Educate me on mid-1980s to early-1990s electronic music

[bballarl]

So my education on the beginnings of electronic music is pretty incomplete. I really like Juan Atkins, Derrick Carter, Carl Craig, Mark Farina, Bizarre Inc, 808 State, Gene Hunt, etc etc etc. But I feel like there is a ton that I am missing. So please direct me to your favorite DJs/groups and their songs/albums that I need to check out. I don't care whether you danced to these songs on Ibiza in 1988 or heard them after the fact. I just want to understand the bigger picture and the evolution of this kind of stuff.

If it helps (genrewise), I tend to gravitate Detroit techno and house/acid house. But I am terrible with the genre distinctions and names and could do with some educating on that as well.

Thanks for your help.

[wmgaretjax]

by beginnings of electronic music you mean beginning of electronic dance music? this should be a fun thread.

[cheeksneak]

Guns 'N Roses, you idiot.

[bballarl]

Yes, that is what I meant Jared. Thank you for clarifying.

Also, I like Derrick May a lot. If that helps. And Tony Humphreys. And Larry Levan's mixes that have been released. But I'm also interested in learning about stuff I don't like or don't know. Probably moreso than learning about things similar to what I am already comfortable with.

[SoulDischarge]

Have you heard this group Primal Scream? They're kind of like indie rock, 60's psychedelic pop, and acid house all combined into one. It's totally crazy! You can learn more about them here.

Yes, I realize I'm more or less being suprefan right now.

[bballarl]

Annnnnnd this is what I get for not searching. Whoops. Let's pretend like that other thread doesn't exist.

Actually, fuck it. I do what I want, so I started my own thread. Fuck all of y'all.

Also, I like Frankie Knuckles as well.

[suprefan]

But have you seen my records? This Heat, Pere Ubu, Outsiders, Nation of Ulysses, Mars, The Trojans, The Black Dice, Todd Terry, the Germs, Section 25, Althea and Donna, Sexual Harrassment, a-ha, Pere Ubu, Dorothy Ashby, PIL, the Fania All-Stars, the Bar-Kays, the Human League, the Normal, Lou Reed, Scott Walker, Monks, Niagra,
Joy Division, Lower 48, the Association, Sun Ra,Scientists, Royal Trux, 10cc, Eric B. and Rakim, Index, Basic Channel, Soulsonic Force ("just hit me"!), Juan Atkins, David Axelrod, Electric Prunes, Gil! Scott! Heron!, the Slits, Faust, Mantronix, Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines, the Swans, the Soft Cell, the Sonics....

[bballarl]

I've gone through that list before to check out the bands I hadn't heard. Yes, I'm that lame.

[SoulDischarge]

Annnnnnd this is what I get for not searching. Whoops. Let's pretend like that other thread doesn't exist.

Now you're just being trendy.

[SoulDischarge]

Whatever. That's an amazing fucking list despite everything. I actually wish I could be more help on this, but I'm still trying to figure it out myself. Early EDM is not the easiest thing to get into as it's mostly built upon obscure singles only known to reclusive or secretive obsessives. I downloaded this amazing compilation that's about 100 tracks long or so from Soulseek called Welcome To The Detroit Sound. I don't think it's any kind of legitimate release so just finding it on slsk might be your best bet, but it's got so many stone cold Detroit classics. I'll try to dig up more stuff to help you out because I'm totally obsessed with this shit as well. I was listening to Carl Craig's last.fm station the other day and it was just brilliant track after brilliant track. Oh, and research every DJ who has ever played DEMF/Movement.

[Still-ill]

It's already grup'd

[BROKENDOLL]

Annnnnnd this is what I get for not searching. Whoops. Let's pretend like that other thread doesn't exist.

Actually, fuck it. I do what I want, so I started my own thread. Fuck all of y'all.
Also, I like Frankie Knuckles as well.

LOL Too bad this board doesn't have a "like" feature, cuz this post would get a vote from me! Anyway, I just came across a site that I'm going back to now. Thought I'd share...
A Brief Guide To Electronic Musicwww.pugachov.ru/eem/guide.html

[hawkingvsreeve]

This one is 9 parts about Detroit.






This is 11 (I think) parts and is more about Chicago. Both are interesting though if you have the time.


Edit:

Some of the people in them (Oakenfold, etc.) are suspect, but the meat of the docs is good.

[SoulDischarge]

Fucking neat. I'll definitely watch those soon. And despite Oakenfold's inherent shittiness, dude's been around forfuckingever and was kind of important in getting electronic dance music to a certain point of prominence.

Oh, and if anyone interested in this stuff doesn't have Warp's 10+1: Influences compilation, it's pretty much early EDM 101.

[orbit]

not too old, but great acid techno

[Miroir Noir]

I always forget that James name-checks ah-ha in that song!

[fatbastard]

...the Sonics...

[JorgeC]

No one has mentioned INformation Society??

[shoegazer76]

No one has mentioned INformation Society??

"I want to know what your thinking. Tell me what's on your mind."

[faxman75]

I was a big Nicky Fingers fan. The internet is pretty awesome. A few years ago I couldn't find a fucking thing on Nicky Fingers but now there is some up on youtube. I used to have this mix. I like that it starts with the Sid version of "my way" and goes into "6 million ways to die". I remember seeing him at a few raves around 1995 before he OD'd. He does Hardcore but I don't know much about many of the sub genres.

This tape was called "cained" and this is the opening track or the first 10 minutes or so. I'm fairly certain he died of a drug overdose. A true talent IMO.

[shoegazer76]

Electronic music as we know it today came from experimental analog synthesizer music of the early 60's & disco.

[Aurgasm]

The Egyptian Lover


Case closed.

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

No one has mentioned INformation Society??

EXACTLY what i was going to post.

[JorgeC]

I just found Hacker's Unite in the Rhino Records 99 cent bin. Haven't listened to it since i had the cassette in elementary or Jr high. Still good stuff.

[bballarl]

Some good stuff here. Keep it coming. Anecdotes about personal experiences are encouraged.

[bballarl]

Anyone? Anyone?

[sison3531]

Anyone have any good points to start out with Carl Craig (or similar music)?

I listened to a few songs of his on youtube (Sandstorm, paperclip, Falling up remix) and I'm really digging it.

[SoulDischarge]

Some good stuff here. Keep it coming. Anecdotes about personal experiences are encouraged.

One time, at the Paradise Garage, while doing lines off Larry Levan's stiff member . . .

Anyone have any good points to start out with Carl Craig (or similar music)?

I listened to a few songs of his on youtube (Sandstorm, paperclip, Falling up remix) and I'm really digging it.

Dude has got way too much fucking music. I have over a day straight worth of it, and almost everything I've heard so far is good to great. He released a mix of his own work and remixes called Sessions a year or two ago that acts as something of a best of. Landcruising and More Songs About Food And Revolutionary Art are his most well regarded albums and sound like Kraftwerk for the 90s to me, especially the former. The Secret Tapes Of Dr. Eich is a compilation of singles released under his Paperclip People pseudonym and contain many of his most well known tracks, although you should definitely hear the full length versions of some of them (especially "Throw" and "The Climax"). He's also released things under the names or as part of 69, Psyche, BFC, Innerzone Orchestra and Urban Tribe.

[kronz420]

Giorgio Moroder... FTW!!!!

[dorkfish]

This Flash thing was always kinda fun:

http://techno.org/electronic-music-guide/