Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: 100 Years of the Disc Jockey |
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Bill Brewster, Frank Broughton
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Pages: 528 (Paperback)
ISBN: 0755313984
Pub: Headline Book Publishing
Pub date: 2006-05-22
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 51378
Editorial Review:
The self-styled "definitive" history of the humble art of spinning plates of vinyl, Last Night A DJ Saved My Life steps up to the turntables with worthy pretensions. The work of journalists Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton, who, between them, have worked on The Face, i-D, Rolling Stone, and Musik, they certainly know their deep house from their speed garage. But while Last Night A DJ . . . is an impressively knowledgeable compilation of information, they never quite decide whether this is an intellectual resource, a complete history, or if they're playing these records just for kicks.
So in the preface fun is poked at "abstract nonsense about postmodern intertextuality", and the pair thunder into well-reasoned, impassioned debate about the DJ being a modern-day shaman--pulse-racing stuff, which makes it all the more uncomfortable when it segues into an unremittingly dull chronological history of the invention of the record deck. The pace quickens with an excellent chapter on Northern Soul, and in hot pursuit follow impressive histories of the reggae, hip-hop and disco genres. But then Acid House--perhaps Britain's most important musical evolution ever--is given short shrift and techno is dismissed over a mere ten pages as "house's swotty offspring". The term "definitive", it seems, has been faded out of the mix.
Last Night A DJ . . . is no Bible for the penitent vinyl worshipper, and its difficult chronology makes it an uncomfortable read. Still, if you think that Northern Soul records were made in Leeds and disco began with the Bee Gees, there's a wealth of knowledge here that'll put you right --Louis Pattison
Reader Reviews:
At last a music bible! (3/3 people found this helpful)
I have lost count of the number of times I have read this book, re-read it, checked out the record lists in the back, bought copies for people, used it to prop up a wobbly table. It is a seminal trip through 100 years of the DJ pushing the musical boundaries from soul, reggae, hip hop, disco, house and all forms of dance music to soundtracking the nights we've all loved. The arcane details of lost dj's seminal club figures and nights from Italy, New York, Manchester to the island of Ibizia are poured over in detail but with great wit. Not a lightweight coffee table book nor some earnest socio-cultural phd thesis but a highly informative and entertaining read. I sense a great deal of love, passion and enthusiam have been poured into this book and you can't help but be carried along. I bought the first edition and the latest one and the additional chapters on Balearic and Garage are fascinating.
Insightful and comprehensive (5/6 people found this helpful)
Although this book has been re-written to celebrate the centenary of the DJ, the story really begins with the rise of the Northern Soul clubs of Wigan and Blackpool and the early 1970s. What follows is a comprehensive account of dance music of the last 35 years and it is at its best when charting the explosive rise and fall of disco, the origins of hip-hop and the social revolution that followed in the wake of house music.
Brewster & Broughton clearly know what they are writing about: the development of the techniques of mixing, back beats etc are well explained although I remain unenlightened as to the finer points of what is garage as opposed to house, trance etc (if that matters?). They make a convincing case as to the creativity of the DJ and are withering in their dismissal of clubs like Manumission and its "rather tawdry sex show".
This is a book both for the dedicated clubber in search of some context and also the general reader. It also a record of personal tragedy as so many of the DJ greats have succumbed to AIDS, drug overdoses and suicide. A number of unexpected heroes emerge: Richard Burton's first wife Sybil, Malcolm McLaren, Kraftwerk; and the late greats are honoured, principally DJ Francis, Larry Levan and Ron Hardy. RIP.
A MUST FOR ALL MUSIC LOVERS OF ALL AGES!! (1/1 people found this helpful)
Music has been my passion since the late 1988 which is when I first started clubbing at the tender age of 17. Since then I have worked in bars & clubs, gone to some of the best club nights the UK had to offer, to see some of the best DJ's in the world during the 90's. I thought I knew alot about the 'DJ' but this book has told me things I didn't know. I couldn't put this down on holiday.
comprehensive essential read (3/3 people found this helpful)
Out of all the many books that I have read charting the musical evolution surrounding disco through to todays dance scene, this is by far my favourite one. It's not just for people who are into dance music, but is a good book for anybody who likes music at all. It discusses musical and cultural change.
The book is thoroughly enjoyable to read, full of great humour and affection for the scenes being discussed, right from nothern soul through to acid house and more recently.
The book is weighted with disco and hip-hop histories and the only gripe is that the last few chapters breeze through the 90s dance scene (for this try 'adventures in wonderland: a decade of club cuture'). But you couldn't hope to find a more insightful summary of 70s and 80s music.
The Untold Story... (3/3 people found this helpful)
I started clubbing and DJing in 1986 and had a whole new world open up to me with the arrival of acid house soon after. Nicky Holloway, Danny Rampling, Johnny Walker, etc provided the soundtrack to my clubbing baptism. This book documents how that scene was almost an end point in the evolution of the DJ. Everything we know the DJ for now has sprung from very humble beginnings, which this book has researched painstakingly thoroughly (trainspotters will love it - especially the club charts for all the great places, in the UK and US).
For example, you will not believe who the world's first club DJ was!! Read this book to discover one of the club scene's best kept secrets....
This is a fascinating book, full of amazing stories, interviews and snippets of history so colourfully described you almost feel like you're there - at the Loft, Paradise Garage, Wigan Casino, the Music Box, Hacienda, the list goes on.
The two things that stand out for me about this book are: the discovery that, for a culture that so innovatively recycles great forgotten sounds, all the people you thought were pioneers were just borrowing from someone before them. What they do so brilliantly is make it sound original. This book goes right back to the source for ALL the classics, whatever your dance music interests.
The second thing is: I now finally understand what Northern Soul is! Clubbers I got to know in the eighties who were into the Northern Soul scene in the seventies talked about stuff that made no sense to me. Now it's all clear - and it sounds like it was an incredible time to be dancing.
So if you've ever wondered about a great sample, buy this book and discover what made it so great in the first place.
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Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Subjects -> Society, Politics & Philosophy -> Social Sciences -> Cultural Studies -> Popular Culture
uk-shops -> Education Resources -> Books -> Social Sciences -> Cultural Studies -> Popular Culture