Understand We Must All Live In Peace On Earth

Some Mandatory Monday Reggae for you, courtesy of Prince Fatty aka Mike Pelanconi, who dropped a couple of new singles last Monday (14th).

 

100 Weight Of Collie Weed was originally written and recorded by Carlton Livingston in 1984 and Prince Fatty delivers four versions as a name your price EP via Bandcamp: a vocal version featuring Earl 16, a Disco Mix with additional vocals from Horseman and instrumentals of both.

The lead release is another cover, available on 7" and digital single, offering reggae and dub treatments of Expansions, Lonnie Liston Smith's classic from 1975. Featuring regular collaborator Shniece McMenamin on vocals, backed by an all-star band comprising ON-U Sound legend Carlton "Bubblers" Ogilvie (organ & piano), Finn Peters (flute) and Horseman aka Winston Williams (drums), it's an uplifting take on a personal favourite.

 

Not that Lonnie Liston Smith's version was the first time time I knowingly heard Expansions. Oh no. It was this release on PWL back in 1991...

I used to have Xpand Ya Mind (Expansions) by Wag Ya Tail on CD single and Lonnie Liston Smith is credited on the front and as a collaborator on a couple of mixes, but it's a far cry from his original jazz-funk odyssey. Speaking of which...

 

I finally added the song to my collection when I purchased cheapo-but-excellent compilation CD Soul Brother from my local Woolworths in 1999 or 2000.

 

The original version of Expansions is unbeatable but, as ever, Prince Fatty, Shniece and co. have done the song justice. You can buy the singles via Bandcamp or for the real (Dub)heads, Prince Fatty is offering up stem packs for these and many others via his online shop.

On an unrelated but happy note, after I finish today, I'm not back at work again until next Tuesday. It’ll be business as usual here. I have a very special gig coming up which I'll write about later in the week, plus a few more Dubhed selections together with the usual nonsense. I will also have the chance to post more comments on other music blogs, which I have continued to enjoy but have sorely neglected in the past few weeks. 

Mostly though, it's a chance to relax and expand my mind by listening to some mighty fine music.

 

Disco Deception

Sorry! My first day of a few days off work and I slept in, without having today's post tidied up and cued to go earlier this morning. By way of compensation, here's the sweet sounds of Shniece McMenamin with Prince Fatty, performing their Disco Deception EP for Subtle Radio two years ago.

The Disco Deception EP came out in June 2020, a few months into the Covid lockdown in the UK, I bought the digital format on Bandcamp and, believe me, it was a much-needed salve. I've only just discovered this session on YouTube, Prince Fatty spinning the dubplates whilst Shniece sings live over the top. The clip is pretty much a close up head shot of Shniece for just under 25 minutes, with the occasional cut to Prince Fatty in the booth, but I find it utterly compelling. 

 

JC at The Vinyl Villain today quite rightly highlights the injustice that a great performer like Broken Chanter/David McGregor isn't playing to huge audiences and the same goes for Shniece. I'm hoping she and Prince Fatty get back out and head over to the West of England real soon.

 

The Subtle Radio session in August 2020 showcases the Disco Deception EP in it's original running order, with a bonus performance of another cover version that was released as a single a few days later:

 

1) Take Me As I Am (Cover of Lyn Collins)

2) 90% Of Me Is You (Cover of Gwen McCrae)

3) Love Me Right (Cover of LaVern Baker)

4) Fever (Cover of Little Willie John)

5) You Got What You Wanted (Cover of Ike & Tina Turner)

6) Funkin' For Jamaica (N.Y) (Cover of Tom Browne)

 

In October 2021, I donated to Prince Fatty's Crowdfunder campaign to raise funds to complete a new studio build and, as a reward, I received a large chunk of Prince Fatty's back catalogue, including albums by Horseman, Hollie Cook, tons of dubs and the Disco Deception Dubplate album, which expands the original EP with vocals and dubs of Funkin' For Jamaica (N.Y) and Kraftwerk's The Model.

 

All highly recommended and available on Bandcamp, as is Hollie Cook's new album, Happy Hour. 

 

Tomorrow's post will be launched at a more reasonable time, I promise.