“The Godfather of Disco” Documentary on Mel Cheren & West-End Records
This documentary is more than just about the life of Mel Cheren, it’s a a great time capsule for what was a great era in New York City club culture; the burgeoning disco sound, unified dance floors consisting of every race and sex and a record label that wasn’t afraid to take chances on left field dance music.
The documentary does a nice job of highlighting some of the classic releases of the era, the history of the 12 inch record, the marksmanship of Larry Levan and the significance of Paradise Garage.
The film does a great job on the social front – illustrating the struggles of the gay community, their push for equality within the club circuit and the horrible, unfortunate grip the HIV epidemic had within the scene.
Having heavy-weights like Danny Krivit, Marley Marl and Louie Vega weighing in throughout is an added bonus for the discerning music fan.
Even if you’re not a fan of the boogie-disco era, it’s still worth the watch if you’re a documentary buff. Definitely worth two hours of your precious time.
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