Dance & Electronic - Old vs New (Nostalgia/Memories)

Scubadevils

As some will know here, I am of the older variety of electronic-heads and started out clubbing etc in the early 90's. I was relatively young (about 16 but had been listening to electronic really since I was about 12, just not dropping anything to accompany it!) and got into a wide range of dance at the time ranging from ambient to hard trance and techno (hard trance then was very different to what it became later). It was an amazing time in the fact that it was a pretty new scene and there were a few good clubs hammering out their own styles every week with excellent resident DJ's and some amazing guests.

I spent at least one night at the weekend and frequently two in the likes of the UFO and The Temple of Sound - often starting in the UFO on a Friday, kept going through the day on a Saturday and ended up then in the Temple of Sound that night - then of course on to another party and drink/smoke/trip through Sunday...going home on a Sunday night was always quite a blur and even worse getting up then on a Monday!

A lot of the music I was into at the time was obviously a direct influence on the clubs I was going to and what was supposedly 'in' when dropping into Abbey and the others around Templebar (the names now escape me). I mainly bought techno, house and trance on vinyl and then IDM, ambient, trip-hop and some DJ mixes on CD (please no 'IDM' debates, lets just use it as an umbrella term for now and forget any arrogant tags etc )

I pretty much stopped going out to clubs around '97 - it had started to drop off in '96 a bit but finally in '97 my body started to reject what I was throwing at it. I also found that it was actually affecting my life and causing trouble for work etc, I'm sure ye get the drift I went to the odd night after, maybe once in every 6 months or so but it was far more sensible lets say than what it had been. There was also then the very odd complete mad one now and again where we had a party and I would get on the decks and play all the old tunes till 5am - the last one of these was about 2 years ago now and we had a great night.

Over the years I have still been hunting down the old gems that I missed back then on vinyl and CD and also getting lots of tracks ID'd from the wonderful sites all over the web - it has been great to finally get tracks that for years I had never even known the name of let alone the pleasure of owning the 12" :eek: I have extended my collection greatly at large expense over the years in a 'chasing the buzz' fashion...there are huge memories attached to a big social aspect of anyones life, especially when it happens in your late teens and into your early 20's - when you couple this with a passion for music, the music will always be something very special.

Up to about only 6 months ago, I would basically ignore most electronic music that was more recent than about 1998 (with the odd exception - I did go through a time around 2000/2001 where I bought a lot of house/techno - I also kept up with some artists such as the Orb, Prodigy and Orbital) at the very latest. Not because I felt I wouldn't like it, but more because I knew more about labels, artists and electronic in general prior to that...I also felt I was nowhere near getting even a small percent of the tunes made back then and wanted to keep increasing my collection and knowledge of music from my main clubbing time. I still have endless clips of tracks that have never been ID'd and at this stage I have lost any hope of them being - that is one major difference to back then and now, there were so many mysterious tracks that you just didn't get to find out the name, I'm assuming that's not the case now with the 'internet' - or at least not quite as difficult.

As noted above, up to about 6 months ago I was stuck in the past with electronic - This slowly but surely started to change a few months ago and by f*ck am I happy that it did. I really am getting into a lot of current techno, house, IDM ( ) etc and can't believe what I have been missing lately - basically I now have a lot more catching up to do but will seriously enjoy it!

The point of my thread (in case anyone was wondering what I have been sh*ting on about for the last few paragraphs ) is basically that I have finally accepted or come to the conclusion that the whole 'music was better back then' attitude is a memory or an attachment to the past...an amazing past which most who experienced should rightly cherish and remember fondly but the music has moved on and has in no way gone downhill or anything like it - nostalgia and memories attached to the past in terms of the scene and music naturally clouds peoples perspective in what they listen to but I am very pleased to say I have finally got past this and I am now hunting down a lot more in the way of current tunes. One thing that jumps out at me is that a lot of music is actually very like what is was back then but with a modern twist that really works - at first I felt some of the music was a bit crisp or very clean in its production but it seems to be a feature of the sound now and I suppose that's down to how it's made now compared to then (a load of external analogue devices driven through a mixing desk vs a high-spec PC running Reason, Ableton etc).

Anyway, I may be alone in having been stuck in the past (doubt it) but anyone else who has been like me, I urge you to start delving into todays music...tis worth it.

For example, check 'Karasu', the 3rd track in the media player on the following myspace. What a tune.

http://www.myspace.com/quarion

It would be just as much at home in the likes of the Temple of Sound back in about 1994 as I assume it would be on a dance floor today.

Also, supposed to sound old in ways but also fresh, Audiogold by The Gasman, really good album, highly recommend - (3 clips on site below)

http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=57702

This is my longest ever post so I will quit now, had a boring Sunday and finished it with a few beers and a long post

dSTAR

Great post Felixdhc.

I am guilty as charged of being stuck in the past. You may have noticed that has been a theme which pops up for me time and time again especially when I view some of the old skool videos from Sides and the Ormond that Caff and some of the other lads have posted.

I still listen to up-to-date house/techno music that I download but my days of buying vinyl are well and truly over. I don't have decks any longer but I still lay out my old tunes against the wall in the hope that one day I will acquire a set of shiny Technics to play some of the old classic vinyl I have held onto from the early 90's which netted from many a visit to Abbey Discs, Tag Records and various other stores most of which are well gone.

KevIRL

V good post Felix.

This topic has been done before and turned into a bit of a slagging match. I'd ask all posters not to allow this to happen this time. We can surely discuss this topic maturely. And who knows some perceptions might be changed from both sides (pun intended ) of the fence

copeyhagen

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be....

BaZmO*

Good music is always out there for whoever looks for it. I love a lot of the old stuff and a lot of it will never be beaten but I think people tend to forget about a lot of the dodgy stuff that was around at the time too. But then again, isn't that what nostalgia is?

I have an awful lot of vinyl from back in the day, and when I listen to some of the stuff from back in the day there's a lot of classics but there's also lot of stuff that's best left in past. Vintage music, music of it's time, but certainly not what you'd call classics.

I've also gone down the route of picking up old tracks that I've always wanted to own but tbh once I've gotten them I tend to just listen to them a couple of times, maybe do a couple of mixes, and then they're added to the collection. I really don't think there's anything like the buzz of finding a new track and type of sound that you've never heard before. It's the reason why I got into Electronic music in the first place so why wouldn't it be any different now.

While I still buy vinyl the odd time (old habits are hard to break) I'm not really into clubbing any more so I don't have the passion I used to have for the scene, still love the music though, but I'm into so many other styles of music too.

One of the great things nowadays is the proliferation of so many ways to find new music. I remember back in day all my money went into going out clubbing and anything spare would be spent on vinyl. As a result I missed out on other types of music, but that's certainly not a problem any more.

TANNAM

This is my longest ever post so I will quit now, had a boring Sunday and finished it with a few beers and a long post [/QUOTE]


Sounds like there was more then a few beers involved Felix

Only joking boss I totally agree !

WORD !

jonny68

Obviously in my situation im firmly from the old skool, when you were in that scene back then nothing thesedays can ever or will ever compare to the glory days when everything, music/drugs was new,and exciting,a large percentage of my life was ruled by the rave scene,suppose still is to an extent but not half as much.

However im not like some old skoolers who spend most of the time harping on about the old days all the time and hate todays dance music, sure ill randomly post up stuff about old skool, but im also very much into dance music today although i will again reiterate it's hasn't a patch on the music from 1988 to 1994 but how and ever there are still some quality artists around thesedays and some really good and fresh tunage being made, my preferred styles today as ive mentioned a few times are..

Funky House

US House/Garage

Electro House (although a lot of it is becoming too trancy for my liking)

Hardcore Breaks & Breakbeat

Some Drum & Bass

Some Progressive House

Some Techno

Scubadevils

Jayzuz I did have a few beers writing this last week!!!

run_Forrest_run

a very good post. I have been out of the loop for the past 4 or 5 years also, actully even longer I'd say.
I lived in Dublin for a year but I only got in to the clubbing thing just before i left to head South.
I have found myself listening to a lot of my old Orbital albums as well as Carl Cox, Oakenfold (even my once fav Reactivate 10 mix by Blu Peter!).

I think Cork is quite poor for decent DJ driven clubs. I don't go out a lot anymore, i have a few more responsibilities on my hands these days but every now and then I get the chance to pop up to Dublin to stay with a mate and we head to a few clubs and it's always a real eye opener for me. I always found the music the DJs were mixing to be refreshing and well, feckin brilliant to be honest.
Once I get a weekend like that under my belt it gives me a new & refreshed outlook on dance music and all I want to is buy some of the tunes they were mixing and throw a mix together myself.

I suppose what I'm saying is I agree with the OP and the latest music out there is great as long as it is played in the right place and mixed in the right way.

dSTAR

jonny68 wrote: »

...my preferred styles today as ive mentioned a few times are..

Funky House

US House/Garage

Electro House (although a lot of it is becoming too trancy for my liking)

Hardcore Breaks & Breakbeat

Some Drum & Bass

Some Progressive House

Some Techno

Pretty much the same as myself mate esp. the top three. Although not to keen on breakbeat and hardcore breaks. We must've gone to the same school of tunage

Scubadevils

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

(even my once fav Reactivate 10 mix by Blu Peter!).

Excellent mix, bought it when it came out and was definitely one of the very best mixes over the years. Also picked up the vinyl release way back which I treasure too.

Zascar

Good post Felix, always interesting to hear about the nostalgia. I'm assuming many of you are older than I am (27) I started clubbing in about 98 - but many people talk about the true good old days being a bit before that. I do like a bit of Old Skool now and again but really my music tastes of what I listen to at any one time are usually fairly up to date, barring a few classic CD's I listen to now and again. It always amazes me what I following the oder stuff gets though.

Does anyone remember the Old Skool nights the RedBox threw about 5 years ago? "Music from 1988-1994". They were madness! I remember going into the first one and it was full with people aged 30+ many who I'd say had bar this pretty much left their clubbing days behind. I always wondered why someone does not put on a proper Old Skool night somewhere in Dublin, even once a month! Surely there is a huge market for it and no shortage of Dj's...

~Marky~

I am 26 so a year younger than you Zascar but I remember going to those nights in the Redbox a few times and they where brilliant It is a shame they dont do it anymore as like you said they would get huge crowds.
And I remember going to the Kitchen every Tuesday and having a terrible hangover the next day in school but it was worth it.
But the last couple of years I have not enjoyed going out as much as I dont find the clubs nearly half as good as they where years ago and you had a much better choice of places to go.
The only place I enjoy going now is the Tripod but thats only the odd time when a good Dj is playing and thats not very often.

Zascar

Yeah I agree, I hardly ever go out at all any more, Dublin Clubbing is just not what it used to be. I too used to to the The Kitchen, The Pod, RedBox, Mono etc - ahh the good old days of going out several nights a week when you were a student. They never should have changed the RedBox, I loved that place soo much, millions of € later on several stages of renovations and it's never been quite as good in my opinion

~Marky~

I totally had forgotten about Mono that place was brilliant when Conor G and the rest where playing..And yea I agree I really miss the old Redbox the Tripod is just not the same and I used to get free drinks because my friend worked there .

jonny68

Zascar wrote: »

Good post Felix, always interesting to hear about the nostalgia. I'm assuming many of you are older than I am (27) I started clubbing in about 98 - but many people talk about the true good old days being a bit before that. I do like a bit of Old Skool now and again but really my music tastes of what I listen to at any one time are usually fairly up to date, barring a few classic CD's I listen to now and again. It always amazes me what I following the oder stuff gets though.

Does anyone remember the Old Skool nights the RedBox threw about 5 years ago? "Music from 1988-1994". They were madness! I remember going into the first one and it was full with people aged 30+ many who I'd say had bar this pretty much left their clubbing days behind. I always wondered why someone does not put on a proper Old Skool night somewhere in Dublin, even once a month! Surely there is a huge market for it and no shortage of Dj's...

I remember those nites in the Red Box i used to go along to them pretty good.

I also went to the Kitchen on Tuesdays almost every Tuesday for a whole year, needless to say i wasn't working then:D Genius as it was called was the best nite in the country at that time, you'd struggle to get something like that here midweek again, (even weekends actually)

I don't think an old skool nite every month would be good, every 3 months would be better,even though old skool is my favourite music you don't want too much of the same thing,although there is so much underground stuff that people wouldn't necessarily know about that could be played,it's still a massive market though not just wioth old timers like me but a lot of younger people are well into it.

As a matter of fact watch this space for this summer a few of us will be organising an old skool nite in Dublin somewhere and maybe some DJ's on here could play as well, it will be across the board from House to Hardcore,sticking to the one style is boring.

jonny68

Felixdhc wrote: »

Jayzuz I did have a few beers writing this last week!!!

coming across all nostalgic after a few beers, sure im the same myself:D

Scubadevils

jonny68 wrote: »

coming across all nostalgic after a few beers, sure im the same myself:D

Easily done I suppose with so many good memories!

Well I am convinced now about the quality of current techno etc, it is absolutely amazing and I am without doubt going to be back buying vinyl again now with my new found love for CURRENT electronic music

I do the exact same as another poster said in that I had been hunting lots of classics and it's a great buzz to get a track you have been long after but when I do get them, they generally get one or two spins on a deck and stuck in with all the other classics I rarely play...

A recent enough example was the following track that had taken years for me to ID and then bring myself to pay the 50 quid or so which seemed to be the going rate as was quite rare. I have played this I'd say twice since I got my copy a few months ago...A SPECTACULAR TRACK THOUGH

LISTEN...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sypS_ylTCos

http://www.discogs.com/release/79963

Actually, having just listened again on youtube, must pop this on a deck again soon

holton

Yeah, the old skool nites were brilliant in the Red Box. I think it's 6 years ago now. The likes of Liam Dollard played great sets. I remember the last one I went to where there was hardly anybody there - and that was that (although I think Witness was on that weekend). An old skool nite every so often would be good and hopefully the one jonny mentioned will go ahead.

jonny68

I've actually never heard that before a killer track

Felixdhc wrote: »

Easily done I suppose with so many good memories!

Well I am convinced now about the quality of current techno etc, it is absolutely amazing and I am without doubt going to be back buying vinyl again now with my new found love for CURRENT electronic music

I do the exact same as another poster said in that I had been hunting lots of classics and it's a great buzz to get a track you have been long after but when I do get them, they generally get one or two spins on a deck and stuck in with all the other classics I rarely play...

A recent enough example was the following track that had taken years for me to ID and then bring myself to pay the 50 quid or so which seemed to be the going rate as was quite rare. I have played this I'd say twice since I got my copy a few months ago...A SPECTACULAR TRACK THOUGH

LISTEN...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sypS_ylTCos

http://www.discogs.com/release/79963

Actually, having just listened again on youtube, must pop this on a deck again soon

Scubadevils

jonny68 wrote: »

I've actually never heard that before a killer track

Yeah great track -

http://www.mediafire.com/?45dzncxzycd

jennylee324

:pac: yeah, for dance music, basically you've got to get the hottest stuff from the euro-zone, everything else pretty much sucks... for example this stuff pretty much rocks.....:D (direct itunes link) http://electricfilebox.com/tracks

Prefabsprouter

My background in Dance would be from the Detroit sound in the late 80's but also having come from a Disco/soul/Jazz background I never cottoned on to the Techno/Hardcore end of the specturm. But I have found that there has always been a good market for Soulful/Deep House and it has never truly gone away. I'm with you guys on the nostalgia thing, and I still love unearthing old tunes and compilations that set my world on fire back then. but I do love listeninig to new stuff, when the kids and the time allow!!

I would like to make the point though that some people seem to think that once a tune gets over a year old, that it becomes "uncool". Quality never fades.

jtsuited

i'm 24 so I'm too young.:D

stomprockin

Well tbh i think old skool dance music has never been so popular in this country!. i have recently been talking to 2 dj`s who are around since 88,89 and still going say old skool dance music is absolutely hugh in this country!!

maybe the newer stuff coming out is not as good?

Scubadevils

jennylee324 wrote: »

:pac: yeah, for dance music, basically you've got to get the hottest stuff from the euro-zone, everything else pretty much sucks... for example this stuff pretty much rocks.....:D (direct itunes link) http://electricfilebox.com/tracks

Spam :pac:

JC 2K3

Hehe, I'm 19, and between the psytrance and electro house scenes, life festival, unlimited access to all kinds of music with the internet, and my general youthful enthusiasm, I don't reckon we have it too bad these days.

I know dance music in general isn't too popular these days, but I reckon it'll come back in the next few years, I just get that feeling.