Teen Idols Who Did Disco

[Cdnbob]

What other teen idols besides the following did disco during the disco era?


A Holland Dozier Holland Production Produced by Brian Holland






A Holland Dozier Holland Production Produced by Brian Holland

[drlove]

I'd add:

1) Tony Orlando (teen idol - circa 1961 - WAY before hooking up with Telma & Joyce) -- released a 12-inch solo version of "Don't Go" in 1978, before Isaac Hayes' own classic rendition a year or so later. Also, in 1975-76, Tony Orlando & Dawn released the original version of "Midnight Love Affair" as an album cut, though Carol Douglas had the much-remembered hit with it.

2) Jackson 5 (big-time teen idols from 1970-75) --- had huge club hits with "Forever Came Today" (1975) and then with "Shake Your Body Down To The Ground / Blame It on the Boogie" (1978-79) and "Lovely One / Can You Feel It / Walk Right Now" (1980-81).

3) Ralph Carter (teen idol years 1974-79) -- the "Good Times" tv star made a smooth transition to disco recording star with the Van McCoy productions of "When You're Young and in Love" (1975) and "Extra, Extra, (Read All About It)" (1976).

4) Andy Gibb (teen idol years 1977-1981) -- the Bee Gees' younger brother had a 12-inch version of "Shadow Dancing" (his big pop/dance hit of 1978), though it likely saw little or no action in the clubs.

5) I'm sure they're many others . . .but that's why it's so cool to have so many members to contribute da rest !!!

[remicks]

*****

Canadian disco pioneers !! :

1)Dr. Love:

Tony Orlando (teen idol - circa 1961 - WAY before hooking up with Telma & Joyce) -- released a 12-inch solo version of "Don't Go" in 1978, before Isaac Hayes' own classic rendition a year or so later. Also, in 1975-76, Tony Orlando & Dawn released the original version of "Midnight Love Affair" as an album cut, though Carol Douglas had the much-remembered hit with it.

:icon_eek: --- I did not know this ....good info! .... curious to hear it ....

******

[Cdnbob]

Did the Defranco Family record disco? I don't recall any... ??

[drlove]

Remicks . . you'll find that "Midnight Love Affair" on the TO BE WITH YOU album by Tony O. & Dawn (circa late-Spring of '76):

Tony Orlando and Dawn -To Be With You - Elektra Records 7E-1049 - 1976 (Also released in Quad version)
Side 1: Cupid, To Be With You, Caress Me Pretty Music, Selfish One, Happy Man
Side 2: Midnight Love Affair, Talk To Me, You're All I Need To Get By, (You're) Growin' On Me, When The Party's Over

To Be With You
1. Cupid
2. To Be With You
3. Caress Me Pretty Music
4. Selfish One
5. Happy man
6. Midnight Love Affair
7. Talk To Me
8. You're All I Need To Get By
9. (You're) Growin' On Me
10. When The Party's Over

[disco-disc]

I see you have the Bay city rollers, hows about other 'Teen Idol' groups:
Sweet
Osmonds
Glitter Band
Mud
John Travolta

All were Teen idols to some extent ??

Strange that David Cassidy did not do a Disco record....would have thought he was the most likely to ??

[drlove]

Disco-Disc . . . I know Glitter Band's "Makes You Blind" (GREAT instrumental track, by the way) . . . but what are some of the disco releases by the other groups you mention ???

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

you'll find that "Midnight Love Affair" on the TO BE WITH YOU album by Tony O. & Dawn (circa late-Spring of '76):
1. Cupid
2. To Be With You
3. Caress Me Pretty Music
4. Selfish One
5. Happy man
6. Midnight Love Affair
7. Talk To Me
8. You're All I Need To Get By
9. (You're) Growin' On Me
10. When The Party's Over

Was the LP (or any of the individual cuts) produced, or arranged by John Davis? The writers of "Midnight Love Affair" don't appear on any other Carol Douglas, nor John Davis LP. So it appears that Carol's was a full-on cover-version.

[Cdnbob]

I see you have the Bay city rollers, hows about other 'Teen Idol' groups:
Sweet
Osmonds
Glitter Band
Mud
John Travolta

All were Teen idols to some extent ??

Strange that David Cassidy did not do a Disco record....would have thought he was the most likely to ??

Actually David Cassidy just released an album of his and a few Partridge Family songs remixed to modern day beats.

As for The Osmonds, the only disco-related album they did was the one that Maurice Gibb produced (Steppin Out - 1979) and as far as I know, John Travolta never did any disco numbers at least not on the two solo albums he released. No idea who Mud are, and never heard of the Glitter Band either. Were they UK groups.

Sweet... ahhhh yes, I suppose if you count "Fox On The Run" or "Ballroom Blitz".

[Jackson9]

Stacy Lattisaw - Dynamite

The Sylvers - Boogie Fever / Hot Line

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

...about other 'Teen Idol' groups: Glitter Band

If they were a Teen Idol band... MAN! They were a damn funky one. They had a good run in the UK, but "Makes You Blind" was the only time they surfaced in the US clubs, or radio. I'd assumed (solely from lack of available information, at the time) that they were along the lines of The Olympic Runners, in the UK. Later to discover they were Gary Glitter's concert back-up ban.

Strange that David Cassidy did not do a Disco record....would have thought he was the most likely to ??

Actually, Cassidy was fighting, the entire time he was in The Partridge Family, to escape the Teen Idol image. He'd always aspired to being a Rock musician. And was/has been adamant about that in every interview he's given. Now and since. He was forever trying to shake the Teen/Pop image. If he'd done a Disco recording, it would've been the final nail-in-the-coffin of him being accepted/respected by the Rock & Roll community.

Keeping in mind that his was the mid-late 70's. There was no bridge between the two genres yet.

[drlove]

Thanks, Stephen, I believe you're absolutely correct (based on the 1976 dates TO&D's "Midnight Love Affair" charted on the A/C charts and when Carol's superior disco version hit the dance charts) and we know Carol has had quite an illustrious career of cutting some stellar cover records (Dancing Queen, Night Fever, etc.) in addition to her originals.

As far as that TO&D LP's production credits, I no longer personally own that LP as it was one of my Katrina casualties, but I also didn't see any production credits listed on allmusic.com

Here's the you-tube entry of their recorded performance of "Midnight Love Affair"
YouTube - Midnight Love Affair

Finally, looks like a huge TO&D really fan needs to put in an entry at the discogs website, which doesn't feature this particular 1976 LP at the Dawn page:
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Dawn+(5)

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

...as far as I know, John Travolta never did any disco numbers at least not on the two solo albums he released.

Even on that double LP he recorded for MidLand/MidSong International?

...never heard of the Glitter Band either. Were they UK groups.

Their instrumental track from 1976, "Makes You Blind" was a HUGE dancefloor, and R&B radio hit, in 1976. An awesome instrumental groove, on Bell/Arista Records in the US. No extended 12", but you didn't need one. The way the song was constructed, you could start it over, and over, and over...with a simple slip-cue into another copy of the 45.

Sweet... ahhhh yes, I suppose if you count "Fox On The Run" or "Ballroom Blitz".

I was a sucker for 1972's "Little Willy". A real stomper!

[Cdnbob]

Actually, Cassidy was fighting, the entire time he was in The Partridge Family, to escape the Teen Idol image. He'd always aspired to being a Rock musician. And was/has been adamant about that in every interview he's given. Now and since. He was forever trying to shake the Teen/Pop image. If he'd done a Disco recording, it would've been the final nail-in-the-coffin of him being accepted/respected by the Rock & Roll community. Keeping in mind that his was the mid-late 70's. There was no bridge between the two genres yet.

Yes, you only have to look at the difference between his very first solo record "Cherish" and "Rock Me Baby". The first could almost be a Partridge Family album while the second was much more rock n' roll orientated. Two very different albums.

Then look at his RCA output from 1976-79. Much more rock orientated. He worked a lot with Bruce Johnson of the Beach Boys during this time, while in the early 70's one of his writing partners was Kim Carnes (of "Bette Davis Eyes" fame). One of his best tracks from the 76-79 period was a song by Paul & Linda McCartney called "Tomorrow" as well as doing the very first version of "I Write The Songs".

Sadly now he seems to be stuck continually re-recording his old stuff but just in new styles.

[drlove]

.. . ooh, Good call, Jackson9:

THE SYLVERS !!!

how could I have forgotten them ??? They were certainly in all the teen mags of the day (1976-77), and their brand of bubblegum-disco was INFECTIOUS !!! "Hot Line"' is one of my favorite disco tracks of all time, only because my feet can't stop moving everytime I hear it !!! Having Freddie Perren as a writer/producer certainly helped this family group of 9 brothers & sisters, as he helped guide Tavares to disco immortality as well that very same year (1976).

[Cdnbob]

.. . ooh, Good call, Jackson9:

THE SYLVERS !!!

how could I have forgotten them ??? They were certainly in all the teen mags of the day (1976-77), and their brand of bubblegum-disco was INFECTIOUS !!! "Hot Line"' is one of my favorite disco tracks of all time, only because my feet can't stop moving everytime I hear it !!! Having Freddie Perren as a writer/producer certainly helped this family group of 9 brothers & sisters, as he helped guide Tavares to disco immortality as well that very same year (1976).

Boogie Fever, High School Dance, Cotton Candy... all great tracks!

[kdavid13]

John Travolta never did any disco numbers at least not on the two solo albums he released.

A much different disco version of A GIRL LIKE YOU surfaced on 12in.Eric Matthew was involved with this one.A red vinyl european edition also exists.
John Travolta - A Girl Like You

I see that John Davis arranged a few tracks off the TRAVOLTA FEVER Lp too.
John Travolta - Travolta Fever

[disco-disc]

Hey Guys, Thanks for the reply:
Sweet - Funk it up (David's song) 12" CND -1977 - does not do much for me, they were more Glam rock, but did do some great rollicking tunes..as Stephen Freeman mentions:icon_biggrin:
Glitter band - as mentioned - makes you blind - on a 1977 12" CND disc, with a couple of others.
Osmonds -I, I, I - A great record, especially the intro. Promo 1979 12" - well worth checking out, if only for the novelty value. (I think the Bee Gees may have had a hand in this production/writing???.)
Mud- another Glam rock era group from UK- shake it down gets a few plays in 1976/77 -7"
John Travolta -a girl like you - 12" p/s from 1979 - hit and miss effort from Mr. Saturday Night Fever.

As for David Cassidy, well I did personally like his version of- Get it up for love- which was later released by Tata Vega !!, and I did like the Partridge family - I think I love you, but that was not 'Disco'.

[remicks]

*****

Drlove:

original (?) version (?)

MIDNIGHT LOVE AFFAIR

love (weird) tie-ins like this !!:icon_biggrin:

thanks for sharing!

_______________________


So we 're not regarding the DeFrancos as Canadian disco pioneers then ???





ya well :icon_rolleyes:.... nah ........guess not !! :icon_mrgreen:

(gotta love that "heartbeat/love beat" though !! :icon_mrgreen:)


******

[FrontPage22]

C2 You Set My Dreams To Music (2:55) Producer - John Davis (5) C3 Whenever I'm Away From You (3:11) C4 Settle Down (4:12) C5 Back Doors Crying (4:00) D1 Moonligth Lady (2:42) D2 All Strung Out On You (3:25) D3 Can't Let You Go (3:16) D4 Easy Evil (3:04)
Hm, C2 and D4 are both songs sung by Dusty Springfield as well. Never thought I'd see a Travolta/Dusty connection. Wow.

[Cdnbob]

...Osmonds -I, I, I - A great record, especially the intro. Promo 1979 12" - well worth checking out, if only for the novelty value. (I think the Bee Gees may have had a hand in this production/writing???)

This is going by memory but I think it may have been an Alan, Wayne and Merrill Osmond composition who usually wrote a lot of their self penned songs but I can't remember for sure.

So we 're not regarding the DeFrancos as Canadian disco pioneers then ???

Oh god never. They were very much teenybopper pop. Did you know they were produced by the same team that originally produced the Osmonds? Yup, Mike Curb/Michael Lloyd. And while they were Canadian they never recorded in Canada, always in LA.

[FranceJoliFan]

And TIGER BEAT cutie Jimmy McNichol (with sister Kristy.) Their 1978 lp was disco-rific.

[JussiK]

50's/60's heartthrob Bobby Rydell did a spectacular disco version of "Sway" in 1976. Bobby Solo did great trashy eurodisco with "Una Lacrima Sull'Viso" and "My Love Is Burning".
France Gall who did "La Musique" and Sheila of "Singing In The Rain" etc were originally massively successful as a teen idols.
David Essex did a strange if quite okay disco version of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" called "Oh What A Circus" in 1978. Cliff Richard scored big with "We Don't Talk Anymore" in 1979. The same year, the former lead of The Glitter Band, Gary Glitter ( now rotting away in prison for child abuse) realesed "Superhero" as a 7" single.

[drlove]

found a clip of 14 y/o Ralph Carter on Soul Train:

enjoy this excellent Van McCoy-written/produced disco hit from 1975:

YouTube - WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG AND IN LOVE / RALPH CARTER

[boogyjuice]