Sylvester (the singer)

Great singer

Once popular with the gays but soon was claimed by lesbians that had hijacked Donna, too

Trouble In Paradise was my favourite track

Was he better or worse than Little Nas?

R5, Sylvester was MUCH better than Lil Nas. No comparison!

r5 what the fuck is a little nas?

r5 Better... even if he was temperamental diva and drama queen.

r7 an attention whore that even the homophobes think is stunting.

The Fabulous Sylvester is a really good book.

R5 Are you joking?

Sylvester was a man who vocally rivaled his female peers. He could go toe to toe with Patti or Chaka.

One of my absolute favorites. They all went to church on this song.

Another song I love!

r8 = look who she had to compete with for attention in the 70s. It wasnt all Kanye v Taylor and Mariah Carey saying "I don't know her". Every bitch for themselves - Diana, Donna, Cher, Patti, Chaka, Tina, Martha Wash, Jeanie Tracy, Evelyn King, Phyllis Hyman, Phyllis Nelson, Viola Wills all scrabbling for some of the cake.

As for lil nas, no words.

r13 But there was something happening to miss thang every day of the week, an over the top, end of the world drama... if he were alive to today he'd be milking the gofundme

[quote]As for lil nas, no words

Just drop to your knees!

They say Axl Rose has the most vocal range but I’m pretty sure Sylvester has him beat.

r15 Why? Will I hear him singing O Holy Night?

r16 Bollocks, i'd swear at you but you wouidnt understand because its Welsh

r16 GG Allin could range the octaves - especially when he was breaking lightbulbs up his arse

r14 - he'd have signed up to the Psychic Network with Dionne Warwick and Miss Cleo

r20 Or more like Walter Mercado and do a duet of snowbird together.

What did Prince think of and say about him?

Do you know he is in The Rose?

Sylvester Stallone- The Actor

R22 Prince actually covered Dance (Disco Heat) in some of his live sets.

He was gay for pay

I thought he was just gay.

Beautiful voice

Sylvester!!!

Remember him live at Castro and Market in the late 1970s with Martha and Izora.

Why was there a 4 year gap between albums from 1973 - 1977?

Anyone know?

1974–1977: Two Tons O' Fun and Sylvester Now without the Hot Band or a recording contract, Sylvester set himself up with a new band, the Four As, and a new set of backing singers, two black drag queens named Gerry Kirby and Lady Bianca. With this new entourage, he continued to perform at a number of local venues including Jewel's Catch One, a predominantly black gay dance club on West Pico Avenue in Los Angeles, but reviewers were unimpressed with the new line-up, most of whom abandoned Sylvester in December 1974. After a brief sojourn in England, Sylvester returned to San Francisco and assembled three young drag queens to be backing singers: Arnold Elzie, Leroy Davis, and Gerry Kirby. Nevertheless, although he performed at such events as the 1975 Castro Street Fair, success continued to elude him, and he eventually fired Elzie, Davis, and Kirby.

Sylvester employed Brent Thomson as his new manager; she suggested that he rid himself of his androgynous image and wear more masculine clothing to gain a recording contract; as she put it, "nobody is giving out recording contracts to drag queens". Thomson opened auditions for new backing singers, with Sylvester being captivated by one of those auditioning, Martha Wash. Sylvester asked her if she had another large black friend who could sing, after which she introduced him to Izora Rhodes. Although he referred to them simply as "the girls", Wash and Rhodes named themselves the Two Tons O' Fun (and much later, when they achieved mainstream success, as the Weather Girls), and continued to work with Sylvester intermittently until his death, developing a close friendship with him.They were soon joined by bassist John Dunstan and keyboard player Dan Reich.

Playing gay bars such as The Stud and The Endup, in September 1976 Sylvester and his band gained a regular weekend job at The Palms nightclub on Polk Street, performing two or three sets a night; most of these were covers, but some were original compositions by Sylvester and his then-guitarist Tip Wirrick. It was through this show that Sylvester came to the attention of Motown producer Harvey Fuqua, and Fuqua subsequently signed Sylvester onto a solo deal with Fantasy Records in 1977.

Are you all talking about that cartoon lisping cat that was always trying to eat Tweety Bird?

His cover of this Ashford and Simpson track is electrifying. It captures the energy, drama and frenzy of gay nightlife better than any other recording.

[quote] They say Axl Rose has the most vocal range but I’m pretty sure Sylvester has him beat.

Who?! There is only one male vocalist who showed that he could sing "on top" of the legendary Martha Wash. The Fabulous Sylvester!

R33, thanks!

Was Prince influenced by Sylvester?

Wiki also says Sylvester and his Hot Band in late 1973 recorded their second album, Bazaar, which included both cover songs and original compositions by bassist Kerry Hatch but it sold poorly. Finding Sylvester difficult to work with, and frustrated by his lack of commercial success, the Hot Band left Sylvester in late 1974, after which his recording contract was cancelled.

Sylvester was his own worst enemy. His diva antics, drug issues and unreliability made him a nightmare to work with.

Love the music but the guy was a train wreck.

This is my favorite.

Who all did Sylvester not get along with?

I loved the musical about Keith Haring (never made it to Bway). Billy Porter played a fierce Sylvester.

You make me feel...

His best album and song?

Was he transgender?

Icon

Who was a better male singer than him?

Luther Vandross

Who else?

Step II is such a great R&B album, I bought a used vinyl copy a few years ago and it really surprised me. I expected the sheer fun of "Mighty Real" throughout, but it hits some tender, smooth notes.

R59, I’d put Alexander ONeal, and Howard Hewitt above him too

Stars is IMO one of his best albums and one of the best pure disco albums ever made. Only 4 songs but each one an absolute banger.

Horrible

Great Podcast series on him last year. Corrupted my sanity when I saw him on Bandstand when I was 12; was late for school once Junior year of HS because the video for 'Hard Up' was on MTV; hooked up with someone the night he was on Joan Rivers late night show. And that was before I learned about The Hot Band stuff Am STUNNED that not one black gay filmmaker has done a biopic of him. He's THAT important.

R55, agreed

He copied Prince

He came before Prince

R58, you are not really that dumb, are you? Tell me you're a troll, please.

Prince's image didn't even become well known until the 1980's. Sylvester died in 1988, with his biggest hits in the 1970's.

Any shirtless pictures of Sylvester in existence?

I have never seen any before.

R59 uh, Sylvester's music was out years before Prince was signed to a record label.....? What are you going on about?

I never saw this in my youth - I wish I had a few years later, when I needed to see it, but by then we were deep in the AIDS panic.

I saw this a few years ago and it was lovely.....and brought tears to my eyes. Lipsynced, yes....but the energy and joy of the audience and dancers was something else.

It was.....mighty real.

Take Me to Heaven

^ I think he is singing live with a backing track with an odd reverb on his vocal.

His voice explained.

Why was he considered rude/difficult?

He was a Virgo who tend to be perfectionists with an eye for detail.

Amazing cover version of the Procul Harum hit from Sylvester's first album with The Hot Band. Gospel realness.

There would have been no Sylvester without Patrick Cowley at the remix.

What did Sylvester and Michael Jackson think of each other?

Underrated

Best album?

[quote]Best album?

Step II

Did he get along with 2 Tons Of Fun?

He was more bi than gay

Was he transgender?

no

r67 He spent more than he earned. So, he would get paid, then party it up. He wasn't "an act" - he was a highstrung fussy bottom well beyond his twink years, trying to maintain a grip on his popularity in the gay scene. Sure, he courted mainstream success but his motivation was being queen of the ball and having a lavish lifestyle (inclusive of hard drugs) more than celebrity or success. He was exceptionally needy, insecure and overestimated his worth. . . he always had a "drama" going on. Often money troubles.

In essence, he was the less flamboyant equivalent of Rick James. . .

or every fat faghag drunk at the bar during last call.

There is a great book about Sylvester, it is worth the read for anyone really interested in him.