I have told the tale here before of my glamorous days as a DJ at South London's fantabulous Hospital Radio Nine - drafty gothic tower studio in boiled cabbage and urine-scented psychiatric hospital, etc: happy days! - and this track evokes that time of my life for me more than many.
I would fair bounce up Tooting High Rd with my record bag on my back and this in my head, so excited about playing it, so excited by the whole jazz hip-hop thing, in fact - that these smart young black kids were rapping about relationship stuff, a genre taboo, over samples from old jazz-funk and Blue Note records: maaan, it felt like such a breath of fresh air...
Actually Guru, the prime mover of Gang Starr (and the man behind Jazzmatazz too) was not so young - he was about my age, and maybe that explained why I identified with the sensibility at work here.
Anyway, I still think this sounds great and rather than save it for a Friday Night Funk-Out I thought I'd 'drop' it as a Monday heart-starter: get you going at the beginning of the week, all that.
Apparently the samples are 'Trying To Make A Fool Of Me' by The Delfonics, 'Pain' and 'Never Had A Dream' by The Ohio Players and 'Ain't There Something Money Can't Buy' by Young-Holt Unlimited: since I've heard all these except the last, I assume that's the source of the wonderful central horn riff, but maybe there's a Darcy-esque soul-funk expert out there who can confirm that.
Enjoy.
Gang Starr - 'Lovesick' ('Upbeat Mix') (1991)
So you worked for hospital radio too? I remember we couldn't play 'Suicide Is Painless' by MASH (for obvious reasons), but I got away with 'Comfortably Numb'.
ReplyDeleteLove the track, reminds me of US3.
I'm sure between us we could compile a definitive list of 'records NOT to play on hospital radio' then. 'There is no pain you are receding' indeed...
ReplyDeleteIn 1990 'Jazz Thing' was in my records of the year list. God I havn't listened to it in a long time .......
ReplyDeleteWell, spooky indeed. This is one of the 1st blogs I visit on catch up after my trip to Munich last week and 1. I get a mention (thank you, I'm flattered) and 2. I'm lovesick right at this moment. I've got to tell somebody so sorry, Davy, but it's you. I should know better of course, I'm happily married and nearly 50 for god's sake. Most people go to the Oktoberfest to drink lot's of beer, sing some songs, and fall over. Well I did the first two, then after an hour in the presence of a previously total stranger by the name of Manuela (some years younger but also married) I fell for her hook, line and sinker - and I sort of got the impression she kinda liked me too. In the general revellries we never got to swap numbers or anything (just as well I suppose) so we will never see other again. But my appetite (for food) has gone and I just can't stop thinking about her, that's real lovesickness for you!
ReplyDeleteCRIKEY Darce!!!!
ReplyDelete*is rendered otherwise speechless*