― Tom May (Tom May), Sunday, 1 February 2004 00:39 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Douglas (Douglas), Sunday, 1 February 2004 01:40 (9 years ago) Permalink
all of the aforementioned groups have cool full length albums. New Age Steppers have both Ari Up from the Slits and Mark Stewart from the Pop Group singing.
i dig the 3 African Headcharge albums i have. they're kinda like what would happen if Enigma or Deep Forest didn't really suck. sampled ethnic vocals over dub beats and nyabinghi drumming. i picked up a record by the leader of the group (Noah House of Dread) and thought it was kinda suck.
i've always heard to stay away from the Gary Clail and Tackhead stuff. early industrial sampler noise. i dunno because i've never heard any of it.
I also have Mark Stewart "As The Veneer of Democracy Starts to End" and i really don't like it. very claustrophobic.
― JaXoN (JasonD), Sunday, 1 February 2004 21:09 (9 years ago) Permalink
i will add my list to this thread later.
― stirmonster, Sunday, 1 February 2004 21:12 (9 years ago) Permalink
african headcharge seconded. i like learning to cope with cowardice > democracy for mark stewart. fuck there are so many great on-u sound things, esp from the 80's. then i think they went a bit wayward, but the unplugged mellow bollywood strings Bim Sherman record "miracle" is a lovely thing.
also donut bitch to thread.
― mullygrubber (gaz), Sunday, 1 February 2004 21:23 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Phil Freeman (Phil Freeman), Sunday, 1 February 2004 21:26 (9 years ago) Permalink
In the meantime, if you find Keith LeBlanc "Major Malfuction [sic]" album and not for too much, grab it. the "Tackhead Tape Time" album is alright, but kinda tinny once you have the singles that album collects, but you can usually find the CD for around a buck used.
The two volumes of African Head Charge's "Great Vintage" CDs are totally urgent and key buys... as are the Creation Rebel and New Age Steppers collection CDs.
Also, "Pay It All Back" volumes 1 and 2 are GREAT v/a primers for On-U sound in general if you can find them. (the CD for volume 2 has most of the good stuff from volume 1)
Even the Gary Clail "end of the century party" and Barmy Army "the english disease" (which for all intents and purposes are twin albums from 1989) are decent, as is Gary Clail's "The Emotional Hooligan" (1991).
Mark Stewart: "Learning To Cope With Cowardice" (1983) is great, more dubby and certainly noisy at points. "As The Veneer Of Democracy" (1985) is pure noise/beat insanity, and pretty much prototyped the entire DHR roster, and could be either a) completely bonkers great, or b) completely bonkers annoying, depending on your tolerance for that kind of thing. "Mark Stewart" (1987) is very spotty, but has great moments like "Anger is Holy" and "Fatal Attraction"... and "Hysteria" (1989) is the most solid, consistent but most "rock" Stewart album.
Search also the On-U remix of the Beatnigs' "Television".. The Beatnigs were Michael Franti's group -- pre-Disposable Heroes Of HipHoprisy and Spearhead -- when they were a crazed bunch of politically charged industrial funk Residents fans. The Beatnigs CD on Alternative Tentacles pretty much has everything they've ever done.
Keith LeBlanc's "Stranger Than Fiction" (1989) is OK, too, but your best bet is the "Einstein" 12", a single from that album.
Once the 90s hit, sadly, the On-U production quality started spiraling down.
Avoid Tackhead's "Friendly as a Hand Grenade" and definitely "Strange Things". No offense to lead singers who are soulful but I think that was an unwise move, given Tackhead's rather cold rhythmic backdrop.. the two just didn't go great together. "Strange Things" was a weird cash-in record.. featuring guest appearances from Mark E. Smith to Mick Jagger on the same record - if you had the CD with all the bonus tracks, that is. It was, to use Mark S.'s term, Tackhead's "pub rock" album. Just weak weak weak. Ironically, Tackhead's last official release, the "Videohead" single from 1991 was one of their best moments yet a total departure... as it was a Tim Simenon (aka Bomb The Bass) production, and was mostly a hard 4/4 acid-y sounding dance tune with little On-U grime.
― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 1 February 2004 21:56 (9 years ago) Permalink
* Tackhead "What's My Mission Now"?* Gary Clail "Half Cut For Confidence"* Fats Comet "Rockchester"* Ché "Be My (Powerstation)" (or might be under St. Ché, this version has a spoken word b-side -- by all of people, Sian Phillips, the famous Welsh theater actress best known for playing Olivia in the I, Claudius series -- which is sampled heavily in the A-side)* Tackhead "Mind At The End Of The Tether"* Mark Stewart "Hypnotised" (12" contains brilliant insane noise piece "Dreamers", which is thankfully a bonus track on the "As The Veneer" CD)* Voice Of Authority LP
The rest of alright but not urgent.
― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 1 February 2004 22:05 (9 years ago) Permalink
― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 1 February 2004 22:12 (9 years ago) Permalink
― mullygrubber (gaz), Sunday, 1 February 2004 22:16 (9 years ago) Permalink
I've always tried to figure out WHO THE HELL IS FATS COMET? Is it Doug Wimbish? Or just a made up name?
― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 1 February 2004 22:45 (9 years ago) Permalink
― mullygrubber (gaz), Sunday, 1 February 2004 22:49 (9 years ago) Permalink
― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 1 February 2004 22:57 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Phil Freeman (Phil Freeman), Monday, 2 February 2004 00:13 (9 years ago) Permalink
― fletrejet, Monday, 2 February 2004 12:47 (9 years ago) Permalink
Prince Far-I's Cry Tuff Dub Encounter series (I understand that Sherwood was involved uncredited with most, 2-4 I think, and if you told me that he wasn't dubbing at least part of 3 I'd be shocked) are obv. classics.
Sherwood also classic for being involved with Carib Gems records, which is responsible for the UK release of some absolute corkers.
The 2Bad Card single, "Leaving Rome" was the last On-U thing I heard which I thought was genius. That's the best part of a decade ago now.
― Tim (Tim), Monday, 2 February 2004 13:11 (9 years ago) Permalink
― donut bitch (donut), Monday, 2 February 2004 16:29 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Sean Thomas (sgthomas), Monday, 2 February 2004 16:43 (9 years ago) Permalink
creation rebel is a bit overrated but fun anyway
― prima fassy (bob), Monday, 2 February 2004 18:09 (9 years ago) Permalink
as for recomedations .. all of the clail albums have the highpoints (and a few lows) the barmy army is dropdead classic .. along with Andy Fairly/Little Annie albums etc .. there is a small on-u section @ ireallylovemusic that sums up most of the classic albums of the late 80's/90's on-u stuff.loving it.
but seriously - ghetto priest new album. go find some tracks and see what you think .. onwards !mark e
― mark e (mark e), Monday, 2 February 2004 21:35 (9 years ago) Permalink
― donut bitch (donut), Monday, 2 February 2004 21:42 (9 years ago) Permalink
― scott m (mcd), Monday, 2 February 2004 21:47 (9 years ago) Permalink
― mullygrubber (gaz), Monday, 2 February 2004 21:49 (9 years ago) Permalink
― donut bitch (donut), Monday, 2 February 2004 22:03 (9 years ago) Permalink
― mullygrubber (gaz), Monday, 2 February 2004 22:06 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Tom May (Tom May), Monday, 2 February 2004 22:12 (9 years ago) Permalink
WHO THE HELL IS FATS COMET? Is it Doug Wimbish?
fats comet was just a silly made up name that they invented for the character that says 'fats comet' on the records.
'stormy weather' and 'rockchester' rule as does that st. che 12". the crucial tackhead 12"s are 'what's my mission now?' and 'mind at the end of it's tether' (especially for the b-side 'is there a way out). sadly, tackhead COMPLETELY lost it when bernard fowler (peech boys) joined. they rapidly descended into a cock rock parody - truly abysmal.
sherwood was on fire from '85 to around '88 with his electro productions / remixes. check his production for pankow, skinny puppy, kmfdm and especially 'twitch' by ministry and 'major malfuction' by keith le blanc which came out on the same day! maybe a little dated sounding if hearing it for the first time now but when 'twitch' came out, it changed my whole perception of what it was possible to do with sound.
i also saw him doing a live mix for lee 'scratch' perry and dub syndicate live which reduced me to a hysterical wreck. but, thee moment that still haunts me was mark stewart and maffia live. the maffia were doug wimbish, skip macdonald and keith le blanc aka fats comet aka tackhead aka the original sugarhill session band (yup, it's them on 'white lines' and 'the message'). it was like funkadelic jamming with whitehouse with sherwood doing thee most insane live mix imaginable - sounds zapping from speaker to speaker, echoes that went on forever, white noise dissolving into sheer white heat melody. i made the serious mistake of taking acid at this show and at the end i was literally glued to the spot. i could still hear the echoes running riot inside my brain. that event is forever imprinted on my conciousness and intense as it was i would still like to personally thank sherwood for frying my brain.
i haven't really followed sherwood since 1990 or so but he was my god for a while.
on the reggae side of things, ALL the singers and players, the first 4 african head charges, 'pay it back' 1 and 2 (but my god, especially volume 1), the 'wild paarty sounds' comp, everything by new age steppers, the first playgroup record, the first 4 dub syndicates and all the 10" disco plates - all are totally and utterly essential.
― stirmonster, Monday, 2 February 2004 22:44 (9 years ago) Permalink
― stirmonster, Monday, 2 February 2004 22:45 (9 years ago) Permalink
― mullygrubber (gaz), Monday, 2 February 2004 22:53 (9 years ago) Permalink
― donut debonair (donut), Monday, 7 March 2005 20:43 (8 years ago) Permalink
nd yes i saw Tackhead .. thrice .. once without Berie - amazing .. and twice with Bernie - not quite as impressive to say the least ..
― mark e (mark e), Monday, 7 March 2005 21:59 (8 years ago) Permalink
funnily enough i still run into people who count that show as one of the best they've ever been to!
― mullygrubbr (bulbs), Monday, 7 March 2005 22:02 (8 years ago) Permalink
then again i loved the keith leblanc solo set i saw prior o takhead proper show . so guess that indicates my part of the on-u sound i dug ..
but that was then .. i am wanting to know more re now .. after all the promise (as i have mentioned in this very thread but forgot about ^^^ !!) - where for art thou Mutant Hi Fi/2 Bad Card finished albums ?
suspect the collapse of EFA is a lot to blame .. as On-U were linked up ..
― mark e (mark e), Monday, 7 March 2005 22:07 (8 years ago) Permalink
― donut debonair (donut), Monday, 7 March 2005 22:10 (8 years ago) Permalink
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 7 March 2005 22:18 (8 years ago) Permalink
― donut debonair (donut), Monday, 7 March 2005 22:19 (8 years ago) Permalink
at least this seems to be updated and somewhat relevant ..
― mark e (mark e), Monday, 7 March 2005 22:51 (8 years ago) Permalink
BassBruisedRibs! Amaz-zing!
― peepee (peepee), Tuesday, 8 March 2005 03:39 (8 years ago) Permalink
― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Tuesday, 8 March 2005 10:50 (8 years ago) Permalink
...
Oh go ahead, try... guess.
Still guessing?
Well, it's obvious! Cleopatra! Aren't you happy now? *swoon*
― donut debonair (donut), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 04:56 (8 years ago) Permalink
http://www.vennfestival.com/friday.htm
― mark e (mark e), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 07:06 (8 years ago) Permalink
Jeebus Fecking Crust!!
― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 07:21 (8 years ago) Permalink
Can we revive this? I've been listening a bunch to the 2-disc 15 Years In an Open Boat comp, On-U Sound Celebration comp on German Trance and assorted other goodies.
I've always been partial to the non-reggae/dub stuff. I always enjoyed Tackhead Tape Time, really loved the Voice of Authority stuff on Celebration. Most of it doesn't sound "industrial" in the "shitty guitars and bellowing vocals" sense of the word today — more cut-up electro. LeBlanc's work, in particular, is really compelling.
And I'll break with others here -- after years of being told to stay the hell away, I actually enjoy Friendly As a Hand Grenade quite a bit. "Airborne Ranger" is a hoot — kind of a more aggro-Art of Noise.
― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, 7 August 2008 20:48 (4 years ago) Permalink
still waiting for the mutant hi-fi album.
though adrians myspace seems to indicate that the uk are going to be gettiing some new on-u product by end of the year. i'll believe it when i have the cd in my hands, as these things have a habit of falling apart for us on-u fans.
voice of authority was my first on-u album, it totally blew me away.
at the time, i was all over the more intense side of on-u (tackhead/leblanc etc), whereas these days its the reggae stuff i listen to the most.
― mark e, Thursday, 7 August 2008 20:53 (4 years ago) Permalink
I can't find the whole VoA album anywhere -- I only have cuts on the Celebration CD. I'd love to hear the whole thing.
I actually agree about the reggae being more appealing as I get older. At the time, I thought it sounded very same-y -- I'd be damned if I could've been able to tell Dub Syndicate or New Age Steppers apart. But as time has gone on, I hear tunes there a lot more, even in the super dubby stuff. I pulled out Dub Syndicate's One Way System this morning and really enjoyed it.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 8 August 2008 13:49 (4 years ago) Permalink
I still play Staggering Heights by Singers and Players quite often. Bedward The Flying Preacher is among the strangest tracks I know. "He have no wing but he going to fly".
― Daniel Giraffe, Friday, 8 August 2008 16:19 (4 years ago) Permalink
Bedward The Flying Preacher is among the strangest tracks I know
without a doubt my favourite on-u record. this was on Pay It all Back Volume 1 : track 1 side 2. my second On-U purchase (99p!) As soon as I got to that track, I knew me and On-U were in for the long haul.
― mark e, Friday, 8 August 2008 17:26 (4 years ago) Permalink
In order of how much I play them:
Singers & Players African Head Charge Creation Rebel Dub Syndicate New Age Steppers
I listen to the Disco Plates comps and Pay It All Back somewhere in the middle and I hardly ever pull out the London Underground, Gary Clail or Mark Stewart records (which haven't aged too well.)
― Alex in SF, Friday, 8 August 2008 17:30 (4 years ago) Permalink
I don't know Clail beyond Tackhead Tape Time and "Human Nature" (which is, if nothing else, catchy), but the Tackhead stuff has aged surprisingly well, me thinks. Even with as much cut-up and splice crap that there's been since 1987, the fact that it's a live band underneath (particularly with LeBlanc's shifting rhythms) makes those records stand apart.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 8 August 2008 18:00 (4 years ago) Permalink
They were a very hit or miss act.
― Alex in SF, Friday, 8 August 2008 18:04 (4 years ago) Permalink
sorry - i cant say if they are diff. to the album versions as dont have that deep an archive.the cds i have basically have the straight reggae version followed by a more AMS styled dub version.i suspect they are tracked as per the 10" singles themselves with a-sides followed by the b-sides.my advise : if you see the cds at a decent price, buy.simple as that.if you are not happy with them, then i'll take them off your hands.[my own copies are skippety-hop degrading cd-rs .. ]
xpost : yeah .. buy em.
― mark e, Wednesday, 24 March 2010 09:57 (3 years ago) Permalink
ps. when you said 'album versions' i originally assumed you meant the various tracks appearing on other albums as opposed to these collections.
which of course they do all over the place as per the previously linked 'rhythms directory' will confirm.
― mark e, Wednesday, 24 March 2010 10:00 (3 years ago) Permalink
i think i like the first AHC album best, my life in a hole in the ground. has to be the heaviest fusion of dub and post-punk ever
also, i'm certain the berwick st record exchange still has an on-u section, it's just empty most of the time
― teresa banks (r1o natsume), Wednesday, 24 March 2010 13:06 (3 years ago) Permalink
i'm chuffed to bits that the newly released (but recorded several years ago) AHC album, vision of a psychedelic africa, is very much in line with the classic songs of praise album.
― mark e, Wednesday, 24 March 2010 13:17 (3 years ago) Permalink
great news!
― sleeve, Wednesday, 24 March 2010 19:30 (3 years ago) Permalink
I've been listening a lot to Jah Wobble's Molam Dub, and I really like it...one track I can't get enough of is the fourth track, "Lam Bane Xoc"...it's really good...
I wz thinking about getting the first New Age Steppers album, along with Annie Anxiety's Jackamo and African Head Charge's Off the Beaten Track? Are those good ones?
― forgotten funk-uncle (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 31 March 2010 19:50 (3 years ago) Permalink
hell yes to all three imo
― sleeve, Wednesday, 31 March 2010 22:02 (3 years ago) Permalink
There are no bad African Head Charge albums.
― Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 31 March 2010 22:35 (3 years ago) Permalink
Found the Missing Brazilians record this weekend and its great, but I think I like the Dub Syndicate album I got Strike The Balance just about as much.
― Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 21 April 2010 18:04 (3 years ago) Permalink
according to new Mojo, AMS is working with Kevin 'the Bug' Martin on a dub version of London Zoo.
could go either way i guess, but i'm hoping for all out sonic immenseness.
of course i wont get my hopes up until the disc is actually in my hands, as the list of on-u related albums i have got excited about only for them to never appear continues to grow (audio active slash-n-mix , mutant hi-fi to name but 2)
― mark e, Monday, 2 August 2010 14:22 (2 years ago) Permalink
Classic
― i find music confusing and annoying (Ned Trifle II), Monday, 2 August 2010 15:42 (2 years ago) Permalink
^^^ my all time fave on-u track !!
― mark e, Monday, 2 August 2010 15:55 (2 years ago) Permalink
The most hilarious thread ever.
― Shut Up. Kenny G. Etc. (u s steel), Monday, 2 August 2010 16:04 (2 years ago) Permalink
New African Head Charge album streaming http://www.onu-sound.com/african-head-charge/index.html
― Daniel Giraffe, Wednesday, 16 March 2011 08:19 (2 years ago) Permalink
will be getting that asap.hopefully this new release is the beginning of a proper 30th anniversary celebration.a boxset has been promised, but as always for on-u follwers, i suspect that patience will be tested.
― mark e, Wednesday, 16 March 2011 08:38 (2 years ago) Permalink
They seem to be taking it quite seriously: To mark the label’s 30th anniversary in 2011, we will be reissuing a number of classic On-U Sound albums, a selection of new releases, renewed live activity and the release of an extensive box-set.
The year of celebration begins in early March with the release of a new African Head Charge album and 3 classic reissues – New Age Steppers debut, Creation Rebel’s highly influential Starship Africa and African Head Charge’s hard-to-find Off The Beaten Track.
The plan will then be to release further new albums and classic reissues throughout 2011.
The new releases planned include a collection of contemporary remixes of Lee Perry’s On-U Sound output, the long-awaited On-U produced Little Axe album and a New Age Steppers long-player – their first since Foundation Steppers in 1983 – featuring vocal contributions from the late Ari Up and Mark Stewart amongst others. Details of further new releases will be announced shortly.
Amongst the classic reissues are albums from some of the label’s most acclaimed artists including Lee Perry, Dub Syndicate, Bim Sherman, Tackhead, Little Annie and Singers & Players.
There are also plans for a deluxe box-set which will include extensive sleeve-notes from Adrian Sherwood, rare and un-released tracks from the archive, a collection of classic tracks and a selection of some of Adrian’s finest remixes.
― Daniel Giraffe, Wednesday, 16 March 2011 08:49 (2 years ago) Permalink
They seem to be taking it quite seriously
That's been up for quite a while - we're now in the second half of March, and there's no listings of any forthcoming reissues of the three titles mentioned for release in early March. We've been through this before. What's sad is the huge amount of crucial early material in the archives still unheard - post-Slits Ari Up, various Mark Stewart goodies, a Prince Hammer record, etc. Will these ever see the light of day?
― crustaceanrebel, Wednesday, 16 March 2011 08:53 (2 years ago) Permalink
Ah I see. I'll keep checking back then...
― Daniel Giraffe, Wednesday, 16 March 2011 09:01 (2 years ago) Permalink
We've been through this before
i think its safe to say AMS struggles with the industry.
he has been burnt several times over the years (EFA going bust being the big one, the deal with EMI not going too well etc), so, i guess these things have gone back to being a cottage industry set up (literally ! on-u studio is now in the living room/kitchen of his house, according to various online videos), so, big projects like this will indeed take some sorting out.
AMS has said before how in the 80s his albums sold tens of thousands of copies, whereas now, a high profile release isn't going to sell anywhere near as much, meaning that a high cost project like a boxset is going to need funds, and i suspect he has become somewhat risk adverse, and so tests the waters for responses to such promises, in order to figure out demand.
i mean the last dub syndicate compilation was virtually a bootleg. no barcode, no label detail etc.
like i said, patience will be tested.
tis the on-u way.
― mark e, Wednesday, 16 March 2011 09:02 (2 years ago) Permalink
more into the re-issues than the boxset tbh
― hapshash jar tempo (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 16 March 2011 18:41 (2 years ago) Permalink
http://www.djhistory.com/interviews/adrian-sherwood
― jaxon, Tuesday, 24 May 2011 23:36 (1 year ago) Permalink
Nice mix of old Adrian Sherwood/On-U Sound tunes:
http://testpressing.org/2010/02/02/producers-series-1-adrian-sherwood/
And here's a Part 2:
http://testpressing.org/2011/02/21/producers-series-11-adrian-sherwood-part-2/
― geeta, Friday, 8 July 2011 01:34 (1 year ago) Permalink
was just thinking on the way into work it could be time to delve back into on-u (i go for months without listening to on-u, and then once i start, its very hard to move away from it .. ), so these mixes could be just the job.also, seen the new reissues yesterday (african headcharge, and creation rebel).very nicely packaging - a bit like the old mo'wax cd albums in carboard covers.still, no word on the boxset though ..
― mark e, Friday, 8 July 2011 07:23 (1 year ago) Permalink
30th anniversary on-u sound tour, anyone checking it out?
i'll be at the sherwood gig on wednesday in boston (five bucks!)
― geeta, Sunday, 4 September 2011 21:15 (1 year ago) Permalink
The year of celebration begins in early March with the release of a new African Head Charge album and 3 classic reissues – New Age Steppers debut, Creation Rebel’s highly influential Starship Africa and African Head Charge’s hard-to-find Off The Beaten Track
has anyone picked up these new editions ?
are they straightforward reissues (albeit but in nice packaging), or is the music remastered ?
still no sign of the boxset ..
― mark e, Thursday, 8 September 2011 12:10 (1 year ago) Permalink
Saw Dub Syndicate live once and was bored to tears. It didn't help that the group was preceded by two hours of dub over the PA. So it was like dub dub dub dub dub dub dub dub dub .... 15 minute break ... dub dub dub dub dub dub.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 8 September 2011 12:51 (1 year ago) Permalink
i wouldn't be bored by two hours of dub, if it was a good PA!
went to see Sherwood last night. amazing to see that guy work a mixing board, and all those live effects he was using
― geeta, Thursday, 8 September 2011 17:46 (1 year ago) Permalink
"It didn't help that the group was preceded by two hours of dub over the PA. So it was like dub dub dub dub dub dub dub dub dub .... 15 minute break ... dub dub dub dub dub dub."
What the heck did you think it was going to be?
― Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Thursday, 8 September 2011 17:51 (1 year ago) Permalink
"are they straightforward reissues (albeit but in nice packaging), or is the music remastered ?"
I think it's just nice packaging. The albums were reissued/remastered in the late 90s. Has remastering really improved that much since then?
― Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Thursday, 8 September 2011 17:52 (1 year ago) Permalink
alex otm
― geeta, Thursday, 8 September 2011 17:57 (1 year ago) Permalink
no idea. just the latest dub syndicate compilation was specifically promoted as remastered, and sounds amazing.so was hoping AMS had gone back and spruced up these latest reissues, but i guess you're right.to be honest, i care not, if the reissues happen to still be there tomorrow, i'm grabbing them.and yes, 2 hours of dub = heavenwould love to have seen dub syndicate live ..
― mark e, Thursday, 8 September 2011 18:18 (1 year ago) Permalink
xpost I expected a little more diversity over the PA before the headliner went on, to break things up a bit. Just as you wouldn't play, I dunno, Bob Seger for two hours before Bob Seger goes on - or for that matter "Music for Airports" before Bang on a Can does "Music for Airports" - so I expected some contrast for effect. I also felt it lessened the presence of the live band.
Wasn't terrible music, mind, but I had a raging headache by the end.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 8 September 2011 18:30 (1 year ago) Permalink
"Just as you wouldn't play, I dunno, Bob Seger for two hours before Bob Seger goes on"
Uh sure, but I'd probably expect two hours of rock before Bob Seger. Or similarly minimal music pre-BOAC does "Music For Airports". Were they playing only Dub Syndicate tracks for two hours prior? Or is this one of those all dub sounds alike things?
― Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Thursday, 8 September 2011 19:06 (1 year ago) Permalink
"I was shocked that when I went to this rave and all they played was techno and it all sounded the same."
― Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Thursday, 8 September 2011 19:08 (1 year ago) Permalink
"I was pleased when I saw Diplo that he didn't confine himself to playing a bunch of dancehall. He also played a Celine Dion dubstep remix!"
― Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Thursday, 8 September 2011 19:16 (1 year ago) Permalink
Just as you wouldn't play, I dunno, Bob Seger for two hours before Bob Seger goes on - or for that matter "Music for Airports" before Bang on a Can does "Music for Airports"
dub is not one person: it's a genre, a culture, a feeling, etc. it's not one sound but a panorama of sounds--it encompasses so much
would write more but typing is hard for me, mostly confined to one-liners
― geeta, Thursday, 8 September 2011 19:16 (1 year ago) Permalink
This set of dub did not comprise a panorama of sounds, encompassing much. I blame the DJ and/or soundsystem.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 8 September 2011 19:24 (1 year ago) Permalink
At the same time, it was something like a decade ago, so maybe it was awesome and I was not.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 8 September 2011 19:25 (1 year ago) Permalink
i succumbed and picked up the new little axe and new african headcharge albums today.
love the artwork - much better than the last round of "new" releases, basically the mighty stepper/dubstepper releases - both of which had truly dreadful artwork. the new style fits in well, and goes with the redesigned website.as for the music : well, neither album stretches the boundaries of on-u sound, but are very solid albums.especially the new little axe, which as a project has become more and more real world/radio 2 friendly over the years, so good to have the sound go back to on-u both in record label, and sound.
not bothering with the new remix album of the mighty stepper as its by various dubstep producers and i doubt i'd enjoy it.
so all that remains now, is the much promised boxset ..
oh, and new age steppers album i believe thats on its way ..
― mark e, Wednesday, 1 February 2012 15:23 (1 year ago) Permalink
I'm a HUGE Adrian fan, and I stumbled on the New Age Steppers shortly after it came out (thank you Ray Farrell). The new album is dreadful IMHO.
― factcheckr (eat my dirt), Wednesday, 1 February 2012 17:06 (1 year ago) Permalink
not heard anything off new New Age Steppers album.
in what way is it dreadful, as i cant see it going too far off on-u course given that AMS has his thing pretty locked down these days.
― mark e, Wednesday, 1 February 2012 19:20 (1 year ago) Permalink
well today i did a u-turn on my own statement and got the dubstep styled remix album.
some good, some mad (the cover of 'iron man' with dennis bovell is a bit hard work .. )
still no sign of the boxset.
(aint going to happen .. )
― mark e, Thursday, 24 May 2012 11:02 (11 months ago) Permalink
― Cyders from Mars (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 24 May 2012 15:44 (11 months ago) Permalink
*spam*
http://soundcloud.com/twitch/optimo-podcast-12-adrian
http://soundcloud.com/alexchase/ohm-dedication-series-2-jd
― stirmonster, Thursday, 24 May 2012 15:47 (11 months ago) Permalink
new solo album by adrian sherwood is a lot more mellow than previous releases.
none of the usual on-u style edginess, which i have to admit takes a bit of getting used to.
― mark e, Thursday, 23 August 2012 22:23 (9 months ago) Permalink
I've been finding it pleasant enough, in the background while reading or whatever. But yeah, it sure doesn't seem much like an Adrian Sherwood album.
― xhuxk, Thursday, 23 August 2012 22:25 (9 months ago) Permalink
exactly.
its pleasant.
i dont normally listen to on-u for pleasant.
its a definite late night/reading soundtrack kind of album, which of course sounds amazing.
― mark e, Thursday, 23 August 2012 22:27 (9 months ago) Permalink
i thoroughly, thoroughly recommend stirmonster's MONSTER mixes linked just four posts above this one, btw.
― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Thursday, 23 August 2012 23:40 (9 months ago) Permalink
well, i ignored this statement and picked up the new new age steppers album today.
its certainly not dreadful, i suspect AMS wanted to make a 'final' album worthy of one his best friends so made sure the album covers all sorts of bases, its good, but i concur it's not a classic.
it is a solid on-u album, and even in 2012 that's always going to hit the spot for me.
oh, and the new solo album by AMS has clicked.
once i readjusted my expectations i have really come around to loving it.
― mark e, Thursday, 27 September 2012 19:40 (7 months ago) Permalink
boxset is never going to happen is it ..
― mark e, Tuesday, 23 October 2012 20:37 (7 months ago) Permalink