Gary's Gang

Last updated

Gary's Gang
Origin Queens, New York, U.S.
Genres Rock, [1] disco, [2] pop [3] [4]
Years active1977–1985
Labels SAM/Columbia
Radar
Past membersGary Turnier
Eric Matthew
Bob Forman
Jay Leon
Al Lauricella
Bill Catalano

Gary's Gang was an American R&B/pop rock group best known for the U.S. hit "Keep on Dancin'", which reached #41 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. The song also climbed to #8 in the UK Singles Chart, [5] #14 on the Hot Soul Singles chart in 1978 and also made #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, as did two of the group's other songs, "Do It at the Disco" and "Let's Lovedance Tonight". [6] The latter was later used as the sampling background track to Soulsearcher's 1999 #20 Dance Club Play hit, "Can't Get Enough".

Contents

Overview

The group, based in Queens, New York, consisted of Gary Turnier, Eric Matthew aka Joseph Tucci, Al Lauricella, Rino Minetti, Bill Catalano, Bob Forman and Jay Leon. [7]

In the 1980s, Gary's Gang enjoyed further U.S. and European success with the 1982 single "Knock Me Out" (#45 UK) [8] and the 1983 hit "Makin' Music", which reached #8 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. [6] Brian Chin of Billboard described "Knock Me Out" as "midtempoed and very pop, it shares much of the soft-edged production styling and doowoppish vocals of the group's earlier work". [3]

Discography

Albums

YearAlbumLabelPeak chart positions
US
[9]
US R&B
[9]
1979Keep On Dancin'Columbia4227
Gangbusters
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

YearSongPeak chart positions
US Dance
[6]
US R&B
[6]
US Pop
[6]
UK
[8]
1978"Keep On Dancin' / Do It at the Disco"115418
1979"Do Ya' Wanna Go Dancin'"54
"Showtime / Rock Around the Clock"
"Let's Lovedance Tonight"149
"Spirits"
1982"Knock Me Out"2545
1983"Makin' Music"894
1984"Runaway"
1990"Keep On Dancin' 1990"98
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

See also

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References

  1. "Disco Mix". Billboard . Vol. 91. November 17, 1979. p. 46.
  2. "Dance/Electronic". Billboard . Vol. 115. May 24, 2003. p. 28.
  3. 1 2 "Dance Trax". Billboard . Vol. 94. August 28, 1982. p. 28.
  4. Kuroff, Barbara Norton (1984). Songwriter's Market. Writer's Digest Books. p. 71. ISBN   0-8987-9123-5.
  5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 222. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Gary's Gang Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". Music VF. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  7. "Gary's Gang Page". Soulwalking. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  8. 1 2 "GARY'S GANG - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company . Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Gary's Gang - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2022.