a gay disco legend brought to chaotic life
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It was the seventies in San Francisco and dear old Sylvester ruled the disco roost - and 'Mighty Real' still gets played at gay discos to this day.. This is an excellent account of his struggle for success via the ultra chaotic Cockettes and the very lovely Weather Girls, who started out as his backing singers. Also the sad final decline and battle with AIDS. I couldn't put it down and my gay flatmate was also completely in thrall to this wonderful book which opens up a world.
My Sylvester story - about ten years ago I went on an Edward Carpenter community personal growth gay retreat at wonderful Laurieston Hall in Dumfriesshire. as ever we ended the week with a really joyous improvised cabaret night in the old pannelled billiard room. I took it on myself to start up a disco after the show and the first track i put on was Sylvester 'Mighty Real'. It went off like a bomb and we had such a great dance into the wee hours out there in the scottish borders. Pure heaven.
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...the fabulous SYLVESTER!
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Sylvester was `bigger' than fabulous and Joshua Gamson's bio reveals the truth behind the incredibly talented singer. Gamson's biography of the unusual and lovable talent rings true and is consistently level headed without drama. There was plenty of that in Sylvester's life alone! It's amazing that it took this story so long to be told, but it is a great one about the golden gay mecca before it turned into the gay refugee camp. Sylvester is accurately portrayed as the virtual overnight sensation "queen of disco". He is shown as having had a heart of gold and the simple determination of being who he was - a great icon without regrets. Gamson should be commended for writing a long-awaited biography that is fair and balanced, representing a time that started with such great innocence and fun. It is worth mentioning that Rolling Stone magazine reviewed Sylvester's first album and stated, "if you have to listen to disco, it doesn't get better than this". No kidding.
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