Generation Ecstasy: Into the World of Techno and Rave Culture

481 Pages·1999·47.998 MB·English

by  Simon Reynolds

More praise for Generation Ecstasy:
"Generation Ecstasy serves as an important cultural critique, a
detailed record that brings us up-to-date on a dynamic social exper
iment in progress."
-STEPHEN SANDE, San Francisco Chronicle Book Review
"An extended megamix of postmodern theory and rockcrit gone
'mental' (as the rovers say), Generation Ecstasy is social history
at two hundred beats per minute."
-MARK DERY, author of Escape Velocity
"Reynolds offers a revved-up, detailed, and passionate history and
analysis of the throbbing transcontinental set of musics and cultures
known as rave ... "
-Publishers Weekly
"Generation Ecstasy is a sparkling inside view of a colorful
underground youth subculture, and a testimony to kids' capacity to
create joy."
-DONNA GAINES, author of Teenage Wasteland

generation
e c s t a s y
into the world of techno a nd rave culture
simon reynolds
routledge
new york
Published in 1999 by
Routledge
270 Madison Ave,
New York NY 10016
Transferred to Digital Printing 2010
This edition published by arrangement with little, Brown and Company, (inc.). All rights
reserved.
Copyright © Simon Reynolds, 1998
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in
any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter
invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
10 98
library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Reynolds, Simon, 1963-
Generation ecstasy: into the world of techno and rave culture /
Simon Reynolds.
p. cm.
Originally published: Boston: little, Brown, and Company, 1998.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ), discography (p. ), and index.
ISBN (}415-92373-5 (pb.)
1. Techno music-History and criticism. 2. Rave culture.
I. Title.
ML3540.R49 1999
781 .64-dc21
99-22695
CIP
Publisher's Note
The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint
but points out that some imperfections in the original may be apparent.

CONTENTS
I
introduction 003
a tale ot three cities detroit techno, chicago house, and new york garage,l98(}-9() 1012
I
digital psychedelia sampling and the soundscape 040
I
living a dream acid house and uk rave, 1987-89 056
I
everything starts with an e ecstasy and rave music 080
I
twenty-tour-hour party people "madchester," positivity, and the rave 'n' roll crossover, 1988-91 092
'ardkore, you know the score the second wave ot rave, 1990-92 1112
america the rave us rave culture, 1990-92 1142
fight for your right to party spiral tribe and the crusty-raver movement, 1991-97 1162
feed your head intelligent techno, ambient, and trance, 1990-94 1180
I
slipping into darkness the uk rave dream turns to nightmare, 1992-93 206
I
the future sound of detroit underground resistance, +8, and carl craig, 1990-96 218
I
in our angel hood rave as counterculture and spiritual revolution 236
I
roots 'n' future jungle takes over london, 1993-94 250
I
in the mix dj culture and remixology, 1993-97 270
I
marching into madness gabba and happy hardcore, 1992-97 282
crashing the party american rave's descent into the darkside, 1993-97 I 298
I
sounds of paranoia trip-hop, tricky, and pre-millennium tension, 1990-97 318
I
war in the jungle intelligent drum and bass versus techstep, 1994-97 334
I
fuck dance, let's art the post-rave experimental fringe, 1994-97 358
outro: nineties house, speed garage, and big beat 1375
bibliography 1391
I
discography 397
I
acknowledgments 437
index 1439

• ••
&.,'" :: ..
• •• •• • ••• •• • •
•• • • ••
•••• ::G& • • •
••• ·s ••••
•• • y .. •
•• • T~ •
•• • •• • •• •• •
•
••
•