Disco Definition

[Forrrce]

This may have been done already, but I'd like to know what your Definitive Disco records are. They don't have to be your favourites (my choices aren't 'the ultimate', but absolutely everything about them encapsulates my experience of the Disco spirit). It may be about a time or a place, or just enjoyment - whatever. They don't have to be the greatest records ever made, either, but define Disco - let's know why these records are important, not just good.

Maybe it's not the time for long lists - there could be a lot of overlapping - maybe a couple or so titles? Three such milestones for me are:

Diana Ross 'Love Hangover' - sure, cheese and all the rest of it, but it defines a style and purpose of Disco for me in every way - it's sexy, moody and has the groove.

Chain Reaction 'Dance Freak' - rough, tough and soulful ghetto disco that is just unique. A must for any layman's guide...

MFSB 'T.S.O.P.' - Still charges me up nearly 30 years later - musical sunshine. A very important part of my growing up.

[efunk_adelic]

Originally Posted by Forrrce

I'd like to know what your Definitive Disco records are. They don't have to be your favourites (my choices aren't 'the ultimate', but absolutely everything about them encapsulates my experience of the Disco spirit). It may be about a time or a place, or just enjoyment - whatever. They don't have to be the greatest records ever made, either, but define Disco - let's know why these records are important, not just good.

Well you beat me to the punch this time Forrrce, I was thinking about starting a thread like this to get to know everyone a little better. :D Everyone of these tracks mentioned here I had to get my mother to take me to the record store as soon as possible... or I thought I was gonna just die. :P

Fred Wesley & The JB's - Doing It To Death (People 621) '73
This is just one of many records by James Brown that started a lot of record buying. It has everything I want. Funky Groove, Killer Bassline.


Ohio Players - Skin Tight (Mercury 73609) '74
This was my favorite song for at least 1 year. Couldn't go a day without hearing it. A very big part of my growing up. I bought as many of their LP's as I could. A disc-jockey that still plays in San Diego remembers me just because of this song. lol


George McCrae - Rock Your Baby (TK 1004) '74
A fresh new sound with a mellow mood to it & a disco beat! How could you not like this record when it first came out?

Brass Construction - Movin' (United Artists 775) '76
This song as stood the test of time for me. I bought the single first. I like the bassline on the 7" better than the LP and the edit was done classy. Then when I saved up money to buy the LP after I heard the second single on "Soul Train" wow!!! 5 more minutes of funk! Gees!! This is in my top 3 disco songs of all time.

Cerrone - Love In C Minor (Cotillion 44215) '77
If it wasn't for "American Top 40" show by Kasey Casem... I would have not known about Cerrone until later. It has everything in a song I like, funky bass, kongas that change throughout the song, symphonic... I can go on and on.


Marvin Gaye - Got To Give It Up (Tamla 54280) '77
This was the first song I liked that was longer than 10 minutes... I normally get bored with long versions... but not this one. He keeps finding a way to keep you interested and feeling good throughout the song. Gosh!! what a record!!!

[QUINNY]

Oh Forrrce, where to begin?
BTW: interesting to see Chain Reaction as one of your picks. It was a shame that the pressing and production was of such a poor quality, but I agree that the earthiness of the track is something that was rarely encountered elsewhere and it had a certain something. I always associate Gordon's War 'The Rock is Gonna Get You/ Fan The Flame with it too. Were they both on S.O.N.Y., I can't remember?
Lock your knees and rock,
everybody dance, with the dance freak.....perhaps they should have been joined somehow?
sweet memories of both.

Anyhooooos, here's mine.

Fatback Band - (Are You Ready) Do the Bus Stop - I'd just come back from 20 months DJing in Spain and I first heard this at Bath University, when on my first night out, tagging along with The Jess Roden Band who were palying a gig there. This came on and the combination of the groove, the speed that I'd popped and the pleasure of seeing some old mates put on a brilliant show earlier, just combined to totally blow me away. I wanted to cry; it was so damned good and funky.

Players Association - Disco Inferno - Of all the 'Disco' records between '77 - '79, this probably gave me the most pleasure. The way the trumpet soloist blows his guts out, the vocals that sounded so joyous and the overall feel just made me feel absolutely exhilarated and glad to be a DJ. I was being paid to have a bloody good time with records like this to give me an instant fix. Luckily, the punters loved it too. What's more, it was a way of sticking it to the part time (Saturday Night Fever) clubbers who'd request "Disco Inferno". Perfecto!!!!!

Michael Jackson - Thriller - Not the hippest record to like I know, but I gladly played this track more than any other in my 15 club DJ years. Whether or not you like it, are absolutely fed up with it or whatever, I just think it was an incredible piece of 'pop' music. It had everything and most importantly, it had to be played from beginning to absolute end. There were very few records I wanted to hear for more than 4 minutes, once I'd played them say 50 times, but this just didn't get my back up at all. As Marky might say..."go figure".

[discodoc]

Growing up in the 80's (otherwise known as the "disco sucks" era), whenever anyone wanted to mock disco or the 70's fashions, I remember them imitating that odd sound from "Ring My Bell." I can't describe or spell out the sound, but I think you know the one I mean. It was like a pulse every fourth beat.

[markydefad]

We've referred to that sound in "Ring My Bell" as a "PING" in the past. Hope that helps. :lol:

[Giovanni]

Originally Posted by QUINNY

Gordon's War 'The Rock is Gonna Get You/ Fan The Flame with it too. Were they both on S.O.N.Y., I can't remember?

GORDON's WAR is on Stan Jay Records (SJ-001)

[QUINNY]

Giovanni: Thanx for the info. I knew someone would know. Gordon's War was an absolute monster record in London, even bigger than Chain Reaction at the time. I think I may have bought them at about the same time, but as always my memory is pretty awful.