Adventures In Wonderland: Acid house, rave and the UK club explosion

by Sheryl Garratt

'Adventures In Wonderland is the ultimate, definitive account of the scene. Precise factually and perfectly articulated, it transports the reader to that unique, life-changing period. Sheryl Garratt was there, reporting from the core energy of the scene that we collectively created.' - Danny Rampling ‘The book about rave culture that you can't afford not to read.' - The Face The definitive history of the acid house explosion and its reverberations across popular culture, Adventures In Wonderland has been out of print for more than 20 years. This new edition has been updated slightly, with a new introduction and final chapter. Former editor of The Face and one of the few journalists writing about clubs in any detail in the 1980s, Sheryl Garratt weaves her own experiences in with hundreds of exclusive interviews with everyone involved. She talks about Ibizan clubs and the Wigan Casino, the key role of reggae and soul sound systems, and the one-nighters and illegal warehouse parties of 1980s clubland. Tracing the music back to its roots in New York, Chicago and Detroit, she reports from the underground clubs in those cities and offers in-depth interviews with its originators, from Frankie Knuckles, Marshall Jefferson and Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk to Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson and Juan Atkins. This is the acid house and rave explosion, as told by the people who lived door staff, dancers and drug dealers; gangsters, blaggers and promoters. From the real stories behind the huge illegal raves of 1989 to insider accounts from DJs such as Norman Jay, Trevor Nelson, Paul Oakenfold, Danny Rampling, Graeme Park, Mike Pickering, Carl Cox, Sasha and John Digweed. But this isn’t just a book about the music. It’s about being up for it, out of it, mad for it. It’s about the Paradise Garage in New York, about dancing under the stars in Ibiza or Goa, about the house we built in the UK at Future, Shoom, Spectrum. Clink Street and the Haçienda. It's about Ecstasy and community and a scene that grew so fast because we needed to feel the world was changing. It’s about dodging the police to get the party started, and the joy of dancing all night in the British countryside, with thousands of others on the same high. About Madchester, Blackburn, and a new understanding between rock and dance music. And about what came after, from drum’n’bass to the rise of superclubs such as Ministry of Sound, Renaissance and Cream. But most of all, it’s about having the time of your life. Because who wouldn’t want that? ‘The definitive account of contemporary dance culture.. If you weren’t at Shoom in ‘87, then this is the best way to make up for it.’ – The Face ‘Gripping and vivid.. Garratt writes with the style and attitude of the feistiest club diva… Her personal memories are wedged between layers of insightful comment and thorough research.’ – The Times ‘She has spoken to everyone involved – from the Chicago DJs of the 80s to the rave promoters and club moguls of the 90s ¬ and shows that it’s possible to write popular culture without insulting our intelligence.’ – Daily Mirror

Genres: Music, Cultural, History

366 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 6, 2020

About the author

I started writing for NME when I was still at school, was music & clubs editor at the London listings magazine City Limits, and was editor of The Face magazine from 1989-95.

I later edited the Observer magazine, and have contributed to everyone from the Guardian, Times and Telegraph to Elle, Vanity Fair, GQ, Marie Claire, Red and Grazia.

I'm now a coaching helping creative professionals of all kinds get the success and life they want, making work they love.

Reviews

[Dave Van Rompaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adventures in Wonderland is an inspiring collection of anecdotes and interviews, woven together with a poetic sense of nostalgia that makes you wish you'd come of age in the 80s. I was just too late to the scene.

At times, the long lists of names and events can feel a little heavy, and the pace occasionally slows, but as an entry point into the history of electronic music in both the US and the UK, it works well. Despite its slower moments, it's an enjoyable read that evokes plenty of warm memories from genuinely good times and good tunes.

Would really like one that goes into the Megatripolis scene, Old street, reclaim the streets and that whole scene in the 90s. any ideas?

[Mike Shackle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a trip. The perfect antidote to these dark days - journey back to when love filled the air, the music made your soul sing and every stranger was a new best friend. If you were there back then, then this will have you smiling one minute, putting on your favourite records the next before calling up your friends to laugh about the mad days. If you weren't, then see what happens when you realise that anything is possible, that you don't have to do what they tell you to do, that you can follow your own path. Inside these pages are the original hustlers, the dreamers, the dancers, the beautiful and the mad. God bless every one of them. And remember, love is all.

[Ryan Licchelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheryl Garratt’s Adventures in Wonderland captures the energy and spirit of the early UK rave scene so vividly that it made me yearn to time-travel back and experience it firsthand. Though I wasn’t around to witness the warehouse parties, acid house explosions, and uncharted musical frontiers of the 1980s and 90s, Garratt’s immersive writing paints the era in full neon color. Each page echoes with the thump of a bass line or the buzz of a crowd discovering something fresh and life-changing.

What really hooked me was the opening section, a fascinating overview tracing the roots of rave culture all the way from the very first discotheque. Garratt knits together decades of musical innovation—soul, disco, house and techno—into a sweeping narrative that explains how the UK free party scene exploded into a cultural phenomenon. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to understand how rave history shaped electronic music today. After finishing, I was left with a deep admiration for the pioneers—and a serious case of rave FOMO.

[Stefan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The great thing about this book is that it is about so many different things: Ibiza, the US, the UK, raves, festivals, clubs, DJ's and artists. The downside of the book is that it is about so many different things.

Regardless, I live reading about the good old times and how it was experienced in places where I wasn't, or times where I couldn't. This book is a great addition to my list of books about things like this.

[Mark smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s get this party started...right

A book can never capture the experience of being at the beginning of a movement or the atmosphere in a club when it goes off but this book took me back and made me nostalgic and longing for a time gone by, I especially love doing the stories from America in the mid 80s where it all began and I never experienced....

[Joe Eddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an inspiring collection of anecdotes and interviews, somewhat poetically put together in a wave of nostalgia that makes you wish you were born in the 80s.

Sometimes the listing off of names and events gets a bit tedious but it's a good starting point for getting your teeth into some of the history of electronic music in the US and the UK.

[Alan Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I probably knew about half this story already from other books and sources, but it was great to have it told all in the same place and linking up. Captures the massive impact house music had in late 80s and early 90s. Well researched and well written.

[Miss Julie Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Brilliant book that really captured the stories of the time. I looked forward to reading it every night as it transported me back to a time and place in was just too young for but was very aware of.

[Jack Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting detailed book, chronologically written going through all phases of the acid house scene. So interesting to see how house evolved and new genres were created it’s a must pick up for anyone into music. Would highly recommend.

[sam rickards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable

I found it a bit slow going at times,but still enjoyed it and brought back a lot of good memories ,from good times

[Sadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this.... gave me the goosebumps at times - a great trip down memory lane. Lots of typos though....

[Tom Bennett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry slow going in places, and a good edit would have created a more lively narrative. But a great reminder of a crazy time.