🎧 📺 THE WAR ON DISCO will air/stream Monday, October 30 at 9/8c on #PBS AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.
It's no secret that the backlash against Disco was racist and homophobic. People of Color and queer people came together to dance and have fun, in public, in a safe space, and the "Afraid Somebody Somewhere Might Be Having Fun" crowd hated us for it.
@DemocracySpot Nah the vid doesn't even establish that. The war on Disco was anti elitist AND gay & lgbt liked and gathered around that artform along with every other artform. The 2 are not necessarily linked even in the vid.
What is true and was alluded to in the vid is the late 70s was financially difficult after prolonged wealth. Disco established itself as music for the jetset, rock & rap for the avg joe. Anti-Discoism rejected that lifestyle which had already priced them out.
@DemocracySpot I liked disco when it was queer and not white, but I started hating it when The Bee Gees, Saturday Night Fever, and John Revolta made it white and straight.
I'm really curious to see this because I've heard this point of view for years, but it wasn't the view I knew as a dumb kid in the suburbs.
Disco was presented as an exclusive club for rich white people, that's the way I knew it. And Punk and various other things were happening at the same time and Disco was kind of like Prog in that perspective.
But I liked the music. I was always open borders about music.
@DemocracySpot I never begrudged anyone who likes disco. But I personally hated and still hate most of it as overly simplistic pop music on steroids. I prefer a bit more complexity in my music and lyrics.
@DemocracySpot because the article was ascribing pretty nasty motivations to those who don’t like disco. It was wrong for me and I felt maligned. And did I say “hate”? I don’t begrudge people listening to what they like. Many people don’t like my music. So what?
It's no secret that the backlash against Disco was racist and homophobic. People of Color and queer people came together to dance and have fun, in public, in a safe space, and the "Afraid Somebody Somewhere Might Be Having Fun" crowd hated us for it.
That is what I was responding to and stop acting like a troll
@DemocracySpot It would be a good bit into the 1980s before I could hit the 21 and older clubs. One near my campus at the time had a KROQ night, and that was a favorite spot. Lots of early 1980s technopop and New Wave tunes. Also extremely danceable.
In the meantime, I'll be curious to see this documentary. From the trailer, it looks fascinating. I suspect I'll learn a few things I did not quite know or appreciate at the time.
I was there, and nothing was "news" really, but hearing the story told from various perspectives is fascinating. Plus, I'll get to nostalge for a couple hours. :-)
@DemocracySpot There's something to be said for nostalgia. Personally, I enjoyed Donna Summer, The Bee Gees, Chic, and some of that stuff as an early teen. Of course listening to it now versus then is quite a difference.
@DemocracySpot That is definitely new to me. As a teen at the time who lived in suburban wastelands, I probably missed out on a few thing. Thanks for sharing this. I have it bookmarked now in one of my playlists.
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