Jun 30, 2019

Sundaze 1926

Hello, more bad news after the computer trouble this week and all the trouble re-installing drivers, disaster struck last night when i wanted to copy a file to my Aetix it didn't work my explorer couldn't read the directory, then i made a mistake to check disk, i should have gone to the scan for  badblock, it might have worked but now im stuck with a 3 terabyte disk which contains all my Aetix and Roots music and i can't get to it now. Windows won't start when its connected. It will be troublesome to get my music back. As it happens i expected to end the whole Aetix thing later this year as for global roots tour it almost ended. For the time no more Roots and Aetix postings and re-ups ! I know it sucks big time.



If most artists in contemporary electronica are like islands unto themselves, turning out tracks in relative anonymity, Pete "Namlook" Kuhlmann was a whole continent. A dizzyingly prolific composer who steadily built up an entire industry around his Frankfurt-based Fax label, Namlook's name was inextricably linked with the post-rave resurgence of ambient music, and many of his solo and collaborative recordings with the likes of Mixmaster Morris, Tetsu Inoue, Klaus Schulze, Bill Laswell, Richie Hawtin, Geir Jenssen, Dr. Atmo, Burhan Ocal, Atom Heart, Jonah Sharp, Charles Uzzell-Edwards, and David Moufang, among many others, number among the most lauded and influential in new ambient. "...  ......N-Joy

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Pete Namlook (born 25 November 1960 as Peter Kuhlmann [phon koolman] in Frankfurt, Germany, died on 8 November 2012) was an ambient and electronic-music producer and composer., the extremely prolific Pete Namlook (1960-2012) was one of the high priests of new-school ambient, ie. ambient techno, trance, lounge and other related dance-music spinoffs. In its 20 year history his record label Fax Records released some of the definitive albums in these sub-genres and Namlook stands alongside a handful of other names such as The Orb, Biosphere and Mixmaster Morris as one of the originators of ambient's resurgence and reinvention via dance music in the late 80's and early 90's.

Intriguingly, he often favoured the sounds of analogue synthesisers over digital and - alongside fellow German e-musician Oliver Lieb - was reputed to have one of the most extensive collections of classic analogue equipment in Europe. And although he downplayed the linage, like many of his new-school peers his music has some of its roots in old-school electronica as varied as Brian Eno, psy rockers Pink Floyd, and Krautrock icons like Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream.

But Namlook was no imitator. He deepened and refined the sound of his predecessors with an injection of fresh ideas from the dance world, coupled with fine musicianship honed from many years of playing rock and jazz. In a 2007 interview with e-music magazine Slices he actually made a point of distancing his music from the conceptual influence of Eno particularly:

"You have to differentiate quite clearly between ambient in a techno sense, and on the other hand Brian Eno, a purely conceptual thing. I only knew of a collaboration between Brian Eno and Cluster [the German band], and him with Roxy Music. I only bought his ambient stuff later. Ambient as Eno defines it...is more or less musical wallpaper. It stays in the background and serves the environment rather than saying something about itself. In my definition of ambient, which has nothing in common with Eno's definition, it's about a journey, intense emotions that need to be transported - environmental music, jazz, ethno - depending on what project I'm working on".

The genesis of Fax Records

Although he had long dreamed of making a career from ambient electronica, in Fax Records' early days he was mainly pursuing a dance floor-oriented direction and releasing 12-inch vinyl singles to a warm reception from sectors of Europe's club scene.

But Namlook soon became dismayed at other artists' appropriation of the Frankfurt "hard trance" sound (developed through his genre-defining 4 Voice project). Thankfully his ambient B-sides to these singles - in hindsight a brilliant strategy - were also creating plenty of interest. Within a few years of the label's inception he had set about focusing Fax almost entirely on ambient and downtempo styles.

Up to his death in 2012 Namlook released an enormous number of solo and collaborative albums of widely varying quality both under his own name and various other project monikers. Collectors should be aware that many CD's were very limited pressings and some will be difficult to find, even more so now that Namlook has gone and the label is no more. Certain key titles were re-issued on CD and download from time to time, however, and much of the Fax catalogue is now spread widely online.

The Silence series

Silence (1992) is the one that started it all, Fax's first album release and one which caught the ear of both seasoned electronic boffins and dance fans looking for a chilled-out tonic after a night among the thumping beats of clubland. Both this album and Silence II (1993) are collaborations with close associate Dr Atmo and despite being at times almost new age in their choice of themes (a voice whispers sweet cosmic nothings like "we are all part of the universe") the music is outstanding. These beguiling, shimmering, reverberant landscapes are sometimes beatless and sometimes gently beaty with subdued live pads and cymbals. The 20 minute "Garden Of Dreams" is a particular mesmerising blend of slow Mid-Eastern rhythms with sighing and crying electronic chords.

Continuing the series is the the Persian-tinged Silence III (1998) which features Namlook on his own. Titles like "Mirage" "Into The Desert" and “A Ship On A Sea Of Sand” are just perfect; his sense of place is quite stunning and he understands the visual qualities of ambient sound exceptionally well. His creative range across entire series is impressive: from stately progressions of warm, organic-sounding orchestral synthscapes to atonal, purely atmospheric pieces of pure texture. When it comes to sound design Namlook’s attention to detail is faultless, which makes hearing his music on good hi-fi equipment especially rewarding. Silence III is followed by two more superb albums in the series.

The surreal, innovative first volume of Dreamfish (1993) with collaborator Mixmaster Morris is another genre-defining release, still cited today as a favourite by fans of early post-rave ambient. The environmental sound effects are deployed in a quirky way amongst the textured, gently rhythmic landscapes and the music brims with surprises and quiet invention. The jazzy bass notes on "Fishology", for example, move along at a good clip yet are so subtle that the track's calming qualities are never disturbed. The first three volumes of the Air series are also high-water marks for Namlook. Like the Silence series they show some rich ethnic and neo-classical leanings, and they remain particularly effective examples of how he uses live acoustic instruments in an electronic setting. The delicate, tinkling cymbals and soft tom-tom beats on "Je suis seule et triste ici" from Air I (1993), for instance, are utterly refreshing because Namlook is able to maintain a deep electronic ambient feel while still expanding electronica's instrumental vocabulary.

Air II (1994) is deeply psychedelic. An eleven-part "trip" subtitled "Traveling Without Moving", it takes it's thematic cue from Frank Herbert's cult sci-fi novel and movie Dune. Herbert's story posited a strange universe dependant on a life-extending, mind-altering spice drug. On Air II Namlook subtly draws on the story's themes to create a beautiful, creepy, intoxicating universe of his own. Again he utilizes acoustic instruments: didgeridoo, sighing woodwinds, flamenco guitar, Mid-Eastern flutes, and swooping vocal textures that rise and fall to striking effect. They're all integrated seamlessly, proving that despite the club music influences he thrived by exploring outside the rigid structures of electronic beats and sequencing.

Other collaborations

Although as an artist Namlook's focus was far broader than just club-influenced sounds, when he did get into more squelchy or bleepy techy-trance territory the results could be just as stimulating. On the brilliant two-part title track from The Fires Of Ork (1993) that thumping 4/4 kick drum is there alright, but somehow Namlook and cohort Gier Jenssen (aka Biosphere) have managed to mute it just enough to create a truly "ambient" dance music: thunderous yet shadowy and eerie, built around a voice sample of Rutger Hauer from Blade Runner. Also beats-based is the the superb first volume of From Within (1994), one of the pinnacles of ambient techno that marries Namlook's warm keys and spiralling synth sounds with the sparse bleeps and beats of Canadian techno guru Richie Hawtin. Again, the rhythms don't drive you into the ground but rather lull you into a gentle if uneasy trance, particularly on "Million Miles To Earth" and "Sad Alliance". The third in this series, From Within III (1997) is also outstanding

Namlook after the mid 90's

While many aficionados would agree that the early to mid 1990's produced most of Fax's - and Namlook's - most enduring releases, it would be unfair to dismiss some of Namlook's work since then. Highlights from 1995-2001 include the final volumes in what is probably Namlook's greatest series, the magnificent Silence IV (2000) and Silence V (2001). The luminous piano notes and warm orchestral synths of "The Night Before I Left" from Silence IV might just be the most emotional piece of music Namlook has ever made, an elegy that's at once incredibly sad and jaw-droppingly pretty. From the same album is the extraordinary "Bedouin Love", a dark, swirling epic with thunderous Moroccan drums, a strange spoken Arabic monologue and chilling yet beautiful synthesiser chords. In the same sonic universe as the Silence albums is From Within 3 from 1997, again made with Richie Hawtin but this time quite different from earlier volumes due to its softer, warmer sound. There's feather-soft lead guitar lines, lush strings, jazzy improvising and warm analogue melodies, all held together by subtle, intelligent drum programming. It's a fantastic example of accessible, soulful electronica.

In the 2000's and beyond Namlook continued with a busy release schedule of solo albums and collaborations but rarely with the same impact his music made in the previous decade. Not that there's lack of variety; for hardcore Fax fans there's plenty to explore. Experimental releases like New Organic Life (2002) are scarily unfamiliar, experimental, arguably unlistenable at times. Some outstanding individual melodic tracks appear on otherwise less-then-great albums such as Resonate (2006) and Namlook Le Mar (2009). However, some of his other collaborative albums made after the mid 90's - not listed on this page - are highly recommended including recordings with Tetsu Inoue, Klaus Schulze and Wolfram Spyra.

Death and legacy

Aged just 51, Namlook died unexpectedly in his sleep of a heart attack on 8 November 2012. Maintaining his intense work rate right up to the night he passed away, some wondered whether Namlook simply drove himself into the ground, literally living and dying for his art. Yet his sister told UK music journalist Mark Prendergast that "he went to bed happy" that day. Who are we to judge? Namlook left behind an extraordinary and enormous recorded legacy, as well as a generation of underground electronic producers and composers inspired by both his talents and his uncompromising independence. Fax Records is no more, though for the moment a good deal of his discography remains available. Hopefully a sensible licensing deal with the Kuhlmann estate will enable another publisher take on the best of his catalogue and keep it available in the coming decades. He deserves no less.

The tribute: Die Welt ist Klang

A superb Namlook tribute album appeared in 2013, almost as essential as any of the work released by the man himself. Die Welt ist Klang ("The World Is Sound") was put together in 2012-13 via a crowdfunding campaign by Dave Wade-Stein from EAR/Rational Music, the longtime North American distributor for Fax and related labels. The album is presented thus: four volumes of mostly new or unreleased music by former Fax artists, and four volumes of new material by mostly unknown musician-fans.

It's only fitting that one of the most prolific recording artists in the history of music - in all recorded music, not just a genre - should be honoured with a sprawling 8-volume tribute. It would take pages to review so much music in detail; suffice to say the standard of contributions overall is very high. Interestingly, most of the former Fax artists here don't seek to recapture peak moments from their past works. They just do what they do - from beatless ambient to bleepy dance grooves, from lounge to techno, from gentle dissonance to sweet, tender melodies. As for the the 40 or so musician-fan contributions, they were chosen from a large pool of submissions by a blind vote. Although there are some easy-to-spot pastiches among them, here too there is much freshness and surprise.

Die Welt ist Klang is a massive treasure chest of (mostly) new ambient and electronica. Some of it is the sound of now and some of it wistfully looks back. All of it acknowledges the contributions and example of one remarkable man.


Namlook" is "Koolman", a phonetic rendering of his real name, spelled backwards.

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A wonderfully spacious journey from beginning to end. Namlook's synthwork and Hawtin's beats combine for one of the best ambient techno projects I've ever heard. Starting from Earth with "Snake Charmer", a nice upbeat track as you prepare for the space ahead. "Sad Alliance" sends you through the atmosphere as it somberly pushes you past intermittent hi-hats, many interwoven synths, and a sad ambient loop that will bring tears to your eyes if you think about it too much. Soon enough you'll be "A Million Miles From Earth". A piano and resonant saw will help serve as the backdrop to the star-filled void. Eventually, you're "Homeward Bound". Another upbeat track soundtracks the return voyage. It's slightly cheesy, but it's still an enjoyable listen. Lastly, you plunge to the bottom of the sea with "Lost". Nothing special here, just an ethereal sound fading in and out, getting slightly more dissonant each time. A simple, yet effective way to end this wonderful album.



Pete Namlook • Richie Hawtin - From Within ( 358mbmb)

01 Snake Charmer 13:25
02 Sad Alliance 12:25
03 A Million Miles To Earth 29:18
04 Homeward Bound 12:20
05 Lost 3:19

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It's almost hard to believe that From Within 2 wasn't created at the same time as the legendary first installment and then again maybe it isn't. From Within 2 almost feels like an late night afterhours jam following that legendary first record. But then again at this time, Namlook was probably starting to spread himself thin with many other collaborations and Hawtin was taking off as the Plastikman, accounting for lack of labor over this record. "Do Bassdrums Have Feelings?" begins with Namlook's Silence-style ambience for awhile before bowing to one of Hawtin's groovy analog melodies without very much involvement from Namlook until much later, conjuring a rather quiet dancefloor. "Brain to Midi" is more of a Namlook track, majestic and foreboding but hardly active. Of course the awesome "Future Surfacing" is where it's at, tapping into the deep space of "Millions of Miles From Earth" and winding up giving you something to really groove to. Then to give more of an afterhours feeling you'll find after much silence you'll get some Detroit-style house with Namlook chiming in. Not as serious as From Within but highly enjoyable and memorable after closing time.



Pete Namlook • Richie Hawtin - From Within 2 (flac  334mb)

01 Do Bassdrums Have Feelings 13:50
02 Brain To Midi 20:44
03 Future Surfacing (What Lies Ahead) 39:23

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Continuing the series is the the Persian-tinged Silence III (1998) which features Namlook on his own. Titles like "Mirage" "Into The Desert" and “A Ship On A Sea Of Sand” are just perfect; his sense of place is quite stunning and he understands the visual qualities of ambient sound exceptionally well. His creative range across entire series is impressive: from stately progressions of warm, organic-sounding orchestral synthscapes to atonal, purely atmospheric pieces of pure texture. When it comes to sound design Namlook’s attention to detail is faultless, which makes hearing his music on good hi-fi equipment especially rewarding. Silence III is followed by two more superb albums in the series



Pete Namlook • Richie Hawtin - From Within 3 (flac  278 mb)

 Silent Intelligence
01 Part I 1:22
02 Part II 2:06
03 Part III 6:57
04 Part IV 3:08
05 Part V 5:22
06 Part VI 2:27
07 Part VII 2:13
08 Part VIII 5:51
09 Part IX 3:55
10 Part X 9:48
11 Part XI 3:08
12 Part XII 8:06
Hidden
13-90 Untitled (Silence)
91 Untitled 1:17
.
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Not much coincidence that Pete decided to make the final release of 1999 a return to the series that started FAX's rise to greatness. Released 7 years after the first Silence album, Silence IV quietly and humbly muses on the past, attempting to recapture that magic with Dr. Atmo. What we get is some great meditative ambient for reflecting on everything we've experienced in this past 20th century, using deep ethno sounds and drones that emulate his former project counterpart. "The Night Before I Left" can certainly be described as the note Pete wanted to end on: beautiful, serene, and emotional.



Pete Namlook - Silence IV ( 249mb)

01 Circle Of Life 20:01
02 Deep Inside 8:00
03 Bedouin Love 12:51
04 The Night Before I Left 9:31

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For the past couple of installments, Pete Namlook had been really attempting to compensate for the departure of Dr. Atmo by focusing on the Eastern musical side of the Silence project, but in doing so things really strayed from those the groundbreaking original releases. Not only does Silence V feel like the proper follow-up to Silence I and II but Pete brings almost ten years of evolution to his signature musical style to this release. "Asbendos" seems to mirror "Omid/Hope", the original opener to the first Silence release, a dramatic, cinematic and foreboding theme that Pete adds both Eastern horns and some very light vocals to. "While Angels Sleep" and "Ancient Beauty" bases themselves heavily on the soprano vocals that Pete has embraced in the past year with warm bass and light drums taking more of a backseat. "Master of the Sky" feels like a magical airship ride through the clouds of a sunny sky with Pete's synthwork at its best. The closing piece, "Picnic" is also self-descriptive and aptly named; sullen reflective melodies with a flock of birds chirping along and Pete's jazzy guitar joining in halfway through. Namlook returns to the style that started it all and it makes for one of the best and most memorable releases on the label. "Heavenly" only begins to describe it.



Pete Namlook - Silence V ( flac   288mb)

01 Asbendos 13:01
02 While Angels Sleep 8:42
03 Master Of The Sky 9:04
04 Ancient Beauty 12:50
05 Picnic 10:38
06 Trip 11 5:43


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Jun 28, 2019

RhoDeo 1925 Grooves

Hello,


Today's Artists are a Scottish funk and R&B band that had a series of soul and disco hits between 1974 and 1980. They are best known for their million-selling instrumental track "Pick Up the Pieces", and their albums AWB and Cut the Cake. . ...... N Joy

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The Average White Band (also AWB) are a Scottish funk and R&B band that had a series of soul and disco hits between 1974 and 1980. They are best known for their million-selling instrumental track "Pick Up the Pieces", and their albums AWB and Cut the Cake. The band name was initially proposed by Bonnie Bramlett; the band backed Bramlett on her first solo outing, 1973's Sweet Bonnie Bramlett, an album that presaged the Disco movement, particularly with the track Crazy 'Bout My Baby played heavily in dance clubs. They have influenced others such as the Brand New Heavies, and been sampled by various musicians including the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, TLC, The Beatnuts, Too Short, Ice Cube, Eric B. & Rakim, Nas, and A Tribe Called Quest, Christina Milian, as well as Arrested Development – making them the 15th most sampled act in history. As of 2018, 46 years after their formation, they continue to perform.

AWB was formed in early 1972 in London by Alan Gorrie, and Malcolm "Molly" Duncan, with Owen "Onnie" McIntyre, Michael Rosen (trumpet), Roger Ball, and Robbie McIntosh joining them in the original line-up. Hamish Stuart quickly replaced Rosen. Duncan and Ball, affectionately known as the Dundee Horns, studied at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art (now part of the University of Dundee, but which at the time was part of the Dundee Institute of Art and Technology, now known as Abertay University), and were previously members of Mogul Thrash. Gorrie and McIntyre had been members of Forever More. McIntyre and McIntosh were used as session musicians on Chuck Berry's recording of "My Ding-a-Ling". According to Duncan, members of the band had played together before in Scotland, but had moved to London separately and met up by chance at a Traffic concert. They decided to jam together; a friend heard them and remarked: "This is too much for the average white man," which became adapted as the name of the band.

The band's breakthrough was a support slot at Eric Clapton's comeback concert in 1973. MCA Records released their debut album, Show Your Hand (1973), which sold poorly. Bruce McCaskill, who was Clapton's tour manager, liked the band's music and agreed to manage them. He borrowed money to take them to the US and to promote them. McCaskill had many contacts from his days with Clapton and managed to get Atlantic Records to sign them. The band relocated to Los Angeles and released the follow-up, AWB, better known as The White Album. It reached No. 1 and was the first of many with renowned producer Arif Mardin.

McIntosh died of a heroin overdose at a Los Angeles party on 23 September 1974. Gorrie also overdosed, but Cher kept him conscious until medical help arrived. The NME reported in January 1975 that AWB played a benefit show for McIntosh's widow at the Marquee Club in London. McIntosh was replaced by Steve Ferrone (previously of Bloodstone), and, like McIntosh, previously with Brian Auger's Oblivion Express. In 1975, the single "Pick Up the Pieces" – taken from the No. 1 AWB album – reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song knocked Linda Ronstadt's "You're No Good" out of No. 1 and sold over one million copies. It was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in March 1975. It also prompted The J.B.'s, the backup band of the "Godfather of Soul", James Brown, to record and release a song in reply, "Pick Up the Pieces, One by One", under the name AABB (Above Average Black Band). It was both a tribute to AWB's knowledge of funk and a tongue-in-cheek play on the Scottish band's name.

AWB followed up with the LPs Cut the Cake (1975) and Soul Searching (1976), both big sellers and yielding further Top 40 singles. Cut the Cake was dedicated by the surviving band members to McIntosh's memory. A double live album "Person To Person" was issued in late 1976. Their next LP, Benny & Us, was a collaboration with Ben E. King. After several more albums, "Warmer Communications" (1978), "Feel No Fret" (1979) and after a switch to the U.S. Arista label, "Shine" (1980) and "Cupid's In Fashion" (1982), AWB's audience and sales dwindled. The group initially disbanded by 1983. Their 1980 disco hit "Let's Go Round Again" (UK No. 12), was covered in the late 1990s by Louise.

Ferrone went on to work with Duran Duran whilst Hamish Stuart joined Paul McCartney's touring group. In 1985 Gorrie released a solo album, Sleepless Nights.

The classic lineup of Gorrie, McIntyre, Ball, Stuart, Duncan and Ferrone reunited for one last time at the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary in 1988. Gorrie, McIntyre, and Ball then continued in 1989 to record Aftershock. Alex Ligertwood (ex-Santana, Jeff Beck Group and another veteran of Brian Auger's Oblivion Express) also appeared on this album, replacing lead singer Hamish Stuart, along with Eliot Lewis who co-wrote with Gorrie and joined the band. Ligertwood left after the album's recording and drummer Tiger McNeil joined for the reunited band's live shows. McNeil was with the group until 1994. He was then succeeded by Peter Abbott (ex-Blood Sweat and Tears), who in turn was replaced by Fred "Catfish" Alias in September 1998. Drummer Adam Deitch did a two-year stint with AWB from 1999 to 2001.

Average White Band has continued recording (1997's Soul Tattoo, 1999's Face to Face) and touring since. Ball worked on Soul Tattoo with the group but was replaced by Fred Vigdor (aka Freddy V.) in 1996. Brian Dunne took over the drum chair in 2001 and when Eliot Lewis left the band in September 2002 to pursue other musical opportunities (including a stint with Hall and Oates), he was replaced by Klyde Jones. Their line-up as of 2002 became Alan Gorrie (bass guitar, guitar, lead and backing vocals), Klyde Jones (keyboards, bass guitar, guitar, lead and backing vocals), Onnie McIntyre (guitar, vocals), Freddy V (sax, keyboards, vocals), and Brian Dunne (drums).

Dunne was replaced by Rocky Bryant as drummer as of the 2006 tour. After Jones left in 2011 to join Hall and Oates, Monte Croft (keyboards, bass, guitar) and former Earth Wind and Fire member Morris Pleasure (keyboards, bass, guitar) came in to do brief stints before Rob Aries arrived in 2013. Brent Carter (ex-Tower of Power) has been singing with AWB since 2011.

In July 2015, Malcolm ‘Molly’ Duncan, Steve Ferrone and Hamish Stuart reunited to form The 360 Band. This is in essence one half of the original AWB. They released an album titled "Three Sixty" in 2017 and have been performing live together along with supporting musicians. As of 2019, Alan Gorrie and Onnie McIntyre are the only two original members left in the Average White Band.





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Like Earth, Wind & Fire and the Ohio Players, the Average White Band demonstrated that even the mightiest of funk bands can experience a creative and commercial decline. 1978's Warmer Communications was the last AWB album that went gold; by the time they came out with 1979's uneven Feel No Fret, AWB's popularity had decreased. That isn't to say that nothing they recorded after the '70s has merit; 1997's Soul Tattoo found AWB providing a decent and satisfying, if less than essential, CD 17 years after the '70s ended. Nonetheless, many AWB fans agree that Warmer Communications was the Scottish band's last truly excellent album. This 1978 LP didn't have a blockbuster single like "Cut the Cake" or "Pick Up the Pieces"; the funky single "Your Love Is a Miracle" only made it to number 33 on Billboard's R&B singles chart. But Warmer Communications (which Arif Mardin produced) didn't need a major single to sell at least half a million copies in the United States, where fans were willing the buy the record regardless of how much radio airplay it received. In fact, fans found that they could easily play this album from start to finish without ever feeling disappointed -- and you can't say that about Feel No Fret, AWB's next album. Warmer Communications gets off to an impressive start with "Your Love Is a Miracle," and AWB keeps the creative momentum going whether they're getting funky on "Same Feeling, Different Song" and "Big City Lights" or chilling out on slow jams that include "One Look Over My Shoulder (Is This Really Goodbye?)," the ethereal "She's a Dream," and a memorable cover of James Taylor's "Daddy's All Gone." There are no dull moments on Warmer Communications, which was a welcome addition to AWB's catalog.



 Average White Band - Warmer Communications  (flac   299mb)

01 Your Love Is A Miracle 6:04
02 Same Feeling, Different Song 5:16
03 Daddy's All Gone 4:38
04 Big City Lights 4:52
05 She's A Dream 5:36
06 Warmer Communications 4:07
07 The Price Of The Dream 3:59
08 Sweet & Sour 4:50
09 One Look Over My Shoulder (Is This Really Goodbye?) 3:55

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From their self-titled sophomore album of 1974 to 1978's Warmer Communications, the Average White Band enjoyed a commercial winning streak in the '70s; all of the albums they recorded for Atlantic during that period went either gold or platinum in the United States (and that is in addition to their impressive sales in Europe). But if any AWB album demonstrated that all good things must eventually come to an end, it was Feel No Fret. This 1979 LP marked the first time since 1973's Show Your Hand (also known as Put It Where You Want It) that an AWB album didn't enjoy either gold or platinum sales in the U.S., and it was also the most uneven album they recorded in the '70s. So what went wrong? Perhaps the absence of Arif Mardin was a factor; Mardin had produced all of AWB's previous Atlantic releases, whereas they produced Feel No Fret themselves. If Mardin had been encouraging the Scottish soul/funk band to go that extra mile, they settled for decent or competent on this record. Feel No Fret is far from a total meltdown, and the material is generally likable -- especially the good-natured "Atlantic Avenue," the slow-grinding "When Will You Be Mine," and a remake of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David favorite "Walk On By" (which became a minor hit and made it to number 32 on Billboard's R&B singles chart). But after Mardin-produced treasures like AWB, Soul Searching, Cut the Cake, and Warmer Communications, AWB followers had become extremely spoiled -- they expected excellence, not a record that was merely adequate. Nonetheless, hardcore devotees (as opposed to casual listeners) will want to hear this album, which Rhino reissued on CD as Feel No Fret...and More (with four bonus tracks added) in 1994.



Average White Band - Feel No Fret  (flac   261mb)

01 When Will You Be Mine 4:23
02 Please Don't Fall In Love 3:42
03 Walk On By 3:56
04 Feel No Fret 6:22
05 Stop The Rain 4:28
06 Atlantic Avenue 3:12
07 Ace Of Hearts 3:48
08 Too Late To Cry 3:40
09 Fire Burning 3:27

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This underrated Average White Band album produced by David Foster featured songs by AWB with Foster co-writing a couple with the guys. The album's smooth, jazzy sound turned off fans that liked AWB rawer. Time, however, has treated these tracks well (they can be found on CD) and what wasn't cutting-edge at the time has proven to be timeless trinkets. Check out: "Catch Me (Before I Have to Testify)," "Let's Go Round Again," "For Your Love," and "Into the Night," the LP's rawest cut.



Average White Band - Shine (flac   262mb)

01 Our Time Has Come 3:30
02 For You, For Love 3:52
03 Let´s Go ´Round Again 4:40
04 Whatcha' Gonna Do For Me 4:10
05 Into The Night 3:57
06 Catch Me (Before I Have To Testify) 4:52
07 Help Is On The Way 4:18
08 If Love Only Lasts For One Night 4:39
09 Shine 3:55
10 Into The Night (Reprise) 2:00

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The first four tracks of VOL VIII were unreleased cuts from the Shine period. They were combined with a selection of greatest hits and released in 1980 as VOL VIII.



Average White Band - Volume VIII (flac   262mb)

01 Kiss Me 3:49
02 Love Won't Get In The Way 5:01
03 Love Gives, Love Takes Away 4:09
04 Growing Pains 4:21
05 Pick Up The Pieces 3:58
06 Person To Person 3:38
07 Cut The Cake 4:03
08 A Love Of Your Own 4:01
09 Queen Of My Soul 4:34

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So towards the end AWB headed down the disco path which lead them away from what many saw as their true soul approach, however it is hard to find a soul artist who at this time did not go the same way. Disco had a short life but was ubiquitous. So it was inevitable that AWB also followed this trend, I for one was disappointed that they did not retain a stronger jazz element that was there in their very early work but I do recognise why they took the direction they did, and they produced some cracking albums along the way.
That UK cover is something to give you nightmares!  Design [Styling, Mannequins] – Mundo Mesa Very creepy! Cupid's In Fashion was recorded at Sigma Sound Studios, NYC. It turned out to be the last album by the band, they split and partly reassembled 7 years later.



Average White Band -Cupid's In Fashion (flac   289mb)

01 You're My Number One 3:19
02 Easier Said Than Done 4:07
03 You Wanna Belong 4:25
04 Cupid's in Fashion 4:20
05 Theatre of Excess 4:28
06 I Believe 4:30
07 Is It Love That You're Running From 4:12
08 Reach Out  / I'll Be There 3:52
09 Isn't It Strange 3:22
10 Love's a Heartache 4:47

Jun 27, 2019

RhoDeo 1925 Roots

Hello, lots of troubles last night and i'm not out of the woods yet-see comment, for some mysterious reason couldn't ad more pics here, well after intensive use for say 4years, getting back to how tings were will take time


Today's artist Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1977), is known by his stage name Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, rapper, actor, and record producer. Ayala was born in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, and was raised in the neighborhood of Villa Kennedy Housing Projects.  Daddy Yankee is the artist who coined the word Reggaeton in 1994 to describe the new music genre that was emerging from Puerto Rico; he is known as the "King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike. ......N'Joy

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Daddy Yankee is often considered to be one of the pioneers within the Reggaeton genre. Ayala was originally going to become a professional baseball player but he was shot in his leg while taking a break from a studio recording session. The bullet was never removed and he credits this incident with allowing him to pursue a musical career. He first appeared on the 1991 DJ Playero's Mixtape, Playero 34, with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas".[citation needed] His first official studio project as a solo artist was No Mercy, which was released on April 2, 1995 through White Lion Records and BM Records in Puerto Rico. Early in his career he attempted to imitate the rap style of Vico C. He went on to emulate other artists in the genre, including DJ Playero, DJ Nelson, and Tempo taking elements from their styles in order to develop an original style with the Dembow rhythm. In doing so, he eventually abandoned the traditional model of rap and became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton. Throughout the 1990s, Daddy Yankee appeared in several of DJ Playero's underground mixtapes which were banned by the Puerto Rican government due to explicit lyrics; these songs would later be among the first reggaeton songs ever produced. DJ Playero and Daddy Yankee would later be credited for inventing the name "Reggaeton" to describe their music on the album Playero 36 in 1994.


In 1997, Daddy Yankee collaborated with the rapper Nas, who was an inspiration for Ayala, in the song "The Profecy", for the album Boricua Guerrero. He released two compilation albums with original material: El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001). Both albums were successful in Puerto Rico, but not throughout Latin America. Between those years, Ayala released a total of nine music videos, including "Posición" featuring Alberto Stylee, "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" featuring Nicky Jam, and "Muévete Y Perrea". In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed an unofficial duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam and released several successful singles together. Yankee and Nicky Jam fell apart in 2004 due to personal issues and creative differences

In 2002, El Cangri.com became Ayala's first album with international success, receiving coverage in the markets of New York City and Miami with hits including "Latigazo", "Son Las Doce", "Guayando" and other songs like "Enciende", which talks about different social problems of the era, mentioning 9/11, corruption and religion. In 2003, Daddy Yankee released a compilation album named Los Homerun-es, which contains his first charted single ("Segurosqui"), five new songs and 12 remakes of DJ Playero's albums songs. that was later charted, "Seguroski", being his first charted single after six of them. In 2003, Ayala collaborated for the first time with the prestigious reggaeton producers Luny Tunes on the album Mas Flow, with his commercial success song "Cógela Que Va Sin Jockey" (a.k.a. "Métele Con Candela"), and Mas Flow 2. Luny Tunes would later produce Daddy Yankee's album Barrio Fino and hit single Gasolina which were released in 2004, and received numerous awards, including a Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Music Album, Lo Nuestro Awards and a Latin Billboard, as well as receiving nominations for the MTV Video Music Awards.

Ayala's next album, Barrio Fino, was produced by Luny Tunes and DJ Nelson among others and released in July 2004 by El Cartel Records and VI Music. It was the most highly anticipated album in the reggaeton community. Ayala had enjoyed salsa music since he was young, and this led him to include music of genres besides reggaeton in the album. The most prominent of these cross-genre singles was "Melao", in which he performed with Andy Montañez. The album was described as his most complete, and with it he intended to introduce combinations of reggaeton and other genres to the English-speaking market. Barrio Fino was followed up by an international tour with performances in numerous countries including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and the United States. The album has sold over 500,000 copies in the United States alone and has sold well throughout Latin America and worldwide. During this same time, Daddy Yankee was featured in N.O.R.E.'s single "Oye Mi Canto" which hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; a record for a reggaeton single at the time. Other successful featured singles included "Mayor Que Yo" and "Los 12 Discípulos".

In 2005, Ayala won several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists within the music industry. The first award of the year was Lo Nuestro Awards within the "Album of the Year" category, which he received for Barrio Fino. In this event he performed "Gasolina" in a performance that was described as "innovative". Barrio Fino also won the "Reggaeton Album of the Year" award in the Latin Billboard that took place on April 28, 2005, where he performed a mix of three of his songs in a duet with P. Diddy. The album was promoted throughout Latin America, the United States, and Europe, reaching certified gold in Japan. Due to the album's success, Ayala received promotional contracts with radio stations and soda companies, including Pepsi. His hit single, "Gasolina", received the majority of votes cast for the second edition of Premios Juventud, in which it received eight nominations and won seven awards. Ayala also made a live presentation during the award ceremony. "Gasolina" received nominations in the Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The commercial success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to the creation of a new radio format and a Billboard chart: Latin Rhythm Airplay. According to Nestor Casonu, CEO of Casonu Strategic Management, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide".

El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Héctor Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosí coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres".

In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalía's song, "Ten Paciencia". On 17 August 2008 his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film was released. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009.[39] On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levantó", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year.

The single, "Grito Mundial", was released on October 8, 2009, in order to promote his ninth album, Mundial. The song was going to be the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Ayala rejected the FIFA offer, which gave them 100% of the rights. Despite releasing "El Ritmo No Perdona (Prende)" more than a month before, that single was not considered the first official promotional single. The second single, "Descontrol", was released on January 12, 2010, and topped the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. The music video was filmed in New York City and was released on May 17, 2010. "La Despedida" was the third single, released on August 4, 2010. The song reached #4 in both Billboard Top Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs. Other songs, like "Bailando Fue" (featuring Jowell & Randy) and "Échale Pique" (featuring Yomo) were not included in Mundial.


Daddy Yankee's 6th studio album, Prestige was released on September 11, 2012. It was scheduled to be released on November or December 2011, but a hurricane damaged El Cartel Records and half of the album was lost. The lost tracks had to be reworked and was finally released nine months later. The first single, "Ven Conmigo," featuring bachata singer Prince Royce, was released on April 12, 2011 and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second single, "Lovumba," was released on October 4, 2011 and was a number one hit on the Billboard Latin Charts and the Latin Songs chart. It was also nominated for Best Urban Song at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The third single, "Pasarela," was released on June 20, 2012. The album peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200, number one on both the Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. It also peaked at number five on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. The fourth and last single, Limbo, was released with the album. The song had a great success, reaching three #1 Billboard charts (Hot Latin Song, Latin Pop Song and Latin Rhythm Airplay) and having more than 790 million views on YouTube. The album was certified as Gold by the RIAA on March 8, 2013.

The year 2012 had one of the most important genre events of the year: the reconciliation between Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, after some years of rivalry. Six years after their last collaboration, Daddy Yankee appeared on the duo's remix song "Hipnotízame", with positive acclaim from fans. Two months later, on February 16, 2013, Wisin & Yandel collaborated in the remix of "Limbo". Later in 2013, the three artists performed songs like "Hipnotízame", "Mayor Que Yo" and "Noche De Entierro" in two concerts (one in Puerto Rico and another in Colombia).
On February 25, 2013, Daddy Yankee performed in the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, to a sold-out audience. He performed hits like "Limbo", "Gasolina", "Pose", "Ella Me Levantó" and "Descontrol". He won the Silver and Golden Torch and the Silver and Golden Seagull recognitions.

In 2013, Daddy Yankee performed on his Prestige World Tour, touring several countries in Europe including, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He has also toured in Colombia, Peru, Chile to sold-out audiences. In 2013 he released music videos of "El Amante" featuring J Alvarez, "Summertime" and "Noche de los Dos" featuring Natalia Jimenez, with millions of views on YouTube. On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape entitled "King Daddy", produced by Los De La Nazza (Musicologo & Menes), as part the Imperio Nazza Mixtapes series and was released as a digital-format only. The mixtape was made because of the high demand from the fans and is a return to his original reggaeton roots. It includes 11 tracks with collaborations from J Alvarez, Arcángel, Yandel, Farruko, and Divino. According to Ayala, "King Daddy" was recorded in two and a half weeks, because there was "a lot of inspiration". The song "La Rompe Carros" has garnered popularity among the public, but his hit single was "La Nueva y La Ex" which has been widely received all over South America, Europe, and North America. During a press conference earlier this year, Daddy Yankee announced the physical release of King Daddy scheduled for later this year with 3 or 4 bonus tracks for a total of 14 or 15 songs included.

From May 13 to June 22, 2014, Ayala performed on his King Daddy Tour, touring several cities in Europe. He has also toured in South and North American cities. In Spain, his concerts were on the 4º position in the box-office ranking, being the first Latin artist on the top 5 in this country, underneath Iron Maiden and The Rolling Stones, and over artists like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé. On June 17, 2014 the single "Ora Por Mí" (Spanish for "Pray For Me") was released as part of the King Daddy's bonus tracks and uses the Scorpions' "Send Me An Angel" instrumental, with a rap sampler. The official video for "Ora Por Mí" was released on June 24, 2014. It was filmed in many locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and talks about Ayala's life and the dark side of fame. According to Ayala, it is the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, it was released another single called "Palabras Con Sentido" (Spanish for "Words With Sentiments"), which defends reggaeton and urban music of all the accusations of being a "society poison". Daddy Yankee expressed that all music has something good to give, even urban music. On his single, he also says that urban music saves lives, like his own, and the solution would be that churches have to remain, journalists have to tell the truth, artists have to have more inspiration, and the rich people have to help the poor ones. On September 9, 2014 he released his first totally English single called "This Is Not A Love Song" featuring new rapper Duncan.

On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee was awarded the "Industry Leader Award" during the 2016 Latin Billboard Awards. After a decade's feud with longtime rival Don Omar for the "King of Reggaeton" title, in early 2016 Daddy Yankee and Don Omar announced in a Billboard press conference that they would perform together on stage in a concert series called The Kingdom World Tour. The tour announcement left many fans in disbelief as it sold out in minutes in major cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York. The concerts were structured like a boxing match, where the two artists got to trade off musical rounds, and fans voted for their winner in each city via an app designed for the event. “Two kings, one throne,” said Pina Records founder Rafael Pina, who had a well-established relationship with both artists, and who also came up with the idea for the tour concept. Discussing the tour and his rivalry with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar said “Let me clarify: I am not his best friend, and he is not my best friend, but we respect each other. That desire to be the best is what has pushed us to be better.”

In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The official video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017 after 97 days. Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, being the first Latin artist to do so.

As of 2017, Daddy Yankee has won 82 awards from 270 nominations since his rise to international fame in 2004. He has won 5 Latin Grammy Awards, 2 Billboard Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, 2 Latin American Music Awards, 8 Lo Nuestro Awards, an MTV Video Music Award and 6 ASCAP Awards. He also received a Puerto Rican Walk of Fame Star, special awards by People en Español magazine, and the Presencia Latina at Harvard University. He was named by CNN as the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" of 2009, and included in Time 100 in 2006.

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Daddy Yankee kept his presence front and center amid the reggaeton feeding frenzy of 2005, releasing a very satisfying stopgap package, Barrio Fino en Directo, in late 2005, just in time for the holiday shopping rush. The title references Daddy's super-selling album from a year before, Barrio Fino, and the album serves as a nice companion piece, reflecting upon all the success that album enjoyed in the wake of its release. This CD/DVD package has a little bit of everything: the CD features a ten-track seamless set of live recordings from all over America (North and South), and it also features several new recordings, including collaborations with Snoop Dogg and Paul Wall, while the DVD features live concert footage, the "Corazones" video, various documentary footage, and a photo gallery. It all adds up to a lot of entertainment value, and a lot of insight into what's made Daddy Yankee such a phenomenon. In particular, the live recordings are especially impressive. The sound quality is pristine -- on a par with his studio recordings -- and the performances are absolutely electrifying, all of them recorded in giant arenas packed full of tens of thousands of screaming fans (check "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó," where the entire arena sings along, word for word). If you have any reservations about the reggaeton movement, the mania of these live performances will be all the evidence you need -- this is no trend; this is a full-fledged movement, one with strong sociopolitical undercurrents. (The other Daddy Yankee live album released in 2005, the archival Ahora Le Toca al Cangri, pales in comparison.) The new studio recordings are all promising, raising the level of anticipation for Daddy's next studio album to a ridiculous level. Of particular interest are the collaborations with Snoop and Paul Wall, as these two popular rappers try their best to adjust their flows to the tricky, fleet-footed rhythms of reggaeton. Fans will love Barrio Fino en Directo. It's no cash-in; it's a lovingly assembled stopgap release with good intentions. Anyone new to Daddy Yankee, however, will want to start with Barrio Fino. It's a great, hit-filled album that's a prerequisite to understanding why this young swaggering Puerto Rican was able to captivate arenas full of Latinos in all corners of the Western Hemisphere.



 Daddy Yankee - Barrio Fino En Directo    (flac  358mb)

01 En Directo 1:35
02 King Daddy (en vivo, san juan puerto rico) 2:37
03 Dale Caliente (en vivo, san juan puerto rico) 3:19
04 El Empuje (en vivo, guayaquil ecuador) 3:30
05 Te Principe (en vivo, medellin colombia) 3:37
06 Santifica Tus Escapularios (en vivo, barranquilla colombia) 3:27
07 Corazones (en vivo, new york city) 3:39
08 No Me Dejes Solo (en vivo, Los angeles) 1:39
09 Lo Que Pasó, Pasó (en vivo, republica dominicana) 3:39
10 Gasolina (en vivo, san juan puerto rico) 5:08
New Tracks
11 Rompe 3:10
12 Machucando 3:00
13 Gangsta Zone 3:35
14 Machete Reloaded 3:30
15 Skit - Como Dice Que Dijo 0:42
16 El Truco 3:39

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Billed as the soundtrack to the film of the same name, Talento de Barrio is a full-length showcase for Daddy Yankee that is essentially the follow-up album to El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007), a wide-ranging effort that found him experimenting with crossover tactics and collaborating with pop-rap artists including Akon, will.i.am, Fergie, and Scott Storch. Unlike that album, which yielded mixed results, Talento de Barrio doesn't aim to expand Daddy Yankee's fan base; rather, it aims to consolidate his already massive following. There are no English-language songs, no pop-rap collaborations, no Scott Storch productions, nothing even potentially embarrassing -- it's pure reggaetón. Granted, there are some Latin fusions (most effectively, "Llamado de Emergencia" fuses Columbian vallenato with reggaetón) and also some autotuned vocals à la T-Pain (the choruses of "Temblor" and "¿Qué Tengo Qué Hacer?"), but Talento de Barrio is clearly a return to Daddy Yankee's strengths as a street-level reggaetónero. This makes Talento de Barrio a less interesting album than El Cartel: The Big Boss, whose broad range of crossover tactics was fascinating even when certain songs didn't work out as well as planned. On the other hand, Talento de Barrio is an all-around better album than El Cartel: The Big Boss. Not only is it more stylistically consistent and more reasonably paced at 15 songs in less than an hour's time; most importantly, it sticks with what's already proven successful. Three highlights in particular exemplify what works best for Daddy Yankee: "Pose" is another in a line of electrifying club tracks ("Gasolina," "Rompe," "Impacto"), "Somos de Calle" is a socially conscious rallying call for the streets, and "Salgo pa' la Calle" is a melodic gem featuring a fantastic hook by Randy (of Jowell & Randy) and a standout production by Luny Tunes and Tainy.



Daddy Yankee - Talento De Barrio    (flac  393mb)

01 Talento De Barrio 3:07
02 Pa-Kum-Pa!! 3:20
03 Temblor 3:15
04 Pose 3:37
05 Llamado De Emergencia 3:59
06 Oasis De Fantasia 3:05
07 Salgo Pa' La Calle 4:27
08 ¿Qué Tengo Qué Hacer? 3:38
09 Suelta 3:29
10 De La Paz Y De La Guerra 3:56
11 Pasión 3:55
12 Como Y Vete 3:41
13 K-ndela 3:41
14 Infinito 3:16
15 Somos De Calle 3:34


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 Reggaeton Fever 1    (flac  468mb)

01 Papa A.P. - Gasolina (3:14)
02 Daddy Yankee - No Hace Na (3:16)
03 Vico C - El Bueno, El Malo y El Feo (feat. Tego Calderon & Eddie Dee) (4:29)
04 Speedy - Siéntelo (feat. Lumidee) (2:55)
05 MC Duty - Martíllala (3:43)
06 Benny G - Pégate (3:02)
07 K-Mille - Suéltate (2:16)
08 Kartier - Quiero Sentir Tu Cuerpo (2:35)
09 Las Guanábanas - Abusar Contigo Ma (3:03)
10 Taino - Toma Toma (3:26)
11 Héctor & Tito - Mataron Un Innocente (2:05)
12 Master Joe - Duro (feat. Don Chezina & Yomo) (4:08)
13 Vico C - No Es Cuestión De Estar Pegao (4:01)
14 Yaga & Mackie Ranks - Los Anormales (2:54)
15 3-2 Get Funky - Bailen (3:42)
16 Yomo - La Bazooka (2:31)
17 Calvo - La Rampletera (3:10)
18 3Dvoz - Gatas Pa Arriba, Perros Pa Abajo (3:13)
19 Nael & Dion - Cruzando Mirada (3:22)
20 Facteur X2 - Pom Pom Pom (Raggaeton Mix) (Bonus Track) (4:01)

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Reggaeton Fever 2    (flac  331mb)

01 Vico C - Para Mi Barrio (feat. Tony Touch & D'Mingo) (5:50)
02 MC Duty - Rompe Cintura (2:33)
03 Nael & Dion - Suenan Los Banchis (2:52)
04 Benny G - Ya No Me Llamas (4:13)
05 Cavalucci - Guess Who's Back (2:46)
06 Speedy - El Amor Con La Ropa (2:09)
07 Benny & Machito - Casa Bichotes (2:32)
08 Taino - Como Yo Te Quiero (3:09)
09 Waldy - Voy Casando (2:46)
10 Zion & Lennox - Pégate (feat. Jomar) (3:04)
11 Lunático - Pa'l Bailoteo (2:28)
12 Johnny Prez - La Potra (3:08)
13 Cyborg - Getstone (2:48)
14 Cheka - Toda La Noche (3:31)
15 3Dvoz - Déjate Notar (3:39)

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Jun 26, 2019

RhoDeo 1925 Aetix

Hello,


Today's Artists were let's say not as successful as they hoped, with hindsight it's easy to blame the record companies that forever try to shape artists into the mold that maximize the record companies coffers, this inevitably is detrimental to most artists, and very counterproductive. Four synth-pop albums that need late recognition ..............N'Joy

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If Kissing the Pink's name sounds like sexual innuendo, it's because it is. The band eventually changed their appellation to the modest KTP. Often chastised by the U.K. press in the '80s, Kissing the Pink's music is not as suggestive as their name. The group's hybrid of soul, electronic experimentation, and synth-pop should've landed them hits when that sound was in flavor, but the band merely flirted with the Top 40 in England and was virtually unknown in America except for new wave diehards. Kissing the Pink was formed in 1980 at the Royal College of Music in London, England. All of the members lived together in the same house in North London. Comprised of Nick Whitecross (vocals, guitars), Jon Kingsley Hall (keyboards, vocals), Peter Barnett (bass, violin, vocals), Simon Aldridge (guitars, vocals), Stephen Cusack (drums, vocals), George Stewart (keyboards, vocals), and Josephine Wells (saxophone, vocals), Kissing the Pink released their first album, Naked, in 1983. By 1986, Kissing the Pink had shortened their name to KTP and recorded their most successful LP, Certain Things Are Likely. More commercial than any of their previous efforts, Certain Things Are Likely was Kissing the Pink's concession to their label Magnet's demand for a chart smash. The hits never really came, except that the title track reached number one on the Billboard dance charts; moreover, the single "One Step" went to number one in Italy. In 1988, KTP became Kissing the Pink once again. The group released Sugarland in 1993. After that, the band cut their roster to Whitecross, Hall, and Stewart, doing mainly production work for other artists. In 1999, Hall recorded Moving Into One, a trance CD, for his wife. Kissing the Pink collaborated with Steve Balsamo that year on a number of songs, but they were rejected by Sony and shelved.

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Keighley attended Dulwich Prep London and Royal Russell School in London, England. He started performing as Belouis Some in 1983 and was signed to Parlophone releasing his first album, Some People, in 1985. After initial production in London with Ian Little and Pete Schwier, Some People was produced by Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero in New York. Guitarist Carlos Alomar arranged and played on the sessions along with Bernard Edwards, Tony Thompson, Dave Lebolt, Jimmy Maelen, Carmine Rojas, Guy Fletcher, Gary Barnacle, Rick Bell, Jack Waldman, Chester Kamen, Robin Clark, Frank Simms, Earl Slick. The video for the first single release, "Imagination", was directed by Storm Thorgerson and caused controversy as it contained full frontal nudity. The video for the second single, "Some People", also directed by Thorgerson, was used as a Swatch television advertisement in the U.S.

Belouis Some's contribution to the Pretty in Pink soundtrack, "Round, Round", propelled him towards audiences outside of the clubs. After worldwide chart success and extensive touring, including a support slot on Frankie Goes to Hollywood's 1985 US tour, the single "Imagination" was re-issued in 1986 and became a hit in the UK. Both "Some People" and "Imagination" were remixed several times. In the summer of 1986, Belouis Some was one of the support acts on Queen's Magic Tour appearing at Knebworth, Paris and Manchester.

In late 1986, Belouis Some recorded his second album Belouis Some in New York, produced by Gary Langan and Guy Fletcher. Main band members were Carlos Alomar, Geoff Dugmore, Carmine Rojas, Chester Kamen, Jimmy Maelen, (The Borneo Horns) Lenny Pickett, Steve Elson, Stan Harrison and Fletcher on keyboards. Pete Townshend, Julian Lennon and Neal X made guest appearances on the album. "Let It Be with You" and "Animal Magic" were both US Hot Dance Club Play hits. In 1989, Belouis Some formed The Big Broadcast. The band toured the UK playing small venues and clubs. In 1993, Belouis Some released the album Living Your Life on BMG Records. The album was produced in London by Geoff Dugmore and Nigel Butler. Musicians included Karl Hyde, Steve Barnacle, Peter Oxendale, and J.J. Belle. In 1995, Belouis Some released the single "Let Me Love You for Tonight" produced by Richard "Biff" Stannard (Biffco) and Matt Rowe. In October 2018, Let's Rock The 80's announced that Belouis Some will be performing at their summer festivals across the UK in 2019.



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Kissing the Pink was formed in 1980 at the Royal College of Music in London, England. All of the members lived together in the same house in North London. Comprised of Nick Whitecross (vocals, guitars), Jon Kingsley Hall (keyboards, vocals), Peter Barnett (bass, violin, vocals), Simon Aldridge (guitars, vocals), Stephen Cusack (drums, vocals), George Stewart (keyboards, vocals), and Josephine Wells (saxophone, vocals). Their first single was "Don't Hide in the Shadows", made with Martin Hannett, but it wasn't until they signed with Magnet Records that they began to get any airplay. They recorded their first album in AIR studios with producer Colin Thurston, Kissing the Pink had wanted Brian Eno to produce the album but Magnet thought Thurston would make a more commercial impact. Kissing the Pink released their first album, Naked, in 1983. The album, Naked, didn't sell a lot of copies but was a favourite with the college crowd, the sheer variety of songs on the album made the album too hard to classify, and thus it was largely ignored.

Naked was among the most intricate electronic takes on art-funk this side of the Talking Heads, Yello and Was (Not Was). It started with "The Last Film", a mutant-funk revolving around a marching beat, anthemic brass and angelic vocals. The influence of Yello is clearly visible in the hi-tech electronic beats and vocoders of "Frightened In France", though it's no match for Yello's wackiness. In a way, their best could be the moody post-punk of "Watching Their Eyes", helped by shy philosophical introspection ("we must be strong 'cause only the strong survive").
The hyperactive electro music-hall "Love Lasts Forever" added further spontaneity and cynicism, though the masterpiece was probably "All For You", a twisted tribute of 60's pop based around ghostly electronic loops, resigned male vocals, angelic female vocals and elegant washes of piano, accordion and saxophone. Another highlight, the electro-jazz "Big Man Restless" seems like an obvious influence on Tuxedomoon's later work. Finally, the vibrant party vibes of "Desert Song" (counteracted by wild electronic effects) predate the likes of Frankie Goes to Hollywood et al.



Kissing The Pink - Naked (flac  525mb)

01 The Last Film 3:24
02 Frightened In France 3:23
03 Watching Their Eyes 3:15
04 Love Lasts Forever 5:33
05 All For You 4:02
06 The Last Film (Hymn Version) 3:17
07 Big Man Restless 3:44
08 Desert Song 3:21
09 Broken Body 2:43
10 Maybe This Day 3:32
11 In Awe Of Industry 3:15
12 Mr. Blunt 2:56
Bonus
13 Mr. Blunt (Mixed For Feet) 4:50
14 Watching Their Eyes (Club Mix) 5:20
15 The Last Film (Extended Version) 4:09
16 Love Lasts Forever (12" Version) 6:15
17 We Are Your Family (Special Club Version) 5:52
18 Middleton Row 3:42
19 Big Man Restless (Club Mix) 7:08


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Kissing the Pink's Certain Things Are Likely is generally considered by KTP fans to be the group's weakest LP. And they're right. Certain Things Are Likely sounds as if the band was trying hard to produce a hit. Place the blame on KTP's label, Magnet. The company wanted KTP to sell some records, and Certain Things Are Likely shaves the group's artiness and subtle charms for faceless dance-rock. "One Step" has its toe-tapping moments, but Nick Whitecross' passionless half-spoken, half-sung narrative becomes annoying after a while. Unfortunately, the track's repetitive, manufactured hooks get stuck in the brain; the "hey mister, hey mister, hey mister, hey mister" background vocals pester the ears like a fly buzzing around the room. The title song recalls Blancmange's pulse-pounding synthesizer pop; it's slightly better than "One Step" and shows that KTP haven't lost it completely. Certain Things Are Likely is much too slick; the band can barely breathe underneath the layers of studio gloss. "Can You Hear Me" tosses in bagpipes to prove that KTP haven't been replaced by machines. Sadly, it doesn't help as KTP is running on automatic pilot on Certain Things Are Likely. Only on "Jones," slightly reminiscent of Scary Monsters-period David Bowie, and the Scritti Politti-ish new wave funk of "I Won't Wait" can the true face of KTP be seen through the commercial haze of Certain Things Are Likely.



 Kissing The Pink - Certain Things Are Likely (flac  439mb)

01 One Step 4:28
02 Never Too Late To Love You 3:48
03 Certain Things Are Likely 4:11
04 Dream Dream 3:47
05 No One's On The Same Side 3:44
06 Can You Hear Me 4:29
07 Jones 3:47
08 Identity Card 3:25
09 One Day 4:09
10 I Won't Wait 4:54
11 One Step (Extended Remix) 7:12
Stand Up ep
12 Stand Up (Get Down) 4:08
13 Certain Things Are Likely (Engagedub) 5:08
14 I Won't Wait 4:58
15 No-One's On The Same Side (Mixedub) 4:45

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Belouis Some was probably the least-known act on 1986's Pretty in Pink soundtrack, an assemblage of previously unfamiliar new wave darlings such as the Psychedelic Furs, Echo & the Bunnymen, and the Smiths. However, with his spiky hairdo and booming voice, Some was able to earn his own 15 minutes of MTV fame. Born Neville Keighley, Some released his first LP, Some People, in 1985. The title track was a club hit. Although Some's contribution to the Pretty in Pink soundtrack, "Round, Round," did not penetrate the mainstream, it introduced Some to an audience outside of discotheques. Produced by Bernard Edwards, "Round, Round" had enough electric guitars to seduce rock fans while maintaining the interest of the dance crowd with its pounding groove. "Imagination," a song from Some People, was reissued in 1986, peaking at number 17 on the U.K. pop charts. Both "Some People" and "Imagination" were remixed several times. In 1987, Some recorded his self-titled second album, but it failed to duplicate the success of his debut. Some then disappeared from the music scene, lost in an '80s "Where Are They Now?" file until 1993 when he released Living Your Life. Still devoted to his club roots, Living Your Life found Some embracing techno.



Belouis Some - Some People  (flac  476mb)
 
01 Some People 4:00
02 Stand Down 3:11
03 Imagination 3:34
04 Walk Away 3:37
05 Aware Of You 3:42
06 Target Practice 4:36
07 Have You Ever Been In Love 4:03
08 Tail Lights 5:42
09 Jerusalem 5:47
Bonus
10 Imagination (Dance Mix) 5:31
11 Stand Down (Live Version) 3:18
12 Some People (Extended) 7:38
13 Some People (Dub Mix) 6:36
14 Jerusalem (Instrumental Version) 5:54
15 Target Practice (Bullseye Mix) 6:01

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After his initial chart success and extensive touring, he appeared at Knebworth on a bill supporting Queen, with Big Country and Status Quo in August 1986. The late 1986 single "Jerusalem" had also peaked at #98 in the UK. Soon after, Some recorded his second album, Belouis Some in New York, which was produced by Gary Langan and Guy Fletcher. Pete Townshend and Julian Lennon made guest appearances on the record, while Phil Harding mixed "Let It Be with You". Of the nine tracks, Some solely wrote five of the songs and co-wrote the rest, three of which were co-written with producer Guy Fletcher. "Some Girls" was co-written by Carlos Alomar. The album was recorded at Right Track in New York City, and mixed at both the Eel Pie in Twickenham and Maison Rouge in London. Additional recording was at Counterpoint, Hit Factory, Roundhouse & Beat Factory.

However, like his debut album, Belouis Some did not make a chart appearance in the UK or America. "Let It Be with You" was the lead single from the album, and managed to reach #53 in the UK chart. It fared better in America on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, where it reached #13. The second single "Animal Magic" failed to make an appearance on the UK chart, but a remix version reached #6 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. The third and final single "Some Girls" was exclusively released in the UK during early 1988, and peaked at #76. This was the last charting Belouis Some made in the UK.



Belouis Some - Belouis Some   (flac  370mb)

01 Let It Be With You 3:35
02 Stranger Than Fiction 3:32
03 Some Girls 4:43
04 Passion Play 4:18
05 Animal Magic 4:35
06 Dream Girl 5:10
07 My Body 4:09
08 Wind Of Change 4:50
09 What I See 5:48
Some Girls EP
11 Some Girls (Radio Version) 3:54
12 Imagination (Can U Dig This Mix!) 4:50
13 Some Girls (Extended Version) 6:19
14 Some Girls (Classical Version) 4:43

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Jun 25, 2019

RhoDeo 1925 Triffds 5

Hello,


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John Wyndham (from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A5718486)
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John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris was a prolific writer of novels and short stories, all published under variations of his name. John Beynon, Lucas Parkes, Wyndham Parkes, John Beynon Harris and Johnson Harris were all called into service as a nom de plume at various points during his writing career1, but it was as John Wyndham that he achieved lasting fame. Wyndham's position within the literary canon is a variable one, for at times he has been admired for writing science fiction which appeals beyond the normal readership for the genre, while some critics dismiss his major novels as 'cosy catastrophes' with little depth or insight and thus easily dismissed.

Early Years:
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John Wyndham's early life was far from settled. He was born in 1903 in Knowle, Warwickshire. His parents separated eight years later, and John and his brother Vivian spent the rest of their formative years in many different towns and boarding schools across England. After leaving school in 1921, he tried his hand at various careers including farming, law and advertising before settling on a career as a writer.

From 1931, his stories began to appear in pulp science fiction magazines such as Wonder Stories, Modern Wonder and Amazing Stories. Many of his early stories were fairly typical SF fare, but Wyndham wanted to stretch the rather limited boundaries of what was considered commercial in the genre and began to explore concepts and themes within these stories which would eventually lead to his more famous novels of the 1950s. These persistent themes include human nature (both good and bad), the co-existence of intelligent species, the evolution of mankind and children being gifted with unusual powers. Like other British writers of science fiction (such as Olaf Stapledon, whose most important works were published during the 1930s; or HG Wells in the final years of the 19th Century), Wyndham was arguably more interested in the exploration of ideas than in characterisation or an eventful plot. However, although glimmers of his ambitions did show through in stories such as 'The Puffball Menace' (1933) and 'Child of Power' (1939), the economics of genre publishing at the time meant that most of his experimentation would have to wait. The editors of the magazines were chiefly interested in straightforward stories of action and adventure.

During the 1930s and early 1940s, Wyndham had some two dozen stories published, many of them falling into the category of 'space opera', although he did also write Foul Play Suspected (1935), a detective adventure set in the world of advertising. Then, during the Second World War, he served his country, first as a censor in the civil service and later in the Royal Signal Corps.

After the War:
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In the aftermath of the Second World War, and amid the beginnings of the Cold War, Wyndham's published output changed greatly. Science fiction in general became more serious than it had been during the 1930s, and some of Wyndham's earliest post-war stories display a profound melancholy, most notably 'Time to Rest' (1949) which explores the end of Earth and the decline of human civilisation elsewhere. During the 1950s, Wyndham wrote the four novels for which he is best remembered. They reflect the fears of the time and also allowed Wyndham to explore the ideas that had been stifled in his earlier short stories. These are the so-called 'cosy catastrophes' where humanity's status quo is threatened by strange and disturbing forces.

The Day of the Triffids:
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Originally serialised in Collier's Weekly in 1951, The Day of the Triffids focuses on an everyman hero and narrator, Bill Masen, who wakes up after an eye operation to find that most of the world's population has been blinded following what may have been an exceptionally bright meteor shower, or possibly a malfunction in an orbiting system of satellite weapons. At the same time, bands of triffids - intelligent, mobile carnivorous plants bred behind the Iron Curtain, valued for their oil and feared for their sting - are roaming the country. These plants take advantage of mankind's sudden mass blindness, and could thus become the dominant species on the planet. Masen wanders the country and encounters a number of groups attempting to deal with the catastrophe in various ways. Slavery, religion and feudalism are options presented to the hero, who rejects them all in turn, preferring to fight the triffids in a small pseudo-family unit. Although the novel does end with a glimmer of hope, much of the situation is left unresolved.

The book was adapted for radio four times between 1953 and 1971. It was also adapted for film in 1962, with the triffids transformed from man-made creations to true aliens which came to Earth in a meteor shower. Starring Howard Keel2, the film expanded the scope of the action to include continental Europe and also gave the triffids a simple weakness that would allow mankind to wipe them out. A BBC television adaptation in the 1980s was more faithful to the original book and continues to be fondly remembered.

In The Day of the Triffids, Wyndham explores the various ways in which society would cope with a huge catastrophe, and finds all existing models of society to be inadequate in this situation. Various groups are doomed because they stubbornly cling to the old ways; by the end of the novel it is clear that adaptation is essential. As Clytassamine, a character in 'Pillar to Post' (1951), says of our civilisation, long gone in her time:

    Each new discovery was a toy. You never considered its true worth. You just pushed it into your system - a system already suffering from hardening of the arteries. [...] It never seems to have occurred to you that in Nature, life is growth and preservation is an accident.... What is preserved in the rocks or in ice is only the image of life, but you were always regarding local taboos as eternal verities and attempting to preserve them.

The world of this catastrophe is certainly not cosy. There are triumphs of the human spirit, but human nature is also seen at its worst: suspicious, exploitative or despairing - several suicides are observed by the narrator.

The Kraken Wakes:
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Two years after forcing mankind to face genetically-engineered plants, Wyndham wrote another book with a similar pattern. Strange meteor showers are observed and, after a while, mankind comes under attack. Ships and islanders disappear and the polar ice caps begin to melt as water-dwelling aliens decide to make this world their own. Our everyman narrator this time is writer Mike Watson, who, along with his wife Phyllis, observes the events. The two of them take very little part in the fight against this fearsome new intelligence, but observe and comment on the effects of the invasion. Phyllis Watson is, for the time, a very strong female character, who has more determination than her husband. They both suffer a nervous breakdown after witnessing a terrible scene, but it is Phyllis who recovers first and who takes some sensible precautions for their future.

Once again, Wyndham examines society's response to a terrible threat, and this time he takes a more global view, as the differing reactions of many different governments and groups are discussed. Essentially, most governments turn out to be rather incompetent and the European response is initially to pretend that nothing's happening - the bureaucratic equivalent of a collective sticking of fingers into ears and singing loudly. With such concentration on the 'what if...' of the situation, there are less action set pieces than in The Day of the Triffids, as Wyndham moves further away from standard science fiction. However, although much is left open-ended, The Kraken Wakes does have a more obvious happy ending than his previous novel.

The Kraken Wakes is also known as Out of the Deeps and has been serialised for BBC Radio three times. The most recent version, which has been released on audio cassette, takes itself terribly seriously and thus ends up being unintentionally amusing.

The Chrysalids:
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Sometimes also known as Re-Birth, Wyndham's third novel of the 1950s followed after another two year gap and altered the pattern completely. This is a post-apocalyptic novel, set many years after a great cataclysm (more than likely of nuclear origin) in what was once Canada. In this world, all mutants are feared, hunted and exiled as humanity clings to a rigid religious purity that parallels Senator McCarthy's anti-communist witch-hunts in America. The narrator of the story is David Storm, a telepathic boy, part of a group of similarly-gifted youngsters who must hide their gift for fear of persecution, exile or even execution. Of all Wyndham's novels, this is the most action-packed and one of the most morally ambiguous. Among the various human factions there is no clear right or wrong - almost all factions are quite happy to destroy anyone who is not like them.

As in the two earlier novels of mankind versus the alien intelligence, this novel explores the different ways in which society copes with a cataclysm, but does so with hindsight. The most successful society is the one that is most prepared to adapt, but even this group is not a particularly desirable model to follow. Although this novel has one of Wyndham's most obviously 'happy endings', it is an uncomfortable one.

The Chrysalids has been adapted for radio several times and a stage version was also produced in 1997, performed at the National Theatre in London among other venues.

The Midwich Cuckoos:
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In 1957, the fourth of Wyndham's most influential novels was published. This is the disturbing tale of what happens when an insignificant English village is cut off from the outside world for a day and finds that almost all of the women present are suddenly pregnant. The resulting children are soon discovered to be quite different from the people of the village, with mental abilities which nobody can fully comprehend. Wyndham's alien intelligence is much more normal than mobile plants or undersea monsters, and all the more creepy because of it. The children are compared, within the book as well as in its title, to cuckoos - birds which lay their eggs in the nests of other species, coercing them to rear alien offspring and draining all their resources.

The novel has many similarities to Triffids and Kraken. The narrator is almost entirely an observer of events - his wife is not among those who bear the children and he is absent from the village for many years. He simply reports on significant events, being present for many of them, but never directly involved. The alien intelligence embodied by the children has a form of hive mind, and the various reactions to the situation, both within Midwich and later, as reported from elsewhere in the world, are examined, to explore once again the ways in which humanity copes with the unexpected. And a consistent theme rears its head once more - where two intelligent species are sharing the same planet, cooperation between them is strained and may not be sustainable. The survival of the fittest includes sapient beings.

A radio adaptation of The Midwich Cuckoos was broadcast on the BBC World Service. It has also been filmed twice, under the more lurid title of Village of the Damned.

Later Work:
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Wyndham never stopped writing short stories, but, like his novels, they changed in tone in the years following the war. The 'space opera' genre was largely abandoned, or when it was used, the stories were more chilling than the usual adventurous fare - 'Survival' (1952), is a borderline horror story and 'Dumb Martian' (also 1952) explores the issues of racism and sexism. Like many other science fiction authors, Wyndham also took an interest in the possibilities of time travel. While his pre-war time travel tales had included alien intelligences, he explored various different paradoxes and concepts during the 1950s and early 1960s. 'Pillar to Post' (1951) is a battle of wills across the millennia; 'Pawley's Peepholes' (1951) is an entertaining speculation on the potential form of time tourism; 'Chronoclasm' (1953) and 'Opposite Number' (1954) are love stories involving time travellers of one kind or another; 'Consider Her Ways' (1956) involves a vision of a future world where the men have been wiped out by disease3. Other stories ponder robotics or raise environmental concerns4. The closest Wyndham came to typical 'hard' science fiction, was in The Outward Urge, a series of linked stories (1958-1959) about the exploration of space which take place over several generations. These stories include much technical detail alongside the reactions of various members of the Troon family to the stages of space exploration which they experience. During the 1960s, Wyndham also published two further novels.

Trouble With Lichen:
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Published in 1960, this novel explores what happens when two scientists simultaneously identify a substance which slows down the aging process. Both of them realise that such a substance will increase exploitation of the impoverished and widen the gap between rich and poor and each ponders how best to use it for the betterment of mankind. One decides to suppress it, though he is not above using it on himself and his family. The other decides that she trusts women more than men, and in order to tap into the influence that women have over their husbands, she opens an exclusive and expensive beauty salon which is frequented by the wives of MPs and business magnates.

Unusually for Wyndham, this book does not have a single narrator, which makes it clearer than ever that his interest is ideas rather than people. Once again, this book is a theme in search of a plot and characterisation, exploring issues surrounding the commercial exploitation of science which are even more urgent now than they were when it was written. Wyndham also casts light on the situation of women in the middle years of the 20th century: Diana Brackley is presented as an intelligent, forward-thinking scientist and a resourceful and successful businesswoman but, significantly, she is unmarried. Her mother and most of her customers seem content to give up their own power in order to take the rôle of supportive wife and helpmate.

Chocky:
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A touching and intriguing tale quite unlike much of Wyndham's other work, Chocky (1968) concerns a young boy who appears to be in communication with some other form of intelligence. His parents and others wonder whether this is a particularly developed invisible friend, a case of possession, or something else entirely. Unlike most of his earlier work, the book concentrates on one family and thus explores psychological reactions to the strange events in place of the usual sociological speculation.

In another move uncharacteristic of Wyndham, everything is explained at the close of the novel, and the truth of the situation is reminiscent of Olaf Stapledon's Starmaker. This is in many ways a more positive view of alien intelligence than that offered in his novels of the 1950s, although it does contain similar musings on mankind's unwillingness to change.

Chocky has been dramatised twice for BBC Radio and was also filmed for Thames Television as a children's series, later inspiring two original TV sequels - Chocky's Children and Chocky's Challenge.

The End and After...
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In 1963, Wyndham married Grace Wilson, a teacher. He had been in regular correspondence with her during the war years, but they had known one another for over twenty years before they married. The couple lived in Hampshire until Wyndham's death in March 1969.

Just as many of his novels ended, but didn't quite tell the end of the story, Wyndham's publishing career continued even after his death. Various collections of short stories emerged during the 1970s, and ten years after his death, his estate released Web, a tale concerning intelligent, co-operative spiders which inevitably come into conflict with mankind. The book contains many of Wyndham's most persistent themes - two intelligent species in conflict with one another, a species with a hive mind, the role of women in society, mankind's folly - and while it is not as polished as the novels published during his lifetime, it is generally held to stand up well alongside his other work.

Wyndham's novels were staples of school reading lists in the United Kingdom for many years, and several of them are still very popular, both with science fiction devotees and with members of the reading public who generally avoid the genre. Very much products of their time, his books continue to resonate fifty years later, not only for the frightening alien intelligences, but also for the issues they raise.


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The Day of the Triffids has become a sci-fi classic. It is an engrossing and entertaining novel that contains the best elements of the genre – it indulges the reader with an experience of a fantastical world while making poignant observations about our own. Its wide influence is clear to see in our current era of post-apocalyptic storytelling.



There is a lot of social criticism in the novel, so much so that it is difficult to know where it begins and ends. Barry Langford, who wrote the introduction to this edition, goes as far as to suggest that Masen and Josella are being punished for their former lives as a practitioner of a ‘perverted’ science and a privileged party girl respectively. I’m not entirely convinced of that but it remains clear that the novel has much to say about modern society.

In the novel, individualism is a selfish privilege of modern society. Once the triffids are in control, the individual, and even small groups, cannot hope to survive. Collectivism is the only viable path forward. Even so, the best way to proceed is not clear. Several potential new societies emerge from the egalitarian, militaristic and religious fundamentalist.

Paradoxically, even with the turn towards collective survival, exclusion seems an inevitable part of it. Survivors struggle to know how generous they can afford to be towards those whose chance of survival is low and who will be completely dependent on the more able; about how to reconcile the competing impulses of principle and pragmaticism, of compassion and indifference. The loss of moral direction and the question of how to find it again, of when to adhere to the ethics of the world that has just ended and when to accept that the new world needs a new code if any are to survive, is a significant problem for the characters and a consistent theme of the book.

But I can see, too, that the more obvious humane course is also, probably, the road to suicide. Should we spend our time in prolonging misery when we believe that there is no chance of saving the people in the end? Would that be the best use to make of ourselves?

Society before the triffids take over may be interpreted as an arrogant one where humans, convinced of their own superiority, confidently assume they can control the natural world which is theirs to exploit. The rise of the triffids is the natural world fighting back. There seems to be a critique of technocracy; of a society that has become over-reliant on technology and experts. Even after its downfall, the survivors make no attempt to seek out and collect available knowledge the way they are hoarding food and fuel even though it may prove as essential.

Looking back at the shape of things then, the amount we did not know and did not care to know about our daily lives is not only astonishing, but somehow a bit shocking. I knew practically nothing, for instance, of such ordinary things as how my food reached me, where the fresh water came from, how the clothes I wore were woven and made, how the drainage of cities kept them healthy. Our life had become a complexity of specialists all attending to their own jobs with more or less efficiency, and expecting others to do the same.

Wyndham's novel has a deep thoughtfulness and an observant eye for human behavior. Likewise, its deconstruction of modern civilization is less bombastic and more realistic than 21st century entertainment likes to project.



John Wyndham - The Day of the Triffids 13-15 ( 86min mp3     39mb).


The Day of the Triffids 13 of 17 30:08
The Day of the Triffids 14 of 17 30:08
The Day of the Triffids 15 of 17 25:59

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previously

John Wyndham - The Day of the Triffids 01-03 ( 90min mp3     40mb).
John Wyndham - The Day of the Triffids 04-06 ( 86min mp3     39mb).
John Wyndham - The Day of the Triffids 07-09 ( 89min mp3     41mb).
John Wyndham - The Day of the Triffids 10-12 ( 89min mp3     40mb).

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