Talk at Bananamoon, Glasgow

photo by Lyndell Mansfield--such perfect colour coordination throughout!

photo by Lyndell Mansfield--such perfect colour coordination throughout!

Slightly late notice, but this Thursday I'll be talking about Life and Death on the New York Dance Floor, 1980-83, at Bananamoon, Glasgow, co-owned by Keith McIvor and Jonnie Wilkes of Optimo. Details are here, http://bit.ly/2BV1w1V.

I understand that reservations were snapped up pretty quickly but it might be worth coming along anyway, just in case some folks don't show up--or maybe we'll find a way to create more space. 

Raissa Pardini, whom I got to meet at the Life and Death on the NY Dance Floor event held at Donlon books back in the autumn of 2016, has been in touch so say she's coming along, so this gives me the perfect opportunity to post one of my favourite snaps of L&D, held by Raissa,

 

 

Life and Death review on the Journal of Popular Music Studies

A review of Life and Death was published on the Journal of Popular Music Studies (June 2017) by James Weissinger. You can read the full review here (pdf). An excerpt below!

“Dubbed out electronic handclaps crackle in space, their echoing digital delay moodily fading as a rubbery synth bass pulses into the mix. This is the haunting, exuberant, impossible introduction to “Don’t Make Me Wait,” the NYC Peech Boys’ 1982 12” record, famously produced by Paradise Garage DJ Larry Levan. Melding disco, gospel, and rock, the song is one of the many genre-breaking works closely profiled in Tim Lawrence’s exhaustive Life and Death on the New York Dance Floor, 1980–1983. Building on his previous study of 70s dance culture in Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture, 1970–1979 and complementing his most recent book, Hold On to Your Dreams: Arthur Russell and the Downtown Music Scene, 1973–1992, Lawrence ambitiously maps the many overlapping early-80s scenes—No Wave, NewWave, post-disco, early hip hop, 80s R&B—all at once.”
— James Weissinger, Journal of Popular Music Studies

Vogue Hommes feature

Vogue Hommes (Paris) has published a 6-page interview with me about Life and Death on the NY Dance Floor.

"Il consacre avec Life and Death on the New York Dancefloor 1980-1983 [...] une somme prodigieusement fouillée, intensément politique, gorgée de détails, de titres de chansons, et d'anecdotes," writes Julien Gester in the intro. "Généreux et maniaque jusqu'à l'excès, le récit de Lawrence se nourrit aussi bien de playlists extensives que de documents d'époque et d'entretiens avec les principaux acteurs--devenus superstars ou restés dans l'ombre--de ce moment incandescent dont notre modernité ne s'est toujours pas remise."

I'm amazed. The only thing that would have amazed me even more is if they'd slipped a copy of the book into the picture of the mean-looking guys on the front cover--no, strike that, if they'd invited me to appear in the shoot.

In other news...

If your German is good and your French not so good, the Austrian magazine Malmoe has published an article about Life and Death on the NY Dance Floor, http://malmoe.org/artikel/tanzen/3263

If English is your preference, Matthew Billy has posted another episode of his Between the Liner Notes radio doc, 19: Discophobia (Disco Part 2). It includes i/vs with Joseph Carvello, Ray Caviano, Jim DeRogatis and me, http://bit.ly/BTLNdisco02

Signature has published a feature titled “10 Weird and Wonderful Biographies on the Music of the 1970s” that includes kind words about Hold On to Your Dreams: Arthur Russell and the Downtown Music Scene, 1973-92. “As a musician and composer, Russell’s body of work includes everything from boldly experimental compositions to ecstatic dance tracks to heartfelt pop confessionals,” writes Tobias Carroll. “Lawrence’s book is a fantastic look at Russell’s music, and the impact it continues to have on what we listen to today.” http://www.signature-reads.com/…/10-great-biographies-on-t…/

If you haven’t already, please sign the petition “Let NYC Dance: Repeal NYC's Cabaret (No Dancing) Law Now”, https://www.change.org/p/new-york-city-council-repeal-nyc-s…?