Menergy: San Francisco's Gay Disco Sound

Disco was declared dead in 1979 due to a backlash, but gay men in San Francisco started their own small dance music record labels to create new, danceable music. Menergy, by Louis Niebur, is a project of reconstruction to restore these lost figures to their rightful place in 20th-century popular music, combining popular music theory, cultural analysis, queer theory, and gender studies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 24 January 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Disco, a vibrant and influential genre that emerged in the late 1970s, faced a sudden decline in popularity in the United States in 1979. This decline was sparked by a series of events, including the infamous Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park in Chicago on July 12, 1979. The backlash against disco led to major labels dropping disco artists and producers, and mainstream musicians who had jumped on the bandwagon quickly abandoned it. However, gay men refused to let disco fade away, and in the gay enclave of the Castro District in San Francisco, a group of enterprising gay DJs, record producers, and musicians took matters into their own hands. They started their own small dance music record labels, such as Megatone Records and Moby Dick Records, to fill the gap for new, danceable music.

The music produced by these labels quickly gained traction beyond the Bay Area, reaching audiences worldwide. These labels achieved unprecedented success, creating the world's first gay-owned, gay-produced music specifically designed for a dancing audience. The music reflected a new way of life for gay men, one that was characterized by sexual liberation and a rejection of traditional societal norms.

In order to reclaim the legacy of these lost figures and restore their rightful place in the history of 20th-century popular music, author Louis Niebur has undertaken a project of reconstruction. His book, "Menergy: The Lost History of Gay Dance Music," is the result of years of research, encompassing dozens of personal interviews, archival research, and the recordings of the San Francisco artists themselves. The book combines popular music theory, cultural analysis, queer theory, and gender studies to provide a comprehensive understanding of the disco era and its impact on popular music.

"Menergy" appeals to readers with interests in queer history, popular music history, and electronic dance music. It offers a fresh perspective on a marginalized and often overlooked aspect of musical history, shedding light on the contributions of gay artists and their impact on the development of dance music. The book provides a valuable resource for scholars, music enthusiasts, and anyone seeking to learn more about the cultural significance of disco and its enduring legacy.

Weight: 406g
Dimension: 236 x 155 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197511084