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Disco Acetates-Sunshine Sound

Sunshine Sound was a studio where DJ's could bring their reel to reel tapes and have acetate copies cut one at a time.Many club DJ's created their own mixes and wanted discs cut instead of using the tape so that they could mix into and out of the acetate platter.There was such a demand for some of these mixes that sometimes 10-25 copies (or more) were made and sold to outlets who did mail order and so they were distributed in NYC, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Two stores were Sunshine sound acetates were sold in the late 70's were record Connection in Los Angeles and Downstairs Records in NYC.
Sunshine Sound acetates also were sold at a few record stores in Montreal, Canada.

Sunshine Sound started at the end of 1974/beginning of 1975.
The owner was Frank Trimarco and they were located on the twelfth floor of 1650 Broadway in midtown New York.
The building which housed Sunshine Sound was also home to several record labels like Midsong Records and Red Greg Records where people like Greg Carmichael and Patrick Adams made tracks for their various studio projects like Universal Robot Bandand Bumblebee Unlimited.

Frank at Sunshine Sound had a list of the remixes, and the mixers would let him sell them to other DJ's when they would come to the store.The creators got a few dollars for every copy that was sold.
Between 1975 and 1982 a lot of acetates were made at Sunshine Sound. A few people started to make acetates first and got famous after playing those remixes/medleys in the clubs. The two famoust ones are John Morales and Francious Kevorikan.

Walter Gibbons and Patrick Cowley also made acetate cuts at Sunshine Sound.

Famous unreleased mix from Walter Gibbons.

The remix from John Morales.

Sunshine Sound mixes were used by a lot of DJ's.
Here a interview with a DJ (Jerry Bonham) who bought and used the acetates in 1980.

Interview with DJ-Jerry Bonham:

-When did you start as a DJ:
I am a DJ since 1976.

-Were did you buy your records, and were you member of a DJ record pool ?:
In the beginning I would do mail order from New York, stores like Downstairs records and VinylMania, and also check out the local stores in Minneapolis, you could always find great promos back then for next to nothing. Later I joined a record pool in Minneapolis, but that was not untill 1980.

-In Which Disco's did you DJ:
I was DJ'ing in New York at The Ice Palace in the City and The Ice Palace on Fire Island for the Summer of 1979 with Roy Thode. And 14 years in Minneapolis Minnesota at The Saloon, before moving to San Francisco, and eventually to Denver, Colorado.

-Did you had a special DJ name ?:
Yes! My own name Jerry Bonham! I don't think that the DJ "name game" came till much later, back then everyone just went by their own name.

-How did you find out about the existance of the disco acetates:
Another DJ from Minneapolis that I worked with at the Saloon, returned from a trip to New York, and he had the "I Feel Love" acetate, and I think the "Get On The Funk Train" acetate. I remember him playing them the night he returned to very mixed response. To the DJ's they were like little pieces of art, to some of the dancers, they didn't care for the cut ups of some of their favorite songs, other dancers loved the mixes and wanted to know where to get them as well.

-Do you remember the first Sunshine Sound acetate you bought:
The first ones I bought were "Erucu" "Get On The Funk Train", and "I Feel Love"

-Which places besides Sunshine Sound did you buy acetates:
Most of the ones I own I ordered thru the mail directly from Sunshine Sound Studios.

-How did this work, was there a list you could chooses from ?
I would just call them every other week to see if there were any new ones to be purchased.

-Did you hear the acetate mixes before buying, or was it always a surprise what you get, Or did frank has some additional info ?:
I was familiar with the songs that were being remixed / edited, so if I liked the song I would usually get the acetate of it as well. Frank always had suggestions as to which ones were better than the others.

-Did you play the acetates at the disco ?:
Definitely. They also led me to experiment a bit myself with a cassette recorder and make my own edits.

-Did Sunshine Sound advertise in magazines, record stores, flyers in disco, or other way's ?:
I don't recall seeing any ads for the acetates, they were illegal after all. It was all word of mouth as far as I know of.

-You had bought some acetates at the sunshine sound office, can you describe how it looks:
It was a very small and office like, with a cutting lathe in a corner.

-Was it always crowded at Sunshine Sound:
When I went I was the only person there. It was a very small operation.

-Did you know the Owner Frank Trimarco and other personel:
I met Frank and watched him cut my acetates right there while I waited for them. This was in 1979 after I had moved to New York.

-What were the prices of the acetates in that time:
They weren't that expensive, I'm thinking $5.00 - $10.00, Maybe more the 12" acetates as well. I really don't recall what I paid for them, but I know they were a lot cheaper to find then than they are now! - What was the average price of a 12 inch that time ? I believe that they were $2.99 at the most.

-Did you ever consider making your own edit's and presses them on Acetate ?:
I just used Tape Edits myself, never had any of them pressed up, they were for my personal use.

-Did you have friend DJ's who made a mix/edit ?:
My friend Warren Gluck did the "I Will Survive" mix. He told me he did it all live, he did a couple of runs to prepare and then did the whole mix in 1 take. Pretty Impressive I thought. There's phasing and doubling going on with the Gloria Gaynor song, and then the "At Midnight" drums kept as the rhythm under the whole song. Nice Mix, after that came out, I think almost every DJ in the world mixed those 2 songs together.

-Do you also have other Disco acetates labels like Angel Sound or disco Queen, or didn't you knew them:
I did not know of those back in the day.

-Are you still DJ'ing today:
I do a Trocadero event once a year in San Francisco, celebrating the music of The Trocadero, where DJ Bobby Viteritti, Michael Lewis, Rob Kimball, and many other DJ's came to fame.

You can check out the event at: www.remembertheparty.com http://www.remembertheparty.com/

Here is a list of Sunshine Sound acetates.

10"	Francois Kevorkian mixes (Numbered with F…)
1	Happy song F10001 (12" and 10")
2	Magic Bird Of Fire F 10002
3	Denise Lasalle-Freedom To Express Yourself F 10003
4	I Feel Love F 10004
5	Disco 77 F 10005
6	Jam On The groove F 10006
7	BRA F10007
8	Erucu F 10008
9	Do Your Dance F 10009
10	Osiris (4:42) F 10010 Mix By:Ramses II BPM 120
11	Groove City F 10011
12	???? F 10012
13	Talk That Talk F 10013
	Here is Francois Kevorkian's comment on a forum about his acetate mixes: "Erucu" is something I did early on (Summer 1977) with two turntables, a mixer, a reel-to-reel and an edit block. The only edit which I did that consciously copied Walter was the 'Happy Song' one, as this was his trademark thing, and very difficult to do live. It was also the first thing I ever edited, with scissors, scotch tape and no edit block, before I even started being an active DJ. But when it comes to Erucu, although he obviously was the one originally playing it the most from two copies of the original album where it appears as a 3-minute piece, I took liberties to sprinkle it with a bunch of breaks from other records which I found gave it really striking percussive power, and extended it my own way, based on how I was using it myself with other records as a live medley, as by that time I was already playing a fair amount of DJ gigs around town. Here are some breaks I used in the Erucu: "My Sweet Summer Suite" Love Unltd. Orchestra "Erotic Soul" Larry Page "Here We Go Again" People's Choice "One More Try" Ashford & Simpson There's also a bit of "Surfing Bird" by the Trashmen at the end... LOL The Sunshine Sound acetates were mono, as this was all the system there was capable of at the time. My edit master of it is however done in stereo. My edit of "Erucu" was erroneously attributed to Walter in the Tim Lawrence liner notes of Walter's "Mixed With Love", (as quoted by Tony Smith) but this has since been rectified. I am not aware of any edit of that song made by Walter, I could well be mistaken as he was notorious for doing a lot of custom stuff.
	John Morales mixes
14	Instant Replay-Mix by John Morales
15	Hold Your Horses -Mix by John Morales
16	Lady Bug- Mix By John Morales And Frank Of Sunshine Sound
17	Gotta Find A Disco Mix by John
18	Date With the Rain Mix By John
19	Chic-Freak Out Mix By John Morales
20	One Of A Kind Gift Mix By John
21	Hot Shot -Mix By John
22	Do Ya Think I'm Sexy Mix By John Morales
23	Beautiful Bend Mix By John Morales
24	118 bpm Medley Mix By John Morales
25	In The Bush-Mixed by John Morales
26	I Wanna Be Near You- Mix By John
27	The Answer-Mix By John
	Other remixers:
28	Abba-Lay All Your Love On Me mono version
29	Abba-Lay All Your Love On Me Disconet version
30	( same version as issued on disconet vol. 4#1)
31	Amor
32	Accidental Love-Mix By:Nikki
33	Anything Goes
34	Ashford & Simpson Mastermix
35	At Midnight PED 116 BPM time (13:00)
36	B-2 (Max B)
37	B-2 / F**K You
38	B-2/Disco Trukking
39	Back To Music (Medley)
40	Back To Music Remix By :Jim Cohn
41	Bad Luck(33)/Ella Ella Mix (45)
42	Bad Luck-Mix By Vince Michaels
43	Bimbo Jet / Palo Bonito
44	Block Party-Anthony White
45	Body Work-Tony Washington
46	Brazil
47	Carmine & Co-Rhythmatism 7:35
48	Choo Choo Train
49	Chatanooga Choo Choo
50	Chequers-Undecided Love
51	Chicago Theme
52	Chic-Mixed By Michel Beauchamp (5:50)
53	Chinese Kung Fu
54	Chinese Kung Fu/Chicago Theme 1975
55	Chinese Kung Fu/Disco Trucking
56	Choosin You (Lenny Williams)
57	Columbian Disco (Medley)
58	Come Back
59	Come Into My Heart –Mix By Chuchu
60	Crystal World 1975
61	Crystal World/E Man Boogie (Jimmy Castor)
62	Dance
63	Dance Little Lady Remix By Chuck The Jock
64	Dance with me By Jim Cohn
65	Dance,Dance,Dance -By Bennie
66	Devils Gun Mix by Keith Dumpson and Ray Perez
67	Disco Choo Choo-Mixed By Michel Beauchamp (10:40)
68	Disco Excitement Mix By Jim Cohn
69	Disco Toure (8:55)
70	Do Your Dance
71	Do It Anyway You Wanna Mix by:Phil Silverman
72	Do It Anyway You Wanna/When You're Young And In Love
73	Do What You Wanna Do-Mix By Gary baxter
74	Don't Leave Me This Way
75	Dreaming A Dream -4:48 Mix By:Phil Silverman BPM 122
76	Dreaming A Dream/El Caravanero
77	Ease On Down The Road
78	El Bimbo vocal/El Bimbo instr.
79	Ella Ella
80	Erucu: Mix by Dewane Dixon
81	Every Beat Of My heart(33)/Spree(45)
82	Everybody’s Fool
83	Exodus
84	Extra
85	Faster Faster (Donna Summer)
86	Feel My Love-George Mccrea Mix By:Steve Thompson and Michale Arato
87	First, Last Everything/Are You Ready For This 1975
88	Flip -6:21 Mix By :P.A.J. BPM 122
89	Footsteps In The Shadows
90	For The Love Of Money
91	Forever Came Today (10:35)
92	Free Style Mantus
93	Freedom To Express Yourself
94	Funky Dancer (Medley)
95	Funky Tambourine
96	Garden Of Love-Cerrone
97	Get A Load Of Him (Instrumental)
98	Get A Load Of Him (Vocal)
99	Get Of The Streets Y All / Beggin
100	Get Of The Streets Y All / Mongoose
101	Get On The Funk Train –Canadian Mix By: J.L
102	Get On Up And Boogie-Silver Convention -8:00 BPM 104
103	Girl You Need a Change / Crystal World
104	Give It Up Turn It Loose
105	Give Me Your Love / A Better Man Than You
106	Good Times
107	Gloria Gaynor
108	Hanging Out (Kool And the Gang)
109	Happy Brazillia/Ella Ella 1975
110	Helplessly
111	Here Comes That Sound Again
112	Hijack (Barrabas)
113	Hollywood 2 (Medley)
114	Hollywood Hot(33)/Come Back(45)
115	Hollywood Mix By Jay (Medley)
116	Hooked For Life (Tramps)
117	Hot Shot By Michael Ervin
118	I Can't Turn It Loose Mix By J.L.
119	I Don’t Know- Mix By M.C.
120	I Love The Nightlife-Mixed By Michel Beauchamp
121	Jeremiah-Mix By Roy Crichlow Dance Master Disco
122	Jungle (different than the one from Bob Drake)
123	Jungle / Stand Up And Be Counted
124	Jungle -7:58 Mix By:Bob(Robert) Drake BPM 120
125	Just Can't Say Goodbye
126	Jumpin At The Woodside-Gong Show
127	Just begun (Jimmy castor)
128	Keep God On Your Side
129	Keep On Movin
130	Keep On Jumpin
131	Lady bump
132	Lady,Lady,Lady/Falbala (magic band)
133	Land Of Make Believe-Champ boys Remix By Chuck The Jock
134	Lassie Faire By Gichy Dan
135	Law Of The Land Mix By :Paul Cassella
136	Let The Music Play -8:17 BPM 130
137	Let The Music Play-(8:17) Giorgio
138	Letter From Miami / Watu Wasuri
139	Lifeline (instr.)-Metaphors
140	Listen To Me
141	Love Can
142	Love Took A Day Off
143	Love Is The Message- Mix By Keith Dumpson
144	Love Shack part II (Friends Of Distinction) 4:10
145	Mannu Dibango
146	Mahogany Mix By:Dewane Dixon
147	Makes You Blind mix by:Jorge R.Wheeler
148	Melodies
149	Midnight / Sock It To Em Soul Brothers
150	Misunderstood- Mix By Jay
151	My Baby Loves Lovin -Hyla Parker
152	My Numbers Up Mix By :Terry Chapman
153	My Sweet Summer Suite -6:30 Mix By:Keith Dumpson BPM 120
154	My Sweet Summer Suite/Chines Kung Fu
155	My Sweet Summer Suite (Different)
156	Nessa / Jungle
157	Nessa / Law Of The Land
158	Never Can Say Goodbye/In The Pocket 1975
159	Night Fever
160	Oba / Crystal World
161	On A Day Like Today by Gichy Dan&Beechwood number 9 (August Darnell)
162	One Night Affair/What A Difference A Day Makes-Both sides Ester Phillips
163	Only The Strong Survive-Billy Paul
164	Papa Joe / 1,2,3
165	Peanut Vendor (Ritchie family)
166	Pegaus
167	Phila City
168	Piece Of Mind after hours
169	Porto Rico
170	Porto Rico/Come Back 1975
171	Pretty Maid /Hey Big John
172	Pull Up To The Bumper (Grace Jones)
173	Pyramid Disco (7:25)
174	Reach Out
175	Say The Word-The Trammps
176	Sex Machine -6:34 BPM 120
177	Snapshot-Delorus Hall -1979
178	Somebody's Gotta Go Mix by Joel D
179	Spree
180	Stand Up Part 1 / Black Water Gold
181	Standing In The Rain -6:58 Mix by:Patsy BPM 126
182	Standing In The Rain Again
183	Standing In The Rain PZ-10001
184	Star Wars -4:51 Mix By:Jay BPM 128
185	Staying Alive different mix
186	Staying Alive Mix By : M.C.
187	Stubborn Kind Of Fella
188	Summer Of '42/ B-2 Mix By Phil Silverman
189	Super Queen
190	Suspicious Love/Baby Soul
191	Sweet Cream-I Don’t Know
192	Take Me Down A Lance Dance Edit
193	Take My Love-Music Makers
194	Teamwork-medley-Mix By Jesus And Albie
195	Teddy Pendergrass
196	Teddy Pendergrass -8:01 Canadian mix by P.A.J BPM 124
197	The Diana Ross And Supremes Medley Mixed By PED part 1
198	The Girl From Ipanema
199	Thelma Houston-Don't Leave Me This Way
200	The Visitors-Abba
201	The Zoo / Jungle
202	Thrustmaker
203	Thumb A Ride/El Caravanero 1975
204	Tina Charles-side #1 :Dance Little Lady Dance side #2:You Set My Heart–Remix By Chuck The Jock
205	Tip Top Theme
206	Trouble-maker /Side #2 Breaking Heart
207	Turn It Around
208	Two Pigs & A Hog Mixed by Dewane Dixon
209	Wash And Wear Love-Lynn Vanardo Gator Records 1202
210	Were Is The Love
211	What About Love-The Entertainer(45)/Baby Soul-Brazil-La Balanga(33)
212	Who Is He And What Is He To You
213	You Are A Starr-Jakki (6:46)
214	You Got It Made
215	You Set My Heart On Fire
216	You Set My Heart–Remix By Chuck The Jock / Side #2 Exodus
217	You Should Be Dancin
218	You Take My Love For Granted-Dennis Bram
219	You're The One (Part 1)-Little Sister
220	Zulema-A Mother Cries (Vocal 4:29)/(Instr. 3:55)

7"
1	Headline News 1975
2	Phila City
3	Breakaway
4	Friends-Harold Melvin
5	Disco Boogie Woman Part 1
6	Disco Boogie Woman Part 2
7	Were Is The Love
8	Thumb A Ride-Earl Wright
9	Bee Free / Happy Brazilia
10	Je Reve A Rio
11	Makayo
12	Tell Me What You Want-Jimmy Ruffin
13	Chocolats-Brasilia Carnaval (instr.)
14	My Suite Summer Suite-Love Unlimited Orch. (Break only)
15	Must Be Going Out Of My Head/I Got The Feeling Now
16	Micky Mouse/Porky Pig

12"
1	Hold Tight/Lady Bump-Mix By Mike Lynch 13:03 128 BPM
2	Hot Stuff /Bad Girls Mix By:Jim Cohn
3	The Ritchie Family-Mix By Keith Dumpson
4	Teddy Pendergrass-Mix by P.A.J
5	It's Better Than Good Time Mix by John
6	I Feel Love (Mono version-it was issued before it was issued on Disconet)
7	I Feel Love Mixed by DJ Tommy (Stereo Disconet version)
8	Only You Mix By:John Morales
9	Vaughan Mason & Crew-Bounce Rock Skate Roll (No remix it's the original 12" single)
10	Teddy pendergrass (You Can't Hide From Yourself" And "The More I Get")
11	Back In Love Again-Mixed by John
12	Shotgun-Mystery Weapon
13	Love Fever-Gayle Adams Special Hot Mix By:Mitch Ervin
14	The Medicine Song (11:25)/My Love Is Alive
15	Matts Mood-Remixed By Erik
16	It's A Better Than Good Time Walter Gibbons Mix (14:20)
17	J'Taime-Donna Summer
18	Abba -The Visitors
19	Run To Me -Candi Staton (6:41)
20	808 State -Cubik & Uero
21	Hills Of Katmandu (album version)
22	Dunn Pearson-Groove On Down
23	Four Flight-All I Want Is You
24	Why Did I Have To Fall In Love -Produced By Al Pizarro/Mike Buccieri
25	I Don't Want To be A Freak-Mixed By :Billy DJ
26	Esmeralda Disco-Mixed By:D.J.Ferny
27	Love Hangover
28	Hills Of Katmandu-Patrick Cowley mix
29	Get On The Funk Train
30	Hold on To My Love (Jimmy Ruffin)
31	Love Is The Message
32	I Need You (Sylvestor)
33	Don't Stop The Train
34	Age Of Reason

12 " Medleys

1	I Feel Love Medley Mix By:Terry L.Lind (13:49)
2	Tramps medley
3	Disco Boogie Mix By:Joseph Clark
4	Deadley Medley 1 Mix By:John Morales (11:44)
5	Deadley Medley 2 Mix By:John Morales (9:00)
6	Survive mix Mix By Warren G
7	USA Getting Fruity Mix By DJ Charlie
8	Hot Shot Medley Mix By:Kevin Laform
9	Prince medley Mix By:John Morales
10	Tramps medley Mix By:DJ Worm (different label but same mix as #2)
11	Tramps III
12	Love And Kisses medley Mix By:John Morales
13	Makosa Music Customix By Blade
14	Do Your Dance
15	Downtown Mix-Volume 1 Mix By:D.J.Ton Flasza
16	Mikes Mix
17	Disco 80
18	TDM Disco mix No.1 Mix By:D.J.Ferny
19	TDM Disco mix No.2 Mix By:D.J.Ferny
20	Thank God It's Friday
21	Flashback Medley Part 1&2
22	First price canadian mix contest
23	He's So Shy-mixed by: DJ Billy

Some of the medleys were pressed as vinyl copy and issued as thousand or more copies all over the world.The creators of the original Sunshine Sound Acetate never earned any money for the vinyl copies.

Famous is the Hollywood 1 and the Deadley Medley 1.

Disco Acetates