Derrick May accused of not writing classics

[Mslwte]

Just saw this on facebook.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 9446548288

Derrick May is accused of not writing classics such as strings for life and nude photo. Strong stuff.

Apparently there is a full documentary to follow in later in 2018.

[jordanneke]

No way!

That can't be!!!!

[Mslwte]

Big claims. Surely you would need solid evidence to come out with something like that.

[jordanneke]

In that case - I wrote the following

1 - The Bells
2 - Energy Flash
3 - The Vengabus

[Mslwte]

I've heard this before.

[Amøbe]

In that case - I wrote the following

3 - The Vengabus

Man did I dance with a lot of girls to that song when it came out (like literally - we would usually stand in circles and jump around high on sugar... I was seven in 1999)

[dubdub]

This is ooooooold news, this drama (hehe) has been going on for a long time. It's well known that a lot of early May tracks were collaborative efforts (in fact it's listed on the records credits) but nobody really knows who exactly did what since the stories differ. Barnett and May co-wrote Nude Photo. Both have been claiming that they did all the work for the past 20 years. Barnett even released his own version of Nude Photo in 1993 - https://www.discogs.com/Thomas-Barnett- ... ase/109013

I don't think any of them did all the work. The tracks should have been released as collaborations but May was cunning enough to just put his name on the title. It should be noted that May has always been a bit of a shady character. He stole an early copy of Klang Der Familie straight from the turntables at Tresor and then did an US Transmat bootleg off that copy (without telling anyone at Tresor about it) which sold extremly well. Tresor never saw any of the money for that.

[Mono-xID]

It should be noted that May has always been a bit of a shady character. He stole an early copy of Klang Der Familie straight from the turntables at Tresor and then did an US Transmat bootleg off that copy (without telling anyone at Tresor about it) which sold extremly well. Tresor never saw any of the money for that.

Interesting story. Is there any proof of this or is it a urban myth kind of thing? I mean, it's not like it was a problem to snatch a record at old Tresor basement. Basically it was just a dark and foggy basement with just a strobe. After a Mitsubishi and 2 whiskey-cola you could see fuck all there anyway....

[dubdub]

It should be noted that May has always been a bit of a shady character. He stole an early copy of Klang Der Familie straight from the turntables at Tresor and then did an US Transmat bootleg off that copy (without telling anyone at Tresor about it) which sold extremly well. Tresor never saw any of the money for that.

Interesting story. Is there any proof of this or is it a urban myth kind of thing? I mean, it's not like it was a problem to snatch a record at old Tresor basement. Basically it was just a dark and foggy basement with just a strobe. After a Mitsubishi and 2 whiskey-cola you could see fuck all there anyway....

It's in the Klang der Familie book.

The "taking the record from the turntable" part might be a myth but in the book someone from Tresor verifies that the Transmat pressing was unauthorised (so it had to be done as as a bootleg from vinyl) and they only found out about it after it had hit the stores. If I recall correctly they just gave up trying to get paid at some point.

[dubdub]

I quickly found the page

https://imgur.com/a/vPa1A

[Mono-xID]

Nice one dubdub. Never heard that story.

[intrusav]

My impression was that he was a bit of a rogue alright, certainly not in the same vein as Juan.

If Derrick May brought out a new EP in the morning, what kinda sandwich would you make?!

[Mono-xID]

My impression was that he was a bit of a rogue alright, certainly not in the same vein as Juan.

If Derrick May brought out a new EP in the morning, what kinda sandwich would you make?!

Who the fuck eats sandwiches for breakfast ??? Get yourself some Entrecote instead...

[winston]

it's a tricky one on Strings of Life because we don't know what it sounded like before May mixed it. it could have been a slowish piano track and he made it what it is.
if you see any films or hear stories about Dance Mania and Chicago stuff, there is always a good few dudes in it complaining they got ripped off and had their tunes stoled.
I'm happy to believe Derrick May is a bit of a twat though, he talks himself up a lot, but all those early guys do. i'll give him the benefit of doubt though, he'll be reassured by that.

[Revaron]

I've been following the progress of this documentary, gonna be interesting when it comes out. I've seen people who would know allude to it being pretty juicy. Some of them seem to be in the shrugged shoulders 'get over it' camp, others not so much, so I guess it'll want a few cases of popcorn for the neutral observer. Random internet gossip or rumours or whatever is pretty lame, but I've heard so many stories about Dezza being shady in one way or another that he may well be due a comeuppance. But he's been a hero of mine for a long time so I'll personally save any judgement for now. But that tale about the Klang release is new to me and nudging those scales, haha. If it is all true though, it'd fit right in there in the big book of music biz shenanigans. Either way, I've danced my socks off to his DJ sets loads of times, can't take that away from him. Always wondered why the productions dried up though...

[Amøbe]

This is ooooooold news, this drama (hehe) has been going on for a long time. It's well known that a lot of early May tracks were collaborative efforts (in fact it's listed on the records credits) but nobody really knows who exactly did what since the stories differ. Barnett and May co-wrote Nude Photo. Both have been claiming that they did all the work for the past 20 years. Barnett even released his own version of Nude Photo in 1993 - https://www.discogs.com/Thomas-Barnett- ... ase/109013

I don't think any of them did all the work. The tracks should have been released as collaborations but May was cunning enough to just put his name on the title. It should be noted that May has always been a bit of a shady character. He stole an early copy of Klang Der Familie straight from the turntables at Tresor and then did an US Transmat bootleg off that copy (without telling anyone at Tresor about it) which sold extremly well. Tresor never saw any of the money for that.

Am I getting this wrong if Barnett acted as a studio musician (and got credited for it) and then believes that it's his song?

...I have heard waaaaay shadier things from the rest of the music industry in regards of people being credited. (Also him saying the things about the song being just being a remix makes me think he doesn't really understand the appeal of club music. Yes those strings are very characteristic of the song, but the song wouldn't have been a huge success if it wasn't working on the dancefloor)

[Lost to the Void]

Meh, these Detroit guys.....

[[wesellboxes]]

These revelations bring a bit more depth to this clip

youtu.be/ecc-vQd3bEc

[intrusav]

My impression was that he was a bit of a rogue alright, certainly not in the same vein as Juan.

If Derrick May brought out a new EP in the morning, what kinda sandwich would you make?!

Who the fuck eats sandwiches for breakfast ??? Get yourself some Entrecote instead...

Haha, you got me! Wtf is entrecote while it's out? Gonna have to look that up...

I see, that would set you up for the day ..

[The_G]

"Hi, I'm bitter about the fact that I'm not more famous, so now, 30 years after some famous stuff was released, I'm going to claim that I wrote it. Can you pay attention to me please?"