This is Telex: Belgian electro-pioneers receive the Mute treatment

Benjamin Forrest on 11 May 2021

Ask somebody about the early days of electronic music and people are likely to mention groups like The Human League or Depeche Mode who helped to popularised synth-pop in the UK. Some might mention Kraftwerk, Throbbing Gristle, electronic experimentation in Jamaican dub music, or perhaps the early 1970s era of progressive rock. A music historian might even cite 1920s composers such as Joseph Schillinger. The origin and evolution of electronic music is a rich and varied topic, but one band that often gets left out of the story is Telex. 

Formed in Belgium, 1978, Telex aimed to create something entirely different from the mainstream music scene of the time. Determined to differ from rock music, Telex refused to incorporate guitars within their music, opting instead to use exclusively electronic instruments. Whilst this might not seem like such a revolutionary idea in 2021, in 1978 this really went against the grain of popular music. Electronic pop was often seen as a novelty and treated with suspicion. Electronic music was by no means a widespread concept- and received little mainstream attention. The electronic experimentation Telex were doing had not been done before, aside from a small handful of isolated artists. 

Despite releasing five albums between 1979 and 1988, as well as a reunion album in 2006, producing remixes for Pet Shop Boys and Depeche Mode and collaborating with Sparks for their 1981 album Sex; Telex never really achieved mainstream success. The band’s only commercial success in the UK was their slow, dispassionate cover of the rock n roll classic ‘Rock Around the Clock’, which peaked at number 34 in the UK singles chart in 1979. The biggest exposure Telex received over here was likely their Eurovision performance in 1980, in which they reportedly hoped to finish in last place with their deliberately banal and cliched song ‘Euro-vision’ (although the entry actually finished in 19th, thanks to 10 points from Portugal). 

Telex officially disbanded in 2008 after the death of band member Marc Moulin. A compilation album, Ultimate, was released in 2009 but received little attention and the band appeared to have been lost to obscurity. That was until legendary independent label Mute Records – whose previous releases include the likes of New Order, Depeche Mode, Inspiral Carpets, Yazoo, Moby and Wire, to name but a few – announced a compilation This Is Telex. 

The compilation features tracks from throughout the band’s career including two previously unreleased tracks: covers of The Beatles’ ‘Dear Prudence’, and ‘The Beat Goes On’ by Sonny & Cher. All tracks are newly mixed and remastered by the two remaining members of the group, Dan Lacksman and Michel Moers, and they sound utterly incredible! This compilation really goes to show just how ahead of their time Telex were, and hopefully with the distribution powers of Mute they will finally gain the widespread recognition they so rightly deserve. This Is Telex also excellently portrays the versatility of the group: from the moody post-punk atmosphere of ‘The Number One Song in Heaven’ to nightclub floor fillers such as ‘Moskow Diskow’, stopping in between for some wonderfully weird off-beat electro in ‘Dance to the Music’ and ‘Radio-Radio’. A punk attitude, disco tendencies and elements of experimental electronic music combine in order to form some of the greatest, most idiosyncratic tracks of the 1980s – and they still hold up in the 21st Century. According to Mute, This Is Telex is the precursor to a full series of reissues of Telex’s back catalogue. This is excellent news as many of Telex releases have not witnessed official reissues in decades and given how high quality This Is Telex is, we are definitely in for a treat! 

Women of Inspiration: Poly Styrene

Benjamin Forrest on 18 March 2021

Poly Styrene, in many ways, has fallen into a certain degree of obscurity since her band X-Ray Spex split in 1979. Prominent figures within the New Wave punk scene in the UK during the late 1970s , X-Ray Spex produced some of the greatest, most profound, lyrics of that era. Despite this, the music press only seems to remember the Sex Pistols – the punk equivalent of a manufactured boy band – and the likes of Poly Styrene and X-Ray Spex are largely forgotten, or so it was thought. Clearly many people still remember the force of nature that was Poly Styrene (or Marianne Joan Elliot-Said, to use her birth name) as a documentary film, called I am a Cliché, telling her story was recently crowdfunded (before receiving funding from Sky) and aired on Sky Arts.

The film follows Celeste Bell, the only daughter of Poly Styrene, as she retraces her mother’s steps and tells the incredible, at points heart breaking, story of her life. The story is of the first woman of colour to front a successful rock band in the UK, a tortured genius, and undoubtedly one of the coolest people of the 20th century, but mainly of a mother and how her relationship with daughter Celeste progressed over the course of Poly Styrene’s career. The story of the documentary is told mainly through diary entries (voiced by Ruth Negga), personal accounts from Bell and interviews with fellow musicians and those who knew her. The visuals of the film are simply stunning; the shots of Celeste looking through her mother’s personal belongings are cut together with an unbelievable amount of brilliant archive footage, photographs and artwork – of which Poly Styrene created most. It truly is a visual treat to watch. 

The influence of Poly Styrene and X-Ray Spex cannot be overstated, and this is shown within the documentary if only through the people who speak within it. Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill/Le Tigre/The Julie Ruin), Pauline Black (The Selecter), Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), Rhoda Dakar (The Bodysnatchers, The Special AKA) all testify to how influential the work of Poly Styrene was to them and the greater music scene – without her influence over Kathleen Hanna it is entirely possible that the Riot Grrrl movement would never have happened. The film also features contributions from iconic figures of the period, including Vivienne Westwood and Don Letts, interspersed between the monologue of Celeste Bell and Poly’s personal diary entries. 

A stand-out point within the documentary was the period of time which X-Ray Spex played a series of shows at the iconic CBGB club – famed for spawning such bands as The Ramones, Blondie, Television and Talking Heads to name but a few. Spending time in New York, the film reveals, Styrene was astonished by the huge prevalence of advertisements and consumerism. These themes were obviously prevalent within her lyrics (for instance, “It’s 1977 and we are going mad / It’s 1977 and we’ve seen too many ads”, from ‘Plastic Bag’). Many of the observations made in her diary entries, read aloud within this film, correctly predict how advertising has shaped or damaged the lives of people in the modern day. 

Thankfully, the documentary is not confined only to Styrene’s time with X-Ray Spex – though that section of her life is undoubtedly fascinating – it also deals with her childhood as one of the first waves of mixed raced children in the UK and how outcasted that caused Marianne to feel. The prevalent racist attitudes in the UK during 1960s and 70s with regard to the rise of the National Front and Enoch Powell’s infamous ‘Rivers of Blood’ hate speech are not often covered from a biracial perspective, however this documentary deals with the topic in a very informative way. It is an important story to be told in terms of the social history of the UK and is far too often glossed over. 

Her struggles with her own mental health, her unsuccessful (or rather: unappreciated) solo career, her dedication to the Hare Krishna movement, and her glorious early 00s comeback are all detailed within the film. Aside from being a story about a pioneering and gifted poet and lyricist, it is simply a very interesting and important story; the fact it is finally being told and Poly Styrene is finally receiving the credit she is due is a cause for rejoice. I am a Cliché is one of the most interesting and well put together music documentaries in recent time. If you are a fan of the band, feminism, music history or social history in general you will likely enjoy this film. As stated by Pauline Black in the film “The world is playing catch up with Poly Styrene, not the other way around”. 

The B-52’s: Pioneers of LGBTQI+ activism in the New Wave scene

Benjamin Forrest on 28 February 2021

The punk and new wave scene of the late 70’s and 80’s is often seen as dominated by the angry voices of straight white men. The bands from that era usually picked out by the mainstream music press would certainly reflect that theory. In 1976, however, a band formed in Athens, Georgia, over a fishbowl cocktail, that would go on to become, not just one of the greatest bands to come out of that scene, but one of the greatest LGBTQ bands in history. The B-52’s, over the course of their history, have created some of the most brilliantly original songs of the 20th Century. Borrowing from a plethora of genres such as doo-wop, surf, psychedelia and everything in-between, The B-52’s are a true original – which is pretty rare to find. 

The B-52’s are far too often viewed as a mere novelty band; judging the B-52’s solely on ‘Rock Lobster’ or ‘Love Shack’ (their most commercially successful singles) is like judging The Cure based only off ‘Boys Don’t Cry’, or writing off the entire Devo discography after listening to ‘Whip It’. Their first two albums, in particular, consist of some of the strongest tunes to come out of that era of New Wave music. From the high energy of ’52 Girls’, to the experimental fever dream of ‘Quiche Lorraine’, to the 50’s surf inspired ‘Give Me Back My Man’. Do yourself a favour: listen to a B-52’s album in its entirety – you will come out of that experience a better person.

Throughout their entire history (1976-present) the B-52’s have been fearlessly themselves, going against the grain of the punk scene which acted as the catalyst for their creation. The art school kids from Athens swapped mohawks for beehives, bondage trousers for vintage dresses, and it was all the more defiant. Their kitsch and campy sensibilities endeared themselves to LGBTQ audiences in a way which was not really seen by many other New Wave bands – at least, not the same extent. By the time they released their first album in 1979, ‘punk’ had become a conformist fashion trend, much of the new music being released had congealed into the same boring sound concerned with cliched macho adolescent anger. The B-52’s, however, never bought into those ideals to begin with – they were always unapologetically non-conformist. 

Four of the five original band members identified as being a part of the LGBTQ+ community, the band certainly embraced their sexuality, but they were never defined by it. In fact, vocalist, lyricist and player of the organ (mainly) Kate Pierson said they never considered themselves to be a “queer” band, “We just thought of ourselves as just plain queer — as in eccentric,” which might explain why the B-52’s are so criminally overlooked when exploring the history of LGBTQ within music. 

After losing founding member Ricky Wilson to health complications related to HIV/AIDS in 1985, the band took it upon themselves to spread awareness about the crisis, producing a public service announcement for AMFAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research) called ‘Art Against AIDS’ featuring a plethora of other notable artists of the time. The AIDS crisis was peaking during this time and the criminal treatment of the disease from Margaret Thatcher in the UK and Ronald Reagan in the US meant that very little was being done to curve the crisis. Even basic information on AIDS was still fairly scarce in 1987, homosexuality in general was often still seen as perverted or just generally wrong – you need only look at the headlines of The Sun newspaper around this time to distinguish just how bad thing were. The B-52’s, therefore, by standing up, speaking out against AIDS, and providing information to a countless number of people were doing an incredibly important service. 

The impact of the B-52’s on the LGBTQ community, and pop culture in general, is profound and long-lasting. More recently, fearlessly flamboyant frontman Fred Schneider appeared on two separate albums by Jinkx Monsoon, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 5. Iconic drag queen Juno Birch also recently shared a lip sync video of ‘Give Me Back My Man’ which is well worth your time. The history of the LGBTQ community and the history of the B-52’s are woven into each other, they definitely deserve more credit than being seen only as the creators of ‘Love Shack’. 

The B-52’s have always been, and should be remembered as, an indescribably incredible band who embraced, but were never defined by, their sexuality and have constantly supported the LGBTQ community and all those who identify with it. Pierson, speaking to Lesbian/Bisexual women’s publication AfterEllen, puts it best in the quote: “One of the things the B-52s wanted to accomplish was for people to embrace their difference and encourage people to be who they are and accept themselves.”. 

Leeds art-rock gurus Mush take on the current dystopia on new album Lines Redacted

Benjamin Forrest on 14 February 2021

Leeds-based art-rock indie guitar gurus Mush released their second full-length LP this month to much critical acclaim. The album was released on Memphis Industries, home of their Leeds contemporaries Menace Beach, which acts as a good indicator for the sheer quality of this release. Mush burst onto the radar of the music press in the run up to the release of their debut album 3D Routine in early 2020 and, despite the coronavirus pandemic, the band seem to be going from strength to strength and gathering momentum all the while. Lines Redacted follows on from October’s Yellow Sticker Hour EP and is the band’s first release since the tragic loss of guitarist Steven Tyson in December 2020. 

3D Routine was, in my mind, one of the greatest albums of 2020 thereby it would be tough for Lines Redacted to top it, but I dare say that the new album is the band’s finest work thus far. Mush have retained their trademark sound in terms of jangly guitars and lyrics critical of the current political landscape, yet their sound has clearly matured a great deal since the last album. The angry, and at times comedic, takes on the current state of affairs are backed up by one of the tightest bands around at the moment. One of my very few criticisms of their debut was a feeling of overproduction, if you listen to the 7” release of Gig Economy vs the album mix, for instance, the 7” version feels a lot rawer and more energetic – a feeling which was lacking on the album in my opinion. On Lines Redacted, however, I have no such criticisms, Lee Smith does a fantastic job of mixing these tracks. Smith had previously worked with Pulled Apart By Horses and The Cribs which obviously suggests Lines Redacted is purposely going for a more raw, loud and distorted style in comparison to the clean-cut sound of 3D Routine.

The tracks on Lines Redacted fluctuate between moods, there is certainly more variation in this album in comparison to the band’s previous works – from the upbeat Mush we all know and love on tracks like ‘Blunt Instruments’ and ‘Seven Trumpets’, to a much more mellow, melancholic atmosphere on the final track ‘Lines Discontinued’. The album, on the whole, feels much more mellifluous as opposed to the high-energy of previous songs such as ‘Revising My Fee’ for example. ‘Lines Discontinued’ is definitely the standout track on the album, a seven-and-a-half-minute masterpiece which encapsulates everything that is brilliant about Mush. The sudden changes in mood, the tongue-and-cheek lyrics and the absolute excellence of the guitar riffs – it is all present within this track. ‘Lines Discontinued’ only serves as a representation for just how incredible and versatile this band are. 

I was lucky enough to see Mush perform at the album launch of 3D Routine (before the world fell apart) and it simply blows you away to witness such a display of musical brilliance right in front of you – particularly on Lines Redacted, I think Mush have been able to replicate this perfectly within a studio setting. There are no other bands that spring to mind that are comparable to Mush currently, nobody else is doing what Mush are – at least not to the same scale or quality – they are beautifully original, innovative and they are sure to go down as one of the greatest independent bands produced by the city of Leeds. 

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets evolve on chaotic new album Shyga! The Sunlight Mound

Benjamin Forrest on 11 February 2021

When flicking through boxes of singles in a record store, people like me are often compelled to a band simply because of their name. In fact, I have discovered some of my favourite artists via this method, and Psychedelic Porn Crumpets are no exception. As you can likely deduce via the name, or the fact that they formed in an old horse barn after meeting each other through a shared drug dealer, that the Crumpets are a fairly ‘far out’ band. Their first studio album High Visceral (released in two parts) is brilliant explorations of grunge psychedelia, whilst their 2019 album And Now for the Whatchamacallit signified a transition more towards pop rock – though elements of their original sound remained, on tracks such as ‘Social Candy’. 

The Perth outfit’s latest offering Shyga! The Sunlight Mound feels very much like a continuation of their previous album, in terms of moving from a more hardcore, grungy, psychedelic sound to a style more consistent of indie rock. That being said, Shyga! blows the previous album out the water. It feels much more refined and perfected – incorporating elements of their early work whilst still creating a more pop-y sound – perhaps reminiscent of their Australian counterparts Tame Impala. Instead of feeling like the band have sold out their sound for more commercial success, though, it feels like this is simply an evolution in the sound of the band which, in my eyes, can only act as a positive thing going forwards – nobody needs another Catfish and the Bottlemen churning out the same album every few years. It is also important to note that the band exists on their own label, What Reality? Records and, I mean, their name is ‘Psychedelic Porn Crumpets’ – so I very much doubt the claims that the band are selling out their original sound for a more commercially viable record.

The album, from the first track onwards it is very energetic, fast-paced, and, at times, chaotic – most notably on tracks such as ‘Tripolasaur’. There is scarcely a chance to catch your breath, it is like racing through a tunnel of acid-induced hallucinations (much like in the beloved children’s film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory). The band reportedly have a broad range of influences from Led Zeppelin to the Mighty Boosh, both of which are identifiable within this album, with many tracks featuring guitar riffs which would not feel completely out of place on a 1970’s hard rock album. The latter half of the album, in particular, features some fantastically energetic adrenaline-shots, coming in the form of ‘Mundungus’ and ‘The Tale of Gurney Gridman’ which were a very welcome addition to the driving momentum present throughout the album. Shyga! admittedly delivers some very route-one indie pop songs on tracks like ‘Mr. Prism’ which, although not a bad song by any means, is disappointing from a standpoint of musical exploration and originality. Much of what the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets are doing on this album was being done by Menace Beach five years previous, so the Crumpets are not necessarily breaking new ground with Shyga! The Sunlight Mound. It does, however, show a maturing of their sound which often, on this album, results in some chaotically fun songs to listen to and I will still undoubtedly be revisiting this album throughout the year

Do biopics romanticise the lives of real people?

Hannah Spruce on 10 February 2021

Over the last few years biopics have dominated the cinema scene, with high budgets and eager audiences, the genre has seen continued box office success. Biopics of musicians have seen a particular rise in popularity, spurred by the success of Bohemian Rhapsody about the eccentric Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, which became the highest-grossing biographical film of all time.

By focusing on a real-life subject, the film has a guaranteed audience and established plotline. Alongside this, a musical biopic has the marketability of a successful soundtrack. However, despite their commercial success biopics have been criticised for being motivated by profit and lacking substance. Quentin Tarantino has stated that biopics were ‘just big excuses for actors to win Oscars’ in response to their increasing prevalence. Even beyond a directorial perspective, the genre is often criticised by the devoted fans who have followed the lives and careers of these celebrities. When condensing the lives of such well-known figures, there is a tendency to underplay or overemphasise certain elements to produce the most engaging storyline.

The allure of stars like Freddie Mercury and John Lennon is not always enough to guarantee a captivating sequence of events, therefore drama often needs to be cultivated for the sake of viewership. Nowhere Boy, a biopic detailing the teenage years of John Lennon, suggests a complicated and uncomfortably intimate relationship between Lennon and his mother Julia. Similarly, Bohemian Rhapsody has been criticised for its flexible chronology and convoluted depictions of Mercury’s relationship with Jim Hutton, Paul Prenter and Mary Austin.

A recent source of controversy is the upcoming film Stardust, which details the life of David Bowie. The film was not approved by Bowie’s estate and does not contain any of his music, which resulted in many fans not supporting the film’s production. Although David Bowie is a celebrity, his life is not guaranteed personal property, which raises questions surrounding the integrity of these films. In comparison, Queen band members Brian May and Roger Taylor served as consultants on Bohemian Rhapsody and for Rocketman Elton John and his husband David Furnish were producers. It could be argued that such direct involvement encourages a level of self-indulgence or bias in the way events are depicted, but it ensures that any significant changes were approved. 

Consultation seems necessary when dealing with recent celebrities, however, when exploring the lives of historical figures, it becomes more complicated. The audience is less likely to recognise historical inconsistencies, meaning the film could perpetuate false ideas or assumptions. With historical biopics, there is a desire to romanticise a forgotten era of history and humanize previously elusive figures. Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette combines these factors, by merging modern features with a historical landscape. The lavish colours and set design deviates from historical accuracy. Depictions of historical figures such as Marie Antoinette can be more flexible to a higher extent than modern musicians due to the lack of personal claim over their stories. However, the people in biopics can easily become caricatures, which should be considered when evaluating their role and actions within these films

Ultimately, biopics should not be constrained to follow a specific timeline unless claiming to be historically accurate. Most biopics use a level of creative licencing to meet time constraints, without detriment to the person or the story that is being conveyed. However, when using unsubstantiated or fabricated events, it is the duty of the filmmaker to ensure a divide between the authentic and genuine.

Whole Lotta Red: Playboi Carti at his most experimental

Hemma Daddral on 3 February 2021

A Christmas gift to his fans, Playboi Carti delivered the much-awaited Whole Lotta Red. Executively produced by Kanye West, the 25-track, hour long EP boasts vampy, experimental beats to accompany Carti’s infamous baby voice and his almost undecipherable ‘cartinese’. 

With a cult-like fanbase under his belt despite only two previous official albums, Playboi Carti’s promise to deliver excellence on his third EP to his fans was highly anticipated – the hype was heightened by weeks of missed release dates and endless snippet teasing on Twitter.

Opening with ‘Rockstar Made’, the tone for the album is set – aggressive, violent and undeniably manic. Despite the initial hype built in the song, its repetitive chanting of ‘never too much’ 40 times becomes tired and lags behind. However, the album is lifted back up on the next track ‘Go2DaMoon’, which sees a Kanye West verse stealing the show. 

Though momentum slowly builds through mosh-pit, rager tunes like ‘Stop Breathing’ and ‘M3tamorphosis’ (featuring legendary Kid Cudi hums), the album lags in its middle section. Carti fails to maintain the punk, high-energy atmosphere, leaving songs like ‘Teen X’ and ‘Meh’ feeling repetitive, drab and tired. Though a typical Playboi Carti album is not famed for its lyricism but rather its beats, these songs are almost unbearable: ‘Meh’ makes you endure Carti whining over a weak, mismatched beat. 

However, towards the end of the album, there is a glimmer of hope for us Carti fans hoping for something slightly resembling the ‘old’ sound. ‘New N3on’, a previously leaked song, makes a surprise appearance, restoring faith. This paired with Pi’erre Bourne produced ‘Place’, ‘ILoveYouIHateYou’ and Art Dealer guest spots on ‘Sky’ and ‘Over’ is reminiscent of Carti’s second album Die Lit – closing the album with nostalgia that we crave after enduring numerous misses on the album. 

Filled with highs and lows, Whole Lotta Red is a polarising album. Though the second half seems to make up for the disappointing run of tracks in its first half, Playboi Carti could have delivered a much more conceptual, sequenced body of work – especially since fans have been waiting for weeks on end. Despite this, Whole Lotta Red is not bad by all means. Carti is at his most experimental sonically, pushing the boundaries of mainstream, standard rap that occupies the charts.

Pom Poko release weird and wonderful second album Cheater

Benjamin Forrest on 2 February 2021

January saw the release of Cheater, the second full-length LP by Oslo’s finest art punk outfit Pom Poko. The album was released via Bella Union, an independent record label operated by Simon Raymonde of the Cocteau Twins – so, inherently, anything put out on Bella Union must be worth a listen. In a similar vain to Cocteau Twins, Pom Poko have managed to create their own weird, wonderful and distinctive sound which really comes into its own within their latest offering.

Their 2019 single ‘Leg Day’ gained airplay on radio stations such as BBC 6Music, and the band were fairly high up on the bill for Live at Leeds 2020 (which obviously did not go ahead). Pom Poko seem to be on the cusp of breaking into the mainstream of alternative music, and if this record does not tip them over the edge then there is no justice in the world. Every track is so perfectly crafted and yet simultaneously chaotic you cannot help but stop in amazement about what your ears are actually hearing. The melodic siren song vocals of lead singer Ragnhild Fangel are backed up by a vicious menagerie of noise and distortion reminiscent of an acid trip at a Mudhoney show – it shouldn’t work, but it does. 

The name Pom Poko comes from a 90’s Studio Ghibli film in which mythical creatures with shape-changing abilities use their supernatural powers in order to combat the urban development threatening their forest home. To an extent, I think that is a good representation of the band in terms of them using all their outlandish and unusual musical devices to combat the banal, grey, commercialised nature of so much of the music being released as of late. Pom Poko are determined to prove there is still a place for originality and experimentation in music. 

Cheater fluctuates between moods, from the dreamy almost-dreampop atmosphere created on ‘Andrew’ and ‘Body Level’, to the out-and-out punk chaos of ‘Andy Go to School’ and ‘Look’ yet, weirdly, it never feels jarring when listening in the context of the album. ‘Curly Romance’ is perhaps the best example of how Pom Poko are able to effortlessly switch moods, often abruptly, even within the same song. Listening to this album is like being caught up in a whirlwind except it is simply euphoric and, for want of a better word, fun. ‘Like a Lady’ is the standout track on Cheater as it sums up, for me, everything that the band means, as well as being a perfect development upon their previous work – it blows ‘Leg Day’ out of the water, despite how utterly incredible that song is. 

The band put their uniquely explosive sound down to a clash of their ‘jazz school training and experimental leanings’, and if jazz school incorporates even a fraction of the tumultuous debauchery present on Cheater, then sign me up! 

Pom Poko are set to play the Community Room at Brudenell Social Club in September, and I am looking froward to witnessing their rapturous chaos firsthand. 

Remembering Sam Cooke, the King of Soul

Benjamin Forrest on 9 December 2020

Sam Cooke was undeniably one of the most well-known and influential artists in mid-20th Century America. Rising to fame singing in the gospel group The Soul Stirrers in the early 1950’s before starting an incredibly successful solo career in 1957, Cooke is often hailed as the ‘King of Soul’. Cooke’s success laid the way for soul legends such as Aretha Franklin, Al Green and Marvin Gaye (among countless others) and the influence of Cooke cannot be underestimated within the general history of popular music. His beauteous, effortlessly emotive touched the lives of millions and remains popular to this day, with artists such as Beyoncé covering his work. 

Enjoying much commercial success in the late 50’s, with singles such as ‘You Send Me’, ‘I’ll Come Running Back to You’ and ‘Wonderful World’ gaining a lot of traction in the charts, as Cooke moved into the 1960’s the rise of the Civil Rights Movement inevitably had an influence on Cooke’s work. His greatest work ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ became an anthem for the Civil Rights movement  and was performed for the first and only time of the Tonight Show in February 1964. The song expresses a melancholic hopefulness regarding African American rights, rather than expressing outright anger as many songs of the time did. 

Whilst this politicisation of his music  lost him the support of many white listeners, the issue of Civil Rights was something Cooke was unable to ignore any longer. The events of Little Rock in 1957, the 1961 Freedom Rides, 1963 March on Washington, among other vital events on the timeline of the Civil Rights movement, had caused many African American musicians to become politicised within their music – perhaps most notably Nina Simone and ‘Mississippi Goddamn’ (released 1964). Music as a form of political protest was not a new idea, especially within the issue of Civil Rights, Billie Holiday released ‘Strange Fruit’ in 1939 which was not only an amazing song but also perhaps the first time protest music had been popular since the marching songs of the Civil War. 

The legacy of ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ lives on – the song has been covered by a plethora of legendary artists including Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Lizzo and Beyoncé. The lyrics were even referenced by President Barack Obama after his victory in the 2008 Presidential Election. 

December 11th, 2020 marks 56 years since Cooke’s death, which is still viewed by many as a great injustice. Cooke was shot to death in a sleazy Los Angeles motel by hotel manager and pimp, Bertha Franklin, after an alleged altercation with a 22-year-old woman, Elisa Boyer,  who was later found out to have a record of prostitution. After just a 2-hour inquest into his death, it was ruled justifiable and Franklin was not charged. Whether Cooke had attacked or been violent with either Franklin or Boyer we will never know, but either way you spin it, it is evident that Cooke’s death was not of much note to the LAPD. As boxing icon, and personal friend of Cooke, Muhammed Ali said “If Cooke had been Frank Sinatra, The Beatles or Ricky Nelson the FBI would be investigating…and that woman would be sent to prison”. The facts that Franklin had a record for pimping, and Boyer had been arrested for prostitution were not even known by the LAPD at the time, because they simply did not bother to check – the entire case was open and shut within 2 hours, showing to many that the LAPD simply did not care. Justice was not served. Cooke, in their eyes, was just another dead black man. Furthermore, these attitudes seemingly have not changed within America: Run DMC’s Jam Master Jay, Tupac, and the Notorious B.I.G. were all murdered and none of their murders have ever been solved, largely due to a lack of effort to solve them. These injustices are indicative of the extent of racism within the United States; it does not matter who you are, or how successful you have become, you are just another dead black man to the Police and the courts. 

Nevertheless, Sam Cooke’s spirit lives on through his music, which sounds just as good today as it would have done 60 years ago, the soulfulness of Cooke’s music transcends time and his voice will never grow old. Rightfully hailed as the King of Soul, Cooke still acts as a beacon of hope for anybody and everybody still determined that “a change gonna come”. 

How Griselda are effortlessly dominating 2020

Hemma Daddral on 19 November 2020

Instantly recognisable for their bravado and famed ad-libs, the Buffalo trio navigate stardom through heavy, luxurious beats and some of their best lyricism to date. Hemma Daddral tracks their 2020 releases.

Pray for Paris. 

Opening with a sample drawn from the auction of Leonardo DaVinci’s Salvatore Mundi, Westside Gunn lets his audience know the atmosphere of the album from the outset. Decadence rings throughout the sound that Gunn harnesses, his presence undeniable as he boasts his Gatsby-esque lifestyle.

This is Gunn at his most confident, lyrics such as “Clothes from Fifth Ave, broke it, I got rich fast” layered on top of opulent Conductor Williams’ beat on ‘Euro Step’ establish Westside Gunn’s self-assurance in his flair. The impressive guestlist of respectable artists such as Tyler, the Creator, Wale, Freddie Gibbs and his Griselda counterparts fit perfectly into the 13-track album, giving each guest the spotlight whilst maintaining his own flair throughout. 

Burden of Proof.

Produced entirely by the famed and respected Hit-Boy, Benny the Butcher’s solo project proves his rightful spot alongside Conway and Gunn in Griselda. Reflecting on his beginnings as a drug dealer juxtaposed with the lavish fruition of fame creates an immersive insight for the listener into the world of the Buffalo collective.

On ‘Where Would I Go’, Benny boasts “It’s on my wrist and as well as my hip, it’s cold metal” – a single line that exemplifies the lifestyle that we briefly become privy to when listening to Burden of Proof. Once again, Benny is joined by his Griselda counterparts on ‘War Paint’ and other familiar faces Rick Ross and Freddie Gibbs contribute throughout, respectively.

With the help of Hit-Boy, Burden of Proof sees Benny at his most experimental lyrically, creating a sonically immersive body of work.

From King to a God. 

Known for his slurred yet sharp voice as a result of his Bell’s Palsy, Conway the Machine delivers hard-hitting, gritty tales from the streets of Buffalo on his latest album. Conway’s bravado steals the show on the LP, occupying an undeniable presence with the backdrop of star-studded production: notably the Alchemist and Mobb Deep’s Havoc. Conway shared with Pitchfork that he “wanted to showcase versatility and show people that [he’s] not a one trick pony”. From King to a God sees an undeniable shift in Conway’s style, moving away from 90’s, New York influenced sound and seeking validation from a larger audience.

Despite this, Conway bags a heavy Method Man verse on ‘Lemon’, as Meth is ever confident: “Gave you permission to speak? To learn, you listen. Learn to listen to a different MC, you’ll learn the difference”. Though Conway wishes to evolve from his classic, gritty style, he still emulates the influence of those who built him thus far. ‘Spurs 3’ is a shining moment on the album as he, Cousin Benny the Butcher and brother Westside Gunn transport back to the early days of Griselda, giving fans a sense of nostalgia. 

These three standout projects exemplify the consistency of quality that the trio are able to achieve. With 8 years of experience as a collective, Griselda’s musical contribution to 2020 has been nothing less than an uphill climb, proving their legacy in the genre.