- Hardcore, gabba, breakbeat techno, rave; Vivian Host hears from the New Yorker who pioneered them all.
- New York native Lenny "Dee" Didesiderio is considered by many the first hardcore techno DJ. In 1991 he introduced America to the hardcore techno sound when he started the first label devoted to the style, Industrial Strength Records. Since launching with Marc Acardipane's timeless "Mescalinium United," Industrial Strength remains a central node for hardcore music 28 years later. But Didesiderio's work before hardcore became a fully fledged sound is equally significant.
It's difficult to underestimate Didesiderio's impact on the UK and Europe's nascent rave scenes. Few artists at the time had a hand in so many anthems—both The Morning After and the debut Looney Tunes EP (which helped kick off XL Recordings) are stamped indelibly into the collective rave consciousness, while his contributions to the Bonesbreaks series helped cement the breakbeat's presence in early techno. Yet even before then, Didesiderio was Arthur Baker's production assistant, amassing credits with artists diverse as Nile Rodgers, N-Joy and New Order.
RA contributor Vivian Host joins Didesiderio for the most extensive examination of his work to date, exploring the myriad nooks and crannies of a career whose significance is coming into ever sharper relief.
TracklistLooney Tunes - Just As Long As I Got You (Warehouse Rave Remix)
English Muffin - The Dust Muffin