Costandinos/Cerrone relationship (in four tracks)

[marc0]

Originally Posted by DJ Jimmy M

Video: Ya misunderstood, I wasnt gonna place a sample up of the Paris Connection thing..was just mentioning that If someone would give me somewhere to host a file, I will post a megamix that shows about all this stuff...but with nowhere to host a file..i cant post shit :lol:

"edited", give your username and share only one file, the one you're talking about.

[DJ Jimmy M]

email me at clubdisco1979@yahoo.com

[marc0]

As soon as the lady downstair leaves for work, Ill crank up the Logitech Z-2200 (subwoofer is way too strong for her) and listen to that cut.

[DJ Jimmy M]

If theres a way you know how to post that file here that would be good for this thread Let me know what ya thought of it and also, how obvious it was that Costandinos did many things to prove he was behind the tracks of "C Minor"? lol, that megamix uncovers all and stands it all out.

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Originally Posted by Marcio**

Alec R. Costandinos & Cerrone worked together until 1975, but nobody knows what really happened...

Although it's been awhile since the nonsense of this thread was posted, I'll ask anyone currently stumbling across it, to ignore it, in it's entirety. French Disco had far too powerful an effect on Disco music, as a whole, to be remembered in such distorted and fabricated ways. Here are some actual FACTS...

Prior to 1976's "Love In C-Minor", Alec and Cerrone were only associated together on the first KONGAS L.P., in 1974, for Barclay. (Remixed by Salsoul in 1978, as an inexpensive way to cash-in on the French Disco craze. Since they licensed it from Barclay, and not Cerrone.) Cerrone was a founding member of 'Kongas', where Alec (Credited as writer under the name R. Rupens... Then as Alec R. Costandinos, on the Salsoul release...) wrote lyrics for 3 tracks. None of which were co-written by Cerrone. Any collaberations between the two, whether real or imagined, was probably due to Alec's having been under contract, as an artist and writer, with Barclay, for about 10 years, at that point.

Also, the original 'Kongas' line-up never recorded together again. Most of the band, who did the actual song-writing, split-off to form 'Kikrokos'. Which had absolutely no creative connection with Malligator. (And if you read their LP's liner notes and credits carefully, they make that point very clear.) The 'Kongas' that recorded the "Why Can't We Live Together" 12-inch and the 'Africanism' LP, consisted mainly of the established stable of French studio musicians, credited on the back of everything at that time, by Cerrone, Alec, Don Ray, Alan Hawkshaw, etc...

CERRONE "Love In C-Minor": Was recorded in Sept & Oct. of 1976. It was originally "A Cerrone Production", as Malligator Productions DID NOT exist, until AFTER the original UK release, on Atlantic Records. All subsequent releases were credited as 'Malligator Productions'.

KONGAS "Dr. Doo-Dah": Written by Cerrone and Don Ray. Not Costandinos.

LOVE & KISSES "I Found Love...": The original pre-release was an edited single version of "Accidental Lover" (on both sides), on Barclay, in March of 1977. Produced by Alec for his company, Rei-Vera Productions. Which, as an independent label in the UK, and licensed as a susidiary of Barclay in France, simultaneoulsy released the complete L.P. in April of 1977. Casablanca signed and released the LP in July of 1977. (after Costandinos had already completed and released 'Sphinx' & 'Sumeria', in the UK on RAAL, and France on RAAL/Polydor. His US releases were done out of order.)

REVELATION's "House of The Rising Sun": Santa Esmerelda's version was recorded & released in the summer of 1977. And arranged by Jean Claude Petit, as an obvious follow-up to "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"(arranged by Don Ray), from very early in the year. Revelation's version was recorded in Nov. & Dec. of 1977 (months after Santa Esmerelda's), arranged by Don Ray, and faithfully duplicates Jean Claude's imitation of Don Ray's previous work. (This is no big SCANDAL! It's just how pop-music works. When something makes money, you cash-in on it.) As for Cerrone... He had little to do with Revelation's version, outside of paying for the studio time, and Leroy Gomez had nothing to do with either production.

Originally Posted by DJ Jimmy M

Ahh one other Costandinos dig at mr Cerrone that ill mention..on the Paris Connection LP durring apropriatly "You Lost That Loving Feeling" he breaks into the "C Minor" chorus medley in a diff key and if you listen carefuly on headphones you can honestly hear angry breathing/sighing as it comes on..kinda like hes thinkin "take this you mutha" LOL.

Okay, this one really cracks me up! It's completely bizarre BS. Alec sang none of the vocals on the "Paris Connection" LP! (Although, had he recorded this as a 'Love & Kisses' LP, with Alec, Sue, Sunny, Stephanie and Joanne doing the lead vocals, I believe it would have been hugely successful, in the US!) Much less would he, or Danny Goldschmidt, or Ray Khnenetsky have had their vocalist do "angry breathing/sighing"!

So, for anyone searching for the history of French Disco, I advise you to believe about 10% of what's been posted on the Net, over the years. Even the standard bios that circulate about Alec are all incorrect. And Cerrone??? Well... That's an entire column, in itself. Just compare his accounts of his career, alongside those of the people who did the work for him. You'll find that nothing matches-up.