Reply With Quote8-)8-)8-)
.....thanks ........
Platinum Record [Level 8]
''I saw Sylvester perform more times than I can remember in clubs, bars, street fairs, even the opening of the Castro Municipal Railway station. I loved watching him perform. I wasn’t a close friend of his, but we knew each other. On the right is a picture taken of us (Sylvester as Jayne Mansfield) at the 1976 Gay Day Parade, when the parade used to go down Polk Street.
Back in the '70s, when everyone hitchhiked around the City, he and his lover, Michael, picked me up one afternoon in Sylvester’s Volkswagen (that had a Rolls-Royce grille!). I went with them to Sears to shop for a mattress. It was very amusing watching Sylvester and Michael trying out all the mattresses. Sylvester was very flamboyant in demeanor and attire, so he turned a lot of heads in the mattress department. The staff didn’t quite know what to do! He always had a big smile and a warm hug for me whenever we ran into each other around town.
Living in San Francisco in the late '60s and '70s, he performed in a musical production called "Women of the Blues", then joined a short-lived group of transvestite/hippy performance artists called "The Cockettes" in the early '70s. Famed transvestite Divine was a member of the group as well (Divine wasn’t a member of the group, but was a ‘special guest’ a few times. (I saw and met Divine too)). Sylvester can be seen in The Cockettes' outrageous short film "Tricia's Wedding", lampooning the wedding of President Nixon's daughter Tricia. A 1971 Cockettes performance, called “Tinsel Tarts in a Hot Coma”, was attended by Truman Capote, Rex Reed, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Joanna Carson. Janis Joplin, Alice Cooper, and Tina Turner came to their shows as well.
Before the disco craze hit, Sylvester specialized in blues, gospel and rock (which I preferred). He often was attired a la Billie Holiday, resplendent with a gardenia in his hair, and performed such blues songs as “Am I Blue”, “Lover Man”, and “God Bless the Child”. His gospel roots inspired him to sing songs such as “Grandma’s Hands (Clapped in Church Every Sunday)” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain”.)
After a less-than-successful stint with "The Hot Band" (the record sales might have proved disappointing, but his live performances with the Hot Band were always exciting!!), Sylvester met his frequent collaborator Patrick Cowley in 1978. Cowley's synthesizer and Sylvester's voice proved to be a magical combination. Openly gay and often singing in falsetto, despite a rich baritone voice, Sylvester's disco hits included "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)," "Do You Wanna Funk" and "Dance (Disco Heat)".
1979 brought three Billboard awards and an appearance in the movie, "The Rose". He moved to the independent Megatone Records, where his career turned to more specifically homoerotic dance club material, such as the 1982 club hit "Do Ya Wanna Funk" (written and produced by his onetime band member Patrick Cowley, something of a disco genius). One of the highlights of Sylvester’s career was his one-night-only performance at the San Francisco Opera House (which I attended) which was recorded on a deluxe two-record album set. Toward the end of his career, Sylvester was jetting off to Europe to do lucrative performances to tape-recorded accompaniment.''
http://phantomdragon.com/THELEGEND/epilogue.htm
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
8-)8-)8-)
.....thanks ........
Baby, take me
high upon a hillside
high up where the stallion
meets the sun
Indie Release [Level 4]
Sylvester
Thanks for the article on Sylvester. I always enjoy reading comments about him. I have his videos and a rare concert (June 1980) from Dreamland that I enjoy watching. It would have been great if the Opera House concert had been recorded along with the album.
Underground Hit [Level 5]
What an amazing link!
Advance Promo Copy [Level 3]
How with you to communicate?Originally Written by Discomanic
Very much I want to see this video.
My mail:
melody@melody-man.com
Advance Promo Copy [Level 3]
Re: Sylvester by Jon Perdue, friend and fan
Indie Release [Level 4]
How may we download these videos?
Advance Promo Copy [Level 3]
Sylvester - Rock the Box (short cut & rm.)
http://www.melody-man.com/videoclips/Sylvester - Rock The Box.rm
Mpg Files - Only Exchange :roll:
Indie Release [Level 4]
Hello:
I only trade in DVD or VHS format...no mpgs.
Indie Release [Level 4]
Thanks Skylark!
I understand there are also videos for "Hard Up" and "Someone Like You" in addition to the others.
Advance Promo Copy [Level 3]
No problem,
Is both DVD and VHS ;)
Send me!:-)
Advance Promo Copy [Level 3]
For you pleasure only
"Hard Up" & "Someone Like You"
You have This video? :o
Indie Release [Level 4]
I don't have either but hope they might become available somewhere.For you pleasure only
"Hard Up" & "Someone Like You"
You have This video? :o
I would also enjoy seeing the "Can't Stop Dancing" and "Living for the City" videos.
Acetate [Level 1]
not to be too pathetically self-promotional, but did you all know i recently published a biography of sylvester, called "the fabulous sylvester"? it's out in paperback now (from picador). here are a few links, in case you're interested. if you like it, spread the word...
josh gamson
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...GUJBM75P15.DTL
http://www.boston.com/ae/books/artic...of_a_gay_icon/
http://www.headbutler.com/books/joshua_gamson.asp
Last edited by jgamson; June 8th, 2006 at 12:04 PM.
Advance Promo Copy [Level 3]
The finest work!
Thanks!
Tell and whether exists, though one video Patrick Cowley ?:icon_sad:
Advance Promo Copy [Level 3]
OK!
You will have opportunity to see these videos, little bit later I shall send you the reference.:-)
Indie Release [Level 4]
Hi Josh. Excellent book. Very enjoyable reading. Highly recommended for everyone on the forum.
Indie Release [Level 4]
Wonderful! Thanks very much Skylark!
Advance Promo Copy [Level 3]
Re: Sylvester by Jon Perdue, friend and fan
For American Disco Fanats... You Make Me Feel - Sylvester
Personally for Discovery:
http://www.melody-man.com/videoclips...hty Real)2.mpg
Last edited by skylark; August 25th, 2006 at 04:04 PM.
Indie Release [Level 4]
I also bought and read the entire "The Fabulos Sylvester". You did a very good job writing it. I wish it gave more information about Izora, though. Her death and what ever happened to her is still a mystery to me.
I like the part where Sylvester walked into Fantasy records, and was feelin' bitchy. He (I should say she) was all dressed up like a queen, started yelling things, and walked back to the back office where the president of the company was seated in his office. And Sylvester said, "I know youre trying to change my image, but you aint changi'n @#$&!
and he pivoted on his heels, long hair flowing back, and strutted out like a runway model, bitchy and hot.
I must say, however, too hot to sleep was an excellent album (I have it on CD) so fantasy records was doing just fine, in my opinion. Actually, I wish he stayed with Fantasy, becuse I enjoy the music more than Megatone stuff, but the disco era ending by that time either way.
Permissions
Bookmarks