The rare career move across decades from a ten-piece rock band with a female lead singer to a hit-making career producing disco records makes this New Jersey native one-of-a-kind!
Nice work, gents! So much to unpack here. I loved reading each of your perspectives and how they are similar and different in equal measure!
I also love this thing Pe said about realising most of his favourite disco tracks were produced by Michael Zager. I equally loved Brad’s filling us in with Zager’s rock and roll past.
Thanks, Andy! This was such the perfect collab opportunity for myself and Pe! I'm glad he was so willing and gracious in covering Zager's disco era so fully! I think we all have those label names that we came to not only recognize, but look for, and buy (like I did so often) sound unheard, just on the "track record" we came to know them by!
My "Zagers" were songwriters Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter (Lambert & Potter) and producer Alan Tarney, just off the top of my head. If I saw singles or albums with their names on them, no question...I picked 'em up! By rights, I ought to write about them, with articles dedicated to each! I've mentioned Tarney quite a few times in several pieces, but a focus would be warranted!
I had no idea about Zager's early rock dabblings. I'd heard of Ten Wheel Drive, but never had their albums, and don't recall playing them on air, mid-'70s. And, about Genya, I only knew about her Gingerbreads and Dead Boys production. I don't think I realized she was in TWD!
It was very interesting indeed as each of you has different backgrounds which complement each other very well.
In my case the “Zagers” of my life were Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. And I hate to say it, but also Tommy Mottola, regardless of how bittersweet his marriage to Mariah was. I mean, he may be a controlling, obsessive, abusive man, but I tend to separate the artist from the person insofar as possible, and it’s hard to argue Mottola the producer got many things right. Did you know when he first listened to Mariah’s demo tape in his limousine, he asked the driver to drive back immediately to the party they were at, “because this might be the only chance we’ve got!” (He had been given a kind of ultimatum to rescue CBS/Columbia from the depths of hell; Warner had Madonna, Arista had Whitney, and Tommy had a hunch he might have found a girl who could do both!).
Good stuff, Andy...thanks! I didn't know that anecdote about Mottola and the party! Great points of reference, too, about his being charged with keeping up with the rival labels and their leading pop ladies! This must've been around the same time as when Mariah was singing back-up behind Brenda K. Starr. Look-a me....making connections!
Yes, exactly! In fact, Brenda took her to the party, and insisted Mariah bring her demo tape. Brenda even gave her some clothes to wear. Mariah was about to hand over her tape to Greenberg, but Mottola literally snatched it before it reached Greenberg’s hands! This was around September 1988.
Cool! Record biz intrigue....gotta love it! Even if Mottola hadn't gone back to the party, I'm guessing Brenda (if Mariah hadn't) would've reminded Ms. Carey to put her contact info on the tape! But, the ole, "Jenkins! Back to the party, and step on it! That girl! I must sign her!" is such a better story!😁
Fun fact is Mariah hadn’t even written her name on her demo tape. Nothing. That’s why Tommy drove back but Mariah and Brenda had left already. He tracked her down through Brenda’s management, called Mariah on her landline (she was sharing an apartment with several other girls, all of them aspiring singers/actresses, sleeping on the floor) and asked her to sing over the telephone as he couldn’t quite believe that voice came from such a (seemingly) white and “petite” girl!
This brings back memories of hitting the dance floor and doing the hustle to all these disco hits, because all that mattered was that disco beat. But for listening I was in Brad's camp, preferring the songs with a rock base. A really fun era to revisit!
Thanks, Ellen! You're right about the dance floor! Late-'70s, one's fave music played at home mattered little when "you went out"! It was wall-to-wall disco, and we didn't mind....probably "herd mentality" to a degree, but also we were with our friends, or, looking for new ones (and, trying out new cocktails)!
As Martin Mull once sang, so accurately (and dizzyingly): "Get up, get down! Get on up, get down!" Working with Pe on this was fun, too, simply because of that truly unusual career path taken by Zager!
Your insights on Zager’s transition from rock beginnings to disco sensation are refreshing and nostalgic. I particularly enjoyed the mention of “lush orchestrations” that set his style apart. You’ve painted a vibrant picture of the disco era and Zager’s place within it.
Thanks so much, Jon! Definitely a loud chorus of bows in Pe's direction for the original inspiration for the collab, and his deft writing in taking us through Zager's disco successes!
What a great post! I first heard “Let’s All Chant” when I accidentally won the Eyes of Laura Mars soundtrack from my local radio station- it was by far the best track on there.
Thanks, Dan! I love how you "cover your tracks" by adding "accidentally won" to your radio largesse! The investigative journalist in me wants (if not needs) to know how you accidently won "The Eyes of Laura Mars" soundtrack (which I remember was on Columbia, 'cause I brought a promo home that day......accidentally)!😉💿
Hahaha - I thought I was calling in to win a copy of The Commodores' Platinum Tour promo LP, and I was so PISSED when the Eyes soundtrack showed up instead. You've actually just inspired me to re-run my piece about that incident next week, if you wanna read it in all its gory details...
Well, I couldn't let you get away with that, Dan!! Thanks for being a good sport in satisfying my investigative notions (others would correctly term it "nosiness"!)....As I further recall (this is good for me, as I near 70!), that film had Faye Dunaway, and featured Babs on the s-track!
And, any Commodores album would top virtually any soundtrack, IMO. Like Pe, I, too, look forward to seeing your telling of that story!
A Michalski & Oosterveen sighting! They, too, were on Columbia! Another album I had....can't tell you if I listened to it more than once (like the s'track), but I'm gonna look both of 'em up, now, just to remind myself of what was on them....I'd also like to listen again to that M&O album....In the States, they couldn't possibly have had a hit I missed, so there's another album "never" heard by the radio-listening public. There are so many. Thanks, Mark!
Nice work, gents! So much to unpack here. I loved reading each of your perspectives and how they are similar and different in equal measure!
I also love this thing Pe said about realising most of his favourite disco tracks were produced by Michael Zager. I equally loved Brad’s filling us in with Zager’s rock and roll past.
Thanks for such an informative post!
Thanks Andy !
Thanks, Andy! This was such the perfect collab opportunity for myself and Pe! I'm glad he was so willing and gracious in covering Zager's disco era so fully! I think we all have those label names that we came to not only recognize, but look for, and buy (like I did so often) sound unheard, just on the "track record" we came to know them by!
My "Zagers" were songwriters Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter (Lambert & Potter) and producer Alan Tarney, just off the top of my head. If I saw singles or albums with their names on them, no question...I picked 'em up! By rights, I ought to write about them, with articles dedicated to each! I've mentioned Tarney quite a few times in several pieces, but a focus would be warranted!
Ooh, I take it back....I've written about Lambert & Potter! https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/inside-tracks-18-lambert-and-potter?utm_source=publication-search
I had no idea about Zager's early rock dabblings. I'd heard of Ten Wheel Drive, but never had their albums, and don't recall playing them on air, mid-'70s. And, about Genya, I only knew about her Gingerbreads and Dead Boys production. I don't think I realized she was in TWD!
It was very interesting indeed as each of you has different backgrounds which complement each other very well.
In my case the “Zagers” of my life were Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. And I hate to say it, but also Tommy Mottola, regardless of how bittersweet his marriage to Mariah was. I mean, he may be a controlling, obsessive, abusive man, but I tend to separate the artist from the person insofar as possible, and it’s hard to argue Mottola the producer got many things right. Did you know when he first listened to Mariah’s demo tape in his limousine, he asked the driver to drive back immediately to the party they were at, “because this might be the only chance we’ve got!” (He had been given a kind of ultimatum to rescue CBS/Columbia from the depths of hell; Warner had Madonna, Arista had Whitney, and Tommy had a hunch he might have found a girl who could do both!).
Good stuff, Andy...thanks! I didn't know that anecdote about Mottola and the party! Great points of reference, too, about his being charged with keeping up with the rival labels and their leading pop ladies! This must've been around the same time as when Mariah was singing back-up behind Brenda K. Starr. Look-a me....making connections!
Yes, exactly! In fact, Brenda took her to the party, and insisted Mariah bring her demo tape. Brenda even gave her some clothes to wear. Mariah was about to hand over her tape to Greenberg, but Mottola literally snatched it before it reached Greenberg’s hands! This was around September 1988.
Cool! Record biz intrigue....gotta love it! Even if Mottola hadn't gone back to the party, I'm guessing Brenda (if Mariah hadn't) would've reminded Ms. Carey to put her contact info on the tape! But, the ole, "Jenkins! Back to the party, and step on it! That girl! I must sign her!" is such a better story!😁
Fun fact is Mariah hadn’t even written her name on her demo tape. Nothing. That’s why Tommy drove back but Mariah and Brenda had left already. He tracked her down through Brenda’s management, called Mariah on her landline (she was sharing an apartment with several other girls, all of them aspiring singers/actresses, sleeping on the floor) and asked her to sing over the telephone as he couldn’t quite believe that voice came from such a (seemingly) white and “petite” girl!
This brings back memories of hitting the dance floor and doing the hustle to all these disco hits, because all that mattered was that disco beat. But for listening I was in Brad's camp, preferring the songs with a rock base. A really fun era to revisit!
Thanks, Ellen! You're right about the dance floor! Late-'70s, one's fave music played at home mattered little when "you went out"! It was wall-to-wall disco, and we didn't mind....probably "herd mentality" to a degree, but also we were with our friends, or, looking for new ones (and, trying out new cocktails)!
As Martin Mull once sang, so accurately (and dizzyingly): "Get up, get down! Get on up, get down!" Working with Pe on this was fun, too, simply because of that truly unusual career path taken by Zager!
Love Martin Mull!
Your insights on Zager’s transition from rock beginnings to disco sensation are refreshing and nostalgic. I particularly enjoyed the mention of “lush orchestrations” that set his style apart. You’ve painted a vibrant picture of the disco era and Zager’s place within it.
Thanks Jon !
Thanks so much, Jon! Definitely a loud chorus of bows in Pe's direction for the original inspiration for the collab, and his deft writing in taking us through Zager's disco successes!
What a great post! I first heard “Let’s All Chant” when I accidentally won the Eyes of Laura Mars soundtrack from my local radio station- it was by far the best track on there.
Thanks, Dan! I love how you "cover your tracks" by adding "accidentally won" to your radio largesse! The investigative journalist in me wants (if not needs) to know how you accidently won "The Eyes of Laura Mars" soundtrack (which I remember was on Columbia, 'cause I brought a promo home that day......accidentally)!😉💿
Hahaha - I thought I was calling in to win a copy of The Commodores' Platinum Tour promo LP, and I was so PISSED when the Eyes soundtrack showed up instead. You've actually just inspired me to re-run my piece about that incident next week, if you wanna read it in all its gory details...
Well, I couldn't let you get away with that, Dan!! Thanks for being a good sport in satisfying my investigative notions (others would correctly term it "nosiness"!)....As I further recall (this is good for me, as I near 70!), that film had Faye Dunaway, and featured Babs on the s-track!
And, any Commodores album would top virtually any soundtrack, IMO. Like Pe, I, too, look forward to seeing your telling of that story!
I think y'all will dig it. Look for it on Tuesday!
Looking forward to that story ! 😁🤓
That movie actually had a good soundtrack. I like "Burn" by Michalski & Oosterveen.
A Michalski & Oosterveen sighting! They, too, were on Columbia! Another album I had....can't tell you if I listened to it more than once (like the s'track), but I'm gonna look both of 'em up, now, just to remind myself of what was on them....I'd also like to listen again to that M&O album....In the States, they couldn't possibly have had a hit I missed, so there's another album "never" heard by the radio-listening public. There are so many. Thanks, Mark!
I actually haven't heard it in decades, but it was decidedly NOT up the alley of this 12 year-old Commodores fan!