DJ Garth
Encyclopedia
DJ Garth is a pioneering House music
DJ who is largely credited with both defining and capturing the sound of San Francisco House music in the 1990s. As a recording artist, his productions are recognized on club anthems such as "Twenty Minutes of Disco Glory". He co-founded the Wicked Sound System and established a series of legendary underground parties which were important in putting San Francisco on the club
/rave
map.
Born and raised in England
, Garth moved to San Francisco in 1990 and became a key player in the city's exploding dance scene. He organized the monthly Full Moon events that led to increased underground interest in rave culture, and in 1991, he led the Wicked Sound System venture with friends and fellow DJs Jenö
, Thomas Bullock
and Markie. By 1994 the crew imported a custom Tony Andrews-designed Turbosound system, teaming up with a 1947 Greyhound bus which allowed the Wicked act to tour the States.
This annual tour along with early appearances at Burning Man
& Reggae on the River
Festivals gave Garth the credibility to produce his own music and start a record label. Wicked Records' first (and most successful) release was DJ Garth's 1996 collaboration with E.T.I., "20 Minutes of Disco Glory," which remains a popular House track. It was featured in the soundtrack for the movie Groove
.
In 1998, Garth founded his own label Grayhound Recordings, named after the Wicked tour bus. Grayhound became the home label for his own projects including singles with Markie and as Rocket with Eric James. The label went on to release 53 singles from celebrated California recording artists including DJ Garth & E.T.I., Rocket, Defenders of the Faith, Wicked, Mirror Boys, DJ Harvey, Nectar, Stranger, Rasoul, EBE & Michoacan.
1998 proved to be a milestone year, with the release of Thrive's popular mix CD U.S. Underground, Vol. 1. 2000 saw the release of The Cisco System, a Garth mix CD showcasing the work of Grayhound artists. This was the first of three Grayhound mixes, the others being Revolutions in Sound & Unleash the Hound. In 2001, Om released San Francisco Sessions Vol. 3, showcasing his blend of House
and Dub
. In 2003, UK label NRK released Garth's Nitelife Vol 7.
Garth remains in demand as a remixer. He has remixed A Tribe Called Quest
, Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell
along with Faithless
, Yabby You
, The Units
, The Glimmers, DadaMunchamonkey, Adam Freeland
and many others.
in 2004 Wicked disbanded after thirteen years. Garth again teamed up with longtime partner Jeno for their Back2Back parties in San Francisco.
In 2007 he launched Golden Goose
re-edits with James Glass to release their own King & Hound edits. The purpose of the label lies in reviving lost Disco and Rock tracks.
2011 saw the Wicked crew reform. Garth spearheaded a 15 city tour of major cities in USA and Japan in celebration of Wicked's Twenty Years of Disco Glory.
He maintains a full schedule as a touring DJ playing all vinyl sets in USA, Japan, Australia, Fiji, UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Germany, Belgium, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Mexico & Canada. Although usually performing solo, in 2010 he toured extensively in Japan & Australia with DJ Harvey
.
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
DJ who is largely credited with both defining and capturing the sound of San Francisco House music in the 1990s. As a recording artist, his productions are recognized on club anthems such as "Twenty Minutes of Disco Glory". He co-founded the Wicked Sound System and established a series of legendary underground parties which were important in putting San Francisco on the club
Club
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
/rave
Rave
Rave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
map.
Born and raised in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Garth moved to San Francisco in 1990 and became a key player in the city's exploding dance scene. He organized the monthly Full Moon events that led to increased underground interest in rave culture, and in 1991, he led the Wicked Sound System venture with friends and fellow DJs Jenö
Jeno
- External links :*...
, Thomas Bullock
Thomas Bullock (musician)
Thomas Bullock is a musician and former member of the electroclash group A.R.E. Weapons.Originally from Cambridge, Bullock got his start in the late 80s in the U.K. with the Tonka crew alongside DJ Harvey. In 1991 he moved to San Francisco and joined the Wicked crew alongside Markie, Jeno, and DJ...
and Markie. By 1994 the crew imported a custom Tony Andrews-designed Turbosound system, teaming up with a 1947 Greyhound bus which allowed the Wicked act to tour the States.
This annual tour along with early appearances at Burning Man
Burning Man
Burning Man is a week-long annual event held in the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada, in the United States. The event starts on the Monday before the American Labor Day holiday, and ends on the holiday itself. It takes its name from the ritual burning of a large wooden effigy on Saturday evening...
& Reggae on the River
Reggae on the River
Reggae on the River is a reggae festival that was held annually on the first weekend in August in Humboldt County, California. It began in 1983 as a benefit for the Mateel Community Center, a nonprofit for southern Humboldt County...
Festivals gave Garth the credibility to produce his own music and start a record label. Wicked Records' first (and most successful) release was DJ Garth's 1996 collaboration with E.T.I., "20 Minutes of Disco Glory," which remains a popular House track. It was featured in the soundtrack for the movie Groove
Groove (film)
Groove is a movie released in the year 2000; it portrays one night in the San Francisco underground rave scene. Through a single email, the word spreads that a huge rave is going to take place in an abandoned warehouse...
.
In 1998, Garth founded his own label Grayhound Recordings, named after the Wicked tour bus. Grayhound became the home label for his own projects including singles with Markie and as Rocket with Eric James. The label went on to release 53 singles from celebrated California recording artists including DJ Garth & E.T.I., Rocket, Defenders of the Faith, Wicked, Mirror Boys, DJ Harvey, Nectar, Stranger, Rasoul, EBE & Michoacan.
1998 proved to be a milestone year, with the release of Thrive's popular mix CD U.S. Underground, Vol. 1. 2000 saw the release of The Cisco System, a Garth mix CD showcasing the work of Grayhound artists. This was the first of three Grayhound mixes, the others being Revolutions in Sound & Unleash the Hound. In 2001, Om released San Francisco Sessions Vol. 3, showcasing his blend of House
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
and Dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
. In 2003, UK label NRK released Garth's Nitelife Vol 7.
Garth remains in demand as a remixer. He has remixed A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
, Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell
Perry Farrell
Perry Farrell is the frontman for the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction. Farrell created the touring festival Lollapalooza as a farewell tour for Jane's Addiction in 1991; it has since evolved into an annual destination festival. Farrell continues to produce Lollapalooza with partners William...
along with Faithless
Faithless
Faithless were a British electronica band consisting of Maxi Jazz, Sister Bliss and Rollo. The group is best known for their dance songs . Faithless recorded six albums. During their career they sold over 15 million records worldwide...
, Yabby You
Yabby You
Vivian Jackson , better known as Yabby You , was a reggae vocalist and producer, who came to prominence in the early 1970s through his uncompromising, self-produced work.-Biography:...
, The Units
The Units
The Units are a defunct, early electronic music/punk rock/New Wave/synthpunk band founded in San Francisco in 1978 and active until 1984.One of America's first electronic New Wave bands, they are widely cited as pioneers of a genre now known as "synthpunk." The Units were notable for their use of...
, The Glimmers, DadaMunchamonkey, Adam Freeland
Adam Freeland
Adam Freeland is an English DJ and producer associated with breakbeat based electronic music. He was a resident of Brighton, moved to Los Angeles where he recorded second album Cope™ but is now based back in Brighton...
and many others.
in 2004 Wicked disbanded after thirteen years. Garth again teamed up with longtime partner Jeno for their Back2Back parties in San Francisco.
In 2007 he launched Golden Goose
Golden Goose
The Golden Goose is a fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm .-Story:The hero is the youngest of three brothers, given the nickname Dummling. His eldest brother is sent into the forest to chop wood, fortified with a rich cake and a bottle of wine. He meets a little gray man who begs a morsel...
re-edits with James Glass to release their own King & Hound edits. The purpose of the label lies in reviving lost Disco and Rock tracks.
2011 saw the Wicked crew reform. Garth spearheaded a 15 city tour of major cities in USA and Japan in celebration of Wicked's Twenty Years of Disco Glory.
He maintains a full schedule as a touring DJ playing all vinyl sets in USA, Japan, Australia, Fiji, UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Germany, Belgium, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Mexico & Canada. Although usually performing solo, in 2010 he toured extensively in Japan & Australia with DJ Harvey
DJ Harvey
Dj Harvey, , is a DJ from Cambridge, England. He has achieved a following the world over including places such as Singapore and Japan...
.