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Saturday, June 29, 2013

Sometimes I get very emotional about 1983, Rome, Italo Disco, The Pineapples, Casco and much more


In 1983 I went on abroad program to Rome. I was a sophomore at The American University in Rome then returned to Washington, D.C.  Those four years were the best of my life.  But the time I spent in Rome was instrumental to my future.

To be a young guy partying several nights a week in the Roman discos was incredible that year. For many reasons other then the carefree attitude one has when you have no responsibilities and you are somewhere between child and adult.

1983 was also the best year for Italo Disco. It was just bursting. So many releases and so many fun records to dance too. Being in Rome I was in the middle of it all and just dancing the night away. At the time I didn't even think about the fact that these records were being produced in Italy and that in some other parts of the world they were dancing madly to these MADE IN ITALY productions too.

I fell in love with the city and told myself I'd return one day. I've been here for more then ten years now and I still get choked up when I remember 1983 and all the fun I had.

Come on Closer by Pineapples featuring Douglas Roop was released on Danse Records, Naples in 1983. It's one of those special Italo Disco songs for me. From that drum break to the deep and choclately vocal style of Mr. Roop. The story behind this one was that Douglas was a black American soldier stationed in Naples and he somehow met Roberto Ferrane who struck gold by meeting this untrained singer who really could sing. We've certainly heard our share of Italo Disco records sung by people who simply couldn't pronounce the English language or were actually just a pretty face that couldn't sing at all. Den Harrow (Manuel Stefano Zandri) being a prominent example (many of his hits were sung by Tom Hooker). Here's a recent photo of Den who owns a gym in Brescia. By the way that name Den Harrow actually comes from the Italian word for money denaro


CYBERNETIC LOVE by CASCO Salvatore Cusato, Italian DJ and Producer was responsible for this piece of italo disco perfection also from 1983.  Casco means helmet in Italian, by the way.














Friday, June 28, 2013

Desire by Yoh-Yo Canadian Dance italo disco style

Desire is actually a Roni Griffith's cover.  It's by a Canadian act Yoh-Yo (Allan Coelho and Carlos Borges) who had two late 80's hits.  They had previously worked with Tapps.  I like it cause it feels like an italo disco record.
 THE EXOTIC AND EROTIC MIX













Unit by Mito (Including "Toccata E Fuga In Re Minore" Di J. S. Bach)


Unit is an extraordinary italo disco from 1983.  It actually is based on Johan Sebastian Bach but still fully danceable and spacey.  I think few realize how creative a genre italo disco really was.  But you know you can always count on me to cheerlead for it!  UNIT
Aldo Martinelli had his hand in quite a few of the italo disco songs I love most including Locomotive Breath by Cat Gang and the sublime classic Feel the Drive by Doctor's Cat.














Breakin' Up (Sia-Sioù) by Esavù DO YOU KNOW Sia-Sioù? DO YOU LIKE Sia-Sioù?


I always say 1983 was the best year for Italo Disco.  This quirky number on the Italian label Real Sound doesn't disappoint.  This one must have been a bigger hit then many italo disco tracks cause you can pick up a copy pretty cheap.
"Yes I like Sia-Sioù together together!"













Sunday, June 23, 2013

Raffaella Carrà







Saturday, June 22, 2013

A FANTASTIC MIX by the WE MEAN DISCO!! CREW DISCO LIVES IN VIENNA




01. CHAKA KHAN - move me [LNTG Rework]
02. THE MODULATIONS - i can't fight your love (WE MEAN DISCO!! Love Re-Touch)
03. JIMMY RUFFIN - get on up (Cazbee'z On Up Edit )
04. THE CRUSADERS - street life (Cazbee'z On Da Street Edit)
05. RAYDIO - get down (scratchandsniff re-rub)
06. WAR - the world is a ghetto (Mannix Crystal Disko Edit)
07. FIRST CHOICE - lovethang (Jamie Bull vs WE MEAN DISCO!! Mash Re-edit)
08. CROWN HEIGHTS AFFAIR - you gave me (Edit)
09. TONY RALLO - holdin' on (Frank Agrario Edit)
10. WAR - you got the power (Original 12 inch Version)
11. SAMIR MASLO vs. OLIVER CHEATHAM - i like to party
12. CERRONE - look for love (Broasis Remix)
13. MARIO BONDI - this is what you are (CJ Giovanni Edit)
14. TODD TERRY - keep on jumpin (PH Remix)
15. DAN HARTMAN - relight my fire (Kenny Carpenter Remix)
16. EDDIE S - waiting for you (Black Sonix Hybrid Remix)
17. AMANT - if there`s love (Version Discotheque)
18. CHIC - le freak (Broasis Remix)
19. CREATIVE SOURCE - good lovin is good livin (Mannix Crystal Disko Edit)
20. CORRADO RIZZA pres BLACK CONNECTION - give me rhythm (Samir Maslo Remix)
21. G.Q. - disco nights (DJ Friction´s Frico Edit)
22. DON RAY - standing in the rain (Pete Herbert Edit)
23. DYNASTY - don't want to be a freak (Frank Agrario Edit)
24. HARVEY MASON - groovin you (DJ Frictions Frico Edit)
25. HEATWAVE - groove line (SteEdge Ext Edit)
26. MICHAEL JACKSON - don't stop bootleg
27. KENNY BOBIEN - dance for life (Unreleased Mix)
28. TSOP - philadelphia breakdown groove
29. INNER LIFE - aint no mountain high enough (Jay Todd Edit)
30. DEMO COPY - raw groove (Alt Inst Edit by Keith Classics)
31. DEMO COPY - raw groove (PT 2 by Keith Classics)
32. SHAZZ - wherever you are (Tom Moulton Mix)
33. ARETHA FRANKLIN - get it right (SteEdge Edit)
34. D-TRAIN - keep on (WE MEAN DISCO!! Revenge of the Dub)







Roy Thode's fabulous mix of Poussez! Come on and Do it

Poussez! were a disco super-group featuring Alphonse Mouzon, Christine Wiltshire and Janet Wright.  All artists that were successful before and after with other projects.  Christine worked often with the legendary Patrick Adams and was a member of MusiquePhreek and Class Action among other acts.ROY THODE COME ON AND DO IT REMIX



Roy Thode was an insanely talented d.j. when he committed suicide in 1982 he was at the peak of his career as a favorite d.j. at The Saint and having come off many hot nights at Studio 54 and on Fire Island.  Some of my very favorite mixes I've heard from that period were nights when he was spinning.



Friday, June 21, 2013

The Hollies Draggin' my Heels

This was meant to be the comeback hit for the sixties supergroup The Hollies.
Released in 1977 it was an early example of a rock band jumping on the disco bandwagon.  We are all the more enriched for it.  But they didn't get their hit after all.  Here's a brilliant edit.

The Hollies were formed in Manchester, U.K. in 1962. They had many massive pop hits of which Just One Look, He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother, Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress and The Air That I Breathe were likely the most well known. Unlike other British rock groups like The Rolling Stones or even The Beatles, they were known for their squeaky clean image. They were however just about as successful on the pop charts in their homeland scoring a massive 22 Top 40 hits between 1964 and 1970. Interestingly enough Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young fame had been an early member.

A little piece of trivia for you Elton John fans, he played the piano on their 1970 smash He Ain't Heavy, He's my Brother, their civil rights themed ballad. In 1974 their love ballad The Air that I Breathe had previously been recorded by Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers. But their version is the definitive one. It's just the kind of mushy pop that I loved when I was a child.

Their line-up changed countless number of times and they even tour now. But it was 1977 that saw them jump on the disco bandwagon in a big way. Their fabulous harmonies set to a disco beat! Super lyrics too. How could they lose? Well it remained a PROMO only 12" and never did break pop and was their only foray into the genre. But hot damn is this a great song or what?

Draggin' my Heels

I must be not the only one loving this tune. A copy was just sold on Ebay the other day for over $300.00!







Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Aaron Broomfield Modern Soul Great


Miami modern soul artist Aaron Broomfield is better known for I'm Gonna Miss Ya, No Handouts and Polyphase.  These 12" released on Mountain Records are highly collectible.  Polyphase
 Apparently only 2,000 copies of I'm Gonna Miss Ya were pressed but I've seen them going around on Ebay for years.  Now there is a bootleg out with both Polyphase and I'm Gonna Miss Ya on it.
These two tracks called Party Faces and Don't Cover up Your Feelings are also quite solid.



No Handouts (cause everybody's movin')
An album called Certain Kinds of Weather was finally released in 1991 and features some of the older material.






Tuesday, June 18, 2013

GERRI GRANGER AND HER SASSY DISCO RE-MAKES

Bob Crewe was the man behind this double A side disco 12" in 1975. A superb example of N.Y. style orchestrated disco.  Both Sides of the twelve inch

Gerri Granger's delivery certainly didn't disappoint.
It has remained a highly coveted item on Ebay for all the years I've been involved with selling on there. I sold both my copies. But I'd have to say it's one of those items that leaves a little pit in my stomach if I think too hard. This sassy record is for me the definition of all that's right about disco music.
She does some background vocals on Lenny Williams tasty l.p. from 1977 Choosing You but otherwise she sort of disappeared.








Saturday, June 15, 2013

A Morning Music/Sleaze Mix, Various Artists DJ Mark Vallese

I find these two mixes particularly pleasing.  They were recorded at a party called The Sleazeball.  There's something for everyone including the fantastic Bob James Sign of the Times, Donna Summer's Love to Love you Baby, Soup Dragons even Amy Grant and a lot of other stuff that's not so obvious or played out.
The mix was done by DJ MARK VALLESE of the gay resort in Michigan called The Dunes.  I give my props to anyone that keeps the concept of morning music alive!  SLEAZEBALL


Tuesday, June 11, 2013

An Anna Domino Retrospective.....TAKE THAT AND SO MUCH MORE


Though my blog is not really about this type of music I need to herald the fact that it too was an instrumental part of my life.  For a few years in the 80's Anna Domino's music had a big impact on my life.


Belgian super talent Anna Domino released her first single in 1983.  Trust, in Love on the Belgian label  Les Disques Du Crepuscule.  The next year came Rhythm which I've included in a deluxe zip.  I've only chosen her songs which were released on 12 inch for this zip. ANNA ZIP ALTERNATE ANNA ZIP


Later that year marked a departure for Anna.  She did a duet with Luc Van Acker for the seminal Chicago label Wax Trax Records called Zanna.  He's a fellow Belgian artist, producer and studio manager.  It too is in my zip.


The following year in 1985 came Take That.  This is most likely her best known record.  The mix produced by Alan Rankine really brought her into that Synth Pop sound.  It was a big hit on seminal alternative station WDRE and could be danced to at alternative clubs.


Summer was released in 1986 and was off the album Anna Domino which also featured another favorite track of mine called Drunk.  Australian D.J. Betty tells me this record was big down under.  This is the album where she covered the classic The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game.  1986's twelve inch of Summer includes a great mix by the legendary Arthur Baker.  I've included that in the zip too.


1987's Tempting was the first single off my favorite Anna album This Time,  the second single Lake was also a gem.  I've included both of them in the zip.  In 1988 This Time was like the soundtrack for my life.  I must have listened to it hundreds of times.  It was that perfect mix of moody and cheerful that gets me going.


In 1988 came an e.p., Colouring in the Edge and the Outline with the sublime Luck and Clouds of Joy to name a couple.  This was another one that got some major play in my N.Y.C. East Village apartment.  1989's compilation L'Amour Fou was another album that I listened to a great deal.  It featured most of the best songs, though for some reason Take That wasn't on it.


By 1990 her last album was released called Mysteries of America.  I have to admit that by then I wasn't really following her career the way I had for the past few years before.  I was listening to a lot more house music and going out too much and being a lot less introspective.




In 1996 a more complete retrospective came out called Favorite Songs from the Twilight Years 1984-1990.  By then she had really fallen off my radar.  But not long after that I won an Ebay auction from a Japanese vendor and it completed my collection and brought her back in my mind-set.


Finally 2004's Dreamback (The Best of) came out.  If you love Anna like I love Anna then this is the one you really need to truly complete your collection.










Sunday, June 9, 2013

DISCO REMAKES WINNERS AND LOSERS LIST (ENTIRELY MY OPINION)

As you well know so many disco songs are re-makes.  Some of them brought joy to me others just incited the UGH! quotient.  Some of the worst ones were done in the 80's in the Hi NRG style. 

Some I really enjoy include:
Black is Black by Cerrone
Tubular Bells and Land of Make Believe by Champ's Boys Orchestra
Shake Me, Wake Me by Barbra Streisand
Music, Music, Music by California
Nights on Broadway by Candi Staton
il Veliero by Chaplin Band
Good Times by Charanga 76, Mi Amor Proibido by Charanga 76 and No Nos Parraran by Charanga '76
Georgy Porgy by Charme
Weekend by Class Action
Nowhere to Run by Dynamic Superiors
I Can't Stand the Rain by Eruption
Standing in the Shadows of Love by Fever
Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Inner Life
Never Can Say Goodbye by Gloria Gaynor
Africa by Key of Dreams
Kiss you all Over by Phyllis Hyman
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman by New Markets


A few I don't particularly care for include:
Love Story by Andy Williams
SoulMan by Calhoon
Suspicious Minds by Candi Staton
Dancing Queen by Carol Douglas
Music Trance by Charanga '76
I was Made for Dancin' by Cicciolina
Smoke gets in Your Eyes by Judy Cheeks
Song from M.A.S.H. by New Markets
Jimmy Mack by Karen Carpenter
Disco Duck Symphony by Paul Vincent
That Old Black Magic by Softones (a big Jimmy M favorite)

There are so many others!  I just wanted to get a few out there as food for thought.







LOVER TURN ME ON (I just got to have ya) Kashif (including a recent dancefloor edit)

I quite enjoy Kashif.  He's got a great voice and has been involved with many projects I love.  I especially loved B.T. Express in which he was a member as a teen.  He has produced and arranged and written for many huge acts including Barry White, Whitney Houston her aunt Dionne Warwick George Benson and Evelyn King .
His debut l.p.
Don't Stop My Love 4:32



Stone Love5:26

I Just Gotta Have You (Lover Turn Me On)5:48

Help Yourself To My Love4:02

Rumors4:16

Say Somethin' Love5:08

The Mood4:10

All4:10

KASHIF
C PARKER DANCEFLOOR EDIT

Lover turn me On was such a great radio record.







A MIX (ITALIAN D.J. DOING FUNK VS. DISCO)

Here's something I don't ordinarily do.  I'm posting a DJ MIX.
01 - 00:00 - Eli's second coming - Love chant
02 - 03:43 - The Salsoul Orchestra - Lovebreak
03 - 04:18 - Temptation - Law of the land
04 - 05:27 - Hot R.S. - Slow Blow
05 - 07:51 - Ocote soul sounds & Adrian Quesada - ora como rey, manana como guey
06 - 08:54 - The quantic soul orchestra - babarabatiri
07 - 11:32 - Sweet - Funk  it Up
08 - 13:21 - Voyage - Kechak fantasy
09 - 16:16 - Erotic drum band - Plug me death
10 - 16:34 - Controllers - I can't turn the boogie loose
11 - 20:48 - Erotic drum band - Plug me death + Stone fox chase - area code
12 - 21:22 - Willie Henderson - Dance master
13 - 23:16 - Bumps Jackson - Funky in Jamaica
14 - 25:10 - Superlove - Superlove
15 - 26:42 - Udell - Won't you try
16 - 30:03 - Vern Blair Debate  - Super funk
17 - 31:47 - Nature zone - Porcupine
18 - 33:32 - Sex convention - Toi qui reve de baisers
19 - 34.50 - Ocote soul sounds & Adrian Quesada - Divinorum
20 - 37:40 - Philippe Laurent - Et hop
21 - 40:29 - African music machine - Black pearl
22 - 42:22 - The Chuck Davis Orchestra - Spirit Of Sunshine
23 - 45:03 - The Hues corporation - I Caught Your Act
24 - 48:29 - Van nuys bld
25 - 51:28 - Beautiful bend - That's the meaning
26 - 52:09 - The Salsoul Orchestra - Getaway
27 - 54:33 - Out my window
28 - 55:47 - Aretha Franklin - Rock steady
CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT THIS MIX







The Vendetta's I'VE GOT YOU IN MY SIGHT TONIGHT

An italo disco ditty that came out on Sunshine records in 1984, I've got you in my sight tonight by The Vendetta made the rounds and was picked up by several labels around Europe.
DOWNLOAD LINK FOR THE VENDETTA

I don't have much to say about it.  It's just the typical type of tune I like to spotlight on my blog.  Please click on the ads on my blog.  I appreciate it.







Billboard Hot Dance/Disco No. 1's 1982

I consider 1982 the year of my disco initiation.  Freshly graduated from high school and down in D.C. for university I probably went out on average five nights a week that fall and winter.  The impact of new wave was heavy in the clubs, some HI NRG was being produced and the Brits were calling disco, boogie.

How about that Chaz,  7 weeks on top, no small feat.

The following year would be my favorite and my full stop initiation into Italo Disco.







Thursday, June 6, 2013

MELBA MOORE WAS A DISCO DIVA....MIND UP TONIGHT

Melba Moore's first charted single was in 1966 and her output since then has been immense.  During the disco heyday she had a few of the most popular and most memorable hits including This is It, Standing Right Here, You Stepped Into My Life and Love's Comin' at Ya.  rare promo of This is It in my ebay store

I've decided to spotlight a lesser known track.  It was from her Capitol years in the 80's.  Released in 1982 Mind Up Tonight is one hot record.  Written by Lillo Thomas and produced by Paul Lawrence Jones III I guess it just came out at the wrong time.  Not many remember it.
 I saw Melba perform at a Paradise Garage reunion party a couple years back.  She was a in great form and the crowd loved her.  She did not perform Mind Up Tonight though she did about five numbers.  She must have been a real Garage diva in her day.
white label promo of the BEE GEES penned YOU STEPPED INTO MY LIFE I'm bringing back Mind Up Tonight cause it shouldn't be forgotten.  I'd love to hear a hot new edit too.  Melba's not toast