IN CASE YOU WANT TO IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS
The term Techno was lifted from Alvin Toffler's 1980 book, The
Third Wave.
THE MAINSTREAMING OF RAVE
There's money in them thar ravers. The New Year's Eve rave at
Knott's Berry Farm drew 17,254 dancers — most in their late teens and
early 20s — paying $27.50 each to dance from 9p.m. to 5 a.m. ''It was
on giant moving body of people,'' says Sansone. ''I've never seen
anything like it.'' There are plans for a ''Ravestock'' in upstate New
York in June. Major labels like Elektra, Arista, Warner Bros., and
SBK are stepping aboard the techno bandwagon, thanks in part to the
success of L.A. Style, whose 1992 single''James Brown Is Dead'' was |
techno's first crossover hit. (Other major-label rave acts include
the Prodigy and Digital Orgasm.) ABC-TV is set to broadcast a
special, Spring Break Rave, on April 3.Says Richards, who is
overseeing promotion for a new techno label created by Rick Rubin and
his Def American label, ''I don't see music progressing in other
genres as much as in techno.''
THE BEGINNER'S TECHNO LIBRARY
The bulging bins of techno discs at record stores amply prove that
the music isn't as monotonous as its image — you merely have to
listen close for the ever-changing melodic variations and production
twists. Essential compilations: The three separate volumes of Best of
Techno (Profile) and two volumes of Only for the Headstrong (FFRR).
For single artists, GTO's Love is Everywhere and producer/techno god
Moby's Moby present the music at, respectively, its most intensive
and most springy, while the Utah Saints' Utah Saints incorporates
samples of Kate Bush and Annie Lennox into its hypnotic pop. For a
lighter form, try Bizarre Inc's Energique. Of the many split-hair
derivations, trance or ambient — a more soothing, spacier offshoot — can be tasted on the Orb's U.F. Orb. These records will not only
sound fine at your own homemade rave but also while you're astride an
exercise bike or cleaning your apartment.
1-800-4RAVELINE
Because raves are often organized haphazardly and sometimes
without the required legal permits, finding out where they are taking
place still may not be easy. Word is still generally spread through
computer networks, fliers, and services like this toll-free number,
which claims to receive 30,000 calls monthly. On one recent
afternoon, the recording gave phone numbers for raves in upstate New
York and Miami Beach (''20,000 capacity'') and undisclosed locations in
Arizona and Rhode Island. ''Let the feeling of self-worth caress you,''
intoned a voice at message's end. ''Peace of mind.'' Was it good for
you?
