define disco

[Lance Andersen]

Originally Posted by garrybcoston

Great thread! It was more than just the music, which was lush, emotional, heavenly, but yet aggressive enough to dance to, it was the state of mind and consciousness along with the music that exuded a type of innocence but then again had an evil edge (i.e., the drug use, sex, etc.). Throw in there the fashion (shirts with wide collars and fluffed sleeves, bell bottom or flair pants/slacks, and pumps, for both men and women (the heels were blocked but some heels were six inches or more high), and the over all culture back then ate, breathed, and slept disco; you were even at the disco (or discoteque) during work week nights trying to dance, score (find a sex mate or friend), or just hang out. At work, the topic was what club you were going to go to the next night, and what happened the previous night at whatever club you or your friends went to.

Music, disco music that is, was being pumped out, by the mid to late 70's like you wouldn't believe, and yes, the music was in the air because disco music was on television, on the majority of television shows and movies, in tv and radio commercials, in the clubs, played on the majority of the radio stations which played only DISCO music (and many radio stations changed their format to disco which left a huge void in the industry), and even rock and rollers and others that had never sung or played disco jumped on the bandwagon (Rod Stewart, Kiss, Rolling Stones, Queen). The Rock and Roll, Soul, R&B, and Jazz sections of the music industry suffered heavily and lost a lot of money because of Disco's dominance. Therefore, a lot of the artists that sang or played those music genres had no choice but to jump on the disco bandwagon and do what the Romans do.

It did get a bit ridiculous by 1978 as just about every producer was pumping out disco records, and some of them became totally silly, and "off the chain" as we say today.

It was sad to say goodbye to our old friend in 1979 and early 1980, but it's still alive through our memories, and through modern dance/techno which is nothing more than disco modernized with a name change.

It was a time that was unequalled and probably will never be repeated.

Garry

Garry, you are spot on. It truly was an incredible time. Shows like dancing with the stars owe their roots somewhat to Dance Fever (several of my friends were on Dance Fever). I remember this period and music was a great time to share with friends, i was in college and we had a 2002 club which was owned by the 2001 folks for the under 21 crowd... We would head there after classes on friday, shoot pool (one side was a game room) then hit the dance side looking for our company for the evening....

i would do it all over again in a heart beat...

[QUINNY]

For me, it was bloody hard work, sometimes 7 days a week for long spells!!!!

Personally, I didn't have my best times in discos exclusively during Disco's heyday (75-79). It was no more magical than any other time I DJ'd, except there was an inexhaustable supply of hot records and they brought with them a certain air of excitement.

[pepper1dancer]

Originally Posted by garrybcoston

Great thread!


It was sad to say goodbye to our old friend in 1979 and early 1980, but it's still alive through our memories, and through modern dance/techno which is nothing more than disco modernized with a name change.



Garry

It seems like we might be all about the same age here. Yes, sometimes when i hear a song it just whooshes me back to the day when i first heard Disco and how I would go to the Record Store and buy the new releases. BITD I had my favorites, but thanks to this site and everyone on it, it seems like I'm in the 70's again trying to find the "old music" again on old albums and CD's on songs i had forgot about and everyone talking about again. BITD I had to sneak in my albums and 45's because my Dad would Scream at me when i got home and he saw that i had bought more "GODDAMN DISCO" as he called it. He didn't even know what Disco sounded like but he knew the term, he just hated that I spent my money on records. I didn't know Aerosmith was Disco!!

[Viva1971]

Oh am I so glad I have found this site - its not just full of kids growing up in the 70's but actual clubbers. YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE by Candi Staton somes it up for me. It just says so much. I had a gorgous Italian boyfriend at the time who suited the lyrics perfectly. It reminds me of him and the Le Kilt Club in Soho London. It's true what someone has said on this thread that you would spend all week getting ready for Saturday night - with you there mate - How I loved the 70's and how glad I am that I had the great times that I did.

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Originally Posted by Dayna

When I think of disco so many things come to mind..
Not just the fabulous pulsating music or the great producers and artists
To me it was sanctuary..Like The hunchback of Norte Dame in the bell tower.
I could be whoever I wanted to be and not worry about anything or anyone..
It was about the possiblilities the night held..They were endless...
It was an era that will never be matched. If I could use one word to sum it up it would be "Magical"

Perfect, baby!

I come from a show-business family... Grandparents were Vaudeville and Burlesque stars. Parents were both award-wining actors. Mom in the Ballet Russe, Aunt was in the chorus at The Roxy, Uncle performed at Radio City, sister was a dancer on 'Hulaballoo'... So, Disco was MY baby! Being raised on classical and show tunes, spending my childhhood weekends playing backstage at theaters... When I heard orchestras in popular music??? I was completely captivated, from the start.

I remember stayin' up late, listening to WPIX radio, which became "Disco 102" from 8pm to sign-off, around 2am. (The first 'Disco' radio station in NYC.) And sneakin' into The Soap Factory in New Milford New Jersey, at 15, to see their house band, "The Fabulous Trammps". And later on, going out to see "Carol 'Doctor's Orders' Douglas", a she was billed back then.

By winter of '76 I was behind the turntables and never left ,until July of '97. And I was always happier with the challenge of mixing melodies, rather than beats. Cause, either you could do it, or you couldn't. There was no in between, then. No computer beats and no extended intros. Also in '76, Technics 1100A's & 1200's, power-amps, those BIG PA speakers and a mixer, were damn expensive! Hardly any clubs, outside of Manhattan had them. Mostly, just jukeboxes with dancefloors. So, if you got a job as a DJ, you'd better be real good, to hang onto that gig!

On a daily basis, the world sucked. Odd and Even Day gas-lines in the US. The UK's economy was in the toilet. Mideast was a mess (well, some things never change) But at night... The world was bright, and filled with possibilities!

Of course, "Saturday Night Fever" gave us DJs an unexpected step backwards. But, thanks to Casablanca, we recovered nicely!

So... "define disco"??? Easy... It was our perfect world.

[Juan.Pablo.Cuervo]

Originally Posted by graeme

what makes Disco disco?

To me its a verry + energy, The female (yin/yang) energy that most disco music has or emantes/radiates...

should be interesting to see some spectographs about it, to see/know exactly what it is...
like the face in aphex twin - equation song!!! totally oposite energy, go to spectrogram - examples
Visualization Software


but technically:::
the standard bass lines, like is the Roland tb-303 for acid techno
the violins or synths efx, or lead
the usually female chorus
the 4/4 real drums&perc that was eqed,compressed&gated almost to sound like drummachines, and some disco songs have only machines
the +love message, the love story...

music its like apples , some like red some like green

i was born in 77, but some how i feel verry connected to it, probably in my childhood i always tunned & feel atracted to radio stations that played that vibe/energy called "disco music" all the time...
i still get a bit natural high when i hear/talk about some disco music
hearing chorus like tragedy, and lots others...
but similar vibe can be found in house/trance music also, rock powerballads, etc...