May 28, 2012. Conscious Rap.

May 28, 2012. Conscious rap.

This week's selection is conscious rap or political hip hop. This genre is not specific to a certain sound but rather thoughtful rhymes and social awareness.

Nate:
A great tune. Very thoughtful with a good hook and message. -Nate
Sounds good. -Frank
Murs: And This Is For.


This group is out of Detroit and I found them today. -Nate
Nice, and local. Hearing new stuff every week. -Frank
Clear Soul Forces: Strangers in the Night.


This group is out of Harlem. Their hard hittin' no-nonsense sound and lyrics make them stand out in their genre. -Nate
Immortal Technique: Point of No Return.


Another one I picked up this week I love doing this show. -Nate
Very good. Another new track I'll remember after the show. -Frank
Rhymefest: Familiar Faces.


Frank:
I've been a fan of conscious hip hop for quite a while even though I didn't refer to it by that name. This is xReign of Terrorx with a great track from his full length. -Frank
Damn good. -Nate 
xReign of Terrorx: Mo' Money Mo' Problems.


I've been a big fan of Dead Prez since I heard their pro-vegan track 'Be Healthy'. -Frank
I almost did these guys but I vaguely remember you talking about them so I figured you'd do it. -Nate
I was hoping I'd get to post this before you did. -Frank  
Dead Prez: Hip Hop.


I knew him as an actor before I knew him as a rapper, but he is great at both. He has done plenty of intelligent hip hop tracks. -Frank
Another one I almost did. -Nate  
Mos Def: Close Edge.


Finishing up with Naj One. Originally known as Foekus, Naj One was a junkie and a whore monger by his own admission. He was dying as an HIV positive heroin addict when we went straight edge and cleaned up. Many of his rhymes as Naj One refer to his former life as Foekus and the things he regrets doing. -Frank
You hit the nail right on the head with this one call I haven't heard this one. -Nate
Naj One: No Compromise


Frank and Nate:
I saw The Roots live years ago with Beck and Atari Teenage Riot. Great show all around, with The Roots performing particularly well. They are now the house band on Jimmy Fallon's show. -Frank
Wanted a strong finish and this group out of Philly is a throwback to old funk and soul great band. -Nate
Yes. It is. Too bad I didn't think to do it first. Ha! -Frank  
Hahhahaaha we picked the same band and song. -Nate
The Roots: How I Got Over (uncensored).


The Roots: How I Got Over (official video).

May 21, 2012. Northern Soul.

May 21, 2012. Northern Soul.

Northern soul is a music and dance hall movement that emerged in northern England in the late 60s from the British mod scene based around American soul music that had heavy beats and fast tempos.

Nate:
Born Charles Edwin Hatcher, started with Ric-Tic records later absorbed by Motown but his big hit was War, huh, good god y'all -Nate
Very good. It is interesting how so many people didn't get stuck with one style. They released northern soul sides, as well as funk, Motown, r&b, etc... -Frank
Edwin Starr: My Kind of Woman


This is one of the better bands I found based out of L.A. -Nate
Nice. I had considered playing The Vibrations. Glad you did. -Frank
The Vibrations: Come To Yourself


Another great choice. -Frank
Epitome of Sound: You Don't Love Me


She was one of Motowns biggest stars. -Nate  
Kim Weston: Helpless


This a great song. Huge fan of Ric Tic Records. -Nate
Al Kent: Where Do We Go From Here



Frank:
Northern Soul can be a hard genre to pinpoint. Similar to skinhead reggae, it has a lot to do with who was listening to it and where. In both genres, many classics where defined by the genre after being recorded and released. -Frank
You gonna like my next choice. Good call but I like mine better, ha ha. Totally agree with it being similar that is why it was such a hit with mod culture. -Nate
The Valentines: Breakaway


A great, raw sounding, upbeat tune. -Frank
That just plain fucking good. That represents the genre to a T. -Nate
I loved the song the second it started. -Frank
It had me hooked. -Nate
Sonny Warner: Bell Bottom Blue Jeans


A modern revivalist, Sharon Jones is to northern soul what the Aggrolites are to reggae. -Frank
How did I miss her?  Damn good call. -Nate
I knew that like many older genres, someone had to be playing it today. -Frank  
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings: Tell Me 


I really am falling in love with this genre. Northern soul! -Frank
I can second that. -Nate
The Mohawks: Baby Hold On


Finally, again illustrating the connection between the UK and our side of the pond. Here you have a combination of USA, UK, and Jamaica. -Frank
Didn't realize that Jimmy Cliff contributed the the genre. -Nate
Jimmy Cliff: Waterfall 
   

June 19, 2012. Pre-1980 Hip Hop/Proto Rap.

June 19, 2012. Genre: pre-1980 hip hop/proto rap.

Frank:
I have to start out today with the godfather of rap, Gil Scott Heron. His work is widely regarded as one of the primary building blocks of hip-hop. He passed away a few weeks ago on May 27th. From 1970, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. -Frank
Who sampled this? Sounds familiar but I never heard this song. -Nate
Gil Scott Heron: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.

Wendy Clark (aka Lady B) was a radio DJ in Philly, and also one of the first female rappers. 1979. -Frank
This really goo choice never heard it great example of the genre. -Nate
Lady B: To The Beat Y'all.

You cannot talk about the building blocks of hip hop without mentioning The Last Poets. -Frank
It seems that the genre started because soul wasn't expressing the anger that the community was feeling. -Nate
The Last Poets: New York, New York.

From 1968. Pigmeat Markham was basically a comedy artist, and while most of his work is not musical, this particular track, is straight up rap, a decade before the B-Boys in NYC were doing it. -Frank
Pigmeat Markham: Here Comes The Judge.

Another great early rap, from 1979. -Frank
Jimmy Spicer: The Adventures of Super Rhyme.

I'm gonna end with the Funky Four Plus One More with Rappin and Rocking the house. -Frank
Funky Four Plus One More: Rappin & Rocking the House.

Nate:
This is the first time rap word was used. Not only a great tune but started a revolution "rap and hip hop". -Nate
Great start. -Frank
The Sugar Hill Gang: Rappers Delight.

He was undoubtedly a huge influence on the genre. Snoop sampled this very song and it made him blow up. -Nate
George Clinton: Atomic Dog.
I don't think i need to comment on this one. -Nate
James Brown: Payback, Live in Zaire, 1974.

This song was written in 1977. Later they put out Don't Push Me which is arguably the first rap song put out. -Nate
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five: Super Rappin Number 2.

This is a little more on the soul side but is a great precursor to the rap scene. -Nate
Excellent choice. Too $hort does a great song with this music. -Frank
Donny Hathaway: The Ghetto.

May 14, 2012. Punk.

May 14th, 2012. Genre: punk.



Frank:
The Misfits: Angelfuck
One of the first punk bands I got into. I learned to play guitar by playing Misfits songs. -Frank
 Horror punk is the shit even though it got weird lately. Danzig's voice makes this band just dont tell him his head is big enough. -Nate


Circle Jerks: Back Against The Wall
Possible the very first punk band I got into, and always a favorite. This is back when punk was the genre, and I didn't think in terms of sub genres. Not hardcore, pop, emo, ska, street, oi etc... -Frank
I like Keith Morris and it was good that he split from Black Flag otherwise Henry Rollins wouldn't have joined the band and there would be no Circle Jerks. -Nate

Keith has always been one of my favorite punk singers and least favorite Black Flag singers. -Frank

The Herpees: Circa 2000
Punk rock as always embodied the DIY ethic. Just like so many others before me, I heard punk rock and had to get involved. One of the ways I did that was starting a record label and putting out a CD comp called "Flee The Scene". This is a punk band from Oklahoma with a track from the CD I put out. -Frank
Ahhh pimpen Fled good call this is in the same style of Blatz- Nate


Vice Squad: Last Rockers
Punk developed in the UK along with punk in the USA. Many would have you believe that one country stole from the other, but in actuality, there was quite a bit of back and forth. -Frank
Right, totally we stole from one another. I didn't even think about this band - Nathan


FEAR: Camarillo
Few bands manage to truly represent punk as well as Lee Ving and FEAR. -Frank
Hahahahahahahah nice call flea is the shit -Nate


Nate:
Dead Boys: Sonic Reducer
This nihilistic punk band has its origins in Cleveland Ohio. Originally Rocket From the Tomb with influence from Detroit's music scene "Iggy Pop" -Nate
Very good choice. -Frank


Subhumans: Religious Wars
From Trowbridge area of Wiltshire England. Even heavily influenced by crass, I like this band. -Nate


The Riffs: Wasted Years
For my money this is one of my favorite newer punk bands coming from Portland Oregon and is a throw back to when punk had more of a rock n roll sound- Nate


Rancid: Time Bomb
Started in the bay area in 1991 with two members of Op Ivy they are what few punk bands are, musically talented. -Nate
This album rarely left the tape deck in my car. -Frank
One of those albums that just spoke to a lot of people and to itself- Nate


Stiff Little Fingers: Nobody's Hero
This band and song represents punk. The Irish Clash got their name from a Vibrators song. -Nate


The Clash: White Man in Hammersmith Palais
The only band that matters. -Nate
The only band that matters. -Frank

Week Two: Bossa Nova

Frank:

Stan Getz / Astrud Gilberto - Corcovado

Andy Williams & Antonio Carlos Jobim - Girl From Ipanema


Frank Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim - (1967 )


DON DRUMMOND - DOG WAR BOSSA NOVA


The Howard Roberts Quartet - Dirty Old Bossa Nova. 
No longer available.

Nouvelle Vague - Mala Vida (Live in Thessaloniki 18/12/2010)


Nate:

Stan Getz & João Gilberto "The Girl From Ipanema" (1964)


Gilberto Gil sing "No woman no cry" Reggae Samba


Iron Maiden: The Trooper(Bossa Nova Version)


Nicola Conte - Jet Sounds


MA L'AMORE NO - EVA NOVA

Week One: Psychedelic Rock

Frank:

Blue Cheer: The Hunter


Hawkwind: Mirror Of Illusion


The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds


Procol Harum: A Whiter Shade Of Pale


Black Merda: Over and Over


Quicksilver Messenger Service: How, Which, Who, Do you Love


Nate:

The Lords: Death Bells at Dawn


Cream: White Room


Status Quo: Pictures Of Matchstick Men


Joe Cocker: With a little help from my Friends


Pink Floyd: Time