Boogie

Boogie on vinyl: funk after disco

In short: Boogie is the funk that came after the disco wave ended around 1980: a little slower, with rubbery synth bass, drum machines and glossy keyboards. Slave, The Gap Band and Alicia Myers shaped the sound, which later influenced house and electro. The Vinyl Room currently has 94 boogie records, most of them from the eighties.

What is boogie?

Fewer strings, more electronics: boogie swapped the big disco orchestra for synthesizers and drum machines. Here you’ll find The Gap Band with “Gap Band VII”, Melba Moore with “What A Woman Needs”, Fonda Rae with “Live It Up” and many smaller groups such as High Fashion or Dream Machine.

The sound travelled far – from Japan, for example, comes Atsuko Nina with “Play Room”.

What to look for

Many boogie tracks came out as 12-inch singles with longer versions for DJs. Whether original or reissue is noted with each copy.

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FAQ

What is boogie? Early-eighties funk after the disco era, with synth bass, drum machines and keyboards.

What is the difference from disco? Boogie is usually slower, more electronic and relies less on string orchestras.

Who shaped boogie? Among others Slave, The Gap Band and Alicia Myers.

Why are there so many 12-inches? Because boogie was made for DJs – 12-inch singles offered longer versions for the dance floor.