Guilty Pleasures and Disco Staples

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I am actually well versed with the roots of rap as its one of my fav genres/eras.

Ring my bell - god not heard for years.
One of the reasons this sticks in my mind and it's not necessarily because I like the track that much, is because it was knocked off number 1 by Tubeway Army and Are 'Friends' Electric? in 1979. That was the song that changed my life really and Ring My Bell just works when I play it in Disco sets.


Need to look up the British hustle
Check it out on YouTube. I think there's a version of them doing it on Top of the Pops. Always liked the track.


And not heard of Dancing in Outta Space and I love disco...

As for this - I love it. It's a long track but I think it's great. The synths and the groove in it are awesome in my opinion. I got given the 12" vinyl of it. I class it as disco but others may say funk or jazz funk.




Must do more homework however when I listen to them they may job ancient memories.

Believe it or not, that's one of my favourite genres too. I much prefer the earlier stuff and even when it went up as far as 1983 when the Electro series of albums came out.
In fact, I'd have to say that the soundtrack to WILDSTYLE (great film) is one of my favourites (especially the scene with 'Flash in the kitchen with Busy Bee and he's cutting and scratching the Good Times / Another One Bites The Dust mix).
It's funny actually because I am (for my sins) a big fan of Gary Numan (hence my avatar) and have been for many years (although I do prefer the early stuff).
He has been a massive influence on the hip hop scene and Afrika Bambaataa (Soulsonic Force as I'm sure you know), says that back in 1979 the kids in the Bronx were breakdancing to his music that the DJ's were playing out on the streets.
Yep, I love all of that old stuff.

[Andy P]

Yup I was a breakdancer two back in the day - Still love Ollie and Jerry - Aint no stoppin us, to this day with Ozone and Turbo teaching Special K how to pop and lock.

I like a lot of Herbie Hancock who I believe had a big influence on the movement back in the late 70's early 80's and Niall Rodgers - what a man (and he looks like rick james too).

[Shakermaker Promotions]

All the secrets are going to come out now.....not even sure if I should divulge the information............Big Gulp.....Ok, here it goes....

In 1983 when I was living in North London (unfortunately), I was part of a 7-piece breakdance crew. I was more of a body popper as it stemmed from the robotics I did.
Our main guy entered us in to the UK Breakdancing Championships at The Electric Ballroom in Camden in 1983. Tim Westwood and Womack & Womack were judges and they wished all of the crews good luck backstage.
13 teams entered and we came 7th. I don't know how we did it but we did. The winners were this amazing crew from Nottingham called The Rock City Crew.

Did you know that apparently those Electro albums are worth quite a bit in mint condition.

[Andy P]

Can we not speak of album worth - about a decade ago when CD became main stream I binned my whole collection and now cringe at the prices some of them fetch.

I can't report to have met those lofty heights but we did you to have a fair few cru meets down the coast where we would battle and engage in dance offs etc. I'm about 10 stone too heavy now but still have a few moves lol.

As for meeting famous people I can admit to regularly chatting with Dec (of ant and dec fame) and kissing Kim Wilde whilst on Razamataz. And ive been on stage with Spandau Ballet

[Nakatomi]

If we're talking disco disco.. then it'd have to be Sheila B Devotion - Singing in The Rain, and Spacer.

I generally really enjoy whatever I play so long as somebody's getting down to it even if it's a genre I won't willingly listen to on my own (e.g. RnB, hippety hoppity etc), though I do rather love a nice long 80s 12" mix. They just don't make extended versions like they used to

[Andy P]

Now there is a song - Spacer, the first record I ever bought. I was wounded when Alcazar trashed it

One of my fav disco tracks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UaJAnnipkY

[musicology]

I still love "On A Crowded Street" Barbara Pennington https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPwlht9FR24

[dj foureyes]

The two disco songs I always try to fit in are-
Donna Summer- I Feel Love
MJ- Don't Stop Till You Get Enough
Both 12" versions.

Also, a personal favourite that not a lot of people remember -
Manu DiBango- Soul Makosa

[Andy P]

2 great songs - 12" raises an issue

Is less more? I never really play the 12" versions due to their extended play time. I know in ye-olden-days 12" were seen as the DJ versions but I've never really subscribed to this - am I alone

[Retrodisco]

People have a short attention span these days, I find 12" mixes see them wandering off halfway through.