"I Program My Own Computer..."

Detroit Electronic Music Festival is this weekend, May 28-31, 2011.
My imaginary DEMF is neverneverland.

"Think of the sales of the records you could've sung, if you'd got up on time." That's a crazy, futile wish from a Fats Comet lyric, in the paternalistic voice of some kind of early-rising record company executive-type. It's almost as good as my own futile wish that Tackhead (Fats Comet's big brother) would be invited, and hence recognised at some future DEMF for their gigantic influence on music, electronic music, etc.

Three of the members of Tackhead were the funky funky backbone at Sugar Hill Records, and played on Rapper's Delight, probably the first rap record ever made. The history of the Tackhead crew is fascinating and complicated, and I don't really want to get into all that on this humble blog. (Maybe someday.) Instead here's a link to the Adrian Sherwood interview I was talking about on the show today. (Thanks to Desmond for sending it over.) Sherwood talks a bit about how the band got together, among other wonderful things.

I think it was DEMF 2003 that programmed Liquid Liquid and ESG in a Hart Plaza parking garage, two performances that I think of fondly and often. So much fun. (I wanted to play Liquid Liquid this week, but there wasn't enough time. ESG was on last week's list.) However, no parking structure could withstand the onslaught of Tackhead sound. Ha ha! Getting Keith LeBlanc, Doug Wimbish, Skip McDonald, and Adrian Sherwood into the Motor City to do a show at DEMF would right the wrong of Tackhead never having played in Detroit ever.

Come on!

The Snark playlist for TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2011.
(Artist/SONG/Album, etc.)

Chet Singh -- RECESSIONARY REVOLUTIONARIES -- Recessionary Revolutionaries (2010, Chet Singh)
Casiokids -- TOGENS HULE -- Topp Stemning på lokal bar (2010, Polyvinyl)

Tackhead -- TICKING TIME BOMB -- Friendly As A Hand Grenade (1989, World Records)
Fatboy Slim & David Byrne, feat. Cyndi Lauper -- ELEVEN DAYS -- Here Lies Love (2010, Todomundo/Nonesuch)
Jaga Jazzist -- REAL RACECARS HAVE DOORS -- A Livingroom Hush (2001, Ninjatune)

Lonesome Lefty -- RHYTHM KING -- Souvenir Album, Volume 2 (2010, Lonesome Lefty)
SuB -- SUBSONIT -- Neferiu Records: Tendown (2010, Neferiu)
Fred Williams & The Jewels Band -- THE DANCE GOT OLD -- Eccentric Soul: Smart's Palace (2009, Numero) [orig. 1969?]
Hey-O-Hansen -- CREEP -- We So Horny: Serious Pleasure Riddims (2010, Pingipung!)

Ramadanman -- TEMPEST -- Glut/Tempest (2010, Hemlock Recordings)
Sèyfu Yohannès -- MÈLA MÈLA -- Ethiopiques, Volume 1: Golden Years of Modern Ethiopian Music (1998, Buda Musique)
Mark Stewart + Maffia -- TO HAVE THE VISION -- Learning To Cope With Cowardice (1984, On-U Sound)
Ronald Reagan Story -- BOMBS -- Is This Love Or Is This War? The Frank Carlone Story (1981, RRS)

Deadbeat -- MELBOURNE ROUND MIDNIGHT -- Journeyman's Annual (2007, Scape/Forced Exposure)
Zapp & Roger -- SO RUFF, SO TUFF -- Double Dose of Funk: The Best of Zapp & Roger (2010, Thump) [orig. 1981]
Kode9 & The Spaceape -- BLACK SUN (PARTIAL ECLIPSE VERSION) -- Black Sun (2011, Hyperdub Records)

Beastie Boys -- LONG BURN THE FIRE -- Hot Sauce Committee Part Two (2011, Capitol)
Big Sugar -- 100 CIGARETTES -- Heated (1998, A&M)
We're Not Popstars -- LOST ON EDGE -- Full Colour (2011, We're Not Popstars)

Fats Comet -- ROCKCHESTER -- Tackhead Power Inc., Volume 1 (1993, Blanc Records) [orig. 1986, World Records]

Thanks for listening!

Or if you wanna listen, click this.
(Right-click to download, Control-click if you're a Mac.)

Yes. I love Tackhead. And Fats Comet. And all their musical relations.

12"single, World Records, 1988.

Adrian Sherwood at the controls.
Chicago, 2004.

Danger: Unexploded Tackhead

AMS at the controls in Toronto, 1988.
Photo: P. Ingenkamp

12" single, back cover (detail)
OK, bye.