Sounds in Paris

[JussiK]

I discovered that Charo had a disco record out already in 1976, before her Vince Montana album. The 12” called ”Salsa” kicks off with cuchi-cuchi purring intro and developes into a grooving midtempo chugger with backup singing by what sounds like Sweethearts of Sigma. The flip of the French pressing has Walther Murphy’s A Fifth of Beethoven.

Amanda Lear has her ”I Just Wanna Dance Again” out as a remix. It was great to see her name in billboards along Champs Elysees in Paris, and on the walls of every metro station in the city as she is starring in a new heavily promoted dance film Le Defi. Amanda has been appearing on French tv a lot recently, last week she flashed her legs in a Cannes special. – Going out in Paris is fabulous as the huge Queen now packs them in 3 nights a week for insanely throbbing disco glamoramas. Wall-to-wall sequines, confetti, muscles, Thierry Muglier, Gaultier. The Mecano on hip Rue Oberkampf also spins great disco along with the expected Lemongrass, Costes-que chill, Dimitri house etc. and it was wonderful to walk into The Iguana and hear Donna Summer’s ”Spring Affair” blast thru the massive soundsystem. If only everything wasn’t so bloody expensive in Paris I’d for one go back at any given change.

[SandraDee]

Jussik, I'm trolling off to gay Paris next week & wondered if u would be so good as to tell me the best record shops to get disco material from. I thought I might get records by Revanche & Martin Circus for example as I believe they were both french acts. Thanx in hot aticipation!

[DISCODISK]

a manchester boy going to paris to buy records??? whats wrong with "that beatin rhythm" in tibb street in the northern qtr? the nicest friendliest shop in the whole world!!

[JussiK]

Go to Silly Melodies , Place St. Michel, open 7 days a week, or to the nearby Rue Des Ecoles, Crocodisc. They have 2 stores, one for dance/black/reggae. Prices are very high at the Croco but the selections huge. Also do NOT miss Ecoute Ca Disque behind the Beauboug, Rue Monsier de Duc. This has about the every eurodiva disco track you'll ever want. Amanda Lear pressings from all over the globe, Regine promo material, a whole rackful of Sheila records etc - and the prices are very, very high. Check the phone book for Monster records, I can walk to the location close to the Louvre Carousel metro station but cannot recall the sreet address. Climb upstairs and be prepared to spend 2 hrs min. fingering thru the vinyls. Happy hunting!

[SandraDee]

Thanx 4 that info Jussik, u fab fin!
I'm also going to Marseille & Nice to do some modelling work (not as glam as it sounds!) but I leave soon so I cant ask u if these places have good record shops now.(Boo-hoo)

[JussiK]

Hope you catch this before you go - Black & White store in Nice is pretty amazing, seek it out from the phone book.

[SandraDee]

Just to let u know I'm back & had a wonderful time & found 3 of the shops u mentioned in Paree! Ecoute ca Disque was very camp & I bought Sheila B 'Love Me Baby' & Amanda Lear 'Assassino' (the assistant was very sweet & gave me a signed postcard with Amanda Lear on it!
Samad was alot funkier but I still got El Coco 'Dancing in Paradise' LP & Gregg Diamond Starcruiser LP (including This Side of Midnight which I adore)
Crocodisc was intersting - they had LPs by Macho & Kleeer but not the first ones that I wanted (drat), but I did get the 2nd & 3rd LPs by THP which are excellent. I also got CD compilations including tracks that I've been after like Another Cha Cha by Santa Esmeralda & Perfect Love Affair by Constellation Orchestra.
I also found mall-type shops in Nice & Monte Carlo (but not the one u mentioned unfortunately) where I got 4 Cerrone CDs (2 were good & 2 were naff!) ,one by Geraldine Hunt & a Prelude CD mixed by DJ Kheops.
I didnt find Monster after trolling round the Louvre vacinity but it probably saved me money! (u r right- it is expensive). My boyfriend was getting fed up with my disco record obsession by this point too!
So thanks alot 4 making my visit to Paris so much more enjoyable!

[JussiK]

You're welcome. Now dish out your previously unavailable best kept secret info on London vinyl stores as I'm going next week!

[SandraDee]

Because I currently reside in the north of England I dont get to London Town very often at the moment but when I've gone vinyl hunting in recent years in London I found Reckless Records very fruitful. They have 3 shops that I know of & they are in Berwick Street, Soho & St.Albans Place, Islington Green.(there are 2 shops next to each other in Soho- one is for dance & the other for rock so make sure u get the right one!).
I believe there are good vinyl sources in some of the more suburban outlying areas of London but I tend to just stay in central London where the Reckless shops are.
If u r looking 4 CDs, Tower records in Picadilly Circus in the heart of the Westend always used to have a good choice of disco material downstairs.
Sorry my info is limited but I'm sure u will find shops that I dont know about!
BTW, I have heard that Madame JoJos nightclub in Soho play classic disco & funk on Friday nights but this might have changed by now as London's club scene is notoriously ever-changing.
Hope u have a fab time in our capital & find lots of interesting things!
Sorry I cant be of more help