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 70s
funk and disco that was played in the underground New York clubs, and then moves
on
to the omnipresence of disco, in the late 70s.
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.