The beat of a different drummer

Last night a very dear friend and I went out to a British-style pub in Ebisu for chatting, drinks, food and later a live band. It was a cover band who played all sorts of genres from 60s R&B to 80s pop, to beach music, to 50s rocks. The crowd was mostly in their 30s and 40s. Once the band started playing, the crowd got absolutely insane. I rarely see that kind of wild dancing when I go out to house/techno music clubs. It was very fun, but not the kind of music I crave or would seek out.

As we were going home my friend asked me if I still preferred clubbing, and I do. She asked me why? My first answer was well some people like vanilla and some like chocolate. But I am curious why, and the question has been stirring in my head.

Now of course everyone likes different things for different reasons, (different drummers). But I think I see a little why I like house/techno. I think it is a little of the same reason why I like Tokyo and not England. I feel England and cover-band music is more about living in the past, while Tokyo and house/techno is about surprising differences and changes. When we listen to cover music we actual crave the original, and if the cover is too different we usually don't like it. But with house/techno/dj it is all about the remix, how the remix/dj surprises us with different twists. And the whole point of the modern DJ is to live-remix during the performance. A little like jazz improv, there are patterns and ideas, but even the performer can be surprised what is created during the performance.

Now one trick with clubbing and DJing is to get a good balance of familiarity and surprise. If I am at a house music party and the DJ plays an entire 60s rock track it will generally not work. But if the DJ grabs a 60s rock sample, breaks down a house track to throw the sample in for a few measures and then does a very cool blend of the house and 60s rock, then that is really surprising and what a remix is all about. Like Amen by Chrizz Luvly

But if an artist can create a cover that somehow twists their own essence into the original then it can become really amazing. Classic example is Jimmy Hendricks cover of "All Along the Watchtower" (original is by Bob Dylan). This cover is so powerful that most people don't even know it is a cover and many think of it as defining the Hendrick's style. When I hear cover bands, most don't do this, they try to be faithful to the original, and most people want that.

But this sort of remix/twist is everyday in the club music scene. I guess that is why I like club music.

"If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured, or far away. " - Henry David Thoreau