The September 2011 issue of DJMag recently ran a featuring counting down the Top 100 Most Important House Tracks. For those schooled in the way of the 4/4 beat, it will come as no surprise that nestled at the at very top of that illustrious pile – beating off competition from the likes of Joe Smooth, Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk and Marshall Jefferson – sat Jamie Principle and Frankie Knuckles genre-defining 1986 record ‘Your Love’, a record that DJMag described as “forever sealing Chicago DJ Frankie Knuckles’ name in house music history”.
In truth, that acclaim would probably have been assured even without the creation of the most instantly recognisable opening arpeggios in house, however the impact of ‘Your Love’ both on Knuckles’ career and in influencing the millions of records that followed can truly never be underestimated.
Now, under his Director’s Cut guise alongside Eric Kupper, Knuckles and Principle have rejoined forces to re-record ‘Your Love’. Here, we catch up with Frankie to talk about his reasons for doing so.
It’s been over 25 years since ‘Your Love’ was first given to DJs, and yet it still frequently crops up in modern day DJ sets without sounding dated. Why do you think it has aged so well?
I'm sorry, but the original does sound dated (sonically). For how house music is created now sonically the original cannot match what is happening on dance floors today. However, what gets it over this is the immediate appeal that the record has.
Since Jamie and I reconnected 10 years ago this is something we've worked on achieving. But we needed to have the proper machine supporting us to bringing this dream to fruition. There was so much drama and ugliness attached to the original that most folks know nothing about. But this song (‘Your Love’) holds a very special place in Jamie's heart as he wrote it as a serenade to a girl he was in love it at the time. Neither of us had any idea about how huge this tune was and how much demand there was for it, and that is when the ugly side of the business reared its ugly head and the rest as they say is history.
Now, it is almost 30 years later and I think it's well past the time that this song is produced and presented in a way that matches all the grandeur and loveliness it deserves.
Mixmag editor Nick de Cosemo has said that “electronic music wouldn’t be the same without it”. With the volume of new music so high these days, do you ever think a single record will ever has as much impact as ‘Your Love’ clearly has?
Not for at least another 100 years!! ‘Your Love’ came along at a time when the dance music industry was putting on a new face.
For as exciting as it was, the fact was that a new musical genre was being born on the heels of disco. Something that was fresh and familiar yet, new and exciting was the word of the day. The marketplace was flooded with all kinds of wild and crazy low-budget house trax that I knew, when the dust finally settled, most of these trax, as well as the artists behind them did not survive the initial onslaught.
The only heavyweights that survived the early days are Steve 'Silk' Hurley, Marshall Jefferson, Jamie Principle and myself. But ‘Your Love’ has been like the main ingredient for almost every electronic dance tune. It's like that one spice you just can't do without!!
The classic Chicago sound – of which Your Love is probably one of the best-known examples – has really made a comeback in the last year or so…why do you think that is?
The music industry is much like the fashion business. Trends come and go on the top level. Folks will follow whatever the current trends are - especially DJs that don't really challenge themselves. For them, it's easier to play all the current fist-pumping, hands-in-the-air-choons versus creating an evening of music for the intelligent listener (who also buys music when they find something they feel is worthy of their hard earned coinage).
You’re still working with Jamie Principle to this day. What is it about your working relationship that makes it such a fruitful partnership?
Jamie has always been like a son/kid brother to me. I'm fiercely protective of him because he's such a sweet, kind and brilliantly talented soul. His music needs someone that can recognize the beauty and sensitivity and, at the same time not inject their own personality in it. My main goal with Jamie has always been to produce his music in the best possible light. I know that I'm a bigger figure and personality than he is, but the sound we create for him is all Jamie Principle. The songs he puts in my hands are like his children. He trusts me with them and I have to do right by them.
What made you think that now was the time for a re-release of ‘Your Love’?
House Music is going through a renaissance phase right now.
I didn't really see it at first. I think it began when I worked on ‘Blind’ for Hercules and Love Affair. Here was a group of kids that totally embraced that old New York/Chicago House Sound. That tune set the tone. And with that tune 'Director's Cut' was born.
We re-captured that old school house sound and have brought it full-circle with today’s production. We're about making a tune sound as big and lush and as expensive as all the old ones; ultimately constructing a big, thick sound that makes even the smallest voices sound bigger. And when it comes to addressing the classics, it's about keeping everything that was magical about the original while doing a little bit more than just slapping on a fresh coat of paint.
Remember, a good song can be put on and allowed to play. Always.
Musically and sonically, do you think you’ve been successful in what you’ve tried to achieve with the remix?
We haven't just remixed it, we re-created it from the bottom up. I think we've achieved what we set out to do. ‘Your Love’ is perhaps one of the single most important pieces of music related to house music. It's the benchmark of house music at its best. It wasn't about trying to make it better than before. It was about sonically making it relevant for today’s dance floors and today’s DJs.
The re-release package also contains a couple of brand new remixes…tell us a bit about them…
I'm very excited about the remixes. They are strong productions from everyone involved. The current production with all the mixes makes ‘Your Love’ one of those tunes that can be played all night long, coming in and out of everything and you never know what it is until it swallows you up on the dance floor. As a DJ, I love when a tune comes along that makes you work it to the "nth degree".
You mentioned the Director’s Cut project started as a result of the ‘Blind’ remix…what happened from there?
After taking 2 years off due to health issues I found myself at the back of the queue when it came to getting back to work, DJing. The landscape was changing and I felt the need to recreate myself. I began looking around for projects to play with. Chatting back and forth with Simon & Max (The Shapeshifters) we were making plans to do a song together (The Ones You Love). Plus, I had taken on several small projects that I really believed in. Everyone was very gracious with giving me stems for us to play around with. But I think the song that got us the most notice was Whitney Houston's ‘Million Dollar Bill’.
It wasn't scheduled for release and didn’t have any real promo plan. Done completely on spec, our mix blew the powers that be at the label to the back of the room, pretty much forcing them to put it out. And so began the legacy that is Director's Cut.
What have you got planned for the rest of 2011 and beyond?
Better living through House Music!! More production, more travel, staying healthy and remaining happy, exactly in that order. Simon Dunmore honoured me by asking me to record the next Defected In The House compilation album, Director's Cut will be making it's DJing debut at the Loveland Festival at ADE in Amsterdam during October and, hopefully we will continue to bring quality dance productions and songs to the marketplace. It's nice when folks walk out of the club at the end of the night singing a song. Very Old School!!
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about…?
I think I must be the luckiest guy in the world. To survive in the business this long and to work with some of the best people, all of whom I know only have my best interest at heart is a privilege. It really does take a village (to make me sound this good). In the words of my good friend B-Slade…
"THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SONG THAT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD"!
Frankie Knuckles presents Director's Cut feat. Jamie Principle ‘Your Love’ is out 14th September – click to listen pre-order
Frankie Knuckles In The House is out 24th October - check back soon for more details
Nocturnal Groove in association with Ministry of Sound are also running a competition to win a signed vinyl copy of ‘Your Love’ personally presented to the winner by Frankie at the Ministry on Sunday 18th September. The first prize will also include 2 x VIP entrance to the Ministry on the night. Head to the Nocturnal Groove Facebook page for details of how to enter.
