Disco Delivery

Mix Fix #1: Let's Go Downtown

2009-11-10T08:38:00.014-07:00

Photo credit: GarySe7en @ Flickr

Thinking of maybe making this, a selection of my favourite mixes, a semi-regular thing here. What with some of the links that end up in my inbox and the others I've been exposed to lately via mix-sharing sites like Soundcloud (best new social sharing site, IMO), I don't think I've ever really listened to this many mixes before. Perhaps one of these days I might, just might even get one of my own up. For now though, there's plenty of excellent stuff out there.

To start things off, recently I was sent a killer 40 minute boogie mix by The Broadway Sounds. No-nonsense, straightforward mixing, great track selection and enough funky synth and slap-bass to get things up and moving.

The Broadway Sounds - C'mon Baby Let's Go Downtown Mix (download link)

Tracklist: Alvie John - "Give It All To Me" / Motion - "Emotion" / Lonnie Jordan - "Fine Foxy Lady" / Plush - "Free & Easy" / Flight - "Flying High" / Krystol - "Don't Change Your Ways" / Titus Williams - "Give Me Some Love Tonight" / Brenda Hillard - "Give Me All Of Your Love"

Sean Wolcott, one half of The Fascination Movement and formerly of the abruptly, but dearly departed blog, The Red Room (apparently taken down without notice, even to him) recently brought this to my attention. The Fascination Movement have an album in the works and not too long ago released their new single "Bringing Down The Walls". This mix was posted as a little companion to that on the AUBE Records blog. ~~Only streaming at the moment~~ Sean just provided a download link, definitely one of the best Italo-flavoured mixes I've heard lately. Tracklist and info HERE.

The Fascination Movement - DJ Sets Vol. 2 (download link)

Was recently turned on to Monorail's Monoblog via a recent posting on Beat Electric, having posted a killer boogie mix by Beat Electric's BT Magnum recently, just posted the fourth in their Riders Mix Series last week by one of my favourites, Codebreaker's Steven Hawley (see posting on their "Follow Me" single). Serously awesome mix with all the hyper, funked-up synthy excitement one would hear on a Codebreaker record. No tracklist at this time, but highly recommended.

Riders Mix #4: Together We Can Be Free - A DJ Mix by Steven Hawley of Codebreaker

In more Italo stuff, The good people at the Valerie Collective recently posted a mix by Italo Disco veteran Fred Ventura. For those who enjoy neo-Italo and who have yet to hear about this, just for the record, the Valerie Collective's "Valerie and Friends" compilation is a must-hear. Tracklist and info HERE.

Fred Ventura - Disco Relix Mixtape

In more straight-ahead disco territory, Professor Eddy, another D.D. friend and favourite (whose mixes I've posted previously) recently uploaded a sexy, funked up classic disco set up on Mixcloud. Great combination of well-appointed disco favourites like Beautiful Bend and funk treasures like the Chicago Gangsters. Tracklist & info HERE.

Professor Eddy - Steamy Soul, Funk & Disco

For those who haven't heard it yet, American Athlete's Pat Les Stache just posted a live mix from last month at the Go Bang! Party in San Francisco. With that many can't-go-wrong disco classics, it's a must-hear. Was in the Vancouver area at one point last year and am regretting not making it out to Seattle for Pat & T.M.L's HMA Studio parties now.

Pat Les Stache at Go BANG! 10-24-09 San Francisco Debut Set! by Go BANG!

Dick Gustavsson of Sweden, an old friend of this blog put up a seriously awesome podcast fairly recently on Podomatic. The mix for Autumn is one that I've been digging recently. Straight to the point, nothing but the funky goods. Nearly an hour of pure pleasure..

DixMix: Autumn Leaves

A mix from 2006, The Beat Broker recently put his Italo Keepers mix up on Soundcloud. Ace mix of some off-the-beaten path Italo Disco. Tracklist and info HERE.

Italo Keepers by the Beat Broker

lady midnight, she wants you tonight..

2009-10-31T16:21:00.004-06:00

Picked this one up in Toronto a few weeks ago. Credited to a group calling itself Halloween, I don't think anyone could expect anything other than a throwaway disco novelty, yet this turned out to be surprisingly solid..

Written and produced by one-time Motown staff producer Jerry Marcellino, who with Mel Larson had worked on The Jackson Five's later albums and most of Michael Jackson's early solo records; aside from the name, the Halloween novelty here is actually fairly subtle. With verses littered with lines about "midnight ladies dressed in black," "partying under the full moon," and "spinning magic spells," that's about as close as it gets on here..

Halloween - Lady Midnight (1979, Mercury/PolyGram)
Halloween - Come See What It's All About (1979, Mercury/PolyGram)

That being said, the solid grooves and production on here more than made up for the obvious lack of laughing vampires and screaming disco chicks. The A-side "Lady Midnight," opening with the sort of synthy disco pulses that always win me over and plenty of guitar action all over the breaks would have to be the choice track for me here. The bass-heavy, mid-tempo disco groove of "Come See What It's All About" is no less worthy though.

As stated on the single cover, both tracks here came off of the album "Come See What It's All About" (1979, Mercury/PolyGram), which at the time of this writing, has yet to be listed on Discogs. One that I'll be on the lookout for though..

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
R.I.P. MICHAEL JACKSON (FRIDAY JUNE 26, 2009)
DISCO DELIVERY #57: NOCTURNA (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK) (1979, MCA) (FRIDAY OCTOBER 31, 2008)
DISCO DELIVERY #47: HOT BLOOD - DISCO DRACULA (1977, DYNAMO) (WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 31, 2007)
I WANNA SUCK YOUR.. OOOOH! (TUESDAY OCTOBER 31, 2006)

LINKS:
DISCOGS: HALLOWEEN
ALL MUSIC GUIDE: HALLOWEEN - COME SEE WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT LP
ALL MUSIC GUIDE: JERRY MARCELLINO
DISCOGS: JERRY MARCELLINO
VEGAS COMMUNITY ONLINE - JERRY MARCELLINO

CATEGORIES: SIDE DELIVERIES

Funkytown, Montreal

2009-10-21T00:00:00.007-06:00

CBC Radio 2 - Inside The Music: Funkytown - The Montreal Disco Era
I'm quite a few months late with this, but came across this several months back while poking around on the CBC Radio 2 site one night. Originally aired in January of this year, Radio 2's "Inside The Music," hosted by Patti Schmidt aired this 53 minute documentary, entitled "Funkytown: The Montreal Disco Era" on the history of Montreal's disco scene. The backstory is explained on the Radio 2 blog:

In 1977, radio producer Colin MacKenzie (who has worked with The Signal) moved to the suburbs of Montreal and watched disco explode from a distance. Sometimes he joined in while circling a roller-rink, despite the fact that Led Zeppelin was scribbled across the back of his jean jacket. He had to admit it, he thought Earth Wind and Fire had some great moves -- and some great threads. (Editorial Aside: How come no one has resurrected that phrase? Great threads indeed.)

Recently MacKenzie moved back to Montreal and noticed that a lot of disco-era players were still alive and living in the city, either making music or involved in the entertainment business. He decided he needed to find out why Montreal had been such a major player in the world of Disco....

...By 1979 Hollywood stars, New York glitterati, politicians, royalty and the jet set were all beating a path to Montreal’s legendary disco clubs to dance the night away. What happened? Suddenly Montreal had platinum status admission to the VIP lounge of coolest of the cool disco cities right alongside Paris, New York, Berlin and LA. For a brief moment in time, the remnants of a cultural revolution, new wealth, and corruption were joined by sex and drugs and the pounding beats of disco for never ending nights let loose on Montreal’s dance floors.

While not without it's omissions, so far, this documentary is one of the few comprehensive, contemporary accounts of Montreal's disco scene that I've found (at least in English). One of the most notable (albeit perhaps arguable) facts highlighted in the documentary, which doesn't seem quite as well-recognized today, is how Billboard had once called Montreal the second most influential disco market in the world, right next to New York, of course.

While the history of disco in New York, and it's social context within American society, post-Vietnam, amid the undercurrent of decline in New York City itself have been well analyzed and documented, the unique circumstances that made Montreal a disco hot spot seem largely unexamined, by comparison. While there were similarities like the pioneering influence of the gay community; the rise of the Quebec nationalist movement and The Quiet Revolution, the city's linguistic/cultural duality - being geographically North American, yet culturally situated between Anglo-America and Europe are notable, albeit distinct parallels to the influences around New York's disco experience.

The rise of Montreal's disco scene is documented here by a series of interviews with writer William Weintraub, Montreal DJ Robert Ouimet, dance historian Michel Landry and industry players Michael and Dominique Zgarka, who discuss Montreal's place in breaking European disco records in the American market. Performers Pierre Perpall and Patsy Gallant are also given time here, with Gallant addressing the controversy around her biggest hit, "From New York To L.A.," a questionable adaptation of Gilles Vigneault's Quebecois anthem, "Mon Pays."

A valiant, albeit still incomplete examination of Montreal's disco history, it seems unfortunate (interviews and inspired subject matter aside) that there wasn't time to devote more attention to the other notable acts, records and producers that came out of Montreal at the time. A look at Montreal's disco history cannot be complete without any mention of Gino Soccio, Denis and Denyse LePage of Lime, the Unidisc label and the prominence of Montreal's Italian-Canadian community in the disco scene. I guess time limits and the need to present this for a general English Canadian audience were all limitations that needed to be considered here, however I suppose (or, rather hope) it's all potential material for a Part Two, if anyone at the CBC is willing.

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
HELPING MYSELF (WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 4, 2009)
BBC RADIO 2: CLASSIC SINGLES - I FEEL LOVE (SUNDAY DECEMBER 30, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #46: GUY LAFLEUR - LAFLEUR! (1979. UNIDISC SPORTS) (SATURDAY OCTOBER 27. 2007)
KEEP IT COMING.. (WEDNESDAY JULY 4, 2007)
A MOMENT OR TWO.. (TUESDAY MAY 8, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #35: MONTREAL FEATURING UCHENNA IKEJIANI (1979, SALSOUL) (WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2007)
SUNSHINE ON MY MIND... (SUNDAY JANUARY 7, 2007)
BBC RADIO 2 - THE RECORD PRODUCERS: NILE RODGERS (SATURDAY JANUARY 6, 2007)

LINKS:
CBC RADIO 2 BLOG: MONTREAL'S DAYS OF DISCO (BY LI ROBBINS) (JANUARY 8, 2009)
CBC RADIO 2: INSIDE THE MUSIC
CBC RADIO 2: INSIDE THE MUSIC AUDIO ARCHIVES
DISCOGS: ROBERT OUIMET
WILLIAM WEINTRAUB - OFFICIAL SITE
THE CANADIAN ENCYCLOPEDIA: THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MUSIC IN CANADA - DISCO

CATEGORIES: CAN-CON DISCO, INTERVIEWS

I'm hoping that you can..

2009-10-08T01:40:00.013-06:00

Flying off to Toronto for a week or so later today, hoping to see a couple of concerts and hopefully take in a few other things as well (I hear these guys throw a great party). I figured I might as well put up some music up before leaving..

Recently got a copy of this 12", (double A-side, same tracks on both sides) and have barely stopped playing it since. While this pressing is on the Canadian 6 AM/Rio label, I doubt the production itself is Canadian given the missing MAPL/Can-Con symbols; however (and I mean this in the best possible way), with a groove as economically funky as this is, it could easily pass for one.

Listen: Coco De Jour - Love Me Tonight (1982, 6 AM/Rio)

Written and produced by Ben Elliott and Burt Szerlip, aside from the credits All Music Guide and Discogs list for Burt Szerlip, mostly as an engineer who (among other things of course) had worked on notable disco albums like Ferrara's "Wuthering Heights" (1979, Midsong), Sister Sledge's "We Are Family" (1979, Cotillion/Atlantic) and Herbie Mann's Super Mann (1978, Atlantic) and is listed as a co-producer on the Front Page disco classic, "Love Insurance", I have no idea who they are. There are no other details on the 12", not even a copyright year (something that's inexplicably missing from many Rio label releases), however the other pressings listed (Discogs lists an Ariola Benelux release with a phased remix on the B-side, that I'm curious to hear) list it as a 1982 release.

Centred around those choppy, inescapable guitar riffs wrapped around a sexy vocal, that starts out nice, tender and teasing, but ends up graduating into a desperate plea by the end. Put it together with a fat, bumping bass and it all makes for some good nighttime disco lovin'..

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
FAUST WAS RIGHT, HAVE NO REGRET.. (MONDAY OCTOBER 15, 2007)

LINKS:
DISCOGS: COCO DE JOUR - LOVE ME TONIGHT 12"
DISCOGS: BEN ELLIOTT
DISCOGS: BURT SZERLIP
ALL MUSIC GUIDE: BURT SZERLIP
DISCOGS: RIO RECORDS

CATEGORIES: SIDE DELIVERIES

Megatron Man: The Life & Times of Patrick Cowley

2009-10-07T09:52:00.004-06:00

Got the email on this a little while back, but for those who haven't heard yet, coinciding with the release of Patrick Cowley & Jorge Soccaras' long lost "Catholic" project, San Francisco's Honey Soundsystem and Mama Calizo's Voice Factory are putting together a wonderful memorial event and exhibition for Patrick Cowley, to be held in San Francisco on October 18th (on what would have been the eve of his 59th birthday). As part of the event, there will also be an ongoing exhibition, a "living altar" of sorts, with artifacts, interviews and multimedia installations about his life and work to be held until November 19th. The organizers are hosting an open call for Cowley-inspired/related works from fans, friends and colleagues. They've set up a website at www.megatronman.com with more details and contact info. Wish I could be there for this..

On October 18th, 2009, Honey Soundsystem and Mama Calizo's Voice Factory will host Megatron Man: The Life and Times of Patrick Cowley an early evening event celebrating the life of a musician who we have bonded over and has influenced us on various levels including our sound, aesthetics and cultural upbringing in San Francisco. Often credited as the American Giorgio Moroder, Patrick's legend has become a symbol for a time when free love and technology would come together to forever change the social landscape. On this evening we come together to celebrate the journey and genius of Patrick to appease all the disco spirits of so many like him who fell victim to the AIDS crisis during the early 80's. An exhibition of never before seen artifacts, interviews, multimedia installations along with an open call for submissions that has generated responses from artists, music enthusiasts, and old friends and colleagues from all over the world. Those in attendance of the event are encouraged to bring their own offerings to what will be a living altar on the eve of what would be Patrick's 59th birthday. Directly following the exhibition will be a record release party down the street celebrating the worldwide premier of Catholic the "lost" Patrick Cowley/Jorge Socarras record finally seeing the light of day after 30 years via Macro Records.

Please join us in any way that you can to help celebrate our hero and our city by participating in either physical or inanimate form. The event will occur during the late afternoon at Mama Calizo's Voice Factory and feature various rarely seen artifacts from Patrick Cowley's days as well as video screenings and keynote speakers who were well acquainted with the man of the hour giving revealing insights about his life's murky history and a glimpse of San Francisco in the early 80s.

Finally, we will be hosting an open call of submissions for Cowley inspired works from fans all over the world to create a living and breathing exhibit that showcases the past, present and future of Patrick's influence. As far as content you can send us what ever medium you are comfortable with be it musical, graphical or textual. Even better, if you have old photographs, letters or anything else relaying the spirit of Patrick--send those in, we'll gladly accept digital copies as well.

If you simply want to just say a few words about how Patrick has inspired you, an anecdote or memory, or some other small gesture, simply email it to us and it will be printed and posted amongst the exhibition.

All submissions will find a home within the memorial no matter how big or small so please do not hesitate to participate and spread the word. Contact/more info at www.megatronman.com

*Please have all submissions to us by October 16th or you can bring them in person on the day of the event if you'd like.

In other "Catholic" news, D*ruffalo recently posted some of Patrick's original gear (tracked down by the Honey Soundsystem boys) as well as some info about the second 12" from the project, "Burn Brighter Flame" with mixes from Oni Ayhun and Morgan Geist. Recently, Jorge Soccaras was on WFMU radio, in conversation with Daniel Blumin, where they played selections from Catholic along with some other favourites. Part-way through they also play some thus far unreleased Patrick Cowley instrumentals on the program, which are a definite must-hear for Cowley fans (Patchwork Symphony - Section 3 says it all).

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
DO YOU LOVE YOUR ROBOT CHILDREN? (TUESDAY AUGUST 4, 2009)
DISCO DELIVERY #50: BRENDA MITCHELL - DON'T YOU KNOW (1978, BARCLAY/POLYGRAM) (SATURDAY JANUARY 12, 2008)
LAST CALL! (SUNDAY NOVEMBER 26, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #7: SYLVESTER - M-1015 (1984, MEGATONE) (FRIDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2006)

LINKS:
MEGATRON MAN - THE LIFE AND TIMES OF PATRICK COWLEY
D*RUFFALO - THE DAILY MAGAZINE FOR EXCESS CULTURE: THE PROPHETS (SEPTEMBER 17, 2009)
WFMU - PLAYLIST FOR DANIEL BLUMIN (WITH GUEST JORGE SOCARRAS) (SUNDAY OCTOBER 4, 2009)
WORLDANDSOUND: PATRICK COWLEY & JORGE SOCARRAS - BURN BRIGHTER FLAME (ONI AYGHUN & MORGAN GEIST VERSIONS)
MAMA CALIZO'S VOICE FACTORY
MYSPACE: PATRICK COWLEY & JORGE SOCARRAS
MACRO RECORDINGS
PATRICK COWLEY TRIBUTE
RESIDENT ADVISOR NEWS: MACRO GET CATHOLIC (INTERVIEW WITH STEFAN GOLDMANN) (MONDAY JUNE 1, 2009)
DISCOGS: PATRICK COWLEY
DISCOGS: JORGE SOCARRAS
MYSPACE: JORGE SOCARRAS
HONEY SOUNDSYSTEM
MYSPACE: HONEY SOUNDSYSTEM

CATEGORIES: DISCO NEWS

And Party Every Day..

2009-10-06T08:46:00.010-06:00

A label which began in 1974 as a lowly independent in Warner's corporate constellation, to one of the industry's leading lights, and back again by the end of the decade, sucked into yet another conglomerate, hemmoraging money; the story of Casablanca Records has been oft-cited (as both success story and cautionary tale) yet, at least until the release of this book, still largely untold in it's entirety.

While it didn't start off as such, to many, the name Casablanca Records has become practically synonymous with Disco, with both it's successes and excesses, right along with Studio 54, and perhaps Saturday Night Fever, as emblematic of the beat and line driven juggernaut that was the enterprise of disco in the late 70's. So much so, that the company's reported overindulgences (the alleged secretary sent out to collect employees' drug requirements to name one well-circulated myth) have become the stuff of legend. What has gotten somewhat lost in the sensationalism of it's history however has been the bold, entrepreneurial spirit of it's late founder Neil Bogart, which fueled the company and was evident throughout it's roster, in all of it's major hits and misses (see the now infamous Johnny Carson album and the Kiss solo albums, which to quote one oft-cited Casbah anecdote, "shipped gold, and came back platinum").

While Casablanca's successes - it's roster lined with the likes of Kiss, Cameo, Parliament, The Village People and Donna Summer and it's place as perhaps the most commercial of the so-called Disco labels is well represented, its output beyond it's commercial side is just as revealing. The incredible works of Alec R. Costandinos and Giorgio Moroder, long-lost soul like Gloria Scott (one of the first major Barry White productions), James & Bobby Purify, Jeannie Reynolds to Hugh Masekela, Margaret Singana and funkstress Lalomie Washburn. Personally, they also get special credit for backing the unabashedly gay sensibilities of D.C. LaRue and Paul Jabara, not to mention the Village People's back-room leather bar counterparts, The Skatt Bros. along with Jacques Morali productions such as Dennis Parker, and the Ritchie Family as well. Beyond their well-known successes, the wealth of underexploited music still out of print in it's catalogue is immense. With acts that ranged from the outlandish to the influential and hopelessly obscure, it's not only emblematic of a label that seemed to thrive on doing things differently, but one that could have only been assembled by what was one of the industry's great music men.

Written by Larry Harris, cousin of Neil Bogart and one of the label's original co-founders, along with Curt Gooch and Jeff Suhs. While Harris according to some of his recent postings on discomusic.com attempts to "set the record straight" from some of the accounts described in Frederic Dannen's still definitive book "Hit Men," the previews and early reviews certainly don't paint this as a whitewash either. Today (October 6th) marks the official release (via Backbeat/Hal Leonard) of the three hundred page book, which so far looks to be the definitive account of the incredible rise and spectacular fall of what should be considered one of the great, and certainly most infamous record labels of it's time.

For a preview, the authors have set up a website with some choice passages at www.casablancabook.com. Aside from the official previews however, a fitting companion/primer to the book and to the Casablanca story as a whole would have to be Christian John Wikane's incredible series on the label, "Play It Again" at PopMatters. Until the release of this book, Wikane's piece has to have been one of the more comprehensive articles on Casablanca yet. Published this past August to commemorate the label's 35th anniversary, mostly focusing on the music, Wikane's series traces the Casablanca story in five parts, with interview quotes from more than 50 of Casablanca's artists and executives.

On the visual side of things, the people behind the Casablanca book have also set up a YouTube account to promote the book, where they've posted up some great, long lost TV ads and performances. Some of my favourites include the commercial ads for Alec R. Costandinos' "Romeo & Juliet," the final Munich Machine album "Body Shine," Space's "Just Blue" as well as the whispery candle-lit commercial for Donna Summer's "Love To Love You Baby," all of which I had to post below..

Alec R. Costandinos - 1978 "Romeo and Juliet" Promo Film
Uploaded by CasablancaBookTV

Munich Machine - 1979 "Let Your Body Shine" Promo
Uploaded by CasablancaBookTV

Space "Save Your Love For Me" 1979 Casablanca Records Disco Promo Film
Uploaded by CasablancaBookTV

Donna Summer - 1975 Casablanca TV Commercial
Uploaded by CasablancaBookTV

PURCHASE:
AMAZON.COM | AMAZON.CO.UK | PLAY.COM | BARNES & NOBLE | CHAPTERS.INDIGO

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
VINCE ALETTI'S DISCO FILES (WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 4, 2009)
BBC RADIO 2: CLASSIC SINGLES - I FEEL LOVE (SUNDAY DECEMBER 20, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #40: MUNICH MACHINE - A WHITER SHADE OF PALE (1978, CASABLANCA) (SUNDAY APRIL 27, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #24: LOVE & KISSES (1977, BARCLAY/POLYDOR) (MONDAY JULY 31, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #16: BRENDA & THE TABULATIONS - I KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE (1977, CHOCOLATE CITY/CASABLANCA) (FRIDAY APRIL 21, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #5: GIORGIO MORODER - FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1977, OASIS/CASABLANCA) (FRIDAY FEBRUARY 3, 2006)

LINKS:
AND PARTY EVERY DAY - THE INSIDE STORY OF CASABLANCA RECORDS (OFFICIAL SITE)
BACKBEAT BOOKS: AND PARTY EVERYDAY - THE INSIDE STORY OF CASABLANCA RECORDS
DISCOMUSIC.COM FORUMS - "AND PARTY EVERY DAY" CASABLANCA RECORDS BOOK COMING OUT
THE VILLAGE VOICE - LA DOLCE MUSTO (TUESDAY AUGUST 18, 2009)
HITS DAILY DOUBLE (BOOK REVIEW) (SEPTEMBER 4, 2009)
THE VINYL DISTRICT: TVD RECOMMENDS - AND PARTY EVERY DAY: THE INSIDE STORY OF CASABLANCA RECORDS (THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2009)
POPMATTERS: CASABLANCA RECORDS - PLAY IT AGAIN (BY CHRISTIAN JOHN WIKANE)
SOULTRACKS: INCREDIBLE CASABLANCA RECORDS STORY REMEMBERED (AUGUST 17, 2009)
DISCO-DISCO.COM: CASABLANCA RECORDS
BOTH SIDES NOW: CASABLANCA RECORDS STORY
WIKIPEDIA: CASABLANCA RECORDS
DISCOGS: CASABLANCA RECORDS
WIKIPEDIA: NEIL BOGART

CATEGORIES: DISCO NEWS, VISUAL DISCO

Get up on it and ride..

2009-09-24T09:36:00.015-06:00

The Temptations - Bare Back (1978, Atlantic)

The Temptations - Mystic Woman (Love Me Over) (1978, Atlantic)
The Temptations - Touch Me Again (1978, Atlantic)
❚

For the record, while I'm definitely not endorsing any of the practices supposedly suggested or implied in this song, I do heartily endorse it's groove.

The title track from The Temptations' "Bare Back" (1978, Atlantic) album, their second and last during their brief, unsuccessful period on the Atlantic label in the late 70's, this was a single, but like all of their other Atlantic material, never went anywhere commercially. Supple basslines, spirited vocals (largely courtesy of lead vocalist Richard Street), and propulsive bass-heavy groove aside, perhaps it was better that it didn't, in retrospect. I suppose using the expression "riding bareback" as a metaphor for life and living may have been acceptable in 1978 pre-AIDS; to say that it's an expression which hasn't held up too well over the years would probably be an understatement. Then again, I suppose that depends entirely on one's perspective..

However, with the great production and the admittedly out-of-context naughtiness one can't help but read into it today, I personally can't get enough of it. With this track and practically the entire album produced and co-written by Motown veteran Brian Holland alongside brother Eddie Holland and their main writing partner at this time, Harold Beatty (essentially Lamont Dozier's replacement), this is just one of the many excellent, underrated productions that the Holland Brothers were involved with at the time. While there's no topping the legacy of Holland-Dozier-Holland as pop songwriters, Eddie Holland's bright, funk-bottomed, disco flavoured productions in the late 70's for acts like The Supremes (covered on here before), The Jackson 5, Eloise Laws and others like the short-lived group, New York Port Authority are top quality, in my opinion..

As far as the album goes, In spite of having pulled together a top-flight team of Philadelphia's finest (which included Norman Harris and future group member Ron Tyson) on their first Atlantic LP, "Hear To Tempt You" (1977, Atlantic), out of their two Atlantic albums, I'd consider this to be the best of them. While not as ambitious as their Norman Whitfield material, or their last big Motown record, the Jeffrey Bowen-produced "A Song For You" (1975, Gordy/Motown), the other disco-flavoured tracks on the record like "Mystic Woman (Love Me Over)" and "Touch Me Again," the sublime balladry in "Ever Ready Love" (also a single), and "I See My Child" (the only track not written by Holland, Beatty and Holland) make it solid and satisfying, nonetheless.

While I can't imagine any of the current Tempts revues get too many requests in their shows for the song in question, thankfully You Tube has video. One from a 1979 live performance on the Chicago TV show Soundstage, and another from the ever-reliable Soul Train. Also from the same Soul Train appearance, is a performance of one of the album's ballad tracks "Ever Ready Love," which, if I'm not mistaken, might have been their final single release for Atlantic.

The Temptations - Bare Back (1978)
Uploaded by 2007wiifit

Temptations - Bare Back (Soundstage Chicago 1979)
Uploaded by whatiship73

The Temptations - Ever Ready Love (1978)
Uploaded by 2007wiifit

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
WHITNEY DOES LOLEATTA.. (FRIDAY AUGUST 7, 2009)
R.I.P. MICHAEL JACKSON (FRIDAY JUNE 26, 2009)
DISCO DELIVERY #51: THE SUPREMES - HIGH ENERGY (1976, MOTOWN) (SATURDAY JANUARY 26, 2008)
DISCO DELIVERY #41: TÁTA VEGA - TRY MY LOVE (1978, MOTOWN) (SATURDAY MAY 19, 2007)
THE SUPREMES - MARY, SCHERRIE & SUSAYE (REPRISE) (THURSDAY MARCH 8, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #12: DAMON HARRIS - SILK (1978, WMOT/FANTASY) (FRIDAY MARCH 24, 2006)
ALL I NEED'S A LITTLE POWER.. (WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #1 - THE SUPREMES - MARY, SCHERRIE & SUSAYE (1976, MOTOWN) (TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2006)

LINKS:
DISCOGS: THE TEMPTATIONS - BARE BACK LP
ALL MUSIC GUIDE: THE TEMPTATIONS - BARE BACK (REVIEW)
DISCOGS: BRIAN HOLLAND
ALL MUSIC GUIDE: BRIAN HOLLAND
WARR.ORG: THE TEMPTATIONS - BARE BACK (REVIEW)
ROBERT CHRISTGAU REVIEWS: THE TEMPTATIONS

CATEGORIES: SIDE DELIVERIES, VISUAL DISCO

Disco Discharge and Other Recent/Upcoming Disco Releases & Reissues

2009-09-18T08:38:00.049-06:00

It has been a while since I've done one of these posts, but Harmless' new Disco Discharge series are honestly some of the most pleasing disco compilations I've heard in a little while now. While not 100% devoted to rarities and obscurities, compiled around specific names or niche categories like most of the disco compilations that tend to pique my interest these days, I was, to be honest, half-expecting to be a little underwhelmed. To my own surprise, I've spent much of the last week or so indulging in these, discovering songs I never knew about (the awesome Bobby O. production by Free Enterprise - "Make It On My Own," "Take Me To The Top" by Advance, Massara's "Margherita," Johnny Mathis' "Gone, Gone, Gone) and re-acquainting myself with well-known classics that I've long taken for granted (Rose Royce's "Do Your Dance", the Shep Pettibone mix of Phyllis Nelson's "I Like You), or never even bothered with in the first place (Fern Kinney's "Groove Me," Manhattan Transfer's "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone"). I have to give them credit with this, not only have they managed to mark a fine balance between choice rarities and the more well-known commercial hits, but across the four double-disc volumes in this series (Classic Disco, Disco Queens, Gay Disco & Hi NRG and Euro Disco), they've put together quite a broad-based series, well tuned to the current disco zeitgeist, balancing the classic disco of the late 70's with the increasing movement towards Italo, Boogie and Hi NRG.

As far as rarities are concerned, there are a good number of tracks on here which either don't seem to have ever been, or at the very least haven't been widely available on CD until now. While the track times are all listed, and the promo stickers advertise all tracks as "12" or long LP versions," not all of these special versions are specifically labeled on the tracklists, like, for example the rare Canadian 12" mix/extended edit of Amanda Lear's "Blood and Honey," mastered from the original tapes and exclusive to this series. With all of its sweet extended percussion breaks, finally being able to hear this track here in pristine digital quality is one of the major treats on here, especially given the prices that the original Direction label 12" release has commanded on eBay in the not too distant past. Also included among the other unlabeled versions on here are the John Luongo's 12" mix of Melba Moore's "Pick Me Up, I'll Dance", the extended mix of Sparks' Moroder-produced "Number One Song In Heaven," the seven minute version of Time Bandits' "Live It Up," the 12" version of Silver Convention's "Get Up And Boogie," and the "Roy Thode 12" version of Poussez' Come On And Do It, to give a few. It also has to be said, that any compilation that takes the care to track down the masters for both of Sylvia Love's classics - "Instant Love" and "Extraterrestrial Lover" (also exclusive to this series) is definitely in my good books.

In addition to the musical selection, the sound quality across the volumes is also refreshingly consistent and of high quality. While it may not always be possible, the care taken in tracking down original master tapes for the overwhelming majority of selections is commendable, given the number of compilations (excellent ones too) out in the disco world that don't. Luring the listener with a classic while keeping things interesting with a series delicately timed surprises; as a listening experience, this series this is pretty much everything good compilations should be.

One of the best functions of the compilation album - which doesn't seem to be going away, in spite of the changes in music consumption (in fact, I'd probably argue the opposite), is as one of the primary gateways into new avenues of music. As far as I'm concerned, while there's a lot here those for those well acquainted with disco and looking something new; for those who aren't, it's a perfect place to start.

The first volume, Classic Disco was already released September 7th, with Disco Ladies scheduled for release on September 28th, followed by Euro Disco on October 5th and Gay Disco & Hi NRG on October 19th via Harmless/Demon. All include liner notes by Alan Jones, co-author (with Jussi Kantonen) of "Saturday Night Forever: The Story of Disco" (read the essay from the Classic Disco volume here).

In the meantime, for those who would like a preview, Horse Meat Disco's Luke Howard has put together an excellent 30 minute Disco Discharge mix, featuring tracks from the series. Enjoy.

Listen: Luke Howard - Disco Discharge Mix | LINK TWO

Luke Howard - Disco Discharge/Soulful Disco Mix (tracklist):
1. Idris Muhammad - Could Heaven Ever Be Like This
2. Glitter Band - Makes You Blind
3. Grey And Hanks - Dancin'
4. Lucy Hawkins - Gotta Get Out Of Here
5. Esther Phillps - What A Difference A Day Makes

VA - Disco Discharge. Classic Disco (2009, Harmless)
buy/pre-order @ play.co.uk | juno | phonica |amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com

VA - Disco Discharge. Disco Ladies (2009, Harmless)
buy/pre-order @ play.co.uk | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com

VA - Disco Discharge. Euro Disco (2009, Harmless)
buy/pre-order @ play.co.uk | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com

VA - Disco Discharge. Gay Disco & Hi NRG (2009, Harmless)
buy/pre-order @ play.co.uk | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com

Recent & Future Reissues:

Aquarian Dream - Fantasy
(1978, Elektra / 2009, Warner Music Japan)
buy/pre-order @ hmv.co.jp | CDBANQ | dustygroove.com
This is one I'm personally very excited for. An Aquarian Dream album on CD - almost thought it wouldn't happen. While their first LP was reissued on CD in the 90s (now out of print, of course), this is probably their finest. For those who haven't heard, "You're A Star" is pure epic pleasure and as far as the rest of it's concerned, when it is produced by the great Norman Connors and reissued by the Japanese, you just can't go wrong. Note: both of their Elektra albums (this and 1979's "Chance To Dance") are available digitally (in the legit sense), so consider this one for those who still value the physical. (To be released October 14, 2009)
ALL MUSIC GUIDE: AQUARIAN DREAM - FANTASY (REVIEW)

Gregg Diamond Bionic Boogie - Hot Butterfly
(1978, Polydor / 2009, Funky Town Grooves)
buy/pre-order @ funky town grooves | dustygroove.com
An exciting release from Funky Town Grooves label. While this album had been reissued on CD in 2005 by the P-Vine label in Japan, the people at FTG (with the help of some discomusic.com forum members) tracked down five extra bonus tracks - 12" mixes of the title track, "Fess Up To The Boogie," "Cream (Always Rises To The Top), and two different 12" mixes of "Chains." A top shelf Gregg Diamond production, with Luther Vandross on vocals (along with Cissy Houston in the background), this is one of my favourites and one I'm personally looking forward to. FTG haven't listed a specific release date, but have posted an info page on their website. (Scheduled for release in October/November 2009)

Pattie Brooks - Love Shook/Our Ms. Brooks
(1977, 1978, Casablanca / 2009, Funky Town Grooves)
buy/pre-order @ funky town grooves
While the combination of Pattie's voice and Simon Soussan's production can be a little oversweetened for my liking at times, it's nice to see more Casablanca disco releases make it to CD (especially in times like this). One of the main people behind the Funky Town Grooves label confirmed on the discomusic.com forums that this reissue will be taken from the master tapes, so it certainly looks promising. (To be released September 28, 2009)

Jackie Moore - I'm On My Way/With Your Love
(1979, 1980, Columbia / 2009, Expansion)
buy @ soul music store | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com
These two classic disco albums, produced by Bobby Eli (and backed by the whole Philly studio gang) are finally making it to digital. The former, "I'm On My Way" is especially overdue, including her two big disco killers "This Time Baby" and "How's Your Love Life Baby," which are essentials on anyone disco selections, as far as I'm concerned. Note: Haven't heard it for myself yet, but an early review on Amazon.com says this was mastered from vinyl. Be warned. (Released September 8, 2009)

Gray & Hanks - You Fooled Me/Prime Time
(1978, 1981, RCA / 2009, Expansion)
buy @ soul music store | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com
The two albums Zane Gray and Len Ron Hanks did for RCA are also here, both in their entirety. Brought to you by the same folks who did the Jackie Moore reissue (above), the former "You Fooled Me," which includes their disco hit "Dancin'" (as included on the Disco Discharge Classic Disco set) was reissued on CD in Japan last year, but with this much more accessible release and with both albums included, this might be better way to go if you want it on CD (unless, of course, this is mastered from vinyl as well). (Released September 8, 2009)

George & Gwen McCrae - Together
(1975, Cat/TK / 2009, Shout!/Cherry Red)
buy @ cduniverse.com | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com
Perhaps more on the soul/R&B side of things, produced by Clarence Reid (AKA Blowfly) and Steve Alaimo, this is a great mellow grooving classic, I had to include this here. As far as soulful female voices go, I can never get enough of Gwen McCrae and this one fits in well with her material at the time (which was also produced mostly by Reid & Alaimo). This reissue includes six bonus tracks, all George McCrae solos, who, compared to his former wife, has been generally less represented in the world of reissues. (Released August 25, 2009)

Sylvester and The Hot Band - The Blue Thumb Collection
(2009, Hip-O Select/Universal)
buy @ hip-o select | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com
So perhaps not disco at all, but still a major release from a disco-historical perspective. Hip-O/Universal have at last gone out and filled one of the outstanding gaps in Sylvester's catalogue by making his first two albums, "Sylvester & The Hot Band" (AKA "Scratch My Flower") and "Bazaar" (along with a couple of rare bonuses) available on CD. An intriguing pair of records - heavy on covers, both albums are a departure from the disco he would later record on the Fantasy and Megatone labels during the height of his career. Crossing between folk, funk, rock and soul, it however fit right in with the eclecticism that the Blue Thumb label was known for. A must-have for Sylvester fans. (Note: for those wondering about the scratch-and-sniff flower on the original debut LP, Hip-O select have included one in air freshner form, in lieu of its omission on the cover. I believe this is exclusive to orders from their website though.) (Released June 12, 2009)
SOUL & JAZZ & FUNK: SYLVESTER & THE HOT BAND - THE BLUE THUMB COLLECTION (REVIEW)

Candi Staton - Chance
(1979, Warner Bros. / 2009, Wounded Bird)
buy @ cduniverse.com | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com
This was released a while back, but I had to put this here as this is a favourite of mine. Prior to the release of this I'd bought a sealed copy of the vinyl album to keep 'on ice,' so to speak. Had I known about this, I probably wouldn't have done that, but anyway, produced by Candi and noted disco mixer Jimmy Simpson, this album includes the hit "When You Wake Up Tomorrow" and the underrated title track. Soulful disco fans, take heed. (Released June 9, 2009)

Belle Epoque - Miss Broadway
(1977, Big Tree / 2009, Wounded Bird)
buy @ cduniverse.com | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com
Another one released in June, and one that I never expected either. Wounded Bird continue to mine the depths of the WEA archives for these things, and I couldn't be happier. Timely too, as I've been listening to Glass Candy version of the title track recently, but nothing tops the original. (Released June 9, 2009)

List updated September 21, 2009

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
MILLION DOLLAR ORCHESTRA, ASHFORD & SIMPSON AND OTHER NEW/UPCOMING DISCO RELEASES (SATURDAY JANUARY 19, 2008)
UPCOMING SISTER SLEDGE REISSUES (FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2007)
HAVE A COCKTAIL.. UPCOMING DISCO COMPILATIONS (JUNE 2007) (THURSDAY MAY 24, 2007)
NEW CERRONE REISSUES (THURSDAY OCTOBER 12, 2006)
DISCO REISSUES UPDATE (MARCH 17TH - APRIL 12TH) (THURSDAY MARCH 16, 2006)
UPCOMING REISSUES & RELEASES (APRIL 25 - MAY 30) (FRIDAY APRIL 21, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #7: SYLVESTER - M-1015 (1984, MEGATONE) (FRIDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2006)

CATEGORIES: REISSUES & RELEASES, DISCO NEWS

I'm very superficial, I hate everything official..

2009-09-15T07:18:00.018-06:00

Grace Jones - Private Life (Remix By Paul "Groucho" Smykle at The Fallout Shelter)
Grace Jones - Feel Up (12" Mix)
❚

Now that summer has unofficially ended, one of the highlights of this (at least for me) quick and dull summer was the week I spent in L.A. at the end of July. Initially planned around seeing Grace Jones at the Hollywood Bowl, as it turns out, taking a week off in L.A. was probably one of the best decisions I had made all year, although anyone looking at my bank account might disagree, but I digress..

Photo credit: Timothy Norris (LA Weekly)
As far as the show goes, despite her joking about shedding a few pounds in the L.A. heat, her presence that Sunday night at the Hollywood Bowl felt utterly and totally undiminished. While I'd obviously never seen her live before, much less when she was at the peak of her career, having arrived fashionably late (as always), armed with a whole new set of costumes (courtesy of Oscar winning designer Eiko Ishioka), she commanded the audience - comprised largely of hipsters, homosexuals and homosexual hipsters, with a style and dare I say, grace that completely belied her lengthy absence and her alleged 61 years. While it was a shared bill with local band Dengue Fever and indie darlings Of Montreal (who themselves commanded a major share of the audience), like a one-woman wrecking-crew though, she practically laid waste to the place, as the piles of raving press reviews seem to concur. She even, at least in my own biased opinion, made Of Montreal, who also came with their own formidable theatrics, which included (though wasn't limited to) live puppies and an on-stage marriage proposal, look like a bunch of kids playing dress-up.

Photo credit: CultureQueens
For anyone like myself, whose only concept of Grace Jones live was, until then, photos, fan recollections and the landmark "One Man Show" video, one of the things that came as a pleasant surprise was how much genuine personal charisma she had put into the show. For someone with a reputation as legendary and some might even say fearsome as hers is, and whose performances were often immortalized as either a kind of imposing, distant performance art, or reckless free-for-all in her underground years, talking to the audience from backstage during her costume changes, she managed to inject a surprising, even comforting level of warmth and intimacy into the night.

Sadly, none of my pix nor any of the video that I thought I was taking turned out well (so I nicked a couple of my favourites from L.A. Weekly and CultureQueens for this post), but it was probably one of the most electrically charged concerts I've been to in some time. I thought this video (and there are many out there) illustrated it quite well. I have to say, the "go, bitch, go!" remark towards the end, totally does it for me.

While I have to admit that the size and acoustics of the Bowl were impressive, I also have to admit also some disappointment with my seats, since somehow I thought I'd be quite a bit closer. Really though, there were no general seats close enough for my liking, and for someone as visual as Grace, that ended up feeling like a bit of a disservice (thanks to Enrique, Lala and Kevin for getting me that much closer though). While I suppose in the future I'd prefer to see her at a slightly more intimate venue, I'm glad I finally had the chance. While an apparent tiff between Róisín Murphy and Lady Gaga about who stole from who was raging on the blogosphere not too long after this, the woman whom they both so obviously (it doesn't even deserve to be argued) patterned themselves after, showed the children how it was done.

As far as these songs go, unfortunately she didn't perform either of them that night, but these are a couple that I've been going back to quite frequently lately. I had picked up this 12" several years ago, along with the similarly packaged Re-Mix Re-Mask set. As if I recalled hearing that there was a series of these 12" singles with the Grace masks on the covers, but I've only ever come across these two.

The remix of Grace's cover of The Pretenders' "Private Life" (which Chrissie Hynde herself had praised, quite lavishly - see the Compass Point Sessions liner notes) by renowned Reggae engineer and Don of Dub Paul "Groucho" Smykle (who had done a number mixes for Sly & Robbie, Black Uhuru and Grace herself around this time) had quite quickly become a favourite of mine. While not quite as compelling as the dark, dimensional (and originally unreleased) full-on dub mix included on the well-compiled Compass Point Sessions (1998, Island) set, taking out the distinctive percussion intro on the original mix, and instead highlighting Wally Badarou's distinctive synth work, all the while adding some extra drama, emphasizing and punctuating Grace's pointed delivery with a series of deep, echoey drum accents and vocal effects, the Groucho mix seems to meet half-way between the album version and the Compass Point Sessions dub mix. That, along with a series of guitar and percussion edits three-quarters of the way through make this a more spacious, dramatic mix compared to the original, at least in my opinion. A subtle, but ultimately effective job.

For a visual representation, the simple, yet compelling video of this is one of my favourites of her's. The eyes, the mask, the expressions - that's really all that there is, and yet is all that is needed.

Reportedly a song she wrote (and like many of them from the time, showing a distinct sense of humour) inspired by the time she supposedly ran off with the Hells Angels as a teenager (not making this up) "Feel Up" is supposedly "about being on a bike with a gentleman, where they do everything except have sex" (seriously, check the interview). This 12" of "Feel Up" has, as far as I know, not officially made it to CD/digital, I even recall this being a criticism of the Compass Point Sessions set when it came out, how neither this, nor the more elusive Larry Levan mix were included. Notably, the vocals and lyrics on this version are markedly different from the album version. It sounds like a completely different vocal take, for one thing, with additional verses, and in some parts, completely different lyrics altogether. A couple of minutes longer than the original and not quite as heavy on the patois either (I wish someone would translate), and a little more in line, at least it seems so, with the supposed theme. That being said, I'm a big fan of the extra prominent bass in this one, especially in the intro.

Anyway, in conclusion, while seeing Grace was one of the highlights (and I must see her again), I have to admit, getting lost in L.A. for about a week was actually good for my sanity, as ironic as that might sound. Do hope to be back for more one of these days.

P.S. Major thanks/shout out to Enrique for a great intro and helping me navigate. I really appreciate it!

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
STRANGE WEATHER - THE TUMULTUOUS RE-EMERGENCE OF GRACE JONES (PART TWO) (TUESDAY JANUARY 6, 2009)
STRANGE WEATHER - THE TUMULTUOUS RE-EMERGENCE OF GRACE JONES (PART ONE) (WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 24, 2008)
DEAR SANTA.. (WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 24, 2008)
THE RETURN OF GRACE JONES? (FRIDAY JUNE 20, 2008)
RÓISÍN MURPHY AND SOME OTHER NEWER SHIT THAT GETS ME ALL EXCITED.. (THURSDAY APRIL 17, 2008)
NO HITTIN' BELOW THE BELT.. (THURSDAY JUNE 29, 2006)
DISCO REISSUES UPDATE (MARCH 17TH - APRIL 12TH (THURSDAY MARCH 16, 2006)

LINKS:
DISCOGS: GRACE JONES - PRIVATE LIFE/MY JAMAICAN GUY/FEEL UP/SHE'S LOST CONTROL 12"
DISCOGS: PAUL "GROUCHO" SMYKLE
WIKIPEDIA: GRACE JONES - PRIVATE LIFE (SONG)

LOS ANGELES TIMES: GRACE JONES IN A FLASH (BY REED JOHNSON) (JULY 26, 2009)
POP & HISS - THE L.A. TIMES MUSIC BLOG: LIVE REVIEW: GRACE JONES, OF MONTREAL AND DENGUE FEVER AT KCRW'S WORLD FESTIVAL AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL (JULY 27, 2009)
LA WEEKLY: GRACE JONES' TRIUMPHANT HOLLYWOOD BOWL DEBUT (BY RANDALL ROBERTS) (JULY 27, 2009)
VARIETY: GRACE JONES, OF MONTREAL, DENGUE FEVER (CONCERT REVIEW) (BY PHIL GALLO) (JULY 27, 2009)
BLACKBOOK - GRACE JONES' COSTUME ORGY AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL (BY ALISA GOULD-SIMON) (JULY 27, 2009)
MTV NEWSROOM: LADY GAGA, YOU ARE NO GRACE JONES (BY KATIE BYRNE) (JULY 27, 2009)
NME: A VIEW TO A THRILL - GRACE JONES AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL (BY LYNDSEY PARKER) (JULY 27, 2009)
CYANA TREND LAND: GRACE JONES AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL: THE DIVA REBORN (JULY 27, 2009)
POPBYTES: GRACE JONES DAZZLED AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL (JULY 27, 2009)
SOUNDBLEED: GRACE JONES AND OF MONTREAL SLAYED THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL (BY DAVID BOND) (JULY 27, 2009)
LA WEEKLY: GRACE JONES AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL (BY RANDALL ROBERTS) (JULY 29, 2009)
L.A. RECORD - GRACE JONES + OF MONTREAL @ THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL (JULY 30, 2009)
CULTUREQUEENS: DIVINE DIVA - GRACE JONES (AUGUST 3, 2009)

CATEGORIES: SIDE DELIVERIES, ARTICLES & RAMBLINGS, VISUAL DISCO

Whitney does Loleatta..

2009-08-07T07:17:00.032-06:00

..well, sort of.

It seems Whitney Houston's upcoming comeback single "Million Dollar Bill," produced by Swizz Beatz and written (quite partially) by Alicia Keys has leaked, and surprises of surprises (truly), it's based right off of Loleatta Holloway's Salsoul classic "We're Getting Stronger (The Longer We Stay Together)." Took me a few minutes to put it together, but from the opening basslines, I knew I was hearing something familiar. For all the press attention this has been receiving lately, I'm surprised this doesn't seem to have been mentioned (even vaguely) yet, but I guess it was only a matter of time.

Whitney Houston - Million Dollar Bill

Loleatta Holloway - We're Getting Stronger

The original track, off of Loleatta's "Loleatta" (1976, Gold Mind/Salsoul) LP her first for Salsoul, was produced by the late, great Norman Harris and written by Harris along with prolific Philly writers Allan Felder and Ron Tyson (currently of The Temptations). Tyson, Felder and Harris together had written the bulk of Loleatta's first Salsoul LP along other Salsoul staples like Loleatta's own "Dreamin'," First Choice's "Doctor Love," Love Committee's "Law & Order" to name a few. However, to fully appreciate Loleatta's original, the late Walter Gibbons' stunning remix needs to be heard as well. With all of it's exquisite instrumental breaks, the 12" version really brings out the melody and vocals making it that much better, in my opinion..

Listen: Loleatta Holloway - We're Getting Stronger (The Longer We Stay Together) (Walter Gibbons 12" Mix)

Though personally, nothing can take away from Loleatta's original, it's probably the best out of all the leaks from Whitney's upcoming 'comeback' record and seems to have gotten the strongest reception so far. While comparisons to Loleatta and the robust vocal piledriver that she was in the 70's may unduly highlight Whitney's 'new' slightly huskier voice; the production on "Million Dollar Bill" itself, compliments her voice well without stretching it too far, keeping things on ground-level, yet showcasing enough of it's remaining strength to remind listeners just who is singing. It's an ideal comeback single, in that it manages to be celebratory and positive, yet subtly so, without making itself or it's intentions overly obvious (look no further than some of the other song titles on the album). Unpredictable, surprising and best of all, different from anything else out there in the pop world right now, the sample is well-done (even if it is obvious) and the song's disco-imbued one-hand-in-the-air sunniness ends up working completely in her favour. Perhaps just the sort of thing needed to rehabilitate her image from the 'Crack is Wack'/Being Bobby Brown lows (or 'highs,' depending on your perspective) several years back. If anything, this track is probably the last thing I expected a Swizz Beatz single to sound like, given what I've heard of his stuff. If it hits big however, I can only wonder how long before other Philly/Disco samples start hitting the airwaves again.

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
DISCO DELIVERY #55: CISSY HOUSTON - STEP ASIDE FOR A LADY (1980, COLUMBIA) (FRIDAY JUNE 20, 2008)
DISCO DELIVERY #36: LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY - QUEEN OF THE NIGHT (1978, GOLD MIND/SALSOUL) (WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #8: CISSY HOUSTON - THINK IT OVER (1978, PRIVATE STOCK) (FRIDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2006)

LINKS:
DISCOMUSIC.COM: INTERVIEW WITH LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY
DISCOGS: LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY - LOLEATTA LP
DISCO-DISCO.COM: INTERVIEW WITH LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY
MYSPACE: LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY (OFFICIAL)
FOURFOUR: PUT ONE HAND IN THE AIR (AUGUST 7, 2009)
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: WHITNEY HOUSTON'S 'I LOOK TO YOU' FIGURES FOR A STRONG RADIO RECEPTION (BY DAVID HINCKLEY) (MONDAY AUGUST 3, 2009)
POP & HISS, THE L.A. TIMES MUSIC BLOG: WHITNEY HOUSTON ENJOYS A COMING OUT PARTY (JULY 24, 2009)
WHUDAT: WHITNEY HOUSTON DEBUTS I LOOK TO YOU.. "LOVE ME LIKE I NEVER LEFT" (WEDNESDAY JULY 22, 2009)
DOSE.CA: WE LOOK TO NYC FOR WHITNEY HOUSTON'S ALBUM PARTY; YES, SHE'S LOOKING GOOD, SAME GOES FOR THE MUSIC (BY LEAH COLLINS) (WEDNESDAY JULY 22, 2009)
MIRROR.CO.UK: MY PREVIEW OF THE NEW WHITNEY HOUSTON ALBUM (BY DEAN PIPER) (JULY 19, 2009)
BILLBOARD: WHITNEY HOUSTON PREMIERES NEW ALBUM IN LONDON (BY MARK SUTHERLAND) (JULY 15, 2009)

CATEGORIES: DISCO NEWS

Do You Love Your Robot Children?

2009-08-04T08:40:00.030-06:00

While I have still to write about my L.A. trip and the Grace Jones show (will get to it soon), had to post a quick one after getting this update in the mail. The late, legendary, seminal disco producer Patrick Cowley, it seems, is getting the Arthur Russell treatment, with Finn Johannsen (also of the d*ruffalo blog) and Stefan Goldmann of the Macro label set to release a long unreleased project helmed by Patrick Cowley & Jorge Socarras (once of the group Indoor Life, for whom Patrick had produced an EP). The project, entitled "Catholic" and recorded between 1976 and 1979 was submitted to and subsequently shelved by Megatone Records. The project had effectively been forgotten until until the original masters were uncovered by San Francisco DJ Ken Woodard (of Honey Soundsystem) in former Megatone president John Hedges' basement in a 2008 move.

With more in common with post-punk/no-wave than with disco, it's probably not too surprising that Megatone decided against releasing it at the time. While the recordings have definite hints of his more familiar (and seminal in itself) electro-disco style, the sound is ultimately much more experimental than his more familiar Hi-NRG disco recordings. "Catholic" in a way feels like the mid-point between the 1980 Indoor Life record he had produced and the material he would later release under his own name.

While "Catholic" might be a bit more leftfield than what some fans of his established work might be used to, extracts like "Robot Children" and the unapologetically sexual shuffle of "Burn Brighter Flame" provide a revealing glimpse into another side of Cowley's work and a more complete appreciation of his brilliance.

Patrick Cowley & Jorge Socarras - Robot Children

Patrick Cowley & Jorge Socarras - Burn Brighter Flame

More background information and full audio samples are available at the Myspace page Macro have set up, which also has a great three-part video interview with Jorge Socarras about the genesis of the project and the new interest in Patrick's work.

"Catholic" is currently scheduled for an October 13th release, less than a week prior to what would have been Patrick's 59th birthday, preceeded in September by a 12'' release for "Soon," with mixes from Morgan Geist and KiNK.

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
DISCO DELIVERY #50: BRENDA MITCHELL - DON'T YOU KNOW (1978, BARCLAY/POLYGRAM) (SATURDAY JANUARY 12, 2008)
LAST CALL! (SUNDAY NOVEMBER 26, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #7: SYLVESTER - M-1015 (1984, MEGATONE) (FRIDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2006)

LINKS:
MYSPACE: PATRICK COWLEY & JORGE SOCARRAS
MACRO RECORDINGS
PATRICK COWLEY TRIBUTE
RESIDENT ADVISOR NEWS: MACRO GET CATHOLIC (INTERVIEW WITH STEFAN GOLDMANN) (MONDAY JUNE 1, 2009)
ELECTRONIC BEATS: UNRELEASED PATRICK COWLEY ALBUM TO SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY (TEXT: GARETH OWEN) (JUNE 6, 2009)
FACT MAGAZINE: PATRICK COWLEY'S CATHOLIC PAST UNCOVERED (TUESDAY JUNE 9, 2009)
RESIDENT ADVISOR: STEFAN GOLDMANN
MYSPACE: STEFAN GOLDMANN
RESIDENT ADVISOR: FINN JOHANNSEN
D*RUFFALO: THE DAILY MAGAZINE FOR EXCESS CULTURE
DISCOGS: PATRICK COWLEY
DISCOGS: JORGE SOCARRAS
MYSPACE: JORGE SOCARRAS
HONEY SOUNDSYSTEM
MYSPACE: HONEY SOUNDSYSTEM
DISCOGS: JOHN HEDGES
DISCOGS: INDOOR LIFE

CATEGORIES: DISCO NEWS, SIDE DELIVERIES

Together we can be free..

2009-06-28T09:42:00.010-06:00

Covered these guys on here a couple of years ago, and since then they just seem to have been getting better and better. Since setting up their new label - Disco Demolition Records in the last year or so, they've put out some amazing singles in that time. Last year, there was their great collabo with Kathy Diamond - "Fire" and an equally awesome, faithful cover of Jimmy Ross' Italo classic "First True Love Affair" for the Buffet Libre cover project, which I personally consider a step above the original, even. However, I have to say that their latest, "Follow Me" (not an Amanda Lear cover), is likely their best yet..

Out of everything they've done so far, I don't think anything else summarizes their sound, that melding of sleek, Chic-influenced guitar funk, with spacey, hyper-infectious electronics more perfectly than this. There's something about their sound, and their sound on this single, particularly that manages to be effortlessly current and forward-looking, yet at the same time genuinely authentic in it's tribute to the past and it's quest for the purest musical high. Plus, the single's artwork is killer too and makes for a great T-Shirt (had to get one!), which definitely doesn't hurt either.

With remixes from DFA's Juan MacLean, Bottin and The Outrunners, the 12'' makes for an impressive package, as well.. Out of the three remixes, I'd have to put The Outrunners' mix as my personal favourite, having replaced the bounce of the original with spacious arpeggiated Italo style synths and these ambient minor chord progressions, they manage to turn an already awesome track into a solid, neo-Italo classic. You can hear their remix on their Myspace page, along with some of their other stuff, like the Patrick Cowley-esque "These Girls Are Dressed To Kill," which, I have to say, is damn near genius..

After finding out about these guys a couple of years ago, it's to nice to still see them releasing great stuff and getting more and more attention lately. Hopefully just the beginning.

"Follow Me" is out now on 12'' and on iTunes.

PURCHASE:

FOLLOW ME (12'' SINGLE)
DUSTY GROOVE | TURNTABLE LAB | JUNO

FOLLOW ME (DIGITAL SINGLE)
iTUNES US | iTUNES UK

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
CODEBREAKER: ARE YOU READY 2 LOVE? (SATURDAY APRIL 21, 2007)

LINKS:
MYSPACE: CODEBREAKER
MYSPACE: DISCO DEMOLITION RECORDS
DISCO DEMOLITION RECORDS (BLOG)
TWITTER: DISCO DEMOLITION RECORDS
FACEBOOK: CODEBREAKER (FAN GROUP)
DISCOGS: CODEBREAKER - FOLLOW ME 12''
ANTHEM MAGAZINE: Q&A WITH DISCO DEMOLITION RECORDS, CODEBREAKER (TEXT: NIK MERCER) (OCTOBER 3, 2008)
MYSPACE: THE OUTRUNNERS
MYSPACE: THE JUAN MACLEAN
MYSPACE: BOTTIN

CATEGORIES: NUDISCO

R.I.P. Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T08:22:00.011-06:00

It's still hard to believe. I was actually planning on posting something else today, but after hearing the news today, almost everything else had been put aside for the moment. I was at work, listening to the news on the radio, when I'd heard someone mention how for many of this generation, this is like Elvis or John Lennon dying. One of those moments where people, years from now, will remember where they were, what they were doing and what they did when they heard the news.. In the last several hours, seeing the sudden, massive outpouring of emotion, easily beyond anything that I've ever witnessed, has been surreal, to say the least. Hearing and seeing everyone who is anyone releasing statements, calling into Larry King Live with their tributes; I suppose the closest comparison I have in my lifetime was perhaps the passing of Princess Diana, but with the speed and scale of media coverage today, even that is no comparison. Given how almost everything he's ever done seems to have been on such a massive scale, it seems fitting that the public outpouring upon his passing would match.

I remember being 7/8 years old, just before sliding into what ended up becoming over a decade of damage to his reputation, watching him on television, seeing videos like "Bad," with the infamous crotch grab, "Smooth Criminal," "Remember The Time," with him spinning into a cloud of dust, the morphing faces in "Black Or White," there was nothing like seeing a Michael Jackson video at the time. As a kid, like many others, I was transfixed. I had never seen anyone who could dance and sing or create a production quite like he had done. Looking back, I have to admit that as I got older, I'd end up seeing some of those same moments in a less positive light; overdone and self-indulgent as opposed to truly inspiring, the same way one would half-cringe at the things which once entertained oneself as a child. Undenably too, the backlash that ended up surrounding him for the better part of the last decade certainly played it's part as well.. That being said, while one could still call a lot of those moments over-the-top, self-indulgent; at the same time, there's absolutely no denying the sheer awe that they had inspired at the time, and still do, and the level of excellence that he continuously reached for and more often than not actually achieved in his work.

In the coming years, I'd become fascinated by the spectacle as much as the music, if not more so. The surrounding circus; a massive, bizarre, fascinating phenomenon in its own right, not to mention the side show of his family: the camp (and troubled in its own way) spectacle of LaToya, the admirable success of Janet, Jermaine's once notorious jealousy, the shared spuses, their Father's abusive tendencies and extramarital child among other things. Scouring libraries and used book stores and indulging in every scrap of every trashy Jackson tell-all that I could find was practically a pasttime at one point. I guess it all stemmed from a fascination, a curiosity about how the Jackson family and Michael himself dealt with an immense success that for all the millions sold, hearts touched, seemed as much a badge of glory as it was an albatross around his neck, not to mention an impossible shadow for his family. For someone who seemed to be constantly trying to top himself, even until the end, it was starting to look like an excercise in destruction and sheer futility. It was the key to his greatness, perhaps, yet his tragic flaw, at the same time. With that kind of pressure from within, perhaps moreso than from without; at some point one had to realize how unsustainable it all was. The statement from his former publicist seems to reveal as much.

If there's one thing about the ongoing tributes lately, they seem to show how ultimately durable his legacy is. Rich at Four Four, as always, nails it on this point. Not too long ago, I remember hearing writer Steve Knopper on the radio talking about how Michael Jackson, in the early 80's, had practically saved a music industry still reeling from the disco backlash. It's easy to forget, especially before today, in a time when people waited and expected his next spectacular unraveling, the same way they once waited for his next record or video. I think it's safe to say, even though his final concerts will now no longer be possible, that the comeback that was supposed to follow has gone off, perhaps not as planned, but even beyond what probably could have been.

I suspect that like many celebrity deaths, the tinted tributes will eventually give way to all manner of potentially myth shattering, personally damaging revelations, even though I can't think of anyone whose had more myths shattered, and shattered again in life than Michael Jackson, in his last years. For the time being however, it has actually been nice to not just remember but live again, even in a slightly twisted, confused cloud of mixed emotions, a time when Michael Jackson was the penultimate, untouchable entertainer he once was, when calling him the 'King of Pop' was once again done in tribute, instead of in parody. Though it may have been a largely self-proclaimed title, no one could say that it wasn't entirely fitting as well. RIP.

Some videos from YouTube, capturing Michael in the disco era. In ways that I'm sure many would prefer to remember him:

Updates:

On Friday (while at work), I had caught As It Happens on CBC Radio One where they talked to Deepak Chopra, dancer/choreographer & musician Jeffrey Daniel of Shalamar, who taught Michael the Moonwalk, as well as Motown songwriter/producer Deke Richards a member of "The Corporation," the team which wrote and produced the Jackson Five's earliest hits. Listen below:

...and the saga continues (or is just beginning). The Nanny speaks.

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
DISCO DELIVERY #54: WILLIE HUTCH - MIDNIGHT DANCER (1979, WHITFIELD/WARNER BROS.) (FRIDAY APRIL 11, 2008)
STARLIGHT DISCO (THURSDAY MARCH 13, 2008)
DISCO DELIVERY #33: JAMES BROWN - THE ORIGINAL DISCO MAN (1979, POLYDOR) (SATURDAY JANUARY 27, 2007)
UPCOMING REISSUES & RELEASES (APRIL 25 - MAY 30) (FRIDAY APRIL 21, 2006)

LINKS:
TIMES OF LONDON: WHAT NANNY WHO WORKED FOR MICHAEL JACKSON SAW (BY DAPHNE BARAK) (JUNE 28, 2009)
NEW YORK TIMES: AFTER MICHAEL JACKSON, FAME MAY NEVER BE THE SAME (BY DAVID SEGAL) (JUNE 27, 2009)
CBC NEWS: JACKSON FANS MOURN AROUND THE WORLD (FRIDAY JUNE 26, 2009)
LA TIMES OBITUARY: MICHAEL JACKSON'S LIFE INFUSED WITH FANTASY AND TRAGEDY (BY GEOFF BOUCHER & ELAINE WOO) (JUNE 26, 2009)
MYSPACE: LISA MARIE PRESLEY (BLOG) - HE KNEW (FRIDAY JUNE 26, 2009)
HUFFINGTON POST: MICHAEL JACKSON (INDEX)
TMZ: MICHAEL JACKSON (CATEGORY INDEX)
THE GUARDIAN: MICHAEL JACKSON (INDEX)

CATEGORIES: IN MEMORIAM..

Disco Delivery #62: Back In Time (1978, Cotillion/Atlantic)

2009-06-18T19:15:00.002-06:00

Back In Time - El Condor Pasa (If I Could) (Original Version)
Back In Time - The Sound Of Silence (U.S. Remix)
Back In Time - El Condor Pasa (If I Could) (U.S. Remix)
Back In Time - All I Wanna Love Is Love (U.S. Remix)
Back In Time - Love Is What We Need
Back In Time - The Sound Of Silence (Original Version)
Back In Time - All I Wanna Love Is Love (Original Version)
Back In Time - Back In Time
Back In Time - Proposition
Back In Time - Love Is A Game
❚

This was one of those albums which I had come across, and eventually passed by many times in the record shop before actually buying it. Somehow, the prospect of an album helmed by Simon & Garfunkel disco covers wasn't exactly an enticing one; the sort of thing that gave the impression of being completely and irredeemably cringeworthy.

Produced by Francois Bernheim, Jean-Louis Detry and arranged by the prolific Roger Loubet (AKA R. Black-Moog on the French release), all had been behind some notable recordings, namely Loubet (the only one of the three credited on the French release) who was one of the principals behind the amazing Baciotti 12'' "Black Jack" as well as the classic French cosmic disco LP "Disco Cosmix" (1979, Philips) by The Z.A.C.K., on which all three had been involved. Originally released in France on the Carrere label as "El Condor Pasa," Atlantic's Cotillion imprint evidently picked it up for U.S. release, retitling it as a self-titled LP with a slightly different "group" photo, enlisting Issy Sanchez (a regular mixer on Atlantic disco releases), Neil Dorfsman and Ray Wilhard (both of whom are also on the Z.A.C.K. LP and are perhaps uncredited on the original album) to remix three of the tracks into an extended medley on Side A.

In other notable personnel, all the vocals on the album were courtesy of French singer, composer and stage performer Roddy Julienne. Unfortunately, the opening track on the North American version of the album, a cover of "The Sound of Silence" wasn't exactly the most flattering showcase for Julienne's vocals. Admittedly, upon first listen, Julienne's vocals on "Silence" with his at-times nasal, abrasive, forceful phrasing didn't exactly do much to diminish my initial suspicions. It was only after further listens (to this song and the rest of the LP) that the brilliance of the album's dense, exquisite production started to reveal itself.

One of the things which ended up affirming that was the second track on the US version, the album's cover of "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)." With its deft, swirling strings, and deep supple basslines beneath a relentless electronic pulse, soaring Andean flutes, all emboldened by Roddy Julienne's forceful vocals which in this case provided the perfect aural companion to the heavy, lavish production. Ultimately the centrepiece of the album, in both of its versions, all the elements here end up turning what could have been another piece of curious, disposable euro-kitsch into something of epic disco elegance, capturing the soaring, anthemic quality of the original Peruvian standard.

Though both versions are approximately the same length, the US version, which is actually better overall with its much denser mix and great extended break towards the end, complete with extra emphasis on bass and strings; none of it diminishes the impact of the original version. With its coolly spare opening - a solitary synthesized pulse, drawn in by a sequence of strings and flutes, combined particularly with a much better placement right at the beginning of the record, the original still remains perhaps the most striking of the two versions. Notably, aside from the two different album versions, this song was included in a Tom Savarese mix on Disconet Volume 1, Number 12 (which I haven't heard yet).

The Side A medley on the US Version ends with "All I Wanna Love Is Love," which is possibly the strangest track on the album. Continuing the intense, driving pulse of "El Condor Pasa," the track opens with an initially incomprehensible monologue:

"she's cruel... just like a snake... she never stops... she scratches my back... she's a woman... a nice woman.. and she loves it..."

Which is followed by yet another stunning soliloquy:

"I'm strong.. just like a tiger.. I always want, you know... I'm proud of it.. but I'm a man!.. Only a man!.. and I'm tired!..."

Not sure that I get it.

Perhaps this is one of those instances where the intended impact was lost in translation, I'm guessing it's supposed to be a desperate man being chased by a gaggle of relentless, cooing nymphomaniacs. In between the stunning poetry, with the ladies screaming out "love! all i wanna love is love! Love! all I wanna love... is love," things don't go much further than that, with the man still ends up fighting them off with desperate NO's and declarations of his tiredness towards the end. Strange, but still worth it entirely, if not for its intriguing wierdness, but also for the awesome production, filled with some deep rich and detailed bass and percussion.

Side B continues the disco momentum with the opener, "Love Is What We Need". Originally the second track on the original French release, Roddy Julienne's vocals are back in full force here with lavish drums, deep layered guitars and cascading synths all around. Much better placed as the Side B opener on the US release, it makes for yet another one of the album's high points.

For the rest of the album, the intensity of the proceedings goes down a couple of notches, starting with the title track, "Back In Time." Despite being a withdrawal from the heavy disco of the previous tracks, and a more earnest return to the Andean feel of "El Condor Pasa," with its drum and guitar driven production, it ends up working much better and being much more memorable than I had expected. Same can mostly be said for the track that follows it, "Proposition," which, minus Roddy Julienne's (lightly processed) vocals sounds like it could have easily come out of one of those many French space disco LPs (much like the producers' own Z.A.C.K project).

Although "Love Is A Game," barring a decent melody and some nice strings, is a bit of a limp closer, this album, in both of its versions ends up being one of my more rewarding purchases in the last while. Though not without its moments of strange euro-cheese, even that is almost always redeemable. The lavish intensity of the album's production more than makes up the difference. Even if there was nothing else of note on the record, the album's stunning interpretation of Paul Simon's reading of the Peruvian standard "El Condor Pasa," is epic enough to be worth the price of admission, by itself. Even Roddy Julienne's vocals, which I'm willing to admit are formidable, if nothing else; in spite of their initial abrasiveness, end up making the most of the forceful production and often intense feel of the album's most distinctive disco tracks. At their best, his vocals made an ideal compliment to the production and tempo, with a gritty forcefulness that at times seemed to recall Tina Turner, that is, if Tina were a man, with a vaguely French accent and a penchant for the occasional jazzy scat.. That being said, I haven't been buying too many records lately, but I'm glad I gave in and made room for this one..

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
INTERSTELLAR MESSAGES (SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2009)
DISCO DELIVERY #50: BRENDA MITCHELL - DON'T YOU KNOW (1978, BARCLAY/POLYGRAM) (SATURDAY JANUARY 12, 2008)
DISCO DELIVERY #48: ASHA (PUTHLI) - L'INDIANA (1979, DASH/TK) (TUESDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #37: MIDNIGHT RHYTHM (1978, ATLANTIC) (WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2007)
TIMING, FORGET THE TIMING (WEDNESDAY JANUARY 31, 2007)

LINKS:
DISCOGS: BACK IN TIME - S/T LP (US VERSION)
BACK IN TIME - EL CONDOR PASA LP (FRENCH VERSION)
DISCOGS: DISCONET VOLUME 1, NUMBER 12 12'' (INCLUDES MIX OF 'EL CONDOR PASA')
HOTDISCOMIX: DISCONET VOLUME 1, NUMBER 12
DISCOGS: FRANCOIS BERNHEIM
DISCOGS: JEAN-LOUIS DETRY
WIKIPÉDIA: RODDY JULIENNE (IN FRENCH)
MYSPACE MUSIC: RODDY JULIENNE
WIKIPEDIA - EL CÓNDOR PASA (SONG)
WIKIPEDIA - THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE (SONG)
DISCOGS: ISSY SANCHEZ
DISCOGS: NEIL DORFSMAN
DISCOGS: RAYMOND WILLARD

CATEGORIES: DISCO DELIVERIES

Disco Delivery on Twitter

2009-05-09T22:38:00.002-06:00

Six months ago, I thought Twitter was the most inane, useless thing ever. That is, until recently, when I looked at at how many people I had started to follow, just through my own bookmarks... At this point, I figured, why resist it?

As far as social networking goes, I'm actually starting to prefer this now.. Easy and brief, and without either the privacy risks or restrictions of Facebook, it's much more open and inclusive.. Perfect for when I don't feel like writing long blog entries, which is most of the time, and which also means I'll be updating it much more frequently than the blog..

So, if you care to, follow me at: http://twitter.com/discodelivery

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS (THURSDAY MAY 31, 2007)

CATEGORIES:MISCELLANEOUS

Having you fills my life..

2009-04-23T08:47:00.041-06:00

Marilyn Chambers - Benihana (1977, Roulette)
Marilyn Chambers - So I Cried A Little Bit (1977, Roulette)

It's been a while since my last post (and I'll admit, this one is a little over a week overdue), but I do have a new Disco Delivery post in the works, so I'm hoping to get that one up sometime soon. Anyway, even though this has been posted elsewhere already, after hearing of legendary porn star Marilyn Chambers' death last Sunday, I remembered the copy of her one-off disco single that I had picked up last summer.

While I'd never really sought out any of her movies, when this one popped up in a crate during my summer vacation in Vancouver last year, I immediately picked it up.. Released 1977 on the legendary/infamous Roulette label, the same year as her 'legit' film debut in Cronenberg's "Rabid," I'm willing to guess that in looking to leverage herself into some sort of mainstream viability, her and her people (Chuck Traynor?) probably looked at Andrea True's surprise success the previous year and thought if Andrea could do it, so could she..

Marilyn signing a copy of the single
c. February, 1977
Alas though, while Marilyn may have had a marginally better voice, Andrea undoubtedly had the better song. As it is, "Benihana" remains no more and no less than a cutesy disco novelty, a footnote in disco and pop culture, by comparison. That being said, the more I listen to this, the more I end up loving it. With both sides produced by the chant man himself, Michael Zager (who as it turned out also produced one of Andrea True's later disco hits "What's Your Name, What's Your Number" in the same year), it's certainly not without it's charms.

The first part of the song is a breathy, swinging, sexy-talking disco romp punctuated by a sleazy little sax, laden with little double entendres about "filling her up in many ways." By the end of it however she takes the porny 'action going, cameras rolling' overtures of "More More More" one step further - ditching the double entendres in favour of an all-out audio orgasm, complete with hilarious heavy breathing and panting (of the ooh ooh, feels so good - don't stop, DON'T STOP variety). While simulated orgasms in disco wasn't all that new, unlike the others I've heard, this one ends up sounding over the top it's own sort of way - like light, exaggerated porn sex as opposed to the serious, heavier "love to love you, baby" variety. But I guess that was probably the point, anyway. The fact that, in spite of everything, this didn't become (at least, as far as I know) the theme to a playful little porn flick at the time, ends up feeling like a missed opportunity to me. Either way though, as it is, it ends up making for great bit of harmless sexy fun, even if it isn't exactly considered the pinnacle of either Zager or Chambers' achievements.

The single's ballad B-side "So I Cried A Little Bit" is your typical Michael Zager ballad, which is to say, fairly tepid when not paired with a formidable vocalist. At the very least, it's a decent attempt at versatility, on her part.

Notably, Hungarian/Italian porn queen Ilona Staller (AKA Cicciolina) would cover "Benihana" in 1979, on her own disco album (which was reissued on CD some nine years back). So far, the only place where I've come across Marilyn's original on CD would be on the 3 CD Roulette Story set (the very last track) from Westside/Demon in the UK, which is out of print on CD, but still available on iTunes UK.

Personally, I would have loved to hear what other sexy disco romps Marilyn could have come up with, if given the opportunity to record a little bit more (the theme from 'Insatiable' is yet another nice preview). Evidently however, things never really did get far enough on the mainstream side of things, having returned to adult films a few short years later. For someone who has become so iconic though, it's hard not to dwell on her relatively young age, her decidedly unglamorous address at the time of her passing, and the exploitative flipside of the industry she was in, so I won't. But to her credit, in interviews and in all the obituaries and remembrances that have since come out, she comes across as someone who seemed to have been much more interesting, talented and articulate than she and others in her best known profession are often given credit for.

The Los Angeles NBC affiliate posted up a brief piece on her passing, with some video, including an interview with her teenage daughter.

PURCHASE:
VARIOUS - THE ROULETTE STORY (INCLUDES 'BENIHANA')
ITUNES UK

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
DISCO DELIVERY #55: CISSY HOUSTON - STEP ASIDE FOR A LADY (1980, COLUMBIA) (FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2008)
DISCO DELIVERY #22: SPINNERS - DANCIN' & LOVIN' (1979, ATLANTIC) (MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #8: CISSY HOUSTON - THINK IT OVER (1978, PRIVATE STOCK) (FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2006)

LINKS:
DISCOGS: MARILYN CHAMBERS - BENIHANA 12''
DISCOMUSIC.COM: MARILYN CHAMBERS - BENIHANA 12''
LUKE IS BACK: MARILYN CHAMBERS PROFILE
LOS ANGELES TIMES: MARILYN CHAMBERS DIES AT 56 (BY DENNIS MCLELLAN) (APRIL 14, 2009)
CBC: 1970'S PORN ACTRESS MARILYN CHAMBERS FOUND DEAD (MONDAY APRIL 13, 2009)
NBC LOS ANGELES: ADULT STAR MARILYN CHAMBERS FOUND DEAD (MONDAY APRIL 13, 2009)
AVN BUSINESS: MARILYN CHAMBERS, LEGENDARY ADULT ACTRESS, DEAD AT 56 (BY MARK KERNES) (APRIL 13, 2009)
SPOUT BLOG: MARILYN CHAMBERS DIES (BY CHRISTOPHER CAMPBELL) (APRIL 13, 2009)
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: 2004 INTERVIEW WITH MARILYN CHAMBERS (BY RANDALL KING) (APRIL 13, 2009)
FOURFOUR: RIP, MARILYN (APRIL 14, 2009)

CATEGORIES: SIDE DELIVERIES, IN MEMORIAM..

Love Dancing Playmate

2009-03-25T17:44:00.007-06:00

Playmate - Love Dance (1978, Salsoul/RCA)
Playmate - Oriental Explosion (1978, Salsoul/RCA)

A little something I'd picked up in Vancouver a couple of years ago, this seems to have been one of the more obscure Eurodisco offerings released by Salsoul at the time. With the production credited to an incognito outfit called "Cup Production," it even seems a little more anonymous than most.

Written by Christian Bensch, Peter Wagner and Uli Roever, all three seem to have some credits in the realm of German pop music, with Uli Roever having what seems to be one of the more significant disco connections, having been credited as an arranger on Pamala Stanley's "This Is Hot" (1979, EMI) LP. Quite unexpectedly, I'd also come across this song's entry in the ASCAP database, where it credits Roever and 'Roever Wagner Bensch' as the performers, so I'd venture to guess that they (or at the very least, Uli Roever) were most likely also the producers behind this.

A double A-side single, both tracks are mostly instrumental, aside from the very minimal vocals which do little more than repeat the song titles in a light, high pitched coquettish fashion. Aside from that, both tracks on the single have that unmistakable German Eurodisco sound to them, characterized by the familiar sonic backdrop of squelchy synth effects (clavinet?) and Silver Convention-esque string arrangements to name a couple of things.

Mixed by renowned DJ and remixer, Bobby 'DJ' Guttadaro (perhaps the most notable name on here, from a disco perspective) "Love Dance" starts out with a mid-tempo percussion and vocal intro then shortly moves into a horn and guitar laden Spanish/Santa Esmeralda style Flamenco tinged arrangement, with some added horns, kettle drum accents and a sexy break providing some build-up and drama along the way. Given how many mixes Guttadaro seemed to be doing for Salsoul at the time, along with the common practice of US labels in remixing their European-licensed product, I'd venture to guess that there are likely some European pressings (like the UK pressing listed on Discogs which doesn't credit Guttadaro) with a different mix of this track, which I'm going to have to confirm for myself one of these days.

With the cheese factor racheted up a few notches, "Oriental Explosion" on the flip is nevertheless entirely as enjoyable, if not slightly moreso. As with any good piece of Western Oriental fetishism, the track is naturally opened by and punctuated with loud gong crashes, an 'oriental' style wind-section and some random unintelligible chanting in the middle seemingly thrown in for good measure. A kitschy car-crash of delicate disco strings, German oompah and some vaguely Asian sounding interludes, it's every bit as strange and oddly appealing as it sounds..

Either way, while the selections on this single are probably not the sort of thing made to burn up a dancefloor, I'd consider these both to be nice artifacts of a sexy (if not slightly kitschy), laid-back Eurodisco sound of the time..

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
THE ONE I LOVE TAKES ME DOWN, TAKES ME THERE.. (THURSDAY DECEMBER 13. 2007)
FAUST WAS RIGHT, HAVE NO REGRET.. (MONDAY OCTOBER 15, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #35: MONTREAL FEATURING UCHENNA IKEJIANI (1979, SALSOUL) (WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2007)

LINKS:
DISCOGS: PLAYMATE
ASCAP: ROEVER WAGNER BENSCH - LOVE DANCE
DISCOMUSIC.COM: BOBBY 'DJ' GUTTADARO
DISCOGS: BOBBY 'DJ' GUTTADARO

CATEGORIES: SIDE DELIVERIES

You got it, I got it..

2009-03-18T13:48:00.006-06:00

Scarlet Rivera - Scarlet Fever (Promo 12'' Version) (1978, Warner Bros.)
Scarlet Rivera - Scarlet Fever (Edit) (1978, Warner Bros.)

Since picking this up a few years back, this little obscure disco one-off from violinist Scarlet Rivera has become a real favourite of mine. From what I've gathered Rivera had come to prominence after playing on Bob Dylan's 1976 "Desire" album and the accompanying Rolling Thunder Revue. Shortly thereafter Rivera would release a couple of albums of her own for Warner Bros., this track being the lead off of her second LP of the same name.

Produced by Jimmy Wisner, who had a hit of his own in 1961 with "Asia Minor," a rock and roll adaptation of Grieg's "Piano Concerto in A Minor" released under the alias Kokomo; as a producer and arranger, Wisner go on to would work on records by the likes of Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba, Tamiko Jones, Herbie Mann and Carly Simon among others..

A clever play on her name mixed by the prolific Jimmy Simpson, the extended version on the A-side makes an indelible first impression. Opening with a heavy, bumping beat and an infectious bassline, the soft whispery vocals highlighting the minimal and memorable (albeit in that charmingly trite, infectious way) chorus, along with Rivera's delicate, soaring violin at the top of the mix end up making this one swirling, sexy slice of disco. Although her "Scarlet Fever" LP has since been reissued on CD, this promo only 12'' mix wasn't included on the reissue and hasn't (as far as I know) made it to CD/digital..

Although with disco tracks, it's usually 'the longer, the better,' the shorter version on the B-side is also worth a listen. Jimmy Simpson isn't credited on that mix, but the vocals at the top of the track, along with the extended string crescendos end up making the most of the nearly three and a half minute edit on the flipside.

In a 2003 interview with the Bob Dylan fanzine Freewheelin', when asked about 'doing disco,' Rivera had distanced herself from this track, without actually mentioning it by name, saying in no uncertain terms that she hates the song and was pushed into doing it:

Q: You have done Disco music?
A: No, on my very first record my producer pushed me into doing a song like that and I hate the song. I don’t like the record now! He took advantage of me and I have learned from that. I now know who that artist is!

Rivera's feelings notwithstanding, from a disco point of view, I think "Scarlet Fever" holds up pretty well. In retrospect, "Scarlet Fever" can probably be categorized alongside disco efforts of noted instrumentalists like Herbie Mann and Candido. Although a one-off as opposed to the full-length disco efforts of Candido and Mann, this track, at least in my estimation, did a good job of incorporating her string stylings into a nice ephemeral piece of disco fever..

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
DISCO DELIVERY #52: STAINLESS STEAL - CAN-CAN (1978, WARNER BROS.) (TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2008)
DISCO DELIVERY #43: WARDELL PIPER (1979, MIDSONG INTERNATIONAL) (MONDAY AUGUST 27, 2007)

LINKS:
DISCOMUSIC.COM - SCARLET RIVERA - SCARLET FEVER 12''
WIKIPEDIA: SCARLET RIVERA
WIKIPEDIA: JIMMY WISNER
DISCOGS: JIMMY WISNER
ALL MUSIC GUIDE: SCARLET RIVERA - SCARLET FEVER LP (REVIEW)
DISCOGS: JIMMY SIMPSON
FREEWHEELIN' (TAKE 13): INTERVIEW WITH SCARLET RIVERA (BY MASATO KIRO)

CATEGORIES: SIDE DELIVERIES

Disco Delivery #61: Touché (1979, Magnum/GRT)

2009-03-05T18:05:00.017-07:00

Touché - Warm Storm Of Love
Touché - Dancing In The Dark
Touché - Nightrider
Touché - Take A Look (But Don't Touch)
Touché - Love Eyes
Touché - One Day
❚

While practically 90% of the Canadian disco out there seemed to come out of Montreal, this (along with Denise McCann and Bryan Adams' first single) seem to be among the few (at least that I've found) to have come out of Vancouver..

Produced by Brian Griffiths for Griffiths Gibson Productions, a company which was (and still remains today, as Griffiths Gibson & Ramsay Productions/GGRP) one of the top commercial music production (read: commerical jingles) services in Vancouver, the album was also recorded at their facilities, Vancouver's Little Mountain Studios. Having hosted acts like Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Mötley Crüe and The Cult among others, it was reportedly one of the pinnacle recording destinations in Western Canada in it's day. Perhaps as a result of the connections, the album's credits end up reading like a veritable laundry-list of notable Vancouver musicans of the time. Among them are drummer Jim Vallance, Peter Bjerring, Howie Vickers, Guitarist David Sinclair, Bob Buckley on Keyboards, along with mixdown engineers Bob Rock and Vancouver punk scene veteran Ron Obvious to name most of them.

Out of all of them, Vallance and Rock are perhaps the most eminent. Vallance, who along with Peter Bjerring had been involved with Canadian arena rock band Prism and it's predecessor Sunshyne, would become one of Bryan Adams' major collaborators, co-writing many of his hits as well as writing for acts like Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, Joan Jett among others.

Bob Rock, then a staffer at Little Mountain would later have a sizeable hit in Canada with his own group, The Payola$ and their single "Eyes Of A Stranger." Rock has gone on to become a superproducer of sorts, having produced for acts ranging from Metallica and Aerosmith to Cher and Michael Bublé..

Of the other names, Howie Vickers, who has writing credits on three of the album's six tracks, was the lead singer for a group called The Collectors, and essentially served as the pre-cursor to Canadian rock mainstays, Chilliwack.. While aside from being well-travelled session players in their own right, guitarist David Sinclair (Sarah McLachlan, k.d. lang) and keyboardist Bob Buckley (Our Lady Peace, Celine Dion) would form a duo in the 80's called Straight Lines and would go on to be part of the group Body Electric.

That's of course not to disregard the singers, Nancy Nash, Mary Saxton and Rosalind Keene, who end up cutting a flawless, radiant (albeit anonymous) harmony on the record. Perhaps as a way of diminishing some of the project's anonymity, all three are actually credited as being Touché, themselves. While all three seemed to be regular session singers, at least two of them have some notabilty attached to their names.. Mary Saxton has at least a couple of albums and some singles to her name, some of which have become rather highly regarded in the Northern Soul scene. One of her albums, entitled "Sad Eyes" (1969, Birchmount) has become particularly sought after, having fetched some fairly high prices online recently. Given it's apparent rarity, someone had recently taken the liberty of putting the audio of her entire "Sad Eyes" LP up on Google Video, for anyone whose curious.

Nancy Nash, aside from having some of the highest profile session work of the three, had also released a couple of albums, including a little known AOR-type album in the early 80's entitled "Letting Go" (1982, Avalon/Polygram). Later, having adopted the Aboriginal name Sazacha Red Sky, Nash had continued to record, with one of her songs garnering a (slightly controversial, it seems) Juno Award nomination in 1994.

Although there's less information about Rosalind Keene and her credits, she, like Nash and Saxton, is apparently still active today, performing regularly in and around the Vancouver area..

Although Nash, Saxton and Keene are credited as being the group itself, after looking them up, they're obviously not the same ladies on the album's cover (which the credit on the back seemed to imply.) However, the quiet intensity of the album's black and blood-red artwork is also notable in itself, having been designed by renowned graphic artist Hugh Syme who's perhaps best known for being the artist behind Rush's distinctive album covers, among other acts..

Can-Con trivia aside, despite the strong rock connections, the album itself ends up being a pleasantly slick, sexy sublime disco production. With the light rock-ish guitars, sax solos and gliding strings that underscore most of the tracks, the album is perhaps more of an atmospheric combination of soft-rock and disco than a high tempo, bass and percussion driven disco groove..

The best illustration of that would likely be the opening track "Warm Storm Of Love." Arranged by Jim Vallance and written by producer Brian Griffiths and Howie Vickers; anchored by a heavy guitar refrain in the intro, elevated by the singers' airy harmonies and surrounded by a gusty string section, "Storm.." makes for a dramatic first impression. A perfectly appropriate opening, the almost gentle intensity of the vocals mixed with the stark backing ends up making it the perfect compiment to the album's artwork.

The second track, and only non-original on the album, "Dancing In The Dark," a cover of the Schwartz/Dietz standard arranged by keyboard player Bob Buckley, ends up bringing a little more levity to the proceedings. Anchored by a sexy, nocturnal sax solo and some genteel string and vocal arrangements, they manage to turn out an excellent cover, at the very least convincingly turning an old standard into a misty nighttime disco fantasy..

That said however, I'd consider the next three tracks to be the ultimate highlights of the album. Starting with the Side A closer, "Nightrider," arranged by Bob Buckley and written by Buckley and Vickers, this track ends up taking the tempo up a little bit from the previous selections. Opening with a driving guitar, leading into a more spacious mix putting extra emphasis on the beat and the percussion, it's perhaps the closest thing on the album to a bona-fide disco stomper.

The album's second major highlight would have to be the Side B opener (and the album's single), "Take A Look (But Don't Touch)" arranged by Peter Bjerring and written by Brian Gibson. A smouldering disco teaser with Mary Saxton apparently on lead, it's got to be the sexiest track on the album, not just because of the vocals or the swelling strings that underscore them, but mostly because of the lyrics. With it's soft, subdued vocals and the words painting a sensual lyrical ode to dancefloor surrender, it's probably the best song on the record, lyrically speaking. Musically, I'd single out the string refrain after the chorus, interspersed with the little guitar fill-in as a moment of brilliance in itself..

The third of the three major highlights would have to be "Love Eyes." A sublime, guitar driven disco track, written by Vickers and arranged by guitarist David Sinclair; with it's tempo and sweet string arrangement augmented by the great, albeit brief break in the middle, this song ultimately marks the album's breezy, uplifting culmination.

After that, the album concludes with an instrumental track, "One Day," written and arranged by Bob Buckley. Naturally featuring Buckley's synth work, he manages to get into some pretty great spacey synths solos at a couple of points in the track. Given album producer Brian Griffiths and his company's background in commercial jingles and themes, it's probably no accident that this track ends up reminding me of something that could have been used in a late 70's TV commercial..

Looking at Griffiths Gibson & Ramsay Productions/GGRP's website, the only mention of this album is a rather dismissive reference in their 'History' page, which makes it sounds like a cash-in that they would much rather forget about. And while perhaps the cash-in part of it might have been true, for a bunch of rock guys whom I'd imagine would have sooner divorced themselves from an album like this if given the chance; they actually managed to come up with a pretty solid, albeit slick (they are a commercial production company, after all) set of disco tracks. While the rock-influenced disco sound seemed to have been gaining some steam around this time, the rock influence on this album is less about energy and tempo and spashing loud guitars everywhere, as much it is about mood. Complimenting rather than overpowering the disco elements, personally, I think this is too good of a record to be left as some rock musicians' dirty little disco secret..

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
DISCO DELIVERY #56: TOP SECRET (1979, TELSON/LONDON) (MONDAY OCTOBER 27. 2008)
DISCO DELIVERY #53: BARBARA LAW - TAKE ALL OF ME (1979, PAVILLION/EPIC) (FRIDAY FEBRUARY 29, 2008)
DISCO DELIVERY #42: SOUTHERN EXPOSURE - HEADIN' SOUTH (1979, RCA) (MONDAY JUNE 4, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #35: MONTREAL FEATURING UCHENNA IKEJIANI (1979, SALSOUL) (WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2007)

LINKS:
DISCOMUSIC.COM: TOUCHÉ LP
DISCOGS: TOUCHÉ LP
DISCOGS: TOUCHÉ - TAKE A LOOK BUT DON'T TOUCH / NIGHTRIDER 12''
GGRP (GRIFFITHS GIBSON & RAMSAY PRODUCTIONS)
JIM VALLANCE OFFICIAL SITE
NANCY NASH MUSIC
SHOOTING STARS FOUNDATION - PERFORMERS: STARRY NIGHT (INFO ON MARY SAXTON)
SHOOTING STARS FOUNDATION - PERFORMERS: MOTOWN MELTDOWN (INFO ON ROSALIND KEENE)
DAVID SINCLAIR OFFICIAL SITE
BOB BUCKLEY PRODUCTIONS
HUGH SYME OFFICIAL SITE
WIKIPEDIA: MUSIC OF VANCOUVER

CATEGORIES: DISCO DELIVERIES, CAN-CON DISCO

Interstellar Messages

2009-02-22T14:42:00.012-07:00

Starbow - Intersidereal Message (1978, AVI)
Starbow - Voyager II (1978, AVI)

Links Corrected: I had just realized that the first rips were pitched down a bit too slow, so I took the old ones down and I've re-ripped the tracks. The new file links should be at the correct speed. Sorry for the mistake..

As far as Space Disco goes, this one has to be one of my best and most recent acquisitions in the genre. A couple of instrumentals written by the same guys behind Ottawan's "D.I.S.C.O." of all things, Jean Kluger and Daniel Vangarde (whose probably more well-known these days for being the father of Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter) and with production credited to Ralph Benatar, and Mike Butcher; despite it's apparent obscurity, this Starbow single had some rather notable, prolific names attached.. Benatar, along with Kluger had been behind notable projects/acts like Black Blood (which also invoved Vangarde), L.A.X. and the one-off disco classic "Do You Speak French?" by Nite School, while co-producer Mike Butcher was not only a frequently credited engineer on a good number of Jean Kluger productions, but at one point had evidently produced Black Sabbath, of all things (just in case anyone out there's searching for an Ozzy Osbourne disco connection).

With it's heavy bass drums and guitars, the kaleidoscopic layers of deep, eerie synths (especially that jagged, hypnotic intro); of the two tracks, the A-side "Intersidereal Message" (special disco edit by Patrick Jenkins) probably hits the hardest. That being said, the B-side, "Voyager II" would have to be my pick. With the guitars and drums given a slightly more prominent place, that along with the sublime synth work, it ends up cutting a slightly easier groove than the heavier A-side.. These days, "Voyager II" is perhaps the slightly better known of the two, as a result of being included on Dirty Sound System's "Dirty Space Disco" (2007, Tigersushi) compilation..

Not completely sure if this Starbow project was simply another one-off, but it certainly looks that way. Given how excellent these tracks are, it's too bad they don't seem to have been expanded on further in LP form.. As they are though, the two sides on this single, both of them with their darkly ethereal grooves would have to be prime examples of the Space Disco subgenre.

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
THE ONE I LOVE TAKES ME DOWN, TAKES ME THERE.. (THURSDAY DECEMBER 13, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #40: MUNICH MACHINE - A WHITER SHADE OF PALE (1978, CASABLANCA) (SUNDAY APRIL 29, 2007)
TIMING, FORGET THE TIMING.. (WEDNESDAY JANUARY 31, 2007)

PURCHASE:
VARIOUS - DIRTY SPACE DISCO (INCLUDES "VOYAGER II")
AMAZON.COM | AMAZON.CO.UK

LINKS:
DISCOGS: STARBOW - INTERSIDEREAL MESSAGE/VOYAGER II 12''
DISCOGS: JEAN KLUGER
DISCOGS: DANIEL VANGARDE
WIKIPEDIA: DANIEL VANGARDE
DISCOGS: RALPH BENATAR
DISCOGS: MIKE BUTCHER
DISCOGS: PATRICK JENKINS
WIKIPEDIA: SPACE DISCO

CATEGORIES: SIDE DELIVERIES

Disco Delivery #60: Aretha Franklin - La Diva (1979, Atlantic)

2009-02-14T01:02:00.014-07:00

Aretha Franklin - It's Gonna Get A Bit Better
Aretha Franklin - Only Star
Aretha Franklin - Ladies Only
Aretha Franklin - Honey I Need Your Love
Aretha Franklin - Reasons Why
Aretha Franklin - The Feeling
❚

Having nearly upstaged Obama at his own inauguration not so much with her performance, but with her rather spectacular church lady crown, I was suddenly inspired to take a listen to Her Soulful Highness's much maligned 1979 'disco' album, "La Diva." After signing with Atlantic and subsequently going from strength to strength in the late 60's and early 70's; not unlike some of her contemporaries, the mid/late 70's and the onslaught of disco found Aretha in a commercial slump of sorts (the Sparkle soundtrack with Curtis Mayfield being a notable exception). Having the dubious distinction of being one of her most, if not the most ill-received album she's ever released, "La Diva" was the first of her Atlantic studio albums to miss the Billboard top 100 altogether, and to this day, with barely any critics out there having anything good to say about it, it has ultimately gone down as one of the undisputed low-points in her career.

During this time, her classic hits behind her and with her mentor, the late Jerry Wexler gone from the label, none of the changes in direction that she embarked on seemed to stick. While "Sparkle" (1976, Atlantic) was a bright spot, its follow-up with Mayfield, "Almighty Fire" (1978, Atlantic) failed to sustain any of it's momentum. In her autobiography with David Ritz, "From These Roots," Aretha briefly touched on this period, saying: "my records were falling short of the mark for gold. I began to feel that the label's promotion and marketing were not creative enough and wondered whether a change was in order." Not too surprisingly, "La Diva" would be the last album she would do for them before jumping ship to Arista.

While her career context wasn't exactly rosy, the run-up to this album's recording sessions and eventual release seemed to be fairly turbulent in itself. A quick glance at the album's thank-yous, with Ahmet Ertegun's assistant and executive vice president Noreen Woods credited for "being a swellegant mediator in getting the LP out" along with a special thanks to "all musicians and singers, Marvin Gaye and George Benson, and numerous other artists whose LP's I enjoyed through numerous delays while waiting to finish mine" seemed to reveal as much. Biographer Mark Bego in his book "Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul" suggests a disco album from the Queen of Soul was apparently highly anticipated at the time, calling it "a logical move..an assured bet that Aretha could go into the studio to create the hottest disco record of the year." Given that, I'd imagine that it was Atlantic's suggestion to usher in this change of direction by pairing her with a couple of the label's hottest producers at the time, Chic's Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards.

Aretha claimed in her autobiography that the proposed Chic collaboration had gone into the actual pre-production stage, claiming that she'd originally been given the two tracks which would later helm Diana Ross' "Diana" (1980, Motown) album. Although as far as Nile and Bernard go, The Queen, it appears, was not impressed.

"I liked some disco and thought that certain singers - Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor - were well suited to the style. Later during the disco era, I met with Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, whose group, Chic, was burning up the charts. They presented me with material that I liked. Good songs, in-the-pocket grooves, and cute lyrics. But when preproduction started, things cooled off in a hurry. Their idea for me was 'just come in and sing impromptu and we'll take it from there.' Well, I hadn't worked that way. I'm an interpreter, and I need to be involved with the total musical environment. I was game, but my relationship with Rodgers and Edwards ended before it even began. There were unmentionables concerning their attitudes, which just didn't fly with me. They took those songs - "Upside Down" and "I'm Coming Out" - to Diana Ross. I had no regrets." (pgs 160-1)

To supplement Aretha's recollections, Nile Rodgers described his own in Daryl Easlea's book "Chic & The Politics of Disco," which at least on the surface, seem to counter Aretha's recollections somewhat.

"'We never wrote anything for her,' Rodgers remembered. 'We had one meeting with her and we were so turned off, we couldn't believe Aretha wanted to do disco.'..... 'We were not going to go down in history as the producers of Aretha Franklin's disco record! In the end she went with Van McCoy - we were shocked he would do it - but then, he did write "Do The Hustle" which IS a disco record. I thought of her history and we certainly weren't going to produce her. That was the only time that we ever met her.' " (pgs 190-1)

Van and Charles in the studio
with Aretha and her Kools
(picture from vanmccoymusic.com)
Whatever the case, we obviously didn't get a Chic produced Aretha album (and perhaps for good reason, looking at their comments). The album we did end up with however, produced largely by the late Van McCoy (whose songs Aretha had recorded in the past) and his right-hand man Charles Kipps, with the exception of two tracks (one produced by Aretha and one by Skip Scarborough) was largely a collection of lightly treaded disco fluff and drippy ballads, broken by the occasional soul-funk throw-down as 'Ree herself might put it. Putting it frankly, it probably wouldn't be anyone's idea of a classic, especially in the shadow of her earlier and truly classical, enduring Atlantic albums. Whether it be because of my own disco attachments, being somewhat removed from the time and not nearly as steeped in her 'Queen of Soul' mythology to have taken this seriously enough, or me just being my usual contrary self, I've honestly never found this album to be anywhere near as horrendous and awful as it's been made out to be. While I can understand critics not rating this favourably, I've always been surprised at just how many make it seem like "La Diva" was the absolute worst record of her entire career. However, having heard the albums she did in the late 80's and early 90's for Arista, I'd honestly be hard-pressed to put any of her Atlantic LPs (even less well recieved albums like this one) in that category..

The disco portion of the album was helmed by two of Aretha's own self-penned efforts, "Ladies Only" and "Only Star," (which began Side One and Two, respectively) - a couple of slick, pleasantly produced and orchestrated disco-lite numbers. Both produced by McCoy and Kipps, I'd venture a guess to say it was probably these songs which led Rolling Stone to deride the album as "over orchestrated pap." Given that they were the most obvious disco tracks on the record, in the end they probably ended up missing the mark somewhat. Despite their redeeming qualities - the rich melodic orchestration and the enthusiasm in Aretha's performances, they were perhaps lacking in the sort of groove or energy to have seriously competed with the sort of disco that was lighting up the dancefloors at that period in time. In fact, out of the two of them, "Ladies Only" was released as a single (peaking at #33 Billboard R&B) and yet as far as I know, had no 12'' remix or release for that matter, which is probably saying something in itself.

While they are pleasant enough melodically speaking, lyrically however, I'd have to admit that they sound like precisely the sort of thing one would expect from a disco amateur scraping for ideas. Which is to say, overly self-conscious, formulaic and entirely lacking in any clever lyrical subtlety; as if a disco song had to use the words 'party' and 'disco' at least half a dozen times, mention both "The Rock," and "The Freak," and at some point in the song declare one's self a 'disco queen' to even qualify.

Boogie down with Ree!
"Only Star" on Side Two would probably be considered the worst offender. A slightly narcissistic lyric, with the verse "I'm gonna be the only star tonight at the disco" heading up the chorus; the background singers (which in the general credits included notables like sister Carolyn Franklin, Zulema Cusseaux and her former group Faith, Hope & Charity along with future one-shot disco singer, Sharon Brown) had the honour of reciting the song's unforgettable spoken section: "We're disco queens, you know what that means? We're disco queens!.. Sophisticated, magnifique, we get down with the rock and you've got to see us freak!" which is complimented by a bit of clumsy Spanish that's even a bit more embarrassing than the French in "Ladies Only." To top it all off, Aretha follows that by bellowing out her own intentions: 'I'm gon' BOOGIE DOWN! BOOOOGIE DOWN!.." which in itself was probably enough to make legions of unsuspecting rock critics cringe in sheer abject horror.

Nile Rodgers had a hilarious anecdote about this song in his recollection of his and Bernard's meeting with 'The Queen' in "Chic & The Politics of Disco," which I thought was well worth citing here:

"Bernard and I were sitting in the Queen of Soul's house, this beautiful mansion in Los Angeles and she was singing 'I'm going to be the only star tonight down at the disco.' And Bernard and I were looking at each other in disbelief, thinking 'holy shit! We're with Aretha Franklin and she's telling us she's going to be the only star in the disco tonight...Is she nuts?' We were stunned and dumbfounded. We were sitting at the piano with her and we couldn't say anything. If we told her that was great, she would say 'are you kidding me, you want me to sing some shit like this?' We didn't know if it [was] a joke." (pgs. 190-1)

As is the case with ill-reputed albums like these, I'm usually able to come away enjoying something, in spite of everything. This one is no different (so much for good taste, I suppose). All criticisms aside (because really, it's just way too easy), I must admit that I actually enjoy these tracks to bits, in spite (or perhaps because) of their faults. There's something about Aretha talking about getting herself another fashion faux-pas, or in her words: "a dress with the fringes flyin' high" (referring to that low-cut yellow leather get-up she's wearing on the cover, I'd imagine), threatening to show everyone up at the disco and "do it up right tonight..and then some," or Aretha in her inimitable French, asking her ladies to "party down, s'il vous plait"in "Ladies Only," that while perhaps awkward and slightly delusional, is to me, much more unpretentiously endearing than anything else. While I suspect these songs might have cleared a dancefloor in record time in 1979; given some of these songs' limitations; Van McCoy's and Charles Kipps' production values, trendy or not, really did seem to make the most of these two tracks, at least to my ears. The slow-building intro to "Ladies Only" ends up showing off her voice in its full splendour while Arthur Jenkins' arrangements on "Ladies Only" create a backing that is as warm and inviting as her infectious performance. And really, being Aretha's own compositions, while in this case lacking in the lyrical department, they never really fail as far as their chords and melodies are concerned.

One track however, that needs no criticism or defense is the album's second track, "It's Gonna Get A Bit Better," one of the songs which has been unjustly buried beneath this album's reputation. Written by the late Lalomie Washburn, who had worked with Rufus & Chaka Khan (and had done a stellar album of her own for Casablanca's Parachute imprint), and arranged by Richard Gibbs, the orchestration ends up taking a backseat to the groove on this one. With it's simple, uplifting "try dancin'" refrain, lyrically it manages to pay tribute to disco with much more grace and verve than either of Aretha's disco contributions. Musically, with the Queen's vocals on fire and the track's scratchy guitars and in-the-pocket basslines, it's one of the funkiest tunes on the record and one of the album's ultimate highlights. Aretha wouldn't rock a groove this tight until hooking up with Luther Vandross for "Jump To It" some three years later.

While her disco tracks weren't the best showcase for her songwriting, Aretha's finest contribution here as a songwriter is without a doubt, the rousing, gospel-tinged "Honey I Need Your Love." A brief return to classic Aretha territory, not only written, but also produced by Aretha herself; the song showcases the lady at her finest - at the piano, singing - or rather, sangin' her butt off.. Musically, with its piano driven intro and build-up, it also ends up sounding like her reply to Natalie Cole's rather Aretha-esque breakout hit, "This Will Be." Perhaps a reply not only to that but to certain segments of the press who had reportedly taken to calling Natalie "the next Aretha," which given some of her recent declarations, must have had Queen Ree in a righteous regal huff. While Aretha has since dismissed their legendary feud as a bit of press manufactured publicity (partly encouraged by Natalie, according to Aretha of course), one still can't help but think of this song as perhaps the Queen Of Soul's way of exercising some of her property rights, so to speak.

Luckily, there's some awesome live TV footage of this song archived (for now) on YouTube. Not sure what program it's from, but on piano with a full band behind her, she delivers a practically flawless performance.

Aretha Franklin - Honey I Need Your Love (Live)
Uploaded by arethafan2006

Another one of the album's high points is the only other track not produced by McCoy & Kipps, the second track on Side Two, "Reasons Why." Produced by the late Skip Scarborough (Patti LaBelle, The Emotions, Phyllis Hyman) and written by Scarborough, Wanda Hutchinson of the Emotions and Wayne Vaughn (who had also produced The Emotions and Earth, Wind & Fire), it's a pity there weren't more like this on the album. With a groove held down by a heavy bassline and a killer horn section topped off with some of Aretha's most spirited vocals on the album; it's one of the most assured performances on the record. A standout simply because it's one of the songs on the record that managed to both boldly step her out in a new direction, yet still managed to bring out the best in Aretha.

As far as the album's ballads go, it's there where the drippy, overwrought orchestration really starts to weigh things down. While songs like "I Was Made For You," penned by son Clarence (and performed as a duet with Van McCoy), McCoy's own "You Brought Me Back To Life" and co-producer Charles Kipps' "What If I Should Ever Need You" are decent enough; unfortunately Aretha ends up sounding far too constrained by the maudlin production to really give them the sort of intimacy and feeling that the ballads on her earlier albums had. That said, the best of the bunch would have to be Zulema Cusseaux's contribution as songwriter and arranger, "Half A Love," which allowed her a brief respite from the flowery arrangements into something displaying a bit more attitude and range.

The main flaw with the ballads is highlighted and contrasted perfectly by another awesome live performance (in the same dress she wore on the album cover, no less) archived on YouTube. A performance of Charles Kipps' "What If I Should Ever Need You," the live arrangement allows Aretha to take it to church as it were, and put her stamp on the song much more effectively than the studio recording on the LP.

Aretha Franklin - What If I Should Ever Need You (Live)
Uploaded by arethafan2006

If I recall correctly, there was a performance from the same program (or at least one where she's wearing that fress from the album cover again) of "Ladies Only," which was unfortunately pulled from YouTube recently. (Hope it resurfaces one of these days)..

Coming full circle, closing the album is another one of the album's straight-to-the-disco tracks, Van McCoy's "The Feeling." The most energetic of the disco tracks on the album, albeit still in the realm of run-of-the-mill disco dross, it's nothing that's exactly mind-blowing or potentially chart-topping. Vocally driven, light on the groove, but heavy on the orchestration, and without being marred by any of Aretha's cliched disco lyrics, they actually do manage to turn out a decent piece of safe, quintessential 'diva disco' on this track.

White not a total write-off; admittedly Aretha's 'disco' album does come off as an ultimately flawed and imperfect release in the end. Despite that however, it does have it's guilty pleasures and shining moments. And it's those bright moments in particular which really show what probably could have been, had circumstances been just a little bit better planned and guided. While no disrespect to McCoy and Kipps intended, perhaps instead of getting them to do practically the entire album, Aretha and co. could have gotten a few other outside producers to contribute and give some balance and perhaps a wider variety of updated musical settings. I'd venture to guess that the album ended up coming off as too far and too desperate of a 'disco' effort for an artist of her stature to really appeal to the general public or a good chunk of her fanbase. By the same token, the record probably sounded too watered down and not seriously disco enough (especially this late in the game) to make an impact on the disco audience either, for that matter. It's honestly one of those records which makes me understand the place of the oft-credited (though noticeably absent from this record) 'disco consultant' on some of the albums of the time.

However, the album as it is, is what it is, after all. And while it's not exactly "Young, Gifted and Black" (1971, Atlantic), thankfully with the calibre of its musicianship and with Aretha's voice in top form, sounding as golden as it ever was; dare I say, it's not nearly as awful and ill-advised as some of the dreck she would later release under the auspices of Clive Davis at Arista, either. Not to tarnish her entire tenure at that label, but for all the negative press on this album, and all the mythology about Davis' golden touch, I'd question whether "La Diva" is seriously any worse than, say 1991's questionably titled "What You See Is What You Sweat," for example. Honestly, I think not.

I'd imagine the growing backlash towards disco in the US, and the sheer horror of their beloved Queen Of Soul giving into 'disco fever' at that period in time played a part in this album's reception and the almost fervent disdain that it still seems to inspire. While not exactly a record deserving of a complete re-evaluation and certainly far from the most graceful bid for disco credibility; in fact parts of the album are admittedly the musical equivalent of an Aretha fashion-faux pas with all of it's guilt-loaded, head-shaking entertainment value (admit it, you've all seen the photo, and had a private laugh to yourselves about it). That being said, it's certainly not an album without its salvageable highlights either.

Some Trivia: Notably, "La Diva" along with four of the other records she did in the late 70's for Atlantic are, to date, are some of the only Aretha albums that haven't yet made it to CD. It was revealed in a 2003 interview with David Nathan for Billboard (PDF file link) that upon her departure from the label, Atlantic had actually given her the rights to some those later albums - which included "La Diva," along with "You" (1975), " With Everything I Feel In Me" (1974), "Sweet Passion" (1977) and "Almighty Fire" (1978). Essentially all of her lesser regarded albums for the label and likely the most plausible reason for their continued unavailability.

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
CHIC & JOHNNY MATHIS COLLABORATIONS TO FINALLY BE RELEASED? (TUESDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2008)
CHANGE (THURSDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2008)
MILLION DOLLAR ORCHESTRA, ASHFORD & SIMPSON AND OTHER NEW/UPCOMING DISCO RELEASES (SATURDAY JANUARY 19, 2008)
DISCO DELIVERY #33: JAMES BROWN - THE ORIGINAL DISCO MAN (1979, POLYDOR) (SATURDAY JANUARY 27, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #20: HOTT CITY - AIN'T LOVE GRAND (1979, BUTTERFLY/MCA) (MONDAY MAY 22, 2006)

LINKS:
DISCOGS: ARETHA FRANKLIN - LA DIVA LP
WIKIPEDIA: ARETHA FRANKLIN - LA DIVA LP
ALL MUSIC GUIDE: ARETHA FRANKLIN - LA DIVA LP
BLENDER: ARETHA FRANKLIN - LA DIVA (REVIEW)
WILSON & ALROY'S RECORD REVIEWS: ARETHA FRANKLIN - LA DIVA
ROBERT CHRISTGAU: ARETHA FRANKLIN ALBUM REVIEWS
RATE YOUR MUSIC: ARETHA FRANKLIN - LA DIVA
EPINIONS.COM: ARETHA AS A DISCO QUEEN..YEAH, I BELIEVE IT TOO (FEBRUARY 19, 2007)
NEVER ENOUGH RHODES: ARETHA FRANKLIN - "REASONS WHY" (1979) (SUNDAY JUNE 8, 2008)
BILLBOARD: FRANKLIN: 'I GUESS I WAS TRAILBLAZING A LITTLE' (INTERVIEW WITH DAVID NATHAN) (OCTOBER 4, 2003) (PDF FILE)

CATEGORIES: DISCO DELIVERIES, VISUAL DISCO

Vince Aletti's Disco Files

2009-02-04T15:08:00.019-07:00

UPDATE (02/10/09): Pre-order information added.

Disco nerds take note.

The primo disco archivists at DJHistory are on the verge of releasing their first book under the djhistory.com banner (the first of many more apparently), a 500 page volume of writer Vince Aletti's "Disco Files" columns for Record World magazine.

The Disco Files were evidently inspired by a limited edition 400 page collection of Vince's Record World columns put together by artist and curator Matthew Higgs which accompanied an exhibition of Aletti's portrait collection entitled "Male" held last March at New York's White Columns and last summer at Vancouver's Presentation House Gallery.

Aletti's Record World columns evidently ran weekly and included Top Ten playlists from disco DJ's across the US (among them notable names like Larry Levan, Lary Sanders, Walter Gibbons, Tee Scott, Nicky Siano to name a few). The book will is set to include all of them plus other disco-related pieces he had written in the 1970's.

While Aletti would go on to become a senior editor at The Village Voice for nearly 20 years, and is currently the photography critic for The New Yorker, Aletti has a certain distinction in disco history for being the first writer to draw attention to the emerging disco phenomenon in the US in an article he wrote for Rolling Stone in September 1973. In the late 70's, Aletti would also go on to become the A&R man for Ray Caviano's RFC Records, the label which launched acts/artists like Change and Gino Soccio in the US.

Judging from the subject matter and the preview they've put up, it looks to be a pretty phenomenal project, not to mention one of the most substantial disco publications to come out in some time. Certainly one that I'm very excited for.

The release of book is set for April and ~~unfortunately isn't open for pre-orders yet~~ is now available for pre-orders (with a nice little bonus included). In the meantime however, take a gander at DJHistory's interview with the man himself on their website and their PDF preview of the book, which looks every bit as detailed and exciting as it sounds.

LINKS:
JAHSONIC - VINCE ALETTI
WIKIPEDIA - VINCE ALETTI
DJHISTORY BLOG - THE DISCO FILES BY VINCE ALETTI (THURSDAY JANUARY 29, 2009)
DJHISTORY INTERVIEW - VINCE ALETTI
THE VILLAGE VOICE - VINCE ALETTI
THE NEW YORKER - VINCE ALETTI
DJHISTORY FORUMS: VINCE ALETTI - DISCO FILE
WHITE COLUMNS : 'MALE' - WORK FROM THE COLLECTION OF VINCE ALETTI
PRESENTATION HOUSE GALLERY: 'MALE' - WORK FROM THE COLLECTION OF VINCE ALETTI (PDF FILE)
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR: DISCO MUSIC - WHAT WERE WE THINKING? (BY KIM CAMPBELL) (FEBRUARY 18, 2005) (WITH QUOTES FROM VINCE ALETTI)
INTERVIEW MAGAZINE - COLLECTING THE MALE: INTERVIEW WITH VINCE ALETTI (BY ALEX GARTENFELD) (DECEMBER 8. 2008)
STYLE.COM Q&A: VINCE ALETTI ON WIERD'S SCIENCE (JANUARY 16, 2009)

CATEGORIES: DISCO NEWS

Helping Myself

2009-02-04T03:37:00.012-07:00

Kendra - Helping Myself (Instrumental/Vocoder Version - pitched down)

Kendra - Helping Myself (Instrumental/Vocoder Version) (1983, JC/Unidisc)
Kendra - Helping Myself (Vocal) (1983, JC/Unidisc)

Gotta love the Unidisc titty sleeve..

A little something today that I'd come across on one of my recent record hunting adventures. Written by a one Jean Fortin and Produced by Jerry Cucuzzella (who I'm assuming is a brother or other relation of one time Montreal DJ and Unidisc founder George Cucuzzella) and released on his label, JC Records; without even looking at the credits, this would still be an immediately identifiable Montreal disco track.

Starting right at the beginning with the sort of melodious, somewhat jaunty, galloping synth patterns and sounds typical of a lot of the electronic disco that came out of Montreal at the time; the production on the single is impeccable. The lyrics and vocals however are another story. The Discogs entry for this single has a review by Murderbot describing the vocal as 'appalling'. Although I personally wouldn't go that far, the vocalist herself (who I'm naively assuming is this Kendra girl) actually sounds fairly decent, especially compared to others I've heard before. That being said however, the vocals don't exactly add much to the track itself. Being fair though, that might be in part because the lyrics don't exactly give much to work with either...

Vocals and lyrics aside though, the instrumental on the flip side more than made up for it's limitations. Less of a straight, clean instrumental track, they (wisely) kept the French/English vocodered backing track in the mix, singlehandedly taking this one out of the scrapheap.. Unlike the female vocals on the A side, the bilingual robotic space alien voice on the vocodered instrumental track made the perfect highlight for the synthesized, space disco elements of the track.

With that little revelation, I wanted to see how far I could take things, so I decided to pitch down the instrumental as far as my old Technics would go (which really isn't that far). Keeping the space, but toning down some of the jauntiness, I actually think this turned out a little bit better at a slightly slower tempo.

Curiously, "Helping Myself" also appears as the B-side of the Suzy Q cover of Suzi Lane's "Harmony." Although credited to Suzy Q, I'm not sure if that version is simply an edit of this one, or of it was an actual re-recording. Given that the producer of this track, Jerry Cucuzzella had produced much, if not all of the Suzy Q records, that along with the interchangable and anonymous nature of some of these studio acts, I wouldn't be surprised if it was the former.

A classic case of a track salvaged by it's instrumental, I'd put this as one of my more notable finds lately. Certainly well-representative of the sort of Montreal electro-disco that I've come to appreciate more and more these days.

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
KEEP IT COMING.. (WEDNESDAY JULY 4, 2007)
A MOMENT OR TWO.. (TUESDAY MAY 8, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #35: MONTREAL FEATURING UCHENNA IKEJIANI (1979, SALSOUL) (WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #14: SUZI LANE - OOH LA LA (1979, ELEKTRA) (SATURDAY APRIL 8, 2006)

LINKS:
KENDRA - HELPING MYSELF 12'' @ DISCOGS
JERRY CUCUZZELLA @ DISCOGS

CATEGORIES: SIDE DELIVERIES, CAN-CON DISCO

Disco Delivery #59: Slick (1979, WMOT/Fantasy)

2009-01-26T11:30:00.017-07:00

Slick - Space Bass
Slick - Feelin' Good
Slick - Sexy Cream (The Massage Song)
Slick - Sexy Cream (feat. Doris James) (12'' Version)
Slick - Put Your Pants On
Slick - The Whole World's Dancin'
❚

Released on Philadelphia's ill-fated WMOT label in the brief period when they were Fantasy's Philly outpost; looking at the credits, Slick, at least on this, their first album, was essentially a studio meeting between members of both Ingram and Fat Larry's Band.

Largely produced by Butch Ingram (AKA Norman 'Butch' Ingram) who had also produced the likes of Philly Cream, Ronnie Dyson, Blue Magic and not to mention Barbara Mason's "Another Man" among other things, this album was something of a family affair with pretty much all of the Ingram brothers in the credits. Aside from Butch as producer and bass player, brothers Jimmy (keys/synths) and Billy (guitars) got the bulk of arrangement credits, along with Timmy Ingram on percussion, John Ingram on drums, as well as sister Barbara and her ubiquitous trio, often known as The Sweethearts of Sigma on background vocals. Along with Fat Larry's Band musicians Anthony Middleton (guitars) and Larry LaBes (bass), 'Fat' Larry James himself along with his wife Doris James also had prominent credits on the album along with one time blue-eyed soul singer Len Barry, best known for his 1965 Motown-esque hit "1-2-3" who was still in the business, albeit mostly behind the scenes by this time.

Personally speaking, I must have been around fifteen the first time I had heard of Slick, back in the days of the original Napster. In the program's search field I would sometimes type in something vague and innocuous like 'disco' or some variant of it, just to see if anything interesting would come up. One of the best tracks I had discovered that way was the second single off of this album, "Sexy Cream." Immediately piquing my curiosity when it came up; with a title like that, I just had to hear it. And I definitely wasn't disappointed when I did. Musically, it had everything I loved - a propulsive beat, deep popping, pounding synthesized bass, augmented by a coloring of strings and hefty horns in particular; it was one of those late disco, high-energy tracks which like nothing else, seamlessly combined traditional instrumentation with tempo and technology.

On top of that of course, were the vocals and lyrics, which made this possibly the naughtiest, borderline x-rated disco track I had heard up until then. Featuring 'Fat' Larry James' wife Doris James on vocals, free of the sort of simulation displayed on tracks like "Love To Love You Baby," the Tee Cees' "Disco Love Bite" or Musique's "Good And Plenty Lover," her breathy, willowy vocals still had an undeniable sexiness to them. If one didn't know better, one might think Andrea True, Marilyn Chambers or some other moonlighting porn actress was behind the vocals, which for a track like this, is the highest compliment I could possibly pay.. With lyrics like "gimme, gimme some of that sexy cream, you know what I mean.." and other lines like "..that sweet sexy stuff, it always blows my mind.. it makes me feel so real.." delivered with a wink and touch of 'give it to me' desperation, the track came across (no pun intended) less like the massage theme they may have originally intended, and more like some kind of debaucherous disco ode to the joys of bukkake instead.

That said, it's perhaps no wonder why "Sexy Cream" was banned in the UK by BBC Radio 1. It was perhaps that which led to it being subtitled 'The Massage Song' on the LP (the subtitle printed only on the label, not on the back cover tracklist curiously enough) in an attempt to perhaps extinguish some of the controversy. While, at least for me, the massage themes in the song became somewhat clearer after getting the LP, it seems more of a not-quite multiplied single entendre than a genuine case of misunderstood intentions. Even if it were, I highly doubt that there are body lotions or massage oils around with the sort of intense mind blowing qualities that Doris James' vocals constantly allude to.. Between the suggestion of the album's cover shot and the sequencing on the album, with "Sexy Cream" followed by "Put Your Pants On" - a brief, sassy lousy lover lament that Vanity 6 could have easily pulled off had they been around, it's context doesn't exactly serve to diminish anyone's first impressions either.

Interestingly, "Sexy Cream" is another one of those cases where the LP version is actually slightly longer than the 12'' version, however, the 12'' mix is much harder-hitting and streamlined. The piano and guitar fill-ins ever present on the LP version, are turned way down on the 12'' making things a little deeper and darker, the sexual intensity of the track coming across much more forcefully, with the synths, drums, strings and horns getting more space in the mix. In a notable west coast connection, both the LP and 12'' versions were mixed by John Hedges and Marty Blecman, both of whom were doing quite a bit of production and mixing for the likes of Sylvester and others on the Fantasy label(s) at the time. Blecman and Hedges would of course would go on to be quite influential with the San Francisco Hi-NRG sound, and the Megatone label in particular.

That aside however, the best known track on the album would have to be the opener, "Space Bass." Written by Doris and Larry James with Len Barry, it's seems obvious that this was the track which helmed the whole Slick project, given that it was not only the first single, but the only track on the album whose credits noticeably differed from the others. While Butch Ingram had produced the rest of the album, the producton on "Space Bass" was credited to a consortium of sorts - Len Barry, Larry James along with WMOT principals Alan Rubens and Steve Bernstein also taking credit.

Musically, it's perhaps one of the most stunning, forward-looking tracks to come out of Philly at this time. A stunning, 7 minute space-age disco odyssey, filled with trumpets and laser beams, backed by a cavalcade of wondrous, swelling strings, and an allmost jazzy bassline that just doesn't quit, I'd imagine it would have been enough to send a number of drug induced disco dancers into a frenzy in it's day. With The Sweethearts on lead vocals (which might make this one of the most futuristic records they ever took part in), Space Bass is, in my opinion, quite possibly one of the best non-library 'space disco' tracks around, having combined an epic, cinematic quality with just the right amount of rhythm, tempo and bass to make it translate on a dancefloor. Surprisingly, despite not charting in the US (at least according to the Billboard Disco Charts book), "Space Bass" was not only a club hit in the UK, but had even become a top 40 pop hit, peaking at #16 in July '79.

As far as the rest of the album goes, nothing else on it quite tops or approaches the excellence of "Space Bass" or "Sexy Cream." The only one which comes close would probably be "Feelin' Good." Opening with an epic intro which gives one the impression that "Space Bass, Pt. 2" was on the horizon, it doesn't quite follow through with the intro quickly giving way to what is, barring Barbara Ingram's great vocal and the break two thirds of the way in, a fairly insubstantial, albeit pleasant disco track.

A saccharine shock after the heavy romp that was Sexy Cream/Put Your Pants On, what doesn't come close in any way whatsoever is the album's closer "The Whole World's Dancin'." A piece of mandolin-laced 'disco is taking over the world' filler fromage, it's the one track on here that's perhaps best forgotten.

There was one more Slick LP which followed this one, entitled "Go For It" (1980, WMOT/Fantasy), where they evidently tried to re-engineer the project as a more conventional female R&B group (which included the late Brandi Wells as a member). Although yielding something of a mellow soul classic in a track called "Sunrise," nothing on there quite had the same impact as the singles off this LP. Filler tracks on this album notwithstanding, the two singles which helmed this record, with their flawless combination of musicianship, rhythmic intensity and technology, rank, at least in my mind, as some of the best examples of the heavier, energetic disco of this time..

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
DISCO DELIVERY #12: DAMON HARRIS - SILK (1978, WMOT/FANTASY) (FRIDAY MARCH 24, 2008)

LINKS:
SLICK LP @ DISCOGS
SLICK LP @ DISCOMUSIC.COM
SLICK - SPACE BASS 12'' @ DISCOGS
SLICK FEAT. DORIS JAMES - SEXY CREAM 12'' @ DISCOGS
UK CHART ARCHIVE - JULY 14, 1979 (PDF FILE)
BUTCH INGRAM @ DISCOGS
FAT LARRY'S BAND @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
LEN BARRY @ WIKIPEDIA
JOHN HEDGES INTERVIEW @ DJS PORTAL
JOHN HEDGES @ DISCOMUSIC.COM
JOHN HEDGES @ DISCOGS
MARTY BLECMAN @ DISCOGS

CATEGORIES: DISCO DELIVERIES

Disco Delivery #58: Nile Rodgers - Adventures In The Land Of The Good Groove (1983, Mirage/Atlantic)

2009-01-19T12:23:00.013-07:00

Nile Rodgers - Yum-Yum
Nile Rodgers - Beet
Nile Rodgers - Rock Bottom
Nile Rodgers - My Love Song For You (with Sarah Dash)
Nile Rodgers - Yum-Yum (12'' Version)

Just a note to begin: Halfway through this, I realized that: 1. This album will (finally!) be reissued on CD on the 21st of this month, so I'm only putting up a few of the songs and 2. I had accidentally saved my mp3s in 128 kbps, and didn't back them up (due to #1, since I'd ordinarily burn them to CD), so my apologies to those who care about bit rates and all. Anyway due to all that, this'll be a somewhat limited disco delivery installment, as far as songs go..

Released between Chic albums in 1983, on former Atlantic Records President Jerry Greenberg's Mirage label, a company which released many a post-disco dance classic in the early 80's; out of all the solo albums that Nile & Bernard did, I'd have to say this one is my absolute favourite. Perhaps because out of all of them, this one's the closest to the Chic sound of the time; after all, aside from Nile of course and notable outside guests like Sarah Dash and Rachel Sweet, Chic colleagues Bernard Edwards and Tony Thompson both appear on the album along with other Chic regulars like Rob Sabino, Raymond Jones and Fonzi Thornton.

That being said however, "..Land Of The Good Groove" is definitely more than just a Chic album under a different name. Aside from the fact that Nile himself took sole writing credit on all of the songs and takes on the bulk of the musical credits, there's a looseness to the groove on here, a playful eclecticism and sense of humour that not only echoes elements of the Chic sound, but drops hints at New Wave, Rock and straight-ahead pop in a way that none of the Chic albums of the time really did.

For one thing, It's probably highly unlikely that Nile himself, or any of them would have been able to get away with such odes to pussy as "Yum-Yum" and "Get Her Crazy" on a Chic album, particularly the former which contains what has to be some of Nile's most infamous lyrics: "poontang, poontang, where you want it..slept all night with my hands on it.. gimme some of that yum-yum before I sleep tonight..." I suppose it was lines like those which led The Trouser Press to remark that "Nile proves he can make a fair-to-middling one-man Chic (no mean feat), but a visionary he's not - unless you define vision as smug sexism" going on to describe "Yum-Yum" as "the album's most offensive meditation on the desirability of 'poontang'."

While on paper, it may seem to veer into the edge of Rick James territory, both tracks have an almost juvenile, cutesy, playful quality to them that makes up the difference. I suppose recording the intro in a schoolyard and getting Rachel Sweet to chime in (check the end of "Get Her Crazy") probably didn't hurt, since no matter how many times he says 'poontang,' "Yum-Yum," in all it's jingliness still ends up sounding less "Super Freak" and more nursery rhyme than anything else.

While I'm not sure if Bernard's even in the song (he was probably replaced by a synth), between a lyric like that and Nile's inimitable choppy guitar stylings as the centrepiece, the groove actually ends up sitting alongside even some of Chic's better efforts at the time.. The 12'' version is unfortunately not centered so much around Nile's guitar, being only slightly longer and a bit more synth-heavy than the album version, but still entirely worth it just for the solo after the four minute mark.

Continuing with the playful theme, "Beet," appropriately anchored by Tony Thompson's rhythmic precision, is another favourite of mine on here. Described in Rolling Stone's album review as "a sparse dance-and-roll" number, it can probably be divided in two parts; the first being a perky call-and-response ditty extolling the virtues of 'the beat' with some rather amusing lyrics "..the beat can make policemen dance (no ticket! no ticket! no..) and boy they're wicked when they dance (no ticket! no ticket! no..).." with the second half, barring the occasional filler vocal, being an instrumental which Nile and Tony largely get to themselves.

On Side Two, the second track, "Rock Bottom," would probably be my candidate for the best song on the album, or at least the one which the best guitar work. Opening with and never letting go of one of the more devastating, infectious guitar licks Nile must have had at the time (imagine the possiblities, had it been saved for a Chic record), it's probably the catchiest song to ever have a refrain with the lyrics "I've hit rock bottom." Best of all, of all the songs on the album, Bernard's buoyant basslines get an ample spotlight on this track, rising to the top of the mix by the second half of the song, right alongside Nile's rock guitar tangents.

Much less treacly than the title makes it seem, the lone ballad on the album "My Love Song For You" is another highlight on the album. Sarah Dash duets with Nile on this one, and her angelic voice (along with the airy production on the background harmonies) pretty much makes this song, in what must be one of her finest post-Labelle moments. While Chic's approach in the studio, their stressing of spontenaity may have left some of their ballads sounding like lagging afterthoughts at times, they definitely did get better with time, in my opinion. This one, capturing a sweetness and sincerity that ranks up there with the finest of Chic's balladry (see "You Can't Do It Alone"), makes this song in particular, feel like the best ballad Chic never recorded.

Music aside, the pig-latinized map of Manhattan on the album cover by illustrator Robert Van Nutt (whose evidently become a fairly prolific illustrator of children's books) is one of my favourite things about the album. One of those things best admired in it's full 12'' glory; some of the placements on the map, namely New Jersey (Nova Joysea) and Brooklyn (Terra Incognita) are good for a little chuckle..

Although overshadowed by Chic and David Bowie's "Let's Dance" which Nile had produced, evidently Bowie himself thought quite highly of the album. In his book, "Everybody Dance: Chic & The Politics of Disco", Daryl Easlea relates a quote from Nile on how this album basically led to Nile's Bowie collaboration.

...what cinched the deal for Bowie was Rodgers' own recorded work, especially his first newly-finished solo album; "I think that must have come from him meeting me that first night. Him feeling my spirit and energy - and then I played my solo record for him, which is what sealed the deal. I played him 'Adventures In The Land Of The Good Groove.' I'll never forget it, he was in my apartment and he said to me after it had finished playing 'if you do for me a record half as good as that, I will be very happy."

In reading the comments from Rob Sabino and Tony Thompson in Daryl Easlea's book, the clash between Nile's thirst for the cutting edge (ie. the use drum machines) and Bernard Edwards' more traditionalist approach was apparently one of the main irritants within Chic at the time. It's probably why on this album, free of some of the tensions within the fold, that the marriage between the well-honed Chic rhythm section and the additional synthesized elements sounds and feels much more comfortable on here (the title track on here being a prime example) than it did on even Chic's "Believer" (1983, Atlantic) LP, which followed in the same year. Out of all the records he was involved with at the time, this album is perhaps the one record which manages to occupy the perfect middle-ground between Nile Rodgers of Chic and Nile Rodgers the 1980's super-producer, capturing the best of both - the essential simplicity of the Chic sound, at the same time highlighting his own individual style in a way that was eclectic without being excessive.

Although even the high points of Chic's 1980's output continue to be relatively underrated, this album is perhaps one of the most. Evidently not one of the more well-known (or at least well-acknowledged) Chic-associated efforts, in fact it's the only one out of the Chic solo albums that hasn't (at least until now) seen a CD release, "Adventures.." still remains one of the hidden jewels in Chic's associated output.

A note about the reissue: The small reissue label Funky Town Grooves is set to reissue this album on CD January 21st, with the 12'' versions of "The Land Of The Good Groove" (which I didn't even know existed) and "Yum-Yum" to be added as bonus tracks. Aside from some of the other Mirage Records releases that Funky Town Grooves has reissued on CD lately, in other Chic-related news, Funky Town Grooves is also set to release (also on January 21st) a Mirage Records compilation, entitled the "Mirage Records Soul & Funk Collection, Vol. 1" which is set to include the highly sought-after 12" version of Carly Simon's Chic-produced single "Why." According to a posting on the discomusic.com forums by one of their representatives, noted remixer John Morales will be mastering both the Nile Rodgers reissue and the Mirage compilation.

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
FIREST WE SHAKE, THEN WE BREAK.. (SATURDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2008)
CHIC & JOHNNY MATHIS COLLABORATIONS TO FINALLY BE RELEASED? (TUESDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2008)
UPCOMING SISTER SLEDGE REISSUES (FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2007)
BBC RADIO 2 - THE RECORD PRODUCERS: NILE RODGERS (SATURDAY JANUARY 6, 2007)
UPCOMING REISSUES & RELEASES (CHIC AND MORE!): (DECEMBER 1, 2006 - JANUARY 22, 2007) (SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2006)
UPCOMING REISSUES & RELEASES (APRIL 25 - MAY 30) (FRIDAY APRIL 21, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #2: NORMA JEAN WRIGHT - NORMA JEAN (1978, BEARSVILLE) (SATURDAY JANUARY 14, 2006)

PURCHASE:
NILE RODGERS - ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF THE GOOD GROOVE (CD)
FUNKY TOWN GROOVES

LINKS:
THE GUARDIAN - MUSIC: THE GREATEST ALBUMS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD (FRIDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2006)
NILE RODGERS - ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF THE GOOD GROOVE LP (REVIEW) @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
NILE RODGERS - ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF THE GOOD GROOVE LP (REVIEW) @ ROBERT CHRISTGAU
NILE RODGERS - ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF THE GOOD GROOVE LP @ DISCOMUSIC.COM
NILE RODGERS - ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF THE GOOD GROOVE LP @ DISCOGS
NILE RODGERS - ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF THE GOOD GROOVE LP @ CHIC TRIBUTE
TROUSER PRESS - NILE RODGERS
STRANGE MAPS: 344 - ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF THE GOOD GROOVE (DECEMBER 11, 2008)

CATEGORIES: DISCO DELIVERIES, REISSUES & RELEASES, DISCO NEWS