The Religion of the 1990s Rave scene in Florida- A Memento By Sean Darkbloom
The Religion of the 1990s RAVE scene in Florida- A Memento
By Sean Darkbloom
Do you remember the fresh smell of the Florida air and the sweet sting of the wind through your hair while speeding down the interstate, windows down, blasting the baddess-ass Breakz track noone’s ever heard at 1AM- your crew in the back seat rolling their asses off, while you all knew you were about to entirely “make” the vibe of the party?
Do you remember the feeling of the first dew drop of the morning at 5AM- while dancing with the hottest chick you’d never know her name- on a rooftop surrounded by palmtrees, overlooking the skyscape of the whole city that only you knew as it “really ” was- listening to best damn downtempo DJ that you’ve ever seen?
I’m Sean Darkbloom- and I remember……….
It’s not hard to piece together how or why it all started. Of course masses would come together just to “listen” to something so totally different from anything ever before. Sure there were elements of earlier genres-freestyle, b-boy, disco, etc…of course we imported the early House from Europe. But we transcended it somehow. What was created in Florida in the 90s was a movement- bonded together spiritually by a love of music- which we were creating as well as listening to. It could be said that the Florida Breakbeat scene in the 90s transformed itself somehow into an all-inclusive, self-sustaining organism. At some point the organism itself (the scene) began to morph on its on, eventually controlling even those instrumental in creating it.
Amazing…yes. So many of the anti-rave campaigns compared it to “the hippy” movement.
Others said it wasn’t a movement at all, but simply a childish drug frenzy, while young America attempted to grasp the onslaught of new and improved designer drugs flooding the underground. So many believe that the spark went out overnight…without a fight. Others believe much like “video killed the radio star….Hip Hop killed the techno-star.”
I hope to prove in this article that neither is true. In fact, the truth is we were fighting a battle…and won.
To compare the “Rave” scene in the 90s to the “Hippie” movement is a misnomer. First of all, the Hippie movement had a definite political motive…therefore it was easy to understand. The motive, of course…end the Vietnam War. In the meantime, of course…get as fucked up as you could, while having free-love sex with as many partners as you could physically handle.
The Rave scene, however, is much harder to pinpoint a motive to. Many have believed that is because there wasn’t one- making it not even classifiable as a “movement” at all. This couldn’t be further from the truth-it’s just hard for anthropologists to understand that the motive was “SIMPLY MUSIC.” This single fact puts the ‘Rave” movement closer to the early 20th century American Jazz movement- than the hippies. Folks had a hard time understanding jazz, too- provoking Louie Armstrong to his famous quote, “If you have to ask- you’ll never know.” Certainly, this is also true for the “Rave” scene.
So, if the movement’s motive was music, what did we hope to accomplish? Simply, to make this new electronic music respected in the musical community. Artists in other musical genres disliked our love of “producers”, the “unseen” guy in their circles. From early on rock bands and music “aficionados” accused our “techno” music as having “no integrity” and “no musical talent.” We in the scene knew this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, our music was much more complex than rock, hip-hop, or anything else. While these genres usually centered around 4 instruments –guitar, bass, drums, vocals- our music had no boundaries. We would often have an infinite number of multi-layered tracks, each winding through progressions of complex synth lines-often worthy of the great composers. Our music would often meld into beautiful soundscapes, incorporating traditional piano lines. So, while the world mocked electronica for having “no talent”- we knew the truth was “they” just didn’t understand. In fact, we all felt like “champions for the underdog”, demanding respect.
One of the problems with the scene, helping lead to its eventual demise, was that what we were fighting FOR, happened to be exactly what we were AGAINST. As we gathered by the thousands to fight for the respect of this new musical style, when it did morph into something mainstream- we hated it and turned our back on it. 20 years later, electronica is highly respected. Artists like Lady GaGa and 3OH3 have brought techno beats to the masses. Video games have put techno in the hands of 12 year-olds, and car commercials have created techno anthems. WOW- we won! 20 years later techno is still around, and more popular than ever. The problem is, it didn’t happen exactly like we thought it would. Well, it never does. Still, part of the reason the scene is over is that we have nothing to go back and prove.
The 10 year “scene” from 1990-2000 in Florida certainly went through a decisive change in its course. In 1993 when I was introduced to the whole thing as a definitive “culture” (not just sitting around listening to music), you would get off work at your construction job or whatever, still be wearing your work uniform, and show up at these late night parties, eat an ecstasy pill, and enjoy some good company. Conversation and the “personal journey” seemed more important than anything else.
I remember people who had been in the scene longer always looking out for those new to it. They would seek the new out, and ask important questions- like- “How many pills have you eaten?”, or “Do you need a water?” The prevailing idea was that we were flirting with dangerous drugs, and it was the responsibility of those who had been in it longer to school those new to it. One thing that really struck me about the early scene, was the over-abundance of literature circulating about. Ravers had even created their own 10 commandments, including “never eat more than 2 pills a night”, and “always know who you buy drugs from.” By end of the scene- culminating with the US Government’s “Operation Heat-Rave” campaign in December 1999- these early “commandments” had been long forgotten. We had become “heathens” to our own “religion.”
I remember the popular slogan, “One Drug, One love”- which summed up in a nutshell that only ecstasy could help you hear this music correctly, and any other drug was not only unnecessary- but shunned. Other slogans began to turn up in later years, as more dangerous drugs creeped into the underground. “Together we stand- Divided we fall OUT”- explained that if we didn’t watch each other, the scene would not only collapse, but you may end up in the hospital.
The “vibe”, as we later described it, hadn’t come into existence yet at these early parties.
Most of the “clubs” were just one room warehouses with a couple pool tables-but ALWAYS- had the best damn DJ you ever heard, spinning this “new” music. There were always couches available, for when you fell to your “personal journey.” The dancing style we think of today hadn’t evolved yet- you just closed your eyes and did whatever the music made you do. Noone judged you. It was your “journey.” We all had our own to deal with.
By 1996, those same 1room warehouses had transformed into huge multi-floored complexes- with their owners proud to have come this far for the “music.” Soon after, the “vibe” began to appear. The scene had seemingly gained a “spirit” which could be felt when we all came together to celebrate the music. But how long before that innocent spirit would sour? These massive temples which we had erected to this religion required massive funds to operate. Perhaps therein lies the beginning of the corruption and deceit- all done to help build something we all believed in-something we all “lived.”
It didn’t take long before the scene developed it’s own “work uniform.” Designer sweat pants, visors, and T-Shirts hit the late scene in swarms. By 2005, Ravers were creating their own clothing lines-many going on to gain national markets. You still wore your “work uniform” to the parties, but now it was your “SCENE uniform.” Gone were the days of getting off work at the convenience store and coming straight in to the club. NOW, you went out of your way to look the part, covering yourself in Raver gear like Split, Alien Workshop, and even some national brands that had gotten involved (Puma, Adidas, etc).Those who didn’t have the gear would become “shunned.” The scene that originated as welcoming all, where everyone could be themselves, had changed. And the people changed- to FIT the scene.
What began as something everyone could be a part of- became something you had to “prove yourself” in to be apart of. And if you did “fit” in- you became part of the ever-building “vibe.” I remember a conversation in the mid 90s with my friend Billy, a popular breakdancer in North Florida at the time. He said, as were driving to a party in Orlando, “You see- everyone’s got a job- the dancer- the DJ- the drug-dealer. And if we all do our job right- the end result is a good “vibe.” Good god, had we made drug-dealer a “respectable profession?” The scene had become both beautiful and dangerous.
In the midst of it all, it had also become a fashion show. Not so bad, right? We saw it as a good thing. Ravers were making the clothes, so buying them was supporting “us.” The idea that the scene could support itself soon came to the forefront, quickly enticing fashion designers and promoters to invest even more. Was the scene becoming “respectable?” Was it becoming a self-supporting movement- or big business?
Some even believed it was becoming a real “religion.” Perhaps it was the visions of too much acid and ecstasy- “candy-flippin”, when you mixed the two together. Perhaps it was simply the power of thousands of vast oceans of ravers, coming together at huge weekend festivals-but yes…..
In the extreme underground there was some sort of unspoken religion beginning- which would only be talked about in confidence during the deepest of trips with trusted friends. And what that religion based itself on, was an “alien” element. At its core was the idea that something like George Clinton’s “mothership” had placed the seed of life here, and that the formula for life, the universe, and everything (ala Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) was embedded deep in our brains-only to be brought forward by (what luck) the massive amounts of hallucinogenic drugs we were putting in our systems. The slogan “Alien Vs Vampire”, symbolized a separation of our spiritual movement from the previous electronic culture- “Goth.”
I guess at the forefront of the underground “religious” movement, was the band “Rabbit in The Moon.” Even in the two, very short conversations I had with Monk in the 90s, it was obvious that they knew they were doing something completely different. Somehow, Rabbit were able to meld the chainsaws and death/destruction of the previous Goth scene with the late-night Rave scene. Their dark/ethereal show, combined with dark/trancy breaks-seemed to tell a story- and in that story- seemed to be hidden references to this “Raver religion.” Once, at a 4AM outdoor show, during a 3 day festival in Gainesville- Confucius even spoke of a hidden religion of some sort.
Looking back, I guess the funniest thing about Ravers creating their own religion-was that even those at the forefront of it, couldn’t explain it. Go figure, half the time we could barely talk (lol). My opinion on the religious aspect?- There definitely was…”something.” Was it the drugs which created this awe-inspiring feeling of “togetherness?” Or again, was it the shear power of the masses coming together? Certainly history shows us that when large crowds come together; there will be some sort of mutual feeling shared. Look at the flock to Mecca, the ability of Hitler to brainwash, Jonestown, or even just local churches. There are hundreds of examples.
There were occasions of “mass hallucinations”- things felt and seen by multitudes of different folks on different drugs- some even sober (granted, not many). The music itself seemed to have a hallucinogenic power- and if you could create a beautiful painting with your music- you would literally become a “God” in the scene.
I remember the Zen festival when BT came to Florida for the first time. It was beautiful. In fact, there were three tents with artists playing at the time, and oceans of kids everywhere. Within minutes of BT beginning to play, every tent cleared and thousands of Ravers jam-packed themselves like sardines- just to hear a glimpse of something they had never heard before. Something- beautiful. That night BT gained the nickname, “Mozart 2000.” That night he became a “God.”
Eventually, the idea of the “vibe” became more widespread, encompassing everything- the music, the people, the overall feeling of the party. Almost everyone believed in it now. Ravers believed that this entity could appear out of nowhere, much like the “Holy Spirit”, coming down upon the party and blessing it with good times.
DJs themselves began to respect the enigmatic “vibe”, feeling both responsible for it, as well as under its influence. DJ Keoki once told me, “The Vibe is out there (points upward), I just pull it down and put it on wax.”
In the later years we began to feel something we had never felt before- a “BAD vibe.” Had our spirit left us? Our religion was dying, right alongside our scene. Looking back on it, we should have seen the change from good to bad-the cops teargassing us, SWAT teams shielding us in to our doom, a friend shitting his pants on GHB and waking up in ICU, those in jail becoming fallen soldiers. Gone were the days of the 10 Commandments. Now you could eat 20 pills in a night and be a hero. I guess we could see the scene had become a black hole. I remember one night in 1998 my friend Colin simply asking me, “Whatever happened to the personal journey?”
So why did we keep fighting? We wanted to believe.
Hey, in the end….we won.
10 Years after “Drop The Breakz”, I’m still doing it…just differently. Believe me, I Was, AM, and Always Will BE….Sunrise Society. I can just do it on my own terms now. The “vibe” is still out there. I think it’s in all of us. As long as we’re aware of it, it’ll never die. Call me cheesy, but I feel better for feeling that way. Looking back on the Florida scene in the 90s…
sometimes I cry…..
But I always smile…….
I’m Sean Darkbloom….
And I Remember…..
Myspace/darkbloom
seandarkbloom@yahoo.com
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