22/09/2025
Various - Disco Fever '79 (Music Factory Mastermix) (UK 12") (1993)
DISCO FRIDAY!
Back in the mid-80s, when DJ-only remix services were just beginning to carve out their space, one UK collective quickly became a favorite among club jocks—Music Factory Mastermix. Founded in 1985, the Sheffield-based promotional service specialized in delivering creative edits, themed mixes, and exclusive reworks of chart hits and dance classics. Their productions weren’t intended for commercial release but for the hands of DJs who wanted something unique to spin on the dancefloor.
Among their many themed mixes came a special retrospective celebration: “Disco ’79 Megamix.” Crafted by Darren Ash, one of Music Factory’s standout editors (and partly responsible for the infamous Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers phenomenon), this mix took club audiences on a flashback to the glittering year of 1979—when disco truly dominated the charts and dancefloors worldwide.
The Mix
Ash stitched together a powerhouse lineup of late-’70s disco anthems, giving DJs an instant floor-filler that connected the dots between the biggest disco names. The megamix included:
Village People – The kings of camp and dance anthems, unstoppable in ’79 with Y.M.C.A. and In the Navy.
Donna Summer – The Queen of Disco herself, bringing that Giorgio Moroder-powered pulse to the mix.
Sister Sledge – Riding high with the Chic-produced We Are Family and He’s the Greatest Dancer.
Edwin Starr – Known for his soul roots, he slid into the disco world with irresistible grooves.
The Real Thing – UK soul-disco pioneers who were enjoying chart success well into the disco boom.
Gibson Brothers – Injecting Caribbean flavor into disco with tracks like Cuba and Que Sera Mi Vida.
Why 1979?
By 1979, disco had reached its peak cultural saturation—chart dominance, glittering outfits, and mainstream acceptance that was about to trigger the infamous “disco backlash” in the early ’80s. Still, for those who lived it, this was the golden year when nearly every club, roller rink, and radio station pulsed with four-on-the-floor grooves.
The Disco ’79 Megamix served as both a tribute and a tool—paying homage to an unforgettable year while giving DJs in the mid-’80s an easy way to reignite the sparkle of disco on contemporary dancefloors.
Darren Ash’s Touch
Ash’s editing style was clean, fast-paced, and always built for impact. Much like the Jive Bunny medleys that would soon take over UK charts, this mix leaned on clever segues, instantly recognizable hooks, and a relentless dancefloor drive. Unlike novelty medleys, though, “Disco ’79” had real weight because the source material was the very essence of disco at its height.
Legacy
Though intended for promotional use only, mixes like “Disco ’79” showcase just how influential remix services like Music Factory were. They preserved and reshaped the past while keeping DJs equipped with fresh, inventive tools. For disco lovers, this megamix remains a nostalgic time capsule of one of music’s most glamorous years.
SIDE A:
Various - Disco Fever '79 (Music Factory Mastermix) 13:03
Village People– Y.M.C.A.
Village People– In The Navy
Edwin Starr– Contact
The Real Thing– Can You Feel The Force
Gibson Brothers– Que Sera Mi Vida
Donna Summer– Hot Stuff
Donna Summer– Bad Girls
Sister Sledge– We Are Family
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Music Factory – MFMM79
Series: Music Factory Mastermix Issue – 79
Format: 2 x Vinyl, 45 RPM, 12"
Country: UK
Released: 1993
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Funk, Disco
CREDITS:
Mixed By – Darren Ash
Artwork [Custom] - DjPaulT
NOTES:
Taken from Music Factory Mastermix - Issue 79
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND
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https://burningtheground.net/various-disco-fever-79-music-factory-megamix-uk-12-1993/
