Facing The Facts With Earth, Wind & Fire

NINETEEN SEVENTY-nine was a glorious year for Earth, Wind & Fire. With the music industry priming disco as its next messiah, previously popular bands — especially if they were black — had better have had their ears fine-tuned, for a tidal wave of new dance-oriented sounds was washing their way. Many bands, indeed, were swept away by the unholy force of disco, never to be heard from again (i.e. B.T. Express, War, Graham Central Station, the Ohio Players, Average White Band). Most others suffered temporarily (i.e. the Spinners, Kool & the Gang, the Manhattans) and have since recouped their financial and psychological losses.