I have this 12"...here in Japan. WHY?

Like Rick James said, "Coacaine is a hell of a drug."

Pure comedy gold.

Seriously, there's a pretty interesting passage in an old issue of Wax Poetics where one of the members of the Bomb Squad explains that a nascent, pre-Public Enemy version of that group was originally going to work with Eddie Murphy on this record. Murphy's handlers or label people or whoever got wind of it and said, No, no, nobody knows who those guys are, we'll have you work with Rick James.

One can only imagine what the Bomb Squad version of this single would have sounded like. I'm guessing less synths and more explosions.

Anyhow, the upshot was that before Murphy's handlers set him up with Rick James, Hank Shocklee and the others had months or a year to learn how to use Murphy's samplers and other high-end studio gear that they never would have been able to otherwise afford.

So on some level, you can thank Eddie Murphy and this song for the signature Bomb Squad sound.

I want Rick James' hair *clap-clap*
I want Eddie Murphy's moustache *clap-clap*

I wanna friggin go back in time and party in that studio and groove to the modern beats, then tell everyone, "Listen everyone, I know this sounds crazy, but I am from the future, and I am here to tell you that bad shit awaits some of you, especially you, Mr. James. Lay off the cocaine, man. And if you have to do it, snort it, don't smoke it, cause the pipe will get you in the end. And Eddie, stay away from transsexual hookers. I'm serious! And if someone offers you a role in a movie about talking donkeys or quote-unquote dream girls, take it!"

And then I would snap my fingers and return to the present and go to Eddie's mansion and when he opens the door, I would say, "Dude, it's me! The guy from the future who partied with you in your video!"

And while he's still blinking in awe and wonder, I would say, "I know the video party seems like decades ago to you, but for me it was seconds ago, and it's doing my head in, man. But still and all, I think you owe it to me to let me be your best friend and maybe manager. Because I helped you get the part in Shrek and Dreamgirls."

And there would be an awkward silence, with Eddie appearing to size me up. His eyes would start welling up with tears and, without saying a word, he would embrace me, my arms pinned at my side. "Welcome home, friend," he would whisper into my ear.

Yes, but Duffy, that interference could have screwed everything up and we might never have had Pluto Nash!

Rick James is such a badass! I had no idea that Eddie Murphy actually tried to be a pop star. Here's Murphy's other James-produced single, which is much less rocking (but is at least called "Put Your Mouth on Me"):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK_YEuP7wQI

--had no idea that Eddie Murphy actually tried to be a pop star.

At work now so I can't see the video, but if you've never seen/heard Murphy's pop video "Party all the Time", then you are missing out!*

*By 'missing out' I mean missing out aural distress.

Uhh, that's probably the one you're all talking about.... right. ...Awwkward moment.

(runs away)

DH

Nice bit of back story there. Bomb Squad were very influential to me but I have not found a whole lot of written words about them. I suspect thre may be a Keith LeBlanc or Adrian Sherwood connection as well but have no proof one way or the other.

Come on, that that track is legitimately hot-t-t! How does Eddie get his handclaps to sound like that?

About the Bomb Squad, I can neither confirm nor deny any On-U Sound connection, but I will offer this:

http://wayneandwax.blogspot.com/2005/09/shocklee-is-prophet-and-i-think-you.html

By the way, Chris, as a professed reggae head (am I remembering right?), what do you make of this "dubstep" stuff the kids are listening to these days?

http://www.juno.co.uk/ppps/products/209693-01.htm

http://www.juno.co.uk/ppps/products/239284-01.htm

http://www.juno.co.uk/ppps/products/244561-01.htm

Come on, that that track is legitimately hot-t-t! How does Eddie get his handclaps to sound like that?

About the Bomb Squad, I can neither confirm nor deny any On-U Sound connection, but I will offer this:

http://wayneandwax.blogspot.com/2005/09/shocklee-is-prophet-and-i-think-you.html

By the way, Chris, as a professed reggae head (am I remembering right?), what do you make of this "dubstep" stuff the kids are listening to these days?

http://www.juno.co.uk/ppps/products/209693-01.htm

http://www.juno.co.uk/ppps/products/239284-01.htm

http://www.juno.co.uk/ppps/products/244561-01.htm

That is the most fun i've ever seen any production and/or session crew have in a studio without a bottle of Thunderbird or Robitussin on the EQ panel.

Also, Rick's production skills are such that he doesn't even need to add his bass to the mix to start playing it, indeed even plug it in.

Whoops, now I gotta come up with some fabulous dialectical reason for having double-posted that...

Chris:

I'm not sure of the On-U Sound connection either, but that article about the Bomb Squad in Wax Poetics is well worth checking out. It's a pretty inspiring oral history of the group and is in the June/July 2006 issue (#17). I looked on the mag's web site, but of course they don't have the article's content online.

Brown,

I remember that thread, I commented as Downpressor (my music work name) over there. As far as dubstep goes, I know that all the cool bloggers like eden and greviousangel are all over that stuff, but I've been accused of being a card carrying member of the Rastafari Historical Preservation Society, so I guess you could say its not really my cup of tea. To me it has as much to do with reggae as dirty south or crunk; obviously one of the many bastard children of reggae, but not something I like to dance to.

Damn, small, incestuous world, Chris! Sweet dub blog you've got going there, by the way- big up.

You might catch me on Wayne & Wax as DDVonB, where I cited Marxy's thread about YMO's Rydeen- without disclosing that I was part of the thread I cited (as "guest"):

http://wayneandwax.com/?p=77#comments

I wonder if that's some kind of internet code of ethics violation?

When it comes to 21st Century dub, I'm more partial to Rhythm & Sound myself, but I dig the classics as much if not more, so again, 'nuff respect!

Brown,

You read Dubbing in Tokyo then? I dont update often but feel free to comment any time. I dont link it here because its really completely unrelated.

If our host will permit me this indulgance, my single released as Downpressor is available at finer record stores in Tokyo as well as iTunes store Japan and soon at stores in the UK as well.

I kind of stopped following Wayne & Wax when he got into his reggaeton craze. I have no interest in that sound whatsoever.

Thanks, I just found it via Wayne & Wax. I left a Jah Shaka video on there for you that I got off DJ Rupture's blog. Funny that these things are seemingly unrelated, but they must be related in some way, because- hey, here we are! Golly, I feel so Web 2.0 right now:

http://wayneandwax.com/?p=85#comments

Oops, I could learn to paste a URL, though- you've gotta scroll up for the relevant Web 2.0 video on that link...

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