Late Disco/Early House

JonasEdenbrandt · Post by **JonasEdenbrandt** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 1:25 pm

Recently I've found myself very intrestead in the disco music that turned into house music threw the DJ culture that grew around it. I was wondering about the mixing techniques of the early disco DJs. I've been listening to some stuff by Walter Gibbons and Larry Levan (and am also a big fan of the productions of Arthur Russell). I understand that a common thing for these DJ's to do was to use to copies of the same record and extend parts of songs and in this way make it more danceable and i guess in some ways more like what house music became.

I was wondering if any one else heres intreasted in this music and also if there are any good mixes you guys could recomend from this era. I'm also intrestead in how these DJs made transitions, did they beatmatch and do slow transitions like people do in techno nowadays or did they do more ruff transitions?

Van Hagen · Post by **Van Hagen** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:25 pm

yeah, defo loving that era and the kind of mysticism surroundng it :-)

maybe you find those useful:

http://www.disco-disco.com/

http://www.djhistory.com

http://home.concepts.nl/~avroomen/mixes.htm

stevësto · Post by **stevësto** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 3:23 pm

disco was beatmatched just like house. in the beginning it wasnt though. some black dude in the paradise garage was the first to beatmatch 2 disco records and the rest is history. before computers were used, people did tape edits, as in, they actually took a reel to reel tape of a song, cut it with an exacto knife, and attach an inserted piece of tape to either add a breakdown or extend a breakdown, which was then cut to vinyl. then people started doing ecstasy and wanted the breakdown to go even longer to extend that suspense and anticipation feeling. it all went downhill from there, going further and further away from actual normal music. eventually people just wanted one big breakdown with no melody, just ominous tones, raw feelings, nothing specific or concrete, no singing, just spoken phrases. its gotten to the point where someone just having a beer is confused and does not understand the "music".

disco was all about sex, the lyrics subliminal message was almost always sex or the feeling of being high on cocaine. ecstasy added a psychedelic twist to the stimulated mindstate, and the music became more serious, epic, its message was something more important than just sex.

i think the minimal techno popularity of this time right now, is the peak of evolution of dance music, we've reach the highest and most pure form. but its too serious, the fun and silliness is gone, and most importantly, the sex is gone. minimalist music is adrogenous, most of it is just not sexy. i truly believe dance music at its peak right now will self implode, producers will take a step back to look at whats going on and go back to the basics and start over, like one big cycle.

check out hercules and love affair's preview of their upcoming mix consisting of disco, early house (80's new beat), and nu disco:

http://this.bigstereo.net/wp-content/up ... 0edit).mp3

(have to copy paste link dont know whats up)

camus · Post by **camus** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 3:59 pm

know what , you'd better check Vince Montana or Cerrone than nowadays nudisco crap " à la" DFA. All the new artists do is sample old records and claim they invented something...
I dont mind non mixed disco parties, a good disco selection is tougher to do than any techno mix , and i don't think disco tempo mixes are very good.

miniKAT · Post by **miniKAT** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 4:09 pm

stevësto wrote:disco was beatmatched just like house. in the beginning it wasnt though. some black dude in the paradise garage was the first to beatmatch 2 disco records and the rest is history. before computers were used, people did tape edits, as in, they actually took a reel to reel tape of a song, cut it with an exacto knife, and attach an inserted piece of tape to either add a breakdown or extend a breakdown, which was then cut to vinyl. then people started doing ecstasy and wanted the breakdown to go even longer to extend that suspense and anticipation feeling. it all went downhill from there, going further and further away from actual normal music. eventually people just wanted one big breakdown with no melody, just ominous tones, raw feelings, nothing specific or concrete, no singing, just spoken phrases. its gotten to the point where someone just having a beer is confused and does not understand the "music".

disco was all about sex, the lyrics subliminal message was almost always sex or the feeling of being high on cocaine. ecstasy added a psychedelic twist to the stimulated mindstate, and the music became more serious, epic, its message was something more important than just sex.

i think the minimal techno popularity of this time right now, is the peak of evolution of dance music, we've reach the highest and most pure form. but its too serious, the fun and silliness is gone, and most importantly, the sex is gone. minimalist music is adrogenous, most of it is just not sexy. i truly believe dance music at its peak right now will self implode, producers will take a step back to look at whats going on and go back to the basics and start over, like one big cycle.

check out hercules and love affair's preview of their upcoming mix consisting of disco, early house (80's new beat), and nu disco:

http://this.bigstereo.net/wp-content/up ... 0edit).mp3

(have to copy paste link dont know whats up)

I do agree with u that minimal has almost ran its course, but as for going back to the basics...hmmm....I dont know... Some producers never left the basics, and the disco sound, like a lot of house producers, especially from NY, CHI, e.g. Moodyman, Derrick Carter. Even some Herbert stuff, maybe.
I dont think music should be all sexy though, there has to be different feels to it. Dark, light, suspensful, etc...

good_god · Post by **good_god** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 4:16 pm

a bit before disco, but still a good read:
http://ped111251.tripod.com/francis.htm

BeatBoxBaby · Post by **BeatBoxBaby** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:12 pm

http://www.di.fm/edmguide/edmguide.html

Atheory · Post by **Atheory** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:15 pm

stevësto wrote:disco was beatmatched just like house. in the beginning it wasnt though. some black dude in the paradise garage was the first to beatmatch 2 disco records and the rest is history. before computers were used, people did tape edits, as in, they actually took a reel to reel tape of a song, cut it with an exacto knife, and attach an inserted piece of tape to either add a breakdown or extend a breakdown, which was then cut to vinyl. then people started doing ecstasy and wanted the breakdown to go even longer to extend that suspense and anticipation feeling. it all went downhill from there, going further and further away from actual normal music. eventually people just wanted one big breakdown with no melody, just ominous tones, raw feelings, nothing specific or concrete, no singing, just spoken phrases. its gotten to the point where someone just having a beer is confused and does not understand the "music".

disco was all about sex, the lyrics subliminal message was almost always sex or the feeling of being high on cocaine. ecstasy added a psychedelic twist to the stimulated mindstate, and the music became more serious, epic, its message was something more important than just sex.

i think the minimal techno popularity of this time right now, is the peak of evolution of dance music, we've reach the highest and most pure form. but its too serious, the fun and silliness is gone, and most importantly, the sex is gone. minimalist music is adrogenous, most of it is just not sexy. i truly believe dance music at its peak right now will self implode, producers will take a step back to look at whats going on and go back to the basics and start over, like one big cycle.

check out hercules and love affair's preview of their upcoming mix consisting of disco, early house (80's new beat), and nu disco:

http://this.bigstereo.net/wp-content/up ... 0edit).mp3

(have to copy paste link dont know whats up)

enjoyable post, but i'm not sure if i would say that minimal of the last few years is the peak of electronic music. and didnt minimal implode already?
producers are starting to react against the deep house revival thing already? its just cycles. they just become quicker and quicker because of the internet etc. for my money, late autechre is probably the "peak" or natural conclusion of the electronic music thing. but there will be other stuff i'm sure.