Re: TRIP-HOP!! (There, I said it)

William Jon Curtis (71333.1707@compuserve.com)
16 Sep 95 20:05:37 EDT


"Uh oh," you are probably saying to yourself right now... "here goes the 'trip
hop' thing again."

But perhaps I can somewhat answer Mark's question, being someone whose music has
been labeled 'trip hop' many times. Here's my 'top six' reasons why I don't like
the phrase 'trip hop' (and I don't like 'acid jazz' too much either...):
1) As an artist, I hate my music being labeled. What artist doesn't?
Understandably, it does make easier referencing for the listener, but it is
pigeonholing and assuming to the artist.
2) The drug reference thing. I'm not denying the influence of drugs on music (or
double espresso on my music), but I feel that phrases like 'trip hop' cheapen
the creative and listening process. "That guy uses drugs to make music" or "you
need drugs to listen to this music." How can DJ Shadow truly represent the art
that I believe he creates when his creation is called 'trip hop'? (Be careful
here- again, I'm not saying these artists are drug free... I just think there is
more to their art than "trippin'".)
3) This is the biggie. How can anyone really know what 'trip hop' sounds like?
Magazine articles I've read call Tricky, Portishead, and Massive Attack 'trip
hop', then call Chemical Brothers and DJ Krush 'trip hop', and then DJ Icee and
the Hardkiss Brothers become 'trip hop'. As a listener I'd be confused. Sure,
there is a thin common thread, but these artists sound absolutely different.
What does the soul stylings of Massive Attack have in common with the breakbeat
techno cut n' paste of DJ Icee? Why, they're both 'trip hop'. Huh?
4) I feel there are more creative and accurate methods to describe music. It may
take a lot of thought sometimes, but it is possible.
Mark may be missing out on some really good blues artists because they were
described to him as 'Chicago Blues'. But if an accurate description of the
artist had appeared, perhaps Mark wouldn't be turned off.
5) 'Trip hop' is used way too often to appeal funkier music to techno & rave
folks. I know this, because I'm guilty of it myself in the store I own. "You
might like this... it's not 'acid jazz', it's 'trip hop'." Moonshine, City of
Angels, and other record labels are guilty of this as well with compilations
they put out. "The Trip Hop Test" may have Paul Weller on it, but a lot of it
sounds like rave material to me.
6) Basically, beyond all this, I personally think 'trip hop' is just a friggin'
silly term. Rolls off the tongue okay, but on paper and in theory it conjures
images of club kids with Dr. Suess hats and pacifiers listening to Method Man.
Yikes! Sorry, not for me.

Of course, these are my feelings... and, as I stated earlier, I have used the
term myself in the operation of my store (saying "trip hop!" sells a lot of
records these days). Just do what you want to do, and, most of all, enjoy the
music. But don't be surprised if you say you like 'trip hop' to someone and they
start talking to you about 150 BPM breakbeat techno. Or 75 BPM Massive Attack
records. Or Gravediggas records. Or Sun Ra. Or John Cage. Or....

PEACE

Michael Donaldson
EIGHTH DIMENSION RECORDS / SOUL POWER MAGAZINE

PS- Regarding these folks who keep trying to unsubscribe on the list... I have
fun watching their desperate attempts while they are unknowingly being punished
for not paying attention to rules. Its sort of like real life. I don't think
things should be made any more obvious then they are. Let 'em suffer! HA!