Marky, et al ... here's my big question : when did the word "disco" first appear in

[remicks]

*****

Billboard magazine ?? There has to be an article ... a review ... somewhere where this term first gets used ..... first appears there in print ... Anyone know already ???

We have to find it !!!


******

[Videoskooter]

I don't know for Billboard but for Rolling Stone it appears to be 13th of September 1973 in an article titled "Discotheque Rock '72: Paaaaaarty!" written by Vince Aletti!

From Wikipedia:

Role of producers and DJs

Disco has its musical roots in late 1960s soul, especially the Philly and New York soul, both of which were evolutions of the Motown sound. The Philly Sound is typified by lavish percussion, which became a prominent part of mid-1970s disco songs. Music with proto-"disco" elements appeared in the late 1960s, with "Tighten Up" and "Mony, Mony," "Dance to the Music," "Love Child" . Two early songs with disco elements include Jerry Butler’s 1969 "Only the Strong Survive"[1] and Manu Dibango's 1972 "Soul Makossa" . The term disco was first used in print in an article by Vince Aletti in the September 13th 1973 edition of Rolling Stone Magazine titled "Discotheque Rock '72: Paaaaarty!"[2]

The early "disco" sound was influenced by prolific European dance track producers such as Giorgio Moroder and Jean-Marc Cerrone, who recorded danceable songs for the dance club scene. Moroder, whom Allmusic.com calls "one of the principal architects of the disco sound". was the Italian producer, keyboardist, and composer who produced many songs by singer Donna Summer, included the 1975 hit "Love to Love You Baby", a 17 minute-long song with a "shimmering sound and sensual attitude [which was widely]... copied in the years to follow."[2] Along with Moroder, one of the other influential European disco producers in the 1970s and early 1980s was the French producer Jean-Marc Cerrone. [3]

The disco sound was also shaped by nightclub DJs such as Francis Grasso, who used multiple record players to "seamlessly mix tracks" from genres such as soul, funk, and danceable pop at discotheques. DJs and remixers would often remix (i.e., re-edit) existing songs using reel to reel tape machines. Their remixed versions would add in percussion breaks, new sections, and new sounds. Influential DJs and remixers who helped to establish what became known as the "disco sound" included David Mancuso, Tom Moulton, Nicky Siano, Shep Pettibone, Larry Levan, Walter Gibbons, and New York Born Chicago "Godfather of House" Frankie Knuckles. [4]

[edit] Chart topping songs

The Hues Corporation's 1974 "Rock The Boat," a U.S. #1 single and million-seller, was one of the early disco songs to hit #1. Other chart-topping songs included "Love's Theme" by Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra, a chart-topper from earlier in 1974, to be the first to have achieved that distinction. Also in 1974, Gloria Gaynor released the first side-long disco mix vinyl album, which included a remake of The Jackson 5's "Never Can Say Goodbye" and two other songs, "Honey Bee" and "Reach Out (I'll Be There)."

The Bee Gees used Barry Gibb's falsetto to garner hits such as "You Should Be Dancing". In 1975, hits such as Van McCoy's "The Hustle" and Donna Summer's "Love to Love You, Baby" and "Could It Be Magic", brought disco further into the mainstream. Other notable early disco hits include The Jackson 5’s "Dancing Machine" (1974), Barry White’s "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" (1974), LaBelle’s "Lady Marmalade" (1974), The Four Seasons’ "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" (1975), Silver Convention’s "Fly Robin Fly" (1975), and The Bee Gees’ "Jive Talkin'" (1975).

Prominent European pop and disco groups were Luv' from the Netherlands and Boney M, a group of four West Indian singers and dancers masterminded by West German record producer Frank Farian. Boney M charted worldwide hits with such songs as "Daddy Cool", "Ma Baker" and "Rivers of Babylon." All three charted in the U.S.. In France, Dalida released "J'attendrai," which became a big hit in Canada and Japan.

So, Remmy, it seems that Jerry Butler and Manu Dibango were the original Disco men?????

[remicks]

Originally Posted by Videoskooter

I don't know for Billboard but for Rolling Stone it appears to be 13th of September 1973 in an article titled "Discotheque Rock '72: Paaaaaarty!" written by Vince Aletti!

Thank you Skooter .
I'd like to read that article. Is the word "disco" used?? Or "discotheque rock " I wonder ??
I'm more curious about Billboard as the trade magazine and when they first began attributing the term "disco" to certain songs . There had to have been a day .... a certain issue ... when it happened .....


THE SEARCH BEGINS !!!!



*****

[garrybcoston]

You guys have got your work cut out for you; you've got to research and scan all the issues covering dance music "back in the day" to see when the word disco first appeared. Good luck!

Garry

[garrybcoston]

Originally Posted by remicks

Thank you Skooter .
I'd like to read that article. Is the word "disco" used?? Or "discotheque rock " I wonder ??
I'm more curious about Billboard as the trade magazine and when they first began attributing the term "disco" to certain songs . There had to have been a day .... a certain issue ... when it happened .....


THE SEARCH BEGINS !!!!



*****

Remeber the old disco charts in Billboard? You may want to go back and check around the time they first started using the billboard disco charts for ranking disco songs; this went on by the way well into 1980 before they discontinued it.

Garry

[remicks]

Originally Posted by garrybcoston

Remeber the old disco charts in Billboard? You may want to go back and check around the time they first started using the billboard disco charts for ranking disco songs;

Garry

Sure do Garry !

Here's Tom's first column that accompanied that first chart as printed in the October 26 1974 issue as per markydefad's Consensus thread.


Club Dialogue by Tom Moulton
10/26/74

(New York City)

GLORIA GAYNOR'S "NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE" is still the top record in the discos and has been for five weeks.

"YOU LITTLE TRUSTMAKER" by THE TYMES.
This is the original version; stronger lead singer, female back-up group, hotter mix. DJ's have been trying to obtain this version but it is not available commercially, although some disco DJ's have obtained copies of this version which has jumped into their top 10 within the past for weeks.

FREE SPIRIT'S "JUST AS LONG AS I CAN"
(Disco mix; longer and faster is available from Chess/Janus only as a special promotional copy because the disco version was released after the shorter commercial copies were released. Chess/Janus feels the commercial copies should be sold before the Disco version is released commercially.

Roulette Records has made a test pressing of the Disco-mix of "YOUR LOVE" by THE MOMENT OF TRUTH (slower,original tempo and much longer than the commercial one released several months ago, which was not played in the discos). The DJ's who have it love it and play it; hopefully it will become commercially available soon.



You'll notice Tom's quite comfortable with the word "disco" using it seven times in various ways .

So the search begins here and works backwards ...




*****

[remicks]

*****

No one here has old Billboards .....or access to them ??


Well I happen to know where they can be viewed ....at the SFSU library in San Francisco.

I'm heading that way the end of the month ....and although being in the library isn't my number one choice of places to be while in the city ... I'm curious enough to hopefully find the time ....


*****