Space disco
| Space disco | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins |
|
| Cultural origins | Late 1970s, Europe (with notable American influence) |
| Typical instruments | |
| Derivative forms | |
| Fusion genres | |
| Italo disco | |
Space disco is the fusion of disco music with futuristic themes, sounds and visuals, a genre that became popular in the late 1970s. The main idea behind the genre is that of an exploration of the wonders of outer space by humans, and many bands often included robotic shapes, laser illumination and computer screen sequences in their live performances. The artists themselves often dressed in a manner inspired by glam rock and somewhat futuristic fashion.
Upon reaching Eastern Europe after 1980, the futuristic act was mainly dropped as many socialist state authorities often denied access to the stage for "inappropriately" dressed artists. Many bands then began performing at free, open-music events, festivals and formations to avoid political suppression, and the genre itself was slowly assimilated into purely instrumental, almost orchestral form.
Space disco was very popular in Europe between 1977–1979. Relatively popular artists that contributed to this music style include Meco ("Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band", which was also a no.1 hit in the U.S.), Cerrone ("Supernature"), Sarah Brightman ("I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper"), Didier Marouani & Space ("Magic Fly"), Ganymed ("It Takes Me Higher") and Sheila B. Devotion ("Spacer"). The German-based band Boney M. also adopted a space disco look for the cover artwork of their 1978 album, Nightflight to Venus, and the title track of the album typifies the genre with its robotic voice and futuristic theme.
Space disco spread fast in Germany with the help of Musikladen, a music show produced by the German channel NDR. Disco, another popular music show produced by ZDF, also hosted some space disco artists.
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