Europe's Stars of '80s Dance Pop Vol. 2: 33 International Hitmakers Discuss Their Careers

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Preface

The dance-pop music created in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK and other countries during the ’80s left an intensely uplifting impression that remains with me to this very day. I’ve been turning to this music for nearly four decades to remind myself just how wonderful life can be. I need it, I’m better for it, and I treasure it!

As comprehensive an effort as Europe’s Stars of ’80s Dance Pop (McFarland, 2017), my previous book on the subject, may have been, an era as spectacular and diverse as this decade cannot be adequately represented in just one tome. With great pleasure, I bring you volume two—the remix, if you will—a collection of detailed interviews with 33 additional singers, songwriters, producers, remixers and industry professionals who contributed their talents to this ground-breaking time in dance music history. In doing so, they helped make recording studios in Europe and the UK the ’80s dance capitals of the world.

What was created in this part of the planet during this period was nothing short of sensational. Dance-pop music, be it called Euro-disco, Italo-disco, Brit-pop, house music, Neue Deutsche Welle (New German Wave), Hi-NRG, Eurobeat, New Romantic or any of a vast assortment of classifications, quickly swept the region beginning in the early ’80s—as the United States struggled with its silly post-disco backlash and slow recovery. Incorporating elements of traditional disco, these new productions started taking the sound in new electronic directions. Though most European dance-pop records were recorded in English, many artists were able to circumvent language barriers and enjoy success far beyond their home nation’s borders—singing in his or her native tongue and getting people of all cultures on their feet. Anything was possible back then.

As summer arrived each year, millions of winter-weary fun-seekers would flock to the south of France, Spain and Italy, and the islands of Mallorca and Ibiza. There, they’d hear wonderfully catchy, melodic, beat-drenched songs in cafes, clubs and at festivals, spreading the word about them upon returning to their home bases. This annual ritual helped to create a multitude of international pop hits. In Britain, soulful English house, the irresistible sugar-pop of producers Stock Aitken Waterman, and the edgy electro-dance sounds of acts such as The Pet Shop Boys, Bronski Beat and Erasure spread worldwide like a wildfire. In Italy, the divinely addictive Italo-disco songs released on Ibiza Records, Five, Discomagic and Baby Records became top-sellers. Modern Talking, Sandra, Jennifer Rush and dozens of other artists coming out of the German, Austrian and Swiss territories, as well as a wealth of dance-floor-ready tracks imported by ZYX Records, flooded the airwaves and dominated DJs’ turntables. As saturated as the European music charts were with American pop songs, infectious, flavorful and highly unique dance tracks from virtually every corner of the continent (including previously somewhat less prolific creative hubs, such as Belgium and Holland) were getting noticed and reaching the top of the hit surveys. Increasingly, many of these hits made their way to the US charts. If you liked a good beat and a strong hook, it was a mind-boggling time to be alive.

The dance-pop music created in Europe and the UK during this era was a mix of cultures that reflected a tremendously positive and joyous attitude about life. Times were generally good and prosperous across the continent (evidenced by the big crowds filling record shops and buying up everything in sight), and much of the era’s pop music reflected a care-free flavor, light and uplifting. Other songs were more imposing and serious. But all of it had the power to excite, pump the heart and create warmth and emotion—no matter where you called home. This music created a sense of unity and jubilation the world hadn’t seen before. Perhaps unknowingly at the time, many people were making strong personal connections with these sounds that would last a lifetime, as I certainly did. I was struck by the number of artists who told me that, to this day, numerous fans tell them how important and meaningful even the most simple and (seemingly) fluky of their hits were to them.

I know it may seem odd that an American has compiled these books. Many an artist I spoke with wondered why I chose to do so. As a citizen of the US living in New York at the time (I still call it home), I was very lucky to have been exposed to this music, which was hard to get and very expensive to purchase as imports records and CDs (though a handful were released by American labels). Thanks to the kindness of my mother and father, who frequented Europe on business trips—I’d slip them many long lists of the records I was seeking as we said our goodbyes—I was able to intimately and regularly experience European and British dance-pop in the ’80s. Exchange rates weren’t great, and I still incurred very hefty out-of-pocket costs for these records and compact discs, but I didn’t mind spending my paycheck on them. (They were worth every dollar, and I still treasure these mementos today.) I deeply loved classic American disco in the previous decade, but this new music intrigued and delighted me in ways I hadn’t felt before—it was like listening to hypnotic and enchanting sounds from another world, and I passionately reveled in every song I was able to obtain. I was hearing exotic new melodies and unfamiliar languages whose beauty I might otherwise have never discovered. I truly felt I was being blessed. I realized there were remarkably talented and brilliantly creative people across the Atlantic, and I knew somehow they had tapped directly into my soul. That may sound like an over-the-top statement, but I say it with complete sincerity.

I am deeply grateful to the individuals featured in these pages who allowed me to share their stories and celebrate some of what they accomplished during the ’80s. For many of these artists, English was not their primary language, but they dismissed that inconvenience and worked patiently and closely with me to effectively communicate their memories and viewpoints. I am delighted so many fascinating hitmakers from a multitude of countries saw the value of this book project and supported my efforts to create a permanent snapshot of the era and their lives. In sharing their music with the world during this period, I believe they did something extraordinary that needs to be preserved in a formal way.

Please note: the country listed at the beginning of each artist’s chapter refers to the location where his or her primary hit(s) were produced or found the greatest success, not necessarily the artist’s nationality. Unless otherwise noted, photographs and memorabilia shown are either from my personal collection or were supplied by the artists themselves or their representatives.

I greatly miss the excitement of those days so many years ago, discovering this music and holding those wonderful records in my hands for the very first time. Perhaps I’ve captured some of the thrill of those simpler days in this book—I certainly hope so. It is also my wish that, in some small way, by shining a light on what these artists and professionals did, the great happiness they created will be brought into the future. I believe I am just one of millions of people whose lives were truly enriched by their music—but through this project, I am uniquely honored to celebrate Europe’s Stars of ’80s Dance Pop in the most tangible way I can manage. And I hope reminiscing with this book brings you as much pleasure as I had in putting it together.

Mario Aldini

Mixer, remixer

ZYX Records’ Italo Boot Mix Series

Italy

Sometimes I feel like I have too much music in my brain, admits Mario Aldini, a celebrated mixer/remixer in the world of ’80s Italo-disco. The plethora of beats and melodies that no doubt flow through the mind of this musical innovator and accomplished industry professional primarily took the form of precisely constructed megamixes that were extremely popular throughout Europe during the decade. The Italo Boot Mix single sampler series, which was launched in 1983 by ZYX Records out of Germany, introduced many dance music lovers in numerous countries to the infectious, high-energy sounds being made by artists and producers largely from Italy. The editing and sequencing of these songs by Aldini (and a few other mixmasters), within the roughly 11 minutes or so allotted to each side of these 12-inch maxi-singles, created highly memorable medleys of hits from this extraordinary period in dance music history. The singles frequently reached the Music & Media pan-European Hot 100, and the vinyl and compact discs are highly prized among collectors today. While busy creating hit mixes for ZYX, Mario ran his own record distribution company, Sound of Music, which targeted the Benelux territories. With his wife Grace beside him to aid in translation, Mario relates the story behind his classic creations.

As far back as eight or nine years of age, I was a great fan of jazz music, Aldini remembers, "I was buying Count Basie, Sinatra and all kinds of jazz and northern soul records. After hearing this music, I started to dream about opening a record shop of my own. I also liked bossa nova music from Brazil (like Antonio Carlos Jobim). I began DJing in 1969, and I played only R&B—Wilson Pickett, James Brown—all American artists. I loved James Brown. I saw him perform maybe 10 times. Then, in 1977, with my wife Grace, I opened my first record shop in the Netherlands (Maastricht). I lived in Belgium, but it was only a short distance to Holland. I imported records from the US and England for 10 years.

"In the early 1980s, I worked on my first megamix using a Studer ReVox PR99 reel-to-reel tape machine. I edited tapes together with it, and I had some very good success doing this. I was originally inspired to try mixing because of a mix tape I heard that was created by Ben Liebrand. At the time, there were only a few DJs who knew each other well in the Netherlands—it was not a big world. But already, Ben Liebrand was very popular. I liked the way he created his mix. A DJ in Germany got hold of one of my tapes, which contained more commercial American disco music (like Kool and The Gang), and he played it for Bernhard Mikulski, who was the founder and owner of ZYX Records. ZYX would later, of course, become a great German dance label known throughout Europe. I knew Mr. Mikulski as a great business man with a strong attitude and knowledge of the business. He was a very generous person, loved good food and always had a good ear for listening. Before ZYX, he was Managing Director of CBS Schallplatten GmbH, in the 1960s. He founded the German record label ZYX Records (which was formerly known as Pop Import) in 1971. (It is important to know that the name ZYX comes from his passion for horses. The name ZYX was actually the name of his first horse, which is why you see a horse in the record company logo.) It was only in the early ’80s that Mr. Mikulski began to integrate Italo-disco into his label, which was really a continuation of the classic disco sound.

He wanted me to start creating mega-mixes of the tracks he was releasing. I said sure. I was not familiar with Italo-disco music, but I told Mr. Mikulski I’d give it a try. My first ‘Italo Boot Mix’ sold a lot of copies—I don’t remember how many, but it sold a lot, all over the world. He asked me to do another and another, and it just grew from there. The success of my mixes for ZYX allowed me to stop working at my record shop. I had no time for it anymore. I closed the store, created my own home studio and started my own music company—Sound of Music Productions, Publishing and Distribution. Mr. Mikulski was very satisfied with my work, and he gave my company distribution rights for ZYX product in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. ZYX also carried the Fantasy/Pablo catalogue of jazz music from the US, which I also then distributed—so it wasn’t a bad arrangement for me, Aldini says with a big smile.

Volumes one and two of the Italo Boot Mix series were largely instrumental affairs, smoothly sequenced in a 12-inch vinyl format the early electro-Italo-disco tracks ZYX Records had begun licensing from Italy. Among the earliest hits contained on the first editions were Samoa Park’s Monkey Latino, Feel The Drive by Doctor’s Cat, Happy Song by Baby’s Gang and Martinelli’s Voice (In The Night). Aldini was first credited as the mixer/remixer (along with Manuel Mano Ramon and Cayetano Mano Ramon) on Italo Boot Mix Vol. 4 in 1985, which featured Koto’s Visitors and Max-Him’s Lady Fantasy. According to Aldini, one of the Ramon brothers suggested the idea of creating megamixes in the style of Dutch mixmaster Ben Liebrand. The brothers collaborated on a few boot mixes, but soon split when their life situations changed. Mario continued making the mega-mixes for ZYX by himself.

I made the choices for what songs would appear in my boot mixes, says Aldini. "Mikulski would simply tell me to make a good mix. I’d receive maybe 10 or 15 records to choose from each time. I chose the best tracks, but I was also a businessman. It was a great responsibility to pick the best records and those tracks that would actually sell. I wanted to make the best mixes possible—nothing ‘small’ would do. The first job was to listen to the beat of each record. The first might be 115 beats per minute. The next 121, 125, and so on. After hearing all of them, I would usually begin with the slowest beat record first and build up. The mix had to rise. Then I would add in the samples, which were made in a computer. Each boot mix record would take about two weeks to create, both sides. It was difficult to make them. It was challenging to get the right beat, to make sure the volume of each component track was equal. I listened with my heart—I would pick which record would sound best after the previous one.

"Sometimes I’d finish a mix—it was complete—but I’d listen to it and think it wasn’t good enough. I’d have to start all over again. But that was okay—I felt passionately about it. I’d be thinking about the people on the dance floor—was the mix good enough for them? I created these mixes for myself, for the company and for the people, too. I didn’t want them to be dancing for two or three of the songs on the record and then stop. It was meant to be a continuous experience. The mix had to keep people on the dance floor. This can be very difficult—I say that, but for me, it wasn’t difficult. It was my job.

"The mastering is the most important detail in regard to the ‘sound’ when the mix is otherwise ready. Generally, a lot of remixers and mixers compress the mix too much (perhaps to give it some kind of a push), which, for me, was not always a good thing. Compressing is okay, yes, but not too much. The sound must be open so that you can still hear all the subtleties of the instruments and effects. The bass drums must be present, but not overly dominant. They must be well integrated in the music. A club DJ can add more or less bass, according to his or her taste during performances. The whole mix must be homogeneous, with a good dynamic. It is very important, obviously, that the mixer has a good listening ear. The mix must stay pleasing even for private listening. When creating a mix, the important thing is to have a consistent musical awareness for the combination of the tracks and the musical accuracy of the mix—transposition of tones and chords—very important!

Getting back to the actual Italo Boot mixes, I’d finish the demo tape and send the mix to Mikulski. He’d say yes or no. If he said yes, I’d send the master tape over to ZYX. Normally, I started with the maxi-version, the long mix. After Mikulski approved it, he’d tell me if he wanted a seven-inch version/radio edit. I would cut the boot mix myself to make the shorter version—this was not done by ZYX. I did this all myself. Nobody can touch my work! he insists.

Some entries in the Italo Boot Mix series were handled by other remixers, such as Axel Breitung (a composer, musician and engineer, also known for his work in the group Silent Circle).

Says Mario, I’d finish work on, for example, ‘Italo Boot Mix Vol. 4,’ and turn the mix over to Mr. Mikulski. The A&R manager at ZYX would sometimes tell me the person handling the next boot mix would be Axel. But I was certain to be handling another mix for the label, maybe the ‘London Boot Mix’ or something like that. I was never jealous of another mixer getting the job. It gave everyone a chance. Mikulski had so many records and projects, one mixer was not enough. But I was working for ZYX almost 24-hours-a-day and was also running my own company. I was also mixing for other friends, for Belgium and other countries. I could not handle everything. But ZYX always gave me, minimum, two or three mixes a week to work on. That was enough!

In addition to the boot mixes, Aldini handled other megamixes coming from ZYX, including the edgier, multi-volume Los Hijos Del Sol Presentan Ibiza Mix series, which featured popular electronic and Euro-house tracks, and the New York Boot Mix and "London Boot Mix series, specializing in more underground Italo-dance. Aldini was also commissioned to create The Summer Mix" for US pop-soul-dance label Solar Records in 1987, targeted to the European market and featuring hits by Shalamar, The Whispers, Midnight Star and Dynasty, among others. Aldini also did a mix compilation (once again with the Ramon Brothers) for the popular series called Studio 57, produced for ARS Records and the Benelux market. In all, he says he worked on over 200 mixes and at least 50 single track remixes during the decade.

I began going to the MIDEM [Marché International du Disque et de l’Edition Musicale] conference somewhere around 1984, he recalls. "I am Italian and speak Italian, so this was very helpful. I met many Italian producers and, together with Mr. Mikulski, I would buy some tracks for him. They included songs by Double You? (‘Please Don’t Go’), Black Box (‘Ride On Time’), etc. I’d buy the tracks for him, but I’d also have the distribution, publishing and the mix rights for me and my company and the territories I served. It was a good business arrangement. I was well compensated. I don’t like to speak about money, but it was very good for me. I was able to buy my house after just a few years and a few of these deals. In a regular job, I might have waited 20 or 30 years to be able to do that. This was all for my family, too. I have been with my wife for 43 years—she was with me through all of this. Together!

I was very proud of the success and [cross-over] popularity of the Italo Boot mixes. But I have to say, I did not really look at how many copies ZYX actually sold [or chart positions]. I was always thinking about the next mix. For me, what was in the future was always in my brain. I created many mixes, but my favorite is actually from 1990—‘The Ultimate Mix Vol. 1’ on ZYX. [The Ultimate Mix featured an assortment of techno, new beat and Italo-dance hits, including Don Pablo’s Animals (Venus), F.P.I. Project (Going Back To My Roots) and M.C. Sar & The Real McCoy’s take on Pump Up The Jam.]

My work in dance music began with Mikulski, Mario continues. "He was the principal man for me, and I had great respect for him. I think the reason the music of ZYX and dance-pop music in general was so popular in Europe was because all people in any country could sing the songs after hearing the tracks. To make a hit, the formula is simple. If you can’t sing the song after hearing it for a few minutes, you probably won’t have a hit. For example, ‘Billie Jean’ by Michael Jackson—the opening melody of the song is locked in your memory minutes after you first hear it! It’s a hit! It was the same for Italo-disco.

"Yes, it was very commercial music—very simple. I’m not a huge fan of commercial music, but to make mixes like the ones I created, it was perfect. Italo-disco was not as appealing to me as, say, jazz. It’s not the same. But I have to say, jazz music was very difficult to sell. When I started working with this dance music, it was a bit strange. But I do like all music, and I feel that I was able to work with the best music in this genre. I like jazz, but not all jazz. I like dance music, but not all dance music. For Italo-disco, it was the same. It was great music to work with in the ’80s, and as I did more mixes with it, I began to like it more and more. It’s interesting that my name is so closely associated with the genre.

I should point out that there were really two kinds of Italo-dance music in the ’80s. You had the commercial sound, Italo-disco, like Silver Pozzolli, Gigi D’Agostino, etc. You also had Italo-house, like Black Box and F.P.I. Project. It was much easier to mix the house style and use more effects—it was much better on the dance floor. Commercial Italo-disco was more challenging. There were differences in the appeal of these records in different countries. For example, Italo-house was much more popular in Belgium and the Netherlands than the more commercial chart hits associated with Italo-disco. Radio and clubs were very different. I sold far more house records than commercial hits in Belgium and Holland. I tried to sell the commercial hits there, but it wasn’t easy. Why? The style of Italo-house was closer to the music coming out of the US and UK The people of Belgium and Holland preferred that. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland (Poland, too) it was different. They liked the more commercial sounds from Italy. It’s interesting—I created my remixes for the world, but I did not know where Mr. Mikulski’s records would end up.

Aldini enjoyed great success in Belgium with his Sound of Music label, which extended its run into the ’90s. The label received gold record awards for sales of Seydinah’s A La Folie single in 1991 and Double You?’s 1992 smash, Please Don’t Go (a remake of the K.C. & The Sunshine Band’s classic). Mario’s work in dance music continues to this day, with his mix work heard in such collections as ZYX Italo Disco New Generation Bootmix 3 (2015).

I continue to work for ZYX on compilations in all styles of music—jazz, Latin, soundtracks of Hollywood musicals, TV themes, northern soul, rock & roll, jive, Italian songs, French artists, and many more, he says. "I have made more than 50 compilations over the last few years for the company, for which I thank Christa Mikulski [General Director of ZYX Records]. This means that since 1969, I practically have never stopped mixing music!"

Mario left an indelible mark on European dance music of the ’80s. His intoxicating and irresistible mixes and remixes helped bring Italian dance music to the attention of millions, while being an integral participant in the distinguished history of ZYX Records. He reflects for a moment on his many accomplishments.

"I don’t really have that many special memories about my ’80s mix work—it was so long ago. (I am 65 years old, but in my brain I am still young.) But I do remember one very special remix I did. I did a remix of Black Box’s ‘Ride On Time’ for Severo Lombardoni’s Discomagic label in Italy in 1989. I remember seeing people dancing to it—it felt very good. The ’80s were a special time in Europe because I think the people were looking for something new. The Italo-disco coming from Italy had a new beat, and new sounds were coming from France, Germany and the UK as well. Two songs in particular come to mind for me that kind of best show how fresh and exciting these days were—‘Happy Children’ by P. Lion and ‘Dolce Vita’ by Ryan Paris, which I later remixed.

"I am grateful to all the performers, artists, producers and all the Italian record labels from those days, without whom this music we call Italo-disco and Italo-dance would probably never have existed. I had such extraordinary exchanges with these record companies—I think the Italians were especially outstanding at capturing the vibe of the ’80s. I truly appreciate ZYX Music, a big fan of Italian dance, and the people there who gave me my chance. Thanks to the opportunities they gave me to work on their recordings and productions, my name became closely and warmly associated with the era’s mixes and remixes. My thoughts also go to all the Belgian and Dutch record companies with whom I worked and learned a lot from in this business. And I do not forget Spain, which also contributed so much to the world of ’80s mixes and megamixes during these magic years (‘Boléro Mix,’ ‘Max Mix,’ etc.).

"When people ask me why my work in Italo-disco is still so popular so many decades later—well, I have to ask them the same question! Why is that? I never imagined it would be this popular for this long or that people in the United States, for example, would even know about it. Never! I never dreamed the music would go beyond Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Germany—never as far away as America. I don’t know why so many people still enjoy all the mixes."

He pauses for just a moment.

I don’t know—maybe they can just feel my heart in the music.

***

Judy Cheeks

I Still Love You (1988)

UK

Judy Cheeks is without a doubt one of the few truly unique talents I have come across, said producer/arranger Ike Turner in the liner notes of the artist’s 1973 self-titled debut album on United Artists Records. She’s gonna be around a long time. I oughta know, he added. His prediction was right on the mark. Judy Cheeks achieved something quite remarkable in the often fleeting world of dance-pop—longevity. Her spirited dance-pop musical creations as a singer, songwriter and producer, recorded primarily in the UK and Europe, have ranked among the most popular across numerous decades. A few years after her teenage debut, she made a worldwide impression with her thundering 1977 vintage disco classic Mellow Lovin’, mixed by the legendary Tom Moulton. At the same time, she served as an in-demand background vocalist for some of the disco era’s greatest stars. In the ’80s, Judy wrote, produced and recorded one of the most brilliantly conceived (but noticeably underappreciated) albums of the era—No Outsiders. And in the ’90s, she delivered a series of still-revered house music gems, including the electrifying Reach, a Top 20 pop hit in the UK. I just walk through one door, close it and keep walking towards the next one, says the singer quite casually. She speaks rather gently and effortlessly (but decidedly frankly) about her experience in ’80s dance pop and the eras that surrounded it from her home in Texas.

My dad was a traveling gospel preacher, Judy begins. "I wrote a book about him called Love And Honor: The Life of Rev. Julius Cheeks As Told By His Daughter Judy Cheeks, and if you really want to get into my background, it gives a really intimate look into my life back then. I was blessed to have this very rich culture of the gospel family—imagine Mavis Staples, Sam Cooke and The Caravans—people who were like aunts and uncles—all around me. I always felt an obligation to live up to their expectations. I always felt the decisions I made in life had to be ones they wouldn’t be ashamed of. I think that kept me out of a lot of trouble. It was an amazing foundation for me—they were the A-list of gospel and revered in the black community. They were the most humble, down-to-earth people you’d ever want to meet. So my whole approach to singing and being in entertainment was that I must never lose the person that I am and the person that these people raised me to be. As a result, I was not tempted to fall into some of the awful things I saw in the music business—I was brought up by the best.

"When you’re grounded in that, you look at your profession as a calling, rather than something that will make you famous or rich. It goes deeper than that. It reminds me of a song with that theme I later wrote in Munich called ‘The Little Girl In Me’—you’d be amazed how many people in the world contact me almost daily about that song. Whatever you’ve been given—musical talent or whatever it might be—it comes through you. It’s not about you. It’s about the gift you’ve been given that helps others in some way. It doesn’t matter if you are number one or go top ten. You’ve heard it before—that it’s important to reach even just one person—because you don’t know what that person will then do.

"Because of a difficult relationship with my mother, I was, in some ways, kind of a ‘broken child’ by the time I was introduced to Ike and Tina Turner. They took me under their wing like I was their child and taught me a lot of things. All the horrible things that have been said about Ike have really dampened his contribution to music. I didn’t know that bad side of him. I heard about it, but I never saw it. So I can’t say anything about that. But I can say I saw that Ike had a heart. He was on hard times himself, but he went out and bought a television for a friend of his who was very sick—things like that. Maybe he was a Jekyll and Hyde, but I never saw that. I know my dad called him one time and said if he did anything to me he’d kill him. [Judy laughs.] I think Ike really respected me.

Ike and Tina produced my [self-titled] first album in 1973. Ike really encouraged me to sing. It was a blues album recorded less than six months after I was out of high school. I wasn’t that proud of the album—thinking I was just 17 years old and what do I know about the blues? But Ike and Tina were going to tour Europe, and they wanted me to go with them. When we were in Paris, one of their background singers got sick, and they wanted me to take her place. People saw me, and I started getting casual offers to record. But I went back to LA and figured if anyone was serious, they’d get back to me. Well, I got an offer from Munich—a producer named Tony Monn, who was having a lot of success with the singer Amanda Lear. I jumped on a plane with about $30 in my pocket and went to Germany. The first song we recorded was ‘Mellow Lovin’,’ in 1977. Tony came up with the track, I took it and wrote the lyrics. I was a ‘one-take’ kind of girl. I put the vocals down, and that was it.

Mellow Lovin’ was released on Ariola Records in 1977. This lush, high-energy slice of Euro-disco quickly gained momentum on Europe’s pop charts and was eventually snapped up for release by American disco label Salsoul. By the summer of 1978, the song was a Top 30 US pop hit and a Top 10 smash on Billboard magazine’s disco chart. Shortly before Mellow Lovin’ came out, Ariola released a duet featuring Judy and one of the most popular artists on the label’s roster, Austrian singer/songwriter Udo Jürgens.

Udo Jürgens was the Frank Sinatra of the region, she recalls. "He said he’d never done a duet with a woman, and he wanted to do one with me. So we did this song called ‘Einmal Wenn Du Gehst,’ and I wrote the English lyrics. We sang the chorus in German. We were on every TV show, and it was a big hit. There was a huge publicity frenzy and Udo was getting credit for discovering me. Tony Monn got a little upset. Udo said I should forget about Tony and make music with him. I felt that wouldn’t be fair, because if it hadn’t been for Tony, I wouldn’t be where I was. I tried to do the right thing, but it didn’t impress Tony. It happens in the music business—people vow to destroy you. You know, the ‘how dare you’ thing. America was demanding an album, but Tony sat on his hands saying he wasn’t ready to do an album. But ‘Mellow Lovin’’ was gaining momentum all around the world. If you had a hot record in those days, you needed to get that album out fast. Tony was forced to do an album (called Please Give Me This Night in Europe and Mellow Lovin’ in the US), but working with Tony was just no fun at that point. I had him upset with me and Udo upset with me. Blah, blah, blah. In the end, Ariola sat on me because they didn’t want to upset their golden boy, Tony Monn."

Though the singer’s career as a solo star had stalled for the moment, she remained quite busy in the studio. Judy was frequently enlisted as a background vocalist for the recordings of dance music’s biggest hitmakers, including Donna Summer and Amanda Lear.

Says the artist, "I met Amanda Lear—she was very nice. I guess she looked at me like, ‘Who is this silly little girl?’ I was very young; she was older and very sophisticated. I later found out she has the same viewpoint on Tony Monn as I did—neither of us usually talk about him now. That’s interesting because she had more hits with him than I did. She had this—what word do I use—mystique about her, but I didn’t think anything of it. Imagine being in Europe at my age—everything seemed unusual to me. I just assumed it’s Europe, and they are different. She wasn’t around when I sang on her records, like the Never Trust A Pretty Face album. I did a lot of backing sessions in Germany in those days with many artists—Donna Summer (Once Upon A Time LP), Boney M. (‘Future World’), Frank Farian Corporation (‘Mother And Child Reunion’), Hubert Kah (‘Limousine’), etc. I