Looking back.....

Id forgotten about this track, until i found myself inexplicably singing it.

Since then, i just cant get enough of hearing it. Basement jaxx really are excellent.

Thats all... just wanted to share my hype over this old track.

Mark King.... Rocks.

Im totally aware that many people wont know who he is... but Mark King is the lead singer and bassist from Level 42.

Now, im a bit of a Level 42 fan but id never heard of this song before its called Mr Pink (performed live). Its fairly self indulgent, and really 80s, but it just goes to show how good the guy is, especially for a guy who actually never wanted to be a bassist... he was a drummer.

He only started playing bass in 79 when he joined level 42 and they already had a drummer.... i think thats what you call natural talent.

Now, i dont know if the song is an intentional nod to weather report (and therefore jaco pastorius the biggest genius to ever hold a bass guitar), but it certainly sounds like it.

Either way, enjoy.

Practise House Mix...

Its been a little while since i had a good old house mix...

So i thought id have a little play around with some tunes last night!

Recording went a bit awry and has little skips occasionally... my old laptop drive is a little on the slow side! Remember... it was a practise, not a session mix, so at times, im having a fair old play around.



Download (If You Like)

I dont claim to know my reggae...

But i definately know when i hear something i really like.

The song is familiar, is it an old song? Either way, this cements even more in my mind that Beres Hammond is the man.

Beres 'I Feel Good'

Another Musical Journey...

This one started in 1998.

My bro was going out with who is now his wife and travelling down to london pretty much every weekend. He'd take tapes with him and record the sunday night dream team session, and london underground.

He came back with the tapes, id rob the tapes to listen to on my walkman at school, try to tell everyone that garage was the bomb and thats what it was (only to be told i was wrong by all the eastern district skiprats). However, there was one tape that simon always kept hold of - and one day i heard it in his car and figured out why. Hed accidentally caught the beginning of a patrick forge show and discovered something id never heard before.

It was my introduction to broken beat, tho i didnt call it that then - i called it future jazz (the name changes around, the vibe remains). There were a few tracks on there, but this was the standout. This blew my mind, and i could not find it anywhere - for love nor money.

Chris Energy 'Untitled' (takes a while to load up, but worth waiting for)



(click here to download if the player isnt working)

Turns out, chris energy is a guy who once was on reinforced records, did some jungle stuff, and got into the short-lived 'jazz-step' thing... this was the logical progression. I did actually eventually track down a copy in 2003, a 10" single side, limited press vinyl. Top stuff.

This stuff led to us eventually picking up on gilles show on radio 1.. and some years later (2003), i heard this on the worldwide show. Really nice track by a husband+wife outfit called dnell (who are well worth a listen).

Dnell 'Time To Say' (Break Reform Rmx) (takes a while to load up, but worth waiting for)



(click here to download if the player isnt working)

Heard that sample again. I loved it. Tried to figure out the sample at the time but my digging skills were poor, and I failed.

However, last year, common (yes, common again!) released 'Finding Forever' (which im going to have to review at some point and explain why i like this album more than BE), and on it was this nugget produced by will.i.am. You have to wait until 3:20.

Common 'I Want You'



The break! Couldnt believe it.

Heres where owning the cd was excellent, cause my digging techniques didnt have to even get started. I grabbed the case, opened the booklet - and true enough, there was the sample!

.... and here it is.

Bob James 'I Feel Like Making Love'

... Thats Love.

I heard it on abstract innovations a while back, but i just received it promo so i guess that Q-Tips new album 'The Renaissance' is about to get pushed.

Cant wait :)

I never thought id be saying this....

...but iv made a discovery.

Iv found a classic prog rock (1978) track that i really like. Im fairly into folky stuff and pretty open to hearing different stuff anyway, but im completely shocked and stunned by this one.

I mean, Joni Mitchell is great, and i like some real odd stuff... but i just never thought that id have to say...

Theres this Jethro Tull song i really like. Listen to the flute! It just works!



Sorry everyone, but its true.

A Musical Leafy Lane....

This all started with a friend of mine lining my hand with a repress of a Tom & Jerry 12" from the 90s called 'maximum style'.



ILL, right?

Anyway, later on (a few years) this led directly to me buying a jungle compilation cd (unmixed) simply because it had a tom & jerry track on it called 'air freshner'. Im a huge dnb fan, and an even bigger 4hero fan, so to say i was 'pleased' was a major understatement.

I loved the sample, the break, the whole thing just blew my mind, i remember hearing this as a lad, but it had completely gone from my memory.

Anyway, here it is.



Awesome, im sure you agree. Fast forward a few years, and im sat on youtube searching for music (its quite a nice way of finding new tunes), and i stumbled across this track by Common called Penny For Your Thoughts, from his first album 'can i borrow a dollar?' (click here if you want to hear it, but i couldnt find the edited version on youtube)

Being a huge common fan, it blew my mind.... and it reminded me just how much i needed to find the original break. Took a mental note, and carried on surfing, put in some names of some artists i felt i didnt know much about, next thing i knew, purely by chance... Im listening to it. Id found the original break.

In talking to a guy close to 4hero, both sampled tracks were around at a similar time and it was just a coincidence! Anyway, here it is, Eddie Kendricks - Intimate Friends. I truly love this track!