Rhythim Is Rhythim ‘Strings of Life’: Dance Anthem

Rhythim Is Rhythim ‘Strings of Life’: Dance Anthem

12 October, 2007 | 5.42AM

• Written by: Kirsty Kane
• Filed under: Music News: dance anthem

Alongside Juan Atkins, Carl Craig and Kevin Saunderson, Derrick May is regarded as one of the originators of Detroit techno.

His name was forever written into the electronic music history books with the release of his seminal track ‘Strings of Life’ in 1987, which he produced under the name Rhythim Is Rhythim.

Anyone who has a vague interest in dance music will know its excited energetic strings and its classic piano house breakdown.

Interestingly, there’s a rumour that Derrick May didn’t actually come up with the name for the song, but Chicago house DJ Frankie Knuckles did.

Derrick May gave the song to Frankie so he could play it at The Power Plant, a club which Knuckles opened after the Warehouse closed.

Frankie played the song seven times in a row one night, and clubbers loved the song but because it didn’t have a name everybody called it that ‘String Song’.

Then Knuckles came up with the idea to call it ‘Strings of Life’.

I used to have a copy on vinyl, but it disappeared a few years back after I through a house party.

The good news is that Defected Records re-released the track in 2005 with a Danny Krivit re-edit which thankfully didn’t ruin the original vibe of the song.

What an anthem ‘Strings of Life’ is.

• (1) Comments
• (2762) Views
• Get 'Strings of Life' on Beatport