The most difficult disco record to find?

[@logg@]

One record i had the hardest time tracking down was Masterforce Hey Girl // Don't Fight The Feeling on 12.I had just bought the 45 on ebay back in May and about a week later i made a deal to trade a Ronnie McNeir 45 for a Boogie 12".To make a long story short record dealer friend of mine in L.A. needed a copy of the record i had just traded for to send to Japan.I said sure if you can get me a Masterforce 12 no problem.A week later i had it for a 45 i paid $5 Canadian for!

[riddergeert]

Just found a 12 inch I've been searchin' for for ages today! It's Natasha King's 'AM-FM' from 1983. Got the song in an MP3 version some time ago, but there's nothing like the real thing. Also found Crown Height Affair's 'You Gave Me Love' and The Richie Family's 'Give Me A Break', both on 12 inch as well. All in all a good day in town.

[Leatherman]

I think there is a golden period when you first start getting into a specific kind of music. You will start with only a small collection and little knowledge but by picking up tips from other collectors, taking a few chances etc, you will aquire lots of really good old records quite quickly - sometimes pretty cheap.

However, if you keep collecting there comes a point when you have got most of the obvious good ones. The only thing to do is to dig a bit deeper - try and unearth some unknown obscuty that has been missed by most. Unfortunately, the hit rate will go down the longer you keep searching and the chances of finding something brilliant becomes very low.

Then you can start putting all your effort into getting original issues - 12" promo only pressings of records you already own in some form. That is when it's gets really pointless, erm ...I mean interesting!

[Rab]

However, if you keep collecting there comes a point when you have got most of the obvious good ones. The only thing to do is to dig a bit deeper - try and unearth some unknown obscuty that has been missed by most. Unfortunately, the hit rate will go down the longer you keep searching and the chances of finding something brilliant becomes very low.

But isn't it interesting to realize, just when you think you have heard everything, you go out to a club, hear a spectacular song, and you can tell just by the sound and tempo that it probably came from the late 1970's, and then realize this song your listening to does in fact come from the late 1970's, you just never heard it before....doesn't this blow your mind? I have heard so much music, and used to go out clubing so much, it amazes me when I hear something and another collector will say to me, "you mean..."YOU have never heard this song before??"

[miles mayhem]

Originally Posted by Rab

But isn't it interesting to realize, just when you think you have heard everything, you go out to a club, hear a spectacular song, and you can tell just by the sound and tempo that it probably came from the late 1970's, and then realize this song your listening to does in fact come from the late 1970's, you just never heard it before....doesn't this blow your mind? I have heard so much music, and used to go out clubing so much, it amazes me when I hear something and another collector will say to me, "you mean..."YOU have never heard this song before??"

and that is the joy of it!

[Leatherman]

Originally Posted by Rab

But isn't it interesting to realize, just when you think you have heard everything, you go out to a club, hear a spectacular song, and you can tell just by the sound and tempo that it probably came from the late 1970's, and then realize this song your listening to does in fact come from the late 1970's, you just never heard it before....doesn't this blow your mind? I have heard so much music, and used to go out clubing so much, it amazes me when I hear something and another collector will say to me, "you mean..."YOU have never heard this song before??"

Yeah, but it doesn't happen very often, maybe once a year if you are lucky. And the record won't be another "Stomp" or "Let no man put us under" more just a pretty decent disco record that sounds very similiar to a few thousand you already own.

Don't get me worng i'm still buying the old stuff, but I'm realistic about the fact I'm stamp collecting half the time.

[ackneyladd]

From experience the hardest 12"s in terms of how many were pressed and what you would pay for them would be Hiptonic- Are you Lonely Canadian Street Level 12"
Ethel Beatty -It's your Love Uno Melodic 12"
Family Tree/Skye 12" Anada records
Blair- Nightlife 12" Solar sounds
Gary Davis - 8 Track Ep-Chocolate Star records
Panache - Sweet Music Roche Records 12"
There are many more...I have a copy of the Blair, Gary Davis and Panache 12"s and none of these were cheap but the thing these 12"s have in common was they bombed on release but to my ears they were well ahead of their time in terms of production.

[Leatherman]

Originally Posted by ackneyladd

From experience the hardest 12"s in terms of how many were pressed and what you would pay for them would be Hiptonic- Are you Lonely Canadian Street Level 12"
Ethel Beatty -It's your Love Uno Melodic 12"
Family Tree/Skye 12" Anada records
Blair- Nightlife 12" Solar sounds
Gary Davis - 8 Track Ep-Chocolate Star records
Panache - Sweet Music Roche Records 12"
There are many more...I have a copy of the Blair, Gary Davis and Panache 12"s and none of these were cheap but the thing these 12"s have in common was they bombed on release but to my ears they were well ahead of their time in terms of production.

All of the tracks you mention apart from Blair and Hypnotic have been re-pressed on 12" in very similiar packaging, so I wouldn't go spending big money on them.

I wouldn't say any of these are particularly "ahead of their time". The reason they are rare is because they are on very small labels and probably received very little promotion/exposure. Also, I think the distribution must have been very poor.

Canadian records (like Hypnotic) often didn't get overseas as much.

Where as Ethel Beatty is just a typically good Roy Ayers production. It would have done well at the time if it had been heard. I'm sure there must be a straight forward explantation - like Uno Melodic were between distributors or winding down when it came out.

IMO Records that were ahead of their time that are sought after

Sharavani "A Number on Names"
Sun Palace "Rude Movements"
Black Devel "Disco Club"

[Forrrce]

Originally Posted by ackneyladd

From experience the hardest 12"s in terms of how many were pressed and what you would pay for them would be Hiptonic- Are you Lonely Canadian Street Level 12"
Ethel Beatty -It's your Love Uno Melodic 12"
Family Tree/Skye 12" Anada records
Blair- Nightlife 12" Solar sounds
Gary Davis - 8 Track Ep-Chocolate Star records
Panache - Sweet Music Roche Records 12"
There are many more...I have a copy of the Blair, Gary Davis and Panache 12"s and none of these were cheap but the thing these 12"s have in common was they bombed on release but to my ears they were well ahead of their time in terms of production.

That's just a rogues' gallery of notorious eBay records - ahead of their time in what way? The Gary Davis sounds like it was recorded in an outhouse. Ethel Beatty would have bombed, even if it had gotten plays as a new release.
Nothing progressive about Panache. 'Family Tree' isn't particularly special (just rare :roll: )...

The music world clearly survived without the above.

[MUSIQMAN]

Originally Posted by Rab

What is the most hard to find disco record for avid collectors? I have wanted to own a 12" of "Whistle Bump" by Deodato for the longest time. So few on ebay, and seems when this song was out way back when nobody really liked it that much?

I know you're an avid vinyl collector but "Whistle Bump" by Deodato is available on the following cd comps. Here are the links if interested...

Club Floor Classics

Mastercuts: Classic Jazz-Funk V.4

Disco Connection

Peace.

[Rab]

Originally Posted by MUSIQMAN

I know you're an avid vinyl collector but "Whistle Bump" by Deodato is available on the following cd comps. Here are the links if interested...

Club Floor Classics

Mastercuts: Classic Jazz-Funk V.4

Thanks for the info, actually I have the Club Floor Classics CD, which was what initially inspired me to send this post. The CD version is the 12" version, which was hard to find. The advantage of the vinyl is for mixing purposes as well the nostalgic purpose of owning an original 12" copy from 1978. Since I sent this initial post which was awhile ago, I did acquire an original copy from 1978 on the Warner Bros label, as well as a cheap repress which sounds fine as well. I already had the version on the LP which is only about 4 minutes long. Again, buying into the previous idea of when record collecting becomes addictive. To say I love this record enough to pay the big bucks on ebay to own it is questionable. But at the time I couldn't find the repress either.

Peace.

[maarten]

My one and only hard to find is Jeffrey Lake Group with Stark Naked. This was a double A sided record, with Stark Naked on the AA side...

The Jeffrey Lake Group was actually Belgium, and the record didn't do much outside Europe as far as I know... and even here it is rather unknown.

I have put this record on my wish list in virtually all websites I know where you can ad these kind of lists.

[Kimeesha]

For me the most difficult record to find is "I Am Woman" by ...I think Jessica Williams? This song was sung on the movie "Trick" with Tori Spelling. I'm not much of a feminist, but this version of the song was wonderful! Not even sure if it ever existed on vinyl...everybody I asked, is not familiar with it....

[StuckIn1979]

Originally Posted by Kimeesha

For me the most difficult record to find is "I Am Woman" by ...I think Jessica Williams? This song was sung on the movie "Trick" with Tori Spelling. I'm not much of a feminist, but this version of the song was wonderful! Not even sure if it ever existed on vinyl...everybody I asked, is not familiar with it....

I just saw the movie Trick. The remake of I Am Woman is excellent.

[Kimeesha]

I have 2 new real hard to find items. Barbara Pennington's 24-hours a day, and Janice McClain's Smack Dab In the Middle. I think it is going to the point where even if one is lucky enough to find a copy, what kind of condition will they be in?