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The Groove
Saturday April 5th, 2014 with ELORIOUS CAIN & TEKNOBRAT
FRANKIE KNUCKLES (January 18, 1955 – March 31, 2014)

A Tribute to Frankie Knuckles (January 18, 1955 – March 31, 2014) Frankie Knuckles, house music 'godfather,' dead at 59 Frankie Knuckles has died at 59-years-old.He was known as the 'Godfather of Chicago House Music' that flooded the club scene in the 70's and 80's. (Posted April 1, 2014) Greg Kot 7:07 a.m. CDT, April 1, 2014 In Chicago, Frankie Knuckles was called the “godfather,” not because of any underworld connections, but because he helped build house – a style of Chicago dance music that revolutionized club culture in the ‘70s and ‘80s and still resonates around the world today. Knuckles died Monday at the age of 59, as confirmed by his longtime business partner, Frederick Dunson. More details would be forthcoming Tuesday, Dunson said, who said in an email that Knuckles “died unexpectedly this afternoon at home.” In addition to developing the sound and culture of house music, Knuckles would go on to mix records by major artists such as Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and Depeche Mode. Knuckles learned his craft as a club DJ in New York City, then moved to Chicago in the late ‘70s and developed a reputation as one of the city’s most influential dance-music tastemakers. He arrived in Chicago just as disco was losing steam. For many, disco literally went up in flames between games of a Chicago White Sox double header at Comiskey Park, when radio deejay Steve Dahl blew up hundreds of disco albums. "I witnessed that caper that Steve Dahl pulled at Disco Demolition Night and it didn't mean a thing to me or my crowd," Knuckles told the Tribune. “But it scared the record companies, so they stopped signing disco artists and making disco records. So we created our own thing in Chicago to fill the gap.” Knuckles was mentored by the renowned DJ Larry Levan in the early ‘70s while in New York. “We would spend entire afternoons working up ideas on how to present a record so that people would hear it in a new way and fall in love with it,” Knuckles said. “To us it was an art form.” He brought that knowledge west with him to Chicago, where he became known as “the godfather of Chicago house music” at the Warehouse and later the Power Plant. He would extend mixes of soul and R&B records and turn them into dance tracks, introduce new singles being produced by fledgling house artists and incorporate drum machines to emphasize the beat. In addition to building dynamic ebb-and-flow sets that would keep his dancefloor filled from midnight to noon on weekends, he would create theater-of-the-mind scenarios with inventive sound and lighting. “Sometimes I’d shut down all the lights and set up a record where it would sound like a speeding train was about to crash into the club. People would lose their minds.” Knuckles was primarily known as a DJ, but he also played a key role as a tastemaker, de facto talent scout and producer. Knuckles bought his first drum machine from a young Derrick May, one of the founders of techno music, who regularly made the trip from Detroit to see Knuckles at the Warehouse. Knuckles also had a musical partnership with Chicago artist Jamie Principle, and helped put "Your Love" and "Baby Wants to Ride" out on vinyl after these tunes had been regulars on his reel-to-reel player at the Warehouse. He also produced the house classic "Tears" with Robert Owens (of Fingers, Inc.). House was initially cruder and less polished than disco, a reflection of its blue-collar origins. Knuckles was hardly the only innovator in the scene, as Marshall Jefferson, Ron Hardy, Steve "Silk" Hurley, Farley "Jackmaster" Funk and dozens more also played key roles. By the late ‘80s, Knuckles and many of his peers were stars in Europe’s emerging rave scene. Knuckles would often joke that he could walk down the middle of the street in Chicago and not be recognized, yet would be greeted by cheering fans when he would arrive at European airports for overseas DJ gigs. “I wasn’t frustrated by that, not at all,” he said. “I’m not the kind of person that lives for fame and glory. If I’ve got a nice, clean home and can put a meal on my table and can entertain my friends, I’m fine. I don’t need to see my face plastered everywhere.” Yet he took pride in Chicago’s growing recognition over the years as the home of contemporary dance music, celebrated by such mainstream hitmakers as Daft Punk and Paul Oakenfold. "The people I meet all around the world look at Chicago and the house scene with a new romanticism," he said. "They recognize more than ever that Chicago is the core of where it all began." In 2004, Chicago named a street after Knuckles where the old Warehouse once stood, on Jefferson Street between Jackson Boulevard and Madison Street. It was a little slice of legitimacy for a style of music that often didn’t get much love from the city, which became notorious in the dance community around the world for passing the so-called “anti-rave ordinance” in 2000 that made property owners, promoters and deejays subject to $10,000 fines for being involved in an unlicensed dance party. Knuckles once reflected on house music’s reputation as a soundtrack for hedonism, though much of the dance music he loved had a melancholy flavor, a yearning that evoked gospel and soul. He championed house music that wasn’t just about rhythm, but that embraced humanism and dignified struggle. It was in keeping with his belief that the dancefloor was a safe haven for the gay, African-American and Hispanic communities that first embraced him. “God has a place on the dancefloor,” he once told the Tribune. “We wouldn’t have all the things we have if it wasn’t for God. We wouldn’t have the one thing that keeps us sane – music. It’s the one thing that calms people down. “Even when they’re hopping up and down in a frenzy on the dancefloor, it still has their spirits calm because they’re concentrating on having a good time, loving the music, as opposed to thinking about something negative. I think dancing is one of the best things anyone can do for themselves. And it doesn’t cost anything.” greg@gregkot.com Copyright © 2014 Chicago Tribune Company, LLC
DJ TEKNOBRAT Presents:

YOUR SOUND WILL BE WITH US FOR ETERNITY
MAY YOUR BODY REST IN PEACE AND YOUR SOUL
REACH THE STARS IN HEAVEN.
FRANKIE KNUCKLES YOU WILL BE MISSED
HERE ON EARTH. THANKS FOR YOUR
SOUND AND YOUR PASSAGE ON PLANET EARTH (STUDIO MIX)

MIXED & COMPILED BY TEKNOBRAT @ BUNKERBLISS STUDIOS OTTAWA, CANADA

Due to not having the complete discography of Frankie Knuckles
certain selections are played from youtube.com and may sound more
compressed we thank you for your understanding.

STYLES: HIGH ENERGY DISCO, CHICAGO HOUSE, HOUSE MUSIC, DEEP HOUSE,
GARAGE HOUSE & DOWN TEMPO HOUSE.
Passion & Pain (LP Version)
Frankie Knuckles - Passion & Pain EP - Virgin Records America, Inc.
It's Hard Sometime (Factory Dub)
Frankie Knuckles - It's Hard Sometime EP - Virgin
You Got The Love
Frankie Knuckles - You Got The Love / Pfantasy Girl EP - Trax UK
Rain Falls (David's 12" Soakin Wet Mix)
Frankie Knuckles - Rain Falls EP - Virgin
Workout (1992 Vocal Mix)
Frankie Knuckles Featuring Roberta Gilliam - Workout EP - Virgin
Whadda U Want (From Me) (K-Klass Mix)
Frankie Knuckles - Whadda U Want (From Me) EP - Virgin
Only The Strong Survive (Club Mix)
Frankie Knuckles - Only The Strong Survive EP - D.J. International Records
The Whistle Song (Paul Shapiro Reigns Supreme 12" Mix
Frankie Knuckles - The Whistle Song EP - Virgin
You Can't Hide (House Mix)
Frankie Knuckles - You Can't Hide EP - D.J. International Records
Love Can Change It (Downtown Club Mix)
Frankie Knuckles - Love Can Change It / Walkin' EP - Virgin Records America, Inc.
Your Love
Frankie Knuckles - Your Love EP - Trax Records
Tears (Classic Vocal)
Frankie Knuckles Presents Satoshi Tomiie - Tears EP - FFRR
Too Many Fish (Frankie's Groove)
Frankie Knuckles - Too Many Fish EP - Virgin ‎
Walkin' (Grant Nelson's Filthy Dub Version)
Frankie Knuckles Featuring Adeva & Ricky Dillard's New Generation Chorale - Walkin' EP - VC Recordings
Waiting On My Angel (Radio Mix)
Frankie Knuckles - Presents: Waiting On My Angel EP - Trax Records
Let's Stay Home Director's Cut Classic Club Mix
Frankie Knuckles Presents Director's Cut Starring Inaya Day - Let's Stay Home EP - Nocturnal Groove
Get Over U (Director’s Cut Mix - Sami Dee Edit)
Frankie Knuckles Pres. Director's Cut Feat. B. Slade - Get Over U EP - Nocturnal Groove
Keep On Movin (Main Mix)
Frankie Knuckles - Keep On Movin EP - D:vision Records
Gimme Gimme (Disco Shimmy) (Eric Kupper Remix)
Frankie Knuckles - Gimme Gimme (Disco Shimmy) EP - Noice! Music
I’ll Take You There (Director’s Cut Classic Signature Mix)
Frankie Knuckles Pres. Director's Cut Feat. Jamie Principle - I’ll Take You There EP - Nocturnal Groove
Bac N Da Day (Clepto's Mix)
Frankie Knuckles - Bac N Da Day EP - Definity Records
Matter Of Time (GJ Classic Mix)
Frankie Knuckles Feat. Nicki Richards - Matter Of Time EP - Definity Records
It's A Cold World
Frankie Knuckles - It's A Cold World EP - Trax Records
You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) (A Director's Cut Production)
Frankie Knuckles Pres. Director's Cut Feat. B. Slade - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) EP - Nocturnal Groove
Bad Boy
Frankie Knuckles ‎ - It's A Cold World EP - Trax Records
Baby Wants To Ride (Teknobrat Extended On The Fly Edit)
Frankie Knuckles - Baby Wants To Ride / Your Love EP - Trax Records
Interactive CKCU
Vis a Vis
still can't believe it.

1:21 PM, April 5th, 2014
Leonardo
Very good tribute. Thank you.

1:23 PM, April 5th, 2014
Professor Mike
Great show and a fitting tribute and I myself played a lot of his material back in my days as a high school DJ circa 1991-92.

1:26 PM, April 5th, 2014
Shaba - Nice
Merci Merci Merci

1:31 PM, April 5th, 2014
bernard
merci bcq

1:36 PM, April 5th, 2014
N.G.
Tragiczne wieści, dobre hołd!

1:49 PM, April 5th, 2014
Elorious Cain (host)
Dzięki dla Twój komentarza N . G Teknobrat

1:52 PM, April 5th, 2014
Jon Degan
Listening in!

1:52 PM, April 5th, 2014
Elorious Cain (host)
Merci pour votre réaction et feedback Shaba et Bernard Teknobrat

1:56 PM, April 5th, 2014
Elorious Cain (host)
Thank you to everybody who has left a comment! I'm always so terribly complimented when other CKCU announcers like John Deacon and Professor Mike leave comments. I want each and everyone of you know how terribly hard Teknobrat worked on putting this tribute together. H

2:01 PM, April 5th, 2014
arthur
Serious mix and tribute.

2:13 PM, April 5th, 2014
h. CUP-A-SOUL marcher
We all loved Big Frankie. We all will miss him.

2:24 PM, April 5th, 2014
Joel Murphy
Listening to your great Frankie Knuckles tribute. Elorious - your show introduced me to Chicago house nearly 30 years ago. Discovered your show in early '84 at the age of 9! I was in Brasher Falls NY at the time. Listening on-line today in Cleveland Ohio. Keep it up!

2:26 PM, April 5th, 2014
Elorious Cain (host)
Thank you Arthur and Mr. "Cup-a-Soul" Marcher for your comments.

2:26 PM, April 5th, 2014
Elorious Cain (host)
Happy to hear from you Joel! Teknobrat is obviously still around and stronger than ever! I couldn't be more proud of him.

2:28 PM, April 5th, 2014
bernard
j adore cette track,,,its a cold world

2:37 PM, April 5th, 2014
Joel Murphy
Indeed - Great set Teknobrat!

2:38 PM, April 5th, 2014
bobo
Mighty reaaal!!!!!!!!!

2:44 PM, April 5th, 2014
bobo
Mighty reaaal!!!!!!!!!

2:44 PM, April 5th, 2014
bobo
Mighty reaaal!!!!!!!!!

2:44 PM, April 5th, 2014
bobo
Mighty reaaal!!!!!!!!!

2:44 PM, April 5th, 2014
bobo
Mighty reaaal!!!!!!!!!

2:44 PM, April 5th, 2014
bobo
Mighty reaaal!!!!!!!!!

2:44 PM, April 5th, 2014
bobo
Mighty reaaal!!!!!!!!!

2:44 PM, April 5th, 2014
bobo
Mighty reaaal!!!!!!!!!

2:44 PM, April 5th, 2014
Elorious Cain (host)
Happy you're enjoying the show Bobo.

2:48 PM, April 5th, 2014
bernard
un grand merci pour cette hommage a frankie,,,,au revoir frankie

2:50 PM, April 5th, 2014
Selma , Gary Indiana
Wonderful tribute to our godfather!

2:55 PM, April 5th, 2014
Godfrey Holmes, NY NY
You people did an awesome job commemorating Mr. Knuckles. bravo

4:10 PM, April 5th, 2014
Teknobrat
Thanks for all the warm comments everyone I hope this Tribute will help you all with the grieving process about Big Frankie's loss . For me it was good therapy to make this mix to sooth the pain of his loss .

4:16 PM, April 5th, 2014
Kuba Maye
awesome work. listened to it on demand from start to finish...

8:49 PM, April 6th, 2014
Hollis
Serious communication.

10:49 AM, April 7th, 2014
BastianMore
Gran amor y respeto a Frankie, estarás siempre en nuestros corazones y alma y por su música. Te extrañaremos. Que descanse en paz, padrino de la música House Frankie Knuckles. Maravilloso homenaje!!! Saludos Desde Ibiza _________________________________ Big Love and Rispect to you Frankie,you will always be in our hearts and soul and by your music. May you Rest in peace Godfather of House Music Frankie Knuckles. Wonderful tribute !!!! Saludos From Ibiza

11:28 AM, April 7th, 2014
Teknobrat
Thanks for all the nice comments and words for Big Frankie. Y gracias a BastianMore de Ibiza con el feedback del emisión especial de la muerte de Frankie Bones . Paz Hermanos :-) T.

12:55 PM, April 7th, 2014
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