Manny Lehman
Related: New York music - garage
The History of Garage
Mark Turner (mturner@netcom.com)Thu, 14 Nov 1996 20:01:17 -0800 (PST)
Sorry for the lateness of this posting, but I was listening
to my one and only garage album today (THE GARAGE SOUND OF
DEEPEST NEW YORK, Republic Records 1988), and the liner notes are
interesting enough that I thought I would transcribe them for you...
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Garage music: a statement understood by many for its true reason
and just acknowledged by others for its current meaning.
About 11 years ago on Kings Street in New York City's Greenwich
Village a club opened called "Paradise Garage," and it was there
that this style of music got its name. "Paradise Garage" was a
place where it was not who you were or what you were, as long as
you were there for the sole purpose of partying to the music,
pumped out by Larry Levan.
"Garage music" was around before this time as "Philly" sound or
just plain old soul music, based on the components of a heavy
bottom, smooth riding highs, hard percussion, a riding funky
bassline, and a hot vocal. The vocal can be male or female as
long as they are peaking sending out a universal message, one
which everyone in the space can relate to. The sound was played
at many clubs in the early seventies: The Sanctuary, the old
Limelight, the Gallerys, Better Days, and the Loft, to name a
few; and early supporters of this sound include David Mancuso
and Nicky Siano. Though it was not until the "Paradise Garage"
opened that this music became New York's underground sound in
its fullest form.
The Garage, with its massive sound system and spectacular light
show, was unparalleled by any other clubs in those days (and as
of yet in these days). It became the place to be: the DJ, the
music, the sound system, and thousands of partygoers, not to
mention the occasional visitors such as Mick Jagger, Grace Jones,
Bette Midler, Eddie Murphy, Stevie Wonder, and Diana Ross. Top
off with performances from Patti Labelle, Chaka Khan, Loleatta
Holloway, Jocelyn Brown, and Sylvester singing their now classic
tunes. The music has retained its title of garage music due to
these unforgettable days. Now DJs such as Frankie Knuckles,
David Morales, Johnny Dynell, and Justin Strauss pump the new
garage sound, which is a combination of '88 house sounds and
good old R'n'B music. It lives on in clubs like the World,
the Tunnel, Nells, MK's, and also finds itself being a focus in
Latin hip-hop orientated clubs such as the Palladium and 10-18.
As far as its selling points garage music and the record shop
Vinyl Mania have always gone hand in hand. Vinyl Mania is only
around the corner from where the Paradise Garage was, and it is
always hip to the newest sounds as well as being aware of the
classics.
Garage music seems to have integrated itself into the mainstream
dance music scene, and it's not going away...
Manny Lehman
Vinyl Mania
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-- Mark Turner mturner@netcom.com
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