[alyasa]

I agree, most of what is termed d n b now is purely derivative. But like disco, its music and sounds helped to push the envelope of other genres of music and expanded the musical horizons of not a few bands. But like Sonic Youth said, disco was created in the clubs and trickled down to the streets, wherehas somehting like hip-hop, was created on the streets and made its way into the clubs... So, if you focus on the d n b that's being played in the clubs to draw young men and women to dance, then there's no difference really from the Eurotrash cheesy techno that most people tend to dislike. Or the one millionth Britney Spears or Limp Bizkit single. Or all the hip-hop that's saturating every aspect of life now. But I still feel artists like Goldie with Timeless, Alec Empire and the whole digital hardcore stable, DJ Shadow and his cut-and-paste technique, DJ Spooky with his free-form jazz improv spirit, Squarepusher with his wacky, over-the-edge acid; were and are pushing the envelpoe somewhat. You could argue it was a natural progression. But so was; it can be argued; Punk rock. That doesn't make it any less valid.

EDIT: Quite a number of the early punk rockers were influenced as much by the Jamaican reggae dancehalls, as they were by garage rock.