| Like it or not House is first and foremost a direct descendant of disco. The late 1970s saw disco utilize the (by then) much-developed electronic sound and a limited genere emerged appealing mainly to gay and Black audiences. In 1977, disco music crossed over into the mainstream American culture, following the popularity of hit film Saturday Night Fever and its accompanying soundtrack. As disco clubs filled there was a move to larger venues.
"Paradise Garage" opened in New York in Janaury 1978, featuring the DJ talents of Larry Levan (1054-1992). Studio 54, another New York disco club, was also extremely popular. The clubs played the tunes of singers such as Diana Ross, CHIC, Gloria Gaynor, Kool & the Gang, Donna Summer, and Larry Levan's own hit, "I Got My Mind Made Up" However, the Disco boom was short lived. There was a back-lash from Middle America, epitomized in Chicago radio Dj Steve Dahl's "Disco Demolition Night" in 1979. Disco returned to smaller clubs like the Warehouse in Chicago. |
