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

[Pete B]

Your attitude is ridiculous Quinny. It's the same "if you haven't heard of it, then it must be shit" approach you seem to adopt to all music which you don't know - which is just about everything apart from obvious funk/disco that was popular in the UK in the 70's. It's incredibly narrow minded and boring. I can't believe you can be bothered typing the same old crap time after time. Or have you got this venom saved somewhere on your pc and you just alter a few names to suite the particular thread?

Personally I'm sick of "Ain't No Stoppin Us Now" etc. That's why I like to buy comps of old songs that are new to me. I don't expect to like every track on a CD like this, but if there are 3 or 4 tunes that I enjoy listening to then it is a worthwhile purchase. I assume you would you prefer to hear "Stomp" again?

If you were still actually buying and searching out new old music you might find that there were plenty of old records you missed which are actually as good as or in some cases better than the stuff you bought. Oh god, could this possibly be true? That you actually missed something that wasn't utter crap? I was buying solidly from 79 thru to today and I still find records I missed. Records I knocked back on one listen. Records I heard of but never actually heard. Records by artists I know of but not that particular song. Records that were too disco and fast or too slow and funky for when they came out. Records I ignored because they were by what I then considered a naff act or on a dodgy label. Records that for whatever reason didn’t come my way at the time!

You were obviously a working DJ Quinny, buying as much for your crowd as yourself I suspect. I'm sure there are lots of great records that wouldn't have worked on your dance floor. Are we to believe these are all worthless? And that some of the obvious poppy 70's funk that would have filled the floor in whatever back water your were spinning was the best music that was released in that period bar none. That seems to be what you're telling us.

Do you somehow think by dismissing everything you've never heard of it means you are still on top of it musically. You're right mate, these are the dregs, you've got all the best stuff, and you’re not missing anything. Nothing has got passed the great Q!

[Bernie]

Originally Posted by Pete B

I was buying solidly from 79 thru to today and I still find records I missed. Records I knocked back on one listen. Records I heard of but never actually heard.

I'm still amazed and ashamed at the number of songs/records I now enjoy that at the time I simply passed on. Some I even thought I hated! I guess the passing of time and gaining more appreciation has allowed me to dicover some of this great stuff.

[DJ Jimmy M]

Totaly agree with Pete and Bernie and I am the same way...I love finding out about obscure disco that was unknown and can be new to me...there are tons of stuff out there that are yet to be discovered (or rediscovered). Since in my oppinion most new music is pure shit today...finding some burried gems that coulda been classics if more spread is my way of getting "new" music and will be doing it till im dead and gone

[Graham_Start]

One thing about hearing older music for the first time is that the original context is lost. There are a lot of tracks that sound great today, but BITD they already sounded dated, or people just weren't ready for them. And of course, there was a lot of stuff that was simply eclipsed by the mega-hits of the day. So much came out in such a short span that there simply wasn't time to hear it all then.

Having said that, I am a fan of disco as a genre. That means that I like it a lot more than the average person does or did, and I want more, more, more than just the hits. What most would consider an 'average' disco track is still highly enjoyable to me. I've long since tired of "I Will Survive" and "YMCA" and have no need to hear or buy them again in any capacity. So bring on the lesser-known stuff. Just don't dick around with it, dammit! Say NO to re-edits.

[Forrrce]

What am I gonna do with you, Q...interest in the music is what drives the curiosity, nuh true? Like Pete, I've bought solidly since 1979 and I still like discovering old records. You're evidently not that serious or dedicated, because you think people who are, are either elitist, or a joke (maybe both). You despise obscurity, whilst others thrive on it - and there are pluses and minuses to both arguments. But you, sir, just won't budge on this. I truly believe this clouds your judgement - if not outstanding, these tracks can't be any less than average to even your jaded ears, but you make out they're awful...and that's just not true. You knows it, too.

Maybe you're an untapped gem waiting to be discovered...is that what this is all about? :lol:

[QUINNY]

Forrrce: LOL. Me an untapped gem? Good job I'm not as egotistic, judgemental and pious as some, eh?

Everyone else: At least I'm constant in my dismissals. I haven't adopted a superior stance to you guys at all, but I fear it's your own insecurities that brings out this hostility towards my perfectly valid point of view and your assumptions about me.
Good job I'm not as egotistic, judgemental and pious as some, eh?

Pete B: It's not a case of not being able to live with the fact that records may have slipped under the Quinny radar. It's more a case that I still apply the same criteria to records, that I did back then. There are quite a few records that I've 'discovered' recently, some of which I really enjoy and would have absolutely loved to play BITD. However, virtually none of these tracks do anything for me. They're just plain boring, workmanlike records to my ears. Maybe good for radio play in a highly specialist show, but outside of that, I personally couldn't see 'em doing much dancefloor biz, except with equally 'in tune' people (how many, HOW MANY????). So be as eclectic as you like. Who, outside of the 'chosen few' gives a rat's ass.

When all is said and done, the world keeps on turning, so hardly any big deal, eh?

[Pete B]

You haven't answered most of the points as usual Quinny. But how could you? Your logic is totally flawed. You don't have the sufficient musical knowledge to back up your argument. If Forrrce said he thought these tracks were also rans, I would listen, not to you mate.

Tracks like Touché and Goody Goody are actually very good records - whether you like them or not, you should be able to see that. They aren't mediocre at all and were very popular at the time - all over the world. However, they obviously didn't mean anything in your little James Hamilton worshipping/non import buying world. :-?

[DJ Jimmy M]

Goody Goody was actualy a very well known record..espesaly in Philly where it was recorded and promoted originaly. And I also know on the west coast of the US it was quite popular too (any old trocadero heads wanna jump in and verify this as well?). I totaly passed by the fact that this classic was included on here..even after I commented on the great remix Dim did of it :lol:

[QUINNY]

Pete B: Ermmm, Goody Goody is not one of the obscure records in question, nor Touche particularly.

I thought I'd addressed your points most succinctly, so I'm confused as what I haven't answered. I actually partly agreed with some of your points too, but hey, nobody reads any of my posts, they just read what they like to think I've written and slag me off!

Most of these contre-temps occur because many of the posters here are Disco freaks (meant in the nicest possible way), trainspotters or avid collectors. Now, it's a well known fact that collectors and 'fans' are always going to have a rather blinkered, distorted view on things and they are always going to be rather anal (meant in the nicest possible way) in their overall ideaology concerning the subject. Try and tell me that's NOT true.

Me, I'm just an ex pro DJ who lived and worked through the period, with a more pragmatic take on things. They'll never see my points of view and vice versa.

I'll repeat here something I've written before.
I played mostly underground clubs, not ultra commercial venues and actually bought or played quite a few imports in my time. I didn't buy imports exclusively 'cos I couldn't afford them and I was slagged off too many times to remember by managers, because I didn't play the expected run of the mill commercial (even for underground venues) records. I was always a bit of a free spirit when DJing. Therefore, in some ways I've been there, done that and got the T Shirt. Maybe you ought to rethink a few things?

[Pete B]

Originally Posted by QUINNY

However, virtually none of these tracks do anything for me. They're just plain boring, workmanlike records to my ears.

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.

I can't believe that anyone could like this CD purely for musical reasons.

Goody Goody is on the CD so why is it not "one of the obscure records in question"? You at no point mentioned it as a song you thought stood out or an exception to your dismissing of the CD; in fact you said you'd listened to the clips and it ALL sounded average. So you did refer to it as both obscure and boring - you are actually wrong on both counts - and that is just one example.

Spandau Ballet "Chant Number 1" is also included (in a previously unreleased mix), this is a very well known and quite original record - or were your over generalising comments about it all being boring, sub standard cast offs not about that track either?

If you read the sleeve notes you'd see why some of these records are obscure. Touché (for example) was recorded for but not released by Emergency Records because the label was concentrating all their efforts on breaking Shannon at the time. So they licensed the song onto a small Rome based label to fulfil their release commitment. Though it picked up sizable plays stateside Emergency bosses never got round to putting it out. If they had had done, it would have got far wider distribution and would probably ended up coming out on a UK label like Excalibur or Streetwavre - and you’d probably have it.

[Forrrce]

Originally Posted by QUINNY

Forrrce: LOL. Me an untapped gem? Good job I'm not as egotistic, judgemental and pious as some, eh?

You can't be serious! But that's exactly why I got time for ya... :lol:

I'll admit, I know both Joey and Dimitri quite well (it's a small trainspotters'/fanatics' world out there) and I also know that they've included tracks because they move the dance floor, are indemand or deserve wider exposure, in their eyes. Pretty good criteria for a comp. of this kind, don'tcha think?. If you don't like the music, Q., I really have no problem with that - but you're being less than reasonable as to why you don't.

[mixtape]

Everyone is entitled to have likes and dislikes in music. That is what makes everyone different in there own way. However people should not critize those that like a certain piece of music because they don't like it. Its all taste and thats why the music industry can make a profit on different genres of music. If ya don't like it ya don't buy it. Bottom line. It's not forced upon you. I personally love this compilation for the fact that these tracks are fresh to me. I never heard them before and I am thankful that Dimitri and Joey introduced them to me (even though they are edited) for 15 bucks. I think its a good price considering what the cost of double packaged cds go for these days.

[QUINNY]

What can I say????

People just don't read what I write properly.

I think the offending sentence went something like " almost every track is obscure." Big difference between almost and every, but no one took the time to read it properly.

Forrrce: Er, yes. Haven't you sussed my sense of humour yet?
What's unfair about dissing a few anorakish types, friends or not? Do you like computer nerds, or stiff wine buffs, or anyone other than record collectors, who are so into their own thing that you end up thinking "get a life", or something less charitable? Maybe you really are cherubic, but I somehow doubt it.
BTW: move which dancefloor....one full of similarly locomotive types or more average mortals? That would be interesting to know. I honestly can't believe that they really like these (the obscure) records for their music content or pure danceability. Sorry.

Pete B: Yes, I probably would have bought Touche...it's one of the few goodish tracks on this CD, but it still lacks any real excitement to me. As for Goody Goody. That's a well known track that's been on other comps, so my comments weren't aimed at that. Chant #1 was a huge hit, so obviously not obscure per se, ditto Situation.

[billywho]

So let's choose another track. Let's go for John Gibbs's "Get Down With The Jam Band". Are you saying that Joey shouldn't have chosen that track to put on a CD for the simple reason that, some time around 25 years ago "the world" decided that it was no good? Sounds pretty good to me. Whether something becomes 'popular' (which as we all know does not necessarily equate to 'good') often turns on the spin of a coin, or a butterfly flapping its wings in the Bahamas. As was pointed out, one track never made it because the record company had their hands full with "Let The Music Play". There must be thousands of similar stories littering the history of disco music production. There's such a tenuous link between popularity and intrinsic merit. It's the same in many fields. We both know The Sun is the most popular newspaper in the UK - enough said. And that's why there are so many 'obscure' disco songs that, when I hear them, turn out to be bloomin' marvellous.

What I think annoys you, and I have some sympathy for this attitude, because it is indeed very prevalent (look at how popular 'lounge music' supposedly became a few years ago) in all kinds of music, is that you believe some people buy CDs like this simply because of a 'name' (e.g. Joey Negro) and convince themselves that they like the tunes even when they don't. However, there are some of us who are indeed attracted to a CD on the strength of Negro's name being on its cover, but only because we admire his taste and think we are likely to enjoy his choice of records, no matter how obscure.

[Videoskooter]

Originally Posted by Forrrce

I'll admit, I know both Joey and Dimitri quite well (it's a small trainspotters'/fanatics' world out there)

You know them personally? If so, tell the guys to continue coz' they are certainly pleasing a lot of us here

I think there's a discussion going on here between what works on general dancefloors and what doesn't do the job. Well, as you all know, it depends on the public. When I go out in Antwerp I always go to a club that plays more obscure records and I usually have a tremendous time there. Now a good friend of mine who's English does big parties with the well known discohits. The people dance, the people cheer and enjoy but after one hour I'm usually thinking: Ok, I've heard those, now play something that I don't know, enchant me, surprise me, make me go look for that one.

It's not just about collecting or having records that others don't know but it's about collecting all those divine vibes of the past.