Afternoon Dance Break: The Communards - "Never Can Say Goodbye"

Afternoon Dance Break - Bring Me Edelweiss

Thanks to DustBunny Peter Maria for reminding me about this early video bar staple.


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The Weather Girls: Dear Santa (Bring Me A Man For Christmas)

Patti LaBelle Break: The Right Kinda Lover

Miss Patti rocked the dance floors of the early 90's with this little tune...

 

Afternoon Dance Break - Trapped by Colonel Abrams

Colonel Abrams was one of the favorite musical acts at NYC's famed Paradise Garage club in the early 80's - he performed there often, and Abrams' music could be heard on the massive dance floor on any given night. In fact, it is said that back in 1984, DJ Larry Levan spun Abrams' song "Music Is The Answer" for an entire hour - sending the dancers into a complete frenzy.

Here is Colonel Abrams performing his biggest U.S. hit - "Trapped".

Afternoon 80's Break - Hazell Dean: "Searchin"

Searchin' - looking for love

all the time I can.

Searchin' - looking for love

I've got to find a man.

Afternoon Dance Break - Life, Love & Happiness

Oh

Don't let go again

It's your life

Love

Your happiness

Afternoon Gaga Break - Born This Way

Lady Gaga released her big "gay anthem" this morning - and it seems that many are talking smack. Blah blah blah ... you don't write "gay anthems", songs BECOME gay anthems ... blah blah blah ... it's a repackaged version of Madonna's Respect Yourself ... blah blah blah...

Personally, I think it's catchy - like most Gaga tunes. And if you plan on being in a gay bar over the next six months, prepare to hear it. A lot.

Have a listen:

Afternoon Dance Break - M People - Itchycoo Park

M People (Heather Small + Fierce Beats) + David Morales remix = DANCE FLOOR PERFECTION.

Afternoon Dance Break - Boogie 2nite

I found a place, where we can boogie...

Afternoon Cher Break - Strong Enough (Remix)

For those of you experiencing SNOWMAGEDDON, here is some Cher to keep you occupied ...

 

Afternoon Dance Break - Lift It Up

Inaya Day is one of the GRAND DIVAS of House Music (see my previous post HERE). One of Inaya's best songs - Lift It Up - always plays on my Pandora "Junior Vasquez" channel - and I can't get enough of it. Have a listen for yourself ...

Afternoon Dance Break - Appreciate Me

Appreciate Me by Amuka was one of the last big anthems at the Roxy before it closed in 2007.

Afternoon Dance Break - So Many Men So Little Time

Miquel Brown's 1983 hit - So Many Men So Little Time was a dance floor anthem in the "anything goes" gay early 80's, and can still be heard in gay bars to this very day ...

Afternoon Dance Break - Too Turned On

Brooklyn gal Alisha hit it HUGE in the mid-80's when her album All Night Passion sold over 2 million copies. Here is one of my favorite songs from the album (yes, I still have the cassette somewhere) - Too Turned On.

Afternoon Dance Break - Nasty Girl by Inaya Day

I loved the original version of Nasty Girl by Vanity 6 (below) - but this update by Inaya Day makes me want to shake what my Momma gave me!

I recently discovered Pandora Radio - the website where you create your own "radio station" by listing any artist you like.  Pandora then selects and plays music similar to the artist you chose.  I did a "Junior Vasquez" channel, and the resulting dance/house music Pandora plays (including the Inaya Day version Nasty Girl - below) has been phenomenal.  I also downloaded the Pandora app on my Droid phone - which is what I listen to while walking through NYC.

Afternoon Dance Break - Everybody's Free

Everybody's Free was HUGE during my first Gay Pride after moving to NYC.  So much so that my friends and I saw Rozalla perform the song at least three times at various clubs over that weekend.  It seemed as if every time we turned around, Rozalla would appear and start singing.  After so many cocktails we couldn't tell if we were seeing her live or having a flashback from the night before...

Afternoon Dance Break - Makin' Happy

Crystal Waters' 1991 follow-up to Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless).

Gay History Lesson - The Video Bar

Gather round, my gay children - and Mama will tell you a tale of an ancient gathering place that is now almost extinct.  It was called the gay "Video Bar", and these magical places existed in cities all over the United States of America back in the late 80's/early 90's.

The Video Bar was, ultimately, a place for cruising.  What is "cruising", you ask??  It's what you anti-social little bastards now do on the internet.  But back in ancient times we used to have to take a shower, shave, put on gallons of Drakkar Noir and go to the gay bar to do our cruising.  We had it rough - kinda like the Pioneers but with sleeveless t-shirts.

The great thing about Video Bars was that the fact that if the cruising was not particularly good that evening, there was something to do/watch until Mr. Right Now arrived.

The other great thing about Video Bars was the fact that it was the only place to see videos by gay and/or dance artists.  MTV certainly didn't/wouldn't play them.  That's right, my gay children - MTV use to show music videos.  Exclusively.  I know, right?!?  So, sadly, the gay Video Bar was probably the only place where you could see videos by tacky 90's dance artists like Army of Lovers (below), Saint Etienne or The Shamen.

Anybody remember this little ditty?  I think I must have seen this video at Uncle Charlies (on Greenwich Avenue in the West Village) about 5,000 times...

Afternoon Dance Break - Good Vibrations

Before Mark Wahlberg became a 'serious actor', he and his "funky bunch" (see above) was the fantasy of every gay man who ever set foot in Macy's Underwear Department.  And Marky Mark's song, Good Vibrations (which featured vocals by DIVA Loleatta Holloway), played in constant rotation on gay dance floors everywhere...