What could be cooler than the recent news that disco super-producer Giorgio Moroder joined music-sharing site SoundCloud and started posting high-quality rare and unreleased tracks for fans to stream? How about Moroder making not one, but two more accounts holding such audio treasures?
But what could be cooler than that for fans of physical discs? Simple: Repertoire Records is releasing a double-disc set of rare gems produced by the man who gave us the greatest hits of Donna Summer, Blondie's "Call Me" and the soundtracks to Flashdance, Top Gun and Scarface.
On the Groove Train Volume 1: 1975-1993 focuses on some of the least-known works Moroder had a hand in during his early and later career, including producing singles for artists on his Oasis Records label, including Trax, Roberta Kelly and Munich Machine, as well as a handful of instrumental tunes under his own name. That's not to say his most famous collaborators are ignored on this compilation, though; the first disc closes with the sought-after 1975 Netherlands-only single "Virgin Mary" by the late, great Donna Summer (included on Dutch pressings of The Queen of Disco's Love to Love You Baby album), while the second CD features "Carry On," Summer and Moroder's collaboration for the producer's Forever Dancing album in 1992. (That track was included on a U.S. compilation, The Donna Summer Anthology, the following year.)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk8i1fA8wO0]
Also present is Keith Forsey, who cut two solo singles produced by Moroder in 1981 but was of course far better known as a drummer on Summer's recordings, a co-writer of Summer's "Hot Stuff," Irene Cara's "Flashdance...What a Feeling" and "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds and a producer for Billy Idol. Helen St. John makes a few appearances, including her "Love Theme from Flashdance," as does Paul Engemann, best known for the Moroder-produced "Push It to the Limit" from Scarface but featured as a vocalist on the European single "Shannon's Eyes."
This 33-song compilation has an October 30 release date in America, but a November 12 street date in the U.K.; odd, considering Repertoire is a European label. Order it from Amazon U.S. and U.K. and hit the jump for a detailed look at the track list.
On the Groove Train Volume 1: 1975-1993 (Repertoire REP 5256 (DE), 2012)
Disc 1
- Lonely Lovers Symphony – Brian Evans (single A-side - Oasis 16534 AT (DE), 1975)
- Crippled Words – Brian Evans (single B-side - Oasis 16534 AT (DE), 1975)
- Classically Elise (Elise 77) – Dino Solera (single A-side - Hidden Sign DS 45101 (U.S.), 1976)
- Watch Out for the Boogie Man (Single Version) – Trax (single A-side - Oasis 11606 (DE), 1977)
- Breathless (LP version) - Trax (single B-side - Oasis 11606 (DE), 1977)
- Zodiacs – Roberta Kelly (single A-side - Atlantic ATL 10937 (DE), 1977)
- The Other Side of Midnight – Marsha Hunt (single A-side - Magnet Records 12 Mag 130 (U.K.), 1977)
- Heartache – Marsha Hunt (single B-side - Magnet Records 12 Mag 130 (U.K.), 1977)
- Love Fever – Speed Limit (single A-side - Oasis 17687 (DE), 1977)
- Do It Now – Speed Limit (single B-side - Oasis 17687 (DE), 1977)
- Harmony (Long Version) – Suzi Lane (single A-side - Oasis 600140-213 (DE), 1979)
- Ooh, La La – Suzi Lane (single A-side - Oasis 600140-213 (DE), 1979)
- Get On the Funk Train (Part I) – Munich Machine (single A-side - Oasis 11607 (DE), 1977)
- Party Light (Long Version) – Munich Machine (single A-side - Oasis 600 139 (DE), 1979)
- Bolectro – Munich Machine (single A-side - Oasis 600 139 (DE), 1979)
- Hollywood Dreams (Single Version) – Giorgio (single A-side - Casablanca Records NB 2257 (U.S.), 1980
- Virgin Mary – Donna Summer (single A-side - Groovy GR 1215 (NL), 1975
Disc 2
- Watch Out for the Boogie Man! (Album Version) - Trax (from Watch Out, Oasis Records 28927, 1977)
- Dance – Trax (from Oasis – The Sound of Munich, Oasis 25827 (DE), 1977)
- Get On the Funk Train (Part II) – Munich Machine (single B-side - Oasis 11607 (DE), 1977)
- Take Me to the Pilot – Keith Forsey (single A-side - Oasis 102 723-100 (DE), 1981)
- Hold On – Keith Forsey (single B-side - Oasis 102 723-100 (DE), 1981)
- Dynamite – Keith Forsey (single A-side - Underdog Records 49968 (FR), 1981)
- Give Me the Right – Keith Forsey (single B-side - Underdog Records 49968 (FR), 1981)
- Turn the Stone – Helen St. John (single A-side - VIP ZB 8894 (FR), 1982)
- Bad Boys – Helen St. John (single B-side - VIP ZB 8894 (FR), 1982)
- Love Theme from Flashdance – Helen St. John (from Flashdance: Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture, Polygram 811 492-1, 1983)
- Night Time is the Right Time – Giorgio Moroder feat. Edie Marlena (single A-side, Oasis 6144535 (DE), 1985)
- Shannon’s Eyes (Single Version) – Giorgio Moroder & Paul Engemann (single A-side Oasis 614328 (DE), 1985)
- Carry On (Extended Mix) – Giorgio Moroder feat. Donna Summer (from Virgin CD single 665502 (DE), 1992)
- Flashdance…What a Feeling – Diana DeWitt (from Magic Movie Hits - Polystar 516677-2 (DE), 1993)
- Let Your Body Shine (Album Version) – Munich Machine (single B-side - RCA Victory Disco Tec 57 (MEX), 1979)
- Valley of the Dolls (Single Version) – Giorgio (single B-side - Casablanca NB 2257 (U.S.), 1980)
Robert Lett says
Looking forward to this one!
fredpostman says
Great release but how about a pre 'Lady of the Night' compilation mopping up all the rare tracks from the sadly missed Donna ?
fredpostman says
A great release from the mighty Moroder;can we soon have a pre 'Lady of the Night' compilation mopping up all the stray tracks from the greatly missed Donna Summer please?