JACKSON 5 / 1971

REMEMBER THE TIME

ROCK THE BOAT

Live blogging from South London - Trevor Nelson with an Aaliyah tribute set and ending with "Rock The Boat".

THERE IT IS

Trevor Nelson is rocking on Radio 2 tonight with the biggest highlight so far being a fan request for Shalamar's "There It Is".

MRETV88_CRAZY COUSINZ FEAT. KYLA

During our MRE set a Cargo last Saturday night DJ GetLive mixed this out of Carl Craig's version of "Angola" by Cesaria Evora. When the two rhythms locked into one and Cesaria's vocal gave way to Kyla's - well, you got a lesson in the diaspora and a dancefloor killer at the same time.

- posted by LEE
US&THEM / MRE

REASON TO BELIEVE

Best if you give it some volume on the headphones for the full spiritual experience that is the Boss and The E Street Band. "Reason To Believe" is featured on MRE13 Out Here On This HIghway on BROOKLYN RADIO, download and stream options.

THANK YOU LONDON

We did our thing at Cargo. Set up Rox and Melo-X lovely and kept folks dancing on a Saturday night. Photos and a recap coming soon.
- posted by LEE / MRE

MRETV87_THE VERVE

"That's right! You walk that shit." - Angie

EVENT_SUMMER BUBBLERS LONDON

MRE AT CARGO JUNE 20TH from US&THEM on Vimeo.

DJ GETLIVE! writes it in his black book so you know it's official.

SUMMER SOUNDTRACK

Stevie Wonder's "Black Man" featured in the MRE special mix created for the Summer Bubblers series at Cargo in London. Download the mix here.

MRETV86_JOY DIVISION

On newsstands now, NME celebrates the 30th anniversary of Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures / NME June 15 09

Download MRE8 A Search That Shall Remain from BROOKLYN RADIO / Featuring Joy Division's "Warsaw", "No Love Lost" and "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Live BBC Recording) and New Order "Your Silent Face" (Live at Glastonbury), plus music from LCD Soundsystem, Theo Parrish, MGMT, Klaxons and Daft Punk.

Joy Division on YouTube / "Transmission" on the BBC TV, "Shadowplay" on Granada TV 1978

Related
Joy Division producer Martin Hannett in the studio
Factory Records owner and the man who signed Joy Division, Tony Wilson interview

OUT IN THE STREETS

In some countries the people take to the streets when an election looks to be hijacked. After the Florida and Supreme Court hijacks in 2000 and then the tricks in Ohio in 2004 we did nothing in this country. Remember the scene in Michael Moore's movie where Al Gore stopped fighting while the Congressional Black Caucus couldn't get any Democrat Senators to back their push to fight on? Remember when John Kerry rolled over early in the morning despite questions about what was going on in polling places in key battleground states? He just told us to back the guy who won while not even using his platform that morning to push his own anti-war campaign. He just packed it in and left the stage despite having the support of over half the voters in the country.

The only time we took to the streets was to celebrate a victory after letting an illegal administration stand for eight years. Maybe the reason the mainstream media has barely covered what's going on in Tehran is they don't want us getting any ideas.

Follow the events in Iran on The Huffington Post.

Photos from the streets of Tehran, Iran June 15 2009 by Getty via The Huffington Post

MRETV85_BEASTIE BOYS CLASSIC

King Ad Rock had his own style doing the Wop.

This is one of those tunes where I know I'm getting the lyrics wrong but I don't want to know the actual words anyway, because I always think MCA is saying "between the turntables keep the fucker in the mix". Which would be the deffest thing an MC could say in his first verse. So don't tell me different please.

Stretch Armstrong spun some old school B Boys on his debut show for East Village Radio. Hearing that drop "Stretch Armstrong is now in your world" - def took me back. Good to have some real-deal NY DJ's getting "on the air" by any means necessary.

- posted by LEE
MRE / US&THEM

DOWNLOAD_SEE MY LIGHT COME SHINING

Flashing back to late summer 2008 when Tommy Rockers and I cracked a bottle of Jameson and locked down a Friday night session at his Grand Central studio. We stumbled out at dawn to empty midtown streets with #7 in our series for BK Radio. Heavy tunes and good times.

See My Light Come Shining is still available for download at BROOKLYN RADIO.

Secret Machines "Sad And Lonely"

MIDNIGHT ROCKERS EXPRESS
NO.7 / SEE MY LIGHT COME SHINING
Bob Dylan / "Hard Times In New York Town" / Columbia
(orig. bootleg vinyl)
Masta Killa feat. Inspectah Deck + GZA / "Silverbacks" / Nature Sounds
Johnny Cash / "When The Man Comes Around" / American Recordings
Secret Machines / "Sad And Lonely" / Warner Bros.
Mos Def / "Ghetto Rock" / Geffen (MRE Edit)
David Bowie / "The Man Who Sold The World" / Virgin
Abigail Warchild / "When You're Awake" / Family Business (lo-fi myspace version)
Black Keys / "You're The One " / Nonesuch
Soledad Brothers / "Handle Song" / Estrus Records
Black Lips / "Katrina" / Vice Records
Fugees / "Where Is The Love" / John Peel Session (Live)
Terence Trent D'Arby / "Holding On To You" / Columbia (MRE Edit)
Aretha Franklin / "Night Life" / Atlantic (Live)
Sam Cooke / "A Change Is Gonna Come" / Abkco Records
(Malcolm X Tribute Version)
Black Keys / "Lies" / Nonesuch
Chrissie Hynde / "I Shall Be Released" / Columbia Records (Live)

Selected, sequenced and mixed by LEE and TOM GEHRING.
Edits on recordings by MOS DEF, ABIGAIL WARCHILD and TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY produced by TOM GEHRING.


Black Keys "You're The One"


Terence Trent D'Arby "Holding On To You"


Black Lips "Katrina"


Soledad Brothers "Handle Song"


Fugees on Lorna's Corner.


Aretha Franklin "Night Life"


Chrissie Hynde "I Shall Be Released" (Live at Dylan tribute concert at MSG.)

- posted by LEE
MRE / US&THEM

REWIND_MRE7 FOR BROOKLYN RADIO

Taking it back to summer '08. Sam Cooke and Mos Def as featured in the show called See My Light Come Shining (MRE#7) on BROOKLYN RADIO. Still available for download.

MRETV84_THE BAND & NEIL YOUNG

A classic from The Last Waltz.

WIWA VS SHELL

$15 Million Settlement in Wiwa Vs Shell Oil / via RebelReports.com

MRETV83_SEUN KUTI

"Many Things" by Seun Kuti featured on MRE9 Louder Than They Allow, control / left click on download from BROOKLYN RADIO.

MAINTAIN THE ROCK, DON'T STOP THE ROCK

via Dante Ross

"The vibration is the key thing. If I'm not the hottest, then let me be vital." Mos Def from Interview Magazine

IN MEMORY_JONNY DOLLAR

Massive Attack "Unfinished Sympathy"
Produced by Jonny Dollar

Very late in acknowledging this gentleman's passing - NME and Q reported in early June on the death of producer Jonny Dollar of cancer on May 29th. He co-produced Massive Attack's Blue Lines which was released in 1991 and still sounds so incredibly ahead of its time. I consider it to be one of the best albums made from any decade and its ability to combine cutting edge creativity, soul, intelligence and cool continues to serve as an inspiration for me. From what I can find there has been very little made of his passing in the UK music circles. The artists he worked with including Massive Attack themselves and Neneh Cherry don't have anything in reference to his death on their respective sites. Aside from the two posts linked below I haven't found anything in the music press either. I don't know the reason for this silence but I hope it won't remain, his influence and talent certainly requires a wider recognition.

I'd like to take this space and time to offer a prayer and say thank you to Jonny Dollar for the music and energy he contributed to the world. Rest in peace and in power, you left behind some beautiful work.

_A fan site has a detailed history of the making "Unfinished Sympathy", scroll down here.
_The Observer (Guardian UK) "50 Albums That Changed Music"
includes Massive Attack Blue Lines
Q Magazine News
NME News



- posted by LEE
MRE / US&THEM

MRETV82_MARVIN GAYE

REWIND_"GANJA FARMER"

A classic summertime single from a few years back, introduced to me when Knox Robinson was starting work on the Ghetto Arc compilation for XL Recordings. He had it ripped on mp3 from a Brooklyn reggae mix and going through the old Benz system it sounded like a worn out cassette recording. It didn't matter though, it got the rewind twenty times driving from downtown to 42nd.

These youngsters did their thing with this tune:

NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL

George Wein's landmark Newport Jazz Festival will occur on August 8th and 9th with Tony Bennett, Branford Marsalis, Dave Brubeck and Mos Def headlining. This is an incredible setting for live music with the main stage looking out on Newport's harbor and a smaller tent area where the playing tends to lean towards a more intense wild-out experience. All taking place inside Fort Adams State Park underneath Rhode Island's summer skies. If you want to be extra fly catch The Roots backing Etta James at the Newport Tennis Club on the Friday opening night show. Get tickets here.



- posted by LEE
MRE / US&THEM

SUNSHINE PARTY TIME

I'm very cool with YouTube videos of a record spinning around and just audio.

Even though we've been distracted on the production side and stalled out on shows Brooklyn Radio has still kept our archives up. Highly recommend a control / left click on the show called Uptown by Elijah and Carlos. This is the sound of the Express flying up Broadway past 125th through the Heights to the Bronx as the sun sets in summer.

Download the Uptown show featuring Rockers Revenge, Surface, Tom Tom Club, The Force MD's, Roger, Cameo, Herb Alpert and Change.



Note: Produced and arranged by Arthur Baker.

- posted by LEE
MRE / US&THEM

BATTLE OF THE JAMS_"SAVE ME"

Who gets the props? I know, I know - with Nina in the fight it shouldn't even be close. But it's surprisingly tight.

- US&THEM

MRETV81_RUBEN BLADES

FLASHBACK: A SPIKE LEE JOINT

These two Joints had the biggest impact on me. Do The Right Thing was the nail in the coffin for my Reagan 80's teens. Sitting in the matinee showing with no one else in the theater this film was a two hour punch in the chest that left me stunned after trying to figure out WTF I just saw and heard. It's no overstatement to say its style, substance and soundtrack changed my life. Mo Better Blues was just cool like jazz. If the term swagger is played out it's because Denzel used it up, wrung it dry and hung it on the rack back in 1990. When I grow up I want to be like Bleek with a loft and a Love Supreme poster on the wall.

- posted by LEE