Comments on: 808

808

fearfulsymmetry — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:28:20 -0800

808 808 808 808 808 808 808 808 808 808 808 808 808 808080808

By: Blazecock Pileon

Blazecock Pileon — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:33:03 -0800

oh god i'm x'ing

By: mediocre

mediocre — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:34:05 -0800

Not a big fan of 808 State, but the TR-808 was the machine that introduced me to home recording. And for that, I owe my life..

By: mediocre

mediocre — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:35:10 -0800

And since this is an Acid House thread, I should ask the people.. Are there any comps that are popularly thought to be definitive in the Acid House genre? I've been in love with the 303 squelch since I was a kid..

By: louche mustachio

louche mustachio — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:36:46 -0800

oh god i'm x'ing Stop touching me, I'm trying to work.

By: shortfuse

shortfuse — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:00:54 -0800

Massonix aka Graham Massey of 808 State. I enjoyed the aquatic-themed album on Skam.

By: DecemberBoy

DecemberBoy — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:07:13 -0800

Nothing will ever top the 808 bass drum sound for straight up phat thumpin'. Some clones, like my Xbase09, are close (and the Xbase is different in that it's more a musical instrument than a straight drum machine), but the 808 still stands alone. It, like its brothers/cousins the 909 and 303, the Mini Moog, Leslie speakers, etc. are in that rare class of analog technology that digital emulation will never fully match. Plus, that awesome cowbell that sounds nothing like a cowbell. And speaking of clones, check out the MB808 - a kit clone that recreates the analog sound component-for-component, with modern improvements such as an improved sequencer, more memory, etc. It's the newest part of the awesome MIDIBox family of DIY custom instruments/sequencers/controllers, the first public firmware release just came out a few days ago.

By: PeterMcDermott

PeterMcDermott — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:08:33 -0800

Big fish, little fish, cardboard box. Big fish, little fish, cardboard box....

By: fearfulsymmetry

fearfulsymmetry — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:10:10 -0800

By: PeterMcDermott

PeterMcDermott — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:13:47 -0800

Are there any comps that are popularly thought to be definitive in the Acid House genre? Pretty sure everyone used Ataris running Cubase that controlled their synths, samplers and romplers. I was a Mac person, so I didn't know anything about those lame-ass cheapo Ataris, but all the serious musos that I knew had them. But never mind that. Lets get back to some of this.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:13:48 -0800

What? No 909? No 909? No 909? No 909090909? No One After 909? Related, previously.

By: mullingitover

mullingitover — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:14:54 -0800

Nothing sounds quite like the 808.

By: gen

gen — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:17:54 -0800

808 State blew my mind when I first heard their stuff. I'm a house music lover because of 808 State. Are there any comps that are popularly thought to be definitive in the Acid House genre? Wipeout!, Wipeout, Wipeout XL!

By: chillmost

chillmost — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:24:43 -0800

08/15

By: mediocre

mediocre — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:28:53 -0800

Pretty sure everyone used Ataris running Cubase that controlled their synths, samplers and romplers. I was a Mac person, so I didn't know anything about those lame-ass cheapo Ataris, but all the serious musos that I knew had them. lolpwnd.. I meant compilation albums.. mixed or not.

By: mykescipark

mykescipark — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:41:40 -0800

One of my favorite bands of all time. Unbelievably innovative and underrated in their time - they're still the standard in my mind for 4/4 dance music with tons of subtle little flavors and diversions. Other stuff is so dull by comparison. Lots of fun, thanks!

By: PeterMcDermott

PeterMcDermott — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:52:09 -0800

I meant compilation albums.. mixed or not. Right. I have to say, I was struggling to figure out how you'd managed to do Home Recording on a Tandy TRS-80. I've just fallen out of bed. What can I say?

By: Mblue

Mblue — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:53:09 -0800

Backwards is a time tunnel until the loop.

By: dirtynumbangelboy

dirtynumbangelboy — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 03:05:01 -0800

OH MY GOD *EARGASM*

By: jack_mo

jack_mo — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 03:29:35 -0800

God, Cubik still sounds fucking great. Were the guitars on the original mix? If so, my brain had edited them out. Re: comps - Soul Jazz put out quite a good Chicago-specific double LP recently.

By: pivotal

pivotal — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 03:38:57 -0800

That birdlike sound from Pacific State is an absolute aural touchstone for me. It marks the start point of a lifetime love of House, Electronica, and Trance. I think it was on maybe the second or third CD I ever bought. Wasn't that a mad time when you had to choose between cassette, vinyl, and CD versions of the same album? Do you get the tape so you can listen to it in the car immediately, or buy the CD and a couple of über expensive Metal tapes? Ahhhh memories.

By: BrotherCaine

BrotherCaine — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 03:44:37 -0800

Nice timing on the post. Been waiting long for 8/08/08 to roll around?

By: fearfulsymmetry

fearfulsymmetry — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 03:49:36 -0800

Brass!

By: fearfulsymmetry

fearfulsymmetry — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 03:56:27 -0800

Been waiting long for 8/08/08 to roll around? Sadly not... I did have some thoughts about it earlier in the year then totally forgot about it. Then Moyles played 808 State at 08:08:08 this morning. Although he talked all over it so I can still throughly hate him (I only still listen to Radio 1 because it's the only station I can decent reception of on my radio alarm)

By: fearfulsymmetry

fearfulsymmetry — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:00:18 -0800

Here's some more on Jeremy Deller, the Williams Fairey Band and Acid Brass - damn, I totally forgot they covered 'Cubik' until a few minutes ago

By: fearfulsymmetry

fearfulsymmetry — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:10:34 -0800

And here's 808 State in a gr8 (sorry) documentary on the Madchester scene

By: biffa

biffa — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:07:03 -0800

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who kept thinking of these whenever they were going on about the date for the Olympics.

By: dmt

dmt — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:48:34 -0800

808 State blew my mind when I first heard their stuff. I'm a house music lover because of 808 State. Likewise. Between 808, Orbital and Aphex Twin, the indie music I'd been into previously all seemed a little drab and tame. I did come back to guitar music pretty quickly but 15 years later and I still love electronica. Still can't dance, mind...

By: lukemeister

lukemeister — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:59:25 -0800

When I first heard Pacific State, it was clear to me that 808 State was named after the zip code for Hawaii. I now know that the zip code is named after the drum machine. My 14-year-old son loves 808 State. That's my boy!

By: soundofsuburbia

soundofsuburbia — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:14:02 -0800

Is »Olympic« among those links? I guess so, but I haven't got the time to confirm. Very topical indeed, if that's the case! Great post, BTW. I'll be coming back!

By: BrotherCaine

BrotherCaine — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:20:15 -0800

~~zip~~area code for Hawai'i

By: shoepal

shoepal — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:33:16 -0800

mustn't forget the Newcleus classic, Jam on it.

By: mykescipark

mykescipark — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:58:51 -0800

Wasn't that a mad time when you had to choose between cassette, vinyl, and CD versions of the same album? That wasn't the half of it. 808 State were signed to ZTT - the original home of fuck-you-over, "let's release different remixes and configurations on all different formats and sometimes even put them in the same sleeve so you can't tell the difference." Collecting anything on ZTT was a fool's errand back in the day - you had to buy not only the vinyl and the cassette of every maxi-single, but also sometimes editions from different countries or seek out quickly-withdrawn or limited-edition pressings or picture discs or whatever... it took me a decade to get all the Art of Noise remixes and "Diversions."

By: BinaryApe

BinaryApe — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:25:58 -0800

I was hoping someone would do something to mark 080808 day, thanks fearfulsymmetry! My most-treasured record is a plain-sleeved 12" single, 'Let Yourself Go' by 808 State. I must have heard it on John Peel's show, sneakily staying up late, listening on headphones in the dark. I have never had an ear-worm like that, it was stuck in my head for days. I lived in a village in the Midlands and had to go all the way to Stafford to find one in a little record shop. I felt like I'd got hold of an alien artifact. It's stuck in my head again now...

By: PeterMcDermott

PeterMcDermott — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:59:12 -0800

it took me a decade to get all the Art of Noise remixes and "Diversions." It wasn't you that I promised my Frankie Say: Arm the Unemployed T-shirt to, was it?

By: Cantdosleepy

Cantdosleepy — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:00:20 -0800

Here's an online 808 simulator in Flash, with some stompies to play with: http://www.hobnox.com/index.1056.de.html

By: PeterMcDermott

PeterMcDermott — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:10:22 -0800

What? No 909? No 909 ? No 909 ? No 909090909? No One After 909? In the comments on the second link, EggyChuffer makes a very insightful point. But I can't quote it, because he uses the C-word.

By: lukemeister

lukemeister — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:30:42 -0800

BrotherCaine, Thanks. I should know better than to comment before coffee.

By: alexwoods

alexwoods — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:51:47 -0800

808 State - their rhymes truly did bite. But seriously. How about the reality show about Hawaii's hyperviolent asshole surfer culture?

By: sveskemus

sveskemus — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:12:11 -0800

AWESOME! Thank you, fearfulsymmetry.

By: ErWenn

ErWenn — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:59:13 -0800

This post is missing the eponysterical tag.

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:30:37 -0800

My friend's grandmother is turning 88 today. There is going to be one hell of a party.

By: clearly

clearly — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 13:43:48 -0800

08/08/08

By: grapefruitzzz

grapefruitzzz — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:50:38 -0800

808, 808, what about the (Infiltrate) 202? Or LFO. Man, I miss it. Is it time for official nostalgia yet?

By: lukemeister

lukemeister — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:22:46 -0800

jessamyn, That's great that your friend's grandmother is into Acid House :-)

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:47:54 -0800

In the comments on the second link, EggyChuffer makes a very insightful point. But I can't quote it, because he uses the C-word. Not sure which link/comment you're referring to, Peter (can't find it), but if he's dissing the 909, he STOOOPID! Cause the 909 kick is also indispensible. Been used every freaking where.

By: debord

debord — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 06:11:49 -0800

Hello Metafilter user Mediocre. I would like to humbly suggest some albums that define the Acid House sound. If you just want pure silver box squelch the I recommend Acid: Can you Jack. Much as it pains me, this compilation has most of the classics on too, but it is a major label cash in. If you want a broader history, Flux Trax is awesome - all the songs on there are ones that blew minds on first listen, back when surprises could still happen. (As an aside Flux Trax 02 is a good document of what came immediately after too, on the house front.) Hope this helps.

By: mykescipark

mykescipark — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:16:15 -0800

808 State - their rhymes truly did bite. Oh god, can we please not confuse 808 State with MC Tunes?

By: sveskemus

sveskemus — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:27:41 -0800

debord: "I recommend Acid: Can you Jack." Seconded! I have it and I looove it! Actually, I think I'll put it on right now.

By: Artw

Artw — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:43:51 -0800

808 state are fucking great!