WORKING UP A SWEAT

A couple of weeks back I was out at a night club at around 4am and I decided it was time to hit the dance floor. The DJ was playing crappy indie rock remixes but I'd had enough to drink by that stage that I didn't really let it bother me. For a good half hour I really let rip, and by the time I left the dance floor I had worked up a mighty sweat. As I walked across the club and over to the bar what really surprised me was the way that people were looking at me in disgust like I was a leper or something, even people I knew didn't want to come anywhere near me just because I was a little sweaty. I had a think about it all the following day...

I can only imagine what it must of been like in the heydays of the Hacienda or the Paradise Garage, but I'll bet that 95% of the people that walked out of those joints as the sun was coming out would have been covered in sweat head to toe having just danced their asses off for the past few hours. So what is wrong with people these days? I think what it comes down to is that they are not going out at night in order to appreciate and dance to great music any more, and instead are more concerned with their personal appearances. It seems to me (and it may be different elsewhere in the world, but this is the vibe I'm getting in Sydney at the moment) that people now days are more worried about taking and posing for photo's of their 'fun night out' and less worried about actually enjoying themselves. The following day they log onto programs like facebook and myspace so they can upload and comment on these photos. It's almost like they are trying to create a miniature Hollywood movie of their lives.

Here are a few 12" classics from the glory days of house music that I picked up at the local markets last weekend. Music from a time when it was all about dancing.


Two Men A Drum Machine & A Trumpet was oddly enough a side project that existed between David Steele and Andy Cox of the group Fine Young Cannibals. As far as I know this 12" is the only release they ever made under the name. Released in 87', it is one of the earliest examples of UK house and still sounds banging today.

Tired Of Getting Pushed Around - 2 Men A Drum Machine & A Trumpet


A neat track from 92'. One ingredient in music that never fails to move me is the inclusion of church bells, this is an excellent example...

Funkatarium - Jump


The original of this track was always a favorite of mine as a young teenager. This remix, which I discovered more recently, was released with the 12" single in 91'. It transforms the original into a chugging bit of hip-house and introduces some nice piano.

A Rollerskating Jam Named Saturdays (Dave's At Home Mix) - De La Soul

And those in Sydney I am playing this Saturday night at Ruby Rabbit again from 12-2, and then at Oxford Art Factory from 3 till close, then Sunday heading over to The Loft from 4pm to catch Darshan Jesrani.