highlifer

The Fabulous Sylvester was a celebratory biography of disco star Sylvester, but also a time and place, namely San Francisco in the 70's and 80's, the heyday of disco, especially gay disco. Earlier this summer, I saw The Nomi Song, a celebratory biopic of new wave star Klaus Nomi, but also a time and place, namely New York in the 70's and 80's, the heyday of the downtown art scene.

Both Sylvester and Klaus Nomi were born in the 40's. Both later moved to cities at the perfect time to be part of a movement. Both sang in nearly soprano falsettos. Both were flamboyant dressers, in their own way. Both had strong female sidekicks - Sylvester had Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes, Nomi had Ann Magnuson. Sadly, both were early casualties of AIDS - Nomi when it was still practically unknown, Sylvester not until a few years later, but still before their were effective cures.

Both biographies give some insight into their somewhat distant subjects, and the ends of each, while being personally sad, also stress how much of an end this wasn't just to individual lives, but to an entire lifestyle. Still, though you'll feel sad at America's lack of concern of the "gay cancer" you'll feel uplifted in both that these men got to make their art known, for even a short time.

posted by jamie @ 8:55 PM