12 inches, Margate and Army Surplus
June 17th 2008 04:49
Besides the joys of kamos and Tracy Emin, what did the 90’s do for us? Amongst other things, the disc jockey became a rock star! Up until the late 80’s or thereabouts we had composers, musicians and singers plonked on pedestals as the royalty of persona genius then something suddenly shifted and the spinners of 12 inches seemed to snatch that crown almost overnight - what happened…? Well, besides anything else, it appeared as if everybody was doing it. Just like every waiter in New York was an actor, just so everyone you bumped into at a party was a DJ.
Marc Almond would have us believe that it was simply a way of young people with no compositional aptitude feeling that they were expressing themselves in some way creative. This may not be too far from the truth. But, why the shift from author to messenger? Technology might have something to with it. Besides army surplus becoming high fashion and the daughters of hoteliers from Margate pitching tents, the last decade of the 20th century gave us relatively affordable digital technology, so it meant anyone could have a go at making music – including those who really oughtn’t! Producer, mixer, DJ, Whoever VS Such-in-such – who knows what any of these terms actually meant and who was doing what! The golden dawn of noughts and ones meant you could throw together this or that sound bite and come up with something/anything else – and, recycled sound is as valid an art form as any other so why not…!?
Out of the milieu of persons blowing their I’m-a-DJ trumpet there were the inevitable few who became Stars! And I’m sure there is some law of Physics that dictates that if there is nowt present, then something has to fill the vacuum… OK, now that we are all over Techno, House, Drums N Bass, Electroclash etc etc where can we find a good ol’ fashioned crooner for us all to 'ave a nice coo over…!!
Marc Almond would have us believe that it was simply a way of young people with no compositional aptitude feeling that they were expressing themselves in some way creative. This may not be too far from the truth. But, why the shift from author to messenger? Technology might have something to with it. Besides army surplus becoming high fashion and the daughters of hoteliers from Margate pitching tents, the last decade of the 20th century gave us relatively affordable digital technology, so it meant anyone could have a go at making music – including those who really oughtn’t! Producer, mixer, DJ, Whoever VS Such-in-such – who knows what any of these terms actually meant and who was doing what! The golden dawn of noughts and ones meant you could throw together this or that sound bite and come up with something/anything else – and, recycled sound is as valid an art form as any other so why not…!?
Thank you Tracy...
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