Electronic music has a long and eventful history. It’s best told by those who made it. Here are the best electronic music books and memoirs for your summer reading.
This summer, it’s likely you’ll be fleeing the country and heading to a sunny coast or island for many nights of joyous clubbing. So you might need something to read to pass the time during the day. What better choice than a book about the history of the music you’re partying to, filled with outrageous stories from the artists you admire? There are plenty of electronic music books and memoirs out there; these are 6 of the best.
1. Porcelain by Moby
Long after the musical memoir had become a cliche, Moby’s Porcelain was hailed for “reinventing” the form. Documenting the DJ-producer’s formative years and early career in New York City, the book has a refreshingly self-deprecating and ironic tone, with Moby recounting the 90s New York club scene in vivid detail, and delving into the details of music making without falling into any of the well-worn tropes of musical autobiography. Even fans of harder House music will find something to love.
2. House Music… The Real Story by Jesse Saunders
Jesse Saunders is one of the most influential founding figures of House music. As a DJ and producer from Chicago, he witnessed and took part in the birth of the genre as we know it in the 1980s, alongside the likes of Marshall Jefferson and Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley, and he continues to work as an ambassador for the era today. House Music… The Real Story is his full of juicy details from the era, told in a no-nonsense, straightforward manner.
3. State of Bass: Jungle, the Story So Far by Martin James
Consensus is that State of Bass was written too early. Jungle had not yet peaked, and there was still plenty more to come. Unfortunately enough, this means a lot of key Jungle moments are not covered here. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a great read. A Guy Called Gerald’s foreword adds another unique insider perspective. It might be hard to track down, but by all accounts it’s worth it for even the most casual of Jungle and Bass fans.
4. The Hacienda: How Not to Run a Club by Peter Hook
The Hacienda may have gone out of business in the late 90s, but it remains one of the most legendary clubs of all time to this day. In its all-too-short lifetime, the Hacienda was the setting of thousands of thrilling stories from its multitude of patrons; this one comes from New Order bass player Peter Hook, who was one of the club’s co-owners along with the rest of the band, and music icon Tony Wilson.
The memoir chronicles the Hacienda in its Madchester heyday. With riotous first-hand accounts from one of the club’s key players, How Not to Run a Club is destined to be one of the definitive books on an important part of British cultural history, and quite possibly the greatest and wildest club of all time.
5. Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture by Simon Reynolds
For those who were there, and for those who wish they were, early Rave culture is one of the greatest moments in British cultural history. Energy Flash starts right at the beginning, and charts Rave’s growth from underground movement to nationwide phenomenon, examining the countless subgenres that sprung up in its wake. The book includes interviews with some of the most important and interesting characters in the movement’s history, including A Guy Called Gerald, Paul Oakenfold, Aphex Twin and The Stone Roses.
6. Last Night A DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disk Jockey by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton
The title of this book will likely be on many of our minds over this summer, so it’s worth picking it up to read all about how these selectors came to be what they are. Beginning at the start of music radio itself, this thorough account of the disc jockey’s discipline covers everything from Jamaican dancehalls to Disco and House.
Main image by Abhi Sharma via CC 2.0