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According to the Mayan Calendar the world (or at least civilisation) is due to end cataclysmically on December 21^st 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.”

Skrufff (Jonty Skrufff): What do you forsee is the future for dubstep and for David Guetta-style dance-pop?

Judge Jules: “It can only be a matter of time before band-orientated music makes a big return, as a backlash against the formulaic dance pop that’s dominating the charts.  On the other hand, the recent prominence of the Guetta sound has probably opened ears to less commercial-sounding producers, which can only be a good thing.”

Skrufff: How concerned are you (if at all) by the Mayan Prophecy and their end-time prediction of December 21^st?

Judge Jules: “In my lifetime there have been numerous predictions of the world’s demise, which have all passed without incident, so I’m not losing any sleep.”

Skrufff: What about the financial crisis; what do you expect for next year?

Judge Jules: “In the UK there is huge youth unemployment, which inevitably takes its toll on clubland, but I guess we’ve just got to muddle through this together.”

Skrufff: How much do you believe in destiny/ fate generally?

Judge Jules: “At the risk of spurting cliches, in life you make your own luck.  Put yourself in the right places and luck will shine on you.”

http://judgejules.net

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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.

http://www.judgejules.net

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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

—–=——

Hugh (bottom): (click on the picture for the top 50 results)

Hugh O Bryder (Balearic Brothers)

1. James Brown – Funky Drummer

2. Grandmaster Flash – Adventures On The Wheels Of Steel

3. Double Dee & Steinski – Lessons 1-3

4. Kraftwerk – Trans Europe Express

5. Augustus Pablo – King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown

6. Double Exposure – Ten Percent

7. Primal Scream – Loaded

8. Dust Brothers – Chemical Beats

9. Leftfield – Not Forgotten

10. Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

——-=——

Jagz Kooner: (click on the picture for the top 50 results)

Jagz Kooner (The Aloof/ Primal Scream producer)

1:  Donna Summer- I Feel Love (Patrick Cowley Megamix (15.45 version)

2:  Phuture- Acid Tracks

3:  New Order- Blue Monday

4:  Kraftwerk- Tour De France

5:  Hardfloor- Hardtrance Acperience

6:  Grandmaster Flash- Adventures On the Wheels of Steel”

7:  Chic- Le Freak

8:  Lil Louis- French Kiss

9:  The Future Sound of London- Papua New Guinea

10: Underworld- Rez

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Jagz Kooner: “It’s the art of the remix defined (in 1982!) built from one of the greatest tunes ever made and turned into an epic 15 minute version with more cool synth riffs and arpeggiators than pretty much any tune that has been put together since. It still gets me every time.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Jagz Kooner: “It has to be Phuture’s Acid Tracks . It opened the gateway for acid house , which for me (and many others) changed the course of our lives/careers.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Jagz Kooner: “Ithink it would be Hardfloor’s Acperience . Snare rolls and distorted 303s became pretty much the standard on all tracks after this came out.”

http://twitter.com/#!/JagzKooner1

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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Arjun (Jalebee Cartel) (click on the picture for the top 50 results)

Jalebee Cartel (Arjun)

1: Underworld – Born Slippy

2: Depeche Mode – Enjoy the Silence

3: Donna Summer – I Feel Love

4: Chemical Brothers – Block Rockin’ Beats

5: New Order – Blue Monday

6: Michel Jackson – Billie Jean

7: Yaz – Situation

8: Daft Punk – Around The World

9: Prodigy – Samck My Bitch Up

10: Inner City – Good Life

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Jalebee Cartel (Arjun): “Born Slippy is the most true dance anthem of all time in my opinion, it’s one of those rare tracks, that has the essence of what electronic music should be. Dropped into a set, it always creates mayhem on the dance floor.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Jalebee Cartel (Arjun): “Everything Depeche Mode or Underworld ever made were the reason I got into dance music, it’s really tough to pick one specific track, and they all influenced me in some way of the other. I guess right from listening to Michael JAckson as a kid or Chaka Khan really made me get into dance music

http://www.facebook.com/l/880e5y07ZD_bjWgePz5KzdrTYtw/

http://www.jalebee.in

http://www.facebook.com/l/880e59bNezwxLBG44sFAJw84avQ/

http://www.soundcloud.com/arjun-jalebee

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

——-=——

Jeffrey Disastronaut (click on the picture for the top 50 results)

Jeffrey Disastronaut

1: Buchanan & Goodman – “The Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)”

2: Manuel Göttsching – “E2-E4″

3: Laurie Anderson “O Superman”

4: Augustus Pablo “King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown”

5: Throbbing Gristle – “Hot on the Heels of Love / Dead on Arrival”

6: Negativeland  – U2 / The Beatles- Tomorrow Never Knows

7: Big Apple Productions Vol. 3 – Genius At Work

8: Pierre Schaeffer – “etude aux chemins de fer” / Kraftwerk – “Numbers”

9: Gloria Gaynor   “Never Can Say Goodbye LP [and continuous mix by

Tom Moulton]“

10: Jean Michel Jarre  “Moon Machine”

and thousands more…

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Jeffrey Disastronaut: “My Brother [Greg Radiojack, China] and I played this so much as little children – it was what’s called a “drop out” record – and early cut up. And we played it so much that the vinyl wore through. We were obsessed by the sounds, the cuts and the hundreds of edits. and its hilarious.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Jeffrey Disastronaut: “I guess it was Martin Hannett’s productions mainly on Joy Division and New Order though I always did the DJing second, to my bands and live acts. Blue Monday made me realise- even in 1983 – that I could do this for the rest of my life.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Jeffrey Disastronaut: “Manuel Göttsching – E2-E4 – probably? Almost unknown.”

http://www.twitter.com/disastronaut

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

——-=——

Johnny Dynell (click on the picture for the top 50 results)

Johnny Dynell, New York

1) Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag – James Brown  1965

Without James Brown’s repetitive funk rhythms there would be no Disco and with no Disco there would be no House and with no House there would be nothing. I would be out of a job.

2) Trans Europe Express – Kraftwerk  1977

If there is one record that started it all I guess it would have to be this one. Its use of sequenced synthesizer lines and electronic percussion and beats paved the way for all modern Dance Music.

3) Spirit in the sky – Norman  Greenbaum  1969

This song came out in 1969 and I think it is grandfather of Electro. The Benny Benassi type sound comes directly from this song.

4) I Feel Love (Patrick Cowley German Remix) – Donna Summer 1977 – 1978

The Giorgio Moroder original was earth shattering but the 15 minute Patrick Cowley German remix in 1978 took it even further.

5) Planet Rock – Afrika BamBaataa & The Soulsonic Force  1982

Afrika BamBaataa, Arthur Baker and John Robie combined the electro sounds of people like Kraftwerk with the breakdance beats that were becoming popular. This record foreshadowed all modern dance music to come.

6) On and On – Jesse Saunders  1984

Even though this record used a lot of the same rhythm machines and synths that other people were using at the time (Planet Rock), it had a unique sound and feel which eventually became “House Music”.

7) Party People – Todd Terry  1987

Todd combined Free Style and House to make a hybrid that was revolutionary.

Padlock EP – Gwen Guthrie  1986

Larry Levan’s deep dubby Garage sounds were perfected on this EP.

9) French Kiss – Lil louis 1989

This song from 1989 featured a rhythm that is still copied endlessly to this day. It’s also important for slowing down the tempo to a complete stop then starting up again. It’s one of those songs that changes everything.

10) Jingo – Candido  1979

This traditional African Rhythm is still one of the most used rhythms in Dance Music today.

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Johnny Dynell: “Without James Brown’s repetitive funk rhythms there would be no Disco and with no Disco there would be no House and with no House there would be nothing. I would be out of a job.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Johnny Dynell: “Even though it’s not on my list, “That’s The Way I Like It” by K.C & The Sunshine Band changed my life. The endless repetition made me crazy- in a good way.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Johnny Dynell: “Most people don’t know Jesse Saunder’s “On and On”. If you listen to it now you think, OK it’s a House record but in 1984 NOTHING sounded like this.”

http://www.facebook.com/johnny.dynell

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

——-=——

Jonty Skrufff

Jonty Skrufff

Farley Jackmaster Funk; Love Can’t Turn Around

Soft Cell; Memorabilia

Donna Summer: I Feel Love (Patrick Cowley 15 Minute mix)

Sisters Of Mercy; Temple Of Love

Justice: Never Be Alone

Tubeway Army; Are Friends Electric

Hardfloor: Acperience

Dave Clarke Red 2

You Make Me Feel Mighty Real” Sylvester

Moby – Go

——=——

Judge Jules (click on the picture for the top 50 results)

Judge Jules

1:Art of Noise- Moments in love

2:DJ Pierre- Acid Tracks

3:Energy 52- Café Del Mar (Three’n'One remix)

4:Soul II Soul- Keep on movin’

5:Afrika Baambaata- Planet Rock

6:Vernon’s Wonderland- Vernon’s Wonderland

7:Rob D- Clubbed To Death

8:Josh Wink- Higher State of Consciousness

9:Double 99- R.I.P. Groove

10:New Order- Blue Monday

: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Judge Jules: “It came when synths and sampling were in their infancy (barely born in fact), and has mesmerisingly sweet chords that influenced so much chill-out and trance.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Judge Jules: “New Order- Blue Monday.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Judge Jules: “DJ Pierre’s Acid Tracks.”

http://www.facebook.com/judgejules

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

——-=——

Lenny Ibizarre (click on the picture for the top 50 results)

Lenny Ibizarre

1: Spectrum – Brazil

2: Hardfloor – Acperience

3: Solar Quest – Acid Air Raid

4: Robert Armani – Circus Bells (Hardfloor Remix)

5: Plastikman – Conception

6: DHS – This is acid (LSD 3D)

7: Filur – You and I (Trentemøller Remix)

8: Astral Projection – Utopia

9: T-Power – Self-Evident Truth

10: Koxbox – Stratosfear

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Lenny Ibizarre: “Brazil is the oldest of them and, well, just blew my mind at the time.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Lenny Ibizarre: “None, in Belgium we were all already clubbing to body-beat and later new-beat way before acid house arrived. Sex and drugs what was turned me unto the scene.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Lenny Ibizarre: “None of them crossed over, in my experience: nothing TRULY great ever does.”

www.ibizarre.com

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

——-=——

Liquid (click on the picture for the top 50 results)

Eamon Downes (Liquid)

1: KLF – What Time Is Love

2: A Guy Called Gerald – Voodoo Ray

3: Joey Beltram – Energy Flash

4: Adamski – Magik Piano

5: Master C & J – Dub Love

6: Jimi Polo – Better Days

7: Ego Trip – Dreamworld

8: SL2 – The Noise

9: Fast Eddie – Acid Thunder

10: Almost the whole catalogue of King Tubby & The Scientist

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Liquid: “It was hard enough selecting ten, I had to just do it off the top of my head otherwise there would have been hundreds. The first time I heard KLF’s What Time Is Love in a massive warehouse changed my whole life, that’s why. I couldn’t believe something so simple could be so effective and so huge. A massive tune for me still.”

Skrufff: which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Liquid: “Probably as a kid, Barrington Levy’s Here I Come. My mate at school had it on a cassette and we used to play it on what we would have called a ghetto blaster (but in reality was a moody, battery-operated tinny tape player). I was hooked from then on really.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Liquid: “Master C & J I suppose, badly recorded and doesn’t do much, but I’ve always tried to capture those kind of intense atmospherics in music. Still trying….”

http://soundcloud.com/liquiduk

http://www.twitter.com/eamondownes

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

——-=——

Louis Osbourne; (click on the picture for the top 50 results)

Louis Osbourne

Here’s the top 10 in no particular order….. I feel very “Hi-Fidelity” now :)

1: Talking Heads – Once in a Lifetime

2: Daft Punk – Homework LP – Virgin

3: Jaydee – Plastic Dreams – R&S

4: Aphex Twin – Window Licker – Warp

5: LFO – LFO – Warp

6: 2 Bad Mice – Bombscare – Moving Shadow

7: PFM – One & Only – Logical Progression

8: Orbital – Chime – London FFRR

9: Raze – Jack The Groove – Champion

10: Paul Hardcastle – 19

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Louis Osbourne: “It’s a track that has influenced me all my life. I remember my parents playing it to me when I was a kid. It always makes me feel good and makes me want to go and get things done! And the amount of people in dance music who love this record shows that it was a pioneering track at the time (late 70′s or early 80′s I think).”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Louis Osbourne: “2 Bad Mice – Bombscare – My first forays into club / rave culture when I was16 yrs old were about old breakbeat hardcore. This was one of the biggest trax for that sound in late 1991. I actually prefer the “2 Bad Mice” remix as it’s a little less commercial and more D&B sounding, but the original is the big one.”

Skrufff: which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Louis Osbourne: “I think Daft Punk’s Homework had a huge influence on the dance music scene. It was a ground breaking album in 1997 that inspired a whole generation of producers to get started. It still sounds dope. Funnily enough I think everything Daft Punk have done since then has been shite.” (laughing).

http://www.facebook.com/djlouisosbourne

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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!”

Donna Summer: I Feel Love

The poll’s second stand out choice, Donna Summer’s I Feel Love (which, like Blue Monday attracted twice as many votes as third, fourth and fifth place tracks Planet Rock, Acid Tracks and French Kiss) drew equally enthusiastic responses.

“Some record are years ahead of their time, ‘I Feel Love’ was decades ahead,” Horse Meat Disco’s Luke Howard declared.

“This track showed you didn’t need a guitar to make exciting music,” Jez and Tim from Utah Saints agreed, “and kick-started bedroom producers around the world!”

The Yorkshire tribute also paid fulsome tribute to Patrick Cowley’s 15 minute epic remix, as did legendary New York underground DJ Johnny Dynell.

“The Giorgio Moroder original was earth shattering but the 15 minute Patrick Cowley German remix in 1978 took it even further,” he said.

British acid house pioneer turned Primal Scream producer Jagz Kooner agreed.

“It’s the art of the remix defined- in 1978,” he enthused, “Built from one of the greatest tunes ever made and turned into an epic 15 minute version with more cool synth riffs and arpeggiators than pretty much any tune that has been put together since. Still gets me every time.”

A Guy Called Gerald

Best of the rest

John Digweed (and Bedrock’s) esteemed producer Nick Muir singled out A Guy Called Gerald’s Voodoo Ray as his ultimate inspirational choice, declaring “I put this track first because it’s not just a piece of music, it’s a state of mind.’

“All the tracks I selected were ‘game changers’ as far as I was concerned; tracks which came to my attention at certain times along the way and affected me profoundly.”

Nick also singled out X Press 2′s early 90s classic London Xpress for special attention, in particular for its raw dance floor power.

“I can remember standing at the back of Bagleys in about 1992, somewhat the worse for wear screaming ‘CLASSIC!’ at the top of my lungs when London Xpress came on,” he recalled.

“At the time that track just nailed it. Simple, unpretentious, right in the money. UK house at its finest.”

Planet Rock

X Press 2 producer Rocky instead cited Afrika Bambaataa’s Planet Rock as his ‘year zero for dance music’ (aged 12) also choosing DJ Pierre’s Acid Tracks for providing his own acid house epiphany.

‘It was the record that gave birth to an entire musical culture. It’s arguable that there were ‘acid’ records before this, but this was the one that signalled the start of something huge,” he said.

Planet Rock on Wiki; http://bit.ly/6UPOc

godfather of soul James Brown (click for more)

James Brown

Though picking up relatively few votes from our 50, ‘Godfather of Soul’ James Brown received superlative praise from a number, including leading Brazilian journalist (and DJ) Camilo Rocha, who picked out Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag as his number one choice.

“James Brown’s track represents a major shift in the story of rhythm. It launched the funk rhythm, with the accent on the first beat of the bar, as opposed to the dominant pattern of soul and rock which emphasized the second beat,” said Camilo.

“Everything that came after, disco, house, techno, electro derives from the rhythm structure pioneered on this 1965 single,” he said.

Johnny Dynell (who also picked ‘Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag’) was more succinct.

“Without James Brown’s repetitive funk rhythms there would be no Disco and with no Disco there would be no House and with no House there would be nothing,” said Johnny, “I would be out of a job.”

British house DJ Danny Howells instead singled out Brown’s ‘Let Yourself Go/There Was A Time/I Feel All Right (Live at the Apollo Vol 2)’ explaining ‘My mum used to play this non-stop when I was four of five years old, and I suppose it was my first introduction to sheer hypnosis in music.’

“It’s a medley that runs to about 20 minutes or so, and it just sinks deeper and deeper into a trance, with James Brown engaging the crowd in a call and response chant of “hey hey, I feel alright.” and so on,” said Danny.

“And he’s controlling his band, getting them to create drum and brass stabs with callouts of “two times”, “three times” etc. This is where you can hear where Prince got so many of his live ideas from,” he said.

Kraftwerk

Kraftwerk

Brasil-based Swedish techno guru Christian Smith is one of many to include Kraftwerk though with votes splitting for a number of tracks, the Teutonic icons rock up in the 9 and 10 spots (with Numbers and Trans Europe Express.

“It’s impossible to narrow this down to one song, but if I would have to choose one track it would be Kraftwerk’s Numbers,” Christian told Skrufff.

“I was 9 yeas old when this was released and I still remember hearing it for the first time! Total future! Even today it sounds like nothing else out there,” he enthused.

Acid techno guru Henry ‘D.A.V.E. The Drummer’ Cullen (also coincidentally still a big star in Brazil) was similarly smitten at a young age.

“Kraftwerk’s Computer World was one of the first albums I ever owned, and I listened to it constantly on cassette,” he recalled.

“I was completely in love with the electronic voices and synth sequences, everything really, and it was so different to the crap disco and post punk shit that was in the charts at the time. I’m talking about the early 80 and boy there was some crap in the charts at that time,” Henry continued, “Ottowan (D.I.S.C.O.), Abba, you name it. As a 12 year old I hated it all,” he laughed.

Kraftwerk on wiki: http://bit.ly/21K7Ah

Techno, Techno, Techno, Techno

While Joey Beltram’s Energy Flash performed highly (‘Energy Flash  was quite simply, the single most important record of all time. It not only changed my musical tastes, it changed my life’, said Ade Fenton), numerous other techno classics split the vote.

“If I had to explain to an alien “what techno is on earth” I’ll make him listening to that track!‘ Dusty Kid said about PLastikman’s seminal early 90s remake of System 7’s Alpha Wave while Dutch star Secret Cinema chose Stakker’s Humanoid.

“It was my first experience with Acid in a club,” Jereon told Skrufff, “I heard that track 3 times a night and it still kept me going on the dancefloor with full on Strobe-lights…..unbeatable.”

Patrice Baumel

Fellow Amsterdam based German producer Patrice Baumel singled out (though didn’t include) Jam and Spoon’s Follow Me because ‘at my local discotheque that was as techno as it got and my regular highlight of the night’. For his most influential track, however, he went for Emmanuel Top’s mighty Acid Phase.’

“Hearing that record played out was the first time I “got” slower techno.” Patrice explained, “Before that I just couldn’t understand why DJs would even bother dipping below 160bpm.”

Compiled by Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff ) Each DJ’s individual top 10 will be posted within the next few days.

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

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)

The Next 50:

Also included

3 Phase Featuring Dr. Motte  ”Der Klang Der Familie”

2 Bad Mice – Bombscare

adonis – no way back

Alexander Robotnick – Problemes D’Amour

Art of Noise- Moments in love

Basement Jaxx: Fly Life

Beat Dis, Bomb The Bass

The Beloved- The Sun Rising

Cafe Del Mar 98- Energy 52

Ce Ce Rogers – Someday

Chemical Brothers- Block Rocking Beats

Chemical Brothers – Out Of Control

Crystal Waters- Gypsy Woman

Cybotron – Alleys Of The Mind

DJ Misjah & DJ Tim – Access

Future Sound of London-Papua New Guinea

Hardfloor: Fish and Chips

Inner City – Good Life

Issac Hayes – Shaft

Joe Smooth: Promised Land

Kaoma – Lambada

Laurie Anderson- O Superman

Lionrock: Lionrock

man parish – hip hop, be bop

Marmion – Schoneberg

MFSB – Love Is The Message

Michel Jackson – Billie Jean

Mr Oizo – Flat Eric

Nathan Fake – Sky Is Pink (James Holden Remix)

New Order – Temptation

Night Crawlers-Let The Music take You

Norman  Greenbaum- Spirit in the sky

Paul van Dyk: for an Angel

Primal Scream – Higher Than The Sun

Robert Armani – Circus Bells (Hardfloor Remix)

Sisters Of Mercy; Temple Of Love

Slam – Eterna

Soul11 Soul: Back to Life

Stardust: Music Sounds better

Steve Silk Hurley-Jack Your Body

System 7 – Alpha Wave (PLastikman acid house mix)

Talking Heads – Once In A Lifetime

Todd Terry – Something is going on

Tubeway Army; Are Friends Electric

ULTRA NATE: Free

Underworld – Rez

Underground Resistance: Seawolf

Vernon’s Wonderland- Vernon’s Wonderland

Vitalic – Pony E.P.

Visage: Fade To Gray

X-Press 2 – Muzik Express

Yaz – Situation

For DJs’ comments on why they picked what they picked, click HERE

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