From the cyberdesk of: Howard Berkey
quoted 12 lines issue #75 of Street Sound magazine lists their choice of top 50 techno> > issue #75 of Street Sound magazine lists their choice of top 50 techno
> > albums, here's the first 10:
> [...]
> > 9. Cabaret Voltaire - Micro-Phonies (1984)
>
> This choice is truly bizarre. It's a great album (especially the cd
> with the extra mix of "Sensoria") but #9 of all time? No way.
>
> Out of curiosity, did "Code" make the list too? I'd say that album is
> more or less the equivalent of "Twitch" by Ministry, and if the
> reviewers rated it on a "techno" list, I'd say it explains some of
> their other choices.
You need to go back and listen to "Always an Angel" (or whatever it is
actually called) again on _Twitch_. To not consider that a stellar example
of techno is to advertise ignorance. I think you discount Ministry because
of their later (mis)direction into noise/grunge. If one looks at the pre-
techno version of Ministry, one finds pure 70's disco roots. I'm not
defending Ministry, nor proposing I like all of what they've produced.
However, I don't find it all that unreasonable that _Twitch_ would show up
on a "techno" list, especially since Ministry is so much more well known
to the masses (washed and unwashed) than say Jam & Spoon or FSOL (looking
at albums sold). Also, I don't find it all that unusual that Micro-Phonies
appears on the list, either. What else from 1984 would you rank deserving of
a fairly high placement on an "all-time" list?
BTW, how did Art Of Noise fare on the list? How does the list shake out in
terms of "trendiness" vs. "mainstays". I wonder how much of the "all time"
list didn't exist before 3 years ago (1990). Separates the visionaries from
the "MTV buzz clip" artists, I think.
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Michael King mike%delta1@rex.cs.tulane.edu
Delta Systems
New Orleans, LA 70002-4938 Voice: 504.837.9835 Fax: 504.837.9838
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You can always tell a pioneer by the arrows in their back
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