Acid house: Difference between revisions

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Acid house soon became popular in the [[United Kingdom]] and [[continental Europe]], where it was played by DJs in the acid house and later [[rave]] scenes. By the late 1980s, acid house had moved into the British mainstream, where it had some influence on [[pop music|pop]] and [[dance music|dance]] styles.

Acid house brought house music to a worldwide audience.<ref name=Bogdanov2000pvii/> The influence of acid house can be heard in later styles of dance music including [[Trance music|trance]], [[Hardcore (electronic dance music genre)|hardcore]], [[jungle music|jungle]], [[big beat]], [[techno]] and [[trip hop]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Trance|url=http://www.allmusic.com/subgenre/trance-ma0000002903|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=9 July 9, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite book| last =Shapiro | first =Peter | title =Modulations: A History of Electronic Music | url =https://archive.org/details/modulationshisto00shap | url-access =registration |publisher =Caipirinha Productions Inc. |year=2000 |pages =[https://archive.org/details/modulationshisto00shap/page/76 76–77] |isbn= 0-8195-6498-2}}</ref>

Acid house's [[Minimalism|minimalist]] sound combined house music's ubiquitous programmed [[four-on-the-floor]] [[4/4 beat]] with the electronic squelch sound produced by the [[Roland TB-303]] electronic synthesizer-sequencer. The sound is commonly produced by raising the filter [[resonance (music)|resonance]] and lowering the [[cutoff frequency]] of the synthesizer, along with programming the 303's accent, slide, and octave parameters, to create variation in otherwise simple bass patterns. "Exploration of texture" is preferred over melody; "a refusal of the metaphysical priorities of western music discourse."<ref name="Gilbert">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b9BZWIkrkBMC&pg=PA70|title=''Discographies: Dance Music Culture and the Politics of Sound''|last=Gilbert|first=Jeremy|date=September 19, 1999|work=Discographies: Dance Music Culture and the Politics of Sound|publisher=Routledge|page=175|isbn=9780203012062|access-date=August 7, 2020-08-07}}</ref> Other elements, such as synthetic strings and [[stab (music)|stabs]], were usually minimal. Sometimes tracks were instrumentals such as [[Phuture]]'s "[[Acid Tracks]]", or contained full vocal performances such as Pierre's Pfantasy Club's "Fantasy Girl", while others were essentially instrumentals complemented by the odd spoken word 'drop-in', such as Phuture's "Slam".<ref name=Bogdanov2000pvii>{{Citation |title=All Music Guide to Electronica: The Definitive Guide to Electronic Music |year=2001 |editor=Vladimir Bogdanov |edition=4 |isbn=0879306289 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/allmusicguidetoe00vlad/page/ vii] |place=Milwaukee, WI |publisher=Backbeat Books |url=https://archive.org/details/allmusicguidetoe00vlad/page/ }}</ref>

Some accounts say the reference to "acid" may be a celebratory reference to psychedelic drugs in general, such as [[LSD]], as well as the popular [[club drug]] Ecstasy ([[MDMA]]).<ref name=oxford>''The Oxford Dictionary of New Words'' (Knowles, Elizabeth [ed], Elliott, Elizabeth [ed]). Second Edition, Oxford University Press, 1997. {{ISBN|0-19-863152-9}}.</ref> According to Professor Hillegonda Rietveld, a researcher specializing in [[electronic dance music]], it was the house sensibility of Chicago, in a club like Hardy's ''The Music Box'', that afforded it its initial meaning. In her view "''acid'' connotes the fragmentation of experience and dislocation of meaning due to the unstructuring effects on thought patterns which the psychedelic drug LSD or 'Acid' can bring about.<ref>Rietveld, H. C., ''This is Our House: House Music, Cultural Spaces and Technologies'', Ashgate Publishing, Aldershot, 1998 ({{ISBN|978-1857422429}}).</ref> In the context of the creation of "Acid Tracks" it indicated a concept rather than the use of psychedelic drugs in itself.<ref>Rietveld, H.C., ''This is Our House: House Music, Cultural Spaces and Technologies'', Ashgate Publishing, Aldershot, 1998 ({{ISBN|978-1857422429}}), p. 143.</ref>

Some accounts disavow psychedelic connotations. One theory, holding that ''acid'' was a derogatory reference towards the use of samples in acid house music, was repeated in the press and in the [[British House of Commons]].<ref>[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm198990/cmhansrd/1990-03-09/Debate-1.html#Debate-1_spnew6 Quoted in the British House of Commons ''Hansard''], 9 March 9, 1990, column 1111.</ref> In this theory, the term ''acid'' came from the slang term "acid burning," which the ''Oxford Dictionary of New Words'' calls "a term for stealing."<ref name=oxford/><ref>Rushkoff, Douglas (1994, 2nd ed. 2002). ''Cyberia: Life in the Trenches of Cyberspace''. {{ISBN|1-903083-24-9}}.</ref> In 1991, UK Libertarian advocate [[Paul Staines]] claimed that he had coined this theory to discourage the government from adopting anti-rave party legislation.<ref>Staines, Paul (1991). "Acid House Parties Against the Lifestyle Police and the Safety Nazis" article in ''Political Notes'' (ISSN 0267-7059), [http://www.libertarian.co.uk/lapubs/polin/polin055.pdf issue 55] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121030154125/http://www.libertarian.co.uk/lapubs/polin/polin055.pdf |date=30 October 30, 2012 }} ({{ISBN|1-85637-039-9}}). Also quoted in Saunders, Nicholas with Doblin, Rick (July 1, 1996). ''Ecstasy: Dance, Trance & Transformation'', Quick American Publishing Company. {{ISBN|0-932551-20-3}}.</ref><ref>Garratt, Sheryl (May 6, 1999). ''Adventures in Wonderland: Decade of Club Culture''. Headline Book Publishing Ltd. (UK). {{ISBN|0-7472-5846-5}}.</ref>

Before the term "acid house" was introduced, rawer early acid house was "[[hi-NRG]]",<ref name=AcidCulture>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TejjAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT75 |title=The True Story of Acid House: Britain's Last Youth Culture Revolution |author=Luke Bainbridge |publisher=[[Music Sales Group]] |year=2014 |isbn=978-0857128638 |access-date=August 7, 2020-08-07}}</ref> a type of bassline-driven electronic music that began with disco music that discarded its funk element, starting with [[Giorgio Moroder]] productions for [[Donna Summer]]. However, the earliest recorded examples of acid house are a matter of debate.

In the 21st century, attention was drawn to [[Charanjit Singh (musician)|Charanjit Singh]]'s album ''[[Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat]],'' featuring [[Indian classical music|Indian]] [[raga]]s fused with [[disco]].<ref name="guardian_2010">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/apr/10/charanjit-singh-acid-house|title=Charanjit Singh, acid house pioneer|date=10 April 10, 2010|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|last=Pattison|first=Louis}}</ref><ref name="guardian_2011">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/may/10/charanjit-singh-acid-house-ten-ragas|title=Charanjit Singh on how he invented acid house ... by mistake|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|first=Stuart|last=Aitken|date=10 May 10, 2011}}</ref> The album released as early as 1982, featured a [[Roland TB-303|TB-303]] prominently, Singh being one of the earliest musicians to use it on a commercial release.<ref name="guardian_2011"/> The record predates the famously known "Acid Trax" by 5 years. It was initially a commercial failure in [[India]] and eventually forgotten. Following its rediscovery and eventual re-release in early 2010 some music journalists compared the music to that of acid house music, even suggesting it might be the first example of the style.<ref name="guardian_2010"/><ref name="guardian_2011"/><ref name="ra_raga">{{cite web|title=Charanjit Singh – Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat|publisher=[[Resident Advisor]]|author=William Rauscher|date=12 May 12, 2010|url=http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=7445|access-date=June 3, 2011-06-03}}</ref>

The first acid house records were produced in [[Chicago, Illinois]]. [[Phuture]], a group founded by Nathan "[[DJ Pierre]]" Jones, Earl "Spanky" Smith Jr., and Herbert "Herb J" Jackson, is credited with having been the first to use the TB-303 in house music (the instrument had been used earlier in disco records by the earlier mentioned [[Charanjit Singh (musician)|Charanjit Singh]] in 1982,<ref name="guardian_20102">{{cite news |last=Pattison |first=Louis |date=10 April 10, 2010 |title=Charanjit Singh, acid house pioneer |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/apr/10/charanjit-singh-acid-house}}</ref><ref name="guardian_20112">{{cite news |last=Aitken |first=Stuart |date=10 May 10, 2011 |title=Charanjit Singh on how he invented acid house ... by mistake |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/may/10/charanjit-singh-acid-house-ten-ragas}}</ref> in hi-NRG,<ref name="AcidCulture2">{{cite book |author=Luke Bainbridge |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TejjAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT75 |title=The True Story of Acid House: Britain's Last Youth Culture Revolution |publisher=[[Music Sales Group]] |year=2014 |isbn=978-0857128638 |access-date=August 7, 2020-08-07}}</ref> [[Alexander Robotnick]] in 1983).<ref>{{cite book |last=Shapiro |first=Peter |url=https://archive.org/details/modulationshisto00shap |title=Modulations: A History of Electronic Music |publisher=Caipirinha Productions Inc. |year=2000 |isbn=0-8195-6498-2 |page=[https://archive.org/details/modulationshisto00shap/page/32 32] |url-access=registration}}</ref> The group's 12-minute "[[Acid Tracks]]" was recorded to tape and was played by DJ [[Ron Hardy]] at the Music Box, where Hardy was resident DJ. Hardy once played it four times over the course of an evening until the crowd responded favorably.<ref name="cheeseman2">Cheeseman, Phil. "[http://music.hyperreal.org/library/history_of_house.html The History Of House]", Music.hyperreal.org</ref>

Chicago's house music scene suffered a crackdown on parties and events by the police. Sales of house records dwindled and, by 1988, the genre was selling less than a tenth as many records as at the height of the style's popularity.<ref>{{cite book | last =Shapiro | first =Peter | title =Modulations: A History of Electronic Music | url =https://archive.org/details/modulationshisto00shap | url-access =registration | publisher =Caipirinha Productions Inc.| year=2000 | page = [https://archive.org/details/modulationshisto00shap/page/34 34] | isbn= 0-8195-6498-2}}</ref> However, house and especially acid house was beginning to experience a surge in popularity in Britain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fantazia.org.uk/Scene/ravenewworld.htm|title=Rave New World - Dissertation on the Acid House & rave scene|date=2 November 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102142359/http://www.fantazia.org.uk/Scene/ravenewworld.htm|access-date=9 January 9, 2022|archive-date=November 2, 2011-11-02}}</ref>

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Once the term ''acid house'' became more widely used, participants at acid house-themed events in the UK and [[Ibiza]] made the psychedelic drug connotations a reality by using [[club drug]]s such as [[ecstasy (drug)|ecstasy]] and [[LSD]].<ref name="Reynolds, Simon p. 63"/><ref>DeRogatis, Jim (December 1, 2003). ''Turn on Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock'', 436. Hal Leonard. {{ISBN|0-634-05548-8}} (accessed June 9, 2005).</ref><ref>Donnally, Trish. (October 17, 1988). Article published in the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' and distributed via the ''Los Angeles Times'' Syndicate to other newspapers and published under various headlines.</ref> The association of acid house, [[MDMA]], and smiley faces was observed in New York City by late 1988.<ref>{{Cite news |title=At some Manhattan nightclubs, 'X' marks the 'inner circle's' perfect drug |date=1988-12-December 18, 1988 |page=A–45 |newspaper=San Diego Union |last=Foderaro |first=Lisa}} This article was distributed by the New York Times News Service and published under various headlines in several U.S. newspapers.</ref> This coincided with an increasing level of scrutiny and [[sensationalism]] in the mainstream press,<ref>Takiff, Jonathan. (December 14, 1988). ''Philadelphia Daily News''—BBC banned all records that mentioned acid</ref> although conflicting accounts about the degree of connection between acid house music and drugs continued to surface.<ref>Leary, Mike. (November 24, 1988). ''Philadelphia Inquirer''.</ref>

Acid house was also popular in [[Manchester]]. The Thunderdome (which was generally advertised as a techno night) in Miles Platting was at the epicenter of the scene and gave rise to acts like [[A Guy Called Gerald]], [[808 State]], Jam MC's, [[DJ Dbreathe|dbreathe]], Steve Williams and Jay Wearden. A Greater Manchester-based producer called [[Baby Ford|Peter Ford]] teamed up with Richard Salt and recorded a record called "Oochy Koochy", regarded as the first British acid house track. Released by dance indie Rhythm King Records as "Oochy Koochy (FU Baby Yeah Yeah)" under the name [[Baby Ford]], the record peaked at number 58 on the [[UK Singles Chart]] on 24 September 24, 1988, and was followed by Baby Ford's "Chikki Chikki Ahh Ahh" hit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/25079/baby-ford/|title=BABY FORD &#124; full Official Chart History |website=Officialcharts.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19880918/7501/|title=Official Singles Chart Top 100 |website=Officialcharts.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/acid-radical/2314|title=Acid Radical (MT Dec 1988)|first=David|last=Bradwell|date=December 7, 1988|journal=Music Technology|issue=Dec 1988|pages=82–84}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ra.co/reviews/24050|title=Rewind: Baby Ford - 'Ooo' The World Of Baby Ford · Album Review |website=[[Resident Advisor]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://the-garage-recording-studio.com/artists-a-l/baby-ford/|title=Baby Ford|website=The-garage-recording-studio.com|date=August 29, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://museumofyouthculture.com/madchester/|title=Madchester |website=Museumofyouthculture.com|date=6 December 6, 2019|access-date=9 January 9, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.attackmagazine.com/features/long-read/getting-to-know-baby-ford/|title=Getting To Know Baby Ford|date=January 13, 2016|website=Attack Magazine}}</ref>

However, these reports soon changed from positive promotion to a negative viewpoint, with the sensationalist nature of the coverage contributing to the banning of acid house during its heyday from radio, television, and retail outlets in the United Kingdom. The moral panic of the press began in late 1988, when a UK [[Tabloid journalism|'red-top']] tabloid called ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'', which only days earlier on 12 October 12 had promoted acid house as "cool and groovy" while running an offer on acid smiley face t-shirts, abruptly turned on the scene.<ref name="auto"/> On October 19, ''The Sun'' ran with the headline "Evils of [[MDMA|Ecstasy]]", linking the acid house scene with the newly popular and relatively unknown drug. The resultant panic incited by the tabloids eventually led to a crackdown on clubs and venues that played acid house and had a profound negative impact on the scene. Any records that mentioned the word acid, such as [[D Mob|Dancin' Danny D's]] record with scene promoter [[Gary Haisman]] (D Mob's "[[We Call It Acieed]]"), were taken off radio and television playlists just as they were climbing towards the top of the UK chart.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19881016/7501/|title=Official Singles Chart Top 100 |website=Officialcharts.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19881023/7501/|title=Official Singles Chart Top 100 |website=Officialcharts.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mixmag.net/feature/obituary-gary-haisman-1958-2018|title=Obituary: Gary Haisman 1958 – 2018|website=Mixmag.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ra.co/news/42907|title='We Call It Acieed' singer and London club figure Gary Haisman dies · News |website=[[Resident Advisor]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://djmag.com/news/%E2%80%98we-call-it-acieeed%E2%80%99-vocalist-gary-haisman-dies-aged-60|title='We Call It Acieeed' vocalist Gary Haisman, dies aged 60|date=December 3, 2018|website=DJMag.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fantazia.org.uk/Scene/press/magazines.htm |title=Rave's relationship to the Media |access-date=2007-10-October 23, 2007 |work=Fantazia Rave Archive | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071024083400/http://www.fantazia.org.uk/Scene/press/magazines.htm| archive-date= 24 October 24, 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref> By the time Colston-Hayter had invited another ITV news team down to promote his latest party (this time from Granada's current affairs show ''[[World in Action]]''),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm7873529/|title=Tony Colston-Hayter|website=IMDb.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2312985/|title=A Trip Round Acid House|date=December 5, 1988|website=IMDb.com}}</ref> acid house was being described as a "sinister and evil cult" that was just encouraging people to take drugs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://racketracket.co.uk/category/music/page/24/|title=Music |website=Racketracket.co.uk|page=24|access-date=9 January 9, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://racketracket.co.uk/music/world-action-trip-acid-house/|title=A Trip Around Acid House|website=Racketracket.co.uk|date=January 14, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/3dedvw/you-wont-believe-this-bbc-scare-report-on-acid-house-from-1988|title=You Won't Believe This BBC Scare Report on Acid House from 1988|website=Vice.com|date=October 2015 }}</ref>

Despite this, one tune broke through into the mainstream in November 1988. "[[Stakker Humanoid]]", produced by [[Brian Dougans]] (later of [[Future Sound of London]]), was a hit not just at influential clubs like [[The Haçienda]] in Manchester or Shoom in London, but was championed by mainstream stalwarts such as [[BBC Radio]] DJ [[Bruno Brookes]] and record producer, [[Pete Waterman]]. It went on to reach number 17 in the UK in November 1988, leading to Dougans' appearance on ''[[Top of the Pops]]'' on 1 December 1, 1988.<ref name="Stuart Aitken">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/nov/11/stakker-humanoid-25th-anniversary-acid-house |title=Stakker Humanoid: how the Future Sound of London won hearts and minds |date=11 November 11, 2013|author=Stuart Aitken|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>