You know how…

…you’re about to blow $200 on records because you don’t laptop DJ (because you’re not mixing when your beat matching is done by a program) and then you realize, wait, no one in Jax gives two squirts of piss about underground electronic dance music.

No, you probably don’t.

Because underground EDM in Jax is Borgore, Steve Aoki, and people who wear costumes on stage to make up for the lack of artistic merit in their productions. Among others who aren’t worth the space.

SO… rather than steal those files from the torrent site du jour, let me buy some of the finest EDM in the world (not just by my standards) only to use it sparingly as there are no venues to support this style (save for ArtWalk and the occasional house party).

I’d like to agree with others when they parrot how great our city is for EDM but if you’ve been in this game more than 5 or 10 or 20 years, you’ll know: it was more diverse before this. I didn’t have to drive 360 miles or more to see the world’s finest acts. Now, those acts hardly step foot in this country, never mind this town. They don’t have to. They know the US is a trash can for club culture. Don’t compare Jax to even Orlando. The right-wing ethos still looms here and some of these guys are actually EDM DJs. How you can be an EDM DJ and vote straight-ticket GOP is beyond me.

I’m calling for a more global awareness of what real rave culture is.

The knowledge is out there for you to find.

Our scene is not “great” when the choices are between the trap-nastiest or moombahcomplextrocore EDM based in rock and hip-hop. Or Top 40 remixes. Or bars shared with cover bands.

Don’t piss on my boots and tell me it’s raining.

The monthly drum and bass night doesn’t get supported. While it rules Europe, techno is basically non-existent here. Real trance is not 128 BPM tracks with staccato 16th-note drops. House around here could be less provincial as it’s been around for 29 years and all. Aside from two DJs in Jax who buy new vinyl, everyone’s still carting out the best wax of 2002. This is party music for fair-weathered friends who will not cultivate this scene. Who don’t care about the music. Through the years those people have come and gone, leaving their detritus, adding nothing to the global rave counterculture.

Clubs don’t even supply suitable equipment anymore (we won’t name names) and forget it if you think they will promote the night. And to the unnamed club we recently played at with no monitors: the DJs deserve better than a plywood DJ booth. Especially when we lug 1200s and mixers and more. I know everyone in 2013 only has their bank balance in mind but this is not the underground spirit that will push Jax forward.

Money was once less important.

Finally, there are more DJs than ever before in Jax and this scene has always been alpha-male dominated. I now get other DJs telling me that some of these cats refuse to support a night unless they are booked to play. Real mature. That really does the scene a favor. Now I know when people say PLUR, it’s not just a catchphrase. They really mean the ‘unity’ and ‘respect’ part.

The best example I can give (forgive me for mentioning sports) is the way the Jags played today. That team is our EDM scene compared to the world. Don’t play yourself into thinking otherwise. When you know better, you’ll do better.

Now let’s do better.

Like we used to.

The pic up top is from the new Cocoon Compilation M. It is available on 6xLP+CD, CD and digital formats and can be sampled here.

This is the brand-spankin’ new Cocoon 100 comp. It is out on 3xLP+2xCD+slipmats, 2xCD and digital formats and can be sampled here.

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