Reply With QuoteLiving in the NYC area I recall hearing the term Hi-NRG as early as 1982-83. Whereas House was around 1984-85.
Acetate [Level 1]
Which came first - House or Hi-NRG?
DiscoMusic.com Owner / Administrator
Living in the NYC area I recall hearing the term Hi-NRG as early as 1982-83. Whereas House was around 1984-85.
Bernie (Bernard Lopez)
Owner/publisher of DiscoMusic.com - on the web since 1996.
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Acetate [Level 1]
Do you think House was influenced by Hi-NRG, or was it just a progression from Disco?
Advance Promo Copy [Level 3]
I think House evolved from Funk/Soul with an influence from Disco. House seems to have it's roots also in Gospel whereas Hi-NRG came more from Disco's fusion with Pop music.
Chart Hit [Level 6]
I agree however it is a tough call on whether high energy was first or house. but i think high nrg because Freeze - AEIOU came out in '82 and the first house track Jesse Saunders - On & On came out in '83. Therefore probably high nrg.
Acetate [Level 1]
Hi-NRG was first, but House is the offspring of Hi-NRG. Hi-NRG is the offspring of late 70's Eurodisco. Hi-NRG has been around since 1981 and went stong until 1984 then in 1985 House had arrived, and is still going till this very day. But...Hi-NRG was kind of whatever it wanted to be as long as the music somewhat fast paced.
Platinum Record [Level 8]
Hi-NRG - which was called "boystown" around 1982 by James Hamilton of Record Mirror - could also mean bpms below 120, as in the case of the extremely popular "Stop Bajon...Primavera" by Tullio di Piscopo. Other midtempo acts that reached the offical Record Mirror Hi-Nrg chart were OFF with their Electrica Salsa thing and loads of Italian tracks inluenced by early electro, such as Capricorn.
Underground Hit [Level 5]
pffffftHouse is the offspring of Hi-NRG.
Womb Prayer!
Chart Hit [Level 6]
Once I read that quote, I had to reply! As a long time house music lover/afficianado, let's get our facts straight:House music is not an offshoot of Hi-NRG. House music is definitely rooted in R&B and soulful disco, whereas hi-NRG evolved from the eurodisco sound of people like Cerrone,Moroder,and Constandinos. If you checked your history, the Paradise Garage (which is credited with being one of the main pioneering clubs for house)and the Saint(which is credited with pioneering hi-NRG)were bitter rivals on the gay dance circuit,and attracted different crowds:the Garage-predominately black and Puerto Rican gay oriented,and the Saint-more upperclass,white gay men. Other than sexuality, the clubs had very little in common and this included the musical selection:Larry Levan played a wider variety of music because he traced his clubbing roots back to the open music policy of the Loft and the Gallery, while the Saint's deejays favored a more quasi-classical, Euro approach that would eventually define the hi-NRG ethos. House is about funk basslines, swingy drums,jazz-inflected keyboards,Latin percussion, and soul/gospel-inflected vocals, while hi-NRG was more about velocity,octave basslines, and euro synths. While Cerrone's "Love In C Minor" and Moroder's early works with Donna Summer(along with some solo stuff)did manage to get played at some of the black loft parties, it was clear that house would develop from the Philadelphia soul sound and other more black-based dance, than European dance music. House traces it's roots back to the pre-disco era, so naturally it came before hi-NRG.The term "house" came into fruition in the early 1980s,when Frankie Knuckles brought New York disco mixing/editing techniques to Chicago, and inspired the midwesterners to create a culture from his Warehouse party. Again, while Chicago jocks did listen to and play Italo-disco tracks like Klein & MBO's "Dirty Talk" or Telex, it was out of functionality( lack of disco production due to backlash, and the Chicago crowd's lust for uptempo music),and the early house records sampled basslines and beats from Philly disco classics,which would prove over time to be house's true disco heritage. I have nothing against hi-NRG music, but house music has been around much longer(eurodisco was just that-a european response to American black disco a la' Gamble & Huff) and has survived, because it's musical roots are much richer- a piece of the puzzle in a long tradition of black dance music styles. Let's not get it confused because both house and hi-NRG evolved from disco's tree, and both embraced new technology at the time.I will give you this-hi-NRG did spawn trance/progressive and that 'circuit party' music business, which is the Saint's direct influence-but it did not spawn house!
Chart Hit [Level 6]
One more thing: I know the difference between the two styles, because I remember that era when you had Hazel Dean,Evelyn Thomas,Bobby O, Miquel Brown, and Eastbound Expressway along with Ian Levine. House was rawer,funkier,dirtier,and more soulful and it has evolved into a more organic and soulful style. H-NRG has evolved into the commerical dance-pop and over-the-top trance music that personally makes me cringe. Just a little side note.
Acetate [Level 1]
Great explanation NuSoul, thanks for digging up this old topic 8)
Underground Hit [Level 5]
God!!!Bernie wrote:
Living in the NYC area I recall hearing the term Hi-NRG as early as 1982-83. Whereas House was around 1984-85.
You're lucky Bernie....
I think here in Brazil, we spent the whole 80's decade without hearing the term HI-NRG (I am not joking)... In the press (whenever it was mentioned - once in each 5 years) it was just DISCO.
ONLY around 1988/89/90 we heard names such as EBM, NEW SUMMER OF LOVE, HOUSE, ACID HOUSE....
Platinum Record [Level 8]
HINRG evolves after the disco boom had died out and had gone back into the underground black/latin and gay clubs from where it had originally evolved. In the UK - Ian Levine started to write fast stompy dance music geared towards the underground gay club scene - it was originally BOYSTOWN the changed its name to HINRG/Eurobeat.As far as I can tell - HOUSE music evolved from the roots of 70`s disco/funk and has no relation to HINRG....
I remember having a big debate about this issue when I DJ `d yaers ago....Interesting topic that makes good reading !!! :D
Chart Hit [Level 6]
Hi NRG certainly came first.Although both genres are bastard sons of disco and both had certain European influences, they are different and have different fans. Many of the Northern soul DJs progressed to Hinrg producers; Ian Levine, Ian Antony Stephens to name 2. Hinrg as mentioned was championed by discos like The Saint, Tracadero, Heaven and house in The Warehouse, Music Box. House took the soul and speed from disco and blended it with the electronic sounds from Kraftwerk, Human League etc. Hinrg kept the strings, speeded up the tempo with melodys to the forefront. Yes, there were many Hinrg hits which were of an electronic nature by the like of Patrick Cowley etc. Hinrg crossed-over easier chartwise than house, as it could appeal to a wider and predominately white audience.
Platinum Record [Level 8]
British produced HINRG was extremely influential (especially in the US) Ian levine was very popular on the East Coast scene and would regularly debut his new recordings in clubs like the Saint. I believe his Track "So many men".. caused quite a sensation in New York and topped the dance charts for months... 8)
Chart Hit [Level 6]
The story as told by Mr Levine, is that Robbie Leslie a Legendary dj at the Saint premiered " So Many men" on Easter Sunday 1984, apparently the place was plunged into total darkness and then boom boom boom in came the track , virtually taking the roof off the place, I wasn't there, its just as he tells it. Great record though, went on to sell millions worldwide.
Platinum Record [Level 8]
Yes - this story is now legendary... I read about this recently in a great book about the history of Disco. Miquel brown is one of my favourite HINRG artists. She is still very active in showbusiness and I recently had the pleasure of seeing her in a stage play here in the UK !Originally Written by straightacting
So many men was a wordwide hit and I believe it spent 13 weeks in the UK HINRG charts - unfortunately it never crossed over into the mainstream charts.
Chart Hit [Level 6]
I was sure this crossed over in the UK, it certainly charted in canada, and placs like Germany and Turkey, I know co's I've seeen the Gold and Platinum discs for it. Did you know that High Energy by Evelyn Thomas sold 7 million copies alone in Turkey, what is is it about those moustache wearing Turks??
Have you ever seen the original video for "so many Men"?? it was shot in LA in late 83, absolutley hilarious, and quite fantastic.
Platinum Record [Level 8]
Apart from the gay clubs - HINRG never really took off in the straight clubs in the UK....
I have seen the videos for So many men & Masquerafe by Evelyn Thomas - Both very tacky but great !!! I always wondered if they shot a video for THE BOYS COME TO TOWN by Earlene bentley ???
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
Some hi-nrg did used to get played in straight clubs that i went to in the mid-80s such as Roni Griffith (The Best Part Of Breaking Up), Hazel Dean (Searching), New Order (Blue Monday), Trans X (Living On Video) but admittedly most of these were pop chart cross-overs & not the underground stuff like Eastbound Expressway or Jolo or Pamela Stanley for example.
Chart Hit [Level 6]
Sandradee, you are right! HiNRG WAS played in straight clubs as I stated before because it had a poppier sound that crossed over easily. I remember hearing the same tracks as you along with 'Black kisses' Curtie & the Boombox, Angie Gold 'Eat you up', Charade 'Got to get to you' and many Lime tracks.
Indie Release [Level 4]
certain Hi Nrg records were massive at so called " straight clubs" in the early 80's, I remember Divine's " You think you're A man" being esp popular. heaven also had a straight night once a week which was fun, and nearly all Hi NRG.
Platinum Record [Level 8]
I had a few friends round from work the other evening and they started going through my vast vinyl collection... They had never heard of HINRG dance music... I put some of my favourites on "the decks" and it blew them away !! They thought it was superb.. They especially loved the tracks by Evelyn thomas and Miquel brown 8)
Chart Hit [Level 6]
I'm gonna throw the cat amongst the pigeons by saying that I believe house DID evolve from Hi-nrg!!
The sounds we know & love from the very early 80's (Partick Cowley, Lime, Bobby O - all American / Canadian, and NOT Euro) were principally played in the gay clubs of New York & San Fran. Further up North (Chicago), that sound was becoming boring, so.....................
taking the repetitive 4x4 rhythms of Hi-nrg and blending it with stripped down vocals from old Philly Soul tunes, Chicago House was born and played to massive response in the gay clubs there.
Just listen to The Immortals - Ultimate Warlord from the late 70's, a pre-cursor to hi-nrg and a definite influence to future house producers, along with Tony Cook & The Party People - Rock It (Get On The Dance Floor).
The Europeans picked up on the US hi-nrg sound and stripped down the bass line, making their own music somehow less soulful and more mechanical. Euro beat morphed into what we now know as techno / trance.
Off - Electrica Salsa is actually Sven Vath!!
The UK rave era of late 80's & very early 90's took all these elements one step further and introduced sampled breaks from old soul & funk tunes, to create breakbeat/hardcore.
I say a prayer of thanks that I live in the UK and have watched and participated in the evolving music scene - from my first tentative steps onto a disco dancefloor back in 1981, to 'aving it large during the late 80's & early 90's.
And still going strong! ;)
(Watched Mauro Picotto & Eddy Halliwell tear it up last Saturday at a club in town)
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