The Disco Dub Band, again

[Com King]

A couple of weeks ago, I asked a few questions about "For the Love of Money" by The Disco Dub Band.

It seems that the track has only been released in 12" and that there is no LP. Forrrce owns an instrumental version, that I recieved today.

I got another version, longer, with a female voice at the beginning, and then singin "pada doum pada, etc..." or the phrase "For the Love of Money" during the song.

This version is even more amazing than the instrumental one.

Where does this verison come from?
Is this a re-edit?
Is there 2 different 12" version of this track?

Thanx in advance.

[Forrrce]

I am intrigued by this vocal version. Does it have the same backing? What label is it on and what's the flip? Also, which original(?) issue have you just obtained?

[Com King]

Unfortunately, I only have the version with the female voice on mp3.

The voice really gives another dimension to the track.
I don't know if it's a remix or another original version.

You should try to download it as it's really a wondeful track.

[ladyboygrimsby]

Just to bring this back up to the top again. I was in the British Library doing some research the other week and I found a few mentions of For The Love Of Money by Disco Dubs. Walter Gibbons describes it like this, as does Vince Aletti. Then a few months later, it becomes Disco Dub Band. Does anyone know if it's the same record but with a different appellation or a different version altogether?

[Com King]

You're very welcome to bring it back to top :D

[sfbeary]

hey guys,

i've been checking out the posts made during the period i was away and came across this old thread.

i've got a 7" of disco dub band that was on downstairs records, a tiny label out of a famous nyc record store not far from time square. it was where a lot of the earliest hip-hop guys got their breaks (i mean the records! - i once got a break there in the form of the ashford & simpson promo 12" of "one more try" for $10!!!) as far as i know, the disco dub band 7" is the original version and wasn't available in any other form back in the day.

i also have a bootleg 12" from the '80s with an extended re-edit that combines the a and b-sides of the single. it was either done by danny krivit or one of his contemporaries.

furthermore, there was a set of late '90s remixes. i found a listing for a 12" on discogs.com

Disco Dub Band - For The Love Of Money (Disorient) 12"
Catalog#: SUSHI 03

Released:June*1997

Country:UK

Style:Breaks, Dub, Disco

Tracklisting:

A1
For The Love Of Money (Toshiyuki Goto Remix)
**remix by Toshiyuki Goto

A2
For The Love Of Money (Original Mix)

B1
For The Love Of Money (The Underdog Remix)
**remix by Underdog, The

B2
For The Love Of Money (New Hard Left Mix)
**remix by Harvey

i'm pretty sure i have the Toshiyuki Goto mix on a cd compilation somewhere, but it'll take some digging.

[Forrrce]

The earliest incarnation I know of is the UK 7" on Movers/Island from 1976 - I've always assumed this is the original. As far as I know, Downstairs products were bootlegs.

The 12" re-edit is a UK white label from 1981, on Good City Records. A green labelled New York bootleg of that arrved on these shores in 1986, boasting appalling sound quality.

On a similar thread, I suggested the track was the work of one Davitt Sigerson, who worked at Island, Ze and EMI America. A little background or confirmation could demystify the legendary DDB.

[QUINNY]

We're into the whole who stole what from where question.

Having listened to it again, it brings up the Tubular Bells/For The Love Of Money/Love To Love You Baby et al link all over again. To any former list you can add another one.

Now, for the first time in 20 years I understand why I liked Barah by Cleavage so much back in '86, 'cos it was a virtual remake of the Disco Dub Band's For The Love Of Money, even though the housed up version of Bra by Cymande sounds even closer and is possibly the inspiration for Cleavage's record.

Undoubtedly, The Disco Dub Band was a true leftfielder back in '76 and eons ahead of its time. I played it, but didn't fully understand it, back then.

BTW: Downstairs release was licensed from Movers records.

[sfbeary]

i just pulled out my bootleg 12" of "for the love of money" to re-evaluate it after your comments - this one has a gold J.D. Records, Inc. label.

i wouldn't call the sound quality appalling, especially considering that the source was most likely a 7" - oddly enough, it's credited here as "Disco Dub."

the other side happens to be a re-edit of Cymande's "Bra," which also sounds pretty great for a boot.

why Davitt Sigerson? my memory of his music is that it was fairly traditional singer-songwriter stuff. he's a novelist now.

[QUINNY]

Just had a thought.
Maybe the Disco Dub Band were some of the members of Cymande (the ropey sax sounds almost similar to their's in both sound and relatively limited standard of playing). My other bet would be that they were the Olympic Runners in disguise (wasn't Pete Wingfield doing other stuff for Island then?).
In the UK, in 1976, there wouldn't have been that many people actually into, or capable of making, such a convincing sounding record. I can't see that a totally unknown, young band would have been able to play the guitar parts so well. Listen to those and they're the work of someone who really knows what he's doing.

Just a thought..........

[Forrrce]

Here's my Movers 45. Now to me, 'FTLOM' has a sound not too dissimilar to say, James White & The Blacks. As for the Sigerson credited, who knows - could be two people or even another Davitt Sigerson altogther. Were it the same person involved in Disco Dub Band, Island and Ze Records, that would make sense to me - it all fits musically.

The green labelled bootleg 12" from '86 sounded like it had been played through a Leslie amp - the signal constantly weaved in and out. Great for the Fender Rhodes, but...

Quinny - surprised you didn't spot the DDB/Bra thing with Cleavage straight away. That's why it was fairly big on the underground at the time.

[QUINNY]

I suppose Davitt/Sigerson is a typo. In which case forget Cymande or Olympic Runners. Strange really that a record should have such accomplished guitar playing and such terrible out of tune saxophone (sounding like an 16 - 18 year old and not a pro player).

I never picked up on the link with Cleavage 'cos I just didn't remember the DDB, even though I did play it a fair bit. The Cymande Bra/Cleavage Barah connection just didn't enter my brain either, until I heard that house verion of the former title.

Just to confuse myself, I came across the Armada Orchestra's version of FTLOM today on an old LP. I'd totally forgotten about that!!

[Greg Wilson]

[quote="Forrrce"]

Here's my Movers 45. Now to me, 'FTLOM' has a sound not too dissimilar to say, James White & The Blacks. As for the Sigerson credited, who knows - could be two people or even another Davitt Sigerson altogther. Were it the same person involved in Disco Dub Band, Island and Ze Records, that would make sense to me - it all fits musically.
quote]

Pretty sure this is the case. I thought I'd read it over at the ZE website, but just checked and there's no info on Davitt Sigerson. I've a feeling this was something Michel Esteban mentioned to me. Can't confirm, but I'd say it was 99% certain.

[Forrrce]

I thought I'd read it over at the ZE website, but just checked and there's no info on Davitt Sigerson. I've a feeling this was something Michel Esteban mentioned to me. Can't confirm, but I'd say it was 99% certain.

You're right, Greg - there's a Sigerson page here on a Japanese Ze tribute site (never seen this before). Click his name for a Ze'scography.

http://www.h4.dion.ne.jp/~ze-rec/davittsigerson.htm

[sfbeary]

wow - you guys are certainly right about the Davitt Sigerson connection!

here's what i found at:
http://www.nyobserver.com/pages/story.asp?ID=8714

it's an interview with sigerson, ostensibly about his novel:

Mr. Sigerson spent his early childhood on the Upper West Side, a block from where he now lives, and for elementary school went briefly to Hunter, then Dalton. When he was 13, his father—a science writer who founded magazines for doctors—sold the business, and the family moved to London. Mr. Sigerson, the only child of his parents’ marriage (his father’s fourth, his mother’s second), attended St. Paul’s and then Oxford, where he came back to London on weekends and made his way around the club scene, producing records and even doing a cover of an old O’Jays tune, "For the Love of Money," that became an underground hit.

the article goes on to discuss his solo albums, which the interviewer likens to "an undepressed Elliott Smith."

[Giovanni]

Great topic, guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the kind of stuff I like to read here!

I've been browsing this forum with a little disappoint lately, due to so many trivial posts.
I largely prefer the "cultural" site of the music, and these sort of "studies" on records give me excitation.

By the way, the 7" that Forrrce owns is no doubt the original.

[Com King]

EVERYTHING GETS CLEARED ON DISCOMUSIC.COM.

thanks forrrce, quinny, greg wilson, sfbeary, etc ...


Is any of U aware of other Davitt Sigerson productions?

[Greg Wilson]

Noticed the other day that he's listed amongst the people who get a special thanks in the credits for the Grace Jones compilation, 'Private Life - The Compass Point Sessions'.

[melseyT]

Having only just seen your message, I realise this reply comes somewhat late! I know about the 'Disco Dub Band' because I was there when it was formed in our small studio in Camden Town, London. It was a name brought forward by Davitt Sigerson, who was then working with us in the studio. I ran the studio with my writing and production partner, Ray Roberts, who sadly died last year. The other member of our team was Tony Cummings, who was a friend of Davitt and brought him to us. Tony now helps run and writes for "Cross Rhythms" the Christian magazine in the UK. I don't actually remember this track, 'For The Love Of Money', it only rings a bell in connection with another of our musicians/writers, Mike Dorane - of reggae fame, because I think he may have recorded a version of the song, but he certainly knew Davitt also. So it was the (joint) work of Davitt Sigerson, who recorded a few other DDB tracks with us, which I might be able to track down. One track I remember was called "Bird Funk", and another "Booty Is As Booty Does", plus another possible "Harder Than The Rest". Would there be much interest out there?

[Scientist]

Hi melseyT, Many thanks for the information about DDB. I would be very interested to hear more from the FTLOM sessions. Its one of those 'out of nowhere' tunes . I discovered it much later in the 80s but am still today quite startled by the unusual sound quality. I'd assumed it was a US production but should have guessed there was a UK angle as reggae was not popular in the US in 76 unlike the UK where it had a large crossover audience going back to the late 60s. Finally, my condolences to the family and friends of Ray Roberts