Dam The Human League

LA's Dam-Funk can usually be found purveying nouveaux soul and boogie on Stones Throw Records or DJing at his hometown boogie funk night Funkmosphere. But last week he dropped his contribution for the Dr Martens 50th anniversary campaign - which involves ten directors shooting clips for ten participating artists' covers. The grand Dam has chosen to digitise the funk out of/into The Human League's 1981 synthpop standard 'The Things That Dreams Are Made Of' - and it sounds how you'd kinda expect it to, like Dolby's Cube let loose to make a teen movie theme in Paisley Park. [FYI, other acts involved in the Doc covers project include The Duke Spirit covering Sham 69; Buraka Som Sistema covering Neneh Cherry; The Raveonettes covering The Stone Roses.] For Dam's effort he was paired with clip maker Ace Norton who has previously made vids for LCD Soundsystem ('Big Ideas'), Mickey Avalon ('Jane Fonda'), Patrick Wolf ('Hard Times') and Sebastien Tellier ('Divine'). Here's how it turned out:

Death Of A Disco Dancer – Lawrence Cassidy R.I.P.

Only just read in The Independent that unsung UK post-punker Lawrence Cassidy passed away age 56 on 27 February. Cassidy formed the band Section 25 in Blackpool in 1978 - by 1980 they were not only signed to the legendary Factory label but their debut single 'Girls Don't Count' was co-produced by Ian Curtis. The track featured the dark and stark sound of the UK's trenchcoat brigade which led to them often being seen as Joy Division also-rans - an unfair generalisation:

But after an album in a similar vein, Always Now produced by Martin Hannett, they moved in a more electro/club direction and began recording with Bernard Sumner. The band also recruited women into the line-up, including Cassidy's wife Jenny (who died in 2004). Section 25 were transformed into a funkily-driven sound yet still draped in an enigmatic moodiness. And, like all Factory bands their history has become shrouded in myths: like New Order, one of their releases had artwork designed by Peter Saville that required such intricate manufacturing that it couldn't possibly make money; The Smiths' Johnny Marr was asked to join the band in 1983, etc... The band had recently reformed to play live shows (including gigs with Peter Hook that saw them covering Joy Division songs). '90s dance fans may also know Section 25 for being sampled by Orbital and The Shamen. The song both artists bit from was 'Looking From A Hilltop':

Between The Lens

Brand new Photo blog from Patrica Karallis.

A part time Melbournite and full time disco dancer, now located in London town.

Golden Fleece - Death Mix

Exclusive mix from mythological Melbourne producer Golden Fleece. Some say the Golden Fleece has wings and can fly, others report a faint British accent. All we can say is keep your ear to the ground and eyes to the skies. More will be revealed soon...

'Death Mix' by Golden Fleece (direct link)
TRACK LIST:
Make Up - 'I Am Pentagon' (Sea Note)
Golden Fleece - 'Orange' unreleased
Jarvis Cocker - 'You're In My Eyes (Discosong) Pilooski edit' CD-R
? - 'Cosmic Dust (PH edit)' CD-R
Gene Clarke - 'No Other' (Asylum Records)
Higamos Hogamos - 'Infinity Plus One' (DC Recordings)
The Besnard Lakes - 'Albatross' (Jaq Jaquwar)
Golden Fleece - 'Miss Dolly Parton' (Mixed Blood Cuts)
Golden Fleece's debut 12" is due out soon on Richard Sen's Mixed Blood Cuts. More releases to follow, including a 12" on Maxi Discs.

Warning: The Following Features Bones

UK artist Ebony Bones' Bone Of My Bones album has been on rotation on-and-off in my notebook for a few weeks now (it's finally getting an Aus release thru Shock). And every listen changed what I thought about it. Impressive or too late on the Santigold bandwagon? First there was the whacky image to contend with - Ms Bones (born Ebony Thomas) looks like Lene Lovich threw up on MIA... could too much thought be going into image instead of sound? Then there was the past - she once starred in bad UK soap Family Affairs (it was really really awful... and I like my UK soaps). But hey, even the great singer Sheila Chandra started in Grange Hill. But in the end, it was the way Bones evoked a style of '80s rhythmic electrofunk that won over. Not for her the typical '80s influences but rather something more akin to the likes of Pigbag, King Trigger or Rip Rig & Panic - it probably helps that The Damned's drummer Rat Scabies works on music with her. Supposedly she is working on an album with the Symphony Orchestra Of India and that at least has to be interesting. You can get an idea from the below clip, for The Muzik, that came out last year just before she blew up at SxSW - ah well, better late than never on the bandwagon at all.

'The Muzik' - Ebony Bones:

Adam Askew - Death Mix

Another mix lifted from the archives.
This one is all vinyl and all about Derrick Carter.

Recorded live @ Kiss FM on 22/11/05.

'Death Mix' by Adam Askew (direct link)

TRACK LIST:
Red Nail feat. Noni - 'Never (Jeff & Gregg's Fav. Orig. Foxy's Classic)'
(Blue Cucaracha)
Derrick L Carter - 'Birthday Song (For Andy)' (Classic Music Company)
The Innocent - 'Jack Another Day' (Sounds)
The Innocent - 'Jack Another Day (System Exclusive Mix)' (Blue Cucaracha)
The Innocent - 'No Music' (Doghouse Records)
Cajmere feat. Derrick Carter - 'Wet Dream' (Cajual)
Donna Giles - 'And I'm Telling You (Red Nail dub)' (Downtown 161)
Cajmere feat. Derrick Carter - 'Dream States' (Cajual)
The Rednail Kidz - 'Elektrik Disko' (Sounds)

Records I Stole From My Father - Pt.7

Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash - 'Girl From The North Country' (1969)

When my parents moved house in the early 90s they lost their record room. My Dad's stereo system made the move, but it was never plugged in and set-up. By this time my sisters and I had well and truly won the battle of the family sound systems. We each had our own stereos, where we played our own music, at our own volume and at our own time. Coincidently a few of Dad's records started relocating downstairs into my collection. Bob Dylan was one of the first migrants. My Dad didn't have his classic early albums (the ones the rock magazines told you to buy), but it turns out he did have quite a few of his mid-period LPs (the ones internet sites tell you to buy now). Dylan was mainly electric and Christian in our household. He sounded romantic, faraway and nasally to my ears, and I kind of liked it.

I was going to pick 'Lay Lady Lay', but I also really like 'Girl From The North Country'. It has that guy that made the prison record singing on it.