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Tuesday 30 November 2010

What We Wore: 1994/1995

Back in the day when I was younger my best friends Dad owned a record shop, we'd reach every day after school to hang out and try to look cool with the older heads. At that age we weren't massively into the music they were listening to but I did love the stories they'd tell us about the all night raves and the girls.

The album covers, flyers and apparel in the shop was what held my attention. They were all so DIY back then, nothing like the albums that was getting sold at the time in the likes of HMV or Virgin.

As I grew older I started getting more into the clothes and the style....a fascination that hasn't left me. I read a really good article from Vice Style about Jungle and it sent me looking for old archive footage.

I vividly remember the World Dance record bags that were sold in the shop and found these clips of the Jungle and D&B rave...


rave_party





If you're interested in this then I definitely recommend the documentary 'A London Somet'ing Dis'. Part One and part Two. The clothes and styles are killer.

One of the OG's featured in these videos said that 'Jungle brought people together'. He said there were black guys who'd never have spoken to any white person if it weren't for Jungle and vice versa. Surely this was a defining moment in shaping multicultural Britain.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lots and lots and lots and lots of pills also helped bring different ethnic backgrounds together.

Anonymous said...

yeah,world dance was cool.
Remember it was such a tight knit movement that everything was done in house i.e filming,recording the rave.
Its a shame that this important movement was not documented heavily, in a way its a good thing.
The real london rave's were roast,jungle fever,awol,thunder n joy,orange etc etc.
Rocking versace,moschino,iceberg and all those mad italian brands.

Still a good post tho

@OllieDanger said...

Pills have done more to break down barriers than anything.

From the video clips it sounds like London was the epicentre for these raves and its a massive shame not so much was documented. I understand that some people who were actually there might feel its best left in memory but its also a good reference tool for these new kids who think they did it all first.

Anonymous said...

Roller Express, Edmonton.

Anonymous said...

siiiiiiiiiiiiiick. lots of strong looks, a revival is long overdue, allow the curtains this time round though i reckon

Anonymous said...

Yay! Let's go and rape another era!

Saying that, the vice article is great... And without doing the whole 'it was better back in the day' routine (it was better though), this era was so intensely creative, and AUTHENTIC.

Without getting into the 'politics of authenticity' (yeah i know that everything is authentic), the whole idea then was not about rocking a look to be 'on the edge', it was about being part of something wider than yourself.

And it was also totally forward looking, totally innovative and fresh, not trying to 'reference' the past. Lets push things forward.

Anonymous said...

Those videos sent shivers up my spine.....

been too long

Unknown said...

Found this randomly, but it's good to see someone influenced by the artwork for the parties

Just to let you know my best pal damon who used to do the world dance and most of the other jungle promoters flyers died last week of a heart attack.

He taught me how to design on a mac.

here's his facebook profile

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1225813923

my pal jay who owns world dance may yet do another.....

will keep you posted

my facebook is

http://www.facebook.com/steveebeatz

peace