Walter Gibbons
Encyclopedia
Walter Gibbons was an American
record producer
, early disco
DJ
and remix
er.
disco underground scene, influencing garage
and House music
DJs like Frankie Knuckles
and Larry Levan
. He also laid the foundations for early 1980s experimental Chicago house
music. One of the early pioneers of beat-mixing, and known for considerably more skillful mixing than many better known dj's at the time, he is cited by many early pioneers of the house-music scene as an influence. His "Disco Blend" remix of Double Exposure
's "Ten Percent
" was once described by UK
DJ Ashley Beedle
as providing a "blueprint for house music".
to the New York City
music scene, where Gibbons and other remixers played it and applied dub
techniques to dance music. He played disco songs, focusing more on the percussion than the melody, and "stretched out the grooves so much that they teetered on the edge of motionlessness." Like Arthur Russell, who recorded with him, Gibbons "used dub as a dislocating device, preventing disco's simple groove from developing under the dancers' feet."
at the end of the 1970s. His DJ skills, punctuality and seriousness convinced Salsoul to assign him the remix of "Ten Percent
", by Double Exposure
), even though he had never produced. It was the first commercially available 12-inch single
in the world. This was his best known remix.
His remix of "Hit and Run" by Loleatta Holloway
was a surprise hit (he had considerably lengthened the recording and even removed Holloway's first two verses of vocals).
In 2004, Salsoul / Sussd' Records released a triple cd compilation with Walter's remixes for the label.
It is called "Mixed with Love (Walter Gibbons Salsoul Anthology)". It is composed of three discs, being #1 The Madness Begins..., #2 The Madness Continues... and #3 Total Insanity. These feature Gibbons' mixes of tracks by the likes of Loleatta Holloway
, The Salsoul Orchestra, Double Exposure
, First Choice
, Love Committee and Anthony White among others. The tracks feature the 12 mix and the Disco Madness mix of some of the tracks like Loleatta Holoway's "Catch Me on the Rebound" - a different version is found on each of the three cds.
The Anthology also includes a 40 page booklet with an essay
, on Walter Gibbons work, by Tim Lawrence, author of "Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture 1970-79".
's homage to Gibbons, released in London
on Junior Boy's Own
Records.
Gibbons became a reborn Christian in the 1980s, but still managed to turn out cutting edge mixes during this period (he simply focused on songs and lyrics that did not offend his beliefs). He died of AIDS
related symptoms in 1994.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, early disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
and remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
er.
Influence
He was an important part of the early 1970s New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
disco underground scene, influencing garage
New York house
Garage house is a subgenre of electronic dance music developed in the Paradise Garage nightclub in New York City and club Zanzibar in New Jersey, USA.DJs playing this genre include Junior Vasquez, Tony Humphries and Larry Levan....
and House music
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...
DJs like Frankie Knuckles
Frankie Knuckles
Frankie Knuckles is an American DJ, record producer and remix artist. He played an important role in developing house music as a Chicago DJ in the 1980s and he helped to popularize house music in the 1990s, with his work as a producer and remixer...
and Larry Levan
Larry Levan
Larry Levan was a DJ best known for his decade-long residency at the New York City night club Paradise Garage, which has been described as the prototype of the modern dance club. He developed a cult following who referred to his sets as "Saturday Mass"...
. He also laid the foundations for early 1980s experimental Chicago house
Chicago house
Chicago house is a style of house music, a genre of electronic dance music which emerged in Chicago in the mid-1980s. Stylistically, Chicago house has no widely accepted definition, but generally includes the first house music productions by Chicago-based artists throughout the 1980s, and any later...
music. One of the early pioneers of beat-mixing, and known for considerably more skillful mixing than many better known dj's at the time, he is cited by many early pioneers of the house-music scene as an influence. His "Disco Blend" remix of Double Exposure
Double Exposure (band)
Double Exposure is an American Disco era band hailing from Philadelphia, USA'Double Exposure’ are James Williams, Joseph Harris, Charles Whittington and Leonard ‘Butch’ Davis who were originally called ‘United Image’ back in the 1960’s...
's "Ten Percent
Ten Percent (song)
In 1976, Salsoul Records released their eighth release, Walter Gibbons' remix of Double Exposure's disco song "Ten Percent"."Ten Percent" was the first commercially-available 12-inch single....
" was once described by UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
DJ Ashley Beedle
Ashley Beedle
Ashley Beedle is a British music DJ, producer and remixer. People often confuse him for being of Asian origin, but his ethnicity is partly Barbadian....
as providing a "blueprint for house music".
Style
Gibbons was known as "the DJ's DJ" because his peers would go out of their way to go hear him play. Kool DJ Herc brought DubDub 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...
to the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
music scene, where Gibbons and other remixers played it and applied 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...
techniques to dance music. He played disco songs, focusing more on the percussion than the melody, and "stretched out the grooves so much that they teetered on the edge of motionlessness." Like Arthur Russell, who recorded with him, Gibbons "used dub as a dislocating device, preventing disco's simple groove from developing under the dancers' feet."
Salsoul
He enjoyed a long association with Salsoul RecordsSalsoul Records
This article is about the record label. For SalSoul the Puerto Rican Salsa radio station see Cadena Salsoul.Salsoul Records was a New York City based record label founded by brothers Joseph Cayre, Kenneth Cayre, and Stanley Cayre . Salsoul released about 300 disco 12-inch singles, and a string of...
at the end of the 1970s. His DJ skills, punctuality and seriousness convinced Salsoul to assign him the remix of "Ten Percent
Ten Percent (song)
In 1976, Salsoul Records released their eighth release, Walter Gibbons' remix of Double Exposure's disco song "Ten Percent"."Ten Percent" was the first commercially-available 12-inch single....
", by Double Exposure
Double Exposure (band)
Double Exposure is an American Disco era band hailing from Philadelphia, USA'Double Exposure’ are James Williams, Joseph Harris, Charles Whittington and Leonard ‘Butch’ Davis who were originally called ‘United Image’ back in the 1960’s...
), even though he had never produced. It was the first commercially available 12-inch single
12-inch single
The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality...
in the world. This was his best known remix.
His remix of "Hit and Run" by Loleatta Holloway
Loleatta Holloway
Loleatta Holloway was an American singer, mainly known for disco songs such as "Hit and Run" and "Love Sensation", both of which have been sampled extensively.-Biography:...
was a surprise hit (he had considerably lengthened the recording and even removed Holloway's first two verses of vocals).
In 2004, Salsoul / Sussd' Records released a triple cd compilation with Walter's remixes for the label.
It is called "Mixed with Love (Walter Gibbons Salsoul Anthology)". It is composed of three discs, being #1 The Madness Begins..., #2 The Madness Continues... and #3 Total Insanity. These feature Gibbons' mixes of tracks by the likes of Loleatta Holloway
Loleatta Holloway
Loleatta Holloway was an American singer, mainly known for disco songs such as "Hit and Run" and "Love Sensation", both of which have been sampled extensively.-Biography:...
, The Salsoul Orchestra, Double Exposure
Double Exposure
Double exposure is a photographic technique in which two images are captured and combined into a single image.Double exposure may also refer to:* Double patterning, a technique for improving the resolution of patterning semiconductors...
, First Choice
First Choice
First Choice may refer to:* First Choice * First Choice , owned by TUI Travel PLC** First Choice Airways, its in-house airline* First Choice Haircutters, a Canadian hairdressing company...
, Love Committee and Anthony White among others. The tracks feature the 12 mix and the Disco Madness mix of some of the tracks like Loleatta Holoway's "Catch Me on the Rebound" - a different version is found on each of the three cds.
The Anthology also includes a 40 page booklet with an essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
, on Walter Gibbons work, by Tim Lawrence, author of "Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture 1970-79".
Tributes
The 1996 album "Walter's Room" was Black Science OrchestraBlack Science Orchestra
Black Science Orchestra was a musical project headed chiefly by the British DJ and producer Ashley Beedle, which produced a number of disco and rare groove-inspired house records in the 1990s.-History:...
's homage to Gibbons, released in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on Junior Boy's Own
Junior Boy's Own
Junior Boy's Own is a London, UK-based record labelTerry Farley joined Andrew Weatherall, Cymon Eckel, Pete Heller and Steven Hall to form Boy's Own Recordings , then in 1992 Terry Farley and Steven Hall began Junior Recordings Ltd., which started to use the label Junior Boy's Own. The label is...
Records.
Gibbons became a reborn Christian in the 1980s, but still managed to turn out cutting edge mixes during this period (he simply focused on songs and lyrics that did not offend his beliefs). He died of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
related symptoms in 1994.