#davehaslam

Some books I’ve read this year. 📚

Pond by Claire-Louise Bennett

Sonic Youth Slept On My Floor by Dave Haslam

I attended a lecture given by Manchester based DJ and writer, Dave Haslam, who is most famous for his electric sets at the Hacienda nightclub, where he made his debut on May 1st 1986. He discussed how trends, music and theatre, to name a few, transition from marginal to mainstream, possibly how he views his own career, from a student at the University of Manchester, promoting and DJing local clubs, to the author and broadcaster we know today.

Marginal culture can be described as something pioneering, unknown, significant and none corporate, however when enough people are attracted to it, a scene is created and what was once considered ‘different’ becomes the new mainstream trend. This happened with the Chemical Brothers, who formed here in Manchester, at a time when the previously rebellious Hacienda, was seen by them as the establishment, and so they began playing gigs at the Swinging Sporran, and nearly 30 years later the duo is known worldwide.

Mainstream culture encompasses Saturday night TV, Starbucks, the Trafford Centre and anything owned by a corporation for the sole purpose of making money, rather than adding to the culture of a city. Marginal culture is usually developed by creative people’s unmediated expression, and tends to attract like-minded individuals, such as artists and musicians. It can be brought about through resourcefulness for example the Hacienda opening in what was then a quiet area of town, because they found an empty warehouse which meant they didn’t need a lot of capital to open the nightclub. One particular individual who Haslam felt was a prime example of this was Sheila Delaney from Salford who changed British theatre with her 1958 play, A Taste of Honey. This came about purely because she felt mainstream theatre said nothing to her, and so Delaney began writing about what, and the people she knew.

Dave Haslam spoke of the mainstream as though it was a negative thing, and encouraged us to seek out what is ‘bubbling under the surface of Manchester’. As a designer this is exciting because it could lead to unimagined collaborations, or projects that may seem small now but become iconic in the future. It has caused me to look further than the work of ‘starchitects’ for inspiration, when researching my own projects. I wonder how many people operating in the marginal want to become mainstream, for the fame or financial rewards, or is this seen as selling out? Would the Chemical Brothers still exist if they hadn’t become mainstream? Would they be happy to have spent the last 30 years playing small venues to limited crowds? No matter how passionate you are about your art or music, surely you want the recognition of knowing that it appeals to more than just a minority group of individuals in one city? There must come a point where if your art isn’t making you enough money to live, you have to move on and it becomes just your hobby? So my question is, can we remain pioneering, significant and none corporate whilst still being successful and recognised for our talent?