Damon and Remi attend the opening night of Gucci Cosmos exhibition at 180 The Strand in London (10 October 2023). photo by Dave Benett

Strange Timez by Gorillaz featuring Robert Smith

Remi Kabaka — Son of Africa (BBE)

Son of Africa by Remi Kabaka

“Kachunga!” This ebullient cry—a word that means creative, happy and sociable in a West African dialect— kicks up a hornet’s nest of trebly funk guitar, burbling keyboards and a knife-edge sharp horn section. It’s the lead-off track to Remi Kabaka’s Son of Africa, originally released in 1976 and long out-of-print, and a fitting introduction to this smoking amalgam of funk, afro-beat, jazz, pop and rock.

Kabaka was born in Ghana to Nigerian parents and spent his earliest years immersed in West Africa’s communal multi-drumming traditions. He moved to London as a teenager, however, and came into his own in that city’s rock scene. He played various kinds of percussion with Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones (including a live version of “Sympathy for the Devil”), Jimi Hendrix, Ginger Baker’s Air Force and Traffic (whose Steve Winwood plays guitar on the eponymous first track). Chris Blackwell of Island Records was enough of a fan to sign Kabaka for this album, but while Blackwell did a lot to make reggae ubiquitous in 1970s rock, he couldn’t do the same with Afrobeat. The record sold poorly and disappeared from circulation.

It's hard to see why. This was, of course, pre-Nigeria 1970 and the Fela revival, and western ears were simply not as accustomed to the polyrhythmic grooves coming out of Lagos. But even so, Son of Africa leans heavily on American funk and soul sounds. Anyone who had spent time with James Brown or Motown or classic Stax discs would find much that felt familiar. “New Reggae Funk,” even anticipates disco by a couple of years with its insinuating slink and airy falsetto. “Sure Thing” struts its consciousness funk like a lost Funkadelic cut, the blurt of brass bursting from slap-and-pop bass. The only cut that comes across as mildly exotic is the thunderous, “Aqueba Masaaba,” and it’s so irresistibly body-moving that you can’t imagine an objection.

You could spend a lot of time picking apart the threads of funk, Afrobeat, jazz and rock, trying to decide where Kabaka’s African heritage leaves off and his youth in swinging London kicks in, but in the end, it’s probably pointless. This album bangs all the way through, and if you missed it the first time, now’s your chance.

Jennifer Kelly

Paul McCartney & Wings: Band On The Run

top: Parlophone/MPL 4991761, 1999

2nd: MPL/Hear Music/Concord HRM-32566-01, 2010

Originally released: November 30, 1973

the british national anthem sure is FUNKY

random Gorillaz fact #48: the real life Gorillaz VA's have acted in music videos before. Two of the cameos include Humility, where Remi Kabaka Jr. (Russel's voice actor) can be seen playing chess against Noodle, and in Strobelite, where Phil Cornwell (Murdoc's voice actor) plays a leather salesman named Juan. Murdoc is convinced that he is the devil

Cracker Island by Gorillaz featuring Thundercat - Directors: Jamie Hewlett & Fx Goby

Release: May 31, 2018

Lyrics:

Calling the world from isolation

'Cause right now, that's the ball where we be chained

And if you're coming back to find me

You'd better have good aim

Shoot it true

I need you in the picture

That's why I'm calling you (calling you)

I'm the lonely twin, the left hand

Reset myself and get back on track

I don't want this isolation

See the state I'm in now?

Callin' the hunter with a rifle

'Cause right now that's the ball where we be chained

Shoot it true

I want you in the picture

That's why I'm calling you (calling you)

I'm the lonely twin, the left hand

Reset myself and get back on track

I don't want this isolation

See the state I'm in now?

If I pick it up when I know that it's broken

Do I put it back?

Or do I head out on to the lonesome trail and let you down?

Songwriter:

I'm the lonely twin, the left hand

I don't want this isolation

See the state I'm in now?

If I pick it up when I know that it's broken

Do I put it back?

Or do I head out on to the lonesome trail and let you go?

Damon Albarn / George Benson / James Ford / Remi Kabaka

SongFacts:

👉📖

Homepage:

Gorillaz

UNDER THE RADAR: New Album - Yard Act – "Where’s My Utopia?", released on March 1, 2024

UNDER THE RADAR: New Album – Yard Act – “Where’s My Utopia?”, released on March 1, 2024 “The talky UK band move beyond post-punk on their ambitious, poppy and danceable second album. To quote one of its songs, “it’s Ace!”. brooklyn vegan “Leeds post-punks upstage their Mercury Prize-nominated debut with a wry, chaotic, and infectious follow-up produced by Gorillaz’s Remi Kabaka, Jr. ” allmusic

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Talk Show Released New Single & Video “Red/White”; Debut Album ‘Effigy’ Out 16th February

Photo by Ashley Rommerlath Talk Show have shared the breakneck new single ‘Red/White’, the latest from their debut album “Effigy”, out on 16th February via Missing Piece Records. With “Effigy”, the emerging London four-piece do more than just push their sound; they completely reinvent it. Produced by Remi Kabaka Jr. (Gorillaz, Yard Act), the record offers up a bold and exhilarating showcase for…

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Damon and Smoggy in NY pic by Remi Kabaka

Reminisce, Odumodublvck, Dremo & Powpeezy - Olu Maintain Lyrics

Reminisce, Odumodublvck, Dremo & Powpeezy - Olu Maintain Lyrics Bile Won ni ka drill e wo boya oil maa jade Cash getting bigger Mo n la’gbo , mo n la cigar Durag, Black Tee pelu Jigger Down south, be big deal like jigger Way back dream 1 million Dollars Owo 2 nights ta ba maa? e baller But of course ojadaddy mi o kola You already know kirakita o dola O n wu, o n wu, o n gasinpo ma lo wa o My men we on red we hot awa n gba o A maa ya e bi obo eeyan Kabaka o A maa ya ika si e loju wakawaka Mo wole bi eni to? a gbana, eni to? a gbana omo mo tun dangajiya, we dey la la la Dreams getting bigger I can’t explain Owo afefe la fi n sustain Oh baby bill me I won’t complain 1 million Dollar Olu Maintain Dreams getting bigger I can’t explain Owo afefe la fi n sustain Oh baby bill me I won’t complain 1 million Dollar Olu Maintain Olu Maintain I dey pipe am she dey come back she no want your own again Odomodu bless me shower me bills and prick I go play your game State your claim Anything you want I go swipe and pay Na me be the night and day Mark my ground call me name Odogwu na my name Odogwu from Malay Makanaki I dey, kala dey rain I spray Odumodu gobe Remilekun my name Tire for the jungle nain show me the way For the bando e dey whip am Cocaine All these bitches dem just dey bill me I no wan trabaye Dreams getting bigger I can’t explain Owo afefe la fi n sustain Oh baby bill me I won’t complain 1 million Dollar Olu Maintain Dreams getting bigger I can’t explain Owo afefe la fi n sustain Oh baby bill me I won’t complain 1 million Dollar Olu Maintain Mo jokoo sori aga reminiscing About all the times and days I no get... Won ro pe o ti tan, they thought I was finished Now I dey get money in 7 digits Lati Ibadan, mo sare wo Gidi I entered the corners cos I gotta get it Nobody fit stop me till I get a billi And I dey with Remi that my killy killy Iya Charlie ni mo fe fe Owo afefe Smoking zaza In LA o I dey relax I dey sempe I got 3 baddies in the Bentley Demon time, Ben 10 And make una no even word me If money or kele no dey the sentence, dey the sentence Dreams getting bigger I can’t explain Owo afefe la fi n sustain Oh baby bill me I won’t complain 1 million Dollar Olu Maintain Dreams getting bigger I can’t explain Owo afefe la fi n sustain Oh baby bill me I won’t complain 1 million Dollar Olu Maintain O bembe ko bembe omo ope duro deedee O lele ko lele omo ope le won lere They say man’s not hot, iro lo n pa Say Hip hop is dead, itan lo n pa Mo lenu bi pon pon pon, Dagrin Shii runs in ma blood like Haemoglobin Read the full article

NTMI (chapter 5)

‘Cracker Island’ is the eight studio album from Gorillaz, an energetic, upbeat, genre-expansive collection of 10 tracks featuring yet another stellar line-up of artist collaborators: Thundercat, Tame Impala, Bad Bunny, Stevie Nicks, Adeleye Omotayo, Bootie Brown and Beck. Recorded in London and LA earlier this year, it is produced by Gorillaz, Remi Kabaka jr. and eight-time Grammy Award-winning producer / multi-instrumentalist / songwriter extraordinaire Greg Kurstin. Title track ‘Cracker Island’kickstarted the new campaign this Summer hitting the charts across the globe with a top 10 video racking up 10M views in 10 days. The virtual band exploded onto TikTok gaining over 2.1 m followers in the space of a few months where they continue to innovate, taking virtual characters where no character has been before…

Track-listing

Cracker Island (feat. Thundercat)

Oil (feat. Stevie Nicks)

The Tired Influencer

Tarantula

Silent Running (feat. Adeleye Omotayo)

New Gold (feat. Tame Impala and Bootie Brown)

Baby Queen

Tormenta (feat. Bad Bunny)

Skinny Ape

Possession Island (feat. Beck

Today's long form discussion is all about BUSINESS. When does a band become a business? What affect does that have on the music, or they way you operate as an artist. What do you even do? Well, today's podcast is all about that. Alongside my producer Jenny May Finn,I talk about my experience as a band that also requires to be a business. Let me know what you think of it, or if you have any questions.

Here a 3 attempts at referencing for a bibliography

Daly, J. (2023) ‘we weren’t trying to replace Layne Staley’: How Dave Grohl and Elton John helped a reborn Alice in Chains pay tribute to their fallen frontman on black gives way to blue, louder. Available at: https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-story-behind-alice-in-chains-layne-staley-tribute-black-gives-way-to-blue (Accessed: 17 October 2023).

Pop, R. (2023) Damon Albarn teases new Gorillaz album: ‘it will be an entirely different approach to everything’, RETROPOP. Available at: https://retropopmagazine.com/damon-albarn-teases-new-gorillaz-album-it-will-be-an-entirely-different-approach-to-everything/ (Accessed: 22 October 2023).

He opened up on the song’s origins and its healing effect in the liner notes to the Music Bank box set. “It was the start of the healing process between my Dad and I from all that damage that Vietnam caused,” he said. “This was all my perception of his experiences out there.”

Leatham, T. (2023) The story behind the song: Alice in Chains’ bonding Vietnam War Examination ‘rooster’, Far Out Magazine. Available at: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/story-behind-alice-in-chains-rooster/ (Accessed: 22 October 2023).

Voice actors for Gorillaz animated movie

English voices:

-Christina Ricci - Stacy ‘Chel’ Kérigo

-Emily Loizeau - Stacy ‘Chel’ Kérigo (singing)

-Dee Bradley Baker - Fify the Flamingo

-Damon Albarn - Stuart ‘2-D’ Pot

-Phil Cornwell - Murdoc ‘Faust’ Niccals

-Remi Kabaka Jr. - Russel hobbs

-Haruka Abe - Noodle

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French voices:

-Nathalie Homs - Stacy ‘Chel’ Kérigo

-Thibaut Delmotte - Fify the Flamingo

-Donald Reignoux - Stuart ‘2-D’ Pot

-Alain Eloy - Murdoc ‘Faust’ Niccals

-Frantz Confiac - Russel Hobbs

-Noémie Nakai - Noodle

Cracker Island Lyrics - Gorillaz

Cracker Island Lyrics – Gorillaz

Cracker Island Lyrics – Gorillaz, Thundercat is the latest English song. Cracker Island song lyrics are written by Greg Kurstin, Damon Albarn, Thundercat while the song is produced by Remi Kabaka Jr, Greg Kurstin, Gorillaz. Cracker Island Song Details: Song:Cracker IslandSinger:Gorillaz, ThundercatProduced by:Remi Kabaka Jr, Greg Kurstin, GorillazWritten by:Greg Kurstin, Damon Albarn,…

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