Lost In Music

I dunno, sometimes I just feel like a musical version of Burgess Meredith from that Twilight Zone episode. But without the apocalyptic ending.

I was quite late in discovering the world of mp3's what with being an old bugger an' all. Vinyl was still my medium of choice up to about 4 years ago with the occasional cd coming into action now and again.

Thinking back, I might be able to pinpoint the late The Essential Elements blog as being my introduction into the thieving, despicable world of free music.

Now I'm not saying that I agree with this. But then, as someone on a budget to be able to try out new (to these ears, at least) music or grab stuff that I always wanted, it is a god-send.

And add in the fact that not a day goes by that I find something that I wasn't actively looking for but just knew that I needed it.
For instance in the last few days I've downloaded The Tomorrow People soundtrack, Ministry Of Sound 80's Groove, Beastie Boys 'To The 5 Boroughs' and 'Hot Sauce Committee Part 2', a BBC Radio 2 piece on Bill Mitchell, The Jungle Brothers instrumentals album, Websta's Living In The Attic LP, various Jerky Boys bootlegs, A Stephen Fry series from Radio 2 and some albums of Ceefax and Testcard music.

The problem here is this. I get that same feeling when I see something like any of the above listed albums as I did when I was in my 20's in Berwick Street in the early 1990's, stood in Groove Records, Reckless or Music & Tape Exchange.
Thinking about it as I lie on my virtual shrink's couch, maybe this is all just a continuation of days spent being in actual shops looking through dusty racks of records. The fact that proper record shops don't exist any longer is the way that I can justify my downloading sprees. Just a lot cheaper is all.

But back to my original point. My collection is growing daily yet I don't seem to have the time to listen to them. But I KEEP. ON. DOING IT.
It's a habit, I know. Is it becoming an obsession? Who knows?

I was speaking to Waxer the other day and we both had a similar wish that we could go back to our teenage days, 14-years old, lying on the bed, copy of Street Scene, Mike Allen playing in the background on a Dixons C-90 cassette. Obviously it's the summer, which for some reason that I can't quite fathom that the whole of 1985 was spent in gorgeous sunshine according to my memory.

Life just gets in the way sometimes, doesn't it (cue Wu Tang's "Can It Be All So Simple")?

Happy Birthday ABU!

I just realised that ABU! is 3 years old this week.
Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me...........

Who's bringing the cake.....?

ABU! Takeover Show Star Wars Special this Thursday

This month's Disco Scratch Takover Show is, as announced last month, a Star Wars Special rather than the usual shizzle.

Star Wars fans, rejoice and join the Rebellion with your co-hosts Waxer and REPO broadcasting live from Endor this coming Thursday (28th).
A special show to commemorate every young Jedi's favourite time of year, Star Wars Day (May the 4th).
2-hours of live banter,hip hop, memories, humour and of course Darth Vader on the slide-fader!


And all you non-SW kids can join in, too as us Jedi's are a peaceful race ;-)

Silver Bullet / MC Mell‘O’ Re-Releases On Original Dope

I had the pleasure of receiving some classic UK rap albums from Original Dope recently.

First off is an album held in high acclaim up there in the heights of Horns Of Jericho and Gangster Chronicle.
MC Mell'O' is one of those MC's who always seemed to fly just below the radar. He should've been as big as Rakim when he was at his peak but somehow he just plodded on gaining respect on the underground.

Regardless, Original Dope have done their magic on his legendary Thoughts Released (Revelation 1) album and have expanded it to include tracks off the Comin' Correct 12" that you've all been fiending for as well.
Also included in the CD release is a booklet trailing the early years and successes of a young Mell'O' as he garnered his skills at London's Covent Garden at the burgeoning hip hop boom of the 1980's.


You know what you're getting here so I don't need to teach Grandma how to suck eggs.
Have a look at this new tracklist.

1		Our Time
2		A Total Eclipse Of The Art
3		Let The Crowd Catch Breath
4		Voodoo Khan
5		All Terrain M.C.s
6		Open Up Your Mind
7		Subtraction
8		Acknowledge Yourself
9		From The Heart
10		Comin' Correct
11		Wise
12		Bizzie Rhymin'
13		Slipt On Some Doo Doo
14		I'm Coming Up
15		Words Spoken

So after you've put away your tongues, get out your plastic because you'll want to purchase this asap.

Next up is Silver Bullet and his album from 1991, Bring Down The Walls No Limit Squad Returns.
Mention his name and you will mostly think of hardcore, nutter rhymes that spawned the 'Britcore' label that early 90's frenetic UK rap epitomised. 
He brought out just one album and then seemingly disappeared from the scene. He was still there working away but his style was moving in a more ragga, drum & bass style.
He eventually relaunched himself in 1998 as 'Silvah Bullet' releasing 3 more singles up til the present day.



There are 4 extra tracks on this newly-remastered edition and the final tracklisting goes like this:

1		20 Seconds To Comply	6:41
2		Raw Deal	3:03
3		Attitude Academy	6:03
4		Undercover Anarchist	4:32
5		Ruff Karnage	6:23
6		Bring Forth The Guillotine	5:17
7		Guns Of Mind Alone	6:36
8		Legions Of The Damned	5:53
9		He Spins Around	2:26
10		Bring Down The Walls... No Limit Squad Returns	6:39
11		20 Seconds To Comply (The Bomb Squad Mix)	4:51
12		Undercover Anarchist (Bomb Squad Mix)	4:35
13		Ruff Karnage (The Bullet Mix)	6:45
14		Never Authorise Apocalypse	5:10

Sleek design on this OD release

This remastered, expanded version includes super rare cut Never Authorise Apocalypse (only previously available as a b-side to Ruff Karnage) and remixes from New York's Bomb Squad.


Both these albums have been released THIS WEEK from Original Dope. Go to the site and you can buy them now.



*Special Offer* 
Buy all five Original Dope CDs and get a free T-shirt for just £37!  Check the website for details 

The current Original Dope discography:

Silver Bullet : Bring Down The Walls No Limit Squad Returns : ODOPE1005
MC Mell‘O’ : Thoughts Released (Revelation 1) : ODOPE1004
MC Duke : Organised Rhyme : ODOPE1003
Blade : The Lion Goes From Strength To Strength (No Compromise) : ODOPE1002D
Ruthless Rap Assassins : Killer Album : ODOPE1001


Big shout to Andy @OD for supplying ABU! with the music.

Style Warrior - Delete The Weak

LG @ Style Warrior has been busy on the design tip as of late and has created some really nice designs that may become future t-shirts.

First up is a frankly iconic design for UK legends Hardnoise.
He has taken the same font from their 'Untitled' 12" release and subtly adapted it into a brilliantly effective piece incorporating the group members and a nice song quote.

Sometimes all you need is just words. Especially with a group like Hardnoise because their words spoke for themselves and secondly because they were very much camera-shy!

---

Next up is a couple of drafts that LG did a while ago based on two of hip hop's most iconic films.

As you can see, these are beautifully thought-out and just such simple designs. I personally love the subtlety employed which makes them so much stronger.

As ever, check out Style Warrior for more info and news about any upcoming projects.
2011 is definitely a good year so far!

EDIT:

The Hardnoise tee has been slightly amended now with the song quote taken off.
Booooo.....hisss.....!
Click on the images below to go straight to the order page.

The Underground is Striking Back!

My man SCENES - previously of great blog TUSB - is still busy creating and devastating with some supreme mixes.
You may have caught his previous 60-minute mixes on the site before - there are 21 of them - and so we at ABU! are proud to bestow upon you the latest and greatest for ya lugs.


And remember, Scenes "aims to dig out the good, and sift out the weak shit... so you don't have to".

Here is the tracklisting for this editions goodie bag of beats:

01.   Don't Need - Wax and EOM
02.   Senseless Senses - First Name Basis
03.   Bag Of Money - Action Bronson
04.   Kill Em With The Beat- Elemental Zazen
05.   Roaches - Slept On Fam
06.   Vocal Scalpel - J-Love
07.   Elements - Guest House
08.   Here Comes The Pusher - DJ Format
09.   The Madness - Action Bronson
10.   6 Feet Deep - Bannon
11.   What Would I Do? - Beneficence
12.   Let It Flow - Thaimex
13.   The Sound- Stylee Cee
14.   With My Real People - Beneficence
15.   Puzzle Ring - Guest House
16.   Just Leave Em Be - Sir Beans OBE
17.   Shiraz - Action Bronson
18.   Funly Hit Instrumental- EOM

Download Volume 22 here.

And there's more good news from the King Zilla who I'll let take the mic for this brief announcement himself.

"Some other good news is that a new blog which will be the successor to Underground Strikes Back will be called USB 2.0, and will be up and running soon.
It will be a mix of my 2 older blogs with downloads and photos from my net travels.
I am also exploring options of a Sunday morning radio show and I'm currently looking for a host".

So there it is, folks.  And any mixtape maestro that claims to love your bingo wings cannot be bad, can he?! And those Mike Allen-alike scratches are the icing on the bun.

My personal pick here is the Thaimex track. The Stylee C cut straight after is very nice, too with some classic breaks beefing up the place.

The ABU! Disco Scratch Takeover Show 3 - March Edition