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Member Since: 11/20/2006
Band Website: retroevents.com
Band Members:
Paul Taylor
The History of Retro
Retro the UKs original and largest celebration of house music started in 1989 as the last hour on a Friday night at Angels in Burnley. Back then Angels was one of the UK's most influential club and one of the country's best kept secrets.
Paul Taylor the creator never wanted the exposure and fame that some of the other 'trendy' clubs seemed to attract ashouse music exploded into the world dance scene - his philosophy was 'the bigger you get the harder you fall' and for that reason alone Retro today ironically stands tall as the UK's most attended club event.
Back in 89 house music was in its infancy, there was the acid house sound coming out if America, the Italians were starting to push the rhythmic power and warm keys of the piano. Early hip hop was also big and it made the Retro sound what it was - anything worked as long as it was good.
Paul Taylor was into 'dance' when he started DJing back in 1974 playing northern soul, Tamla Motown and Jazz Funk all on 7 inch singles and album vinyl of course and to this day he has never played anything other than vinyl - he hasn't a clue how to use any other form of playing dance and quite frankly doesn't give a shit about technology. He believes that
technology is actually destroying the clubbing experience.
By 1991 (Paul's favourite year in dance) Retro became of age, it was now a regular monthly at Angels on a Saturday and had started touring mainly in Lancashire. House fanatics were travelling to see and feel the buzz in a big way very similar to the Northern Soul scene in the early 70's. In fact Retro and Angels popularity was so huge at one stage the local police had to block off the main roads coming into Burnley because the 1000 capacity club was knocking back another 1000 punters that couldn't get in - all this by 9.30pm - pandemonium but what a blast, they had to fight like hell to keep their license - they did and they continued.
Paul recognised the power of Retro when the night was pulling in more crowds than some of the big names of the era Cox, Sasha, Tong, Oakenfold, Healy, Boy George and so on, this was around 95/96 and we decided to really concentrate on putting Retro on in venues outside Lancashire including regular events in the North of England, Scotland and then on
to Ibiza, Majorca and Holland and the rest as they say... ...is history.
Paul says there has always been the term 'Old School', but we have re-invented the term for club classics. Retro is about quality house music, it's a dictionary term that has no relevance to dance music and our biggest challenge was to educate 'our dance public' what Retro was about and today there is no doubt in our followers minds exactly what Retro is - its another way of describing the epitome of what is a cracking night out, without hype without wanting to be anything more than what we are -we love what we do and we love house music, we love the incredible atmosphere our event creates and most of all we love our punters it's a love of music thing.
And long may the passion continue!
Record Label: Retro Recordings
Type of Label: Major