Tuesday 27 December 2011

Making the Beat with 45King & Kid Capri

Another installment of the informative (and sometimes bizarre) "Making the Beat" with DJ MARK THE 45 KING with this episode's special guest being none other than party rocker KID CAPRI. I loved this episode because they discuss amongst other things their love for 45rpm records, who got what, and also seven inch records that people dream of owning (SALT - "Hung Up"). Quite fitting after my last post.






Monday 26 December 2011

Ultimate Breaks & Beats on 45rpm

Back in the mid 80s I was just a teenager and still being at school I struggled to afford all the essential new hip hop 12" releases that were available through GROOVE RECORDS, BLUEBIRD, HMV MEGASTORE, RED RECORDS and other long since gone record shops in London. Although I was determined to grab what I considered the best of current releases whether that was FAT BOYS, RUN DMC, SCHOOLLY D, ROXANNE SHANTE or THE B-BOYS etc etc..
When I look back I'm still happy with the majority of choices I made back then (with a few exceptions) and I have of course filled in the blanks over the years where I did miss a certain record. For instance when I chose "Shawnie G - Mission Impossible" 12" over the much better "Biz Markie - Make the Music" 12" whilst in Parrot Records in Winchester I got home to realise the former of the two was just an average record and I shoulda chose the Biz classic. Oh well!

One thing I do remember well is wishing I could afford to buy all the excellent ULTIMATE BREAKS & BEATS records put out by the legendary LENNY ROBERTS and edited by BREAKBEAT LOU. Those records were like the holy grail back in the 80s, and we knew NOTHING then about proper digging for break records. All we craved was the latest 12" rap release. So yeah I slept on many of the ULTIMATE BREAKS & BEATS series when they were originally released, and shame on me for doing so. Although I like to think that I have more than made up for it since then by searching out all the UBB classics I could on 45rpm.
LENNY ROBERTS worked in DOWNSTAIRS RECORDS according to DISCOGS (EDIT: but not true according to LOUIS FLORES thanks for clarifying that LOU) and along with people like STANLEY PATZER (MUSIC FACTORY) he had an encyclopedic knowledge of the "break beat" records that hip hop deejays were spinning at parties. He realised early that he could produce compilation albums featuring many of these hard to find breaks and sell them like hot cakes. Finding the originals was no easy task back then and it's no easy task even now (although achievable these days if you persist on eBay and earn your stripes whilst out diggin' etc..). Originally he dropped a series of comps called the OCTOPUS BREAKS, but then switched to the STREET BEAT label design after eight volumes on OCTOPUS (Edit: BREAKBEAT LOU explains that this change was when they went legit with the comps).
Now I guess I have to thank LENNY ROBERTS (BREAKBEAT LENNY rest in peace) and also LOUIS FLORES (BREAKBEAT LOU) for planting that seed in my head many years ago which lead to my obsessive search for all things UBB, not only the original comps but also the original pressings that spin at 45rpm. If you don't know by now - I'm a sucker for drum breaks, and an even bigger sucker for an original 45s.
Here's a few of the OG breakbeats I have picked up on 45rpm, but only those featured on the latter STREET BEAT LABEL. I will drop a few 45 gems off the OCTOPUS series at another time. And remember ... the UBB series listed the track title only without artist names, so there ain't no shame in my original 45 game!






BIG thanks to BREAKBEAT LOU for correcting me on a couple of points in my post, and also shout out to all the deejays who prefer to rock their beats on 45 revolutions per minute ..... MAC MCRAW, DJ FORMAT, ROB LIFE, JX, FORREST GETEMGUMP, BIZ MARKIE, DJ MARK 45 KING, KID CAPRI, DIAMOND D, ROCKIN' ROB, DJ MURO, SHADOW and CHEMIST, SKEME RICHARDS, MR SUPREME, and of course BREAKBEAT LOU and all 45 junkies worldwide. It's time to delve in 2012!

KD

Thursday 22 December 2011

Kool DJ Red Alert


Let's reminisce a little with KOOL DJ RED ALERT. You can blow up the boombox, you can blow up the regular box, you can blow up the system, you can blow up anything. You can put it in your Mercedes, in your 4x4, your Audi, your BMW, your VW, your skateboard it doesn't matter cuz we gonna blow it up like thiiiiiiisssss!!!


Thanks to JAZZY JAY, DJ MARK 45 KING and the UNIVERSAL ZULU NATION.

Tuesday 20 December 2011

Remixbound

Thanks to BLAAK THA NINTH MAN for putting me up on this REMIXBOUND mix by THE ILLVIBE COLLECTIVE. Plenty of dope Hip Hop remixes to keep your head snapping.

Monday 19 December 2011

Krum Get Some

Here's some of the dope hip hop inspired prints created by MR KRUM and exhibited
at the CLASSIC MATERIAL exhibition last Saturday. All of the four images have references to Hip Hop records and rap folklore but you have to be a serious fan of the music to work it out (although this won't stop you appreciating the clever artwork). If you fancy one (or all) of these prints for your studio wall then throw MR KRUM a line and I'm sure he will be happy to organise it - at a measly price of £45 each I'm sure you will agree these are a bargain. You can reach out to MR KRUM here. Plus you can still view the exhibition at THE CITY ARTS AND MUSIC PROJECT 70 – 74 City Rd, London, EC1Y 2BJ.




Sunday 18 December 2011

Classic Material Exhibition

Last night was a busy one for me with both the CLASSIC MATERIAL art exhibition and the after party celebrating hip hop from the turn of the millennium.
The exhibition itself showcased the CLASSIC MATERIAL artwork over the last year's worth of parties. If you weren't aware, JOHN BROTHERHOOD neatly manipulated well-known hip hop label logos and gave them the CLASSIC MATERIAL touch - see the photos, quality stuff. NORMSKI's selection of hip hop related photographs from the golden era was spectacular to say the least - that man has a knack behind the lense and knows how to catch your favourite rapper in a "not so regular" pose. Take a look at the photo of BIG DADDY KANE asleep on the COLD CHILLIN' tour bus driving along the A40 in West London.
And of course my fellow VINYL VETERAN and all round nice guy MR KRUM exhibited some of his humorous hip hop inspired prints, all had a theme which you would only spot if you studied the image carefully. I need to get some of these prints myself so MR KRUM I will be in touch. It was good to catch up with everyone there and get down to some millennium bangers (I forgot there were some great records that year!). The roll call on the night - CHRIS READ, DJ NICKNAME, DJ HUDGE, DANNY DELTA, JAS KICKMOUTH, DJ CYRUS, MAGS, MR THING, NORMSKI, BIG TED (good to finally meet you) Following that I dashed across to CHRISTMAS BOOGIE over at the TROY BAR in Hoxton where it was great to hear DJs FINGERS and LEACY rocking funk classics and rare beats.
Damn it was cold out there but what a great night!
















Saturday 17 December 2011

Rare Rammellzee

Rare audio footage of the legendary RAMMELLZEE live at the ANTENNA CLUB UK from 1982.

Thursday 15 December 2011

Merry Christmas

It's almost time to get into the festive mood again. So with a yo ho ho, I would like to wish all of our readers and listeners a very funky Christmas and a super dope new year. Here's hoping Santa brings us something circular, flat and approximately 12 inches in diameter this year.
For me personally it's been another year of searching for beats, making connections with like-minded hip hoppers, and also I've enjoyed a lot of new hip hop releases which has been refreshing. Another highlight has been collaborating with and then being asked to join forces with the VINYL VETERANS crew from BRIGHTON: so I would like to pay big respect to you fellas - you all know who you are. And end of year shouts go out to BEAT DETECTIVE, MC OXYGEN, AIDAN ORANGE, FISH PWS, DJ FORMAT, SURESHOT LA ROCK, DOWNSTROKE, DJ DEK ONE, SKYE, ADE, SKAM ROCK, JOHNNY DETT, CHRIS READ, DANNY DELTA, RARE DAVE, FRESH SKI & MO-ROCK, AGENT FINCH, CHRIS AYLEN, P&O, BENNY from ILL ADRENALIN, MAZE, CRATE ESCAPE RECORDS, JUST ONE, DJ TAGS, SKEME, SOUND SCI, CLASSIC MATERIAL crew, DRASAR MONUMENTAL, ROB FAMILIAR, SHUCKS ONE, JAY X, DJH, PALMA, DARREN and everyone who gets in touch via the blog. It is much appreciated as it always keeps me motivated.
As usual I will be hosting the USUAL DAILY DIGGERS RECORD REHAB at the HQ over the CHRISTMAS / NEW YEAR period to give you a break from the turkey sandwiches and the smell of brussel sprouts! If you in the East London area over the festive period with some vinyl trades then get in touch and maybe we can parlay. More details soon.


Negril RSC Footage

Amazing footage here of ROCK STEADY MEMBERS getting down at the NEGRIL club back in
the early 80s. Rookie b-boys need to watch and learn. Thanks once again to SHUCKS over at KOOL SKOOL for this dope footage.

Wednesday 14 December 2011

Christmas Boogie

If you are in East London this Saturday night 17th December then there is plenty of choice of venues where you can get down with your bad self. Not only is it the next installment of CLASSIC MATERIAL at C.A.M.P. in Old Street playing Hip Hop from the year 2000, but just around the corner at the TROY BAR (10 Hoxton Street opposite 333 Club) you can get busy to the sounds of DJ FINGERS (THE SINDECUT) and DJ AIDAN 'ORANGE' LEACY as they drop funk and soul bombs on the world. And with these two vinyl junkies in charge of deck duties, you just KNOW there is gonna some floor rocking b-beats and a selection of heavy breaks.

Classic Material Exhibition


CLASSIC MATERIAL concludes its year long series of events celebrating 30+ years of recorded rap music with an exhibition of hip hop photography and design. Featured artists include legendary UK street style photographer NORMSKI, Classic Material designer JOHN BROTHERHOOD and my fellow Vinyl Veteran MR KRUM. This exhibition is an opportunity to look back on the last year of events and to thank the contributors as well as showing some fantastic work and introducing some of the new CLASSIC MATERIAL projects for 2012.

The private view, sponsored by Asahi beer, in association with Foot Patrol takes place from 7pm until 9pm at City Arts and Music Project this Saturday (17th December). Entry is FREE and open to all.

More details on the exhibitors:

NORMSKI:
Normski exploded onto the public stage in the early 90s as presenter of BBC2’s groundbreaking Def 2 and Dance Energy shows, broadcasting the under-represented elements of the UK’s dance music culture and black music as whole to a new audience.
For many years prior Normski had been documenting the rise of hip hop culture in the UK and UK club culture through photography.

As a key figure on the UK’s early hip hop scene, Normski enjoyed unparallelled access to rising stars of the home grown scene and touring acts from the US who appear in his own particular brand of portrait photography. Well known subjects appearing in Normski’s work include the likes of Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie and Public Enemy. In recent years, Normski’s photographic works have experienced a renaissance with high profile exhibitions at venues across the UK.

Normski will be exhibiting a selection of his photographs dating from the late 80s and early 90s displayed on a variety of media alongside a collection of 5 limited edition prints.

JOHN BROTHERHOOD:
As a member of the WeLikeOurJob team, John Brotherhood is the man behind the majority of design work for Chris Read’s Music of Substance club night, website and mixtapes. With a shared passion for the design elements of hip hop’s history, John was a natural choice as Classic Material’s in house designer. Currently responsible for the runnings of London’s Foot Patrol sneaker emporium, John continues to be active as a designer.

John will be exhibiting a collection of 14 designs produced for the Classic Material series, each comprising a logo associated with a popular underground record label active during a year or era covered by one of the Classic Material events.

MR KRUM:
Vinyl Veteran Mr Krum combines an in depth knowledge of music history with a passion for vinyl and the skills of seasoned designer to produce original works which draw influence from a variety of sources.
Having recently applied his skills to record sleeve cover art for artists including DJ Format, The Simonsound and Soundsci, his work is currently in demand: Forthcoming releases for which Mr Krum has been enlisted to provide artwork include numerous members of New York’s hip hop underground royalty, amongst them the likes of Grap Luva, DJ Spinna feat Oxygen and Lord Finesse.

Mr Krum will exhibiting a collection of four 12″ x 12″ prints which combine a vinyl cover art aesthetic, obscure musical references and an irreverent sense of humour.

AF1 Addiction

I have an AF1 addiction - there, I've said it! And it goes without saying I need to get my hands on a pair of these butter looking CASHMERE CANVAS NIKE AIR FORCE ONEs due to drop real soon. No-one seems to stock them just yet but believe me I'm on it.




Sunday 11 December 2011

BDP USB

OK before you all shoot me down in flames, this is probably the one and
ONLY time that you are ever likely to catch me paying any money for mp3s of any kind! At first it felt kinda wrong, but that shiny packaging and UZI-shaped USB stick got me hooked, so as a real patriotic fan of BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS I just had to have it.
So as you can see I have no intention of opening this, I simply intend to look at it from time to time and remember how fuckin' dope it was back in 1987 when BDP's "Criminal Minded" album hit the streets. People use the term "game-changer" too loosely these days, but that LP was certainly one which made people within hip hop stop, look and listen. Conscious lyrics and uncompromising beats made this LP beyond a classic. I fact if this LP ain't in your top ten hip hop LPs of all time then you have a problem homey!

Thursday 8 December 2011

Born To Get Down

Here's a re-up of BORN TO GET DOWN, a selection of super duty tough b-boy cuts I put together a couple of years ago. Mainly for Karl in Germany, but also for anyone else feeling like they need to hit the floor.
DOWNLOAD HERE

Classic Material

CLASSIC MATERIAL returns a week on Saturday at C.A.M.P. (Old Street tube station) with special guest BIG TED dropping hip hop hits released around the turn of the century.

Wednesday 7 December 2011

Most Of My Heroes Didn't Appear On No Stamp

CHUCK D once said "Most of my heroes didn't appear on no stamp" referring to the lack of recognition many of the african american heroes received. The same could once be said about many of our hip hop idols of yesteryear, but now you can see many of the biggest figures from the golden era of rap on this limited print featuring 42 postage stamps bearing the heads of DJs, producers and MCs that made an impact on hip hop culture throughout the 1980s and 90s. You can grab a copy of the A2-sized lithograph print for your wall and also purchase a tee shirt bearing the same picture direct from MADINA's online store.

Vinyl Veterans in Slovenia

Nice to see some of my fellow VINYL VETERANS namely MAC MCRAW, MATT THE HATT and ROB LIFE returning to SLOVENIA to rock some firing 45rpm funk at THE GREEN SUN last week. MAC McRAW himself has only just returned from a gig in BROOKLYN - it's good to see the crew getting some well deserved worldwide love.


If you are in need of furious funk and killer beats for your club, concert or venue (wherever it may be on the globe) then you can book the VINYL VETERANS team right here.

Tuesday 6 December 2011

Dedication to Frosty Freeze

In memory of the legendary WAYNE FROST aka FROSTY FREEZE. One of the last great 1970s b-boys who continued rocking right up until his untimely death. If you have ever seen him in a circle you will know FROSTY certainly put the fun into b-boying, and his main aim was always to get a crowd reaction. Here is some amazing footage of the man himself including some of his trademark moves - clasic stuff. Rest in Beats FROSTY.
Oh... and I love the part where CRAZY LEGS snaps on him for using the term "breakdancing", and not just once but twice - hilarious.!

Monday 5 December 2011

Disco Fever 1986

In 1986 SAL ABBATIELLO was celebrating the tenth anniversary of his legendary (but no longer open) DISCO FEVER club, and VIDEO MUSIC BOX recorded a live show including footage of:

SWEET G as Master of Ceremony
RUN DMC
GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS 5 and LARRY LOVE
LOVE BUG STARSKI
FAT BOYS
M.C. CHILL

On the dancefloor you can also see MR. MAGIC (RIP),GRANDMIXER D.St., DR JECKYLL & MR HYDE, REAL ROXANNE & RED ALERT.

Disco Fever 10 Anniversary (1986) from Dziurawe Sample on Vimeo.

Thursday 1 December 2011

Eldica Records Funk Print

That good dude ANDREW WESTBURY of ELDICA RECORDS in DALSTON has collaborated with MAIN ARTERY to produce a very special limited edition print of forty five funk 45s. Now anyone who knows ANDY or has been to ELDICA will know that this man has a enormous knowledge of funk records and I can imagine a breathtaking collection of 7" vinyl. The print features 45 super rare Funk 45's which have been carefully selected by ANDY with only the best of the best in mind. Some 45's on this print can fetch up to £500 plus! This run of prints is strictly limited to 45 editions only, and exclusive to Main Artery Prints. If you love your funk like I do then order a copy through the MAIN ARTERY website.
Click on the picture to take a closer look at the 45s ANDY has used for the print - I guarantee you won't own all of them, but we have some classic records like "Iron Leg", "Humpty Dump", "Space Funk", "Gettin Down" and "Jason Pew Mosso pt1" to name only a handful. Check it out funk fans!!