Ö÷²¥´óÐã

Today's castaway is Tony from Hornchurch.

He's a graphic designer and former body popper, and his first musical discovery was care of his Dad who made him listen to Oxygene and took him to his first gig - Marvin Gaye in Hammersmith, West London.

He says: “As a boy growing up in the 70s, my Dad was the first one to plug me into electronic music where I would sit for hours listening to albums, such as Jean Michel Jarre’s Oxygene and dream of visiting other worlds whilst wearing my Dad’s wraparound earphones.

Moving on from that, I entered the early 80s as a teenage bodypopper and would relish the electro that was coming out of the East and west coast of America. Once we hit the mid and late 80s, that electro from the likes of Juan Atkins morphed into early Detroit Techno, with people like Frankie Knuckles taking up the mantle of the House music movement the hit us all for six.

Looking back now I was extremely privileged in my early London clubbing days as I witnessed a few (unknown at the time) DJs turn into the big names like they are now such as Paul Oakenfold, ‘Mad Hatters’ Trevor Nelson as he was known then, Pete Tong and my very good friend that I have known since I was 14, Darren Emerson.

I, like many, partied in amazing clubs in London like the Wag Club (Tim Simenon), Future (Paul Oakenfold) and Spectrum (Pete Tong and co). What made this even more exciting was the fact that I would watch Darren progress from a boy playing his turntables in his bedroom for me, back in 1984, onwards to his prolific DJing days and then of course joining the band Underworld.

Along with Darren, the pioneer for us was the DJ ‘Jazzy M’ who would play fresh off the production line Chicago House tunes on the pirate radio station LWR. Jazzy would play the tunes on a Tuesday and Thursday night and Darren, our friend Lee, and I, would go straight to the record shops on a Saturday morning to buy the latest house tunes for Darren to play to us that evening - fresh, exciting and new to the masses.

Those early days of 87, 88 were truly revolutionary and completely changed the club scene across the UK and I feel truly blessed to have witnessed what is now a big part of clubland history. Even though my taste is very eclectic these days, my house music and early Techno days will always stay with me forever and give me a great sense of pride. Viva La Electro, House and Detroit, Viva La good old days!"

EARLY ELECTRONIC MUSIC:
Équinoxe Part 4 - Jean Michel Jarre
Supernature - Cerrone
Dirty Talk - Klein & MBO
Showroom Dummies - Kraftwerk
The Chase - Giorgio Moroder

ELECTRO & B-BOY HOP-HOP:
Techno City - Cybotron
Play At Your Own Risk - Planet Patrol
Newcleus - Computer Age
The Wildstyle – Time Zone
The Jimmy Castor Bunch - It’s Just Begun
Hashim - Al Naafiysh

HOUSE:
Fingers Inc – Never More Lonely
Mr Fingers - Can You Feel It
Children Of The Night - Kevin Irving
Let The Music Use You – The Night Writers
Can’t Get Enough - Liz Torres
R U Hot Enough - Virgo
Rock To The Beat - Reese
Lost In The Sound - Adonis

TECHNO:
Off The Battle - Model 500
It Is What It Is - Rhythm is Rhythm

Show less