Last Night a DJ Saved My Life : The History of the Disc Jockey [Leather Bound]

Bill; Broughton, Frank Brewster (Author)

Product Details

• Leather Bound
• Publisher: Grove/Atlantic, Incorporated (2000)
• ASIN: B000KXQYIO
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive--not techno obsessed, March 31, 2002

By 

P. Gunderson (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey (Paperback)

Frankly, I bought this book because I was interested in learning more about techno/trance DJs, and was initially disappointed by the relative dearth of discussion of current trends (a discussion of these comes only in the last quarter of this book). However, my disappointment turned into appreciation as I realized this book truly is a history of the DJ, from way back in the early 1900s to today. This history offers a vast amount of information about who the first DJ pioneers were, and it is divided up into sections on the first radio DJs, northern soul DJs, reggae, disco, rap, and--finally--techno.

The authors point out that they're not doing any academic, high-fallutin' theoretical study of the DJ, but I think they took this anti-academicism too far. The DJ is a fascinating figure because s/he challenges so many of Western culture's ideas about what constitutes "music" and what constitutes "artistry." This book could have been much enriched by delving into the ways the DJ changes how we think about music.

As it is, the history in this study is admirably exhaustive; but because it doesn't connect this history to a larger history of music and aesthetics, it sometimes becomes just exhausting.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dj's history book-house, hip hop, disco, northern soul, August 6, 2000

By 

"fredism" (chicago, il USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey (Paperback)

Coming across this book has been one of the most enlightening finds of my music loving life. I picked it up and read it in it's entirety in 2 days. It is a thorough history of the DJ and the music forms that DJ's have spawned since the advent of vinyl as a medium of auditory stimulation and satisfaction. Just the discography alone, a listing of the top fifty or hundred songs and artist on the playlists of fundamental dance floors (like The Roxy, Paradise Garage, Warehouse, and The Loft to name a few) makes this book worth its weight in gold. The history that this book attempts to recount isn't end all to be all, but it covers enough ground to satisfy even the most discriminating old club lover like myself. And even the most well versed club historian and afficionado will find something entertianing and educational within this books covers. I've bought three copies of this book, just to put some of my friends forever in my debt.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent history, remarkable research, August 13, 2000

By 

Eric Antonow (Palo Alto, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey (Paperback)

I've only gone through the sections on Chicago house music and am astonished by the detail collected on this low-profile era of dj history. Though I was only a young bystander. the authors managed to unearth the mythical names, long desolate locations, and key events of the day. WBMX Jams on Saturday and Sunday mornings going down to Maxwell street, where last night's pressings were available on too thin, recycled vinyl (sometimes with pieces of gym shoe in them). If they could discover this, I suspect the rest is as solid. Well written.