VOLUME 2 · NUMBER 4
Two superhot Guest DJs!
Frank Hullihan with 10 new releases.
Frank Hullihan began mixing records with two portable stereos in his basement six years ago. He's come a long way since then, and at age 22, is one of the industry's most experienced and talented disco DJs. Frank has played at several New York and New Jersey clubs, and gave it all up for six months to have a more normal job as a collection agent for a finance company. However, vinyl was in Frank's veins, and earlier this year he called Roy Thode, head DJ at the Ice Palace, and asked if a guest slot could be arranged. It was, and after a successful guest slot, Frank joined Roy and Howard Merritt as an Ice Palace regular. Frank reviewed over 100 possible songs to put together three very exciting sets of dance music for you.
Ole Ole / Charo. Charo has a great team behind her on her new Salsoul single, which will be followed by a new LP in a few months. John Davis wrote, arranged, and conducted this irresistable song, which was produced and mixed by Tom Moulton.
Happy Days Are Here Again/Happy Music (Dance The Night A Way) / Freda Payne. Freda has established an excellent reputation as a jazz singer, and has appeared at major nightclubs through out the U.S. "Happy Days" will be remembered by most of the older folks in your audience who lived through the great depression, and since it's usually played at every political convention, is known by just about everyone who listens to music. Freda's producer, Skip Scarborough and Sigidi wrote in new dimensions to the song for Freda, which will be a part of her forthcoming LP for Capitol.
Hold Your Horses / First Choice. Here is a very new sound for First Choice which you and your audience should really get off on. The music was recorded at Musicland in Munich, with vocals done at Sigma Sound in Philadelphia. Tom Moulton did the mix, co-producing with Thor Baldursson who also did the arrangements. Frank reports excellent audience response from a preview acetate of "Hold Your Horses", so it looks like Salsoul has another winner.
Till / The Angels. If the song and the group sound familiar, you're right… this is the original song originally made famous in 1960 on Caprice Records, by the original Angels. John Davis arranged and conducted this new version, which was produced by Billy Terrel. It's on Amazon from Brazil, and should be released in other areas very soon.
SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Side A runs 20:14 at a consistent 134 BPM (beats per minute.)
I'm Every Woman / Chaka Khan. One play and you'll want more. Two, and you'll be totally hooked. Ashford & Simpson wrote it, and Arif Mardin produced. Chaka's first solo album, on Warner Brothers, will be out this week, and "I'm Every Woman" should lead it past gold. Chaka is very excited about the song and the LP, and says, "I feel very good about myself being a solo artist, about Warner Brothers as a company. This will give people the opportunity to know me as myself and also know Rufus in their own entity. While we both are doing our own thing, we will also do some recording together, but probably will not tour together."
Blue Light / Red Point Orchestra. Veit Marvos founded the Red Point Orchestra in Munich in 1974. Their brassy, full-sounding danceable sound soon became familiar throughout German discos, and influenced a lot of other artists working in Munich. The group was a stepping stone to stardom for musicians like Jiggs Wigham and Curt Cress, and singers like Donna Summer and Roberta Kelly. Frank picked the title song of Red Point's new LP, "Blue Light", put together by Karma on Polydor International. The sirens and sounds are fun, helping to make Veit's Munich sound fresh all over again.
True Love Is My Destiny / James Wells. James had quite a few hits in Europe in the 1960's, and his new AVI LP, "My Claim To Fame", should bring him the same popularity worldwide. Ian Levine produced, and co-wrote the cut which Frank picked with Fiachra Trench (who also arranged and conducted.) "True Love Is My Destiny" keeps building and building, and may be the shortest 12 minutes your audience has ever danced through. The same magic is true for "My Claim To Fame", which runs over 16 minutes on the LP. In addition to James and the producers, a lot of credit has to go to Rick Gianatos for the superlative mix.
SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Side B runs 18:24, building from 116 BPM to 126 BPM.
Welcome To Harlem / Gary Toms Empire. Gary's new Mercury LP is entitled "Lets Do It Again", and Frank pecked one of the hottest, most upbeat cuts, "Welcome to Harlem." Mike Zager and Alvin Field wrote the song, and Belly Stahl did the special disco mix. Frank found that he received excellent audience response on the first play, and believes that you well, too.
Afrodesia / El Coco. If anyone tells you there isn't such a thing, they should listen to El Coco. It does exist, at least in the form of this music. "Afrodesia" is from El Coco's new API LP, "Dancing In Paradise," Michael Lewis and Lauren Rinder produced and arranged, and Merria Ross provides the vocals. Ray Harris and Ed Cobb were executive producers. Supersmooth.
Gimme Your Loving / Sheila B. Devotion. Sheila is currently, very hot in Europe with "You Light My Fire", and sitting on its backside was Frank's pick, "Gimme Your Loving." The Carrere Maxi 45 12" will soon become a part of Sheila's newest LP. Sheila's command of the English language has improved noticeably on her latest songs, and fortunately, her very special charm and sparkle are still there. Perhaps we'll be seeing her on a U.S. tour sometime in the near future, as 20,000 Frenchmen can't be wrong.
SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Bonus Side 1 runs 17:41, at a consistent 128 BPM.
Bob Viteritti's "Dance and Feel Medley" featuring Sylvester.
We're pleased to have Bob Viteritti as our second Guest DJ on this program. Bob has built the Lower Deck Disco in Fort Lauderdale into the most popular place in town, with over 70 hours of disco programming during the peak season. While Bob is on a three month sabbatical/vacation, touring the U.S. in his new Cutlass with power moon roof, Frank Hebar is in charge at the Lower Deck.
Bob spent several weeks developing, testing, and refining this medley. Like all DISCONET sets, Bob's objective was audience movement and response. Bob based the medley on one of this summer's hottest songs (actually two), Sylvester's "Dance (Disco Heat)" and "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)." Sylvester's 12" and then "Sylvester II" LP on Fantasy shot to the top, and wouldn't budge for several weeks.
Sylvester says that he had more of a hand in "Step Two" than any of his previous five albums. Harvey Fuqua produced, and Sylvester's manager, Nancy Pitts, was associate producer. And after looking in Los Angeles, New York, and Europe for a new sound, Sylvester found his new musical partner right at home in San Francisco. Patrick Cowley, spotlight man at The City, played Sylvester some of his tapes, and Sylvester totally flipped out. Patrick is a synthesizer programmer and keyboardist, a real magician with electronic sound. (Patrick did the Mega Mix of "Disco Dance" by Michelle on Volume 1, Program 7.) In Bob's "Dance and Feel Medley", Sylvester gets an assist from Voyage's "Lady America", T-Connection's "Let Yourself Go", Musique's "In The Bush", and Dan Hartman's "Instant Replay." Used wisely, this set should help make very hot nights even hotter.
SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Bonus Side 2 runs 13:58 at 134 BPM. (After a :07 band, there is a 1:15 tortilla commercial for clubs which are finding Mexican food a profitable addition to their menu.)
John Pearson wins the LCD chronograph. John returned the feedback card from Volume 2, Program 2, and his pressing serial number (#265) matched the winning number for that program. We've sent John a solar-powered LCD chronograph with lap timer, a light, and the works. John is bringing real disco music to over 2,000 people each week at Club Lautrec, located in Bloomington at Indiana University's student union center. John's favorite songs on #2 were "I'm A Man" by Macho, "I Love The Nightlife" by Alicia Bridges, and "Baby I'm Burnin"' by Dolly Parton. Congratulations, John.
Next Program: No one lifts the spirits like him. No one can quite string together songs the way he does. And no one's mixes get as many comments on the feedback cards as his. Bobby DJ will be back with another melodic, chartable super double program on Number 5. Stay tuned.