The Groove That Shaped Disco: Earl Young, The Trammps, and the Philly Sound Revolution

The Twelve Inch 132 : "Love Epidemic" (The Trammps)

Welcome, I’m Pe Dupre and this is “The Twelve Inch”, a newsletter that tells the history of dance music between 1975 and 1995, one twelve inch at a time.

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I have to start this week’s episode with an admission 🤓

Last week, I teased an "all-time classic disco song"—and I truly believed it was. I was talking about "Love Epidemic" by The Trammps, a track that was a major hit in the Benelux, reaching the Top 10 in the spring of 1974. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that this track barely scratched the surface in the U.S., peaking only at #75 on the R&B charts!

It’s funny how research can surprise even the most seasoned enthusiasts 😁. I double-checked the facts, hoping I missed something, but it’s true: "Love Epidemic" wasn’t a U.S. hit. Yet, for me, it’s one of The Trammps' finest. More…