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Hot Blood

Disco Dracula

Rare Original US LP released on  Dynamo Records in 1977. US Pressing.

Perhaps best known for "Soul Dracula" (included here, naturally), Hot Blood was  a rather anonymous German disco production, featuring a number of notable Munich  session players, like Keith Forsey, Gary Unwin and Pepe Solera, to name a few..  The record is so anonymous in fact, that the production credit is given as  'Produced by Hot Blood,' which doesn't exactly illuminate things, although  looking at the credits, one could speculate that the major player behind this  was arranger Stefan Klinkhammer. Klinkhammer is perhaps best known for his work  as both arranger (and sometime songwriter) on the majority of Boney M's albums  along with a few other Frank Farian productions.. There doesn't seem to be much  information on Klinkhammer available in English, but former Boney M member,  Marcia Barrett has a couple of pictures with him on her official website.  Unfortunately, I can only speculate from her captions that Klinkhammer has since  passed away..

As far as the record itself goes, don't be fooled by the lipstick lesbian  vampiress action on the cover (the vampire is apparently Calvin Klein model Lisa  Taylor, thanks to Enrique for this tidbit.). This thing is a far cry from any  Saint Tropez disco sapphic soap-opera.. The major track on the record, "Soul  Dracula" has every cliché one would expect from a novelty 'dracula' track:  maniacal laughing drrrracu-la with exaggerated Bela Lugosi-esque accent,  catchy/annoying background gimmicks that drill themselves into your head, cheesy  sexual overtones, not to mention a bit of pointless appropriation in the song  title. I mean, somebody tell me what's so soulful about the 'Soul Dracula,"  anyway..

Still though, cliché's aside, this track is probably one of the better, more  enjoyable Halloween disco records I've come across.. Unusually (although some  might say mercifully) short at just around two and a half minutes, ironically  enough, it's the shortest song on the album. Apparently there's a slightly  longer version out there running at least 3.57 (thanks Kenneth!) which they  didn't put on the album, for some reason...

Although this was released on a rather obscure indie label in the US two years  following "Soul Dracula's" original single release, apparently, judging from  what I've come across, "Soul Dracula" was a pretty sizeable hit in parts of  Europe. I suppose it had to be, to have been 'performed' on TV. And as  intriguing as the song is on it's own, I personally think it's best enjoyed with  a little visual aid. Check out one of the performances archived on good ol'  YouTube, complete with masked dracula and hilarious choreography:

Track Listing

Side One

1 Baby Frankie Stein 4:54
2 Even Vampires Fall In Love 5:20
3 Soul Dracula 2:57
4 Sex Me 6:13

Side Two

1 Blackmail 5:13
2 Dracula Goes Dreamy 4:00
3 Terror On The Dance Floor 5:44

 

Released on Dynamo Records in  1977

Catalogue Number DS-401

Record is in Near Mint condition

Sleeve is in Ex ++ condition (punch  hole in top corner)

 

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