6539MUS The Context 3

EDM and Ecstasy: An Iconic Past and Uncertain Future

An exploration of the EDM industry and its associated drug culture.

Chasekeane (reddit)

May 2014

Contents

INTRODUCTION: THESIS/AIMS/METHODOLOGY ..................... 3

A HISTORY: THE CHICKEN & THE EGG CONUNDRUM ........... 5

MUSIC ENHANCING DRUG: A SCIENTIFIC & CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE .............................................................................. 7

WAR ON DRUGS: A CRITIQUE OF CURRENT DRUG LEGISLATION ............................................................................. 10

COMMERCIALIZATION - THE REBIRTH OF EDMDMA ............ 12

WAREHOUSE PROJECT: A UK CASE STUDY ........................ 15

MOLLY GOES DANCING: ARE DRUGS DAMAGING THE INDUSTRY? ................................................................................. 18

CONCLUSION ............................................................................. 20

The synthesis of the two (Ecstasy and House Music) had produced the

largest youth cultural phenomenon that Britain had ever seen. Ecstasy culture

had become the primary leisure activity for British youth, seamlessly

integrated into the fabric ritual

(Collin, 1998, p.264)

Introduction

This paper aims to explore the link between EDM (Electronic Dance Music)

and the associated drug culture. I will explore the historical roots of the rave

culture, determine whether this link is damaging to the EDM industry, examine

and critique current policies surrounding UK drug legislation and suggest

alternative solutions for the safeguarding of fans. I will concentrate my

research on specific case studies such as the Manchester based Warehouse

Project as well as some American and European counterparts for comparison.

I have also conducted field research in the form of a survey in order to obtain

quantifiable evidence from EDM event attendees.

In terms of my chosen methodology, I have constructed a quick 10 question

survey via survey monkey which expands upon the themes of this

dissertation. I used a series of open and closed questions to ascertain a wide

variety of opinions. I also ensured the anonymity of my participants as the

topic, recreation drug use is a rather sensitive subject matter. I then posted

this survey onto the online forum Reddit, under appropriate categories such

as EDM and DRUGS. I also posted a link to my survey via Facebook

requesting feedback from my peers. I clearly noted that the survey should

only be completed by those who have attended EDM events, this would

ensure that I targeted a representative cross section of the population. My

survey generated over 600 responses. One vital flaw of my survey was that I

failed to consider that it may generate an international response. One of my

questions is UK specific and thus many respondents commented that they

were unable to answer. Unfortunately, this may have skewed my results

slightly. However, overall the results were highly illuminating and contributed

greatly to my research. I have publicized my full findings in Appedix 1 and will

draw upon selected statistics and quotes from the survey in relevant sections

of my essay.

Electronic Dance Music is broad term that encompasses a long list of sub

genres including House, Techno, Drum & Bass, Trance, Dubstep and

hundreds more obscure splinter genres. Its electronically produced and

designed for large dance hall events, distinguishable by its percussive and

base heavy sounds.

As a both a producer and DJ of house music, as well as a fan of the genre,

this is a subject thats immediately relevant to my career. One of my major

projects in my final year of LIPA has been a collaborative project with Gavin

Medhurst called Sleepin Dags. We produce a range of material that can be

loosely categorized as Deep House, Progressive House, Techno and Disco

House. From being personally immersed in the scene in both a professional

and personal capacity it has become strikingly obvious that recreational drug

taking is often undertaken openly at EDM events. 85.59%, almost 600 of

survey respondents have taken recreational drugs at an EDM event. A

prevalent drug culture undoubtedly exists with the EDM community today

despite the feigned ignorance of many events organizers, artists and fans.

This most likely stems from the illegal status of the majority of recreational

drugs and the no tolerance stance of the UK Government. From a

professional perspective, I worry that the EDM community may be unable to

withstand the scrutiny it currently faces from news media, government and

law enforcement and what repercussions this could have on my chosen

career.

From its conception the genre has become synonymous with recreational

drug use, to the extent that it has become almost impossible to distinguish

which came first, the drugs or the music. Typical rave drugs include a wide

selection of illegal highs. The NHS defines club drugs as GBL/GHB,

Ketamine Methamphetamine, Cocaine, MDMA, Mephadrone and Legal Highs.

(NHS, 2013) MDMA, also known by street names Ecstasy, Molly, Mandy or

MD has become the iconic rave drug. It is therefore, MDMA that I will focus

my research on. Formally named methylenedioxy methylamphetamine,

MDMA is an emphatohenic drug that can induce a sense of euphoria, feelings

of intimacy, and psychedelic effects. Despite being criminalized in most

countries MDMA endures in popularity today the UN estimates 10-25 million

people used the substance in the past year. (Chawla, 2010) In my survey

99.56% of the respondents claim to have come into contact with MDMA at

EDM events. (see appendix one)x

A History: The Chicken and the Egg Conundrum

To unravel the convoluted mystery of which came first, the drugs or the music,

it is necessary to explore the origins of both respectively. MDMA has originally

synthesized by German pharmaceutical company Merck in 1912. The

accidental creation was a failed attempt to develop an innovative blood

clotting medicine. The substance was then largely forgotten about for the next

five centuries. In the mid 1950s, US cold-war scientists rediscovered the

substance and began experimenting on the minds of suspected US enemies.

Commonly used alongside other psychotropic drugs such as LSD as an

interrogation tool to try and extract information. In the same decade reputable

US based psychoanalysts began using MDMA as a legitimate form of therapy.

The substance frequently prescribed to combat posttraumatic stress, treat

AIDS and even used in marriage counseling.

Despite its medical uses MDMA remained virtually unknown to the general

public until the mid 1970s. It was Harvard psychopharmachologist Dr Alexder

Shulgin (affectionately coined the Godfather of MDMA) who is credited with

spearheading the use of MDMA in a recreational capacity. Shulgin

resynthesized MDMA in the mid sixties from his makeshift garden shed

laboratory with the attention of creating a low calorie martini. (Shulgin, 2013)

Indeed, his miracle pill would soon become a threat to brewers and distillers

across the globe who watched the rave generation reaching for pills in powder

in favor of the Western Worlds favorite drug, alcohol. Shulgins controversial

experiments saw him loose his job but he remains a folk hero to the rave

generation.

The appearance of MDMA on the club scene directly coincided with the birth

of EDM. Adam as it was first called, emerged on the Dallas club scene in the

early 70s, the first recreational users typically a collection of college yuppies

and gay clubbers. The drug had an almost exclusively white, middle class

demographic. Prior to criminalization an open distribution network was in

place, the drug was readily available for purchase through pyramid schemes,

800 numbers and credit card purchase options whilst club owners reaped the

rewards by setting up shop in their back rooms. The Chicago Warehouse

parties and Detroit Techno formed the centerpiece of the MDMA scene.

(Jenkins, 2013, p3) The synthesizer was heralded to be the sound of the

future, and by the early 80s DJs had realized its potential to captivate a large

audience.

The musical trend quickly travelled across the water and into UK dance halls.

During the mid to late 80s a British rave scene quickly emerged in

Manchester and spread to London. The scene was categorized by a series of

free, unauthorized warehouse parties and underground club events, Acid

House and Techno emerged as the prominent genres of the era. The British

Summer of 1988 was termed the Second Summer of Love an evolutionary

nod to the hippy subculture of the 1960s whose drug of choice was LSD. The

EDM culture following in the steps of its American and British trailblazers,

spread throughout the rest of mainland Europe and Ibiza readily established

itself as a Mecca for MDMA fuelled partygoers. By the late 80s the term

rave (from the French: to show signs of madness or delirium) had come to

apply to the nocturnal congress of ecstasy fueled souls. (Jenkins, 2013,p3).

The British Super club was formed, the likes of The Hacienda Manchester,

Cream Liverpool and The Ministry of Sound London emerging as giants on

the late eighties/early nineties British club scene.

As the nougties approached the original EDM subculture reached its

demise. Indeed it seemed that by the new millennium the scene had grown

shadier, and its kids had grown up. In 2001, a statistically successful

American public campaign against ecstasy targeted an audience that now

spent their Saturdays at home, relieved and burned out. (Jenkins, 2013, p5)

In the UK the public health narrative also deterred would be ravers with scare

tactics, who turned to alternative music based sub cultures such as Emo,

Goth and scene kids that defined the decade. This marked the end of the first

wave of rave. Although a few prominent DJS enjoyed continued success,

generally it can be said that decks stopped spinning and the warehouses

emptied until the genres rebirth in 2007. I will examine the 21st century EDM

scene later in my paper.

Music enhancing drug? A scientific and cultural perspective. For a drug to be so steeped in the history of a genre now decades old, there

must be a link that intrinsically binds the two together. A common perspective

of many ravers is that ecstasy enhances the quality on the music, and vice

versa. I aim to examine whether there is any scientific merit to such claims.

Unfortunately, scientific research into MDMA has been dramatically stunted

due to its illegal status in much of the world. Many scientists and medical

practitioners risk damage to their career or even imprisonment by pursuing

studies on the effects of MDMA. It is therefore extremely difficult to assess

the music enhancing abilities of the drug in definitive terms. However, some

recent studies do exist which we may be able to draw some conclusions from.

Michelangelo Iannone, of the institute of Neurological science in Italy recently

conducted a study that sought to determine the effects of loud music on

MDMA users. (Iannone, M, 2006) Lannones principal aim was to measure

sensorial (acoustic stimuli) comparable to those occurring in human life within

young peoples social gatherings of the rave or techno type. To yield his

findings Iannone and team experimented on rats, which were administered

low doses of MDMA then exposed to both loud white noise and Techno

music, above 95db. The team observed increased brain activity in the

cerebral cortex upon prolonged exposure to loud music. They further found

that the abnormal neurological alterations in brain activity persisted for several

days after the MDMA dose was administered in the rat subject groups

exposed to loud music. In contrast, the effects of the MDMA dose deteriorated

much quicker on the rats that were examined in a quiet environment.

Lannones findings of increased cerebral activity seem to suggest that there

may be some truth to the till now urban myth that Molly makes music better.

The study presents some interesting findings, albeit being somewhat limited in

reliability. After all, it is somewhat questionable just how comparable a rats

neurological make-up is to that of a humans. Furthermore, Iannone noted no

change in the cerebral cortex of the rats exposed to white noise versus those

exposed to techno music. This suggests, the MDMA experience to be

enhanced by loud noise in general, not specifically music of the EDM variety.

Dr Douglas Ruskoff also explores the science behind this symbiotic

relationship of dance music and drug, concluding that the music light and

ambience of an EDM event were all fine tuned to augment an altered state of

consciousness. (Piltchner, 2006, p55) He refers to the hallucination educing

nature of the typical flashing strobe lights found at raves. Ruskoff also

observes that the rhythm of EDM music is generally around 120 beats per

minute, the same frequency as the fetal heart rate. EDM music thus

subconsciously evokes a womb like state of relaxation for MDMA users,

already experiencing the euphoric high of the drug. Ruskoff additionally

investigates recreational MDMA use from a cultural perspective. He notes that

the common 120 beats per minute EDM frequency was the same beat

supposedly used by South Americans shamans to being their tribes into a

trance state. (Plictner, 2006, p56)

Indeed, a long list of scholars point towards users desire to engage in a

spiritual experience, citing group consciousness as being a focal point of the

EDM ecstasy experience. Dr Rick Dobun states of EDM events, Theres a

spiritual aspect to it, something fundamentally wholesome about these

communal dance parties. (Doblin, R. 2013) Far from being isolated to Ruskoff

Shamans, there exists a well-recorded history of music ritual, typically within

a religious context. Sociological theory on music rituals can be traced back to

Durkheims 1912 study of religious ceremonies in tribal societies. His classic

study observed that intense drumming and frenzied dancing produced

feelings of intense euphoria in participants. EDM events are strangely akin to

these ancient tribal rituals.

The 1980s EDM subculture was founded upon the mantra of PLUR (Peace,

Love, Unity and Respect). The EDM community was in many ways an all-

inclusive bracket of society, which shared similar values to those preached by

the 1960s hippie subculture. Cultural studies scholars Bennet (2001) and

Thorton (1996) portray rave culture as a youth subculture characterized by

intense feelings of camaraderie and social belonging. MDMA tends to evoke

feelings of empathy and intimacy among users so it unsurprising that the EDM

mantra incorporates themes of togetherness and social cohesion. On the

other hand, various sociological theorists believe that the spirituality of the

rave experience is non-dependent upon drug use. This is a theory shared by

Lynch and Badger (2006); Huston (2003) and Patridge (2002) but to name a

few. These scholars insist that spiritual connotations of the rave scene can be

derived from the power of the music alone and point to the long established

history of music ritual as evidence to this theory.

Within a cultural context we can also explore MDMA use as an outlet for

feelings of anti-establishmentarianism. The rave can be considered a reaction

against capitalist society, whereby recreational drug taking forms a method of

escapism from the mundane realities of everyday life. Statistical data shows

that MDMA users are typically white, middle class men and women within the

under thirty age group. Many individuals use rave and drug consumption as a

stress relieving leisure activity after along week in the office. Subcultures

typically seek to define themselves against the core values of mainstream

society; illicit drug taking can be considered an important tool for rebellion in

this respect. Musical subcultures have historically been associated with an

illegal drug of choice; whether it be 1930s jazz & marijuana, 1960s

psychedelic rock and LSD, late 1990s and early 200s rap and marijuana.

Drugs and the neurological effect the exhibit on users undoubtedly contribute

towards the overarching ethos of that genre/subculture and help to define

members as a solidarity community with a shared ideology.

War on drugs In the UK, public health perspective dominates, defining raves as a war on

drugs rather than a bona fide cultural identity. MDMA is currently illegal in all

UN/EU countries. In the UK its categorized a class A substance, possession

of the drug can warrant up to 7 year prison sentence, while distribution of

MDMA can lead to life imprisonment. (FRANK, 2014) This places MDMA in

the same category as heroin and methamphetamine. In spite of this,

criminalization has had a non-deterrent effect. Its illegal status has not

significantly deterred recreational drug use, but simply increase[d] demand,

raise[d] prices and limit[ed] availability.(Rosenbaum M & Doblin R, 1991 p6.)

MDMA was criminalized in the UK via an amendment to the Misuse of Drugs

Act in 1977; the drug thus ascertained its illegal status before even reaching

British shores. A British Chemist had been discovered in the process of

manufacturing hallucinogenic amphetamines which were not controlled by

law and so the legislation modified to criminalize what would later become

known as MDMA and its derivatives. (Collins, M, p40) US policy followed suit

with a no tolerance stance on MDMA distribution. In July 1984 the DEA

announced its intention to place MDMA in Schedule 1. However, DEA

scheduling of the drug was to be highly controversial and hotly contested. A

group of highly respectable professionals [suddenly] emerged from a decade

of secret work into the courtrooms and were ready to engage the legal

defence of medical MDMA. (Rosenbaum M & Doblin R, 1991 p2.) Even

monks and rabbis came forward to testify to the therapeutic benefits of

MDMA.

A logical argument was soon formed that suggested MDMA did not

constitute a significant social problem, nor did it fit the criteria of the American

drug-scheduling act. In order for a drug to place to placed into schedule one, it

must a) Have a high potential for abuse, b) No accepted medical, c) no

accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Various medical

professionals, political critics and cultural scholars have attempted to rebuke

these claims. Firstly, scientific research indicates that frequent MDMA use

produces a dysphoric reaction. Feelings of MDMA educed euphoria depend

upon a release of serotonin from the brain, our supply of which is limited and

will quickly run out. Thus a tolerance quickly builds up in users and one must

taper their use in order to experience the desired effects. .(Beck et al, 1989.)

By this logic, MDMA can only be used enjoyably every couple of weeks

suggesting its largely non-addictive. Moreover, MDMA can be classified as a

less addictive substance due to its closed network of users; manufacturers

and distributors, which is almost exclusively white, middle class men and

women. Most of these individuals have legitimate professions, valuable

assets, and are therefore, unrepresentative of the typical underclass

stereotype we associate with drug abuse problems. Furthermore, this bracket

of society tends to be well educated which generally makes users more aware

of the associated dangers of prolonged drug abuse. Secondly, many

members of the medical community advocate the medicinal uses of MDMA,

especially within a therapeutic context. Ive already touched upon the early

uses of MDMA in chapter 2. Various therapists claim to have successfully

prescribed the drug to uncover repressed memories; relinquish feelings of

fear and anxiety, foster models of communication and deal with traumatic

experiences. In Switzerland [particularly], psychiatrists have used MDMA

successfully in hundreds of cases. (Rosenbaum M & Doblin R, 1991 p2.)

Finally, no evidence exists of anyone coming into harm under medical

supervision while being administered MDMA.

Perhaps the most unfortunate aspect of the drugs illegality, is that it has

dramatically stunted credible research on the substance. Any academic and

scientific studies centering on MDMA must obtain home office approval in the

UK or FDA approval in the US. Medical researchers currently struggle to

obtain permission to study the drug, given this it seems fairly dubious that any

cultural research centering on the notorious EDM and MDMA link would be

approved. One recent exception was Channel 4s 2013 Drugs Live: the

Ecstasy trials, (CH4, 2012.) A live show presented by journalist Jon Snow

and Dr Christian Jensen, medical professionals administered MDMA to public

volunteers, and broadcast the results live. The program also addressed some

of the cultural ties with MDMA, interviewing advocates of ecstasy use as well

as avid ravers. This constitutes a small breakthrough in public awareness of

the drug, providing an unbiased look at the effects of the drug from both a

health and cultural perspective.

One of the leading scientists on the Ecstasy trials was David Nutt, a

prominent expounder in the reclassification debate. A psychiatrist and

neuropsychopharmacologist, Nutt was infamously terminated from his post as

Governments drug advisor in 2009 Nutt after publically and controversially

proclaiming ecstasy use [to be] as dangerous as riding a horse. (Nutt, 2009)

The government accused Nutt of Damaging efforts to give the public clear

messages on the danger of drugs, to which Nutt argued that the government

was distorting and devaluing the research evidence in the debate over illegal

drugs. Nutt called for a new way of classifying the harm caused by both legal

and illegal drugs. In 2010, he contributed to a study for the Independent

Scientific Committee on Drugs, called Drug harms in the UK: a multi-criteria

decision analysis, (Nutt, D, King, L, Phillips, L. 2010) which confirmed ecstasy to be

less dangerous than Alcohol and Tobacco. Nutts termination highlights the

predicament faced by academics who critique government drug legislation.

Commercialization: The rebirth of EDMDMA Like a phoenix from the ashes, EDM was reborn in the late 2000s. In a

dramatic paradigm shift, dance music trickled back into the charts, replacing

the hip/hop and indie pop stalwarts that had dominated in its absence. By

2009 half of the top 10 was filled by electronically produced dance music.

With the emergence of new genres like dub step, featuring artists like

Deadmau5 and Skrillex, as well as pop friendly DJs like David Guetta making

a splash on the charts, EDM quickly became re-engrained in public

consciousness. However, arguably EDM didnt return with the same morals it

died with in the late 1990s. The PLUR mantra is no longer the ethos of a sub

culture but rather the marketing tool of a commercially bloated industry.

In 2011, Ultra Music Festival in Miami celebrated its 15th anniversary. You can

track its growth alongside the rapid resurgence of the EDM genre. In 2007 it

boasted a record breaking 50,000 people through its gates, and by 2011 this

figure had sored to over 300,000 attendees. It managed to encapsulate the

image of EDM the industry was rebroadcasting for a new flock of followers. An

Ultra attendee describes the scene: there was the neon, the dancing, the

love, of course the music, and there were also the drugs. (Jenkins, 2013, p7)

Ultra is a interesting case study as the festivals line up and its sudden rise to

popularity highlights the blurring of the EDM and pop genre brought about by

the commercialization of the genre. Madonna received harsh criticism after

encouraging MDMA use at Ultra 2012. Upon introducing Avicci the pop queen

brazenly asked the crowd if anyone had seen Molly? (Macia P, 2012) Her not

so subtly named album MDNA also evokes clear connotations of drug use.

(Madonna, 2012) Miley Cyrus is yet another pop superstar to publically

associate herself with MDMA. In French Montanas 2013 track Aint worried

about Nothing she sings Popped a molly and you know, and you know youll

never stop, you think Im turnt up wait until my album drops (Cyrus, M. 2013)

21st century pop artists like Madonna and Miley seem keen to cash in on the

iconic image of the rave scene; referencing MDMA to emulate the magic of a

bygone era as a tactic in their marketing campaigns. Whilst, the fact that their

tracks are categorized as EDM emphasizes the increasing hybridity of the

genre.

The EDM scene has evolved beyond all recognition, what was once an illegal

rave in a warehouse is now a massive production, with sky-high ticket prices

and attendance in the thousands. The crowd is often a confused selection of

ravers and fresh faces, often unable to distinguish between club etiquette and

rave etiquette. One could argue that todays EDM scene is not an authentic

subculture in its own right but rather an intimation of an extinct one. By this

logic, the idea of EDM as a culture of PLUR has been dead since Guetta

released his first Billboard Top 100 single. (Jenkins Nash P, p5, 2014) In his

essay titled Why MDMA is destroying EDM Derek Staples argues that the

EDM philosophy in the 21st century has eroded from PLUR into SEEP,

(Selfishness, Ego, Escape, Prophet). (Staples, D. 2013) Nevertheless, drug

use still plays an integral role in defining the modern day EDM culture.

The commercial evolution of dance music isnt just one recorded by cultural

theorists. DJs and producers who still hold the values of EDM at heart are

professing to the fall of the genre too. In an open letter to the public published

on VICE, Seth Troxler condemns the modern generation of EDM, branding

the new wave of pop DJs like Avicci and Steve Akoi are Over paid,

talentless, cake throwing cunts. He also complains that large-scale EDM

festivals are taking away the essence of the dance scene.

In all honesty, I find it profoundly sad. Were trying to move on and be

a real force of culture and conversationa wider genre recognised as

having real cultural depthbut EDM is wiping that slate. For being

taken seriously in a musical sense, thats frustrating. (Troxler S, 2014)

A boost in popularity has in turn lead to increased public scrutiny. For a

genre intrinsically linked with recreational drug use, it presents a clear and

present danger for the industrys viability. With festivals and events now

catering for thousands of attendees, their policies have to reflect public

demand for the appropriate safety measures. Large-scale EDM events often

boast an army security staff, on site ambulances, sniffer dogs and a police

presence. Clubs and venues can no longer feign ignorance to drug use in

their clubs, as the repercussions are too severe. The case of Electric Zoo

highlights this danger. During the 2013 EDM festival, two drug related

fatalities occurred and three others were admitted to hospital after ingesting a

chemical they believed to be MDMA. When an industry is so bloated, all it

takes is a little nudge to pop. EDM has historically endured through a cyclical

pattern of success. From its conception, the genre slowly underground,

suddenly exploded into the mainstream, was thrust into the public

consciousness and then crumbled under its own weight.

Warehouse project: A Case study For my Case Study, I will be looking at two drug related fatalities that occurred

a1t The Warehouse Project, Manchester and exploring the Venue, the

industry and the publics response to the event. * WHP is a series of EDM

events that run seasonally in Manchester. Founded in 2007 by Sasha Lord-

Marchionne and Sam Kandel, Warehouse Project has risen to mammoth

popularity and now boasts a 5,000-person capacity at its new location in Old

Trafford. It was voted Best club in the UK by Mixmag, and later listed as one

of the Top 20 Clubs in the World by DJ Magazine. (DJ Magazine, 2014) The

venues 2013 Line Up Included a series of well respected EDM artists such as

the Chemical Brothers, Richie Hawtin, Nina Kraviz and The Prodigy. WHP hit

the national headlines in 2013 when two drug related deaths occurred in the

club within one fatal weekend. On the 27th of September, 30-year-old Nick

Bonnie died while 4 friends were admitted into hospital, shortly followed the

next night by 8 clubbers admitted to hospital; one of which was induced into a

coma the following week.

Medical examinations revealed a drug called PMA to be the cause of the

incident. PMA is similar to MDMA, sold in pill form it makes users feel

invigorated and full of energy, thus able to dance for hours. It originally came

into circulation when there was a global shortage of MDMA a few years ago.

Its nearly indistinguishable from ecstasy pills, as the pills are printed to look

like traditional Ecstasy designs and often sold under the same street names.

(e.g. Pink Rockstars.) Nevertheless, PMA is more poisonous and can kill at

lower doses than MDMA.(FRANK, 2014) The effects of PMA can often take

longer than MDMA to kick in; users will often mistake the delay for an

ineffective product and take more. This leads to increased body temperature

and dehydration. The office for National Statistics recorded 20 deaths in the

UK from PMA in 2012. (Gage, 2013)

WHP received a torrent of media attention from local papers and then national

news. Local councillors called for reviews the licensing laws and the

Manchester police drafted in to investigate the safety measures in the club. In 1 The Warehouse Project will hereafter be referred to as WHP

response to intense scrutiny, WHP insisted revellers were safer in their venue

than the majority of alternative clubs. "We have about 5,000 customers and if

it isn't happening they are not going to stay in, they are going to go elsewhere.

Ninety nine per cent of other places don't have private police on the door,

drug sniffer dogs and don't search everyone or have paramedics on site.

(Lord-Marchionne, 2013). WHPs emergency response in wake of the

disaster, included increasing security staff to a total of 101 personnel;

installing extra air con units, improving the lighting and providing more on site

medical facilities. In the weeks that followed the venue distributed a pamphlet

on drug safety that warned of the dangers of PMA (see appendix 2), and

provided free bottles of water to revelers. A welfare area was also erected,

where customers can seek help on drug related issues without fear of

prosecution.

They also implemented a drug testing pilot scheme, run by Fiona Measham of

Durham University. The process involves testing drugs from the clubs

amnesty box (a box of confiscated substances positioned in the venues

entrance). The results of which can be instantly publicized via social media

and large LED signs throughout the venue. They hope to be able to warn

attendees if there were unsafe batches of drugs being sold in the venue,

specifically PMA. Additionally, at 4AM, marking the close of the night, urine is

siphoned from the mens toilets and tested against samples from the Amnesty

box. Thus, providing current and accurate data on the chemical drugs in

circulation within the Northwest. However, I largely agree with Carangys

critique of the scheme: It's hoped that the scheme will prove useful in

collecting data but in terms of actively reducing harm, there are clear

limitations to the scheme. (Carnagy, P 2013.) Ultimately, WHP project needs

to take pro-active rather than reactive measures if they are to successfully

limit harm to customers.

WHP did further propose the introduction of an in house drug-testing scheme,

similar to those that have proved successful in other European Countries

including Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. This

was a proposal, staunchly rejected by The Home Office. Unlike the amnesty

box method currently in place in WHP, attendees are handed their drugs back

and are free to enjoy at their own risk. A small shaving of the substance is

used to determine its exact chemical makeup within seconds. Energy

Control, Barcelona, Saferparty.ch, Zurich and Checkit!, Vienna and US based

Dance Safe are just a few established organizations which currently provide

this free public service to clubbers. These bodies strive to combat the risk of

taking mystery substances, often incorrectly labelled to nave or unsuspecting

ravers. In the 21st century, drug manufacturers are constantly cutting their

product with cheaper substances to make a quick profit and scientists

tweaking formulas to stay one step ahead of the law.

Staples warns of the current drug market: In order to make a quick

profit, dealers will be advertising molly but actually sell research

chemicals like 2C-B or 25I-NBOMe, or simply cut the pure MDMA with

cheaper amphetamine substitutes or other far more dangerous

substances. (Staples, D. 2012)

In Belgium over 55% of MDMA tested [on the club scene] contained no

MDMA whatsoever. (Lynch, C. 2013) This highlights the dangers of

recreational drug use, when no regulations for quality control are put in place.

Statistics prove that people will take drugs regardless of their illegal status;

such schemes allow users to make informed decisions before taking

potentially dangerous substances.

John Leech, Liberal Democrat MP for Manchester Withington, initially

supported WHPs pilot-testing scheme but his public statements portray an

ambivalent attitude at best:

In terms of allowing people to test their drugs before taking them, Im not

convinced this is something we ought to encourage. I think it sends out mixed

messages. Do we really want people to have the ability to test how pure their

crack is before taking it, and in essence encouraging people to kill

themselves? I certainly do not. (Leech, J. 2013)

Leech is emblematic of many of the political elite who remain unwilling to

waver from the official abstinence message preached by the UK government.

In this respect, WHP is currently stuck between a rock and a hard place, they

have a due diligence to protect their customers, but must at the same time,

operate within the strict confines of law. In my survey 87.7% of respondents

thought that the drug-testing scheme would help prevent drug related fatalities

at EDM events. (see appendix 1)

The additional security protocols put in place WHP cost an estimated

32,000 extra sum per weekend. (Pidd, 2013) Such high costs are

unsustainable in a profit lead industry. WHP announced during the October of

last year, their plans to dramatically scaling back the 2014 season with only 8

planned events. WHP has insisted that the break is a breather year in

anticipation for an even bigger 2015 season. However, one could speculate it

is a reaction to the intense scrutiny the club has face following the spat of

2014 deaths. The Warehouse Project faces an uncertain future, it may follow

the same fate as 90s Manchester based super clubs such as La Hacienda,

forced to close its doors in the June of 2007 due to escalating drug problems

and gang violence.

Molly goes dancing: Is Drug Use damaging the Industry? When a genre has such an intrinsic link with a sub culture, its impossible to

completely separate the two, especially when one half of an industry is

actively advocating drug use and the other viciously avoiding it. I will examine

some industry insider perspective on either side of the drug debate. In the

aftermath of the Electric Zoo tragedies, we witnessed a rare willingness of

EDM artists to speak publically on the topic of drug use. It seems in light of

the recent deaths, the subject had become simply unavoidable. Of those who

spoke out, EDM duo Major Lazer stressed out the need for a fresh approach

to drug education. Diplo, one half of the electro duo warned that Prosecuting

the festival isnt going to help anyone. (Diplo, 2013) While Jillionaire added

Its going to sound weird, but we need to teach kids how to do drugs, the

same way we teach them about drinking responsibly and having safe sex.

Instead of acting like drugs dont exist, acknowledge that drugs will be at

festival and address them. (Jillionaire, 2013). On the other side of the

spectrum, DJ/Producer Cassidy has been extremely vocal about his

opposition to drug use, using his personal blog to promote social responsibility

among his fans.

Its important to take a step back and realize the importance of life, hey,

were all here to have a good time, lets do it in away that smart so we

dont have to have these conversations. (Cassidy, 2013)

DJ/Producer Sebastian Ingrosso is yet another artist to promote the

abstinence message . Its a terrible thing that kids need to take drugs to

enjoy something. I enjoy music without any kind of substance and I wish all

people would do the same. (Ingrosso, 2013)

Fans seem to be equally divided on the topic of drug use, while 63.64% of

survey respondents agreed that drug use was an inherent part of the EDM

subculture, 23.81% thought that it was damaging to the industry. Of the 13%

who said neither, common themes were media manipulation: Misinformation

presented by the media is more damaging to the industry than drug use

(respondent #506) and that drug use isnt specifically an EDM issue but a

facet of all musical subcultures. Happens with all popular music, Look back at

the 60s, 70s and 80s it was happening then too. (Respondent #526, 2014.)

There too exists a divide between events promoters, ranging from those who

adopt controversial methods of harm reduction, to those restrained by the

letter of the law. Pasquel Rotella, CEO of Insomniac Events (Electric Daisy

Carnival, Live Nation), voice echoes the same frustration as the WHP

directors when she complains that Even if the promoter is open to harm

reduction, other entities can block it. (Rotella, 2013) Organizations like

Energy Control, Saferparty.ch, Checkit! And Dance Safe, all report being

approached by increasing numbers of high profile festivals. These

organizations stand in stark contrast to the Just Say No rhetoric that has

dominated much of the global political and public health discourse since the

80s. Unfortunately, many promoters are legally prevented from utilizing these

potentially life saving services. Rotella reveals how plans to contract Dance

Safes presence at Electric Daisy were prohibited by the venue provider who

objected to their controversial methods of drug testing. Just earlier this month

a group of 20 UK music festivals including the likes of T in the Park, Lovebox

and Bestival announced their decision to ban legal highs. Although, not all

strictly EDM centered events, this decision marks yet another step away from

the introduction of drug testing within the UK musical milieu. The campaign

somewhat ironically used the tagline dont be in the dark about legal highs

and scheduled a digital black out across partner sites to publicize their

message. (see appendix 3) Yet, arguably by adopting a pro abstinence

dialogue, they are limiting public knowledge and ensuring festival attendees

are kept in the dark about recreational drug safety.

Conclusion In the light of my research I feel there is an undeniable link between

recreational drug use and the EDM genre. A problem exists not necessarily in

drug consumption itself but rather the way mainstream society approaches

the issue. Government policy prohibits self-regulation by the industry. The

current no tolerance stance of global drug legislation has remained relatively

unchanged for the past three decades. However Id argue that this policy is an

outdated model, comparable to the 1950s abstinence message regarding

pre-martial sex. The contemporary EDM genre is one heavily divided on the

raging drugs debate. Nevertheless, a compromise must be reached in order

to secure the genres future and safeguard fans from harm. There exist

glimmers of hope for a change of UK drug policy, such as WHPs unlikely

partnership with the Home Office. The Green Party too, places the issues

surrounding rave culture on their current manifestos, promising to:

Open up the whole issue of drug use to the public , establish independent committees to oversee the structure of regulation for raves and

the repeal of the Public Entertainment (drugs misuse) Act (The "Barry Legg

act"), which is making outreach harm reduction measures impossible. (Green

Party, 2010.)

However, in the current geopolitical climate, the future of the EDM genre

remains uncertain. It runs the risk of imploding much like the first wave of

rave. This is obviously of great concern to me, as the future of my career

hinges upon its survival.

Appendix 2

Economist graph, Drug harms in the UK, David Nutt et al. Appendix 3

Safety pamphlet distributed by WHP warning of the dangers of PMA in weeks after incident.

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