It´s our war, we are responsible....

For news, one of the stops is Alternet, and i came across a story about former US soldiers (veterans) that got together under the banner Iraqi Veterans against War
and they have called for the immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces in Iraq;
Reparations for the destruction and corporate pillaging of Iraq so that Iraqi people can control their own lives and future, and full benefits, adequate healthcare (including mental health), and other supports for returning servicemen and women, (which is something Michael Moore kinda tackles with his new film Sicko i think.)
On Memorial Day, when the US remember their war dead, IVAW staged Operation First Casualty in NYC. Several IVAW members, in full military clothing hit the streets of NYC as if they were patrolling in Baghdad, giving unsuspecting Manhattanites a little taste of what is going on thousands of miles away. One of the veterans says in an interview that they returned home from Iraq to find their fellow countrymen and women having no idea about what´s happening in Iraq. Shouting at people to lay down on the pavement, having their hands bound together with plastic cable ties, heads covered in hoods. Hardcore!

Reunion gigs seem to be the new black for the last few summers....actually i think it´s more than a few summers, but anyway, this week a Superjam is going to take place. Sharing the stage will be Ben Harper, Roots drummer/producer ?uestlove and Led Zep´s John Paul Jones......my mind fries at the possible scenario that is going to evolve.

At the beginning of this century i was witness to a collaboration with Gang Starr´s Guru for his Jazzmatazz project. Alongside Guru was Angie Stone and Herbie Hancock. Yep, Herbie Hancock sat next to me at dinner....what could I say? Not much to be honest, i didn´t wanna come off like some jerk, so i kept my mouth shut. All the questions i could´ve asked but was too something not to. The Headhunters, his p-funk inspired period, his soundtrack work....which leads me to The Spook Who Sat By The Door, an uncompromising film centered around the black revolutionaries giving some payback in the vein of the Black Panthers and Franz Fanon to name a few. Herbie Hancock did the music....of course.

Back in 2000, Digital Bled created an album featuring musicians from Orchestra Nacional de Barbes infused with bottom heavy crawlers and lashings of dubtronics, very similar to Imothep´s Blue Print album, which if you like Berber-step you may also dig. Haven´t been able to find anything by DB since, shame.


Ear Conditioning / 05.06.2007

Vieux Farke Toure / Sangaré (Modiba)
Rachid Taha / Tekitoi (Wrasse/Barclay)
Sargento Garcia / Je Seis (Virgin)
Rude Hi Fi / Elzn in Dub (Metak)

GAF / Two more things I need to tell you
Bigg Juss / Moss Pink Coat (Big Dada)
The Roots / False Media (DefJam)
Herbie Hancock / Revenge · The Spook Who Sat By The Door
Herbie Hancock / Training Day · The Spook Who Sat By The Door
Hairy Diamond / Givin Up
Portishead /Cowboys · Christian Parenti / War on Terror
Moody Boyz / Witness the Day
Recycler / 2 Pints Please (Kube)
Kocani Orkestar vs. Señor Coconut / Usti Usti Baba (Crammed)
G.W. Bush / "They want us to leave (Iraq), the world would be a better place if we did...uh..uh"

Digital Bled / Encontrade (Sony France) · Robert Fisk / The Betrayl
Border Crossing / Looking for Mr. Manuva · Mr. Scruff remix
Iraq Veterans against the War / Memorial Day Action
Scott Ritter "..it´s our war, we are responsible."
El-P / Up All Night (DefJux)
Material / Slow Murder (Celluloid)

Bio Muse /Hurra Hurrey (No Label)
Fun-da-mental / Electro G-Had (5 Uncivilized Tribes)
King L Man /FILHSF! (Ear Con)
Swami / Jawani (Nation)
ADF / Melody (Virgin France)

Prince Django / Hot Tip (Upsetter)
Dr. Ring Ding / Bombs over Baghdad (Germaican)
U Roy / Great Psalms (Virgin)
Future Sound of London / Papau New Guinea Dub (Jumpin & Pumpin)
Suga B / Untitled Dub (G-Stone)
Bob Marley speaks about politics



Ear Conditioning 12.06.07

Rhythm & Sound / Imprint (Rhythm & Sound)
Les Juifs d´Ethiopie / Tes lévres ont le goút du miel (Radio France)
Nana Vasconcelos / Futbol (Island)
Fun-da-mental & Javad Salamat Qawal / Just Bubbling (Nation)
Doudou Ndaiye Rose / Rose Rhythm (Virgin France)
Amr Diab & Khaled / Albay (EMI Middle East)

Radiohead / Little Happier (EMI)
Las Ratas / Know Your Rights
Soma Metizo / Had Ur Back (Somamestizo.com)
Tackhead / Crosstown Traffic · Live
TV on the Radio / Playhouses (4AD)
Teledubgnosis / In Heaven, A Devil · The Bug Remix (Wordsound)
Teledubgnosis / 80 Creeps · Techlevel 2 Drum and Bass Head mix (Wordsound)
SUV / Flamenco Cybernetico (Full Cycle)

Max Eastley / Elastic Aerophone (EG)
Shut up & Dance / No Doubt (Shut up & Dance)
Saian Supa Crew / Poison (Virgin France)
Bas-1 & Fanatik / Instant Rap Star (Bomb)
Wayne Lonesome & The Bug / Buckle Up(Shockout)
UFO presents Contact / Class of 89
Top Cat / Champion DJ (Congo Natty)

Indigeneous Resistance / Remember Galdino (tftt)
Indigeneous Resistance featuring Dubdem Sound System, Zumbi and Dr. Das / Instinto Revolutionrio · (tftt)
Indigeneous Resistance / Fuck Babylon (tftt)
Badawi / Stampede (ROIR)

J.Rocc Mix from Peanut Butter Wolf Presents Stones Throw Ten Years (Stones Throw)

Tino / Tino beat (Tino Corp.)
Kids in Tracksuits / We Make It Rock (Dealmaker)
DJ Yoda / Fertilizer (Antidote)
Cabaret Voltaire / Voice of America · Damage is Done (Mute)

I ain´t scared of Al Qaeda, I´m from Brooklyn!

I have seen two works now of Bill Moyers, a US journalist that doesn´t sit back and wait for stories to come to him, he does his footwork, and looks for others that also wear out their shoe leather...and those that don´t, simply taking the White House version of events. Much of the samples in the program listed below came from his film on the cost of the Iraqi war stroke occupation. Man, are Halliburton creaming it, and Clinton got into loads of trouble over a blowjob?! Puhhhleese!

Bill Moyers on how the US media failed to tackle their government over Iraq....here too

George Galloway, Respect Party Member of Parliament does his bit also, speaking of the British, Yankee and Israeli attitude to Iran and their nuclear aspirations, which incidentally is no more than what the puppet Shah of Iran wanted back in the day. Coincidentally the British Gov´t have recently been discussing spending 75Billion Pounds on updating their nuclear program.
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament info on the subject

Chris Rock contributes once again with his views on the conservative/liberal debate..."Nobody is just one thing, I got some things I´m conservative about and things I´m liberal about. Crime, I´m conservative. Prostitution, I´m liberal." Also drops the bomb.....eh?! on Al Qaeda, actually on the Bush administration and "Crackas".

Musical gems come from Demon Fuzz, the underappreciated London based AfroFunk group from the late ´60´s.
Late 80´s hardcore group Excel doing their version of Message in a Bottle. I´ve always loved how they tore it up.

Mutamassik and Morgan Craft. Searched for something on Mutamassik, got her Soot label effort, and a disc of producer Fatham Salay that she did some turntable cuts on, so was looking for more and found she´s doing this collaborative effort with Morgan Craft. The book has been shred again.

Even folks that live on an island with plenty of sun need a holiday, so we are bouncin´ hence no program next week, but will be back in time for the launch party for Proximas en Santa Cruz event for the Drone Colectivo. Will be spinning alongside Postman. A chance to dprogram from the electioneering that is currently in full swing leading up to voting on the 27th....I ain´t even gonna go into that now, I´m thinking about packing the snorkel, flippers, goat´s cheese and red wine (vino tinto).

Thanks for your ears, eyes and imagination.

Ear Conditioning
15 May 2007 Playlist

Count Basie / The Daly Jump (Roulette)
DJ Food / Nevermore (Ninja Tune)
Charlie Watts and Jim Keltner / Roy Haynes (Higher Octave)

Baluji / Raag Todi (ARC Music)
Nation World Service / Skanking for Jallunder (Nation)
King L. Man / FILHSF (Ear Con)
Khal Nayak / Cholike Ke Peeche (Outcaste)
Juttla / Ghaber Singh (Nation)
Demon Fuzz / Past, Present and Future (Castle)

Chris Rock / "Bush lied to me. If Iraq were so dangerous, how come it only took two weeks to take over the country? You couldn´t take Baltimore in two weeks."

The Selecter / Celebrate the Bullet (Chysalis)
DJ/Rupture / Little More Oil · Rupture´s Reggaeton Remix (Soul Jazz)
The Bug / www · Kid 606 Remix (Razor X)
Future Sound of London / We have Explosive · Leon Mar remix (Virgin)

Chris Rock talks.."I ain´t scared of Al-Qaeda, fuck Al-Qaeda, I´m from Brooklyn."

Public Enemy / Son of a Bush (SlamJamz)

Bill Moyers on the Cost of War. Halliburton charge the government $100 to wash a bag of soldiers clothes. Blow up a brand new $75,000 truck because they don´t have a spare tire. Just bill the government, the taxpayer, and reap millions in profits.

Zach de la Rocha & DJ Shadow / March of Death (mp3)
Excel / Message in a Bottle (Caroline)
Bio-Muse / Rat Dog (Virgin)
King Tubby / Satta Dub (Tubby´s)
Subcomandante Marcos - "We are looking for another way."
Cuba / Havana
George Galloway MP on Iran, Palestine, Lebanon, Bush, Blair, Omert and nuclear weapons.

El-P / Drive (DefJux)
Shadatek / Brooklyn · Ghislain Poirier remix (mp3)
Pharoahe Monch / What it is (mp3)
Joe Beats / Fade (XL8TR mp3)
Mutamassik & Morgan Craft / RA_P Melank (mp3)
Killing Joke / Butcher (EG)
Fun-da-mental / Parasites (5 Uncivilized Tribes)



Radio Pimienta 100.3FM
La Orotava, Tenerife

In case you didn´t feel like showing up

Opinion on the Public Enemy concert here last month was expressed on the forum at http://www.lagenda.com One person stated that the government should not have financially assisted the gig, as "there are several Canarian acts that piss over PE anytime or day of the week." The money would have been better spent on the local rappers. The post did elicit a response asking who these rappers or groups were, and at this time of writing, the seven or eight us that contributed to the ´gig review´ are still waiting with moist anticipation to see who these groups are.

Did I say it before? If not, the concert was a history lesson, covering social-politics, global issues, racism, hip hop state of mind, the Canaries is not Spain issue, funk, soul, WuTang, RunDMC, LL, Led Zep, AC/DC, Sly, Bob Marley, Tommie Smith, 911 is a Joke, Fight the Power, By the Time I get to Arizona, Welcome to the Terrordome, Son of a Bush, 20 years of Public Enemy, now rolling with live drums, bass and guitar. Professor Griff, James Bomb and the S1W´s, the blues delivered by their road manager via harmonica, Jimi, P-Funk, Chuck Berry and Little Richard, the internet, running a tight organization and being in control of your thing. Vision and dedication, insight and understanding. Flava Flav and his drum solo....yep, plus a sense of humour. James, Louis, Malcolm, Huey, Bobby, Muhammad Ali, Martin, Mumia. That sound! Rebel Without a Pause, Can´t Truss It, Shut Em Down, DJ Lord....oh lord, what a solo, completly phhhhucked my head with his decknology and he weren´t smilin....serious as cancer. Chuck blogged that Lord was like Mobb Deep, hadn´t had any clean clothes for like 5ive days, I thought maybe he just had his game face on.

I was alerted to a written review of the concert and notes on the press conference,
where I brought up the issue of the gig having El Dia as a sponsor of the concert, as El Dia have been at the forefront of dissing African brothers trying to reach out for a better life, trying to get to Europe via the Canary Islands.
The writer said PE were on the verge of cancelling the show because of the sponsorship issue raised. Nah, not at all, I think the reviewer was trying to be a hype man like Flava, but he ain´t quite got it yet. Chuck and Griff responded to my information in a clear sensible manner...I didn´t expect them to know about El Dia, publishing articles about Africans bringing Aids and shit, I was just bringing some info to the table. Yeah, people did get tense, but not PE.

One of the issues of living on an island is that everybody knows everybody, and if you don´t play along with certain people, you are gonna get jacked, like not get work or contracts, or advertising revenue, etc. so people hold their cards to their chests, so as not to offend anyone, because that person could be the person writing their cheque some where along the line, and I think that mentality is part of the issue with people not saying exactly what they feel, and maybe siding with El Dia, while El Dia could have spoken for themselves, I mean, as media sponsors of the gig, you´d expect them to have a journalist at the press conference, innit?

Some at the press conference would rather I didn´t bring up the El Dia scenario, but it didn´t kill anybody. I have never had anybody say anything about my colour until El Dia and the nationalist Coalition Canarias political party started with their illegal immigrant subsaharian hysteria bullshit....the ignorant are sucking up the agenda laid out for them by their masters and dishing it out to anybody with darker skin...and nappy heads. Personally, I´m like, Fuck El Dia....well at least the crusty old fool that runs the ship, fuck Coalition Canarias too...their immigrant-bashing actions have been played out before, it just shows how desperate they are in lacking foresight and imagination. They and the people have forgotten that government works for the people and not the other way round. Oh, and fuck anybody that thinks that dressing up as a Sambo and thinking I´m gonna think it´s cool to do so.

There are elections here now and during a debate last week, the heads of the three largest political parties, PP, CC, and the supposed Socialists held a debate, and when the question of Africa came up, two of them said there should be a "Marshall Plan for Africa". Wasn´t the original Marshall Plan used by the US to get a financial strangehold on Europe through the guise of post-World War Two financial assistance? So, now the West can forget about the recent debt forgiveness thing and find new ways to plunder the African continent? Even the Live8 spawned promises of billions of cash never materialized, about ten percent of pledges have been received according to the UN and other sources.

....and now sports!

The PE influence was still simmering in some of of the selection for this week. Dug out some classic joints of the shelves, Fatback, Trouble Funk, WuTang, Cube, London Posse and Jim Ingram´s "fireside chat".
Many years ago, Fun-da-mental had the pleasure of going to Australia and New Zealand alongside Primal Scream and Ministry for the Big Day Out festival tour....some memorable moments let me tell you., but I won´t say more than that right now, except I caught every show of them two bands...full on 200%! So got a couple jams from them in there.

DHS, House of God, a classic old school cut and paste breaks joint.....closing with some gospel from Willie Mae....

Ear Conditioning
8 May 2007 Playlist

The Flaming Lips / After the Goldrush (Caroline)
Panteras Negras / Comunicando (Esan Ozeaki)
Mary Margaret O´Hara / Keeping you in Mind (Virgin)
Tom Zé / Toc (Luaka Bop)
Zim Ngqawana / You think you know me (Sheer Sound)
Natacha Atlas / Duden · Talvin Singh Remix (Nation)
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan / Sari Seri Raat Teri Yaad (Magnasound)
King L Man / FILHSF (Ear Con)

El-P / Drive (DefJux)
Sean Penn / On US TV, he tells it how it should be... "Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld...should all be in fucking jail!"
Fatback / King Tim III (Polydor)
Trouble Funk / Drop the Bomb (Sugarhill)
Ice Cube / Jackin´for beats (4th & Broadway)
Wu Tang Clan / Reunion · Funkstorung Remix (Loud)
London Posse / How´s life in London · Ragga Mix (Wordplay)
Jim Ingram / Homebrew

Primal Scream / Blood Money (Astralwerks)
Ministry / The Missing (Sire)
Ministry / Deity (Sire)

DHS / House of God
Sir Menelik / So Intelligent (Rawkus)
DJ Krush / Transition (Sony)
Roots Manuva / Double Drat (Bid Dada)
Kode 9 & The Spaceape / Nine (Hyperdub)
Saul Williams / Twice the first time
Willie Mae Ford Smith / What manner of man is this

False Media

Public Enemy completed their 58^th tour with a performance here in Santa Cruz de Tenerife last Friday. Despite three flights, lost luggage and tired bodies, alert minds were present for the pre-concert press conference. Brother James, Professor Griff, Flava Flav and Chuck D stepped into the room, saying hello to all and shaking everybody´s hand….not sure how many musicians have presented themselves in that manner.

Connor, an Irish born, Canarian-raised radio presenter attending his first ever press conference, presented Public Enemy with a Canarian flag with the PE Logo embossed in the middle, nice touch. He raised the issue of immigration, I think trying to inform PE about what goes on here, and the media distortion of the situation. Either Chuck or Professor Griff, asked if there were people here before the Spanish came, and whether they were black or white. To the first part , several of us said yes, the Guanche, as to the second part of the question….somebody said they weren´t either, which threw a curve in Griff´s head, which was visible on his face, and the words “What does that mean?” came from his lips. I stepped to explain the Guanches roots, when some one else in the background interrupted to talk about the Phonecians. What the Phonecians had to do with Tenerife and the Guanches, who´se roots have been traced to the Berbers, I am not sure, and most of the other journalists in the room had that “What da fuck is he talking about?” face on them. Connor´s question never really got answered, but then it gave me the opportunity to raise the issue of False Media, presented by El Dia, one of the media sponsors/collaborators for the PE concert. The irony of El Dia being part of the PE concert, given their editorial stance and distortion under the banner of reporting when it comes to Africans arriving on Canarian shores seemed to wash over the heads of most, and the two promoters who book-ended the head table were quick to dispel any notion of political connections or sinister motivations, saying the link between them and the paper for the promotion on the concert had nothing to do with the editorial stance of El Dia. Griff said that they new nothing of El Dia´s history, which is natural, and that the promoter has to do what he was to do make sure he has the best promotion for his concerts, and take care of his business. I think I could have raised the issue in another manner, False media, we don´t need it do we? and hit it from another angle, however the shit did seem to hit the fan somewhat, creating a lively debate.

During the press conference we spoke about the N-word and the responsibility of us as artists, brothers, men, in trying to curtail the spread of niggativity. The two Russian visits we as Fun-da-mental had last year resulted in twice being greeted with this word or hearing it in a conversation between the vocalist Shamil and the promoter, who if I recall is a leading Hindu practitioner. I only think of going back to Russia now as an excuse for somebody to call be Nigger again, because that´s all they know. Yes, Fun-da-mental have been confirmed to play at an Anti-Racist event in St. Petersburg in July.

Chuck laid most of the blame at the feet of the corporate music labels whose number one priority is making ca$h money, social responsibility is of little consequence. Our responsibility at the end of the day has to overcome the corporations and PE are a classic example of doing it and leading by example.

Brother James spoke with me afterward on the origins of the word relating to dead, and that is how the white man considered us, since we no longer built Pyramids and were no longer scientists. The music we listen to dictates how we present ourselves and if all someone listens to is constant Nigga this and Nigga that, then that is what is going to be perceived as the norm. His iPod is loaded with classic soul and funk, Mavis Staples, Sly Stone, Funkadelic, Al Green, The Meters.

DJ Ripley http://djripley.blogspot.com hit me up a couple weeks back about the documentary by Byron Hurt,
Hip Hop - Beyond Beats and Rhymes, which examines the representations of gender roles that live and breath in hip hop and rap today. http://www.bhurt.com/
Interview with Byron Hurt in Vibe magazine
http://www.vibe.com/news/online_exclusives/2006/06/byron_hurt_on_manhood_in_hip_hop/

I couldn´t help notice the Thugged out image for the ad for Vibe magazine, which is the main points of discussion of the film.

I asked Chuck about Don Imus, his one word response, ANUS.

Now, hears an head-shaker, Imus gets canned for calling some college women basketball players "nappy-headed hos" and yet Rush Limbaugh plays "Barack The Magic Negro" on his show and he is still on the air?
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/#50996

On a lighter note, check out ?uestlove on his Record Collection and why bootlegs are cool. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62HSuccMUYY

Chuck D on Flava Flav
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlhzKUx2nI4

Rich McLean aka Audio Shrapnel, who I consider one of the best DJ´s I have ever witnessed put together a 25 minute seamless mix of Fun-da-mental material from over the years for BBC Asian Network but they refused to transmit the mix. Mrs. Shrapnel gave me the news like this...

When I spoke to Aki he said "do a best of FDM, ya know, your own perception of what you think are the best material by us".

So Rich and I chose the tracks (16 tracks in 20 mins!!!), and I gave it to Aki the following day (tuesday).

By my understanding the asian network lot had it for at least 5 days but didn't listen to it. Fast forward to this tuesday and Rich gets a call saying they want to do a quick phone interview with him.

Rich being Mr Honesty says "so your happy with the content then?".

Meera from the show goes "what do you mean?"

Rich - "Well it's Fun-da-mental, it's got a strong political messages through it"

Meera - "Oh well, I have to get that cleared"

Rich - "Haven't you listened to it to check that?"

Meera - "Erm...no..."

A text was received by Aki from a bod at BBC Asian Network "if I knew about the content I would've got it cleared".

Clearly, no need for me to comment any further....

This week´s playlist....

Ear Conditioning at Radio Pimienta 100.3FM
24 April 2007

Radiohead · Climbing the Walls / Fila Brazillia Rmx (Parlophone)
Kode 9, Benny Ill & The Culprit · Fat Larry´s Skank (Tempa)
Mark One · Slope (Planet Mu)
Mike Ladd · Feb. 4 99 (For all those killed by cops) (Ozone)
DJ/Rupture · Descarriada / Rotator Rmx (Broklyn Beats)
African Head Charge Meets Professor Stretch · You Learn (OnU Sound)

Konono No.1 · Unguli Wele Wele (Crammed)
Sobanza Mimanisa · Kimwembo (Crammed)
Mad Tunes from around the world vol. 3 · Untitled and uncredited folk music from Greece (Metalanguage)

Grinderman · Depth Charge Ethel (Mute)
Wesley Willis · The Frogs (Sympathy for the record industry)
Kid Koala · Trick or Treat (Ninja Tunes)
Queens of the Stone Age · 3´s x 7´s (Interscope)
Queens of the Stone Age · Quick and to the Pointless (Interscope)

Little Axe · 15 to 4
Vernon Reid · Saint Cobain (Epic)
Georgia Anne Mudlrow · Patience (Stones Throw)
Public Enemy · Pump the Music, Pump the Sound (Guerilla Funk)
KRS-One · Sound of the Police (Jive)
Chuck D · Niggativity...Dare I disturb the Universe (Mercury)
Terrawrecka · Terradome (White label)

Fun-da-mental Radio Mix by Audio Shrapnel
Che bin 2
Bubbleman
Cookbook diy
Spycat
God devil
White tongue
Ja sha taan (jesus & mary chain remix)
Pollution
Sliced lead
No more fear
Electro g-had
No more fear
English breakfast
Dog war
Mera mezab
Screbinicia massacre

The Roots and Lata Mageshkar · In the Music mix up
King L Man · Carcass featuring Arka /Tropico 28 and Scalper
Razhel the Godfather of Noyze · If your mother only knew
King L Man · One36 / El-P · I´ll Sleep When Your Dead Intro


Thanks to Audio Shrapnel, Aki, DJ Ripley, PE, Javi Jiminez, Dani, DJ MAD

Post-OCA Festival Playlist · Ear Conditioning at Radio Pimienta

Last weekend we attended the OCA-Festival in the colonial town of La Orotava, and specifically in the Casa Lercaro, what a beautiful setting with a large garden and a cavern-like spot where I´d love to do something special. Friday was the launch party for the event, Randal Graves and G´sus supplied the sounds while others supplied the talk and liquids. I dj´d on the Saturday after the one called Jeff Automatic, who reminded me very much of Andrew Weatherall. As I was getting my records together, he would be telling me about the lyrics in the next tune he had lined up in his G5...."This one is about Aliens who come to earth, and ask ´What is woman?´ He also dropped some early New Order....Ceremony, I think....which I used to have, and is most probably still sitting in the basement of our house in Toronto, nearly 20 years later!

Time went pretty fast on Saturday, and it seemed as if it was only an hour after I started that organizer Carlos Robles gave me the five minute warning.....damn, I had at least three other tunes that had to be played before I retired for the night. Poison Idea´s version of the Go-go´s ´We Got the Beat´ had to be played...I promised Eddie Souzzo something hard and heavy, and the traditional Canarian song ´Punta del Hidalgo´ by Olga Ramos y Agrupacion, which Lee of DigiDub fame gave me just before I moved here. The last time I played ´Punta del Hidalgo´ in a club here, the thicknecked-nobrain security came up to me and said I wasn´t allowed to play that kind of music in their club. Well, that club no longer exists, and I´m still here, so they can sit on the middle finger and peddle. Big shout to those that made the party, from the bar staff, the organizers and crew, the people that paid good money to get in, the guests, and the new friends....you all made it gooooood!

I dropped an email to Le Volume Courbe as I came across her myspace page and she replied, saying that she has completed her new album and had a show in Glasgow soon....so we will have something new to look forward to very soon.

I felt the urge to dig out the first album from Dr. Phibes. For three musicians, they made a lot of noise....yeah, I know one person can on their own...however, indulge me for a sec´....they really turned their instruments inside out with what they delivered. I had the pleasure of working with these guys for their second album when they signed to Virgin Records, where I spent many a year. Their story had a tragic end on a personal note, but I hope Howard, the vocalist and guitarist has pulled through and a new chapter has been opened. Forward people!

More gems here than can be found in a deBeers gold mine......

Ear Conditioning
17 April 2007

Le Volume Courbe / Harmony (Honest Jons/Astralwerks)
Black Francis / What Happened to the Pong (4AD)
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion / She Said (Mute)

Asmahan / Yalli Hawak
Kinara / Abke na sawan barse (EMI India)
Indian Folk Music / Maharati

Curtis Mayfield / Pusherman (MCI)
Defunkt / Self Disclosure (Island)
African Head Charge / Positive Thoughts and Mind (OnU Sound)
Music from the Angolan Border / Women´s Initiation Song (Lyrichord)
Laventille Rhythm Section / Rhythm 1 (Honest Jons)

Dr. Phibes and the House of Wax Equations / Mr. Phatasy (50 Seel Street)
Dr. Phibes and the House of Wax Equations / Mirrors (50 Seel Street)
Bob Mould / Sunspots (Virgin US)
Grinderman / Go Tell the Women (Mute)
Public Image Ltd. / Careering (Virgin)

Inverse Cinematics / Seven by seven (Faces)
Overtone / Give it Again · Inverse Cinematics mix (Redbud)
Stereotyp / Jece Valadáo (Man)

The Roots / False Media (DefJam)
Public Enemy / Public Enemy No. 1 (DefJam)
Dalek / Antichristo (Ipecac)
Public Enemy / Brothers Gonna Work it Out (DefJam)
Basemental Platform / Gem wit Slugz
Daedelus / Fallen Love (Mush/Ninja Tunes)

Badawi / Enter the Heretic (Ashphodel)
Loefah / Bombay Squad (Reflex)

Photo courtesy of Miurihausen

The Volume Curve

Ear Conditioning
April 9 2007

Le Volume Courbe translates as ´the volume curve´ and is apparently inspired by the do-it-yourself ethos of Nico among others.....(I don´t know too much about Nico to be honest, apart from the obvious Warhol and Velvet connection, and then recently read that she was a racist bitch http://music.guardian.co.uk/rock/story/0,,2034607,00.html) but I digress....the album, ´I Killed My Best Friend´ is a true original piece of work aided by the likes of Hope Sandoval, Kevin Shields and Keith Tenniswood. The opening track´s vocals sound as if they were recorded on my original cassette player that my mum gave me when I was ten years old.....and that is not a dis´. The vocals are countered by a melody reminiscent of a harpsichord. There is also a cinematic vibe to the album...I hope she is getting lots of people looking her way and copping this album. This is definitely a punk record-very experimental, bilingual vocals, heartbeats, tender guitar notes and more...go seek. It just hit me as I write, if you liked Tricky´s ´Aftermath´ etc. you´ll dig it.

Stretch Armstrong, the legendary NY hip hop DJ used to have a radio program with Bobbito in the 80´s and 90´s and he has digitalized thousands of demo´s that were sent in. I bagged the demo of MF Doom, which apparently was recorded while Doom was staying at Stretch´s apartment. http://konstantkontakt.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html
100% Hip Hop purity.

That´s enough blurbage from me this week. The playlist of yesterday is as follows......

One Flew Over the Cuckoo´s Nest Soundtrack / Act of Love & End Credits
TV on the Radio / Wash the day · Live at Amoeba Music (Amoeba/Interscope)
The Clash / Car Jamming (CBS)
Talking Heads / Crosseyed and Painless · Live (Sire)

Benoint Pioulard / Together and Down
Le Volume Courbe / Who are You? (Honest Jons/Astralwerks)
www.myspace.com/levolumecourbe
The Melvins / Civilized Worm (Ipecac)
Las Ratas / Know your Rights (Rebelde)

Sonny Rollins / Wail March (Blue Note)
Miles Davis / Little Church (CBS)

Sons of Arka feat. Prince Far I / Throw away your Gun · Live (Arka)
Jah Woosh / Woodpecker Sound (Trance/OnU)
Primal Scream / Wise Blood from Echo Deck · Remixes by Adrian Sherwood (Creation)

MF Doom / Elite Scooby Doo Shit (mpfree)
Pete Rock & CL Smooth / T.R.O.Y. (Elektra)
Saian Supa Crew / Ring My Bell (Source)
Tes La Rock / Upside
Dub Gabriel / Mash Out (myspace.comslashdubgabriel)
Sofa Surfers feat. MC Santana / Selling Souls · The Bug Remix (Klein)
Burial / Nite Train (Hyperdub)

Doudou N´Diaye Rose / Rose Rhythm (Virgin France)
Fun-da-mental / The Truth Commision from The Peel Sessions (Strange Fruit/Nation)
The Roots feat. Dice Raw / Da Lesson Part 1 (Geffen)
Common / Funky for You (MCA)


Thanks to Errol at Astralwerks, Dub Gabriel, Javi Jiminez, Nacho, Twoey of Las Ratas, Stretch Armstrong, and the singers, players, DJ´s and producers.

Ear Conditioning 03 April 2007

Ear Conditioning Playlist
April 3, 2007

Accept no substitute

You sold weapons to Iraq, Great Britain
You sold your soul to America - the Devil, Great Britain
You haven't got no religion, Great Britain
Do you really believe in Jesus, Great Britain?
Thou shall not kill, Great Britain
from "Great Britain" by Scorzayzee

I am trying to play hip hop that does not denigrate the brotherhood by constantly referring to the N-word...but I missed a couple in the Dangermouse produced Grey Album feat. Jay-Z and The Beatles, apologies for that. Dug out the Like Water for Choclate LP from Common, and even that was littered chock full with da word...damn, a bit depressing as Common is supposed to be a brother that steps outside the usual boundaries of hip hop.....so until I edit the track myself, it will have to stay on the shelf for now. His original name was Common Sense....uh?
I think we do have a responsibility as hip hop is a world wide thing, and it has got to a state where we can go to any country in the world now, and be called ´Nigga´....nah, not my cup of tea.
"Oh, your getting old!"
To that, I say, "Everybody is getting old, unless your dead!"

Finally got my hands on the self titled debut album from Vieux Farke Toure, and really into the sound of the calabash. One of the players on this album, Hassey Sarré performed with Afel Bocoum at last year´s Womad in Gran Canaria...and is well remembered for his smile which radiated throughout the venue for the entire concert.....and his playing of the njarka (spike fiddle) was not to be laughed at either.

I had one foot about to come into contact with the pavement outside Jumping Man Records http://www.jumpingmanmusica.com the shop where I purchased the Farke Toure album, when Lupi the proprietor put on a piece of music that caused me to turn to ask who was? Stanton Moore was the reply. Never heard of him...until then. I happily passed some more money to Lupi. I wanted to ask him if he would present a session on Ear Conditioning, and he replied he too has a program, at a Radio Campus, which is part of the La Laguna university here in Tenerife...I´ll get him on one day though, maybe we can do an exchange, as our respective programs do not reach each others airwave space. http://www.rcampus.net

This coming weekend I will be DJ´ing at the OCA Festival, www.oca-tenerife.com which is one of few events here that are not mafia run. Also on the bill.....Mini Market, Randal Graves (DJ Set), Tamgo, G´sus....(who used to work at the Rock City in Nottingham.....saw Ministry there yeah!!!!) Tamgo, Jeff Automatic and Harry S. Morgan to name a few. We are doing our thing at the Zona Kiu in La Orotava, so if yer in the area on Saturday April 14........

Public Enemy are due to perform in Santa Cruz next week....I am not quite sure how the right-wing newspaper El Dia got involved as one of the sponors of the PE gig, as they do nothing but invent and publish lies about the immigration scenario regarding people coming from the African continent. I´d love to talk with Chuck about that, but it seems as if my requests for an interview with him have fallen on deaf ears, but I will continue to try. Has it been really been twenty years since I saw PE at Toronto´s Masonic Hall?

The day after PE perform, we will be returning to Santa Cruz for the Nick Cave solo concert. Does solo mean just him on his own? The word solo suggests as much, but I don´t think it will be just him. I´d like to experience Grinderman live. Please consider a return to these shores with your fellow Grinders, Mr. Cave. I always remember us passing each other on Portobello Road, London a few years back. Nick Cave, looked healthy, he had a tan, I´ll never forget it.....maybe I has this pre-concieved idea that he was paler than pale itself. Anyway what is important is his work, and it works.

Funkadelic / Funk gets stronger (WarnerBros.)
Dangermouse / Moment of Clarity from The Grey Album, Jay-Z meets The Beatles (mp3)
Scorzayzee / Great Britain (Out da Ville)
Murs & Z-Trip / We will rock you (Definitive Jux)

Vieux Farke Toure / Sangare (World Village)
Vieux Farke Toure / Tabara feat. Ali Farke Toure (World Village)
Circus Klezmer / Odessa Bulgarish (9é Circ d´Hivern)
Circus Klezmer / Belz (9é Circ d´Hivern)

Scott Ritter / Anti War (mp3)
"I call myself part of the anti-war movement even though I´m not a pacifist, I´m anti-war because I´ve been to war. War is the most horrible thing mankind can inflict on mankind because war is only about man killing man, that´s what it does. That´s what happens when you go to war."

Grinderman / Depth Charge Ethel (Mute)
Timezone feat. John Lydon & Afrika Bambaataa / World Destruction (Virgin)
Grace Jones / Private Life Dub (Select Cuts)
The Art of Love / The Perfect Man read by Sally Dexter (Virgin)

Exclusive Mix Session by Audio Shrapnel
N.A.S.T.Y. Crew / In the Place
Taz / Can´t Contain Me
Krazy Baldhead / Revolution (Para One Remix)
Freddy Fresh / Smokin´
2Digital / That Fucking Bongo Track
Vex´d feat. Orifice & Dubbledge / Bollocks
Bonde Do Role / Melo Do Tabaco
Slimting Recordings feat. L.O.C. & Shizzle / Represent
Sound Revolution / Last Wave
Bird Peterson & Chris Vodka / Bumptard
Damian Marley / Jamrock (Poj Masta Remix)
Moody Boyz / Witness the Day

Mix Sesssion by DJ Hatcha
Tracklisting temporarily unavailable, sorry, but I do know that the ever dependable Kode 9, Loefah and Digital Mystikz were in the mix.

Stanton Moore / Poison Pushy (Telarc)
Unkle / Guns Blazing · Drums of Death Pt. 1 (Mo´Wax)
400 Blows vs. 23 Skidoo / F.U. GI (TigerSushi)
Samuel L. Jackson /"AK47" taken from the film Jackie Brown
"When you positively absolutely need to kill every motherfucker in the room.....accept no substitute."