b. Sylvester James, 6 September 1947, Los Angeles, California, USA, d. 12 June 1988. Having moved to San Francisco in 1967, James joined the Cockettes, an androgynous theatrical group with whom he made his debut on New Year's Eve 1970. He subsequentl…

Formed in the mid-1980s, the British electropop dance duo Pet Shop Boys neatly summed up the age of WALL STREET player Gordon Gecko's greed-is-good dictum and Ronald Reagan's trickle-down economics policy in one of their early singles, "Opportunities…

The Village People from New York City, USA, were a concept before they were a group. The brainchild of French record producer Jacques Morali (d. 15 November 1991, Paris, France), the troupe was assembled in 1977. Morali, who had been enjoying great s…

One of the most talented artists of the disco era, Donna Summer first found success by teaming with producer Giorgio Moroder and developing a highly sexualized, hooky dance sound highlighted by percolating electronics and moaning, sensual vocals. An …

Best known for her exuberant, emotional 1979 disco anthem, "I Will Survive," which became a rallying cry for both women and gay men in the disco era, Gloria Gaynor broke new ground with tracks specifically produced and extended for dancing. Even when…