Soul Clap : Influences

Herbie Hancock has always been a leader in synth explorations. Way back in 1974 he was already experimenting with Arps on Thrust (http://www.discogs.com/Herbie-Hancock-Thrust/master/47917), one of our favorite Hancock albums and highly recommended listening for mornings when your mind is fully open (we listened to it on repeat during our last days at The Marcy Hotel). By 1984 when this video was made he’d dropped the electro/hip-hop classic “Rockit” and here he takes his good friend Quincy Jones through some of this collection. There’s some amazing jamming on there and then at 5:35 Hancock explains his philosophy on synths, “a synthesizer can be a tool to hurt peoples ears and interfere with their lives or a tool to make a really nice sounding instrument to effect people in a positive way.”

If you ever want to be blown away by history’s greatest combinations of ego and creative genius, then look no further than 1980’s interviews with Miles Davis. Here, Miles appears wearing leather pants, a gold lame jacket (courtesy of Issey Miyake) and some future aviators which cover the solar flares and supernovas that are most likely exploding behind his eyes. This interview is loaded from the start, there is almost no worse combination of characters than these two. Bill Boggs is far to white-bread, multiplied by Miles being Miles, its just a train wreck. Things then turn from bad to worse around 23:15, where Boggs brings out some young aspiring trumpet players who look about as nervous as it gets to perform before Miles. Of course Miles gives them that tough love and you can see these kids crumble on national tv. The first three contestants are black kids, the fourth is a white “kid” because actually he’s about 10 years older. He gets up and does his thing and he’s got some skills and then you start to realize that whoever produced this television show is just a racist! Miles, wherever you’re at, sorry you had to put up with all that!

Growing up in the 90s few musicians transcended both genre and race like the Beastie Boys. We’re probably a bit biased since we’re jews they’re jews etc etc, but damn they’re some entertainers. The 90s was also a really exciting time for music videos, something about that art form was still really pure and unexplored. That’s why Sabotage was such a big moment. The Beasties appear in character (as they often did) as these bad 80s TJ Hooker vice cops on some sort of adrenaline overdosed drug bust that lasts the entire 3 min of the video. I dont think there’s really any singing or dancing going on, but holy crap this is a great video! For some added fun, check out Beavis & Buttheads commentary here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2-SMZQRgZ4

I remember sitting on my friend George’s couch and seeing MTV’s amp for the first time in 1996. I had been getting into electronic music and hearing about raves, but hadn’t actually really been exposed to the culture yet. Hearing this futuristic music juxtaposed with out-there visuals was when i realized I had to be a part of this culture. It really is worth exploring all the AMP videos on youtube for a history lesson, but it also still feels so fresh and future to this day.

Back in middle school, I used to buy all the DMC videos on VHS and study them for hours. At the time of his winning set in 1995 Roc Raida was the pinnacle of turntablism and his innovative juggles and body tricks were second to none. Then I got to high school and me (DJ Elyte) and my crew of DJ Rook and DJ Edge would get together with 3 turntables and 3 mixers and try to do routines like Raida’s crew in NYC the X-Men (later they got sued and became the X-Ecutioners). It was a huge loss when Raida passed in 2011, but I still listen to his X-Men mixtape (https://soundcloud.com/vthom/dj-roc-raida-the-x-men-1996-mixtape) and reminisce about bumping it on my walkman riding the bus to school.

Remember when clubbing was all about getting dressed up in your bubble goose jackets, lacing up your timberlands, and just looking hard as fuck? You’d sit around with your homies sorting through poorly designed flyers until you found your destination and then head out on the streets of New York with 40 Oz’s in hand. When you’d reach the club you’d polish off the 40 Oz and then shatter it on the concrete at the bouncers feet and wonder why he wont let you in. So then you’d move on to the next club, buzzed, pissed and feeling ever harder than you did before. At the next destination the bouncer, realizing you look like (and are) trouble deny’s you again, so you get mouthy, which results in a beat down! Damn, why aren’t things going your way?!?!?! Finally, after some sulking on the street corner you decide the only way to take back the night is to bum rush security and to get your way. IT WORKS AND YOUR IN! And lo-and-behold you’re now covered with skanky chicks that just wanna find out whats underneath that Ecko Sweatshirt. AHHH NO WONDER they didn’t want you in the club, you’re so super-fly that these girls can’t control themselves and its making it no fun for the OTHER patrons who are actually paying for their cover and drinks. Shame on you Armand, your 90s rave-thug swagger has given you an unfair advantage! Oh and thank you for this anthem, it really doesnt gets better than this!

Actually seeing P-Funk land the mothership during the 1970’s must have been about as sensational and awe inspiring as it gets. In this clip, former band member Glen Goins (RIP) opens the heavens with a voice that will brings tears to our eyes every time. Its the calm before the storm, something sweet and vulnerable before the thunder and lightening that consumes the stage as the mothership descends, portals open and Star Child, Dr Funkenstein himself, George Clinton stands tall before the screaming crowd! Rumor has it he imported his stylist from the constellation Orion.

WTF is this anyways, so many stories we’ve heard, like someone locked in a closet on acid just free associating all this genius. Whatever it is, this non-sense made its way into our everyday vernacular for a least a few years when it dropped back in 2006. 18 million you tube viewers can’t be wrong… Tom Noble, can you please explain?