Music and Cities: Berlin

When I think of Berlin, the things that jump to mind are huge warehouse spaces, hard techno music, late night parties, and a city of free and liberal-minded people. It was probably one of my favourite films, Berlin Calling, which long ago planted this image in my head.

The city is considered the techno capital of the world, and Mali and I wanted to find out why. What better way to do this than to hit some parties, meet some DJs, and talk to the locals and urbanists?

After touching down in Schönefeld Airport, it wasn’t long before we were romping around Kreuzberg. As we explored, it was quick to see that this part of Berlin had a very different look and feel of cities of Western Europe: huge city blocks and old warehouse buildings lined the streets, grey concrete walls crumbled around us and dark alleyways stretched into the darkness. The neighbourhoods felt hard and weathered: an exciting, unrefined vibe, far from the lights and glitz of Champs-Élysées.

Trying our best to avoid the sub-zero temperatures we hustled into a coffee shop to meet long-time locals, Fanny Rybarsch and William R Wilkendorf. As city enthusiasts and owners of street-music company, Klara Geist, it was clear these guys knew a thing or two about the city.

Reflecting on his long history in Berlin, William told us about the alternative, and even anarchist, nature of the city. The Berlin Wall, he said, very likely played a strong role in creating this. East Berliners lived in a surveillance state, and on both sides, attempts to cross to the other side to meet friends or loved ones was likely to end in death. In addition, the wall created small neighborhood enclaves sitting against the Spree River. For decades these areas became run-down and derelict. But this also meant that rent was cheap, which attracted squatters, people making art, talking politics, and creating music.

With the rise of groups like Kraftwerk, electronica music began to hit the mainstream, and naturally Berlin’s alternative neighbourhoods were at the forefront of this music scene.

Heading north of the river to Friedrichstrasse we were welcomed into the home of Dr Jan Kuhn. Both a DJ and urban sociologist, he had for a long time explored the city’s relationship with the electro music scene. He talked us through the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and how the once divided city finally became unified.

Suddenly, the suppressed eastern side of the city was free to live in and travel to the West. And what were isolated neighbourhoods like Kreuzberg, now sat right in the centre of what were once two cities.

With a combination of alternative thinking, liberal laws, cheap or empty spaces (a third of all buildings in west Berlin were unoccupied when the wall came down), and an already pumping music scene, it wasn’t long before the now united Berlin became the world’s centre for electronic music.

Heading out into the night, it was apparent to us that this was a city that came alive after dark. Mitte’s streets permeated with lights and music flowed from the buildings and down the streets. All around us people from across the globe out to party, and even before midnight, the city’s famous kebab shops were filled with people seeking some post-alcohol sustenance.

Fortunate enough to meet some of the city’s most impressive up-and-coming DJs, we soon learned why artists from both around the country, and around the world are continually attracted to the city.

Christoph Etmars (aka Escape to Mars) told us, “Berlin is the place to find yourself and your music… We have so many kinds of electronica music in Berlin…. That’s why Berlin, is Berlin, I think. ”

Vom Feisten couldn’t have agreed more, “Here is the new centre of this music in the world… People from all over the world come together, meet each other, work on different projects… the newest and biggest labels are from Berlin."

As we partied late in the city's bars and clubs, we felt the vibe that these DJs  got from their city. People around us had an energy to them - a slight edge. While the city is now unified, I guess Berlin’s sense of anarchy lives on in the music… and late into the night.

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Music and Cities: Paris

We probably couldn’t have arrived in Paris at a more interesting - or uneasy - time in recent history. Just a couple of weeks after the horrific attacks on the city, we set foot on the Champs-Élysées and were taking in the sites, sounds and vibes of this incredible town.

The mood was somewhat sombre and the people we met were visibly shaken from the recent events, but as we would quickly learn, Paris is a city of unity and cohesion, and shows amazing resilience even at the worst of times. People continued to socialise on the streets, with red wine flowing - in true defiant Parisian style.

France is home to the second largest hip hop scene outside the United States, and the Parisian suburbs are key in the development of its hop-hop culture.

Much of the city’s hip hop music influence is drawn from poor living conditions, in central and out-of-town housing estates. Residing in HLM rent-controlled housing, many French rappers draw upon their upbringing in this environment as a source of inspiration for their lyrics. In particular, places like Le Brake, La Chapelle, Clichy-Sous-Bois and the 18th Arrondissement are considered neighbourhoods which have directly influenced some of the most prominent rappers in French hip hop.

But although Paris’ underprivileged urban areas have led rappers to express themselves about social segregation – the act of doing so – also brings them together.

When we spoke with the awesome Cecile (‘Pumpkin’) Unia, she told us about the recent attacks on the Bataclan nightclub. “It was just a few weeks earlier that I was there”, she said, “they could have been my friends and fans.”

As Cecile spoke, it was clear that there was a strong sense of community among the Parisian hip hop scene. She told us about the sense of brotherhood and sisterhood among local musicians, as well as the city’s open spaces, venues and events which bring artists together to network, learn and hang out. It was clear that these two things went hand-in-hand: the physical spaces within the city itself had directly helped to create the deep connections that the artists have with one another.

Sitting at the intersection of multiple metro lines, for example, the area of Les Halles has for a long time been considered an important part of local hip hop culture. People from different neighbourhoods across the city once travelled to its underpasses and disused spaces to break-dance and rap together.

When the government embarked upon a large scale neighbourhood regeneration scheme, local community groups argued that hip hop should be integrated back into the local community as part of its redevelopment. Fortunately the government listened. It wasn't long before hip hop enthusiast Jean-Marc Meogeot, was put in charge to help develop the a new hip hop venue for the Parisian community. It’s a good thing that Jean-Marc dreams big – because these are no small plans.

When built, the Paris Hip Hop Centre will provide huge spaces for hip hop artists to create and perform dance and music. With dozens of recording studios and classrooms, the centre will be important for local artists to turn their hobby into something much bigger.

Importantly, for the same reason that attracted artists to hang out in the Les Halles in the first place, the centre will still be blessed by the nearby metro station, which will allow people to come together from all across the city, including its vast suburbs.

As we learned from the artists we met, the space to perform and record in the city is important. Because after all - hip hop isn’t just about unity – it’s also about success.

Urban sociologist and geographer Severin Guilliard told us, “Parisian urban space is something that artists can use and reproduce… it’s going to be easier for artists in Paris to succeed in rap music, than the artists coming in from other areas of France.”

The city of Paris gives hip hop musicians resources and connections, and this enables them to compete on a global scale – even with the United States.

If you want to find success in the Parisian rap scene, you don’t need to search much further than Gaellino 'Lino' M’Bani.

From the early days of rapping with his brother in Arsenik, he remains today one of the godfathers of French hip hop. Perhaps it was the images from his recent video clip which had stuck firmly in my mind, but I have to admit, as we welcomed him into our hotel, I felt a little intimidated.

It didn’t take long however, before we realised that there was nothing to be intimidated by. Like the artists we’d met before him, Lino was with us to talk about the scene and the city he loved. When we mentioned that we’d met with “Pumpkin” before him, his eyes lit up, “oh yeah I know her - she’s good!” There was no doubt that he shared a unity with the other artists across the city. Lino summed it up best himself, “Paris is the capital where everything comes together”.

The sad events from a couple of weeks before had shocked the world, but there was no doubt that Paris was resilient. Clearly, music has played a strong role in creating such a strong and unified city... Vive la Paris!

Check out the film below.

Tom

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Music and Cities: Manchester

Growing up, I always connected the bands and music I loved to the places they came from. To me, The Strokes epitomised New York City, the Rolling Stones were London, my favourite punk bands represented San Diego and LA, and of course New Order and Joy Division typified the ex-industrial, northern England powerhouse of Manchester.

I hadn’t ever really thought about this concept until last year on a trip to Copenhagen with Mali. Hanging out in Vesterbro, we learned that this part of the city was - and still is - Europe’s answer to New Orleans. As we walked around, Jazz music was pumping from the bars and down the streets. How was it that this neighbourhood hundreds of miles from its traditional US roots had become a centre for Jazz?

Then and there, Mali and I decided that not only was ‘Music and Cities’ a cool idea to explore, but with Mali being a musician and me an urbanist, it would bring our interests together, and hopefully let us explore some cool places.

A few months later, the awesome guys and girls at Bench had given us loads of support, we had a rad production crew on board, and were off to Manchester to learn about the city and its music.

I always had an image in my mind that Manchester was a harsh and raw sort of place. As our train crept up from London, into Stockport and then Manchester’s southern neighbourhoods, I could already begin to understand why I had imagined the city this way.

The huge warehouse blocks spread into the distance and the old red brick factories were reminiscent of the industrial years I’d learned about in high school history. The place looked un-polished and real, just as I’d hoped it would.

Manchester’s music scene is commonly associated with well-known names like The Smiths, Stone Roses, Oasis, Joy Division and Factory Records, as well as dudes like Graeme Park and Clint Boon who were instrumental in developing club culture - first in the city, and then across the world. But as we’d soon learn, there was so much more to Manchester’s music scene than seen on the surface.

While rock and indie continues to thrive, music in this city has never had a distinct style or genre. Instead, the common-thread throughout Manchester’s music scene is an attitude and way-of-thinking.

The Mancunian spirit is not about following other’s ideas, or old rule books – its about doing things in a unique way, and usually with a ‘fuck you’ attitude.

As we watched Isaac, the lead singer of Not Hot Ashes, throw himself to the ground in what would normally be considered an intimate and quirky music venue, it was clear that the Mancunian spirit was well-and-truly thriving in even the young generation. This spirit has no doubt come from its past, with the city having always succeeded by creating something from nothing.

The Northern Quarter, tucked inside the city centre, was in the early 20th century, the heart of the city’s industrial revolution. Filled with factories, warehouses and markets, its streets were lined with thousands of people, rich and poor, trying to create success in one of the world’s most prosperous cities.

Only a few decades later however, this was all set to change. Manchester was badly bombed in World War II and technological change meant that hardcore industrial machinery was no longer the backbone of the English economy. With no need for huge factory spaces, the inner core of Manchester no longer resembled a modern, advanced city, but more like something of a deserted dystopia.

Thousands of people had left the run-down inner city, and took off to the suburbs. But of course, in line with the spirit of Manchester, it didn’t take long before its failure, became its next success.

As we sat in a beautiful ex-warehouse office space, urbanist David Rudlin told us, “In the 70’s Manchester was Detroit. You could get stuff pretty much for free… But one of the things that makes cities creative is the opportunity to experiment, which means you need space which is cheap,” he continued, “but when you get a reputation for being a creative quarter, you attract more creative people.”

The demise of the city meant there was loads of free space for people to experiment, be themselves, and break-down traditional career norms by making something, from seemingly, nothing. People were doing their own thing, in their own way, and this was exactly what enabled Manchester to become one of the most creative cities in the world.

Me and Mali-Koa Hood hanging on a Mancunian rooftop

What we learned from David was echoed by the urbanists and musicians we continued to meet.

As we walked with the legendary Graeme Park amongst huge 19th century factories, which were now leased by trendy cafes and retailers, he told us about the former Hacienda nightclub, which is now considered the birth of clubbing culture. Nothing more than a disused warehouse in the ‘80s, The Hacienda gave young creative’s a cheap place to connect with one another, make music, share ideas and, of course, party. It seems these are the crucial ingredients to a developing successful idea in the city of Manchester.

But as we learned, it wasn’t just the city’s musicians and creatives who were able to make something new. It was the urbanists too.

Wearing a heavy set coat and moustache to match, Tom Bloxham doesn’t look like your average smug property developer. Rather than just cashing in on cheap property, Tom was instrumental in regenerating entire areas of the city by buying up derelict, disused buildings and turning them into beautiful, creative and inspiring places. As Clint Boon put it best, “Tom Bloxham was inspired by the punk spirit”.

Similarly, Ross McKenzie decided that selling records in the market was cool, but starting his own bars and clubs in the city centre would be even better. It wasn’t long before he was one of the biggest names in the city’s music venue scene.

As we continued to meet some of the biggest names in Manchester, it was clear to us that while its music scene is best known from the '80s and early '90s, it’s creative edge is unlikely to die for generations to come.

But maybe it was Ruth Daniel, a young cultural producer and social entrepreneur, who taught us the true importance of the Mancunian spirit. We learned the city’s ability to succeed isn’t just about the making good art, music or money, but its about ensuring that everyone has the ability to succeed. It’s not about who or what you know, but it’s about having confidence and drive to do things differently and better than others before you. People from all kinds thrive in this city because they’re not afraid to do it their own way.

I guess Ruth put it best when she told us, “people want to break the rules here, and I love that about Manchester”.

Mali and I were amazed at what we’d learned simply by asking people how music the city had influenced music – and vice versa... I guess our interests aren’t that different after all.

The people we met and the places we saw on our first stop blew us away. Thanks loads everyone. Next up - Paris!

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