Arts·Commotion

The film Disco's Revenge proves the genre never died

Former MuchMusic veejay Michael Williams shares his thoughts on the new Canadian music documentary Disco's Revenge, which is a deep dive into the genre's history and legacy.

Former MuchMusic veejay Michael Williams shares his thoughts on the new Canadian music documentary

A man in a graphic T-shirt sits at a silver drum kit with a drum stick in his right hand.
The Trammps's drummer Earl Young in a still from the Canadian documentary film Disco's Revenge. (Elevation Pictures)

The documentary film Disco's Revenge digs into the music's history, beginning with its origins tied to the civil rights movement and the Stonewall riots, as well as its lasting impact across genres, communities and generations. 

It premiered on Crave last week, and features interviews with and performances by some of the genre's most influential people, including Nile Rodgers and Chic, Billy Porter, Grandmaster Flash, Fab Five Freddy and more.

Today on Commotion, former MuchMusic veejay Michael Williams joins guest host Rad Simonpillai to share his thoughts on the film and how well it explored the genre's enduring legacy.

It really was church.... There wasn't disco music in the beginning. There was just music that you could dance to.- Michael Williams
WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube (this segment begins at 16:07):

You can listen to the full discussion from today's show on CBC Listen or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, available wherever you get your podcasts.


Interview with Michael Williams produced by Aajah Sauter.