Radio DJ That Likes Disco

[TONY STAR]

New Jersey in the 70’s. I can’t think of a better place to be in the Disco Era.

I have to tell you I have been into music since I was a kid and when I am testing out a new piece of audio equipment you will always catch me using a couple of disco sounds to check it out.

Any recommendations I may have overlooked?

[paul]

Hi Tony. I am not a DJ though I lived through and experienced the era. There are quite a few DJs here including the site owner, Bernie.
What tracks do you use for your testing and why?

[TONY STAR]

Paul

Thank you for your quick response.

Without going off the deep end here. Good music is like a great Italian meal, satisfies at all levels. From soup to nuts.

That’s how I like my music and singers. I am looking for rich sound with great undercurrents and where the composer put a lot of thought into the production.
No matter what the genre.

I like oldies for the great harmonies but in many cases they did not have the best sound set ups, unless it’s Elvis. His people spent a lot of attention to background sounds.

Disco to me was when the first techno background undertones and fullness became a big thing in music production. Almost like the Big Band Era where there was full instrumentation. Problem with that (Big Bands of the 30’s and 40’) is again they did not have the sophisticated sound systems of today.

I am also quite frankly fussy on the singers I like. When I put my radio show together I often will leave out some of the household names you have heard lately because they have great promoters, but really no voice. Like some of my friends always say to me when I had my band and was the lead singer where were some of these promoters then. Plus I like to think we sounded pretty good

I am looking forward to this forum and again thanks for your response

[paul]

Originally Posted by TONY STAR

Paul

Thank you for your quick response.

Without going off the deep end here. Good music is like a great Italian meal, satisfies at all levels. From soup to nuts.

That’s how I like my music and singers. I am looking for rich sound with great undercurrents and where the composer put a lot of thought into the production.
No matter what the genre.

I like oldies for the great harmonies but in many cases they did not have the best sound set ups, unless it’s Elvis. His people spent a lot of attention to background sounds.

Disco to me was when the first techno background undertones and fullness became a big thing in music production. Almost like the Big Band Era where there was full instrumentation. Problem with that (Big Bands of the 30’s and 40’) is again they did not have the sophisticated sound systems of today.

Excellent. That is also one of the reasons many of us enjoy the music to this day. With that in mind, here are some of my picks.

CHIC - Big full rich sound and typified the syncopated rhythms we enjoy. In particular, Dance, Dance, Dance represents the sound you describe. I remember reading Stereo Review when they reviewed one of their albums. I remember they mentioned the band favored recording at a studio I think was called Powerhouse. More importantly, the studio used tube electronics, something the band preferred because of the way the bass was captured.

AWB - Excellent band with great recordings. Just about anything from these guys would work. My favorites include Cut The Cake, Pick Up The Pieces, Queen Of My Soul, and A Love Of Your Own.

Labelle (Nightbirds) - This album featuring session work done by The Meters is a real treat. My favorite on that album is What Can I Do For You. There is so much in the way of syncopation and musicianship with these two groups of artist, I guaruntee you'll hear something you missed everytime you play it.

Crown Height Affair - Also one of my favorite bands known for their big hit Dancin'. I also like Far Out.

[eddie]

I really dug Unlimited Touch who were on Prelude and Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame which was an offshoot of Slave. Anything on PIR is also first rate in my book. Early Salsoul is also among the core of my favorites like Skyy.

[Mixmachine]

You don't say if you prefer Vinyl or CD.

I have been re-discovering in the last few years many old vinyl Disco Records as far as sound Fidelity goes.

The original Love and Kisses "I found love..." LP was always a sound system scorcher back in the day, more so now when played in a properly set up modern system.

Another Alex C production that I hardly if ever played in a club but now sounds incredibly interesting as a sound reference piece goes (great Lp too) is the "Golden Tears" Album by Sumeria, my original vinyl copy is on the French Raal label out of France, the instruments here float all around you, the sound stage is incredible.

If you want to test your modern Sub, pick up Tom Brown's "Fungi Mama" the 12" single on Arista, but be warn, this baby will shake the house and wake up the neighbors and if not careful may blow /crack your driver!! I don't know how they got so much bass in there!!!

I havent played this since the 80's since I can't find my copy, but I remember using Harry Thumann 12" of "Underwater" to fine tune/EQ club sound systems before my sets, other Djs used it as well, but I don't know how good it will sound today in a modern reference system instead of a Disco. I think my copy was also on the Unidisc label.

If you have a SACD player the best reproduction ever of MFSB's "TSOP" and "Love is the message" was recently released on the "Best of the Three Degrees", this SACD is incredible,( and the only one with Disco Tunes ) you can actually close your eyes and distintly hear the girls' different voices floating in front of you like if they were there!!!

Not Disco, but Steely Dan remastered CDs are all great reference sound, From the " Two against Nature" Album check out "My cousin Dupree" I use this to fine tune my car EQ, just excellent, clear super clean recording.

PS: Check out the "Thank God is friday" DVD, at the end you'll find a 5.1 surround sound version of "Last Dance", they did a great job here , including perfect use of the surrounds.

[kdavid13]

DONNA SUMMER's I FEEL LOVE has always been the one I use to test stereo systems.

Another one that does it is PATTIE BROOKS' AFTER DARK especially near the break with the horns & the synth line.

[DJDynasty]

A song I still use to check sub woofer/lows capabilities is
Tomorrows Edition - You Turn Me On
The first 2 minutes have really deep kicks in the bar sets.

[Disco Funk]

Originally Posted by TONY STAR

Disco to me was when the first techno background undertones and fullness became a big thing in music production. Almost like the Big Band Era where there was full instrumentation. Problem with that (Big Bands of the 30’s and 40’) is again they did not have the sophisticated sound systems of today.

If you're talking about the sound quality and richness of the instruments, that certainly did improve during the course of the disco era. There were some studios out there, like Abbey Road in London, where the sound was already really great and full, but disco music and it's bass sound pushed the technical aspect even further. If you listen to the early Philly stuff, for example, you'll hear how it changes from slightly flat to a wide, full sound. I think that was due to the upgrades in the Sigma Sound studios to accomodate a bigger sound. You can even see how the changing sound affected a producer like Van McCoy just by listening to his productions from '74 versus the ones from the following year and onward. The Finger Pointers album by The Choice Four, which he produced in '74, sounds very flat and tinny. No matter how much you try to boost the bass with an equalizer, the sound is still the same. But then in '75, on the David Ruffin 'Who I Am' album, the sound is significantly magnified. The bass is totally cranked up and the overall sound is much bigger. I'm not sure if it was totally because of a studio upgrade of the recording equipment, a change in the mixing 'strategy', or if the mastering was done by someone with a good ear, like the legendary Jose Rodriguez. But you can probably say that disco really pushed these studios to improve their sound quality to get out the best records.

Disco Funk

Disco Funk

[SandraDee]

Originally Posted by kdavid13

DONNA SUMMER's I FEEL LOVE has always been the one I use to test stereo systems.

I was always fascinated with how different this sounded when you listened to it on headphones.