Bill, I’ve got two pieces that I wrote up, they were previously published a couple years ago by an online magazine but I’d love to submit them here.
They are: A Rough Guide to Dark Progressive House, 2001-2003, and
A Rough Guide to Tiesto: The Trance Years
I know he gets a mention in your book, but have you ever interviewed Gary Dennis of Crazy Beat. Chesters in Southend was a seminal club, and the best funk DJ of that 87/88 era imo, but doesn’t get the recognition he deserves.
Also Special Branch nights at The Royal Oak, Tooley St, was for me and absolute seminal club, where you would hear Sergio Mendes next to Liz Torres, amongst many otehrs
No I never have. He’s a great guy, and I used to go on big trips to his shop all the time.
HI there, I’m new here so forgive me if I’m posting in the wrong place … but if of interest… I’ve been leading a few research projects over the last few years. I’m a visual artist and now researcher/writer I guess. I am a director of a CIC called Rendezvous Projects, we find creative ways to share social history. Projects, podcasts and publications I’ve recently led on include:
2019 - 2022: Sweet Harmony: Radio, Rave & Waltham Forest, 1989-1994
https://www.rendezvousprojects.org.uk/portfolio/sweet-harmony/
2021: Crate Digging: The Influence of De Underground Records
https://www.rendezvousprojects.org.uk/portfolio/de-underground-records/
2023: All Roads Lead to Bentley’s
(I’m only allowed to post two links, so can’t share this link)
I hope it’s of interest! Thanks x
Katherine sent me these pamphlets and they are rad. Well worth picking up, great oral history projects.
Here’s the Bentley’s link:
https://www.rendezvousprojects.org.uk/product/all-roads-lead-to-bentleys/
Can you send them over, Matt? x
I was there in Chicago when house was born. I’m not a DJ, nor ever was a DJ. Instead I created music from scratch via drum machines, keyboards, and other MIDI gear since 1982. I think I have a few things to offer regarding DJ history relating to all forms of EDM. Though perspective regarding the origins of house music may differ, it’s still worthwhile to consider and contribute to this excellent forum.
Sounds interesting. Get in touch and let’s talk 
Sure. How & When?
BS
Email: djhistory@gmail.com
would love to find more info/history/ints about Liz Torres.
Hi Bill - I would love to try my hand at some writing.
Two topics that come to mind (and don’t seem to have been covered much) are the London club, Garage City, which was incredibly formative for me, mainly in the days at The Podium on Nine Elms Lane (93-95?) when it was more of a continuation of the High On Hope vibe.
And the US band, The System, who seemed to be in a little stylistic world of their own in the 80s while generating a sound that was both mainstream and underground, and which I loved as a teenager. And “It’s Passion” et al still sound thumping today.
Hard to do either piece without interviews, though. A pretty comprehensive The System interview is here, which is all I could find on them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCeD3giVUYY.
Should we discuss on e-mail?
Guy
Hi there. Sure thing: djhistory@gmail.com
We’ve actually got a new series starting in a few weeks about classic clubs (first one is Dorian Gray in Frankfurt) so Garage City would fit into that. Also, funnily enough I’m in touch with David Frank from The System. I tried to persuade him to let me do an interview but he was a bit reticent. I have an email address and cellphone for him though.
Having been through the wringer the past year or so, I’m turning my thoughts back to writing my memoirs, or ficmoirs to perhaps be more accurate. Surely, it will be blatant propaganda one way or the other. I saw the DJ scene of San Francisco up close and personal in the late ‘70s and ‘80s. There’s a lot to be said, although I could never claim to be comprehensive. My personal involvement was pretty niche in that after my early punk work outs, I moved solidly into reggae and funk until I heard King Sunny Ade in 1982. Then I really began to concentrate on what we called World Beat at the time. This was long before the (in)famous Empress of Russia meeting in the UK when “World Music” was “invented” as a “box in a record store.” As well as several compatible DJs, there was a strong live scene. Spin magazine wrote a remarkably awful profile of what we were up to including a hideous unflattering photo with me prominently in front and center of various musicians. Besides that, I also worked for the WARD record pool so knew plenty of other DJs - many of whom died in the AIDS epidemic.
I’ve just moved to a new town, Eugene OR. I’m planning and researching a new club night - or three. Have some ideas about doing both an utterly sweaty night in a small box of a place and also some more cultural and “educational” sets that would focus on particular musicians and styles, possibly with a visual hookup to other materials that people could access on their phones. Lots of details to work out - and, who knows? may be a daft idea. We’ll see. I haven’t worked seriously as a DJ for decades, but I have found the DJ History forum and associated publications influential and inspiring.