Customer Reviews

Generation Ecstasy : Into the World of Techno and Rave Culture

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Generation Ecstasy is probably the best book-length study of electronic music available right now. It is comprehensive and discusses just about every sub-genre of elctronic out there. Reynolds even makes a few categories to suit his own critical purposes. While certainly well worth the read, the book has serious flaws.

In an effort to disavow his own bourgeois status as music critic and conoisseur, Reynolds routinely sides with the more "populist" sub-genres out there. Jungle and gabba are good. Trip-hop and IDM are snobby. Hardcore and house get the thumbs up, 'intelligent drum and bass' and illbient get the thumbs down. While he often has a point, this siding with what 'moves the masses' turns too easily into apologetics for the culture industry (the mass manufacture and consumption of musical cliché). Under the misguided notion that if a certain class or ethnic group consumes a certain type of music it must be good stuff, Reynolds gets pulled into the knee-jerk dismissal of more "marginal" creativity. At certain points in his book I get weird echoes of Edmund Burke attacking the French Revolution and insisting on the necessity for incremental change within the hallowed lines of tradition. Whatever happened to radical criticism? Reynolds should know that "what sells" is not necessarily the destiny of a genre. The future of music is often (but admittedly not always) heard in its avant-garde. I think Reynolds' pseudo-populism goes hand in hand with his annoying habit of tracing electronic music back onto the grids of music he already understands. Witness just one of many: "If rave is heavy metal (rowdy, stupefying, a safety valve for adolescent aggression) and electronic is progressive rock (pseudo-spiritual, contemplative), Digital Hardcore is punk rock: angry, speedy, 'noise-annoys'-y." Analogies like this create a false sense of illumination and profundity. What has he really said by rave=metal, electronic=prog rock, hardcore=punk? The effect of such equations is to call us back to the familiar and to erase the historical specificity of electronic music. Rave is NOT just the repetition of metal with synthesizers, etc.

Take these caveats with a grain of salt--the book is still a great pleasure to read.

Having just worked my way through the UK publication of this book, alternitavely titled "Energy Flash", I must say that I have been given a decent working history of movement that has become a dominant part of youth culture over the last ten years. But as the author remains a fan (one might even say preacher for) of one particular sub genre of these varied strains of music, his analysis and interpretation often fails to deliver the goods. If Mr. Reynolds were not desperately searching for a modern day incarnation of the late 60's hippy attempt to redefine society through a common musical affinity, he might be willing to accept genres such as ambient, prog. House and the like as valid artistic fields. But since all music must satisfy his need for underground consciousness raising revolt(in this case through a culture that drops out of the mainstream completely a la expressionists of the nineteen twenties)he finds it difficult to accept a music that is merely intended to entice and provide pleasure or rediefne the way we think of musicality. The resulting rejections and arrogant denials of alternatives to the dance till you lose yourself 'ardkore ultimately remain self indulgent and tainted by his wishful myth formation. The further inability to critically question the prescribed goals of this 'ardkore also leaves a strong desire for more discussion. However this is where the text is also the most intriguing. Reynolds with his solid knowledge of the genre manages to pique interest and in my case have led to a renewed desire to search out a truly intelligent discourse on the movement and its consequences. On a final note the obsessive UK-centric approach to the music also wears thin, denying foreign countries their due until they begin to affect the UK scene.

First off, the title is a bit misleading - this book is about the history of rave culture (primarily in England), and has very little to do with psychedelic/ecstasy culture and its philosophy.

The historical aspect of the book is a good overview, but extremely biased towards the hardcore and related genres of techno. In particular I was offended by the author's suggestion that 'Intelligent Dance Music' was virtually racist because it avoided the use of black hip hop beats while those beats were getting a lot of play in clubs and at raves. The author presents himself as an outsider at the beginning of the book, but he was clearly part of and influenced by the hardcore scene. That isn't bad in of itself, but in this author's case it means that ever other niche is compared to the original hardcore scene (as well as its closely related genres) in a negative light; the author insinuates that the other genres simply don't get the point. Frankly, I think the author is the one who is unable to get any of the other genres.

All of this aside, I give this book four starts because it is a truly excellent resource for techno music fans, as well as anyone who is interested in learning more about the different genres of techno. Each section of the book presents (biased) descriptions of leading artists in each genre, and there is an excellent list in the appendix of tens of genres of technos with several album recommendations for each genre. This makes it an excellent reference for anyone interested in learning more about the different genres of techno.

If you told me in 1992 that in 2006 I would be reading a book about "Rave" culture in the local public library I don't think I would have believed you. But..here I am.
AT the time of this writing it has already been at least 8 years since this book was published and I think we can see how the author's takes on the phenomenon has held up.

Good points:
The author has a great understanding of the esthetic strengths of the genre,i.e. what makes these songs and their various presentations work.
He has a good knowledge of the artists, events and venues that helped to shape it (leaning mostly from a UK perspective, while very relevant, isn't the whole story).
He has a great understanding of the techincial aspects of the music and how cheap and malfunctioning gear is sometimes used and how these songs really often take a good degree of skill and effort to produce despite popular public misconceptions to the contrary.
I particulary loved his observation that a tepid corporate pop production like Celine Dion uses much much more expensive state of the art equipment than your techno record.
The author also has a great understanding of the, in my opinion, wonderous and vibrant philosophical concepts that went into this music and scene, and emerged through and because of this music and scene both expected, intended and unexpected and unintended. I would love to go on about them but I will spare Amazon this forum.

Bad Points:
I am sad that this author thinks that ecstacy and many other drugs were so important to this movement. I found this element to make for more boring music and conversation. It was also a cause for tragedy.
I am disappointed that this author dismisses so much of the more "avant garde" elements that came out of this scene. He even, very wrongly, suggests that this side was not somehow as legitimatly rooted in the scene as a whole. This is complete nonsense.
In fact, 8 years after this book was published..when I bump into people I remember from this scene I get the following:
The big druggies are dead or crippled.
The main scene is declared "dead".
And..the avant garde is alive and blissfully unaware of their own reinvention in progress.

Wheather you are in the scene or just curious what all this stuff called "techno" is, this book is an indespensible resource. It reads not only as a "biography" of modern dance culture but in a way a manifesto or an epic history of the life of "dance music". Learn about our forefathers and treat yourself to stories of their genius. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Reynolds explores the roots of modern techno culture from first hand experiece. He reflects the point of view from both sides of the Atlantic not as an elated, hallucinigenic, always happy-go-lucky raver but as a music enthusiast (you'll read alot of comparisions to the punk uprising of the late 70's). While you will find alot of positive comments and anectodes in the book, it also explores the other "not-so-bright" side of electronic music. If you have been involved with the dance music scene for awhile, you will appreciate the unbiased and insightful tone of the writing, if you are new to the dance music scene or are just curious about what "the rave" is about, this is a must read.

Generation Ecstasy covered the breadth of electronic music history in great detail. Reynolds even throws in various anecdotes that, while being highly subjective, adequately illustrates the tacit qualities of actually participating in these events (as opposed to analyzing them from a distance).

Reynolds has a particular attachment to discussing how the label "progressive" or "intelligent" is an indication of music stepping away from the fringe. He clings to the idea that being on this frontier (hardcore, unrefined tracks), away from conventional musicality, is a good thing. While this is interesting and somewhat valid, I can't imagine that something this sweeping is universally true. I don't think it's this simple. Regardless, while reading this book be prepared to be confronted with this theme over and over again.

Reynolds also illustrates how drugs and electronic music go hand in hand. Alongside discussing an impressive amount of trivia such as track release, party dates, and other significant facts, he brings out the roles that different drugs play in the creation and appreciation of particular genres in different times and places.

All in all, it's a decent text if you are highly interested in the topic. The constant flurry of trivia makes it difficult to read for someone who simply wants to know what all this "rave" stuff is about.

Despite its limitations, this is still the best empirical book about the history of rave culture to date. Reynolds is an English dance music journalist who positions himself at the popular/danceable wing of the dance movement in contrast with its elitist/"intelligent" sections. (My sources in Ibiza/UK, though, tell me that he in fact belongs to London's clubbing elite...).

The bulk of the book consists of a long series of interweaved magazine articles that Reynolds published throughout the years. He describes dance music subgenres, artists/promoters/clubs, and how music changes. He also connects rave culture with the rise of harsh neoliberal capitalism in 1980s UK and US. However, Reynolds hyperventilates in excessive descriptions of sounds and theis effects in the communal experience of 'raving' that bonds the "generation ecstasy".

Despite the emphasis on musical descriptivism and on the British case, the book demonstrates how dance movement develops in general: in relation to the social tension between the underground and the mainstream, to the repressive action of the neoliberal state, and to the development of a global dance subculture: from the Second Summer of Love (1988) to what he aptly terms as "post-rave diaspora" (since 1997).

In the "post-rave diaspora", Reynolds notes that ecclectic experiments have gotten stuck in formal conventions of House, Techno and DnB, and that nobody knows where Techno movement will lead to. (As an example of this claim, see my review of album "Creamfield" by Paul Oakenfold).

Simon Reynolds writes as an enthusiast, not a critic. This is, nevertheless, the most intelligent, vivid, comprehensive book I have ever read about the ecstacy culture. I'm a fan of Reynolds' writing - I've actually read all of his works - all highly recommended. What is so special about this book is that it covers the music, the drug and the evolution of the culture with incredible energy and intimacy. I devoured the book. He is also a great writer - he writes sentences that are dense with meaning and really insightful turns of phrase - and every word demands to be read. I have recommended this book to several people and they have all enjoyed it thoroughly. Rather than saying something polite I'll just say "Big Up, geezer. Massive respect! Top stuff!!!!"

If you're interested in rave culture, if the music makes you jump - don't miss this one. It's seriously brilliant!!

Reynolds provides an highly-information, excruciatingly detailed view of the history of rave culture and techno music. It's a little indulgent at points with its vivid descriptions of track after track of gabba, jungle and hardcore hits but Reynolds addresses this with a somewhat interesting argument on his website. It hardly dives into any extensive or mind-numbing post-modern lit crit drivel as another reviewer has commented. The book would probably have doubled in size if this had been inserted. He does however intricately monitor the relationship between the music, the political and racial and national climates in which it developed and the drugs that its fans were running on while they listened.