Disco Ball Days

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Picture by Murat Koc
We're going back to the Disco Ball Days! ‘Fast Freddie The Roller Disco King’ by The Imperials (just like ‘Superfunk’ in my previous mix) is from a brand new compilation album, called 'Disco: A Fine Selection of Independent Disco, Modern Soul and Boogie 1978-82' that is released on Soul Jazz Records. It's a collection of rare and independent tracks from the heyday of disco (1978 to 1982), expertly compiled by Disco Patrick. Blurring the musical lines between disco, modern soul and boogie this double album features many exclusive and hard to find records from the era. Included here are in demand classics, such as The Fantastic Aleems featuring Leroy Burgess, John Gibbs and the US Steel Orchestra, rare P&P productions, Jessie G and 'The Easton Assassin' by The Sunburst Band (a 12” given out free at boxing matches!).

The album goes with the massive new 360-page deluxe hardback book 'Disco – An Encyclopedic Guide To The Cover Art of Disco' that features over 2,000 album cover designs as well as over 700 12” sleeves, including sections on roller disco, disco instruction albums and more. There are also interviews and introductions by Tom Moulton, Nicky Siano, Mel Cheren (West End Records), Ken Cayre (Salsoul) and Marvin Schlachter (Prelude). This book is compiled by Disco Patrick and Patrick Vogt, text by Claes Widlund.

'I love the to love' by Tina Charles was a massive hit in 1976. It was written by Biddu. He also wrote 'Kung Fu Fighting', which became a classic by Carl Douglas (although the song was originally a b-side) and hits for 5000 Volts and Jimmy James & the Vagabonds ('I'll go where the Music takes me'). British new wave band The Buggles was founded by two of Biddu's former session musicians, Trevor Horn (then partner of Tina Charles) and Geoff Downes. They are most famous for their hit song 'Video killed the radio star' in 1979. Trevor Horn later became a much in demand producer and is sometimes called 'the man who invented the 1980s' (Yes, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, ABC, Marc Almond, Seal, Art of Noise, Propaganda and just recently Billy Idol). By the way, the beat of 'I love to love' with the off-beat tom tom and the sixteens on the hi-hat is borrowed from 'Rock the boat' by Hues Corporation and the rhythm box sounds almost exactly the same as in 'Rock your baby' by George McCrae. Those two songs were an inspiration for more disco songs at the time. They turned out te be the foundation of disco (Source: Glitter Suits & Platform Boots).


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