Retro Racket

When singer Jamie Brown persuaded the members of his alternative rock band, Roxanne, to put on platforms and take the stage as a disco revue, it was an act of not-so-quiet desperation. Brown had grown increasingly furious over Roxanne’s inability to develop a following despite a recording deal with CBS Records. Intended as a punk statement on the ridiculousness of the record business, Brown’s ploy completely backfired: People liked Roxanne better when they performed as a disco outfit. So it was that Brown began the unlikely transition to his current eminence, as the Brian Epstein of cover bands.

Today, the 33-year-old owns Perfect World Entertainment, an Agua Dulce-based concern that is the world’s largest purveyor of live disco entertainment. With 16 acts on his roster belting out polyester pop ranging from the Bee Gees to K.C. and the Sunshine Band--plus a half-dozen more covering hair-band hits and new wave to serve the nascent ‘80s revival--Brown is doing better than just staying alive.

“Hiring one of my bands is as safe as hiring a deejay,� he notes. “Plus, you get to watch four talented musicians in afros getting really stupid.�

Brown leaves little to chance. He hires former members of major label bands and rehearses them relentlessly, and he tapped former Kenny G musical director Roger Sause, no stranger to the processed or prefabricated, to produce backup tracks that the bands play along with onstage. The tracks contain keyboard, horn and string parts, making the typical Perfect World ensemble sound much bigger and tighter than it could on its own.

To keep up with demand for live disco among clubs and corporate clients such as Microsoft, Southwest Airlines, Nike and IBM, Brown has started franchising bands around the country. He recently relocated musicians from Los Angeles to New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and Florida, which wasn’t as difficult as one might imagine. According to Brown, his groups make $1,000 to $15,000 per gig, with players in his top bands earning annual salaries in the mid six figures.

Meanwhile, Brown is branching into other genres. At a recent engagement at the House of Blues, Brown’s George Clinton-style ‘70s funk band, Dr. Funkenstein, shared the bill with his new wave group, the M-80s, along with his original disco act, Boogie Knights. The gig was memorable for a bit of trivia probably known only to the bands themselves: Two of the three groups included former members of Roxanne.