Category Archives: Philadelphia Soul
DISCO GOLD: SCEPTER RECORDS AND THE BIRTH OF DISCO.
DISCO GOLD: SCEPTER RECORDS AND THE BIRTH OF DISCO. In previous articles I’ve written about disco music and remixes, one name that keeps cropping up in Tom Moulton. He is credited as the godfather of the remix, literally single handedly creating one of the most important tools in every DJ’s arsenal, the twelve inch single. …
GREG WILSON CREDIT TO THE EDIT VOLUME ONE.
GREG WILSON CREDIT TO THE EDIT VOLUME ONE. For someone that loves music as much as I do, one of the worst things that could happen is having your music collection stolen. After all, how can you replace albums that are either long out of print, were released on small labels or are imports that …
MELLOW MELLOW-15TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION.
MELLOW MELLOW-15TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION. One of my favorite independent record labels over the past seventeen years is Harmless Records, who were founded in 1995. Since then, they’ve been releasing quality music on a regular basis. They’ve released a number of hugely successful compilation series including Pulp Fusion, Disco Discharge and of course thirty editions of …
THE DETROIT SPINNERS-PICK OF THE LITTER.
THE DETROIT SPINNERS-PICK OF THE LITTER. Previously, I’ve reviewed a trio of The Detroit Spinners albums, starting with the first album Thom Bell produced for the group, Spinners, released in April 1973 on Atlantic Records. This was the first album in a series of classic albums from The Detroit Spinners that started in 1973 and …
LOOSE CHANGE-LOOSE CHANGE.
LOOSE CHANGE-LOOSE CHANGE. Tom Moulton’s role in disco music can’t be understated. He’s credited with inventing the remix, and could take a three minute track, extend it, creating eight minutes of majestic disco music. Now, remember this was long before the technology that’s available now. Back then, there was no Logic Pro, Reason or Ableton …
JOHNNY D PRESENTS DISCO JAMMS VOLUME 1.
JOHNNY D PRESENTS DISCO JAMMS VOLUME 1. Nowadays, for anyone wanting to try to become a DJ, the equipment is very different to the equipment Johnny “D” DeMairo learnt his trade on. For the wannabe DJ, they can choose from CD decks, USB controllers with software like Traktor or if they’re traditional or old school …
TEDDY PENDERGRASS-IT’S TIME FOR LOVE.
TEDDY PENDERGRASS-IT’S TIME FOR LOVE. When I was reviewing Dimitri From Paris’ Philly Sound compilation Get Down With the Philly Sound, the compilation featured five tracks from one of my favorite soul singers Teddy Pendergrass. This included two tracks from Teddy’s debut solo album Teddy Pendergrass, plus a trio of tracks from Teddy’s old group …
DIMITRI FROM PARIS-GET DOWN WITH THE PHILLY SOUND.
DIMITRI FROM PARIS-GET DOWN WITH THE PHILLY SOUND. For anyone who like me who is a huge fan of Philadelphia International Records, 2012 is going to be year to enjoy. A number of compilations, box sets and live albums are being released to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff founding Philadelphia …
AL KENT-THE BEST OF DISCO DEMANDS.
AL KENT-THE BEST OF DISCO DEMANDS. Now previously, I’ve written about quite a few disco compilations, but never one like this. This is something quite different and very special. The other disco compilations I’ve reviewed were good, very good, but this takes disco compilations to a new level. Whereas the other compilations had either one …
L.T.D.-SOMETHING TO LOVE.
L.T.D.-SOMETHING TO LOVE. I’ve always been one of these people who studies sleeve notes on albums carefully, to see which musicians played on an album, or even who arranged or produced the album. Sometimes this pays off, because you end up finding some great music. Often, I buy an album blind, having never heard it …
THE STYLISTICS-CLOSER THAN CLOSE.
THE STYLISTICS-CLOSER THAN CLOSE. What never ceases to amaze me is how sometimes, a group can go from being one of the biggest and most successful groups in soul music, to almost the forgotten men of soul music. It seems that fame is indeed temporary. Some people may say that form is also temporary, and …
YOWSAH, YOWSAH, YOWSAH.
YOWSAH, YOWSAH, YOWSAH. Dance, Dance, Dance, (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah) sang Chic in 1977, on what became one of their classic tracks. That track became one of the classic tracks of the disco era. However, Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah is also the title of an excellent compilation of 70s New York Disco released as part of the …
PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL: THE RE-EDITS.
PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL: THE RE-EDITS. Sometimes, once you’ve heard that a new album will be due out soon, then you can’t wait to get your hands on to review. That’s how I felt about Harmless’ latest compilation, Philadelphia International: The Re-Edits, which I’ve waited to hear for a number of weeks. This is just the latest …
BILLY PAUL-FIRST CLASS.
BILLY PAUL-FIRST CLASS. First Class was Billy Paul’s ninth and final album for Philadelphia International Records, released in 1979. After some hugely successful singles and albums, including Billy’s 1972 album 360 Degrees of Billy Paul and Let ‘Em In, and singles like Let ‘Em In and Mr and Mrs Jones, Billy had decided to retire …
THE DETROIT SPINNERS-NEW AND IMPROVED.
THE DETROIT SPINNERS-NEW AND IMPROVED. After their two previous albums 1973s Spinners and Mighty Love released in 1974, had reached number one in the US R&B Charts, resulting in both albums being certified gold, when The Detroit Spinners released New and Improved, in December 1974, they hoped to make this a trio of US R&B …
LOVE AND JEALOUSY AND BACK TO MY PLACE BABY.
LOVE AND JEALOUSY AND BACK TO MY PLACE BABY. If I was to say the words Southern, Deep, Crossover, Modern and Northern what would you say? Many people would immediately say soul. They would be correct, but they’re also the themes for some of the Backbeats compilations that have been released since 2009. In total, …
LOU RAWLS-UNMISTAKABLY LOU.
LOU RAWLS-UNMISTAKABLY LOU. Unmistakably Lou was Lou Rawls second album for Philadelphia International Records. Released in May 1977, it was the follow-up to All Things In Time, released in June 1976. All Things In Time would be a hard act to follow for Lou, as it had reached number seven in the US Billboard 200 …
THE DRAMATICS-A DRAMATIC EXPERIENCE.
THE DRAMATICS-A DRAMATIC EXPERIENCE. Some time ago, I reviewed The Dramatics debut album Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get, which had recently been rereleased and remastered. What many people didn’t realize was that included on the album was their second album A Dramatic Experience. Their first album Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get had been a huge …
TEDDY PENDERGRASS-TEDDY.
TEDDY PENDERGRASS-TEDDY. Having left Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes to become a solo singer, things had been going well for Teddy by June 1979, when his third solo album was due for release. His two previous albums Teddy Pendergrass, released in June 1977, had reached number seventeen in the US Billboard 200 and number …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 