JUNKSHOP SENSATION CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Recently unearthed in the vaults of a DUTCH TV company: THE SENSATION performing ''BLACK EYED WOMAN'' on an episode of TOP POP televised on 1st June 1973.This JUNKSHOP GLAM obscurity was given a new lease of life in 2005 when it was included on the compilation ''BOOBS'' and it's wonderful to see a clip of them in their SUPER 70's POMP!

 

PETER BLAKE - CLEVER DICK

This POST GLAM NEW WAVE POP gem appeared in 1977 as the B-SIDE to a PEPSI-COLA related novelty song by actor PETER BLAKE.The A-SIDE: ''LIPSMAKIN' ROCK 'N ROLLIN''' was recorded as the follow on to a popular UK TV commercial which featured the actor playing a FONZ type ROCKER in a retro 1950's DINER

The record sold 125,000 copies,reaching number 39 in the UK HIT PARADE and allowing Blake to perform the top side on British TV shows 'Top of the Pops' and 'Magpie'

The records B-SIDE was SOMETHIN' ELSE entirely:The raunch of EDDIE CHOCRAN coupled with the swagger of CHRIS SPEDDING over a highly kinetic group sound featuring raucous ROXY MUSIC saxophone blasts and pounding GLITTER BAND Drums.The song has one foot in the departing sound of GLAM and another in the oncoming sound of THE NEW WAVE. Perfect for it's time and still a treat when heard today!

DALSTON DIAMONDS - KAMIKAZI KRAZY

''COME ON BABY DO THE JUKE BOX JIVE
JUST LIKE THEY DID IN 1955''

If you strip away the pomp and excess of 70's GLAM ROCK the basic chassis of the vehicle is often revealed to be 1950's ROCK 'N' ROLL.Take the guitar riff MARC BOLAN utilised for ''RIDE A WHITE SWAN''.It wouldn't sound out of place on an EDDIE CHOCRAN 45 and once that record kicked things off in 1970 acts like ALVIN STARDUST and MUD followed on with music that made the connection even more explicit.As the ears of 70's POP KIDS became more attuned to this influence full on revivalism also had a place in the pop charts.SHOWADDYWADDY hit big in 74' after winning the TV Talent Show NEW FACES.The groups early singles were in tune with glam,but they wore TEDDY BOY drapes and their act drew heavily on the 50's songbook.Revival bands such as THE WILD ANGELS,THE HOUSESHAKERS and CRAZY CAVAN were also packing them in on the live circuit.Then in 1975 a group called THE DALSTON DIAMONDS pitched up:


,
''KAMIKAZI KRAZY'' wasn't a big hit,but second hand copies are easy to come by,so it must have shifted a few copies back in the day.It's inclusion on the compliation LP ''DISCO EXPLOSION VOL.2'' {PICWICK RECORDS} a year later indicates that it also picked up some interest in the clubs.The record is a wonderful example of 'GLAMABILLY' that sits between the rock 'n' rollers from outer space and the revivalists.How could this perfect synthesis of ''TIGER FEET'' by MUD and ''AT THE HOP'' by DANNY AND THE JUNIORS fail to get you moving?The mix was Explosive and perfect for the 70's dancefloor,hence the DISCOTHEQUE SPECIAL logo on the records French picture sleeve

Despite the GLAM stylings,there is evidence that DALSTON DIAMONDS were actually part of the ROCK RVIVAL scene at the time.The records instrumental B-SIDE ''KAMIKAZI BOOGIE'' featured a wild JERRY LEE LEWIS style BOOGIE WOOGIE piano solo and was spun in 'rocking' dances.The bands follow up 45 ''TEDDY BOYS {ARE BACK IN THE NEWS}'' also points towards this connection.If anyone has further info on the band,please get in touch!

DENIM ON THE DANCEFLOOR MIX

A MIX OF 70's DISCOTHEQUE ROCK FLOORFILLERS

Tracklist:

01 - Steve Bender - The Final Thing
02 - Hot Chocolate - Disco Queen
03 - David Bowie - Golden Years
04 - Sweet - Funk It Up {David's Song}
05 - Hello - Feel This Thing
06 - Barry Blue - Rosetta Stone
07 - The Hollies - Draggin' My Heals
08 - Udell - Won't You Try
09 - Demis Roussos - L.O.V.E Got A Hold of Me
10 - 5000 Volts - {Walkin' On A} Love Cloud
11 - Julia Keen and Pin Up Stick - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
12 - The Gibson Brothers - Never Said Good-Bye
13 - Barnaby Bye - Can't Live This Way
14 - Pilot - 55 North 3 West
15 - Leo Sayer - thunder In My Heart
16 - ELO - Shine A Little Love
17 - John Miles - Slow Down
18 - Theo Vaness - Don't Knock {I'll Be Waiting For You}




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

http://www.mediafire.com/download/ta64f24af4kf5t8/Denim%20On%20The%20Dancefloor%20Mix.zip

DAVID ESSEX - CITY LIGHTS

 

CITY LIGHTS was the first single to be pulled from DAVID ESSEX forth studio LP ''OUT ON THE STREET''.The record presented a marked shift in direction away from the breezy pop anthems which brought him great success in 74' and 75'.''GONNA MAKE YOU A STAR'' and ''HOLD ME CLOSE'' had both made the number one spot and presumably gave him the confidence to pitch something a little more hard edged as his first single for 76'.

CITY LIGHTS is an astonishing record that truly bristles with tension over the length of Five and a half minutes.Essex never sounded better than on this.His voice positively soars over the demonic 'DUB' BASSLINE {played by MIKE THORN} and DRAMATIC ORCHESTRATION {conducted by producer JEFF WAYNE}.




Unfortunately the record didn't fly off the shelves and David shared some thoughts as to why in his autobiography ''A CHARMED LIFE'' which I'll quote from here:

''Although it made the top thirty CITY LIGHTS wasn't a massive hit,probably because it was over five minutes long.It suffered through lack of air play.The REAL THING and I filmed a video for it,using the east end streets as a backdrop,but because of the chart position the video just failed to find a spot on the very important TOP OF THE POPS and lost it's momentum.

CITY LIGHTS PROMO VIDEO


Help me in the backside door
I got what I want I need more
Take me to your car
Drag me to your bar
Walk on city lights
Walk on city lights
Oh it's a pity
It's a city

STARS DISCO LIVERPOOL 1975

Found on YouTube: Four short clips of cine-film taken in STARS DISCO LIVERPOOL 1975.The comments under each clip were written by PETER STOW who shot the film


''I opened the Disco under The Centre Hotel in Lord Nelson Street in 1974. I ran it for 3 years.It was the first purpose built Disco in Liverpool''

The music track is: ROD STEWART AND THE FACES - YOU CAN MAKE ME DANCE,SING OR ANYTHING



''When I was the Manager I filmed this on cine film at the weekends and then showed it in a Tueday night quite hi-tec for those days''

The music track is: RALPH MCTELL - STREETS OF LONDON



''I filmed all this on a cine camera see if you can see your self let me know''

The music track is: SWEET SENSATION - PURELY BY COINCIDENCE



''The Stars Disco in the Centre Hotel Liverpool in 1975 love the fashion''

The music track is: HELLO - TELL HIM

LINK TO PETER STOWS YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Bentleystow?feature=watch

THE HOLLIES - DRAGGIN' MY HEELS

Like many others THE HOLLIES were looking to the DISCO DANCE FLOOR for inspiration in 1976.They released a DISCO NOVELTY 45 called ''WIGGLE THAT WOTSIT'',but the song was evidently too great a departure from the HARMONY POP style that the group were known for and the record failed to click with the public.Ironically tucked away on the B-SIDE was an awesome tune that cleverly combined the great harmony vocals the band were known for with a DEEP/LATIN/ FUNK GROOVE


THE HOLLIES - DRAGGIN' MY HEELS



The song was included on the LP RUSSIAN ROULETTE which came out the same year and the group also laid down a brilliant upfront version of the song on the TV POP SHOW ''SUPERSONIC''.
Check it out here and listen in wonder at Pete Wingfield energetic runs on the white grand piano!


THE HOLLIES - DRAGGIN' MY HEELS - LIVE ON SUPERSONIC



So much for the UK record buying public then.''DRAGGIN' MY HEELS'' would surely have been added to the list of great records that never received their due recognition had it not been picked up and spun by taste making NEW YORK DJs:DAVID MANCUSO and LARRY LEVAN.Both were known for diggin' deep and seeking out music from around the globe.Many of the obscure and unusual discs they played crossed over to the playlists of DJs in the more mainstream clubs and as a result of their interest EPIC RECORDS in the US released an EXTENDED 12'' DANCE 'EDIT' of the song in 1977.


THE HOLLIES - DRAGGIN' MY HEELS - SPECIAL DISCO VERSION



The song never broke in a major way but over the years it's legend grew.In 1989 EPIC reissued the 12'' MIX as part of their ''MIX MASTERS'' series.In 1995 it appeared as a track on ''LOFT CLASSICS VOLUME 14'' and again in 2010 on the LP ''DOWN TO THE SEA AND BACK - THE CONTINUING JOURNEY OF THE BALEARIC BEAT''.The song certainly has a timeless quality about it.DJ LOUIE VEGA AND THE ELEMENTS OF LIFE have recently released a cover of the song with an arrangement and production that is near identical to the original!


Time waits for no one
And I wasted my time
Got to the crossroads
But took the wrong sign

I'd go too far
Didn't know how she'd feel
Stupid of me
To be draggin' my heels

Oh, oh, oh, draggin' my heels
Oh, oh, oh, draggin' my heels, heels