Pick of the Day: The Village People

Sorry, couldn't resist.

The 1970s and '80s, for me, were a bit of a drag. I didn't really hit my stride until the '90s. The catch-phrase of that decade, if I recall correctly, was "lean and mean". I wasn't crazy about the mean part, obviously, in which governments froze/slashed spending on all sorts of worthwhile social and cultural programs to combat deficits, and corporations engaged in repeated rounds of downsizing.

But the idea of a leaner, less superficial approach to life was definitely in keeping with my personality and mindset. As icons of the disco era, the Village People contributed significantly to my misery. But they were far from the worst offenders. And I definitely respect the role they played in helping to popularize a queer sub-culture and win broader acceptance for queers in mainstream society.

I'm not sure how many of the original members of the Village People will be onstage tonight at Casino Regina, but for a blast from the past, here's the video for one of their biggest hits "YMCA" (YouTube)