tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-207485482024-03-14T02:38:38.693-04:00Disco DeliveryTommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.comBlogger243125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-10340472065619545122024-01-22T10:56:00.000-05:002024-01-22T10:56:15.696-05:00Disco Delivery Mix #14: Sign of the Times <center><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix14-queenspadina.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="700" src="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix14-queenspadina.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo: Spadina Avenue & Queen Street W., Toronto (December 2023)</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></center>
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Recorded this at the end of 2023, basically a mix of records that were sitting out by the turntables - mostly things that I had pulled out for recent gigs and a couple of new buys at the time. This is by-and-large classic disco, with a few disco/boogie and Hi-NRG/House straddlers. Enjoyed listening to this as I was travelling during the holidays and hopefully some of you out there will too.<br />
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Tracklist and track notes below. <br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1721289327%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-j8Lhl8BaJWb&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Sans, Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"></div>
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<a href="http://discovice.net/media/mixes/ddmix14.mp3" target="_blank"><b>Disco Delivery #14: Sign of the Times (Download)</b></a><br />
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<b>Tracklist</b>:<br />
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Ted Taylor - Ghetto Disco<br />
The Bobbettes 1981 - This Ain't Really Love<br />
Barbara Roy - If You Want Me<br />
Sparkle Tuhran & Friends - Handsome Man (Bobby 'DJ' Guttadaro 12" Version)<br />
Pure Gold - Hold On To Your Love<br />
Barbara York - Tonight (Radio Version)<br />
Cheetah - Ain't Gonna Waste No Time No More<br />
John Davis & The Monster Orchestra - Up Jumped The Devil (12" Version)<br />
Kikrokos - Life Is A Jungle<br />
Ronnie Jones - Sign Of The Times<br />
Home Wreckers - Jackin (Bass Mix)<br />
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<center>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix14-records.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="704" height="580" src="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix14-records.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">All the records used in this mix</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></center>
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<b>Track Notes</b>:<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/484799-Ted-Taylor-Ghetto-Disco" target="_blank"><b>Ted Taylor - Ghetto Disco</b></a>: A <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/6310-TK-Disco" target="_blank"><b>T.K. Disco</b></a> favourite of mine, produced by noted New Orleans producer/arranger <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/319151-Wardell-Quezergue" target="_blank"><b>Wardell Quezergue</b></a>. Not included on any of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/37414-Ted-Taylor" target="_blank"><b>Ted Taylor</b></a>'s albums, this is just a lovely, unpretentious disco groove where even the simplest lyrics speak to the refuge of the disco in hard times and hard places.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/6894174-The-Bobbettes-1981-Love-Rhythm" target="_blank"><b>The Bobbettes 1981 - This Ain't Really Love</b></a>: A later single by the girl group which first came to prominence in 1957 with their US Top-10 hit "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Lee_(song)" target="_blank"><b>Mr. Lee</b></a>." Still at it in 1981, this was actually the B-side of the single, "<b>Love Rhythm</b>." This particular song, "<b>This Ain't Really Love</b>" was recorded and released by the group earlier in 1980 under the name <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/277937-Sophisticated-Ladies-Ill-Keep-Coming-Back-This-Aint-Really-Love" target="_blank"><b>Sophisticated Ladies</b></a>. That version was recently reissued by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/1395883-Sophisticated-Ladies-This-Aint-Really-Love" target="_blank"><b>Kalita Records</b></a> in 2018. The Sophisticated Ladies version is much longer running 5+ minutes, for The Bobbettes 1981 single here, they used a 2.45 edit. A great track at either length though.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/418401-Barbara-Roy-Ecstasy-Passion-Pain-If-You-Want-Me" target="_blank"><b>Barbara Roy - If You Want Me</b></a>: One of my favourite of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/27045-Barbara-Roy" target="_blank"><b>Barbara Roy</b></a>'s singles, this is probably her best release of the 1980s to my ears. Though credited to Roy and her old group, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/105921-Ecstasy-Passion-Pain" target="_blank"><b>Ecstasy, Passion & Pain</b></a>, its unclear if this is a reunion with old colleagues or just a branding exercise. Either way, one of those singles that bridges the gap between disco and boogie and a perfectly refreshed, updated showcase for the gutsy voice which graced early disco classics like "<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/225744-Ecstasy-Passion-Pain-Featuring-Barbara-Roy-Touch-And-Go" target="_blank"><b>Touch & Go</b></a>" and "<b>Ask Me</b>." A significant name in the credits, despite the semi-anonymous credit (as <b>J.O.B.</b>) is <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/203454-Jorge-Barreiro" target="_blank"><b>Jorge Omar Barreiro</b></a>, who was involved on both this and other releases from the time on <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/267786-Brasilia-Records-Tapes-Corp" target="_blank"><b>Brass Records/Roy B.</b></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/596792-Sparkle-Tuhran-Friends-Handsome-Man" target="_blank"><b>Sparkle Tuhran & Friends - Handsome Man (Bobby 'DJ' Guttadaro 12" Version)</b></a>: With a classic disco bassline that grabs the your ear from the jump along with a vocal that's both spirited and loose, this has been a favourite ever since I'd heard it on a <b>Salsoul</b> CD compilation of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/204716-Larry-Levan-Larry-Levans-Paradise-Garage" target="_blank"><b>Larry Levan's mixes</b></a> for the label. Evidently its only release in the US was through the 1983 compilation <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/198842-Larry-Levan-Larry-Levans-Greatest-Mixes-Volume-Two" target="_blank"><b><i>Larry Levan's Greatest Mixes, Vol. 2</i></b></a> (there was never a Vol. 1) on Salsoul. Before Levan mixed it, it was released in Canada on 12" mixed by another hot DJ of the New York scene, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/277484-Bobby-DJ-Guttadaro" target="_blank"><b>Bobby "DJ" Guttadaro</b></a>. A French production and band led by the duo of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/412566-Bernard-Torelli" target="_blank"><b>Bernard Torelli</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/637745-Jean-Pierre-Massiera" target="_blank"><b>Jean-Pierre Masseira</b></a> better known for things cosmic rather than funky, along with Americans <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/297342-John-Brown-III" target="_blank"><b>John Brown III</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/570766-Mike-Felder-2" target="_blank"><b>Mike Felder</b></a>, this is one which checks all the boxes for me.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/2947355-Pure-Gold-Pure-Gold" target="_blank"><b>Pure Gold - Hold On To Your Love</b></a>: The sole album from the band <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/757556-Pure-Gold" target="_blank"><b>Pure Gold</b></a> is exactly that. One of the many quality boogie/funk releases from the <b>Capitol</b> label in the early 80s, this is one of the highlights of their album. Unfortunately, this band seems to have come and gone so quickly, there isn't even much in the way of prior or subsequent credits for the individual group members on Discogs. That being said, this is certainly one of several early 80s Capitol funk albums that's ripe for the reissue treatment!<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/27600630-Barbara-York-Tonight" target="_blank"><b>Barbara York - Tonight (Radio Version)</b></a>: I had wrote <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2007/02/tonight.html" target="_blank"><b>a post about about this single on the blog back in 2007</b></a>, one of the few times I had posted an outside submission. When I saw that this record was being reissued by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/814792-Best-Record-Italy" target="_blank"><b>Best Record</b></a> in Italy, I jumped at the chance to get a copy. An early pseudonymous release by Italian singer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spagna" target="_blank"><b>Ivana Spagna</b></a>, the lyrics are intriguing, even if they're somewhat lost in translation. That said, it doesn't detract too much from the sleek Italo-funk production from 1983, which I consider to be a very good year in terms of post-disco dance music, generally. <br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/563096-Captain-Sky-Pop-Goes-The-Captain" target="_blank"><b>Captain Sky - Moonchild</b></a>: Probably my favourite <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/93315-Captain-Sky" target="_blank"><b>Captain Sky</b></a> release, this song reaches the apex of disco/funk finesse to me. Cream of the Chicago acts released on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVI_Records" target="_blank"><b>AVI</b></a> label, this was produced and arranged by <b>Daryl Cameron</b> (Captain Sky, himself) and by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/94346-Donald-Burnside" target="_blank"><b>Donald Burnside</b></a>, whose name always piques my interest when digging. Well in line with other lush disco diamonds from the time and place, like <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2007/12/free-your-mind-and-your-heart-will.html" target="_blank"><b>Air Power</b></a> (also produced by Donald Burnside, no less).<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/2617991-Cheetah-Cheetah" target="_blank"><b>Cheetah - Ain't Gonna Waste No Time No More</b></a>: More <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVI_Records/" target="_blank"><b>AVI</b></a> Disco goodness, this time from <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/126919-Rinder-Lewis" target="_blank"><b>Rinder & Lewis</b></a>, the flagship of their disco operations. One of the anedcotes I recall from my <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2014/10/deadly-disco-rinder-lewis-gluttony.html" target="_blank"><b>interview</b></a> with AVI's <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/2074039-Ray-Harris-7" target="_blank"><b>Ray Harris</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/305155-W-Michael-Lewis" target="_blank"><b>W. Michael Lewis</b></a> was that, when it came to Rinder & Lewis' output, there was very little that they left on the cutting room floor, so to speak. That certainly explains some of the rarer releases which made their way out on AVI sometimes as promo-only releases, like this particular album. Unlike most of those, <b><i>Cheetah</i></b> is less a collection of outtakes as much as a collection of retakes (likely a clue as to its title). Comprised of new vocals and lyrics on top of old musical backings, this is perhaps part of the reason this record gets decidedly mixed reviews. This particular song however, a re-take of <b>El Coco</b>'s "<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/292086-El-Coco-Coco-Kane-Its-Your-Last-Chance" target="_blank"><b>Coco Kane</b></a>" with a sassy new vocal and lyric, hits the spot for me though! So much so that I think I may even like this version just a little bit more.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/159270-John-Davis-The-Monster-Orchestra-Up-Jumped-The-Devil" target="_blank"><b>John Davis & The Monster Orchestra - Up Jumped The Devil (12" Version)</b></a>: A favourite of mine from the late producer/arranger <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/384596" target="_blank"><b>John Davis</b></a>, this track packs so much energy it still goes down well. A favourite at work during the weekly <a href="https://www.instagram.com/waxcandydisco" target="_blank"><b>Wax Candy Disco</b></a> nights at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thepistonbar/" target="_blank"><b>The Piston</b></a> here in Toronto, the dance floor always heats up whenever resident DJ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cyclistmusic" target="_blank"><b>Cyclist</b></a> drops this one! Always worth putting in the bag whenever playing disco for the people.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/4815921-Kikrokos-Jungle-DJ-Dirty-Kate" target="_blank"><b>Kikrokos - Life Is A Jungle</b></a>: My favourite track from <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/128646-Kikrokos" target="_blank"><b>Kikrokos</b></a>' <b><i>Jungle D.J. & Dirty Kate</i></b> album, I especially love the synth parts on this particular track. It certainly works in line with the sort of expansive French disco coming from the likes of <b>Cerrone</b> and <b>Costandinos</b> at the time. No wonder, since two of the members of Kikrokos, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/1228867-Andr%C3%A9-Allet" target="_blank"><b>André Allet</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/494333-Patrick-Sesti" target="_blank"><b>Patrick Sesti</b></a> were associates of Cerrone.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/2157079-Ronnie-Jones-What-Becomes-Of-The-Brokenhearted" target="_blank"><b>Ronnie Jones - Sign Of The Times</b></a>: I had picked this one up on a 12" late last year. The A-side of this song is an electro cover of the <b>Jimmy Ruffin</b> classic, "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Becomes_of_the_Brokenhearted" target="_blank"><b>What Becomes of the Brokenhearted</b></a>," which had also been mixed by <b>John Robie</b>. Despite all that, it was this song on the B-side which captured my attention. Like most of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/142065-Ronnie-Jones" target="_blank"><b>Ronnie Jones</b></a>' output, this was produced by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/261732-J%C3%BCrgen-S-Korduletsch" target="_blank"><b>Jürgen S. Korduletsch</b></a> (along with <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/134164-Don-Oriolo" target="_blank"><b>Don Oriolo</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/296931-Kristian-Schultze" target="_blank"><b>Kristian Schultze</b></a>) and released on one of their labels, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/3698-Personal-Records" target="_blank"><b>Personal Records</b></a>. I find that this particular track has something of a <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/35611-Bobby-Orlando" target="_blank"><b>Bobby "O"</b></a> feel to it, from the production on down to the harsh, urbane masculinity depicted in its lyrics. After previewing it in the shop, this had already become an earworm for me. Always a good sign! <br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/538516-Home-Wreckers-Jackin" target="_blank"><b>Home Wreckers - Jackin (Bass Mix)</b></a>: A house project by Toronto producer/composer <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/114117-Allan-Coelho" target="_blank"><b>Allan Coelho</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/114124-Hernani-Raposo" target="_blank"><b>Hernani Raposo</b></a>. Coelho's name may be familiar as the the main member behind <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/88486-Tapps" target="_blank"><b>Tapps</b></a>, who had several club hits in the early-mid 80s. Bearing some of the familiar sonic signatures of those Tapps hits, but with less vocal and more bass, I find this one straddles the line between Hi-NRG and House quite deftly. <br />
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<b>PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:</b><br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2014/10/deadly-disco-rinder-lewis-gluttony.html" target="_blank">deadly disco: rinder & lewis - gluttony</a> (friday, october 31, 2014)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2007/02/tonight.html" target="_blank">tonight...</a> (wednesday february 14, 2007)<br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_2.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY MIXES</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-15395363648270797842023-09-01T13:16:00.039-04:002023-09-11T17:07:35.580-04:00Disco Delivery Mix #13: Sounds of '78 (Guest Mix for Sunshine After Dark )<center><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix13-sunshineafterdark180.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" src="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix13-sunshineafterdark180.png" width="500" /></a></div></center><br />
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A little over a year ago, my friend <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jhuck8/" target="_blank"><b>John Huck</b></a> invited me to do a <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2022/08/disco-delivery-mix-9-guest-mix-for.html" target="_blank"><b>mix</b></a> for his disco radio show, <a href="https://www.sunshineafterdarkdisco.com/" target="_blank"><b>Sunshine After Dark</b></a>, and just recently invited me to do <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwllA6mPrfg/" target="_blank"><b>another</b></a>. We finally got to meet in person over the summer here in Toronto and had a lovely afternoon bonding over disco and record digging, so am more than happy to make a new one! <br />
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Over the last while, using <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2009/02/vince-alettis-disco-files.html" target="_blank"><b>Vince Aletti's Disco Files</b></a> as a guide, John has been doing these Disco Time Capsule episodes, taking listeners on a chronological journey through the records of 1974-1978. It's been quite a lovely trip listening to him curate these shows chronologically, getting to hear how certain sonic signifiers in disco developed over time. I fully encourage other disco-heads out there to take a listen, all Sunshine After Dark shows are archived on his <a href="https://www.mixcloud.com/wijit/" target="_blank"><b>Mixcloud page</b></a>.<br />
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John just finished a series of shows chronicling the disco from the Summer of 1978, and while I didn't organize this mix in a strictly chronological order, in keeping with the theme, the selections in this mix are all releases from 1978.<br />
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<b>Sunshine After Dark</b> broadcasts online and on the radio out of <a href="https://www.cjsr.com/" target="_blank"><b>CJSR 88.5 FM</b></a> in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada every Thursday at 7 PM Mountain Time (0100 UTC), re-broadcasting Tuesdays on <a href="https://ckxu.com/" target="_blank"><b>CKXU</b></a> in Lethbridge, AB and Wednesdays on <a href="https://www.chmafm.com/" target="_blank"><b>CHMA</b></a> in Sackville, NB.<br />
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As mentioned earlier, all episodes are also archived on <a href="https://www.mixcloud.com/wijit/" target="_blank"><b>Mixcloud</b></a>, and you can listen to my mix on Episode 180, below.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<center><iframe frameborder="0" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&feed=%2Fwijit%2Fsunshine-after-dark-180-disco-delivery-1978%2F" width="100%"></iframe></center><br />
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<a href="http://discovice.net/media/mixes/ddmix13-sunshineafterdark180-guestmix.mp3" target="_blank"><b>Disco Delivery #13: Guest Mix for Sunshine After Dark (#180) (Download)</b></a><br />
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<b>Tracklist</b>:<br />
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Le Pamplemousse - Do You Have Any? (Ya Know Where I Can Get Some)<br />
Wilfried (Scheutz) - Johnny's Diskothek (12" Version)<br />
Michele White - Sweet Innocent<br />
Claudja Barry - Boogie Tonight (12" Version)<br />
Three Ounces of Love - Star Love<br />
Roy Ayers Presents Ubiquity - Starbooty<br />
Stanley Turrentine - Disco Dancing<br />
(Siduku) Buari - I'm Ready<br />
Soraya - My Life<br />
Midnight Rhythm - Workin' & Slavin' (I Need Love)<br />
THP - Tender Is The Night<br />
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<center><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix13-records.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="800" src="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix13-records.jpg" width="540" /></a></td></tr><tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">All the records used in this mix</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></center><br />
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<b>Track Notes</b>:<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/4881337-Le-Pamplemousse-Sweet-Magic" target="_blank"><b>Le Pamplemousse - Do You Have Any? (Ya Know Where I Can Get Some)</b></a>: My favourite track off my favourite of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/126919-Rinder-Lewis" target="_blank"><b>Rinder & Lewis'</b></a> <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/100039-Le-Pamplemousse" target="_blank"><b>Le Pamplemousse</b></a> albums. A slinky, funky groove and one which hints at certain powdered disco pleasures. Written by a one <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/458120-Gil-Karson" target="_blank"><b>Gil Carson</b></a> who is also credited on a number of other Le Pamplemousse songs, including their signature hit, "<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/88099-Le-Pamplemousse-Le-Spank" target="_blank"><b>Le Spank</b></a>."<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/2447461-Wilfried-Nights-In-The-City-Johnnys-Discothek" target="_blank"><b>Wilfried - Johnny's Diskothek (12" Version)</b></a>: Came across this at a local shop recently, and there was something intriguing and catchy about this euro-disco schlager track that tickled my disco & pop sensibilities. By the late Austrian pop singer, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/1195613-Wilfried-Scheutz" target="_blank"><b>Wilfried Scheutz</b></a>, this was from a disco-flavoured album he recorded called <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/305015-Wilfried-Nights-In-The-City" target="_blank"><b><i>Nights In The City</b></i></a>, that I'm certainly looking out for after hearing this. Produced by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/142381-Robert-Ponger" target="_blank"><b>Robert Ponger</b></a>, who had also released a (<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/18321700-Robert-Ponger-Robert-Ponger" target="_blank"><b>recently reissued</b></a>) <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/2081041-Robert-Ponger-Robert-Ponger" target="_blank"><b>album</b></a> of his own with an instrumental version of this song.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/430103-Michele-White-Sweet-Innocent" target="_blank"><b>Michele White - Sweet Innocent</b></a>: A recent dollar bin find, released on the <b>TK</b> subsidiary, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/562730-Sunshine-Sound-5" target="_blank"><b>Sunshine Sound</b></a>, and one which involves a lot of familiar names from the Miami recording scene of the time - <b>Bobby Caldwell</b>, <b>The Sunshine Band</b>'s <b>Rick Finch</b>, <b>KC</b> and their <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/202638-Fire-5" target="_blank"><b>backing singers</b></a> just to name a few. The title track and standout of Michele White's album, which was alone worth the price of admission. <br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1916807-Claudja-Barry-Boogie-Tonight-Sunshine-Love" target="_blank"><b>Claudja Barry - Boogie Tonight (12" Version)</b></a>: A lovely sleeper track from her <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/123305-Claudja-Barry-I-Wanna-Be-Loved-By-You" target="_blank"><b><i>I Wanna Be Loved By You</b></i></a> album, which contained her big hit "<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/159958-Claudja-Barry-Boogie-Woogie-Dancin-Shoes" target="_blank"><b>(Boogie Woogie) Dancing Shoes</b></a>." The Canadian-only 12" single of this song, which I used here has some lovely extended bits that enhance the song quite nicely. <br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1752089-Three-Ounces-Of-Love-Three-Ounces-Of-Love" target="_blank"><b>Three Ounces of Love - Star Love</b></a>: A favourite of mine from the Detroit sister group, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/1287834-Three-Ounces-Of-Love" target="_blank"><b>Three Ounces of Love</b></a> and their <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/166472-Three-Ounces-Of-Love-Three-Ounces-Of-Love" target="_blank"><b>sole Motown album</b></a>. It seems that after the demise of The Supremes the year prior, Motown was likely betting on two upstart female groups to fill in the gap, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/203260-High-Inergy" target="_blank"><b>High Inergy</b></a> and <b>Three Ounces of Love</b>. High Inergy were ultimately the ones dubiously crowned "<i>the new Supremes</i>," however the Three Ounces of Love album is, to my ears, closest to the sound that the latter-day Supremes had. Their album employed many of the same writers and producers that were also on those very last Supremes records, like this particular song, co-written and produced by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/162648-Greg-Wright" target="_blank"><b>Greg Wright</b></a> who was also behind The Supremes' disco hit, "<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/235051-The-Supremes-Hes-My-Man" target="_blank"><b>He's My Man</b></a>." <br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/402565-Roy-Ayers-Presents-Ubiquity-Starbooty" target="_blank"><b>Roy Ayers Presents Ubiquity - Starbooty</b></a>: Continuing on the 'star' theme, one of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Ayers" target="_blank"><b>Roy Ayers</b></a>' greatest disco moments, in my opinion. Blown away by how ridiculously prolific he was around this time, this one has an ideal combination of disco and jazz-funk sensibilities, chugging and propulsive while capturing a freewheeling looseness that sets his work apart.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1409698-Stanley-Turrentine-What-About-You" target="_blank"><b>Stanley Turrentine - Disco Dancing</b></a>: A little disco surprise (at least when I stumbled across it) from jazz saxophonist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Turrentine" target="_blank"><b>Stanley Turrentine</b></a> and his <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/155618-Stanley-Turrentine-What-About-You" target="_blank"><b><i>What About You!</b></i></a> album on the <b>Fantasy</b> label. I understand why disco-flavoured releases by jazz musicians weren't looked at especially highly, often seen as unfortunate compromises to prevailing trends. That's not to say that many of them didn't have a worthwhile moment or two, which is perhaps easier to say if you're not coming from a jazz perspective. This track stood out to me on the record, an original (among the covers on the album) written by Philly disco mainstays, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/152016-Phil-Hurtt" target="_blank"><b>Phil Hurtt</b></a> and the late <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/299383-Richie-Rome" target="_blank"><b>Richie Rome</b></a>. Rome also arranged the entire album featuring the vocals of the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/363546-The-Sweethearts" target="_blank"><b>Sweethearts of Sigma</b></a> who are all over the record. At the same time, this track almost exactly anticipates the sound Rome would employ on the album he would produce for the model/singer <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/101878-Flower-Heat" target="_blank"><b>Flower</b></a> the following year. <br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/6008510-Buari-Koko-Si-Im-Ready" target="_blank"><b>Buari - I'm Ready</b></a>: I had heard this lovely disco outing from Ghanian musician <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/157218-Buari" target="_blank"><b>Siduku Buari</b></a>, on an unofficial reissue 12" several years ago. Containing more than little hint of "<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/212966-Salsoul-Orchestra-Youre-Just-The-Right-Size" target="_blank"><b>You're Just The Right Size</b></a>" by <b>The Salsoul Orchestra</b>, this song was on his <a href="https://bbemusic.com/product/disco-soccer" target="_blank"><b>recently reissued</b></a> (thank you <b>BBE</b>!) cult album <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/14249691-Sidiku-Buari-Disco-Soccer" target="_blank"><b><i>Disco Soccer</i></b></a>.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1209419-Soraya-Soraya" target="_blank"><b>Soraya - My Life</b></a>: Taken from a one-off album from mysterious singer <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/1026042-Soraya-Kaci" target="_blank"><b>Soraya Kaci</b></a>, which was arranged and co-written by French cosmic disco icons <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/412566-Bernard-Torelli" target="_blank"><b>Bernard Torelli</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/637745-Jean-Pierre-Massiera" target="_blank"><b>Jean-Pierre Massiera</b></a>, the same team behind records by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/71123-Venus-Gang-Galactic-Soul" target="_blank"><b>Venus Gang</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/205686-Hermans-Rocket-Space-Woman" target="_blank"><b>Herman's Rocket</b></a>. I had first heard this one night at work recently, when <a href="<b>Cyclist</b>" target="_blank"><b>Cyclist</b></a>, the resident DJ of the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/waxcandydisco/" target="_blank"><b>Wax Candy Disco</b></a> nights here in Toronto played this track off the album. Immediately after, I had to know what it was. When I logged onto Discogs to buy a copy, it noted that I had added the album to my wantlist some 14 years ago (likely due to the Massiera connection) and, it seems, promptly forgot about! Containing more than a few key hints of <b>Earth, Wind & Fire</b>'s "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getaway_(Earth,_Wind_%26_Fire_song)" target="_blank"><b>Getaway</b></a>," this track is perhaps one of the most instant and gratifying on this wonderfully strange and intriguing album.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/244915-Midnight-Rhythm-Midnight-Rhythm" target="_blank"><b>Midnight Rhythm - Workin' & Slavin' (I Need Love)</b></a>: I had opined at length on this album <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2007/03/disco-delivery-37-midnight-rhythm-1978.html" target="_blank"><b>on this blog back in 2007</b></a>. Produced by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/2812047-Robby-Adcock-2" target="_blank"><b>Robby Adcock</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/684707-Joe-Long-2" target="_blank"><b>Joe Long</b></a>, I have long wanted to play this in a mix and here, I finally get the chance. The propulsive groove conjuring up the heady gay discos and backrooms of the time has been a favourite of mine for some years now. See <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2007/03/disco-delivery-37-midnight-rhythm-1978.html" target="_blank"><b>Disco Delivery #37</b></a> where I relay some of my conversation/correspondence with the album's co-producer Robby Adcock, for some interesting background on this release. <br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/2787881-THP-2-Tender-Is-The-Night" target="_blank"><b>THP - Tender Is The Night</b></a>: A favourite from the Toronto-based production team of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/876966-Willi-Morrison-Ian-Guenther" target="_blank"><b>Ian Guenther & Willi Morrison</b></a>, this track, from their third album of the same name, is perhaps the highlight of that particular record. Featuring <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/134570" target="_blank"><b>The Duncan Sisters</b></a> on vocals, this felt like an appropriately bright and tender closing number for this mix.
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<b>PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:</b><br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2022/08/disco-delivery-mix-9-guest-mix-for.html" target="_blank">disco delivery mix #9: guest mix for sunshine after dark</a> (thursday august 18, 2022)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2007/03/disco-delivery-37-midnight-rhythm-1978.html" target="_blank">disco delivery #37: midnight rhythm (1978, atlantic)</a> (wednesday march 14, 2007)<br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_2.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY MIXES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_21.html" target="_blank">CAN-CON DISCO</a><br />
Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-57844267906050788592023-08-22T20:30:00.017-04:002023-09-11T17:11:54.145-04:00Love & Pain
<center><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/loveandpain-kensingtonwall.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="625" src="http://discovice.net/images/loveandpain-kensingtonwall.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo: Memorial Wall - Baldwin Street, Toronto (August 2023)</span></td></tr></tbody></table></center><br />
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Last week, in the run up to the most recent <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvn6cHSMaX1/" target="_blank"><b>INTERGEN</b></a> night my partner and I played at <a href="https://thelittlejerry.com/" target="_blank"><b>The Little Jerry</b></a> here in Toronto, I thought to record a little mix consisting mostly of house records I had acquired and enjoyed in the past few months. After listening to this mix on my own for the past week or so, I thought it would be a nice one to put up online.<br />
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Starts out in a deeper mood, before going into some classic era 80s-90s house, then coming full-circle again. <br />
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Included a tracklist and track notes below, hope you enjoy!<br /><br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1599023034&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Sans, Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"></div>
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<a href="http://discovice.net/media/mixes/dd-love&pain.mp3" target="_blank"><b>Love & Pain (Download)</b></a><br />
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<b>Tracklist</b>:<br />
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Kemt - Asok<br />
&Me, Black Coffee - The Rapture Part III<br />
Shahrokh Dini - Dust (Instrumental) <br />
N.Y. House’n Authority - Apt. 3A <br />
Lisa Mitchell - Rescue Me (DJ Stomp Mix)<br />
Monique - Love And Pain (Love Dub Pain Overdub)<br />
Shinichiro Yokota - Do It Again <br />
Marvin Springer - Lies (12” Vocal Mix)<br />
Billie Ray Martin - Running Around Town (Extended Mix)<br />
Modern Mechanical Music - Persia<br />
East Coast Love Affair - Chicago<br />
Swayzak - Fukumachi (2023 Edit)<br />
Nic Joseph - Love Is Here<br />
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<center><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/loveandpain-records-1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="589" height="600" src="http://discovice.net/images/loveandpain-records-1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">All the records used in this mix</span></td></tr></tbody></table></center><br />
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<b>Track Notes</b>:<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/27557973-Kemt-Moony-EP" target="_blank"><b>Kemt - Asok</b></a>: I've been enjoying some lovely releases from the Bristol label <a href="https://shallnotfade.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank"><b>Shall Not Fade</b></a> these past few years, including this most recent one from French producer <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/5578729-Kemt" target="_blank"><b>Kemt</b></a> on their <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/1125646-Lost-Palms" target="_blank"><b>Lost Palms</b></a> imprint. This track, side A of Kemt's <a href="https://shallnotfade.bandcamp.com/album/moony-ep" target="_blank"><b><i>Moony</i></b></a> EP, had a moody airiness that struck me right away, one which felt right to use as a starting point here.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/3157347-Me-Blackcoffee-The-Rapture-Pt-III" target="_blank"><b>&Me, Blackcoffee - The Rapture Part III</b></a>: This release has been my intro to <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/645861-Me" target="_blank"><b>&Me</b></a>, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/673106-Blackcoffee" target="_blank"><b>Blackcoffee</b></a> and the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/150816-Keinemusik" target="_blank"><b>Keinemusik</b></a> label. I didn't have much to go on when I first saw this release, but upon hearing it, I had to buy a copy. There's a melancholy about this track that drew me in, particularly in the piano which is so deftully and delicately deployed here.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/19926868-Shahrokh-Dini-Dust" target="_blank"><b>Shahrokh Dini - Dust (Instrumental)</b></a>: I recently got a <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/22629023-Various-12-Compost-Disco-Years" target="_blank"><b>12 year restrospective compilation</b></a> of the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/86-Compost-Records" target="_blank"><b>Compost</b></a> label, full of quality material, which certainly put it on the map for me. As I was looking through the label's releases, found that this single from 2021 was still in print. When listening, I was taken by the melancholy feeling here, which moved me in a similar way to the previous track. Not sure why I played the instrumental instead of the vocal here, nevertheless, the instrumental hits all the same emotional notes. <br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/4565-NY-Housen-Authority-APT" target="_blank"><b>N.Y. House’n Authority - Apt. 3A</b></a>: Got this classic in a recent online purchase. And while <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/608-Nu-Groove-Records" target="_blank"><b>Nu Groove</b></a> is one label I'm always looking out for, this marks an ideal introduction of sorts to the work of one of the label's principals, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/22315-Rheji-Burrell" target="_blank"><b>Rheji Burrell</b></a>. All the tracks on the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/579057-NY-Housen-Authority-APT" target="_blank"><b><i>APT.</i></b></a> 12"/EP are quality, but I thought this had some nice sonic motifs that worked well with the previous track. <br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/98668-Lisa-Mitchell-Rescue-Me" target="_blank"><b>Lisa Mitchell - Rescue Me (DJ Stomp Mix)</b></a>: Got this at a local record store recently, and the appropriately named 'Stomp Mix' had me spending a little extra time at the preview station! While this seems to be the sole release for singer <b>Lisa Mitchell</b>, the producer <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/14900-James-Bratton" target="_blank"><b>James Bratton</b></a> had been the producer on a lot of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/21940-Sybil" target="_blank"><b>Sybil</b></a>'s releases around this time, as well as others on the <b>Next Plateau</b> label, like <b>Kelly Charles'</b> "<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/132657-Kelly-Charles-Youre-No-Good-For-Me" target="_blank"><b>You're No Good For Me</b></a>," which I'd first heard on one of the landmark <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/141105-Various-The-History-Of-The-House-Sound-Of-Chicago" target="_blank"><b>House Sound of Chicago</b></a> compilations. <br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/375066-Monique-Love-And-Pain" target="_blank"><b>Monique - Love And Pain (Love Dub Pain Overdub)</b></a>: Lovely classic sound from 1992 here, also one that I found recently at a local record store. Hits all the marks of bounce, depth and soul that I love, all given extra space in this particular mix on the single's B-side. Released on <b>Mascot Records</b> an imprint of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/8637-Micmac-Records-Inc" target="_blank"><b>MicMac Records</b></a>, which in a little interesting disco connection, was established by <b>Mickey Garcia</b> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/4081-Prelude-Records" target="_blank"><b>Prelude Records</b></a>' founder <a href="http://www.disco-disco.com/labels/prelude.shtml" target="_blank"><b>Marvin Schlachter</b></a>.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/22550384-Soichi-Terada-Sounds-From-The-Far-East" target="_blank"><b>Shinichiro Yokota - Do It Again</b></a>: Heard this on the recently re-pressed <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/223013-Soichi-Terada" target="_blank"><b>Soichi Terada</b></a> compilation, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/792525-Soichi-Terada-Sounds-From-The-Far-East" target="_blank"><b><i>Sounds from The Far East</i></b></a> from 2015 on the <b>Rush Hour</b> label. One that I've been enjoying a lot recently and highly recommend. For me, this is one of the standouts!<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/23421-Marvin-Springer-Lies" target="_blank"><b>Marvin Springer - Lies (12” Vocal Mix)</b></a>: A lovely <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/279580-The-Basement-Boys" target="_blank"><b>Basement Boys</b></a> production from 1999, which I also got recently at a local record shop. The soulful vocal and bounce of this track had me immediately hooked. There's an "LP Mix" of the track on the B-side, which I took to hint at a forthcoming album, which evidently never happened. That said, I'd be curious to know if The Basement Boys have anything else in the can on this vocalist.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1354881-Billie-Ray-Martin-Brother-2-Brother-Running-Around-Town-A-Good-Heart" target="_blank"><b>Billie Ray Martin - Running Around Town (Extended Mix)</b></a>: I'm always on the lookout for <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/9704-Billie-Ray-Martin" target="_blank"><b>Billie Ray Martin</b></a> releases, and when I saw this 12" at one of my old Calgary stomping grounds on a recent visit, had to snap this up! Besides a vocal that I love, it has a certain trademark synth sound characteristic of some popular house records of the early-mid 90s (see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show_Me_Love_(Robin_S._song)" target="_blank"><b>Robin S. - Show Me Love</b></a>), which seems to be coming around again these days.
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/328386-Modern-Mechanical-Music-Persia" target="_blank"><b>Modern Mechanical Music - Persia</b></a>: The title conjures Persia, but it's more like Chicago circa 1986 with this track, another one I found at a local record shop. This particular 12" has a roughness that appeals to me, one that other earlier house records from this time share. The synth motifs and chants here also seem to have one foot in the electro sound of the time too, which I have to say also appeals to me quite a bit.
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/23003858-East-Coast-Love-Affair-Chicago" target="_blank"><b>East Coast Love Affair - Chicago</b></a>: Keeping with the Chicago theme, the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/679375-Athens-Of-The-North" target="_blank"><b>Athens of the North</b></a> label has been on my radar now for some time, due to their reissues of rare soul/disco records, but some of their more current/original material has also been capturing my attention. Case in point being <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/8118762-East-Coast-Love-Affair-2" target="_blank"><b>East Coast Love Affair</b></a> - a duo consisting of label boss <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/1556578-Euan-Fryer" target="_blank"><b>Euan Fryer</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/276286-Linkwood" target="_blank"><b>Nick Moore (AKA Linkwood)</b></a>. Their cover of this <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/860417-Roy-Ayers-Silver-Vibrations" target="_blank"><b>Roy Ayers track from 1983</b></a>, translates so brilliantly and perfectly into a classic house groove. I had first seen this on a recent release list, but after hearing some DJs play this out one night at work, I had to purchase it straight away!<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/27659724-Swayzak-Snowboarding-In-Argentina-25th-Anniversary-Edition" target="_blank"><b>Swayzak - Fukumachi (2023 Edit)</b></a>: My partner, Andrew recently turned me onto <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/232-Swayzak" target="_blank"><b>Swayzak</b></a>. When he saw that there was a <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/27659724-Swayzak-Snowboarding-In-Argentina-25th-Anniversary-Edition" target="_blank"><b>25th Anniversary reissue</b></a> of their 1998 album <b><i>Snowboarding in Argentina</i></b>, he encouraged me to give it a listen. Loved it so much, I ended up ordering a copy. Am quite drawn to the deep, minimal sound on the album, which is among one of my favourite listens recently. Track C1 is one that I flagged early on as a favourite, so am glad to find a place for it here.
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/24466196-Nic-Joseph-Love-is-Here-EP" target="_blank"><b>Nic Joseph - Love Is Here</b></a>: A recent release on the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/15666-Berettamusic" target="_blank"><b>Berettamusic</b></a> label out of Detroit that I picked up earlier in the year. This particular track (the title track of the EP) moved me straight away, in large part due to the beautiful vocal (sample?) that's weaved throughout. The feeling of that vocal was the ideal motif to bring this mix to a full-circle close.
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_2.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY MIXES</a>
Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-58912537239355909962023-07-05T16:21:00.017-04:002023-07-12T14:08:18.642-04:00Disco Delivery Mix #12: Wheels Begin to Roll<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix12-roller.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="637" height="625" src="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix12-roller.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo: Roller Boogie Boy by Stuart Reif, After Dark Magazine, year unknown.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />
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On a bit of a roll with these at the moment, so deciding to just post this instead of holding it back for another time.<br />
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This one is more straight-ahead disco than <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2023/06/lost-in-night.html" target="_blank"><b>the last mix I posted</b></a>. Visited family recently which also gave me an opportunity to take more records back from storage, so a few of those appear here. At least one selection has been the subject of a past blog post, however all of them are songs that I've been enjoying re-discovering and grooving to for the last few weeks.<br />
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That being said, I hope that you, dear listener, enjoy as well!<br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1555484836%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-4p7y5jOEBqk&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Sans, Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"></div><br />
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/mixes/ddmix12.mp3" target="_blank"><b>Disco Delivery #12: Wheels Begin To Roll (Download)</b></a><br />
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Tracklist and track notes below. <br />
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<b>Tracklist</b>:<br />
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Must - Sado Maso Disco (Instrumental)<br />
Fern Kinney - Love Me Tonight<br />
Macho - Roll<br />
Mystery - Hold On To This Moment (Instrumental)<br />
Love Robot - Slaves of Pleasure<br />
Blo - Back In Time<br />
Beverly Johnson - Don’t Lose The Feeling (12” Version)<br />
Chuck Cissel - Cisselin Hot <br />
Tony Rallo & The Midnite Band - Burnin’ Alive<br />
Plaza - Let’s Do It <br />
Champs Boys Orchestra - Tubular Bells<br />
Gino Soccio - Rhythm Of The World<br />
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<center><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix12-records.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="722" height="575" src="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix12-records.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">All the records used in this mix</span></td></tr></tbody></table></center><br />
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<b>Track Notes</b>:<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/953456-Must-Sado-Maso-Disco" target="_blank"><b>Must - Sado Maso Disco (Instrumental)</b></a>: A single I had retrieved from storage recently, one that I had bought some years back based on the cover and on the sheer notion of a song called <b><i>Sado Maso Disco</i></b>. Upon listening to it again, I found that the instrumental version on the B-side was much more to my liking. While the whips, chains and moans on the A-side are good for a little sado maso kitsch, the instrumental track is strong enough on its own and could sit alongside anything <b>Cerrone</b> was doing at the time. I suppose that's just as well, since the writers behind this - <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/1885082-C%C3%A9lestin-Ganou" target="_blank"><b>Célestin Ganou</b></a>, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/410027-Michel-Gouty?type=Credits&subtype=Writing-Arrangement&filter_anv=0" target="_blank"><b>Michel Gouty</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/410034-Pierre-Nacabal" target="_blank"><b>Pierre Naçabal</b></a> were involved in a number of French disco and pop productions in the 1970s and early 80s. <br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1477627-Fern-Kinney-Fern" target="_blank"><b>Fern Kinney - Love Me Tonight</b></a>: From Fern Kinney's second album, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/143386-Fern-Kinney-Fern" target="_blank"><b><i>Fern</i></b></a> from 1981, this is perhaps my favourite track on the album. Produced by the same team behind her hit cover of "<a href="https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/226000/all" target="_blank"><b>Groove Me</b></a>" - <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/210780-Carson-Whitsett?type=Credits&filter_anv=0" target="_blank"><b>Carson Whitsett</b></a>, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/201600-Wolf-Stephenson" target="_blank"><b>Wolf Stephenson</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/201599-Tommy-Couch" target="_blank"><b>Tommy Couch</b></a>, her coquettish high falsetto and the light and lovely synths make a perfect combination. This track was originally recorded by <b>Malaco</b> labelmates, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/227801-Sho-Nuff" target="_blank"><b>Sho Nuff</b></a> as "<b>Tonite</b>," the title track of their <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/769505-Sho-Nuff-Tonite" target="_blank"><b>second LP from 1980</b></a>. Fern Kinney's version here doesn't deviate too far from the Sho Nuff original, just with a little extra charm and finesse.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/371702-Macho-Macho" target="_blank"><b>Macho - Roll</b></a>: Taken from the second Macho album from 1980, sometimes titled <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/13892-Macho-Roll" target="_blank"><b><i>Macho II</i></b></a>, the same outfit which had a disco hit with a cover of "<a href="https://www.whosampled.com/Macho/I%27m-a-Man/" target="_blank"><b>I'm A Man</b></a>." <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/vvn9p4/why-was-italys-biggest-disco-producer-murdered-in-guadeloupe" target="_blank"><b>Jacques-Fred Petrus</b></a> turned much of this record over to <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/169494-Celso-Valli?type=Credits&filter_anv=0" target="_blank"><b>Celso Valli</b></a>, the man behind the disco projects <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/25955-Azoto" target="_blank"><b>Azoto</b></a> and <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/search/label/Tantra" target="_blank"><b>Tantra</b></a>, where he goes for a more rock-disco sound, which seemed to have a brief moment in the turn of the 80s. While this second album is somewhat uneven, this track is to me one of the better ones. Like many other J-F Petrus and/or Celso Valli productions of the time, music tracks were recorded in Italy, and vocals recorded with American session singers in New York. Unfortunately the singers themselves aren't credited on this album, however, I can clearly hear the ever-reliable New York session vocalist, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/178990-Gordon-Grody" target="_blank"><b>Gordon Grody</b></a> as one of the leads on this particular track. On a visual note - if you thought the first Macho album cover was homoerotic, this second one is perhaps even more so. <br />
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<a href="hhttps://www.discogs.com/release/533156-Mystery-Hold-On-To-This-Moment" target="_blank"><b>Mystery - Hold On To This Moment (Instrumental)</b></a>: A track I had posted on the blog years ago (see <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2007/05/moment-or-two.html" target="_blank"><b>A Moment or Two..</b></a>). The combination of those pots-and-pans style drums and string arrangements place this squarely in that early 80s <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/search/label/Montreal" target="_blank"><b>Lime-adjacent Montreal disco sound</b></a>. It's perhaps just as well, since this was arranged by Lime's <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/142076-Denis-Lepage?type=Credits&filter_anv=0" target="_blank"><b>Denis LePage</b></a> himself and has his sonic stamp all over it. As I recall, the vocal on the A-side was especially terrible, but thankfully the instrumental is good enough on it's own to redeem this single. Interesting fact, this was released in the US on <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/109852-Mystery-Hold-On-To-This-Moment" target="_blank"><b>Tommy Boy</b></a>, one of the first releases on the fledgling label.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/784217-Love-Robot-Love-Robot" target="_blank"><b>Love Robot - Slaves of Pleasure</b></a>: From a curious album I picked up sometime last year called <b><i>Love Robot</i></b>. Frenchmen <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/665047-G%C3%A9rard-Salesses" target="_blank"><b>Gérard Salesses</b></a> and TV producer/impresario <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/824243-Jean-Fran%C3%A7ois-Porry" target="_blank"><b>Jean-François Porry</b></a> (AKA <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Luc_Azoulay" target="_blank"><b>Jean-Luc Azoulay</b></a>) appear to be the principals behind this. This particular track, "<b>Slaves of Pleasure</b>" always seems to go over well whenever I play it. Add this to the list of curious disco songs about robot love - <b>Dee D. Jackson</b>'s "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Lover" target="_blank"><b>Automatic Lover</b></a>" being a prime example, with lyrics promising a future where "<i>men are only a memory</i>." My favourite line: "<i>we are slaves of pleasure, a new kind of leisure, and your only program, is to love you madame</i>."
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/9156127-Blo-Back-In-Time" target="_blank"><b>BLO - Back In Time</b></a>: Picked up a reissue of this single (on <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/958852-PMG-3" target="_blank"><b>PMG</b></a>) from Nigerian band <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blo_(band)" target="_blank"><b>BLO</b></a> a few years ago. An acronym for the members' first names - <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/821344-Berkley-Jones?type=Credits&filter_anv=0" target="_blank"><b>Berkley "Ike" Jones</b></a> (guitar), <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/846577-Laolu-Akins" target="_blank"><b>Laolu "Akins" Akintobi</b></a> (drums) and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/554310-Mike-Odumosu?type=Credits&filter_anv=0" target="_blank"><b>Mike "Gbenga" Odumosu</b></a> (bass), BLO was a rock band formed in the early 70s taking inspiration both from Afrobeat and American psychedelic rock. By this time, the lineup was <b>Berkley Jones</b>, <b>Laolu Akintobi</b> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/420838-Lemmy-Jackson?type=Credits&subtype=Instruments-Performance&filter_anv=0" target="_blank"><b>Otu Lemmy Jackson</b></a> and they were recording more straight-ahead disco tracks like this one. Though apparently the version of this song on the PMG reissue is shorter than the original release, I couldn't possibly pass up this groove once I heard it for myself.
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/831077-Beverly-Johnson-Dont-Lose-The-Feeling-Theme-From-Ashanti" target="_blank"><b>Beverly Johnson - Don’t Lose The Feeling (12” Version)</b></a>: A solid disco single from supermodel (and first black woman to grace the cover of American <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/behind-the-moment-beverly-johnson" target="_blank"><b>Vogue</b></a>), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverly_Johnson" target="_blank"><b>Beverly Johnson</b></a>. Apparently the theme song from the 1979 action-adventure film <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashanti_(1979_film)" target="_blank"><b><i>Ashanti</b></i></a>, which starred <b>Michael Caine</b>, <b>Peter Ustinov</b> and Beverly herself, it would also be the title track to her <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/153633-Beverly-Johnson-Dont-Lose-The-Feeling" target="_blank"><b>full-length album</b></a> released the same year. Johnson may not be a vocal dynamo but with all the heavy-hitters involved here - like <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/97072-Betty-Wright" target="_blank"><b>Betty Wright</b></a> who co-produced this with <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/91281-Robert-Wright" target="_blank"><b>Robert White</b></a>, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/281341-Mike-Melvoin" target="_blank"><b>Michael Melvoin</b></a> who is one of the co-writers, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/220221-Horace-Ott?type=Credits&filter_anv=0" target="_blank"><b>Horace Ott</b></a> as arranger, complete with "<b>Midnight Mix</b>" by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/34856-Richie-Rivera?type=Credits&filter_anv=0" target="_blank"><b>Richie Rivera</b></a>, Johnson sounds good on this catchy little groover.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/15057063-Chuck-Cissel-Just-For-You" target="_blank"><b>Chuck Cissel - Cisselin Hot</b></a>: Oklahoma-born <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Cissel" target="_blank"><b>Chuck Cissel</b></a> was a theatre performer in the 70s, landing plum roles in hit musicals like <b><i>Purlie</i></b>, <b><i>Hello Dolly!</i></b> and perhaps most prominently, in the Broadway production of <a href="https://www.playbill.com/person/chuck-cissel-vault-0000073084" target="_blank"><b><i>A Chorus Line</i></b></a>. His work on stage and in commercials led to various recording opportunities, the biggest of which was a record deal with <b>Arista</b>. This song is, for better or worse, one of the defining moments of his recording output. With a groove that's as hot as the title proclaims, I'm somewhat surprised this wasn't a bigger hit. Produced by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/211631-Skip-Scarborough?type=Credits&filter_anv=0" target="_blank"><b>Skip Scarborough</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/124420-David-Crawford?type=Credits&filter_anv=0" target="_blank"><b>David Crawford</b></a> (not to be confused with the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/160668-Dave-Crawford" target="_blank"><b>Dave Crawford</b></a> who produced hits for <b>Jackie Moore</b>, <b>Wilson Pickett</b> and <b>Candi Staton</b>) this groove is unstoppable, peak-1979 heat!
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1506277-Tony-Rallo-The-Midnite-Band-Burnin-Alive" target="_blank"><b>Tony Rallo & The Midnite Band - Burnin’ Alive</b></a>: Guitarist and one of the most in-demand arrangers in France at the time, <a href="hhttps://www.andtheconductoris.eu/index.htm?https://www.eurovisionartists.nl/conductor/dir020.asp?ID=255" target="_blank"><b>Tony Rallo</b></a> appeared on many records by French luminaries like <b>Dalida</b> (including the one featured on the <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2023/06/lost-in-night.html" target="_blank"><b>previous mix</b></a>), <b>Charles Aznavour</b>, <b>Sacha Distel</b>, <b>Catherine Ferry</b> and others. Rallo also appeared on French disco productions like <b>Madleen Kane</b>'s <i><b>Rough Diamond</b></i> and <b>Theo Vaness</b>' <b><i>Back to Music</i></b> under the alias <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/1241097-Tony-Lexter?type=Credits&filter_anv=0" target="_blank"><b>Tony Lexter</b></a>, reasoning that French audiences were more likely to buy disco product with an American name than with a French name, something that friend and arranger <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/394487-Raymond-Donnez" target="_blank"><b>Raymond Donnez</b></a> also did, under the alias <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/42172-Don-Ray" target="_blank"><b>Don Ray</b></a>. <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/96536-Alec-R-Costandinos" target="_blank"><b>Alec R. Costandinos</b></a>, someone else who likely moved in many of the same musical circles in France, offered to record an album with him in London with top-flight British and American session players. This was the title track and the undisputed standout on that record. Love how this song packs a lot of dancefloor energy, yet still has enough room for the session players to add some jazzy solos to the mix. Probably one of Costandinos' best outside productions, this one still lights up dance floors. <br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/8827528-Plaza-Plaza" target="_blank"><b>Plaza - Let’s Do It</b></a>: I had long wanted a copy of this elusive (at least to me) album by the disco project, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/640630-Plaza-4" target="_blank"><b>Plaza</b></a>. Finally got a copy of it late last year - recorded in the UK but only ever released in France and Venezuela (according to <b>Discogs</b>). Produced by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/53664-Mike-Thorne" target="_blank"><b>Mike Thorne</b></a> and ex-<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_Machine" target="_blank"><b>Soft Machine</b></a> members <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/253632-Karl-Jenkins" target="_blank"><b>Karl Jenkins</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/252383-Mike-Ratledge" target="_blank"><b>Mike Ratledge</b></a>, vocals by an uncredited <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/251574-Clare-Torry" target="_blank"><b>Claire Torry</b></a>, the album is chock full of elegant, hyper-delirious disco goodies like this one.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/439708-Champs-Boys-Orchestra-Land-Of-Make-Believe-Tubular-Bells" target="_blank"><b>Champs Boys Orchestra - Tubular Bells</b></a>: An early mash-up of sorts, this record is ostensibly a cover of <b>Mike Oldfield</b>'s "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Oldfield%27s_Single" target="_blank"><b>Tubular Bells</b></a>" combined with the bassline of <b>Donna Summer</b>'s "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_to_Love_You_Baby_(song)" target="_blank"><b>Love To Love You Baby</b></a>." Produced by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/588637-Patrick-Boceno" target="_blank"><b>Patrick Bocéno</b></a> with yet another well-travelled French arranger and conductor, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/315793-Herv%C3%A9-Roy" target="_blank"><b>Hervé Roy</b></a>, it's an intriguing and clever disco combination.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/610683-Gino-Soccio-S-Beat" target="_blank"><b>Gino Soccio - Rhythm Of The World</b></a>: From <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2013/05/gino-soccio-speaks.html" target="_blank"><b>Gino Soccio</b></a>'s second album <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/67538-Gino-Soccio-S-Beat" target="_blank"><b><i>S-Beat</b></i></a> from 1980 which to me was a bit of a mixed bag. Many of the tracks saw him incorporating elements of new-wave which was increasingly making itself heard on disco dancefloors by the turn of the 80s. It didn't always work to my ears but sometimes it did, like on this song. Somehow sounding slower than it actually is, the combination of ambient-style synths with rock guitar touches and an "<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2007/12/bbc-radio-2-classic-singles-i-feel-love.html" target="_blank"><b>I Feel Love</b></a>"-style bass-line comes together quite sublimely. <br>
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_2.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY MIXES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_21.html" target="_blank">CAN-CON DISCO</a><br />
Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-58618896210971281362023-06-27T16:09:00.060-04:002023-08-21T18:51:38.180-04:00Lost in the night<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/lostinthenight.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="680" src="http://discovice.net/images/lostinthenight.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo: Nona Hendryx by Nick Sangiamo, 1984</span></td></tr></tbody></table>
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Posting a little overdue mix for the start of summer...<br />
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Some years back I had made a <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2013/06/disco-pride.html" target="_blank"><b>little</b></a> <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2014/06/disco-delivery-mix-4-disco-pride-14.html" target="_blank"><b>tradition</b></a> <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2015/06/disco-delivery-mix-6-summer-fever-disco.html" target="_blank"><b>of putting a mix up</b></a> for Pride season, so am coming back to that partial sort of way. At the same time, this particular mix isn't exactly the straight-on celebratory disco that I'd usually have on tap for the occasion. Decided instead to go in a few different directions this time, using various selections of post-disco, and/or disco-adjacent material this time. Still, quite heavy on female singers, as is my tendency. Most of the songs on here are just under or just over 100 BPM, so I suppose this one's perhaps more for walking than dancing.<br />
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<center><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/INTERGEN-062823-STILL.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="800" src="http://discovice.net/images/INTERGEN-062823-STILL.png" width="320" /></a></div></center><br />
Most of the records I used for this mix were also ones that I brought <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CsRaI5_AILg/" target="_blank"><b>the last time</b></a> my partner Andrew and I played our <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/intergen_disco/" target="_blank"><b>INTERGEN</b></a> night in May. As it turns out, we'll be doing another <b>INTERGEN</b> night this coming <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct-Hji2tyzW/" target="_blank"><b>Wednesday June 28th</b></a>, a kind of post-pride recovery through records, if you will. Starting at 9PM at <a href="https://thelittlejerry.com/" target="_blank"><b>The Little Jerry</b></a> in Toronto. If you're in the area, do come by!<br />
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<br /><center><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1551492106&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Sans, Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"></div></center><br />
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/mixes/dd-lostinthenight.mp3" target="_blank"><b>Lost In The Night (Download)</b></a><br />
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Tracklist and track notes below... Enjoy!<br />
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<b>Tracklist</b>:<br />
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Terry Crawford - Chocolate Candy<br />
Hot - Just ‘Cause I’m Guilty<br />
Lucio Battisti - Un uomo che ti ama<br />
Maxine Nightingale - Get It Up For Love<br />
Alfie Silas - Put The Freeze On<br />
Nona Hendryx - Soft Targets<br />
Costas Charitodiplomenos - Lost In The Night (12" Version)<br />
Barbara Fowler - Come and Get My Lovin’<br />
First Love - It’s A Mystery To Me<br />
Linda Clifford - I Want To Get Away With You<br />
First Choice - Pressure Point<br />
Dalida - Helwa ya baladi<br />
Martha Velez - There You Are<br />
Paula Moore - On The Edge<br />
Liza Minnelli - If There Was Love<br />
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<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/lostinthenightmix-records.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="599" height="600" src="http://discovice.net/images/lostinthenightmix-records.jpg" /></a></div></td></tr><tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">All the records used in this mix<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />
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<b>Track Notes</b>:<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/3053641-Terry-Crawford-Chocolate-Candy" target="_blank"><b>Terry Crawford - Chocolate Candy</b></a>: A favourite of mine from Canadian singer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terri_Crawford" target="_blank"><b>Terry Crawford</b></a> (sometimes called <b>Terri Crawford</b>) and one that I had happened upon quite by accident. Back in 2006, when I was living in Calgary, my favourite record shop had a back store room full of records. The owner noted how much disco I was buying, so let me into his store room, telling me that anything I found in there was $2 bucks a pop. I didn't have a portable record player with me, nor did they have a preview station, so I was going largely on instinct. While this wasn't exactly the disco I was perhaps half-expecting, I consider it one of the gems I found in that particular expedition. Written and originally recorded by American singer-songwriter <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/556278-Cheryl-Dilcher-Butterfly" target="_blank"><b>Cheryl Dilcher</b></a> in 1973 (<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/297041-Cheryl-Dilcher-Blue-Sailor" target="_blank"><b>who herself has a little disco connection</b></a>), there's something about the bass in the groove here, and Terry's vocal approach that cinches this as my preferred version. Some years later, I figured out this was a fairly sought after record when someone from Europe messaged me on Discogs offering to pay me an amount of my choice for a .wav file of this song. As of this writing, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/sell/history/3053641" target="_blank"><b>the promo-only 12" is still going for upwards of $200 USD on Discogs</b></a>, though I will say, for the intrepid diggers out there, copies still show up once in a while in Canadian dollar bins.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1074534-Hot-Hot" target="_blank"><b>Hot - Just ‘Cause I’m Guilty</b></a>: This group, comprised of <b>Gwen Owens</b>, <b>Cathy Carson</b> and <b>Juanita Curiel</b> put out three albums, all of which were helmed by the Muscle Shoals production duo of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/335443-Clayton-Ivey" target="_blank"><b>Clayton Ivey</b></a> & <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/287148-Terry-Woodford?type=Credits&subtype=Production&filter_anv=0" target="_blank"><b>Terry Woodford</b></a>. I first heard Ivey & Woodford's work on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Supremes_(1975_album)" target="_blank"><b>The Supremes 1975 self-titled album</b></a>. Not long after their time on Motown, they had one of their biggest hits on this group with the song "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_in_Your_Arms" target="_blank"><b>Angel In Your Arms</b></a>," later covered by <b>Millie Jackson</b>, <b>Barbara Mandrell</b> and <b>Reba McIntyre</b>, to name a few. While that was the hit, the funkier sass and swing of "<b>Just 'Cause I'm Guilty</b>," the last track on Hot's self-titled album, remains my favourite. In any case, both songs summarize that intersection of soul, funk, and country that Ivey & Woodford covered so well.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/21128254-Lucio-Battisti-Lucio-Battisti-La-Batteria-Il-Contrabbasso-Eccetera" target="_blank"><b>Lucio Battisti - Un uomo che ti ama</b></a>: First heard of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucio_Battisti" target="_blank"><b>Lucio Battisti</b></a> through the Italian diva, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minacantalucio" target="_blank"><b>Mina</b></a>, who sang many of his songs. One of his many successful collaborations with the lyricist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mogol_(lyricist)" target="_blank"><b>Mogol</b></a>, his 1976 album (which this song is from) is among my favourites. Called <i><b>Lucio Battisti, La batteria, Il contrabbasso, eccetera (The drums, the double bass, etcetera)</b></i> it's one I had discovered from my partner, Andrew's collection, and shows Battisti incorporating ever more elements of American funk and disco into his sound. Recently, Sony Music Italy <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/21128254-Lucio-Battisti-Lucio-Battisti-La-Batteria-Il-Contrabbasso-Eccetera" target="_blank"><b>reissued the album on vinyl with a bonus CD which included the Spanish version of the record</b></a>. This song, (which in English means, "A Man Who Loves You") and the entire record remain a wonderful listen in either language. <br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/5080232-Maxine-Nightingale-Love-Hit-Me" target="_blank"><b>Maxine Nightingale - Get It Up For Love</b></a>: I don't think I've heard a bad version of this song, which is a good thing, because there seem to be <a href="https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/46263/all" target="_blank"><b>quite a few out there</b></a>. I first heard this song when <b>Táta Vega</b> covered it as a disco song on her <i><b>Try My Love</b></i> album in 1979, which I had written about on this blog some years back - see <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2007/05/disco-delivery-41-tta-vega-try-my-love.html" target="_blank"><b>Disco Delivery #41: Táta Vega - Try My Love (1979, Motown)</b></a>. This version, from 1977 on Maxine Nightingale's second album <i><b>Night Life</b></i> (sometimes titled <b><i>Love Hit Me</i></b> after its lead single) cuts closer to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Candy_(Ned_Doheny_album)" target="_blank"><b>Ned Doheny's original</b></a>. Though Táta's version will always be tops for me, I'd rank this up there as a favourite also.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1254300-Alfie-Silas-Alfie" target="_blank"><b>Alfie Silas - Put The Freeze On</b></a>: <b>Alfie Silas-Durio</b> has a long list of credits to her name as a session singer, as well as three albums of her own from the early 80s. This one's from her first, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1254300-Alfie-Silas-Alfie" target="_blank"><b><i>Alfie</i></b></a> on <b>RCA</b> in 1982, which had a number of good tracks (I've found 1982-83 to be particularly good years for post-disco R&B/Boogie records). Ended up buying the album largely on the appeal of this song. Its melancholy synths conjure up spacey themes and metaphors, as do the lyrics. From that description one would think the whole thing could fall into gimmicky and/or cheesy territory, but it all comes together in quite a sincere, soulful and innovative way. Pitched down slightly for a little extra depth. <br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/185013-Nona-Hendryx-The-Art-Of-Defense" target="_blank"><b>Nona Hendryx - Soft Targets</b></a>: One of my favourite songs from her underrated 1984 LP, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_Defense" target="_blank"><b><i>The Art Of Defense</i></b></a>, the lyrics conjure up thoughts and images of vulnerability and uncertainty with a groove that's minimal but powerful. Pitched this one down also for beatmatching purposes and to impart a little extra power. In my opinion, a highlight of the work she did with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Material_(band)" target="_blank"><b>Material/Bill Laswell</b></a> in the early 80s.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/126233-Costas-Charitodiplomenos-Lost-In-The-Night-Remix" target="_blank"><b>Costas Charitodiplomenos - Lost In The Night (12" Version)</b></a>: Italo-Disco from Greek singer/songwriter <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/98615-Costas-Charitodiplomenos" target="_blank"><b>Costas Charitodiplomenos</b></a>. I had discovered Costas' songs on YouTube, and was intrigued at the Italo sound some of his work had. The connection clearly wasn't lost on the Italians either, as this ended up on the <b>Many Records</b> label in Italy, remixed by <b>Mario Flores</b> and <b>Romano Bais</b> (who put out a number of Italo records as <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/529854-Romano-Bais" target="_blank"><b>R. Bais</b></a>). Lyrically and melodically solid, I thought it worked well with the theme and feeling of the previous Nona Hendryx track and many of the other selections here. <br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/180657-Barbara-Fowler-Come-And-Get-My-Lovin" target="_blank"><b>Barbara Fowler - Come and Get My Lovin’</b></a>: Stellar boogie from the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/11712-Radar-Records-2" target="_blank"><b>Radar</b></a> label and singer <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/106373-Barbara-Fowler" target="_blank"><b>Barbara Fowler</b></a>, who had been a vocalist in the disco/boogie projects <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/35200-Sinnamon" target="_blank"><b>Sinnamon</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/1345438-Sparkle-Sparkle" target="_blank"><b>Sparkle</b></a>. Don't always get to play this one, but am glad to find a place here for it. From the extended dubby synth effects to a killer soulful vocal, this has so many of the things I love about early 80's boogie. Produced by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/53805-Eric-Matthew?type=Credits&subtype=Production&filter_anv=0" target="_blank"><b>Eric Matthew</b></a> (AKA Joe Tucci), the man who brought you <b>Gary's Gang</b>, <b>Sure Shot</b> by <b>Tracy Weber</b> and many of <b>Sharon Redd</b>'s hits.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/2314278-First-Love-Love-At-First-Sight" target="_blank"><b>First Love - It’s A Mystery To Me</b></a>: I've covered this group here before, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2012/09/dont-say-goodnight.html" target="_blank"><b>when I posted their 1980 disco single Don't Say Goodnight/Love Me Today</b></a>. Until recently, their sole album, <b><i>Love At First Sight</i></b>, on their producer, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/94346-Donald-Burnside" target="_blank"><b>Donald Burnside</b></a>'s label, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/19328-Chycago-International-Music-CIM" target="_blank"><b>Chycago International Music</b></a>, remained elusive for me. When I finally picked it up at a recent record fair, this song was one of the standouts for me. From 1982, one of those golden years of boogie, much like the previous selection - a funky groove, with lovely synths together with charming, soulful harmonies.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1059561-Linda-Clifford-Im-Yours" target="_blank"><b>Linda Clifford - I Want To Get Away With You</b></a>: One of my favourite disco divas, and a highlight from one of my favourite albums of hers, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Yours_(Linda_Clifford_album)" target="_blank"><b><i>I'm Yours</i></b></a> from 1980. That album was mostly produced by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/48432-Isaac-Hayes" target="_blank"><b>Isaac Hayes</b></a>, and this song in particular has his stamp all over it. Personally, I think it's too bad this wasn't a single. I love hearing Linda sing in her lower register here, and all of the little classy touches on the production, from the elegant pauses to the guitar hook that gets you right from the top.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/365568-First-Choice-Breakaway" target="_blank"><b>First Choice - Pressure Point</b></a>: Another one I've covered here before - see <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2006/12/disco-delivery-29-first-choice.html" target="_blank"><b>Disco Delivery #29: First Choice - Breakaway (1980, Gold Mind/Salsoul)</b></a>. This was from the group's last album, and while this song wasn't among their hits, it's definitely among my personal favourites of theirs. Produced by the ever reliable <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/128026-Norman-Harris" target="_blank"><b>Norman Harris</b></a> and mixed by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/21566-Tee-Scott" target="_blank"><b>Tee Scott</b></a>, from those strings at the intro, to all of the sharp, teasing breaks and edits, am glad to finally place this one in a mix!<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/3742016-Dalida-D%C3%A9di%C3%A9-%C3%80-Toi-Monday-Tuesday" target="_blank"><b>Dalida - Helwa ya baladi</b></a>: Changing gears into a signature song from the late icon of French pop, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalida" target="_blank"><b>Dalida</b></a>. I picked up a Canadian pressing of the album this was from, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/457132-Dalida-D%C3%A9di%C3%A9-%C3%80-Toi-Monday-Tuesday" target="_blank"><b><i>Dédié À Toi/Monday Tuesday</i></b></a><i></i> some years back. However it wasn't really the disco tracks that captured me but this one, the last song on Side A. Sung in her native Egyptian Arabic, the title evidently translates to "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helwa_ya_baladi" target="_blank"><b>Oh Sweet, My Homeland</b></a>." Something of an evergreen patriotic song in Egypt these days, it's easy to hear why this became one of Dalida's most beloved songs in Egypt and across the Arab world. <br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/2079275-Martha-Velez-Escape-From-Babylon" target="_blank"><b>Martha Velez - There You Are</b></a>: I had bought <b>Martha Velez</b>' album <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/195369-Martha-Velez-Escape-From-Babylon" target="_blank"><b><i>Escape From Babylon</i></b></a> at my favourite Calgary record store back in 2005. At the time, I didn't really have a great deal of knowledge of all the great names involved, but it intrigued me nonetheless. Between that and the fact that it was sealed and had a song called "Disco Night" on it, how could one go wrong? Beginning her recording career as a folk singer, she recorded this reggae album in 1975 with <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/41441-Bob-Marley" target="_blank"><b>Bob Marley</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/41272-Lee-Perry" target="_blank"><b>Lee "Scratch" Perry</b></a> in Jamaica. While this album still seems to get mixed reviews, it's one I personally love and go back to again and again, with a much fuller appreciation these days. This song, written by Marley, is to my ears, one of its high points.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/4458621-Paula-Moore-Valparaiso" target="_blank"><b>Paula Moore - On The Edge</b></a>: One of the big record fairs here in Toronto had room of $5 records that I used to love going to. It's a frenzy, but one never knows what one will find there. This particular album, titled <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/260969-Paula-Moore-High-And-Low" target="_blank"><i><b>High and Low</b></i></a> in most territories, retitled <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/4458621-Paula-Moore-Valparaiso" target="_blank"><b><i>Valparaiso</i></b></a> in Canada after its hit single, is one case in point. Produced by super-producer and <b>Daft Punk</b> dad <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/217858-Daniel-Vangarde" target="_blank"><b>Daniel Vangarde</b></a>, it's not quite like the hits he made for <b>Ottawan</b> and <b>The Gibson Brothers</b>, opting instead for a more subdued synth-centred sound here. While the album is perhaps not consistent enough in my ears to to be a classic, there are nevertheless, several remarkable songs on it, this being one of them. Combining the synth sound of much of the album with a reggae beat on this track, the result actually sounds much more interesting than it seems on paper.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1886016-Liza-Minnelli-Results" target="_blank"><b>Liza Minnelli - If There Was Love</b></a>: From <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liza_Minnelli" target="_blank"><b>Liza</b></a>'s 1989 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Results_(album)" target="_blank"><b><i>Results</i></b></a> album, produced by the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/7552-Pet-Shop-Boys" target="_blank"><b>Pet Shop Boys</b></a>. I probably needn't say much more, but to my mind, one of the great producer-artist pairings of that moment. I remember as a young gayling, <a href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/liza-minnelli-results/" target="_blank"><b><i>Results</i></b></a> being presented to me as a key part of my education in queer culture. The drama and resonance of Liza's voice in this song and the Pet Shop Boys' production and notably <b>Neil Tennant</b>'s sharp personal lyricism here summarizes, to my ears, why that partnership worked so well. One of the song's key verses: <i>"Men of affairs, women with power, satellites talking, to clutter our lives. Banks of predictions, policies made, prophecies broken, violence deranged..."</i> Words which feel perhaps truer now than they did then. Culminating with a recitation of <b>Shakespeare</b>'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonnet_94" target="_blank"><b><i>Sonnet 94</i></b></a>, while there are a number of great songs on the album, this is perhaps the one I go back to the most.<br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_2.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY MIXES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_9.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY EVENTS</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_21.html" target="_blank">CAN-CON DISCO</a><br />
Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-16923789988802553572023-04-03T18:58:00.003-04:002023-04-03T19:02:40.349-04:00Hand in hand in the rain<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/5APRIL23-LIGHTS.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="500" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="http://discovice.net/images/5APRIL23-LIGHTS.jpg"/></a></div><br>
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Posting another mix, this one in a more House-oriented direction again, featuring a combination of mine and my partner, Andrew's records. Also recorded this at the end of January, yet feels right for this time of year just as the season changes and the snow gives way to rain.<br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/INTERGEN-5APRIL23-A.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="325" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="http://discovice.net/images/INTERGEN-5APRIL23-A.jpg"/></a></div><br>
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Also, a good time to post this now, since Andrew and I will be playing records again as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/intergen_disco/" target="_blank"><b>INTERGEN</b></a><br> this coming <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CqlVe4apS8E/" target="_blank"><b>Wednesday April 5th</b></a> at our favourite listening bar <a href="In lieu of track notes, I've put Discogs links to the individual tracks in the tracklists below... Enjoy!" target="_blank"><b>The Little Jerry</b></a>. If you're in the Toronto area, come by! As with the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/intergen_disco/" target="_blank"><b>last time</b></a>, some of the records here will end up in our collective bags. (Digital flyer and photo by Andrew Zealley) <br>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/handinhandmix-records.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="762" src="http://discovice.net/images/handinhandmix-records.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">All the records used in this mix<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br>
In lieu of track notes, I've put Discogs links to the individual tracks in the tracklist below... Enjoy!<br>
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<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1484410213&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/dance-to-dance" title="Disco Delivery" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;"></a></div><br>
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/mixes/dd-handinhandintherain.mp3" target="_blank"><b>Hand in hand in the rain (Download)</b></a><br>
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<b>Tracklist</b>:<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/22629023-Various-12-Compost-Disco-Years" target="_blank"><b>Mark E - I’m Your Eversion</b></a><br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/22676675-Various-The-Sundowners-EP" target="_blank"><b>Stefan Ringer - You Know</b></a><br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/9934073-Javonntte-Late-Night-Sessions" target="_blank"><b>Javonntte - Walking In The Rain</b></a><br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/11821238-Lipelis-I-Only-Did-These-For-Myself-But-Now-Its-For-Everyone" target="_blank"><b>Lipelis - Video Track</b></a><br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/23912363-Psycho-Weazel-Bianco-E-Rosso-EP-Part-2" target="_blank"><b>Psycho Weazel - Gomina (feat. Sandford)</b></a><br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/10387915-Various-4-To-The-Floor-Presents-Fourth-Floor-Records" target="_blank"><b>Fallout - The Morning After</b></a><br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/24013199-Cloud-9-Do-You-Want-Me-Baby-The-30th-Anniversary-Release" target="_blank"><b>Cloud 9 - Do You Want Me Baby (Deep Dub</b></a><br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/692282-Linda-Clifford-Whatcha-Gonna-Do" target="_blank"><b>Linda Clifford - Whatcha Gonna Do (Jazzy Groove)</b></a><br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/21978652-Various-Hed-Kandi-Volume-1" target="_blank"><b>Patrice Scott - Better Days</b></a><br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/20835769-Loure-Memories-In-Strobe-EP" target="_blank"><b>Loure - Two Times Deep</b></a><br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/25220575-Azura-Theme-From-Azura" target="_blank"><b>Azura - Theme From Azura (Dream Version)</b></a><br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/9126949-Arnold-Jarvis-Take-Some-Time-Out" target="_blank"><b>Arnold Jarvis - Take Some Time Out (Club)</b></a><br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/22780901-Panoram-Acrobatic-Thoughts-Remixes" target="_blank"><b>Panoram - Seabrain (Quiet Village Remix)</b></a><br>
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_2.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY MIXES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_9.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY EVENTS</a><br />
Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-12907234859282209942023-03-21T13:49:00.024-04:002023-03-26T21:22:30.850-04:00Disco Delivery Mix #11: Midnight Shift<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/newsstand1999tobyold.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="800" src="http://discovice.net/images/newsstand1999tobyold.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo: Newsstand by Toby Old, 1999</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
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Putting up another Disco mix I recorded back at the end of January. A combination of records I had recently acquired along with others from the recesses of my collection.<br>
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Going from light to dark, moonlight to sunshine, a little froth and a little funk, I thought the <b>Donna Summer</b> track "<b>Working The Midnight Shift</b>" (which appears at the middle of this mix) set the tone for things quite well.<br>
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A personal thing I've really enjoyed about doing these mixes (and playing them back) is how it's given me an opportunity to take records that I haven't played in a while and really make them part of my daily/regular listening. <br>
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<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1472576032%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-GJhrTKhz946&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/dance-to-dance" title="Disco Delivery" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;"></a> <a href="https://soundcloud.com/dance-to-dance/disco-delivery-mix-11-midnight-shift/s-GJhrTKhz946" title="Disco Delivery Mix #11: Midnight Shift" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;"></a></div><br>
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/mixes/ddmix11.mp3" target="_blank"><b>Disco Delivery Mix #11: Midnight Shift (Download)</b></a><br>
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Tracklist and track notes below. Enjoy!<br>
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<b> Tracklist</b>:<br>
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T.C. James & The Fist-O-Funk Orchestra - Bumpsies Whipping Cream (Savarese 12” Mix)<br>
Nite School - Do You Speak French?<br>
José Calvário - Lisboa à noite (Lisbon By Night)<br>
Manu Dibango - Motapo<br>
Trademark - Days Of Pearly Spencer<br>
Chrisland - Angela, Angel<br>
Donna Summer - Working The Midnight Shift <br>
Theo Vaness - Sentimentally It’s You<br>
Who’s Who - Palace Palace<br>
The Stewart-Thomas Group - To Freak Or Not To Freak<br>
The Red Stripe Band - Try Love<br>
Billy Newton-Davis - Romance (Disco Remix)<br>
Dusty Springfield - Baby Blue (Disco Version)<br>
Nancy Wilson - Sunshine<br>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix11-records.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="800" src="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix11-records.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">All the records used in this mix<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br>
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<b> Track notes</b>:<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/458205-TC-James-And-The-Fist-O-Funk-Orchestra-Dance-All-Over-The-World" target="_blank"><b>T.C. James & The Fist-O-Funk Orchestra - Bumpsies Whipping Cream (Savarese 12” Mix)</b></a>: A bit of a lascivious start to the mix, I first heard this song on the <b>T.C. James & The Fist-O-Funk Orchestra</b> <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/217527-TC-James-And-The-Fist-O-Funk-Orchestra-Get-Up-On-Your-Feet-Keep-On-Dancin" target="_blank"><b>album</b></a> which was a lovely cheap find some years back. Was delighted to discover this lovely extended mix by <b>Tom Savarese</b> on 12". This was taken from the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/458205-TC-James-And-The-Fist-O-Funk-Orchestra-Dance-All-Over-The-World" target="_blank"><b>Canadian 12"</b></a> which has <b>Savarese</b> mixes on both sides. A US promo has a <b>Walter Gibbons</b> Mix (not of this song) on the A-side, and has become well sought-after, going by its <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1107065-TC-James-And-The-Fist-O-Funk-Orchestra-Get-Up-On-Your-Feet-Keep-On-Dancin-Bumpsies-Whipping-Cream" target="_blank"><b>Discogs stats</b></a>.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1563009-Nite-School-Do-You-Speak-French" target="_blank"><b>Nite School - Do You Speak French?</b></a>: A little sexy "<i>parlez-vous français?</i>" instructional number with a lot of sprightly female vocals and swirly strings, which is always a winning combination with me! Belgians <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/309071-Jean-Kluger" target="_blank"><b>Jean Kluger</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/182432-Ralph-Benatar" target="_blank"><b>Ralph Benatar</b></a> with American producer/engineer <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1563009-Nite-School-Do-You-Speak-French" target="_blank"><b>Galen Senogles</b></a> appear to be the team behind this. Benatar with either Kluger or Senogles also had a hand in other disco goodies by <b>Black Blood</b> and <b>LAX</b>, among others. Senogles was also the engineer on a number of <b>Rinder & Lewis</b> projects on the <b>AVI</b> label. <br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/962556-Jos%C3%A9-Calv%C3%A1rio-The-Best-Disco-In-Sound" target="_blank"><b>José Calvário - Lisboa à noite (Lisbon By Night)</b></a>: A little something from an obscure album, <b><i>The Best Disco In Sound</b></i> from noted Portugese composer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Calv%C3%A1rio" target="_blank"><b>José Calvário</b></a>, which happened to get a Canadian release back in the day. A lovely orchestral disco album which lands in the same lane as the records of <b>Costandinos</b>, side-long suites playing all the way through seamlessly.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/654443-Manu-Dibango-Sun-Explosion" target="_blank"><b>Manu Dibango - Motapo</b></a>: I had gotten <b>Manu Dibango</b>'s 1978 album <i><b>Sun Explosion</i></b> for cheap a few years back at one of my local (and dearly departed) record haunts here in Toronto. For 4 tracks and a whopping $3, there were some lovely long Afro-disco goodies on here, this being one of them. In a sense, works in much the same way as the very euro-orchestral disco of the previous entry.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1374539-Trademark-Days-Of-Pearly-Spencer" target="_blank"><b>Trademark - Days Of Pearly Spencer</b></a>: A favourite of mine, and one of the better covers of singer-songwriter <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Days_of_Pearly_Spencer" target="_blank"><b>David McWilliams</b></a>' original from 1967, reportedly about a homeless person from the streets of Ballymena, Northern Ireland. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Days_of_Pearly_Spencer#Marc_Almond_version" target="_blank"><b>Marc Almond would later successfully cover this in 1992</b></a> however, not surprisingly, I enjoy this disco version best. Even keeping the "telephoned in" vocal effect used in the original, there's an evocative melancholy here which which is not only retained but in my opinion, heightened in this disco translation.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1047626-Chrisland-Angela-Angel" target="_blank"><b>Chrisland - Angela, Angel</b></a>: Continuing on the disco noir of the previous track is this song by <b>Chrisland</b>, one of several monikers used by the French singer/producer <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/149513-Christopher-Moore" target="_blank"><b>Christian Girard</b></a>. With lyrics like "<i>it must have been the devil to have left those scars upon your arm,</i>" it's evidently a disco song about losing a loved one to the depths of heroin addiction. Unusual subject matter for disco to say the least, but one that I've long loved and wanted to place properly in a mix.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/10257053-Donna-Summer-Once-Upon-A-Time" target="_blank"><b>Donna Summer - Working The Midnight Shift</b></a>: The namesake of this mix and the final entry in these disco chronicles of urban misery is perhaps one of my favourite <b>Donna Summer</b> songs, and in my opinion one of the best moments of her <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Once_Upon_a_Time_(Donna_Summer_album)" target="_blank"><b><i>Once Upon A Time</b></i></a> double album. The urging pulse of <b>Giorgio Moroder</b>'s synthesized backing track perfectly evokes the sadness and desperation of the lyrics and Donna's yearning vocal. A little pitched up here for beat-matching purposes, but hopefully not to the song's detriment.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/2179488-Theo-Vaness-Bad-Bad-Boy" target="_blank"><b>Theo Vaness - Sentimentally It’s You</b></a>: Including yet another <b>Theo Vaness</b> track on this mix, one that I had retrieved from my collection in storage over the Christmas holidays. There are sections of the vocal and lyric that I'm not especially crazy about, however I decided to mix this in just before my favourite part of the track, when that great propulsive break kicks in. Taken from his <b><i>Bad Bad Boy</b></i> album, which has probably one of the more homoerotic disco album cover shots of the time.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1097524-Whos-Who-Palace-Palace" target="_blank"><b>Who’s Who - Palace Palace</b></a>: Lifting things up a little is this nugget by <a href="https://soundcloud.com/dance-to-dance" target="_blank"><b>Daniel Vangarde</b></a>, French disco super-producer and father of <b>Daft Punk</b>'s <a href="https://soundcloud.com/dance-to-dance" target="_blank"><b>Thomas Bangalter</b></a>. Reportedly <a href="https://mixmag.net/feature/daniel-vangarde-interview-disco-zagora-studio-54-grace-jones-nile-rodgers-daft-punk-thomas-bangalter" target="_blank"><b>inspired by a night at a New York roller-disco</b></a> where he was taken by the dancers skating with whistles and perhaps also an ode to the famed Parisian disco "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Palace" target="_blank"><b>Le Palace</b></a>," this is undoubtedly one of my favourite things to come from the mind of Daniel Vangarde. <b>Because Music</b> recently released <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/25331611-Daniel-Vangarde-The-Vaults-Of-Zagora-Records-Mastermind-1971-1984" target="_blank"><b>a lovely retrospective</b></a> of his work on his <b>Zagora</b> label, which also includes this track. Nevertheless, was glad to find an original 12" late last year.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/4015634-The-Stewart-Thomas-Group-To-Freak-Or-Not-To-Freak" target="_blank"><b>The Stewart-Thomas Group - To Freak Or Not To Freak</b></a>: A pleasant little cheapie that I also came across late last year, this was a one-off single by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/221607-Marvell-Thomas" target="_blank"><b>Marvell Thomas</b></a>, (brother of <b>Rufus</b>, <b>Carla</b> and <b>Vaneese Thomas</b>), and soul songwriter <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/701672-Randall-Stewart" target="_blank"><b>Randall Stewart</b></a>. While I probably wouldn't call this the greatest thing I've bought for $2.99, it's certainly not without it's charms, and provides a nice little lift in the mix.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/25298119-Mavis-John-The-Red-Stripe-Band-Use-My-Body-Try-Love" target="_blank"><b>The Red Stripe Band - Try Love</b></a>: I had heard this track out from time to time, wondering what it was. Finally found out when I saw it <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/25298119-Mavis-John-The-Red-Stripe-Band-Use-My-Body-Try-Love" target="_blank"><b>reissued on 7"</b></a> late last year, which I ordered straight away. Originally recorded by it's songwriter <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/321403-Tony-Wilson-3" target="_blank"><b>Tony Wilson</b></a>, founding member of the group <b>Hot Chocolate</b>, this is easily my favourite version of this song. As of this writing, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/5292324-Mavis-John-The-Red-Stripe-Band-Use-My-Body-Try-Love" target="_blank"><b>original pressings of the 1981 single</b></a> are going for over $300 US on <b>Discogs</b>. <br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/4008094-Billy-Newton-Davis-Romance" target="_blank"><b>Billy Newton-Davis - Romance (Disco Remix)</b></a>: A pleasantly surprising recent cheap find, likely the first single from Toronto-based singer <a href="https://www.billynewtondavismusic.com/" target="_blank"><b>Billy Newton-Davis</b></a>. I recall in the early days of this blog, a reader emailing me about looking for a copy of this single. Never had any luck coming across it until late last year. Produced by a one <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/11470181-Boh-Tanasijczuk" target="_blank"><b>Boh Tanasijczuk</b></a>, (who only has this one credit to his name on Discogs) and mixed by Toronto Disco DJ <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/105985-Wally-MacDonald" target="_blank"><b>Wally MacDonald</b></a>, it may not have been as polished as some of Newton-Davis' later work, but it has an appealing groove that convinced me to take this home.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/2111286-Dusty-Springfield-Baby-Blue" target="_blank"><b>Dusty Springfield - Baby Blue (Disco Version)</b></a>: A non-album disco single from the late, great <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dusty_Springfield" target="_blank"><b>Dusty Springfield</b></a>, I had long been taken by this song, so much so that I ended up buying a copy of the 12" on eBay late last year. Written by some British heavy-hitters - <b>Bruce Woolley</b>, with <b>Geoff Downes</b> and future super-producer <b>Trevor Horn</b> (both later in <b>The Buggles</b>), this is perhaps my favourite of Dusty's disco efforts. I remember being surprised to read that Dusty herself was more enthusiastic about performing and releasing disco in the late 70s than even many of her producers were, which perhaps explains why this was one of the few. Love the combination of her vocals over the sleek synth pulse and latin-tinged percussion here.<br>
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/915807-Nancy-Wilson-Life-Love-And-Harmony" target="_blank"><b>Nancy Wilson - Sunshine</b></a>: Ending things on a mellower, jazz-funk tip here. Taken from <b>Nancy Wilson</b>'s 1979 <a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/272682-Nancy-Wilson-Life-Love-And-Harmony" target="_blank"><b><i>Love, Life & Harmony</b></i></a> album, one of the last from her long run at <b>Capitol Records</b>. While this album had some disco-leaning tracks, this song, however, was not among them. Fully one of the sublime highlights of the album though and one of the best grooves she's put her inimitable vocal stylings to.<br>
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_2.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY MIXES</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-19740848188341506622023-02-20T19:53:00.009-05:002023-03-17T18:24:28.169-04:00Sky House Mix - Parts 1 & 2<a href="http://discovice.net/images/sky-02.09.23.jpg"></a><a href="http://discovice.net/images/sky-02.09.23.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="http://discovice.net/images/sky-02.09.23.jpg" width="275" /></a> <a href="http://discovice.net/images/sky-turntables-02.23.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="http://discovice.net/images/sky-turntables-02.23.jpg" width="275" /></a>
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<br>Fully activating my <a href="https://soundcloud.com/dance-to-dance" target="_blank"><b>SoundCloud account</b></a> and just uploaded <a href="https://soundcloud.com/dance-to-dance/sky-house-mix-part-1" target="_blank"><b>a pair</a> <a href="https://soundcloud.com/dance-to-dance/sky-house-mix-part-2" target="_blank">of mixes</b></a> I made in the past month. Trying something different here, at least for me. Going in a more House-oriented direction with these. Mixed with a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Co5tSWAvF4d/" target="_blank"><b>combination of mine and my partner Andrew's records</b></a>.<br>
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<center><a href="http://discovice.net/images/intergen-02.22.23.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="325" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="http://discovice.net/images/intergen-02.22.23.jpg"/></a></center><br>
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Incidentally, if you're in the Toronto area, Andrew & I will be also be playing records as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/intergen_disco/" target="_blank"><b>INTERGEN</b></a> this coming <a href="https://www.blogto.com/events/intergen-toronto-5/" target="_blank"><b>Wednesday February 22nd</b></a> at <a href="https://thelittlejerry.com/" target="_blank"><b>The Little Jerry</b></a>. Some of the records in these mixes will surely make the cut!<br />
(Digital flyer by Andrew, digital wigs by YouCam Makeup)<br>
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In lieu of track notes, I've put Discogs links to the individual tracks in the tracklists below... Enjoy! <br />
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<br /><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1451583178&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe></p><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Sans, Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"></div><br />
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/mixes/dd-skyhousemix-part1.mp3" target="_blank"><b>Sky House Mix, Part 1 (Download)</b></a><br />
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<b>Tracklist:</b><br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/21037756-Gavinco-Beriza" target="_blank"><b>Gavinco - West Horizon</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/25265266-Simoncino-Feat-Robert-Owens-Resurrection-Part-Three" target="_blank"><b>Simoncino - Masonry</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/25790299-Materie-Pura-Alba" target="_blank"><b>Materie - My Language (Dub)</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/16001538-Kai-Alc%C3%A9-Featuring-Rico-105-Kafele-Bandele-Take-A-Chance-The-Dubs" target="_blank"><b>Kai Alcé feat Rico + Kafele Bandele - Take A Chance (Mr. Fingers Full Ambient Acid Instrumental)</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/25042819-Superpitcher-Meets-Repeat-Orchestra-Superpitcher-Meets-Repeat-Orchestra" target="_blank"><b>Superpitcher - Monks In The Sky</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/16052914-Kiwi-Hit-Me" target="_blank"><b>Kiwi - Schulze</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/24960376-Panthera-Synthesizer-Hits" target="_blank"><b>Panthera - Bra</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/24388988-Palermo-Disco-Squad-After-All-These-Tears" target="_blank"><b>Palermo Disco Squad - After All These Tears</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/1598486-Paranoid-London-PL" target="_blank"><b>Paranoid London - (Vi-Vi) Vicious Games (with Josh Caffe)</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/22008979-DJ-City-The-Beloved-One" target="_blank"><b>DJ City - Luke</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/9232470-Genius-Of-Time-Juno-Jam-EP" target="_blank"><b>Genius of Time - Juno Jam</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/25384399-Royal-Mirrorball-Earth-In-Blue" target="_blank"><b>Hiroshi Matsui AKA Royal Mirrorball - (Earth In) Blue</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/23168636-Jovonn-Deetron-Random-Get-Over-It-Dr-Melonball-V-NRG" target="_blank"><b>Jovonn - Random</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/132863-Kenny-Jammin-Jason-Featuring-Paris-Grey-Dont-Want-It" target="_blank"><b>Kenny "Jammin’" Jason feat. Paris Grey - Don’t Want It (Club Mix)</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/169848-Sample-Minded-The-Sound-Of-Redness" target="_blank"><b>Sample Minded - The Sound of Redness (Club Mix)</b></a><br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1451583133&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Sans, Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"></div><br />
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/mixes/dd-skyhousemix-part2.mp3" target="_blank"><b>Sky House Mix, Part 2 (Download)</b></a><br />
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<b>Tracklist:</b><br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/9016918-Will-Long-Mint-Clay" target="_blank"><b>Will Long - Under-Currents (DJ Sprinkles Overdub)</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/3488620-Fort-Romeau-Kingdoms" target="_blank"><b>Fort Romeau - Jack Rollin'</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/14203715-Daso-Meine-Idee" target="_blank"><b>Daso - Meine</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/24804308-Levon-Vincent-Niresa-EP" target="_blank"><b>Levon Vincent - Untitled (Niresa EP - Side B)</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/24892757-Kuniyuki-x-Soichi-Terada-x-Sauce81-Lets-Get-Down-EP" target="_blank"><b>Kuniyuki & Soichi Terada - Get Up</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/13880184-Various-The-Sandy-Rivera-EP" target="_blank"><b>Kings of Tomorrow feat. Elzi Hall - Show Me</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/9766802-Talaboman-The-Night-Land" target="_blank"><b>Talaboman - Samsa</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/25236244-Lord-Of-The-Isles-Night-Of-The-Endless-Beyond" target="_blank"><b>Lord of the Isles - Together</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/25422112-Hunee-Selects-Digital-Justice-Dorothy-Ashby-Frantz-Tuernal-Melodies-Record-Club-003" target="_blank"><b>Digital Justice - Theme From "It's All Gone Pearshaped"</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/36370-Ragtyme-Featuring-Byron-Stingily-I-Cant-Stay-Away" target="_blank"><b>Ragtyme - I Can’t Stay Away (Power-Pella)</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/147757-Touch-Love-Fixation" target="_blank"><b>Touch - Love Fixation (Vocal)</b></a><br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_2.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY MIXES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_9.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY EVENTS</a><br />
Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-3926563873388216112023-01-08T17:27:00.035-05:002023-03-20T11:09:16.198-04:00Disco Delivery Mix #10: Night People Have More Fun <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/potassadelafayette1977-merylmeisler.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="800" src="http://discovice.net/images/potassadelafayette1977-merylmeisler.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo: Potassa de la Fayette by Meryl Meisler, 1977</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
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Starting off the new year with a new mix!<br />
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I usually visit family every year over the Christmas holidays, and while I'm there, I have the opportunity to dig for records in my own collection (the part that's in storage) and pick up some more at some of my old stomping grounds. This year, I thought it would be nice to make a mix of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CnLNFVWNz3w/" target="_blank"><b>the records I brought back</b></a>. I recorded a few different takes, but the first try (uploaded here) turned out to be the best.<br />
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<center><iframe frameborder="0" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&feed=%2Fdiscodelivery%2Fnight-people-have-more-fun%2F" width="100%"></iframe></center><br />
<center><a href="http://discovice.net/media/mixes/ddmix10.mp3" target="_blank"><b>Download</b></a></center><br />
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Decided to add some track notes to this post, so first the tracklist, then the notes:<br />
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<b>Tracklist:</b><br />
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Electra - Feels Good (Carrots and Beets) (Instrumental) <br />
Marzio - Phantom of the Opera<br />
The New York Models - Hot For You (Extended Version)<br />
Lime - Angel Eyes<br />
Theo Vaness - Night People Have More Fun<br />
Dynamic Superiors - Nowhere To Run<br />
Cuba Gooding - Running Man<br />
Laura Taylor - Some Love<br />
Gladys Knight & The Pips - It's A Better Than Good Time (Walter Gibbons 12" Mix)<br />
Patsy Gallant - Sugar Daddy<br />
Sandy Mercer - You Are My Love (Walter Gibbons & Steve D'Aquisto 12" Mix)<br />
Made In USA - Never Gonna Let You Go<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/nightpeoplemix-records.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="800" src="http://discovice.net/images/nightpeoplemix-records.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">All the records used in this mix<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<b>Track Notes:</b><br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/2402220-Electra-2-Featuring-Tara-Butler-Feels-Good-Carrots-Beets" target="_blank"><b>Electra - Feels Good (Carrots and Beets) (Instrumental)</b></a>: I noticed this single <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/19103632-Electra-Feels-Good-Carrots-Beets" target="_blank"><b>had been reissued recently</b></a> and given that, looked like originals were starting to get a little pricey. I swore I had a copy, but I couldn't seem to find it. As it turns out, I had it in Calgary in my boxes in storage. I need to give my copy a little cleaning, but it's no wonder this is in demand again - a lovely record landing right in the intersection of Italo-disco and US electro.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1294589-Marzio-Volcano" target="_blank"><b>Marzio - Phantom of the Opera</b></a>: I found this little Italo single - a US pressing, no less, for a cool $2 in Calgary back in 2006. This track is actually the B-side, which I honestly found much more interesting than the A-Side, "<b>Volcano</b>." Some off-kilter vocals from Marzio, but it has some of those lovely synth sounds and chords that I enjoy from this era of Italo Disco.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/316037-The-New-York-Models-Hot-For-You-Extended-Version" target="_blank"><b>The New York Models - Hot For You (Extended Version)</b></a>: One of the many projects released by <b>Bobby "O"</b> back in the early 80s, I had recently obtained the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/22192231-The-New-York-Models-Love-On-Video" target="_blank"><b>Bordello A Parigi reissue</b></a> of another New York Models single, "<b>Love On Video</b>." Originals of that were starting to go up in price and when I saw that I had this in storage (which is also getting similarly pricey), had to bring it back! Bobby "O"'s productions from this time can be on the formulaic side, but when they're as good as this, I can't resist.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/920085-Lime-Lime-3" target="_blank"><b>Lime - Angel Eyes</b></a>: <b>Lime</b> can be a bit of a mixed bag for me. <b>Denis & Denyse LePage</b>'s productions are chock-full of interesting melodic hooks, production ideas and great synthwork, but there are times when the vocals put a damper on things. However, took out my copy of the <i><b>Lime 3</b></i> album in storage and found it to be a great listen all the way through. This number shined brightly on the album, so it finds it's way here!<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/339202-Theo-Vaness-Theo-Vaness" target="_blank"><b>Theo Vaness - Night People Have More Fun</b></a>: Entering the straight-ahead disco portion of this mix, the one <b>Theo Van Es</b> is another that has been a mixed bag for me in the past. <b>Michaele, Paul and Lana Sebastian</b> were some of the most consistent producers of disco and upon listening to his self-titled album, this track stood out. Sure, it's a little on the heteronormative side, lyrically. Either way, they'd redeem themselves elsewhere (see the heavy homo overtones on Vaness' second album cover), and this has some percussive hooks that stuck with me long enough to include it here.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/4273835-Dynamic-Superiors-Give-Take" target="_blank"><b>Dynamic Superiors - Nowhere To Run</b></a>: <b>Motown</b> seemed to be doing this sort of thing a lot by the late 70s, covering itself with increasing regularity. I suppose it was also good way to double-dip on some of that publishing $$. Once in a while though, some really interesting covers came out of this push, this being one of them. Two-thirds of <b>Holland-Dozier-Holland</b> are back producing a retread of the same song they did for <b>Martha & The Vandellas</b> in 1965 and it translates well to disco, I think. The instrumental breaks in the second half of the track are dynamite, especially the bass guitar towards the end, which I unfortunately mixed out of before it really got started, but you can still get a sense of where it goes. In any case, it convinced me to take their 1977 <i><b>Give & Take</b></i> album back with me.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/262804-Cuba-Gooding-Love-Dancer" target="_blank"><b>Cuba Gooding - Running Man</b></a>: Some more <b>Motown</b> disco, this time courtesy of <b>Cuba Gooding (Sr.)</b>, on a little solo break from <b>The Main Ingredient</b>. While going through my record boxes, saw that I had a copy of his second solo LP, <i><b>Love Dancer</b></i>. Produced by label stalwart <b>Michael L. Smith</b> (AKA <b>Michael Lovesmith</b>) this was one of 2 or 3 nice disco goodies on there that convined me to take this back home with me.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/2270459-Laura-Taylor-Dancin-In-My-Feet" target="_blank"><b>Laura Taylor - Some Love</b></a>: Laura Taylor's album, <i><b>Dancin' In My Feet</b></i>, had remained elusive for me for some time. Ended up finding it misfiled at one of my old record haunts in Calgary, so decided to buy it. Found it to be an unexpectedly solid, consistent album with Taylor herself credited as a writer on many of the songs, including this one, the opening track on the album.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/793429-Gladys-Knight-The-Pips-Its-A-Better-Than-Good-Time" target="_blank"><b>Gladys Knight & The Pips - It's A Better Than Good Time (Walter Gibbons 12" Mix)</b></a>: I've <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2013/12/its-better-than-good-time.html" target="_blank"><b>opined at length on this track here in the past</b></a>, though until now, original 12" copies had remained elusive for me. Have to say this is one of my most treasured finds over the holidays. This has been reissued, both on <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/5163716-Gladys-Knight-The-Pips-The-One-And-Only" target="_blank"><b>CD</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/11017788-Gladys-Knight-And-The-Pips-Its-A-Better-Than-Good-Time" target="_blank"><b>12" recently</b></a>, which means originals probably aren't as sought after they once were, but it is still nice to finally have one in my possession (and at a good price).<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/10390773-Patsy-Gallant-Besoin-DAmour" target="_blank"><b>Patsy Gallant - Sugar Daddy</b></a>: I don't have a great deal of Patsy Gallant's records, though one certainly does come across them often while record shopping in Canada. Over the holidays though, found and bought a crisp, mint copy of her <i><b>Besoin d'amour</b></i> album which included this sweet, charming slice of Frenglish Can-Con Disco.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/2760511-Sandy-Mercer-You-Are-My-Love" target="_blank"><b>Sandy Mercer - You Are My Love (Walter Gibbons & Steve D'Aquisto 12" Mix)</b></a>: Despite the association with <b>Walter Gibbons</b>, this 12" isn't all that expensive. In fact you might even call this a dollar bin record. That being said, "You Are My Love," (the A-side on my Canadian pressing, but the B-Side on all the others) is my favourite of the two songs on this single, and features some sweet breaks which convinced me to take this one back home.<br />
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<a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/126358-Made-In-USA-Made-In-USA" target="_blank"><b>Made In USA - Never Gonna Let You Go</b></a>: Pulled my copy out of storage and while taking a listen to the opening track, the culminating break sounded familiar to me. Turns out it was the basis for <b>Theo Parrish</b>'s "<a href="https://www.whosampled.com/sample/173735/Theo-Parrish-Never-Gonna-Let-U-Go-(Theo-Parrish-Re-Edit)-Made-in-USA-Never-Gonna-Let-You-Go/" target="_blank"><b>Never Gonna Let U Go</b></a>," which itself remains a peak hour favourite and one that I still hear out a fair bit. Hearing that was all the convincing I needed to take this back.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/intergen-01.11.23.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="http://discovice.net/images/intergen-01.11.23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Also, if you're in the Toronto area, my partner and I have a ongoing night at <a href="https://thelittlejerry.com/" target="_blank"><b>The Little Jerry</b></a>, which we call <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/intergen_disco/" target="_blank"><b>INTERGEN</b></a>. We play back-to-back all night and our next installment (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CiN-ynYtV8L/" target="_blank"><b>our</b></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj1CTCTPCT3/" target="_blank"><b>fourth</b></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj1CTCTPCT3/" target="_blank"><b>so</b></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj1CTCTPCT3/" target="_blank"><b>far</b></a>) is <a href="https://www.blogto.com/events/intergen-toronto-4/" target="_blank"><b>this coming Wednesday January 11th</b></a>. My partner is older and brings newer records and as the younger partner, I bring the older records. In other words, he listens forward and I listen back. It all somehow balances out and gives us both a chance to weave some interesting sound dynamics over the course of an evening. If you're in the area, come by and say hi!<br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_2.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY MIXES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_9.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY EVENTS</a><br />
Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-54921035021864616552022-08-18T17:46:00.005-04:002023-07-04T16:02:43.589-04:00Disco Delivery Mix #9: Guest Mix for Sunshine After Dark<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix09-sunshineafterdark133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix09-sunshineafterdark133.jpg" width="400" height="400"/></a></div><br />
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Dusting off the blog to post a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChIK8HsAfjS/" target="_blank"><b>guest mix</b></a> I did for <a href="https://www.mixcloud.com/wijit/" target="_blank"><b>John Huck (AKA Wijit)</b></a> and his Disco show, <a href="https://www.sunshineafterdarkdisco.com/" target="_blank"><b>Sunshine After Dark</b></a>. Two years ago at the onset of the pandemic, I largely put any DJing to the side not really knowing what was waiting on the other side, however I've been starting to hit the decks and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cgcx9aKvqNZ/" target="_blank"><b>play records outside of the apartment again</b></a>. Did my first public DJ gig in over two years recently at <a href="https://thelittlejerry.com/" target="_blank"><b>The Little Jerry</b></a>, a lovely listening bar here in Toronto (check them out if you're ever in the Toronto area and want to hear great local selectors on a top sound system), so John's invitation came along at just the right time!<br>
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Thanks again to John for having me do this mix! Do check out his <a href="https://www.sunshineafterdarkdisco.com/" target="_blank"><b>blog</b></a> and <a href="https://www.mixcloud.com/wijit/" target="_blank"><b>Mixcloud</b></a> where you can find out more information and listen to other past episodes.<br>
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<b>Sunshine After Dark</b> broadcasts online and on the radio out of <a href="https://www.cjsr.com/" target="_blank"><b>CJSR 88.5 FM</b></a> in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada every Thursday at 7 PM Mountain Time (0100 UTC), re-broadcasting Tuesdays on <a href="https://ckxu.com/" target="_blank"><b>CKXU</b></a> in Lethbridge, AB and Wednesdays on <a href="https://www.chmafm.com/" target="_blank"><b>CHMA</b></a> in Sackville, NB.<br>
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Note: The version on Mixcloud (and in the download link below) has an extra track at the end that was cut for time. Enjoy the mix! <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&feed=%2Fwijit%2Fsunshine-after-dark-134-disco-delivery-guest-mix%2F" width="100%"></iframe>
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<center><a href="http://discovice.net/media/mixes/ddmix09-sunshineafterdark133-guestmix.mp3" target="_blank"><b>Download</b></a></center><br>
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<b>Tracklist:</b><br />
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Rick James & The Stone City Band - Get Up And Dance<br />
The Earls - Get On Up And Dance (The Continental)<br />
Sam-Jam - Dance And Chant<br />
Pure Energy - When You're Dancin'<br />
Herbie Hancock - Tell Everybody (Disco Version)<br />
Roundtree - Hit On You (Remix)<br />
Busta Jones - (Everybody's) Dancin' All Over The World<br />
Blonde On Blonde - Whole Lotta Love<br />
Angella Dean - World X<br />
Donna Summer - Now I Need You<br />
**MIXCLOUD BONUS TRACK**<br />
Kongas - Tatoo Woman<br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_2.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY MIXES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_9.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY EVENTS</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_21.html" target="_blank">CAN-CON DISCO</a><br /><br />Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-22510075992775712152021-05-28T18:12:00.015-04:002021-06-06T16:21:07.275-04:00Vintage Articles: Sean Lawrence's Discaire Column -Kitchen Disco // Christopher Street - June 1979<div class="separator"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-cover-lg.jpg" target="_blank" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="596" height="306" src="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-cover-lg.jpg" /></a></div><br><br>Picking up where I left off <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2014/02/vintage-articles-sean-lawrences.html" target="_blank"><b>a while back</b></a> with some more transcriptions of <b>Sean Lawrence</b>’s short-lived <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/search/label/Discaire" target="_blank"><b><i>Discaire</i></b></a> columns in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Street_%28magazine%29" target="_blank"><b>Christopher Street</b></a>. The title of this second installment still feels appropriate, even 40 years later. <i><b>Kitchen Disco</b></i> - "<i>the way one moves between the sofa and the dishwasher</i>" has basically been the name of the game since the beginning of this pandemic.<br />
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Lawrence here has good words for <b>Barry White</b>’s <b><i>The Message is Love</i></b>, The <b>Mighty Clouds of Joy</b> and <b>Linda Clifford</b>; pans for <b>Ashford & Simpson</b>, <b> Parlet</b>, and especially the late <b>Patrick Juvet</b>’s <b><i>Lady Night</i></b>. <br />
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I’m not quite sharing the enthusiasm he has for <b>Roberta Kelly</b>’s gospel-disco album <i><b>Feelin’ The Spirit</b></i> (though “<b>To My Father’s House</b>” <i>is</i> a standout on that one) and unlike Lawrence, I quite enjoyed <b>Parlet</b>’s <i><b>Invasion of the Booty Snatchers</b></i> (it’s lead track “<a href="https://youtu.be/ZKInTwLO0rs" target="_blank"><b>Ridin’ High</b></a>” is still a jam). <br>
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That being said, just like his earlier column, I'm enjoying the general position he writes from - in “<i>the space between inspiration and camp</i>,” as he so astutely puts it. His observation about disco and its relationship to nostalgia in the fifth paragraph is also spot on, in my view. <br />
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For now, enjoy this little time capsule.. <br />
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<p></p><center>____________________________________________<br />
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<a href="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79%20toc-lg.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="593" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79%20toc-lg.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p12-lg.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="599" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p12-lg.jpg" /></a><br /> <a href="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p13-lg.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="595" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p13-lg.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p14-lg.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="596" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p14-lg.jpg" /></a><br />
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<h3><u><b>Discaire: Kitchen Disco</b></u></h3><b>by Sean Lawrence</b><br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_White" target="_blank"><b>Barry White</b></a> makes me feel sorry for the emotionally poverty-stricken of the world. What can someone who has a hard time squeezing just a <i>little</i> feeling out in life do in the face of a man like this—a man whose songs, musically and lyrically, are as understated as the flowers at a Mafia funeral? Barry White doesn’t just sit down at a piano—he arrives at it in a limousine, articulate as an anniversary card, uvula climaxing, hands and heart a-pounding. The news is that his new album on <b>CBS</b>’s <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/149873-Unlimited-Gold" target="_blank"><b>Unlimited Gold</b></a> label (<b>JZ 35763</b>) is surprisingly likeable.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p14-bw-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="571" height="138" src="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p14-bw-sm.jpg" width="140" /></a></div> <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Barry-White-The-Message-Is-Love/release/6020849" target="_blank"><b><i>The Message Is Love</i></b></a> (was it ever anything else?) is full of the romanticism of the overbearing. The album’s most successful songs (that is, most likely to touch the feelings of us mere mortals) are the ones in which White is vocally somewhat laid back. For those who see White as instant camp there are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Lichtenstein" target="_blank"><b>Roy Lichtenstein</b></a>-type moments of self-dramatization and pop sentimentality. A couple of the melodies sound downright experimental for the normally predictable BW, and a couple are danceable even if they don’t qualify as heavy disco.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p13-mcj-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="355" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p13-mcj-sm.jpg" width="132" /></a></div> Another occasionally danceable album in the gray area of off-disco is <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Mighty-Clouds-Of-Joy-Changing-Times/release/2235769" target="_blank"><b><i>Changing Times</i></b></a> (<b>Epic JE 35971</b>) by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mighty_Clouds_of_Joy" target="_blank"><b>Mighty Clouds of Joy</b></a>. Ostensibly commercial gospel music, <b><i>Changing Times</i></b> is a stirring album of songs sung to God and his/her reps on earth that can be danced to and enjoyed by atheists everywhere. I suspect that nowadays most people listen to gospel songs and think about their lovers (conversely, many of us listen to <b>Barry Manilow</b> singing about lovers and think of God). <b><i>Changing Times</i></b> is sometimes-perfect apartment/kitchen disco (one doesn’t really <i>dance</i> at home; the way one moves between the sofa and the dishwasher while listening to albums like <b><i>Changing Times</i></b> never works at overheated discos like <b>Studio 54</b>). The pared, unsynthesized gospel ruggedness and ripe voices working up a sweat on this album will be a pleasure to anyone used to disco superproduction. Like Barry White’s album, <b><i>Changing Times</i></b> inhabits the space between inspiration and camp where so many of us dance and think these days. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p13-pj-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="285" height="187" src="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p13-pj-sm.jpg" width="101" /></a></div> It’s hard to say <i>what</i> space <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Juvet" target="_blank"><b>Patrick Juvet</b></a> occupies (he sang last summer’s popular “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Love_America_(Patrick_Juvet_song)" target="_blank"><b>I Love America</b></a>”). I think Juvet’s producers want us to know he’s French, the way <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudine_Longet" target="_blank"><b>Claudine Longet</b></a>’s producers wanted us to know <i>she</i> was French. In fact, Juvet even sounds a little like Longet. And <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_Tim_(musician)" target="_blank"><b>Tiny Tim</b></a>. I must admit, I’m somewhat prejudiced against Juvet. I once caught him on the <a href="http://www.tv.com/shows/the-merv-griffin-show/may-3-1979-2613311/" target="_blank"><b>Merv Griffin show</b></a> and would easily deem him to be one of the more obnoxious talk-show presences of late. His new album, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Patrick-Juvet-Lady-Night/release/15396768" target="_blank"><b><i>Lady Night</i></b></a> (<b>Casablanca NBLP 7148</b>) is worse, a truly contemptuous (if not cretinous) work of non-art. Produced by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Morali" target="_blank"><b>Jacques Morali</b></a> with a monotonous metronome, <b><i>Lady Night</i></b> is one of the most tiresome and grating albums you may be forced to listen to at the discos this summer. Even the one song transparently directed at “our” scene (“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDaqgJFle9A" target="_blank"><b>The ‘Gay Paris’</b></a>”) is a boring co-optation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p12-lindaclifford-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="537" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p12-lindaclifford-sm.jpg" width="190" /></a></div>Had <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Clifford" target="_blank"><b>Linda Clifford</b></a>’s new two-record set, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Linda-Clifford-Let-Me-Be-Your-Woman/release/2767785" target="_blank"><b><i>Let Me Be Your Woman</i></b></a> (<b>RSO RS-2-3902</b>) been a one-record set including only “<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Linda-Clifford-Bridge-Over-Troubled-Water/master/103305" target="_blank"><b>Bridge Over Troubled Water</b></a>” and “<a href="https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/1073290/versions" target="_blank"><b>It’s One of Those Songs</b></a>,” each of which fills a side, the album would still have been a triumph. As head pompon girl in the hyper produced cheerleader arrangement of “<b>Bridge Over Troubled Water</b>,” Clifford seems almost as excited by life, love and show business as Barry White. Purists may say that discoizing this song is nothing short of sacrilege (in some ways disco treats the past with the same respect Punk Rock does), but I think it points out the schizzy nature of most disco rehashes—that is, the dancer divides his pleasure in two: the part he or she dances to at 120 thumps a minute and the evocation of the past the song reminds the dancer of. Disco is up to its neck in nostalgia; those who say that disco is mindless are simply out of touch with what disco is <i>mindful of</i>. <br />
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And speaking of mindlessness and the past … recent disappointments include <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashford_%26_Simpson" target="_blank"><b>Ashford and Simpson</b></a>’s “<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Ashford-Simpson-Flashback/master/133620" target="_blank"><b>Flashback</b></a>” single (<b>Warner Bros. PRO-A-803</b>), which at this moment is either in the hands of discaires or (as I suspect) in their wastebaskets. Ashford and Simpson have spent enough time in discos to know the beat better and the importance of innovation. “Flashback” is a bore. Equally disappointing is <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/151464-Parlet" target="_blank"><b>Parlet</b></a>’s <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Parlet-Invasion-Of-The-Booty-Snatchers/release/306545" target="_blank"><i><b>Invasion of the Booty Snatchers</b></i></a> (<b>Casablanca NBLP 7146</b>), which sounds downright ugly. <br />
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<a href="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p14-rkelly-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="512" height="120" src="http://discovice.net/images/CS%20-%206.79-p14-rkelly-sm.jpg" width="122" /></a>On the brighter side, I am pleased to see the renewed interest in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberta_Kelly" target="_blank"><b>Roberta Kelly</b></a>’s <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Roberta-Kelly-Gettin-The-Spirit/release/447169" target="_blank"><b><i>Gettin’ the Spirit</i></b></a> (<b>Casablanca NBLP 7089</b>), which was released last year and somehow got buried commercially. “<b>Oh Happy Day</b>” was one of the five most nutritional songs to dance to at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Island_Pines,_New_York" target="_blank"><b>Pines</b></a> last August. Like some of the work of <b>Donna Summer</b>, <b>Loleatta Holloway</b>, and <b>Grace Jones</b>, <b><i>Gettin’ the Spirit</i></b> is a disco classic and deserves a second chance ■ </blockquote>
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<center>____________________________________________</center><br />
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<b>PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:</b><br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2014/02/vintage-articles-sean-lawrences.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: sean lawrence’s discaire column: supply without demand // christopher street - may 1979</a> (sunday february 23, 2014)<br />
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<b>LINKS:</b><br>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Message_Is_Love" target="_blank">wikipedia: barry white - the message is love (album)</a><br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Barry-White-The-Message-Is-Love/master/150664" target="_blank">discogs: barry white - the message is love lp</a><br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Mighty-Clouds-Of-Joy-Changing-Times/master/241082" target="_blank">discogs: the mighty clouds of joy - changing times lp</a> <br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Patrick-Juvet-Lady-Night/master/138465/" target="_blank">discogs: patrick juvet - lady night lp</a> <br>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_Me_Be_Your_Woman" target="_blank">wikipedia: linda clifford - let me be your woman (album)</a> <br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Linda-Clifford-Let-Me-Be-Your-Woman/master/103307" target="_blank">discogs: linda clifford - let me be your woman lp</a> <br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Ashford-Simpson-Flashback/master/133620" target="_blank">discogs: ashford & simpson - flashback (promo 12” single)</a> <br>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_the_Booty_Snatchers" target="_blank">wikipedia: parlet - invasion of the booty snatchers (album)</a> <br>
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Parlet-Invasion-Of-The-Booty-Snatchers/release/306545" target="_blank">discogs: parlet - invasion of the booty snatchers lp</a> <br>
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_24.html" target="_blank">VINTAGE ARTICLES</a>
Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-11706185291595627082021-05-24T19:07:00.027-04:002023-09-11T17:05:11.694-04:00Vintage Articles: Disco Advertisements from The Advocate // August 13, 1975As mentioned <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/05/vintage-articles-disco-scenes-hollywood.html" target="_blank"><b>a couple of posts ago</b></a>, I thought it would be a good idea to do a post on the advertisements in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Advocate_(LGBT_magazine)" target="_blank"><b>The Advocate</b></a>'s August 1975 <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Advocate%20%288%2F13%2F75%29" target="_blank"><i><b>Discos!</b></i></a> issue. Wrapping up this series of posts from the <i><b>Discos!</b></i> issue, I thought it be a great way to not only display the ads for their visuals, but also for context. Most (but not all) of these are ads for bygone venues, a cursory search for many of them revealing some interesting details not only in terms of disco, but in the many localized queer histories that surround them. Many of these venues survived in spite of the many factors working against them: multiple arson attempts, sustained police harassment and widespread homophobia to name just a few. While some were perhaps more or less welcoming than others, some more above-board in their business practices than others, the sanctuary and celebration they helped provide, often at great personal risk to their proprietors were and are essential in building community, claiming space and the political power needed to sustain it. <br>
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<b>Rows 1 & 2 (Full Page Advertisements):</b><br>
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<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p46-nickelodeon-ad-lg-1.jpeg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="585" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p46-nickelodeon-ad-lg-1.jpeg" width="146" /></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p38-bayoulanding-ad-lg.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="590" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p38-bayoulanding-ad-lg.jpg" width="148" /></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p48-farmhouse-ad-lg.jpeg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="585" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p48-farmhouse-ad-lg.jpeg" width="146" /></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p51-pier9-ad-lg.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="585" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p51-pier9-ad-lg.jpg" width="146" /></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p50-ballexpress-ad-lg.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="585" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p50-ballexpress-ad-lg.jpg" width="146" /></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-dynamicsuperiors-ad-back-lg.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="593" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-dynamicsuperiors-ad-back-lg.jpg" width="148" /></a><br />
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1. <b>Nickelodeon</b> (<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/141+Mason+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94102,+USA/@37.7850099,-122.4094434,3a,75y,143.55h,89.16t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s1qUcaLsXNvbOOzteeiVTug!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3D1qUcaLsXNvbOOzteeiVTug%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D170.61446%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x8085808587773831:0xd80b289a1b3040e7!2s141+Mason+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94102,+USA!3b1!8m2!3d37.7849549!4d-122.4094545!3m4!1s0x8085808587773831:0xd80b289a1b3040e7!8m2!3d37.7849549!4d-122.4094545" target="_blank"><b>141 Mason St., San Francisco, CA</b></a>): This venue got a brief mention in <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/05/vintage-articles-disco-scenes-hollywood.html" target="_blank"><b>Bob Kiggins' San Francisco Disco Scene column</b></a>, as a place "<i>where boys can be girls</i>." Interesting as a document of burgeoning disco DJ culture for an establishment to feature their music and sound above anything else - "ALL SOUL, ALL DISCOTHEQUE," with the names and photos of their DJs - <b>Allan Frost</b> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/130215-Don-Miley" target="_blank"><b>Don Miley</b></a> front and centre. Not sure how many other discos would employ <b>Universal Studios</b>’ <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensurround" target="_blank"><b>Sensurround</b></a> system (first used on the 1974 film <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake_(1974_film)" target="_blank"><b><I>Earthquake</I></b></a>) but they made sure to include that in the ad too. <b>Don Miley</b> would go on to have credits as a writer and/or mixer on records coming out of, or connected to the San Francisco scene, like "<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Herbie-Hancock-Tell-Everybody/master/122543" target="_blank"><b>Tell Everybody</b></a>" and "<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Herbie-Hancock-Knee-Deep-Doin-It/release/1321339" target="_blank"><b>Doin' It</b></a>" by <b>Herbie Hancock</b>, and "<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Two-Tons-O-Fun-I-Got-The-Feeling/release/792061" target="_blank"><b>Get The Feeling</b></a>" by the <b>Two Tons O' Fun</b>. Miley also appears to have been one-time DJ and singer <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Loverd%C3%A9-Die-Hard-Lover/master/150505" target="_blank"><b>Frank Loverde</b></a>'s manager in the early 80s.<br>
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2. <b>Bayou Landing</b><br>
(<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/2020+Kipling+St,+Houston,+TX+77098,+USA/@29.7400177,-95.4087024,3a,75y,310.92h,76.58t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sSeGQFQp9EDSTjyt82yvNIw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DSeGQFQp9EDSTjyt82yvNIw%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D347.42172%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x8640c0916e3d88f5:0xf3cfa80a7719761a!8m2!3d29.74026!4d-95.4087632" target="_blank"><b>2020 Kipling, Houston, TX</b></a>)<br>
(<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/2609+N+Pearl+St,+Dallas,+TX+75201,+USA/@32.7930114,-96.8050638,3a,75y,45.11h,90.77t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sRqWMU3wwyY9sk8ImAyVY-g!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DRqWMU3wwyY9sk8ImAyVY-g%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D173.70573%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x864e993075124c73:0xcb84a8612fce0628!8m2!3d32.792981!4d-96.8050431" target="_blank"><b>2609 North Pearl, Dallas, TX</b></a>) <br>
(<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/2110+Peachtree+Rd+NW,+Atlanta,+GA+30309,+USA/@33.8122099,-84.3926126,3a,75y,199.99h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBpEhVqNjvU8-uzVzyG_apw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x88f505a8dde4cb81:0x1f632e27ffdbe9f!2s2110+Peachtree+Rd+NW,+Atlanta,+GA+30309,+USA!3b1!8m2!3d33.812021!4d-84.3926459!3m4!1s0x88f505a8dde4cb81:0x1f632e27ffdbe9f!8m2!3d33.812021!4d-84.3926459" target="_blank"><b>2110-B Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta, GA</b></a>)<br>
(<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/1012+Sumner+Ave,+Cleveland,+OH+44115,+USA/@41.4968794,-81.6826901,3a,75y,100.92h,93.53t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slvnMOXSZ16uf_vzETFA6QA!2e0!7i3328!8i1664!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x8830fa8651826723:0x70041d4c70baaf7f!2s1012+Sumner+Ave,+Cleveland,+OH+44115,+USA!3b1!8m2!3d41.49676!4d-81.682425!3m4!1s0x8830fa8651826723:0x70041d4c70baaf7f!8m2!3d41.49676!4d-81.682425" target="_blank"><b>1012 Sumner Avenue, Cleveland, OH</b></a>): A chain of gay bars and discos in the US south and midwest ran by entrepreneur <b>Dennis Sisk</b> and business partner <b>Tony Caterine</b> that seems to have rose as quickly as it fell. Another half-page ad in the issue (<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/03/vintage-articles-exclusive-supremes.html" target="_blank"><b>see The Supremes Interview</b></a>) advertises the opening of their newest <a href="https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/show/10023" target="_blank"><b>Cleveland location</b></a>. Some of it's branches became independent gay venues, like the one in Houston, which became <a href="http://www.houstonlgbthistory.org/misc-oldplantation.html" target="_blank"><b>The Old Plantation</b></a> (probably not long after this ad was printed). Though one would question the inclusivity of a name like that today, <b>The Old Plantation</b> would spawn a mini-chain of its own. Dallas' <b>D Magazine</b> has a fascinating archived piece from 1979 called <a href="https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/1979/june/lords-of-an-underground-empire/" target="_blank"><b><i>Lords of an Underground Empire</i></b></a> which in part, details the rise of The Old Plantation(s) in both Dallas and Houston and the decline of Bayou Landing chain, with its founders, Sisk and Caterine ending the decade embroiled in drug and fraud charges.<br>
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3. <a href="http://www.houstonlgbthistory.org/misc-2700albany.html" target="_blank"><b>Farmhouse</b></a> (<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/2710+Albany+St,+Houston,+TX+77006,+USA/@29.748975,-95.3826822,3a,90y,322.02h,99.7t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sT9Rtd4iBrq618WdH1g3uvA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DT9Rtd4iBrq618WdH1g3uvA%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D33.721645%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x8640bf681db97feb:0x64b0bea77cebf8dc!8m2!3d29.7491843!4d-95.3829836" target="_blank"><b>2710 Albany, Houston, TX</b></a>): Dubbed "<i>Houston's Number One Super-Bar</i>," it doesn't seem to have been an exaggeration judging from the photo in the ad. Originally an orphanage called the <a href="https://houstorian.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/original-depelchin-faith-home-building-1913/" target="_blank"><b>DePelchin Faith Home</b></a>, it became <b>The Rams Club</b>, a private elite supper club venue before becoming The Farmhouse. Showing just how perilous it could be owning a gay establishment at this time, The Farmhouse seems to have survived <a href="http://www.houstonlgbthistory.org/Houston80s/Assorted%20Pubs/Nuntius2/Nuntius-5-2-7404.pdf" target="_blank"><b>an arson</b></a> the year before. It would be home to many different (and mostly gay) nightspots <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emo%27s" target="_blank"><b>until 2001</b></a>. Now a <a href="https://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/Details/5201010659" target="_blank"><b>Texas historical landmark</b></a>, it is currently a condo complex called <a href="http://swamplot.com/a-serene-single-bedroom-in-an-un-orphaned-villa-serena/2013-10-02/" target="_blank"><b>Villa Serena</b></a>. <br>
<br>
4. <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605095431/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14399_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Lost and Found</b></a> (<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/56+L+St+SE,+Washington,+DC+20003,+USA/@38.8775185,-77.0066301,3a,75y,342.07h,98.05t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sNRMw_gNVHr3a8Ei7QaZICQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DNRMw_gNVHr3a8Ei7QaZICQ%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D341.72668%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b7b9d425c22287:0x24f06e3209176b60!8m2!3d38.8776671!4d-77.0066899" target="_blank"><b>56 L Street S.E., Washington, DC</b>)<br></a>
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605135131/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14400_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Pier 9</b></a> (<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/1824+Half+St+SW,+Washington,+DC+20024,+USA/@38.8675367,-77.0106559,3a,75y,112.45h,86.2t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sCKfqHprqEqOi0h99dOGJnA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DCKfqHprqEqOi0h99dOGJnA%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D104.760376%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b7b9d8a9893021:0xb636fba39c243eeb!8m2!3d38.8674619!4d-77.01034" target="_blank"><b>1824 Half Street S.W., Washington DC</b></a>): A full-page shared between two Washington D.C. venues, both owned by <b>Bill Bickford</b> and <b>Don Culver</b>. Established in 1970, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/pier-9-bar-washington-dc.htm" target="_blank"><b>Pier 9</b></a> was one of the first major gay disco venues in DC. It had a certain claim to fame early on for its <a href="https://archives.rainbowhistory.org/collections/show/19" target="_blank"><b>telephone service between tables</b></a>, an innovation designed to skirt restrictive local liquor laws. Located in a warehouse district right across from a power plant, its <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/1824+Half+St+SW,+Washington,+DC+20024,+USA/@38.8675367,-77.0106559,3a,75y,174.58h,86.11t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sCKfqHprqEqOi0h99dOGJnA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DCKfqHprqEqOi0h99dOGJnA%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D104.760376%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b7b9d8a9893021:0xb636fba39c243eeb!8m2!3d38.8674619!4d-77.01034" target="_blank"><b>out-of-the-way location</b></a> perhaps only bolstered its appeal. Most recently, it was the site of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziegfeld%27s" target="_blank"><b>Ziegfield's/Secrets</b></a> which only <a href="https://www.washingtonblade.com/2020/05/01/ziegfelds-secrets-closed-for-good/" target="_blank"><b>recently closed, with the site slated for demolition</b></a>.<br> Less out of the way, <a href="https://www.datalensdc.com/iframes/rainbowHistory.html" target="_blank"><b>Lost & Found</b></a> opened a year after the Pier, however it came under fire shortly after due to controversy around its door policies, said to exclude black, female and drag customers. <a href="http://www.pinkbarrio.com/the-lost-and-found-discotheque/" target="_blank"><b>Lost & Found lasted until the 1990s</b></a> and remained a queer venue for some time after. Today the site appears to have become <a href="https://www.capitolriverfront.org/go/velocity-condominiums" target="_blank"><b>a condo complex</b></a>.<br>
<br>
5. <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160404095309/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15376_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Ball Express</b></a> (<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/@32.7432527,-117.1901333,3a,90y,334.32h,77.82t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sVHnqV-sG97UO_dpnY4f4FQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192" target="_blank"><b>4025 Pacific Coast Highway, San Diego, CA</b></a>): Housed in a former airplane hangar, the suggestively named <a href="https://digitallibrary.sdsu.edu/islandora/search/ball%20express?type=edismax" target="_blank"><b>Ball Express</b></a> was apparently the first and biggest gay disco in San Diego and by various online accounts, <I>the</I> place to be in San Diego’s gay scene in the ‘70s. <b>Gloria Gaynor</b>, <b>Eartha Kitt</b> and <a href="https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Fabulous_Sylvester/3Y0TAAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22ball+express%22+%27san+diego%22+%22sylvester&pg=PA125&printsec=frontcover" target="_blank"><b>Sylvester</b></a> are all said to have played there. Ball Express is one of the establishments mentioned in the <a href="https://sdlgbtn.com/entertainment/2018/06/04/review-san-diegos-gay-bar-history-important-eye-opening-lgbt-documentary" target="_blank"><b>documentary</b></a> about <a href="https://www.advocate.com/film/2019/3/21/history-gay-bars-also-tale-lgbtq-liberation" target="_blank"><b>San Diego’s Gay Bar History</b></a> aired by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1fr42VIfHw" target="_blank"><b>San Diego’s PBS affiliate, KPBS</b></a>. The venue appears to have lasted from around 1974-1978, <a href="https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/1978/dec/21/cover-78-year-in-review/" target="_blank"><b>reportedly done-in</b></a> as a result of “<i>storm damage to the roof and slow weeknights</i>.” See an amusing review from 1976 in the <a href="https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/1976/oct/07/feature-1976-san-diego-guide-dance-bars/ target="_blank"><b>San Diego Reader</b></a> calling it “<i>a segregated in-spot</i>” worth going to for “<i>loosening screws in one’s perspective</i>.”<br>
<br>
6. <b>Ad for <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/264304-Dynamic-Superiors" target="_blank">The Dynamic Superiors</a>' <a href="https://www.discogs.com/The-Dynamic-Superiors-Pure-Pleasure/master/145381" target="_blank"><I>Pure Pleasure</I></a> (1975, Motown)</b>: Led by the openly gay singer <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/2628475-Tony-Washington-7" target="_blank"><b>Tony Washington</b></a>, they were undoubtedly one of the most progressive acts on <b>Motown</b> at the time. Much of their material (including the advertised album) was written and produced by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/15875" target="_blank"><b>Ashford & Simpson</b></a>. <a href="https://queermusicheritage.com/aug2006ds.html" target="_blank"><b>Queer Music History</b></a> has scans of some of their press from the time, including an interview With Washington from a later issue of <b>The Advocate</b>. Sadly, Washington is said to have succumbed to AIDS in the late 1980s, though there's little official confirmation or details, including from the current lineup's <a href="http://www.thedynamicsuperiors.com/" target="_blank"><b>website</b></a>. <br>
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<b>Row 3 :</b><br>
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<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p53-catchone-ad.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="800" height="136" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p53-catchone-ad.jpg" width="226" /></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-ad-manscountry-p41-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="800" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-ad-manscountry-p41-2.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br></center>
<br>
1. <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-jewels-catch-one-documentary-20180502-story.html" target="_blank"><b>Catch One</b></a> (<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/4067+W+Pico+Blvd,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90019,+USA/@34.0476096,-118.3241794,3a,75y,25.78h,91.87t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s83TNeGfqsUSL2IzYj7m6Xw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3D83TNeGfqsUSL2IzYj7m6Xw%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D11.692658%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c2b85f8aa684dd:0x24aaa552ae9dfd77!8m2!3d34.047775!4d-118.3241134" target="_blank"><b>4067 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA</b></a>): One of the first black, gay discos in the US and one of the longest running, it is also the only venue advertised here to spawn its own finished documentary. Established in 1973 by <a href="https://www.out.com/out-exclusives/2016/9/26/catch-ones-jewel-thais-williams-leaves-important-legacy" target="_blank"><b>Jewel Thais-Williams</b></a> who saw an underserved market for gay women and queer people of colour like her who often faced discrimination in the larger West Hollywood gay venues. Directed by <a href="https://twitter.com/CFitz_" target="_blank"><b>C. Fitz</b></a>, the documentary <a href="https://wehoville.com/2017/02/01/chronicling-history-jewels-catch-one/" target="_blank"><b><I>Jewel's Catch One</b></I></a> is not only about the disco, but Thais-Williams' work as community activist and healer and how integral "The Catch" was in her efforts. In 2015, Thais-Williams sold Catch One in order to focus on her non-profit, the <a href="https://holisticintegrativeacupuncture.org/about-us/" target="_blank"><b>Village Health Foundation</b></a>, established next-door to the disco. Catch One is <a href="http://catch.one/" target="_blank"><b>still open today</b></a> under new management. <br>
<br>
2. <a href="http://www.manscountrychicago.com/history/ourhistory.html" target="_blank"><b>Man's Country</b></a> (<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/5015+N+Clark+St,+Chicago,+IL+60640,+USA/@41.9729889,-87.6679912,3a,90y,86.71h,90.7t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1spXxI9nK7jPhDbkVZwdZzsA!2e0!5s20170901T000000!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x880fd2287dbf7fc3:0xede50f923f4b2da7!8m2!3d41.9729699!4d-87.667591" target="_blank"><b>5015 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL</b></a>): Established in 1973 by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Renslow" target="_blank"><b>Chuck Renslow</b></a>, a leading figure in Chicago's gay community and his partner, the artist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom_Orejudos" target="_blank"><b>Dom Orejudos</b></a>, Man's Country was something of a legendary institution in Chicago. In business for 44 years, like many older bathhouses its profitability and upkeep had noticeably <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/yvnaxw/mans-country-a-mans-club-for-men" target="_blank"><b>suffered in its waning years</b></a>. At its peak, Man's Country was in the same league as other megaplex bathhouses of its time, which envisioned themselves as all-around entertainment venues. Its <b>Music Hall</b>, featured in this ad, was described in <a href="https://windycitytimes.com/m/APPredirect.php?AID=56878" target="_blank"><b>a Windy City Times article</b></a> as its "crowning achievement." In an interview with The Advocate, Renslow's surviving partner, <a href="https://www.advocate.com/love-and-sex/2017/11/29/facing-closure-chicagos-oldest-bathhouse-throws-epic-party-ages" target="_blank"><b>Ron Ehemann</b></a> said "<i>[i]f you were an entertainer trying to break into one of the bigger rooms downtown and they weren’t paying attention to you, you could play Man’s Country and the <b>Tribune</b> and <b>Sun-Times</b> would come here and review you</i>.” Acts like <b>The Village People</b>, <b>Grace Jones</b>, <b>Divine</b>, <b>Boy George</b> and countless others would grace its stage. Attempts to sell the business in recent years were unsuccesful, eventually the property was sold and demolished. A <a href="https://www.uptownupdate.com/2018/01/the-renslow-rendering-surfaces-for.html" target="_blank"><b>condo development</b></a> bearing Renslow's name was planned, however it appears those plans have since <a href="https://www.uptownupdate.com/2018/09/former-mans-country-buildings-back-on.html" target="_blank"><b>fell through</b></a>.<br>
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<br>
<b>Rows 4 & 5:</b><br>
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<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p42-recorddepot-ad-lg.jpeg"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="359" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p42-recorddepot-ad-lg.jpeg"/></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p45-denone-ad-lg.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="477" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p45-denone-ad-lg.jpg" width="119" /></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p47-studioone-ad-2-lg.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="469" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p47-studioone-ad-2-lg.jpg" /></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p43-warehouseviii-ad.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p43-warehouseviii-ad.jpg" /></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p43-marlinbeachhotel-ad.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="471" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p43-marlinbeachhotel-ad.jpg" /></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p43-thesun-slc-ad.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="466" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p43-thesun-slc-ad.jpg" /></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p43-aristocrat-ad.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p43-aristocrat-ad.jpg" /></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p54-clubcasablanca-ad.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="506" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p54-clubcasablanca-ad.jpg" /></a><br>
<br></center>
<br>
1. <b>The Record Depot</b> (<a href="https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/14220910/1604-1606-N-Highland-Ave-Los-Angeles-CA/" target="_blank"><b>1604 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, CA</b></a>): A Record store that, judging from its ads and mentions elsewhere, was perhaps LA's premier record retailer, specializing in disco. A column in the <a href="https://books.google.ca/books?id=S0UEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT34&dq=%22record+depot%22+hollywood+disco&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwil97ekjc_wAhVCCs0KHawYDucQ6AEwAHoECAEQAg#v=onepage&q=%22record%20depot%22%20&f=false" target="_blank"><b>February 12, 1977 issue of Billboard</b></a> notes that Record Depot was even given an award from the <b>Southern California Disco DJ Association</b>. Interesting to note the popular disco acts which they list as well as the artwork, taken from <b>The Pointer Sisters</b>' <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steppin%27" target="_blank"><b><I>Steppin’</I></b></a> LP. The site was home to <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/music-forever-los-angeles-2" target="_blank"><b>recording and rehearsal studios</b></a> until a <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/1604+N+Highland+Ave,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90028,+USA/@34.0999793,-118.3386003,3a,90y,43.59h,93.87t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sZcUildXNT0eNYudQeS6dCQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DZcUildXNT0eNYudQeS6dCQ%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D81.38251%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c2bf246fd7fbab:0xb013d488607c5c51!8m2!3d34.099992!4d-118.338298" target="_blank"><b>recent re-development</b></a>.<br>
<br>
2. <a href="http://mappingartsproject.org/chicago/locations/den-one-our-den-carols-speakeasy/" target="_blank"><b>Our Den AKA Den One</b></a> (<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/1355+N+Wells+St,+Chicago,+IL+60610,+USA/@41.9072454,-87.6346201,3a,75y,89.39h,105.56t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sR0GX_77F2zaglX0OI0U2Zg!2e0!5s20160801T000000!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x880fd346645515c5:0xb9ce9f0de79edef5!8m2!3d41.9073158!4d-87.6341618" target="_blank"><b>1355 N. Wells, Chicago, IL</b></a>): Located in Chicago's <a href="https://webpage.com/" target="_blank"><b>Old Town neighbourhood</b></a>, which had at one time been Chicago's "gay ghetto," this is perhaps one of the most notable venues listed here. A gay venue catering to a mixed black and white clientele; for that alone, Den One appears to have been something of an anomaly in the Chicago scene. In 1977, 19 year-old House pioneer and legend <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/2686-Ron-Hardy" target="_blank"><b>Ron Hardy</b></a> would establish his first DJ residency at Den One (<a href="https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2014/12/den-one-feature" target="_blank"><b>see Jacob Arnold's excellent article about Ron Hardy's Den One residency at RBMA</b></a>). At the time of this ad however, its DJ was <a href="https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2014/12/den-one-feature" target="_blank"><b>Artie Feldman</b></a>, a regular Chicago contributor to <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2009/02/vince-alettis-disco-files.html" target="_blank"><b>Vince Aletti</b></a>'s <a href="https://www.google.ca/books/edition/_/tSAKAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjLvIXFrtnwAhXBPM0KHX52A7YQ7_IDMBJ6BAgLEAI" target="_blank"><b><I>Disco File</I></b></a> columns in <b>Record World</b>. By 1978, it would become <a href="http://mappingartsproject.org/chicago/locations/den-one-our-den-carols-speakeasy/" target="_blank"><b>Carol's Speakeasy</b></a>, named after its owner <b>Richard Farnham AKA Mother Carol</b>. Its closure in 1991 appears to have been precipitated by its unfortunate connection to serial killer <a href="https://chicagocrimetours.com/crime-blog/2013/7/24/carols-speakeasy-former-bar-where-jeffrey-dahmer-picked-up-victim" target="_blank"><b>Jeffrey Dahmer</b></a>, when it was found that Dahmer picked up one of his victims, 23 year-old <b>Jeremiah Weinberger</b> there. Even as the neighbourhood gentrified around it, 1355 N. Wells would remain abandoned until around 2016 or so, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/1355+N+Wells+St,+Chicago,+IL+60610,+USA/@41.9072454,-87.6346201,3a,75y,83.18h,90.62t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sR0GX_77F2zaglX0OI0U2Zg!2e0!5s20160801T000000!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x880fd346645515c5:0xb9ce9f0de79edef5!8m2!3d41.9073158!4d-87.6341618" target="_blank"><b>the last time the building appears on Google Street View</b></a>. By 2017, the building appears to have been demolished.<br>
<br>
3. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_One_(nightclub)" target="_blank"><b>Studio One</b></a> (<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/652+N+La+Peer+Dr,+West+Hollywood,+CA+90069,+USA/@34.0826579,-118.3866087,3a,85.3y,134.15h,88.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s74SJ6rtub6J_sRMIOc47bw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c2beaf45fa5db1:0xf0860b88bff771cf!8m2!3d34.0825529!4d-118.3863389" target="_blank"><b>652 N. La Peer, West Hollywood, CA</b></a>): Wrote much more about <a href="https://one.usc.edu/archive-location/studio-one-1" target="_blank"><b>Studio One</b></a> and its decidedly mixed legacy in my preamble to the <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/05/vintage-articles-disco-scenes-hollywood.html" target="_blank"><b>Disco Scenes columns</b></a> from this issue. What I find most intriguing about this ad however is the advertisement for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnnie_Ray" target="_blank"><b>Johnnie Ray</b></a>'s appearance there, likely at its popular cabaret venue, <b>The Backlot</b>. Someone I hadn't known of until I saw this ad, <a href="https://www.waybackattack.com/rayjohnnie.html" target="_blank"><b>Johnnie Ray</b></a> is an interesting figure in queer pop cultural history. Hearing impaired from a young age, Ray was something of a Rock & Roll pioneer, having come up playing black establishments like Detroit's <a href="https://theconcertdatabase.com/venues/flame-show-bar" target="_blank"><b>Flame Show Bar</b></a>, where he was known for his emotive, theatrical style. Though never 'out' in the quasi-official way we think of today, his queerness remains widely acknowledged. If nothing else, signature songs like "<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Johnnie-Ray-And-The-Four-Lads-Cry-The-Little-White-Cloud-That-Cried/master/218586" target="_blank"><b>Cry</b></a>" and "<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Johnnie-Ray-Hey-There-Hernanados-Hideaway/release/1323729" target="_blank"><b>Hernando's Hideaway</b></a>" certainly speak to decidedly queer themes and audiences. Battling alcoholism throughout much of his adult life, Johnnie Ray <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-02-25-mn-2260-story.html" target="_blank"><b>died of liver failure in 1990</b></a> at the age of 63. <br>
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4. <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160606122625/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14433_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Warehouse VIII</b></a> (<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/3604+SW+8th+St,+Miami,+FL+33135,+USA/@25.76429,-80.2534726,3a,75y,63.79h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1swAfWADDeS9u3N9znQIcb6w!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DwAfWADDeS9u3N9znQIcb6w%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D63.785492%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x88d9b70b213654cb:0x1a3b5c41d30c119b!2s3604+SW+8th+St,+Miami,+FL+33135,+USA!3b1!8m2!3d25.7643395!4d-80.2533579!3m4!1s0x88d9b70b213654cb:0x1a3b5c41d30c119b!8m2!3d25.7643395!4d-80.2533579" target="_blank"><b>3604 S.W. 8th St., Miami, FL</b></a>): According to an article from <a href="https://southfloridagaynews.com/Jesse-Monteagudo/jesse-s-journal-miami-s-gay-bar-scene-in-1974.html" target="_blank"><b>The South Florida Gay News</b></a>, this was the centre of the action in Miami's gay bar scene in the mid 70s. True to its name, the venue was a former warehouse, which according to one <b>description</b> "<i>boasted a huge dance floor, a Levi-leather bar in the back, a cruise bar upstairs, and a rooftop where anything could happen</i>." When Miami-Dade County was the centre of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_Bryant" target="_blank"><b>Anita Bryant</b></a>'s anti-gay <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Save_Our_Children" target="_blank"><b><I>Save Our Children</I></b></a> campaign, The Warehouse 8 became a major meeting place for activists (and target of homophobes). Owned by <b>Bob Stickney</b>, who also owned another, smaller gay venue in Miami called <b>The Candlelight Club</b>. <br>
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5. <a href="http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2006/11/marlin-beach-hotel.html" target="_blank"><b>Marlin Beach Hotel</b></a> (<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/17+S+Atlantic+Blvd,+Fort+Lauderdale,+FL+33316,+USA/@26.1223127,-80.1041457,3a,75y,248.79h,97.32t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sOpW9eQDsgmZZNhaPLTQo-w!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DOpW9eQDsgmZZNhaPLTQo-w%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D273.6064%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x88d9002c676de0a1:0xa3e32dfcad8edd84!8m2!3d26.1223583!4d-80.1048419" target="_blank"><b>17 S. Atlantic Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL</b></a>): Built in 1952 and showcased in the <b>Connie Francis</b> vehicle <i><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1977/04/20/new-rites-of-lauderdale/810b7d74-0dd8-4ab5-b0e8-cccfb6d63718/" target="_blank"><b>Where The Boys Are</b></a></i>, that early association would be nothing if not prescient. After a period of decline, by 1972 the hotel was revamped into America's "<a href="https://fortlauderdalemagazine.com/landmark-marlin/" target="_blank"><b>first explicitly gay resort hotel</b></a>.” Surviving <a href="https://southfloridagaynews.com/Columns/the-marlin-beach-affair-when-fort-lauderdales-lgbt-community-first-stood-up-part-1.html" target="_blank"><b>political backlash</b></a>, not least from conservative mayors and power brokers, The Marlin Beach hotel remained a popular gay destination into the 1980s. It's <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160206055128/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/13616_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Poop Deck disco</b></a> was a major local venue, where DJs <a href="https://www.discomusic.com/15-bobby-viteritti" target="_blank"><b>Bobby Viteritti</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discomusic.com/23-robbie-leslie" target="_blank"><b>Robbie Leslie</b></a> would preside. After failing to revamp the hotel into a "spring break" destination, the hotel was demolished in 1992, making way for what is now a shopping centre called <a href="https://www.galleryatbeachplace.com/" target="_blank"><b>The Gallery at Beach Place</b></a>.<br>
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6. <b>The Sun</b> (<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/S+Temple+%26+400+W,+Salt+Lake+City,+UT+84101,+USA/@40.7692229,-111.9024465,3a,75y,150.86h,78.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1smqoxkkGvvcFoGwKmVrJn4g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x8752f5006f174d65:0xd8f62fb604c72538!8m2!3d40.7692765!4d-111.9024199" target="_blank"><b>400 West & South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT</b></a>): Established in 1973 by former radio DJ, <a href="https://utahpridecenter.org/joe-redburn-father-of-utahs-lgbt-community-has-died/" target="_blank"><b>Joe Redburn</b></a>, <a href="https://www.myretrospect.com/stories/sun-tavern-discotech-1975/" target="_blank"><b>The Sun Tavern</b></a> is said to have been the first disco in Utah and the premier gay bar in Salt Lake City for years. Reportedly inspired by a San Francisco venue called <b>The Midnight Sun</b>, Redburn would sell the venue in the 1990s and would open a gay country/western venue called <b>The Trapp</b>. Despite being lauded as <a href="https://issuu.com/qsaltlake/docs/qsl2011e/s/11181166" target="_blank"><b>the father of Utah's LGBT community</b></a>, sadly Redburn <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2020/09/28/joe-redburn-founder-two/ " target="_blank"><b>died last year in a homeless shelter</b></a> at the age of 82. A current Salt Lake City venue called <a href="https://thesuntrapp.com/" target="_blank"><b>The Sun Trapp</b></a> exists in tribute to the venues he established. <br>
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7. <b>Aristocrat Discotheques</b> (<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/7224+Hillside+Ave,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90046,+USA/@34.104609,-118.3470511,3a,75y,210.59h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sln7_-b2-d-TS7LVnNqmAqQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3Dln7_-b2-d-TS7LVnNqmAqQ%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D210.59114%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c2bee0122b22c1:0x616e24dd89b4dd44!8m2!3d34.1042949!4d-118.3471552" target="_blank"><b>7224 Hillside, Hollywood, CA</b></a>): <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/342382” target="_blank"><b>Jane Brinton</b></a>'s mobile discotheque business, possibly based out of her apartment at the time, judging from the address. See <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/05/vintage-articles-disco-scenes-hollywood.html" target="_blank"><b>Christopher Stone's Hollywood Column</b></a> for more on Brinton. <br>
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8. <b>Club Casablanca</b> (<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/241+Madison+Ave,+New+York,+NY+10016,+USA/@40.7501014,-73.9812446,3a,75y,154.12h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sVouWSARon4pD3nEAW-309g!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DVouWSARon4pD3nEAW-309g%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D154.11978%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c25900cd1a25df:0x6447e6e8935ebbd6!8m2!3d40.7499675!4d-73.9811791" target="_blank"><b>241 Madison Ave. at 38th St., New York, NY</b></a>) On the ground floor of a hotel building, which is currently the <a href="https://www.nh-hotels.com/hotel/nh-collection-new-york-madison-avenue" target="_blank"><b>Madison Avenue NH Collection Hotel</b></a>. Not much is known about this venue, however, prior to a recent redevelopment the address was home to the <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x89c25900cd1a25df%3A0x7baa721c0d36afa!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNKUHVj003rAYppeuKOp-pajBX9Vxuab6Br04kh%3Dw426-h320-k-no!5sGolden%20Food%20New%20York%2C%20NY%2010016%2C%20United%20States%20-%20Google%20Search!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipNKUHVj003rAYppeuKOp-pajBX9Vxuab6Br04kh&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjx46u7kNnwAhUsmuAKHQs2DIIQoiowEnoECDcQAw" target="_blank"><b>Golden Food</b></a> variety store.<br>
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<b>Row 6:</b><br>
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<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p49-broadway-ad.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="721" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p49-broadway-ad.jpg"/></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p49-dokwest-ad.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="694" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p49-dokwest-ad.jpg"/></a>
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p54-ourside-lg.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="601" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p54-ourside-lg.jpg" /></a><br></center>
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1. <b>Broadway Disco</b> (<a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/7507+New+Utrecht+Ave,+Brooklyn,+NY+11214,+USA/@40.6154088,-74.0000529,3a,75y,116.46h,97.49t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sbDPvETBj_F7dgpmNBdZFnA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c2451697e2ccc9:0xef5c2568cb615042!8m2!3d40.615297!4d-73.9998409/" target="_blank"><b>7507 New Utrecht Ave., Brooklyn, NY</b></a>): Not much known about this particular venue, though it is curious to see a bar in Brooklyn, far outside the gay ghetto (or Broadway, for that matter) advertised in The Advocate. Currently, an establishment called <b>The El Toro Bar</b> exists at this address today.<br>
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2. <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160504034941/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15246_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>D.O.K. West</b></a> (<a href="," target="_blank"><b>12889 Garden Grove Blvd., Garden Grove, CA</b></a>): Touted in this ad as "<i><b>Orange County's NOW Disco</i></b>," DOK West was part of a hopping gay scene in Garden Grove City which dated back to 1964. For a brief period, gay bars in Garden Grove were said to have outnumbered even those in West Hollywood. Evidently its name was either a reference to <a href="https://www.alamy.com/entrance-door-left-to-the-former-dok-the-first-and-biggest-gay-disco-of-post-war-europe-which-was-situated-in-the-basement-of-the-odeon-building-at-singel-460-in-amsterdam-from-1952-to-1989-nederlands-de-ingang-geheel-links-van-het-dok-de-eerste-en-grootste-homodiscotheek-van-na-oorlogs-europa-die-van-1952-tm-1989-gevestigd-was-in-de-kelder-van-het-odeongebouw-aan-het-singel-460-in-amsterdam-image341642102.html" target="_blank"><b>DOK (De Odeon Kelder)</b></a>, a major gay venue in Amsterdam or <b>The Wizard of Oz</b> (<b>D</b>orothy <b>O</b>f <b>K</b>ansas). <a href="https://one.usc.edu/archive-location/dok-west" target="_blank"><b>According to the ONE Archives</b></a>, DOK West appears to have lasted for 20 or so years, from approximately 1965, closing in either 1986 or 1989. Not surprisingly, DOK West and other venues in the area were frequent targets of police harassment. <br>
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3. <b>Our Side</b> (<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/836+N+Highland+Ave,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90038,+USA/@34.0862948,-118.3385448,3a,90y,108.33h,89.07t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sFFzQEBUwPNzJFH1B_lZjcA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c2bf2cc4f00c6f:0x963d891435c61c5b!8m2!3d34.0861419!4d-118.3382046" target="_blank"><b>836 N. Highland, Hollywood, CA</b></a>): Mostly cutting and pasting here from what I wrote in <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/05/vintage-articles-get-dancing-aj-west.html/" target="_blank"><b>the previous post</b></a> (<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/search/label/Christopher%20Stone" target="_blank"><b>Christopher Stone</b></a>'s interview with its DJ, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/search/label/A.J.%20Miller" target="_blank"><b>A.J. Miller</b></a>) - Formerly <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605073127/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14736_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>The Paradise Ballroom</b></a> and before that, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20150924155522/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14807_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Dude City</b></a>, both venues reportedly owned by notorious LA underworld figure <a href="https://www.grunge.com/355882/the-wonderland-murders-explained/" target="_blank"><b>Eddie Nash</b></a>. No word on what was the case with it’s brief turn as Our Side, but apparently it was only known as such for a brief period, changing its name back to <b>The Paradise Ballroom</b> after its competition across the street, named <b>The Other Side</b> mysteriously burned down. The venue would also be known as <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1977/09/01/selling-a-hit-you-dont-need-a-radio-of-youre-hot-in-discos/8e68b169-31dd-4d98-81a2-e9a7116319c0/" target="_blank"><b>836 North</b></a> for a period, eventually becoming <a href="https://queermaps.org/place/probe" target="_blank"><b>Probe</b></a> in 1978. Probe would last for a good 21 years before closing in 1999. <br>
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<b>PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:</b><br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/05/vintage-articles-get-dancing-aj-west.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: “get dancing” - aj: west coast’s gold-plated dj - by christopher stone // the advocate - august 13, 1975</a> (tuesday may 11, 2021)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/05/vintage-articles-cheap-thrills.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: cheap thrills, entertainment and escapism - by christopher stone // the advocate - august 13, 1975</a> (wednesday may 5, 2021)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/04/vintage-articles-wanna-dance-get.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: wanna dance? get wrecked to the ass! - by vito russo // the advocate - august 13, 1975</a> (wednesday april 28, 2021)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/03/vintage-articles-exclusive-supremes.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: exclusive supremes interview - by christopher stone // the advocate - august 13, 1975</a> (sunday march 21, 2021)<br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_24.html" target="_blank">VINTAGE ARTICLES</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-5377878316647578842021-05-11T14:13:00.003-04:002021-05-17T19:13:33.900-04:00Vintage Articles: “Get Dancing” - AJ: West Coast’s Gold-Plated DJ - by Christopher Stone // The Advocate - August 13, 1975<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p53-ajdj-lg.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="601" height="310" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p53-ajdj-lg.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><p> </p><p>Concluding this series of articles from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Advocate_(LGBT_magazine)" target="_blank"><b>The Advocate</b></a>’s August 1975 <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Advocate%20%288%2F13%2F75%29" target="_blank"><b><i>Discos!</i></b></a> issue, is an interview with <b>A.J. Miller</b> AKA <b>A.J. the D.J.</b>, by <a href="https://authorchristopherstone.com/" target="_blank"><b>Christopher Stone</b></a>. <br />
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Other than a spot on the <a href="https://www.legendsofvinyl.com/hall-of-fame-legendary" target="_blank"><b>Legends of Vinyl DJ Hall of Fame</b></a>, there isn’t much trace of A.J. Miller these days, or whatever became of him. When this was printed, Miller appears to have been quite a heavy hitter in the LA disco scene at the time, later presiding over at least a couple of disco record pools (for which he was <a href="https://books.google.ca/books?id=S0UEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT34&lpg=PT34&dq=%22a.j.+miller%22+disco&source=bl&ots=iqnCVVaDZF&sig=ACfU3U037pasozlXSphewcqpPdjGejRShw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj9i-Tbp73wAhXCPM0KHUKBDtQQ6AEwBHoECAcQAw#v=onepage&q=%22a.j.%20miller%22%20&f=false" target="_blank"><b>quoted</b></a> <a href="https://books.google.ca/books?id=cSQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA47&lpg=PA47&dq=%22a.j.+miller%22+disco&source=bl&ots=j0L9yHX8uJ&sig=ACfU3U2uyJdeew_8c0q2egQ5HBJeQF24FQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj9i-Tbp73wAhXCPM0KHUKBDtQQ6AEwBnoECAgQAw#v=onepage&q=%22a.j.%20miller%22%20&f=false" target="_blank"><b>in Billboard</b></a> a couple times). Miller also appears to have been a close associate of producer/songwriter <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Crewe" target="_blank"><b>Bob Crewe</b></a>, whom I’ve covered here <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/search/label/Bob%20Crewe" target="_blank"><b>a couple of times</b></a> in the past. Miller is thanked/credited on two of Crewe’s albums from the time - his “<a href="https://www.discogs.com/The-Bob-Crewe-Generation-Street-Talk/master/203426" target="_blank"><b>Street Talk</b></a>” LP as <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/266387-The-Bob-Crewe-Generation" target="_blank"><b>The Bob Crewe Generation</b></a> (see <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2015/03/disco-delivery-66-bob-crewe-generation.html" target="_blank"><b>Disco Delivery #66</b></a>) and the first <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disco-Tex_and_the_Sex-O-Lettes" target="_blank"><b>Disco-O-Tex & His Sex-O-Lettes</b></a> <a href="hhttps://www.discogs.com/Disco-Tex-His-Sex-O-Lettes-Disco-Tex-The-Sex-O-Lettes-Review/master/137014" target="_blank"><b>album</b></a>, whose hit song “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Dancin%27" target="_blank"><b>Get Dancin’</b></a>” was apparently inspired by a AJ having a moment on the mic at an earlier gig, when Crewe was tagging along. <br />
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Miller was also mentioned in the <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/05/vintage-articles-disco-scenes-hollywood.html" target="_blank"><b>last transcribed post from this issue</b></a> as the DJ at <b>Our Side</b>, which had formerly been <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605073127/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14736_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>The Paradise Ballroom</b></a> and before that, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20150924155522/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14807_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Dude City</b></a>. Apparently both venues were owned by notorious LA underworld figure <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Nash" target="_blank"><b>Eddie Nash</b></a>. No word on what was the case with it’s brief turn as “<b>Our Side</b>,” but apparently it was only known as such for a brief period, changing its name back to <b>The Paradise Ballroom</b> after its competition across the street, named <b>The Other Side</b> (briefly described in <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/05/vintage-articles-disco-scenes-hollywood.html" target="_blank"><b>the last post</b></a> as Hollywood’s “<i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_(gay_slang)" target="_blank"><b>chicken</b></a> de-light disco</i>”) mysteriously burned down. The venue would also be known as <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1977/09/01/selling-a-hit-you-dont-need-a-radio-of-youre-hot-in-discos/8e68b169-31dd-4d98-81a2-e9a7116319c0/" target="_blank"><b>836 North</b></a> for a period, eventually becoming <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605073226/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/2753_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Probe</b></a> in 1978. Probe would last for a good 21 years before <a href="https://queermaps.org/place/probe" target="_blank"><b>closing in 1999</b></a>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p54-ourside-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="601" height="200" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p54-ourside-lg.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><p></p>
Miller also figures in yet another interview I transcribed earlier, from the April 7, 1976 issue of The Advocate where <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2015/03/vintage-articles-first-step-in-getting.html" target="_blank"><b>Donald von Wiedenman interviewed Bob Crewe</b></a>. Miller appears as one of Crewe’s interlocutors while in the studio finishing his “<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2015/03/disco-delivery-66-bob-crewe-generation.html" target="_blank"><b>Street Talk</b></a>” album. His comments about Bob Crewe in this interview seem to foreshadow that Advocate <a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-crewe-sm.jpg" target="_blank"><b>cover story</b></a>, some 8 months after.<br />
<br />
I have to say, I enjoy Miller’s comments here, talking not only about good gigs and career highlights but also being fired from his first gig and how one can seem to feel a good or a bad night coming on. This interview also traces some evolving elements of disco at the time - from DJ’s on the mic falling out of favour, to just how influential discos and disco DJ’s were in breaking records that would have otherwise fallen through the cracks, like <a href="https://www.discogs.com/The-Love-Unlimited-Orchestra-Rhapsody-In-White/master/37581" target="_blank"><b>Barry White & The Love Unlimited Orchestra</b></a>’s “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love%27s_Theme" target="_blank"><b>Love’s Theme</b>.</a>" It’s the one specific song mentioned more than any other in this issue alone, which I should add, earned Miller one of the gold records he's pictured with in the article. <br />
<br />
Can’t help but wonder whatever happened to A.J. Miller, whether or not he continued DJing into his old age like he suggested he would. Either way, this is an interesting interview showing just how influential disco DJs, in particular gay disco DJs and audiences were becoming at this point.<br />
<br />
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<br /><center><a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p53-2-lg.jpg" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="592" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p53-2-lg.jpg" width="236" /></a><a href="http://discovice.net/advocate-p54-2-lg-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="591" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p54-2-lg-2.jpg" width="236" /></a></center><br />
<br />
<b><u>“Get Dancing” AJ: West Coast’s Gold-Plated DJ</u><br /> By Christopher Stone</b></center><br />
<br /><blockquote>
“<i>Get Dancing!</i>” Howled disco jockey <b>Tony Miller</b> night after night. His bid to boogey was a familiar one to patrons of <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20150414083711/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15719_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>The Barbary Coast</b></a>, San Diego’s first gay disco bar. <br />
<br />
What Tony, a.k.a. <b>AJ the DJ</b>, didn’t know then was that his command to “get dancing” would be the inspiration for the international disco anthem and a record that would catapult <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/235314-Disco-Tex-His-Sex-O-Lettes" target="_blank"><b>Disco Tex & The Sex-O-Lettes</b></a> to stardom. Tony remembers the fateful Friday two years ago: <br />
<br />
“<i><a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/142834-Bob-Crewe" target="_blank"><b>Bob Crewe</b></a>, who has written or produced about 56 gold records, was in town to visit my roommate and me. That Friday night he came to <b>The Barbary Coast</b> where I was working. It was cooking. I was doing my thing on the mike. I was screaming, ‘Get dancing!’ and what-have-you</i>. <br />
<br />
“<i>Bob had been to discotheques in New York, but he said it was at our club that it first struck him how important discos were going to become. Bob frightens me because he knows today what you and I are going to be into tomorrow</i>.” <br />
<br />
Tony and Bob spent the weekend clowning around, listening to old tapes, and even staging a mock musical with the jock’s idea of discotheque stage performance. Tony’s concept was eventually developed into the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Disco-Tex-His-Sex-O-Lettes-Disco-Tex-The-Sex-O-Lettes-Review/master/137014" target="_blank"><b>Disco Tex & His Sex-O-Lettes album</b></a>. <br />
<br />
“<i>Bob called one night, months later, and said. ‘I’m sending you <i><b>something</b></i>’.</i>”<br />
<br />
That <i>something</i> was an advance copy of “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Dancin%27" target="_blank"><b>Get Dancin’</b></a>,” which Tony premiered at San Diego’s women’s club, <b>Diablo</b>. <br />
<br />
“<i>Those girls didn’t know it, but that night when I broke ‘Get Dancin,’’ they were the first people in the world to hear it. I have never been so excited about a record in my life. I called Bob Crewe when I got home - about four in the morning. I woke him out of a sound sleep and started screaming about the record.</i>” <br />
<br />
Because he was the first to break the record in discos and because he fought to get it radio airplay, Tony was awarded a gold record by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/39811-Chelsea-Records" target="_blank"><b>Chelsea</b></a>, distributor of “<b>Get Dancin’</b>.” This marked the jock’s second esteemed platter. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century_Fox_Records" target="_blank"><b>20th Century Records</b></a> gave him gold for being the first to introduce “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love%27s_Theme" target="_blank"><b>Love’s Theme</b></a>” in discos. (To his knowledge, Tony is the only disco d.j. on the West Coast to have a gold record.) <br />
<br />
“<i>Convincing <b>20th Century</b> to release ‘<a href="https://www.allmusic.com/song/loves-theme-mt0013588255" target="_blank"><b>Love’s Theme</b></a>’ as a single was a real struggle. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_White" target="_blank"><b>Barry White</b></a> went around and around. He didn’t want to release the song. He released four other cuts instead, and they went right down the tubes. It took six months to convince him that this was the hit off the album</i>. <br />
<br />
“<i>By that time it was in every discotheque in the world. ‘<b>Love’s Theme</b>’ has sold over 2 1/2 million copies and it’s still selling.</i>” <br />
<br />
Lest you think Tony’s disco road has been paved with gold: “<i>I was fired from my first job as a disco jock the fourth weekend. I was scared to death. I knew how it had to sound. I knew what I wanted to do, but I couldn’t stop shaking long enough to get the records on.</i>” <br />
<br />
Tony was scared because he had created a monster. With the introduction of a discotheque, which was the d.j.’s idea, the sluggish club caught on in a big way and our boy was in charge, if not in control. Later, he stopped shaking, was re-hired, but continued to collide with the boss. <br />
<br />
“<i>He wanted a lot of talk. He wanted the club to be like a radio station. We know now that talk doesn’t work. I knew it then. People don’t want to hear jokes and they don’t want to hear the time and temperature. If that’s what they wanted, they’d stay in their car and play the radio</i>.<br />
<br />
“<i>Inside a disco the music takes you on a trip. It gets you involved and excited. If some clown gets up and tries to tell jokes or promote the bar, it breaks the momentum. It interrupts your trip.</i>” <br />
<br />
Since November of last year, Tony has been spinning platters his way at <b>Our Side</b>, formerly <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605073127/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14736_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>The Paradise Ballroom</b></a>, in Hollywood. Whatever it takes to make the crowd “get dancing,” he has it. <br />
<br />
“<i>There’s no one formula for success. It changes from club to club and group to group. Every time I devised what I thought was the formula, it worked for awhile - then it didn’t work, There’s no formula, but there is a <b>feeling</b>. A group reacts off each other. I take my cue from the group. You have to. You can’t bring your personal problems to the club. If you’re having a bad night - <b>get ready</b>. Your people are <b>not</b> going to stay, because they can sense it. It’s <b>how</b> you play the records. If your heart’s not really in it, they can sense it.</i>” <br />
<br />
Record companies have been using discotheques for showcasing new products that wouldn’t normally receive attention within commercial radio’s restricted formats. Now Tony observes that playlists of successful discos are becoming tighter. <br />
<br />
“<i>You can’t overdose people with new things, even in a discotheque. I have to decide what’s really hot and then filter in the rest of it later.</i>” <br />
<br />
On the other side of the disc, the jock doesn’t believe there’s any such thing as <i>old</i> records: “<i>Any record that is played like it’s brand new, can sound <b>new</b></i>.<br />
<br />
“<i>I honestly love what I’m doing. When I’m 65, I’ll probably still want to be a d.j. Whether or not the crowd would relate to someone that old playing ‘<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Marmalade" target="_blank"><b>Lady Marmalade</b></a>’ is something else</i>. <br />
<br />
“<i>The most substantial thing that gay people have contributed in the last five years is the discotheque. We’ve got people turned on to music they never heard before. I think it’s the most beautiful kind of sharing thing that we can do. We have shared something that has sort of been our secret</i>.”</blockquote>
<center>____________________________________________</center><br />
<br />
<b>PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:</b><br />
<a href="hhttp://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/05/vintage-articles-cheap-thrills.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: cheap thrills, entertainment and escapism - by christopher stone // the advocate - august 13, 1975</a> (wednesday may 5, 2021)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/04/vintage-articles-wanna-dance-get.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: wanna dance? get wrecked to the ass! - by vito russo // the advocate - august 13, 1975</a> (wednesday april 28, 2021)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/03/vintage-articles-exclusive-supremes.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: exclusive supremes interview - by christopher stone // the advocate - august 13, 1975</a> (sunday march 21, 2021)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2015/03/vintage-articles-first-step-in-getting.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: ‘the first step in getting ahead is getting started.’ an interview with bob crewe. - by donald von wiedenman // the advocate - april 7, 1976</a> (tuesday march 17, 2015)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2015/03/disco-delivery-66-bob-crewe-generation.html" target="_blank">disco delivery #66: the bob crewe generation - street talk (1976, elektra)</a> (sunday march 15, 2015)<br />
<br />
<b>LINKS:</b><br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605073226/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/2753_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank">discomusic.com - clubs & discotheques: probe (836 n. highland, los angeles, ca)</a> (web archive)<br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605073127/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14736_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank">discomusic.com - clubs & discotheques: paradise ballroom (los angeles, ca)</a> (web archive)<br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20150924155522/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14807_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank">discomusic.com - clubs & discotheques: dude city (836 n. highland, los angeles, ca)</a> (web archive)<br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20150414083711/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15719_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank">discomusic.com - clubs & discotheques: the barbary coast (pacific highway, san diego, ca)</a> (web archive)<br />
<a href="https://queermaps.org/place/probe" target="_blank">queer maps: probe</a><br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Dancin%27" target="_blank">wikipedia: disco tex & the sex-o-lettes - get dancin’</a><br />
<a href="hhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/get-dancin-mw0000263254/" target="_blank">all music guide: disco tex & his sex-o-lettes lp (review)</a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Disco-Tex-His-Sex-O-Lettes-Disco-Tex-The-Sex-O-Lettes-Review/release/508284" target="_blank">discogs: disco tex & his sex-o-lettes - the disco tex & the sex-o-lettes review lp</a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/The-Love-Unlimited-Orchestra-Rhapsody-In-White/master/37581" target="_blank">discogs: the love unlimited orchestra - rhapsody in white lp</a><br />
<a href="https://www.allmusic.com/song/loves-theme-mt0013588255" target="_blank">all music guide: the love unlimited orchestra - love’s theme (review)</a><br />
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1977/09/01/selling-a-hit-you-dont-need-a-radio-of-youre-hot-in-discos/8e68b169-31dd-4d98-81a2-e9a7116319c0/" target="_blank">the washington post - selling a hit: you don't need a radio if you're hot in discos (by timothy moore)</a> (september 1, 1977)<br />
<br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_24.html" target="_blank">VINTAGE ARTICLES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">INTERVIEWS</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-59204454194048275722021-05-08T12:29:00.008-04:002021-05-20T16:17:19.997-04:00Vintage Articles: Disco Scenes (Hollywood, San Francisco, New York) - by Christopher Stone, Bob Kiggins & Vito Russo // The Advocate - August 13, 1975<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-8.13.75cover-sm.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="590" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-8.13.75cover-sm.jpg" /></a></div><p> </p><p>Continuing with more instalments from the <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Advocate%20%288%2F13%2F75%29" target="_blank"><b><i>Discos!</i></b></a> issue of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Advocate_(LGBT_magazine)" target="_blank"><b>The Advocate</b></a>. For this issue, their regular city entertainment columns became a quick trip through parts of the gay disco scenes in Hollywood, San Francisco and New York.<br />
<br />
Before I go on to the transcribed article, some things to mention: <br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_One_(nightclub)" target="_blank"><b>Studio One</b></a> is mentioned not just here but in the previous <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/04/vintage-articles-wanna-dance-get.html" target="_blank"><b>Vito Russo column</b></a> as one of the best disco venues on the west coast (and it does sound like an impressive complex). Though well reviewed in this column, it appears history has been much less kind to it. Still early in its operation when this was printed, other than a mention about its stringent ID requirements, there are few hints in these pages of the controversy that would surround Studio One and its <a href="https://laist.com/news/studio-one-history" target="_blank"><b>racist door policies</b></a>. I’m certain subsequent issues of The Advocate cover the ensuing community backlash, which included multiple demonstrations outside the venue - for now, the <a href="https://one.usc.edu/archive-location/studio-one-1" target="_blank"><b>Studio One article from the ONE Archives</b></a> gives a good outline. I’m certain it was far from the only venue where exclusivity, something that was not only common among many disco venues, but also one might argue, necessary when it came to protecting queer spaces, also gave cover for some rather bold racism and classism - of which Studio One has become a prime example. As much as I love delving into the archives of gay publications, one thing that does stand out, whether it is <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Advocate" target="_blank"><b>The Advocate</b></a>, or <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/search/label/Christopher%20Street%20Magazine" target="_blank"><b>Christopher Street</b></a>, or most other gay publications from the time, is that the point of view does tend to be overwhelmingly white and male. Although there seems to be greater attention around representation these days (due largely to sustained activist pressure, let's be honest), it remains an uphill struggle against the stubborn assumption, where ‘gay’ is often by default, white, affluent and male. It’s easy to get caught up in the selective fog of nostalgia, I’ve certainly been guilty of it myself, yet even more important to consider the limitations of the archive. <br />
<br />
Some other interesting tidbits here for the nostalgic traveller - <a href="https://authorchristopherstone.com/" target="_blank"><b>Christopher Stone</b></a> mentions the young mobile disco entrepreneur, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/342382/" target="_blank"><b>Jane Brinton</b></a> towards the end of his Hollywood column. Brinton would go on to a much higher profile <a href="https://cuencahighlife.com/from-high-heels-to-hiking-boots-jane-brinton-transitions-from-california-record-promoter-to-provider-of-fresh-water-to-the-worlds-poor/" target="_blank"><b>career in the music business</b></a> in the 1980s and 90s, starting a management company called <b>This Beats Workin’</b>, managing DJ/producers <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/2732-Shep-Pettibone" target="_blank"><b>Shep Pettibone</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/5758-Junior-Vasquez" target="_blank"><b>Junior Vasquez</b></a> through the peak of their careers. Today, she is the co-founder and executive director of <a href="https://thewaterbearers.org/jane-brinton/" target="_blank"><b>The Waterbearers</b></a>, a charity working to expand clean water access in the global south. <br />
<br />
While many of the venues mentioned are long gone and some have left a bigger imprint than others, it’s notable that at least a couple of the San Francisco venues mentioned in <b>Bob Kiggins</b>’ column have had astonishingly long lives. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_EndUp" target="_blank"><b>The Endup</b></a>, founded in 1973, is the only one which remains open today. Opened in 1966, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stud_(bar)" target="_blank"><b>The Stud</b></a> was around for 54 years, described as San Francisco’s <a href="https://sf.curbed.com/2020/6/18/21295598/the-stud-sf-bar-club-closes-soma" target="_blank"><b>oldest and most diverse queer bar</b></a>. Having been the focus of <a href="https://www.sfweekly.com/culture/feature-culture/how-the-stud-was-saved/" target="_blank"><b>a campaign to remain open</b></a> amid a crushing rent increase in a rapidly gentrifying San Francisco in 2016, the Stud became ”the first co-op nightclub” in America. Despite this, in 2020 the <a href="https://sf.eater.com/2020/5/21/21266456/the-stud-soma-closing-lgbtq-gay-bay-san-francisco" target="_blank"><b>double whammy of COVID and gentrification did it in</b></a> (at least for now). Yet, <a href="https://www.studsf.com/" target="_blank"><b>The Stud still exists</b></a> in a kind of digital exile, so a physical return in the post-pandemic future is not yet out of the question. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160423065757/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/6420_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>The City</b></a> discotheque, while not as long-lasting, is also a notable venue. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Cowley" target="_blank"><b>Patrick Cowley</b></a> had worked there as a <a href="https://patrickcowley.bandcamp.com/album/kickin-in-3" target="_blank"><b>lighting technician</b></a> before rising to prominence as a producer and all-around synth wizard. Apparently it was here where Cowley and <b>Sylvester</b> had met each other. Two men who figured prominently in both Sylvester and Cowley's careers - <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/105993-John-Hedges" target="_blank"><b>John Hedges</b></a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/43258-Marty-Blecman" target="_blank"><b>Marty Blecman</b></a>, founders of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/3615-Megatone-Records" target="_blank"><b>Megatone Records</b></a>, had both been DJ's at The City.<br />
<br />
As a counterpoint to his lament in <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/04/vintage-articles-wanna-dance-get.html" target="_blank"><b>his earlier piece in this issue</b></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vito_Russo" target="_blank"><b>Vito Russo</b></a>, in his New York column seems to have found a disco scene to his liking, and it was on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Island" target="_blank"><b>Fire Island</b></a>.<br>
<br>
A note about venue links: Whenever a specific disco venue is mentioned, I like to link to its <a href="https://www.discomusic.com/" target="_blank"><b>discomusic.com</b></a> discotheque profile. While discomusic.com still exists in a more skeletal version, the closure of discomusic.com as an active community was a real loss for many of us disco fans. While some of the site’s features, like the forum and the disco record database have been largely supplanted by the growth of <b>Facebook</b> and <b>Discogs</b>, respectively; it remained an incredible repository of information and and its forum a much more open and less intrusive (given how Facebook monetizes all of our data) space to interact. That being said, I’m certain it was all very time consuming and expensive to maintain, however one part of the site which hasn’t been duplicated anywhere else was its archive of <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160313141808/http://www.discomusic.com/people-index/" target="_blank"><b>user-submitted DJ</b></a> and <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160313142038/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs/" target="_blank"><b>venue profiles</b></a>. Often bolstered by user comments and photographs, these entries were often incredible repositories of disco history. While many of the submitted listings have been preserved by the <a href="http://web.archive.org/" target="_blank"><b>Internet Archive</b></a>, some have not. Even some of the ones that have are not quite fully intact. Still, for context, I try to link to these archived profiles whenever possible.<br />
<br />
I should also say how much I love all the disco-themed ads in this issue, especially the ones attached to these columns (and there are other full-page ads in between these also). I’ll have to parcel these out into a separate post sometime. <br />
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<b><u>Disco Scenes - Hollywood</u><br /> by Christopher Stone</b></center><br />
<blockquote>Do you wanna dance? As gay discos go-go, the two <i>really big shows</i> in Hollywood town are still Studio One and Cabaret.<br />
<br />
My favourite is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_One_(nightclub)" target="_blank"><b>Studio One</b></a> (<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/652+N+La+Peer+Dr,+West+Hollywood,+CA+90069,+USA/@34.0826579,-118.3866087,3a,85.3y,134.15h,88.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s74SJ6rtub6J_sRMIOc47bw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c2beaf45fa5db1:0xf0860b88bff771cf!8m2!3d34.0825529!4d-118.3863389" target="_blank"><b>652 N. LaPeer, West Hollywood</b></a>). Their advertising, which touts the club as “the place to come and the disco to be at in Southern California,” does not exaggerate. <br />
<br />
Good to excellent entertainment is always featured at <b>The Backlot</b>, the complex’s dining-showroom. While the cuisine poses no threat to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1979/11/07/archives/los-angeles-comes-of-age-in-french-cuisine-los-angeles-comes-of-age.html" target="_blank"><b>Le Restaurant</b></a> or <a href="https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-the-scandia-building/" target="_blank"><b>Scandia</b></a>, it’s as good as you’ll find in any gay eatery in Hollywood. <br />
<br />
Studio One also features four bars, a jewelry concession and a game room, complete with watering hole, television and pinball.<br />
<br />
The discotheque itself is without equal in California. The largest dance floor around, embellished with lights and lasers, makes for a totally satisfying disco experience. There is always room to dance and breathe, even when there is a big crowd, which is every night after 11. <br />
<br />
But what I really like best about the place is the friendly, “family” atmosphere created by owner-manager <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-feb-07-me-forbes7-story.html" target="_blank"><b>Scott Forbes</b></a>, his partners and staff. They are genuinely nice, sociable and fun people. Possibly because of the genial tone set by the staff, the clientele seems to be friendlier than at the other clubs. <br />
<br />
Studio One has reigned as Hollywood’s premier disco for well over a year, and I have no doubts about its retaining that top position long after the others have locked their doors.
(By the way, be sure to always bring proper identification to Studio One, or any disco. Oscar nominee <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Perrine" target="_blank"><b>Valerie Perrine</b></a> was turned away at the door the other night for lack of an ID.)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605082019/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15653_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Cabaret</b></a> (<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/333+La+Cienega+Blvd,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90048,+USA/@34.0772987,-118.3770819,3a,75y,148.02h,95.63t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sOihCim8iG8enid3Df_xLlw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DOihCim8iG8enid3Df_xLlw%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D177.80182%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x80c2b94c678c2bd1:0x23723c157677ff7d!2s333+La+Cienega+Blvd,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90048,+USA!3b1!8m2!3d34.0772026!4d-118.3768285!3m4!1s0x80c2b94c678c2bd1:0x23723c157677ff7d!8m2!3d34.0772026!4d-118.3768285" target="_blank"><b>333 La Cienega, West Hollywood</b></a>) opened last spring and was an immediate hit. Like Studio One, Cabaret boasts multiple bars and rooms. They also have <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/980837-Howard-Metz" target="_blank"> <b>Howard Metz</b></a>, Los Angeles’ most celebrated disco jock, spinning their records. <br />
<br />
But the dance floor is postage stamp size compared to the other club. It’s great if you want your tootsies tortured or if you get off on stepping all over others. If you have claustrophobia, forget it, dear. <br />
<br />
Cabaret attracts a hard-edged, raunchy crowd, and the camaraderie is so apparent at Studio One is completely lacking there. To be fair, manager <b>Jeff Croon</b> and his assistant <b>Tim Manning</b> have been very accommodating to me, but some of their staff members are totally devoid of charm and common courtesy. <br />
<br />
Perhaps it’s the rough, decadent feeling at Cabaret that is so attractive to its regular patrons. <br />
<br />
For the most part, Cabaret hasn’t been able to compete with the “name” entertainment at Studio One. An exception was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Pierce_(female_impersonator)" target="_blank"><b>Charles Pierce</b></a> who graced the showroom for three weeks. If management is wise, they will get Pierce’s autograph on a long-term contract, pronto!<br />
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<b>Our Side</b> (<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/836+N+Highland+Ave,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90038,+USA/@34.0862948,-118.3385448,3a,90y,108.33h,89.07t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sFFzQEBUwPNzJFH1B_lZjcA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c2bf2cc4f00c6f:0x963d891435c61c5b!8m2!3d34.0861419!4d-118.3382046" target="_blank"><b>836 N. Highland, Hollywood</b></a>), formerly the <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605073127/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14736_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Paradise Ballroom</b></a> and before that <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20150924155522/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14807_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Dude City</b></a>, is a pleasant place to dance, dance, dance to disco jock <b>Tony Miller</b>’s hot platters. The nitery’s recent facelift seems to be attracting good nightly crowds. <br />
<br />
And right across the street is <b>The Other Side</b>, Hollywood’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_(gay_slang)" target="_blank"><b>chicken</b></a> de-light disco. ‘Nough said. <br />
<br />
Once “the” disco in town, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160404100809/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14713_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>After Dark</b></a> (<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/8471+Beverly+Blvd,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90048,+USA/@34.076056,-118.375659,3a,75y,11.28h,91.68t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1siq2iBDaSq-oggBPnFLp2PA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c2beb356ad6917:0xb18211d63a61c6e9!8m2!3d34.0764216!4d-118.3757365" target="_blank"><b>8471 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood</b></a>), re-opened last spring following last summer’s mysterious fire. But the disco hasn’t recaptured anything approximating its former glory. More and more straight people attend the club; the magic is gone. <br />
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If you’re a say-at-home and would rather have the disco come to you, by all means call <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/342382" target="_blank"><b>Jane Brinton’s</b></a> <b>Aristocrat Mobile Discotheques</b> (213-851-7831). Brinton and her staff will bring over $20,000 worth of disco hardware, music, lights, bubbles and what-have-you to your home, office, school organization, wherever. <br />
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Last month, Jane and her mobile units were in the middle of Franklin Canyon playing for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Black" target="_blank"><b>Karen Black</b></a>’s wedding. Movie generators were used as her power source. <i>That’s mobile</i>.<br />
<br />
There are other mobile discos in town, but none that equal the elaborate, sophisticated equipment Aristocrat has to offer. <br />
<br />
Jane’s price tag for hauling her hardware runs up to $300 per evening, but the fee varies with the length and location of the gig. The cost includes over 2,000 albums and a jock to play them. <br />
<br />
In addition to her mobile service, Brinton can custom design and build a disco of your very own for between $6,000-60,000. <br />
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“It all depends on what you want,” says Jane. ■ </blockquote><br />
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<b><u>Disco Scenes - San Francisco</u><br /> by Bob Kiggins</b></center><br />
<blockquote>Whatever your musical taste, San Francisco has a dance bar to feed it - for a few evenings’ worth at least. The present difficulty with “going out” is that with so few really hot dance scenes to choose from, boredom can set in quickly. And a disco full of bored people is not long a disco.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160423070258/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/16026_0_6_0_C/#comments" target="_blank"><b>Cabaret/After Dark</b></a>, our lone dance-show-restaurant-bar, has gone through some changes of late. Opened over two years ago as the first of its kind in the city, Cabaret introduced quality name entertainment to an increasingly ambisexual clientele. Riding the crest of a not-yet-defined sociological wave, the major focus here, as anywhere else mentioned was not dance or stage shows but sex. <br />
<br />
And not just gay male genital sex, either. Increasing numbers of women, gay and straight, swinging couples, curious tourists and just plain folks out for a good time turned the gay bar/dance hall combo in to a jumble of sensuality. <br />
<br />
The disco that best accommodates that phenomenon will win out over a management lacking the foresight, creativity and financial resources necessary to bring it off. While San Francisco is well-endowed with all three, the recent shuttering of Cabaret shows how tenuous the relation can be. <br />
<br />
There may be hope. Supposedly closed for “extensive remodelling,” the fact that Cabaret will be revived (under new ownership) as <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160423065757/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/6420_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>The City</b></a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@37.797973,-122.4038494,3a,30y,131.53h,86.74t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDSM1wXMXIn0fgU_atsK1xQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192" target="_blank"><b>936 Montgomery St.</b></a>, which promises to be an entertainment cruise complex the liked of which this “Baghdad-by-the-Bay” hasn’t seen since the <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/sfhistory/article/The-Cliff-House-shut-its-doors-this-week-Here-s-15427223.php" target="_blank"><b>Cliff House</b></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutro_Baths" target="_blank"><b>Sutro Baths</b></a> went <a href="https://www.kqed.org/pop/103040/are-the-cliff-house-and-the-sutro-baths-cursed" target="_blank"><b>up in flames</b></a>. At press time, it’s all systems go for a mind bending concoction that could prove the ultimate paean to the art of disco craftsmanship and imagination. When The City is unveiled over Labor Day Weekend, San Francisco will take its place in the great race to out-disco the next city - or the next block, since rumours persist that we will witness the birth of a sister showplace <b>Cabaret Two</b>.<br />
<br />
For the time being, however, don’t come to San Francisco expecting any super-discos. Disco fever is, of course, rampant here, but with the unexpected shut-down of the Cabaret, it has shifted to the less overwhelming neighborhood dance bars. Herewith, then, a listing of fun places to cure even the itchiest of feet. <br />
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The <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20150924151531/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/3430_0_6_0_C//" target="_blank"><b>Endup</b></a>, at <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/401+6th+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94103,+USA/@37.7771087,-122.4039021,3a,75y,51.74h,91.55t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sYLJanjOMrA1NQ-u4xNqUrQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DYLJanjOMrA1NQ-u4xNqUrQ%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D55.43965%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x808580802edd9f51:0x82ec3649acdea6e7!8m2!3d37.7772746!4d-122.4037695" target="_blank"><b>401 6th St.</b></a> (corner of Harrison), sports a decor straight out of the teen stereo department of <b>Montgomery Ward</b> (flashing colored lights behind translucent wall panels, a plastic raised dance floor, black lights, even a go-go boy in a cage), but it’s as “today” in disco terms as <b>Gloria Gaynor</b>. The music is loud, “get-down,” driving and expertly paces; the dancers eager, extroverted, and energetic; the crowd amiable, good-looking, and in the 25 and up range. A spacious bar and attentive bartenders (there are, unfortunately, no floor waiters) add to the Endup’s overall appeal. Expect to sweat and be crowded on weekends, when you’ll pay $1 admission (it’s good for a drink). Cruisy, too. <br />
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Not too far away, at <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/1535+Folsom+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94103,+USA/@37.7714031,-122.4145056,3a,75y,95.1h,88.12t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1svO1GLgTih8TKM9yXz1HYSQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x808f7e27b51921f5:0x251f357be94f381f!2s1535+Folsom+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94103,+USA!3b1!8m2!3d37.7713728!4d-122.4143025!3m4!1s0x808f7e27b51921f5:0x251f357be94f381f!8m2!3d37.7713728!4d-122.4143025" target="_blank"><b>1535 Folsom St.</b></a>, is the <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20150924155215/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15834_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Stud</b></a>, a perennial favourite hang-out of the long-haired, flannel-shirted, “earthy” set. A congenial atmosphere and (for the most part) less than frenetic vibes makes the Stud one of the more comfortable places around. Dancing is free-for-all in a pocket-sized area, the music (taped) varied (i.e., Stones to Spinners), and it’s rarely too crowded. Organic decor. Live music Thursday nights. <br />
<br />
And while you’re in the area, you can do it up neo-country style at the <b>Rainbow Cattle Company</b>, Valencia at Duboce. After the dinner rush, this bar/restaurant opens the back room to the shit-kickin’ dance dreams of a friendly crowd, determinedly un-glittered and decidedly laid-back. Country & Western, down-home boogie, and a newly refined audio system raise the roof and spirits of the Cattle Co. clientele - the least disco maniacal in the city. <br />
<br />
For friskier dance floor acrobatics, check out the <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605133455/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15648_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Mind Shaft</b></a><a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/2140+Market+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94114,+USA/@37.7669322,-122.4297527,3a,60y,329.36h,89.49t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sPeTQEUP3BYf_tXotIgiKbA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DPeTQEUP3BYf_tXotIgiKbA%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D321.16013%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x808f7e1dd8158edb:0x3371c5e84fc8a492!8m2!3d37.7671503!4d-122.4299645" target="_blank"><b>2140 Market St</b></a>. Wend your way through the pool table area near the door (where you’ll pay $1 for a drink ticket) to the elevated dance area (it’s even latticed - the ideal patio boxing ring), set amidst a colourful, attractive Deco-ish environment. It gets steamy on weekends (traveling waiters are very accommodating), but you’ll be so immersed in the heady soul music and elbow-to-elbow craziness nothing will matter. <br />
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Without Cabaret, the glitter set seems to have found sanctuary in </a><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160606080519/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/9111_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Buzzby’s</b></a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/1436+Polk+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94109,+USA/@37.7901645,-122.420635,3a,75y,81.42h,86.51t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sB_CANOnFeydKvYQJUEbctg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DB_CANOnFeydKvYQJUEbctg%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D79.19237%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x80858094c59cced5:0x7b16a6a8dd0bde56!8m2!3d37.7902384!4d-122.4202912" target="_blank"><b>1436 Polk St.</b></a>, a flashy, sassy, cheerfully stylish disco in the heart of one of San Francisco’s flashier gay ghettos. The Buzzby clan is primarily well-dressed and well-heeled, but all images soon dissolve under the spell of the crafty d.j., who invariably gets everyone on the floor in chaotic, spirited dancing. Again $1 at the door, and efficient floor waiters/waitresses. (Note: Buzzby’s has of late been enforcing their capacity limit; arrive 11PM-ish to avoid a wait in line.) <br />
<br />
You might also find any of the following to your liking: <b>Bo-Jan-gles</b>, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7844571,-122.4177858,3a,37.5y,267.89h,89.55t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1svQhGNr-ic02ohK0irZ5qcg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192" target="_blank"><b>709 Larkin</b></a> (very Soul-Train, crowded and mixed); the <b>Nickelodeon</b>, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/141+Mason+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94102,+USA/@37.7850099,-122.4094434,3a,75y,143.55h,89.16t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s1qUcaLsXNvbOOzteeiVTug!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3D1qUcaLsXNvbOOzteeiVTug%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D170.61446%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x8085808587773831:0xd80b289a1b3040e7!2s141+Mason+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94102,+USA!3b1!8m2!3d37.7849549!4d-122.4094545!3m4!1s0x8085808587773831:0xd80b289a1b3040e7!8m2!3d37.7849549!4d-122.4094545" target="_blank"><b>141 Mason St.</b></a> (Where boys will be girls, decor very Hollywood); <b>Olympus</b>, Columbus at Lombard ($2 weekends, palatial, bouncy, largely straight); or the <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605201958/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15367_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>’N Touch</b></a>, Polk near Pine St. (Pushy crowd, mostly cruising). <br />
<br />
<i>[Ed. Note: Donald McLean is on vacation. His column will resume upon his return.]</i> ■ </blockquote><br />
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<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p47-2-lg.jpg" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="592" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p47-2-lg.jpg" width="236" /></a><a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p49-2-lg.jpg" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="591" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p49-2-lg.jpg" width="236" /></a><br /><br />
<b><u>Disco Scenes - New York</u><br /> by Vito Russo</b></center><br />
<blockquote>Everyone seems to be discussing the big disco boom in New York these days. The <a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yuBLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nosDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6169%2C998994" target="_blank"><b><i>Village Voice</i></b></a> has just done a cover story on the subject, indicating that discos are at least as popular as that paper’s two recent cover stories which concerned gay people. In New York, you can’t find a disco without gay people, and vice versa, so I guess it’s all the same story.<br />
<br />
The first bit of news for those of you who haven’t heard is that <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20150924154228/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/8432_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>The Flamingo</b></a> has closed for the summer and the former Flamingo crowd adjourned to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_Grove,_New_York" target="_blank"><b>Cherry Grove</b></a>’s <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160322181200/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/888_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Ice Palace</b></a> on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Island/" target="_blank"><b>Fire Island</b></a>. More about that Ice Palace in a minute. In the city, it’s <b>12 West</b>, the new in-place for the disco freaks, beautiful people and hangers-on from Bayside, Queens and Brooklyn, looking for <b>David Bowie</b> in the crowd. 12 West is located on West St. Between 12th & Jane and is just a stone’s throw from the latest gay outdoor sex scene, where you can get your rocks off while someone picks your pocket. (This is especially easy if you also have your clothes off. Stay away from it.) <br />
<br />
There’s real action at <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20130310080643/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/886_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>12 West</b></a>, where you can dance until 6AM without stopping and without coming down once. Its quadrophonic sound system is sensational, and free juices and fruit are available all evening. Also, a generous supply of ice water for those who dehydrate quickly. It is a membership club, as are all major discos in New York. You may either join for something like $40 a year (they never stay around that long), or you can come as the guest of a member for about $5. This is your best bet. If you don’t know anyone who is a member, wait outside. Someone will take you in eventually, It’s done all the time. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160322154103/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/1967_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Le Jardin</b></a> is a more commercial, more above-ground version of 12 West that has been around for a few years now. It started out as a lavish gay bar on the order of <b>Studio One</b> in L.A. and is now a heavy glitter trip. Whenever a place gets “discovered” and becomes popular with all the groupie teenagers from New Jersey, the original crowd moves on to greener (more “in”) pastures. This is what has happened to Le Jardin. Everyone has gone over to 12 West. Le Jardin is worth seeing, however and boasts the entire basement and the entire rooftop of the <a href="https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/108116-west-43rd-street-sixth-avenue-broadway--45739752445141591/" target="_blank"><b>Diplomat Hotel</b></a> on W. 43rd St. The basement level is, as the name implies, a garden for dancing. The dance floor is enormous and surrounded with lots of fake greenery and green and white lounges and couches at which you may be served large drinks from small glasses. The rooftop is really something to see. It overlooks most of Manhattan consists of several rooms in blue and white and silver. There is a stark-white baby grand piano and a silver and white bar which is surrounded by silver ferns. There is also an outdoor terrace which is furnished with waterbeds, from which you can watch any number of color television sets. It’s a nice place to visit and will give you a sense of freaky New York nightlife, especially if you’ve never been here before. It costs $7 to get in, and they have a membership policy also. <br />
<br />
For a special weekend, and it must be a special weekend due to its location, visit the <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160322181200/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/888_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Ice Palace</b></a> on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Island" target="_blank"><b>Fire Island</b></a>. Daytripping (spending a day and leaving on the last boat) is discouraged, so make arrangements to stay awhile. You won’t regret it, because there’s a lot more to see on Fire Island than just the disco, and your trip won’t be wasted. The Ice Palace has been around for a long time. It’s probably the longest running disco on the East Coast. Even when it was just a dance bar, it was a place where people discovered records and made them hits before they ever got air play. On Fire Island, there’s always one song which seems to typify that certain summer, if you will. Last year it was “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27ll_Always_Love_My_Mama" target="_blank"><b>I’ll Always Love My Mama</b></a>,” with “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love%27s_Theme" target="_blank"><b>Love’s Theme</b></a>” as a close second. <br />
<br />
This year the Ice Palace has been the subject of a $60,000 redecoration, and sports mirrored walls and even shows with top stars before the late-night dancing begins. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Della_Reese" target="_blank"><b>Della Reese</b></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgana_King" target="_blank"><b>Morgana King</b></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmen_McRae" target="_blank"><b>Carmen MacRae</b></a> are among the latest in early evening entertainment, followed by dancing until 4AM, all one block away from one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Fire Island is another world, and the rules are all flexible. If you stay at the <a href="https://www.gaytravel.com/gay-blog/fire-destroys-gay-landmark-on-fire-island" target="_blank"><b>Beach Hotel</b></a>, be prepared to listen to disco music all night, as your room will more likely than not be directly opposite the dance floor, separated only by a swimming pool. The dress is very casual, sometimes nothing at all, due to the fact that this completely gay community is isolated after the last boat leaves; no one may arrive or leave until morning except by speedboat or helicopter. The Ice Palace gets its share of straight people, but it is more of an integrated society than a “look at them dance” routine, and at about three in the morning, people are literally dancing on the walls. (They have these little walls which separate the rooms and people dance on them, ok?) <br />
<br />
I assume that anyone who is interested in disco dancing in the first place accepts the rules that apply. These are not, usually, cruise bars. They are places where people go with a group of friends to dance the night away. On Fire Island, this rule bends a little because everyone is there for a good time; the lack of restrictions, law and order, and stress bring about a sort of early-Rome feeling which continues until the sun is well up over the gorgeous horizon. There is seldom, if ever, any trouble. There are two policemen on Fire Island and they dance very well. Their job consists of mostly tossing unruly straight teenagers off the dock when they manage to find their way out to the Grove. Also, drugs are ignored within reasonable limits.<br />
<br />
Discos in New York are enjoying a period of fashion. This may last a year or a day. One never knows here. Everyone is looking for a way to dance their troubles away. Places like the <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605095516/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15085_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Limelight </b></a> and <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160318041547/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/4144_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Hollywood</b></a>, old-fashioned, plain gay dance bars are still packed to the rafters every night, so the discos aren’t taking any business away from them. ■ </blockquote><br />
<center>____________________________________________<br />
<br /><br />
</center><b>PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:</b><br />
<a href="hhttp://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/05/vintage-articles-cheap-thrills.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: cheap thrills, entertainment and escapism - by christopher stone // the advocate - august 13, 1975</a> (wednesday may 5, 2021)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/04/vintage-articles-wanna-dance-get.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: wanna dance? get wrecked to the ass! - by vito russo // the advocate - august 13, 1975</a> (wednesday april 28, 2021)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/03/vintage-articles-exclusive-supremes.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: exclusive supremes interview - by christopher stone // the advocate - august 13, 1975</a> (sunday march 21, 2021)<br />
<br>
<b>LINKS:</b><br />
<a href="https://thewaterbearers.org/jane-brinton/" target="_blank">the waterbearers: jane brinton</a><br />
<a href="https://one.usc.edu/archive-location/studio-one-1" target="_blank">one archives: studio one</a><br />
<a href="https://www.laconservancy.org/locations/factory" target="_blank">los angeles conservancy: the factory (studio one)</a><br />
<a href="https://wehoville.com/2016/08/05/jim-crow-visits-west-hollywood-studio-one-gay-liberation/" target="_blank">wehoville - jim crow visits west hollywood: studio one and gay liberation (by don kilhefner)</a> (august 5, 2016)<br />
<a href="https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-friedman-factory-studio-one-20160727-snap-story.html" target="_blank">los angeles times - opinion: should we preserve ugly but important buildings - like the former studio one in west hollywood? (by ann friedman)</a> (july 27, 2016)<br />
<a href="https://www.losangelesblade.com/2018/07/03/west-hollywood-divided-over-fate-of-the-factory" target="_blank">los angeles blade: west hollywood divided over fate of the factory (by christopher kane)</a> (july 3, 2018)<br />
<a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-feb-07-me-forbes7-story.html" target="_blank">los angeles times - scott forbes, 57, ran dance palace (obituary) (by jon thurber)</a> (february 7, 2002)<br />
<a href=“http://theendupsf.com" target="_blank">the endup san francisco</a><br />
<a href="https://www.studsf.com/" target="_blank">the stud san francisco</a><br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160423065757/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/6420_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank">discomusic.com - clubs & discotheques: the city (san francisco)</a> (web archive)<br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160404100744/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15579_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank">discomusic.com - clubs & discotheques: the endup (6th and harrison, san francisco)</a> (web archive)<br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20150924155215/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15834_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank">discomusic.com - clubs & discotheques: the stud (folsom street, san francisco)</a> (web archive)<br />
<a href="https://www.gaytravel.com/gay-blog/fire-destroys-gay-landmark-on-fire-island" target="_blank">gaytravel.com - fire destroys gay landmark on fire island</a> (march 27, 2015)<br />
<a href="https://leslieadatto.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/rock-n-roll-on-the-rooftop-le-jardin-diplomat-hotel-w-43rd-street-near-sixth-ave/" target="_blank">rooftops of nyc: rock ’n roll on the rooftop (le jardin, diplomat hotel, w. 43rd street near sixth avenue)</a> (december 1, 2011)<br />
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/07/realestate/an-aging-midtown-hotel-that-will-not-go-gently.html" target="_blank">new york times: an aging midtown hotel that will not go gently (by david w. dunlap)</a> (november 7, 1993)<br />
<a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yuBLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nosDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6169%2C998994" target="_blank">google newspapers: the village voice - inside the disco boom (by richard szathmary & lucian k. truscott iv)</a> (july 21, 1975)<br />
<br>
<br>
CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_24.html" target="_blank">VINTAGE ARTICLES</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-38471105056165143522021-05-05T19:33:00.008-04:002021-05-07T17:42:23.466-04:00Vintage Articles: Cheap Thrills, Entertainment and Escapism - by Christopher Stone // The Advocate - August 13, 1975<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p37-stone-headercrop-2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="800" height="128" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p37-stone-headercrop-2.jpg" width="542" /></a><p>Continuing with some more from the August 1975 <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Advocate%20%288%2F13%2F75%29" target="_blank"><b><i>Discos!</i></b></a> issue of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Advocate_(LGBT_magazine)" target="_blank"><b>The Advocate</b></a>. Admittedly, I’m posting this a little out of sequence. This was <a href="https://authorchristopherstone.com/" target="_blank"><b>Christopher Stone</b></a>’s introduction to their Disco coverage, just a couple of pages before their <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/03/vintage-articles-exclusive-supremes.html" target="_blank"><b>exclusive interview with The Supremes</b></a>.<br />
<br />
Interesting to note in this little time-capsule, the contextualization of Disco not as a novel juggernaut, but as a revival, or continuation of an earlier trend, one picked up by the gay underground as far back as 1971. Something “<i>wild, free and outrageous</i>,” originating in “<i>[d]efunct factories, markets and restaurants</i>” highlighting again, clear parallels to the origins of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rave#Origin_of_'rave'_(1950s%E2%80%931970s)" target="_blank"><b>rave culture</b></a>, for example.<br />
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Also notable in this time period - disco being cast, not as something restrictive or limiting (as some later press in the decade would) but as a force opening up musical opportunities. Success in disco is cast here as an antidote to “<i>tight and restrictive</i>” radio playlists, creating new stars and breathing new life into older acts.<br />
<br />
More to come very soon. <br />
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<b><u>Cheap Thrills, Entertainment and Escapism</u><br /> by Christopher Stone</b></center><br />
<br />
<blockquote>
“Shame, shame, shame-shame on you, it you can’t dance too.”<br />
<br />
From Hollywood’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_One_(nightclub)" target="_blank"><b>Studio One</b></a> to <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160322154103/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/1967_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Le Jardin</b></a> in Gotham, everybody’s doing it: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hustle_(dance)" target="_blank"><b>the hustle</b></a>, <a href="https://www.libraryofdance.org/dances/bump/" target="_blank"><b>the bump</b></a>, <a href="https://www.wikihow.com/Do-the-Time-Warp" target="_blank"><b>the time warp</b></a> and <a href="http://socialdance.stanford.edu/syllabi/Continental_Walk.pdf" target="_blank"><b>the continental</b></a> (not to be confused with the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz7_e8ClwzA" target="_blank"><b>Fred & Ginger</b></a> version). <br />
<br />
For the entertainment industry, 1975 is the Year of the Discotheque. No doubt about it, the masses have turned on to what’s been getting us off for the last four years.<br>
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In the country discos <i>were</i> almost completely gay. During the last year, hetero clubs have been opening faster than <b>Gloria Gaynor</b> can say “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_Can_Say_Goodbye#Gloria_Gaynor_version" target="_blank"><b>goodbye</b></a>.” Independent surveys indicate that at least 70% of the discos are still gay. Many straight people confess that they have more fun at the gay clubs. <br />
<br />
The current disco revival began in 1971, spearheaded by the gay underground. Defunct factories, markets and restaurants were transformed into dance meccas where gay people boogyed their way to happiness. The atmosphere was wild, free and outrageous. Attire ranged from black tie to tie-dye. Discothequers lost themselves in a frantic world of non-stop music and madness. Nobody cared who did what to whom just as long as you didn’t stand still. <br />
<br />
About two years ago discos surfaced, and now there are an estimated 500 in New York, 100 in Southern California and an additional 700 sprinkled between the coasts. The numbers seem to change daily. <br />
<br />
The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightclub#Post-WWII:_Emergence_of_the_disc_jockey_and_discoth%C3%A8que" target="_blank"><b>discotheque</b></a>, which literally means <i>disc library</i>, originated in France during the ‘50s. The fad swept across Europe, becoming especially popular in London, and eventually reached our shores in the early ‘60s. <br />
<br />
Back then, the clubs were primarily straight. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Graffiti" target="_blank"><b><i>American Graffiti</i></b></a> generation twisted, rugged, monkeyed, jerked and swam the night away to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Supremes" target="_blank"><b>Supremes</b></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_and_the_Vandellas" target="_blank"><b>Martha and the Vandellas</b></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chubby_Checker" target="_blank"><b>Chubby Checker</b></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Richard" target="_blank"><b>Little Richard</b></a> - even <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Rydell" target="_blank"><b>Bobby Rydell</b></a>. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann-Margret" target="_blank"><b>Ann-Margret</b></a> look-alikes set the pace from cages, which were sometimes suspended from the ceiling. <br />
<br />
But with the advent of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_rock" target="_blank"><b>acid rock</b></a>, the disco turntables stopped turning. Now they are spinning as never before. <br />
<br />
The recession seems to be primarily responsible for the resurgence. At a time when money is as tight as one’s pants, discos offer cheap thrills, entertainment and escapism. (On the West Coast, admittance is usually free during the week, with cover charges ranging from $1-$3 on weekends; Eastern discos charge more.) <br />
<br />
Discos make dollars and sense for club owners who can no longer afford the hefty fees commanded by the better “live” groups and attractions. And while rock groups were sometimes temperamental and undependable, hit records never have a bad night. Disco owners offer their patrons superstars at their recording studio best, seven nights a week. <br />
<br />
Moreover, record companies are ecstatic over the disco boon. Platter pushers previously had to rely solely on radio airplay to make a hit record. Most radio playlists are tight and restrictive, so many discs were pressed and then never heard. Discos have changed all that. <br />
<br />
“<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_the_Boat_(The_Hues_Corporation_song)" target="_blank"><b>Rock the Boat</b></a>,” “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27ve_Got_the_Music_in_Me" target="_blank"><b>I’ve Got the Music In Me</b></a>,” “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_Can_Say_Goodbye#Gloria_Gaynor_version" target="_blank"><b>Never Can Say Goodbye</b></a>,” “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love%27s_Theme" target="_blank"><b>Love’s Theme</b></a>,” “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Dancin%27" target="_blank"><b>Get Dancin’</b></a>,” “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hustle_(song)" target="_blank"><b>The Hustle</b></a>” and “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shame,_Shame,_Shame_(Shirley_%26_Company_song)" target="_blank"><b>Shame, Shame, Shame</b></a> ” are just a few of the smashes that owe their success to disco airplay. <br />
<br />
Stars such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Gaynor" target="_blank"><b>Gloria Gaynor</b></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disco-Tex_and_the_Sex-O-Lettes" target="_blank"><b>Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes</b></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Douglas" target="_blank"><b>Carol Douglas</b></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_McCoy" target="_blank"><b>Van McCoy</b></a> were born in discos. Others such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labelle" target="_blank"><b>Labelle</b></a>, the <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/03/vintage-articles-exclusive-supremes.html" target="_blank"><b>Supremes</b></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_%26_Company" target="_blank"><b>Shirley & Co.</b></a> were re-born there. Now record companies have disco reps who monitor the clubs, listen to the jocks and supply them with new products. (Up until this year, most disco jocks had to supply their own records.) Major labels even supply the clubs with “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-inch_single#Promotion_through_media_and_DJs" target="_blank"><b>special mixes</b></a>” of certain songs, designed for optimum reproduction when played over a disco’s elaborate sound system. <br />
<br />
Where all of this will end, no one seems to know. <br />
<br />
No one wants it to end. <br />
<br />
It looks like discos may just be here to stay. ■ <br />
</blockquote>
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<br /><br />
<b>PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:</b><br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/04/vintage-articles-wanna-dance-get.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: wanna dance? get wrecked to the ass! - by vito russo // the advocate - august 13, 1975</a> (wednesday april 28, 2021)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/03/vintage-articles-exclusive-supremes.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: exclusive supremes interview - by christopher stone // the advocate - august 13, 1975</a> (sunday march 21, 2021)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2008/05/in-defense-of-disco-by-richard-dyer.html" target="_blank">in defense of disco by richard dyer</a> (tuesday march 13, 2008)<br />
<br />
<b>LINKS:</b><br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightclub#Post-WWII:_Emergence_of_the_disc_jockey_and_discoth%C3%A8que" target="_blank">wikipedia: nightclub - post wwii: emergence of the disc jockey and the discothèque</a> <br>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-inch_single" target="_blank">wikipedia: twelve-inch single</a> <br>
<a href="https://www.libraryofdance.org/dances/bump/" target="_blank">library of dance: the bump</a> <br>
<a href="https://authorchristopherstone.com/" target="_blank">christopher stone - author</a> <br />
<br />
CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_24.html" target="_blank">VINTAGE ARTICLES</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-85546893513911307122021-04-28T21:19:00.022-04:002021-05-07T17:37:23.093-04:00Vintage Articles: Wanna Dance? Get Wrecked To The Ass! -by Vito Russo // The Advocate - August 13, 1975<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p41-russo-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="286" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p41-russo-crop.jpg" width="114" /></a>Continuing with another installment from the <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Advocate%20%288%2F13%2F75%29" target="_blank"><b><i>Discos!</i></b></a> issue of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Advocate_(LGBT_magazine)" target="_blank"><b>The Advocate</b></a> with this article from the late writer and activist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vito_Russo" target="_blank"><b>Vito Russo</b></a>. Best known perhaps for his landmark work, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Celluloid_Closet" target="_blank"><b><i>The Celluloid Closet</i></b></a> documenting gay representation in cinema and for being a founding member of both <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GLAAD" target="_blank"><b><b>GLAAD</b></b></a> and <a href="www.actupny.org/documents/whfight.html" target="_blank"><b><b>ACT UP</b></b></a>, Russo left an indelible mark on the world and particularly in LGBT activism before his passing of AIDS-related complications in 1990. Russo would contribute to the “<i>Disco Scenes</i>” section later in this issue (which will be up soon), but his article here is an interesting window and counterpoint to the inescapable rise of disco—music, culture, and spaces—particularly in the gay community/communities. <br>
<br>
Though he says this isn’t a judgement of the music or the experience, it does read as something of a lament. As Russo suggests, the growth of large, impersonal discos seemed to be replacing the more intimate, casual social atmosphere of the neighbourhood bar, where one could still dance, yet, as Russo maintains, have a better chance of actually striking up a conversation or even a friendship. Even I, as a disco enthusiast, all these years later, can relate to much of what he’s saying. Heightened sound and elaborate lighting systems are not necessarily conducive to an atmosphere of elevated sociality. Though there’s something to losing yourself in the massive sensory experience of a large crowd in a large space; reflecting back, pre-pandemic when going out was a relatively regular occurrence, even I tended to prefer smaller, casual venues for dancing (and playing records). Smaller dance-bars also tend to fit within the culture here in Toronto, even today (though I wonder if Russo ever went to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Loft_(New_York_City)" target="_blank"><b>The Loft</b></a>?).<br /></div><p>
<br />
There’s also a certain parallel here to contemporary debates around dating apps and the impact they have on queer communities in urban centres. The argument, particularly for queer men, that apps like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grindr" target="_blank"><b>Grindr</b></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scruff_(app)" target="_blank"><b>Scruff</b></a> etc.. which for all their convenience, are replacing and endangering the hard-fought physical spaces of the bars, clubs and bathhouses has a certain resonance, especially if you are living in a city large enough to have its own “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_village" target="_blank"><i><b>gay village</b></i></a>.” Though as Russo intimates here with discos, this is not a trend confined solely to queer people or spaces. The impact feels, however, more immediate and disproportionate. Hard-won and already fewer in number, these are spaces which are not just businesses but bedrocks of community-building. Though this debate will undoubtedly continue; as with any wave of change, there are gains and losses and Russo here captures a moment when discos were signalling a notable shift in gay social life.<br />
<br />
Vito Russo left a much bigger legacy than I could ever do justice to, here. <a href="https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/4731.htm" target="_blank"><b>Books</b></a> and <a href="https://vitorussomovie.com/" target="_blank"><b>documentaries</b></a> aside, the <a href="https://makinggayhistory.com/podcast/episode-01-10/" target="_blank"><b>Making Gay History Podcast</b></a> has an excellent condensed summary of his life and work, well worth a listen. <br />
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<a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p41-russo-lg.jpg" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="592" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-p41-russo-lg.jpg" width="236" /></a><br />
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<b><u>Wanna Dance? Get Wrecked to the Ass!</u><br /> by Vito Russo</b></center><br />
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<blockquote>So you want to know about discos in New York, eh? Heh, heh, heh.
Stay home.
I mean it. Years ago, New York used to have what we called dance bars. You could go to one of these places and in front there was usually a bar where people stood around and drank and talked; in the back, or in another room, there was either a juke-box or taped music for dancing. Once in a while, there was even real dancing, like when two people touched each other with some sort of conviction about it. No more. <br />
<br />
With one or two quite notable exceptions, the city of a thousand bars and dance palaces has been reduced to a myriad of cruise bars, western bars, leather bars, Joe College bars - you name it, we got it. But we ain’t got rhythm. You see, there was this movie called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Avenue" target="_blank"><b><i>On The Avenue</i></b></a> with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Faye" target="_blank"><b>Alice Faye</b></a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritz_Brothers/" target="_blank"><b>Ritz Brothers</b></a> and they sang a song called “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y4m-ll-SUM" target="_blank"><b>We Ain’t Got Rhythm</b></a>” and … oh what the hell. <br />
<br />
Anyway, it’s not easy to go out for an evening’s dancing in New York anymore. With the closing of <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160606071555/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15869_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>The Roundtable</b></a> on 52nd Street, New York lost its last bastion of get-to-know-your-partner. What we have left is discos. Discos. The very word suggests a move away from the emphasis on the people and a move towards the music for its own sake. <br />
<br />
When you go dancing in New York now, you either go to the <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605095516/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15085_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Limelight</b></a>, where you can be treated to a mixture of straight teenagers from the Bronx looking for fags to beat up, or you can wait until midnight and find a friend who belongs to one of the new wave dance palaces in New York - the afterhours disco. <br />
<br />
You do not go straight. You get wrecked to the ass. This way, everything looks good even if it isn’t, and you can dance for seven hours without having to look at your friends. That’s what the colored lights are for. That is also what the quadrophonic sound system is for, keeping you in a state of blessed oblivion until little Sammy Sun comes up and it’s safe to go home and sleep until noon when you can cruise on <a href="https://forgotten-ny.com/2014/10/christopher-street-greenwich-village/" target="_blank"><b>Christopher Street</b></a> until it’s time for the discos to open again. You may do this on weekends. During the week you go to your office or place of business and you’re somebody else. That’s why we need the discos; to have a place to be yourself. If that doesn’t make any sense. <br />
<br />
Now, I was in Los Angeles for two weeks, and although they can really and truly have it, and I mean all of it (the mellowness, the sunshine, Taco Bells and the police) it does have something New York doesn’t. It has places like <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605082019/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15653_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Cabaret</b></a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20150920145936/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14713_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>After Dark</b></a> and <a href="https://one.usc.edu/archive-location/studio-one-1" target="_blank"><b>Studio One</b></a> where you can watch a nice show; a magnificent dance floor the size of a gymnasium in which they have installed a scale model of Saturn (the planet) which expels fog over the dance floor; a jewelry shop; five bars; assorted nooks and crannies. Now, we don’t have that over here. No matter, though, because with all those facilities, people don’t look at each other once. They get there at midnight, dance until 2AM and go sit in <b>Drake’s</b>, <b>The Louisiana Purchase</b>, <b>Arthur J’s</b> or <b>Theodore’s Cafe</b>. Then they go home. For all the communication that goes on, they might as well be in an after-hours disco in New York. <br />
<br />
The very concept of disco has somehow destroyed our ability to be people with each other. I’m not judging the music or the experience, It’s an experience, to be sure. Too much of one, though. It becomes, after a time, the only experience, and the loudness of the music destroys any possibility of verbal contact. In Studio One, they are now doing a dance which I thought I couldn’t learn until I realized that the reason I have having trouble was that it’s a routine. Do any of you know what a routine is? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz1Rx9fS2Aw" target="_blank"><b>It used to be a nice little dance that people all did together with pre-planned steps and everyone would laugh and giggle and link arms and stuff</b></a>. It was a lot of fun partially because it gave us a sense of community and mostly because six or seven people could do it as a group at a party. They have now turned it into the ultimate conformist exercise. At Studio One no less than 500 people were doing it in unison last week and every face was a total blank. Don’t think, don’t laugh, don’t react, don’t touch, don’t smile. Just keep counting and try to make the entire dance floor move as one person. Hey gang … we are not one person. We are many and we are all different. Or is it just safer that way?<br />
<br />
My mind rebels against this dance for a reason. It was fun when we danced like that in our neighborhood dance bar. If a stranger was at the bar we’d yell, “Hey, c’mere, we’ll teach you this dance” and after a while he’d be our friend. Or if he didn’t want to, we’d talk anyway. It was nice, I think - more human, also. <br />
<br />
The large discos which have replaced our neighbourhood bars have made factories (<a href="https://www.laconservancy.org/locations/factory" target="_blank"><b>Studio One used to <i>be</i> one</b></a>) out of our meeting places. The new product is oblivion. It makes one wonder what people are dancing their asses off to escape from. This is not a gay trip. It’s a people trip. Everyone is doing it. At least in New York you can invite people to your house for a few relaxing hours, but in L.A., everyone lives so far away from each other, they almost have to meet in these places. When they get there it’s too noisy to talk. No wonder everyone is friends with everyone else in L.A. - they never got a chance to know each other, and who can hate a total stranger? <br />
<br />
Please understand: I am not doing an anti-Los Angeles trip. I explore the same situation in New York, but I think here it’s escapable. You can still go down to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwich_Village" target="_blank"><b>Greenwich Village</b></a> and spend a night at <a href="https://www.city-data.com/forum/new-york-city/2141049-do-you-know-any-nys-black.html" target="_blank"><b>Peter</a> <a href="https://forgotten-ny.com/2019/01/holland-hotel-west-village/" target="_blank">Rabbit</b></a> where someone will come up to you and say, “Excuse me, would you like to dance?” and you can look into his eyes for awhile. Sure, I like to go to a disco occasionally. But I’d rather dance ■ </blockquote>
<center>____________________________________________<br /></center>
<br /><br />
<b>PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:</b><br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2021/03/vintage-articles-exclusive-supremes.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: exclusive supremes interview - by christopher stone // the advocate - august 13, 1975</a> (sunday march 21, 2021)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2008/05/in-defense-of-disco-by-richard-dyer.html" target="_blank">in defense of disco by richard dyer</a> (tuesday march 13, 2008)<br />
<br />
<b>LINKS:</b><br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vito_Russo" target="_blank">wikipedia - vito russo</a><br />
<a href="https://makinggayhistory.com/podcast/episode-01-10/" target="_blank">making gay history - the podcast: episode 10 - vito russo</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/374224.The_Celluloid_Closet" target="_blank">goodreads - the celluloid closet: homosexuality in the movies by vito russo</a><br />
<a href="https://actupny.org/documents/whfight.html" target="_blank">the act up historical archive: why we fight by vito russo</a><br />
<a href="https://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/4731.htm" target="_blank">uw press - celluloid activist: the life and times of vito russo by michael schiavi</a><br />
<a href="https://vitorussomovie.com/" target="_blank">vito: a new documentary by jeffrey schwarz</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://forgotten-ny.com/2020/04/10th-street/" target="_blank">forgotten new york: 10th street</a> (april 19, 2020)<br />
<a href="https://forgotten-ny.com/2019/01/holland-hotel-west-village/" target="_blank">forgotten new york: holland hotel</a> (january 25, 2019)<br />
<a href="https://one.usc.edu/archive-location/studio-one-1" target="_blank">one archives: studio one</a><br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160606071555/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15869_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank">discomusic.com - clubs & discotheques: roundtable (151 e. 50th street between lexington and 3rd avenue, new york)</a> (web archive)<br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605095516/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15085_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank">discomusic.com - clubs & discotheques: limelight (91 7th avenue s., greenwich village, new york)</a> (web archive)<br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160605082019/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/15653_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank">discomusic.com - clubs & discotheques: cabaret (beverly boulevard, west hollywood)</a> (web archive)<br />
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20150920145936/http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/14713_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank">discomusic.com - clubs & discotheques: after dark (beverly boulevard & la cienega, los angeles)</a> (web archive)<br />
<br />
<br />
CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_24.html" target="_blank">VINTAGE ARTICLES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/in-tribute-to-disco-artists-who-have.html" target="_blank">IN MEMORIAM</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-69380258877921463532021-03-21T14:52:00.046-04:002021-05-06T14:16:20.350-04:00Vintage Articles: Exclusive Supremes Interview - by Christopher Stone // The Advocate - August 13, 1975
<p><br />
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/supremes-75-publicity-sm.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="384" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/supremes-75-publicity-sm.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><br />It has been over a month since the sudden passing of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/feb/09/mary-wilson-tribute" target="_blank"><b>original Supreme Mary Wilson</b></a> at age of 76, just weeks before her 77th birthday. Unfortunately we’re at that time when many of the musicians I’ve either written about or have been part of the music on this blog are passing away, that’s besides the pandemic we are in right now, when so many are dealing with death and loss.<br />
<br />
Mary’s passing prompted me to go into my archives where I found some old issues of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Advocate_(LGBT_magazine)" target="_blank"><b>The Advocate</b></a> that I had scanned several years ago. Still the American LGBT publication of record, their August 1975 <b><i>Discos!</i></b> issue is where I found this particular article - an exclusive interview with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Supremes" target="_blank"><b>The Supremes</b></a> by frequent Advocate entertainment contributor and editor <a href="https://authorchristopherstone.com/" target="_blank"><b>Christopher Stone</b></a>, who is still active today as an author in gay fiction and non-fiction.<br />
<br />
I’ve covered The Supremes here on the blog <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2008/01/disco-delivery-51-supremes-high-energy.html" target="_blank"><b>several</b></a> <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2007/03/supremes-mary-scherrie-susaye-reprise.html" target="_blank"><b>times</b></a> <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2006/01/first-delivery-supremes-mary-scherrie.html" target="_blank"><b>in the past</b></a>, so it’s no surprise that I have a soft spot for the last two Supremes lineups. While those groupings had less pop success than previous incarnations, they had some of their greatest showings in the discos, which certainly further solidified their loyal gay following, a fact that’s well-highlighted in this particular article. Their current single at the time “<a href="http://discovice.net/media/mixes/ddmix08.mp3" target="_blank"><b>He’s My Man</b></a>” was perfectly primed for disco action and marked something of a comeback for the group after a near 2 year gap between releases.<br />
<br />
<p></p><center><a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-supremes-cover-sm.jpg" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="590" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-supremes-cover-sm.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-supremes-0-sm.jpg" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="589" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-supremes-0-sm.jpg" /></a></center><br />
The interview generously touches on the strong gay following they have, namely the fondness drag performers had for them. While here Mary laments that they had yet to go to a gay venue to see any of the drag tributes to them, interestingly a few years ago, a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grid_(newspaper)" target="_blank"><b>defunct local publication</b></a> here in Toronto where I live had a regular <a href="http://thenandnowtoronto.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>Then & Now</i></b></a> column written by DJ and writer <a href="https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2015/07/denise-benson-interview?linkId=15751704" target="_blank"><b>Denise Benson</b></a>, documenting memories of bygone local clubs and discos. Her columns have since been <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22228440-then-now" target="_blank"><b>compiled into a book</b></a>, but I recall one particular column on a club called <b>David’s</b> which featured a memory of this particular lineup of Supremes <a href="http://thenandnowtoronto.com/2014/11/then-now-club-davids/" target="_blank"><b>making a surprise appearance there to judge a drag competition</b></a>, probably not long after this interview had been conducted.<br />
<br />
By this time the group consisted of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wilson_(singer)" target="_blank"><b>Mary Wilson</b></a> as the sole remaining original member, plus the return of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cindy_Birdsong" target="_blank"><b>Cindy Birdsong</b></a> and the new addition of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scherrie_Payne" target="_blank"><b>Scherrie Payne</b></a> as their primary lead vocalist. Though Payne doesn’t have a great deal of quotes in this interview, Mary and Cindy’s comments here more than hint at their internal struggles with <b>Motown</b> and the uphill battle before them trying to re-establish The Supremes as a musical presence. <br />
<br />
Though <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Supremes%27_farewell_concert" target="_blank"><b>The Supremes would only last a couple more years</b></a> as an active entity, Mary’s battle for recognition was really only just beginning. It would be the better part of a decade before her first book, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamgirl:_My_Life_as_a_Supreme" target="_blank"><b><i>Dreamgirl - My Life As A Supreme</i></b></a> would come out and help turn the tide against the official line at the time which seemed to marginalize The Supremes as little more than <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Ross" target="_blank"><b>Diana Ross</b></a>’ launching pad, with Wilson and the late <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Ballard" target="_blank"><b>Florence Ballard</b></a> as mere musical footnotes.<br />
<br />
Together with the social discussions that have been rippling through society lately, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Me_Too_movement" target="_blank"><b>#metoo</b></a> movement among them, has me thinking about what it means to be a woman, a black woman, in an industry that has often denied one's agency on both grounds. While I am neither, so many of the artists that I love are. That being said, even I have to admit that I have at times been guilty of that casual sexism that often exists in musical coverage, where often so much emphasis and credibility is placed on the (usually male) producer as the creative driver that the agency and artistry of the woman (usually the vocalist) goes underrepresented and unacknowledged even on work that bears their name. <br />
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Certainly when we talk about agency, Mary’s legacy is a testament to it. While much has been written about Diana Ross’ legendary ambition and tenacity, she certainly wasn’t the only Supreme with grit and determination. As someone who sustained a long performing career herself, Mary Wilson had to fight an uphill battle for agency nearly every step of the way. After spending years on the wrong side of Motown politics, battling the label throughout much of the 1970s and 80s (well documented in her <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2890790-supreme-faith" target="_blank"><b>second book</b></a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62574.Dreamgirl_and_Supreme_Faith" target="_blank"><b>subsequent updates</b></a>), she had emerged in the last decades of her life not only a seasoned performer, but an astute operator in the politics of the music industry and a tireless ambassador for the <b>Motown</b> legacy. To the point where her efforts <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/features/mary-wilson-death-music-industry-advocacy-1127368/" target="_blank"><b>helped change laws in Washington</b></a>, she also ended up <a href="https://marywilson.com/news/mary-wilsons-self-titled-solo-album-makes-its-digital-debut-includes-8-bonus-tracks-featuring" target="_blank"><b>cultivating a working relationship</b></a> with Motown's parent company, <a href="https://twitter.com/umg/status/1359313393757298689" target="_blank"><b>Universal Music</b></a>, having been a part of practically every Supremes release and re-issue in the past 20 some years. It was perhaps a much more generative relationship than the one she had with the old Motown label when this article was written. <br />
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To paraphrase what the lady herself <a href="https://www.washingtonblade.com/2017/02/16/mary-wilson-shares-motown-memories/" target="_blank"><b>said in a 2017 interview</b></a>; unlike some of her contemporaries, she had a chance to fight back and show the world what she was made of.
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Rest in Peace and Power Ms. Mary Wilson.
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<p></p><center>____________________________________________<br /><br /><br /></center>
<center><a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-supremes-1-sm.jpg" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="592" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-supremes-1-sm.jpg" width="236" /></a><a href="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-supremes-2-sm.jpg" style="margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0.5em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="591" height="320" src="http://discovice.net/images/advocate-supremes-2-sm.jpg" width="236" /></a><br />
<br>
<b><u>Exclusive Supremes Interview</u><br />
By Christopher Stone</b></center>
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<blockquote>“<a href="https://www.discogs.com/The-Supremes-Hes-My-Man/master/235051" target="_blank"><b>He’s My Man</b></a>” is rapidly becoming a disco <i>monster</i>.<br />
<br />
D.J.’s report <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Supremes_(1975_album)" target="_blank"><b>The Supremes</b></a></i> as one of their most requested albums.<br />
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<i>THE SUPREMES ARE BACK!</i> proclaims Motown’s billboard on the Sunset Strip.<br />
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After a two-year hiatus from recording, the most popular female group in the history of the record industry is back - and the ADVOCATE’s got ‘em!<br />
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Motown’s Supremes Biography: “…those [stars] who qualify as institutions by virtue of their extraordinary achievements are few and far between. Narrow that down to female ensembles and Motown’s fabulous Supremes are virtually without peer.” <br />
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<b>Mary Wilson</b>: <i> We didn’t even have a contract with Motown for about a year and a half. They had no enthusiasm for us. We had to go in there <b>fighting</b>. For a minute we had to forget we were entertainers and go on a campaign, which was really degrading.<br />
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The public <b>never</b> let us down. Our fans have been loyal up to now. But Motown <b>did</b> let us down at the times we needed them most - after Diana left and after Jean left.</i><br />
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Motown’s Supremes Biography: “They were the first exponents of the now world-renowned Motown Sound to reap the rewards of popularity on a massive scale…
“It is estimated that the Supremes have sold in excess of 50 million records, which is a conservative estimate…”<br /><br />
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<b>Cindy Birdsong</b>: <i>It has been said in print many times, even before I joined the group: <b>The Supremes made Motown and Motown made the Supremes</b>. To see them retreat that way was very discouraging.</i><br />
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Motown’s Supremes Biography: “Unlike most other groups, the Supremes have been able to undergo personnel changes without being adversely affected…” <br />
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<b>Scherrie Payne</b>: <i>I may have joined the group at a time when things were looking <b>down</b> but I’ve always been crazy about the Supremes, because I grew up along with them as they were growing.</i><br />
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Many of us did. <br />
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Diana, Mary & Flo - Diana, Mary & Cindy - Mary, Cindy & Jean - Mary, Jean & Lynda - Mary, Cindy & Scherrie. <br />
<br />
“<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_Did_Our_Love_Go" target="_blank"><b>Where Did Our Love Go?</b></a>,” “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_Love" target="_blank"><b>Baby Love</b></a>,” “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_See_About_Me" target="_blank"><b>Come See About Me</b></a>,” <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop!_In_the_Name_of_Love" target="_blank"><b>Stop! In the Name of Love</b></a>” and “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_in_My_Arms_Again" target="_blank"><b>Back In My Arms Again</b></a>”: the trio’s five number-one-hits-in-a-row during the mid-’60s is a feat yet to be matched. <br />
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They introduced an elegant, sparkling, sophisticated look to pop music and, with poise, polish and gobs of glamour, opened the nightclub circuit to rock & soul artists. Their fame was international. They were impersonated everywhere-in the rock musical <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_(musical)" target="_blank"><i><b>Hair</b></i></a>; in the local drag ensemble in Pueblo, Colorado.<br />
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When, in 1970, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farewell_(The_Supremes_album)" target="_blank"><b>Diana Ross</b></a> opted for solo stardom, the public asked, “Is this the end of the Supremes?” <br />
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Mary, Cindy and new lead thrush <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Terrell" target="_blank"><b>Jean Terrell</b></a> answered the skeptics with chartbusters such as “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_the_Ladder_to_the_Roof" target="_blank"><b>Up The Ladder to the Roof</b></a>,” “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everybody%27s_Got_the_Right_to_Love" target="_blank"><b>Everybody’s Got the Right to Love</b></a>,” “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoned_Love" target="_blank"><b>Stoned Love</b></a>,” “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Jones_(song)" target="_blank"><b>Nathan Jones</b></a>,” “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floy_Joy_(song)" target="_blank"><b>Floy Joy</b></a>,” “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Deep_%E2%80%93_Mountain_High" target="_blank"><b>River Deep-Mountain High</b>,</a>” “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatically_Sunshine" target="_blank"><b>Automatically Sunshine</b></a>,” and “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Weather" target="_blank"><b>Bad Weather</b></a>,” which is still a discotheque favourite. <br />
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Then, in ’72, Cindy traded sequinned dresses for a bridal gown and subsequently, maternity smocks. Her replacement, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynda_Laurence" target="_blank"><b>Lynda Laurence</b></a>, had barely learned her <i>oohs</i> and <i>aahs</i> when she left to become a Mrs. Then Jean Terrell hung up her wigs and went home for reasons still unknown to Supreme Mary.<br />
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After 18 months, domesticity paled on Cindy and she returned. Scherrie, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freda_Payne" target="_blank"><b>Freda</b></a>’s younger sister, was drafted to round out the trio. But they had no songs to release, no material to record, and no contract with Motown. <br />
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<b>Mary</b>: <i>Because of the many changes in the group, Motown was unsure. They didn’t want to put any money behind us, All of a sudden the good writers were taken away from us, and we got no more material. We were just shoved aside.</i> <br />
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<b>Cindy</b>: <i>Even though you have been in the business for 15 years, like we have, it’s always a thrill to hear a new record played on the radio. When you hear nothing at all except your old records, knowing there isn’t a new one to be played, it’s a horrible feeling. <br />
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It seemed endless, these last two years without a recording. So now it’s such a pleasure to hear our new album being played.</i><br />
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<b>Scherrie</b>: <i>I understand we’re supposed to go into the studio the end of this month to start on some new things for the next album.</i><br />
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As spokesperson for the group, Mary did most of the fighting and negotiating that resulted in a contract, a new album and a fresh club act. <br />
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<b>Mary</b>: <i>I made them contribute. Now Motown is doing a lot, It’s not as much as they did in the past. It’s not as much as we’d like them to do. But they are doing what they think is a lot. I think there is still a lot of skepticism there. <b>We want more</b>. The only way we’ll get more is if we become <b>popular</b> again. Then we’ll get everything we want.</i><br />
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Their new album, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/The-Supremes-The-Supremes/master/100655" target="_blank"><b><i>The Supremes,</i></b></a> will hopefully regain popularity for the women as recording artists. One of the LP’s selections,”<a href="https://thefunkandsoulrevue.com/rare-cut-the-supremes-hes-my-man/" target="_blank"><b>He’s My Man</b></a>,” is already a disco success. <br />
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It was the danceability of the group’s early records that helped skyrocket them to success. During the ‘60s most every other song played on juke boxes in gay bars was by the Supremes. And almost every show bar featured three guys in sequinned gowns and coiffed wigs pantomiming Supremes hits and duplicating their gestures. <br />
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<b>Mary</b>: <i>We have always been very, very popular with the gay community in all areas. I don’t know why they love us or identify with us. I’m just happy about it.</i><br />
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<b>Cindy</b>: <i>They send us pictures and some of them actually favor us. There are a few that really favour Diana. You know - the same eyes.</i><br />
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<b>Mary</b>: <i>Why we have never gotten around to a gay bar to see one of these groups, I don’t know.</i><br />
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<b>Cindy</b>: <i>They sometimes come backstage wearing jeweled gowns. From a distance you might actually think they were the Supremes. You know the wigs we used to wear? Their wigs would be almost identical. Their gowns would be something similar to something we had worn in the past.</i> <br />
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Little was heard from the Supremes last year, but an ex-group member was making news. <a href="https://books.google.ca/books?id=HbIDAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA56&dq=florence%20ballard%20jet%20magazine%20welfare&pg=PA56#v=onepage&q=florence%20ballard&f=false" target="_blank"><b>Florence Ballard</b></a>, who was heard on over 20 of the trio’s hit records, was discovered living on welfare with her mother in a ghetto neighborhood. <br />
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Motown’s Supremes Biography: “In ’67 Cindy Birdsong stepped in to replace Florence Ballard, who had grown weary of the hectic pace of show business, preferring marriage and family.” <br />
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Rumors have persisted that Flo did <i>not</i> prefer to leave, but was forced into retirement. <br />
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<b>Cindy</b> frankly discussed the woman she had replaced: <i>Florence was my favorite before I joined the group, because she was so outgoing and she welcomed strangers openly. I never thought I would be taking her place. When I met the Supremes, I was a member of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labelle" target="_blank"><b>Patti Labelle & the Bluebelles</b></a>. Girl groups didn’t get along too well. Ignoring that, I became friends with the Supremes. I like their group - their style. Of course, I always loved our group. I thought we were better than them. <br />
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I knew the Supremes were having a lot of problems. The way Florence left was … rather … <b>bluntly</b>. It seemed that they just scooped her out of there so fast. She was on stage one night and I was on stage the next. She didn’t have any idea that she wasn’t going to be on that stage the night I replaced her. <br />
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I guess a lot of people point the finger at me. I came in there so fast. I was on stage within a day and a half after I joined the group. Of course, I was so wrapped up in what was happening to me that I didn’t really consider Florence. But I felt <b>funny</b> about it because I found out a little of what was <b>really</b> going on just before I went on stage.</i> <br />
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And how do they feel about that other ex-Supreme - the one they performed several paces behind when they were re-dubbed Diana Ross & The Supremes? <br />
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<b>Cindy</b>: <i>All those rumours about fights are <b>completely untrue</b>. I think our relationship with her is better then when she was singing with us - when we were singing with her. </i><br />
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<b>Mary</b>: <i>We’re probably better friends now than we’ve ever been. That’s not saying that we see each other every day. But I think we’ve both grown up a lot. I see her… maybe once every time I’m home. </i><br />
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<b>Cindy</b>: <i>Our paths cross so infrequently because she is busy with a movie career.</i><br />
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<b>Mary</b>: <i>I thought she did a fantastic job in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Sings_the_Blues_(film)" target="_blank"><b>Lady Sings The Blues</b></a></i>.<br />
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<b>Cindy</b>: <i>She should have gotten the Oscar, I thought.</i><br />
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The Supremes are not preoccupied with the past. They’d much rather talk about the 50 million records they hope to sell rather than the 50 million-plus already sold. They have emerged from a crucial, grueling two years confident, rested and real. <br />
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<b>Cindy</b>: <i>Everything has gotten very casual and relaxed. You see how we come dressed for an interview <b>(she tugs on her T-shirt)</b>. When I first joined the group we would have walked in here decked out like we were going to church on Sunday - almost with gloves and hats on. Our lashes would not be missing.</i><br />
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<b>Mary</b>: <i>With the responsibility of getting things back in order, we have not had as much of the fun or excitement as before.</i><br />
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<b>Cindy</b>: <i>Scherrie asked, “Where are all the guys you told me I was going to meet?”</i><br />
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<b>Mary</b>: <i>And all the glamorous parties …</i><br />
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<b>Cindy</b>: <i>Scherrie’s the only single one now.</i><br />
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<b>Mary</b>: <i>Don’t worry, Scherrie. It’ll all come in time.</i><br />
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Hit records, television, Vegas. “It’ll all come in time” seems to sum up the feelings of these optimistic voices. <br />
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<b>Mary</b>: <i>For the mass public, we have not been around. For us, we’ve never stopped. Sometimes I get very upset when people say “Well, the Supremes are dead.” DEAD HOW? We work just as much as we’ve ever worked. In fact, we’re trying to cut down some of our work because we each have families and other things we want to do. <br />
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We’ve been popular among our fans. It’s the mass public, the people all over the world that you have to reach through television and records, that we have not been popular with. But that’s because we have not been involved in those mediums for two years. We’ve got to saturate those two markets again. <br />
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They say the other groups, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Degrees" target="_blank"><b>Three Degrees</b></a>, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/21267-LaBelle" target="_blank"><b>Labelle</b></a>, are beating us. I think they still have a long way to go before they can catch up with us. <br />
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As far as I’m concerned, the Supremes have never died, honey … I want everyone to know that</i> ■ </blockquote>
<center>____________________________________________<br /></center>
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<b>PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES</b>:<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2008/01/disco-delivery-51-supremes-high-energy.html" target="_blank">disco delivery #51: the supremes - high energy (1976, motown)</a> (saturday january 26, 2008)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2007/03/supremes-mary-scherrie-susaye-reprise.html" target="_blank">the supremes - mary, scherrie & susaye (reprise)</a> (thursday march 8, 2007)<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2006/01/first-delivery-supremes-mary-scherrie.html" target="_blank">disco delivery #1: the supremes - mary, scherrie & susaye (1976, motown)</a> (tuesday january 10, 2006)<br />
<br />
<b>LINKS</b>:<br />
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/feb/09/mary-wilson-tribute" target="_blank">the guardian - mary wilson: the supremes' tenacious star who refused to accept defeat (by alexis petridis)</a> (tuesday february 9, 2021)<br />
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/09/arts/music/mary-wilson-dead.html" target="_blank">new york times - mary wilson, co-founder of the supremes, dies at 76 (by derrick bryson taylor)</a> (february 9, 2021)<br />
<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lamont-dozier-mary-wilson-1125057" target="_blank">rolling stone - lamont dozier remembers mary wilson: ‘she was the glue that kept the supremes together’ (by elias leight)</a> (february 9, 2021)<br />
<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/features/mary-wilson-death-music-industry-advocacy-1127368/" target="_blank">rolling stone: mary wilson's tireless music business advocacy (by ethan millman)</a> (february 12, 2021)<br />
<a href="https://www.soulmusic.com/article/motown-spotlight-february-2021-mary-wilson" target="_blank">soulmusic.com - motown spotlight february 2021 - mary wilson (by sharon davis)</a><br />
<a href="https://eurweb.com/2021/02/14/mary-wilson-reflections-of-a-supreme-journey-by-scherrie-payne/" target="_blank">eur web - mary wilson: reflections of a supreme journey! (by scherrie payne)</a> (february 14, 2021)<br />
<a href="https://www.irishpost.com/life-style/tribute-to-a-musical-legend-remembering-mary-wilson-of-the-supremes-205256" target="_blank">the irish post - tribute to a musical legend: remembering mary wilson of the supremes (by michael j. mcdonagh)</a> (march 3, 2021)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Supremes_(1975_album)" target="_blank">wikipedia: the supremes (1975 album)</a><br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/The-Supremes-The-Supremes/master/100655" target="_blank">discogs: the supremes - s/t lp</a><br />
<a href="https://thefunkandsoulrevue.com/rare-cut-the-supremes-hes-my-man/" target="_blank">the funk & soul revue - rare cut: the supremes - he's my man (by george haffenden)</a> (october 28, 2017)<br />
<a href="https://authorchristopherstone.com/" target="_blank">christopher stone - author</a><br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_24.html" target="_blank">VINTAGE ARTICLES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">INTERVIEWS</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/in-tribute-to-disco-artists-who-have.html" target="_blank">IN MEMORIAM</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-50320160190316584772019-10-27T18:24:00.002-04:002020-11-03T02:53:34.322-05:00Disco Delivery Mix #8: Dealing with desire <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/takaboom-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/takaboom-sm.jpg" width="400" height="377" data-original-width="782" data-original-height="737" /></a></div><br />
As I try to get out there and play records more often these days, I'll be posting little mixes like this to accompany them. This particular mix as just over 30 minutes long, starting out in disco and moving into a more mid-tempo boogie groove in the second half. If you're in Toronto, I'll be playing at <b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/theembobartoronto/" target="_blank">The Embassy Bar</a></b> in Kensington Market this Tuesday evening (October 29, 2019). If you're around, drop by and say hi! <br />
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In the meantime, enjoy the mix. <br />
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<center><iframe width="100%" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&feed=%2Fdiscodelivery%2Fdealing-with-desire%2F" frameborder="0" ></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://discovice.net/media/mixes/ddmix08.mp3" target="_blank"><b>Download</b></a><br />
</center><br />
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<b>Tracklist</b>: <br />
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Enchantment - Settin' It Out <br />
Taka Boom - Red Hot (12" Version)<br />
The Duncans - Communication<br />
Pilot - You're The One<br />
Kevin Morane - Banco<br />
Nile Rodgers - Yum Yum <br />
Hipnotic - Are You Lonely? <br />
Krystal Davis - So Smooth <br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_2.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY MIXES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_9.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY EVENTS</a><br />
Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-87512565005702386422019-08-29T23:23:00.000-04:002019-09-01T19:26:32.480-04:00Disco Delivery Mix #7: Magic Minstrel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix07sylviastjames.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/ddmix07sylviastjames.jpg" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="500" height="472" width="500" /></a></div><br />
*tap* *tap* is this still on?<br />
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I know it has been a four year absence from updates and as one can imagine, quite a bit has happened in that time. Even if life has brought many other beautiful experiences, commitments and achievements, I'm happy to leave this blog up as an archive even if there's writing here that even I find a bit cringeworthy now. Lately though, I've been feeling the urge to start DJing and posting mixes again, so hopefully this blog can still serve as a repository for that. <br />
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I had recorded this little mix in late June as a laid-back summer mix, largely featuring records I had bought at the time. As I have in the past, this one isn't overly long (just over 30 minutes). <br />
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On a related note: If you're in Toronto, I'll be <b><a href="https://www.blogto.com/events/midnight-message-with-dj-discodelivery-toronto/" target="_blank">DJing at the lovely Handlebar </a> <a href="https://nowtoronto.com/events/midnight-message/" target="_blank">in Kensington Market this coming Labour Day</a></b>. If you happen to be in the area, I'd love to see some friendly faces.<br />
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Enjoy the mix!<br />
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<center><iframe frameborder="0" height="120" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?hide_cover=1&light=1&feed=%2Fdiscodelivery%2Fmagic-minstrel%2F" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://discovice.net/media/mixes/ddmix07.mp3" target="_blank"><b>Download</b></a><br />
</center><br />
<b>Tracklist</b>:<br />
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Norman Connors - Anyway You Want <br />
Leon Ware - On The Island <br />
Sylvia St. James - Magic Minstrel<br />
Sheree Brown - Feelin' Crazy <br />
Plush - I Don't Know Where Love Comes From <br />
D.J. Rogers - The Love Shuttle<br />
Smokey Robinson - Virgin Man <br />
Bobby Womack - Git It<br />
Doris Troy (feat. Mystic Merlin) - What'cha Gonna Do? <br />
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<b>LINKS</b>: <br />
<a href="https://nowtoronto.com/events/midnight-message/" target="_blank">now toronto - events: midnight message with discodelivery</a> <br />
<a href="https://www.blogto.com/events/midnight-message-with-dj-discodelivery-toronto/" target="_blank">blogto - events: midnight message with discodelivery</a><br />
<a href="https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/midnight-message-with-dj-discodelivery-tickets-69940478855" target="_blank">eventbrite: midnight message with discodelivery</a> <br />
<a href="https://www.thehandlebar.ca/" target="_blank">handlebar toronto</a> <br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_2.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY MIXES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_9.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY EVENTS</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-11883553443701264652015-06-27T16:38:00.001-04:002015-09-09T00:47:25.465-04:00Disco Delivery Mix #6: Summer Fever // DISCO HOSPITAL + DISCO DELIVERY = INTERGENERATIONAL <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/donnasummerfever.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/donnasummerfever.jpg" height="481" width="500" /></a></div><br />
Usually around this time of year, I pull together a mix for Pride weekend.. This year is no different, however I have a bit more on my plate this time.. Tonight for Pride Saturday, I'll be DJing with Toronto artist <a href="http://www.andrewzealley.com/" target="_blank"><b>Andrew Zealley</b></a> (AKA <b>Clinical Sonician</b>), - a little night we're calling <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1598323467091870/" target="_blank"><b>Disco Hospital + Disco Delivery present INTERGENERATIONAL</b></a>.. Culling from our combined four/five decades of record collecting.. Disco Hospital is a reference to one of Zealley's recent works - his MFA Thesis exhibition <a href="http://www.ocadu.ca/about_ocad/articles/stories/20130322_AndrewZealley.htm" target="_blank"><b>Disco Hospital: Safe & Sound</b></a> - an interdisciplinary research project investigating sound, queerness and non-Western healing practices. For tonight, we figured our titles went together well, as did our mutual love of vinyl. We'll be playing all wax tonight (Saturday June 27) at <a href="http://www.rivoli.ca/" target="_blank"><b>The Rivoli</b></a> pool hall from 8 till late.. <br />
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<a href= "https://www.facebook.com/events/1598323467091870/" target="_blank"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/INTERGENERATIONAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/INTERGENERATIONAL.jpg" height="240" width="400" /></a></div></a><br />
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As far as the mix goes, this one's a bit shorter than usual, and only covers one decade of our five combined decades of music so perhaps not a full preview for tonight's offerings, but hopefully this little quick and dirty thing I pulled together will still be enjoyable.. <br />
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<center><iframe src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?embed_type=widget_standard&embed_uuid=6d804a72-7e94-4144-861b-bcb23476e5cd&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mixcloud.com%2Fdiscodelivery%2Fsummer-fever%2F&hide_cover=1&hide_tracklist=1&light=1&replace=0&stylecolor=808080" width="500" frameborder="0" height="180"></iframe><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 492px;"></div><p style="display: block; font-size: 11px; font-family: "Open Sans",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 4px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); width: 492px;"><a href="https://www.mixcloud.com/discodelivery/summer-fever/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=resource_link" target="_blank" style="color:#808080; font-weight:bold;">Summer Fever</a><span> by </span><a href="https://www.mixcloud.com/discodelivery/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=profile_link" target="_blank" style="color:#808080; font-weight:bold;">Disco Delivery</a><span> on </span><a href="https://www.mixcloud.com/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=homepage_link" target="_blank" style="color:#808080; font-weight:bold;"> Mixcloud</a></p><div style="clear: both; height: 3px; width: 492px;"></div><a href= "http://discovice.net/media/mixes/ddmix06.mp3" target="_blank"><b>Download</b></a><br />
</center><br />
<b>Tracklist</b>:<br />
Hott City - Feelin' Love<br />
Harry Thumann - Underwater <br />
Rinder and Lewis - Love Potion #9 <br />
Donna Summer - Summer Fever<br />
Goody Goody - It Looks Like Love<br />
Cory Daye - Green Light<br />
The George Bussey Experience - If You're In Your Seat, You Gotta Pat Your Feet <br />
Motown Magic Disco Machine - Bend A Little <br />
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<br />
<b>LINKS</b>: <br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1598323467091870/" target="_blank">i n t e r g e n e r a t i o n a l (facebook event)</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.andrewzealley.com/" target="_blank">andrew zealley</a><br />
<a href="http://thewardenstoday.blogspot.ca/2013/03/henri-faberge-in-conversation-with.html" target="_blank">the wardens today: andrew zealley in conversation with henri faberge</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.ocadu.ca/about_ocad/articles/stories/20130322_AndrewZealley.htm" target="_blank">ocad university: andrew zealley's disco hospital investigates healing and sound </a><br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href= "http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_2.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY MIXES</a>, <a href= "http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_9.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERY EVENTS</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-77220499310725915662015-05-19T23:24:00.002-04:002021-03-23T01:47:46.373-04:00Vintage Articles: Disc Profile: Grace Jones - The Lady Is a Vamp! - by Regina Rose // Mandate - September 1977<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/mandate-sep77-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/mandate-sep77-sm.jpg" height="320" width="242" /></a></div>With today being <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GraceJonesOfficial" target="_blank"><b>Grace Jones</b></a>' birthday and with all the attention around the recent reissue of her disco trilogy - "<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Grace-Jones-Portfolio/master/56285" target="_blank"><b>Portfolio</b></a>," (1977) "<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Grace-Jones-Fame/master/36662" target="_blank"><b>Fame</b></a>" (1978) and "<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Grace-Jones-Muse/master/56274" target="_blank"><b>Muse</b></a>" (1979) as part of her "<a href="http://www.udiscovermusic.com/grace-jones-disco-years-new-set" target="_blank"><b>Disco</b></a>" box set, (which I've had on regular rotation since <a href= "https://instagram.com/p/2pBMxnBxW4/" target="_blank"><b>receiving it last week</b></a>), I thought this would be a good time to post this profile of her that I'd found in an old 1977 issue of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandate_(magazine)" target="_blank"><b>Mandate</b></a>. For the uninitiated, Mandate was one of the top gay titles in the holdings of late porn king, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Mavety" target="_blank"><b>George Mavety</b></a> and his <b>Mavety Media</b>/<b>Modernismo</b> empire, which also published such esteemed titles as <b>Juggs</b>, <b>Inches</b>, <b>Honcho</b> and <b>Leg Show</b> to name just a few. <br />
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While Mandate <a href="http://www.queerty.com/say-goodbye-to-these-gay-porn-mags-20090512" target="_blank"><b>folded in 2009 along with many other Mavety Media titles</b></a>, these earlier, seventies issues of Mandate and other competing titles from the era like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blueboy_(magazine)" target="_blank"><b>Blueboy</b></a> and <a href="http://www.gayeroticarchives.com/22_listings/Monthlies/InTouch.html" target="_blank"><b>In Touch</b></a> (no relation to the current tabloid) are, aside from being great time capsules generally, a veritable treasure trove of gay disco history and ephemera. With extensive cultural coverage - sections dedicated to artist profiles, record reviews, (in pop, rock and even classical) alongside fairly comprehensive theatre and literary columns; Mandate and its contemporaries, at least at this point in time, seemed intent positioning themselves much like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playboy" target="_blank"><b>Playboy</b></a> had done - as "lifestyle" titles for the culturally sophisticated, sexually liberated, affluent gay male. Looking through their back issues, the difference between the "international magazine of entertainment and eros" of the 70s and the all-out skin mag it would later become is <a href= "http://www.gaybackissues.com/MANDATE.html" target="_blank"><b>quite stark</b></a>.<br />
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As far as this profile on Grace is concerned, while I wouldn't call it an especially in-depth one, (it's quite brief and something of a puff-piece); it's an interesting glimpse at the kind coverage she was getting at the very start of her career. With her first album, "<b>Portfolio</b>" new on record shelves and true to that title with Grace still better known as a model in many circles, this is perhaps one of the earliest documents of her rising stardom. Quoting <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2009/02/vince-alettis-disco-files.html" target="_blank"><b>Vince Aletti</b></a>, <b>Richard Bernstein</b> and <b>Francesco Scavullo</b> and mentioning breaks she had gotten as a model from the likes of <b>Antonio Lopez</b>, <b>Bruce Laurance</b> and <b>Hans Feurer</b>, one thing this article does do quite well is trace the trajectory of her modeling career in a way that very few profiles of her have done since. The 1973 Bruce Laurance photograph that helped launch her modeling career opens the article, (although I, for one, would have loved to have seen a picture of the Richard Bernstein designed amyl nitrate costume described in the first paragraph also, but I digress..)<br />
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It also has to be said, that the writer seems to be taking more than a bit of license when she mentions how Grace "managed to become a successful recording artist without ever taking a singing lesson." <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/08/tom-moulton-on-grace-jones-they-were-like-her-slaves-just-looking-at-her-all-goo-goo-eyed" target="_blank"><b>Tom Moulton</b></a> would likely beg to differ, having mentioned <a href="http://www.theransomnote.co.uk/music/interviews/tom-moulton-talks/" target="_blank"><b>in two of his</a> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/08/tom-moulton-on-grace-jones-they-were-like-her-slaves-just-looking-at-her-all-goo-goo-eyed" target="_blank">recent interviews</b></a> promoting her new <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUfOBKOIIDM" target="_blank"><b>Disco box</b></a>, that despite whatever reservations he may have had about her abilities in the beginning, just how dedicated she had been to her vocal training at this period of her career. A listen to some of her <a href="http://www.discogs.com/Grace-Jones-Ill-Find-My-Way-To-You-Again-And-Again/master/498951" target="_blank"><b>earliest recordings</b></a>, like "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG3m38mQja0" target="_blank"><b>Again and Again</b></a>" or "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7Z_XFxhbZU" target="_blank"><b>I'll Find My Way To You</b></a>" from the Italian film "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaCaWOY9asM" target="_blank"><b>Quelli della calibro 38"</b></a> <b>(Colt 38)</b> - later re-recorded for the final installment of her Disco trilogy - "<b>Muse</b>" (1979, Island) - certainly show as much. <br />
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Exaggerations aside, enjoy this early glimpse at a budding icon...<br />
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<a href="http://discovice.net/images/gracejones-mandate-1-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/gracejones-mandate-1-sm.jpg" height="241" width="180" /></a> <a href="http://discovice.net/images/gracejones-mandate-2-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/gracejones-mandate-2-sm.jpg" height="241" width="180" /></a> <a href="http://discovice.net/images/gracejones-mandate-3-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/gracejones-mandate-3-sm.jpg" height="241" width="180" /></a> <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Disc Profile: Grace Jones - The Lady Is A Vamp!</u></span> </b><br />
<b> by Regina Rose</b></center><br />
<blockquote>She slowly descended a long staircase, hundreds of phosphorescent tubes circling her tight outfit, silk-screened in an amyl nitrate motif, with some of the poppers depicted as broken. She was a definite high, and the usually staid audience went wild. The scene was a black tie benefit in New York sponsored by the Lung Association, with a tribute to the artist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ert%C3%A9" target="_blank"><b>Erte</b></a> as its theme. And the show-stopping beauty was reigning disco diva Grace Jones, who introduced her rock version of "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Vie_en_rose#Grace_Jones_version" target="_blank"><b>La Vie en Rose</b></a>" to thunderous applause. New York's "in" artist <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RICHARDBERNSTEIN.ART" target="_blank"><b>Richard Bernstein</b></a> who created the costume as well as la Jones' album covers, says, "She's an electrifying experience and incredibly talented... black beauty on her way to superstardom." Fashion photographer extraordinaire <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Scavullo" target="_blank"><b>Francesco Scavullo</b></a> had two words: "She's dynamite!" <br />
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A firecracker with a lit fuse, about to be thrown, creating an explosion sure to leave the entertainment world rocking. That's Grace Jones. Her first record was what the music industry equates with winning the Irish Sweepstakes: a double-sided hit. The songs, "<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Grace-Jones-Sorry-Thats-The-Trouble/release/970241" target="_blank"><b>That's The Trouble</b></a>" and "<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Grace-Jones-Sorry-Thats-The-Trouble/release/515125" target="_blank"><b>Sorry</b></a>," remained on the Billboard Action chart for 17 consecutive weeks. Her second release, "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Need_a_Man_%28Grace_Jones_song%29" target="_blank"><b>I Need A Man!</b></a>" is the first 12" single to make it onto the pop music charts, usually made up solely of 7" records, proving her appeal has crossed the disco boundary to reach the general record-buying public. <br />
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<a href="http://www.djhistory.com/interviews/vince-aletti" target="_blank"><b>Vince Aletti</b></a>, disco editor for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_World" target="_blank"><b><i>Record World</i></b></a>, commented on Grace's phenomenal success. "When I first got her record I wasn't sure it was Grace. I had met her a few years ago but I didn't know she was into singing. I just knew she was a model and very striking." He continued with, "One of the things that striked me about her is her voice is not one of those polished singing voices. It has a lot of character. It's like a whole lot of voices put together. I like the rough edge to her voice. Her image, her whole look and style, come across on the record. I like the way they package her." <br />
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Grace Jones was born and raised in Jamaica, moving with her family to Syracuse, New York, when she was twelve. Her childhood aspiration was to be a movie star, and she constantly played with make-up and nail polish, something her mother dubbed "vain." At <b>Syracuse University</b> she took a drama course which led her, after graduation, to Philadelphia where her professor was producing a summer stock play. After the run of the show, Grace headed for New York in pursuit of a modeling career. Armed with photographs, slicked back hair and high cheekbones, she was hired by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Need_a_Man_%28Grace_Jones_song%29" target="_blank"><b>Wilhelmina</b></a> and spent the next two and a half years struggling in the highly competitive New York modeling jungle. Her beauty was considered too avant garde for the time, but her <a href="https://www.1stdibs.com/art/photography/black-white-photography/bruce-laurance-grace-jones-at-compo-beach-1973/id-a_9677/" target="_blank"><b>picture taken by photographer Bruce Laurance</b></a> and used on the cover of his party invitations got Grace's face into all the right mail boxes. Five and a half years later, Laurance says, "She's a really good friend. Grace is a very sensitive girl and intuitive and a little bit of a psychic. She's got the voodoo in her." It shows!<br />
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On the advice of fashion illustrator <a href="http://www.theantoniolopezbook.com/antonio.html" target="_blank"><b>Antonio Lopez</b></a>, Grace went to Paris where Lopez had arranged introductions to Europe's elite fashion circle. Photographer <a href="http://www.hansfeurer.com/" target="_blank"><b>Hans Feurer</b></a> showed her how to look more in tune with the haute couture market, even having real gold teeth made at tremendous expense for a <a href="http://designspiration.net/image/2233603392982/" target="_blank"><b>photograph of her lips that appeared on the cover of <i>Uomo Vogue</i></b></a> (sic). Her pictures began showing up in all of Europe's major fashion magazines, and she modeled in some of the top Paris designer collections. <br />
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In 1976 Grace was having dinner with a group of model and photographer friends and began singing at the table. A record producer was present and asked her on the spot to make a recording for him. The result was "<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Grace-Jones-Sorry/release/853627" target="_blank"><b>That's The Trouble</b></a>," first released in Paris, but not destined to be a hit until <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/08/tom-moulton-on-grace-jones-they-were-like-her-slaves-just-looking-at-her-all-goo-goo-eyed" target="_blank"><b>Tom Moulton</b></a>, Grace's U.S. producer, rearranged the recording. <br />
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Grace's managers, <b>Sy and Eileen Berlin</b>, watch over her with parent-like guidance and supervision, approaching her career with a definite science, preventing the public from become over-saturated with too many records or performances. The sizzling artist, at age 25, is up for a major role in a Broadway musical and will soon act and sing in a movie to be filmed in Jamaica. In true diva tradition, the girl is going to wind up on top. After all, she managed to become a successful recording artist without ever taking a singing lesson. <br />
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In New York, Grace Jones recently dropped in unnanounced at two "in" discos, <a href="http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/886_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>12 West</b></a> and <a href="http://www.discomusic.com/clubs-more/3154_0_6_0_C/" target="_blank"><b>Les Mouches</b></a>, and of course she found herself spinning on the turntables. But then, the girl is spinning on every turntable in reality. </blockquote><br />
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<br />
<b>PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES</B>:<br />
<a href= "http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2009/09/im-very-superficial-i-hate-everything.html" target="_blank">i'm very superficial, i hate everything official</a> (tuesday september 15, 2009) <br />
<a href= "http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2009/01/strange-weather-tumultuous-re-emergence.html" target="_blank">strange weather - the tumultous re-emergence of grace jones (part two)</a> (tuesday january 6, 2009) <br />
<a href= "http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2008/12/strange-weather-tumultuous-re-emergence.html" target="_blank">strange weather - the tumultous re-emergence of grace jones (part one)</a> (wednesday december 24, 2008) <br />
<a href= "http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2008/06/return-of-grace-jones.html" target="_blank">the return of grace jones?</a> (friday june 20, 2008)<br />
<br />
<b>LINKS</B>:<br />
<a href= "https://www.facebook.com/GraceJonesOfficial" target="_blank">facebook: grace jones (official fanpage)</a><br />
<a href= "http://www.gaybackissues.com/MANDATE.html" target="_blank">gaybackissues.com - mandate magazine</a><br />
<a href= "http://www.queerty.com/george-mavetys-noble-cause-behind-creating-a-bunch-of-skin-rags-for-gay-men-20090923" target="_blank">queerty: george mavety's noble cause behind creating a bunch of skin rags for gay men</a> (september 23, 2009) <br />
<a href= "http://www.queerty.com/say-goodbye-to-these-gay-porn-mags-20090512" target="_blank">queerty: say goodbye to these porn mags</a> (may 12, 2009) <br />
<a href= "http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/08/tom-moulton-on-grace-jones-they-were-like-her-slaves-just-looking-at-her-all-goo-goo-eyed" target="_blank">the guardian: tom moulton on grace jones: 'they were just like her slaves, just looking at her all goo-goo eyed'</a> (by alexis petridis) (friday may 8, 2015) <br />
<a href= "http://www.theransomnote.co.uk/music/interviews/tom-moulton-talks/" target="_blank">ransom note - interviews: drama, disco & divas: tom moulton talks</a> (by ian mcquaid) <br />
<a href= "http://www.udiscovermusic.com/grace-jones-disco-years-new-set" target="_blank">udiscover: grace jones' disco years in new box set</a> (march 12, 2015) <br />
<a href= "https://www.facebook.com/RICHARDBERNSTEIN.ART" target="_blank">facebook: the art of richard bernstein</a><br />
<a href= "https://www.1stdibs.com/art/photography/black-white-photography/bruce-laurance-grace-jones-at-compo-beach-1973/id-a_9677/" target="_blank">1stdibs: bruce laurance - grace jones at compo beach, 1973</a><br />
<a href= "http://dangerousminds.net/comments/grace_jones_modeling_card_from_1973" target="_blank">dangerous minds: grace jones modeling card, 1973</a> (august 30, 2012) <br />
<a href= "http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/02/arts/richard-bernstein-62-created-covers-for-interview-magazine.html" target="_blank">new york times - obituary: richard bernstein, 62; created covers for interview magazine</a> (by stuart lavietes) (november 2, 2002) <br />
<a href= "http://www.theantoniolopezbook.com/antonio.html" target="_blank">the antonio lopez book</a><br />
<a href= "http://designspiration.net/image/2233603392982/" target="_blank">designspiration: vogue hommes - spring 1975 (grace jones photographed by hans feurer)</a><br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href= "http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_24.html" target="_blank">VINTAGE ARTICLES</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-72111569066036027072015-03-17T19:51:00.003-04:002021-05-09T16:14:41.543-04:00Vintage Articles: 'The first step in getting ahead is getting started.’ An interview with Bob Crewe. - by Donald von Wiedenman // The Advocate - April 7, 1976<br />
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Something to add on to the previous Disco Delivery post on the <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2015/03/disco-delivery-66-bob-crewe-generation.html" target="_blank"><b>Bob Crewe Generation's Street Talk album</b></a> - I found this interview back when I was researching through back issues of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Advocate" target="_blank"><b>The Advocate</b></a> for nothing in particular aside from anything that seemed interesting and relevant to my interests (and there was plenty). I had quoted a section of this interview in the previous post, but I figured I might as well post the entire thing here for posterity. The article, written by The Advocate's features editor at the time, <a href="http://hersheybarsandnylons.com/donald.html" target="_blank"><b>Donald von Wiedenman</b></a> - an interesting figure himself, descendant of Bavarian nobility footnoted in rock history for his brief marriage to the late <a href="http://hersheybarsandnylons.com/writing/novellas/the_baron_and_the_pop_star.html" target="_blank"><b>Mama Cass Elliott</b></a> - is perhaps one of the most vivid descriptions of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Crewe" target="_blank"><b>Bob Crewe</b></a> that I've read. <br />
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Although he's widely acknowledged as a gay songwriter now in his death and in light of his portrayal in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_Boys" target="_blank"><b>Jersey Boys</b></a> musical and film, it's interesting to note that even while speaking to the leading gay magazine about a record that more than hinted at homoeroticism, he's nonetheless gently evasive about his own sexuality in print. Even when the topic of the gay community comes up, he never manages to implicate himself as part of that community, even while talking about it. Although one can fill in the blanks and realize that someone who speaks about it as knowledgably as he does has to have more than an outside passing familarity with it all. <br />
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Although he reportedly wasn't entirely happy with his <b>Liberace</b>-lite portrayal in <b>Jersey Boys</b>, having only seen the film thus far, what it does seem to do well, just as this article does, is portray the infectious charisma that Crewe seemed to have when in his element as a writer and producer. Taking inspiration from everything around him and in turn inspiring those around him; notwithstanding any camp liberties in the storytelling, his inspiring personality is one thing in evidence in the film, just as it is here, and just as it is when <a href="http://www.jerseygirlssing.com/BobCrewe-TheMasterAndTheMusic.html" target="_blank"><b>hearing old friends and colleagues speak about him</b></a>. <br />
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Apart from producing the award-winning "<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Various-Leader-Of-The-Pack-Original-Broadway-Cast/release/3870837" target="_blank"><b>Leader Of The Pack</b></a>" cast album in 1980s, the volume of his musical credits seem to drop off after the disco era into the 80s. He appears, as many do, to have turned a new chapter and dedicated much of the last part of his life to his <a href="http://www.bobcrewe.com/the-artist/art-inventory/" target="_blank"><b>visual art</b></a> and <a href="http://bobcrewefoundation.org/" target="_blank"><b>philanthropic efforts</b></a>. Prior to his passing this past September 2014, Crewe's health had apparently been diminishing rapidly following <a href="http://www.annruckert.com/ann_ruckert/2011/11/an-update-on-the-health-of-bob-crewe.html" target="_blank"><b>a 2010 accident</b></a> which left him in hospice care and suffering from dementia. The <a href="http://www.bobcrewe.com/about/at-this-time/" target="_blank"><b>statement left by his surviving brother</b></a> spelled it out quite grimly. Looking at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB-n7atiYLs" target="_blank"><b>this interview</b></a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgj6Y0dhxkA" target="_blank"><b>from 2008</b></a>, which must have been one of his last, he nonetheless seemed determined to remain as active as possible as a creative person, well into his later years. If anything, this article captures him at a high point, as the quintessential dream-maker, to paraphrase the article, with a million things happening around him and all the connections to back it up...<br />
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<b><u>‘The first step in getting ahead is getting started.’ An interview with Bob Crewe.</u><br />
By Donald von Wiedenman</b></center><br />
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<blockquote> It is early in the morning (for me anyhow), and I am slouched on <b>Bob Crewe</b>’s leather-covered bed at his home high in the Hollywood hills. The house is a shambles. A bevy of workers are gutting, sawing, ripping, hammering and generally making pests of themselves as they tear out the inside of Bob’s house, making it ready for the new era to come. Down where we are, on the lower level that harbors his bedroom and makeshift office, we sit among the debris of a life lived in madness. Golden records here. Golden records there. Autographed photographs, record jacket designs, mislaid mottos and a bookcase that contains, among other goodies, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cities-Destiny-Arnold-Toynbee/dp/0500250197" target="_blank"><b><i>Cities of Destiny</i></b></a> and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1798051.The_Suicide_Academy" target="_blank"><b><i>The Suicide Academy</i></b></a>.<br />
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Bob Crewe is the man of the moment. One can’t dance at a disco these days without dancing to records that Bob wrote and produced. No overnight success, his career goes back to “<a href="http://secondhandsongs.com/work/3708" target="_blank"><b>Tallahassee Lassie</b></a>” and “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daddy_Cool_%28The_Rays_song%29" target="_blank"><b>Daddy Cool</b></a>.” Today, he is one of the most powerful and successful record producers in the wonderful world of rock-and-roll, and his recent hits include “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Eyes_Adored_You" target="_blank"><b>My Eyes Adored You</b></a>,” “<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Frankie-Valli-Swearin-To-God/release/1228694" target="_blank"><b>Swearin’ To God</b></a>,” “<a href="http://www.allmusic.com/artist/disco-tex-and-the-sex-o-lettes-mn0001202301/biography" target="_blank"><b>Disco-Tex & The Sex-O-Lettes Review</b></a>,” “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Marmalade" target="_blank"><b>Lady Marmalade</b></a>,” “<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Disco-Tex-His-Sex-O-Lettes-Get-Dancin/master/137013" target="_blank"><b>Get Dancin’</b></a>” and “<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Disco-Tex-His-Sex-O-Lettes-I-Wanna-Dance-Wit-Choo-Doo-Dat-Dance/master/137015" target="_blank"><b>I Wanna Dance Wit’ Choo.</b></a>” He had created stars, made millions of dollars and exerted an influence that has definitely had an effect on all of us. <br />
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From upstairs-- almost drowning out the noise of the carpenters -- Bob’s latest 45, “<a href="http://www.discogs.com/BCG-B-C-Generation-Street-Talk-Var-III/release/3922484" target="_blank"><b>Street Talk</b></a>,” is blasting away on speakers that are bigger than a bathtub. The music is lush, sweeping and sensual. It is Wagnerian rock, an all-encompassing, third-world sensation of unearthly delights. It’s the kind of music that makes you want to lie down, take off your clothes and fuck your way to The Big Dance Floor in the Sky. It is, to put it quite simply, very horny music. <br />
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Crewe is talking about 10 things at once. His chatter is the patter of jumbled jargon, obscure references and the first names of the biggest names in the business. To listen to him is to be confused and elated at the same time. I have the feeling that everything he says is a special confidence intended only for me. So I listen and I watch, keeping careful track of all that surrounds me. Observations are what it’s all about and if it works for him, it’s bound to work for me. <br />
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Crewe tells me that he is deep in the midst of expanding the theme of “<b>Street Talk</b>” into what he terms the world’s first trisexual rock ballet. “I don’t know whether to spell it with an ‘i’ or a ‘y’ “ he muses. “I suppose it should be trysexual, as in try anything.” He laughs, pleased at the sound of yet another undiscovered secret. He knows that everything he says--everything he thinks--is only the fragment of an idea that can be developed later. The world is an adventure to him: Everything leads to something else. <br />
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<br />
Bob goes back a long way, and for a man somewhere near the age of 40, he is remarkably young. Tall, goodlooking, he has a boyishly lived-in face that is handsome in the classic sense. In many ways, he is as immediate as his music, yet he has a kind of timeless quality, as if he’d be just as much at home dancing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hustle_%28dance%29" target="_blank"><b>the Hustle</b></a> as he would <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_%28dance%29" target="_blank"><b>the Madison</b></a>. Today he is a vision in blue. Faded jeans, a blue pullover, blue suede sneakers, and shades of the ‘50s white socks. His body seems to light up, as if his energy can actually be seen by the naked eye. Even when he is calm, he never sits still. <br />
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He is telling me more about his trysexual rock ballet. As he talks, he pulls out a copy of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After_Dark_%28magazine%29" target="_blank"><b><i>After Dark</i></b></a>, flips through the pages until he comes to a drawing of a lustily innocent boy with his underpants coyly pulled down over one hip. It is unmistakenly the work of Los Angeles artist <a href="http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/art/2014/07/24/tbt-erotic-art-toby-bluth" target="_blank"><b>Toby Bluth</b></a>, a lusty young man in his own right. <br />
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“This,” says Crewe, “is how I see the hero of ‘<b>Street Talk</b>’.” He smiles. “I call him <b>Cherry Boy</b>. The ballet--or rock opera, film, stage musical, whatever--begins with Cherry Boy going into a disco. He is young, naive, never made it one way or the other. He’s hot. He’s street talk. Everyone notices him, wants him, desires him. Of course, he gets picked up, by a guy and a chick named Rod and Selma. Rod is for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodeo_Drive" target="_blank"><b>Rodeo Drive</b></a> in Beverly Hills. Selma is <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Selma+Ave,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90028,+USA/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x80c2bf272ea1ff27:0x4e82036c3b5afdd9?sa=X&ei=56sIVf-CNNCsyATb2YGgDw&ved=0CBwQ8gEwAA" target="_blank"><b>Selma Avenue</b></a> in Hollywood. The music we hear is called ‘<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Bob-Crewe-Generation-Menage-Trois-Free-Medley/master/203427" target="_blank"><b>Menage a Trois</b></a>,’ a very sensual understatement, not sordid at all. These two people keep him.<br />
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“The mood shifts with ‘<b>Back Alley Boogie</b>,’ a really funky sound.” Crewe pauses, thinking of the next logical step. “At the end of the piece, we see Cherry Boy with a chick on his arm going into a disco and picking up another boy, the new street talk. It’s a very circular piece. The hunted becomes the hunter. It’s a microcosm of our own lives.” <br />
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Of course, this all hits home. From the hunted young man to the hunting older man, the story is universal; a come-to-grips-with-reality morality play that never knows a final curtain. <br />
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Crewe decided to call <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toby_Bluth" target="_blank"><b>Toby Bluth</b></a> and discuss all this with him to see if Bluth will do the illustration for the album jacket. I am amazed at the speed with which Crewe works. Right in front of my eyes an unfocused concept has taken on a definite form. I feel as if I am in the middle of rock & roll history. <br />
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As Crewe talks avidly on the phone, I notice a sign on the wall that reads, “The first step in getting ahead is getting started.” My heart stands still. It is the very core of reality for those of us who dozed through the last decade in a haze of smoke and a pile of pills. <br />
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Crewe is off the phone. He starts “Street Talk” from the beginning again, takes the phone off the hook and tells me that he first came to Hollywood in 1960. At that time he wanted to get into acting. He already had a long string of hits behind him, and he wanted to try something new. But the meatmarket approach to acting in Hollywood was too much for him. Although he was attracted to the glamor of it all, he was too afraid of failing to really pursue it very far. So he went back; back to producing records, back to New York, back to the safety of doing what he knew best. <br />
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“Those were incredible days for me,” he confesses. “I had so much fun doing what I wanted to do that I didn’t know it was work. Do you know what I mean?” He doesn’t wait for an answer. “I always thought work was something dreary, something that was alien to one’s being. It took me a long time to realize that I was actually working when I was having such a great time. I guess that is what it’s all about--getting paid a lot of money for what you like to do best. I used to think that I wasn’t suffering enough.” He pauses, throws a jaded shrug at the work ethic, and adds somewhat obscurely, “I was more daring then. I guess it was the time. I often think that a lot of that was just so much shit. Or was it? I mean, I got dressed-up in an ape costume, for example, and went to Philadelphia to plug <b>Frankie Valli</b>’s ‘<a href="http://www.shazam.com/track/99892729/i-go-ape-as-frankie-tyler" target="_blank"><b>I Go Ape</b></a>.’ Can you imagine? And another time, I took a bunch of my friends back to Newark, where I grew up, to see my humble beginnings.” (I can only think of <b>Diana Ross</b> in <a href="http://www.voicesofeastanglia.com/2012/03/rock-dreams-artwork-of-guy-peellaert.html" target="_blank"><b><i>Rock Dreams</i></b></a>, her eyes scanning the darkness of the past.) “And do you know what?” Crewe asks. “Everything was gone. Nothing was like it had been before. I felt saddened because no one would ever see it again.” <br />
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We talk about the popularity of his music--and disco music in general--in the gay clubs. The hot records break first in gay circles, leading the way for the non-gay world to follow. Crewe knows his business very, very well. He answers without hesitation. <br />
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“I think gay clubs are the most honest forum for determining the success of disco music. First of all, the patrons are very affluent--more affluent and more independent than the men and women who go to other bars. Most of the gay men that I know are very proud. They work for a living (unless they’re kept), and they have a lot of money to spend. And they spend it on themselves--whether it’s buying drinks or paying a cover charge. <br />
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“Another big factor about gay bars is that everyone there is into dancing, much more than at a straight bar. As a rule, you can’t bullshit gay men and women. They’re looking for music that will make them move, and if the music doesn’t get them onto the dance floor, it’s no good. The club closes down. It’s very much cause and effect.” <br />
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<br />
The door opens. <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=97610732" target="_blank"><b>Lou Ann</b></a> (sic), his right hand woman, comes in with assorted messages that need to be dealt with. Someone upstairs starts “Street Talk” all over again. In the middle of discussing a check for the architect, which needs to be sent right away, Crewe smiles at me and tells me that when he was eight, he was one of Lippel’s Cutie-Cutes. <br />
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Cutie-Cutes? Oh yes, he tells me, it was a school for dancing for bright young things like himself. Even today, I realize, after time and the tides have taken their toll, Crewe is still one of the Cutie-Cutes, just a kid out on the boards trying to make his dreams come true. Get down, get back and get dancing--life can be just as fun as you make it. <br />
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The next day I bop down to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherokee_Studios" target="_blank"><b>Cherokee Studios</b></a> where Crewe is laying down the tracks for his <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2015/03/disco-delivery-66-bob-crewe-generation.html" target="_blank"><b>Street Talk album</b></a>. I walk into the pounding, grinding, tantalizing sound of “<b>Menage a Trois</b>,” a perfect melody, I think, for the collection of lovelies around me. First there is <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/328075-Cindy-Bullens" target="_blank"><b>Cindy Bullens</b></a>, who is co-arranging this opus with Crewe. She is slight, boyish, determined, loose and immensely likeable. Then there is <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=kyQEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PT55&dq=A.J.%20miller%20DJ%20los%20angeles&pg=PT55#v=onepage&q=A.J.%20miller%20DJ%20los%20angeles&f=false" target="_blank"><b>AJ</b></a>, the Great DJ, his hair the color of a dye job gone wrong, his face looking suitably dragged out after being up all night, one supposes, playing the music that brings happy feet onto the disco floor. <br />
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Toby Bluth comes in, portfolio under his arm; a tall, thin, jaded young man named Jock (or possibly Jacques) in tow. They smile at the multitude. The multitude smiles back. The studio receptionist, who looks as if she won the Philadelphia <b>David Bowie</b> look-alike contest, swoops in, listens to a few heady bars and floats out. All around me--converging on the plate of shrimp with the lusty gusto of those who live under only the darkest of rocks--there are assorted technicians, artists, musicians and hangers-on. <br />
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Crewe, noting in the confusion that Bluth needs to be tended to, heads in his direction, asking AJ on the way if he’s seen Cherry Boy. “Seen him?” AJ grins back. “Darlin’, I’ve had him.” <br />
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Somehow in this dialog, complete with jaded smiles and a thinning air of decadence, flashes me back to London in the Sixties. Again, I am reminded of how much things stay the same, of how the same lessons I learned years ago are the lessons people are still learning today. I have the feeling, as one often does in the windowless world of recording studios, that I am in a time warp. Yes, that’s it. It’s straight from the “<b>Ed Sullivan Show</b>,” but the emphasis is not on straight. <br />
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In the midst of all this craziness, Crewe, with a cigarette constantly in his hand, is in control of everything. Working the complex controls of a million buttons and levers on the magic dashboard of the rock & roll spaceship, he is definitely the mastermind behind the mastermind. He punches up the piano, punches out the violins, turns this knob to get that effect and no one knows that all that hard work is really a piece of cake to the man who can’t understand why everything is so much fun. <br />
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<br />
In front of me, there is either a woman or a man undulating to the music, a thin, androgynous shape that is at once yesterday’s unisex and tomorrow’s way of life. Crewe comes over to me. The music in the control booth is so loud that it is impossible to concentrate on anything else, the very purpose of it all, I suppose. He starts to sing, and, cliche or no cliche, the room stands still. He sings the words that only he knows, the words that hatch as he thinks, the words that follow will form the shape and content of the world’s first trysexual rock ballet. <br />
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I am thinking that all of this sounds a little far-fetched, that it smacks of being just a little too unreal to be believed. But then I look around the studio at smiling faces and good-time graces, and I know that only a dream-maker can make a dream come true. Bob Crewe and street talk--they are the very heartbeat of the music in our souls. <br />
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All things considered, that’s not bad coming from a Cutie-Cute who never grew up ■</blockquote><br />
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<b>PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES</b>:<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2015/03/disco-delivery-66-bob-crewe-generation.html" target="_blank">disco delivery #66: the bob crewe generation - street talk (1976, elektra)</a> (sunday march 15, 2015) <br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2014/06/disco-delivery-mix-4-disco-pride-14.html" target="_blank">disco delivery mix #4: disco pride '14 - street talk</a> (saturday june 28, 2014) <br />
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<b>LINKS</b>:<br />
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/142834-Bob-Crewe" target="_blank">discogs: bob crewe</a><br />
<a href="http://www.frontiersmedia.com/frontiers-blog/2014/09/11/bob-crewe-gay-music-legend-dead-at-82/" target="_blank">frontiers media: bob crewe, gay music legend, dead at 82 (by karen ocamb)</a> (september 11, 2014) <br />
<a href="http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/music/2014/09/11/tbt-gay-jersey-boy" target="_blank">the advocate: #tbt: the gay jersey boy (by christopher harrity)</a> (september 11, 2014) <br />
<a href="http://www.jerseygirlssing.com/BobCrewe-TheMasterAndTheMusic.html" target="_blank">jersey girls sing: bob crewe - the master and the music</a><br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/13/arts/music/bob-crewe-songwriter-for-frankie-valli-and-four-seasons-dies-at-83.html?_r=0" target="_blank">the new york times: bob crewe, songwriter for frankie valli and four seasons, dies at 83 (by william yardley)</a> (september 12, 2014) <br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/17/bob-crewe" target="_blank">the guardian - music: bob crewe obituary (by richard williams)</a> (september 17, 2014) <br />
<a href="http://www.bobcrewe.com/about/at-this-time/" target="_blank">bob crewe.com - at this time</a><br />
<a href="http://www.annruckert.com/ann_ruckert/2011/11/an-update-on-the-health-of-bob-crewe.html" target="_blank">ann ruckert: an update on the health of bob crewe</a> (november 19, 2011) <br />
<a href="http://hersheybarsandnylons.com/donald.html" target="_blank">about artist and writer donald von wiedenman</a><br />
<a href="http://www.jerseygirlssing.com/BobCrewe-TheMasterAndTheMusic.html" target="_blank">jersey girls sing: bob crewe - the master and the music</a><br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href= "http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_24.html" target="_blank">VINTAGE ARTICLES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">INTERVIEWS</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/in-tribute-to-disco-artists-who-have.html" target="_blank">IN MEMORIAM</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-32842749878717447862015-03-15T22:31:00.002-04:002021-05-09T16:14:22.559-04:00Disco Delivery #66: The Bob Crewe Generation - Street Talk (1976, Elektra) <br />
<a href="http://discovice.net/images/bobcrewegeneration-streettalk-front-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/bobcrewegeneration-streettalk-front-lg.jpg" height="275" width="275" /></a> <a href="http://discovice.net/images/bobcrewegeneration-streettalk-back-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/bobcrewegeneration-streettalk-back-lg.jpg" height="275" width="275" /></a><br />
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"<i><b>your ass is your ticket to paradise, you're gonna have to pay the price..</b></i>"<br />
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<b><a href="http://discovice.net/media/bobcrewegeneration-a1.mp3" target="_blank">The Bob Crewe Generation - Cherry Boy </a><br />
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/bobcrewegeneration-a2.mp3" target="_blank">The Bob Crewe Generation - Menage a Trois</a><br />
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/bobcrewegeneration-a3.mp3" target="_blank">The Bob Crewe Generation - Street Talk </a><br />
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/bobcrewegeneration-b1.mp3" target="_blank">The Bob Crewe Generation - Back Alley Boogie</a><br />
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/bobcrewegeneration-b2.mp3" target="_blank">The Bob Crewe Generation - Welcome To My Life</a><br />
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/bobcrewegeneration-b3.mp3" target="_blank">The Bob Crewe Generation - Free (Medley): I Am.../Free.../Keep On Walkin'</a><br />
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/bobcrewegeneration-b4.mp3" target="_blank">The Bob Crewe Generation - Ah Men! </a><br />
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/bobcrewegeneration-b5.mp3" target="_blank">The Bob Crewe Generation - Time For You And Me</a><br />
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<a href="http://discovice.net/media/bobcrewegeneration-12a.mp3" target="_blank">B.C.G. - Street Talk (12" Unedited Main Theme) (1976, 20th Century)</a><br />
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/bobcrewegeneration-12b1.mp3" target="_blank">B.C.G. - Street Talk (12" Var. II) (1976, 20th Century)</a><br />
<a href="http://discovice.net/media/bobcrewegeneration-12b2.mp3" target="_blank">B.C.G. - Street Talk (12" Var. III) (1976, 20th Century)</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://discovice.net/images/bobcrewegeneration-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/bobcrewegeneration-logo.jpg" height="141" width="123" /></a>A little known piece of homoerotic disco theatre, this album has long been a point of fascination to me and given the release of a double CD of <a href="http://theseconddisc.com/2015/03/04/in-season-bob-crewes-lost-musical-revealed-on-the-complete-elektra-recordings-coming-next-week-from-second-disc-records-and-real-gone-music/" target="_blank"><b> Bob Crewe's Elektra recordings</b></a> last week, I figure it was time to stop holding off from writing about it.. Despite being known for all those <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankie_Valli" target="_blank"><b>Frankie Valli</b></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Four_Seasons_%28band%29" target="_blank"><b>The Four Seasons</b></a> hits written with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Gaudio" target="_blank"><b>Bob Gaudio</b></a> ("<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Can%27t_Take_My_Eyes_Off_You" target="_blank"><b>Can't Take My Eyes Off You</b></a>," the <a href="http://goqnotes.com/2779/a-love-song-no-one-knows-is-gay/" target="_blank"><b>gay love song you never knew about</b></a>, for one),<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Crewe" target="_blank"> <b>Bob Crewe</b></a>'s disco period is perhaps one of the most interesting phases in his work. After a frustrating period as a staff writer and producer at <b>Motown</b> (where Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons also languished for some time), Crewe would end up tapping into disco quite early on, charting a small string of disco singles, like "<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Bob-Crewe-Presents-Eleventh-Hour-The-Hollywood-Hot/master/226250" target="_blank"><b>Hollywood Hot</b></a>" by the <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/539680-Eleventh-Hour" target="_blank"><b>Eleventh Hour</b></a>, a retooled disco version of "<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Gerri-Granger-Cant-Take-My-Eyes-Off-You/master/188827" target="_blank"><b>Can't Take My Eyes Off You</b></a>," by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0335050/" target="_blank"><b>Gerri Granger</b></a>, one of <b>Frankie Valli</b>'s comeback hits "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swearin%27_to_God" target="_blank"><b>Swearin' To God</b></a>," "<a href="http://www.allmusic.com/album/get-dancin-mw0000263254" target="_blank"><b>Get Dancin'</b></a>" by <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/235314-Disco-Tex-amp-His-Sex-O-Lettes" target="_blank"><b>Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes</b></a>, easily one of the most flamboyant iterations of disco camp and perhaps biggest of all, "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Marmalade" target="_blank"><b>Lady Marmalade</b></a>." Although made famous by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labelle" target="_blank"><b>Labelle</b></a> under <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/136135-Allen-Toussaint" target="_blank"><b>Allen Toussaint</b></a>'s production, the song was originally written and produced by Crewe and <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/142835-Kenny-Nolan" target="_blank"><b>Kenny Nolan</b></a> for their studio group <b>The Eleventh Hour</b> (and included on both Eleventh Hour albums). According to his <a href="http://www.bobcrewe.com/biography/biography-part-three/" target="_blank"><b>official bio</b></a>, having apparently helped start one of the early record pools - the <b>LADP</b> (Los Angeles Disco Pool), Bob Crewe's contributions in the earlier part of disco, from 1974-76, represent perhaps his last major period as an active, on-the-pulse record producer and songwriter. <br />
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<a href="http://discovice.net/images/bobcreweinset1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/bobcreweinset1.jpg" height="320" width="144" /></a>Despite his portrayal in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_Boys" target="_blank"><b>Jersey Boys</b></a> (I had seen the film only recently), Crewe was by many accounts much more discreet about his sexuality while he was alive, only ever publically admitting to being <a href="http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Jersey-Boys-discuss-fifth-gay-Season-aging-in-movies/47894.html" target="_blank"><b>bisexual</b></a>, for one thing. Whether that was an honest statement of identity or a half-measured coming out dictated by the fashion or limitations of the times; it wasn't until Crewe <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/bob-crewe-four-seasons-songwriter-dead-20140912#ixzz3D8CKl1s3" target="_blank"><b>passed away this past September at the age of 83</b></a>, that I had ever seen him openly referred to in the press as a <a href="http://www.frontiersmedia.com/frontiers-blog/2014/09/11/bob-crewe-gay-music-legend-dead-at-82/" target="_blank"><b>gay man</b></a>. Perhaps an open secret for those in music industry circles at the time, one close listen to this album would likely dispel any remaining speculation. <br />
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Although this album was billed in a 1976 cover story in <b>The Advocate</b> as a "<i>Try sexual disco-rock ballet</i>," the lyrics in "<b>Cherry Boy</b>" - "<i>your ass is your ticket to paradise</i>," or "<b>Ah Men!</b>" - "<i>we're all alike, ah men! ah, men! That's what I like, ah men!</i>" - left much less room for ambiguity, especially when one considers that this was also the man behind the unabashedly camp, gay sensibility of <b>Disco Tex and The Sex-O-Lettes</b> just prior to this. Released under his <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/266387-Bob-Crewe-Generation-The" target="_blank"><b>Bob Crewe Generation</b></a> banner, (which he had previously used behind the lounge classics "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_to_Watch_Girls_By" target="_blank"><b>Music To Watch Girls By</b></a>" and the <a href="http://www.discogs.com/Bob-Crewe-Generation-Orchestra-The-Barbarella-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack/master/91692" target="_blank"><b>Barbarella soundtrack</b></a>), given the synergy between disco and the burgeoning gay scene, it was perhaps no surprise that disco would form the backdrop for this newly homoerotic, sexually charged side to his work.<br />
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"<b>Street Talk</b>" was originally released as <a href="http://www.discogs.com/BCG-BC-Generation-Street-Talk/master/203425" target="_blank"><b>a stand-alone 12"</b></a> as part of his <b>20th Century Records</b> deal, where it became another disco hit peaking at #8 on Billboard's disco action chart in early '76. <b>Vince Aletti</b> in one of his <a href="http://www.djhistory.com/books/disco-files" target="_blank"><b>Record World columns</b></a> made a point of singling it out as one of his favourites at the time, calling it "<i>a lush but hard-punching instrumental that even at its longest is constantly involving</i>." Upon signing to <b>Elektra</b> as an artist (on a tip from <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jerry-wexler-mn0000340659/biography" target="_blank"><b>Jerry Wexler</b></a> at <b>Warner</b>), "Street Talk" would eventually form the basis of this album, his first under his Elektra deal which he described to <a href="https://books.google.ca/books?id=HyUEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PT42&dq=%22bob%20crewe%22%20billboard%20disco&pg=PT42#v=onepage&q=%22bob%20crewe%22%20&f=false" target="_blank"><b>Billboard's 1976 Disco Forum</b></a> as a concept album for what he hoped would be "<i>a Broadway-bound disco-rock ballet.</i>"<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/bobcrewegeneration-streettalk-inner-1-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/bobcrewegeneration-streettalk-inner-1-lg.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="http://discovice.net/images/bobcrewegeneration-streettalk-inner-2-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/bobcrewegeneration-streettalk-inner-2-lg.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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The loose story was essentially centered around a basic Hollywood narrative - the innocent midwestern naif who arrives right off the bus from "<i>Nowhere, Nebraska</i>," with hopes and dreams of stardom, and the pitfalls and pleasures of Hollywood's seamy sexual underbelly that he has to navigate along the way.. Speaking to <b>Donald von Wiedenman</b> in <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2015/03/vintage-articles-first-step-in-getting.html" target="_blank"><b>The Advocate</b></a>, he would flesh out the concept more fully:<br />
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<blockquote>"I call him Cherry Boy. The ballet - or rock opera, film, stage, musical, whatever - begins with Cherry Boy going into a disco. He is young, naive, never made it one way or the other. He's hot. He's street talk. Everyone notices him, wants him, desires him. Of course, he gets picked up, by a guy and a chick named Rod and Selma. Rod is for Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Selma is Selma Avenue in Hollywood. The music we hear is '<b>Menage a Trois</b>.' A very sensual understatement, not sordid at all. These two people keep him.... The mood shifts with '<b>Back Alley Boogie</b>,' a really funky sound... At the end of the piece we see Cherry Boy with a chick on his arm going into a disco and picking up another boy, the new street talk. It's a very circular piece. It's a microcosm of our own lives."</blockquote><br />
While the circular story Crewe talks about is evident; right from the outset, with the "<b>Cherry Boy</b>" being the album's sole object of desire, a listen and a look at the lyrics make it seem like the protagonist was ultimately more interested in one sex than the other.. In Side Two (where Crewe does much of the lead vocals) one can't help but read the familiar tropes of a coming out narrative, especially towards the final section of the album in the "<b>Free</b>" medley.. with lyrics like: "<i>High time for celebratin', feelin' free.. Tell everyone it's been a long time coming....Thank God I am who I was born to be</i>," which is followed by "<b>Ah Men!</b>" - "<i>Ever since Adam, when little Eve had 'em. Good for the grabbin' - All Men. Love 'em all, the short and tall. Let's keep ballin' - All Men. That's what I like! That's what I like!</i>" All of which comes to a conclusion with a love song, "<b>Time For You and Me</b>," led by Crewe singing solo in notably gender non-specific lyrics - "<i>We walk in wonderland day by day - hand in hand. Lovingly.. Time for you and me.</i>" Draw your own conclusions.. <br />
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<a href="http://discovice.net/images/bobcreweinset2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/bobcreweinset2.jpg" height="320" width="142" /></a>Although the title track, "<b>Street Talk</b>" is the album's main attraction at just over 8 and a half minutes, its 'unedited' 12" version, released <a href="http://www.discogs.com/BCG-BC-Generation-Street-Talk/release/1239463" target="_blank"><b>previously in early 1976 on 20th Century</b></a> in a promo 12" sporting three versions (two shorter edits on side two curiously separated by a locked groove, likely to make it easy for DJs to mix out of one version, without the needle running into the next) is not that drastically different. The album and 'unedited' versions clock in at roughly the same time (despite the labelled duration of the on the 12" as 9.22), however the 'unedited' 12" mix packs much more punch than the LP version, with more of its percussive elements higher in the mix..<br />
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Aside from the title track, "<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Bob-Crewe-Generation-Menage-Trois-Free-Medley/master/203427" target="_blank"><b>Menage a Trois</b></a>" was released as a single, with special disco mix (included as a bonus track on the <a href="http://www.realgonemusic.com/news/2015/1/13/bob-crewe.html" target="_blank"><b>Elektra Recordings double-CD</b></a>). Although not an official single, the side two opener, "<b>Back Alley Boogie</b>," is easily one of the album's best tracks. Taking the raucous party atmosphere (a Crewe trademark) as previously heard on "<b>Get Dancin'</b> " and "<b>Hollywood Hot</b>," but rendered with a little more funk, focus and finesse (one may have mixers <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/3481-Tom-Moulton" target="_blank"><b>Tom Moulton</b></a> and <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/107785-Tony-Bongiovi" target="_blank"><b>Tony Bongiovi</b></a> to thank for that), it's one of the album's high points and could-have-been singles. While not officially released, according to <b>Discogs</b> there's an <a href="http://www.discogs.com/Bob-Crewe-Generation-Ah-Men-Back-Alley-Boogie/release/3754922" target="_blank"><b>acetate of an extended/unedited version of the song</b></a> still floating around out there.. <br />
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<a href="http://discovice.net/images/bobcrewegeneration-streettalk-ad-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/bobcrewegeneration-streettalk-ad-lg.jpg" height="320" width="233" /></a><br />
If the concept itself wasn't enough, a look at the extensive list of credits reveals the ambition of this project. Entirely written by Crewe with either <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/263473-Trevor-Veitch" target="_blank"><b>Trevor Veitch</b></a> or <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/328075-Cindy-Bullens" target="_blank"><b>Cindy Bullens</b></a>; recorded in LA, New York and Philadelphia with around 63 musicians credited - 3 lead vocalists, including Crewe, himself and 1950's starlet <a href="http://www.beachpartymoviemusic.com/howtostuffawildbikinioriginalsoundtrack.html" target="_blank"><b>Lu Ann Simms</b></a> (on "<b>Menage a Trois</b>") and 19 backing vocalists, including big session names like <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/25284-Patti-Austin" target="_blank"><b>Patti Austin</b></a>, <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/10582-Gwen-Guthrie" target="_blank"><b>Gwen Guthrie</b></a> and Philadelphia's <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/363546-Sweethearts-The" target="_blank"><b>Sweethearts of Sigma</b></a> - along with <a href="http://www.disco-disco.com/tributes/tom.shtml" target="_blank"><b>Tom Moulton</b></a> on board mixing (or, rather co-mixing, with either <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/67955-Jay-Mark" target="_blank"><b>Jay Mark</b></a> or <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/107785-Tony-Bongiovi" target="_blank"><b>Tony Bongiovi</b></a>) much of the album. The back cover even features a front and centre quote of endorsement from <a href="https://books.google.ca/books?id=fiQEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PT32&ots=M_rNVmsyjP&dq=%22AJ%20Miller%22%20DJ%20disco&pg=PT32#v=snippet&q=%22AJ%20Miller%22%20DJ%20disco&f=false" target="_blank"><b>A.J. Miller</b></a> - then a leading L.A. Disco DJ. <br />
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Despite this, Bob Crewe's "<i>trysexual rock ballet</i>" never did come to fruition. Given that the album didn't end up doing too much and having come just before anyone was seriously marketing disco on film or stage, let alone one that also had gay and bisexual themes front and centre, it's perhaps not all that surprising. Following this album, Crewe would do a 180 from disco and release a solo record as a singer-songwriter entitled "<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Bob-Crewe-Motivation/release/2893694" target="_blank"><b>Motivation</b></a>" (1977, Elektra) (<a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/725JPQyA6oxzXMFoZDemKC" target="_blank"><b>stream on Spotify</b></a>), an R&B tinged album recorded under the auspieces of <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/248847-Jerry-Wexler" target="_blank"><b>Jerry Wexler</b></a> and <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/255430-Barry-Beckett" target="_blank"><b>Barry Beckett</b></a> in the storied <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_Shoals_Sound_Studio" target="_blank"><b>Muscle Shoals Sound Studios</b></a>. Regardless of how well this record did or didn't do at the time, "Street Talk" remains Bob Crewe's disco opus - a notable time capsule and personal statement from one of America's greatest pop songwriters. <br />
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<b>RELATED ENTRIES</b>:<br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2015/03/vintage-articles-first-step-in-getting.html" target="_blank">vintage articles: 'the first step in getting ahead is getting started.' an interview with bob crewe. - by donald von wiedenman // the advocate - april 7, 1976</a> (tuesday march 17, 2015) <br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2014/06/disco-delivery-mix-4-disco-pride-14.html" target="_blank">disco delivery mix #4: disco pride '14 - street talk</a> (saturday june 28, 2014) <br />
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<b>PURCHASE</b>: <br />
bob crewe - the complete elektra recordings (2 cd) (2015, second disc records/real gone music)<br />
<a href="http://realgonemusic.enstore.com/item/bob-crewe-2cd-set" target="_blank">real gone music</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Elektra-Recordings-Crewe/dp/B00S1QQ8AQ" target="_blank">amazon.com</a> | <a href="https://www.dustygroove.com/item/735399" target="_blank">dusty groove</a><br />
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<b>LINKS</b>: <br />
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Bob-Crewe-Generation-Street-Talk/master/203426" target="_blank">discogs: the bob crewe generation - street talk lp</a><br />
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/BCG-BC-Generation-Street-Talk/master/203425" target="_blank">discogs: b.c.g. - street talk 12"</a><br />
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Bob-Crewe-Generation-Menage-Trois-Free-Medley/master/203427" target="_blank">discogs: the bob crewe generation - menage a trois 12"</a><br />
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Bob-Crewe-Generation-Ah-Men-Back-Alley-Boogie/release/3754922" target="_blank">discogs: the bob crewe generation - ah men!/back alley boogie 12" acetate</a><br />
<a href="http://www.frontiersmedia.com/frontiers-blog/2014/09/11/bob-crewe-gay-music-legend-dead-at-82/" target="_blank">frontiers media: bob crewe, gay music legend, dead at 82 (by karen ocamb)</a> (september 11, 2014) <br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/17/bob-crewe" target="_blank">the guardian - music: bob crewe obituary (by richard williams)</a> (september 17, 2014) <br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/13/arts/music/bob-crewe-songwriter-for-frankie-valli-and-four-seasons-dies-at-83.html?_r=0" target="_blank">new york times: bob crewe, songwriter for frankie valli and four seasons, dies at 83 (by william yardley)</a> (september 12, 2014) <br />
<a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/bob-crewe-four-seasons-songwriter-dead-20140912#ixzz3D8CKl1s3" target="_blank">rolling stone: bob crewe, singer and four seasons songwriter, dead at 83 (by jason newman)</a> (september 12, 2014) <br />
<a href="http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Jersey-Boys-discuss-fifth-gay-Season-aging-in-movies/47894.html" target="_blank">windy city times: 'jersey boys' discuss fifth gay 'season,' aging in movies (by jerry nunn)</a> (june 18, 2014) <br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Crewe" target="_blank">wikipedia: bob crewe</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bobcrewe.com/" target="_blank">bob crewe - official website</a><br />
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CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_11.html" target="_blank">DISCO DELIVERIES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/in-tribute-to-disco-artists-who-have.html" target="_blank">IN MEMORIAM</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-47770065749318379762015-03-06T12:28:00.002-05:002020-11-02T11:20:39.474-05:00More, More, More, The Pre-Moulton Mix.<center><a href="http://discovice.net/images/andreatruecrop.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/andreatruecrop.jpg" /></a></center><br />
Late last year just before the Christmas holidays, in <a href="https://instagram.com/p/wiA4jyhxbY/" target="_blank"><b>an evening of compulsive record digging</b></a>, for the princely sum of $3, I had stumbled on a copy of the elusive <a href="http://www.discogs.com/Andrea-True-More-More-More/release/6289363" target="_blank"><b>original Jamaican pressing</b></a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_True" target="_blank"><b>Andrea True</b></a>'s "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More,_More,_More" target="_blank"><b>More, More, More</b></a>."Notable not just for being an early pressing, but for containing an altogether different, early mix of the song as well as an instrumental B-side, not available anywhere else. Released on the <a href="http://www.discogs.com/label/183177-Federal-Records-3" target="_blank"><b>Federal Records</b></a> label, copyrighted 1975, the year before it would be picked up by <b>Buddah</b> in the US, before the "<a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/48407-Andrea-True-Connection" target="_blank"><b>The Andrea True Connection</b></a>," and before it was given "A <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/3481-Tom-Moulton" target="_blank"><b>Tom Moulton</b></a> Mix" into the version that is well-known today.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/andreatrue-moreja7-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/andreatrue-moreja7-a.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="http://discovice.net/images/andreatrue-moreja7b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/andreatrue-moreja7b.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<center><b>Listen: <a href="http://discovice.net/media/andreatrue-moremoremore-ogvoc.mp3" target="_blank">Andrea True - More, More, More (Original 7" Vocal) (1975, Federal)</a><br />
Listen: <a href="http://discovice.net/media/andreatrue-moremoremore-oginst.mp3" target="_blank">Andrea True - More, More, More (Original 7" Instrumental) (1975, Federal)</a><br />
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Stream: <a href="http://open.spotify.com/track/6ow5LYXHDh9LTSn0dvvb7p" target="_blank">Andrea True Connection - More, More, More Pt. 1 (A Tom Moulton Mix) (1976, Buddah)</a></b></center><br />
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As undeniably infectious as the little breathy disco song about getting the cameras rolling and getting the action going is, the story behind it - how a porn star ended up with one of the biggest hits of the time, is probably one of the most interesting behind-the-music anecdotes of disco.. Having reportedly filmed a commercial for a real estate company in Jamaica, due to a ban on asset transfers - a response to US sanctions placed after the election of Prime Minister <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Manley" target="_blank"><b>Michael Manley</b></a> (branded a Castro sympathizer by the US), True wouldn’t be able to leave Jamaica with her earnings intact. Alongside her adult film work and some bit parts in mainstream films, True had done some small-time nightclub singing around New York and reached out to one of her connections. Hatching a plan, she'd call on her friend - musician and up-and-coming producer, <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/104914-Gregg-Diamond" target="_blank"><b>Gregg Diamond</b></a> (whose biggest gigs up until that point seemed to have been playing in a band called <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/2215689-Five-Dollar-Shoes" target="_blank"><b>Five Dollar Shoes</b></a> and with the enigmatic gay glam icon <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jobriath" target="_blank"><b>Jobriath</b></a> in his backing band <b>The Creatures</b>) to help cut a song for her, so she could effectively launder her earnings out of the country in the form of a master tape. <a href="http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/magazine/godfrey-diamond-interview" target="_blank"><b>Speaking to Abby Garnett at RBMA</b></a> in a recent (and rare) discussion of their disco work, the late Gregg Diamond's brother and right-hand man, <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/267673-Godfrey-Diamond" target="_blank"><b>Godfrey Diamond</b></a> told the story:<br />
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<blockquote><a href="http://discovice.net/images/andreatrue-earlyad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/andreatrue-earlyad.jpg" height="320" width="175" /></a>"So we had this song hanging around for about a year. We tried different people on it, but we really didn’t know what to do with it. Andrea True knew Gregg and would come over to the house all the time. About a year after we created the demo, we get a call from Andrea, and she says '<i>I did this movie down in Jamaica and I made some money, but I can’t leave the country with the money or they’re going to take half of it. One of the guys that I know here has a studio. Do you have anything up there I could sing on?</i>'<br />
<br />
So we go down there with our demo, throw on her voice, make it sound as good as we can because she wasn’t really a great singer – we had her sing it like a dozen times, over and over, so we got this thick version of her, this big, lush, breathy and sexy vocal. Then we edited it, cleaned it up and put a bunch of reverb on it so it has that big effect. We come back to New York, Gregg hooked up with some lawyer that he knew, they shopped it around, and every label in New York passed on this record.<br />
<br />
One of the guys we talked to in that time was <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/2713722-Art-Kass" target="_blank"><b>Art Kass</b></a>, a very smart guy who had a record company called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddah_Records" target="_blank"><b>Buddah Records</b></a>. He’d let everybody pass [on records], and he’d be the guy that calls later and goes '<i>So what happened?</i>' So after everybody passes, I get this call from Art, and he ends up drawing up a deal for the record, and signs Andrea True as the artist. When it broke the Hot 100, me and my brother were like, '<i>This is the best we’re ever gonna do in our life, we hit it, this is it</i>.' And it just kept creeping. It took like eight months to get into the top 20. And then we’ve got a #1 record on our hands. "</blockquote><br />
<br />
That being said, this early version, while considerably more raw than the pretty, polished Tom Moulton mix that would rise up the charts, still keeps the song's bare essential elements. The soft-focused, double-tracked vocals on the chorus, the combination of sex and sweetness and overall catchiness all still very much intact, if still slightly blurry. The intro is noticeably much sparser on this version, however the trumpets are just as prominent; the cowbell hooks - sampled in the late 90's on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_%28band%29" target="_blank"><b>Len</b></a>'s "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1fzJ_AYajA" target="_blank"><b>Steal My Sunshine</b></a>" are there, though much more subdued. Overall, it wasn’t exactly a radical overhaul, however listening to this and Moulton's mix side-by-side is almost a study in how far all the finer points of good mix - all the small, but key elements, can really go in refining and elevating a record. <br />
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<center><iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tTo5cUBuPpM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe><br>
<b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTo5cUBuPpM" target="_blank">Andrea True - More, More, More (Musikladen - May, 29, 1976)</a></b><br />
<i>Uploaded by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/gigantis2000" target="_blank">gigantis2000</a></i></center><br />
<br />
Speaking to <b>James Arena</b> in his book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/First-Ladies-Disco-Discuss-Singing/dp/0786475811" target="_blank"><b>The First Ladies of Disco</b></a>, <b>Tom Moulton</b> relates his own initial impressions and contributions:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><a href="http://discovice.net/images/andreatrueconnectionbuddahad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/andreatrueconnectionbuddahad.jpg" height="320" width="233" /></a>"When I say crude, I mean there were a lot of horn mistakes, and it was sloppy. It was like a demo that people kept adding things to. The basic thing about it was it was very rough. In other words, you'd have heard the tape and you would have said '<i>Okay, that's good, now let's record it for real.</i>' But there's always something about a hook that gets me - that's why they call them hooks. And I liked it. I had heard it and I liked it and I thought I could do something with it. Andrea wasn't singing much on it, I had to double her vocals and add a lot of reverb on it just to make it, you know, very sweet and dreamy.. It took me about six hours to finish it.”<br />
<br />
"I thought the record had something. I liked that sort of hokey <b>Herb Alpert</b>-ish trumpet solo. I thought it was kind of corny enough to really work... Buddah said they would take it if I mixed the record, but Gregg said, '<i>no way!</i>' He didn't want anyone to touch it. Well, Gregg must have gone around the block several times and finally got back to Art [Kass] and said, '<i>Okay, Tom can mix it, but I have to be there.</i>' I said, 'That's fine as long as he keeps his mouth shut. He can be there. I don't care.' We already [heard] his version, and nobody seemed to want that! So anyway, we agreed to do it . He had to have a limo to drive him to my studio. I thought he was kind of whacked out - seemed like he was high as a kite. I never saw him doing anything, but he appeared like someone on something. He was sleeping when he arrived. The driver asked if he should wake him up, and I said '<i>Hell no! Just drive him around and come back in three or four hours!</i>' " (<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=r6QVjzB4XTsC&lpg=PA47&pg=PA45#v=onepage&q&f=false" target="_blank"><b>pg. 45</b></a>) </blockquote><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/andreatrue-onceovernightly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/andreatrue-onceovernightly.jpg" height="320" width="215" /></a></div>Although she was never considered much more than a marginal talent; while, like with any success, there are always a multitude of people and circumstances to credit - one couldn't deny Andrea True's own agency in her own story. The lady was smart and tenacious and had the hit to prove it. Not to mention, all this seemed to happen concurrently with some of her adult film work. Interestingly, in 1976, an X-rated film she both starred in and directed called “<a href="http://www.iafd.com/title.rme/title=once+over+nightly/year=1975/once-over-nightly.htm" target="_blank"><b>Once Over Nightly</b></a>” seemed to be playing, just as “<b>More, More, More</b>” was hitting airwaves. Even with the abundance and accessibility of porn today it’s still hard enough, if not nearly impossible for anyone working in porn to achieve any level of mainstream success, let alone a #1 hit, even after their porn careers are over. Speaking perhaps to the relative innocence of the times, however brief and fleeting her crossover stardom was, it’s a feat which has yet to be duplicated all these years later. For those who haven't read it, <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesArenaNow" target="_blank"><b>James Arena</b></a>'s book <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FirstLadiesOfDiscoBook" target="_blank"><b>The First Ladies of Disco</b></a> has it's first and one of its most comprehensive chapters dedicated to her. Apparently, Arena's First Ladies project began as a biography of her, however with the lady herself no longer with us, and with much of her life story pre- and post- stardom completely elusive, with no children or surviving relatives coming forward to fill in the blanks, it's perhaps the most detailed and dedicated recollection of her life story that we'll get.. Andrea True, born <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/24/arts/music/andrea-true-dies-at-68-more-more-more-singer.html?_r=0" target="_blank"><b>Andrea Marie Truden</b></a>, passed away on November 7, 2011 in Kingston, NY at the age of 68.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES</b>: <br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2009/04/having-you-fills-my-life.html" target="_blank">having you fills my life..</a> (thursday april 23, 2009) <br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2009/09/disco-discharge-and-other.html" target="_blank">disco discharge and other recent/upcoming disco releases & reissues</a> (friday september 18, 2009) <br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.ca/2006/05/even-more-disco-fun-with-youtube.html" target="_blank">even more disco fun with youtube</a> (friday may 12, 2006) <br />
<br />
<b>LINKS</b>:<br />
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Andrea-True-More-More-More/release/6289363" target="_blank">discogs: andrea true - more, more more (jamaican 7")</a><br />
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/48407-Andrea-True-Connection" target="_blank">discogs: andrea true connection</a><br />
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/3481-Tom-Moulton" target="_blank">discogs: tom moulton</a><br />
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/104914-Gregg-Diamond" target="_blank">discogs: gregg diamond</a><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More,_More,_More" target="_blank">wikipedia: more, more, more</a><br />
<a href="http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/magazine/godfrey-diamond-interview" target="_blank">red bull music academy - interview: godfrey diamond on andrea true's "more, more, more"... and more (by abby garnett)</a> (august 13, 2014) <br />
<a href="http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-news/20111119/disco-singer-andrea-true-68-dies-in-kingston-had-hit-with-more-more-more-with-video-of-song" target="_blank">daily freeman: disco singer andrea true, 68, dies in kingston; had hit with 'more, more, more'</a> (november 19, 2011)<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/24/arts/music/andrea-true-dies-at-68-more-more-more-singer.html?_r=0" target="_blank">new york times: andrea true, singer of disco hit, dies at 68. (by paul vitello)</a> (november 24, 2011) <br />
<a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/25/local/la-me-andrea-true-20111125" target="_blank">los angeles times: andrea true dies at 68; porn star turned disco singer (by valerie j. nelson)</a> (november 25, 2011) <br />
<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/andrea-true-disco-diva-of-more-more-more-fame-6268171.html" target="_blank">the independent - obituaries: andrea true: disco diva of more, more, more fame (by pierre perrone)</a> (sunday november 26, 2011) <br />
<a href="http://books.google.ca/books/about/First_Ladies_of_Disco.html?id=r6QVjzB4XTsC&redir_esc=y" target="_blank">google books: first ladies of disco (by james arena)</a><br />
<a href="http://www.iafd.com/person.rme/perfid=atrue/gender=f/andrea-true.htm" target="_blank">iafd (internet adult film database): andrea true</a><br />
<br />
CATEGORIES: <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_13.html" target="_blank">MINI DELIVERIES</a>, <a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/in-tribute-to-disco-artists-who-have.html" target="_blank">IN MEMORIAM</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20748548.post-25354109604113332542014-10-31T12:41:00.001-04:002014-11-03T01:54:32.167-05:00Deadly Disco: Rinder & Lewis - Gluttony<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/rinderlewiscrop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/rinderlewiscrop.jpg" height="397" width="545" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Earlier this week, <a href="http://www.cherryred.co.uk/bigbreak-exd.asp?id=4872" target="_blank"><b>BBR/Hot Shot Records released their reissue</b></a> of <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/126919-Rinder-Lewis" target="_blank"><b>Rinder & Lewis</b></a>' landmark 1977 "<a href="http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/693_0_2_0_C/" target_blank=""><b>Seven Deadly Sins</b></a>" album, which I'm proud to have had a hand in, having interviewed <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/305155-W-Michael-Lewis" target="_blank"><b>W. Michael Lewis</b></a> and former <a href="http://www.discogs.com/label/12221-AVI-Records" target="_blank"><b>AVI</b></a> president <a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/2074039-Ray-Harris-7" target="_blank"><b>Ray Harris</b></a> for the liner essay. A turning point in Rinder & Lewis' work together, the first to be released under their own names, not bound by any of the disco concepts they'd been doing up until that point; "Seven Deadly Sins," is easily the most ambitious and experimental record they'd done. Written and performed entirely by the both of them; influenced, yet not limited by the parameters of disco, while it may not have delivered numbers like some of their other disco productions at the time, it has gone on to become easily one of their most renowned (if not their most renowned) and enduring records. <br />
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I'll probably write at length about the liner notes on another post (<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_8.html" target="_blank"><b>like I have with some of the others I've done</b></a>), however this <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BigBreakRecords/" target="_blank"><b>BBR</b></a> release is the first time the album has been legitimately released on CD. Despite the production delays (I had come on board with this just over two and a half years ago now), its release comes just in time for Halloween, which is perfect for an album that contains some of the most haunting disco that Rinder & Lewis ever committed to record. While most disco people know the album for the ethereal strains of "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/BigBreakRecords/posts/10152727569125255" target="_blank"><b>Lust</b></a>," I'd have to single out "<b>Gluttony</b>" as yet another standout. Sounding like the apocalyptic inverse of "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Feel_Love" target="_blank"><b>I Feel Love</b></a>," it's perhaps the most intense, infernal track on the record. (Note: I have yet to receive my copy of the reissue, so the file below is a rip from one of my vinyl copies).<br />
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<center><b>Listen: <a href="http://discovice.net/media/rinderlewis1-3.mp3" target="_blank">Rinder & Lewis - Gluttony (1977, AVI)</b></a></center><br />
One little tidbit that Michael Lewis told me in our interview was that they were one of the first to employ the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollard_Syndrum" target="_blank"><b>syndrum</b></a> (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIE7Tfc3_Lc" target="_blank"><b>hear a demo</b></a>) when recording this album, which would become something of a common gimmick in disco records in the following years (if 'syndrums' don't ring a bell, the hook to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU9faERbno0" target="_blank"><b>this song</b></a> probably will). Take a listen to the 3.00 and 4.30 marks of "<b>Gluttony</b>" to hear some of that early syndrum action.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://discovice.net/images/rinderlewiswp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://discovice.net/images/rinderlewiswp.jpg" height="262" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Also, just in time for this release, the latest issue of <a href="http://www.waxpoetics.com/" target="_blank"><b>Waxpoetics</b></a> (<a href="http://www.waxpoetics.com/wax-poetics-magazine/wax-poetics-issue-59-aaliyah" target="_blank"><b>#59</b></a> with <b>Aaliyah</b> and <b>Kelela</b> on the covers) has a great piece on Rinder & Lewis, entitled "<b>Soul Searching</b>" written by <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnMGomez" target="_blank"><b>John M. Gómez</b></a> who interviewed both Laurin Rinder & W. Michael Lewis for the story. (Note: the article is only available in the magazine, for the moment).<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>PURCHASE</b>:<br />
rinder & lewis - seven deadly sins (cd reissue) (1977, avi / 2014, big break/hot shot records)<br />
<a href="http://www.dustygroove.com/item/718513" target="_blank">dusty groove</a> | <a href="http://www.juno.co.uk/products/rinder-lewis-seven-deadly-sins/550918-01/" target="_blank"> juno.co.uk</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Deadly-Sins-Rinder-Lewis/dp/B00MW67LFW" target="_blank">amazon.co.uk</a> | <a href="http://www.cherryred.co.uk/bigbreak-exd.asp?id=4872" target="_blank">big break records</a> <br />
<br />
<b>PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES</b>: <br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2007/09/disco-delivery-45-midnight-wind-1980.html" target="_blank">disco delivery #45: midnight wind (1980, avi)</a> (thursday september 27, 2007) <br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2006/12/dancing-dancing-in-paradise.html" target="_blank">dancing dancing in paradise</a> (monday december 18, 2006) <br />
<a href="http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2006/09/disco-delivery-25-rinder-lewis.html" target="_blank">disco delivery # 25: rinder & lewis - warriors (1979, avi/quality)</a> (sunday september 17, 2006) <br />
<br />
<b>LINKS:</b><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/BigBreakRecords" target="_blank">facebook: big break records</a> <br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HotShotRecordsUK" target="_blank">facebook: hot shot records uk</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.cherryred.co.uk/bigbreak-exd.asp?id=4872" target="_blank">big break records: rinder & lewis - seven deadly sins</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/693_0_2_0_C/" target="_blank">discomusic.com: rinder & lewis - seven deadly sins lp</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Laurin-Rinder-W-Michael-Lewis-Seven-Deadly-Sins/master/107758" target="_blank">discogs: rinder & lewis - seven deadly sins lp</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/Rinder-Lewis-Envy-Animal-Fire/master/107760" target="_blank">discogs: rinder & lewis - envy (animal fire) 12"</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/305155-W-Michael-Lewis" target="_blank">discogs: w. michael lewis</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/212745-Laurin-Rinder" target="_blank">discogs: laurin rinder</a> <br />
<br />
CATEGORIES: <a href= "http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_8.html" target="_blank"> LINER NOTES</a>, <a href= "http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_13.html" target="_blank">MINI DELIVERIES</a>Tommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631387187116034184noreply@blogger.com3