It began in Africa. The slavers took it to the New World, Firstly to the islands called West Indies because a seafarer who was on a mission to discover a new world mistakenly identified what we call the West Indies as India, and then went on to “discover” a continent inhabited for many centUries by its own advanced civilizations. And so on to the South and North Americas.
The Stono Rebellion 1739 in South Carolina revealed the extent to which africans, who had been violently t be slaves used drums to communicate and organize rebellion. After the Stono Rebellion, officials in South Carolina enacted the Negro Act of 1740. This act restricted enslaved Africans from growing their own crops, making money, and learning how to read. It also barred them from assembling and using drums, horns, or other loud instruments.
The regulations set forth by the Negro Act, such as the prohibition on drums, were soon adopted throughout the United States. As late as 1967 they still existed. The total ban on any drumming in Nashville for example is the reason Jahnny Cash became known for tapping a beat and a rhythm out on his guitar with a guitar pick, to play along to. The Criminal Justice Bill in UK succeeded in outlawing Raves by defining gatherings of more than a few people for the purpose of “dancing to repetative beats” as criminal. Drums have been consdered dangerous by many over the centries, but not for those for whom they are a soundtrack to ritual, right of passage, self empowerment and celebration.
Dangeros Drums started in 1999 as an event series for the then new Big Beat sound, Big Beat, called “Digital Rock” by the Japanese did indeed offer for the first time, easy access to the new electronic dance musics for those more accustomed to Rock and Roll. Right sound, right time right place all kicked in and the event was a huge success. It remained resident in Maria An Ostbanhoff from its beginnng until it cklosed, holding the record for the most staged event and for most attendees at any event in that clubs history. After that , invited by Tresor to take up residency there, the event ran 4 times a year for several years. Gretchen also hosted some milestone Dangerous Drums events. The 2 Djs who also managed and ran the event (Dj Vela, and Ed2000) went on to represent it all over the world (Russia, China, Japan, North & South Americas, and Europe wide from UK to The Balkans.
Genres come and go, Dangerous Drums became synonymous with new and innovative dance styles, driven by heavy bass and powerful sometimes complex Drum patterns. Over the 20 years that followed its launch, the event was staged very successfully over 100 times in several different countries. It also became a Berlin based record label which focused on new talent. In total the event series and the label showcased and presented the work of over 200 different artists.
Now after what ED2000 believes to have been a long enough pause, he has decided to ReBoot the name with a more relevant and contemporary sound and evetually as a stage for new artists developing new styles. It should take in a much broader range of musics this time around, and his aim is that it becomes synonymous with Drum Driven musics rather than any one style. And that initially it should start as a radio show.
Dangerous Drums Radio selected and hosted by Ed2000 is every 4 weeks on Saturday night fom 22.30 to midnight. The initial pilot shows ran well, focusing on fresh new and innovative contemporary dance musics from across the spectrum. The remaining shows for 2025 are Saturdays at 22.30, every 4 weeks, commencing April 5.