While it’s clear from my Side Bar podcast with Oliver Wang that I love Althea & Donna’s “Uptown Top Ranking” best of all, it does set up an interesting discussion with the other prominent versions of this riddim. The original was a Studio One cut by the impeccable Alton Ellis, re-recorded by him several times until Joe Gibbs hooked up with Marcia Aitken for a feminine take on the same song. That eventually led to Trinity’s DJ version, full of macho swagger and ultimately to Althea & Donna’s top ranking classic. So what do you think, pound for pound, amongst these three classics, which version is the best? Respond here or on to facebook.
I had the great pleasure of sitting down with Oliver Wang of the legendary Soul-Sides.com for his new series “The Sidebar” so far he’s hosted truly excellent interviews with my soul brother Matthew Africa, Jesse Thorn of the Sound of Young America and Tom Brenneck of the Dap-Kings, Menahan Street Band and the Budos Band (If you want to subscribe to Oliver’s Side Bar podcasts via Itunes, just click here). We chat about my love affair with radio, selling most of my records for our wedding back in 2004, a subject I broached earlier here on this blog, and we spend time discussing several “Summer songs.” It’s really hard to narrow down the variety of tracks that could be regarded as great songs that remind me of summer, but I chose Arthur Lee & Love’s “The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This,” Althea & Donna’s “Uptown Top Ranking,” and Donald Byrd with the Mizell Bros.’ “Dominoes.”
Even though the finished podcast is about 34 minutes, our total conversation was over an hour, so Oliver has included some of the best bits of the rest of our conversation as out-takes. Enjoy!
The Boris Gardiner Happening – Melting Pot – Is What’s Happening (Dynamic)
The 5th Dimension – Wedding Bell Blues – The Age of Aquarius (Soul City)
Love – The Good Humor Man Sees Everything Like This – Forever Changes (Elektra)
Althea and Donna – Uptown Top Ranking – 7″ (Lightning)
Alton Ellis – I’m Still In Love With You – Sings Rock and Soul (Coxsone)
Donald Byrd – Dominoes – Places and Spaces (Blue Note)
One of the best rock’n’roll bands in recent memory to come out of my hometown of Atlanta is coming to LA this week, The Black Lips, who will be playing a show at the Music Box. Though the band’s performance style has mellowed out a bit over the years, even Mark Ronson couldn’t wash away all the grime from their gritty rockin’ sound on their latest release Arabia Mountain. If you want to see the Black Lips this Friday, make sure to e-mail me at michael[at]meltingpotblog.com before Thursday at 5pm!!!
Had problems playing this track during my show on Sunday so I thought I’d share it here. I’ve been a big fan of Amon Tobin from all the way back in the 1990s when he seemed to fall fairly securely into the Drum’n’bass camp. As he’s progressed as a musician and an artist, labels have been more and more difficult to apply to Tobin’s music. Isam, his 9th full length recording, connects sonically & aesthetically with 2007’s Foley Room, where instead of building his music from breaks and samples of other people’s records, Tobin uses organic field recordings to construct his samples and what he describes as “sound sculptures.” Tobin’s work isn’t the easiest thing in the world to listen to, but it’s visionary, both sonically and in terms of how he’s going to perform music from this album and his catalog.
Isam is as much a piece of performance art as it is a piece of music, here’s a short film that details the conception of this project and the work that was necessary to create a truly unique experience for Tobin’s music and for those who will see him live during this tour.
An additional treat, Amon Tobin has shared the whole album on Soundcloud.com with running commentary about the process of putting together this fascinating album:
Was really excited to play this show, with a lot of new music that just came to me this past week, including Ocote Soul Sounds, Pollyn, Kid Congo Powers, Amon Tobin and a true gift from the Gods, Samuel L. Jackson reading Adam Mansbach’s children’s book for parents, “Go The Fuck To Sleep!” Also a nice mix of newish tracks from the Sandwitches, Vieux Farka Toure & Derek Trucks, Boom Clap Bachelors feat. Robin & Coco from Quadron, the Black Lips and a few classics sprinkled around including the Father’s Day inspired track from Groove Holmes that starts off the show. I had a little bit of technical difficulties in the second hour which can’t be edited around. Sometimes the CD players at KPFK just don’t seem to like my music and this week they rejected the planned song from Amon Tobin. I tried to re-cue it up, but the CD player just wasn’t going to play ball. I might try to track it down on vinyl for this coming Sunday’s end of the month vinyl show (or maybe I’ll throw it up for a post here). Either way hope you enjoy the show.
{opening theme} Booker T & the MGs – Melting Pot – 7” (Stax)
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Groove Holmes – Song For My Father – Onsaya Joy (Flying Dutchman)
The Pepper Pots – I Can’t Choose – Train To Your Lover (Double Back)
Le Nombre – Loving You – Burned At Boddie (Numero)
Boom Clap Bachelors – Lob Stop Sta – EP (Plug Research)
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Pollyn – How Small Are We – 12” (Self-released)
Love Inks – Can’t Be Wrong – ESP (Hell Yes)
Seun Kuti & the Egypt 80 – You Can Run – From Africa With Fury: Rise! (Knitting Factory)
Black Lips – Dumpster Dive – Arabian Mountain (Vice)
Love – Stay Away – Black Beauty (High Moon)
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Ocote Soul Sounds – Speak Truth To Power – Taurus (ESL)
Ikebe Shakedown – The Hold Up – Ikebe Shakedown (Ubiquity)
Vieux Farka Toure – Aigna feat. Derek Trucks – The Secret (Six Degrees)
Sun Kil Moon – Church Of The Pines – Admiral Fell Promises (Caldo Verde)
Swervedriver – Cars Converge Over Paris – Mezcal Head (Hi-Speed Soul/Second Motion)
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Samuel L. Jackson – Go The Fuck To Sleep – Go The Fuck To Sleep (Audible)
Tom Waits – The Piano Has Been Drinking – Small Change (Asylum)
The Sandwitches – In The Garden – Mrs. Jones’ Cookies (Empty Cellar)
Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs – The Whole Day Long – No Help Coming (Transdreamer)
Martina Topley-Bird – Baby Blue – Some Place Simple (Honest Jon’s)
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Father’s Children – Everybody’s Got A Problem – Who’s Gonna Save The World (Numero)
Karl Hector & the Malcouns – Girma’s Lament – Tamarassent (Now-Again)
Shabazz Palaces – Swerve…the Reaping of All That Is Worthwile – Black Up (Sub Pop)
Amon Tobin – Journeyman – ISAM (Ninja Tune)
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Kid Congo Powers & the Pink Monkey Birds – Hills Of Pills – Gorilla Rose (In The Red)
The Carnations – Scorpion – Keb Darge & Little Edith’s Legendary Wild Rockers (BBE)
Katalyst – Day Into Night feat. Stephanie McKay – 12” (BBE)
Little Brother – Lovin’ It feat. Joe Scudda – The Minstrel Show (Atlantic)
James Mason – Funny Girl – Rhythm Of Life (Chiaroscuro)
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{closing theme} Dungen – C. Visar Vagen – Tio Batar (Kemado)
Nina Simone – Funkier Than A Mosquito’s Tweeter
Nina Simone – The Pusher
Nina Simone – Obeah Woman
I’m pretty sure the first time I came into contact with this record from Nina Simone was at Groove Merchant. I’d been a fan of Simone’s but didn’t own any of her records (a true sin, I know…) and I was drawn to this one because it had one of Cool Chris’ attention grabbing notes on the front to check “Funkier Than A Mosquito’s Tweeter.” When you see albums with a note from Cool Chris, you just know the track has to be killer and that’s definitely the case with this monster.
“Tweeter” is a really interesting track. Like a number of songs Nina Simone covered, she puts such a distinctive stamp on it that you’d never know that the original came from Ike & Tina Turner. The pieces come together slowly, first upbeat African styled percussion, some notes from the electric bass, later on some fine funky drumming. It’s not until the final line where Nina growls, “…always rapping about the same ole thing,” that finally everything is together, the percussion, the tight drums and that rumbling soulful bass, for just 20 seconds and then it’s gone. The rhythmic build up is part of what makes this song so exceptional, the majority has to do with Nina’s delivery, especially of the punchlines in the lyrics where the rhythm completely drops out, she gives us a sassy “boring” or a whispered, “things you do ain’t never really pleasing” leading to a defiant “can’t believe nothing you say…” in the chorus. Beyond badass, pure Nina Simone.
The other tracks I’ve provided here are also covers, and also better than the originals. “The Pusher” is a significantly more soulful version than Steppenwolf’s original. In Nina’s hands the song seems less like a joke from a drugged out hippie band and more like a real indictment of drug culture. “Obeah Woman” is actually the second Exuma track on this record as Nina also covers his song “Damballa.” “Obeah Woman” is a bravura performance, deserving of the final place on the album and as a final statement for an artist who, as the title of the record references, had just finished her contract and was about to take a hiatus from performing and recording for several years. When she takes hold of the audience during this song, you never doubt that the “Obeah Woman” is Nina, this fierce, spiritual, powerful, elemental force, and an artist who’ll likely never be matched in her intensity of performance, her emotional volatility and the inspiration she continues to provide as the years go passing by.
Cheers,
Michael
…p.s. Recently my former KCRW homeboy Anthony Valadez guest hosted the station’s signature show Morning Becomes Eclectic and played “Tweeter” which then found its way into one of my Wife & I’s favorite summer Reality TV competition shows, “So You Think You Can Dance”…I think a boy/girl pairing might have been better considering the lyrical matter, but there is some nice dancing (especially the little JB inspired bit during the chorus) and it was nice to see dancing to this track. I’ve never had the guts to drop the needle on this record in a club because of the unconventionalness of the rhythmic changes…maybe I’ll give it a go if I get another chance to guest at Funky Sole, just to see how the dancers respond.
Swervedriver, one of the most glorious of shoegazing bands of the 1990s, has reunited and are playing a handful of shows this summer. One of the few will be here in Los Angeles at the Echoplex on Sunday June 19th. If you want a chance to win a pair of tickets to see this mighty band reborn, make sure to e-mail me at michael[at]meltingpotblog.com before Friday at 5pm!!!
You really shouldn’t need any encouragement to give it a go for these tickets, but how about this:
or this, gorgeous cascading waterfalls of distortion…
and this too, quite possibly the greatest song to have playing on your stereo as you drive exceedingly fast on an open highway…
Here’s another release that I’ve had for quite a while, but never gave it quite the number of listens or spins that it deserved in the spring. I first heard San Francisco’s the Sandwitches on KALX during a quick juant back to the Bay Area. I loved the haunting quality of their work, which I remember being a bit more lo-fi than this, their third release. The sound is mostly on the midnight dream pop tip, but those vocals are what stick in the mind, heavy country twang and vocalizing but very very distinctive especially in their almost otherworldly harmonies. Their sound might not be for everyone, but it is a fantastic sound as evidenced on “Over The Moon” which seems especially appropriate with the full moon and lunar eclipse tonight.
Can’t believe it’s been 5 weeks since our last “regular” show on Melting Pot, what with the Fundraiser and a couple of special shows, including the tribute to Gil Scott-Heron. I’ve had a lot of new music built up over the last couple months and finally I’ve been able to bring it all out. New music from Seun Kuti, Black Lips, Blueprint, Vieux Farka Toure, Space Invadas feat. Steve Spacek, The Sandwitches, Shabaaz Palaces, The Ladybug Transistor and the Pepper Pots. Also some classic material from Swervedriver (…might be a giveaway soon!), Love from the still unreleased Black Beauty and recently unearthed music from Father’s Children. Enjoy the show!
{opening theme} Booker T & the MGs – Melting Pot – Melting Pot (Stax)
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Freddie Robinson – Off The Cuff – Off The Cuff (Enterprise)
Hot Chocolate – Good For The Gander – Local Customs: Burned At Boddie (Numero)
Echocentrics – Dudar – Sunshadows (Ubiquity)
Love – Good & Evil (Young & Able) – Black Beauty (High Moon)
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Vieux Farka Toure – Sokosondou – The Secret (Six Degrees)
Thao & Mirah – Rubies And Rocks – Thao & Mirah (KillRockStars)
Da Cruz – Curumin – Sistema Subversiva (Six Degrees)
Space Invadas – Life feat. Jade McRae – Soul: FI (BBE)
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Youssou N’Dour – Medina – Dakar – Kingston (Decca)
The Sandwitches – Over The Moon – Mrs. Jones’ Cookies (Empty Cellar)
Summer Twins – Crying In My Sleep – Good Things (Self-released)
The Pepper Pots – Dreams Of Coming Back – Train To Your Lover (Double Back)
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Swervedriver – Pile Up – Raise (A&M)
The Ladybug Transistor – Light On The Narrow Gauge – Clutching Stems (Merge)
Blueprint – Welcome Home – Adventures In Counter-Culture (Rhymesayers)
Boom Clap Bachelors – Andres Haender – EP (Plug Research)
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Black Lips – Mad Dog – Arabian Mountain (Vice)
The Jiants – Tornado – Keb Darge & Little Edith’s Legendary Wild Rockers (BBE)
Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs –The Rest Of Your Life – No Help Coming (Transdreamer)
Dengue Fever – Sister In The Radio – Cannibal Courtship (Fantasy)
J-Live – No Time To Waste – S.P.T.A. (Triple Threat Productions)
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Father’s Children – Dirt And Grime – Who’s Gonna Save The World (Numero)
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 – Rise – From Africa With Fury: Rise (Knitting Factory)
Ikebe Shakedown – No Name Bar – Ikebe Shakedown (Ubiquity)
Shabazz Palaces – An Echo From The Hosts Profess Infintium – Black Up (Sub Pop)
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{closing theme} Dungen – C. Visar Vagen – Tio Batar (Kemado)
Freddie Robinson – Off The Cuff
Freddie Robinson – Smoking
Freddie Robinson – River’s Invitation
First came into contact with this super fine album by guitarist Freddie Robinson at Groove Merchant many moons ago. Recently tracked it down again thanks to Records LA. “Off The Cuff” is one of my favorite all time songs, maybe because it could so easily be a theme song for me, especially much of my approach as a DJ. Though the beat is mid-tempo, it has this seriously laid back vibe that all comes from those gorgeous guitar lines from Robinson. If it had just been an instrumental it would have been cool enough, but then when Robinson sings in his sly southern drawl, “Everything I do, I do it off the cuff y’all…Heh!” It moves into legendary status, at least in my book.
For those that don’t know Robinson had quite a stellar career, even if it never led to major success or stardom. He began as a straight blues guy, even backing up Howlin’ Wolf on some classic sides before striking out as a soulful and bluesy jazz guitarist in the late 1960s and early 1970s. During this period of time Robinson was also apart of maybe the most soulful incarnation of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. It’s likely that his work on Mayall’s albums led to his ability to record his two albums on the Enterprise label (the other, 1971’s At The Drive In, is also highly recommended if you dig this sound, especially “It’s The Real Thing”).
Instrumentally he mines somewhat similar territory as Phil Upchurch, though Robinson’s sound for me has an earthier, more soulful feel. That sound is on display on one of the few instrumentals on this album, “Smoking.” Most of the record is more in the blues-funk vein, a lot of it very sample worthy including “Medicine Man,” and his cover of Percy Mayfield’s “River’s Invitation.” All in all, a record worth tracking down, even though you don’t see too many copies of it around.
Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs – The Rest Of Your Life
Few artists have matched the consitency of Holly Golightly over her now 20+ year career. Beginning with Thee Headcoatees, as a solo artist and now with Lawyer Dave as Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs, I’d wager that she’s never released a poor album (just some poor sounding albums in terms of fidelity). Her latest release No Help Coming continues with the more overtly country tinged music of the last few years as she settled into rural life outside of Athens, GA. But every now and again a bit of the old down-home gritty garage blues sound that defined her comes out, as it does here on what is not too suprisingly my favorite track on this new album, “The Rest Of Your Life.”
Sorry this took a while longer to get archived but when Corin Tucker and her band originally came into KPFK to record this performance/interview we were in the middle of our fundraiser and things were crazy. I ran an abbreviated version of this interview on Mother’s Day, but wanted to broadcast the full version before posting it here. Corin Tucker is a true icon in my book, through her work with seminal Riot Grrl bands Heavens To Betsy and Sleater-Kinney. She’s got one of the most distinctive and powerful voices in the history of rock and thankfully she’s returned full force after a brief hiatus from music.
As you can hear in the interview, the Corin Tucker Band is definitely a band in the strongest sense of the word. Though Corin’s name is on it, the other members are equally important, including multi-instrumentalist Seth Lorinczi, recently drafed bassist Mike Clark and Sara Lund, one of my favorite all-time drummers for her previous work in Unwound. During the interview we talk about how the band got together, getting back into the swing of things after the hiatus from Sleater-Kinney, dig deeper into some of the themes of the record and even talk a bit about the importance of community/non-commercial radio. The band performed three tracks, “It’s Always Summer,” “1,000 Years” and “Dragon,” all of which are also featured on their KillRockStars album, 1,000 Years. I would have liked to have taken many more pictures but I had to run downtown and missed my opportunity to take some pictures and video of the band playing as I returned mid-performance. Perhaps next time…Enjoy the set!
It’s been just a little over one year since I took over the 4-6pm slot on KPFK. I hope to be here for many years to come and hopefully this will be our tradition for future anniversary shows, showcasing the best performances from the prior year. Since the end of May last year we’ve had the good fortune of bringing in Pacha Massive, The Gories, Chicano Batman, Francoiz Breut, Quadron, Belleruche, La Sera, J-Rocc, Bing Ji Ling and most recently Corin Tucker. There are a handful of other bands I tried to get in, local, national and international, but things just didn’t work out, but hopefully will in the future. During the show I talk a bit about the interviews, some behind the scenes things and also about my hopes for the future of this program. Full versions of these performances/interviews can be found in the “Be Our Guest” section of this blog. It’s really been a pleasure hosting this show during this first year, even with the incessant fundraising, and I really appreciate those of you who listen to the show and have been spreading the word. Next week we’re back to regular business as we move on to year #2!!!
{opening theme} Booker T & the MGs – Melting Pot – Melting Pot (Stax)
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Bing Ji Ling – Move On – Recorded at KPFK: April 4, 2011
Pacha Massive – Your Love – Recorded at KPFK: August 1, 2010
Belleruche – Cat In A Dog Suit – Recorded at KPFK: November 29, 2010
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Corin Tucker Band – Performance & Interview Recorded at KPFK: May 6, 2011
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La Sera – Never Come Around – Recorded at KPFK: January 28, 2011
Francoiz Breut – Les Jeunes Pousses – Recorded at KPFK: September 29, 2010
Chicano Batman – A Hundred Dead & Loving Souls – Recorded at KPFK: September 26, 2010
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Quadron – Performance & Interview Recorded at KPFK: October 29, 2010
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{closing theme} Dungen – C. Visar Vagen – Tio Batar (Kemado)
