In the podcast, I mentioned Dee-Lite and Fatboy Slim as major breakthrough artists from the DJ culture. In doing so I meant to illustrate how DJs have been embraced by the mainstream. However, they are by no means the first. Samples have been used in music for a long time.Hip Hop originators, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, developed the DJ style we know of today. Grandmaster Flash had a fascination with recorded music from a young age. His father collected record albums. Joseph Sandler, Grandmaster Flash, understandably grew curious as his father protected his records and the phonograph. There is nothing that leads to obsession quite like that which is off limits. When he had the chance, he broke the rules and investigated this musical wonder. He was intrigued by the music that "lived in the tunnels" of a vinyl record. Through experimentation, he discovered how music was formed through the vibrations transmitted from the groove, to the needle, and into the electronic gizmos within the phonograph. He discovered also that his own hand could silence, slow, or speed up a track - even reverse it. He even figured out how to reduce drag on the turntable.
Up to this point, records were treated like China dolls. DJs wore gloves and touched the platter only by the sides. They laid the record gently on the turntable, gave it a brush off, and played it respectfully. Grandmaster Flash, on the other hand, had a more hands on approach. This hands on technique developed further and further. Eventually this developed into scratching, layering tracks, repeating beats and breaks, and the works.
So credit must go to the originators. Credit also must go to Big Audio Dynamites use of sampling, in their own right inspired by hip hop in the US. So, in the late 70s, hip hop came to the fore. In the 1980s, electro ran the clubs. In the 90s, big beat and electronica grew in popularity. In the 2000s, DJ culture showed no sign of stopping. The musical styles have grown and grown, diverging into new arenas. Former DJs are now musicians in their own right. Meanwhile, contemporary musicians in the goth-industrial scene DJ on the side.
It will be interesting, now that I follow many DJs, where it goes from here.
Hi Igor,
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Northern California, a suburb of San Francisco known as The Bay Area. Living in San Jose, I remember as far back as the 8th grade, in 1981 hearing a new type of music known then as New Wave. It had a very unique sound to it. It seemed to go from band to band with a DJ cutting the tracks into others in layers, and this type of music was very rare and not existant on the air waves. I know that we got our sounds from New York, but many new sounds came out of bands like Curtis Blow: These are the breaks....
It was interesting to hear the music become popular, the music I grew up with in High School, it all seemed to sound like new wave, but Wrap music eventually being named R&B really intrigued me. I had the opportunity to see it become national, like alternative was once, and is now so pupular as ...Indie.
I have an award for you, and a tag; so please come and play...
take care
The evolution of music, and of graphic art for that matter, fascinates me.
ReplyDeleteThe interesting thing with samples and DJ culture is the division in genre. Rap music is heavily influenced by jazz and rhythm and blues. Techno borrows heavily from disco and pop. Meanwhile, industrial/EBM lifts a lot from rock and metal.
Of course this is a more blanket statement than occurs in real life. For instance, RUN-DMC used Aerosmith for their take on Walk This Way. Even they admit their shows and music were more rock influenced than other artists, namely Public Enemy.
What is great about this example is the sampling helped Aerosmith, essentially resurrecting their career. Most artists and studios come down hard on samples, despite the fact it can lead younger ears to older music.
Hi Igor,
ReplyDeletesee this one when you get a chance....
:)