Fwd: from morgan geist ([EMAIL PROTECTED]): I received these messages forwarded in the digest but can't seem to send a mail to 313. Even Mr. Sicko called this morning - it's becoming a trip down memory lane ;) I wanted to add some notes...
> There were actually a bunch of great DJs and producers there. Partly due to > the electronic music program at the Conservatory (TIMARA - technology in > music and related arts). During my time at Oberlin, I must say that the Conservatory did NOTHING to encourage college kids (like me) to take courses there. Oberlin (even if you had financial aid like friends had) was expensive, too - you'd think they'd allow or encourage a little cross-fertilization for all the loot they charged. The TIMARA department didn't do crap for innovative dance music while I was there except thwart it. In fact before "electronica/dance" was OK'd (for a few years, at least) as the soundtrack to N. American youth culture advertising, I'd venture to guess it was neglected at most schools except for few lucky ones that happened to be located in "dance music" cities. > When I was there we basically had a couple different influences: > Detroit influenced people like Morgan, Kym and Dave and a few others. > Chicago influenced the West Coast house DJs who found Chicago house to be > incredible. Again I must respectfully add/amend - with the exception of a number of people I can count on one hand (and maybe those you mentioned) barely anyone was interested in Detroit or Chicago for most of my stay there. Only what was then considered to be "progressive house" got any play, maybe some obvious vocal tracks. A typical Oberlin 'Sco (the college disco) memory for me is riding some Kraftwerk over DJ Funk, Dan Selzer (Environ designer) working a sweat with the lightboard...then maybe THREE people begrudgingly dancing on the floor! It was lame. However I must prop two Oberlin things: 1) The radio station. Even though dance music got very little support, we were free to play it if we got shows, and stuff like DBX's "Silicon Ghetto" would come in the Net record pool box! I saw a post from Ironman, who turned me on to great music including life-changing stuff like the whole "Computer World" album (I only knew "Electric Cafe" and "Numbers") and Yellow Magic Orchestra and we did some great shows that no one listened to! Calling Mike Banks from the station phone was a highlight too. Anyone reading this and in college now - go get yourself a radio show! 2) The Coop Bookstore, 1991-1994. The record area was staffed by people who really knew and supported dance music. It was just a couple people (Todd Hutlock comes to mind) but I'm quite sure it was the only bookstore in the country where you could find "Applied Rhythmic Technology" CDs in the racks and Red Planet and Transmat records in the vinyl bin! Plus since almost no one gave a s*** about the music at Oberlin, the records would fail to sell and eventually get reduced to something that better fit the student budget! Oh yeah - school had internet access (read: access to 313, Reverb, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sato,etc!). -mg PS: I'm not ashamed of or "blackmailable" by my early recordings at all -that's a pretty bizarre idea to me, actually. Those are some great memories - and even the most cringe-worthy moments metamorphose into entertainment years later (see "GHEE" - J.T. seems to enjoy "outing" me on this list!) BTW the tapes referred to by Kent Williams were called "FUSION" and put out by Charles Noel I believe...
