The System

[Com King]

I'm listening right now to "You're in my System", by The System. The system is Mic Murphy and David Frank, members of Kleeer.

This track is a PURE (and wonderful) HOUSE track.

So here's my question :

Could it be the very first house track, as it's from 1982?

[QUINNY]

ComKing: What defines House Music for You? It would be interesting to know.

Hell, so far as anyone is concerned House Music was born in 1985-86. It was a totally new genre. Even though previous records may have had elements, they didn't absolutely fit the bill.
From memory You Are In My System clocks in at around 116 BPM (or maybe 112 I can't remember and stand to be corrected). Virtually all early House Music clocked in at 121 -127 and sounded 'home made'. As far as I know, the System were a sophisticated pukka record label band, not guys working out of their garage.
That's why I'm puzzled when I see tracks like Colonel Abrahams' Trapped on a House Music mix or site. To me that's as much House as peanut butter.

[NickNack]

You're In My System is an awesome track but I would never consider it 'house', early or otherwise. A serious piece of electronic funk, maybe. Mr. (Greg) Wilson: What do you say? :)

[Greg Wilson]

Originally Posted by NickNack

You're In My System is an awesome track but I would never consider it 'house', early or otherwise. A serious piece of electronic funk, maybe. Mr. (Greg) Wilson: What do you say? :)

Definitely considered Electro-Funk at the time, as was 'It's Passion', another monster track by The System.

House, rather than being a strict style, was originally a term for records played at The Warehouse in Chicago, just as Garage meant the type of tunes played at the Paradise Garage in New York, so in this way it's not unreasonable to connect a more downbeat release to the early House scene (before it became a formulated genre).

Here are half a dozen records from 82/83 that can certainly be regarded as Proto-House:

Sinnamon 'Thanks To You'
Electra 'Feels Good'
Klein & MBO 'Dirty Talk'
Visual 'The Music Got Me'
Shirley Lites 'Heat You Up'
Gary's Gang 'Making Music'

[K-Bee]

I wouldn't consider The System house either even though that particular track comes close to the definition of the style.
As far as I recall, The System were rather obsessed with the synth technology of the day, the amount of keyboards listed on the LP credits are endless!
Keyboard magazine even had a feature on David Frank back in 1988 (i think it was)

[QUINNY]

Greg: Although I can see what you're saying, surely this prognosis is one that's been applied retrospectively. At the time, don't you remember how House Music exploded virtually overnight and how it all had a definite sound?

As for your mini list.....hmmmm......they all have elements but no one record adds up to a whole package IMO.

If we're going to accept The System then let's start looking at TW Funkmasters - Love Money for instance. I'd say that has more going for it as a potential House record.
And so the Merry-Go-Round continues.

[Com King]

Even if "You're in my System" is quite slower than classic house tracks, i still consider it house. The synth and the voice are purely house, and moreover, there's some kind of acid sound.


It could easily have been from 1986 or 87.


Besides all this "house or not house" debate, what a fantastic track. I'm listening to it 10 times a day ...

[Studio74]

Imagination´s Burnin´Up sounds a lot like a House track, and there´s a track (the 2nd i think...) on the B-side of their Night Dubbing album that sounds almost like a House track also.There has always existed music that it was ahead of it´s time...

[buckaroo]

That whole "Sweat" LP is fantastic!!! :lol: :lol:



http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/The%20System.html

Definitely not House though.

[analogbass]

No offense, but if you can't tell the difference between slick 80s electro funk and lo-fi house music..house has more or less a disco drum beat, funk doesn't.

The System was a small electro funk niche with a euro sensibility not that different from Yaz. Both hit the NYC scene at the same time during the summer of '82 and were heard within a larger NY context of club sound that later went on to become house. Colonel Abrams is another precursor to house. Sweat's a great album, i just found a sealed copy to replace my original 1982 copy.

[Com King]

The "You're in my System" track I had wasn't the original one. I just listened to The LP track and it's really different of what I had, and definitely not "House".

The track I had is taken from a mix and has to be a remix (really great one), that IS purely house.

[buckaroo]

Originally Posted by QUINNY

If we're going to accept The System then let's start looking at TW Funkmasters - Love Money for instance. I'd say that has more going for it as a potential House record.
And so the Merry-Go-Round continues.

Surely that's a Brit-funk choon?

[jaama2shy]

house music came out in the 1985.which has wonderful music from chi-town,jack your body was abig hit,they produce alot of house traxs. :D

[Davicillo]

I really wouldn't call 'You are in my system' house. I certainly remember Robert Palmer covering it. I think it had more balls than the original.
I love the System's later stuff; 'This is for you' and 'Don't disturb the groove'.

[wijnstroot]

this is my first electronic record and it gave me chills cause it sounded real soulfull
and for the record NV - it's alright. has the same feel to it