From James Skilton Sent Fri, Apr 10th 1998, 12:23
From James Skilton Sent Fri, Apr 10th 1998, 12:23
At 21:59 05/04/98 -0400, Philip Sherburne wrote: >> besides the fact that I think the classification 'drum-n-bass' >>is pretty stupid. > >i hate to risk initiating yet another bull-headed idm war, but i've gotta >argue with that-- "drum'n'bass" is a classification precisely because it >denotes a specific musical form, with its own history, stylistics, etc. i >would even go so far to argue that there are two ways of producing >drum'n'bass--1) to work with the form (eg squarepusher, jega, rdj, etc.), >using its formal elements but always as an expansion of the form; and 2) to >work within the form, as does dancefloor-oriented d'n'b. eg, the producers >that "non-initiates" won't necessarily know. this second method works >within strict formal rules almost as a kind of theme-and-variation >exercise. hence the production of such similar music. originality isn't >the point, in such an exercise--the asymptotal drive toward the "perfect >track" is, instead. > >anyway. it's pointless to argue that "the classification 'drum'n'bass' is >stupid" because it does, in fact, denote a very real (and classifiable) >phenomenon. not quite the same as arguing that "the classification >'postmodernism' is stupid," for instance (and i don't even think we'd >better touch that one!). I have to agree in full with both points. D&B is not some lame tag recently applied to a few tracks, but a fully fledged musical genre, albeit a fairly recent one. And your explanation of the 2 broad d&b methodologies is superb - crystallising my thoughts on the subject in a way which I have not tried to express. Your comment about the asymptotal drive I can particularly identify with. Part of what keeps me buying records is that never ending search, as put into words by Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force - "Looking for the Perfect Beat" PS sorry I was a bit late on this thread, but been busy all week so catching up with my idm mail on a snowy Good Friady. np: Throb - "Skicka Baskaggen" (Primate). Praise my Bass Drum indeed. laterz, J ^ Steady J aka James Skilton xxxxxx-x@xxxxxxxxx.xxx Autechre & SKAM discogs @ http://subnet.virtual-pc.com/~sk393820 "I don' have any idea 'bout what's going on..."