By PJ (68.120.71.237) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 03:16 pm: |
I hear disco is making a comeback, or did it ever go away? What's your favorite Disco Tune?
By Ritchie (62.254.0.9) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 03:30 pm: |
Oh, no... my worst nightmare. It damn-near killed off Soul music the first time round. Heaven help us ;o)
By Jim Feliciano in Detroit. (152.163.188.68) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 03:43 pm: |
Well then, it would have to be "Good Times" by 'Chic', at least that's the one song which comes to mind at this time, so stand by....
By Sly fan (67.119.53.14) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 07:48 pm: |
Disco just took a break...and yes it killed Soul/Funk music...unless you were Kool and The Gang or Earth,Wind and Fire, Cameo,etc and survived it..
Although, there was a lot of good in disco..it was the essence of party and feeling good..
Latimore recorded a tune called "Discoed To Death"..its pretty funny..
By brianday@cwcom.net (212.137.226.160) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 05:44 am: |
i dont know about america ,but as a working jock,it never died ,most requests are for seventys classics ie candi staton , weather girls,
ewf etc incidently ewf "boogiewonderland" is the only record people start dancing to and get fed up dancing to thanks to its repetive beat .really dated, on a come back is oliver cheetam ,at no 1 here with a 70% sampled "get down saturday night"
even though that was early eighties ,along with shalamar and whispers disco still reins.
younger crowds love rap and r&b and a lot of these records have a lot of samples in, ask bobby eli. " if the muscians were to get repeat fees ,they would at least still be earning money
today , its very unfair muscians i think!
By FrankM (81.152.61.5) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 02:58 pm: |
I've been doing soul and funk slots on student radio for the past few years and I've heard the young DJ's playing sixties and seventies soul. This year i really noticed quite a bit of disco being played. Stuff that was in the charts plus lesser known stuff. David Mancuso's Loft Cd plus sampling of old Salsoul records I would say inspired this interest.
By Sly fan (67.115.72.52) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 03:24 pm: |
Great response Frank!! Sampling is not the issue, its publishing and that has been going on for years way before sampling took place..
Yes, the sampling thing does create an interest within younger audiences that may not have even heard of these songs and has resurected a lot of carrers in a major way...It hasnt hurt the pocket books of some of these artist either (example: James Brown,$200,000-$500,000 per sample)lately in Hip-Hop folks have stopped doing it due to the high fees..but take away all the drama surrounding it and you have something that is greater than anything and that is bridging the generation gap between old and new..Educating the masses with great music that the kids may not have been exposed to...As a DJ it feels good to see it happening..
By Sly fan (67.115.72.52) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 03:25 pm: |
correction: careers
By Sly fan (67.115.72.52) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 03:28 pm: |
PS: it isnt just Hip-Hop groups that sample anymore...I have heard samples in commercials and other genres of music..
House music and "Freestyle" kept Disco alive in a major way as well..
Disco never left..it just hibernated...
By Vickie (198.81.26.231) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 04:12 pm: |
Disco is in my heart forever
ok, now throw the eggs at me
Vickie
By Blondie (198.81.26.231) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 04:14 pm: |
my list of favorites is WAY too long..
let's just say ALL of them..
Signed,
Disco Roller Skating Blondie
By fayette (64.12.97.7) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 07:31 pm: |
when i think of disco ,i think of
slyvester's disco heat. he made you dance even
if you didn't want to like disco.
By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 08:05 pm: |
Like it or not many of us danced (and even enjoyed the catchy side of Disco).
Is "Native New Yorker" disco? As stated before I think this is a timeless recording.
It's true Ritchie, it must have had a highly damaging effect on Soul Music.
We have been lucky enough to be the minority to enjoy the genre.
By ronni (67.24.156.197) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 08:45 pm: |
Disco could be fun, and yes, mindless when it got too thumpy. Sylvester could rock it like no other! I think freestyle was a continuation of disco. Expose did some pretty good stuff with Clive Davis and I think their last CD was a keeper. I think they'll always be a form of disco....call it house music, trance, dance, hip hop....just names for pretty much the same thing.
By Sly fan (67.115.72.90) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 11:45 am: |
David: Native New Yorker will never die!! Thats a beautiful record in general...I remember me and my brother "Hustling" to that record..LOL..The good ol' days man..
By Eli (152.163.188.68) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 12:07 pm: |
The genre of "Disco" had it's germination right here in Philly at Sigma Sound Studios when in early 1972 Earl Young layed down a drum grove , right out of thin air on The Love I lost, and on I'll always love my mama.
The love I lost was intended as a ballad, but when Huff felt the spirit and set the tempo faster, voila!! the birth of the "disco groove"!!
Music has not been the same since.
The early PIR stuff had it , followed in '75 by Salsoul and it all expolded from there.
The problem was , was that when everybody started to "abuse the groove" and put four on the floor to just about everything coupled with swirling strings that could give you vertigo, then it lost it and became "schlock."
I find it very difficult listening to my disco stuff like Elis second coming> Yecccchhhh!!
When certain genres become too mainstream that is what happens as it is happening to rap now.
By Horse (159.53.238.241) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 01:06 pm: |
Disco was a major force in requiring the drummer to stay in the pocket and have great hypnotizing grooves. It separated the Men from the Boys and exposed which drummers couldn't play with a click. A lot of individuals slam disco, but I have to give it it's props regarding the fact that it definitely assisted in creating a rock solid foundation to my drumming. Sure there are lame disco tunes just like in other styles of music, but the east coast style does jam hard. Disco Inferno by the Trammps is a great example.
By Horse (159.53.238.241) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 01:11 pm: |
If anyone has been fortunate enough to witness the Spinners live with John Edwards Going To Church during the song "Mighty Love" while David the drummer is driving home a disco beat, you will surely atest to the power of a disco groove.
By Grant (216.39.176.184) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 02:07 pm: |
There was nothing wrong with disco except that it was shoved down our throats. Disco didn't kill R&B, that was the record companies who demanded artists record and release disco tunes.
By douglasm (68.113.13.31) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 02:35 pm: |
Someone define "Disco". I've always had the thought that "I Can't Help Myself", released at the proper time, could have been a "disco" record.
By Horse (159.53.32.46) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 02:54 pm: |
From a drummers' stand point it is known as PEA SOUP as where the hi-hat cymbals are accented on the 2nd 8th notes of each beat and opened on that beat or just accented on the 2nd 8th note of every beat. Typically with the bass drum pounding 1/4 notes or 1 & 3. This may not necessary dictate or define disco but might help. Pea Soup, Pea Soup, Pea Soup, Pea Soup. .....HELLLLLP...!
By Lynn Bruce (65.60.202.214) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 03:05 pm: |
AS a drummer I really enjoyed playing disco.You could really work those drums,as long as you didn't lose the groove.
As horse said, staying in the pocket was the difference.
By Horse (159.53.32.46) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 03:18 pm: |
Thanks Lynn,
Spoken Like A True Groove Miester..!
By Sly fan (64.169.106.210) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 03:26 pm: |
Eli: PREACH MY BROTHER!!! You understand!! Rap is lost its luster and innocence in the same fashion as Disco...
I was reading Teddy P's book and he metioned that "The Love I Lost" was a ballad and I was like WOW!! I would love to hear that!! Its a very beautiful song, it doesnt surprise me...I love the ending party where Earl Young really shines and Teddy's like :C'mon y'all..Groove It Y'all".. I am still dying to know what the remaining minutes sounded like..
PIR/Salsoul forvever!!
I liked Eli's Second Coming...(you are too modest Bobby).
By Sly fan (64.169.106.210) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 03:27 pm: |
correction: Rap lost its luster..
By Eli (64.12.97.7) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 07:41 pm: |
Horse,
When you said that disco "seperated the men from the boys", in actuallity it brought them closer together!! Witness all of the gay clubs that were born out of disco.
Also, that is the first time I heard the term"pea soup" but it does make sense!!
Sly..
The Love I Lost was part of a group of songs intended for the dells and when the deal didnt go down after the death of Leanord Chess, someone mentioned to G&H "hey man, why dont you try out our drummer Teddy..he sounds just like that dude from the dells"!! And the rest is history.
The love I lost was counted off in 12/8 time
ala Oh what a night and we did a take that way.
But Huff , feeling his oats so to speak , counted it off at around 128 bpm or so:
1-2-1-2-3-4- and my guitar automatically cried out with that figure and then Earl and Ronnie came in and ... and........ well you know the rest.
By Horse (159.53.32.46) on Tuesday, April 22, 2003 - 12:17 pm: |
Bobby,
You've got a point regarding the Men & Boys thing. I never really thought of that way..!
The Pea Soup came from my days around the Beantown (Boston). I played a lot of disco with some serious horn bands. We played Providence, R.I. and Bedford, MA during the Tavares time frame of Saturday Night Fever. You know...The matching jump suits with the kick pleats in the bell bottoms and Kiona disco shirts, that our light man found to be extremely flamable around pyro-technics. As much as I hate to fess up regarding the stage dress, we did think we were lookin' good..! My sister still pulls out my old band pictures when she feels the need to bust my chops..!
"The Love I Lost" was a BAD GROOVE. I still crank it when it comes on the radio.
I once saw a horn band with an oriental guy singing lead on Herald Melvins "Bad Luck". I was on the floor from hearing: Bah Ruk..That's What You Got.. That's What You Got....Bah Ruk. I think he heard it as Bear Rug..!
By Eli (205.188.209.109) on Tuesday, April 22, 2003 - 12:50 pm: |
Hey Horse..
That's some seriously funny s**t man!!
Sounds like it could be a Mad TV spoof!!!!
Sounds like a story that an old female friend of mine from a certain girl group told me that one time she met this Asian fellow and when it came time to do the deed, while in the throes of passion he would blurt out...
"who your n****r, who your n****r????
Also, during the Trammps "Zing " era, I was part of the group and toured extensively with them , some on a James Brown tour and we had the prerequisite jump suit thingies as well except that this chubby Jewboy looked a tad rediculous in mine!! The material was a "clingy" knit and we had them in various colors and they were leather trimmed in the finest "Corinthian Leather"!!!
I kept looking out for Ricardo Montalban to magically appear and whisk me off to Fantasy Island in his Chrysler Cordoba!!!!
Speaking of Boston, I have played in The Sugar Shack many times and have record at Intermedia before the Cars bought it.
Busta Jones "Just a little misunderstanding was cut there.
Do you remember a drummer from the North end named, Paul Presto??
Ah Boston..that is where I got the crabs!!!!!
(at Legal seafood)
By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, April 22, 2003 - 12:53 pm: |
Eli:
I read Teddy's book as well...I'm still trying to imagine "The Love I Lost" as a ballad....still one of the baddest grooves I've ever danced to...hell, EVERYTHING that PIR did had a killer groove!
As for Eli's Second Coming, gotta admit I like the single...
Kevin Goins - KevGo
By Eli (205.188.209.109) on Tuesday, April 22, 2003 - 01:18 pm: |
Hi Kev..
Picture The Love I Lost ala "Oh What A Night" by the Dells with the title in the space of "oh what a night", and "was a sweet love " in the space of "to love you dear" etc..and you got it.
I hope that it still exists on multi, and if not Tarsia went over it. Pity as it as quite a rarity!!
On ESC the only song that I could listen to is Love Chant. The rest is garbage. And its my album.
I mentioned to Henry Stone that I would love to do a remix but it fell on deaf ears after he said" yeah eli, great idea"!! So, what else is new??
By brianday@cwcom.net (212.137.146.140) on Sunday, April 27, 2003 - 04:47 am: |
talking about tunes slowed down ,joe texs "i gotcha" the slow version of it is on a lp
only , real soul ,a killer track.beats the disco version hands down
By soulboy (213.105.242.198) on Sunday, April 27, 2003 - 06:54 am: |
What really wrecked 'disco' as musical genre was the fact that many pop acts of the day such as:
Bee Gees
Rod Stewart
Rolling stones
ABBA
simply jumped on the bandwagon,hence they commercialised the music so much a backlash was bound to come, there were many good records to come out of that era, but they will be never be taken seriously by soul/R&B fans because they will always be associated with disco.
By FrankM (81.152.61.52) on Sunday, April 27, 2003 - 10:20 am: |
My DJ colleague George Reid has a love for seventies soul and when buying albums in junk shops without hearing them he goes by the clothes the group wear on the cover. He insists the bigger the jacket lapels and the wider the flares the more soulful content in the grooves
By Carl Dixon London (62.31.40.155) on Monday, April 28, 2003 - 04:03 pm: |
I remember the change in style around 1977, when I returned from Holland to the UK. We were bombarded with the likes of Boney M out there, before they made it in the UK. I must admit though, Dutch radio was the business - Radio Veronica and the Ferry Matt Soul show on Tros Hiversum 3 - sound!
I also remember records like Over & Over/Sylvester, On the Road again/D J Rogers and one of my fav's, Keep that same old feeling/Side Effect, that I started to listen to. I remember being in a record shop in Manchester and I asked them what was new? He handed me 'The best disco in town/The Ritchie family', on Merlin, before it was released over here. The same shop handed me a 12" record when they first came out. I knew something was changing and time to move on with whatever it was. I remember also discovering Satin Soul by Barry White on his Oro Blanco album I bought in Lorette de Mar/Spain. My buddy bought Universal Love/MFSB and got me hooked on the Philly sound good and proper.
By Mike Sku (64.9.11.62) on Tuesday, April 29, 2003 - 11:30 am: |
It is interesting that you noted freestyle and house music evolving from disco. Certainly the high energy movement of the eighties, and then techno evolved from it as well. I think in many ways, then, disco is still around, just in a new evolutionary form. Look at current songs such as "Crying at the Discoteque" by Alcazar! It's a shame that radio in America is so narrow minded now, because there's plenty of something for everybody out there. And you know what? I think our country needs to hear some upbeat, happy music again. We've gotta get out of this dark period in music! Rap and alternative are just not doing it for me...
By sunnyla (67.24.157.101) on Tuesday, April 29, 2003 - 02:49 pm: |
Amen about the Rap and Alernative not doing it! We really need some feel good music. The music now seems ugly/dark....where did the melodies/harmonies go? Most of the new stuff is soooo unforgetable. Hmm. What do the poor kids today have to look back on? Will they rap to their kids/grandkids about ho's....kind of funny to think of that!