Music at Leather Bars

[Willy De Ville]

Hello!

A member of the DJ History board suggested I ask you guys about leather bars in the late seventies and early eighties and the music that got played there.

A member posted a link to a great story about Walk the Night by the Skatt Bros and leather bars:

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2005/07...ory-vol-3.html

I’m really interested in this: I got turned on to the Cruising soundtrack by DJ Hell (who claimed it never left his DJ bag) and I have since been trying to find some info about the NY leather bar scene in the late seventies/early eighties and trying to track down other stuff that got played at these kinds of clubs.

Aside from some good descriptions in novels by Edmund White and Janet Hobhouse I haven’t been able to find out very much about the clubs and even less about the type of music that got played there – which is strange considering the vast amount of info available about the “regular” gay club scene of this period. Can anyone point me in the direction of any good on-line resources, books or magazine articles?

I guess there must have been some degree of overlap between what got played in discos and in leather bars: the term rocky disco seems much abused to describe stuff which bears very little relation to rock music, but I guess that’s the label to use here – especially in relation to the Skatt Bros. On a similar tip, I wonder if stuff like Dirty Livin’ by Kiss, Some Girls/Emotional Rescue era Rolling Stones, Paradise Garage by The Zebras, Beats of Love by Nacht Und Nabel, Sex Beat by the Gun Club, Cat Gang’s version of Locomotive Breath was played…? The stuff on the Cruising soundtrack isn’t really disco at all (it’s got LA punk band the Germs on it and they don’t sound out of place). Does anybody know if this was typical of the kind of music that was played? And does anyone know who DJed at these places?

Hope you can help!

[Willy De Ville]

sorry - I messed up that link - this one should work:

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2005/07...ory-vol-3.html

[markydefad]

In SF, leather bars south of Market in the Folsom area like ultra-serious The Brig played punk rock (at least more masculine pop rock with maybe Blondie ("X Offender") or the Runaways ("Cherry Bomb") in the mix (I often didn't know what the hell it was!!!)--The Balcony on Market Street was less concerned with "attitude" and played more traditional disco-- made on reel to reel tapes made by drugged-out guys!!!

I recall one train-wreck tape that had the worst mixes--but nobody paid any attention. they just let it play --2 songs playing at the same time--the beats totally NOT in sync.

The Black & Blue was in the Soma area I recall that they had a closing night ritual of playing Viillage People's "San Francisco" & Jeanette McDonald's "San Francisco"....and it seems like one other tune--but I can't recall what it was--NOT Tony Bennett (at least I don't think so..)

Was it "Over The Rainbow" by Judy??? Yikes that would be TOOOOOOOOOOOO GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!! :oops: :roll: :-? :P

[ol'skinflint]

it's the only club I ever saw that had a line of people outside waiting for it to open at 6 a.m. on Sunday morning! And everybody was on speed, including the employees. And a song I remember being very popular during that time was the Gang of 4's "I Love a Man in a Uniform". "Good ol'" hardly describes those magic days. Exciting, unpredictable, electrifying, playful. You probably remember Oil Can Harry's, the I Beam, Buzzby's...

[remicks]

In SF, leather bars south of Market in the Folsom area like ultra-serious The Brig ............

Hey, ... Now I remember you !!!!
You're the guy that always came into The Brig with a big willing and able smile on your face .... wearing your black leather cap , wife beater t-shirt, black leather vest , black leather chaps ......



............... and your fly wide open !!! :o




:o



:lol: :lol: :lol:

*****

[WolverSyr]

One of my fondest memories of the 80's was hearing Karen Finley's Tales of Taboo at a leather bar.
All the guys stopped dancing & stood around slack-jawed & shocked at the lyrics. I thought it was hilarious that all these big guys in would be mortified over some foul language.


Well...downright vile lyrics...

[all*that*glitters*]

The stuff on the Cruising soundtrack isn’t really disco at all (it’s got LA punk band the Germs on it and they don’t sound out of place). Does anybody know if this was typical of the kind of music that was played? And does anyone know who DJed at these places?

maybe the situation in the States was different than over here in Holland, Amsterdam but the music being played at the disco's didn't differ very much from the music of the leather bars. The more ambitious bars played tapes by the Club jocks anyway. But mostly the music was not of such great importance. The sound level at the bars was usually so low, very background.
People in bars come to talk or cruise so the sound level is accordingly.
And besides, most customers don't go to leather bars to listen to music, they come for sex! No backroom I know of had speakers anyway.

The only difference in attitude was that the music being played at the bars was more 'masculine' in sound but it remained Disco. Rock or Punk were always no-no... as was Judy Garland or like Barry Manilow's 'at the copa' for instance; just too camp!

Here's some of the tracks I remember hearing at Amsterdam's hot leather bars like The Argos, The Cockring around 1979-1980
-Easy Going -I strip you/fear
this Italian group catered mostly towards the leather scene
-Gilda Radner -let's talk dirty to the animals
-Asha -The Whip
-Macho -I'm a man
-Sylvester -mighty real
-Patrick Cowley/Paul Parker
and a Disconet 12" volume 3 program 8 of 1979 was extremely popular with the locals especially
Greg Vandike -clone

'Cruising' may be cult fav but the content of the movie is very homophobic, it gives a very negative view of the gay scene in general. Rightly so, the movie attracted much protest when it was on view in moviehouses, over in the States as well here in Holland.
The soundtrack does not reflect the music that was being played in most clubs or bars at the time. It's just a Hollywood's fantasy on gay life that's never been real.
all*that*glitters*

[Huffstutler]

I'm afraid the leather bars I went to in New Orleans during the late 70s early 80s really had little need for music... if you know what I mean :oops: Mostly movies was shown and the "back rooms" were full of other sounds. But when music was played it too was pretty much mainstream disco stuff.

Eric