Jessica Williams - "Love Masterpiece + I Need You Baby" (1979)

Jessica Williams -- Sunset People

John Hedges, former owner of Megatone Records interview.

For the polish leading deejay web site www.djsportal.com
as same as for the books:
"DISC JOCKEY" and "SILENT RECORDS" - disco encyclopedia
by
Janek 'YAHUDEEJ@Y' Pawul


Y@HU - This time my interview is with John Hedges - an American deejay who remembers what was interesting in the early and late '70s.

I still am DJ for 30 years now. I was Billboard DJ of the year in 1976. I also produced music. The the likes of Sylvester, Lisa, Barry Blum, Jo Carol , The Weather Girls, Linda Imperial, Paul Parker, Shawn Benson and many more. I now own many Moby Dick Records and Megatone Records master recordings, San Francisco CA.

Johnny Hedges

P.S. Sometime know as Johnny "Disco" Hedges in San Francisco.

This is historic - because it is the first interview every conducted by a polish deejay writer for the Polish and International readers
Y@HU - when did you decide to become a disc jockey when and where did it really start - How long have you been a deejay ?

JOHN - I always known I'd be a DJ. I built a FM pirate radio station in Ohio and played my own dance songs in my garage and later I got busted by the FCC (another story). I then moved to San Francisco with my life partner Gerry McBride. My first real DJ job was at The Mine Shaft disco on Market ST. SF, CA when I was 22. It was a big deal to mix 45-rpm part one and part two records and make it one long mix version. I became a local DJ celebrity and moved on to The Cabaret then The City Disco. There I became nick named Johnny Disco in the local press. FLASH forward... Billboard magazine gave me the first best DJ award in 1976. I was the first DJ to break Cerron's "Give me love" and "Supernature". Fantasy records producer Harvey Fuqua (a big time Motown Records producer) discovered me. I was asked to come in the Fantasy studio's to remix many tunes with my business and long time friend Marty Blecman, with the likes of Sylvester's dance hits like "Can't Stop Dancing", "Don't Stop", "Stars" and "Live at the Opera House" and may more. Later I was lucky enough to produce the likes of Sylvester's "The Two Ton's" of fun later know as "The Weather Girls" on most of the Sylvester hit tracks. After that I started producing for Sylvester, Jo Lo (Megatone Records), Lisa (Moby Dick Records), Mary Buffet (yes, the same related to Jimmy and Warren Buffet) and many more. Next, I produced a tune called "Last Call" by Jo-Lo with the great Jo Carol Davidson and Barry Blum for Megatone Records also later with Shawn Benson for TSR Records. I moved on to produce a huge hit for Moby Dick Records called "Jump Shout" by Lisa produced by Barry Blum and me. I did spin at the famous Badlands in the Castro for years. Till this day I am DJ at a club called Daddy's in the Castro. A side note, I also put out a cult-hit tune called "Castro Boy" by The Serious Party Gods produced by Lester Temple and Barry Blum and starring Danny Williams. Flash forward: I produced in 2003 a holiday CD called "Carols Across America" at www.ecarols.com for AIDS Charities and it is still doing great!

Y@HU - Tell me something (as much as possible) about the pioneer Deejays you know / you've met in your career ?

JOHN - I luck out, right place at the right time. I was in New York on a promotion project and met the wonderful and great, DJ Jim Burgess at the club "12 West". He inspired me on how to beat mix with a turntable pitch control. At the time I was spinning at a club called Oil Can Harry's for years. Oil Can's was the hot spot at the time and I met Divine, Jane Fonda (just name dropping) and Pamela Stanley ("Coming Out Of Hiding" fame). I remember returning to my home in San Francisco and telling my DJ friends, Lester Temple, Marty Blecman (my mixing partner at Fantasy Records also later at Megatone Records) and Jon Randazzo from The City Disco about how they mixed club music using pitch and tempo to excite the dancers. My soundman Bruce Tronson then installed a pitch control on my RKO turntables. It turned my whole DJ life to new fun heights. Things just went fun and crazy very fast with the great dancer respond. I soon met LA's best DJ Paul Dugan (LA's Studio 1 disco DJ and also voted Best DJ by Billboard Magazine). He turned me on to disc jockey A.J Miller who talked me into starting a San Francisco Record Pool called BADDA , where record companies could do a mass drop off of there product and pickup place for all member DJ's to receive promotional 12" records. There I met almost all the DJ's in San Francisco, like Billboard DJ of the year Tim Rivers and many more. Other DJ's I met were Bobby DJ from New York and so many more that at this time I can't recall all there names. Remember being one of the first in this field there were only a handful in the early days of the 70's.


Johnny Hedges

Y@HU - Can you tell anything interesting about the artists you know or met ?

JOHN - Most interesting artist was Grace Jones! I met Grace at 12 West in NYC disco! I was there when Jim Burgess was the hot DJ and around 12 AM ... Jim started "I Need A Man" and Grace came up singing from a hole in the middle of the dance floor singing........ I was over impressed!!!! WOW! - LATER THAT NIGHT WE DANCED FOR HOURS {Drugs}. I love her. Later that year we invited Grace Jones to ride our gay pride float in SF CA and she rocked!!! I love her and will never forget a true DIVA. However, I must say that Sylvester, Jo Carol, Barry Blum, Lester Temple, Bill Motley, Leo Frappier and of course Patrick Cowley made the biggest impression on me in my music career. I still work with Jo Carol and Leo and I think we are lifetime friends.
Y@HU - Have you ever done something else or is DJ'ing your life ?

JOHN - Still a well know DJ in SF, CA at Daddy's in the famous Castro and produce music for charity www.ecarols.com
Y@HU - Since you're one of the pioneer disco DJ's - how was the DJ regarded in the beginning and how it has changed during the years ?

JOHN - We all became well known DJ for our type of dance music and the club owners would advertise our names to draw customers. Today, we still have hot new DJ's that the hard core crowd support. I think that it is wonderful. Also, I'm sure they get paid a lot more then I do now. Ha!


Y@HU - What do you think about today deejays who use samplers, CD mixers, "create" special versions of the songs and burn CD's at home of their "Creations?" Is this serious or just fake shit? - I mean they create nothing in fact they - just use good music made by someone else from the past. In other words - they can create nothing if it wasn't from such old, good records of the '70.

JOHN - I think it's wonderful! Give these new DJ's a break. It's a new time and I have heard many great DJ remixes that today's jocks do. I do think it is serious good stuff. The dancers love it and that says it all. Sure the '70's were hot. But, today's DJ now knows what turns the dancers on and I still learn from them.
Y@HU - Where do you live now?

JOHN - San Francisco, CA and Palm Springs CA (well not yet, but my partner Gerry McBride and I have two homes in PS and may retire there someday)
Y@HU - Do you know Steve Algozino, another great San Franciscan, owner of very popular '80 "Hot Tracks" deejay service and magazine ?

JOHN - Yes, I knew Steve Algozino as a friend and did great re-mixer. I recall my hit record "Jump Shout" by Lisa was his first release on Hot Tracks.
Y@HU - You mentioned once in correspondence that your roots are Polish - how deep Polish ?

JOHN - I am Polish and I have a huge family that lives where I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. And yes I still hear all the jokes and I can still laugh. I don't know what else to say.
Y@HU - Do you regularly work now as a deejay?

JOHN - Yes, I spin at Daddy's 440 Castro Street and I am always there on Monday's underwear night. Ha - SF, CA USA.
Y@HU - What music do you prefer and vinyl or CD ?

JOHN - I'm a CD guy now! However, I have tons of vinyl. I only spin high-energy hits.


Y@HU - What was your favorite club you worked for?

JOHN -The Mind Shaft, The City, Oil Can Harry's, Badlands and Daddy's - SF, CA USA.
Y@HU - Do you prefer just mixing records BPM, pitch control or use microphone and speak to the people like early deejays did?

JOHN - No I just mix BPM and I can change the beat in a gay minute. However, I do say LAST CALL! Ha
Y@HU - Do you like techno / house music - which uses old tracks, mixes, samples, new beat etc. and then call it new BUT we know it's piece of shit if no because serious '70 music was used they can remix because they simply do not know how this music was created or recorded ?

JOHN - I still like all of what you call SHIT. I think you need to visit some of the hot DJ's and clubs in San Francisco. We San Franciscans are what the rest of the US calls CRAZY and proud of it!
Y@HU - Thank you and let me ask you some questions again in some time - OK.?

JOHN - OK.

Jessica Williams,Queen of Fools

Jessica Williams, a renowned dance music artist has been singing since she could talk. One of ten children she was raised in a gospel singing home and church in Tyler, Texas. She was very fortunate to work with Motown songwriter-producer Hal Davis and soon found herself backing Motown stalwarts like Diana Ross on ‘Love Hangover’ and Thelma Houston on ‘Don't Leave Me This Way’ along with numerous songs for Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and The Jackson Five. She became a lead singer for dance producer Simon Soussan’s (who produced Pattie Brooks, Shalimar etc.) group Arpeggio the first group from his Polydor-distributed label, Harem Records. With Arpeggio Jessica acquired some hits under her belt like ‘Love and Desire" and ‘Let The Music Play’. She also had some solo recordings ‘Queen Of Fools’, ‘Limelight’ and ‘Love Hostage’ at Harem Records, which are dance classics. With her studio and club tour success, Jessica, still continued her rewarding work as a background vocalist for The Jazz Crusaders (Ghetto blaster album), Stephanie Mills, Laine Kazan and Helen Reddy giving her the chance to explore other musical styles. Her independent projects as a campy send-up of ‘These Boots Were Made For Walking’ produce by Man To Man, brought her a great cult following in England and Mexico. Producer Rick Gianatos, who produced for Scheme Payne and Jayne Edwards, knew very well Jessica’s gifted versatile talents and invited her to join in for some session work for his Motor City Reunion project. Jessica then joined Rick's Altair Records label and their they put their heads together and came up with a sparkling new version of ‘Keep The Fire Burning’, an eighties powerhouse R&B tune written by Willie Hutch and originally recorded by Gwen McRae. Jessica used her versatility by singing background and booking the background singers for acts appearing on ‘The Arsenic Hall Show’, which she worked with her husband John B. Williams who was the Bassist and resident poet in the shows band ‘The Posse’. In 1998, Jessica reunited with Helen Reddy on Helen Reddy’s CD ‘Center Stage’, a collection of Broadway songs. It was through her association with Helen Reddy that Jessica was asked to lend her vocal talents on a dance remake of Helens Grammy-winning ‘I Am Woman’. Fine Line Features released 'Trick," starring Christian Campbell, J.P. Pitoc and Tori Spelling. ‘I Am Woman’ appears in its entirety in the film, and is on the movie's soundtrack distributed by Will Records. So, after all those years in the background, Jessica Williams, has moved up front right where she belongs with Paradax Records. Jessica contacted Dwayne Taylor the founder of Paradax Records and a mutual music relationship was born. Jessica recorded her debut single ‘Faith, Friendship & Love’ on March 23rd 2006 with Paradax Records. The track received a positive reaction within the dance music community. Many of Jessica’s fans were happy to see and hear her back where she should be with a new record label and an updated fresh new sound. The second single ‘Mingle With the Night’ was successfully promoted at the 2008 Winter Music Conference and continues to get into the hands of the “A List” Djs. The remixes were done by some of the best talent on both sides of the U.S. i.e. Aaron Arce, Frankie Medina, Estranjeros, roqsta and Victor Simonelli.

Jim Burgess

James Michael "Jim" Burgess (1952–1993) was a disco record producer and New York DJ of the 1970s, and was variously referred to as "one of the hottest DJ's and Remixers of the Disco era"


He remixed and produced numerous disco versions of popular songs, with a number of them being million sellers. His most successful and best known production was Alicia Bridges' I Love the Nightlife, which has become a "Disco standard". First released in 1978, it went to number five on the Billboard charts, and was given a new lease of life with its use in the 1994 film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Other extremely successful productions include:

• Rod Stewart's Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?
• The Doobie Brothers' What a Fool Believes (12" disco remix version) and
• Madleen Kane's Fire In My Heart and Secret Love Affair

He was also a popular DJ at many New York clubs (e.g. The Saint) and was "one of the most influential remixers for the disco era"

Early years

Burgess was born on July 21, 1952 in Okeechobee, Florida. He trained as a classical tenor and opera singer, and had "an amazing ear". He started as a DJ in Florida in the early-mid 1970s and then "moved on to Limelight, a gay club in Atlanta" where he was "discovered" by Tony Martino and Alan Harris, the owners of the New York club 12 West.

New York

He moved to New York where he played at "all the hottest clubs like 12 West, Infinity, the Saint, Underground, Studio 54, Paradise Garage, as well as playing the Ice Palace in Fire Island".
Burgess had been one of the initial three resident DJs at the Saint along with Alan Dodd and Roy Thode, from its opening on 20 September 1980.
Burgess's popularity was attributed not only to his style and technique, but a love for theatrical effects and elements, which developed from his love of opera. He would frequently create his own "sound scenes" by using the dialogue from well-known film scenes over the break of a record - as well as attentuating the effect through long mixes and sophisticated blending.
Burgess chose to end his career at age 28 with a farewell party at the Saint on 31 January 1981. During the party, he famously walked out at the peak of the night and let the record run out. Afterwards Sharon White took over for the rest of the evening. Nevertheless, he still did subsequent infrequent gigs in New York, and started playing regularly at the Saint again in 1986. His actual last gig according to his partner was at The Ice Palace in 1989.

Philadelphia

After commuting back and forth from NY to Philly, in 1987 he made the move to Philadelphia to pursue his first ambition, opera singing.
In Philadelphia he studied voice at the Curtis Institute of Music. He sang with the Opera Company of Philadelphia and the Rittenhouse Opera Society, and appeared as Florestan in Beethoven's "Fidelio" at the Lake George Opera Festival in New York and as Siegfried and Parsifal with the Liederkranz Society of New York, which awarded him first prize in its Wagner Competition.
Although he was never diagnosed with AIDS, he took ill soon after Labor Day in 1992. It was then that he was informed of his HIV status. His illness progressed very quickly and he died of an AIDS related brain tumor four months after taking ill, on 18 January 1993 at his home in Philadelphia. He was survived by his partner, Martin Dillon, his sister, Dawn Krop of Gainesville, Fl, and his brother, Jonathan, of Asheville, N.C.

Remixes

Some of the more notable singles that Burgess was involved in the remixing and/or production of are:

Song title	Artist	Label	Released
"I love the nightlife"	Alicia Bridges	Polydor	1978
"Da ya think I'm sexy"	Rod Stewart		1978
"I Was Made for Lovin' You"	KISS	Casablanca	1979
"Here comes that sound again"	Love De-Luxe		1979
"the Beat goes on and on"	Ripple	Canadian Unidisc
"What a fool believes" (12" Disco mix)	The Doobie Brothers	Warner Bros	1979
"Rough Diamond"	Madleen Kane	Warner Bros	1978
"Forbidden Love"	Madleen Kane	Warner Bros	1979
"Night rider"	Venus Dodson
"I've got the next dance"	Deniece Williams	Columbia	1979
"If there's love"	Amant
"Crazy love"	Alton McClain & Destiny	Polydor	1979
"Lotta love"	Nicolette Larson	Warner Bros	1979
"Don't stop the train"	Phyliss Nelson
"Runaway Love"	Linda Clifford	Curtom	1978
"A lover's holiday"	Change	Warner Bros	1980
"Victim"	Candi Staton		1978
"No goodbyes"	Curtis Mayfield	Curtom	1978
"Party party"	Curtis Mayfield	Curtom	1978
"Try love"	Tony Wilson	US Bearsville	1979
"Lovemaker"	Wham	GRT records	1978
"Bring on the boys"	Karen Young		1978

Jackie Moore,This Time Baby!

Jackie Moore (born 1946, Jacksonville, Florida) is an American R&B singer. She is most well known for her gold single 1970 song "Precious, Precious," which reached #30 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on March 6, 1971. This disc sold over one million copies, and received a gold disc awarded by the R.I.A.A. in March 1971.
Also noteworthy was her 1979 disco hit "This Time Baby," which hit #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The track reached #49 in the UK Singles Chart. The latter would later be sampled for the 2005 dance radio and club hit "Love on My Mind" by the Freemasons featuring Amanda Wilson. Moore also had a pop chart hit (#42) with Bunny Sigler and Phil Hurtt's upbeat "Sweet Charlie Babe" in the fall of 1973, which she recorded with the Philadelphia Strings and Horns.
"This Time Baby" was a featured song in the video game, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.

DONNA SUMMER - A Mini-Documentary