From original house club The Warehouse, where Frankie Knuckles forged a new style of electronic music from the (literal) ashes of disco, to the hyper-kinetic, modern day bounce of footwork, the history of Chicago is also the history of house. The city’s influence on electronic music has swept around the world many times over, and while oth- ers have been swift to imitate, it’s Chicago which has always kept the fires of innovation burning.
French duo Daft Punk are probably the most recog- nizable (robot) face of electronic music, but check the lyrics to their ‘97 shout out track ‘Teachers’ and you’ll find a roll call of talent plucked from the streets of Chi-town; Paul Johnson, DJ Sneak, K. Alexi, Armando, DJ Deeon, DJ Milton, DJ Slugo, Green Velvet, Roy Davis Jnr., Boo Williams, DJ Pierre and Derrick Carter. While ‘Random Access Memory’ is now one of the most hyped albums ever, however, the story of the American pioneers who inspired the pair that made it is seldom told.
Enter Chicago’s Wavefront Music Festival, which returns for a second year to Montrose Beach on July 5, 6, & 7. As well as inviting a host of main stage regulars, their new House is Home stage refocuses attention on some of the original heroes of Chicago house, including Frankie Knuckles, Derrick Carter, Mark Farina, Gene Farris and Ralphi Rosario.
In honour of this heritage and the importance of recognizing the roots of today’s electronic scene, we take a whistlestop tour through the history of Chicago house, and catch up with some of those operating today at its furthest, most far out reaches...
CHICAGO SPECIAL
JACK!
TIME TO
THE HOUSE SOUND OF
CHICAGO DJ Mag USA journey through the history of Chicago house, looking at its main labels and players. p. 16
MURDERBOT
CREATIONS Whether it’s mutant disco or wild footwork, Chrissy Murderbot makes music steeped in dance history. p. 20
SPACE MAN He might hail from Chicago, but the sounds
made by PR Boo, aka Kavain Space, could be from another dimension... p. 22
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