Who Built House?
Straight out of Chicago from the legendary club - The Warehouse - came what we know as ‘house’ music. This joint was popping from 1977 to 1982, and it was where the real magic happened. The crowd? Mostly Black gay men who were there to vibe out to the beats spun by the resident DJ, (originally from New York) Frankie Knuckles — they called him the "godfather of house.”
House music first bubbled up in Chicago’s underground scene in the early '80s, rising from the ashes of disco. Disco was catching heat in the late '70s, partly because it was embraced by the African American and LGBTQ communities. So, the DJs began remixing those disco tracks in basement and underground parties, layering a steady 4/4 beat, usually between 120 and 130 BPM, and cranking up the bass. They sprinkled in some electronic elements, transforming the old disco grooves into something fresh—house music. Just like disco, the goal was to make people feel good and keep them dancing.
Funny enough, Knuckles didn’t even know his sound was being called 'house' music until he saw club signs advertising it. When he asked his friends what it meant, they hit him with, “Man, that’s your sound!”
In 2004, the city of Chicago named the stretch of street where the old Warehouse once stood to “Frankie Knuckles Way”. The city declared August 25th, 2004 as Frankie Knuckles Day.
*All images & copyright belong to the original owner unless otherwise stated*
House music first bubbled up in Chicago’s underground scene in the early '80s, rising from the ashes of disco. Disco was catching heat in the late '70s, partly because it was embraced by the African American and LGBTQ communities. So, the DJs began remixing those disco tracks in basement and underground parties, layering a steady 4/4 beat, usually between 120 and 130 BPM, and cranking up the bass. They sprinkled in some electronic elements, transforming the old disco grooves into something fresh—house music. Just like disco, the goal was to make people feel good and keep them dancing.
Funny enough, Knuckles didn’t even know his sound was being called 'house' music until he saw club signs advertising it. When he asked his friends what it meant, they hit him with, “Man, that’s your sound!”
In 2004, the city of Chicago named the stretch of street where the old Warehouse once stood to “Frankie Knuckles Way”. The city declared August 25th, 2004 as Frankie Knuckles Day.
*All images & copyright belong to the original owner unless otherwise stated*