DJ RALPH Message Board

AND
nearly a hundred more) would get together to do these huge
events. Several sound companies would bring in their own
systems and `battles of the sounds systems' would erupt.
Weekly clubs like Brandi's, Wings, Florentine Gardens, Mr. J's
and Gino's over saturated the scene with parties running
Wednesday – Sunday, all vying for the same elusive crowd.
(sound familiar?)

By the time I was out of high school in 1984 EVERYONE became a
DJ and a promoter, at least on the Eastside of town. In my high
school there were at least 30 DJs and promoters. Us kids in
high school began doing big parties of up to 800 people in
backyards (LA living, don't you love it!,) which eventually would
hurt the clubs. At house parties we were localized, $3-$5 got you
in, you could BYOB, pick up and then hop in your mini truck and
cruise to the next party in the next neighborhood. The car clubs,
motorcycle crews and mini truck clubs were just as popular as
DJs and promoters and they could really make a scene and be
seen at house parties vs. clubs. We began booking DJs who
played in the clubs. We were the next generation and shit was
bumping hard.

By 1987 we over saturated the scene to the point that gangsters
stopped gang banging and became promoters. BUT old habits
die hard and soon if your party was going against a former
gangster turned party crew, you were going to have trouble. By
1989 the Eastside dance scene died a slow and painful death.
Most of us who survived had moved into halls and/or clubs and
started playing with House and Techno.

1992 Rave hit its height with `massives' like Paw Paw Patch,
Love, Sex and Drugs and Gilligan's Island. DJs and promoters
were also doing clubs clubs like Magic Wednesdays, Truth,
Family Groove, Flamable Liquid etc. It was `A Summer of Love' in
L.A.. The promoters and DJs were made up of local artists and
transplants from overseas and San Francisco where disco
never died (Mike Hell, Kingfish, the Levy Brothers, Tef Foo,
Daven the Mad Hatter and Doc Martin to name just a very few).
They did some amazing parties and helped get us where we are
today.

By 1993 other people saw how easy it was to throw a bunch of
these DJs together, get any location, make a flyer, map point and
THEN ROB people. People get in on things that make a quick
buck and so much like the gangsters who turned into party
crews, you had moneyed nerds, geeks, drug dealers, and plain
ole' business men doing parties for popularity, sex and profits.
They didn't care if the party got busted, if the sound sucked or if
anybody over dosed. There were riots and death.

With the help of magazines and radio even more people were
DJs, promoters, dealers, flyer designer, printers, magazine
publishers, record label owners, DJ managers, club kids, and
you name it, the scene contained it. Shit was bumping way hard.

By 1997 cops busted anything that smelled of Rave. Those who
were smart took it deep underground with invite only parties or
went into clubs. A new generation grew up hearing of the hey
days of K-Rave and this massive downtown rave in the middle of
the city but they heard their first beats in darkened rooms
hugging speakers and calling themselves Candy Ravers.

2002 here we are looking back at past mistakes and afraid to
take the next step. Cash in or lock it up. We want to keep the
house that Jack built alive and true but we are now bigger than
what Jack originally planned and there are so many flavors we
now need more of a gated community than a house. Sure the kids
in high school are into hip hop and know nothing of house, so
who knows where we will be when they get in on the action.
The next generation will always win but that is their job and our
role is to leave a beautiful corpse for them to feed off of. For now
we are suffering from a dis-ease imma call "Crew Blues." The
cure: get over it. Ride the wave, have fun, keep it fun. Do what it was that got in here and that was