Chart Hit [Level 6]
Who do you think is the "Disco-Diva" of them
all - Donna Summer,Diana Ross,Grace Jones
etc... & Why? Also who is the "King of Disco"
& why?
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
It depends on what you like. I'd vote for Gloria Gaynor for the soul factor; Donna Summer for the euro anthem factor.
King of disco? Hmmmm... that's a really tough one. Sylvester? No, he'd be the Queen of disco. Jacques Morali? No, he'd also be a queen. Costandinos, but he kept a pretty low profile... Cerrone maybe...
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
Like Graham, to me it's a toss up between Gloria Gaynor and Donna Summer. Hard to pick who's my queen.
As for king, hmmm. I'll have to think about that.
Find them and destroy them!
Underground Hit [Level 5]
My Disco Queen vote goes to Donna Summer. Although I like very much her 70's stuff, (but not the 80's), she is far away from being my favourite disco act.
Disco King is hard to find if not impossible. No, not really. The real Disco Kings were the PRODUCERS/ARRANGERS. They were taking disco to a sophisticated higher level, far away from the normal 3 minute pop radio format. My Disco Kings are: Wiliam Michael Lewis & Laurin Rinder, Gino Soccio, Greg Diamond, Vincent Montana, Cerrone and Boris Midney.
Disco Kings in the 80's are: Neil Tennant & Chris Lowe... well, not exactly kings, but queens, althoouth that doesn't make any difference at all.
Bye
Paulo
Brazil
Chart Hit [Level 6]
Geez--there's no contest: Donna Summer is the undisputed queen! Besides that incomparable voice, consider the number of hit songs she (co)wrote and the longevity of her career. Gloria Gaynor may have been on the scene first, but it was all over once Donna arrived! (And my pick for Most Overlooked Disco Queen has to go to Linda Clifford--a voice AND attitude!)
Underground Hit [Level 5]
First of all, let's define Queen or King: I assume the longest on the scene as records released and hits. We cannot consider, for example, Joe Baataan.
I think Disco Queen is Donna Summer, but at the second place there's a trio: Gloria, Thelma and Tina (Charles).
Disco King to me is Kool & the Gang.
Soul King is James Brown.
Funky-Soul-Disco all mixed is not a King, but more: EWF
People all over the world, It\'s time for love & understanding, Come together!!
Chart Hit [Level 6]
The real underground disco divas are, no doubt about it, Loleatta Holloway and Jocelyn Brown
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
OK, for my king I'll go with The Maestro, Barry White.
Find them and destroy them!
Chart Hit [Level 6]
King: Barry White (excellent pick, and in my mind undisputed).
Queen... hmmm... I guess Jocelyn Brown as she's still around and kickin' it. Closely followed by Donna Summer. It's a toss-up really...
Production King - Jacques Fred Petrus (who else?).
"ON THE BEAT" at http://littlemacho.tripod.com/
Acetate [Level 1]
diva has to be donna summers and france joli
king is with out a doubt Barry White
thats my votes
Platinum Record [Level 8]
Grace Jones always had The Attitude, The Look and The Vibe. She is Disco personified with an avant fashion/art image and unequalled sense of style. She's still gorgeous as ever and recently catwalked in a fashion spectacular like it was 1977. She loves the music and the fans and she never fell into hysterical religious fits condemning people into hellfire. Over here in Europe we got Amanda Lear - unrestrained glamour, mystery, style and fabulousness, all the components needed for a larger-than-life club icon. Her live appearances still draw capacity crowds at shrines such as The Queen on Champs Elysees, which, by the way, is now doing 2 disco nights a week - another proof that the music that moved us has truly been canonised.
Advance Promo Copy [Level 3]
I agree with JussiK – disco queen has got to be Amanda Lear – for all the reasons he mentioned. My reservations about Donna Summer stem from her early 80s religious outbursts about which she still seems evasive when questioned. OK, none of this detracts from her great voice, and wonderful songs, but it just means she’s not my number one choice for disco queen.
France Joli also seems a good candidate – but mybe she didn’t really last long enough to qualify …..
Anyone want to nominate a HiNRG queen??? What about Shannon (Let the Music Play, Give Me Tonight, etc)??
BELIEVE IN THE BEAT!
Underground Hit [Level 5]
Hello!
Although hi-nrg is something that I don't know properly, my vote for the hi-nrg disco queen goes to Hazell Dean. I think They Say Is Gonna Rain is one of the best disco tracks from the 80's decade.
Bye
Paulo
Chart Hit [Level 6]
For me, it's Giorgio Moroder, who spent countless hours inventing new sounds for disco in mid to late 70's, his contribution to disco is underestimated.
If you buy this record your life, will be better.
Triple Platinum Record [Level 10]
I think it would be fair to divide it into 2 eras: the early years (1973-1975) and the later years (1976-198?).
Early years (the R&B reign era):
King: Barry White
Queen: Gloria Gaynor
Later years (Euro invasion):
King: Giorgio Moroder
Queen: Donna Summer
All four artist's were responsible for enough terrific music to fill a 3 or 4 CD Box set (especially if you use the extended versions of their work and in Giorgio's case, the numerous producing/writing jobs he did for other artists like Sparks, Suzi Lane, & the Three Degrees, etc.)
"Lost inside adorable illusion...."
Chart Hit [Level 6]
OK, I know I'm asking for it, but here goes: Could people PLEASE stop bringing up this ALLEGED rumor that Donna Summer made a remark about gays and AIDS... blah blah blah. It has NEVER been proved that she said such a thing; in fact, she won a lawsuit against New York magazine when they couldn't prove it. The whole rumor got started when two--that's right, just TWO--guys claimed she made the comment after a concert (near Chicago, I think). I was at her concert in Atlantic City the same year and she never said any such thing. But these guys told their story to a gay newspaper and the story spread like wildfire, since no one loves an "oh, someone done me wrong" story like the gay press--and I oughta know since I work for a gay newspaper! Whether or not she made the comment has never been confirmed, but it had a huge negative impact on her career--never mind that her actions show she's hardly antigay: from working with Paul Jabara in the '70s to still performing at AIDS benefits today. This is one of those urban legends that just needs put to rest! OK, I'm done...
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Jeff H on 2001-11-13 12:58 ]</font>
Triple Platinum Record [Level 10]
Jeff,
Believe me, we've been through this Donna rumor thing before...and after lots of posts of people speculating about "WHAT SHE SAID" and some of us finally cutting & pasting some articles and interviews with Donna herself and people who actually attended that concert...we came to the same conclusion as yourself.
But, as urban legends tend to do ( think Richard Gere & that gerbil) the taint remains and there is always someone who brings it up every time that person's name is mentioned.
_________________
Make My Feet Wanna Dance!
Markydefad
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: markydefad on 2001-11-13 13:14 ]</font>
Indie Release [Level 4]
Jeff,
Too bad you didn't see my post on the old board called "What Did Donna Say?" There were tons of responses and one of them said exactly what you did. Perception is reality as they say...
No Longer Charting
Both Gaynor and Summers. Gaynor because she had about 4 or 5 hits, including the Disco Classic "Honeybee", and also, because she was the first one. Summers because she had many hits and worked with Moroder.
As for Kings, Cerrone because of his hits and the other records he produced.
Platinum Record [Level 8]
Some nasty stuff here now
Chart Hit [Level 6]
I go along with you guys for disco queens:
Donna Summer, she is number one disco queen to most of us out there including myself releasing so many disco albums
Gloria Gaynor, well-known for "I Will Survive" and "Never Can Say Goodbye", also had many other great songs like "Honey Bee", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "How High The Moon", "Walk On By" etc...
But I would also say First Choice are disco queens as well releasing a lot of great disco music dating back to 1973
And Love & Kisses, they released some great disco in the late 70's, my number one favourite "I Found Love" 12" from 1977
Chaka Khan, not considered a disco artist but had done some great disco songs like "Look Through My Eyes", "Once You Get Started", "I'm Every Woman" etc... (I mainly know her songs from her two 1974 albums "Rufisized" and "Rags To Rufus")
Kings of disco:
Brass Construction are to me the kings of disco really speeding up the BPM in 1975 with an 8 1/2 minute disco smash "Movin'", also doing "Ha Cha Cha", "Sambo", "We", "Top Of The World" and many other disco songs
Kay Gees by far my favourite funky disco kings, I've only listened a few of their songs but I've extremely impressed with their style, songs like "You've Got To Keep On Bumpin'", "Hustle With Every Muscle", "Get Down", "Space Disco", "Masterplan", "Kilowatt", "Tango Husle" and many other greats
Giorgio Moroder, as someone mentioned came out with many disco songs, as well as releasing great stuff like "Knights In White Satin", "From Here To Eternity" etc.. he was producer of Donna Summer, Roberta Kelly, Sparks (in the late 70's) and I think Munich Machine
Isaac Hayes, the king of soul, the king of funk and the king of disco with many disco numbers like "Theme From Shaft", "Theme From The Men", "Pursuit Of The Pimpmobile", "Chocolate Chip", "Disco Connection", "Don't Let Go", "Moonlight Lovin'" (I think that's the title of the song) and many others
Van McCoy, although he only had one hit that everyone knows "The Hustle", but I've bought several of his albums and discovered super great grooves like "Love Is The Answer", "Soul Improvisations", "Change With The Times", "Party", "Rhythms Of The World", "Get Dancin'", "Turn This Mother Out", "Back Stabbers" etc...
Kool & The Gang, just like the Kay Gees, done some great funky disco such as "Jungle Boogie", "Hollywood Swinging", "Caribbean Festival", "Slick Superchick", "Ladies Night", "Open Sesame", "Hanging Out", "Higher Plane" and a really early guitar wah wah funky disco piece "Love The Life You Live" from 1971
Chart Hit [Level 6]
How could I forget, the Richie Family are also who I consider queens of disco, and my number one favourite song of theirs is "Brazil". In Australia they were obviously known for "Best Disco In Town Part 1" on mainstream radio, and musicMAX pay TV channel plays Part 2. I myself prefer the full 6 1/2 minute version which is part 1 & 2 put together. So far I have "Brazil/Hot Trip" and "Best Disco In Town Pts 1 & 2" on 45, 3 of their LPs "Arabian Nights", "African Queens" and "American Generation", and a couple of songs "Give Me A Break" and "Sophistication" on the Village People's soundtrack album "Can't Stop The Music". I hope one day I will get a hold of their "Brazil" album.
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
On 2001-11-15 07:34, Funky Dude wrote:
How could I forget, the Richie Family are also who I consider queens of disco, and my number one favourite song of theirs is "Brazil".
Only one problem here... the Ritchie Family were not a real group, but a studio phantom act. At least 7 different women have performed as "The Ritchie Family", possibly more as the vocalists on the "Brazil" and "American Generation" LPs are uncredited. Jacques Morali replaced the entire lineup after the "African Queens" LP.
I hope one day I will get a hold of their "Brazil" album.
"Brazil" is very different from everything else Jacques produced under that name (or any other name, for that matter). The first side of the LP is absolutely brilliant, and is a 20-minute mostly instrumental medley of 3 "latin" standards, ending with "Brazil". This is classic old-school disco, very "big band" sounding, like the Salsoul Orchestra.
Unfortunately, the second side is weeeeaaak. The songs, although original, are all third-rate pseudo-Motown/Philly clones and they just don't cut it. Actually, I can't really call them original; one of them blatantly rips the intro from "A Whiter Shade Of Pale". Morali's songwriting skills had a long way to go before he would come up with infuriatingly catchy numbers like "YMCA" or "Macho Man".
I've restored this LP to CD, along with four bonus tracks (Hot Trip, Brazil 7" edit, and two remixes of "Dance With Me"). E-mail me if you're interested.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Graham Start on 2001-11-15 08:43 ]</font>
Chart Hit [Level 6]
Now that I've read all of the posts, I can't
believe that I forgot Gloria Gaynor. I must
take back Diana Ross because she didn't make
a lot of disco songs. But I will give her
credit for "Love Hangover" since it's my
favorite of hers.
I have to agree with whoever mentioned Barry
White and Giorgio Moroder as the "kings of
disco". Barry gave us soul & symphony while
Giorgio gave us euro-flair with synthesizers.
DELIGHTFUL!
Acetate [Level 1]
I'm going to branch out on a limb here and say that while Donna Summer is Queen of Disco, Diana Ross deserves runner-up status.
I say that not using chart success as the only standard for what constitutes "Queen". What I use is a) how many disco songs they released, and b)whether they just plain SOUND GOOD.
Diana Ross released a lot of sadly overlooked disco songs -- "One Love in My Lifetime" (1976), "Baby It's Me" & "Your Love is So Good for Me" (both 1977), "Lovin', Livin', & Givin'", "What You Gave Me", and "You Were The One" (all 1978).
Then on top of that there are her reasonably well-known disco songs -- Love Hangover (1976 of course), The Boss, No One Gets the Prize, It's My House, Once in the Morning (all 1979) & Upside Down and I'm Coming Out (both 1980).
Sure, she might not be the Queen of Disco, but it's still not fair to write her off, either. After all, she's still the Queen of Motown
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