This We Dug: K.C. and the Sunshine Band

(In this installment, Wallflower Dave Rinck revisits the bouncy side of the ’70s.)

K.C. and the Sunshine Band group shotWe used to have a great Halloween tradition in San Diego, which I am frankly surprised hasn’t been covered here yet. Anyway, I’m sure someone will get around to this one soon enough. Of course I’m talking about the Pink Panther Halloween Ball. Man, that was fun!

The deal is, one year I was attending this event, and I ran into Darren Grealish and Burt Huerta, and these guys had on these leisure suits with lapels out to their shoulders. (I think I was dressed as a gerbil or something equally stupid.) I mean, they looked great, almost as if they had just stepped out of Studio 54 in about 1978. And Darren says to me, “People think I’m dressed up for Halloween, but this is how I like to dress every day!”

And who wouldn’t? I mean, come on get real: Black leather biker jackets and torn jeans every day? How much of that stuff can you really stand before you need to cut your jive talkin’ and lighten up a bit? Yes, if punk rock can be summed up as the Mister Hyde of our angry rebellious youth, then Disco would be the happy Doctor Jekyll.

The ’70s was a tough era, and when Americans had had enough “Chinese Rocks” and “Beat on the Brat,” it just seemed natural to want to let loose and par-tay. And the band that provided the soundtrack to the ’70s Disco party was none other than K.C. and the Sunshine Band.

I bet enough coke has been snorted to the sound of this band to finance the entire federal budget deficit until the end of the Obama administration. Yes, sometimes nothing sums it up better than those famous simple but provocative stanzas:

Oh, do a little dance, make a little love
Get down tonight, get down tonight
Do a little dance, make a little love,
Get down tonight, get down tonight, baby
Do a little dance, make a little love
Get down tonight, get down tonight
Get down, get down, get down, get down
Get down tonight baby
Wo wo wo wo wo wo wo wo

Words to live by; I couldn’t have said it better myself. In fact, I won’t even try. But I will say this – I always imagine that if someday angry aliens come down in a UFO from space and ask us what it is that really makes us great, I mean, hey earthlings, give us one excuse why we shouldn’t just blow your filthy little environmentally unfriendly crappy pompous little planet into a gazillion smithereens, the only chance we’d have of saving our world would not be to not to play them Mozart’s Symphony No. 9 in D major or show them the Mona Lisa or some such fine art.

The only way we’d be able to save our selves from our extraterrestrial tormentors would be (you guessed it) – roll out a rousing chorus of some “yeah, yeah i want to put on my my my my my boogie shoes just to boogie with you, yeah.” It may never come to that, but who knows? It might … So where are those crazy guys now? Well, according to the official KCSB website, it’s 2008 and K.C. and the gang are touring their ways through the hearts and minds of America once again. Some things never change! K.C. is still my boogie man. In fact, my motto in life is, “You can never have too much K.C. and the Sunshine Band”!

— David Rinck

More “This We Dug”:

52 thoughts on “This We Dug: K.C. and the Sunshine Band”

  1. Loved KCSB then, still love ’em! I don’t think I made it to the Pink Panther Halloweens because I was in Humboldt but I remember going to Disco Night at the Pink Panther in the summertime or Christmas break (they had the “twelve days of Xmas” at the PP and the Casbah with a special event each night). Those were some good times! I scored a brown Angels Flight leisure suit, polyester “photo” shirt, and platform shoes at the thrift store in Eureka and wore it with pride on those nights.

    I DJ on New Years Eve here in Alameda and KCSB is always a crowd pleaser later in the night.

    Remember House of Ice in La Mesa? I used to skate there on Fridays a lot in the 70s.

    0

  2. There were definitely some great songs to come out of the disco era. Some of my favorites include:

    “Rock the Boat” by the Hues Corporation
    “More Than a Woman” and “Night Fever” by the Bee Gees (the whole Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack while we’re at it)
    “Boogie Oogie Oogie” by A Taste of Honey
    “Star Wars Theme” by Meco
    “TSOP” by MFSB
    “When Will I See You Again” by the Three Degrees
    “Boogie Nights” and “Groove LIne” by Heatwave

    I went to ONE dance at Marston Junior High School. It was held, after school in the cafeteria. There was only one 45 at the dance, the Ohio Players’ “Fire, ” which was played over and over about twenty-five times. Now that was a party.

    0

  4. The first disco song I ever heard was at the Palisades rolling skating rink in North Park. They were playing That’s The Way (uh huh, uh huh) I Like It.

    0

  6. I remember putting on Le Freak by Chic and strategically placing a waterproof sleeping bag half way down a long hall, taking a running start and sliding on my knees across the room over and over on pure dance adrenalin.

    Disco was pretty fluffy. I like it more now in retrospect and love the P-funk, Earth, Wind & Fire and early 80’s Rick James or Zapp & Rogers.

    I admit lip synching “I will Survive” with my friends (with a Mr. Microphone).

    They played those classic disco songs to death at high school dances like “Celebrate” and “Reunited”. Now they are played at everyone’s wedding reception! I’d be ok if I never heard ’em again. Put “Thriller” on that list too.

    0

  7. Kristi: You reminded me that I did the Hustle on stage for my sixth grade graduation at Silvergate Elementary in Point Loma.
    Remember “The Bump”? We’d get bruises on our hips from bumpin so hard!
    Never a disco queen (never could dance) but I loved to rollerskate! I had these fabulous adidas tennis shoe skates. Xanadu anyone?

    0

  8. I actually owned a somewhat “rare” 8-track recorder, not just a player but one that would actually record. And even back in the day, I was a cheap bastard, so cheap that when Saturday Night Fever came out on the double lp, I recorded it to my blank 8-tracks and then took the album back to the store for full credit when you were still able to do that.

    0

  9. Get the funk outta my face, get the funk outta this place.

    Get
    The
    Funk

    Outta My Face.

    The Brothers Johnson do actually rule the entire known universe.

    Everyone already knows that…right?

    Patrick Works

    0

  10. “What was the music that we were listening to when we first held hands with another in puppy love?”

    Oh wow, whenever I hear “You Got the Best of My Love”, I think about how much I wanted to ask Jocelyn Valencia, this pretty girl in my junior high school summer class, to skate with me during “couples Skate” at Palisades Roller Rinck. I was such a nerd, I never got up the guts to do it, and she probably would have refused my advances anyway sigh…

    Good thing too, I was such a lousy skater I probably would have tripped and fallen down on her or something.

    0

  11. Roller rin(c)ks…

    *Summer of ’75* Moved to Wichita Falls, TX from San Diego—we had to move there for a year so my dad, who was in the Navy, could attend some training at Shepard AFB. We had to leave PRONTO, which meant I didn’t get to attend my 6th Grade graduation. That was one long ass drive in a station wagon packed with 2 adults, 3 kids, 1 dog, 1 cat, and 2 rats. (We lost our cat out the back window sometime after we left Carlsbad Caverns.) Oh and in El Centro, the car broke down and we had to stay the night at a Holiday Inn—luxury for our family. Anyway, TMI. Back to the topic at hand—MUSIC. I clearly remembering us kids battling with my dad over what station to listen to. He wanted country, mom wanted oldies, and we wanted our TOP 40. I mean, come on, what else was there back then? And we certainly didn’t have a cassette-equipped radio. Eventually, the kids won (we did outnumber THEM.) So the trip was FINALLY filled with: • Shining Star by Earth, Wind & Fire, • Black Water by the Doobie Bros (my older bro was a huge fan), • Lady Marmalade by LaBelle, • Lovin’ You (can’t remember who that lady was with the highest voice I had ever heard—downright ear-shattering), misc. Elton John, etc.

    So we finally arrive in TX. On the way to our house we passed the neighborhood Dairy Queen and we knew that that would be a future hangout. Our neighborhood just happened to be called “Tornado Alley!” I thought that was the coolest thing ever. Growing up in SD didn’t exactly offer much wild weather, except for heat and Santa Ana winds. I found out soon enough that THE thing to do was…SKATE. Every Friday night. Don’t be late or even think about missin’ it. Nothin’ like skatin’ in a circle to “Jive Talkin,'” “Fame,” and “Get Down Tonight.” Man, those were the days. The crushes. The sweaty palms. The butterflies. The yearning. And hoping that THAT boy would pick you to skate during “couple’s skate.” Of course it never happened. It was always the boys you didn’t like. Skating also offered another perk—being out when a tornado warning was in effect. What this meant was since our parents couldn’t leave the house to pick us up, we were all shuttled to the Mickey D’s across the street. (They had a storm cellar and the rink didn’t.) They served us complimentary shakes, fries, basically whatever we wanted. Now, that was cool.

    :: Love me some wicked weather & tasty tunes to go with ::

    0

  12. Amen brother Pat! I think that there’s definitely a link between the Flamingos ” I Only Have Eyes For You” and Brothers Johnson “Strawberry Letter 23”.

    0

  13. Disco puppy love! Oh man! First french at a school dance -- none other than “Reunited” playing in the background. Can’t seem to get away from Peaches & Herb. “Shake your Groove Thang” puts the boogie in my bootie tho’!

    0

  15. Don’t pass any Jimmy “bo” Horne 45’s on TK. They are usually written by KC and Jimmy is backed by the Sunshine band on most of his tracks.
    “let me be your lover” is a good cheapy 45.

    0

  16. I remember my first puppy love music purchase.
    I bought Foreigner’s first album for my first big 6th grade crush, DJ.
    My Mom drove me to his soccer game, where I presented the album in Christmas giftwrap and a nice red bow. I think the color on my face was only a shade or two paler than the bow by the time I had enough courage to give DJ the present! I think I was wearing my tight white Dittos jeans that day…

    0

  19. Oh girlz, stop it w/ the Doritos, ahem Dittos! {Kristen} that story made me laugh SO hard. 😀 That poor girl. What IS it with boys and those ketchup packets? Ok, I’ll admit, I did stomp on a few myself. But it always backfired and got me! Doh! Wonder if kids are still doin’ that? Will have to ask the girl tomorrow.

    Dittos. I had ’em in way too many colors: pink, red, yellow, sky blue, and daringly, even white. You see, there was an all Dittos store down on University Ave. next door to the grand old single-screen Cinerama Theatre. I remember them being like 10 bux/pair. The only thing about those pants was they certainly weren’t for everyone. They were great for girls with tiny little tushies, but if you had a bubble butt (guilty) that little horseshoe stitching went all outta whack. Man, why DID we wear those? Fashion. Pish.

    0

  22. Oh totally. Don’t you just love how these threads go off on random tangents. I sure do. 😉

    So Dav, what WAS your inspiration for the gerbil costume? And are there pix???

    {Matthew} Thx for fixing my Photobucket fiasco. Now, tell me the secret…

    0

  28. Kristen, he also looks like the construction worker guy from the Village People (without his helmet strapped on)…The other guy just looks broodingly contemplative whilst wearing a tank top & bad hairpiece. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

    0

  31. That picture rules!
    Don’t you love the Chips episode where everyone is rollerskating to “Celebrate”?
    Or when the actor who played “Ralph Mouth” on Happy Days guest stars as a heavy metal god in trouble with the law. Love that show.
    (Interesting that the band was called “Moloch”…..
    hmmmm..foreshadowing….maybe Leighton was a CHIPS fan.)

    You gotta respect Erik Estrada -- “queres es muy macho?” “Ricardo Monteban or Erik Estrada?” -- he totally spoofs himself on the adult swim cartoon Sealab 2021. In one episode he is a human pinata, another a robot (adriane barbobot).

    0

  36. So, why are CA and HI illegal states? Because gerbils are very adaptable creatures and the climates are just about perfect to their liking. The gerbils would run amok and breed like rabbits (but they’re legal!) and destroy the landscape. Ferrets are also illegal in CAand they eat gerbils. The problem is ferrets pose a problem to other wildlife as well. A vicious cycle really. Very political (b.s. IMHO).

    Ferrets are extremely playful, lovable, curious creatures. I had a friend who had one when he lived in Seattle. He moved to SF and couldn’t keep him. 🙁 Had so much fun with that little guy.

    Matthew: Would you buy a ferret there in NJ and bring it to the reunion so we could play with it? Puhleeze. 😉

    0

  41. Brother Johnsons “strawberry 23” is a cover, can not think of the guy who wrote it but his version is also real cooooooooooollllll.

    Brothers Johnson do rule.

    There is a Disco radio show in the bay area. I think on saturday night, not sure of the station either I have stumble on it a couple of time on my way to gigs, very cool show, for some reasons driving across the bay bridge while blasting disco just seems right…..

    Dean do you know this show, station?

    0

  45. I also remember getting my first ‘Tit’. Copping my first feel and being allowed to was a great thrill. More than losing my virginity for sure. It was a crush named Jana and it was in the theater. I’m pretty sure we were watching either “Corvette Summer” with Mark Hammel or it was Jaws! Then afterwards she ‘Jana’ presented me with my first present. It was a 45 of ‘The tide is high’ by Deborah Harry!!!! I was blown away! She liked meeeeeeeeeeee! Now I had to get something for her so the next day I went into Duffy’s Records and Tapes in Mira Mesa and bought her the 45 ‘Love is thicker than water’ by Andy Gibb!!!!!!! God I loved that song! Still do!
    Puppy love was the best feeling I have ever had!

    0

  46. Dylan:
    I also used to listen to that radio show in on Sat nights in the 90s, usually in the car on the way to a show, but I can’t remember the frequency now. It was a local show I think, not syndicated.

    0

  48. I was kinda young when dittos were popular -- puberty hadn’t activated my curves yet --
    I didn’t distract anybody ‘cept one time I got “barked” at by a group of construction workers.
    Did somebody say “Lassie”?

    Or maybe I DID get attention but remember it differently -- getting “pantsed” when rolling out to gym class was like being in the hot-girl spotlight.
    Junior High. The best time of our lives.

    I DO have lovey-dovey memories of sharing a Black Sabbath IV cassette and a coke down at “2nd parking lot” at Sunset Cliffs. One time I let my boyfriend tie the strings of my halter top after slathering me with Coppertone. And there were those silly “seconds in heaven” parties in sixth grade…..omg. I’m totally waxing sentimental!! my thoughts suddenly have soft blurry edges and a Stevie Wonder soundtrack-- Oooooh…make that “Could it be I’m Falling in Love” by the Spinners.

    0

  50. Darren, that was a can of hair mouse in your pants? Oh man, geez that’s take a load off my mind. Damm, 25 years of feeling inadequate can finally end now…

    0

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

© 2024 The Che Underground • Powered by
The Che Underground