAR: ‘You Got The Power’ (RCA RCAT 201).
Dynamite jauntily chugging 118bpm 12in smacker with interplaying urgent staccato lurching lyrics and lots of straightforward disco power, flipped by the more typically War-like 133bpm ‘Cinco De Mayo‘ (the ‘5th of May’ if you don’t speaka de lingo).  Continue reading “March 20, 1982: Nina Simone, Michael Wycoff, War, Gangsters, Charles Earland”

March 13, 1982: no reviews, extended Odds ‘N’ Bods

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

MEDWAY MEGASTAR Nicky Peck has abruptly decamped from his Gillingham King Charles Hotel venue, where the management evidently started upping prices without warning (greed kills the goose again), to re-open his Sunday Soul Club this weekend (14) at the Tudor House on the A20 a couple of miles East of Maidstone . . . Greg Wilson’s alldayer with Froggy, Colin Curtis and more at Wigan Pier next Sunday (21) is members-only, but membership forms are available with SAE from the Pier, Pottery Road, Wallgate, Wigan, Lancashire, or from the DJs appearing, or from City Sounds record shop in London (return rail fare is £10.50 Euston–Wigan) . . . PRT soon release Search ‘Like The Way‘ on Philly World . . . P-Funk All Stars ‘Hydraulic Pump’ finally surfaced here on Virgin in a colourful sleeve but 2bpm faster at 108bpm and with just two tracks instead of the US copy’s three . . . Streetwave’s new 18 track ‘demo/master’ studio is only a converted broom cupboard at Morgan Khan’s Detroit — sorry, West Acton HQ, so don’t expect to fit in more than two people at a time! . . . Steve Walsh’s Svenson advert in Birmingham (where he did radio commercials for hair weaving) read as, “Working in front of audiences means my looks matter to me. So imagine how I felt when I started to go bald” . . . South Eastern Disco Assn’s SEDA ’82 Spring Fair stretches over two days at the Great Danes Hotel near Maidstone this year, Saturday 3rd April seeing an afternoon Record Fair (stand space from Theo Loyla on 01-548 2911) followed by Froggy guesting at a Superdisco, Sunday 4th April then featuring the equipment exhibition, and SEDA’s annual dinner/cabaret . . . Graham Bond (Middlesbrough 0642 325112) is after record pluggers to talk at Cleveland Area DJF meetings, the next one being Sunday week (21) at Middlesbrough’s Post House 7-10pm . . . New York’s “urban contemporary” (ie. disco/soul) radio stations — WKTU, WRKS, WBLS (who carve up the largest share of the city’s listeners between them) — all now feature their own exclusive remixes of current disco hits specially created for each station by rival teams of DJs and unavailable commercially, the main mixing moments to catch being WBLS ‘Mid Morning Mix’ (2½ hours daily), WRKS ‘Master Mix Dance Party’ (noon-1pm daily) which uses original versions leaving remixes for general play, while WKTU slots in mixes in continuous 20 minute chunks several times a day . . . oh for an urban contemporary station in London! . . . Capital now sounds like a commercial radio station — any commercial radio station — rather than Capital . . . UK music of the new variety is breaking in the States via disco play as radio won’t touch it — current US club hits include Chas Jankel, Soft Cell, Human League, Clash, Pete Shelley, Aneka, Modern Romance, Fingerprintz, Flock Of Seagulls, Genesis, Slow Children, DAF, Yello, Haircut One Hundred, Depeche Mode — in fact the vast majority of the non-“disco” material charted by DJs . . . Olivia Newton-John, Soft Cell and Kraftwerk also hit the US Soul LP chart! . . . Erskine T has had the E from WEA . . . Orin, what’s happening? . . . London DJ and sometime disco plugger Dave Towry-Coker, known to wary club managers as Dave TC, was recently killed in an altercation with security staff at the Venue . . . Watford’s New Penny needs another DJ, call Mr Harris on Watford 22003 after 8pm . . . Sandy Martin’s “Randy Sandy” smooch session on Valentine’s Saturday at Swindon Brunel Rooms resulted in Kevin Logan going on stage in front of 1,200 people to ask Donna Gordon to marry him — she blushed bright scarlet and said “Oh yes!” . . . Valentine Sunday saw Shakatak break Watford Bailey’s door record, with 2,500 admitted and 800 turned away . . . Tony ‘Visionary Entrepreneur’ Jenkins actually sent a Telex to cancel our tea date at the Ritz — gad, the guy’s got style! . . . Phonogram’s Four Tops reception at the inconveniently sited Xclusiv would have been better had they not run out of food before I’d found a parking place! . . . PEEL’s latest jingle-spiked promo (for Lady Contour razors) included a gas lighter and lifetime’s supply of excellent fibre-tip pens — how many of those got handed out? . . . John Malkin (Mon/Tues/Thurs/Friday at Rotherham’s refitted Charade, Wed/Sat at Maltby Manor Hotel) says South Yorkshire is pretty much futurist orientated but surprisingly there’s a trend back towards disco/funk, black as well as the white boys variety . . . CJ Carlos, as well as Streatham Cats Whiskers on Sundays with Svenson Walsh, now does Central London’s Samantha’s on Wed/Thurs, Hombres Fri/Sat/Tues . . . Alan Jewell is so highly rated in Oslo that, after a short break in London soon, he’ll be staying there all summer — but he does wish his much prized copy of Record Mirror could reach him before six other fellow DJs had read it first! . . . Larry Foster now squeezes in early sessions on Thurs/Fri/Sats at Romford’s Lamps wine bar . . . Steven Fay (Darwen) revives Wee Gee ‘Hold On To Your Dreams‘ (US Cotillion) in smooch spots, Kev Hill (Basildon Sweeney’s) revives Chairmen Of The Board ‘Finders Keepers‘ (Invictus) to growing demand . . . David Ruffin & Eddie Kendricks are back performing live with the Temptations, and Ben E King will be fronting a Drifters line-up for a UK visit soon . . . Groove’s Chris Palmer very flatteringly sported a specially made “Dr Soul is big with me” T-shirt at one of my ’60s soul nights — which are really going well, so visit Soho’s Le Beat Route in Greek Street one Tuesday soon . . . Edgbaston Faces’ Steve Dennis & Gibbo issued a joint communique: “The music of the street and disco is having less chart impression now than for a very long time and as pop radio becomes more and more MoR it really is time we saw the development of street awareness” . . . Flash Gordon (Bristol Misty’s) has computed that the complete Disco Top 90 would take 9 hours to play, plus another 3 hours for chart hits, oldies and slowies — so no wonder lots of good stuff gets left behind . . . Frenchie (Blackpool) after doing a break down of the disco chart, wonders whether DJs are cutting back on imports and LP tracks due to lack of money or is the audience demand waning? . . . Nick Radcliffe (Winkfield) buys all his records at the Slough Record Centre in Farnham Road, Slough, where Tony Hodges runs the import department . . . David Emery reports that Newcastle-upon-Tyne’s Stage Door is chock-a-block nightly with (as in many other venues currently) private parties swelling the numbers usefully — but don’t you find you have to play mainly oldies and mega-hits to that type crowd? . . . Saint Tropez ‘Femmes Fatales‘ (US Destiny LP) has as expected become my most enquired about (and now requested) sound, the entirely French-spoken with sound effects scenario concerning a lady and her male lover being murdered while on the job by the former’s jealous lesbian ex-lover — and thankfully a few of you are picking up on it now too . . . Tony ‘Jammy Sod’ Jenkins has an exclusive copy of Brass Construction’s new LP, rave tracks he says being ‘Do That Thang‘ and ‘Forever Love‘, quite as good as their very first set . . . Sunday night’s the night, but you’ll have to find out where the stylish dressers are going for yourself! . . . Is Steve Strange putting on weight because of all the dainty tea’s he’s having? . . . Electrik Funk is a monster and mixes with anything, although the sequence Goldie Alexander, Frankie Smith, Electrik Funk, NY Skyy ‘Call Me (Remix)’ works well . . . Maxine Singleton is good out of George Duke ‘Shine On’ or Jean Carn ‘Was That All It Was’, while Imagination ‘Illusion’ and Shakatak ‘Easier Said Than Done’ blend together backwards and forwards (with vari-tuning) so well I defy you to spot the joins! . . . when is a wig not a wig? — when Svenson calls it a weave! (it may not blow off in the wind but otherwise what’s the difference?) . . . Greg Gregory (London Busby’s) does a killer mix from Oneness Of Juju into ‘Kasso’ . . . Ian Levine (Charing Cross Heaven) reckons that the all-time gay disco classics never to cross over and hit must include Front Page (featuring Sharon Redd) ‘Love Insurance‘ (Panorama), Suzi Lane ‘Harmony‘ (Elektra), Jessica Williams ‘Queen Of Fools‘ (Polydor), Ferrara ‘Love Attack‘ (Midsong), Kat Mandu ‘The Break‘ (TK) . . . Mark Clark currently plays to over 400 roller skaters at both Bracknell and Maidenhead Sports Centres (with skating “tribes” like the Bay City Rollers, even!), where he finds slowish BPMs work best — Vaughan Mason ‘Bounce Rock Skate Roll‘ being a biggie — but can anyone recommend other suitable sounds? . . . Jon Williams (Birkenhead 051-645 3618) has a 16mm Bell & Howell cine projector for sale . . . Monday midday deadlines now make my time even shorter, so, although I’d rather be doing reviews, as there’s always an outcry if there’s no Odds ‘N’ Bods, I hope you’re happy . . . MOMBASSA! NYASA!

THOSE JONES GIRLS — Brenda, Shirley and Valerie — have an enviable record of import chart success with their last two albums, yet have been notoriously badly served here by CBS, who for instance have only now just got around to releasing the latest set, ‘Get As Much Love As You Can’ (Philadelphia International PIR 85347). Best for home listening (as of course are all the really big sellers), it contains ‘Nights Over Egypt’.

UK NEWIES

No UK Reviews this week.

IMPORTS

No Import Reviews this week.  Continue reading “March 13, 1982: no reviews, extended Odds ‘N’ Bods”

March 6, 1982: Oneness Of Juju, Chocolate Milk, Janet Kay, Brass Construction, Electrik Funk

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

SPANDAU BALLET release a boxed set of four 12in singles next week, from which two have been promoed already, best sides being a brassy “dub” introed beefy 120bpm remix of ‘Chant No.1’ and the new ‘Coffee Club‘ a jumbled noisy 124bpm ‘Tighten Up’ rattler with Beggar & Co brass — but they don’t sound so fresh now newcomers are outstripping them . . . Shakatak ‘Night Birds‘ a slick 118bpm tinkler, and Gonzales ‘Closer To You‘, a brassy 119bpm jiggler with off-putting vocals (and completely off-centre flip!) have also been promoed on white label, while EMI America / Capitol / Liberty artists are featured on a 10in twin-pack sampler . . . Sheree Brown ‘It’s A Pleasure’ (Capitol 12CL 232) and — of interest to mobiles — Derek & The Dominos ‘Layla’ (RSO RSOX 87) are now on 12in . . . West Yorkshire Assn of DJs meet this Sunday (7) at Manningham Ward Labour Club in Bradford (time details from Gary Williamson on Elland 0422-76063). West Sussex & Hampshire DJ Assn meet on Monday (8) at the Stoke Motel — wherever that is (these chaps are so communicative!) . . . Barry McCloud Enterprises (The Old House, PO Box 40, Shepperton Studio Centre, Shepperton, Middlesex TW17 0QD — they’re after more mailing lists DJs) has picked up the Posse label for the UK, with 12in issues by Mynk, Glory & Ritz, and a Joe Simon LP due . . . Quincy Jones scored five Grammy awards out of eight nominations, Al Jarreau and Mike Post got two apiece . . . Richard Jon Smith is indeed an old mate of Alton Edwards from South Africa, but Alton tells me he’d no idea he was in Britain and certainly hadn’t heard of Richard’s single until I told him about it! . . . Streetwave’s plea on this page for an office junior resulted in 16-year-old Michael Cronin getting the gig . . . RCA’s Rowdy Yeats is considering doing Steve ‘Svenson’ Walsh under the Trade Descriptions Act for claiming to be “Working as a DJ” — although of course the notorious advert’s grammar reads as if “you” are working as a DJ! . . . STAY LOOSE!

GEORGE DUKE these days wields a mean Dream Machine, as he calls his guitar-slung portable synth, although the 35-year-old Californian began playing straight jazz piano before working towards his current electronic style through the likes of Al Jarreau, Jean-Luc Ponty, Frank Zappa, Cannonball Adderly and Billy Cobham, his most recent pairing with Stanley Clarke in the Clarke / Duke Project having met with far greater success in the States than here.

UK NEWIES

ONENESS OF JUJU: ‘Every Way But Loose’ (Buddah BDSL 497).
Dynamite bounding bass, percussion, brass and chanting prodded 115-116-115-114-115(break)-116-117bpm 12in chugging riff with the flow of Brass Construction ‘Movin’ and flavour of Roy Ayers ‘Running Away’, great for mixing (try ‘E-Man Boogie ’82‘ out of it!) and huge on import for ages.

CHOCOLATE MILK: ‘Let’s Go All The Way’ (RCA RCAT 200).
Acappella harmony introed jittery 0-118bpm 12in routine mechanical funk thudder, flipped by last year’s much better booming jiggly bumping 113bpm ‘Blue Jeans‘ which really raised sweat, yet went largely ignored on import.

JANET KAY: ‘You Bring The Sun Out’ (Black Roots BR 033, soon-via Phonogram).
Lovely gentle 0-37-75bpm 12in lightly lovers rock treatment of Randy Crawford’s smoocher. Hot for Graham Gold (Harrow)!  Continue reading “March 6, 1982: Oneness Of Juju, Chocolate Milk, Janet Kay, Brass Construction, Electrik Funk”

February 27, 1982: Smokey Robinson, Frankie Smith, Central Line, Sharon Brown, Kasso

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

IT TAKES a brave man to admit they wear a wig, and with these words — “Working as a DJ you can imagine how I felt when I started to go bald” — Steve Walsh appeared in a testimonial advertisement for Svenson hairweaving in London’s Standard last week (surely a first for this type of endorsement by a disco DJ?), which must have taken a lot of guts . . . Oh, do shut up, Rowdy! . . . Tony Jenkins special at the Embassy would in fact have been a lot better had owner Stephen Hayter allowed it to be run as intended — he didn’t even allow Shalamar to be interviewed, because microphones are a no-no in gay clubs . . . Steve Strange was there checking out the slim ties and slick suits . . . Ian Levine’s “hetero” Tuesdays at Charing Cross’s Heaven are a good opportunity to discover what a New York disco can be like . . . Rusty Egan, touting an acetate of Nona Hendryx doing T-Connection’s ‘Do What You Wanna Do‘, squeezed into Mayfair Gullivers Padded Cell, now bulging every Saturday with new romantics . . . South Harrow’s Bogarts is futurist every Tuesday with DJs Robert Brunwin, Neil & Derek . . . I’m starting my ’60s soul earlier in the evening on Tuesdays at Soho’s Le Beat Route, so there’s more time for nostalgic sounds before the Northern dancers get going . . . Marvin Howell (ex-Casablanca) has evidently picked up Goldie Alexander for his own new label through Phonogram . . . NY Skyy ‘Call Me’ is due next week on 3-track 12in as a new remix, with the original plus ‘Jam The Box’ . . . Tom Tom Club ‘Genius Of Love’ (huge for Phil Howell at Derby’s Bluenote) is in fact a remix in this current version . . . Phyllis Nelson sounds awfully like Viola Wills (and thereby hangs a tale!) . . . John Cecchini & Jon Williams will be giving away six rare framed picture discs and promise lotsa funky fun ‘n’ games on their Mersey river cruise next Tuesday (2), ticket details on 051-645 3818 . . . Steve Dennis (Edgbaston Faces) reports commercials voiced by Steve Walsh are never off the (h-)air on BRMB these days . . . David Lowe will be playing plenty of soul smoochers old and new every Tuesday in March on BBC Radio Medway between 6.45 – 8.00pm (290M / 96.7FM) . . . Richard Afton starts jocking nightly this week at London’s Rockafellas restaurant (just off Regent Street beside Samantha’s), from a new console hidden behind the Harley Davidson . . . Steve E Bane, well known around Bristol for yonks, is now resident at the Burgundy in Congresbury’s Cadbury Country Club . . . Stone ‘Time’ is a killer with “D” Train, and Search ‘Like The Way’ is indeed dynamite (as suspected) out of Kool ‘Ladies Night’ . . . Brixton’s Front Line got a good plug on ‘OTT’, which Alexei Sayle thankfully appears to be leaving — how did he ever get a reputation for being funny? . . . What’s the difference between Steve Walsh and ‘Airline’-s Jack Ruskin? — Ruskin actor Roy Marsden wears a toupee, Walsh had a weave . . . OVER AND OUT.

GREG WILSON must have a head for heights to jock in the frog-shaped DJ booth 15 feet up above the floor at Wigan Pier (shades of Thank God It’s Friday’?). Sunday 21st March he’ll host an alldayer with Colin Curtis, Graham Carn, Pete Girtley, Ralph Randall and — specially imported from the South — the one DJ for whom the Pier’s decor was obviously designed, Froggy!

UK NEWIES

SMOKEY ROBINSON: ‘Tell Me Tomorrow’ (Motown TMGT 1255).
Gorgeous tremulously wailed bittersweet busily jogging 107-106-105bpm swayer with lovely piano towards the end, on 3-track 12in for stupendous value with not only last year’s smash 54/108-109-110-111bpm ‘Being With You’ but also its usefully Spanish-sung 54/107-108-109-110bpm ‘Aqui Con Tigo’ version.

FRANKIE SMITH: ‘Double Dutch Bus’ (WMOT VS 48512, via Virgin).
Finally for the first time since US release in autumn 1980 both original sides are now back-to-back here, this million-selling ultra-catchy jauntily jumping 119-120bpm 12in rapper (great out of ‘Fungi Mama’) and the initially hotter (here) 118-120-119bpm ‘Double Dutch‘ with chaps ‘n’ chix swapping childish playground taunts and dares.

CENTRAL LINE: ‘Don’t Tell Me (USA Remix)’ (Mercury MERX 90).
Larry Levan’s much called out, lengthened and changed 111-114-113-112-113-114-113-112-113-114bpm remix does nothing to add pop appeal or make the song stronger, although mixing DJs will find it’s terrific between Hall & Oates and Vicky “D”, but it is on 3-track 12in with Larry’s old remix of ‘Walking Into Sunshine’, and ‘Shake It Up’.  Continue reading “February 27, 1982: Smokey Robinson, Frankie Smith, Central Line, Sharon Brown, Kasso”

February 20, 1982: Vicky “D”, Kool & The Gang, Star Sound, Michael Wycoff, Roy Ayers

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

ORIN COZIER has unexpectedly been made redundant by Arista, who evidently “don’t think black music has a place in the market at the moment, and are consequently closing down the department” — where will the Ladies Man go next? . . . Mick Clare at Virgin has picked up Vicki “D” and the P-Funk All Stars, the latter turning out to include George Clinton, Sly Stone, Bootsy Collins, Bobby Womack, Phillipe Wynne, Bernie Worrell, Junie Morrison . . . MCA in the States have taken over distribution of the ultra-hot but hard to get album by The Band A.K.A. . . . Tight Fit ‘Lion’ and Richard ‘Dimples’ Fields ‘No!’ are now on 12in . . . Shalamar’s new album is available here via WEA (K 52345) . . . Excaliber evidently discovered the day after release that they didn’t in fact have UK rights to Lime ‘Your Love’, hence its reappearance now on Carrere! . . . Tony Jenkins’ tea party at the Ritz with various Groove Weekly writers was a classy affair, as was his Brideshead themed one-off at the Embassy on Monday night (with an exclusive Shalamar PA and a thousand tickets pre-sold without any advertising) . . . Tony’s now ensconced in a Kensington High Street office and kicks off a new Fri/Saturday venue to be called Ambience in March, location to be kept secret but it’ll not be a million miles from the Burlington Arcade, stylish attire a prime requisite for all jazz-soul fans wanting admission . . . Chris ‘Fusion Few’ Ellis will be designing with Japanese Kiki Okada a collection of quality fashions for an autumn launch solely through Ambience events and video . . . Funktion’s Peter Byfield, just before recent events, was quoted as saying “I would rather consider myself the Freddie Laker of jazz-funk” – oops! . . . I looked in at Soho Le Beat Route’s ’60s soul night last Tuesday to find the main DJ hadn’t turned up, so Fatman got me to fill in and it went so well that I’ll be reviving my old ’65/66 ‘Scene’ era there weekly now — but please don’t be confused into thinking that I’ve left Mayfair’s Gullivers, which is where I am every Fri/Saturday with Graham Gold . . . Nicky Peck is dropping the ‘Central’ name in favour of ‘The Sunday Soul Club’ at the King Charles Hotel in Gillingham, starting this weekend with Shakatak on Sunday (21), but preceded somewhat confusingly with a Central Reunion first birthday party on Saturday (20) . . . Canvey Goldmine’s Jayne Barrett (0268-683153) is looking for stylish “modern” bands to play at their Friday ‘Style’ nights — Buzzz are there this week (19), if that’s any indication of what’s wanted . . . Chris Hill of course was last week’s mysteriously uncredited DJ playing Barry White ‘Beware’ . . . Leeds Warehouse owner Mike Wiand is managing Soft Cell’s backing group Vicious Pink Phenomenon, whose ‘My Private Tokyo’ will be on the new Mobile Suite Company label via Phonogram next month (you’ll remember that Soft Cell’s Marc Almond used to be hat-check boy at the Warehouse!) . . . Frenchie & Pete Haigh start broadcasting hot jazz-soul toons fortnightly this Thursday (18) over Lancaster’s University Radio Bailrigg, 9-11pm on 312m MW, with a reputed reception radius of 40 miles . . . Brother To Brother’s soul night moves from Thursday to Friday at Watford Odeon Film Centre’s Gemma’s / New Caprice (which is due for a name change), starting next Friday (26) — and the DJ duo (01-428 7994) have a 1000 watt roadshow and free club premises available on certain nights for interested promoters. Juliana’s have taken over Bacchus International, but the latter will remain an autonomous operation . . . Richard Jon Smith turns out to be an old mate of Alton Edwards from South Africa, so no wonder there are similarities! . . . Nigel ‘Wikka Wrap’ Martinez is currently producing a new Light Of The World LP . . . Mike Morgan, doing the only exclusively reggae night in Essex at Chelmsford YMCA every third Wednesday in the month (drat, you just missed it last night!), would welcome promotional consideration from record companies with reggae product new or old — send to 281 Main Road, Broomfield, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 5AU . . . Paul Mulligan (Edinburgh 031-443 9232) desperately needs a copy (7 or 12in) of Savoy ‘Sunny Side Of The Street’ . . . Alan Gaskell (St Helens) reports that Liverpool’s Rumbelow’s record shop are closing down and selling off both import and UK stock at cheapo prices . . . Johnny ‘JB’ Batten is selling imports again on Byfleet 49627 (he delivers) — OK, TC? . . . Theo Loyla, still burnin’ rubber around the country, reckons Huddersfield Flix DJ Jack Wood must be the best mixer in the North, while an outrageous club in Hudd called the Amsterdam defies description in a respectable family magazine! . . . Mike Tarbuck spins quality disco / electro at the Juliet’s half of Blackburn’s Romeo & Juliet’s, for smart dressers . . . Steve Goddard (01-500 2749) wants his regulars at Stepney’s Old Rose to know he’s moved now to Barking’s Chains pub, where there’s a solidly funky crowd . . . Brian Gardner, brother of RM’s Mike, funks it up at Soho’s long established Whisky A Go Go every night except Thurs / Friday . . . WEA’s Fred Dove (currently touting a great promo 12in of ADC Band ‘Roll With The Punches‘) these days is almost unrecognisable without his hat — ”You can’t get them cleaned. and they do get dirty, you know!” . . . TVS’s terrific ‘Radio’ soap opera about a commercial radio station weekdays 5.15pm / Sunday omnibus edition 5.25pm) is so closely modelled on Capital (although much scaled down) that it’s hilarious for insiders to identity the real people represented, librarian Clive Smith in particular getting stitched up good and proper — and it’s nice to see the bird from ‘Going Out’ back on screen again . . . BMRB’s national chart is in such chaos now returns don’t reflect the massive influence of Top Of The Pops for almost a fortnight that it is evidently soon going back to its old compilation deadline . . . Comparison between the main “up front” UK Disco 90 and expanded POD 75 tends to show up the relative strengths of different disco pluggers’ mailing lists, so it would be nice to get more charts from people not on these lists in an attempt to counteract the distortion and lessen the impact of some titles that only show up because they’ve been received for free by a privileged few . . . Kev Hill (Basildon Sweeney’s) encloses a calendar motto, “Nothing narrows a man’s outlook so much as getting into a groove” — get DOWN! . . . Lenny Henry asks, what does an African hang his coat on? . . . KAIANGA! KATANGA!

CLAUDJA BARRY is best remembered for some zingy gay gallopers in the classic “disco” era, but now the Germany based thrush is back at a more sedate pace with ‘If I Do It To You‘ on Ensign. — While at the same time she’s climbing the US disco chart in a duet with Ronnie Jones, ‘The Two Of Us‘ (US Handshake 12in) which has yet to surface here.

UK NEWIES

VICKY “D”: ‘This Beat Is Mine’ (SAM VS 48612, via Virgin).
Solar style extremely strong 113bpm 12in shuffling smacker with piercing catchy Evelyn King-copying synth through the long instrumental rhythm intro, the usefully all instrumental flip sadly lacking the A-side’s ultra mixable break.

KOOL & THE GANG: ‘Take My Heart’ (De-Lite DEX 6).
Always their album’s really “class” track and the first to be put on single in the USA, the subtly infectious spoken/sung gently jolting laid back 111-110-111bpm rolling slinky thumper has been remixed for 3-track 12in, flipped by the datedly messy ‘Caribbean Festival’ and lush slow ‘Winter Sadness’.

STAR SOUND: ‘Stars On Stevie’ (CBS A13-2941).
As a soundalike this Stevie Wonder medley is brilliant — there’s no other word for it, but as a smoothly flowing mixer the 126-111-126-138bpm 12in could be better (‘Master Blaster’ in particular comes as a rude intrusion amongst some classic mellow swingers). However, it’s going to be huge, regardless.  Continue reading “February 20, 1982: Vicky “D”, Kool & The Gang, Star Sound, Michael Wycoff, Roy Ayers”

February 13, 1982: Tomorrow’s Edition, George Duke, Claudja Barry, Richard ‘Dimples’ Fields, War

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

MORGAN KHAN in fact turned down Vicki ‘D’ as he now realises Streetwave will do better by originating its own UK-produced product (a lesson first learned by Island’s Chris Blackwell in the ’60s) . . . Streetwave meanwhile are — incredibly — having difficulty in finding an office junior with the right attitude, an intelligent non-smoking school leaver (O Level Maths / English) keen on music and competent to cope on his own, to work at their new office next to West Acton tube station. Call 01-593-1512 and get into the music business . . . Motown’s Roger Upright and Robert Bienman are forming their own DJ mailing list at RCA, independent of Rush Release . . . Kleeer’s ‘Taste The Music’ import LP is now distributed here by WEA (Atlantic K50873) . . . Lime ‘Your Love’ / ‘Agent 406’ appears to have switched from Excaliber to Carrere (CART 227), while Excaliber seem to be re-promoting Firefly ‘Love (Is Gonna Be On Your Side)’ from last summer . . . Teddy Pendergrass came across best on the slowies at his beautifully staged shows (great lighting) last week, but hasn’t he a funny way of walking?! . . . Brass Construction and BT Express members have combined to form Brass Tacks (geddit?) with hot toons due soon . . . Shock, the US funk group, will be called Oregon Shock here to prevent confusion with the UK dance group . . . Showstoppers St Tropez trip in May will feature star DJs Chris Hill, Froggy, Jeff Young, Sean French, Robbie Vincent and maybe more, while next month’s Caister weekender is virtually sold out . . . psst —  Monday (15) London’s Embassy is the place to be, Brideshead-type smart dress essential . . . Tony ‘visionary entrepreneur’ Jenkins was entertaining the media to tea at the Ritz on Tuesday, full story next week . . . Paul Major has turned Gt Yarmouth’s Wheels into a home for the Country Bumpkins tribe, with a weekly fanzine and jazz-funk-soul every Friday / Saturday (except this Saturday, it’s closed) . . . Stockton on Tees Club Fiesta next Sunday (21) has a jazz-funk alldayer, coaches welcome (£2.50 admission), with Alex Lowes, Paul Cooke, David Baird, Phil Mitchell and Lofty Lofthouse — and Lofty, in very different style, is also running a general pop quiz every Thursday at Chester-Le-Street’s Whispers in the Garden Farm Hotel, application forms from the club or anyone interested in the North-East can call Lofty (afternoons) on Gateshead 775021 . . . Nigel Porter and chums hope to counteract Leicester’s electro-pop / rockabilly mania with jazz-funk-soul fortnightly at the Saracen’s Head in the city centre every other Monday (22nd next one) . . . Derek Pierce, who does Bath Moles ‘Cabaret Moderne’ nights on Thursdays now, is writing a history of Electronic Music for the magazine Electronics & Music Matter, which should interest recent Kraftwerk converts . . . Oneness Of Juju and Jimmy Castor are huge at Soho’s Le Beat Route on the Friday posers night, when far from provincial electronics the crowd prefer mid-70’s jazz-funk . . . Frenchie (Blackpool) says any and all of the various ‘Genius Of Love’ versions are huge in the North-West . . . Canvey Goldmine, rapidly turning the Detroit Spinners ‘I’ll Be Around’ into a new (?) anthem, says the recent Barry White ‘Beware’ (US Unlimited Gold LP) is his hottest smoocher . . . Ian Levine is inviting record company and media people to a special night at Charing Cross’s normally gay Heaven on Tuesday (16) . . . Tricky Dicky, whose gay Dicks Inn nights now include Kensington’s Union Tavern in Camberwell New Road every Tues / Thursday and the Old Kent Road’s Astoria on Thursdays, reports that ‘Bobby’s Girl’ Susan Maughan at a recent PA looked so good still she could join the Nolans! . . . Phil ‘Red’ Andrews unfortunately named Amazing Woofters Roadshow does Derby’s Bridge Inn on Fri / Sun / Tuesdays, the Albion Suite on Thursdays . . . Rob Harknett (Harlow) tells how a friend recently did a gig for a token £10 fee when a mobile DJ arrived and offered his services “for £5 less than that lot”, and on being told he’d then be working for just £5 in total he agreed to try an audition . . . The DJ Federation have circulated a handsomely produced DJs Year Book, in which (inevitably) many of the record company details are already out of date . . . Thames Valley DJ Assn meet on Sunday, 28th Feb, at noon in Ivor’s Tower Arms pub, Thorney Lane South (where unfortunately I will be unable to speak as invited), the Assn currently offering silly string at 95p a can (12 for £10.50 plus postage) to all DJs, details from TVDJA, PO Box 25, Staines, Mx . . . Gary Oldis has returned to Dee Jay’s Country Club, as the Gretna Green has been renamed after refurbishment, where a high quality musical cross section packs ’em in . . . Ray Stevens has resurfaced to jazz-funk Coulsdon’s Pistols wine bar Sat / Sundays, and London’s Jermyne Street’s Moonberrys regularly Thurs / Fridays . . . George Andrew (Salford) likening The Jam’s ‘Malice’ to The Who’s interpretation of Martha & The Vandellas ‘Heatwave’ fully expects up-coming soundtracks to ‘Saturday Night Down The Tube Station’ or ‘Thank God For All Mod Cons’ if this Bee-Geefication continues . . . Mista Le Parks recent jitterbug revival programme on the ‘South Bank Show’ prompted Groove Records Jean to reveal that her late husband Timothy Palmer (father of Chris & Tim) the undefeated UK professional ballroom champion — with a trophy still named after him — introduced the Big Apple and Suzy Q dance steps to Britain after learning them while appearing in New York during the ’50s (grandad ‘Pedlar’ Palmer was a champion Irish flyweight boxer too!) . . . Rockafella’s late-nite eaterie, next to Samantha’s just off Regent Street, played the whole of Richard ‘Dimples’ Fields lovely new album last Friday night! . . . “New Romantic” lady, overheard at Mayfair Gullivers Saturday night Padded Cell, “I used to be a soul boy, really dedicated too, but now the only soul record I like is ‘Get Down On It’.” — Any discotheque under my own trading name in West Sussex is not in fact me . . . KATANGA KATANGA!

UK NEWIES

TOMORROW’S EDITION: ‘U Turn Me On’ (CBS A13-2098).
Actually getting bigger by the week on import, despite a downturn in recent chart placings, this doodling bass introed powerfully pounding 109-110-111-110bpm 12in jiggler has good soulful harmony interplay, dramatic brass, synth and guitar twiddles in amongst the thudding momentum (the flip has a less intense version).

GEORGE DUKE: ‘Shine On’ (Epic EPC A13-2872).
Punchy if somewhat shallow EWF-style squeakily clucked staccato bounding 119bpm 12in smacker with good beefy bass, the jerkily building 121bpm brass, synth and scat instrumental ‘Positive Energy‘ flip getting jazz-funk attention, while the imminent album’s ‘Ride On Love‘ is actually the killer (especially with Brandi’s ‘Watch Out’!).

CLAUDJA BARRY: ‘If I Do It To You’ (Ensign ENYT 223).
So deceptively simple it takes a few plays to register, this repetitively looping 113bpm 12in pulsator is basically a slower ‘Ring My Bell’ but without the “ptoo ptoo” syndrums! Toughening up considerably halfway with a gruffly rapping guy and good break, it mixes well out of Vicki “D”.  Continue reading “February 13, 1982: Tomorrow’s Edition, George Duke, Claudja Barry, Richard ‘Dimples’ Fields, War”

February 6, 1982: Touch, Morrissey Mullen, Brandi Wells, George Duke, Jimmy Castor

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

SOUTHGATE ROYALTY is soon to be redeveloped into a very different type of venue, but in the meantime the recently started Friday soul-disco ‘Slix’ nights continue (with Jeff Young and Martin Collins on alternate weeks), as do rock ‘n’ roll Thursdays, while the Saturday ‘Rox’ specials will occur as and when bands are available . . . Central Line’s ‘Don’t Tell Me’ 12in has been replaced by a much longer remix, plus a ‘Walking Into Sunshine’ remix on 2-track flip (review when received) . . . Kool’s follow-up is already on white label, ‘Take My Heart’ remix flipped by the old ‘Caribbean Festival’ and ‘Winter Sadness’ . . . Slave and Whispers 12in copies should initially be at 7in price, so question the dealer if you’re asked to pay more . . . Angela Bofill’s 3-track 12in is available via specialist disco shops but not on general release . . . Wallace W Williams ‘Waterbed’ reggae steel band fusion is available through Pinnacle (01-662 5741) or Jet Star (01-961 4422) — Wallace does a nifty PA, complete with whip wielding lady, by the way! — while Jerome’s self-financed ‘In The Right Direction’ is through Soto Sound (01 837 7141/7147) . . . Mick Clark, who says a Brandi ‘What Goes Around’ remix will be about soon, is starting two mailing lists at Virgin, one modelled on Fred Dove’s for up-front jazz-funk-soul jocks and another for pop-dance-fusion general DJs: send full work details to Mick Clark, Virgin Records, 2 Vernon Yard, 119 Portobello Road, London W11 . . . Ex-Motown press gal Karen Spreadbury’s Eyes & Ears promotion/PR firm is off and running, Karen handling press and Gullivers girl DJ Nicky Mackenzie servicing club jocks: apply to Eyes & Ears, PO Box 103, London, SW19 6PD (01-809 1073/789 9673) . . . Theo Loyla has already left MAP to start his own Super Jocks Mailing Service and is pushing a video of a band called Volcano (sort of like Ottawan meets Village People — so you’ve been warned!) — apply to him at 15a Crescent Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey KT2 7RD . . . PRT have picked up Oneness of Juju, CBS release Tomorrow’s Edition next week, while Streetwave’s Morgan Khan is back from MIDEM with Vicki “D” and the strong likelihood of two currently ultra-hot US labels catalogues . . . WEA’s Erskine Thompson got myself and Tape 1’s Dave ‘Razorblade’ Moore to put together a mixer medley of four Prince tracks — ‘Head/Wanna Be Your Lover/Sexy Dancer/Controversy’ — in a completely re-edited 64bst (Bits of Splicing Tape!) melange of all the best bits, but its future release is still uncertain . . . Kool could have been number one nationally if it had sold more strongly in Scotland (it was number one in London), but a lack of 12in copies has at least put the album in the Top 10 (there’s also a rare remix, as there is too of NY Skyy) . . . Gilberto Gil (who could be due for a 3-track 12in) is the biggest victim of our currently very volatile disco chart — he lost just two “chart points” (our inverse ratio scoring) yet dropped 10 whole places — the competition at the top being really intense now the snow has melted and mailing list-orientated provincial DJs are once again outnumbering the London dominated record-buying jocks whose charts held sway during the big freeze . . . Holborn’s City Sounds record shop is now open on Saturdays 10am-4pm, while Greek Street’s Groove is still of course open until 10pm nightly six days a week and on Sunday until 6pm . . . Junior (Giscombe) is the latest big Brit hit in US soul and disco charts . . . Rahmlee’s ‘Heartbreaker’ / ‘Think’ is now a 12in on US Headfirst, so could the label eventually get around to Lesette Wilson’s ‘Caveman Boogie’? . . . Quincy Jones has been nominated for eight Grammy awards in different categories, plus he’s associated with six more nominated artists, while other important black nominees include Grover/Bill, Diana/Lionel, and Al Jarreau . . . Fergus McKinna (East Kilbride) contacted Geffen Records to hear that Quincy should have finished producing Donna Summer’s new album next month (it’ll evidently combine traditional Summer-style material with a jazz-funk slant too), Quincy also — thank goodness! — being set to produce the Brothers Johnson again . . . Stevie Wonder has formed his own Wondirection label (he’ll stay on Motown, who’ll distribute), the likely first signings being Little Willie John’s sons Keith & Kevin . . . Rush Release had a healthy response to their announced video service, but then once DJs realised it was going to cost money there was a lot of hasty backpedalling — really professional, don’tcha think? . . . Mark Clark (Bracknell), like us at Gullivers, has been having great success showing a much-sought promotion video of Maze — who incidentally appear here next month, when ‘Joy and Pain’ will be re-promoted . . . Groove Weekly’s John Wischhusen kindly singled out Mayfair Gullivers as one of the best black music clubs, but in saying that my mixing maintains “a technical excellence rarely matched elsewhere” he unfortunately made no mention of full-time resident DJ Graham Gold at all, and Graham (with all week to practice) pulls off more stunts than I have the time for . . . John Dalglish of Glasgow’s Dalglish Dance School (041-334 8550) has been contracted by the Scottish Milk Marketing Board to put a three girl dance troupe (with a 30-minute act incorporating all dance styles) out on the road from 1st May to appear absolutely free of charge in Scottish discos: contact John, or the SMMB’s Dennis Gray (041-887 1234) for date details . . . Blackburn’s Martin Platts does an open air disco at Clitheroe Castle on 21st February, where all the DJs will be topless — and most of ’em are girls! . . . Disco & Lighting Exhibition Nottingham ’82 is planned for Sunday 25th April, at Nottingham’s Sherwood Rooms, full stand details from Goldwax Discos on 0602-231457 . . . John Mayoh, John Barry, Gillie Beanz & Dave Eager “Beaver” at Bolton Cinderella Rockerfella’s are experimenting on Wednesdays with £6.50 admission a head to include a free meal plus as much as you can drink all night! . . . Mayfair Gullivers has 25p drinks on Mondays now, electro-funk downstairs and live big band jazz (jammers welcome) upstairs on Tuesdays, ’60s soul oldies on Thursdays and the new romantic Padded Cell downstairs on Saturdays — which shows the advantage of running two floors . . . T-Connection ‘Do What You Wanna Do’ is a big oldie for both Steve Glover (Bournemouth Faradays) and Chris Hill (Canvey Goldmine), while Chris is also reviving real soul oldies by such as the Detroit Spinners, Intruders, James Brown . . . Roger Dynamite, who’s replaced his brother Paul Major at Gt Yarmouth Tiffany’s (Paul’s at Wheels — in Lowestoft?), reckons on the futurist front that RCA should reissue Iggy Pop ‘The Passenger’, while equally big on the floor for Nick Davies (Watford New Penny — Sundays) is Andy Forray ‘Drac’s Back‘ (Acrobat) . . . Steven Fay (Darwen, Lancs) has had Melody Stewart ‘Get Down‘ (US Roy B 12in) in his chart for month after month! . . . The Quick’s up-coming new material produced by John Luongo in the States sounds remarkably like Linx . . . Capital Radio producer Mike Childs currently swears by 12in versions, and uses them wherever possible on Nicky Horne’s rock show (“they sound so great”, sez he) . . . Robbie Vincent is presumably reviving ‘Do The Dog’ on Radio London! . . . Dolly Dots are Dutch . . . Johnny Proctor at Oslo’s Ridderhalen has Alton Edwards at number one — maybe because his next door neighbour is Morgan Khan-chauffeuring Alan Jewell?! . . . Colin Day, back from the Continent, is specialising sensibly on MoR gigs with his new roadshow (Worcester 0905-353361) . . . Kev Hill (Brentwood 0277-221309) is selling a variety of 18 months old hi-fi components at reasonable prices . . . Andrew Worthington Jones (Bodelwyddan Poppeys Country Club) is among many who prefer the Whispers ‘Emergency’ . . . Alex Sweeney (Dundee Sands Club) has a disco/jazz-funk show Thursday nights on Radio Tay . . . Neil Fincham & Colin Cordrey are really stepping up the soul-jazz-funk now festivities have abated at Edinburgh’s Uptown . . . John Douglas (Essex Venues) says Matumbi’s old ‘Point of View’ is much in demand again . . . Gary Oldis has been renamed after refurbishment, where a high quality cross section of music is packing ’em in . . . Ian Turner is now resident at Llandudno’s Speakeasy Club playing some of everything . . . I’m sorry that ‘Odds ‘n’ Bods’ have been missed for a couple of weeks, but unfortunately there are only 24 hours in a day . . . Did you know that ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ was written by Mozart, at the age of five? . . . KATANGA! KATANGA!

UK NEWIES

TOUCH: ‘Keep On’ (reviewed off white label but now on Elite).
Although originally only intended as a group-financed limited white label edition of 500, then another 1,000, which soon sold out with no further pressings planned, this has now been picked up by Elite to meet the demand quite rightly generated — and for once it’s not just scarcity value alone that’s generated the buzz, as it’s a really infectious carefree happily flying 126-127bpm 12in jazz-funk instrumental sizzler pushed along with wings on its heels by jauntily tootling synth and fast simple chinking rhythm, with laughter, applause and panting in a brief break, to be so darned catchy it could chart nationally (like ‘Southern Freeez’ did).

MORRISSEY MULLEN: ‘Come And Get Me’ (Beggars Banquet BEG 73T).
Chris Palmer produced (and played?) terrific beefy bass thwacked relentlessly pounding 123bpm 12in full tilt strutter soulfully wailed by Carol Kenyon (who’s been cropping up on telly with Alton Edwards), totally out of previous character and likely to be massive (if the BPM accelerates I’ll let you know — It’s cut so loud my stylus won’t track it!), the excellent instrumental 124-125bpm B-side ‘Life On The Wire (Version)‘ being jazz-funkier and very Surface Noise with more superb bass (beware the abrupt end).

BRANDI WELLS: ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’ (LP ‘Watch Out’ WMOT V2224, via Virgin).
I seem to have been reviewing this dynamite 113bpm disco dancer rather a lot recently, so suffice to say it’s finally out here together with the 117bpm title track… but more importantly, now I’ve finally had a 12in copy of the latter, ‘Watch Out‘ turns out in that form to be the original 117bpm but restructured and lengthened from the 5:44 LP and PRT promo version to 7:20 with an extended break before the rap (now over a minute later). Packaged in the LP sleeve with the slushy dead slow 0-35-0bpm ‘You Are My Life’ as flip.  Continue reading “February 6, 1982: Touch, Morrissey Mullen, Brandi Wells, George Duke, Jimmy Castor”

January 30, 1982: “The majority of the population can’t actually dance and so need to hear something fast to make them believe they’re having a good time”

ODDS ‘N’ BODS
No Odds ‘N’ Bods this week.

HINDSIGHT

LAST YEAR ended as it began with Kool & The Gang safely sitting at the top of the disco chart, but any impression this may give that there has been no change in the disco world would be entirely misleading. For a while at the start of the year it looked as if black/disco-orientated music was about to enjoy an unprecedented boom, because, far from the much ballyhooed futurist/new romantic material dominating the pop chart, in the lull before the storm there was one incredible week when more black records were in the national chart than at any other time before. However, as predicted, it wasn’t long before white kids (who actually are in the majority!) discovered the new white dance groups were made up of kids like themselves with whom it was more interesting to identify, and by the time that these groups put their emphasis on fairly funky rhythms rather than futurism for futurism’s sake, the big split was inevitable. The big crossover disco-pop hits have always tended to be rather faster than the soul dance hits, because the majority of the population can’t actually dance and so need to hear something fast to make them believe they’re having a good time, which meant that the fast futurist hits not only were thought of as straight pop but also brought other pop records into play, much to the evident relief of a large proportion of the population. Now a lot of these people were out of work or at least unable to afford as many nights out as before, having to rely on the radio to hear their music during the week. Radio One is still the most influential station in the country, and as this only plays a few token black records there was not much chance for people to get acclimatised to anything other than the current pop playlist. With fewer people going out there were fewer gigs, which resulted in fewer DJs with the money (or the need) for as many new records as before. As the year wore on, the disco hits that would previously have been expected to cross over into the pop chart failed to do so. At the same time, egged on by a fanatical minority of tribal fans, the jazz-funk DJs who once had enjoyed the power to break new material were now searching out obscure ultra-specialist jazz oldies (known as “hard tackle”) to compensate for a general softening of the current US jazz-funk scene. This had also been predicted, as in the States the radio outlets for jazz had been severely diminished. In searching out and playing complex oldies, the DJs and their dwindling audiences seemed hell bent on creating a new Northern Soul like scene. As the disco scene contracted it also fragmented, with clubs (either themselves or by letting in outside promoters) putting on specific types of faddish music on certain nights of the week. Doowop, ’60s psychedelia and other styles enjoyed a brief limited vogue, but all too often it seemed that all the clubs in a town followed each other in doing the same thing on the same night. The latest way of filling an otherwise empty club and at least making a small profit is to charge admission and then sell drinks at a break-even 25p. All is not gloom and despondency, though. Visionary entrepreneurs like London’s Tony Jenkins successfully continue to pack out one-off special events at up-market venues whose locations are a closely guarded secret known only to the “right” people. Chris Hill’s ‘Back To The Clubs’ tour during the autumn created a very real excitement with the aim of putting an emphasis back on local venues rather than people just turning out for the big alldayer / nighter / weekender events (however he attracted a caravan of fans who followed him from club to club as if each gig was just such a major event). Possibly most important though, was the growth of Britain’s own home-grown dance music, whether black or white. Whereas in 1980 only two UK acts topped the disco chart, Linx and Surface Noise, last year there were five British-based chart-toppers — Eddy Grant, Freeez, Spandau Ballet, Modern Romance and Central Line. Far more musical experimentation is going on here than in the States, where it often seems that black dance music follows one of three formulas, so that it does make sense to wrap up by saying — cliched though this may be — our future lies in the hands of our own musicians.

LINDA TAYLOR should finally break through as a result of the new album that Productions Chris Palmer is currently recording by her — the first of three scheduled in a new deal for release in the States on Prelude. To judge from an incomplete rough mix, every cut’s just dripping with class, the ultimate killer likely to be ‘You And Me Just Started’. Linda meanwhile appears to be gigging as one of Ray Shell’s Street Angels.

UK NEWIES

EARTH WIND & FIRE: ‘I’ve Had Enough’ (CBS A13-1959).
Cleanly smacking brassily blasting 117-118-119bpm jittery strutter squeakily clucked in typical style to make a strong if maybe not quite so monstrous follow-up, on 3-track 12in with a previously unreleased full length version of the moodily rumbling and jiggling instrumental 101-102- 106bpm ‘Kalimba Tree‘, and a rather messy 124bpm remix of ‘Let’s Groove’ – certainly not worth getting excited about.

YVONNE GAGE: ‘Garden Of Eve’ (Atlantic K 11708T).
Excellent strictly “disco” chick wailed big beefy resonantly thrumming 114bpm 12in rollingly tugging jolter with electronic twiddles and ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ bass break. Full of enough crossover appeal to hit here.

WHISPERS: ‘In The Raw’ (Solar K 12597T).
Totally typical somewhat stark slightly fluctuating but basically 114-115bpm 12in smacker somehow lacking the body of their past triumphs, although I must concede it’s growing on me (but then I was the one who didn’t originally rate ‘It’s A Love Thing’!), the flip’s gorgeous soulfully tripping lush 37/74bpm slow ‘Small Talkin‘ however being my favourite cut off their new album.  Continue reading “January 30, 1982: “The majority of the population can’t actually dance and so need to hear something fast to make them believe they’re having a good time””