Techno Music in Detroit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Techno Music in Detroit - Essay Example Techno, although seen as the voiceless, computerized machine-music of the 1990s, actually originated in the mid-1980s in Detroit and Chicago where avant garde disco DJs were experimenting with minimalist ‘industrial’ sounds (Reynolds 1998: 2), influenced in parts by disco, Philly soul, and European synth-pop (Hoffmann), Few people associate techno with its African American origins yet the three individuals most closely associated with the birth of Detroit techno as a genre are the "Belleville Three", Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May. These three African American high school friends from Detroit learned and mastered the art of ‘mixing’ electronic music (Reynolds 1998: 2). They soon found to their surprise that their basement music was in dance floor demand, thanks in part to a Detroit radio personality known as The Electrifying Mojo (Reynolds 1998: 2). Mojo not only played their early home grown techno tracks, but also influenced the new sound by playing electronic music from pioneers like Kraftwerk who were based in DÃ ¼sseldorf, Germany. The band Kraftwerk was masterminded by Ralf HÃ ¼tter and Florian Schneider, and have been widely accredited as the major influence on Detroit techno. In particular, their albums `Autobahn` from 1975, `Transeuropa Express` from 1977 and `Die Mensch-Maschine` from 1978, contributed to their reputation as the ‘Godfathers of Techno’ (Reynolds 1998: 2). ... Though, Detroit had a larger African American population, the chcago area, which had segregated black neighbourhoods, produced DJs who had their own individualistic styles. Party holders took advantage of these styles and organised their down town gatherings by inviting the best DJs from both the Westside and the Southside neighbourhoods. These events usually housed up to 5000 young people from both Chicago and Detroit. This meant that the Chicago DJs had more structure and were cutting more than the Detroit DJs (Hoffmann). Eventually Detroit DJs started working on their own tracks and giving it to Chicago's 'Hot Mix people' who started playing it in the various clubs and on radio stations, calling it "the 'house' sound of Detroit". By linking this new sound to Chicago, its DJs controlled how much influence was given to Detroit owing to intense competition and a need to keep the music culture strong in Chicago alone (Hoffmann). However, there were many DJs who were happy to help DJs Juans and Derricks by playing their tracks tracks which were created by mixing and blending music, creating a smoother music compared to the Chicago DJs who had a different beat and a different vocal every eight bars. Although producers in both cities used the same hardware and even collaborated on projects and remixes together, Detroiters traded the choir-friendly vocals of House with metallic clicks, robotic voices and repetitive hooks reminiscent of an automotive assembly line. It is this characteristic of the genre that provides the argument by authors such as Williams (2001: 158) who suggests that Detroit techno was a soundtrack for the evisceration of

Gun control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Gun control - Research Paper Example However, in my opinion, I support that we need strict gun control laws in each country. In my country-China only policemen and military can have guns. The citizens can’t have guns. Due to the strict gun control laws, China’s murder rate was nearly the lowest in the world, well below countries such as Japan and Switzerland. China’s homicide rate stands at 0.8 cases per 100,000 people, Japan’s rate is 14. Therefore, strict gun control laws are needed in order to decreasing the murder rate. There are few ways we can strict gun control laws in the follow. One does not need to look very hard to find evidence that gun control is needed within the current era. The rash of mash shootings, to include the Colorado Theater shooting, Sandy Hook, as well as a great litany of others, underscores the fact that guns legally obtained through the proper channels are oftentimes utilized to commit these brazen acts of terror. As such, the issue that this comes down to is what the government can seek to do with regards to limiting the supply of guns while at the same time seeking to preserve the civil rights of individuals within society. Accordingly, the following arguments will present a case for why gun control and stricter gun laws are required; while at the same time presenting the case for why stricter gun laws will not necessarily improve the situation that has been thus far evidenced throughout society; relating to gun crimes and/or mass shootings. Firstly, there is he stance that further gun control would help to mimic the actions that have been taken in other nations around the globe. One does not have to delve too deeply into the statistics to realize that developed economies and societies, such as Germany, France, Italy, and Great Britain, do not experience anywhere near the same levels of gun crime as does the United States (O’Brien et al. 7). This is of course due to a number of reasons. The first of these has to do with the fact tha t the right to bear arms is not unique to the European nations that have thus far been listed. However, this inherent â€Å"right† is built into the United States Constitution with regards to the Second Amendment. This particular amendment guarantees that Congress will not impede the right of the citizen to own and bear arms. However, even a cursory analysis reveals the fact that laws such as a minimum age for purchasing firearms and/or the requirement to obtain a legal permit in order to conceal a weapon have already infringed upon this Second Amendment right. In this way, those who continually assert that the Second Amendment is hallowed ground that the government will never be able to infringe upon are sorely mistaken; as it has already been infringed upon, defined, and hedged by a great many different laws. An argument against further gun control in order to present the atrocities that have thus far been listed has to do with the fact that criminals are, by their very nat ure, disinterested with the impacts or repercussions of breaking the law. In this manner, seeking to engage further gun laws as a means of reducing the supply of guns available to these individual via legal channels will not necessarily solve the situation. Instead, it is reasonable to assume that if an individual intends on breaking the law in the first place, then they will equally be willing to purchase a firearm or ammunition on the black market; outside of the channels of supply that the United