ID: Pete of Turntable Lab

TITLE: Death Mix Live
ARTIST: DJ Afrika Bambaataa
LABEL: Paul Winley 1983

One of most expensive hip-hop records around seen going for upwards of $200, but the real story is in how much I paid for it, nothing! A few years ago, I was at the record store across the street from my apartment. It was a store that specialized in showtunes, but over the years I scored some nice soundtracks and jazz records there. An old couple walks in with a box of records. I watched as the buyer went through it, and he picked up this record and looked at it strangely, put it back into the box, and told the old couple he didn't need any of them. I followed them back out to the car, and offered to take them off their hands. The grandpa replied, "I gotta a whole trunk full of records if you want." Happens that they were cleaning out their son's room, and were getting rid of his collection. No brainer here, they even helped me carry the boxes to my apartment. Like a muff diver in a beaver colony, I jumped into the dusty bliss. Although the result was not as mind-blowing as I had thought it would be, I managed to retrieve this record, that Eddie Russ joint, some old electro, and an old Beastie Boys punk record. The rest remained stacked in my closet becoming useful when I got into sporadic classic rock phases. When I finally had to move out of that apartment, me and Jasper took the rest of the records and stacked them outside my apartment, right there on the side walk. We walked off and acted like bystanders and conducted an urban experiment: watching people walk up, look, around, and take records. The beauty of it. Almost like being a famous hoops star and busting sperms all of over the place. Maybe even one of you caught a nut. By fifteen minutes the records were half gone, then a bum came by a copped the whole lot. If you don't love the records, set them free' free, free' set them free.

TITLE: Camel Bobsled Race
ARTIST: DJ Shadow feat QBert
LABEL: MoWax 1997

Biting is an artform. It's almost impossible not to, so if you are gonna bite, do it with style. This is a prime example of a beautiful bite. Faithful all the way down to the labels and the personal message from "your friend.". It's quite recent (1997), but once this breathed its first breath of air, it was classic. This is my favorite Q-Bert recording, and deserves a dick-riding parade. Q-bert megamixes DJ Shadow's Endtroducing, and provides an unintentional sequel to Pumpkin Squeeze. Bert skratches doubles like no other and demonstrates it here much like he did on Preskool Breaks. One of the more limited MoWax titles, I heard somewhere that there's only 500 of these floating around. So pick it up now, while it's reasonable. We got like 10 of em.

TITLE: Sardines
ARTIST: The Junkyard Band
LABEL: Def Jam 1986

Back when I lived in MD, at about 9pm you turn on the radio to any of the 3 hip-hop radio stations, and you'd be guaranteed to hear that cling clang, pots and pan percussion known to DC people as "Go Go." People outside DC don't know go-go, they think it's like James Brown or 2 Live Crew or something. Go-Go is the shit that hits you in the gut. Fuck the production, it's about the rawness. Alright, maybe DC people hype it up to much' we are the only people in the whole damn country that listen to it. But I think it's real. I witnessed my friend almost break my backseat car window' after getting so excited to hear his favorite go-go joint, he head butted the thing, almost broke. Anyway, this is one of the most famous go-go joints (besides Da Butt and Waterdance). Strangely enough, it's on the Def Jam label. Don't know the story behind that, but Rick Rubin knew what time it was. This is also one of the most misinterpreted songs, most people think he's saying "Part-y, play that funky beat;" but in actuality it's something like "Eat sardines, and the pork and beans." Pretty crazy right? Is it me or does the singer sound like a heavy metal singer? Many of you will recognize the line immortalized in the Piklz "Clamz" routine (Mixmaster Mike skratches it). The percussion is down right hard and even opens up at the end. And the bass booms that open up each meter are filthy, filthy good like Maryland crab feasts. Old bay represent! I am always happy to hear this track. Hard to find these days, even in DC.

TITLE: Dunwich Horror OST
ARTIST: Les Baxter
LABEL: American International 1970

I forgot to write a review for dis one, but look at the cover and it's got some drums.

TITLE: Just Like Heaven
ARTIST: Dinosaur Jr.
LABEL: SST 1989

Covers are a wonderful thing. I've always thought that tracks should not be limited to the original producer. Just like reggae, where artist go over the same rhythm providing variation, extension, and competition. In this case, the Cure's new wave classic gets a reworking by J. Mascis. J's sloppy style, lends a perfect foil to the squeaky clean Cure. Not nearly as known as the original version, many heads were exposed to this 1989 version through its usage in a skate video (I forgot which one). On the punk label SST, one side of the vinyl has an illustration etched in it.

TITLE: Allen Iverson aka Jewels
ARTIST: 40 Bars
LABEL: Universal 2000

This is the best record ever. Now that the Answer is not going to release his record, this promo only 12 inch is just a reminder of what could have been. Stern wasn't down with the gunclap and faggot-talk, even though 8 year olds with AOL use the slang everyday. Just to set the record straight, I'm not on the AI bandwagon, I was pathetically on the dilz since he was 2 sport star in VA. G-Town is my team, he took em to a number 2 national ranking, who would have thought? Looking back, that team was too legit 2 quit, AI, Victor Page, Jerome JYD Williams, and once heralded prep recruit Othella Harrington. Long live the hustle D of the Hoyas. Good job, Escherik.

TITLE: Intoxicated Demons Instrumental LP
ARTIST: Beatnuts
LABEL: White Label ?

Hip hop instrumental records are a curious oddity. "I'll use it for my mixtape (1 in 100 chance)" or "The sound sucks (1 in 2 chance)" or it sits in your crate, kinda cool, but kinda useless (9 in 10 chance). The test of a true beat head producer: whether the instrumentals can stand alone. That's why the Beatnuts are considered Corona Kings in the second wave of crate diggin producers. This version has great sound (twice as loud as the LP), and most importantly keeps the true track listing intact complete with essential Beatnut interludes (Intro, On the 1 &2, Story). Intoxicated Demons is one of my favorites hip-hop LPs (or EP whatever you want), but strangely, I might like the instrumental version even more. I've got the "Street Level" one to, but it just doesn't do me the same. The beats are just livelier. I've rocked parties with instrumentals of "World's Famous" and "No Equal" (amazingly with no chickenheds asking "where's d'werds?"). And when else can you rock doubles of that rare 45 drum track used in "On the 1&2"? There are also 2 bonus unreleased tracks: "Hass" and "Talking Shit." I got this in 96, hopefully they will press it again.

TITLE: For the Money 45
ARTIST: Little Alfred & the Linden Black Choir Group
LABEL: Wizdom ?

Found this in a tiny 45 shop in DC that Ms. Robutt took me too. I think it's gone now, what a shame. Found this, Cramp Your Style, Soul Vibrations, Sunshine on the Scacy label, and Nu-Sound Express 45s in one session. All for 2 bucks each! On the Wizdom label from New York. I'm guessing it's a religious music label. The b-side is the trapper keeper, with a truly memorable intro. So funky. The band unwinds a bit, then the young Little Alfred bust into the "For the Money" chorus. Wrestle me in a furry suit. This probably my favorite track in this particular record check.

TITLE: In San Francisco "The Street Thang"
ARTIST: The Edwards Generation feat. Chcuk Edwards
LABEL: Tight 1976

One of the better family band funk records. The Edwards Generation consists of the "father, mother, 4 sons, daughter, playing guitars, drums, bass, piano, organ, cowbell, and vocals. Hometown, Pittsburgh, PA now living in the San Francisco Bay area." Picked up by the Daly City label Tight records, this is the only release I've seen from them. The moment you put the record on the first song, you know the Edwards' mean Joe Pesci in Good Fellas. "Smokin Tidbits" starts it off with an uptempo break and settles with some nice bridge work. "Street Thang" keeps it goin with a Chubukos style afro-funk sound. Level throughout the song, a nice midtempo groover. My favorites here are the semi-funky cheesy family songs. "Are You Ready" is upbeat with a catchy bass hook, and "aaahh yeahs" to get your frisco tacqueria on. "That's When the Fun Begins" is even cheesier but that 2 note organ hook reminds me of Roger, ReRun, and Dwayne. This was reissued a few years back by this Japanese cat in Jersey. Don't drop duckets for the original though, this is the kinda record that means more if you run into it.

TITLE: The Phantom
ARTIST: Duke Pearson
LABLEL: Blue Note 1968

Blue Note Breaks killed the radio star, but you can't deny the depth of the Blue Note catalog. Although it is hard to pick, I'd have to say this is my favorite Blue Note I own. A departure for Duke Pearson as he experiments into alternate structure with the mandatory latin phase. "The Phantom" is the monster here. The downtempo bass heavy sound, the master percussion, and the heavy solos. Jerry Dodgion flute work opens the door, Pearson's piano solo never lets the mic magmatize him no more. Each player is essential to the build-up. The meditative nature of the track, makes it sound more like a Strata East session than a blinged out Francis Wolff one. At 10 minutes and 15 seconds, I might have to drop the word "epic." Don't be let down by the other tracks. They are not as heavy, but they serve as nice complement. The lazy interplay between Pearson and Dodgion "Blues of Alvina" has always been one of my "good day" songs. Gotta love that cover too, it's all about that green. Notice even the green Blue Note logo.

TITLE: Fast Life Vinyl Reanimators Remix
ARTIST: Kool G Rap + Nas
LABEL: White Label 1995

Once I heard this on Stretch and Bob, my mind went "Holla!," even though that slang wasn't invented yet. That beat! That skratch chorus! This remix turned water into mad dog 50/50. I hit up Fat Beats, picked up the 12 inch, and like many after me, was disappointed as hell. This ain't no cinema, bitch?! The official 12 inch had some phony remix (It ain't the Epic Sampler Norfside Remix either). Like a bastard child, I played that Stretch tape, and dreamed of the nipple. One day after class, I hit up the store again, and low and behold, there it was. White labels!!! No currency, so I would have to pick it up tomorrow, and proving that life is a big tragedy, they were sold out, never to come again. Later that summer, I was visiting my friend up in the Bronx, so we hit up Beat Street on Fordham Road across the street from Homeboy 2000 (they sell gold chains and beepers, fo real). And proving that life is misinterpreted tragedy, they had a stack of em. I picked up a copy and thanked G.O.D. part 3. Turns out that this was a remix done by originoo beat heads The Vinyl Reanimators. In my opinion, this carries the weight of Large Pro's It Ain't Hard To Tell Remix, an all-time remix. Never available as an official release, you know if you got the original white label, if it's also got tracks from AZ on one side and Rakim and Das Efx on the other.

TITLE: The Loading Zone
ARTIST: The Loading Zone
LABEL: RCA Victor 1968

Nerd rock. Psychedelic nerd rock. Just look at these high quality nerds. Picked this record up in Montreal on a DJ trip with P-Love and San-Q. In typical fashion, I skipped through to every track unimpressed until the final track, "Can I Dedicate." Recognizable as the sample for Souls of Mischief's "Live and Let Live," but what really got me was that is a 9 minute 37 second jazz funk workout. Removed from the constrains of the hip-hop loop, "Can I Dedicate" unleashes a severely funky m.o. The crisp intro, horn chorus, back to the crisp intro, back to the horn chorus, back to intro, then into nerd rock guitar solo... horn solo, then a lovely piano solo (also lifted by Souls). By the eighth minute, you're back to the original intro loop this time accompanied by an alternate outtro horn chorus. Sample spotters will also find the horn loop and vocal sample for Dilated's "Guaranteed" on the track "Don't Lose Control." By the way, for Americans, Canadian cities are excellent for diggin. Not only are records generally cheaper there, the american dollar is stronger than a motherfucker. Plus all the shops in Montreal had these amazing exotica/strange sections with untouched gems waiting to be found. If I only had more time and didn't wake up at 5pm after dancing to house music shirtless.

TITLE: What the...
ARTIST: Sonz of a Loop Da Loop Era
LABEL: Suburan Base 1993

Got this down at the original Music Now on F Street in NW DC. Suburban Base was at one point my favorite label producing breakbeat / drum and bass way ahead of its time. All the early stuff was guaranteed heavy stuff. This is Subbase no.33 featuring Sonz of Da Loop da Loop Era aka Danny Breaks who later brought you the Droppin Science label. Although much of the breakbeat tracks from this period are timely and lost in cheesy raver shit, I can still enjoy this record. What the hell were these guys thinking back then to come up with this sound? Sounds crazy today, but put it back in context in 92 and this shit is bonkers. "R Yeah" is part afrobeat, part breakbeat, part ragga, part electronic, and hard as hell. This stuff is much more inventive and harder than the stuff that comes out today. The b-side, ""What The'" stays strong with its syncopated, snare-heavy beat.