On Friday I was both upset and shocked to hear that founding member and bass player of The Beastie Boys, Adam Yauch aka MCA had finally lost his battle with cancer. He was such a great talent. Not only the music he created as one of the original Beastie boys but also the films and videos he produced.
In 1986 The Beastie Boys burst onto the scene with their hip hop / rock crossover hit single, (You Gotta) Fight For The Right (To Party). At the time they were seen by many as a novelty band. Three white kids hit the UK as part of the Def Jam tour with the tabloid press writing column inches of bad behaviour and a rock n roll attitude. The debut album, Licensed To Ill followed. But with no follow-up hit single, the press moved on to other things, and the Beastie Boys slipped quietly out of the spotlight.
‘(You Gotta) Fight For The Right (To Party)’ from License To Ill
By 1989, they had left New York and Rick Rubin’s Def Jam Records for Los Angeles and a major label deal with Capitol Records. They released their second album, Paul’s Boutique to critical acclaim and showed a maturity in their music. But it was not a commercial success and the label stopped promoting the album. Over the years, Paul’s Boutique has gained popularity and in 2003, the album was ranked number 156 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
‘Shake Your Rump’ from Paul’s Boutique
In 1992 Capitol Records released The Beastie Boys third studio album, Check Your Head including the singles, So Whatcha Want, Pass The Mic, Jimmy James and Gratitude. The album saw the band playing their own instruments for the first time on record since their early garage EPs; and in doing so successfully blended their hip hop and funk with their more edgy punk / thrash roots.
Ill communication epitomised several qualities that The Beastie Boys had above any other artist including their ability to produce a collection of tracks covering such varied genres as hip hop, rock, lounge and hardcore thrash. Unlike any other album I have heard, Ill Communication works perfectly with tracks like Sure Shot (hip hop), Heart Attack Man (hardcore punk), the lounge jazz of Root Down, and the awesome hard rock of Sabotage sitting comfortably and working together as a brilliant album that pulls you from pillar to post. Unlike other bands that are great at one genre and dabble in another (see The Clash for rock-styled reggae or Rage Against The Machine for heavy-rock flavoured rap) the Beasties are seriously good at every genre they play; and above all they appear to be having fun and never take themselves too seriously.
‘Sure Shot’ from Ill Communication
‘Heart Attack Man’ from Ill Communication
Hello Nasty was released in 1998 and won two Grammy Awards in 1999 for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Rap Performance for Intergalactic. The album received critical acclaim, included great singles Body Movin’ and Intergalactic and introduced DMC champion MixMaster Mike to the group’s line-up with the classic track, Three MC’s and One DJ.
‘Intergalactic’ from Hello Nasty
With To The 5 Boroughs The Beastie Boys paid homage to their beloved New York City. The album was released in 2004 and included the wonderful Ch-Check It Out but in all honesty, I thought it was nothing more ‘okay’ but not ground-breaking. That’s the problem when you raise the bar so high!
Below is a recording of The Beastie Boys appearing on the David Letterman Show performing Ch-Check It Out, singing live as they walk from the New York subway, along the streets and into the studio.
‘Ch-Check It Out’ from To The 5 Boroughs
The Beastie Boys eighth and regrettably last studio album, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, and was released in 2011. From it came the excellent single, Make Some Noise, complete with another brilliant and funny video brimming with cameo appearances and starring Elijah Wood, Seth Rogen, Danny McBride, Jack Black & Will Ferrell as The Beastie Boys themselves.
A 30-minute version of the video was written and directed by MCA and entitled Fight for Your Right Revisitedwas released the following day to commemorate the 25th anniversary of “You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!“
More than any other artist The Beastie Boys were able to merge a variety of styles by sampling the likes of Bad Brains, The Dead Boys, James Brown, Johnny Smith & Led Zeppelin among countless others, to produce a body of work that has often been copied but never equalled.
For anyone reading this who don’t quite get how good The Beastie Boys were, check this live show out from 1999; and for any budding young bands out there…. this is how to start a show!
Reggae legend Freddie McGregor and Dancehall king Frankie Paul head this year’s One Love Festival.
They will be joined by fellow Jamaican’s including Studio 1 falsetto singer Cornel Campbell, heavy dub and beats band Dub Syndicate, Jamaican singing combo Michigan and Smiley, Tapper Zukie, New Yorks’ finest – the Fun Lovin’ Criminals and son of a legend Gregory Isaacs, Kevin Issacs.
One Love Festival is one of the largest gatherings of Top Sound Systems gathered anywhere in the UK – including a first ever Saxon Sound System meets Coxsone Sound System all day collaboration.
Bands and PA’s over weekend include Macka B, Dawn Penn, Dennis Alcapone, Don Campbell, By The Rivers, Connie & Di Dem Man, Fowokan, Jah Warriors, Monkey Mafia, Over Proof Sound System, Rhythmites, Soothsayers, The Dualers, The Skints, Troy Ellis, Babyboom, Ragga Twins, Stylo G and Eccleton Jarrett.
The One Love Festival will include 4 stages, the largest Reggae Film Program ever shown in Europe, children’s and chill out area, food from around the world, fire eaters, percussion drum circles and burlesque dancers for fun packed weekend in the UK sun shine.
Free to Enter Competition to win One Love Festival Tickets
One Love has teamed up with Buzzin Media to offer 2 VIP AAA Guest Passes to mingle with the stars backstage and party in the hospitality area.
To enter just answer the following question:
What was the name of Bob Marley’s backing group?
a) the wailers
b) the wheelers
c) the king bees
Submit your entries to comps@buzzinmedia.co.uk with the subject line: ‘One Love Comp’ (other subject lines will not be entered) with your full name, address & contact number.
This competition ends on 30th June 2012.
The editor will randomly choose one winner from the correct answers. The editor’s choice is final.
One Love Festival
10th – 12th August 2012 The UK’s No.1 Reggae / Dub Festival
The Hop Farm
Paddock Woods
Kent
TN12 6PY
No-one could accurately accuse Evans the Death of overdoing things. The new darlings of the indie-pop world have just released their debut album and the twelve tracks rattle through in under half an hour. This is entirely in keeping with the precendent they set with their first single last year; the excellent ‘Threads‘ putting its hat and coat on and heading back out into the night air in a mojo over two minutes. It’s probably worth mentioning that of those one-hundred and twenty-odd seconds, the first fifteen and the last ten are feedback intro/outro. Definitely a case of quality over quantity. And none the worse for it either.
The aforementioned ‘Threads‘ is included on this album, cunningly titled ‘Evans the Death‘, to avoid confusion no doubt, as is another single ‘Telling Lies‘, the two of them among the standout tracks. Not that the rest of it is filler – far from it.
If you are new to the charms of Evans the Death (or simply ‘Evans’, as I like to think we might be able to call them, now the awkward introductions are out of the way), the first thing you’re likely to pick up on is Katherine Whittacker’s voice. She doesn’t sound like your average indie-pop singer if, heaven forbid, such a beast actually existed. She reminds me of many different vocalists: initially I thought of Siouxsie Sioux but later could hear healthy doses of Morrissey with more than a touch of Debbie Harry in places. Definitey different and always interesting.
Album opener ‘Bo Diddley‘ bounces along with as much energy and enthusiasm as you’d expect any song with that title to do. It reminds me of early-Strokes, when they were as young and fresh sounding as Evans currently are.
‘Catch your cold‘ kicks off sounding for all the world like an early Clash song, although I don’t remember the Clash being afraid of public transport officials.
‘Sleeping song‘ has been around for a while but is re-recorded here, sounding cleaner than previously. How can you not warm to a band that sing about missing a bus?
‘Telling lies’ is one of the most instantly accessible tracks. More than a nod to Blondie, and includes the seemingly mandatory Mascis-esque solo, this is just a fabulous pop record. It really deserves to be heard and adored by a much wider audience than it inevitably will. But then again, how many records through history can you say the same thing about? It’d make a good compliation album in five-hundred parts. Absolutely top-notch and if you only want a sample of life in an Evans world, this is the one to pick.
‘Morning Voice‘ is the longest track, taking an ELP-challenging 3.43 to do its thing. Starting off with guitar and voice in 3/4 time, with noisier interludes, it sounds the most like the Smiths of them all. Another great track.
There’s more than a touch of irony about ‘A small child‘. When people the age of this lot start moaning about the younger generation, there’s little hope for the rest of us. It has really good VU-style drum thumping and some very pleasant guitar work, seemingly signed on loan from Paul Rains.
As said before, but I’ll say it again ‘Threads‘ is just great. Fizzing and spitting along, sounding for all the world like Siouxsie backed by Wire wanting to be the Buzzcocks, it’s absolutely scratchy-guitar glorious and makes me give thanks for the day the ‘repeat’ button was invented.
I’ve had an mp3 of ‘I’m so unclean‘ for a fair while now and it’s never been more than a few days away from getting a play. This is a more grown-up version that still sounds like a magnificent heads-down thrash, although I still care for the rawer sound of the demo version an awful lot.
All in all, a cracking debut, capturing the energy of their live performances, and includes some great pop songs that make we want to leap about like a kid. It also leaves them with some interesting avenues to explore in future releases. I can’t wait. Highly recommended.
‘Evans the Death‘ is out now on Fortuna Pop! records.
Formed in Leicester in December 2010, Sebastian Twigden, Nicci Robertson, Edmund Grunill and Martin Brien create dark, to the heart, electro indie pop music. I Am In Love.
I Am In Love released a debut mini-album in May, across mainland Europe on Velocity Sounds Records and Rough Trade, which received coverage in a number of big European music magazines such as Intro, Rockstar, Musikexpress, Zillo and Orkus.
Live, I Am In Love is driven by soaring vocal melodies and entwined with harmonious synths, spiky guitar riffs and pulsating Bloc Party-esque drum motifs. I Am In Love, played over 50 shows and festivals in 2011, ramming venues from London to Berlin and winning over massive crowds at prestigious festivals such as Summer Sundae Weekender, Y Not, Kendal Calling and Munich Theatron. I am in Love are one of the most exciting bands in the country. Pulsating stares, lustful lunges and unruly shrieks are all part of the package. Space is compromised for a haven of lust and desire.
2012 has seen the band play rammed shows at 93 Feet East Old Blue Last as well as abroad in Austria and Switzerland, including supporting Phantogram in Lucerne Switzerland.
They return to the Old Blue Last to launch new single ‘Palm’ on 1st May.
I Am In Love are set to release digital download, Palm on Velocity Sounds on 1st June 2012
French Indie-folk duo Herman Dune returned to London to play at iconic nightclub and occasional gig venue Heaven. Regular gig goers will know that choosing a nightclub as a venue often means an early start and an early finish in order to accommodate the club’s main clientele for the night later on (on this occasion it was G-A-Y Porn Idol; on which I cannot report as I had to catch the last train.) So it was a 730pm start for support Act Allo Darlin’(of whom more later) and everything was done and dusted by just after 10.
Last time they were in town Herman Dune played the hallowed turf of the Union Chapel. As I recalled these hushed ecclesiastical environs rather suited them and their mournful folk-pop. They went down well with an attentive audience, packing the serried ranks of pews.
This time out it didn’t gel so well. Heaven is a dank succession of railway arches, perfect for a sweaty club but draughty and chilly and a bit lacking in atmosphere for an early evening gig. A somewhat restive audience seemed to never quite get into it although each song was greeted with warm if a bit unenthusiastic applause.
Latest album Strange Moosic is their most accessible and it was songs from this which provided the set’s highlights; the upbeat “Be a doll and take my heart”, “The rock”, and “Tell me something I don’t know” stood out for me”.
Everything was played with precision, in particular Nemon Herman Dune’s subtle and rhythmic drumming is ear catching and there is an obvious chemistry with the guitar of David-Ivar Herman Dune, tonight augmented by bass guitar.
An interesting, if not exhilarating set.
Earlier, Allo Darlin’ generated rather more excitement. Looking around, audience reaction suggested many people had showed up for the Anglo-Australian quartet and were evidently familiar with their eponymous debut album. If you haven’t heard it, it is well worth a listen – very much a cut above the indie tweecore run of the mill. Immediate and catchy, its highlights stood out tonight; “My heart is a drummer”, “Dreaming”, “The Polaroid song” and the brilliant “Silver dollars”.
Their set was built around showcasing new songs from soon to be released 2nd album “Europe” On first hearing, these seemed to lack the immediate infectious pop of the older material, but it sounded good and will I am sure repay repeated listening when the album comes out.
In singer Elizabeth Morris they have a songwriter and performer of genuine warmth and talent. She paid her respects to main act Herman Dune of whom she is clearly a fan. For me though, tonight Allo Darlin’” rather stole the show from the more established headliners.
They seem to be on the up, and, are headlining established indie festival Indietracks this summer.
