Thursday, November 13, 2008

Basement Crates: The "Pot Roast" Year(s)

Gravediggaz: Diary Of A Madman (Gee Street, 1994)
My very good friend Billy and I used to DJ as Pot Roast. I know, but it was a long time ago. Our reasoning was, we played the sort of music that sounded quite good if you'd inhaled and our regular gig was at The Albany on a Sunday night (what a night...). Anyway, I found a few of our most beloved tunes while looking for some cutlery the other day. I actually felt a little choked up as I pulled out what young people used to refer to as "the jizz-ams". So, The Gravediggaz were a huge hit with us, I remember seeing them play an amazing showcase at a club in Ladbroke Grove, and this tune was always somewhere near the front of "the box" (you see how I remember the lingo?).

Pressure Drop: Back 2 Back (Main and Dub mixes) (Big World Records, 1990)
I used to play this record so much that it actually haunted my dreams. It had everything I wanted from music in 1990, ie, it was a bit hip hop, a bit funk, a bit abstract and a bit weirdly ambient. The lyrics sort of make your eyes water now (although I like the way the guy says, "ray-shism"), but this is nearly 20 years old now - let's cut ourselves some slack, eh? Pressure Drop got signed up in the great post Coldcut / Massive Attack goldrush of 1990, but it never happened for them (that makes a nice change for Landcroft House, doesn't it?) This is the sort of record that (and here's another popular DJ phrase from the time) really "turns around" loud (ie, it has a walloping big bassline which sounds good if, perchance, you have inhaled / ingested and hear it on huge speakers). I've included both mixes because, frankly, they're both incredibly good.

E-Z Rollers: Believe (Foul Play remix) (Moving Shadow, 1994)
There was a school of drum and bass in the early to mid-90s that wasn't exactly "intelligent" and wasn't exactly whatever the other thing was (whither, "jump up") and this E-Z Rollers tune sort of typified that sound. Foul Play's drum programming is ludicrously tight and there's this full-on, proper head-spinning dance-floor diva vocal (to this day, Billy and I will sing, "Be-Leee-Eeeave" to each other for no clear reason and we have a combined age of 82) to "boot".


Bob Andy: Dubbing Home (I-Anka Records, 1989)
This is the one we used to play when we were, well, going home. A deed that, in itself, used to raise a few cheers. If there's a record in the world that makes you want to raise your lighter to the sky and sway slowly and drunkenly more than this one (bearing in mind you're not allowed to raise your lighter to the sky in clubs anymore), then I, for one, have never heard it. Fantastic record. Happy days!

10 comments:

Matt said...

Ha! I, to, was at that Gravediggaz gig in Ladbroke Grove. I actually thought about getting gold, diamond encrusted fangs for about, ooooh, three minutes.

Don't suppose you saw A Tribe Called Quest there around the same time? Officially the Best Hip Hop Gig - Evah.

Rob said...

What a gig that was Matt! I saw the Cocteau Twins there around the same time... Never saw Tribe tho'. Were you at the first Wu Tang show at the Rocket?

Clodagh said...

Put the children in storage, put me back in London, deduct at least 10yrs off my age and let me loose in a dark, smoky venue where I can sway/move with the best/rest of you, obviously we'll relax the smoking/lighters rule for old times sake. I'd like a mixture of drum 'n' bass, dub and anything else you'd recommend.....

Oh- sorry - is that reality knocking on the door - what's for tea, 3 loads of washing to do, homework, housework, taxi service, skint xx

Rob said...

Hey Clodagh: you sound like someone who' in dire need of a good night out (that doesn't end too late, obviously)...

Matt said...

No - although just walked up Farringdon Road, and noticed that Ghostface Killah is playing at Fabric tonight. Oh, I thought, and wandered on...

In the self same club in 'ver Grove' I saw Mos Def, Eminem, and a whole host of hip hop notables. What was it called?

Anonymous said...

Rob. I saw some of my favourite ever shows at The Albany, if it's the Deptford Albany yer talking about. I saw Curtis Mayfield, Wynton Marsalis (first ever London show!) and probably one of the greatest things I ever saw, Roy Ayers. Two hours of every flipping thing you could possibly want from him with the whole crowd singing along. Right up there with Bobby Womack in Catford. South East London in da house or something...

Clodagh said...

Have been up to the old smoke a few times in the last month, saw Tricky and Roots Manuva, but still need a good old shake down - sister has offered to have the kids for a whole weekend - so if I get the dates right I may still get a night out without a 6.00am cbeebies wake up call! But I know what'll happen, the last time someone had the kids, I fell asleep on the sofa and didn't get out at all - oh the joys of parenthood!
Will you do a Choumert Xmas bash thing?

Rob said...

Matt: Subterrania. I saw Young Disciples there. And Huggy Bear (I think, tho' it wasn't on the same night...)
Deselby: My Albany was the pub at the top of Great Portland St. Bobby Womack in Catford! Nice one...
Clodagh: "the last time someone had the kids, I fell asleep on the sofa and didn't get out at all" - I know that feeling. When you finally get the chance to go out all you really want to do is go to bed :(

Anonymous said...

I came for the musical reccos, but I stayed for the comedy...

Rob said...

Hey Dan: it's always a pleasure to see you here...