Ten songs to remember London by...

I hope you’ll forgive me a little self indulgence this week. After 14 years of living in the big smoke I leave London in the next couple of days to start a new life in the country. Fear not, the blog will continue to bring you the best music across the spectrum but this week I felt a reminiscence was in order. Below I select the ten tracks that will forever remind me of the greatest city on earth.

DJ Kool – Let me Clear my Throat

I moved to London in 1996 and was immediately drawn to the emerging (and now deeply unfashionable) big beat scene. In later years this became very formulaic - hip hop beats punctuated with big vocoder builds (think Propellorheads or Bentley Rhythm Ace) but this did big beat, as it was initially conceived, an injustice. The key club and the one I went to on a number of occasions was the Heavenly Jukebox at Turnmills. Resident DJs were Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers and (in my opinion the best of the lot) Jon Carter. The ethos of Heavenly was simply to mix it all up – hip hop next to indie next to techno next to dancehall. For a club scene which had been dominated previously by house and techno purists this was thrilling and (until the beer monsters moved in) created a unique atmosphere. Carter always played this track – essentially a call and response track over the top of the 45 King – and the place would explode.

Red Astaire – Follow me

If you are a Dj it goes without saying that you can’t play bangers all night. A good DJ takes the listener through a range of moods and as such there is a genre that will forever be known as ‘warm up’ records. The records you play as people arrive are crucial in setting the mood. This record has become my ultimate warm up record. It features what can only be described as a xylophone riff over the top of some funky beats but it has a certain loungy, cheesy listening quality which draws the listener in. Astaire has recorded under a number of guises including Freddie Creuger and his work is well worth a further listen.

John Holt – Ali Baba

The first night I put on in London was Shop Local. Myself and mate Will secured a residency at an old boozer in Stoke Newington in 2000 and we spent the next half a decade playing all over east London to anyone who would listen. The general consensus was that the Trolley Stop in Dalston was the best place we played. It was run by an Irish guy who didn’t give a shit what went on and as a result it would go off in there. Pitchers of Vodka and Red Bull were downed at a tenner a time and that was just the people who hadn’t taken something stronger! Our ethos was eclectic – everything from reggae to house and back again. We would love taking people up to a peak and then drop some reggae or soul later on to build the lovey vibe. Ali Baba was an example of the sort of track we would play at 2am with everyone boogying together before the inevitable after party back at someone’s flat. Happy times!

Jean De Kou Kou – Fela Kuti

One of the best things about Lnodon’s nightlife is the way it draws on influences from around the World to create something new. The Future World Funk guys were a real influence on me for a while – turning me onto Brazilian Drum n Bass, Afrobeat, African House and Balkan Reggae. I had a residency at a bar called District in Hackney where I would seek to play some of this stuff and this track has been a favourite ever since. It isn’t particularly typical of Kuti – you couldn’t really call it afrobeat as its much mellower but its 10 minutes of great instrumentation.

Da Funk – Daft Punk

In my humble opinion the best dance music record ever made. A huge club and chart hit and yet no vocal and, like the clash, completely uncompromising. If there was a word to describe this track its ‘dirty’ – it instantly takes you to a sweaty club at 3am with no-one thinking about anything but enjoying themselves. This track will never let you down.

Standing in the Rain – Don Ray

I couldn’t not include some disco which is without a doubt my favourite genre of recent years. The track starts with a wonderful floaty synth before a catchy vocal and an irresistible breakdown. I played this track many times at my Castle residency in Walthamstow in recent years.

Chi-ching Party – Lady Sovereign v’s Fred Wesley.
Bootlegs really hit London hard in the early part of the last decade. For me, this was one of the very best – taking Fred Wesley’s funk classic House Party and putting a Lady Sovereign accapella over the top. Again, well utilised in the Walthamstow years – I think it was put together by a producer from Bristol called Rhythm and Booze and is probably pretty difficult to pick up now.

London Calling – The Clash

I can’t really have a list of songs that remind me of London without having at least one that refers to it. For me, this is one of the best singles ever made – it has a great melody but isn’t in any way compromised. Strummer’s wolf howl is perhaps one of the most thrilling moments in popular music. If you don’t know the London Calling album seek it out as its brimming with ideas and an absolute classic.

Tarrantula – Zomby

London is always at the forefront of musical innovation and Dubstep is the latest of a number of genres to explode out of the capital since I’ve been here. This is a great example – quite melodic and accessible compared to much dubstep. It features on the excellent Hyperdub 5 compilation which has been on my CD player pretty much non stop over the last couple of years.

Les Fleur – Minnie Riperton

Mentioned on this blog a number of times already. If push came to shove my favourite song of all time and one which has ended many of my finest nights in London. The folky start gives way to a crescendo of joy and there is no feeling in the world better than punching the air, hugging mates and living for the moment. Goodbye London, I’ll never forget you but it’s time to move on...

The 20 greatest psychedelic soul records

What’s your favourite musical genre? For me there are a number of contenders – I love the sheer excitement of a dirty drum n bass bassline. I find a good disco breakdown and build up again completely irresistible and just sometimes (especially on a Sunday morning) only a melancholy folk song will do...

Having said all of that, I’ve no hesitation when asked this question. Psychedelic soul (for that is my answer)evolved out of both the Motown artists quest for greater musical freedom and the psychedelia scene of the late 1960’s spearheaded by the Byrds and Dylan. The first protagonists were arguably Hendrix and then Sly and the Family Stone with the release of their landmark Dance to the Music in 1968. They somehow managed to capture the energy of guitar bands but maintain a soulful groove and this translated into massive sales as well as critical acclaim. Others soon followed – most notably Charles Stepney’s Rotary Connection from Chicago, Memphis’ Issac Hayes and the Norman Whitfield produced era Temptations and Undisputed Truth. The key years were probably 1969-75 by which time the psychedelic soul sound had evolved into the more fully realised and smoother produced disco movement. For some of us though it is those earlier records that capture something just a little more organic than disco but with the same infectious energy. Here’s 20 to seek out – a few classics, a few DJ favourites and just one or two oddities...if you don't agree with my selection (What, no Shuggie Otis?) then leave a comment below to let us know what you think...

20. Get ready – Rare Earth

A Temptations hit covered by a number of artists of the time, Get Ready carries the uplifting beat beloved of much psychedelic soul. Rare Earth were a white act signed to Motown and still play today. This track was a big favourite of Francis Grasso who many claim invented DJ mixing as it is recognised today. Another of their tracks Happy song was later remixed by Walter Gibbons and Francois Kevorkian.

19. Reflections - Diana Ross and the Supremes.

The trippy sounds of the time even reached Motown! This 1967 track started with the sound of a disorientated theremin and it is interspersed with various other sound effects. Even the lyrics were a departure from the likes of My Cherie Amour or Tracks of my Tears 'Through the mirror of my mind, time after time I see reflections of you and me' Diana sings. A great 60's pop single.

18. Dove – Cymande

Had to get some UK in there! Cymande really were/are a fantastic act perhaps most famous for their track BRA. This was one of their more gentle moments and like many of the tracks here has been sampled since (in this case by the Fugees). This has bongos and slide guitar to great emotional effect before a mellow climax of flute and soulful vocal – niiice.

17. A change is going to come – Baby Huey

There was a revival in Baby Huey a few years ago when his Living Legend album was reissued after various tracks were sampled by Ghostface Killah, Ice Cube and most notably Tribe Called Quest on Can I Kick it? This cover of the Sam Cooke classic takes the listener into the heart of the drugs experience with Huey talking about his own personal drug journey during the breakdown. Cooke’s original version of this song of course showed its continued relevance when selected by Barack Obama as his campaign theme song (although i'm not sure the president elect was actively endorsing the intensive use of hallucinogenics!).

16. Time has come today – Chambers brothers

Another one from the dawn of the psychedelic/soul fusion. Coming out in 1966 this 11 minute sprawling epic almost hit the American top 10 which says much about the experimental nature of the times. The Chambers Brothers were a folk band from Mississippi and split in 1972.

15. Red Moon – Fugi

There is some ambiguity as to whether Ellington ‘ Fugi’ Johnson and Black Merda (see number 9) were actually the same act but is actually more likely that they recorded together. Either way, this track is a wonderful fusion of soul and the emerging rock sounds of the day.

14. He’s a superstar – Roy Ayers

Ayer’s homage to Jesus is one of the very best tracks from his catalogue. The female backing vocals lift this onto a spiritual plain. I saw Roy Ayers play the jazz cafe a few years ago and at one point he jumped into the crowd right next to me...play He’s a Superstar I urged...it didn’t happen of course but I felt better for letting him know that he should revisit it one day!

13. Tomcat – Muddy Waters

A number of established acts dabbled with psychedelia including Muddy Waters. This featured on the Electric Mud album which came about at the suggestion of Marshall Chess who wanted to re-invigorate the bluesman’s faltering career. The album dived in the states but was better regarded in the UK (Waters himself later disowned the recording). This particular track was re-discovered by DJ David Holmes on one of his many funk compilations.

12. Everyday people - Sly and the Family Stone

Sly's plea for racial tolerance was the band's first number one single in 1968 and did much to secure them a spot at the rock dominated Woodstock. The Stand album from which Everyday People was taken was a landmark release of the genre and included Don't call me nigger whitey as well as the title track. Different strokes for different folks indeed...

11. Superstar – Society of Seven

This one is an unlikely winner and has been championed by Mr Thing amongst others. Recorded by a Hawaiian hotel band (who still record til this day)this is a departure from their usual covers of standards of the day and is a fantastic example of the uptempo energy of soul music from this era. Expect to pay about £30 for the album its on (Simply Ourselves).

10. Chicago, Damn – Bobbi Humphry

One of the more mellow tracks on the list. This shows how the template of soul was taken into more extended forms via jazz. Humphry was the first female instrumentalist to record for Blue Note and as fine a flautist as you are likely to hear. The whole of her debut Blacks and Blues album that this comes from is superb.

9. For You – Black Merda

For you I could do anything...I do my best to make you feel like a queen – a simple message of unrequited love. This track has a real gospel feel and comes from the Detroit band’s album Long Burn the Fire on Janus, a subsidiary of Chess records. Black Merda considered themselves the first black rock band and enjoyed a short lived career but reformed in 2005 after diggers picked up on their records.

8. If there’s a hell below – Curtis Mayfield

With Chess and Cadet in town, Chicago was a major contributor to the psychedelic soul scene. As well as the acts listed here (Rotary Connection, Minnie Riperton) there were the Chi-lites and the Independents to name but two. Undoubtedly one of the most important artists though was Curtis Mayfield (formerly of the Impressions). There’s a hell below touches on another key theme of the era – racial harmony – these days its unlikely a song could reference Niggers, Jews, Whiteys and then go on to talk about how they’re all going to end up in hell anyway but then the 1970s were a very different time!

7. Undisputed truth – Smiling faces sometimes

An act put together by Norman Whitfield to enable him to master the sound that would become psychedelic soul. The band had a lengthy recording career from which there are many highlights but this was their only hit. Lyrically the song reflected the drug induced paranioa of the times (Smiling faces sometimes..they don't tell the truth). The song was also recorded by other psych soul acts the Temptations and Rare Earth.

6. Black Gold of the Sun – Rotary Connection

A Stepney production and another stone cold classic. Notably covered by NuYorcan Soul who introduced it to a whole new generation. Stepney’s orchestration, Sidney Barnes’ wonderful deep voice and Minnie Riperton’s unbelievable high octave range combine to devastating effect.

5. Morning Glory/Life and Death Pt 1/White Rose – Chairmen of the Board

Like the Parliament track below, was originally released on Lamont Dozier’s post Motown Inviticus label. A movement rather than a song it builds round a heavy bass groove and is largely instrumental. Heavy but melodic.

4. Come in out of the rain – Parliament

People don’t really think of George Clinton as psychedelic soul – rather the architect of P funk. This 1972 track however clearly toys with psych soul themes of civil rights and Vietnam and features a great vocal performance. A big favourite of Norman Jay amongst others.

3. Ike’s Mood – Issac Hayes

Heavily sampled – most notably by Massive Attack on Blue Lines, Issac Hayes arguably gave birth to orchesteral Soul with his landmark Hot Buttered Soul album. This came later on To Be Continued and is perhaps the ultimate realisation of the Hayes vision. The piano break is unbelievably tender and the strings combine to send real shivers up the spine – the sense of space in the whole track clearly had an influence on the Bristol artists some two decades later. Magnificent.

2. Law of the Land – The Temptations

Another stone cold classic and played by everyone from Nicky Siano at the Gallery(who used to mix it with James Brown’s Give it Up) to David Mancuso at the Loft. This has an unbelievably funky groove underpinned by a driving beat. Motown writer Norman Whitfield (himself the writer of I Heard it Through the Grapevine) brought the modern sound to the already established Temptations and produced what is arguably their best work – Cloud Nine, Papa Was a Rolling Stone and this personal favourite

1. Les Fleurs – Minnie Ripperton

Like heaven on ecstasy – the juxtaposition of Minnie’s voice with Charles Stepney’s orchestration makes for an irresistible end of nighter and is one of the all time classic club records. Recorded on Minnie’s debut LP Come Into My Garden the track is an ode to the physical joy of love. Stepney gives Minnie free reign in the chorus before letting rip on the instrumentation in the style of the rush from the Beatle’s Day in the Life – a perfect melding of human and instrument. The song I walked down the Aisle to...

Interview with Sidney Barnes of Rotary Connection - April 2006

You may not know Sidney Barnes’ name but you almost certainly own some of his records. Throughout a forty year career Sidney has worked as a song writing partner to both George Clinton and Charles Stepney, supported both Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones and acted as a musical mentor to, amongst others, Donnie Hathaway, Chaka Khan and Minnie Ripperton, as well as putting his name and voice to some of the most celebrated northern soul records ever in I hurt on the other side and What can I do?.

Sidney lives a quiet life now, in North Carolina, a million miles away from the recording studios of Detroit, Chicago and New York where he was at the heart of the funk and soul movements of the 1960’s and 70’s but he is an easy, outgoing man, happy to share his story and continuing to record as well as write his autobiography.

How did you get into music?

I grew up in West Virginia and started out liking country getting into Gene Artry, Mel Torme, Perry Como, Nat King Cole, Johnnie Ray and then from there into Sam Cooke and the whole soul thing.

My family moved to Washington DC and I knew there was a scene. I would hang backstage at the Howard Theatre where a lot of the black acts played. My parents were really supportive of my career and then moved to New Jersey and I could visit New York where I was able to get into the business.

And then you ended up at Motown?

Yes, I heard Berry Gordy was setting up a branch in New York and my band (the Serenaders) got signed.

And that’s where you met George Clinton, right?

Yeah, working with George was one of the best experiences of my life. We were in the same pocket. I started to work in the studio with Parliament once they signed and we went to Detroit. George was a fast worker in the studio but witty too. I worked with him on the tune Heart Trouble (1966). I admire him a lot.

How did you end up at Chess?

I was in Detroit with George and Andre Williams. Andre had a deal with Chess and took me along for a few sessions. I stuck around and did a few sessions for Muddy Waters and others. Billy Davies at Chess asked me to write a rock album and it’s my greatest regret that I turned it down but Muddy started working on Electric Mud and because I was known as the rock dude they asked me to write a song. I wrote a song about the underground newspapers of the day (Herbert Harper’s Free Press News) and played some percussion and things.

How did Rotary Connection come about?

By this time Leonard Chess had given his son Marshall Cadet Records and Marshall had this idea of getting a mixed soul and rock group together.

At first, Marshall would produce, Richard Evans was the arranger and Charles (Stepney) was a copyist. He would write the horn parts, that sort of thing. It wasn’t until the second and third albums until Charles took over the production completely. The idea was that we would take the hits of the day and rearrange them. I was really into the Beatles and had written Turn me on which made it onto the album. (Rotary Connection 1967)

And Minnie was a secretary before joining the band?

Yes, at first she didn’t do the high thing because everyone was into Aretha Franklin sounding voices but the first time she did it in the studio we were just sat looking at each other thinking what the hell is that? We saw this as a gimmick we could use but she took some convincing.

How did Charles work in the studio?

He was so engrossed in the orchestration and arrangements. He wasn’t really a collaborative producer and hated rock n roll. He wanted this 5th dimension thing. He could be pretty hard on the musicians but everyone was able to pitch in ideas and it was a lot of fun. We would have 20-30 pieces in the orchestra so there was a lot of joking too. Despite the number of musicians we would only have a couple of takes for most songs.

What was it like playing as a live act?

Very different. Where Charles was the leader in the studio, we couldn’t replicate a lot of the arrangements live, so inevitably I took on more of a leadership role for the live thing. The first gigs we did were in Chicago at Aaron Russo’s place downtown. I had to take Minnie shopping to get the wigs and tie die garb. She wouldn’t do the high thing so the first night Charles used a theramin, by the time we were through the place was goin crazy so she agreed to do it the next night.

Of course, people were dropping acid and mescalin and there were strobe lights and everything and when she did it they’d freak so she’d do it some more and they’d freak some more! After that we were signing autographs and doing radio.

You played with everyone at that time

Yeah, we turned down Woodstock but we did the Texas Pop festival to 90,000 and that was a ball though someone tricked me into taking a load of downers and I collapsed. It was certainly an experience! I remember the Butterqueen was there (infamous groupie who supposedly used butter to pleasure her conquests). It was wild. We played with everyone.1968-69 were the golden years although we later found out that our booking agents were robbing us.

What do you consider the best Rotary Connection record?

I think either the Christmas album (Peace 1968) or Songs (1969). Minnie hits some notes on We’re going wrong which I’m sure no human has never hit before or since. The kids on the cover were Marshall’s son and Charles’ daughter.

Did you encounter issues as a mixed race group?

We had some promotion in Wisconsin but it wasn’t as integrated down there so we only sent the white part of the group to promote the record. Of course, without me and Minnie it didn’t sound so good so they came back! In general though, for me, it was actually better. The white acts generally got better venues.

How did your involvement with Rotary come to an end?

It all went downhill after Songs. Leonard Chess had died and the new record company didn’t really know what we were about and how to promote us. We were all fighting each other because we didn’t have any money. Charles was also getting touchy in the studio. Everyone was telling him he was a genius and I wanted my own publishing company so I quit. Minnie was also wanting to do her own thing by then, she had a lot of ideas but Charles didn’t really want to hear them, although she came back for the Hey Love album.

You worked with Minnie again though?

Yes, she called me up once she had moved down to Florida with Dick (Rudolph – her husband and fellow band member). When she went on the road I would be her back up act. She was a little nervous at first when she went solo but after a while she was a really good performer. I watched her grow up from a little girl into a real diva.I did a couple of tours with her when she was having chemotherapy, there were times where she couldn’t move her arm when she was performing. I remember us both crying at each other at the mic when we sang Back down memory lane one time. She even talked about putting Rotary Connection back together and we talked about who could do the arrangements (Charles had died in Chicago in 1976) but I knew that it wouldn’t happen because she was so ill.

And you and Charles worked together again?

Maurice White and Charles wanted to put together an act sort of based upon Rotary Connection. At first they wanted to call it Salty Pepper. Maurice didn’t want to sing and I’d worked with Maurice on a Deniece Williams record. He wanted either me or Philip Bailey to sing in this group. I said, you get Phillip – the rest is history. The band became Earth, Wind and Fire. Maurice used the whole production thing Charles had used.

Do you think Rotary Connection’s work stands up today?

Sure, I was reading an interview with Elton John in Billboard and he was saying that he got the idea for fusing popular and classical music through Charles Stepney’s arrangements. There has been a real resurgence of interest in the last few years. People now are inspired by the people who were inspired by us. I think Rotary Connection was the right thing at the right time and some of those records are pretty fucking wild!

When did you first know that your solo recordings were so big on the English Northern Soul scene?

I’d heard things as far back as the 60’s – Marvin (Gaye) and Edwin Starr both told me my records were being played over there but it was in 2001 when I got a call from (legendary Northern Soul DJ) Ian Levine, I got on the internet and was really surprised at the interest in songs like Standing on Solid Ground. Ian sent a crew over to take some shots and then I was asked to do a show at the Dome. I’ve been over dozen’s of times since. I love playing Cleethorpes. I’m always amazed at all the stuff they know about me.

What are you doing now?

I still write. I will be releasing a CD later in the year and there is a song on there I’ve done with George. There is also a song called I remember Minnie. The Single Your old lady turns me on comes out in July and I’ll be doing a few shows in North Carolina.

Tom Berry is a DJ and journalist living in London

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