Boys Town Gang - Disco Kicks: The Complete Moby Dick Records Recordings (2014)

Arriving at the tail end of the disco era The Boys Town Gang, somewhat belatedly summed up everything daring and subversive that the golden age of dance had been known for. The brainchild of San Franciscan DJ/producer Bill Motley, the Boys Town Gang were a hastily assembled fictitious group in the classic industry mould of Shalamar.

The group’s first release contained two tracks that instantly became underground club classics. A discofied medley of the two early solo Diana Ross hits ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ and ‘Remember Me’ immediately opened doors for the group when it appeared on DJ set lists all over the USA in 1981. But the powerhouse track turned out to be on the flipside. ‘Cruisin’ The Streets’ had a new sound that set it apart from any disco record before it.

When ‘Cruisin’ The Streets’ became a massive international club hit a permanent group was formed featuring vocalist Jackson Moore replacing Manley. The newly formed trio’s biggest hit was their discofied cover of the Andy Williams hit ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ which landed them a top ten UK hit in 1982. Further disco and Hi-NRG covers of soul classics such as ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours’ and ‘When Will I See You Again’ gave the group several club hits with guest vocals by the likes of Marlena Shaw, Debbie Jacobs, The Weather Girls and Sylvester.