ESSAYS DESCRIPTIONS
SOURCES & LINKS
Fade To Grey: Androgyny, Style & Art in 80s Dance Music has notated text for easier reference and extended research. Included are additional links for each chapter’s essay that may include books, films, videos, and other useful research elements.
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INTRODUCTION
12. Curious Beginnings: Gender In Flux, Music In The Mix
By Adrian Loving
CHAPTER ONE: PURPLE REIGN
26. 17 Days
By Miles Marshall Lewis
This essay explores the edge, attitude, and androgyny of Prince Rogers Nelson, one of the 20th century’s most prolific and gifted musicians.
32. Pretty Man: The Uncanny Female Attraction to Prince
By Tonya Pendleton
Prince’s erotic appeal to women is the subject of controversy considering his androgynous and often feminine identity portrayed in music videos and album covers.
42. Dancefloor Delights: Sidenotes and Bonus Tracks from Osunlade
By Adrian Loving
World-renowned DJ and producer Osunlade discusses his passion for Prince’s music and what hot tracks work on his dancefloor.
46. New Wave Soul: Minneapolis and André Cymone’s Future Vision
By Adrian Loving
Minneapolis’ unsung guitarist and songwriter André Cymone shares his early days with Prince and unpacks his futuristic ideas for his early albums.
CHAPTER TWO: ART, IMAGE + ANDROGYNY
62. Dance Electric: Andy Warhol and The Black Celebrity Image
By Adrian Loving
This essay takes us into the world of Warhol’s relationship with the Black pop music image. Known for his famed Factory and Studio 54 days, this piece reveals his creations and collaborations beyond Basquiat and Grace Jones.
76. Seeing Grace: Observations on Visual Art, Film and Design of The Black Form
By Adrian Loving
The tour-de-force model, singer, and performance artist is examined for her physical aesthetics and beauty - along with her collaborations with Jean-Paul Goude and Keith Haring, to her seminal films Vamp, Boomerang A View To A Kill.
92. Club Insider: In Conversation With Photographer Tina Paul
By Adrian Loving
Tina’s keen eye for club culture is explored in this interview, as she was on the scene in the late ‘70s through the ‘90s photographing Larry Levan, House Of Field, Rupaul, Deee-Lite, and more!
100. Reflections on Psychedelic Drag, Counterculture…and The Cockettes By Adrian Loving
Legendary pioneers of drag performance Scrumbly and Fayette Hauser open the curtains on the importance of the Cockette’s in San Francisco’s early art scene and share reflections on working with Sylvester and Divine.
110. Aliens and Angels: Androgyny In Post-Punk Cinema
By Margaret Parsons
Outlandish characters, fashion, and gender identity are explored in the films Liquid Sky, Jubilee, and Under The Cherry Moon by the prominent museum film curator.
116. Pre-War To Punk: Germany’s Expressionist Aesthetic in 80s Music Videos By Adrian Loving
The use of Film Noir, German Expressionism, and theatrical “whiteface” by famous directors are examined in this essay that looks at ‘80s films and music videos such as Flashdance, Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and David Bowie’s Ashes To Ashes.
CHAPTER THREE: BLACK PUNK, WHITE METAL
132. Black Rock To AfroPunk: In Conversation with Vernon Reid By Adrian Loving
Music virtuoso and culture observer Vernon Reid (Living Colour, Black Rock Coalition) breaks down the key differences in Afro-Punk vs. Black Rock and debates those aesthetics with Adrian Loving - on Michael Jackson, Prince, Nona Hendryx, Milli Vanilli, and Rick James.
142. Not Your Typical Girls: Women in Punk, Post-Punk and New Wave By Wendy Vogel
Artists including Debbie Harry, Patti Smith, Wendy O. Williams, and the Runaways are examined in this feature on female representation and the emerging punk scene of the late 70s.
150. Live From The Sunset Strip: High Gloss Misogyny and The Visual Aesthetics of 80s Hair Metal By Laina Dawes
LA’s hair metal scene of the late 70s - early 80s was ripe with high-energy music, androgynous-looking musicians, and sexist misogyny. This essay takes us beyond the glitz and glam of that scene to reveal the women behind these all-male bands.
160. All-Access: In Conversation with Photographer Neil Zlozower By Adrian Loving
Neil is a fixture on LA’s music scene, this exclusive interview takes us behind his camera to reveal his shooting process, passion for music, and the grit and grime of being an ace rock photographer.
166. Yesterday’s Space Children: An Alternate Universe of Interplanetary Fashion and Cosmic Funk By John Murph
Larry Legaspi designed theatrical space costumes for Betty Davis, Kiss, and Labelle. This essay takes us into the world of Afro-futuristic fashion and the funky aesthetics of Earth, Wind & Fire, Parliament-Funkadelic, and Sly and The Family Stone.
CHAPTER FOUR: IDENTITY + STYLE, HIP-HOP’S PIONEERS
180. Survival of The Fittest: Remembering Rap’s Last Homegirls By Adrian Loving
When did female emcees become sexualized? Was it Lil’ Kim, Foxy Brown, or Cardi B? This deep dive into the world of female rap begins back in the late 70s with Mercedes Ladies and Roxanne Shanté and seeks to examine where the B-girl ended and the objectification began.
204. Behind The Image: In Conversation with Photographer Janette Beckman By Adrian Loving
UK legend Janette Beckman shares her stories on shooting Run DMC, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five and helping to shape the vision of Hip-Hop’s visual identity.
210. From Kurtis Blow To Young Thug: Hip-Hop’s Complicated Embrace of Masculinity Past and Present By Sam Davies
From the first images of Kurtis Blow and The Sugarhill Gang on record covers, this essay explores masculinity, braggadocious behavior, and the identity politics of Hip-Hop’s more recent artists and performers.
216. Style Pioneer: In Conversation with April Walker and The Birth of Hip-Hop Fashion By Vikki Tobak
Brooklyn stylist April Walker shares her experiences of the early years before urban streetwear became a billion-dollar business. From her days with Dapper Dan to running her own clothing line Walker Wear, April participated in the shaping of legends including Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G and Audio Two
222. Hip-Hop Style: Images By Drew Carolan By Adrian Loving
On-set and in the streets, photographer Drew Carolan shares his classic images of LL Cool J, and Eric B. & Rakim wearing Dapper Dan’s custom-made threads.
CHAPTER FIVE: BRITISH REBELLION
228. Dispatches From Ground Control: On David Bowie and Science Fiction, 1969-1980 By Michael A. Gonzales
What books and ideas informed Bowie’s characters and concepts? This essay reveals his interest in science fiction literature, films and his collaborations with Brian Eno for his Berlin Trilogy.
242. The Revolution Was Televised: Imagination’s Influence On 80s Black Britain By Marcus Barnes
Imagination’s Leee John gives insight to London’s black music scene in the 80s, and their explosive debut on BBC’s Top Of The Pops - which changed their television music audience forever.
250. Blitz Kids and The Androgyny of Electronica By Paul Hanford
By the 1980s the “Blitz Kids” became famous for their own unique individual endeavors into music, fashion, and trendsetting. Princess Julia and Pamela Hogg created artistic fashion styles that became runway standards. Gender-bending singers Boy George and Steven Strange influenced an entire generation of synth-pop bands that dominated the forthcoming music video craze.
256. London Underground: In Conversation With Photographer Derek Ridgers By Adrian Loving
Capturing the essence of sartorial street style and the raw energy of club culture is a talent and a passion expressed vividly in the work of UK photographer Derek Ridgers. In this interview, he shares his insights on shooting in Ibiza and his challenges in capturing the fleeting moments in London’s nightlife.
CHAPTER SIX: CLUB CULTURE AND DANCEFLOOR POLITICS
By Adrian Loving
Before the birth of house music, Chicago’s black cultural landscape reflected independent style, adventurous youth culture, and underground clubs on the precipice of technological and musical innovation. Ron Trent’s coming-of-age stories speak to his heartfelt mentorship from Frankie Knuckles and the raw sonic power of Ron Hardy at Robert Williams’ legendary Music Box.
282. Beyond The Dance: A Decade In Detroit’s Budding Club Music Scene 1977-1987 By Alia Benabdellah
Before Techno, Detroit’s emerging dance music culture was driven by import electronic records, Electrifying Mojo’s bizarre radio broadcasts, and pioneering DJs including John Collins, Stacey ‘Hotwax’ Hale, and Ken Collier. The Motor City’s underground queer culture found safe haven at Club Heaven and the seeds of innovation were planted for the next wave of producers in the 80s.
298. Reflections on “The Scene” and Detroit’s Early Club Culture with Host Nat Morris By Adrian Loving
As Soul Train took hold of the nation’s television sets in the early 70s, Nat Morris had a vision for a groundbreaking new dance show in Detroit. Here, he reflects on the concept of the show, Detroit’s aspiring dancers, and its featured guests including George Clinton, and André Cymone.
By Adrian Loving
The 1969 Stonewall Riots set in motion key events in American counterculture, led by LGBTQ advocates and set to the soundtrack of early dance music at the Loft and the Paradise Garage. Dance music producer and legendary DJ Danny Krivit reflects on his journey from childhood to a career in music in New York’s burgeoning club scene.
324. Capturing NY Disco: In Conversation With Photographer Bill Bernstein By Adrian Loving
Beginning in the late 70s, photographer Bill Bernstein sets upon a journey to capture New York’s nightlife scene and the unusual characters expressing their freedom of identity. Here, Bill discusses his artistic process of shooting in clubs and his philosophy on “disco as a state of mind.”
336. Beyond Disco: Christine Wiltshire and The Legacy of ‘Weekend’ By Adrian Loving
Christine Wiltshire’s influential catalog of vocal brilliance begins not in disco but rooted in rock, r&b, and soul. Pioneering producers Patrick Adams and Leroy Burgess along with Wiltshire and Jocelyn Brown change the landscape of dance music from disco to boogie and create the blueprint for modern house vocals and musicianship.
344. Milk Marched To A Disco Beat By Joshua Gamson
In the late 70s, Sylvester James emerged as the bright star of a gospel-infused dance music sound. San Francisco’s gay pride movement was fueled by disco while politician Harvey Milk worked to make the city safe for this thriving community. This essay explores the friendship and common goals of these two equality advocates.
356. Revolutions: The Loft’s David Mancuso, Music Philosophy and The Seeds of Community By Adrian Loving and Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy
David Mancuso’s Loft is revered by many as the first true spiritual dance music experience where songs are played in their entirety. Mancuso disciple Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy reflects on the philosophical importance of the Loft’s mission and cites key dance music selections that revolutionize what a “disco sound” can consist of.