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London, United Kingdom
DENIM DISCO is a blog dedicated to the pop music and culture of the 1970's. ~ Glam Pop and Discotheque Rock ~ The Sound Of The 70's ~ Contact:denimdisco@hotmail.co.uk

Wednesday 9 December 2020

70's SHIRT UNBOXING


             UNBOXING A VINTAGE 70's ROCOLA SHIRT AND TIE SET


 


In the 70's Shirts came in Gift Boxes. If you got one for Christmas there was more than just the wrapping paper to contend with. Inside the box shirts were pinned to cardboard. Around the collar...stiff plastic and more cardboard, held in place by more pins. Here's a video reminder of the struggle we faced!

Thursday 19 November 2020

OLD HOLBORN - WHEN THE SMOOTHIES ROLLED UP!


CITY KIDS LONDON 1973 - 1975 is a recent addition to the British Documentary Photography book series published by CafĂ© Royal. All of the photos were taken by SIMON POPE at various locations around London. Some { including the selection below } were shot in the EAST HOLBORN area a stones throw from the Denim Disco HQ! 

The TEENAGERS in the pics stand proudly outside their COUNCIL DWELLINGS sporting a riot of 'BUDGIE' STYLED HAIR, BUDGIE JACKETS, CROMBIE COATS, BEAGLE COLLAR SHIRTS, SCOOP NECK TANK TOPS, ' RUPERT' TROUSERS, CHECKED ' LUMBER ' and SHEARLING JACKETS. These are the SMOOTH youth fashions previously described on DENIM DISCO and strongly indicate the photos were taken circa '73 

LINK TO ''SMOOTHIES - THE CULT THAT TIME FORGOT'' POST:


                          THE BOURNE ESTATE, LONDON EC1 - Between LANEY and KIRKEBY HOUSES

 
                                   THE BOURNE ESTATE, LONDON EC1 - In front of NIGEL HOUSE

 
                                   THE BOURNE ESTATE, LONDON EC1 - In front of KIRKEBY HOUSE

 
                                             The rear of GRAY'S INN BUILDINGS, LONDON EC1

 
                                              The rear of GRAY'S INN BUILDINGS, LONDON EC1

 
                                              The rear of GRAY'S INN BUILDINGS, LONDON EC1

 
                                LEFT: The rear of GRAY'S INN BUILDINGS - RIGHT: LAYSTALL HOUSE,                                                              MOUNT PLEASANT, LONDON, WC1 { MULLEN TOWER in the background }



LINK TO PURCHASE BOTH VOLUMES OF CITY KIDS LONDON 1973 - 1975 by SIMON POPE:
https://www.caferoyalbooks.com/shop/simon-pope-city-kids-london-19731975-2-book-series


POSTSCRIPT: Inevitably the area pictured has changed in the intervening years but has thankfully managed to resist the full force of gentrification that many parts of inner London have undergone. GRAY'S INN BUILDINGS has been extensively remodeled, but remains { like all the other buildings pictured } within the social rented sector

Tuesday 17 November 2020

WIRED UP! FANZINE - ISSUE 16




                                           ''A FLASH OF GLAM IN A CURRENTLY GREY WORLD''


The glorious WIRED UP! GLAM ROCK FANZINE has continued to publish unabated throughout the difficult year of 2020 and issue 16 recently landed just as the UK shut for a 2nd lockdown. Lack of live gigs has shifted the focus of recent issues more heavily in the direction of VINTAGE over NEO GLAM and this one features in depth interviews with JOHN ROSSALL from THE GLITTER BAND, ANDY ELLISON / CHRIS TOWNSON from the cult 70's band JET, a look at GTO FILMS { responsible for a trio of low budget glam based movies } and the story behind the MICK ROCK publicity shot for MOTT THE HOOPLES '' ALL THE YOUNG DUDES ''

WIRED UP! can be purchased via the following links: 

WIRED UP! EBAY PAGE:

WIRED UP! FACEBOOK PAGE:

WIRED UP! EMAIL CONTACT:

Friday 26 June 2020

DENIM & DIAMANTE VOL.2 MIX




A Selection of 70's GLAM POP and DISCOTHEQUE ROCK Mixed By DENIM DISCO

TRACKLIST:

01 - April Wine - You Could Have Been A Lady
02 - Rick Derringer - Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo
03 - The Doobie Brothers - Pursuit On 53rd Street
04 - Cherry Vangelder-Smith - Jokers
05 - Shocking Blue - Ball Of Confusion
06 - Baker Gurvitz Army - Dancing The Night Away
07 - Poker - Driving In The City
08 - Zenda Jacks - Earthquake
09 - Rococo - Ultrastar
10 - Dragon - This Time
11 - Washington Flyers - Another Saturday Morning
12 - Pilot - Magic
13 - Mike Batt { with The New Edition } - Summertime City
14 - Brotherly Love - Weekend Love Affair
15 - Mark Bolan & T.Rex - Dreamy Lady
16 - Kristine Sparkle - Devil Woman
17 - Lulu - The Man Who Sold The World
18 - Child - River Of Love
19 - The Knack - Always
20 - Rubettes - Dancing In The Rain
21 - Mud - Shake It Down
22 - Glitter Band - Makes You Blind
23 - Life - Cat's Eyes




Download An MP3 Of The Mix {With Artwork} Here:

https://www.mediafire.com/file/n45upln4o7r3e34/Denim_%26_Diamante_Vol.2.zip/file

Monday 22 June 2020

ARTHUR BROWN - SUPERSONIC 75




Footage of Psychedelic shaman ARTHUR BROWN performing his reworking of THE ANIMALS classic ''WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE'' on the UK Pop Show SUPERSONIC. Wearing an incongruous ensemble of double denim and gold wellies he makes full use of the studio perspex stairway, pacing and gesticulating wildly as only the god of hell fire is able! Enjoy and if you are not already acquainted with the GULL LP ''DANCE'' { from which the song was taken } there is a handy link that enables you to listen to the whole thing on YouTube at the end of this post


 

Arthur Brown - Dance (1974) FULL ALBUM


CUE ANDY BOWN and CUE SUPERSONIC!






ANDY BOWN was a former member of 60's teen sensations THE HERD { a band that was fronted by a young PETER FRAMPTON } Following their demise he recorded a couple of solo LPs before making his first contribution to the GLAM ROCK ERA with the bowiesque single ''NEW YORK SATYRICON ZANY'' in 1974. The following year saw the first broadcast of the UK Pop TV Show SUPERSONIC! and Bown was asked to supply a theme to play over the opening credits




The show was presented by film and music producer MIKE MANSFIELD and lasted for a couple years, capturing many of the classic UK GLAM ROCK acts towards the end of their respective time in the limelight. The high energy GLAM BOOGIE number that Bown composed for the show was a perfect fit. Sounding like ROY WOODS WIZZARD and STATUS QUO having a frantic jam on ''THE TIME WARP'' from THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, it had every kid sitting on the edge of their seat in eager anticipation of each weeks show!


VIVE LE ROCK! MAGAZINE - GLAM SPECIAL



The latest issue of VIVE LE ROCK! magazine celebrates 50 YEARS OF GLAM ROCK with articles on SLADE, HELLO, THE GLITTER BAND, CHINNICHAP and SWEET [ including a final interview with the sadly missed STEVE PRIEST }. Nice to see the introductory feature namecheck DENIM DISCO along with the wonderful WIRED UP! fanzine and other keepers of the flame { see links at the end of this post }. The magazine is available from Newsagents in the UK and can also be ordered here: VIVA LE ROCK!

LINKS FOR ADDITIONAL GLAM ROCK RESOURCES:

WIRED UP! FANZINE

SUITS AND THE PLATFORM BOOTS

PUREPOP

PROUDFOOT SOUND


Wednesday 17 June 2020

LOCO GLAM FOR LOCAL PEOPLE





Leicester band LOCO released an excellent 45 on the BUK label in 1975 after they appeared on the NEW FACES TV TALENT SHOW. Both sides of the record were composed and produced by STEVE FERN who had previously led the 60's soul group FERNS BRASS FOUNDRY and worked with the former SPENCER DAVIS GROUP drummer PETER YORK. Side A ''AT THE LOCAL DANCE'' is a late period GLAM POP number that sounds reminiscent of MUD and early SHOWADDYWADDY, while the B Side ''THE MAN'' is a DISCOTHEQUE ROCK number that owes more than a little to the aforementioned SPENCER DAVIS GROUP




Tuesday 16 June 2020

WALLY TAX - THIS GIRL IS MINE





Dutch singer/songwriter WALLY TAX was born in Amsterdam in 1948 and found fame as the vocalist in the 60's NEDERBEAT group THE OUTSIDERS. The band were highly regarded in Holland and were considered by many to be the Dutch ROLLING STONES. The live side of their DEBUT LP from 1967 captures the wildness of their act and the hysteria they generated in their audience

 



The group recorded a string of amazing songs as good as any in the era, but made little impact in the rest of the world. They split at the end of the decade and Tax put together another band TAX FREE, briefly moving to the US where an LP was recorded and released


Unfortunately the anticipated US breakthrough failed to materialize and Tax returned to Holland to embark on a solo career and write songs for others. His 70's material moved closer to the MOR field, string dominated and often reminiscent of BUDDY HOLLY'S later pop discs { ''MISS WONDERFUL'' from 1973 is a good example of this }




His biggest hit would come in 1977 with ''LET'S DANCE'' and the songs he wrote for CHAMPAGNE { one of which: ''ROCK n' ROLL STAR'' charted in the US }. ''THIS GIRL IS MINE'' from 1975 didn't fare as well but was an artistic high, driven by a DISCO HI HAT, SWEEPING STRINGS and WAH WAH GUITAR it stands as a perfect example of MID SEVENTIES PHILLY INSPIRED DANCE POP




Thursday 11 June 2020

LINDA LEWIS - ROCK A- DOODLE DOO - TOTP 1973





Amazing 'thought to be lost' footage of LINDA LEWIS performing her first UK CHART hit ROCK A- DOODLE DOO on TOP OF THE POPS. Tapes of the original show were wiped, but thankfully this Black and White recording has been unearthed. The record peaked at 15 in July 1973


Thursday 6 February 2020

PRETTIES FOR YOU - LONDON FRIDAY 21st FEB 2020




PRETTIES FOR YOU is back for it's first event of 2020. Get down and support London's only 70's GLAM ROCK DISCO event at HELGI'S { An independent bar dedicated to the music of the 60's and 70's with an amazing period decor to match }


FULL DETAILS:

PRETTIES FOR YOU - 70's Glam Rock Disco

VINYL ONLY DJ SETS from ☆ ALPHA MICHELLE ☆ and DENIM DISCO - Glam Rock, Junkshop Glam, Hard Rock, Discotheque Rock and 70's Sleaze ☆ FREE ENTRY! ☆ FREE DENIM DISCO BADGES!

ON: FRIDAY 21st FEB 2020

FROM: 21:00-02:00

AT: HELGI'S 177 MARE STREET, HACKNEY, LONDON, E8 3HR, UNITED KINGDOM



FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE:

https://www.facebook.com/events/503215870576053/

FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE VENUE:

https://www.facebook.com/helgisbar/

INSTAGRAM PAGE FOR THE VENUE:

https://www.instagram.com/helgis_bar/