Premium Content:

On This Gay Day | DJ Larry Levan was born

Legendary DJ Larry Levan was born on this day in 1954

DJ Larry Levan was born on this day in 1954. He left this world too early – aged just 38 years old in 1992.

The NYC DJ is synonyms with the Paradise Garage, the legendary club venue where Levan was the resident DJ for over a decade.

- Advertisement -

Levan got his start DJing at the famous gay venue The Continental Baths. A close friend and fellow DJ at the baths was Frankie Knuckles. In the late ’70s he was heavily involved in NYC’s Black drag scene.

In 1977 Levan was offered a residency at The Paradise Garage, the former garage in Hudson Square, New York was a club that served no alcohol, or beverages and it wasn’t open to the general public.

Levan was famous for his eclectic sets that included everything from disco to hip hop and British indie bands. He became a sought-after remixer and producer giving a dance vibe to many tunes.

 Influential post-disco DJ François Kevorkian credits Levan with introducing the dub aesthetic into dance music.

Levan, who was gay, died of heart failure in NYC in 1992. He’s remembered for the many great records he remixed including Gwen Guthrie’s Aint Nothin’ Goin’ on but the Rent, Loose Joint’s Is it all over my face? and he even remixed the classic C is for Cookie by Cookie Monster.

In 2006 electronic music duo Matmos paid tribute to Levan with their track Steam and Sequins for Larry Levan.

OIP Staff, Hero image: BROOKLYN, NY- MAY 1:Mural at East Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn on May 1, 2014. Outdoor art gallery known as the Bushwick Collective has most diverse collection of street art in Brooklyn. Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.


You can support our work by subscribing to our Patreon
or contributing to our GoFundMe campaign.

 

Latest

Sophie Turner set to play Lara Croft in new ‘Tomb Raider’ series

Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner has signed up...

Netflix shares the trailer for upcoming series ‘Boots’

Get your first look at the upcoming Netflix series...

Tucker Carlson accused Pete Buttigieg of being a ‘fake gay’

The former Fox News host offered no evidence to support his claim.

Newsletter

Don't miss

Sophie Turner set to play Lara Croft in new ‘Tomb Raider’ series

Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner has signed up...

Netflix shares the trailer for upcoming series ‘Boots’

Get your first look at the upcoming Netflix series...

Tucker Carlson accused Pete Buttigieg of being a ‘fake gay’

The former Fox News host offered no evidence to support his claim.

Tanesha Bennell joins Rainbow Futures WA as Aboriginal Community Organiser

WA's peak body for LGBTQIA+ advocacy has welcomed Bibulmun Noongar woman Tanesha Bennell in a new role.

Sophie Turner set to play Lara Croft in new ‘Tomb Raider’ series

Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner has signed up to play Lara Croft in a new Tomb Raider series coming to Amazon Prime. The...

Netflix shares the trailer for upcoming series ‘Boots’

Get your first look at the upcoming Netflix series Boots. The new drama is inspired by The Pink Marine, the autobiography of former US...