In one of the videos of Ron Murphy that I've seen since his death, he talks about the need to keep tracks short in order to keep the sound quality high, presumably so that he could work his master-magic. I'm sure that everybody doing vinyl masters knows that brevity is directly proportional to sound quality, but I've never heard of anyone else pushing it like this. The only other mastering company who's output I'm really familiar with is Dubplates & Mastering, and they sure as hell aren't known for six minute sides.
My question: how responsible was he for keeping Detroit techno music brief and to the point? I mean, I don't know any Detroit records that are super long like so many of the European techno records. Are there any fifteen minute epics?
Do you think it carries over into making Detroit techno on its toes, creatively? I imagine that it's harder to make a good short record because you have to be so more concise. Your ideas have to be more finished. I wish I could put it more eloquently but it's something I picked up in art school.
― elan, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 16:24 (eighteen years ago)