Disco Kicks by Original Mass and BTG

**Discomanic** · March 15th, 2003, 10:08 AM

Hi all:
The song "Disco Kicks" by Original Mass and The Boys Town Gang is there a difference? :P

**markydefad** · March 15th, 2003, 03:44 PM

It's the same song. The first release was the Original Mass version; then covered by Boystown Gang on their "Disc Charge" LP in 1982.

**Discomanic** · March 16th, 2003, 09:30 AM

Thanks Marky.

**hotdiscomix** · March 16th, 2003, 12:02 PM

Is the Original Mass version, really the original?

Boys Town Gang's "Disco Kicks" first week in Billboard Charts was 22 August 1981 but Original Mass first week was 3 October 1981 :-?

**markydefad** · March 16th, 2003, 12:51 PM

Hmmmm...well, I thought I learned here from someone that Original Mass did "Disco Kicks" first. Boystown Gang only covered songs originally done by others, as I recall. Bill Motley (BTG producer/ Moby Dick head honcho) constantly went back to his old records for inspiration; he discofied pop hits of the late 1960's and early 1970's. He was anything but original. The writers names on "Disco Kicks" are Botkin/Lindsay.

It's possible that the Original Mass record was released first but only charted after the Boystown Gang version hit the charts. I read something about this, either in Billboard or here....cause I didn't know there was a version by Original Mass until recently.

Anyone out there know the real sequence of events?

**hotdiscomix** · March 21st, 2003, 12:28 PM

Today I have received the Disconet DJ News Volume 4, Program 5 (January 1982) include remix of Original Mass "Disco Kicks"

quotes DJ News:

"...The true and somewhat bizarre story of 'Disco Kicks.'
'Disco Kicks' was originally produced in 1979 as the B-Side to the 'Theme From Mork and Mindy.' Randy Sills took the tracks into the studio, discovered they were very hot, and Ariola decided to release 'Disco Kicks' as a followup single (which never happened as Ariola's west coast-based operation folded.) A few lucky DJs had a tenth generation acetate, and 'Disco Kicks' became a subterranean cult record.

Perry Botkin and Mark Lindsay wrote and produced. Peter H. Hirsch engineered at Doctor Musix in Los Angeles, where Randy did the mix. Jim Callon has now picked up the song for JDC Records.

The song will hardly be out before a cover version joins it, done by Bill Motley's Boystown Gang. so now we'll have the battle of the versions. Sometimes great songs come to the surface in pairs! ..."

**Mixmachine** · March 28th, 2003, 10:22 PM

Just came across the 'Disc Charge" Boystown Gang Promo LP (no cover) I used to play 'Cant take my eyes off you" off this LP, any ways, This Promo is pressed on light purple vinyl, was the commercial release on regular vinyl?

**Discovery** · April 14th, 2003, 01:20 AM

Did Original Mass record anything else besides "Disco Kicks" and "Theme From Mork & Mindy"?

**Discovery** · April 19th, 2003, 01:44 AM

What is the remix of Original Mass - "Disco Kicks" like? How does it compare to the first version?

**Mr.Ree** · January 27th, 2009, 08:34 PM

thanks, I somehow misssed (or didn't pay attention to) this earlier discussion of "Disco Kicks", probably because I only bought and heard the Boys Town cover only recently. By the way, I also found some
"studio musician" performances by Patrick Cowley on albums by Angela Bofill ("Something About You") and Carl Carlton ("The Bad C.C.") both produced by Narada Michael Walden, and I wouldn't be surprised if there's more because Walden often used the same musicians over and over, including American Idol's Randy Jackson. I once worked in the same local studio with one of Walden's staff songwriters, who'd contributed to Shanice's hit "I Love Your Smile".

**PierreConstantin** · January 28th, 2009, 12:14 AM

The version of "Disco kicks" available on the lp "Disc charge" is not the original BTG version but a remix. The first BTG version is slightly different without all the echo effects and can be heard on the B-side of "Can't take my eyes off you" European 7".