None of which, as an AM radio listener, I was even aware of – beyond the baseless rumor going around my elementary school that the Sex Pistols (who had already broken up by then) would piss in a large bowl for their audience to drink from. 🤣
There were a lot of crazy rumors about the punk scenes everywhere in those days. The reality was often less salacious, but not lacking for sordid stories (e.g. Sid and Nancy, spitting on performers, slam dancing, and drunken violence).
What's rarely captured, even reading old publications, especially Billboards from back then, is the pronounced segregation of styles, and active indifference to punk and New Wave music. DJs at rock stations staged "Disco Demolition" stunts, and the punks and rockers openly despised and mocked each other (e.g. Gilda Radner's hilarious sendup of Patti Smith on SNL).
I wasn't sure where they were going with that pre-song rap, admittedly somewhat uncomfortable! But, 'twas funny, whether an ad lib or not! And, say what you will about the cheese element, you've gotta (again) hand it to MS for providing an obvious live performance that may not have happened before or since.....Valli and Lionel Richie performing together! A tiny slice of pop (if not rock) history.
Yeah, it’s an oddball pairing, but I think the performance reflects well on Valli and the Commodores alike – Frankie was comfortable getting a little funky, and the band clearly respected the fact that they were working with a legend.
So good! Impeccable research! Clearly refreshed by your vacation, it wouldn't be yours if it didn't make me spit my coffee at least once. I bow to the maestro.
That early Commodores pictrure reminded me of the time Beny Ashburn, the band's manager at the time, nearly tore me apart. I had been working for Motown since '73 and helped break "Machine Gun" so I was in Benny's good graces. In '76, I moved from Greenwich Village to a high rise on the upper East Side. One day, as I was coming out of the elevator, Beny, was walking in. Beny was a big guy - probably 6'5"+ and was known to have a temper. As I came out of the elevator, I said "Hi, Ben..." and he said "WHAT THE F#4k YOU DOIN' HERE??!!! I said "I just moved in" and showed him my key. Turns out his girlfriend lived there and he thought I was checkin' out as he was checkin' in.
Why no mention at all of “Once, Twice, Three Times a Lady”? Right there at the top. So many levels. (At least 3). Right there at the top. Bowing to woke pressure? 🥴
Great rememberies, Dan! While you were knocking on the door of junior high (figuratively if not literally), in '78, I was 23, and working retail at Houston's Cactus Records, Space City's largest and best vinyl dispensory. I read all the rock mags of the day, and no doubt thoroughly perused THIS particular week's Billboard, as well!
What made that time so much more special, though, was that Mom was managing country singer, Dale McBride at the time (and for a decade and a half longer until Dale's untimely '92 death). He'd release singles, and Mom would call me from her home/office in Austin a week before the next week's Billboard, filling me in on what Dale's latest chart position would be!
Bill Walker (prez of Con Brio Records, Dale's label) would call her with this info. I'd get the next week's Billboard, and sure enough, there it was! In '78 alone, Dale released 3 singles, with the highest charting (#45 on the Country Singles chart) being "I Don't Like Cheatin' Songs."
1978 was the year I started listening to FM radio, I think. But it was a top 40 station - so I'm not sure if it made any difference in what I got to hear. I was a Bee Gees fan that year (I was 13). Their terrible movie did cause me to deep-dive into the Beatles, so that worked out well, LOL
This is such a fantastic breakage of that 45-year-old time capsule, Dan. Really dig this foray into that moment in time, when I was about three weeks into my Sports Illustrated subscription that my dad got me as a 10th birthday gift. Steve Martin's King Tut was on one of those charts! Frankie Valli was barely taller than KC shortstop Fred Patek!
This would have been right around the time 7 year-old me bought this: https://youtu.be/NygKcDHSLiU
Disco Star Wars! Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me! Cold As Ice!
Lol at King Tut in the Top 20 Singles!
Now I play Sesame Street songs to my kid, and I don’t know if it was on the disco album, but this is so much fun: https://youtu.be/Y-Dpzl2a7cs
When disco comes up, I always like to post this as a slight corrective to “disco was but a poor waif” narrative: https://www.frankrose.com/essays/discophobia/
‘“Disco’s so straight,” exclaims Dennis Erectus. “It’s something Nixon would approve of.”‘
Star Power! Hell yeah!
Pretty sure it was “Brown 25”?
Ah, you are correct! Will amend…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBIvS046uUU
Meanwhile, in London, LA, and NYC... The Sex Pistols, The Damned, X, The Germs, The Ramones, The New York Dolls....
None of which, as an AM radio listener, I was even aware of – beyond the baseless rumor going around my elementary school that the Sex Pistols (who had already broken up by then) would piss in a large bowl for their audience to drink from. 🤣
There were a lot of crazy rumors about the punk scenes everywhere in those days. The reality was often less salacious, but not lacking for sordid stories (e.g. Sid and Nancy, spitting on performers, slam dancing, and drunken violence).
What's rarely captured, even reading old publications, especially Billboards from back then, is the pronounced segregation of styles, and active indifference to punk and New Wave music. DJs at rock stations staged "Disco Demolition" stunts, and the punks and rockers openly despised and mocked each other (e.g. Gilda Radner's hilarious sendup of Patti Smith on SNL).
Candy Slice!
“What do you wanna do?”
“I dunno; what do you wanna do?”
“I don’t know ...”
“Hey I got an idea--let’s do the song we rehearsed all day yesterday!”
😆
I wasn't sure where they were going with that pre-song rap, admittedly somewhat uncomfortable! But, 'twas funny, whether an ad lib or not! And, say what you will about the cheese element, you've gotta (again) hand it to MS for providing an obvious live performance that may not have happened before or since.....Valli and Lionel Richie performing together! A tiny slice of pop (if not rock) history.
Yeah, it’s an oddball pairing, but I think the performance reflects well on Valli and the Commodores alike – Frankie was comfortable getting a little funky, and the band clearly respected the fact that they were working with a legend.
So good! Impeccable research! Clearly refreshed by your vacation, it wouldn't be yours if it didn't make me spit my coffee at least once. I bow to the maestro.
That early Commodores pictrure reminded me of the time Beny Ashburn, the band's manager at the time, nearly tore me apart. I had been working for Motown since '73 and helped break "Machine Gun" so I was in Benny's good graces. In '76, I moved from Greenwich Village to a high rise on the upper East Side. One day, as I was coming out of the elevator, Beny, was walking in. Beny was a big guy - probably 6'5"+ and was known to have a temper. As I came out of the elevator, I said "Hi, Ben..." and he said "WHAT THE F#4k YOU DOIN' HERE??!!! I said "I just moved in" and showed him my key. Turns out his girlfriend lived there and he thought I was checkin' out as he was checkin' in.
Hahaha! "Machine Gun" is my all-time fave Commodores jam, btw — thank you for helping to make it happen!
As a rookie promo man in Boston, I got WVCB (Channel 5) to use it as their opening theme for the 6 O'clock news.That helped get it started on radio.
Classic memories of my 18 year old life where “disco was my life” thanks!😘
🪩💃🏻🕺🏽❤️
Reading the singles chart I could hear the music.
Me too!
Why no mention at all of “Once, Twice, Three Times a Lady”? Right there at the top. So many levels. (At least 3). Right there at the top. Bowing to woke pressure? 🥴
Hahaha - I figured it’s presence spoke for itself at least three times!
Great rememberies, Dan! While you were knocking on the door of junior high (figuratively if not literally), in '78, I was 23, and working retail at Houston's Cactus Records, Space City's largest and best vinyl dispensory. I read all the rock mags of the day, and no doubt thoroughly perused THIS particular week's Billboard, as well!
What made that time so much more special, though, was that Mom was managing country singer, Dale McBride at the time (and for a decade and a half longer until Dale's untimely '92 death). He'd release singles, and Mom would call me from her home/office in Austin a week before the next week's Billboard, filling me in on what Dale's latest chart position would be!
Bill Walker (prez of Con Brio Records, Dale's label) would call her with this info. I'd get the next week's Billboard, and sure enough, there it was! In '78 alone, Dale released 3 singles, with the highest charting (#45 on the Country Singles chart) being "I Don't Like Cheatin' Songs."
Fun stuff! Thanks, Dan.....'twas fun to go back!
1978 was the year I started listening to FM radio, I think. But it was a top 40 station - so I'm not sure if it made any difference in what I got to hear. I was a Bee Gees fan that year (I was 13). Their terrible movie did cause me to deep-dive into the Beatles, so that worked out well, LOL
I started getting into FM radio that fall, but that summer was pure AM action for me. And I somehow still haven’t seen Sgt Pepper’s!
Good! DO NOT! Ha
This is such a fantastic breakage of that 45-year-old time capsule, Dan. Really dig this foray into that moment in time, when I was about three weeks into my Sports Illustrated subscription that my dad got me as a 10th birthday gift. Steve Martin's King Tut was on one of those charts! Frankie Valli was barely taller than KC shortstop Fred Patek!