Friday Funk : Riding in a Spaceship 1984

            Can't live in 1973 all the time. Here's some Italian disco circa 1980.

Soul Top 20 June 9, 1973

The Spinners celebrate replacing Barry White at #1 on the Soul Charts by playing the Apollo Theater with special guests Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes

1. The Spinners : One of a Kind (Love Affair)

2. Barry White : I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby

3. Dells : Give Your Baby a Standing Ovation

4. Gladys Night and the Pips : Daddy Could Swear, I Declare

5.Bloodstone : Natural High

6. The Independents : Leaving Me

7. Chairmen of the Board : Finders Keepers

8. Tyrone Davis : Without You In My Life

9. The O'Jays : Time to Get Down

10. Sylvia : Pillow Talk

11. Billy Preston: Will It Go Round in Circles

12. The Dramatics : Get Off My Mountain

13.  New Birth : I Can Understand It

14. the J.B's : Doing It to Death

15. First Choice : Armed and Extremely Dangerous

16. Intruders : I'll Always Love My Mama

17. Stylistics : You'll Never Get to Heaven ( If You Break My Heart)

18. Michael Jackson : With a Child's Heart

19. Mandrill : Fencewalk

20. James Brown : Think

Get Down With Something Good

 

 

 

In 1973, Gilbert O'Sullivan ("Alone Again ( Naturally)" , "Clair") hit #1 in the UK and Ireland and the US Top 10 with this song written to his dog.

 

Two Bands With "Revolving Door Syndrome"

 

[Purchase]

Savoy Brown guitarist Kim Simmonds is the only consistent member of this UK band that spent most of its time touring in the US. In 1971 Dave Peverett, Roger Earl and Tone Stevens all left the band to form Foghat. The next year vocalist Dave Walker left to join Fleetwood Mac for one album. Simmonds hired a new frontman, Joe Cocker soundalike Jack Lynton for Jack the Toad, an album that sounds like it was influenced by the pub rock sound. In a good way!

 

[Purchase]

After Randy Bachman left The Guess Who, Burton Cummings oversaw the band through various personnel shake ups before getting around to recording this most underrated of the band's albums. #10 is pretty damn good but it's highlighted by the strange single "Glamour Boy" which makes fun of David Bowie ( or is it Marc Bolan? Alice Cooper?)

Glamour boy Get your costume on, 
you got 'em lined up, waitin' for you
 Glamour boy You got 'em standin' in the aisles
 so don't hang 'em up
 For twenty-five thousand dollars you can look like a woman tonight

A full page ad for the single in Billboard Magazine, June 2, 1973

BONUS CUT: 

The Campus Report June 9, 1973

[Purchase]

On the left side of the dial college radio stations were thriving in the early 70's. As non-profits, they didn't need to worry about attracting advertisers so they played what they wanted to. Suddenly, an oasis of progressive music appeared. Thanks to Aquarium Drunkard for his timely post of the Link Wray tune just a week or so ago.

WKMX
Schoolcraft College
Livonia,MI
Rob Mulrooney reporting

1. Speedy Keen "Aries Lady"
2. The Kinks "One of the Survivors"
3. Link Wray "Be What You Want To"

WHPK-FM
University of Chicago
Pete Mensch reporting

1. Strawbs "Lay Down"
2. Chick Corea "Inner Space"
3. Ohio Players "Pleasure"

WERC now WXUT-FM
University of Toldeo
Walter Griffin reporting

1. King Crimson Larks Tongues in Aspic
2. Leo Kottke My Feet Are Smiling
3. McCoy Tyner Extensions

John and Yoko, Move Over

Billboard full page ad May 1973

Well Some Call Me Jeepster

 

On June 8, 1973 ABC TV broadcast the world premiere of the new T.Rex single "The Groover". Warner Brothers took out two full page ads in Billboard Magazine to hype the event, a last desperate gasp for T.Rex to finally make it in America. Although the single was a Top 10 hit in the UK ( the band's last), it did nothing in the US and, to be honest, I can't even find a copy on any of my T.Rex albums.

Sounds to me like T.Rex is imitating its 1971 sound. By '73. Marc Bolan and the gang were doing far more interesting things like "Electric Slim and the Factory Hen".