Where's your head at?

"Don't wanna be like you-ou-ou"

We watched this movie last night. This trailer makes it look like a run-of-the-mill hollywood thriller. It is anything but - one of the most bleak, horrific, depressing and beautiful movies I've seen - utterly gripping. I highly recommend you drop what you're doing and go watch it.

looky here

http://souleyes.tumblr.com/

http://www.nilskock.com/

Aunty Beeb.

Just lately the BBC has been good to us, first there was the paradise garage series, as covered by Matt in a previous post. Just last week there were a few gems that you may have missed.

Here is Jeremy Dellar (http://www.jeremydeller.org/) standing in for Jarvis Cocker on 6Music-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b013ds0c/Jarvis_Cockers_Sunday_Service_Jeremy_Deller_sits_in/

Then there was Peter Hook chatting to John Cooper Clarke on Radio4-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0132pv7/Chain_Reaction_Series_7_Peter_Hook_Interviews_John_Cooper_Clarke/

and then Radio2 spoil us with their Summer Of Soul series with documentaries on Donny Hathaway-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b0134sps/ 

and Curtis Mayfield-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b0134ymw/

x

Happy birthday

Larry Levan, by Keith Haring





Larry Levan alledgedly completed Walter Gibbons remix of this huge hit for Instant Funk, another "Garage Classic"

July 20th. Larry Levan's birthday. Larry was the DJ at the Paradise Garage, the nightclub that took the aesthetics and ideals of David Mancuso's loft party to the masses in New York City. Radio 6 is celebrating this with a series of documentaries culminating in the re-broadcast of a recording of the 2nd anniversary party at the Garage (it was open for 10 years). Listen again here:  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012p7tx

Larry Levan's production outfit, The NYC Peech Boys produced this anthemic song heavily influenced by dub, disco and electronics, custom made for the insane Paradise Garage soundsystem




Larry Levan mixed this killer Taana Gardner cut for Mel Cheren's West End Records, a label closely associated to the Paradise Garage as Mel's boyfriend Michael Brody was the Garage's owner and Mel had also invested heavily into the venture - a labour of love 

 Larry Levan died November 8 1992

weakEND

Floating my boat, these releases hit me hard...

http://mp3.juno.co.uk/MP3/SF416241-01-02-01.mp3

http://mp3.juno.co.uk/MP3/SF429955-01-01-01.mp3

http://www.juno.co.uk/products/flash-your-lights-the-music-of-the-electrifying-mojo/429966-01/

EXSE

If anyone's going to the Latitude festival this weekend, you could do worse than visit Mr Scruff's Tea Tent, where Village Idiot Mr Barlow will be playing some records (and drinking some beer) on Scruff's behalf...


Details here:

http://www.mrscruff.com/showscreen.php?site_id=9&screentype=site&screenid=9&newsaction=showitem&newsid=5130&dc=6&sn=News

Fighting back

Monday's two tips to start the week:

1). Phil Musra. On Saturday we stroked our beards and listened to Jazz.



2).

http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Feel-Recordings/191236470906650

 It's Locussolus album launch day. Check the fun with International Feel on facebook

3). Bonus tip for the village heads; check out Zhonghua traditional snacks, 13 Norfolk Street (next to CB2 cafe) for some real good home-cooked chinese fare. L says she's not seen steamed filled bread much outside of China. The red bean paste cake looked good, as did the chinese chiffon cake. I had shredded chicken noodle soup, L had egg & tomato noodles with prawn dumplings. Eat in for best results :-)

Steamed bread

Spouting

Three new records which to me are just fabulous. Dance music with energy and musicianship, not simply going through the motions and trying to make something that fits a mould (although you can certainly hear the influences), but also euphoric and intelligent from producers that have developed and learned how to make music rather than plodding chord changes with timestreched samples. It's disco for the new generation and it's approaching a depth not attained since the full orchestra's of the seventies in my opinion. One original, one remix and one edit - these guys really are at the top of their game and it shows:

Rub N Tug - Scanners (Live Edit)

Harvey Presents Locussolus - I Want It (Lindstrom & Prins Thomas Remix)

M.L. Booster - D___S House Moods

The Rub N Tug record was recorded back in 2008, by Thomas Bullock (ex Disco Village) and Eric Duncan (aka Dr Dunks also of Still Going) and a host of live musicians. An album is expected to follow shortly. Cock rock for the dirty dancefloor.

The Harvey record is the first new work from nordic heroes Lindstrom & Prins Thomas for a long time. The Locussolus album has finally arrived this week and it's ace, it goes without saying - however nothing really prepared me for this remix. I'd not heard anything about it and as soon as the needle hit the record I was bouncing around with excitement - what a brilliant, fun, crazy peaktime anthem!

The Who Knows record is an edit by Kenji Takimi of Crue-L records (Japan). The original track is called 'Doomsday' by Danny Darrow, a lounge singer known for Sinatra covers and christmas songs. Kenji is a legend, straight up, who isn't afraid of the weird side of music - check the Crue-L back catalogue for some insane A&R...

2 togo

Two heads up to start the week;

#1. Chitown BITD - Interview with an originator:


http://www.gridface.com/features/michael-ezebukwu.html


#2. When Sarcastic gives you a heads up, it's gonna be interesting:





#3. Bonus tip for the Village heads:


The Jolly Scholar - used to be known as The Bunn Shop, on King Street, now a nice new restaurant. Check the Seafood Platter starter (fresh crab, whitebait, mackeral pate, homemade calamari), and also give the house white a go - suprisingly cute and fresh spanish!

10 for the win

This month, we're loving:

1). Tony Humphries live @ Zanzibar courtesy of Mark Seven at www.juswax.com

http://www.juswax.com/juswax/boombox.asp?clipid=Hump191086Tape1SideA&length=2935

http://www.juswax.com/juswax/boombox.asp?clipid=Hump191086Tape1SideB&length=2925



2). Oki-Ni presents "Truth" by Dam Funk:

oki-ni presents TRUTH by DaM-FunK by oki-ni


3). Walter Gibbons SINGING on this one off acetate cut in his living room:

If you ask nicely I'll do you a nice low quality MPFree! ;-p

4). Another new collection of unreleased acid & jack trax from 80's Chicago courtesy of Mr Gene Hunt (the "I don't know" cut by Steve 'Silk' Hurley currently rocking down the D-V)

5). Tom Noble's "Superior Elevation" record label goes from strength to strength with finished copies of it's second release, big disco tip!

6). 2WK Sarc & Bassett - Still Dreamin'

The 'original' duke of Cambridge...!

7). Monsieur Mudd, you're just spoiling us... Claremont absolutely KILLING it!  The hype around "Birds" was big - the track actually lives up to it, amazing, amazing groovy soft rock balearic psyche!

www.claremont56.com

Torn Sail - Birds 12"

Holger Czukay - Hey Baba Rebop 7"

Almunia - New Moon LP

8). Andrew Morgan of Earcave (www.earcave.com) and People's Potential Unlimited (www.peoplespotential.com) keeping up the release pressure:

Ultimate Choice - Get It Up 12"

The X-Man - That Body

9). Still, gotta keep things fresh - brand new original material - awesome electro-dub vibes all round:

Publicist - Keep it off the record 12"

Freekwency - Don't Tell Me 12"

10). Keeping it even, Steven. New Secret Circuit Cosmic Cassette Action! The 2nd hour long Secret Circuit tape. Cosmic disco, endless and seamlessly mixed. This one's got a little bit of a darker undercurrent than Cosmic Capers. Deep layers of mind melt. 150 pressed.

Get it at www.teenageteardrops.com

the finger

http://fingermag.com/

Issue 7 forthcoming...

Play it again...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Party-Every-Day-Casablanca-Records/dp/0879309822

The true, behind-the-scenes story of Casablanca Records, from an eyewitness to the excess and insanity. Casablanca was not a product of the 1970s, it was the 1970s. From 1974 to 1980, the landscape of American culture was a banquet of hedonism and self-indulgence, and no person or company in that era of narcissism and druggy gluttony was more emblematic of the times than Casablanca Records and its magnetic founder, Neil Bogart. "And Party Every Day" is a frontline look at the record label that exploded onto the 1970s music scene, rising faster, burning brighter, and crashing in a more spectacular fashion than any other label in history. From Bogart's daring first signing, the positively pyrotechnic "Kiss", through the discovery and superstardom of Donna Summer and the Village People - not to mention extraterrestrial funk master George Clinton and his circus of freaks, Parliament Funkadelic - to the descent into the manic world of disco and its attendant vices, this book charts Bogart's meteoric success and eventual collapse under the weight of uncontrolled ego and hype. A compelling tale of ambition, greed, excess, and some of the era's most biggest music acts. Written with great candour and humour by Larry Harris, Casablanca's co-founder and former senior vice president and managing director, "And Party Every Day" is the only definitive and firsthand look at Casablanca's remarkable story, and a breathtaking view of that great American era of extravagance. It includes dozens of never-before-seen photos and a complete discography.

Feeling High

Feeling:

Trinita - High Feeling

Automagic - Smoking It

Unknown - Groove City (Francois Kevorkian Acetate edit)

Godsy - My Snow Does Not Melt

Odu Afrobeat Orchestra - Revenge of the One-Eyed Hyena

Cambridge '82

Irie!

Following on from the quite strange "Rastamouse" cartoon from the BBC, a new hero has emerged from the depths of comic legend:



More info:

http://www.ziggymarley.com/marijuanaman.php

What's for dinner?

I watched two films at the weekend. One was "The Social Network" - it was pretty shit. The other was "Cous Cous" - it was pretty good. The characters were great, the extended family scenes were beautifully "real", the story was moving and full of hope. I thought the editing could have been more dynamic, especially towards the end, but I'd still thoroughly recommend this movie over much of the disposable hollywood tripe that graces the multiplexes:

 

http://www.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK//video/screenplay/vi2246575641/

 

 

Into the milky way

New Yorkers might wanna check the following gig:

Sagittarius A-Star is the new label from the Qbico stable. Highly recommended, free, outthere, true, honest, live and forward thinking music, the "real deal" as they say. From Sun Ra to Fela and beyond, if you want some heavy, heavy, HEAVY raw sounds I suggest you investigate further...



http://www.sensationalxhols.org/sagittarius_a/page_one.htm

Afrodelica

Heads up, essential afro reissue alert! K Frimpong and his Cubano Fiestas is a bit of a mouthful, and the track titles even more so, but on my music radar I've been hearing bits for a long time from this masterful artist. There are two albums from Mr Frimpong, and the first has been lovinly reissued by Continental Records.

Highly recommended afro dancefloor psychedelia, a gorgeous combination of afrobeat and hi-life, the 1st track on the 4 track album absolutely slays me every time. Non-vinyl heads rejoice, I'm not leaving you behind this time as the 1st track off this glorious album is also available on a CD compilation from the wicked Soundway records (check their entire catalogue for all things afro):

Not only does Ghana Soundz contain the massive K Frimpong track, but also contains the Chez Le Funk afro-disco anthem "Bukom Mashie" - bonus! Buy here: http://www.juno.co.uk/ppps/products/106651-02.htm

Box Fresh

The Virgo Four box set mentioned in the mix post below is available for pre-order from Rush Hour here:

http://www.rushhour.nl/store_detailed.php?item=58134

The Ashford & Simpson box set containing all the 12" versions of their greatest dancefloor moments, many played at the loft and the gallery and the paradise garage nightclubs to name but a few is currently going for a song (5xLP's for only £16!!!!!) in many record shops:

http://www.piccadillyrecords.com/products/AshfordSimpson-TheWarnerBrosYearsThe12Collection-Rhino-60134.html

H.O.U.S.E.

Virgo Four - Legowelt Ressurection Megamix by rushhourrecords

Danny Wolfers (Legowelt) throws up a promo mix of unreleased Virgo Four material about to be unleashed on an unsuspecting public by those lovely people over at Rushhour records in Holland (http://www.rushhour.nl)

Watch out for Danny's remix of the underground chicago anthem from Superlife - Go Banana's, on the beloved People's Potential Unlimited record label...