Music articles

I’ve chucked up a few old music articles that I wrote years ago. Hardcore you know the score was written for Anorak. And the (rose-tinted) History of Dublin Clubbing was written for DUBfly. Actually they’re both fairly rose tinted. And there’s my thesis on acoustic phenomena.

32 Comments
  • Reply Gardenhead

    October 8, 2008, 9:04 pm

    You were right about your post John, it’s about as succinct and complete a history of the genre as someone could wish for.

  • Reply John Braine

    November 3, 2008, 2:39 am

    Shit I just remembered that I forgot to reply to this. Thanks for the comment. But I was only joking of course! Give me Energy Flash any day!

    Cheers!
    J.

  • Reply Barry

    December 2, 2008, 3:26 pm

    Hi John, I read your article on History of Dublin Clubbing. Its great to read about the good memories. I was a bit dissapointed that I didnt get a mention as I was DJing in nearly all sections of the article, Including a member of the DFC. Anyway if you would like a quick preview of my Djing Life thus far check out http://www.myspace.com/djlatinwolff . Cheers, Baz

  • Reply John Braine

    December 2, 2008, 10:30 pm

    Woah the Latin Wolf! now that’s a blast from the past. Great to hear from guys like you; Matt from Bumble was in touch just recently too.

    I can’t believe I didn’t mention you either. I listened to The Sweat Box religiously and always remember your name being mentioned and your mixes being played. I’ve just amended the version on my site to include you.

    Sure I had to leave LOADS of stuff out of the original article anyway, the word limit was very small.

    All the best!
    J.

  • Reply Anonymous

    January 4, 2009, 4:08 am

    Quit your whining Latinwolff, you got a mention in the article. Rightly deserved too. I was kicking myself watching you be the first DJ in Dublin to sync mix live using three decks simultaneously. I think it was some event in the Mansion House. You were one of the few DJs back then who could actually mix!
    Thanks John, for the great article – quite a trip down memory lane. Can’t believe I now have one of those old flyers with my name on it.
    – John (formerly known as DJ Bass) (on MySpace as JohnO’C)

  • Reply dc

    January 6, 2009, 3:51 pm

    Ilived in Dublin in the Sixties! im an Artist and back then I done the Interior of a lot of Clubs and Botiques and Pubs in the Centre of Dub ,the Go Go ,the Moulin Rough,the Count -Down the Scien,the Carolin in Dun Leri..ect ect,i used to hang out in the Baily as did all the Hips at the time!

  • Reply John Braine

    January 7, 2009, 5:58 pm

    Hey John/Bass great to hear from you too! I’m sure there’s plenty of flyers floating ’round with your name on it. I think Francois has a load of old flyers.

    Thanks for the feedback on the article. Just realised its now 9 years old, so the article itself has joined the old skool ranks.

  • Reply John Braine

    January 7, 2009, 6:00 pm

    Hi DC. That’s interesting. I’m sure I’ve probably admired your work at some stage.

    Cheers
    J.

  • Reply g

    August 12, 2009, 5:21 pm

    what about NR GEX 1 AKA MICK WALSH 3 DECKS TRY 4

    • Reply admin

      August 12, 2009, 6:22 pm

      Hi G.

      I appreciate Mick Walsh made a huge contribution – he get’s mentioned in the comments etc a lot but I had a major word limit on the original article. Was only for a little zine. And it was from my own personal experience. There was LOADs I didn’t mention. In fact I didn’t even get to mention any of that second wave of Sides DJs.

  • Reply mike jones

    January 30, 2010, 11:41 pm

    Were did you get your info!! its all over the place, by the looks of things you didn’t go clubbing in Dublin, from reading your article, or who ever gave you your info didn’t like one or two DJs and i think you know who they are, the two of them were resident at Asylum and sides. also you mention “the legendary G1s” i wonder who were the DJs there?????? only the same to guys that didn’t get a look in. And by the way, what was the second wave of sides DJs.

    • Reply John

      February 3, 2010, 2:30 pm

      No you’ve got it backwards, it was totally written from a personal perspective, and exactly why it doesn’t have your favourite djs in there. Yeah I wasn’t a big fan of sides in it’s last few years, big deal. I left out a lot of people… was only a little article in a little magazine… wasn’t supposed to be comprehensive who’s who.

  • Reply annmarie

    March 8, 2010, 8:12 am

    hey, love ur page but u didnt mention clubs like tinpin alley, subtaranien (on parnell st) and the temple theatre witch were great spots …. if any one knows were i cant get any orbit, pressure, mark kavna, dilly etc tunes plz email me and id love the ‘end of an era’ the last night in the asylum i had it on tape [email protected]

  • Reply Gill

    April 19, 2010, 11:22 am

    Hi John,

    I’m researching a college music assignment and came across your ‘History of Dublin Clubbing’ article. It was really helpful, cheers! I was hoping I could maybe pick your brain a little more about it. Any chance you could email me? Would really appreciate it. Thanks!

  • Reply Colm

    September 2, 2010, 11:05 am

    Hi John

    Just came across this and enjoyed reading it. Small correction – I helped to promote and DJ at Voodoo in McGonagles between 1988 -1990. Your description of the music policy is way off the mark. What did get played was upfront Hip Hop, House and Rare Grooves. I doubt that a cast of guest DJs that included Norman Jay, Gilles Peterson, Coldcut, Soul 11 Soul, Jay Strongman, Dave Dorrell, Mike Pickering, Jasper the Vinyl junkie and many more would have had much time for indie and balearic not that there is anything wrong with that sort of thing. Oisin Lunny and DJ Mek who went on to form Marxman and Scary Eire both did warm up slots. Popped into Sides many a time and anytime that I did it seemed to play a lot of commercial dance music but maybe that was on the nights I went.

    • Reply - John (formerly known as DJ Bass)

      September 7, 2010, 12:00 pm

      Colm,
      I remember being at Voodoo the night Dave Dorell (M/A/R/R/S) played. Had him sign my copy of ‘Pump Up The Volume’ for me.
      Thanks for the great work back then!

    • Reply John

      September 7, 2010, 12:23 pm

      Hi Colm. Thanks for the feedback. I think I was possibly in McGonagles before it became Voodoo and that’s one club where I got some info off someone else – looking at it again I think I might have got the music policy between Voodoo and McGonagles-Pre- Vodoo mixed up a bit.

      Not exactly something I want to keep editing but that does seem like a bit of a clanger and have just amended it.

      Cheers!

  • Reply Colm

    September 8, 2010, 3:42 pm

    No problem John. There is a good book or documentary to be done on the Dublin club scene. As far as I can remember Smiley Bolger (another Dublin legend!)was promoting the Saturday nights in McGons before Club Sandino and Voodoo moved in on alternative Saturday nights. The owner Bill Fuller asked me to promote his Saturday nights in the Electric Ballroom in Camden so I moved over to London in 1990 to DJ the night with Jay Strongman. Happy days but I’m to old for all that nonsense now!

  • Reply Colm

    September 8, 2010, 3:50 pm

    John (formerly known as DJ Bass)I am glad you enjoyed the nights. Dave came over and DJed for us twice. What knocked me out about all these (some of them already superstar) DJs was how they entered the spirit of things. To keep costs down (4 quid entry) they either slept on my couch or stayed in a cheap B&B. I still remember walking up Sth Annes St with Gilles Peterson and he looked at the huge queue and went what club is that for? They were all knocked out by the enthusiasm of the Voodoo crowd.

  • Reply Liam Rabbitt

    November 1, 2010, 11:53 pm

    Mmm ok do none of you rember Tumbling Cross Dance experance ? !st rave held in Olympia Ballroom ? Any way I was involved in a lot of rave as the Irish agent for turbososund and desging the system venue, Layout Sound and lighting.
    Ok The System )))) were having a reunion http://thesystemreunion.com for details as for Ollie Dowling Might have a number for him. Great to read all of above. Keep it up

  • Reply Simon

    June 27, 2011, 11:09 am

    i could relate to alot of your article as i was regular visitor to some of the named nights/venue”s but the one thing i cant relate to is how Pat hyland & Mick Walsh didnt get a mention anywhere since they were the inovators & DJ”d most of clubs that u mention.They were the main men…!!

    • Reply John

      September 6, 2011, 11:48 am

      Hey Simon – people keep pointing that out, it was written from my own personal preferences and memories. Maybe it shouldn’t be titled “A History of Dublin Clubbing”. I know Pat Hyland and Mick Walsh made a massive contribution to the Dublin Dance scene, but for me personally not as much as the others I had space to mention.

  • Reply variations on a dylan

    February 10, 2012, 5:21 pm

    im just a punter tbh, and i found your artical really enjoyable. Im not going to ANALise the finer details regarding music policy and the geneology of the movement because most nights where a halucinegenic blur of which i did well to make it home from.

    loved the article m8, i really miss those days.

  • Reply BeenThere

    April 20, 2014, 7:51 am

    I was there the night Tony Gregory came to the Mansion House – I worked for the promoter and I was fucking surprised all of those knobs didn’t realize everybody was so HIGH – I mean when was an event in Dublin hassle free unless a shit load of drugs was involved. It was an amazing time in Dublin culture but also a very sad time – I remember a 14 year old kid telling me that this was the best they could ever expect – the high didn’t last very long – and once experienced was never replicated – the buzz was a once only event – no amount of white doves would suffice! Been there – done that – wore the fuckin t-shirt!

  • Reply 2DaCore

    May 1, 2014, 2:03 pm

    Great article – got the memories flooding back. Thank you.

    As a synth freak – the hoover sound was actually the “What The….!” preset on the Roland Alpha Juno 2. Saw wave & square wave plus sub octave, Pitch envelope 1 Octave, plus Chorus (detune) : )

  • Reply Paula

    June 22, 2018, 12:48 pm

    A great trip down memory land.

    Just to note, it was John Nolan (not John Murphy) ran SIDES nightclub. John lived in Crampton Buildings in Temple Bar at the same time I did. To my memory, while it was as you say a gay club it was mainstream, except for I think it was Tuesdays, when they liked to keep it exclusively gay.

    Thanks for the memories!

  • Reply

    November 15, 2021, 4:32 pm

    Ahhhh the nostalgia. Wasn’t up on many of the details at the time, was just happy to be immersed in the feel of those nights. Underage for most of them, oops. Time to pull out my flyer collection – it doesn’t cover the earlier stuff, but fun to have even so.

    Thank you for the articles.

  • Reply Rory Stokes

    April 30, 2023, 7:32 pm

    Myself (Rory Stokes) aka DJ Rory Boyee & Marcus O’Neill formed Sunrise Ireland & started the raves in the Olympic Ballroom. After a disagreement with owner Liam Ryan we moved to the Mansion House. Before all that we had an Acid House Rave in the Point (3 Arena) called dance Crazy & we also put n James Brown in the same venue

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