2K
Be Priv
CTRL
Flud Watches
Glamour Kills Clothing
Gold Coin Clothing
Kid Kandi
Lazy Oaf
Linty Fresh
Pyknic
Stay Real
Terratag
The Loots
Two In The Shirt (TITS)
Wrongwroks
Its been a while and as ever things move pretty fast but l've been taking some time to look around lately (the more observant of you will see l need to give that back to John Hughes...SAVE FERRIS.) Everything has been on the back burner for a while l try figure out the next step and the direction l want to take things. Nothing's really set in stone or even a foundation put together but l got lists so l suppose l got a blue print of what is to come and how l'm going to evolve things...l dont like the word change anymore, it sounds like your scraping things an starting...evolve gives the impression of progress and improvement not back tracking...which this definitely isnt.
Anyways im not going to bore you all going on about that when l have a list of content and things that l have been looking at, working with and taking inspiration from.First and foremost l guess has been the World Cup...People got involved almost consumed by the impossible dream of England actually doing well or okay...SUCKERS.
If we could create that kind of atmosphere and tension around other issues even divert the money we wasted buying strips, flags, stupid hats...those horns...we might have turned africa into the next china...on the subject of those horns when England played their first match if you were one of those "people" l'm using the term very carefully and you walked past bar and grill you know the kind of up market restaurant in the square by the station with the fountains between 4-9pm...l hope something bad happens to you and when you wake up in hospital someone is blowing one of those horns in your ear...peace and love though. l really didn't care to much about the world cup its hard to get excited about something that has the same rhythm every time, we all know it early it starts with us leaving early usually before our side gets the try the mints in the hotel, inevitably a team that actually deserves to wins and we all go home...sorry l got bored writing about it.
Maestro though gave us football coverage from the Adi-Cup and followed the tournament around the world l will let you check the videos.
Tour De Maestro - NYC from levi maestro on Vimeo.
Tour De Maestro - TOKYO from levi maestro on Vimeo.
Tour De Maestro - BERLIN from levi maestro on Vimeo.
Tour De Maestro - LONDON from levi maestro on Vimeo.
Tour De Maestro - The FINAL from levi maestro on Vimeo.
The next video is for the brand In4mants as they release their 4th G-Shock collection. The Picture above thats Maestros new custom board made by informants...IN JAPAN.
The Traveling IN4MANTS from levi maestro on Vimeo.
This is all going to be a big mix of cool branding advertising and generally fun stuff sorry if none of it seems to flow or make sense but its all pretty DOPE.
Lets start with Debonair's new packaging and branding its a pretty clean cut and modern twist on what is essentially a very classic and refined item the cigar.
Daft Punk had a redesign and possibly their best look, but that isnt the sole point of this it is a design project from Julius Santiago. The Project is called King Panpan it is 365 images one for every day of the year. It started earlier this year and Julius is looking for ideas so you can make suggestions on his twitter. Check out the progress here.
Andreas Heikaus this guy will be doing big things he created this Super Mario Film for this Bachelor thesis at university and it picked up all kinds of heat getting more the 500,000 unique views in a week. l will let the man himself do the hows and whys but its work to admire.
Super Mario Bros. from Andreas Heikaus on Vimeo.
Super Mario Bros. on a Sidewalk - Making Of from Andreas Heikaus on Vimeo.
Shine Advertising dressed up a pocket knife they used as a mailer to send to their clients for promotional purposes. This packaging is made using Letterpress which is quite an old but legitimate technique and produces as you can see amazing results. That piece of card around the box goes through the printer seven times, six color presses and a letterpress matrix score.
WOW. Is all l can say when l saw this and started to consider the magnitude of how big this project most have been to organise choreograph and put together its very long but so worth the watch.
BIG BANG BIG BOOM - the new wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.
Some more branding and this is the stuff l like the extra mile kind of packaging that you see now and then. Its only ketchup everyone uses it everyone has it but its something that is so mundane its design and its visual appeal get marginalised which is probably the way to go keep cost downs the and more the simple and uniform the design the easier it is to get out there. Sir Kensington's have simply pushed the boat out look at his packaging its all type face and retro images but it look amazing.
Jeremy Scott 2.0 they look amazing way better than the first no more blowing hot air up his ass he probably knows hes killed it too.
Pics T-Shirt innovation is limited but occasionally people kill it like this. The use of simple thread and a bit of extra stitching provides esstenially a 3D and tangible element to the T-Shirt that is also useable its an interesting concept.
Bosch yes Bosch its like when l do a post on dyson its boring but this is cool their new advertising for their freezers takes a play on prehistoric meat illustration quiet effectively the longevity of their new freezing equipment and it gets the point across really well.
Here it is DYSON killed it again the Air Multiplier and l have seen one in action its amazing. As a design house you really cany fault them at all and everyone of their products is a revolution or a decent evolution from the existing products on the market.Not going to lie no idea how it works just like it.
Got an ipad wanted a 3G one didnt want to sign a hefty contract with shit rates...SOLUTION the micro sim cutter. You insert a regular sim and it removes the chip to make it micro size then you simple pop it back into place yo make it complete again...ideal for those who already own an say own an iphone and have 3G on that.
This is a project by Nils Guadagnin and its uses a mix of magnets and lazers that keep the board levitated but its an interesting bit of work.
HOVERBOARD - NILS GUADAGNIN from nils guadagnin on Vimeo.
MTV launched somes ads for the world cup this was my favorite.
I know l hated on the World Cup earlier but boston.com did an amazing feature using images from the games check it out here.
A friend of mine Mike Sholly showed me this today its the reinvention and branding of OLD SPICE and its pretty cool.
Want some music?
Drakes back and after that tragic track he put out l dont even remember the name Kanye had a hand in it...it was quite simply SHIT. Thankfully its back to old tricks with Do It All and hopefully a return to point with the prospect of a new mixtape No More Thank You's and if it goes anything like so far gone and sounds as good as this track drake's gona make another million before his second album.
Earlier he released 3 more tracks and the eagerly awaited you know you know track produced by yeezy and its better than the first attempt that all l can say get them here.
Rai Knight made a video for New New. Im not sure why l like her but shes seems to have a good flow the videos a bit annoying and cliche in places but whatever the tracks good. Her new Track Piviotal is dope just simple summer flow check it here.
DOM's back with a video for 1997 the standout track from, From The Westside With Love, and its pretty clean l dont really get the concept but the track reigns through.
Kid Cudi is back with the Video for ALL SUMMER, the video has a really cool look with formed oversized head its really legit check it out.
Heres some skate...of sorts.
Tim and Eric - Roger of the Month Mar 2010 - Outro Video from Roger Skateboards on Vimeo.
So Maestro's back on the case and as ever I'm super late telling you about it...In this episode we get alot packed into it, first up were with Estevan Oriol as they visit Patrick Martinez's studio downtown he's one of LAs up and coming underground artists. Take a quick trip to do a shoot with Nylon Mexico a 10 page spread. Then meet up with Geoff Rowley (FLIP) as they celebrate the release of his newest signature Vans. All this before 4pm now thats using a day to its full potential.
Maestro Knows - Episode 7 (Estevan Oriol & Geoff Rowley) from Maestro Knows on Vimeo.
Also how this escaped my notice l dont know, but its the MAESTRO KNOWS SEASON 2 MIXTAPE.
if you want some proof on Patrick Martinez here a time lapse done for acclaim magazine.
blow up status: patrick martinez from Patrick Martinez on Vimeo.
Suppose the next biggest thing was the volcano that decided it was time to blow up. it warranted a situation for some amazing photography...also put half the world at a stand still but lets not focus on that and look at the cool pictures...
Here's the entire gallary.
Eyjafjallajökull is the time lapse video done by Sean Stiegemeier. It documents the effect of the ash cloud over iceland and towns near the eruption.
WOOOOOOW.
The making of Ephemicropolis from Peter Root on Vimeo.
Benedict Radcliffe was recently commissioned by nike to create something for the space outside the 1948 store in Shoreditch. The Nike Air Max 90 sculpture was created built out of a wire frame. He will be releasing a book about the project later in the year.
This is kind of boring but l found it kind of interesting LIGHT BLUBS...yeh l know boring right but Philips just whipped the lid off their new scheme to revolutionise the world. Its a 12watt replacement for the traditional 60 watt bulb. Its built using LEDs and is said to have a life span of 25 years. its small but if you think about how crap most energy saving bulbs are this could be a real winner.
Hypebeast dropped this video on Edison Chen (CLOT) as he discusses the different between eastern and western fashion and streetware on the whole. Hes is also chilling with Eddie Cruz in La Brea as he goes through the process and the differences between the fashion on both sides of the ocean.
Straddling East and West: Edison Chen from hypebeast.tv on Vimeo.
Keeping inline with clothes and design Winners Circle dropped this video about the creation of a T-shirt from concept to market place. Its a pretty interesting look at how it all happens if not a bit over simplified.
Making of a t-shirt from Treats Club on Vimeo.
Crooks made some dope flash drives taking the shape of AK-47 bullets you can get them here.
iPads are coming soon and damn if they aren't expensive but people are creating cool accessories for them like this the iCade. its really on useful with one app an old school arcade simulator but it does look pretty fun. Im just not sure it validates the high prices when you put it next to a base MacBook and being serious your not going to by a 16gig one thats iphone standard. So its really 64 or nothing and a £500+ price tag as you'll want 3G on it so add £10-20 a month and basically you just signed up for a 20 year olds version of a mortgage.
The ClamCase looks cool with a built in keyboard that doubles up as a stand but again the questions beckons why not just buy a macbook...
Suppose you cant do this on a macbook...
Been on a movie binge lately and l got to say if your Newcastle local start showing the Tyneside Cinema some love...this place has it worked out no chavs, kids firing spit balls, pre pubescent teens getting freaky in the corner, just opulent surroundings and you can drink while you watch a movie, really what more do you want? Monday nights seem pretty dope its student night (boo hoo if your not a student you should have a job so get over it) its super cheap £3.50 movies cheap beer and like l said some of the best surroundings in the city. They do special events like cult classic screening l caught the Lost Boys last week i think terminator and Robocop are coming up and we all know everything is better on the big screen.
One movie everyone needs to see is Four Lions it looks incredible heres the trailer.
The next thing for people in Newcastle is The Canteen & Bar. This place is a real gem in the city its at the bottom of Clayton Street nearer digital than the O2. Swing by at some point its open Tuesday-Saturday that confused me at the start but you get used to it. It's worth the trek the Food amazing, the Milkshakes are made with ice cream none of that powder non sense, and the cake is DOPE like really good. Its got it all GO NOW.
Incase im losing your attention heres something to get your attention back l might be speaking mainly to the male section of my audience but l am pretty sure we all might agree this is best advert you've seen in a long time.
Super Sexy CPR from Super Sexy CPR on Vimeo.
Lets be honest this might actually save someones life and your not going to forget this in a hurry, Fortnight killed it.
Its also BBQ season again and l have a thing about clever design so wall mounting your BBQ just seems a dope idea especially if your short on space or living in a city centre location and dont have room to store/have a full size BBQ.
This one is made by focus and looks pretty good open and closed.
This is a concept from David Bruno & Tony Seymore. Its pretty dope and im surprised someone hasn't come up with this sooner but essentially its a wallet that tells you the balance on your Oyster card. This is a real problem l hate overdrawing my oyster card or getting caught at the barrier and then having to explain "l have no idea how this whole system works l just continually put money on it and never know what l'm paying or when its going to run out. Then this happens and we have to have this crap conversation l miss the tube and you waste your time." It's all a bit annoying so this is kind of the solution you'll always know where you are with this.
Heres the site they are actually in talks in TfL now so hit the like link on their facebook page to show your support for the idea and the product.
Music...I've been listening to alot of stuff recently Flux Pavillion and Breakage stopped by Cosmic and they went hard.
Here's a mix by Flux Pavillion.
This is Breakages Radio 1 Essential mix.
Drake is back to his old self with miss me...not sure if this is better than Over been some debate in my camp about it...but this is my blog so l think it is. Sounds like old drake from when he first came out.
Rai Knight dropped this new song im still unsure about her after post man, but it all sounds good on this track hopefully there will be more to come.
SKATE?...YEH, OKAY...
Its been a while since the last post...by a while l mean 2 months...call it a serious lack of motivation or my efforts diverted to other things either way l'm getting back to it and putting this next post together as always its going to be a long read so l will appologise in advance! Im also breaking a massive rule of the internet and posting things late espeically two months so if this is all old news feel free to glaze over it and send me and email telling me how shit my time keeping is...good...yeh sweet...
l have spent most the day doing this and spent the rest trying to keep it as relevant as possible, so hopefully it will work and l have managed to shorten this enough to be bearable.
I usually wait till Maestro drops a video and start the post with something l know you'll enjoy but a lost laptop and a busy schedule changed the routine. Not to say that nothing has been going on either, Maestro has a new website and it's pretty dope! check it out here.
Maestro in my absence has got some new videos up and also celebrated 1 year of doing what hes been doing from the first Air Yeezy episode all that time ago. Its amazing to see how the show has developed and Maestro within himself changes through out the show.
Maestro Knows - Episode 1 (Nike Air Yeezy) from Maestro Knows on Vimeo.
Back to the present well as close as l can get you were in Hawaii. Yeh l know if you didnt believe Maestro was living the dream here's the proof etched in stone. Check him out as he goes to the Pipe Line Masters and takes a trip to In4mations Hawaii store.
"I used to listen to the Beach Boys sing about this place"
Maestro Knows - Episode 5 (Hawaiian Vacation) from Maestro Knows on Vimeo.
Next Up we got what could be one of best Maestro knows episodes in terms of people and things that are relevant to me as we goes to visit Johnny Cupcakes in Boston. If you didn't know l'm huge Johnny Cupcakes fan, everything he does is so well orchestrated an put together from this stores to his designs to his packaging its all legitimate. Im not sure there are many if any other brands that put so much into giving back to the customer and ensuring they get a little extra with every purchase but Johnny Cupcakes is out there pushing the envelope at every turn. Check out his blog and website to keep up to date and check out the back story if you dont know it already HERE.
Maestro Knows - Episode 6 (Johnny Cupcakes) from Maestro Knows on Vimeo.
Maestro has also turned his hand to lecturing at school and the first stop is Las Vegas where Levi grew up. The video was shot by Scott Regan.
"l do what l love, and l dont let people tell me l can't do it"
Levi Maestro Speaks at Schools from Scott Regan on Vimeo.
I'd like to introduce you to Alexi Wasser the owner and voice behind IMBOYCRAZY.
Im not sure what to describe the blog as whether its an agony aunt sort of situation or just Alexi bitching about life and love life but whatever it is it makes me laugh. The articles are all relevant in a hilarious way, you read through things and either relate or find yourself thinking what the fuck...i do that...I'm a freak.
Follow her on twitter. RSS the blog just get involved it's worth it.
I dont usually make posts about cars and other such things seems a bit cliche maybe to much of a "lad" thing to do might as well start posting pictures of me downing drinks and funneling drinks on my knees...yeh fuck that...
But these 3 cars just look astounding.
Summer is kind of coming at us quickly well not that you would know but were in April already times flying by! But summer means one thing for me other than shorts...WATER GUNS and this one looks pretty ill its automatic...
This caught my eye cant even remember how l stumbled upon it but its pretty cool its an 8 bit rendering of NYC done by Brett Camper and it looks pretty cool.
Kamimodel.com have created a series of new paper models that are pretty cool check them out here.
On something of the same vein l have a weird attraction to old tin robot models and these pillows are super dope probably more appropriate for kids room but that hasnt stopped me buying half the crap l own...
Daizi Zheng created this "stereotype Packaging" taking things like Cigarette packets and replacing them with carrot stick and Houmous, Fries with cellary you get the idea a pretty good pun and play on modern culture.
This is the commercial for the Diamond x Hall of Fame "Un=Polo" pack. It was made by Danny Lee and its Super DOPE.
It couldn't go without mentioning but this whole HBO "How To Make it in America" Show, l havn't seen any of it yet but l hear only good things, this is the first episode l have seen "The Get By Making it on the Streets of NYC" It runs arounf 20 mins so your in for a watch but its a pretty good look into to the East coast skate scene and how its differs entirely to the West.
Brand RMX had the oppurtunity to shit in and get a look at Jeff Staple's foundations and how he works. If you dont know Jeff is one of the most influential faces in streetware today being the founder and creative director of Staple Design.
Brand RMX : EPISODE 2 pt 1/2 from R+I creative on Vimeo.
Brand RMX : EPISODE 2 pt 2/2 from R+I creative on Vimeo.
Musics been passing me by too finally sat down and had a catch up though l have had the good fortune to see Borgore and Bar 9 in Newcastle...If you dont know these guys it was possibly the illest 2 hours of dubstep l have ever experienced...
Borgore - Love
Borgore - Cry Me a River
Borgore - Foes (18BIT Remix)
Borgore - Passion Pit - Sleepyhead (Borgore Remix)
Up until now Andre was new to me but l downloaded his EP "Summer School" and its pretty good 11 tracks and some good production download and preview it here.
Possibly the most important bit of music to come out for a little while is Dom Kennedy's new Album "From The Westdside With Love" This will be his last free album trawl the blog to find the old stuff its all here and some pretty essential rap if you don't have it.
You can download the album HERE and dont forget to keep up to date at DOPE ITS DOM
Here's Dom talking on the album and some of the songs.
Dom Kennedy Talks From West Side W/ Love from Decatur Dan on Vimeo.
Drake has come back with some slow tracks before the release of thank me later and they kind of work...there's an evident lack of auto tune to which is refreshing.
Drake - Shut it Down
Drake - Fall For Your Type
Steve Aoki seems to have this desire to mess with Drake and Cudder tracks with mixed results and reviews, this is the new one and im not sure about it but l thought why not let you make your own minds up.
Kid Cudi - Pursuit of Happiness (Steve Aoki Remix)
You all don't need me to give you the blurb on Maestro watch and learn...
Maestro Knows - Episode 4 (Bun B) from Maestro Knows on Vimeo.
Recently l had the good fortune to work with Breaks of 10 and do a photoshoot with some of the up and coming stock on site this one Focuses on CTRL one of our premium brands with a blend of indie, alt and skate, they represent streetwear from Finland effortlessly. Check it out here.
Music seems to be a regular feature and this one is close to home my buddy Luke under his Dj name Aaron Ells is getting his hustle together and starting to emerge from the undergrowth...like that scene from Thriller but more grime and filth. He's got his facebook page up and uploaded some tracks to soundcloud check them out and download them. l will keep this short as there is more to come with myspace and an EP in the near future but join the Facebook Group and keep up to date. We will be in Leeds for Creep at wire on Wednesday come through and check it out Jayou will be there to should be HUGE!
Electric Bloom (Aaron Ells Re-mix) - Foals by Aaron Ells
Kid Cudi came hard with this new video for cudderisback its hilarious and so worth the watch.
KiD CuDi "cudderisback" - Directed by Jason Goldwatch - DatNewCudi.com from DP on Vimeo.
Tyler, The Creator l'm not sure what to say about this kid he is coming out hard with this mixtape that came my way Bastard. Its refreshing and new with a flow that l havnt heard in a while the rap game through the view of an 18 year old kid making beats in his bedroom cliche maybe but delivered with excellence and professionalism in this mixtape.
Dom Kennedy got a new video out, now l'd like think everyone fully appreciates and knows about Dom but he is fresh and all of his mixtapes have been nothing but stellar check the video out and go back through the blog to find links to earlier stuff its worth the trek.
Wiz Khalifa is back with Smokerface its good but maybe im getting a bit bored of people using this beat now download it its worth it.
Hes also done a track with Neako dope.
Drake finally got some new shit no more recycling hopefully. Oh and hes on the complx cover thats pretty dope right hopefully there this will signal the end of regurgitated verse and dawn a new mixtape.
Download New shit.
Download Where were you.
This thing is dope l dont boil eggs but the videos this thing churns out are so worth it l might start. Go do it now check the link.
Sorry this is bit short but im going to add to it just need to get the content together got some independent articles to come with some cool cool people so eyes peeled.
"When all’s said and done, Electro-Funk (or Electro or whatever people choose to call it) was the catalyst, the mutant strain that bridged the British Jazz-Funk underground to the Acid-House mainstream, Until this fact is fully recognized the UK Dance jigsaw will remain incomplete and confused, with countless clubbers, thirty years on, having no idea of the true roots of the music they’re dancing to."
l was one of those countless clubbers until l was taken to see Greg Wilson and was immersed into a nostalgic situation that forced me to learn more about the music and it began with the tip of the ice berg. This video.
Greg was the first DJ to mix live on TV, that is quite a title by any measure, l think its UK TV but still l dont think that detracts for the event in anyway, the presenter thats Jools Holland. This aired on 25th February 1983 and really breaks down mixing to its basics, l can't imagine people not knowing the concepts of mixing and how it works on such a level basic but at that time they did exist and Greg Wilson pioneered the scene helping it to mature and develope.
HORSE & GROOM LONDON PT2 22.11.09 (greg wilson live mix) by gregwilson
Greg himself calls the genre electro funk or electro but that word evidently has been manipulated and morphed from its original meaning by popular culture and music. It essentially means electronic which is something very basic and not the busy dance music we associate the word to today.
HORSE & GROOM LONDON PT3 22.11.09 (greg wilson live mix) by gregwilson
Electro- Funk was the foundations for a massive amount of music Hip Hop, Techno, House, Drum & Bass, Garage all manner of derivatives all owe a huge debt to pioneers like Greg Wilson. At first Electro was meet with massive resistance from "the Purists" as it was not viewed as real music due to its "technological nature" but as time went on and tastes changed even the most rooted DJs were forced to play Electro or atleast adapt it into their sets. The movement began in the North and spread South as it began to gain popularity and momentum. The Electro scene took so long to fully establish itself in the capital bacause of the stranglehold the all-powerful Soul Mafia DJs held on the Southern scene. The Soul Mafia, with big names like Chris Hill, Robbie Vincent, Froggy, Jeff Young and Pete Tong, continued to concentrate on Jazz-Funk and Soul grooves (later referred to as “80s Groove”). It wouldn’t be until ‘84 that their virtual monopoly of the clubs, radio, and the black music press began to erode as a new order of music replaced the old, laying the foundations not only for Hip-Hop, but also the subsequent UK Techno and House scenes.
ELECTRIC CHAIR END OF YEAR RIOT MANCHESTER 27.12.09 (greg wilson live mix) by gregwilson
If you follow Electro back to grass roots it takes you back to 80's New York where musical innovation was rife. The music that resonated from the city was no longer on narrow style that never strayed from the within the confides of an even narrower BPM range, Electro deconstructed these boundaries and the sheer range of music that came from it is staggering. A mass of artists helped to pioneer Electro Funk with artists like Kraftwerk, Human League and Gary Numan but also artists like Miles Davis, Sly Stone, Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder to name but a few that is an important distinction to make its influences weren't just from emerging Electronic Music but a spectrum of sounds helped to mould it and make it more accessible but also more versatile. As the next generation of musicians got hold of the available technology and began to create the scene exploded and finally came to fruition with " Dont Make Me Wait" By the Peech Boys this track no longer pointed at a new direction instead heralded its arrival.
Greg Wilson fully embraced this new scene and was meet with a lot of personal criticism as he had already established himself as a Jazz- Funk DJ, "I was seen as a heretic for playing these soulless records, especially those that were regarded as the more blatant ones (for example, the dreaded “Planet Rock” and the rest of the Tommy Boys stuff, Warp 9 “Nunk” (Prism), Extra T’s “ET Boogie” (Sunnyview), Man Parrish “Hip Hop, Be Bop (Don’t Stop)” (Importe/12), and Italian Zanza 12", “Dirty Talk” by Klien & MBO)." Greg Planted the seeds in the legendary venues Wigan Pier and Legend through 82-84 with his weekley residencies and people would travel from all over the country to hear him spin. He eventually in August 83 went on to introduce electro to the masses with a residency at hacienda and regular mixes on Manchester's Piccadilly Radio.
MUSIC PLAYED IN DISCOTHEQUES PT 1 (by greg wilson for the tate gallery) by gregwilson
Electro funk eventually took its rightful place and its legacy was huge. It announced the computer age and seduced a generation with its drum machines, synthesizers and its sequencers, its rap, cut and scratch, its breaking and popping, its Dub mixes, its bonus beats and its innovative use of samples. Made to be mixed it inspired a new breed of British DJs to cut the chat and match the beats. Now legendary names like Grandmaster Flash, Tee Scott, Tony Humphries, Larry Levan, John "jellybean" Benitez and Double Dee and Steinski became role models for tuned in DJs and would-be remixers. Whilst Pioneers like Legendary producer Arthur Baker and his Collaborator John Robie, British producer Trevor Horn (via “Buffalo Gals”) and, of course, the Herbie Hancock / Bill Laswell combination, with their Grammy winning “Rockit” (Columbia), not only revolutionized black music but instigated a whole new approach to popular music in general.
MUSIC PLAYED IN DISCOTHEQUES PT 2 (by greg wilson for the tate gallery) by gregwilson
Electro-Funk was the channel that finally brought the Hip Hop movement and all manner of creative components firmly into the mainstream helping the spread the sounds through Europe. The video for Malcolm McLaren & The World’s Famous Supreme Team’s “Buffalo Gals” was massively important, it brought over the NYC culture of street-style and breakdancing which was a massive culture shock but a necessary refresh in the UK to help prompt a whole wave creativity and help us to embrace Street wear which help to make this whole movement more relevant and interesting to me as the music effortlessly linked through to the fashion and more importantly the development of street wear on the whole. Listening through Greg Wilsons mixes are refreshing in a very nostalgic way the images it conjures up and the music cultures it reflects are essential to understanding street wear and its beginnings as the UK learned of "Kool DJ Herc, spinning his famous merry-go-round of breaks for the b boys swept throught the country during 83. Before this, most people had presumed that the break in breakdancing referred to the damage you might do to your bones if you got the move wrong!"
CAFE MAMBO IBIZA 27.09.09 (greg wilson live mix) by gregwilson
Electro held a flame for the underground scene and eventually creeped into the club masses, in 1984 the London scene took off in a big way both in clubs and on radio with the emergence of Djs like Tim Westwood and Mike Allen cementing this radical change in the cities music scene. With the heavyweight of London behind it Electro began to snowball and gained more popularity and went overground. The british youth now found itself emersed in Hip Hop culture and the new UK dance scene was established and it wouldn't be long before Djs were beginning to create their own variations and hybrids most noticeably in bristol were Electro would be fused with Reggae and lovers rock to create Trip-Hop. By the end of the 80s the UK had established cities like Manchester and London as creative hubs on the global music scene in both clubs and recording Studios.
And The Freak Goes On (gw mash-up) by gregwilson
With out this movement that was instigated and given momentum by pioneers like Greg Wilson the course of Modern music may have gone in a very different direction and it would be unlikely the British acts such as Coldcut, A Guy Called Gerald, Massive Attack, Prodigy, William Orbit, The Chemical Bros, Underworld and Fat boy slim again to name a few would have emerged on the music Dance scene.
Working The Illusion (gw mash-up) by gregwilson
When all’s said and done, Electro-Funk (or Electro or whatever people choose to call it) was the catalyst, the mutant strain that bridged the British Jazz-Funk underground to the Acid-House mainstream, Until this fact is fully recognized the UK Dance jigsaw will remain incomplete and confused, with countless clubbers, thirty years on, having no idea of the true roots of the music they’re dancing to.