USA: As the Grammys are set to officially recognize their genre, DJs celebrate electronic and dance music at the premiere of the documentary "Re:Generation"

Record ID: 644953

  • Title: USA: As the Grammys are set to officially recognize their genre, DJs celebrate electronic and dance music at the premiere of the documentary "Re:Generation"
  • Date: 11th February 2012
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) SKRILLEX, SAYING: "I wanted to do a song with The Doors really. And I knew some of the people involved with it as well and they said it was going to be a cool thing. I just wanted to make a good song, really." JOHN DENSMORE OF THE DOORS POSING FOR PICTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHN DENSMORE, OF THE DOORS, SAYING: "Well I think it will legitimize it. It'll be there forever after that. Next year, it'll be televised, the electronic category. Well I'm just telling you now so they'll get hip to it. And I'll give the award, God damn it." DJ PRETTY LIGHTS POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS DJ PREMIER POSING FOR PICTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) DJ PREMIER, SAYING: "This is a music gathering of celebrating our work, our bodies of work. So this right here is not the same old pattern of what most people do. And especially for me, I'm known for doing ghetto, underground gutter hip hop, I love the challenge." DJ MARK RONSON POSING FOR PICTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARK RONSON, SAYING: "I think people like, dubstep producers like, Skream and Bengo and Skrillex, I see what they do as a bit more cutting edge than what I do. I have one foot in the future and one foot in the past and the records I do, I like to conjure up something old school, soul and Motown. But, it's cool. I'm a DJ essentially, I come from DJ culture so have to stay up on what's going on, you have to ... you can't be playing yesterday's tunes to a rave of 5,000 kids." HERBIE HANCOCK TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) HERBIE HANCOCK, SAYING: "I think that's what keeps it alive. That has worked for jazz, the fact that it's been very open and the fact that it's been able to borrow and lend itself to other genres is what's helped it to spread." DJS AND HERBIE HANCOCK TALKING TO MEDIA
  • Embargoed: 26th February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa, Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVAAVZJHGDMA1IXSXGTFJHPD8AG7
  • Story Text: Dance music steps out of its niche and joins the Grammy party on Sunday (February 12), crowning its journey from the underground rave scene to the mainstream music industry.
    Just as hip-hop was finally embraced by Grammy organizers in 1989, electronica comes of age this year with a DJ nominated for best new artist for the first time, and the first dance music tribute to be broadcast on the music industry's biggest night.
    As part of the long week leading up to Grammy night, a premiere was held for "Re:Generation Music Project," a documentary that examines music's past, present and future and how each period collaborates with its successor.
    Skrillex, 24, a dubstep-electronica DJ, is featured in the documentary and has five Grammy nominations including one for best new artist -- the first time a DJ has been nominated in the category. He competes alongside rappers Nicki Minaj and J.Cole, country performers The Band Perry and indie rock band Bon Iver.
    The new documentary showcases a collaboration on a new song, "Breakn' A Sweat," between Skrillex and surviving members of The Doors.
    John Densmore, drummer for The Doors, said he thinks popular attention on dance music will only grow.
    "Re: Generation" also features DJ's Mark Ronson, DJ Premier and DJ Pretty Lights.
    "Well I think it will legitimize it. It'll be there forever after that. Next year, it'll be televised, the electronic category. Well I'm just telling you now so they'll get hip to it," said Densmore.
    Electronica music emerged from clubs, raves and festivals that focus on house music, while dubstep came from the underground grime and drum and bass scene of south London, England.
    Its popularity grew through collaborations with indie rock, synth-pop and electronica groups. But the transition from underground to mainstream came when artists such as pop star Lady Gaga, rapper Pitbull and hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas, made dance and electronica a key element of songs like Gaga's chart-topper "Just Dance" or the Peas' track "Boom Boom Pow."
    Just as the Recording Academy, which gives out the Grammys, did with rap music, they have taken time in embracing dance at the annual awards show, which is seen by millions on television. The academy gave rap its own Grammy Award category in 1989, despite hip-hop culture emerging in the late 1970s and fairly quickly moving into America's mainstream music scene.
    Sunday's awards ceremony in Los Angeles also features DJs David Guetta and Deadmau5 joined by rockers Foo Fighters and rappers Chris Brown and Lil Wayne in a dance and electronica special performance.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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