News
Gappy Ranks – Still Rising
July 23, 2010
Recently I photographed Gappy Ranks for his new album, the Peckings-produced “Put The Stereo On”, which is out on Greensleeves on the 23rd of August. However, the album was initially delayed so I nabbed the best photo from the shoot for the cover of his EP, “Rising Out Of The Ghetto” [Above]. Still, the album’s looking good (a Tony McDermott job), and sounds good too, featuring the killer cuts “Heaven In Her Eyes”, “Put The Stereo On” and “Mountain Top”. If you’re more on a dancehall tip you should pick up the EP, which features “Stinkin Rich” and “Rising Out Of The Ghetto”.
Creative Review
July 22, 2010
Creative Review have posted a piece about the Stüssy/Greensleeves project on their blog, including an excerpt from my interview with Greensleeves designer Tony McDermott. You can check it here. They’re also dedicating September’s edition of Monograph to the project, but you need to be a CR subscriber to peep that.
It’s funny, looking at the Greensleeves book now, you’d have no idea what a mission it was to find those 100 album covers. Greensleeves don’t have any of their original LPs in their archive (CDs only), which meant I had to track them all down. It was a massive mission! Thanks to all the collectors who helped out.
R.I.P. Sugar Minott (1956—2010)
July 12, 2010
Vusi The Voice
July 4, 2010
South African singer Vusi Mahlasela’s performance of his tune “When You Come Back”, shown on ITV after the Brazil vs Chile game, was sweeeeet. No wonder he’s nicknamed “The Voice” in South Africa. Plus he’s one of Mandela’s favourite artists. Maaad!
Here’s Vusi again at Mandela’s 90th birthday concert in Hyde Park, 2008.
Staying on the sweet voice vibes I’ve put together a new chart – the sweetest voices in reggae music. Disagree with it here.
The Swinger
June 4, 2010
Tristan Jehan (a computer coding genius and hyperinstrumentalist from MIT) has created a program called The Swinger, that uses timestretch to put a swing into your favourite tunes. Check out the swung versions of “Money For Nothing” and “Sweet Child Of Mine”. Crazy!
Money for Nothing (swing version) by TeeJay
Sweet Child O’ Mine (Swing Version) by plamere
Stüssy Deluxe x Greensleeves x Al Fingers
May 6, 2010
After almost two years, a collaboration between Stüssy Deluxe, Greensleeves Records and myself is finally ready. The project began in summer 2008 when Stüssy designer Nick Bower asked me to put together a mixtape for Stüssy Deluxe. I went to Greensleeves Records for the music, and the project then grew to include a book on Greensleeves album cover art (”Greensleeves The First 100 Covers”) and a small clothing collection of nine Stüssy Deluxe tees, with prints featuring elements of the album cover art (Mister Yellowman, Jammy Destroys the Invaders, Sleng Teng, etc).
The book is a document of the first 100 Greensleeves album covers. It also contains interviews with Greensleeves’ founders, Chris Sedgwick and Chris Cracknell, and its chief designer, Tony McDermott, who has worked for Greensleeves almost since the day the label launched in 1977. During the project I was lucky to be able to spend a number of days in the Greensleeves archive, where I found various bits and pieces of reggae history that, as far as I know, have never been published before, including a couple of hand-drawn Tony McDermott 12″ sleeve designs from the early ’80s that were never used. If Greensleeves don’t use them for some special edition Junjo 12″ reissues they are sleeping!
Stussy Le Brea store, LA. Photo: Fatsarazzi.
The mixtape features 56 tracks from the label’s first ten years, including a few specials and some remixes I put together mixing old and newer material from the Greenleeves catalogue – mostly newer acapellas over classic Roots Radics rhythm tracks from the early days. I’ve posted a couple of them in the Remix section – Sizzla & Morgan Heritage’s “All I Want” over Junjo Lawes’ Diseases (Mad Mad) rhythm, and Mavado’s “Wa Dem A Do” over the Wailing Souls classic, “Fire House Rock”. The project is out now at Stüssy outlets and other stores. I’m hoping to post the mix for download at some point…
Ten Pound Soundclash
April 29, 2010
The £10 soundclash. The most fun you can have with £10!
What you need:
• Two to four players, each with ten pounds (or equivalent in your currency).
• Record shop with a good bargain basement (eg. 50p per record or less).
• Venue (eg. someone’s house) with a decent soundsystem.
Players spend their £10 budget on the biggest tunes they can find in the bargain basement, keeping the selection secret from the other players. Back at the venue, each player spins one tune per round, then all players vote on the biggest selection. As well as the tune, other elements may influence the vote, including record condition, cover artwork, etc. If the tune is on a Telstar compilation that’s going to knock off some points. Who won the clash? »
Happy Easter
April 3, 2010
Gappy Ranks Inna Di Maybach
March 24, 2010
Pass Out Remixes
March 9, 2010
Big up to Tinie Tempah, who went straight in at UK number one this week with his debut single, “Pass Out“. Big up to Labrinth too, who produced the track and sings a wicked chorus on it. I put together a couple of mash-ups over the beat – a medley by Capleton and Richie Spice’s “Marijuana” (yeah I know it’s been remixed to death already, but what can I tell ya). Download them in the Remix section… Gappy Ranks has also voiced a tuff freestyle over the beat – “All The While”. Download Gappy’s version here. Maaad!
Heart On Your Sleeve Wallpaper
February 12, 2010
Not quite sure what to get that special somebody for Valentine’s day? Look no further than this romantic desktop wallpaper, featuring heart-inspired album and 12″ artwork. Now available for iPhone! Check the graphics section for free download.
Music Quote Screen-Prints
February 12, 2010
I’ve silkscreen-printed a few music-themed art prints (A2 & A3) which I’ll be selling at an art fair this valentine’s day at Jaguar Shoes, 34–36 Kingland Rd, London E2. Come down between 11am and 6pm if you fancy grabbing one.
Tahuna Breaks – Black Brown & White Remix
February 5, 2010
New Zealand band Tahuna Breaks asked me to remix “Black Brown & White”, the title track from their recent album. Big up James and the rest of the band.
Cocoa Tea Sings For Buju
January 30, 2010
Cocoa Tea’s wicked re-lick of the Heptones’ 1976 classic, Country Boy, dedicated to Buju Banton, whose cocaine trial begins in Florida at the beginning of March. According to the Jamaica Gleaner, Buju’s lawyers are set to use entrapment as their defence, claiming that a “paid government informant” persistently pestered Buju to buy cocaine after befriending him on a flight from Madrid to Miami in July 2009. Can that really help his case?
Produced by Roaring Lion.
Busy Signal Inna Gary Mix Up
January 25, 2010
Vybz Kartel may have been 2009’s deejay of the year, but Busy Signal wasn’t far off, and judging by some of his recent tunes (check You Never Knew and his three versions over Shane Brown’s re-lick of the Boops riddim), 2010 is going to be a Busy year. Right now though, he’s in the middle of a strange mix up. Read more
Top 100 Reggae & Dancehall Tunes Of The 2000’s
January 5, 2010
Pat Metheny vs Kenny G
January 2, 2010
Kenny G gets a critical beatdown from Pat Metheny in this interview on jazzoasis.com. Yeah, Kenny deserves it, but he does have one massive soul weekender tune – 1982’s Hi How Ya Doin (Youtube link here) – whereas Pat doesn’t. On the same site, Wynton Marsalis gets dissed pretty bad by Keith Jarrett (here). Who ever said there was love between jazzers?
Best Reggae Lyric Of 2009?
December 30, 2009
If Holiday Inn had any balls they would use Terry Linen’s tune “Holiday Inn” in their next ad campaign.
“Rolling the hips, shaking the tits, bouncing, bouncing, bouncing.
How could I resist a lady like this? Bouncing, bouncing, bouncing.
She just drop it like it’s hot, inna Holiday Inn.”
I Can Transform Ya
December 19, 2009
There are some wicked new versions over the Chris Brown/Lil Wayne “I Can Transform Ya” instrumental (produced by Swizz Beatz). My favourite is the Gappy Ranks, although Assassin, Demarco (who voices a medley of his recent hits) and Mr Lexx all sound tuff.
GAPPY RANKS – “Nothing From Dem”
ASSASSIN – “Warning”
MR LEXX – “Watch Me Transform Ya”
DEMARCO – “Transformers Medley”
Just Blaze – MPC Master
October 9, 2009
If you are ever considering buying an MPC player, watch this for confirmation that you definitely need one.
- 76 Creative
- 80 Blocks From Tiffany's
- Adam Curtis – Century Of The Self
- Adam Curtis – Power Of Nightmares
- Ghetto Bassquake
- Jack Baker Trio
- John Pilger – The War On Democracy
- Kate Gibb
- Mr. Dupes
- Pinkyvision
- Prism
- Rotter & Friends
- Sam Burdge
- Shariff Miller
- Smutlee
- Special Delivery Music
- Style Wars
- Suspect Packages
- Wax Poetics
- Zakee Shariff
