Fela Anikupalo Kuti

"Though the names of Erykah Badu and James Brown are far more recognizable than Fela Kuti's, they owe much of their musicianship to his influence. Scores of future musicians and leaders watched Kuti rise and fall under the oppressive Nigerian regime, and his spectacular music and fiery political acts have made his life legendary.

Fela Anikupalo Kuti was born in Abeokuta, Nigeria, on October 15, 1938. From his childhood, Fela was interested in music. He left Nigeria to study music in London, then returned to Africa to spend some time in Ghana. He started a band called Koola Lobitos. After experiencing success with that band, Fela visited America in the 1960's. It was there that he was exposed to leaders like Malcolm X and the Black Panthers, and began to develop his interest in politics. He said, "... at that time, when the [Biafran]war was going on, I wasn't politically minded at all. I made my comment as a citizen. I was just another musician playing with Koola Lobitos and singing love songs, songs about rain ... What did I know?" 

Fela educated himself on the politics of Nigeria and the African diaspora. His music began to address issues of the Biafran war and the failings of the Nigerian government, setting him up as a target. However, despite intimidation and attempts on his life and the lives of his family, Fela never stopped being an outspoken adversary of the government. Instead, each incident further fueled the fire of his music."

Colnago Mexico from Big Col on Vimeo.

Because There's Forty Different Shades Of Black

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain By Pavement

Listen to the album on Grooveshark

Da Cat

Sam Wickwire

Ted Spencer

There Is Only One Way To Surf

Everyday.

Circa 2006.

Are You Experienced

Feel like listening to some new wave? I do.

The Eight

 Recorded at 2nd Freiburger Jazztage in Freiburg, Germany on November 8, 1981

""Calling It The 8th" is a 59-minute double-fisted, elbows-on-the-keyboard, off-the-gauge hurricane of passion, counter-rhythm and chromaticism. Its ten-minute reprise, "Calling It The 9th," achieves the same level of overwhelming intensity. But if you can surrender yourself to the onslaught and stay the course, you'll emerge invigorated and uplifted, bloody but stronger. It's a prize worth fighting for"

Original LP Cover

God Make Me Funky

"I began to feel that I had been spending so much time exploring the upper atmosphere of music and the more ethereal kind of far-out spacey stuff. Now there was this need to take some more of the earth and to feel a little more tethered; a connection to the earth....I was beginning to feel that we (the sextet) were playing this heavy kind of music, and I was tired of everything being heavy. I wanted to play something lighter."

Pink Elephants

Waiting For David

Rooooster

Best Wedding Ever