Why Is Eurodisco Hated?

[JussiK]

That top 100 euro tunes list seems to be all 80's italodisco or 90's or recent handbag. No disco with capital D. And Bernie let me just ask this quick question in Finnish to Kimmo who put it together: mikä systeemi toi itse asiassa on, mikä äänestys ja missä :-) ?

[euroflash]

hi Jussik,

I can't read Finnish but will pass it along to Kimmo... These are Euro Disco songs, please dont' confuse it with Italo Disco all 80's, it is not the same, and there is nothing in the list from the 90's.

As you probably noticed, all letters are CAPITALIZED, regardless of the genre, or presumed redeeming musical value: Disco, Hi Nrg, Italo Disco... heck, Blue Grass :)

[dhwm]

I'll keep it simple; I LOVE EURODISCO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NickNack]

Amazing how many times the board ends up discussing, whether it wants to or not, or even realizes it, WHAT IS DISCO? This time around, it's 'WHAT IS EURO-DISCO' and 'WHAT IS CLASSIC DISCO'. Whatever it is, I'm pretty sure it doesn't mean the same thing on this side of the Atlantic. No, let me tighten up that last statement --- this side of the Atlantic in the USA. How do I know? Because if that Top 100 is really it, then I wasn't dancing to ANY OF IT! I recognize less than five artists on that list. Of that five, two were no great shakes, IMO.

Quinny and others found the 130+bpm's boring and/or 'white' sounding. He relates this to 'Classic or Euro-Disco'. NRGbeat, OTOH, feels the 'Philly' & 'Motown' sounds hold the 'classic' title and sees nothing 'white' about it.

So, as we continue to beat each other over the head as to what it is and why we hate it, we're just (sorry, can't help the musical reference) GOING IN CIRCLES.

I'll just say this --- I love Euro-Disco. And for me, that means I love CERRONE, COSTANDINOS, MIDNEY, VOYAGE and all sounds similar. Why is this my Euro-Disco? Because, as an American dj I was buying these EUROPEAN IMPORTS to play for the crowds. :lol: Seems simple enough to me. :lol:

[QUINNY]

Nick Nack: What you write is interesting. Yes we do beat up on each other rather too much, but a world in which everyone agreed with everyone else would be the most boring place, don't you think? The polarisation of opinion is essential if any meaningful discussion is to take place. The trouble is too many take offence and fly off the handle too easily, quite often when they mis-interpret what someone has written (I've been guilty of this, but I'm trying hard to overcome it).
The list of 100 EURO greats is completely foreign to me too, so I've assumed it is a list of more contemporary titles. Otherwise it's ultra hip people re-writing history to suit their narrow interests, so far as I am concerned.
There again too many posters just type lists with little explanation and then never return to enlighten us further. That's another reason why we're almost certain to end up beating up on each other. WILL IT GO ROUND IN CIRCLES? Billy Preston? CIRCLES - Atlantic Starr? I don't know. :)

[NickNack]

Quinny: GOING IN CIRCLES -- FRIENDS OF DISTINCTION, my man. :) And I agree, I have no problems with the differences of opinion --- it's the childish arguments that always seem to follow. I think all of us at one time or another have been guilty but that's human nature at work. I just don't want Bernie to feel he has to move from Administrator to 'School Marm'. We all should know better.

As for all these lists... I think they're quite boring ---rare, obscure or otherwise. There's 100 pieces of music noted above that NO ONE has discussed. No insight as to era, sound, background on artists, producers, NOTHING. Just a compilation of unknowns to me, but supposedly THE DISCO LIST to others. Who are the others? Where did they party? Were these songs club favorites and who participated in helping Kimmo Salo (another name I don't know) make the list? I thought these songs might have been overseas favorites but you don't know them, Jussi has rebuked the list and no one else has spoken up one way or the other. So what is the point? I could snatch another '100 one-shots' off my shelves and say, hey guys, this is THE LIST. If I don't elaborate and no one else knows them, who gives a damn?

:x Sorry, getting worked up. My point is, I like coming here to learn about different music. I can't do that with the minimal information given in all these lists. Conversations with others on the board about what they've heard, what they've purchased, what they've found, and yes, what they like that I can't stand, now that I can get involved in.

[Bernie]

Nicky,

Your comments about all these list postings with no meat in them is something I completely agree with. Glad you brought it up.

I'm all for discovering rare tracks that I may have passed by, but I need something to get me interested in them since I can't hear them, see the credits or phsyically play them on the forum.

I've meant to ask "Wow" in particular if he could elaborate on his lists of "rare grooves" by listing the producer, describing the sound - it sounds similar to..., but I haven't gotten around to it.

One person who does a nice job with his lists is "Sirius" because he goes out of his way to give some background on the tracks. It's that little extra morsel of info that may get someone curious enough to go and find the track or continue a good discussion on it. In other words, don't be surprised if no one bothers replies to your posts of "just" lists of tracks.

[euroflash]

It is very nice to read your "TOP 100 Euro list" follow up postings, regardless of your slight negativity and critique of its musical value. I personally feel that your mild irritation is caused by the differences in how different generations used to define Euro Disco. We simply speaking from different perspectives, and it makes neither party wrong.

For an American DJ of the 70's Cerrone is most appropriately would fall into "Euro (means import)" Disco category, and for a European fan of the 80's Cerrone's style is simply Disco music from the 70's. In the realm of 70's DJs or fans, that harshly critiqued list of TOP 100 Essential Euro Disco records is something of a nuisance, and rightfully so. It means "what?" to most of you, and I really doubt if any given credits etc. would get you INTERESTED in them. If you still want to pursue it and expand your "Disco horizons", there are numerous Euro/Italo Disco 80's sites, may be not as interesting as this one, but nonetheless informative.

Kimmo Salo - a Finnish fan, a dedicated collector and my personal friend, is well known in Italo/Euro Disco circles of the 80's generation, and he is to many of us who were 18 in early 80's "80's kids", like Vince Di Giorgio for the Disco generation of the 70's.

As for that list – I participated in the poll also. I have to admit, to my regret, some of my favorite pieces did not “get in”, and I agree, some of the songs to my taste are quite unremarkable. Some others are excellent and sound very fresh, even 15 years later: for example:
CLOSED - LIVING IN YOUR EYES, DON DISCO, SPAIN
MR. FREAKY - OUT OF MY MIND, CHAMPAGNE, SWITZERLAND
DAVID LYME - BAMBINA, MAX, SPAIN
TALKIN' FOG - WAIT BABY WAIT, ZYX, produced by Cay Hume
CLIFF TURNER - MOONLIGHT AFFAIR produced by Axel Breitung (Silent Circle)

Anyone who wants to hear it - please email me

No attempts were made to re-write the Disco history, it is just a different take from another realm of Disco, from a perspective of the next generation. Since this section of the chat board is dedicated to Euro/Italo Disco/ HiNrg, I thought is quite appropriate to post it. I wish that this chat board will not became an Elitest "country club" for "70th disco members-only" In any case, nothing would be wrong with that either...

[NickNack]

Hey Euroflash,

Now that's what I'm talking about. :) There's INFORMATION in your last post that helps me understand where your list is coming from. Reading the list before and knowing nothing about you, Kimmo or the era of the music left me absolutely nowhere. Now I know it's 80's and the dance generation you relate to. Believe me, my "slightly negative post" was not about the music. Couldn't be because I don't know the majority of it. It was about the fact that the list was, well, just a list.

And BTW --- NO ONE HERE wants a 70's only disco-members board... elitist or otherwise. So, "Welcome", and that's sincere, and let us have it once in a while. Just put some meat into it! :D

[JussiK]

I'd still claim that top 100 euro list is filled mostly with titles djs always like to include for the sake of obscurity - hand on your heart Euroflash I'm right or what?!:-)
I used to drag home - and on to dj booths - bagfuls of euro/italodisco vinyls for the better part of the 80's and apart from the odd scattered Lian Ross there, a Fancy here or a "Fotonovella" by Ivan very few of the titles ring any kind of bell. Mind you I'm far from a connoiseur when it comes to 80's music but I find it strange Les Rita Mitsouko isn't included. Nor can I see Silver Pozzoli anywhere - or "Tarzan Boy" or "Vamos A La Playa" by Righeira, records that made punters jump from The Palladium in New York to The Amnesia in Milano. This is why I'm pretty certain the list is made of records the deejays themselves liked best, not necessarily faves of the dancing public. But then again, this same accusation was pointed towards many a Billboard list during the late 70's...

[nrgbeat]

I like Silver Pozzoli's song "From Me To You".

It's a midtempo (115 bpm) morning music styled song from the 80's with a great trumpet riff.

[Masdefi]

Hey folks! What a long thread for eurodisco. I think we have to judge for what eurodisco made in the last 20 years. Actually eurodisco is over, don't you agree? If I think about Righeira, Dan Harrow, Gary Low, Gazebo, Mike francis, all of them now where are? Eurodisco was a phenomena, just for some years, but then the inspiration is suddenly finished.
I regret to say this... but if we talk so much about eurodisco... so this means the fact has been important!! :lol:
BTW which country was more successful in eurodisco?? I think UK. What do you think?
And the worst? Maybe Spain....

[euroflash]

NickNack,

thank you for your reply -- I do feel welcome now :D --thanks to your nice words...

Nor can I see Silver Pozzoli anywhere - or "Tarzan Boy" or "Vamos A La Playa" by Righeira

Jussik, and, once again, this is disco semantics. Silvio Pozzoli, Baltimora and Righeira belong to ITALO-Disco and would not be found in EURO disco list. Italo - Disco stands apart. Why? I cannot really say exactly. Italy seems to be still in Europe, the last time I checked. However, italo-disco is considered a different style of Disco among the fans.

I also agree with you about obscurity and "personal DJ favs" of some tracks on the list. I have to add that some of them were not even discovered until the late 90's :roll: by most of the fans. Example - CASANOVA "Tutti Quanti" - while it is a great collector's record and a nice song, at 102 bpm it was a sure thing to clear the dance floor in 30 seconds flat...

Masdefi, I agree with you - Euro/Italo Disco is dead as a doornail. While it was a very interesting musical phenomena in the 80's, unfortunately, it left 99% of the potential listeners cold or completely indifferent ( while touching deeply a few of us.) I feel that it was important, and personally to me it is still very important. I just recently mixed a program for a fashion show, 100% made of Italo-Disco (110 bmp on a major key) - people were going nuts!! The audience really liked the sound of it, and every model asked for a tape :lol: May be there is something to it, after all???

Thanks for readin'

[JussiK]

The euro and indeed Italo phenomenon - interesting to be reminded there is a clear division - have naturally ridden on crests of waves of musical fashion and have therefore just like any other genre often been victims of tacky stylistic remodellings as fashion changes. But are they really dead as doornails? What is the current pan-euro monster chart topper from Spain THE KETCHUP SONG by Las Ketchup if not pure eurodisco? It comes complete with a cheesy Macarena-style dance craze and the word "disco" is being used by f.ex. the hostesses of MTV as they announce the video. Zigzag your hands in front of you palms down, bend your elbows upwards, throw your arms in the air and strike an Egyptian pose.

[QUINNY]

Jussik: What a can of worms you just opened up? Is it dead, is it alive etc, etc, etc. What is Eurodisco what isn't?
For someone like myself, a european who was never into Eurodisco, nor was really aware of it as a very minor sub genre of disco, until well into the eighties, this has all been very interesting. I never had Change, Cerrone, Constandidos, Midney or any others as Eurodisco acts. In my ignorance, I either liked 'em or I didn't and where they came from was insignificant. The fact that I generally had very little time for them says something I guess, but I wouldn't dismiss them out of sight just because they were Eurodisco. I simply didn't label them and nor did anyone else in the UK (so far as I am aware), until well into the '80s.
Back in the '80s when the term Eurodisco was first bandied about, most of the product seemed to be Italian, and yet now Italo disco is a seperate sub genre too. Where next, in the rush by future generations to uncover even more undiscovered gems. Are we going to see even smaller sub genres in say 10 or 20 years time? One has to ask why have these very distinct, very rigid definitions sprung up and when? They certainly didn't exist to any degree back in the day. The first definitive sub genre that existed outside mainstream disco for me was Northern Soul, the next High Energy some 12 years later, both of which made a small but significant dent into mainstream Disco. The one that changed everything was House.
To me Disco was Disco was Disco. I didn't much care where it came from; if it was good to my ears I played it, if it wasn't I didn't. All styles were represented and all had their place within an evening.
For me personally, the fragmentation of music into sooooo many different genres does nothing but help destroy the overall appeal of music. The availabilty of so many different styles to fill ever smaller niches is what will eventually kill music. Great music comes out of having a mass appeal, not by being appreciated by a chosen few. That's why I'm not a great fan of the new style, segregated boards here. I feel we're even less likely to find any common ground. We've been ghettoised.
What's this got to do with Eurodisco? Everything and possibly nothing.