Fakultet za pravne i poslovne studije, Novi Sad
WHO GAVE BIRTH TO HOUSE MUSIC, WHAT HAS INFLUENCED ITS CHANGES AND WHAT HAS DERIVED FROM IT?
Student: Arben Husić 124/06
Professor: Kate Milosavljević
11th December 2008
Word Count: 1675
INTRODUCTION
As it was known for the culture to build music, nowadays different kinds of music build different cultures. Thus we have Pop culture, Rock culture, Electronic music culture etc.
As part of Electronic dance music, House music has managed to, over the years, develop its own culture. It became popular in mid 1980s especially among African-American, Latino and gay population who have build up its culture.
Influenced by disco, funk, synthpop and soul, house music has a prominent drum on every beat, 4/4 structure, and may also feature elements of synthesizer bassline, electronic drums and effects, funk and pop samples and vocals.
THE CRADLE OF HOUSE
In the early 1980s the only places where it was possible to hear traces of what is now known as House music were houses and garages. It has all began with the collapse of Disco music; people were generally intoxicated with hate and prejudice but there were two cubs which were ready to accept the new culture which did not care about race or sexual orientation. The two clubs where The Warehouse in Chicago and The Paradise Garage in
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New York. The Chicago club was presided over by DJ Frankie Knuckles; and the Paradise Garage in New York was presided over by DJ Larry Levan. Even though their styles were different, the two clubs and two DJs were conn ected with strong fight against the prejudice.
Levan and Knuckles are childhood friends from New York. Michael Brody who was the owner of the Paradise Garage considered Levan to be his right hand who being both, African-American and gay, was very successful in attracting streetwise African-Americans, Latinos and punks. Levan was offered to come and work in Chicago at the Warehouse, but he has rejected that offer and that position was offered to Knuckles who eventually accepted it.
By 1986 the house music has spread and there were not only two guys making it, but also many others. One of the new names was a club DJ Ron Hardy who was well known for his ‘Music Box’ sessions. He inspired a lot of new talented and hopeful producers who brought their tracks to him, hoping that they will be played out at the ‘Music Box’ nights. Unlike Frankie Knuckles whose music was still very much based in disco music, Hardy played music that was a great mixture of different styles and kinds of music based on raw and manic energy.
Inspired by him, in 1986 Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk started his own radio show at WBMX radio where House music was played every night. Larry Heard and Marshal Jefferson had their track ‘Move Your Body’ (1986) released an d played on Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk’s show. This tune has become a House music anthem, and all of this has influenced House
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music to be released from the boundaries of gay and racial communities into mainstream and became international.
In 1987 Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley released a hit tune ‘Jack Your Body’ referring to the way of dancing to House music. In the same year Chuck Roberts released a new house music anthem ‘My House’ featuring the famous verse “….And w hile one day viciously throwing down his box, Jack boldly declared LET THERE BE HOUSE’
EUROPE EXPLOSION
By 1987 house music has spread and became a part of the global music scene thanks to radio shows and music charts. By 1991 it became extremely popular in Europe, especially in the UK where the first place to listen to House music was a club called ‘Hacienda’. The clubs that followed this tradition were ‘Shoom’, ‘Spectrum’ and ‘Delirium’. Everything was acquired, from the sound to the energy. Even Frankie Knuckles, who had experienced many different performances from the early beginnings of Ho use music, said that the atmosphere and the energy in Europe and the UK were similar to that in Chicago. By that he meant that the feedback he had received from the people was very spiritual as it has been the church for them. (Frankie Knuckles)
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PREPARE FOR THE NEW SOUND - ACIIIID
After European invasion, and after becoming mainstream, house music became much commercialized. In 1987, once again, two boys from Chicago, DJ Pierre an d Marshall Jefferson, knew that something had to be done so they have decided to create a new sound by using Roland TB 303 bass synthesizer (the instrument that has appeared in the 1983 in disco via Alexander Robotnick). It was a sound which when emitted from the machine swirl it stabs across House music 4/4 beat and that was completely overpowering the listeners.
The first Acid House record was released in the same year by the group of artists formed by Nathan "DJ Pierre" Jones, Earl "Spanky" Smith Jr., and Herbert "Herb J" Jackson. It was created by experimenting with Roland TB 303. The Record was called ‘Acid Tracks’ and it was played for the first time by Ron Hardy at the Music Box. The name originated from the hallucinogenic effect it had in the clubs, for e.g. One of the first UK clubs where Acid House was introduced was London’s ‘Shoom’ opened by Danny Rampling and his wife in 1987, which was extremely exclusive and featured thick fog, and a dreamy atmosphere alongside Acid House. Rampling’s friend, Nick Holloway, who he had been working with on Ibiza over the summer, has also opened a club called ‘Trip’ in 1988 which was made especially for the Acid house music scene.
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MELODY AND EMOTIONS – PROGRESSIVE FUSION
After Acid House was created in 1987, a lot of different styles were emerging and none of them has developed entirely until Progressive House came along in the early 1990s. Progressive House was originated in the UK. The term, itself, was created by Dom Phillips who was the editor of the British music magazine ‘Mixmag’ who used it in the review of ‘Guerilla Records’ new album release. Progressive House was popularized in the club ‘Renaissance’ opened in 1992 in Mansfield, UK, where resident DJs were John Digweed and DJ Sasha. As well as original House music, Progressive also has 4/4 drum structure and a similar tempo. However, basslines are deeper and dubbier and it has more emotional melodic edge. Due to these and other characteristics this form of electronic music became synonymous with open mindedness in music and in readiness to accept new sound. Many dance music genres have developed sub-genres based on this idea, including Progressive Breaks and Progressive Trance.
GROOVY, JAZZY, SOULFUL – TECH HOUSE
In the late 1990’s the fusion of House music with another big genre of electronic music has occurred. It was Techno, which combined with House music produced so called Tech House. However, it is seen as having much more in common with Deep House, Detroit Techno and Minimal Techno. The term Tech House was originally coined by a London DJ and producer Mr. C, the co-owner of the nightclub ‘The End’. The structure of Tech House is very similar to House, but some of the Hou se elements are replaced with Techno
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elements, such as a shorter, deeper and more distorted kick drum than House. It can sometimes be jazzy and soulful, but on the other hand, it can be dubby and Techno orientated. This results in possibility of overlapping with some of the surrounding genres. Due to this, it is very popular with DJs who like to experiment with different styles and moods. Tech House is very laid-back and is often called ‘groovy’ since it has less build-ups than house.
SWEATY DANCEFLOORS, INDIE ROCK CROWD AND TRADITIONAL HOUSE FANS – ELECTRO HOUSE
After different combinations of styles of electronic music have shown successful (Progressive House, Tech House), a new genre called Electro House was created. It was sprung by the ‘electroclash’ movement of the early 2000s which was largely the re-run of the early 1980s synth pop sound. Furthermore, the ‘electroclash’ sound had run its brief but potent course and with distilled pop effect has influenced the formation of Electro House. During its evolution, Indie rock was one of the main influences. Electro House maintains the 4/4 beat structure of House, adding sharp melodic analogue synthesizer hits and basslines. It is marked as the music for the dancefloors and is equally popular with Indie rock crowed as it is with traditional house fans.
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‘ITS ALL ABOUT THE HOUSE MUSIC AND IT ALWAYS WILL BE’
Nowadays it is very affordable to become a DJ and therefore what matters when it comes to becoming a successful DJ is talent and marketing. Many things have changed for e.g. vinyl is replaced by CDs. What remained unchanged is 4/4 structure and sweaty dancefloors. Also, some DJs still remember the roots. Good example of this are Paolo Mojo who has recently released a track in honor to the legend Ron Hardy (Paolo Mojo – ‘Ron Hardy Said’) and Noir who praised the roots of House Music through the lyrics of his song ‘All about the House Music’:
"I remember the back in the 80's when I first heard electronic music I knew back then this illegal computer sound was gonna be my call My heart got hooked on 4x4 beats when house took its journey with Jack, Chicago and Acid House Now my heart is hooked forever… Don't care if it’s Jazz, Soul, Tech, Minimal, Funk y, Vocal or Hip-house Name it I love it…
If you're into house music the DJ scene is like a natural path to follow And back in the days, DJ's were weird people who like music in a weird way Back then you'll have to be a nerd to become a DJ Nowadays everybody wants to be a DJ Nowadays everybody wants to be that nerd… I wonder what house would be like in the future Wonder what the clubs would be like Now that technology has taken over the DJ world What will the DJ be like in the future? Let’s just hope that house music will keep its soul Let’s just hope that DJ's will keep their skin Its all about the House music and it always will be"
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REFERENCES
Acid House. 09 December 2008
Beatport. Electro House. 09 December 2008 < https://www.beatport.com/en-US/html/content/genre/detail/17/electro_house>
Beatport. Progressive House. 09 December 2008
Beatport. Tech House. 09 December 2008
Broughton, Frank. Frankie Knuckles. 27 February 1995. 08 December 2008
Cheeseman, Phil. The History of House Music. 07 December 2008
Cheeseman, Phil. The History of House Music – House Music 1988. 07 December 2008
Clarke, Moussa. 12 November 2008. personal communication
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Computer DJ Summit, the History of House Music 1985-1989. 20 August 2007. 08 December 2008
House-keeping, James, Carl, Tom. The History of House Music, World Domination. 5 March 2004. 07 December 2008.
Noir, All about the house music, Noir Music Studio, Denmark.. 03 May 2007
The History of House – “Garage, Techno, Jungle. It’s all House”. 09 December 2008
< http://www.fantazia.org.uk/Scene/themusic.htm>
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