Sunday, July 29, 2018
Bacao east west
New album coming soon from Bacao Rhythm and Steel Band, here's the first single...
"Side A is a cover of the Dr Dre hit “XXplosive” done up in proper BRSB fashion, smashing drums and steel pans playing the lead and bass lines. They take this one into new territory by adding synth parts and dubbed out horn lines playing Nate Dogg’s infamous vocal hook melodies.
Side B takes on one of NYC’s grimiest Hip Hop club anthems, Mobb Deep’s “Burn”. We decided to do this tune and demoed it out long before the unfortunate passing of Prodigy. Unfortunately, he will never get to hear this cover, and that has been one of the nicest things in covering some of these more current Hip Hop tunes. Rest In Peace P."
Saturday, July 28, 2018
Ring The Alarm playlist July 28
Bobby and Valerie Capers - West 4th St
Cliff Nobles - My love is getting stronger
Sister Sledge - Love don't go thru no changes on me
Jimmy Hughes - Slipping around with you
Ike and Tina Turner - Somebody somewhere needs you
Major Lance - Investigate
Eloise Laws - Love factory
Erma Franklin - I get the sweetest feeling
Detroit Emeralds - Baby let me take you in my arms
Clarence Wheeler and the Enforcers - Hey Jude
Wood Brass and Steel - Welcome to the party
Jocelyn Brown - Hands off
Booker Newberry III - Love town (short version)
Hipster Wonkas - Jupiter jam
Bootsy Collins - The Pinocchio theory
Lord Echo - Just do dub
Cave Circles - Azmoni
Opensouls - Hold you close dub
Foxy Brown - Fast car
Dillinger - Cocaine in my brain (Groove Corp remix)
Cutty Ranks - Retreat
Ninja Man - Murder dem
Vin Gordon - Steady beat
Marcia Griffiths - Feel like jumping
Migs and Jelly - Dub selecta
BB King -The BB Jones
Barbara Lynn - Don't be cruel
Len Barry - Like a baby
Tommy James and the Shondells - Hanky panky
The McCoys - Fever
Billy Karaitiana - Cool jerk
Sunday, July 22, 2018
Ring The Alarm playlist July 21
Ramsey Lewis - Living for the city
Clarence Wheeler and the Enforcers - Right on
Rufus Thomas - The funkiest man alive
Mavis Staples and William Bell - Love's sweet sensation
Barkays - Sang and dance
Five Stairsteps - Change of pace
Harvey Averne Dozen - Think it over
The Astors - Twilight zone
Bill Deal and the Rhondels - What kind of fool do you think I am
Barbara Lynn - I remember that feeling
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas - I tried
Temptations - Ball of confusion
Freda Payne - Unhooked generation
Leonard Charles - Neil's rainbow
Benny Tones feat Mara TK - On my way
Mephisto Jones - Chocolate hot sauce
Kaidi Tatham feat Dego) - It's a world before you
Idris Ackamoor and the Pyramids - Tinoge ya ta'a ba
Tony Allen - Moyege (Mark Ernestus dub)
Shogun Orchestra - Mifune
Herbs - French letter dub
International Observer - London dub
Derrick Morgan - I'm the ruler
African Head Charge - Dobbyn joins the Head Charge
Tackhead - Ticking timebomb dub
Mandrill - Mango meat
Executive Suite - You've got that kind of love
Charles Wright - Doin' what cums naturally pt2
Bunny Sigler - Let the good times roll
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Ring The Alarm playlist July 14
Sly & Robbie meets Dubmatix - Burro Saturday
Restless Soul - Turn me out
Augustus Pablo - East of the River Nile
Manasseh - Pharaoh's dub
The Professionals - Chapter 3
Black Harmony - Don't let it go to your head
Ballistic Bros - Prophecy reveal (James)
Round Four feat Tikiman - Find a way
Melaaz -Non non non
Sister Nancy - Big beat bam (Stretch Armstrong and Daddy Reef remix)
Pimps of Joytime -PJTs high stepping
The Controllers - Hello
The Emotions - From toys to boys
Doris Troy - Just one look
Marvin Gaye - Little darling, I need you
Little Stevie Wonder - Workout Stevie workout
Donnie Elbert - Hey sweet baby
Patrice Rushen - Haven't you heard
Frantique - Strut your funky stuff
Peaches and Herb - Roller skating mate
Evelyn King - Love come down
Jimmy Castor - E-man boogie 82
Undisputed Truth - You + me = love
Riyuichi Sakamoto and David Sylvian - Bamboo houses (remix 2000)
Fat Freddy's Drop - Mother mother (Theo Parrish translation)\
Saturday, July 07, 2018
Ring The Alarm playlist July 7
Chaka Khan - Whatcha gonna do for me
Chakachas - Jungle fever (Greg Wilson edit)
Little Beaver - Funkadelic sound
Helene Smith - You got to be a man
Gwen Mcrae - 90% of me is you
Hawk - Don't judge a book by a cover
War - Galaxy
Art of Noise - Moments in love
Human League - Being boiled
Boot & Tax -Good Fela
Mala - Como Como (Theo Parrish remix)
Recloose - Why I otta
Bacao Rhythm and Steel Band - Look-a-py-py
Dub Traffik Control - Fresh prince of Babylon
New Age Steppers - Love forever
Augustus Pablo -Skateland rock
Gregory Issacs - Give a hand
Junior Murvin - Roots train
Steel n Skin - Afro punk reggae dub
Clarence Reid - Nobody but you
James Brown - Soul power pt1
Barbara Lynn - Don't be cruel
Marv Johnson - Why do you want to let me go
Mel Davis - Just another smile
Larry Laster - Go for yourself
Bobby Womack - Find me somebody
Tina Turner - Whole lotta love
Gianmarco Liguori - Beat instrumental
Oliver Sain - London express
Incredible Bongo Band - Okey dokey pt2
Flying Stars of Brooklyn - My god has a telephone
Wednesday, July 04, 2018
fABEL/James Pylonz Meharrry interview (2002)
The Mistique of Fabel
By Stephen Jewell, NZ Musician, Vol. 10, No. 5, October/November 2002
According to my dictionary, a fable is a short, morality tale involving either supernatural elements or anthropomorphised creatures. But James 'Pylonz' Meharry, who heads the distinctively-spelt fABEL Music, is currently reluctant to be drawn on why the Christchurch-based drum'n'bass collective have adopted the name, "I like the mini-myth," he says.
"Let's go with that. I don't wish to expose too much of what I think it means. People won't use their imagination if we give them all the answers."
Meharry has previously revealed that fABEL is inspired by "Storytelling, messages and mapping. Mapping is really relevant. Singing a song is similar to telling where you've come from, like drawing a map."
In fact, if you wanted to map the epicentres of New Zealand drum'n'bass, Christchurch would be a good place to start as the Garden City, at one point or another, has been home not only to fABEL but Shapeshifter, Bulletproof's DJ Pots and Presha from Subtronix as well as breakbeat-influenced hybrid acts like Salmonella Dub, OG and The Nomad.
"It's hard to put a finger on it," admits Meharry when I ask why drum'n'bass and related genres like dub have eclipsed the usually dominant house in the South Island. "People seem to have a different take on the industry paradigm here. We share the same mechanisms - inner city life, urban poisons and commercial ideals - but we are very aware of what is going on. I have never felt that it affects the majority of people who grow up here. Those that migrate take on the Babylon while those that stay are happy anyway. Not blasé, but unaffected."
fABEL's first salvo was last year's 'Deep Needs' compilation which showcased the work of label stalwarts Pylonz, Rook, Teknik, The Mastery and Kaps.
"'Deep Needs' was a very successful first release for us," says Meharry, who first rose to prominence after remixing the likes of Salmonella Dub and Pitch Black. "The response to the tour we did was huge and the release has grown in popularity ever since. 'Deep Needs' makes a solid stand for what we feel is our style of drum'n'bass."
"'Deep Needs 1' was successful also from the point of view that we learned a tremendous amount about all aspects of the music," adds Mike 'DJ Kaps' Petrie. "Not only during its conception but also when it was released into stores."
fABEL have since released not only the 'Pacific Heights' EP (a side project by Shapeshifter's Devin Abrams), but have followed up 'Deep Needs' with the snappily-titled 'In2Deep', which ambitiously purports to be "... the first comprehensive drum'n'bass compilation of its kind."
Admittedly, fABEL have upped the ante by interspersing tracks from Aotearoa drum'n'bass big guns Concord Dawn, Shapeshifter and Bulletproof amongst tunes by the label's usual suspects and newcomers The Upbeats, Sambora and Motive. This album also attracted the support of Creative NZ.
"Music has always had the ability to stimulate memories and my idea is that in five or 10 years, we will look back and identify with the (fABEL) catalogue because we lived with it while it grew," reasons Meharry. "In the future, NZ will identify with 'Deep Needs' more because it will have mapped our sound and its development. The first few releases of any label should set the scene, style and sound, creating the definition of it is to become. So this is the roots."
And it's not just the kicking tunes that make 'Deep Needs' and 'In2Deep' stand out but also both album's distinctive packaging. They share an embossed diamond pattern and a simple two-colour print job.
"I take pride in developing the identity, which at these early stages is simply branding," explains Meharry. "Look for less logo and more illustration and graphics in the future as 'Deep Needs' matures its identity and pins down the concepts underlying the projects concerned."
And like Concord Dawn and Bulletproof before them, fABEL are also hoping to take their impressive sounds off shore.
"Concord Dawn and Bulletproof have both looked to the international, particularly the UK, market as the standard to be marked against and have achieved it," declares Meharry. "fABEL is active in obtaining similar outcomes for its labels and artists, and while not an easy target for a young label, global distribution is a definite goal. But it's probably more realistically achievable when the catalogue solidifies more. Easy does it for now."
By Stephen Jewell, NZ Musician, Vol. 10, No. 5, October/November 2002
According to my dictionary, a fable is a short, morality tale involving either supernatural elements or anthropomorphised creatures. But James 'Pylonz' Meharry, who heads the distinctively-spelt fABEL Music, is currently reluctant to be drawn on why the Christchurch-based drum'n'bass collective have adopted the name, "I like the mini-myth," he says.
"Let's go with that. I don't wish to expose too much of what I think it means. People won't use their imagination if we give them all the answers."
Meharry has previously revealed that fABEL is inspired by "Storytelling, messages and mapping. Mapping is really relevant. Singing a song is similar to telling where you've come from, like drawing a map."
In fact, if you wanted to map the epicentres of New Zealand drum'n'bass, Christchurch would be a good place to start as the Garden City, at one point or another, has been home not only to fABEL but Shapeshifter, Bulletproof's DJ Pots and Presha from Subtronix as well as breakbeat-influenced hybrid acts like Salmonella Dub, OG and The Nomad.
"It's hard to put a finger on it," admits Meharry when I ask why drum'n'bass and related genres like dub have eclipsed the usually dominant house in the South Island. "People seem to have a different take on the industry paradigm here. We share the same mechanisms - inner city life, urban poisons and commercial ideals - but we are very aware of what is going on. I have never felt that it affects the majority of people who grow up here. Those that migrate take on the Babylon while those that stay are happy anyway. Not blasé, but unaffected."
fABEL's first salvo was last year's 'Deep Needs' compilation which showcased the work of label stalwarts Pylonz, Rook, Teknik, The Mastery and Kaps.
"'Deep Needs' was a very successful first release for us," says Meharry, who first rose to prominence after remixing the likes of Salmonella Dub and Pitch Black. "The response to the tour we did was huge and the release has grown in popularity ever since. 'Deep Needs' makes a solid stand for what we feel is our style of drum'n'bass."
"'Deep Needs 1' was successful also from the point of view that we learned a tremendous amount about all aspects of the music," adds Mike 'DJ Kaps' Petrie. "Not only during its conception but also when it was released into stores."
fABEL have since released not only the 'Pacific Heights' EP (a side project by Shapeshifter's Devin Abrams), but have followed up 'Deep Needs' with the snappily-titled 'In2Deep', which ambitiously purports to be "... the first comprehensive drum'n'bass compilation of its kind."
Admittedly, fABEL have upped the ante by interspersing tracks from Aotearoa drum'n'bass big guns Concord Dawn, Shapeshifter and Bulletproof amongst tunes by the label's usual suspects and newcomers The Upbeats, Sambora and Motive. This album also attracted the support of Creative NZ.
"Music has always had the ability to stimulate memories and my idea is that in five or 10 years, we will look back and identify with the (fABEL) catalogue because we lived with it while it grew," reasons Meharry. "In the future, NZ will identify with 'Deep Needs' more because it will have mapped our sound and its development. The first few releases of any label should set the scene, style and sound, creating the definition of it is to become. So this is the roots."
And it's not just the kicking tunes that make 'Deep Needs' and 'In2Deep' stand out but also both album's distinctive packaging. They share an embossed diamond pattern and a simple two-colour print job.
"I take pride in developing the identity, which at these early stages is simply branding," explains Meharry. "Look for less logo and more illustration and graphics in the future as 'Deep Needs' matures its identity and pins down the concepts underlying the projects concerned."
And like Concord Dawn and Bulletproof before them, fABEL are also hoping to take their impressive sounds off shore.
"Concord Dawn and Bulletproof have both looked to the international, particularly the UK, market as the standard to be marked against and have achieved it," declares Meharry. "fABEL is active in obtaining similar outcomes for its labels and artists, and while not an easy target for a young label, global distribution is a definite goal. But it's probably more realistically achievable when the catalogue solidifies more. Easy does it for now."
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