Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Ahmir talks mo meta


Via Okayplayer... "Last Monday Questlove turned up at the famous Soho Apple Store here in NYC to join his co-author Ben Greenman for an surprise “Meet The Author” talk and question/answer session structured around his new book Mo’ Meta Blues

Normally that would be worth a “oh that’s cool, what else is going on today” for those of us who were not able to attend in person – except that iTunes literary arm iBookstore has made a full audio podcast of the talk available for streaming..."

Fuemana filmed



Deepgrooves.co.nz has posted up some great footage of the late Phil Fuemana, out-takes from a video shoot for a Dei Hamo music video...

"This footage showing MR. PHILLIP FUEMANA doing backing vocal duties is actually from an early unreleased (might be the first) DEI HAMO clip which, from memory somehow came around the same time as the Papa Pacific / Wireless Studio deal. We don't have the original song, but it may be on a KIWI HITS DISC released in nineteen ninety six, which was when this was shot. From memory this was shot in ALBERT PARK. Note, what appears to be an early LOST TRIBE logo on the back of MR. JOHNNY SAGALA's jacket.
Anyway, it was nice to see Phil again. The music backing track (I LOVE YOU - Originally released as an acoustic track on the CLOSER single) was one of our favourite's and we were once working to remix and release as a Fuemana single ..... many years ago."

I wrote a piece on Phil Fuemana at Audioculture. Lots of great photos too. Take a look.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

DG is down with the APO



Check out DG's mad tune, and then go grab the free download. Go Westside! Officially released by the APO, the free download is 256kbit/s audio.

From APO: "DG’s ‘Down’ and ‘Everything’ by REVU$ featuring 2Phat and JEM are the result of a scholarship offered by an unlikely source: the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (APO).

DG (real name Danielle Peeni) and REVU$ (Bob Fa’atiga) were among 25 participants in the APO’s 2013 Remix the Orchestra programme, Remix Out West. The pair showed such ability that the orchestra offered them scholarships to create the professionally recorded singles with hip-hop producer – and Music Director of the Remix programme – Anonymouz (Matthew Faiumu Salapu).

A propulsive slice of old school hip-hop, ‘Down’ is notable not only for DG’s rapping but for the saxophone of gifted multi-instrumentalist and composer Yvette Audain.

REVU$’s ‘Everything’, meanwhile, has a loping Pasifika reggae beat and features a distinctive violin line played by APO Assistant Concertmaster Miranda Adams.Watch the video here.

“Classical instruments are often used as samples in hip-hop but this is different,” says Anonymouz. “What’s distinctive about these tracks is that they've been written from the ground up to incorporate hip-hop and orchestral elements.”

The tracks are both available to download for free from the Remix section of the APO website, apo.co.nz/remix. Each song has a video shot by talented director Corey Fleming of Arcpitch Films, and made with extensive creative input from DG and REVU$.

- Usually sited in Otara, 2013 is the first year Remix has gone to West Auckland. Since 2008, people involved with the APO Remix programme as mentors have included David Dallas, Dei Hamo, Tyree, Ermehn, King Kapisi, John Psathas and Jack Body.

Get fixed by Scalper



Rip-roaring second single from Scalper, off the forthcoming album The Emperor's Clothes. First single was Lullaby with Claire Duncan.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Ta-ku & Raashan Ahmad



"Raashan Ahmad was on a euro tour some weeks ago and during his stop in Berlin we were talking music over dinner.

I told Raashan that we are about to release an album with Ta-ku (which has happened in the meantime, check out the "DOWHATYOULOVE" album) and he asked me whether I knew that he recorded a full album with him some time ago during his last Australian tour. No, I didn't know that and getting my hand on the album turned out to be not too easy as it couldn't be located for quite a while.

In the end Raashan found it on an old hard drive and I was a fan of the album instantly. It's raw hip hop in the truest sense..."

Digging 45s



I went digging at Real Groovy at the weekend, they've recently got in a shipment of 30,000 45s in from Amoeba Records (mostly country 45s).

Saw another DJ mate there digging, and as he'd been thru them once already, he kindly pulled a bunch of tunes out to pass on to me (ones he'd already scored). That Vogues one above he hipped me to is fantastic! Shot, Kris -thank you.

Other scores: Brenton Wood - Some Got It, Some Don't / Markeys - Last night / The Kingsmen - Louie louie / Elvis Presley - Hound dog / The Magnificents - Up On The Mountain  b/w The Eldorados - At My Front Door (Crazy Little Mama) / Bill Doggett - Honky tonk... and this song, Who Says Honky's Aint Got Soul. Which is both hilariously naff and hilariously good.





Plus a couple of sweet 80s jams, from Skyy and Taka Boom...






and this great reggae gem from Mr Johnny Nash... Did I mention these 45s all cost $3 each?


Saturday, July 27, 2013

Ring The Alarm playlist, July 27



Chicago gangsters - Gangster boogie
Adrian Younge w Delfonics - Enemies - DJ Rhettmatic mix
Jurassic 5 - Red hot
Wood brass and steel - Funkanova
Rose royce - Put your money where your mouth is
Sly and the Family Stone - Same thing makes you laugh, makes you cry
Aural exciters - Emile (night rate)
Brian Eno - No one recieving
Che Fu - Misty frequencies - Submariner remix feat Danny D
Upper Hutt Posse - No worries in the party tonight
 Augustus Pablo - Up Warrika Hill
Prince Jammy - BQE dub
Lee Scratch Perry - Jungle youth - Congo Natty remix
Pepe Braddock - Peer pressure
Quantic - Mas pan - DJ Day remix
Pointer sisters - Send him back
Wendy Rene - Bar B Q
Ella Fitzgerald - Get ready
Esther Phillips - Catch me I'm falling
Joanie Sommers - Don't pity me
James Brown - There was a time - Kenny Dope remix
Idris Muhammad - Superbad
Nightmares on wax - What I'm feelin - Rae & Christian remix
Ballistic brothers - Peckings
Yush 2k - Fade away
Conroy Smith - Original sound
Congo Natty feat Top Cat - Champion DJ
Silent poets - Shalom - Mad Professor remix
Shantel - Bucovina

Friday, July 26, 2013

Another brother



King Britt and co are doing something very cool to John Sayles' 1984 film The Brother From Another Planet.

"The Brother From Another Planet (re-contextualized) is a concept idea to provide a more abstract view of the cult classic. Using advanced visual remixing techniques, we intend to deconstruct the viewpoint into a more freeform storyline, which the audience can interpret in their way.

Jason Senk will drive the visuals. Simultaneously, Afrofuture instrumentalists, King Britt, Damon Bennett, Anthony Tidd and Marlo Reynolds, will improvise a live score, while the visuals are deconstructed, allowing for a very open and spacious sonic environment.

Using a combination of analog and digital electronic instruments to build the musical palette. This is an in the moment experience and will only happen once. 100% improvised and free from construct."

Happening at The Black Star Film Festival in Philly, August 2. Watch the original trailer below....


Thursday, July 25, 2013

Rachel n Clyde

Two funky beat reworks for Dutch producer Stay Classy: Rachel Sweet, and James Brown - Funky drummer, featuring the magnificent Mr Clyde Stubblefield.Go to Soundcloud and search for Therapy chop 126 to find more on the same tip.



Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Chop chop!


The artist formerly known as Mr Chop drops his brand new album, Illuminate, thru Now Again on August 13.

His debut came out back in 2009: For Pete's Sake was a great, synth heavy, dirty reworking of the music of Pete Rock. Since then he's released several EPs and a few more albums, including 2011's Switched On, which featured funky, Moog-driven covers of Giving up food for funk, Blow your head, Greedy G, and Can's Vitamin C amongst others. 


Free download at Now Again (MP3 link): Chop “Building Blocks”


Via The Quietus: "In advance of the album's release, he's recorded an exclusive mix [for The Quietus] that offers some sonic co-ordinates to help plot the album's course, taking the listener on a jagged journey all the way from Broadcast to the uneasy thrum of Suicide, kosmische flavours from Popol Vuh and Cluster, Alexander Robotnik and many more. You can listen to it via the embed below...



"Illuminate finds Littler further plumbing the sort of depths that this mix hints towards. He runs the Cheshire-based Ape Recording Studios, packed with analogue and vintage synthesisers plus a host of other gear, and for the album - which first began taking shape not long after the release of his first EP - he ensconced himself within the studio across the course of three years ... The resulting album riffs on jazz, cosmic synth music and the futurist impulses of early Detroit techno (especially in his near-maniacal, robotic vocal barks), among many other things."

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Walls



Another rare local video has turned up on the Deepgrooves website... debut single from 1995 by Ermehn, featuring Fieldstyle Orator, akaTha Feelstyle... absolutely wicked track. You can now buy it off iTunes too, recently reissued.




Monday, July 22, 2013

Tosca remixed



After the release of their 6th LP Odeon this past February on !K7 Records, Tosca continues the tradition of seeing their work reshaped with Tlapa - The Odeon Remixes. The duo teams up with Beatport for a remix competition for their track "Looking." More info below.

Richard Dorfmeister says  "It's again a pleasure to release the new TOSCA remixes - as always I try to bring in producers I respect to expand the musical vision of the original tracks.

Due to my DJ appearances I am in a process of constant musical research so I love to approach artists I find interesting style-wise. Luckily all the mixes turned out to be brilliant! Another fine step in Tosca history."

Tracklist:
01. BONJOUR (beat pharmacy escape)
02. MEIXNER (LTJ xperience rmx)
03. IN MY BRAIN PRINZ EUGEN (richard dorfmeister vs madrid de los austrias)
04. BONJOUR (brendon moeller reshape)
05. HEATWAVE (rodney hunter bounce-a-thon version)
06. JOHNNY WATERS (silver city remix)
07. ENDE MAI (joyce muniz remix)
08. STUTTGART (marlow & trĂĽby refix)
09. CAVALLO (AFG version)
10. JAYJAY (sephane lefrancois version)
11. JAYJAY (makossa.megablast 80ies remake)

Check out the Beatport remix competition for a chance to get your remix on an exclusive EP, alongside some other great prizes. Richard Dorfmeister and Rupert Huber have offered up the parts to "Looking," one of the album's bonus tracks, for the Play community to try their hand at remixing. Make sure to upload your submission by July 22 - more info & to enter, go here: btprt.dj/14MrrQv

Tosca - Tlapa: The Odeon Remixes. Out August 20th, !K7

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Ring The Alarm playlist, July 20

Primal scream - Higher than the sun - The Orb remix
St Etienne - Only love can break your heart
Celestial choir - Stand by the word
Patea Maori Club - Poi-E - Peter Mac disco drums edit (download)
Doug Shorts - Don't sleep on my love
Dennis Edwards - Don't look any further - Bobby Busnach edit
Tosca - Bonjour - Beat Pharmacy escape remix
International observer - London dub
Keith Lawrence feat Rodney P - Style and fashion
Morwell Unlimited meets King Tubby - Morpheus special - Kid Loco remix
Chaka Demus and Pliers - Murder she wrote
Serge Gainsbourg - Aux armes et caetera
Cutty Ranks - The stopper
Graham central station - Do yah
John Davis monster orchestra - Holler
Omar - Bully
Ghostface Killah and Adrian Younge - Blood on the cobblestones instrumental
Chop - Building blocks
Lee Oskar - Haunted house
Small professor - James Brown
Kenny Dope presents Mad Racket -Supa
Shoes - El Bantu - Shoes edit
James Brown - Give it up or turn it loose - Fantasista re-formation
Inner city -  Good life - Way out west remix
Ragga twins - 18" speakers
Lightning head - Area boy



Friday, July 19, 2013

Sandwiches closing

Wellington venue Sandwiches is closing down amid major concerns over earthquake strengthening, reports Stuff. Twelve staff are affected by the closure of Sandwiches and associated restaurant Pickle, happening August 3.

"... Owner Bryce Mason said he had been in discussions with both the landlord and Wellington City Council over the last few months, but in recent weeks it became clear the building needed "major" work.

"It's going to need four to six months worth of work and it would just be impossible to continue trading during that. We looked at a scenario where they could fix Sandwiches, then Pickle, but it just wouldn't work."

... The impending changes to Wellington's alcohol laws also complicated the situation, with bars likely to face mandatory 4am closures over the summer once the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act changes come into play.

Until Wellington develops a local alcohol policy, bars will be forced to comply with the default closing hours set by central government. "It's not viable for Sandwiches to close for six months then reappear again," Mason said.

"The 4am closure from December means there isn't a positive scene to come back to anyway. It's not a pretty picture at the moment."

ADDED: I've been told Sandwiches was on the wrong side of the road for a new proposed 'golden licencing area' in Welllington. So was going to run into problems with that soon enough.

From the Dominion Post "... The [Wellington City Council's] draft policy originally included different on-licence hours within two "entertainment precincts", in Courtenay Place and Cuba St, which could trade from 7am to 3am, or 5am for "best- practice" premises. Other inner- city bars would be restricted to 7am to 2am, or 3am for best- practice ones.

Instead, councillors voted for one wider "entertainment precinct", taking in areas between Courtenay Place and Cuba St. Currently, the latest bars close about 6am..."

The new policy is due to take effect on later this year.  "Under law changes to take effect on December 18, the default position for opening hours throughout the country will be 7am to 11pm for off-licences and 8am to 4am for on-licences. But councils can introduce their own local alcohol policies setting variations on those hours...."

Maulawi Nururdin

Via the excellent blog Fleamarket Funk, this label is reissuing some fascinating stuff - read on, plus free DL too.

"If you haven’t been following Amir Abdullah's [of renowned duo Kon &Amir] label 180 Proof, well you are missing out. He has been reissuing music from the great Strata record label out of Detroit. His first few releases including Kenny Cox, Larry Nozero, and Sam Sanders will soon be joined by Maulawi. 180 Proof has just teamed up with Slice Of Spice Records and put up a free, unreleased track that will be featured on the 180 gram, remastered, double LP due out later this year.

If you have no idea who Maulawi Nururdin is, his S/T Maulawi LP Spiritual Jazz record is highly sought after by collectors and beat heads alike. Maulawi, a Chicago multi-instrumentalist, gathered a group of musicians to put out this gem, which died a quick death shortly after its fuzzy, funky, and deep release. A soundtrack to the times and tribute to what was going on at that moment (plus a great John Coltrane cover deconstructed), this is a record you should at least hear once. Let’s move forward though.

180 Proof have unearthed some unreleased music from the shelved Maulawi’s Orotund record and have given us a sneak preview of the official release that will come out later this year. The unreleased track is an upbeat piece of Jazz, with Maulawi keeping pace with the band feverishly on sax that is equal Sun Ra and Chicago Blues influenced Jazz..."




Amir tracked down the widow of the former label owner of Strata, and she still had all the master tapes.... from an interview with Amir for Vice...

Amir: "...Around late 2010, Scion decided to make the ScionIQ Museum, and they asked me and a few other people to submit a proposal on an exhibit based on lost youth culture from the past. I submitted an exhibit on Strata. They accepted, and now I have a Strata Records exhibit in this museum online. Throughout that whole research, they paid me to go to Detroit. When I went to Detroit, I found the actual owner, Barbara Cox. Her husband was the owner, but he passed away in 2008 and so everything was willed to her."

How do you go about bringing these master tapes back to life?
"I have a guy that I use at Wax Poetics. They said this guy Alex Abrash is the best, and turns out he was the best. We both no longer work for the Wax Poetics so I brought him along. He has every reel to reel machine you can think of in his house. He's bought them online or had them from years ago. He actually built a lot of them and added stuff to them. He's all this expensive equipment to be able to transfer directly from the analog tapes to digital and then master from there. That's really 75% of the battle right there.."

Trivia: John Lennon donated a portable recording studio and a Hammond B3 organ to the Strata collective.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

H.A.P.P.Y radio



I found this on vinyl for $2 in Real Groovy, took it home and really dug the percussion elements, so I did this edit, below, pulling them together. There is a lot of cowbell.

This song is originally credited as being 'A Special Mix by Rick Gianatos', differing from the album version. And then I found Mr Starr's cool-as video. Enjoy.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

UMO aren't troubled



Via Pretty Much Amazing, Unknown Mortal Orchestra get reworked/retwerked for this synth-heavy hiphop jam.

PMA say "Canadian producer Black Noi$e takes Unknown Mortal Orchestra‘s charming and sprightly “So Good At Being In Trouble” and runs it under a ton of anthem-worthy synth for two unlikely collaborators, Killer Mike and Mr. Muthaf##kin’ eXquire. The remix never quite shapes up to be the banger we hoped, but it’s always a pleasure to listen to Killer Mike lay it out."

HCB - Inner city life



Single out now on 7" vinyl/digital

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Vinyl is making a comeback #264

Rustic fruit crates containing vinyls. Photo: Sofi Donuts.
From East London Lines: "Vinyl making a comeback: Women open vinyl library"

"... The Vinyl Library is a place to share, experience and borrow second-hand records. Located in Stoke Newington, with a growing team of enthusiastic volunteers, a rapidly expanding catalogue and records donated from as far as Brazil, The Vinyl Library is set to become the first of its kind. But it is no trend; the concept is routed in the community and aimed at youngsters and well-worn enthusiasts alike.

The not-for-profit enterprise, set-up by mod librarians Sophie Austin, 29, and Elly Rendall, 27, relies on donations from members of the public. Anyone can join and get access by donating vinyl or paying a membership fee. “We want to create a sharing space for people to learn from one another by exploring vinyl”, says Austin and Rendall..."


At Torrance's P.M. Sounds, where owner Erving Johnson has the phrase "specializing in vinyl" emblazoned on his business card, records never truly went away.

He opened the doors of his modest Old Torrance storefront on Sartori Avenue in 1997, specializing in 1950s- and 1960s-era jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock, just as compact discs began to swamp the once flourishing vinyl industry....

..."A lot of younger kids are getting into vinyl," Johnson said. "I'm getting a lot of younger customers. Older customers are bringing in their kids, the kids getting into their parents' record collections and wanting to get into vinyl. I find that interesting because they've got downloads, everything is instant, but they come in and want vinyl."

P-Money breaks it down



P-Money demonstrates how he created the beat for "Break It Down ft Freddie Gibbs & Fashawn" from his album 'Gratitude' (out now) using Maschine by Native Instruments.

'Gratitude - The Instrumentals' is released this Friday.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Down by Laws



"Moving straight on from our recent anniversary project, we are back to our scheduled Jazz Jousters project, Upholding Laws. This time around we are complimenting the great works of Hubert Laws, who is known for excelling in various genres with amazing performances on the Flute and other instruments. 

With over forty years in the music industry, Laws’s archive is so vast that we narrowed it down to only working with his Jazz flute compositions. "

Name your price.

Younge / Delfonics /Rhettmatic



Recently got the Ghostface/Adrian Younge combo, and was doing some reading up on it. Found this via 2dopeboyz: "DJ Rhettmatic takes a stab at remixing Adrian Younge’s “Enemies” which appeared on the Adrian Younge Presents the Delfonics album (also was sampled for “Enemies” off the Adrian Younge x Ghostface: Twelve Reasons To Die)."

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Ring The Alarm playlist, July 13



Prince Charles and the city beat band - Jungle stomp
Chic - Open up (Nile Rodgers and Chic rumoured for Auckland show, Dec 2)
Issac Hayes - Juicy fruit
Myron and E with the Soul Investigators - Do it do it disco
Prince - La, la, la, he, he, hee
Roots Manuva -Witness dub
Junior Murvin - Philistines on the Land
The Upsetter - Bingo Kid
The Jamaicans - Ba ba boom
Horace Andy and Ranking Buckers - Them never tell I/Lie teacher gal
Roots radics - Love and understanding
Wayne McGhie and the sounds of joy - Cool it
The fun company - Zambezi
James Brown - Stone to the bone
Marva Whitney - I am what I am
Gene Dudley Group - Fontellas welcome
Bev Lee Harling - Why don't you do right - Colman Bros cha cha remix
Jose Feliciano - She's a woman
Willie Bobo - La descarga del bobo - MAW remix
Junkyard band - The word/sardines (segue)
Liquid crystal project - Tributre to Troy
Nona Hendryx - B-boys
Omar - I love being with you
Chic - I got protection

Friday, July 12, 2013

Disco demolition night, 1979



I recall reading a discussion on the message boards of UK DJ Norman Jay's website several years back. It talked about why some disco records from the late 70s were so rare. Norman Jay mentioned the widespread destruction of disco records that happened following the rise of anti-disco sentiment in the US around 1979, fueled by a large number of radio stations adopting this formula.

This led to events such as Chicago DJ Steve Dahl's infamous disco demolition night, held during a baseball game. It resulted in a riot that caused the rest of the baseball game to be called off.

See "Burn media burn". snip... "Was this a spontaneous act of anti-disco combustion, or part of a coordinated campaign? Echols points out that AOR's war on disco was no accident. Two radio consultants discovered that these strange jihads boosted listenership and station loyalty, even among listeners who were initially neutral about disco. After conducting some audience research, they managed to convince no less than sixty radio stations to "appeal to their base by launching anti-disco campaigns."

Previous post: Disco demolition (2004)

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Something. July 26



Best line of this vid goes to Hazbeats. Something new from YGB. Possibly. Out July 26.

ADDED some press blurb on the above...

"After countless nights slaving away in Little Timmy's pigs nest, the good people at Young Gifted and Broke have finally created something worth emailing you about.

A magazine.

A magazine with no pages, no publisher, no price and no Pebbles Hooper.
An interactive application for your iPhone and iPad that allows you to spend even more time neglecting your responsibilities and those close to you.

While you're on an intimate dinner date you can read the ramblings of drunks and the feeble minded. Instead of socialising with real people you actually care for, you can watch videos of shallow narcissists talking about themselves.

It's interactive so that you don't have to be.

If this sounds like something that interests you, come along to the release party Friday 26th of July to drink free beer and numb the screaming in your head. Featuring live music from @peace, Team Dynamite, Raiza Biza, Tourettes (spoken word), Third 3ye and The ARCADE sound system. Live art by Elliot Francis Stewart, Gasp, Brat, Graham Allen and Erin Forsyth. Live sex show TBC.

Method and Manners Gallery. 6 Upper Queen Street. Auckland City
Friday 26 July, 6pm

*Warning: There will be real people in ­attendance, some of them may even try and socialise with you but have no fear ­ on arrival you will receive the application free of charge and you can spend the rest of the night on your phone.

www.younggiftedandbroke.com

$ numbers

Audioculture's Simon Grigg and Murray Cammick

Broadcasting Minister Craig Foss put out a press release today trumpeting viewer numbers for NZ On Screen (over 1 million visits in the past year).

He also mentions that NZ On Air last month approved continued funding for NZ on Screen, Audioculture, and The Audience. "Audioculture was launched on 31 May 2013 and has had 78,808 page views."

Read the full release here: "More Kiwi content being viewed online"

P-Money, Radz n Talib

Kane Massey interviewed, 1993

The Deepgrooves logo, designed by Mark Tierney and John Pitcairn. The story behind the logo is here

Self Adhesive Labels: Getting It Out
By Emma Farry, NZ Herald, 8 Oct 1993; s.2 p.1,3   

At the age of 28, Kane Massey, of Auckland, owns his own magazine and his own record company, but he says neither business has made him a rich man.

The record company is the Deepgrooves label, which specialises in producing groove music ranging from hiphop to soul to instrumental jazz. The magazine is Stamp, the Auckland city give-away with a leaning towards the arts and music. The combination would seem like the perfect recipe for success.

Massey is the major shareholder in Deepgrooves so “What I say goes.” He uses his position to keep pushing the boundaries of what started as a small project back in late 1991.

“It was a mistake, really,” Massey says with a grin. “It seemed like a good idea at the time to start this label and it just got out of control and there was no way I could get out of it.”

Massey is banking on big success with Deepgrooves in the future. He is in the process of moving the label base to Sydney and hopes to have some kind of expansion deal in either Europe or the United States within the next two years.

He is adamant the move across the Tasman won’t be detrimental to the artists on the Deepgrooves label here. On the contrary, he aims to use the Australian base to take the artists to a bigger and more lucrative market.

Massey believes timing is what life is all about and he is sure that our Aussie neighbours are ready for what Deepgrooves has to offer.

“Australia is trying desperately to get away from this huge rock thing which seems about the only thing going on over there. But there are a lot of Pacific Islanders, especially Tongans, in Sydney and they’re starting to get into bands. It’s just starting out now so they haven’t had time to develop that strong groove music thing that we have in New Zealand.

“It was the same here about two or three years ago and then a whole subculture sprung up around Pacific-based groove and reggae music and what we produce now is really good.”

Deepgrooves was set up by Massey, Strawperson Mark Tierney and Bill Latimer. After a while, the three went their separate ways but the label remained. It was originally supposed to take advantage of the crossover between the alternative bands, a la Flying Nun, and the explosive dancehall, reggae and groove music.

“Back in the 80s, everything was very clear cut: the white alternative scene was the cool music to be listening to. But at the same time, the popularity of reggae music was growing. It was starting to move away from the Herbsie roots reggae into something more urban which became the ragamuffin and hiphop styles.’

Massey kept seeing the same people at the same places and thought he would try to bring together two very different musical groups.

“All of a sudden, the crossover started to happen. Bobbylon from an alternative white thrash band, the Hallelujah Picassos, suddenly found himself doing a good job of singing reggae… and the Headless Chickens changed from a hardcore alternative band to a pop dance band in the space of 12 months.”

Dance music became ‘cool’ very quickly and Deepgrooves was there to capitalise on an eager market. Since 1991, the label has released four albums and four singles, including two compilation albums and other by Nemesis Dub Systems who are now based in New York city.

Kane Massey with Kelly Ana Morey. Source: Audioculture

Massey is unwilling to reveal the identity of the three companies which have invested in Deepgrooves or exact sales figures, but he does say that the albums have sold “in the low thousands” and a couple of singles have hit the magic thousand mark.

Four new Deepgrooves releases show the label’s diversity. The first is from Colony, which Massey describes as a hardcore rap band, another is by Grace, three Samoan brothers who make Pacifican soul music; and the others come from Urban Disturbance, a popular Auckland hiphop group, and Freebass, a jazz band with an album recorded live at the central Auckland jazz club Cause Celebre.

Massey is proud of the diversity and hopes the move to Australia will take artists he believes are world class to a bigger market. Rastafarian reggae singer Jules Issa will be Deepgrooves’ “flagship artist” in Australia.

“From what I’ve seen over there, no one comes close to Jules in the reggae scene. She’s already made it big in Noumea, which has a large reggae market, and I’m sure she’ll have the success she deserves in Australia.”

A Deepgrooves devotee, Sonoma Message, was sent to Dame Edna country eight months ago to set things up and lay the foundations for the move. Before Message arrived, sales figures in Australia were lower than a rattlesnake’s belly; now they are looking a lot healthier, especially for non-charting records.

Massey is keen to emphasise that Deepgrooves is different from other independent record labels, because none of the groundwork is inhouse. The label has a deal with Festival Records, which distributes and produces all Deepgrooves releases, so unlike the others, Massey does not do the whole thing from his garage.

“We’re licenced to Festival and they do everything for us… at a cost. Deepgrooves is really more of an artist development label; we concentrate on getting the right material together for each of our artists and then marketing it, rather than spending our time dubbing tapes off DAT masters.”

Deepgrooves draws deeply from this country’s roots as a Pacific nation.

“We don’t even need to push the Pacifican thing because the music speaks for itself. The whole groove music scene has a lot of Pacific Island influence.”

One of the next Deepgrooves projects involves the South Auckland Samoan band Fuemana - a family affair with Phil Fuemana mixing the material at his own studio.

“Phil works with the Christian Mission in South Auckland, so he has all this great talent at his fingertips. We have an album coming out next year; Phil will collect all the talent and produce the album and some kids in South Auckland may get a big break.”

[NOTE: The original published version of this story refers to Chris Fuemana - I have corrected this to Phil Fuemana.]

Tuesday, July 09, 2013

Book reviews



Esteemed DJ/writer/record label boss Stinky Jim has reviewed my book on his blog, read on...

"Been meaning to spout something about this for a hot Sandringham minute, but it’s taken this long to get round to it. Full disclosure demands that I state that I consider Peter a mate, and sometimes colleague on the decks or typewriters or suchlike, and this tome has a couple of interviews/features with me and RTM associates, so – y’know unreliable witness! 

"However, as much as I have protested in the past that there really is no need for any more books on recent NZ music (and generally maintain so) I think Peter’s is well worthwhile, and the exception that just kind of proves that rule. Lots of interviews and features, decently written by someone who knows the score – what more could you wish for? The price is nice too, stupidly nice, follow the links and school up." 


A review of my book  from Grant Smithies, Music Editor, Sunday Star Times...

"In this collection of brief, insightful interviews with musicians, producers and DJs, many first published in magazines sadly now defunct, Peter McLennan has given us a valuable addition to the burgeoning shelfload of books examining contemporary NZ pop music.

A musician and DJ himself, the writer’s own ego and opinions are largely invisible; he is more interested in canvassing the views of his subjects than presenting his own, making the book feel more like oral history than critique.

Result? Calmly and in their own words, musicians tell us about their creative process and ponder the difficulties of getting your music heard in this little country of ours.

With a stylistically diverse range of performers and the earliest interviews carried out two decades ago, “I Believe You Are A Star” gives an overview of sounds, scenes and careers that have changed phenomenally since the original pieces were written.

Many of the musicians are interviewed at pivotal points in their working lives- some caught in the updraft, others trudging along a creative plateaux, a few in decline, two now dead - which makes for fascinating reading when the reader can fill in the gaps as to where these performers went next.

From noise rock to electronica, reggae to hiphop, te reo Maori music to chart pop, much ground is covered on McLennan’s magical mystery tour, and you’re only too happy to tag along for the ride."


And from Philip Matthews, in The Press/Dominion Post, Saturday July 6th...

"It's always good news when New Zealand rock music is taken seriously as cultural history rather than ephemera or commercial failure. Exhibit A: The excellent Audioculture website that launched in May. Exhibit B: Books such as this, which compiles magazine articles written by music journalist Peter McLennan between 1992 and 2003. 

The title is borrowed from Shayne Carter's first album as Dimmer, and McLennan's 2001 interview with Carter opens the book. It's a good way to set the scene for the pieces that follow, which are about the difficult business of making music in New Zealand as much as they are about the creative output. 

In the end, you do it for love not money, and the same idea might apply to publishing: several of the magazines that these stories appeared in have since hit the wall and McLennan's book was independently published in the same DIY spirit that informed much of the music."

You can buy the book at Conch Records, Real Groovy (Akl), Slowboat Records, RPM Music (Wgtn) and online from Amazon.com, and also on Kindle here.

Drummer boy



Lole, Johnny Sagala (later of Lost Tribe) and Ermehn collaborate on a tune produced by Phil Fuemana, for Papa Pacific Records. Lole got picked up by Deepgrooves when Papa Pacific folded, and apparently recorded an album's worth of material with John Oz (Freaker) for the label. More on this track at deepgrooves site.

Info from the Deepgrooves site, dated July 6 2013 (site now deleted)

"LOLE, Johnny and Ermehn front this MR. PHILLIP FUEMANA produced track, probably from 1994. This was originally part of the Pap Pscific Label co-founded by Deepgrooves co-founder MR. MARK TIERNEY. When Kaiun Digital purchased STRAWPEOPLE'S Wireless Studios (Based in Mr. Massey's old 228 Studio apartment, which in turn became the Stamp Offices then Wireless Studios), one of the conditions (Mr. Tierney loved doing these deals and we loved him for it) was that Deepgrooves would need to complete, release and distribute a number of uncompleted Papa Pacific projects.

ERMEHN was already on Deepgrooves, and from memory the incredibly talented Sagala brothers were very accommodating, too nice really. We were struggling to cope with the volume of artists we were already working, but we stuck to the arrangement and completed the Lole project and video and released it. We weren't asked to sign any of the artists to furture recording deals nor did we, we simply assumed control of the various half completed projects and completed those for the artists that wanted to be released. 

Although it should be noted, we did match up Lole with the talented Mr. John Oz (KIA KOE album live musical coordinator) and together they did produce an albums worth of material, in varying degrees of completion. In some boxes from this deal we have recently found a MR. SANI SAGALA (Now a multidisciplined megastar) single and video that he worked on in the mid nineties, not released to our knowledge. From memory MR. JOHNNY SAGALA had a single ready to go as well, but we think he went solo with that and in this video you can see what an absolutely dynamic artist and performer he is. The man's amazing.

We would (sort of) work with MR. JOHNNY SAGALA again, when MR. PHILLIP FUEMANA recorded and produced the PIONEERS OF A PASIFICAN FRONTIER at Kaiun Digital. From memory I think we even edited the LOST TRIBES - "SUMMER IN THE WINTER" video.

NB: The internal scenes in the video were shot in the old 228 Queen Street Studio."

Monday, July 08, 2013

Chic live in NZ, Dec 2



NZ Herald's Russell Baillie posted on Twitter on Friday that "Nile Rodgers reportedly to play in Auckland on December 2. venue tbc". Nile Rodgers' website (under upcoming events) confirms a listing for a show on December 2 in Auckland, followed by Australian dates, incl Sydney, New Zealand. Hang on....

Oh, and if you watch the above clip closely, you'll spot Kiwi promoter John Baker dancing side of stage (at 2.43 and other spots).

UPDATED 3 Sept 2013 - oh stink - Nile Rodgers rumoured Akld date has dropped off his website events, hes playing India instead nilerodgers.com/events-list

Saturday, July 06, 2013

Ring The Alarm playlist, July 6



Grover Washington Jr - Inner city blues
Brass roots - Good life
Oscar Brown Jr - Brother where are you?
Vance and Suzzanne  - I can't get along without you - MonkOne dub edit
Ballistic bros -Movin on - MAW Nu Yorican soul mix
Fat Freddys Drop - Never moving
Collen and Webb - Golden
Silva and Reality Chant - We see them (You've been bad riddim)
Errol Dunkley, Daddy Freddy and Reality Chant - You've been bad (You've been bad riddim)
Manasseh meets the Equaliser - Pepper dub
Bob Marley - Mr Brown
Tappa Zukie - Freak
Esso Trinidad steel band - I want you back
Count Basie and his orchestra - Mercy mercy baby
Ahmad Jamal - Pablo sierra
James Blood Ulmer - Are you glad to be in America?
Roy Ayers - Baby doll
Ray Mang edit - Running on moonshine
Block 16 - Electrokution - Daniel Wang and Brennan Green evolusive mix
Biggie vs Lord Echo - Juicy (echo mix)
Kormac - Quackery
Ken Boothe - Is it because I'm black - Rocknrolla soundsystem edit
Katchafire - Dub did it - Mr Reliable remix

Friday, July 05, 2013

Grace interview, Planet, 95

Grace, photo from Planet mag, Autumn 1995

[Black Sand Shore, the sole album from Grace, has just been digitally reissued] 


Grace: The Family Way. By Erin Duncan. Planet magazine,p31, issue 16, Autumn 1995

The three Samoan brothers who make up Grace don't do acapella or sing the blues - come to think of it they don't do hiphop either. Their music is populated with smooth and heady love songs that blow apart any preconceptions of what a group of brothers should be doing musically. Erin Duncan talks to Grace about their musical aspirations, and growing up with a father who wanted nothing less than perfection.


Anthony Jason and Paul loasa, better known as Grace, were always destined for a career in music, whether they liked it or not. Their father, Jason Ioasa Snr immigrated to New Zealand from Samoa in the early 60s, determined to make a success of himself and do things ''the New Zealand way." Heavily into the stars of the day, he got together 'The Plantations", a covers band, with his wife on rhythm guitar, when first son Anthony was still a toddler. At age four Anthony began teaching himself to play the drums.

''Dad had a kit set up in the lounge, l used to muck around on it, sitting up there on a high stool and loving it!'' It just so happened that his father was having trouble auditioning drummers at the time and, disappointed with the applicants, took his son on the road - Wednesday to Sunday - almost every week.

''We went throughout the North Island constantly - Hastings, Napier, Huntly, Hamilton, Wellington and all those places. The people those provincial towns loved watching us kids in the band. The band used to make so much money, I never saw any of it though - but I used to get tips. My highest one was five dollars. I called it the 'orange note', because I didn't know what it was. I just knew that I could buy lots of lollies with it!''

Jason was next in line. Immediately, his father recognised his talent for playing bass and began to include Jason in The Plantations. Before this, he and youngest brother Paul still had to accompany their father, Anthony and the rest of the band on the road.

Anthony and Paul now resent their father shaping their future right from the very beginning. ''Music was shoved down our throats! We had a really strict father, he was determined to make sure that we were equipped - that was his keyword...'' 

Equipped? 

''With the musical knowledge, both theory and performance; we had special teachers."

At the age of 12, Jason was sent to train in jazz and classical bass with Chuck Morgan. Later he played with as many diverse rock and jazz bands as he could, gathering experience and beginning to initiate a new style of playing.

At the age of 11 Paul was finally given permission to take up the guitar, but it only amounted to six lessons because of financial difficulty.

Perhaps it was their father's lack of formal training that made him so pushy about technical perfection.

''Definitely the reason," say both Paul and Anthony.

''It wasn't just with music, it was with education and everything else," says Paul. So if he had no music training, could he sing? ''He had a definite singing style; a Tom Jones style."

''He also had a few Elvis outfits,'' says Anthony. ''He had the works, the sideburns, medallions etc. Ask any Samoan family. They've got a picture of Elvis next to a picture of Christ in their living room. Elvis first, Jesus second."

There was also a great deal of violence within the Ioasa household, directed by their father towards their mother and the boys. Anthony finally ran away from home in 1987 because of pressure within the family home.

“I went out to stay with an uncle in Mangere - my Dad never looked there. He was a frustrated perfectionist, so insecure with himself that he couldn't handle us ever getting less than perfect school marks.

''Dad took us right away from the Samoan lifestyle when we were very young. We had a totally European outlook on life, music, dress, speech and custom. Dad always taught us to know what is right and wrong in the Samoan custom - he never instilled it in us though. He was a rebel in that respect. All my friends were white and I got along with them much better than I could with my Samoan peers - they used to hassle me about the way I spoke - I thought I spoke OK. I actually thought they (Samoans) talked funny. When I said that, it didn't go down too well.

''If we have children, we are not going to let them get caught up in the opinion that if you're Samoan, you should only have Samoan friends, talk a certain way, dress a certain way. We're New Zealanders first! Otherwise we'd feel like we have a false culture."

Did you have a clear idea of what Grace's style would be before you began? ''Definitely,'' says Anthony. ''We knew what we wanted. We knew we weren't interested in doing what the other bands were doing. We didn't want to do rap or acappella, raggamuffin or reggae. These styles just weren't us - we were surrounded by early 80s music, bands from Europe and the UK. We were just about to I hone into the acid house, pure club style dance music - lucky we didn't huh! We just want our music to be appreciated for what it is."

Grace have definite intentions towards music, provided one of their number hangs around.

"We are not a novelty," says Anthony. ''We want to be treated like a Sting CD - always being played. We're going to be around for quite a while, hopefully 10 years or more, depending on how Jason feels.''

“We had to persuade Jason for a long time to join this band," concurs Paul. Jason happens to be at work today, trying his luck in the corporate sphere. 

" I gave up on him," says Anthony. ''Jason was the one who said that he would definitely come in and join. First of all, he said yes, then he changed his mind - typical Gemini. He's the one with the best voice, he has that rich husky texture. He doesn't like starving for anything. Whereas Paul and I have been starving for success for so long that an extra few months or years isn't going to matter that much. We need money to buy a house - we need a family house again. We lost the old one when our parents split - I even lost my piano."

" I was still at AIT (Auckland Institute of Technology) doing Marketing and Advertising when Anthony started pressuring me to join a band with him," says Paul. " So I quit my course. Not too many good things (besides music) have happened to us. If we keep faith in the music we're sure everything will fall into place".

DG re-up

 
From the revived Deepgrooves website...

"It may have taken a while but we are finally making progress. The following 10 Deepgrooves albums have been digitally remastered, had bonus tracks added (where applicable) and are now available online via Xbox and about nine other downloading, streaming and iRadio services.

"We are currently working to have the rest of our "released" catalog remastered and online as soon as possible. The Urban Disturbance album is starting to turn into Sandinista.

"As previously mentioned, we are also planning to release a number of albums that did not get physical releases back in the day. PAUSE, CINEMA, INSTRUMENTAL KILLERS VOL2 to name but a few. We are also working on two completely new albums for release in 2014. We encourage all assocaited [sic] artists to email us and update us with their current contact details." Email is info@deepgrooves.co.nz

• Came A Weird Way [New Loungehead]
• Kia Koe [Sulata]
• Instrumental Killers Vol 1 [compilation]
• Black Sand Shore [Grace]
• Samoans Part 2 [Ermehn]
• Found In You [Jules Issa]
• Deepgrooves 95 [compilation]
• New Urban Polynesian [Fuemana]
• Sofa So Good [compilation]
• Deepgrooves (Original 1991 Release) [compilation]


Thursday, July 04, 2013

Fontanelles



The Fontanelles are a new signing to UK label First Word Records, some cool afrobeat vibes... "Originally formed to be the onstage band for the London run of Fela! The Musical, the band's natural chemistry was such that they instinctively continued performing together when the show ended. They took the energy of the stage show and started working on original material, adding reggae, ethio-jazz and ska influences to the afrobeat source..."

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Double Yellow - Life... Remixed



Handful of tasty remixes of Double Yellow from the likes of Diesler, YamWho, Olatunde, Ambient Jazz Ensemble and more. Out on Here And Now Recordings.

Osunlade: "love the entire project, good mixes & very diverse - congrats!"
Simbad - Brownswood: "some absolutely stunning gems on this."

"Double Yellow is a vehicle for the songs of Dave Lilley and his wide range of influences, using his own 'rustic' recording process. It's scope is broadened by the inclusion of a number of collaborators close to Dave, most notably Jonathan 'Diesler' Radford and Mrs Double Yellow, Suzanne Lilley."

Biggie meets Lord Echo



From MonkOne: "I did this quick combo for a party I DJed a while back with DRM of Bastard Jazz, who put out the Lord Echo track." Free DLl too

New El Truento

Don't sleep

Doug Short. Photo: Ryan Lowry

"After selling out of his first 7” release in just under one week, Cherries Records brings back Doug Shorts for their fifth release with ‘Don’t Sleep On My Love’ b/w ‘Bet I’ll Know The Next Time’.

‘Funkland’, the basement of Doug Shorts’ Southside Chicago home, is the space where he creates his signature raw sound of deep melodies and timeless lyrics in songs of love and life. It was over a decade ago where Doug and fellow Masterplan Inc. member Archie Brooks wrote Bet I’ll Know the Next Time, a self-promise to use the wisdom from past mistakes to better prepare for a second chance at love, as “the world is strange, full of love games”.

With a definitive ‘B’ side Chicago blues/gospel feel, the melodic organ riffs compliment the hard-hitting drum machine beats, creating a modern day inspirational hymn. The midtempo r&b ‘A’ side, Don’t Sleep On My Love, showcases Doug’s cool demeanor and clever word play, warning his love not to take him for granted. ‘Wake up and smell the coffee, ‘cause you can’t do without me. Don’t sleep on my love’.

Shorts has been singing since the late 60s with harmony groups The Visitors and Shades Of Brown, and went on to form his funk outfit Masterplan Inc. Independently, they released two extremely rare 7” singles, now being sought out by many funk music collectors. A large portion of the band’s 70’s previously unreleased recordings will soon be released on UK label Jazzman/Fryers & Chicago label The Numero Group."

There's a great indepth interview with Doug Shorts over at the Chicago Reader, take a look

‘Don’t Sleep On My Love’ b/w ‘Bet I’ll Know The Next Time’ will be available on 7" vinyl/MP3 on Tuesday, July 2nd, 2013 at www.cherriesrecords.com.



Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Ladi 6 - Shine on



New video for the 2nd single off the new album from Ladi 6, produced by Waajeed (Platinum Pied Pipers), recorded in Detroit. Out now, try Bandcamp. Off her third album out later this year, called Automatic.

First single Ikarus dropped back in March. Sounds like it's gonna be a very downtempo album, if the first two singles are any indication.

Monday, July 01, 2013

Mojitos and Little Dragon



Any hiphop song that namechecks Little Dragon and comes off sounding like some mad-ass bleepy sonic hat-tip to said band is alright by me. Check this.

"After a successful release of the GOD: LoFi EP, MeLo-X releases the second installment of his three part EP series GOD:HiFi." Download the EP for free, over at Soundcloud.

Gene Dudley debut out July 15


"The Gene Dudley Group represents an outpouring of deep soul and funk music from obscenely talented 27 year-old multi-instrumentalist, Gene Dudley.

The debut album, Saturday Shifting (out July 15 on WahWah45s), was recorded in a cupboard in Muswell Hill, North London, and features the man himself on trumpet, saxophone, drums, bass, guitar and piano.

Fans of labels like Truth & Soul and Daptone will relish these sonorous soulful offerings, but the influences on this album are wide ranging.

Tracks like "When The Gorilla Get Grip' and "The New Lots Of Cooperstown" conjure up 60's spy soundtracks, but elsewhere there are afro-beat influences on "The Hilo Bay Halfway" and more easy, introspective moments on "Minnie" and "Do The Stanley Weinberger".

In the live arena, rather than trying to play all the instruments himself, Gene deploys a quartet of top notch young musicians to help him out (whilst Gene mixes it up between bass and keys throughout the set) as witnessed at the recent Hot 8 Brass Band gig in London, The Gene Dudley Group's debut live show.

Since that first outing, the group have played to much acclaim at venues such as London's XOYO, and will be celebrating the release of "Saturday Shifting" with a live album launch, in support of label mate Henri-Pierre Noel, at The Jazz Café on July 13th. A night, and an album, not to be missed."