Rock backlash against Disco and Gloria Gaynor's thoughts on the Disco beat

[FunkMaster]

A video where Gloria Gaynor basically says that the Disco sound/beat was created to appeal to mainstream america because soul/funk grooves were too complex for white americans to dance to.It also has some of the Rocker backlash against disco

[SandraDee]

All those hideous hairy rockers make out that disco was terrible but what they really mean (& some of them don't make a good job of covering up their true feelings) is that they were jealous of its success & bitter that they no longer ruled the musical world - what a shame, NOT!

[Videoskooter]

Funny, today I've read an interview with Andy Butler from the band "Hercules And Love Affair" who are putting out very interesting Disco/House/Nu Wave blends (they have already been discussed on this board).

Now Andy was asked about this Disco collapsing/being hated by the Rockies BITD thing. He states that Rockers hated Discomusic so much because they couldn't enjoy themselves. They saw lots of people forgetting their sorrows by dancing them off, having fun ALL TOGETHER! Their music (Rock) couldn't do that as it was usually too macho/agressive and that's why they got so angry about Disco: they couldn't figure it out as they lack the emotional intelligence!

"Disco was/is DREAM MUSIC", he says, "NOT MADE FOR IDIOTS"

"It's for people who know to enjoy life and see the bigger spectrum of it, Rockers can't do that!"

If you read interviews with genuine Rockbands you rarely read about uplifting thoughts. Booze agression and destruction, yes, but L.O.V.E.? Never! That's why they blew up records in true Nazi-style! They can't deal with music that's being joyful!

And when some of those negativos decide to come in and have a hit on us here, they choose nicks like "Evilmother" Need I say more

Maybe Andy is very right in this analysis, isn't he?

And to thank Mr. Butler for all that, here's some promo for his recent work, the enchanting "Hercules Theme"

[Disco Funk]

I addressed the hypocrisy of the anti-disco artists in the other thread about 'funk with a bow-tie'. I just wanted to add that I was reading Tony Cummings 'Sound of Philadelphia' book, and basically Philadelphia International was born because Gamble & Huff knew they had come across the right sound that would appeal to a mass, crossover audience. They wanted to be the next Motown, and they shopped it around until CBS bought it. And as far as I'm concerned, it was philadelphia where disco in its final form was born because most of the dance music that came after I'll Be Around and other tracks from '72, including productions by guys like Meco and Bert DeCoteaux were emulations of the music coming from the Sigma Sound studios. I would even say that the Europeans (more specifically the Silver Convention's first record) also liked the philly dance sound and tried to emulate it as well.

So, yeah, disco pretty much was created as an type of black music that would also appeal to a mass (i.e. white) audience. It was no different from Motown or Sly & The Family Stone, both of whom tried to bring soul music to all of America. Atlantic Records and the Muscle Shoals sound was probably the only place that didn't 'sellout' to get its music onto Top 40 Pop radio.

Disco Funk

[pepper1dancer]

1979, There was a local Rock Band playing at a dance hall. My friends asked me to play my Disco albums for the intermission. People were enjoying the rock-band but when I started playing my Disco, the floor got packed. I remember playing Vivian Vee, The Whispers, and Donna Summer. The rock-band proceeded to sabatoge the speakers during Donna Summer. They were not-happpy campers. Everyone came up to be and started saying the Band were all jealous of me getting the floor packed. That was my 1st and last time I "DJ'd". That memory always brings a smile to my face.

[Dayna]

LOL..I dont know what kind of white people Gloria is speaking of but I never had a problem dancing to R&B music ...if anything I would have had a hard time dancing to rock n roll..
and the hypocrisy of Rod Stewart and Alice Cooper ,I hear so much Disco influence in the Alice Cooper goes to Hell Lp..Inperticularlly the track "You Gotta Dance"

[SandraDee]

I hate it when people imply that white people have no sense of rhythm. I know lots of them don't but many of us have. It's a racial stereotype at the end of the day.

[Salsoul1975]

Originally Posted by SandraDee

I hate it when people imply that white people have no sense of rhythm. I know lots of them don't but many of us have. It's a racial stereotype at the end of the day.

I agree with you, and if Miss Gaynor is so brazen to make such a generalization, then how come she didn't sing funk? Funny coming from an artist who has only two songs that people who come to see her perform know.

[JussiK]

I actually had the privilege to chat with Gloria Gaynor over the phone a few months back. She said Europeans always respected disco far more than the Americans. The GG fans here - and we are a legion young and old - know more than 2 of the Diva's tracks that's for sure..and maybe we dance pretty well to them, too! :-)

[Teddybear]

Originally Posted by SandraDee

I hate it when people imply that white people have no sense of rhythm. I know lots of them don't but many of us have. It's a racial stereotype at the end of the day.

I lived together with many Americans during the late 70s and early 80s, 'cause my family played host for them during two or three months a year. I can't remember any of them having a developed sense of rhythm, except for a mature man who was half latino and one black gay undergraduate student. I think it was a matter of culture. You need to develop that sense, like a muscle.

At the time, in Latin America we started to dance/see dancing since we were very young, so we built up our musical sense in connection with dance. But... at the same time, even though most of people could dance to our tropical "ethnic" dances, they coudn't do it when faced with rock or Disco, and stayed as passive listeners.

Nowadays music has become internationalized and dancing freely to all kind of genres is popular. Of course, Disco music was an essential factor to achieve such a freedom in the USA. And now I can see Americans dancing with style, and here still there are some latinos who move with their feet inside a concrete bucket. We all have a sense of rhythm, some have polished it, and some of us have a particular inborn gift for enjoying and appreciating Disco music, and life let us developed it.

[paul]

Originally Posted by SandraDee

I hate it when people imply that white people have no sense of rhythm. I know lots of them don't but many of us have. It's a racial stereotype at the end of the day.

Ya know SD, I know if there is one white man on this board with bootylicious rhythm, it's gotta be you

[Cdnbob]

Originally Posted by Dayna

LOL..I dont know what kind of white people Gloria is speaking of but I never had a problem dancing to R&B music ...if anything I would have had a hard time dancing to rock n roll..

Dayna I totally agree with you on this one!!! This white boy was one who loved - and still loves - to dance and has rhythm. I made sure every Saturday in the 1970's I watched "American Bandstand" and "Soul Train" to learn all the latest dances and always loved soul, R&B, disco far more than country or rock n' roll (yeeeuck!!!).

I lost count of how many people use to come up to me in the clubs and say "you dance like a black man", which in itself could be construed as a racial slur I suppose, but I always took it as a compliment. I was always far more drawn to dance music than rock n' roll. I can shake my booty and put my feet to the beat with the best of them. Sure there are some white people who can't tell their left foot from their right, but I sure as he** can.

[SandraDee]

Originally Posted by paul

Ya know SD, I know if there is one white man on this board with bootylicious rhythm, it's gotta be you

You know me so well Paul! I don't like to boast but I have often received complements on my bootylicious rhythm. (I think I'm best just leaving that one right there!)

[buckaroo]

Originally Posted by Salsoul1975

I agree with you, and if Miss Gaynor is so brazen to make such a generalization, then how come she didn't sing funk? Funny coming from an artist who has only two songs that people who come to see her perform know.

Give her a break. She said it quite a few years ago. Anyhow, as for Rod Stewart criticizing disco, he was all too happy to make a disco record or two at the time And most of the rockers like Tom Petty commenting in the video got it wrong. Most disco didn't use drum machines in the early days. Chic, Costandinos etc, employed many many live musicians - especially jazz ones - who were unemployed back then, as jazz lost favour with the public. We all know the fantastically highly orchestrated disco records we love, that are full of lush strings and brass sections.