Today the world woke up to the tragic news that house music pioneer, Frankie Knuckles, had passed away. Barely a day out we’re already witnessing an outpouring of memoriams and obituarties dedicated to the late producer and DJ whose marathon sets at Chicago clubs like the Warehouse and Power Plant catalyzed house music as a global phenomenon.
Many millenials like myself tuned in too late in history to understand the full extent of Frankie’s influence on music and popular culture today. And while all of us live and breathe dance music, there are plenty of you out there who might be missing the man’s finest releases from your iTunes catalogue. Without many of these iconic productions, the culture and lifestyle that we know and love simply would not exist. So as we take some time to celebrate Frankie’s life, let’s also take the time to listen to some of the tracks that made electronic music what it is today. We’ll miss you Frankie.
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“Your Love” would also be heavily sampled throughout the years, fueling the creation of another house music classic, “You Got the Love,” by The Source featuring Candi Staton. In 2008, over twenty years later, rock outfit Florence and the Machine kickstarted their career with their epic ballad “You Got the Love,” which you guessed it—took a great deal of inspiration from Frankie’s earliest musical gem.
MOVE YOUR BODY: 1986 the provide their take on the piano house sound BABY WANTS TO RIDE: 1987 THE WHISTLE SONG: 1991 Beyond the Mix, , HERCULES AND LOVE AFFAIR – “BLIND (FRANKIE KNUCKLES REMIX)”: 2008For a crash course on the beat of the 90s, check out 10 Rave Classics That Took the Pop Charts.
David can’t stop listening to The Whistle Song. @DLGarber
