00:00:00 1 Pet Shop Boys – My October Symphony (Live – Performance) 00:05:50 2 808 State – Spanish Heart 00:09:24 3 400 Blows – Let The Drums Speak (Live Mix) 00:12:11 4 Bomb The Bass – Understand This 00:16:59 5 Black Radical MKII – Sign Of The Beast 00:20:54 6 HardNoise – Mice in the Presence of the Lion, Pt. 1 00:24:53 7 Gunshot – Interception Squad 00:28:11 8 Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy (Instrumental) 00:32:07 9 Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy 00:36:39 10 Wolfman – Consciousness (Rob Davis Mix) 00:41:02 11 Electronic – The Patience Of A Saint 00:45:05 12 Chapter & The Verse – Stealth (Fixed Wing Mix) 00:49:17 13 Pet Shop Boys – DJ Culture (Extended Mix) 00:55:44 14 Caveman – You Can’t Take It 01:00:33 15 Rebel MC – Afrikan 01:02:40 16 Mark Samson featuring Sharon – Love Come Down (Big Beat Mix) 01:07:54 17 Chapter & The Verse – Miss You 01:11:48 18 Gunshot – No Sell Out 01:16:22 19 Silver Bullet – Guns of Mind Alone 01:22:42 20 Nation 12 – Electrofear (Shemsijo Mix) 01:26:02 21 Altern 8 – Real Time Status (Hand Of God Remix) 01:30:13 22 Shut Up And Dance – On A Street Level 01:34:20 23 The Sindecut – Panic Stricken 01:37:03 24 Shut Up And Dance – Rest In Peace (Rap Will Never) 01:40:35 25 Metronome – In My Mind (Vocal mix) 01:47:05 26 Cabaret Voltaire – Alright 01:52:03 27 Raphel – Latino 01:55:51 28 Jesus Loves You – After The Love (Prophets Of Doom Mix) 02:01:20 29 Orbital – Midnight (Original 12″ Mix) 02:07:32 30 Shoot The Moon – Sax Machine (Mix One) 02:13:48 31 Primal Scream – Don’t Fight It, Feel It (Scat Mix) 02:20:46 32 Primal Scream – Don’t Fight It, Feel It 02:26:53 33 Hijack – The Contract (ft. Shaka Shazam, The Icepick & Huntkillbury Finn) 02:31:13 34 Plaid – Scoobs in Columbia 02:36:05 35 Rebel MC – Rebel Music (From The Soul Mix)
00:00:00 1 Eon – B Cool #1 (8AM Mix) 00:04:03 2 Andromeda – Dance Everybody Dance 00:08:48 3 Julie Stapleton – Where’s Your Love Gone (Remix) 00:13:56 4 808 State – Ooops (Mellow Birds Mix) 00:17:29 5 House Fusion – Ceaseless Motion (6am mix) 00:23:18 6 Rebel MC – Soul Sister 00:26:55 7 The Ragga Twins – Tan So Back 00:30:40 8 Automation – Eat The Bee 00:33:59 9 Mr Selfish – Gonna Make It 00:39:16 10 Holy Ghost Inc. – Stealth 00:43:26 11 MC Buzz B – Never Change (Sparse) 00:49:26 12 Language – Tranquility Bass 00:54:04 13 The Ultimate Dance Banger – Untitled 00:59:27 14 Ministers Of Dance – Tiny’s First Journey 01:02:22 15 Euphoria – I’m Going To Explode 01:05:39 16 Cabaret Voltaire – No Resistance 01:10:44 17 Return Of The Living Acid – Twin Tub 01:16:03 18 The Step – Yeah You (Robert’s Dub #2) 01:19:57 19 The Step – Yeah You (Robert’s Remix) 01:25:04 20 The Step – Yeah You 01:30:27 21 Subsonic 2 – Addicted To Music (The Nightmares On Wax Mix) 01:34:19 22 XON – Midnight Express 01:40:11 23 The Wolfgang Press – Time 01:46:18 24 Phuture Assassins – Africans Must Be Free 01:50:16 25 A Guy Called Gerald – Wonderful World 01:54:53 26 Satin Storm – Chill Out 02:00:51 27 2001 – Weighless Condition 02:07:46 28 Animal Magic – Animal Magic – Turn To West Ham 02:11:43 29 Epitome Of Hype – Let The Freak (Vital Remix) 02:17:02 30 Watt Noize – Baby Be Good to Me 02:21:08 31 Parralax – Deep Frieze 02:25:16 32 Gems For Jem – We’re On The Move (Peak Energy Mix) 02:29:51 33 The Sindecut – Simple Jealousy (12 Mix) 02:36:07 34 WBI Red Ninja – Bad Piece (A Short Tune About Killing) 02:40:51 35 Carl Cox – Let The Bass Kick
00:00:00 1 400 Blows – Play Like A Human (Ambient Mix) 00:03:37 2 Cabaret Voltaire – Jazz The Computer (Part 1) 00:08:08 3 Son Of Noise – Master Of Menace 00:10:56 4 Bomb The Bass – You See Me In 3D (Remix) 00:14:28 5 Fantasy UFO feat. Jay Groove – Mind, Body, Soul (24″ Melt the Speaker Mix) 00:17:46 6 Plaid – Slice of Cheese 00:23:06 7 Earth Leakage Trip – Psychotronic 00:27:50 8 Automation – Comedown (Extended) 00:32:55 9 Ultraviolet – I Wish That (Radical Mix) 00:39:39 10 Cabaret Voltaire – Shout 00:44:35 11 V.I.M. – Maggie’s Last Party (Club Mix) 00:50:12 12 Earth Leakage Trip – No Idea 00:55:33 13 Earth Leakage Trip – Over 92 00:58:44 14 Cabaret Voltaire – What is Real (Virtual Reality mix) 01:04:46 15 Cabaret Voltaire – What is Real 01:10:30 16 Kings Of Peace – 1000 (Album Mix) 01:15:05 17 4 Hero – Put Your Thinkin’ Caps On 01:16:20 18 Cabaret Voltaire – Keep On Pushin’ 01:20:35 19 Cabaret Voltaire – Don’t Walk Away 01:25:33 20 Cabaret Voltaire – Smooth 01:30:37 21 808 State – Lift (7″ Mix) 01:33:19 22 Shades Of Rhythm – Sweet Sensation 01:37:52 23 Andromeda – Simple 01:40:08 24 Tomas – Mind Song 01:45:01 25 Cabaret Voltaire – Jazz The Computer (Part 2) 01:49:44 26 Desired State – Work My Body (Over) 01:54:56 27 Andromeda – Savage 01:57:41 28 Tuff Little Unit – Join The Future 02:02:09 29 The Wizzard – Millennium (Genesis Mix) 02:09:21 30 Outrage – Religious B-Boy 02:12:35 31 Shut Up And Dance – Because Of My Vocals 02:15:59 32 Hooligan X – The Sound 02:21:46 33 Tomas – African Dream 02:26:25 34 Body Base 2 – Clan Terminology 02:31:27 35 Coco Steel And Lovebomb – Feel It (Original Mix) 02:38:10 36 Attitude – Attitude – Some You Win, Some You Lose (Instrumental) 02:42:41 37 Attitude – Attitude – Some You Win, Some You Lose 02:47:47 38 Coco, Steel And Lovebomb – Discodub (After Hours Mix) 02:53:18 39 Coco, Steel And Lovebomb – Discotechno – 1991 02:59:10 40 Andromeda – Control 03:03:34 41 Caveman – Pages and Pages 03:08:44 42 Bassix – Close Encounters (Bassix Mix) 03:12:48 43 Bassix – Close Encounters (Club Mix) 03:17:09 44 Bassix – Close Encounters (Acid Dub) 03:21:41 45 Temple Of Life – EDP 03:26:56 46 Tomas – Architecture 03:32:42 47 Beat Club – Dreams Were Made To Be Broken (Beat Mix) 03:38:13 48 R. Solution – Skinny Long Git (Mix 1) 03:42:13 49 808 State – Techno Bell 03:46:51 50 Feedback Max feat T.T. – Cheeni Ek Chammach
1990 was still a transitional year for UK breakbeat music, but on another scale than 1989. The direct connection to acid house started to fade, yet the prototypes of the previous year were developed further. The breakbeats became more varied and complex, there were more bleeps and bass and more pianos, more rave, more techno, gradually more tempo but also generally more diversity. And as you can see with the number of mixes I recorded for this year, there were far more releases as well. And they sounded more refined, as the nights they were played at got bigger and the sounds followed suit.
00:00:00 1 The Source Featuring Candi Staton – You Got The Love (Erens Bootleg Mix) 00:07:37 2 Mr. Fingers – Mr. Fingers – What About This Love (Even Deeper Mix) 00:13:18 3 The Stone Roses – Fools Gold (A Guy Called Gerald remix) 00:20:02 4 4 Hero – Move Wid The House Groove 00:25:00 5 The Sindecut – Demanding Cycle – Of A Word Bound Hammerhead 00:29:57 6 M.N.D.J – Stop The World (Instrumental) 00:33:11 7 Moody Boys – Jammin (Ital Mix) 00:37:40 8 A Certain Ratio – Won’t Stop Loving You (Sumner Mix) 00:41:56 9 Rebel MC – Comin’ On Strong (Ruff Neck Mix) 00:48:31 10 The James Taylor Quartet – Killing Time 00:53:05 11 Fresh Four – Compared To What (Dub) (feat. Lizz.E) 00:57:15 12 Nomad featuring MC Mikee Freed – (I Wanna Give You) Devotion (Instrumental) 01:03:11 13 Mr. Fingers vs. Rockers Revenge – Feel The Sunshine 01:08:15 14 A – L.A. Star – Wondrous Dream (Mix 1) 01:13:50 15 Psychotropic – Only For The Headstrong 01:21:00 16 Baby Ford – Change (Quick St. Break Mix) 01:25:56 17 Baby Ford – Change (Konrad Cadet Mix 1) 01:30:45 18 Jesus Loves You – Generations Of Love (Future Dub) 01:35:44 19 Jesus Loves You – Generations Of Love (Land Of OZ 12″ Mix) 01:41:54 20 Renegade Soundwave – Women Respond to Bass 01:45:14 21 A.R. Kane – A Love from Outer Space (Venusian dub) 01:51:42 22 A.R. Kane – A Love from Outer Space (Solar Equinox mix) 01:55:10 23 A.R. Kane – A Love from Outer Space (Lunar Eclipse mix) 02:00:47 24 The Sindecut – To The Heart 02:04:59 25 The Sindecut – Having 02:08:31 26 Psychotropic – Hypnosis 02:16:24 27 Logic Control MCs – High Pursuit 02:19:35 28 Mental Cube – Chile Of The Bass Generation 02:23:14 29 808 State – In Yer Face (Mancunian Delight) 02:27:57 30 A Certain Ratio – Spirit Dance 02:32:04 31 Orbital – Omen (The Tower) 02:34:32 32 Shades Of Rhythm – Exorcist 02:39:07 33 Newington Heights – Reach 02:44:11 34 Hardcore – Get A Little Stupid (Backroom Mix) 02:50:39 35 The Moody Boys – Funky Zulu (You’re So Fresh) (Chapter 1) 02:55:14 36 Mc Wildski – Warrior (The Art Of Fighting Without Fighting Mix) 02:59:04 37 Renegade Soundwave – Thunder II 03:03:42 38 Jolly Roger – Music Is The Weapon Of The Future (Dub) 03:09:02 39 MC Buzz B – Never Change 03:12:22 40 Mental Cube – Q 03:16:30 41 A Man Called Adam – Barefoot In The Head
00:00:00 1 Orbital – Chime (JZJ Oh Ya Mix) 00:06:18 2 Plutonic – Amen 00:11:17 3 Unique 3 – Phase 3 00:15:23 4 Excel D – The Blur 00:18:52 5 Westworld – The Slam 00:24:04 6 Hypnotone – SBX 00:28:20 7 A1 – I Like Techno 00:31:25 8 Unknown Artist – Untitled 00:34:46 9 DJ Mad A & Dr. Stevie The Ambient Guru – Levitating Pharaohs (Full Frontal Spacehead Ambient mix) 00:38:38 10 Baby Ford – Let’s Talk It Over (12″ Full Version) 00:43:35 11 No Smoke – Oh Yes (Freedom) 00:48:11 12 Language – Renegade (The Energy mix) 00:52:34 13 Language – Renegade (The Cryptic mix) 00:57:01 14 Bang the Party – Rubbadubb 01:00:18 15 Turntable Overload – T T O 01:05:01 16 Unique 3 – Pattern 12 01:09:36 17 Orbital – Omen (12″ Version) 01:15:52 18 Logarhythm – Jungle (Nightmares On Wax Mix) 01:19:39 19 The Black Dog – Apt 01:23:38 20 Synchro – Synchro-Bass – Mystic Voyage 01:29:29 21 Pet Shop Boys – Being Boring (Extended Version) 01:38:50 22 Adé – Free The Soul 01:42:11 23 2 In A Rhythm – Magic Machine (Ruff Rhythm Mix) 01:45:59 24 2 In A Rhythm – Magic Machine (Time For Action Rap) 01:49:41 25 2 In A Rhythm – Bionic Boogie (Work Da Rhythm Mix) 01:53:24 26 2 In A Rhythm – Bionic Boogie (Ride The Groove Mix) 01:57:28 27 Holy Ghost Inc – Hi-Speed (Pirate DJ Club Mix) 02:01:29 28 Freshtrax & Ace II With Pressure Zone – Destruction (War Zone Mix) 02:06:32 29 Andromeda – Control (Control of the dance floor) 02:11:01 30 Shut Up And Dance – A Change Soon Come (Instrumental) 02:14:51 31 Shut Up And Dance – A Change Soon Come 02:19:10 32 Sudden Impact – Game Of Love (Original Mix) 02:25:04 33 Sudden Impact – Game Of Love (Remix) 02:30:41 34 Adamski – Adamski – Killer (Remix) 02:36:56 35 Sike – Intrigue
00:00:00 1 Baby Ford – The World Is In Love (Dub) 00:05:00 2 Midi Rain – The Crack Train (Dub 1) 00:09:20 3 Midi Rain – The Crack Train (Vocal) 00:13:48 4 Circuit – Shelter Me (Helter Skelter Mix) 00:19:33 5 T.A.S. (The Altered State) – Make Some Noise (Def Mix) 00:22:45 6 HardNoise – Untitled (Instrumental) 00:24:56 7 HardNoise – Untitled (Vocal) 00:28:15 8 4 Hero – Rising Son (Inst.) 00:33:28 9 4 Hero – Rising Son 00:38:28 10 Genaside II – The Motiv (Who Da F@??$! You Calling Fat? Mix) 00:42:33 11 The Dynamic Guv’nors – These Guys Are Doper Than Dope 00:48:15 12 MC Duke – MC Duke – I’m Riffin’ (1990 Remix) 00:51:29 13 The V.F.T – Fenland Bass 00:56:31 14 Exocet – Shogun Assassin 01:01:58 15 Synchro-Bass – Dark Star 01:07:32 16 Unique 3 – Weight For The Bass 01:12:04 17 Marine Boy – Laura Laura 01:17:23 18 DJ Mink – Hey! Hey! Can U Relate (Sunshine Dub Instrumental) 01:23:56 19 DJ Mink – Hey! Hey! Can U Relate (Deep Space Mix) 01:28:41 20 Infamix – A Walk In The Park 01:33:41 21 Satin Storm – Satin Storm 01:38:17 22 Butcher Sam – Piano Passions 01:43:23 23 Bogus Order – Zen Bones 01:47:21 24 FXU – FXU – The Dark Side 01:51:24 25 C + M Connection – Bio Rhythms 01:57:11 26 Westworld – Dreamworld 02:03:28 27 Altern 8 – Reel Time Status 02:07:24 28 Demonik – Labyrinthe 02:12:52 29 Doggy – Dog Food 02:17:31 30 G.F.X. – Eternal (Mix 2) 02:19:37 31 Amber – X-Logic 02:26:18 32 Greed – Give Me (Bleep Mix) 02:31:52 33 KCC – Def 02:34:22 34 Confidential – Jam The Frequency 02:40:45 35 A Guy Called Gerald – Untitled
Another mixtape that recorded for an official release, then did not happen. We even had an artwork! Ok, they probably just did not like hip house, and did not want to tell me. As if it would be a problem to tell that to anybody. I, of course, love it.
Artwork by Michael Kummermehr
K. Alexi Shelby And MCD-TA – Dig This King Sun – On The Club Tip Subsonic Two Vs. Nightmares On Wax – Addicted To Music Chubb Rock – Ya Bad Chubbs Precious – Definition Of A Track L.B. Bad – I Like To Move Doug Lazy – Let It Roll T.D.P. – Ladies Let’s Go Tuff Crew – What You Don’t Know Too Nice – I Git Minze Laurent X – It’s Magic
DJ Mink – Hey Hey Can U Relate Unique 3 – Weight For The Bass KC Flightt – Planet E White Knight – Keep It Movin’ Mix N Tel – Feel The Beat Shut Up And Dance – This Town Needs A Sheriff Fast Eddie – Hip House This I’D Jazz – Good To Go Separate Minds – We Need Somebody K.A. Posse – Shake S-B-M & MC Tunes – Back To Attack
Wie wichtig war die englische Explosion zwischen Indie- und Clubkultur im Gründungsjahr des Milk! Wollte man diese Entwicklung bewusst auffangen, oder war das nur ein Bestandteil unter vielen?
DJ Seebase: Es erschien mir schlicht konsequent. Insbesondere Dirk (D-Man) Mantei und Gregor (G.O.D.) Dietz haben da schon lange vor dem Milk mittels diverser Parties und Clubreihen die Grundsteine gelegt. Und Holger „Groover“ Klein hat schon immer alles aufgesagt, was es an Aufregendem gab und gibt. Ich weiß es zum einen nicht genau und ich will keinem der Jungs zu nahe treten aber als „Entwicklungen bewusst auffangen“ hätte das vermutlich keiner verstanden. Es fühlte sich so vieles so richtig und so wichtig an. Und „Loaded“ steht hier ja für sehr, sehr vieles zwischen Sheer Taft, Peter Hooton, Boy’s Own und Shaun Ryder. Unter anderem auch für das riesige Screamadelica-Wandbild in Holgers Küche (das von einer hochbegabten Freundin gemalt wurde, die wie man sagt, nach dem unsäglichen Green-Day-Konzert im Milk mit einem von ebendenen gefummelt haben soll, haha). Und natürlich für den immergroßen evergrowing Andrew Weatherall. Aber nunmal in der Hauptsache schlicht für das, was da gesagt wird: „And we wanna get loaded. And we wanna have a good time. That’s what we’re gonna do. (No way, baby, let’s go!). We’re gonna have a good time. We’re gonna have a party“. Und nun ja, dann haben wir das eben gemacht.
Ramjac Corporation – Massif (Irdial Discs, 1990)
Das exzentrische wie innovative Irdial-Label war stets ein Garant für Kreativarbeit auf Nebenspuren. Das war ein Prototyp für das, was wenig später flächendeckender kommen sollte. Damals nannte man das noch Breakbeat Techno, nicht wahr? Leiteten solche Platten im Milk! die spätere Breakbeat-Begeisterung ein?
Breakbeat war in der Tat die gängige Nomenklatur. Aber das hier war fast schon ein mythischer Tune, an dem sich sehr sehr viele Geschichten festmachen. Von echten Schamanen, die eine „planetare Aktivierung“ propagierten, über sagenhafte Morgen auf der Heidelberger Neckarwiese mit Holgers Boombox bis hin zu der Tatsache, dass Redagain P (Milk EP) Riesenfan des Stückes war. Auch der Beatdown war irgendwie wichtig für’s Selbstverständnis. Da war ja immer noch dieser Teil in vielen von uns, der auf der Ami-Kirmes am Boxauto gestanden hatte und der Native Tongues wie Silver Bullet gleichermaßen verehrte. Und Soul II Soul (Phil Asher hat auch einmal im Milk aufgelegt). Welche Platten es waren, die da den Ausschlag gaben, ist schwer zu sagen. Es war ein sicher wichtiger DJ-Auftritt von Nils Hess und dann nunmal in allererster Line Holger, die die Begeisterung für Breakbeats eingeleitet haben. Und eine nicht zu unterschätzende spätpubertäre Frankfurt-Opposition, von der noch zu reden sein wird.
Rotor – Salad Hammer (Chill, 1991)
Ich nehme an Bleeps aus Sheffield waren ein anderer wichtiger Bestandteil des Milk!-Sounds. War diese Kombination von hohen und tiefen Frequenzen besonders effektiv in diesem Club?
Für mich persönlich waren „Testone“ oder „Clonk“ von Sweet Exorcist echte und beinharte Erweckungserlebnisse. Und wenn ich irgendetwas aus dem Milk-Kosmos nochmal gerne fühlen würde, dann wäre es dieser spezielle, und wahrscheinlich irrsinnig verklärte, Keller-Basspunch. Diese Bassline und Blitzlicht. Danke, Glück, verweile doch! Ich war 94 mal im Warp-Laden in Sheffield. Ich habe vor Ehrfurcht keinen Ton herausgebracht. Die Tüte habe ich heute noch. Und die gute alte, später ebenfalls für’s Milk nicht unwichtige Hazel B arbeitet jetzt bei Designers Republic. Sie war ja vorher schon eine super Person aber, hey, die kennt diese Legenden! Im Ernst: Dieser Tune trägt in seiner Rohheit für mich ganz essenzielle Züge. Und jetzt bitte noch im Geiste die Shoutouts aus „How Ya doin“ von Nightmares On Wax runtersingen.
Altern 8 – Infiltrate 202 (Network, 1991)
Altern 8 waren ja so eine Art Rave-Fortführung von The KLF, und ihre Tracks oft eine wilde Mischung aus allen Winkeln energetischer Clubmusik. War das ein Milk!-Kriterium, alles geht, so lange es euphorisch ist?
Holger hat die spätere Residency von ihm und Bassface Sascha im XS in Frankfurt hiernach benannt: Bassbin. Ansonsten ist das hier alles so wahnsinnig stimmig. Bis hin zur Druckluft-Tröte. Und „Euphorie“ war sicher ein Thema, aber als ganz so wahllos würde ich das nicht stehen lassen wollen. Holger und ich vereint u.v.a. eine sehr skeptische Haltung gegenüber den Quatschtüten von Prodigy („Android“ jetzt mal bei Seite – was zu „Infiltrate 202“ ganz gut passt). Ich würde eher sagen, dass im Milk! eine irgendwie unausgesprochene Soundsystem-Kultur herrschte. Das Publikum hat schon sehr stark interagiert, und z. B. auf uns eingeredet jetzt doch endlich mal den „Haifisch-Tune“ (DJ Excel – Just When You Thought It Was Safe) zu spielen. Nicht eben ein fröhliches Liedlein. Wie auch „Mr. Kirk’s Nightmare“ und andere. Aber Altern 8 habe ich einfach nur geliebt. Ob nun das hier oder „Frequency“ oder, ebenfalls ein Muss: „ Brutal-8-E“
QX-1 – Love Injection (Rhythm Beat, 1991)
Mike Dunn trifft Larry Heard, eine geradezu erschütternde Deep House-Hymne. Wurde mit solchen Tracks die Ekstase in emotionalere Bahnen gelenkt? Wie wichtig war Deep House im Milk!-Kosmos?
Ich für meinen Teil, und ich glaube Holger stimmt da mit mir überein, habe das nicht so getrennt betrachtet. Ich empfinde das hier zudem als ausgesprochen ekstatisch. In dem Sinne, der irgendwann mal als „Trance“ verdummbeutelt wurde, aber ja nunmal nicht von der Hand zu weisen ist. „House“ war für mich persönlich allerdings der Weg. Wen es interessiert, in Hans Nieswandts Buch „Plus Minus Acht“ steht auch ein bisschen was zu dem, was für mich im Milk seinen Anfang nahm. Und wenn Du wissen willst, wie wichtig Deep House war, frag mal irgendeinen aus der Posse nach M1’s „Feel The Drums“ oder Basil Hardhaus’ „Hard For The DJ“. Oder nach „Generate Power“. Oder U.P.I.s „She’s A Freak“ und so unendlich vielen mehr. Die werden reihenweise Tränen in den Augen haben. Das waren alles Milk-Hits. Und dann gab es noch dieses Tape von DJ Ralphie aus Riccione (wo Dirks damalige Freundin Susanne und Tabea Heynig getanzt hatten), das uns verzaubert hat und eben einen ganz anderen Vibe, ganz anderes Mixing, ganz anderes alles repräsentierte. Im Übrigen sei hier dann angemerkt, dass das Milk kein originärer Gay-Laden war aber von hier aus eine ganze Reihe wegweisender Gay-House-Parties ihren Weg nahmen.
Rum & Black – Insomnia (Shut Up And Dance Records, 1991)
Shut Up And Dance waren enorm wichtige Pioniere der Breakbeat-Musik, und diese dreiste Version von Badalamentis Twin Peaks-Thema ziemlich typisch für ihre Haltung. Aber warum speziell dieser Track aus ihren an Höhepunkten reichen Back-Katalog?
Ich hätte gerne „The Green Man“ genommen, weil das Sakamoto-Sample eine Tür zu Gregors (Ruhe in Frieden, mein großer Freund) riesiger Sammlung u.a. des Yellow Magic Orchestra aufgemacht hätte. „Autobiography Of A Crackhead“, „Lamborghini“, Nicolettes Gesamtwerk, bis hin zu „Raving I’m Raving“ natürlich, was zweifelsfrei für einen der großartigste Momente stünde, den ich je auf einer Love Parade erleben durfte. „Ecstasy pouring down on me“ 1992 am Wittenbergplatz. Als Andre DJ Pussylover am Milk-Truck vor Glück die Rasenrabatten gevögelt hat. Und er war noch nicht mal der Glücklichste, meine ich mich zu erinnern. Aber zum einen wird generell viel zu selten auf „Rum & Black“ und dieses großartige Album hingewiesen („Funky Emotions“ allein!) und zum anderen ist der Umgang mit dem Twin-Peaks Thema in Ergänzung zu Mobys „Go“ schon sehr typisch für unser damaliges Mannheimer Selbstverständnis. Von Moby lief bei uns zu der Zeit „Next Is The E“, während in der Frontpage die wirklich dämliche B-Seite „Thousand“ für wegweisend befunden wurde. Was jetzt mal wirklich Quatsch war.
YBU – Soul Magic (SSR, 1991)
In den frühen 90ern war es ja durchaus üblich das Tempo mehrmals pro Nacht zu variieren. Wann liefen solche sonnendurchfluteten Downbeat-Hymnen? Und wie wichtig war das Balearic-Thema jener Zeit in Mannheim?
YBU war neben „Strings Of Life (Beatless)“ wohl der wichtigste Putzlicht-Track. Tempodrosselung mag ja ein Merkmal sein aber „Soul Magic“ fordert ununterbrochen auf es „zu fühlen“. Das haben die Leute mitgehaucht und empfunden. Dass man heute erklären muss warum Slow Jam und in-your-face durchaus intensitätsgleich sein können, scheint mir schon vielsagend. Und klar ging es irgendwie balearisch eklektisch zu, nur dass ich zumindest das Wort nicht kannte. Ich kannte einen für mich damals magischen Ort, der an einem Abend namens Mo-better-Milk so etwas wie Dance-Jazz aus einer durchaus auch balearischen Mod-Ska-Tradition beleuchtete und an einem anderen Abend von Manchester und New York über Kingston nach London und Detroit alles abklapperte was irgendeinen bestimmten Geist atmete.
The Morning Glory Seeds – E-Motions X-Pressed (Djax-Up-Beas, 1992)
Mediterran anmutender Rave-Techno aus Holland. Ich mochte es ja sehr, dass zu dieser Zeit so viele landestypische Indikatoren völlig vermengt und verwischt wurden, bis zur Unerheblichkeit. Wurde das ein Peaktime-Track, oder eine Mobilisierung zu anderen Zeitpunkten der Nacht?
Dieser Track steht hier für etwas vollkommen anderes. Nämlich für den Back-Room, in dem eine Zeit lang DJ Soundball eine irrwitzige Kaskade von Detroit-Techno-Soul aufgelegt hat. Das Hinterzimmer war ein wichtiger Ort. Eine Zeit lang war es insofern wortwörtlich der Chill-Out-Raum, als dass KLFs gleichnamige Jahrhundertplatte einfach nonstop die ganze Nacht lief. Und dann eben ein Spielfeld, wo Eddie Flashin’ Fowlkes sicher viel Freude gehabt hätte. Es war aber auch der Ort, an dem Holger überhaupt angefangen hat das Milk! zu formen. Aber es war eben auch so, dass aus dem eher Hintergründigen, Kontemplativen des Raumes solche Rave-Momente erwuchsen.
Nu-Matic – Hard Times (XL Recordings, 1992)
Noch trug UK Breakbeat stolz die traditionelle Reggae-Soundsystem-Kultur vor sich her, das Tempo war noch moderat. Aber hier setzen auch schon die härteren Sounds ein, und nur wenig später sollte sich das mit Hardcore alles potenzieren. Wie ging man im Milk! mit diesen Tendenzen um?
An dieser Stelle sollten Unmengen klassische Milk-Hits wie Agents Oranges „Sounds A Bit Flakey“, Acens „Trip To The Moon“ oder Sound Corps „Dream Finder“ stehen. Man könnte hier natürlich auch Unmengen deutlich aufregenderer Reggae/Ragga-Sample-Tunes aufzählen, wenn es da nicht diese eine Begebenheit mit „Hard Times“ gäbe. Sie kulminiert in einem Moment, als während irgendeiner Groß-Rave-Afterhour Mark Spoon, ich meine von Holger nahegelegt, diesen Track auflegte. Irgendjemand hatte das nun folgende Ritual schon Wochen vorher eingeführt. Ich halte heute nicht mehr viel von „Wir-Gefühl“, „Family“-Gequatsche oder Kollektivierung insgesamt. Aber als an Stelle von „hard times must be“ alle wie immer at the top of their lungs dem sichtlich beindruckten großen Frankfurter gemeinsam „Mannheim Posse“ entgegenbrüllten? Hands in the air und alles? Good Golly, war das geil!
Tronikhouse – Up Tempo (KMS, 1992)
Besonders Kevin Saunderson und auch Carl Craig setzten sich ja gerne mit UK-Breakbeat-Kultur asueinander, wohingegen das bei anderen Detroit Techno-Produzenten eher verpönt war. Dabei funktionierte das ja offensichtlich bestens zusammen. Gab es im Milk! generell einen Soundclash zwischen Detroit und UK Breakbeats?
Nein. Man könnte sagen, Sascha kam eher vom Detroit-Techno, Frankfurter Lesart, und Holger war eher englisch sozialisiert. Aber das wäre zu einfach. Es ging uns, wenn ich das für alle sagen darf, um ein bestimmtes ästhetisches und energetisches Level, das unterschiedliche Interpretationen kannte. Auf URs „Revolution For A Change“ fragen sie „live in Utrecht“ „are u down with the underground?“ Rhetorische Frage. Und ehrlich gesagt erscheint mir die Entwicklung der Breakbeats ohne Reese-Bässe kaum vorstellbar. Aber auch ohne Inner City nicht. Es gab auch Links wie Edge Records one, die zunächst einmal ordentlich 4/4telt, bevor ein klassischer Milk-Breakbeat Hit daraus wird.
Love Revolution – I Feel It (Network, 1992)
Italo-geschulte Piano-Hymen mit Rave-Elementen waren wohl sicherlich ein integraler Bestandteil des Milk!. Ist dieser Track ein besonderes Beispiel dafür? Und was machte diese Tracks dort so wichtig?
Auch hier muss ich sagen, dass es weniger der spezifische Titel ist, um den es hier geht. Gat Decors „Passion“, Andronicus’ „Make You Whole“ und von mir aus auch Felix’ „Don’t You Want Me“ könnten hier stehen. Dass hier schon wieder wie bei YBU „Feelings“ im Mittelpunkt stehen, ist entscheidend. Wir haben nichts mehr gefeiert als Emotionalität. Das ging dann mit Energy 52 oder einiges später mit Cleveland City Records weiter und erklärt die aufflammende Liebe vieler in der Posse zu Kid Paul, dem Dubmission-E-Werk und solchen ungebrochenen Spitzentypen wie DJ Clé. Ich kann und will bis zum heutigen Tage nicht davon lassen, dass ein anständiges Rave-Signal noch keiner Party geschadet hat. Ich weiß, in einem Club-Zeitgeist-Umfeld, in dem schon ein buntes T-Shirt als emotionale Entgleisung gilt, eine potenzielle Außenseiterposition.
What was your first encounter with „The Call Is Strong“?
Alongside Daddy Gee, Carlton was featured on “Any Love”, the very first Massive Attack single which was a cover of one of my favourite songs from Rufus & Chaka Khan. I was a huge Chaka Khan fan by the way, I went to quite a few concerts. The very first time I saw her, I even waited for her at the backstage entrance because I wanted to have an autograph. Want some trivia? In the 90s, she had been living in my hometown Mannheim for a few years. Back to Carlton, I was really impressed by his crystal clear falsetto. I think “Any Love” came out roughly about the same time as the first Smith & Mighty singles, so this was the starting point of the Bristol sound. I first heard about the Bristol sound when I read about it in i-D magazine or The Face. So I already knew about Carlton when his first album dropped. I bought it at the local WOM store where I used to work back then.
1990 was a very exciting year for club music. Why did you choose this album over others? Why was and is it so important for you?
After you approached me for “Rewind”, I thought that I would have a hard time choosing “that” record. But then I stumbled across a 12” of his song “Cool With Nature” which contains killer remixes by Bobby Konders. So I remembered how much this album meant to me. When I listened to it for the first time, it blew me away. Smith & Mighty did a fantastic production job. At that time, it was very state of the art incorporating elements of Dub, contemporary US R&B, classic Soul, Reggae, electronic sounds as I knew them from House music and even some Swingbeat bits. I fell in love with the ethereal and often spliffed out vibe of the album and Carlton’s songwriting.
How do you rate Carlton as a singer? Why do you think they chose him, and could the album have been as good with another singer?
Carlton’s voice struck me instantly. I think he is a truly underrated singer and it’s a pity that the album wasn’t successful. His voice is really unique, that must be why Smith & Mighty chose him. It was his album, not a Smith & Mighty project in the first place. When you listen to him you can clearly tell that he’s coming from a Reggae background. On “The Call Is Strong” he sounds like a Reggae vocalist singing some kind of otherworldly UK version of R&B.
The album is taking quite some detours. For example „Love And Pain“ could have been a 2 Tone ballad from years earlier, while „Do You Dream“ is right on par with breakbeat pioneers like Shut Up And Dance or 4 Hero. How does „The Call Is Strong“ work as an album? How pioneering was what Smith & Mighty did?
It was very pioneering! The sparse beats, their very English way of bringing together the Jamaican sound system culture and US Hip Hop without sounding like eager copycats. And of course, as they grew up in England, they must have been in touch with 2 Tone stuff as well when they were teenagers. You’re right, you can also trace down elements that became integral with the Breakbeat scene which was already emerging at a very early stage.
I first became aware of Smith & Mighty when they appeared with their Bacharach reworks „Walk On“ and „Anyone“ two years earlier, to which „The Call Is Strong“ sounds like a continuation. I thought they sounded like nobody else at that time. Suddenly Bristol was on the map, making a difference. But could anyone predict how big that difference would be?
You could clearly hear that Smith & Mighty and Massive Attack were making a difference when their first 12”s came out. It all sounded so new and fresh. But I really had no idea how big this Bristol thing would become. Also I had no idea how misinterpreted the whole thing would get when the term Trip Hop emerged.
There were groups emerging in the late 80s that were deeply rooted in sound system culture, but why were Massive Attack and the London equivalent Soul II Soul so much more successful than Smith & Mighty? Were they less traditional and closer to pop music’s proceedings? And why do you think didn’t Carlton manage to establish himself as an ongoing fixture?
Massive Attack and Soul II Soul had the big hit singles. But not by accident, both had good labels with a staff that knew how to work their releases. Smith & Mighty signed a major deal as well – with FFRR, at that time a subsidiary of London Records/PolyGram. The first big project was Carlton’s album, which didn’t prove to be as successful as expected. Then Smith & Mighty were kind of locked in this deal. Under their own name, they only released a four track EP on FFRR. I would say they missed the right moment due to this deal. It took them years to get out of it.Read the rest of this entry »
M.K.-Allstars – Bohemian Rhapsody (Acapella) Betty Boo – Catch Me (12“ Version) The Other Two – Selfish (That Pop Mix) Propaganda – Your Wildlife (Wet N Wild Mix) Led Zeppelin – Babe I’m Gonna Leave You Elton John – Rocket Man (Junior Vasquez Vocal Remix) Cher – Walking In Memphis (Shut Up And Dance Mix) New Order – Round & Round (Detroit Mix) Billie Ray Martin – Your Loving Arms (Tee’s Miami Club Mix) La Rissa – I Do Both Jay & Jane (Original Rave Mix) Freddie Mercury – You Don’t Fool Me (Queen For A Day Mix) Whitney Houston – The Greatest Love Of All (Club 69 Remix) Sybil – The Love I Lost (Unrequited Mix) Mama Cass – Make Your Own Kind Of Music (Yum Club Mix) John Paul Young – Love Is In The Air (Strictly Dance Mix) Jamie J. Jones – Why (Extended Club Mix) Deacon Blue – Will Will Be Lovers (DB Mix) The Sugarcubes – Hit (Pinstripe Mix) Betty Boo – Thing Goin’ On (MK Underground Mix) Saint Etienne – Who Do You Think You Are (Strobelight & Platform Shoes Mix) D:ream – U R The Best Thing (Def Klub Mix) Rozalla – Faith (In The Power Of Love) ABC – Love Conquers All (The Morales Mix) Gloria Estefan – Tradición (Musto Traditional Mix) Bee Gees – Paying The Price Of Love (The Ocean Drive Mix) Michael McDonald – All We Got (Never Enough House Mix) The Party – Free (Hurley’s 12“ Without Rap) David Bowie – Real Cool World (Cool Dub Overture) Commanding Language – Einsamkeit (Peter Alexander Mix)
Brasstooth – Celebrate Life (El-B Remix) DJ Abstract – Identity Crisis Kode9 Feat. Daddy Gee – Babylon (Dub Mix) The Heavyweight Kru – Bad Ass Bass Sunship – Cheque One-Two (Original Rocker) Blowfelt – Lickle Rolla (VIP Remix) The Streets – Has It Come to This? Darqwan – Pipe Dreams Goldspot Productions – Boozey DJ Narrows – Saved Soul Geeneus Vs. Slimzee – Log Off Two 1 Two – The Fone Tune Wookie – Battle (MJ Cole Mix) Blaze & Glory – Influence Da Flow Oris Jay ft MC E-LL – Brand Nu Flava (Darqwan Remix) TKS – Fly Bi (Instrumental) Colonel Reefa – Got Me Going (Colonel’s Flava) Daniel Bedingfield – Gotta Get Thru This (DND Full Length) DJ Narrows – Burning Up Versatile – Cum Cakes (DJ Narrows Mix) Goldspot Productions – Happen Benny Ill v DJ Dinesh – London Geeneus – Say It Menta – Sound Of Da Future Goldspot Productions – Party Horsepower Productions – What We Do Horsepower Productions – Let’s Dance (Club Mix) Mark Ryder Project – Joy (Original Vocal Mix) Darqwan – Confused Remarc – TNT Smith & Mighty – B-Line Fi Blow Jameson – Urban Hero Dis N Dat – Lead The Way (D ‘n’ D Original Mix) Shut Up And Dance – Moving Up (Vocal Mix) Youngstar – True VIP Master Stepz – Graveyard Shift (Mix 2) Shox – Monkey (Mix 1) Jammin – Hold On One Dark Dog – When Doves Cry (Mix 2) Jammin – Go DJ Tuned Air – Tuned Air (Vocal) DJ Zinc – People 4 Horsepower Productions – Voodoo Spell One Tribe – What Have You Done (Remix 1) Jammin – Distraction The Streets – Has It Come To This? The Streets Vs DJ Zinc
DJ NG Feat. Baby Katy & MC Versatile – Tell Me Cousin Cockroach – This Ain’t Tom And Jerry Double 99 – RipGroove (Original Mix) Zack Toms – Bring Me Down (Vocal) Ghost – Bodyguard (Booker T Vocal Lick) Geeneus – As I Paleface Feat. Kyla – Do You Mind (Crazy Cousins Remix) Unknown Artist – Roc Steadi 005 Menta – Sounds Of Da Future (DJ Zinc Remix) DJ Assassin – Face In The Crowd (Intellidread Mix) Goldie Feat. KRS One – Digital (Armand van Helden’s Dub) Big Blunts #1 – Stay Fresh DJ Assassin & Lab79 – Untitled Divide Intervention – Shelter Me (Peekay’s Rolled Into 1 Remix) Breakbeat Era – Bullitproof (MJ Cole Dub Mix) Lonyo – Summer Of Love (Original Extended) B-15 Project – Girls Like Us (Original Full Length Version) Nush – U Girls (Original Nush Mix) Sunship Vs Chunky – Bredrin Danny Saurez – Telephone Tune Mr. Vegas – Heads High (Trick Or Treat Mix 2) DJ Zinc – Flim (Horsepower Mix) Zed Bias – Neighbourhood (Zed Bias 2K Vocal Mix) Ed Case – Something In Your Eyes (K Warren Mix) Leee John – Your Mind, Your Body, Your Soul (SAS Phantasy Mix) DJ Lewi – Hold Me Tight (4×4 VIP Mix) Shanks & Bigfoot – Sweet Like Chocolate Deep Cover – Sounds Of Eden (Original Radio Edit) Genius Productions – Boom Selection Anthill Mob – Burnin Versatile – Cum Cakes The Heavyweight Kru – The Drea-MM TJ Cases – Dedicated To Love (Vocal Dub Mix) Horsepower Productions – Midnight Tease (Instrumental) Hi-Tek Feat. Jonell – Round & Round (So Solid Remix) Agent-X – Turbulence B-15 Project – Feels So Good (EZ More To The Floor Remix) Double Agent – Stand And Deliver (2 Step Vocal Mix) Sticky Feat. Ms Dynamite – Booo! (Original Dirty Mix) Agent-X – Decoy Brotherz In Law – Underground Studio 2 – Travelling Man (12“ Mix) Suburban Lick – Here Come The Lick (Original Mix) El-B – Serious (El-B Mix 2) Shut Up And Dance – Heaven And Earth
The typical club coordinates in Hamburg in the mid-1980s moved somewhere between mod culture and northern soul or post-punk and wave – in locations such as Kir – and disco preppydom at Trinity, Voilà and Stairways. The port of call was usually chosen by whether the evening plans focused on music and dancing, women or drinking. Some locations would satisfactorily cover all these needs, but in Hamburg it’s always been customary to frequent new locations as soon as an imbalance of these factors becomes too apparent. DJs usually didn’t do any mixing in those days and the music was often quite a wild potpourri of styles, so the nightlife crowd was used to only dancing to a couple of tracks and spending the rest of the night doing other things.
However, a little off the beaten track, near Berliner Tor, there was Front, a club Willi Prange opened in 1983. In 1984, Klaus Stockhausen from Cologne became the resident DJ and like his fellow DJs in others parts of town, he played a mixture of boogie, synthpop, electro, hi-energy and Italo. However, in the eyes of the rest of the city, Front soon had a special status. The main reason for that was probably that most of the guests were gay, that is if one can believe hearsay, who didn’t mind partying the weekend away so far-off from the usual Reeperbahn and Alster area haunts. On the other hand, what was perhaps even more deciding was Stockhausen, who was miles ahead of his colleagues in many ways. I first heard about his amazing DJ skills from one of my best friends, who was a few years older than me and had been frequenting Front since 1984. One evening he’d persuaded Stockhausen to sell him a set of live recordings on tape, for quite a lofty sum – well, the man certainly knew what he was worth.
When I heard the tapes for the first time, I was pretty stunned. I’d always had a weakness for all kinds of danceable music, but what you could do with it when you mix it was totally new to me then. I spotted certain parts of my record collection, but somehow it all sounded different, more energetic and more exciting. There were many instrumental versions, laced with sound effects, scratching and a cappella vocals. You could hear different records playing at the same time, sometimes for several minutes on end, or certain parts for just a few seconds. Most of the time I couldn’t even tell the tracks apart anymore, and I didn’t have a clue how he did it. Moreover, the choice of music was always both very stylish and adventurous. Must be mind-blowing to hear him perform live, I thought.
The nights at Front were already quite a steamy affair at that time, but things really took off at the end of 1985, when Tractor and later Rocco and Container Records started stocking the first house imports. In fact, I only really noticed house when “Jack Your Body” and “Love Can’t Turn Around” suddenly became hits in 1986, but I took an instant liking to it. It seemed like the perfect synthesis of all sorts of club styles, and yet it was also really basic and direct. A promising variation in the chronology of disco music, so to speak. And according to ear witnesses, house was monopolized as of day one at Front, even though there weren’t that many records you could buy, but whatever was available, you could hear it at Front. The European club landscape is admittedly too diverse and extensive to pinpoint where things were actually sparked off exactly, but if you take a look at the musical history books of other countries, Hamburg was in there damn early, without even making a big fuss about it. The regular weekend guests from England certainly seemed to have set out to the touristic wasteland on Heidenkampsweg with full intent to dance and were not there by chance.
The first time I was actually part of the bizarre queue that lined up in good time in front of the stairs leading down to the club was in early 1987. I was almost of age and a little tense. It seemed as if the cool guys around me could hardly wait to be let in by the grumpy moustached geezer who was in charge of the cellar door. The proud majority of the audience consisted of pretty boys in glamorous outfits and half-naked muscle-packed leather types, and there were plenty of them, later to be found on the dance floor, dancing and screaming their hearts out in delight. The club itself was anything but glamorous – “bare” would be putting it mildly. There was nothing on the walls apart from a few emergency exit signs on which the word “danger” blinked from time to time and intermittent slide projections of meaningless phrases like “I mean… is he…” or “…and suddenly…”. The dance floor was surrounded by low platforms with railings which – owing to the low ceiling – meant you were even closer to the nasty tweeter loudspeakers of the sound system that wasn’t exactly good, but it was very effective and, what’s more, very loud. The light-show merely consisted of different-coloured fluorescent tubes, sporadically lighting up the dark dance floor at incomprehensible intervals. And in contrast to other clubs in Hamburg at the time, it was very dark, not to mention the incredible fug of more or less naked bodies that was dripping from the ceiling or channelled back onto the street by the ventilation system, pouring out right next to the entrance as a thick cloud of steam, as if announcing to the outside world like the smoke at a papal conclave what levels of excess had been mutually reached that weekend.
Front was a place that you’d go to in order to dance, rather than to pose, although you could of course also do both if necessary, and wander from left to right, spellbound by the booming splendour. The atmosphere was extremely physical and highly sexed: the Front kids had designed their temple, paying reverence to hedonism with unconditional allegiance. In fact, nothing mattered as long as it was fun. If you left the dance floor, not that anyone would ever want to, the only distraction was a bar with a few benches, one floor down, whose drinks taps were tipped to the beat accompanied by the sounds of partying bar staff – often dressed in torero outfits. Other distractions included the notorious toilets, which were extraordinarily highly frequented and snubbed any notions of segregation of the sexes, as well as a pinball machine that never worked. The exuberance was deliberate, controlled from a DJ area which was very different to those in any other clubs in one respect: you couldn’t see the DJ. It was an elevated dark booth that you accessed through a door from the dance floor, and the DJ – whom you could only catch glimpses of – could look out through two tiny crenels. That had the effect that you concentrated on the music and sometimes it seemed as if it was coming from another world, although you were fully aware, of course, that the master of ceremonies responsible was something special, applauded with screams of delight on the dance floor. Clearly a renunciation of the elsewhere increasingly popular trend of hero-worshipping specific DJs – a trend that was ultimately the reason why Stockhausen laid down his headphones forever in 1991 to pursue an equally successful career as a fashion editor for well-known lifestyle magazines. I only found out many years later what he actually looked like, thanks to a series of photos in a city magazine, though it didn’t really matter anyway. The same went for his highly talented successor Boris Dlugosch, who became Stockhausen’s protégé as of 1986 and took over the baton after he left, directing the next era of the club just as stylishly – as did other DJs such as Michael Braune, Michi Lange, Sören Schnakenberg and Merve Japes. In time, more and more celebrities came, but were hardly taken any notice of.
These conditions didn’t change much in the years that followed. There were rituals like the quadraphonic test record that crackled away with the lights turned off, usually heralding in the final phase with a review of disco classics, though the Front’s sound system made even those sound like they’d been reborn in a ball of lightning. There were various wild and special events plus the annual birthday bash where, believe it or not, everything was turned one notch higher. Unforgotten is also the performance of an innocent busker who, on the outbreak of the first Gulf War, was engaged ad hoc on the high street and nervously played “Give Peace A Chance” on his guitar to an ecstatic audience.
In the developments of house music and all the various different styles emerging from it, Front served as a tough yardstick in the following years. First came the acid phase, which also conquered the rest of Hamburg in other new locations such as Opera House, Shag and Shangri-La, and the first wave of Detroit techno was welcomed with open arms. In those days, trips to clubs in other cities were often rather disappointing by comparison, and you soon looked forward to the next night out at home. In 1989 the New York hybrids of techno and house from Nu Groove and Strictly Rhythm followed, and the post-acid developments from Britain, such as Bleeps or Shut Up And Dance and 4hero, generally referred to as breakbeat techno back then, were also received to some acclaim. When techno started to increasingly define itself in terms of hardness as of ‘91, Front returned to its groove roots, leaving the speed-freaks to get on with it at locations like the first Unit. Overnight, garage and deep house were virtually mixed to new heights under the aegis of Dlugosch, without losing any of the easygoing dynamics on the dance floor: the delirious frenzy just happened to sound a little different now. Front embodied thrust and style and had brought its followers up on house to its best ability, which is why Hamburg never became much of a techno city compared to other metropolises. The club featured in Face, I-D and Tempo magazine as a world-class location and, with Dlugosch, was at least on a par with purely house and garage clubs in the USA and England, and was practically unrivalled on the continent for many years, which was underpinned by the fact that Front soon started to book big names from abroad. DJ Pierre slipped up on Wild Pitch and made up for it with acid meets garage; Mike Hitman Wilson botched up completely; Frankie Knuckles put a towel round his shoulders, placed a bottle of cognac and a desk fan in front of him and then set out to communicate just that; the Murk Boys were mutual love at first sight; and Derrick May didn’t want to stop.
But the first guests also offered insights into other scenes, which got more and more club-goers interested, and competition in Hamburg soared, generally using Front as the benchmark. The gay crowd felt increasingly more corned by prying eyes, and eventually the faces of the first generation gradually stopped coming and started going elsewhere. Not only the spirit of the pioneering age was waning but also the music began to lose its intensity. Even the 24-hour petrol station round the corner suddenly shut down. Nevertheless, like many others I felt privileged to have witnessed the emergence of house, happening live at such a special place that we all still carry in our hearts. At some point the show ran by itself and at other venues – as of ’94, I went there far less frequently, until I got a wake-up call in ‘97 when I suddenly heard about the farewell party. I preferred to remember it as it was in its heyday and decided not to go. Befitting for a truly legendary club, the deco was later auctioned like relics to the highest bidders. But I already had the perfect souvenir and it still adorns my door: the sign of the ladies’ toilets, mysteriously stuck to my T-shirt one Sunday afternoon when I woke up on the floor at a friend’s place still in my outfit from the night before. Those were the days. Klaus Stockhausen is still the best DJ I’ve ever heard and for me the club’s intensity is still unparalleled, minus a bit of sentimental glorification. It left a deep impression on me. Whenever I drive into Hamburg coming from Berlin, I always steal a glance at the Leder-Schüler building and hear music in my head. This used to be my playground.
Many thanks to Walter Fasshauer, Patrick Lazhar and Frank Ilgener.
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