It may have provided the soundtrack for the “Me Decade” of the 1970s, but disco was anything but shallow and disposable. Author Alice Echols joins us to talk about disco's role as harbinger of social change.
It may have provided the soundtrack for the “Me Decade” of the 1970s, but disco was anything but shallow and disposable. Author Alice Echols joins us to talk about disco's role as harbinger of social change.
Comments [11]
@Weekzy; You realize that Loose Joints was a Gay, White Man named Arthur Russell. All music is all inclusive.
1. @ Dag Sheepshanx, your comment is totally on point i was so pissed off at the guest i turned of the radio and raced to my computer to talk of the same thing.
and also i havent read the book yet but i doubt you mentioned how it spawned the genre and house music's importance in todays music scene!
BUT RIGHT DAG SHEEPSHANX! YOU TELL THAT LADY THAT DISCO ABOVE ALL WAS ANOTHER ART FORM JACKED BY THE GAYS AND THE WHITE MAN!* I bet she dont even know who donna summers or anita ward are! or about skatt brothers walk the night! first choise and loose joints!! what she know bout filly soul and nyc disco!!
makin me sooo mad right now!!
* nothing against whites or gays but that is something you guys seem to do alot with so called "black music & culture"
your guest is a fraud and knows nothing about disco. The gay aspect of the culture was not an intricate nor integral part of the music. It was part of the nightlife at the disco but NEVER the music. 1st of all, the invention of the 24 Track mixing board AND the insistence of recording in Stereo is what made disco. The early remnants of the disco sound were constructed from the Memphis sound and the Detroit sound. When these artists came to NY there would be a differing sound because of the introduction of Latino musicians who were doing a faster tempo and Black musicians from Philly who were coming out of the music conservatories having had studied classical music. Philadelphia is the seat of the disco sound as records were recorded there and driven to NY to be tested in the discos. And a DJ had to be good because he was expected to beat match salsa records and soul records at the same time, hence the need for the elongated track with a 2 minute break or fill at the end of the record. Also introduced at this time were acapella dubs since most all records had 4/4 time.
The Love I Lost I doubt was the 1st disco record. Linda Clifford made Runaway Love the same year in 1970. As well as the fusion funk tracks from Patti Labelle. And there was a record by the Ebonys called Its Nation Time that was a disco record. To be clear, the disco sound was a Philadelphia mastered event, until Barry White and the 20 Century Sound came out of Los Angeles. AND Donna Summers records were not recorded in the US, she made all those records in Paris or Berlin. Over there with Gino Vanelli and Change. And as much as you may deride the Village People, Victor Willis was an awesome producer. He did an for Phylicia Rashad(from the Cosby show) in 1978 that is an incredible dance music record, look for it, its rare its called Superstar and her name then was Phylicia Allen
Great discussion!
I think disco has had the last laugh because it's been such an influence on the dominant music of today--rap, r&B (going back to Chic's "Good Times" on "Rapper's Delight")--while rock has been relegated to the sidelines and/or indie circles.
It's such an irony that Disco Death Night should take place in Chicago, the place that birthed house music.
How about some of the socially aware songs like "There But For the Grace of God," Che Che La Femme, and Young Hearts Run Free? Not everything was shallow....be fair.
Disco Lives!!
You know...Disco sucks! Just like Disco Duck!
You know?
Philly International and Casablanca records probably don't get their due because of the negative perception disco has. But their catalogs are rich and, of course, have been heavily sampled in hip-hop.
Also, Carl Bean's recording of "I was born this way" is one of the funkiest pro-gay song ever...and it's a disco song!!! If only there were a pro-gay anthem like that today.
For another fascinating look at disco's early inclusive roots, I highly, highly recommend "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life" by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton -- an amazingly comprehensive look at the history of the DJ.
@DarkSymbolist: I agree. I think that the same kind of emphasis on inclusion and the underground can be seen in other contemporary maligned "subcultural" groups like Burn(ing Man)ers, etc. -- crazy costumes and "relentless" music still make for a fun party.
I don't know. I was living in Philly from 1976 to 1980, and during that time in that city disco and R&B all sort of blended together as the sound of the moment--and the Harold Melvin song you just played is indicative of my observation. There didn't seem to be a gay/straight divide. And I'll never forget going to a disco at that time and seeing Teddy Prendgergass sitting at a table--in a full length mink coat!
Hmmmm...it seems to me, these days old baby-boomers still have this snobbish attitude toward disco as described in your intro...but a lot of Gen-X'ers and younger I've meant like disco, even if just as a fun, kitsch sort of thing
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