Patrick Juvet (born 21 August 1950, Montreux, Switzerland) is a former model turned singer-songwriter, who had a string of hitrecords in France. While his early career was focused on making pop records, he found international success as a disco music performer in the latter half of the 1970s.
Biography
In Saint-Tropez he met French music producer Eddie Barclay, who allowed him to record a first single in 1971. He wrote Le Lundi au soleil sung by Claude François.
He represented Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest 1973 with "Je vais me marier, Marie," before charting in the U.S. / UK with the disco tracks, "Où sont les femmes?" and "I Love America" later in the 1970s. During his recording career in the 1970s, Juvet collaborated with French composer and musician Jean-Michel Jarre and noted disco producers Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo, who also produced Village People and The Ritchie Family, among other acts.
The aforementioned "Où sont les femmes?" was adapted and translated into English as "Where Is My Woman", which was a part of Juvet's English-language debut on Casablanca Records in the U.S. Victor Willis, ex-Village People lead vocalist, was a lyrical contributor to the project.
His soundtrack score to David Hamilton's art house film Laura featured disco musicians Marc Chantereau and Slim Pezin of Voyage and Space session bassist Jannick Top. Although the music from Laura was never released on compact disc and was never released in the United States, it nonetheless sold 650,000 copies.[citation needed] Parts of the music were written and produced by the New Zealander Brian Southcombe (now deceased) who was once married to Charlotte Rampling. Southcombe, David Hamilton and another New Zealander "Glenn Holland". http://www.glenn-holland.net/. (Hamilton's business manager) were at one time actively trying to set up a sequel movie to Laura and would have approached Juvet for more music. Pictures from Laura and much other Hamilton art can be seen at the official "David Hamilton". http://www.hamilton-archives.com/. web site.
With the decline of disco in the early 1980s, Juvet returned to the French music scene in 1982 with the album, Rêves immoraux. While selling respectably, the album failed to match Juvet's earlier commercial success. A time of financial and personal decline followed, with Juvet suffering periods of depression and alcoholism and relocating from mainland Europe to London, then to Los Angeles and finally, in the latter half of the 1980s, back to Switzerland
Juvet returned to Paris in 1991 and to his roots as a singer-songwriter with the album, Solitudes. The disc featured more personal, emotional songs with Juvet being accompanied by French language performers, Françoise Hardy, Luc Plamondon, and Marc Lavoine.
They released several singles in the mid 1970s, but did not achieve success until radio stations began playing the B-side to their 1975 single, "Bye Love". The song, "I'm On Fire", was then released in its own right and became a major hit throughout Europe, peaking at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart and at number 1 on the GermanTop100 Singleschart and the Swedish chart and also number 10 in South Africa. It also charted in the United States where it reached number 26 and reached the #1 spot on the South African charts. Though Charles provided the vocals, she was not at the time publicly acknowledged as the group's singer, and on the band's 1975 appearance on BBC Television's Top of the Pops, singer/actressLuan Peters fronted the group.
In 1975 the group was expanded by record producer Tony Eyers into a permanent five piece, by the inclusion of Martin Cohen (bass and vocals), Kevin Wells (drums) and Mike Nelson (keyboards).
Subsequent singles failed to attract widespread interest in the UK, although the group became popular in South Africa and Germany. On the eve of a German tour, Charles left the group after a dispute with their record label, continuing on with her successful solo career She was replaced by Linda Kelly. The next single "Doctor Kiss-Kiss" reached number 8 in the UK and number 6 in South Africa, but the band struggled to maintain public interest. A handful of further UK singles and a self-titled album followed, as the band tried to come back with "Light the Flame of Love", "Take Me Back" and "(Walkin' On) A Love Cloud" throughout 1976/77 (Walking On A Love Cloud did however top the South African charts in June 1977). None of those songs registered with the UK commercial mainstream. One further single, "Can't Stop Myself from Loving You" (South Africa #12), appeared the following year before the band, never fully recovered from Charles' acrimonious departure, disbanded for good
Jay launched a solo career without success, and eventually returned to his earlier role as a session musician, working for such bands as Enigma and Tight Fit in 1981, and the UK Mixmasters in 1990.
Baccara was a female vocal duo formed in 1977 by Spanish artists Mayte Mateos (February 7, 1951, Logroño) and María Mendiola (April 4, 1952, Madrid). The pair rapidly achieved international success with their debut single “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie”, which reached number one across much of Europe. A successful follow-up single (“Sorry, I'm A Lady”) and European tour led to a number of album releases, numerous television appearances and the duo's selection to represent Luxembourg in the Eurovision Song Contest 1978.
Despite a substantial following in Spain, Germany and Japan, by 1981 the duo's distinctive blend of disco, pop and Spanish folk music was no longer fashionable, and by 1983 Mayte Mateos and María Mendiola were both working on solo projects. Achieving little success as solo artists, the two formed duos of their own: separate incarnations of the original Baccara appeared during the middle of the decade, with Mendiola fronting New Baccara and Mateos keeping the duo's original name. During the 1990s New Baccara was renamed back to Baccara; as a consequence both Mateos and Mendiola now head different duos with the same name. The original Baccara enjoyed meteoric but brief success in the late 1970s. Both principals have subsequently had prolonged but separate legacy careers based on nostalgia and their earlier fame.
Both later Baccara incarnations have continued to work, although Mendiola's Baccara has seen more international recognition, releasing a string of Hi-NRG club hits such as “Fantasy Boy” and “Touch Me” in the late 1980s and the later UK club hit “Wind Beneath My Wings”. Mateos' Baccara has released few new recordings, but has remained in demand for television and live appearances in countries such as Spain and Germany where the original Baccara developed a loyal fan base, performing the duo's back-catalogue and modernised versions of traditional Spanish songs.
Formation
Mayte Mateos graduated as a teacher from the Royal Spanish Academy for Arts, Drama and Dance in Madrid and then joined Spanish Television's Ballet Company. While there she met fellow performer María Mendiola. In 1976 the two women formed a singing and dancing duo (using the title Venus) and left the Ballet Company. Initially the duo's act was simply that of variety show dancers. Their first television appearance was on the Palmarés light entertainment programme and they were engaged at a nightclub in the Aragon city of Zaragoza, but their contract was cancelled when the club manager decided that they were "too elegant" for the style of show. Mateos and Mendiola relocated to the Canary Islands in search of work. Here they found that there was an audience for the performance of traditional Spanish music and dance in a form that was adapted to suit international tastes.
The duo were spotted by Leon Deane, manager of the German subsidiary of record company RCA, whilst performing flamenco dance and traditional Spanish songs for tourists (mostly German) in the Tres Islas Hotel on the island of Fuerteventura. He invited them to Hamburg in order for them to meet the 30 year old Dutch producer/composer Rolf Soja. Soja was the prime mover behind what became Baccara. He developed their stage performance and recruited their instrumental support. Mateos and Mendiola were retitled Baccara, after the name of the black rose, in reference to the women's dark Spanish appearance. Together with fellow writer Frank Dostal, Soja penned their début single “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie” and most of their other 1970s hits. Recorded in Holland and released in 1977, “Yes Sir, …” proved to be a huge success, reaching the top of the charts in Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Sweden, Belgium, Israel, and Switzerland, and number three in France.Later that year a self-titled album, written and produced by Soja and Dostal, was released. Soja is generally credited with the Baccara formula - consisting of breathy lyrics, lush backing, a disco beat and the striking image of two women (one dressed in black and the other in white) dancing. While drawing lightly on Spanish flamenco song and dance tradition, the formula was very much rooted in 1970s disco music. Soja's song arrangements generally used Mateos as the lead singer while Mendiola contributed with backing and refrains. “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie” was an enormous pan-European hit and was a prime example of the phenomenon that is known as the "summer hit".The song was heard everywhere over the summer of 1977 and it is still evocative of that moment in time. It is also one of the best known examples of the Eurodisco genre : “[…] this mind-bending Common Market melding of foreign accents, bad diction, bizarre arrangements and lightweight production, usually top-heavy with strings” - The Independent, 10 April 1999
Baccara (1977–1981)
Baccara sold more than 16 million copies of “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie” and featured in the 1977 edition of the Guinness Book of Records as the highest-selling female musical duo to date. They were the first female duo to reach number one in the UK, and had the only number one by a Spanish artist in the UK until Julio Iglesias, four years later. A follow-up single, “Sorry, I'm A Lady”, was also an international hit, peaking at the top of the charts in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium and reaching the top ten in the UK, Sweden and Switzerland. Most of Baccara's recordings were sung in English although they did also record in Spanish, German and French. They recorded different language versions of some songs (see Discography below).
Touring in Europe during the late 1970s helped the band establish a firm fan base in Germany (where their records continued to be produced) and the Scandinavian countries, and their Spanish-flavoured interpretation of the disco sound also brought them recognition in Japan and Russia. Baccara represented West Germany at the eighth World Popular Song Festival held in November 1977 – until it ended in 1989 the largest such contest in the world. Their song, “Mad In Madrid”, came 14th out of 37 participating countries.
In 1978 the second Baccara album, “Light My Fire”, was released across Europe, and whilst not matching the international success of the first, it spawned the single “Parlez-vous français?” which was selected as Luxembourg's entry in that year's Eurovision Song Contest. Despite full marks from Italy, Portugal and Spain the duo finished in 7th place. However high sales, particularly in Denmark, Sweden and Belgium, meant that the single was a commercial success. “Think what you like about Baccara, seen today their 1978 Eurovision performance has a certain style while their competition from that event looks dated and amateurish″ - New Musical Express, May 2002
Further recognition came in 1978 when Baccara was granted Germany's most prestigious media award, Burda Publishing Group's Bambi prize. This is offered annually to “celebrities whose abilities have impressed, moved and enthused the people in Germany”. The duo made regular television appearances, becoming weekly guests on Sacha Distel's show in the UK, and on Musikladen in Germany. 1978 was the high point of Baccara's artistic and commercial success. Late that year the duo released the single “The Devil Sent You to Lorado”with “Somewhere in Paradise” as its B side. Both of these Baccara recordings have become iconic. “Somewhere in Paradise” (with its allusions to life after death) is regularly played by Christian radio stations while “The Devil…” (with its background pistol shots) is sometimes identified with the gay community. A Spanish language version of the “The Devil…” (“El diablo te mandó a Laredo”) was released at the same time as the English one.
1979 saw the album “Colours” and the separately-recorded single “Eins plus eins ist eins”, released to mark the United Nations' International Year of the Child and celebrate the 20th anniversary of the UN adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. Although still successful, sales of these and other releases in 1979 were disappointing.
Baccara's fourth and final album (in the band's original incarnation) was “Bad Boys”, released in 1981. By this time the disco sound had been overshadowed by newer music movements (such as punk, new wave and synthpop) in much of Europe and interest was largely confined to those countries where the duo had an established fan base, notably Germany. The album was not released in the UK or US. Baccara have been (possibly unfairly) described as a “one hit wonder” in the UK, while they never achieved any recognition in the US despite some of their songs being given significant airplay. One music critic suggested that the Baccara formula lacked artistic depth but had been “mined for all it was worth” over two years until public interest moved on to other things. The same critic also drew attention to an element of “anti-feminist subservience” in the lyrics of some Baccara songs.
Split
The 1980 single release of Sleepy-Time-Toy led to a disagreement within Baccara over the vocal mix used.Mendiola complained that her voice was not given sufficient prominence in the song's arrangement and sued RCA for breach of contract.Mendiola's case was that the song should not have been released as a Baccara recording when it amounted to a Mateos solo. A court hearing in Munich resulted in 250,000 records being recalled from dealers and a revised recording with a new vocal mix being issued in place of the original. A twenty eight second instrumental bridge was removed from the start of the recording (thereby reducing the play time from 6:12 to 5:44) and the vocals were remixed so as to give Mendiola and Mateos equal prominence. The artwork for the single's cover appears to have remained unchanged. The single failed to chart successfully.
As a result of the dispute, relationships between all parties involved were fatally damaged. One consequence of this was that Soja and Dostal were not involved with Baccara's final album. The duo recorded Bad Boys with Bruce Baxter and Graham Sacher. Neither the album nor its spin-off single Colorado were successful. In 1981, after RCA declined to renew their contract, Mateos and Mendiola ended their professional partnership and both launched solo careers.
By 1983 both artists had released albums of their own – Mateos with Spanish Dreams and Mendiola with Born Again — which saw moderate success amongst Baccara's original fan base. However there remained a demand for Baccara's music, particularly on the European television circuit, and by the middle of the decade both Mateos and Mendiola had formed their own versions of Baccara with new singing partners. Despite a series of name and line-up changes, both Baccara duos continue to perform around Europe and have released new albums. Both have also made re-recordings of their hits for various minor record labels, which are regularly re-packaged and re-issued under the original Baccara name. However, the original song versions (those recorded between 1977 and 1981) remain the property of Sony-BMG, which holds the rights to the RCA back catalogue.
On the occasion of Baccara's 30th Anniversary, Sony-BMG Germany released a very complete 3 CD box set on August 31 2007. This collection includes 50 RCA original recordings. Several songs such as Mad In Madrid, Amoureux, Baila tú, En el año 2000, Eins plus eins ist eins and Candido made their debut on CD.
After the split, Mateos and Mendiola never performed together again. However, the two women remained on friendly terms. When Mateos married in Stockholm in 1982, Mendiola attended the wedding as a guest. There Mendiola met a fellow guest who she subsequently married and with whom she had two sons. Mateos's marriage failed and she now (2010) lives in Hamburg, where she works as a dance instructor when not touring with her own revived version of Baccara. Mendiola now lives in Madrid and still performs as a singer. Mayte Mateos' Baccara (1983–present)
Re-forming as Baccara in 1983 with Marisa Pérez (a contemporary of Mateos and Mendiola at the Spanish TV ballet company), Mayte Mateos re-established the band on the European entertainment circuit. Pérez was followed by a succession of partners including Ángela Muro, Sole García, Jane Comerford, Carmen, Cristina Sevilla, Paloma Blanco, Isabel Patton, Romy Abradelo, Rose, Francesca Rodrigues and María Marín. Mateos' current singing partner is once again fellow Spaniard Paloma Blanco. Although having no new hits to their name, Mateos' Baccara have remained in demand for television and live performances, performing the band's extensive back catalogue — versions of which have been released as compilations — as well as up-tempo interpretations of traditional Spanish songs.
In 2004, Mayte Mateos was once again involved with Eurovision, when her incarnation of Baccara took part in the Swedish Melodifestivalen preselection contest to represent Sweden with the song Soy tu Venus. However, Baccara lost out to local star Lena Philipsson, who eventually placed 5th in the competition.
Baccara (later Mayte version) in live performance 2006
A new Baccara album with Mayte Mateos and Paloma Blanco, entitled Satin ...In Black & White and produced by the original Baccara team Rolf Soja and Frank Dostal, was released on May 30th, 2008. This album contained remakes of original Baccara recordings from the late 1970s and some new songs. Although appreciated by Baccara fans, sales of the album were disappointing. Maria Mendiola's Baccara (1985–present)
Initially called New Baccara to distinguish it from Mayte Mateos' re-formed Baccara, Mendiola teamed up with vocalist Marisa Pérez and in 1987 reached the top five in Spain and top 40 in Germany with the single Call Me Up, written by Ian Cussick.1988 saw the duo release a series of euro-influenced Hi-NRG dance tracks on the Bellaphon recording label. Call Me Up, Fantasy Boy and Touch Me were produced by Luis Rodríguez, and were big club hits across Europe. A version of Bette Midler's Wind Beneath My Wings, released on the Loading Bay label in the early 1990s, was also a hit in UK clubs.Towards the end of the decade New Baccara was renamed back to Baccara, and releases continued, although the group did not chart as their output was directed towards the club scene with singles pressed in strictly limited quantities.
Mendiola and Pérez were stars of the UK 2000 tour and appeared at Wembley, London with various other music groups. In 2004, they appeared on British reality show Hit Me Baby One More Time. Mendiola's Baccara has achieved greater success than Mateos - appearing on many more television shows in Europe and UK and having more successful reviews. Mendiola's Baccara enjoys a demanding schedule of television appearances, live shows and club dates. Mendiola's Baccara is considered to be more original in that it has developed its own style and material whereas the Mateos' Baccara remains rooted in repeating the late 1970s songs of the original Baccara.
In August 2005, Mendiola and Pérez were honoured with a memorial on Vienna's "Musical Mile", along its Hollywood-style "Walk of the Stars".
In late 2008 Marisa Perez was diagnosed with acute polyarthritis. It was agreed that until Perez recovers, her place at Baccara live performances would be taken by Mendiola's niece Laura Mendiola. This measure (stated to be temporary) allowed Mendiola's Baccara to honour its outstanding commitments over the period Perez needs to recover.
Leif Garrett (born Leif Per Nervik; November 8, 1961) is an Americansinger. He became famous in the late 1970s as a teen idol, but received much publicity in later life for his drug abuse and legal troubles.
Career
Garrett began his entertainment career at age five. He and his sister Dawn Lyn worked a variety of small acting jobs. Both siblings co-starred in the horror movie Devil Times Five as juvenile mental patients who almost innocently go on a murder spree at an isolated ski resort. Dawn and Leif also guest-starred on an episode of Gunsmoke.
Leif's more-notable performances include: the breakthrough role of Jimmy Henderson on Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice; the protagonist's son Mike Pusser from the Walking Tall movies; the recurring role of Zack Russell on the ABC-TV series Family. Leif also played the role of Leonard Unger, the son of Felix Unger (played by Tony Randall), on the ABC-TV series The Odd Couple, a part that was previously played by Willie Aames.
In autumn of 1976, Garrett signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records and recorded his first album, Leif Garrett. The album was released in 1977 and his first four singles charted modestly on the US Hot 100, with his cover version of "Runaround Sue" reaching the highest at #13. In mid-1978, he signed with Scotti Brothers Records and recorded his second album Feel the Need. The album's first single, "I Was Made For Dancin'", reached #10 on the US Hot 100 and #4 on the British Chart. However, subsequent singles failed to crack the Top 20 in either country. Nevertheless, Garrett continued to record, releasing the albums Same Goes For You (1979), Can't Explain (1980), and My Movie of You (1981) in quick succession.
In the 1980s Garrett returned to acting, appearing in a small role as Bob Sheldon in the 1983 Francis Ford Coppola film The Outsiders. In 1985, he starred in Shaker Run as a mechanic and in Thunder Alley as the lead singer of a pop band that is torn apart by drugs. Other notable Leif Garrett movies from the decade include Delta Fever and the horror filmCheerleader Camp.
After a break from 1990 to 1995, Garrett returned to acting and singing, appearing in 1995's low-budget horror film Dominion, touring with The Melvins, and recording vocals for "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on their album The Crybaby. In 1998 he released The Leif Garrett Collection, a greatest hits collection, and in 1999 formed the band Godspeed with Christopher Wade Damerst and Michael Scott (The Distortions, Deadtime Stories). They recorded a three song EP on Garrett's own label, Tongue and Groove Records, and debuted on The Rosie O'Donnell Show but broke up after only a few performances. In 2003, Garrett appeared as himself in the David Spade film Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star. He also sang and co-wrote "Former Child Star" for the film's soundtrack and was one of the singers of "Child Stars on Your Television", which played over the ending credits.
Garrett's stage work includes playing the title role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and, more recently, playing in The National Theatre of The Deaf's production of A Child's Christmas In Wales (in late 2000). He also appeared in summer stock at The Barn Theatre's production of Old Timer in 2001.
In September 2006, Garrett appeared on the Celebrity edition of Fear Factor. He won the grand prize of US$50,000.
On New Year's Eve 2006, Garrett first appeared in Las Vegas with retro act Original Idols LIVE! hosted by Barry Williams and also featuring the Bay City Rollers, Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods, The Cowsills with selected appearances by Merrill Osmond, Tony DeFranco and Danny Bonaduce.
In August 2007, CMT cast Garrett in Ty Murray’s Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge. He was among nine celebrities cast on the show; however he quit after one show, citing soreness and lack of desire to continue.
In November 2007, Garrett released his new album, Three sides of.... He voiced himself in the animated television series Family Guy episode "The Thin White Line".
In 2008 the producers of TruTV's The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest... added Garrett to their cast, which features comedic commentary from celebrities like Garrett who have had brushes with the law. On the show, Garrett frequently spoofs his past troubles and public persona and participates in a wide variety of sketches and skits drummed up for him by the show's producers. Garrett often takes the majority of the show's good-natured abuse from the other celebrities for his past drug use and perceived lack of career success, and is often accused of being the person in the videos.
Leif Garrett toured South Korea in May, 2010 with shows in Seoul and Busan. This marks the 30th anniversary when Garrett performed in Korea in June, 1980.
In July 2010 it was announced Leif would participate in season four of "Celebrity Rehab", with other celebrities such as Jeremy London and Rachel Uchitel. The series is due to air later in 2010.
Personal life
Personal troubles
In 1979, three days before his 18th birthday, Garrett crashed his car while drunk and under the influence of Quaaludes. The accident left his passenger and best friend Roland Winkler a paraplegic. A guilt-stricken Garrett publicly promised to look after Winkler, as his friend's mother later filed a $25 million negligence lawsuit against him. Garrett insisted that he did not have the money and the suit was eventually settled out of court for $7.1 million, leaving the friends estranged until Winkler was approached by VH1 to film a 1999 episode of the television seriesBehind The Music. The episode featured Garrett's reunion with an apology to Winkler. Winkler forgave Garrett and acknowledged that Garrett's actions following the accident may actually have saved his life.
On February 1, 2010, Garrett was arrested again for possession of narcotics. After denying having any drugs on his body, he finally admitted to police that he had Black Tar Heroin in his shoe. He posted $10,000 bail and was charged with a felony count of heroin possession.
These days Garrett is concentrating on his acting career, but still continues to write and record new music. He wrote, produced and performed the title track for David Spade’s 2003 hit comedy, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, in which Garrett portrayed himself. During 2006 and 2007 he was part of the Original Idols Tour and performed across America. His latest album, Three Sides Of…. was released in 2007 and includes originals, covers and a remake of his classic hit, ‘I Was Made For Dancin’’. In 2010 he was invited to perform several concerts in South Korea marking the first time he’s returned there in thirty years.
Garrett has sung on releases by The Melvins (The Crybaby), The Crush Ups ("Betty Ford For X-Mas") and Liberty n' Justice ("Sight Unseen" on Soundtrack of a Soul), among others.
Belle Epoque (also referenced in some sources as La Belle Epoque) was the name of a female vocal trio, based in Paris, France. The group first rose to popularity during the mid to late 1970s with a disco remake of the song, "Black Is Black", originally a hit in 1966 for the Spanish group Los Bravos
History
Belle Epoque consisted of lead singer Evelyne Lenton, a French singer who began recording and performing in the early 1960s under the name Evy, as well as two back-up singers. Originally, the back-up singers were Jusy Fortes (also known as Judy Lisboa), originating from Cape Verde, and Marcia Briscoe (also known as Marcia Briscue), hailing from Atlanta, Georgia. However, over time, as Lenton notes, "The girls kept changing with the circumstances."
The trio scored a major European hit in 1977 with their discofied remake of "Black Is Black", sometimes also known as "Disco Sound/Black Is Black". The Belle Epoque version was a top ten hit in many European countries, including number 2 in the UK Singles Chart (the same chart position that Los Bravos' original had reached there eleven years earlier). The song also became a number 1 hit in Australia in 1978.
In the U.S., Belle Epoque are better known for another song, "Miss Broadway", which charted at number 26 on the U.S. R&Bchart and at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. "Miss Broadway" and "Black Is Black" both rose to number 21 on Billboard's "National Disco Action Top 40" chart in summer 1977.
Other hits in continental Europe followed into the late 1970s. Lenton began recording solo again in 1983, although she has worked with contemporary music producers to craft remixes of "Black Is Black" and "Miss Broadway."
Name
In UK sources, such as David Roberts' British Hit Singles & Albums, the band is listed by the name "La Belle Epoque." In U.S. sources, such as Joel Whitburn's Hot Dance/Disco 1974-2003 and Top Pop Singles 1955-2002, the group is listed as "Belle Epoque." Evelyne Lenton's official website lists the band's name as "Belle Epoque." "Belle Epoque" is also the name listed for the group on its first U.S. album, Miss Broadway, released in 1977 on Big Tree Records (BT 76008). But the cover of their "Black Is Black" single (extended version) is shown as "La Belle Epoque". A reproduction of this cover can be seen on the popular video download site (YT) for example.
The group was the creation of Jacques Morali, a French musical composer. He had written a few dance tunes when he was given a demo tape recorded by singer/actor Victor Willis. Morali approached Willis and told him, "I had a dream that you sang lead on my album and it went very, very big". Willis agreed to sing on the first album, Village People.
It was a success, and demand for live appearances soon followed. Morali and his business partner, Henri Belolo (under the collaboration Can't Stop Productions), hastily built a group of dancers around Willis to perform in clubs and on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. As Village People's popularity grew, Morali, Belolo and Willis saw the need for a permanent "group." They took out an ad in a music trade magazine which read: "Macho Types Wanted: Must Dance And Have A Moustache."
Morali literally bumped into the first recruit, Felipe Rose (Native American), on the streets of Greenwich Village. Rose was a bartender who wore jingle bells on his boots. He was invited to take part in the sessions for the first album. Alex Briley (who started as an athlete, but eventually took on the soldier persona) was Willis' friend. The others, Mark Mussler (construction worker), Dave Forrest (cowboy), Lee Mouton (leatherman) and Peter Whitehead (one of the group's early songwriters) appeared on American Bandstand and in the video for the group's first hit, "San Francisco (You Got Me)". They were later replaced by David Hodo, Randy Jones and Glenn Hughes, who all had more experience as actors/singers/dancers. Hughes had first been spotted as a toll collector at the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel.
Because Morali could not speak English, songwriting legends Phil Hurtt and the aforementioned Whitehead were brought in for the lyrics on the first album. For the next three albums (and on other Can't Stop Productions hit acts such as Ritchie Family and Patrick Juvet) Willis was the lyricist.Likewise, Gypsy Lane (the Village People band) and their conductor, Horace Ott, provided much of the musical arrangements for Morali, who did not play any instruments.
The band's name references New York City'sGreenwich Village neighborhood, at the time known for having a substantial gay population.Morali and Belolo got the inspiration for creating an assembly of American man archetypes based on the gay men of The Village who frequently dressed in various fantasy attire.
While the song "Macho Man" put them on the map, their 1978 anthem "Y.M.C.A." made them one of the most successful musical groups of the disco era.
In 1979, the United States Navy considered using "In the Navy" in a recruiting advertising campaign on television and radio. They contacted Belolo, who decided to give the rights for free on the condition that the Navy help them shoot the music video. Less than a month later, Village People arrived at the San Diego Naval base. The Navy provided them with a warship (USS Reasoner (FF-1063)), several aircraft, and the crew of the ship. The Navy later canceled the campaign.
Their fame reached its peak in 1979 when Village People made several appearances on The Merv Griffin Show and appeared with Bob Hope to entertain the U.S. troops. The group was also featured on the cover of Rolling Stone, Vol. 289, April 19, 1979. Willis left the group at the end of an international tour in 1979, and the group's decline began.
1980–1985
Ray Simpson, brother of Valerie Simpson (of Ashford & Simpson), stepped into Willis' shoes in time for the group's highly anticipated 1980 feature film Can't Stop the Music, directed by Nancy Walker, written by Allan Carr and Bronte Woodard, music and lyrics by Jacques Morali (although Willis penned the lyrics to Milkshake and Magic Night) and starring Steve Guttenberg, Valerie Perrine, Jean-Claude Billmaer, Bruce Jenner, and Village People. By the time it was released, however, disco had waned and the movie won the Worst Picture and Worst Screenplay prizes at the 1980 Golden Raspberry Awards in March 1981 and was nominated in almost all the other categories. Despite that, the song Can't Stop the Music became a Club Play chart hit and moderate radio hit. The soundtrack also featured the talents of "David London", who under his real name Dennis "Fergie" Frederiksen went on to become the future lead singer of Toto and one of the main contributors to the Village People's next album. The movie itself has since gone on to become a cult favourite, developing a worldwide fan base.
The group was one of the featured guests on a November 22, 1980 episode of Love Boat, (7th episode of season 4), entitled "Secretary to the Stars/Julie's Decision/The Horse Lover/Gopher and Isaac Buy a Horse". At the end of 1980, cowboy Randy Jones left the group and was replaced by Jeff Olson.
In 1981, with the popularity of disco fading and New Wave music on the rise, Village People replaced its on-stage costumes with a new look inspired by the New Romantic movement, and released the New Wave album Renaissance. It only attracted minor attention and produced no hits.
Victor Willis returned to the group briefly in late 1981 for the album Fox on the Box, which was released in 1982 only in Europe but did have limited release in the United States in 1983 under the title In the Street. Miles Jaye had briefly taken over for Ray Simpson as lead singer by 1983 and contributed an extra track to In the Street. Mark Lee replaced David Hodo in 1982.
Their last album containing new material, the 1985 dance/Hi-NRG release Sex Over the Phone, was not a huge commercial success, but it fared better in sales and club play than their Renaissance album. The "Sex Over the Phone" music video, due to the rise of video on the Internet, has become a viral video phenomenon.[citation needed] The Sex album featured yet another new lead singer, Ray Stephens. Py Douglas came in to sub for Stephens for some of the group's live appearances in 1985.
In 1985, the group took a hiatus but reunited in 1987 with the line-up of Randy Jones, David Hodo, Felipe Rose, Glenn Hughes, Alex Briley and Ray Simpson.
1990s to present
Village People receive their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame September 12, 2008. L to R (front row: David Hodo, Felipe Rose, Jeff Olson / back row: Ray Simpson, Alex Briley, Eric Anzalone.
November 15, 1991: Village People founder Jacques Morali dies from AIDS in Paris, France.
1993: the group makes a guest appearance on the hit show Married With Children in the episode "Take My Wife, Please".
1994: Village People join the German national football team to sing its official World Cup '94 theme Far Away in America.
1994: Cowboy Randy Jones sings Greg Brady's part on a punk cover of The Brady Bunch classic Time to Change.
1995: Eric Anzalone replaces Glenn Hughes as the Leatherman/Biker.
2000: The group releases new material under the name Amazing Veepers.
2001: Felipe Rose appears as himself on the game show To Tell the Truth.
March 4, 2001: original member Glenn Hughes (Leatherman) dies from lung cancer in New York City
2004: Village People perform as the opening act for Cher on her Farewell Tour until it ends in April 2005. It was a highly successful tour for both artists.
May 7, 2004: Original Cowboy Randy Jones marries Will Grega, his boyfriend of 20 years
September 4, 2006: Village People perform on Jerry Lewis' MDA Telethon.
August 31, 2007: Victor Willis gives his first live concert in 28 years in Las Vegas.
October 23, 2007: Village People perform on the NBC game show The Singing Bee.
November 17, 2007: Victor Willis weds long-time love, Karen, a lawyer and executive.
July 15, 2008: At the Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, Village People perform "Y.M.C.A." with the Yankees grounds crew during the 7th inning stretch.
Due to their easily recognizable characters, the group have frequently been imitated or parodied in films, television series, video games and music. Numerous covers and homages of their songs have been recorded. The stereotypical masculine characters, particularly the leather-clad biker character with a horseshoe moustache, have also become a widespread pop culture icons associated with male gay culture and YMCA has become something of an anthem of the LGBT community.
Py Douglas — Policeman (briefly replaced Ray Stephens in some television appearances during their 1985 European tour promoting album Sex Over the Phone)
Mark Lee — Construction Worker, 1982-1985
Bill Whitefield — Construction Worker 2002 and 2003
Alex Timmerman — G.I. 2004
Angel — Native American (stand-in for original member Felipe Rose at some concerts in 2008-2009)
