Bill Brewster - Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey

Last Night a DJ Saved My Live

The History of the Disc Jockey

Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton

Copyright 1999, 2006, 2013 Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton

The right of Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton to be identified as the Authors of the Work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

First published in 1999 by Headline Book Publishing

Updated edition published in paperback in 2006 by Headline Book Publishing

This further updated edition published in 2013

Whosoever knoweth the power of the dance, dwelleth in God.

Rumi, Persian dervish poet

Whosoever danceth not, knoweth not the way of life.

Jesus Christ, in a second century gnostic hymn

Custom-made double turntable built in 1955 by Edward P. Casey of the Bronx, New York.

ORIGINAL PREFACE

A lot of DJs around now, they need to know about this stuff. Someone should put a book together of all this and then we can give it to people and say, read this before you go DJing.

Ashley Beedle, DJ and producer

Theres not a problem that I cant fix cos I can do it in the mix.

Indeep, Last Night A DJ Saved my Life

The story of dance music resides in the people who made it. Or at least played it. And guess what most of them are alive and well and full of tall tales. We set out to meet as many as possible and start them talking. Some are extremely famous, some we didnt know were still breathing. Some we found in the phone book. Once we started asking questions, the nuggets came flooding out and we were soon brimming with details no one else knew; finding connections that no one had noticed. We were surprised that this story had never been told in full, and along the way felt a sneaking pride that we would be the ones to do it.

Because, sadly, most writing about dance music just hasnt stuck. We keep on reading the same old repeated mistakes, the same well-worn myths, the same poorly researched articles written completely without context. And were just too thick to deal with the books that have copied all these together and used them as the basis for a lot of abstract nonsense about postmodern intertextuality and Hegelian Gesundfarbensextenkugelschreiber.

So being simple folk, we wrote a simple book. There are a few socio-cultural theories in here, and we like to think weve done a pretty good job of connecting things together and showing where they fit, but what youre about to read is mostly just great stories from people with big egos, explaining what they did to change music.

We aimed to write a biography of dance musics most important figure the disc jockey. Our story is of how the DJs job evolved and how the DJ has been the driving force in popular music. In telling it weve concentrated on his crazier years when he was shaking things up, and given less emphasis to his recent behaviour now that hes settled down and become respectable.

Given this emphasis, this is not a history of dance music itself (although it nearly is). We didnt have time or space to explore the creation of every last sub-genre, so as we followed the evolution of dance music we set our limits with the motto, Remember the DJ and concentrated on the impact of his DJing role rather than the changes he made purely as a producer. And dont be disappointed if your favourite jock doesnt get a whole chapter to himself. We were looking for whoever got there first, not necessarily the ones who were the best. There are plenty of DJs who, while being amazing, talented artists that we know and love and have danced to on many occasions, are only bit players in the big picture.

We had a lot of fun writing this book. If youve got this far youll probably enjoy reading it. Well bet a dollar to a dime youll find things in it which you didnt know. And some of them might even make you laugh.

Hopefully, it can also go some way to counter the ignorance and snobbery which still prevails in grown-up attitudes to dance music. It really is about time. After all, when it comes to the development of music, the dancefloor has always had more influence than the printed word.

Bill and Frank, London 1999

2013 PREFACE

The craft of DJing passed its centenary back in 2006; its the same age as cornflakes. To celebrate this maturity weve completely updated our book, fattened it up, and given it a natty new cover. The initial plan was just to extend its shelf-life. Once we got started, however, the project grew and grew. It became a chance, not only to bring things bang up to date, but also to pay more attention to the European side of the story. In 1999 a few critics (well one, thanks Dave) asked, Wheres German techno? Wheres Italian disco? Wheres Ibiza? We tried arguing that wed written the story of the DJ, not the story of dance music, and that DJing was a fully formed craft as early as the late seventies. We also pointed to a crop of books about acid house and after, which had gone into more depth than wed ever have space for. Now, though, weve filled those gaps, collected more intriguing tales and can present a much more even-handed and comprehensive volume.

The story has moved on, too. In the USA the EDM (Electronic Dance Music) scene has finally put dance music into the mainstream of US pop culture, at the same time taking the notion of DJ superstardom to preposterous new levels. Pre-planned sets and stadium concerts are the norm and the big names earn $150,000 for a night pressing play and waving their arms around. Thankfully, in the UK almost the opposite is true, and the arc of the DJs biography has curved elegantly back down to earth. DJs are no longer worshipped quite so unquestioningly, and most people now understand that DJing is more about collecting great music than doing supernatural things with a mixer.

When Last Night A DJ Saved My Life first came out many people were confused by the idea of dance music history. Rock critics are still unlikely to admit to our central thesis that DJs are more important than bands when it comes to radical shifts in music but they have had to admit that the guy with the record box has played an important role.

Finally, thanks to all of you who have said such nice things to us about the book. Were proud of how well-loved our baby has been. While it wont exactly secure us a table at The Ivy, it does give us something to talk drunkenly about at parties. Heres to Reginald Fessenden.

Bill and Frank, London 2013

For more interviews, features, mixes and a lively forum of work-shy trainspotters

www.djhistory.com

1. THANKS

And this ones for

Afshin, Vince Aletti, Julian Alexander, Ross Allen, Imogen Aylen, Pauline Barlow, Alexia Beard, Rob Bellars, John Bland, Kool Lady Blue, Mr Blue, Paul Byrne, Bob Casey, Phil Cheeseman, Matthew Collin, Stephanie Collin, Paulette Constable, Michael Cook, DJ Cosmo, Andy Cowan, Jon Dasilva, Fritz and Catherine Delsoin, Drew DeNicola, Ian Dewhirst, Job De Wit, Jeff Dexter, Dave Dorrell, Roger Eagle, Kevin Ebbutt, Mick Eve, Sheryl Garratt, Adam Goldstone, Malu Halassa, Donna Halper, David Hills, Omaid Hiwaizi, Nick Hornby, Chris Hunt, Jempi, Danny Krivit, Steve Lau, Dave Lee, John McCready, Jon and Helena Marsh, Mary Maxwell, Peta Nightingale, Paul Noble, Ella Oates, Sean P, Elbert Phillips, Dom Phillips, Steve Phillips, Rebecca Prochnik, Sam Pow, Angus Reid, Richard Reyes, Gonnie Rietveld, Toni Rossano, Kay Rowley, Giovanni Salti, Alec Samway, Quinton Scott, Ranj Sehambi, Peter Shapiro, Nicky Siano, Lindsay Symons, Spanky, Dave Swindells, Bruce Tantum, Tracy Thompson, Koenraad Van Ennerseel, Frie Verhelst, Paul Ward, Emma Warren, Judy Weinstein, Steve and Sylvia Weir, Lesleigh Woodburn, Carl Woodroffe, Doug Young, Mike Zwerin