On a long ride from downtown LA for Milken to Caltech/Pasadena to see a nuclear fission demo, I had the privilege of riding with a very amusing House music dancer/DJ/producer who regaled me. Well, it’s pretty amazing actually the history of house music — it rules the world now. It’s basically easy to think of as simply *all dance music*.
Disco kind of blew up, got submerged, and then all dance got reinvented underground in warehouses (“house”), merged with electronic sounds (Kraftwerk) and later pop (Madonna?), rock (Happy Mondays? Postal Service?) and hip hop and at this point it’s basically all music.
Here’s a great history-of doc:
Here’s an insanely great discussion of Rockism, early R&B vs. Rock vs. Soul, and more from the New Yorker writer Kelefah Saleh: podcast
And a classic and influential music criticism piece he wrote about Rockism vs. Poptimism: NYTimes
And here’s a summary of all that above including a playlist at the bottom:
Detailed History of House Music
House music emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s from the underground clubs of Chicago, evolving from the ashes of disco and becoming a global phenomenon. Below is a summarized history of house music as described in the provided transcript, focusing on its origins, evolution, key milestones, and cultural impact.
Origins in Chicago (Late 1970s–Early 1980s)
- Roots in Disco and Underground Clubs: House music was born in Chicago, heavily influenced by disco, which had been kept alive by gay and Black communities in underground clubs after its mainstream decline following the 1979 anti-disco backlash led by DJ Steve Dahl. Disco’s danceable R&B rhythms formed the foundation for house.
- The Warehouse and Frankie Knuckles: In 1977, club promoter Robert Williams brought Frankie Knuckles, a New York DJ, to Chicago to play at his new club, the Warehouse. Knuckles introduced New York’s gay club energy, playing soulful, uplifting disco classics and underground tracks like Loose Joints’ “Is It All Over My Face” and Anita Ward’s “Ring My Bell.” The term “house music” originated from the music played at the Warehouse, initially referring to old disco and soul records, later shortened to “house” by local record shops like Imports Etc.
- Paradise Garage and Larry Levan Influence: In New York, the Paradise Garage, opened in 1978, was a pivotal influence with its resident DJ Larry Levan. Levan’s eclectic sets, blending disco, punk, and various rhythms, created a legendary club atmosphere that inspired Chicago’s house scene. His ability to control crowds with music and set trends influenced house DJs.
Evolution of House Music (1980s)
- Chicago’s DJ Innovations: Chicago DJs, facing a limited supply of disco records post-backlash, became highly creative. They developed tight mixing techniques, repeating and manipulating record sections to keep crowds engaged. The Hot Mix Five on WBMX radio popularized this style, playing short, impactful segments of records and using razor blades to edit reel-to-reel tapes for creative mixes.
- Drum Machines and Original Tracks: By the early 1980s, DJs began using drum machines to create their own beats, giving house a harder edge. This marked the shift from recycling disco to producing original music. Competition among DJs like Steve “Silk” Hurley and Farley “Jackmaster” Funk intensified, with each aiming to create the hottest tracks.
- The Music Box and Ron Hardy: In 1983, the Music Box club opened in Chicago, with DJ Ron Hardy as its star. Hardy’s intense, loud sets, often sped up due to his heroin use, took clubbing to new heights. His club was a cultural hub where “jacking”—a provocative dance style—became synonymous with house culture.
- First House Records: In 1984, Jamie Principle’s demo tape “Your Love” spread virally through Chicago clubs, marking a turning point with its hypnotic, original sound. In 1983, Jesse Saunders and Vince Lawrence released “On and On,” the first house record on vinyl, sparking the Chicago house boom by showing non-musicians they could produce music. Larry Sherman’s Trax Records, launched in the mid-1980s, capitalized on this wave, pressing records quickly using recycled vinyl, though quality was often poor.
Acid House and Global Spread (Mid-1980s)
- Birth of Acid House: In late 1985, DJ Pierre and friends created acid house by experimenting with the Roland TB-303, producing the track “Acid Tracks.” Ron Hardy played it multiple times at the Music Box, cementing its popularity. Pierre’s musical approach to the 303 distinguished it from later imitations.
- Marshall Jefferson’s Contributions: Marshall Jefferson added sophistication to house with tracks like “Move Your Body” (1986), dubbed the “house music anthem.” Its piano-driven sound initially faced resistance but became internationally recognized, giving house a name and identity.
- UK Adoption and Summer of Love (1986–1988): House crossed the Atlantic in 1986, with tracks like Farley “Jackmaster” Funk’s “Love Can’t Turn Around” reaching the UK Top 10. Northern England’s Northern Soul fans embraced house’s fast, soulful rhythms. The Hacienda club in Manchester, opened in 1982 by Factory Records, became a house music hub, with DJs like Mike Pickering and Graeme Park playing Chicago tracks. In 1987, British DJs Paul Oakenfold, Danny Rampling, Nicky Holloway, and Johnny Walker experienced Ibiza’s Amnesia club, where DJ Alfredo played a balearic mix of house, pop, and disco. Inspired, Rampling opened Shoom in London, recreating Ibiza’s vibe and sparking the UK’s acid house craze.
- Summer of Love (1988): The combination of house music and ecstasy transformed British club culture. Clubs like the Hacienda and Shoom, along with illegal raves around the M25, fueled the 1988 Summer of Love. Tracks like Gerald Simpson’s “Voodoo Ray” and Orbital’s “Chimes” defined the UK scene, blending house with techno and breakbeats.
Diversification and Mainstream Success (Late 1980s–1990s)
- Techno and Detroit’s Influence: In Detroit, house evolved into techno, with tracks like Inner City’s “Big Fun” (1988) and Juan Atkins’ work blending Kraftwerk and funk influences. Techno’s intellectual approach contrasted with house’s emotional core.
- Indie Dance and Rave Culture: In the UK, bands like Happy Mondays fused house rhythms with indie rock, producing tracks like “Wrote for Luck” (1988). Shut Up and Dance added breakbeats to house, laying the groundwork for jungle and UK garage. The rave scene grew from underground parties to mainstream licensed events by 1992, despite police crackdowns and the 1994 Criminal Justice Bill targeting repetitive beats.
- New Styles in the UK: By the late 1980s, ambient house (e.g., The Orb’s “Little Fluffy Clouds”) emerged, blending down-tempo beats with New Age sounds. Hardcore, jungle, and drum and bass evolved from faster tempos and sophisticated breakbeats, with Goldie’s “Timeless” (1995) bringing drum and bass to the charts. Leftfield’s fusion of house, techno, and dub, especially with John Lydon’s “Open Up” (1993), crossed into mainstream pop.
- US Mainstream Breakthrough: In the US, house remained underground until the 1990s, when producers like Masters at Work and Armand Van Helden remixed pop tracks (e.g., Tori Amos’ “Professional Widow”) into club hits, elevating DJs to studio producers. Todd Terry’s hip-hop-influenced house, with quick samples and rugged basslines, set a blueprint for modern house.
Continued Evolution (2000s and Beyond)
- UK Garage: By 2001, UK garage emerged as a distinctly British sound, rooted in house but incorporating reggae basslines and sped-up US tracks by producers like Todd Edwards. It reflected urban UK youth culture, with kids making music in bedrooms.
- Global Phenomenon: House music’s ability to reinvent itself through sampling and innovation made it a global force, crossing racial, sexual, and class divides. Its emotional core—described as a “feeling” that moves dance floors—ensured its longevity.
Key Figures Mentioned in the Transcript
- Frankie Knuckles: The “Godfather of House,” brought New York’s gay club energy to Chicago’s Warehouse, defining the early house sound with soulful disco classics.
- Larry Levan: Paradise Garage’s legendary DJ, whose eclectic sets and crowd control inspired house’s emotional intensity.
- Ron Hardy: Music Box DJ known for intense, loud sets that popularized acid house and jacking culture.
- Jamie Principle: Created “Your Love” (1984), a seminal house track that marked the genre’s shift to original compositions.
- Jesse Saunders and Vince Lawrence: Produced “On and On” (1983), the first house record on vinyl, sparking the Chicago house boom.
- DJ Pierre: Pioneered acid house with “Acid Tracks” (1985), using the Roland TB-303 in a musical way.
- Marshall Jefferson: Added sophistication with “Move Your Body” (1986), the house music anthem, and formed Ten City, a house supergroup.
- Farley “Jackmaster” Funk and Steve “Silk” Hurley: Competitive DJs who produced early hits like “Love Can’t Turn Around” (1986).
- Larry Sherman: Trax Records owner, pressed early house records quickly, though often with poor quality due to recycled vinyl.
- Adonis: Contributed to the emerging house sound with tracks like “No Way Back” (1986).
- Larry Heard: Chicago producer, part of the 1986 UK tour, known for deep house contributions.
- Joe Smooth: Created “Promised Land” (1988), a house anthem inspired by the UK tour.
- Todd Terry: New York producer who brought hip-hop sensibilities to house, influencing modern production.
- Paul Oakenfold, Danny Rampling, Nicky Holloway, Johnny Walker: British DJs who brought Ibiza’s balearic house to London, sparking the Summer of Love.
- DJ Alfredo: Ibiza’s Amnesia DJ, whose balearic mix influenced UK house.
- Mike Pickering and Graeme Park: Hacienda DJs who popularized Chicago house in Manchester.
- Gerald Simpson: Produced “Voodoo Ray” (1988), a UK house classic.
- Orbital: Created “Chimes” (1989), blending house and techno, mastering UK dance music.
- Happy Mondays: Fused indie rock with house in “Wrote for Luck” (1988), expanding house’s audience.
- Shut Up and Dance: Added breakbeats to house, influencing jungle and UK garage.
- Goldie: Pioneered drum and bass with “Timeless” (1995), evolving house’s rhythms.
- Leftfield: Blended house, techno, and dub, collaborating with John Lydon on “Open Up” (1993).
- Armand Van Helden: Remixed pop tracks like Tori Amos’ “Professional Widow” (1996), bringing house to US charts.
- Masters at Work: Remixed pop into club hits, elevating DJs as producers.
- Todd Edwards: Influenced UK garage with his chopped vocal samples.
Playlist of Songs Featured in the Transcript
The following table lists all songs mentioned in the transcript, their artists, the era they represent, and a brief characterization of their contribution to house music’s evolution. Amol’s Apple playlist.
| Song Title | Artist | Era | Characterization |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Is It All Over My Face” | Loose Joints | Early 1980s (Pre-House) | Underground disco track played by Frankie Knuckles, shaping early house’s soulful vibe. |
| “Ring My Bell” | Anita Ward | Early 1980s (Pre-House) | Disco classic played pre-release by Knuckles, influencing house’s danceable rhythms. |
| “Your Love” | Jamie Principle | 1984 (Early House) | Seminal house track, introduced hypnotic, original compositions to the genre. |
| “On and On” | Jesse Saunders & Vince Lawrence | 1983 (Early House) | First house record on vinyl, sparked the Chicago house boom by inspiring non-musicians. |
| “No Way Back” | Adonis | 1986 (Chicago House) | Defined the emerging house sound with raw, driving beats on Trax Records. |
| “Acid Tracks” | Phuture (DJ Pierre) | 1985 (Acid House) | Created acid house with musical use of the Roland TB-303, revolutionizing the sound. |
| “Move Your Body” | Marshall Jefferson | 1986 (Chicago House) | House music anthem, added piano-driven sophistication, gave house its name. |
| “Love Can’t Turn Around” | Farley “Jackmaster” Funk | 1986 (Chicago House) | Early house hit, brought Chicago house to UK Top 10, blending soulful vocals. |
| “Promised Land” | Joe Smooth | 1988 (Chicago House) | House anthem inspired by UK tour, incorporated Martin Luther King speech elements. |
| “Voodoo Ray” | Gerald Simpson (A Guy Called Gerald) | 1988 (UK House) | UK house classic, blended house with Hacienda’s raw energy, defined rave culture. |
| “Big Fun” | Inner City | 1988 (Techno) | Detroit techno hit, fused house with futuristic sounds, charted in the UK. |
| “Chimes” | Orbital | 1989 (UK House/Techno) | Mastered UK dance music, blended house and techno, signaled Britain’s rave dominance. |
| “Wrote for Luck” | Happy Mondays | 1988 (Indie Dance) | Fused indie rock with house rhythms, expanded house’s audience to rock fans. |
| “Little Fluffy Clouds” | The Orb | 1990 (Ambient House) | Introduced ambient house, blending down-tempo beats with New Age sounds for raves. |
| “Energy Flash” | Joey Beltram | 1990 (Techno/House) | Dark, minimal techno track, redefined dance music’s intensity, initially seen as house. |
| “Timeless” | Goldie | 1995 (Drum and Bass) | Catapulted drum and bass to charts, evolved house’s rhythms with sophisticated breaks. |
| “Open Up” | Leftfield ft. John Lydon | 1993 (Progressive House) | Fused house, techno, and dub with punk vocals, crossed into mainstream pop. |
| “Professional Widow” (Remix) | Armand Van Helden | 1996 (House) | Pumped-up remix of Tori Amos, brought house to US/UK charts, cemented DJ remixing. |
| “Ebenezer Goode” | The Shamen | 1992 (Rave/House) | Satirical rave anthem, reflected ecstasy culture, stirred controversy but charted high. |