Hear the Music? - Well, can you? - 2014 (Todd Terry) 

During the late 1980s within England and within the cities such as New York, Chicago, and New Jersey in the USA. We were witnessing the fact that Hip Hop music was not having its own way all of the time.

Another type of Dance music was wanting a piece of the same action. This form of dance music was known as House and Garage.

It had taken over the underground, dance music club scene within Chicago (well House Music had for sure). and the sound was filtering back to New York via the Manhattan club circuit fast.

The Dj/Producer known as Todd Terry was really one of the first to really put New York back in the forefront in regards to the music known as "House" after the initial musical movement was made popular by the music lovers within the city of Chicago.

However, many music critics state the fact that New York's Disco Culture had led to the creation of Chicago House music in the first place. Without the music of Disco, there would be no House and Garage music at all they state.

However, we are not here to argue who is the true innovator of the music of House music or Garage music, to be honest. We are looking at the creation at depth of just one of Todd Terry's brilliant tracks.

On this occasion, we will be looking at the song that is known as "Hear the Music" by the Gypsymen (1992) which is just one of the names that Todd Terry goes under.

The track called "Hear the Music" has a tribal-like drum pattern that kicks in so effortlessly that it has us all transfixed to the tune like a snake who is hypnotically under the influence of the snake charmer's pipe.

The track in question was huge all over the world via the underground discos or dance music clubs at the time. It even went to Number 1 states side (USA) on the Dance charts of April 1992.

Gypsymen - "Hear the Music"

Todd Terry hails from New York, USA. He is today considered a House music legend. He was originally immersed in the music after listening to Hip Hop music and breakbeats.

In fact, he was working with 2 x Hip Hop groups in New York during the early to middle 1980s, but nothing was working out for him with that type of music.

He was introduced to the music of House via a music friend of his called "Tracks" - who stated that maybe they had better pay attention to a new style of music-making some "noise" within the Manhattan area of New York, known as House music.

After himself (TODD TERRY) got into those same clubs in Manhattan, he went home and started mimicking what he had just heard within those same Manhattan clubs that he managed to squeeze into.

Once he refined what he heard via those clubs that he visited he was on his way to making bonafide House music tracks.

He made a breakthrough with the tune called "Alright, Alright"(1987) which put him on the right step to stardom. Then came the singles that created the legend that is Todd Terry.

"I'll House you" *by The Jungle Brothers (His mix on this single - 1988).

Under the name of Todd Terry Project, he brought out the singles - "WEEKEND" AND "BANGO BACK TO THE BEAT" (1988) all of which were massive on an Underground and worldwide level.

Once Todd had got the bit between his teeth there was no stopping him. First came the Underground Club hit called Black Riots "A day in the Life" in 1988.

Then came Royal House - "Can you Party" in 1988.

 It seemed as if every mix/tune he was putting out was sure-fire gold from TODD TERRY.

However, the mix that even made me and plenty of others stop dead was this one. This one is sweet. I know this will not cut it with a lot of people.

Even make you wonder if I have lost it. As many are not under the House groove, But for those that are this is the Todd Terry track.

Have a listen to this yourself.

The single is best known for its, heavy, computer-like, tribal drum beats, non-stop scatting male vocals, female vocals chanting "Can you feel it?" and the looping keyboard sampling of Machine's 1979 disco song, "THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD GO I".

Royal House - "Can you Party" in 1988 

 As I mentioned it's those drums, that get you hooked first of all.

Let's hear how Todd goes about making these tunes in general.

How do you write songs?

"I get started with a bunch of pretty melodies, put it to a hard beat and bassline, and take out all the melody after the song is done.

Like these pretty pianos [on the track he’s working on], you’ll never hear them on the record. That would soften it up and make it sound just like every other house record.

The pretty pianos and bells and whatever that I use to write the song, I take them out and I put in some harder elements, keeping the way the singer sings the melody. It's a trick actually.

I keep the basic chords but it won’t sound anywhere the same as when I did the demo. A lot of singers, when they hear the finished song they’ll be like, ‘Oh that was good, that’s interesting.’

I keep the same formula but I just change the sound. I could put a complete acid sound to it after the girl sings it".

 

Interviewed by Frank Broughton in New York, May 21, 1996

 

So that's the secret of how Todd Terry creates his masterpieces? Well,  I am sure that there is more to it than that. He has a few more tricks up his sleeve.

For instance, he has been working on different styles of music such as making Drum and Bass Tracks and Dubstep tracks, which allows him to keep that edge.

Another explanation for his continuing within the music industry is that he has decided to do more Dj/Producer collaborations.

He is working with a number of new producers that have impressed him. Which in itself allows him to move in a new direction on how these younger DJs/producers go about making music. What Drum patterns they are using, snares, etc, etc...

 

Todd often states that his generation was always geared towards making music. He sees this generation in being moved towards making just sounds;

 

"Yeah, always. There are always different sounds, different warps, vocal tricks, drum rolls, echoes—I can always learn from these kids because they are looking at producing way differently than I did.

I was brought up making music and they're brought up making sounds, that's a big difference. I see what it is, it's all about the sound to them. Me, I'll take a piano and make music, but they'll take a piano and warp it"

So what are we going to expect in the future from Todd Terry?

Well, let's hear from the man himself.

 "I've always been at my roots whether people notice it or not. I've always done a little bit of this, a little bit of that.

I'm not running away from HOUSE MUSIC, but every once in a while, I want to do a different beat; I want to do a break-dance record or a freestyle record. If I feel like doing it, I'm just going to do it.

I just did the Todd Terry vs. Hip-Hop album because I wanted to do it. I just want to stay like me. [laughs] It can be hard in this business, but I have to stick to that because I think that's what has kept me here for 27 years.

You have to do it as a feeling, not just because someone wants you to put a warped sound on their track. It's important that you want to do it"

More on the subject from Todd Terry

 

 "Yeah, I try to have fun with it, but it's a business and I have to pay some bills every now and then. I try to do two records for the people and two for myself every month.

I'm doing a freestyle album right now—makes no sense at all, but I'm doing it. I'm setting up a session to bug out and do some music with a Latin band in June (2013). I think that people have alienated the fun out of music. We have to get the dance floor back to where people are having fun and it's interesting"

Please click here to find out more about the Interview - Please click on this link below.

Todd Terry was Interviewed by Xlr8r magazine in 2013

Or please click on the youtube video interview below: 

TREVOR JACKSON ( House Masters - Defected Records) and TODD TERRY - 2016. 

 

Todd Terry is an important chapter within any book devoted to House and Garage music.

There are other worthy Djs and DJs/Producers that deserve a mention on this website. And trust me I will be working on this in future writings about the same subject.

However, I would like to offer my opinion that Todd Terry was House music's first true international superstar.

I get the feeling that I'd better start dodging the rocks that I feel will be hurled at me by the lovers of the music (House music especially) from the City of Chicago, USA.

 

In the City of Chicago as I have already mentioned class the music of House as their very own.

However, there was a period from 1990 to 1992 when Todd Terry turned to harden Hip Hop music Heads for some time into liking House music.

That's some going. Some going indeed. Here in England, at the height of his popularity, he even gained the nickname of  Todd "The God" Terry!

Well that's all folks for now anyway.