On July 12, 1979 local Chicago rock DJ Steve Dahl hosted a 'Disco Demolition Night' promotion during the twi-night doubleheader between the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers at Comiskey Park. The promotion, sponsored by 97.9 WLUP offered admission to the event for 98¢ and a disco record, thousands of which would be blown up on the field between the two games. Dahl, who had previously been fired from a rival station when they switched from rock to disco and organised a number of anti-disco protests, urged his listeners (or ‘Cohos’ as he called them) to turn out in force as part of their war "dedicated to the eradication of the dreaded musical disease known as DISCO”.

The White Sox hoped for a crowd of 20,000 and planned security for a maximum of 35,000 however well over 50,000 people turned up with fans leaping turnstiles, climbing fences and entering through open windows as gates were closed at capacity. As security began to be overwhelmed, fans started throwing records, bottles and other projectiles onto the field. After the first game ended Dahl incited the crowd with a rousing anti-disco speech and led chants of “DISCO SUCKS” before ceremonially blowing up a large box of records, tearing a large hole in the outfield grass. Soon 5000 - 7000 attendees began rioting and rushed the field, burning piles of records, tearing up grass and destroying parts of the stadium, only being removed when riot police arrived on the scene much later.

The second game of the doubleheader was abandoned and subsequently forfeited by the White Sox for failing to provide acceptable playing conditions, however the cultural significance of the event was to be much greater. According to one commentator "the Disco Demolition triggered a nationwide expression of anger against disco that caused it to recede quickly from the American cultural landscape”. Disco, it could be argued, with it’s roots in African and Latin American music as well as intrinsic ties to gay culture, was a key catalyst for greater cultural integration and the sexual liberation of the era.

Many have claimed that the disco sucks campaign was born more out of fear of the cultural threat of disco rather than simply a hatred of the music itself. Rolling Stone critic Dave Marsh described Disco Demolition Night as "your most paranoid fantasy about where the ethnic cleansing of the rock radio could ultimately lead” and Chic’s Nile Rogers likened the event to a Nazi book burning. Disco’s popularity declined sharply in the years that followed, however it’s cultural significance and influence over other styles of music during the past 40 years, from post-punk and house music to hip hop and pop, as well as it’s own numerous revivals ensure disco remains as relevant today as it was in 1979.

Disco Sucks Vol. 1 is a love letter to disco and it’s enduring influence.

DISCO SUCKS VOL. 1

Tracklisting
Yuksek - Corcovado (feat. Fatnotronic)
Bosq - Wake Up (feat. Kaleta)
Munk - You Can't Run From My Love
Phil Barney - Funky Rap
Phil Gerus - Surfing The Wave
Tuxedo - If U Want It
Caramel - L'amour Toujours l'amour
Kapote - Delirio Italiano 
Magou - Sample Dream
Yuksek - This Feeling (feat. Queen Rose) 
N.F.C. & Key Sokur - Coming From The Congo
Hugh Masakela - Mama (TEYMORI EDIT)
Fredfades & Jawn Rice - It Isn't Easy
Felipe Gordon - Wait on Me
Helio Matheus - Mais Kriola (Yuksek Remix)
Teddy Pendergrass - You Can't Hide From Yourself
Kiki Gyan - Disco Dancer

Lockdown Live Mix Vol. 1

/ / DISCO / / HOUSE / / FUNK / / 80S SOUL / /
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Born quarantine 2020. 
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DJ Bookings: collectiffuturfunk[at]gmail.com

FUTUR FUNK / /

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