Sylvester and The Village People both represent how LGBTQ+ politics were one of the hidden agendas of disco music. Hence, perhaps, the mainstream late '70s backlash?
I've seen that theory before, but I don't really buy it — most of the big artists making disco records at the time were (or at least presented as) straight, and awareness of gay culture among non-gay Americans was almost non-existent at that point. I still tend to believe that the mainstream backlash was the result of the disco's total pop culture over-saturation; by 1979, there were disco TV shows, disco fashions at JC Penney's, disco records for kids, squares like Ethel Merman trying to revive their careers by "going disco". Yes, there were racist and homophobic elements to the eventual disco backlash, but disco had been popular since 1975; no one seemed to have any big issues with the music or culture until Saturday Night Fever became a blockbuster hit and record companies started flooding the market (and airwaves) with often inferior disco product in hopes of cashing in on the trend.
All of this is true- but 1979 was also the year of the infamous disco record burning event during a Chicago White Sox game, which was the height of the backlash.
And I was referring more to the fact that the clubs where disco was most favored were gay bars...
That was certainly the case initially, but by 1979 there were tons of discos across the country that catered primarily to straight, white crowds — another development that happened in the wake of Saturday Night Fever. I wrote a lot more on the topic here: https://danepstein.substack.com/p/but-ya-doesnt-hasta-call-me-disco
The roots of disco grew out of the underground LGBTQ+ bars in cities like Miami and NYC. As it also emerged out of funk, boogie, and many Latin-salsa clubs it was initially very popular with the queer BIPOC communities.
By 1975, it did go mainstream as money could be made, and 'Saturday Night Fever' and the Bee Gees definitely "gentrified" it for a white, straight audience.
I grew up in Cleveland and I remember those "Disco Sucks" t-shirts and hearing about the big record burns at Cleveland stadium. I definitely think on reflection the backlash against disco was likely fueled by homophobic and racist sentiments.
The Chicago Demolition was the famous one but other cities soon followed suit. Cleveland, being a rock and roll city, and very segregated with East and West (south being more blended), they too hosted their own. I never attended as I was only 10 in 1979, but I have memories of hearing about it.
An underrated icon. You can hear Sylvester's sound/influence in 1000s of dance records.
Agreed on both counts!
I danced a lot to Sylvester!
Right on!
Sylvester and The Village People both represent how LGBTQ+ politics were one of the hidden agendas of disco music. Hence, perhaps, the mainstream late '70s backlash?
I've seen that theory before, but I don't really buy it — most of the big artists making disco records at the time were (or at least presented as) straight, and awareness of gay culture among non-gay Americans was almost non-existent at that point. I still tend to believe that the mainstream backlash was the result of the disco's total pop culture over-saturation; by 1979, there were disco TV shows, disco fashions at JC Penney's, disco records for kids, squares like Ethel Merman trying to revive their careers by "going disco". Yes, there were racist and homophobic elements to the eventual disco backlash, but disco had been popular since 1975; no one seemed to have any big issues with the music or culture until Saturday Night Fever became a blockbuster hit and record companies started flooding the market (and airwaves) with often inferior disco product in hopes of cashing in on the trend.
All of this is true- but 1979 was also the year of the infamous disco record burning event during a Chicago White Sox game, which was the height of the backlash.
And I was referring more to the fact that the clubs where disco was most favored were gay bars...
That was certainly the case initially, but by 1979 there were tons of discos across the country that catered primarily to straight, white crowds — another development that happened in the wake of Saturday Night Fever. I wrote a lot more on the topic here: https://danepstein.substack.com/p/but-ya-doesnt-hasta-call-me-disco
The roots of disco grew out of the underground LGBTQ+ bars in cities like Miami and NYC. As it also emerged out of funk, boogie, and many Latin-salsa clubs it was initially very popular with the queer BIPOC communities.
By 1975, it did go mainstream as money could be made, and 'Saturday Night Fever' and the Bee Gees definitely "gentrified" it for a white, straight audience.
I grew up in Cleveland and I remember those "Disco Sucks" t-shirts and hearing about the big record burns at Cleveland stadium. I definitely think on reflection the backlash against disco was likely fueled by homophobic and racist sentiments.
There were record burns in Cleveland? I only recall Chicago.
The Chicago Demolition was the famous one but other cities soon followed suit. Cleveland, being a rock and roll city, and very segregated with East and West (south being more blended), they too hosted their own. I never attended as I was only 10 in 1979, but I have memories of hearing about it.