Disco's dead but not forgotten.

April 9, 2003 12:39 PM

Disco's dead but not forgotten.It's trying hard to stay alive at Disco-Disco, a tribute site to the clubs, DJs, artists and history of the leisure suit and mirror ball era. Slip on your boogie shoes and get your groove on with some disco trivia, pay tribute to revolutionary disco remixer Tom Moulton or learn the dance steps to the California Hustle (a.k.a. the Bus Stop).
posted by VelvetHellvis (34 comments total)

Disco's dead but not forgotten.

Well, I had managed to block it out until you brought it up again. Thanks a lot.

Disco, the genre that broght you the leisure suit, the velvet rope, and Rick Dees.

Nail it's coffin shut please.
posted by jonmc at 12:42 PM on April 9, 2003

Disco rules! I'd love to see it back! I want the Bee Gees too! :)
posted by shepd at 12:46 PM on April 9, 2003

Nail it's coffin shut please.

Laugh all you want, but the Disco era was the last time we had integrated nightlife here in Richmond, VA. There's something to be said for that.
posted by machaus at 12:52 PM on April 9, 2003

Disco is like King Arthur. It has gone for now but when the country trulyh is in need, it will return to save us all.
posted by Postroad at 12:53 PM on April 9, 2003

Laugh all you want, but the Disco era was the last time we had integrated nightlife here in Richmond, VA. There's something to be said for that.

Yes, it's great day for mankind when people of all races can look stupid dancing to bad music together.
posted by jonmc at 12:56 PM on April 9, 2003

jonmc, what you're saying is that disco's had its "Last Dance"?

budumpbump...I got a million of 'em.
posted by VelvetHellvis at 12:59 PM on April 9, 2003

I think this says it all....
posted by jonmc at 1:01 PM on April 9, 2003

Yeah! Spread the hatred! We don't hate enough things today! ;-)
posted by shepd at 1:05 PM on April 9, 2003

That's what I love about MeFi. Snarky comments and spirited debate even on non-controversial posts. Weeeeeeeeee!
posted by VelvetHellvis at 1:30 PM on April 9, 2003

All hyperbole aside, disco was the beginning of most of the worst traits of modern popular music: mechanical electronic rhythms, the de-emphasizing of live performance, the rise of the celebrity producer, and open embracement of materialism and superficiality. From studio 54 to todays rave scene--not much of a jump really. It seemed like CBGB's and Seattle and Hip-Hop might've killed it off, but judging by what passes for dance music today, it looks like we're stuck with it's legacy.
posted by jonmc at 1:35 PM on April 9, 2003

You have to be a certain age to enjoy the memories of the hatred of disco that raged in the late seventies. It was the last time anyone cared enough about a genre of music to want to blow it up and riot.

Now when we don't like music, we do that "not listen to it" thing. Kids today are nuts, I'm telling you. And get the hell off my lawn.
posted by luser at 1:42 PM on April 9, 2003

>All hyperbole aside, disco was the beginning of most of the worst traits of modern popular music: mechanical electronic rhythms

These are good. I like them. I play them on the radio I like them so much.

>the de-emphasizing of live performance

Also good for certain types of music. I'd shudder to think how artists that tracked all their music would perform live.

>the rise of the celebrity producer

Comme-ci, comme-ca.

>and open embracement of materialism

This is bad? I think this is one of the best traits of modern society! It helps them drop one of the many false pretenses religion has developed (that materialism is somehow bad).

>and superficiality.

Depends on what you want.

>It was the last time anyone cared enough about a genre of music to want to blow it up and riot.

Then it must be a very provocative genre of music indeed! That's usually a really good thing!

>Now when we don't like music, we do that "not listen to it" thing. Kids today are nuts, I'm telling you. And get the hell off my lawn.

:-) Don't worry, I'm upgrading my car stereo to handle those disco beats better. Let me know where you are and I'll park outside for a while.
posted by shepd at 2:37 PM on April 9, 2003

posted by shadow45 at 2:59 PM on April 9, 2003

jonmc, I'm surprised at your narrow-mindedness. Hip-hop wouldn't exist without the bassline from "Good Times".
posted by timeistight at 3:24 PM on April 9, 2003

Chic is funk, not disco. Same with P-Funk, EWF, the Gamble & Huff crew, etc.

Theres a difference, they still have accents in their rhythm. Disco is that dead 4/4 that was ubiquitous when I was a kid, to the point of warping a whole generation.
posted by jonmc at 3:30 PM on April 9, 2003

That's ridiculous. Chic is most definitely disco. You're just saying "If it's good, it can't be disco."
posted by timeistight at 3:40 PM on April 9, 2003

Rodgers and Edwards took a brief foray into new wave as Allah And The Knife Wielding Punks, but the male-female structure of the ensemble seemed totally unsuited to the blatantly macho rock world of that time.

"So we started using our brains. What we wanted to do was make records. We didn't want to be a small band playing bar-mitzvahs the rest of our lives. So we got into disco" said Rodgers.

Rodgers elaborated in an interview with Melody Maker; "When disco came in, it was like a gift from heaven. Disco gave us the perfect opportunity to realize our concept, because it wasn't about being black, white, male or female. Further, it would give us a chance to get into the mainstream."

posted by timeistight at 3:45 PM on April 9, 2003

I'll allow Nile Rodgers to name his own work so I'll amend: 99.9% of disco is crap.

It's been explicated by wiser men than I.

These two amusing artifacts perfectly illustarte why disco is dead and why it must stay that way.

But like I said in a previous thread, rock and roll is more or less dead too, so I guess it dosen't matter.
posted by jonmc at 4:01 PM on April 9, 2003

finnish disco lesson (quicktime) via sharpeworld archives
posted by snez at 4:19 PM on April 9, 2003

So 99.9% of disco is crap; 99.9% of everything is crap.
posted by timeistight at 4:34 PM on April 9, 2003

99.9% of everything is crap

Today's truism has been brought to you by timeistight and the letter T.
posted by billder at 5:23 PM on April 9, 2003

Disco is *not* dead. It lives in Japan under the guise of Danceman and his band.
posted by modularette at 9:32 PM on April 9, 2003

Well, I don't listen to disco in the car,.. but I tell you it still packs the dance floor at my club,... hey.. if it makes people happy, don't knock it,.. when it comes to music or any art form, if someone enjoys it it's art to them baby,...I don't think they care what you think... Now, excuse me,.. my girlfriends on the way, gonna swap the Village People CD for some Barry White,... wouldn't want her to think,,,, well you know...
posted by danger at 12:28 AM on April 10, 2003

All hyperbole aside, disco was the beginning of most of the worst traits of modern popular music: mechanical electronic rhythms

As opposed to, say, mechanical rhythms created by instruments? What's the difference between, say, the lead riff to "Smoke on the Water", and a riff created on a synth?

the de-emphasizing of live performance

This has more to do with the changing economics of the music industry, and increasing media fragmentation.

the rise of the celebrity producer

Er, I seem to recall folks like Berry Gordy and Phil Spector doing quite well for themselves back in the day.

open embracement of materialism and superficiality.

One's taste in music has always been an expression of one's lifestyle and values, first and foremost.

From studio 54 to todays rave scene--not much of a jump really.

I second that, especially if you consider how both disco and rave were all about dance as transcendental experiences with the dancefloor as the altar of worship.

judging by what passes for dance music today, it looks like we're stuck with it's legacy.

See point above. However, your disparaging of "dance music" really serves only to illustrate your own partisanship.
posted by plenty at 3:05 AM on April 10, 2003

What's the difference between, say, the lead riff to "Smoke on the Water", and a riff created on a synth?

A human played the riff on "Smoke On The Water" computers play the riffs on disco records and techno records. I like music for humans.

Er, I seem to recall folks like Berry Gordy and Phil Spector doing quite well for themselves back in the day.

Yes, but they were exceptions rather than the rule. The same cannot be said of producers and club DJ's today.

One's taste in music has always been an expression of one's lifestyle and values, first and foremost.

So that means disco fans are promiscuous drug addled fashionistas who are into hipper-than-thou posturing and velvet rope exclusivity. Sounds wonderful.

I second that, especially if you consider how both disco and rave were all about dance as transcendental experiences with the dancefloor as the altar of worship.

Pretty pretentious way of saying it's about taking shitloads of drugs, dresing like Rainbow Fucking Brite and dancing till you pass out. I've done stupid shit for fun in my life, I don't have the nerve to dress it up as a philosophy.

See point above. However, your disparaging of "dance music" really serves only to illustrate your own partisanship.

Subtle way of trying to peg me as some aging whiteboy rocker, just like in your first sentence. Listen I've got plenty of what you'd call dance music in my collection. I have piles of motown, shitloads of stax/volt, tons of P-Funk and the like and boatloads of hip-hop and reggae on my shelves. So it's not about "partisansip" or whatever your trying to imply.

But disco and techno? Sorry that's where I draw the line. The music and the whole culture surrounding it just revolts me.
posted by jonmc at 5:44 AM on April 10, 2003

jonmc - 'Dancing till you pass out' is an element of most religions which retain their links to their origins.
I am sorry that this has been mostly lost from our secular 'modern' societies, but it is not possible to suppress it successfully as you have experienced. Dance, music and artistic expression have been purged from their place in the religious rituals that the North European version of Christianity has developed, to a large extent.
It is just as important a part of the human condition as belonging to a group or supporting a team, IMHO.
posted by asok at 6:27 AM on April 10, 2003

I have piles of motown, shitloads of stax/volt, tons of P-Funk and the like and boatloads of hip-hop and reggae on my shelves. So it's not about "partisansip" or whatever your trying to imply.

No it's about ignorance. Your pontificating on disco is straight from the shallow end, Disco is and was a state of mind. Many tracks were disco, Motown, Stax, P-funk, etc is and was disco, what do you think people were dancing to in the Paradise Garage - Tina Charles, K-Tel's 20 Disco Classics?

Presumably you wouldn't count Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder or Barry White as disco either (to pretend Gamble & Huff and Chic wasn't disco is just nonsense). Ask New Order whether disco sucks, ask Martin Hannett (yeah I know he's dead), he produced ESG tracks with the same feel as Joy Division, ask The Clash whether they thought Larry Levan fucked up or improved The Magnificent Seven, ask Bob Marley what he thought when he experienced disco/reggae/punk all working on the same dancefloors of London's 'discos'.

Chic is funk, not disco. Same with P-Funk, EWF, the Gamble & Huff crew, etc.

Maybe you should try revisiting your definition/stereotype of disco before you tell people what to think, the only thing you'll find in your current pigeon hole is pigeon shit.
posted by niceness at 6:31 AM on April 10, 2003

It is just as important a part of the human condition as belonging to a group or supporting a team, IMHO.

Which is only really important to those under the age of twelve. As for the rest of it...

**Puts on some Mötorhead, Replacements, and Bobby Fuller Four and walks away from it all**
posted by jonmc at 6:44 AM on April 10, 2003

A little slow, a little trite, but hard to resist:

Metafilter: 99.9% of everything is crap

Thanks, timeistight (and billder)
posted by Songdog at 6:45 AM on April 10, 2003

not a self link, but a family one....

This guy is my uncle and I can't pass up adding him to this thread. I know he was loved by so many who heard him. He started in Ft. Lauderdale (where I remember him when I was very young) and then moved on to San Francisco where he was big. He's now in NYC.
posted by evening at 6:46 AM on April 10, 2003

computers play the riffs on disco records and techno records

...and who programmed the computers?
posted by inpHilltr8r at 9:45 AM on April 10, 2003

...and who programmed the computers?

Space robots?
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 10:03 AM on April 10, 2003

I, for one, welcome our new disco-computer-programming space-robot overlords.
posted by timeistight at 10:59 AM on April 10, 2003

jonmc: normally I like what you have to say about music, you seem knowedgeable, but what you've said here is out of character for you. I think you'd have to admit that you have some pretty odd criteria for what music you like if what you base it on is who played what when (it's okay for a person to use an electronic instrument live, but not okay if they program it ahead of time?), or who some of the people who listen to it are. Not a criticism, since I agree 100% with Lemmy who said (more or less): "There's only two kinds of music, the stuff you like and the stuff you don't", just an observation.

Anyway - as with anything else, there's good disco and bad disco, not all disco is dull, unaccented four-on-the-floor, and plenty of disco grooves. Lumping all disco into the same boat is about as fair as assuming that the only people who listen to any form of techno are teenaged rave kids with weird clothing, or that the only people who listen to Motorhead are aging ex-headbanger white men.
posted by biscotti at 1:20 PM on April 10, 2003