Billboard dance music columnist Brian Chin

[sfbeary]

Early this month, Brian Chin suffered a brain hemorrhage. You may remember Brian from his Billboard dance music columns in the 1980s, detailed liner notes for many of the greatest soul and disco reissues and compilations (including The Disco Box, and various collections of Donna Summer, Diana Ross, the Jackson Five, Gloria Gaynor, etc.), and for his time at Profile Records, where he signed Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, the hip-hop duo behind "It Takes Two." Yes, he is young to have something like this happen, but he's beginning to talk and wiggle his toes, so his situation is improving.

[tmob]

Thanks so much for posting this. Besides being one of the best and most knowledgeable (especially about disco) music writers in the business, Brian's also one hell of a nice guy. I spent a wonderful afternoon with him many years hitting the record shops in Seattle and talking music over dinner. He's a sweet man, and far too young to have something like this happen. I'm going to visit that website and encourage others to do so, too.

[DonaldCleveland]

Early this month, Brian Chin suffered a brain hemorrhage. You may remember Brian from his Billboard dance music columns in the 1980s, detailed liner notes for many of the greatest soul and disco reissues and compilations (including The Disco Box, and various collections of Donna Summer, Diana Ross, the Jackson Five, Gloria Gaynor, etc.), and for his time at Profile Records, where he signed Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, the hip-hop duo behind "It Takes Two." Yes, he is young to have something like this happen, but he's beginning to talk and wiggle his toes, so his situation is improving. You can keep up with him and send encouraging messages at the Long Island College Hospital website:

CaringBridge / Thanks for visiting. You're almost to Brian's website.

Saying "thank you" for this makes me feel..........lousy.
Brian Chin is one of the good guys. He will pull through. I encourage others who are fans on here to write him. Brian followed Tom Moulton as the Billboard Disco columnist and also followed Vince Aletti as the Record World Disco columnist. He has as much "Disco Street Cred" as anybody on Earth. He has maintained a high level of behind the scenes professionlism and worked on many different projects on many levels- whether writing a bio for a hip-hop act or trying to match up performers with songs.
Brian has been quietly working in music- as compared to his flashier late 70's and 80's days...but is STILL one of the most potent and consistent contributors to the Music Business out here. God Bless him and help him recover.

Donald Cleveland

[markydefad]

Oh this makes me so sad. I love Brian's writing. He's truly one of my fave music critics ever. When I see he's written the liner notes for something--I must buy it. Always essential reading for me filled with fascinating detail and brilliant revelations. We need more of the Brian Chin musical insight in the world. I wish him a speedy recovery.

[thommy2458]

He is my favorite writer on disco right after Vince-I have all his Record World columns.Vince wasn't an easy act to follow,but Brian was simply amazing and took the torch and made the column his own.

Thom

[kdavid13]

I'm also a huge fan of Brian's writing. I'm very sad to read this. Hope he pulls through - I'm gonna be sending him my best wishes for a speedy recovery.:icon_cool:

I've long been collecting his Billboard & Record Mirror columns.
This morning I was reading his liner notes for Donna Summer's Gold collection.

[SandraDee]

It is very sad, & a strange coincidence as just before I saw this I'd just finished reading Brian's notes on my new 'Sylvester & The Hot Band' CD. Get well soon Brian, there will be loads of people here thinking about you.

[sfbeary]

Those close to Brian are reading him these messages, which I'm sure he appreciates.

Thanks so much!

Barry Walters

[Skizz]

So sorry to read this,Brian inspired me to write about dance music when I was 21 back in '86.Can someone please post his email address!

[Jay Negron]

he's beginning to talk and wiggle his toes, so his situation is improving.

Brian is in my prayers.

I hope you will give us an update on his progress!!

[Chap2Power]

My jaw dropped, I had no idea...horrible news..

Get better and fast !

[remicks]

(I could have sworn I'd already posted this :icon_confused:)


*****


Brian ,

Godspeed on your recovery.

I don't expect you to remember this , but I do , so if I may, I'd like to share my personal one time encounter with you.

While I was working by day at Portals To Music , a record store in San Francisco, , and attending the Trocadero Nightclub by night --- I was becoming increasingly frustrated with Billboard's Disco /Dance charts.

Portals To Music had modest clout being an independent record store that dated back to the forties ( !!) and although we didn't report directly to Billboard, we did report to a West Coast record tracking agency that in turn reported their findings to Billboard (we also got weekly calls from Variety ... and of all things Jet Magazine - we were out in the Avenues of San Francisco .)

But otherwise we had no direct affiliation with Billboard Magazine.

But we had our beloved mandatory subscription which we awaited eagerly each Monday , and I used each of the Billboard charts as a guide when ordering the store's 45's and 12"ers .
( I had already been a longtime fan and had read Billboard's charts avidly since high school - long before there even was the added disco section in '74. Through Billboard, I watched disco emerge right before my very eyes)

So as time passed further into the eighties, as I watched the contents of the disco chart become increasingly jumbled, I became increasingly dismayed. What I didn't want to admit was that I was witnessing the genre that I so loved and that I'd watched develop from its inception , eroding away .

But that wasn't as clear to me then . This is probably in 1982.... And the "disco" music I was still hearing at the Trocadero just didn't line up with the weekly disco charts that Billboard was printing . I decided to fire off a little note (that wound up being a hefty three or four pages ) detailing my concerns .

I think one of my suggestions was that there seemed to be a need to redesign the charts into sub groups separating for instance the New Wave and British influx ---from the funk/hip hop--- from the rock/pop --- from the "disco" . I probably suggested a designated chart for the more hard-core type disco ... the solid stuff created with the clubs in mind , especially since there was now so much pop stuff getting extended "dance" versions at the time. (i.e. TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP The Romantics) The terms HI NRGY or Italo Disco didn't exist yet .... but that kind of stuff .... all the music coming out of Montreal on Unidisc etc. . ..the TROC music ...


So anyway, a couple of days passed and then while at work I got called to the phone .... "It's for you , Brian Chin from Billboard ."

I was so surprised you'd responded and so quickly and directly ....

Not only were you receptive to my input , but you went to great lengths to explain the current status of "disco" music and how fractured dance music had become ....with independent DJs and clubs increasingly playing distinctively different playlists depending on the clientèle.

It seems to me that you also said that Billboard's latest policy was to only now chart releases -12"ers- that were available commercially ... for sale to the public , that " promo only" versions were not included (??)....thus eliminating many songs from charting and I also think you said that imports were also not counted (???). I'm a bit fuzzy on those particulars.

We went through my letter point by point and so it was a rather lengthy discussion (very nice of you especially since it was on your --or Billboard's :icon_razz:--dime, and it was reassuring to learn you were all too aware of the issues I was bringing up and you shared my frustration . Some clubs focused on more specific sub-genres - -- while in bigger numbers , most clubs mixed it all up - to one degree or another. How do you break all that down ?? Who's playing what , & who's not ... which styles count more ....
The problem, in the end of our discussion , still remained : What then was the solution to the changing times and how to appropriately chart the wide spectrum of sounds that constituted "dance music" ???

And that didn't get resolved that day.
But I, as an avid disco enthusiast and avid Billboard follower , thoroughly enjoyed the conversation.

Thanks for taking the time back then Brian ...I'm sure that phone call was probably a small part of a normal day for you , but for me it was special and I wanted you to know such a gesture was regarded with great respect. And still remembered to this day.

Would love to have you come to discomusic.com one day, Brian, and review the Billboard days .... Discuss those charts some more ! ….that and so many things, ….. tap into all your disco knowledge.

Hurry with your recovery so you can do so !!!



remicks





******

[Jay Negron]

You gave me such FLASHBACKS with that post remick!!!

I remember those days and the frustration with the charts, the music, and the public's perception of dance music.
Especially in 1982.:icon_confused:

Thanks for those memories indeed!!!!

And a speedy recovery for Mr. Chin.

[neoxicano]

Wow! I can't believe the news. Chin's Disco/Dance expertise is invaluable! I pray he makes it! Does anyone in here know how to get a hold of him? Is he still based out of NYC? I used to correspond with him back in the late 80s/early 90 when I was a Latin Hip-Hop/Freestyle DJ.

Would someone here please be kind enough to put me through to him? I'd love to maybe talk to him or at the very least send him a get-well card or something.

[ivanatmms]

My Prayers are go out to Brian and his family. I have been trying to reach him on FB and now I know why there was no response.

Get better soon, Brian.

Ivan Goldberg