Drum n Bass day marks the genre as timeless as does its tome Renegade Snares…
The 17th of April marked Drum and Bass day as petitioned by collective The Blast Bristol and the combination of numbers 17/4 represents the beats per minute (BPM) and tempo of this now global and famous sound.
In acknowledgement of the growth of an underground genre that had its birthplace in London and sprung up to dominate the world even winning a Mercury Prize awarded to Roni Size & Reprazent for their New Forms album in 1996, it seems fitting to review the relatively recent book detailing the rise, peak and global domination of the music style, Renegade Snares by Ben Murphy and Carl Loben.
To the uninitiated, we turn to Wikipedia for a succinct definition of Drum n Bass.
A genre of electronic dance music characterised by fast breakbeats with heavy bass and sub-bass lines, samples, and synthesizers. The genre grew out of the UK’s rave scene in the 1990s. (Wikipedia, 2023)
This definition which spans two sentences on this page, could not do justice to what has to this day become a movement, a family and a significant musical turning point. Hence, Renegade Snares, published in 2019 after a crowdfunding campaign, is a weighty volume of over 334 pages including a comprehensive index and pays homage to the key figures in the shaping of the music, its sound and its scene. The book covers many of the political and economic issues that additionally framed the backdrop of cultural momentum and putting it into this context has been done in a way that is thoughtful, detailed and, indeed, thought-provoking.
The authors are Ben Murphy, former DJ Magazine Editor, and Carl Loben, current DJ Magazine Editor, who are both aficionados and well versed in the British electronic music scene and clearly ardent fans of Drum n Bass having dedicated so much time diligently researching and documenting the history of the style.
“There’s always new technology coming through, new scenes and new countries embracing the sound there’s always new stuff to engage others.” says author, Carl Loben. “When the lockdown happened, I had all this time on my hands it was the real inspiration to get a big chunk of this book done. Ben and I tag teamed it essentially, we did different chapters and commented with amends and additions.”
For those looking for an easy read, this book is, at times, quite heavy. It is a detailed chronological documentation of a rich cultural evolution and the attention to listing important artists, songs, clubs, promoters and labels is essential but at times can be difficult to scan for those planning a light skim read. Instead, ensure you set aside time to delve into the pages and follow the journey because you’re in for a treat trailing the rich tapestry of tales interwoven with tragedy and triumph.
The light and shade of the lives of those who devoted their lives to creating Drum n Bass are as intricate as the contrasting genres and subgenres which have left some musical works like Goldie’s Timeless and countless others, embedded into the cultural soundscape for eternity.
The highs and lows of the personalities and icons who made the scene what is it today leap out at you off the pages and it is worth giving these passages the time for digestion and contemplation.
Renegade Snares can be purchased online for £14.95 brand new or second hand copies may be found cheaper.
Find on Amazon here https://tinyurl.com/renegadesnares
Sapphira
