Taking it personally

I kind of feel like a news reporter covering a story when I talk about this SHM vs DJ Sneak feud. I guess I take it to heart because I love both artists, and don't see how this is productive for the House music scene.

I remember early in high school, our grade 8 teacher made us go around the room, and we had to say who our favorite musician was. I said "Reel 2 Real" and everyone laughed. They laughed at the name, and most people didn't know who they were. It was a running joke all throughout high school for me. Reel 2 Real of course is the duo Erick Morillo, NY producer and DJ, and Mark Quashie aka "Mad Stuntman" who infused the reggae vibe into their tracks. Their most popular hit was "I Like to Move It" which became popular again in '05 when it was featured in the animated film Madagascar (more than 10 years after its original release). They had other hits I enjoyed, like "Conway" and "Can You Feel It."

A couple of years later, still in high school, I had a copy of Daft Punk's Homework. I was listening to it on my walkman, on the way to a badminton tournament (nerd alert!) and one of my friends asked to hear what I was listening to. She then subsequently went on to say it sounded like a washing machine. I didn't care, I loved it.
Then I worked at a record store. Places like these breed music snobbery. I worked on the main floor, where pop charts were and general music was sold, but I would often go into the Urban music section where they sold hip hop, R&B, reggae and electronica. I remember especially being interested in the Global Underground series, listened to much more techno and progressive house at that time, and one of the employees in there would always mock my taste. I was especially into DJs Sasha & Digweed, and she was always touting the deep house acts like Frankie Knuckles, Kerri Chandler, MAW, etc. I liked them too but at the time knew less than her. In hindsight, she was just a bully. But her snobbery was similar to what I see still happening now.
Being in science, I was never around people who were passionate about electronic music. Most of the time, it was synonymous with drugs, and late night partying, and my friends were always up late night studying. I have never fully been immersed in the nightlife scene. But with the advent of the internet, I was able to keep up with the music I loved, and discover more about the artists and they music they were putting out. My passion for the electronic scene runs deep, and while I know very little compared to most, it doesn't matter, because the joy I get out of it is all that does.

DJ Sneak has continued to take digs at SHM, and Angello in particular since he has been the most vocal of the 3 members to speak up against the defamation. You can especially hear the bitterness in his interview for WMC that he gave to DMC. I'm glad DMC asked him "shouldn't we be rejoicing it's [dance music] success rather than being bitter about crossover." What is most ignorant about his comments is that the USA created the sound, and the rest of the world butchered it. That is so unfair, especially because Europe embraced the music when North America let grunge dominate in the 90s. And to not know what IMS is? I wonder what his opinions of Pete Tong are.
http://www.dmcworld.net/features/entry/features/miami-special-dj-sneak
I found an interview DJ Sneak gave when he was 33, and there are definitely some hypocritical moments in there: "In Chicago we have a style...we're very into what we're doing so it shows... a twist like a dance when we're DJing ... its better than seeing someone standing there doing nothing, just playing a record." What? I thought "jumping around, waving hands in the air" was making a fool of yourself!

"I know that what I'm doing I'm doing it from the heart so it means something to me. I'm not doing it to be a pop star, whatever. I don't care. If I become that then its because I worked not because I just became that overnight." Funny how this cannot apply to SHM.

Definitely nice to see peers of both Sneak and SHM standing up for SHM. Understanding that they were not just some overnight sensation.

Nic Fanciulli: "one man's trash is another man's treasure - Same goes for Music - Stay open minded!!!"
ATFC: "Interesting to notice that Dj Sneak has jumped 2000 followers over the weekend since his row with Steve Angello"
Steve Mac:

Joachim Garraud even posted a clip from 2005 on his Facebook, trying to show how the SHM boys don't fake their sets

I feel bad fo the ones caught in between, like Roger Sanchez, Junior Sanchez, Harry Romero, Erick Morillo. They're like the kids of divorced parents. And Sneak is trying to make them pick a side.  He's trolling Twitter (much like I am haha) and calling out his friends that are speaking against him.
Even though DJ Sneak has blocked me on Twitter, I've been seeing a lot of what he's been saying from retweets. He's got a lot of support from more "underground" artists. And people I absolutely love like Todd Terry, Kerri Chandler, and Kenny Dope have stood by him. I guess when you have dedicated your whole like to a certain way of spinning, its hard to accept that the new generation comes in with techniques that simplify the way things were once done. And profiting beyond belief. But SHM struggled too, its sad that they're being put through the ringer.

I was most happy to see Defected boss Simon Dunmore somewhat retract his comments. I think he too acknowledged Sneak's lunacy in his approach to the situation.

Totally agree! SHM never sold out, that's actually the music they love. Hard for some to see.
And there are plenty of artists holding on to that "old school" vibe, and bringing a fresh take on it too. Both can exist.
And the future looks bright again...