In 1977, I went to see a new film that everyone was raving about. It was a drama set in New York, about a young man who wants to rise above his background and life in the neighbourhood by becoming a dancer. It starred John Tavolta as Tony, ably supported by a group of young American actors, including Donna Pescow and Karen Gorney. It wasn’t a musical, but it was all about the music. After watching the film, I soon bought the soundtrack album on vinyl.

As well as the Bee gees, who wrote many new songs for the film, we had the vocal talents of Yvonne Elliman, and funky stuff from Tavares, Kool and The Gang, The Trammps, and K.C. and The Sunshine Band. Anyone who had seen the film could recapture the scenes easily, by listening to the record, and even those who hadn’t got to see it…