I've touched on my appreciation of the British industrial funk bands of the early-mid 1980s and from comments received I perceive that quite a few blog followers share my tastes.
Late entrants were Slab! This lot took funk basslines, put them through the fuzz pedal, cranked up all the levels, added horns and blew me away .....well ok, for at least the first few releases.
This is a heavy sound to test your bass sensitivities closely perched on the edge between melody and noise. It does work really well. The first Peel session and the early singles are by far their best work. They later went onto dabble with Cameo samples and dance it up (the results were confusing) before hiding back in the dirge of noise (less funk) of the final products. This Peel session was the start of my brief love affair with Slab! - their finest moment is next!
Transmission date : 22/09/1986
Producer - Dale Griffin
Engineer - Mike Robinson
Engineer - Martin Colley
Studio - Unknown
Tracklist:
1. Mars On Ice
2. Painting The Forth Bridge
3. Dust
4. The Animals Are All Eating People Pie
Personnel:
Stephen Dray (Vocals, Saxophone)
Paul Jarvis (Guitar)
Bill Davies (Bass)
Robin Risson (Drums)
Neill Woodger (Trombone)
Hugh Rawson (Trumpet)
Late entrants were Slab! This lot took funk basslines, put them through the fuzz pedal, cranked up all the levels, added horns and blew me away .....well ok, for at least the first few releases.
This is a heavy sound to test your bass sensitivities closely perched on the edge between melody and noise. It does work really well. The first Peel session and the early singles are by far their best work. They later went onto dabble with Cameo samples and dance it up (the results were confusing) before hiding back in the dirge of noise (less funk) of the final products. This Peel session was the start of my brief love affair with Slab! - their finest moment is next!
Transmission date : 22/09/1986
Producer - Dale Griffin
Engineer - Mike Robinson
Engineer - Martin Colley
Studio - Unknown
Tracklist:
1. Mars On Ice
2. Painting The Forth Bridge
3. Dust
4. The Animals Are All Eating People Pie
Personnel:
Stephen Dray (Vocals, Saxophone)
Paul Jarvis (Guitar)
Bill Davies (Bass)
Robin Risson (Drums)
Neill Woodger (Trombone)
Hugh Rawson (Trumpet)
Link pulled - see the comments in a Slab! post on 1st March 2014 for links to the Slab! catelogue and both Peel sessions.
Wow, recoorded this when it first came out, but that tape is beyond knackered now. Thanks very much, phenomenal band.
ReplyDeleteThis is great - i remember being gutted because I missed the session when it was on. Great band live too.
ReplyDeleteSLAB! i always labelled them as a "funky" SWANS.. saw them once supporting label mates CCattrance, that should have been the other way round, anyway Thnx again, love your work!!! Ron from Berlin
ReplyDelete