Fantastic Book!--Would Make A Great Movie!!

books:

	• The Fabulous Sylvester: The Legend, the Music, the Seventies in San Francisco Joshua Gamson Henry Holt and Co., 2005 - 320 pages average customer review:based on 21 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The Fabulous Sylvester

The Fabulous Sylvester is a fascinating recounting of the life of Sylvester, the dance scene and Sylvester's career. This book explores the life of Sylvester from his early childhood days to his development into an international dance icon. This book does not sugarcoat any part of Sylvester's life. It is detailed and honest and shows us all aspects of his life and career. This book is as interesting and fabulous as Sylvester was.

The Diva with a Heart of Gold

At last, a beautifully-written book about a beautiful artist - Sylvester. I have been waiting for this book to arrive for years and, finally, here it is!

I was hooked by the opening chapter which tells the story of a young boy named Tiki Lofton who sneaks out of his bedroom window at night and over to a friend's apartment where, in 1960's South Central, with the help of a young Sylvester, he transforms himself into a "Disquotay." The Disquotays were a group of boys who liked to dress up as sophisticated ladies. And Sylvester, or Dooni as he was known then, was in charge of the wigs.

"The first Disquotay bash that Tiki went to was over on 120th and Athens, at Etta James's house, sometime around 1965. Etta, who would later be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (largely on the strength of her 1961 hit "At Last") and the Betty Ford Center (largely on the strength of her smack addiction), was already a recording star and a friend to many local Los Angeles drag queens . . . The house, with its swimming pool and fireplace, had stunned her. Women, drag queens, and guys, all sending joyful noises in Tiki's direction; the music had been jumping; Walter Jackson's version of "Lee Cross," Jr. Walker & the All Stars' "Shotgun," "Nowhere to Run" by Martha and the Vandellas, Fontella Bass singing "Rescue Me." Gay kids all perched on gigantic speakers, singing and carrying on . . . Tiki had said to herself. "This -- honey, where is this world?" Within months, she would be a full-fledged Disquotay, made-up, bewigged, bejeweled."

Joshua Gamsom recreates this world vividly in that first chapter. Simultaneously, he introduces us to the members of Sylvester's family. His beautiful and beloved mother and grandmother. His twin sisters, Dette and Dean. The quotes are full of heart and expertly placed and the story unfolds like a fine silk fan. I can't help but think that Sylvester would be very pleased to read this biography.

I had the honor of meeting with Sylvester to discuss a project a few years before his death. It was mid-afternoon and he was sewing sequins on something, which was his favorite pasttime. He was always sewing, a talent he picked up from the women who raised him. He walked over to the turntable and put on Patti LaBelle's "If Only You Knew" and said he was dedicating the song at his One-Night-Only concert the following night to his fans and supporters in San Francisco, the city in which he always felt most at home. That night, with Martha Wash at his side, they performed that song together, bouncing their voices off each other inside the Castro Theater. Those two powerful voices, the acoustics of the Castro Theater, and the magical spell he wove with Patti LaBelle's song was something to behold.

That Sylvester could hold his own with the amazing Martha Wash is a testament to the power of his falsetto. He didn't have a thin, reedy falsetto. His was full-bodied, gravelly even, and very much in evidence on one of his biggest hits, "Do You Wanna Funk."

"So when I tell you, that you're really something, baby, will you stay, or will you go away."

Joshua Gamson captures the essence of Sylvester's personality, the diva fits as well as the immense kindness and sensitivity, and wraps it all together into an highly readable book that I wholeheartedly suggest you pick up. Although some have faulted him for not having an encyclopedic knowledge of music, Gamson lets experts like Joel Selvin provide insightful commentary.

It is my hope that someone has optioned the book for a movie and we can expect to see this wild individual portrayed in all his glory.

John Waters wraps up "The Fabulous Sylvester" pretty well in his cover blurb: "A well-written, touching, dignified biography of a gay black diva who never really fit into any minority but managed to achieve his dreams of stardom. Now that's what I call a man."

Five Stars. Great Read.

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Great Book

this Book was on right on time. Sylvester was something else back in the day as a artist and very Open about his sexuality. He didn't back down from anything. His voice was the truth and very soulful. this Book explores his whole career and thensome and the many other artists he encountered and how important they were,etc... this book takes you back to a time period when so much was happening. a must read and it is very well written and is a real page turner.

Disco Diva

I am still reading the book and have been quite pleased with all the details of Mr Sylvester James Jr. Life, I am sure when a read the final pages it will be as smashing as the life he lived!! I also found a DVD, Filmed in San Francisco, in 1985 or 1987 when he celebrated his birthday, the video is grainy and not what I expected which was Him and the Famous (Two Tons of Fun,) what I have is Sylvester in his what I call break out years his voice was not as vibrant during this period but to have anything of him suits me just fine. He came into his own he perfected his voice and character, I still miss his presence on earth just as I do all the Great Ones.

Sincerely,
LEE

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Fantastic Book!--Would Make A Great Movie!!

I enjoyed this book so much that I read it twice,
then a year later, read it again!!---FANTASTIC!!
It captures the times, the people, places and things that
made Sylvester, San Francisco, that music and that era
such a golden & magical time!
I love the stories of the young Sylvester growing up in
South Central L.A. in the 50's and 60's, FLAMING THE CHILDREN!!
Giving them fabulousness and outrageousness at every turn,
from his soul-stirring falsetto rendition of the black gospel
classic "Never Grow Old", to the rawkus "DISQUOTAYS", a rag-tag
gang of young black drag queens that he hung out with, to the
off-the-charts outfits that must've stopped traffic in
the hood big time! (LOL!!)
It was evident to all who knew him even then, that this
pretty black child with the high voice was way different
and way way special!! (-:

Some didn't know how to take Sylvester or even know what to
do with him, yet he pressed on!---Carving out his own space
within the harsh realities of ghetto life as best he could.
Sylvester was a true pioneer in every way!
He didn't see race, gender, the expectations of others,
the taunts of hateful & ignorant people, etc.,
as obstacles or boundaries he needed to respect.
He was a true original!--Uncut, undiluted, young, black,
gay, gifted, stylish, full of charm and ambition,
with the soul of a torch singer or a blues shouter
infused by a rock-n-roll rebel spirit and soul singer's chops!
What a combination!
I myself can attest to Sylvester's impact, as both a fan
and as young gay black kid who was coming of age and into
self-awareness at the very time that his star was reaching it's zenith!
I had just started partying and experimenting sexually by
the age of 14 in 1978 when "Dance (Disco Heat)" and
"You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real!)" burst onto the music charts,
in the clubs and in house parties across the country
and eventually, the world!
I couldn't yet get into the disco clubs, but oh boy!--
I could sure get into house parties!
I was hanging out with people who were 5 to 10 yrs older
than me and I was learning MANY INTERESTING THINGS!!
Of course, back then you had "FAIRY GODMUTHAZ", older gays
who would take us young "up & comings" under their chiffon wings
and school us on the do's and don't's of gay life, sex & survival
in the late 70's and early 80's!!
PRE-AIDS and in the last writhing throws of the SEXUAL REVOLUTION,
it was a great time to be alive!
I grew up in the south during this time, which already had
it's issues with race and sexuality, so the gay world of that time,
on that end of the country, was very still underground,
hypocritcal and always hush-hush!!
There were a lot of secret stares, codes, slangs, etc.
to let those who needed to know, what you wanted them to know.
But though it was very repressed and subterfuge,
MAN, DID WE HAVE SOME FUN TIMES IN OUR LITTLE NETHERWORLD!!
And yes, as is now, back then, straight men did venture
into our world quite frequently!!

Anywayz, enter THE FABULOUS SYLVESTER from the legendary
and exotically far reaches of a city they called
"the gay shangri-la"...aka SAN FRANCISCO!!
It was the summer of 1978, and here was this strong,
proud, black, beautiful, talented, androgynous gay man
telling us, by the very nature of his exsistence,
that it was not only alright to be what you were out
in full view of the world, but it was also our duty
to be FABULOUS & JOYOUS!! (-:
Sylvester was more than just a disco diva,
HE WAS A WHOLE MOVEMENT!!--Every time he would perform,
it was part church revival, part circus, part drag pageant
and part gay pride celebration!!

TRUE STORY!!---Picture It!!--Greenville, SC in May of 1979...
I had just turned 15 yrs old, and me and two young gay freinds
of mine, one 16 and one 18, hear through the grapevine
that none other than THE FABULOUS SYLVESTER would be appearing
at a club called SAN SOUCCI's in Atlanta, GA
(which was 200+ miles way, and well on it's way to becoming
the southern San Francisco!) and we go absolutely nuts!
It becomes our mission, our sole purpose for exsisting!!
Our quest, to somehow, obtain fake ID's, fabulous disco-era
outfits replete with lots of glitter, dripping foxtails
off the lapels & double belts, shoes called "crayons"
that had a clear amber heel that had lights in them that
blinked in rhythm as you danced your booty off on the dance
floor, either Sassoon or Jordache jeans which had a little
stretch fabric blended in with the denim to hug your firm
perky teen-aged azz and tiny waist to perfection,
outlining your package in the front, and making
the local guys salivate with lust over a hot piece
of TENDERONI like you! (LOL!!--we were too much!)

We pooled our allowances, our summer jobs, etc. to
obtain tickets through an older bisexual cousin of mine
who lived down in Atlanta at the time, who also arranged
the fake ID's as well.
Keep in mind, I had just turned 15, one freind was 16
and the other was 18...none of our parents even knew
we were gay, and there was no way in the hell
that they would've sanctioned us (under-aged)
going all that way to Atlanta...and to see this
gender-inspecific weirdo named SYLVESTER!!
(Boy George and Ru Paul were still a ways off yet!)

So me and my freinds, being rife with teenaged angst,
secretiveness and resourcefulness, concoct the half-baked
scheme to hitchhike from Greenville to Atlanta with duffle
bags in tow filled with our outfits, toiletries, etc.,
use our fake ID's to get into the club and party with
Sylvester & Two Tons O' Fun into the wee hours,
get my older bi cousin to rent us a hotel room in Atlanta,
have us a slam bang good time with some local fellaz
overnight and then hitch it back to Greenville by Sunday
evening before 5 pm!! (LMAO!!)

Anywayz, long story short, as is with all half-cocked
and scantily thought out teenaged schemes, we did pull it off,
got in the club and got down with Sylvester, got high,
got the boys, got the hotel room, etc.
But what we didn't bargain on was our mothers not being born
yesterday and the lose lips of the jealous young queens
who wished they had the balls to pull off what we did!
(We got ratted out big time!)
We also had a hell of a time trying to hitch it back
from Atlanta to Greenville on a Sunday morning, and after
our mothers up in SC found out what we had done,
they got in a car and headed for us like heat-seeking/
search & destroy SCUD missles with fire in their eyes!
Man, did we get our teenage closeted gay behinds handed to us!
My older cousin caught it too from my uncle in Atlanta
for his hand in our scheme, and we didn't even have
time to put concealer on over the many "hickies" on our
necks and chests from our Atlanta frollick in the hotel
from the night before! Boy, it was a mess!
We wound up being forced out of the closet to our mothers
(which was then a horror to them!)
We were all immediately grounded for a month to our respective
residences, were banned from socializing with each other,
(which we still would sneak and hang out!)and we all got
the butt whippings of our young lives!
(Yes, parents still whipped butt back in those days!)
BUT OH MAN!--We didn't care!
It was well worth it, because we got to see THE GODDESS,
THE DISCO DIVA...SYLVESTER, live and upclose!! (LOL!!)

Now, here I sit...a 44 yr old, well-traveled, successful,
proud and fortunate gay black man who has had my fun,
relished the memories of those far away magical days,
and if there is any bittersweetness to the story,
it's that I have outlived not only my two freinds from
that teenaged excursion, but Sylvester and about 30 more
freinds and acquaintances from the late 70's
to the mid 90's...all lost to the scourge of AIDS.
As we grow older, we reflect and long for things that
were familiar to our particular generation as things are
being torn down, people die or move, and the world of
our past is erased. This wonderful book, along with
Sylvester's music playing in the background as I was
reading it, brought all the magic back for awhile!
This book would make an excellent movie and I hope someone
will make it happen someday in the near future.
In the meantime, enjoy the book folks!
R.I.P. To Sylvester, Izora Rhodes, Patrick Cowley,
and to all my freinds and acquaintances who have made
their transitions in the prime of their lives!--
I'll see you again one day!!
LOVE & PEACE 2 ALL!!

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

A journey back through the music, madness, and unparalleled freedom of an era of change-the '70s-as told through the life of ultra-fabulous superstar Sylvester

Imagine a pied piper singing in a dazzling falsetto, wearing glittering sequins, and leading the young people of the nation to San Francisco and on to liberation where nothing was straight-laced or old-fashioned. And everyone, finally, was welcome-to come as themselves. This is not a fairy tale. This was real, mighty real, and disco sensation Sylvester was the piper. Joshua Gamson-a Yale-trained pop culture expert-uses him, a boy who would be fabulous, to lead us through the story of the '70s when a new era of change liberated us from conformity and boredom. Gamson captures the exuberant life, feeling, energy, and fun of a generation's wonderful, magical waking up-from the parties to the dancing and music.

The story begins with a little black boy who started with nothing but a really big voice. We follow him from the Gospel chorus to the glory days in the Castro where a generation shook off its shame as Sylvester sang and began his rise as part of a now-notorious theatrical troup called the Cockettes. Celebrity, sociology, and music history mingle and merge around this endlessly entertaining story of a singer who embodied the freedom, spirit, and flamboyance of a golden moment in American culture.

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