UK Garage - A New Dawn?

And I thought it was going to be a quiet Christmas 2000. After the success of the UKGarage family and the madness of Ayia Napa, I (and everyone else) needed a break.

Sadly we have entered debate time again, so turn down the TV set, get the cold drinks and popcorn ready, and open your mind - the discussion starts here.

From the DJ debates in Ayia Napa, to the UGA focus meetings, I have spent the last year along with some of the luminaries in the UKGarage movement discussion the changes (both positive and negative) in the scene. Everyone has something to say, but unfortunately "Say" is all they do. Now my spine has been tingled again. DJ Magazine (a publication I actually like) has penned an article on "New Step Garage", I tried in vain to ignore it, but I feel compelled to respond.

Why is the media so consumed with creating little boxes for everything to make it easier to report, and worse still if the box doesn't exist - they just create one. As they did with the term "SpeedGarage, they are pigeon-holeing the current sounds of the UKGarage genre. New Step Garage seems to be the latest tag, and unlike the early term "SpeedGarage", which annoying as it was actually didn't do a bad job of describing the music formula of the time, New Step is all wrong.

UKGarage 2000 is a vibrant, popular (which means people are finally getting paid) music form that isn't really that different from the early days. It is still a melting pot of sounds, it is still delivered primarily as a vinyl inspiration, it still inspires happiness - anger - rivalry, and all the other feelings associated with a product driven by emotion.

In my opinion, two contributing factors propelled UKGarage into the halls of power in the year 2000. The first was the success of the Dreem Teem and especially their move to National Radio One. It caused UKGarage to be accepted by the money people (record companies, mega media corporations). It validated it as being something worthy of focus and real marketing muscle. The second was generated by the music itself. UKGarage was originally a vocal implementation. The early sounds were speeded US tracks, or recrafted UK efforts. Underpinned in the early days by the sounds of Grant Nelson and Todd Edwards, UKGarage appealed to lovers of vocal songs (normally girls) and passionate clubbing who wanted to sing and dance. It was almost like a return to the memorable 80's disco days, where only the music and the party really mattered.

So in 2000 we saw this warm and embracing music form loved by UK DJs (as it was primarily on vinyl), loved by girls (therefore instantly attracting boys), finally available in the public domain (due to national radio), validated by the UK's unofficial radio authority (Radio 1). UKGarage had gone mainstream, in the words on some - commercial.

Enough of the waffled history, back to the DJ magazine article. So has the music changed, the answer is unequivocally yes. The melting pot is still similar, meaning you can find all technical forms available if you know where to look, but the lead sound is different.

Think of the term UKGarage as an umbrella for many garage music sounds and styles. UKGarage has always been fuelled by the fact a DJ could play pretty much anything technical programmed in a garage style and it would be acceptable. 4 to the floor (Tuff Jam and Todd Edwards sounding), 2 and 3 (??) step (Dem 2 sounding), and all the programming derivatives are allowed as long as you take the dance floor on a memorable journey. Old tracks, new tracks, it really didn't mater as long as it was freestyle. The most challenging element in the old days was originality - different tunes, different technical styles, every DJ's continually tried to push the Garage boundaries.

Many new customer were drawn from House, Drum and Bass, RnB, and every other music genre, due to the something for everyone nature of a good UKGarage event.

This flexibility is all but absent today, and rather than endeavouring to take UKGarage back to its freestyle roots, formal segmentation is being advocated as the right thing to do. Well I don't think so. "So Solid" crew are the current flavour of the month and enjoying the success the position brings. "Sentimental Things" is their implementation of the UKGarage sound, but it is not the UKGarage sound - that has no owner. I am sick and tired of DJ's, both old and new complaining of the rather dark undertone of many of today's UKGarage productions. There is an inference that a heavy bassline and lyric free track breeds or attracts a troublesome type of customer. Total crap - stop blaming a music form (the previous whipping boys were sixties and seventies rock, 80s hardcore and Drum and Bass) for societies problems.

Music has always drawn people together irrespective of creed and colour. Bad people have to enjoy themselves too, and I doubt their intention is to attend an event purely for negative reasons. If a music form becomes popular or pubic domain, the criminal element will be drawn to it for good and bad reasons. First to enjoy themselves, but if trouble comes their way - they are normally better equipped to deal with it.

Well stop "Talking the Talk, its time to Walk the Walk". Music is produced by producers (often DJ's) and played by DJ's. It is the job of the DJ/Producer partnership to move and shape the scene it's a part of. If the current view is vocals, quality production and songs are absent - do something about it. The worse thing that could happen (and will be the death of the scene) is for the term UKGarage to be used to define one type of sound, it would lose its universal appeal and the flexibility to allow constant innovation. Worse still it will attract a minority, and exclude the masses.

For the people making a living from the scene (and this year has seen the best living they have ever managed) it would see a reverse of the forces of commercialism, i.e. the big money would disappear. Why would you invest in something with a limited audience? I don't want to hear anymore one hit artists claiming ownership of the scene, enjoy the success the medium gives you and try and enhance and extend it. I don't want to hear DJ's complaining about the lack of vocals - start by producing them and finish by playing them. This is more important for the premier league DJ's (the top 20) as they can get away with playing (headlining) a certain style that will certainly cascade down to all other DJ's, the media, and ultimately and most importantly the customer who pays for it all.

Learn from the lessons of old, and read the writing on the wall. The alienation is slowly starting (i.e. garage events are losing their universal appeal), the across the board popularity (due to negative press) is starting to wane. It must stop now !!!!!. Refocus, reinstall the party, educate the customers (continue to innovate), "lose the attitude" that's a US thing that isn't working in the UK. Mark my words by Ayia Napa 2001 (as one of the first DJ's in Ayia Napa five years ago, its close to my heart), I would hope we have moved the music to a happier more soulful plane. The 4 beats will become more popular (easier for the majority to understand and dance to), the vocals should be back (brings longevity to the record, and the key DJ's will have taken on board the responsibility of making, not breaking their scene.

· So to DJ Magazine, New Step Garage is only a sound within UKGarage and never will be UKGarage.

· To the DJ's - show some sprit, play with passion, look ahead to the future, and be a real DJ (not a sheep following the herd).

· To the producers - We love our Dubs (I have to look for the dub on any plastic I buy), but spend more time to create a song, or to utilise quality vocals. It will ensure your track stands the test of time, and will probably give it more universal appeal.

· To the media (magazine, radio, etc) - Think!!!! If you really love this scene, and especially if you are truly a part of the scene, be aware of the consequence of your actions. Think ahead, and always be aware of the power your opinions hold. Use them to the benefit of the masses - use them to aid the vehicle not destroy it.

That's my lot.
Colin Williams.

Year 2000 - UKGarage Producers Hall of Fame:

1) Grant Nelson
2) Todd Edwards (honorary UKGarage general)
3) DJ Sylvester (Club Asylum)
4) Tuff Jam
5) MJ Cole

Year 2000 - UKGarage DJ Hall of Fame:

1) DJ EZ
2) The Dreem Teem
3) Karl "Tuff Enuff" Brown
4) Matt "Jam" Lammont
5) Mike "Ruff Cutt" Lloyd

The above charts were generated by Email responses and the view of the author through 2000.