DJ Garth - No Rest For The Wicked (1993)
Classic Mixtapes, DJ Sets, Funky Breaks, House
I’m not gonna lie… A damn lot of the retro sets we post here on the Beatery are intended almost solely to feed Jay’s and my own nostalgia for our personal raving days back in the mid-to-late 90s. Many outside listeners may find our particular selection of outdated cybertrance and hard house mixes somewhat unapproachable. Relics of bygone era known only to a few, and appreciated now by even fewer. If you weren’t there, there’s a strong chance we’re not speaking your language.
This mix is different. DJ Garth is a San Francisco house legend, one who I’m slightly ashamed to admit I wasn’t familiar with until I acquainted myself with house music in the final months of the previous millennium. So it’s safe to say this set is way before my time. There is no nostalgia for me here. Yet there’s something about this mix that pulls me in and has kept it on steady ipod rotation for the last couple weeks. Maybe it’s the timeless nature of a those early breakbeat tracks, maybe it’s the classic house samples I recognize from countless remixes since, maybe it’s the dope-ass mixing (Seriously, it’s no joke. Listen to him throwing in the next song to complete the horn stabs in the current track, around 16:30.) All these factors combine to form this classic mix from back in a day before my day. A mix that still holds appeal even if, like I, you weren’t there.
This was given to me by newfound Beatery reader, Brent, whom I had the privilege of meeting the other week at Mars Bar, a local watering hole (where I’m spinning next Thursday, by the way.) He expressed appreciation at our efforts to keep the old school alive, and was kind enough to send along some old sets… the first of which we present to you now. I’m told there were only 1000 of these CDs pressed. Thanks for helping us share the wealth, Brent.
DJ Garth - No Rest For The Wicked
Note: Alright seriously, why are there no good pictures on Garth on the whole internet? That shitty lo-res pic was the best I could find. It looks like it was taken by a government surveillance team gathering intel on a suspected arms dealer. I mean, I know the guy is old-school, but close range photography was around in his day, right?
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that was very nice and house-y! thanks for sharing it.
(and when are you DJing thursday? promote yourself!!)
[...] a friend I met hanging with the kids down at Mars Bar. He’s the dude who donated that awesome Garth set we posted a few weeks ago. Today he’s hooked us up with a super-sized set of classic [...]
[...] (whose own guest podcast your can hear right HERE). He dropped this one on me along with the DJ Garth set I posted a few months ago. DJ Spun is yet another Bay Area DJ legend, though one I’m sorry to [...]
I was a ‘raver’ back in the early 90s. I was into music but wasn’t a tru house addict until the Navy landed my a$$ in Alameda, California in early 1991. The rave scene was in full force at the time and the summer of ‘91 proved that. So, for the next 2 years I had the priveledge of witnessing some of the best raves, after parties and live shows the Bay Area had to offer. Most these excursions are a bit hazey cuz of the chemicals induced, but since I love(d) house/dance muzik I followed Garth, Jeno, Tony, Markie Mark, Josh, ie, the Wicked Crew to various parties. I also saw Spun, Derek Carter, Mark Farina, Carlos, Donald Glaude, Dutch, Ghost, Scott-Gavin-Robbie Hardkiss, Dubtribe,Dan, Moonpup, Simon, and a few others. But these are the coolest and they played the most amazing sets. I recently found a site where you can download alot of these mix tapes. I have a few still in tape form. Most notably, the tapes from Vision: The Gathering of which I am proud to say I was there in Pleasonton, CA to witness and partake. I don’t know what day it was but do remember sneaking in and partying until 7am in the morn. After which everyone’s face was covered with dust and dirt from kicking up inside the huge warehouse.It was my most memorable party to date. I also bought a few mixtapes there because I had saved myself a few dollars on the entrance fee.You can check out http://www.ezeskankin.com for the mixtapes.Peace, Love, Unity.
Big up Brent for bringing the set out - some friends in Chico and I were just talking about this mix last week, and remembering our times at Wicked parties back when we didn’t even know each other. It’s one of my alllll-time favorites.
The best set ever made, perfection.
I’ve been looking for an old school mix called “No rest for the wicked” that I thought was spun by DJ Dan from the same time frame. Do I have my DJ’s mixed up? Cause I listened to a ton of Garth as well. Where can I download “No rest for the wicked to find out?
Thanx,
J
Hey Justin, the tape you may be getting this mixed up with is “Wicked Burning Frenzy”, a DJ Dan tape from 1992. I don’t think you could possibly confuse the two musically though, as that one is pounding hard house, from what I can hear on youtube. Album info here: http://www.discogs.com/DJ-Dan-Wicked-Burning-Frenzy/release/2403860
As for this set, just right-click the green link and “Save As…” to download. Cheers!
Hey Cor, thanks for the info. I checked out Wicked Burning Frenzy on youtube and it is definately not the one i’m thinking of. It was way to hard indeed. I’m pretty sure it was DJ Dan, but it was more like deep house, almost trance like. I think I first remember hearing it in 1994. I was living in Santa Cruz and hitting the SF about 3 or 4 times a week. 1015 Folsom, Spundae parties, Full Moon parties, etc. I will keep my search going though. It was a great mix and I can’t get it out my head.
It’s not this one, is it?
http://www.thebeatery.com/dj-dan-weed-wacker-1992
I have been searching for this and “DJ SPUN - If you turn on” for ages!!! So glad to hear this again. I used to listen to these two cd’s on repeat. ^^ dj_esteban, I was there and fully agree. best era to be in the bay area underground. It was fairly new and it was absolutely exciting to see happening and being a part of.
I speak your language! the 90s were my prime. I lived in Orlando and Atlanta but traveled all over the country. Garth was and is one of my favorites, even went out to San Francisco to go to Spundae to hear him once. Good times. Thanks for the memories.