Love is the Message: Dance, Music and Counterculture

This is an excerpt from a patrons-only episode. To hear the full show, plus dozens more like it, visit Patreon.com/LoveMessagePod.

We start this patrons episode with a tribute to Phil Cohen, a colleague of Jem and Tim’s at UEL and a fellow traveller to the Birmingham cultural studies writers discussed in this episode. From there we pick up where we left off in our reading of the seminal edited collection ‘Resistance Through Rituals’. Tim and Jem cover the two ethnographies of 70s drug use found in the book - weed and acid if you’re wondering - before rolling on to a disappointed essay on the Commune movement. We hear about Tim’s experience on a Kibbutz, The Farm and a funky cut from YES.

Produced by Matt Huxley.

Tracklist:

The Farm Band - Loving You
Bob Marley and the Wailers - Duppy Conqueror
Big Joe Turner - Shake Rattle and Roll

In this episode Tim and Jeremy continue the story of Frankie Knuckles first year at the controls of the seminal Chicago nightclub, the Warehouse. We hear an investigation of Frankie’s early musical aesthetic, how it would lend itself to the development of the House sound some years later, and whether stability or dynamism are better for a pumping dance floor.

Tracklist:

Pam Todd & Love Exchange - Let’s Get Together

This is an excerpt from a patrons-only episode. To hear the full episode and dozens more like it, visit Patreon.com/LoveMessagePod.

In this patrons episode we begin a reading series on a book we mentioned in the last episode: ‘Resistance Through Rituals: Youth Subcultures in Post-War Britain’, edited by Stuart Hall and Tony Jefferson. This collection, first published in 1975, is a classic of the cultural studies reading list, but upon revisiting it for this show Jeremy and Tim found its content extremely pertinent to the project of this podcast. So, in true LITM style, why have one episode when you can have many? As such today we embark on a deep reading of the volume, starting with the first three chapters.

Tracklist:

This is the first of two episodes on another seminal club in the history of dance culture: The Warehouse. Jeremy and Tim begin by spending some time discussing the city of Chicago, a place that despite its massive musical output hasn’t really featured in out story so far. A crucible of industrial modernity, they consider its unique historical position, the move from Delta to Chicago Blues, and how it linked to NYC in the mid-70s. We hear about the several early locations of the club that would become The Warehouse, revisit Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan, and give a shout out to another satellite of the US disco scene, Le Jock.

Plus: singing bumblebees, Chaka Khan, and David Mancuso’s enduring love of Tescos.

Produced by Matt Huxley.

Tracklist:

This is an excerpt from a patrons-only episode. To hear the full thing, and much much more, visit Patreon.com/LoveMessagePod to sign up from just £3 a month.

In this patrons episode we thought we’d begin to explore the academic discipline of Cultural Studies. Tim and Jeremy (both Cultural Studies professors themselves remember) explain the ways in which academic study of popular cultural was developing in the mid-70s, including the political motivations informing academics developing the discipline, in the wake of sociology and social anthropology. They talk about analysis of subculture, Raymond Williams, Stuart Hall, Mods, Rockers, nostalgia, Cool Jazz, with a healthy dash of DH Lawrence thrown in for good measure. 

In our next episode we’ll discuss in detail the seminal book Resistance Through Rituals: Youth Subcultures in Post-War Britain.

Books:

William Foote White - Street Corner Society: The Social Structure of an Italian Slum
C. Wright Mills - The Power Elites
Raymond Williams - Culture and Society
Richard Hoggart - The Uses of Literacy 
DH Lawrence - Lady’s Chatterly’s Lover
Stan Cohen - Folk Devils and Moral Panics 
Paul Willis - Profane Culture

Tracklist:
Lennie Tristano - Crosscurrents
Ewan McColl & Peggy Seeger - The Black Velvet Band
The Who - The Kids are Alright
Buddy Holly - Not Fade Away

We’re back from our summer break and getting straight back to business to examine what was going on in the Downtown party scene during the fabled year of 1977. We return to a favourite of the show - Nicky Siano - to hear how the Gallery wound down, check in on what’s happening back at the Loft, and unearth the very first iteration of the Paradise Garage.

Also featured in this episode: a bit more Studio 54 wash-up, the decline of the New York Record Pool, Deleuzian sobriety and more on Jem’s breakdancing.

Produced and edited by Matt Huxley.

Books:
Jonathan Mahler - Ladies and Gentlemen the Bronx is Burnin

Tracklist:
Salsoul Orchestra ft. Loleatta Holloway - Runaway 
Teddy Pendergrass - The More I Get, The More I Want 
Grace Jones - I Need a Man
Sylvester - Over and Over
C.J. & Co. - We Got Our Own Thing 
Evelyn "Champagne" King - Shame

In this episode Jeremy and Tim complete our mini-series on the opening of Studio 54. They discuss links between underground and mainstream both generally and specific to 1977 NYC, consider the importance of celebrities to the Studio project, and interrogate the velvet rope. We hear about Bianca Jagger’s birthday party, spend more time thinking about Richard Long and his sound system designs, and ask who really is a native New Yorker?

We’ll be away for the summer holidays, but will be back with more music, sound systems and counterculture in September. For now, why not dig into our back archive of bonus episodes on by becoming a patron at patreon.com/LoveMessagePod

Produced and edited by Matt Huxley.

Tracklist:

Sweet Cream - I Don't Know What I'd Do 

Olympic Runners - Keep It Up 

Odyssey - Native New Yorker 

Le Pamplemousse – Le Spank 

The Trammps - The Night The Lights Went Out 

In this episode Jeremy and Tim walk us past the velvet rope and into opening night at Studio 54. They introduce us to Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, the two businessmen who owned the club, as well as to the often overlooked Carmen D’Alessio, who’s taste and art world connections were crucial to the look and feel of the party. Through these characters and more we get to learn about the founding of Studio 54.

We also hear discussions on Muzak, eclecticism, returning champion Nicky Siano, and the aesthetics of ‘smoothness’. Tim and Jeremy interrogate the surprising links between Downtown and Midtown, explore how journalists tried to understand the Studio 54 phenomenon, and contemplate whether they even like disco anymore.

Produced and edited by Matt Huxley.

Tracklist:

The Ritchie Family - Brazil 

Anthony Whyte - Block Party (A Walter Gibbons Mix) 

Chic - Dance Dance Dance 

Santa Esmeralda - Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood 

This is an excerpt from a patrons-only episode. To hear the whole thing and hours more exclusive conversation, become a patron at Patreon.com/LoveMessagePod.

In this patrons-only episode Jeremy dons his leather jacket to conclude our history of the early days of heavy metal. We hear about how the convergence of space rock, biker gangs, and the fantasy aesthetics of writer Michael Moorcock created an deeply abiding metal culture that would contribute massively to the second half of the Twentieth Century and beyond. Jeremy discusses the success of Warhammer, makes the case for rock opera, argues for the cultural significance of the Lord of the Rings and even has time to unpack metal masculinity, with reference to bands including Led Zeppelin, Hawkwind, Judas Priest and Deep Purple. Rock on!

Produced by Matt Huxley.

Tracklist:

Hawkwind - Silver Machine 

Blue Oyster Cult - Stairway to the Stars 

Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water 

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird 

Thin Lizzy - Whiskey in the Jar 

Kiss - Black Diamond 

Judas Priest - Winter Retreat 

Hawkwind - The Wizard Blew His Horn 

Hawkwind - Kings of Speed 

Judas Priest - The Ripper 

Motorhead - Motorhead 

In this episode Jeremy and Tim discuss the economic and social setting into which Studio 54 opened in 1977. They talk about the differences between midtown and downtown scenes, the antagonism (or lack thereof) between punk and disco, subcultural theory and escapism. 

How did disco become so popular so quickly? The guys explore the commercial phenomenon as it exploded after 1975, including the first Disco Convention in 1976 (with awards ceremony!), the in-crowd vs the suburbs, and an extended meditation on the history and value of gimmick records. Plus: has Jeremy done the Hustle?

Produced and edited by Matt Huxley.

Books:

Anthony Hayden-Guest - The Last Party

Thomas Delany - Times Square Red, Times Square Blue

Tracklist:

Rick Dees and his Cast of Idiots - Disco Ducks 

Van McCoy - The Hustle 

Carol Douglas - Midnight Love Affair 

Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band - Cherchez La Femme