Deep Groove Encyclopedia

Lightning

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Click below for a Lightning sample:

Lightning is one of the great mysteries of the disco era. Originally known as Mother Nature/Father Time, the band made the transition from rock to funk to disco as the latter became dominant in New York. By 1977, the group was recording with Bionic Boogie, one of Gregg Diamond's studio-based projects. They also appeared as Bionic Boogie in live performance. In 1979, MN/FT recorded an album for Casablanca under the assumed name Lightning. Many people mistakenly thought their single "Disco Symphony" was a new record by Bionic Boogie, such were the similarities between the two groups' sound. As it turned out, the lack of a strong identity may have doomed Lightning from reaching its potential. After promotional copies of the LP were sent to radio, the group abruptly called it quits, frustrated at being pigeonholed as a disco act. With nobody to promote the album, Casablanca pressed up a very limited amount of records, making Lightning a serious collector's item. At one point, drummer Paul Caravello, who joined Kiss shortly after the Lightning debacle (adopting the name Eric Carr), was quoted as saying less than 10 copies of the album existed; it now appears the number is somewhere in the low hundreds.

Lightning's Deepest Groove

Lightning (Casablanca, 1979)
Unlike many cult albums, this actually has musical merit. Despite Carr's attempts to dissociate himself from its recording, Lightning is solid, melodic disco, more soulful than the Eurodisco that was Casablanca's trademark. Aside from "Disco Symphony," notable titles include "In and Out of Love" and "Baby Without Your Love." Worth getting if you can find an affordable copy.