In my later years of high school and my earlier years of college, beyond loving electronic music, I was also very big on French rap – so much so, in fact, that I would spend some nights up late for hours burning CDs (as itunes did not yet exist and there was nowhere I could find the tracks themselves beyond the internet). Beyond the well-known MC Solaar, who virtually became a household name in the States, I really liked the work group IAM had done. In order to show my love, even if retrospectively, for this week’s Oldies But Goodies, I am focusing on the rap group IAM, whose diverse musical choices made me like them so much in the first place. Their music goes from typical rap beats, to amazing old school samples, house, and even classical.
Anyway, enough from me. Have a little bit of IAM for yourself (allow a few minutes for the videos to load):
In the mid-2000s, I was heavily into harder French electronica/pop remixes by the folks in the Ed Banger crew (and their associates). They were the precursors to what I now refer to as Bro-tronica, but back then, the sound was a bit more minimal and melodic – you could do more than thrash to it. I could actually DANCE to this stuff (and had several fortunate opportunities to see these guys live back in their earlier years). The purveyors of the goods included the likes of Yuksek, Brodinski and SebastiAn, all of whom I profile here today with their great remixes.
After leaving a club tightly packed with sweaty people and before walking a street with only one, whose main mission was to harass me until I said “hi,” I was on the train. With my black hood covering my eyes, my gold hoop earrings and my mouth the only visible reminders that my face was there below the fabric, I had a moment. I was alone, just my music and me, and had time to think about what laid the foundation for my love of music.
A few nights ago, a good friend asked when was it that I had discovered my love of music and dancing, and I responded “infancy.” My first experience with music took place when I was only a few months old, crawling instead of walking my way to the stereo and turning the volume up full blast. Suspended by my own surprise, I screamed and cried, but couldn’t move. Something about the music held me there, alarmed yet frozen, until my mother came to my rescue. The rest was history really, with music being a constant figure in my childhood and for the rest of my life.
Tonight, on the train, as I searched for music by Homework the group, I came across Homework the album, Daft Punk’s first full LP and my first house music purchase. There were cds that came before, of course, such as Moby’s “I Like to Score,” The Prodigy’s “Music for a Jilted Generation,” and Fatboy Slim’s “Better Living Through Chemistry” that influenced my taste, but I can easily say that Daft Punk’s “Homework” changed my life.
I urge you, in this new year, to think back on your musical memories. What made your musical taste what it is today? What was a pivotal moment or period for you as you began to develop your own musical aesthetic?
I love Roots Manuva. I’ve been listening to him since I was a teenager, and have always appreciated his enlightened, alternative, and unique take on music, particularly that which weaves his Jamaican heritage through his South London upbringing in a smooth mix of dancehall and electronica.
Lately, I’ve been craving some Roots Manuva, having recently misplaced one of his CDs (2005′s Awfully Deep, which in my opinion is some of his most solid work to date), and it came to me by surprise in Poirier’s recent mix for the XLR8R podcast (listen here) in a sample from his famous 2001 track “Witness (1 Hope),” which was a pivotal track for putting Rodney Smith on the map. It also helps the video is truly one of the feel-good types Enjoy:
It’s 4th of July weekend, which means I am going to be on vacation (aka doing 109684082 things for the website). The posts will be few in number, but high in quality
Enjoy this old school video and have a happy weekend and Independence Day (if you live in the States)!
There are some songs from the 80s that make me feel good no matter what is going on. My entire apartment could go up in flames, and I could turn on one of these songs and feel better, at least for 3 – 4 minutes
One of them came from an awesome co-worker when I was having a down day, and the others are youtube finds that sparked my mood right away. Maybe they make your Tuesday a little brighter.
One of the things that I have realized about a lot of people these days is that they are generally musically lazy. Most people listen to what they hear when they go out or on the radio, but don’t really do their homework. The same can be said of fashion, actually, with most folks wearing whatever the magazines say is cool without looking for new designers and putting together unique outfits. The problem could be a result of media overload, the aftermath of our being so frequently exposed to new things (be they music or fashion or anything, to be honest) by way of the infinite sources of communication and news proliferation. People sometimes become so overwhelmed that they just throw in the towel. There is no possible way they can keep up, so they just surrender altogether.
Yet on the flip side, there are still people out there who dig around on a frequent basis to expand their knowledge, music being one of those pursuits. Being one of those people means I am often exhausted, every club outing becomes an aural game of Jeopardy (oh, this is that sample from X or this is a remix of Y), I run through portable hard drives like rolls of toilet paper, and my iPod, though it’s huge, is always too full. Ultimately, I find myself in a place of constant downloading, listening, reviewing, and recommending of music, but it’s a happy place, and one that gives me the opportunity to recognize when others out there are doing the same.
One such example is Quinten 909, a Dutch DJ who has put together a great mix for the blog Too Many Sebastians that combines his tracks with a ton of old school French house and nuevo disco tracks. This mix is fun and light, but also perfect for someone who is as music-obsessed as I, being that it travels so deeply into an old sound that may not be familiar to all. So be a little lazy for once, and just listen with an empty head. Let your ears do all the work for you.
I remember when I heard the original version of TTC’s “Travailler.” At that time, I was heavily into a lot of the buzzy, down-tempo style electronic music coming out of France and it hit the spot perfectly. French DJ Orgasmic remixed it, of course, but it kept a lot of its charm. This song isn’t TOO old, but in the world of electronica, where a new track is probably released, posted, blogged about, and downloaded every second then rendered obsolete, so last year, and overplayed in a matter of minutes, this track might as well be ancient.
Nevertheless, I still love it, and thought I’d post it on this very special day (ahem, hump day, that is…every 9-5ers precursor to the weekly Christmas Eve that is Thursday). Enjoy:
(btw, in case you missed it, travailler = to work in French, and travaille = job)
original mix by Tacteel (this one, sadly, is hard to find these days)
Last night, I came across a fantastic mix by DJ Overdose at the Fact Magazine site. The UK based music mag had the pleasure of hearing this mix first by the Netherlands-based turntable wonder, but I couldn’t let them get greedy. Here, have a taste for yourself:
For those of you who are hip hop heads, b-boys and girls, and/or into old school freestyle and Miami bass, this is surely something you’ll want to bump anywhere from your ipod to your car speakers, for old times’ sake.
You can’t go wrong with a tracklist like this:
Tracklist:
1. lisa lisa and the cult jam – i wonder if i take you home
2. daniel sofer – rhythm rock rap
3. agallah – club hoppin’
4. dj overdose – know who you are
5. 2 live crew – what i like
6. safire – let me be the one (dub beats)
7. p-funk all stars – hydraulic pump
8. break machine – breakdance party
9. C.O.D. - in the bottle
10. ciara – 1′2 step
11. shannon – give me tonight (dub)
12. sparky d vs the playgirls – the battle
13. ice t – body rock
14. eric b and rakim – my melody
15. just ice – booga bandit bitch
16. the b boys – stick up kids
17. sir mix-a-lot – gortex
18. stetsasonic – bust that groove
19. fat boys – big and beautifull (dubapella/instrumental)
20. geto boys – my minds playing tricks on me (dirty)
21. krs-one – 13 and good
22. kool g rap – on the run (dirty untouchable version)
23. geto boys – city under siege
I can’t quite say who started it, but somehow over time, French DJs came to dominate the house scene. Once controlled by the warehouse bumping DJs in Chicago, Detroit, and later New York, house music has seen many a transformation. But one of its longest lasting incarnations is the one brought to us from France.
Revived by artists like Daft Punk and its two members, Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo (who went on to found Crydamoure with Éric Chedeville) and Thomas Bangalter, in addition to Cassius (formerly known as La Funk Mob), Motorbass (a collaborative project between Philippe Zdar and Etienne de Crecy), DJ Falcon, Modjo, and Bob Sinclair. The infinite collaborations, projects, labels, and groups that came from just this set of performers is pretty amazing, but if we look at the other groups that emerged at the same time, we’ll notice even more musical crossbreeding to create what we now know as French House. What’s so funny about this set of artists is that initially, they were not even considered house, but a new form of disco, which makes me wonder what the artists we now label as “New Disco” will be called in a few years.
Most of the aforementioned artists now create music that is a far cry from their musical origins, having delved into rock, techno, hip hop, and straight up pop, but they will always hold a special place in my heart for being some of the earliest electronic artists I cut my teeth to.
Here’s one of my favorites: a remix of Daft Punk’s “Around the World” by Motorbass that takes this song to a whole new level [rare]:
and another favorite by Motorbass, “Flying Fingers”
When I was younger, I used to watch MTV’s AMP, a show that profiled electronic music acts’ amazing videos. It not only helped fuel my love of electronica, but also happened to be visually stimulating. Most videos nowadays are total crap and entirely predictable, as they were then as well. So it was nice to see something different on the screen that appropriately matched the quite varied nature of electronic music to begin with, especially in its departure from the sounds we were used to typically hearing.
One such group whose video I recalled seeing once on AMP was S.I. Futures, whose most well-known single “We Are Not a Rock Band” compelled me to buy their full album (which was actually pretty good!). Does anyone else remember this?
I grew up in the era of 35s, 45s, tapes, and later CDs. While the mp3 ushered me into my teenage and adult years, I still have a special place in my heart for these older conduits of sound. There is something about music being so tangible that makes you feel like you have more ownership in the entire listening process. My mp3s, though really important for obvious reasons, seem so temporary. With one lash from iTunes, they could all be taken away. With one computer glitch, they’re lost. With one download error, they are incomplete.
Back in the day, when my music came pressed and in cases with photos, I was as much an avid collector as I am now. I started out by “indefinitely borrowing” my grandmother’s 35s and 45s, which ranged from the likes of Michael Jackson and Roberta Flack to James Brown and BB King. My mother and father, back in their hippie days, were big music collectors as well, blessing me with a plethora of LPs to choose from that were as diverse as the sky is wide. Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Wham! and Prince were just a few of the artists whose music was stocked in their abundant collection.
Though my first records were Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes (pictured above) and this awesome set of Letter People 35s (all of which I played in my trusty, plastic, Fischer Price portable record player, I quickly moved on to bigger and better things, including hundreds of tapes (which I kept in plastic hard suitcases) by artists like Neneh Cherry, Nine Inch Nails, and New Kids on the Block (not a purposeful alliteration, I promise), and later CDs, the first of which were by Bjork, Moby,The Prodigy, The Gin Blossoms, Fatboy Slim, the Chemical Brothers and, of course, Daft Punk. Pretty much from infancy on, I’d start my day or get ready with music. Garbage’s debut DC reminds me of my first day of middcle school, and Daft Punk of my first school dances.
For today’s Oldies But Goodies, instead of adding a mix, I thought I’d leave you all with a few questions: What are you first musical memories? When did you buy your first album (with your own music)? What helped shape your musical taste?
I really like Nacho Lovers, the DJ duo from Canada that consistently puts out amazing house mixes, some of which we have featured here, and many of which you will find on blogs all over the web. They occasionally do work separately, and I was fortunate enough to come across such a mix a few days back.
Andrew Ross, one half of Nacho Lovers, dropped this mix recently for Old Gold Boutique in Montreal, which contains a ton of fun old school tracks as well as some remixed newbies and a whole lot of greatness. As per usual, this mix is full of win.
1 – Armand Van Helden – I Can’t Wait (House Head & B-boy Collaboration)
2 – The Cure – Close To Me (Paul’s Horny Dub-Remix)
3 – Lindstrom & Christabelle – Lovesick
4 – Soul II Soul – Back To Life
5 – Talking Heads – Burning Down The House (Alternate Version)
6 – Lovebirds – U Give Me
7 – The Revenge – Just Be Good to Me
8 – Depeche Mode – Never Let Me Down (Aggro Mix)
9 – Rocha – Hands Of Love (Harvey’s Downstairs Mix-Up)
10 – The xx – VCR (Matthew Dear Remix)
11 – Sounds Superb – Psuedo Wind (Andrew Ross Long Edit)
12 – Duckbeats – Music (Don’t Stop)
13 – The Source f. Candi Staton – You Got The Love (Radio mix)
Also, Nacho Lovers will be playing at WMC this year. Be sure to check out their MySpace page for more info.
So unless you have been living under a rock for the past few months, you probably know that Sade has a new album out. Though she is 51 years old (yes, I was shocked too), she still somehow manages to look super young and pretty much puts any of those “hot 20-somethings” foaming at the mouth on the tv screen these days to shame, not to mention the simple fact that her music remains some of the most samplicious to date. Oddly, I can’t really listen to Sade in an un-remixed form for very long because, even if the song playing happens to be joyous in spirit, her voice always–without fail–makes me sad. Though, imagine how you would react if you were in a club and someone sampled a little Sade. You would go nuts, right? So for tonight’s Oldies But Goodies, I’ve got a little ode to Sade in tracklist and video form. Sample away–be it via turntable or the power of the mind–and enjoy:
1. Love Is Stronger Than Pride (video): I have actually heard this sampled, and it works really well when sped up and kinda chopped into pieces . . .
2. Cherish the Day – Even better for sampling than the aforementioned, Cherish the Day has seen its go-round in the mix circuit, but it’s versatile enough to continue on the same path. . .
3. Kiss of Life (video) – also heavily sampled, but again, it’s all worth it.
4. Smooth Operator (video) - How could you not love this song?
5. Sweetest Taboo – Whenever I hear this song, I think of car rides to school in the morning (my mom was a big Sade fan, and they always happened to play her on the jazz radio stations in the morning . . . no idea why). Gotta love this attempt at a plot in the video, too:
6. Your Love Is King – Sade, if not hailed only for her musical abilities, must also be lauded for her amazing fashion sense. I don’t think I have ever seen this woman look anything short of stunning. Oh genetics and good styling. Also, kudos for the Spike Lee-esque ”floating” shots throughout the video. Strange, no?
7. When Am I Gonna Make a Living (video) - My friend Kristal had been singing this song all Saturday, then it got stuck in my head, but for good reason. It’s a great song!
Nowadays, it seems like Janet Jackson is known more for her drastic weight fluxuations than for her amazing dance moves and music. It’s unfortunate, really, considering how talented she is, that her life has become a media spectacle that involves more of her private life than her performances. When you think about it, that’s really what a lot of music is about these days. As we have traveled infinitely closer to a world of overexposure, oversharing, and total invasion of privacy as normative elements of our daily lives, we seem to have lost sight of talent. It’s been rendered a tangential piece to celebrity, one’s twitter feed and scandals outweighing what one can do to rile a crowd, make people think, or make people dance.
With all that said, today’s Oldies But Goodies is a little videomage (video + homage, get it?) to Janet Jackson, who truly provided the soundtrack to my earliest years of life and paved the way for tons of female peformers. Thank you, Janet. Now, let’s jam.
1. When I Think of You – First of all, I want her entire outfit–ESPECIALLY the jacket with all the detailing on the right shoulder. Amazing. The video is so cheesy, but it adds a lot of character to the song. I found myself singing it the other day and I actually thought to myself — this is one of the first videos I remember seeing as a child and one of the earliest cultural catalysts for me to move to NYC. I probably also owe my pension for asymmetrical puffy hairdos to this video as well.
2. Pleasure Principal – suuuch a good song. Why do so few people sample this in mixes? It would be amazing as one of those surprise hits that make you go oooooh that’s my jam mid-way through the set. Note how much more contemporary performers totally channel Janet in their dance moves. Clearly, Britney Spears and co. were taking notes on Ms. Jackson.
3. What Have You Done for Me Lately? - So much exaggerated neck action in this intro, it makes my brain rattle around a bit. Nevertheless, great song. I’d like to see some sort of electro cover of this . . .
4. Escapade – When I was younger, I really wanted a key earring like this, that I would wear only one side, much like Janet Jackson here and Ozone from the Breakin’ films. My mother was not thrilled with the idea. Despite her allowing me a fair amount of creative freedom in my attire, she didn’t want me to stretch out my pierced lobes too young. Now, as an adult, I am still tempted to rock this look here and there (and actually saw it quite frequently in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais (Brazil), though of a feathered variation, minus the key), I have always decided against it. One day, I will get the courage to do it. . . one day.
5. Alright – It’s the Jazz Era, or at least the Dick Tracy Period. Wingtips, pinstripes, and fedoras. Janet, you nailed it. This video makes me want to die and come back a Janet Jackson back-up dancer.
6. Control – This video is 9 minutes. Yes, 9 minutes! They just don’t make ‘em like this anymore (except Lady Gaga, who is putting back a little of the fun into the video/performance game). Check out the backup singers’ outfits. Is it just me, or is Topshop probably selling those shoulder pad silk sweaters for $125 right now?
7. Miss You Much – Ah yes, the song that will forever make me think of my kindergarten and elementary school years.It also seems to render memories about certain foods I ate during kiddie lunch hour. Strange, right? It also solicits scents and textures I remember well, but also miss.
8. Nasty - Gimme a beat! This beat is particularly delicious. sample sample sammmmpppllle
Recently, I went to a reunion-style karaoke party with some friends whom I hadn’t seen in a very long time, and I ended up singing a ton of old school songs that I miss, but remember well. they also happen to have amazing sample potential if one were to use them in a mix. Though I iddn’t sing all these songs (only a few), I definitely know the words to all of them (aka I’m officially old!)
White Town – Your Woman
Erykah Badu – Tyrone
Garbage - Stupid Girl
311 – All Mixed Up
Nivea – Don’t Mess With My Man (whatever happened to her?!?)
Ok, well maybe I won’t, but Gina Turner sure will.
With a solid mix here care of the Fool’s Gold podcast series, DJ Gina Turner takes us all the way back to when NYC was the center of house, hip hop, and all kinds of Latin dance music with a mix that could shut a dancefloor down in no time (and I mean that in the good way). I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to see Gina Turner live, and let’s just say homegirl tears it up.
Her sets are seriously some of the best I’ve heard…ever. I was dancing so much I am lucky I lived to tell about it. With that said, I highly recommend hopping on over to the iTunes site and subscribing to the Fool’s Gold podcast as well as checking out Gina Turner’s other tracks (she can be found on beatport.com and a host of social networking sites). I also recommend your clicking below to get GT’s take on oldies but goodies:
1. Puerto Rico [OG Mix] – Frankie Cutlass
2. Move It Like This – K7
3. Come Baby Come – K7
4. Street Tuff – Rebel MC
5. This Beat Is Hot – BG The Prince of Rap
6. Stomp – D Kyze
7. Hey DJ – Beatmasters
8. Let There Be House – Deskee
9. Dangerous On The Dancefloor – Musto & Bones
10. You Used to Hold Me (Kenny Dope Mix) – Ralphi Rosario
11. This is Acid – Maurice
12. Jack Your Body (Frankie Knuckles Mix) – Steve Silk Hurley
13. Get Money Kids – Pase Rock
14. Git on Up – Fast Eddie
15. Hip House – Fast Eddie
16. Wiggle it – 2 In A Room
17. Let’s Get Hyped – Kool Rock Steady
18. Turn Up The Bass -Tyree Cooper
19. Hip House Soup – D Julz
20. I’ll House You – Jungle Brothers
21. I’ll House You – Kid Sister
22. Que Bonita Bandera – Two Without Hats
23. Robi Rob’s Boriqua Anthem – C & C Music Factory
24. Boriqua Posse – Rare Arts
25. The Breeze – Two Without Hats
26. El Trago – 2 In A Room
27. Tight Laces – Loco Dice
28. Try Yazz – Two Without Hats
29. Boriqua – Nouveau Yorican
30. La Conga – Riva Starr
31. Brighter Days – Cajmere
32. Groove To This – CZR
33. Requiem For A Hit – Miss Kittin
34. Sabrosura – DJ Laz
35. El Duena Del Swing – Los Hermanos Rosario
Sometimes, I get really stressed. I don’t think I speak for myself when I say that, either. It happens to all of us–be it from school, work, family pressures, health issues, money problems, relationship drama–you name it, we’ve experienced it. Stress can come from multiple sources and at the most random of times. In reflecting on the State of the Union Address last night, I can’t help but think that we as a nation are feeling a little stressed too, Obama included, as we attempt to reach goals without losing a sense of hope.
But every now and then, when it seems like sh*t keeps hitting the fan with no solution in sight, we have to find ways to relax, to find the calm in the storm, to mellow when chaos is all around us. While I do yoga and take baths surrounded by scented candles and go to spas and do all those super new age things to reach this point of zen, I can’t help but resort back to the timeless solution to stress: music.
With that said, today’s Oldies But Goodies post is dedicated to those of you who need to relax, albeit to a set of funk, house, and old school joints by Mark E. Tracklists can be found in the Music Archive.
The other day, while compiling some of the videos for this week’s Oldies But Goodies post, I stumbled across an amazing blog called Oldschool Is the Only School. There, the author posts a more recent track (usually via video) and the original track from which it sampled heavily. Thoug the concept is simple, the site is a lot of fun because at times, you can run across real shockers or songs you have never heard in your life! Two that left my mouth open were:
Tony Lee – Reach Up. . . Phats & Small – Turn Around
While the beat used in the Phats & Small clearly sounds like a disco track, I never realized it had come from another song, especially one I had never heard before . . . ever.
–
The other shocker was this one:
Bernard Wright – Spinnin’ . . . Skee Lo – I Wish (which a castmember on MTV’s Real World: DC cited in an episode the other day, shocking me considering they seem like fetuses at this point, most of them having been born in the late 80s to early 90s!)
You have to listen a little closer for this one (wait for the break in the original to hear what was sampled). It’s funny because I remember thinking when Skee Lo’s song came out that the music in the background was always way better than the cute and catchy lyrics. I guess my instincts were right!
To check out which one of your favorite tunes sampled old school styles, check out the site:
Retail DJ is a site about incorporating you into the infinite pairing of music and fashion. A love story for the ears and eyes, Retail DJ profiles mixes that can serve as the soundtrack to your life, introduces you to DJs and designers you should know, and lets you peek into the closets of the unique and talented.
Enjoy:
Recently, I went to a reunion-style karaoke party with some friends whom I hadn’t seen in a very long time, and I ended up singing a ton of old school songs that I miss, but remember well. they also happen to have amazing sample potential if one were to use them in a mix. Though I iddn’t sing all these songs (only a few), I definitely know the words to all of them (aka I’m officially old!)
The other day, while compiling some of the videos for this week’s Oldies But Goodies post, I stumbled across an amazing blog called Oldschool Is the Only School. There, the author posts a more recent track (usually via video) and the original track from which it sampled heavily. Thoug the concept is simple, the site is a lot of fun because at times, you can run across real shockers or songs you have never heard in your life! Two that left my mouth open were:
