DESCRIPTION:
Another forgotten Sigma Studios classic! MFSB drummer Earl Young along with bassist Ronnie Baker and engineer Joe Tarsia experimented with all kinds of techniques that resulted in the lush orchestral sounds that made the music of Philadelphia International instantly recognizable. For example Baker would use a rubber band on his bass that created an unique sound that perfectly complimented Young's eclectic drumming style. Young's own trick was to put his wallet on the snare drum while he played and Tarsia's constant attention to microphone placement and on the instruments being used helped to make the sound of Philadelphia. You may already know about how those elements came together on Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes smash "The Love I Lost" when Young used a little drumming trick by using an open hi-hat between the beats that became disco's calling card. It also allowed DJ's to cue up records more easily as the hissing sound could be clearly heard on the headphones even over the most booming club sound systems. The Trammps began as 60's Philadelphia based vocal group the Volcanos. Now the Volcanos sides are considered influential since the nascent band MFSB was backing the group. Their single "Storm Warning" was a turning point for the Philadelphia sound which crystallized with Jerry Butler's "Only The Strong Survive" where the use of keyboards (piano and vibraphone by Vince Montana) became part of the TSOP mix. The Volcanos (sic) then morphed into the Moods. By the time the 70's rolled around, vocalist Jimmy Ellis and Earl Young were in the band and the group moved into the house of Sigma. Their first major hit was "Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart" in 1972 although the song was not put on a album until 1975's "The Legendary Zing Album". Earlier in 1975 they released their debut album "The Trammps" which contained "Stop And Think", a disco flavoured song that peaked at #5 on the disco charts, but failed to make a dent in the pop charts, so it is largely unknown and thus forgotten. Too bad because its a lively and lush vehicle for the talents of the Trammps. The following year they broke through with "Disco Inferno" that distilled the disco sound into a tightly coiled groove that raised the temperature of clubs all over the world and had its status cemented in the movie "Saturday Night Fever". The Trammps are the only group to ever succeed themselves at #1 on the disco/dance chart and they did it with two songs from their "That's Where The Happy People Go" LP, the title track for two weeks and then "Disco Party" topped the chart for five weeks. Sadly, singer Jimmy Ellis who had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease passed away March 8, 2012 at the age of 74, but Earl Young is still recording and touring as Earl Young's Trammps as of today. Visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/earlyoungmus...