Louis Osbourne; click to listen to his new track

“Come on, let’s be frank, all the stuff that’s massive over there is shit! All this EDM stuff; it’s bollocks. It’s not really trickling through to underground dance music either.”

Chatting to Skrufff this week from the bowels of Jamie Anderson’s South Wales studio, tech-house type Louis Osbourne laughs as he confirms he has less than a little interest in cracking Vegas and America’s new ‘electronic dance music’ scene.

“I never really liked the clubs in Vegas and, yes I’ve played there many times, it’s a cheese-fest,” he continues.

“If someone wanted to pay me $25,000 to play what I play in Vegas then great if that’s what the scene was like, but it’s not. My music isn’t mainstream Vegas music. I play deep house, tech house and techno, period. So if someone wants to book me to play a credible club there then I’ll do it, but I’m not musically jumping ship to get on the Vegas shit wagon,” he laughs.

Despite sounding somewhat angry (via email anyway), he’s instead bubbling with enthusiasm, about both a ‘top secret HUGE US deal’ he’s just signed and his fruitful new studio collaboration with Jamie Anderson, one of club culture’s most talented though still unsung studio heroes.

As Osbourne & Anderson, the pair have just released Noho on Jesse Rose’s hipper than hip (and great) Berlin label Play It Down and with seven additional co-productions bubbling up look set for imminent- and paradoxically massive- underground success.

Skrufff (Jonty Skrufff): starting with your collaboration with Jamie;  why did you decide to team up in the studio as a duo?

Louis Osbourne: “Jamie is signed to my label, Mija Recordings. Shortly after I had signed his release Cyclone to Mija he asked me if I wanted to take a trip to his studio in South Wales to write some tracks. I did and the first thing we produced was signed to Jesse Rose’s Front Room. We got on really well on a personal level and a studio level so we’ve just carried on.”

Skrufff: Jamie works with LOADS of collaborators . . .

Louis Osbourne: “Incorrect, Jamie is only collaborating with two people at the moment including myself. He has done many collaborations over the years as he’s been producing the best part of 20 years. He works with Owain K on their “Jamie Anderson & Owain K” material that is deep house for labels like Steve Bug’s Dessous; he then does jacking Chicago / tech house with me as “Osbourne & Anderson”; then he keeps his solo “Jamie Anderson” productions for his techno sound and classic JA productions.”

Skrufff: How does the process work with you (is he doing the engineering? are you bringing in a bunch of ideas: and tracks?

Louis Osbourne: “Jamie is an engineering wizard, I can program but I leave Jamie to it as he’s so much faster and more experienced than I. I usually bring the sounds and sample ideas, then we steer the direction of the tracks together. O&A are starting to really develop our sound. We’ve been sampling loads of old house tracks because firstyly it gives us a vintage house sound, and secondly a lot of today’s record buying public were never exposed to 90′s house as they were too young. We are recycling it.”

Skrufff: How long did it take you to make Noho (from start to finish?) What was the vision behind the track?

Louis Osbourne: “We sampled a classic loop that we both loved and re-worked it, the loop was also used in a classic record from 1990, so there’s a nod to the old school. We took about three or four days on it in total. Although that was over a 6 month period. The way we work is we have loads of projects on the go at any one time and work with them in a piecemeal fashion, that way we don’t get lost on any one track too much. When we get those blank moments in the studio we just save the arrangement, go back to an old track or start a new one. We’ve seven tracks in progress at the moment.”

Skrufff: It’s coming out on Made to Play; why not your own label?

Louis Osbourne: “No, it’s already out on Play It Down, the sister label to Made To Play. We like that label’s output, Jesse Rose really liked the track when we sent it to him, so he signed it to Play It Down and for his compilation “Made For The Night.” Play It Down is a massive label on the up so why not put it on

that label? Mija is also a bit more tech-house, and this is a housier record.”

Skrufff: The last time we spoke you were about to leave Ireland: how much has your life-and career- changed since moving back to the UK?

Louis Osbourne: “Nothing has changed really on a DJing / producing level. But for different business opportunities I’m working on (and there are many!) it’s been great to be back in the UK and in a big city. Living in a village in rural Ireland, whilst idyllic, is shit for moving businesses forward.”

Skrufff: I see from Linked in that you’ve taken on a day job; how difficult a decision was it to take that step?

Louis Osbourne: “No, I don’t have a full time day job, I am in more of an advisory position at TheTicketSellers as their Business Development Manager. Some very old friends own the company and I said I could help them get some business through my extensive industry contacts. I’m more of a link-man connecting people. It’s great to be able to get income streams from different sources because work is all so unpredictable at the moment. Therefore it was an easy decision.”

Skrufff: You studied law for a few years; what’s stopped you from pursuing that direction?

Louis Osbourne: “I decided I didn’t want to be a lawyer, it was a great education though, and has helped me with everything I’m working on at present.”

Skrufff: Why are you spending Easter in the studio with Jamie as opposed to with your wife and kids?

Louis Osbourne: “Because my wife and kids have gone back to Ireland for Easter to see family, I fly over this week, so I’m taking the opportunity to get stuck into the track with Jamie and get some raving in. Last weekend I went to Circo Loco at the Arena, the new club TRMNL at Lab 11, Below at the Rainbow, and then Renaissance’s 20th birthday at Gigg St Warehouse, all in Birmingham. It amazing to see so many good things happening in Birmingham at the moment. I had a big night out on Sunday and then a good lie-in on Monday. Excellent stuff.”

Skrufff: How supportive are they of you prioritising music?

Louis Osbourne: “My wife and family are extremely supportive of my endeavours. I also have no interest in Easter on a religious level, I’m an extreme atheist so avoid any celebration of Easter. It’s just a 4 day holiday for me that I’m putting to good use.”

Skrufff: How much help- if any- does your dad give to your career? Have you ever asked him?

Louis Osbourne: “He doesn’t, and I don’t ask. We are world’s apart musically.”

Click to listen to Mija releases (soundcloud)

Skrufff: Future release/ DJ plans?

Louis Osbourne: “Just to keep on doing it. Jamie & I are really pushing our Osbourne & Anderson project now. We are really enjoying making tracks together, and I can quite safely say we have fucking rocked the clubs we’ve played together so far. But what do you expect from two guys that have been playing for almost 40 years between them?

I’m also seriously considering becoming a 100% vinyl DJ again. I’m sick of setting up Traktor in a club (I use the vinyl platters), and I always hated (Pioneer) CDJs and the burning of CDs (painful). I’ve been pulling out loads of my old vinyl and playing some again and people love seeing vinyl being played in a club. It’s proper DJing.”

Osbourne & Anderson; Noho is out now on Play It Down.

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

——-=——

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.