> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrew [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: 22 March 2004 17:36
>
> ... I never even use the term 'Detroit Techno', I just say
> 'Techno'...
I'd quite like it if one day all the looped-banger stuff was just
known as "schranz", and the word "techno" became widely accepted
as referring mainly to 313-derived stuff... similar to what happened
with trance when it split off from techno.
> Detroit techno for me seems to _take_more_chances_, be more
> 'committed', more balls, more funky, or harder, or softer, and
> that's without ruling out other locations (Brendan mentioned
> Black Dog, easily among my top 5), and I think to fully get the
> message of that across you need about 15 records, to show the
> breadth of the sound.
>
> Wonder what records they would be?
Hmmm, 15 records that reflect the breadth and depth of Detroit
techno's various strands...
The first one I'd choose is the track that's closest to my original
understanding of what Detroit techno was before I'd ever heard it,
and a track that, for me, still sits pretty much dead-centre of the
whole thing - "It Is What It Is" by Rhythim is Rhythim. I think you
could safely say that if a listener violently objected to that
particular track, it's unlikely that any form of Detroit techno
would particularly appeal to them.
To cover the harder side of the music, I'd pick three stalwarts of
pretty much any 313ers' record collection: "Seawolf", "Star Dancer"
and "Step to Enchantment". "At Les", "Icon", "It's All Gone
Pearshaped" (not actually from Detroit but on a Detroit label) could
sum up the more ambient and melancholic aspect of the music.
That's seven tracks and still quite a lot of stuff to cover, so you
could chuck in some Robert Hood ("Rhythm" and "Explain The Style"
would be my minimal picks), some Moodymann ("Don't Be Misled", "The
Day We Lost The Soul") and then round off the selection with some
choice Drexciyan moments ("Aqua Worm Hole", "The Journey Home") and
maybe a spot of Aux 88 ("Let It Ride", "My Aux Mind").
So all in all that's the fifteen tracks *I'd* probably select in an
attempt to convey what the term "Detroit techno" means to me. I'm sure
others can think of a better selection though!
Brendan
