Trammps

[nathanj06]

Anyone know who the white guy [[sitting at the piano) was in The Trammps? Great band.

16844

[Boogiedown]

Nathan ,I'm reasonably sure that that is Ed Cermanski.

I love his piano intro on THATS WHERE THE HAPPY PEOPLE GO:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgvQ9df5MPw

It told me that disco was something special, that beautiful thoughtful intro . The clubs would often play it just to add a bit of pause to the music and to set up the anticipation for what was the hottest song of the evening , TWTHPG ... grab a partner and get your spot on the floor....because here it comes!!:cool:

......And then there's that voice of Jimmy Ellis ....

[nathanj06]

Thank you Boogiedown. The reason I asked was years ago somewhere it stated it was Ron "Have Mercy" Kersey. I recently thought about it and found it was not him. "That's Where The Happy People Go" was the first song by them that caught my ears. What an awesome disco track plus the intro you mentioned. I had the album way back when. I remember dancing with my pals to this in the club back then every weekend. Then came "Disco Inferno" which became another anthem for that period. I expected so much more exciting music from them but they just didn't find that hot follow up again. Still, those two songs are on my playlist forever. At least they got the Grammy recognition from Saturday Night Fever. Do I see an eventual "Unsung"??? Maybe there was and I missed it. Thanks for posting the video/audio. They were great!

[nathanj06]

You are 100% correct about Ed Cermanski. I just saw a 2019 clip of him playing keyboard with a couple of the other Trammps. He's a big guy now but you solved that mystery as I also just found it thanks to you. Ed also has a FB page. Fun stuff. And Jimmy Ellis? WOW! A powerhouse singer!

16845

16846

[Boogiedown]

Love your enthusiasm regarding the Trammps Nathan!

I'm glad you also got to experience TWTHPG in the clubs , a terrific club experience during a great period for some fun songs. On That same night we might also likely hear LOVE HANGOVER Diana, THIS IS IT Melba, TURN THE BEAT , Vicki , TRY ME Donna, HEAVEN MUST BE, Tavares , or IM GONNA LET MY HEART DO THE WALKING....

One of my all time favorite album covers. I just for the first time noticed the dog in the photo! . What a photo shoot that was! Probably took all day to set up and looks like it was actually getting dark when photo was taken !
That was a fun group of guys!




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJW35meVczM

Trammps Theme [[ love the scratch of the guitar in this. Classic disco sound).

[nathanj06]

Boogiedown, I truly liked these guys especially once they hit Atlantic. I do remember Hold Back The Night as well on Buddah I think. TWTHPG album cover is fantastic! The campfire, the river, the piano and the dog. Disco Inferno album cover was really cool too and perfectly explained the title. It would be nice just to have an Atlantic box set...Rhino are you listening??? I just listened to the Trammps Theme, was that an Atlantic recording? Also you mentioned those then popular songs played in clubs back then. We use to go to D.C. in 1976 and even outside you could hear Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel. I remember they used to play I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking and mix it right into the uptempo part of Love Hangover. Two great songs from The Supremes and Ross that year. Great fun!

[Boogiedown]

DISCO INFERNO for me captures perfectly all that was positive and inclusive about 'disco'.

IMAGINE emphasizing the line "burn, baby burn!" in such a way that it was received unchallenged as an uplifting and unifying notion [[as intended) ... a line to party and dance over !!! ...

Only a few years earlier that phrase was coined to coincide with confrontation and riots. [[!!!)

Thats the very [[simple) kind of thing that can turn social consciousness on its head !:cool:

[StuBass1]

Cant discuss The Trammps without acknowledging founding member Earl Young who along with MFSB stalwarts Ronnie Baker and Norman Harris performed with and produced the group... Earl, the renowned drummer for MFSB was also a singer and accomplished dancer, preferring to sing and dance with The Trammps, letting others play drums on live performances...Earl I believe is still performing with the current edition of the group...

[Boogiedown]

Cant discuss The Trammps without acknowledging founding member Earl Young who along with MFSB stalwarts Ronnie Baker and Norman Harris performed with and produced the group... Earl, the renowned drummer for MFSB was also a singer and accomplished dancer, preferring to sing and dance with The Trammps, letting others play drums on live performances...Earl I believe is still performing with the current edition of the group...

I sort of feel like Earl was the glue that held them together.

[Boogiedown]

Boogiedown, I truly liked these guys especially once they hit Atlantic. I do remember Hold Back The Night as well on Buddah I think. TWTHPG album cover is fantastic! The campfire, the river, the piano and the dog. Disco Inferno album cover was really cool too and perfectly explained the title. It would be nice just to have an Atlantic box set...Rhino are you listening??? I just listened to the Trammps Theme, was that an Atlantic recording? Also you mentioned those then popular songs played in clubs back then. We use to go to D.C. in 1976 and even outside you could hear Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel. I remember they used to play I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking and mix it right into the uptempo part of Love Hangover. Two great songs from The Supremes and Ross that year. Great fun!

This is making me smile , your hearing HEAVEN outside the club. I used to have to drive two hours to get to Studio One in Hollywood, and I did so every chance I got. I can remember one time getting there later than i preferred and being frustrated by the long line trying to get inside . There I stood waiting on the outside listening to SHAME, my song of the moment, thumping through the walls , and wanting so badly to already be inside !! lol!!

[nathanj06]

Boogiedown, That was a particularly good year for music. Those clubs were so exciting to get to and get in to feel the full effect of the bass and the disco sound. Another one that stands out that year was Bee Gees "You Should Be Dancing". Just incredible along with all the other great tracks that came along. Double Exposure was another one that got played a lot. Even if you weren't dancing it was such fun just to sit down, have our conversations [[if you could), and just listen to it all. Such a fun era but everything changes. Glad I could make you smile. Waiting to get in was part of the experience and never knowing what you were going to hear outside. :D Oh and as far as distance, people would come from all over.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Love the Trammps. I wore a groove in my album, playing Disco Party.

[tjl]

I still get many many requests for several Trammps songs on my radio and social media request shows, in order:

- Disco Infernal [[the lyric Jimmy is actually singing on the the multi-track) aka Disco Inferno
- Hold Back Tonight [[the lyric they are actually singing on the multi-track) aka Hold Back The Night
- Where Do We Go From Here
- Zing! Went The Strings Of my Heart
- That's Where The Happy People Go
- Trusting Heart
- The Night The Lights Went Out in NYC

and of course the much loved: :
A Lady's Man - The Volcanos
Storm Warning - The Volcanos
Down By The Ocean - The Exceptions

But I have a Philly/Jersey crowd so these are songs that always played in the clubs and locally on the oldies shows and stations.

[Boogiedown]

I still get many many requests for several Trammps songs on my radio and social media request shows, in order:

- Disco Infernal [[the lyric Jimmy is actually singing on the the multi-track) aka Disco Inferno
- Hold Back Tonight [[the lyric they are actually singing on the multi-track) aka Hold Back The Night
- Where Do We Go From Here
- Zing! Went The Strings Of my Heart
- That's Where The Happy People Go
- Trusting Heart
- The Night The Lights Went Out in NYC

and of course the much loved: :
A Lady's Man - The Volcanos
Storm Warning - The Volcanos
Down By The Ocean - The Exceptions

But I have a Philly/Jersey crowd so these are songs that always played in the clubs and locally on the oldies shows and stations.

Nice that The trammps still resonate! ........DISCO INFERNAL ha ha!

I always liked this one, a bit of a flirtation with the space disco trend .... while still in keeping with their PIR sound


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBFffDbjHVI

[nativeNY63]

I still get many many requests for several Trammps songs on my radio and social media request shows, in order:

- Disco Infernal [[the lyric Jimmy is actually singing on the the multi-track) aka Disco Inferno
- Hold Back Tonight [[the lyric they are actually singing on the multi-track) aka Hold Back The Night
- Where Do We Go From Here
- Zing! Went The Strings Of my Heart
- That's Where The Happy People Go
- Trusting Heart
- The Night The Lights Went Out in NYC

and of course the much loved: :
A Lady's Man - The Volcanos
Storm Warning - The Volcanos
Down By The Ocean - The Exceptions

But I have a Philly/Jersey crowd so these are songs that always played in the clubs and locally on the oldies shows and stations.

The Nights The Lights Went Out In NYC is a definite fave. Just waaaaaay to short!