GORDON MASON
PRODUCER / DIRECTOR / EDITOR / WRITER
THEY CALL IT ACID has been a labour of love for Gordon Mason, who over the last 10 years has been gathering together the material for this documentary. Much of the original film archive was shot by Gordon in the late 1980s - this footage is unique. Since 1999 the film has been in production, totally self financed, over 80 interviews have been recorded and over 50,000 feet of Super 16mm film and 30 hours of High Definition Video shot.
Interview →
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10 years making this film without any finance, did you ever wonder will it ever get made and what kept you going?
Yes, over the 10 years I have suffered bouts of depressive thoughts that I would never manage to get it finished and all the work to date had been a waste of time, but I think that just adds to the great feeling of achievement I felt when we first screened it. We still don't have distribution but I'm sure I'll feel an even greater wave of euphoria at the first public screening.
How easy has it been to get a distributor for the film? Will we see the movie at any film festivals in 2010? Anything we can do to help?
Getting distribution is proving to be a slow but steady process. I think the film now has a bit of a buzz around it in the dance music community as a lot of people are talking about it and I have shown it to most of the DJs in the film, many of whom have a good following. I am now beginning to do this with the film industry - we have so far only screened at one festival but have been nominated for the 2009 British Independent Film Awards which is a great honour and will help the film industry sit up and take notice that this is a film worth looking out for. I think it may take a while longer to get the right distribution deal but there are a few other festivals coming up through 2010 and they too will help, join the Facebook group or Website contacts for regular updates.
Talking with the police and politicians now about the rave explosion, what surprises did you have and how do they look back on these days, with amusement, satisfaction, horror or just apathy (I was just doing my job)?
The Politician I interviewed was very guarded, as I suppose all politicians are. He had previously been accused in books and press articles about the scene of all sorts of things, like being in the pocket of the breweries, but I could find no proof of that so tried to give him a balanced voice in the film, - he has his opinion. I share the view of the senior police officer that I interviewed who thinks that the Government's reaction was the wrong one and that all the time and money spent on his Special Police unit trying to crush Acid House culture was a waste and that the authorities should have embraced it earlier and worked with the promoters to provide legal and safe venues for the emerging party scene.
Even in Estonia during the early 90's rave music was huge despite years behind the iron curtain people just picked up on it immediately, what is raves enduring and international quality?
I think it is the pursuit of having a good time. That is why it has appealed to such a wide audience around the world - everybody wants to forget about things and have a good time - dancing and music has been a way for the human race to do this for thousands of years, it's in our nature.
Running around with a video camera at an illegal event, did you ever get into any scrapes?
I usually partied along with everyone else and then went and got my camera out as I didn't want people to feel that the media had invaded the party, rather that I was a friendly face who wanted to record it. I only once got close to upsetting someone when I did a long track into his face, not realising that I was actually running toward him and very close up. I quickly apologised and promised not to ever use the shot!
8mm film is a rare (now but not then) but timeless format, how much film did you shoot and did you develop it yourself?
In the 80s I used to rent a Nizo but had my own cheaper S8mm camera. Yes, it's a great medium. I used to work in advertising and loved the work of a director called Maxine Tabac who used to shoot stuff on S8 slightly over exposed, that's how we got the look for the material shot at the outdoor parties. For the recent shooting we did I used S8 for any material that I wanted to seem like it was from the 80s, its not a lie, just a feeling you get when you watch the film. I bought a new camera for this as you really have to experiment and get used to your camera as the light meters and aperture setting can be so inaccurate. We shot probably 30 or so rolls in all this time, I got them processed at Todd AO which is now called Soho Filmlab, they were doing 2 colour baths a week so they must still do a reasonable amount of it, although I think now they only do one. The best telecine I could find in this country was with them onto Digi Beta, there is no HD Gate in this country, but it really looks good when upconverted anyway.
Glastonbury in 89 and the lasers and sound systems were as exciting as the bands playing, when did you first realise that the world had changed forever?
I was at Glastonbury in 88 and the Acid House scene was confined to a small sound system belonging to a market stall selling blankets and another selling trippy posters, we danced all night anyway. I since heard that there were other small gatherings there that year, but yes like you say, in 89 there was a proper dance tent and I guess they've never looked back since. Through 88 and 89 we always thought it was a fad that would pass and only last another couple of months, but it just kept growing and growing!
Rave united young people all over the world, what do you see as uniting them these days? Any ideas what is going on in their heads?
New Media and the internet I suppose. It used to be that youth cultures spread slowly and yes it took a few years for the Rave scene to spread around the world from 1988 onwards. Through the 90s it was the MTV generation who picked up on new music and cultures a lot quicker. These days I think things can spread even quicker than that, with you tube and all the web sites I think people from all over the world can unite instantly. The youtube trailer for the film has already been seen from China to Norway!
The 60's cultural avalanche was a reaction against the conservative 50's, punk revolting against glam excess, rave in Thatcher's bloody Britain and the current scene from the US thrown up by the Bush years. What's going on with the music scene in Britain now, has the government not been crap enough?
Since 1995 it has actually been illegal in the UK for a group of people to dance to repetitive beats without a licence, so those fuckers control everything! If they want to crush a new scene now they'll just quote some new terrorism law that's been sneaked through by the Labour government in the last few years. There are some young 'new ravers' who are trying to have their own take on raves and do illegal parties but they don't really stand much chance. I am however confident that the youth in the UK will make their own take on the Raves of the 80s just like we did in a way with 60s culture - the message was the same.
Can you recommend some current artists or musicians that will be worth looking at again in 20 or 30 years?
You would really have to ask someone a lot younger but Niyi Adelakun does some good parties I've heard as do Let's Go Crazy, find them on Facebook and find out yourself??
Any advice to a young film maker?
Yes, don't try and make the crap that you see on TV, learn it as a craft and respect the people that have been doing it for years, it really isn't as easy at it seems, there's loads to learn. All the elements are as important as each other from story to lighting and photography, sound and editing. Beyond that, don't be scared to go out and experiment and make films about subjects that appeal to you. I hope you will see all the hard work that has gone into THEY CALL IT ACID, blood sweat and tears!
Excellent film, thanks a million Gordon and good luck!
P.S. If you are a film festival organiser or TV programmer and would like to get a copy of “They Call it Acid” for screening please contact Gordon Mason he'd be luvved up to hear from you.
Harry Lurcher
jun 14 '09
13 contributions
Heard once that life is too serious to be taken seriously. Poet, promoter, director of creativity, frustrated artist and aspiring human being. In the future will people be good enough sports to look back on us and laugh rather than with anger? In his future hopes to be older and travel with an ark in space. Favourite animal is a dog, called Harry the Lurcher. Now somewhere in space. Believes in re-uniting the thoughts with the feelings.
published • December 2nd '09
jan 23 '10 02:01
JS
Nice one, Paul! Best fuckin article on here yet. From someone who was "there" when it all kicked off (and "kicked off") those were heady days and you knew you were part of something new.
The establishment demonised us. All we wanted to do was DANCE and LOVE each other!
Insane times - miss them - all night raves in a field, dancing the sun up. Ah, halcyon days!
dec 18 '09 16:37
questo
Where are the videos, anyone else having trouble seeing them?