Can You Forgive Here for being Mighty Real?

by David Wojnarowicz

Mixing up Sylvester with Pet Shop Boys couldn't get more "Mighty Real" here and gay for that matter.  Cover art by one of my favorite '80s artist David Wojnarowicz. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Sylvester!

Happy Birthday Sylvester. You were always mighty real! 

Disco Photography: Sylevester

Sylvester in Golden Gate Park Fayette Hauser

Amazing spirit!

M-1015

Here is a banging Sylvester tune from his overlooked amazing 1984 release of M-1015 and later re-titled Rock The Box.  The album delved deeply into High NRG and post disco territory spanning some great underground classics such as "Take To Heaven",  the experimental "Rock The Box" and the beautiful and timeless "Love Is Really My Game".   Here, I'm featuring "Sex". Enjoy!

Sex - Sylvester

Disco Photography

Cher and Sylvester at the 1978 Disco Convention Banquet. Photo Michael Patterson.

Sell My Soul

Sell My Soul - Sylvester

It has been a long day today so I will be brief.  Here is a song that I have been wanting to post for it's sheer lyrical intensity and  fabulous hard pounding breaks with gorgeously dramatic piano.   Sell My Soul  was released in 1980 and it was quite a departure for Sylvester.  This one was not as disco and upbeat as Star or Step II.  The melodies are less happy and more intimate. This LP has been a quite overlooked production by Harvey Fuqua and it became known for the dance classic "I Need You". It also has a great cover of "Fever" but the most haunting song here is "Sell My Soul" taking the disco formula to new levels with a dark and moody gospel sound.    I'm also featuring Larry Levan's remix of  "Someone Like You" for good measure which was pretty much Sylvester's swan song before he passed away.  "Someone Like You" was released in 1986 from his last full lenght LP titled Mutual Attraction and it became his second #1 Hit on the U.S.  dance chart featuring amazing cover art by Keith Haring.  Enjoy!

Someone Like You (Larry Levan Mix) - Sylvester

Stay Free

It is time to post not one but three timeless classics to start off the weekend.  Starting with one of my old time favorite dance songs that never seem to tire my ears, "Stay Free".  The message here is simple and powerful.  Loving someone and let them stay free.   Created by legendary husband and wife songwriting/production team simply know as Ashford and Simpson.  Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson have written, produced and performed some of the most amazing, most compelling and deep timeless songs ranging from R&B, Soul, Disco, Motown and Gospel from the 20th Century.   I am loving the new re-edited treatment Dimitri From Paris has done to this amazing song. Stripping it down to it's essence giving it almost an instrumental feel without loosing the song's integrity taking the listener to pure bliss.   Also,  here is another dance classic, the disco 12" mix of  "Over and Over".  Released as a dance single in 1977, this song inspired Sylvester to make his own version which is also featured here.  All amazing dance classics that are high on my list of all time favorites to enjoy!  Speaking of lists, stay tune for my list of favorite songs from 2010 coming soon!

Stay Free (Dimitri's Re-Edit) - Ashford & Simpson - Warner Bros. Records



Over And Over (12" Disco Mix) - Ashford And Simpson - Warner Bros. Records



Over And Over (Special 12" Disco Mix) - Sylvester - Fantasy

You Make Me Feel Mighty Real

The rain has finally stopped but it is still overcast an no rainbows! Today, I want to celebrate all the wonderful friends I share my life with as I am as lucky and honored to know a wide spectrum of colorful friends. Some of those colors might not mix together so well and yet they make a beautiful rainbow. We could use more rainbows and what a perfect soul to guide us into that rainbow than none other than the late Sylvester. I have been wanting to honor this incredible legendary performer and coincidentally I ran across a posting of some sort of documentary about his life being shown on a site called tvoneonline.com. I didn't get a chance to see the entire documentary but here is the teaser. During my searches I also came across this amazing clip from yet another documentary in the works about his life featured here.

Sylvester's life was fascinating and unexpectedly beautiful about a boy who was a little different but who was determined to be himself, at a time when, Lord knows, that wasn't easy. A biopic needs to be made and I think RuPaul should play him, although she would have to put on the pounds. I read a great biography of him called The Fabulous Sylvester: The Legend, The Music, the Seventies in San Francisco written by Joshua Gamson. It was an enchanting and shocking story. I highly recommend it. He was always true to himself as he was pushing boundaries in terms of image and homosexuality long before anyone. As far as his music goes, we embraced his famous falsetto voice, high energy disco and gospel roots. I am featuring two beautiful songs by him one is a slow version of one of his major disco hits "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" from his 1978 Step II LP. I simply love the feel of this song without the beats. Also, I wanted to share "You Are My Friend" from his legendary San Francisco Opera House live concert LP Living Proof. Sylvester you are greatly missed and you legacy lives on girlfriend! Enjoy

You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) Epilogue - Sylvester

You Are My Friend - Sylvester