AT 11 24/7
Bartleby
Bartleby
Add To My Trusted Moggers

Take Me Out!

Posted about 1 year ago
  • Artist:
    Hercules & Love Affair
  • Album:
    Hercules & Love Affair
  • Track:
    Hercules' Theme

[Hercules & Love Affair - Hercules's Theme / 4:29]

Week-ending seldom rhymes with body-bending - at least not any more. In lieu of booty shaking and other substance abuse, mine was spent listening to "neo-disco" by Hercules & Love Affair

If you're a wanna-be hipster like myself and rely on The Hype Machine, Elbows and other music blogs, you'll surely read things like this: "Hercules & Love Affair is a side project of Antony Hegarty" or "Take away his Johnsons and you'll find that Antony has an infectious strain of disco tinged tunes..." - All right, I confess that the last part was entirely mine. Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

No doubt, the Greek mythology geeks out there have already recognised the subtle reference to the apocryphal romance between Heracles and Hylas which would lead to the Etruscan's untimely demise (yes I'm aware of mixing up two mythologies, the Greek and the Roman ). Poetic licence aside, H&LA is a protean project of Brooklyn-based DJ and producer Andy Butler with collaborations by Antony Hegarty, and NYC scenesters Kim Ann Foxtan and Nomi working under one creed: "Dance and the world will dance with you."

Truth be told, it's not so much the "danceability" of H&LA which appeals to me over the week-end but rather a certain elegiac feeling one gets from listening to Hegarty's vocals seamlessly weaved together with the vibes of golden time disco.

To illustrate this, I'll leave you with "Hercules' Theme" whose horns just reverberate infinitely for accrued aural pleasure and the carousel wistful dance of "Time Will."

More info and streaming available on Hercules & Love Affair's MySpace page / Hercules' Theme can be downloaded here

0

Comments (27)

  1. Bartleby
    Bartleby says Regarding the dance manifesto of H&LA, here what Butler says: "In the long run, I want to set up public meeting points where people can dance. It's important that you dance in front of people. I think to do a little interpretive dance to express yourself in front of 20 people every day would change the way people approach each other. It's a good wholesome thing to do. It lets your guard down and communicates so much to other people without saying a word." Here the video for their single out on 3rd March: Bonus track: "Raise Me Up" / 3:51
    Permalink posted 02/25/2008
  2. brendanhalpin
    brendanhalpin says Puts me in mind of the Communards. I gotta get to work on my dance manifesto...
    Permalink posted 02/25/2008
  3. kristiana
    kristiana says I whole-heartedly agree with the dance manifesto! Wow, thanks! I really enjoyed that. Also enjoyed looking at all the beautiful women, nice videos! Was that one of the CocoRosie sisters, the last gal in the first video?
    Permalink posted 02/25/2008
  4. Oatmeal
    Oatmeal says I also dig this. Going on a list of dance stuff that someday will fit into my budget. Great horn arrangement.
    Permalink posted 02/25/2008
  5. Augusts1
    Augusts1 says Take you out? Where are we going Michael? haha I've heard Antony Hegarty's voice before somewhere & I just can't quite place it. He reminds me of Mick Hucknall from Simply Red as well. Liking these songs. So '70s style disco is hip again huh? You faux hipster you!
    Permalink posted 02/25/2008
  6. Mike the Knife
    Mike the Knife says Diggin' these trax the most, Bart. Meanwhile... kristiana: I think that a number of those glam models in the video were not originally women - or aren't even now. But what do I know? I'm just a longtime San Franciscan. (heh)
    Permalink posted 02/25/2008
  7. ivylander
    ivylander says I see what you mean, B. Its' kind of life disco with a viral worm in it that consumes the music even as it's playing. (Or is that just the tab of acid I dropped an hour ago?)
    Permalink posted 02/26/2008
  8. kristiana
    kristiana says I went back and looked again - that's definitely one of the CocoRosie gals.
    Permalink posted 02/26/2008
  9. kristiana
    kristiana says Mike - so long as they think they're women...? Either way...beautiful people then!
    Permalink posted 02/26/2008
  10. Cody B
    Cody B says The theme is a disco-funk gem, for me it outshines the others, cause i can't handle the vocals straight up. The horns are deliciously used throughout. Very nice..ooh that raise me Up breakdown is nice too. stellar,b.
    Permalink posted 02/26/2008
  11. HelenMarie
    HelenMarie says "Dance and the world will dance with you." Great quote. Interesting vid in the post, I noticed quite a few fake eyelashes. And here here, Mike...a Tampa Bayian knows as well. Beautiful none the less though like kristiana says. And what a sexy vid in the comments. Liked the video's and the horns, the singing just doesn't grab me though...but, talented no doubt. Cheers B.
    Permalink posted 02/26/2008
  12. Bartleby
    Bartleby says *Brendan*: Thanks for popping in. It didn't occur to me but what you said is true somehow. H&LA could be an update of the Communards with original lyrics though. *Kristiana*: Yes, I believe you're right. It's the CocoRosie girls in the first video. It's not really a surprise since they're friends of Antony. - Glad, you approve of the dance manifesto. So when will get to see you grove that thang? ;) - Not to worry, men or women they're quite a delight for the eyes. *Oatmeal*: Hey, it's so nice to visit the corner of the MOG-o-sphere. I think H&LA is worth the price tag. Agree with you, the horns are so very evocative. *Aug*: You found me out: I'm a fhipster (or faux hipster) -- It's hard to pass yourself as hipster when you use words like "apocryphal" ;) Antony Hegarty is Antony & The Johnsons - he won the Mercury Prize for his "Now, I'm a Bird" album in 2005 (Highly recommended not because of the prize but for the beauty of his poignant confession of a woman trapped in the body of a man / You might hate it because of its pathos, though) - Antony has sung with Lou Reed among others and contributed to Joan Wasser's album (also recommended by this scrivener) Here's the clip to "Bird Gerhl" *Mike*: Thank you so much for being so regular in visiting this abode. I feel really honoured. As for the "transformers" in the clip, it's no surprise when you think that Andy Butler chose as his artistic name Hercules, hunky man and his homosexual tryst. Men and women, the blurring of genders is what H&LA is about. *Ivy*: I think I'm the one who popped an acid. -- Seriously though, I think Butler and his partners/collaborators are very much influenced by the gay scene of The Paradise Garage and Larry Levan. I read in an interview that H&LA was a reaction to the gay community attitude towards disco which was associated with unhappy/unlucky surge of Aids back in the late 70s early 80s. A sort of re-appraisal of disco if you will. *Cody*: What do you reckon of their Larry Levan's heritage? I'm glad you like my little attempt at being a hipster. I agree with you, the horns are a delight on the Theme. It's by far, my favourite dance tune by H&LA. They should have released as the firts single, I think. *Sunny*: For you, I'll dance around the world ;) Ah, those men are more women than some girls I know. Never mind the genders, I like the looks.
    Permalink posted 02/26/2008
  13. Cody B
    Cody B says I don't always associcate the Garage with a gay scene..the cool part was the inclusiveness of it..gay/straight/black/white/latino..post-disco (but still disco) I suppose. Are you saying there is a backlash in the current gay community against disco and the H&LA are answering that with this salvo? Too many post-s and neo-s for me.. The politics, I don't get, but I liked the records.
    Permalink posted 02/26/2008
  14. scotfree
    scotfree says Liked the "Herc..." tune very well, and the vid for the new single in comments was great! As SD said, some of the other vocs kept me from listening all the way through. August says "Simply Red" - yes I hear that! (and haven't thought about them in yeeaaarrrrssss!!) I thinks I saw a leisure suit up at the Goodwill..... Nice post my friend!!
    Permalink posted 02/26/2008
  15. Jonh Ingham
    Jonh Ingham says Just discovered Herc (Cool Herc??) over the weekend, so timely to actually be delivered a tune and a vid. For which I thank you. every bit as good as the gushing praise has said they are. I'm off for the free track.
    Permalink posted 02/27/2008
  16. Bartleby
    Bartleby says *Cody*: I'm not familiar with the Garage as I believe it disappeared long before my coming of age - My romantic notions made me think that it was more inclusive than exclusive. Also, I believe the gay community is sort of denying the disco which they help create... Neo's and post's are the staples of hipsters, aren't they? *Scot*: I guess it's time for us to take that flared-cut denim off from our attic, dust if off and put it on and start to shake that groove thing ;) *Jonh*: Thanks for popping in. What do you make of the band's name? I wonder what an old-school record company executive would have said about them and their music...
    Permalink posted 02/27/2008
  17. Jonh Ingham
    Jonh Ingham says I can imagine a disco-period band being called Hercules, but not the whole shebang. Which I think is fantastic. It sounds like a band whose lead is actually called Hercules! Given the personalities and sexual natures of the band, this looks more like music for a label like Fantasy, who signed Sylvester. I think it's certain that Doug Morris or Jimmy Iovine wouldn't get it.
    Permalink posted 02/27/2008
  18. poebegone
    poebegone says "Week-ending seldom rhymes with body-bending" has my vote for best mog post opener of the week, and it’s only Thursday. "do a little interpretive dance to express yourself in front of 20 people every day" - call me a misanthrope and hermit, thank you. i am all about dancing in the dark (to the radio of love, lights out, uh-huh!).
    Permalink posted 02/27/2008
  19. HelenMarie
    HelenMarie says oh llay...bouw chica bow wow ; )
    Permalink posted 02/28/2008
  20. Bartleby
    Bartleby says *Jonh*: Sylvester is most apt in this instance. H&LA has the same sort of campy energy. Thanks for indulging me with your conjectures. *Poe*: Coming from you, Ilay, that's a very flattering statement. I'm not it's entirely deserved as my opener is a bit of nonsense really. -- I myself am a dancer in the dark (no reference to Lars Von Trier's film, please) *Sunny*: Will you dance with me? -- In my experience, lights off will be better as I've been known to scare people even with a bag on my head :p
    Permalink posted 02/28/2008
  21. HelenMarie
    HelenMarie says After the Hob Nob Shiraz...I'm more likely to dance. ; )
    Permalink posted 02/28/2008
  22. poebegone
    poebegone says H: Hob Nob Shiraz is funny. were you bowwowing my '80s Peter Wolf reference? blast, blast, blast! ;p M: Lars is a sadist, except with that movie we shall not mention. "Neo's and post's are the staples of hipsters, aren't they?" - hah!
    Permalink posted 02/28/2008
  23. Bartleby
    Bartleby says *Sunny*: Hob Knob? I know you didn't write but I did read it :::cheeky mode::: *Poe*: A hipster like should the tools of his trade. Care to play?
    Permalink posted 02/28/2008
  24. poebegone
    poebegone says why, Michael, you're such a hipster you can really get down like 1999. lucky for me, i know how to party like 1993. (;
    Permalink posted 02/29/2008
  25. Anna
    Anna says I'm as entertained by the tunes as I am by that great cover art :)
    Permalink posted 03/05/2008
  26. Anna
    Anna says I just realized that I will be seeing them at this festival: http://www.ejekt.gr/ Thank you for preparing me :)
    Permalink posted 06/06/2008
  27. Bartleby
    Bartleby says Hey, I like when my old threats are resurrected especially by such a charming nurse as yourself... That festival sounds like a killer and their website is really cool. (Love all that Flash presentation). Don't forget to throw a glow stick or two for when you're there discoing the night away.
    Permalink posted 06/06/2008

Comment on this Post

Login using email and password below.

Forgot Password?

Don't have an account?
Join MOG. It's Free!

Top Artists

Top Artists From A to Z

Our Daily Picks

RSS

Top Ringtones and MP3s

Top Blog Aggregators

© 2006-2009 Mog Inc. All Rights Reserved

Join MOG Today. It's Free.

We hate spam even more than you do. We will NOT sell your email address.

Pick a good one! Screen name can't be changed.

Must be at least six characters.

For Musicians
Cancel

Already A Mogger?