Take A Chance

This weekend it was a bit of an understatement to say that I found some great disco gems. At one of my favorite local record stores here in Seattle I found the TJM album that I posted about last week, plus two Queen Samantha LP's, 1978's The Letter and 1979's Queen Samantha 2. The best part was that I probably got all three for about $10. The reason for the cheap prices is because the record store that I often find many of these hidden gems isn't as knowledgeable when it comes to the "disco" genre, however it seems that they get all kinds of rarities every single month. Regardless, outside of already being excited about picking up a copy of the TJM LP, I pretty much lost my mind when I found the Queen Samantha records.

I first heard of Queen Samantha, aka Gloria Brooks, when I cam across her known Paradise Garage classic "Take A Chance". However, outside of "Take A Chance" I was unsure as to what, if any, other good Queen Samantha tracks were there. Well, I can say that yesterday I was opened up to many with these two albums. First, The Letter, which I kind of enjoy a little more than Queen Samantha 2, appropriately feature the amazing title track "The Letter" which was made famous later on in the mid-eighties by Joe Cocker. The four track record also features other solid cuts like "Singing Hallelujah" and "Don't Stop - I Feel Good". For many, Queen Samantha 2, could be considered equally as amazing with of course the classic "Take A Chance", as well as other great tracks like "Sweet San Francisco", "What's In Your Mind" and "The Look of Love" which many might know by Cerrone's rendition. Both records have that nice appeal to fans of that early pre-electronic sounding italo, very similiar to Tempest Trio's self-titled record.

Overall, it's safe to say, I had a productive day at the record store. I can't imagine another time in the future I'll pick three rare classics for ten bucks!

Queen Samantha - Singing Hallelujah
Queen Samantha - Take A Chance

Easy Money

I feel like you can never go wrong when it comes to Todd Terje edits. There must be close to a hundred of them floating around on the web by now. Well, you can add another to your collection (assuming you don't already have the track), with Terje's edit of Dee Dee Sharp Gamble's "Easy Money". The orginal track appeared on her 1980 titled LP, Dee Dee. The edit definitely has a smooth, but somewhat sassy disco groove that I just can't seem to get enough of lately. Regardless, chalk up another fine edit for Mr. Terje.

Dee Dee Sharp Gamble - Easy Money (Todd Terje Rekutt)

STUDIO! Last Night's Photos!

Thank you to everyone who came out last night for STUDIO!'s "Gay-Ass Disco Night For Pride Party", it was probably the craziest night we've had so far! Lot's of drinking, lot's of dancin', lot's of 'menergy', and of course, lots of butter! Join us again next Wednesday, same time, same place, and maybe even more butter.

Click Here to see all of last night's photos and more!

Look To Your Right....Yeah... Over There.

You'll see we've been trying to organize our mixes and edits.

We've just posted the now infamous "Bones" mixes. Graciously hosted at/by our friends Cosmic Disco.

"Pure un-adulterated disco bliss"

"Talk about letting the sun shine in! Brilliant brilliant brilliant!"

"WE LIKE A LOT…………"

There's also exclusive edits by world renowned DJ Pat Le Stache, and a new edit, "Slow Way Down", which is fast as hell, which premiered last night at STUDIO's Gay Ass blowout, by H.M.A.

So download them. Check 'em out. Enjoy them. Play them out. Tell your friends. And more importantly....

Come back for more.

Gay Ass Disco!

Theo Vaness was an openly gay disco star from the Netherlands. In 1979 he released Bad Bad Boy, his homage to the gay bars of Amsterdam.

In homage to gays in Seattle STUDIO at Havana is throwing a gay-ass disco night tonight and I couldn't help but think about Mr. Vaness as am working on what records to bring out. My fave cut on the album is the title track "I'm A Bad Bad Boy". It's got a great synth line bubbling underneath the guitars, and a sassy little bass line.

The album was produced by Michaële-Lana and Paul Sebastian (real names Evelyn and Andrias Andrians), the same people who worked on the best albums by Madleen Kane. The album features mixing work by proto-techno DJ Francois K., and most of the drums were performed by Marc CHanterau of the French disco group Voyage.

But wait! There's an even gayer reason to play Theo tonight. "As Long As It's Love" his paean to gay lovers everywhere.

Don't accuse a man who loves another man
Don't accuse in vain, his pleasure or his pain
Black man, white man, gay man, straight man
He's doing the best he can!

Don't accuse a girl who loves another girl
Don't accuse in vain, his pleasure or his pain
Good girl, bad girl, sexy girl, shy girl
She's doing the best he can!

As long as it's love!

Theo Vaness - I'm A Bad Bad Boy
Theo Vaness - As Long As It's Love

Join us tonight in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who gay out everywhere!

STUDIO: Keepin' it real. Gay.

TONIGHT! TONIGHT! TONIGHT! A Gay-Ass Disco Night For Pride

Yes you heard that correctly. With Seattle Gay Pride week approaching at the end of this month, the guys at STUDIO! along with Havana, and The Stranger are throwing "A Very Special Gay-Ass Disco Night For Pride" Party TONIGHT! We are definitely looking forward to getting ridiculous on this one. We will be handing out free "condom-safe" personal lubricate courtesy of the guys at "Boy Butter". I believe we will also have some roller skate action to go along with the disco boogie. So don't miss out on this ridiculous night where everything goes! Show us your pride, or at least just show us something!CLOTHING OPTIONAL!

The Stranger, Havana, & Boy Butter Present:

Studio!
A Very Special Gay-Ass Disco Night For Pride
Gay Disco & Italo All Night Long
Wednesday June 25th
@ Havana (1010 E Pike Street)
(Across the street from Basic Plumbing)
w/ Studio Residents Pat Les Stache & H.M.A.
Free Lubricate Handouts courtesy of Boy Butter
Only $3 Bucks, Men with no shirts in for free!
The Party Starts at 9pm!!!

The Kee Tha Tha

A track that has quickly found it's way into every Wednesday night set-list has been Five Letters' italo disco classic "The Kee Tha Tha". Featured on Strut's new italo compilation Disco Italia: Essential Italo Disco Classics - 1977-1985, this track was originally released in 1980, off of Five Letters' Yellow Nights LP. Five Letters, which consisted disco producers and writers Claude Vallois and Denis Desrouvres had a nice run of releases during the late 70's and early 80's releasing records off of the legendary French disco labels Malligator and Crocos Records. The originals can cost a pretty penny, however, the good people over at Strut have made it cost effect to at least own one of their classic tracks.

Five Letters - The Kee Tha Tha

Long Train Running

During this past week's Studio!, when Terry and I were playing just about every 70's afro-latin disco-rock song that we owned, I realized how much I loved the Traks 1982 cover version of The Doobie Brothers 1973 classic "Long Train Running". This version takes the funky gritty classic, and gives it a bit of a cosmic vibe by adding a slight spacey feel, especially when it comes to the songs lead vocals as well as including some nice afro-latin flavored percussion work. I've heard a few different versions of the song, obviously The Doobie Brothers, as well as a Prins Thomas' edit of Panama II's version which is also really good, however, I have to say that I tend to enjoy Traks version the best. Overall, it's a tough song to not do well, that being said there probably is some aweful Doobie Brother cover band out there that could probably challenge that theory. Regardless, Traks isn't one of them. Enjoy!

Traks - Long Train Running

Welcome to the New STUDIO! Blog

Welcome to the new STUDIO! disco blog. This blog will focus mostly on the music, information, and photos related to TJ Gorton (aka Pat Les Stache, writer of the American Athlete blog) and DJ H.M.A.'s (Terry from T.M.L. blog) Seattle based disco night, STUDIO!.

For those that don't know, STUDIO! happens every Wednesday Night inside of Havana (1010 E Pike Street, Capitol Hill), and features rare disco, italo, cosmic grooves, funky edits, and 70's afro-latin mustache rock all night long. We are currently in our fourth month of doing the night, which continues to grow with each and every week. You can view past photos from our night here.
Check back on a weekly basis for free Mp3's, set lists, mixes, edits, upcoming guests info, and everything STUDIO! related.

It's now official, "Seattle Has Gone Disco", spread the word!