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Village People is an American
disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric p ...
group known for its on-stage costumes and suggestive lyrics in their music. The group was originally formed by French producers
Jacques Morali Jacques Morali (4 July 1947 – 15 November 1991) was a French disco and dance music record producer and songwriter, known for creating acts like The Ritchie Family and Village People. Early life Morali was born in Casablanca, Morocco. ...
,
Henri Belolo Henri Belolo (; 27 November 1936 – 3 August 2019) was a French music producer and songwriter active during the disco era. Born in Morocco, he started his career as a club DJ and A&R man. In the 1970s, with his friend, composer Jacques Moral ...
and lead singer Victor Willis following the release of the debut album '' Village People'', which targeted disco's large gay audience. The group's name refers to
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
's
Greenwich Village Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...
, with its reputation as a gay neighborhood. The characters were a symbolic group of American masculinity and macho gay-fantasy personas. As of 2022, Victor Willis is the only original member of the group. The group quickly became popular and moved into the mainstream, scoring several disco and
dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...
hits internationally, including the hit singles " Macho Man", " In the Navy", " Go West", and " Y.M.C.A.", which was their biggest hit. In March 2020, the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The libra ...
described "Y.M.C.A." as "an American phenomenon", and added the song to the
National Recording Registry The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservat ...
, which preserves audio recordings considered to be "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".


History


1977–1979

French musical composer and producer
Jacques Morali Jacques Morali (4 July 1947 – 15 November 1991) was a French disco and dance music record producer and songwriter, known for creating acts like The Ritchie Family and Village People. Early life Morali was born in Casablanca, Morocco. ...
and his business partner
Henri Belolo Henri Belolo (; 27 November 1936 – 3 August 2019) was a French music producer and songwriter active during the disco era. Born in Morocco, he started his career as a club DJ and A&R man. In the 1970s, with his friend, composer Jacques Moral ...
, known collectively as Can't Stop Productions, were enjoying a successful string of hits in France and Europe. In 1977, they moved to New York City to attempt to break into the American market. Morali had written a few dance tunes when he was given a demo tape recorded by singer/actor Victor Willis. After hiring Willis to sing background vocals on the four tracks, Morali approached him and said, "I had a dream that you sang lead on my album and it went very, very big". Willis agreed to sing on the debut album ''Village People''.Village People, ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'', Vol. 289, April 19, 1979
Songwriters
Phil Hurtt Phil Hurtt is a musician, singer, songwriter and arranger who has written hits for The Detroit Spinners, The Ritchie Family and many others. His compositions have been recorded by many artists and he has worked as an arranger on recordings by w ...
and Peter Whitehead wrote the lyrics for the first album (Willis would subsequently take over writing duties in 1978 for the group's biggest hits). The Village People studio band was called '' Gypsy Lane'', conducted by Horace Ott, who also provided much of the musical arrangements for Morali, who did not play any instruments. The album became an international hit, and demand for live appearances soon followed. Morali hastily built a group of dancers around Willis to perform in clubs and videos. Morali met the first recruit, Felipe Rose (who claims indigenous American descent and dressed as a Native American), in a New York gay bar called the Anvil. Willis hand-picked
Alex Briley Alexander Briley (born April 12, 1951) is an American singer who was the original "G.I." in the disco recording act Village People. Biography Alex Briley was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1951, the son of a Christian minister. Raised ...
(who initially appeared in nondescript costumes before switching to G.I. uniforms). The others were Mark Mussler (construction worker), Dave Forrest (cowboy), Lee Mouton (leatherman/biker), and Peter Whitehead (one of the group's early songwriters), who appeared on ''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'', abbreviated ''AB'', is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the pr ...
'' and in the video for the group's first hit, "San Francisco (You Got Me)". With record sales soaring, Morali and Willis saw the need to create a permanent group. They took out an ad in a theatre trade paper which read: ''"''Macho Types Wanted: Must Dance And Have A Moustache.''"'' Glenn Hughes (leatherman), David Hodo (construction worker) and Randy Jones (cowboy) were among the hundreds who answered the ad. With the "official" lineup in place, the group did a hasty photo-shoot for the cover of the already-recorded '' Macho Man'' album. The album's title track catapulted the group into the mainstream, and their single " Y.M.C.A.", from the group's third album '' Cruisin''', became one of the most popular hits of the 1970s. In 1979, the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
considered using their single "In the Navy" in a television and radio recruiting campaign. Belolo offered them permission if the Navy would help film a music video for it. The Navy provided them access to the San Diego Navy base, where the , several aircraft, and the crew of the ship would be used. This song was also performed on the TV series' '' The Love Boat'' and '' Married... with Children'', and in the 1996 comedy film '' Down Periscope''. The group's fame peaked in 1979 with a three-month North American tour, several appearances on '' The Merv Griffin Show'' and ''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'', abbreviated ''AB'', is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the pr ...
,'' and performing with
Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with ...
to entertain US troops. They were also featured on the cover of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'', Vol. 289, April 19, 1979. Willis left the group in August 1979, during production of the upcoming musical movie tentatively titled '' Discoland: Where the Music Never Ends''. He was replaced by
Ray Simpson Ray Simpson (born January 15, 1954) is an American singer best known as a former lead singer and "Cop" of the disco super-group Village People, having been in that role for over 30 years. In August 1979, he replaced original lead singer, Victor ...
, the brother of Valerie Simpson (of Ashford & Simpson) who had previously sung background vocals with the group on their 1979 tour. The end of 1979 saw the release of '' Live and Sleazy'', a double album featuring Victor Willis on lead vocals on the "Live" disc and Simpson's debut with the group on the "Sleazy" disc.


1980–1985

In June 1980, the feature film now retitled '' Can't Stop the Music'' was released. The film was directed by Nancy Walker, written by Allan Carr and
Bronte Woodard Bronte may refer to: People ;Surname * Brontë family, an English literary family that included: ** Anne Brontë (1820-1849), novelist and poet ** Branwell Brontë (1817-1848), painter and poet ** Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), novelist and poet * ...
, music and lyrics by Jacques Morali (except Willis who penned the lyrics to "Milkshake" and "Magic Night") and starring
Steve Guttenberg Steven Robert Guttenberg (born August 24, 1958) is an American actor, author, businessman, producer, and director. He is known for his lead roles in Hollywood films of the 1980s and 1990s, including ''Cocoon'', ''Police Academy'', ''Three Men and ...
, Valerie Perrine, Jean-Claude Billmaer, and Bruce Jenner. By the time it was released disco's popularity had waned. At the March 1981 Golden Raspberry Awards, the movie was named Worst Picture and Worst Screenplay, and was nominated in almost all the other categories. Although the title song became a club play chart success and moderate radio hit, it was nominated for Worst Original Song "Razzie" and did not live up to sales expectations, never obtaining gold status as a single or album. The soundtrack also featured the talents of David London, who under his real name Dennis "Fergie" Frederiksen became the future lead singer of Toto and one of the main contributors to Village People's next album. The group embarked on a tour in promotion of the film in Australia and Japan. The Japanese show was filmed at Budokan and released on DVD as Village People Live In Japan. The group appeared in the November 22, 1980, episode of '' Love Boat'' (season four, episode seven). At the end of 1980, Jeff Olson joined the group as the cowboy. In 1981, with
new wave music New wave is a loosely defined music genre that encompasses pop-oriented styles from the late 1970s and the 1980s. It was originally used as a catch-all for the various styles of music that emerged after punk rock, including punk itself. Lat ...
becoming more popular than disco, Morali and Belolo ditched the familiar characters and re-branded Village People with a new look inspired by the
New Romantic The New Romantic movement was an underground subculture movement that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The movement emerged from the nightclub scene in London and Birmingham at venues such as Billy's and The Blitz. The New ...
movement, and released the album ''
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...
''. It only attracted minor, mostly negative attention, but it did produce the group's first hit single in Italy with "5 O'clock in the Morning". Willis rejoined the group briefly in late 1981 for the writing and recording of the album '' Fox on the Box'', which was released in 1982 in Europe and Japan, and in 1983 in the United States under the title ''In the Street''. David Hodo and Ray Simpson both left the group in 1982 with Mark Lee and
Miles Jaye Miles Jaye Davis (born November 12, 1957), known professionally as Miles Jaye, is an American R&B and jazz singer, jazz violinist, songwriter, and record producer. He had several hits on the US R&B chart in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the ...
replacing them respectively. Jaye contributed lead vocals to a single in 1983 called "America", which would be added as an extra track to the 1999 remaster of ''In the Street''. In 1984, the group sang background vocals on a disco version of " Where The Boys Are" by
Lorna Luft Lorna Luft (born November 21, 1952) is an American actress, author, and singer. She is the daughter of Judy Garland and Sidney Luft and the half-sister of Liza Minnelli. Early life Luft was born on November 21, 1952, at Saint John's Health Cent ...
. Their next album, the 1985 dance/ Hi-NRG release ''
Sex Over the Phone ''Sex Over the Phone'' is the ninth studio album by Village People. The title track, " Sex Over the Phone", had some airplay in Europe, but did not reach the height of the group's earlier releases. As gay subtexts are often found in Village Peo ...
'', was not a huge commercial success, but it fared better in sales and club play than ''Renaissance''. The title track, when released as a single, was banned by the BBC because of its subject matter: credit-card
phone sex Phone sex is a conversation between two or more people by means of the telephone which is sexually explicit and is intended to provoke sexual arousal in one or more participants. All parties participate voluntarily; it is typically accompanied ...
. Despite this, it did peak at 59 on the UK singles chart. The album featured yet another new lead singer, Ray Stephens (of '' The Great Space Coaster'' fame). It was the group's last album of new material until ''A Village People Christmas'' in 2018. Py Douglas came in to sub for Stephens for some of the group's live appearances in 1985 and can be seen in both promotional videos made for the group. In 1985 the group took a hiatus, but returned in 1987 with the line-up of Randy Jones, David Hodo, Felipe Rose, Glenn Hughes, Alex Briley, and Ray Simpson and formed ''Sixuvus Ltd'' a group that managed the affairs of the group and had the license to use the name Village People and its characters in use until 2017.


1990s–present

The 1990s brought a resurgence for the Village People. On September 22, 1991, they performed in front of 41,815 in
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...
, Australia, as part of the pre-game entertainment for the New South Wales Rugby League Grand Final held at the
Sydney Football Stadium The Sydney Football Stadium, commercially known as Allianz Stadium and previously Aussie Stadium, was a football stadium in Moore Park, Sydney, Australia. Built in 1988 next to the Sydney Cricket Ground, the stadium was Sydney's premier recta ...
. They also performed a medley of self-parody songs at the MTV Movie Awards – "In the Movies" ("In the Navy"), "Psycho Bitch" ("Macho Man"), and "My MTV" ("Y.M.C.A."). The group also made a guest appearance on the hit show '' Married... with Children'' in the episode " Take My Wife, Please". Founder Jacques Morali died of complications related to
AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ma ...
in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
on November 15, 1991. Three years later, the Village People recorded with the German national football team on its official World Cup '94 song ''Far Away in America''. In 1995, Eric Anzalone replaced Glenn Hughes as the Leatherman/Biker, and made his music video debut with
Kelsey Grammer Allen Kelsey Grammer (born February 21, 1955) is an American actor and producer. He gained notoriety and acclaim for his role as psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the NBC sitcom ''Cheers'' (1984-1993) and its spin-off ''Frasier'' (1993-2004), ...
,
Rob Schneider Robert Michael Schneider (; born October 31, 1963) is an American actor, comedian, and screenwriter. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'', he went on to a career in feature films, including starri ...
, and other cast members during the end-credits of the film '' Down Periscope'', performing "In The Navy" with Ray Simpson on lead vocals. At the beginning of the 21st century Village People released two singles, "Gunbalanya" (2000) and "Loveship 2001" (2001) under the name "Amazing Veepers". It was reported in 2001 that 'Gunbalanya', which was recorded with indigenous Australian people, took its title from a word meaning "in the tribe" though it is in fact the name of an Aboriginal settlement. Leatherman/Biker Glenn Hughes died of lung cancer in New York City on March 4, 2001.Village People's Hughes Dead
''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
''; March 13, 2001
Village People performed as the opening act for
Cher Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
on her Farewell Tour until it ended in April 2005. Former cowboy Randy Jones married Will Grega, his boyfriend of 20 years. Later in the 2000s Village People continued to make appearances worldwide. The original lead singer and "cop", Victor Willis, was arrested over drug and weapon related charges. On September 12, 2008, Village People received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...
. Willis was not in attendance at the ceremony. Willis gave his first live concert in 28 years in Las Vegas on August 3, 2007, and married Karen, a lawyer and executive, later that year. In May 2012 Willis won a landmark ruling in the first case heard regarding the
Copyright Act of 1976 The Copyright Act of 1976 is a United States copyright law and remains the primary basis of copyright law in the United States, as amended by several later enacted copyright provisions. The Act spells out the basic rights of copyright holders, cod ...
, which allows recording artists and writers to reclaim their master recordings and publishing rights initially granted to record companies and publishers after 35 years. He recaptured copyrights including "Y.M.C.A.", "Go West", "Magic Night", "Milkshake", and "In the Navy". Willis also began to recapture his 33% share of songs he co-wrote. In August 2013, Village People released a new song "Let's Go Back to the Dance Floor", written by Harry W. Casey of K.C. and the Sunshine Band. Jim Newman joined the group as the Cowboy, and in October 2013 Bill Whitefield joined as the Construction Worker, a role he had filled in for the group over the years for David Hodo who retired. Continuing his legal quest, Willis reclaimed ownership of "Y.M.C.A." and other songs written with Jacques Morali, with the removal of Henri Belolo, previously credited as a third writer. Victor Willis released ''
Solo Man Solo Man (''Homo erectus soloensis'') is a subspecies of ''H. erectus'' that lived along the Solo River in Java, Indonesia, about 117,000 to 108,000 years ago in the Late Pleistocene. This population is the last known record of the species. ...
'', an album he recorded in 1979 featuring the Village People band. Willis appeared as himself on the game show "To Tell The Truth" and performed "Y.M.C.A." the following year. Village People continued to make television appearances, such as performing "Y.M.C.A." during halftime of the Chicago Bulls game as part of '70s Night. They also made several commercials including LetGo commercial debuts during the Rio Olympics, and a series of commercials in the UK for YOPA online estate agents. In 2017, after years of legal battles over royalties and songwriting credits, Willis and Can't Stop Productions settled their differences resulting in Willis obtaining the license to use the name and characters of Village People and returning as the original lead singer (with a new group of background singers). Can't Stop also terminated the license of Sixuvus (the group which had been performing as Village People for numerous years with various members). The trademark "Village People" then became the subject of litigation. In 2018, the US District Court denied Sixuvus' preliminary injunction and ruled that only one group was entitled to use the Village People trademark, the group featuring original lead singer Victor Willis. Felipe Rose (original Native American) launched his solo career and released the single " Going Back To My Roots" (a cover of the 1977 Odyssey dance hit) which received Best Dance Record Award at the 2018 Native American Music Awards. Changes to the new Village People lineup took place when Leatherman Josh Cartier was replaced by J.J. Lippold before the rebranded group's first appearance at the
Streamys The YouTube Streamy Awards, also known as the Streamy Awards or Streamys, are presented annually by Dick Clark Productions and Tubefilter to recognize excellence in online video, including directing, acting, producing, and writing. The formal ...
Awards. G.I./Sailor Sonny Earl was replaced by Atlanta native James Lee who filled in for him on more shows than he performed. In November 2018. Village People release their first studio album in 33 years, ''A Village People Christmas.'' On August 3, 2019, Village People co-creator Henri Belolo died aged 82. On November 4, 2019, the group's Christmas album was re-released as ''Magical Christmas'' and included two additional tracks. On December 21, 2019, the group released its first Christmas single, "Happiest Time of the Year". On December 31 the Village People performed live in
Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...
on '' Fox's New Year's Eve with Steve Harvey'' and broke a world record for attendees doing the Y.M.C.A. dance (a record formerly held by the previous touring group). On April 21, 2020, the Village People released a new single, "If You Believe", which hit #25 on ''Billboard''s Adult Contemporary chart. This was the first Top 25 hit for the group in 40 years. On June 9, Victor Willis demanded that President
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
not use Village People music at his rallies in particular "Macho Man" and "Y.M.C.A." while on September 11 Willis was okay with him using "Y.M.C.A" at his campaign rallies. On September 22 the Village People were confirmed to be featured in the song "My Agenda" from the Dorian Electra album ''
My Agenda ''My Agenda'' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Dorian Electra, released on October 16, 2020. Promoted by the singles " Sorry Bro (I Love You)", "Give Great Thanks", "Gentleman", "M'Lady", "Edgelord", and the title track, ...
'' (2020). On October 24 ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
'' performed a parody of the group's reaction to Donald Trump's use of their music at his rallies. On October 30, Willis clarified his and the group's position against Trump's use of his music at his rallies. On November 7, supporters of President-elect Joe Biden celebrated his victory by dancing in the streets and singing "Y.M.C.A." across the United States. In November 2022, a third single, "Magic Christmas," was released from the group's ''Magical Christmas'' album and entered the Billboard a/c chart at #23, the highest chart entry for any Village People single.


In popular culture

Due to their easily recognizable characters, the group have frequently been imitated or parodied in movies, television series, video games and music. Numerous covers and homages of their songs have been recorded. Examples of homages and parody include an episode of the 1990s CGI show '' ReBoot'', a scene in the 1993 film '' Wayne's World 2'', a mention in the 1991 comedy '' City Slickers'', a 1993 episode of '' Married... with Children'', the 1997 video for U2's single "Discotheque", a 2000 episode of ''
3rd Rock From the Sun ''3rd Rock from the Sun'' is an American television sitcom created by Bonnie and Terry Turner, which originally aired from January 9, 1996, to May 22, 2001, on NBC. The show is about four extraterrestrials who are on an expedition to Earth, ...
'', and the 2013 animated film ''
Despicable Me 2 ''Despicable Me 2'' is a 2013 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures. The sequel to ''Despicable Me'' (2010), it is directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, and ...
.'' The leather-clad biker character with a horseshoe mustache has also become a widespread pop culture icon associated with gay culture, and "Y.M.C.A." has become something of an anthem of the
LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term ...
community. According to
Jack Fritscher John Joseph "Jack" Fritscher (born June 20, 1939) is an American author, university professor, historian, and social activist known internationally for his fiction, erotica and non-fiction analyses of popular culture and gay male culture. A pre- ...
,
Jacques Morali Jacques Morali (4 July 1947 – 15 November 1991) was a French disco and dance music record producer and songwriter, known for creating acts like The Ritchie Family and Village People. Early life Morali was born in Casablanca, Morocco. ...
drew his inspiration for the character from the dress code of the gay
BDSM BDSM is a variety of often erotic practices or roleplaying involving bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, and other related interpersonal dynamics. Given the wide range of practices, some of which may be engaged ...
leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hog ...
bar and sex club The Mineshaft. Leather man Hughes frequented the club. In
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...
's entry on the group, Ron Wynn summarized them as "part clever concept, part exaggerated
camp Camp may refer to: Outdoor accommodation and recreation * Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site * a temporary settlement for nomads * Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...
act" who were "worldwide sensations during disco's heyday and keep reviving like the phoenix." ''
Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...
'' critic
Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...
originally found the group to be a humorous annoyance, but warmed to their music after listening to the 1978 album '' Cruisin'''; he wrote in '' Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies'' (1981): "I give up—I've never been capable of resisting music this silly. At least this time they're not singing the praises of ' macho,' a term whose backlash resurgence is no laughing matter, and the gay stereotyping—right down to 'The Women,' every one a camp heroine of screen or disc—is so cartoonish that I can't imagine anyone taking it seriously. As for all the straights who think 'Y.M.C.A.' is about playing basketball, well, that's pretty funny too."


Discography

* '' Village People'' (1977) * '' Macho Man'' (1978) * '' Cruisin''' (1978) * '' Go West'' (1979) * '' Live and Sleazy'' (1979) * '' Can't Stop the Music'' (1980) * ''
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...
'' (1981) * '' Fox on the Box'' (1982) * ''
Sex Over the Phone ''Sex Over the Phone'' is the ninth studio album by Village People. The title track, " Sex Over the Phone", had some airplay in Europe, but did not reach the height of the group's earlier releases. As gay subtexts are often found in Village Peo ...
'' (1985) * ''A Village People Christmas'' (2018)


Lineup


Original seven members

* Victor Willis (Cop/Admiral/Athlete/Gigolo/nondescript) * Felipe Rose (Native American) *
Alex Briley Alexander Briley (born April 12, 1951) is an American singer who was the original "G.I." in the disco recording act Village People. Biography Alex Briley was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1951, the son of a Christian minister. Raised ...
(GI/nondescript) * Lee Mouton (Biker) * Mark Mussler (Construction worker) * David Forrest (Cowboy) * Peter Whitehead (nondescript)


1977 to 1979

* Victor Willis (Cop/Admiral/Athlete/Gigolo/nondescript) * Felipe Rose (Native American) *
Alex Briley Alexander Briley (born April 12, 1951) is an American singer who was the original "G.I." in the disco recording act Village People. Biography Alex Briley was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1951, the son of a Christian minister. Raised ...
(GI/Sailor) * Glenn Hughes (Leather man) * David Hodo (Construction worker) * Randy Jones (Cowboy)


1979 to 1980

*
Ray Simpson Ray Simpson (born January 15, 1954) is an American singer best known as a former lead singer and "Cop" of the disco super-group Village People, having been in that role for over 30 years. In August 1979, he replaced original lead singer, Victor ...
(Cop) * Felipe Rose (Native American) *
Alex Briley Alexander Briley (born April 12, 1951) is an American singer who was the original "G.I." in the disco recording act Village People. Biography Alex Briley was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1951, the son of a Christian minister. Raised ...
(GI/Sailor) * Glenn Hughes (Leather man) * David Hodo (Construction worker) * Randy Jones (Cowboy)


1981 to 1982

* Victor Willis (Cop) *
Ray Simpson Ray Simpson (born January 15, 1954) is an American singer best known as a former lead singer and "Cop" of the disco super-group Village People, having been in that role for over 30 years. In August 1979, he replaced original lead singer, Victor ...
(Cop) * Felipe Rose (Native American) *
Alex Briley Alexander Briley (born April 12, 1951) is an American singer who was the original "G.I." in the disco recording act Village People. Biography Alex Briley was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1951, the son of a Christian minister. Raised ...
(GI/Sailor) * Glenn Hughes (Leather man) * David Hodo (Construction worker) * Jeff Olson (Cowboy)


1982 to 1984

*
Miles Jaye Miles Jaye Davis (born November 12, 1957), known professionally as Miles Jaye, is an American R&B and jazz singer, jazz violinist, songwriter, and record producer. He had several hits on the US R&B chart in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the ...
(Cop) * Felipe Rose (Native American) *
Alex Briley Alexander Briley (born April 12, 1951) is an American singer who was the original "G.I." in the disco recording act Village People. Biography Alex Briley was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1951, the son of a Christian minister. Raised ...
(GI/Sailor) * Glenn Hughes (Leather man) * Mark Lee (Construction worker) * Jeff Olson (Cowboy)


1984 to 1985

* Ray Stephens (Cop) * Felipe Rose (Native American) *
Alex Briley Alexander Briley (born April 12, 1951) is an American singer who was the original "G.I." in the disco recording act Village People. Biography Alex Briley was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1951, the son of a Christian minister. Raised ...
(GI/Sailor) * Glenn Hughes (Leather man) * Mark Lee (Construction worker) * Jeff Olson (Cowboy)


1987 to 1990

*
Ray Simpson Ray Simpson (born January 15, 1954) is an American singer best known as a former lead singer and "Cop" of the disco super-group Village People, having been in that role for over 30 years. In August 1979, he replaced original lead singer, Victor ...
(Cop) * Felipe Rose (Native American) *
Alex Briley Alexander Briley (born April 12, 1951) is an American singer who was the original "G.I." in the disco recording act Village People. Biography Alex Briley was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1951, the son of a Christian minister. Raised ...
(GI/Sailor) * Glenn Hughes (Leather man) * David Hodo (Construction worker) * Randy Jones (Cowboy)


1990 to 1995

*
Ray Simpson Ray Simpson (born January 15, 1954) is an American singer best known as a former lead singer and "Cop" of the disco super-group Village People, having been in that role for over 30 years. In August 1979, he replaced original lead singer, Victor ...
(Cop) * Felipe Rose (Native American) *
Alex Briley Alexander Briley (born April 12, 1951) is an American singer who was the original "G.I." in the disco recording act Village People. Biography Alex Briley was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1951, the son of a Christian minister. Raised ...
(GI/Sailor) * Glenn Hughes (Leather man) * David Hodo (Construction worker) * Jeff Olson (Cowboy)


1995 to 2013

*
Ray Simpson Ray Simpson (born January 15, 1954) is an American singer best known as a former lead singer and "Cop" of the disco super-group Village People, having been in that role for over 30 years. In August 1979, he replaced original lead singer, Victor ...
(Cop) * Felipe Rose (Native American) *
Alex Briley Alexander Briley (born April 12, 1951) is an American singer who was the original "G.I." in the disco recording act Village People. Biography Alex Briley was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1951, the son of a Christian minister. Raised ...
(GI/Sailor) *
Eric Anzalone James Eric Anzalone (born October 6, 1965) is an American singer who was the Leatherman/Biker of the disco supergroup Village People from 1995 to 2017, replacing original member Glenn Hughes. Early life and education Anzalone was born in ...
(Leather man) * David Hodo (Construction worker) * Jeff Olson (Cowboy)


2013 to 2017

*
Ray Simpson Ray Simpson (born January 15, 1954) is an American singer best known as a former lead singer and "Cop" of the disco super-group Village People, having been in that role for over 30 years. In August 1979, he replaced original lead singer, Victor ...
(Cop/Admiral) * Felipe Rose (Native American) *
Alex Briley Alexander Briley (born April 12, 1951) is an American singer who was the original "G.I." in the disco recording act Village People. Biography Alex Briley was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1951, the son of a Christian minister. Raised ...
(GI/Sailor) *
Eric Anzalone James Eric Anzalone (born October 6, 1965) is an American singer who was the Leatherman/Biker of the disco supergroup Village People from 1995 to 2017, replacing original member Glenn Hughes. Early life and education Anzalone was born in ...
(Leather man) * Bill Whitefield (Construction worker) * Jim Newman (Cowboy)


2017 to 2018

* Victor Willis (Cop/Admiral) * Angel Morales (Native American) * Sonny Earl (GI) * J.J. Lippold (Leather man) * James Kwong (Construction worker) * Chad Freeman (Cowboy)


2018 to 2020

* Victor Willis (Cop/Admiral) * Angel Morales (Native American) * James Lee (GI) * J.J. Lippold (Leather man) * James Kwong (Construction worker) * Chad Freeman (Cowboy)


2021 to present

* Victor Willis (Cop/Admiral) * Isaac Lopez (Native American) * James Lee (GI) * J.J. Lippold (Leather man) * James Kwong (Construction worker) * Nicholas Manelick (Cowboy)


Temporary members

* Py Douglas briefly replaced Ray Stephens in some television appearances during the group's 1985 European tour and appears in the promotional videos for "Sex Over The Phone" and "New York City". * Alec Timerman stood in for
Alex Briley Alexander Briley (born April 12, 1951) is an American singer who was the original "G.I." in the disco recording act Village People. Biography Alex Briley was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1951, the son of a Christian minister. Raised ...
on occasion between 2001 and 2003. * Richard Montoya also replaced David Hodo on some 2008 dates. * Angel Morales filled in for Felipe Rose in 2008–2010, later replacing Felipe Rose. * Ray Rodriguez stand-in for Felipe Rose in 2011–2013. * Stephen Hewitt stood in for Felipe Rose for 12 dates of the North American leg of the 2013 tour. * A. J. Perrelli stood in for Jeff Olson in 2013. Perrelli died on October 16, 2013, from a head injury. * Pacho Andrews, stand-in for Felipe Rose in 2013. * James Lee, stand-in for Sonny Earl in 2017–2018, eventually replacing Sonny Earl.


Timeline


See also

* List of artists who reached number one in Ireland * List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart *
List of number-one dance hits (United States) This is a list of number-one dance hits as recorded by ''Billboard'' magazine's Dance Club Songs chart – a weekly national survey of popular songs in U.S. dance clubs. It began on October 26, 1974, under the title ''Disco Action'' chart. It is ...


References


External links

*
Village People
at ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
''
Official website of Victor Willis
{{Authority control American dance music groups American disco groups American disco musicians American Hi-NRG groups Bands with fictional stage personas Musical groups from New York City Casablanca Records artists LGBT-themed musical groups Musical groups established in 1977 1977 establishments in New York City