Banbarra - Shack Up
By the mid-eighties, rare groove club culture was growing at such a rate that many UK labels began digging through their back catelogue looking for lost tracks which may or may not have found new life in the rare groove clubs. EMI had the original version of Shack Up, last released in 1976 on United Artists in the UK, and long forgotten until five young lads from Hulme near Manchester covered it and in many eyes made it their own, as an indie dance classic in 1980. The reverse sleeve notes said...Shack Up has reached almost legendary cult status in the U.K. since it's original release in 1975. Ten years on and in the middle of rap, electro, beatbox, jazz-funk, go-go and sophisticated soul it's easy to see why "Shack Up" is revered — it bites!Very little is known about the band Banbarra except that they hailed from Washington D.C. — perhaps they fused into any of the hundreds of 'go-go' street bands or else maybe they went the political rap route following Gil Scott-Heron or Donald Banks.
To all intents and purposes, Banbarra are a forgotten band — even the master tapes have disappeared. However, they left a song which cuts through any 48 track digital production of today. Maybe it's the raw production, or the direct lyrics, possibly even the raucous vocals, who knows? one thing is for sure — the raw power of 'Shack Up' is irresistible on any dance floor.
After all, isn't that Street Funk? Released as an education to the imposters of the Funk Kingdom. Listen and Learn.
You can stop cringing now. Clearly the only people who had forgotten about Banbarra where the sharp suited over-paid A&R executives at EMI. The rest of us, including some well informed DJs and said five young funskters from Hulme, had not.
Ripped from a 7" vinyl records released on Stateside Records (STATES 1) in 1985 to high quality lossless FLAC audio.
A. Shack Up
B. Shack Up (Part 2)
