The concept for Village People was sold to Casablanca Records before the members had even been found. Morali’s first recruit Felipe Rose (Native American) came from a serendipitous meeting where the two literally bumped into each other on the streets of the village. Alex Briley (began as an athlete but then took on a soldier persona) was hand-picked by Willis, while Mark Mussler (original construction worker), Dave Forrest (original cowboy), Lee Mouton (original leatherman) and Peter Whitehead (one of the group’s early songwriters) rounded out the group. Thus by 1977 at the very height of disco, Village People had finally formed.
“You weren’t even born back then,” laughs Alex Briley when reminiscing of the group’s formation. “It’s a really heart-warming thing to realise that people from younger generations, perhaps in their 20’s, still want to hear Village People. People from all walks of life and all ages love disco. It’s such a welcoming genre.”
Indeed, the appeal of Village People’s infectious take on camp disco traverses many generations. Since the release of their 1977 self-titled debut, the group have released nine studio albums over their career and have gone on to sell over 100 million records worldwide, with their penchant for catchy musical motifs and suggestive lyricism resulting in some of the most ubiquitous hits of the era, including Can’t Stop the Music, Macho Man, In The Navy, and of course YMCA.
“To put it simply, 2014 was just another great year for us,” he details when juxtaposing his current life as a member of the Village People against the earlier days of their formation. “We got to travel to so many countries and perform for so many different people. Of course, we played at a lot of places in the States, but it’s always a great honour that our job allows us to visit so many different people. We had a chance to visit Columbia, we had a chance to visit Chile, and we even got to visit Russia. We always look forward to getting out and experiencing new audiences, where ever that might be. It was a really busy year – but that’s a good thing.”
While Village People may have not released a studio album since 1985’s Sex Over the Phone, having maintained a relentless touring schedule for almost four decades the group have seen their music exposed to many generations of music lovers, and have solidified their position as the undisputed kings of disco.
“Over the course of our career, we’ve revisited and toured so many places, but every single time we get to experience a new audience,” he notes. “We’re always looking forward to returning to some countries and also exploring new and different territories.
“The only difference is that children of the fans from the ‘70s are coming to see us now,” he laughs.
With a back-catalogue laced with so many feel-good hits, does Briley have a favourite to perform on stage? “I’d have to agree with the audience, and when we’re performing there’s no doubt that YMCA gets the biggest reaction out of all of our hits,” he shares. “Songs like YMCA, people enjoy hearing it because it reminds them of great times they’ve had in the past. It really just gets the crowd going. But then again, you never know. It depends where you’re playing. Sometimes Macho Man gets the biggest response, sometimes it’s In The Navy. When it comes down to it, our music is just non-pretentious, no-frills fun. I really enjoy performing each and every song that we have.
“Recently we’ve also been performing a new song that was written for us by KC and the Sunshine Band, and it’s been getting a great response every night. Having been around for so long, one of my favourite things these days is running into friends who also grew up in the disco era, and to see them still working, and to get to share music with them.”
Next month will see the group return to Australian shores for a run of headline performances alongside a late-night slot at Golden Plains. “One thing that we’ve always enjoyed about coming to Australia is the energy that you get from the audiences,” he notes. “Whether it be Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide or Perth, the energy is just like no other country on the planet.
“I remember one of the first times we ever played in Australia. We all noticed how nicely the crowd was dressed – as if they were going out for a fancy dinner or something. By the end of the night, the women had kicked off their heels and were dancing on tables, the men throwing away their shirts, ties and jackets. We’ve visited Australia so many times. We’ve had some wonderful times and met so many wonderful people. We’re going to hit that stage with as much energy that we can muster up and just have a really good time.”
As for the future of the Village People? While Briley is soon to reach his 40th year with the group, he details that he doesn’t see them stopping their spreading of the good word of the gospel of disco any time soon. “How long will the Village People stick around? Well, that all comes down to how long people want to hear from us,” he laughs. “We’ve been doing this for well over 35 years but it’s never showed any signs of slowing down. Our touring schedule for the rest of this year is really jam-packed. We’re really lucky to do able to do what we do, and to have been able to do it for so long.”
BY TYSON WRAY
