so whats with the whole vogue thing

[garethom]

it's a personal decision really. i like to learn about that shit, some people don't care or don't have the time and that's understandable. it's music so it shouldn't be something to stress

case in point, gerry read. doesn't know/care about club culture but makes some banging ass house tunes...

I could read forever about the scene and history behind genres, but don't expect that of everyone. Everyone has different interests I guess, we're just people super interested in music.

EDIT: One point on that though, nothing more annoying than being given an incredibly inaccurate history lesson by people that don't know their stuff.

[joeki]

I think the culture is important, but not essential. I think when you were actually part of it (closer to bed), you're naturally going to be more involved and interested in the history as well.

The culture behind ballroom is far from my door both geographically and also musically (I've not been listening to house for that long actually, two years maybe???).
But I'm willing to make the effort to discover more about it, I'm willing to educate myself on it. And when I get round to it, I will see some of the splendid stuff people have posted here.
But, seeing as I've grown to like the music on my own, and only through the music (I really didn't know any of this when MikeQ's EP was announced here a couple of months ago, in fact I said it was repetitive house music at first..), I find this to be a natural way of learning to enjoying things and it leads to more satisfaction and general understanding when you go and research the history/culture behind it. It's about treating music as more than a commodity I suppose (something apparently lacking these days?), but you can't force it on anyone.

What people were getting at with the hipster thing is, probably like some experience it the other way around: they find (or seek I assume) some obscure cultural thing and then go around consuming that culture for simply that purpose. I don't accuse anyone here of that by the way, on the contrary. And even so, If you disregard their motives, they in a way are doing something good as well I suppose.

[Soiree]

I enjoy the pursuit of discovering micro scenes like minimal wave and ballroom house to help fill in the gaps between music's secret societies.
It is very important to know where the music now days came from, it's an evolution that deserves acknowledgment.
If EDM is your passion, it ought to be fascinating to learn about all of the aspects of the culture.

[benq]

this may be one of the best threads seen here in a while.

[incnic]

Waiow a normal conversation

[cedaa]

I enjoy the pursuit of discovering micro scenes like minimal wave and ballroom house to help fill in the gaps between music's secret societies.

^ i like that

[helix]

I think this is just going to turn into a bastardization of both gay AND black culture if people only pay attention to certain stylistic elements in the music, and ignore the culture behind the music.


If you don't know where the music's coming from, then how the fuck are you going to do it justice by making it?


also props to bokbok for signing actual artists from the US gay club circuit rather than making references to the culture while stealing from it and throwing a layer of white hetero feces over everything

[fractal]

heavy stuff, worries in the dance

[Sexual_Chocolate]

I think this is just going to turn into a bastardization of both gay AND black culture if people only pay attention to certain stylistic elements in the music, and ignore the culture behind the music.

isnt that what happened to house? seemed to have turned out fine....

[crutch]

I think this is just going to turn into a bastardization of both gay AND black culture if people only pay attention to certain stylistic elements in the music, and ignore the culture behind the music.


If you don't know where the music's coming from, then how the fuck are you going to do it justice by making it?


also props to bokbok for signing actual artists from the US gay club circuit rather than making references to the culture while stealing from it and throwing a layer of white hetero feces over everything

you cant expect people to adopt a whole culture just because they are inspired by it. i mean if thats what you want to do, get totally immersed in it then fair play to you, and it would be awesome if every one did but you cant expect people to. and props to bokbok, and i have no idea who your referring to but im sure he signed them cos the tunes were fire or he thought they would sell not cause they were part of a culture that inspired him. + i think what your saying is that people should be making the same thing but theyre not, theyre making their version, with their culture.

then again what do i know

[joeki]

I think it would be interesting to see an "outsiders" take on it. Not sure how much French Fries is "involved" but his tunes are bare fire. I think you're being too harsh mate.

[hackman]

If you don't know where the music's coming from, then how the fuck are you going to do it justice by making it?

why does that matter?

[Hyacinth]

As a music geek I enjoy placing tunes in context and learning about a scenes background, key players, etc. But a tunes a tune. People who hear MikeQ tunes on a system aren't looking for a historical context or a pamphlet detailing the origins of the tune, they want to be moved by the music. Its cool that places like the House forum exist that allow you to dive into the background of the tunes you listen to but at the end of the day I don't care much where the tune comes from if its got that primal musical appeal.

[+torment+]

sometimes a shady new way vogue battle is just a straight up good fuckin battle, ya know?

<iframe src="/forum/video.php?url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLvo7p5u-Zc" frameborder="0" style="overflow:hidden; height:auto; max-width:540px"></iframe>
<iframe src="/forum/video.php?url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lByF1ei1hRY&feature=related" frameborder="0" style="overflow:hidden; height:auto; max-width:540px"></iframe>

[helix]

If you're making music based off of only what you hear with no knowledge of the driving forces behind the artist. Socio-economic status, race, sexual orientation, and even shit like the local climate all play into the music, and if you ignore that, then you're simply copying for personal gain without paying respects to the originators. (Which I'm sure everybody on dsf can agree is heinous)

Of course I encourage growth of any sound, but I'd rather have a sincere attempt at making music that one legitimately enjoys, rather than the "flavour-of-the-month" approach I see many producers taking, moving from funky to garage to house to "juke" to "ballroom" and probably to techno soon if the level of hype around people like Blawan (holla) is any indicator.

In no way am I saying to only make music that stylistically imitates the average ballroom track, I'm saying to keep in mind the cultural aspects of the music before you go ripping off something that someone else originated because you're not smart enough to simply adapt elements of the music to your own. I'd rather hear someone make a ballroom-influenced track rather than someone making a ballroom track influenced by their own style.

Actually, come to think of it, I'd rather just hear somebody make their own unique brand of club music than using someone else's.

[crutch]

If you're making music based off of only what you hear with no knowledge of the driving forces behind the artist. Socio-economic status, race, sexual orientation, and even shit like the local climate all play into the music, and if you ignore that, then you're simply copying for personal gain without paying respects to the originators. (Which I'm sure everybody on dsf can agree is heinous)

Of course I encourage growth of any sound, but I'd rather have a sincere attempt at making music that one legitimately enjoys, rather than the "flavour-of-the-month" approach I see many producers taking, moving from funky to garage to house to "juke" to "ballroom" and probably to techno soon if the level of hype around people like Blawan (holla) is any indicator.

In no way am I saying to only make music that stylistically imitates the average ballroom track, I'm saying to keep in mind the cultural aspects of the music before you go ripping off something that someone else originated because you're not smart enough to simply adapt elements of the music to your own. I'd rather hear someone make a ballroom-influenced track rather than someone making a ballroom track influenced by their own style.

Actually, come to think of it, I'd rather just hear somebody make their own unique brand of club music than using someone else's.

i hear you. but nothing is completely original, i mean if you are influenced by a house track then should you be researching what influenced that? and you could do that till caveman times. basically if you want to make a, lets say strait up ballroom track, then fair enough youd need to know the context in which it will be played. but if you want to make a ballroom influenced track, then hell theres nothing wrong in borrowing a few motifs. keeps your stuff fresh. and i dont think its disrespectful to originators, imitation is the highest form of flattery.

[helix]

yeah but imitation sounds like shit

[crutch]

yeah but imitation sounds like shit

only if you dont hide your sources well enough

[helix]

yeah but imitation sounds like shit

only if you dont hide your sources well enough

loool fair play

[apmje]

This is a really interesting thread and thanks to all who have contributed. This scene has totally gone unnoticed by me...but I mean I've only been listening to houseish music for a year or so.

Listening to that MikeQ fact mix now and so far enjoying it...the similarities to Night Slugs is uncanny and been feeling Night Slugs stuff for awhile.

Going to have a read through the ballroom, house stuff...already read a bit.