Popdose (Free subscription) | 08/03/2008
TWO TONS O’ TALENT San Francisco’s Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes first rose to fame in 1977 as Two Tons O’ Fun, background singers of choice for drag-tastic disco diva and ’70’s icon Sylvester. The plus-size gospel shouters — paired with the eccentric, electric Sylvester — were one of the most distinctive acts of the [...]
Line Out (Free subscription) | 07/18/2008
As many know, San Francisco 's Megatone label released many amazing disco/italo records during the beginning of the 1980's. The label which was founded by Patrick Cowley , worked with arists like Sylvester , Sarah Dash , Cowley (himself), Paul Parker , Queen Samantha , among many others. One of my many favorites from this label is Paul Parker 's 1982 italo classic " Right On Target ". This track,...
The Music Slut (Free subscription) | 06/30/2008
Here's their Top 10. Do you agree? 10. Diana Ross - I'm Coming Out 9. Soft Cell - Tainted Love 8. Miquel Brown - So Many Men... 7. Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive 6. Elton John - Bite Your Lip 5. Village People - In The Navy 4. Grace Jones - I Need A Man 3. Sylvester - You Make Me Feel 2. Queen - I Want To Break Free 1. ABBA - Knowing Me Knowing You View all the rest here. MP3: ABBA - Dancing Queen...
ExpoSay (Free subscription) | 03/17/2008
Sean Penn kissed his male 'Milk' co-star for what felt like "forever". In the steamy scene, Sean is required to get passionate with his co-star Mark Martinez - who plays the famous cross-dressing disco singer Sylvester - and Mark says he "couldn't believe" how enthusiastic the Oscar-winner was.
Towleroad (Free subscription) | 03/14/2008
Mark Martinez (aka drag queen Flava) got more than he bargained for in his role as disco singer Sylvester in Gus van Sant's Harvey Milk biopic Milk, which recently wrapped in San Francisco, reports E's Marc Malkin. A singing performance...
Line Out (Free subscription) | 02/13/2008
You can probably spend a few hours discussing Sylvester 's influence and contributions to both disco and italo. In his early year's his more soul and funk driven records like his 1977 self-titled LP Sylvester , 1978's Step II and 1979's Stars helped him become a household name in the club scene, while his later work with legendary italo producer Patrick Cowley and San Francisco's Megatone Records...
Pound for Pound (Free subscription) | 02/06/2008
Sylvester, "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" ( YSI link ) Sylvester, "Dance (Disco Heat)" ( YSI link ) Sylvester, "Was It Something That I Said" ( YSI link ) Oh boy, this is a good one. We've been slowly bringing this site around to the disco sounds, this one's essential stuff. Sylvester is one of the pivotal male singers in the genre's history, a larger than life figure who sang on some of the greatest...
Israelity (Free subscription) | 12/30/2007
O’er here in these parts, the New Year is referred to as “Sylvester”… Not like the cartoon character or the American disco drag queen. Sylvester as in St. Sylvester, a pope around the 300’s who, rumor has it, cured Roman Emperor Constantine I of leprosy. Somehow with the passing of years, December 31 came to [...]
Jahsonic (Free subscription) | 12/16/2007
Juxtapoem: Sylvester James's “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” and Pierre Janet's reality principle. An interesting side effect of falling in love is the feeling of recapturing a sense of reality. Nineteen years ago today, Sylvester died of complications from AIDS aged 40. See previous entries in this series.
The Poor Mouth (Free subscription) | 10/23/2007
Sylvester - You Make Me Feel Klaus Nomi - Total Eclipse Divine - So You Think You'ra a Man I'm sure they will love my selection!
Jahsonic (Free subscription) | 09/27/2007
Larry Levan plays his last weekend at the Paradise Garage in 1987. Finding the Paradise Garage Classics 1976-1987 playlist in 1996, when I first gained access to the internet was the impetus for starting Jahsonic.com. The song you hear Larry playing is by the first male disco diva: Sylvester. The song in question “You are my [...]
Gay For Today (Free subscription) | 09/06/2007
Sylvester James born 6 September 1948 (d. 1988) Sylvester James was an American disco and soul musician, and a gay drag performer. He performed under only his first name, Sylvester . Known for singing in falsetto (despite a rich baritone voice), he is also considered one of the first Hi-NRG artists. He was raised by his grandmother, the jazz singer Julia Morgan. Sylvester was the first "male diva"...
Idolator (Free subscription) | 08/17/2007
All week long, the Stranger 's music blog has been excerpting from The Faber Book of Pop , a collection of pop crit and history that writer Terry Miller discovered while in England, and this seven-day cycle is capped off with a nice potted reminiscence over drag-disco icon Sylvester that's worth checking out if you're unfamiliar with one of the era's most idiosyncratic figures. And in honor of Sylvester...
Line Out (Free subscription) | 08/17/2007
It's 1978, and disco rules. Donna Summer may be acknowledged as one Queen of Disco, but for gay men, Sylvester is the Other Queen. The falsetto singer has suddenly gone from drag infamy to hit records without giving up the gowns. Dance (Disco Heat) is hustling up the pop charts, and You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) isn't far behind. Sylvester and his background singers the Two Tons O' Fun are whipping...
The Movie Blog (Free subscription) | 07/10/2007
It's a pattern as predictable as winter coming after the fall. An actor who was or close to A-list status discovers that his career is in the crapper... and thus decides to return to an older characer that once made him famous. No, I'm not talking about Sylvester Stallone or Arnie... we're talking about Vin Diesel . Following a couple of big hits (particularly The Fast and the Furious), his films...
