This is how easy it was in the 80's. The hard part was getting the machines the talk to each other but that's still not rocket science. Roland TR-808 + SH-101 www.guycalledge...
This man created a sound like no other. Sampling and sequencing gave imaginative musicians like him a new toolbox. He created amazing sounds from a variety of cheap electronic bits and pieces back in the late 80's. He had no money for pro kit. I picked him up for a party one time and he had everything in two shopping bags. Laid it out and plugged it all together on a plank of wood and blew everyone away. A very, very talented man.
Like how he is basically just fucking about and he produces a sound more beautiful and more danceable than any commercial dance music of the last 15 years.
This dude's GOT to be a big genius at music, but he's so cool and laid back people don't think about it. That beat he made came together in a way you never would have seen coming. Shit I just thought he was testing his synths out hitting random keys.
The guy is an absolute legend and been so mistreated for his contribution to Just jaw dropping beats He should have been paid so many royalties off Voodoo Ray alone never mind the great work he put in with everything else besides A total pro genius
Moss side is one of those places where people are expected to do manual work when they leave school. Gerald broke the mould, Manchester should be immensely proud of him
Yeh totally agree, at the end of the day of you dont feel the music your making , theres s good chance many others will not either :-) I think that a big downside to most productions being sit down computer based these days .
I had a 101 and an 808 years ago - didn't make tunes as effortlessly as Gerald makes it look. Love how he gets that bassline rolling. Man done tunes. Respect G-man!
Gerald is a genius .. He is from my home town (Manchester England) ..Used to see him mooching about town (always had headphones on!) ..I have met him once ,but doubt he will remember me
I love youtube. This is how I came across this nugget. I've been loving his music for the last 33 years. Voodoo Ray is every bit a classic as any Rolling Stones hit from the 60s. He made me get the whole 80s X0X range from Roland. It cost a pretty penny too, partly due to him.
The Legend. Voodoo ray. At the public baths when he was still a teenager. Playing awesome live now : two MacBooks with Ableton on it a mixer and little keyboard
Still have Voodoo Ray on 12" somewhere.. awesome video.. Out of interest I started searching.. 2 macbooks with Ableton.. Could do magic since Abletonlink is available for perfect syncing 2 DAW.. but in this video he really uses Reason.. (so there a reason for this big sticker at the back.. Hahaha).. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IJvs2rGmGQ0.html
Analogu is the best ... big love bro ... i was just finding some music by your for my youngest nine year son and found this ... i love analogue technology i restore Antique Tesla machines ...from 1919 love the SH101 and 808 love this bro!! your my elder wizard
Straight from my hometown, so much talent there back in the days. I miss those days, more independent record shops than you could shake a stick at, great radio and some mad clubs. God bless manchester.
Alex Jones has a good taste in music. He uses tracks like "Somebody's Watching Me" "Another Brick In The Wall II" "Electric Eye" and the doctor who theme from 1963.
i watch this once a month and gauge my literacy by how much of this i understand on each viewing, but it is still magic to me. one of the best videos there is.
This "guy" is a legend! According to wikipedia, his label Juice Box Records played a huge role in the creation of the Jungle (drum and bass) genre. Thanks Gerald Simpson!
Chuck Norris Unit based on 2 quotes from melody maker which was a piss poor rag that loved to pigeon hole music it knew fuck all about. Gerald did his bit but was by no means a heavy influence on Jungle.
Juice Box records releases, 28 Gun Bad Boy LP in 1992 followed by Black Secret Technology LP in 1995, have a listen - so far ahead of the pack, definitely an absolute innovator, all incredible accomplishments and followed their own direction rather than following the scene... A Guy Called Gerald was never part of the Drum and Bass clique/mafia that eventually killed the creativity of what was once one of the most alive and inventive music genres in history. Shame he didnt the have same influence that people like Grooverider had over the scene, who know's what it might've become.
Its from a fan of AGCG. Its high praise and enthusiasm which in context is understandable, not ridiculous. People said music died with Mozart, for them it was true even if it wasn't a universal truth. AGCG was an unsung Hero in his day. Today the mythology keep his work alive.
Awesome. All kids trying to make music with laptops should check this out. I briefly messed with music production in the 90s, but only had access to some cheap diigital midi synths. The time I wasted on trying to get them to sound anything close to a 101 or 303 is ridiculous. Gerald shows how it's done, with an 808, 2x101 and a bunch of talent. This way of working is so different from a midi based studio. I wish I had caught on to this back in the 90s :)
Almost certainly you went wrong by not using a good effects unit and compressor. Those two things allow you to get a track very quickly with minimal equipment. It took me years to work that out unfortunately.
i was just reading about you in SOS i'm sure i can envision a blend of mahavishnu orchestra this kind of music and poetry/early hip hop it's pretty complicated this programming stuff for me as a rock/blues/minor amount of jazz multi instrumentalist i have no clue what you are doing but i bet there are vast realms of undiscovered electronic fracterals... bizzare counterpoint relationships and new sounds still left and new unit/ format oppurtunites maybe a supporting real drum certainly jan hammer keyboards i can do stuff like that kind of
Well done Gerald, you lit up the dance music scene real good, and done your family, city and country proud my man. From an old Mancunian, and former Longsight dweller, and early 80s Legend regular.
A big shout to clock cv sync , help carve many on the fly tunes back then, i wouldnt called gerald a genius, but for sure a guy who knew how to use his tools properly the way they were supposed to, very inspiring and humbling, when u think of the limitations of yester year. Great video Gerald . 👌👌👌👌
Actually the classic acid squelch sound was achieved by abusing the TB-303 and definitely NOT using it as intended! Voodoo Ray was one of the very first Acid House tunes I ever heard that actually made my ears prick up. It still holds a special place in my heart to this day. That said, I have to agree with you that Gerald is not a genius and if he was, then he probably wouldn't be making house/techno music in the first place. As this post shows and I'm guessing that was the intention: once you've managed to hook up the equipment properly, no real musical ability is needed, provided you have an ear for what sounds good. Listen to the difference between how badly Gerald plays the notes in real time and how they sound when sequenced! Oh, and before anybody starts attacking me for daring to state that I do not believe Gerald to be a genius; neither do I consider Mark Bell (LFO) or even Richard D. James to have been/to be such, but I still love much of their music.
Since the hot lemonade , the album automanikk, his juice box(es)_______ that guy was the Chicago~ Detroit ~Ny Garage one and only kid . Personal stuff. Sunshine. I thank Gerald for ever.
still don't think this guy gets the credit he fully deserves in the UK. watching this as an aging house-head just makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over!
So chuffed i now have a 303, 808, 909, ableton and got a system 1, sh2 and sh101 on its way! plus a 606, 707 and 727 coming too. Respect to Gerald the legend!
