Frank DeCaro (BSJ84)

Half a century after the drug-fueled, DJ-driven, glamour-drenched musical phenomenon of disco was born at a New York City loft party, disco’s musical and fashion influences live on in popular culture. “Disco: Music, Movies, and Mania under the Mirror Ball” (Rizzoli New York) is an entertaining, yet serious tribute to a musical genre that has never been given its proper due, nor taken its true place in the historic struggle for LGBTQ+, gender, and racial equality.

Painting a vivid portrait of this provocative era – with photos from disco’s heyday up through today – DeCaro explores the cultural importance of disco and how the music and dance of queer Black and Latin clubs became a mainstream phenomenon.

Through personal interviews with disco’s biggest stars including Gloria Gaynor, Thelma Houston, Village People, and a never-before-published sit-down with Donna Summer, the book champions the diverse origins of disco while celebrating its influence on today’s groundbreaking artists such as Lady Gaga, Duo Lipa, and Miley Cyrus. It’s a must for all lovers of Seventies music, movies, television, fashion, and pop culture.