Brothers Johnson

Another one of my favourite groups - good basslines and beats. All of their first four albums sold gold; producer Quincy Jones helped to ensure the group's success. "Look Out For #1" LP produced disco-groove classic "Thunder thumbs and lightnin' licks" - the flute says it all. Most memorable vocal? "LSD - a haaa". Same album gave "Get the funk out ma face" (an early A&M 12"), "Dancin' and Prancin'" and slow-funk jam "The Devil". Their first single, the US number one "I'll be good to you" also appeared on this album.

"Right On Time" LP included the title track, very funky instrumental "Brother Man" and yielded million selling single "Strawberry letter 23", originally written six years earlier.

Superb "Blam!" LP gave disco numbers like "Ain't we funkin' now", "Blam!", "Ride-o-rocket" (written by Ashford & Simpson) and superb groovy instrumental "Streetwave".

Fourth Quincy Jones produced album, "Light Up The Night", gave huge dancefloor success with "Stomp", as well as the title track.

The Brothers Johnson also did session work with other disco artists in the Seventies, most noteably on Michael Jackson's "Off the wall".

There are many tracks on UK 12" which never made US 12" (shown below), including "I'll be good to you", "Dancin' and prancin'" and "Let's swing".

  • Get the funk out ma face / (short) (A&M 12" AM-8379, 1976)
  • Strawberry letter 23 / Get the funk out ma face (A&M 12" SP-12003, 1977)
  • Ain't we funkin' now / (short) (A&M 12" SP-12011, 1978)
  • Blam! Radio special (A&M LP sampler SP-17049, 1978)
  • Stomp! / (same) (A&M 12" SP-17111, 1980)
  • Light up the night / (remix) (A&M 12" SP-17119, 1980)

  • Strawberry letter 23 (A&M 12" [UK] AMSP 7297, 1977) - 3 track EP w/ "Get the funk", "I'll be good"
  • Right on time / Dancin' and prancin' (A&M 12" [UK] AMS 7313-J, 1977)
  • Ain't we funkin' now (A&M 12" [UK] AMSP 7379, 1978) - 3 track EP w/ "Strawberry", "Get the funk"
  • Ride-o-rocket (A&M 12" [UK] AMSP 7400, 1978) - 3 track EP w/ "Thunder thumbs"
  • Mista Cool (A&M 12" [UK] AMSP 7410, 1978) - 3 track EP w/ "Brother man"
  • Stomp / Let's swing (A&M 12" [UK] AMSP 7509, 1980)
  • Light up the night (A&M 12" [UK] AMSP 7526, 1980) - 3 track EP

  • Look out for #1 (A&M LP, 1976)
  • Right on time (A&M LP, 1977)
  • Blam! (A&M LP, 1978)
  • Light up the night (A&M LP, 1980)