In recent years, with the increasing popularity of forums and blogs,
it's easy to type the title of a random obscure record into Google and
find a zillion references to it. Previously though - if you were lucky
- you'd invariably be directed to one or two sites. One of these would
be Disco Patrick's. Originally little more than a rough and ready list
of obscure indie releases and disco acetates, Patrick is now the self
appointed historian of the disco acetate, with his site now featuring
interviews with pioneering editors and bootleggers, rare photos and audio.
And as if that wasn't enough, he published a book. "The
Bootleg Guide To Disco Acetates, Funk, Rap And Disco Medleys" is a
beautifully designed book, focusing on a lot more than just the early
disco acetates, but with a ton of information on that era. There's very
little else out there on what is a very important aspect in the development
of dance music and DJ culture, so Patrick's dedication and commitment
is essential and his knowledge on the subject is second to none!
The following interview was done to tie in with the publication of Patrick's
book in 2008...
So, first of all Patrick, how old are you?
I'm 43
So, you were old enough to appreciate disco in the '70s?
Yes, I started with funk in 1979 then later in 1980 I started to collect
disco. But I wish I had more money to buy records then. I can still see
in my mind the record stores with all the disco 12 inches on the wall!
I know you talk about this in your book, but can you tell me how you
got into this music?
My brother was living in another city, Nijmegen, which is 100 miles
from me, and there were discos where they played Sister Sledge, Aleem
and those kind of records. When hearing them I was infected by that music,
and stil am. I also collected jazz rock at that time which I stil love.
You would be quite young then though?
Yes, 15
Did you go to clubs at 15?
Yes, I told my parents I was at a friend's!
Did you have any trouble getting in?
Not in Nijmegen because I was with my brother who is 8 years older than
me. Here in the neighbourhood it was more a bar with a dancefloor and
DJ. They were playing mostley funk there. Later a Discotheque was opened
here called Galaxy with a lasershow and lighted dancefloor. They played
more disco music there, I remembered hearing Jackie Moore - How Is Your
Love Life Baby there which sounded great and was followed by Harry Thumann
- Underwater which looked great with the lasershow and smoke and everything.
So, you started buying records you heard there?
Yes and on the radio. There was a Canadian forces station where they
played imports and also the American forces were here in the neighbourhood
(NATO). There was a program called Soul Show which also played some independent
12 inches, so I recorded that each time and when I visited the import
store I could buy most of it there.
Do you know who the DJs were? At the clubs and on the radio shows?
Local unknown DJs. In Nijmegen Ben Liebrand was spinning in 1979 who
is still a famous mixer now. On the radio there was Ferry Maat with his
Soul Show.
This music must've been quite big where you are then?
No it wasn't big. There were only a few clubs and there was one import
shop here in the neighbourhood. I had to go to Amsterdam and Antwerp to
get records.
So I guess you would start by buying obvious titles?
I bought the titles which weren't in the charts, and which I liked the
most.
Did a lot of obscure disco records make it to these stores? I mean other
than Salsoul and West End and so on?
There was an Import store here in the neighbourhood (Maastricht - 15
miles from my place) called Sound Of Music which got new imports each
week. All that was issued was there but only one or two copies of each,
so if you were too late you would never get it. They didn't get only the
major labels, but also the independents. There wasn't much second hand
then, so I could only buy new ones. One of the first 12 inches I bought
there in 1979 was Eddie Cheeba - Looking Good on Treeline, I heard that
on the radio and rushed the day after to the store and bought that. I
still love that record very much. You could also listen to each record
which the owner played very loud on the speakers in the shop which was
great. It's better to judge a record loud on the speakers than through
the headphones. I have great memories on that period.
Would you say you started buying rare records by accident then? Or did
you WANT rare records?
No I wasn't aware of that at the time. In the import store there were
new titles each week and if you missed a few weeks you missed those titles.
Because I only had money for 3 records a month I could only go once a
month!
Of course, I forgot you'd still be at school.
Yes. Most of my collection I have bought in the last 20 years
OK. So when did you leave school?
1988
That would make you in your 20s??
I was 24. I don't know what you call it, but here it is called HTS (High
school?) I'm an electrical engineer.
So, you didn't earn money until you were 24?
Yes, I started working at 24
So for nearly ten years you couldn't buy enough records!
That's correct and i'm still amazed by the things I didn't know from
that period! But it's nice that you can still buy records from that time
you didn't know. It makes collecting more fun.
Of course. So when you started earning wages - did you go on a record
shopping spree?
Yes I went to the same shops but spent more money! Also at that time
record fairs were starting so there were a lot of second hand records
to find. All the Patrick Adams stuff I bought almost for nothing at that
time. But I traded a lot of that for acetates the last few years.
Were you buying medleys and stuff when you first started?
No. My first records were David Bowie, The Cure etc. My first disco
record was Full Tilt Boogie by Uncle Louie and the Bus Stop - Fatback
Band.
Any others that stand out?
It was mostly albums: Osiris - O zone, Shotgun - III, JBs -Groove Machine,
Mass production - In The Purest Form, Roy Ayers - fever (Love will bring
us back togheter-my all time favorite), Con Funk Shun - candy, Dayton,
Bar Kays, Chocolate Milk, Cameo, Jimmy Castor, Slave, Fatback, Brass Constructtion,
BT express, Sun etc - I have all their albums. Like I told you I also
love jazz-rock/funk from the perioud 1977-1980: Caldera, Donald Byrd,
Seawind, George Duke, Stanley Clarke and more in that style. I also really
liked all the Wayne Henderson productions from that time and bought all
the records he produced (At Home productions).
Did you buy records before this?
Yes but not much. Only a few singles, nothing special.
So what was your first medley?
Bits and pieces 1
Was that a new release when you bought it?
Yes, it was played on a soul show on the radio and I went to Amsterdam
to buy it there. This was in 1980.
Was it just another record for your collection, or did you start looking out for more medleys? That mix changed a lot!
It wasn't just another record, I wanted to find more in that style.
I stil love to listen to it, it's basic and simple, but a brilliant mix.So you weren't aware of medleys before then? No. I found more after buying the first one and asking every time at the shop if they had more.
You had a collection of medleys then, before you discovered acetates? Yes I've collected medleys since I heard the Bits and Pieces (around 1980).
I started collecting acetates in 2003 (I wish I had discovered them earlier because I might have found more!).
How did you discover them?
I got the first ones by accident..
Here is the story how I got my first one:
Around 2003 I bought each year from a big record store in NY always the medleys in wich nobody was interested.
From each collection they bought, they seperated the medleys and I bought them when it was a box from 100.
At one time in one box there were 3 medleys on 12 inch on the sunshine sound label which were acetates.
I found out that there were also sometimes acetates for sale on ebay and from that time on I started asking also to look for the acetates.
I was lucky to buy several acetate collections in that period (DJ Chuck The Jock, Paul Casella and some from larry levan's personal collection).
What were the ones you got in that package? Deadly medley 1 and 2 and the Hold Tight /Lady BumpDo you actually know acetates and records you are looking for, or is
it just a case of seeing what turns up?
No, it's always a guess what you get, or if it is from a famous mixer
which I already have more from. During the last 7 years I have bought
a lot of DJ collections with acetates, so I know from experience what
could be interesting or not. 80-90% of the Acetates are company 12 inches
which are the same as the vinyl copy, so there are only few which are
good.
How did you get in touch with John?
He saw that I had his medleys on my page and contacted me in 2001. He
didn't have those medleys and wanted them back. I mailed him and asked
him to look at what acetates he had and I asked him, if it was ok to put
all this info on my site. So I made a section on him and he got in the
spotlight again and was asked by more sites.
How did you find the other guys in the book? Flores, Gianatos etc etc?
Most of them mailed me because they googled their name and came across
my site.
Do these guys still have records??
Most of them don't have any records, mostly a few acetates. John sold
all his records years ago but kept the ones he had mixed.
Have you been to the States digging then?
Never. But I'm going next year to see John.
Where do you find your acetates now?
Mostly ebay, and I have a few friend in the US and Canada who look for
me, but it's getting harder and harder. The most common ones I have now
though, so I'm looking for the special ones. You must know that 80% of
the acetate mixes are album versions or bad edits and only 20% are good.
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