Club Flyer Designs and the Early Rave Movement
Dawn Malcolm
“This is Art. Art, in the shape of a club flyer. Club flyers are a triumph of wit, design, modern design and yes, art.” (James Davies, writer). This quote plays a significant part of why this catalogue has been created. Once seen as transient and unimportant, the club flyers are now recognised as an important part of the historic urban dance landscape, during the mid-1980’s to late 90’s. They were an underground form of communication, ever-changing in order to the cause and to keep up with raid flow of the movement. Originally a basic form of information, they quickly became inspirational adverts, bulletin boards, in jokes, showcases for young designers, a visual call and voice for a whole generation.
The existence of the UK rave scene would not be possible, without the incredible effort and creativity of black American music community. The gifted people managed to create three distinct genres of electronic dance music, namely Detroit techno, Chicago house and New York garage. In the global world, these genres started penetrating to the other side of the Atlantic. When they reached Britain, there was a lot of experimenting and modification of the music, resulting in many new genres that help to define the UK rave scene. From the three genres, house music gradually took the biggest hold. But even in 1987, there were some efforts to enliven the British music scene. These efforts were based more on organization and promotion than on production. In 1987, there was a really hard-working man was Paul Oakenfold. Fascinated by the monumental parties on the Ibiza Island, he tried to shift this unique atmosphere to London. Oakenfold managed to persuade an owner of a small London club, to let him start an illegal after-hours event. When the regular guests left the club, the owner opened the exit door for Oakenfold and his friends from Ibiza. Not only did they show their love for music, but also their clothes and behaviour popular in Ibiza. This kind of amusement soon aroused concern among many people. Of course, the police were also interested (because of the illegality of the event), and launched several raids. All in all, the corner stone for the successful development of the house scene was laid. At the same time, a working-class couple named Rampling started “Shoom,” a small club located in South London. Soon, this place was filled up with people. Unlike the
club, where Oakenfold and his friends engaged in showy dancing orgies, this place was characterized by a relative calmness, even a certain kind of sophistication. The special atmosphere was accentuated by the presence of smoke and drugs. There, “you would have seen these faces looming at you out of the fog. It was like a sea of connected alienation” (Simon Reynolds, writer). Because of the music, people and the atmosphere of love, peace, unity and tolerance, “Shoom” was considered a nucleus of rave culture. The fact is that the calmness and serenity encountered at this place were largely the result of limited membership. If everyone had been permitted access, the overall tone of the place would definitely have been very different. Feeling that house music is penetrating more and more into public consciousness, Paul Oakenfold launched two more clubs, namely “Spectrum” and “Heaven.” Based on massive consumption and large-scale dancing, they often disturbed the surroundings and their occupants were viewed by many people as deranged. Oakenfold ́s work seemed to concentrate on big projects for the elite, which naturally became the focus of the police. When the clubs were closed, the party people gathered in the streets, where they encountered the patrolling police vans. The party people turned on their car stereos, started dancing wildly and produced chants, such as “acieed”. The police were really confused and did not know what to make of it. As a consequence of these strange encounters, loud gatherings like this were banned. But the ban imposed on these activities gave rise to another specific phenomenon. Acid House. From 1988 on, thanks to many derelict buildings, the illegal
warehouse parties prevailed over clubs. They were held in film studios, disused hangars, even on riverboats. 1988 on, thanks to many derelict buildings, the illegal warehouse parties prevailed over clubs. They were held in film studios, disused hangars, even on riverboats.
1989 was a breakthrough year for many. This year saw a large-scale emergence of big parties and marked “the point at which the all-night dancing and concurrent sense of carefree abandonment felt by British holiday-makers in Spain’s Ibiza began to be replicated in Britain in the form of all-night raves” (Luckman, writer). Promoters distributed extravagant flyers informing about spectacular sound systems and lights. The importance of flyers made many people claim that “they are to raves what graffiti art is to hip-hop and psychedelic posters were to the acid rock of the 1970’s.
This catalogue showcases three artists who provided some of the most iconic designs ever produced in this early modern day dance movement. George Georgiou, with his infamous smiley face flyers, making him seen by many as the person who influenced the ‘ecstasy’ drug phenomenon. Dave Little, with his ‘all seeing’ eye designs illustrating the atmosphere of the current climate of partygoers under surveillance. Steven Perry (Pez), known for his intricate, incredibly detailed work using spray cans and air brushing, made him responsible for transcending this format from hiphop to dance culture.
In January 1988 George Georgiou designed a flyer for the Shoom event in Southwark Fitness Centre. To look at it for the first time, you would think that the flyer was just a hurried effort to get to word out for the night ahead, in a way it actually was. With little or no money, they had to be made using stolen office materials and with the help of friends. The flyer was fairly basic yet very effective and soon to be very iconic. The flyer was white with Black text. George The flyer was had written Shoom Club in freehand. The rest of the text was produced with the use of DTP (a kind of file format containing page layout information, text, images and other formats). There were some drawings of yellow smiley faces along each side. Again, they are very basic but you can see one face showing a different emotion. It is obviously
seen as a sign of a drug induced state. Danny Rampling specified the smiley logo for his hand-outs, but George had the idea to show the smiley faces tumbling down, like a cascade of then-popular pills. Shoom was one of the first clubs to use the Smiley Face Symbol in this manner. Later that year the Smiley symbol would be broadcast over the tabloid press, as the symbol of Acid House. This specific flyer demonstrates the power of a symbol and how it can actually turn into a communicative tool. We use these symbols now in the age of social media.
George Georgiou began designing flyers, banners and dance floors in his spare time for a variety of warehouse parties and clubs, back in ‘85. In the first 5 years he designed enough banners to cover a football field and numerous flyers for among others, Nicky Holloway. During the day, as an interior designer, he designed film producer, Terry Gilliam’s house, a number of restaurants and various retail outlets. Later credited with adopting the ‘Smiley’ face as the symbol for Acid House, he created the first ‘Shoom’ flyer for Danny Rampling in ‘87, now one of the most sought after and rarest flyers. The highlight of his career at this point (‘89) was performing onstage at ‘Sin
’with ‘Beat’s Working’ the Acid House band he formed with Nicky Holloway and Doug Gordon. He designed the stage set, the flyers for the club, the banners on the walls and the t-shirts worn by many of the audience. Released by London records with sleeve illustrations by Georgiou (and Dave Little) the single bombed, but at least it looked good. He went on to design ‘The Milk Bar’ and ‘Velvet Underground’ nightclubs for Nicky Holloway in the 90’s and continued designing flyers for a new generation of clubbers into the millennium.
After the success of Future Paul Oakenfold organized Spectrum, an event held at Heaven. Despite being held on a Monday the night the event was very popular. The flyer for this event was designed by Dave Little. Dave got a visit from the Promoters Paul Oakenfold, Gary Haizeman and Ian St Paul. Gary told Dave “Geordie, I want a Fuck-off allseeing eye in the middle with the words Spectrum and Heaven On Earth around it.” The flyer was influenced by a Book called ‘The Art of Rock’ that featured Rick Griffin’s work for the Grateful Dead. Dave added the words theatre of Madness and put in a Grateful Dead style boarder. It is all completely hand painted with no graphics involved. “The reaction was Fantastic – I rarely saw one discarded in the street” (Dave Little).
The flyer was later exhibited in the V&A. The ‘all-seeing eye’ is indeed the first thing that jumps out at you. The eye itself is seen as representing a community fighting against the system of oppression. It says that it sees through the lies that the system would have you believe is the truth, and through letting yourself go and releasing negative thoughts, you will achieve happiness and enlightenment ‘Heaven on Earth’. The colours are also something quite mesmerizing. They really draw you in and make you feel like you want to actually be inside the flyer itself. ‘The Spectrum flyers are the most memorable because they really summed up the whole Acid House Scene.’ (Paul Oakenfold)
Escaping from Art College in the mid 80s, Dave started as a freelance designer at Pens Studio in Soho Square, London. Within a few months Dave realized he needed a bigger challenge, and through a design contact became the head window designer for the HMV flagship store on Oxford Street. His duties included drawing 30ft x 30ft hand painted rendition copies of the latest major releases such as Queen, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, and Billy Idol, which looked incredible, and inspired him to embark on sleeve designs of his own. In the late 80s, a chance meeting with a friend got Dave an introduction to the label Rhythm King, which fast
became the UK’s No.1 dance label, signing up acts as: Bomb the Bass, S Express, Beatmasters, Betty Boo, William Orbit, for whom all of which Dave created the highly recognizable artwork. Around this time the acid house scene was in it’s infancy introducing Dave to its founding fathers, from Paul Oakenfold to Terry Farley, Ian St. Paul and Andrew Weatherall. Dave went on to design flyers for seminal club nights, The World, Spectrum, and Boy’s Own; as well as Boy’s Own Records, Flying Records, and FFRR’s ‘Balearic Beats’, album - all of which are in permanent record at the V&A.
In 1990 Raindance, Labyrinth and Telepathy used an up and coming artist to design their flyers. His name was Steven Perry, aka Pez, a Graffiti Artist during the eighties who created unique images for flyers with the aid of his airbrush. Pez would go on to be hailed the ‘Salvador Dali’ of the Rave World. This piece he created for Telepathy was a nod to 1960’s psychedelic art, which he produced a lot of when he first started working in this music genre. You can generally tell by the use of oranges and purples, as they were very popular back at that time. The ‘all-seeing eye has appeared again, because at that point it became another popular symbol amongst the rave movement. It was a natural progression to use an airbrush
for his professional work, after his days as illegal graffiti artist. Exotic, otherworldly and almost spiritual at times, Pez claims to have woven hidden meanings into each of his flyers, although many remain a mystery to this day. It is possible it was for the partygoers to ponder over and try to decipher on the way home, all bug-eyed and weary. Maybe they are like 3D stereograms, but a rare kind that only work with seriously dilated pupils. His work is both colourful and mystical, but more importantly it became an identity with millions of ravers across the entire globe. Not only ravers, but for people with an eye for artistic integrity have been captivated by his awesome images.
Pez, A.K.A. Steven Perry, was an illegal graffiti artist in the mid 1980’s. “Graffiti Art permitted me to experiment with colour and form. I became obsessed with Graffiti Art and culture for many years but eventually I felt restricted by the primitiveness of the spray can. I am a self-taught as an airbrush artist, applying the rule that the next piece must be better than the last.” (Mixmag 1993) He was originally studying to become a law student. After completing his A Levels, he started to dread the next 6 or 7 years studying for his degree. So, he decided to pick up on air brush in 1988 and get drawing. To him, designing pictures was a lot less hassle free than being a Lawyer. It took him a good couple of years before any skills came through
and he often said he looks back at some of his old work with embarrassment. His first break came when he was asked to do a flyer for Fantastic Ibiza which was just a black and white flyer. Not long after came his first colour flyer for an organisation called Beyond Therapy, from then on came lots of work. Since then, he has gone on to create over 900 flyers.
I thoroughly enjoyed looking back into the history of dance music, as I myself was very much involved in the scene from the late 80’s to mid 90’s. I already knew a lot of what was happening during the times, however, I took pleasure in learning a little more through research. Seeing just how infamous and valuable these artworks have become has brought back good memories and made me proud of being part the community back in the day. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, rave culture represented a significant subcultural phenomenon in Britain. Since young people were the prime movers of rave culture, older generations often viewed it as resistant and offensive. Nevertheless, apart from the undeniably controversial aspects of the era, in the form of drugs, illegal warehouse and outdoor parties, raves also brought about amazingly great energy and a sense of meaning to the lives of many young people after a week of monotonous drudgery. For example, the aforementioned “PLUR” ethos of rave culture, which stood for peace, love, unity and respect, further illustrates that people should not be too sceptical about the nature of raving. In addition, rave culture prides itself on vital contributions to the world of electronic dance music. Many contemporary music genres, not only in Britain, have come from the roots once called “rave.” Today, the scene is extremely diverse, but the original genres of house and techno, although highly modified, still take up the running.
The dark side of rave culture was, of course, represented by drugs. Clubs, parties and festivals were unthinkable without taking pills. The principal drug associated with the rave scene was Ecstasy. It was frequently called the “social drug,” as it contributes to the feelings of empathy and unison on the dance floor. Rave culture is very much based on the “raving” community that is made up by friends. They embrace a rage to live and look for the escape from the everyday stereotypes. As for the rave ́s counter-cultural spirit, it is no longer active. As a consequence of “the Criminal Justice Act” of 1994, all illegal free parties and festivals were suppressed and commercial clubs began to dominate. Today, parties and clubs form part of a hi-tech leisure industry. Except for the financial demands, no sacrifices are required to participate and except for the drug effects, only few aftermaths influence everyday life. It was difficult to pinpoint exactly where to start with the history side to this catalogue, but I eventually decided to start with a flyer dated January 1987 from the ‘Shoom’ club days in London, one of the birthplaces of the UK House Scene. Whilst writing the history pages it was also difficult keeping the focus on the actual flyers. Obviously, acknowledgments have to be made to the other significant aspects of the scene including the Music, The Artist, DJ’s, The Clubs, The Promoters and the different Genres of Dance Music but I have tried not to stray too far from the actual Flyers.
Thornton, Sarah. Club Cultures: Music, Media and Subcultural Capital. Hannover: University Press of New England, 1996. Reynolds, Simon. Energy Flash: A Journey through Rave Culture and Dance Music. Macmillan Publishers 1998 Beddard, Phil. Highflyers clubravepartyart. London Booth-Clifford Editions 1998 Davis, James. Third Way Magazine 2005 Vol 28, No 4 Farley, Christopher John. “Rave New World.” Time. 156 (2000). 17 Apr. 2007. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,997084-1,00. html> Gibson, Chris. “Subversive sites: rave culture, spatial politics and the internet Images: www.roachmaterial.com (2012) www.pinterest.com
Dawn Malcolm