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January
2005
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Welcome
to my salute to Gay Disco Music, where
I'll explore the disco and dance music by gay artists, and also the even
more select group of songs that are lyrically gay. In order to fit as
much into this two-part show, I'm only able to use partial songs, but
I sure got a lot of 'em in. And, if you know of a lyrically gay disco
song I didn't include I'd love to hear about it, so please email me.
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Playlist
for January 24, 2005
Okay, Meco is not gay, but I loved using his disco instrumental of "Over the Rainbow" (from the wonderful "Wizard of Oz" LP under the talking intro for show #1. That him with Gloria Gaynor above the album.
Some
images have another image behind it, |
Gay Anthems
Above, a rare photo of Modern Rocketry's Morey Goldstein and Ken Kessie; their 12" is below
Playlist
for January 31, 2005
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Paul Jabara (1948-1992) was a singer, actor, songwriter and producer who well earned his spot in disco heaven. Before his disco stardom he was in the original Broadway production of "Hair," and was the original King Herod in the London production of "Jesus Christ Superstar." As a songwriter he helped blaze Donna Summer's star with "Last Dance," and gave "The Main Event" to Barbra Streisand, and both got to sing his "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)." His contributions to "Thank God It's Friday" won him an Oscar, a Grammy and a Golden Globe. And he was the first to produce a Whitney Houston recording, and co-wrote "It's Raining Men" for the Weather Girls. Also, Jabara co-founded the Red Ribbon Project in 1991, and is credited with conceiving and distributing the first AIDS Red Ribbon. |
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Sylvester & Patrick Cowley Sylvester: above left from 1974, from his Cockettes days, far right sheet music from his hit "You Make Me Feel Mighty Real" (from 1979), and in the middle, one I was lucky to take myself while visiting San Francisco in 1981, he was a "celebrity judge" at a Castro Street dog parade. Click for more Sylvester. Below, Patrick Cowley and Sylvester, and his 12" 45 of "Menergy." And below that is a poster for the release, and another artist he produced, Paul Parker, who scored big with "Right on Target" in 1982.
I did a special 2-hour Sylvester Tribute in July 2012
Click for article on Paul Parker
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Click for larger scans of Boys Town Gang 12-incher Boys Town Gang, produced by DJ Bill Motley; Cynthia Manley sang the lead vocals. And below, the Skatt Brothers' album "Strange Spirits" brought us "Walk the Night" and "Life at the Outpost." Group member David Fernandez has been featured on a previous show, in Aug 2003, as a member of the cast of the early gay musical "Lovers." And another member, Sean Delaney, was instrumental in creation of the group Kiss and was often called "The Fifth Kiss"
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Below, Monti Rock III, under the guise of Disco Tex & the Sex-o-Lettes, scored big with "Get Dancin'" in 1974. But mostly Monti got attention for his flamboyant act, and was on the Johnny Carson show 84 times. A current pic is below right, and one of 70's vintage below the album.
Here's a Rare
interview/article on Monti Rock III, from 1972, with full frontal
nude photo Click Here to listen to "Castro Boy" I've seen references
that the singer on "Castro Boy" was gay comedian Danny Williams.
Below, the very laid back "You're My Man" and a poster for the movie it was from. |
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Carl Bean was born this way...
above, 1977 pic below, Bishop Carl Bean
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Carl Bean, now Archbishop Carl Bean, updated Valentino's R&B song with a disco beat in 1977, and it's been updated and re-released at least twice since then. Bean founded the Unity Fellowship Church in Los Angeles,which is dedicated to helping blacks with HIV. Click here for a lot more on Carl Bean. |
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Below,
Gay Men, from Holland, 1983, with their very Out 45, and, center, their
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Queering
the Waitresses song "I Know What Boys Like" |
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RuPaul RuPaul has come a long way since 1986's "Star Booty," and I'm pleased to share an interview with her fresh after the release of her 2004 album "Red Hot" Click to See an unofficial video for "Looking Good, Feeling Gorgeous" |
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Extra
Features: |
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Show #2
Sabrina Johnston sang lead, and it came out in at least 10 mixes, and below, though not a good one, the only photo I have of the duo Rent
Click Here to listen to "I Love To Be Queer"
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Paul Lekakis brought us "Boom Boom Boom (Let's Go Back To My Room)," from his "Tattoo It" album in 1990
(left) Linda Clifford's "If My Friends Could See Me Now" was the first song to which I danced with a man, a fitting choice, I thought. And above, one of Alicia Bridges albums, following her smash hit "I Love the Nightlife (Disco Round)". See my March 2008 QMH for an exclusive interview with her. |
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Village People
above left, the guys with their mentors Henri Belolo and Jacques Morali
Added August
2016
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Randy Jones, the original VP Cowboy
in
the year or so prior to joining Village People (and the rest was history...)
Randy did |
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below, a delightful parody by British comedian Billy Connolly, 1979
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left, stud shot, circa 1978, and below some candids I took of Randy a couple of years ago, first with Zecca and Ari Gold; Randy hosting an Outmusic Open Mic; and then just with me
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Randy Jones Interview I could
only fit about a third of it into my show, |
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Bronski Beat / Communards / Jimmy Somerville
The epic "Smalltown Boy" was the first release from the debut album by Bronski Beat, called "Age of Consent," in 1984. They were Steve Bronski, Larry Steinbacheck and Jimmy Somerville. Somerville quit the group to form (with Richard Coles) the Communards, and in 1989 went solo. All three acts are known for their Out political songs.
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Above, the video to have in order to see videos of all three acts, and right, the new one from Jimmy, "Home Again" |
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Above
left, Paulie D. and Debra Torres are the duo Dare 2B Dif'rnt, and
their new release,
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Holly Johnson & Frankie Goes To Hollywood and, from Germany in 1995, Sin With Sebastian
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"I stood on the corner / Just to find me a man / 'Cause I had me a hunger / For some muscle and tan... " Well, that's how the song "Let's Make Love" starts out, but Michael Dane may well be the most obscure artist on this show. I got the song on tape from a friend years ago, and never saw the actual disc, and the story is it may be an English or Belgium release, from 1981. If anyone has info, or a pic of the artist, pul-eeze let me know...:) |
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Man 2 Man, and Man Parrish
A couple of disco cover versions were done by the artists above, from France the artist Marseilles did the Charles Aznavour classic "What Makes A Man A Man," and Singapore native Laurance Tan, now living in Toronto, in 1998 did a job on the Little Peggy March gem "I Will Follow Him" |
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Dan Hartman I am very pleased to
bring you Tom Robinson's moving comments
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