Love Saves the Day: the album - part 2

The second part of the vinyl plus CD of Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture, 1970-1979, is available for pre-order! The pre-release has been brought forward to coincide with Bandcamp’s offer to waive the fees it charges to artists/labels as a gesture of support during the pandemic, https://daily.bandcamp.com/fea…/bandcamp-covid-19-fundraiser

The music selections and liner notes are inspired by the eponymous book I published back in early 2004. The first major history of 1970s dance culture in the United States, Love Saves the Day argued for the still-ridiculed phenomenon of disco to be taken seriously and for the all-but-ignored pre-disco period of the early 1970s to be recognised for its formative contribution to the reimagining of the dance floor as a sonically and socially radical space.

At the heart of book stands David Mancuso, whose profound influence on the progressive turn in dance floor culture remained wholly unrecognised when I conducted the first of 22 interviews with him in April 1997. Positioning David at the centre of the narrative challenged existing narratives about the evolution of dance culture, including the argument that disco emerged on Fire Island, and that the true pioneers of contemporary dance culture were Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan. Sixteen years later, I stand by the argument I made about David.

Part two of the vinyl features several records that could be heard regularly at David’s Loft parties along with tracks selected by Armando Galvez, Richie Kazcor, Ron Hardy, Nicky Siano. The cover of the second vinyl compilation features David Rodriguez, an unheralded pioneer and larger-than-life personality, standing in the Limelight DJ booth with three friends. It’s one of my favourite photos in the book.

“Mary, don’t ever cut off the words,” Rodriguez instructed Siano as the then up-and-coming DJ went about honing his technique at the Gallery. “If you’ve got to cut off the words, wait until they’ve finished the sentence. And it’s got to blend. You really want to hear the first note of the next record and the last note of the last record. If you can’t hear that last note, you want to hear the first note, and if you can’t hear either one, then make sure that you’re not chopping through any words. And you can tell a story: you can link all your love records together…’’ I continue to cherish these stories of passion and technique, of affinity and creativity.

It was a privilege to write Love Saves the Day—a book that I didn’t set out to write but needed to be written. It was a privilege to work with Ken Wissoker and the team at Duke University Press, who supported me at every stage of the research and writing process, never suggesting I should make the book more obviously marketable—because who on earth would want to read a 500-page book about the formative years of DJ culture? And it’s been a privilege to with Brian Morrison, Dan Hill and the team at Above Board, because they’re the guys who have enabled this release to finally happen and to do so without compromise.

Vinyl part 2: https://reappearingrecords.bandcamp.com/…/love-saves-the-da…

CD: https://reappearingrecords.bandcamp.com/…/va-love-saves-the…

Vinyl part 1: https://reappearingrecords.bandcamp.com/…/love-saves-the-da…

Artwork: Carlotta Balestra Lawrence // instagram cbl_art

xx

Love Saves the Day: the album

Back in early 2004 I published Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture, 1970-79. The book told the story of David Mancuso, his influence on the evolution of party culture during the 1970s, and the mythological rise and fall of disco. David was kind enough to agree for me to use the name of his 14 February 1970 Valentine’s day party for the title of the book, aware it was about to provide the first in-depth account of the Loft, and for the book to be sold at the Loft's anniversary party. Going through some old interviews the other day, I was even reminded that back in June 1998, at a point when I was expecting to dedicate one chapter to the 1970s rather than a 500-page book, David suggested I should title the 1970s chapter “Love Saves the Day”. “If I was a writer that’s what I’d call that chapter,” he told me. 

Sixteen years later, because it’s taken that long for an idea long in incubation to take shape, I’m excited to announce the forthcoming release of Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture, 1970-79, the album. The compilation is the product of a collaboration I embarked on with Dan Hill, Brian Morrison and the guys at Above Board when they proposed we release a series of albums that showcase some of the music featured in my books. Love Saves the Day follows last year’s Life and Death On the New York Dance Floor, 1980-83, release. It comprises two vinyl double albums and one CD.

The tracks are drawn from the playlists I compiled for the book and include selections from pioneering DJs Michael Cappello, Steve D’Acquisto, Armando Galvez, Larry Levan, Richie Kazcor, Nicky Siano and, of course, musical host (his preferred term) David Mancuso. They attempt to reflect one of the book’s main arguments: that during 1970s DJs, driven to feed ravenous dance floors, drew on a range of sounds that eventually included yet always exceeded disco. Indeed “disco music” referred initially not to disco-disco but instead to the wide panoply of sounds that one could hear on the dance floors of early 1970s NYC—sounds that, when synthesised, became disco c. the summer of 1974.

The rest is history--a history I’ve helped write and compile.


Pre-orders for Part 1 (vinyl and digital): https://bit.ly/2SahMCy

xx

Artwork: Carlotta Balestra Lawrence, instagram @cbl.clothing

IAMCRU feature

Jim Butler has published a feature about my somewhat improbably journey from dancing to writing books about dancing to party hosting to DJing in IAMCRÜ.

You can find the full feature here.

Media Res Radio/Sweet Apricots interview, Paris

The public talk I gave on David Mancuso, the Loft and audiophile partying a couple of weekends ago in Paris is available online.

Many thanks to Mathias and the In Medias Res Radio team for organising the event and to Slym Joseph Bouzavitch for setting the wheels in motion. The Sweet Apricots party that followed later that evening will live long in the memory! Inspired by Beauty & the Beat and Lucky Cloud Sound System, Slim started to build his own Klipschorn speakers and host audiophile "Sweet Apricots" parties a year or so ago, and earlier this year I went on a 12-hour overnight trip to Paris to check out his gear “in the wild”.

I was super-impressed with the speakers--how can I come up with a good excuse to buy a pair?--and equally if not more taken with the party. Cedric Lassonde DJed that night; it was truly magical. Soon after Slim suggested I return to Paris do a talk about the legacy of the NYC Loft and then team up alongside Belle Beteand Cedric Lassonde to bring a slice of “All Our Friends” to Sweet Apricots.

At the end of the Sweet Apricots party featuring All Our Friends in Montreuil, Paris. Thanks to Slym Joseph Bouzavitch for hosting such an insanely intense, joyful and passionate party. We want more...

All Our Friends with our Parisian friends at the end of happy party :)

It turned out to be Slim’s first party in a new spot in Montreuil, an outlying neighbourhood rich in community spirit, so I had a good feeling about the night from the very start. The feeling deepened as the floor filled up with so many familiar faces, a good number of them from London and the UK. What can anyone say about the party that followed? It insane, ridiculous, off the wall—thank you to everyone who turned it into such a celebratory night.

Slym Joseph Bouzavitch and Pauline Moisy at the end of take-down. Happy people :)

Belle Bete and headwear as the Parisian dawn captures the energy of the night just passed

All Our Friends, Giant Steps, 27 July

All Our Friends is heading to Giant Steps for our second “summer holiday” party on Saturday 27 July, 4:00-11:00pm.

We’re excited to announce that Sofia Kuster will join us as a guest behind the turntables for this party. A beautiful, airy location that includes a custom-built audiophile sound system and canal vistas, Giant Steps is located at Swan Wharf, 60 Dace Road E3 2NQ, with Hackney Wick overground nearby.

We had lots of fun at our last party at GS and hope you’ll join us again!

Reservations/tickets can be purchased here.

The venue will prepare a vegetarian menu for the evening.

Early arrival is recommended for more music, more dancing, more food, more socialising and more fun :) The mix of the last party is available on our mixcloud page!