WOMAD

On-U Sound Spectacular with Adrian Sherwood

From United Kingdom

THE WOMAD CLUB THING – Sunday 28th JulyBy Andy Morgan, July 2002:On-U Sound Spectacular with Adrian SherwoodADRIAN SHERWOOD SOUND + MC GHETTO PRIEST – PRESSURE SOUNDSYSTEM – LITTLE AXE – JUNIOR DELGADO BAND + LITTLE ROY In 1980 a young unstoppable reggae nut from London by the name of Adrian Sherwood released a bold and uncompromising collaborative record featuring himself, Mark Stewart of Pop Group fame and members of the Slits under the name of The New Age Steppas. It was the first release on Sherwood’s brand new label, On-U Sound. The record was as fresh as it was fearless and today, twenty two years and over 100 releases later, On-U Sound continues to deal with music that is, well, bold and uncompromising, fresh and fearless. Based very loosely around the idioms of funk, reggae and dub music with their limitless possibilities, the On-U Sound catalogue is about the most fascinating single body of work ever to have come out of the UK music scene, and whether directly or indirectly, Adrian Sherwood has played a part in all of it. As well as producing On-U classics by the likes of Creation Rebel, Singers & Players, Bim Sherman, African Head Charge, Mark Stewart and The Maffia and New Age Steppas, Sherwood has had a hand in producing over 176 projects for other artists such as, to pick just a few, Gary Clail, Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, Prince Far-I, Primal Scream, Little Axe, the Fall, Jah Wobble and Living Colour. He also said no thanks to the chance to work with The Rolling Stones. Now how many producers in the world can claim that!The On-U Sound way has always been about clambering rudely over arbitrary musical barriers, combining supposedly uncombinable sounds and generally shocking us all out of our torpid and narrow-minded expectations. Tonight at WOMAD, Adrian Sherwood and associates will be doing all of that, live, direct and unexpurgated. Little Axe stumbled on the 1000 megaton idea of combining classic blues music with dub and electronica when Moby was still ranting over house beats. Their three albums, ‘The Wolf That House Built’ (1994), ‘Slow Fuse’ (1996) and the latest, ‘Hard Grind’ are all revolutionary blueprints for the future development of blues music. Little Axe comprise bassist Doug Wimbush, guitar and vocalist Skip McDonald and drummer Keith Le Blanc, who were the ORIGINAL house rhythm section for Sugarhill Records back in the days when rap was being born in the projects of the Bronx. Road-hardened veterans with hard and fast new ideas, every one. Junior Delgado, aka ‘Jux’, already has his own gallery in the reggae hall of fame. Since emerging in the cuthroat music scene of mid 1970s Jamaica, Delgado has sung for producers as legendary as Lee Perry, Joe Gibbs, Dennis Drown, Rupie Edwards and Augustus Pablo, with whom he recorded the monumental ‘Raggamuffin Year’ LP in 1987. His intense and passionate voice will be bouyed by an all star band and graced by a guest appearance from the superb veteran JA vocalist Little Roy, who first recorded with Jackie Mittoo in the heyday of Kingston’s famous Studio One label and is still skanking strong. To keeping the music flowing and rhythm rocking, Adrian Sherwood himself will be spinning rare and flavoursome cuts with the help of MC Ghetto Priest. On-U Sound offshoot label, Pressure Sounds, who deal in classic timeless dub and reggae will also be making a contribution to this unforgettable night with their own soundsystem.Adrain Sherwood’s new album ‘Never Trust A Hippy’ is out soon on Real WorldLittle Axe’s new album ‘Hard Grind’ is out now on Fat Possum Records.