The Last Dance: Farewell to Mel Cheren, Godfather of Disco

Golden years: Mel Cheren holds court.

That extra shimmer on the Hannukah disco ball might actually be a tear. Mel Cheren, the undisputed Godfather of Disco, passed away on Friday due to complications from AIDS. According to one of his favorite charities, Gay Men's Health Crisis, he was 74 years old.

Cheren was a New Yorker through and through, from the heat generated by Manhattan clubs in winter to summers spent dancing on Fire Island. He worked in production at ABC/Paramount Records beginning in 1959, and later moved on to Scepter Records. There, his career found its groove, so to speak, as disco began to ferment in the 1970s.

Bring the funk on Mel Cheren after the jump!

Lessons learned: The Godfather of Disco speaks.

Perhaps most famously, Cheren co-founded the seminal disco label, West End Records, in 1976. Its tunes inspired pre-Sugarhill Gang hip-hop, and eventually found their biggest audience with the amply sampled smash, “Heartbeat,” by Taana Gardner. He provided financial backing for the legendary club, Paradise Garage, from 1977-87. The venue on King Street in the West Village hosted Madonna in early years she’d likely prefer to deny, and it housed the late DJ, Larry Levan. Sounds from Paradise Garage traveled across the Atlantic to influence youngsters of the era like Paul Oakenfold and Danny Rampling.

As the 80s approached and the dark clouds of the AIDS crisis gathered, Cheren supported organizations like GMHC, and he launched his own non-profit group, 24 Hours for Life, dedicated to the fight against the disease. He recounted his experience of the epidemic just weeks ago in an interview with CBS News on Logo.

Cheren wrote about his remarkable adventures in the autobiography, My Life and the Paradise Garage: Keep on Dancin’. Recently, that book was made into the film, The Godfather of Disco, directed by Gene Graham.

The Godfather of Disco. Aka, G.O.D.

Comments

[Stanley Reed]

Mel Cheren had a major influence on dance music. His work still resonates today. He will be sorely missed.

To the suviving Garage Heads "Love Is The Message!"

[Brian Scott]

Wow an era has really gone by. I remember Mel back in the days of The Garage". It was good seeing him over the years, because it reminded me of what once was. After losing Mike, Noel and Larry, it seemed like the party scene we experienced was just a dream......but a plesant one.

[WShade]

Rest in peace Mel! Sept. 1987...Larry Levan in the booth...the Ninjas and Ganzas on the dancefloor...and everyone asking..."Where Do We Go From Here?". Save a spot on that dancefloor for me. I'll meet you guys in the VIP room.