R.I.P. Teena Marie

Some of you will remember Boxing Day 2010 as the day you exchanged your mother-in-law's Christmas present for something you really wanted. Others will remember it as the day that Christmas hangover made you swear off Egg Nog for good.

For me, it will be the day I heard that the first lady of blue-eyed soul, the uniquely inimitable Lady T, the self-titled Ivory Queen of Soul, Teena Marie, left us at the tender age of 54.

You might be thinking that you can't place her name, and wonder how important a figure she could have been.

Well, just to show that I am not jumping gratuitously on some bereavement bandwagon, I refer to my own blog from earlier this year, entitled Blue-eyed Soul. http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/blog/post/514966

Teena Marie was one of those "musician's musicians". The kind that always earned the respect of her peers.

We've all heard stories of black artists in the 50s and 60s, whose album covers contained something other than their pictures, in an attempt to obscure the artists' ethnicity.

Well, Teena once told the press that Berry Gordy used the concept in reverse for her, "because the songs were so soulful that Gordy wanted to give the music an opportunity to stand on its own merit, and not just because it was a white woman. "

Teena's first album cover, Wild and Peaceful, contained instead of her photo, a portrait of a seascape.

Marie further stated, "So by the time my second album came out people were like, "Lady T is White? Omigod?" Overall, my race hasn't been a problem. I'm a Black artist with White skin. At the end of the day you have to sing what's in your own soul."

Amen sister. Therein lies her legacy.

Born Mary Christine Brockert, Teena Marie, or Lady T, was a protégée (and lover) of funk legend Rick James. She played rhythm guitar, keyboards and some percussion. She also wrote, sang and arranged virtually all of her own material.

Apparently, her strong African-American influence came from her godmother and upbringing in a well-known enclave of west L.A. called Venice. She was strongly influenced by Motown in those days, so imagine her excitement when in the late 70s, that very label signed her.

It was there that she met everyone she needed to know, including the aforementioned Rick James who took her "under his wing" so to speak.

Marie was quickly embraced by African American fans as evidenced by her first top-ten R&B hit, I'm Just a Sucker for Your Love, the first of several duets with Rick James, which went to #8 on the Black Singles Chart. In fact, everyone thought she was a black woman until she performed the song with James on Soul Train in 1979. It seemed appropriate since most people also thought Rick James was a black woman.

In 1980, her second album, Lady T, had her portrait on the cover.

Teena once said of her success, "I think it's because of the way I was raised. I just embraced the sound that I loved, and I think that people can feel the genuineness and the purity of Teena Marie. And it's really, really who I am."

Teena Marie left Motown in 1982, and didn't just sue the label, but launched the legal battle that led to a law, "The Brockert Initiative", preventing record labels from holding artists without releasing any of their music, something Motown had been notorious for since it's inception.

So this artist, whose name some of you barely remember, actually had significant historical impact on the music business.

Then, in the 90s, when her new music wasn't charting, a whole slew of young rappers discovered, and started sampling her old material.

As a matter of fact, Marie is regarded as a pioneer in bringing hip-hop to the mainstream by becoming one of the first artists of her time to rap on one of her singles, Square Biz (and if the song sounds familiar, check out 90s rap supergroup The Firm's title track, Firm Biz).

In 2004, Teena Marie's comeback album La Dona was put out on Cash Money Records (a predominantly Rap label), and earned her a Grammy nomination in 2005.

Here are a few other tidbits of which you may not be aware:

• As a child, Teena had an acting role on The Beverly Hillbillies, where she plays a tap-dancing kid whose mother is trying to break in to showbiz. (You can find it on YouTube)
  
• When she was 10, she sang at the wedding of Jerry Lewis' son.
  
• Her hit song, Behind The Groove, can be heard on the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
  
• In 1996, the Fugees honoured her by introducing the chorus of her 1988 hit, Ooo, La, La, La, into their song, Fu-Gee-La (some of you are singing it right now).
  
• Her beautiful ballad, Too Many Colors is dedicated to, and features her goddaughter, 7 year-old Maya Rudolph, of SNL and movies.
  
• Lenny Kravitz says that Teena took him into her home, and helped him when he was struggling early in his career.
  
• Her daughter is also a singer under the name Rose LeBeau (who's french grammatical syntax skills are now highly suspect).

It's been reported that Teena Marie died after suffering a seizure. The cause of that seizure is a mystery. As mysterious as how the tireless pursuit of one's own artistic desires can touch so many, without us even knowing.

She was 54 years old.

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Top 10 of 2010

Have you ever been asked the question, "Do you like music?". I've asked it myself, and immediately felt foolish. What if the person said, "No".

Would your next question be "Do you like food?"? How about sleep?

Seriously, do you prefer warmth and sunshine to a freezing hail-blizzard?. Would you rather have sex or be zapped in the groin with a tazer?

The only question that makes sense is "What KIND of music do you like?"

We may all have our own distinct taste but there are hunters and gatherers, while the rest of us eat what we are fed.

This bothers some people. Not me. I don't fight it. I take what comes with open ears, and sometimes I connect, and on rare occasions, I hate it (cough,Yoko,cough).

We've all read those cutting edge, sanctimonious magazines. The ones that tell you that once anyone wearing a suit has heard of it, it's unoriginal and uncool. Up-to-the-minute indie music rags scoff when you catch wind of something they knew about 2 years ago (and you all know at least 1 @#$%*! like that).

Take for example, an article from earlier this year in Prefix magazine. The author criticizes Rolling Stone for no longer being in touch with that ol' rebel music scene. Here is what they say:

"Most publications have already submitted their picks for the most promising artists of 2010, but here comes Rolling Stone, huffing and puffing up the hill with some late choices even though we’re already well into March. Unsurprisingly, the ailing music mag has picked some bizarre and mostly off-the-pulse acts. Titus Andronicus has already been around for five years, but that’s not stopping Rolling Stone from calling them a “new” band, and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals actually released their debut album back in 2004. As such, it’s difficult to see what criteria Rolling Stone used to define a “new” band here."

Can't you just hear the self-importance in his voice? Can you see his eyes rolling arrogantly about his head?

In Rolling Stone's defense, it may be more of a misnomer than an oversight. Let's try an experiment. How many of you have heard of those bands? (pause)...................... 'nuff said.

You see, new bands are only ever heard by an infinitesimal fraction of the population when they're new. The internet has made distribution a million times faster than it used to be, but people still need time to process.

Top 40 radio, by quantitative title alone, can't be inclusive enough to capture even a tiny percentage of the music being released today.
Outkast wasn't new when they released Hey Ya, but it was then that everyone took notice. Cee-lo wasn't new when he released F**k You this year, but now he even cracked an episode of GLEE. (and sung by Gwyneth P, it was hot!)

As a matter of fact, the Grammy nominees for "Best New Artist" every year are followed by a continent-wide chorus of people in all age groups collectively saying "WHO???".

So if 2010 was the year by which you remember the artist, then to you, that's when it is new.

Now, if you just discovered Tupac, you might be a little late to the party, but for the rest of us, here is a list of the artists that will be remembered to have emerged, or reached prominence in 2010:

Bruno Mars: (pictured above) Already the anonymous voice on the year's biggest songs, B.o.B.'s Nothing on You, and Travie McCoy's Billionaire, his solo release of Just the Way You Are is looking to eclipse them both.

Drake: 2010 was definitely his year, and there are no signs that he will be slowing down. It's not just hype either. Toronto boy's got chops and seems genuinely committed to extensive collaboration with....everybody. Let's see how he evolves.

Esmee Denters: (right) In 2009 she released her debut studio album, Outta Here, produced by a guy named Justin Timberlake, on which Denters co-wrote every song. With a unique name, great voice, and fabulous look, she's perfectly poised to be the next big thing. If you didn't know, now ya know.

Florence & The Machine: Florence Welch's debut album, Lungs, was released in July 2009, was on the charts for 28 weeks before finally hitting #1 in the U.K. in January 2010. The band performed at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards and the 2010 Nobel Peace Price Concert, and was recently nominated for Best New Artist at the 53rd Grammy Awards. There will be no stopping "The Machine"!

Janelle Monae: The magnitude of Tightrope makes it look like she's a one-hit wonder who came out of nowhere, but she has been around for a few years now, and may be the best all-around artist on this list. You would have seen her perform with Outkast's Big Boi in the movie Idlewild, except you didn't see the movie Idlewild (nobody did). She was introduced to P.Diddy and is now considered the queen of Afrofuturistic Funk (?). Whatever. She's awesome, and beautiful, and always fully dressed and dignified. Check her out, and feel free to comment.

Jason Derulo: His birth name is Desrouleaux, but he changed the spelling to make it easy on dumb people. He has been performing since the age of five, and spent his childhood studying opera, theater, and ballet. He attended Dillard Center for the Arts in Fort Lauderdale, and graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. So he's not just your run of the mill R&B singer. Before I knew that, I thought he was just another pop artist whose songs wouldn't leave my @#%$*! head.

Justin Beiber: Did you think I would omit him simply because it was so obvious. His debut single, One Time, charted in over 10 countries. He is the first artist to have 7 Billboard hits from a debut album. He sells out everywhere he goes, and rarely gets grounded for going out on a school night. To some, he is just another flash-in-the-pan pop idol, but to those in the know, he is a talented kid with every opportunity to enjoy a long career, as long as he never gets caught doing bong hits with Miley Cyrus. In a couple of years, he'll grow some facial hair and tattoo a couple of chinese symbols on his neck, which he thinks mean "badass", but really mean, "I'll have the kung pao chicken", and the transformation from teen idol to rockstar will be complete. Until then, keep him away from your daughters.

Kesha: She's like Britney Spears after the loss of her virginity, but don't sleep on this seemingly crazy party chick. At 18, she sang background vocals for Paris Hilton's single, Nothing in This World, but surprisingly, that did not propel her to instant stardom (go figure). She was almost signed by Kara DioGuardi, but it wasn't until accidentally walking into the studio as Flo Rida was recording Right Round that she got her break. She refused to appear in the video because she knew 'Rida would want her to gratuitously shake her booty, and her principles told her to do that only for her own videos. She was pop diva royalty in 2010 alongside Katy Perry and Gaga, and she will be sticking around for a while, so remember this as the year of Kesha.

Mumford & Sons: Not only are they not Mumford's "sons", but they sound like a band you would hear at a Newfoundland corn festival. I wish I could get that damned Little Lion Man song out of my head, but I can't. Now, Ray Davies (The Kinks) has announced that they will be appearing on his forthcoming collaborations album, which begs the question, "Is Ray Davies still around?".

There were actually so many artists that emerged this year including Mike Posner, Taio Cruz, Nicki Minaj, B.o.B., etc., and there's nothing stopping you from doing some Christmas shopping on iTunes to compile your own version of this year's greatest hits.

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Happy holidays!

F.U. C-Lo

One of the hottest and catchiest songs on the charts right now is a song with 3 different titles, each with distinct accompanying lyrics. Officially known as F**k You! during it's sneak preview run on YouTube, it was an instant viral success, registering over two million plays in less than a week, and that was without a video.

On September 1, 2010, Cee-Lo Green (the artist) released an official music video of the song, and it is an absolute blast to watch. As a result, when the single was actually released, F**k You! debuted at #1 on the UK charts, AND THE ALBUM ISN'T EVEN OUT YET! The album, The Lady Killer is set to be released by Elektra Records on November 9, 2010 (Quick shout-out: "The day Moe turn fo-fo").

Obviously, a society as pure as ours wouldn't allow such language to be played on radio or TV. That sort of filth maintains it's rightful place in the grand bouillabaisse of deviant entertainment we so fondly know as "The Internet". Hence the subsequent "safe" titles: F.U. (Very clever. The kids'll never crack that code.), and Forget You, which grace the Wal-Mart shelves for moms who want to protect the young 'uns from profanity and irreverence but still want them to get down with the funky soul grooves, you know?

Regardless of what it's called, it's a damn fine song that seems to have come out of nowhere by an artist who seems to have done the same.
There are a surprising amount of people who somehow still think that Cee-lo is some novelty act destined to be another one-hit wonder. I say this is surprising because I thought we covered this about 4 years back when people were saying the same thing about his duo with DJ Danger Mouse known as Gnarles Barkley. I know you still remember Crazy because it hit the charts like a bullet the same way as F.U. But even then he wasn't "new".

So who is Cee-Lo? I know many of you know, but this is for the rest of you.

In the late 90s, Cee-Lo belonged to a critically acclaimed rap foursome known as Goodie Mob, who gave us tunes like Soul Food, Dirty South, and They Don't Dance No Mo'.

Despite being the youngest member of the band, he was the first to feel that "solo career" itch. The remaining 3 members Big Gipp, T-Mo, and Khujo (whose monikers deprived them of corporate careers) continued to perform together under the Goodie Mob name. Their next full album was entitled One Monkey Don't Stop No Show, but it was obviously all in jest because they are apparently all on good terms now, and have been collaborating on projects for years.

Note: I urge their record company to keep them away from Yoko Ono.

Initially, his solo career encountered some speed bumps in the form of little exposure and low sales, but on his second album, he boasted a resumé of collaborations with names like Ludacris, T.I., and Pharrell, as well as production from Timbaland and The Neptunes. The album was called Cee Lo Green... Is the Soul Machine, and despite similar travails, it contained some very funky hip-hop hybrids.

Arista Records eventually made their money back. To capitalize on the success of Gnarles Barkley, they released a greatest hits compilation of this suddenly interesting artist entitled, Closet Freak: The Best of Cee-Lo Green the Soul Machine.

Gnarles Barkley's album St. Elsewhere spawned the aforementioned Crazy which has the distinction of being the first single to go straight to #1 in the UK based on digital download sales alone. Crazy made a lot of fans stand up and take notice and if you heard the rest of the album, you know that this was no "one-trick pony". This was his best-selling project to-date.

A second Gnarls Barkley album entitled The Odd Couple, caught the attention of critics and passionate followers, but didn't repeat the same sales success.

Well, he wasted no time getting back on the horse, and his people must have recognized the cathartic appeal to a song that tells the ex-girlfriend,
"Now I know that I had to borrow, beg and steal and lie and cheat. Trying to keep ya, trying to please ya...‘Cause being in love with yo' ass ain’t cheap."

Cee-Lo Green is back to show us that he truly IS The Soul Machine.

Now get yo' ass to iTunes or "Ye Olde Music Shoppe" to pick up a copy of his latest, The Ladykillers, and get on down wit'cho funky self.

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Hall of Fame

Hey kids. It's one of my favourite times of year, and not because of Freethought Day (October 12, but I reserve the right not to recognize it), Apple day (an annual celebration, held on October 21 in U.K. I couldn't even make that up.), or Turkmenistan's upcoming independence day (Now THAT'S a party!).

No, it's nomination time for 2011's inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The 15 nominees were announced on Tuesday (September 28th), but roughly 6 will make the cut.

The criteria for eligibility is as follows: An artist being nominated, had to have released their first record 25 years prior to the year of induction (My apologies to Miley Cyrus). In other words, anyone with a single prior to 1986 is eligible, so we can finally see if Bananarama gets their long overdue honours.

The funny thing about the list of nominees is that it's all over the map in terms of eras and genres. For instance the last 5 years have seen the inductions of Madonna, Run DMC, Metallica, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Spooner Oldham, Black Sabbath and Herb Alpert.

This is where the general public starts drifting off amidst exclamations of "Who?", "What'd You say? and "Spooner how?", so thankfully there is no democratic public vote on the issue.

Instead, it's the experts that choose. Those of us who listen to everything and can recognize true greatness within the musical community (although once again my invitation seems to have been lost in the mail). A selection of 500 "rock experts"* will determine who is immortalized, and whose work was just a complete waste of everyone's time. *Note: "Rock expert" is an industry term for geeks who spent most of their youth listening to, and analyzing music, while others were busy interacting with humans, so take it all with a grain of salt. Case in point: The Flamingos and the Ronettes are in. Kiss is still not.

Here is the list of this year's nominees, beginning with my opinion on who will be accepted into the penultimate shrine for music lover's whose best vacation choice is ...Cleveland.

The Nominees

Beastie Boys: Yes. Maybe. Run DMC got in. I would say they had to be next. Traditionally, rap has not gotten the respect it deserves where the HoF is concerned, but these guys never really committed to definitive labels anyway. They are as much Rock and Punk as any of the other genres into which they have delved, and they have been...delving so for over a quarter century now. They deserve to make the cut. Go Beasties, Go Beasties, Go, go...

Bon Jovi: Of Course. A rock group who has been consistently proficient (or proficiently consistent) for 3 decades, to the point that their concerts include both their retro hits alongside their new releases for the enjoyment of mother AND daughter. Their mass appeal alone makes their genre seem softer than the rock they actually play, but they won't have to be "livin' on a prayer" anymore. They're in.Chic: No way. Everyone knows Le Freak and Good Times, and the sample beat to Rapper's Delight, but there has got to be a bigger requirement for eternal recognition at this level. Also, there is little precedence for disco acts that didn't transcend, or anyone who wore shiny satin tights. Okay, so Rod Stewart, David Bowie and Mick Jagger maybe, but not Chic. Trust me.

Alice Cooper: Affirmative. How is he not there already? He's a prolific and influential artist who stuck around for a long time, and is still relevant, especially to up and coming musicians who seek inspiration to set their sights beyond the pop arena. Without him, we may never have seen Rob Zombie or Marilyn Manson (I just mentioned Marilyn Manson in the same sentence. Rob Zombie just ralphed).

Neil Diamond: Does anyone know the yiddish expression for "Whatchu talkin' bout Willis?"?
The fact that he is not already there after ABBA got in last year is ridiculous! Don't make me have to write a broadway play using his musical repertoire because I'll do it!
Donovan: Absolutely. Another guy who is long overdue. It is not so much the quantity of his work as the quality and longevity of songs like Mellow Yellow and Sunshine Superman, not to mention the classic, Hurdy Gurdy Man. Those 3 songs alone have graced countless movie and TV screens, and have been used in commercials, covered in every musical genre, and even sampled (more than once) in hip-Hop songs. Unhook the velvet rope. He's in.

J. Geils Band: Uh-uh. I happen to be a fan of this band's work even before their 80s' Freeze Frame success. This was a true Blues/Rock group who were once the Allman Brothers favourite band. So you may not see them in Cleveland, but you can hear what made them great in Must of Got Lost, Looking For A Love, and Love Stinks. J, there will always be a shrine to you in my mind. Thank you. Now get out.

Laura Nyro: Aw hells no! It shouldn't matter that only one person that reads this will know who she is, but it does, doesn't it? The fact that she wrote at least 10 of your favourite songs (and you don't even know it) makes her a lock for eventual induction as a writer. So don't cry for her (not one of her songs) because she made more money than all of us, and was well respected during her unfortunately short life.

Joe Tex: Sadly, no. He has my vote based purely on the fact that he was both funky AND hilarious. The first song I ever heard was called Skinny Legs and All, where he takes a woman from the audience at a live show and tells everyone that EVEN SHE can find someone, as he proceeds to shop her around to members of the band and audience (my favourite moment is when, after being asked, "Leroy" says "Naw man. I don't want no woman with no skinny little legs. YOU take her.). Then he scored a disco hit with Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman). Nuff said there. Unfortunately, he will be remembered more by his peers than by the casual music listeners even though he was a true Soul-Funk pioneer. Sorry Joe.

Chuck Willis: No. His untimely death at age 30 came just as the world would begin to embrace what he did best. Just ask Johnny Mathis, Nat King Cole and Sam Cooke. I have only ever heard 2 of his songs; CC Rider and What Am I Living For, the last one having been released just before his death (Oh god, what a prankster!).

Dr. John: Yes. I actually have no idea IF he will be voted in, but he has my support. A New Orleans artist with a distinctive vocal style and great rhythm, he has given us over 4 decades of crazy R&B-psychedelic-voodoo madness, and while the young casual listener may not remember him, anyone who's into music in any way knows exactly who he is. I just hope he is in the "right place at the right time" (pun absolutely intended).

LL Cool J: Maybe. While the "L.adies L.ove Cool J.ames", and we are all impressed that he is the last early rapper standing, he may be hard-pressed to win the votes of music critics. Rap is only just starting to be considered for induction, and despite giving us some great songs, he was just a mediocre rapper. We all love to see him show his abs in movies and use scientific jargon on NCIS, but the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? That might be reaching. Let's see what happens.

Darlene Love: No. A great singer on all of those Phil Spector Oldies, but her claim to fame is singing Christmas, Baby Please Come Home for the last 30 years, and that just isn't enough. Also, isn't there a pornstar with that name? There should be.

Tom Waits: Yes. One of the best "bad voices" in music, he is more of an actor and storyteller than singer. Not a lot of commercial hits and yet, almost everyone knows his name. He is unique, and beloved by true artists. He has got to be in the HoF.

Donna Summer: Fo' sho'. She owned the second half of the 70s, came back twice in the mid, and again late 80s, and is now back as one of the most sought-after retro acts. Her songs are identifiable to people of all ages, and she's ...Donna Summer, dammit! This ain't her "Last Dance". She's in.

So now is the time for you, the people to cast your votes because I assure you that they will not matter in the slightest (yeah, you probably have to read that again).

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Keep a song in your heart

Kings a de Dancehall

When Bob Marley died, I was too young to really know who he was or what his music meant, but I knew one thing: This "Reggae" stuff was infectious and addictive.

Then in the late '80s, when my musical journey had led me to revisit the genre, I found that it had changed. It no longer seemed a diatribe of insurrection for the rastafarian movement. It still spoke of politics and religion, but the vibe had evolved into a more modern and faster groove. Digital instrumentation changed the sound considerably, but with one exception: the music itself was still outrageously contagious, if not moreso than it's more tranquil predecessor.

"Dancehall" or "Ragga" reggae quickly became the current generation's form of expression. Music could be produced cheaply, without the use of a 7 piece band. Just 2 turntables and some samples in the hands of an experienced and creative DJ could create an awesome tune.

Much like rap music in America, Ragga was the music of Jamaica's ghetto youth. As Ragga grew, dancehall artists began to use elements of hip hop, while also influencing American rappers and inspiring them to diversify. Some of the biggest commercial successes were born of that combination such as; Shaggy, Sean Paul, Beenie Man, and hometown T.O. boy, Snow.

The '90s were replete with artists who broke new ground in Dancehall reggae, and that decade paved the way for much of what we hear now. If you have ever been to a rave (I'm just saying, not recommending), you'll recognize another genre spawned by Dancehall known as "Jungle".

Ragga's only blemish is that of a number of artists who, through a series of anti-gay themes, have caused controversy around the world and within the community itself.

On the bright side, most of these artists have at least one song about 2 topics: Sex and Ganja (insert from Sound of Music "These are a few of my favourite things...").

In any case, without further ado, here is a list of my favourite dancehall acts from back in the day, and why I think you should know them:

Yellowman: Eventually dubbed "King Yellowman" (probably self-titled), he was so named because of the fact that he was (and still is) a Jamaican albino. Now, if you've never seen a black albino, it basically makes him look yellow. As a result, grade school probably wasn't easy, but he grew to be "king" just the same. The first song I ever heard was entitled Zungguzungguguzungguzeng (there's really no way for me to know if I spelled that right, but I'll bet you can't actually read it). That, coupled with his unique appearance, and an awesome rub-a-dub style "riddim" was too much to ignore. If you want to explore this man's work, check out his tribute to nature's herbs known as Sensimilla, his seduction song (and I use the term with great sarcasm), Bedroom Mazuka, or his more upbeat collaboration with Beenie Man, and my fave, Weed Dem Out De Dancehall. You will be entertained.

Beenie Man: He began "toasting" at the age of five, and was so good that his uncle Sydney Wolf, who played drums for Jimmy Cliff, encouraged and nurtured his talent. In 1981, at the age of 8, he entered the Tastee Talent contest where he was discovered and eventually became known as Beenie Man. He honed his craft for yeurs with all the big names until scoring his first international hit, Who Am I, in '98. He got so big at home (Jamaica), that he almost de-throned Yellowman as King a de Dancehall, and even made it the title of one of his songs. Check out Jungle Boogie with Sly & Robbie (see Reggae Rundown http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/blog/post/597047), Love Me Now with future Haitian head of state, Wyclef Jean, and Girls Dem Suga with Mya.

Mr. Vegas: He began doing covers of Jamaican hits at local events, and was never one to shy away from a throwdown. During one little scrap, he was hit in the face with a crowbar (which made his orthodontist furious) and had his jaw wired shut for six weeks. After hearing Beenie Man's hit Who Am I (sim, simma!), he immediately demanded that his unhealed jaw be unwired (now that's a bad-ass!). Apparently, it affected his speech pattern (you don't say...), but didn't stop him from making funky sounds. So many will remember his Head's High in the 90s, and his Pull Up in the '00s, and that's probably enough, but just in case you need more, try his collab with Elephant Man entitled Bun It.

Bounty Killer: The P. Diddy of Ragga, he founded an "association" of Dancehall DJs known as "The Alliance" where he assisted and nurtured future talents like Vybz Kartel, Mavado, and Elephant Man to name just a few. He also collaborated with american rap and pop acts like; Busta Rhymes, Wu Tang Clan, and even No Doubt. He is what you would call "hardcore" and you can hear it in songs like Down In The Ghetto and Bullet Proof Skin. He has been known to show his softer side on songs like Mama. One thing about these hardcore reggae and rap guys; they sure love their mamas.

Shabba Ranks: This guy stormed the burgeoning ragga scene with his unique scraggly bass voice (technical term), and his captivating "riddims". A song from his Just Reality album, Dem Bow, is said to be the rhythmic birthsound of a latin genre now known as "Reggaeton". So popular was this digital percussion sound in Puerto Rico that early reggaeton was simply known as "Dembow". I like Trailor Load A Girls (a tragic lament), but Mr. Loverman was a bigger hit with the masses. The one you will always hear on retro-radio is Twice My Age. Head to Youtube for a nostalgic voyage, or a journey of neo-retro discovery.

Red Dragon: It was 1990 when I first heard the words "Al mada gyal, a Red Dragon have a nickname fi dem" and I was hooked. I swear I don't understand 99% of what he's saying, but I know "he have a nickname fi dem" and it is perhaps this mystery coupled with a take-charge vocal style and some outstanding rhythms that captivated underground audiences. He is this lists lesser commercial success, but you wouldn't know it from his fans and fellow musicians. Listen to Yuh Body Good, the aforementioned Kun Kum Kum, and his own personal testimonial of the farmer's finest, Light My Spliff.

Chaka Demus & Pliers: Just two established musicians who got together to make some funky music. The first Jamaican act to have three consecutive Top 5 hits on the UK Chart, they don't do gangsta, politics or homophobia. They scored hits with Tease Me and a crazy cover of Twist and Shout. Their biggest '90s hit is Murder She Wrote which they performed alongside Alicia Keys at the 2007 American Music Awards.

Buju Banton: "Walk like a Champion, talk like a champion!" Never have such inspirational words sounded sexier. Buju (we're on a first-name basis) just has a rough quality in his voice, but it works like Teddy Pendergrass shouting "You got, You got, You got WHAT I NEED!". He is politically outspoken and rhythmically gifted. Wanna Be Loved is a melodic groove, Champion is a bass-kicking pill, and mainstream audiences will appreciate his duet with Nadine Sutherland entitled What Am I Gonna Do.

General Degree: Master of the double entendre, he is now just known as "Degree". This veteran DJ has been scoring solid dancehall hits since the late 80s with his first hit Granny. He's wild and crazy, but I must let the music speak for itself. Listen to Hot Wata and Boom Boom. If you find you can't handle that much funkiness, he once put out a duet with Maxi Priest called Baby Boo. Dat buoy make a real bangarang afi dis bashment! (Translation: This man can kick it.)

Mad Cobra: This good christian boy took his stage name from a character in the G.I. Joe comics, but after that, he is all original. Never one to mince words, he had 5 hits in '91 and '92, and has dealt with much controversy over his anti-gay lyrics. Unlike General Degree he doesn't wax poetic, as evidenced by his huge hit Flex. On the gangsta tip, check out Press Trigger and Unexpected. Caution: Not for the faint of heart.

For all the music lovers who were unaware, I hope this helps lead you bigger and better sounds.

Nuff respect, mon.

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Album Art

Rolling Stone Magazine recently put out a beautiful, hard cover book containing the best album covers of all time. It apparently encompasses Rock, Pop, Rap, Reggae, Soul and Punk as well as some sub-categories. I purposely have not read it because, as an audiophile myself, I do not want to be influenced by the choices of others.
That, and it was damned expensive!


Oh how ancient I feel when I say that teenagers now will never know the joy of record collecting. There are no more record collections, because there is no longer anything to collect except computer files.

Gather round children, whilst I tell a tale of days gone by when acquaintances would visit your home,look at your record collection and learn something about who you were. A little insight could be gained into what moves you by viewing your records or books. The only difference being that even an illiterate would have records.

I recall once breaking up with a girl after noticing her record collection. It had no soul and no sense of identity. She had exposed herself as a person of little substance. Not eclectic, rather of "no particular taste." Plus, she had poor personal hygiene, and that was just the straw that broke the camel's back.

As we approach the 100th anniversary of the turntable, I thought it might be fun to look back at all of the brilliantly-designed packages that adorn the shelves of my music library (and hopefully yours). These 'packages' once made an important statement about the artist's music and style.

Say what you want about the short-lived psychedelic era of music, but these guys had something to say, and it wasn't always as simple as "Give Peace a Chance". Those were complicated times that I wish I had experienced.

The collective conceptual creations of the time are staggering. Works of art that introduce the visual to an otherwise exclusively auditory experience, so that the consumer was taken on a Magical Mystery Tour of perception.

This article is clearly designed to generate arguments among LP aficionados everywhere. especially since my area of expertise is music, while the visual arts are an area with which I am unfamiliar, or should I say, ungifted. So it comes down to taste, which is subjective as a result of personal experiences and comprehension. There are things we just "get" that others don't and vice-versa. Consequently, it will be interesting to see if there is any commonality between myself and the kind folks at Rolling Stone.

I begin from a perspective of total genius in marketing simplicity, having narrowed it down to the following top 3 albums in no particular order:

1.Dark Side Of The Moon: Pink Floyd
2.The White Album: Beatles
3.In Through The Out Door: Led Zeppelin

These covers promised nothing, but over-delivered.
In Through The Out Door was wrapped in a brown paper bag, the White Album was all white and then there's Dark Side of the Moon. This album has the distinction of spending more weeks on the charts than any other album ever!! It remained on the Billboard 200 for a whopping.....wait for it.........
741 weeks!!
For you mathematicians out there, that's over 14 yrs!! Go tell someone. They won't believe you.

The gate folded album cover, usually reserved for records with too much content to fit on the back of the sleeve, is simply black with a Prism refracting a simple beam of light into all the colours of the Rainbow.
I know hippies who can have an 8 hour discussion based on that detail alone!

Now I share with you the artwork that touched, aroused, haunted and intrigued me over the years. You may agree or disagree depending on whether or not you care, but ultimately, enjoy them now, for they may soon be fully extinct.

The inside gatefold of Ohio Players'classic
'Sweet Sticky Thang' album (left).
The woman on the Herb Alpert cover is swathed in whipped cream, a level of risque that was touchy at the time.


Also, Kansas' Point of No Return. The picture and the title work so well conceptually, as do the songs. It wasn't until 20 yrs. old that I thought about what that meant, and how we strive to know things that we may want to un-know, but can't. I love it!


The image of angels performing harmless, but characteristically unangelic acts, is amusingly cheeky.


I have nothing to say about the Rainbow cover other than to urge you to look at it for a while.
Def Leppard? Again, just look.

Zeppelin IV - Once unfolded, you saw that the enigmatic picture of "old man carrying sticks" hung upon a wall of a condemned house in the middle of a slum. Yet this strange image remained.

As for Nirvana, they were just pure genius and vision from day one till day last. Many still speculate whether Courtney Love's curious one-album success after Kurt Cobain's death was a coincidence.

As I do this, I realize why the good people at Rolling Stone chose to print a book. There are way too many to display, and much to debate.

Here are some random works for you all to enjoy:

Click on photos to enlarge.

This classic Miles Davis album is an awesome merger of concept and color.

Please note that I do not in any way endorse this next image, but since everyone already knows that Ted Nugent is nuts, it's just awfully telling. Who thinks of something like this? I am framing it to send to his daughter as a wedding gift?

Erykah Badu scores big with me on this one, but you really have to look.

This one is not actually an album cover but is a wonderful example of how this element of pop culture influences art.

Most of you can tell that these women are painted a la Pink Floyd album covers.