Love Again : Disco and the Revival of the Hedonistic Culture
Miguel A . Blando
For many , Disco seems to be solely described with the imagery of glitter , afros , sequined suits , and the groundbreaking John Travolta led film Saturday Night Fever . Or , as the genre that was eventually “ killed ” by rock fanatics in the Disco Demolition Night — an event in the summer of 1979 where thousands of male supporters threw disco records in the climax of a baseball game . Yet , the truth is , that even though it never achieved the heights of popularity of hip hop or punk , it is much more than the cliches we have come to know . Rather , disco serves as a subculture of the dance scene , which , embraces the customs of minorities and counters the stigmas against the traditional heterosexual norms of society .
At the start , Disco was rooted in a variety of club scenes in upcoming cities , rather than one singular location . Its main birthplace , however , was in the underground dance party that was known as the Loft , where famous DJ David Mancuso organized invitationonly parties . For years , the gay community had been forced to maintain their identity hidden , and many of those that attempted to socialize in secret were in danger of arrest , thus these sessions offered these individuals safety . Overall , they were the leading figures and the ones that primarily encouraged celebrated figures to promote this new and luxurious discotheque . Quickly , from that point forward , the popularity of Disco skyrocketed . Not only did the LGBT + community enjoy the grooviness of the “ four-onthe-floor beats , syncopated basslines , and synthesizers '', but also African Americans , Latino Americans , etc ( GMF 3 ). With the demographic changes , groups / artists from these populations such as Donna Summer , the Bee Gees , KC and the Sunshine Band , and the Village People started charting high internationally . As well , fashion began to incorporate “ open-top shirts , bell-bottom jeans , wide leather belts , and flare pants '' to reflect the majesty of the dancefloors ( Vintage Dancer 1 ). Finally , the era of progressive and folk-rock had fallen . Yet , even with the decline of this highly influential music movement , it was replaced by a genre that , even with its lavish nature , sought the same goals : peace , anti-authority , sexual liberation , and challenging the traditional lifestyle .
During the next decade ( the 1970s ), there was significant progress made to address these taboo objectives . For example , in the track “ Macho Man ”, the Village people used various “ tongue-in-cheek gay innuendo ” in the song , which in its release went unnoticed ; however , it swiftly gained notoriety with members of the Gay Liberation Movement . Meanwhile , the song “ I Feel Love ” by the world-renowned “ Queen of Disco ” Donna Summer revolutionized the electronic sound with the use of Moog synthesizer but most importantly pushed the aesthetic of mechano-eroticism . At the time , the inclusion of these themes was necessary within the lyricism of this genre , considering that they were opposed by the largely homophobic , sexist , and racist American population . In fact , disco figures ’ continuous push for lust and hedonism did not sit well with conservative music executives , who condemned the vast amount of “ rampant promiscuity and public sex ” ( Parker-Pope 1 ). Nevertheless , the genre did not show any signs of stopping , as every day it seemed more rock bands and alternative radio implemented this type of sound by popular demand .
Unfortunately , as time went on , the anti-disco movement grew stronger . The old disco artists continued to create music , but record companies and fans started to shift away from the sound . Most infamously , the Disco Demolition Night and the presence of hundreds of people in the streets of major cities chanting “ disco sucks ” swiftly led to the demise of the genre . Even though at first view , it might seem like a product of the changing times , it was the frustration of both rock fans ( who saw disco as consumerist ) and the white heterosexual population that felt threatened by the changing culture / demographics . As Rolling Stone author Dave Marsh puts it , “ white males , eighteen to thirty-four are the most likely to see disco as the product of homosexuals , blacks , and Latins , and therefore they ' re the most likely to respond to appeals to wipe out such threats to their security ”.
In modern times , disco has been wrongfully claimed to be “ dead ” and has become subject to being viewed as solely a retro aesthetic . Nonetheless , artists such as Dua Lipa ( Future Nostalgia ), Róisín Murphy ( Róisín Machine ), Jessie Ware ( What ’ s Your Pleasure ?), and Katy Perry ( SMILE ) continue to prove this assumption wrong . With influences from Nu-Disco and Haus Music , they have made it quite clear that this genre never vanished . Rather , it needed times of great social isolation and political change like now to present its nostalgic “ four-on-the-floor beats , syncopated basslines , and synthesizers ” to the public again ( GMF 3 ).
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