Episode 006: Six Feet Deep (Diggin' Up the Daisies Vol. 01)
Episode 006: Six Feet Deep (Diggin' Up the Daisies Vol. 01) 1. The Rascals - My World (US 1968 - Mono Mix) Classic feel good tune from this New Jersey band that had a string of hits in their early days as The Young Rascals. This is taken from their 1968 pop-psych LP Once Upon a Dream that is strung together with trippy effects and features many highlights. It's an interesting sample to become a rap song, as it doesn't have a strong drum element but the melodic elements are ripe for the picking.2. Eric Burdon & War -Magic Mountain (US 1970 - Mono Mix Radio Edit) This one chord jam is the b-side and twin sister to hit single "Spill the Wine" and features a super punchy bass-heavy groove and classic harmonica intro that became a defining statement once re-imagined as a rap tune. It would also reappear on a "trip-hop" classic later in the next decade.3. The Grass Roots - You and Love are the Same (US 1968) Making a splash with their flower power anthem "Live for Today", this studio project for songwriters Lou Adler and PF Sloan eventually became a real band. This album cut ended up on a volume of 80's sample fodder series Ultimate Breaks and Beats and thus turned into a classic rap tune shortly after. I wonder who was the first person to have the patience to find that pounding little bridge?4. Sly & The Family Stone - Trip Through Your Heart (US 1967) This tune is one of Sly's few overtly psychedelic tunes and is taken from his band's debut that fell on deaf ears. Filled with lyrics aimed to appeal at the hippie crowd and trippy band made sound effects, this tune shows Sly starting to stumble on the formula that would eventually make him successful. 5. The Bubble Gum Machine - I Wonder (US 1968 - Mono Mix) Starting life as the Fabulous Fakes, this band of siblings and local friends changed their name before recording their lone album for Senate. The groove on this one is prime sample material and shows how deep some beat makers were getting into one-off obscurities at the time.6. Mashmakhan - I Know I’ve Been Wrong (Canada 1970) Surprised with a hit single from their debut album, these Canadians specialized in epic blue-eyed soul heavy on the brass arrangements. This gem features a catchy organ riff that served as inspiration for a classic golden era album cut. After a brief two year stint and follow up album the band called it a day.7. The Rotary Connection - Memory Band (US 1968) Chicago's finest featuring production from the late and great Charles Stepney, the Connection also served as the first creative outlet for young singer Minnie Ripperton, whose soaring vocals can be heard throughout this sparkling tune. The four note sitar melody on the intro would provide inspiration for not one but two classic 90's hip-hop staples.8. Elephants Memory - Mongoose (US 1970) Initially finding success scoring late the late 60's classic Midnight Cowboy, this bad of misfits eventually found success as John Lennon and Yoko Ono's backing band for a spell. In between, they'd cut an album of heavy rock from which this classic breakbeat track is taken.9. Music Machine - Come On In (US 1966 - Mono Mix) Sean Bonniwell lead this band to success with their hit single Talk Talk that was featured on their debut LP along with this groovy number. The intro served as the bridge to a gangster rap classic and shows that beat diggers on the west coast were tuned in to a sightly different frequency when it came to sample fodder.10. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced? (UK 1967 - Mono Mix) To further the last point, this hallmark of music production became source material for both a west coast bohemian rap staple and - if you listen carefully- gangster rap anthem.