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— —— INDIE FOCUS CASH BOX AUGUST 4, 1990 BY ALEX HENDERSON tists—both in terms of record sales and Boy 953) live shows Abbey, a British im- Despite its obvious talent, Stet- trying to mirror what Malaco was — migrant, asserts, "Outside of the sasonic has yet to make the killer doing, I don't think we would have I INDIE PROFILE U.S.A., black American music is album that will put the posse in a class achieved whatever success we've treated as an art form. In this country, with such fearless rap royalty as achieved." they don't treat it the same way N.W.A., Ice Cube, Public Enemy and ICHIBAN Besides the abovemen tioned soul maybe because there's so much black Boogie Down Productions. Whether ICHIBAN HAS OFTEN veterans, artists heard on Ichiban and RECORDS music here. We take it for granted in or not the forthcoming Blood, Sweat & Ichiban-distributed labels (which in- BEEN COMPARED to Malaco, the this country, whereas in Europe, they No Tears (which was also the title of clude Curtom, S.D.E.G., Startrak and Jackson, Mississippi-based indie that is don't." Sick of It All's last album) will be that Wilbe), range from jazzmen like Lon- home to quite a few soul veterans. album remains to be seen. Although nie Liston Smith to bluesmen such as While Johnnie Taylor, Denise LaSalle not a breathtaking song, "Speaking of Little Johnny Taylor (not to be con- I INDIE NEWS and Latimore are among the soul ar- a Girl Named Suzie" is an enjoyable IN-EFFECT/RELATIVITY: Got to get ode to a skeezer. "Anytime, down! Stinky Groove by the Lim- Anyplace" contains a decent track, but The Chi-Lites The Three Degrees Sick of It All bomaniacs, a Bay Area posse whose its we're-def-and-you're-a-suckuh- music includes elements of go-go, funk MC cliches sound tired compared to and hip-hop, is scheduled for October thought-provoking Ice-T or Jungle release on In-Effect/ Relativity. Guests Brothers lyrics. on the album, which will boast a cover of the Commodores' "Brickhouse," in- ALBUMS clude such funksters as Bootsy Collins, Maceo Parker (who's played his too- PRIMUS: Frizzle Fry (Caroline funky tenor for James Brown and Par- 1619) liament/Funkadelic) and T-Bone of 7 Trouble Funk fame. Get up, y all!... A great misconception is that punk and PRIMUS disco died with the '70s, when in fact, the genres are alive and well and going by different names. While the disco of Curtis Mayfield Lonnie Liston Smith Expose and Dead or Alive is given the broader term of "dance music," punk tists recording for Malaco, the Atlanta- fused with Malaco's soul man Johnnie rock has been termed "hardcore" since based Ichiban's roster includes Curtis Taylor), the Legendary Blues Band, the early '80s. During a July 27 show at Mayfield, the Chi-Lites, William Bell, Artie "Blues Boy" White and Gary the Country Club in the L.A. suburb of Slave, Clarence Carter and the Three B.B. Coleman to rappers (Vanilla Ice, Reseda, New York punk posses Kill- Degrees. But Ichiban president John the Easetown Posse, among others) to ing Time and Sick of It AIL both of Abbey, who had already made a name African artists. "We've actually out- which record for Relativity's In-Effect for himself as editor of Blues & Soul grown our original vision," Abbey The combination of Les Claypool's label, delivered tight, enthusiastic sets Magazine when Ichiban was founded notes. "When we started, we wanted quirky vocals and funk-influenced for slam-dancin', stage-divin' punks in 1985, emphasizes that Ichiban is far to be a very small, very personal, fami- bass lines, Larry LaLonde's metallic, many of whom were no doubt learning from a Malaco clone. ly-type thing. We've been fortunate in Jimi Hendrix-influenced guitar and to walk when the Clash, theSex Pistols, "I have a tremendous amount of that we've been able to grow beyond Tun Alexander's forceful drumming the Ramones and the Dead Boys were respect and admiration for Malaco," that. Yet we've retained the same at- make Bay Area threesome Primus' first heard on vinyl... Abbey asserts. "They've kept doors mosphere. What we're trying to do Frizzle Fry a highly individualistic ef- open for (traditional soul] music. But now—what we'd like to be—is basi- NOISE INTERNATIONAL : The metal- fort. While Primus isn't metal per se, we don't want to be a mirror of cally a home for anything that can oriented Noise International has LaLonde's psychedelic excursions Malaco. I was once asked point-blank, remotely be classified as black music signed Killing Joke. According to a merit headbangers' attention. And al- 'Would it be good for you if Malaco and wants to stay independent and recent press release, the band went the though the funk element isn't as went out of business?,' and the answer retain control of itself. We represent 60 indie route because it was sick of major prominent in Primus' music as it is in to that question is a definite 'No,' be- or 70 artists now, but we know labels pressuring it to be more com- the Red Hot Chili Peppers', cause it's healthy to have competition. everybody on a personal level. We'd mercial... Meanwhile, Destruction has Claypool's bass lines are all the way Indirectly, we're pushing the same like to provide a home to a lot of completed a new album for the label, live. music, and you need two or three talented acts, including the older acts which is scheduled to release it in Oc- ARTIE “BLUES BOY” WHITE: it to keep it strong. The tober. The album has a working title of people doing the majors simply aren't interested in Tired of Sneaking Around idea of a Johnnie Taylor or a Latimore but who still have a lot of mileage left Cracked Brain and will include a cover (Ichiban 1061) not having a record deal—or Curtis in them. And in many cases, they're of the Knack's "My Sharona"... The Some folks suffer from the delusion Mayfield or Clarence Carter people I've known because of the following month. Noise International that every artist should be an in- frightens the life out of me. magazine [Blues & Soul], When you hit plans to release a new album by novator. But while innovation on the "Where do we differ? Malaco is 40, that may be too old to play Tankard, titled The Meaning of Life... rap and world-beat tips is quite heal- pretty much an in-house company. baseball, but it's not too old to make thy, ain't nothin' wrong with They basically do every tiling in their great records that sell." I INDIE REVIEWS traditionalists like Artie "Blues Boy" studio, whereas I think we see oursel- More than a few people have ar- White, who gives listeners a heavy ves as more of a distributor—we dis- gued that African-American art forms dose of straight-up Chi-Town blues on tribute 15 or 16 labels. They are, in all like jazz, blues and classic soul are SINGLES Tired of Sneaking Around. Although honesty, a lot more selective over what treated with more respect in Europe STETSASONIC: "Speaking of primarily a blues album, "Today I they release—we realease a lot more than in the U.S. Noting that Europe is a Girl Named Suzie" b/w Started Loving You Again" borders on product than they do. Had we come in an important market for Ichiban's ar- "Anytime, Anyplace" (Tommy R&B..

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