# Dystopian Dance Party


## Posts

- [Year of the Weasel, Year Two Episode 10: The Curse of Inferno (1998)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-year-two-episode-10-the-curse-of-inferno-1998/): Much like the year 2024 itself, we're taking the Year of the Weasel into 2025 with the mandate "more of the same, but worse"! So in that spirit, here's Pauly Shore doing some decidedly shaky accent work in a limp Coen Brothers imitation so obscure, we didn't even know it existed until last November. 
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 9.5: A Totally Pauly Weazgiving Feast](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-9-5-a-totally-pauly-weazgiving-feast/): Looking for a last-minute excuse to get away from your extended family this Thanksgiving? Here’s half an hour of us talking about seasonal Totally Pauly episodes (plus bonus Son in Law!) that is guaranteed to clear the room if you put it on during the festivities.
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 9: Pauly (1997)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-9-pauly-1997/): We can't exactly say we're surprised, but we'd held out hope for Pauly, the short-lived 1997 Fox sitcom that officially sank Pauly Shore's career, to have at least some redeeming qualities. Spoiler alert: It doesn't, but we still watched four of the five existing episodes so you don't have to!
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 8.5: Totally Pauly Halloweaaaa-sel Spooktaaaa-cular](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-8-5-totally-pauly-halloweaaaa-sel-spooktaaaa-cular/): Awoooooo! Happy Halloween, buuuu-ddies! We took a slightly longer break than anticipated, but we're just squeaking this one minisode into the month of October to talk about some of our favorite seasonal episodes of Totally Pauly.
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 8: Bio-Dome (1996)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-8-bio-dome-1996/): Is this just acquired immunity after eight months of controlled exposure to Pauly Shore, or did we... kind of like Bio-Dome?
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 7.5: Weasel-Pilled](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-7-5-weasel-pilled/): It's been almost eight months since we started on this bogus journey, and we might be slowly losing it, but at least we're taking some of you down with us! In this extra-minisode, we share some stories about the friends online and IRL who we've started to slowly Weasel-pill.
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 7: Jury Duty (1995)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-7-jury-duty-1995/): Jury Duty may not be great cinema--it's basically 12 Angry Men with a closed head injury--but we've both seen much worse (cough, In the Army Now).
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 6.5: Death is No Escape](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-6-5-death-is-no-escape/): It's a true minisode this week, as we check in on a few listener comments and give an update on the unfolding Richard Simmons biopic drama, which I guess is something we have to care about now? Anyway, Jury Duty in two weeks!
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 6: A Goofy Movie (1995) and An Extremely Goofy Movie (2000)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-6-a-goofy-movie-1995-and-an-extremely-goofy-movie-2000/): If you couldn't already tell we'd passed the glory days of Pauly Shore's career, well, here's your wakeup call: Not one, but two glorified cameos in movie tie-ins to a cartoon, one of them direct to video.
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 5.5: Video Weaz](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-5-5-video-weaz/): In a complete stroke of serendipity while editing our last episode, Zach discovered that Pauly appeared in an In the Army Now-branded music video for "World of Swirl" by none other than ZZ Top. So, we figured it's as good a time as any to dedicate a minisode to the Weasel's most memorable music video appearances, from his own "Lisa, Lisa (The One I Adore)" to Young Buck's "Shorty Wanna Ride." Also, a tight five on the PS1 classic (at least in our house) WWF Attitude!
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 5: In the Army Now (1994)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-5-in-the-army-now-1994/): Well, we knew the honeymoon had to end eventually; after nearly four months of being arguably the world's most consistently Pauly Shore-positive podcast, we've finally found a movie we just plain don't like. In the Army Now is brazen military propaganda, weirdly racist, and perhaps worst of all, not very funny. But hey, at least the soundtrack has a pretty cool ZZ Top song! 
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 4.5: Is Pauly Shore Okay?](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-4-5-is-pauly-shore-okay/): As we prepare for our grim tour of duty with In the Army Now, here's a minisode where we dig a little more into Totally Pauly's chaotic live spring break incarnation, "Chillin' with the Wiez." We also catch up on some of the more recent happenings in the Paulyverse, leading to the introduction of a new segment where we ask the titular question (answer still inconclusive).
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 4: Son in Law (1993)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-4-son-in-law-1993/): Our year-long deep dive into the filmography of Pauly Shore continues with 1993's Son in Law: a heartwarming culture clash romantic comedy about how you shouldn't call members of the white rural working class inbreeders, even after they roofie you and leave you in a compromising position to destroy your sham engagement. Whoops, spoilers!
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 3.5: Encino Man Ephemera](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-3-5-encino-man-ephemera/): In this "mini"-episode (that is the same length as a regular episode), we answer listener correspondence, make some corrections, read some relevant passages of Vince Neil's section of The Dirt (see, now we have your attention!), and finally get our hands on a (digital) copy of Stoney's Encino High Journal.
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 3: Encino Man & Class Act (1992)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-3-encino-man-class-act-1992/): We're now a month into our year-long immersion into the filmography of Pauly Shore, and we're finally watching a Pauly Shore film! Actually, make that one and a half Pauly Shore films, because we're pairing his motion picture debut, 1992's Encino Man, with his (rightfully) lesser-known role in the same year's Kid n Play vehicle, Class Act. If you're worried about keeping the movies straight, though, don't be: he's pretty much the same character in both. We'll pick up again in two weeks with Son in Law--see you then, buuu-ddies!
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 2: Peak Weasel](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-2-peak-weasel/): When we last left our hero, it was 1989 and the world was teetering on the brink of full-blown Weaselmania; now, we're picking up for a deep dive into the peak of Pauly Shore's pre-movie fame.
- [Year of the Weasel Episode 1: Introduction and Prehistory](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/year-of-the-weasel-episode-1-introduction-and-prehistory/): The podcast event literally no one asked for has finally arrived! From February 2024 until whenever we've had enough, we're taking you on a journey through what we genuinely believe is the underrated filmography of the Weasel himself, Pauly Shore. Join us in this introductory episode as we explain why we're doing this to ourselves (and to you) and take a quick jog through the random roles that resulted in one of the greatest characters in 20th century American literature.
- [Jheri Curl June: Ian Isiah's "Princess Pouty"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-ian-isiahs-princess-pouty/): As an exemplar of Jheri Curl Music, "Princess Pouty" is in the same category as the funky maximalism of Midnight Star's 1986 album Headlines.
- [Jheri Curl June: Chromeo's "Sexy Socialite"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-chromeos-sexy-socialite/): What can I say, I'm a sucker for a good Time reference (if you know, you know).
- [Jheri Curl June: Blood Orange's "You're Not Good Enough"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-blood-oranges-youre-not-good-enough/): Dev Hynes, also known as Blood Orange, built a career off of this very sound, which is clearly rooted in the synthesized heartbreak of '80s R&B, but with modern pop sensibilities.
- [Jheri Curl June: DāM-FunK's "Searchin' 4 Funk's Future"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-dam-funks-searchin-4-funks-future/): If J.C.M. Mark I took as its template Prince's run of early-'80s albums, then Mark II--at least as interpreted by DāM-FunK--sounds more like a high-generation Prince bootleg.
- [Jheri Curl June: Cindy's "Must Be Lucky 〜愛の国へ〜"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-cindys-must-be-lucky-%e3%80%9c%e6%84%9b%e3%81%ae%e5%9b%bd%e3%81%b8%e3%80%9c/): In previous years, we’ve talked about how late-era Jheri Curl Music morphed into New Jack Swing, but Cindy’s 1990 song “Must Be Lucky 愛の国へ〜 (Ai no Kuni e)” is a great example of the other route, veering into ’90s dance music.
- [Jheri Curl June: The Mac Band's "Roses Are Red"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-the-mac-bands-roses-are-red/): But just watch the video above, which looks like a group of uncles getting a few wine coolers deep and spontaneously trying to recreate Prince's video for "When Doves Cry"; these guys clearly had one foot in the mid-'80s, and you know what, I celebrate them for that.
- [Jheri Curl June: Full Force's "Old Flames Never Die"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-full-forces-old-flames-never-die/): I actually love Full Force. I mean, they are an '80s R&B group with Jojo's Bizarre Adventure character bodies who all dress like "Macho Man" Randy Savage and have Jheri curls. What is there NOT to love?
- [Jheri Curl June: Sylvester's "Mutual Attraction"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-sylvesters-mutual-attraction/): Look, if Sylvester of all people wanted to take a break from the dance floor, who are we to tell him no?
- [Jheri Curl June: Oran "Juice" Jones' "The Rain"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-oran-juice-jones-the-rain/): If you read yesterday's post, then you're already familiar with what Carl Carlton would do if another man touched his mama jama. Well, "The Rain" is basically a list of what Oran "Juice" Jones would do if his mama jama touched another man.
- [Jheri Curl June: Carl Carlton's "Private Property"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-carl-carltons-private-property/): It's a musical sequel equal parts heartwarming (Carl's found love!) and offputting; one hopes there's a third song in the trilogy where he finally realizes that bad mama jamas' bodies belong to themselves.
- [Jheri Curl June: Evan Rogers' "Don't Jump to Conclusions"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-evan-rogers-dont-jump-to-conclusions/): If we've learned anything from our writeup on L.A. Reid back in 2016, it's that if there is a successful songwriter and producer from the last 30 or so years, they probably had a Jheri Curl album of their own in the mid-'80s.
- [Jheri Curl June: Lucky Rosenbloom's "Keep Your Faith in God"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-lucky-rosenblooms-keep-your-faith-in-god/): Lucky Rosenbloom’s “Keep Your Faith in God” is, unequivocally, Jheri Curl Gospel–J.C. for J.C., if you will.
- [Jheri Curl June: Alicia Myers' "Appreciation"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-alicia-myers-appreciation/): I have a theory that most, if not all, of the best music can be traced back to the Midwest. This is especially true of funk and R&B. In fact, if we put a dot on the map every time we inducted an artist into Jheri Curl June, the biggest clusters of dots would be in Ohio, Minnesota, and Michigan. Alicia Myers is from Detroit, Michigan and was in the band One Way (who we previously inducted for their bouncy hit “Cutie Pie“) before going solo in 1980. She is best-known for the gospel-infused “I Want to Thank You,” a […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Prime Time's "Anytime is Prime Time (Theme Song)"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-prime-times-anytime-is-prime-time-theme-song/): Lead singer Jimmy Hamilton kicks off closing track "Anytime is Prime Time (Theme Song)"--yes, Prime Time end their debut album with a song about themselves--by yelling, "What time is it?" as if that catchphrase didn't already very clearly belong to Morris Day of the Time.
- [Jheri Curl June: Steve Arrington's "What Do You Want from Me"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-steve-arringtons-what-do-you-want-from-me/): It radiates so much warmth that it could only be on an album called Positive Power. I mean, just look at that beautiful backlit curl! It's enough to make anyone a believer!
- [Jheri Curl June: Gwen Guthrie's "Peanut Butter"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-gwen-guthries-peanut-butter/): Guthrie's sultry vocal and exhortations to "spread yourself over me like peanut butter" feel precision-engineered for the dance floor.
- [Jheri Curl June: Tomoko Aran's "ひと夏のタペストリー (Hitonatsu no Tapestry)"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-tomoko-arans-%e3%81%b2%e3%81%a8%e5%a4%8f%e3%81%ae%e3%82%bf%e3%83%9a%e3%82%b9%e3%83%88%e3%83%aa%e3%83%bc-hitonatsu-no-tapestry/): By 1983, R&B was shedding the remnants of Post-Disco and sounding much more cold and synthetic as it entered into the Jheri Curl golden age of the mid-'80s.
- [Jheri Curl June: Surface's "Falling in Love"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-surfaces-falling-in-love/): For the past nine years, we've harped on a lot about the sonic signifiers that make Jheri Curl Music what it is: your clean bass and rhythm guitar, your programmed drums, your layered synths, and so on. But one sound we've never had cause to mention is the flute... that is, at least, until now.
- [Jheri Curl June: Circle City Band's "Magic"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-circle-city-bands-magic/): 1983's "Magic" is one of the funkiest deep tracks I've found, with zapping synthesizers and rumbling drums that could only originate in the bowels of the Midwest.
- [Jheri Curl June: D-Train's "'D' Train Theme"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-d-trains-d-train-theme/): “‘D’ Train Theme” may not teach you the names of the 150 original Pokémon, but it is funky as hell, and really, that’s what matters most.
- [Jheri Curl June: Masayoshi Takanaka's "Chill Me Out"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-masayoshi-takanakaschill-me-out/): A perfect way to cool down on a hot summer evening, with the tinkling synthesizer that hits like ice cubes in a drink on a hot, balmy day.
- [Jheri Curl June: Tom Browne's "Funkin' for Jamaica"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-tom-brownes-funkin-for-jamaica/): It's finally time to unleash a new mutation that's been sitting in my "JCJ ideas" playlist for years: I'm talking, of course, about Jheri Jazz.
- [Headbangers Book Club: Pamela Des Barres’ I’m with the Band (Part 2)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/headbangers-book-club-pamela-des-barres-im-with-the-band-part-2/): In this episode, we get in some more digs at our nemesis Jimmy Page, with some bonus potshots at Don Johnson, and continue to gush about how nice it is to read a book where you don't end up hating the protagonist by the end.
- [Headbangers Book Club: Pamela Des Barres' I'm with the Band (Part 1)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/headbangers-book-club-pamela-des-barres-im-with-the-band-part-1/): Pamela Des Barres may not have been a rock star in her own right (unless you count her brief stint in the Zappa-sponsored girl group the GTO's), but her memoir I'm with the Band is a vital counterpoint to the male-dominated hijinks of '60s and '70s rock.
- [Headbangers Book Club: Morris Day's On Time (Part 2)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/headbangers-book-club-morris-days-on-time-part-2/): It’s #jhericurljune in July! After a brief delay due to COVID- and car theft-related trauma, we’re finally back with Part 2 of our deep dive on Morris Day‘s 2019 memoir On Time: A Princely Life in Funk!
- [Headbangers Book Club: Morris Day's On Time (Part 1)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/headbangers-book-club-morris-days-on-time-part-1/): It's a special #jhericurljune installment of the ol' Book Club as we dig into 2019's On Time: A Princely Life in Funk by Morris Day with David Ritz--so, slightly less headbanging than normal, but don't worry, there's plenty of the important stuff (i.e., cocaine).
- [Headbangers Book Club: Meat Loaf's To Hell and Back](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/headbangers-book-club-meat-loafs-to-hell-and-back/): Turns out Meat Loaf needed a little extra time in the oven, but we're finally back to discuss the late vocal powerhouse's 2000 memoir To Hell and Back. Join us as we ponder Meat's many concussions, his suitably operatic relationship with the also-recently-departed Jim Steinman, and how he's easily in the top five of anti-maskers we would have been okay catching COVID from.
- [Headbangers Book Club: Sebastian Bach's 18 and Life on Skid Row (Part 2)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/headbangers-book-club-sebastian-bachs-18-and-life-on-skid-row-part-2/): Hey mothertruckers, we're Bach in the saddle with Part 2 of our series on Sebastian Bach‘s 18 and Life on Skid Row! This book really picked up in the second half, so please excuse the slightly flabby runtime; there's just too many good stories for us not to discuss them. Join us again in two weeks when we discuss the first half of the late Meat Loaf's To Hell and Back! Rock it up!
- [Headbangers Book Club: Sebastian Bach's 18 and Life on Skid Row (Part 1)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/headbangers-book-club-sebastian-bachs-18-and-life-on-skid-row-part-1/): This month's official Headbangers Book Club selection is over five years in the making: Callie got her copy of Sebastian Bach's 18 and Life on Skid Row (signed by Sea Bass himself!) in late 2016, and we're finally getting around to reading it. This episode covers the first half of the book, give or take, and so far we're having a lot of fun with it! 
- [Headbangers Book Club: Stephen Davis' Hammer of the Gods and Richard Cole's Stairway to Heaven: Led Zeppelin Uncensored](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/headbangers-book-club-stephen-davis-hammer-of-the-gods-and-richard-coles-stairway-to-heaven-led-zeppelin-uncensored/): For the inaugural episode of the new and improved Headbangers Book Club, we decided to go big with not one, but two books on Led Zeppelin: four entitled manbabies and borderline sociopaths who just so happened to write (or, in some cases, steal) some of the greatest rock music of all time. Join us as we discuss the Great Dane incident, shitting incidents (plural), and all the other depravities in this 120 Days of Sodom for the hesher set.
- [Coming Soon: Headbangers Book Club](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/coming-soon-headbangers-book-club/): We promised some exciting new stuff on the horizon, and here it is: We're launching a new podcast!
- [12 Months of Mike Month 12: Shrek Forever After](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/12-months-of-mike-month-12-shrek-forever-after/): It might have taken us 14 months, but the long nightmare that was 12 Months of Mike is finally behind us--and, thanks to the final film in question (2010's Shrek Forever After) it's gone out with a whimper. Come hear why it took us two months to work up the enthusiasm for one last shrekquel... and, join us again in the new year for the long-awaited return of Dystopian Book Club with Stephen Davis' Hammer of the Gods and Richard Cole's Stairway to Heaven: Led Zeppelin Uncensored!
- [12 Months of Mike Month 11: The Love Guru](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/12-months-of-mike-month-11-the-love-guru/): The end of our year-long immersion in the filmography of Mike Myers is in sight; but hoo boy, is this final stretch a test of endurance. Our penultimate film is 2008's The Love Guru: the movie that finally put Mike's career out of its misery after The Cat in the Hat roughed it up and left it for dead. Join us as we discuss the unfathomable depths to which Ben Kingsley sinks in his performance, and repeatedly refer to Romany Malco as "Romany Falco." But really, who cares? Nothing matters! God is dead, long live Pitka!
- [12 Months of Mike Month 10: Shrek the Third](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/12-months-of-mike-month-10-shrek-the-third/): It's an experimental episode this time around, as we try to kill two birds with one stone by watching Shrek the Third at the same time as we record the podcast. The results are... not great, especially since Zach sounds like he's recording from a really large open bathroom (don't worry, he's not). Still, rest assured that the experience of listening to us watch Shrek the Third can't possibly be worse than the experience of watching Shrek the Third alone! We'll be back at the end of July with a more traditional (for better or worse) episode on The Love Guru.
- [Jheri Curl June: Troop's "Mamacita"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-troops-mamacita/): Troop, a quintet discovered by none other than previous JCJ inductee Gerald Levert, have the Levert-infused, end-of-'80s New Jack sound that you would expect from... well, a late-era Jheri Curl Music group that was discovered by Gerald Levert.
- [Jheri Curl June: Marlon Jackson's "Baby Tonight"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-marlon-jacksons-baby-tonight/): "Baby Tonight" is the definition of a late-period Jheri Jam.
- [Jheri Curl June: Club Nouveau's "It's a Cold Cold World"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-club-nouveaus-its-a-cold-cold-world/): Appropriately titled Listen to the Message, Club Nouveau's second album is an overt political statement that you can dance to.
- [Jheri Curl June: Curtis Hairston's "The Morning After"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-curtis-hairstons-the-morning-after/): "The Morning After" wasn't a hit in the U.S., but it did chart in the U.K., where Hairston remains better known; and the combination of the singer's soaring tenor with those slick keyboards makes it the perfect song to slide into the weekend with.
- [Jheri Curl June: Angela Winbush's "Angel"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-angela-winbushs-angel/): This year's Jheri Curl June has leaned heavily into harder go-go beats and electro grooves. Sure, we had Atlantic Starr's grown and sexy "Love Me Down" at the beginning of the month, but after that it's been back to back Jheri Jams. So, I felt it was again time to relax into something as silky smooth as the sheets that Angela Winbush rests on in the music video for her song "Angel."
- [Jheri Curl June: Midnight Star's "Headlines"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-midnight-stars-headlines/): The title track of Headlines shows that, if nothing else, Midnight Star's signature sound was still good for a decent groove. 
- [Jheri Curl June: Whodini's "The Freaks Come Out at Night"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-whodinis-the-freaks-come-out-at-night/): Whodini now lives in the hallowed halls of the proverbial Jheri Curl Hall of Fame, in the same wing as the Egyptian Lover and the Jonzun Crew, with Ecstasy's signature Zorro hat and tiny shorts on display right next to the Egyptian Lover's leather suit and everyone's fingerless gloves.
- [Jheri Curl June: Nile Rodgers' "Let's Go Out Tonight"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-nile-rodgers-lets-go-out-tonight/): Even if it isn't quite orthodox Jheri Curl, how could I refuse myself the opportunity to share this absolutely bonkers video, which features Rodgers (wearing some kind of futuristic Cosby sweater) bringing a Japanese Bunraku marionette to life, taking her out on a date, and then seemingly turning into a marionette himself?
- [Jheri Curl June: Pebbles' "Mercedes Boy"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-pebbles-mercedes-boy/): We’ve spoken briefly about Perri “Pebbles” Reid before, in the context of our 2016 profile of her ex-husband and producer, L.A. Reid, as well as our 2018 profile on André Cymone, who co-wrote her contribution to the Beverly Hills Cop II soundtrack, “Love/Hate.” But part of the point of Jheri Curl June Ladies’ Week is to give the women of Jheri Curl Music a chance to step out from their male producers’ shadows and get their own turn in the spotlight; and besides, Pebbles’ 1987 debut album–and the Number 1 R&B hit “Mercedes Boy” in particular–is just too damn good […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Vanity's "Under the Influence"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-vanitys-under-the-influence/): I’ve been sitting on this song for the last seven years holding out to see if maybe, just maybe, Vanity’s music would appear on streaming services and we could add it to the Spotify playlist. Unsurprisingly–and, like Eddy Grant‘s absolute fuckin banger “Electric Avenue,” with which we kicked off the festivities this year–that doesn’t seem likely anytime soon. So, I’m finally including Vanity in Jheri Curl June Ladies’ Week (although we did mention her back in 2015 in our Jheri Curl Cinema writeup on The Last Dragon). “Under the Influence” is my favorite Vanity song. Granted, it was written by […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Bonnie Pointer's "If the Price Is Right"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-bonnie-pointers-if-the-price-is-right/): Earlier this week, we mentioned that Bonnie Pointer had departed the Pointer Sisters for a solo career in the late ’70s. Her third album, 1984’s If the Price Is Right, still has remnants of the disco sound of her former musical output, but soaked with Jheri Curl juice. Even the album cover features a glossy image of Bonnie in a Vanity 6-esque teddy. Sadly, Bonnie Pointer passed away last year, on June 8, 2020; but because we postponed Jheri Curl June that year, we are honoring her with a posthumous induction into a year late. Rest in peace, Bonnie Pointer! […]
- [Jheri Curl June Fredi Grace & Rhinestone's "Tight"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-fredi-grace-rhinestones-tight/): Fredi Grace & Rhinestone was a trio from Atlanta, Georgia consisting of Fredi Grace, Rosalind Sweeper, and Keith Rawls. “Tight,” the titular track off their second (and last) album, is a sparse, funky opener with soaring vocals by lead singer Grace. On a side note, Grace’s tensile strength must be incredible, because after nearly six minutes of instructing her lover to hold her EVEN TIGHTER, she still seems unsatisfied. Squeeze responsibly, folks! We’ll be back tomorrow for Day 3 of Jheri Curl June Ladies’ Week. In the meantime, remember to check out the Spotify and YouTube playlists below!
- [Jheri Curl June: The Pointer Sisters' "Automatic"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-the-pointer-sisters-automatic/): If there’s one thing to be said about Jheri Curl Music, it’s that–much like its namesake hairstyle–it’s remarkably gender-neutral: Many of the genre’s greatest tracks were sung by women. That’s why every Jheri Curl June, we designate one week as “Ladies’ Week” to celebrate the contributions of woman artists to our most beloved style. And boy, oh boy, are we kicking off the latest installment right with this 1983 number by the Pointer Sisters. Formed as a duo by June and Bonnie Pointer in 1969, the Pointer Sisters eventually grew to a quartet and scored a number of hits in […]
- [Jheri Curl June: The Egyptian Lover's "I Cry (Night After Night)"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-the-egyptian-lovers-i-cry-night-after-night/): Like yesterday’s spotlight artist the Jonzun Crew, the Egyptian Lover is a pioneer of the Jheri Curl-adjacent hip-hop subgenre electro (or, as they liked to call it on the West Coast, electro-hop). Way back in our first-ever Jheri Curl June, we even called his 1986 club hit “Freak-a-holic” “the ultimate jheri curl track.” And certainly, the Lover himself (a.k.a. Greg Broussard) had one of the most impressive actual J.C.’s of JCJ history, as evidenced by the aforementioned track’s legendary video. But Broussard was more than just a mixin’, scratchin’, record-lovin’ son of a gun: he was also a sensitive soul, […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Jonzun Crew's "Space Cowboy"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-jonzun-crews-space-cowboy/): The Jonzun Crew’s 1983 debut album Lost in Space contains several electro staples, but more importantly for our purposes, it features the Jheri Jam (TM) “Space Cowboy.” All I have to say about this song is that it fuckin’ rules. Just listen to that silky synth and funky bassline. Marvel at Michael Jonzun’s glorious Jheri curl, shimmering in the light beneath his enormous white ten-gallon hat. Laurence Fishburne would rock a similar style three years later as Cowboy Curtis in Pee Wee’s Playhouse: The whistling sound from The Good, the Bad & the Ugly that features prominently in “Space Cowboy” […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Trouble Funk's "Good Times"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-trouble-funks-good-times/): Last month, I bought a house in Columbia, Maryland–putting me, for the first time since I moved to the “DMV” region in 2014, closer to Baltimore than Washington, DC. So, now that I’m a safe distance from the erstwhile Chocolate City, I have a confession to make: I don’t particularly care for go-go, DC’s main musical export and a cornerstone of its cultural identity. Don’t get me wrong; I appreciate its rich heritage, its importance to the District’s Black community, and its proven ability to annoy gentrifiers when played at extreme volumes outside the Metro PCS store in Shaw. But, […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Slave's "OOOHH"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-slaves-ooohh/): We’ve already covered Slave not once, but twice in the seven years that we’ve been celebrating Jheri Curl June here at Dystopian Dance Party: First in 2015, with 1980’s “Watching You”; and then in 2017, with 1983’s “Turn You Out (In & Out).” But, Slave is my absolute favorite and they have bangers for days, so I’ll talk about them every year if I feel like it. Despite being a huge Slave fan, I had never bothered to listen to 1984’s New Plateau until a few years ago when I was watching old clips of The Scene and came across […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Prince's "Jungle Love"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-princes-jungle-love/): We’ve talked a fair amount about Prince, who would have turned 63 today, as one of the architects of the genre we call Jheri Curl Music: Most notably in our very first Jheri Curl June Special back in 2014, but also in various JCJ entries and profiles on his former colleagues (Sheila E, the Time, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Vanity, Wendy & Lisa, Jesse Johnson, and André Cymone), rivals (Rick James and, depending on when you ask, at least half of the previous list), and even a few knockoffs (Phil Collins, Ebonee Webb). In fact, we’ve talked so much […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Four Tops (feat. The Temptations)' "Hang"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-four-tops-feat-the-temptations-hang/): Four Tops teamed up with labelmates the Temptations for this toe dip into the pool of Jheri curl juice, 1983’s “Hang.” With lyrics about working hard to get by in a difficult world, “Hang” belongs alongside Zapp‘s “Playin’ Kinda Ruff” on any Jheri curl playlist. If you too feel like your life is an endless cycle of working and paying bills as your social life, youth, hopes and dreams slip through your fingers and time continues its relentless march, well, this is the song for you. “Hang” doesn’t really provide any solutions for life’s difficulties, except not to give up […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Atlantic Starr's "Love Me Down"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-atlantic-starrs-love-me-down/): In the first six years of Jheri Curl June, we’ve had occasion to cover two of what I like to call the “Three Stars” of Jheri Curl Music: Midnight Star and Starpoint. So, now that we’re on year seven, I think it’s past time that we gave Star #3, a.k.a. Atlantic Starr, their due. I’ll admit, there’s a reason why it took us so long. Atlantic Starr is my least favorite of the “Three Stars” by some margin; their music, particularly during the peak of their late-’80s crossover success, tended to be softer and more ballad-heavy, verging on adult-contemporary, compared […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Mystic Merlin's "Mindreader"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-mystic-merlins-mindreader/): This track by Mystic Merlin is a great early Jheri Curl song: funky but still mellow, with a real horn section and a clear disco bent with its Nile Rodgers-esque guitar riff. Mystic Merlin was initially a novelty band who incorporated magician acts in their live shows. Their 1982 album Full Moon continues with the mystical, magical motif. Many of the track titles include some reference to magic, and the album cover (see above) is an image of the band dressed in harem pants and turbans and posed with a scimitar, an hour glass, and a genie lamp, all in […]
- [The Return of Jheri Curl June: Best Curls in the World](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/the-return-of-jheri-curl-june-best-curls-in-the-world/): So, let’s begin with the elephant in the room. As you might recall, last year the month of June began mere days after the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which made the idea of a semi-irreverent celebration of dated Black music and hairstyles by two privileged White people feel… tone-deaf, to say the least. It was also, of course, less than three months into a once-in-a-lifetime (knock on wood) global pandemic… long story short, we just weren’t in a party mood. But now it’s a year later; and, while the cops still haven’t stopped killing Black people–nor, despite […]
- [12 Months of Mike Month 9: Shrek 2](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/12-months-of-mike-month-9-shrek-2/): Well, folks, it took us nine months, but our year-long immersion into the filmography of Mike Myers has finally broken us, as evidenced by the uncontrollable fit of laughter Callie breaks into over the thought of Shrek and Fiona driving around in a giant onion. Listen as the last vestiges of our sanity finally slip away–and then come back in the first week of July when we do it all over again with Shrek the Third!
- [12 Months of Mike Month 8: The Cat in the Hat (Family Friendly Censored Version)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/12-months-of-mike-month-8-the-cat-in-the-hat-family-friendly-censored-version/): For the very tiny subset of Dystopian Dance Party listeners who are also children and huge Mike Myers Cat in the Hat fans (i.e., literally just Zach’s son), here’s a family-friendly version of our most recent podcast. As an added bonus, by just bleeping out the curse words, we put exactly the same amount of effort into making this appropriate for kids as Brian Grazer and Bo Welch put into the actual movie! SON OF A BI…
- [12 Months of Mike Month 8: The Cat in the Hat](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/12-months-of-mike-month-8-the-cat-in-the-hat/): After eight months, we’ve finally reached the film that started this whole ridiculous project in the first place… and now, jokes on us, we still have to watch three more Shrek movies. Join us as we discuss The Cat in the Hat, the infamous film that ended live-action adaptations of Dr. Seuss books and Mike Myers‘ career as a movie star, all in one fell swoop. We’re so ex-ciii-ted!
- [12 Months of Mike Month 7: Austin Powers in Goldmember](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/12-months-of-mike-month-7-austin-powers-in-goldmember/): Since the very beginning of this ill-fated project, we’ve been dreading a rewatch of Austin Powers in Goldmember, and let’s just say it didn’t disappoint. Join us as we discuss how Goldmember makes Fat Bastard look like one of the great characters of literary history, and why we’re relieved that there’s still (knock on wood) no sign of a fourth movie on the horizon. We’ll be back by the end of the month with a movie that, somehow, seems like a breath of fresh air at this point: The Cat in the Hat.
- [12 Months of Mike Month 6: Shrek](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/12-months-of-mike-month-6-shrek/): The wait is ogre! We’ve reached the halfway point of our 12-month series on the films of Mike Myers, and (sigh) the quarter-way point of the four goddamn Shrek movies we decided to include for some reason. Still, we had fun discussing what makes Shrek a Mike Myers character (spoiler alert: it’s mostly the Scottish accent) and the slow transformation of Shrek from lauded Palme d’Or competitor to Gen Z meme fodder. Remember to tell us which Mike movie represents your birth month, and we’ll see you again next for (deeper sigh) Austin Powers in Goldmember.
- [12 Months of Mike Month 5: Austin Powers - The Spy Who Shagged Me](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/12-months-of-mike-month-4-austin-powers-the-spy-who-shagged-me/): Well, folks, we watched the second Austin Powers movie and lived to talk about it. Join us as we discuss infuriating anachronisms, the decline of Mike Myers’ side characters, and of course, the “Urkelization” of Dr. Evil. And then join us next month as we examine the first of… Jesus Christ, are we really watching four Shrek movies?!?!
- [12 Months of Mike Month 4: Austin Powers - International Man of Mystery](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/12-months-of-mike-month-4-austin-powers-international-man-of-mystery/): The bad news is, we’re a day late for Month 4 of our year-long deep dive into the cinematic oeuvre of Mike Myers; but the good news is, the movie we’re discussing may just be the best of the bunch. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery holds up surprisingly well, and feels in retrospect like Myers’ peak as a singular creative voice. It’s all downhill from here, folks! We’ll be back later in January for what will likely be a much more sobering look at the 1999 sequel, The Spy Who Shagged Me; in the meantime, though, this is our […]
- [12 Months of Mike Month 3: Wayne's World 2](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/12-months-of-mike-month-3-waynes-world-2/): We’re now a quarter of the way through our year-long deep dive into the cinematic oeuvre of Mike Myers, and would you believe it, the movie is actually pretty darn good: Wayne’s World 2 may not be quite on the same level as its predecessor, but it’s funnier and more memorable than a sequel to a Saturday Night Live spinoff movie has any right to be. Join us as we discuss our favorite and least favorite scenes, the only circumstances under which we would be interested in seeing a Wayne’s World 3, and whether Wayne and Garth are actually ageless, […]
- [12 Months of Mike Month 2: So I Married an Axe Murderer](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/12-months-of-mike-month-2-so-i-married-an-axe-murderer/): Well, we’re only two months into our year-long foray into the cinematic oeuvre of Mike Myers, and we’re already starting to regret it. 1993’s So I Married an Axe Murderer is, we take no pleasure in reporting, a thoroughly mediocre film that also has the nerve to subject us to way too many shots of Myers’ unclothed lower body. Let us know what you think in the blog comments or on social media, and join us next month for a much better Mike Myers movie from 1993, Wayne’s World 2.
- [12 Months of Mike Month 1: Wayne's World (1992)](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/12-months-of-mike-month-1-waynes-world-1992/): Our year-long deep dive on the cinematic oeuvre of Mike Myers officially kicks off with Wayne’s World, and it’s arguably all downhill from here. Join us for some genuine gushing about one of our all-time favorite movies (even though we’re both in agreement that Mike may actually be the worst part). Remember to leave your comments about Wayne’s World, Mike’s pre-film career, or next month’s So I Married an Axe Murderer–we’re collecting feedback to read in the next episode!
- [Dystopian Dance Party Presents 12 Months of Mike](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/dystopian-dance-party-presents-12-months-of-mike/): After another nearly year-long hiatus, the Dystopian Dance Party podcast has returned with something literally no one asked for: a year-long deep dive into the cinematic ouevre of Saturday Night Live alum/man of a thousand catchphrases/notorious Hollywood diva Mike Myers. In this first episode, we delve into Mike’s pre-feature film career and (sort of) explain why we’ve been possessed to do this. Come for the cracks about Cat in the Hat, stay for the clips of ’70s and ’80s Canadian TV shows!
- [Podcast: Dystopian Book Club vs. George Clinton’s Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Hard on You?](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/podcast-dystopian-book-club-vs-george-clintons-brothas-be-yo-like-george-aint-that-funkin-kinda-hard-on-you/): Zach and Callie reconvene in (by our standards) record time for another Dystopian Book Club Official Selection: Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Hard on You? by Parliament–Funkadelic maestro George Clinton. Enjoy as we discuss our love of P-Funk and the book’s disappointing lack of hot deets on the Super Mario Bros. movie.
- [Podcast: We Saw KISS ¯\_(ツ)_/¯](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/podcast-we-saw-kiss-2/): After devoting much of the last three years to our love-hate relationship with ’70s clown-rockers KISS, we felt it was only appropriate to catch them on their (alleged) farewell tour and pay our final (dis)respects. Here are our impressions. This is another short one, but we’ll be back in a few weeks to talk about the autobiography of P-Funk originator George Clinton, Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Hard on You? If you have any questions or comments about the book you’d like us to address on air, find us on on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.
- [Jheri Curl June: Pink Rhythm's "Melodies of Love"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-pink-rhythms-melodies-of-love/): We’ve been making an effort to include some international Jheri Jams this year, from the Japanese City Pop of Hitomi Tohyama’s “Wanna Kiss” to the French post-disco groove of J.M. Black’s “Lipstick (Shout!).” Today, we’re showcasing the Brit-funk cult classic, “Melodies of Love” by Pink Rhythm. From the twinkling, dramatic synth opening to the throbbing bassline and dripping Moog solo, this song is soaked with jheri juice. I imagine it playing over a montage of extreme closeups of Jheri curls being seductively played with in a room full of mirrors and purple strobe lights. Don’t kink shame. We have one […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Chaka Khan's "This is My Night"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-chaka-khans-this-is-my-night/): We’re breaking Jheri Curl June protocol in a few ways today: first, because Callie and I were both out of town on a family vacation last Thursday and Friday, we’ve extended Ladies’ Week into the first few days of this week. And second, rather than following up Callie’s 1985 Aretha pick with something later, I’m going a year back in time. My original plan had been to pick something from Destiny, Chaka Khan’s 1986 followup to her smash 1984 album I Feel for You. But, frankly, there isn’t anything on Destiny that slaps anywhere near as hard as I Feel […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Aretha Franklin's "Who's Zoomin' Who"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-aretha-franklins-whos-zoomin-who/): Last summer when we lost Aretha Franklin, I realized what a massive oversight it was that we hadn’t inducted her into Jheri Curl June yet. Aretha became known as the Queen of Soul for her ’60s hits including “Respect,” “Chain of Fools,” “Think,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and “I Say a Little Prayer”; but it’s her 30th (!!) studio album, Who’s Zoomin’ Who?, that qualifies her as a Jheri Curl Chanteuse. Who’s Zoomin’ Who? was recorded and produced with a younger, more contemporary audience in mind, hence its Very Jheri production: slick synthesizers, a programmed drum […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Shannon's "Let the Music Play"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-shannons-let-the-music-play/): We’ve long since established that Jheri Curl Music is an amorphous genre, with many roots and branches; but even still, it isn’t every day when we get to spotlight a track that is both perfectly Jheri Curl and emblematic of a style all its own. Shannon’s “Let the Music Play,” released as a single in 1983, is just such a track. The song’s inventive mix of Latin rhythms and electronic instrumentation–“a cross between Gary Numan and Tito Puente,” as music journalist Peter Shapiro put it–sparked enough innovators to earn its own genre designation: “the Shannon Sound,” it was called at […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Carrie Lucas' "Men"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-carrie-lucas-men/): Carrie Lucas began her career as a backup singer for the Whispers before signing to SOLAR Records. While she didn’t have any breakout hits during her solo career, 1982’s Still in Love is a Jheri Curl classic which includes a song produced by Nicholas Caldwell of the Whispers, as well as today’s Jheri Curl June song, “Men.” What would Ladies’ Week be without a funky jaunt through the ways that men are absolute trash? “Men” begins with a list of the homekeeping duties and emotional labor that women are expected to do for men, asking, “Is this a woman’s place?” […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Sinnamon's "Thanks to You"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-sinnamons-thanks-to-you/): Each June, we set aside a week to celebrate the women of Jheri Curl Music. This year, we’re kicking off Jheri Curl June Ladies’ Week with not one, but three women: Melissa Bell, Marsha Carter, and Barbara Fowler, who together comprised the vocal trio Sinnamon. Sinnamon’s 1982 single, “Thanks to You,” is a certified Jheri Curl jam: a sassy kiss-off to an ex-boyfriend whose “lovin’ services” are no longer required because the ladies of Sinnamon have “found somebody new.” The track’s sleek, futuristic beat and gospel-inspired vocals took it to the top of Billboard’s Hot Dance Music chart–making it by […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Ashford & Simpson's "Outta the World"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-ashford-simpsons-outta-the-world/): It’s honestly shocking to me that in the six-year run of Jheri Curl June, we’ve never covered Ashford & Simpson, the ultimate soul music couple. Ashford & Simpson are what Jheri Curl June inductees René & Angela aspired to look like: a powerhouse singer-songwriter married couple. Beginning their careers as successful songwriters, Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson wrote songs for Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles before joining Motown and continuing their trail of hits. But what we’re interested in here at Dystopian Dance Party is the second decade of Ashford & Simpson’s solo career: specifically, 1984’s Solid, when the couple went […]
- [Jheri Curl June: J.M. Black's "Lipstick (Shout!)"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-j-m-blacks-lipstick-shout/): For this penultimate post in Week 2 of Jheri Curl June VIbe, I thought I’d highlight another piece of International Jheri Curl. This time, our world tour takes us to France: a country with a vibrant post-disco and boogie scene documented by Born Bad Records’ excellent Chébran compilations. One of the highlights of Chébran Volume 2 (which I reviewed last June for Spectrum Culture) is this 1984 track by J.M. Black. “Lipstick (Shout!)” actually isn’t as “international” as you might expect: as the 7″ sleeve (above) proudly proclaims, it was recorded in the boogie ground zero of New York City. […]
- [Jheri Curl June: James Ingram's "Party Animal"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-james-ingrams-party-animal/): Earlier this year when we lost James Ingram, I took that as an opportunity to delve deeper into his music. Although I was aware that he was an accomplished singer and songwriter, I was mainly familiar with “Yah Mo B There” and the fact that he helped turn “P.Y.T.” by Michael Jackson into the undisputed Jheri Curl banger that it is today. If James Ingram was behind “P.Y.T.,” I knew he was bound to have some Jheri gems in his solo career; and lo and behold, the first track on his debut solo album, 1983’s It’s Your Night–nestled right there […]
- [Jheri Curl June: DeBarge's "Be My Lady"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-debarges-be-my-lady/): We at Dystopian Dance Party are, to put it mildly, super fucking hyped about the Bobby DeBarge biopic premiering later this month on TVOne: it’s basically the equivalent of Avengers: Endgame for fans of bad music movies, Jheri Curl Cinema, and/or Party City wigs. Since the movie is airing during the High Holy Month of Jheri Curl June, we’ll almost definitely do something around its release; in the meantime, though, here’s a song by DeBarge from their 1983 album In a Special Way. “Be My Lady,” the album’s opening track, finds the DeBarge siblings in full-on Jacksons mode–in large part […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Michael Wycoff's "On the Line"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-michael-wycoffs-on-the-line/): Today’s Jheri Curl June inductee, Michael Wycoff, was a backup singer on Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life, as well as a contributor to some of 7th Wonder’s and Natalie Cole’s albums. In 1980 he began releasing solo albums, but it wasn’t until 1983’s On the Line that he fully embraced the Jheri. Aside from the obvious musical qualifications of the title track in particular, On the Line also makes use of a red landline phone on the album cover. My theory, which I’m still fleshing out, is that the red phone is is a staple in Jheri […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Hitomi Tohyama's "Wanna Kiss"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-hitomi-tohyamas-wanna-kiss/): Every year for Jheri Curl June, we go a little further out into the roots and branches of the genre. This year, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at some of the more far-flung examples of Jheri Curl Music from around the world: International Jheri Curl, if you will. One such example is “City Pop,” a loosely-defined subgenre of Western-influenced pop music that came to prominence during Japan’s economic boom of the 1970s and ’80s. Not all City Pop is Jheri Curl Music; the Japanese genre covers a wide swathe of styles, from AOR and soft […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Larry Graham's "Sooner or Later"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-larry-grahams-sooner-or-later/): Listen, I have been sitting on this Jheri Jam for a whole year, sustaining multiple burns on my ass from trying to contain this hot track. But, before we get into that, LOOK AT THAT ALBUM COVER. Larry Graham peeks out from a hot pink, palm-leafed environment, popping his collar and looking like Magnum motherfuckin’ PI. If ever there was an album cover that looked precisely how the album sounds, this is it. By the release of 1982’s Sooner or Later, Graham was already an elder statesman of funk, having been a member of Sly & The Family Stone, worked […]
- [Jheri Curl June: Cameo's "Flirt"](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/jheri-curl-june-cameos-flirt/): It’s a testament to the depth and breadth of Jheri Curl Music that in five Jheri Curl Junes, only two bands have been featured repeatedly: Slave (with 2015’s “Watching You” and 2017’s “Turn You Out”) and the Gap Band (who kicked off 2015 with “You Dropped a Bomb on Me,” followed by last year’s “Disrespect”). This year, for our sixth Jheri Curl June, we’re bequeathing that honor on a third group: Cameo, whose 1986 jam “Candy” was part of the very first JCJ way back in 2014. My pick for this year comes from earlier in the group’s career, but […]

## Pages

- [Dystopian Dance Party](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/index/)
- [Front Page](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/pauly/)
- [About Us](https://dystopiandanceparty.com/about/): Dystopian Dance Party was founded in 2014 by brother and sister Zach and Callie to indulge our mutual interests in 1980s R&B, hair metal, bad movies, and blathering about our opinions. It remains a space for us to talk about whatever we want, however obscure or pointless, with little to no regard for a potential audience. Because we’re not catering to any particular audience or niche, it’s difficult to determine whether Dystopian Dance Party might be right for you. But you’ll probably find something to like about us if you’re into any of the following: jheri curls, neon signs, old synthesizers, […]


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