The Future of Disco

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The Future of Disco

The future of disco... thoughts of a pioneer.

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I have often wondered if "Disco music" will have any real claim or lasting artistic importance. Does the music of today bear any influence from the era of the '70s or will it be considered "Just a passing fad." I believe that the answer to this goes back to the industry leaders who in their prime, were innovative and were able to set new trends.

No one can deny the fact that the industry was innovative for at its height, it was bringing in over $4 billion US dollars and certainly created a whole new life style. But many critics point out that this success doesn't necessarily add up to art.

In its beginnings, many labels feared it, thinking that this too would be another short-lived trend. But eventually things started to change and the artists were getting radio play. Never to forget to remind themselves how nice it would be to line their pockets with money, the labels got into it big time, and flooded the market with "Disco artists / music."

However this is nothing new about an industry that responds to trends. You can go as far back to the renaissance period with its own "Classical hits' to the big band era and of course to rock and roll with Bill Haley who starting the craze with "Rock Around The Clock."

All these "fads" had their own particular style and influenced each other. Disco carried past influences and its artists achieved their fame by using the past, expanding on it and created a new art form.

Frank Sinatra was not just a crooner from New Jersey, but had the energy of the big bands. Going back even further, would Beethoven have felt a certain freedom had it not been for the music of Mozart he was listening to? Rock and roll by all means is in a class all its own. Taking a little of every genre out there: From R & B, blues, and southern funk/rock. The 60's certainly is in the same class. Its dominance, reflected the changing mood from perry como to the Doors. It spoke for a new generation that captivated America with its greatest finale: Woodstock.

Disco music has been approved by the American people by the money spent by them and the record labels and finally by the tremendous lasting success of its artists. The musicality of disco made it what it will always be: A resounding success due to its arrangements and melodies that could still be heard in todays artists - even now over 30 years later.

The unprecedented success and impact of "Disco" through the movie Saturday Night Fever, can only be matched by the fine lads from Liverpool called The Beatles. They alone turned the world on its head and never looked back.

Disco as i see it, gave birth to many other musical genres: Soul /jazz rock/acid/funk and even to heavy metal and punk rock. Disco transcended these other forms of music by turning into universal appeal. Disco arouses the public with its music. The public determines what is good for them, not the critics. The public's complete acceptance of this style of music gives it the power to call itself art.

Disco has been felt by all of us and its longevity has made its mark on music as determined by the artists/producers and the industry itself who keep reinventing itself and satisfying the public and their thirst for such music, no matter what we call it today.

Dance on my friends,
Barry Lederer

*** Referenced and paraphrased based on an article by Lawrence Scott

About the author:
Barry Lederer is a former writer for Billboard's "Disco Mix" column during the 1970s as well as being a principal owner in Graebar Sound, which outfitted many top clubs in the 70s and 80s with critically acclaimed sound systems. He is still involved in dance music by way of the Dance Music Hall of Fame and regularly contributes articles and various commentary for DiscoMusic.com. You can find out more about him by reading this interview.

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