DISCO…You Should Be Dancing!

Submitted by Douglas Wood June 18th, 2011
Certifikitsch Winner

This 1978 book is written by Roy Madrid, “The Disco King,” who “aided” in teaching John Travolta the couples disco dancing in SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER as the carefully worded bio tells us.   The concept that someone would buy a book to learn how to disco is sort of mind-boggling.

The bio also helpfully provides Madrid’s home address including the specific apartment in his Marina Del Rey condo. Do you think Roy was trying to hook up or just get some more clients?

The photos are great– the disco couple is a Karen Lynn Gorney wannabe and a blown-dry, terminally white guy inexplicably wearing a gingham shirt that would look more appropriate at a barn dance than a disco.

The book is full of all sorts of claims such as disco dancing produces more oxygen in your blood, and that can mean,”that your skin will clear up, your hair will be shinier and your stamina will increase… and we all know what important activity is affected by increased stamina!!!”  (The three exclamation marks speak volumes, no?)   The two shots below are of “The Line Hustle”:

3 Responses to “DISCO…You Should Be Dancing!”

  1. Allee Willis

    I have a plethora of Disco books but have never even seen this one! Very very jealous.

    That the author’s address, down to apartment number, is included is seriously nutty.

    As far as the uber white boy’s gingham shirt, I can’t tell you how often these kind of fashion mistakes were made with people trying to make money off of Disco. See my Mini-Mod Disco Doll Accessories as an example: https://www.alleewillis.com/awmok/kitschenette/2011/06/07/allee-willis’-kitsch-o’-the-day-–-mini-mod-disco-doll-accessories/https://www.alleewillis.com/awmok/kitschenette/2011/06/07/allee-willis’-kitsch-o’-the-day-–-mini-mod-disco-doll-accessories/

    The book text is classic. The Line Hustle even better. Looks like they’re getting ready to jump out of a plane in the photo on the right in that second to last photo.