TRIAL BY FIRE

Sita sings the blues







DEAD LEAF--Save From The Flames Whatever Remains
J DILLA--This is Dilla's World
LIL WAYNE, DEVIN & BUN B--Gone Bad (Mr J Pat Remix)
MADLIB--Snake Charmer (Heads Up)
BROADCAST--Belly Dance
PET SHOP BOYS--God Willing
ASENA--Warda
SIDE9000--Dhun
CAMILLE--Ta Douleur (Henrik Schwarz Remix)
BONDE DO ROLE--Gasolina (LGK Remix)
THE CURE--Fire In Cairo (Digitalism Remix)
ELECTRELANE--I'm On Fire
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD--I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face
TAMMI TERRELL--Baby Don't You Worry
THE RONETTES--Here I Sit
EDDIE FLOYD & CLEOTHA STAPLES--Too Late
PORTER WAGONER--Julie
SUSAN CHRISTIE--Paint A Lady
YOKO ONO--Walking On Thin Ice (with Spiritualized)
MICO--Phenomena Of The Mind
AMON TOBIN--Kitchen Sink

HONOUR CULLING

She did it.













ALBERT AYLER w/ U.S. ARMY 76th AG BAND--Tenderly
YUSEF LATEEF--First Gymnopedie
SONIA LARAISSI--Vocalises, Cris De Douleurs
RIZ ORTOLANI--Adultress' Punishment
ENNIO MORRICONE--La Vestizione E l'Addio (From Desert Of The Tartars)
BADAWI--Sound On Its Echoing
LES MUSICIENS DE L'ATLAS--Taqsim
AZIZ & J BILEZIKJIAN--Suenos De Cadiz
PETER BJORN & JOHN--Sitar Folks
THE BEATLES--She's Leaving Home (Cordani Far Lives Remix)
BELBURY POLY--Pan's Garden
BURNTO BERTOLUCCI--Bake Me Dome Tonight
RYO KAWASAKI--Hawaiian Caravan
BOMBAY DUB ORCHESTRA--To The Shore (Pathaan's Ray Of Sunshine Mix)
SEBASTIEN TELLIER--La Ritournelle
L. PIERRE--Ache

BARRACK OSAMA

His beard showed respect for the practice and the word.
I knew then that I must follow him.
















THE STAPLE SINGERS--I Had A Dream
DESTROYER--Forget America
TORTOISE--Whitewater
LOEFAH--System
KODE9 & THE SPACEAPE--Portal
NIGHTMARES ON WAX--Les Nuits (DJ Spinna Mix)
LORD FINESSE--No Gimmicks (feat. KRS One)
JACKSON JONES--I Feel Good (Pilooski Edit)
ORGANIZED KONFUSION--Let's Organize
ARLEAN BROWN--Impeach Me Baby
STORMY--The Devastator
THE OGYATAANAA SHOWBAND--Disco Africa
HALLELUJAH CHICKEN RUN BAND--Kare Nanhasi
TIMBALAND FEAT. NELLY FURTADO & JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE--Give It To Me (Inst.)
LIZ TORRES FEAT. MASTER C & J--No More Mind Games
PRINCE JAMMY--Crowning Of Prince Jammy
SYKO & THE CARIBS--Do The Dog
PROFESSOR LONGHAIR--Mardi Gras in New Orleans (1949 single)
LOUIS ARMSTRONG--Oriental Strut

VALENTINE'S DAY POST

1. THE HONEYBEES--Some of Your Lovin'
2. LEOLA & THE LOVEJOYS--Wait 'round The Corner
3. DINAH WASHINGTON--Cry Me A River
4. RUBY & THE ROMANTICS--Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore
5. THE ROYALETTES--Lonely Girl
6. LILY ALLEN--Smile (Mark Ronson Revisit)
7. JEAN & THE DARLINGS--How Can You Mistreat The One You Love
8. THE FLIRTATIONS--Nothing But A Heartache
9. FRANCE GALL--Don't Make War Captain, Make Love
10. MARVA WHITNEY--It's My Thing
11. BETTY DAVIS--Nasty Gal
12. NATACHA ATLAS--I Put A Spell On You
13. M.I.A.--Kopa Hombre (Diplo Mix)
14. SHIRLEY ELLIS--The Clapping Song (Player One ReThink)
15. YOKO ONO--Kiss Kiss Kiss (Peaches Remix)
16. THE BIRD AND THE BEE--F*cking Boyfriend (Peaches Remix)
17. LE TIGRE--After Dark (Diplo Remix)
18. ALICE SMITH--Love Endeavor (Maurice Fulton Remix)
19. CHARMAINE BURNETTE--(Am I The) Same Girl
20. PAM NESTOR--Hiding And Seeking (No More)
21. JACKSON 5--All I Do Is Think Of You

SUNNI SIDE UP

'Now the King told the Boogie Men you have to let that raga drop'.









Jaweh and Allah Battle (1974)
Allen Ginsberg

Jaweh with Atom Bomb
Allah cuts throat of Infidels
Jaweh’s armies beat down neighbouring tribes
Will Red Sea waters close & drown th’armies of Allah?

Israel’s tribes worshipping the Golden Calf
Moses broke the Tablets of Law.

Zalmon Schacter Lubovitcher Rebbe what you say
Stone Commandments broken on the ground
Sufi Sam whaddya say
Shall Prophet’s companions dance circled
round Synagogue while Jews doven bearded electric?

Both Gods Terrible! Awful Jaweh Allah!
Both hook-nosed-gods, circumcised.
Jaweh Allah which unreal?
Which stronger Illusion?
Which stronger Army?
Which gives most frightening command?
What God maintain egohood in Eden? Which be Nameless?
Which enter Abyss of Light?
Worlds of Gods, jealous Warriors, Humans, Animals & Flowers,
Hungry Ghosts, even Hell Beings all die,
Snake cock and pig eat each other’s tails and perish
All Jews all Moslems’ll die All Israelis all Arabs
Cairo’s angry millions Jerusalem’s multitudes
suffer Death’s dream Armies in battle!
Yea let Tribes wander to tin camps at cold Europe’s walls?
Yea let the Million sit in the desert shantytowns with tin cups?
I’m a Jew cries Allah! Buddha circumcised!
Snake sneaking an apple to Eden -
Alien, Wanderer, Caller of the Great Call!
What Prophet born on this ground
bound me Eternal to Palestine
circled by Armies tanks, droning bomber motors,
radar electronic computers?
What Mind directed Stern Gang Irgun Al Fatah
Black September?
Meyer Lanksy? Nixon Shah? Gangster? Premier? King?
one-eyed General Dayan?
Golda Meir and Kissinger bound me with Arms?
HITLER AND STALIN SENT ME HERE!
WEIZMANN AND BEN-GURION SENT ME HERE!
NASSER AND SADAT SENT ME HERE!
ARAFAT SENT ME HERE! MESSIAH SENT ME HERE!
GOD SENT ME HERE!
Buchenwald sent me here! Vietnam sent me here!
Mylai sent me here!
Lidice sent me here!
My mother sent me here!
I WAS BORN HERE IN ISRAEL, Arab
circumcised, my father had a coffee shop in Jerusalem
One day the soldiers came and told me to walk down road
my hands up
walk away leave my house business forever!
The Israelis sent me here!
Solomon’s Temple the Pyramids & Sphinx sent me here!
JAWEH AND ALLAH SENT ME HERE!
Abraham will take me to his bosom!
Mohammed will guide me to Paradise!
Christ sent me here to be crucified!
Buddha will wipe out and destroy the world.
The New York Times and Cairo Editorialist Heykal sent me here!
Commentary and Palestine Review sent me here!
The International Zionist Conspiracy sent me here!
Syrian Politicians sent me here! Heroic Pan-Arab
Nationalists sent me here!
They’re sending Armies to my side -
The Americans & Russians are sending bombing planes tanks
Chinese Egyptians Syrians help me battle for my righteous
house my Soul’s dirt Spirit’s Nation body’s
boundaries & Self’s territory my
Zionist homeland my Palestine inheritance
The Capitalist Communist & Third World Peoples’
Republics Dictatorships Police States Socialisms and Democracies
are all sending Deadly Weapons to our aid!
We shall triumph over the Enemy!
Maintain our Separate Identity! Proud
History evermore!
Defend our own bodies here this Holy Land! This hill
Golgotha never forget, never relinquish
inhabit thru Eternity
under Allah Christ Yaweh forever one God
Shema Yisroel Adonoi Eluhenu Adonoi Echad!
La ilah illa’ Allah hu!

OY! AH! HU! OY! AH! HU!
SHALOM! SHANTIH! SALAAM!

1. THE CLASH--Rock The Casbah (Rhythm Scholar Boogie Bombs Remix)
2. ZION I & TRIGGER--Trigger
3. THE BUG--Politicians Version
4. VARIOUS PRODUCTION--Hater
5. ALCHEMYST--The Sect
6. PARA ONE FEATURING BUSDRIVER--Severed God Limbs
7. X-PRESS 2 FEATURING ROB HARVEY--Kill 100 (Carl Craig Remix)
8. JAMIE LIDELL--The City (Four Tet Remix)
9. X-PLASTAZ--Msimu Kwa Msimu
10. SALAH RAGAB & THE CAIRO JAZZ BAND--Neveen
11. BAWIN--Ya Binaya Goumi
12. REVEREND E.W. CLAYBORN--God's Riding Through The Land
13. TOM WAITS--Road To Peace
14. CAROLE KING--A Road To Nowhere

CELEBREALITY

'Big Brother is you watching'. I've seen the YouTube clips. Another hypermediated reminder of the provincial, xenophobic and class-ridden society that is dear old Blighty. The domestic war in the BB house (in our house 'BB' is shorthand for bad breath, of which there's been a lot on Celebrity Big Brother) almost makes you forget wars being fought by Brits in Iraq and Afghanistan. There's some good commentary on the spectacle from K-Punk, drawing attention to silence about class while people amplify the race/racism issue. Point taken, but that class system also perpetuates racist ignorance and hostility. One of the modalities of class resentment is racial/ethnic difference. In any case, the TV execs have used the class issue (and the vague 'cultural difference') as an alibi to deflect criticism. While it's hardly unique to the proles, let's not brush working-class racism under the carpet. Don't forget the aggro. More than 33,000 viewers complained about the programme. It's a shame they couldn't muster the same energy for a protest against the war, but their messages bring to the surface the experience of many British Asians who have had to put up with years of racist violence whether it comes from the gob, the gaze, the boot, the knife or the firebomb. Some of the press and voxpop has tended to separate 'bullying' from racism, as if scapegoating happens in a vacuum. K-Punk doesn't really say much about gender either. There's a proud British tradition of shitting all over uppity working-class women. Channel Four live at the witch trials! Angela McRobbie wrote this about female celebrities last June. I hope this media event means less surveillance trash and a shake-up at ratings-driven Channel Four. Seems a long way for the network to have come since the 1980s when its brief included representin' minority perspectives. Though I'm sure the racists will say that 'white Little Englanders have the status of a powerless minority now. They constitute the beleagured white majority since the country has been taken over by immigrants and the politically correct middle class wankers who defend them'. Why do the bloggers trying to reclaim class warfare want to separate it from race, make it more fundamental? Aren't class, gender, and race all bound together in a knot.

Anyhow, I had to make a playlist to commemorate the Goody Shetty match-up:

1. LAUB--Wake Up (Gonzales Remix)
2. COCO SOLID--Supastar
3. MONOLAKE--CCTV
4. M.I.A.--XR2 (Turbo)
5. PANJABI HIT SQUAD--Get Crunked Up
6. LADY SOVEREIGN--Love Me Or Leave Me (Curtis Vodka Remix)
7. ARMANDO--100% of Disin' U
8. LILY ALLEN--LDN (South Rakkas Crack Whore Riddim)
9. AKABU & THE CIRCUIT--Watch Yourself
10. ELECTROSONIC--Computermatic
11. OJOS DE BRUJO--Feedback (Nitin Sawhney Remix)
12. ROD TAYLOR--Lonely Girl
13. ROD TAYLOR--Lonely Girl (Version)
14. NIGHTMARES ON WAX--Da Mess Sticks
15. TYCOON TO$H--Economic Animal In Concrete Jungle
16. TORTOISE--Why We Fight
17. JOMI MASSAGE--Undressing Aloud
18. THE VELVET UNDERGROUND--Femme Fatale (different mix on acetate)
19. CHIM KOTHARI--You Don't Have To Say You Love Me

DIPLO

The clubs I frequented in Leeds, Nottingham and London during the 80s had very loud sound systems but often several rooms, at least one of which had music playing quietly enough to actually listen and talk to friends without getting saliva splashed inside your ear or go hoarse drenching your mate's lugs. If you were lucky, more than two people could have a conversation with each other. Music venue design in Auckland is horrible, even if Moroccan lamps hang from the ceiling. Why do the secondary rooms in biggish Auckland clubs still have such loud music even if they've laid out the sofas, tables and chairs for that loungy vibe? Clubgoers are still treated like sheep filling up a pen, crude treatment compared to that offered to consumers of other media entertainments.

Saw Diplo last night at one of the worst venues in town for sound quality: Galatos. Fortunately I could sit down through most of the two hour set and the bods that stood or dance in front of me acted as a sound barrier. I danced on my ass. There were times the treble was remarkably high, but that may be just the quality of today's compressed digital music on mp3 and played off a laptop. The show was a really good upbeat, get em on the floor and keep em there at a sustained pitch kind of set. The MC didn't do much except shout out Aucklan' some hundred times, but he wasn't annoying. People were into the mix and showed it with a handsome variety of dance moves. Some had stepped out of a Go-Go's video from the 80s. Diplo likes dirty funky beats across genres. I've known about him since the excellent M.I.A. Piracy-Terrorism mixtape and his sundry remixes of classics and obscurities, many under the collective Hollertronix moniker. But he's also a terrific party DJ. No track goes on for more than about two minutes. He drops one out and goes into another and then returns to the first one after you think it's gone for the night. There are Jamaican style rewinds but not too many flashy EQ manipulations that wear out their welcome. He went through hip hop, 80s electro, hyphy, crunk, neo-rave punkish stuff (not sure what the generic tag is these days), baile funk, James Brown funk, dancehall. There's something democratic about his love of working-class dance music that's local but also transnationally viral and hacked to new life in different locations. However, ethical questions about ghetto chic are circulating online. On his blog Mudd Up!, DJ /Rupture, who has a less populist sound but is broadly speaking a propagandist for viral sonic culture, linked to an interesting article by Anna Dezeuze about the contemporary artists representing slums. In that respect, Diplo does have the anthropological imperative like David Byrne and others. A documentary on Baile Funk is in the works. I don't know enough about Diplo's work and position on these issues yet, though I'm sure he's a smart cookie. I haven't heard the many Baile funk mix CDs that he's released either. So I'm not presuming that young Diplodocus is in 'the wrong'. But his work does force us to pose some critical questions about the political economy of music right now. For example, he has brought the music of the favelas to the attention of consumers in the global market. Take a Brazilian producer in Rio who samples global hit music from North America or the UK for her or his own dubiously legal computer productions of local funk to play at the ball. Is he on the same ethical and financial ground as an American producer who then takes those sounds and circulates them in an overlapping but more lucrative economy? That economy will likely give the American producer greater financial opportunities as an emerging name/brand in the US-Europe-Japan-Australasia market network? How do the various musicians and mediators of this music negotiate an ethical way to work with these unbalanced power relations? For a start, you might look at this excellent collection of essays by Georgina Born and David Hesmondhalgh.

SURGE

Waiter, There's a Surge In My Soup







1. BRAND NUBIAN--Allah U Akbar
2. ERMIT STANCIL--Tobacco Auctioneer In Hi-Fi
3. MED--Don't Sleep (Instrumental, produced by Madlib)
4. J DILLA--Pandemonium (Featuring Roc 'C' & Oh No)
5. KALYANJI ANANDJI--Title Music (Dharmatma)
6. THE FALL--Powderkex (D.O.S.E. Remix of Powderkeg)
7. WILEY--I'm A Sinner (Kiss FM)
8. JME--African Zulu Warrior (Instrumental)
9. AMY WINEHOUSE--Rehab (Hot Chip Remix)
10. KING HANNIBAL--The Truth Shall Make You Free (St. John 8:32)
11. K.M.D.--Boogie Man!
12. THE UHURU DANCE BAND--Olufeme (Natural Self Remix)
13. CRISTINA--What's A Girl To Do? (Remix)
14. LUPE FIASCO W/ JILL SCOTT--Daydreamin'
15. NIGHTMARES ON WAX--Flip Ya Lid
16. LINVAL THOMPSON--Rastafari Is My Religion 12"
17. FLYING LOTUS--Pet Monster Shotglass
18. SEKOUBA 'BAMBINO' DIABETE--It's a Man's Man's Man's World
19. ALLEN TOUSSAINT--Worldwide