The Birth of House – Chicago
New York
The foundations of house can be traced back to the difficult
political and social times of 1970’s America. Born amid a crippling recession
and at the height of the women’s gay and black power movements, disconnected
youth across America would find salvation from the conflicting times in the
clubs throughout liberated New York City. Music is said to be a reflection of the times,
and the early disco/house music allowed young people to forget their differences
and come together over one love, the love of music.
Targeting gay club goers and combining European
elements from the likes of Depeche Mode, Soft Cell and Kraftwerk, early house
music would start to take shape as people desired longer breaks, remixes and a deeper rawer sound compared to the watered down commercial disco music getting
produced at the time. With racial tensions high and at the height of the
homophobic “disco sucks” protest, one DJ would leave New York City behind and
take “disco” to the black, middle class, neighbourhoods of Chicago, push the
movement underground, into the basements and into the “House”.
The foundations of house can be traced back to the difficult
political and social times of 1970’s America. Born amid a crippling recession
and at the height of the women’s gay and black power movements, disconnected
youth across America would find salvation from the conflicting times in the
clubs throughout liberated New York City. Music is said to be a reflection of the times,
and the early disco/house music allowed young people to forget their differences
and come together over one love, the love of music.
Targeting gay club goers and combining European
elements from the likes of Depeche Mode, Soft Cell and Kraftwerk, early house
music would start to take shape as people desired longer breaks, remixes and a deeper rawer sound compared to the watered down commercial disco music getting
produced at the time. With racial tensions high and at the height of the
homophobic “disco sucks” protest, one DJ would leave New York City behind and
take “disco” to the black, middle class, neighbourhoods of Chicago, push the
movement underground, into the basements and into the “House”.
The Warehouse & Frankie Knuckles
Established in 1977 and located within the depths of Chicago’s
underground. The Warehouse nightclub was the place that many view as the true
birth of the house movement and where many believe the genre borrowed its name.
The man who would innovate this new sound was an ex New York disco DJ, Frankie Knuckles “the Godfather of house”. Recording and remixing songs on reel to reel
tape Frankie Knuckles and the warehouse would find hundreds of party goers on
the dance floor each weekend slowly turning thousands on to a fresh new sound.
Many of Frankie’s songs would start to gain notoriety and begin to find their
way onto local radio throughout Chicago. Songs such as “Your love” and “Where Love Lives”, which became massive hits and would be continually sampled for years to
come.
Established in 1977 and located within the depths of Chicago’s
underground. The Warehouse nightclub was the place that many view as the true
birth of the house movement and where many believe the genre borrowed its name.
The man who would innovate this new sound was an ex New York disco DJ, Frankie Knuckles “the Godfather of house”. Recording and remixing songs on reel to reel
tape Frankie Knuckles and the warehouse would find hundreds of party goers on
the dance floor each weekend slowly turning thousands on to a fresh new sound.
Many of Frankie’s songs would start to gain notoriety and begin to find their
way onto local radio throughout Chicago. Songs such as “Your love” and “Where Love Lives”, which became massive hits and would be continually sampled for years to
come.
No comments:
Post a Comment