Rave collection, circa 1991-1998.
Collection Number: 8068

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
Rave collection, circa 1991-1998.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Collection Number:
8068
Abstract:
Batch one consists of San Francisco Bay area rave cards and flyers. 118 items consisting of single sheets, variously folded leaflets, and a few pamphlets, almost all of them printed on paper or card stocks, two or there on acetate and ranging in size from 24mo to 4to, with the majority being 8vo. Some references include, Melville, Whitman, Sendak, Lewis Carroll, Dr. Seuss, Margaret Meade and rock posters of the 1960s.
Creator:
no primary creator
Cinnamon Twist. (Title of work: Imaginal rave..)
Quanitities:
5.2 cubic feet.
Language:
Collection material in English

Biographical / Historical

Rave flyers became one of the most potent symbols of youth culture in the 1990s. Their bright colors signifying a return to psychedelia, their computer-generated design a clue to future technology fetishes, their dense text an invitation to a subculture with its own deities and language. As the popularity of raves grew, it became essential to create flashy, eye-catching flyers to outdo all the other flyers. Flyers grew in both size and complexity. Imported from Chicago in the late 1980s, the English Rave scene paired the country's youth counter culture with house music and Ecstasy and led to a club scene community that could generate parties with thousands of participants, spilling over from London warehouses to countryside fields. English DJs developed their own sound, drawing upon American Hip Hop imports and accessible at-home technologies. The music found its way to radio through pirate stations, and a few bands like Prodigy and N-Joi were able to crossover to FM pop stations.

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Batch one consists of San Francisco Bay area rave cards and flyers. 118 items consisting of single sheets, variously folded leaflets, and a few pamphlets, almost all of them printed on paper or card stocks, two or there on acetate and ranging in size from 24mo to 4to, with the majority being 8vo. Some references include, Melville, Whitman, Sendak, Lewis Carroll, Dr. Seuss, Margaret Meade and rock posters of the 1960s.
Batch two consists of more than 500 rave flyers and stickers, primarily from San Francisco, together with five related newsletters and pamphlets. They feature many of the most popular artists and DJs of the time, such as Moby, Deee-Lite, Prodigy, Todd Terry, Juan Atkins, Peter Tong, Sasha, Roger Sanchez, Derrick Carter, Mark Farina, and many others. Also included are a dozen or more flyers from show promoters, lifestyle retailers (neo-head shops and fashion boutiques), spiritual organizations, and related art exhibitions. The flyers reflect the growing sophistication of the rave scene during the period and its various subcategories such as house, trance, techno, drum and bass, hardcore and others. Performers and DJs represented include Moby, Shamen, Deee-Lite, Rozalla, Prodigy, Daft Punk, The Crystal Method, Fluke, Tony Largo, Markie-Mark, Neon Leon, DJ Ghost, Todd Terry, Peter Avila, Danny Morales, Derrick Carter, Mark Farina, Sasha (Welsh), "Little Louie" Vega, DJ Dimitri, Peter Tong, Juan Atkins, DJ Sanchez, DJ Phil Smart , Graeme Park, DJ Destructo, Yagi, and DJ Dag. The rave-related periodicals in the collection include Ameba Message, number 2 (December 23, 1992), and Rhythmos, number 1 (August 1992). Pamphlets include E info: practical information about Ecstasy (no date); The Imaginal Rave (July 1992), signed Cinnamon Twist; and Tribal Donut #1 (1993), a collection of reprints and excerpts from various New Age and rave books and articles.
Batch three is a collection of 1500 English Rave flyers, collected from approximately 1990 to 1996, advertising parties throughout England featuring such acts as The Prodigy, Justin Berkman, and Adam Realtime.
Batch four consists of a decade of rave flyers from England and is a collection of 6000 English Rave flyers, collected from approximately 1990 to 2000 by an early participant in the London rave scene. Most flyers are for events in England, though Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands, and Australia are also represented.
Series I. First Batch, California

Box 8
Series II. Second Batch, California

Box 8
Series III. Third Batch, England

Boxes 6-7
Series IV. Fourth Batch, England

Boxes 1-5

INFORMATION FOR USERS

Cite As:

Rave collection, #8068. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.

SUBJECTS

Names:
Atkins, Juan.
Avila, Peter.
Carter, Derrick L.
DJ Dag.
DJ Destructo.
DJ Dimitri.
DJ Ghost.
DJ Sanchez.
Farina, Mark.
Largo, Tony.
Little Louie.
Moby.
Morales, Danny.
Neon Leon.
Park, Graeme.
Rozalla.
Sanchez, Roger, 1967-
Smart, Phil.
Terry, Todd.
Tong, Peter.
Wahlberg, Mark, 1971-
Welsh, Sasha.
Yagi.
Crystal Method (Musical group)
Daft Punk (Musical group)
Deee-Lite (Musical group)
Fluke (Musical group)
Prodigy (Musical group : Great Britain)
Shamen (Musical group)
Subjects:
New Age movement.
Hardcore (Music)
Trance music.
Techno music.
House music.
Rave culture -- Great Britain.
Rave culture -- California -- San Francisco.
Rave culture.
Printed ephemera.
Music, publicity.
Form and Genre Terms:
Stickers.
Fliers (printed matter)

CONTAINER LIST
Container
Description
Date
Box 8 Folder 1-8
Series I. First Batch, California
Scope and Contents
Mostly San Francisco
Box 8 Folder 9-16
Series II. Second Batch, California
Scope and Contents
Mostly San FranciscoThe rave-related periodicals in the collection include Ameba Message, number 2 (December 23, 1992), and Rhythmos, number 1 (August 1992). Pamphlets include E info: practical information about Ecstasy (no date); The Imaginal Rave (July 1992), signed Cinnamon Twist; and Tribal Donut #1 (1993), a collection of reprints and excerpts from various New Age and rave books and articles.
Series III. Third Batch, England
1992-1994
Box 6 Folder 1
Rave culture publications
Scope and Contents
Includes Fantazia Fanzine (Issue 1), Ravescene (Nos. 22 and 29), and Eazy (No. 2).
Box 6 Folder 2
Rave culture associated advertising
Scope and Contents
Includes ads for albums, club memberships, clothing, and drugs.
Box 6 Folder 3
Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 6 Folder 4
Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 6 Folder 5
Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 6 Folder 6
Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 6 Folder 7
Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 6 Folder 8
Flyers square, ca. 4.5" x 4.5" to 8.5" x 8.5"
Box 6 Folder 9
Flyers long, largest ca. 6" x 12"
Box 6 Folder 10
Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
Box 6 Folder 11
Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
Box 6 Folder 12
Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
Box 6 Folder 13
Flyers ca. 4" x 5"
Box 6 Folder 14
Flyers ca. 4" x 5"
Box 6 Folder 15
Flyers ca. 4" x 5"
Box 6 Folder 16
Flyers ca. 4" x 5"
Box 6 Folder 17
Flyers ca. 4" x 5"
Box 7 Folder 1
Flyers ca. 4.25" x 5.5"
Box 7 Folder 2
Flyers ca. 4.25" x 5.5"
Box 7 Folder 3
Flyers ca. 4.25" x 5.5"
Box 7 Folder 4
Flyers ca. 4.25" x 5.5"
Box 7 Folder 5
Flyers ca. 4.25" x 5.5"
Box 7 Folder 6
Flyers ca. 4.25" x 5.5"
Box 7 Folder 7
Flyers ca. 4.25" x 5.5"
Box 7 Folder 8
Flyers ca. 4.25" x 5.5"
Box 7 Folder 9
Flyers, oddly shaped
Box 7
Flyers ca. 12" x 18"
Series IV. Fourth Batch, England
Box 1 Folder 1
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1991
Box 1 Folder 2
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1992
Box 1 Folder 3
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1992
Box 1 Folder 4
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1992
Box 1 Folder 5
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1993
Box 1 Folder 6
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1993
Box 1 Folder 7
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1993
Box 1 Folder 8
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1994
Box 1 Folder 9
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1994
Box 1 Folder 10
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1995
Box 1 Folder 11
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1995
Box 1 Folder 12
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1996
Box 1 Folder 13
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1996
Box 1 Folder 14
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1997
Box 1 Folder 15
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1998
Box 1 Folder 16
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
1999
Box 1 Folder 17
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
2000
Box 1 Folder 18
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
Box 1 Folder 19
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
Box 2 Folder 1
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
Box 2 Folder 2
Event Flyers ca. 9" x 12"
Box 2 Folder 3
Flyers, oddly shaped
1989-1992
Box 2 Folder 4
Flyers, oddly shaped
1993
Box 2 Folder 5
Flyers, oddly shaped
1994
Box 2 Folder 6
Flyers, oddly shaped
1995
Box 2 Folder 7
Flyers, oddly shaped
1996-2000
Box 2 Folder 8
Flyers, oddly shaped
Box 2 Folder 9
Rave culture associated advertising
1992
Scope and Contents
Includes ads for albums, club memberships, clothing, and drugs.
Box 2 Folder 10
Rave culture associated advertising
1993
Scope and Contents
Includes ads for albums, club memberships, clothing, and drugs.
Box 2 Folder 11
Rave culture associated advertising
1994
Scope and Contents
Includes ads for albums, club memberships, clothing, and drugs.
Box 2 Folder 12
Rave culture associated advertising
1995
Scope and Contents
Includes ads for albums, club memberships, clothing, and drugs.
Box 2 Folder 13
Rave culture associated advertising
1996
Scope and Contents
Includes ads for albums, club memberships, clothing, and drugs.
Box 2 Folder 14
Rave culture associated advertising
1997
Scope and Contents
Includes ads for albums, club memberships, clothing, and drugs.
Box 2 Folder 15
Rave culture associated advertising
1998
Scope and Contents
Includes ads for albums, club memberships, clothing, and drugs.
Box 2 Folder 16
Rave culture associated advertising
1999-2000
Scope and Contents
Includes ads for albums, club memberships, clothing, and drugs.
Box 2 Folder 17
Rave culture associated advertising
Scope and Contents
Includes ads for albums, club memberships, clothing, and drugs.
Box 2 Folder 18
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1989
Box 2 Folder 19
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1990
Box 2 Folder 20
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1991
Box 2 Folder 21
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1992
Box 2 Folder 22
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1992
Box 2 Folder 23
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1993
Box 2 Folder 24
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1993
Box 2 Folder 25
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1994
Box 2 Folder 26
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1994
Box 2 Folder 27
Event Quarter cards
Box 2 Folder 28
Event Quarter cards
Box 2 Folder 29
Event Quarter cards
Box 2 Folder 30
Event Quarter cards
Box 3 Folder 1
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1995
Box 3 Folder 2
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1995
Box 3 Folder 3
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1995
Box 3 Folder 4
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1996
Box 3 Folder 5
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1996
Box 3 Folder 6
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1996
Box 3 Folder 7
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1996
Box 3 Folder 8
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1997
Box 3 Folder 9
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1997
Box 3 Folder 10
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1997
Box 3 Folder 11
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1997
Box 3 Folder 12
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1998
Box 3 Folder 13
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
1999
Box 3 Folder 14
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
2000
Box 3 Folder 15
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 3 Folder 16
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 3 Folder 17
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 3 Folder 18
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 4 Folder 1
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 4 Folder 2
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 4 Folder 3
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 4 Folder 4
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 4 Folder 5
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 4 Folder 6
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 4 Folder 7
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 4 Folder 8
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 4 Folder 9
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 4 Folder 10
Event Flyers ca. 5.75" x 8.25"
Box 4 Folder 11
Event Quarter cards
Box 4 Folder 12
Event Quarter cards
Box 4 Folder 13
Event Quarter cards
Box 4 Folder 14
Event Quarter cards
Box 4 Folder 15
Event Quarter cards
Box 4 Folder 16
Event Quarter cards
Box 4 Folder 17
Event Quarter cards
Box 4 Folder 18
Event Quarter cards
Box 4 Folder 19
Event Quarter cards
Box 4 Folder 20
Event Quarter cards
Box 4 Folder 21
Event Quarter cards
Box 4 Folder 22
Event Quarter cards
Box 4 Folder 23
Event flyers - small
Box 4 Folder 24
Event flyers - small
Box 4 Folder 25
Event flyers - small
Box 5 Folder 1
Flyers - oversized
1991
Box 5 Folder 2
Flyers - oversized
1992
Box 5 Folder 3
Flyers - oversized
1993
Box 5 Folder 4
Flyers - oversized
1994
Box 5 Folder 5
Flyers - oversized
1995
Box 5 Folder 6
Flyers - oversized
1996
Box 5 Folder 7
Flyers - oversized
1997
Box 5 Folder 8
Flyers - oversized
1998
Box 5 Folder 9
Flyers - oversized
1999
Box 5 Folder 10
Flyers - oversized
2000
Box 5 Folder 11
Flyers - oversized
2002
Box 5 Folder 12
Flyers - oversized