Producers Series #11: Adrian Sherwood (Part 2)
February 21, 2011
We decided (well Dr Rob did) that Adrian Sherwood has too much good music to only do one compilation dedicated to him so here we go again. Round 2 and with a special funk reprise to boot. He really is flipping amazing on that desk. Hope to get up the road and interview him at some point. Next up if our mate Pete gets round to it is Lee Perry.
Thanks to the good Doctor Rob for taking the time to compile.
[Apiento]
Producers Series #10: Chris Blackwell
November 22, 2010
I should really have got Dr Rob to write the introduction to this compilation as he took care of the tracklisting but I forgot to ask so here I go. If I had to pick my favourite record label there would be no doubt it would be Island Records. The breadth of the music, the Compass Point years, the logo and the sleeves – all made with the utmost care.
When Chris Blackwell was at the helm of Island Records the music always seemed to come first. Not only did he own and run the label and have the common sense to sign the right artists (or employ people with great ears such as Muff Winwood and Joe Boyd to do it for him), he also often produced the albums – rounding up groups of complimentary musicians, producers and engineers, and leaving them to get on with the job. He knew exactly where to take Grace Jones when she was a down and out disco queen, and not only trusted Bob Marley with a wedge of money to go and record an album (unheard of in Jamaica at that time) but also knew exactly what was required to take him from the streets of Kingston to the rest of the world. He also gave the world U2 but we’ll forgive him that one for now.
If you feel like exploring further and want to start with one Island album then my current suggestion (especially with winter arriving fast) would be the deluxe edition of John Martyn’s ‘One World’, worth buying for the instrumental of ‘Small Hours’ (as well as the two tracks featured here). That track just about sums the label up. According to the sleeve notes they were high, it was recorded across a lake at 3 a.m (listen carefully and you can hear the animals) and Steve Winwood was in support on the Moog. Class.
Thanks to Tim H for the Winwood, Martyn’s ‘Blackman At Your Shoulder’ and the B52s.
[Apiento]
Producers Series #8: Tony Thorpe
September 19, 2010
Tony Thorpe, one of the UK’s finest dance producers, steps up to the plate (well Dr Rob does it for him), with a selection of his finest productions to date. From raw house (‘Koro Koro’ is still sounding incredible) to the KLF and some rude boy business. He’s massively underrated, so here we go with some Tony Thorpe specials to try and readdress the balance.
[Apiento]
Producers Series #7: Mad Professor
July 28, 2010
Neil Fraser, a.k.a The Mad Professor is one of the finest dub producers in the game. Nicknamed Mad Professor as a boy due to his fascination with electronics, he was originally born in Guyana and emigrated to London aged 13. His mix of synths and dub has created his particular take on the sound. If you didn’t hear the Mad Professor’s podcasts for Fabric take a listen (number 24 and 25 here). He gently talks you through the link between soul and dub in the first one and then brings it all up to date with his work with Dennis Bovell in the second. So, here Dr Rob steps up to the plate to pull out his favourite Mad Professor moments. Dubwise.
[Apiento]
Producers Series #6: William Orbit
June 18, 2010
William Orbit is someone both myself and Phil Mison had the pleasure of working with in the mid-90s. William didn’t really know what to do so it was off to Fat Cat (London record store) with a wad of his money and a load of new records were bought. It was an exciting and eclectic time with loads of slow instrumental stuff coming out. 4/4 had been around for a while so this all seemed fresh to jaded ears. One of the record I remember getting was that first Kruder & Dorfmeister twelve with them parodying Simon & Garfunkel on the sleeve. We later got them to mix ‘Million Town’. I also remember having the great pleasure of listening to him record the mournful ‘Adagio For Strings’, (later tranced up) which after eight hours turned into one of the most depressing days of my life.
William was enjoying the studio. Running a mix down, and using a mixing desk, seems to be something that seems to have been lost in these days of automated music but William ran it like crazy. I like to think Adrian Sherwood does the same on a mix. Watching him work that was one of the greatest things I have seen in a studio. Running delays, dropping tracks in and out, and bouncing it all down to decide later which parts to use.
He’s done his thing now producing Madonna’s ‘Ray Of Light’ but there was a time when William had a habit of making ridiculous music by accident. His mix of ‘Zobi La Mouche’ (borrowed by Oakenfold for his mix of Happy Mondays ‘W.F.L’) was a killer with a hard bottom end whilst ‘Via Caliente’ shows Orbit in full balearic mode. He is, on top of it all, a great musician and guitarist. William Orbit was class. I hope he picks up the acoustic guitar and hits record soon.
Thanks to Dr Rob for compiling a nice broad selection from the acoustic to the tough. Tim – time for some Carl Craig.
[Apiento]
Producers Series #5: Zeus B. Held
April 12, 2010
Number 5 in the Producers Series brings you Teutonic balearic beat courtesy of Zeus B. Held. Selected by Dr Rob.
[Apiento]
Producers Series #4: Dennis Bovell
February 26, 2010
Number 4 in the Producers Series brings you the genius of Dennis Bovell. Great selection by Dr Rob.
[Apiento]
Producers Series #3: Andrew Weatherall
February 17, 2010
Number three in our producers series focuses on some of the early work of Andrew Weatherall. There will be a further edition focusing on Weatherall’s early years at a later date as there is too much to cover in one sitting.
So program three – it’s a mix of genres and noises blended together that some how join up and make sense. Funk breaks on indie records that sounded like nothing else at the time. Indie go-go. Weatherall broke down the doors and learnt his way around a studio pretty quickly whilst also being the freshest DJ in town at the time.
Weatherall has always been a magpie. He knows whats good and at this point in his career he was putting it all together in a way that hadn’t been done before. All the grooves, noises and samples that he had catalogued in his minds up to that point being used and spun out in different directions. We should also send a nod out to Hugo Nicholson (the engineer on many of these records) as without a doubt he played a large role in making this music sound the way it does.
Point is this music still sounds amazing twenty years on. My favourites are probably the twisted digital dance of FInitribe and the demented dub of Galliano’s ‘Skunk Funk’ – Weatherall making the track into the record the title intially suggested.
To me this was balearic in London, our London, in a way we understood. It took all the things we were into those summers, from Soul II Soul to Teenage Fanclub (well our mate Colin liked them), and made it all join up in dance records that we couldn’t wait to get our hands on. So ten tracks and, as the like to say, all killer no filler.
[Apiento]
Producers Series #2: Brian Eno
February 7, 2010
No 2 in our producers series focuses on the work of Brian Eno. Tim H has compiled and has chosen to use primarily productions of his own music. Next up in the series – Andy Weatherall’s early years.
[Apiento]
Producers Series #1: Adrian Sherwood
February 2, 2010
Test Pressing’s Tim H and myself spoke to a few labels a while ago about doing a series based upon producers. As we never got it off the ground it seems Test Pressing is the perfect home for these. First up is Adrian Sherwood of On-U Sound fame.
The world needs more Adrian Sherwood. He’s a legend and apparently a gent to boot. His work moves from the expected heavy reggae vibes to a melting pot of music and influences that is hard to pin down. I guess reggae and delays are always at the core but for me it’s the raw (and sometimes random) mix, and his work running the mixing desk itself, that are key to why I never get bored to listening to what he does. Next up Brian Eno.
[Apiento]
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