Part of a raft of pop music programmes commissioned by the Beeb there will be a landmark three-part documentary series exploring disco.
Jonathan Rothery, BBC Head of Pop Music TV:
“Over the coming months, we’re continuing our commitment to bring the broadest mix of pop music programming to viewers. As well as shining a fresh light on disco with a brand new three part series, we’ll also be celebrating some of the world’s most cherished artists from across the decades, broadcasting their stories and showcasing their career defining performances. I’m looking forward to sharing all we have in store with viewers.”
This autumn, BBC Two and PBS present Disco Inferno: The Sound of the Underground – a three-part series examining the history and legacy of disco.
Told by disco’s original musicians, promoters and innovators, as well as today’s musical icons, the series tells the story of the people who forged a new form of music and dance and pioneered a social movement. Contributors include Nona Hendryx (LaBelle), DJ Hollywood, Ana Matronic, David Morales, Kim Petras, Nicky Siano and Pete Waterman.
The first episode, Rock The Boat, celebrates the earliest disco tracks and the creation of the disco beat, as it took over New York’s clubs and spread to Europe and the UK. It also explores the rise of a new power in music, the DJ, and how they helped disco break into the mainstream. The second episode, Ain’t No Stopping Us Now, traces the emergence of disco icons such as Thelma Houston, Grace Jones, Donna Summer and Candi Staton.
It also looks at the launch of Studio 54 and how disco went on to conquer the charts, the airwaves and the silver screen. The third episode, I Will Survive, examines the backlash against disco and how, despite the collapse of its popularity which drove it underground, the genre went on to inspire new forms of music and once again became mainstream in the hands of a new generation of artists such as Kylie, the Scissor Sisters, Kim Petras and Jessie Ware.
Other music commissions includes celebrations of Dionne Warwick and The Pet Shop Boys.
