The Council Consults: Russell, Thoughts on Music Subcultures

What is a subculture? A subculture has been defined as a group of people with similar beliefs, ideologies and interests within a larger culture that they are a part of, from there comes movements, initiatives and demonstrations in the name of specific subcultures, telling the story and origins of a particular idea.

With the Fred Perry Subculture Live event coming up, we thought that it would be a good time for Russell to share his perspective on - a personal interest of his - music subcultures in the local context.

“I find that in Asia, there isn't as much documentation about the movements of the different music subcultures. A lot of our knowledge is built primarily on what we know from the internet about the movement's origins in a different country, whereas in the context of Asia, if you have not witnessed or been a part of the movement yourself, it’s hard to find out and understand the history of it,” he says.

Russell has always listened to a spectrum of different genres of dance music, spanning drum & bass, grime, footwork and more. His interest in house music came naturally with his love for house step, whereas his interest in techno was piqued as he began trawling YouTube for Euro graffiti videos - noticing that these videos were overlaid with techno tracks - which made him dig deeper.

Aiming to one day start a platform in Asia that enables people to be able to learn about different subcultures through the sharing of their own personal experiences, Russell explains, “I hope to be able to bridge the gap across different subcultures by allowing people to understand and relate to it, and create a stronger kampung spirit of sorts within the community.”

Join us as Fred Perry Subculture Live returns on Friday, 13 October with a nightlong celebration of music and street culture at the Esplanade Annexe Studio. Featuring a DJ set by Gary Powell, drummer of English rock band The Libertines, as well as performances by local talents Astreal and The Betts, the night is set up to be one to remember.

Once the curtains fall, The Council will be taking over the space for an official after-party, transforming it into an underground rave with your favourite local selectors Julien Brochard, Yadin Moha, Jamie React, & Cats On Crack set to rumble the bassbins all night long.