New Dimitri/Joey BBE Release - "The Kings Of Disco"

[Pete B]

Without knowing the originals it is hard to pass judgement on of these new arrangments. However, the Dimitri edit of Goody Goody is a nice combination of the various versions, so that one at least is worthwhile. I am also digging some of the un messed around with songs like Touche, Mighty Fire and Sonny Jenkins.

[Videoskooter]

A nice cover :D

http://www.groovetrackers.com/img/ar...G000001107.png

Disc 1

1. Derrick Herriot - Black Skinned Blue Eyed Boys
2. Vincent Montana Jr feat Goody Goody - It Looks Like Love (Dim's Compiled edit)
3. Crystal Disco Band - Nuclear Night (Dim's DJ Friendly edit)
4. Lime - Agent 406 (Dim's DJ Friendly edit)
5. Macho - Not Tonight (Dim's DJ Friendly edit)
6. Larry Wood - Pumping Iron (Dim's DJ Friendly edit)
7. Mary Clark - Take Me I'm Yours (Dim's DJ Friendly edit)
8. Capuchino / Baila Conmigo - He'll Will Dance With Me (Dim's DJ Friendly edit)
9. Clymax - Musicland
10. Risco Connections - I'm Caught Up

Disc 2

1. Master Boogie Song & Dance - Roll The Joint (Joey Negro re-edit)
2. Cela - I'm In Love (Joey Negro edit)
3. Spandau Ballet - Chant No.1 - I Don't Need This Pressure On
4. Mighty Fire - Love Fantasy
5. Vinzerelli - Skate Dancer
6. Sonny Jenkins & The New York Potpourri Strings - That Friday Pay (Part 1) t
7. Yazoo - Situation (Joey Negro re-edit)
8. John Gibbs - Get Down With The Jam Band (Joey Negro re-edit)
9. Touche - Just Like A Door Knob (Joey Negro edit)
10. Arts & Crafts - I've Been Searching (Walter Gibbons mix)

Kings of Disco

There's a lot of good stuff on those cd's. Maybe we prefer the classic and original versions but it sure ain't waisted money.

[Pizzazz]

Guys, this compilation is essential ! There's not a duff track in the bunch, personal fave being Macho 'Not Tonight'. Go get !

[QUINNY]

Please tell me what is essential about this CD release?

I agree that a large number of tracks are incredibly obscure and that in itself, could be a good enough reason for some to buy it, but the way some of you guys have been raving about this CD, one would be forgiven in thinking that some priceless antiques have been unearthed. OK £11.99 is not much to pay for a double CD, but doesn't that also point to these tracks' real worth? If they were sooooo damned good the CD would be more than £11.99, wouldn't it? I've never known BBE to undercharge for its CDs.

Just from the snippets I've heard hardly any of the previously obscure tracks sound like real winners to me. I couldn't detect any real sparkle or pizzaz.

Let's examine what these tracks really are. To my mind they're like someone's cast-offs being wheeled out just in case a sucker finds 'em attractive. Both DJs have released countless compilations before and yet here we have a new one with what are records that have, by their own admission, been known to 'em for years. Call me a dunce if you will, but even this dunce can work out that in effect what we have here are tracks that are in effect 10th choice, also rans. If they are so incredibly worth having they would have put them on compilations when they were still making their reputations. Unless you really think that these guys know so many records that are absolutely bloomin' marvellous, isn't this a logical conclusion?

[DJ Jimmy M]

It's just a nice collection to have of some obscure unknown stuff..always good discovering the obscure from the best period of dance music..and I agree with ya Quinny..its not the "essental" collection to have. In all honesty..there is no disco comp anywhere of this nature. And also..who said I payed for mine :lol:

[Forrrce]

They may not be commercial or instant, but there are tracks on the comp. which have had a following for many years. I don't sunscribe to the 'it has to have been a hit to be any good' nonsense. Out of 1,000s of disco records, the same 'classics' always get reissued, like nothing else ever existed. Give the guys some credit - it takes time for a lot of punters to catch up and this sort of sound is more accessible to many now.

What would your 'Kings Of Disco' feature, Quinny? Let me guess - 'Got To Be Real', 'Shame', 'Ain't No Stopping Us Now', 'I.O.U', etc. - like the world needs another pub jock/bingo hall/hits-by-numbers CD. Why be so scathing about these guys because their taste is different to yours... :-?

[Pizzazz]

All i know is that i've spent a lot of time listening (and dancing!) to this one at home over the past month and just really enjoyed it regardless of who compiled it or the rartity of the featured tracks. Of course, it may not be to everybodys taste but you won't know unless you give it a try...

What would King Quinny's 2 cd BBE compilation include then ?

[Bernie]

I'm still shocked to see Lime's very good "Agent 406" on this comp. Listened to the samples here and the comp does sound interesting, but I would love to hear more to see how the new edits affect the vibe and integrity of the original songs. Too bad I'm not going to plunk down $20.00 to find out.

[QUINNY]

Forrrce: I figured you'd come out in support of your pal Joey Negro and I'm quite sure that at a certain level, some of these tracks have been known and collected as you say. What you fail to realise is that the number of people who are really into these tracks is so minute in absolute terms that I'd have to say "who gives a toss?" As for giving credit....credit for what exactly? Exposing a load of bollocks and making money by doing it. Nice work if you can get it. There, I'm as scathing about their tastes as you gave yourself the absolute right to be about my supposed tastes. Like, I can't criticize anyone who's been stupid enough to put themselves onto a pedestal????

My compilation wouldn't include all the records you quoted (and you know that), BUT I wouldn't be such a snob as to totally dismiss them out of hand neither. Its so easy to knock well known tracks 'cos everybody's heard 'em too many times. However, on one level they do represent the very best that disco had to offer and they succeeded musically more than any of these tracks ever could. By selling millions they fulfilled the most important role that music has....to communicate effectively. I may have heard certain records a thousand times, but they were at least good enough to have me to hear 'em that many times without going totally stir crazy. The majority of the records on this CD are worth a few spins only IMO, 'cos any more wouldn't endear them to me to any greater degree. Crap is crap, no matter who's collected it, or who's included it on their latest compilation CD. Trouble is, guys like these thrive on hearing something different and knowing something different and music is worse than a drug to them. So much so that they've lost track of reality. If you could honestly tell me that they don't thrive on obscurity (when all their lists and comps have only ever included a more than fair helping of ultra obscure tracks) then I might be able to meet you halfway on this, but I get the impression their cred goes well before any thoughts of meaningful discussion about even averagely known tracks could ever take place? What are they afraid of, being truly popular?

What I was trying to say was probably that this, as with any compilation, is a snapshot of one person's tastes. I've got no problem with that as such, just the absolute BS that comes with the territory nowadays.

IMO (am I allowed an opinion?): This CD was made by people who are going along a musical cul de sac and can't find a turning to get them out of it.

[Forrrce]

Quinny, if the target audience is small - it can still be catered for; and if this sells to 10,000 contented punters, then it's achieved its objective. You don't strike me as having been any more than lazy as a DJ - you didn't buy imports and you chose to ride off the success of records made popular by those who were more progressive and adventurous. You're so bitter about anything you didn't buy/play/hear first time around and choose to disregard the fact that *unbelievably*,other people like these records you love sneering at. It's not an earth-shattering LP, but it's interesting and a welcome break from the tired old tosh that's constantly wheeled out. There's a lot that has happened outside of your town that you're completely ignorant about and the only way for you to cope is to scorn.

Funny thing is, Q, if it did include the tracks I mentioned earlier, you'd probably slate them for being too safe! Damned if you do, eh?

Still, "who gives a toss"...

[Videoskooter]

Q,

The advantage of a compilation like this is the fact that those records were hard to find. You're right when you say that these are not the crème de la crème of discomusic but they are very enjoyable.

In Belgium you generally only find compils with the classic hits. A few years ago there where great compils (most of them released by Uk-Labels) that were a collection of forgotton treasures. For instance the Mastercuts-series or Deep Beat-series. It was a joy when another one of them was released but you can't find them anymore in the shops here. Have those labels stopped their activities? I don't know. The only exciting new ones are the Funk-Disco-Soul-Collectors which are rare. When you find one, we have to buy it immediately coz' the next week they're already gone.

I have to say I agree with you that those collections were much better since they had the original 12"'s on them and the DFP/Negro is a series of re-edits but they are very pleasant stuff and done with respect for the old traditions.

I hope recordcompanies wake up and keep puttin' out oldies. Try to find "Cocomotion", "Dancing in paradise" or even the "Love boat" or "Baretta" themes here, you won't succeed.

Of course every member here has his personal favourites but when a compil has a few songs one is looking for, we usually buy it.

[billywho]

It's entirely personal of course, but I suspect that many of the songs on this CD, obscure or not, will be enjoyed by the kind of people who frequent this forum.

It's ironic that a previous poster pointed out the Macho track - I happen to think it's by far the worst track on this compilation.

I paid about 13 quid for this CD. It's given me a lot of pleasure; the kind of ethereal feeling that those of us who love disco know so well. And it will continue to do so in the future. And that is commerce in its purest form - someone has something that makes my life a little bit more pleasurable, and I pay them some money to obtain it. Job done. Thanks, BBE, Dimitri and Joey.

I've found little credence in the "if it wasn't well known or a hit it wasn't very good" theory as applied to disco. That's not to say I dislike what are regarded as 'classic' disco tunes, it's just that I like the non-hits (and there were so many more of them...) just as much, if not more. For example, I adore the Cela track on this CD. Going back to a previous BBE disco collection, I thought Air Power's "Welcome to the Disco" was stupendously good, and then read on this forum that it was actually a B-side. But the track I'm playing and loving more than anything else at the moment is Vernon Burch's "Fun City" (not on this CD). I don't remember it at all from 1980 and I discovered it only a few months ago. But it's a truly wonderful song. My apologies in advance if someone replies and says that "Fun City" was actually a massive track at the time.

[billywho]

On the issue of re-edits that are so much a feature of this CD, while searching through my collection I was surprised to find that I already had an mp3 of the original Cela "I'm In Love" track that I acquired almost two years ago, clocking in at 5.31 instead of the 7.19 of Joey's re-edit. I listened to them both, and Joey's version sounds so much better to me; the original seems extremely ordinary in comparison.

I'm not claiming that all the re-edits are better, but this one is, and, as has been mentioned, the Goody Goody edit is also spot on. Having said that, it's good to have the originals as well!

[mixtape]

never heard that goodie goodie track before but I at least play that song once during my day. Worth the money just for that goodie goodie track in my opinion (since I never heard it before). Probably my favorite song on the cd along with "just like a doorknobe" by touche.

[QUINNY]

Forrrce: Do I detect you sitting on the fence over this. All that ranting and raving by me and all you can discuss is whether or not 10K sales is meaningful and tell me that I was a lazy DJ? YAWN!! Even if I did "ride off the back of others" (maybe I did, maybe I didn't and BTW who doesn't?) there's still a question of one's own taste to address and which second hand records you run with and which ones ya don't. There's also the fact that searching out imports doesn't make anyone a better DJ per se and it's a pointless exercise if one's audience doesn't buy into them too. That's just a big dick fest and you know it, or maybe you don't? Personally, I don't need to prove the size of my dick on a daily basis and despise those macho crapshooters who so blatantly do.

I thought I'd made it obvious that I'd give these guys more cred if they included the odd mega well known record. They don't include any for more than one reason I guess, but a significant one must be that the royalties would frighten them to hell and back. This must have been a dirt cheap CD to produce, eh? So could it be that the followers of the "big music record labels are a rip off" (i.e. those who moan most about lack of rareities on CD etc) are being hoodwinked in some way and treated in a typically cynical big label fashion? Otherwise, what is the point of exposing so many tracks that clearly so few people in the world actually want? When all is said and done, they're in this for the akkers, just like any 'nasty' big record label. They're producing a cheap product with every expense spared (so far as basic ingredients are concerned), aren't they?
Nothing wrong with that, so long as people realise it, but it's tacky to put out a load of dross, knowing that your exposure to any valid criticism is very limited. No, I can't believe that anyone could like this CD purely for musical reasons.

There's "la creme de la creme" and then there's music like most of this CD, "last months rancid milk." I guess this is a CD that you might keep if it were given to you, or it might find its way into the second hand cheapies bin in double quick time anyway, just like many of these tracks did BITD. Might I assume that's where most of these 'gems' were discovered? What's so musically correct about buying a record for peanuts that can then be hyped out of all proportion, because you ain't seen many others on your travels? Call me old fashioned, but I think that's the height of cynicism and nothing at all to do with loving music.

P.S. Love ya!!! It's good to see you back posting........even if you do get a little personal. I've just slapped your wrist. :lol: :lol: :lol: