Taylor Character attributes her early exposure to house music legends like Frankie Knuckles and CeCe Peniston to her late mother. When Character, known professionally as HoneyLuv, decided to leave her Navy drone mechanic job in 2020 and pursue music full time, she says her mother was skeptical at first. But as a house head herself, her mother began to appreciate HoneyLuv’s craft.
Now, as HoneyLuv compares those classic cuts from the Eighties and Nineties to the latest house music releases, she says there’s something missing.
“A lot of labels...
Now, as HoneyLuv compares those classic cuts from the Eighties and Nineties to the latest house music releases, she says there’s something missing.
“A lot of labels...
- 4/9/2024
- by Kalia Richardson
- Rollingstone.com
In The Early Days of house music, nobody hustled harder than Vince Lawrence.
Vince grew up on the South Side of Chicago. As a teenager in the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was urbane and in the know: He liked Izod shirts, white K-Swiss sneakers, and straight-leg jeans; he ran hip parties, loved import records from Europe, and aspired to make music of his own. A lot of what he and his friends were into, he remembers, “came from us reading GQ and wishing we were rich.”
Around then,...
Vince grew up on the South Side of Chicago. As a teenager in the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was urbane and in the know: He liked Izod shirts, white K-Swiss sneakers, and straight-leg jeans; he ran hip parties, loved import records from Europe, and aspired to make music of his own. A lot of what he and his friends were into, he remembers, “came from us reading GQ and wishing we were rich.”
Around then,...
- 4/12/2023
- by Oli Coleman
- Rollingstone.com
Image Source: Getty / Monica Morgan / Larry Busacca
Beyoncé just made history when she took home the Grammy for best dance/electronic music album for "Renaissance," netting her 32nd Grammy - the most of any artist ever. From the start, Beyoncé's "Renaissance" era has been a celebration of house music, beginning with its lead single, "Break My Soul," which was released in June 2022.
"Break My Soul" features a sample of Robin S.'s house hit "Show Me Love." Before she was sampled on the song, Robin S. was a major hitmaker in the house-music world. Her 1993 track "Show Me Love" was a hit in the early '90s, and her singles "Luv 4 Luv" and "What I Do Best" also topped the charts and helped establish the house genre around the world.
Beyoncé's feature gave "Show Me Love" a second life, and it also catalyzed a fresh wave of love for house,...
Beyoncé just made history when she took home the Grammy for best dance/electronic music album for "Renaissance," netting her 32nd Grammy - the most of any artist ever. From the start, Beyoncé's "Renaissance" era has been a celebration of house music, beginning with its lead single, "Break My Soul," which was released in June 2022.
"Break My Soul" features a sample of Robin S.'s house hit "Show Me Love." Before she was sampled on the song, Robin S. was a major hitmaker in the house-music world. Her 1993 track "Show Me Love" was a hit in the early '90s, and her singles "Luv 4 Luv" and "What I Do Best" also topped the charts and helped establish the house genre around the world.
Beyoncé's feature gave "Show Me Love" a second life, and it also catalyzed a fresh wave of love for house,...
- 2/6/2023
- by Eden Arielle Gordon
- Popsugar.com
When house music emerged from Chicago in the Eighties, it was a global phenomenon, helping sire rave scenes in the UK and Europe, and blueprinting the global club and Edm-festival scene. A large number of Chicago’s early house classics came out on Trax Records—songs like Phuture’s “Acid Tracks,” Mr. Fingers’ “Can You Feel It,” Frankie Knuckles and Jamie Principle’s “Baby Wants to Ride” and “Your Love,” Adonis’s “No Way Back,” and On the House feat. Marshall Jefferson’s “Move Your Body.”
However, in the four...
However, in the four...
- 10/14/2022
- by Michaelangelo Matos
- Rollingstone.com
Jarvis Cocker has always been one of rock’s greatest wry wits, from his days in Pulp slinging Brit-pop bangers about the British class system to more recent solo joints like his 2009 tune “I Never Said I Was Deep,” a bit of Bowie-esque bloat that felt a little like Ziggy Stardust doing self-lacerating stand-up.
The latest edition to the Cocker canon, “Must I Evolve?” — released under his new nom de pop, Jarv Is… — is a hilarious distress call from a man left behind by life, love and history itself. “Must I evolve?...
The latest edition to the Cocker canon, “Must I Evolve?” — released under his new nom de pop, Jarv Is… — is a hilarious distress call from a man left behind by life, love and history itself. “Must I evolve?...
- 5/17/2019
- by Jon Dolan
- Rollingstone.com
On October 30, 1993, Pete Tong oversaw the first episode of the Essential Mix on BBC’s Radio 1. Club music was ascendant in the U.K., and Tong devoted a late-night slot to it on national radio, playing an uninterrupted string of house — inspired by iconic New York City mix-shows — that included cuts from Bottom Dollar, Lisa B and Sabres of Paradise.
“The fact that I come on playing house music and the underground of the whole country is kind of dancing to that, obviously the show connected with the people in...
“The fact that I come on playing house music and the underground of the whole country is kind of dancing to that, obviously the show connected with the people in...
- 10/26/2018
- by Elias Leight
- Rollingstone.com
Matthew Byrd Feb 13, 2020
The brilliant music of Sonic CD has led to a strange debate about localization.
For many, 1993’s Sonic CD represents the best and worst of Sega’s glory days. It’s a game that utilized the best technology available to deliver a fast, colorful, and ambitious experience that showcased Sega’s desire to do what “Nintendon’t.” Sadly, it was also a game that had the great misfortune of being available exclusively for the Sega CD, an “ambitious” CD add-on for the Genesis that promised to deliver more than the console ever could and is considered one of gaming’s more notable hardware failures.
Yet, the most fascinating thing about Sonic CD isn’t the way it so perfectly summarizes why Sega is arguably the most beloved console manufacturer that is no longer making video game consoles. No, the most fascinating thing about Sonic CD is...
The brilliant music of Sonic CD has led to a strange debate about localization.
For many, 1993’s Sonic CD represents the best and worst of Sega’s glory days. It’s a game that utilized the best technology available to deliver a fast, colorful, and ambitious experience that showcased Sega’s desire to do what “Nintendon’t.” Sadly, it was also a game that had the great misfortune of being available exclusively for the Sega CD, an “ambitious” CD add-on for the Genesis that promised to deliver more than the console ever could and is considered one of gaming’s more notable hardware failures.
Yet, the most fascinating thing about Sonic CD isn’t the way it so perfectly summarizes why Sega is arguably the most beloved console manufacturer that is no longer making video game consoles. No, the most fascinating thing about Sonic CD is...
- 9/14/2018
- Den of Geek
As ‘Captain’ Lou Albano once said: “He’s the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th Wonder of the World!” It’s Andre the Giant and he’s the subject of a new HBO documentary. On Episode 30 of the Ball Junk Podcast, the Gasman and Frankie Knuckles sit down and give our review. What’s good? What’s bad? Who’s the […]...
- 6/16/2018
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
As ‘Captain’ Lou Albano once said: “He’s the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th Wonder of the World!” It’s Andre the Giant and he’s the subject of a new HBO documentary. On Episode 30 of the Ball Junk Podcast, the Gasman and Frankie Knuckles sit down and give our review. What’s good? What’s bad? Who’s the […]...
- 4/16/2018
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Grip your pigskin and settle down for our NFL Preview! The Gasman and Frankie Knuckles break down each division and conference and make out playoff predictions. Knucks, as always, offers up some Ultra Bold Predictions and Steaming Hot Takes! We also dive deep in some of the biggest sports stories of the summer including the […]...
- 8/25/2017
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
The Unsung and Unsung Hollywood TV shows are returning to TV One. Unsung Hollywood Hollywood premieres Wednesday, November 2, 2016 at 8:00pm Et/Pt. The new episodes feature Hill Harper, Joe & Guy Torry, and Bill Bellamy.Unsung kicks off on Wednesday, November 23rd in the same time slot, featuring artists Kurupt, Bobby Bland, and Frankie Knuckles. Learn more from this TV One press release. Read More…...
- 10/31/2016
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Wikipedia
DJing is an art form. Since its early days as a staple of 1970s discos and 1980s hip-hop, it has gradually become a curatorial style of musical presentation that is practised by many, but perfected by few. From the four-to-the-floor consistency of house and techno, to the breakbeat insanity of jungle, to the Mc-backing UK garage and grime producers of the early 2000s, to the blaring HD bass-heavy drops of modern day Edm, DJing is dance culture’s foundation.
There have been so many gifted DJs that have gone on to become true legends of the format. Frankie Knuckles, Carl Cox, Ellen Allien, Kevin Saunderson, Afrika Bambaataa, Goldie, Annie Mac, Aphex Twin, Slimzee, Total Freedom, Derrick May, Nina Kraviz, DJ Rashad… The list of DJs that have taken the medium into new and exciting areas across its history is endless, and covers many genres and many eras.
Sadly, the...
DJing is an art form. Since its early days as a staple of 1970s discos and 1980s hip-hop, it has gradually become a curatorial style of musical presentation that is practised by many, but perfected by few. From the four-to-the-floor consistency of house and techno, to the breakbeat insanity of jungle, to the Mc-backing UK garage and grime producers of the early 2000s, to the blaring HD bass-heavy drops of modern day Edm, DJing is dance culture’s foundation.
There have been so many gifted DJs that have gone on to become true legends of the format. Frankie Knuckles, Carl Cox, Ellen Allien, Kevin Saunderson, Afrika Bambaataa, Goldie, Annie Mac, Aphex Twin, Slimzee, Total Freedom, Derrick May, Nina Kraviz, DJ Rashad… The list of DJs that have taken the medium into new and exciting areas across its history is endless, and covers many genres and many eras.
Sadly, the...
- 8/5/2015
- by Michael Waugh
- Obsessed with Film
Chicago – When it comes to how dance music evolved in the last thirty years, there was a ground zero that was launched right here in Chicago. House music, or Garage House, were inspired beats that were mixed from a DJ source in front of the dancers, creating a brand new club scene. The late DJ Frankie Knuckles was one of the pioneers, and his legacy eventually reached Paris, where it was discovered and re-invented in fresh and different forms. A new film called “Eden” explores that phenomenon, and it features Félix de Givry as a Paris DJ in the 1990s and 2000s, based on the life of the co-writer of the film, Sven Hansen-Løve.
The other writer, and director, was Sven’s sister Mia Hansen-Løve, who came up with the story as a warts-and-all tribute to what her brother – and DJ practitioners like Daft Punk – were doing to make that scene happen.
The other writer, and director, was Sven’s sister Mia Hansen-Løve, who came up with the story as a warts-and-all tribute to what her brother – and DJ practitioners like Daft Punk – were doing to make that scene happen.
- 6/25/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Exclusive: Mia Hansen Love, Francois Ozon dramas and Cannon Films doc among Toronto haul.
UK distributor Metrodome has secured UK and Ireland rights to a trio of films that played at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 4-14): Mia Hansen Love’s well-received drama Eden, Francois Ozon’s The New Girlfriend and documentary Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films.
All three will play at the London Film Festival (Oct 8-19).
Metrodome acquired Eden from sales agent Kinology in a deal negotiated by Metrodome head of acquisitions Giles Edwards and Kinology’s CEO Grégoire Melin.
Directed by French auteur Mia Hansen Love and starring Felix De Givry, Pauline Etienne and Greta Gerwig, Eden charts the rise and fall of one of the DJs who pioneered the French electro music scene in the 1990s.
The film features cameo’s from the likes of Daft Punk, Joe Smooth, the late Frankie Knuckles...
UK distributor Metrodome has secured UK and Ireland rights to a trio of films that played at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 4-14): Mia Hansen Love’s well-received drama Eden, Francois Ozon’s The New Girlfriend and documentary Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films.
All three will play at the London Film Festival (Oct 8-19).
Metrodome acquired Eden from sales agent Kinology in a deal negotiated by Metrodome head of acquisitions Giles Edwards and Kinology’s CEO Grégoire Melin.
Directed by French auteur Mia Hansen Love and starring Felix De Givry, Pauline Etienne and Greta Gerwig, Eden charts the rise and fall of one of the DJs who pioneered the French electro music scene in the 1990s.
The film features cameo’s from the likes of Daft Punk, Joe Smooth, the late Frankie Knuckles...
- 9/15/2014
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Rik Mayall, who played the pompous, poetry-spouting anarchist Rick on the early Eighties U.K. cult comedy The Young Ones, has died, according to a statement his manager shared with the BBC. He was 56. The cause and circumstances of Mayall's death have not yet been revealed.
Last-Laugh Tracks: The 40 Best Cult TV Comedies Ever
In addition to The Young Ones, Mayall appeared on the U.K. sitcoms Blackadder, The New Statesman and a show with his Young Ones costar Adrian Edmondson, Bottom. His best-known movie role was playing opposite...
Last-Laugh Tracks: The 40 Best Cult TV Comedies Ever
In addition to The Young Ones, Mayall appeared on the U.K. sitcoms Blackadder, The New Statesman and a show with his Young Ones costar Adrian Edmondson, Bottom. His best-known movie role was playing opposite...
- 6/9/2014
- Rollingstone.com
Chicago (AP) — Rashad Harden, a house music and footwork pioneer who performed as DJ Rashad, was found dead this weekend of an apparent drug overdose, authorities said Sunday. He was 34. Chicago Police spokeswoman Janel Sedevic said a friend found Harden's body Saturday afternoon in an apartment on the city's West Side. There was no sign of injury but narcotics and drug paraphernalia were found near his body, she said. An autopsy was conducted Sunday but the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said it is waiting for the results of toxicology tests to determine a cause of death. Harden's death comes just days before his Ep was scheduled for release and less than a month after fellow house music star Frankie Knuckles also died the city. Harden, a resident of Calumet City, was poised for a breakout year, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. His fifth album received his best reviews, he...
- 4/27/2014
- by Don Babwin (AP)
- Hitfix
Rashad Harden, a house music and footwork pioneer who performed as DJ Rashad, was found dead over the weekend in Chicago of an apparent drug overdose, authorities said Sunday. He was 34. Chicago Police spokeswoman Janel Sedevic said a friend found Harden's body Saturday afternoon in an apartment on the city's West Side. She said that there was no sign of injury but that narcotics and drug paraphernalia were found near his body. An autopsy was scheduled for Sunday, but the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office declined to comment further on Sunday morning. Harden's death comes just days before his Ep...
- 4/27/2014
- by Associated Press
- PEOPLE.com
Chicago footwork and juke innovator DJ Rashad Harden was found dead on Saturday. He was 35.
DJ Rashad Found Dead
Harden’s body was discovered at a Chicago apartment on Saturday. The friend that found him contacted police, who are conducting an investigation, Chicago Pd news affairs officer Hector Alfaro told the Chicago Tribune.
It is currently believed that Harden died of a drug overdose, as narcotics and drug paraphernalia were reportedly found at the scene of his death. Harden was pronounced dead at the scene. Autopsy results are pending.
Harden had made a name for himself in the Chicago music scene as a pioneer of footwork, an offshoot of house music that has a heavy focus on rhythms and features a high-speed tempo. He frequently performed at Chicago clubs and was scheduled to return to Pitchfork Music Festival this year.
Detroit’s DJ Godfather and Chance the Rapper, for whom...
DJ Rashad Found Dead
Harden’s body was discovered at a Chicago apartment on Saturday. The friend that found him contacted police, who are conducting an investigation, Chicago Pd news affairs officer Hector Alfaro told the Chicago Tribune.
It is currently believed that Harden died of a drug overdose, as narcotics and drug paraphernalia were reportedly found at the scene of his death. Harden was pronounced dead at the scene. Autopsy results are pending.
Harden had made a name for himself in the Chicago music scene as a pioneer of footwork, an offshoot of house music that has a heavy focus on rhythms and features a high-speed tempo. He frequently performed at Chicago clubs and was scheduled to return to Pitchfork Music Festival this year.
Detroit’s DJ Godfather and Chance the Rapper, for whom...
- 4/27/2014
- Uinterview
John Lithgow on loving Alfred Molina, Nike celebrates football, Hrc invests in southern equality
Oh, Bill, now you’ve gone and done it. Coming after the gays is bad, but now O’Reilly is attacking Beyonce? He says that she’s “part of the problem” and a bad role model for girls because she “knows that young girls are getting pregnant in the African-American community… she knows, and doesn’t seem to care.”
In case you missed it, L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling was taped telling his girlfriend, who is mixed race, that he doesn’t like her hanging around black people in public. “It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to? You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote...
Oh, Bill, now you’ve gone and done it. Coming after the gays is bad, but now O’Reilly is attacking Beyonce? He says that she’s “part of the problem” and a bad role model for girls because she “knows that young girls are getting pregnant in the African-American community… she knows, and doesn’t seem to care.”
In case you missed it, L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling was taped telling his girlfriend, who is mixed race, that he doesn’t like her hanging around black people in public. “It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to? You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote...
- 4/27/2014
- by Ed Kennedy
- The Backlot
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama sent a letter to the friends and family of the late DJ Frankie Knuckles, recognizing his contributions to the city of Chicago and the global music community. In a letter shared on Facebook by DJ David Morales, the first family writes, "We were deeply saddened to learn of Frankie’s passing, and extend our heartfelt sympathies as you mourn his loss and reflect upon his life.” The letter continues, "Frankie's work helped open minds and bring people together,...
- 4/23/2014
- by Lyneka Little
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
Earlier this month, Chicago House music legend Frankie Knuckles died at age 59. Over the course of a 30-plus-year career, Knuckles accumulated a diverse and far-reaching fan base. So far-reaching it included a certain couple currently living in the White House. President Barack Obama, in 2004, when he was still a U.S. senator from Illinois, named August 24 Frankie Knuckles Day. Moved by his passing, the Obamas sent a condolence letter to the friends and family of the DJ, which Knuckles's former collaborator David Morales shared on Facebook. They call him a "trailblazer," whose "legacy lives on in the city of Chicago and on dance floors across the globe." Read the letter in full below.
- 4/22/2014
- by Jesse David Fox
- Vulture
When Frankie Knuckles died unexpectedly yesterday, it sent reverberations throughout the dance community. Though his name may not be as familiar to some as the current rank of superstar dance names, like Avicii or Skrillex or David Guetta, make no mistake about it: Knuckles was a titan and a pioneer. Dubbed the Godfather of House Music, he helped usher in a new era of dance music through such now-iconic tracks as “Tears” and “The Whistle Song.” Hitfix’s editor, Gregory Ellwood, wrote a moving tribute to Knuckles today. I didn’t know Knuckles well, so instead I reached out to some of our mutual friends and asked them to tell me what Knuckles meant to them. Here are their stories in their own words. I kept them all in their entirety and feel like Bill Coleman’s comments give a particular insight and background into Knuckles for those not familiar...
- 4/2/2014
- Hitfix
Birthday shoutouts go to Matt Lanter (above), who is 31, Sam Huntington is 32, Rachel Maddow is 41, and Debbie Reynolds is 82.
EW has a clip of Klaine singing “You Make Me Feel So Young” from tonight’s Glee
Anderson Cooper talks to Howard Stern about his feud with Alec Baldwin, coming out, relationships, and much more.
Carmen Carrera weighs in on the Drag Race controversy.
Our thoughts are with the friends and family of legendary gay DJ Frankie Knuckles, who has passed away at the age of 59.
So this story about James Franco has been making the rounds today, but no one can determine if it’s an April Fool’s joke.
Michelle Visage talks to this week’s eliminated Queen
here’s the Red Band trailer for Sex Tape, a variation on the “Couple makes porn tape and accidentally returns it to Blockbuster” story.
And here’s The Weekly ShoutOUT™. Each...
EW has a clip of Klaine singing “You Make Me Feel So Young” from tonight’s Glee
Anderson Cooper talks to Howard Stern about his feud with Alec Baldwin, coming out, relationships, and much more.
Carmen Carrera weighs in on the Drag Race controversy.
Our thoughts are with the friends and family of legendary gay DJ Frankie Knuckles, who has passed away at the age of 59.
So this story about James Franco has been making the rounds today, but no one can determine if it’s an April Fool’s joke.
Michelle Visage talks to this week’s eliminated Queen
here’s the Red Band trailer for Sex Tape, a variation on the “Couple makes porn tape and accidentally returns it to Blockbuster” story.
And here’s The Weekly ShoutOUT™. Each...
- 4/1/2014
- by snicks
- The Backlot
Legendary music producer Frankie Knuckles has passed away at the age of 59. Knuckles, who became known as the Godfather of House, was a pioneer of the house music movement in the eighties in New York City and Chicago. After forming Def Mix Productions with his friend David Morales, he worked with some of the biggest singers in the business like Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. Knuckles' first break as a solo artist was in 1991 when Virgin released his debut album called "Beyond the Mix"—which featured several major hits like "The Whistle Song" and "Rainfalls." In 2004, Chicago renamed a portion of Jefferson Street, near the site of the original...
- 4/1/2014
- E! Online
He was a creative force in the house music realm and sadly Frankie Knuckles died on Monday (March 31).
The Bronx, New York native had since moved to Chicago and according to his business partner Frederick Dunson, he “died unexpectedly” at his home sometime in the afternoon.
Knuckles’ Def Mix Productions co-founder DJ David Morales shared, "I am devastated to write that my dear friend Frankie Knuckles has passed away today. Can't write any more than this at the moment. I'm sorry."
Frankie, who was 59 at the time of his death, previously told the Chicago Tribune he loved the way house music provided a “safe haven” for people of all backgrounds and orientations. "God has a place on the dance floor. We wouldn't have all the things we have if it wasn't for God. We wouldn't have the one thing that keeps us sane -- music. It's the one thing that calms people down.
The Bronx, New York native had since moved to Chicago and according to his business partner Frederick Dunson, he “died unexpectedly” at his home sometime in the afternoon.
Knuckles’ Def Mix Productions co-founder DJ David Morales shared, "I am devastated to write that my dear friend Frankie Knuckles has passed away today. Can't write any more than this at the moment. I'm sorry."
Frankie, who was 59 at the time of his death, previously told the Chicago Tribune he loved the way house music provided a “safe haven” for people of all backgrounds and orientations. "God has a place on the dance floor. We wouldn't have all the things we have if it wasn't for God. We wouldn't have the one thing that keeps us sane -- music. It's the one thing that calms people down.
- 4/1/2014
- GossipCenter
Frankie Knuckles, one of the pioneers of house music, died at his Chicago home on Monday afternoon, his longtime business partner, Frederick Dunson, confirmed to The Chicago Tribune. He was 59. Knuckles was born in New York City, where he became a disco deejay in the 1970s. He moved to Chicago in the late '70s and helped change the sound of dance music as the premiere deejay at the underground Warehouse nightclub. He is largely credited with helping to build house music - the electronic dance genre birthed in Chicago. He opened up the dance club the Power Plant in 1983, and later traveled the U.
- 4/1/2014
- by Carlos Greer
- PEOPLE.com
Dance-music pioneer Frankie Knuckles died yesterday due to complications from type 2 diabetes. Born Francis Nicholls in the Bronx in 1955, Knuckles would go on to become the "Godfather of House Music." After spending the early '70s DJing disco clubs in New York, Knuckles moved to Chicago in 1977 to be the primary DJ for The Warehouse. His legendary sets included edits and remixes of a wide variety of music from disco to synth to R&B to post-punk. The story goes, it became so popular that people would start asking for "house" music at record stores, short for the name of the club he played at. By the mid-'80s, he was working at a club called Power Plant, and began working on original recordings with singer Jamie Principle, like 1986's "Your Love." In 1991, Knuckles released his debut album, Beyond the Mix, which included one of his biggest hits, "The Whistle Song.
- 4/1/2014
- by Jesse David Fox
- Vulture
Frankie Knuckles, known in the music biz as the "Godfather of House Music," passed away suddenly on Monday. He was 59. According to some reports, Knuckles (real name Francis Nicholls) died of complications stemming from Type II Diabetes. Knuckles was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and had a day named after him in Chicago, where he primarily worked in the 1980s. Knuckes won a Grammy in 1997 for Remixer of the Year, Non-Classical.
- 4/1/2014
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Frankie Knuckles, the DJ and producer widely revered as the “Godfather of House,” has reportedly died due to complications with diabetes. He was 59. Award-winning Chicago DJ Vince Lawrence is among those paying tribute. “A legend has fallen. All hail Frankie Knuckles an inspiration to us all,” Lawrence wrote on his Facebook page. Photos: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2014 Born in the Bronx in 1955, Knuckles began DJing in New York in the early '70s while still a teenager, some years before the disco explosion. A decade on he moved to Chicago, where he spliced disco hits and
read more...
read more...
- 4/1/2014
- by Lars Brandle, Billboard
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Goodbye to the "godfather." Frankie Knuckles, beloved DJ and house music mastermind, died Monday, March 31, at the age of 59. The Chicago resident's death was confirmed by Knuckles' longtime business partner Frederick Dunson to the Chicago Tribune. According to Dunson, Knuckles "died unexpectedly" at home Monday afternoon. Bronx-born Frankie Warren Knuckles Jr. first honed his DJ skills in NYC, eventually moving to Chicago in the late '70s as the disco scene was dying down. Along with a group of house music innovators, Knuckles went on to become [...]...
- 4/1/2014
- Us Weekly
An American music pioneer died yesterday. Chances are you never heard of him. His name was Frankie Knuckles and he was the Godfather of House Music. Knuckles was at the forefront of what drove dance music from the mid 80's on. He spinned at the legendary Warehouse in Chicago in the late '70s and and the Power Plant in the '80s as dance music was picking up the pieces after the death of Disco. Over the years he produced such influential tracks as "Tears," "Your Love," "The Whistle Song" and "Rain Falls." His remixes ranged from the club classic "Closer than Close" by Rosie Gaines to the amazing "Where Love Lives" by Alison Limerick to Lisa Stansfield's "Change" (she included two of his remixes on her Greatest Hits) to Toni Braxton's "Unbreak My Heart" to giving Whitney Houston one last dance number with "Million Dollar Bill...
- 4/1/2014
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
DJ Frankie Knuckles, a.k.a. the “Godfather of House,” has died from complications with diabetes, confirmed longtime Chicago promoter and Knuckles’ associate, Robert Williams. He was 59. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Knuckles spun influential dance music at various night clubs and helped to popularize the “House” music genre throughout the Us and abroad. Also read: DJ Megatron, a Regular on Bet's '106th & Park,’ Is Shot and Killed He spun primarily in Chicago, and would play dance music at many landmark clubs including the Music Box and the Warehouse. Also read: Has MTV's ‘Trl’ Been Reincarnated by DJ Skee and Kendrick Lamar?...
- 4/1/2014
- by James Crugnale
- The Wrap
Frankie Knuckles, the producer known as The “Godfather of House," died on Monday at age 59.
Frankie Knuckles Dies
Knuckles official cause of death has yet to be revealed, however it's been suggested that his passing had to do with complications from Type II Diabetes.
After moving from Chicago to the Bronx in the 70s, Knuckles began spinning at The Warehouse. At this Chicago hot spot is where “house” music – a derivative of the venue's name – took shape. Knuckles later brought the genre with him to his own venue, The Power Plant, in 1983.
Knuckles continued to be a in-demand DJ, and went on to become an esteemed producer and remixer, forming Def Mix Productions with David Morales. Among the artists he worked with were Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Chaka Khan and Toni Braxton.
Twitter Reacts To Knuckles Death
I am devastated to write that my dear friend Frankie Knuckles has passed away today.
Frankie Knuckles Dies
Knuckles official cause of death has yet to be revealed, however it's been suggested that his passing had to do with complications from Type II Diabetes.
After moving from Chicago to the Bronx in the 70s, Knuckles began spinning at The Warehouse. At this Chicago hot spot is where “house” music – a derivative of the venue's name – took shape. Knuckles later brought the genre with him to his own venue, The Power Plant, in 1983.
Knuckles continued to be a in-demand DJ, and went on to become an esteemed producer and remixer, forming Def Mix Productions with David Morales. Among the artists he worked with were Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Chaka Khan and Toni Braxton.
Twitter Reacts To Knuckles Death
I am devastated to write that my dear friend Frankie Knuckles has passed away today.
- 4/1/2014
- Uinterview
Lovebox festival just got a whole lot more provocative...
Us hip hop queen Lil Kim has joined the line-up for the East London music event.
In the first of her announced UK festival appearances in 2013, the 'Jump Off' rapper will play the Sunday night of Lovebox.
On the same bill as Lil Kim is one of the female rap stars for whom she paved the way, Azealia Banks. It will be the first time she has played a show in London since 2001, on her Notorious K.I.M world tour.
Of course, you may not recognise Lil Kim from the days when she had her big break during the '90s. To get up to speed, join us on a surgical journey as we turn back the hands of time on a voyage across Lil Kim's ever-changing face...
Lovebox runs from 19-21 July Victoria Park, check out the full...
Us hip hop queen Lil Kim has joined the line-up for the East London music event.
In the first of her announced UK festival appearances in 2013, the 'Jump Off' rapper will play the Sunday night of Lovebox.
On the same bill as Lil Kim is one of the female rap stars for whom she paved the way, Azealia Banks. It will be the first time she has played a show in London since 2001, on her Notorious K.I.M world tour.
Of course, you may not recognise Lil Kim from the days when she had her big break during the '90s. To get up to speed, join us on a surgical journey as we turn back the hands of time on a voyage across Lil Kim's ever-changing face...
Lovebox runs from 19-21 July Victoria Park, check out the full...
- 5/9/2013
- by The Huffington Post UK
- Huffington Post
'She definitely is one of those iconic people when it comes down to the dance scene,' Flo tells MTV News of late disco singer.
By Kara Warner, with additional reporting by Rob Markman
Donna Summer
Photo: Getty Images
The surprised, sincere and heartfelt reactions continue to roll in as the news of Disco Queen Donna Summer's untimely passing Thursday (May 17) spreads far and wide. Summer influenced the music industry as a whole, but her impact is especially felt in today's electronic dance music — which includes current club-anthem king Flo Rida.
"I was just looking at something with her months ago," the "Wild Ones" singer told MTV News. "Today, when I got a text message [about her death], I thought, 'Wow, she passed away.' She definitely is one of those iconic people when it comes down to the dance scene and all that. My condolences go out to all her family.
By Kara Warner, with additional reporting by Rob Markman
Donna Summer
Photo: Getty Images
The surprised, sincere and heartfelt reactions continue to roll in as the news of Disco Queen Donna Summer's untimely passing Thursday (May 17) spreads far and wide. Summer influenced the music industry as a whole, but her impact is especially felt in today's electronic dance music — which includes current club-anthem king Flo Rida.
"I was just looking at something with her months ago," the "Wild Ones" singer told MTV News. "Today, when I got a text message [about her death], I thought, 'Wow, she passed away.' She definitely is one of those iconic people when it comes down to the dance scene and all that. My condolences go out to all her family.
- 5/17/2012
- MTV Music News
From an 80s party to robo-karate, this week's winners and losers
Super 80s
Along with BMXs, backpacks and the Walkman, Jj Abrams is reintroducing "mint" as a term of excellence in his 80s sci-fi Super 8. Barf, rad, bodacious and gnarly lined up for Super 16.
Part Motorcycle, part karate expert, All Robot!
Karate-Robo Zaborgar: when a movie plot is simple enough, you don't really need to explain much more in the tagline.
Cindy Says
So, where exactly in "the north" is Michelle Collins's new Corrie barmaid supposed to be from?
Disco-very
Clubbing doc The Politics Of Dancing brings Frankie Knuckles to Radio 4 on Tuesday, 1.30pm.
Black Squadron: Glastonbury Command
Adam And Joe's show is live from Worthy Farm this morning – if you're there, head to the Pyramid Stage for a mass Squadron alert.
Rumour of the week
Darren Aronofsky to direct Michael Chabon's Hobgoblin – a HBO show about...
Super 80s
Along with BMXs, backpacks and the Walkman, Jj Abrams is reintroducing "mint" as a term of excellence in his 80s sci-fi Super 8. Barf, rad, bodacious and gnarly lined up for Super 16.
Part Motorcycle, part karate expert, All Robot!
Karate-Robo Zaborgar: when a movie plot is simple enough, you don't really need to explain much more in the tagline.
Cindy Says
So, where exactly in "the north" is Michelle Collins's new Corrie barmaid supposed to be from?
Disco-very
Clubbing doc The Politics Of Dancing brings Frankie Knuckles to Radio 4 on Tuesday, 1.30pm.
Black Squadron: Glastonbury Command
Adam And Joe's show is live from Worthy Farm this morning – if you're there, head to the Pyramid Stage for a mass Squadron alert.
Rumour of the week
Darren Aronofsky to direct Michael Chabon's Hobgoblin – a HBO show about...
- 6/24/2011
- The Guardian - Film News
List of 100 nominees also includes Mixmaster Mike, Diplo, Moby, Girl Talk and other big names.
By Gil Kaufman
Pauly D
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images
After the triumphant sneak peek of the second season of "Jersey Shore" at Sunday night's MTV Movie Awards, castmember Pauly D has something else to pump his fist about.
The shiny-coiffed Rhode Island native has been nominated among a list of legendary DJs in the annual America's Best DJ competition. Granted, there are 100 names on the list, but the contest encourages fans of club music to vote for their favorite plate spinner, and 2010 marks the first time D has made the list.
While there are plenty of lesser-known DJs on the list, Pauly will be going up against some of the hottest and most-respected names in the game, including Armand Van Helden, Bad Boy Bill, Bassnectar, A-Trak, Carl Craig, BT, Crystal Method, Cut Chemist, Danny Tenaglia,...
By Gil Kaufman
Pauly D
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images
After the triumphant sneak peek of the second season of "Jersey Shore" at Sunday night's MTV Movie Awards, castmember Pauly D has something else to pump his fist about.
The shiny-coiffed Rhode Island native has been nominated among a list of legendary DJs in the annual America's Best DJ competition. Granted, there are 100 names on the list, but the contest encourages fans of club music to vote for their favorite plate spinner, and 2010 marks the first time D has made the list.
While there are plenty of lesser-known DJs on the list, Pauly will be going up against some of the hottest and most-respected names in the game, including Armand Van Helden, Bad Boy Bill, Bassnectar, A-Trak, Carl Craig, BT, Crystal Method, Cut Chemist, Danny Tenaglia,...
- 6/10/2010
- MTV Music News
The Guilty Pleasure Fairy visited me in my sleep recently and left The Lair: Season Three under my pillow. Woo-hoo! The Fred Olen Ray vampire-sex-club soap opera is back—now with 100 percent more Sybil Danning! Courtesy of the friendly folks at here! TV (I really wish they’d just break down and capitalize “Here”—seriously), which is currently airing the series on-demand, I had a chance to chat briefly with a few of the stars of this new season.
First up is Frankie Valenti, or, as he’s more widely known, adult-film star Johnny Hazzard. His bad-boy image has served him well in the adult world since 2003, and he has won several “Grabby” and GayVN Awards for his performances in videos like Detention and Wrong Side Of The Tracks. Season two of The Lair was his first straight acting gig, and he returns in the third as Tim, having...
First up is Frankie Valenti, or, as he’s more widely known, adult-film star Johnny Hazzard. His bad-boy image has served him well in the adult world since 2003, and he has won several “Grabby” and GayVN Awards for his performances in videos like Detention and Wrong Side Of The Tracks. Season two of The Lair was his first straight acting gig, and he returns in the third as Tim, having...
- 11/17/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (Sean Abley)
- Fangoria
Call it sacrilegious or much necessary, but Universal Motown continues with the latest release of Michael Jackson classics remixed. The latest "Michael Jackson: The Remix Suite" was just released to iTunes.
"The "Michael Jackson: The Remix Suite II" features remixes from production powerhouses like Paul Oakenfold, who helmed Madonna's latest single "Celebration," Frankie Knuckles, and Steve Aoki.
Oakenfold makes the Jackson 4 classic "Dancing Machine" an electro dancefloor stomper, while Aoki gives the same track a more house vibe. The rest of the set includes remixes of "Hum Along and Dance" from Morales Giamsta, "I Want You Back" from Dimitro from Paris, and "Forever Come Today" by Frankie Knuckles.
"For this project, I chose to remix 'Forever Came Today' because of my history with the song," said DJ Frankie Knuckles. "As a DJ, it has always been my favorite song by the J5. It has great energy, fabulous rhythm, and always...
"The "Michael Jackson: The Remix Suite II" features remixes from production powerhouses like Paul Oakenfold, who helmed Madonna's latest single "Celebration," Frankie Knuckles, and Steve Aoki.
Oakenfold makes the Jackson 4 classic "Dancing Machine" an electro dancefloor stomper, while Aoki gives the same track a more house vibe. The rest of the set includes remixes of "Hum Along and Dance" from Morales Giamsta, "I Want You Back" from Dimitro from Paris, and "Forever Come Today" by Frankie Knuckles.
"For this project, I chose to remix 'Forever Came Today' because of my history with the song," said DJ Frankie Knuckles. "As a DJ, it has always been my favorite song by the J5. It has great energy, fabulous rhythm, and always...
- 9/8/2009
- icelebz.com
Five installments will be packaged together as Michael Jackson: The Remix Suites I-v, due October 27.
By James Montgomery
Photo: Sam Yeh/Getty Images
The first installment of Universal Motown's expansive Michael Jackson: The Remix Suite project hit digital retailers Tuesday, and already, the label is readying the second edition of the series — and a third too.
Suite II will premiere online September 8 and features some of the biggest names in dance music remixing Jackson 5 tracks: house DJs Frankie Knuckles ("Forever Came Today") and David Morales ("I Want You Back"), superstar DJs Paul Oakenfold and Steve Aoki (both of whom take on "Dancing Machine") and disco don Dimitri From Paris ("I Want You Back").
Michael Jackson: A Life In Photos
Suite III bows September 22 and boasts a lineup of some of the biggest names in hip-hop and R&B tackling even more J5 tunes. Jackson's friend and...
By James Montgomery
Photo: Sam Yeh/Getty Images
The first installment of Universal Motown's expansive Michael Jackson: The Remix Suite project hit digital retailers Tuesday, and already, the label is readying the second edition of the series — and a third too.
Suite II will premiere online September 8 and features some of the biggest names in dance music remixing Jackson 5 tracks: house DJs Frankie Knuckles ("Forever Came Today") and David Morales ("I Want You Back"), superstar DJs Paul Oakenfold and Steve Aoki (both of whom take on "Dancing Machine") and disco don Dimitri From Paris ("I Want You Back").
Michael Jackson: A Life In Photos
Suite III bows September 22 and boasts a lineup of some of the biggest names in hip-hop and R&B tackling even more J5 tunes. Jackson's friend and...
- 8/26/2009
- MTV Music News
Artrution Prods.
NEW YORK -- Watching Josell Ramos' talking-heads documentary detailing the history of the underground dance club scene is unfortunately akin to going to a dance club stone cold sober and wearing ear plugs. You get the gist of the general experience, but euphoria is far, far away. "Maestro", which squanders an interesting subject with its amateurish execution, is currently playing at New York's Quad Cinema and opens in Los Angeles on April 2.
The film, clearly the work of a devoted fan of the genre, documents the history of the New York underground milieu, concentrating on such famous clubs as the Loft and the Paradise Club and such legendary DJs as the late Larry Levan (the film's central figure), Frankie Knuckles and David Mancuso, among others. Needless to say, the nature of the clubs did not encourage extensive documentation, so the archival footage on display here, what little of it there is, is grainy and hard to watch. Still, aficionados will no doubt thrill to rare vintage glimpses of the various clubs and such DJs as Levan spinning their discs, even if we get to hear far too little of the music that powered the scene.
The film is largely composed of interviews, both with pivotal figures of the culture and many of those who have patronized the clubs both in years past and present day. Clearly aiming for an underground aesthetic, the director has filmed the bulk of the interviews, which vary wildly in interest, using the same grainy and blurry format as the archival footage. The results are more painful than atmospheric, although the rabid enthusiasm of many of those interviewed well conveys the reason for the clubs' success.
More damagingly, the film provides little in the way of coherent history or context, with the result that those not already highly familiar with the subculture will come away with little or no additional understanding.
NEW YORK -- Watching Josell Ramos' talking-heads documentary detailing the history of the underground dance club scene is unfortunately akin to going to a dance club stone cold sober and wearing ear plugs. You get the gist of the general experience, but euphoria is far, far away. "Maestro", which squanders an interesting subject with its amateurish execution, is currently playing at New York's Quad Cinema and opens in Los Angeles on April 2.
The film, clearly the work of a devoted fan of the genre, documents the history of the New York underground milieu, concentrating on such famous clubs as the Loft and the Paradise Club and such legendary DJs as the late Larry Levan (the film's central figure), Frankie Knuckles and David Mancuso, among others. Needless to say, the nature of the clubs did not encourage extensive documentation, so the archival footage on display here, what little of it there is, is grainy and hard to watch. Still, aficionados will no doubt thrill to rare vintage glimpses of the various clubs and such DJs as Levan spinning their discs, even if we get to hear far too little of the music that powered the scene.
The film is largely composed of interviews, both with pivotal figures of the culture and many of those who have patronized the clubs both in years past and present day. Clearly aiming for an underground aesthetic, the director has filmed the bulk of the interviews, which vary wildly in interest, using the same grainy and blurry format as the archival footage. The results are more painful than atmospheric, although the rabid enthusiasm of many of those interviewed well conveys the reason for the clubs' success.
More damagingly, the film provides little in the way of coherent history or context, with the result that those not already highly familiar with the subculture will come away with little or no additional understanding.
Artrution Prods.
NEW YORK -- Watching Josell Ramos' talking-heads documentary detailing the history of the underground dance club scene is unfortunately akin to going to a dance club stone cold sober and wearing ear plugs. You get the gist of the general experience, but euphoria is far, far away. "Maestro", which squanders an interesting subject with its amateurish execution, is currently playing at New York's Quad Cinema and opens in Los Angeles on April 2.
The film, clearly the work of a devoted fan of the genre, documents the history of the New York underground milieu, concentrating on such famous clubs as the Loft and the Paradise Club and such legendary DJs as the late Larry Levan (the film's central figure), Frankie Knuckles and David Mancuso, among others. Needless to say, the nature of the clubs did not encourage extensive documentation, so the archival footage on display here, what little of it there is, is grainy and hard to watch. Still, aficionados will no doubt thrill to rare vintage glimpses of the various clubs and such DJs as Levan spinning their discs, even if we get to hear far too little of the music that powered the scene.
The film is largely composed of interviews, both with pivotal figures of the culture and many of those who have patronized the clubs both in years past and present day. Clearly aiming for an underground aesthetic, the director has filmed the bulk of the interviews, which vary wildly in interest, using the same grainy and blurry format as the archival footage. The results are more painful than atmospheric, although the rabid enthusiasm of many of those interviewed well conveys the reason for the clubs' success.
More damagingly, the film provides little in the way of coherent history or context, with the result that those not already highly familiar with the subculture will come away with little or no additional understanding.
NEW YORK -- Watching Josell Ramos' talking-heads documentary detailing the history of the underground dance club scene is unfortunately akin to going to a dance club stone cold sober and wearing ear plugs. You get the gist of the general experience, but euphoria is far, far away. "Maestro", which squanders an interesting subject with its amateurish execution, is currently playing at New York's Quad Cinema and opens in Los Angeles on April 2.
The film, clearly the work of a devoted fan of the genre, documents the history of the New York underground milieu, concentrating on such famous clubs as the Loft and the Paradise Club and such legendary DJs as the late Larry Levan (the film's central figure), Frankie Knuckles and David Mancuso, among others. Needless to say, the nature of the clubs did not encourage extensive documentation, so the archival footage on display here, what little of it there is, is grainy and hard to watch. Still, aficionados will no doubt thrill to rare vintage glimpses of the various clubs and such DJs as Levan spinning their discs, even if we get to hear far too little of the music that powered the scene.
The film is largely composed of interviews, both with pivotal figures of the culture and many of those who have patronized the clubs both in years past and present day. Clearly aiming for an underground aesthetic, the director has filmed the bulk of the interviews, which vary wildly in interest, using the same grainy and blurry format as the archival footage. The results are more painful than atmospheric, although the rabid enthusiasm of many of those interviewed well conveys the reason for the clubs' success.
More damagingly, the film provides little in the way of coherent history or context, with the result that those not already highly familiar with the subculture will come away with little or no additional understanding.
- 3/19/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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