A thought and attempt for debate on the rise of dubstep...

[Suchthefool]

This stoned thought says the catalyst to dubstep's global success was due to mephedrone becoming so popular with everyone in the UK.

Discuss.

my answer:
I completely believe it because most of the people who are into dubstep it is the first form of 'real' dance music they've really been into. Obviously drugs come into play at places that play music like dubstep. So when the kids who were trying mephedrone for the first time realised somewhere like oceana is not a fun place to take drugs like mephedrone, the nights that all their mates are going to will be playing dance music and because dubstep was this whole new genre a lot of places wanted to plug it as the scene was growing rapidly. The music changed completely to cater for a whole new crowd and at exactly the same time when mephedrone was legal and being used more commonly. The old music was fun for weed and ketamine and even mdma. Didn't want anything too speedy. But then mdma dried up for a while and there was mephedrone to fill in for many people and for most others it was their first experience of something like this.

Anyone who is high on mephedrone can definitely find a genre like the new dubstep very appealing due to the structure of the music. So then it became cool to like dubstep, and for many it was teaching a younger generation about dance music that many of them didn't know. The idea of sound quality became an issue (not always) but because more people were craving soundsystems that can play dubstep well, more people who weren't taking drugs and going to dubstep nights were at least starting to hear dubstep on soundsystems that make it sound like how it should be heard. So now a whole generation has access to understand the appeal of dance music to people. Most people used to listen to music on their phones, laptop speakers or some small stereo ones and dance music sounds pants on something that can't produce the right frequencies.

So starting from peoples curiosity to try this 'mental legal drug' the media was talking about, it moved them onto going to places were it will be fun to take the drug. And then it progressed from there by creating a whole new market in the dance music scene and once it becomes popular here it's set to go international. It's now the biggest dance music genre on the planet behind house. The massive pop stars are wanting in now too. Rusko produced Britney's album.....

So if you like dubstep how it is today.... thank mephedrone. My (rambled) 2p. lol

 

[Myshkin]

Maybe EMD would have been the natural choice for this one, but we'll see.

You've offered some interesting opinions there and it's something you've obviously thought a lot about. I'm afraid that since I've only encountered dubstep a couple of times a few years back (and I generally don't listen to anything played in clubs outside of that environment, and these days rarely even venture out of my 'disco sucks' hipster circles) so I've got no insight to offer. Beyond maybe the fact that every rigid or semi-rigid musical style tends to take the same trajectory.

From the delta blues to indie rock to acid house, all of them got tired and after phases of great creativity and inventiveness and eventually died a death. Usually things gravitate towards the lowest common denominator when they get popular. It's the way it goes.

 

[Public//Enemy]

I Disagree.

Ketamine = dubstep.

No rythm and the beat is always off. Wonk Wonk music. For those that cant dance blame it on the music. Or the drugs in this case lol.

 

[rakketakke]

All drugs are used at raves over here... Are you referring to that high-tone filth bullshit? Music will continue to grow no matter if some kiddies want to use mephedrone 8)

I'd say ketamine fueled the wobble madness.

 

[Suchthefool]

Well I thought it would be more interesting here to see how other people in the UK saw the rise of dubstep. I remember going to dubstep nights when there was only 2 regular nights in london and almost the world! Dubstep is different from other popular genre's that rose. This is the first time where people who are making music in their room are now getting recognition in the mainstream. It's also I think made drugs more popular and acceptable for a younger generation. I suppose the same happened with acid house but it didn't have the internet for worldwide promotion and the ability for nearly anyone to produce music in their own bedroom.

Edit: also to those saying ketmine is more the one... i would agree with you with the old stuff but the new stuff is reminicant of mephedrone for me. Mephedrone makes me feel and want to be reallly filthy (my internet history after a night out can vouch for that) and when you've got music that's (meant to be) 'filthy', it just goes hand in hand imo. Ketamine was around before and never properly exploded until the kids started doing mephedrone, everyone i knew at uni who was new to drugs got into other drugs because they liked mephedrone.

 

[mattnotrik]

I think what your saying is pretty true, right at the rise of mephedrone dubstep really took off, and you knew about 95% of the whole club was on it, you could smell it as soon as you walked in lol I remember going to the newly opened "Fac 251" and on the way to town I got asked about 5-6 times if I wanted to buy any mcat, this was one pretty much everyone had it because it was dirt cheap and it was so pure, I even started going to dubstep nights etc but for some reason I cant stand the music now.... But alot of people whod have never tried drugs before were buzzing of mcat and then it opened the doors for everything else I guess

 

[Myshkin]

This is the first time where people who are making music in their room are now getting recognition in the mainstream. It's also I think made drugs more popular and acceptable for a younger generation. I suppose the same happened with acid house but it didn't have the internet for worldwide promotion and the ability for nearly anyone to produce music in their own bedroom.

You're right about the internet and the ease of producing and distributing music, though from my experience of the effect that's had on the scene I'm on the fringes of, that's not necessarily been a massive force for good in terms of the quality of output. Then again I'm a cynical bastard who stopped listening to new music in 1999.

Ultimately I believe in the idea, not least because the music business is horrible.

 

[Suchthefool]

Here's a link to download a mix of what today's dubstep sounds like (also sparked my thought and is actually changing me round a little bit to the 'new' dubstep):

http://dnbshare.com/download/Excision_-_Shambhala_Mix_2011.mp3.html (small parts of it is pure gash though)

Anyone who's taken mephedrone and isn't an old cynic (like samhaingrim ) would feel this complimented the intense rush and buzz you get from it. They're both something to go mental to.

 

[Jabberwocky]

i dunno.

in bristol at least, it was getting massive before mephedrone kicked off big time. or that was what i was lead to believe by my housemates, who were pretty involved. so if it kicked off there without mephedrone, i could envision it kicking off elsewhere without it.

haha do totally get you on the needing filthy music for it- but again thats a matter of perception, most heavy music will suit me fine and the song fuck the pain away drives me wild. dubstep is def good for it too.

as for being the first time musicians can make stuff in their bedrooms and get known world wide, erm, DIY punk? been going a lot longer, doesn't have the same hit rate no doubt but acheived global audiences without the internet.

 

[Myshkin]

There's been DIY music since the early seventies at least, but as for it reaching a truly 'global audience' I'm not too sure.

Maybe pockets of hardcore scenesters across the globe but certainly nothing that allowed the artist to make a comfortable living. Black Flag had to tour in a run-down van and sleep on floors even though they were touring Europe (a big thing for US punk bands) and had a massive cult following. It was almost impossible to buy their records in some parts of the US. Even massive indie labels like Creation nearly went bankrupt on several occasions. Unless you were determined to stay underground and treat it like a hobby or a labour of love then the old music industry wasn't really suited to anything outside of a mainstream defined largely by itself. There were 'alternative' scenes but they struggled until they were co-opted by the mainstream.

People forget that distribution historically had a massive impact on what was heard and what was accessible. The internet has at least cut out that particular business element to some extent.

 

[ponch]

I don't really think mephedrone solely increased the popularity of dubstep, I think it created a bit of a resurgence in dance music as a whole.

I'd main impact on dubstep becoming so big is pretty much media led, people wanting to get in on the band wagon of something 'new' what with it being the new boy on the scene (it had been around for quite a few years before this 'new' genre started getting played on mainstream radio stations), Annie Mac spinning dubstep for example. It's getting a lot of airtime during the day.

It's been the same for pretty much all genres, all the talk about acid house and rave culture, then jungle turned up, then garage turned up, now dubstep is here.

There is probably a number of factors that have contributed to it becoming so large really, I don't think there is one in particular. Mephedrone creating a resurgence in dance music, being the new boy and people wanting to be part of something new "i was there from the start, maaan", the rise of festival culture becoming a lot more mainstream(see threads about glastonbury on here) and daytime airplay.

Edit: this may or may not be complete shit, i've been awake since early yesterday so i don't think i even completely agree with what i've just posted above :D

 

[Danny Weed]

Dubstep today isnt even proper dubstep, I despise what it has became. 6 years ago it was much much better music. I partly blame the americans with awful people like Skrillex pumping out shite.

 

[Jabberwocky]

There's been DIY music since the early seventies at least, but as for it reaching a truly 'global audience' I'm not too sure.

by 'global audiences' i was referring to gaining audiences outside of their home scenes and on other continents rather than making a living or going mainstream. few of the bands i listen to can make a living out of it, unless they live for free by constantly touring, so that aspect just doesn't occur to me when discussing music.

essentially i mean, findable by the people who know its there and are prepared to look for it rather than on the cover of NME. and the internet actually didn't help all that much for some bits- some albums i only have, obtained post-internet explosion, cos i sent people heading to new york anyway to find them. some recordings never get sold on the internet but go directly to distros and can only get bought at shows. which is annoying when there's only 50 copies, its super hyped, and your town is towards the end of their tour. if you're v lucky they'll make it available for download eventually, or thats what i'm hoping cos i've been badly stung this way. also, the fact that a lot of releases are sold on a 'name your price' basis, means they could get world wide, mainstream, recognition and not even cover costs.

anyway, if a more significant proportion of dubstep producers are able to make a living from it than punk bands, which wouldn't surprise me, then i guess the OP is referring to mainstream music. i have no clue what music is mainstream these days and no intention of finding out. but he still should know, this is not the first time music has been made like this and achieved success by some definition.

 

[Myshkin]

by 'global audiences' i was referring to gaining audiences outside of their home scenes and on other continents rather than making a living or going mainstream. few of the bands i listen to can make a living out of it, unless they live for free by constantly touring, so that aspect just doesn't occur to me when discussing music.

Yeah, I thought that's what you were getting at.

There's obviously a huge difference between somebody armed with technology and a group of musicians who have to form a cohesive unit. It's much easier for producer types using computers to make music on the side while holding down a job, something which is extremely difficult for actual bands, who have to book rehearsal spaces, transport their gear, make sure all the musicians they need are available etc. It also means gig money gets split several ways, meaning it requires a lot of commitment to keep it going as anything other than an occasional thing. A lot of would-be musicians burn out in their twenties because of this, which is a real shame.

Of course, decent session musicians will always find work somewhere, but if you're doing something creative you believe in then it's one hell of a slog. So it's a whole different ball game in more ways than one.

 

[effie]

I Disagree.

Ketamine = dubstep.

No rythm and the beat is always off. Wonk Wonk music. For those that cant dance blame it on the music. Or the drugs in this case lol.

Haha I agree, plus it's seen as underground and cool for all the Uni kiddies yet is a lot more accessible that, say, gabba or breakcore.

I'm so selective about my dubstep. Broken Note and Excision have got it right IMO.

 

[Jabberwocky]

There's obviously a huge difference between somebody armed with technology and a group of musicians who have to form a cohesive unit. It's much easier for producer types using computers to make music on the side while holding down a job, something which is extremely difficult for actual bands, who have to book rehearsal spaces, transport their gear, make sure all the musicians they need are available etc. It also means gig money gets split several ways, meaning it requires a lot of commitment to keep it going as anything other than an occasional thing. A lot of would-be musicians burn out in their twenties because of this, which is a real shame.

defo- its frustrating, but understandable, this music cannot ever be mainstream, though has boomed since the recession made a lot of people more angry. so yeah, the level of commitment required is a lot bigger.

often gig money = beer + food + the odd spliff, in the former yugoslavia you get moonshine and the promise it wont make you blind. can totally sympathise with people not wanting to do that full time, and it takes its toll- known bands to split up just cos they can't stand the sight of each other after months in a band. damn now i'm annoyed at how much easier i perceive producers of electronic music get it. though i guess the commitment, the hardship etc give punk soul.

 

[Hardcoreprawn]

you know you're a jaded scenester when "the music now isnt proper music"

Music evolves. Such is life.

I was part of the hard-house / breakbeat scene in the mid-90s. Old scene-stes always complain that their music was "stolen" by so-and-so and goes mainstream. You're not as cool as you think for saying Skillex ruined Dubstep.

 

[specialspack]

I don't really think mephedrone solely increased the popularity of dubstep, I think it created a bit of a resurgence in dance music as a whole.

I'd main impact on dubstep becoming so big is pretty much media led, people wanting to get in on the band wagon of something 'new' what with it being the new boy on the scene (it had been around for quite a few years before this 'new' genre started getting played on mainstream radio stations), Annie Mac spinning dubstep for example. It's getting a lot of airtime during the day.

It's been the same for pretty much all genres, all the talk about acid house and rave culture, then jungle turned up, then garage turned up, now dubstep is here.

There is probably a number of factors that have contributed to it becoming so large really, I don't think there is one in particular. Mephedrone creating a resurgence in dance music, being the new boy and people wanting to be part of something new "i was there from the start, maaan", the rise of festival culture becoming a lot more mainstream(see threads about glastonbury on here) and daytime airplay.

Edit: this may or may not be complete shit, i've been awake since early yesterday so i don't think i even completely agree with what i've just posted above :D

Lots of interesting ideas in this thread, however, I don't think that dubstep owes much if anything to mephedrone.

It's success lies in the fact that it presents dance music with a rock aesthetic - rather than producing the the drawn out, constant pre-climatic tension of "traditional" dance music (house and techno) it relies on almost constant repetition of build up and breakdown. Like various previous sub genres (big beat - fat boy slim etc) - it's dance music for people who don't actually like dance music. They don't want to get drugged out for hours and listen to 4 hour slowly built sets. It's essentially for drunk students who want to headbang to wobbles.

This has obviously been helped by Annie Mac et al's championing, and has reached an extreme point in the US where you see dubstep shows attended by a huge amount of ex-emo kids - don't forget Skrillex was in a screamo band prior to his re-invention - this provides a cultural hanging on point for one subculture to join up with another.

Watching mainstream dubstep is like watching a rock show now - you can see how well it went down at Reading festival this year, kids headbanging to music that dynamically fits the same kind of soundsytem for big rock bands, loads of bass and treble without much mids.

Did mephedrone create a resurgence in dance music? I think that resurgence was already underway. One of the notable facts about mephedrone was that EVERYONE was doing it - it wasn't a drug linked to a particular culture in the way LSD or ecstasy was.

 

[Myshkin]

you know you're a jaded scenester when "the music now isnt proper music"

Oh, I agree entirely. Unfortunately I've been a jaded alt-indie scenester for over a decade. Getting older can narrow your mind to new developments, but there's definitely some element of diminishing artistic returns in most musical genres that have been going for long enough to make waves. Sometimes they survive as a purist / revivalist underground scene, which is maybe what'll happen once something new takes the place of dubstep.

Specialspack - interesting point about the relation to the rock aesthetic. I think you may well be on to something there.

 

[SpecialK_]

I agree with this. Having witnessed how mephedrone completely took over the UK (everyone and their gran was doing it) from the ages of about 13+ it really brought back in Electronic Music specifically making Dubstep really popular. For many mephedrone was the person's first 'wipeout' and so people often associate in the 90s MDMA getting them into Electronic Music so the same can be seen here.
That and the fact it's a really simple type of music to make (in comparison to others) it meant that many upcomming artists could jump on the bandwagon and throw some into their music. Which has evidently resulted in 90% of dubstep being absolute shite.