Electrochoc

by Laurent Garnier, David Brun-Lambert

World-famous French DJ Laurent Garnier is also an award-winning recording artist, label owner and author of ELECTROCHOC, a best seller in France, Spain, Russia, Germany and Japan and now available in the English language
ELECTROCHOC is a true insider account of the rise of the dance scene, from the early 1980s at London’s Mud Club and Manchester’s Hacienda, to Paris, Detroit, New York, Chicago and beyond. Both a fascinating history of the dance scene and an autobiography, ELECTROCHOC includes unique contributions from Detroit techno pioneers Jeff Mills and Mad Mike, as well as François Kervorkian, James Murphy, David Guetta and many others.
ELECTROCHOC takes the reader on a worldwide journey through the legendary clubs, seminal festivals and key moments of dance music history. As it does, the book tells of how the DJ, producer and label owner Laurent Garnier progressed from spinning discs to creating award-winning records, building a seminal label, and performing at some of the world’s most prestigious venues.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

453 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2003

Reviews

[Marco · Rating 4 out of 5]

French legendary electronic music artist Laurent Garnier writes a very interesting first-person account on the birth and subsequent global explosion of house and electronic music, from the early 80´s to the late 90´s. There´s been many books written on the subject, however this one differs in the sense that it is perhaps less encyclopedical but puts the emphasis on how it was for the author, first as a music enthusiast and an assiduous club punter, and then as one the world´s leading dj/producer/label owners.

Laurent Garnier, with a surprisingly fresh writing style (thanks to teaming up with expert biography writer David Brun-Lambert) links and interlaces biographical elements of his own carreer with the history of the music genre, not only in England and France, but worldwide. It´s of course packed with personal stories, anecdotes and behind-the-curtains peaks at the foundations of house and rave music in Europe. It´s overall an excellent read, equally entertaining and educational.

[Masha Muracheva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book for those who would like to know more about the history of electronic music (techno and house genres in particular). Not only Garnier writes about his career as a DJ and producer but also provides a detailed overview of DJ culture in the UK, France, Germany and the US. I’ve learned so much from this book as well as discovered a lot of great tracks since every chapter is accompanied by thematic playlists.

[Jelena Hiblović · Rating 4 out of 5]

Promeniti se da bi se postojalo. I mutirati. Zapoceti novi ciklus.

[Lucas311 · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re into electronic music you have to read this book. Period. The kinda book that makes you smile like a juvenile and think of all the beautiful moments you had on the dancefloor sweating your ass off.

He tells about the development of his career that started at the very beginning of things and simultaneously how the culture evolved. In-between the protagonist switches to Mike Banks and then Jeff Mills. Well written, entertaining as hell and sooo informative.(even has a tracklist every other page of tunes that he was playing at that time or were important in some other way)

[Jimmy Maheras · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a Garnier fan or even just a fan of house/techno, read this.

[Igor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The whole history of electronic/techno music almost since its beginnings seen through the eyes of Garnier. The man is encyclopedia for electronic music. He has played in many countries in the world and he has played for 25 years (book was published 2013), he has seen everything how the music and scene was crated and how it developed. Also how it become what is today, mainstream.
There are some really great chapters, most of them when he explains personal impressions, like the first time when he visited Detroit. Others are good like the ones how he came to play techno music in classical music concert halls. And other not that good when there are just facts about which clubs existed in which country.
Reading this book I can understand why Garnier is still DJing after 40 years. He likes techno and he is genuinely interested how it was made and what it triggers in people. I think money and fame aren't of any significance for him, he just likes to make people dance and happy. That's why he is one of the greats.

[Palm Tree Money · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievably engaging history of house and techno from one of the scene's grandmasters. I read this right after 'Love Saves the Day' and hearing the two histories side-by-side (New York in the 70s, Europe and Detroit in the 80s and beyond) helped piece together the lineage of these genres. Laurent does a great job of vividly describing 'party' scenes that help place the reader right in the middle of the event. The slices of Manchester, Detroit and Paris are uniquely presented, particularly the early rave scene of Manchester, which gets a lot more broad detail of the time than other books like 'How Not to Run a Club.' One last thing that makes this book so special is that the first half is written without knowing what was to come in the 2000s - minimal, big room techno, EDM, the American boom, etc. It gives the first half a particularly introspective and unfiltered view before the scene became even more commercialized. Highly recommended and cheap as an Ebook for the English translation.

[Henrik Richter Schie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite liked the original book, but the updated version with an added part after the original edition was a bit boring and repetetive. Would have been nice if it actually followed his life further from the first edition, but seemed like a addon just to mention a lot of more people and partners, to be able to add them to the line up. All in all a good book, and has med me appreciate LG even more!

[Edgar Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro imprescindible para conocer los inicios de la música electrónica.

Lauren Garnier relata a través de sus vivencias como DJ, cómo evoluciona este estilo de música que nació en Detroit de la mano de Jeff Mills.

[Flim · Rating 5 out of 5]

laurent Garnier gave this book to me when i was at his house

AMAZING book if you are a DJ or love electronic music
many great names in this books and great history of Dj and music

[Dmitry Klekovkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty nice book. Just history of house music. It looks like documentary. But anyway if you are interesting in club culture you must read it.

[Jean-Sébastien Herpin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tout simplement excellent.

[Monica]

I started reading this but there are lists of songs with each chapter, so I wanted to listen to those songs as I read, and that meant I couldn't just read it any old time, so I stopped. I will get back to it.