#simon napier-bell

[lenetaylor]

Towards the end of any Scotch of St James evening, most people noticeably flagged. I’d usually sneak away to a seat by the wall and collapse in a half-awake, half-asleep daze, with the music throbbing erotically and my mind sliding drunkenly from image to image in a gentle circular motion. One night, I remember slipping softly off my chair and under the table. I lay there – comfortable and happy. After a while I opened my eyes, and there, crawling towards me through a forest of under-the-table legs, was John Lennon. He came up to me on all fours and stopped. I managed to slur out a question. ‘What you doing, John?’ He fixed me with a long, serious stare. ‘I’m looking for my mind,’ he said, and turned and crawled away again.

-- From You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Simon Napier-Bell

(The Scotch of St. James was the most popular nightclub for the rich and famous in the Swinging Sixties.)

[rockingreads]

Simon Napier-Bell:

You Don't Have to Say You Love Me (1982)

Black Vinyl, White Powder: The Real Story of the British Music Industry (2001)

I'm Coming to Take You to Lunch: A Fantastic Tale of Boys, Booze and How Wham! Were Sold to China (2005)

Simon Napier-Bell managed The Yardbirds and Marc Bolan in the ‘60s, Japan in the ‘70s, and Wham! in the ‘80s.

Though he committed his fair share of shameless P.R. stunts, same as other hype-seeking ‘60s contemporaries like Robert Stigwood, Andrew Loog-Oldham, and Kit Lambert, Napier-Bell was candid enough to share every last sordid detail in his first book, You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me.

Whatever part of the music industry you might have worked in (management, labels, publishing, etc.), when Napier-Bell turns his ruthlessly caustic but spot-on accusations your way, I guarantee that you WILL squirm!

Not only is this book essential reading, it’s a laugh-riot.

I can’t and won’t impose the same “must-read” status upon Simon’s commendable but very flawed attempt to recount the entire history of the British music industry in his second book, Black Vinyl, White Powder.

Here, his deep knowledge and razor-sharp insights are frequently undermined by his personal tastes, professional biases, sizable blind-spots, and the same devil-may-care glibness that works so well elsewhere.

Not so much in a supposedly serious historical account, and it doesn't help that Napier-Bell's "history" ends along with the 20th Century, before the digital revolution changed everything.

So I suggest reaching for I'm Coming to Take You to Lunch instead, as this is Napier-Bell’s irreverent recounting of how he combined his primary obsessions — music, food, and the Far East — to make Wham! the first Western pop act to perform in communist China.

Along with the other books here, this one also sheds an important light on the LGBTQ+ community’s underrated influence and contribution to the entertainment industry over the last century.

Featured Records:

The Yardbirds: Having a Rave Up With The Yardbirds (1965)

T.Rex: Electric Warrior (1971)

George Michael: Faith (1987)

Buy from: Amazon / Amazon / Amazon

[mrepstein]

[at the Scotch of St. James] There were always one or two people there whom no one quite knew. One young lady, for instance, presented herself to the world as a living alternative to Vogue magazine - a dazzling personification of all that was chic and trendy. Covered with Cartier, she talked to anyone who’d let her in a deep guttural accent and with a demonic passion that scattered ‘darlings’ two or three to a sentence. If Brian Epstein arrived with a new ‘discovery’ she’d be on top of him at once.

‘Brian darling, you look wonderful, how do you do it? My goodness, darling, you always look so young and superb.’

He’d flinch of course, and try to move away, but she was unstoppable.

‘And darling, who’s this beautiful boy with you? Where did you find someone so fabulous? He’s a sensation; I think he could be an enormous star.’

A few minutes later she’d be telling everyone, ‘Darling, that Brian Epstein, he has no taste at all. Such common little things he picks up.’

- Simon Napier-Bell (You Don't Have To Say You Love Me, 1982)

[odk-2]

Fresh - Stoned in Saigon (1970) Ray Singer / Simon Napier-Bell from: "Fresh Today" (LP) "Stoned in Saigon" / "Just a Note" (Single)

Rock/Pop | Anti-War | Satire

JukeHostUK (left click = play) (320kbps)

Personnel: Ray Singer: Vocals

Studio Musicians: Allan Gorrie Dolby Mullens Paul Korba Pete Wilsher Tyzac Fry

Arranged by Ray Singer / Simon Napier-Bell Producer by Ray Singer / Simon Napier-Bell

Recorded: @ The Olympic Studios (?) in London, England UK 1970

Single Released: on September 11, 1970

RCA Victor Records

[filosofablogger]

♫ You Don't Have To Say You Love Me ♫ (Redux)

I actually left the house today for the first time since well before Christmas!  The girls and I went to Barnes & Noble, browsed for an hour or so, then to Fresh Market for some fresh fruit ‘n snacks.  That little bit just exhausted me, so tonight I was looking for a song to redux, but preferably one that I hadn’t played for a few years.  Well, I found this one that I haven’t played since 2019,…

[philcollinsenjoyer]

"One night in America, Brian Epstein gave himself permission to live out his deepest fantasy—he slipped to the back, under cover of darkness, just another anonymous body in the ocean, and let himself go. "He told me that just once he allowed himself to go to the back and stand at the back with all the girls in a concert in America," pop manager Simon Napier-Bell told biographer Debbie Geller. "I think it was one of those stadiums where there were probably 25,000, 30,000 people, and he just went into the crowd of girls and he just screamed like one of the girls, which he said is what he'd always wanted to do from the first minute he'd ever seen them. He had spent his life being restrained and wearing suits and suddenly he just screamed and became the mad fan he wanted to be." Any fan who claims they don't share this desire has to be lying. When I listen to Hollywood Bowl, I do not imagine being one of the Beatles; I fantasize about being the girls in the upper-balcony cheap seats, ripping out my hair and shrieking[...]."

- Rob Sheffield, Dreaming The Beatles

[viir-tanadhal]

Neil: …But then queerness, I don’t mind the word queer because it’s– Gay always felt, to me which I used to protest about, to have a sort of cultural agenda that was a bit happy-clappy, of sort of clubs and hi-NRG music, even though I’ve liked hi-NRG music. And whereas queer has gone back to sort of mysterious otherness of homosexuals, which is the term I actually prefer, which used to exist far more. Have you seen these books edited by Peter Parker? They’re two amazing books, you’ll love them, they’re anthologies called Some Men in London. There’s one [that] goes from ‘45 to 1961 or something and the other is ‘59 to ‘67 when it’s legalized. And gay life was just so much… underground and I came to London at the end of that. You know my friend Chris Dowell and I once got thrown out of the Regent Palace Hotel ‘cause they thought we were rent boys and we were thrilled to pieces, of course.

Jake Shears: [laughs]

Neil: We were 18 and we looked quite, really probably younger actually. And of course there were rent boys , I was sort of impervious to that at that point. Gay life was so… you know, public toilets and cruising and obviously some of these things still go on but, you know, Grindr I sort of think got rid of it all. There’s a sort of rich erotic culture that I sort of miss and I think it’s a culture of the streets and it was queer. And also, with queer, you go back to Oscar Wilde, and all house music and show business is so queer. You know we had a gay manager Tom Watkins, Brian Epstein was gay, Simon Napier-Bell… Actually even the Rolling Stones’s manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, was he gay or bisexual or something? The whole thing is really queer. I mean the Rolling Stones making that video in drag in 1966? Now that’s queer! In a way that “It’s a Sin” isn't queer. That's really queer because they're not gay or something but they're prepared to do that and be outrageous. Queer has kind of built in outrageousness I quite like.

"'It's a Sin' by Pet Shop Boys", Queer The Music: Jake Shears on The Songs That Changed Lives (Dec. 3, 2024)

[pynkhues]

I love that you set part of the story in London. I always thought that made sense for Louis. I can really see him there. Is there a reason you chose Tokyo and London?

Thank you, anon! I can really see him there too, and there actually is kind of a funny, kind of obscure reason why I picked it.

Tokyo is more straightforward - I wanted a city that made sense for them both to be visiting, and Tokyo has a really prominent art scene, but is also a place you go when it comes to pianos (like yes, there are a few exceptions, but really you go to Japan or Germany for the best, and I already had Lestat recording in Berlin, so didn't want the latter). I did a little research and found that Kawai's pianos are both pretty unique and that they offer a luxury made-to-order range which just felt like it'd be up Lestat's alley, haha. Plus it felt like a fun place to put them (even if they don't really leave their hotel room).

I actually made the choice that Louis and Armand would've lived in London for a while when I was writing The Steady Murmur. It was really influenced by two books I read last year - one was Darryl Bullock's The Velvet Mafia: the gay men who ran the swinging sixties which is a fantastic book that looks at, well, let me just quote The Guardian article, haha:

The story of rock’n’roll in the 60s has been told countless times by the stars who sang the songs, spun the solos or thrashed the drums. In the UK at the time, that most often meant straight white men, as it did in the US. But the people who shaped and advised those artists – the ones who managed the stars of the classic rock age – were, by an outsized margin, gay men. That interwoven community included Brian Epstein (who brought the world the Beatles), Kit Lambert (who co-managed the Who), Simon Napier-Bell (the Yardbirds, and a young Marc Bolan), Robert Stigwood (Cream, the Bee Gees), Billy Gaff (Rod Stewart), Ken Pitt (David Bowie), Barry Krost (Cat Stevens), as well as Tony Stratton-Smith (who formed the visionary label Charisma for bands like Genesis). In fact, it was a gay man, Larry Parnes, who svengali-d Britain’s very first rockers, from Tommy Steele to Billy Fury to Marty Wilde.

The other book I read was actually Brian Epstein's (who I have just a personal interest in as a Beatles fan) memoir A Cellarful of Noise, which was released at the initial explosion of The Beatles fame in 1964 (and before his accidental overdose/suicide, depending on who you ask in 1967).

They're both really, really great reads, and offer this huge insight into this window of time in the 50s and 60s in London where (wealthy) gay men kind of ran the city. It was extremely dangerous for them obviously, and they were often extorted, brutalised and arrested, but they were also able to carve out a community and a high level of influence in both the art and music scene, and in the business world, that saw them both remarkably vulnerable and remarkably powerfu, and dubbed the velvet mafia. It's fascinating and I wasn't reading then with IWTV in mind at all, but as I was writing Steady Murmur and trying to think of where they could've lived, Louis in that sort of space just made a lot of sense to me. It kind of felt in a different life he even could've been a part of the Velvet Mafia really, so yeah. I kind of felt he could've had a life there in the 50s and 60s, so wrote one for him in my head. Him revisiting it now is kind of tied up in a bit of nostalgia around that part of his life in my head, even though it probably won't make it onto the page for this particular fic.

[delivermytuneo6]

Books That Revolutionized the Music Business

The music industry is a constantly evolving ecosystem, shaped by trends, technologies, and influential figures. While many factors contribute to its transformation, certain books have played a pivotal role in revolutionizing how the music business operates. These books don’t just document the history of the industry; they have inspired shifts in thinking, fostered new approaches, and even challenged long-standing norms. Here, we explore some of the most groundbreaking works that have had a lasting impact on the music business.

The Power of Insightful Storytelling

One of the most notable works in this genre is Hit Men: Power Brokers and Fast Money Inside the Music Business by Fredric Dannen. First published in 1990, this book offers a gritty, no-holds-barred look at the inner workings of the music industry during its heyday. Dannen reveals how deals were made, hits were created, and careers were destroyed, often exposing the darker side of the business. By highlighting the influence of key figures in shaping the industry, Hit Men became a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the intricate web of power and money behind popular music. The book’s detailed analysis shed light on practices that were rarely discussed openly, prompting debates and reforms in how the business operates.

Demystifying the Industry for Artists and Professionals

Another groundbreaking work is Donald S. Passman’s All You Need to Know About the Music Business. Often referred to as the "Bible of the Music Industry," this book has educated countless musicians, managers, and executives about the complexities of contracts, royalties, and rights. Passman’s ability to break down legal and financial jargon into understandable language has empowered artists to negotiate better deals and avoid common pitfalls. Originally published in 1991, the book has been regularly updated to reflect changes in the industry, including the rise of streaming services and the digital revolution. Its impact lies not only in the knowledge it imparts but also in the sense of control it gives readers over their careers.

Challenging Traditional Models

In the digital age, the music business has undergone a seismic shift, and books like The Future of Music: Manifesto for the Digital Music Revolution by David Kusek and Gerd Leonhard have been instrumental in shaping discussions about these changes. Published in 2005, this book was ahead of its time, predicting the rise of streaming platforms and the decline of traditional record sales. Kusek and Leonhard argued that the future of music lies in access rather than ownership, a concept that has become a reality with platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. By offering a roadmap for navigating this new landscape, the book has inspired both optimism and innovation in the industry.

Understanding the Hit-Making Process

Another influential book is The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory by John Seabrook. Published in 2015, this work delves into the formulaic process behind today’s chart-topping hits. Seabrook explores the global network of songwriters, producers, and executives who work together to craft the next big single. By revealing the meticulous, almost scientific approach to creating pop hits, The Song Machine challenges the romantic notion of the lone artist and highlights the collaborative, corporate side of music. This book has been particularly influential in helping readers understand the role of global music hubs like Stockholm in shaping the sound of modern pop.

Spotlighting Inequities in the Industry

The music business has long grappled with issues of inequality, and books like Black Vinyl, White Powder by Simon Napier-Bell have sparked important conversations. Published in 2001, this book examines the racial and cultural dynamics of the industry, exploring how certain genres and artists have been marginalized while others have been promoted to the forefront. Napier-Bell’s candid narrative forces readers to confront uncomfortable truths about the business, inspiring efforts to create a more equitable and inclusive industry.

The Rise of the Independent Artist

The advent of digital tools has empowered artists to take control of their careers, and books like How to Make It in the New Music Business by Ari Herstand have been pivotal in this shift. Herstand’s book provides a step-by-step guide for navigating the industry as an independent artist, covering everything from building a fan base to distributing music online. Published in 2016, this book has become a cornerstone for DIY musicians seeking to succeed without the backing of major labels. Its emphasis on leveraging technology and social media has inspired a new generation of artists to forge their own paths.

Ethics and Accountability in the Music Business

The music industry has often been criticized for its lack of transparency and ethical practices. Books like Ripped: How the Wired Generation Revolutionized Music by Greg Kot have brought these issues to the forefront. Published in 2009, this book examines how the internet and digital piracy disrupted traditional business models, forcing the industry to adapt. Kot’s work highlights the ethical dilemmas faced by both artists and executives, encouraging readers to consider the broader implications of their decisions.

Inspiring the Next Generation

One of the reasons these books continue to resonate is their ability to inspire future generations of music professionals. Whether it’s Passman’s practical advice, Kusek and Leonhard’s visionary outlook, or Seabrook’s behind-the-scenes revelations, these works provide invaluable guidance for navigating the complexities of the industry. They challenge readers to think critically about their roles, question established norms, and embrace innovation.

Conclusion

The music business is as much about artistry as it is about commerce, and the books that have revolutionized the industry reflect this duality. From exposing hidden truths to predicting future trends, these works have shaped how the industry operates and how it is perceived. They serve as essential reading for anyone looking to understand or participate in the music business, offering both knowledge and inspiration. As the industry continues to evolve, new books will undoubtedly emerge to document and influence its next chapter, but the works discussed here will remain foundational in shaping the narrative of the music business.

[goalhofer]

2024 olympics New Zealand roster

Athletics

James Preston (Wellington)

Sam Tanner (Papamoa)

Georgie Beamish (Hastings)

Hamish Kerr (Dunedin)

Ethan Olivier (Vereeniging, South Africa)

Jack Gill (Auckland)

Tom Walsh (Timaru)

Connor Bell (Auckland)

Zoe Hobbs (New Plymouth)

Maia Ramsden (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

Camille French (Hamilton)

Imogen Ayris (Auckland)

Eliza McCartney (Auckland)

Olivia McTaggart (Auckland)

Maddison-Lee Wesche (Auckland)

Tori Peeters (Cambridge)

Laura Bruce (Christchurch)

Canoeing

Finn Butcher (Auckland)

Hamish Legarth (Hastings)

Max Brown (Cambridge)

Grant Clancy (Auckland)

Kurtis Imrie (Wellington)

Luuka Jones (Tauranga)

Lucy Matehaere (Dunedin)

Lisa Buck (Ōhope)

Aimee Fisher (Rotorua)

Alicia Hoskin (Gisborne)

Olivia Brett (Auckland)

Tara Vaughan (Auckland)

Climbing

Julian David (Tauranga)

Sarah Tetzlaff (Tauranga)

Cycling

Laurence Pithie (Christchurch)

Corbin Strong (Invercargill)

Sam Dakin (Auckland)

Aaron Gate (Auckland)

Keegan Hornblow (Nelson)

Tom Sexton (Invercargill)

Campbell Stewart (Palmerston North)

Sam Gaze (Tokoroa)

Rico Bearman (North Harbour)

Niamh Fisher-Black (Nelson)

Kim Cadzow (Tauranga)

Ellesse Andrews (Christchurch)

Shaane Fulton (Hamilton)

Rebecca Petch (Te Awamutu)

Ally Wollaston (Waikato)

Bryony Botha (Auckland)

Emily Shearman (Palmerston North)

Nicole Shields (Clyde)

Samara Maxwell (Taupō)

Leila Walker (Cambridge)

Diving

Elizabeth Roussel (Auckland)

Equestrian

Clarke Johnstone (Matangi)

Tim Price (Rangiora)

Melissa Galloway (Tuamarina)

Jonelle Price (Rangiora)

Field hockey

Dom Dixon (Hawke's Bay)

Brad Read (Auckland)

Malachi Buschl (Dunedin)

Scott Boyde (Brisbane, Australia)

Dane Lett (Carterton)

Simon Child (Auckland)

Charlie Morrison (Christchurch)

Joe Morrison (Christchurch)

Jacob Smith (Wellington)

Sam Lane (Temuka)

Simon Yorston (Christchurch)

Nic Woods (Hamilton)

Kane Russell (Dunedin)

Blair Tarrant (Timaru)

Sean Findlay (Taradale)

Hugo Inglis (Dunedin)

Hayden Phillips (Levin)

Isaac Houlbrooke (Auckland)

Leon Hayward (Darwin, Australia)

Golf

Ryan Fox (Auckland)

Daniel Hillier (Wellington)

Ko Bo-Gyung (Orlando, Florida)

Gymnastics

Dylan Schmidt (Auckland)

Georgia-Rose Brown (Melbourne, Australia)

Maddie Davidson (Christchurch)

Judo

Moira Koster (Christchurch)

Sydnee Andrews (Camberley, U.K.)

Rowing

Tom Mackintosh (Hastings)

Dan Williamson (Beachlands)

Phillip Wilson (Wellington)

Robbie Manson (Hamilton)

Jordan Parry (Tauranga)

Matt Macdonald (Auckland)

Ollie Maclean (Auckland)

Tom Murray (Blenheim)

Logan Ullrich (Brisbane, Australia)

Emma Twigg (Napier)

Kate Haines (Hamilton)

Alana Sherman (Auckland)

Brooke Francis (Te Kauwhata)

Lucy Spoors (Christchurch)

Phoebe Spoors (Christchurch)

Jackie Kiddle (Wellington)

Shannon Cox (Whangārei)

Jackie Gowler (Raetihi)

Kerri Williams (Raetihi)

Davina Waddy (Christchurch)

Rugby

Scott Curry (Rotorua)

Brady Rush (Kerikeri)

Tone Shiu (Napier)

Akuila Rokolisoa (Lautoka, Fiji)

Dylan Collier (Ōpōtiki)

Ngarohi McGarvey-Black (Rotorua)

Fehi Fineanganofo (Auckland)

Andrew Knewstubb (Wellington)

Regan Ware (Tokoroa)

Tepaea Cook-Savage (Kaitaia)

Moses Leo (Auckland)

Leroy Carter (Tauranga)

Tevarn Webber (Hamilton)

Sione Molia (Pukekohe)

Michaela Blyde (New Plymouth)

Jazmin Hotham (Hamilton)

Sarah Hirini (Feilding)

Tyla King (Auckland)

Jorja Miller (Timaru)

Manaia Nuku (Hamilton)

Mahina Paul (Whakatāne)

Risealeaana Pouri-Lane (Auburn, Australia)

Alena Saili (Porirua)

Theresa Stefano (Auckland)

Stacey Fluhler (Papakura)

Portia Woodman (Kawakawa)

Sailing

Josh Armit (Auckland)

Lukas Walton-Keim (Auckland)

Tom Saunders (Auckland)

Isaac McHardie (Hamilton)

William McKenzie (Auckland)

Micah Williamson (Hamilton)

Greta Pilkington (Auckland)

Justina Kitchen (Auckland)

Joanna Aleh (Auckland)

Molly Meech (Auckland)

Erica Dawson (Auckland)

Shooting

Owen Robinson (Morrinsville)

Chloe Tipple (Christchurch)

Soccer

Alex Paulsen (Auckland)

Michael Boxall (Auckland)

Sam Sutton (Auckland)

Tyler Bindon (Los Angeles, California)

Finn Surman (Christchurch)

Joe Bell (Christchurch)

Matthew Garbett (Porirua)

Ben Old (Wellington)

Ben Waine (Wellington)

Sarpreet Singh (Auckland)

Jesse Randall (Wellington)

Kees Sims (Bracknell, U.K.)

Lukas Kelly-Heald (Wellington)

Jay Herdman (Invercargill)

Matthew Sheridan (Wellington)

Fin Conchie (Hamilton)

Lachlan Bayliss (Darwin, Australia)

Oskar Van Hattum (New Plymouth)

William Gillion (Auckland)

Isaac Hughes (Wellington)

Anna Leat (Auckland)

Kate Taylor (Christchurch)

Mackenzie Barry (New Plymouth)

Catherine Bott (Wellington)

Meikayla Moore (Christchurch)

Malia Steinmetz (Auckland)

Michaela Foster (Hamilton)

Macey Fraser (Rangiora)

Gabi Rennie (Rangiora)

Indiah-Paige Riley (Albany Creek, Australia)

Katie Kitching (Well, U.K.)

Victoria Esson (Christchurch)

Rebekah Stott (Papamoa)

Katie Bowen (Auckland)

Ally Green (Sydney, Australia)

Jacqueline Hand (Auckland)

Milly Clegg (Auckland)

Grace Jale (Auckland)

Annalie Longo (Auckland)

Surfing

Billy Stairmand (Raglan)

Saffi Vette (Gisborne)

Swimming

Kane Follows (Auckland)

Taiko Torepe-Ormsby (Christchurch)

Cameron Gray (Auckland)

Lewis Clareburt (Wellington)

Nina Brown (Auckland)

Eva Morris (Tauranga)

Laticia-Leigh Transom (Brisbane, Australia)

Erika Fairweather (Dunedin)

Eve Thomas (Auckland)

Vanessa Ouwehand (Auckland)

Caitlin Deans (Dunedin)

Tennis

Lulu Sun (Geneva, Switzerland)

Erin Routliffe (Caledon, Ontario)

Triathlon

Dylan McCullough (Auckland)

Hayden Wilde (Whakatāne)

Ainsley Thorpe (Auckland)

Nicole Van Der Kaay (Rotorua)

Weightlifting

David Liti (Auckland)

Wrestling

Tayla Ford (Christchurch)

[qnewsau]

Robert Stigwood: the greatest showman

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/robert-stigwood-the-greatest-showman/

Robert Stigwood: the greatest showman

Young gay South Australian Robert Stigwood hitchhiked to England in 1955 and went on to become one of the greatest entertainment impresarios in history; responsible for movies like Saturday Night Fever and Grease.

In Adelaide, young Robert had worked as a copywriter for an advertising agency. In England, he initially found work in an ‘institution for backwards teenage boys’. His main job was ‘preventing any flow of traffic’ between dorms after lights out. Unimpressed by his duties, he quit.

After setting up a theatrical agency with a friend, Robert Stigwood quickly became a revolutionary power in British pop music. By the end of the sixties, he managed supergroup Cream and the Bee Gees, a trio of young English brothers who grew up in Brisbane.

Wham! manager Simon Napier-Bell wrote that Robert Stigwood loved the music business and became the first British music tycoon.

“He became fascinated by it. He loved its trickery and tease, and the apparent ease with which money could be made … And what made Robert Stigwood different from his predecessors is that he expanded laterally. He didn’t remain simply a manager or an agent. He moved into music publishing as well, and into pop concert promotion. But his real contribution to the British music scene was independent record production.

“He was in every way the first British music business tycoon, involved in every aspect of the music scene, and setting a precedent that was to become the blueprint of success for all future pop entrepreneurs.”

Soon, he added stage musicals to his repertoire, producing shows like Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita. In 1975, he produced the film of the Who’s rock opera Tommy.

And then he bought the rights to a magazine article about the disco scene emerging from gay and black clubs in the US.

Saturday Night Fever

Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night was mostly made up, but something in the article resonated with Robert Stigwood. He’d already signed television actor John Travolta to a million-dollar contract and commissioned the Bee Gees to write the soundtrack.

With its gay and black origins whitewashed, disco suddenly enjoyed commercial appeal.

The double-LP soundtrack for Saturday Night Fever became the biggest-selling soundtrack album ever released.

The movie and soundtrack popularised disco around the world and had a massive impact on popular culture.

As did Robert Stigwood’s follow-up, Grease, again starring John Travolta, this time teamed up with Australian singer Olivia Newton-John.

Although well-known to be gay, Robert Stigwood never came out. He died in 2016, aged 81.

Gay Aussie was almost James Bond.

Aussie Living Treasure Reg Livermore.

Australian LGBTIQ Legends: Sir Robert Helpmann.

Dame Joan Hammond: coming out at 80.

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[siddysthings]

Sinéad O'Connor's former manager on her derailed comeback: 'It was going really well. Then she flew home… to have the operation.'

[olafsings]

Music History Today: April 28, 2023

April 28, 1966: Dusty Springfield hit Number 1 on the UK singles chart with "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me."

Initially, this was an Italian song composed by Pino Donnagio. Springfield heard Donnagio perform it at the San Remo festival and asked her friend Vicki Wickham, who produced the British TV show Ready Steady Go, to write some English lyrics. With the help of Yardbirds manager Simon Napier-Bell, she did.

Springfield didn't read much into the lyrics of her previous hits "Wishin' And Hopin'" and "I Only Want to Be With You," where she sang from the perspective of a woman who was perhaps a little over-devoted to her man. This song had a much more profound effect on the singer. She said that he cried when she first heard the song.

[hootenanie]

you could! and I wish I knew more about Simon Napier-Bell Kit Lambert Larry Parnes et all so I could make it

I forget who on here said "and not like the beatles with their loving gay manager, our gay manager hates us and we buy our jeans at walmart" but I think about it every time I listen to the velvet underground

[kulturegroupie]

Jimmy Page and Keith Relf with Simon Napier-Bell

[guessimdumb]

Keith Relf - Shapes in My Mind (1966)

Even though Keith Relf was the lead singer of the Yardbirds, this solo 45 really sounds nothing like them (except for his distinctive voice). This song would perhaps best be describes as baroque-psych.