See, that’s exactly why I’m here—to help you reconnect with the songs and artists you know, and those you think you don’t 😁😁 Thanks for reading and replying, Andy! Hope you had a fantastic holiday. Wishing you a great Sunday!
Great article, Pe, and I especially appreciate the label angle you brought up! In '78, labels had quick decisions to make that had (or threatened to have) long-term impacts on their respective bottom lines....disco and punk to name two.
There seemed to be a rush to sign "token" acts in each genre, sometimes to the detriment of either label, artist, or both! Prospecting is really what they were forced to do...project whether either punk or disco was a 5-minute fad, or a genuine, long-lasting niche worth pouring money into!
My main memory of the act (I enjoyed the song...we were right on the cusp of the genre being bastardized by the disco money-makers of the time...Meco, Rick Dees, Star Wars Disco, et al)....was that A Taste of Honey beat out Elvis Costello, that year, for Grammy New Artist of the Year! In the clear light of the rear-view mirror, it's easy to see that gross misfire/oversight, when both careers are weighed side by side!
But, at the time, me and my punker friends (which far outnumbered my disco music/club friends) were suitably indignant at that turn of events! "Oh, the humanity!" What a time!
Haha, I can totally imagine. You’re right, Costello’s impact is undeniably greater, but he also didn’t have to navigate the kind of backlash that disco artists (or those labeled as such) faced. One of the alternative histories I plan to explore someday is what might have happened if that backlash never took place. In that version of events, A Taste of Honey would’ve thrived far more than they did, especially with the full support of a major label behind them.
The way major labels responded to disco (and punk) is a lot more complex than a simple black-and-white narrative. I’m deep into researching all of this for a series of paywalled pieces I’ll start publishing toward the end of spring. I’ll be diving into how those early decisions by the majors shaped everything that followed.
Really appreciate you reading and chiming in, Brad. Hope you have an awesome week!
Thanks, Pe.....I think it could be debated how truly debilitating the disco "backlash" (i.e. the burning of records at Chicago's baseball stadium, etc, radio moving on from it) was to the big-picture success of disco. Throw into the mix the merging from the "good," smart, popular disco into the dreck (like Dees, Meco, etc) seeming to glut the market, and I think a legit debate could be made about "what exactly killed disco".....the public's reaction/response (fewer sales, protests, etc) vs. the thinning of talent/over-bearing presence on pop radio dynamic. Would be cool to see if, maybe, a thread or something could be moderated with those possible angles in mind! Looking forward, regardless!
You’re absolutely right, it wasn’t just Comiskey Park or what happened there in June 1979. In fact, I’d say that event was only a very small part of a much larger story. The real dynamics are broader and deeply rooted in societal shifts and cultural evolution. It’s not an easy story to unpack, and I want to approach that side of the content with the same depth and care I bring to the weekly episodes. That’s why I’m taking a bit more time with it.
It’s such a fascinating topic, though. And by the way, I totally see your point about Meco, but even his story isn’t black and white. For instance, he produced Gloria Gaynor’s early hits, which are often held up as prime examples of good disco 😄😄
Gloria was, arguably, my favorite....especially in that mid-'70s range (I'm not sure, now, I remember that 'twas Meco who produced!). I agree that disco, perhaps far more so than many/any other genre (or sub-), had far more external factors affecting its progress and survival!
That's an era and a movement that deserves a close and balanced overhead look....I'm glad we've got you to do what you always do so well! Go get 'em, Pe!
We only got that striking picture sleeve for the 12" in the UK; the 7" came in a more traditional Capitol company bag. The cover is certainly memorable, shot from a low angle to accentuate the power of 2 black women and therefore somewhat unusual for the era I suspect! Even in the mid 1970s, some record companies were still reluctant to feature black faces on record covers. As part of the big push Capitol gave Tavares, I remember one advert that used a still of Clark Gable and Jean Harlow from the 1930s in an attempt to appeal to mainstream white pop audiences - not a trace of the band in sight! Capitol used the relatively new 12" format to market both Natalie Cole and Sylvers, but not in the way you might think. Initially, here in the UK at least, the format was seen as a replacement for the 7" EP rather than as a showcase for fashionable remixes, so 4 tracks of catalogue material were carefully selected in the hope of broadening the appeal of acts with a couple of decent singles already to their name.
I didn’t know that about Capitol in the UK, Paul—really interesting! Then again, I’m not too surprised. The story of Capitol in the US doesn’t exactly scream groundbreaking or risk-taking 😁. They always struck me as fairly conservative in their choices. I know Capitol was bought by EMI early on—were they part of EMI in the UK as well, or did they operate separately? Thanks for reading and replying, Paul. Wishing you a wonderful Sunday!
Yes, Capitol were part of EMI in the UK. The Tavares single with the Gable/Harlow campaign was Never Had A Love like this Before from 1978. Neither the 12" or the 7" had picture sleeves so the still was only used for the press ads. I'd be interested to know if the same approach was used for campaigns in other countries, particularly in the US.
Great question, Paul! Right now, I’m deep into prepping the extra paywalled content I’ll start rolling out at the end of spring. I’ll definitely keep your question in mind — I have a feeling I’ll come across some insights that could help answer it
Great article 🙏. One of the best and funkiest hits from the late 70's - always a favorite and a floor-filler! My dream came true when I joined the Ultimate Disco Cruise in 2022. A Taste of Honey was featured onboard, performing not only Boogie Oogie Oogie, but also Sukiyaki and many more of their hits....and yes, it is Janice-Marie and me on the profile pic;) 😎
Wow, Morten — that really is something to cherish. I totally agree that it stands out as a highlight of the late seventies. ‘Boogie Oogie Oogie’ is proof that 1978 wasn’t all about Eurodisco; there was still plenty of pure, R&B-driven music being made, some of which became timeless classics. With every artist I cover in this series, I try to get a bit closer to their essence, and I definitely get the sense that JM is not only a great musician but also a genuinely kind person. Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts, Morten — have a great weekend!
Thank You PeDupre! It is the R&B driven "disco" that is closest to my heart. And yes, you are right about JM. Not just a "cover girl" but (as you say) a true musician and a great personality. Looking forward to your next article - you too, have a great weekend!
Thanks, Linda! You’re right, women were definitely underrepresented as musicians back then, which makes their stories all the more compelling and inspiring. I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts! And hey, I hope you’re still playing guitar these days? 😄🎸
What a cool track. I knew it but I didn’t know I knew it, if you see what I mean. Thanks for the education and for making it so entertaining!
See, that’s exactly why I’m here—to help you reconnect with the songs and artists you know, and those you think you don’t 😁😁 Thanks for reading and replying, Andy! Hope you had a fantastic holiday. Wishing you a great Sunday!
And you do a brilliant job at it! Thanks, Pe! Happy Sunday to you too!
Great bass line!
Great article, Pe, and I especially appreciate the label angle you brought up! In '78, labels had quick decisions to make that had (or threatened to have) long-term impacts on their respective bottom lines....disco and punk to name two.
There seemed to be a rush to sign "token" acts in each genre, sometimes to the detriment of either label, artist, or both! Prospecting is really what they were forced to do...project whether either punk or disco was a 5-minute fad, or a genuine, long-lasting niche worth pouring money into!
My main memory of the act (I enjoyed the song...we were right on the cusp of the genre being bastardized by the disco money-makers of the time...Meco, Rick Dees, Star Wars Disco, et al)....was that A Taste of Honey beat out Elvis Costello, that year, for Grammy New Artist of the Year! In the clear light of the rear-view mirror, it's easy to see that gross misfire/oversight, when both careers are weighed side by side!
But, at the time, me and my punker friends (which far outnumbered my disco music/club friends) were suitably indignant at that turn of events! "Oh, the humanity!" What a time!
Haha, I can totally imagine. You’re right, Costello’s impact is undeniably greater, but he also didn’t have to navigate the kind of backlash that disco artists (or those labeled as such) faced. One of the alternative histories I plan to explore someday is what might have happened if that backlash never took place. In that version of events, A Taste of Honey would’ve thrived far more than they did, especially with the full support of a major label behind them.
The way major labels responded to disco (and punk) is a lot more complex than a simple black-and-white narrative. I’m deep into researching all of this for a series of paywalled pieces I’ll start publishing toward the end of spring. I’ll be diving into how those early decisions by the majors shaped everything that followed.
Really appreciate you reading and chiming in, Brad. Hope you have an awesome week!
Thanks, Pe.....I think it could be debated how truly debilitating the disco "backlash" (i.e. the burning of records at Chicago's baseball stadium, etc, radio moving on from it) was to the big-picture success of disco. Throw into the mix the merging from the "good," smart, popular disco into the dreck (like Dees, Meco, etc) seeming to glut the market, and I think a legit debate could be made about "what exactly killed disco".....the public's reaction/response (fewer sales, protests, etc) vs. the thinning of talent/over-bearing presence on pop radio dynamic. Would be cool to see if, maybe, a thread or something could be moderated with those possible angles in mind! Looking forward, regardless!
You’re absolutely right, it wasn’t just Comiskey Park or what happened there in June 1979. In fact, I’d say that event was only a very small part of a much larger story. The real dynamics are broader and deeply rooted in societal shifts and cultural evolution. It’s not an easy story to unpack, and I want to approach that side of the content with the same depth and care I bring to the weekly episodes. That’s why I’m taking a bit more time with it.
It’s such a fascinating topic, though. And by the way, I totally see your point about Meco, but even his story isn’t black and white. For instance, he produced Gloria Gaynor’s early hits, which are often held up as prime examples of good disco 😄😄
Gloria was, arguably, my favorite....especially in that mid-'70s range (I'm not sure, now, I remember that 'twas Meco who produced!). I agree that disco, perhaps far more so than many/any other genre (or sub-), had far more external factors affecting its progress and survival!
That's an era and a movement that deserves a close and balanced overhead look....I'm glad we've got you to do what you always do so well! Go get 'em, Pe!
We only got that striking picture sleeve for the 12" in the UK; the 7" came in a more traditional Capitol company bag. The cover is certainly memorable, shot from a low angle to accentuate the power of 2 black women and therefore somewhat unusual for the era I suspect! Even in the mid 1970s, some record companies were still reluctant to feature black faces on record covers. As part of the big push Capitol gave Tavares, I remember one advert that used a still of Clark Gable and Jean Harlow from the 1930s in an attempt to appeal to mainstream white pop audiences - not a trace of the band in sight! Capitol used the relatively new 12" format to market both Natalie Cole and Sylvers, but not in the way you might think. Initially, here in the UK at least, the format was seen as a replacement for the 7" EP rather than as a showcase for fashionable remixes, so 4 tracks of catalogue material were carefully selected in the hope of broadening the appeal of acts with a couple of decent singles already to their name.
I didn’t know that about Capitol in the UK, Paul—really interesting! Then again, I’m not too surprised. The story of Capitol in the US doesn’t exactly scream groundbreaking or risk-taking 😁. They always struck me as fairly conservative in their choices. I know Capitol was bought by EMI early on—were they part of EMI in the UK as well, or did they operate separately? Thanks for reading and replying, Paul. Wishing you a wonderful Sunday!
Yes, Capitol were part of EMI in the UK. The Tavares single with the Gable/Harlow campaign was Never Had A Love like this Before from 1978. Neither the 12" or the 7" had picture sleeves so the still was only used for the press ads. I'd be interested to know if the same approach was used for campaigns in other countries, particularly in the US.
Great question, Paul! Right now, I’m deep into prepping the extra paywalled content I’ll start rolling out at the end of spring. I’ll definitely keep your question in mind — I have a feeling I’ll come across some insights that could help answer it
This song was HUGE that year! I remember it being played everywhere - including in my house!
same here 😃 Thanks for reading & reacting Dan!
Great article 🙏. One of the best and funkiest hits from the late 70's - always a favorite and a floor-filler! My dream came true when I joined the Ultimate Disco Cruise in 2022. A Taste of Honey was featured onboard, performing not only Boogie Oogie Oogie, but also Sukiyaki and many more of their hits....and yes, it is Janice-Marie and me on the profile pic;) 😎
Wow, Morten — that really is something to cherish. I totally agree that it stands out as a highlight of the late seventies. ‘Boogie Oogie Oogie’ is proof that 1978 wasn’t all about Eurodisco; there was still plenty of pure, R&B-driven music being made, some of which became timeless classics. With every artist I cover in this series, I try to get a bit closer to their essence, and I definitely get the sense that JM is not only a great musician but also a genuinely kind person. Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts, Morten — have a great weekend!
Thank You PeDupre! It is the R&B driven "disco" that is closest to my heart. And yes, you are right about JM. Not just a "cover girl" but (as you say) a true musician and a great personality. Looking forward to your next article - you too, have a great weekend!
Thanks, Linda! You’re right, women were definitely underrepresented as musicians back then, which makes their stories all the more compelling and inspiring. I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts! And hey, I hope you’re still playing guitar these days? 😄🎸
Great stuff Linda !