History Turn The Beat Around: The Secret History Of Disco by Peter Shapiro
posted by on February 7 at 10:52 AM
I don’t know how I missed this book when it was published in 2005.
Turn The Beat Around is an absolute treasure trove of interviews, information and critique on the culture of the disco era which stretches, by Peter Shapiro’s standards from roughly 1973-the beginning of the eighties. Full of amazing insight into race, gender and (duh) sexuality, what he describes seems obvious when read, but I’ve never read a book so eloquently written on how thoroughly disseminated disco became in America and abroad.
The writing about it’s downfall and the “disco sucks” movement, which still exists in the anti-dance music attitude of some musicians today, and it’s basis being awash in racism, misogyny and homophobia at the dawn of Ronald Reagan’s “Morning In America” is both exciting and frightening to read.
Fascinating threads on electronic music and why it attracted so many transgendered artists, whether in drag or completely transformed, were ideas I’d never even heard discussed before. His section on “The Hustle” and disco dancing being welcomed by conservative movements for it’s rigidity and “teamwork” by people like William Safire was revelatory. And in-depth critiques of groups like Dr. Buzzard’s Original “Savannah” Band and Chic opened up albums to me I’ve revered for so long, and can now look at in completely different ways.
Did I tell you yet that this book is just really fucking great?
You know a book is done well, when it can reach out to people who might not have an interest in the main subject and pull them into the discussion as well. That is exactly what Shapiro has managed to do with this book. As I read it last week I would email my partner, who is not in the least bit interested in disco (“Show Tunes” are his thing…), quotes from the book and discuss elements with him about the time period. Eventually I found him curled up in a chair reading it and asking me to play him records he’d never even feigned interest in before. Really? You want to hear that? Um. Okay.
If you haven’t already read it, which I know from previous comment threads, some have, go out and buy it.
Then read it. Digest it. Think about it.
I’m so glad I did.
As soon as I can get my hands on this, I'm definitely picking up a copy.
It would be interesting to compare this book with Tim Lawrence's Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture, 1970-1979 (Duke University Press). From my quickie review in "the score" in Feb '04:
Blending oral history, rare photos, sordid gossip, non-technical discussions of primitive DJ mixing techniques, playlists, and corporate sales data, this highly readable book recounts the genesis, dissemination, and oversaturation of Disco.
funny enough, i have both of these books Christopher.
Both books are stellar. LSTD is more american based, and really hones on on club and dj culture, much more than TTBA. And I love Tim Lawrence's writing about music. He knows his shit.
But here's the thing, Tim is british, and his book is more from the outside looking in, it is smart, respectful and full of great interviews and information as well.
But Peter's book feels completely lived in and really transports you into the era, by recalling long forgotten social and cultural touchstones that bring the "ME" decade right up in front of your nose for real insight and honest inspection.
The reflections made in both books are great, but i do think TTBA is the better of the two.
But by a slim margin.
(you would love the little sub chapter about arthur russell and his work in the post-punk/disco '80's!)
Thanks for the compare & contrast, Terry!
Love Saves the Day is also a straight narrative (the main character is David Mancuso) whereas Shapiro's book is more of an aerial history. I like both books a lot but the Shapiro is broader, deeper, funnier, better-written. And FYI, Tim Russell is working on an Arthur Russell bio right now.
Duh--that's Tim Lawrence.
word is the russel book is in the can nearly ready to come out and tim is already researching, writing a book dedicated to ITALO.
i hope that rumour is true!
I do know he was planning an '80s sequel to LSTD; that would certainly include plenty of Italo.
from tim lawrences blog:
just so's you knows.
Nice. I wonder if the book will be published in English.
Nothing, but NOTHING, is more embarrassing about the punk era than the ludicrous "disco sucks" movement, which caught the imagination of the meathead frat boy contingent and swept the country. You can make a connection between it and the related taste for "Louie, Louie", "Wild Thing", and other early-sixties frat rock that became popular with the punks and then moved back into the punk-hating frat world.
I remember many animated discussions in the late seventies about how disco "wasn't real music" and was "manufactured in studios", while at the same time a few blocks away the gay dancing crowd in Tugs Belltown was discoing away, twice as on top of things as we were. Humiliating to recall, actually. James Brown snapped me out of it.
Disco isn't "real music"; it's much better than that.
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