Information AboutOld School |
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Old school, variously spelled '''old skool''', '''oldschool''' or '''oldskool''', is a Slang term referring to the subcultures of a School during a Retro Generation . Rather than carrying the negative connotation of ''obsolete'', it may be used to refer to a time of perceived higher standards or level of craft. Old school is often interchangeable with the word '' Nostalgic '', but practitioners of semantics often define old school as simply something of an earlier period but not necessarily inferior or hopelessly dated. Nostalgia, on the other hand, is often given a negative connotation. For example, as a sentimental attachment to dated works many of which are now considered embarrassingly 'corny' or 'cheesy' in their execution, yet retaining a place in one's sentiments as a guilty pleasure or relic of one's youth. Old school items or concepts, in contrast, are shown to have residual real-world functionality. HISTORY See Also: School (discipline) The term came originally from Religion --in the 19th century the Presbyterians split into "Old School" and "New School" denominations, based on theology. The term had some limited usage in Popular Culture afterwards: In '' Bleak House '', published in monthly installments in 1852 and 1853, Charles Dickens used the phrase several times to describe the villainous lawyer Tulkinghorn. In Chapter II, he wrote of Tulkinghorn: "He is of what is called the old school—a phrase generally meaning any school that seems never to have been young..." A 1952 episode of the American radio police drama '' Dragnet ''"The Big Light", first broadcast November 02, 1952; written by John Robinson; for context, the phrase was included in the sentence: "He was one of the first directors in {Link without Title} pictures … really old-school." script by used the phrase "old school" to describe a fictional early Hollywood film director's differences from his younger colleagues. USES OF THE TERM IN MUSIC Hip hop See Also: Old school hip hop The term entered much wider usage around 1986 , when it was popularized by Rap music. "Old School", in early Hip Hop culture, simply referred to the originators in any particular area, or of any particular technique or style. Thus a modern Spoken Word Poet might reference Beat Poets as "old school". In Rap Music , old school originally meant the earliest period of rap, in the 1970s and early 1980s. The original "old school" of rap was considered the likes of Grandmaster Flash , Afrika Bambataa , Sugar Hill Gang , Kurtis Blow and Run-DMC . Sometimes, the period of 1984 to 1986, with rappers such as LL Cool J was called "Mid-School". The "New School" comprised the new crop of rappers rising up after that period, such as Public Enemy and Eric B & Rakim . Eventually, "Old School" turned into "New School" and TuPac was born. However, some rappers, like KRS-One , have cautioned against using the old school/new school divide; see his 1988 rap "Still Number One": Sure enough, by the mid 1990s, late 80s and early 90s rap acts were being called "old school". It was at this point that the term then spread to R & B , (for instance, a series of Warner Bros. Records CD re-releases were dubbed "Black Music Ol' Skool"). From there, it spread to the other forms of music and finally, the rest of the modern uses. Electronica ''Oldskool'' (with a 'K', one word) is now a popular term that usually refers to a style of music popular in the early 1990s, which was at the time called Breakbeat Hardcore or Rave . The style fragmented in the mid 1990s but the "cheezy" Old Skool roots and even direct Samples are easily found in many Happy Hardcore genre tracks as well as in other genres that share a common link with breakbeat hardcore. Old Skool/rave style parties are still widely held in the UK. Referring back to the music generally played at raves during the period 90-94 that were staged by the likes of Fantazia, Rezerection, Raindance, Obsession, The Eclipse, Helterskelter and Perception. Several of these companies still stage events, alongside a number of newer names. Rock In the world of Rock Music , ''Old School'' can refer to the period between the early 1970s, when Hard Rock and Heavy Metal emerged, and the early 1990s, just before the advent of Grunge . This period is a common format for Classic Rock / AOR radio stations. Punk In Punk Rock , "old-school punk" typically refers to what is more accurately known as " First Wave " punk, "pre-hardcore", or Garage Punk . The punk artists in this era (like many Seminal musicians) were typically young, lower-class, and either uninterested in or unable to afford the polished production style of professional bands; the style is noted for it's low-quality Analog recordings with fast and simple (but raucous) lyrics and melody. This differentiates it from "new school" punk, "modern punk", and " Pop Punk ", which enjoy the support of pre-established demographic groups and major label support (with consequently higher production values and promotion). It is seen by some as a "purer" form of punk, existing before the influence of commercialization in the genre. Heavy Metal In Heavy Metal , music old school refers to the big guitar sounds of bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest . Goth Old School Goth or Old School Gothic refers to Gothic music made without metal or techno influences. Old School Goth can be a reference to Gothic music, Gothic Rock or Death Rock or members of the Gothic community that shun modern versions, or in some cases, misinterpretations of the Goth scene. Such as; the idea that there is such a thing as "Gothic metal" (Old School Goths feel that this is an oxymoron as metal music is a heavy version of rock 'n' roll and Gothic music is heavily influenced by classical music and, in some cases, opera), that Marilyn Manson or EBM is in any way Gothic or the notion that the word "Gothic" denotes that someone or something is in any way "Satanic". These members of the Gothic community are also referred to as "Elder Goths". OTHER USES OF THE TERM
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