Interesting article about music

[UF_Pike]

I thought this would be interesting to those that care and those that dont have an understanding of this type of music.



http://salon.com/ent/feature/2002/06...sic/index.html

[33girl]

So I assume from the rip on the Rhino compilation (in the linked article) that the Orb is not electronica...what would they be called? I had an ex who was way into them...kinda cool, but not my bag for more than a few songs.

[KSig RC]

Eh, this is a typical overreach from a pop-culture-turned-music critic, IMO.

I disagree with the basis for a lot of his assumptions here. To me, electronic music (we'll use the less-correct, but more recognized "Techno" here) is just another form of music trying to break into mainstream culture - just like hip hop before it, and jazz and rock before that, and it is experiencing the same difficulties.

One key distinction that's poorly explained: 'digital' is NOT the same as 'electronica' . . . just b/c digital recording techniques are used by (let's say) Radiohead, it is not a rational inferrence to call them 'influenced' by someone like Oakenfold (or vice versa). Remember - tape looping, sampling, and synthesized beats have been used since the late seventies - well before anything was even remotely digital - yet most won't say that the Velvet Underground is a direct forebearer of today's Jungle music. Recording techniques, and even the instruments used, do not have a whole lot to do with what kind of music comes out (in general).

Also - DJing and mixing someone else's work in a live show, in my mind, is similar to a 'cover band' playing at your local bar - definitely still musicians, just applying their own slant on someone else's idea. I think that once that sort of thinking becomes prevalent, many of the "huge" euro-style DJs will have larger followings.

I do agree that 'techno' will become 'mainstream' fairly soon - although not in the way the author here implies. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that this has begun - listen to your local Kiss FM station (if you can deal with it... ugh). Many of the 'top 40' hits have elements of electronica in them, and much like hip hop has been assimilated into pop music quite successfully, the same thing will happen with today's techno, be it jungle, trance, or heavy house.

One thing that stands out to me about techno type music is that the crowd tends to be predominantly (if not exclusively) upper-class. The music doesn't exactly reach out to the poor working stiffs, and the $25 cover I paid the last time I experienced a good quality DJ live probably backs that up in an anecdotal stance. UF_Pike, do you think this will ultimately hold back the entire genre? Part of me wants to extend the argument to say that the fans of electronica like it as an exclusive jet-set crowd (think Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby jazz era doing the Charleston), but I'm not sure that's it entirely.

The "jazz revolution" led to new modes of thinking in rock and roll, and led to the current pop era. Electronica should have a similar impact, although maybe not to the same dramatic degree.

[UF_Pike]

To be quite honest, I've been apart of that whole scenario since 1996. I've seen the music go from being only at wharehouse parties full of little ravers, to basically the only thing you can now find on South Beach (Miami) and in just about every car commercial, news add (CNN), many Univ of Florida adds on TV, even on the food network ( Bobby Flay), discovery channel and the animal planet channel ( Nigels wild world). Its not trying to "break" into our society, it already has, just people dont realize it. Many people write that type of music off as "drug" music. The Media has given a poor image of "techno", as you called it, and thus making the parents of todays children not encourage a diverse array of music. When I was a child my dad despised rap music and for a time didnt let me listen to it. One reason for this was because it was new in the late 80's and early 90's and it seemed as though only a certain type of people listened to it. I mean after all, it was invented by black people in jail and on street corners throughout Americas ghettos, so naturally he had a prejudice towards it, he didnt want me ending up like that. This is the same with Electronic music, many parents associate it with the "Rave" scene and rather their children not hear it so they wont get involved in drugs. America has been like this since the invention of rock and roll. The parents of little white children did not want their kids hearing music by black musicians, thus when Elvis presley came along he was merely the go between guy for suburban America to allow it in the household.

Electronic music just needs someone who the american public finds decent enough to catapult it into evey house,car,bar,club, and radio station throughout it's suburbs and not just International safe havens like New York city, Miami, L.A., Dallas, Chicago, Detroit and the like. Having some freak like Moby on TV dosent help us too much. You could say that Oakenfold is not a freak but most americans dont follow foreigners, this needed person has to be american.

As for the whole Upper class thing. This music is still relativly new, not everyone can deeJay and make great mixs, whether it is theirs or not. This is why the prices are very high to attend such events. Any old joe blow can rap and shit loads of people know how to play a guitar. The more people get into this style of music, the more Deejays you will have, thus making many more John Digweeds and Sashas as well as another Oakenfold and Paul Van Dyk. In fact, I'm sure they are out there right now, only they havent gotten any notice yet due to the publics opinion of this style of music. But on another note, I kinda like this "up scale" sense to it all. I dont mind puttin on some Armani clothes and a sports jacket and jetting down to a exclusive club with a lady to have a few drinks and hear some house music. In Europe you practially NEVER hear and type of HIP-HOP in ANY clubs there and most people dress very nice when they go out to a club in many european countries. Frankly I dont like going to some hole in the wall and hearing a bunch of words from a rapper yelling about how he fucked my girlfriend and mama in the same night and about how many times he's been arrested, as well as the women he beat down the other day and all the bullets he's taken. Thats not my cup of tea, even if it is his testimony.

Rest asure though, this is not strictly for the "upper class", as you call it, if you dont have the money to pay for a 25$ entry fee (In most cases its more like 10 or 15$) then you can always go to a wharehouse party or a house party. In order to find them you have to get online and search for the parties, their out there. In florida one of my favorite sites is Enation.org, it gives you party info all over the state and also has a Board for each of the major cities in our state for you to talk to people and also find out about private parties, many of which welcome just about anyone to their places. If you dont have acess to an internet, then go to any record store and they always have flyers. Talk to the people there about non-club parties, most DeeJays want more people to find out about their music, so they'll welcome anyone. I dont think that the cost of major events ( Sasha and Digweed) will keep people from becoming interested in it. In fact to the new comer, most cant tell the difference between Oakefold and someone who just started deeJaying.........To them it still sounds the same.

Also, i think your looking at it worng when you say, " DeeJaying and mixing someone elses mix is like being a cover band". That statement makes me wonder if you even spin records. Deejaying/ mixing is exactly that. When someone is in a club and takes a track from Oakenfold and a track from DJ ICEY and plays them both in a mix, thats what he is doing, he is MIXING, hence deejaying....If all he did was put on an Oakenfold record and play it, then he is not deeJaying.....he is merely playing Records, this is not Deejaying or Mixing ( This is how you can tell who the posers are).

Dont take it offensive, but statements like that upset me because I have busted my ass to try and bring good talent to this college town in which i reside and often i have heard people say "he's not really doing anything" . I'd liek to see those people get up there and make it sound just as nice. Most people cant even match a damn beat within their first few months of starting to deejay. Its very hard at first. Then after you can match really well you pursue the other aspect of DeeJaying, making your own original mix. This is done mainly on the computer and if its good enough or you have your own record presser, it gets put on a record and then you make some serious money. After this people start making remixes and ask you for permission to use your mix, then you make more money. I've been doing this since i was 17 years old. I'm 22. I personally consider myself a rookie, even though i'm good and I actually played at two clubs here (until i recently quit).

I hope i helped clarify a few things.

hit me up if you want to discuss this further.