Sunday, March 29, 2026
Thursday, September 18, 2025
VA • Jon Savage's The Secret Public: How The LGBTQ+ Aesthetic Shaped Pop Culture 1955 - 1979
Homosexuality has been a part of post-war popular music since its very inception. Until the early 70s, however, it wasn’t talked about openly in that world: it was coded, hidden, secret. This of course mirrored society - during the 50s and 60s, the gay community felt like outcasts: harassed by the police, demonised by the media and politicians, imprisoned simply for being who they were.
This compilation spans the time before and after Bowie, reflecting both the coded nature about the topic in the 50s and 60s and the greater openness that occurred in the early 70s. It begins in late 1955, with the extraordinary success of Little Richard; continues through early-60s pop and pop art; Tamla and Soul, Glam Rock, the early 70’s funk and disco that was played in the underground New York clubs, and then moves on to the omnipresence of Disco, in the late seventies.
This double CD compilation is about freedom - and freedom for all. Whilst some of the artists identify as LGBTQ+, then or now, some are included simply because they were played in gay or lesbian clubs — where their lyric or sound proved useful and enjoyable to the patrons - or because they were shaped in some way by the gay aesthetic or gay managers. It’s a love letter to the entwined world of music and sexuality in all its many guises and we hope you enjoy the ride.
This compilation will coincide with "The Secret Public: How LGBTQ Resistance Shaped Popular Culture (1955-1979)" a monumental history of the LGBTQ influence on popular culture from the award-winning Sunday Times bestselling author Jon Savage which will be published by Faber: 06.06.2024.
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La homosexualidad ha formado parte de la música popular de posguerra desde sus inicios. Sin embargo, hasta principios de los 70, no se hablaba abiertamente de ella en ese mundo: era algo codificado, oculto, secreto. Esto, por supuesto, reflejaba la sociedad: durante los años 50 y 60, la comunidad gay se sentía marginada: acosada por la policía, demonizada por los medios y los políticos, encarcelada simplemente por ser quien era.
Esta recopilación abarca el período anterior y posterior a Bowie, reflejando tanto la naturaleza codificada del tema en los años 50 y 60 como la mayor apertura que se produjo a principios de los 70. Comienza a finales de 1955, con el extraordinario éxito de Little Richard; continúa con el pop y el arte pop de principios de los 60; el Tamla y el Soul, el Glam Rock, el funk y la música disco de principios de los 70 que se escuchaban en los clubes underground de Nueva York, y luego pasa a la omnipresencia de la música disco a finales de los 70.
Esta recopilación de dos CDs trata sobre la libertad, y la libertad para todos. Si bien algunos artistas se identifican como LGBTQ+, entonces o ahora, otros están incluidos simplemente porque tocaron en clubes gay o lésbicos —donde sus letras o sonido resultaron útiles y agradables para los asistentes— o porque fueron influenciados de alguna manera por la estética gay o los representantes gays. Es una carta de amor al mundo entrelazado de la música y la sexualidad en todas sus múltiples facetas, y esperamos que disfruten del viaje.
Esta recopilación coincidirá con "The Secret Public: How LGBTQ Resistance Shaped Popular Culture (1955-1979)", una historia monumental sobre la influencia LGBTQ en la cultura popular del galardonado autor superventas del Sunday Times, Jon Savage, que será publicada por Faber el 6 de junio de 2024.
Friday, March 21, 2025
Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Thursday, January 23, 2025
Saturday, January 11, 2025
Friday, September 20, 2024
Friday, September 6, 2024
Monday, August 12, 2024
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
VA • Have Mercy! The Songs Of Don Covay
Review
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
As
influential as he was as a performer -- and he was, with Mick Jagger
owing him a hefty debt -- Don Covay also had a considerable legacy as a
songwriter, penning such legendary hits as Wilson Pickett's “Three Time
Loser” and Aretha Franklin's “Chain of Fools,” along with the soul
standards “Mercy Mercy,” “Long Tall Shorty,” “See Saw,” and “Sookie
Sookie.” Have Mercy! The Songs of Don Covay -- a 2012 release from Ace
that belongs in their ongoing series of songs and productions from
legendary artists -- rounds up 26 of these Covay compositions and, in
their standard practice, they anchor the compilation with a couple of
big hits (namely the Pickett and Franklin numbers, plus Chubby Checker's
“Pony Time”), selecting some lesser-known versions of the
aforementioned staples and digging up gems that rarely see circulation.
Most of this lies firmly in southern soul territory, but there are
enough oddities to keep this surprising: Connie Francis snaps her
bubblegum on “Mr. Twister,” Lena Horne brings some showbiz flair to
“Love Bug,” Arlene Smith gets bogged down in syrupy strings and corn on
“Mon Cherie Au Revoir,” Billy Fury is suitably melodramatic on “Letter
Full of Tears,” and Wanda Jackson takes her sandpaper to “There’s a
Party Goin’ On,” a blatant rewrite of “Let’s Have a Party.” These are
the curiosities. The rest of the compilation offers a pretty perfect
pairing of artist and song, whether it’s the Wailers stomping on “Mercy
Mercy” or Joe Tex easing through “She Said Yeah,” and the diversity of
the material here means all of Have Mercy! is a lasting testament to
Covay’s behind-the-stage strengths.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/have-mercy%21-the-songs-of-don-covay-mw0002377254
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Reseña
por Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tan
influyente como intérprete -y lo era, con Mick Jagger en deuda con él-
Don Covay también tenía un legado considerable como compositor, autor de
éxitos legendarios como "Three Time Loser" de Wilson Pickett y "Chain
of Fools" de Aretha Franklin, junto con los estándares del soul "Mercy
Mercy", "Long Tall Shorty", "See Saw" y "Sookie Sookie". ¡Have Mercy!
The Songs of Don Covay -- un lanzamiento de 2012 de Ace que pertenece a
su serie en curso de canciones y producciones de artistas legendarios --
reúne 26 de estas composiciones de Covay y, en su práctica habitual,
anclan la compilación con un par de grandes éxitos (a saber, los números
de Pickett y Franklin, además de "Pony Time" de Chubby Checker),
seleccionando algunas versiones menos conocidas de las grapas antes
mencionadas y desenterrando gemas que rara vez ven la circulación. La
mayor parte se sitúa en el territorio del soul sureño, pero hay
suficientes rarezas como para que resulte sorprendente: Connie Francis
hace estallar su chicle en "Mr. Twister", Lena Horne le da un toque de
farándula a "Love Bug", Arlene Smith se atasca en cuerdas almibaradas y
maíz en "Mon Cherie Au Revoir", Billy Fury es adecuadamente
melodramático en "Letter Full of Tears" y Wanda Jackson lleva su papel
de lija a "There's a Party Goin' On", una descarada reescritura de
"Let's Have a Party". Estas son las curiosidades. El resto de la
compilación ofrece un emparejamiento bastante perfecto de artista y
canción, ya sean los Wailers zapateando en "Mercy Mercy" o Joe Tex
suavemente a través de "She Said Yeah", y la diversidad del material
aquí significa que todo Have Mercy! es un testamento duradero de las
fortalezas de Covay detrás del escenario.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/have-mercy%21-the-songs-of-don-covay-mw0002377254
https://acerecords.co.uk/have-mercy-the-songs-of-don-covay