Last Night a DJ Saved My Life
The History of the Disc Jockey
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3.8 • 4 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
“A riveting look at record spinning from its beginnings to the present day . . . A grander and more fascinating story than one would think.” —Time Out London
This is the first comprehensive history of the disc jockey, a cult classic now updated with five new chapters and over a hundred pages of additional material. It’s the definitive account of DJ culture, from the first record played over airwaves to house, hip-hop, techno, and beyond.
From the early development of recorded and transmitted sound, DJs have been shaping the way we listen to music and the record industry. This book tracks down the inside story on some of music’s most memorable moments. Focusing on the club DJ, the book gets first-hand accounts of the births of disco, hip-hop, house, and techno. Visiting legendary clubs like the Peppermint Lounge, Cheetah, the Loft, Sound Factory, and Ministry of Sound, and with interviews with legendary DJs, Last Night a DJ Saved My Life is a lively and entertaining account of musical history and some of the most legendary parties of the century.
“Brewster and Broughton’s ardent history is one of barriers and sonic booms, spanning almost 100 years, including nods to pioneers Christopher Stone, Martin Block, Douglas ‘Jocko’ Henderson, Bob ‘Wolfman Jack’ Smith and Alan ‘Moondog’ Freed.” —Publishers Weekly
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Beginning with the contention that the disc jockey is "dance music's most important figure," Brewster and Broughton persuasively argue that the contemporary DJ is the epitome of the postmodern artist and that disc jockeys have long influenced the evolution of American musical tastes. Brewster and Broughton's ardent history is one of barriers and sonic booms, spanning almost 100 years, including nods to pioneers Christopher Stone, Martin Block, Douglas "Jocko" Henderson, Bob "Wolfman Jack" Smith and Alan "Moondog" Freed. Along the lines of Kurt B. Reighley's recent Looking for the Perfect Beat: The Art and Culture of the DJ, this is an obsessively unabridged and ever-unraveling (the authors will offer updates at www.djhistory.com) chronology of DJs and the music--northern soul, reggae, disco, hip-hop, garage, house and techno--they have fostered, and, more accurately perhaps, the music that has fostered them. So as not to miss a note, the authors, both former editors at Mixmag USA and contributing writers to The Face, interviewed more than 100 DJs, dancers and scenesters and elicited some vibrant, pull-quote anecdotes, especially in the hip-hop chapters. What comes to light makes sense: readers learn that the DJ is a distinctly American invention (Reginald A. Fessenden in 1906), but they came into their own, and into wealth and fame, in Britain (case in point: Paul Oakenfold). Brewster and Broughton's subtext is refreshing: rather than draw curt lines between American and British contributions, they show how intimate the countries were in forging a communications phenomenon.
Customer Reviews
The BEST book about DJs & Clubs!
As a career DJ for over 47 years, I’ve lived this history. For once, someone finally got it right and did not gloss over the smaller details for the highlights. This is THE book if you’re curious where the modern club DJ came from and how it all started. They even include the record pools which most forget. This is disco heaven!