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London Acid Techno
Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 7:09 pm
by the947sw11
I can't imagine many of you like this sort of stuff, but I DJ'ed briefly in this scene (rather bizarrely, in addition to playing UKG and d'n'b! lol) around 1999-2000.
As any DJ knows, you don't have to play in a scene for long to amass a huge number of records. I hadn't listened to any of this stuff for about 6 years, but fortunately I'd ripped all my vinyl to CDR before I sold it all and I have spent the last few days ripping it all to DVD.
F*** me, I'd forgotten how awesome some of these tunes were. I was never really a big "pure techno" fan, except maybe during the 1987-1989 Detroit era (I always found it to be far too soulless; being a garage/jungle guy that's hardly surprising).
However, a lot of this stuff has just brought back memories of illegal raves and underground club nights all over London from back in the late 90s, and in particular a night when I played just before Chris Liberator in a rammed venue (and what's more, I can honestly say that my set received a better response than the legendary man himself - lol!)
Anyway, I'm rambling now... if names like Routemaster, Stay Up Forever, Smitten, Techno Slut, Cluster and Hydraulix mean anything to you, you'll know what I'm on about. If not, oh well... instant thread killer haha

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 11:56 pm
by two oh one
I was a big Club 414 goer - Stay up Forever, Nuclear Free Zone. Chris Liberator used to rip it up. DJing in a big cage to avoid the bottles flying around. Hard Acid Techno can be brutal stuff.
I've done a few Acid and Techno tracks in my time and still put out a few 303 laden tracks, but mainly as Industrial Techno. If you use a 303, you MUST put it through a Boss bass overdrive

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:14 am
by the947sw11
lol innit, it was always UKG that got all the press about violence, but the worst violence I ever saw at a rave was at a Restless Natives/Underground Sound/Immersion squat party back in late 1999 - fucking crackheads started rioting all over the place, bare people got jacked/beaten up etc, not a nice way to spend a night at all. that never happened at any Twice As Nice or Garage Nation I went to lol
I knew someone would turn up eventually. NFZ? I bet we must have been in the same crowd at some point. hehe.

I didn't go to that many legal events at the time, but I was really into the squat party scene; a completely different vibe to the dressed-up UKG nights I also went to!
Chris Liberator was such a top bloke. He turned up at our rave and he could see I was tearing it up on the decks; although I was a nobody compared to him, he still shook my hand and had a quick chat with me before taking over. I can't say that about several other so-called "top" DJs I've played alongside, who act like you should be grateful they even showed their face at your event, and who follow their prima donna act with a lame, floor-clearing set! lol!
This stuff never was and never will be my favourite music, but respect where it's due.
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 1:00 am
by two oh one
I kept away from the squat party aspect of it for the most part, even though that was where it all began. Flying bottles are one thing, but flying junkies are another.
I still really like Acid Techno. It's still the most exciting thing out there, IMHO. Like Punk, it makes me want to kick things.

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 1:21 pm
by shonky
I'm in a bit of a quandary about this, love the squat parties but hate acid techno. Liberators still going though isn't he, think he played down here a few months ago.
I think squat parties are generally a bit more hippy down these ways though, so don't usually get robbing and fights, but I heard nasty business about some of those london parties. I was invited to one up in Hackney for NYE but after being told not to take anything of value (phone? trainers? coat?) and that they'd seen a shooting on the way to the last one I sort of took a rain check.
Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:00 pm
by messyfuture
i still love my acid techno, have you heard 'one night in hackney' ? makes me smile every time i hear it.
My mate used in run a night here and we had all the london acid boys over at one time or an other, gezzer's live sets were amazing, his laptop fucked up one night and he borrowed my 909 and 101 he had his one 909 and 303 with him.... he just jammed with them for an hour,it was one of those nights that you will never forget
i actually have a acid techno track on my space at the moment if yous want a listen
Mr Hyde wrote:Just mixing through my old Cluster/Hydraulix/Stay up forever/Pounding Grooves things the other day- still got about 50 of them but they dont get listened to at home all that much nowadays -good for bringing back the hazy memories tho!
you should stick some of them on ebay, theres a few records that go for silly money...just had a quick look on the bay and there is stay up forever tracks on at 20 - 25 £
the947sw11 wrote:but fortunately I'd ripped all my vinyl to CDR before I sold it all and I have spent the last few days ripping it all to DVD.
any chance of a copy

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:11 pm
by two oh one
Acid Techno is the best driving music. I love whamming that stuff and pulling up next to poseur Gangtas here in LA while the 303s are fucking screaming. They don't know what fucking hit them.
Nice one, Messy. I was waiting for the 303 to start bubbling in. Nice, mechanical track...
Here's some of mine:
'Machine Test' is pure Mechanical Techno and 'Bleed' is Distorted Acid headfuck:
http://www.myspace.com/splittermusic
Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:28 pm
by messyfuture
Whhooooo
really like those man -)
*runs of to start looking through records*
Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:33 am
by dj phonetic
heavy shit, but i like it
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:04 pm
by brooksy
easy now...LOVE that shit.. big techno head back in the day..used to see mills etc at lost, went to the 414 and the fridge in the early 90s...actually got really into acid techno over the past few years...I lived in brixton for years, but now in san francisco and there is NO acid techno here at all.... I love all the suf, smitten, routemaster, 4x4x4, vcf stuff....love mixing it too.... nice thread m8!@!!
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:20 pm
by two oh one
brooksy wrote:easy now...LOVE that shit.. big techno head back in the day..used to see mills etc at lost, went to the 414 and the fridge in the early 90s...actually got really into acid techno over the past few years...I lived in brixton for years, but now in san francisco and there is NO acid techno here at all.... I love all the suf, smitten, routemaster, 4x4x4, vcf stuff....love mixing it too.... nice thread m8!@!!
Yeah, the Fridge! I loved that place. I liked walking through all the passageways and old changing rooms. Old cinema/theatre, wasn't it? I went to Samsara and Return there a lot. Samsara was a great night. It went from Dub, through Dub-electro, and then into Goa and the into mental stomping Acid Techno through the night. Fucking great mix of stuff.
And the academy and fucking loved 414 back then. You're right - Not a lot of Acid Techno out here in Yankland. It's a shame, because people dig it when they hear it.
Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 3:14 pm
by scanone
Ive got loads of acid tekno im selling if anyone is interested..
stay up forever etc...
scanone.
Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:26 pm
by kidlogic
Can any of you suggest any mixes or have any of yourself? I think I know the style youre talkin about but dont really recognize any of the names. Love me some old Acid house and the like though, grew up on it in the midwest. Im sure I would even know some of the songs if I heard em. Love that 303...
Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:26 pm
by brooksy
check out mixes by chris liberator...he's the best at I reckon, also mixes by geezer, roland the bastard, dave the drummer....
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:13 am
by two oh one
brooksy wrote:check out mixes by chris liberator...he's the best at I reckon, also mixes by geezer, roland the bastard, dave the drummer....
I was going to say exactly the same thing. Chris Lib can't be beat.
Kidlogic -
I don't know of any mix downloads, but the Trust the DJ CD series are great.
London Acid City is a good mix CD. Look for it at Amoeba.
Acid house is a lot blippier and mellower than Acid Tech. Acid Techno is fucking brutal, brutal brutal shit. A lot heavier, faster and distorted. The 303 through an overdrive pedal is a different beast altogether.

Acid Techno makes me want to kick the cat.
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:20 am
by kidlogic
NIIIIIIICE! I like! F that Cat!
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:21 am
by kidlogic
Is Dave the Drummer still playing that style? I see him on fliers in NorCal/Nevada all the time...
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:53 pm
by [b]racket
Hahaha cannot believe i missed this thread.
I really dislike acid techno but know a lot and have partied with a lot of people who made that scene what it is. The Liberators & SUF crew, Henry Cullen (DAVE the Drummer) , Guy Mcaffer (Geezer), Ant, Rowland, Gizzelle....
Gizzelle still rates as one of my favourite acid djs (she drops more old skool acid house than techno)...They are all really nice people. Shame I dont rate much of their production.
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:55 pm
by messyfuture
kidlogic wrote:Is Dave the Drummer still playing that style? I see him on fliers in NorCal/Nevada all the time...
yea he is but i think hes starting to release more of a varied mix of tracks now, miminal stuff and that
check out
www.blackoutaudio.co.uk forums theres loads of acid mixes and techno in the files section and acid section