#Metoo Again?

Honestly, it's 2021, and we are still jabbing away about #metoo? Yes, yes and yes. Me-too was not just an event that happened. It was and still is a movement. A movement for women in the workplace who have been sexually harassed solely on the premise of their gender. I would argue that it is a movement for women who are timid and bound to the world's expectations of who they should be. This gives them a voice to speak up against shameful behaviour before it even happens.

Girls are taught to be quiet, behave appropriately, and to not take up too much space. They are rewarded and acknowledged when they are nice, good and caring. I don’t think it is intentional, however it is peculiar how little girls will get toys such as a doll to dress up and care for; whereas boys get racing cars that are smashed across the floor. Before anyone gets angry that I am naming stereotypes, I do understand that there is progress within society and that new parents are more intentional with how to raise their kids, regardless of their gender. I am not only talking about kids here. There is an expectation of women in the workplace and maybe even more so, the ones who are in the public spotlight such as in the music industry.

In a recent documentary produced by the New York Times called Framing Britney Spears, we get to see her singing career through the eyes of the tabloids. The main focus is the issue of her father’s conservatorship, and I won’t comment on that issue here as none of the parties came forward for an interview. However, it was interesting to see how a female artist was being harassed by the media, and how pop-culture mocked her. A perfect example of worldly expectations for women is that people still joke about 2007 being the year Britany Spears went “mad” by shaving her hair and beating a car with an umbrella. There have also been shocking interviews aired, such as the interview of Ivo Niehe who plainly says “there is one thing we haven’t discussed; everyone is talking about it. Your breasts”. There it is, an older man sitting across from a 17-year-old Brittney, talking about her breasts. As shocking as this may seem, unsurprisingly it is not uncommon, as female artists are still being bombarded by unprofessional questions on camera such as Taylor Swift being asked at the Grammys in 2015 if she will be leaving with “lots of men” or when Lady Gaga is asked “whether she has a penis or not” which are both pretty outrageous questions to be asked on camera. But also, milder forms of sexism such as when Ariana Grande is served with a “dilemma” of choosing never to use make-up or never use her phone again, as if that’s the two most important things for women.

The main problem is not always what these journalists are asking but perhaps what they neglect to ask, such as genuine questions about their career, music making and their talent. The #metoo movement has somehow become a monument of reflection; people in the workspace and journalists are being reminded to think twice before asking a question or making an insensitive “joke” and can pause to figure out if that particular comment is indeed necessary. The movement was and is just that, a movement, helpful and vital for the women currently in the workspace but also a shift for future generations both men and women and perhaps a guideline for how to create a safe working environment for everyone.

I do not hate men, in fact I love men, and I believe lots of women love men. However, I do think that women should love themselves a lot more, take the respect they deserve and use their talent without judging themselves or being afraid of being judged by others. Let’s make sure #metoo was not just an event in 2017, let’s keep the movement going for ourselves and for our future generations.

“Feminism isn’t about making women stronger. Women are already strong; it’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength” G.D. Anderson

UK DnB (nMe)Part 2

It’s the 25th May 2019, Platform 5 at Berkhamsted station, (or maybe 4, it was a long day and I was rather inebriated at this point, oh the duality of 2 for £18 double cocktail pitchers at Wetherspoons), is full of 18-20 somethings, male and female, clad in shorts and sunglasses, the majority holding a beer or pre-mixed can in both hands. My brother, being the sort of man he is, intermittently sips on a bottle of Moët & Chandon as the train we are on hurtles towards London, the carriage packed with faces of people I recognized and usually wouldn’t talk to, but the excitement and adrenaline of the day combined with the sickly-sweet aftertaste of my pre-mixed JD & Coke, equipped me with everything I needed to take the day head on.

We were going raving.

The beauty of Drum and Bass is the sense of community that enshrines every event, (at least the ones I have been to) and this was no different. One stage must’ve been no more than about 8ft away from the crowd. At other raves I have stood next to or behind DJs and MCs who are very much on the scene, my brother actually shaking hands with DJ Guv at one point. I think this nature of the scene is a reason for why so many people get hooked and can’t help themselves but go to as many raves as they can, whatever sub-genre of Drum and Bass it is.

This then begs the question, what types of DnB are there? I don’t claim to know all of the sub-genres, there are always things one hasn’t heard yet, but hopefully this little run down will give you enough to go on to do your own homework:

• Jungle - Amen/Apache Breaks sampled & chopped up, Reggae or Ragga vocals, chest-vibrating bass (Roland TR-808)

• Jump Up - Faster than other DnB (pushing 174/175 bpm), aggressive bass heavy tunes, lots of samples from other music, bold and manic sounds

• Neurofunk - Flowing, complex rhythms, sampled breakbeats, layered soundscapes & percussive stabs

• Liquid Funk - Harmonic and melodic grooves, instrumental layers as opposed to samples, sentimental atmosphere

Now, as I said before, I don’t claim this to be the full expanse of the Drum and Bass universe, because it certainly isn’t, however these are certainly the styles I have been exposed to the most.

You may now be asking, if these are the styles, who are the big DJs of today? Well, this is always going to be subjective, so there isn’t any scientific method to how I have compiled this list, but here you go;

• Andy C

• Shy FX (yes, still)

• A.M.C

• Kings of the Rollers

• High Contrast

• Netsky

• Chase & Status

Some honourable mentions should be included, for being big proponents of bringing DnB to the mainstream (whether that’s a good thing or not), people like;

• DJ Fresh (‘Hot Right Now’ was the first No.1 on the Official UK charts that was a Drum and Bass track)

• Chase & Status (yes, I’m including them twice but they truly are a perfect example of dipping in and out of the mainstream, anyone who played Fifa 12 will instantly recognise their hit ‘No Problem’)

• Rudimental (had an OCC No.1 with their album ‘Home’

To finish off this two-part article, firstly thank you if you’re still reading, people can see the words ‘Drum and Bass’ and be instantly turned off. Now though, I will get a bit more academic *polishes and puts on pair of glasses*.

Looking forward, I am a firm believer that Drum and Bass has a bright and exciting future ahead of it; this next decade will produce some of the finest talent yet to grace the publics’ airwaves.

My reasoning for this is that I see lots of parallels currently, with what was going on in the late 80s/early 90s. The youth of today are fed up and are taking matters into their own hands, a new era of self-discovery and individualism is sweeping the country, which goes hand-in-hand with the community feel of the Drum and Bass scene.

Arguably though, I believe the greatest contributor to this will be the fact that Rap is omnipresent in today's popular culture. This may not seem related, but back in the 90s Rap music began to blow up, right around when Drum and Bass was doing the same. This obviously isn’t evidence but history does tend to repeat itself.

Ultimately, the combination of these factors will create the conditions for a movement to arrive and sweep the nation, just like it did 30 years ago.

Jae Maclaughlin

UK DnB (nMe)Part 1

When you read the words Drum and Bass, what do you think of?

Squat raves in abandoned warehouses? People out of their minds on recreational drugs? Or about the hypnotic drum beat that will keep you on your feet until 6am? Maybe it’s all of these, or maybe it’s none. Whatever image is conjured up in your mind, disregard that for a moment, as I show you the world of Drum and Bass through my eyes.

Not that I knew it was Drum and Bass at the time, but the first DnB record that I enjoyed listening to was ‘Slam’ by Pendulum; I’m not sure I appreciated it for its’ creative merit. I must’ve only been around 10 at the time, but I do remember being fascinated at this music that to me, felt like it was breaking so many “rules” that the music of my childhood had somehow created in my mind. It was incredibly fast, there weren’t any lyrics you could sing along to, let alone the overwhelming low-end and harsh, in your face melodies.

Fast-forward to 2021, I’m 21, Drum and Bass is well established in my musical taste. From my first rave at Electric Brixton (DJ Dominator’s Memorial Rave) to Hybrid Minds at a Reading Uni student night, there hasn’t been a Drum and Bass event that I haven’t enjoyed.

Let me take you back to the 1990s; Acid House, Techno and Hardcore ruled the dance music scene. Like throughout Human history though, pioneers were always looking forward.

These pioneers included DJs like Goldie, Kemistry & Storm, Fabio & Grooverider, Jumpin Jack Frost to name a few and the songs they were producing were unlike any other at the time, bringing a new combination of musicality and emotion to dance music. Despite leading this movement, the majority of these DJs still operate under the same alias’ to this day.

So what actually is Drum and Bass?

Generally, DnB tracks fall between 170-175 Bpm, compared to Techno’s 120-125 and House’s 115-130. This obviously is a very telling characteristic, arguably though, the hallmark of a DnB track is the fast, broken drum beat.

Like other dance music, producers would use samples to create their beats, the three main samples of the 90s being the Amen, Apache and Funky Drummer breaks.

I could explain these to you and their importance in wider popular music; but that would fill another article in itself, so I advise you to research them in your own time as they are woven into the fabric of music history ever since they were recorded.

Of course, like other dance music, there is a clear structure to songs, generally an intro, build up, drop, 2nd drop, bridge, 3rd drop, then the song will play out (this is a rough outline, not all will follow this formula).

Which leads me to the last main component of Drum and Bass; the MC. They have various roles, some people take the more Master of Ceremonies approach, hyping up the crowd and generally creating good vibes. Some are Mic Controllers, who will still do things like previously mentioned, but their main skills lie in their ability to rap and improvise to impress the crowd and enhance the musical experience.

This part of DnB was heavily adopted from Reggae and Soundsystem culture, hence why Jungle became such a massive part of the early DnB world and still a huge part of it today.

This is the first article of a 2-parter, so if you found yourself liking this one then make sure you look out for the next! I’ll be focusing on how Drum and Bass has come to grow into the mainstream, who the big players are now and the direction of DnB in the future.

If you didn’t like it (let me know why), then come back any way, have a look around the site, I’m certain you will find something that tickles your fancy!

Jae Maclaughlin