Re: Dance-punk

I'm not even sure if that's the term in play for the genre of bands/scenes out there, but I'm looking for reviews/analysis/recommendations of bands that are dance-oriented, but punk (in theme, anyway). I'm almost totally ignorant of what's out there, but would be happy to hear more stuff if it sounded like, say, the Gossip's "Standing in the Way of Control."
Suggestions?

volt
blank dogs



Post Edited (09-14-07 01:31)

The Klaxons are a big deal in the UK right now. "The Bouncer" is pretty funny.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah ("Satan Says Dance")

Digitalism.

None of it's as good as the Gossip's "Standing in the Way of Control" tho.

British music press term you will soon hate: "Nu-rave."

> British music press term you will soon hate: "Nu-rave."

Eeewww, you're right, Fab. "Soon" for me being the instant I read it.

Not to get too much into that Dead Milkmen "You'll Dance to Anything"-type of discourse here, but I have a few rambling thoughts on this topic, as an unapolagetic Factory Records, Be Music Productions, Juan Atkins and many other (for lack of a better word) "dance-y"-type things enthusiast:

Have you ever actually seen people dance to Gang of Four? I like quite a bit of Gang of Four's music, but believe their role as pioneering visionaries in this area has been overstated. At one time, I figured this Gang of Four dancing must be taking place in the UK. Then I took two lengthy trips to the UK. Nobody dancing to Gang of Four there, either. Lots of people were dancing to Take That/Robbie Williams, however.

At the end of the day, was T. Rex dance music? Was PIL? Wire? Queen? The Clash? INXS? Ice Cube?

Are terms such as "dance-punk" and "nu-rave" used to imply a level of self-awareness and/or ironic distance terms like "dance", "punk", "new wave" and "rave" lack?

Not that I'm defensive or anything.

I'd say terms like that are used because so many people feel compelled to categorize this or that kind of music. And so many more people have come to expect it. How many people on this board have invited somebody to see a particular artist live, only to be met with a question such as, "What kind of music do they play?" or, "Who do they sound like?"

I saw plenty of people dancing to Gang of Four, The Clash, INXS and Ice Cube, when I got to see those acts live. I was doing plenty of dancing myself to all of them — save for Ice Cube, who couldn't get off the stage soon enough to suit me. (I found it damn near impossible to stop dancing, the time I got to see Gang of Four. Another tour in 2007-2008, according to their web site. I can't wait!)

And I've seen plenty of people dancing to songs by T. Rex and Queen, when I've seen cover bands play those songs.

As for nightclubs where records are being spun, I have seen people dancing to all of the above-mentioned artists, at one time or another. Come to think of it, I have never been in a situation where INXS was spun by the DJ, but that it packed the dance floor pretty readily.

I don't remember ever hearing records or songs by PiL or Wire played for an audience, in any setting, so I won't comment on their dance appeal.

Delvin,

Your Ice Cube recollection reminds me of the dirty little not-so-secret secret of hip-hop is that it's generally poor live. I'm not from the Bronx or anything, but I started going to hip-hop shows in 1985, and I've seen many, many artists from the genre (back in the '80s, there used to be 7 to 10 performers on a bill), and I'd say Stetsasonic, Eric B. & Rakim & latter-era De La Soul are the ones that impressed me.

There were a couple of points I was attempting to make about dancing/not dancing to the music:

1. If grown people generally feel compelled to dance when it is played, it is dance music.

2. Dance music is often considered "gay" music, "black" music, or "gay, black" music. While there is some truth to each perception, even if all three are 100% correct, does it make any difference...because people are going to dance to whatever they feel like dancing to! Therefore, if you dance to it, it's dance music, right? This is a big issue I have with James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem, DFA): he insists he's just a straight, white, indie rocker, and he wants all the other straight, white indie rockers to know it's okay to listen to his music. God forbid anyone should imply anything about him, his music or whom might enjoy it (not "dance" fans!).



Post Edited (09-14-07 21:59)

Of the few rap acts I've seen onstage, Public Enemy and Ice-T were the only two I thoroughly enjoyed. I haven't seen the three you mentioned, although I'm a fan of all three of them.

Blaggers I.T.A.

Not sure how "punk" they are, but some folks throw !!! and LCD Soundsystem (as well as the collected roster of DFA) in said camp. Ditto Radio 4 and Supersystem.
And hearing "Nu-Rave' gives me flashbacks of the "New Wave of New Wave". All 5 seconds of it.

Whatever LCD Soundsystem are, their classic "Losing my Edge" is certainly one anyone on this board can relate to.

Bloc Party

I suppose The Go! Team could fit in here - absolutely wonderful, just saw 'em live. Don't have their latest, but their debut was one of my faves of '05.

re: the suckiness of live hip-hop: the classic early '80s film "Wild Style" shows how hip-hop WAS a live art - spontaneous turntablism and freestyle rhyming taken to dazzling heights, like an open-ended jazz jam session. It wasn't until they had to boil everything down to 3-minute songs and follow music convention that you got the pointless rapping-over-backing-tracks mainstream rap style. Old-skool style can still be found in da underground, tho, usually places like little mom-n-pop hip-hop shops.

("Mom-n-pop hip-hop shops" - heh, now who's freestylin?)

Radio 4 is a top-notch band, IMO. Sure, they borrow heavily from The Clash, Gang of Four and PiL (including their name), but what they offer is solid.

Gotham is my favorite by this band. Plenty of groove, but a lot of anger and a ragged sound that absorbs my attention. Other albums by them are a bit more polished.

The first 2 (new song and dance and gotham) are ragged but strong in an almost Mission of Burma groove. i agree their later albums suffer from polish over raw power.