CARL de ROME

Carl de Rome

’70 disco deejay

(1957 – 2023) RIP

About 4 years ago, I was looking for contact with former IDEA deejays because I was writing a story about for my book.

I was surprised that it turned out to be difficult. Some have even shown distaste for my writing and historical work --- https://idea-dj.blogspot.com/p/cruel-attack-on-author.html

It was even weirder because I wasn't an anonymous nobody. I was already known for my deejaying activities in the '70s as well as my writing. I've done over 100 interviews with big disco stars before.

Besides, there was nothing published about the IDEA agency and its deejays from the 1970s
- zero knowledge / information !!

A few deejays turned out to be willing to cooperate. The most helpful was Carl de Rome who was sending me various information and a lot of photos from his archive about IDEA.

Based on this, I wrote an extensive story about IDEA and its deejays from the 70's --- https://disco-dj-history.blogspot.com/

Carl was a deejay in the 1970s but then switched to a successful magician for the rest of his life.

He died prematurely in February 2023, losing to cancer.

Here is an interview I did with Carl in 2018...

all what I want to do and I do my best for is – to save

as much as possible of whole disco history for future generations

- this is my life goal and passion -

http://disco-dj-history.blogspot.com/
{ an internet eBook about DISCOTHEQUE PIONEERS }

The difference between ignorance and awareness is wisdom
We don't know where we are going unless we know where we've been
Without that knowledge... history is gone with the wind

The word and term “DISCO” Has been stigmatized and therefore not given the respect it deserves. All the Pioneers of the DISCO era deserve respect , it is because of their hard work and dedication that we have been given the gift of this beautiful genre of music.

I have worked very hard for last 10 years as a Disco and Deejay historian to try and to save the facts and preserve the memorabilia from the first days of Disco and then incorporate the rest of the DISCO years into the equation.

early '70 DISCO = (Rock/Pop/Blues/Hard Rock/R&B/Soul/Funk) !!

... the word DISCO is a very wide term and means whole music for dance last 40 years mixed and announced by discotheque deejays – simply DISCO is not a music style but a term used for all styles as music used / play / mix by deejays, for the reason other people dance ...

Many people understand the word DISCO is misinterpreted as late ’70 music and artists, etc. – only

DISCO history is not only: Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Village People or other late ’70 and early ’80 sound.

The history of Disco started many years before the artists mentioned above, sound and time period with music available that times (late ’60-early ’70) for dance ...

I will say it this way: ‘if no late ’60's - early ’70's music and artists – then no Disco at all

with Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Village People, etc.

At first, (late ’60-early’70) I played and mixed with deejay comments music which was popular at that time mostly in Europe

(hard rock blues): Led Zeppelin, Cream, Deep Purple, Budgie, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Black Sabbath, Ten Years After, Jethro Tull, Grand Funk Railroad, etc. The real disco pioneer deejays / old school disco deejays were kind of radio style deejays. We were talking to the microphone between the songs and mix, in the same way radio deejays did. I mean short, fast speech comments and snippets of information were inserted at the end of the introduction and end of the 3 - 4 minutes music of 7" singles.

Then in the middle of '70s the "UK wave" came - labels such as BELL, RAK, PYE and artists like Gary Glitter, Suzy Quatro, Smokie, Bay City Rollers, Status Quo, Slade, Kenny, Elton John, Rod Stewart, etc. I mixed this "UK wave" sound with early and mid '70s USA soul and R&B records - most of all labels like Stax, Motown, ABC, Epic, Columbia.

That was all popular and good music to dance at that time. Middle and late of ’70 more music for dance came – mostly R&B like:

Gary Toms Empire, Crown Heights Affair, Commodores, Kool & Gang, Barry White, Sly & Family Stone, Sister Sledge, Peter Brown, Earth Wind & Fire, Chic, KC & Sunshine Band, Isaac Hayes, Jimmy Castor, Salsoul Orchestra, Silver Convention, etc.

_____________________

Carl de Rome
DISCO pioneer deejay

special disco & DJ history interview for giant eBook

http://disco-dj-history.blogspot.com/

“SILENT RECORDS”
disco history
by
Jan ‘YAHUDEEJ@Y’ Pawul

Y@HU - This time my interview is with deejay CARL de ROME a discotheque pioneer who remembers what was interesting in the DISCO ERA.

Y@HU - when did you decide to become deejay

Carl - It all happened by accident really, as I was a magician and loved entertaining.

Y@HU - when and where did it really start

Carl - when I was 17 saw a Advert for a DJ in a STRIP CLUB AND APPLIED FOR THE JOB HAVING NEVER SPUN A DISC IN MY LIFE, talked my way into it, and wow was I bad, But the boss saw potential and gave me 2 nights a week, after 6 months I was doing all 6 nights, so I must have done something right.

Y@HU - how long have you been in this business ?

Carl - Christ - about 45 years now and I’m still doing it, plus I know it big headed but the new djs of today have not got a clue how to Entertain, as that’s what we were, NOT JUST DJs, WE WERE ENTERTAINERS.

Y@HU - Why IDEA agency opened in Denmark if you know and deejays from UK ?

Carl - I HAD NEVER HEARD OF IDEA until John Stewart and Micky Jon let me know, before them one of the first DJs from Blackpool to work for IDEA in Denmark was Steve Murby later on Terry Shaw, and Brian Wilkinson and a few others all from Blackpool all worked for IDEA and other agencies that were about.

YOUR MEMORIES

Y@HU - Tell me something (as much as possible) about the pioneer artists and deejays you

know / you've met in your career (especially disco era / IDEA agency) ?

Carl - WELL I WORKED ALL OVER DENMARK FOR THE FIRST YEAR 1996, as I said I went over to work one week only as a favor to a friend, But the money was so good and the women were great, and the parties were brilliant, How the hell could I go back to work in the UK, in Blackpool at the time I was one of the best paid DJs, and was on at that time £57 a week, as soon as I was in Denmark I was on £800 a month, and getting laid a hell of a lot. First night I got laid by 2 women, and thought Im staying here.

Y@HU - Do you keep / hold any contact with the other Disco deejays /artists / '70 mega stars (can you mention any names) with whom you've become close friends maybe, because of your work ?

Carl - I keep hold of a lot of dj contacts BUT LAST YEAR FOUND OUT A LOT OF PEOPLE I THOUGHT WERE GOOD OLD DJ FRIENDS were not at all, and just full of shit, so I’ve now Blocked a lot of them from my life and to be honest they can go and fuck themselves, a lot of the old lads are so full of themselves and think they were the best Disc Jockeys ever to breath, and the worst thing is most of them are retires or in normal jobs, and they still think they are Superstars.

We have has 2 reunions of all the old Scandinavian DJs, the first was in Kobenhavn and was great

The second Myself and Terry Shaw sorted out in Blackpool England, also a great event, as we were all getting older and over 30 of us old pioneer DJs have now passes away.

Y@HU - Tell me about the most exciting moments in / about your deejay career / IDEA career ?

Carl - Really it wasn’t about being exited it was about having fun, entertaining the Scandinavians and playing good music to them that they could not really get hold of, and OK the SEX played a big part as well, as I said before the women wow were they great.

IN NORWAY these are some of the places towns I’ve worked over the years, some towns Like Oslo, Bergen, Tromso many, many times.

Actually to answer the question about excited. Was at 6 in the morning when I first sailed into Kristiansand to work Hotel Caladonian, sailing in from Denmark, never been to Norway before and seeing how beautiful it was, that was a sight I will never ever forget, just like seeing the northern lights for the first time.

Kristionsand Mandal Flekkefjord Egersund Bryne Sandnes Stavanger Arendal Risor Keragero Leirvik Haugesund Stord Storebo Grimstad Tonsberg Horten Moss Fredrickstad Halden Sarpsborg Oslo Drammen Larvik Honnefoss Holmestrand Stavern Kongsberg Bergen Tvederstrand Langesund Statella Skien Porsgrunn Voss Askim Asker Arnes Skarnes Kongsvinger Elverum Hamar Brummendal Gjovik Lillehammer Vinstra Otta Dokka Forde Tynset Rena Alesund Loen Bremanger Maloy Andalsnes Eidsvag Kristiansund Sundalsora Roros Stordal Brekstad Levanger Steinkjer Verdal Meraka Namsos Mosjoen Nesna Rossvoll Rognan Fauska Bodo Narvik Tromso Alta Kirkenes Batsfjord Hammerfest Berlevag

Y@HU - Do you remember / can you tell who was (in your opinion) best deejay / deejays you met ?

Carl - I’ve always admired many DJs and lucky I’ve stayed friends with most of them, unfortunately some have now passed away, like my great DJ friend GARY TAYLOR who they actually lay to rest tomorrow (12 I 2018), same with Steve Marvin real name Steven Smith, and PETE JENSEN real name Peter Hayes and Mikie Burke a old DJ friend who did 2 world records at playing music, I was lucky to be with him for the whole of his second record attempt in Tromso Norway.

Also all passed away, but there are good djs still I’m friends with, Terry Shaw, Nutty Butty, Terry Keelan, Taffy, Tony Armstrong, really the list can go on and on.

But there are also some arse holes like Gary Robbinson, who was the tightest Disk Jockey you could ever meet, never ever bought a drink, and would stab you in the back anyone in the back if it got him attention, these are the type of Disc Jockeys I cant stand.

Y@HU - Who were (as you remember) some of the great parties and DJs of the disco '70 era time ?

Carl - YES PARTIES SO MANY OF THEM REALLY, THAT IT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG, but as I said the women were fantastic, you really cant beat a Scandinavian woman.

Y@HU - Since you're one of the pioneer disco DJ's - how was the DJ regarded in the beginning and how has it changed during the years ?

Carl - IN THE BEGINNING we were literally treated like superstars, if you walked down the street people would come out of the shops to look and point at you, and have a photo taken. In those days with a camera NO MOBILE PHONES IN THE 70s and 80s remember.

Y@HU - Have you ever done something else or is DJ'ing your life ?

Carl - YES I was a magician as a 10 year old and up, and still did some when I was a DJ,
the I went back to doing the illusion shows all over Norway, and also Karaoke, party DJing and then 10 years ago I personally came up with a brand new entertainment concept, combining DJing skills, singings skills Karaoke skills and entertainment skills, put them all together and you have my ORIGINAL ALLSANG SHOW… if anyone want to see its all on my web site www.cdrmagic.com

Y@HU - What do you think about today's techno / house etc. and deejays who use old tracks, samplers, CD mixers, put new beats of computer programs, and "create" special versions of the songs and burn CD's at home of their "creations?" or produce on 12" vinyl. Is this serious or just fake ? - I mean they create nothing in fact - they just use good music made by someone else from the past. In other words they can create nothing if it wasn't from such old, good records of the '70 ?

Carl - Personally I’m not impressed with most of the music of today, and most of the DJs well THEY ARE NOT DJS AT ALL, a dj is a entertainer, most today are really record players, mixing when it came in about 1979 was good, but then we mixed and also talked and livened up a crowd of people, over the years its now just mix mix mix, and to me its bloody boring as hell, they people wonder why the disco scene has gone down. When I started off it was 9 days a week working, YES 9 you read it right, as we worked 7 nights a week, and on top on Saturday and Sunday afternoons we had 2 T DANCES TO ALSO WORK, now the club scene here in Norway down to just Friday and Saturdays some places only Saturdays.

Y@HU - Where do you live now ?

Carl - I live in Norway in a small town called KVAM, its one hour north of Lillehammer, or 3 hours North of Oslo. I live with my second wife Merete and we have a lovely Daughter Martina, shes now 24 and we have 3 great grand children.

Y@HU - What music style do you prefer and vinyl or CD ?

Carl - Answer really is all types, but I’m getting to like downloads now as in the old days we had to carry loads and loads of singles, LPs and other stuff everywhere, now with a hard drive you can carry everything, so technology has had its advantage for 2018.

Y@HU - Do you plan to write any book about '70 discos / deejays / artists / IDEA ?

Carl - NO, YOU SEEM TO BE DOING THE JOB WELL ENOUGH.

Y@HU - No doubt for me that Afro-Am artists created late '70 disco music, disco history based on soul and R&B - what is your point of view ? BUT we had great disco music here in Europe also.

Carl - My taste in music is really a bit of everything from Northern Soul as I was one of the few who use to go to Wigan Casino every Saturday for the all nighters. I loved Glam Rock as I was brought up in the 70s, saw the Sweet, Mud, Bay City Rollers, Alvin Stardust, Status Quo, Rod Stewart, Showaddywaddy, KC and the Sunshine Band, George McCray, Boney M, and the likes live and they were great times, or that’s what I remember them as.

Y@HU - Do you feel yourself as connected any way to the disco pioneers whose created late '70 discotheques and today clubs history ?

Carl - I was one of them so yes my mates alive and dead we did a great job.

Y@HU - Do you prefer very early old style, (radio close style) deejays use microphone, speak to the people or those came later - just mixing records with BPM, pitch control ?

Carl - I THINK I’VE SAID THIS BEFORE - A DJ NEEDS TO TALK, its called getting life and atmosphere into a club and ENTERTAINING THE PEOPLE. Any one can mix, but a professional DJ needs to be able to Entertain. Christ - a lot of todays Discjockeys – SORRY, RECORD PLAYERS can’t even wish someone happy bloody birthday, and can’t talk into a microphone with out being sick.

Y@HU - How do you remember (your memories / facts) Alan Lawrie – good for deejays ?

Carl - ALAN I never met for many years, and to be honest when I met him he was suppose to help and do things for his reunion me and terry was doing, and he did fuck all, so he was a waste of time, IDEA was not the only agency in the 70s and 80s. There was Gerry Coard with EUROPA INTERNATIONAL. Now Gerry was special and I worked in Denmark for him and in fact it was Gerry that took me to Norway. Also another great agency was Micky Olsens NOR BOOKING, excellent agency and they also fitted out discos all over the place. In Norway the BEST AGENCY EVER WAS TOR TENDENS SCAN BOOKING, really the best agent you could ask to work with. He only had 12 clubs and would not have any more, he had a waiting list of clubs waning him to supply them with his DJs, as Tor Only had the best DJs working for him.

Y@HU - Have you won any awards for your career / gold records, etc. ?

Carl - NO never needed to as I’ve always made a living out of being who I am.

Y@HU - Who were (as you remember) some of the great show and artist of the time ?

Carl - Most of the bands groups and artists of the 70s and 80s as they knew how to entertain and hold a crowed of people, they worked and did all the clubs and paid there dues, not like artists of today.

Y@HU - Do you regular work now as a deejay ?

Carl - YES I STILL DO, I’m also a singer have my ALLSANG and sing a long show and I have the 2 illusion shows I have been performing for over 25 years, The most popular one being the horror illusion show. Below are links to my web sites, and on the ALLSANG PAGE about 150 or over links to songs I perform live.

www.cdrmagic.com
http://www.cdrmagic.com/illusion-act/horror-show
http://www.cdrmagic.com/illusion-act/family-show
http://www.cdrmagic.com/sing-a-long-allsang
http://www.cdrmagic.com/info-videos

Y@HU - Have you still got/hold your DJ record collection ?

Carl - YES MOST OF IT, as my first wife burned a lot of the main collection.

Y@HU - Could you name some of your favorite Disco songs ?

Carl - SORRY there are too many to mention but the likes of the O’Jays, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, and music from that era were mostly brilliant.

Y@HU - How disco was labeled around that time (USA most of all) and why – “as fag” ? Who is “guilty” of such opinion – Americans or Europeans ?

Carl - AMERICANS 100%.

Y@HU - How valid that time in real(!?!) was: Larry Levan, Paradise Garage, David Mancuso, The Loft, Studio 54, Nicky Siano, Bee Gees, Saturday Night Fever - maybe it was / they were too much over publicity than real value for disco, deejay and music scene and it stay like this until today for a few history less educated people ?

Carl - WAS GREAT MUSIC and the BEE GEES wow could they write hit songs.

Y@HU - What was the last impact of those early ’70 disco ?

Carl - The music of the disco era will live on forever, its was the best of times to be a DJ and we all had a great time doing the job. I would not change one thing.

Y@HU - What are you think of today’s music business ?

Carl - really shit, most can’t sing none can play any instrument and they all mime and are way over paid.

Y@HU - What is your life now - what projects are you working on now ?

Carl - I’M A FULL TIME ENTERTAINER, ALWAYS HAVE BEEN AND CAN NEVER SEE MYSELF DOING ANYTHING ELSE ITS IN MY BLOOD.

Y@HU - What more do you want to tell - I mean - is there anything I did not ask BUT you want to tell us about ?

Carl - Don’t trust old friends that you don’t really know, as they will shit on you the first chance they get, see my Gary Robinson quote in another place for this.

Y@HU - Thank you and let me ask you some questions again in some time - OK?

Carl - Cheers Carl de Rome :-))))))

January 2018

... click on the pix to enlarge ...