When I got my hands on a Billboard in the late seventies, usually months after publication, I knew perhaps 5 to 10% of the records on its dance chart. And I loved them! Naturally, I assumed the other 90% were just as wonderful.
I was young. I loved disco. This seemed like perfectly sound reasoning.
It sparked a collector’s quest that is still going strong today, I can assure you. But it also helps explain something you might have noticed here: I’m constantly referring to the US dance charts. Occasionally the British ones. Much less often Canada, and hardly ever the rest of Europe.
Why? Surely we’re dancing too?
A Refurbished B-Side
Before we get into that, welcome to the new B-Side. Or should I say refurbished B-Side.
A few weeks ago, I explained that I wasn’t going to continue with its previous format. The community had stopped growing, and at times I was almost losing more readers than I was gaining. 😂
I don’t think the content was the problem. My suspicion is that two long articles, arriving on consecutive days with one behind a paywall, were simply too much. If I’m honest, I rather agree. Proper research takes time. So does reading it.
The B-Sides will continue, of course. But they’ll be decoupled from the A-Sides and follow their own course. Instead of a magazine covering several subjects, each will explore one subject properly. They’ll move away from Saturday and appear during the week, only in paid subscribers’ feeds. This two-part series starts today and continues next Tuesday.
I’m also asking readers what they would like this community to become. Mixcloud is flourishing, with almost 10,000 followers and a substantial number listening regularly. Substack is lagging behind. I’d like The Twelve Inch to feel more like a community, and I hope your answers will help.
A growing community, preferably. 😁
Which brings us to a subject that has been quietly running through these articles all along. Those charts.
