Customer Reviews

Techno Rebels: The Renegades of Electronic Funk

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I think the reviewer above who complains about Sicko's lack of information on hardcore and trance has somewhat missed the point. This book exists, as the author stated above, to show the ignorant American that techno was, in fact, a music indigenous to his/her country. Techno isn't trance and it isn't hardcore. If you want to read about trance there's all too many books. If you want to read about techno there are very few. All credit to Sicko for trying to rectify that.

Techno Rebels has its facts right, but beyond the content it's incredibly well-written. So the facts come alive -- you come to understand the personalities and philosophies of a youth movement out of Detroit, and it's compelling to see that movement expand throughout the world. This book gives a story and a soul to music so often charactarized as "mechanical" or "artificial." I highly recommend this to fans not only of techno, but anyone interested in any kind of music, movement, or the evolution of a culture.

As a book on the artists behind techno, Sicko's work is quite good. It is packed with names, dates, albums, tunes, clubs, and so forth, as one would expect from a music journalist. But as a work on techno, the art, I found the book to have some glaring holes. He does not discuss the technology of techno, he does not discuss the techniques developed by techno artists, and he does not really explore the question of what really aesthetically distinguishes techno from other music forms (I would expect a chapter devoted to each subject). But this book did not set out to answer these questions, I don't think -- an indication perhaps that the critical thinking on techno is still in its infancy.

Dan Sicko deserves credit here for being the first person to attempt to put together a definitive history of techno as a musical genre. Being from Detroit, his strength is his encyclopedic knowledge of the evolution of the techno scene in the Motor City. Although the ultimate relevance of some of the early material about dance parties and such is never adequately explained, Sicko reveals the early development of Detroit techno skillfully and thoroughly.

For some other aspects of the history of techno, perhaps a second book by someone else will be necessary. For one thing, once Sicko reaches the point in his narrative where techno becomes a "world-wide" phenomenon, his survey of its proliferation and evolution is sketchy at best, and misleading and partial at worst. With the exception of some acknowledgment of the seventies techno-pop act Kraftwork, he shortchanges throughout the significant contributions by Germans (e.g., no mention of Sven Vath, Paul van Dyk, or Oliver Lieb, and in his discussion of current and future directions in techno, including offshoots into new musical genres, some unknown artists (undoubtedly of Sicko's acquaintance) are featured prominently, whereas important styles such as trance and progressive house are ignored completely.

He also has difficulty conveying what the music is actually like. I realize that expressing the essence of one artistic medium in terms of another is difficult, but someone who has never heard techno would finish the book with no clearer idea of what "techno" actually is than when he or she started. Exactly what techno fans "listen for" in this music and the role that techno plays within their lives/subculture are also important, but never discussed adequately.

Still, Sicko is a pioneer here, and deserves credit for what he accomplished in this first attempt at a "history of techno."

This book is very decent. It definitely tracks the growth of the techno scene and genre in America very well, especially for the techno enthusiast.
This book is NOT, however necessarily appropriate for the person who thinks "techno" means everything electronic. Techno is a specific genre of electronic music that does NOT include trance, hardcore, jungle/d'n'b, or whichever other genres people have been complaining about the lack of in this book. If you note the author's review, he clearly states that the book is first and foremost a chronicle of American techno music.

Sicko's coverage of Early techno and it's developments
is both thorough and entertaining. The subject matter is extremely ambitious, and yet he pulls it off.
A good painting of 80's subculture in terms of its social and musical aspects. Perhaps the best part of the book is the "Discography" at the end in which he lists scores of techno records with the artist, date, label, and availability.

This book is very decent. It definitely tracks the growth of the techno scene and genre in America very well, especially for the techno enthusiast.
This book is NOT, however necessarily appropriate for the person who thinks "techno" means everything electronic. Techno is a specific genre of electronic music that does NOT include trance, hardcore, jungle/d'n'b, or whichever other genres people have been complaining about the lack of in this book. If you note the author's review, he clearly states that the book is first and foremost a chronicle of American techno music.
Good Job Mr. Sicko!

Techno has revised what can be defined as music to much of the country. "Techno Rebels: The Renegades of Electronic Funk" is an updated second edition of the book that discusses Detroit's role in the foundation of techno and electronica, expanding on the history and the major figures who took this genre and made it their own, pioneering their own brand of music. "Techno Rebels" is a must for anyone interested in music history and for community library music collections.

Fantastic book!

Don't listen to the dude who complained about the fact that the "German contribution" was not paid attention to. The guys he mentioned: Oliver Lieb, Sven Vath and Paul Van Dyck have absolutely nothing to do with Detroit techno. They are to Detroit techno as Kenny G is to jazz. Inconsequential! The Germans who must be given credit are given their dues: Kraftwerk.

The book fleshes out all the main players. This is an honest look at the 313 scene.

Great book.

though admitedly flawed and incomplete in ways pointed out below, sicko's book is still, somewhat unfortunately, the best written historical document of the conception and evolution of what "those who know" call techno music. i still reference my trusty, dog-eared copy quite often all these years later. it's a pity that some type of compilation cd couldn't have been included with the book--that would solve some of the problems mentioned below. perhaps a new edition is in order?? props to dan sicko.