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Brendon @ On-U

They soon became the label’s house band, providing backing for the ground-breaking Sugarhill Gang (“Rapper’s Delight”), Grandmaster Flash (“The Message”) and Melle Mel (“White Lines”), helping to launch the onslaught of 80s rap. After the demise of Sugarhill and drawn-out legal wranglings, the three musicians continued to work on various projects. Described by the New York Times as, “one of today’s most extraordinary rhythm sections”, they included recordings for Tom Silverman’s Tommy Boy label.

Moving on from the early 80s rap explosion, Keith LeBlanc already released some solo work on Tommy Boy (“Maneuvers” and “Uh!” on the 1985 “Masters Of The Beat” compilation); mixing the (now legendary) DMX drumbeats with his own special drum sound. Release “No Sell Out” featured the cut-up raps of civil rights activist Malcolm X pitched against the infamous DMX drumbeat, now acknowledged as the first ever sampling record. Ahead of its time “No Sell Out”, brought him to the attention of London’s dub-meister extraordinare and On-U Sound label owner Adrian Sherwood.

In 1984, while working on a remix of Akabu’s “Watch Yourself” for Tommy Boy, he met Keith LeBlanc. After a productive meeting, McDonald and Wimbish later joined them in London to begin work on a new project which they christened, Fats Comet. LeBlanc’s beat, pitched with Sherwood’s dub methodology, taken it to the limit created a unique media where the heavily distorted sound of McDonald�s guitar and Wimbish’s funky bass made things complete. As LeBlanc summed up:

“We started Fats Comet as a studio experiment. The stuff we considered being “non-commercial” got stuck on Adrian Sherwood’s label and Doug Wimbish came up with the name TACKHEAD; which is New Jersey slang for homeboy.”

After releasing a number of 12″s, including science fiction dancehall classics “Mind At The End Of Tether” (ON-U DP15) and “What’s My Mission Now?” (ON-U DP13) Tackhead had gained a lot of credits and popularity, especially among those who tied up to the industrial virus. A forthcoming LP was inevitable and Tackhead Tape Time (ON-U LP46), including the newly unearthed talents of Gary Clail, was bound to be a classic from the day of release. In the meantime, they also found the time to back former Pop Group main man Mark Stewart as the Maffia; a collaboration which resulted in probably some of the most deranged Hip-Mutant-Funk-Metal-Dub-Hop records ever to be made. “Tackhead In The Area!” became the common chant after “The Game” 12″ (ON-U DP17) which featured TV commentator Brian Moore. The band also started touring, which resulted in the “En Concert” live album, quickly withdrawn soon after release.

The “Friendly As A Hand Grenade” (ON-U LP41) album marked a new direction. They were now joined by fellow American and ex-Peech Boys vocalist Bernard Fowler, giving a soulful edge to their beats and making them more accessible to a wider audience. Bernard’s introduction to the band came through Mick Jagger who was himself a big Tackhead fan. Tackhead, now signed to EMI subsidiary SBK, released in 1990 the “Strange Things” LP which, despite some good tracks turned out to be the band’s “major malfunction”! They were dropped by EMI and the use of the name to promote new material largely dried up.

Though Tackhead as a name has slipped out of use, collaboration between various of its former members continues to this day – such as releases by the Strange Parcels (“a Tackhead re-duction”), the Barmy Barmy and probably most notably, the acclaimed Skip McDonald-fronted dub-blues releases of Little Axe.

Besides the previously mentioned activities it cannot be forgotten that Tackhead’s members also continue to play, produce and remix for a wide range of well known artists: e.g. James Brown, Africa Bambaataa, George Clinton, Seal, BB King, Robbie Robertson, Annie Lennox, Mick Jagger, R.E.M., Tina Turner, Depeche Mode, Bomb The Bass, Robert Palmer, Neneh Cherry, Malcolm McLaren, ABC – and then we’re not even mentioning the numerous releases and formidable productions for the whole On-U Sound posse; Dub Syndicate, Gary Clail, Bim Sherman, Jesse Rae…!

Tackhead, a vast monumental influence on the music of the eighties and nineties; charming visionaries and story tellers about life, love and lust.

(Adapted from On-U Sound In The Area and  Echo Beach’s Tackhead biography found at www.echobeach.de)

A long-standing figure on the London jazz scene, trumpeter Harry Beckett has kept his music fresh over a long career, and none more so than on his debut On-U Sound release in 2008 produced by Adrian Sherwood, which invites reggae and dance music influences to happily live alongside his modal jazz flavours.

Born in Bridgetown, Barbados in 1935, Beckett was just 19 when he left home in 1954 and arrived in Britain. All he brought with him was his trumpet, the talent he was born with and a desire to learn. As fierce and fiery as any trumpet and flugelhorn stylist, yet also capable of a shimmering lyricism, Beckett found a home in Britian’s jazz scene. He was, however, no overnight success. The jazz scene of 1950s London didn’t open its arms to him initially, and it wasn’t until the mid-60s that other musicians began to take notice. Ever since, Beckett’s playing has been turning heads.

He had joined Graham Collier’s band in the early ’60s, remaining with it until 1977. Beckett was featured in the film “All Night Long” with Charles Mingus in 1961. He also worked with Mike Westbrook’s orchestra and Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood Of Breath. Beckett played with the big bands of Neil Ardley, Mike Gibbs and John Warren, and was part of the London Jazz Composer’s Orchestra. He also was a member of small combos led by Tony Oxley, John Surman and Ray Russell. Beckett played with the Stan Tracey Octet in the mid-’70s, and also worked with Elton Dean and Zila, a group led by Dudu Pukwana.

The ‘Modern Sound Of Harry Beckett’ is going to surprise a lot of people. You’re more likely to hear it echoing out the door of a hip night club or booming from a car driven by some twenty-something than from the deck of one of Beckett’s more mainstream fans. Nils Petter Molv�r, Bugge Wesseltoft, maybe some of those guys from the F-ire Collective. You might have expected something like that from them but not from Harry Beckett. Yet, like all his work, this album is defined as ever by the class of Beckett’s playing and the beauty of his music.

Pairing Beckett’s liquid, quicksilver trumpet and distinctive melody lines with the maverick genius of reggae and dance producer, Adrian Sherwood, might not sound like a match made in heaven. In practice, it proves to have been inspirational. How they came to connect speaks volumes about Beckett’s open-minded approach to music. It also features contributions from the late, great Junior Delgado. According to Beckett, his work with Jah Wobble provided the launching pad for his late-in-the-day On-U ‘career’:

“Through the years, I’ve been doing things on Jah Wobble’s albums. And Adrian had been in contact with Wobble for years. He heard what I had been doing and he asked me to work with him. So, it all really started there and then he asked me what I thought about this idea he had for an album.”

It’s one of those rare records – a collaboration of diverse and divergent talents that transforms into something far, far more than the some of its parts.

(Material adapted from an article in Jazzwise magazine by Duncan Heining and Ron Wynn’s All Music Guide entry for Harry Beckett

Gary made his first vinyl appearance back in October 1985 on the thinly veiled speed track “Half Cut For Confidence” (ON-U DP 12). The backing musicians were essentially Tack>>Head but were credited as TOTP – The Occult Technology of Power, which was of course a corny play on TOTP – Top Of The Pops [***Ed.: The UK's long-running weekly TV pop music show...***] ! By the following year Gary appeared on the World Label, the imprint was a venture between the Tack>>Head boys and John Loder of Southern Studios, the tune was “Hard Left” (ON-U DP 16) with Gary taking the main credit. 1988 saw the release of “Reality” (ON-U DP 19) with the credits reversed and Gary as featured vocalist. And that was that as far as the singles went for On-U and World. Gary then went on to negotiate future material through Paul Oakenfold’s Perfecto label. This union was to result in “a consummation devoutly to be wished”, Gary’s actual appearance on TOTP, together with the wonderfully over the top Alan Pillay, when “Human Nature” became a number 10 UK chart position (by far the highest placing for an On-U act in its own right), albeit with the original Billy Graham sample removed after threat of legal action.

The “End Of The Century Party” album (ON-U LP 49) (the title was borrowed from Steve Redhead’s book of the same name eventually published in 1990, Steve, a friend of On-U Sound, was then Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Humanities, Law and Social Science at Manchester Polytechnic), was basically Tack>>head complemented by a few mates with Gary as lead vocalist. The name Tack>>Head Sound System could no longer be used as the band were shaping up for their, eventually, abortive major label flirtation wherein they would fumble though a few premature cock-rock behaviour patterns and inconveniently forget about the music. The On-U Sound System proved a good substitute as that was actually what Gary was doing in the first place!

“End Of The Century Party” was a follow-up to “Tack>>Head Tape Time” (ON-U LP 46) effectively a greatest hits compilation released the year earlier via Nettwerk. “Beef” opened up the set and was to be radically reworked for its appearance as Gary’s first single on Perfecto. Although not coinciding totally with the BSE crisis to dominant politics and the press a few years later, it nevertheless sounded a prescient warning on the dangers of abusing our Friesian friends! “Two Thieves and a Liar” is undoubtedly the top tune of the set, with a punishing bass line, great sample on the wickedness at work in the square mile, Bim Sherman crooning in sweet style in juxtaposition to Gary’s remonstrating chant, the effect is almost biblical in its impact (the rhythm [Rhythm 52] is shared with Dub Syndicate’s “JA Minor”).

Continuing Gary’s long-running theme of delivering lyrics concerning socially concious current issues “Privatise Pts 1 & 2″ was particularly hard-hitting. Indeed the issue of privatisation was at its height under the Thatcher administration [***Ed.: Margaret Thatcher, UK Prime Minister, 1979-1990***] with the question raised “where would it all end?”. The track lifted the rhythm [Rhythm 54] from Barmy Army’s bass-heavy “Stadium Rock” and saw Gary as near as he got to a genuine JA early 80’s toasting style. Both “Rat Race” and “House Building” had a totally different sound due to the programming work of David Harrow, who was then working a lot with On-U live and in the studio. The final track “A Man’s Place On Earth” finds Gary accompanied by ex-PIL man Keith Levene getting as near as he can to pomp rock without dressing up for the occasion, but having said that its a great closer for the set.

Gary Clail’s presence on the On-U Sound scene from the late eighties certainly brought a new feeling of energy to the live gigs and although his vocal stylings can be objectively said to be limited, he certainly got the best out of his bag for these tunes and the earlier singles.

Courtesy of On-U Sound In The Area

She has written 3 volumes of prose, appeared in numerous plays, theater pieces, and films, and continues to tour extensively with pianist and co-composer Paul Wallfisch Of BOTANICA. She is currently residing in her beloved muse and hometown of New York, after a thirteen year residency in England, where she is adding to her extensive body of work. In 2006 she released ˜Songs from The Coalmine Canary’ produced by Antony (of Antony and The Johnsons) and Joe Buedenholzer (Backworld) on Durtro/Jnana Records which includes her song ‘Strange Love’ which feature by LEVIS in their new ‘Dangerous Liasons’ campaign and which won the bronze award at Cannes in 2007 for best use of music in a commercial. Paul Wallfisch and Annie’s new cd of interpretations/re-works versions of classic and not so classic songs titled ‘When Good Things Happen To Bad Pianos’ is out now. After 5 European tours in the last 18 months, they are taking a break to record their new album of original material to be released early 2009.

Ghetto Priest born and raised in the east end of London to Afro-Caribbean parents has been on the reggae/Dub/experimental music scene now for over 2 decades. He has been a mainstay of the On U Sound camp where he was backing vocalist, and percussionist for the band African Head Charge. His vocal talents came to the ear of David Harrow aka Technova aka James Hardway (techno/Drum & Bass/Jazz/break beat producer). There collaboration gave birth to a commercial remake of the dance hall reggae classic ‘wha do dem’, under the name “Sativa” in early 2000, which had a small success in the mainstream arena, with video appearances on the music channel “The BOX”. In 2003/2004 David Harrow under his alias ‘James Hardway’ released two Jazz/D&B: albums “Straight from fridge” & “Big Casino” Featuring the vocal talents of Ghetto Priest. Around the same time GP was called upon for his vocal services by D&B outfit “UnderWolves”, who were signed to the “Universal/Island” at the time. An album titled “Under your sky” was released with video. GP can be heard/seen performing a track titled ‘So blue it’s black’.

In 2004 Ghetto Priest released his critically acclaimed debut album with producer Adrian Sherwood (On U Sound), titled “Vulture Culture”, three tracks from this album: ‘Rise Up’, ‘masters of deception’, and ‘Visionary’ are used for sound tracks for the film: “Johnny Was’ starring Vinny Jones. Also during this time Ghetto Priest and Adrian Sherwood were called upon by renown Scottish artist Graham Fagen to do a remake of the famous 17th century poet Robert Burns song ‘Slaves Lament’, to be used for the “Clean Hands, Pure hearts” art exhibition he was putting on at the Tramway in Glasgow. The result a heart rendering rendition by Ghetto Priest, given the sign of approval by the Scottish press. In the same year (2004) Ghetto Priest was called upon by dub/punk/rock outfit Asian Dub Foundation, for services rendered on a world wide known track titled ‘Fortress Europe’, for there album ‘Enemy of the enemy”; video included. Around the same year Asian Dub Foundation asked Ghetto Priest to be there front man to which he obliged.

He toured with ADF globally for four years captivating audiences with his vocal and mystical stage presence. During the time of the invasion of Iraq, Asian Dub Foundation released an album titled “TANK”, of which GP’S vocal & writing services is an integral part. During the making of the ADF “TANK” album, at the renown Ridge Farm recording studio, GP met up with composer Ben Watkins (Juno Reactor), who asked if GP was into doing a track with him. The outcome was a few tracks! Firstly ‘City of the sinful’,’ Inca Steppa’, ‘Tokyo’, and ‘Mind of the free’ which can all be found on the Juno Reactor album “Gods & Monsters”. Ghetto Priest the eclectic/enigmatic, can also be found in the reggae/dub/roots arena on labels Such as: “On U Sounds” (UK), “One big sound” (UK), “Hammer Bass” (France), “Conscious Sounds” (UK), “Dubateers” (UK), and “Reggae on top” (UK).

Often part of a trio alongside Ewan Gardiner and Anthony “Rocky” Ellis, he recorded some alluring and atmospheric tracks: “Tribal War”, “Blackbird” and “Prophecy”. Barnes put them together to form an album, Tribal War, which had a decidedly limited pressing. In 1978 he recorded Columbus Ship, a far less artistically successful set, and then dropped below reggae’s horizon altogether, though there were occasional sightings of him in New York. His business associate Munchie Jackson was shot by his own son in a bizarre Brooklyn domestic killing in 1977. However, in one of those twists unique to reggae, ragga rulers Steely And Clevie decided to remake the “Prophecy” rhythm in 1990, and it was an instant hit for Freddie McGregor. Not slow to spot an opportunity, Little Roy emerged from nowhere with a 10-track compilation of his now in-demand old material, Prophecy, and then recorded the excellent Live On the following year.

In 1994 he began residing in the UK and he was invited to record with On U Sound, releasing the results of the sessions in 1996. Another new set, More From A Little, was premiered by a re-recording of “Prophecy”.

Back to 1987, and Thorpe released the first UK acid compilation Acid Beats and soon after launched his acid guise Moody Boyz with the funk-fried ‘Boogie Woogie Music’ on his second acid house compilation Acid House Volume One. Moody Boyz released a series of groundbreaking house cuts from the B-Boy-meets-techno top 50 hit ‘Acid Heaven/ Acid Rappin’ to the groundbreaking LFO bass attack of ‘Funky Zulu’. But it was ‘Journeys into Dubland’ that became Thorpe’s defining moment thanks to its fusion of acid house, reggae, dissonant noise-scapes and a heavy dose of dub medicine.

In the meantime Thorpe developed a creative partnership with KLF which stretched back to their incarnation as The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu when a 400 Blows remix of ‘Don’t Take Five’ was rejected. Instead he became KLF’s ‘Breaks, beats and samples’ controller, and remixed both the debut cut of ‘3am Eternal’ and the follow up chart topping version for which Thorpe was given full publishing – despite it being a remix.

Thorpe’s KLF work included ‘What Time is Love?’ ‘Last Train to Transcentral’ and best selling album The White Room. But he also continued to massage the dance underground with Moody Boyz singles ‘Lion Dance’ (featuring a remix by Frankie Bones) and ‘What is Dub?’ (with, Jamaican MC Screamer – pre-empting the Ragga Jungle fusion in the process). ‘Centre of the World’ and ‘Playing with Spears’ followed in 1992, the same year that Thorpe launched proto-jungle classic ‘Bad Man’ by Urban Jungle, followed a year later by the progressive dub house ‘Transmission’ EP as Voyager.

The 1994 Moody Boyz/ The Black Dog collaboration single ‘Shango’ (on the seminal Guerrilla label) previewed Thorpe’s stunning debut Moody Boyz album Product of the Environment and remix EP ‘Recycled’. Moody Boyz, it would seem, had truly arrived as a global player… and then the label went belly up leaving Product of the Environment as one of the great lost albums of the late twentieth century.

Undeterred Thorpe teamed up with Belgium imprint Crammed Discs to release a reworking of ‘Destination Africa’ from that lost album. A year later in 1995 a full set of uncompromising remixes called Recycled for the Environment coincided with his new record label Language, which specialised in genre defying sounds from electronic music’s outer edges courtesy of artists like Si Begg (Buckfunk 3000), Circadian Rhythms (aka This Heat’s Charles Bullen) and renowned drum’n’bass artist Endemic Void.

In 1998/99 he released a series of pounding, dissonant, sub-bass stunners under the name Wayward Soul including a stunning collaboration with Divine Styler called ‘PMT’. The album that followed in 2000, Brother from Another Planet found Thorpe stretching ever deeper into the darkest recesses of breaks driven dubland.

His groundbreaking approach has laid the way for numerous artists to follow and succeed while he has all too often been ignored. Now with his dub armoury fully at the controls his time has surely come. Indeed The Moody Boyz’ ‘Freedom’ single, forthcoming on Studio Rockers, brings Thorpe’s journey full circle with its brilliant dubsonics, echodrop madness, smoke fuelled ghosts and the half remembered thoughts. Another groundbreaking moment from Tony Thorpe – the original dubstep pioneer.