This was the beginning of house music, which got its name from the Warehouse, a members-only gay club for Black men helmed by legendary DJ Frankie Knuckles. Once the mainstream turned its back on the culture, disco went back to its roots, and a new style began to emerge in Chicago’s nightclubs. The “Disco Sucks” sentiment was fueled by the global success of disco music a predominantly Black and gay art form that triggered the worst impulses of white cultural hegemony. The promotional stunt, organised by Major League Baseball, saw a crate of disco records get blown up, and the field destroyed. On July 12, 1979, 50,000 people descended upon Comiskey Park in Chicago to attend “Disco Demolition Night”. A new book celebrates the power of the DIY party flyer – homemade designs which helped transform the city’s dance scene.
