Jeremy Deller doc on rave culture

[the]

Having been too young to go out to anything until 1994, I always feel such a pang of regret that I wasn't old enough to experience any of it. When I see videos of people out and the parties I experience such a feeling of loss. Then again, I think not being just unable to experience something first-hand leads to a deeper love (maybe) than most of the people who were there. They have memories (or maybe they don't) and I have impossible dreams, like a forever unrequited love.

I didn't start going out to gigs and clubs until about 96, so I've felt similarly about having been too young for the scene whilst I was simultaneously loving the music. I have mixed feelings on that now though - I think if I'd been part of the scene I'd probably have been too involved in a way, I think I prefer the music-focused/drug-free perspective I've gained on it. Especially in the way it's led to my angle on making similar music.

[jamiefairlie]

I dunno, the lass with the bins looked like she was having an epiphany and definitely going straight home to rave in front of the mirror

I was actually shocked that so few had been out of London and they felt uncomfortable in the white enclaves in the far, far north, like Oxford.

Thought this was surprisingly good overall. This kind of wide-ranging social history is really interesting and much more accurately reflects my lived experiences from the time rather than just the usual 'power dressing, big hair, that guy showing his wad' stereotypes they usually trot out.

[purlieu]

I dunno, the lass with the bins looked like she was having an epiphany and definitely going straight home to rave in front of the mirror

Yeah, there were a couple of "the establishment were scared of anything outside of their control" comments that were, in this woke era, maybe not that surprising, but still very encouraging to here.

The real hero was the old bloke in a suit who said he'd pay for the new age traveller's drinks if they couldn't afford them. I actually did a cheer at that point.

[monkfromhavana]

I didn't start going out to gigs and clubs until about 96, so I've felt similarly about having been too young for the scene whilst I was simultaneously loving the music. I have mixed feelings on that now though - I think if I'd been part of the scene I'd probably have been too involved in a way, I think I prefer the music-focused/drug-free perspective I've gained on it. Especially in the way it's led to my angle on making similar music.

The, have you got any of your tracks available for listening anywhere?

[the]

PM'd.

[Twed]

The iPlayer team is really good at blocking VPNs, cloud IPs and proxies these days.

[greenman]

Having just finished watching it, I take it back, I thought it was fantastic. It captured a lot about that moment in time that other documentaries with the usual DJs lack, but then I guess that's a given regarding any music documentaries, the artists have only their stories and their egos, whereas someone from the outside can have a much clearer picture.

Having been too young to go out to anything until 1994, I always feel such a pang of regret that I wasn't old enough to experience any of it. When I see videos of people out and the parties I experience such a feeling of loss. Then again, I think not being just unable to experience something first-hand leads to a deeper love (maybe) than most of the people who were there. They have memories (or maybe they don't) and I have impossible dreams, like a forever unrequited love.

I was 14 in 1992 and wouldn't have gone to the raves even if I'd been older as a shy middle class boy but there was a very definite sense of the rave./traveller culture existing, maybe because I lived in Stroud about 1/4 of a mile away from...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbPb6ddZP8I

Even not attending that or the club mentioned in the video there was a definite vibe hanging around places like the Silver Rooms arcade at the top of town playing Streetfighter 2, indeed even that game seemed to be linked into some underground culture being replaced with the bizarre hacked version.

[Captain Z]

"The presenters don't know what's happened" "So here's what's happened to Peter Waterman's world has collapsed; he's lost control of the nightclub

Peter, you've lost the nightclub!

That small part also seemed a bit disingenuous in an otherwise very well-researched documentary. They wouldn't have been broadcasting on mainstream TV from a rave if they hadn't recognised the popularity and importance of it.

I remember Pete Waterman being a guest of Chris Moyles around 2001/2 and Chris casually asking him what he thought of the track they'd just played 'Slipmatt - Space', probably not expecting the answer he got. Pete obviously already knew the track and said he loved it, mentioning that he'd been in Ibiza recently and was into all that kind of stuff. I expect he took his position very seriously and made it his business to keep up to date with all new musical trends. As someone has already said, surely the amazing thing about that clip is just how much everything changed in four years when current trends have been stagnant for the entirety of those pupils' lives.

As an aside - I'm struggling to find any evidence there was a club/night called 'Essence' in Swansea. Would be interested to know more about that. There was 'Escape', but that opened in 1995.

[Better Midlands]

The iPlayer team is really good at blocking VPNs, cloud IPs and proxies these days.

It's on YouTube
https://youtu.be/Thr8PUAQuag

[ZoyzaSorris]

Yeah, when I was going out the music still had some new directions to explore, although I wish I had gone out more, and perhaps to some more varied nights rather than just raves/DnB /hardcore and old skool nights. It's a shame my old mates drifted off into Oasis etc, and my new mates who I started hanging around with from about 1995 we're only really into guitar-based music, hip-hop and Aphex Twin and hated anything you could go out and dance to.

I went to my first rave at 15 in early 94 and it was still very exciting stuff, surely the evolution into jungle over 94-95 was a pretty creatively and culturally incredible time to be into it all? Lost my love a bit by 96, started getting majorly into hiphop instead. Felt it had gone all a bit hardstep and soulless by then. but 94-95 was amazing.

[hermitical]

I was 18 in 1989, I was into hardcore (the guitary kind), noise etc. I did start listening to Aphex etc. early on, early Warp, acid techno and the like but I was never a club person, or a joiner of groups. I often feel deep melancholy about never being in a scene of any sort, always on the peripheries.

I'm wondering if watching this documentary will make me feel that way. I've watched the video for Bicep's Glue many times and I feel such a strong sense of loss for something I never had. It's a bizarre feeling because it is so enveloping. It reminds me that I have never belonged....

[Twed]

It's on YouTube
https://youtu.be/Thr8PUAQuag

YOU'RE ON YOUTUBE

(thanks)

[Better Midlands]

I've watched the video for Bicep's Glue many times

It's ace that.

[the]

It's on YouTube
https://youtu.be/Thr8PUAQuag

Be aware that some of the choons have been muted

[Bently Sheds]

The real hero was the old bloke in a suit who said he'd pay for the new age traveller's drinks if they couldn't afford them. I actually did a cheer at that point.

I got a bit emotional at that point, what a bloody good bloke he was. That horrendous NIMBY woman guffing on about where the travellers got their money from, she can fuck right off. Bet she's cheering Boris and his Parliament proroguing this evening, unless she's deservedly in grave.

...I was never a club person, or a joiner of groups. I often feel deep melancholy about never being in a scene of any sort, always on the peripheries.

I'm wondering if watching this documentary will make me feel that way. I've watched the video for Bicep's Glue many times and I feel such a strong sense of loss for something I never had. It's a bizarre feeling because it is so enveloping. It reminds me that I have never belonged....

I watched this having little interest in the music at the time and it made me feel a little sad that I missed out on something that seemed so great because I was a massive indie music wanker snob back in the day. 

Ultimately it made me feel old - and when all the kids got their phones out at the end and were instagramming the lightshow it brought it home to me how much has changed and what has been lost in all this time.

[phes]

I got a bit emotional at that point, what a bloody good bloke he was. That horrendous NIMBY woman guffing on about where the travellers got their money from, she can fuck right off. Bet she's cheering Boris and his Parliament proroguing this evening, unless she's deservedly in grave.

I watched this having little interest in the music at the time and it made me feel a little sad that I missed out on something that seemed so great because I was a massive indie music wanker snob back in the day. 

Ultimately it made me feel old - and when all the kids got their phones out at the end and were instagramming the lightshow it brought it home to me how much has changed and what has been lost in all this time.

Exactly my position.

In 1991 I saw Moby's Go on TOTP. I was pretty thrilled by it but that soon got squashed by my friend's dad bellowing at the telly 'he's just saying go and pressing a keyboard. Jesus Christ this is IDIOTS' music etc. I then fell in with a wonderful crowd but who were totally rock and indie dominated in gigs and home listening, so acceptable dance music was rare. Wasn't until 1995 when I bought chemical brothers live at the social and 1997 when I basically had a tantrum at Glastonbury and flounced my group going to Radiohead for Daft Punk in the dance tent that I had the epiphany and broke away from my own and their indie/rock snobbery. So I feel quite a sense of regret that I missed so much of the great stuff that was still going on in the early to mid 1990s. Still, Big Beat may have been on the whole a bit wank but at least it was great fun and rescued me from the awful turn indie music took from about 96 on. I could have spent 1997 listening to ocean colour scene

[jamiefairlie]

"I could have spent 1997 listening to ocean colour scene"

that's one for the bleak thread, no?

[popcorn]

I thought this was interesting and quite original, especially the format, but I have to say I scoffed at quite a few moments.

I too thought the Peter Waterman thing was weird. He just looked like a normal presenter bloke introducing something to me. Didn't look particularly confused or terrified.

The bit where the presenter said "this footage really messes with our sense of national identity" and then it cut to some kids doing a mad dance outside a big house - I totally understood the point he was making but it was just distractingly comic. Lots of bits like that. Reminded me a bit of

[buzby]

Also that clip of the the current affairs show (Killroy type thing, hosted by a woman) with the studio audience - it's Royston Vaysey, isn't it?

It was Granada Upfront, presented by CaB favourite Lucy Meacock and Tony Wilson.. That episode was a debate between ravers and local Blackburn residents and councillors about the disruption caused by raves like the 'Live The Dream' party at Tockholes. When asked about drugs during the programme, Tommy Smith (one of the organisers) coined the phrase 'I don't need drugs, I'm high on hope!'

It wouldn't surprise me if it was Mr. Vasey, as they did occasionally have 'in character' guests on there (including a debate about wrestling, where a 'worked' scuffle between Marty Jones and Kendo Nagasaki resulted in Wilson needing hospital treatment for not getting out the way fast enough) , and it also famously introduced the world to Mrs. Merton.

[poodlefaker]

Thanks for the info Buzby, but I meant it looks as if it's filmed in Royston Vasey. The chap who speaks looks like a Steve Pemberton character.

[buzby]

Thanks for the info Buzby, but I meant it looks as if it's filmed in Royston Vasey. The chap who speaks looks like a Steve Pemberton character.

Well, it was in Blackburn, so not that far off....