Update

Sorry to the regular readers of this blog as to the lack of posts for a month.

My wife and I recently had some devastating family news. So blogging hasn't been top of my priorities.

I'll try to post something soon but don't think that ABU! is over because it it's not.

Old School Dazzler Rips - Part 2

Some more fantastic rips from Bobby Dazzler.
I haven't had the chance to listen to them yet but going on Mr D's history then these should be some more corking stonkers.

http://rapidshare.com/files/212135527/Still_The_Joint_-_Sugar_Hill_Remixed__Disc_1_.zip
http://rapidshare.com/files/212164224/Still_The_Joint_-_Sugar_Hill_Remixed__Disc_2_.zip

http://rapidshare.com/files/212135529/Heatstroke_Single.zip



And some leftfield funky stuff........

http://rapidshare.com/files/213135734/Galloping_Home.zip

http://rapidshare.com/files/213135736/Close_Encounters_Of_The_Third_Kind_And_Other_Disco-Galactic_Themes.zip

Happy Birthday Patti Astor!

So who came first, Patti Astor or Debbie Harry? Well Debbie Harry actually by about 5 years. But they seem to be one and the same person in my mind as both were all over New York city in the late 70's, early 80's and both had a major influence in the formative years of hip hop.

Here's a great little video about the life of Patti (in 8 minutes!) and you'd be surprised at the unseen archival footage as well as bits and doodads of Fab 5 Freddy, Lee Quinones and Zephyr chatting about the great lady.

MS Word, yo.

A bit old but you may have missed it.

Rock, Rock, Electro Rock!

Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to visit the Hippodrome in London in 1985 to witness Mike Allen and his amazing technicolour Hawaiian shirt while he compered the legendary b-boy event that was Electro Rock.
Featuring some of the best-known UK artists at the time (spot a young Goldie credited under his real name of Clifford Price in The B-Boys crew) as well as a special appearance from the mighty Afrika Bambaataa, there are some great moments in this video.
I used to have this on vhs until someone skanked it, and my BBC doc A Hip Hop History and come to think of it my home-recorded, Westwood doc, Bad Meaning Good.
If you were in the crowd, shout out and let us know where where you are!
Highlights include (but not limited to)....

KC's flying headphones (22.14)
Bloke who used to be on Eastenders (28.10)
Mike's strange attire (5.38)
Junior Gee's mullet (8.01)
Strangely arousing legs akimbo action from Uprock (33.32)
Is it a girl, no it's Sipho (RIP) before they dropped although that doesn't explain the bizarre moves (35.40)
And my favourite, watchthecamera, watchthecamera, watchthecamera, watchthecamera...SHIT! (50.10)

N.b. According to Wikipedia, Mike Allen was born in 1942 which made him 43 years old when he appeared on Electro Rock. He's now 67.......!?

Master Ace chats about The Symphony

Master Ace* drops some science on the story behind the classic, The Symphony about how it all went down and who he actually replaced on the record.



True Hip-Hop Stories: Masta Ace from D-Nice on Vimeo.

* spelt correctly. ABU! doesn't play that Masta Ase shite.

Masquerade - One Nation!

Who remembers the UK crew Masquerade? They were on Morgan Khan's Streetwave label back in 1985 and had two relatively underground hits; (Solution To) The Problem and One Nation which was mixed by none other than Mike Allen.

The Dazzler has kindly furnished us with a quality rip of the One Nation and with no less than 5 mixes and scans all from a cassette EP.

My pick is the DEF mix with it's nice rap and Good Times bassline steal.

One Nation (Def Mix) (9:16)

One Nation (P.A Edit) (7:18)

One Nation (Street Mix) (7:12)

One Nation (Extended Groove) (7:30)

One Nation (Horny Alternative) (4:21)

Masquerade - One Nation!

Old School Dazzler Rips - Part 1

Some more tape rips and this time full of obscurities that have been long-lost and forgotten from Bobby Dazzler's archives.
There's 12 rips here in this zipped bundle including live audio from Melle Mel and some Mike Allen interviews (Real Roxanne, Doug Fresh....and more) and Mike chatting about the upcoming Fresh 86 show.

Dazzler Tape Rip 1

Mike Allen Tape Rips

I've been kindly sent a batch of Mike Allen shows from RUSE ONE.
I've tried i.d.'ing the tracks for your pleasure but have some gaps where some songs are elusive to my mind. If you know them, contact me (MAIL ME!)


MikeAllen_17_10_1986_Part1.mp3 (41.43)

1. Original Concept - Pump That Bass
2. Beastie Boys - Hold It Now Hit It
3. BDP - South Bronx (#6)
4. Steady B - Stupid Fresh
5. B-Fats - Woppit
6. Afro Recan Connection - It's Live
7. Afrika Bambaataa & Family - Funk Jam Party
8. Ron and the D.C. Crew - Ronnie's Rap
9. Run DMC - You Be Illin'
10. Just Ice - Back To The Old School (#2)
11. Disco 4 - Throwdown
12. DJ Shadow - not THE DJ Shadow but someone who keeps talking about 'killer bees'.
13. Afrika Bambaataa & Hardrock Soul Movement - Funky Groove (#9)



MikeAllen_17_10_1986_Part2.mp3 (45.22)

1. The Show Boys - Drag Rap
2. Captain Rock - Bongo Beat (#10)
3. Kurtis Blow - The Bronx (#5)
4. V The Viper - Vandy C and Bill Blast
5. Ice T - Doggin The Wax (#8)
6. Wooly Reasonable & Yo Culture - You're The Only One
7. Phase 1 - Laying Down A Beat
8. Duke Bootee - Broadway (#3)
9. Beastie Boys - It The New Style (#1)
10. The Move - Greedy Girls (Gold Card Mix)
11. Bose - Bass Overdrive



MikeAllen_17_10_1986_Part3.mp3 (45.44)

1. Fission - The King Of Swing
2. Glenn Miller-sampled track ?
3. Turntable Orchestra - The Manipulator
4. The Maniacs - Crack, Crack Don't Do It
5. Steady B - Get Physical
6. Kraftwerk - Musique Non Stop
7. Biz Markie - Make The Music With Your Mouth
8. Mighty Rap Specialist - Order in the Court
9. Kool Moe Dee - Go See The Doctor
10. Don't Be Flash (Inst) - Richie Rich
11. Kurtis Blow - Kingdom Blow
12. Just Ice - Cold Getting Dumb



MikeAllen_03_04_1987_Part1.mp3 (43.54)

1. Twilight Zone jingle
2. Marvin Hagler Record ?
3. Run DMC - It's Tricky
4. Spyder D - My Whole Life Flashed
5. T.C. Islam - Party Pooper
6. 3 Wize Men - Refresh Yourself
7. True Mathematics - After Dark
8. Rockmaster J
9. ? - Games People Play?
10. Public Enemy - Public Enemy #1
11. Egyptian Lover - Freak-A-Holic
12. Eric B & Rakim - I Know You Got Soul
13. Maceo - Cross The Tracks



MikeAllen_03_04_1987_Part2.mp3 (44.32)

1. The Classical II - Rap's New Generation
2. Fearless Four - You Can't Rock Us
3. Mr. Wax Master Torey & D.J. Sound Machine - 12 Inches The Hard Way
4. Marley Marl Ft MC Shan - He Cuts So Fresh
5. A UK track, possibly Simon Harris??
6. California Girls - Cali Boys
7. Ultramagnetic MC's - Travelling At The Speed Of Thought (#12)
8. Biz Markie - Nobody Beats The Biz (#3)
9. Numarx - Rhymes So Def (#1)
10. L.A. Dream Team - Citizens On Patrol
11. Noel Rockwell Featuring The Poet - Beat You Down
12. Jungle Fever - Kinkina



Chew on these for now. There's more good music coming soon.

Is Your Child A Tagger?!

Click pic to see it properly in a new window.