2012: Judge Jules’ Cloudy Crystal Ball
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According to the Mayan Calendar the world (or at least civilisation) is due to end cataclysmically on December 21st 2012. With economists and futurologists also almost all predicting a year of upheaval, Skrufff asked a bunch of our favourite DJs and personalities for their predictions for 2012; both musically and apocalypse-wise . . .
Judge Jules’ Cloudy Crystal Ball (interview)
Though he started studying for professional law qualifications over 5 years before announcing his Radio 1 departure several weeks back, Judge Jules insists he’s far from confident about predicting the future; at least musically.
“I really struggle with musical predictions, since dance music has a slow evolutionary path which doesn’t comfortably lend itself to changes that are definable by calendar years,” he says.
“As regards to what I think will happen to club-land: at least in the UK, I can be more specific,” he qualifies.
“Right now the independent clubbing sector of owner-operated venues with low overheads seems to be prospering, whereas the monolithic leisure-chainowned multiple venues business model seem to be struggling,” he notes.
“In my view, this is a good thing,” says Jules, “because McDonalds-style clubbing is a long way from what I’m about.”
Judge Jules Leaves Radio 1 to Become a Lawyer
Radio 1 announced this week that Judge Jules, Gilles Peterson, Kissy Sell Out, Fabio & Grooverider will be leaving the hugely powerful British station in April, to be replaced by drum & bass/ hip hop dubstep stars Skream & Benga, Charlie Sloth. Toddla T and Friction.
While Gilles Peterson said he’s looking to switch to sister BBC channels, Jules announced he’s becoming an entertainment lawyer, in addition to maintaining his globe-trotting DJing career.
“On the quiet, I’ve been re-training and re-qualifying as a lawyer over a five year period, so the run-up and the planning for this has been going on for ages,” Jules told Skrufff. “I always knew it was my long-term alternative career.”
He also stressed he has no plans to scale back his DJing activities, instead merging the two new roles to compliment each other.
“I’m not going to be working for any old firm- it’ll be for (arguably) the number music and entertainment firm in the UK, Sheridans,” he explained. “I don’t start for a year, and will continue DJing once I do so, with their blessing.”
“Being less tied-down to the UK will also allow much more travelling than I’ve done before, and I’ll continue to focus on my weekly syndicated radio show, ‘The global warm up’, which goes out on many stations across the globe,” Jules added.
Announcing the changes Ben Cooper, Controller of Radio 1, paid tribute to the departing DJs’ hard work and commitment to music’.
‘‘It’s important that Radio 1 continues to develop new talent and the station keeps evolving for our young listeners,” he added, “These changes to our evening schedule will strengthen the range and depth of the specialist music offering on the network.’’
Radio 1 veteran presenter Pete Tong remains at the station, holding on to his Friday night 9-11pm slot.
Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff
Skrufff.com’s Top 50 Most Influential Dance Tracks Ever: DJ by DJ (the third ten)
Compiled by Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff
Jonty Skrufff
Individual Top 10s:
Hugh O Bryder (Balearic Brothers)
Jagz Kooner
Jalebee Cartel
Jeffrey Disastronaut
Johnny Dynell
Jonty Skrufff
Judge Jules
Lenny Ibizarre
Liquid
Louis Osbourne
Skrufff.com’s Top 50 Most Influential Dance Tracks Ever: the details
click for Jonty Skrufff's Band page
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Click HERE to access the full results:
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We recently asked fifty of our favourite DJs and regular Skrufff contributors to tell us their top 10 most influential dance tracks of all time: the ones that both inspired and affected them personally and helped shape wider electronic dance culture.
The resulting Top 50 (see below) has been calculated by adding up each track’s votes with no weighting given to ranking within each DJ’s top 10 (so a number 1 has the same value as a 10). Where the total numbers of votes are equal we’ve listed tracks in alphabetical order (by artist) reflecting more than a few contributors’ approaches to selecting their key tracks.
Pedro Winter thinking about his top 10
US house star Chris Fortier said his top choice of the KLF’s What Time Is Love was particularly personal because ‘it came out around the time I started to really DJ and figure out the kinds of tracks I wanted to buy and play’, though stressed ‘my list could really be in any order’.
Underground British tech-house DJ Louis Osbourne concurred.
“Here’s my top 10 in no particular order,” said Louis, “I feel very “Hi-Fidelity” now,’ he chuckled.
High Fidelity: the Trailer (click for more)
Louis’ reference to the Nick Hornby book/ film, in which a record shop worker spends his time compiling- then endlessly debating- increasingly obscure ‘best ever’ lists struck a chord with this poll, specifically its identification of the hobby as a male obsession.
Indeed none of the female DJs and producers we contacted decided to take part in the poll, which otherwise drew enthusiastic responses from (male) leading lights of dance culture, including DJ Pierre, Tom Tom Club, Pedro Winter and New Order/ Joy Division bass player Peter Hook.
Relative newcomers including Get The Curse’ DJ Olibusta, Romania’s The Model and Nikhil Chinapa and DJ Arjun (Jalebee Cartel) from India also shared their opinions.
Joy Division's first ever TV appearance (Peter Hook on the right) click for more
Click HERE for full details (plus the next 50), of what we reckon’s a definitive list of the most influential dance tracks- ever! Thanks to all the DJs for taking part.
Compiled by Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff ) Each DJ’s individual top 10 will be posted within the next few days.
DJs/ producers who voted:
Ade Fenton, Alisson Gothz, Ascii Disco, Camilo Rocha, Chris Finke, Chris Fortier, Christian Smith, Christopher Lawrence, Danny Howells, Dave Clarke.
DAVE the Drummer, Deepgroove, Diarmaid O’Meara, DJ Ariel, DJ Pierre, Dusty Kid, Edwin Oosterwal, Gary Smith, Gladys Pizarrro (Ex Strictly Rhythm), Graham Gold.
Hugh O Bryder, Jagz Kooner, Jalebee Cartel, Jeffrey Disastronaut, Johnny Dynell, Jonty Skrufff, Judge Jules, Lenny Ibizarre, Liquid, Louis Osbourne.
Luke Howard, Mark Kavanagh, MOTOR, Nick Muir, Nikhil Chinapa, Olibusta, Pathaan, Patrice Baumel, Pedro Winter, Peter Hook (New Order).
Phuturetraxx, Sara Mrs Smith, Secret Cinema, Steve Mac, The model, Timo Maas, Tom Tom Club, Utah Saints, Way Out West (Jody Wisternoff), X Press 2 (Rocky).
The Winner is: New Order: Blue Monday (Blue Monday on Wiki: http://bit.ly/wfVnz)
“Which track turned me personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most? New Order- Blue Monday.”
Judge Jules was one of 15 of our 50 who selected New Order’s multi-million selling disco classic as did Irish DJ (and Daily Star deputy) Mark Kavanagh (‘this record changed my life’) and Audiosushi’s Jeffrey Disastronaut ‘Blue Monday made me realise- even in 1983 – that I could do this for the rest of my life…”
Peter Hook, however, admitted he was surprised.
“How much was I aware of how special it was when we created it? To be truthful not very much really. It was never one of my favourite songs. I much preferred “Thieves Like Us”,” the New Order/ Joy Division legend told Skrufff.
I tell you what, when I was sat there doing it in 1982? I NEVER thought it would get comments like this 29 years later,” he added.
Underworld's Born Slippy
While less than ecstatic about Blue Monday he was considerably more enthused about his own first choice, Underworld’s Born Slippy (or ‘Lager Lager’ as it calls it).
“To me this track embodies everything about clubbing from the beat to the lyrics,” said Hooky. “Live fast die young with no thought of tomorrow!”
Skrufff.com’s Top 50 Most Influential Dance Tracks Ever: The Results
Compiled by Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff
Skrufff.com's Most Influential Dance Tracks Ever: New Order's Blue Monday
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For DJs’ comments on why they picked what they picked, click HERE
1; New Order: Blue Monday
2: Donna Summer – I Feel Love
3: Afrika BamBaataa & The Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock
4: DJ Pierre & Phuture: Acid Tracks
5: Lil Louis – French Kiss
6: Hardfloor – Acperience
7: Marshall Jefferson – Move Your Body
8: Underworld- Born Slippy
9: Kraftwerk – Numbers
10: Kraftwerk- Trans Europe Express
I Feel Love (Skrufff's Number 2 'Most Influential Dance Tracks Ever')
11: Plastikman-Spastik
12: Dave Clarke – Red 2
13: Augustus Pablo – King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown
14: Joey Beltram – Energy Flash
15: KLF – What Time Is Love
16: LFO: LFO
17: Massive Attack -Unfinished Sympathy
18: Rhythm Is Rhythm (Derrick May) – Strings Of Life
19: A Guy Called Gerald – Voodoo Ray
20: Aphex Twin – Window Licker
For DJs’ comments on why they picked what they picked, click HERE
KLF: What Time Is Love?
21: Chemical Brothers- Block Rocking Beats
22: Daft Punk- Around The World
23: Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five – Adventures of the Wheels of Steel
24: Jam and Spoon-Stella
25: Manuel Goettsching- e2-e4
26: MARRS – Pump Up the Volume
27: Orbital- Chime
28: Prodigy – Smack My Bitch Up
29: Art of Noise-Close to the Edit
30: Cerrone; Supernature
For DJs’ comments on why they picked what they picked, click HERE
http://skrufff.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/MarrsPumpUpTheVolumeAD707.jpg "MarrsPumpUpTheVolumeAD707")
MARRS: Pump Up The Volume
31: Chic – Le Freak
32: Daft Punk – Da Funk
33: Farley Jackmaster Funk; Love Can’t Turn Around
34: Front 242: Headhunter
35: Future Sound Of London – Papua New Guinea
36: Gat Decor; Passion
37: Inner City: Good Life
38: James Brown – Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag
39: Jeff Mills- The Bells
40: Josh Wink: Higher State of Consciousness
For DJs’ comments on why they picked what they picked, click HERE
Daft Punk; Da Funk
41: Meat Beat Manifesto – Babylon
42: Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
43: Moby: Go
44: Mory Kante – Yeke Yeke
45: Mr Fingers; Can You Feel It
46: Primal Scream; Loaded
47: Prodigy; Charlie
48: Rolando – Knights of the Jaguar
49: Sasha- Xpander
50: Soft Cell; Memorabilia
For DJs’ comments on why they picked what they picked, click HERE
More Kante's Yeke Yeke (click to listen)
Compiled by Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff
DJs/ producers who voted:
Ade Fenton, Alisson Gothz, Ascii Disco, Camilo Rocha, Chris Finke, Chris Fortier, Christian Smith, Christopher Lawrence, Danny Howells, Dave Clarke,
DAVE the Drummer, Deepgroove, Diarmaid O’Meara, DJ Ariel, DJ Pierre, Dusty Kid, Edwin Oosterwal, Gary Smith, Gladys Pizarrro (Ex Strictly Rhythm), Graham Gold,
Hugh O Bryder, Jagz Kooner, Jalebee Cartel, Jeffrey Disastronaut, Johnny Dynell, Jonty Skrufff, Judge Jules, Lenny Ibizarre, Liquid, Louis Osbourne,
Luke Howard, Mark Kavanagh, MOTOR, Nick Muir, Nikhil Chinapa, Olibusta, Pathaan, Patrice Baumel, Pedro Winter, Peter Hook (New Order),
Phuture traxx, Sara Mrs Smith, Secret Cinema, Steve Mac, The model, Timo Maas, Tom Tom Club, Utah Saints, Way Out West (Jody Wisternoff), X Press 2 (Rocky)
