DISCO HOLY GRAIL, DOES IT EXIST?

**QUINNY** · October 1st, 2002, 04:31 AM

I'm prompted to post this following Masdefi's futile attempts to track down the name of his mysterious track.
We'd all love to think that there a track out there that we haven't heard of, that would absolutely blow us away. In other words, there's a record that's the absolute dog's bollocks of a record, that we don't know. I've read with great interest some of the lists and tracks mentioned here in different threads. I've almost been tempted to buy a few, but then sanity takes over when I go through my old discs, put on something like 'Accidental Lover', 'Sinner Man' or 'Hollywood Hot' for example and my ears tell me exactly why I'd forgotten them. They just didn't (and don't) press my buttons.
I have a large collection of records, amassed over 20 odd years in the 60s,70s and 80s and I have to remind myself that these are just the ones that I thought were good or worth buying for some other reason (at the time). For every one I bought I probably rejected at least 5 for whatever reason, many of which probably adorn the forums here. If I didn't rate them then, am I likely to suddenly re-evaluate them now? Now that I listen to Modern Jazz more than any other single musical genre ( real drums, real piano, real brass, real upright bass, blood, sweat and guts).
So my conclusion is that for me at least, the Disco Holy Grail does not exist. I sincerely wish it did.
Does this make me a Disco Atheist or just a disillusioned old fart? :grin:

**Nano** · October 1st, 2002, 06:53 PM

Well, Quinny, that's precisely the downside of receiving all the new records for free! :lol: Record stores lose all mystery!
But if you had had to buy them, and obviously you couldn't buy them all, now you would find old records with covers you saw many times but which you have never heard actually. So you find them at a bargain price, buy them and suddenly hear a damn fine record, or even an old track you had totally forgotten because you didn't know its name.

**QUINNY** · October 2nd, 2002, 01:57 AM

Nano: I don't know where you got the impression that I got all my records for free. One of the reasons why I always insisted on buying the records I played was so that I wouldn't end up with all the dross that one was inevitably given. Actually buying the records gave me a reason to play them (at least three times) before I moved on to better discs. I probably listened to 85% of all new Disco realeases in the record shops, and they probably obtained 85% of all new Disco releases. So, there may be 30% of releases that I've never heard. However, I sincerely believe there probably isn't a single gem among them, not now that I'm 50 years old and play Disco records for recreation.

**BrunoRepublic** · October 2nd, 2002, 08:03 AM

Well then, I guess you'd better stop listening to disco.

After buying over 2,500 records, I'm still finding gems, and I know I've only scratched the surface. There have been several records that I've bought, listened to briefly, and then filed away... only to discover much later that they were brilliant.

I'm still finding obscure yet wonderful delights through trading with friends and sifting through $1 bins. A recent example: a 7" single of "Chulo" by the Sal Disco Orch. from 1979. This is an awesome latin-disco track, yet nobody here had heard of it, and searching the net revealed no information on the song, act, or label. Another was the "Belle & The Beast" LP by Love Prophecy, a wonderful Costandinos-esque work that I found for $2. There are countless works that were only released in certain territories or cities... and while some of them are dreck, many are delightful. I know it's not possible to have everything... but the more I look, the more I find... and the more I enjoy.

**SandraDee** · October 2nd, 2002, 01:08 PM

Well, Quinnykins, you dont like LPs, you dont like books & now it transpires you dont even like much disco. What an enigma you are!

**Nano** · October 2nd, 2002, 04:19 PM

On 2002-10-02 02:57, QUINNY wrote:
Nano: I don't know where you got the impression that I got all my records for free.

Yeah, I don't know either :oops: Looked for a comment of yours on the "Eighties disco-funk" thread, in my memory it was something like "I tell you there's no gems in the non-hit tracks of disco albums, I know because I used to receive all of them when I was a DJ" (I even made comments about that in that thread). Now I can't find it and think it was some mistaken identity case, or maybe I implied you were receiving free records because of your work on those days... I was wrong, anyway.
Anyway, bought or whatever, it's obvious that if you listened to 85% of all disco records you must be tired, pal, and have earned your right to not feeling like wanting to search for the other 15%.
Anyway (again), I agree with Graham.

_________________
I don't mean a thing (if ain't got that swing)

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Nano on 2002-10-02 17:20 ]</font>

**jack** · October 2nd, 2002, 04:28 PM

[quote]
On 2002-10-01 05:31, QUINNY wrote:
We'd all love to think that theres a track out there that we haven't heard of, that would absolutely blow us away. [quote} In other words, there's a record that's the absolute holy grail of a record, that we don't know.

and that precisely is part of the fun of collecting... there are so many obscure mixes, different cover photos, compilations, foreign tracks/ issues etc etc you can never be sure you have an artists "complete" work. its amazing, especially on the 'net, how much diversity is out there.

**markydefad** · October 2nd, 2002, 04:32 PM

So much of what I cherish in disco is stuff that is emotionally-charged with memories of dancing or other fun life-experiences (sex!!!) Almost everything I voted for in my Top 25 list had "memories" attached to it.

I can still hear terrific records now that I never heard before...or at least have no memory of...BUT, while I appreciate them--they can't begin to challenge the records that form the core existence of "my dancing years".

But do I still seek out new-to-me records from back in the day? Of course, cause what else is there to obsess about??? Certainly not the new stuff. So, I still search out titles that others recommend--out of curiosity and out of a need to become more knowledgable.

This site has introduced me to lotsa good old stuff....BUT it doesn't knock Eddie Holman's "This Will Be A Night To Remember" off the top of my list--cause there is a Trocadero memory associated with that record that will not die as long as I'm alive.

Does that make any sense???

**QUINNY** · October 2nd, 2002, 05:18 PM

Marky: Your comments make a lot of sense; as good a reason as any why records bought now, no matter how damned good, will never quite hit the same spot.
I should be a politician eh? An enigma that's mis-quoted.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad some of you have still get a buzz from finding 'new' records.

**markydefad** · October 2nd, 2002, 05:30 PM

My gawd, do we actually agree on something, Quinny????

Has hell frozen over? :roll:

I guess I can skate my way back to Hollywood tonight, eh??? :lol:

Just call me Brian Boitano. :grin:

**QUINNY** · October 2nd, 2002, 05:43 PM

Marky: if you remember we both hate El ****.
It's an age thang dear chap. From memory, none of the guys who've chastised me were actually there were they?
BTW: Who is ..... BOITANO?

**NickNack** · October 2nd, 2002, 07:26 PM

On 2002-10-01 05:31, QUINNY wrote:
Does this make me a Disco Atheist or just a disillusioned old fart? :grin:

Well, like Wolverine told Rogue: "Pick one." :grin:

A Holy Grail? Maybe not, but I can remember how I felt recently when I popped in an El Coco CD given as a gift and heard "Dancing In Paradise". It brought back such good feelings... dancing with friends, bass speakers pumping, sweaty bodies. Just young, strong and full of it (Thank you, Tina!).

No, we didn't find the Holy Grail but I remember all too well the number of guys yelling at me on the street whilst on their way to dance, "See you in church!" We were all praying... at the alter of our fave DJ.

**nrgbeat** · October 2nd, 2002, 08:03 PM

On 2002-10-02 18:43, QUINNY wrote:
BTW: Who is ..... BOITANO?

A gay ice skater.

**DanceMan** · October 2nd, 2002, 08:30 PM

I won't chastise anyone, especially after someone sent me an email today saying that I must be an old fart because I don't think much about today's dance music (I do own some, so what does he/she know)....yet I WAS THERE TOO back in the day, as a bonafide discophile club member and I still find so many things that I am hearing with a different ear (partially deaf in my right ear, I might add - guess how?? but it was worth it). This Forum has caused me to re-evaluate some tunes that I had long since buried in the B and C files of my attic and I also love finding new songs from the 70s that I never knew existed and my love affair begins all over again....

BTW, I loved El Coco...a group you either loved or despised as I can recall from all those jocks in New York whose Top 25 lists I used to record and who HATED that group (except for NickNack and the late Sergio Munzabai.).....but that was the beauty of the day, that we no longer have....choices!

**QUINNY** · October 3rd, 2002, 04:11 AM

I'll have to admit that I have re-evaluated a FEW discs since I started dragging 'em out.
Mostly downward. :lol: just kidding!
There have been a few that are better than I'd originally thought, but most of these were ignored by everyone here, when I posted a list of them, so I won't dwell on them.
I have a record that keeps me sane.
It's on the Scorpio label out of Canada.
Bobby/Demo - More Ounce (Rap) b/w Ounce Rap
I could say that this is a gem (it's probably so rare that noone could disagree), but.......you want the truth?
It's the biggest load of cak I've ever heard.
And yet I bought it, at some time, 'cos it was a 12", Canadian (haven't got many of those) Had More Bounce To The Ounce as its music bed and was Rap (which had been the #1 music being played just previously). Oh! and by the way it was going cheap.
BUT.........
the music bed was a re-made music bed and is soooooooooooooo piss poor compared to the original, it's a joke. It sucks so massively BIG TIME.
THAT'S why I don't rummage around cut out and second hand bins anymore.

I admire the rest of you for your optimism.

**jazz_pilgrim** · October 3rd, 2002, 05:20 AM

On 2002-10-03 05:11, QUINNY wrote:

I admire the rest of you for your optimism.

Looks like we're all a LOST CAUSE then, eh Quinny??

Thank God you're here to save us!!!! :lol: :lol:

**QUINNY** · October 3rd, 2002, 05:36 AM

Jazz: I'm not here to save anyone. Very little of what I write is cynical or has a hidden/double meaning. I'm an honest, uncomplicated sort of a guy really. :lol: