|
Last Night a DJ Saved My Life &
How to DJ Right
By Frank Broughton and Bill Brewster
These are both great books from Grove
Press. Last Night a DJ Saved My Life is
more readable, as the story of the history of the DJ has a
plot, and some very interesting characters. It does an incredible
job of tying together seemingly disparate genres, showing
the direct links and chronology between Northern Soul, Disco,
Reggae, Hip Hop, House, Techno, and other styles of modern
dance music.
Northern Soul started in England in
the 60's with people traveling across the country to hear
DJ spin obscure, upbeat soul 45s. (And to take speed and dance.)
This was the first time the DJ as we think of him today was
the center of the event and "raves" haven't really
progressed much since. Jamaican labels had been issuing instrumental
versions of songs for live vocal reworkings since the mid
to late 60's, and DJ Kool Herc's move from the island to New
York and the importing of this technique in the late 70's
played a direct role in the genesis of hip hop. In the meantime
other New York DJs like Francis Grasso had been developing
their own techniques, beat-matching, mixing and blending disco
45s to keep their dancefloors as lively as possible. Chicago
house in the early 80's was vital in adding the thumping bass
and general drum machine abuse to create a constant stream
of seamless beats. Taken together this history constitutes
the state of electronic sampling and beat manipulation that
we take for granted today in hip hop, dance, and pop music.
How
to DJ Right is a pleasure as well and again there
is a lot in the book that supercedes the realm of the DJ:
MIDI, virtual studios, how to use EQ, test pressings, DIY
gigs/records/recordings, and more. Broughton and Brewster
simply explain many things I learned the hard way through
trial and error with rock bands.
The book starts slow, politely advising
against skipping to the beat-matching chapters. The authors
maintain firmly that taste in music and record selection is
far more important than technical bravado on the turntables.
From gear and record selection to beat matching and scratching;
after the real meat of how to actually DJ is delivered we
get to the most interesting chapters -- how to book gigs,
how to promote, how to move from "DJ" to "producer,"
how to press and release a record. Along the way are quotes,
advice, and quips from famous and/or successful DJs and producers.
I would venture to say for anyone interested in any aspect
of music or music business, there is a lot to learn in this
book.
These books are both such obvious labors
of love with such a firm knowledge and appreciation of disparate
genres of music I can't believe most dance music I hear is
as boring and repetetive as it is. As opposed to making me
appreciate DJs I see more, these books make me think most
DJs I see are just doing it wrong. Then again they both repeatedly
advise you cease reading if you're not on the dancefloor yourself;
so given that I shouldn't have read the books in the first
place they did a great job of getting a rock-biased general
music fan to understand and, to a limited extent, appreciate
DJ culture.
Through both of these books an absolute
love and enthusiasm for music reigns supreme. They may be
DJ-focused, but it's the authors' understanding and attitude
towards music, records, and the surrounding industry that
makes these books unique and valuable.
History
of the DJ
How
to DJ Right
-Edgar Barrington
--
Discuss this review in The Modernist's forums.
| |
|
