Monday 28 November 2011

Ladies Night

Never enough female spin (no pun intended) in the music world. Here's Heidi and Cosmo providing some balance:

Video interview with Cosmo:
Cosmo Interview - AllSaints Basement Sessions from AllSaints Spitalfields on Vimeo.

Written interview with Heidi:

Sunday 27 November 2011

Full Spectrum Selector

Happy Birthday, Steve "Blackwax" Reed. I popped round to give him his birthday card (and play some records), and found a little inspiration for a recording - results below:

Spectrum by fred_naked

10 From The Crates pt 1

Ok,this has been done so many times by so many people and on so many blogs but I always love to read them. Over the next week or so I am going to list 10 of my favourite records, some old favourites and some that criminally I had slept on ’til recently. These are in no order, other than the order in which I have pulled them off the shelves.

1. Dub Narcotic Sound System -  “Rhythm Record Volume One - Echo‘s From The Scene Control Room” LP (K records)


This lp was released on K records in 1995. Dub Narcotic was the project of Calvin Johnson, owner of K records. K released a lot of seminal US indie records.  7”s, cassettes, fanzines - the whole lot.
The K motto is "exploding the teenage underground into passionate revolt against the corporate ogre since 1982”. Lo-fi, punk influenced, DIY, fiercely anti corporate record company that’s the kind of thing you get. Or rather that’s the kind of thing you usually get, Dub Narcotic Sound System was/is different.

Again it’s lo-fi and has a very DIY feel, but the music played on this lp owes more to funk grooves and dub aesthetics (the melodica features heavily in the DNSS sound) than it does punk's visceral thrills.  Although as I type this I realize that punk, dub and funk where often recorded on the cheap and sound all the better for it in many cases. So to summarize this is a lp of lo-fi indie funk jams with space echo and melodica. Here is a track from the lp called “Echo Control”




If that has tickled your fancy I can recommend the series of 7” singles the band released known as the Dub Narcotic Disco Plates. In the reggae tradition these have vocals on one side then the dubbed out version of the flip.

2. 3 Generations Walking - Midnight Bustling (Francois Kervorkian Dubs)
10” Spiritual Life Music/EFA 2003



I first heard “Midnight Bustling” played by Kelvin Brown in the hot and sweaty back room of the Electric Chair in Manchester, and I loved it. Trouble is I couldn’t remember what it was. Fast forward a decade and a bit and Matt (of this here blog) pulled out his copy and just as I fast I ordered one. A week later I ordered the FK mixes. I very nearly listed the 12”, but after a few listens this morning the 10” wins.
I can’t find a you tube clip, so I shall do my best to describe it. It’s dub house of the highest order, and then dubbed out some more by FK. I love the echoing trumpets, and as luck would have it the b-side is the four minute “Trumpet Fanfare”. Besides the trumpets there a snatches of vocal, reverb soaked percussion and all manner of beautiful little subtleties floating over a digital steppers rhythm fused with house‘s mighty kick drum. As you would expect from Mr Kervorkian this is a record to loose yourself in.


3. Rita Lee - “And I Love Him”
Taken from the lp “Build Up” (Polydor Records 1970)




Y’all know Rita was a founding member of Os Mutantes, so that saves me a bit of typing. This comes from her first solo lp released whilst still recording with Os Mutantes.
The whole lp is great from start to end, but for me the stand out is the Beatles cover “And I Love Him”. I can't put my finger on what it is I like so much but the piano/organ combination kills me, and the little drop in the middle followed by wah-wah'ed guitar strokes is almost too much. Here is a you tube link for your listening pleasure:




4. Brian Eno - “By This River”
Taken from the “Before and After Science” lp Island Records 1977


I love Brian Eno, generally I favour his full-on ambient pieces such as Music for Airports, Apollo, Music for Films etc.. However there is something so beautiful and yet so sad about “By This River” that it had to be the one I chose. It’s the lilting piano and the fragile nature of his voice that does it for me:




5. Cheri - “Give It To Me”
12” Single Venture records 1982



I’m shocked at myself it’s taken to number 5 to get to the disco, but this is worth the wait. I have to thank Nick the record for introducing me to this in Mr Scruffs Tea tent at the Latitude festival this summer. Simple, infectious disco with a killer chorus here it is for your pleasure




I got lucky and found Ken Colliers copy on Ebay with his writing on it, which leads me to believe it may have been a hit in the clubs of Detroit back in the day. Cheri’s mum was Geraldine Hunt and her brother is Freddie James, quite the disco family.


Friday 25 November 2011

Thursday 24 November 2011

Colours of Mill Road

http://sammotherwell.weebly.com/

Booyaka-shah!!!

The Restless Funk Radio Show 23/11/2011
Playlist:

Was Not was - Tell Me That I'm Dreaming (Ken Collier Edit)
Storm Queen - Look Right Through
Blue Magic - Welcome To The Dub (J326 Mix)
L.I.E.S. - Comeback Dust (Max D's Big Top Dustheads Remix)
Gaz Nevada - I.C. Love Affair (Chinese Version)
Riz Ortolani - Il Corpo Di Linda
Canyons - Yesterday, The Dog
Basic Channel - Phylyps Trak II
I Feel Studio - Morgengruss III
Le Volume Corbe - Lazy
Floating Points - For You
Ural Thomas - Smile
Godsy - Street Soldiers
Alexander Robotnik - Problems D'Amour (KDJ Remix/Kai Alce Extension)
Lord Echo & His Melodies - Things I Like To Do
Rose Mitchell - Baby Please Don't Go
Sons of Arqa - Brujo Magic
Theo Parrish - S.T.F.U.
Floating Points - Myrtle Ave
Group from Lutheran East - From The Files Of Lonely Hearts (Take 1)
Godsy - The Lions Share
Storm Queen - It Goes On
Ural Thomas - Fade Away
Brother Bill - What's Happenin
Le Volume Courbe - I Love The Living You

Archive Streaming Links:
Restless Funk 23/11/11 Part One
Restless Funk 23/11/11 Part Two

Restless Funk is a radio show that is broadcast live at www.camfm.co.uk and 97.2FM every Wednesday night from 8-10pm GMT

Tuesday 22 November 2011

Thursday 17 November 2011

Old West Rhythm Trax?

The Restless Funk Radio Show 16/11/2011
Playlist:

3 Chairs - Transit
Master At Work - Blood Vibes
The Chillie 3 MC's - Shake Your Body
Trickeration - Western Gangster Town (Edit)
Matthew L Cassell - Heaven
The Undisputed Truth - Atomic Funk
Raphael Saadiq - Can't Jig Anymore
Lalo Schifrin - Quiet Village
Rekid - Tranzit
Theo Parrish - Levels
Mr Scruff - Bounce
Darwin's Theory - Accept The Truth (Tom Noble Remix)
Lindstrom & Christabelle - Lovesick
Deep Purple - Lazy
The Overton Barry Ensemble - Black Bottom
Unknown - Making Love (Ole Smokey's Golden Dreams Edit)
Cos/Mes feat. Dr Nishimura - DFG
Nacho Patrol - Futuristic Abis Abeba
Maxmillion Dunbar - Ballroom
Floating Points - Argonaute
Marvin Gaye - Far Cry
Unknown - Cloud Nine (Truth Is Light Edit)

Archive Streaming Links:
Restless Funk 16/11/11 Part One
Restless Funk 16/11/11 Part Two

Restless Funk is a radio show that is broadcast live at www.camfm.co.uk and 97.2FM every Wednesday night from 8-10pm GMT

Thursday 10 November 2011

Smacky

The Restless Funk Radio Show 09/11/2011
Playlist:

Harold Grosskopf - Synthesist
Depeche Mode - Waiting For The Night
Neil Young - Out On The Weekend
Rub N Tug - All 4 U Instrumental
Willie Colon - Quimbobo
Dee Dee Bridgewater - Sweet Rain
Hot Chocolate - Heaven Is In The Backseat Of My Cadillac
Joe Groundhog - Take It Off
Daphni - Ahora
Superlife - Go Bananas (Peanut Butter Wolf Instrumental)
Floating Points - Sais (Dub)
Space Dimension Controller - Electropod 250 Collision
No UFO's - Mechanically Replayed
Spoonich - Laserdance
Jah Shaka - Hallilujah Dub Housed Up
Fearless Four - Just Rock (Larry Levan Remix)
Chris Carter - Moonlight
AFX- Phonatacid
Arthur Russell - Make 1,2 (Gem Spa Dub)
Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy - Kiss Me (FK US Mix)
North End - Happy Days (Collier Edit)

Archive Streaming Links:
Restless Funk 09/11/11 Part One
Restless Funk 09/11/11 Part Two

Restless Funk is a radio show that is broadcast live at www.camfm.co.uk and 97.2FM every Wednesday night from 8-10pm GMT



Andrew Weatherall (Madrid 2011)

Wednesday 9 November 2011

BITD

Wish you were there... 

from http://www.deephousepage.com

Doing it right

Been a busy weekend for us at Village HQ. Friday night saw Psyche/Drone Rock legends Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso UFO play a full gig in a local sweaty pub back room. I dragged L along (again) and with some other Village friends proceeded to have our heads fried and minds melted - "Intense" said L.


Monday night was on a different tip, but no less "intense". We first saw "Kings Go Forth" last year in San Francisco so were already fans. The O2 Academy in Islington was an awful venue (situated in a shopping centre for christ's sake), and the support act sounded poor. This didn't put us in a particularly good frame of mind for the main act, but band leader Andy Noble (of Lotusland Records fame) is someone who is serious about music. I read a quote in an interview with him where he says he hates live music, and I kind of get whre he's coming from (it's never going to sound as perfect 'live' to a producer than on a record due to acoustics and dodgy performances). No matter, as after seeing them last we knew how good this band could be (even live!). One of the best things about seeing them live is the energy, there's literally no let up for the whole performance, no breaks between songs save for the occasional dramatic pause for effect or joke between the band which turns into part of the performance. You can hear the influences, no doubt, but it's new songs, new arrangements, continuing the tradition of making epic songs that people can dance to that producers like James Brown, Curtis Mayfield and Norman Whitfield started way back when. I want to tell you about their new material, more psychedelic, heavier, screaming Hendrix guitars, insane Whitfield extended proto-disco breakdowns, crazy Hancock moog freakouts, Gibbons drums for days - but words don't do it justice. I was down the front, wearing my KGF T-shirt flinging sweat and hair in every direction. Lovely stuff.






Kings Go Forth in Vietnam from Luaka Bop on Vimeo

Monday 7 November 2011

D-troit

For the Villagers who hadn't seen it, this has been posted on various different forums - check!


Thursday 3 November 2011

Dazz (Disco Jazz)

The Restless Funk Radio Show 02/11/2011
Playlist:

Theo Parrish - JB's Edit
The Flirts - Passion (Remix)
Jay Simon - Faith
Jamie Finlay - People Circulate (Mr Scruff Mix)
Superlife - Go Bananas
Unknown - Calling You (Truth Is Light Edit)
Bunny Wailer - Just Be Nice
Disco Tom - Soulful Milk
Rare Gems - Million Dollar Disco
Saturday Night Band - Touch Me On My Hot Spot
Labelle - A Man In A Trench Coat
Norman Jay - She Needs You Now
Soft Rocks - We Hunt Buffalo Now (Andrew Weatherall Remix)
Jupiter Turning Center - Vodka Sour
Groupies - LP Excerpt
Sam Woodyard & Jimmy Johnson w/The Duke Ellington Orch. - Dual Fuel (pt 1,2 & 3)
Coleman Hawkins - You're Blase
Ennio Morricone - Amore Come Dolore (Needs Remix)
Sarah Vaughan - The Smiling Hour
Miles Davis - Lament
Jeffrecloose - Romantic Remedy
Nuyorican Soul - The Nervous Track (U.N. Mix)
Diabolic Man - Diabolic Man

Archive Streaming Links:
Restless Funk 02/11/11 Part One
Restless Funk 02/11/11 Part Two

Restless Funk is a radio show that is broadcast live at www.camfm.co.uk and 97.2FM every Wednesday night from 8-10pm GMT