I have only posted twice, but visit this site monthly if not weekly. Seems appropriate on 080808 to post. I am the self proclaimed biggest 808 State fan in California, a state of 30+ million people. You knew that, I am just saying, there may be others that think they are big 808 fans, do they have State to State (fan club CD #1) ?
I love music. I love electronic music. and there have been a handful of specific music experiences in my life that have profoundly affected me. The day I heard Utd. State 90 was one of them. (the other top nominee being the day I heard Selected Ambient Works 85-92).
At the time, I was working as a DJ at a college radio station in California. Needless to say, hearing 808 for the first time (in 1990) changed the way I thought about music. It made me research Moog instruments. I have bought several synths over the years and while I cannot produce anything resembling pleasing music, I own a Korg Triton Extreme and Korg Legacy controller+software. That is what 808 has done to me.
I purchased everything I could in those days and beyond with 808 on it. I have many of the early 90s singles imported from the UK. I played 808 State as much as possible on my radio shows. I made mix tapes of 808 State music and distributed them to friends who had open minds about electronic music. I am an avid 808 evangelist. While I dont own everything 808 has put out, I say my collection stacks up pretty high. Once a friend of mine's wife, who owns a dance school, asked me to make a CD of dance music for her "advanced dance class". Expecting a routine selection of Madonna and imitator type over-played radio friendly "dance" mixes, I gave her a kick ass 808 mix. That was 1996ish. She still uses it today. (another convert).
I usually dont go more than a day or two without listening to 808 music. I am forever grateful for their music. I hate them for being so damn creative, and making it sound so smooth. I am simultaneously inspired and frustrated for not being able to do 1/1000 of what they can do. I made 808 state tee shirts and gave them away to people (did not sell or make one cent off them....was not the point). That was 1992, and before the internet it was hard to track down good stuff like that. I remember going to BPM (a music store in San Francisco), driving 100 miles just to ensure I would be at a store that would have ex:el on the day it was released.
I love 808 State with a deep passion that I now realize and acknowledge will stay with me until death. Their music will never get boring too me, never sound out of date, and always remind me of fun younger days.
I could write a thesis on electronic music and it all stems from hearing 808 state.
In my opinion, Best album: ex:el. They're all good, but ex:el as a whole, as a cohesive musical journey virtually explodes with creativity and execution.
Favorite single:well, I sat here for 5 minutes. I can't pick just one. Lift, Azura, they are all just too good. The Aphex remix of Flow Coma is good too.
Other gems: Villans and Nerds, Yakuza, Diana, Fear, Booth, Goa, Chisler, there are just too many to list. I still get lost inside Nephatiti. My brother once described it as nightmare music, and then it turns into this hypnotic dream. I especially like the Joyrider B-side on the Azura single. What a great tune. I love the different bass frequencys on San Francisco and how the whole beat drives and plays off itself at once. Only someone with a subwoofer would hear that pound underneath the "regular" beat.
Well, I could go and on and on and on.
Love the State. Wished I lived in Hawaii.
my email are
chets808@gmail.com and if I was into vanity plates, mine would say 808state.
, on a website that is probably one the most well maintained, updated and lively i've ever come across. take a look through the sounds page at all the unreleased stuff and the radio shows, and you realize that nothing else like globalstate exists for any other band. markus, you deserve a knighthood mate. thank you. and extended thanks to nick and john, nick your knowledge of music actually scares me but between you all you maintain what is the best band site and forum out there.