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There's more to In The City than white boys with guitars. Glasgow's dance scene is alive and mixing. Words: Rory Weller
THE SCOTTISH DANCE music scene can hold its head high thanks to a phenomenal selection of events which come under the In The City banner. Brace yourself for three album launches. exclusive live sets and DJ talents from throughout the UK at venues all over the city. day and night.
Whether working alongside the big names down south. or going it alone and taking a dynamic pro—active direction. Scotland‘s DJs. producers and promoters prove that Scottish dance isn't a provincial side shovv — it‘s a leading creative resource.
All of Glasgow‘s major dance labels are represented with shovvs throughout the four days. Some of them are vvorking together such as the Bomba and Limbo night on the Renfrevv Ferry with .‘vlelonhaus and Tipple (Steven McCreary's nevv outfiti playing live. Meanwhile. Sonia records hook tip vvith the Warp label and Junior Boys ()vvn‘s Darren Emerson. Ashley Beedle and Diesel at the Arches in a night vvhich also includes a set from Maas as vvell as Slam treating us to their electrifying live show
Follovving on from the highly successful stints at the last tvvo In The City conferences is the Ear To The Ground fringe event. it vsill feature 22 labels vvho vvill shovvcase their artists in Bai'go and Bar ()1 as vvell as at a launch night at the Old Fruitmarket.
The organisers are pitching the maverick festival as ‘laying dovvn the musical manifesto for a new millennium‘. vvith the best proponents
Melle Mel and his partner in rhyme, Scorpio
ii .0 ‘7 ‘9
of future beats playing free every night from 6pm until midnight. The launch party gives e\tr.i \\ eight vv ith the legendary Melle Mel (see belovs i joined by .‘vlassive Attack's Mushroom and lemon D from Metalheadz plus DJs and live performers from liar Drum and Phar Out. The Massive Attack connection continues at the Arches on Monday 2‘) September. with the 'Bit of a Bristol Thing‘ emphasising the importance of that city vvith Dis from Way Out West. lakota and. of course Massive Attack. lflfll lltikent takes it up at Glasgow l’niversity‘s QM union on Saturday 27 September for the West lind Dance festival vvhich also has Deconstruction‘s Dave Clarke playing at Jet on the Sunday vvith 23rd Precinct's
MELLE MEL
MELLE MEL IS an artist who has been left behind by the rap scene that he was instrumental in helping to create as a member of Grandmaster Flash. No matter how many 'mad props' he gets from peOple working in the music industry about what he did, what he really wants is to get proper respect for his legacy, another crack at being a star and a great deal of money too. He was only a teenager when he put his l‘ardcore, sociopolitical rap to ’The Message' and later "is/hite Lines’ as one of the Furious Five with Grandmaster Flash, and at 36, he doesn’t reckon it's dune time to hang up his mic.
He's got a new album out, Right Now, recorded with Scorpio, btit believes it c0uld be better. 'l have to downsize my ideas', says Mel. 'You don’t need to be a
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Dave Clarke deconstructs the dancefloor Bhaskar Dandona. All afternoon and evening. at McPhabbs Bar on Monday 2‘). Dis from The Arches. Arehaos. Jet. Sub ('lub. Trash and Tunnel get together for an unruly knees-up to wrap tip the festival.
As in The City falls on the September weekend holiday there‘s a plethora of events taking place including the stunning line-up of Derrick May. Claude Young (live) and Blake Baxter (live) at Aquaplanet's Subbie Sunday (see page 75). Cream at the Tunnel and a Stress Records night vvith lnside Out at the Arches. both on Sat 27 Sep.
For full details of In The City dance music events, see Glasgow club listings, page 70.
virtuoso performer to get by in the rap world these days. I respect rappers today only because they're all making more money than me, nothing else.‘
Things should be turning round for him now though. There’s a blOplC planned about Mel and Flash’s lives by the same company that made Hoop Dreams. ’I want somebody pretty like Leonardo De Caprio to play me' he says,
What really bugs Mel is that he reckOns he hasn't received the honours he thinks he’s due. ’A pat on the back isn't nearly enough for what we did. Don't nobody tell Mick Jagger, "Oh yeah, you was good once, ” so they shouldn't tell me that either,’ he argues. 'People aren't rapping for the love of it any more, but when it comes down to love of the game I've got all the tools.’ tRory Weller)
Melle Mel appears at Ear to the Ground, the Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, Sat 27 Sep.
26 Sep~9 Oct 1997 THE llST 11