A brief history of the legendary Paradise Garage

Yes, Paradise Garage - the exclusive NYC club of the late 1970s - is where garage got its name. The exterior of 84 King Street may have been an unassuming parking garage, but through the doors thrived a unique piece of dance music and LGBTQ+ history. The venue featured a custom-made Richard Long sound system, parties that lasted well into the next afternoon, one of the greatest DJs of all time, and a sound that would define a genre and a generation.

Although it specifically catered to gay and lesbian patrons, people of all colors, sizes, and orientations were welcome. You just had to have “the look” or know a card-carrying member. Though this inclusive exclusivity may feel counterintuitive, it’s what kept it safe for its patrons who faced much oppression in the “outside world.”

The DJs who spun at the Garage and the artists who played there (including Chaka Khan, Evelyn King, Madonna, Whitney Houston, and Grace Jones) came to define a new genre of music. A Garage record had big, soulful vocals, and heavier R&B and funk influences than the house music that was beginning to emanate from the American Midwest.

Garage artists traditionally also differed from other house musicians in their instrumentation choices. Whereas Chicago house pioneers experimented with drum machines and analog synthesizers, most of the records spun at the Garage featured orchestras and live instruments.

This pack combines both of these approaches while leaning into the current popularity of lo-fi sounds. The result is a well-rounded pack of dance sounds for the most nostalgic and forward-thinking producer.

Learn more about the colorful and deep history of Paradise Garage on the Splice blog: https://splice.com/blog/house-house-brief-history-paradise-garage-genre-defined/