Kool & the Gang the greatest? With James “JT” Taylor handling the lead vocals for most of the big hits, you’d think I might be inclined to agree, but no too simplistic and a lack of feel for me. No one IMO gets better than Nile & Bernard in their Chic/Sister Sledge incarnations.
Divides the fandom – Michael Jackson
Greatest of all time – Chic
Locals favourite – KC and the Sunnshine Band
Mental Breakdown – The Village People
The one everyone forgets – Heatwave
Either love or hate – The Bee Gees
Fan favourite – Earth, Wind & Fire
Overlooked masterpiece – Kid Creole and the Coconuts
KATG are underrated certainly, but Chic are the closest you can get to a definitive best, and I normally argue against “bests”, believing generally there are only favourites.
Kid Creole I’ve always considered post-disco (whatever that means)…
The disco version of KATG is not a patch on the funk version. Rather like the two genres themselves, now I think about it. Celebration and Get Down On It are ubiquitous but not in a good way: awful, cheesy, clunky, basic “four on the floor” stuff with absolutely no soul or passion that’s cleared many a dancefloor in my experience. Not even as good a disco band as KC & The Sunshine Band.
It’s a tough call as – even more than its ugly brother Punk – Disco was best experienced as a succession of ace singles*, with no artist stringing together a run of mega disco hits without drifting in from a grubbier funky sound or adopting its groovy wardrobe to adorn what, unmedallioned, would be catchy upbeat pop anyway**.
I always think of Sister Sledge as emblematic of disco, being elevated to greatness by (those guys again) Rodgers and Edwards, but bringing their own warmth to the party, making their singles more loveable than Chic’s own hits (with the exception of Good Times).
1. Is Donna Summer a band?
2. *Well, yes there’s Off The Wall and SatNigFev, of course
3** Then there’s that old music snob tendency where it’s funk because I like it and it’s disco when I don’t
Not a ‘group’ but in our house the undisputed ruler of all Disco (& that) including the Chic Corp. is Hamilton Bohannon & here’s the proof. https://youtu.be/uMgA49Q-cpY
Serving suggestion: preferably good headphones or VERY loud.
No further question m’lud.
Such a great track, funky disco is the best. There were a few different mixes of that. I think this is the one that I had. which is my favourite, but probably because it was the first one I heard.
In addition to producing Off The Wall, the greatest of all disco albums, he made some very fine disco music of his own.
Stuff Like That
Here’s another permanent favourite of mine, T Connection Do What You Wanna Do
Ace has just released probably the greatest disco record of all time – the 9-plus minute edit of Sylvester’s “Over and Over” – on a 7″ single. It’s a brilliant record – an Ashford and Simpson tune that ebbs and flows with gospel wailing, soaring strings and top tambourine action.
Somewhere I have the 12″ version – sneaked out as a B-side way back.
I had Free Bird by Lynrd Skynrd on a 45rpm 7” and the sound was okay. Some similar length E.P.s too, often 33rpm.
The big problem was the tiniest imperfection/scratch becomes much more catastrophic..
Like all the best disco funk (take a bow Chic/Sister Sledge) this one’s basic boom-bap, b-boom boom bap groove is topped off with a funky bass line. You can bet I’ll be doing my best Soul Train steps to this one if it ever comes on.
Worth watching to see Dolly Parton shakin’ that wig.
A few years ago DVDs by Al Green and Stevie Wonder both Live In 72 got 5 star reviews in the music mags. There must have been licensing issues because neither got released. I got a dodgy copy from the iOffer website and the seller also sent me a KC and the Sunshine Band live DVD. I always thought of them as the epitome of disco naffness, but live they are ridiculously funky.
Uncle Wheaty says
This runs it a close second,
moseleymoles says
Er … Chic?
James Taylor says
Kool & the Gang the greatest? With James “JT” Taylor handling the lead vocals for most of the big hits, you’d think I might be inclined to agree, but no too simplistic and a lack of feel for me. No one IMO gets better than Nile & Bernard in their Chic/Sister Sledge incarnations.
Freddy Steady says
Tygers of Pan Tang?
Oh sorry, @uncle-wheaty..
Uncle Wheaty says
This is the closest they got to disco.
Freddy Steady says
@uncle-wheaty
Rather sadly, I think I can recall the chorus after all these years.
“Paris by night, such a beautiful sight, nothing quite like Paris by night.” I’ll head off to lyric finder shortly.
I rather liked the fact they had a bassist called Rocky.
Edith. Paris by Air of course.
Tiggerlion says
You may be right. However:
Divides the fandom – Michael Jackson
Greatest of all time – Chic
Locals favourite – KC and the Sunnshine Band
Mental Breakdown – The Village People
The one everyone forgets – Heatwave
Either love or hate – The Bee Gees
Fan favourite – Earth, Wind & Fire
Overlooked masterpiece – Kid Creole and the Coconuts
Moose the Mooche says
Mental breakdown would be Baccara shurely.
Locals-wise, Boney M wiped the floor with all of these hairy devils, except the Bee Gees.
fitterstoke says
Chic / Sister Sledge, perhaps? I tend to think of them as a package deal…
KDH says
KATG are underrated certainly, but Chic are the closest you can get to a definitive best, and I normally argue against “bests”, believing generally there are only favourites.
Kid Creole I’ve always considered post-disco (whatever that means)…
myoldman says
I’m not so sure but they did make one of the greatest funk tracks of the early 70s
Uncle Wheaty says
Nice music but not sure I would need to listen again.
Moose the Mooche says
Like EWF, KATG were a quite sponditious* funk band before they correctly identified which way the wind was blowin.
*Delbert Wilkins tribute entirely appropriate, guy
fentonsteve says
Speaking of Funk, Inc. here’s Kool Is Back:
MC Escher says
The disco version of KATG is not a patch on the funk version. Rather like the two genres themselves, now I think about it. Celebration and Get Down On It are ubiquitous but not in a good way: awful, cheesy, clunky, basic “four on the floor” stuff with absolutely no soul or passion that’s cleared many a dancefloor in my experience. Not even as good a disco band as KC & The Sunshine Band.
See Tiggerlion’s list for a far better selection.
bang em in bingham says
Sewer Robot says
It’s a tough call as – even more than its ugly brother Punk – Disco was best experienced as a succession of ace singles*, with no artist stringing together a run of mega disco hits without drifting in from a grubbier funky sound or adopting its groovy wardrobe to adorn what, unmedallioned, would be catchy upbeat pop anyway**.
I always think of Sister Sledge as emblematic of disco, being elevated to greatness by (those guys again) Rodgers and Edwards, but bringing their own warmth to the party, making their singles more loveable than Chic’s own hits (with the exception of Good Times).
1. Is Donna Summer a band?
2. *Well, yes there’s Off The Wall and SatNigFev, of course
3** Then there’s that old music snob tendency where it’s funk because I like it and it’s disco when I don’t
Uncle Wheaty says
I know sod all about disco so thanks for the steer above from the Grandmasters of Funk.
retropath2 says
Haven’t you remembered this is Afterword?
Junglejim says
Not a ‘group’ but in our house the undisputed ruler of all Disco (& that) including the Chic Corp. is Hamilton Bohannon & here’s the proof. https://youtu.be/uMgA49Q-cpY
Serving suggestion: preferably good headphones or VERY loud.
No further question m’lud.
Junglejim says
Apologies if the other link didn’t work.
Alias says
Such a great track, funky disco is the best. There were a few different mixes of that. I think this is the one that I had. which is my favourite, but probably because it was the first one I heard.
In addition to producing Off The Wall, the greatest of all disco albums, he made some very fine disco music of his own.
Stuff Like That
Here’s another permanent favourite of mine, T Connection Do What You Wanna Do
Morrison says
Ace has just released probably the greatest disco record of all time – the 9-plus minute edit of Sylvester’s “Over and Over” – on a 7″ single. It’s a brilliant record – an Ashford and Simpson tune that ebbs and flows with gospel wailing, soaring strings and top tambourine action.
Somewhere I have the 12″ version – sneaked out as a B-side way back.
fentonsteve says
It’s the 4:38 edit on the 7″, sadly.
Sewer Robot says
tbf 9+ minutes squeezed onto a 7” never ends well..
fentonsteve says
I wondered if they’d do Pts I & II. But no.
How long can you get on a 7″ at 33rpm, I wonder? 6 or 7 minutes?
Sewer Robot says
I had Free Bird by Lynrd Skynrd on a 45rpm 7” and the sound was okay. Some similar length E.P.s too, often 33rpm.
The big problem was the tiniest imperfection/scratch becomes much more catastrophic..
Uncle Wheaty says
Having fun listening to all of the above tunes.
Back in the shit night club in Great Yarmouth 1983 where they played none of this quality music!
It was MJ, Shalamar, Shakatak and the shit disco/funk of the day
Mike_H says
Shalamar have their place too, in disco wonderland.
and
Alias says
Tiffany’s?
Freddy Steady says
Might have been The Ocean Rooms if he made his way across the river to sunny Gorleston on Sea.
Uncle Wheaty says
Rosie O’Gradys!
Freddy Steady says
I am so so sorry @uncle-wheaty
Uncle Wheaty says
I was so uncool/unaware I one cycled there and went home on my bike,
Never did that again.
I would happily walk the three miles back to Caister-on-Sea with my mates to save the taxi fare!
Freddy Steady says
@uncle-wheaty. Did you ever go to the Big Apple? Nothing like Tiffany’s or Rosies, more for your low rent rock gigs.
Uncle Wheaty says
No, that one passed me by.
I vaguely recall the name but never attended anything.
Uncle Wheaty says
You might enjoy this!
https://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/allens-bar-great-yarmouth-gigs-music-scene-1944776
Freddy Steady says
I did enjoy that. I’m sure I went to that Eurythmics gig though I might be getting it mixed up with a Wishbone Ash gig. At Tiffany’s on a Sunday.
The Big Apple was on the Gorleston side of the Haven Bridge.
Uncle Wheaty says
I was at the Wishbone Ash gig at Tiffany’s. My second ever gig after seeing Budgie and Gillan at the ABC in December 1981 as my first.
nickduvet says
Like all the best disco funk (take a bow Chic/Sister Sledge) this one’s basic boom-bap, b-boom boom bap groove is topped off with a funky bass line. You can bet I’ll be doing my best Soul Train steps to this one if it ever comes on.
Worth watching to see Dolly Parton shakin’ that wig.
Billybob Dylan says
I always thought that intro was a keyboard!
Alias says
A few years ago DVDs by Al Green and Stevie Wonder both Live In 72 got 5 star reviews in the music mags. There must have been licensing issues because neither got released. I got a dodgy copy from the iOffer website and the seller also sent me a KC and the Sunshine Band live DVD. I always thought of them as the epitome of disco naffness, but live they are ridiculously funky.
Tiggerlion says
Great to see the love for KC and co. How Acton is a band so aptly named? They really brought the sunshine.
Tiggerlion says
Acton??? Often.
Cuh.
LesterTheNightfly says
When rock goes disco.
David Byron with “African Breeze”
Junior Wells says
Van McCoy for me when it comes to pure Disco.
The Hustle a favourite of so many hi fi store listening rooms