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DENIM DISCO is a blog dedicated to the pop music and culture of the 1970's. ~ Glam Pop and Discotheque Rock ~ The Sound Of The 70's ~ Contact:denimdisco@hotmail.co.uk

Wednesday 27 July 2016

RAY BURDIS AND FLINTLOCK - I HATE ROSLA


''I Hate ROSLA, I Hate ROSLA
The Raising Of The School Leaving Age''

''From When I was 14,I used To Sit And Dream
Another Year To Go And I'll Be Working
They Gone And Raised The Age,Another Year To Go
A Year In This Prison Camp,Oh No!''

RAY BURDIS was a familiar face on UK TV during the mid to late 70's,often playing characters that were 'A Little Bit Lively'.The working class Londoner was one of the first pupils to attend THE ANNA SHEER DRAMA SCHOOL in ISLINGTON when it was founded in 1968.The school was set up to enable disadvantaged children to find a way into acting.It's reputation grew rapidly and it was soon supplying actors for the stage and screen.

In 1975 actors from the school were enlisted to write and perform in the TV show YOU MUST BE JOKING.the program featured topical and satirical sketches,news items and live music from a semi professional pop group FLINTLOCK.All the performers {apart from one presenter,JIM BOWEN} were teenagers and the brash and informal style of the show was cutting edge for it's time




FLINTLOCK performed as a self contained unit and as a backing band when the presenters sang satirical songs.One of the most memorable of these was ''ROSLA'',a song about the recent rise in the age that teenagers could legally leave school.The number with it's 'shouty' vocals and 'unmannered' playing prefigures the DIY PUNK sound of THE DESPERATE BICYCLES by a couple of years



Burdis continued to dabble in music and formed the PUNK/METAL band GREAT BRITISH HEROES the following year.The band were part the LONDON 'NEW WAVE' scene and played at venues like THE ROXY,THE NASHVILLE and THE ROCKGARDEN.A 7'' single was recorded for LIGHTNING RECORDS in 1978,but was withdrawn before release



Ray quit the band shortly after to concentrate on acting.He continued to act in Film and TV and went onto produce and direct

Wednesday 20 July 2016

SCORCHED EARTH - ON THE RUN


''The Freedom Path Is Never Straight
It's Crooked And It's Full Of Hate
But Brother Hold On,You Gotta Hold On
Crosses Burning Up The Night
A Hooded Face Against The Light
But Brother Hold On,You Gotta Hold On''


SCORCHED EARTH were a band put together by songwriter/producer BEN FINDON as a vehicle for the Trinidadian born singer BILLY OCEAN.Their sole release was a 45 for the YOUNG BLOOD label in 1974.The record reveals the band as a first rate FUNK-ROCK outfit with POP sensibilities.The top side ''ON THE RUN'' is based around a medium paced drum and bass dance groove that builds with a melodic string arrangement and vocal hook.The songs lyrics refer to civil rights/race issues in a similar way to those of ''BROTHER LOUIE'' by HOT CHOCOLATE {another band that fused ROCK and SOUL influences}.The B-Side ''CAN YOU FEEL IT'' is a harder edged FUNK number that brings to mind SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE.





The following year Ben took Billy to the GTO record label where he achieved solo success with ''LOVE REALLY HURTS WITHOUT YOU'' and ''RED LIGHT SPELLS DANGER'' in in 1976 and 1977 respectively