Parliament Funkadelic: This is the original 1976 Casablanca Records promo film/music video for Parliament Funkadelic’s single “Dr. Funkenstein.” This clip, which was lensed by famed documentary director Penelope Spheeris, was part of a 15-minute promo film, which included three additional Parliament music videos. If anyone has a broadcast master of any of the Dr. Funkenstein promo clips please let us know as we are trying to reacquire several “lost” Casablanca Records film and videotape elements. See our Web site for more details.

AND PARTY EVERY DAY is the very first full-length book about the infamous 1970s record label and its enigmatic founder Neil Bogart. In a blizzard of wild parties, spending, and fearless ambition, Casablanca Records launched the careers of KISS, Donna Summer, Parliament Funkadelic, Angel, the Village People, and single-handedly created the disco movement. Add an Academy Award-winning film division with product like The Deep, Midnight Express, Foxes, and The Hollywood Knights and you begin to understand why Casablanca became the hottest record label of the 1970s. Visit http://www.casablancabook.com to see more Casablanca Records videos.

Duration : 0:3:20

[youtube -Uwm45TINkI]

Duration : 0:2:1

[youtube jbimFDbPxUE]

“The Real Thing, a Liverpool based vocal group, had its origins in the Merseybeat boom of the 1960s. Lead Singer Eddie Amoo was a former band member of The Chants, whose beat singles gathered considerable critical acclaim, although they failed to chart. After continuing to record for various record labels, the band name was eventually dropped.

Re-labelled as The Real Thing, and with brother Chris Amoo, Ray Lake and Dave Smith on board, they got their big break following an appearance on the “Opportunity Knocks” ITV talent show. Spotted by an ex-Radio Luxembourg DJ, Tony Hall, he played a significant part in their early career development. Even so, success was not immediate, and contracts they signed with a couple of major record labels came to nothing, before signing to Pye Records in 1975. A spell acting as backing singers on tour with David Essex, also helped to increase their profile.

With a song written and produced by Ken Gold and Mick Denne, The Real Thing finally emerged in 1976 when “You To Me Are Everything” sailed up to the Number One slot in the UK singles chart.

It led off a list of nine hits on Pye over a three year period, which included “Can’t Get By Without You”, and “Can You Feel The Force”, both of which were top five success stories.

Their brand of commercial sweet soul music, mixed with disco influences, established their popularity with the British audience. They were the UK’s best selling black group of the late 1970s, but a switch to the Calibre record label in 1980 slowed the momentum. Subsequent material fared less well, although remixes of their first two hits charted some 10 years after their original release.

The group, with three of the founder members still on board, continue to perform and record to this day

Chris Amoo is also a regular on the Dog Show circuit, the highlight coming in 1987, when his Afghan Hound, Champion Viscount Grant, was crowned Supreme Champion at Crufts.”

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Real+Thing

Duration : 0:3:49

[youtube OAP9F-_twyE]

In this episode:
The nine contestants prepare for the Panic! at the Disco show at Knitting Factory. This was filmed October 2005, before Panic was even big. They all meet with Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy before Panic! performs live!

http://www.artistapproved.com

Duration : 0:5:19

[youtube KrHlqjJO6y4]

“A group of Nottingham residents who met back in 1997 whilst playing in a funk band and decided that they wanted to combine the live performance aspect of a band with the sounds that house music incorporated. Their debut album ‘While You Wait’ was released in October 2001, around the time that they were supporting on Groove Armada’s UK tour. They are probably best known for their single “Destination” on DiY Diversions and their remix of A Million Sons’ “Misty Blu”.

They are currently involved in the running of the Winding Road Records label.

Members: Andre Bonsor, John Buckby, Andrew Tytherleigh, Owen Rowe”

http://www.last.fm/music/Schmoov!

Duration : 0:5:38

[youtube WawLrttlqwU]

Koto is an Italian synth pop group that originally consisted of Anfrando Maiola and Stefano Cundari. Their most popular songs were “Visitors”, “Dragon’s Legend”, “Chinese Revenge” and “Jabdah”, released in 1983-1988. Koto is often associated with a genre of music called Spacesynth, a music style streamed from Space Disco. Unfortunately, it has been reported that Stefano Cundari died some time between 1991 and 1992 from a brain tumor.

Anfrando Maiola and Stefano Cundari helped to form Memory Records, an Italian record company which specialised in mainly Italo Disco releases. Koto’s “Chinese Revenge” was the first record to be released on the Memory label. It sold over 10,000 copies in Italy alone.

Both artists also helped to write, mix, and produce for a range of other artists signed to the Memory Records label, including “Challenger” and “Happy Song” for the band Baby’s Gang. Stefano Cundari is also known for his participation in the group “Hipnosis” from 1982-1987. Following their successful debut with “Chinese Revenge” both Maiola and Cundari helped remix the Vangelis track “Pulstar” for Hipnosis. Their remix of Pulstar reportedly sold over 200,000 copies worldwide.

By 1986 the mood of the record buying public was starting to change. House Music was becoming increasingly popular, and the demand for Italo Disco tracks appeared to be in decline. Memory Records, along with other Italo record companies of the time, started to suffer financially. Although attempts were made to respond to the changes by releasing House Music and Eurobeat tracks, the change was not successful and Memory Records went out of business.

In 1989, the German record label ZYX Music bought the rights to the entire Memory Records catalog, including the “Koto” name and recordings. They then brought in Dutch record producer Michiel van der Kuy to re-record and remix some of the old Koto tracks. He then released several other albums under the alias “Koto” in which he remixed science fiction movie themes and other songs, like “Koto Plays Synthesizer World Hits” and “Koto Plays Science-Fiction Movie Themes”. Michiel van der Kuy is also a member of the group Laserdance and producer for the likes of Alice DeeJay.

In recent years, Anfrando Maiola won back the rights to the “Koto” name and continues to produce music under this name. His latest tracks were: “Koto Is Still Alive” (2001) and “Blow The Whistle” (2003).

Koto was a one man project driven by Anfrando Maiola. Stefano Cundari was part of the producer team Zanni & Cundari, producing most likely all music for the record label Memory Records. Anfrando wrote the music, Zanni & Cundari produced it……

(Extracted from the Wikipedia)

For further info, please refer to http://www.myspace.com/kotomaiola

Duration : 0:6:11

[youtube dOh4B7zPx70]

Duration : 0:9:5

[youtube ZxhiUgK5gzs]

“A group of Nottingham residents who met back in 1997 whilst playing in a funk band and decided that they wanted to combine the live performance aspect of a band with the sounds that house music incorporated. Their debut album ‘While You Wait’ was released in October 2001, around the time that they were supporting on Groove Armada’s UK tour. They are probably best known for their single “Destination” on DiY Diversions and their remix of A Million Sons’ “Misty Blu”.

They are currently involved in the running of the Winding Road Records label.

Members: Andre Bonsor, John Buckby”

http://www.last.fm/music/Schmoov!

Duration : 0:6:29

[youtube lwm_SiduMPo]

Track: Luv Deluxe
Artist: Cinnamon Chasers
Album: A Million Miles From Home
Modus Records / Koch Entertainment (US)
Directed by: Saman Keshavarz
Produced by: Francis Pollara
Assoc. Producer: Nate Eggert

http://www.cinnamonchasers.com

Duration : 0:5:15

[youtube Z8Y1MalRrDc]