very first 12" single
Steve Propes
the question: what was the very first 12" single? Artist, title,
label, id number and year would be helpful.
Maybe there's no easy answer, but I'm convinced it was in the mid-1970s,
just can't pinpoint that very single. I know someone can, it's not that
obscure a question and the time span isn't that great - well, sorta not.
And any circumstances leading to its invention would be helpful. Was it
strictly a dee jay thing, or were there other considerations?
Thanks for any help,
Steve
spr...@earthlink.net
SavoyBG
>Currently I'm involved in writing a history of the 45 and am researching
>the question: what was the very first 12" single?
Do promos count?
I think there were lots of 12" promos before there was ever a commercially
released 12" single.
Bruce Grossberg
Steve Propes
>
> >From: Steve Propes
>
> >Currently I'm involved in writing a history of the 45 and am researching
> >the question: what was the very first 12" single?
Promos, sure. Why would that be the case that promos were released in
quantity before commercial copies?
SavoyBG
>Promos, sure. Why would that be the case that promos were released in
>quantity before commercial copies?
Because the original purpose of the 12" single was to have extended disco/dance
versions of songs for use by disco DJ's. These promos were distributed more in
DJ record pools than to radio stations.
The 12" single also offered much better fidelity than the 45.
I have it on good authority that the first comercially released 12" was "Nice
And Slow" by Jessie Green on Scepter. The other candidate is "Ten Percent" by
Double Exposure on Salsoul.
There were definitely 12" promos before that. One that I remember is "Love
Hangover" by Diana Ross, but even before that there were promos on Atlantic I
think.
Bruce Grossberg
Hoges
but I think the first commercially released 12" single was The Who
"Substitute"/"I'm A Boy"/"Pictures Of Lily" 12" in 1976 (Polydor 2058
803, UK). Strangely the 7" version had the same 3 tracks and the same
catalog number.
It's possible that 12" singles were released in Jamaica by reggae
artists before this.
Hoges
Bill Bugge
> Currently I'm involved in writing a history of the 45 and am
> researching the question: what was the very first 12" single?
Here's what my web surfing turned up:
The first promotional copies appeared in 1975 and the first commercial
release was the 1976 release 'Ten Percent' by Double Exposure, on the
Salsoul label.
--
Bill
SavoyBG
>
>The first promotional copies appeared in 1975 and the first commercial
>release was the 1976 release 'Ten Percent' by Double Exposure, on the
>Salsoul label.
>
>
My source says that while this is widely reported, the Jesie Gren on Scepter
was actually earlier.
Bruce Grossberg
SavoyBG
I'm mis-typing everything today.
It's Jessie Green
Bruce Grossberg
Steve Propes
A&M Records 8399-S Peter Allen I Go To Rio 1976
Comm'l releases were actually a little later than I thought, tho with
promo copies appearing a year earlier, it's pretty much in the ballpark.
Steve
Harry Krentz
"10 percent" by Double Exposure (the matrix number of that record is
12d-2008) Interestingly, when Bethlehem released a Double Exposure CD, it
claimed it was the first commercial 12" released. Commercial being the key
word. But it is claimed on many a website to be THE first 12" single.
"Hollywood Busstop" by The Salsoul Orchestra (1975, UK release) But that
wouldn't make much sense, since it's the Salsoul label that claims Double
Exposure released the first commercial 12" single.
"The Bottle" by Gil Scott Heron (1975, promo, Arista SP-01)
"When You're Young and in Love" by Ralph Carter (1975, promo, Mercury MK-01,
mixed by Tom Moulton)
"Swearin to God" by Frankie Valli was also released in 1975 commercially as
12" single (PS 5101), and the promo came out the same year. So it would be
in the running, but not nearly as many websites claim it as the first.
"Heart of the City" by Barrabas is also claimed by one guy to be the first
12". "Checkmate" was the single. It was released in 1975 commercially, in
spain.
The rest of the claims don't bear out when I check the discography, or they
simply have dates sometime after 1975, which seems to be the magic year for
the single 12" LP's genesis.
9 out of 10 sites claim it's Double Exposure. I see that since I began this
search, there's been response enough to that effect, so I'm fairly satisfied
that they get the title. It doesn't sound like anything I'd listen to, but
researching it was fun.
Harry K.
Eric A Holeman
Harry Krentz <jkp...@pressenter.com> wrote:
>"When You're Young and in Love" by Ralph Carter (1975, promo, Mercury MK-01,
>mixed by Tom Moulton)
This wouldn't be the same Ralph Carter who played J.J.'s younger brother
on "Good Times," would it?
--
---
Eric Holeman eholem1 at uic,edu Chicago Illinois USA
Will C.
>This wouldn't be the same Ralph Carter who played J.J.'s younger brother
>on "Good Times," would it?
Yes it would. He had the singles "When You're Young and in Love" and the better
"Extra Extra", plus an LP on Mercury. As far as I know he never recorded again.
My vote for the first commercial 12" is definitely "Ten Percent". I remember
Jessie Green being on a long version 45 and released as a 12" much later. First
promo 12" would be tough but I'm sure it was probably a label like Salsoul. The
majors caught on ,much later Perhaps something like Salsoul Orchestra. Have to
think more on that one.
John
The first commercially available 12" WAS Double Exposure's "Ten
Percent" on Salsoul although there WAS another single with a lower
catalog number than this release. The earliest promotional 12" was
Calhoun's "Dance, Dance, Dance" but the first 12" was the Moment of
Truth's "So Much For Love". Tom Moulton admits this was the next
project AFTER the 10" of Al Downing's "I'll Be Holding On" which was
the first time he took a single track and spread it out over one side.
Still the honor of 12" goes to the Moment of Truth.
Lv70smusic
in the morning for me and I'm suffering from the time change. Here's what it
looks like you typed:
First commercial 12": Double Exposure's "Ten Percent."
First promotional 12": Calhoun's "Dance, Dance, Dance."
First 12": Moment of Truth's "So Much for Love." Here's where my
misunderstanding begins. If "Ten Percent" is the first commercially available
12" and "Dance, Dance, Dance" is the first promotional 12", what kind of
"first" is "So Much for Love"?
>Subject: Re: very first 12" single
>From: nw...@yahoo.com (John)
>Date: 10/28/2002 5:50 AM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: <3b056a62.02102...@posting.google.com>
Harry Krentz
http://www.disco-disco.com/tributes/tom.html
He's the guy who invented 12" singles, apparently. In the interview he says:
(interviewer): The first 12" singles Tom and José cut, was only test-pressings Tom would give out
to some
selected DJ's to get the response from the dance floor
crowds. So, the next question was quite
obvious;
(interviewer): Tom, I know this is a question many people out there around the world would like
to know the answer to - Which was the first 12" single?
TM: "The first commercial 12"...
(interviewer):That was "Ten percent" by Double Exposure I guess?!
TM: "That is true!"
(interviewer): But which was the first "official" promotional 12" single?
TM: "Southshore Commission's "Free man" was the very first one."
Anyone with any other ideas about the first should take it up with Tom (who looks like Barbies
boyfriend). Since he invented the 12" single, I will take his word for it, unless someone can prove
they invented the 12" single.
All this fuss over disco!
Harry K.
John
> I'm sorry, I'm having trouble following your logic. Maybe it's just too early
> in the morning for me and I'm suffering from the time change. Here's what it
> looks like you typed:
>
> First commercial 12": Double Exposure's "Ten Percent."
>
> First promotional 12": Calhoun's "Dance, Dance, Dance."
>
> First 12": Moment of Truth's "So Much for Love." Here's where my
> misunderstanding begins. If "Ten Percent" is the first commercially available
> 12" and "Dance, Dance, Dance" is the first promotional 12", what kind of
> "first" is "So Much for Love"?
It was a test pressing, not an officially released promotional 12".