Am i the only person in the world who cringes when they hear the word "rave"? As in, am i the only person to think that it's more or less been so shifted out of context of what the term meant to me back in 1995-1999? I don't know why it irritates me so much, maybe its just because "back in the day" i had something unique and special to me... and now it seems that it's for someone else, so i guess it would be like something taken from you and found and loved by someone else some many years later... like an ex or something.
"Raves" to me have always been ... i guess, breaking into some basement in Kensington Market in Toronto back in 96... walking into an extremely dark / poorly lit network of cellars, of course puslating to the beat of whatever the flavor was at the time. Or possibly even hitting up the science center, for a more organized all nighter of complete and utter randomness and jungle.
Or the News, Hullabaloo, Citrus, Dose, Phlux in NY... all that shit... i dont recall ever buying a ticket to any of these raves on ticketmaster.com, or buying merch and fucktons of 12$ bottles of water.
it's just bizzare to me as to what passes off as raves these days... maybe this is one of those "hey im getting old rants" and i havent at all ruled out the idea that ... all this is definatley new to the younger generation of fun fur donning "ravers".. therefore its a big exciting thing for them... so why the hell get so depressed to hear about some kid who's been in "the scene" they call it, for no more than 36 minutes, telling me im not a part of it? Absolutley right though. most times, i dont feel a part of it, personally... if i can connect with it via my music, and vicariously be involved with the newer "scene" then great.... but i still have to think that it came and went for me.
its pretty hard to explain.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletedude yes. I know exactly how you feel :/
ReplyDeleteyour mom is a raver
ReplyDeletelol
Deleteamen! raves just ain't what they used to be!!
ReplyDeletefestivals/concerts/shows doesn't = raves
ReplyDeleteraves are a DIY, participant-created experience
totally different from the organized, controlled, LLC-financed festivals of today
Indeed I believe so as well.
DeleteI know what you mean man
ReplyDeleteThe only reason I call any of them "raves" is because it is easier to explain to most of the people I know because where I live we have no scene :( fail
ReplyDeleteI want to learn how to mix music. I want to bring back the old raves. All I need is money. Fuck.
ReplyDeleteJoin the club my friend. I spin, and used to promote/produce events back in the day. It's nothing like the old days though.
DeleteWth, do I have to keep proving I'm not a robot? How's long does that madness happen for?
:S
ReplyDeletey he mad tho
ReplyDeletelol
DeleteLOL Joel you should see the prices people got to pay just to see your fucking Canadian ass, It's not cheap with all these taxes!
ReplyDeletei agree with you. it's really disgusting
ReplyDeleteyeah everything went donwstaris from 2000 and up :/ so sad :( gotta make a new revolution that will enter people's skin and make them happy again, after all we exist to have fun, dont we? :)
ReplyDeleteCorporatism/Capitalism is just ever increasing, making that more difficult. People's liberties are being suppressed more and more through that, as well as "law". Society is definitely changing.
DeleteCompanies found a way to make money off of it, thats why
ReplyDeleteyoumad.jpg
ReplyDeleteit's called marketing dude. just like your cheesy mouse head bro.
ReplyDeleteyeeeowww! right on point!
ReplyDeletedamn
ReplyDeleteWord...ppl did this just for music and fun...now its cash and fame.
ReplyDeleteFun, original ideas eventually get whored out once the public decides it's "trendy".
ReplyDeleted0000000d
ReplyDeletegood fuggin blog.
forreal!
im 18, not really new to this "rave" scene because ive always been fascinated with it. but i can get a grip on what you are saying though.
change comes with time
You have to realize what a screwed up world we are now living in Joel... Nothing that was important to an normal human being back then has any relevance whatsoever to anyone in the world today, especially to people entering the beginning stages of adulthood. This whole world is a mess and the only thing that keeps it together for me is listening to music and hoping for a better day eventually.
ReplyDeletebitches dont know bout my raves
ReplyDeleteyou looked to happy when you were in your raver days.
ReplyDeleteNow it just seems you do it for the money.
I wish you woulda atleast gotten into happy hardcore... but obviously not much money in that in the US
and what the hell man, your shows are stupidly expensive, and you think your water is free?
ReplyDeletehow does it feel to be sucked into a part of the machine that markets these new raves to kids, to charge money for water, and rack up "convenience" fees to wait hours in line?
ReplyDeleteJoel...I feel the EXACT same way you do. Im not just saying this to put your balls in my mouth or kiss your ass (as some people would call it) but I honestly do feel the same. Im not gonna go into a rant cause you did that for me :P But hearing people say "Im going to a rave" or "there is a rave tonight" drives me up the wall!
ReplyDeleteOh well what can ya do?
raves still happen like that, but your too expensive to play at them
ReplyDeleteagreed raves are not what they used to be :(. Lost everything unique about them. Everybody is a raver and just to make a profit, not for the actual reason. Pretty sure the music video for I Remember sums it up, live it up to the ten commandments of a raver!
ReplyDeletei feel l ike the term rave is used very loosely when going out to an ebm event.
ReplyDeletewhat if youve never been toa rave? what if you dont know what its like, and only have the images of what the 'blockbuster' movies play it out to be?
i dont have an idea of what thats like anymore.
i <3 edm.
-Sam
i feel the same way mau5.
ReplyDeletethats why i just call them DDD shows.
drugs dancing and downers.
kids are trying to prove themselves to each other
by pushing the edge.
not just about fun and music anymore.
still fun. just not really raves.
I agree, but being illegal has nothing to do with it being a rave.
ReplyDeleteHopefully you channel these thoughts into bringing these back YOURSELF. maybe rent a field out somewhere middle of nowhere with some flood lights. make a facebook status about it going down...and DO IT UP. no ticket master, nothing. just pay 10 bucks at the door and go be a freak
ReplyDeletesomething about them really skeeve me out!
ReplyDeleteA rave signifies the underground. Most people dont get that the club is not underground. Its fun! Just not the same as walking through the woods in dead of winter finding a tent and a small system with strobes. Im 19.
ReplyDeleteRaving will never be the same as when "we first started raving" the scene changes, evolves, and turns into something different. Time goes on, things change and after seeing people walk in, change, make stupid decisions, and sometimes ruin their lives we get jaded.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that I'm a raver, though I'm not happy about how things have changed and evolved into such mainstream madness and shifted the sight of what it was really about. I wish I could claim that I was old school back in 1995 - 1999, I bet those would have been some crazy awesome years, but I've been around the past five and seen some great and some not so great things.
I think the thing now that makes hearing the term "rave" sound so bad is all the overwhelming bad parts we keep hearing about and the negativity brought into it. Bad shit should be checked at the door, you don't have to believe in PLURR but you best follow that train of thought while here, and if you want to pick up the shit you left when you came in the door before you leave that's up to you. :)
Things change...that sucks. But all in all, technology and music have gotten better and opened the "horizons" for EDM. If anything lacks positive progression, it's pop and rap. Talk about a scene going in downward circle
ReplyDeletecome to where life begins in oregon..it happens every september.
ReplyDeletei'm pretty sure you wouldn't think what you think about raves if you came and experienced this "rave."
I would have to relate to this blog. I think that everything is so different and had the same thing happen to me. So screw the newbies
ReplyDeleteNo need to explain :| im starting to see this whole genre of music we love kinda slipping into mainstream. Well people love the mainstream...and this genre of techno/electro/ etc etc is hard to focus on since its so vast and connected, so i see people using the word "rave" as its focus point, Since to me Rave is more of an action than an event.
ReplyDeleteget back into the scene by doin a rave in pittsburgh
ReplyDeletei agree, these days raving is all about the "scene" and how cool it makes you seem if you rave. what happend to the music?, THE WHOLE REASON WE ALL COME TOGETHER.
ReplyDeleteYeah I also agree with everyone else calling you on your shit, your shows are fucking expensive and so is the water. I wouldn't call those raves either, you're right.
ReplyDeleteMaybe if you weren't in it for the money, you'd appear at smaller DIY events/raves put on by the community instead of your corporate overlords
yo, you've definitely got some logic and brains behind this topic, I am only fifteen, but the only reason why I smirk and laugh at the 17 and 18 year olds around my parts when they talk about being a raver and going to raves and raving, is because I've been around this influence of music ever since I was born, I was born to a mother who used to be apart of the 90's rave scene where people would go anywhere from a warehouse to a basement and play ridiculous amounts of electronic music..I never really met my father, but the guy who I grew up with to know as somewhat of a father figure in my life was a hard trance/hardhouse dj...but yeh, its pretty ridiculous...and you have every right to "rant" lol...keep doin what you do joel
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree, but it comes with a territory. When things get popular, they become commercialized, almost becoming the system. Massives are huge cash cows that people buy into because its popular at the time, and i'm sure little pills help, lol.
ReplyDeleteBut just for the record, every poster for a massive that I've ever seen call themselves a "music festival" even though we all know whats goin' down, lol. :)
I get what ur saying.. I have some friends that were in the "old scene" and they say there are still lots of those kinds of raves and some of them only go to that kind. For me, I'm more into your music, Wolfgang Gartner, etc... people who are producers but DJ for the shows and to make a living and you guys only play at festivals and concerts, so thats what I call a rave because its not like a rock show or concert, so I have to call it something. I am not one of these newb kids that acts like they ARE the rave scene, but I do like being a part of it all and I love going to festivals and big shows vs. hearing club DJs and I'm not a big fan of illegal activites since I'm on probation, so finding the hidden illegal raves isn't exactly a good idea for me.. personally I think that the current scene is safer and puts it in a better light than in the 90s when everybody thought it was some crazy drug orgy (which it still *kind of* is, but normal peeps don't have to know that..).. so its really up for interpretation I guess. I definitely agree with your perspective though.
ReplyDeleteI remember going to old run down buildings on the shady streets of Vegas, candy necklace, glow-sticks, and baggy pants...or traveling endlessly to the middle of the desert to ensure that our shenanigans were not found to the faintest of heart. Truly I do miss those days, but I still live them out in my living room...
ReplyDeleteThe whole "rave" scene has changed so much sometimes kids that go don't even know the dj's that are playing -.-
ReplyDeleteThe word "rave" just means different things to different people. Your definition of a rave isn't any less valid than little Johnny going to see Noctural or whatever, the term just encompasses a wide variety of things.
ReplyDeleteRaves happen, you just need to know people. At least, San Luis Obispo, CA has a surprisingly good scene that's done a decent job staying underground.
ReplyDeleteRaves have def changed...I still love the part that got me into it in the first place...getting to dance to the best music being made. If I couldn't dance then I would have driven my car off a cliff by now.
ReplyDeleteYeah Joel I know exactly what you mean. Friends and all of her Kandi friends think "raving" is so much fun but it's nothing like what it used to be. The definition is changing and there's nothing to do about it really.
ReplyDeleteI understand you mau5... I was partying in 1992-1999. People used to dress up with things they made and look out for one-another... and it was all about having a good time, dressing up dancing and it was magical...every person was a character in a sensory wonderland... it was innocent...now it's all jaded and stuff... or maybe it just feels that way in hindsight, as an artist looks at his/her past art, there is always nostalgia...dunno...things weren't perfect then either...but things are always fun when you first get the courage to step out of your "norm"...things are magical...you're just jaded hun.
ReplyDeleteI COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
ReplyDeleteoh Joel, how you speak the words i've wanted to spit out of my mouth for years... :P
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raves
ReplyDeleteMan I wish I was around when raves were really what you said they used to be. I am 25 years old and I swear "the scene" even pisses me off now because they were not as "mainstream" when I started going. I wanna break into a basement somewhere and please, spare me the furry boots.
ReplyDelete2001. my first rave was one of my fondest memories. it was Zelda themed <3. location known only by word of mouth. grungy abandoned iron mill. $2 beers, free water. happycore and trip-hop. the cops broke it up. it was wonderful.
ReplyDeletei will never experience those days again.
Mau5, I agree with what you said about that. I remember when we had to go out to the desert with a bunch of people. we chipped in, in some way. there was the main crew for set up, but the "community" would bring water, food and good vibes, you never had to worry about people bringing knifes or weapons, because we were all there for the same thing. THE MUSIC TO DANCE and CONNECT. This is sad that we go these "Raves" or "Massive" and pay 75 dollars to get a ticket 125 for vip and 5gs to get a booth. Why in the hell do you want booth when you are going to dance, this is spouse to be dancing and running around with your friends and meeting new people and spreading the good vibes. I have been "raving" since 1991. The original "PLUR"
ReplyDeleteIt happens to every "scene", Joel. Hardcore music, metal, R&B, rap, hiphop, etc. Raving isn't the only victim, it's just the latest.
ReplyDeleteJust think, it's exactly like some old timer back in 1990 saying "music just ain't what it used to be. Back then we did it for the fun and we had good bands." NOTHING IS EVER "what it used to be." It's change. It comes with time. And existing. You can keep that spirit alive in some form. And Joel, you have some talent. Your tunes make me feel like nothin' else. I hope you keep it goin. I just saw you at acl and it was an amazing set with a ton of people. Just don't forget, if you try to swim against the river of change, you will drown in your own frustration. k, lata
ReplyDeleteraves are made by the people attending, not the illegality of the setting. the more organized raves here in nyc have 2$ waters not 15, and are put together by crews who travel the coast doing such things. atleast now when a little kid overdoes it and seizes out on the floor, theres a bouncer to tend to them
ReplyDeleteplur<3
@ fingers ...you left out the part about the large amount of E and cid
ReplyDeleteAMEN!
ReplyDeleteWe never called them 'raves', we called them 'parties' because that's what they were, except even then in good ol' Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, they were beginning to become commercialized. I stopped going to 'raves' in 2001, and now I just go to 'shows'. Last one I went to was more like a concert, which was also really weird for me...but better than nothing. I guess.
The Older Raver/Ex Ravers, me included, may wish It was Old school, but Publicity (I.e." Death at a Rave"), the emergence of A Younger generation, and the obvious merging of Electro into Hip Hop and Rap means that it has changed! I think that A Rave can still be defined simply as An Event where Devotes... Dance, Sweat and Smile, while Really Truly enjoying the ELECTRONIC Music they are listening to :)
ReplyDeleteI hate scenes in general. I like music, I like to dance, I like having fun with my friends, I like the bass, but I digress. In all seriousness though I'm just as comfortable at something like EDC as I am at something like Warped Tour. Both places have kids who completely define themselves by the "scene" they're in. If you're not one of them you're an outsider. Frankly, I don't care. I don't want to be in the scene, I want to hear my favorite artists perform (like you) and dance my face off. I don't care if I don't look like a "raver" or a "punk" or whatever. I just wanna dance and have fun... fuck fitting in. Like rave names? Wtf is up with that? I don't want you to tell me your name is Charizard or some shit. My penis is named Charizard asshole, not you. I dunno, maybe I shouldn't have that much resentment even if I think that it is dumb. I ignore it, I dance, I move on. Just know that we're not all caught up in the "scene" and that some of us are there because you're there and the "ravers" are a tolerable nuisance. They're all really nice people typically, so I really can't complain too much. I just get annoyed with people bugging me because I don't look like I belong. They're not mean, they're just confused as to why I'm there. Why am I there? Because Deadmau5 is playing or because Skrillex is fucking me between the ears. That's why. I guess I don't really belong in clubs either. Not enough of a weight lifting douche on the prowl for pussy.
ReplyDeleteEnd of rant. Sorry.
You're just a jaded raver now Joel. Just like the rest of us. Its sad but true, the scene changed. So you have to officially ignore the bullshit, and try and see the scene beneath. Its all good. Kids can take our scene.
ReplyDeleteThey're still all retarded =P
Agreed. The rave scene in Toronto consisted of broads with furry boots and pink wigs cracked out on copious amounts of an e-coke combination. I remember the musty, dark warehouses, e-jaw, and glowsticks. There were NO tickets to raves, and often there was no huge advertisements either. Mostly word of mouth since it was such an underground secret. Not at all like the scene today. I don't even think it was intended to showcase the music back then, it was full of costume and image. I'm glad that era is over. I don't miss it.
ReplyDeleteI still remember when me and about 5 other friends drove through miles of backlands around hills and mountains in southern cali (not without stopping first at checkpoints along the way so that cops didn't know where we and the rest of the ravers were off too) then finally finding an opened mountain top area with a few hundred other people that had some no-name but still good dj's spinning real rave music Uplifting Trance, Jungle, etc. Everyone was chilling out in the open around 1am in this secluded area just chillin' around their tents enjoying the music and hugging everyone (well those who were rolling on e were lol)... It was probably one of the best 'real' raves I ever went to. That is, until the cops somehow managed to find us and broke up the whole thing.... That to me, was a real rave...I just don't hear about those anymore but I like to think they're out there still...somewhere haha
ReplyDeletethe bottom line is the club scene isnt the same ianymore because a bunch of faggots who want to have an excuse to jump around to strobe lights and disregard the complexity of the art of producing music and performing it.and when i say a bunch, i mean a bunch. like 60 percent of electronic listeners probably.
ReplyDeleteyour right joel you did used to have a lot more special to you but its somehting you have to risk 100% of when you go big like you did after going onto mtv. it only invites more of those people who think they go to raves and paint themselves from head to toe with neon paint to feel ravetastic.
think about that. peace
I envy you for growing up in a time and place where you were able to go to the raves of the late 90s. FML for not getting to experience that.
ReplyDeleteI've been in the scene for about two and a half years now, but I've heard this same thing from a lot of people. However, it happens to every scene. Things change over time, and a lot of the "OG's" normally don't like the change or feel it is going too mainstream. I love going to events (I call them that instead of raves, because even to me, raves imply "underground"), and I like the scene. Sure, it's dying out, and this new more mainstream version is taking over, but I enjoy seeing the constant evolution of musical styles. While the scene may die, the potential for the music is limitless.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about the music.
Dj Skittlez here..... I agree, I'm told the same thing, when is your next rave, or how was that deadmau5 rave you went too, I try to explain it and to them it's the same. I think the connection is still there, after all the music and the performance is where the connection is made right? No need to explain to people, I just tell trust me and show up, I'm sure you will like what I bring to the table and I do get a lot of " I really like this!!!!" it's different that they thought. It's the same as people saying they like the techno Joel spins. Or they don't like techno, so I show them A few genres and they find there is something they like. Most people are too "Hollywood" and don't get it. They have a tv education and thing they subject matter experts because the scaveng forums and use that as gospel. AGREED
ReplyDeleteYour A Sell Out !
ReplyDeleteYour One Of The Reasons The Rave Scene Has Changed... If You REALLY Wanted To Go Back To The Way Raves Used To Be Then Maybe You Should Start Throwing Under Ground RAVES... But You WONT Because Your A Sell out And You Wouldn't Make Any Money... Don't Complain When Your A Reason Raves Are Fucked Up.
I never went to the raves back in the 90s, mainly because I was still recovering from Mormonism, and had always heard about the drug-riddled raves in a very negative light. Kinda wonder what I missed.
ReplyDeleteIt's both a good and a bad thing: good because it's safer for those attending, the money is a boon for the venue and artist (sound and lighting is expensive!). Bad because it's definitely mainstreamed it (from what I hear anyway), which has toned everything down.
That said, given that the law must know fully well that practically everyone at a rave is doing some sort of drug, I gotta give props that they still allow them to be held at all. I guess they figured "prohibition" was never gonna work out, so they decided to legalize it to earn money from it.
Meh, whatever, I still had a blast at Deadmau5 (whatever you want to call it: rave, party, concert), and that's all that matters.
I am 16 and i find that of all the "raves" ive been to the best ones were with my friends at my house thrown together at the last minute with the bare necessities; music, water, and the mind set of having a great time, all of which cost around a total of 5 bucks out of my own pocket a WAYYY better deal then the $100+ i find myself paying to go to the "raves" that just aren't that great idk bout the rest of you but a time with my friends is much more desirable than a time with 10,000 people ive never even seen in my life
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean! I went to raves back in the days. There was no such thing as paying tons of money for it. It was either free or $15 the most. Now its so commercialized. Girls r dressed like if they all went to Hot Topic. What is up with those STUPID furry boots! Who made that Stupid trend?? Before it was more about the music and being you! Now its about who is more naked or who is more cartooned out! Raves are so not like they were before.
ReplyDeleteThe late 1950s in London saw the term "RAVE" used to describe the "wild bohemian parties" of the Soho beatnik slt.[4] In 1958 Buddy Holly recorded the hit "Rave On," citing the madness and frenzy of a feeling and the desire for it to never end.[5] The word "rave" was later used in the burgeoning mod youth culture of the early 1960s as the way to describe any wild party in general. People who were gregarious party animals were described as "ravers". Pop musicians such as Steve Marriott of The Small Faces and Clare Willans were self-described "ravers".
ReplyDeletePresaging the word's subsequent 1980s association with electronic music, the word "rave" was a common term used regarding the music of mid-60s garage rock and psychedelia bands (notably The Yardbirds). Along with being an alternative term for partying at such garage events in general, the "rave-up" referred to a specific crescendo moment near the end of a song where the music was played faster, heavier and with intense soloing or elements of controlled feedback.[6] It was later part of the title of an electronic music performance event held on 28 January 1967 at London's Roundhouse titled the "Million Volt Light and Sound Rave". The event featured the only known public airing of an experimental sound collage created for the occasion by Paul McCartney of The Beatles - the legendary Carnival of Light recording.[7]
With the rapid change of British pop culture from the mod era of 1963–1966 to the hippie era of 1967 and beyond, the term fell out of popular usage. During the 1970s and early 1980s until its resurrection, the term was not in vogue, one notable exception being in the lyrics of the song "Drive-In Saturday" by David Bowie (from his 1973 album Aladdin Sane) which includes the line "It's a crash course for the ravers." Its use during that era would have been perceived as a quaint or ironic use of bygone slang: part of the dated 1960s lexicon along with words such as "groovy". The perception of the word changed again in the late 1980s when the term was revived and adopted by a new youth culture, possibly inspired by the use of the term in Jamaica.[4]
if i am a "reason why something got so universally fucked up" then that means, i have reached out and touched millions of people... THAT ALONE... is a fuckin mindblowing feat that i am insanely proud of.... and even MORE glad that YOU took part in it. :)
ReplyDeleteIn the mid to late 1980s a wave of psychedelic and other electronic dance music, most notably acid house and Techno, emerged and caught on in the clubs, warehouses, and free-parties around Manchester and later London. These early raves were called Acid House Parties. They were mainstream events that attracted thousands of people (up to 25,000[citation needed] instead of the 4,000 that came to earlier warehouse parties). Acid House parties were first re-branded "rave parties" in the media, during the summer of 1989 by Neil Andrew Megson during a television interview. In the UK, in 1988-89, raves were similar to football matches in that they provided a setting for working-class unification, in a time with a union movement in decline and few jobs, and many of the attendees of raves were die-hard football fans.[8]
ReplyDeletePlease...
ReplyDeleteMr. Mau5, you are contributing to the commercialization of 'raves'. The gigantic mouse head that you wear is nothing more then a marketing technique. I've seen you live before, and not only are your shows not cheap, the venues in which you play at certainly aren't giving water away for free. You are furthering the trend which you claim to hate by getting paid to attend these "new" raves.
How about you step down from your mountain of hypocrisy and do what you preach. Play smaller venues for free, bring back the "old school" rave atmosphere, stop selling your music for high prices. Or just admit that you are cashing in on this fad known as raving. If you weren't in it for the money, and truly hated concert venues such as EDC, you wouldn't play them.
It's fine to admit that you are doing it for the money...because frankly who doesn't like money?! And this new generation of raves are fun to attend; I've been to many and have greatly enjoyed myself. But don't claim to hate this new raving atmosphere when you are a major contributer to it.
Please, feel free to email me at tranquil67@aol.com. It would be my thrill.
peter pan syndrome my friend.
ReplyDeletei completely agree, i dont consider myself a raver for this reason exact. i may be only 19..and have been going to shows and parties for only two years now, but i love this music, and when i here people saying "this rave sucked, i wasnt fucked up " or "thos pills were bunk, i didnt have a good time" i throw up in my mouth a little. i may have not been priveleged to rave in the 90's(i was just born in 91), but this so called scene today is horrible. this kandi kid bullshit craze is killing me. what it should truely come down to is the music.
ReplyDeleteRaves are missed. My first rave was 1997!! Best ever! Still can do your own tho :)
ReplyDeleteWelcome to being a jaded raver. It's become (like everything) commercial. Last one I went to I was 28 (5 years ago) and saw a bunch of 14 to 16 year olds drugged out of their skulls. It was sad. Spent most of it at the bar angry drinking and remembered I was there for the music. Found a lonely seat in the balcony and began to enjoy the music and work out some shit in my head. I'll probably never go to a rave again. I started in '95 an have the fondest of memories but am too old for those kind of parties.
ReplyDeleteI still go to plenty of old-schoolish events. "Raves", if you will. Don't buy a ticket to get in, don't deal with cops, security, permits, or paying outrageous prices for water.
ReplyDeleteSure there is a good amount of that going on. But the "rave scene" has been around a while now. With every year that its around, more people are exposed to it, therefore more people become involved. The more people involved/interested, the more the authorities feel the need to take charge. And certainly if there is a way to make financial gain from it- you best believe people will take advantage.. I mean, what music scene do you know of that isn't exploited for financial gain? Electronic, hiphop, rock, shit even celtic shit and irish riverdancing crowds are charged an arm and a leg. That's just what happens when you find a person or a crowd of people who are interested and/or anjoy what you're makingm. Shit gets blown up! Its not necessarily a bad thing, it gives all kinds of people access to be a part of something fun and exciting- who would otherwise be clueless to the fact that it even existed.
And I hate to say it- but when WAS the last time Deadmau5 played a real rave? That he wasn't being cut a check for? Not a bad thing, not shit-talking, BUT... Kind of a funny rant coming from a guy who makes his living (I think a pretty decent one) off the sold-out rave scene he's annoyed with...
There really is no such thing as a "rave" anymore. Raves were a state of mind, not necessarily a place/event/function. The people in the network made a rave what it was. The term PLUR was actually taken to heart and followed as a lifestyle. Now it has been destroyed by the drug-crazed kids who saw it as a feeding frenzy to pop 15 pills and OD, the media trying (and succeeding) to scare the parents, and the governments taking all of it and smashing it to the ground. As someone who was active in the rave scene in the mid 90's, I can honestly say that I feel like an "old-schooler". I still get tingles when I hear those older electronic songs that bring back floods of memories. In one hand I'm glad that things have turned out this way, because it's forced things back underground where we don't have to deal so much with commercialization and restrictions. On the other hand it's saddening that the current generation may never see the purity and joy that a rave used to be. Joel, just keep your heart in the right place and those of us who understand what a "rave" should be will keep following you. See you in Madison next week.
ReplyDeleteCalling today's events raves isn't disrespectful to the culture of classic raving. It's simply different. We are in a resurgence of electronic dance music, and it's the second wave of "rave." It's a progression--technology is different, law enforcement is different, what people are into is different. Some large-scale artist productions demand a large event. And I love the art that is included at events like Insomniac's.
ReplyDeleteI didn't join the scene until EDC 2007, at the late age of 30. I'm proud to call myself a raver because I inhabit the essence of PLUR, just like my fellow second-wave ravers. It's ALL good. :)
Wikipedia..... regardless what all that crap i copied and pasted means is that our time or era of "rave" was nothing more than a chapter in the cultures evolution!!! fun times i like the modern music more than ever the "scene" sux only because like everything we see now in mainstream its superficial and fake. but im proud to say that i was part of that era and continue to be a part of the music and culture. why? because the party never ends as long as the record keeps on spinning
ReplyDeleteSecond wave???
ReplyDeleteDeadMau5 it is not your fault why you became so commercialized. You happened to be so talented that you had to blow up. You r the reason why electronic music is still alive.
ReplyDeleteP.S. DeadMau5, I loved your awesome visual set-up at EDC 2010. Would that fantastic production have been possible out in the desert, circa 1995? Your fans benefit from the great experience you can provide at a larger-scale, above-the-radar event.
ReplyDelete@Bluefemme quit the ass kissing ... Deadmau5 is great "no disrespect" but there were many before him that have contributed more to this genre..... just none of them appeared on the mtv music awards....
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that the raves you are talking about have now changed names. These days (well here in Colorado) we call them dance parties (shitty I know.)They are usually placed in a warehouse or in an abandoned structure. Admission is free and it's usually a local DJ or two that mix. What you remember so fondly lives on I assure you. Just seems the term "rave" just became too perverse and commercialized to be used any longer to express any unsolicited gathering of ravers. Here is an interesting thought though, now that raves have become things they sell tickets to, what have ravers become?
ReplyDeleteI remember PLUR. The meaning what raves were about.
ReplyDeleteWell said.. I totally get the point you're trying to prove.. Its even annoying to call what raves are now.. "the scene" but then again they kinda are. I started going to raves more than a year ago and even in that short time I feel raves have changed. the crowd is just not the same, its not so common to bump into ppl that are there truly for the music now which sucks, people go just to say "oh yea I'm cool I went to edc" or whatever the event is... but hey what can I say you know? Its inevitable. I would imagine ppl from your generation totally understanding you. The definition of a "rave" has definitely changed.. its sort of a bittersweet thing.. like a secret no one knew about..now the whole world knows about it and that factor changes everything in positive and negative ways. But hey.. Oh well..thats life for you..things change, they always change.
ReplyDeletef i am a "reason why something got so universally fucked up" then that means, i have reached out and touched millions of people... THAT ALONE... is a fuckin mindblowing feat that i am insanely proud of.... and even MORE glad that YOU took part in it. :)
ReplyDeleteI Like The Way You Think Sir ! You Deff Got Me On That One... No Doubt That You Should Be Insanely Proud Of Your Accomplishments, But When Your Complaining About How Raves Have Changed And How Its Not The Same, You Gotta Look At What You Have Become ! You Sound Like A Hypocrite !
I went to a pretty cool rave back in about 1986, then some decent clubs in the 90s, but since then nothing else seems very close to that other than small clubs with producers like you or Tiesto performing up close. Your Ibiza sets look fantastic but most of us just get to dream about hitting one of those. Do what you do, for you. We fans very much appreciate you just being yourself.
ReplyDeleteIn sydney parties like that still happen, people breaking into abandoned warehouses and setting up multiple sets of decks and soundsystems and partying and playing free music and dancing late into the night, maybe you're less exposed to it because you're at the commercial end of the sector.
ReplyDeleteI still have my Pink UFO's from 9 years Ago...and I would Luv to Wear Um Again Someday...Does anyone Know...Can You even still Buy UFO's?
ReplyDeletejust hand me some x and I don't think I would give a shit where I'm at :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting. You and I are roughly from the same part of the world; I'm from Buffalo and my first Rave experience was at 31 Commisioner @ Destiny Friday. I was taken by some guys I met at a club in Niagara Falls called the Pleasuredome and they told me if you like this music, you've got to check out these Raves in Toronto.
ReplyDeleteWe drove up, a friend of mine and picked up those cats from St. Catherines and headed north. We stopped in @ RPM (then) and from there we headed over to this thing called a Rave. I had no idea what to expect but I remember pulling up and hearing this thumping bassline and a long ass line of people I thought were all dressed up to go to a Halloween party. There was one way in and walking through that door changed everything for me. I won't get into what I "tried" that night but man, I found myself blown away by everything; the place, the people, the music - I think I was getting down to Dominik playing Gabber (I am and always will be a house head). At that time, i didn't know who was who and therefore it was bliss (ignorance is bliss?) I didn't want it to end - we met some really cool people that night; people I would get to know really well and eventually meet up with at almost every party thereafter.
I remember the following week was Destiny 5 at the HoneyPot Ski resort and Ritchie Hawtin played (I think as Plastikman too) - HOW do I remember this? Good question since the time between 1994 - 2000 were the "cloudiest" ever in my life yet so many things stand out in my head about the different Pleasure, Dose, Syrous and Destiny Raves.
One of the best times was when Deee-Lite played at the HoneyPot, another Pleasureforce party that I STILL have the Doc Marten and Sniper sets on cassette tape I bought later at Xtatic on John St near that coffee joint you find all over TO.
Things today are no where near the same; I've stopped trying to find that same feeling I had; that nervous/anxious/excited feeling you had when you waited in line to get in. Or, when we waited behind one of the many shuttle buses at the train station (Union St?) that took kids out to the party. I remember parties with Bukem, Trace, Fabio, Grooverider, MC GQ, Derrick Carter - that's when I knew I wanted to move to Chicago which is where I live now- and SO many more dj's that are like super rich and probably don't remember those parties.
I honestly haven't heard anyone use the word rave today; I don't know what I would do but probably laugh. Not so much because kids today don't really have a clue but because it makes me think of all the insane but fun times I had and all the amazing people I met throughout the US and Canada who got to experience that time.
Wasn't about anything but the music, period.
I often tell people this story when they ask me about what raves were like (those who never went) and I say, "That door I walked through back on Commisioner in Toronto; corporate america/canada and the mainstream found that same door."
After that, it wasn't the same any more...
Nothing like stopping at Hardee's all wacked out after a party, standing in line trying to make sense of the menu. I don't even thinnk we ate the food; maybe - we just like stopping there and cleaning up before heading back to Buffalo and continue partying all day Sunday.
I have no idea how I finished college; let alone getting B's most the time...
At Jeanette: No kissing ass here. I havent liked a DJ so much in so long. After my raving days I stopped going to raves. MOved on, then years later DeadMau5 appeared and my love for electronic music came back. I thought it was over but he revived the era for me. And for some reason DeadMau5 seems real and classic.
ReplyDeleteAt Bonnie: Lol I remember UFOs. Yes they still sale them at MUD SHark. LOL. I used to work for KIK Wear. Do you remember them? I was a designer there. They were the first brand to sale the big wide pants. LOL.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget the desert raves out in So. California on the Indian reservations...
ReplyDeleteso your proud of inviting the wrong people into the crowd. thats awesome joel . go doa song with fucking lil wayne or some bullshit
ReplyDeleteSorry you're upset that it's no long your exclusive little club anymore. I'm so sick of hearing bullshit like this about how upset people are that raving is becoming popular. Are there a lot of shit-heads into raving now? Yes. There are also a lot of really great people who go to raves, even if they are huge events that you have to pay for. I get that "back in the day" it might have had a different feel to it, but I think that the main points of raving are listening to good music, feeling great, and sharing the experience with other people. Just because it's not as underground anymore doesn't make it bad. Personally, I'm glad that it is becoming popular because I know it means that more people are having great experiences.
ReplyDeleteI get a kick out of the people who have 1 year of electronic music under their belt talking about the "huge changes in the scene". No disrespect to you, but you have NO idea how pure and enjoyable this actually was 15 years ago. NONE whatsoever. And it saddens me to say that, because chances are you'll never get to experience it. Not with the way everything has turned out today.
ReplyDeleteBreaking into warehouses, running power off of generators, hoping the cops didn't come, listening to some random unpaid local DJ spin for 4 hours (and it also not mattering who he was), because it was truly about the music and the community of people that were there. Sure, there were drugs around, they've been around since the beginning. But it wasn't about the drugs. It really was a different time back then. And while it still lives on to some extent today, it's pretty fucking depressing to see what it has turned into.
Now I'm wondering if mau5 liked Kraftwerk when he was a kid.
ReplyDeleteDidn't you try to throw a free party a while ago? It was revolutionary...kinda...lol..you were bang on!!! Everyone knows you're trying mau5...whatever the reason you are making peeps happy...and doing a great job entertaining, thinking about stuff and feeling stuff that maybe they don't normally do for whatever reason...happy you are a part of history. Good job!!! :D You will be remembered for good...not perfect...but good, everyone loves either a lover or a fighter and you are both my friend, both :)
ReplyDeletei wish i got to be a part of it, the old school rave.. its funny , cause a friend told me that he once went to one but all they did was play shitty music and pop e-pills. does that really make music more enjoyable? does that contribute to a good time? are all raves nowadays looked at for pill popping musical fun?
ReplyDeleteAllen: I agree. You cannot compare now and 15 years ago.
ReplyDeleteits not about the money, its always been about the music and experiences. dancing to the music till the sun comes up. the next generation think its all about gettn fucked up. why do you do what you do...? . first time i saw the mau5 head was epic and funny. i think you put the head on to be a Goof to have fun and entertain yourself and others around you.the people love you joel or they just love the mou5. your a great fuckin artist! be true to yourself and get back to the Renagade Style partys, were out here.
ReplyDeleteHappy to have experienced a rave in the 90s. It was the best times ever. Your life was all about raving weekend after weekend. I didn't even had a job. Raves were mostly free. All you needed was a ride. It was all about the music.
ReplyDeleteBluefemme- It's as different as black and white. It's a difficult thing to try and explain to this new generation, but for those of us who were there, it's truly a magical thing. The memories I have of those days are among the best times of my life, and no one can ever take that away from me. I'm just proud to say I was there and I was a part of it.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line here is that now Electronic music is getting bigger, and has been for awhile. Now you more often than not pay, but so what? More people are experiencing and falling in love with music that is not only invigorating, but inspiring as well. So Deadmau5 got big and is selling out shows. There is only one reason for that, and it's because his music agrees with people and makes them happy. Give the man what he deserves. Like before raves of the 90's are still around you just need to look for them or have the connections, just like you did back then. How do you think up and coming DJ's are getting their music out there?
ReplyDeleteRaves have certainly changed a lot since the 90s. These days any show with electronica or house music where people are dancing and on X equals a rave. A lot of the 1st time 'ravers' are more excited about getting fucked up then they are about the music...which is sad to say.
ReplyDeleteBUT! rest assured! that for tons of your fans including myself, it's the music and the vibe that makes a rave a rave. Your music really does bring people together. It pulsates through us and makes us feel GOOD just like your favorite DJs did in the 90's! With the advanced technology we have right now for music production I think the future of raves is looking damn good and you should be proud to be right in the middle of it all!! 8D
I was a member of that era and out of force of habit I do call them "raves" and yes the old true "rave" has died but what do you call it? A tech concert? A dance music festival? How I long for the warehouse parties is east LA or the old "teknoclub on that old theatre on spring. That venue in Hollywood. The pleasuredome in San bernardino. The days the E was pure and the music was clean. Days of "groove"' when it was meet xguy at xlocation then go to yguy etc until u hit the venue. I remember an event in the now housing track orange groves in riverside. Long story short the scene evolves or dies trying. Just be glad uve been able to remain a part of it and profit doing so. How I envy you lol.
ReplyDeletei have to agree with you about your sentiments, however you have to look at yourself as part of the problem itself. you take things to a certain level and they inevitably will become so big they won't be able to be what they once were. dance music's purveyors embracing fame/fortune was always going to change the DIY rave ethic. and it has. it doesn't matter if that's what your in it for or not...it is just inevitable.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that they now cost money is irrelevant. I have never minded paying an entrance fee. But now the entire attitude has changed. Fewer and fewer people are able to grasp the atmosphere that used to dominate the parties. A lot of people have taken other paths in life and no longer go to parties, which is leaving less and less of the old influence on the newer generations. Simply put, the passage of time has changed the way people experience things. It's like trying to compare Woodstock to Lollapalooza. It's just not the same atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteLOL watch, in 30 years, we're gonna be complaining how "raves" weren't all about being in zero gravity and robots dancing with us, just were about simple 100 dollar tickets and modest cubes of light.
ReplyDeleteyea they are becoming more mainstream. im just glad i get to be a part of them now tho. i went to my first 'rave' on may 29th. POP 2010 at the cow palace and it changed my life. i had alot of fun and its all i look forward to lol. that and sitting on my computer and making music.
ReplyDeleteI'm 24 and I like to go to electronic music events but I've never been to a "Rave". I hear people a bit older than me talking about the good old days and saying the same things as you.
ReplyDeleteI will never know what a rave feels like. I don't feel comfortable calling these "parties" I go to raves. That ship has sailed but I'm thankful for the music as it seems to get better and better.
So what, you're making money doing what you love. I'm happy for you. Keep it up. I appreciate your music and I dig your online persona. The things you say make me laugh and make this shitstorm I call life a little better.
And THANK YOU SO MUCH for Laddergoat. It kills me every time. And Skrillex, I found his music because of you too.
still happen in ur backyard of t.o. (u prob already knew that)... just ask ur bud JELO who was at one a couple months ago. Only thing that was irritating was the fb message *wink wink but we actually don't really care* not to make it obvious that u were dressing like a raver. that's another thing, with fb and twitter, everything is out in the open now (as you full well know as a genius self promoter/marketer...u know... like letting people into ur daily life)... cops broke it up early in the morning anyway. one other thing, by us actually being fans of yours, and by feeling the need to comment on such a topic, we've already distanced ourselves from the good ol days. instead of just talking about it, relive it, and throw a *secret* RAVE- omg I just said it :O but then again, I guess you can't escape from the grip of commercialism now.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete. Yes I think "Raves" are toooo Commercial. .dont like the word too much myself..Honestly give me a dark warehouse . .good visuals and a strobe . .and good music.. and I am set.. I went to what is now considered "EDC".. this year .. and absolutely hated it.. I remember it from 97 "electric daisy carnival" and completely different .. I had the guy from rabbit in the moon almost fall on top of me just 2 people in front of me . .when at the current one i could barely even see you on the jumbo screen thing...any ways the kids of know can have their party's and think they are experiencing the best party . .when some of us will know what they really have missed ..
ReplyDeleteno, its not hard to explain, i totally get you, you had your thing, now its different and you feel kinda disappointed that the new kids wont have an experience like you because its way better
ReplyDeleteMr. Mau5
ReplyDeleteI love your view, it's not an "I'm old" reminesce. It's truth. Here in Sofla I keep hearing our "scene" is dying from guidos and prostitots, who go for the half naked girls and drugs. I miss the feeling of the love of the music. I like dressing crazy and making the kandi to give mementos to those who enjoy the music with me.
I haven't been "in the scene" for long, and I know I've already missed out on what it meant and I already miss it.
I want some good music, fun times, and people who appreciate plur and humanity.
The raver's manifesto is my heart and soul.
Plur is what I preach.
Music is my life.
Let's do this.
Shanonigans.tumblr.com
no you are not the only one my friend. the scene has been over saturated with non-ravers, we need to go back to the underground days where u need to go from map point to map point and make these fakers work to get there... :D Love the music keep it going...!!!! Deadmau5 4EVER Love Peace Ecstasy...LPE plur is for fags....
ReplyDeleteYou don't know how many times I have wanted to say things like this but have not wanted anyone to say shit like "You're jaded." or "You just don't understand 'The Scene' anymore." I remember when it had meaning, when it was a beautiful secret thing and you saw a kid on the street wearing kandi and you looked at one another and you smiled cause you knew you had a secret in common. *sigh* I guess it will never be the same again. I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling this way though. <3
ReplyDelete-Jessyca (eXtreme)
back in the day they were underground, you had to find it and have a connection to them.
ReplyDeletenowadays, the internet is the hook-up to the raves and everyone in there mothers world knows there is gonna be one at least every weekend.
im not a person who experienced a rave in the 90's but i think i would of loved it having the feeling that it was a secret and the feeling that only the people who wore the kandii knew what they were about not "friendship bracelets"
but what can we do time changes.
live like theres no tomorrow and experience the most you can.
Raves? bleh, i never heard anything good come out of them, just lousy music with an occasional splice of moby's "Go". Seriously... oh yeah, and a ton of drugs cuz a lot of that music sucked.
ReplyDeleteIt's just part of life mau5y. It would have been so much easier to have never been born. But... since we are here... learn not to take it too personally. Many suffer. It's all about respect / lack of. Things change everyday and mostly not for the better. Younger people grow up with so much handed to them now that they "think" they know so much more than they actually do. It was better back then. But be strong mau5y, many, many share your thoughts. Love and hugs and kisses and best wishes...
ReplyDeleteMau5 you seem a bit contradicting. I just had a look at your other blog that was addressing selling out. You say that just because you got bigger and so did your presentation. (2 million dollar stage, lights, Mau5 head, ect) that does not mean that anything has changed. The same can be said for raves. What bad has come of allowing that sort of atmosphere to reach so many more and on a new level. Nothing has changed. Raves are created by the attendees not the party company putting it on. It is a state of mind and a interaction with your fellow man. You said it yourself. The record is going to keep going and we can't find the stop button. The idea of raves is so fabulous that it can't help but grow and get bigger and better. I can't help but find this blog a bit condescending as well. It is as if you claim to have been apart of something so much more special than what we participate in now. Let me tell you sir raves are alive and well and just as real as anything you did in a poorly lit shit hole. But never the less I <3 U MAU5 just don't forget its the newer scene that supports you and puts butter on Meowingtons bread. :)
ReplyDeleteOh man, Joel, did you hit the nail on the head for me. When I went to see Oakenfold/PvD up in Chicago in May, we're standing outside the theater, and the Amp girls are giving out free Amp. I was thinking, man this is gonna be awesome, but it was short-lived. Of course, as soon as we got to the door, they confiscated the Amp! And they're selling Amp inside, but it's $5 a can! Couple that with the policy of no pass-outs, and it makes for a long, dreary night. Didn't help that Oakey didn't get on stage until 1:30 AM (show started at 8). It was a nice idea to have the whole "rave" athmosphere, but let's face it - concert promoters don't "get it". The recent problems at concerts this summer highlight that pretty effectively.
ReplyDelete...and why are there so many haters in here? Why in the world do shitheads stalk people they obviously don't care about?
ReplyDeleteYou should come to one of mine in London. Well it's more like a cross between a rave and a house party but top DJ's, 400 people in a warehouse, massive sound system, not for profit, cheap drinks, anything goes mentality and we only do 2 or 3 a year
ReplyDeleteWell, if you want to see multiple big artists in one event you have to go to a commercial rave aka festival. Those aren't cheap. Most of the real and usually underground raves don't have big name artists. So if someone wants to see Deadmau5 and perhaps Afrojack, Chuckie, Fedde and others it comes with a big price tag and forces someone into the commercial festivals. Of course the artists themselves can change that by lowering their prices and tell their managers/agents to try to get them a smaller venue that resembles a real rave. However managers and agents wont be too happy about it and usually control the artists life from business standpoint. I think the terminology "rave" is just used today to describe a big electronic music event with multiple stages. The only thing it has in common with the original raves is the genre of music. Furthermore, people use it because most unknowledgeable people draw the conclusion that at such event electronic music is going to be played. It also slips of the tongue easier than "I'm going to a electronic music festival".
ReplyDeleteCrossing between this and the "sell out" blog, there's no pleasing everyone. I was a part of the Chicago rave scene, I spun those parties twice a week. It was what it was due to the nature of the party. People threw it for the sheer joy of the atmosphere and all that it encompassed. Any legitimate event will not be a "rave" as you know it. That title is as much a descriptor of the times and attitude as anything else. Now, they are "parties" or you can hit up festivals or whatever, but any place that sells water for more than 2 dollars, or really at all, isn't in the same group. And echoing what half these people say, becoming big doesn't always equal selling out but the scene kids and elitist idiots will always say otherwise. They'd simply rather feel cool for being into something before everyone else, like it earns them some cred or something.
ReplyDeleteit's a lot harder these days to throw one by breaking into a basement of an empty building. Laws in the States are A LOT stricter, you have to be legal to the t or you're just asking to get fucked in the ass by the law. But I've gone to many "raves" in chicago in the past few months, and they are what I'd consider a rave. It's held in an empty building, usually in a less than desirable part of town, you have loud electronic music, and a bunch of people loving music, dancing, doing drugs, etc. There is a huge difference between these raves and a concert like yours. People call your concerts "raves" because they get lost in translation. General public attribute electronic music to raves and ecstasy, so naturally, they will call your concert a rave due to both occurring there...
ReplyDeleteoi!! even in 95-96 there were folks doing it longer & harder than I, I started in 94 forever changed into this glitter girl full of wide-eyed wonderment, the music the bass - and for a while it was good and it was love and magical, had my bunny back pack. Midnight Summer's Rave (movie) for those who haven't had the pleasure of this. Then came the media and the dirty rolls and the k killing our dance scene. Rave IS a bit of a dirty word. But I am proud to say that So FL beats and bass still beat, O-town holding strong and Tampa is alive and well. I have been to little clubs all over the US and the dance vibe is still alive.I have been in the desert and....sometimes things get like whatever. There will forever be an underground a magic spring, you just gotta get out your dowsing rod and keep yer mouth shut about it. the rainbow family still does it so can we. Everything changed, then changed again. So it goes~ love it joel for really - emme
ReplyDeleteMy first deadmau5 show cost me $25 my last deadmau5 show cost $160 but I'm still going and bringing more people with me everytime you come to Van!!!
ReplyDeletedeadmau5 said...
ReplyDeleteif i am a "reason why something got so universally fucked up" then that means, i have reached out and touched millions of people... THAT ALONE... is a fuckin mindblowing feat that i am insanely proud of.... and even MORE glad that YOU took part in it. :)
Too funny that was exactly what I was thinking Joel. That and if they think you are such a sell out, then why oh why are they wasting their time reading your blog. They obviously are following you still, correct? LOL, keep doing what you do Joel. See you Wed night in Seattle at the Paramount!
Im 19 and I have to disagree.
ReplyDeleteThe first rave I went to was when I was 18 in a baseballfield earlier this year near coney island and the only way to know about it was through word of mouth. I couldn't even find the spot until I spotted a kid with ufo pants and a single piece of kandi.
It was free, it was all ages and it was massive. I used my cellphone to find my way past the trees and the mud, fearing that someone would jump out and rob me. The thumping I started hearing from the spot made me feel safe. I felt like I was at the edge of the universe and the only thing there and the only things that mattered were lights, kids, and lenny d blasting from speakers hooked up to vans with a bunch of generators to last the whole night. All the djs were local and threw these raves because of high priced festivals and clubs where a lot of the kids couldn't get in because we were all too broke or young. There wasn't a huge light cube with siezure inducing lazers and there wasn't the safety in knowing if cops weren't gonna come in and bust up the rave and give out tickets to unsuspecting kids. Of course there are drugs. It's a rave, but not everyone rolls just to enjoy themselves. There are people there that rave sober that just like the freedom of dancing without giving a shit. It lasted from 9 pm-9 am and i danced till the sun came up and made so many connections. I always read about older people saying that they wish the rave scene was like how it was in the 90s but from all the descriptions I read of what raving was about back in your day I can say in my experience that its still the same shit. Just not in a huge stadium.
Ultra fest, monster massive, electric zoo, edc whatever. Those aren't raves. Here in NY the rave scene is still going hard. I'm sure raves are still the same all over the country its just that theyre where they always were. Underground. I'll be a fag and say that I believe in PLUR because I found that through rave and not at a high priced music festival with bunch of guidos rolling. Oops lemme not contradict myself and be accepting of whoever participates in the enjoyment of edm. Because a raver is anyone. Not just someone fist pumping with a glowstick in hand to ghosts 'n stuff. or not the kid with the hello kitty backpack and sleeves of kandi cuffs or the kid staring at the ground in a k hole. If anyone tries hard enough they can find a legit rave :D
Or just make your own rave if you're so upset. Raves don't make themselves without the involvement of people.
I love you deadmau5! Saw you at coachella and you blew my mind!
I have only been in the "scene" for about 3 years or so but have listened to the music for aboutttt 9 years. I think rave is just been generalized to mean an all night dance event pretty much. "back in the day," as Joel says, the dynamics of all night dance events were very different than they are now and pretty much somebody realized OH SHIT we can make some $$ lets be the head that knows how to set all this up correctly ya know. I love meeting "older heads" and new heads at shows honestly and just like the vibe from an all night dance event, festie, show, whatever anybody wants to call it. its all about raging with people you have never met before in your life and sharing one common interest of what you are listening to or who you are seeing. Keep up the blog Joel, getting random thoughts off the chest benefits many.
ReplyDelete-Brian
i had something unique and special to me... and now it seems that it's for someone else, so i guess it would be like something taken from you and found and loved by someone else some many years later
ReplyDeleteThat's How i feel about the music you make :( I don't want to share it with the world, it's too special.
i agree, i had such a sad experience at edc this year. being kicked by a policeman, having to fight for my right to good electronic music. it just doesn't make much sense, it has gone to a crazy level. i still attend raves that include trespassing into cutty locations. hopefully people will catch on and realize partying it free.
ReplyDeleteI'm 18 but i have friends who were all "ravers" in the 90's. Every time they show me videos of what raves used to be i really wish i could go back and experience them. No one my age (other than my close friends) have any idea what a real rave is... but then again i guess i dont either... oh well
ReplyDeleteWow you are absolutely right, the sad part is that I didn't realize until now :O
ReplyDeleteWTFever. It's no different from punk - started underground, ended up as a fashion statement. As far as mainstream is concerned, a rave consists of 1) beats 2) drugs and 3) furries/glowsticks/plur. It's fair to say that those things are still around, just without the same anti-establishment sentiments. I'm leaving the marketing & sellout discussion to everyone else because it doesn't even matter. It's maybe a little sad that raves aren't counter-culture anymore, and it surprises me that 15 year olds even think raving is cool. What I care about is longevity of something I love - EDM could have died but this is how it lived. I'm happy that the music I like will now be heard by more than just me (even if I have to put up with the aspects of raving that aren't my favorite).
ReplyDeletewhats wrong with going to a rave?????????
ReplyDeleteYou just need to party with some of us on your downtime! Take some tabs and jam!
ReplyDeleteMau5 you are the bomb and you are running this shiz now dayz. Its the old saying of he who has the gold maks the rules. I say you dont like it .. you change it.. people will follow and then you could be unlocking a new scene of something you built yourself... just like you did with the current scene. change is good and you have the ability to do what you want with it. see you soon
ReplyDeletethe problem is....we love you and want to come see you spin....unfortunately paying on ticketmaster.com is the only way. unless you are gonna start throwing old school raves this is the closest thing some of us can get.
ReplyDeleteim sick as shit of paying for something i know was once everywhere....and it sucks that i couldnt experience is.
well...not spin....but you know
ReplyDelete@fanfanfan...who are you? i go to NYC a lot over the course of every year...im 20 and ive been trying to get into the underground scene for awhile now! making a connection out there would be unbelievable...IM SICK OF PAYING FOR ANY SORT OF 'RAVE' EXPERIENCE!
ReplyDeleteI think that to tag an event where the music flow through your vains it´s a crime. So, let´s enjoy that celebrations of life and forget about the things that haven´t a sense.
ReplyDeleteif you dont like how the scene has changed, maybe throw some underground shows fo' free/cheap, without all the commercial bullshit? the "raves" youre complaining about arent much different than the shows you put on that we pay 50-60 dollars to see. just a thought
ReplyDeleteI think things changed and the shows became expensive because electronic music became more popular. I'm no expert because I was still pretty young when raves were big, but all I know is that I saw you in concert Oct. 7 in Denver and it was the best show ever! I listen to deadmau5 radio on Pandora whenever I'm on the train, and I don't care what everyone else says, because I'd pay $45 to see you any day of the year. Times may have changed but I think they are still great! Please keep making such awesome music!
ReplyDeleteIts funny, I was watching that movie Holy Rollers last night and it reminded me of the old rave scene. I think I started enjoying that scene in its old glory days. It was fun to go searching for a place that would have the most random locations with some of the best music. It died for awhile in Denver simply because everyone of them was getting shut down as soon as they started. It got worse once kids were being stupid and getting themselves killed while partaking this scene by being reckless. It was quiet for the longest time and finally alot of local promoters really worked hard to bring it back. The concept of a rave was banned in city limits so they had rules to follow so its never been quit the same. However its brought more and bigger acts and brought a broader view of the music into the open, the underground of it has died. It was sort of bound to happen once it got so big. You can't hide something meant to be bigger than itself.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, if I ever use the word 'rave' or 'techno' its because theres still a large group of people who wouldn't know I'm talking about otherwise. I pulled up to work playing "I Remember" and I got asked by an employee, "Like, oh my god, is that techno?"
Tools...
That was then, this is now.
ReplyDeleteGod Mau5 this is something I struggle with... as I'm only 2 years older then you, we were in the warehouses at the same time in the 90's (only I was in Denver). I now have a 16 year old half brother that wants to get into the same thing, but its changed so much I don't know if I can support that. Its hard to not feel like a hypocrit when back in the day I was out rollin, ravin, and lovin all that was plur, when plur meant something. Now I hear about a non-concert type event and think how crazy people would be to go. I've been around the world seeing great parties, festivals in Europe, beaches in Thailand, and every now and then you get a glimpse of what the scene used to be, but its rare. Don't get me wrong, seeing someone like yourself in Denver last week makes the years of warehouses worth it to see the scene come so far and someone like yourself become an icon. But the culture, all it stood for, is a distant memory. And as much as I would love to blame you and your high ticket prices, I can't. Take your unannounced show this thursday in denver. At a club that I don't know has ever sold out, tickets went so fast that the only way you can get in now is $120 to sclapers, all spread by one post and word of mouth. If people heard that Deadmau5 or others were playing underground shows, the mainstream would still flock to them, and we would be right back where we are today. I say the best we can do is embrace the fact that so many people that worked hard to get recognized making the music they love, are now seeing the benefits. And for those that have the money to see you thursday, I am sure it will be an amazing experience in a relatively small venue. Yes it will be different then the old school. But will it be better or worse then the old school? No, just different.
ReplyDeleteI'm 46 and I've been raving for over 23 yrs. yes it has changed, what doesn't, but the reasons I loved it...the people, the music, the vibe, it's all still there, and people discovering it for the first time and loving it as much as I always have, that's still there. So now I'm a veteran at light shows and such, it's still just as much fun for me as it ever was, because I'm still the same, and I still go for the same reason I ever did! Nobody can take that from me.
ReplyDeleteTo me, a rave is when my friends and I break into our buildings laundry room at 4am with my speakers and dance to some loud fucking music. Or when I go to a show in someone's asbestos covered basement and listen to someone mix some dirty dub. It's about the people you're with and the way you party.
ReplyDeleteIt shouldn't be about the bracelets on your arms or the fur on your legs. It's about so much more than that.
Seriously though, who really needs these fancy lasers and ridiculous lighting when your energy, new cube and REAL technology make the show? I remember back at EDC a few years ago when you were just at the smaller stage in the front... just doing what you love to do.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite quote is "do what you love and fuck the rest." THIS can clearly be seen in your numerous posts on facebook, doing all of the nerdy and fun things you love to do- especially right now in Seattle (that's why I live here!) It's unfortunate that "raves" are turning into this mainstream ordeal. Mad props to everything you do, as far as I see it from a few years ago.. you're still the same person I saw on that small stage, but perhaps even more grounded now (thanks to Meowingtons of course). Can't wait to see you tonight at the Paramount!
Gehhh, you damn kids and your hip-hop!
ReplyDeleteOMG its DJ Awesome! hehe
ReplyDeletelosing my edge.... yeah, i'm losing my edge..... the kids are coming up from behind......
ReplyDeleteyou're not the only one. i dont like the term "rave" #1 i dont feel like anyone is "raving" but even more so i feel like "Rave" is a negative social term. i prefer music festival or event or something more positively complex
ReplyDelete<3 love your new music
I'm gonna have a rave for a birthday party, and this makes me feel bad because i follow this blog like my life......lol but its gonna be exactly how you described, so......does that make it ok with you? it just makes me feel better if a true raver would approve....
ReplyDeleteFor french true Raves are from 91-93 in our country, the rest is fake. The Authentic thrill is over since years: Love, Share, Dialog, Openminded&OpenEars, Expression, Harddancer, Creativity Madness Evolution, Extasy, Phantasy, Wisdom etc...
ReplyDeleteYou're not exactly from the Underground, but many from the Underground love you for sure. Don't give a fuck to all these. You heart is noble and authentic, thats the only thing which is important.
You're making running old ravers <3<3<3<3<3
I like to call them dance concerts. <3
ReplyDeleteim 29, and I still go these festivals. And i just call it that, EDM Festivals. I get a tingle down the back of my spine when I hear the younger people refer to it as "Raves".
ReplyDeleteProbably just us "old folk" being bitter.
Keep rockin.
I hate to say it, but dude... aren't you part of the problem here? I desperately wanted to go to Smokeout or any of your other nearby Cali shows, but the ticket price was so far out there I could only dream of going. So I stayed home and jacked off. Doubt there'd ever be a chance in hell of me actually seeing you in person unless I have a few hundred bucks to burn on travel and admission. You've become an attraction, man... and isn't that the exact opposite of what you'd originally wanted for your work? Popular, yes! Admission? ... No?
ReplyDeleteWhat I'd love to see is if you'd just, like, stop somewhere you're touring, don't burn the money for the huge production show (that is: less/no money going out), pitch up at some devoted fan's house or location (BELIEVE ME, whereever you stop, there'll be people on FB clamoring for the opportunity), and put on an honest. to. god. rave. No admission, just have fun playing music with what you can get by with, and meeting people that would never have otherwise had the opportunity. I fucking guarantee you'll have a hell of a fun time, as will everyone that can't afford a $100 ticket to one of your absolutely mind-blowingly orgasmic shows. Because quite honestly, while I'd love to see the huge show and the glamor, I really just want to be able to see the mau5 in person :)
Wouldn't that be fun...?
I'm only 18. I never was able to experience the real raves back in the day, where PLUR was alive and it was about the music, not the money and status. If only I had been born a bit earlier...
ReplyDeleteIf none of you guys have a DIY scene near by I feel sorry for you, come out to Cincy,Cleveland,Pittsburgh and you will see that the scene. although different then it was years ago it is still an extremely DIY scene and very underground
ReplyDeleteCould one of the things that killed the scene be the internet?
ReplyDeleteBack then, you'd need a flyer, or just know people working at the rave to pass along the information about when and where. But now there's metromix and yelp and google so if you want to find out about a party just go online and search. It takes the mystery out of it, and the secretiveness too.
Cops could just scan for raves online if there were any because forums would buzz about them and if the cops wanted to, it'd be easy to shut it down. The underground is much easier to access with the web.
The rave experience is way better than a club IMO, at raves everybody's there for the music and the vibe. I get the feeling at clubs that most are just there to look cool(er than other people...and get mad if they don't feel like they are).
I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd like to see the rave scene return, but I think it won't be possible to do it the way it was back when everybody was using aol chatrooms and printing flyers at kinkos.
I miss inhaling asbestos and metal shavings at that dank-ass warehouse. Remember when the power went out?
ReplyDeleteI see a lot of people yelling sell out and Joel is money Hungry. You Jack asses, These days with all this digital media floating around the money they make now is the shows because most guys are not making near what an artist would make in album sales compared to before the Napster days. Its how he earns a living, who the hell owns a business that does it for charity or givies away all thier product. Get fucking real and go create something and give it away
ReplyDeleteYes I agree, Raving will never be the same again.
ReplyDeleteNow that we have music that will never fit into a "one nation"And they will never make music like they did in 1990-95.we will never come together as one, in this day and age.We need more "Dreamscape"
and "The edge" We need Djs like Carl cox and Dj Hype.But sadly this will never happen again.
Hardcore will never die."keep it alive!
To be honest, the word rave (along with its electronic, trance and whatever the other style of music is called) is new to me. i was born to Mexican conservative parents and was born in '93 so i have no idea of what a rave really is. this concept of embracing the music for what it truly is, not for the money or fame, i want to try it.
ReplyDeleteif you live in California or near LA hear me out, i want to bring back the original rave. i have nothing to lose and don't really want fame. I'm just a poor Mexican-American girl who loves music and who's duty is to bring humans back to that feeling.
Mr. Zimmerman, if (hopefully) people join me, and this goes down, i would like for you to play for all the souls who still believe in music.
(wow i sound cheesy excuse the cheese >.<)
(feel free to contact me ppl really. any support be it words of encouragement or actual physical support will help)
I'm a bit late on this, but I am the same with "rave" music. Whenever I reference to anyone in the ELECTRONIC genre, people are like "Techno, wut?" I hate it when they call your music or Sonny's techno too, it gets on my nerves. -_-
ReplyDelete