INDEX
In Tokyo in 1989
It was in the early 1990s, more than 30 years ago, that I started a club event called “MANCHESTER NIGHT” or “MADCHESTER NIGHT.
The three years from 1989 to 1991 saw the debut of many new bands and the release of many great songs as singles. 1990 saw the release of Primal Scream’s “Loaded,” Ride’s red (“Ride EP”) and yellow (“PLAY EP”), and My Bloody Valentine’s “Glory” (“Glory”), My Bloody Valentine’s “Glider EP”, and the list goes on and on.
As I made the rounds of import disc stores at least three times each week, my feeling was that something extraordinary must be happening in the UK. It was a new movement called the Second Summer of Love. I was in Tokyo, far away from England, and I sensed something happening there in the music. It was not until later that I understood that Acid House was behind it.
During this period, indie bands introduced dance beats, and at the same time, dance music from the U.K. evolved dramatically. It did not take long for the switch from American acid house to British-made tracks. The cosmic exuberance of 808 State’s “Pacific State,” the provocative tracks of THE KLF, and of course the dance remixes of Paul Oakenfold and Andrew Weatherall all reflected the exuberance of the times. The phrase “I Can Move Any Mountain” from The Shamen’s “Progen 91” sounded exactly like “The Future is Mine” from “She Bangs The Drum.
The evolution of pop music, which began with The Beatles, continued through the anger of The Clash and the intelligence of The Smiths to the frenzy of The Stone Roses and the triumph of Oasis. Manchester played a major role in this history. The transformation brought about by acid house has taken on indie rock, expanding in various forms throughout the 1990s and continuing to the present day. In these times of uncertainty, remembering that feeling of hopefulness once again will surely change things. The future is not set in stone, and above all, it is ours. I would like to conclude by introducing a song that symbolizes the happy atmosphere of those days. I was really dreaming like this.
See you all on the floor!
