Gary's Gang

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Gary's Gang
OriginQueens, New York, U.S.
GenresRock,[1] disco,[2] pop[3][4]
Years active1977–1985
LabelsSAM/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 club play hit, "Can't Get Enough".

Overview[edit]

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[edit]

Albums[edit]

Year Album Label Peak chart positions
US
[9]
US R&B
[9]
1979 Keep On Dancin' Columbia 42 27
Gangbusters
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles[edit]

Year Song Peak chart positions
US Dance
[6]
US R&B
[6]
US Pop
[6]
UK
[8]
1978 "Keep On Dancin' / Do It at the Disco" 1 15 41 8
1979 "Do Ya' Wanna Go Dancin'" 54
"Showtime / Rock Around the Clock"
"Let's Lovedance Tonight" 1 49
"Spirits"
1982 "Knock Me Out" 25 45
1983 "Makin' Music" 8 94
1984 "Runaway"
1990 "Keep On Dancin' 1990" 98
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Disco Mix". Billboard. Vol. 91. November 17, 1979. p. 46.
  2. ^ "Dance/Electronic". Billboard. Vol. 115. May 24, 2003. p. 28.
  3. ^ a b "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. ^ a b c d e "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. ^ a b "GARY'S GANG - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Gary's Gang - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

External links[edit]