speed of music
chris larkin (C.J.Larkin@reading.ac.uk)
Thu, 25 Jul 1996 12:37:07 +0100 (BST)
I had to think about this cos as a brit I could get flamed if I
sound too smug about the cool music scene here! But, the scenes are
really just radically different. I talked to T-Bird about this another
time, or similar anyway; it seems in the US music scenes are much more
sharply defined and purist than here. So you get the authentic culture
which we copy - the jazz, the hip-hop etc - but we tend to mix it up
more. I dont think Ive ever heard a decent English rapper (even Tricky
who any way says hes not a rapper), but as T pointed out & I agree, the
uk produces brilliant Techno. And look at the readiness of EBTG to take
on drum and bass.Also for example, at WOMAD, last week I saw a local band
called Dreadzone who can go from playing straight out Dub reggae into
solid dancefloor tecno with no problems. Then theres this Trip-hop using
a mix of dance music styles & reggae & hiphop- if we like it we do it!
(incidentally has anyone heard the term Brit-hop) . Im not disagreeing
btw, with the comments about the inertia created by the sise of the US,
or other comments, Im just putting in my two pence.
Chris Larkin
55 Lower Brook Street
Reading Berks RG1 6BU
"I have never encountered a situation so desperate that a
policeman could not make it worse". Brendan Behan