IDM Mailing Archive

Hi Folks, A few recent postings have mentioned the fact that all RePHLeX and most Warp releases get analysed to death on this list and have bemoaned this fact 'cos it seems like other worthy labels aren't getting the attention they deserve. Well, hey, I see the point but there are some factors that anyone concerned should take into account. Firstly, this list is not a magazine that has a limited amount of space, deadlines and advertising. If you want to see threads regarding other IDM issues then start 'em off. That long history-of-Spooky post we got the other day was excellent, just the sort of thing that gets me interested and trotting off into town. Secondly, I guess a fair few people on this list are, like me, students or in crummy computer based jobs (who else has unlimited access to the net and the time to goof about writing this kind of thing?). This means that there is not much disposable income floating about and each purchase must really count. For most IDMers it seems that Warp and RePHLeX hit the spot more often than not and therefore can be trusted with what little cash there is. Hence the discussion. For example, this week I only have enough to buy 'Valley of the Spirits' on one format so I need to know what it should be. Thirdly, both Warp (via Greg) and RePHLeX (via Grant) have an 'official' presence on this list. They provide a target we can whinge and throw praise at and details that we can froth at the mouth over. If you want to get, say, Plink Plonk or Reflective discussed in the same way maybe you should encourage Mr. C and Jonah to speak up. Love and kisses, Rob ;-) P.S. Charlie May of Spooky eats nothing but raw fruit and vegetables and his father is an admiral in the British navy. Spooky indeed...

R.W. HAYLER wrote on Thu, 08 Aug 96 10:52:45 BST :

quoted 9 lines Hi Folks,

> > Hi Folks, > > A few recent postings have mentioned the fact that all RePHLeX and > most Warp releases get analysed to death on this list and have > bemoaned this fact 'cos it seems like other worthy labels aren't > getting the attention they deserve. Well, hey, I see the point but > there are some factors that anyone concerned should take into > account.

etc. Good points which make sense. However there are 2 points which you omit, both of which are significant at least from a historical point of view. 1. As I understand it, Alan was originally going to set up an Aphex Twin list until he decided to expand its scope. As you know The Aphex Twin records primarily for Rephlex (he half owns it) and er... Warp. 2. The list's name is derived from the "Artificial Intelligence" moniker invented by WARP. See the idm intro piece for further info. So in effect Rephlex and WARP between them effectively define the subject matter of the list, and in fact the list would not exist in the form we know it were it not for them. Furthermore WARP, Rephlex and their respective artists consistently top polls on the IDM list. OK it's beginning to become a circular argument, but it's true; I would say many people are attracted here precisely _because_ we like and talk about these labels (see "what else would I like" posts passim.). That's not to say that other labels etc are merely peripheral or incidental, far from it, simply that WARP and Rephlex, for better or worse, truly do lie at the epicentre of our little "idm" universe. now, where did that Buck's Fizz discography get to...? :-) J ^ __________ ________.__/_____ _||_/ James Skilton aka Steady J _[]/_____________[.__\____-_ DJ and Party Animal | | Part Time Hedonist |____________________________| Full Time Technohead |__|-' '-|__| Steady-J@Firefox.co.uk Autechre and SKAM discogs: http://subnet.virtual-pc.com/~sk393820/

I wrote:

quoted 5 lines 2. The list's name is derived from the "Artificial Intelligence" moniker

>2. The list's name is derived from the "Artificial Intelligence" moniker >invented by WARP. See the idm intro piece for further info. >So in effect Rephlex and WARP between them effectively define the subject >matter of the list, and in fact the list would not exist in the form we = >know it were it not for them.

and greg responded:

quoted 10 lines Ack ack No NO!!

> Ack ack No NO!! > > This is probably the most misunderstood thing about Warp. All > Artificial Intelligence refered to was the computer/electronic > nature > of the music. It had ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with the alleged > "intelligence" of the music. > > Alas and alack AI became synonymous with the so-called intelligent > techno movement.

Mm yeah, I can get with that; But did "intelligent techno" even exist as a term before WARPs Ai series had been launched? I think perhaps not. (Correct me if I'm wrong anybody) Of course, it's not WARPs fault if their terminology was hijacked and incorrectly interpreted, but so be it.

quoted 3 lines It is simulataneously annoying and flattering that people seem to

> It is simulataneously annoying and flattering that people seem to > talk > solely about Warp/Rephlex.

Greg, you are in the interesting (and unique in present company) position of being formerly a fan, and now an employee of WARP. A year ago you wouldn't have been in the position to even make that statement, or at least not the "flattering" part, and as the unofficial WARP discographer, surely WARP was not an "annoying" subject.? anyway, let's hear it for stupid techno everybody... Bang bang bang :) J ^ __________ ________.__/_____ _||_/ James Skilton aka Steady J _[]/_____________[.__\____-_ DJ and Party Animal | | Part Time Hedonist |____________________________| Full Time Technohead |__|-' '-|__| Steady-J@Firefox.co.uk Autechre and SKAM discogs: http://subnet.virtual-pc.com/~sk393820/

On Thu, 08 Aug 96 18:41:29 +0100 (BST), you wrote:

quoted 9 lines It is simulataneously annoying and flattering that people seem to

>> It is simulataneously annoying and flattering that people seem to >> talk >> solely about Warp/Rephlex. > >Greg, you are in the interesting (and unique in present company) position of >being formerly a fan, and now an employee of WARP. A year ago you wouldn't >have been in the position to even make that statement, or at least not the >"flattering" part, and as the unofficial WARP discographer, surely WARP was >not an "annoying" subject.?

Course it's not annoying, WARP is ace! :) But in the same way that eating Doubledeckers all day is bad for you so is listening only to Warp/Rephlex. You'd never discover how good Fruits of the Forest Soleros are. ... there is a danger that people will brainwashed into thinking Warp/Rephlex is good - whether they *really* like the music or not, in the same way that the Radio 1 / Musik / Mixmag triopoly brainwash people into buying Perfecto/Chemical Bros/Leftfield/Underworld/Goldie, simply because everyone they seem to talk about nothing else. g.

On Fri, 9 Aug 1996, g3 wrote:

quoted 1 line Perfecto/Chemical Bros/Leftfield/Underworld/Goldie,

> Perfecto/Chemical Bros/Leftfield/Underworld/Goldie,

Bollocks! Everyone who has a taste for "Muzik" knows the two on the ends are shite. Although the middle three are quite tasty. Chemical Brothers single to come out on Warp? Listen to the remix of Republica's "Out of this World" (if you can find one). You'll be converted for ever to a fan of Dust!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! on now: Method Man (chemical bros. remix) _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- J A M E S B E N J A M I N G I L L U N F O R T U N A T E L Y L I V I N G I N A R I Z O N A J G I L L @ U . A R I Z O N A . E D U tim taylor is coming to phoenix!! da bomb -- 8/30 ?? -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

d-i-s-t-r-i-b-u-t-i-o-n. paul.

Hi Folks (and James in particular), In addition to my earlier post and the good points James just raised about historical perspective and the self-perpetuating nature of the discussion of these two labels I would like to make one last point before signing off and letting others gnaw on this one. Though I hate to admit it these two labels, more than any others I can think of, encourage that behaviour known as trainspotting. Aside from any musical content: both now have a healthy catalogue and history to immerse yourself in, both have cool packaging: sometimes generic which appeals to the trainspotter, sometimes really unusual which (perversely) also appeals, both have an aura of cool and mystique that trainspotters (ok I admit it I am one) lap up and which can cause debate to get focussed on the smallest detail. I doubt whether Grant, Richard, Rob or Steve pictured any of this frothing when they started out but now they are saddled with it. Seeing as this list is an extremely fast and detailed information exchange I don't think it is at all surprising (or avoidable) that Rephlex and Warp command so much bandwidth. As for Bucks Fizz James... Have you heard the Kosmik Kommando remix of 'Making Your Mind Up'? It's the shit! love and kisses, Rob ;-)