Trammps video: "Hold Back the Night"

[tsull1]

Are you having fun yet? I know I am because I flat out love this tune. Man, these guys are good, always have been good.

A Philly classic, enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X49doPwp0bc&NR=1

[nosey]

That song is still a big hit on the oldies dance circuit here in Philly. Love that tune as well. I commented before I viewed the video. The better version is the original with Jimmy Ellis on lead.

[splanky]

With no offense intended to the guys or to you, tsull, I fantasise about meeting Ian Levine one day, grabbing him by the
collar, taking him outside and slapping him repeatedly upside his head. Dang, I feel better just thinking about it...I'm with
Nosey, the original is the better. I saw the group live back in the 70's and Jimmy killed my boys and I. And we were a funk
crew that for the most part ignored disco acts! I'll never forget that day...

[tsull1]

I love the original version, I thought this was a nice re-make of it. I like the tune "Disco Inferno" but I think this is their best tune.

[daddyacey]

The Trammps original ,"Hold Back The Night" , was an previously unreleased track that was included on the 1975 ,Buddah album ,"The Legendary ZING Album featuring the Fabulous Trammps". An album made up of singles that were released on the Golden Fleece label. Those early tracks ,produced by B.H.Y. are representative of a number of releases from Philly based groups ,[[IMO) ,of the basic Philly style of music ,which would ten evolve and expand into what would be the next step of the "Philly Sound". The period when the top albums and groups out of Philly were The Delfonics ,Blue Magic ,Ebonys and South Shore Commission ,but these groups and tracks were more popular in the underground ,progressive F.M. urban/Black radio [[Crocker) and infant "club/dance/disco" ,audience than in other markets. This period of 75-77 saw the Philly sound expand and split like an ameoba into two entities. The R&B based Gamble and Huff sound and the dance oriented Salsoul sound. Ironically both originating from the same studio ,the same groups of producers ,writers and session musicians , undoubtally both Philly based in style ,yet just slighty different.
The early Trammps cuts like "Zing" ,"Stop And Think" ,"Trusting Heart", "Hold Back The Night", "Promise Me" and "Where Do We Go From Here",
are worth seeking out for those that only know the group from hearing "Disco Inferno" ,"Body Contact" and "Thats Where The Happy People Go". Those tracks I mentioned later ,while quality tracks ,are not as musically enjoyable to the ear as the earlier tracks are. The lyrics and vocals are soulful and the backing tracks are prime kick you in the ass ,from their heart M.F.S.B.
The L.P.'s I'm referring to are , "The Legendary ZING Album featuring the Fabulous Trammps" ,Buddah #BDS 5641 ,1975 [[A Tom Moulton Mix ,mastered by Jose Rodriguez ,[[mind you we are talking about the pre-Salsoul, P.I.R. and 12' era that was to come) and "Trampps" ,Golden Fleece #KZ 3355 ,1975. These records are what the Trammps were all about. Check them out.
A Trammps box would be nice with extended 2011 A.T.M.M. remixes of the original early tracks [[ "Zing" ,"Stop And Think" ,"Trusting Heart", "Hold Back The Night", "Promise Me" and "Where Do We Go From Here" )
and remasters of the later Atlantic commercial tracks would be a nice project. [[TOM)?????)

[tom_moulton]

It sure would. Great idea.

[daddyacey]

, glad I could put that bug in your ear Tom.

[rhessel]

Hi guys:

It's a big mystery to me, why only the disks "Trammps", "Legendary Zing", "Disco Inferno" and "Where The Happy People Go" have been reissued on CD.

What are the producers waiting for to reissue the other discs?

By the way, do these reissues have been remastered when transfered to CD?

Cheers,
Hessel

[manny]

There is also reissued on CD the PIR album "Disco Champs" on wich, for my taste, there are the authentic "gems": "Just Say The Word" and an instrumental called "Oh Waa hey" I have had on vynil also, from the year was originally edited, 1977.

Also, IMHO, one of the tracks where Jimmy Ellis [[RIP) is at his best in his gospel register, shouting style is in a european produced album [[i got the 12" recorded in a domestical tape): "Move" and "Move [[jimmy Ellis solo accapella)"

[jsmith]

With regard to the original success of "Hold Back The Night", us Brits had a big hand in matters.
The instro version of this tune [["Scrub Board") had come out a lot earlier [[in 1972 as the B side to "60 Minute Man"). The instro version was picked up on by UK NS DJ's and became a massive club hit here.
Move on 3 years & the "60 Minute Man" 45 was re-released following "Zing" being a UK Pop Chart hit. This 2nd 45 also made the UK Pop charts mainly due to people here wanting to buy "Scrub Board" [[the B side) on a UK 45.
Pye / Buddah could see the 'writing on the wall' for once [[Pye Records UK had a special Disco Division by then picking up on what was popular in UK NS clubs) .... so they released "Hold Back The Night" on 45. This got instant UK club plays & so sold strongly from day one; the group had just enjoyed 2 UK pop chart entries & so all the Brit radio stns also got behind the track. In no time it was in the UK Pop Top 10 chart [[it peaked at No.5 around early Dec 75) and became the Trammps biggest ever UK hit..

[manny]

I think many "old Trammp's structure rhythm songs" can appreciate it in some other BHY after produced stuff like the Charles Mann album "Say That You Love Me", with some tracks that have clear reminiscence of the Legendary Zing Album. As "Trammps Disco Theme" seems "Tom Song" with more uptempo beat and a little more symphonic. BTW, my vynil copy of "The Legendary Zing Album" featured a stick with the words "Symphonic Soul" [[!!). I always think The Trammps isa very good self-contained R&B - Doo woo - soul Band with uptempo danceable numbers and I'm feel hungry when somebody call them "a disco band" [[in the bad sense...).

Cheers

[jsmith]

The Trammps were great when they were the Volcanos [[pre Trammps 1960's outfit on Arctic)

[manny]

The Trammps were great when they were the Volcanos [[pre Trammps 1960's outfit on Arctic)

Totally agree, but there are some tracks in The Trammps era in the same R&B - Soul idiom, as "Pray All Your Sinners" and in the late 70's, the cover they made of "Teaser" [[that B-H-Y write for The Dells some earlier). B-H-Y were great not only in the dance oriented soul music, for example, there are lots of soul gems in the Loleatta albums from the disco era and we can't forget they started producing Clyde McPhatter and as members of jazz band Catalyst after the Volcanos - Arctic days and their work as live musicians in the Uptown theater and in the road.

[jaybs]

With regard to the original success of "Hold Back The Night", us Brits had a big hand in matters.
The instro version of this tune [["Scrub Board") had come out a lot earlier [[in 1972 as the B side to "60 Minute Man"). The instro version was picked up on by UK NS DJ's and became a massive club hit here.

Spot on! I started to use it in my radio show in 1975!