A new book seeks to illuminate the legacy of dance music leading up to the late ’80s birth of rave. Discotheque Archives is made up of short-form articles Greg Wilson wrote for DJ Mag along with illustrations by Pete Fowler. It’s out via Wilson’s label, Super Weird Substance.
Beginning in the ’60s, the book focuses on pivotal artists, venues and record labels – largely from Wilson’s perspective. The majority of its pages cover the ’70s, with articles devoted to the likes of Studio 54, Frankie Knuckles, Island Records and The Electrifying Mojo. Also included is a list of 500 key records.
“By nature of the scene, dance music is very forward-looking: DJs always pursuing the next record to break, venues pushing the boundaries with sound and lighting techniques, labels seeking out the latest artist to emerge and musicians/producers continually moving the sound forward in new directions,” reads a description. “The past is of course constantly referenced and drawn from, but this hasn’t been enough to prevent the scene often disconnecting from its roots.”
Wilson began his own DJ career in 1975 at the age of 15. After working in Denmark and Germany, he returned to the U.K. to take a four-night DJ residency at Wigan Pier where he introduced patrons to black music like jazz and soul. He is perhaps best known as an early supporter of electro, as well as for his continued work in nu disco and the re-edit movement.
Discotheque Archives is available for purchase in paperback format on Super Weird Substance’s Bandcamp page.
