SANDY BARBER “I Think I’ll Do Some Stepping” (1977, Olde World)

Great, another unknown diva! Actually, Sandy worked in the 80s with Ish (from Foxy) in Blue Modern (nope, me neither) and made the mandatory house-wailing-thing as Sandy B, but I can safely say her disco album slipped under the radar… Well, thanks to technology and this little thing called “mp3”, we can still enjoy this breezy-and-then-gritty call for independance. (I know, I'll end up in jail…)

JOE SIMON “Love Vibration” (1978, Spring)

This veteran Southern soul singer knew he would rock the dancefloor when he choose to work with the legendary Philly producer Norman Harris. The bass is so deadly it could push back Lazarus to the grave…

This gem, among many others, is reviewed in “The Disco Files 1973-78: New York's underground, week by week”, the chronicles Vince Aletti wrote for the trade magazine “Record World” back in the days. A wonderful historical report from the disco front – it's like reading the Dead Sea scrolls, but with the added bonus of playlists.

And as I've been quite lazy lately, here's a little treat to make up for it:



(I never get tired of vintage dance moves. And nice earring!)

DIANA ROSS “Eaten Alive” (1985, Capitol)

Of the many Michael Jackson's songs I wanted to share, I choose this collaboration he wrote & produced with the Bee Gees for Diana Ross. Of course you can hear him in the chorus. Let's forget the sad echoes the title could evoke regarding his life and enjoy the exhilarating ride…

MICHAEL JACKSON “Ain’t No Sunshine” (1972, Motown)

MARTIN DUPONT “I Met the Beast” (1985, Facteurs d'Ambiance)

I'm not sure this is really “dancefloor-oriented” but I know for sure it was a classic tune down in the Mistral, the club where I spent too many nights in my teens, in my hometown of Aix-en-Provence. Martin Dupont were the cult-new-wave-kings of Marseille and I must confess that “I Met the Beast” and its Anne Clark-ish synths are not really typical of their output (i.e. you can't dance to the other stuff). This song reminds me I was there, on the dancefloor, ready to witness the soon to explode House revolution. Oh happy days…