We asked legendary music writer and critic, Vince Aletti, to sit down with us and talk all things disco. Aletti has been championing disco for decades, ever since the earliest days of the genre, and is one of the most important voices on the scene.
Vince Aletti in his East Village apartment, 2014
Aletti was the first writer to cover disco in the pages of Rolling Stone, with his 1973 piece widely regarded as the first published article on the genre anywhere. He is credited with helping to bring disco into the centre of popular cultural awareness, and later championed it against early detractors through his regular column in The Village Voice.
Vince Aletti in his East Village apartment, 2014
Of course, any discussion of New York disco would be incomplete without acknowledging the legendary clubs that drove the scene and brought it to a wider audience. Chief among them was The Loft, David Mancuso’s pioneering private party space, and a favourite of Vince Aletti during its seventies heyday. The Loft’s influence - rooted in its non-commercial ethos and deep commitment to sound, community, and musical discovery - proved both profound and far-reaching. Its impact can be traced across generations of dance music culture, with icons such as Frankie Knuckles, Larry Levan, and Nicky Siano all passing through its doors at various points.
The Paradise Garage Team from the Vince Aletti Collection
In recent years, Aletti has largely shifted his professional focus to the world of photography, but the depth of his passion for music still comes through unmistakably in the way he speaks about it. It was a genuine privilege to spend time in conversation with him, and we salute his enduring love for the genre.
And really - since when was disco ever a dirty word?