Unit 9 – Disco - Cheetahs Music Wiki

Unit 9 – Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Its popularity peaked during the
middle to late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African
American, gay, psychedelic and other communities in New York City
and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Musical influences include funk, Latin and soul music. The disco
sound has soaring, often reverberated vocals over a steady "fouron-the-floor" beat, an eighth note or 16th note hi-hat pattern with
an open hi-hat on the off-beat, and a prominent, syncopated electric
bass line sometimes consisting of octaves. The Fender Jazz Bass is
often associated with disco bass lines, because the instrument itself
has a very prominent 'voice' in the musical
mix. In most disco tracks, strings, horns,
electric pianos, and electric guitars create a
lush background sound. Orchestral
instruments such as the flute are often used
for solo melodies, and unlike in rock, lead
guitar is rarely used.
Disco fashions were very trendy in the late
1970s. Disco goers often wore expensive
and extravagant fashions for nights out at their local disco, such as sheer,
flowing dresses for women and shiny polyester shirts for men with pointy
collars, preferably open at the chest, often worn with double-knit
polyester shirt jackets with matching trousers known as the leisure suit.
Necklaces and medallions were a common fashion accessory.
1970’s Women’s Jumpsuit
Because the term "disco" became unfashionable at the start of the 1980s
it was replaced by "dance music" and "dance
pop" which described music powered by the
basic disco beat. In the decades since, dance
clubs have remained highly popular, and the
disco beat has informed the sound of many of
music's biggest stars.
1970’s Men’s Leisure Suit
ABBA
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Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972
Members were Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and
Agnetha Fältskog.
They became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of pop music,
topping the charts worldwide from 1972 to 1982. ABBA sold over 375 million records
worldwide
ABBA was the first pop group to come from a non-English-speaking country that enjoyed
consistent success in the charts of English-speaking countries
During the band's existence, Fältskog and Ulvaeus were a married couple, as were
Lyngstad and Andersson–although both couples later divorced
ABBA were widely noted for the colorful and trend-setting costumes its members wore
Their last public performance together as ABBA was on the British TV program The Late,
Late Breakfast Show (live from Stockholm) 11 December 1982.
In 2000, ABBA were reported to have turned down an offer of approximately
$1,000,000,000 (one billion US dollars) to do a reunion tour consisting of 100 concerts.
On 4 July 2008, all four ABBA members were reunited at the Swedish premiere of
Mamma Mia!.
Well known songs
o Dancing Queen
o Funky Feet
o I Am Just a Girl
o I'm Still Alive
o Knowing Me, Knowing You
o Mamma Mia
o Rock 'N' Roll Band
o Take A Chance On Me
o SOS
o Lay all your love on me
o Waterloo
Village People
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Village People is a concept disco group formed in the United States in 1977, well known
for their on-stage costumes depicting American cultural stereotypes, as well as their
catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics.
Original members were: Victor Willis (the police officer character), Felipe Rose (the
Indian), Randy Jones (the cowboy), Glenn Hughes (the biker), David Hodo (the
construction worker) and Alex Briley (the G.I.).
The band's name references New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood, at the
time known for having a substantial gay population.
Originally created to target disco's gay audience by featuring popular gay fantasy
personas, the band's popularity quickly brought them into mainstream.
Village People scored a number of disco and dance hits, including their trademark
"Macho Man", "Go West", the classic club medley of "San Francisco (You've Got Me) / In
Hollywood (Everybody is a Star)", "In the Navy", "Can't Stop the Music", and their
biggest hit, "Y.M.C.A.".
In September 2008, the group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They
have sold upwards of 100 million records world-wide.
In 1979, the United States Navy considered using "In the Navy" in a recruiting
advertising campaign on television and radio. They contacted Belolo, who decided to
give the rights for free on the condition that the Navy help them shoot the music video.
The Navy provided them with a warship (USS Reasoner (FF-1063)), several aircraft, and
the crew of the ship. The Navy later canceled the campaign.
Donna Summer
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Real name was LaDonna Adrian Gaines
born December 31, 1948 in Boston Mass
In 1971, while still using her birth name Donna Gaines, she released her first single, a cover of
"Sally Go 'Round the Roses", though it was not a hit.
Issued her first album, Lady of the Night, in 1974.
By early 1976, "Love To Love You Baby" had reached #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, while the
parent album of the same name sold over a million copies.
o The song generated controversy for Summer's moans and groans and some US radio
stations, like several in Europe, refused to play it.
Other notable Songs:
o Last Dance
o Hot Stuff
o He’s A Rebel
o Dim All the Lights
o On the Radio
After the release of the greatest hits album, Summer wanted to branch out and record other
formats in addition to disco.
The Wanderer; peaked at #3 in the US, subsequent singles were moderate hits.
Summer delivered the album "She Works Hard for the Money" in 1983. The title song became a
hit reaching number three on the US Hot 100, and Summer would receive a Grammy
nomination for this song.
Summer experienced success in the 1980s with several hit singles and gold albums, but she was
mainly seen as a disco artist from the 70s, along with acts such as Gloria Gaynor, the Bee Gees,
and KC and the Sunshine Band.
In 2008, Summer released her first studio album of original music in 14 years entitled Crayons,
which brought her American success, peaking at #17 on the US Top 200 Album Chart
o . The songs "I'm A Fire", "Stamp Your Feet", and "Fame (The Game)" reached number
one on the US Billboard Dance Chart.
Awards
o She was the first female African American to receive an MTV Video Music Awards
nomination. ("Best Female Video" and "Best Choreography" for "She Works Hard For
The Money")
o Academy Award for Best Original Song "Last Dance".
o Two Golden Globe Award nominations (one win for "Last Dance" Song and one
nominated for "The Deep" John Barry's Song).
o Grammy Awards
1979 – Best R&B Vocal Performance (Female), Last Dance
1980 – Best Rock Vocal Performance (Female), Hot Stuff
1984 – Best Inspirational Performance, He's a Rebel
1985 – Best Inspirational Performance, Forgive Me
1998 – Best Dance Recording, Carry On
KC and the Sunshine Band
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KC and the Sunshine Band
Founded in 1973 in Miami, Florida, their style has included
funk, R&B, and disco.
Original Members
Their most well-known songs include the disco hits
o "That's the Way (I Like It)", "(Shake, Shake, Shake)
Shake Your Booty", "I'm Your Boogie Man", "Keep It
Harry "KC" Wayne Casey (lead vocals)
Comin' Love", "Get Down Tonight", "Give It Up",
Maria De Crescenzo (back up vocals)
and "Please Don't Go".
Anika Ellis (back up vocals)
They took their name from lead vocalist Harry Wayne
Casey's last name ("KC") and the "Sunshine Band" from KC's
Fermin Goytisolo (Percussion)
home state of Florida ('The Sunshine State').
Rusty Hamilton III (Keyboard)
The initial members were just Casey and Richard Finch, but
David Simmons (Drums)
they soon added guitarist Jerome Smith (June 18, 1953 [1]
July 28, 2000 ) and drummer Robert Johnson
Chris Cadenhead (Keyboards)
The first few songs, "Blow Your Whistle" (September 1973)
Jeffery Reeves (Lead guitar)
and "Sound Your Funky Horn" (February 1974), were
Steve Lashley (Bass)
released as singles
"Rock Your Baby" featuring Smith on guitar, and became a
John Reid (Trumpet)
number one hit in 51 countries in mid 1974.
Michael Cordone (Trumpet)
KC and the Sunshine Band (album- 1975) was the group's
David Palma (Saxophone)
first major U.S. hit with "Get Down Tonight". "That's the
Way (I Like It)" also became a number one hit in November
Noah Bellamy (Trombone)
1975
Kenetha Morris (Dancer)
singles:
Lisa Marie Torres (Dancer)
o "I'm Your Boogie Man", "(Shake, Shake, Shake)
Shake Your Booty" and "Keep It Comin' Love"
"Please Don't Go"
In 1981, the partnership between Finch and Casey came to
an ugly end
A revival in the interest of disco music in 1991 brought Casey out of retirement. He reformed
the group with entirely new members except for the percussionist and began touring once again
Several KC/Finch songs have been included in the Dance Dance Revolution series of dance video
games. "That's the Way (I Like It)" was included in the original Dance Dance Revolution, "Shake
Your Booty" was in Dance Dance Revolution 4thMix and "Get Down Tonight" was in DDRMAX2
Dance Dance Revolution
Saturday Night Fever is a 1977 drama film starring John Travolta as Tony
Manero, an immature young man whose weekends are spent visiting a local
Brooklyn discothèque; Karen Lynn Gorney as his dance partner and eventual
friend (they never do date in the film and the film closes with their
agreement to be friends), and Donna Pescow as Tony's former dance
partner and would-be girlfriend. While in the disco, Tony is the king. His
care-free youth and weekend dancing help him to temporarily forget the
reality of his life: a dead-end job, clashes with his unsupportive and
squabbling parents, racial tensions in the local community, and his
associations with a gang of macho friends.
A huge commercial success, the film significantly helped to popularize disco
music around the world. The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, featuring
disco songs by the Bee Gees, is the best- selling soundtrack of all time. The
film is the first example of cross-media marketing, with the tie-in soundtrack's single being used to help
promote the film before its release and the film popularizing the entire soundtrack after its release. Two
theatrical versions of the film were released: the Original R-rated version and an edited PG-rated
version. (The PG-13 rating was not created until 1984.)
Plot
19-year-old Tony Manero (John Travolta) is a skirt-chasing Italian American from New York City. Tony
lives at home with his bickering and demeaning parents and works at a dead-end job in a small
hardware store. But on Saturday nights Tony rules the dance floor with his frequent appearances at
2001 Odyssey, a local discotheque. Tony has four close friends: Joey; Double J. Gus and the diminutive
Bobby C. An informal member of their group is Annette, a neighborhood girl who has been Tony's
partner in previous dance competitions and longs for a more permanent and physical relationship with
him.
Knowing Annette has the right moves to win an upcoming dance contest, Tony agrees to be her partner
when she recruits him for the competition, much to Annette's delight. Her happiness is short-lived,
however, when Tony dumps Annette after seeing Stephanie Mangano dance at the disco and later at a
neighborhood dance studio. Stephanie is an older, talented dancer with an upper-class aura, and Tony,
infatuated, believes she can help him win the competition. Stephanie works as a secretary for a
magazine publisher in Manhattan and is poised to move there, where she has more opportunities to
work her way up. She even talks about meeting celebrities like Joe Namath and David Bowie at the
offices of the magazine she works for. These discussions embarrass Tony for his lack of culture and
connections, but also awaken a desire in him to transcend his Bay Ridge, Brooklyn working-class roots,
yet do not overcome his reluctance to change.
Chic
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African American disco and R&B band formed in 1976 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist
Bernard Edwards.
It is known best for its commercially successful disco songs, including:
o "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" (1977)
o "Everybody Dance" (1977)
o "Le Freak" (1978)
o "I Want Your Love" (1978)
o "Good Times" (1979)
o "My Forbidden Lover" (1979).
"Le Freak" was created from a jam session in Edwards's apartment, after they had failed on New
Years Eve of 1977 to enter one of New York's exclusive nightclubs, Studio 54. They went home
and vented their anger by playing their music. After several versions, of the song that night
they settled on "Aaa, freak out. " The single was a great success, scoring #1 on the US charts
"Good Times"was one of the most influential songs of the era and it has been sampled since by
many dance and hip-hop acts, as well as being the inspiration for Queen's "Another One Bites
the Dust", Blondie's "Rapture
At the same time, Edwards and Rodgers composed, arranged, performed, and produced many
influential disco and Rhythm & Blues records for various artists, including Sister Sledge's albums
We Are Family (1979)
Edwards died of pneumonia at age 43 on April 18, 1996.
Thompson died of kidney cancer on November 12, 2003 at age 48.
Core band:
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Bernard Edwards - bass, vocals
Nile Rodgers - guitar, vocals
Tony Thompson - drums
Alfa Anderson - lead vocals
Luci Martin - lead vocals
The Chic Strings:
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Karen Milne
Marianne Carroll
Valerie Haywood
Cheryl Hong
Karen Karlsrud
Gene Orloff
Additional personnel:
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Vocals - Fonzi Thornton, Michele Cobbs, Ullanda McCullough, Luther Vandross, Jocelyn Brown,
Sylver Logan Sharp, Jessica Wagner; Keyboards - Robert Sabino, Andy Schwartz, Raymond Jones,
Nathaniel S. Hardy, Jr.; Percussion - Sammy Figueroa
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians
blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk deemphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and
drums. Funk songs are often based on an extended vamp on a single chord, distinguishing it
from R&B and soul songs centered on chord progressions.
Like much African-inspired music, funk typically consists of
a complex groove with rhythm instruments such as electric
guitar, electric bass, Hammond organ, and drums playing
interlocking rhythms. Slap bass' mixture of thumb-slapped
low notes and finger "popped" (or plucked) high notes
allowed the bass to have a drum-like rhythmic role, which
became a distinctive element of funk. Guitarists typically
play in a percussive style, often using the wah-wah sound
effect and muting the notes in their riffs to create a
percussive sound. Funk bands sometimes have a horn
section of several saxophones, trumpets, and in some
cases, a trombone, which plays rhythmic "hits".
Many of the most famous bands in the genre also played disco and soul extensively. Funk music
was a major influence on the development of disco music and afrobeat, and funk samples have
been used extensively in genres including hip hop, house music and drum and bass. It is also the
main influence of go-go, a subgenre associated with funk.
Kool and the Gang
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American jazz, R&B, soul, funk and disco group, originally formed in New Jersey in 1964.
They went through several musical phases during the course of their recording career, starting
out with a jazz sound, then becoming practitioners of R&B and funk, progressing to a smooth
pop-funk ensemble, and in the post-millennium creating music with a modern, electro-pop
sound.
They have sold over 70 million albums worldwide.
The group's main members over the years included:
o Robert Bell (known as "Kool") on bass
o Ronald Bell on tenor saxophone
o James "J.T." Taylor, lead vocalist
o George Brown on drums,
o Robert Mickens on trumpet
o Dennis Thomas on alto saxophone
o Claydes Charles Smith on guitar, and
o Rick Westfield on keyboards.
Of Kool & the Gang's original members, the Bell brothers, Brown and Thomas are still with the
group.
"Jungle Boogie" was featured on the soundtrack of Quentin Tarantino's well known cult classic
Pulp Fiction.
"Hollywood Swinging" was sampled by DJ Kool in his song "Let Me Clear My Throat," and by
rapper Mase on "Feel So Good"
Parliament/Funkadelic
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Parliament was originally The Parliaments, a doo-wop vocal group founded by George Clinton.
During a contractual dispute, Clinton temporarily lost the rights to the name "The Parliaments,"
and remamed the ensemble Funkadelic, which Clinton positioned as a funk-rock
With Funkadelic as a recording and touring entity in its own right, in 1970 Clinton relaunched
the singing group, now known as Parliament, at first featuring the same ten members.
Clinton was now the leader of two different acts, Parliament and Funkadelic, which featured the
same members but were marketed as creating two different types of funk.
o Parliament, now augmented by the Horny Horns was positioned as more mainstream
funk ensemble dominated by soulful vocals and horn arrangements,
o Funkadelic was designated as a more experimental and freestyle guitar-based funk band
The ensemble usually toured under the combined name Parliament-Funkadelic or simply P-Funk
(which also became the catch-all term for George Clinton's rapidly growing stable of funk
artists).
In the early 1980s, with legal difficulties arising from the multiple names used by multiple
groups, George Clinton dissolved Parliament and Funkadelic.
He continued to release new albums regularly, sometimes under his own name and sometimes
under the name George Clinton & the P-Funk All-Stars.
Disco Puzzle
Across
3. Song name: _______________ Queen
4. The term disco was replaced with ______________ music in the early 1980s.
5. Chic was formed by Rodgers and _______________.
7. KC and the Sunshine Band got part of their name from this state.
10. ______________ is a group from Sweden.
11. ____________ was born LaDonna Adrian Gaines.
12. A ___________________ suit included shiny polyester shirts with pointy
collars and a polyester jacket and matching pants.
13. _____________ your Booty was included in Dance Dance Revolution 4th Mix.
15. Song name: She works hard for the ____________.
17. _____________ starred in Saturday Night Fever.
18. ____________ was featured on the soundtrack of Pulp Fiction.
19. Funk de-emphasizes melody and put more value on a strong __________
groove.
20. __________ was "written for" (or about) the doorman at Studio 54.
21. George _____________ was the leader of both Parliament and Funkadelic.
Down
1. Disco originally started in two cities, New York City and _______________.
2. Song name: _________ Man
6. The Village People are well known for their on-stage _________________.
7. The _______________ Jazz Bass guitar is often associated with disco.
8. ____________ is a governing body in Great Britain, or the band that is
associated with Funkadelic.
9. Song name: ____________ Feet
14. The Village People’s biggest hit is _________________
15. The well-known musical ________________________ includes music from ABBA.
16. ___________________ was also known as "Kool."
70s Disco Fashion
Disco looks began in the 1970s and was memorable for its hot
pants look and Spandex tops. Shiny clinging Lycra stretch disco
pants in hot strident shiny colours with stretch sequin bandeau
tops were often adaptations of professional modern dance wear
that found itself making an impact in discos as disco dancing
became serious. Gold lame, leopard skin and stretch halter
jumpsuits and white clothes that glowed in Ultra Violet lights
capture the 70s Disco fashion perfectly.
Right -70s Disco Fashion - Hotpants 1971
Left - 1971 Dressmaking pattern for hotpants worn with mini topcoat.
Disco gave way to dress codes and a door screening policy. People had to have tried to
look right to gain entry to clubs. Disco wear was never acceptable for day wear, but for
night it was the only possible wear to enable the participants to be part of the action, to
be part of the atmosphere of strobe lighting, mirror balls and spotlighting of individuals
at any time. Satin jackets that reflected the light and a medallion resting on a tanned
chest in an open neck shirt with the collar turned up were de rigueur, however awful
such fashions might seem now. The latter is a fashion male individuals will never admit
they followed, yet for many men it was the equivalent of the iPod accessory or mobile
phone of today.
Design an original 1970s disco outfit. Please color the person below with your
outfit choice. On the side or back, describe the outfit and explain what makes it
a disco outfit.