Beautiful spotlight, Jami! What Jobriath was to rock, Sylvester was to R&B/disco. Misunderstood, quickly dispatched, and neither was given the opportunity to really explore their talents and musicality (not to mention unbridled theatricality). Blame their respective labels, frightened radio programmers and jocks, and (from a U.S. perspective, anyway) a dumbfounded American audience.
I think Bowie, Prince, Madonna, Lady Gaga, and many others, gay, straight, bi, or just the extravagantly bejeweled and outfitted, carried the torch forward for Job and Sly. If those two could somehow "roll the dice" on a career in the 21st century, we'd like to think fame and appreciation would be theirs with no social impediments.
Great article, Jami. So much of the music I love today was influenced by the early disco and Hi-NRG tracks Sylvester put out. Do You Wanna Funk with Patrick Cowley is one of my favorites.
2 of my favorite DJs (2ManyDJs) recently put a mixtape on Apple Music with a fun remix of You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real).
I nearly missed my subway stop this morning because I was so engrossed in this article and rocking out to Sylvester in the background. The storytelling here is so well-crafted and heartfelt -- a beautiful tribute!
MENERGY!!!
There should be a whole article about this song alone. I truly hope people go listen to it immediately. It’s a whole vibe.
Beautiful spotlight, Jami! What Jobriath was to rock, Sylvester was to R&B/disco. Misunderstood, quickly dispatched, and neither was given the opportunity to really explore their talents and musicality (not to mention unbridled theatricality). Blame their respective labels, frightened radio programmers and jocks, and (from a U.S. perspective, anyway) a dumbfounded American audience.
I think Bowie, Prince, Madonna, Lady Gaga, and many others, gay, straight, bi, or just the extravagantly bejeweled and outfitted, carried the torch forward for Job and Sly. If those two could somehow "roll the dice" on a career in the 21st century, we'd like to think fame and appreciation would be theirs with no social impediments.
Great article, Jami. So much of the music I love today was influenced by the early disco and Hi-NRG tracks Sylvester put out. Do You Wanna Funk with Patrick Cowley is one of my favorites.
2 of my favorite DJs (2ManyDJs) recently put a mixtape on Apple Music with a fun remix of You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real).
You can listen here:
https://music.apple.com/us/album/2manydjs-present-as-produced-by-soulwax-2020-2022-dj-mix/1650441733
I nearly missed my subway stop this morning because I was so engrossed in this article and rocking out to Sylvester in the background. The storytelling here is so well-crafted and heartfelt -- a beautiful tribute!