“What is everyones views on the huge media attention the Acid House movement recieved in the early 90`s with the Criminal Justice Act being enforced and Thatcherism taking a real stand against illegal parties?”
A lot of fuss over not a lot. There was a time when I started to think of free parties as something more than just a party (could be political, could be culty or religious or something) but it didn’t take me too long to figure out that there is a clue in the title – it’s a free PARTY. The press made a big deal out of a bunch of yout’s going out and having a good time so the government tried to do something about it (powerful people often don’t like to see their underlings have fun for some reason).
I’m going to really show my age now – I compare the whole event to the film “Footloose” where the townsfolk actually ban a style of dancing and deem it “evil” while the kids just want to have a good time (man!!).
“As drug taking was such a huge part of the rave scene do you feel it to be a positive thing or a negative aspect? Do you feel that the scene would have taken off as strongly without the ecstacy involvement?”
Ecstacy certainly had a positive impact on lots of people in Britain at that time – just ask the FA how they feel about ecstacy and it’s impact on the stands in football stadiums across the country. If nothing else I am sure they prefered the smell of Vicks Raver Rub to sweat beer fags and testosterone.
As for the rave scene – it probably wouldn’t have been quite the movement that it was without E (for Empathy). However I don’t think the namesake of the scene itself – Acid – has been give enough credit for its impact on UK youth culture in th 90’s. Let’s just say that it can tend to make you see things in a different way… to say the least!
Unfortunately however there are two things to consider:
1. Drugs generally get sold by drug dealers who (like any good capitalist) are in it for the money. I bought most of mine off mates who were just happy party people trying to spread the happiness (possibly the most valuable career in the country), but I am sure that they got them off unshaven criminal masterminds with guns and bad attitudes who used the money to start up a video pirating business as a sideline to getting kids hooked on crack in primary school playgrounds.
2. When you get that many people in the same place at the same time, some of them are bound to be idiots. Some will take too many drugs, some will start experimenting with more damaging drugs, some will accidentally piss off others, some will purposefully fuck over others. It’s just people innit. A sad truth, but the fact remains.
PS If you haven’t read it yet find yourself a copy of “Fierce Dancing” by C J Stone. It’s full of great quotes for rave dissertations.
