Mega Treat! VILLAGE PEOPLE

Videoskooter · #1 October 15th, 2006, 04:59 PM

Lajazz947 · #2 October 21st, 2006, 01:45 AM

More memeories...........I was not able to get into the Greek theater here in in LA when they played in 1976 so me and my girlfriend went to the parking lot and listened to them from outside. I enjoyed it but I remember that it really made me want to be inside.

I always wanted to see them in concert so I finally got my chance in 1997 when I saw them with Kool and the gang at the Universal ampitheater with a couple of friends.

I still listen to " San Francisco" and " Hollywood " all the time on my IPOD.

Yeah, campy but wasn't it all campy anyway?

garrybcoston · #3 October 22nd, 2006, 12:30 PM

Great videos; the earlier vid's with original lead singer Victor Willis really brings back some memories; both good and bad.

It's clear that Ray Simpson, the post Victor Willis Lead Singer, could never hold a candle to Victor Willis; he was an excellent singer, but Victor Willis had that emotion and conviction in his voice in which it was hard to deny listening to him with the Village People.

It's also clear that in the 1980's, when disco had died, VP desperately tried to change their image; everyone knew that all of the cast was gay except for Victor Willis, but by then the damage was done and it was too late. Part of disco dying was the AIDS scare, and other negative aspects from the gay association which the populous and the world was trying to shy away from.

Anyway, I loved them then, and I still love them. Would love to hear Victor Willis' voice again, singing anything!

Garry

garrybcoston · #4 October 22nd, 2006, 12:46 PM

I think my most favorite post disco VP album was "Fox on the Box," the last album they produced in which Victor Willis was again leading the group as singer.

Garry

Eman · #5 October 22nd, 2006, 03:38 PM

I know what you mean about Victor Willis, but then as I posted on another thread why and who were Ray Stephens (Policeman) and Mark Lee (Construction Worker) on the "Sex Over The Phone" and "Fox On The Box" (In The Street in the U.S.) albums respectively....I know on "Fox" it was Victor and Ray...someone solve this mystery for me please?

garrybcoston · #6 October 23rd, 2006, 10:51 AM

I don't understand your question; Victor Willis was the lead singer on the "In the Streets" album, and I thought that David Hodo (Construction worker) was the back-up as well on the "In the Streets" album.

Victor did not sing lead on the "Sex Over the Phone" album. But remember, Victor Willis was still writing material for Village People during their "Post Disco" releases up until about the early to mid 80's.

I didn't know that this Ray Stephens and Mark Lee were replacements. I do remember that there was a time that a couple of the members, during post-disco VP, left the group and maybe this was when.

Garry

garrybcoston · #7 October 23rd, 2006, 10:57 AM

Just found out, through research, that Ray Stephens and Mark Lee were temporary stand-in's, one time I think, on a post-disco VP album; after that they didn't appear again. I think Ray Simpson and David Hodo took a sabattical and hiatus at one time and then came back.

Garry

celtics-unlimited · #8 November 1st, 2006, 11:25 AM

This is my first post, so hello to you guys....

I'll try to the best of my knowledge from what I know in regards to Village People's album "Fox On The Box" through interviews of some of their studio technicians... This album ("Fox On The Box") is very unique in a way... First, ... the group now wants to try their hands at funk music as it was prevelent during that time, and all of the tracks were originally sung by Ray Simpson at lead. This version is still locked-up in a vault somewhere. Second, the producers hired once again Victor Willis to sing lead to capture the magic of the group. So, most of the songs were re-recorded with Vic Willis now on lead, with a couple of songs retained to Ray Simpson. Third, David Hodo left the group because of disappointment from the poor sales of their previous album 'Renaissance', and formed his own short-lived rock-a-billy group with him at lead. He was replaced by a look-alike Mark Lee (now in contrction business). Mark did recently appeared in Los Angeles doing modeling stuffs. Fourth, in late 1983, and the late '90s, the album was re-released in cd form and renamed 'In The Street'. It differentiate with the 'Fox On The Box' album with a bonus song "America' sung lead by Miles Jaye. At this point, Ray Simpson have already quit the group after a series of live concerts in Asia. The group had this Korean Village People album 'Live: Seoul' album with Miles on lead in 1984 (which I have a cd copy btw)

. The late Ray Stephens didn't appear until the album 'Sex Over The Phone' in 1985 to replace Miles Jaye going solo. Due to health reasons, Ray Stephens was temporarily replaced by short-live Py Douglas in the same year to promote the album in Europe, until Ray's healthy enough to come back. The group took a leave of absence in 1986, only to return in 1987... ;)

Eman · #9 November 1st, 2006, 08:45 PM

Hey Celtics,
Welcome to the board and thanks for clearing up this confusion for me. The Village People are a favourite and all this switching around was confusing. Again thanks!! - Eman

celtics-unlimited · #10 November 3rd, 2006, 08:29 PM

Yup...Nice to be joining in... the group was my favorite since I bought my first-owned record "Macho Man" in 1978...

Another Village People trivia... At shows at New Zealand, did you know that there was a third "contruction worker" by the name of Bill Whitefield who performed with the group in some of their shows in the between the years 2003-04? For unknown reasons, David Hodo didn't make the trip, so he was temporarily replace short-lived by Bill... Also, a guy named Alex Timmerman replaced Alex Briley in one or two shows in 2002 (or is it '03)?...

Eman · #11 November 3rd, 2006, 10:32 PM

Really? Wow...they don't even mention those guys anywhere. Were they look-a-likes or something? David Hodo was my favorite Village Person...Also whatever happened to his so-called wife name Wren. I remember reading that he was married in one of the teen magazines..in 1979/1980. I think it was Teen Beat or one of those rags...LOL

celtics-unlimited · #12 November 6th, 2006, 08:43 PM

Hmmm... I read that one too... All I know, David and Wren were just close friends. Why they didn't end up together, I don't have the slightest idea... All I care about are their records, and paid little attention to their private lives...The third guy who played the construction worker (Bill Whitefield) is not a look-alike. He's not even an under study. He even plays the biker in one show when Eric Anzalone is not available. Bill Whitefield is just an emergency temporary replacement (step-in guy) in one or two shows they had overseas...

Another Village People trivia... Did you know that aside from David, Randy, Felipe, Alex and Glenn doing background vocal recordings to Victor's lead,... there are two or three more guys (session singers) singing back-up at the same time?...8-)

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