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
''I Hate ROSLA, I Hate ROSLA
The Raising Of The School Leaving Age''
''From When I was 14,I used To Sit And Dream
Another Year To Go And I'll Be Working
They Gone And Raised The Age,Another Year To Go
A Year In This Prison Camp,Oh No!''
RAY BURDIS was a familiar face on UK TV during the mid to late 70's,often playing characters that were 'A Little Bit Lively'.The working class Londoner was one of the first pupils to attend THE ANNA SHEER DRAMA SCHOOL in ISLINGTON when it was founded in 1968.The school was set up to enable disadvantaged children to find a way into acting.It's reputation grew rapidly and it was soon supplying actors for the stage and screen.
In 1975 actors from the school were enlisted to write and perform in the TV show YOU MUST BE JOKING.the program featured topical and satirical sketches,news items and live music from a semi professional pop group FLINTLOCK.All the performers {apart from one presenter,JIM BOWEN} were teenagers and the brash and informal style of the show was cutting edge for it's time
FLINTLOCK performed as a self contained unit and as a backing band when the presenters sang satirical songs.One of the most memorable of these was ''ROSLA'',a song about the recent rise in the age that teenagers could legally leave school.The number with it's 'shouty' vocals and 'unmannered' playing prefigures the DIY PUNK sound of THE DESPERATE BICYCLES by a couple of years
Burdis continued to dabble in music and formed the PUNK/METAL band GREAT BRITISH HEROES the following year.The band were part the LONDON 'NEW WAVE' scene and played at venues like THE ROXY,THE NASHVILLE and THE ROCKGARDEN.A 7'' single was recorded for LIGHTNING RECORDS in 1978,but was withdrawn before release
Ray quit the band shortly after to concentrate on acting.He continued to act in Film and TV and went onto produce and direct
A Selection Of POP REGGAE NOVELTIES mixed by DENIM DISCO
Tracklist:
01 - The Johnny Arthey Orchestra - White And Wonderful/Black And Beautiful
02 - Big Boris - Big Country
03 - King Roy - Enry's 'Ammer Round Two
04 - Flanelcat - Rubatummy
05 - Linda Lewis - My Grandaddy Could Reggae
06 - David Essex - Coconut Ice
07 - Heavy Metal Kids - Run Around Eyes
08 - Slade - Did Ya Mamma Ever Tell Ya
09 - Mud - Bird Dog
10 - Pluto Shervington - Dat
11 - The Mighty Two - Calico Suit
12 - Tinga Stewart - Oh But If I
13 - Paul McCartney and Wings - C Moon
14 - Syreeta - Your Kiss Is Sweet
15 - Cynthia Richards - Keep It In The Family
16 - Theo Vaness - No Objection
17 - The Rah Band - Is Anybody There
18 - The Peppers - A Taste Of Honey
19 - Mac And Katie Kissoon - It's All Over Now
20 - Typically Tropical - Everybody Plays The Fool
21 - 10cc - Dreadlock Holiday
22 - Blue Mink - Gimme Reggae
1975 UK REGGAE tribute to boxer HENRY COOPER,hot on the heels of MUHAMMAD ALI tribute 45's by JOHNNY WAKELIN and GEORGIE FAME.Enry's last professional fight had taken place in 71',but he was still a regular face on British TV when the record was released and is still remembered as ''THE MAN WHO BROUGHT MUHAMMAD TO HIS KNEES''.Step right up,It's Ammer Time again!
A DENIM DISCO MIX inspired by the classic 70's TV programme BUDGIE
Tracklist:
01 - Cold Turkey - Nobody's Fool
02 - Percy Thrillington - Smile Away
03 - Fulham Football Team - Fulham Stomp
04 - The Peddlers - Back Alley Jane
05 - The Tremeloes - Long Road
06 - Kincade - Dreams Are Ten A Penny
07 - Alan Hawkshaw
- It's All At The Co-Op Now
o8 - Keith Mansfield - Step Forward
09 - Mungo Jerry - Alright Alright Alright
10 - Third World War - Shepherds Bush Cowboy
11 - Fresh - Hit & Run
12 - Redhead - We Ran And We Ran
13 - Hello - Keeps Us Off The Streets
14 - Brian Protheroe - Fly Now
15 - Asha Puthli - Lies
16 - Alan Price - Sell Sell
17 - Paul McCartney & Wings - Zoo Gang
18 - Brian Bennett - Chase Side Shoot Up
19 - Paddy Kingsland - Tearaway
20 - Willy Zango - Hot Rod
21 - Soul Stage Orchestra - Grandstand
22 - Ray Martin - News At Ten Theme
23 - Nick Harrison - The Theme From Budgie
''From the bright busy streets of the Charing Cross Road
To the dark little alleys in old Soho
From the smart noisy clubs where everybody goes
To the dark little streets that nobody knows''
BUDGIE was one of the great BRITISH TV DRAMA series of the
1970's.It was first broadcast in the UK during 1971/72 and has become one of
the most fondly remembered TV Shows of the era.The programme showed the gritty
reality of everyday life in a way that was rarely touched upon in other TV
shows of the day and the passing of time has not lessened the shows impact
The central role of small time crook RONALD 'BUDGIE' BIRD was played by the former teen pop idol ADAM FAITH.Faith had only really dabbled in acting before.He'd performed in a couple of movies in the wake of his chart success and after the pop career tailed off he appeared in some minor theatrical roles. The show was created by two experienced and successful writers:KEITH WATERHOUSE and WILLIS HALL and a few eyebrows were raised when they choose Faith for the lead role
Throughout the series Bird attempts to become a player in the SOHO
CRIMINAL UNDERWORLD. He possesses of a fair degree of charm,but a lack of the
requisite amount of cunning places him firmly at the bottom of the criminal
'food chain'
Faith played the part with such conviction that the public
began to question where RONALD BIRD finished and where ADAM FAITH began.During a 1974 TV interview RUSSEL HARTY said to Faith that he would be ''Frightened to
come up against you in a dark alley''.Adam was forced to remind him ''Thats Budgie,thats
not me.I can't help what Budgie is''.Another striking character in the
programme was the gangster Charlie Endell {played by IAN CUTHBERTSON}.Cuthbertson
stood at 6ft4 and also turned in a remarkably believable performance.I doubt
ifHARTY would have even walked into a
room if 'Charlie Endell' had been present!
The show proved to be incredibly popular and soon every 'JACK THE LAD'
worth his salt would be attempting to emulate BUDGIE in the fashion stakes.In
an early episode Faith wore a short zip up cotton jacket by STIRLING COOPER which
had large lapels and patch pockets in contrasting colours. Similar jackets were also manufactured in suede and leather and these became known as 'BUDGIE' jackets.
The 'FEATHERED' haircut he sported in the
show {created by KEITH WAINWRIGHT of SMILE} was also widely emulated.Before long the BUDGIE haircut and jacket teamed with FLARED trousers,wide collared shirt
and broad STACK HEELED became THE LOOK for working class white
males in the UK and made ADAM FAITH the much emulated
'FACE' of STREET FAHION.
BUDGIE was more than just a character in a TV drama show. BUDGIE was no less than THE WIDE BOY JAMES DEAN OF THE TELEVISION SCREEN!
ADAM FAITH.THE JESUS OF COOL WITH HIS ERBERT' DISCIPLES
The complete 1st and 2nd series is now available on DVD:
In 1969 publicist Keith Altham was struggling to gain column inches for the under achieving ROCK band SLADE.The group were managed by CHAS CHANDLER {who had discovered JIMI HENDRIX} but neither their debut LP ''BEGININGS'' or the singles pulled from it had met with any success.
Then he hit on a bold plan to re-style the band in the mold of a teenage fashion that was receiving considerable media attention: SKINHEAD.The skinheads were a smart working class subculture that matched MOD CLOTHING and PROLETARIAN WORKWEAR with the CROPPED HAIRCUT which gave them their name.It was a reaction against both the older generations adoption of longer hair {coupled with a more relaxed dress code} and the look of the 'HIPPY DROPOUT' which had been widely adopted by the young middle class at this time.
SKINHEAD FASHION CIRCA 1969/70
SLADE were initially reluctant to go with this makeover,but faced with an anonymous future on the collage circuit they embraced the chance of appealing to this untapped audience.The group were duly marched to the barbers, dressed in the relevent clothes and attended a hastily arranged photo session.
NODDY HOLDER
JIM LEA
DAVE HILL
DON POWELL
Initially the gamble seemed to pay off.The press started covering the group and they made their first TV appearence performing their current 45 ''Wild Winds Are Blowing''
Despite the attention the new look had got them,the record and two following singles didn't shift in great numbers and they failed to gain acceptence with the majority of skinheads
''We played in Bornmouth one night and it was full of skinheads.We went on stage and they just saw right through us''
DON POWELL
Undeterred the group paid attention to building up their live following and in November 1970 an LP ''PLAY IT LOUD'' was released
OUTTAKES FROM THE ''PLAY IT LOUD'' cover photoshoot
SKINHEAD was an aspect of WORKING CLASS STREET FASHION and as such was constantly evolving.First the look moved closer to the earlier look of the MODS.Three button TONIC SUITS,heavy welted BROGUE SHOES,COLOURFUL TIES and ARGYLE KNITWEAR were worn with slightly LONGER HAIR.This development was dubbed SUEDEHEAD.Then came ROUND COLLOR SHIRTS,CHECKED 'RUPERT' TROUSERS,SPOON TOED SHOES and HAIR GROWN OVER THE COLLAR.The overall appearance now contrasted greatly with the look at the start of the decade and became known as SMOOTHIE.
SUEDEHEAD / SMOOTHIE FASHION CIRCA 1970/71
DAVE HILL acknowledged how their dalliance with skinhead culture influenced the future image and sound of the band:
''I developed a hairstyle which came from that skinhead thing where I had very long hair but with a very short fringe.If you think about the bovver boots developing into bigger boots and us having an audience where there all going {stamps feet} all this stamping lark''
JAMAICAN IMMIGRANTS greatly influenced the sartorial style of the SKINHEADS.Trousers worn at 'HALF-MAST',PORK PIE HATS and even the CROPPED HAIRSTYLE itself were borrowed from the the jamaican 'RUDE BOY'.REGGAE was also their music of choice and while this left SLADE somewhat out in the cold with a vast number of skins,those who did follow the band provided a lively contrast to the 'sit down' PROGESSIVE ROCK crowd.The skins were well accustomed to call and response REGGAE tunes like the ''SKINHEAD MOONSTOMP'' and this would have quite an effect on the band and inspire the recording of their breakthrough song: A cover of a little known LITTLE RICHARD number ''GET DOWN AND GET WITH IT''.NODDY remembers playing it live:
''We started doing it and the skinheads used to love that bit at the finish where you put your hands in the air and take your boots off and all that''
The song was released complete with an overdub of STAMPING BOOTS in May 1971 and started to climb the charts.Noddy's raucous vocals and the gruops powerhouse performance made the record stand out and visually they had added some quirky elements to their basic street fashions.Noddy wore a distinctive oversized CHECKED FLAT CAP and SCARF in the style of the British newspaper comic strip character ANDY CAPP.Dave inspired by the new 70's pop sensation MARC BOLAN glammed up in androgynous MULTICOLORED COATS and KNEE LENGTH BOOTS.the GLITTER ROCK image they would be known for had begun to take shape.
The record peaked at number 16 and was the first of 17 consecutive Top 20 hits for the band.The follow up single ''COZ I LUV YOU'' went to NUMBER ONE in November and the band went on to define the GLAM ROCK era become one of the top selling acts in UK POP history.
A PROMO FILM FOR ''GET DOWN AND GET WITH IT''
SLADE 1971
SLADE FULLY GLAMMED UP IN 1972
SLADE quotes from:
''SLADE FEEL THE NOISE'' the official biography 1984
''IT'S SLADE'' BBC TV documentary 1999
