Disco Pioneers

[originalbigm]

I recently acquired a rather interesting nostalgic disco item it was the "Let's Disco " Disco Dance Instruction record and 94 page illustrated disco dance book from K-Tel.The record features a voice instruction on the A side and the B side includes 4 classic numbers to which to practice to.
"Do What You Wanna Do" - T-Coonection
"Get Down Tonight" - K.C. & The Sunshine Band
"Get Off You Aahh! And Dance - Foxy
"Do Wanna Get Funky With Me"- Peter Brown.
But what caught my interest was a sticker on the back of the book which had some testimonials from the Village People and Peter Brown and one from Bill Wardlow.
It read;
"Today's hottest social activity can now easily and economically learned with the Let's Disco instructional system." -Bill Wardlow,BILLBOARD- recognized in the music industry as the "Father Of Disco".

This last statement tweaked my interest as I had never heard of this individual.So I Googled the name and discovered that this man was instrumental in breaking disco to the masses via Billboard.This link has some fascinating insights into this individual and disco past.

http://www.djsportal.com/en/pioneer/...php?id=wardlow
http://www.discomusic.com/people-more/2740_0_11_0_C/

[Disco Funk]

Originally Posted by originalbigm

This last statement tweaked my interest as I had never heard of this individual.So I Googled the name and discovered that this man was instrumental in breaking disco to the masses via Billboard.This link has some fascinating insights into this individual and disco past.

Thanks for those links. Here's another great webpage that compiles a list of 'proto-disco', which in my definition, refers to tunes that are somewhat disco but not quite.

http://www.jahsonic.com/PreDisco.html

I have a few problems with the list, like the inclusion of songs from '75. I think by then the sound had been established, so it either was disco or just funk. Also, no mention of Bohannon's 'Stop & Go' from 1972, but they put on 'Fencewalk' by Mandrill, which is more like Funk Rock. 'Hook Up To Get Down' by the Ebonys was another. I guess there are tons of songs with a 2/4 beat that got missed.

Disco Funk

[QUINNY]

Originally Posted by Disco Funk

Also, no mention of Bohannon's 'Stop & Go' from 1972, but they put on 'Fencewalk' by Mandrill, which is more like Funk Rock. 'Hook Up To Get Down' by the Ebonys was another. I guess there are tons of songs with a 2/4 beat that got missed.

Disco Funk

Or
Midnight Movers - Follow The Wind - huge for me, pure 4/4 funk
Lunar Funk - Mr Penguin - biggie for me, pure 4/4 funk
Politicians - Love Machine - real funky proto disco and huge for me. Why do people still pass this over?
Johnny Taylor - Who's Making Love
Rufus Thomas - Boogie Ain't Nothin' (but Gettin' Down)/ Funky Chicken - both monster tracks
James Brown - There Was A Time/ Get Up Offa That Thing(more 4/4 than almost anything else he did)

and loads more if only I could think about them.

[originalbigm]

I have a problem with the so-called Super Rare CD compilations listed below that list as I can't imagine a lot of those songs being Super Rare.Correct me if I'm wrong :o

[QUINNY]

I'd say they're relatively rare to the general public. People like us are a little over sensitive on the subject aren't we?

[Disco Funk]

Originally Posted by originalbigm

I have a problem with the so-called Super Rare CD compilations listed below that list as I can't imagine a lot of those songs being Super Rare.Correct me if I'm wrong :o

I thought it was a good buy. 10 years ago when they were released a lot of those tunes were not on CD, like the Glitter Band track. Heck, that Executive Suite track When The Fuel Runs Out only appeared on this comp. They definitely are a good collection of proto-disco tunes.

Disco Funk

[markydefad]

There were many titles on those 2 comps that were not available anywhere else. I just wished they woulda gone with the longer versions in all cases....they did with Al Downing...but others were the 3:00 single versions.

But still essential, IMHO. :D

Super Rare Disco 1
Super Rare Disco 2