Considered one of the pioneers of disco, Euro disco, and Indian pop, he has sold millions of records worldwide, and has received an Ivor Novello award for his work.
He has been ranked at number 34 on NME 's "The 50 Greatest Producers Ever" list.
His international breakthrough came in 1974 with "Kung Fu Fighting" performed by Carl Douglas; the song became one of the best-selling singles of all time with eleven million records sold, helped popularise disco music, was the first worldwide disco hit from Britain and Europe, and established Biddu as one of the most prolific dance music producers from outside the United States at the time.
He also launched the careers of other British disco stars such as Tina Charles, and Jimmy James.
He soon began producing his own instrumental albums under the name Biddu Orchestra, which started an orchestral disco trend in Britain and Europe with 1975 hits "Summer of '42" and "Blue Eyed Soul"; his solo albums eventually sold 40 million copies worldwide.
In 1976, Biddu produced his own Rain Forest LP. Combining swishy disco instrumentals with the composer's own Eastern influences, the album proved to be another foray into danceable pop as the title track comes on strong, leaving the rest of the set to unfurl like so many leaves.
And it did indeed score Biddu his second U.K. hit single -- just inching into the Top 40 in April, with the catchy "Chic-Chica-Chic-Chica-Chic" hovering just behind. With the quiet "Laura," "Wings of Love," and "Trippin' on a Soul Cloud" rounding things out, alongside his cover of the My Fair Lady staple "I Could Have Danced All Night," Biddu may not have recaptured his "Summer of '42" glory, but he surely sounded like he had fun trying.
Although the composer's style can be hard to handle, and while his songs sometimes stumble, his ideas sowed the seeds that grew into the (much) later trend of Indian influenced dance music.
Easier on the palate for fans than for band-wagoneering aficionados, Rain Forest nevertheless takes its rightful place in the often eccentric British disco scene.
Side A
A1. Rain Forest - 4:40
A2. Chic-Chica-Chic-Chica-Chic - 3:05
A3. Jump For Joy - 3:11
A4. Laura - 4:45
A5. Soft And Sexy - 3:50
Side B
B1. I Could Have Danced All Night - 3:40
B2. Trippin On A Soul Clou - 4:00
B3. Wings Of Love (Aria) - 4:26
B4. Rock Me With Your Love - 3:48
Companies, etc.
- Phonographic Copyright (p) – CBS Inc.
- Copyright (c) – CBS Inc.
- Made By – Shorewood Packaging
- Recorded At – Nova Sound Studios, London
- Published By – Subiddu Music
- Published By – Robbins Music Corp.
- Published By – Chappell & Co. Ltd.
- Published By – Fresh Air Music Ltd.
- Published By – Chappell
- Produced For – Subbidu Music & Production Ltd
- Lacquer Cut At – CBS, Haarlem
- Pressed By – CBS, Haarlem
Credits
- Arranged By – Biddu, Gerry Shury (tracks: A3, A5, B3), P.P. Williams (tracks: A1, A2, A4, B1, B2, B4)
- Design – J. Guttner, R. Szaybo
- Engineer – Richard Dodd
- Photography By [Cover Picture] – Peter Lavery
- Producer – Biddu
- Score Editor [Scored By] – Gerry Shury, P.P. Williams
- Tape Op [Tape Operator] – Howard Cross
Notes
Release: 1976
Format: LP
Genre: Disco
Label: Epic Records
Catalog# EPC 81168
Prijs: €4,99
Vinyl: VG
Cover: G
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