This is a 1977 classic that was a craze when it was released in the 70s. Even today if you play it, it would still sound great. It was what disco was all about. It made you dance and sing along. The music brings back many memories as the hit song Help Help keeps playing.

But who was this singer Gilla who made a mark for herself in a little town in Austria. I used to always wonder who the artist was. When I first saw the cover of the LP with the Egyptian styled headgear, a beautiful face beneath it and a singer in ecstasy, I knew this was something different to hear.

Gilla (Gisela Wuchinger) was born in the Austrian city of Linz in 1950. All members of her family knew how to play an instrument. Gisela's grandfather was the owner of the cinema, so before the start of the show, the family entertained the audience with their music. Gisela (who later took the stage name Gilla) was no exception. Her acquaintance with music was very unusual.

She was only little when she came across an electric guitar which her father made. The instrument made a huge impression on her that unfortunately led to a tragedy for when she plugged the high frequency cable from the guitar into an electrical outlet; it blew up in front of her. The guitar instantly flashed on her body. That was the end of the guitar and the beginning of her musical career. But things changed for her a few years later.

In the early 70s, after graduating from a music school in Salzburg, Gisela began touring with the pop group Traffic, later transformed into 75 Music. During one of the performances in the disco of a small French cafe located in the east of France, Frank Farian noticed her. He lived not far from this place, located very close to the German border (near the city of Saarbrucken). Farian just stopped by for lunch at this cafe with friends. However, the voice of the soloist of the group performing on stage simply charmed him. After the concert, the producer offered the musician’s cooperation with the Hansa Record Company.

At first, several discs were released in German, and the hits “Tu Es” (Why don't you do it), "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi" (Do you want to sleep with me), "Kein weg zu weit" (Not too far) later the same song was performed by Boney M in the English version of Take the heat off me. Farian then decided to bring Gilla to the international market. In 1977, the English-language album "Help! Help!" was recorded, which contained the best songs of the performer translated into English. In the English-language interpretation, the pseudonym has already been transformed into "Jilla".

The album also had the hits of hers like Help Help and all the songs she sang in the international market and it included English single versions she’d recorded in the past two years as well as other songs, Gentlemen Callers Not Allowed. Johnny, The Girl from Ipanema, Baby Love, First Love and a few others.

After the moderate success (in comparison with the world famous Boney M and Eruption of this LP) Farian diminished interest in Gilla, entrusting the production to her husband, musician and sound engineer, former member of the group "75 Music" Helmut Rulofs (Helmut Rulofs).

The work on this album is very high quality and smooth, but did not bring too much commercial benefit. This was one of my favorite LPs back then and I still occasionally play it, of course the main songs.

In India the album was well received and has Farian’s name written all over it in the credits.

Rating: ****

Label: Hansa Ltd, (Released in India as Polydor India)

Year: 1977

Reviewed by Verus Ferreira