Favorite British/Northern European Disco?

**K-Bee** · January 4th, 2003, 02:19 AM

Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems to me that a lot of the Dance music that came out of Britain & Northern Europe failed to make much of an impact on the U.S audience (specialists aside).
A lot of my favorite music from the period was european/british made:
Ceejay & Mai Tai from Holland
Delegation, Total Contrast, Lynx, Jaki Graham, Poul Johnson (not the house producer), Loose Ends and a whole bag of other british artists.
Even Laid Back I liked - about the only thing us danes ever contributed to the world of Disco. :(

How do you all feel about this. Especially you from the U.S.

**SandraDee** · January 5th, 2003, 02:39 PM

Well, I was always fascinated in the late 70's & early 80's how when I checked out the stateside charts the RnB & pop charts would be chiefly US acts but when i looked at the disco charts they seemed to be 90% Euro acts such as Voyage, Martin Circus & Patrick Hernandez. I believe that Euro stuff was big with New York audiences (I think the disco charts were compiled mainly from New York club responses) but didn't do so well in the rest of the US. You US members please correct me here if I'm wrong but that is the info I've had.

**Sierra-Leone** · January 8th, 2003, 11:58 AM

The question is too wide. If only fo english - that's one side. If with Holland and with.. what else, then more than lot of!
Well, in England... A la carte - was it disco or not? What else? The other thing in Holland - many groups.

**DJ-Pir** · January 9th, 2003, 09:35 AM

Guys,

If we're talking disco from Holland remember American gypsy - I'm ok. you're ok ? a classic.........
Or :
The Limit - Say yeah
Chaplin band - Madman's discotheque (also got a weird Disconet version that runs 10+ mins without vocals)

**QUINNY** · January 10th, 2003, 06:51 AM

IMO: To be honest, I was rather embarrassed by much of the British and European output (although I kept the customers satisfied by playing much of it).
So far as the Brits were concerned:
Although they're viewed by many as a bit of a joke, I always thought Level 42 were quite convincing at times, although their drummer was the most erratic ever. Heatwave were obviously right in the socket, Lynx were more or less on the money, Gonzalez 'Haven't Stopped Dancing' almost sounded authentic in the early days, Total Contrast were great, 5 Star (first 3 releases) Haywoode 'Roses', Mel & Kim 'Showing Out', Jaki Graham 'Round and Around' 'Set Me Free' and that's about it. E&OE

Hi Tension.... a stormer but so amateurish really, ditto Light of the World (until 'London Town'), Hudson People, Atmosphere, Surface Noise, Cool Notes, Mankind, Alan Hawkshaw, Rah Band, Olympic Runners (in their Disco years at least; before that they were incredibly funky and American sounding), Shakatak need I go on.........?

Grudgingly, I have to say that a lot of the 'New Wave' stuff showed incredible dancebility but I didn't much care for most of it. 'Tainted Love' was sooooo tacky it made me cry every time I had to play the damned thing. I HATED that record with a passion and a half. 1981, What a dark year for Discos?

As for Euro Disco, I think you all know exactly what I think about that!!!

Sorry to be so negative, but the truth according to Quinny often hurts. :lol:

**K-Bee** · January 10th, 2003, 08:29 AM

I must admit I agree on most of your views on british music, Quinny. If that's being negative - call me negative as well.

I don't even wanna discuss Tainted Love. It is simply not worth wasting time on music like that. :x NUFF SAID.

I like some Level 42 too - at least the live stuff (The Physical Presence album) but I didn't want to mention them on purpose since I really consider them pop artists. (not that there's anything wrong with being a pop artist - we all have to get along you know :D .)

Yeah, stuff like Hi Tension may sound seriously dated today allthough "Happy" is still a classic (even though Surface's 1986 version is actually a lot better)

None of you have managed to answer my question ,however. We still need to share some light on how all these artists were looked upon in the U.S.

**orangefunk** · January 12th, 2003, 07:57 PM

Originally Written by QUINNY

So far as the Brits were concerned:
Although they're viewed by many as a bit of a joke, I always thought Level 42 were quite convincing at times, although their drummer was the most erratic ever.

Which drummer? i think they had a few...

**QUINNY** · January 13th, 2003, 03:30 AM

Orange: Certainly the one who drummed on 'The Chinese Way' for example. That was all over the place and I remember James Hamilton of Record Mirror always commented on the poorness of time keeping when he reviewed their records.
BTW: Gary Husband is now a respected jazz drummer in some circles, although I have to say that the times I've seen him at Southampton Jazz Club, he has failed to impress me. All show, no substance and TOO LOUD!!!

**jazz_pilgrim** · January 13th, 2003, 06:11 AM

In answer to Quinny and K-Bee:

Although a lot of the British stuff did sound horribly amateurish and raw at the edges, there were a few records that did make the grade.

LOTW's "London" Town certainly was one, as Quinny said.

In terms of pure disco I think that Junior certainly made the grade with "Mama Used To Say" and subsequent releases ... I think that Central Line's "Walking Into Sunshine" was a pretty good effort. One of the most American sounding tracks was Loose Ends and "Hanging On A String" - no raw edges on that one to be sure .. "Hi Tension" by Hi Tension was raw but had a certain feel about it - when I play it it still brings back very evocative memories for me - I still love it... Their mid-Eighties stuff was much more well-rounded ...

I think the Brit bands were more successful on the jazzier side of things ...

There will always be a controversial debate on Atmosfear and "Dancing In Outer Space" ... a unique sounding classic or absolute trash? Somewhere in the middle for me. Their jazzier Lp in 80/81 was a damn sight better - stuff like "Return Of LB" and "Motivation" were pretty decent...

Now Touch with "Keep On" from '81 was a Brit jazz-funker that never failed to fill the floor ... when I was out in Germany (81/82) this was probably the most popular record of the night - there was a real buzz on the record - especially amongst the Brit soldiers who were out there ...

I picked up an interesting Cd at Christmas from a London outfit called "FBI". Not disco but a mix of soul and hard jazz fusion. Their LP of the same name was released for the first time on CD in 2001 (originally from '76)... before the CD release the original on vinyl was fetching around £80. The killer track is pretty impressive ...."Talking About Love" -a real mix of soul and hard fusion - it has an excellent female vocal lead - soaring up to the highst of highs - but when the jazz rhythms kick in - it makes this record truly great - as the bass is so hard! Very much an underground tune, but possibly the best of the British jazz fusion tracks??

Finally I always have to mention jazz duo Morrissey-Mullen as they were played a lot in the soul clubs in the late Seventies and early/mid Eighties. "Slipstream" from the LP Badness in 81 was a very popular dance tune ...When I lived in London in the mid-Eighties I used to go an see them live on a regular weekly basis. Many a great night was had - the most memorable being when Georgie Fame turned up ....that was a special night!

Oh yes, and I forgot to metion Level 42 - I agree that their early stuff was also very good ......especially that 1980 LP ...

Sorry I can't answer your question on how the Brit records were received in the US ..... but hope you find this of interest ...

:D

**K-Bee** · January 13th, 2003, 06:58 AM

Oh - I do find it very interesting, Jazz Pilgrim.
I Agree about Junior. Most of his stuff still holds up today. "Mama...." aside, I really do love his "Not Tonight" track form the "Aqquired Taste" album from 1984.

Nice to hear about the british jazz funk scene back in the day. It's very hard to find british jazz funk over here. For me the highligt has been the purchase of the debut album by Incognito with the wonderful "Parisienne Girl" included.

Also nice to hear that Loose Ends are not totally forgotten out there. My favorite's still the rather electro sounding "Let's Rock" from 1983. "A Little Spice" was an outstanding debut album which I actually bought in London many moons ago.
Did you know that Loose Ends was the first ever all-black group ever to get signed to virgin??

Some further details about that "FBI" cd would be nice... like who plays on it?
thanx :)

**jazz_pilgrim** · January 13th, 2003, 07:18 AM

I'll post some details on the FBI LP tonight when I get home and have the CD in my hand ...

Further to my comments on the British sound, I remember that Laid Back track very well indeed. If you strip the records out - analyze the words etc - you think, what a crap record!

But, hang on! In '84 I used to go to one of the biggest and best clubs in the South-East of England - FLICKS in Dartford - and the DJ, Colin Hudd, used to tease us about Laid Back. He told us "You always moan about it, but you always ask for it! So I'm gonna play it"! It was always the BIGGEST record of the night! Play that record on a decent sound system and it sort of becomes hypnotic! God knows why but it seemed to work!

I even BOUGHT the record - and still play it!

So don't knock your own music!

BTW when I was out in Germany 81/82 (Osbanbruck) I managed to get up into Copenhagen a couple of times and found British DJs in the clubs I went to (on the main shopping street) and the club music was pretty good. And as for the G-I-R-L-S ....

And I forgot all about Parisenne Girl - what a great tune that was!

**QUINNY** · January 13th, 2003, 07:55 AM

Laid Back: Now that was an oddity. As I type I'm desperately trying to remember what it reminded me of. Probably Gary's Gang (loosely). I have to concur with what Jazz wrote except it was never the biggest floor filler of the night for me, but did go down well with some of the hipper punters. Did they know something I didn't? Probably yes.
Now, where's my copy of 'The Roland DeVille Orchestra, Come Dancing'........tacky Brit disco at its best, and no-ones ever heard of it. I still think most of it is best forgotten.

**K-Bee** · January 13th, 2003, 08:34 AM

LOL :D :D

Never though this would end up like this. Discussing the musical quality of laid back.

The danish group is Tim Stahl and John Guldberg and they're still in the business. They had a huge hit over here in 1990 called "Baker Man". Suppose I don't even have to comment on the lyrical content of that song. it was even worse than "White Horse".
I'm not knocking he music of my own country, Jazz. White Horse still have one of the funkiest bass lines ever. So simple & and it still manages to get you movin' 'n groovin'.
Hell, I'm listening to it right now :P

Just in case you're curious:
www.laidback.dk/

**MPS** · February 4th, 2003, 08:32 AM

Nortern European disco?

Did someone mention Abba (Sweden)?

Btw, was Delegation a UK outfit? Can someone please confirm this...

**K-Bee** · February 4th, 2003, 10:01 AM

MPS:
Delegation did indeed hail from Britain. The made their album "The Promise Of Love" in 1976, but I was always more into their early 80's stuff (the likes of "Heartache No. 9 a.o.)

Oh yeah - ABBA :oops: - well actually I hate them, but they do have their place in this thread.

**MPS** · February 4th, 2003, 10:08 AM

Ok, so the're British!

I've always thought they had an american disco sound. It sounds so professional...

And I agree with you, the LP with "Heartache No 9" and "You and Me" really does kick some ass...

That LP is called "Eau de Vie", right? I think it was released on Ariola Records in Europe. Does anyone know if it was released in the US, and under which label? Mercury?

**K-Bee** · February 4th, 2003, 10:18 AM

MPS
"Eu De Vie" was on Ariola in Europe but their debut from '76 was released on State and distributed by WEA.

Be sure to get their 1982 "Deuces High" album (on Ariola too) if you don't already own it - it's Dyn-O-Myte 8)