FDB Interview Spot - Spencer Bellamy

East Flatbush Projects - 'Hush'
yet to be released (10/30 Uproar, 2007)

When I recently wrote about a handful of producers whom I would love to have heard more from, I never expected any of them to get in contact. So when Spencer Bellamy, producer of the classic 'Tried By 12' dropped me a line in appreciation of the post, I jumped at the opportunity to ask him a few questions. Here's the chat we had where we cover Spencer's early exposure to hip hop in the late '80s all the way through to his current projects with his continuing East Flatbush Projects series and an upcoming album release.

From Da Bricks: I just want to start by saying it’s a real privilege to talk to you. I’ve been a fan for a while now.

Spencer Bellamy: Thank you, thank you.

FDB: I got a bunch of questions I want to ask you, but let’s start at the beginning with Howie Tee. How did that relationship come about?

SB: Well, I knew Howie from the time I was 11 years old. I used to DJ with Howie, that is how I first got into just doing stuff. I used to DJ and Howie used to hear about me and I had this friend that lived down the street that was in this crew. After that, he took me by his house, he was watching me cut up and after that it was history: playing at block parties and stuff like that. So, after a while, Howie started getting into production and I was watching the stuff that he was doing for like Whistle, Special Ed and Chubb and other people like the stuff he was doing with Full Force. I was kinda like his apprentice.

FDB: Right, so at what stage did you make the shift from DJ to producer?

SB: Probably in ‘87/’88.

FDB: Did you find that to be an easy transition?

SB: You know what? It was funny because at first all I used to do was collect records, stuff I wanted to use, so no, the transition wasn’t hard at all. I guess when you have an idea of what you want to do and the ear to put it down, to get your idea across then it’s pretty cool. I started off with the SP-1200 and the 950.

FDB: As far as I’m aware, your first proper production credits came about on the preC.I.S.E. MC album. Is that right?

SB: Yea, that was the first major project that I was doing. I was kinda like dabbling in doing productions. That year, I decided to just start shopping beats. I already knew Special Ed and Chubb’s management, so all I had to do was slide through and give them something. Basically, they liked my stuff and wanted to get me on the project.

FDB: I know that Izzy Ice [member of Da King & I] had a hand in that album. Did you have any affiliations with him?

SB: Oh yea! Yea, I was cool with him. In fact I was more cool with his DJ, Majesty.

FDB: Cool. I’d say ‘Tried By 12’ must be your most widely known piece of work. Where did you find the ‘Sakura’ break and was it a straight loop or did you chop it up?

SB: I chopped it up a little bit.

FDB: And where did you find it?

SB: Just in some little, dusty record shop in Bedstuy where a lot of people used to dig. It’s not there anymore, but that was a place we used to go just to pick up records.

FDB: Were you surprised by the impact that song had? For example, there’s the remix LP put out by Ninja Tune with producers like Squarepusher and Herbaliser that seems indicative of how big it was at the time for a substantial audience.

SB: Yea. You know I never had any idea of who those people were, so I didn’t know the importance and what level it was, you what I mean? I didn’t realise the importance of having those type of producers on it.

FDB: Looking back on it now, does it surprise you how big the original ‘Tried By 12’ song was?

SB: Yea, I was definitely surprised. It was funny because, you know, when you hear a song you get a good feeling about it, but I didn’t know that it was going to get to that level where everybody knew it as a hip hop classic. People had it in magazines as one of the top hip hop beats of all time. It’s funny though, because there are people that have still never heard that song who are then like ‘yea, that’s hot’.

FDB: Moving onto the other East Flatbush releases. One of the things you’re known for is picking little known MCs to feature on those records. How do you go about choosing the people who go on those songs?

SB: Just knowing somebody that knows somebody. There are a lot of people out here who rhyme. The way I found Stress and Dox was through a producer friend of mine called Needles. He basically hooked me up with Dox, and he was rhyming with Stress, so that’s how I find those two.

FDB: All of the material on your 10/30 Uproar label was really high quality, but in some way I’m surprised that you haven’t amassed a larger number of production credits over the last 15 years or so. Is there a specific reason for that?

SB: I’m surprised too! I don’t know why that is.

FDB: But you’ve been making beats the whole time?

SB: On and off. I think a part of it is me, and another part was frustration. I think when people shop beats, if you’re not known, people are going to be more critical. A good example would be Kanye West, when he started out shopping beats he was getting turned down. Once he got his first hit it all changed. Jay Z is an artist I have always respected because he gives a chance to new producers.

FDB: Is 10/30 Uproar still functioning? Is the new track ‘Hush’ going to be released on the label?

SB: Yea, that’s actually going to be on the album.

FDB: So there’s going to be an album?

SB: Yea, and another thing. There was some stuff that you would have no idea that I was putting stuff out all this time. From ’98, there was an East Flatbush song called ‘Everything We Spit Is Hard’ and then I put out a Ruste Juxx track.

FDB: Yea, I’ve heard those tracks. Wasn’t there the stuff with a crew called Live Wire as well?

SB: Yea, that was in like ’97. After that I put out something in 2001 with Ruste and Mirage Black called ‘Head To Head’. After that I put out ‘Head To Head 05’.

FDB: What about the ‘Inhale’ track on your MySpace?

SB: ‘Inhale’ is going to be something I’m going to release. I’ve been thinking about releasing that as a single with ‘Hush’ on the b-side.

FDB: That’d be great. You mentioned the album, any other projects in the pipeline?

SB: That’s all I have right now, working on the East Flatbush album with Stress, Dox and Fallon. It might be like one more person, but they’ll be the main three.

FDB: And how close it that to completion?

SB: It should be ready for early Spring.

FDB: Just to wrap things up, how do you feel about the changes in the industry now and the dawn of the digital era. Do you think that this has been good or bad for hip hop?

SB: In one way it’s good, as far as getting your stuff heard, but on the other hand it’s messing up album sales. Yo, Kanye sold close to a million in one week and then a week later he’s selling like 200,000. That’s like a 70% drop.

FDB: It’s crazy.

SB: That is crazy! Usually it’s like a 30% or 50% drop, not 70%. The same thing happened with Jay Z’s album, he had a big first week, then it dropped by 70% and it kind of just faded out. You know, those type of numbers, big to begin with and then fading out... I then heard that this coming week they may not even sell 100,000. How do you make a livin’?!

FDB: I don’t know man. I wish you all the best with the album and future projects, let me know when they’re going to drop.

SB: I will, I appreciate it man. Thanks.

Massive props go out to Spencer for taking the time to chat with me and for shining some light on a body of work that remains heavily slept on. Check out some of the new tracks at his MySpace page, 'Inhale' is definitely my choice cut out of the two he says will be released as a 12''.

Keep locked into FDB for more interview action in the near future. Feedback would be appreciated: I realise I'm no Robbie yet, so your thoughts and suggestions will be highly valued. Thanks in advance.

FDB Interview Spot - Robert Mugge & Black Wax

One of the significant changes in my music listening habits since starting this blog back in December has been an increasing hunger to know more about music from the past, particularly from genres that have helped give birth to the culture of hip hop (my personal favourite, in case you hadn't guessed). I've touched on Gil Scott-Heron at FDB before, but I'll be the first to admit that I still know relatively little about a man whose legendary status endures as incontestable. So, when I was contacted by Sky Arts recently to see if I would be interested in a copy of Black Wax, a documentary film in which Scott-Heron is the key subject, I was excited at the prospect of learning more about an artist whose influence on hip hop is clearly tangible.

Originally released in 1982, Black Wax was the brainchild of director Robert Mugge, a man who over the course of almost 35 years has committed his professional career to documentaries that deal almost exclusively with music-related content. Composed of footage of live performance, direct talk to the camera and Scott-Heron's musings in between songs at his birthday concert in '82, the film is an insightful look at both American society as well as being a valuable documentation of his career around the time of his Reflections LP. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to pose a few questions to Mugge over the internet in relation to the film and he graciously replied in such detail so as to make my ramblings on the film inconsequential: his views on the subject are far more educated and eloquent than mine could ever hope to be. With that said, let's get into it.

From Da Bricks: How did you strike up the relationship with Gil and at what point did the notion of the documentary come into being?

Robert Mugge: In 1980, I completed a film about visionary and eccentric jazz artist Sun Ra. London Film Festival Director Ken Wlaschin and BFI scholar David Meeker invited me to present Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise at their festival in November of 1981. They also shared the film with Angus Trowbridge of TCB Releasing Ltd. in Somerset, and he offered to represent it. By the time I flew over for the festival, Angus had sold the film to Channel 4 Television which was still a full year from going on the air. Angus reported that Channel 4's Commissioning Editor for Music Andy Park was a big fan of the film, so I made an appointment to meet with him at the company's temporary offices while in London for the festival. During our meeting, Andy, a wonderfully smart and animated Glaswegian, put the song 'B-Movie' on a small turntable in his cramped office. I immediately recognized the artist as Gil Scott-Heron and commented that Gil apparently lived about an hour away from me in the Washington D.C. area. Andy responded that, if someone could put together a film about Gil, he would fund the whole thing. I was then a 31-year-old 'starving artist' filmmaker with just a few films under my belt and few prospects for new ones, and no one had ever before promised to fund a whole film for me on any subject. So, after returning home, I immediately attempted to reach Gil. It took a couple of months for me to track him down, but I did finally succeed.

FDB: Looking back at the piece now, how do you reflect on the experience of making the documentary as well as its relevance in today's world climate? Do you sense a change in balance in the U.S. or are the same issues still as prevalent?

RM: 'B Movie', the song that Andy played for me in his office, also became the climax of the film. It dared to say a lot of things that many of the rest of us were thinking about America's new right-wing president, Ronald Reagan, and about the climate in the country that would allow for his election, but it did so in a truly entertaining way. I was so upset about Reagan's election myself that I actually met with a solicitor in London to inquire about the possibility of moving to the UK. Unfortunately, I learned that doing so would be much more difficult than I'd imagined.

At any rate, at that time, Gil was writing songs about many of my country's problems - from misguided politicians, to brutal police, to poverty and racism, to drug and alcohol addiction, to guns on the streets, to issues surrounding illegal immigrants, and so forth - and yes, it's scary to think about how many of those issues are just as relevant today. In fact, ALL of them are still relevant today. Moreover, just as Ronald Reagan once made Richard Nixon look like a very smart and very moderate president by comparison, President George W. Bush has made even Reagan seem like a perceptive and compassionate president (which he surely was not). Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and the rest of their demented gang have done so much to dismantle what the U.S. has always stood for that it will take a great many years even to try and put the pieces back together again. In a way, it makes one wish that Gil were still at the top of his game, commercially speaking, so that he could create anthems about all of what is now going on, from the war in Iraq, to Guantanamo Bay, to domestic spying, to massive governmental and corporate corruption. On the other hand, the damage is so great, and the pain so widespread, from here to the Middle East, that I'm not sure we could even stand to hear somebody singing about it all. For the songs of a Gil Scott-Heron or an early Bob Dylan to resonate with audiences, perhaps people first must need to believe that the problems about which they sing can still be corrected. Right at the moment, I'm not sure how many of us actually believe that anymore.

FDB: How exactly was the film put together? Were the live performances done specifically for the project or edited into other footage?

RM: We filmed Gil Scott-Heron's 'birthday concert' in his hometown of Washington, D.C. on April 1, 1982. The D.C. wax museum had recently been converted into a performance venue, appropriately called the Wax Museum Nightclub, and that's where this performance took place. Aside from the outdoor footage we shot with Gil around the city, everything in the film was shot at that nightclub. Obviously, the musical performance and extended monologue were shot on the stage during the birthday concert - actually two musical sets were presented and filmed in one evening, each of them preceded by a 'Black History' monologue. But when I first visited the club, I also learned that all of the museum's original wax figures were still being kept there in a very large storage room. So, I got permission to throw together a kind of movie set in that storage room, and then we filmed Gil's improvised interaction with the wax figures of U.S. presidents, movie stars, musicians, poets, astronauts, and so forth. At the time, short music videos were using a lot of such imagery simply for visceral effect. What I decided to do with Black Wax was to slow everything down enough to where viewers could absorb some actual ideas with all of those images, and Gil proved to be the perfect 'idea man' at the center of it all.

You might also notice that either Gil, the camera, or both were constantly moving throughout the film. My cameraman, Larry McConkey, was good friends with Garrett Brown who had invented the Steadicam, and Larry was one of the first people in the world to have regular access to one. So, I made the decision to have Larry use the Steadicam throughout the film in order to give the production a unique sense of flow. In fact, I'm pretty sure that ours was the first film ever to use Steadicam throughout an entire film in that way. It's funny the sort of things that can inspire you, even if indirectly and inadvertently. But as I was considering this notion of flow for the film, I thought about feminist author Erica Jong's then current book called Fear Of Flying, and of her concept of the 'zipless fuck' - that is, of lovemaking in which a couple is so carried away in their passion that they aren't even aware of removing each other's clothing. With that in mind, I decided to try and make a film that would suck the viewer in to such an extent that he or she would simply flow with it from beginning to end and - in a kind of inversion of traditional 'Brechtian distancing' - offer a kind of comfort level wherein progressive or even radical ideas would seem more acceptable. Of course, Gil's natural charm also contributed greatly to this effect. For instance, when Gil is walking his sweet young daughter in front of the White House, who can really see the man as threatening?

When Black Wax was first released, a few reviewers bemoaned the fact that the film did not employ the sort of raw and fast-paced style that had become the norm with political propaganda since the late 1960s. But I felt from the beginning that this warmer and more welcoming approach would be a far more insideous method of putting across left-wing ideas, and I still believe that I was correct.

FDB: There is no doubting that Scott-Heron is a highly charismatic figure. What was the experience of working with him like?

RM: Gil is one of the most brilliant and most passionate individuals I've ever met. Working with someone that charming, that committed, and that articulate, was an enormous pleasure. It saddens me that personal issues over the years have perhaps kept him from accomplishing all that he perhaps could have. But I'm extremely grateful for the wonderful work he's given us, and for the pleasure I had in collaborating with him. I also have to thank Andy Park for his vision in realizing how powerful a Gil Scott-Heron portrait could be, and for fully funding a film that never would have gotten funded in my own country at that time.

FDB: How do you view the influence that Gil has had on mainstream culture in wider terms?

RM: It's difficult for me to analyze just how much influence Gil has had. Certainly, many hip hop artists praise him as an influence, though I'd have to say that Gil's own lyrics were far more poetic, and his subjects much loftier, than are those of the average hip hop rants today (which is not to say that I don't find a lot of hip hop appealing myself). Like so many artists who made a strong initial showing and then largely disappeared from public view for decades afterwards, Gil has retained a respectable cult following for his work. But I doubt that very many younger people know that work at all. Today, more people probably know his famous lyric and song title 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' than know anything else about him or his many compositions and performances. In fact, on the American Emmy Awards broadcast earlier this week, Queen Latifah recited some scripted line to the effect that "this particular revolution will not be televised" or whatever, making no reference at all to the author of the original phrase, but assuming that everyone knew the line itself.

FDB: Of the many he has released over the years, which are your favourite Gil Scott-Heron recordings and why?

RM: I love them all, from the early collaborations with Brian Jackson such as Winter In America, to the strong series of records including Reflections that he made with his own band, to the occasional more jazz-infused efforts like Spirits that have popped up unexpectedly in the years sense. Gil is still a force to be reckoned with, and I certainly welcome any new music or writings he chooses to share with us. As I believe you'd agree, the world is a better place because an artist of his stature chose to take up residency here. Perhaps only a small percentage of the world's inhabitants are aware of Gil's past work, but I'm pleased to count myself among that happy few. I'm also happy to help you commemorate the 25th anniversary of the making of Black Wax, a film that is still among my personal favorites.

If you're interested in seeing the film in its entirety (you should be) then you have a chance to catch it on Sky Arts (channel 267) on Tuesday 16th October at 23:30 or on Thursday 18th October at 14:00. For those not fortunate enough to live in the U.K., or those without Sky Digital (me included), it is available secondhand on Amazon. I feel blessed to have had such extensive answers to my questions on the subject, so a massive thanks has to go out to Mugge for the detailed information regarding the film's conception, Scott-Heron himself and the wider social issues that the film so eloquently engages with. For committed fans and those less familiar with Gil Scott-Heron's work, Black Wax is a fascinating look at an artist who has never compromised his integrity for commercial successes: catch it if you can.

FDB Interview Spot - Gerald Walker

Gerald Walker - Makin' My Way & Shout It Out feat. Strange Fruit Project (OSAT, 2007)

Now that I have been in the blog game for just over half a year I am in the enviable position of occasionally receiving music from artists who, for the most part, want their record publicised on the ever growing blog scene. There's no doubt that there is a substantial amount of filler that gets distributed in this way, but when a guy from OSAT Music got in contact about a new artist from Chicago called Gerald Walker and sent me his press release I was impressed enough to want to take it further and sorted out an interview.

Walker has affiliations with Kev Brown and the Strange Fruit Project and these connections are clear to hear in his music which is characterised by a soulful and laid back vibe. 'Makin' My Way' has been in rotation for about a week now and I'm still enjoying its warmth and positivity, and although I am not as taken with the track 'Shout It Out' it is still part of a catalogue from an aspiring MC who shows signs of making some moves in the game. Here's what he had to say on his own work, key influences and the state of hip hop in '07.

FDB: I know you’ve been featured on a few internet spots, but for those who haven’t caught wind of you yet, can you give a brief overview of who you are?

GW: I’m just a regular guy man! Trying to find direction in life and do music at the same time.

FDB: What are your earliest memories of music?

GW: My earliest memory of music was when I was like 6/7 I took my allowance money went to a laundry mat and purchased Bone Thugs' ‘The Crossroads’ single. It had like 4 tracks on it! My mom didn’t like me doing hip hop but when she heard it herself she was feelin’ it also.

FDB: Who would you state are your key musical influences, hip hop or otherwise?

GW: Key influences in my music are Phonte Coleman of Little Brother, the Strange Fruit Project, Jay-Z, Common, Mos Def. Other influences in my life are my cousin Tracey, Patricia LuMumba, my Uncle Reg... that’s basically it. I’m a huge Yanni fan also. I know that’s pretty random but hey!

FDB: Chicago obviously has a prominent history in hip hop. Who are the artists you see as important from your area of the U.S.?

GW: I have deep respect for Chicago MCs man! First off Twista. A lot of aspiring Chicagoan artists hate/despise him but honestly, he was the first hip hop artist who signed with a major. Other than that I like cats like Capital D of All Natural – he’s very influential – Iomos Morod, Pugslee Atomz, a cat by the name of Akbar. Then you have cats like Nadledge who are dope. A Chicago cat I’m really feeling is a dude named Rashid Hadee of Chapter 13 and also Ang 13 of the Wonder Woman Project. There are so many Chicago artists its impossible to name them all.

FDB: What about on a wider basis? Of those outside of the Chicago area, who are the artists you rate in the contemporary scene?

GW: My homie Oddisee & Kenn Starr of Low Budget/Halftooth Records. Those dudes give me a lot of insight on the game. S1 of the SFP is like a bigger brother to me. I like Kev Brown, Elzhi of Slum Village, Hezekiah with Rawkus/Soulspazm – that’s my dude! I’m currently trying to get him out to Chicago to do some shows. I hold a high respect for Supastition. Plus he did the intro for the sampler disc. Oh yeah, cat name Blu from Sound In Color in Cali. That guy is bananas. Jean Grae is a huge influence on me. Median of the Justus League. There are a million cats who I love man, seriously.

FDB: Without wanting to pigeonhole you, how would you describe your sound?

GW: I try to have a soul-full sound. Full of soul man! In addition, combine it with sultry tunes and heartfelt lyrics.

FDB: What are your methods of writing? What are your key sources of inspiration?

GW: Life is one of my biggest inspirations. I usually find a beat, then devise a topic and take my time man! It may take me anywhere from an hour or two to write one song. That’s the process for the most part.

FDB: How do you go about picking your beats? Do you have any input production-wise?

GW: Ask my manager Stef bra! I’m extremely beat-biased. I get so many beat submissions from cats and they usually don’t have that ‘sound’. I love crisp drums, keys (producers gotta play the keys) and actually just have to have the talent. I don’t care for sampler crazy cats who just loop their shit. At least switch the sample up or play an instrument. Make music, not just a loop, sample and drums… but that’s me Dan!

FDB: I know you have the ‘Seasons EP’ about to drop. Can you talk me through this release and any others that you have planned?

GW: Actually I just signed with an indie name OSAT Music (One Step At A Time Music Recordings) based out of Santa Clarits California. I’m dropping a mix album entitled ‘What Is A Gerald Walker??’. That’s a prelude to the 'Seasons EP' which is basically a 4 disc series dedicated to each season. I like it over at OSAT since I’m the only hip hop artist on the roster.

FDB: I know you have affiliations with Kev Brown and the Strange Fruit Project. Can you explain how you linked up with those artists?

GW: Just being a fan! I’m a fan first and foremost so that’s how I approached those cats. From there I just asked them ‘what can I work on as a young guy to better myself?’ or just do simple things like ask for promo drops. That leads to relationships/network. Not to mention all those guys are mad humble.

FDB: At the risk of sounding played out given the amount of 'is hip hop dead' talk, how do you view it at the moment and where do you see the culture going from here?

GW: Hip hop is cool! It’s in the ‘teenage’ years I feel. There are a lot of cats out here with egos man (especially Chicago). The only thing wrong with hip hop I find is that there’s no balance. People hate ‘crunk’ commercial music but I have no problem with it. I find it quite entertaining at times. But there definitely isn’t a balance on the radio. There’s a guy/radio personality who hosted my homie Kenn Starr’s mixtape named Peter Rosenberg who just got a gig at Hot 97 in New York. That’s huge for an artist such as myself. Hopefully this foot in the door can lead to bigger and better things man. In addition, I feel there are too many hustlers in the game, just doing it for the money/fame instead of the love.

I got to admit it felt a little weird interviewing somebody for the first time, but Gerald seems like a level headed guy who wasn't down with any frontin' so it made the job a whole lot easier. With some nice tracks and a positive attitude to the industry he may go far: you heard it hear first at FDB (well, not quite). If you're feelin' the selections then make sure you check out Walker's website and MySpace for more information about upcoming releases and touring schedule. Good luck with it mate!