Village People

Village People

Village People is a disco and electronic group from New York, United States, formed in 1977 and active since then. The act is associated with the dance and pop crossover of late-1970s disco, and its recordings are built around English-language songs written by French music creators Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo.

Formation and concept

The group is assembled in New York City as a project designed to perform Morali and Belolo’s disco material. Its name refers to Greenwich Village in New York, and the original concept draws on American male archetypes connected with the area’s gay scene. The group’s stage identity centres on costumes and characters such as a police officer, an American Indian chief, a construction worker, a soldier, a leatherman biker and a cowboy.

Key recordings and popularity

Village People becomes known for catchy, suggestive songs including “Macho Man”, “Go West” and “YMCA”. “In the Navy” gains extra attention when the United States Navy considers using it in a recruitment campaign; after negotiations over a promotional video, the campaign is cancelled, and the controversy helps raise the song’s profile. For many of the group’s best-known recordings, the background vocals are supplied by session musicians Bill Champlin, later of Chicago, and Richard Page, later of Mr. Mister.

Film, later changes and line-up shifts

The group appears in the 1980 feature film Can’t Stop the Music, directed by Nancy Walker and written by Allan Carr and Bronte Woodard, with music and lyrics by Jacques Morali and cast members including Steve Guttenberg, Valerie Perrine, Bruce Jenner and Village People. The film later receives Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Picture and Worst Screenplay and is nominated in most other categories.

As disco declines and new wave rises, the group replaces its costume image in 1981 with a New Romantic-influenced look and releases Renaissance, a New Wave album that does not sell strongly. Victor Willis returns briefly for Fox on the Box, released in 1982 in Europe and later in the United States as In the Street. Miles Jaye briefly takes over lead vocals by 1983 and adds an extra track to that release, while Mark Lee replaces David Hodo in 1982.

1980s releases and later activity

The group’s last album of new material is the 1985 dance and Hi-NRG release Sex Over the Phone, which does better in sales and club play than Renaissance. Its title track is banned by the BBC because of its subject matter. Ray Stephens fronts the group on that album, and Py Douglas fills in for some live appearances in 1985. The group goes on hiatus that year, then reunites in 1987 with Randy Jones, David Hodo, Felipe Rose, Glenn Hughes, Alex Briley and Ray Simpson. Since 1988, it manages itself through Sixuvus Ltd.

Collaborations and later performances

Village People joins the German national football team in 1994 to sing its World Cup theme, “Far Away in America”. From 2004 to 2005, it opens for Cher on her Farewell Tour, and it also performs in Berlin in 2004 as the opening act for Die Ärzte. In 2013, the group records “Let’s Go Back To The Dance Floor”, written by Harry Wayne Casey and produced by DJ Julian Marsh.

Members

The group’s members over time include Dave Forrest, Lee Mouton, Peter Whitehead, Mark Mussler, Victor Willis, Glenn Hughes, Alex Briley, David “Scar” Hodo, Felipe Rose, Randy Jones, G. Jeff Olson, Ray Simpson, Mark Lee, Miles Jaye, Ray Stephens and Eric Anzalone.