Jonny Slut understood his party Nag had become a phenomenon when he noticed Cilla Black dancing. “I think that’s the only time I got really excited,” he chuckles. “I was playing the reimagined edit of the song My Neck, My Back – and there was Cilla.”
The Global Movement of Electro-Clash
An emerging trend of digital production surfaced internationally in the 2000s. Germany featured feminist collective Chicks on Speed and pioneering an influential DJ. France brought forth Miss Kittin, The Hacker, and other artists. Britain spawned Ladytron and a noisy trio. Canada showcased Tiga and Peaches who revamped her style with a production tool.
New York had Fischerspooner and Larry Tee who popularized the term electro-clash. Vocals were humorous, at times foul-mouthed, and over-the-top. The sound fused techno with a punk-inspired edge.
“Technology was different then,” says an originator. “It was possible to produce releasable music in your apartment.”
A Reaction to the Mainstream Industry
Electroclash felt like a response to slick mainstream DJs. According to a key figure, it was music by “outsider creators … frustrated with a industry” that limited what rock had to be.
The scene rapidly attracted an audience. The club night played not only the genre but also punk music. It became an instant hit, bringing in celebrities like Kate Moss, Alexander McQueen, and a pop icon.
Legacy and Revival
Despite hype, the movement didn’t create a mainstream superstar. Some performers struggled on mainstream gigs. Yet its legacy spread chart hits through artists like a girl group, Goldfrapp, and even Madonna.
Across the Atlantic, though, electroclash provoked a backlash. Larry Tee suggests it was because the establishment ignored “women, gays and theys.”
Lately, however, electroclash has experienced a resurgence. New artists and events are using the name. An original artist toured her debut album to excited fans, including twentysomething followers.
“In my view the younger generation get it,” comments Larry Tee. “That moment was like the rebellion.”
The music of electroclash remain relevant today. Its ideas – queer expression and independent spirit – seem more current than ever.