B.T.Express

[Marcio**]

In the new top 500 I saw Parliament, Brass Constrution, T Connection, Strikers and others wonderful disco-funk but none B. T. Express (I'm just thinking about "Express"). Do you think B.T.Express could be in the top 500 ?


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[PeanutVendor]

Do it till your satisfied AND Express were seminal. BOTH deserve a top 500 ranking.

[Funky Dude]

Mate. There's PLENTY of good disco/funk that deserve ranking replacing overplayed stuff like "YMCA" :lol: .

Anyhow, yeah B.T. Express have a lot of supercool funky grooves that deserve Top 500 ranking and here's some of their greatest ones:

Do It ('til You're Satisfied) 1974
Express 1974
Everything Good To You Ain't Always Good For You 1974
Mental Telepathy 1974
Peace Pipe 1975
Discotizer 1975
Give It What You Got 1975
Can't Stop Groovin' Now, Wanna Do It Some More 1976
Energy To Burn 1976
Depend On Yourself 1976
Expose Yourself 1977
Funky Music (Don't Laugh At My Funk) 1977
Give Up The Funk (Let's Dance) 1980
Stretch 1980

I've got a couple of their compilation CDs plus some 45s plus some of their songs on other compilations and I've got a 1974 Soul Train episode that features B.T. Express performing "Do It ('til You're Satisfied)" and they are dressed in nice glittery funky single coloured suits :D .

[jazz_pilgrim]

BT Express truly were one of the Funk Greats!

I have to admit that I for some reason don't think I have ever bought any of their records .. I think I shall invest in a BT Express compilation MIGHTY SOON!! :D

[zeca azevedo]

Hi,

I agree with you all, BT Express is one of the funkiest bands of the 70's. Their sound is a hot blend of funk and disco.

BTW, WHO VOTED FOR YMCA? Not me, for sure (LOL)!


zeca azevedo, always doin' it, whatever it is... :lol:

[QUINNY]

Loved Express and Do It ('til you're Satisfied) played most of the album tracks. However, almost 30 years on and their stuff sounds vaguely amateurish and not fully together. I think Randy Muller practised on them, knowing Brass Construction was just around the corner.
I guess that's what made the '70s so great in one way. Second rate bands could make a gem and score. If you don't know what's second rate, just compare horn sections with say Earth, Wind & Fire a true class act. There's a reason why one sounds like strangled cats and the other's sounds slick and precise, Musicianship.

[Marcio**]

Trying to save Y.M.C.A (oh no, Y. M.C.A. again ???) ,Zeca, there's an extended disco version of Y.M.C.A. (time around 6:00) maybe more pleasing :P .

Do you know what means Y.M.C.A. ?


Young Men's Christian Association :P :P :P :P :P

[NickNack]

Marcio,

I have to agree. B.T. Express should have placed. Express would have gotten my vote. Peacepipe was a scorcher played heavily at The Gallery by Nicky Siano.

[Marcio**]

Ok, B.T.Express was on the hands of Randy Muller (Brass Constrution) and Brass Constrution has a place in the top 500 revised ! I wrote this topic because The Ritchie Family, you know, sang "Express" in "The Best Disco In Town". In reality Disco-Funk has great songs in the top 500 like "At Midnight"/T Connection, nine minutes of disco-funk, it was in the first and the in new top 500.

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[Leanmean]

Oooh yeah, "Peace Pipe" WAS a scorcher! Some book I read said something about the silly faux American Indian sound at the beginning and throughout, which, now that I listen, I hear it. But damn! That song smoked (uh :roll: ) despite the trite musical theme!

[efunk_adelic]

B.T. Express - Express

i must have played that song 150 times last year...

I have to try really hard not to overplay these classics, or i'll have to shelve them for a few years or more before I'll feel like i wanna hear them again. This song will always be in my Top 50 favorites dance songs.

[sammyperez]

B.T. Express as a whole was an underappreciated band. Evidence of this lies in Quinny's assessment of them being "amateurish". This assessment is obviously far off. Comparing them to Earth, Wind & Fire is not fair. Name me a disco-funk band from that era that would not pale in comparison to E,W&F.. Wake up there Quinny.

Here are a few other B.T. Express jams I did not see listed in this thread that are worth mentioning:

I like it
We got it together
Ride on B.T.
Let me be the one

Easy,

Sam "ALL JAM"

[QUINNY]

Sammy: I had my engineer's hat on when I made that comment (some months ago). One thing you learn to do as a recording engineer is distinguish between the various levels of musicianship (quality) that exist and to my ears BT Express sound kinda amateurish now. They certainly weren't polished, were they? Sorry if that sounds harsh, but that's my assessment. That's not to say that they were alone, but BT Express is the band we're discussing in this thread and it didn't stop me enjoying some of their tracks. I can still remember the sheer thrill 'Express' and 'Do It' gave me, when I gave them their first few spins. The feeling I only got every now and then.

[sammyperez]

That's the problem right there Quinny; You'd rather be an engineer than a music fan. When you were a music fan you were "thrilled' by some of their tracks. I agree this thread ask your opinion on this band and it is okay not to like everything about this band, but to call them amateurs seems to indicate that your engineering skills are probably equally amateurish. The music hasn't changed in 25 years. Therefore, if the music sounded good to you then, it should sound as good if not better now. Now let's smoke the 'Peace Pipe' and enjoy the 'Express' for what they were.

Easy,

Sam "ALL JAM"

[QUINNY]

Sammy: Apreciation of things can and does change. Any evealuation these days is bound to bring the extra 28 years into the equation. Otherwise I'd still be into 'The Singing Dog', which was the first record I loved (as a 5 year old). That record remains the same as 46 years ago, but are you seriously saying I should still be as enthusiastic about it as I was back in 1957. Sorry, but BT Express does sound less than brilliant to me nowadays and just doesn't give me the same buzz as other records from the period. Some things get better with time, others don't. No big deal, just my opinion.
I've never said I'm a great recording engineer and can pick holes in every job I've ever done. However, the musicians have generally been more than pleased with the results. I guess I'm a perfectionist?

[jazz_pilgrim]

Well - just before I replied to this argument I dug out my copy of BT Express and Do It Til You're Satisfied - only an MD recording off the radio, I'm afraid.

To me - it most definitely has stood the test of time. What Quinny calls amateurishness, I interpret as a vibrant, maybe a slightly unpolished sound that was the essence of that Seventies funk sound that I love. Judging by the majority of people on this thread who are love the record, then I am not alone in my opinion. And, Quinny, judging by the number of times Greg Edwards has featured BT Express tunes on his show, then I am not alone in my opinion there either.

Quinny - sometimes you should lighten up a little bit and just enjoy things for simply what they were. The world is not a perfect place - we all know that! But, despite that, there is a lot to be said for the efforts of human endeavour. And that includes BT Express!

:)

[DISCODISK]

B.T. EXPRESS- EXPRESS got the remix treatment in 1994 some good mixes but the best being the closest to the original-spirit of the 70s mix, also lets not forget the pounding uptown express 12" from 1985 :P QUINNY if you find B.T EXPRESS amateurish with the passing of time,how do you rate your old club spin ROLAND RAT-RAT RAPPIN after times moved on,is that still sounding good to your ears? :lol: :lol: :lol:

[QUINNY]

DISCODISK: It was clever in its execution, well made as such and was a novelty record from the beginning. It certainly fooled everybody at first. Did I ever say it was anything else? Quite frankly, I haven't bothered listening to it since '83 (except it was on that tape), so does that tell you something?
I know you wanna hurt me (for some obscure reason), but sticks and stones dear boy, sticks and stones.

[efunk_adelic]

discodisk,

you struck my curiosity with the newer remix of "Express".
was it a CD Single you are talking about or on a compilation?

[DISCODISK]

hi EFUNK_ADELIC yes mine is a c.d single with 6 mixes on pwl records from 94 sleeve notes dont give much away but id say it was an english project recorded in new york the other 5 mixes wont blow disco fans away as its obviously more of a house thing, but well worth looking out for for the above mentioned spirit of the 70s mix which is rather good

[DISCODISK]

hi EFUNK_ADELIC yes mine is a c.d single with 6 mixes on pwl records from 94 sleeve notes dont give much away but id say it was an english project recorded in new york the other 5 mixes wont blow disco fans away as its obviously more of a house thing, but well worth looking out for for the above mentioned spirit of the 70s mix which is rather good

[johnnylilo]

:D I realise its probably more disco than disco funk but nobody has so far mentioned the BT Express track "Does it feel good to you?" which has a "chic " like sounding production. Quality!! 8)

[efunk_adelic]

for some reason i'm not getting all my threat replys on e-mail. But Discodisk, you must have a killer collection of music :D


I can't believe I still like that song as if it were brand new. hehe

Johnny, you're probably right. Express is probably more disco than disco funk. But how can you resist that funk bass guitar for me that is as funky as you can get.

[Jimaras]

Definately should be amongst them ,they have to many top notch tracks to be left out ! I have all but one of their Albums and they are unique with their own trademark loco-express style function . Cheers
Jimaras

[woodysco]

Do u know the James Brown's version "its not the express its the JB's monorail"!! :lol:
has some similarity with the original... kind of samplin before age....hum...hum...(he has done the same with the david bowie "fame")