Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a safe and fun holliday....And speaking of 'Giving Thanks', here is one of my all-time favorite edits by Lee Douglas. Enjoy the stuffing!

Eddie Kendricks-Thank You For The Memories(Lee Douglas edit)

This Could Be The Night

Here is a great track by Karla Garrison entitled "This Could Be The Night". If you love that Cocktail Disco sound that Dimitri From Paris coined so nicely a few years back then this track is right up your alley. The song was released back in 1978 as twelve-inch single and was produced by Gilda C. Woods, who also helped produce many great cuts for Brenda & The Tabulations during the late 1970's. Overall, it's great track to start the night off with or help wind-down an evening. No matter when it's played, it's safe to say that if there truly is something called 'Cocktail Disco', then this song fits right in with that genre.

Karla Garrison - This Could Be The Night

STUDIO! Tonight @ Havana A 'Pre-Thankgiving' Boogie Down!

Join us tonight at STUDIO! (inside Havana - 1010 E Pike Street) for our 'Pre-Thanksgiving' Disco Party! This week there are no excuses, as deejays Pat Les Stache and H.M.A. will be spinning another dose of rare 70's gay disco, italo, mustache, and cosmic grooves all night long. Start your Thanksgiving weekend with us as we enjoy amazing night of disco music, holiday drinkin', and lot's of 'Love-Dancin' tonight inside Havana. See you there!

Do You Sweet Talk?

Here is a funky disco rarity that I've been enjoying a lot lately in Sweet Talks 1979 "Do The Beat". This classic cut is the single and opening track to the groups selt-titled record. I believe this was the only release for the group, Sweet Talks, which was produced by McKinley Jackson who also helped produce artists like First Choice, Tower of Power, The Jones Girls, Lamont Dozier, and many others. Sweet Talk's "Do The Beat" is a rare funky classic that I highly recommend hunting down.

Sweet Talks - Do The Beat

How Can You Refuse?

No shame in this one...Here is a guilty favorite in Cher's 1979 album cut "Happy Was The Day We Met" from her classic Take Me Home LP. I know that everyone raves about the title song, as do I, however I think this lesser known album cut deserves a little bit more attention. I was listening to it late last night and I find that it always puts me in a good mood. Plus, who doesn't love anyone who dresses up like a sexy native american (trying to be pollitically correct) on stallion!

Cher - Happy Was The Day We Met

Double The Pleasure

I was extremely excited recently when I came across Tantra's classic 1980 Double Album LP. This is one of those records I thought I would never come across, however, one day when I was walking through Seattle's Capitol Hill district I noticed it in the window of a record store called Wall of Sound and I instantly stopped in my tracks and when in bought the record without flinching. This amazing record, which was written and arranged by legendary disco mastermind Celso Valli, is combination of Tantra's 1980 Mother Africa LP and their classic 1979 "Hills Of Katmandu / Wishbone" twelve-inch. "Hills Of Katmandu" and "Wishbone" probably represent the group's most standout cuts on this double vinyl collection, however you can't ignore the solid afro-disco classic "Su-Ku-Leu" and the funky album cut "Get Happy". Regardless of what you enjoy best, this is definitely a true disco classic. I'm just happy that I stubbled across it at least once in my lifetime.

Tantra - Hills Of Katmandu
Tantra - Wishbone

Become a Follower...

I put a Followers of American Athlete 'Gadget' up (whatever that means?) for those readers that really enjoy this blog and visit on occasion. Fill free to sign-up to get your profile image and link to show up in the 'Followers List'. The sign-up link is located at the bottom right after the 're-edit poll'.

Just Don't Wanna Lose It

Here's a funky rare disco gem from Bambu' entitled "I Don't Wanna Lose It" which was released back in 1979 on Zebra Records. I first heard this song when it was included on Dimitri From Paris' excellent Disco Forever compilation. If your one of the few who have come across the twelve-inch single, you'll also realize that the B-side track, "Jorge's Theme" is pretty solid as well. A great disco cut to end the week on. Enjoy your Friday!

Bambu' - I Don't Wanna Lose It

After Midnight...Let it all hangout!

A few months back, I was excited to find a copy of Valverde Brothers' After Midnight LP. I mostly excited about picking up a copy of this record, which was released in 1978, due to the album's title track "After Midnight", which is a cover to the much popular J.J. Cale song written back in 1972. The record was also arranged by Stefan Klinkhammer, who was the mind behind the German studio act Hot Blood. As a whole, "After Midnight" is definitely the most standout track with the other covers and originals not quite capturing the same magic as the titled track. That being said, this might be one of those many disco records that are worth picking up for just one song. You decide.

Valverde Brothers - After Midnight

Pat 'Night Rider' Les Stache

I thought I would post this Todd Terje edit of Glen A. Larson & Stu Phillips' version of the Knight Rider theme song after my sister found this old photo of me and my mom checking out K.I.T.T. at Universal Studios. I must have been 6 years old at the time...yet even at a young age, I still knew how to roll...

Glen Larson & Stu Phillips - Night Rider(Todd Terje Edit)

STUDIO! Tonight @ Havana

Join us this Wednesday Night at Havana (1010 E Pike Street) for rendition of STUDIO!, Seattle's only weekly gay disco night! Deejay's Pat Les Stache, HMA, and TK Disko (Premiere Disco Deejay from San Francisco!) will be spinning rare disco, italo, cosmic, and moustache grooves all night long....as well as a bunch of Tom Moulton produced cuts as always! Should be another amazing night of drinking, disco music, and love dancin'!

See you there!

STUDIO! - Tonight w/ special guest TK Disko

Joining Residents Pat Les Stache and H.M.A. tonight will be Special Guest TK Disko from San Francisco! TK Disko has shared the disco decks with just about everyone, from Metro Area to Greg Wilson to Prins Thomas, etc. We are delighted to have him up here in Seattle for STUDIO!

Don't miss out on what will definitely be an amazing night of disco music and body love dancin'!!!

Inside the Lost Disco Library

Here is a very interesting and creative new release from the great guys over at DJhistory.com that I highly recommend checking out. Basically they got together a bunch of unreleased disco library music and had it re-edited by some of today's best disco producers. Here's the 'official' story told by the guys at DJhistory.com:

"A whole album of never-heard original disco, lovingly retouched by the world’s finest remixers. In 1979 the cream of French and British session musicians gathered to record some of the most scorching disco music ever committed to vinyl. As a series of ‘Disco & Co’ albums on the Tele Music library label, this ended up as radio talk-show sound-beds and backing music for car chases on French cop shows. Le Sweeney, anyone? The few copies that slipped out were highly prized: today an original copy of the Arpadys LP goes for £300, if you can find one. As a service to disco, DJhistory has unearthed the original tapes and recruited an all-star cast of splicing fingers – The Unabombers, Ray Mang, The Idjut Boys, Leo Zero, Mudd, Al Kent, Faze Action, Mudd and Toby Tobias – to polish them up for today’s dancefloors. The results speak for themselves."

And to get you hooked on this record, here is Faze Action's funky re-edit of "Disco Free".

Le Disco: Tele Music - Disco Free (Faze Action Re-edit)

To listen to more samples and purchase the record, visit DJhistory.com's record shop.

Love Has Come Around

Here is an all-time boogie classic in Donald Byrd's 1981 version of "Love Has Come Around". Known for it's constant play inside of the Paradise Garage by legendary deejay Larry Levan, this post-disco boogie classic has stood the test of time. The twelve-inch single also appeared on Donald Byrd & 125th Street, N.Y.C.'s 1981 LP, Love Byrd. The song was also more recently included on the solid Larry Levan Tribute compilation Journey Into Paradise: The Larry Levan Story. This is one of those songs that can seem to put anybody in a good mood. Enjoy!

Donald Byrd - Love Has Come Around

Heatin' It Up and Slowing It Down

Here is a slowed-down sexy edit of Steve Miller's Band's "Abracadabra" that I have been casually working on over the past couple of months. Very tongue-and-cheek...Enjoy!

Steve Miller's Band - Abracadabra (Pat Les Stache Edit)

A Perfect Love Affair

Disco Producers Jesse Boyce and Moses Dillard are the brilliant minds behind several solid disco projects, including Frisky and Saturday Night Band (A personal favorite of mine). These two producers, in 1978, also put together another project that I have grown fond of, titled Constellation Orchestra. Like Frisky, Constellation Orchestra only released one record, that being Perfect Love Affair which came out on Prelude. The record consisted of uptemp disco tracks all ranging from six to seven minutes with the titled track, "Perfect Love Affair" being the record's main standout single. For fans of producer's Boyce and Dillard other works, I highly recommend checking out Constellation Orchestra. The record features all of those great qualities that made Saturday Night Band's "Don't (Take My Love Away)" and Frisky's "Burn Me Up (With Your Love)" such classics.

Constellation Orchestra - Perfect Love Affair

Friday Night Dancin'

On this Friday, I think I will post my favorite Taka Boom track in "Night Dancin'". This song was included as the leading single off of her 1979 self-titled debut album. I was happy to find this record when I visited my hometown of Sacramento, Ca. this past summer. For those that don't know, Taka Boom, who's name is really Yvonne Stevens, is the sister of Chaka Khan. Even though I think "Night Dancin'" is by far the best track off of her self-titled record, I also find myself enjoying other album cuts like "Red Hot" and "Cloud Dancer". Now go enjoy your Friday night!

Taka Boom - Night Dancin'

Oh Won't You Try, Won't You Try

I'm pretty exhausted today so I'm going to keep it short with Udell's 1977 disco classic "Won't You Try". This track was mixed by legendary producer/ engineer Tom Moulton and released on his amazing label, Tom N'Jerry Records, which consistently put out disco gems during the late 1970's. The track was produced by Roland Kluger, whom helped produce all of those amazing latin-disco flavored Two Man Sound records. Enjoy!

Udell - Won't You Try

Get Up, Get On Your Feet!

I have to start off and point out how much I'm loving the artwork of this twelve-inch single by Carte Blanche. Two naked females on roller skates...very nice. Anyways, I recently came across this single and over the past few weeks the record has really grown on me. The single features two great tracks which include the title track "Get Up Get On Your Feet" and the more erotic downtempo disco cut "Do You Like It Like That". This record was written by Carte Blanche, aka Bernie Taupin, whom also helped write Elton John's popular hit song "Don't Go Breaking My Heart". Overall, a classic disco twelve that looks great and even sounds better!

Carte Blanche - Get Up Get On Your Feet
Carte Blanche - Do You Like It Like That

STUDIO! - Tonight Inside Havana!

Join us TONIGHT at Havana for another night of STUDIO! This week deejays Pat Les Stache, H.M.A. and special guest deejay, Ben Cook (owner of Rong Music) will be spinning another dose of rare 70's gay disco, italo, mustache, and cosmic grooves. We have a lot of new amazing disco gems that we have picked-up for you this week including some rare Macho, Boogie People, Shelia & B. Devotion, Sister Power, Tantra, Hot Blood, V.I.S.A. and many many more. Plus, I plan on dropping a thirty minute 'Cerrone/Don Ray/Kongas/Costandinos' set for those French disco lovers out there. Should be another amazing night this Wednesday inside Havana. Don't Miss It!

Disco In The Rain

Here's a 1978 disco classic by Don Ray that basically sums up my 'very wet' morning walk to work. (For those whom might not have this yet) Enjoy!

Don Ray - Standing In The Rain

...more French disco classics like this later on this evening at STUDIO!.

In The Heat Of A Disco Night

Today I'm going to continue with my fascination with Arabesque by posting the 1979 disco classic "In The Heat Of A Disco Night". This track was featured on the solid City Cats LP. As I'm continually getting into this group's early disco efforts, I'm quickly finding that their material is fairly tough to come by. That being said, here is another rare classic from the sexy trio!

Arabesque - In The Heat Of A Disco Night

Best Disco Re-Edits?

Who Does the Best Disco Re-edits?

Vote on American Athlete's new reader poll located at the bottom right corner of this blog.

Up Jumped The Disco

Here is another fine disco classic from John Davis & The Monster Orchestra, this time being the 1977 cut "Up Jumped The Devil". This was the title track, as well as featured twelve-inch single off of the group's second album. This record was, of course, written and produced by disco legend John Davis and featured other solid cuts including "The Magic Is You (Main Theme)" and "You Gotta Give It Up ". Overall, it's just one of the many classic songs and records John Davis and his Monster Orchestra released during a brilliant career.

John Davis & The Monster Orchestra - Up Jumped The Devil

Don't Fall In Love

Lately I've been enjoying Alma Faye's funky mid-tempo disco classic "Don't Fall in Love". This song seems to have just as much soul as it has disco. I dropped it the other night at STUDIO! and people seemed to really enjoy it. The song was featured both as a twelve-inch single and as an album cut on the 1979 LP, Doin' It on Casablanca Records. Overall, a nice and funky disco classic to get you ready for the weekend. Enjoy!

Alma Faye - Don't Fall In Love

Serge Santiago Podcast

Just spreading the word to go check out a great new podcast over on XLR8R's website featuring "new school" italo producer/deejay Serge Santiago. The podcast features an hour long Santiago mix that features many classic italo classics by artists like Patrick Cowley, Rinder & Lewis, Kebekeleltrik, Mr. Flagio, Droid, plus many others. Check it out!

XLR8R Presents Serge Sanitago

No Romance, Just Wanna Dance

I'm going to continue my Theo Vaness love affair on this blog and post another one of my many personal favorites in "No Romance Keep On Dancing". This classic disco cut was featured on the 1979 Bad Bad Boy LP, which in my opinion, is one of the greatest disco records of all-time. Regardless, another brilliant classic from a true legend in Theo Vaness.

Theo Vaness - No Romance Keep On Dancing

Where are all the Disco Dancers?

Lately I've been getting into Bob McGilpin's second LP, Get Up. This record was released in 1979 on Butterfly Records (a label that released many of my all-time favorite disco records). This record consists of some solid disco classics including "54", "Get Up & Do It Again", "Get Loose", my personal favorite in "Disco Dancer", and the record's single "Sexy Thing". This was McGilpin's last great record in my opinion, with his 1980 self-titled follow-up creating little excitement. However that being said, I think McGilpin, like many disco artists, put together some solid disco releases within a relatively short amount of time during the late 1970's.

Bob McGilpin - Disco Dancer

STUDIO! Tonight Post Election Day Disco Party

Join us Tonight at Havana (1010 E Pike Street, Seattle, WA.) for our 'post-election'/ Obama Celebration addition of STUDIO!. We had one of the best summers, the music was great, the dancefloor was packed, and the people were beautiful. That being said, since fall hit, the night hasn't been able to catch the same feeling and we are endangered in losing the night all together. So if you think this town can benefit from a weekly disco night, come join us for some rare disco gems, too much drinkin', and lot's of love dancin'!!!

Hope to see you tonight!!!

Vote Obama Today Nov. 4th

No Excuses This Year, Go Out And Vote Today!!!

America needs CHANGE, Obama can bring the change we need. Don't be fooled, he will not raise your taxes. He will fight for the middle class people of this country, you know, the group of people in this country that Bush and McCain have ignored for the past 8 years. This is our chance America to get our country back on the right track and put a respectable President back in the oval office.

To Find Out Where Your Voting Location is Click Here.

Only "One Word" for this blog today: VOTE!

Walking On Music

Today I thought I might share my favorite Peter Jacques Band track, "Walking On Music" which appeared on the 1978 LP Fire Night Dance. To say that this record consists of some hi-energy disco would probably be an under estimate with other uptempo dance numbers like "Devil's Run", "Fly With The Wind", and the self-titled "Fire Night Dance" rounding out the rest of the record. This record was also conducted and arranged by legendary disco producer Mauro Malavasi whom helped bring us Macho, Revanche, Change, and many many others. Regardless, a classic uptempo disco classic that can help shake those 'election night ' parties.

Peter Jacques Band - Walking On Music