On Sun, 18 Jun 2000, Intermodal wrote: > Hello, > > I am not trying to start a big argument, but I will put it to you like > this. > > get a random teenage techno DJ, and play them a marco corolla record, > and then play him the Kick the Pump Mix of Big Fun by Derrick May. I > guarantee you he will pick the Marco Corolla record.
Where is this "random teenage techno DJ" from? What country? What city? I'd argue that it matters.... > You know your stuff, and you have a perspective of a person who knows > their stuff. Most people do not have your perspective, and they do not > judge records the way you do. You can see the context, and because of > that you can enjoy most of the metroplex catalog. It is easy to point to > No UFO's, but how about Play it Cool, or Triangle of Love. Those records > are great, but you are nuts if you think that those records are great > productions. They were made in low budget studios, and they sound like > they were made in low budget studios. bad gated reverb kicks, poorly > recorded vocals, they sound old and primitive by modern standards. You take 100 heads, play them Play It Cool and marco corolla....and ask them which one has the "bad gated reverb kicks". How many of them will pick the right one? The concept of "production values" plays NO ROLE in what i find appealing to the ear in a 12'. Though i AM in a minority as far as knowing the history of techno, I think I'm in the majority when it comes to an analysis of "production values." As far as I'm concerned most of M500's catalog are classics. I say "most" because I thought Play It Cool was weak.... ;) > As > for composition, Juan was good, but his shit isn't that complex. He had > a great sense of groove, he could write in key, and he had a knack for > good sounds. When you get outside of the 313 dogma and learn a bit of > music theory you might judge those records a little differently. Juan > was good, but he wasn't Bach or Miles Davis. This is interesting....but you are making two different arguments here. The first is that the production values are poor...I think this argument--even if true--is weak. The second is that the music isn't complex. If Miles Davis is the standard....how many dance music artists (expanding the discussion to include house, and other forms) meet this bill? I love No Way Back by Adonis....but it ain't KIND OF BLUE. But then again, why would I expect it to be? > I like them because they sound old and primitive. They have soul, they > are interesting and distinctive. But what you and I see in those > records, the average punter does not. > I do not think Marco Carolla is better, I just think he is a lot more > obvious, and that is the whole point of my posts. I still have my > Detroit records, I don't miss the hard techno records I sold. If not > being rigidly dogmatic about records is sacrilegious, I am ready for the > stones. Early Detroit is great music, but it is just a branch on the > tree of music. It is great music, but I have enough perspective to know > that it is not the center of the musical universe. No it isn't...but I didn't think that anyone was arguing that it was. peace lks
