Disco-poll

[Nano]

Maybe iTunes and the other pay-download sites are the best (legal) option for acquiring disco tracks. They can offer the songs individually and in different formats (7', 12' or album versions, or remixes). So you wouldn't have to buy a whole CD with at least half of dude tracks because of that one you wanted so bad.
Also, most disco albums weren't so good taken as a whole. So maybe that would be the best way to get those tracks.
Now, of course, the labels would have to do the same work for one track or the whole album: that is, to look for master takes on old multitrack tapes (stored who knows where), clean dust and sometimes repair them, remix and remaster the material... Maybe it's too much to ask for these guys. :-?

[shootyourshot]

In my experience, the best music of today never appears on the radio.

Unfortunately, as I browse the pages of Billboard back in the optimistic days of 1975, I have come to realize that lack of radio exposure is precisely why disco never really caught on in small-town America. Even back then, the people living out there were horribly misinformed, couldn’t understand what was so appealing about the genre, and only heard a few disco pop hits on the radio (which were usually overplayed to compensate for a lack of edgier stuff). Radio couldn’t capture the excitement of a discotheque, leading many to never show any interest in the nightclub culture, because rock concerts seemed like a far more entertaining option. The idea of selling a lot of records without radio or TV exposure was revolutionary. If you had asked record company execs before 1970 if you could have a hit record without radio play, they would have laughed in your face. To my exasperation, it seems like the same is true today.

Maybe 4 or 5 years ago, I needed music as much as I needed a hole in my head. Sure, I liked disco, but I only heard the same 20 songs over and over. Then, I discovered P2P networks, and now I spend upwards of $250 a year on music. If I really like a track, but can’t buy it on a cd, I’ll download it without a second thought. However, there are still many songs you can’t even find on WinMX.

Modern dance music does have its moments, but I do agree that most of it is waaay too repetitive (and not repetitive in a GOOD way) and bass-driven for my taste. When it comes to music, you guys over in Europe have it good. I would kill to have VIVA over here. 99% of all good dance music comes from overseas. When was the last time a dance song did well on the Hot 100 over here? Nowadays, the major labels are starting to give up on dance music. In fact, I’ve noticed that the only dance music Sony makes anymore are remixes of pop tracks. With that said, I also download any disco music released on Columbia, Epic, or any of their subsidiary labels, because I refuse to allow my money to be used to record and promote more of the crap people today call music.

[QUINNY]

You guys ever heard of internet radio? There's loads of good stuff out there. You just have to find it.

All the above posts are Bullshit IMO, for one simple reason.

WE'VE ALL GOT LAZY AND WE'VE ALL GOT TOO EXACT IN OUR REQUIREMENTS.

Do you think we all had access to all the tracks that were released BITD?? Of course we didn't. So why bitch now if those same tracks aren't available on CD, or heaven forbid, P2P groups? You guys don't deserve to have 'em!!

Trouble is, nowadays people consume music like they consume food. They eat it all up, pass it through their system and then start munching on some more. They don't give enough time to digest it properly and savour the music. It's all about obscurity, just to score the odd brownie point over someone. Some of you guys are sooo shallow IMO :evil: :evil: :evil:

[shootyourshot]

What I was referring to is when I hear an excellent track (and not that obscure, either) on, say, Radio Stad Den Haag, and I spend months searching for it on P2P networks because I can’t find it on CD anywhere. Don’t tell me you haven’t felt the same . When it comes to the disco charts, I won’t even bother searching for the really obscure records, but when a song does pretty well and makes it into the upper tier (or if Tom says it is similar to a song I like), I get curious. For me, it’s not about bragging rights, it’s about trying to recreate an environment I was never lucky enough to experince firsthand.

[Salsoul1975]

Shootyourshot,

Reading your posts almost made me do a double-take because I thought it was me who had written it. Two years ago, I was exposed to P2P networking in Florida, using my uncle's computer. He had it, and I took over his computer throughout my stay there for a few days. Back in the days of AudioGalaxy, it was a godsend. I was able to download songs like Peanut Vendor/Frenesi, the Tom Moulton 12" of Feel The Need In Me and the entire five acts of Romeo And Juliet, among others. This is music that is still impossible to find in record stores, even on Amazon.com. That is one reason why I will defend the use of P2P networking.

I was downloading music off another P2P site and now had records like the 8-minute version of Blondie's Call Me, Love and Kisses' LP version of How Much How Much I Love You and Linda Clifford's Runaway Love and Gypsy Lady. I have found getting songs like this are impossible in stores, and if they are available, they are edited.

I agree that the Europeans have definitely taken over the reigns as disco purists. Americans could only go so far with some well-deserved re-issues along the way, but by and large, the enthusiasm for disco was relegated to "retro" stylings (read: the same Top 20 disco repeated ad nauseum). I have noticed that the Europeans have been putting out amazing re-issues in the last few years, and I do intend on purchasing them.

As for current club music, there are some good songs here-and-there (I do like RuPaul's Looking Good, Feeling Gorgeous, and it's nice to see that a record in 2004 can clock in around 3:05!), but mostly it is overblown and remixes up the yin-yang.

[dvdjamm]

there are very few places that sell cd singles here in s.f......the virgin megastore sells them,but their prices are so outrageous because the majority of them are imported...i dunno about u,but i refuse to pay up to 10.99 for a cd single....some don't even have remixes..i hope i don't get in trouble for this,but i wish there was a site where there were nothing but remixes and rarities for dl.....i wouldn't even mind paying 10-15 a month for unlimited dl...where u can find dj sets from as far back as the seventies,accapellas,instrumentals,blends...just a wide selection of DANCE songs...i know there's something like that somewhere like on mirc...oh well,it doesn't matter to me cause i have dialup..... :oops:

[ol'skinflint]

No, the record labels are not putting out enough vintage material and when they do it, they are playing it safe. Also the quality of the audio and the use of the original extended versions tend to be highly elusive.

If the labels would re-release all this material as legal downloads on say Apple's iTunes, the cost to them would be minimal and we would once again be able to enjoy all this great music. It's just a matter of time as it is already happening with Motown and others earlier this year releasing quite a bit of rare material for inclusion into iTunes.

As for Costandinos, it is not the labels, but HE who doesn't want to re-release his material.

Bernie: can I ask how you know that Costandinos himself doesn't want his material re-released? Also, I thought that decision belonged to whomever owned the master recordings. I've heard of MANY recordings being released against an artist's wishes (including recordings by the O'Jays, Bonnie Raitt and the Seattle rock band called Heart, who even sued a former record company to try to prevent them from releasing material)