So I have been moseying around Hive a little while now, checking out the movers and shakers and ever since I joined this awesome community it has been my intention to join the Three Tune Tuesday crowd. But there is just so much going on in the Hive community and so much to get your head round that I have not found the time to enter the TTT contest. Until now that is.
So this is my post for Three Tune Tuesday - a contest conceived by music fanatic @ablaze. I am massively into music, like so many others out there. For me music, above all else, is energy and freedom. I don't know how we could ever survive in a world without music. Even the thought of a musicless world is just too depressing to think about. I like so many genres of music but right at the top is electronica, particularly electro-ambient.
However, for my entry into Three Tune Tuesday I am going to focus on the renowned artist Fatboy Slim. His music has been described as many things, essentially he is a dance artist that played a seminal role in the big beat movement of the 1990's. But at the same time I would not limit his style of music to just those two genres. I must admit when I first heard his music whilst being completely bowled over by it I did struggle for a while where to place him in terms of genre. But does it really matter? If it works ride with it!
(DJ and seminal artist Fatboy Slim)
Fatboy Slim, who's real name is Norman Cook, was a former drummer for The Housemartins but once the band split up that's when Cook began to focus on electronica. He formed a group called Beats International and had some commercial success with a UK number one in Dub Be Good To Me. It was only in 1996 though that Cook adopted the name Fatboy Slim and released his debut album Better Living Through Chemistry.
However, for me it was his subsequent album You've Come Along Way released in 1998 that provides the music for this particular post. Despite what is an old album it has surprisingly aged very well, the tracks sound as fresh and relevant now as they did 26 years ago. There's no denying it, this album still does the job and helps you to freak out when only freakery will do.
So let's start with an ultra big beat song in Right Here Right Now. Take a listen to this and you'll be motivated to do anything. Totally pumped up with serious dance layers and heavy beats it also samples Ashes, Rain and I by James Gang. This song kicks so much ass, guaranteed to get peeps dancing wherever you are. If you're into dance, big beats or house then it's a song for you. If you're not it's still a song for you, you just don't realise it yet! Go listen.
Moving on to choon number two I'm looking at the almost indescribable Rockafeller Skank. This song is profoundly energising. There is literally all sorts going on in this song, it's utter chaos and it works beautifully. Throw in a recurring electric guitar chord for good measure and you have one huge fat chooon! Check it out.
For the last track I am choosing from Fatboy Slim's You've Come A Long Way album it has to be Praise You. Less of a big beat anthem and more dance with some pronounced keys going on. Few lyrics and plenty of lyrical repetition but a real cheeky funky number for sure. The song actually makes use of a total of six samples, including guitar and vocal samples. But it all comes together seamlessly and is yet another example of Fatboy Slim's unique contribution to the big beats and electronica genres. Take a listen and just take a look at the video, it's totally insane.
There it is, my entry for TTT. It's great when these types of contests come along, it makes you reconnect with songs that you haven't listened to in ages. I'm obviously still playing Fatboy non-stop now right now, it's been a while! Another shoutout to @ablaze for creating TTT and for sticking with it all this time, it's a freaking awesome thing!
Peace!
I'm not a sampling expert and I love so much how artists like him - or Daft Punk, or Prodigy - are able to create these masterpieces by puzzling pieces of other songs together. A great production skill that I admire.
Maybe one day I'll try some of that style too, I just need some more free time to experiment
Yes I couldn't agree more! Some artists know how to sample and create ingenious pieces of work and Fatboy Slim is a perfect example. You definitely need to get on that, I would be very interested to see what you could come up with.