CELEBRITY BLOG featuring THE BEST in INFOTAINMENT! Interviews, Reviews, Editorials & More! From Pop to Cult, Welcome Joan Crawford Fans, Grey Gardeners and DIVA Lovers!
This is the first time on my blog that I am announcing, at last after a long time planning it, I have retired from my office job to be full-time Buddy Beaverhausen! Writing and blogging are what I can devote my time towards. And, of course, going to events especially if red carpet, lights and lots of press cameras are involved! I find myself at a time of life now composed of multi-tasking and, equally, multi-napping.
First, let me just say that I do see eye-to-eye with Madonna on one thing: ageism. When Radio 1 in the UK snubbed playing "Livin' for Love" (the only really good track off the new album), Madonna said we've made progress "in other areas - civil rights, gay rights - but ageism is still an area that's taboo and not talked about and dealt with.” Hear, hear, old girl! I'm old enough to recall with joy a happy time in my life that included tuning into Chuck Barris' The Gong Show before bedtime with my ex. We loved the appearances of Gene, Gene, The Dance Machine and his stiff, crazy and robotic dance moves. He made us laugh. Gene was a stagehand at NBC before appearing on The Gong Show and, more importantly, the first African-American member of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees, Local 33. Eugene Patton was 82 at the time of his passing. Giorgio Moroder's "Right Here, Right Now" is a super upcoming dancefloor smash, certainly, with Kylie Minogue on vocals. There will be no shortage of diva-driven disco for this year's Pride festivals! Not all the remixes of the song are successes and, frankly, I prefer playing Moroder's original extended mix. Mark Roberts' Ultimix dampens down the NRG but there's worse from Felix Da Housecat, Mr Moustache, Ant Larock, Dj Sneak (who are some of these people?!) Kenny Summit, Felipe de Lima. However, I did enjoy 7th Heaven's club mix. Very upbeat. Martha says "Everybody dance now" once more for producer Tony Moran. Actually, her lyrics are "I want to see you dance" on Billboard's upwardly mobile new dance hit, "Free People." Tony just had a Billboard smash with the fabulous Debby Holiday (an update of "I Like You") and sure knows how to fashion a sound that will make you want to get up and shake your groove thing.
Again, the original Tony Moran/Warren Rigg Global Mix is best. The Cruelty remix is too funky, Giuseppe D too chunky. Actually, most of the mixes available failed to impress with the exception of Yinon Yahel's big-room, Junior-esque house version.
"Free People" is another positive anthem from Ms Wash, very much in her element here as she belts out a feel-good song about loving yourself and expressing it on the disco floor. Just like Gene Gene.
First came the Tony Moran/Deep Influence mixes (on Moran's Sugar House label) which have so far signifantly helped the song to the #2 spot on the current Billboard chart... and it doesn't look like the diva is coming down right now. I expect this to take the top spot later in the week. In any event, Ms Wash has another solo club hit on her hands.
New mixes have been circulated amongst djs which has enhanced the performance power of "I'm Not Coming Down" in clubs as well. The album version presents us with an inspirational, upbeat and well-crafted pop ballad. The new mixes are the various icings on that cake.
At close to 9 minutes, the Phil B/Leo Frappier Mix is a disappointment from two of my fave remixers, actually. Though it showcases Martha's power pipes, instrumentally it is a bit spare for my taste with rather unremarkable electronic embellishment. Wayne G's Throwback Club Mix indeed has a nice '90s-like house-music quality. But more successful, exciting and likely to get my ass to the dancefloor is the Rosabel Anthem Mix, a big-room sound with a nice, spoken intro by the diva. John LePage/Brian Cua's mix is also an appealingly rousing hands-in-the-air endeavor as is Ranny's Big Room Club Mix. Gustavo Scorpio's remix has its moments but perhaps kicks off on such a high, it has no place to go, thereby sounding redundant about 4 minutes into its eight-plus.
Nonetheless, nice to find Martha available in so many mixes, back at the top of the charts where she belongs and with a well-done promo video of the song to boot.
LGBT Pride Month begins June 1st, which is Marilyn Monroe's birthday. And LGBT Pride in June celebrates the political liberation that was initiated during the Stonewall riots on June 28, 1968 -- the day after Judy Garland's funeral. Coincidence? I think not. Both icons cherished and were supportive of their legion of gay fans.
LGBT Pride Day, in city after city around the world, will embrace dance-music divas. They're the idols of the post-Stonewall age. These divas will be on parade floats! In clubs! In cabarets! And even right on the streets during Pride Days internationally. Oklahoma City Pride this year will feature the double-powerhouse appearance of Taylor Dayne and Martha Wash, for example. Lucky city! As is Milwaukee, where that burg's PrideFest has the divine Debby Holiday onstage ahead of comedy divas Sandra Bernhard and Lisa Lampanelli.
Here in New York City, Queens Pride kicked off June 1 with the fabulous Inaya Day belting out her Billboard club hits, "Movin' Up" and "Make Some Noise" 1 a.m. at Icon in Astoria. The Pier Dance in Manhattan will be on Sunday, June 29. This year, the Pier Dance diva will be Demi Lovato who is not enough of a draw, personally, to bring me to that event. Last year, I was there with bells on (only figuratively) to see Cher and Deborah Cox. What an amazing show that was! http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2013/07/on-pier-with-cher-and-hot-cox.html
So, what diva or divas are appearing at your city's event? Dj Buddy Beaverhausen would love to hear from you, all over the world. Don't be shy. Enquiring minds need to know. Wishing a happy Pride Day to all, wherever you might be!
We were on Spring Break! Did you miss us? Well, the divas are back, some with steaming hot scandals, so get ready! Madonna's showing her age lately. I look better than she and I'm older than huh! (See pic at left. That's Madonna; not me.) Well, the dance-music diva turned off most of her gay fan base when she used the term "gay" in, like, a totally pejorative context.
According to WonderWall: Remember
the '80s and '90s? Those heady times of unrestricted political
incorrectness when high school kids used the word "gay" as a slanderous
term (i.e.: "those mom jeans are gay, this 9th grade homework assignment
is gay, my immature lack of respect for my fellow humans is soooo gay")? Not so surprisingly, Madonna seems to be stuck in that time period -- at least when it comes to language.
During a Buzzfeed segment that aired this week, she was asked to write down the first
word that came into her head after hearing a variety of topics. The
words kale and Vladimir Putin inspired her to write down "gay." An
online firestorm ensued, with social media users pointing out that (duh)
she was being pretty offensive.
Putin = Gay? Big whoops, Madge! Were you trying to be ironic? Major fail.
"Saying
kale is ‘gay' is meant to convey that she doesn't like it, so it is an
insult. I am SO TIRED of people using ‘gay' in a negative context,"
wrote one user who was later quoted by ABCNews.com. Helter-Skelter's li'l diva Squeaky (Lynette) Fromm is back in the news! The Charles Manson sidekick and would-be President Gerald Ford assassin'spre-trial audiotape from her psychiatric exam on the latter account is now being released, 40 years after the incident. The Sacramento Bee "requested the tapes be made
public, reports that Fromme spoke confidently about her ability to
represent herself at trial and be acquitted," according to the Guardian UK.
"'What
would you estimate to be your percentage chance at this point of being
found not guilty?' the psychiatrist James R. Richmond asked Fromme on
the tape. 'Oh, I feel, I feel definitely I have probably a 70 per cent chance on the percentage scale,' Fromme said in response."Ah, Squeaky! Ever the optimist!
Ok, people, Martha Wash is a diva who truly loves her gay fans and she isn't taking any bull dinkies from bullying homophobes. Martha is so just not having it! Understand?
Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov of Sochi, the Russian city hosting the Winter Olympics next month, told the BBC regarding gay visitors to the Olympics ceremonies: "We just say
that it is your business, it's your life. But it's [being gay] not accepted here in
the Caucasus where we live. We do not have them in our city."
Quipped Martha: "We do not have them in our city?" Oh, my ...
But our Weather Girl -- who has recently recorded a new dance single with Tony Moran -- was just warming up.
Official Charts Company UK reported a few days ago that "It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls is "set to storm the Official Singles Chart Top 20" since UKIP councillor David Silvester (ironic that his last name should be what it is) sent an open letter to Prime Minister David Cameron and, according to Official Charts: claimed that the UK’s recent spate of bad weather was a direct reaction to last year’s Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act.
"Since the passage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act, the nation has been beset by serious storms and floods," Silvester wrote. “This is not new. This happened in the Old Testament – they were
warned if they turned against God there would be pestilence, there
would be war, there would be disasters."
Martha fired back on her Facebook page:
"First of all I don't know
anything about David Silvester, but I did read the article about him
and his comments and concluded that as a straight woman who supports
the LGBT community, he is totally Daft (as the British would say).
While he is entitled to his opinion, I feel he is out of touch with
reality. To say that "storms and floods were caused by LGBT people and
gay marriage".....Really? He sounds like
someone living in the 80's when it was said HIV/Aids was caused by "gay
people". I think some people need to buy a clue and realize that
everything wrong or bad or catastrophic is not caused by gay people. I
support same-sex unions or marriages (depending on where you live) and
feel it should be equality for ALL!!!
"BTW I'm a Christian also and the God I serve is ALL LOVE for ALL People. HE knows who he created.
"In regards to using It's Raining Men to support this campaign, I have
no problem with it. I'm flattered that after all these years, the song
is still relevant (even if it is for "storms and floods")!! Lol XO"
Cher just announced that Pat Benatar will be the opening act for the Western half of her upcoming concert tour while Cyndi Lauper will open for the Eastern half in the USA. Cher 's "Take It Like a Man" remains at #2 on this week's Billboard dance /club chart.
Mel B of The Spice Girl's special, spicy "For Once in My Life" tears up the chart to the 9th spot, now nestled in the top ten, from last week's 13th place, and all this in six weeks!
Ok, dance diva worshipers, will be back soon with more disco diva news and, in the meantime, please join the UK in bringing "It's Raining Men," the Bob Esty/Paul Jabara song performed by The Weather Girls, back as a protest song.
First
of all I don't know anything about David Silvester, but I did read the
article about him and his comments and concluded that as a straight
woman who supports the LGBT community, he is totally Daft (as the
British would say).
'While he is entitled to his opinion, I feel he is out of touch with reality.
'To say that "storms and floods were caused by LGBT people and gay
marriage".....Really? He sounds like someone living in the 80's when it
was said HIV/Aids was caused by "gay people".
'I think some people need to buy a clue and realize that everything
wrong or bad or catastrophic is not caused by gay people. I support
same-sex unions or marriages (depending on where you live) and feel it
should be equality for ALL!!!
BTW I'm a Christian also and the God I serve is ALL LOVE for ALL People. He knows who he created.
'In regards to using It's Raining Men to support this campaign, I have
no problem with it. I'm flattered that after all these years, the song
is still relevant (even if it is for "storms and floods")!!'
'LOL, XO Martha Wash’
- See more at:
http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/hallelujah-original-weather-girl-blasts-gay-floods-politician290114#sthash.obTcZgdE.dpuf
First
of all I don't know anything about David Silvester, but I did read the
article about him and his comments and concluded that as a straight
woman who supports the LGBT community, he is totally Daft (as the
British would say).
'While he is entitled to his opinion, I feel he is out of touch with reality.
'To say that "storms and floods were caused by LGBT people and gay
marriage".....Really? He sounds like someone living in the 80's when it
was said HIV/Aids was caused by "gay people".
'I think some people need to buy a clue and realize that everything
wrong or bad or catastrophic is not caused by gay people. I support
same-sex unions or marriages (depending on where you live) and feel it
should be equality for ALL!!!
BTW I'm a Christian also and the God I serve is ALL LOVE for ALL People. He knows who he created.
'In regards to using It's Raining Men to support this campaign, I have
no problem with it. I'm flattered that after all these years, the song
is still relevant (even if it is for "storms and floods")!!'
'LOL, XO Martha Wash’
- See more at:
http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/hallelujah-original-weather-girl-blasts-gay-floods-politician290114#sthash.obTcZgdE.dpuf
Queens Our City Radio Exclusive Q&A with the One & Only Martha Wash
Happy Birthday, Martha! This interview originally appeared at Queens Our City Radio and on Blab It to Beaverhausen on December 5.
Martha Wash is truly one of our legendary divas of dance music and,
in my opinion, one of our finest female vocalists. In my exclusive
Q&A with Ms Wash, she discusses her career, her new single ("It's My
Time"), her latest album, Something Good (which is amazing) and much more. Dj
Buddy Beaverhausen: Hello, Ms Wash, and thank you for talking to me and
everyone out here at Our City Radio. How was your Thanksgiving?
Martha Wash: Thank you very much for having me. My Thanksgiving was fine. I just relaxed the whole day. Texted my family and friends.
DBB: I mostly want to talk about your latest album, Something Good,
which has been one of my faves of the year and is so inspirational.
It's perfect music for the holiday season. But first, I've always been
curious as to your work with Sylvester. Specifically, did you know Izora
Rhodes beforehand or were you first put together as Two Tons of Fun?
MW: Izora and I used to sing in a gospel group
called N.O.W. Singers (News of the World). We also sang in different
community choirs that would have musicals together. I brought her in to
audition for Sylvester when he wanted another large singer.
DBB: How
does it feel to be a true survivor? To have sung through decades of
music (mostly dance) as a solo artist and the voice of The Weather Girls, C&C Music
Factory, Black Box, etc.?
MW: I'm just thankful that I'm still here to be
able to perform for people and that they still enjoy hearing me. I'm
amazed that it's been so many years. Time goes by really quickly.
DBB: Isn't that the truth? Martha, I think most people reading the Our City internet network will
agree you are one of the great, influential voices throughout our lives.
Was there ever a low point for you that you felt you'd quit the
business and maybe do something else?
MW: I thought about quitting a few times over the
decades. When I thought about what I would do in its place, I couldn't
really come up with anything, so here I am still singing!
DBB: Something Good is well titled. Whose idea was it to name the album?
MW: My
manager (James Washington) and I were going back and forth between
Something Good and It's My Time. I liked both titles. We decided on
Something Good because it encompasses all the songs on the album. Each
song is something good.
DBB:Yes, every tack! On this album,
you do an amazing job covering Aerosmith's "Dream On," the penultimate
track. Now, I wouldn't ordinarily think of you doing this song, yet you
do a boffo job of it! How did this all come about for you?
MW: James said I needed to record a cover song. I
didn't want to necessarily. He started looking into some classic songs
and came up with "Dream On." I knew the song and had liked it so I said
okay, let's try it. I think it came out pretty good. We wanted to remain
true to the song, but put my twist to it.
DBB: "Pretty good" is an understatement in my opinion. Is there any song on Something Good that was particularly personal for you? And why was that?
MW: No, there's no particular one. Within all of
these songs, at different points in my life I've experienced the good,
bad, hope, disillusion, faith, loss, love, acceptance. I'm sure a lot of
people who listen to the album could identify.
DBB:"It's My Time" actually
brings tears to my eyes because it's so edifying and close to my heart.
Plus it has a dancefloor touch to it. Might we ever hear mixes of this
one?
MW: We have released remixes of "It's My Time"
produced by DJ's Papercha$ers. Great mixes that everyone should check
out. Everybody wanted remixes of the songs, so we're doing them a little
at a time. They'll be more in 2014.
DBB: Martha, what music influenced you growing up?
MW: I
grew up listening to gospel music only. That was the only music allowed
in my house. When I became a teenager, I had a small radio that I would
put under my pillow and listen to rock groups and the Motown artists.
Aretha Franklin was my #1 favorite.
DBB: Any shout-outs to your LGBT fans at Queens Our City Radio and my Blab It to Beaverhausen blog?
MW: I'd
just like to thank them all for supporting me over the years and that I
love them all. It's great to know that we're all still here!
DBB: You
probably won't remember this, but we shared an awkward moment after your
performance at BB King's NYC. You agreed to a pic of
my kissing you on the cheek but my friend had issues getting my cell to
take the photos. Consequently, my lips were on your cheek uncomfortably
long. You called out, very diva-like: "work it!" And he did! How do you put up with
fans like us?
MW: [Laughs] It doesn't bother me. It's part of the
job. I don't have a problem meeting my fans, I welcome it. As long as
everyone is respectful of each other, I'm fine.
DBB: Ms Wash, we wish you a Merry
Christmas, a Happy New Year and much more music to come from one of the
great singers of our times. We are so grateful to your doing this
Q&A. Any last words you'd like to add?
MW: I'd just like to wish everyone a Merry
Christmas and a healthy, prosperous, loving, blessed New Year. I'm
asking my fans to support me again with this album, Something Good, and
the "It's My Time" Remixes by going to Amazon, ITunes and CdBaby. Indie
Artists need all the support they can get. Hit me up on Facebook at www.themarthawash.com or @Martha_Wash on Twitter and let me know what you think. Thanks so much again for this time.
Thanksgiving has arrived, my turkeys, gobble gobble! Of course, Buddy B has so much to be thankful for this year, especially not having to cook for guests! (Ain't nobody got time for that.) I'm thankful for going to Bay Ridge's Lighthouse Diner, Thanksgiving afternoon, two blocks away, with my friend who called in the rezzies. Give me a bloody mary and a plate of lasagne and I'll be grateful, pilgrim! And, hey, Plymouth rocks! But also, I am thankful to the harvest of contemporary divas who keep us dancing and inspire us with their awesome voices.
Martha Wash has been our divine diva for five decades now, as a solo artist and as the voice of Two Tons of Fun, The Weather Girls, Black Box and C&C Music Factory. I am truly thankful for Miss Martha! And I adore her current album, Something Good, which is a perfect ~ and very inspirational ~ gift for the holidays. Available at Amazon.com.
I'm thankful for Cher! What a legend, icon, superstar diva, with an outstanding six-decade career. Her new album, Closer to the Truth, is marvelous and I highly recommend it for the holiday season and beyond!
La La Brooks, Darlene Love, Ronnie Spector. 1960s girl-group divas who survived Phil Spector and continue to have vibrant careers today! All have albums available on Amazon; Darlene and Ronnie having Christmas cds. Our Ms Brooks has a new album this season on the indy Norton label.
Cyndi Lauper! What more do I have to say? One of the outstanding pop vocalists of our lifetime. And she even recorded a Christmas album. Guess where you can get it!
Madonna and Lady Gaga continue to impress, tantalize and titillate. (Though neither has yet done a holiday cd; get on it, girls!)
Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand -- both boasting Christmas cds no holiday collection should ever be without.
Dj Buddy Beaverhausen and Our City Radio are grateful for our enduring divas and give thanks unto them. Not a turkey amongst them.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, and may God bless us all this holiday season! Stay safe, stay warm, stay tuned into Queens Our City Radio.
Word is out that Elton John will be performing at the Olympics in Moscow come December "despite the violently homophobic climate pervading Russia and the safety
threats to openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
individuals in the country, both citizens and foreigners," as Huffington Post succinctly reported.
Some are calling him a whore for money and media attention. He is receiving 12 million dollars for this gig. I certainly plan to refrain from purchasing his new album that arrives in stores next week until I see how this plays out.
John is widely quoted as saying, "I've got to go," echoing Gladys Knight about that Midnight Train to Georgia. (And she was going to Georgia, USA; not the country of Georgia, once part of the USSR!) "I’ve got to think about what I’m going to say very carefully. There’s two
avenues of thought: do you stop everyone going, ban all the artists
coming in from Russia? But then you’re really leaving the men and women
who are gay and suffering under the anti-gay laws in an isolated
situation. As a gay man, I can’t leave those people on their own without going over there and supporting them." We'll see how far he goes and how much support he offers. Only then will I decide whether to purchase The Diving Board. As for now, I'm considering Elton to have gone off the deep end.
Barbara Sobel of Sobel Promotions tipped me off to a second batch of remixes of the new Village People song, "Let's Go Back to the Dancefloor." Expect this to get large, especially after their appearance on the new Arsenio Hall show. Again, a remix here by none other than our own Joel Dickinson!
Get Kristy Love! Thanks once more to Ms Sobel and Sobel Promotions regarding the remix of Kristy Love's new single, "All Over the World." The diva was, at one time, a member of the classic group, The Platters. Hear her out! Enjoy this remix from Julian Marsh (our recent Q&A at http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2013/08/my-exclusive-q-with-remixer-producer-dj.html). You can download this and other remixes as well as the original mix at:
I asked each of the the following eight artists, all related in some way to the field of dance music, a similar question about the current disco revival. Now that Disco is the theme for a series of display windows at Bloomingdale's NYC (http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2013/08/disco-bloomingdales.html), it's officially trendy, hip, chic, and what's happening all over again, in my humble opinion. Here are the replies I generously received. I think you'll find them very interesting.
James Arena, author of the recently published Amazon.com best-seller, The First Ladies of Disco:
Q: Why do you think the time is right for a disco revival?
A: Many of us who enjoyed disco music in our youth have
reached an age where we look back on those days with a great deal of
affection. Sometimes only with the passage of time can one begin to
really appreciate how wonderful the music and vocalists of this great
genre and era were.
We have also entered an age where everyone is star
by being on YouTube and entertainers enjoy fame without having paid
their dues. I believe all the singers featured in FIRST LADIES OF DISCO
were not only pioneers, but true talents who earned the accolades they
are receiving. And I believe the music is now being appreciated more for
the incredible orchestrations, passionate vocals and incomparable
quality that is the essence of so many disco productions.
Lastly, many
of these women are still outstanding vocalists who have honed their
craft to perfection, are top notch entertainers and survivors. They are
proving in disco revival shows they are still in the game and every bit
as exciting as their contemporaries. It's only human when we lose a
legend like Donna Summer that we are drawn to recall the other great
vocalists of this era. I think its much better to tell them how much we
love them when they are still providing us with life, energy and
inspiration!
Put all that together and the time absolutely IS right for
the disco revival!
Lady Bunny, disco diva, drag legend, Wigstock organizer, journalist and Dj whose new song, Take Me Up High, is currently climbing the Billboard dance chart:
Q: How do you account for disco going mainstream
right now, and did you ever foresee this when spinning classic disco was
still avant-garde?
A: I was unaware of the current disco revival--is it of
mainstream disco? It never went away for me, not only because it was my
coming of age in clubs soundtrack. Dance music attracted the best
songwriters and producers when it was making $, especially in the 70s
but also in the 90s which is the other era I gravitate towards. I
remember when minimal 80s sounds came along with their synth stabs and I
thought: I was just dancing to an entire symphony--where did this shit
come from?
Dj Jandry, amazing remixer of disco classics and dance-music graphic artist:
Q: Why do you
think classic disco music is making a big comeback?
A: I think Disco is coming back with bands like
Daft Punk and with the collaboration with Giorgio Moroder and Nile Rogers
playing everywhere; they're gonna rule the Disco world. I've
loved disco since I was 12 years old when I discovered Donna on the movie
TGIF. I just fell in love with her voice and music and her personality.
Amber Dirks, dance-music diva extraordinaire (hear her great dance number, You're the One, below):
Q: Why do you think classic disco has become relevant
again? And, if you could cover one classic '70s disco song, what would you
choose?
A: I believe disco is becoming relevant again because
people are missing the real musical element of the genre. All the
instrumentation that's required to make the magic happen is a
masterpiece within itself. It's quality which provides longevity.
In regards to remakes, anything Donna Summer, just loved her!!
Dj Rusty Yardum, in NY, dj'ing great dance music from the '70s through the '90s. He recently returned to spinning dance classics for dance floors.
Q: How do you account for the current classic disco
revival? When you dj, who are the audiences for this music? And why is
it making such a powerful comeback?
A: Disco is making a comeback because the music of today
is not the greatest. I spin to an older audience, although young
people enjoy this music also. The music of today is DARK and not happy
music like Disco was.
Q: What do you think has prompted the current revival of, or nostalgia for, classic disco, that is now part of mainstream media?
A: I believe it is the music itself. Songs like "Last
Dance", "I Will Survive", 'Y.M.C.A." are the staple to disco music and
continue to draw people into the fantasy and nightlife that was a time
in our history which was about feeling good. Who doesn't want to feel
good?
That is why the disco feeling will always be around - it is the
formula for success. No matter how the music may come and go and
influence today's and future artists, the aura and meaning of disco is
feeling free and good. That will never go away!
Martha Wash, dance-music diva, ex-Weather Girl. (Martha's new single, It's My Time, posted below):
Q: Why do you think there's a classic disco revival right now that has gone mainstream?
A: Dj Buddy Beaverhausen, here you go darlin'.
1. You hear
classic disco songs in commercials.
2. They are being sampled into new songs
3. People who were younger at that time want to dance and feel that
sense of carefree fun, and they can do it with their kids now as well.
Johnny Morgan, author of what I consider my "Disco Bible," DISCO: The Music, The Times, The Era:
Q: It's been a year and a half since we did our
Q&A regarding your book, DISCO, and since then, the phenomenon of a new
embrace of classic disco music has taken place, working its way into the
mainstream (Bloomigdale's trendy windows). You were ahead of this
trend. How do you view this new disco nostalgia and what do you think
prompted it?
A: What goes around comes around (albeit doing The
Hustle this time), everything gets rediscovered after a convenient
period of amnesia has passed—you'll doubtless find former macho jocks
who wanted to burn disco records reminiscing on blogs about their days
as the Tony Manero of Nowheresville in Suburbia when they were growing
up. Lady Gaga started it, and the recent publication of Nile Rodgers'
autobiography plus Daft Punk's hiring him for their new album has opened
a lot of ears to the great work Chic did back in the day. Plus there is a
new generation of kids for whom music snobbery of any kind is
weird—they just like what they hear and don't care what genre it is,
where it comes from or who's playing it as long as their friends dig
it too. I think a lot of the new disco lovers believe that it was an 80s
thing, too, and the 80s are so now, aren't they? The fashions in
Bloomy's windows looks more 80s than 70s to me…
Dj Buddy Beaverhausen wishes to thank all of the above artists for taking out the time to be part of this survey. It means so much to me to have their input on this topic. I admire them all, and their respective talents, very much.
Well, Dj Buddy Beaverhausen has his bad days, too. It's not all sunshine, lollipops and roses, believe you me. Yesterday, in fact, was a disaster that Irwin Allen would have envied. I had my ticket for the First Ladies of Disco show at Resorts World Casino in Queens. There was to be a book signing by First Ladies author, James Arena (who I still hope to interview). I would buy a copy of the book and cd (compiled by producer Rick Gianatos) and meet the writer and the performing divas, a favorite foursome: Martha Wash, Linda Clifford, Pamala Stanley, Claudja Barry! Plus, it was to be hosted by Deney Terrio (Dance Fever). I was stoked! This was going to be a great evening to remember.
I'd picked out a fresh, new shirt at Century 21 Bay Ridge for the occasion, packed my bag (notepad, cell phone, business cards) and I was off! I know Queens like I know Zanzibar. But I was aware that a subway ride from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to Jamaica (NY, that is; not the island of) would take me about two hours. (Actually, I could fly to the island of Jamaica in that time!) This was Dj Buddy Beaverhausen's Big Adventure! First, I had to transfer from the R train at Union Square in Manhattan to the L, then connect to the A. I initially got on the L headed in the wrong direction. Somewhere along the way, I lost my reading glasses from my shirt pocket. I'd have to take notes half-blind.
The A train was skipping stops due to construction. I'm not certain that I even saw a stop for Aqueduct/JFK but decided, for some reason, that it had to be the end of the line.
Nobody I spoke with on the street ever heard of a shuttle bus to the casino. I hailed a car service, asking to go to "the casino." The driver said $20 and I said it was a deal. At this point, I would be roughly 1/2 hour late for the 8 pm show. Not what I hoped for but at least I'd catch most of the show and meet the author and divas afterwards, even getting their autographs. I ended up at Empire Casino in Yonkers! This was so wrong. Explaining I meant the Resorts casino, I learned it would be a 40-minute ride if traffic permitted and the ride would cost me a total of up over $80 from Yonkers. I cried uncle. The driver returned me to the A train. Down and defeated, I took the subway to Manhattan, then a $40 cab ride to Bay Ridge. Talk about going nowhere fast!
But, chin up! Although gravely disappointed by my fruitless misadventure, I am ordering First Ladies of Disco (book and cd) on-line where it is an Amazon best-seller. And I'll catch these perennial, ageless divas another place, another time, hopefully. Somehow, the whole debacle reminded me of the following song (sung by Cyndi, written by Ellie Greenwich):
Such memories of swirling and twirling on Splash's dance floor with friends! My late dj pal, Louis Morhaim (who owned and operated the vinyl/cd dance-music store, Heartbeat, in Greenwich Village) played there & invited me into the dj booth to show me how he had to pee in an empty bottle of spring water so as not to leave during his set.
The front bar has played Dj Buddy's promo-only cds, I'm proud to say.
And, God, I saw the late, legendary Loleatta Holloway there, live! Linda Clifford! Martha Wash! Cyndi Lauper! Kylie Minogue! Gloria Estefan! Amongst so many more.
The first economized, more intimate disco in gay Manhattan, it was the 1991 answer to the older, outmoded superclubs like The Saint and Studio 54. Still, it was a nice, two-floor set-up that was fun and easy to traverse. For a while, there was a tiny booth that sold Splash merchandise, including cds I would routinely purchase.
Might Splash open at another locale? The note written above suggests it might. But, in his interview with the current issue of Next, the owner seems to want to divorce himself from it.
A friend told me that he recently went to the club's well-established Musical Mondays at the downstairs bar. That has always been a popular get-together to watch videos of clips from musical movies and from the stage.
I passed the club tonight and it was festooned outside with blue balloons.
"Success! What does it mean/ When you can't find the right Marine?" The Weather Girls' "Success" is one of the most camp, fabulously theatrical, deliciously over-the-top and cleverly tongue-in-cheek disco songs ever recorded. It's the opening number for the classic album of the same name, recently re-mastered and re-released, on cd, on the UK's Cherry Pop label. (They also recently reissued albums by Viola Wills and Divine, among other classic dance-music artists, as well.)
Martha Wash and Izora Armstead were first known as Two Tons o' Fun when they were Sylvester's back-up girls, starting in 1977, prominently featured in "Dance (Disco Heat)". They went on, under that group name, to have their own club hits with "Earth Can Be Just Like Heaven" and "I Got the Feeling."
In 1982, they had a smash international pop and club hit with "It's Raining Men." The success of that single led to the album, Success. Other songs on it included the food = love tune, "Hungry for Love" (Oh, admit it! You've been there!); the gospel-influenced "Hope" (the only song on the album with a straight face, so to speak); the Christmas classic, "Dear Santa (Bring Me a Man for Christmas)" and the cleverly disco-fied "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair" from the Rogers & Hammerstein musical, South Pacific. I wonder what Mary Martin and Mitzi Gaynor thought of that! (Ironically, Dj Buddy B kissed both Martha Wash and Mitzi: http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2010/05/i-kissed-mitzi-gaynor.html http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2012/08/martha-wash-at-bb-kings-nyc.html ).
All other songs on Success written by Bob Esty, Paul Jabara and/or Paul Shaffer.
The Cherry Pop release includes multiple bonus tracks. The 12" Larger Than Life remix of "Success" is too tame in my opinion, stripping the original production of its brassy bravado. 12'" version and instrumental version of "Raining Men," 12" of "Outta My Hair," instrumental of both "Santa" and "Raining Men" and a mix of the last mentioned two songs complete the selection of this collection.
Bob Esty is truly a legend in his own time. A producer, songwriter
and arranger who worked with Casablanca Records from 1977 to 1980, he
has collaborated alongside major divas like Donna Summer, Cher, Barbra
Streisand, Martha Wash, Raquel Welch and many more. It is my sincerest
pleasure to have spoken with Bob over the phone when he generously
consented to give me the following, exclusive interview. I have divided
it into parts for easier reader consumption and digestion because it is
such a delicious treat.
In Part 3, we talk about eBay, Roberta Kelly, the Sharon Tate murder guest house, his association with The Weather Girls (on Columbia Records) and, especially, the divine, beloved club diva, Miss Martha Wash, as well as Raquel Welch.
* * *
Bob Esty: I moved to Beverly Hills in 1975 in the guest house of the Sharon Tate murder house. It was owned by Rudy Altobelli, my manager at the time. And I discovered eBay, so I could gather some things I'd lost over time. And a friend of mine has a big, famous vinyl store on Hollywood Boulevard, As the Record Turns. And he would give me back some of my own records.
DJ Buddy Beaverhausen: Wow, so hard to imagine you on eBay trying to buy back your own stuff!
BE: Yeah! But I was able to get my recordings back together [that way].
When I returned from Munich, I had the tracks and vocals from Roberta [Kelly]. Still had to orchestrate the tracks and record the gospel choir. Sent it to Giorgio and side one, I guess, he didn't like my mix. He muted some of the orchestration. He put some synthesizers on the first side, which I hated originally but who cares!
DJBB: Now, is it true that "It's Raining Men" was originally written for Donna Summer? And that "Bad Girls" was written for Cher, but she passed on it?
BE: Yes on "Raining Men." I'm not sure on the second song because I wasn't yet acquainted with Cher at that time. But, basically, Paul Jabara wrote every song for Donna. The demo we made of "It's Raining Men" was for Donna Summer. [Bob supplied the guide vocals a'la Donna! ~~ DJBB]
BE: Yes. But Paul didn't come down to the session because he didn't really know The Weather Girls; he wanted Donna. I saw Martha & Izora in San Francisco, performing the previous year, maybe '78.
DJBB: Was that with Sylvester or after?
BE: With Sylvester! Paul Jabara called to say, "Somebody called and wants us to try out Two Tons of Fun for 'It's Raining Men.' But I don't know this group and never saw Sylvester.'" But I said, "Wow! They're perfect!" Paul thought they were so-so, so I had to go to the studio without him. (Obviously, I did a lot of things without him anyway!)
Now, when we were recording "It's Raining Men," Martha Wash happened to stumble on her way out of the studio control room. Izora was cackling! "What you doin', child?" Izora Whitehead yelled out, "We've got a song to do!" And Martha started laughing also.
DJBB: Have you heard Martha Wash's new album, by the way?
BE: No, I've heard just one track.
DJBB: Do you know which one that was?
BE: I don't remember.
DJBB: It's really an exceptional album. I play it constantly now. By the way, I actually got to meet and kiss Ms Wash on the cheek, after her show at BB King's, in New York last year
BE: She is a marvelous woman and terrific singer and very strong and opinionated. She was a little difficult to work with in some ways but she had such a great sense of humor! I know she's gotten easier over time. Did you hear "We're Gonna Win (One World)"?
DJBB: Love that song.
BE: Martha Wash sang that at an event in Northern California and Randy Jackson, who was producing that (and who just produced the musical about Janis Joplin that is fabulous)....
DJBB: I know that show's hot, out on the West Coast, and I hope it comes this way....
BE: Martha sang that song ["One World"] with a choir.
DJBB: I had, maybe, a little insight into what you say about her feisty yet sweet personality when I kissed her after her show at BB King's. My friend was supposed to snap a photo of my kissing her after she signed my cd, on my cell phone. She very generously agreed to this and I explained this was for my blog.
So, my lips were glued to her cheek. And my friend couldn't quite get the phone to take the picture at first. So, she was shouting out, "Werq it!" to him. It was an uncomfortable moment all around! But good humored, really.
[Bob laughs.]
DJBB: He did manage to take our picture right after she said that!
BE: Well, of course! She's Martha Wash after all!
DJBB: Now, the song, "Hot Love," that Cher did for the Foxes soundtrack, sounds like "Hot Stuff" mixed with "Bad Girls"....
BE: Because, I think, it was written by Donna.
And, by the way, going back to Thank God, It's Friday, I would just like to say that I did two tracks with D.C. LaRue, two tracks with Paul [Jabara] and "Last Dance." And I went to that movie's set to see a couple of set-ups. I met Jeff Goldblum, who was not only very nice but can play amazing jazz piano. So, it was very much fun to go to the filming but it was a low-budget disco film and Saturday Night Fever was already out, so the distributor just slapped it out there.
DJBB: Though it's now quite a cult favorite.
Want to talk a little bit about Raquel Welch and "This Girl's Back in Town?"
BE: Ok. Also written for Donna Summer. I have cassettes of her vocals and mine as well as my guide vocals for Raquel.
DJBB: Over the years, Raquel Welch's number has become quite a cult hit internationally.
BE: Well, you have to know this history. Paul Jabara wrote a musical, Rachael Lily Rosenbloom, that was produced in 1973 and starred Ellen Green, though Paul was hoping to get Bette Midler, but she turned it down at the last minute. It was about a Barbra Streisand wannabe from Brooklyn.
DJBB: That's so funny because I recently saw I'll Eat You Last on Broadway, starring Bette, and a lot of that show revolves around Barbra Streisand.
BE: Yes, of course! Everything does! [Laughs.] Paul was involved in the original production of Hair, and Donna was later in the German production, so that's how he knew her.... That's the reason he had more of a personal relationship with her. Now, Barbra and Neil Bogart and Cher and Aaron Russo (who was a monster) were in "the colony". I was living in New York at the time, before moving back out to L.A., which is when I met Paul Jabara. There was an audition for Hair, which Ellen Green was about to star in, and I went because we had the same manager. And I met Paul, and he explained the story of Rachael Lily to me.
Now, the legend of Rachael became Raquel [Welch] for Paul when he met her while co-starring in the movie, with Honky Tonk Freeway [in 1981]. That's how he imagined her. So, I had set up my tracks in Paul's living room, once I'd moved back to L.A. Raquel had her choreographer with her, who was going to work with her in Vegas, but who really didn't want to work with her, obviously. So, he spent the whole time basically battering Raquel verbally during rehearsal, making her cry every day, so she would fire him. Those were the circumstances under which I met Raquel!
She loved what I did on "This Girl's Back in Town," and at the time always wore black granny glasses with a long, black coat. She looked beautiful but tried to hide that, I think. And Paul was there, with the guide vocal we did, acting out the part for her for the video in his mind, pitching the song! And after she saw that, she whispered to me, as I was walking her to her car, "I hope you're producing it; not Paul. I mean, I know Paul and he's wonderful but he's drunk now."
I told her, "I just co-wrote it."
Below, Bob & Raquel, extended mix:
More to come with Part 4, the final chapter of my Bob Esty interview....
What a week for diva birthdays! Not only did we commemorate Joan Crawford's, but Chaka Khan and Diana Ross had birthdays right behind her! So, Happy Birthdays, Divas! Where would we be without your desperately needed fabulousness?
It was also just this past week that I stumbled on this blog's review of the new Martha Wash album on that Diva's official web site. I'm wearing her cd out. I play it all. The. Time! Here's the review via marthawash.com. Handsomely displayed there. By the way, Martha is one of the cool people who turned her Facebook profile picture into the marriage equality symbol in light of the US Supreme Cort's upcoming decision on the matter. http://www.marthawash.com/beaverhausen-im-into-something-good-martha-wash/
Diva/songwriter Janice Robinson is in L.A., having recorded a new album, I believe. I've been following her on Facebook and we hope to hear from her, more prominently, here soon. We shall see. Looking forward to new material from this artist. We adore her!
Calling out around the world! Are you ready for a brand-new beat? Thanks to international views outside my beloved US/UK/Canada/Germany base to: Brazil, Iraq, Turkey, Japan, China, Georgia, Ukraine, Australia, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, India, Chile, Indonesia, Poland, Russia and everybody else who visits here! Big kisses from Dj Buddy B! Music is the great uniter. Beyond boundaries, beyond borders, support international music and keep on dancing! Peace, love and disco!
I leave you with this video of Martha Wash previewing "It's My Time," from her new album, Something Good, at Joe's Pub last year.
Martha Wash, who started her professional career as one of Two Tons of Fun, Sylvester's back-up girls, has been singing professionally for around 40 years now. Can you believe? She is also the diva who brought us to the disco and dance floors as a Weather Girl ("It's Raining Men"), and as vocalist on club and radio hits from Black Box ("Strike It Up," "Everybody Everybody") and C & C Music Factory ("Gonna Make You Sweat").
On her second solo album, the recent It's My Time, we find Martha awash in rock'n'roll, ballads, middle-of-the road easy listening and what might best be described as disco lite. Will her fans -- her club following -- embrace this effort? Or will they feel betrayed and abandoned?
Though, sadly, I hate to see Ms Wash relinquish her disco diva status, this album is clearly her attempt to advance from cult fame to mainstream artist. And she deserves to be a household name! Though Miss Martha's vox on It's My Time is clear and strong, she mainly refrains from heavy belting. It's a new, more mellow, marshmallow Martha.
The album, which has largely garnered very positive reviews, opens with the rock-oriented "Alright," then moves on to the ballad, "Destiny." There are a mere eight tracks on this album, which might put off some potential buyers, but every song is a winner. Quality, not quantity, people!
The ballad "Proud" is particularly heartbreaking and beautiful; the lyrics reminding me a bit of Bette Mider's "To Deserve You." Martha's cover of Aerosmith's "Dream On" is a surprise, and wonderfully covered by old girl. The single, "It's My Time," a power ballad, has already been successfully remixed as a club number from Something Good. And the title tune, "Something Good," with a light dance tempo, also seems ripe for the remixing.
I whole-heartedly recommend It's My Time. For Martha Wash, it certainly is her time to shine.
Martha Wash appeared on David Letterman last night to sing "It's Raining Men," it being that song's 30th Anniversary. (Can you believe it?) Martha was one of the Weather Girls, a duo whose other vocalist was the late Izora Whitehead. Paul Schaffer, on keyboards, co-wrote the song with Paul Jabara. In his introduction, Letterman calls the song "iconic" and it certainly is that. The production around Ms Wash is quite elaborate, like Folies Bergere meet Cirque du Soleil on Solid Gold. See for yourselves:
By the way, did I ever mention that I kissed Martha Wash in August at B.B. King's, where she sang her excellent new single, "It's My Time"? Read about it at link:
God, how did I miss out on this? It was in reading Joe.My.God.'s blog that I was alerted to this serious disco oversight. It was Sylvester's birthday three days ago! Happy Birthday in Heaven, Sylvester!
I saw Sylvester last, just two years before he died, performing in Key West. He was marvelous. I met him after the show. He was huge! He hugged me, and I think my head was right beneath his chest! (He was wearing heels, of course.)
Just weeks ago, I kissed his ex back-up girl, the divine Martha Wash, after seeing her perform at BB King's. Ah, Sylvester, if only you were alive today. You would have loved the show.
You are missed. Seriously missed on the dance music scene.
There's nothing like looking through a disc full of pictures of myself, anticipating how eternally young and sexy I'm going to look, to bring me face to face with harsh reality. They say the camera adds an extra five pounds. But, honeys, Dj BB's gotta face facts: It's time to diet and get back to the gym cuz we're not talking five or even 10 pounds any more. And, as far as that disc is concerned, the medium was the fucking message! And the message was: "Bitch, you so fat!"
But working out is hard! I mean, I love the shower/sauna/applying creams and grooming part that follows the exercise; I just don't like exercising in and of itself. If only I could pay someone to do the grunt work for me and I'd receive the physical benefits of it. I don't need a trainer; I need a surrogate! Can you fucking believe it doesn't work like that! This is what puts the hell in health clubs.
I get on the dreaded scale. I'm aghast at the digital figure that appears at my feet in bright red numerals yet! The writing's on the floor! I've got an awful lot of work ahead of me. Better grab a brewski and contemplate where to cut calories.
I've got to diet! I buy a head of iceberg lettuce at the supermarket. I ask my friends in the deli downstairs to shred it on their meat slicer. This will be my only food over the next two days, I tell myself. I later pick up the phone and have Chinese food delivered from Mr Tang, deciding I'm really not all that into lettuce.
I've been through all the diet fads through all the years to varying, yo-yo-like effect. Well, yo, yo, listen up! The nothing-but-fruit diet gave me diabetes; I rather liked the spuds (potato) diet, the all-ice cream diet and the beer diet, though I gained weight on all three. The South Beach Diet was pretty good. Though, at the start, you can barely eat anything. (No carbs, alcohol, dairy... Screw South Beach, man!) My last gay doctor recommended it to me. Said it worked for him. The bitch had three freakin' pounds to lose; of course it worked for him! He was probably on it for a day!
I don't believe Jared lost all that weight by eating Subway sandwiches all the time, no matter their healthier choices. I went on a Blimpie's diet once! Only to discover there's a reason it's named Blimpie.
My cousin, Sherry, is a nurse. She sent me a hospital diet menu that was largely composed of eating hot dogs (no rolls), ice cream, peanut butter and grapefruit. Still don't know what the fuck that was about. I was in the hospital on a restricted diabetic's diet once. They fed me Wonder Bread! No wonder St Vincent's went out of business.
Dr Atkins' diet was a little too protein-rave with little balance or parameters. Then he died of his own diet and I became a complete disbeliever. And Jean Harris shot the Scarsdale Diet doctor. So much death to the dieticians! Kind of a turn-off regarding their diet theories, wouldn't ya think.
People who become vegans lose weight for the most part. Not the late Laura Nyro, however, but I think that's because she gave up heroin and started drinking a lot of booze to get herself high. Didn't hurt her career; didn't help either. When I was in my early to mid twenties, I was 118 pounds (at 5'5"). I had a size 28 waistline; I sometimes shopped in the Boys departments! But then Karen Carpenter croaked and I decided to eat again. Plus, I gave up blow. (God, it was so wonderful to rub on my gums; gave me that extra-special smile!)
The best diet, by far -- it is my belief -- is Weight Watcher's. They gave me a little scale to weigh food quantities at the start. At one point, I slavishly weighed everything (except myself), even when vacationing on The Pines, much to my hosts' annoyance. You can eat, actually, quite a bit regarding WW's portion and calorie controls. And you can eat just about everything. Plus I love their low-fat mayo! I was so competitive at Weight Watchers meetings, I ate only string beans and yogurt just to win the badge every week. WW brought out my inner bitch. (Ok, so maybe not so "inner"!) Now, an average-guy spokesperson for Weight Watchers Men Online, says he didn't have to give up burgers and beer. Maybe I'll sign up. I did lose a lot of weight on WW. Whattaya think?
Making an iTunes playlist for returning to Crunch tomorrow (or at least this week sometime). Won't include Martha Wash and Aretha, or I'll be inspired to chow down on a Junior's cheesecake while on the treadmill. Tell you all about my return to the gym tomorrow (or sometime soon). Chow! Err..., I meant, ciao, bambinos!
