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Thread: John Davis & The Monster Orch.- Monster?

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    spincycle is offline Advance Promo Copy [Level 3]
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    John Davis & The Monster Orch.- Monster?

    I have heard rumors of this song existing, but I still have not seen it around. Can anyone clear this up for me?

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    There are TONS of unreleased songs so it would not surprise me at all. Not everything (song info) is available via goofle searches. The internet did not really begin to take off until 1995.

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    The Hits....

    Ain't That Enough For You, Up Jumped The Devil, I Can't Stop and Love Magic were the hits......

    I'm sure there were unreleased tracks out from this group out there! Let me know because I'm interested in hearing them.

    http://www.discomusic.com/search/?we...ll&where=title
    Last edited by Bernie; September 26th, 2011 at 06:29 PM. Reason: url

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    I've got every LP from the 70's, plus other LPs John Davis did with artists like Touch of Class, Arthur Prysock, and 12"s like Lucy Hawkins and Craig Snyder's tracks, but nothing was called 'Monster'.

    Disco Funk

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    Disco

    Quote Originally Written by Disco Funk
    I've got every LP from the 70's, plus other LPs John Davis did with artists like Touch of Class, Arthur Prysock, and 12"s like Lucy Hawkins and Craig Snyder's tracks, but nothing was called 'Monster'.

    Disco Funk
    Arthur Prysock - When Love Is New

    Nice touch!!!!!!!

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    Re: The Hits....

    Quote Originally Written by TheLordOfFlatbush
    Ain't That Enough For You, Up Jumped The Devil, I Can't Stop and Love Magic were the hits......

    I'm sure there were unreleased tracks out from this group out there! Let me know because I'm interested in hearing them.

    This one was released .............however got liitle notice.... Arthur Fiedler's Boston Pops disco album : .....

    SATURDAY NIGHT FIEDLER

    is a John Davis arranged and produced album ! :o :)

    I find it pretty good ... side "A" is music from the soundtrack ( inc. MANHATTAN SKYLINE !?) side "B" is some reworked Bach ....
    ....just wish it didn't sound so hollow and somewhat marching band like ..... ( the entire orchestra recorded live with one microphone ???)


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    Re: Disco

    Quote Originally Written by TheLordOfFlatbush
    Arthur Prysock - When Love Is New
    Nice touch!!!!!!!
    And 'I Wantcha Baby', both Gamble & Huff written songs that Billy Paul recorded, but that John Davis and Prysock totally breathed new life into. I always thought the arrangement on When Love Is New was probably inspired by You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine, with the drum sticks tapping on the snare drum sides during the verses, which culminate into an upbeat chorus section.

    Disco Funk

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    i thought monster was the lp title...
    the album with john davis on the cover sitting at the piano dressed up like a vampire... was that just a dream i had?
    sonic.

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    Quote Originally Written by djsonic
    i thought monster was the lp title...
    the album with john davis on the cover sitting at the piano dressed up like a vampire... was that just a dream i had?
    sonic.


    No that LP is called 'Aint That Enough For You'; well, at least my copy is!

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    Quote Originally Written by Disco Funk
    I've got every LP from the 70's, plus other LPs John Davis did with artists like Touch of Class, Arthur Prysock, and 12"s like Lucy Hawkins and Craig Snyder's tracks, but nothing was called 'Monster'.

    Disco Funk


    John Davis also did excellent work with Carol Douglas, Grace Jones & Ruth Waters too in the late 70s. A real talent; is he still alive?

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    Quote Originally Written by SandraDee
    John Davis also did excellent work with Carol Douglas, Grace Jones & Ruth Waters too in the late 70s. A real talent; is he still alive?
    Totally. He also did 'Shangri La' by La Pregunta, Rio De Janeiro LP by Gary Criss, I think he even produced two more LPs for Arthur Prysock. and the underrated 'Steppin Out' by Ray Dahrouge.

    I think he's still alive. At least, I haven't heard of him passing away.

    Disco Funk

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    SATURDAY NIGHT FIEDLER, yes I have that album, too. I never listen to it, though. But now that I know that its a John Davis aLbum, Ill have to give it a spin. John DAvis and the Monster Orchestra is one of my favorite groups. I have one of his albums, its the blue one with 'Aint that enough for you' and 'Disco fever' etc. I love the cover art, with the pictures of people and monsters playing in the orchestra! I also have the single 12" of 'Aint that enough for you' and 'take a bite of the apple'. What other albums were released by John Davis and the Monster orchestra? I have a CD called 'Nervous Does Disco' and it has a couple other songs by the orchestra, including "night and day'. But I have no idea what the original album was called that those songs came out on.

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    Hey I've been wondering about a 12" I have on AMAZON RECORDS 1978. Aranged & conducted by JOHN DAVIS. It is a brazilian pressing." The Angels" the song is called "TILL". It is produced by BILLY TERREL. I enjoy this record very much, I too love anything that JOHN DAVIS has touched. Any interesting info about the group out there?? Would somebody kick me in the butt & get me to scan the many many records I have for the vault?? :) DISCO LIVES IN L.A!!

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    Quote Originally Written by VINYLSTASH
    Would somebody kick me in the butt & get me to scan the many many records I have for the vault?? :) DISCO LIVES IN L.A!!
    Consider yourself kicked! :D
    Submit those records at http://www.discomusic.com/records-submit

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    I also used to chase anything by John Davis, he also produced the hit "Between hello and goodbuy" for Arthur Prysock and in ' 79 "open up for love/ Morning Music" by Siren.

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    Let's see how much John Davis we can come up with 8) 8)

    I can verify these 45's :

    "KISS AND MAKE UP"
    by William "diamond in the back" DeVaughn 1974


    "BUST IT "
    by Craig Snyder and Lix 1977

    ...... I just looked up William DeVaughn . and that entire album was co produced by John Davis ...... including : "BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU GOT " 8)

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    'Bust It' by Craig Snyder and Lix is a great track. Snyder was the main guitarist in the Monster Orchestra, at least during the early years.

    I forgot that he also produced an album under the artist name Fantasia. He also produced half of the Brenda & The Tabulations album I Keep Coming Back For More (the one with 'Lets Go All The Way Down', but that track was produced by the other album producer Norman Harris). You can literally tell which tracks are Davis' and which ones are Harris'.

    Also:

    Charo - 'Ole Ole' (album)

    Monday After - 'Merry Go Round' (no LP, just a single)

    A Touch Of Class - 'I'm In Heaven' (album)

    Philly Devotions - tracks like 'Hurts So Bad' and 'I Just Can't Say Goodbye', the latter of which I believe John Davis produced in '74. I don't understand why the Philly Devotions never had an LP. They certainly had enough singles.

    I believe he also produced a John Travolta LP or two, the one with the track 'A Girl Like You'.

    Disco Funk

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    John Davis

    also did wooooooooooooooooooooonderful horn and string arrangements for Ashford and Simpson ("Is It Still Good To Ya?") I don't know if he's still around (why is it that so many disco producers/songwriters/singers seem to vanish from the face of the Earth?) but the name "John Davis" is listed on the soundtrack to "Beverly Hills 90210" and that was released in 1991.

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    Quote Originally Written by Disco Funk
    I believe he also produced a John Travolta LP or two, the one with the track 'A Girl Like You'.
    Disco Funk
    And unfortunately, he also wrote tunes for John's even more useless brother, Joey. Under his own name, John Davis also realesed "The Theme From Kojack", and "The Theme From Dynasty", both so-so disco affaires, below his usual high standards. I only got the latter two on 7-inch, there must have been twelves as well.

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    I know he did the Kojak Theme under the Monster Orchestra, which was on 12" but not on an LP, but are you saying he did another version under his own name (i.e. without the Monster Orchestra)? Theme from Dynasty must have been something he did in the 80's.

    Disco Funk

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    Ah yes, it's "Kojak" without the c. My 7-inch is indeed by The Monster Orchestra. The Dynasty thing is from the early 80's - will dig it out of the cellar sometime soon to check the exact year.

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    Just relistened to the Ruth "Silky" Waters tune "NEVER GONNA BE THE SAME WITHOUT YOU" .... trying to remember why I didn't use it back then ....(did it do well? How did it chart ... ?) )

    It's certainly not a bad song ... but for one thing ... in 1979 there were plenty of choices without playing them all .... I don't think any DJ did ... which was terrific ... Because there was so much being released, a DJ could be choosy ... could let some slip on by just because ....

    Three reasons I think I wasn't drawn to this one ...

    One is Miss Waters herself :( ( ..... sorry Silky ) but this song seems to be way too much for her .... she sounds very challenged ....too many up and downs ..... sometimes she can barely finish the last word in a line . I'm guessing they were trying for that Evelyn King / Grace Jones sound ... but I don't think Ruthy emits enough strength in her vocals to adequately deliver the sentiments of the song....

    The second problem is the lyrics .... this is a very upbeat, feel good , high energy John Davis "Ain't That Enough For You " sounding arrangement ..... and these "sad " lyrics about never being the same without you just don't jive. Should've been exactly the opposite ....more like " Oh , I'll never regret the day I found you .... gonna dedicate my life around you ..... Never gonna be the same , now that I've got you ...." ....suppin' like that .... :roll: :P Then the sentiment of the oft repeated refrain of "never gonna be the same " becomes appropriately upbeat ....

    The third reason ( and probably the main one ) might be that while it sounds good now .... at the time .... it may have seemed sort of dated to me .... that Gloria Gaynor-ish guitar work ...


    Too bad the flip isn't an instrumental ... I think the music therein is superb ...... love the middle ... the boogie piano ... and the bongos ... .... tambourine .... sort of think now as I listen ... I should have played it .... :oops: ....


    jes' me ponderin' a might on this one ...... :roll:

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    more ponder ... I'm thinking it would have mixed well with this : Teri DeSario 's
    Ain't Nothing Gonna Keep Me From You

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    That Ruth Waters album is a good addition to one's collection if you're looking to get everything John Davis, but it doesn't stand out or anything, so I can see why you didn't give it play back in the day. The same can be said of that Fantasia album. I think the Ray Dahrouge record, which he produced the same year, had better music.

    Disco Funk

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    remicks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Written by Disco Funk
    That Ruth Waters album is a good addition to one's collection if you're looking to get everything John Davis, but it doesn't stand out or anything, so I can see why you didn't give it play back in the day.
    Disco Funk
    I'm really enjoying it now .... but at the time .... it just didn't have enough punch I guess .... still would like to know how it did overall then ...? ...

    ---------------

    Another John Davis song
    ....although you'd never know it just by playing it .... main clue though ..... it was on Midsong where I guess Carol Douglas"s success gave Davis a lot of clout....


    The Happenings
    LET ME STAY

    sort of Hamilton, Joe Frank , and Reynolds / B.J. Thomas sounding ......
    arranged by John Davis
    produced by Bob Miranda ..who wrote the song as well


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    Quote Originally Written by remicks
    The Happenings
    LET ME STAY

    sort of Hamilton, Joe Frank , and Reynolds / B.J. Thomas sounding ......
    arranged by John Davis
    This wouldn't happen to be the same group that recorded that one hit wonder in the 60's 'See You In September'?

    Disco Funk

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