What was the inspiration for "Children"?
Roberto Concina, better known as Robert Miles , was originally inspired by a collection of photos his father had taken while stationed in Yugoslavia during the Balkan War. But the song soon took on a whole new purpose: to save the lives of clubbers.
In the 1990s, numerous car accident deaths were a major problem in the Italian rave community. Young clubbers, in particular, would drive across the country overnight and, after strenuous dancing and drug use, fall asleep at the wheel and lose control of their vehicles. Many parents during this time called for stricter standards in the rave scene.
Robert Miles was aware of the problem and wanted to counteract it with the song “Children.” “Children” is a deliberately slow song intended to be played as the finale of a techno session. This allowed clubgoers to calm down before heading home. Robert Miles said in an interview at the time that he hoped the track would help end the “Saturday night carnage” in Italy.
What genre is “Children”?
“Children” reached number one in the singles charts in twelve countries in 1995. The song was also the most successful European single of 1996. It’s the characteristic piano riff that makes the song so special.
Additionally, “Children” also ushered in a whole new genre: “dream house.” Although it didn’t last long, its more melancholic, cerebral sound opened the door to trance music, which was a staple in clubs in the late 1990s and became mainstream in the new millennium.
When did Robert Miles die?
In 1997, Miles won a Brit Award for the best international breakthrough act. He went on to release four more studio albums as well as some remix records. His last album, “Th1rt3en,” was issued in 2011.
Word of Miles’ death prompted tributes on social media from fellow musicians.
At the age of just 47, from a tumor diagnosed nine months earlier, he died on May 9, 2017 in Ibiza, Spain, leaving behind, in addition to his parents, a daughter who was 8 years old at the time.
