80s hi-nrg trax by '70s artists'

[SandraDee]

While looking through those Record Mirror hi-nrg charts I noticed a few tracks by artists who mainly made their mark during the 'golden age' of disco. Could any of you guys who know your 80s hi-nrg tell me if any of the following are any good please?

I'm Free - Celi Bee
You Don't Know What You Got - Karen Young
To Sir With Love - Vicky Sue Robinson
Shot In The Dark - Norma Jean
I Get What I Want - Carol Douglas
Crying My Heart Out - Madleen Kane
With You I Could Have It All - Cissy Houston
Like a Tiger - Michael Zager
City Nights Manhattan Cafes - Corey Daye
Come On Back To Mama - Wardell Piper
Streetfighter - Frankie Valli

[Charlie Windle]

Hi SD

C.Bee - I'm Free, is excellent and the same goes for VSR-To sir with love. Crying my heart out is by Ian Anthony Stephens, great track, I think the whole album was good, however know a lot that did not think the same.

Charlie

[SandraDee]

Thanx Charlie. Was Crying My Heart Out on the same LP as Ecstacy & I'm No Angel?

[Bernie]

I guess it's going to have to take a straight guy like me to mention Sylvester then :-) He had "You Make Me Feel" in the 1970s and did "Don't Stop" and countless other tracks on Megatone throughout the 80s.

Carol Jiani also began life on the Montreal LP in the 70s and then did "Hit N Run Lover" and others.

[SandraDee]

Oh yes thanx Bernie, i'm aware that there are quite a few '70s artists' who went on to 80s hi-nrg type stuff such as Gino Soccio, Sylvester, Pattie Brooks, Sarah Dash, Linda Clifford, Garys Gang, Jessica Williams etc.etc. but those i listed above i'd never heard of before & was curious as to what they sounded like. Recently people on this site such as Energyguy have re-ignited my interest in 80s hi-nrg (thanx Neil!)& I've been making some interesting (& not so interesting!) discoveries. What amazes me is how rare & expensive many 80s hi-nrg records are; much more so generally than 70s 'disco' stuff. Maybe not so many copies were pressed up as that genre was mainly aimed at the gay club scene?

[marmite7]

Dee - you're spot on about the amount of copies shifted. How many hi-nrg tunes actually crossed over into mainstream?


It happened with disco, hence I spose the cheaper prices, but hi-nrg was a specialist genre and straight cubs refused to play it - remember?

True (UK) Hi-nrg hits can be counted on two hands I reckon.

Male Stripper
Searchin (+ 4 or 5 others)
High Energy
You Think You're A Man
Sinitta (boo hiss)
It's Raining Men


other than that, "our" sound remained underground - thank god :)

[Energyguy]

Dee - you're spot on about the amount of copies shifted. How many hi-nrg tunes actually crossed over into mainstream?


It happened with disco, hence I spose the cheaper prices, but hi-nrg was a specialist genre and straight cubs refused to play it - remember?

True (UK) Hi-nrg hits can be counted on two hands I reckon.

Male Stripper
Searchin (+ 4 or 5 others)
High Energy
You Think You're A Man
Sinitta (boo hiss)
It's Raining Men


other than that, "our" sound remained underground - thank god :)

Hi mark - I agree totally.. As "our" music remained underground it was like being part of a "secret club" - discussing rare/hard to find imports and releases that your ordinary "Joe public/commercial dance music fan" would know nothing about.
Many of my straight friends to this day come round to my house and listen to my 80s hi-nrg stuff and think it is so cool !

[Eurodancemix]

...It happened with disco, hence I spose the cheaper prices, but hi-nrg was a specialist genre and straight cubs refused to play it - remember?...

I remember going out to a straight club with a girl friend of mine back in the mid-80's. The music was Top 40, not bad but not the "real" dance stuff I was used to. I went to the DJ, and asked him to play "So Many Men, So Little Time". He looked at me stunned yet, somehow, he had it.

He played it, my friend and I were twirling around on the dance floor (no one else dared to get out there...the music was, oh my, TOO FAST! :o ), and the other patrons were stunned at hearing something so different. Eventually, about three other couples joined us, at the women's insistance, LOL, you could hear them shout to their partners "I really like this song!"...to the men's complete consternation! :D

[Energyguy]

Another reason why hi-nrg never took off in mainstream clubs was because many of the releases were difficult to track down ! many major record shops/stores did not stock many (if any of this stuff) -I am sure SO MANY MEN.. would have been a bigger seller in the UK if more stores had actually stocked copies..

[marmite7]

Neil, my best mate back then (and still is) ws in the Para's, based at Browning Barracks and he loved the sound. I did him some tapes of awesome hi-nrg and mailed them to him, to keep his spirits up during basic training.

The result?

A squad of paras ALL loving the sound. Jeez just picture it, uniforms, short hair and...........................gotta stop that picture! ;)

[Energyguy]

Neil, my best mate back then (and still is) ws in the Para's, based at Browning Barracks and he loved the sound. I did him some tapes of awesome hi-nrg and mailed them to him, to keep his spirits up during basic training.

The result?

A squad of paras ALL loving the sound. Jeez just picture it, uniforms, short hair and...........................gotta stop that picture! ;)

LOL - WOW ! Can just picture both para boys dancing frantically in the barracks - getting on down to the HI HI NRG !!

[ol'skinflint]

the difference between "disco" and "hi energy"? I've never really understood, unless it's a matter of beats per minute. Is that it?

[Energyguy]

the difference between "disco" and "hi energy"? I've never really understood, unless it's a matter of beats per minute. Is that it?

I suppose there are many differences... Traditional 70s disco incorporated genuine instruments such as strings /brass etc... during the 80s HINRG developed and was electronically produced using state of the art synthesizers/keyboards. I suppose HINRG was faster/stompier music than 70s disco.

[straight acting]

Neil, my best mate back then (and still is) ws in the Para's, based at Browning Barracks and he loved the sound. I did him some tapes of awesome hi-nrg and mailed them to him, to keep his spirits up during basic training.

The result?

A squad of paras ALL loving the sound. Jeez just picture it, uniforms, short hair and...........................gotta stop that picture! ;)

LOL - WOW ! Can just picture both para boys dancing frantically in the barracks - getting on down to the HI HI NRG !!

How manly!! :lol:

[Eurodancemix]

...The result?

A squad of paras ALL loving the sound. Jeez just picture it, uniforms, short hair and...........................gotta stop that picture! ;)

OK, now I have a wet spot! :o

Somebody get back to the music, please!!!!

[Davicillo]

Hi Sandaradee,
The only one I Have Is the Vikki Sue Robinson track. It's Ok, better than Lulu anyway. Try her version of Everlasting Love as well.

[SandraDee]

the difference between "disco" and "hi energy"? I've never really understood, unless it's a matter of beats per minute. Is that it?

I suppose there are many differences... Traditional 70s disco incorporated genuine instruments such as strings /brass etc... during the 80s HINRG developed and was electronically produced using state of the art synthesizers/keyboards. I suppose HINRG was faster/stompier music than 70s disco.

I agree Neil that it's more synthesised but it's not necessarily faster; listen to 70s stuff like Peter Jacques Band's 'Fire Night Dance or The Ring's 'Savage Lover' & you don't get much faster!

[SandraDee]

Hi Sandaradee,
The only one I Have Is the Vikki Sue Robinson track. It's Ok, better than Lulu anyway. Try her version of Everlasting Love as well.

Thanx Davicillo; anything's gotta be better than bloody Lulu!! :lol:

[Energyguy]

the difference between "disco" and "hi energy"? I've never really understood, unless it's a matter of beats per minute. Is that it?

I suppose there are many differences... Traditional 70s disco incorporated genuine instruments such as strings /brass etc... during the 80s HINRG developed and was electronically produced using state of the art synthesizers/keyboards. I suppose HINRG was faster/stompier music than 70s disco.

I agree Neil that it's more synthesised but it's not necessarily faster; listen to 70s stuff like Peter Jacques Band's 'Fire Night Dance or The Ring's 'Savage Lover' & you don't get much faster!

Dave - You will have to play me those tracks sometime.. Not heard them

[SandraDee]

You can borrow them anytime neil; I like sharing my music & spreading the disco message! :P

[Energyguy]

You can borrow them anytime neil; I like sharing my music & spreading the disco message! :P

me too !! Gotta spread the gospel that is Disco/HiNrg !!!