A-Z OF HEROES OF OUR TIME There are some people and some things that have reached legendary status amongst clubbers for one reason or another. Here is my tribute to those magnificent enough to have reached this level. Air – Have made beautiful, faultless music since the glorious partnership began. This French duo have set the soundtrack for the lives of clubbers the world over for years. Whether a stolen moment with a loved one or a blissful minute in time reminiscing about the past, Air’s music fits perfectly. Blue Monday – Probably the greatest record ever made. It has the ability to capture anyone who hears it, whoever they may be, and whatever their state of mind. You just don’t get records with this kind of power and emotion any more. Simple, and straight to the point. Cyber Kids – Cyber kids took over clubland in the 90s, yet as time has worn on more and more have turned their back on the look, most opting for newfound try hard status. A few still grace the likes of Crasher and paSSion from time to time, but sadly it appears to have all but run its course. DJ Shadow – An absolute legend. The man with the midas touch has scratched and sampled his way through some of the most emotive, spellbinding tracks ever produced. You only have to watch him live to get an idea of how hard he works. DJ Shadow is trip-hop. Ecstasy – Every weekend over a million ravers nation-wide stick two fingers up at how little the government knows and understands about this drug. But who cares?! As a community, we are having the time of our lives and experiencing highs they will never know. Spurned by the acid house phenomenon, ecstasy has confirmed its place in clubbing history. Ferry Corsten – Responsible for devastating, spine-chilling tunes under his various guises. Nobody seems to understand a dance-floor like Ferry. Whilst others seem to dwell on monotonous vocals, depressing riffs and overdone breakdowns, Ferry has championed a sound that leaves dance-floors happy and fulfilled. An irrepressible style and a fine young gentleman to boot. Grandmaster Flash – Early hip hop pioneer and DMC hall of famer, Flash is one of the most important men in the history of a culture that he helped to create. A true veteran who can still rip up dance-floors with his deck skills to this day. Howlett, Liam – At the forefront of a rave act known as ‘The Prodigy,’ Liam took the genre places it didn’t want to go and demolished dance-floor’s all over the globe in the process. Responsible for seminal anthem after anthem, his place in history is secured. Spends his time these days listening to Harry Potter audio cassettes with that one from All Saints. Apparently. Ibiza – A place where dreams are made. Beer boys and loose women aside, it’s still a remarkable place. Somewhere you have to go before you get too old to appreciate it in its entirety. Junior Sanchez – He’s been steadily building up a successful career as a top notch house DJ over the years. If you’ve ever witnessed one of his sets you will have been amazed at how technically sound this man is and how well he can read a crowd. His tune selection is second to none. A really, very special performer indeed. KLF – The story of James Cauty and Bill Drummond is as remarkable as it is unbelievable. Not only did they take on the music industry and win, but they’re bizarre, bewildering stunts and past activities and collaborations have secured their legendary status without ever truly thrusting the pair into the public eye for more than five minutes at a time. LTJ Bukem – Has been at the forefront of his game for years. One of the few true innovators. He has never sold and has never jeopardised the sound he’s pioneered for over a decade. To hear his productions is breathtaking, but to see him live with MC Conrad is something else. True respect. Moby – From techno don to musical maestro, this quirky little fella has been consistently excellent for years. Tear jerking, beautiful tracks sit snugly with monumental techno anthems in his back catalogue. Always calm and collected, every time he opens his mouth he seems to make perfect sense. Notorious B.I.G – Forget Tupac, Biggie is the true rap legend. Ready to Die is one of the greatest albums of all time, and his sharp, snappy style has always had mass appeal whilst never truly corssing over into the depths of sell-out territory. Oakenfold – In it right from the beginning, playing to thousands in abandoned warehouses all over the country. He was the first true superstar DJ and still manages to captivate audiences to this day. Through his label, Perfecto, he’s brought us some of trance’s finest moments. A lacklustre debut album shouldn’t tarnish an otherwise inspiring career. PaSSion – With the apparent demise of the super-club in full swing, there is one club in the UK that can boast an unrivalled atmosphere, in a truly remarkable venue. Coalville’s PaSSion is the best night in the country, and people flock from all over to stomp it out at this truly magnificent spectacle. Qbert – The best sxratch DJ in the world. He has done more for his culture than anyone else could ever claim to have done for theirs. With more than 15 years experience, the one time member of the legendary Invisbl Skratch Piklz never fails to amaze crowds and geeks alike with his immense talent. Keeping a low profile for the last few years to work on a new style, once he emerges again it will revolutionise the scracth DJ culture the world over. Rappers Delight – The first true hip hop track, with rhymes you could decypher and a simple, sampled beat that everyone nods their head to. It’s a timeless classic by a group of real hip hop legends. Back in the late 70s, it wasn’t so much about drugs, guns and hoes. The culture had a much warmer vibe that has sadly been lost as hip hop has descended into somewhat of a downward spiral. Shy FX – Calls of ‘sell out’ have followed Shy wherever he’s gone recently, but you only have to look at what this man has done for drum ‘n’ bass to realise that he is nothing of the sort. A well respected DJ and awesome producer, Shy’s new sound is representative of his versatility, and he’s the one who has got the ladies interested in drum ‘n’ bass once again. Technics – Without the trusty 12s as the ones and twos of a generation, things would have turned quite different. Trusty, solid and indestructible, they set the benchmark that no other manufacturer has been able to match, and the new Mark 5’s are jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Urban Takeover – Although Aphrodite’s work has perhaps tailed off a little recently, becoming a little formulaic, the contribution this pair have made to the drum 'n’ bass scene over the years is almost unparalleled. These two have made anthem after anthem and delivered some of the greatest DJ sets ever witnessed. Let’s hope they can regain some of that old magic. Valley of the shadows – A benchmark in drum ‘n’ bass history. A timeless classic that transcended the boundaries between hardcore and drum ‘n’ bass. It sounds absolutely perfect and has destroyed dance-floor after dance-floor for a good ten years. Origin Unknown has come to be a name you expect quality from. True innovators. Westwood – He gets slated all the time, but he is the most powerful man in UK hiphop. Occasionally he has misused this power, but surely the vast good he has done for the scene outweighs the bad. A real character, and he knows how to throw a party. X-Men/Xecutioners – Hugely popular American scratch DJ collective that consists of some of the most consistently creative minds in the scene. Some of the best routines have come from this group of characters. Respected the world over, their skills bedazzle crowds time after time. Yorke, Thom – Radiohead have undoubtedly set the comedown soundtrack for millions of clubbers the world over. The depressingly glazed mood that a Radiohead album brings is always good for reminiscing about life and everything it stands for. Too much at a time will make you want to slit your wrists, but just enough should leave you heart-warmingly satisfied. Zebadee – Bizarre little fella with a spring for legs. Has a magic moustache and spent his time with the other little rascals on the magic roundabout. You don’t get moments more bewildering than watching the magic roundabout. Truly one to watch and confuse the hell out of yourself at six in the morning. Home > Features > ^top